mi 






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m 



i 



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r^^ 



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— t' 



TlAlf 0/ iAiijy£L 






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5l\ 



<,,„..,. I 










u.,.t.lS^~ 









KiibbnlVAuti'ioii 



;;:*c/--"-' ^ 







R t- U' B 












' o 



ato" Loiu^. Eaat from GretTnrich. 



/(l< rabbi iir^_:';j"*< 



T,..t-' l.v II r.nlfina- .l..l,„.„m..V.y..rt. 



IV 



X 




f" - ~- 



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lib., s 










y-^ 



u i< 




^j<. \, 



f-f^. 



.^' -;^^^^' 



or couNx^iiisiTAMzr 



(ild Testament names in hack ieUers 
Npvt TePtamenl uajnes in RomaiL " 
Modem, names m Italic 



^.jy A ' ^^gg ::^' ( 




or 1. w ^ jj >- ^ 

\> Jufiitri- -Vl 

,. , I- .y « « - 
0^ 



Descendants of Nouli 



i 

SKl<f.')t Tt-pw aiullliddlt Mil 



1[^ .\Jtt 






3rX3-C«__ iVtfrtft. Assyria 
5a\ak Ouxhiaea 



I { Seba. 5. o/' J5tf>jP* 

I Sajbtah." E.Jj-ahia, 

I ! Sluaba W«C Arabia, 

^eAauL W: (£ 6'. Arabia. 



,\\«nv 








• Olinl 












'^^ 


LytUoTis in Asia Mnoi^ 




Syria-, MesopotattvUi. 

i'. Arabia., ast of £dom 


Uvi 


y M y„:.::um' 



Cfintnil 
Amhin 



L^iraroa__ 



'!S ayfatv\bim 
pH'thrusim 



I'laiii of Shinar 
.Egyptians 
Jfear £^utjpia 
\_ W.of Egypt 
n. coast TVT of Egypt 



jh Jrj5. ooaitt of 



S.Egypt 



|_Ca3^ 



(??-*» 



iZidonians JV*. ll*" C9<ut of Canaan 

J ebvvsite s Tr/'A/- JemsdUm. 
' jimtmi*' 



__ "^ *-^ of Slams of Jordan 



. Jh. the Centra of Canaan 



Z enxaiites y In the North. I 

"Hama-tbiies ^ ! 



JtA^3'^<£^'^ i&r.Japetus> Ew^pt.and 

yOir.BTb dmmkriaits, Gauls. Mts 

|fti<\iXtm^ta. coasts of thr. Euxij" 

iTogarroah. Armenia it Caucasu--^ 

"Ka^OP" E.&if.E of thf Eusiiu 



'^^S.S.^ JU(m2«5, < 



p.. 



7./ euHy Hmdoo.t 



3 3Jf ©JfU lonians . GrerJrs 

YViaV^ah Greece. J'ehfpannei 

ta isbisih- i'. »{ JP. Spain. 
SoBim. Cyprus, 7<a<y c^/-. 
SoAaaom- Macedonia 

1* 0*0 3kU 2forth of Amieniii 



."^'oic — Z7iw ffifi?*- -presents tfi, 
ii'ifi'wx which spjitng from fhf n-m 
Xotji . ,\'t) /« /■ OA" /Aiy f "e Te^-orrJeii ii 
llie home, of many tribes, es)>f 
Africa, h 




\\ ilK 'i'llK TKMI'l.l': 



r I'h.^ AlL-u- ut Uuntt uiU^niiv^ 
1) rite bL-:i>i«»i l.a.vtri- 






1. S.il..m<»i:> forcli or roLoiii 
M TU^ U.1.V.1I I'l.ivh 



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= 1 

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! Holy 

Tloli«. 


grnhij. „i' sum. iu',N..i 

^Alt^U'ol liid.Mi.se j9Uui-n1 
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OlM.L.f.'i, ('.'<n.ll.',.liHi 


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1 

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///< lirne ul' Cti?-isi 




-- 



ETlg-^bvl). (nrifgh^ Jatir 



v_^ 



TPIE ^v .,\ 

V 

FAMILY BIBLE; 



CONTAINING 



THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, 



wiTn 



BRIEF NOTES AND INSTRUCTIONS, 



DESIGNED 



TO GIVE THE RESULTS OF CRITICAL INVESTIGATION, AND TO ASSIST 

COMMON READERS TO UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE 

HOLY SPIRIT IN THE INSPIRED WORD. 



INCLUDING 



THE REFERENCES AND MARGINAL READING!S OF THE 
POLYGLOT BIBLE. 



PUBLISHED BY THE 
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 

150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1801, by the Ameuican Tract Society, in the Clerk's office of the District 
Court for the Southern District of New York. 



NAMES AND ORDER OF ALL THE BOOKS 



THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. 



THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



No. Chap. 

(JENESIS, 50 

EXODUS, 40 

LEVITICUS, 27 

NUMBERS, 36 

DEUTERONOMY, 34 

JOSHUA, 24 

JUDGES, 21 

RUTH, 4 

I. SAMUEL, 31 

II. SAMUEL, 24 

I.KINGS, 22 

n. KINGS, 25 

I. CHRONICLES, 29 



No. Chap. 

n. CHRONICLES, 36 

EZRA, 10 

NEHEMIAH, 13 

ESTHER, 10 

JOB, 42 

PSALMS, 150 

PROVERBS, 31 

ECCLESIASTES, 12 

SONG OF SOLOMON, 8 

ISAIAH, 66 

JEREMIAH, 52 

LAMENTATIONS, 5 

EZEKIEL, 48 



No. Chap. 

DANIEL, 12 

HOSEA, 14 

JOEL, 3 

AMOS, 9 

OBADIAH, 1 

JONAH, 4 

MICAH, 7 

ilAHUM, 3 

HABAKKUK, 3 

ZEPHANIAH, 3 

HAGGAI, 2 

ZECHARIAH, 14 

MALACHI, 4 



THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 



MATTHEW, 28 

MARK, 16 

LUKE, 24 

JOHN, 21 

THE ACTS, 28 

TO THE ROMANS, 16 

I. CORINTHIANS, 16 

II. CORINTHIANS, 13 

GALATIANS, 6 



EPHESIANS, 6 

PHILIPPIANS, 4 



COLOSSIANS, 

I. THESSALONIANS, . 
IL THESSALONIANS,. 

I. TIMOTHY, 

II. TIMOTHY, 

TITU.'^, 

PHILEMON, 



TO THE HEBREWS, 13 

EPISTLE OF JAMES, 5 

I. PETER, 5 

II. PETER, 3 

I. JOHN, 5 

IL JOHN, 1 

in. JOHN, 1 

JUDE, 1 

REVELATION, 22 



THE ORDER OF TIME 

IN WHICH THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN. 



JOB, B. C. 1521 

GENESIS, 1500 

KSODUS, 1491 

LEVITICUS, 1490 

NUMBERS, 1451 

DEUTERONOMY 1451 

.JOSHUA, 1427 

JUDGES, 1403 

MATTHEW,- A. D. 38 

I. THESS., 54 

II. THESS., 54 

GALATIANS, 58 

I. CORINTHIANS,- 59 
IT. CORINTHIANS, 60 



RUTH, 1060 

I. SAMUEL, 10.55 

IL SAMUEL, 1018 

PSALMS, 

SOL. SONG, 101.3 

PROVERBS, 1000 

ECCLESIASl'ES,- 977 
JONAH, 862 

ROMANS, 60 

L PETER, 60 

JAMES, 60 

LUKE, - 63 

ACTS, 64 

EPHESIANS, 64 



JOEL, 800 

AMOS. 787 

HOSEA, 785-725 

ISAIAH, 7150-698 

NAHUM, 713 

MICAH, 750-698 

ZEPHANIAH, 030 

I. KINGS, 020 

COLOSSIANS, 64 

PHILIPPIANS, 64 

PHILEMON, 64 

HEBREWS, 64 

I. TIMOTHY, 65 

MARK, 65 



HABAKKUK, 626 

II KINGS, 590 

JEREMIAH, --628-586 
LAMENTATIONS, 587 

OBADIAH, -- 587 

EZEKIEL, 595-575 

DANIEL, 534 

HAGGAI, 520 

TITUS, 65 

JUDE, 66 

II. PETER, 66 

II. TIMOTHY, 66 

JOHN, 90 

I. JOHN, 90 



ZECHARIAH, 520 

ESTHER, 509 

I. CHRONICLES,- 457 

II. CHRONICLES,- 457 

EZRA. 450 

NEHEMIAH, 434 

MALACHI, 397 



IL JOHN, 90 

UL JOHN, 90 

REVELATION, 96 



THE 



BIBLE GOD'S GIFT FOR MEN 



This book is the word of God. In it he makes known to men his character and 
will. It is all given by inspiration of the Holy Grhost, and is profitable ; teaching men 
what to believe ; showing them in what they are wrong ; instructing them in what is 
right; and loading them, through the grace of God, to do it. Although written by 
men, God directed them what to write and how to write it, that as a rule of human 
faith and conduct it might be perfect. Having been all written, not in words taught 
by the wisdom of men, but the wisdom of God, it is " perfect, converting the soul ; 
sure, making wise the simple ; and right, rejoicing the heart." Of course a knowledge 
of this book is more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold ; because in under- 
standing, believing, and obej-ing it, there is great present and great future reward. 

Hence, every person who can, should own a copy of it, and should read it every 
day; asking God to teach him, by his Spirit, rightly to understand, cordially to believe, 
and faithfully to obey it. It will then be spirit and life to his soul, and make him wise 
to salvation. It will be a lamp to his feet, and a light to his path ; guiding him in the 
way of righteousness, that way of pleasantness and path of peace. He will be wiser, in 
the things of God, even than his teachers, if they do not understand, believe, and obey 
the Bible. Through it he will get understanding and will hate every false way ; and 
by it he will be furnished thoroughly for every good work. 

On the Sabbath he should study this book in its divinely inspired aspects and con- 
nection ; not merely that he may obtain a greater knowledge of it himself, but also that 
he may be better qualified to communicate this knowledge to others. He should also, 
as he may be able, avail himself of the assistance of his fellow-men, that he may receive 
from the treasures of revelation things new and old. 

For this purpose he should confine his worldly business, cares, travelling, and 
amusements, to six days in a week, and should rest on the Sabbath and keep the day 
holy. He should not only, as on other days, pray to God, morning and evening, him- 
self in secret and also in the family, but he should meet with others and worship God 
in public; hearken to the preaching of the gospel by the ministers of Jesus Christ; and 
when he goes home and has opportunity, he should examine the Bible and see whether 



THE BIIU.I'] r. (IDS (MFT. 

wliat lie has licard is accordiiiir to it. If it is. lie sIkhiM receive it and ti'i'at it as the 
truth of (Jod. If it is not, he shoidd reject it; for if any one preaches contrary to the 
Bible, he does not preach the truth, and is not to be believed. Each one should there- 
fore study this word of God for himself, that he may be able rightly to judge whethei- 
what he hears is according to it or not. Every true minister of Christ will wi.'^h to have 
his hearers do this; and like Paul will rejoice, (see Acts 17 :11,) when lie learns that 
they are "searching the Scriptures daily." By this law and testimony of God all 
Innuan teaching from the pulpit and the press should be tried. If men speak nol 
according to this word, there is no light in thciu. 

Reader, make this book your own. By it try your faith, and your practice. 
Hearken to it daily, as the voice of God speaking to you, telling you words by which 
you may be saved, and by which j'ou may also be instrumental in saving others. Fol- 
low' its heavenly teachings, and all things shall work together for your good. God will 
guide you by his counsel through life; he will support and comfort you in death; and 
after death he will receive you to glory; Avhere witli him, and all his people, you will 
rise from glory to glory for ever and ever. 

The object of the note.s in this Family Bible is to assist common readers to under- 
stand the teaching of the Holy Spirit in the revealed word, by giving, in the plainest 
and briefest manner, the results of sound, judicious critical and prayerful investigation. 

Some of the instructions suggested by each chapter, are added in the hope of 
inducing all who read the Bible to form the habit of drawing from it such practical 
instructions as will tend most to their growth in knowledge and in grace, and to furnish 
them thoroughly for every good work. 

The endeavor rightly to apprehend and rightly to express the meaning of the Holy 
Ghost in the passages examined, has been delightful; and it is hoped that, through the 
divine blessing, great and lasting benefits will result to many. J. e. 



THE HARMONY AND PERFECTION 



THE HOLY SCPtlPTURES. 

FROM THE PREFACE TO THE POLYGLOT BIBLE, THE REFERENCES IN 
WHICH ARE EMBODIED IN THIS WORK. 



In that grand enunciation of the dignity and design of the sacred vohnne which is 
given by the apostle Paul, we are told that "all scripture is given by inspiration of 
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction 

IN righteousness; that the man of GrOD MAY BE PERFECT, THOROUGHLY FURNISHED 

unto all GOOD WORKS." 2 Tiui. 3 : IG, IT. But it must be evident that the Scripture 
could not be effectually profitable for these great ends, nor make the man of God per- 
fect, if it were not perfect itself; if its different parts were at variance with each other: 
if, notwithstanding all the variety of matter, and multiplicity of detail, which such a 
book required, the doctrines revealed, and the moral duties enjoined, were not substan- 
tially and essentially the same throughout ; and if all the parts did not concur in the 
plan of the whole. To exhibit then the harmony of the sacred writers on the subjects 
of which they treat, has been the primary design of this selection. And as there arc 
some subjects of leading importance, in which all the rest are included, and by means 
of which the harmony and perfection of the inspired pages are written as with th(; 
beams of the sun, to these especial care and attention have been devoted. 

I. It has appeared an object of the first magnitude, that the reader of the holy 
Scriptures should be assisted by references from text to text, to have constantly in 
view the connection of all the divine attributes, and the holy uniformity of God in his 
government both of his church and of the world. A display of the true character ami 
perfections of God is, without dispute, one chief design of the inspired volume. Here, 
as in Isaiah's miraculous vision, may Jehovah be seen, sitting upon a throne, high and 
lifted up; his train fills the temple, and ihc sacred writers, like the seraphim, cover 



8 Till: HARMONY AND PERFECTION 

themselves, and cry one (n :iiintlier, and say, "IIoja', iioi.y, holy is tue Loiu) of 
iiosTr!, THK wiioLK KARTii IS vviA. 01' HIS OLORY." It is tliis wliidi gives to tlie t^cripture 
its superlative grandeur. By it God is known; his will is promulgated; his ]mrposes 
are revealed : his mercy is announecil : and lie is everywhere exhibited as wortliy of 
the supreme adoration, love, service, and praise of all his intelligent creatures. Little 
«lo those who neglect the Bible think what refined delight they lose by thus turning 
away their eyes from the most sublime, the most glorious, and the most beatifying 
object of contciiiplalion that the whole universe affords. 

II. But this manifestation of the divine character and government is not presented 
to us as a matter of mere speculation, in which we have no immediate and personal 
interest. The holy Scriptures are designed to j)roniote the glory of God by the salva- 
tion OF MAN. The peculiar jwrpose of the whole is to turn men from darkness to 
light, and from the power of Satan to God ; to raise them from the ruins of the fall, and 
to put them in possession of the blessings of redemption ; to lead them from sin to holi- 
ness ; to conduct them through a state of conflict and trial on earth, to a state of rest 
and felicity in heaven ; and so to assist and direct them in all possible conditions in life, 
that they may not fail of these great ends, except by their own wilful rejection of the 
counsel of God against themselves. The salvation of his own soul should therefore be 
the grand concern of every reader of the Scripture. Here the iiimiortality of the soul 
is brought to light, and placed in unquestionable evidence. Here, its defection from 
original purity is clearly demonstrated, the means of its restoration are set forth, and 
its future destiny is declared. It is an awful responsibility which they incur who wil- 
fully neglect this holy book, and devote all their time and the powers of their minds to 
terrestrial and subordinate objects. They slight the pearl of greatest price, which is 
nowhere else to be found ; and seem as if they were determined to frustrate, as far as 
respects themselves, all that divine wisdom and goodness have done to rescue the 
immortal mind of man from spiritual ignorance, error, vanity, vice, and ruin. Those, 
however, who are seeking to enjoy the blessings which the gospel reveals, will, as they 
are able, search the Scriptures ; and such persons will receive great help from having 
references at hand to assist their inquiries. " It were to be wished," says Bishop Hors- 
ley, "that no Bibles were printed without references. Particular diligence should be 

used in comparing the parallel texts of the Old and New Testaments It is 

incredible," he adds, " to any one who has not made the experiment, what a proficiency 
may be made in that knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation, by studying the 
Scriptures in this manner, without any other commentary or exposition than what the 
different parts of the sacred volume mutually furnish for each other. Let the most 
illiterate Christian study them in this manner, and let him never cease to pray for th(! 
illumination of that Spirit by which these books were dictated, and the whole conqjass 



OP THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 9 

of abstruse philosophy and recondite history shall furnish no argument with which the 
perverse will of man shall be able to shake this learned Christian's faith." So great 
and perfect is the coincidence of every part of the word of God in the grand and mer- 
ciful design of the whole! 

III. This is more apparent, and the harmony and perfection of the holy Scriptures 
are rendered more peculiarly evident and distinct, by the constant reference of all its 
writers to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "To him give all the prophets wit- 
XESS." Acts 10 : 43. The things which were written in the law of Moses, and in all 
the prophets, and in the Psalms, concern him, Luke 24 : 27, 44 ; and would come to 
nothing if he were separated from them. He is the bright and morning Star ; the true 
Light that must lighten every man who comes to see the glory of divine revelation. 
Rev. 22 : 16 ; John 1:9. It has therefore been a chief design of- this work to connect 
and to exhibit the testimony which all the sacred penmen bear to the adorable Imman- 
uel ; to the proper and unequivocal divinity of his nature, the necessity of his media- 
tion, the reality, and design of his incarnation, his spotless and exemplary life, his 
unparalleled sufferings, his vicarious death, the verity of his resurrection and ascension 
into heaven, the sufficiency of his righteousness, the prevalence of his intercession, the 
spirituality of his kingdom, his sovereignty in the church, his constant care and love of 
his people, and the certainty of his second coming to raise the dead and judge the 
world in righteousness: grand and sublime truths, in which every individual of the 
human race is deeply and eternally interested. 

IV. The chief purpose of Christ's mission being that such as believe on him might 
be saved from sin, which is the transgression of the divine law, and from the punishment 
due to it, it has been thought important frequently to connect those texts which speak 
of transgressions, with those in which the law concerning them is to be found, and in 
which punishment is threatened; and sometimes with those in which the atonement is 
set forth, and pardon is proclaimed, or in which sanctilication is promised or enforced ; 
and these again with such as relate to the future happiness and glor}' which is promised 
to the faithful, or the punishment and misery denounced against the impenitent. A 
small body of divinity is sometimes comprised in a few texts connected together in this 
way. Thus, from those words in Ezek. 23 :49, "Ye shall bear the sins of your idols,'' 
the reader is referred first to Num. 14 : 34 as a parallel passage, showing God visiting 
sin upon the transgressors themselves; then to Num. 18 : 23, to show the typical visita- 
tion of it upon the Levitical priesthood; then to Isaiah 53 : 11, to show the prophetic 
declaration of its being laid on Christ; and lastly, to 1 Pet. 2 : 24, to show the actual 
fulfilment of that prophecy, and the end to be answered by it; for there we are told 
that He that judgeth righteously, "his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the 
tree, that we, being dead to sin, should live to righteousness." 



10 'rili: IIAIOIONY A\J) I'KRFKCTJON 

V. The cimnirrrncc of the Old ami New TestamenLt with eaeh other. \\w\ Uio relation 
of the types before and under the Mosaic law to their eoinpletiou inider the gowjjeV 
have been studiously reirarded, so as to render it evident, that whatever variations may 
have been made in tlie form and administration of external worship, true religion, 
under tlu' foriner dispensations, was always essentially (lie same as true religion under 
the ))resent; that "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision 
which is outward in the llesh: but he is a .Tew which is one inwardly; and circumcision 
is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the lett(>r, whose praise is not of men but 
of God." For "in every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is 
accepted of him.'" Rom. 2 : 28, 29; Acts 10 : 85. Tn this, the revelation made before 
the institution of the Lcvitical priesthood, that made during its continuance, and that 
which has been made since its termination, all agree. The Mosaic ritual was the 
shadow of good things to come; so were the priesthood and kingdom of Melchizedck: 
and the body is Christ, who is essentially "the same," both in his person and in his 
government, "yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." Ileb. 13 : 8. 

VI. But the instruction diffused through the Scriptures respecting the gracious and 
indispensable operations of the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier, has not been forgotten ; and 
the references on this article will show that, as to his sacred infiuence on the minds of 
the inspired penmen we are indebted for all I he truths they have taught us, so to his 
influence on the minds of those who receive and regard them must such persons be 
indebted for all they have learned or can learn of them. His work completes the 
great design of the whole ; and his assistance and blessing are distinctly promised to all 
who sincerely ask them. 

YII. As the Scriptures harmonize in their primary and general objects, so do they 
with regard to the particular subjects comprehended in their plan. Historical accounts 
are verified by other coincident ones, or by accounts of the persons or places to which 
they refer. The prophecies of one prophet concerning events which were to take place, 
relating either to kingdoms, families, individuals, or the world at large, are consistent 
with those pronounced by other prophets. The accounts of the Jewish polity under its 
various vicissitudes, are confirmed by the writings of the prophets who lived during 
or after those vicissitudes ; while the former tend reciprocally to establish the authen- 
ticity of the latter. The histories of the four evangelists have a regular connection 
and parallelism, especially those of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The recital of the 
transactions of the apostles, after the ascension of our Lord, strongly authenticates the 
apostolic epistles : and Archdeacon Paley has well shown the confirmation which the 
epistles of St. Paul derive from the circumstances recorded by St. Luke in his book of 
the Acts. Prophecies are connected with their accomplishments as far as those accom- 
plishments are included in the Scripture history. Promises and threatenings are con- 



OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 1] 

nectcd with their respective fulfihncnts ; precept with example, and with supplication : 
and the prayers of believers with the answers they have received. All these relation? 
have been carefully regarded in this compilation. 

VIII. Further, the Scriptures are not merely intended to lead men to godliness, 
they are intended also to exemplify it. Repentance, faith, hope, charitj', and devotioi: 
are here exhibited in the most perfect models ; and it has therefore entered into the 
design of this work to show the corresponding emotions and conduct of the saints, both 
of the Old Testament and the New, when under the influence of those dispositions, 
contemplations, and emotions which are most peculiarly characteristic of true piety : 
and also to connect the devotional parts of Scripture with the occurrences which gave 
rise to them, as far as they can be ascertained. Thus is religion known by its fruits : 
not as a thing merely of times and circumstances, but a living principle in the mind, 
which times and circumstances call into action and contribute to display. 

IX. The aphoristic ami poetical parts of the sacred writings are also connected, so 
as to illustrate and enforce each other, that the reader may be constantly impressed 
with those momentous truths, and that sublime language with which they abound, and 
which afford perpetual food for the best exercises of the understanding and the finest 
emotions of the heart ; at once furnishing materials for the most rational entertainment, 
and the most solid instruction. In this respect, the Scriptures will be found to resem- 
ble the garden of Eden, in which the Lord God has made to grow every tree that is 
pleasant to the sight, and good for spiritual food. But no cherubim or flaming sword 
are here to prohibit access to the tree of life. The children of the second Adam may 
freely, and without fear or interruption, now put forth their hands to its soul-reviving 
fruit, and take, and eat, and live for ever. 

X. The agreement of the sacred writers with each other will be found not only to 
exist in the subjects on which they treat, but to extend to their own individual charac- 
ters. It will appear that they were all animated by the same Spirit; that they were all 
holy men, speaking as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, calling men to holiness, as 
the indispensable requisite to the enjoyment of everlasting happiness — men neverthe- 
less of like passions with ourselves, conscious of their own natural infirmity and sinful- 
ness, and of the mercy of God through Christ Jesus, as their only refuge from his just 
displeasure. In short, they were men fearing God ; loving God ; loving his character, 
his laws, his will ; admiring his great and wonderful purposes, and voluntarily, deliber- 
ately, and determinedly devoting themselves to his service, whatever it might cost 
them, and to whatever it might expose them. On all these accounts, they are held 
forth as examples, whose faith, patience, and practice, Christians are to follow. 1 Cor. 
11 :1; Heb. 13:7; James 5 : 10. 

It is thus that the Scriptures are profitable to all the purposes for which they arc 



L2 llAlv'.MoNV OF 'I'lIK llol.V SC l{ ir'JT R HS. 

•iestinod, and arc calculated to make the man of Goil 'iicilcct, tliDPOughly furnished 
unto all good works." To the inspired pages at large may be aj)])lied the remarks ol' 
the excellent Bishop llorne on the Psalms: "Indited under the iiilluence of Iliiu to 
whom all hearts are known, and all events foreknown, they suit mankind in all situa- 
tions, grateful as the manna which descended from above, and conformed itself to every 
palate. The fairest productions of human wit, after a few perusals, like gathered flow- 
ers, wither in our hands and lose their fragrancy; but these unfading plants of Para- 
dise become, as we are accustonuHl to them, still more and more beautiful ; their bloom 
appears to be daily heightened, fresh odors are emitted, and new sweets extracted from 
them. He who hath once tasted their excellences, will desire to taste them yet again; 
and he who tastes them oftenest will relish them best." 

Happy in having labored to facilitate the acquaintance of the Christian with this 
invaluable treasure, the editor has now only k) implore the blessing of Him by whom 
its exhaustless stores have been bestowed on sinful man; and to hope that his feeble 
endeavors may be instrumental in advancing the reader's edification, and in their hum- 
ble measure tend to promote that hapj)y state of things so long foretold, and so ardently 
to be desired, in which "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the 
ULORY OF Jehovah as the waters cover the sea.'' Heb. 2 : 14; Isa. 11:9. 

T. c. 



THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES, 



CALLED 



GENESIS. 



The five books of Moses are called collectively the Pentateuch, which signifies in Greek, the five, bnoh 
The church has in all ages received them as the writings of Moses, the closing chapter of Dcutcronomy 
alone having been added by a later hand. 

Genesis signifies in Greek, generation, or in a wider sense, origin. The book is so named because it 
opens with an account of the origin of the heavens and earth by God's creative power. It is the only 
authentic record which we possess of man's creation in God's image, of his fall, and through this fall o!' 
the universal apostasy of the human race. The narrative proceeds to show how man's apostasy mani- 
fested itself in the murder of Abel by Gain ; how, in consequence of Cain's departure from the presence ol 
the Lord, the human family was early divided into two branches, the worshippers of God and the ungod- 
ly ; how from tlie intermarriage of these a universal corruption followed, which God punished by the 
deluge ; and how, after the deluge, God confounded men's language, and scattered them abroad. Thus 
far the narrative is general. 

The remainder of the book is occupied with the history of Abraham and his family, in the line of Isaar 
and Jacob, with only some brief notices of his other descendants, to the time of their settlement in Egypt, 
an event which was, by divine appointment, brought about by the sale of Joseph into Egypt by his 
brethren. 



CHAPTER I. 



1 The creation of heaven and earth. 3 of the light. 6 of the firmament, 
9 of tlie earth, separated from the waters, 1 1 and made fraitful, 14 of 
the sun, moon, and stars, 20 of fish and fowl, 24 of heasts and cattle, 
20 of man in the image of God. 29 Also the appointment of food. 



di, 



"?r 



N the beginning" God created" the 
heaven and the earth. 
4004" '^ ' 2 And the earth was"^ without form, 
and void ; and darkness was upon the face of the 
deep. And the Spirit" of God moved upon the 
face of the waters. 

3 And God said,'' Let there be light -^ and there 
was light. 

4 And God saw the light, that it was good : and 
God divided *the light from the darkaess. 



»ProT. 8:23; John 1:1, 2; Heb. 1:10. b Job.'!S:4; Psa. 33:6; Isa. 40:2S; 
Jer. 51:15; Zech. 12:1; Acts 14:15; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:18. c Job 2«:7; 
Jer. 4:23. d Job 26:13; Psa. 101:30. e Psa. 33:9; Mat. 8:3. t 2 Cor. 



CHAPTER I. 

1. The beginning; of the creation here spoken of. Cre- 
ated; brought into being out of nothing. The heaven and 
the earth ; the matter out of which these were afterwards 
formed. 

_ 2. Without form ; the materials existed, hut the different 
kinds had not been separated or put into shape. Void; 
empty, and destitute of the vegetation and living crea- 
tures which were afterwards brought forth. How long 
the earth remained so, God has not revealed, aud we do 



5 And God called the light*' Day, and the dark- 
ness he called Night. ^And the evening and the 
morning were the first day. 

6 IT Aud God said," Let there be a ^firmament 
in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the 
waters from the waters. 

7 And God made the firmament,' aud divided 
the waters which were under the firmament from 
the waters which were above^ the firmament : and 
it was so. 

8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And 
the evening and the morning were the second day. 

9 1 And God said, "Let the waters under the 
heaven be gathered together unto one place, and 
let the dry land appear : and it was so. 



4:6; Eph. 5:14. ' Heb. between tlu light, and between the darkness, e Psa 
74:10; Isa.45:7. 1 Heb.Ajld the evening was, and the 7norning ivas. hJol 
37:18. t Heh. expansion, i Jer. 10:12. j Prov. 8:28. l'Job38:3. 



not know. The deep; the abyss of waters. Moved; in the 
original, brooded or hovered over the mass of matter, and 
thus prepared it for being brought into an orderly form, 
and for bringmg forth, at the command of God, various 
productions. 

6. Firmament ; in the original, expanse ; namely, that 
above and around the earth, which we call sky. 

9. Waters — dry land; the earth had before been cov- 
ered with water; but now the water and the dry land 
were separated. 

13 



The crtiilion. 



GENESIS I. 



CreutUin of man. 



10 And God callod tlio dry Imtil Karlh; and llic 
pathcrinj? togcllier of tlie watt'is called he Seas: 
and God saw that it vns good. 

11 And God said, Let the earth" l)ring forth 
grass,* the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree 
yielding'' fruit after his kind, whose seed is in 
it-elf, ui)on the earth: and it was so. 

12 And tiie earth brought forth grass, and herb 
violding seed after his kind, and tlie tree yielding 
i'ruit, wliosc seed was in itself, after his kind: and 
t!od saw that it teas good. 

13 And the evening and the morning were the 
tliird day. 

14 1 And God said, Let there bc'= lights in the 
firmament of tlic lieaven, to divide the 'day from 
the night ; and let them be for signs, and'' for sea- 
sons, and for days, and years : 

1.5 And let them be for lights in the firmament 
of the heaven, to give light upon the earth : and 
it was so. 

16 And God made two great lights; tlie great- 
er light *to rule tiie day, and the lesser ligiit to 
rule the night : he made the stars also. 

17 And God set them in t!ie firmament of the 
heaven to give light upon the earth, 

18 And to 'rule over tlic day and over the 
nigiit, and to divide the light from the darkness : 
and God saw that it was good. 

19 And the evening and the morning were the 
fourth day. 

20 1 And God said. Let the waters bring forth 
abundantly the ^moving creatui-e that hath 'life, 
r.nd 'fowl that may fly above the earth ia the 
open' iirmament of heaven. 

21 And God created great whales, and every 
living creature that moveth, which the waters 
brought forth alnmdantly after their kind, and 
every winged fowl after his kind : and God saw 
that it was good. 



»Mat. C:aO. • Heh. te7iatr grass, b Luke 6:44. c Psa. 136:7. t Heb. 
tltween the day, and btlween the night, i I'sa. 104: 19. 1 Heb. for the rule 
u/tluday. eJer. ai:3o. i HA. creeping. lKmg.s4:33. \ lleh. a living 
soul, Ter. 30; Eccl. 3:21. 1 Heb. let fowl fly. • Heb. face of the firma- 



11. Yielding seed; to perpetuate by natural growth the 
same kind. 

lt-19. Lights; light and heat had been made before, on 
the first day, ver. 3-5 ; but now there were two great bod- 
ies in the heavens to occasion, through their motions and 
those of the earth, day and night, summer and winter, 
seed-time and harvest. 

20. Life; vegetable bfe had been given before, ver. 11, 
12 ; but now a higher kind of life, that of animals, was 
given. Fowl that mayfy; better, as in the margin, let 
fowl fly. The fowl, as well as the beasts, were formed 
out of the ground. Chap. 2 : 19. 

21. Whales; the original word denotes the large sea ani- 
mals generally — sea-monsters. 

2t. Cattle — creeping thing — beast of the earth; the usual 
Hebrew division of land animals. The beast of the earth 
denotes wild beasts, and the creeping thing all small ani- 
mals that move with a low or gliding motion, as moles, 
serpents, etc. 

26. Us; such are the nature and manifestations of God, 
that he can properly speak of himself as I or we, me or 
us ; thus our Saviour said, We will come unto him, and 
make our abode with him. Jolm 14:23. Our image — our 
likeness; like his Creator, a rational Si>irit, exercising do- 
minion. 

29, 30. Every herb bearing seed — every green herb; God 
■fwes to man for his food the fruits and seed-bearing 
14 



22 And God blc^.-^ed tlicni, saying, Be ,, | J,,!; 
fruitful, and multiply, anil fdl the waters iu the 
seas, and let fowl niulti])ly in the earth. 

23 And tiie evening and the morning wore the 
fifth day. 

21 'l And God said, Let the earth bring forth 
the living creature after his kind, cattle, and 
creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his 
kind : and it was so. 

2.5 And God made the beast of the earth after 
his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every 
tiling that creepoth u])on the onvlh after his kind: 
and God saw that it was good. 

26 1 And God said. Let us make man in our 
image, after our likeness: and let them have do- 
minion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl 
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the 
earth, and over every creeping thing that crccp- 
ctli n])Oii tlie earth. 

27 So God created man in his oun image,' in 
the image of God created he him; male and fe- 
male created he them. 

28 And God ))lc.~sed tlieni, and God .said unto 
them, Be fruitful, and nndtiply, and replenish the 
earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the 
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and 
over every living thing that 'moveth njion the earth. 

29 ^ And God said. Behold, I have given you 
every herb 'bearing seed, which is upon the face 
of ail tiie earth, and every tree, in the which is 
the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to ^you it shall 
be f-^r racat. 

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every 
fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth 
upon the earth, wherein t/tei-c is ^life, / have given 
every green herb for meat : and it was so. 

31 And God saw every thing that he had made, 
and behold, it was very good. And the evening 
and the morning were the sixth day. 



ment of lieaven, ver. 7, 14. ' Kcol. 7:29; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:1U. t Heb. 
creepeth. Psa. 69:34. t UA>. seeding seed. « ch. 2:16; 9:3; Job 30:31; 
Acts 14 : 17. 5 Heb. a living soul. 



plants, such as wheat, pulse, etc.; leaving to the cattle 
the green herbage. 

31. Very good ; each part is separately pronounced good, 
but the whole is very good, because it is only in the whole 
that each part finds its perfection. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The existence, wisdom, and greatness of God are 
shown by the tilings which ho has made, even his eternal 
power and godhead ; so that those who see these things 
and yet do not adore him, are without excuse. Rom. 1:20. 

3. Light exists independently of the sun, as in electric- 
ity, lightning, and fire. God caused the light to shine out 
of darkness, and he can .shine into dark hearts, and give 
them the light of the knowledge of his glory iu the face 
of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:6. 

10. In separating and combining the elements, assigning 
to each its appropriate place, and upholding it there, no 
less really than in its creation, God showed his infinite 
power, wisdom, and goodness, lie spake, and it was 
done; he commanded, and it stood fast. Psa. 33:9; Heb. 
1:3. 

12. In the continuance of the great law which God at 
first gave, that each seed should produce its kind in all 
future time, we have evidence that he sees and governs 
throughout the vegetable creation — is of one mind, and 
none can turn him. Job 23:13; Isa. 46:10. 



The first salhath. 



GENESIS II. 



T/ie garden of Eilen. 



k^:U CHAPTER II. 

1 The first sabbath. 4 The manner of the creation. S The plantin" 
of the garJen of EJen, 10 and the river thereof. 17 The tree oT 
knowledge only forbidden. 10. 20 The namin,' of the creatures. 21 
The making of woman, and institution of marriage. 

THUS the heavens and the earth were finished, 
and all the host of tliem. 

2 And "on the seventh day God ended his work 
which lie had made ; and he rested on the scv- 
cntli day from all his work whicli he had made. 

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sancti- 
fied it; because that in it he had rested from all 
iiis work which God 'created and made. 

4 IT Tiiese are the generations of the heavens and 
of the earth when they were created, in tlie day 
that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 

5 And every plant of the field before it was in 
tiie earth, and every herb of tiie field before it 
grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to 
rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to 
till the ground. 

G But * there went up a mist from the earth, and 
watered tiie whole face of the ground. 

7 And tlie Lord God formed man* 0/ the ''dust 
of the ground, and ''breathed into his ''nostrils 
the breath of life ; and "^man became a living soul. 

8 1 And the Lord God planted' a garden east- 
ward in Eden; and there he put tlie man whom 
he had formed. 



a Exod. aOill ; Isa. 5S:13; Heb. 4;4. ■ Heb. crmltd to make, t Or, 
mist which went up from. I Heb. dust of the ground, b ch. .3:19: Ps 
103:14; Isa. (i4:8; 1 Uor. 15:47. « Job 33:4. a Isa. a:-", e I Cor. l.'i:4 
( Ezek. 31:8, 9. e ch. 3:-22; I'rov. 3:18; Rev. 2:7. h ver. 17. > ch. 25:1 



18. The sun, moon, and stars are bright manifestations 
of the wisdom, power, and goodness of God. We can 
see and enjoy them without being able to understand 
their nature, or how they produce their effects. So we 
can beheve truths, and enjoy the benefits of faith, with- 
out comprehending how those truths exist, are related, or 
operate so usefully on us. 

28. The fear of man manifested by fishes, fowls, and 
beasts, testifies to his dignity as the representative of his 
Maimer ; and by yielding to him to whom God gave domin- 
ion, they acknowledge God's authority, and thus honor 
him. They also suffer in consequence of man's sin. Gen. 
6:7; Rom. 8:20. 

31. .411 that God does is very good ; like its Author, 
perfect. Nothing could be better; and in our treating aU 
things according to his will there is great reward. 

CHAPTER n. 

1. Tints; as described in the previous chapter. 

2. Rested; not in the sense of weariness, or ease from 
fatigue ; God is never weary. Isa. 40:28. But he ceased 
from the work of the six days. He rested, as men should, 
after six days of labor; and as the friends of God, who 
rightly understand their duty, will. Having made man in 
his own image, he now sets hira an example. 

3. Tlie seventh day; that which succeeds the six work- 
ing days ,• and which was made to be a day of rest from 
secular employments and of devotion to religious duties. 
Sanctified it; set it apart from other days for sacred em- 
ployments. 

4. " Tlie.ie are the generations ;" this expression is always 
prefixed to the account to which it belongs. Chap. .'5:1; 
10:1; 11:10; 25:12,19; 3G:1; 37:1. Here it introduces a 
second further account of the creation, containing impor- 
tant particulars which could not be brought into the pre- 
ceding narrative without interrupting its orderly plan. 
Lord; in the original, Jehovah. This is the first time this 
word is used in the Bible. It is the peculiar name of 
Him, who is, and was, and is to come, the Almighty ; and 



9 And out of tlic ground made the Lord God 
to grow every tree that is pleasant to tlie sight, 
and good for food; the "-'tree of life also in the 
midst of the garden, and the ''tree of knowledge 
of good and evil. 

10 And a river went out of Eden to water the 
garden; and from thence it was parted, and be- 
came into four heads. 

11 The name of the first is Pi.son: that h it 
which compasseth 'the whole land of Havilah, 
where thtre is gold ; 

12 And the gold of that laud is good: there is 
bdellium and the ony.x-stone. 

13 And the name of the second river is Gihoii : 
the same is it that compasseth the whole land of 
Ethiopia.' 

14 And the name of the third river is Ilidde- 
kel :' that is it which goeth • toward the cast of 
As.syria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. 

15 And the Lord God took Hhe man, and "put 
him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to 
keep it. 

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, 
saying. Of every tree of the garden ' thou mayest 
freely eat: 

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good 
and evil,' thou slialt not eat of it; for in the day 
that thou catest thereof thou *shalt surely die. 



iUeh.Cush. J Dan. 10:4. t Or, eastward to Assyria. ^ Or. Adam, k ver 
8. • Heb. ealinil thou shall eat. 1 ch. 3:1, 3, 11, 17; Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor 



15:56. t Heb. di/ing thou shall d, 



implies eternal, independent, unchanging self-existence, 
and infinite perfection. 

When the word Lord in the Bible is printed in small 
capitals, it is in the Hebrew, Jehovah. 

5. Every plant — before it was in the earth — ei'ery herb — 
before it grew; many prefer to render the original, "And 
no plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no lierb of 
the field yet grew," the sacred writer again commencing 
with the time when the earth was void. 

7. Formed man ; chap. 1 : 27. He was not born as men 
now are, and did not grow up gradually; but as other 
things were formed by the power of God at once, he was 
created full-grown and perfect. 

8. Eden; a country east or north-east of Palestine, 
through which flowed the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. 

9. The tree of life; whose fruit would be to man, if obe- 
dient, a pledge of endless life. Tree of knowledge ; by 
man's treatment of which his character would be known ; 
and concerning which he knew by express revelation the 
will of God: by obeying that will, he would know good 
and good only ; and by disobeying, he would know evil, 
and transmit it to his posterity. 

10. Was parted— four heads; was divided into four head 
streams. But whether we are to reckon downward from 
Eden, so that the garden lay at their common source, or 
upward, so that it lay below their junction, is not agreed. 

13. Ethiopia; in the Hebrew, Cush ; not the Ethiopia in 
Africa, but a country in Asia, inhabited by descendants of 
Cush the son of Ham, and father of Nimrod. Gen. 10:6, 8. 

14. Hiddekel; the river Tigris, which empties into the 
Euphrates. Euphrates; a river which rises in Armenia 
and flows south into the Persian Gulf. 

15. Dress; cultivate. 

16. Of every tree; except the tree of knowledge, ver. 17. 

17. Thou shalt not eat of it; this was a test of his obe- 
dience to the known will of God. Surely die; in the orig- 
inal, dying thou shalt die. He would lose the moral 
image and the favor of God ; become mortal and exposeH 
to endless sinfulness and misery. 

15 



The making of voman. 



GENESIS 



Man's shamffxd full. 



18 f And tlio Lonn God said, // is not pood 
tliat the man should l>e alone: "I will make him , 
a help 'meet for him. 

19 And out of the jrround the Lord God formed 
every l)east of the field, and every fowl of the 
air; and ''lirouirht them unto *Adam to see wliat 
he would call tliem ; and whatsoever Adam called 
every livin<r creature, that icas tiie name thereol'. 

20 And Adam 'iravc names to all cattle, and 
to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the 
field; but for Adam tlierc was not found a help 
meet for hiin. 

21 And the Loup God caused a 'deep sleep to 
fall npon Adam, and lie sl('])t; and he took one of 
his ribs, and closed up liie liesh instead thereof: 

22 And tlie rib, which tiie Lord God had taken 
from man, ''made he a woman, and broughf* her 
unto the man. 

23 And Adam said, Tliis /*• no^\- bone" of my 
bones, and flesh of my flesh: she sliail l^e called 
Woman,' because she was taken out of ' J\[an. 

2-4 Therefore shall a man leave 'liis father and 
his mother, and siiall cleave unto his wife: and 
they shall be one flesh. 

25 And they were both naked, the man and his 
wife, and w'ere not ashamed. 

CHAPTER III. 

1 The serpent deceiveth Eve. 6 Man's shameful fall. 9 G-od arraign- 
eth them. 14 The serpent is cursed. 15 The promised seed. 16 
The punishment of mankind. 21 Their first clothing. 22 Their 
casting out of paradise. 

"VTOW the ^^ serpent was more "subtle than any 
XN beast of the field wliich the Lord God had 



al Cor. 11:9; 1 Tijn. 2:13. ''Reh.asbeforehim. b Psi. S;6. t Or, Me 
man. I YL«h. railed. = ch. 15:l->. i lUh.'builded. d Prov. 1S:23. c Eph. 
5:30. 1 Heb. /s/m. t |Hel). /.lA. f M:irk 10:7. e Rev. 12:0. li2Cor. 11:3. 



18. Alone; without a liumaii companion. Meet for him; 
suited to his nature, condition, and wants. 

23. Woman — man ; in Hebrew, man is Ish ; woman, Isha, 
the feminine of man. 

24. Therefore; on account of her likeness to man, her 
suitableness to be his companion, the appointment of God 
with regard to it, and the mutual affection which he would 
cause to subsist between them. One flesh; united in 
bonds more tender and strong than those which unite 
relatives by birth. 

25. Not ashamed ; shame is the fruit of sin, and as they 
had never sinned, they felt none of its evils. How long 
they continued in this state, God has not told us ; and we 
do not know. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. As God made one day in seven for rest and spiritual 
duties, set it apart to be devoted not to secular but to 
sacred employments, and enforced the observance of it by 
his o^vn example and his command, it is manifestly his 
will that men should regard it ; and no man in this respect 
does his will who does not remember the Sabbath-day to 
keep it holy. 

7. As tlie body of man was at first formed from the 
dust, and all our bodies mu.st soon return to dust, our 
chief concern should be for the soul ; that it may be fit- 
ted, when it leaves the body, to enter into the presence 
and enjoy the favor of God. 

15. Diligence in business during the six working days, 
as well as rest from it on the Sabbath, was needful to man 
in a state of innocence. He was made for employment ; 
and no man can indulge in idleness or sloth, without com- 
mitting sin. 

18. As God has told us that it is not good for man to 
live immarried, those who contend that it is best for min- 
16 



iiiadi'. .\nd he said unto the woman, 'Yea, h.*: JI,,! 
hath (iod .said, Yc shall not eat of every tree of 
the garden? 

2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We 
may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 

3 Hut of the fruit of the tree which is in the 
midst of the garden, God hath said, 'Ye shall nol 
eat of it. neither shall yc touch it, lest ye die. 

■1 And the ^serpent said unto the ''woman, Ye 
shall not surely die: 

5 For God doth know, that in the day yc cat 
thereof, then your eyes shall be ojiened : and yc 
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 

(5 And when the woman saw that the tree %ms 
good for food, and that it was 'pleasant to the 
eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, 
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and 
gave also unto her husband with her, and he did 
eat. 

7 And the eyes of them lioth were opened, 
and tliey knew that they were naked;' and they 
sewed tig-leaves together, and made themselves 
afirons.' 

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God 
walking in the garden in the *cool of the day: 
and Adam and his wife "'hid themselves from the 
presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of 
the garden. 

9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and 
said unto him, AVhere art thou? 

10 And he said, 1 heard thy voice in the gar- 
den, and I was afraid, "because I was naked; and 
I hid myself. 



• Vieh. yea, because, etc. i oh. 2:17. J John !-:ll. kl Tim. 2:14. 
a desire. 1 ch. 2:23. I Or, tilings to gird about, i Heb. wind. 
23:24 ; Amos 9:2, 3. >> 1 John 3:20. 



istej-s of the gospel to live unmarried, set up their wis- 
dom in opposition to his, deprive themselves of many 
blessings, and set an evil example to their fellow-men. 

23. The manner in which, and the object for which woman 
was made, show that the husband and wife should love each 
other with tender affection ; cultivate union of views, inter- 
est, and effort ; and mutually seek each other's highest good. 

24. Marriage, according to the will of God, is a union 
for life of one man witli one woman, and with one only; 
and the fact that it is a divine instit\ition, shows that men 
should enter into it for the glory of God in the promotion 
of their own happiness and usefulness. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Subtle; cunning, deceitful. He; the serpent, or Satan 
speaking by him. 

4. Ye shah not — die; this is the first lie recorded in the 
Bible. Satan was its author, and he is justly called the 
father of lies. John 8:44. 

5. Be as gods; be greatly exalted in knowledge, and able 
to choose for yourselves between good and evil. 

6. To make one wise; the tempter took occasion from 
the name of the tree, to deceive her into the idea tliat it 
would make her wise in such a way as greatly to advance 
her dignity and blessedness. She took of the fruit; show- 
ing that she believed Satan rather than tJod. 

7. Were opened; but in an opposite sense from that of 
the tempter. They were opened to see their shame and 
ruin, and to rmderstand from their own sad experience the 
difference between good and evil. Compare ver. 22. Knew 
that they were naked ; experienced shame from their naked- 
ness as the fruit of sin. 

8. Hid themselves; through conscious guilt, and fearful 
expectation of coming evil. 



The judgments of God. 



GENESIS IV. 



T/ic birth of Cain. 



wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, ■where- 
of I commanded thee that thou yhouldest not 
eat? 

12 And the man said, "The woman whom thou 
gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and 
I did eat. 

13 And the Lord God said unto tlie woman. 
What is this that thou hast done? And the wom- 
an said. The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 

14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent. 
Because tliou hast done this, thou art cursed above 
all cattle, and above eveiy beast of the field: 
upon thy belly shalt thou go, and ''dust shalt thou 
eat all the days of thy life : 

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the 
woman, and between "^thy seed and ''her seed ; °it 
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his 
heel. 

16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly mul- 
tiply thy sorrow and thy conception: in sorrow 
thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire 
shall be* to thy husband, and he shall '^rule over 
thee. 

17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast 
hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast 
eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, say- 
ing, Thou shalt not eat of it : cursed is the ground 
for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all 
the days of thy life ; 



a Job 31:33; Prov. 23:13. b Isa.. 65:25; Micah 7:17. = Mitt. 13:38; John 
8:44; lJohn3:8. d Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:35. e Rom. 10:20; Eph. 
4:8 1 Rev. 12:7, 8. * Or, suiject to thy husband. ' 1 Cor. 14:34. t Heb. 



18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring tforth 
to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the 
field: 

19 Li the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, 
till thou return unto the ground; for out of it 
wast thou taken : for dust thou art, aud unto dust 
shalt thou return. 

20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve ;* be- 
cause she was the mother of all living.^ 

21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the 
Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed'" them. 

22 1 And the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man 
is become as one of us, to know good and evil: 
and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also 
of the tree of life, J and eat, and live for ever: 

23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from 
the garden of Eden,'' to till the ground from 
whence he was taken. 

24 So he drove out the man: and ho placed at 
the east of the garden of Eden cherubim,' and a 
flaming sword™ which turned every way, to keep 
the way" of the tree of life. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 The birth, trade, and religion of Cain and Abel. 8 The murder of 
Abel. 11 The curse of Cam. 17 Enoch the first city. 19 Lamech 
and his two wives. 25 The birth of Seth, 26 and Enos. 

AND Adam knew Eve his wife ; and she con- 
ceived, and bare Cain,^ and said, I have got- 
ten a man from the Lord. 



cause to bud. 1 Heb. Chavah, that is, lit 
Phil. 3:9. i ver. 5. J Rev. 2:7. k VBr. 19 
21:16. n Heb. 10:20. 5 That is, g-oHen, ( 



ug. e Acts 17:26. b Isa. 61:10; 
1 Psa. 80:1, etc. ; 99:1. n> 1 Cht. 
■ acquired- ' 



11. Who told thee; bow didst thou become ashamed and 
fearful? This was asked, not for the information of God, 
but for the conviction of Adam. 

12. She gave me ; this was true, but it did not excuse him. 

13. Beguiled; deceived. 

14. The serpent; the instrument through which Satan 
acted. Cursed; lie would be greatly degraded, and de- 
tested. 

15. It; the seed of the woman, or, as it might be ren- 
dered, He, referring especially to Christ, who in due time 
would come to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 
3:8. Bruise tliy head; overcome him and destroy his 
power. JSruise A(s Ace/; inflict upon him temporary evil, i 

16. And thy conception; in thy conception. Tliy desire — i 
to thy husband; he should control her, and she be subject 
to him. 

18. The herb of the field; for which he must laboriously 
toil, instead of living any longer in paradise. 

20. Eve; meaning life. 

21. Skins; supposed to be of animals offered in sacrifice 
to God, pointing forward to the great atoning sacrifice of 
Christ, the promised Conqueror of Satan. Through faith 
in Christ, God would forgive men, sanctify, and save them. 

22. Une of us; chap. 1:26. Man had vainly attempted 
to elevate and bless himself, by taking his own way, in 
compliance with Satan's temptation, and in opposition to 
the known will of Gorl ; thus he knew good and evil, by 
losing the one and suffering the other. 

24. Cherubim; this was some visible appearance of 
celestial beings, but its exact nature is unknown. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The great means of safety to man is continued, hearty 
belief in the truth of God's declarations. Hence Satan 
tries to prevent this, that by their own voluntary trans- 
gressions, he may destroy them. 

4. Satan tries to make men disbelieve God's declarar 
tions, in order to lead them to break his commands. Liars 



resemble Satan, do his work, and will partake of his tor- 
ment. Rev. 21:8. 

9. Sin makes men ashamed of themselves, afraid of 
God, and desirous to escape his notice. But their efforts 
to hide themselves or their sins are vain, and only show 
the reality of their guilt and the dreadfulness of their 
condition. 

13. Impenitent men try to cast the blame of their sins 
on others ; while those who are penitent, take it to them- 
selves. Luke 15:21. 

17. Duty, safetj', and interest sometimes require us to 
refuse compliance with the wishes of our dearest friends ; 
and if we do not, we shall bring upon ourselves a dread- 
ful curse. 

19. Theevilof sin surpasses all finite conception. Every 
instance of death is an evidence of its power, and of the 
truth of God. When the word hath gone out of his 
mouth, it standeth for ever. All who disbelieve his 
known declarations, demonstrated in the universal mor- 
tality of men, are without excuse. 

21. When oiu" first parents had vainly endeavored to 
hide their shame by a covering of their own invention. 
God, in his great mercy, provided for them a suitable cov- 
ering. This truly shadows forth the righteousness which 
God gives through faith in Christ, to all who humbly ask 
him for it, with a hearty acknowledgment of the worth- 
lessness of their own righteousness. 

24. There is nothing in the nature of holiness which is 
a security against apostasy and ruin. Those that are 
perfectly holy may commit sin; and thus change their 
character, condition, and prospects for eternity. 

CHAPTER IT. 

1. Cain; meaning possession. A man; man-child, a 
son. From the Lord; these words may be rendered, with 
the Lord; that is, by intercession with him, and with his 
aid. Some suppose she thought this son to be the prom- 
ised Seed, who should bruise the serpent's head. 
11 



Cain slay it A Abel, and 



GENESIS IV. 



hiimneth a fii^/ire. 



2 And slio ns^iun bare liis brother *Abcl. And 
Abol was ♦a kcc'iicr of s^licop, but Cain was a tiller 
of tlif irronnd. 

3 And 'in process of time it came to pass, that 
Cain hroiidil-^ of (he fniit of the ground an oflcr- 
ing unto tiic Lonn. 

4 And Aljol, ho also brou<rht" of the firstlings 
of his fflock, and of the fat" thereof. And tiic 
Loud had respect" unto Abel and to his offer- 
ing: 

5 But unto Cain, and to his offering, he had not 
respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his 
countenance fell. 

6 And the Loud said unto Cain, "Wliy art thou 
wroth? and why is tliy countenance fallen? 

7 If thou doost well, slialt thou not 'be accept- 
ed? and if thou docst not well, ''sin lieth at the 
door. And ' unto thee shall be his desire, and thou 
shalt rule over him. 

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and 
it came to pass, when they were in the field, that 
Cain rose up against Abel liis brother, and "slew 
him. 

9 1i And the Loed said unto Cain,'' Where is 
Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Jim 
I my brother's keeper? 

10 And he said, "What hast thou done? the 
voice of thy brother's "blood crieth^ unto me 
from the ground. 

11 And now art (liou cursed from the earth, 
which hath opened her mouth to receive thy 
brother's blood from thy hand. 

12 When thou tillcst the ground, it shall not 
henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugi- 
tive and a vagabond slialt thou be in tiic earth. 

13 And Cain said uuto the Lokd, My punish- 
ment* is greater than I can bear. 



•Heb 


Hebel. 1 Heb. 


a feeder. 


tlU 


b. a 


the end 


of days, a 


Ni 


m. lo;l.'. 


) Heb. ,- 




r goats. 


It Lev. 3 


IC, 1 




Heb. 11 


'1. 1 Or, liave the excel- 




1 .To 


■m 3:12. 


V Or, s 


tlject 


unt 


l/ue. 


e 1 John 3 


\-l 


JaJe 11. 


'Psa. 9 


li • 


Heb. Uood.'i. e Heb. 12 


■.■2A 


Rev. 6: 


10. 1 Or, 


nin 


etniquili/ 



2. Abel; signifying vanity. 

3. In process of time; probably at the end of some stated 
time appointed to worship God. 

4. Had respect; received it with favor, and showed that 
he accepted it; because it pointed forward to the aton- 
ing blood of Christ, and showed faith in what God had 
revealed concerning him. Chap. 3:15, 21, Botes; Heb. 
11:4. 

5. Had not respect ; he did not accept it. It was not an 
expression of faith in a coming Saviour, and was not 
offered with a right sjjirit His countenance fell; he looked 
sad, angry, and sullen. 

7. Sin lieth at the door; according to some, croucheth at 
thy door, like a beast of prey, ready to destroy thee ; 
according to others, a sin-offering (such as I require) lieth 
at the door, by offering which iu a right spirit, thou may- 
est gain my favor. Thou shalt rule over him; Cain, being 
the eldest son, aecorJinj to his birtliright would have 
preeminence over Abel. 

9. 3Iy brother's keeper; one whose business it is to watch 
over and take care of him. 

10. Blood crieth; calloth for the punishment of him who 
shed it. 

11. From the earth; or ground, which would not yield 
him its increase as before, and would tlius testify against 
his sin. 

12. A fugitive — a vagabond; driven from God's presence 
and the home of Adam. Ver. 16. 

11. Face of the earth; the land where he liad dwelt. 
IS 



14 iJchold thou hast driven me out this a.m. ^o^i 
day from tlic face of the earth; and from n.v-.scs. 
thy face shall I be hid; and i s^hail be a fugitive 
and a vagabond in the e;irlli; timl it shall come 
to i)ass, '7/tai every one that liudetii mc shall slay 
me. 

15 And the Lord said unto liim, Therefore ■who- 
soever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken o:i 
him seven-fold. And the Lord set a mark upon 
Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 

Iti "l And Cain went' out from llic presence of 
the Lorii, and dwelt iu the land of Nod, ou the 
east of J'^dcn. 

17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, 
and bare *Enoc]i: and he builded a city, and call- 
ed the name of the city after the name of his son, 
Enoch. 

18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad 
begat Molnijael: and Mchujael begat Mctlmsael: 
and Methusacl begat ^Lamecli. 

I'J IF And Lamech took uuto him two wives: 
the name of the one was Adah, and the name of 
the other Zillah. 

20 And Aduh bare Jabal : h.e was the father of 
such as dwellJ in tents, and of such as have cattle. 

21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was 
the father of all sucli as handle the harp and 
organ. 

22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-caia, an 'in- 
structor of every artiliccr in brass and iron: and 
the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 

23 And Lamech said uuto his wives, Adah and 
Zillah, hear my voice ; ye wives of Lamech, heark- 
en unto my speech: for ^I have slain a man to 
my wounding, and a young man 'to my hurt. 

21 If Cain shall be avenged seven-fold, truly 
Lamech seventy and seven fold. 



is greater than tbat it may be fai 
■J.5.1. > 2 kings lJ:Ai- 2I:2J; 
mcch. j ver. 2; chap. 2o:27; Je: 
slay a man in my wound, etc. 



riren. Mat. 1:2:31. h Job 13:S3-21; Prov. 
^sa. 51:11. 1 H.b. ChanocA. i Htb. Le- 
35:9, 10. I Heb. whciur. 1 Or, / would 
' Or, in Jny hurt. 



From thy face; from the place where God manifested his 
special presence, he would be expelled. Shall slay me; 
ho knew they would think that he deserved to die for 
killing his brother, and was afraid they would treat him 
accordingly. 

15. Sevenfold; he shall bo more severely punished. 
Set a mark upon Cain; more literally, appointed to Cain a 
sign, that is, some miraculous token, lie was to live a 
vagabond, as a monument of the guilt of murder and of 
the wrath of God against it. 

16. Land of Nod; that is, of vagrancy. 

17. His wife; it is supposed that Caiu was married be- 
fore he murdered Abel. 

19. Two wives; this is the first instance mentioned of a 
violation of the law of marriage, by taking more I'.ian one 
wife. It shows that men had become very corrupt, and 
tills course tended to make them worse. 

20. The father; the inventor of a business, or he who 
makes great improvements in it, is, iu Hebrew, called the 
father of those who pursue it. 

22. Instructor — and iron; or, forger of every instrimient 
of brass and iron. 

24. Lamech seventy and seven; God had said, ver. 15, that 
should any one kill Cain, his death should be avenged 
seven-fold ; and Lamech says his would be avenged sev- 
enty and seven ; implying that in his own estimation he 
was niucli less guilty than Cain ; and that he who should 
kill him, would be punished much more severely thaa he 
who sliould kill Cain. 



The genealogy 



GENESIS V. 



of the patriarchs 



A. M r.i,n«t 25 T And Adam knew his wife again; 
B. r.'.BTo and slie bai-e a son, and called his name 
Seth :' For God, said she, hath appointed me an- 
other seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 

26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a 
son; and he called his name *Enos: then began 
men * to call upon the name of the Lord. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The genealogy, age. and deatli of the patriarchs, from Adam unto 
Noah. 24 The godliness and translation of Enoch. 

THIS is the book of tlie generations of Adam. 
In the day that God created man, in ''the 
likeness of God made he him ; 

2 Male" and female created he them; and bless- 
ed them, and called their name Adam, in the day 
when they were created. 

3 IT And Adam lived a hundred and thirty 
years, and begat a son in his own likeness,'^ after 
his image ; and called his name Seth : 

4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten 
Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat 
sons and daughters:*^ 

5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine 
jumdred and thirty years : and he died.' 

6 1[ And Seth lived a hundred and five years, 
and begat Enos : ^ 

7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hun- 
dred and seven years, and begat sons and daugh- 
ters: 

8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred 
and twelve years: and he died. 

9 1" And Enos lived ninety years, and begat 
Cainan :^ 

10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight 
hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and 
daughters : 

1 1 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred 
and five years: and he died.^ 

12 *![ And Cainan lived seventy years, and be- 
gat ■ Mahalaleel : 

13 And Cainan lived after ho begat Mahalaleel 



• Ilfb. Sltf^lk, that is, appointed, or put. t Keb. Enosh. X Or, to call 
themselves hi/ the name of the Lokd. Deut. 2r>:l"; Psa. 116:17; Isa. 44:5; 
Jocl2::iJ; 1 Cor. 1:2. » ch.l:27; 1 Cor. 11:7; 2 Cor. .3:18. b Mai. 2:15. 
« Job 43:4; John 3:6; 1 Ccr. 15:39. d ver. 7, 10, 13, 10, 22, 26, 30. e Heb. 

25. Seth; meaning appointed or substituted in place of 
Abel. 

2G. To call upon the name of the Lord; they separated 
themselves from the wicked, maintained the public wor- 
ship of God, and were tlius recognized as his visible peo- 
ple. It is generally thought that they were " the sons of 
God," mentioned in chap. C:2. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. In the declaration that the seed of the woman should 
bruise the serpent's head, and in the appointment of sac- 
rifices, chap. 3:15, 21, God revealed the certainty of a 
coming Saviour, and laid a foundation for faith, by the 
exercise of which men might be justified, and for Christ's 
sake be accepted as righteous, lleb. 11:4. 

5. Faith in what God has revealed with regard to the 
Redeemer, and the way of life through him, is, to those 
who know this revelation, essential to acceptable wor- 
ship. He that rejects the Son rejects also the Father, 
and will be rejected by him. John 15:23; 1 John 2:23. 

9. Sins have a close connection, and the commission of 
one leads to the connnission of others. He who will 
commit murder will also tell lies. 



eight hundred and forty years, and begat" sons 
and daughters: 

14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hun- 
dred and ten years : and he died.' 

15 TI And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, 
and begat ' Jared : 

16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared 
eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons 
and daughters: 

17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight 
hundred ninety and five years : and he died.^ 

18 IT And Jared lived a hundred sixty and two 
years, and he begat Enoch : 

19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight 
hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 

20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred 
sixty and two years : and he died.'' 

21 'i And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and 
begat "Methuselah: 

22 And Enoch walked with God' after he begat 
Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons 
and daughters: 

23 And all the days of Enoch were th.rce h.un- 
dred sixty and five years : 

24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was 
not; '"for God took him. 

25 1 And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty 
and seven years, and begat *Lamech: 

26 iVnd Metkuselah lived after he begat Lamech 
seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat 
sons and daughters : 

27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine 
hundred sixty and nine years : and he died. 

28 IF And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and 
two years, and begat a son : 

29 And he called his name *Noah, saying. This 
same shall comfort us concerning our work and 
toil of our hands, because of the ground "which 
the Lord hath cursed. 

30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five 
hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and 
dauixhters : 



9:'J7. f ch. 4:26. S Heb. Kenan, g ver. 5. I Ileb. MaUlee:. h ver. 4. 
i ver. 5. 1! Ileb. Jered. > vcr. 5. t ver. 5. • Gr. Mathnsala. ' ch. 6:0; 
17:1; Deut. l:J:4; 2 Kings 20:3; Psa. 10:3; Amos3::5; Mai. 2:6. m Heb. 
11:5. t Ucb. iemcf/i. 1 Gr. A'ot; that is. rest, or rom/orl. n ch. 3:17; 4:11. 



14. A murderer feels that he deserves to die ; and when 
he is put to death, often acknowledges that it is just. 

25. If men would possess the character and receive the 
reward of God's people, they must separate themselves 
from his enemies, publicly maintain his worship, and 
show themselves to be his friends. JIark 8 : 3S ; John 
14:21; 1 Cor. 7:10; 2 Cor. 6:17. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Book of the generations; history of Adam and his 
posterity. 

2. Their name Adam ; that is, man. 

3. In his own likeness; a human being, and depraved; 
who, without the renewing grace of God, would never be 
holy, but would live and die in sin. 

24. Walked with God; was cordially reconciled to him, 
Amos 3:3; sought his guidance, believed his declarations, 
obeyed his commands, and enjoyed his presence. ICci 
not; was not found on the earth ; nor did he die, but God 
took him to heaven. Heb. 11:5. 

27. He died ; in the year of the flood. 

29. Noah; signifying rest; expressive of the hope and 
expectation that he would be a ■rvent blessing. 
10 



WitJceJiiess of t/if irnrld. 



GENESIS \ f. 



J'unn of Ihe ark. 



31 And nil tlio days of Lamocli wore sovcn luin- 
dred si'venty and sovon years: and lio died. 

;{"J And Noah was live liunilrcd years old: and 
Noah begat Shorn, llaiu, and Japiietii." 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 The wickedness of the world, which provoked God's wrntli, and 
caused the Hood. 8 Noah findoth grace. 14 The order, form, and 
en 1 of the ark. 

VXD it came to pass, ■when men'' bcijan to 
multiply on liio face of the earth, and daugh- 
ters were born unl« them, 

'1 That the sons of God saw the daughters of 
men that they were fair;'' and they took them 
wives'* of all which they chose. 

3 And the Loud said, "My Spirit shall not al- 
ways strive with man, for that he also is 'llesh: 
yet his days shall bo a hundred and twenty years. 

•i There were giants in the earth in those days ; 
and also after that, when the sons of God came 
in uuto the daughters of men, and they bare chil- 
dren to tlicui, the same became mighty men, which 
were of old, men of renown. 

5 1 And God saw that the wickedness'^ of man 
was great in the earth, and that every "imagina- 
tion of the thoughts'' of his iicart was only evil 
continually.^ 

6 And it repented the Lord that he had made 
man on the earth, and it grieved hiii^ at Jiis heart. 

7 And the Loud said, I will destroy man whom 
I have created from the face of the earth; *both 
man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the 
fowls of the air ; for it repenteth me that I have 
made them. 



aCh. G:10; 7:13; I Chr. 1:4-34. l>ch. 1:23. »Job31:l. d Deut. 7:.% 4; 
Erri U:-J; Neh. 13;a6, 27: 2 Cor. G:M. e Neh. 9:3U; Isa. .5: 1; 03:10; jer. 
11:7. 11; 1 Pet. 3:20, r Psx. 7S:.':9. f Tsa. 14:2; SJ:2; Rom 3:9. -Or, 
the itiltoU imagination. The Hebrew word signifies not only tlu iniaffitia- 



31. He died; five years before the flood. 

32. Japheth; he is generally thought to have been the 
elder; see note to chap. 10:21; but Shem ie mentioned 
first, because from him would descend the Messiah. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

24. To walk with God is the highest duty, the greatest 
honor, excellence, and blessedness of man. Jude U, 15; 
Ueb. 11:5, 6. 

29. Parents often hope for great comfort from their chil- 
dren ; and if children are pious, especially if they become 
preachers of righteousness, and are instrumental in the 
salvation of men, parents have reason to rejoice with 
great joy. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. Sons of God; his visible worshippers, who had re- 
mained in the home of Adam. Of men; the openly wick- 
ed, who seem to have belonged to Cain's descendants. 
Chap. 4:16. All which they chose; being governed in this 
matter by their own wills, not by the will of God. 

3. Strive with man ; to bring him to repentance and sal- 
vation. Is flesh; corrupt, John 3:0. A hundred and twen- 
ty years; so long would God wait before ho would destroy 
the world. 

4. Giants; men of great stature and wickedness. 3Ien 
of renown; famous for their deeds of I'apine. 

G. Repented the Lord — grieved him; he would change his 
conduct towards men, as men change their conduct when 
sorry for what they have done ; and instead of continuing 
them on the earth and granting them his favors, as be had 
done, he would destroy them. 

7. Sec Instruction, chap. 1:2S. 
20 



the lioun. 

i) These arc tlie generations of Noah : Noali was 
a just man and ''perfect in Ids generations, and 
Noah walked with God. 

10 And Noah begat three sons, Sheni, Ham, and 
Japheth. 

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and 
the earth was filled with violence. 

12 And God looked upon tlie earth, and behold, 
it was C()nii])t; for all flesh had corrupted his 
way upon the earth. 

13 And God said unto Noali, The end' of all 
flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled 
with violence through them ; and behold, I will 
destroy them 'with the earth. 

11 *1 ^lake thee an ark of gopher-wood : ^rooms 
shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it 
within and without with pitch. 

15 And this is thefasliion which thou shalt make 
it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred 
cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height 
of it thirty cubits. 

16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and 
in a cubit shalt thou finbsh it above ; and the door 
of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof: imth 
lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 

17 And behold, I, even I, do Ijring a flood^ of 
waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein 
is the breath of life, from under heaven ; and 
every thing that is in the earth shall die. 

18 But with thee will 1 establish my covenant; 
and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy 
sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. 



tion, but also tlie purposes and desires, h ch. 8:21 ; Dent. 23:19; Ezek. 8:9, 
12; Mat. 15:19. t Heb, every day. I Heb. from man unto beast, i Or, 
upright, il Pet. 4:7. I Or, from the earth. 1 Heb. nests. iPsa. 03:3, 4, 
Amos 9:C. 



8. Grace; favor, as being a righteous man. 

9. Perfect; not in the sense of being sinless; but in the 
sense of being sincere, upright, and truly devoted to God. 

14. Gopher; a species of resinous wood; perhaps the 
cypress. 

15. Length; about four hundred and fifty feet. Breadth; 
seventy-five feet. Height; forty-five feet: proportions 
according to which the best ships are now built. 

IC. And zn a cubit slialt thou finish it above; literally, unto 
a cubit shalt thou finish it above ; that is, thou shalt make 
it to the height of a cubit. Some understand these words 
of the roof of the ark, which was to have a cubit's slope 
from the central line outwards. But they more naturally 
refer to the windows. The horizontal width of the win- 
dow is not given; this may have greatly exceeded its 
height. 

18. My ccwcnant ; his engagement for the preservation of 
Noah and his family, when the rest of the world should 
be destroyed. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Intimate connections with the wicked are sources of 
great moral corruption and danger. 

7. When God, instead of preserving and blessing men, 
turns against and destroys them, he is said in the Bible 
to repent, because he changes his conduct as men do 
when they repent. Not that he alters his purposes, or 
does what he did not always intend to do. In this sense 
he is of one mind, and none can turn him. Job 23:13; he 
is not a man that lie should lie, nor the son of man that he 
should repent. Num. 23:19. There is no contradiction 
in these texts ; they refer to difi"erent things, and express 
different truths. In studying the Bible, we should not 



Noah enters I he ark. 



GENESIS VII. 



Th6 waters prevail. 



taim: 19 -^nii of every living thinj^ of all flesh, 
two" of every sort slialt thou bring into the ark, 
to keep themalive with thee : they shall be male 
and female. 

20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after 
their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth 
after his kind ; two of every sort shall come unto 
thee, to keep them alive. 

21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is 
eaten, and tliou shalt gather it to tlieo ; and it 
shall be for food for thee, and for them. 

22 Thus did Noah ;'' according to all that God 
commanded liim, so did he. 



CHAPTER VII. 



1 Noah, witli )iis family, and the living ere 
17 The be^'iniiin^, increase, and contj 



enter into the ark. 
of tlie flood. 



AND the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and 
all thy house into the ark ; for nhee have I 
seen righteous before me in this generation. 

2 Of every ''clean beast thou shalt take to thee 
by sevens,* the male and his female; and of beasts 
that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 

3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male 
and the female ; to keep seed alive upon the face 
of all tlic earth. 

4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain 
upon the earth forty days and forty nights ; and 
every living substance that I have made will I 
destroy* from oti' the face of the earth. 

5 And Noah did according unto all that the 
Lord commanded him. 

6 And Noah was six hundred years old when 
the flood of waters was upon the earth. 

1 1 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his 
wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, 
because of the waters of the flood. 

8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not 
clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creep- 
etli upon the earth, 

9 There went in two and two unto Noah into 
the ark, the male and the female, as God had 
commanded Noah. 

10 And it came to pass, * after seven days, that 
the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 



a Ch. 7:8, 9. <• Heb. 11;7. ' 1 Pet. 3:aO; 2 Pet. 2:5. d Lev. oh. U. 
• Hcb seven seven, t Heh. Mot out. I Ot, on the seventh day. e ch. 8:2; 
Prov. 8;2S; llitt. 24:3S; 1 Thess. 5:.3. i Or, Jloodgates. fch.6:18. H Heb. 



regard simply the sound of the words, but become ac- 
quainted with and believe their meaning. In no other 
way can we receive benefit from them. 

9. The cause of the difl'erence between a good man and 
the openly wicked is, not their natural disposition, but di- 
vine grace ; and the fruits of this grace are piety towards 
God, integrity, uprightness, and benevolence towards men. 

12. The corruption of men proceeds from themselves ; 
they are the authors of all their wickedness, and the cause 
of their own ruin. Prov. 1 : 31 ; Hosea 13: 9 ; James 1 : 14. 

22. That faith in God which he accepts, and which is 
the means of jiistiflcation and salvation, leads those who 
exercise it to obey his commands. 

CHAPTER VII. 

2. Clean bea-it ; suitable for sacrifice. 

10. After seven days ; on the seventh day it began to rain. 

11. Second month; the year began late in September; and 
the second month, called Marchesvan, answered to the last 
part of October and the first part of November. Fountains 



1 1 1 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, 
in the second month, the seventeenth day of the 
month, the same day were all the fountains" of 
the great deep broken up, and the ^windows of 
heaven were opened. 

12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days 
and forty nights. 

13 In tlie self-same day entered Noah, and Shem, 
and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and 
Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with 
them,'' into the ark ; 

14 Tlioy, and every beast after his kind, and all 
the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing 
that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and 
every fowl after his kind, every bird of every ' sort. 

15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two 
and two of all flesh, wherein is the breatli of life. 

16 And they that went in, went in male and fe- 
male of all flesh, as God had commanded him: 
and the Lord shut him in.^ 

17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth ; 
and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, 
and it was lifted up above the earth. 

18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased 
greatly upon the earth ; and the ark went upon 
the face of the waters. 

19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon 
the earth ;'' and all tlie high hills that were under 
the wliole heaven were covered. 

20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters pre- 
vail ; and the mountains' were covered. 

21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, 
both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of 
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, 
and every man :' 

22 All in whose nostrils icas 'the breath of life, 
of all that was in the dry land, died. 

23 And every living substance was destroyed 
which was upon the face of the ground, both man, 
and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl 
of the heaven ; and they were destroyed from the 
earth : and Noah'' only remained alive, and they 
that ivcre with him in the ark. 

21 And 'the waters prevailed upon the earth a 
hundred and fifty days. 



wing. S Deut. 33:27; Psa. 40:2; 91:9; Prov. 3:23. h Job 12:15; Psa. 
104-6; 2 Pet. 3:6. i Jer. 3:23. j Job 22:15-17. 1 Heh. Ike breatk of the 
spirit of life, k Ezek. 14:14, 20; Mai. 3:17, 18. 1 ch. 8:3. 



of the great deep — windows of heaven; the waters rushed up 
from the sea, and poured down from the heavens. 

20. Fifteen cubits; about twenty-two and a half feet. 
Upward; above the highest land. 

24. A hundred and fifty days; so long, it is supposed, the 
waters did not sensibly abate. 

LXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. It is not necessary for a man to be wicked because 
others around him are wicked. Any one may, if he will, 
be righteous, even in the midst of abounding iniquity. 
And every one whom God sees to be righteous through 
faith, will be saved when the wicked are destroyed. 

5. If men would be saved, they must not only believe 
God's declarations, but also make it their great object to 
obey all his commands. 

15. God has power not only over men, but also over 
beasts, and all the works of his hands. He can influence, 
direct, and control them, as seemeth him good. 

16. Those who beheve God's declarations and obey 

21 



Tilt tcatcrs assuam: 



GENESIS VTII. 



l^oah offers n sacrifice. 



CHAPTER VIII 



1 Tho \v-iitcrs assuage I Tli.i nrk rostilh on Ararat. 7 Tho raven 
and Uie dove, l-'i Noah. Xmng commanJoa. IS jfoolh fortli of tlio 
ark. 'JO H« Imiiaotli an altar, and ofTfrelli sacrifice, 21 vhicli Go<l 
accepteth, and proIni^^'th to curst* t!io cartli no more. 

A ND God" rciiicinboml Noah, and every liv- 
1\. iiig tliinir. and all the fattle'' that was with 
liiin in tho ark: and God made a wind" to pass 
over the earth, and the waters assuaged ; 

2 The fountains'' also of the deej), and the win- 
dows'' of lieaven were stopped, and llic rain from 
heaven wa.s restrained ; 

3 And the waters returned from off the earth 
continually:* and after the end of the hundred 
and lifty days the waters were abated. 

4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on 
the seventeenth day of the month, upon the moun- 
tains of Ararat.' 

5 And the waters ^decreased eontinually until 
the tenth month : in the tenth month, on the iirst day 
of the month, were the tops of the mountains .seen. 

G 11 And it came to pass at the end of forty 
days, that Noah opened" the window of the ark 
which he had made : 

I And he sent forth a raven, which went forth 
to* and fro, until the waters were dried up from 
oif the earth. 

8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the 
waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 

9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her 
foot, and she returned unto him into the ark ; for 
the waters were on the face of the whole earth : 
then he put forth his hand, and took her, and 
pulled^ her in unto him into the ark. 

10 And he stayed yet other seven days, and 
again he sent forth the dove out of tiic ark; 

II And the dove eanio in to him in the evening; 
and lo, in her mouth was an olive-leaf plucked oif: 



a Ch. 19:20; Ex. -i-.-n ; Pia. 1UG:4. b Par 
9:iS. e Job a3:3<; Matt. V-.Ti. * Heb. i 
.Tt :'27. I Heb. were in gains ^'"^ dtcreasin^ 
foTth ami returning, i Heb. caused her to i 



a. ' K.X. 14:al. d Proy. 
ng an:l returning, f Jer. 
cn.i;:16. t -Beh. in going 
h ch. 1:22. I Heb. fam- 



his commands, will receive his efifectual protection and 
care. 

21. Men who know the declarations of God but do not 
believe them, will bo convinced of their truth by their 
fulfilment ; and when he undertakes to punish, tlicre is no 
possibility of escape. 

CHAPTER VIII. 
1. Kememftcrerf; showed that he remembered. A.mtaged; 
be,£;an to abate. 

3. Hundred and fifty days; from the time it began to rain. 

4. Seventh month; called Nisan, and answering to the 
last part of March and the first part of April. Mountains 
of Ararat; in Armenia. 

5. Tenth month; called Thammuz, and answering to the 
last part of June and the first part of July. 

6. Forty days; after the mountains were first seen. 

7. A raven; which, being an unclean bird, could feed on 
dead bodies. 

9. Found no rest; though the tops of some mountains 
could be seen, these were not the regions which tlie dove 
would visit. 

13. The first month; called Tisri, and answering to the 
last part of September and the first part of October. This 
was the first month of the civil year. Afterwards, in tlie 
days of Moses, the ecclesiastical year of the Jews began 
in the month of Abib or Nisan, answering to the last part 
of March and the first part of April. 
22 



so Noah knew tliat the waters were abated 'J,-."; J^; 
from off the earth. 

12 And lie stayed yet other seven days, and 
sent forth the dove; wliich returned not again 
unto him any more. 

V.'j "i And it came to pass in the si.x hundredth 
and first year, in the Iirst month, the iirst day of 
the month, the waters were drieil up from otV tlic 
earth: ami Noah removed tiu! covering of the 
ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the 
ground was dry. 

It And in the second month, on the seven and 
twentieth day of the month, was the earth drieil. 

1') IT And God spake unto Noah, saying. 

1() Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and 
thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. 

i" Bring forth with thee every living thing that 
M with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, 
and of every creeping thing that creep(!th upon the 
earth ; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, 
and be fruitful" and multiply upon the earth. 

18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his 
wife, and his sons' wives with him : 

19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every 
fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, 
after their 'kinds, went forth out of the ark. 

20 IT And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, 
and took of every clean beast,' and of every clean 
fowl, and offered liurnt-offerings on the altar. 

21 And the Lord smelled ^a sweet J savor; and 
the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse 
the ground" any more for man's sake ; *for the im- 
agination' of man's heart is evil from his youth: 
neither will I again smite"^ any more every thing 
living, as I have done. 

22 While ^tlie earth remaineth,"^ seed-time and 
harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and win- 
ter, and day and night, shall not cease. 



ities. 


i Lev. 


1-11. 


t 


Heb. a 


M«» 


rof 


rest 


J 


,ev 


1:9; 


.sa. 


S5:6; 


Ezok. 


2U:41 


2 Cor. 


2: l.-i. 


k 


:h. 3:17 


(i:l 




Or. 


tko 


•gli 


Ich 


6:5 


Job 


15:14; 


Jer. 17:9; Rom. 1 


2T. 


■» ch. 


J:ll 


15. 


t Heb 




yet all tite 


days 




earth. 


n Isa 


54:9 


Jer. 33:20, 


a.>. 



















14. The seven and twentieth day ; reckoning the day he 
entered and the day he left, this was twelve months and 
eleven days from the time tlie fountains of the great deep 
were broken up, and the windows of heaven opened. 
Cli.ap. 7:11. Theirs were lunar months, measured by tho 
changes of the moon. Six of these consisted of thirty 
days each, and six of twenty-nine. Twelve months and 
eleven days would therefore make a solar year, or three 
hundred and sixty-five days. 

20. Altar; an elevated place on which to offer sacrifices. 
Burnt-offerings; offerings that were consumed by fire; 
expressive of the conviction of the ofi'erers, that they, as 
sinners, deserved to bo consumed; also of their gratitude 
for sparing mercy, their need of pardoning grace, and 
their hope of obtaining it, through the sacrifice of Christ 
as a propitiation for the sins of the world. Eph. 5:2; 
Heb. 9:14; 1 John 2:2. 

21. A sweet savor ; God was pleased with, and accepted 
the offering, as a suitable expression of a penitent, be- 
lieving, and grateful heart. Said in his heart; determined, 
and made known his determination. Not again curse the 
ground; by bringing upon it a flood. For; though men 
would continue to be naturally as wicked after the flood 
as before, yet God would not again interrupt the regular 
course of tlie seasons, and of day and night, to the end of 
time. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. However great or long-continued the trials of God's 



God hkssdh Noah. 



GENESIS IX. 



TJie covenant of the rainbow. 



S.2!S CHAPTER IX. 

1 God blesseth Noah. 4 Blood and murder are forbidden. 8 God's 
covenant, 13 signified by llie rainbow. IS Noali replenisheth tlie 
world, 20 planteth a vineyard, 21 is drunken, and mocked of Iii-s 
son, 2-3 curseth Canaan, 26 blesseth Shem. 27 prayeth for Japhetli, 
29 and dieth. 

AND God blessed Noah and his sons, and said 
unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and 
replenish the earth." 

2 And the fear of you, and the dread of you, 
shall bo upon every beast of the earth, and upon 
every fowl of the air, upon all that raoveth upon 
the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea;'' into 
your hand are they delivered. 

3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat 
for you ;" even as the green herb'' have I given you 
all things." 

4 But flesh with the life thereof, lohich is the 
blood thereof, shall ye not eat.'' 

5 And surely your blood of your lives will I 
require: at the hand of every beast will I require 
it, and at the hand of man y at the hand of every 
man's brother will I require the life of man. 

6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall 
his blood be shed:'' for in the image of God made 
lie man.' 

7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring 
fortli abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein. 

8 TT And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons 
with him, saying, 

9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with 
you, and with your seed after you ]' 

10 And with every living ereaturc that is with 
you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast 
<jf the earth with you ; from all that go out of the 
ark, to every beast of the earth.'' 

11 And I will establish my covenant with you; 



» Ver. 7, 19; ch. 10:3->. b Psa. 8:(i; Hos. 2:13; Jls. 3:7. c Deut. 12:1.5 
14:4, etc.; Acts 10:12-14; ITim. 4:3,4. dch.l:2U. eHom.l4:3. (Lev 
17:10-14; I9:2G; Deut. 12;-ii; 1 Sam. 14:31. g Ex. 21: 12, 3:^. hLev.24:17; 

1 King32:5,6,.32. i ch. T - ' " " -. - 

12Peter3:7. ■iich.l7;l 



.,..11, 17; ch. e:IS. k ch. 
;ek. 1:2S; Rev. 4:3; 10:1. 



. 2U:42,45. 



people, he never forgets thera ; nor does he continue tho.se 
trials any longer tlian will promote his glory and their 
highest good. Let them place implicit confidence in him ; 
in due time all his promises will be fully accomplished. 

12. In the days of Noah, as at the creation and in the 
days of Adam, time was divided into weeks or periods of 
seven days ; marked, not by the revolutions of heavenly 
bodies, as were months and years, but by the return of 
the Sabbath, a day of rest from secular, and of devotion to 
eacred duties. This division of time was carried into all 
parts of the world, and has been observed by the people 
of God in all ages. 

18. As soon as trials have accomplished God's wise and 
benevolent ends, he delights to deliver his people from 
them, and to fill their hearts with joy. 

21. Whatever destruction God brings upon the wicked, 
and however extensively it may be known, without the 
grace of God those who survive will continue to be wick- 
ed ; neither judgments nor mercies will lead them to love 
and obey God. 

22. The regular return of day and night, summer and 
winter, seed-time and harvest, is a constant memorial of 
the truth of Jehovah ; that when the word hath gone out 
of his mouth it standeth for ever. Num. 23:19; Matt. 
24:35. 

CHAPTER IX. 

2. lalo your hand; tlicy shall be subject to you, to be 
used for your benefit. 



neither shall all flesh bo cut off any more by the 
waters of a flood ; neither shall tlierc any more 
be a flood to destroy the earth.' 

12 And God said, This is the token of the cov- 
enant which I make between me and you, and 
every living creature that is with you, for perpet- 
ual generations:'" 

13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall 
be for a token of a covenant between me and the 
earth." 

14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a 
cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen 
in the cloud : 

15 And I will remember my covenant, which is 
between me and you and every living creature of 
all flesh ; and the waters shall no more become a 
flood to destroy all flesh." 

16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I 
will look upon it, that I may remember the ever- 
lasting covenant between God and every living 
creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.'' 

17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token 
of the covenant wliich I have established between 
me and all flesh that is upon the earth. 

18 ^ And the sons of Noah, that went forth of 
the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth :' and 
Ham is the father of Canaan.' 

19 These are the three sons of Noah:"" and of 
them was the whole earth overspread. 

20 And Noali began to be a husbandman, and ho 
planted a vineyard :' 

21 And he drank of the wine,' and was drunk- 
en ; and he was uncovered within his tent. 

22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the na- 
kedness" of his father," and told his two brethren 
witliout. 



Dent 


7fl- 


IK 


ng!=8:23 


Neh. 9:32: Psa 


106:45 


F.7 


ek 


16:60 


I.uke 


1:72. 


P ch. 


17'1: 


lil 


2 Sam. 23:. 5; Isa. .M:3; Jer. 32:41 


• y 


eh 


i:!:20. 


q ch 


10:1, 


fi • 


Heh 


Chr 




ch. 10:.32; 1 Chr 


1:4. ' 


lie 


It. 


20:0; 


iS:30; 


frov. 


24-31 


■ So 


"•1 


0; I Cor 


9:7. iProv. 20: 


1; Luke 


21 


34 


1 Cor 


10:1- 


; 'I'lt. 


2:2. 


u Hab^- 2 


1.5; Rev 


3:13. 'Psa. 35 


20; 40: 


s; 


70:3; Obad. 12. 


3. 



3. Every moving thing; that is good to eat. 

4. The blood — shall ye not eat ; it must not be eaten, as it 
was to typify the blood which was to be ofiered to God 
as an atonement for the sins of men. 

5. At the hand of every beast will I require it; this was to 
impress upon them the sacrcdness of human life, and thus 
prevent one man from killing another. Exod. 21:28, 29. 
Brother; he who slays a man slays his brother, since the 
whole human family are brethren of one blood. 

6. His blood be shed; the murderer of man should by 
man be put to death. This was designed to be another 
safeguard of human life. The murderer was to die, to 
prevent others from committing murder, hi the image of 
God; a rational, accountable, moral, and immortal being; 
to exercise by God's appointment a portion of his author- 
ity, and with a right to life, till God, or some one in obe- 
dience to or in accordance with his will, should take it 
away. 

9. Establish my convenant; confirm a solemn promise or 
engagement. 

13. 3Iy boio ; the rainbow. A token; a visible assurance 
of the certain fulfilment of what God promised, and brmg- 
ing it to remembrance. 

15. / wdl remember my covenant; the rainbow was to lie 
a means of leading men in all ages to remember God's 
covenant, and to feel that he remembers it, and that what 
he has promised he will accomplish. 

19. Overspread ; repeopled with inhabitants. 

20. A husbandman ; a cultivator of the earth. 

23 



The curse of Canaan. 



GENESIS X. 



Generations of Noah. 



'23 And Shorn and Jiipliotli took a panncnt, and 
laid it upon liolli tlicir ;ilii)nldris. and went l)ack- 
ward." and covitimI tlic nakoilness of tlieir i'atlier : 
and llicir t'aifs u-irc liackward, aud they saw not 
tlieir fallier's nakedness. 

24 And Noali awoke from Ids wine, aud knew 
wliat Ills yonnirer son liad done unto liini. 

'Hi And' lie said, Cursed'' be Canaan; a servant 
of servants shall he lie unto his l)retliren. 

2() And lie said, JJlessed be the Loito God of 
Siieni; and Canaan sliall be "his servant. 

27 God siiall *enlar<re Jajiheth,'' and he shall 
dwell in tlic tents of Shem ; aud Canaan shall be 
his servant. 

28 'i And Noali lived after the flood three hun- 
ilred aud fifty years. 

29 And all" the days of Noah were ''nine hun- 
dred aud fifty years: and he died. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 The :;onerations of Tfo.ih. 2 The sons of Japhcth. 6 The sons of 
Haul. S Nimrod the first monarch. 21 liie sons of Shcm. 

OW these arc the generations of the sons of 
Noah ; Shem, Haiu, aud Japheth : aud unto 
them were sous born after the flood. 
2 The "sons of Japhcth; Gomer, aud Magog, 



1^ 



» Kx. 20.12; Gal. G 1 1 Pet 4-8. 1> Deut 27 16; Josh 9 23, 27; Judj. 
1:23, 3U; 2Chr 8:7, 8 • Or, Mnant to thtm 1 lir, persuade. cEph. 2:1:1. 
•I ch. 5:5. e Ter. 21. I Or, as some road it. Hodamm. < Jer 2 II); Zeph. 



25. Cmiaan; God mercifully restricted the curse to Ca- 
naan the son of Ham, aud father of the Canaauitea, whom, 
;is a just punishment for their eins, God in after-ages 
directed the Israelites to destroy. Ex. 34: : 10-14; Deut. 
7 : 17-24. Servant of servants ; the meanest of servants. 

27. Enlarge .Japhcth ; greatly extend the territory of his 
descendants. Dwell in the tents of Shem; partake ofthe bless- 
ings enjoyed by him. The Jews came from Shem. The 
chief civilized and Christian nations of modern Gentiles 
;tre from Japhcth. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. With the increase of the human family by the mar- 
riage of one man with one woman, God is well pleased, 
that all parts of the earth may be inhabited, cultivated, 
;iud fiUed with his praise. 

3. The fear of man in beasts, birds, and fishes, is evi- 
dence of the truth and goodness of God. Without his 
permission we should have no right to use them for food ; 
;ind all wanton destruction of them, or jjutting them to 
pain, is sinful. 

C. God is the rightful disposer of human life, and as he 
directs that the murderer shall by man be put to death, it 
is morally wrong for government not to do it. It is a vio- 
lation of duty to God and to men. 

15. Whenever we see the rainbow we have evidence of 
the truth of Gud's declarations, and that he remembers 
them; and we slimild ft'cl that not one jot or tittle of what 
he has said will fail, but that all will be fulfilled. 

21. Wine is an intoxicating hquor. Those who, at 
home or abroad, on ordinary or on festive occasions, drink 
it, are in danger of becoming drunken ; nor is piety tow- 
ards God, nor benevolence to men, nor a long course of 
successful resistance of temptation, a sure safeguard 
against it. .-Ul, therefore, who think they stand, should 
take heed lest they fall ; praying, " Lead us not into temp- 
fation," and showing the sincerity of their prayers by 
their conduct. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. Noto tliese are the generations ; this chapter contains 

the oldest and most important genealogical record iu the 

world. The reader will notice that the names of the 

descendants of Noah's sons represent generally not sim- 

24 



and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, aud h. r ^15: 
Meshcch, and Tiras. 

3 And the sons of Gonicr; Aslikenaz, and Ri- 
phath, and 'J'ogannah. 

4 And thcsuns of .lavaii; Elishah, and Tarshish, 
Kitlini, and 'Dodauim. 

5 J{y lliesc were the isles' of the Gentiles di- 
vided iu their lands: every one after his tongue, 
after their I'aniilies, in their nations. 

G " And the -«ons of ilaiu: Cush, aud Mizruini, 
and Phut, aud Canaan. 

7 Aud the soils of Cush; Scba," ami llavilah, 
aud Habtali, and Raaiuaii. and Sabteeiia: aud the 
sons of Raamali ; ^^lleba, and Dcdau. 

8 And (hisli bi'gat Ninirod:'' he began to be a 
mitrlity one in the earth. 

9 lie was a mighty hunter' before the Lord; 
wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty 
hunter before the Loud. 

10 And the beginning of his kingdom was *Ba- 
bel, aud Erecli, aud Aeead, aud Caluch, in the 
laud of .Shi liar. 

11 Out ot that laud 'went forth Asshur, and build- 
ed Nineveh, aud ^thc city Rehoboth, and Calah, 

12 And Resen, between Nineveh aud Calah : the 
same is a great city. 



2:11 |[Psa72 10. hMio. 5:6. iMic. 7:2 i Gi. JBatylo: 
out into Assyria. 1 Or, the streets of lite city. 



ply individuals, but nations, or families of nations sprung 
from them. 

2. Gomer; probably the Cimmerians north of the Black 
sea, around which and north of it his sons settled, ver. 3. 
Magog; a powerful people of the north. Ezek. 38:15; 
39:2. Madai; the Modes east of Assyria and south ofthe 
Caspian sea. Javan; the lonians on the western coast of 
Asia Minor, and then the Greeks generally. Tubal, and 
Meshcch ; probably inliabiting the region between the Cas- 
pian and Black seas, and further north. 

3. Togarmah; probably the Armenians, or a people iu 
that vicinity. 

4 Elishah; the Greeks. Kittim; the same as Chittim, 
and the isles of Chittira. The word is plural, and signi- 
fies the coasts and islands west of Palestine, and then, in a 
general sense, Europe and the coasts of Asia Jlinor. The 
same is signified by "the isles of the Gentiles," ver. 5. 

The sons of Japheth occupied Europe, Asia Minor, the 
countries aroimd the Black sea and the Caspian, and the 
vast region to the north and east of them. 

6. Cush; from whom camo the Ethiopians, south of 
Egypt. j)/(crc;m; from whom came the Egj'ptians. Miz- 
raim is the Hebrew word for Egypt. 

7. Seba ; a ])eoi)le of Ethiopia, the same as the Sabeans, 
mentioned in Isa. 45 : 14, along with Egypt and Ethiopia. It 
must not bo confounded with the Sabeans of Jol) 1:15, 
where a different word is used in the Hebrev/. Uavilah ; 
different from the Havilah mentioned ver. 29. Sheba, and 
Dedan; to bo distinguished from the Sheba and Dedan 
named, chap. 25:3, as descendants of Abraliam. There 
was also a third Sheba, descended from Shem, ver. 28. 

8. 9. Mighty one in theearth — mighty hunter ; distinguish- 
ed for his bold and successful exploits, in overcoming and 
controlling beasts and men. 

10. Babel; Babylon on the Euphrates. The land of Slii- 
nar; the ijlain country lying around Babylon. It was six 
or seven imndred miles east of Canaan. 

11. Asshur ; from him came the name Assyria. He was 
a son of Shem, ver. 22, and is mentioned here by way of 
anticipation. Some prefer the marginal reading: "lie 
[Nimrod] went forth to Asshur," that is, Assyria. Nine- 
veh; a city on the river Tigris, about three hundred miles 
north of Babylon. 



Sons of Ham and Shem. 



GENESIS XI. 



Building of Babe/. 



A. >rabout 13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Ana- 
is. c'.'aiis. mini, and Leliabini, and Xaplituhim, 

14 And Pathrusini," and Casluhim, (out of whom 
came riiilistim,) and Caphtorim. 

15 ^ And Canaan begat 'Zidon his first-born, 
and Hcth, 

16 And the Jcbusite, and the Amorite, and the 
Girgasite, 

17 And the Ilirito, and the Arkite, and tlic 
Sinite, 

18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the 
Hamathite: and afterward were the families of 
the Canaanites spread abroad. 

19 And the border of the "Canaanites was from 
Zidon, as thou conicst to Gerar, unto *Gaza; as 
thou goest unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Ad- 
mah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 

20 These are the sons of Ham, after their fam- 
ilies, after their tongues, in their countries, and in 
their nations. 

21 1 Unto Shem also, the father of all the chil- 
dren of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, 
even to him were children born. 

22 The children of Shem ; Elam, and Asshur, 
and *Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 

23 And the children of Aram ; Uz, and Hul, and 
Gether, and Mash. 

2-1 And Arphaxad begat ^ Salah ; and Salah be- 
gat Eber. 

25 And unto Eber'' were born two sons: the 
name of one was Peleg,' for in his days was the 



13. Ludim; that is, children of Lud, m being tlie He- 
brew plural. Another Lud is mentioned ver. 22, the de- 
scendant of Shem. Pathntsim; the people of Pathros, 
that is, Upper E^'jpt. 

14. Philistim; the Philistines, who occupied the south- 
western angle of Palestine. From Deut. 2:23, and Amos 9 : 7, 
we learn that they came out of Caphtor. We may suppose 
that from the Casluhim came first the Caphtorim, and from 
these the Philistim. According to the ancients, the Caslu- 
him and Caphtorim were Egyptian colonies, the former in- 
habiting Colchis, at the eastern extremity of the Black sea ; 
the latter Cappadocia, in the eastern part of Asia Minor. 
Some understand by Caphtor the modern island of Crete. 

la. Zidon; from whom came the Zidonians. Hcth; the 
father of the Hittites. 

19. Zidon; the chief city of the Zidonians, in the north- 
west corner of Palestine on the Mediterranean sea. As 
thou earnest to Gerar, unto Gaza; that is, extending from 
Zidon to Gaza, as one goes south to Gerar. Gaza was the 
southern city of tlie Phihstines, and Gerar was near it. 
As thou goest unto Sodom — unto Lasha; extending from Zi- 
don south-east to Lasha, as one goes towards Sodom, etc. 
Lasha seems to have been east of the Dead sea. Sodom 
and the three cities named with it lay in the vale of Sid- 
dim, which is now covered by the Dead sea. 

The posterity of Ham occupied Egypt and Africa gen- 
erally, the whole eastern coast of the Mediterranean, the 
great plain around the lower Euphrates and its branches, 
and some parts of Asia Minor and of Arabia. 

2L Eber; see below, ver. 24. Tlie elder; tliese words, as 
they stand in the original, may refer to either Shem or 
Japheth. From the fact that in the genealogical tables 
Japheth is named first, as also from chap. 5 : 32 compared 
with chap. 11:10, it is inferred with probabihty that Ja- 
pheth was the elder brother. 

22. Elam; inhabiting the country now called Persia. 
Asshur; see above, ver. 11. Lud; according to Josephus, 



eartli divided ; and his brother's name v:as Jok- 
tan. 

26 And Joktan Ijcgat Almodad, and .Shele)jh. 
and llazarmaveth, and Jerah, 

27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 

28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,'' 

29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all 
these weir the sons of Joktan. 

30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou 
goest unto Sephar, a mount of the east. 

31 These are the sous of Shem, after their fam- 
ilies, after their tongues, in their lands, after their 
nations. 

32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, 
after their generations, in their nation.s; and by 
these were the nations divided in the earth after 
the flood. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 One language in the -w-orld. 3 The building of Babel. 5 The confu- 
sion of tongues. 10 The generatrons of Shem. 27 The generations 
of Terah the father of Abram. 31 Terah goeth from Ur to Haran. 

AND the whole earth was of one 'language, 
and of one 'speech. 

2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from 
the +east, that they found a plain in the land of 
Shinar ; and they dwelt there. 

3 And Hhey said one to another. Go to, let us 
make brick, and *burn them thoroughly. Aid 
they had brick for stone, and slime had they for 
mortar. 



25:3. II Heb. Up. ' Heb. words, t Or. eastward, 
'.ighbor. % Heb. bum tliem to a burning. 



the Lydians in Asia Minor. Aram; a general name for 
ancient Syria, lying north and north-cast of Palestine, and 
in the wider sense, including Mesopotamia. 

23. L'z; several persons of this name are mentioned in 
Scripture, chap. 22:21 ; 36:28; and from which of them the 
land of Uz in Arabia was peopled, is not known. Probably 
Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash all occupied parts of Syria. 

24. Eber; or Heber in Mesopotamia beyonil the Kiiphra- 
tes. He was the ancestor of Abraham, and many suppose 
that from him is derived the word Hebrew. 

25. Peleg; meaning division. The earth divided; among 
the different tribes of men. Chap. 11:8. 

26. Joktan; liis children seem all to have settled in Ara- 
bia, or further east. Hazarmaveth; the same as Hadra- 
mant in south-eastern Arabia. 

28. Slveba; the Sabeans in the southern part of Arabia 
Felix. 

29. Ophir; probably in India. JIavilaJi; on the Persian 
gulf. 

The posterity of Shem occupied Arabia, SjTia, and the 
region east, in a more southern line than that of the pos- 
terity of Japheth. 

Many changes were afterwards made among the de- 
scendaiits of Noah's three sons, by colonization and con- 
quest. 

INSTRUCTION'S. 

32. As all nations had one common origin and sprang 
from one family, they should all love each other as bretli- 
ren, and seek to promote each other's good ; doing in all 
things to others as they ought to wish that others should 
do to them. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. One language — one speech; these words denote union 
in counsel and in language. 

3. Go to; come now. Slime— for mortar; bitumen; a 
pitchy substance which they used for cement. 
23 



Ctm/uaiin of Imigues. 



GENESIS XI. 



TIte l.-indrcd of Ahrain. 



4 And llioy sai<l, Oo in, let lis liuikl us a rily. 
and a lower" wliosc toji may reach unto Iieavon ; 
and lot us niakc us a niuni-,'' lest wo bo scatleroil 
al)i()ad'' u|ifiii llic face of llio whole eartli. 

And tlic LoKi) canio down'' to sec the city and 
tlic tower, wliieh the ehihlicn of men huiklcd. 

G And tlie Loud said, IJeliold. tlic jjeoplo is one, 
and tliey have all one language; and this they 
bagin to do: and now nothing will be restrained 
from them, which tliey have imagined" to do. 

7 Go to. let us go down, and tliere coiilnund 
their language,' that they may not understand 
one another's speech. 

8 So the Lord scattered tlicni altroad from 
thence upon the face of all the earth: and they 
left off to build the city. 

9 Therefore is the name of it called Bal)el,' be- 
cause the LoKU did tiicre confound the language of 
all the earth : and from thence did the Lord scat- 
ter them abroad upon the face*"' of all the earth. 

10 ^\ These'' are the generations of Shem: Shem 
was a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad 
tvvo years after the flood: 

11 And Hhem lived after he begat Arphaxad five 
hundred years, and begat' sons and daughters. 

12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, 
and begatJ Salah : 

13 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah 
four hundred and three years, and begat sons and 
daughters. 

1-1 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat 
Eber: 

15 And Salah lived after ho begat Eber four 
hundred and three years, and begat sons and 
daughters. 

16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and 
begat ^Peleg: 

17 And Eber lived after he begat Pel eg four 
hundred and thirty years, and begat sous and 
dausrhters. 



• Dent. 1:28. b Psa. 49:11-1.3; Prov. 10:7; Dan. 4:30. c ver. 9; Psa. 
!«:9; Luke 1:51. d ch. 18:21. e p»a. 2:1. f Psa. 5.5:9; Acts '2:6; 1 Cor. 
14:*). • Thai K, confusion. K Acts 17:26. h vpr. 27; ch. 10:21, 22. i ch. 
l:2-\ iljuke3::35. t Luke 3: 35 ; Wate. 1 Luke 3:35; iiogau. S Luku 



4. A name ; a tower of renown, which may serve as a 
centre of unity. 

C. Notluiif; irill be restrained; if permitted to go on, thoy 
will acL-omplish their designs. 

7. Confound their language; by an influence from God 
their speech was confounded, and their counsels divided, 
60 that they separated themselves into different families 
speaking different languages. 

9. liiibel; meaning confusion. 

10. Shem; the progenitor of Abraham, whose histoiy 
Moses, the writer of this book, is about to give. 

26. Lived seventy years; and after that, begat Abram, Na- 
hor, and Haran; but not, it is supposed, in this order. 
Haran was the first-born, and Abram was the youngest. 
He is mentioned first as Shem was, chap. 5:32, because 
from him was to spring the Messiah. See chap. 5, and 
Matt. 1. 

28. Ur of the Chaldees ,■ a place it is supposed between 
the Tigris and the Euphrates, aliout four hundred miles 
north-east of Canaan. This is tlie first time the Chaldees 
are mentioned in Scripture. They lived in the north part 
of Mesopotamia, now Koordistan. Afterwards they went 
south into the land of Shinar, which was afterwards called 
Chaldea and Babylonia. Chap. 10:10. 

29. Sarai — Milcah; these are both supposed to have 

26 



IS And Pclog lived thirty year.s, and a.m. .io«i 
begat lieu :* «. <•■ ior. 

]'.) And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hun- 
dred and nine ycar.^i, and begat sons and daugh- 
ters. 

20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and be- 
gat 'Sorug: 

21 And Ken lived after he begat Serug two 
hundred and seven years, and begat sons and 
dauglitcrs. 

22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat 'Na- 
hor : 

23 And Serug lived after ho begat Nahor two 
hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 

24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and 
begat ^Torah: 

25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah a 
hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and 
daughters. 

26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat 
Abram," Nahor, and Haran. 

27 Now these are the generations of Terah : Te- 
rah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran ; and Haran 
begat Lot. 

28 And Haran died before his father Terah in 
the land of his nativity, in 'Ur of the Chaldees. 

29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: 
the name of Abram's wife was Sarai ;"" and the 
name of Nahor's wife, Milcah," the daughter of 
Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of 
Iscah. 

30 But Sarai was barren;" she had no child. 

31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the 
son of Haran his son's son. and Sarai his daugh- 
ter-in-law, his son Abram's wife; and they went 
forth with them from "Ur of the Chaldees, to go 
into the land of Canaan; and they came unto 
Haran,* and dwelt there. 

32 And the days of Terah were two hundred 
and five years: and Terah died in Haran. 



3:35; Saruth. 1 Josh. 24:2; Nachor. 1 LnkeS:.'^; Thara. k Josh. 21:2; 
1 Chr.l:2U,27. 1 ch. 15:7. mcb. 17:15. n ch. 22: 2U; 21:15. och. 10:1, 
2; 18:11, 12: 21:1, 2; Psa. 113:9; Luke 1:30. P ch. 12:1. • vcr. 32; C/iar. 



been daughters of Haran, the elder brother of Abram and 
Nahor. If so, these two brothers married their nieces ; 
but it seems that Haran and Abraham, though both sons 
of Terah, had not the same mother. Chap. 20:12. 

31. Into; towards. Caiman; a country on the eastern 
shore of the Mediterranean sea. Haran ; a place in Meso- 
potamia between the rivers Euphrates and Chebar. It is 
called in the New Testament, Charran. Acts 7:i. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. It is natural for men to seek to be distinguished, and 
as natural to seek it in a wrong way and for a wrong end. 
In doing this they will be disappointed. Would they be 
truly great, and permanently honored, which they may 
and ought to desire, they must seek these blessings, not 
in the indulgence of selfish gratification, but in learning 
and doing the will of God. 

!). The effects of the confusion of tongues are seen 
down to the present day, in the variety of languages 
which are spoken, and in the difficulty thus occasioned 
of holding intercourse and communicating freely the 
knowledge which multitudes need, and without which 
they are exposed to perish. 

31. The statements of the Old Testament are in various 
ways confirmed by the New, and tlius they mutually sup- 



Gud calldh Ah- 



GENESIS XII. 



ALram sojnurncth in Egypt. 



A. M. :ns.-i. 



CHAPTER XII. 



1 God calleth Abram, and Llesseth him with a promise of Christ. 4 
He departeth with Lot from Haran. 6 He journeyeth through Ca- 
naan, 7 which is promised him in a vision. 10 He is driven by a fam- 
ine into Egypt. 11 Fear m.aketh him feign his wife to be his sister. 
1-1 Phar.ooh, naving taken her from him, by plagues is compelled to 
restore iier. 

ATOW the Lord had said unto Abram,'' Get 
j^N thee out of tliy country, and from thy kin- 
dred, and from thy father's house, unto a laud 
tliat I will show thee: 

2 And I will make of thee a great nation," ami 
I will bless thee, and make thy name great;'' and 
tliou shalt be a blessing : 

3 And I will bless them that bless thee,*^ and 
curse him that curseth thee : and iu thee shall all 
families of the earth be blessed." 

4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken 
unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram 
was seventy and five years old when he departed 
out of Haran. 

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his 
brother's son, and all their substance that they 
had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten 
in llarau; and they went forth to go into the 
land of Canaan;' and into the laud of Canaan 
they came. 

6 "[ And Abram passed through the land unto 
the place of Sichem,^ unto the plain of Moreh. 
And the Canaanite" was then in the land. 

7 And the Lord appeared unto Abram,' And 
said, Unto thy seed will I gh-e this land:J and 
lliere builded he an altar'' unto the Lord, who 
appeared unto him. 

L) And he removed from thence unto a mountain 
on the east of Beth-el,' and pitched his tent, hav- 
ing Beth-el on the west, and *Hai on the east: 
and there he builded an altar uuto the Lord, aud 
called upou the name of the Lord."" 



aCii. 11:31; 15:7; Neh. 9:7; Isa. 41:2; Acts 7:.3; Heb. 11:8. b ch. 17:(;; 
21:35. c oh. lo:ld; i-<:4. d Num. 24:9. e I'sa. 72:17; Acts 3:2-3; Gal. 
3:«. f Heb. 11:3. S Deut. 11:3U; Judg. 7:1. t ch. 10: IS, 19. icii. 17:1; 
16:1. J ch. 13:15; 17:8; 20:3; aS:13; Psi. 105:9-11; Rom. B:S; Gal. 3:10; 



jiort and illustrate each other; while both throughout 
have .special reference to, and in numerous ways proclaim 
the dignity and show forth the glory of Jesus Christ. 

CHAPTER XIL 

1. Abram; this is composed of two Hebrew words : Ab, 
signifying father, and ram, meaning high or distinguished. 

2. JSe a blcsain^ ; to all families of the earth (ver. 3) by 
being the progenitor of Jesus Christ. 

3. Be blesssd; in his seed, which is Christ. Gal. 3:S-1G. 

C. Sichem ; called also Shechem ; and in the New Testa- 
ment, Sychar. John 4:5. It lay between mom^t Kbai on 
the north, and Gerizim on the south. It is now called 
Nabulus or Nablus, and is about forty miles north of 
Jerusalem. Plum; the original word means oak. 

8. Bethel; the meaning of this word is house of God. 
Tliis name was afterwards given to this place by Jacob. 
Chap. 28 : 19. The city was before called Luz, and is about 
tliirty miles south of Shechem. Hai; called Ai, Josh. 8:1; 
a few miles east of Bethel. 

13. My sister; see note to chap. 20:12. Tliat it may he 
veil with me; that I may be well treated for thy sake. Sec 
ver. IG. My soul simll live; my life shall be spared. 

If). He Imd sheep — camels; Abraham had them as presents 
from Pharaoh. 

1". Plagued Pharaoh; and also in some way revealed to 
hiiu the cause of these plagues. Compare chap. 20:3. 



9 And Abram journeyed, *goiiig on still toward 
the south. 

10 T And there was a famine in the land : and 
Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; 
for the ftimine loas grievous in the land. 

11 And it came to pass, when he was come near 
to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his 
wife. Behold now, I know that thou art a fair 
woman to look upon: 

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the 
Egyjitians shall see thee, that they shall say, This 
is his wife: and they will kill me, but tliey will 
save thee alive. 

13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister:" that 
it may be well with me for thy sake; and ray 
soul shall live because of thee. 

14 1[ And it came to pass, that when Abram 
was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the 
woman that she was very fair. 

15 Tlie princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and 
commended her before Pharaoh:" and the woman 
was taken into Pharaoh's house." 

16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: 
and he had sheep, and o.xen, and he-asses, and 
men-servants, and maid-servants, aud she-asses, 
and camels. 

17 And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house 
with great plagues because of Sarai, Abraiii's 
wife. 

IS And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What 
is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst 
thou not tell me that she was thy wife?'' 

19 Why saidst thou. She is my sister? so I 
might have taken her to me to wife: now there- 
foi'e, behold thy wife, take her, and go tliy way. 

20 Aud Pharaoh commanded his men concerning 
him ;■■ and they sent him away, and his wife, and 
all that he had. 



4:2S. k ch. 13:4, 18; 20:25; 33:20. Ich. 2^:19. • Heb. j4i"; Josh. 7:2. 
mch. 21:33. t Heb. ingoing and joiirmying. n ch. 20:2; 20:7. o Mat. 
5:28. PPsa. 105:14; Prov. 0:29; Heb. 13:4. q ch. 20:10: 20:10; Ex. 32:21. 



19. Might havj taken her to me to wife ; he had puqjosed 
an honorable mLirriage with her, but had not accomplished 
it. Compare chap. 20:4. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. Though God calls his people to make great sacrifices 
for his sake, he promises them blessings greater than 
those they relinquish ; and in believing and obeying him, 
they will find abundant reward. 

8. When called to remove from one place to anotlicr, it 
is a groat comfort to take with us our friends. AVhcrevor 
we are we should worship God, and commit ourselves and 
our friends to his merciful guidance and care. 

10. Though obedience to God will not, iu this world, 
secure ns from trials, it will prepare us to meet them, 
make them blessings, and fit us, when we leave this world, 
to be freed from aU trials and receive unmingled and 
everlasting joys. 

12. The best of men are far from being faultless; they 
do many things in which it is neither wise, nor safe, nor 
right for us to imitate them; and whenever we trust to 
human expedients instead of trusting in God, we may 
expect to be punished for our folly. 

15. Great beauty is a source of great danger, and often 
the means of great evil to its possessor. 

20. The Lord watches over his people for good, and takes 
much better care of them than they do of themselves. 

27 



Abram itiitl Lot sffHtrnlr. 



GENESIS XIV. 



Gfitrs cmTnant with Abram. 



CHAPTER xiir. 



1 Abram und Lot riliirii out of V.mvU 7 liy disagreement they part 
uiuider. 10 I/Ol yorih to wicfeiJ Sodom. 11 Ood reneweili the 
promitc to Abram. 18 He reruovcth lo Hubron, and there buildciii 
an altar. 

VNP Abram went up out of E?ypt. lie, and 
his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with 
him. into the soutli." 

2 And Abram teas very rich'' in cattle, in silver, 
and in qrold. 

3 And he went on his jonrncys from the south 
even to l>et]i-ol,nii(o the place where liis tent had 
been at the beurinninpr, between I5eth-el and Ilai ; 

4 Unto the place of the altar,'' which he had 
made there at the first: and there Abram called 
on tlio name of tiic Loud."' 

5 1i And Jjot al.so, which went with Abram, had 
flocks, and herds, and tents. 

6 And the land was not able to bear them," that 
they mijrlit dwell tojretlier : for their substance was 
great, so that they could not dwell together. 

7 And there was a strife between the herdmen 
of Abram's cattle, and the herdmen of Lot's cat- 
tle : and tiic Canaanitc and the Perizzite dwelled 
then in the land/ 

8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no 
strife,''' I pray thee, between me and thee, and 
between my herdmen and thy herdmen ; for we 
be 'brethren.'' 

9 Is not tiic whole land before thee?' Separate 
thyself, I jiray tlicc, from me : if thou wilt take tiie 
left hand, then I will go to the right; or \i thou 
depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.J 

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all 
the plain of Jordan, that it xvas well watered 
everywhere, before the Lord destroyed Sodom 
and Gomorrah," even as the garden' of the Lord, 
like the laud of Egypt, as tliou comest unto Zoar.™ 



»Ch. 


l-2:9,etc. '>ch.a4:35; 1 .Sam. 2:7; Job 1: 10; Psa. 112:3; Prov. 3:0, 


10; 10:2 


.2; Matt.6:33. <:ch.l2:7,B; Psi. 42:1,2, 84:10. d Psa. 110:17; 


145: la 


e ch. 30:7. t ch. 34:30. g Phil. 2:14; Heb. 12:14. • Heb. men 


brtthren 


!■ ch. 11:27. i ch. 20:15. J 1 Pet. 3:S-12. k ch. 19:23; 1 John 



CHAPTER XIIL 

1. 77te south ; the south part of Canaan. 

6. Not able to bear tliem ; the pasturage was not sufficient 
for their flocks. 

7. Dwelled tlien in the land; this made their quarrels the 
more improper and jierilous. 

8. Brethren; near relatives, and professors of the same 
religion. 

10. Jordan; rising near mount Lebanon, and running 
south into the Dead sea. The plain of Jordan was the 
region bordering on the river. Sodom — Gomorrah ; cities 
in the south of Canaan, the site of which is now occupied 
by the Dead sea. Garden of the Lord ; the scenery of para- 
dise may harbor a population ripening for hell. As thou 
comest unto Zoar; the meaning is, "'all the plain of Jordan," 
as far as to Zoar, " was well watered." Zoar was a small 
place near Sodom and Gomorrah. Chap. 19:22. 

15. To thee will I give it ; not to him personally, but to 
his descendants. Acts 7:5. For ci'cr; for a perjietual in- 
heritance, should they continue to obey him. 

16. As the dust of tlie earth; very numerous. 

18. Plain; oaks of Marare, chap. 12:6. Hebron; a city 
about twenty miles south of Jerusalem, called also Kir- 
jath-Arba, or the city of Arba, a famous giant who lived 
there. Josh. 1-1:15. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 
4. Habitual communion with God is essential to a 
life of faith ; and necessarj' in order rightly to use the 
28 



11 Then Lot choso. him all tlie ])laiii of ), ? fJill 
Jordan; and Lot Journeyed east: and tiiey uepa- 
raled themselves" the one from the other. 

12 Abram dwclleil in the land of Canaan, and 
Lot dwelled in the cities of the jdaiii, and pitched 
his tent toward Sodom. 

13 But the men of Sodom jwrc wicked and sin- 
ners" before the Louu exceedingly. 

14 "i And tiie Lord said unto Abram, after that 
Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine 
eyes, and look from the jdace where thou art. 
northward, and southward, and eastward, and 
westw-ard : 

15 For all the land which thou scest, to thee 
will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.'' 

10 And 1 will make thy seed as the dust of the 
earth : so that if a man can number the dust of 
the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 

17 Ari,se, walk through the laud in the length 
of it and iu the breadth of it; for I will give it 
unto thee. 

18 Then Aliram removed his tent, and came and 
dwelt in the *plain of ilamre,'' which is in He- 
bron, and built there an altar unto the Loud. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 The battle of four kings against five. 12 Lot is taken prisoner. 14 
Abram resoueth liiin. 18 Melchizcdck blesseth Abram. 20 Abram 
givcth him tithe. 22 The rest of the spoil, his partners having had 
their portions, he restoretli to the king of Sodom. 

AND it came to pass, in the days of Amraphel 
king of Shiifar,'' Arioch king of Ellasar, 
Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of 
nations ; 

2 That these made war with Bera king of Sod- 
om, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab 
king of Admah,'' and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, 
and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.' 



2:15. 1 ch^ 2:10; Isa. 51:3; Joel 2:3. " ch. 14:2. n Prov. 27:10. o ch 
13:20; Ezek. 16:40; 2 Pet. 2:7,8. Pch. 12:7. IHeb. plains, ilch. 35:27 
rch. 11:2; Isi. 11:11; Zeob. 5:11. • Deut. 29:23; Hos. 11:8. I ch. 19:22. ' 



blessings, meet the trials, and discharge the duties of 
hfe. 

6. Increasing riches may part old and tried friends. 

7. Contentions among the friends of God, the members 
of their families, or persons in their employment, are ex- 
ceedingly injurious to liis cause ; they tend to prejudice 
men against religion, and to prevent their salvation. 

9. A wise and good man will be kind, accommodating, 
and peaceful; will seek to avoid strife, especially with 
his relatives ; and will often reUnquish his rights rather 
than contend for them. 

13. When men, in selecting their place of abode, regard 
the opportunities for making money more than they do the 
means of intellectual and moral improvement, they commit 
sin, and will have reason to be grateful if they escape ruin. 

15. God requires faith in promises, the fulfilment of 
which is future and distant. 

18. Men who, from regard to God, make sacrifices for 
peace, wiU be kept from many evils into which others 
will fall. They will receive much good themselves, and 
bo instrumental in communicating much to others. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1. Sliiimr; chap. 10:10. Ellasar; apparently lying be- 
tween Shinar and Elam. £fam,- Persia. JVaiiOTis,- several 
small nations, whose situation is unknown. 

2. King of Sodom ; the word king is used in the Bible 
for the ruler of a city or small district; and for the chiei 
of a clan or tribe, as well as for the ruler of a nation. 



The. hattle of the kings. 



GENESIS XIV. 



Lot rescued by Abram. 



A. M. about 3 All these were joined together in the 
n. a 1913. vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.* 

4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and 
in the thirteenth year they rebelled. 

5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlao- 
mer. and the kings that icere with him, and smote 
the Rephaim'' in Ashteroth-karnaim,'' and the Zu- 
zim'' in Ham, and the Emim in *Shaveh Kiria- 
thaim, 

6 And the Horites in their mount Scir, unto 
El-paran,* which is by the wilderness." 

7 And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, 
which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the 
Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in 
Hazezon-tamar.f 

8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and 
the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, 
and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, 
the same is Zoar; and they joined battle with 
them in the vale of Siddim ; 

9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and 
with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king 
of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar ; four kings 
with five. 

10 And the vale of Siddim %m:s full of slime- 
pits ; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, 
and fell there: and they that remained fled to the 
mountain.'^ 

11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and 
Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their 
way. 

12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, 
who dwelt in Sodom,'' and his goods, and departed. 

13 If And there came one that had escaped, and 
told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the 
plain of Mamre the Amorite,' brother of Eshcol, 
and brother of Aner : and these were confederate 
with Abram. 



a Deut. 3:17; .Tosh. 3;10. bch- 15:20. c Jo=h. 1-2:4. d Deut. 2:10, 20. 
■ Or, the plain of Kiriatliahn. 1 Or, plain of Faran. e ch, 21 : 21 ; Num. 
12:16. (2Uhl.20:2. S ell. 19:17, 3U. b ch. 13: 12; Num. 10:20; 1 Tim. 
0:9. ■ ch. 13:1S. i 0^, Udfortli. i Or, instructed. J Deut. 34:1. ' I.sa. 



3. Joined togetlier ; assembled as allies. Vale of Siddim ; 
the southern part of the valley of the Jordan, in which 
were the cities above mentioned, and which is now cov- 
ered by the Dead sea. 

■i. Scrwd C/iC(?0)7aomer; by paying him tribute. Rebelled; 
refused longer to pay tribute. 

5. Ashteroth — Ham — Shaveh Kiriathaim ; places east of 
the Jordan. 

6. Mount Seir; south of the Dead sea. El-paran; west 
of mount Seir. 

7. Kadesh; Kadesh-barnea, in the desert south of Judah. 
Hazezon-tamar ; En-gedi, on the west shore of the Dead 
sea. 2Chron. 20:2. 

10. Slime-pits; places where bitumen, an adhesive and 
inflammable substance, oozed out of the ground, or where 
l)itumcn had been dug out to be used for mortar. Chap. 
11:3. Felt there; were entangled among them and over- 
come, and many perished. 

13. The Hebrew ; a name given to Abram. as some sup- 
pose, because he descended from Eher, or Heber ; and as 
others think, because he came from beyond the river 
Euphrates ; the word signifying one who has passed over. 
Plain of Mamre; chap. 12:6. Confederate with Abram, 
united with him in opposing his enemies. 

14. Brother; here used for nephew. Chapter 12:1,3. 
Dan; perhaps Dan-jaan, mentioned 2 Sam. 4:6, and dif- 
ferent from the Dan in the northern limit of Palestine, 



14 And when Abram heard that his brother was 
taken captive, he *armed his * trained servants, 
born in his own house, three hundred and eigh- 
teen, and pursued them unto Dan.J 

15 And he divided himself against them, he and 
his servants, by night, and smote them,'' and pur- 
sued them unto Ilobah, which is on the left hand 
of Damascus. 

16 And he brought liack all the goods,' and 
also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, 
and the women also, and the people. 

17 IT And the king oT Sodom'" went out to meet 
him, after his return from the slaughter of Che- 
dorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, 
at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale." 

18 And Mclchizedek" king of Salem brought 
forth bread and wine: and he was the priest" of 
the most high God.'' 

19 And he blessed him, and said. Blessed be 
Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven 
and earth:"' 

20 And blessed be the most high God, which 
hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And 
he gave him tithes of all." 

21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, 
Give me the 'persons, and take the goods to thy- 
self. 

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I 
have lifted up my hand unto the Lord,* the most 
high God, the possessor of heaven and earth," 

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a 
shoe-latchet,'' and that I will not take any thing 
that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made 
Abram rich : 

24 Save only that which the young men have 
eaten, and the portion of the men which went 
with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them 
take their portion.'"' 



Jl:2, 3. 1 1 Sam. 30:S, 1?. n 1 
P Psa. 110:4; Heb. 5:0; 7:3, 11. 
sHeb. 7:1-10. I Heb, iouh. t 
9:15,16. wl Tun. 5:13. 



I 2 Sam. 1S:1S, o Heb. 7:1. 
r ver. 22; Psa. 34:1; 50:10, 
rer, 19: ch. 21:33. » Esth. 



which did not receive this name till long after the death 
of Moses. Judges 18:29. 

15. Left hand; to the north. Damascus; the capital of 
ancient Syria ; on a plain east of Anti-Lebanon. 

17. Shaveh— dale ; a valley near Jerusalem. 

18. Mekliizcdek; a name meaning King of righteousness. 
Salem; meaning in Hebrew, peace, Heb. 7:2; supposed 
to have been the place afterwards called Jerusalem. 

20. He gave him tithes; Abram gave to Melchizedek a 
tenth part. Heb. 7: 1-17. This was done as an expression 
of gratitude to God, whose priest Melchizedek was. 

21. Persons and — goods; which Abram had taken from 
the enemy. 

22. Lifted up my liand; taken an oath, or made a solemn 
promise. 

24. Aner, Eshcol, and Mam re : the confederates of Abram. 
mentioned ver. 13. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

11. Ever since the apostasy, there have been men who 
acted as if might gave right ; who, if they could, would 
rob others : and, to obtain their property, put them to 
death: sins as odious and hateful when committed by 
rulers and nations, as when committed by private indi- 
viduals. 

12. When men, for worldly purposes, choose to dwell 
in places distinguished for wickedness, they e.xpose them- 

29 



Gt>d tncourngfth Ahnnn 



GENESIS XV. 



•with the promise cf a son. 



CHAPTER XV, 



God cncmiragflli Abmin. 2 Abrain complalncth for want nf nn heir. 
4 Ood proninctli him » non. unci a muUipljini; of liii hoihI. (i Alirnin 
is juatihctt by failli. 7 Canaan it pronuiicj ngnin, and conlimi<Nj by 
a. iign, r.> ...id a. visio.i. 

AFTER llicso lliines the word of the Loup 
caino unto AVtrniii in a vision," ?ayin<r, Fi-ar 
not." Abrani: I (tin thy ^'ilielli,'' and thy exceeding 
great reward.' 

2 And Abrain paiil, Lord Goo, what wilt thou 
give ine, i^eeing 1 go chikliej^s.'' an<l the steward 
of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 

3 And Abrain said, Jiehokl, to me thou hast given 
no seed : and \o. one Ijorn in my house is mine heir.' 

4 And behold, the word of the LoiU) came unto 
liiin, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he 
that sliall come forth out of tliiiio own l)()wcls 
shall bo thine heir.'-' 

And he brought him Ibrtli abroad, and said, 
Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars,'' if 
thou be able to number tlicm: and he said unto 
Mm, So shall thy seed be.' 

6 And he l)eli(n-ed in the Lokd; and he counted 
it to him for righteousness.^ 

7 And he said unto him, I am the Lord that 
brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees," to give 
thee "this land to inherit it. 

8 And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know 
that I shall inherit it?' 

9 And he said unto him, Take me a heifer of 
three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, 
and a ram of three years old, and a turtle-dove, 
and a young pigeon. 

10 And ho took unto him all these, and divided 



aCh.4n-2; Num. 12;6; l)an. 10:1; Acts 10; 11. *>. bLukel:13. 


DeiU. 


ai:-JO, Psl 3:3; S):ll; 91.4; 119:114; Prov. 30:5. i Psa. 142:5 


Lam. 


3 21; Jleb. 13:5. e ch 30:1; Isi. 50:5; Acts 7:5. f Prov. 29:21. 


e ch. 


17:16 h DcHt. 1:10; Hcb. 11:12. i Rom. 4:18. j Rom. 4:3, G, etc 


; Gal. 



selves to share in the ciilaraities which that wickedness 
brings upon the people. 

IG. When men have been robbed of what justly belongs 
to them, those who arc right-minded will abhor the crime, 
and be disposed, when they can, to take right and effectual 
measures, that what has been taken away may be restored. 

20. Though God often suffers wicked men to take pos- 
session of what does not belong to them, such possession 
gives them no just title to it ; and when, in his providence, 
he restores it, his goodness should be acknowledged, and 
the praise given to him. 

23. Good men, who do right, will be careful to avoid 
the reality and the ajipcarance of covetousness, and of 
every thing selfish, niggardly, and mean. 

CHAPTER XV. 

2. Give me; he asks for something higher than the 
mere increase of his outward estate. Steward of mi/ house; 
or, as many jirefcr, possessor of my house, that is, heir. 

3. Born in my house ; a house-servant. 

6. Counted it to him for riglUeousness ; accepted him as 
righteous, through faith, or the exercise of that confidence 
in God which led him to follow his directions. Kom. 4:4, 
21,22; Gal. 3:6-9, 29; .Tames 2:21-24. 

7. Ur of the Chaldecs ; chap. 11:31. Give thee this land; 
not him personally, but his posterity. Acts 7:5. 

8. Whereby shall I know; by what token or visible sign. 

10. One against another ; the carcass was divided length- 
wise, and each half placed opposite the other, with a 
space wide enough for those who in this way made a 
covenant, to pass between them in token of its ratification. 

11. Foif's; ravenous birds, accustomed to feed upon flesh. 



them in the midst,"" and laid each ))ioco a. m ...0.11 
one against another: but the birds divid- r. <■. iuii 
cd he not." 

11 And when the fowls came down ujion the 
carcasses, Abram drove them away. 

12 Anil when the sun was going down, a deep 
sleep fell ujion Abram;" and lo, a liorr.jr of great 
darkness fell upon him. 

lU And he said unto -VVinim, Know of a surety 
that thy .seed shall be a stranger in a laml l/iat is 
not theirs, and shall serve tiieni; and they shall 
adlict them four hundred years;'' 

14 And also that nation whom they shall serve, 
will I jiiilge:i and afterward shall they come out 
with great substance. "■ 

15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in jieacc; 
thou shalt be buried in a good old age." 

1(5 Jjiit in the fourth generation they shall come 
hither again: for the iniquity of the Ainorites is 
not yet full.'- 

17 And it came to pass, that when the sun went 
down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, 
and *a burning lamp that passed betw^een those 
pieces. 

18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant 
with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given 
this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great 
river, the river Euphrates: 

19 Tlie Kenitcs, and the Kcnizzites, and the 
Kaduionites, 

20 And the Ilittites, and the Perizzites, and the 
Rephaim, 

21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanitcs, and 
the Gir<2;ashites, and the Jebusites. 



3:G; Jii. 2:23. kch.l2;l. Uudg. 6:17; 2 Kin. 20:P, Luke 1:1.S. m Jrr 
:H:IH, 19. "Lev. 1:17. o ch. 2:21 ; 1 Sam. 2(>:12; Job 4:13. P Kx 12:4(i. 
qKx.O:G. rEx. 12:3G. • ch. 25:6; Job 5:20. t Matt. 23:32; I Thesa. 2.10. 
• Heb. a lamp offirt. 



12. Great darkness; emblematical of the affliction which 
would come upon his posterity in Egypt. 

13. Four Immlred years ; the departure of the Israelites 
from Egypt took place four hundred and thirty j-eais from 
the time the promise was first made to Abraham ; about half 
of which his posterity spent in Canaan, and the rest ill Egypt. 
Gen. 12 : 1-3 ; Ex. 12 : 40, 41 ; Gal. 3 : 17 ; 4 : 29. In the present 
prophecy, uttered some years after the first promise, the 
round number four hundred is appropriately employed. 

14. Judge; visit with judgments, in punishment of their 
sins. Suhstaiue; riches. Psa. 105:37. 

IG. Ill the fourth generation; after four hundred years 
from tlio time above mentioned ; or the fourth generation 
from the time they went into Egypt, Jloses and Caleb be- 
ing the fourth generation from Levi and Judah. Amorites; 
one of the principal nations that was to be destroyed by 
the Israelites, after they should leave Egj'pt. Dcut. 20: 17 ; 
Jo.sli. 3:10; 10:5-14; 24:15. 

17. A smoking furnace, and a burning lamp; symbols of 
the divine presence. 

18. River of Egypt ; supposed to be a stream which emp- 
tied into the Mediterranean between Gaza and the eastern 
branch of the Nile. Num. 34:5 ; Josh. 13:3; 1 Chron. 13:5. 
Its present name is El-Arish. Euphrates; Gen. 2:14. 

19-21. Kenites — Jebusites; tribes that dwelt in Canaan. 
Chap. 9:25-27. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who are protected by God have no reason to 
fear, and those who receive his gracious reward will not 
want any good thing. 

6. That confidence in God which leads men to believi' 
and obey liim is counted to them for righteousness ; and 



Ilagar Jlcdh fi <iT,i Sarai. 



GENESIS XVII. 



God rencweth the covenant. 



K. 



. 19U. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



1 Sarai, being tarren, givetli Hagar to Abram. 4 Hagar, being afflict- 
ed for despising ber mistress, runneth away. 7 An angel sendeth her 
back to submit herself, 11 and tellelh her of her child. 1-5 Ishmael 

NOW Sarai, Abram's -n-ifo, haro liim no cliil- 
drcn: and she liad a handmaid, an Egyp- 
tian," whoso name was Hagar.'' 

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold no\r, the 
Lord liath restrained mo from bearing :" I pray 
tliec, go in unto my maid;'' it may be that I may 
obtain* children by her. And Abram hearkened 
to the voice of Sarai. 

3 And Sarai, Abram'.s wife, took Hagar lier 
maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten 
years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her 
husband Abram to be his wife. 

4 1" And he went in unto Hagar, and she con- 
ceived : and when she saw that she had conceived, 
her mistress was despised in her eyes." 

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong 5e upon 
thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and 
when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised 
in her eyes : the Lord judge between me and thee.*' 

G But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid 
is in thy hand;" do to her *as it pleaseth thee. 
And when Sarai * dealt hardly with her, she lied 
from her face. 

7 *:{ And the Angel of the Lord found her by a 
fountain of water in the wilderness, by the foun- 
tain in the way to Shur.*^ 

8 xVnd he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence 
earnest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And 
she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 



a Ch. ai ;9. IJ Gal. 4;24. t ch. 2U: 18. 1 ch. 30:3. 9. • Heb. be bailded 
by her. « I Sara. 1:6, 8; Pror. SUiSl. f ch. 31:53; 1 Sam. 24:15; 2 Chr. 
■Jl:22. si Pet. 3:7. t Heb. that which is g-oorf.in lAinefi/M. lUeh. afflict- 
ed her. bch. 25:18. ilPet.2:lS. S That is, (rod sAa// Aear. jch.21:20. 

those wlio exercise it will, for Christ's sake, be justified, 
sanctified, and saved. Rom. 4:3 ; James 2:21-24. 

13. God graciously communicates to bis people as much 
knowledge of the future as will best fit them for the dis- 
charge of their duty ; and what would not be useful to 
them he kindly withholds. 

18. When God in his providence has given to apeople 
a good land, and they abuse his mercies, break his laws, 
and live in rebellion against him, he may justly take it 
from them and give it to others. 

CHAPTER XYI. 

2. May obtain children by her ; her present purpose was 
to reckon Hagar's offspring as her own. 

3. To be his wife; a subordinate wife, or concubine, ac- 
cording to the custom of those times. This was a viola- 
tion of the great law of marriage, and was followed by 
great domestic troubles. Matt. 19:5-9. 

5. My wrong be upon thee; thou art the cause of this 
evil, and thou oughtest to prevent it. 

7. The Angel of the Lord ; supposcil to be the Messenger 
of the covenant, the itessiah. Mai. ">:l; Luke 1:76. 
Shur ; a city on the borders of Egypt and r.ilestiue. The 
adjacent desert is called the wilderness of Shur. She 
was on the way to her native home. 

9. Return to thy mistress; she would be more exposed 
to hardship, suffering, and death, in going forward, than 
in going back. 

11. Ishmael; a Hebrew name, meaning God will hear; 
it was given as a memento that God had heard and grant- 
ed her relief, and an encouragement to her and others to 
call upon him. Psa. 50:15. 



9 And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, Re- 
turn to thy mistress, and submit thyself under 
her hands.' 

10 And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, 1 
will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall 
not be numbered for multitude. 

11 And the Angel of the Lord said unto her. 
Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, 
and shalt call his name Ishmael;^ because the 
Lord hath heard thy affliction. 

12 And he will be a wild man;J his hand will 
be against every man, and every man's hand against 
him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all 
his brethren." 

13 And she called the name of the Lord that 
spake unto her. Thou God seest me:' for she 
said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth 
me? 

14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-laliai- 
roi:' behold, if is between Kadesh and Bered. 

15^ And Hagar bare Abram a son : "' and Abram 
called his sou's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 

16 And x\brani was fourscore and six years old, 
when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram. 

CHAPTER XVII. 



1 G-od reneweth the covenant. 5 Abram his name is changed in token 
of a greater blessing. 10 Circumcision is instituted. 15 Sarai her 
name is changed, and she blessed. 17 Isaac is promised. 23 Abra- 
ham and Ishmael are circumcised. 



AND when Abram was ninety years old and 
nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said 
unto him, I mn the Almighty God;° walk before 
me,° and be thon perfect.*^ 



t nh. 


25:13. 


1 Prov. 


5:21. 1 


Th 


t is, 


thr. V 


ell of him 


that live 


th and .^eeth 




m ,.h 


25:12. 


B ch. IS 


11; 


K.x 


H::!; 


Dm. 4:35 


Eph. ; 


■•>U. oh. 


48:15 


1 K 


ngs 2:4 
Job 1:1 


; 2 King 


s 20:3. 


1 Or 


uj^ight, 


or sincere; ch 6:9; 


Deut. 


li-:13 

















12. He will be a wild man ; his posterity woidd be rude, 
unsubdued, and opposed to the restraints of city life ; as 
the Arabs in their native country always have been. 
His hand — against every man; they would be robbers and 
plunderers of such as should fall in their way. Dwell in 
the presence; though opposed to all nations, they would 
never be exterminated or dispossessed ; and they have 
continued to inhabit Arabia down to the present day. 

14. Kadesh ami Bered ; places about forty miles south of 
Hebron. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Abraham was not perfect. In all things he came 
short, and in many things offended. It is not wise, safe, 
or right for us to imitate any mere man in all things. 
There is but one perfect example. 

6. Such is human nature, that irresponsible power is 
very likely to be abused ; and nothing but the grace of 
God will teach masters and mistresses so to treat ser- 
vants as to fulfil the great law of love. Matt. 7 : 12. 

11. The Lord tenderly sympathizes in the afflictions of 
servants as well as of masters. His ears are always open 
to the cries of those who heartily call upon him, and he 
is realy to help them. 

15. Mementos of divine kindness are highly proper, and 
may be verj' useful. They remind us of the unmerited \ 
goodness of God, tend to awaken new gratitude, and lead 
to increasing devotion to his service. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1. Perfect; sincere, upright, wholly and perseveringly 
devoted to the service and glory of God. 
31 



The ital of circumcision. 



GENESIS XVir. 



Ahrahnm is circumcised. 



2 And I will mnkn my covonant liplwofn me 
and llico," and will multiiily tlu-o cxcccdiii^rly. 

3 And Alirani IVll on ids lace: and God talked 
with him, sayinir, 

4 As for nie. i)ehold. my covenant is with thee, 
and thou slialt be a lather'' of 'many nation?. 

h Neither shall thy name any more lie called 
Altram, luit thy name'' ,«hall be Abraham;* lor a 
father of many nations have I made thee.'' 

G And I wiil make thee cxcecdin,!? Iruitful, and 
I will make nations of tiice;" and kings shall 
come out of thee. 

7 And I will establish my covenant between me 
and thee, and thy seed al'tiM- thee, in their jjenera- 
tions, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God 
mito thee, and to thy seed after thee/ 

8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed 
after thee, the land 'whei-ein thou art a stranger, 
all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting pos- 
session;''' and I will be their God.'' 

9 *\ And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt 
keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed 
after thee, in their generations. 

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, 
between me and you and thy seed after thee : 
Every man-child among you shall be circumcised. 

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your 
foreskin : and it shall be a token of the covenant 
betwixt me and you." 

12 And '^he that is eight days old shall be cir- 
cumcised among you, every man-child in your 
generations, he that is born in the house,J or 
bought with money of any stranger, which is not 
of thy seed. 

13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is 
bought with thy money, must needs be circum- 
cised : and my covenant shall be in your flesh for 
an everlasting covenant. 

14 And the uncircumcised man-child, whose flesh 
of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall 
be cut ofl" from- his people ;'' he hath broken my 
covenant. 

15 If And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai 



» Ch 


()•!)• 


Psa,. 


in.?:R 


11 ; 


Gal. 


3:17, IS 


t ch 


13:16 


23: 


17. 


Hpb. 


multilwlc of 


natio 




Neh 


0:7. 


t That 


\,, f,uhtr of a 


grm 


mullilude. 


J Rom 


417. 


c ve 


r. 10,20; ch 


:« • 


.1. fell. 


•liA-.i; 


Lev. 28 


12; 


Upb. 


11:10. 


IHeb. 


of thy 


iojo 


"■"'"» 


. e 


ch. 4 


8:4; Deu 


. 32:3. 


1> Ex 


li:-i 


, Jer 


24:7; 



5. Ahram; this word means a high or distinguished 
father. Gen. 12:1. Abraluvm; by this change in the 
Hebrew word it means a father of great multitudes. 

7. Tliijf:eed; Gal. 3:7,29. 

8. Everlasting possession; to the end of time, if perse ver- 
ingly obedient to God. 

10. Thus is my covenant; the token or seal of it which 
they should continue to observe. Ver. 11 ; Rom. 4:11-22. 

11. Circumcise ; this word means, to cut around. 

13. My covemint; tlic token or sign of it. Everlasting 
cnvenant ; a covenant wliicli they should continue to ob- 
serve from generation to generation, and the benefits of 
which to all the truly obedient would be eternal. The 
apostle Paul shows. Gal. 3:14-17, that all believers in 
Christ are the spiritual children of Abraham, and partakers 
of the spiritual blessings of the covenant which God made 
with him. 

14. Cut off: this expression denotes, in general, the 
death of the oifender ; but the manner is not specified. 
His outward and visible destruction was a solemn sym- 
bol of his everlasting separation from God's holy family. 

32 



thy wife, thou .shalt not call her name Sa- h.cirS: 
rai, but Sarah' s/ialt her name he. 

16 And 1 will bless her, and give thee a son 
also of her:' yea, I will bless her, and ^she shall 
be a motlier of nations; kings of peojile shall be 
of her. 

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laugh- 
ed,'" and said in his heart, Shall a child be born 
unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall 
Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 

18 And Altraliam said unto God, that Ishmael 
might live before thee ! 

19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee 
a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name lsaa<': 
and I will establish my covenant with him for an 
everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 

20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: IJc- 
hold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruit- 
ful, and will multijily him exceedingly: twelve 
princes shall he beget, and I will make him a 
great nation." 

21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, 
which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time 
in the next year." 

22 And he left off talking with him, and God 
went up from Abraham. 

23 H And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and 
all that were born in his house, and all that were 
bought with his money, every male among the 
men of Abraham's house; and circumcised tin; 
fle.sh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God 
had said unto him. 

24 And Abraham ivas ninety years old and nine, 
when he was circumcised in the flesh of his fore- 
skin. 

25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, 
when he was circumcised in the flesh of his fore- 
skin. 

26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circum- 
cised, and Ishmael his son. 

27 And all the men of his house, born in tln' 
house, and bought with money of the stranger, 
were circumcised with him. 



Ezeli. 


37:23; Rev 


21 -3. 


i Acls 


-., 


Tto 


tn. 


4:11. 


* Heb 


a son 


of eight 




i Ex. 1- 


■41 


k E 


x.4:24; 


.losl 


. ;'» 


2. f 


tc. 1 That is 


pnnces 


'. 1 ch. 


18: lU. 


1 Heb. 


ahr 


xhall become j 


latio 


ns; 


ch 


3.5:11 


; Gal. 


4:20-^Jl 


i 1 Pet. 


3:6. 


m ch. 18: 


12; 


21:6. 


n ch. 2: 


:13, 


etc. 


° 


ch. 21 


-• 







15. Sarah ; meaning princess ; that is, of royal families 
to spring from her. Ver. 16. 

17. Laughed; an expression of believing joy. 

18. Might live; prosper and be blessed in his person 
and posterity. 

19. Isaac; meaning laughter — joj- in view of the bless- 
ings bestowed on him. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Though the fulfilment of divine promises may be 
long delayed, yet in due time they will all be accomplish- 
ed ; for God is almighty, he can do all his pleasure ; and 
none who continue patiently to trust in, and obey him, 
will in the end be disappointed. 

10. Circumcision was "a seal of the righteousness 
which Abraham had yet being uncircumcised, that lit- 
might be the father of all them that believe." It was de- 
signed to impress on the mind the necessity of obeyin,tr 
God, not outwardly merely, but in heart; of serving him 
who is a Spirit, in spirit and in truth. Rom. 2:25-29: 
4:11; Phil. 3:3. 



Abraham visited by angels, 



GENESIS XVIII. 



who reveil Swlom's doom. 



il.(MS CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 Abraham entertaineth three angels. 9 Sarah is reproved for laughing 
at the strange promise. 17 The destruction of Sodom is revealed to 
Abraham. *J-3 Abraham maketh intercession for the men thereof. 

A ND the Lord appeared unto him in the 
J_ A_ plains of Mamre :" and he sat in the tent- 
door in the heat of the day ; 

2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, 
three men stood by him:'' and when he saw fheyn, 
he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and 
liowed himself toward the ground,'^ 

3 And said. My Lord, if now I have found favor 
in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy 
.-servant :'' 

•1 Let a little water,'' I pray you, be fetched, and 
wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree : 

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and *com- 
fort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: 
li>r therefore ^are ye come to your servant. And 
I hey said, So do, as thou hast said. 

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto 
.Sarah, and said, 'Make ready quickly three meas- 
ures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon 
the hearth. 

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched 
a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young 
man ; and he hasted to dress it. 

8 And he took butter,' and milk, and the calf 
which he had dressed, and set it before them ; and 
lie stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 

9 If And they said unto him, Where is Sarah 
lliy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 

10 And he said, I will certainly return unto 
lliee according to the time of life;" and lo, Sa- 
rah thy wife shall have a son.'' And Sarah heard 
it in the tent-door, which was behind him. 

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well 



» Ch. 13:1S; 14:13. b ver, 2-2; ch. 19:1; Heb. 13:3; 1 Pet. 4:0. ■= ch. 
a?:7; 33:3-7; 43:28, 23; 44:14; Ruth 2:10; 2 Kings 2:15. d Heb. 13:2; 
I Pet. 4:9. e ch. 43:24. ' Heb. stay, t Heb. ye have pissed, t Heb. Has- 
ten, f Judg. 5:25. e ver. 14; 2 Kings 4:16. h ch. 17:19, 21 ; Rom. 9:9; 
Gal. 4:23. ■ Rom. 4:19; Heb. 11:11, 12. j ch. 31:35. t ch. 21:6; Psa. 
I2G-2. 1 Luke 1:18. m 1 Pet. 3:G. n .Vum. 11:2:3; Jer. 32:17; Matt. 10:26. 



13. It is the will of God that servants, as well as mas- 
ters and their children, should have the means of grace, 
be instructed iu the way of life, and be treated in all 
respects as rational, accountable, and immortal beings, 
for whom Christ died, and who, through faith in him, may 
shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars 
forever. Ex. 20:9-11. 

18. As God is the author of parental affection, he de- 
lights in its exercise, and in answering the hearty, fervent 
prayers of parents for thgir children. 

23. True and lively faith not only trusts the promises 
of God. but yields prompt, implicit, and hearty obedience 
10 God's commands. It thus shows itself by works, and 
by works is faith made perfect. James 2:22. 

CHAPTER XVIIL 

1. r/ie Lord,- Jehovah. Plains of Mamre ; chap. 14:13. 

3. Mij Lord ; a token of respect, addressed to one who 
;tppeared to be chief. 

4. Wash your feet ; as the feet were then protected only 
with sandals, or soles fastened on with straps, it was 
customary with travellers, when they stopped, to wash 
their feet. 

5. Therefore are ye come; intimating that they had been 
providentially directed there, that he might thus enter- 
tain them. 

10. I will — return; will visit thee again; namely, bv 
:5 



stricken in age;' and it ceased to bo with Sarah 
after the manner of women.-* 

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself,'' 
saying, After I am waxed old,' shall I have pleas- 
ure, my lord being old also?'" 

13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Where- 
fore did Sarah laugh, saying. Shall I of a surety 
bear a child, which am old ? 

1-1 Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" At 
the time appointed I will return unto thee, accord- 
ing to the time of life," and Sarah shall have a son. 

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; 
for she was afraid. And he said. Nay ; but thou 
didst laugh. P 

16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked 
toward Sodom : and Abraham went witli them to 
bring them on the way.'' 

17 IT And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abra- 
ham that thing which I do ;■■ 

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a 
great and mighty nation, and all the nations of 
the earth shall bo blessed in him?" 

19 For I know him, that he will command his 
children and his household after him,' and they 
shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and 
judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abra- 
ham that which he hath spoken of him." 

20 And the Lord said. Because the cry of Sod- 
om and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin 
is very grievous,"*' 

21 I will go down now,''' and see whether they 
have done altogether according to the cry of it, 
which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.''' 

22 And the men turned their faces from thence, 
and went toward Sodom : but Abraham stood yet 
before the Lord. 

23 IT And Abraham drew near,^' and said, Wilt 



"2 Kings 4:10. pPsa. 4-1:21; Prov. 12:19. q Acts 15:3; Rom. 15:21; 3 John 
6. r Psa. 25:14; Amos 3:7; John 15:15. s ch. 12:3; 22:18; Psa. 72:17; 
Acts 3:25: Gal. 3:8. t Dent. 4:9, 10; 6-7; Psa. 73:5-S; Eph. 6:4. u 1 Sam. 
2:30. »ch. 13:13; 19:13. w ch. 11:5; Ex. 3:H. i Josh. 22:22; Psa. 139:1; 
Jcr. 17:10; Luke 10:15. y Jer. 30:21; Heb. 10:22; Jas. 5:17. 



giving thee a son by Sarah. According to the time of life ; 
supposed to mean the usual time from the conception to 
the birth of a child. But some prefer to render, " at the 
reviving of the year." 

12. Sarah laughed ; a sign of unbelief, for which she is 
rebuked. 

13. The Lord; Jehovah. 

16. Looked toward Sodom; as if they would go that way. 

20. The cry of Sodom; the cry concerning the sin of 
Sodom. So ver. 21. 

21. J will know; act with knowledge, and treat them as 
their case may require. 

22. Tlie men ; the two beings in human form, who ac- 
companied Jehovah, and who at evening entered Sodom. 
Chap. 19:1. The Lord; Jehovah, who had been speaking 
to Abraham. A'er. 13-20. 

LVSTRUCTI0X3. 

.'). A pious mind is accustomed to recognize the haml 
of God in all the events of providence, and to glorify hint 
by doing good to men. 

8. We should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for 
thereby some have entertained angels, ami also the Lord 
of angels ; and acts of kindness done for his sake, even ti> 
the least of his disciples, he will remember and reward, 
as if done to himself. Matt. 10:42; 25:40; Heb. 13:2. 

1,). The commission of one sin makes way for the com- 
:i:5 



He iniercalelh for Soilom. 



GENESIS XIX. 



Tiro ani;els visit Lot. 



thou also destroy the riglitcous with the wick- 
ed?* 

24 Peradvcnture there be fifty righteous within 
the city: wilt thou also dostroy and not spare 
the place for tiie iifty riglitcous that are therein? 

25 That be far from thee to do after this man- 
ner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; and 
that the righteous should be as the wicked, that 
be far from thee:'' Shall not the Judge of all the 
earth do right? 

2l> And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty 
righteous witiiin the city," then I will spare all 
the place for their sakes. 

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold 
now, 1 have taken upon mo to speak unto the 
Lord, which am but dust and ashes:'' 

28 Peradvcnture there sliall lack five of the 
fifty righteous: wilt tiiou destroy all tiie city for 
lack of five? And he said, If 1 find there forty 
and live, I will not destroy it. 

29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, 
Peradventure there sliall bo forty found there. 
And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 

30 And ho said unto him, Oh, let not the Lord 
be angry, and I will speak: I'eradveuture there 
shall thirty be found tliero. And he said, I will 
not do it, if I find thirty there. 

31 And he said. Behold now, I have taken upon 
me to speak unto the Lord : Peradventure there 
shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will 
not destroy it for twenty's sake. 

32 And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, 
and I will speak yet but this once :" Peradventure 
ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not 
destroy it for ten's sake.*^ 

33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he 
had left communing with Abraham : and Abraham 
returned unto his place. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1 Lot entertaineth two angels. 4 The vicious Sodomites are stricken 
with blindness. 12 Lot is sent for safety into the mountains. 18 He 
obtaineth leave to go into Zoar. 24 Sodom and G-omorrah are de- 
stroyed. 26 Lot's wife is a pillar of salt. 30 Lot dwelleth in a 
cave. 31 The incestuous original of Moafa and Amraon. 

AND there came two angels to Sodom at 
even;^ and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: 
and Lot, seeing them, rose up to meet them, and 
he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. 



« Num. 1G;22. b Job 8:3; 34:17: Psa. 53:11; 94:2. ' Isa. 10:22; Jer. 
5:1; Ezek. 22:30 dch. 2:7; 3:19; Job4:19; Psa.8:4; 144:3; Eccl. 12:7; 
Isa. 6:5; 64:8; Lnke 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:47, 48; 2 Cor. 5:1, 2. e Judg. 6:39. 
fJob33:23. 6 ch. 18:22. t Heb. 13:2. i Luke 24:23. i ch. 18:6-8; 21:8; 
Luke 5:29; John 12:2; Heb. 13:2. k ch. 4:1; Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Judg. 



mission of another ; and the disbelief of God's word is a 
fruitful source of manifold and aggravated transgressions. 

19. Family religion is peculiarly pleasing to God, and he 
requires that parents not only counsel and advise, but 
command their children to keep the way of the Lord ; and 
there is an intimate connection between their doing this, 
and his bestowing upon them and their children the 
richest spiritual and temporal blessings. 

24. Those who love God love their feUow men, and 
earnestly supplicate for them the mercies which they 
need. 

32. Prayer has great influence with God ; and those who 
rightly offer it are eminently benefactors of mankind. 
M 



2 And he said. Behold now, niy lords, Vr fJw. 
tnrn'' in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and 
tarry all night, and wash ymir feet, and ye shall 
rise up early, and go on your ways. And they 
said. Nay; but wc will abide iu the street all 
night.' 

3 And he pressed u])on them greatly, and they 
turned in unto him, and entered into his house; 
and he made them a fcast,^ and did bake unleav- 
ened bread, and they did eat. 

4 •[ But before they lay down, the men of the 
city, TOf?! the men of Sodom, com]passcd the house 
round, both old and young, all the people from 
every quarter: 

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto liim. 
Where are the men which came in to thee this 
night? bring them out unto us, that we may know 
them.'' 

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and 
shut the door afler him, 

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so 
wickedly.' 

8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have 
not known man ; let mc, I pray you, bring them 
out unto you,™ and do ye to them as is good in 
your eyes : only unto these men do nothing ; for 
therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 

9 And they said. Stand back. And they said 
again. This owe fellow came in to sojourn, and he 
will needs be a judge:" now will we deal worse 
with thee than with them. And they pressed sore 
upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break 
the door. 

10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled 
Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 

11 And they smote the men that were at the 
door of the house with blindness," both small and 
great: so that they wearied themselves to find 
the door. 

12 IT And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here 
any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy 
daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, 
bring them out of this place : 

13 For we will destroy this place, because the 
cry of them is waxen great before the face of the 
Lord ;" and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.'' 

1-1 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons- 
in-law, which married his daughters, and said. 
Up, get you out of this place;'' for the Lord will 



19:22; Isa. 1:9; 3:9; Jer. 3:3; 6:15; Ezek. 10:19, 51; Matt. 11:23,21; Rom. 
1:23, 41, 26, 27; 1 Cor. 0:9; 1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 3:13; Judo 7. I Lev. 
18:22; 20:13; Deut. 23:17; Rom. 1:24; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Judo 7. ■» Rom. 
3:8. n Ex. 2:14; 2 Pet. 2:7, 8. o 2 Kings 0:18; Acts 13:11. P ch. 18:20. 
qlChr. 21:15; Isa. 30:10. r Num. 10:20; Jer. 51:0; Rev. 18:4. 



From regard to them, God may delay his judgments, and 
in answer to their prayers bring the wicked to repentance 
and salvation. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1. Two angels; according to the original, the two angels, 
namely, the two mentioned in the preceding chapter, ver. 
22. Lot supposed them to be men. 

8. Bring tlieni out; ho esteemed the persons of his guests 
as sacred, and was wilhng to protect them at all costs. 
But in this proposal he did very wrong, and showed the 
weakness of his faith in God. 

14. As one tliat mocked ; they did not believe what he sa,id. 



Sndom is destroyed. 



GENESIS XIX. 



Origin of Moah and Amman. 



II.' i:. \WA. 

that mocked" unto his sons-in-law. 

15 1 And when the morning arose, then the 
angels hastened Lot, saying. Arise, take thy wife, 
and thy two daughters which *are here, lest thou 
be consumed in tlie iniquity* of the city. 

1() And wliile he lingered, the men laid hold 
upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and 
upon the hand of his two daughters; tiie Lord 
being merciful unto him:'' and they brought him 
fortli, and set him without the city. 

17 1 And it came to pass, when they had brought 
them fortli abroad, that he said, Escape for thy 
life;'' look not behind thee,'' neither stay thou in 
all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou 
be consumed. 

IS And Lot said unto them. Oh, not so, my Lord : 

19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace 
in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy," 
which thou hast showed unto me in saving my 
life; and I cannot escape to the mountain,' lest 
some evil take me, and I die: 

20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, 
and it is a little one : Oh, let me escape thither," 
{is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.'' 

21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted 
thee* concerning this thing also,' that I will not 
overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spo- 
ken. 

22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do 
any thing till thou be come thither.J Therefore 
the name of the city was called Zoar.^ 

23 1 The sun was 'risen upon the earth when 
Lot entered into Zoar. 

2-4 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon 
Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out 
of heaven ;'' 

25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the 
plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and 
that which grew upon the ground.' 

26 1 But his wife looked back from behind 
him, and she became a pillar of salt.™ 



" Ex 


<)«l 


; -1 Chr. 36: 16 


; Isa. 


iS:'>3; h 


ike 17: 


2S; 


24:11. • Heb 


are 




t Or, 


punishment. 


b Psa. 


34:1-2; Rom. 9 


IB. 


c 1 Sam. 


19 


:ll; 


1 Kings 
b Psa. 


19-3 


d ver. *2(i. e 


1 Tim 


1:14. f 


1 Sam 


. 2, 


:1. e Prov 


3:5-7. 


119:1- 


5; Isa. 55:3. 


I Heb 


thy face 


i ch. 


4:V 


Job 42:8, 


9; 


Jer. 


14:10. 


J ch. 


32:->6; Ex. 32 


lU; D 


sut. 9:14 


Mark 


6:5 


S Ttiat is 


, ; 


ttle. 



22. / cannot do any thing; it was God's purpose to spare 
Lot and his family. The work of destroying Sodom could 
not, therefore, be begun, till they had left the city. Zoar ; 
little. It was called Zoar, as a memento of this event. Its 
name before was Bela. Chap. 14:2. 

26. A pillar of salt; as a monument of the wrath of God 
against her for breaking his command. Ver. 17. 

27. mu:re he stood; on the day before. Chap. 18:22. 

37. Moab ; progeny of a father. 

38. Ben-ammi; son of my people; that is, my kindred. 
Amman; the same as Ben-ammi. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. Though God bestow upon men a good land, and sur- 
round them with ummmbered mercies, if left without his 
grace they will grow worse and worse, till they become 
too wicked longer to live. 

8. Of two natural evils, it is often proper to choose the 
least ; but of two moral evils we should choose neither, 
and should never commit sin to avoid any supposed evil, 
or obtain any supposed good. The only course of wisdom 
and safety is to trust in God and do right. 



27 T And Abraham gat up early in the morning 
to the place where he stood before the Lord :° 

28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomor- 
rah, and toward all the land of the plain, and 
beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up 
as the smoke of a furnace." 

29 1 And it came to pass, when God destroyed 
the cities of the plain, that God remembered 
Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the 
overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the 
which Lot dwelt. P 

30 1 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt 
in the mountain.i and his two daughters with 
him ; for he feared to dwell in Zoar : and he 
dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 

31 And the first-born said unto the younger, Our 
father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to 
come in unto us after the manner of all the earth : 

32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and 
we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed 
of our father. 

33 And they made their father drink wine that 
night:'' and the first-born went in, and lay with 
her father; and he perceived not when she lay 
down, nor when she arose. 

34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the 
first-born said unto the younger. Behold, I lay 
yesternight with my father : let us make him drink 
wine this night also ; and go thou in, and lie with 
him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 

35 And they made their father drink wine that 
night also : and the younger arose, and lay with 
him ; and he perceived not when she lay down, 
nor when she arose. 

36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with 
child by their father.^ 

37 And the first-born bare a son, and called his 
name Moab : the same is the father of the Moab- 
ites unto this day.' 

38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and 
called his name Ben-ammi : the same is the father 
of the children of Ammon unto this day." 



1 Heb gone forth., t Deiit. 29:2J; Job 1^:15; Psa. 11:6; Isa. 13:19; Jer. 
4913- 50:40; Lam.4:6; Ezek 16:49; Amos4:ll; Zeph. 2:9; Matt. 11:23; 

2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7. 1 ?si. 107:34. ■■> Luke 17::J2. ■> ch. la:22. o Rev. 
19-3 pPsa.l45:20. qver. 17.19. r Prov. 23:31-33. ' Lev. 18:0, 7; Hab. 
2:15. tDeut. 2:9; 23:3. » Neh. 13:1; Isa. 11:14; Zeph. 2:9. 



11. AU men are dependent upon God. With him for 
their protector his people will be secure, and his enemies, 
in perseveringly opposing them, will be destroyed. 

14. Faith in God is needful to salvation ; and when he 
foretells the destruction of the wicked, if they do not be- 
lieve him and escape, they wiU perish. 

16. God is more merciful to his people than they are to 
themselves ; if he were not, they would aU perish. 

21. From regard to one righteous man, though he be 
imperfect, God may save many from destruction. 2 Peter 
2:7-9. 

25. Jehovah is a God of justice as well as mercy ; and 
though he bear long with transgressors, if they turn not 
from their sins, he will in due time bring upon them over- 
whelming destruction. 

26. One act of wilful disobedience to God may prove 
the occasion of immediate and irretrievable ruin. 

29. It is a great blessing to have pious relatives, and to 
be the subject of their prayers. From how many evils 
they have been and may be the means of saving us, none 
but (Jod can tell. 

32. The education of children amid scenes of gross de- 
35 



ALiiiJuun uciiiuih Ills vife. 



GENESIS XX. 



Ahimcli'ch rcstoreth Sarah. 



CHAPTER XX. 



1 Abnham »ojoiimclh «t Gerar, 2 Jcnicth lii> wife, nnj loscih her. 
*1 Aliinetocti ii rrproveJ for her in a dream. 9 Ho rebukoth Abrn- 
hftin, 14 restoreth &;irikh, 10 luid reproveth her. 17 He is healed by 
Abraham's prayer. 

VXD Abraham journeyed from thence toward 
tlio siiutli country, and dwelt bi'twoen Ka- 
Ic.sh and Sluir," and .sojourned in Uerar.'' 

2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is 
!ny sister f and Abiiuelech kinjj of Gerar sent and 
took Sarali. 

3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by 
nifiht,'' and said to him, Bcliold, thou art but a dead 
mun, for tlic woman which thou liast taken; for 
slie is 'a man's wife. 

•i But Abimelech had not come near her : and he 
said. Lord, wilt thou slay also a riglitoous nation?'' 

5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and 
she,. even she hcr.self said, lie is my brother: in 
the integrity* of my heart' and innoceney of my 
hands have I done this. 

G And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, 1 
know that thou didst this in the intcirrity of thy 
heart; for I also withheld thee'-' from sinning 
against mc:'' therefore suffered 1 thee not to touch 
her. 

7 Now therefore restore the man his wife ; for 
he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee,' and 
lliou shalt live : and if thou restore her not, know 
thou that thou shalt surely die, thou and all that 
are thine. 

8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morn- 
ing, and called all his servants, and told all those 
ihin'is in their ears : and the men were sore afraid. 



»Ch. 16:7, 14. bch. 28:0. « ch. 12:13; 2I);7. <i Job 3']:lo; Psa. IO:i; 
■ Ileb. marrttd to a husband. ' 1 Chr. 21:17. t Or, simpUdty, or simer 
I 2 Kings 20:3; 2 Cor. 1:12; 1 Tim. l:l:i. K ch. 31:7; 3o:5. h Psi. 5 



pravity has a strong tendency to blunt their moral feel- 
ings. They who needlessly expose their offspring to such 
a corrupting influence, cannot reasonably hope that they 
will walk in the ways of virtue. 

36. In sohtude we are often more exposed to tempta- 
tion, and in greater danger of complying with it, than in 
the crowded city ; and the use of intoxicating drinks ex- 
cites to the greatest abominations. 

CHAPTER XX." 

1. From tlience ; the groves of Hebron, where he had for 
some time resided. Cliap. 13:18; 18:1. Gerar; a city of 
the Philistines, south-east of Gaza. 

3. A dead man; he would be, should he not return Sarah 
to her husband. 

4. A rigliteoiis nction; that is, mo and my nation, which 
will be involved in my destruction, though we are guilty 
of no intentional 'wrong. 

7. Sltalt surely die; this shows God's abhorrence of the 
crime of adultery, and his indignation against those who 
commit it. 

9. Brought on me and on my kingdom; exposed us to 
commit a great sin. 

12. Not — of my mother; Terah, Abraham's father, is sup- 
;)0sed by many interpreters to have had two wives ; Ila- 
ran, Sarah's father, to have been a son of Terah's first wife, 
and Abraham to have been a son of the second ; so that 
Sarah was his niece, and granddaughter of his father, but 
;iot of his mother. The term sister was tlien often given 
to a niece, and brother to a nephew, uncle, or near rela- 
tive, ver. 5, 13; chap. 11:29; yet this use of these terms, 
i:i this case, was designed to deceive, and was wrong. 

!■;. A covering of the eyes — all other; words of ditiicult 
30 



<) Tiien Abimelech called Abraham, and l.VX 
said unto him. What hast tlmu done unto us? and 
what have I olTended thee, that thou hast brought 
on mo and on my kiiigdoiii a groat sin?' thou hast 
done doods unto mo that ought not to be done.'' 

10 And Abimolooh said unto Abraham, What 
sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? 

11 And Abraham said. Because I thought. Surely 
the fear of God is not in this jilaee;' and they 
will slay mc for my wife's sake. 

12 And yet indco(l she is my sister;"' she is the 
daughter of my father, but not the daughter of 
my mother; and .she became my wife. 

13 And it came to jiass, when God caused mc to 
wander from my father's house, that I said unto 
her. This is thy kindness which thou shalt show 
unto me; at every place whither wc shall come, 
say of me. Ho is my brother. 

il And Abimolech took sheep, and oxen, and 
men-servants, and women-servants, and gave them 
unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. 

15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my laud is be- 
fore thee:" dwell 'where it pleaseth thee. 

16 And unto Sarah he said. Behold, I have given 
thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, 
he is to thee a covering of the eyes unto all that 
are with thee, and with all other: thus she was 
reproved." 

17 IT So Abraliam prayed unto God: and God 
healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-ser- 
vants ; and they bare children. 

18 For the Loud had fast closed up all the 
wombs of the house of Abimelech,'' because of Sa- 
rah, Abraham's wife. 



i 1 Sam. 7:5: Job 42:3; Jls 5:16. J Ex. 32:21; Josh. 7:2.5. k ch. 31:7. 
1 Neh. 5:15; Psa. 30:1; Prov. 16:6. mch 11:29. « ch. 47:6. 1 Heb. 0.5 is 
good inthine eyes, o Prov. 12: 1 ; 25:12; Rev. 3:19. Pch. 12:17; 1 Sam, 16. 



interpretation. According to our version they seem to 
mean. Acknowledge thy brother (with allusion to Abra- 
ham's excuse) as thy husband. 'Then he will be to thee 
a covering of the eyes to all men of thy company, and with 
all others ; that is, will protect thee from their unlawful 
gaze, and from aU harm. But some prefer to render. Be- 
hold, it (the gift) shall be to thee a covering of the eyes ; 
that is, an honorable atonement, so called because it leads 
the injured party, and all concerned, to overlook the in- 
jury received. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The best of men are entirely dependent for persever- 
ance in holiness, for integrity, uprightness, and even ex- 
ternal morality, npon the grace of God. If left to them- 
selves they will distrust Jehovah, give way to temptation, 
commit sin, and bring disgrace on religion, and distress, 
if not destruction, on themselves and others. 

3. Before men had the Bible to guide them, God often 
made known his will in dreams : but now we have no rea- 
son to expect a revelation of his will in this way, as all 
needful directions in duty may be obtained from prayer- 
ful study of the Scriptures. 

7. Adultery is a sin which exposes all who commit it to the 
wrath of God, both in this world and in the world to come. 

13. The guilt of sin is greatly increased when it is made 
a part of a settled plan, or conmiitted with forethought, 
deliberation, and fixed purpose ; and were it not for the 
boundless grace of God, those who so sin would never be 
brought to repentance, but would inevitably perish. 

16. The conduct of worldly men is often a reproof to 
professed Christians-, such as ought to make them asham- 
ed, and arouse them to greater confidence in God and 
greater devotion to his service. Luke 16 : 8. 



Isaac is lorn. 



GENESIS XXI. 



Abraham's treaty trilh Aiunchrh. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



1 Isaac is born. 4 He is circumcised. 6 Sarah's ioy. 9 Hag.ar and 
Ishmael arc cast for*. 1.5 Hagar in distress. 17 The angel com- 
forteth lier. 22 Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beer-sheba. 

AND the Lord visited Sarali as lie had said,"' and 
the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken." 

2 For Sarah conceived," and bare Al)raham a 
son in his old age, at the set time of ■which God 
had spoken to him. 

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that 
was born unto him, wlioiii Sarah bare to him, 
Isaac.'' 

4 And Abraham circmnci.-;ed his son Isaac, be- 
ing eight days old, as God had commanded him.'^ 

5 And Abraham was a luniilred years old, when 
his son Isaac was born unto him. 

6 1 And Sarah said, God hath made me to 
laugh,*^ so that all that hear will laugh with me. 

7 And she said. Who would have said unto 
Abraham, that Sarah should have given children 
suck?^ for I have borne liim a son in his old age. 

8 And the child grew, and was weaned : and 
Abraham made a great feast the same day that 
Isaac was weaned. 

9 % And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyp- 
tian,'' Avliich she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. 

10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out 
this bond-woman and her son:' for the son of 
this bond-woman shall not be heir with my son, 
even with Isaac. 

11 And the thing was very grievous iu Abra- 
ham's sight, ^ because of his son. 

VI \ And God said unto Abraham, Let it not 
be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and 
because of thy bond-woman ; in all that Sarah 
hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice j for 
iu Isaac shall thy seed be called." 

13 And also of the son of the bond-woman will 
I make a nation,' because he is thy seed. 

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, 
and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave 
it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the 
child, and sent her away :'" and she departed, and 
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and 
she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 

16 And she went, and sat her down over against 
Jiim, a good way off, as it were a bow-shot: for 





» 1 Sam. 2:21 


Luke 


:fiS. 


b ch. 


7:19 


1S:10 


14. c 


Heb. 11:11. i 


ch. 


Vi 


1<) 


= Ex. 12 


4a: Le 


V 1'.! 


3; Acts 7:3. 


tPsi 


126:2; 


Isa. 51 


1. EN 


jra. 


•.';■ 


Si 


Psa. 80:10; £ph 


:i ■■.>(! 


tch. 


IIM 


15; Gal. 4:22 


iGal 


4:3(1. J 


ch. 


17 


IS, 


k Rom, 


9:7, 8 


Heb 


11;1S 


1 1 


er. 18; 


ch. 16:10. m 


John 8:35. 


° 


Ex. 


3:7. P 


a. 1U7 


4. (i. 


P ver. 


13. 


q Num 


. 22:31 


; 2 Kin 


gs 6:17, 


2U; 



CHAPTER XXI. 

2. At the set time; chap. 17:19-21 ; 18:10, 14. 

4. As God had commanded; chap. 17:10-12. 

9. ilfoctmg-,-8CoffingatIsaac, Sarah's own son. Gal.4:29. 

11. His son; Ishmael. 

12. Let it not be grievous — in Isaac; the beginning of all 
Sarah's trouble with Hagar and her son was the first 
wrong step taken by Abraham in accordance with her re- 
quest. Now God directs Abraham to pursue the course 
tliat is best under present circumstances, and in accord- 
ance with his purpose that Isaac alone shall be the father 
of his covenant people, and especially of Christ, in and 
through whom the covenant is established. This, how- 
ever, does not imply an approval of Sarah's spirit. 



she said. Let me not see the death of the child. 
And she sat over against him, and lifted up her 
voice, and wept. 

17 And God heard the voice of the lad;" and 
the Angel of God called to Ilagar out of heaven, 
and said unto her. What aileth thee, Hagar? 
Fear not;" for God hath heard the voice of the 
lad where he is. 

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy 
hand: for I will make him a great nation.'' 

19 And God opened her eyes,'' and she saw a 
well of water ; and she went, and filled the bottle 
with water, and gave the lad drink. 

20 And God was with the lad ;'' and he grew, and 
dwelt in the wilderness, and liocame an archer." 

21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran :' 
and his mother took him a wife out of the land 
of Egypt." 

22 i And it came to pass at that time, that 
Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his 
host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with 
thee in all that thou docst:'' 

23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God,^' 
that* thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with 
my son, nor with my son's son: but according to 
the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou 
slialt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou 
hast sojourned. 

24 And Abraham said, I will swear. 

25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because 
of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants 
had violently taken away.^ 

26 And Abimelech said, I wnt not who hath 
done this thing : neither didst thou tell me, neither 
yet heard I of it, but to-day. 

27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave 
them unto Abimelech ; and both of them made a 
covenant.^ 

28 And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the 
flock by themselves. 

29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What 
m£a7i these seven ewe-lambs, which thou hast set 
by themselves?^ 

30 And he said. For these seven ewe-lambs slialt 
thou take of my hand, that they may be a wit- 
ness unto me that I have digged this well.'' 

31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba;* 
because there they sware both of them. 



Luke 24:16, 


31. r 


ch. 1- 


:20. • ch. 25:27: 27:3. ' Num. 


10:12. » ch. 


24:4; 27:46; 


?,S:2. 


1 ch. 


26:23; 28:15; 39:2; Josh. 1:5, 9. 


w ch. 24:3: 


Josh. 2:12. 


•Feh 


if thai 


Shalt lie unto me. i ch. 26: 15-22. 


rch. 31:44; 


1 Sam. 1S:3 


Jch 


33:8. 


»ch. 31:48; Josh. 22:27. t That 


s, the well of 


the oath. 











14. A bottle; the skin of some animal was then generally 
used for this purpose. Bcer-slieba ; this means, the well of 
the oath, ver. 31. It was in the soutliern border of Canaan. 

21. T/ie wilderness of Paran; a desolate region south of 
Canaan. 

22. Abimelech; chap. 20:2. 

26. Wot; know. 

27. Made a covenant ; to treat each other kindly, and that 
each should have what rightfully belonged to him. 

30. A witness; evidence whicli should testify against 
Abimelech and his people, should they lay claim to that 
well. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. To prevent all doubt, evidence is often repeated that 
37 



Aorti/ui Ill's J'lii^ii IncJ, 



GENESIS XXII. 



Isaiic is sjHireil. 



32 Tliiis tlioy iiiailo a covenant at Bcor-shcl)a: 
tlion Aliinu'leclj rose up, and I'liicliol tlic cliief 
captain <if his host, and they returned into the 
land of tiie Piiilistines. 

33 'i And .lliraJiam planted a prove* in Becr- 
sheba." and calk-d tlierc on the name of the Loud,'' 
the everlastinu: God."" 

34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines" 
laud many days. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1 Abraham is tempted to offer Isaac. 3 He giveih proof of his faiih 
and obfdicnce. 1 1 The Ali^el stayeth liim. 13 Isaac is exchanged 
with a ram. 14 The place is called .Tehovah-jireh. 1^ Abruhaill is 
blessed again. 20 The generation of Nahor unto Rebekah. 

AND it came to pass after these things, that 
. God did tempt Abraham,'' and said unto 
him, Abraham: and ho said, 'Behold, here I am. 

2 And ho said, Take now tliy son, thine only so7i 
Isaac, whom tiiou lovest, and get thee into the 
land of iloriali;'' and oiler him there for aburnt- 
oifering upon one of the mountains which I will 
tell thee of. 

3 "i And Abraham rose up early in the morning, 
and saddled his ass, and took two of his young 
men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the 
wood for the burnt-oircring, and rose up, and 
went unto the jilace of which God had told him. 

4 Then on the tliird day Abraham lifted up his 
eyes, and saw the place afar off. 

5 And Al)raham said unto his young men. Abide 
ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go 
yonder and worship, and come again to you. 

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt- 
offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son;'' and he 
took the lire in his hand, and a knife; and they 
went both of them togctlier. 

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, 
and said, My father : and he said, *IIere am I, 
my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the 



Or. im. ' Dew. 1G:21 ; Juilg. :!;7; 2 Kings n-.ie. b ch. 4.20. « Psa. 
B0:2, Isa.40:2i. d Deut.8:2; 2 Chr. 32:31; Prov. 17:3; Heb. 11:17; Jas. 
1:12, 1 Pet. 1:7. 1 Heb. Beliaid me. e 2 Chr. 3:1. ' John 1U:17. : Heb. 
Sehold me. i Or, kid; ver. 2, 8, I.']. S John 1:29; Rev. 5:8. h Psa. 
118:27; John 10:17,18. i Heb. 11: 17; Jas. 2:21. J Ex. 3:4; 1 Sam. 3:10. 



however long God may delay to fulfil his promises, at the 
set time they will be perfectly accomplished, and not a jot 
or tittle of what he has said fail till it all comes to pass. 

5-8. God's way and time of fulfilling his promises are 
such as to bring the highest glory to himself, and the 
greatest good to his people. 

11. Seasons of great joy are often followed by seasons 
of great anguish, and our choicest comforts may prove 
the occasion of peculiar sorrow. 

14. In cheerful and prompt obedience to God, and hearty 
commitment of ourselves and our friends to him, he will keep 
us in peace, and provide for us according to all our wants. 

18. God hears and tenderly sympathizes not only with 
the voice of supplication, but with that of distress. Not 
a groan, a tear, or a sigh escapes his notice, or fails to 
reach his heart. He hears the young ravens when they 
cry, and delights to feed them. Job 38:41; Psa. 147:9; 
Luke 12:24. 

26. They who would live in peace should not only avoid 
contention themselves, but exercise a diligent supervision 
and a wise control over those under their care, lest wrong 
and injury should be done of which they are ignorant. When 
injured it is wise to go directly and kindly to those who can 
give redress, rather than publish the injury to others. 
38 



wood : but where is the lamb' for a burnt- ■!,,": iwl 
offering? 

8 And Abraluim said. My son, God will provide 
himself a himi) for a imrnt-offering :" so they went 
botii of thoin together. 

i) And they came to the place which God had 
told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, 
and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his 
son,'' and laid him on the altar upon the wood.' 

11) And Abraham stretched forth Lis hand, and 
took the knife to slay his son. 

11 And the Angel. of the Loud called unto him 
out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: 
and he said, Here am IJ 

12 And he said. Lay not thy hand upon the lad, 
neither do thou any thing unto him:'' for now I 
know that thou fcarest God,' seeing thou hast not 
withheld thy son, thine only so7i, from nic. 

13 And Abraliam lifted up his eyes, and looked, 
and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket 
by his horns:'" and Abraham went and took the 
ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in 
the stead of his son. 

14 And Abraham called the name of that place 
Jchovah-jireh:' as it is said to this day, In the 
mount of the Lord it shall bo seen." 

15 TF And the Angel of the Lord called unto 
Abraham out of heaven the second time," 

16 And said. By myself have I sworn,'' saith the 
Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and 
hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in 
multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars 
of the hcaven,i and as the sand which is upon the 
sea-shore ;^ and thy seed shall possess the gate of 
his enemies ; 

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the 
earth be blessed;'' because thou hast obeyed my 
voice." 

19 So Abraham returned unto his young men ; 



k Mio. 6:7, 8. ' ch. 26:5; 1 Sam. 15:22; Psa. 25:12; 147:11; Mai. 4:2. 
m 1 Cor. 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:9, 10. IThat is, the Lord jpitl see, or. provide. 
n Psa. 22:4.5; Dan. 3:17, etc.; 2 Cor. 1.9. 10. o ver. 11. P Psa. 10.5:9; 
Isa. 45:21; Luke 1:73; Heb. 6:13,14. q Deut. 1:10; Jer. 33:22. 1 Heb. 
lip. rch. 12:3. > 1 Sam. 2:30; Jer. 7.23 



CIIAPTER XXII. 

1. Tempt Abraham; try him; prove the genuineness and 
strength of his faith. 

2. The land of Moriah; in which Jerusalem and the 
temple were afterwards built. 

5. land the lad will— come again; he thought that God 
would raise Isaac from the dead, or in some way restore 
him, even if offered as a sacrifice. Heb. 11 : 17-19. 

7. Where is the lamb; Isaac knew that Abraham was 
going to offer a burnt-offering, but did not know that he 
intended to sacrifice him. 

12. Now I know; it had been made evident that Abra- 
ham regarded God more than he did Isaac, or any creature. 
Let God command what he might, Abraham would obey. 

14. Jehovah-jirch ; meaning, the Lord will provide. As 
it is said to this day; said as a proverb. It shall be seen; 
rather, it shall be provided. Hence the proverb, " Man's 
extremity is God's opportunity." 

15. Angel of the Lord; here, as often elsewhere, Jehovah 
himself. 

l(i. Sy myself have I sworn; Heb. 6:13-20. 

17. Possess the gate; be victorious over all theu: foes. 

l.S. Thy seed; Chvisi. Gal. 3:10. 



Tlte death of Sarah. 



GENESIS XXIII. 



Tlie cave of Mackpelah. 



Beer-sheba : and Abraham dwelt at Bcer-slieba, 

20 H And it came to pass after these tilings, that 
it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she 
hath also borne children unto thy brother Nahor : 

21 Huz" his iirst-born, and Buz" his brother, 
and Kemuel the father of Aram, 

22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and 
Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 

23 And BethueP begat Rebekah:* these eight 
Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. 

24 And his concubine, whose name was Reu- 
mah, she bare also Tcbah, and Gaham, and Tiia- 
hash, and Maachah. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 The age and death of Sarah. 3 The purchase of Macbpclah, 19 
where Sarah was buried. 

AND Sarah was a hundred and seven and 
twenty years old: these were the years of 
the life of Sarah. 

2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba ;'' the same is 
Hebron" in the land of Canaan: and Abraham 
came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 

3 1 And Abraham stood up from before his 
dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, 

4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you:*' 
give me a possession of a burying-place with you, 
that I may bury my dead out of my siglit.' 

5 And the children of Ueth answered Abraham, 
saying unto liim, 

6 Hear us, my lord: thou ai-t *a mighty prince 
among us:'' in the choice of our sepulchres bury 
thy dead ; none of us shall withhold from thee 
his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. 

7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself 
to the i^eople of the land, even to the children of 
Heth. 



a Job 1:1. b .Tob 32 
14:15; Judg. 1:10. e < 
39:12; Heb. 11:9; 1 Fe 



■2. ■= ch. 21:1.5. • Rebecca,- Rom. 9:10. d Josl 
1. 13:18; ver. 19; 2 Sam. 5:3. f 1 Chr. 29:15; Ps: 
. 2: 11. B Acts 7:5. t Heb. a prince of God. h cl 



20. Nahor; chap. 11:27. 

23. Rebekah; her father was Abraham's nephew, and 
cousin to Isaac, whom she afterwards married. Chap. 
24:15,67. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The children of God, while in this world, must ex- 
pect trials ; and often, tlio most severe come last. But 
they need not despond. If they trust in God, he will sus- 
tain them and cause them to triumph. Rom. 5 : 3-j ; Jas. 
1:2-4: 1 Peter 1:6-9. 

2. As God is the giver and preserver of life, he has a 
perfect right to direct when and how it sliall be taken 
away. Tliough to take life in opposition to his loiown 
will is murder, and subjects the murderer to his curse, 
to do it in obedience to liis command is a duty, and will 
receive from him a gracious and glorious reward. 

5. To believe heartily and fully tlie divine declarations, 
and expect their fulfilment, it is not necessary to know, or 
be able to conceive, how they can be accomplished. 

8. A permanent conviction that God will provide, is an 
anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. Under its intluence, 
though tlie winds rage and the tempests roar, men may 
outride the storm, and in due time calmly and joyfully 
enter the port. 

18. Fidelity under great trials is peculiarly pleasing to 
God and useful to men. It will receive specisil tokens of 
divine favor, and bo followed by a rich and lasting reward. 



8 And he communed ■with them, saying. If it be 
your mind that I should bury my dead out of my 
sight, hear me, and enti'cat for me to Ephrou the 
son of Zohar, 

9 That he may give mo the cave of Machpelah, 
which he hath, which is in the end of his field ; 
for *as much money as it is worth he shall give 
it me, for a possession of a burying-place among 
you. 

10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of 
Heth. And Ejihron tlio Ilittite answered Abra- 
ham in the ^audience of the children of Heth, cw?i 
of all that went in at the gate of his city,' saying, 

1 1 Nay, my lord, hear me : the field give I thee, 
and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in 
the presence of the sons of my people give I it 
thee : bury thy dead. 

12 And Abraham bowed down himself before 
the people of the land. 

13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience 
of the people of the land, saying. But if thou wilt 
give it, I pray thee, bear me: I will give thee 
money for the field :' take it of me, and I will 
bury my dead there. 

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto 
him, 

15 My lord, hearken unto me : the land is worth 
four hundred shekels of silver ; what is that be- 
twixt me and thee ? bury therefore thy dead. 

16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and 
Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he 
had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, 
four hundred shekels of silver, current money with 
the merchant. 

17 And the field of Ephron,*^ ■which ivas in Mach- 
pelah, which tvas before Mamre, the field, and the 
cave which was therein, and all the trees tliat were 
in the field, that were in all the borders round 
about, wei-e made sure 



1 Heb. fun money. S Heb, 
25:9; 49:30; 511:13; Acts 7:1 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

3. IMh ; the son of Canaan, and grandson of Ilam. His 
descendants were called Hittites. 

6. In tlie choice of our sepulchres; the proposal of the Hit- 
tites was generous, but it did not meet the wishes of Abra- 
ham. He was unwilling to bury Sarah in any sepulchre 
of the Canaanites, choosing rather to have a burying-place 
which should be exclusively his own. 

9. Machpelah ; a tract of laud owned by Ephron, in which 
was a cave. Ver. 17-20. 

15. Four hundred shekels; about two hundred dollars. 

16. Weighed — the silver; to determine its value, as was 
the custom in those days, there being no coined money. 
Current money with the merchant; in respect to both weight 
and quality. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The longest life must come to an end, the dearest 
connections be sundered, and the most intimate friends 
part to meet no more on earth. 

4. The bodies of those we most love must soon be buried 
out of our sight. 

9. A burial-place, as a memento of the evil of sin, should 
lead us to abhor sin, and by believing in Ilim who is "the 
resurrection and the life," to obtain deUverance from its 
power. John 11:25, 26. 

39 



jrcham's serraut sent 



GKXKSIS XXIV. 



to si'c'c a wife fur Isaac 



18 Unto Abrnham for a possession in tlio pros- 
oncc of tl)0 cliildron of Iletli, before all that wont 
in at tlie frato of liis city. 

1!) And after this. Abraliam buried Sarah liis wife 
in the eavc of the Held of M:ieli|)elali, before Mam- 
re: the same is Ildiron in the land of Canaan. 

20 And llic field, and the eavc that is therein, 
were made sure" unto Abraham for a possession 
of a burying-place by the sons of Ileth. 

CIIAPTErt XXIV. 

1 Alir:ili.iin fwcarcth \\a servant. 10 The servant's journey: 12 liis 
prayir: 11 his sijn. 15 Rebckah meetelh him, 18 fulfillelh his 
nign. 22 rcceiveth jewels, 23 ahoweth her kindred, 2.5 and invitclh 

1 im home. 26 The Ber»-ant blesseth God. 29 Laban enterLainelh 
him. 31 The servant showelh his message. 50 Laban ,Tnd Bethuel 
hpprovc it. 53 Ilebekah consenteth to go. G'3 Isaac mccteth her. 

VXD Abraham Avas old and *Avell-striekon in 
aw: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in 
;:11 tliino;.^.'' 

2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of 
his housc,"^ that ruled over all that he had,'' Put, 
I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:" 

3 And I will make theo swear by the Lord,'' tlic 
Clod of heaven, and tiic God of the earth, that thou 
slialt not take a wife unto my son of the daugh- 
ters of the Canaaniles among whom I dwell:''-' 

4 But thou shalt go unto my country,'' and to 
my kindred, and take a wife unto my .son Isaac. 

5 And his servant said unto him, Peradventurc 
tlio woman will not be willing to follow me unto 
this land: must I needs bring thy sou again unto 
tiic land from wliencc thou earnest? 

6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou, 
that tiiou bring not my son thither again. 

7 1 'J'he LoKD God of heaven,' which took mc 
from my father's house.J and from the land of my 
kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware 
inito me, saying. Unto thy seed will I give this 
hind: he shall send his angel before thee,'' and 
ihou shalt take a wife unto my sou from thence. 

8 And if the woman will not be willing to fol- 
low thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my 
oath:' only bring not my son thither again. 

9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh 
of Abraham his master, and sware to him con- 
cerning that matter. 

10 1 And the servant took ten camels, of the 



« Jer. 32:10. ' Heb. gone into days, b ch. 13:2; ver. 35; Psa. 11-2:1- 
3. « ch. 15:2. d ver. lU; ch. 39:5. t ch. 47:29; 1 Chr. 29:21. f Dent. 
(1:13. S ch. 6:2, etc.: Deut. 7:3; 2 Cor. 0:14. ti ch. 11:25, elc; 22:i0| 
2-!:2. ■ Ezra. 1:2; Dan. 2:44; Jonah 1:9, Rev. 11:13. J ch. 12:1. 7; 
13:15; Dent. 1:3; 31:4; Acts 7:5. t Ex 23:2:3; 33:2; Psa. 31:7; Isa, 
(13:9; Heb. 1:14. 1 Josii. 2:17-20. \ (Jr, and. m Deut. 9:J:4; Juclg. 3:-, 



12. True politeness, and a courteous, gentlemanly de- 
meanor are the indispensable duty of all, especially of the 
friends of God; and the more distinguished men are, the 
[greater is the importance of their being patterns of dis- 
cretion, propriet}', and good manners. 

16. Perfect honesty in making bargains, and strict punc- 
tuality in fulfilling them, are duties sacredly binding upon 
all ; and those who do not thus act, violate the first prin- 
ciples not only of morality, but of religion. 

20. All conveyances of property from one person to 
another should, at the time, be made sure, and thus occa- 
siou of contention be prevented. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1. Was old; aged one hundred and forty years. 
40 



camels of lii.s master, and departed; (for* *, r f"; 
all the go(jds of his master ?/•(;•(' in his hand:) and 
he arose, and went to Mesopotamia,'" unto the city 
of Nahor." 

11 And he made his camels to kn(^<'l down Avith- 
out tlie city by a well of water, at tlie time of tlie 
evening, even the time Hliat women go out t() 
draw water." 

12 And he said, Lord God of my master 
Abraham,!' I pray thee, .send me good .>-^peed thi.? 
day," and shoAV kindness unto my master Abra- 
ham. 

13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water;' 
and the daughters of tiie men of the city come 
out to draw Avater : 

14 And let it come to pass that the damsel to 
Avhom I shall say. Let down thy pitcher, I ]iray 
thee, that I may drink ; and she shall say. Drink, 
and I Avill give tliy camels drink also: kt the 
same he she that thou hast a])])oint('d for tliy ser- 
vant Isaac; and thereby shall 1 know tliat thou 
hast siiowcii kindness unto my master.' 

15 1 And it came to pass, before he had done 
speaking,' that behold, Rebekah came out, Avho 
was born to Betliuel. son of Mileah, the wife of 
X'ahor, Abraham's brother, Avitli her pitcher upon 
her shoulder. 

16 And the damsel was ^A-ery fair to look upon, 
a virgin, neither had any man known her: and 
she went down to the Avell, and filled her pitcher, 
and came up. 

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said. 
Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy 
pitcher. 

18 And she said. Drink, my lord : and she hast- 
ed, and let down her pitcher ujjon her hand, and 
gave him drink. 

19 And when she had done giving him drink. 
she said, I Avill draw u-atcr for thy camels also, 
until tliey have done drinking." 

2(J And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher 
into the trougii, and ran again unto the well to 
draw water, and drew for all his camels. 

21 And the man, Avondering at her, held his 
peace,'' to Avit Avhcther the Lord had made his 
journey jirosjicrous or not. 

22 An(i it came to pass, as the camels had done 



10; Acts 2:9. » ch. 11 :31 . I Heb. tkat wome.n which draw water go forth. 
Ex. 2:10; 1 Sam. 9:11. P ver. 27; ch. •26:24: Ex. 3:6; Matt. 2-2:3-2. 
q Neh. 1:11; Prov. 3:0. r ver. 43. • Judg. (i: 17, 37; 1 Sam. 20:7. t Isa. 
C5:'24; Dan. 9:21. 5 Heb. good of countenance, u 1 Pet. 4:9. » Luka 
2:19,51. 



2. Eldest servant; supposed to be Eliezer. Chap. 15:2. 
Under my thigh; a form of making solemn engagements. 
Chap. 47:29. 

3. Make thee swear; put thee under oath, or make thee 
enter into a sacred engagement. 

4. My coimtnj, Mesopotamia. Kindred; relatives. 
7. Send his angel; to make thy Avay prosperous. 

10. The city of Nahor ; Uaxa.\\. Chap. 11:27-32. 

11. Kneel down; the posture in which camels take their 
rest. 

12. Send me good speed; prosper me in my undertaking. 
\5. Rebekah; c\\a.\>.ti:fi. 

21. Wondering at her; to see how exactly his prayer 
Avas answered. To wd ; to know, from the indications of 
Providence. 



lit is prospered, 



GENESIS XXIV. 



and uhlaineth RelcluJi. 



Rc'iw"' drinking, that the man took a golden ear- 
ring" of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets" 
for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 

23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, 
I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house 
for us to lodge in ? 

24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of 
Bethuel the son of Milcah,'' which she bare unto 
Nahor. 

25 She said, moreover, imto him. We have both 
straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in. 

26 And the man bowed down his head,'' and 
worshipped the Lord. 

27 And he said. Blessed be the Lord God of my 
master Abraham,'' who hath not left destitute my 
master of his mercy and his truth :" I being in the 
way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's 
brethren. 

28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her 
mother's house these things. 

29 \ And Rebekah had a brother, and his name 
icas Laban :'' and Laban ran out unto the man, 
unto the well. 

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the car- 
ring, and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and 
when he heard the words of Eebckah his sister, 
saying, Thus spake the man unto me, that ho 
came unto the man ; and behold, he stood by the 
camels at the well. 

31 And he said. Come in, thou blessed of the 
LoRD;^ wherefore staudcst thou without? for I 
have prepared the house, and room for the camels. 

32 ir And the man came into the house : and he 
ungirded his camels, and gave straw and proven- 
der for the camels, and water to wash his feet, 
and the men's feet that wei-e with him. 

33 And there was set meat before him to cat: 
but he said, I will not eat until I have told mine 
errand.'' And he said. Speak on. 

3-1 And he said, I am Abraham's servant. 

35 And the Lord hath .blessed my master great- 
ly,' and he has become great :' and he hath given 
him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and 
men-servants, and maid-servants, and camels, and 
asses. 

36 And Sarah, my master's wife, bare a son to 
my master when she was old : and unto him hath 
he given all that he hath. 

37 And my master made me swear," saying. 
Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the 
daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I 
dwell: 

38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, 
and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son. 

39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure 
the woman will not follow me. 

40 And he said unto me, The Lord, before whom 



• Or, jewl for the fore/itad. " Ezek. 16:11, li; 1 I'et. 3;3. b ch. 2-J:S3. 
Cyer. S-2; Ex. 4:31; 34:g; Neh. 8:0; Psa. 'J.J:(i. d Ex. 1H:10; Ruth 4:U. 
t ch. 32:10LPia. 9S:3; Luke 1:63. I oh. SO:.?. S ch. 26:29; Judg. 17:2; 
Ruth3:10; Tsa. 113:15. h Psa. 132:3-5; John 4:34; Eph. 6:5-7. iver. 1; 
ch. 12:2; 13:2; Prov. 10:22; 22:4. j Psa. 1S:35. k ver. 3. 1 Ter. 12. mch. 



32. He ungirded; that is, Laban. 
45. Speaking in my heart; offering silent prayer. 
4 A. Brother's daughter; she was the daughter of Abra- 
ham's nephew. 



I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper 
thy way ; and thou shalt take a wife for my sou 
of my kindred, and of my father's house. 

41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, 
when thou comest to my kindred; and if they 
give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my 
oath. 

42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, 

Lord God of my master Abraham,' if now thou 
do prosper my way which I go:'" 

43 Behold, I stand by the well of water ; and it 
shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh 
forth to draw wafer, and I say to her, Give me, I 
pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink ; 

44 And she say to me. Both drink thou, and I 
will also draw for thy camels; let the same be the 
woman whom the Lord hath appointed out for 
my master's son." 

45 And before I had done speaking in my heart," 
behold, Ecbekah came forth with her pitcher on 
her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, 
and drew icatcr : and I said unto her. Let me 
drink, I pray thee. 

46 And she made haste, and let down her pitch- 
er from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will 
give thy camels drink also: so I drank, aud she 
made the camels drink also. 

47 And I asked her, aud said, Whose daughter 
a7-t thou? And she said, The daughter of Be- 
thuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: 
and I put the ear-ring upon her face,"" aud the 
bracelets upon her hands. 

48 And I bowed down my head,'' and worship- 
ped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my 
master Abraham, which had led me in the right 
way"' to take my master's brother's daughter unto 
his son. 

49 And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly 
with my master,^ tell me : and if not, tell me ; that 

1 may turn to the right hand, or to the left. 

50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered, and said, 
The thing proceedeth from the Lord :' we cannot 
speak unto thee bad or good." 

51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee ; take Iter, and 
go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the 
Lord hath spoken. 

52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's 
servant heard their words, he worshipped the 
Lord,*' bowing himself to the earth. 

53 And the servant brought forth jewels + of 
silver, and jewels of gold," and raiment, and gave 
them to Rebekah : he gave also to her brother and 
to her mother precious things.'' 

54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men 
that tcere with him, and tarried all night; and 
they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send 
me away unto my master. 



3n-3 


E7Ta 


^ 


■'1 ■ N 


i-h 


1:11 


Psa. 9U:17 


Rom. 1 


:1U. nPro 


r.l9:14. 


ISam. 


1-13 


Nfh 


2 


4. P 


K? 


ek. 1«:1U-12. q 


ver. 26. 


' Psa. 32 


8; 4s:14; 


107:7; 


Prov 


3(i- 


Is 


1.4s:: 


7. 


>ch. 


47:29; Josh. 2:14. 


1 Psa. 11S:2). " ch 


31:24: 


2 Sam. 13; 




Acts U 


17. V 


ver. 26. 43 


Psa. 93:6. t Heb. 


vessels, w Exod. 


3:22 


11:2 




2:35. 


^ 


Dent 


33:13-16; 


2 Chr. 2 


:3; Ezra 


:6. 





49. Deal kindly; in permitting Rebekah to become Isaac's 
wife. 

52, He worshipped the Lord; as the author of his suc- 
cess. 

41 



Isaac meeltth Rehthih. 



GENESIS XXV 



Children nf Abrn/uim. 



55 And lior l)rotlior and licr mother paid, Let 
the diinisol abide with ns a fiw days," at the least 
ten ; al'ler that siic shall iro. 

5(5 Antl he said unto them. Hinder me not," soc- 
inp; the Lord hatii i)r(>spercd my way:" send me 
away, tiiat 1 may tro to my master. 

57 And they said. We will call the damsel, and 
inquire at her moutli. 

58 Anil tiiey called Rebekah, and said unto her, 
Wilt thou go with this man?'' And she said, I 
will go. 

5'.) And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and 
her nurse,'' and Abraham's servant, and his men. 

CO And they blessed Rebekah,'' and said unto 
her. Tliou art our sister; be thou Me mother of 
thousands of millions, and lot thy seed possess the 
gate of those which hate them. 

61 1i And Rebekali arose, and her damsels, and 
they rode upon the camels, and followed the 
man : and the servant took Rebekah, and went 
his way. 

62 And Isaac came from the way of the well 
Lahai-roi ;'' for he dwelt in tlie south country. 

G3 And Isaac went out to meditate* in the field 
at the eventide:* and he lifted up his eyes, and 
saw, and bcholil, tlie camels v;ere coming. 

64 And Reljckali lifted up her eyes, and when 
she saw Isaac, she lighted oil" the camel." 

65 For she had said unto the servant, What man 
is this that walketh in the field to meet us ? And 
the servant had said, It is my master: therefore 
she took a veil and covered herself.' 

C() And the servant told Isaac all things that he 
had done. 
67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sa- 



■ 


, a ful 


vear 


or ten 




on 


Ihs ' 


ch. 


45:9. 


b .losh 


1 


;8; Isa 


48:15. 


cPsi. 


45: lU. 


<1 ch 


35:8. 


e 


ch 


22:17 


Ruth 4:11, 


12. 1 


ch 


.16:14, 


25:11. 


tOr. 1 




eJosh. 1:9; 


H 


5.1 


1:2; 7 


7 12 


119:15 


; 14'): 


^>, 


bjosh 


15:13; 


Judg. 


1:14. i 


I Tin 


1.2:9. 


J 


h. 


lb:G. 


kch 


3S:12; 


1 The 


ss. 


4:1:3. 


1 Chr. 



59. Her nurse; Deborah. Chap. 35:8. 

CO. Possess the gate ; be victorious over their enemies. 

G2. Lahai-roi; chap. 10:14. South country; the country 
south of Canaan. 

1)5. Covered herself; according to the custom in that 
country. 

67. Sarah's tent; which was liers when living, she hav- 
ing been dead about three years. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. A wise parent will take a deep interest in the mar- 
riage of liis children, as affecting not only their usefulness 
and happiness, but that of their posterity. 

12. Those who in all their ways acknowledge God and 
seek his blessing, may expect that he will make jjlain be- 
fore them the path of duty, and enable them successfully 
and gratefully to walk in it. 

14. Industry, kindness, economy, and beneficence are 
virtues which every prudent man will seek in a wife, as 
upon these the happiness, respectability, and usefulness 
of families very much depend. 

21. Believing prayer is often so speedily and abundantly 
answered as to astonish those who offer it, and lead them 
in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanks- 
giving, to make known their requests unto God. Isa. 
65:24; Phil. 4:6. 

27. All the kindness which we receive from men, and 
all our success in business, we should acknowledge as 
coming from God, and be excited by it to new fidelity in 
learning and doing his will. 

33. A faithful man will regard his appropriate business 
42 



rail's tent,' and took Rebekah, and she be- htiUJ; 
came his wife: and he lovcil her: and Isaac was 

Cdiiiforted after his mother's death.*- 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1 The Rons of Abraham by Keturah. .'i The division of hii gootli. 7 
llm n^o. and draih. 9 His buri:>l. \2 Tlj>' I'lnvniiionn of lihmael. 
17 His iiKc and death. 19 Isiuic prayt-th f-T Kt-hekah. bcin;; barren. 
S2 The children utrive in her wotnb. Vl The birth of Enau and Ja- 
cob. 27 Tiieir difl'crencc. 29 Eauu lelleUi lua birthtiylit. 

^"^HEX again Abraham took a wife, and her 
_L name xms Keturah.' 

2 And she Imrc iiiui Zimran, and Jokshan, and 
Medan, and Midian,'" and Ishbak, and Slmali." 

3 And Jokshan begat Sheba," and Dcdan.'' And 
the sons of Dcdau were Asshurim, and Lelushim, 
and Leummim. 

4 And the sons of Midian; Ejihah,'' and Epher, 
and Ilanoch, and Abidali, and Eldaah. All these 
ivcre tlie cliihlren of Keturah. 

5 1 And Abraham gave all that he had unto 
Isaac. 

6 But unto the sons of the concubines which 
Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them 
away from Isaac liis son,'' while ho yet lived, 
eastward, unto the east country. 

7 And these are the days of tlie years of Abra- 
ham's life which he lived, a hundred threescore 
and fifteen years. 

8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died 
in a good old age,' an old man, and full of years; 
and was gathered to his [leople." 

9 And liis sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in 
the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Epliron the 
son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mainre; 



1:32. ■" Num. 22:4: 2317; Judg. C 
72:10. PJer.2o:23. <lIsa.C0:6. rj 
49:29; Job 5:26. u ch. 33:29; 49:33. 



n .Tob 2:11. o 1 Kings 1U:1; Psa. 
. 17:14. • Judg. 6:3. i ch. 15:15; 



as more important than his personal gratification, and will 
endeavor so to conduct it as shall be most likely to insure 
success. For this purpose, while he will haliitually pray 
for the divine blessing, he will use all suitable means, that 
his prayers may be answered. 

48. ^Vhen we have learned, by experience, the right 
way to secure the divine guidance and blessing, and God 
has given us success, it is proper to make known this 
way to others, that they may be induced to do likewise. 

52. New favors will draw forth from a grateful heart 
new thanksgivings, till the habit become fixed of giving 
thanks always, for all things, unto God. Eph. 5:20. 

58. It is happy, when one's inclinations and the indica- 
tions of Providence coincide ; and a readiness promptly to 
do right, and make any sacrifices which duty requires, is a 
good preparation to be blessed, and to become a blessing. 

63. Stated and devout meditation upon the character, 
works, and ways of God, communion with him, and com- 
mitment of our interests to his care, are often followed by 
his special favors. Prov. 18:22. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

4. Midian; from whom came the Midianites south-east 
of the Dead sea. 

6. CmicMimes," Hagar and Keturah. iChron. 1:32. East 
country ; Arabia, which lay south-east of Canaan, and the 
bordering regions. 

7. Threescore and Jif teen; seventy-&ve. This was thirty- 
eight years after the death of Sarah, and thirty-five after 
the marriage of Isaac. 

9. Cave of Maclipelah; chap. 23:14-20. 



Birth of Esau and Jacob. 



GENESIS XXV. 



Esau sellefh his birthright. 



n.r.SS' 10 Tlie field wliich Abraham purchased 
of the sons of Heth :" there was Abraham buried, 
and Sarah his wife. 

11 Ti And it came to pass after the death of 
Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac ; and 
Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi. 

12 1 Now tiiese are the generations of Ishmael, 
Abraliam's son, whom Hagar tlie Egyptian, Sa- 
rah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham. 

13 And these are the names of the sons of Ish- 
mael, by their names, according to their genera- 
tions: The first-born of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and 
Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 

14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 

15 Hadar,' and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kede- 
mah: 

16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are 
their names, by their towns, and by their castles ; 
twelve princes according to their nations.'' 

17 And these are the years of the life of Ish- 
mael, a hundred and thirty and seven years: and 
he gave up the ghost and died, and was gathered 
unto his people. 

18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur,'' 
that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward As- 
syria: and he died+ in the presence of all his 
brethren. 

ly 1 And these are the generations of Isaac, 
Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: 

20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took 
Rebekah to wife,* the daughter of Bethuel the 
Syrian of Padan-aram," the sister to Laban the 
Syrian. 

21 And Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife,*' 
because she was barren: and the Lord was en- 
treated of him," and Rebekah his wife conceived. 

22 And the children struggled together witiiin 



» Oh. 23:16. • Or, Hadad; 1 Chr. 1:30. b ch. 17:20. c 1 Sun. 15:7. 
tHeb,/rf/. dch. 24:67. e ch. 23:.i. f 1 Sim. 1 : 11 ; Luke 1 :13. E 1 Chr, 
5:20: 2 Chr. 33:13; Ezra 8:23; Psi, 145:19; ProT. 10 24; Rom. 9:10. 
t 1 Sim. 22:15; Ezek. 20:31; 36:.37. i ch. 27:29; Psi. 60:8; Isa. 63:1-6; 
Obid. 1-16; Mai. 1:2-4; Rom. 9:10-12. J Hos. 12:3. k ch. 27:3. 1 Heb. 



11. Lahai-roi; chap. 16:14; 24:62. 

13. T/ie sons of Ishmael; all these were heads of Arabian 
tribes. 

16. Twelve princes ; chap. 17:20. 

18. Tliey ; the descendants of Ishmael. From Havilah 
unto Skiir ; the country between the Persian gulf and the 
Red sea. He died — all his brethren; rather, his lot fell, 
that is, he dwelt. See note on chap. 16:12. 

20. Padan-aram; meaning the plains of Aram, one of 
the Hebrew names of Mesopotamia, more especially the 
level part of it. 

23. Two nations ; those from whom should descend two 
nations, the Edomites and the Israelites. Serve the youn- 
ger; the descendants of Esau would be subject to the 
descendants of Jacob. 

25. Esau; hairy. 

26. Jacob; meaning a supplanter, as by taking hold of 
the heel one causes another to fall, or overcomes him. 

29. Sod; boiled. Pottage; a nutritious soup of lentiles, 
ver. 34. 

30. Edom ; which means red. 

31. Birthright; that right which belonged to the first- 
born, of succeeding, on the death of his father, to the 
government and spiritual instruction of the family, offici- 
ating as their priest, offering sacrifices, and thus securing 
the blessings with which the performance of these duties 
would be connected. A double share of the inheritance 
also fell to him. 



her ; and she said. If it be so, why am I thus ? 
And she went to inquire of the Lord." 

23 And the Lord said unto her. Two nations 
are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall 
be separated from thy bowels : and the one people 
shall be stronger than the other people ; and the 
elder shall serve the younger.' 

24 And when her days to be delivered were ful- 
filled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 

25 And the first came out red, all over like a 
hairy garment ; and they called his name Esau. 

26 And after that came his brother out, and his 
hand took hold on Esau's heel f and his name 
was called Jacob : and Isaac was threescore years 
old when she bare them. 

27 And the boys grew : and Esau was a cunning 
hunter,"^ a man of the field ; and Jacob was a plain 
man, dwelling in tents.' 

28 And Isaac loved Esau, because *he did eat 
of his venison :" but Rebekah loved Jacob. 

29 1i And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came 
from the field, and he was faint. 

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray 
thee, * with that same red pottage ; for I am faint : 
therefore was his name called Edom.' 

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birth- 
right. 

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am ""at the point 
to die: and what profit shall this birthright do 
to me?° 

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day ; and 
he sware unto him : and he sold his birthright 
unto Jacob." 

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of 
lentiles ; and he did eat and drink," and rose up, 
and went his way : thus Esau despised his birth- 
rio-ht.^ 



11:9. : Heb. uemsonwas in AiSJnouM. mch. 27:19. i He\>. with that 
red, with that red pottage. 1 That is, red. 1 Heb. going lo die. » Job 
21:15; Mai. 3:14 o ch. 27:36; 36:6; Heb. 12:16. P Isa. 22:13; 1 Cw. 
15.32. qPsa. 106:24; Malt. 22.5; Acts 13:41. 



34. Lentiles; a kind of pulse or coarse grain resembling 
peas and beans. Despised his birthright; by giving up its 
temporal and spiritual blessings for the gratification of his 
appetite. Heb. 12:15-17. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

8. No degree of faith in God, or fidelity in his service, 
can prevent the approach of death; but as sin has en- 
tered, and death by sin, so the sentence of death has 
passed upon all men, because all are siimers, Romans 
5:12-14, 

18. The declarations of God, with regard to this world 
as well as the future, and with regard to bad men as well 
as good, will, in due time, all be accomplished. Num. 
23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29. 

23. The liord sees the end from the beginning, and can 
describe events which are future with as much minute- 
ness and accuracy as those which are past ; and the truth 
of his declarations is abundantly proved by the dispensa- 
tions of his providence. 

28. Partiality of parents towards their children is a 
fruitful source of manifold evils, and will be conscien- 
tiously avoided by all who duly regard the comfort and 
welfare of their families. 

34. To disregard spiritual privileges and blessings, and 
treat them as less valuable than personal gratifications, is 
a great sin. It is viewed by God as profane, and exposes 
the soul to the loss of his favor. Heb. 12 : 17. 
43 



/«(i(7f is lltssal nf Gnd. 



cENESis xxvr. 



His covenant with Ahimclich. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

1 Isaac because of fainiiie wint lo (lerar. 2 God instnicteth, anil 
bicueth him. 7 He is reproveJ by Abimelech for denyinjj bis wife. 
1'2 i{e i;roweth rich. IS ile di^'i^eth Esck, Sitnah, and Rvhoboth. 
26 Abimelech maketh a covenant with him at Beer-sheba. 3-t Esau's 
wives. 

AND tlicrc was a famine in tlic land, besides 
, the tirst liiniine that was in tlic days of Abra- 
ham." And Isaac wont unto Abimelech king of 
the Piiilistinos, unto Gerar."" 

2 .\iid llio LoiiP appcarpd unto him, and said, 
Go lint down into Eii'vpt: dwell in the land which 
I shall tell thocof. ■ ' 

3 Sojourn in this land,'^ and I will be with thee,'' 
and will bless thee: for unto thee, and unto thy 
seed, I will give all these countries," and I will 
jioribrm the oath which 1 sware unto Abraham 
thy father;' 

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the 
Ftars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all 
those countries: and in thy seed shall all the na- 
tions of the earth be blessed \^ 

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice,*" and 
kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, 
and my laws. 

6 IT And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 

7 And the men of the place asked him of his 
wife; and he said. She w my sister:' for he feared 
to say. She is my wife :' lest, said he, the men of the 
place should kill me for Rebekah; because she 
teas fair to look upon. 

8 And it came to pass when he had been there 
a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philis- 
tines looked out at a window, and saw, and be- 
hold, Isaac teas sporting with Rebekah his wife. 

9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said. Behold, 
of a surety she is thy wife : and how saidst thou, 
She is my sister ? And Isaac said unto him, Be- 
cause I said. Lest I die for her. 

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast 
done unto us?" one of the people might lightly 
have laiu with thy wife, and thou shouldest have 
brought guiltiness upon us. 

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, say- 
ing, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall 
surely be put to death.' 

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and "receiv- 
ed in the same year a hundred-fold : and the Lord 
blessed him : 

13 And the man waxed great, and ^went for- 
ward, and grew until he became very great : 

14 For he had possession of flocks, and posses- 
sion of herds, and great store of servants;* and 
the Philistines envied him.™ 

15 For all the wells which his father's servants 



a Ch. 12; 10. b ch. 20; 


2. c Psa. 39;12: Heb. 11:9, 13, 16. i ch. 2S.15; 


Isi. 43;2, 5. eoh. l:j;13; 


15;18. (ch. 22:10: Psa. 10S;9, Mio. 7;aO. e ch. 
22;1(;. ich. 20:2, 13. j Prov. 29:25. kch.20:9. 


22;1»; Psa. 7a;17. l ch. 


1 Psi. 105:13; Prov. C;29 


• Heb. found, t Heb. went going. 1 Or. Aus- 


bajidry. m Eccl. 4;4. » 


Ex. 1:9. iHiA. living. 1 That is, Con(en!io«. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

1. Tli£ first famine ; chap. 12:10. Gerar; a city of the 
Philistines in the soutli part of Canaan. 
3. The oath; chap. 22:16-18. 

12. A hundred-fold; a hundred times as much as he had 
sowed, 

13. Very great; rich and powerful. 

44 



had digged in the days nf Abraham his a.m .bo»t 
father, the Philistines had stopped them, i>. o.iaM. 
and lilled them with earth. 

Id .\nd Atiimeleeii s;nd unto Isaac, Go from us: 
for thou art much mightier than we." 

17 ^ And Isaac departed theni-e, and ))itehed 
his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt tiiere. 

18 And Isaac digged attain tiie wells of water 
which they had digged in the days of .Vhi'ahani 
his father: for the Philistines iiad stopjied them 
after the death of Abraham: ami he called their 
names after the names by which his father had 
called them. 

19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, 
and found there a well of ^sjjringing water. 

20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with 
Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours : and 
he called the name of the well Esek;' because 
they strove with him. 

21 And they digged another well, and strove for 
that also: and ho called the name of it Sitnah.' 

22 And he removed from thence, and digged 
another well; and for that they strove not: and 
he called the name of it Rehoboth;" and he said. 
For now the Lord hath made room for us, and 
we shall be fruitful in the land. 

23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. 

24 And the Lord appeared unto him the same 
night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy 
father: fear not, for I am with thee,° and will 
bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant 
Abraham's sake. 

25 And he builded an altar there," and called 
upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent 
there : and there Isaac's servants digged a well. 

20 1l Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, 
and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the 
chief captain of his army." 

27 And Isaac said unto them. Wherefore come 
ye to me, seeing ye hate me,'' and have sent me 
away from you?^ 

28 And they said, ^We saw certainly that the 
Lord was with thee: and we said. Let there be 
now an oath betwixt us,' tven betwixt us and thee, 
and let us make a covenant with thee : 

29 *That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have 
not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee 
nothing but good, and have sent thee away in 
peace : thou art now the blessed of the Lord." 

30 And he made them a feast,^' and they did eat 
and drink. 

31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, 
and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them 
away, and they departed from him in peace. 



1 That is. Haired. ' That is. Room. 
35:1. qch. 21:22. f JuJj. 11:7. » 
21 :23. t Heb. If thou shall, etc. 
31:54. 



' Psa. 27:1.3; Isi. 41:10; 51:12. Pch. 
er. 16. t Heb. Seeing we saw. • ch. 
ch. 24:31; I'sa. 115:15. v oh. 19:3; 



23. Beer-slieba ; ver. 33; chap. 21:14, 22-31. 
26. Went to him; to make with him a covenant of peace 
and friendship. 

30. He made them a feast; showing that he was wiUing 
to Hve in peace with tliem. 

31. &iL-are one to another ; entered into a solemn engage- 
ment with each other to live in peace. 



Jacob obtaintth 



GENESIS XXVII. 



his father's hlessln 



A.M. .bout 32 And it came to pass the same day, 
B.C. 1804. that Isaac's servants came, and told him 
concerning the well which they had digged, and 
said unto him. We have found water. 

33 And he called it Shebah :* therefore the name 
of the city is Beer-sheba* unto this day. 

3-1 ir And Esau was forty years old when he 
took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the 
Hittite, and Bashemath" the daughter of Elon the 
Hittite: 

85 Which were *a grief of mind unto Isaac and 
to Eebekah. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 



1 Isaac sendeth Esau for venison. 6 Rebekah instmcteth Jacob to 
obtain the blessiug. 1.5 Jacob under the person of Esau obtaineth 
It. 30 Esau bringeth venison. 33 Isaac trembleth, 34 Esau com- 
plaineth, and by importunity obtaineth a blessing. 41 He threaten- 
etli Jacob. 42 Rebekah dlsappointeth it. 

AND it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, 
and his eyes were dim,'' so that he could not 
see, he called Esau his eldest sou, and said unto 
him, My son : and he said unto him. Behold, here 
am I. 

2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know 
not the day of my death :'' 

3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, 
thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, 
and ** take me some venison ; 

4 And make me savory meat, sucli as I love, 
and bring it to me, that I may eat ; that my soul 
may bless thee before I die.* 

5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau 
his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt_/br 
venison, and to bring it. 

6 1 And Rebekali spake unto Jacob her son, 
saying. Behold, I heard thy father speak unto 
Esau thy brother, saying, 

7 Bring me venison, and make me savory meat, 
that I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord, 
before my death. 

8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice," ac- 
cording to that which I command thee. 

9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence 



• That is. >4re oart. t That is, Me WfH o/(Ae <mM. ach. 36:2,3. t Heb. 
hiutrness of spirit, b ch. 48:10; 1 Sam. 3:2; Eccl. 12:3. c Prov. 27:1; 
I.ulce 12;4U; Jas. 4:14. S Heb. hunt, i ver. 25; ch. 43:9; 49:28; Deut. 
;0:1. ever. 13. f ver. 4. Ech. 23:35. h ver. 22. i ch. 9:25; Deut. 27:18. 



33. Beer-sheba ; Abraham had named the well Beer-she- 
ba, well of the oath, from the oath between himself and 
Abiraelech, chap. 21:31. Now Isaac, from a like transac- 
tion, names the place also Beer-sheba. 

34. The Hittite; the Hittites were descendants of Heth 
the son of Canaan, and one of the nations that were after- 
wards to be destroyed. Chap. 23:3. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. As great blessings often come upon children in con- 
sequence of the piety and faithfulness of parents, by the 
exercise of like piety and faithfulness children should 
endeavor to confer similar blessings on their posterity. 

10. The Bible describes men as they arc ; records not 
oiJy their virtues but their vices, and often without com- 
mending the one or condemning the otlier. Whether an 
action is right or wrong must be determined not from 
the fact of its being recorded in the Scriptures, but from 
its agreement or disagreement with the requirements of 
God. 

14. God deals with men in this world not according to 



two good kids of the goats ; and I will make them 
savory meat for thy father, such as he loveth:*^ 

10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that 
he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his 
death. 

11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother. Be- 
hold, Esau my brother is a hairy man,^ and I cm 
a smooth man : 

12 My father peradventure will feel mo,'' and I 
shall seem to him as a deceiver ; and I shall bring 
a curse' upon me, and not a blessing. 

13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me he 
thy curse, my sou;^ only obey my voice, and go 
fetch me them. 

14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them 
to his mother : and his mother made savory meat, 
such as his father loved.'' 

15 And Rebekah took 'goodly raiment of her 
eldest son Esau, which ivere with her in the house, . 
and put them upon Jacob her younger son : 

16 And she put the skins of the kids of the 
goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his 
neck: 

17 And she gave the savory meat and the bread, 
which she had prepared, into the hand of her son 
Jacob. 

18 IT And he came unto his father, and said. My 
father: and he said. Here am I; who art thou, 
my son ? i 

19 And Jacob, said unto his father, I am Esau 
thy first-born;' I have done according as thou 
badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my 
venison, that thy soul may bless me. 

20 And Isaac said unto his son. How is it that 
thou hast found it so quickly, my son ? And he 
said. Because the Lord thy God" brought it ^to 
me. 

21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I 
pray thee, that I may feel thee," my son, whether 
thou be my very son Esau or not. 

22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father ; 
and he felt him, and said. The voice is Jacob's 
voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 



J 1 Sam. 25:24 ; 2 Sam. 14:9; Matt. 27:25. k ch. 25:23; Prov. 23:3; Luke 
21:34. I Heb. desirable. I 1 Kings 13:18; 14:2; Isa. 28:15; Zech. 13:4. 
■■1E.-C. 20:7; Job 13:7. 1 Heb. ie/orir me. n ver. 12. 



their sins, but according to the greatness of his mercy ; 
and every new blessing lays them under new obligations 
to love and obey him. 

22. Men who cannot live near each other without con- 
tention, had better sejjarate and live further apart. There 
is room enough for all; and let all do to others as they 
ought to wish that others should do to them, and all may 
live in peace. 

31. A wise man, when he has been injured, will not be 
disposed to take revenge, but will be ready to overlook 
and forgive past transgressions. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

1. Old ; about one hundred and thirty-sis years. 

3. Quiver; a case or sheath for arrows. 

4. Savory meat; seasoned with spices and other things 
to give it a pleasant taste. 

13. Thy curse; tlie evil that would come in consequence 
of Jacob's deceiving his father. 

19. lam Esau; an utter and deliberate falsehood. 

20. The Lord thij God brought it; this was an aggrava- 

4.3 



J^.inu threitcuflh 



GENESIS XXVII, 



Jiicdh his brother. 



23 And lie (lisrernofl bitn not, because his hands 
were hairy." as hi.s brotluM- Esau's hands: so lie 
blessed him. 

24 And lie said, .Irt thou my very son Esau? 
And he said, I am}' 

25 And he said, JJiinjr it near to me, and I will 
eat-of my son's venison, that my soul may bless 
thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did 
cat: and he brought liim wine, and he drank. 

2() And his father Isaac said unto him, Come 
near now. and kiss me, my son. 

27 And lie came near, and kissed him : and he 
.smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him,'' 
and .said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell 
of a field'' wliieh the Loun liath blessed :'= 

28 Tliereforo God give thee of the dew of heav- 
en,'' and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of 
corn and wine. 

2y Let i)eople serve thee, and nations bow down 
to thee; be lord over thy brethren, and let thy 
mother's sons bow down to thee:'^ cursed be every 
one that curseth thee," and blessed be he that 
blesseth thee. 

30 1 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had 
made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet 
scarce gone out from the presenceof Isaachis father, 
that Esiiu his brother came in from his hunting. 

31 And he also had made savory meat, and 
brought it unto his father; and said unto his fa- 
ther, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's 
venison, that thy soul may bless me. 

32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art 
thou ? And he said, I am thy son, thy first-born, 
Esau. 

33 And Isaac * trembled very exceedingly, and 
said, Who? where is he that hath * taken venison, 
and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before 
thou earnest, and have blessed him?' yea, and he 
shall be blessed.' 

34 And when Esau heard the words of his fa- 
ther, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter 
cry, and "said unto his father, Bless me, even me 
also, my father!" 

35 And he said. Thy brother came with subtle- 
ty,' and hath taken away thy blessing. 



a Ve 


r. l(i. 


b 2 


Sam. 


14:5; Prol. 13 


19, fl? 


;Eph. 


4:25. 


t Heb. 11:20. 


d Cant 


4-11 


Hns 


14fi. 


erieb. 6:7. 


Deut. 


33:13, 


23; 2 Sam. 1 


21 ; Psa. 


133:3 ; 


Mio. 


^■1 


R fih. 


49:8. I" Num 


24:9; 


Zeph. 


2:8. • 


Heb 


trembled 


with a 


great treynbling greatly, t Heb 


hunted, i v 


er. 25. 


> Ko 


m. 11:29. 


kProv 


1:31 


Heb 


12:1- 


. 1 2 Kings 10: 


19; Mai. 2:10 


; IThe 


s. 4:6. 1 That 



tion of his falsehood, implying that God had countenanced 
him in his deception. 

24. He said, lam; a repetition of his sin persevered in. 

27. His raiment ; which belonged to Esau. Ver. 15. 

29. Be lord over thy brethren; here the blessings of the 
birthright were confirmed to Jacob, with great worldly 
prosperity, extensive dominion, and family preeminence. 
Chap. 25:31-34. 

33. He sJtall be blessed; Isaac saw that although he had 
been deceived, yet it was the purpose of God that the 
blessings which he had pronounced should come upon 
Jacob, according to what was said of him before he was 
born. Chap. 25:23. 

35. Subtlety; cunning, deceit. 

36. Jacob; a supplanter; one who by artifice gets into 
the place of another. He took away; bought that which 
Esau despised and chose to seO for a mess of pottage. 
Chap. 25:33. 

4G 



30 And he said. Is not he rightly named .v m .!»« 
Jacob?' for he hath supplanted me these » ^ i7«o. 
two times: he took away my liirthiight;'" and be- 
hold. iKiw he halli takiMi away my hlessing. And 
he said. Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? 

37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau. 
Behold, I have made him thy lord," and all his 
brethren have I given to him for servants; and 
with corn and wine have I sustained' him: and 
what shall I do now unto thee, my son? 

38 And Esau said unto his father, Ilast thou 
but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me 
also, my father ! And Esau lifted up his voice, 
and wept." 

39 And Isaac his father answered, and said unto 
him. Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness' of 
the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; 

40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt 
serve thy brother:'' and it shall come to pass 
when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou 
shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.'' 

41 1 And Esau hated Jacob because of the 
blessing wherewith his father blessed him:"' and 
Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for 
my father are at hand,' then will I slay my broth- 
er Jacob.' 

42 And these words of Esau her older son were 
told to Eebekah : and she sent and called Jacob 
her younger son, and said unto him. Behold, thy 
brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort him- 
self," purposing to kill thee. 

43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice ; and 
arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;''' 

44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy 
brother's fury turn away ; 

45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from 
thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to 
him : then I will send, and fetch thee from thence. 
Why should I be deprived also of you both in one 
day? 

46 And Eebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of 
my life, because of the daughters of Heth:'"' if 
Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such 
as these which are of the daughters of the laud, 
what good shall my life do me? 



is, A supplanter. m ch. 25:26, 34. n ver. 29; 2 Sim. 8:14. i Or. .^itpported. 
Isa. 65:14. I Or. of the fatiuss. p ch. 25:23, Psa. 60:9, 10; Obad. lB-20. 
q 2 Kings 8:20; 2Chr. 21:8. r ch. 4:5; 37:4, 8. » oh. 50:3. " ch. 32:0; 
Obad. 10. u Joi) 20:12; Psa. 64:5. v oh. 11:31. " ch. 20:35. 



37. Sustained him; foretold that he should be sustained. 

40. By thy sword shalt thou live; his posterity would be 
warlike, and make plundering excursions upon their neigh- 
bors. Serve thy brother; they would be in subjection to 
the posterity of Jacob. 2 Sam. 8:14. Break his yoke; 
after a time the Edomites would revolt from their subjec- 
tion to the Israelites, and become independent. 2 Kings 
8:20-22. 

41. Days of mourning; on account of the death of Isaac, 
which Esau thought would soon take place and favor his 
designs. 

43. Laban; chap. 24:29. 

45. Deprived — of you both; had Esau slain Jacob, he 
must have been put to death as a murderer, chap. 9 : 6, or 
at least have fled from his father's home to escape this 
punishment. 

4C. The daughters of Heth; the Hittite females, especially 
the two whom Esau had married. Chap. 26:34, 35. 



Jacob sent to Padan-aram. 



GENESIS XXVIII. 



His vision at Bethd. 



t J' k'S" ''''■ CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 Isaac bifsseth Jacob, and sendeth him to Padan-aram. fi Esau mar- 
rieth Mahalalh the daughter of Ishniael. 10 The vision of Jacob's 
ladder. IS The stone of Beth-el. 20 Jacob's vow. 

AND Isaac called Jacob, and blessed liim, and 
charged hiui, and said unto him, Thou shalt 
not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan." 

2 Arise, go to Padan-aram," to the house of 
Bethuel thy mother's father ;'' and take thee a 
■wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy 
mother's brother.'' 

3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee 
fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be "a 
multitude of people ; 

4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham," to 
thee, and to thy seed -with thee ; that thou mayest 
inherit the land + wherein thou art a stranger, 
which God gave unto Abraham. 

5 And Isaac sent away Jacob : and he went to 
Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syri- 
an, the brother of Rebekali, Jacob's and Esau's 
mother. 

6 1 When Esau saw tliat Isaac had blessed Ja- 
cob,' and sent him away to Padan-aram, to take 
him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed 
him, he gave him a charge, saying. Thou shalt not 
take a wife of the daughters of Canaan ; 

7 And that Jacob obeyed his father,'' and his 
mother, and was gone to Padan-aram ; 

8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan 
pleased* not Isaac his father; 

9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto 
the wives which he had, Mahalath^ the daughter 
of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, 
to be his wife. 

10 1 And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba,*" and 
went toward Haran." 



a Ch. 24:3. b Hos. 12:12. c ch. 25:20. d ch. •i):29. • Heb. on assembly 
of ■ptoplt. ech. 12:2. ^ Keh. of tky sojournings. ' ch. 27:33. Bch. 27:43. 
I Heb. were evil in the eyes. 5 ch. 3G:3, is called Bashemath. h Hos. 12: 12. 
I Acts7:2, ciiled C/mrran. i ch. 41:1 ; Num. 12:0; Job 4:13. JJohnl:51; 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. By depriving us of the use of our senses, or dimin- 
ishing their power as age advances, God admonishes us 
that we are not at home in the body, and that what our 
hands find to do in serving him, we should do witli our 
might ; for in the grave, to which we are hastening, there 
is no work. 

10. When parents tempt their children to sin, they lay 
the foundation for great and lasting sorrow. 

13. To imprecate on one's self the curse of evil-doing 
is high-handed iniquity ; it is assuming a load which may 
be found too great to bear. It is sowing the wind to reap 
the whirlwind. Hos. 8:7. 

24. The telling of one lie often leads to the telling of a 
second, and that to a third. The beginning of iniquity is 
like the letting out of water from a dam, which may sweep 
every thing before it. 

29. Through the evil-doing and the well-doing of men, 
God fulfils his infinitely wise, holy, and benevolent designs, 
causing even the evil which is committed to be overruled 
for good. 

33. Men are often the means of accomplishing what 
they did not intend. They mean one thing, and God 
means another. Chap. 50:20; Prov. 16:9; 19:21. 

36. Wicked men are prone to ascribe their calamities 
to other men's sins rather than to their own, and to exer- 
cise pride, envy, and revenge, rather than humility, re- 
pentance, and forgiveness. 



11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and 
tarried there all night, because the sun was set: 
a'd he took of tlie stones of that place, and put 
them for his pillows, and lay down in that place 
to sleep. 

12 And he dreamed,' and behold, a ladder set 
up on the earth, and the top of it reached to 
heaven : and behold, the angels of God ascending 
and descending on \i.> 

13 And beliold, tlie Lord stood above it, and 
said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father,'' 
and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou 
liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 

14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the 
earth ; ' and thou shalt ^ spread abroad to the west, 
and to the east, and to the north, and to the south : 
and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families 
of the earth be blessed.™ 

15 And behold, I am with thee," and will keep 
thee in all places whither thou goest," and will bring 
tliee again into this land;P for I will not leave 
thee, until I have done that which I have spoken 
to thee of.'i 

16 IT And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and 
he said. Surely the Lord is in this place;'' and I 
knew it not. 

17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful 
is this place! this is none other but the house of 
God, and this is the gate of heaven. 

18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, 
and took the stone that he had put for his pil- 
lows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil 
upon the top of it.^ 

19 And he called the name of that place Beth- 
el:* but the name of that city was called Luz at 
the first.' 

20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will 



Heb. 


1:14. k 


ch. 26 


24: Exod. 3:6; 


Matt. 22 


»?. 


1 ch. 


13:16. K 


Heb. 


break forth. " 


nch. 18:18. n Josh. 1:5 


: Judg. 6 


16 


oPsa 


121 


5-8. 


P ch. 


XR. 


q Heb. 


13:5. : 


Exod. 3:5; Josh. 5:15. 


! 


Vum. 7 


1. 


Heh 


■fhr. 


house 


of God. 


• Judg 


1:23,26; Hos. 


12:4. 













40. The foretelling of wickedness which men will com- 
mit does not force them to commit it; nor does it lessen 
their power or obligation to refrain from it, or their guilt 
in committing it. 

41. There is an intimate connection between hatred and 
murder, and the indulgence of the one often produces the 
intention to commit the other. 

46. To commit known sin and tempt others to commit 
it, is the way to make life a burden ; and those who lead 
their children into sin, must expect through their children 
to be pmiished. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

2. Padan-aram ; chap. 25:20. 

4. The blessing of Abraham ; that which was promised to 
him. Chap. 12:2,3; 15:5-7; 17:8; 22:17,18; Gal. 3:8-29. 

9. Unto Ishmael; the family of Ishmael, he being dead. 
Chap. 25:17. 

14. In thy seed; Gal. 3:16. 

17. The hoii.se of God ; the place where God revealed him- 
self in a special way. The gate of heaven ; in allusion to the 
ladder reaching to heaven, by which the angels descended 
from heaven and returned, as through the gate of a city. 

18. Poured oil upon the top of it ; in token of its being 
consecrated to God as a memorial of what there took place. 

19. Beth-el; meaning the house of God. It was about 
ten miles north of Jerusalem. Tliat city; a city that stood 
near this place. Chap. 12:8; Judg. 1:23-26. 

47 



Jacob Cdiiul/i III Jfaraii. 



GENESIS .\.\1.\. 



Jlis covenant with lAiban. 



be witli nu'/' and will keep mc in this way that 1 
no, anil 
put on, 



ijo, anil will jrive me 



lill keen 
le bread 



to eat, and raiment to 



•21 So that I conic airain to my father's house in 
peaie; then shall the Loun bo my God:** 

22 And this stone, whieh 1 have set for a pillar,'" 
shall be God's house: and of all that thou slialt 
Sivc ine, 1 will surely give the tenth uuto thee.' 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

I Jacob comcOi to the well of Haran. 9 He taketh acquaintance of 
Rachel, l-'i Laban cntertaineth him. 18 Jacob covenantetii for Ra- 
chel. "^3 He is Jeceived with Leah. 28 He marrieth also Rachel. 
and serveth for her seven years more. 32 Leah beareth Reuben, 33 
Sjneon. 31 Levi, 3-1 and Judah. 

^T^^IIEX Jacob 'went ou his journey, and came 
J., into the land of the ^people of the cast. 

2 And he looked, and behold, a well in the field, 
and lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by 
it;"^ for out of that well they watered the flocks; 
and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. 

3 And tliither were all the flocks gathered : and 
they rolled the stone from tlic well's mouth and 
watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon 
the well's mouth in his place. 

4 And Jacob said unto them. My brethren, 
whence be ye '? And they said, Of Haran are we.' 

5 And he said unto them. Know j'C Laban the 
son of Xahor "? And they said, We know hiin. 

6 And lie said unto them, ^ Is lie well ?'^' And 
they said. He is well: and behold, Rachel his 
daughter cometli with the sheep. 

7 And he said, Lo, ^it is yet high day, neither is 
it time that the cattle should be gathered togeth- 
er : water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. 

8 And they said. We cannot, until all the flocks 
be gathei'ed together, and till they roll the stone 
from the well's mouth ;'' then we water the sheep. 

9 IT And while he yet spake with them, Rachel 
came with her father's sheep ; for she kept them. 

10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel 
the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and 



»aSam. 15;8. b Deut. aGil?. c oh. 35:7, 14. <1 Lev. 27:30. • Heb. lift 
uphisfat. ^ Heh. ehildreil. e Psa. 23:2; Cant. 1:7; Ezek. 34: 14. f ch. 
27:43. ' I Is there peace to him? g ch. 4;J:27. 5 Heb. yet the day is great, 
li Mark 1G:3; Luke 24:2. ' Exod. 2:17. 1 ch. 3:J:4; 45:14. k ch. 13:8; 



22. God's house ; a place where I will publicly acknow- 
ledge and adore hira. Give the tenth ; devote a tenth part 
of what be should have to acts of piety and mercy. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Parents who rightly regard the good of their children, 
for this Hfe or the future, or that of their descendants, 
wiU especially desire that they be connected with pious 
companions. 

9. When persons undertake to cure or to lessen one 
evil by tlie commission of another, they must expect to 
be disappointed. The further they go in transgression 
the greater the mischief, and the greater the danger of 
utter ruin. 

11. If men, through their own fault, are deprived of 
numerous blessings, and are left desolate and alone, they 
sometimes, during the silence and darkness of night, or in 
scenes of solitude, gloom, and peril, reflect on their condi- 
tion, and are brought into such a state of mind as to be 
prepared, tlirough grace, for new and glorious manifesta- 
tions of divine favor. 

16. God is much nearer to us than we are apt to imag- 
ine. Wherever we go, and whatever we do, we are sur- 
rounded continuallv with his presence. He keeps the 
"48 



the sheep of Laban liis mother's brother, * . "„"""' 
that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone ii. <■. itbo 
from the well's mouth,' and watered the flock of 
Laban his nidlher's brother. 

11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his 
voice, and wept.^ 

12 And Jacob told Rachel that he wa^ her fa- 
ther's brother,'' and that he was Rcbekah's son;' 
and she ran and ttdd her father. 

13 And it came to jiass when Laban heard the 
tidings' of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to 
meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him,'" 
and brought him to his house. And he told La- 
ban all those things. 

14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my 
bone and my flesh. And he abode with him 'the 
space of a month. 

15 Ti And Laban said uuto Jacob, Because thou 
art my brother, shouldcst thou therefore serve me 
for naught"? tell me, what shall thy wages be 1 

IG And Laban had two daughters: the name of 
the (jldcr was Leah, and the name of the younger 
was Rachel." 

17 Leah was tender-eyed, but Rachel was beau- 
tiful and well-favored. 

18 And Jacob lovcdRachel ; and said,Iwill serve 
thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. 

19 And Laban said, // is better that 1 give her 
to thee, than that I should give her to another 
man; abide with me. 

20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel;'" 
and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the 
love he had to her." 

1W And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, 
for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in uuto her. 

22 xVnd Laban gathered together all the men of 
the place, and made a feast.'' 

23 And it came to pass in tlie evening, that he 
took Leah his daughter, and brought her to hira ; 
and he went in unto her. 

24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah, 
Zilpah his maid, /or a handmaid.^ 



14:14,16. lch.24:2S. I V.e\>. hearing, m Rom. 16:16. n Judg. 9:2; 2Sini. 
5:1; 19:12. 1 Heb. a moHI/i o/rfay.'. o Ruth 4:11. pHos. 12:12. q Cant. 
S:7. rjudg. 14:10; John 2:1,2. • ch. 30:9; 46: 18. 



breath in our nostrils, the blood flowing in our veins, and 
it is in him that we live, move, and have existence. 

22. Whenever we receive special favors, we should feel 
under special obligations to acknowledge and adore God, 
the author and finisher of all good ; and should, without 
delay, consecrate ourselves and all that we have to his 
service. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

3. Wert all the flocks gathered — they rolled — watered— put the 
stone again; these words describe what was the daily 
custom. 

7. High day ; the sun is yet high. Be gathered together ; 
that is, for the night. 

8. We cannot; either because they had not bodily 
strength till more of the shepherds should come, or be- 
cause it was contrary to established usage. 

12. Her father's brother; Jacob was Laban's sister's son; 
of course not his brother in our sense of the word, but 
his nejihew. Ver. 15. 

14. il/i/ bone and my flesh; my near relative. 

23. He took Leah; it was then customary for a bride to 
be t;dcen at niirht to her husband covered with a veil. 



Children of Leah, 



GENESIS XXX. 



Bllhah, and Zilpah. 



ing, behold, it ivas Leah : and he said to Laban, 
What is this tliou hast done unto me ? did not I 
serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast 
thou beguiled me ? 

26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our 
country,* to give the younger before the first-born. 

27 Fulfil her week,'' and we will give thee this 
also, for the service which thou shalt serve with 
me yet seven other years. 

28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: 
and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. 

29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, 
Bilhah his handmaid, to be her maid.'' 

30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he 
loved also Raciiel more than Leah," and served 
with him yet seven other years. 

311" And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, 
he opened her womb:'' but Rachel was barren.'^ 

32 And Leah conceived, and bare a sou ; and 
she called his name Reuben:^ for she said. Surely 
the Lord hath looked upon my affliction;'' now 
therefore my husband will love me. 

33 And she conceived again, and bare a son ; 
and said. Because the Lord hath heard that I was 
hated, he hath therefore given me this son also : 
and she called his name Simeon.* 

34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; 
and said, Now this time will my husband be join- 
ed unto me, because I have borne him three sons : 
therefore Avas his name called Levi.^ 

35 And she conceived again, and bare a son ; 
and she said. Now will I praise the Lord : thei-e- 
fore she called his name Judah,' and 'left bearing. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

1 Rachel, in grief for her barrenness, giveUi Bllhah her maid unto Ja- 
cob. 5 She beareth Dan and Naphtali. 9 Leah giveth Zilpah her 
niaid, wlio beareth Gad and Asher. 14 Reuben findeth mandrakes, 
with which Leah buyeth her husband of Rachel. 17 Leah beareth 
Issachar, Zebulon, and Dinah. 22 Rachel beareth Joseph. 25 Ja- 
cob desireth to depart. 27 Laban stayeih him on a new covenant. 
37 Jacob's policy, whereby lie became rich. 

AND when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no 
children.^ Rachel envied her sister;^ and 
said imto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.' 



■Heb.place^ «Jinlg. 11:12. b ch. 35:*J; y7:-J. c Ter. 211; Deut 


21 : 13. 


■iP3a.l27;3. ech.30:l. t That is. S« o son. ' Deut. aii:7; 1 San 


1. 1:20; 


I.ilke 1:25. 1 That is, Hearing. 5 That is. Joined; Num. 1b:2, 4. 


1 That 


IS. Praise. ^ Heh. stood from bearing. Sch. 2!):31. h I Cor. 3:3; .1 


as. 4:5. 


iJob5:2. JlSim.l;5. • Heb. be built by her. k ch. 16:;). i Psi 


35:21; 



25. Beguiled; imposed on, deceived. Jacob had deceived 
his fatlier, and now his wife's father deceived hun. 

27. Fulfil her week; Leah's week; that is, a week of 
feasting, according to the custom of weddings, after whicli 
Rachel would be given to him, on condition of his serv- 
ing Laban seven years more. 

3L Was hated; regarded less than Rachel. Mai. 1:3; 
Rom. 9:13. 

32. Reuben; meaning, see a son. The Lord hath seen 
my affliction, and given me a son. 

33. Simeon ; that is, hearing. 

34. Levi ; joined — thinking that her husband would now 
be joined in affection to her, as he was to Rachel. 

35. Judah : praise — she being disposed to praise the 
Lord for his goodness. 

IXSTRUCTIONg. 
4. A kind and courteous behavior is most likely to re- 
ceive kindness in return ; and a disposition to be useful, 
most likely to make a man welcome, and give him success. 
11. Men sometimes weep for jov. and few tilings are 
4 



2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Ra- 
chel ; and he said, Jim I in God's stead, who hath 
withheld from thee the fruit of tlie womb?J 

3 And she said. Behold my maid Bilhah, go in 
unto her ; and slie shall bear upon my knees, that 
I may also "have children by her. 

4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to 
wife :" and Jacob went in unto her. 

5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. 

6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me,' and 
hath also hoard my voice, and hath given me a 
son: therefore called she his name Dan.* 

7 And Bilhah, Rachel's maid, conceived again, 
and liare Jacob a second son. 

8 And Rachel said, With 'great wrestlings have 
I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed : 
and she called his name Naphtali.** 

9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she 
took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife. 

10 And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a son. 

11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she 
called his name Gad."" 

12 And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a sec- 
ond son. 

13 And Leah said, ^ Happy am I, for the daugh- 
ters will call me blessed:" and she called his 
name Asher.* 

14 IT And Reuben went in the days of wheat- 
harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and 
brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Ra- 
chel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy 
son's mandrakes." 

15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter 
that thou hast taken my husband 'fP and wouldest 
tliou take away my son's mandrakes also ? And 
Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to- 
night for tliy son's mandrakes. 

16 And Jacob came out of the field in the even- 
ing, and Leah went out to meet him, and said. 
Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have 
hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And' he lay 
with her that night. 

17 And God hearkened unto Leah,' and she 
conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 



43:1 ; Lam. 3:59. t That is, Judging. I Heb. wrestlings of God. i Thai 
i^. My wrestling. I That is, .4 froop, or cowipany. mch. 4i):I9. 1 Heb. /n 
my happiness, n Cant. 6:9; Luke 1:48. * That is. Happy. » Cant. 7:13. 
P Num. 16:9, 13; Isa. 7:13; Ezek. 16:47. q Exod. 3:7; 1 Sam. 1:20; Luka 
1:13. 



more affecting to a truly thankful heart, than the great 
goodness of God. 

15. Our relatives, as well as others, should be fairly paid 
for their services ; and we ought not to wish any to labor 
for us without receiving a just compensation. Col. 4:1. 

20. One of the most prompt, cheerful, pleasant, and per- 
severing springs of action, is love. Under ils influence, 
labor, sacrifices, and self-denials often give great delight. 

25. Those who wickedly deceive others should not 
wonder if others deceive them, and they experience the 
evils of it through life. Isa. 33:1. 

35. God often regards those whom men wrongfully dis- 
regard, and graciously bestows such favors upon them as 
to fill their hearts with gratitude, and open their mouths 
in praise. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

2. Jacoh'.s anger was kindled; because Rachel seemed to 
find fault, not with him only, but also with God. 

14. Mandrakes; a species of fruit which it is difficult to 
identifv. 

49 



Rachd btartth Justph. 



GENESIS XXX. 



Jacob's cJtajige of wages. 



18 And Leah said. God Imlli pivcn nic my Iiiro, 
because I have piven my inaidon to ray luisljand : 
and she called his name Issaeliar.'" 

19 And Leali conceived aurain, and bare Jacob 
the sixth son. 

2(1 .\n(l Leah .said, God hath endued me with a 
good dowry; now will my husband dwell with 
nic,'' becau.«e I have ])orne him six sons: and she 
called his name Zobulun.* 

21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and 
called lier name Dinah.* 

22 'i And God remembered Rachel," and God 
hearkened to her, and opened Iier woml). 

2:5 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, 
God hath taken away my reproach:'' 

24 And she called his name Joseph;^ and said, 
The Lord sliall add to me another son. 

25 1 And it came to pass, when Rachel had 
borne Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send 
me away,^ that I may go unto mine own place, 
and to my country ."^ 

2G Give me my waves and my children, for whom 
I have served thee, and let me go : for thou know- 
est mv service which I have done thee.''' 

27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I 
have found favor in thine eyes, tarry : ^ for I have 
learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed 
mo for tliy sake.' 

28 And he said. Appoint me thy wages,' and I 
will give it. 

29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I 
have served thee,'' and how thy cattle was with me. 

30 For it was little whicli thou hadst before I 
came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; 
and the Lord hath blessed thee 'since my com- 
ing : and now, when shall I provide for mine own 
house also?' 

31 And he said. What shall I give thee ? And 
Jacob said, Thou slialt not give me any thing : if 
thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed 
and keep thy flock : 

32 I will pass through all thy flock to-day, re- 
moving from thence ail the .speckled and spotted 
cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, 

• Tlial is, A hire, a ch. 49;14; Deut. a:):18; 1 Uhr. 1-2:32. b ch. a9:M. 
rThztts, Dwelling. nti3.lis, Judgment. «ch. 29:31 ; 1 Sam. 1:19. <1 1 Sam. 
l;(3ilsa. 4:1. i Tbo^t is, Adding, e ch. 24:54. fell. 31:55. s ch. 31 6. 
t Eloii.3:21; Neh. 1:11; Dan. 1:9; Acts 7:10. ich. 39:3. 5; Paa. 1:3; Isa. 



25. My country; the land of Canaan. 

30. Mine own house ; thus far Jacob had labored for La- 
ban. He now proposes to provide for his own family. 

33. So shall my righteousness answer for me ; by his hav- 
ing none in his possession, except such as Laban had 
agreed to give him, it would be seen that he was honest. 
Wlien it shall come — before thy face ; rather, when thou shalt 
come upon my hire (that is, to inspect my hire) before thy 
face. Every one that is not speckled — shall be counted stolen; 
should Jacob have any of one color in his possession, it 
would be seen that they did not belong to him. 

35. He removed; Laban, as appears from the next verse. 

37. Pilled; peeled, made white stripes by peeling. 

40. Set the faces of the flocks toward the ring-streaked ; ar- 
ranged the sheep and goats of one color, which composed 
the body of Laban's flocks, so that they would have the ring- 
streaked, spotted, and bro^vn among the young always be- 
fore their eyes. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

i. Grief at another's prosperity is a great sin, and a 
source of torment to all who indulge it. Prov. 14:30. 
50 



and the spotted and sfieckled among the b.c!i?S! 
goats: and of suck shall be my liire.'" 

33 So shall my righteousness" answer for mc 
in^ lime to come, when it shall come for my hire 
before thy face: every one that ?.v not sjieckled 
and spotted among the goats, and l)rown among 
the sheep, that shall he counted stolen with me. 

34 And Ijaban sai<l. Behold, I would it might be 
according to thy word. 

35 And lie removed that day the he-goats that 
were ring-streaked and spotted, and all the she- 
goats that were sjieckled and .'J])ott(>d, and every 
one that iiad some wliilc! in it, and all the In-own 
among the sheep, and gave them into the hands of 
ills sons. 

3() And he set three days' journey betwixt him- 
self and Jacob : and Jacob fed the rest of La- 
ban's flocks. 

37 If And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, 
and of the hazel and chestnut-tree; and pilled 
white streaks in them, and made the white appear 
whicii was in the rods. 

38 And he set the rods which he had pilled be- 
fore the flocks in the gutters in the watering- 
troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they 
should conceive when they came to drink. 

39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, 
and brought forth cattle ring-streaked, speckled, 
and spotted." 

40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set 
the faces of the flocks toward tlie ring-streaked, 
and all the brown in the flock of Laban ; and he 
put his own flocks by themselves, and put them 
not unto Laban's cattle. 

41 And it came to pass whensoever the stronger 
cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods be- 
fore the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they 
might conceive among the rods. 

42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them 
not in : so the feebler were Laban's, and the 
stronger Jacob's. 

43 And the man increased exceedingly,'' and had 
much cattle, and maid-servants, and men servants, 
and camels, and asses.'' 



61:9. ich. 29:15. k Matt. 24:45; Tit 


2:10. Mleh. broken forth. 1 Heb. 


at my foot. 1 1 Tim. 5:8. m ch. 31 :8. 


n Psa. 18:24; 37:6. i Heb. to-mor- 


roto; Kxod. 13:14. och. 31:8-12. Pre 


r. 30. qch. 13:2; 24:35; 211:13,14; 


Job 42: 12. 





8. Those who are discontented with their condition, 
often take wicked measures to change it ; and if successful, 
they are tempted to justify their course. But success in 
iniquity is no proof of divine approbation. 

13. Success in iniquity tempts to its repetition; and 
desired objects attained blind the mind to the guilt of 
wrongfully seeking them. 

18. The reasons which men assign to the dispensations 
of Providence, are often very different from the true ones. 

24. Events anticipated with joy are often the occasion 
of exquisite sorrow. Chap. 35:1(1-^0. 

27. Men of the world are often convinced that true pie- 
ty is profitable, and employ pious persons to promote 
their own temporal advantage. 

30. Those who have famihes should use all suitable 
means comfortably to provide for them ; and while they 
daily seek the blessing of God, they should wisely and 
diligently use proper means to obtain it. 

43. Persons who have been wronged by others need 
not, and should not do wrong to obtain redress. Prop- 
erty, and all earthly blessings, are the gifts of God, and 



Jacob depart eth 



GENESIS XXXI. 



with his household. 



. 1739. 



CHAPTER XXXI, 



1 Jacob upon displeasure departeth secretly. 19 Rachel stealeth her 
f;itKer"s images. 2"2 Laban pursueth after liim, 'J6 and cnmplainefh 
of the wrong. 31 Rachel's policy to hide the images. 36 Jacob's 
complaint of Laban. 43 The covenant of Laban and Jacob at Galeed. 

AND he heard the words of Laban's sons, say- 
ing, Jacob liath taken away all that wns our 
fatlicr's; and of f/iat which was our father's hath 
ho srotten all tliis glory." 

2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban,*" 
and behold, it icas not toward hiin "as before.'' 

3 And the Lord said unto Jacob, Return unto 
the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and 
I will be with thee.'' 

•1 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah 
to the field unto his flock, 

5 And said unto them, I see your father's coun- 
tenance, that it is not toward me as before; but 
the God of my father hath been with me.'' 

6 And ye know that with all my power I have 
served your father.'' 

7 And your father hath deceived me. and changed 
my wages ten times;' but God suffered him not 
to hurt me."" 

8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy 
wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if 
he said thus. The ring-streaked shall be thy hire ; 
then bare all the cattle ring-streaked. 

9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your 
father, and given them to me. 

10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle 
conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a 
dream, and behold, the rams* which leaped upon the 
cattle vjere ring-streaked, speckled, and grizzled.' 

11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a 
dream,^ saying, Jacob : and I said. Here am I.'' 

12 And he said. Lift up now thine eyes and see, 
all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ring- 
streaked, speckled, and grizzled : for I have seen 
all that Laban doeth unto thee.' 

13 I am the God of Bcth-el, where thou anoint- 
edst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow 
unto me:'° now arise, get thee out from this land, 
and return unto the land of thy kindred."* 

14 And Rachel and Leah answered, and said 



unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance 
for us in our father's house ? 

1 5 Are wc not counted of him strangers ? for he 
hath sold us," and hath quite devoured also our 
money. 

16 For all the riches which God hath taken 
from our father, that is ours, and our children's: 
now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do. 

17 1 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and 
his wives upon camels ;■" 

18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all 
his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his 
getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram ; for 
to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. i 

19 And Laban went to shear his sheep ; and Ra- 
chel had stolen the images* that were her father's." 

20 And Jacob stole away ^unawares to Laban 
the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 

21 So he fled with all that he had ; and he rose 
up, and passed over the river,^ and set his face 
toward the mount Gilead.' 

22 And it was told Laban on the third day, that 
Jacob was fled. 

23 And he took his brethren with him, and pur- 
sued after him seven days' journey ; and they 
overtook him in the mount Gilead. 

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a 
dream by night," and said unto him. Take heed 
that thou speak not to Jacob either 'good or bad. 

25 1 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob 
had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban 
and his l)rethreu pitched in the mount of Gilead. 

26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou 
done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, 
and carried away my daughters, as captives take7i 
with the sword?*' 

27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and 
steaH away from me, and didst not tell me, that I 
might have sent thee away with mirth, and with 
songs, with tabret, and with harp?'" 

28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons 
•and my daughters?'' thou hast now done foolishly 

in so doing. 

29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt : 
but the God of your father spake unto me yester- 



» Psa. 49:16; Eccl. 4:4; 1 Tim. 6:4. b ch. 4:5. ' Huh. as yesterdai/ aiid 
the day before, t Dent. 23:54. ^Ich. •2S:15. e ver. 2. 3. fver. 41. ever. 
41; Num. 14:a-2; Neh. 4:12; Job 19:3; Zeoh. 8:S}. h ch. 20:0; Job 1:10: 
Psa. 37:23; 103:14. t Or, lie-goats, i ch. 30:30. 1 oh. 48:16. k Exod. 
3:4; 1 Sam. 3:4, etc.; Isa. 5S:9. I ExoJ. 3:7; Psa. 139:3; Eccl. 5:8. ti ch. 



he will grant all that will in the end be a blessing to such 
as continue to obey him. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

2. Not toward him ; not favorable, but manifested dislike 
and opposition to him. 

7. Ten times; meaning very often. 

8. All the cattle ; the greater portion of them. 

9. God hath taken away ; the efficacy of the means em- 
ployed by Jacob to increase his property, was due to the 
agency of God. It does not appear that they had in 
themselves any natural po'wer to accomplish such a re- 
sult, ilany suppose that he was guided by God him- 
self in the dream which he relates, to the use of these 
means. 

The Scriptures record many actions of good men with- 
out approving of them, as the equivocation of Abraham 
and Isaac, and the deception practised by Jacob to obtain 



aM:IK. n ver. 3; ch. 32:9. o ch. 29: 27 ; Neh. 5:8. Pch.24:10. qch. 28:21. 
I Heb. lerarliim. ' Judg. 17:5; 1 Sam. 19:13; Hos. 3:4. 5 Heb. the heart 
of Lahan. sch. 15:13. I ch. 4li:23; 2 Kings 12: IT; Luke 9:51. "ch.20:3; 
Job 33:15. Heb. from good to bail. » 1 Sam. 30:2. 1 Heb. hast stolen 
me. "Job 21:11, 12. x 1 Kings 19:20. 



his father's blessing. We cannot, however, suppose that 
God would have added his immediate blessing to a course 
of conduct for which Jacob had no warrant. It seems 
more reasonable to conclude that here, as in the case of 
his descendants' spoiling the Egyptians, Ex. 12:35, 36, he 
acted by the direction of Him to whom all wealth belongs. 

15. Hath sold us; alluding to the fourteen years' service 
which Jacob had rendered him for them. Our money; 
that is, our prices which he received for us. 

19. Images; in the original, teraphim; that is, small 
household idols that her father worshipped. Ver. 30. 

21. Over the river; Euphrates, which lay between Pa- 
dan-aram and Canaan. Mount Gilead; a range of high 
land cast of the Jordan and south of Bashan. 

24. Good or bad ; or, as in tho margin, from good to bad : 
that is, take care not to speak any thing with the purpose 
of harming him. Ver. 29. 

28. Soils; grandsons. 

51 



Tht Mvauint of 



GENESIS XXXI. 



Laban and Jaajb. 



night, payinir, Take thou lipod that thou speak not 
to .hicoli cither jrood or bad. 

30 And now, thmifrh tliou wouldcst needs be 
gone, because thou .^ore longest after thy father's 
house, yet wiiercforc hast tliou stolen my gods?" 

31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Be- 
i-ausc I was afraid: for I said, Peradventurc tliou 
wouhlcst take by force thy dauglitcrs from me. 

32 With wliomsoever tliou iindcst thy gods, let 
iiim not live:'' before our brethren discern thou 
what is thine with me, and take it to thee: for 
.lacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. 

33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into 
liCah's tent, and into the two maid-servants' tents; 
hut he found them not. Then went he out of 
Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 

34 Now Rachel had taken the images,'^ and put 
them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. 
And Laban searched* all the tent, l)ut found them 
not. 

35 And she said to her father, Let it not dis- 
please my lord that 1 cannot rise up before thee;" 
for the custom of women is upon me. And he 
searched, liut found not the images. 

30 And Jacob was wroth," and chodc with La- 
Iian : and Jacob answered, and said to Laban, 
What is my trespass ? what is my sin, that thou 
hast so hotly pursued after me ? 

37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, 
what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? 
set it here before my brethren, and thy brethren, 
that tiiey may judge betwixt us both.' 

38 This twenty years have I been with thee ; thy 
I'wes and thy she-goats have not cast their young, 
and tlie rams of thy flock have I not eaten. 

39 That which was torn of beasts, I brought not 
unto thee ; I bare the loss of it ; of my hand didst 
thou require it,'' whether stolen by day, or stolen 
by night. 

40 Thus I was; in the day the drought con- 
sumed me, and the frost by night ; and my sleep 
departed from mine eyes. 

41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house: 
I served thee fourteen years for thy two daugh- 
ters," and six years for thy cattle ; and thou hast 
changed my wages ten times.' 

42 Except the God of my father,' the God of 



« Ver. 19; Judg. 18:24. boh. 44:9. c ver. 19. • Heh. fell, d Exod. 

■JO: 12; Lev. I«:;j2. e Eph. 4:2(5. t 1 Cor. 8:5. 5 Exod. 22:10. b ch. 

29:18,30. i ver. 7. J Psi. 121: 1, 2. k ver. 53. I Exod. 3:7. m ] Chr. 

12:17; Jude 9. nch. 26:28. o Josh. 22:27; 24:27. Pch. 2S:18. t Chaldee, 



31. / u-as afraid; this was .Jacob's answer to the tirst of 
Laban's questions, why lie had gone away privately ; not 
to the last, as to the gods. 

42. The Fear of Isaac; the God whom Isaac feared, lov- 
ed, and obeyed. 

43. 77icse daughters are my daughters — is mine; that is, all 
that thou hast is dear to me as my own. What can I do — 
unto these; cither, what harm can I do to them, since I re- 
;^ard thern as my own? or, what shall I do for them? as 
the original may be rendered ; how shall I best secure 
them from future evil? This he immediately proposes to 
accomplish b3' a mutual covenant. 

47. Jegar-sahadutha ; Chaldee: in Hebrew, Galeed; both 
meaning, the heap of witness. 
49. Mizpah ; a watch-tower. 
51. Tltis pillar ; \eT. A.5. 
52 



Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac.'' liad been u ,?; ^: 
with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now 
empty. God halh seen mine allliction,' and the 
labor of my hands, ami rebuked Ihir yesterniglit."' 

43 '\ And Laban answered, and said unto Ja- 
cob, These daughters are my daughters, and tliese 
children ai-e my chililreii, and thrse cattle are my 
cattle, and all that llioii seest is mine; and what 
can 1 do this day unto these my daughters, or 
unto their children which they have borne? 

44 Now therefore come thou, h^t us make a cov- 
enant," 1 and thou ; and let it be for a witness 
between me and thee." 

45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up /or a 
pillar." 

46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather 
stones; and they took stones and made a heap: 
and they did eat there upon the heap. 

47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha;* but 
Jacob called it Galeed:* 

48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness be- 
tween me and thee this day. Therefore was the 
name of it called Galeed ; 

49 And Mizpah;^ for he said, The Lord watch 
between me and thee, when we are absent one 
from another.'' 

50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou 
shalt take otiier wives besides my daughters, no 
man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me 
and thee.'' 

51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, 
and behold this pillar, which 1 have cast betwixt 
me and thee ; 

52 This heap be witness, and this pillar he wit- 
ness,* that I will not pass over this heap to thee, 
and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and 
tills pillar unto me, for harm. 

53 The God of Aliraliam, and the God of Nahor, 
the God of their father,' judge betwixt us." And 
Jacob sware by the Fear of his father Isaac.'' 

54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice' upon the mount, 
and called his brethren to eat bread: and they 
did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount. 

55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and 
kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed 
them :^ and Laban departed, and returned unto his 
place.^ 



Tke heap of witness. 1 Heb. The heap ofwitius^. » That is, A beacon, or 
watch-towrr. q Judg. 11:29; 1 Sim. 7:5. r Judg. 11:10; I .Sam. I2:.'i; Jer. 
42:5. 'ver. 45, 48. t Josh. 24:2. " ch. 16:5. v ver. 42. \ Or, kilUd beasts. 
"ch.28:l. xch. 30:25; Num. 24:25. 



53. The Fear of his father; sec note on ver. 42. 
55. Hts sons; grandsons. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Covetousness contracts and debases the soul, lessens 
natural affection, and tends greatly to injure those who 
exercise it, and those who feel its influence. 

9. Things which take place in the course of divine prov- 
idence are often, in the Bible, ascribed to God. Good men 
receive all their blessings as coming from him, and give 
him the glory. 

16. When husbands and wives agree in doing what God 
commands, they may expect that he will be with thuni, 
and bestow upon them and their families all needed good. 

24. That protection of tJod which is secured by obeying 
him, is a better safeguard than all human aid. I'rov. 16:7. 



Jacoh wresth'lh. 



GENESIS XXXII. 



with an angel. 



^■li^l CHAPTER XXXII. 

1 Jacob's vision at Mahanaim. 3 His message to Esau. 6 He is 
afraid of Esau's coming. 9 He prayeth for deliverance. 13 He 
scndeth a present to Esau. 24 He wrestleth with an angel at Peniel, 
■where he is called Israel. 31 He halteth. 

AND Jacob went on his way, and the angels 
of God met him.'' 

2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is 
God's host :" and he called the name of that place 
Mahanaim.''' 

3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau 
his brother,'' unto the land of Seir," the ^country 
of Edom. 

4 And he commanded them, saying. Thus shall 
ye speak unto my lord Esau:'' Thy servant Jacob 
saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and 
stayed there until now : 

5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and men- 
servants, and women-servants: and I have sent to 
tell my lord, tliat I may find grace in thy sight.^ 

6 IT And the messengers returned to Jacob, say- 
ing, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he 
cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with 
him. 

7 Tiien Jacob was greatly afraid and distress- 
ed :'' and he divided the people that tvas with him, 
and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into 
two bands; 

8 And said. If Esau come to the one company, 
and smite it, then the other company which is left 
shall escape. 

9 "T[ And Jacob said, God of my father Abra- 
ham, and God of my father Isaac,' the Lord which 
saidst unto me. Return unto thy country, and to 
thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:- 

10 *1 am not worthy of the least of all the mer- 
cies," and of all the truth,' which thou hast showed 
unto thy servant ; for with my staff I passed over 
this Jordan ; and now I am become two bands. "* 

11 Deliver me," I pray thee, from the hand of 
my brother, from tlie hand of Esau : for I fear 
him, lest he will come and smite me, and the moth- 
er *with the children." 

12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, 
and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which 
cannot be numbered for multitude.P 



' Psi. 91:11; Heb. 1:14. I> Josh. 5:14; Psa.34:7; 103:21; 148:2; Luke 
2:l:i. • Thit IS, Two hosts. « Josh. 21:33. <1 Luke 14 : 3 1 , 32. e Deut. 2:5. 
t }Uh.Jietd. t Prov. 15:1. e ch. 33:8, 15. h oh. .35:3; Psa. 107:6. ■ Psa. 
50:15; 91:15. jch. 31:3:13. t Keh. I arn less than all, etc. kch. 24:27; 



36. Good men are sometimes angry with others, when, 
if they knew all the circumstances, they would see that 
the case requires explanation and apology rather than 
censure ; and while ready to forgive, they would also feel 
the need of being forgiven. 

55. When men are disposed, difficulties can be amica- 
bly settled ; and when they are settled, both parties should 
unite in praising God, who is the author, not of contention 
but of peace, and who, in the settlement of difficulties, 
ordinarily confers upon both parties more blessings than 
could be gained by strife. 1 Cor. 14:33; James 3:16. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

2. Mahanaim ; this was east of the Jordan, and north of 
the river Jabbok. 

3. Country of Edom; south and south-east of Canaan. 
6. Grace; Civor. 



13 1 And he lodged there that same night ; and 
took of that which came to his hand a present 
for Esau his brother;' 

14 Two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, 
two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 

15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty 
kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals. 

16 And he delivered them into the hand of his 
servants, every drove by tliemselves; and said 
unto his servants. Pass over before me, and put a 
space betwixt drove and drove. 

17 And he commanded the foremost, saying. 
When Esau my brother meetcth thee, and asketli 
thee, saying. Whose art thou ? and wliither goest 
thou ? and whose are these before tliee ? 

18 Then thou shalt say. They be thy servant Ja- 
cob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: 
and behold, also he is behind us. 

19 And so commanded he the second, and the 
third, and all that followed the droves, saying. 
On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when 
ye find him. 

20 And say ye, moreover. Behold, thy servant 
Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease 
him with the present that goeth before me,'' and 
afterward I will see his face ; peradventure he 
will accept 'of me. 

21 So went the present over before him; and 
himself lodged that night in the company. 

22 And he rose up that night, and took his two 
wives, and his two women-servants, and his eleven 
sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.' 

23 And he took tliera, and 'sent them over the 
brook, and sent over tliat he had. 

24 H And Jacob was left alone ; and there wres- 
tled a man witli him until the 'breaking of the 
day.' 

25 And when he saw that he prevailed not 
against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh ; 
and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, 
as he wrestled witli him. 

26 And he said. Let me go, for the day break- 
eth: and he said, 1 will not let thee go, except 
thou bless me." 

27 And he said unto him, What is thy name ? 
And he said, Jacob. 



Psa. 86:5. 


Psa. 61:7; 85:10. m Job 8:7; Psa. 16:35. » Psa. 59:1, 2. 


5 Heb. upon. 


oHos. 10:14. Pch.2&:13-lo. qProv.le:16. r Prov. 21 :14. 




e. s Deut. 3:16. 11 Heb. caused to pass. ' Heb. ascending of 


the morning. 


tHos. 12:3,4. uLukel8:l; 1 Cor. 15:58. 



7. Jacob was greatly afraid; lest Esau should take ven- 
geance on him for having obtained tlie birthright and the 
blessing. Chap. 27:36, 41. 

16. Put a space betwixt drove and drove; this arrangement 
was adapted to make the deepest impression upon Esau's 
mind. While Jacob put his trust in God, he was careful 
to omit no means of propitiating his brother that lay in 
his power. 

24. A man ; one in the form of a man. 

25. Prevailed not against him; that is, while he used such 
a measure of strength as belongs to a man. Touched the 
hollow — was out of joint ; by this touch he revealed to Jacob 
his divine power, and thus his true character. 

26. Let me go ; this was said to try Jacob. / will not let 
thee go; Jacob, now understanding who it was that had 
been wTcstling with him, felt emboldened to cleave to 
Him till lie should bless him. 

53 



The nuetini; of 



GENESIS XXXIII. 



Jacob and Enau. 



28 And lie said, Tliy name sliall be called no 
more Jai'ob," but Israel:* for as a prince hast 
thou i)i)wcr witli God,'' and with men,"^ and hast 
prevailed. 

2".) And Jacob asked him, and said. Tell vu, 1 
pray thee, tiiy name: and he said, Wliercforc is 
it that thou dost ask after my name?** And lie 
blessed him there. 

30 And Jacob called the name of the j)lacc 
reuiel:* for 1 have seen God face to face," and 
my iile is preserved. 

81 And as he passed over reniicl, tlio sun rose 
upon him. and lie halted u])on liis tliisxli. 

32 Therefore the cliildren of Israel eat not of 
the sinew which slirank, which is upon the hollow 
of tlie thiifh, unto this day ; because he touched the 
hollow of Jacob's thinh in the sinew that shrank. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

I The kindness of Jacob and Esau at tlieir meeting. 17 Jacob Cometh 
to Succotli. 18 At Shalem he buyetli a field, and buildeth an altar 
called El-Elohe-Israel. 

AND Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and 
behold, Esau came, and with him four hun- 
dred men.*^ And he divided the children unto 
Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two hand- 
maids. 

2 And he put the handmaids and their children 
foremost, and Leah and her children after, and 
Rachel and Josepli hindormost. 

3 And he passed over before them, and bowed 
himself to the <jround seven times,^ until he came 
near to his brother. 

4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him," 
and fell on his neck,' and kissed him: and they 
wept. 

5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women 
and the children, and said, Who are those with 



' Ch. 3.):10; 3 Kiiijs 17:34. • Heb. A prime of God. b Hos. 12:3, 4. 
e ch. 31:31; 33:4. i Judg. 13:18. t That is, The face of God. c Exod. 
•24:11; 33:-i0; Deut. 5:24; 34:10; Judg. U:a2; 13:32, 23; Isa. 6:5; John 
1:18; Col. 1:15, Heb. 11:27. ' ch. 33:8. g ch. 18:2; 42:6; 43:26. hob. 
33:28, ich. 45:14. i Ueb. lo thee. J ch. 48:9; Psa. 127:3. S Heb. ICAal 
is all this band to thee' k ch. .33:5, 16. I Heb. be that to thee that is thine. 



28. Israel ; meaning a princely contender with God. As 
a prince hast thou power witli God; the Hebrew word em- 
ployed here, and in the name Israel, has the two mean- 
ings of prince and contention, wrestling. It seems to be 
designedly chosen to unite these two ideas. This verse 
gives the meaning of the transaction, Jacob had wrestled 
with God in prayer, and prevailed; and thus hehad also 
prevailed with tlie men whose anger he feared, as Laban 
and Esau, 

29, Wherefore — ask after my name? implying his exalted 
and mysterious nature. Compare Judg. 13:18. The name 
of God comprehends all his attributes. 

30. Peniel; meaning the face of God. This Jacob says 
he had seen, showing that the one with whom he had 
wrestled was God in human form, the Angel of the cove- 
nant, the Messiah. Hos, 12:3-5, 

31, Penuel; meaning the same as Peniel, Ver. 30. He 
halted; limped, or was lame, in consequence of the touch 
of the Angel. Ver. 25. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Angels are ministering spirits sent forth by God to 
minister to those who are heirs of salvation. Psa. 9 : 11 ; 
Matt. 4:11; Heb, 1:14, 

7, Past transgressions are often remembered, and cause 
deep and pungent distress long after they have been com- 
mitted, 

54 



thee?* And he .said. The children which b.c.kS 
God hath frraeiously fjiven thy servant.^ 

G Then the handniaiilens came near, they and 
their children, and they bowed themselves. 

7 And Leuli also with her ehihlren came near, 
and bowed theirselves; and alter canu' Joseph 
near and Rachel, and they l)owed themselves. 

8 And he said, ' Wiiat meanest thou by all this 
drove which I met? And he said, Tluse are to 
find p^race in the sij^lit of my lord.'' 

9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; 
keep' that thou hast unto thyself.' 

10 And .laeob said. Nay, 1 pray thee, if now I 
liave found grace in tiiy siglit, then receive my 
jiresent at my hand; for therefore I have seen tiiy 
face,"' as thougli 1 had seen the face of God, and 
thou wast jileased witii me. 

1 1 Take, J pray thee, my blessing that is brought 
to thee ;" because God hath dealt graciously with 
me, and because I have 'enough:" and he urged 
him,'' and he took it. 

12 And he said. Let us take our journey, and 
let us go, and I will go before thee. 

13 And he said unto him. My lord knowcth that 
the children are tender,'' and the flocks and herds 
with young arc witii me; and if men should over- 
drive them one day, all the flock will die. 

14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before 
his servant; and I will lead on softly, 'according 
as the cattle tiiat goeth before me and the cliil- 
dren be able to endure, until I come unto my lord 
unto Seir.'' 

15 And Esau said. Let me now ^leave with thee 
soine of the folk that arc with me: and he said, 
What' needeth it? Let me find grace in the 
sight of my lord.* 

16 1 So Esau returned that day on his way 
unto Seir. 



1 Prov. 16:7. m ch. 43:3; 2 Sam. 3:13. n 1 Sam. 35:37; 2 Kings 5:15. 
M{e\>. all things, o Phil. 4:18. P 2 Kings 5:16. 23. <1 1 Chr. 22:5. "Heb. 
according to the foot of the work, etc., atut according to the foot of the chil- 
dren. ' ch. 32:3. t Heb. set, or place. I Heb. Wherefore is this? • ch. 
34:11; Ruth 2:13; 2 Sam. 16:4. 



12. Supplication to God is one of the most sure and 
powerful means of influencing men and obtaining from 
them what wc desire. Prov. 16:7; 21:1. 

20. Prayer does not render needless the most diligent 
use of appropriate means, but encourages it, and is in- 
strumental in its success. 

28. Fervency and perseverance in penitent, believing 
prayer, has great influence with God : it prepares the way 
for deliverance from present trials, and fui-nishes the best 
preparation for all which are future. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

2. Tlie handmaith — Leah — Rachel; putting those last that 
were most dear to him. Chap. 32:8. 

4. They wept; for joy, at meeting each other in such a 
kind manner. 

8. Grace; favor, by their being presented to Esau. 

10. As though I had seen the face of God; imder circum- 
stances of great and peculiar favor. 

11. My blessing; his present, as a token of his kindness 
and desire to promote Esau's good. 

12. He; Esau. 

13. He; Jacob. 

15. Let me find grace; be permitted to proceed without 
any of Esau's men to accompany him. 



The Shuliemites deceived 



GENESIS XXXIV. 



hy the sons of Jccoh. 



«.' " S 17 And Jacob journeyed to Succotli,'' and 
built him a liouse, and made booths for his cat- 
tle : therefore the name of the place is called Suc- 
coth." 

18 IT And Jacob came to Shalem,*" a city of 
Shechem/ wliicli is in the land of Canaan, when 
he came from Padau-aram; and pitched his tent 
before the city. 

19 And he bought a parcel of a field,'' where he 
had spread his tent, at the hand of the children 
of Hanior,* Shechem's father, for a hundred -^pieces 
of money. 

20 And he erected there an altar,'' and called it 
El-Elohe-Israel." 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1 Dinah is ravished by Shechem. 4 He sueth to marry her. 13 The 
sons of Jacob offer the condition of circumcision to the Shechemites. 
20 Hamor and Shechem persuade them to accept it. 2-5 The sons of 
Jacob upon that advantage slay them, 27 and spoil their city. 30 
Jacob reproveth Simeon and Levi. 

AND Dinah the daughter of Leah,° which she 
bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daugh- 
ters of the land.' 

2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the 
Ilivite, prince of tlie country, saw her," ho took 
her, and lay with lier, and defiled her.'' 

3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter 
of Jacob," and he loved the damsel, and spake 
kindly' unto the damsel. 

4 And Sliechem s]iakc unto his father Hamor, 
saying. Get me this damsel to wife.' 

5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah 
liis daughter: now his sous were with his cattle 
in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they 
were come.' 

6 1 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out 
unto Jacob to commune with him. 

7 And the sons of Jacob came out of tlie field 
when they heard it: and the men were grieved, 
and they were very wrotii,'' because he had wrought 
folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter;' 
which thing ought not to be done.'" 

8 And Hamor communed with them, saying. 
The soul of my son Sliechem longeth for your 
daughter : 1 pray you give her him to wife. 
9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your 



» Josh. 13:27; Judg. S:5. • That is. iooMi. b John 3;23. tActs7:l(;, 
called Sj(f/«m. ' oh. 23:17; Josh 21:33. I Acts 7:16, called £mmor. S Or, 
lambs, i ch. 35:7. I That is, God tlu God of Israel, e ch. 30:21. ! Tit. 
2:5. s JuJg. 14:1; 2 Sam, 11:2. 1 Heb. humbled her ; Deut. 21:11; 23:2-1, 
29; Judg. l'J:24,2o; Ezek. 22:10, 11. h Buth 1:14; 1 Sam. \!i:\. • Heb. to 

17. Home; or tent. Chap. 27:15. Bootlis; shelters, cov- 
erings. Succoth ; that is, booths ; a place east of the Jor- 
dan, and south of the Jabbok. 

18. Skalem; on the west of Jordan, and north-east of 
Shechem. Shalem means peace ; and some have rendered 
this, he came in peace to the city of Shechem. Sliechem ; 
or Sychar, John 4:5, about forty miles north of Jerusalem, 
in the part of Canaan afterwards called Samaria. 

20. El-Elohe-Israel ; God the God of Israel. Chapter 
32:24-30. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. A soft answer turneth away wiath ; and yielding 
pacifieth great offences. Prov. 15:1; Eccl. 10:4. 

11. Men who feel and act right, wiU in all their ways 
acknowledge God, and adore him as the giver of all their 
mercies. In so doing, they may hope for wisdom to adopt 



daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto 
you. 

10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land 
shall be before you ;" dwell and trade ye therein, 
and get you possessions therein. 

11 And Shechem said unto her father, and unto 
her brethren. Let me find grace in your eyes, and 
what ye shall say unto me I will give. 

12 Ask me never so mucli dowry and gift," and 
I will give according as ye shall say unto me : but 
give me the damsel to wife. 

13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem 
and Hamor his father deceitfully," and said. Be- 
cause he had defiled Dinah their sister : 

14 And they said unto them. We cannot do this 
thing, to give our sister to one tliat is uncircum- 
cised ; for that loere a reproach unto us:' 

15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye 
will be as we be, that every male of you be circum- 
cised ;■■ 

16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, 
and we will take your daughters to us, and we 
will dwell with you, and we will become one 
people. 

17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be cir- 
cumcised ; then will we take our daughter, and 
we will be gone. 

18 And their words pleased Hamor and Shechem 
Hamor's son. 

19 And the young man deferred not to do the 
thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daugh- 
ter:'* and he was more honorable than all the 
house of his father.' 

20 IT And Hamor and Shechem his son came 
unto the gate of their city, and communed with 
the men of their city, saying, 

21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore 
let them dwell in the land, and trade therein ; for 
the land, behold, it is large enough for them: lot 
us take tlieir daughters to us for wives, and let us 
give them our daughters. 

22 Only herein will the men consent unto us 
for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every 
male among us be circumcised, as they are circum- 
cised." 

23 Shall not their cattle, and their substance, 



the heart of the damsel ; 2 Sam. 10:7; 2Chr.30;23; Isi.40:a. >Judg.l4:2. 
i 1 Sam. 10:27; 2Sam. 13:22. k oh. 49:7. I Josh. 7; 15; Judg. 20:6 2 Sam. 
13:12. mDeut. 23:17. iich.l3:9. o Exod. 22:17. pProv.26:25. q Josh. 
5:9. rGal.4:12. sch. 29:30. 'ch. 4:9; 41 :20; Num.22:15; 1 Kings22:24; 
2 Kings 5:1; Isa. 3:3-5; 5:13; 2:3:8,9; Acts 13:50; 17:12. over. 15, 17. 



such measures as he will crown with success. Prov. 3:6; 
Psa. 25 : 9. 

20. When God, in fulfilment of his promises, bestows 
on men special favors, they should render special thanks- 
giving ; and wherever they reside, should have a placa 
consecrated to public worship. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

13. Deceitfully; pretending one thing and meaning an- 
other. And said; to justify the crime they were plotting. 

14. We cannot ; this shows the manner in which the 
word cannot is often used in the Bible, referring, not to 
power, but choice. 

16. Then will we give; this was false, and designed to 
deceive Hamor and Shechem. 

19. Deferred not; did not hesitate to do what they pro- 
posed. 

55 



Tht Shtchtmitfs si.. in. 



GENESIS XXW. 



Jarob birssrd at Ihthrl. 



and every beast of theirs he ours?* only lot us 
consent unto tlioin, and they will dwell with us. 

24 Anil unto llanior and unto Shechcm his son 
licarkeni'd all that wont out of the gate of his 
city:'' and every nuile was circumcised, all that 
went out of the j^ato of his city. 

"2") *! Aiul it came to jiass on the third day, 
when tliov wore sore, that two of the sons (if Ja- 
cob. Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each 
man iiis sword, and came upon the city boldly, 
anil slew all the nialcs.'^ 

lid And they slew llanior and Shecliem his son 
with the edi^e" of the sword,'' and took Dinaii out 
of .Sjiei'heurs house, and went out. 

27 Tlie sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and 
spoiled the city, because they had defiled their 
sister." 

28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and 
tiieir asses, and tiiat which icas in the city, and 
that whicii loaa in the lield, 

29 And all tiicir wealth, and all their little ones, 
and their wives took they captive, and spoiled 
even all that was in tiie house. 

:^0 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have 
troubled me' to make me to stink among the in- 
habitants of the land,^' among the Canaanites, and 
the Perizzites: and I hcino; few in number," they 
shall gather tlieniselves together against me, and 
slay me ; and 1 sliall be destroyed, I and my house. 

31 And thoy said. Should he deal with our sis- 
ter as with a harlot? 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

1 God sendeth Jacob to Betii-el. 2 He purgeth his house of idols. 6 
He buildeth an altar at Btth-cl. 8 Deborah dieth at AUon-bachuth. 
9 G-od blesseth Jacob at Beth-el. 16 Rachel travaileth of Benjamin, 
and dieth in the way to Edar. 22 Reuben lieth with Bilhah. 23 
The sons of Jacob. 27 Jacob cometh to Isaac at Hebron. 2S Tlie 
age, death, and burial of Isaac. 

AND God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to 
Beth-el, and dwell there:' and make there 
an altar unto God, tliat appeared unto thee when 
thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother .J 

2 Tlien Jacob said unto his household,"^ and to 
all that were with him, Put away the strange gods ' 
that are among you,'" and be clean," and change 
your garments : 

3 And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el ; and I 



» Prov. 1:12, 13. b ch. 4! 


18, 


ch. 49:5-7. • Hcb. mouth, i Deut. 


3-2:42. e ch. 49:7. ' Josh. 


7;2.-i 


e ExoJ. 5:21; 1 Sam. 13:4; 27:12. 


1 Deut. 4:27; Psa. 105:12. 


l's» 


47:4 J ch. 27:43; 33:13, 19. t ch. 


18:19. 'Josh. 21:15: Psa. 101 


■2-7, 


mch. 31:19; Josh. 24:2:3; 1 Sam. 7:3. 


»Exod. 19:10. och. 32:7,24; 


I'si. 


107:6. Pch. 2.-(:20; 31:3, 42. 1 Exod. 



25. Simeon and Levi; compare ver. 30, and also Jacob's 
last words, chap. 49:5-7. 

29. The house; the houses of the Shechemites. 

30. Slink; become odious, hateful. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

2. Nest to the fear and love of God, the guardianship 
of parents is the groat safeguard of children. 

5. In this life, trials often succeed trials like the waves 
of the sea ; the passing away of some being quickly fol- 
lowed by the coming of others. 

13. Tlie deoeitfulness of parents is often dreadfully 
punished by the deeeitfulness of their children. 

24. Pecuniary considerations have great influence with 
men, and they will readily submit to much self-denial for 
the sake of making money. 

29. Deceit, hypocrisy, and a profane use of divine ordi- 
56 



will make there an altnr unto God, who a.ii .bo., 
answered me in the day of my distress," h. c. 1732. 
and was with me in the way which I went.'' 

4 And they gave unto .Jacob ail tin; strange gods 
wliich xi'crc in their hand, and nil tltdr ear-rings 
which were in their ears:'' and Jacob hid them 
under the oak which wa.<! by Sheclicin.'' 

5 ,\nd tiicy journeyed: and the terror of Goil 
was upon the cities that xrcre round about thein," 
and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 

() ^ So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land 
of ('anaan, that m, IJeth-el, he and all the people 
that were witli liiin. 

7 Anil he Imilt tlicre an altar, and called the 
place El-beth-el ; * because there God appeared 
unto him, when he lied from the face of his 
brother.' 

8 But Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died, and she 
was buried beneath Beth-el, under an oak: and 
the name of it was called AUon-bachuth.* 

9 1 And God appeared unto Jacob again when 
he came out of Padaii-aram, and blessed him. 

10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: 
thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but 
Israel shall be thy name ; and he called his name 
Israel." 

11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty:" 
be fruitful and multiply ; a nation and a company 
of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come 
out of thy loins. 

12 And the land which I gave Abraham and 
Isaac,"' to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after 
thee will I give the land. 

13 And God went up from him in the place 
where he talked witii him." 

14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place 
where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone -J 
and he poured a drink-offering thereon, and he 
poured oil thereon. 

15 And Jacob called the name of the place 
where God sjiake with him, Beth-el. 

16 1 And they journeyed from Beth-el ; and 
there was but % little way to come to Eplirath: 
and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. 

17 And it came to pass when she was in hard 
labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not ; 
thou shalt have this son also.^ 



.12:3 


4; Hos 


2: 13. 


r Judi; 


9:0. 


' Ex. 23 


27; Deut 


11:25; 


Jo.5h. 2:9; 


■!CM 


. 14:14. 


t That 


., Thl. 


God of Bellul. 1 


ch. 2'i:13. 


1 That 


is. The oak 


of V 




u ch. 32:28. 


vch. 


17:1; 48:3. 


4; Exod. 


0:3. w ch. 12:7; 


1:M. 


; 2^:13 


X ch. 


17:23. 


y ch. 


2S:1S. ! 


Jeb. a litltc piece 


of ground. 


2ch. 


30:21; 1 


Sam. 4 


20. 













nances, blind the mind, harden the heart, sear the con- 
science, and prepare the way for the most abominable 
crimes. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

2. Change your garments; a symbol of the inward puri- 
fication of the soul. 

3. The day of my distress; chap. 28:20; 32:7, 24-28. 

4. Ear-rings; probably graven with superstitious devi- 
ces, and used as amulets or charms. 

7. El-belh-el; God of Bethel. 

8. Deborah; chap. 24:69. AUon-bachuth; the oak of 
weeping. 

15. Beth-el; house of God. Chap. 28:19. 

16. Ephrath; also called Bethlehem, about six miles 
south of Jerusalem. Ver. 19. 



Death of Rachel and Isaac. 



GENESIS XXXVI. 



Generations of Esatu 



A. M. abou'. 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in 
I!. if'\-i-a. departing," (for she died,) that she called his 
name Ben-oni ;* but his father called him FJenjamin.^ 

19 And Rachel died," and was buried in the way 
to Ephratli,'' wliich is Beth-lehem. 

20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her crravc : that 
is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.'' 

21 1 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent 
beyond the tower of Edar." 

22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in 
that land, that Reuben went and lay witli Bilhali 
his father's concubine i*^ and Israel heard it. Now 
the sons of Jacob were twelve :° 

23 The sons of Leah ; Reuben, Jacob's first-born, 
and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, 
and Zebulun : 

24 The sons of Rachel : Joseph, and Benjamin: 

25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid ; 
Dan, and Naphtali : 

26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid; 
Gad, and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, 
which were born to him in Padan-aram. 

27 1 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto 
Manire," unto the city of Arba,' which is Hebron, 
where Abraham and Isaac sojourned. 

28 And the days of Isaac were a hundred and 
fourscoi'c years. 

29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and 
was gathered unto his people, being old and full 
of days ;J and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him." 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

1 Esau's three wives. 6 His removing to mount Seir. 9 His sons. 
15 The dukes which descended of his sons. 20 The sons and dukes 
of Seir. 34 Anah findeth mules. 31 The kings of Edom. 40 The 
dukes ihat descended of Esau. 

NOW these are the generations of Esau, who 
is Edom.i 
2 Esau took his wives of the daugjiters of Ca- 
naan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite,'" 
and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daugh- 
ter of Zibeon the Hivite, 



» Lim 2 : 12. ■ That is, We son of my sorrow, t That is, TAe son of the 
rightlmrul. boh. 48:7. « Ruth 1:'J; 4; 11; Mic. 5:2; iMalt. 2;<). d 1 Sam. 
1U:2. =Mic.4:8. f ch. 49:4 ; 1 Chr. 5:1 ; 1 Cor. 5: 1, s ch. 4S;S. h ch. 
13:18. i Josh. 14:15; 15:13. J ch. ■i5:S; Job 5:26. t ch. 25:9. 1 ch. 



3 And Bashemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of 
Nebajoth. 

4 And Adah bare to Esau, Elipliaz ; and Bashe- 
math bare Reuel ; 

5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and 
Korah:" these are the sons of Esau, which were 
born unto him in the land of Canaan. 

G And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and 
Ins daughters, and all the persons* of his house. 
and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his sub- 
stance which he had got in the land of Canaan : 
and went into the country from the face of his 
brother Jacob. 

7 For their riches were more than that they 
might dwell together ; and the land wherein they 
were strangers could not bear them, because of 
their cattle." 

8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir :'' Esau is Edom. 

9 1 And these are the generations of Esau the 
father of the Edomites^ in mount Seir : 

10 These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz 
the son of Adah the wife of Esau ; Reuel the son 
of Bashemath the wife of Esau."" 

11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, 
Zepho,' and Gatam, and Kenaz. 

12 And Timnawas concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's 
son; and she bare to Eliphaz, Amalek:'' these 
were the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. 

13 And these are the sons of Reuel ; Xahath, 
and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the 
sons of Bashemath, Esau's wife. 

14 1 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, 
the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, 
Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau, Jeush, and 
Jaalam, and Korah. 

15 *\\ These leere dukes of the sons of Esau : the 
sons of Eliphaz the first-born son of Esau; duke 
Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, 

16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek : 
these are the dukes that cavu of Eliphaz. in the 
land of Edom : these were the sons of Adah. 

17 t And these are the sons of Reuel, Esau's 



18. Ben-oni; son of my sorrow. Benjamin; meaning, 
son of the right hand. 

20. Unto this day; the time when Moses wrote this liis- 
tory. 

21. Toioer of Edar; that is, tower of the flock. Micah 
4:8. It is supposed to have been not far from Bethlehem. 

27, Hebron; chap, 13:18; 23:2, 19, 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. When God has graciously appeared for us in trouble, 
answered our prayers, and visited us in mercy, we should 
hasten to acknowledge his goodness, and render the praise 
and thanksgiving which are his due and our reasonable 
service. 

8. Domestics who perform with fidelity their appropri- 
ate duties to God and to men, add greatly to the comfort 
and usefulness of families, and are justly entitled to con- 
fidence, affection, and respect. By the wise and the good 
they will be greatly beloved while they live, and deeply 
lamented when they die. 

14. Whenever God especially blesses men, pious grati- 
tude should lead them publicly to acknowledge and adore 
Liu. 



25-30. mch. 26:34. nlChr.l:35. t Ueh. souls, och. 13:6,11. P Deut. 
•>-5 5 Heb. Edom. q ver. 3, 4; 1 Chr. 1:35. I Or, ZrpM; 1 Chr. 1:36. 
r Ex. 17:8, 14; Num. 24:20; 1 Sam. 15:2. 



19. Not a thought, word, or action escapes tlie notice 
of God, or ever passes from his remembrance. Give me 
children, said Rachel, or else I die. Chap, 30:1. God 
gave her children, and she died. More wise, more safe, 
more blessed is it to say. Not my will, but thine be done. 
Matt. 26:39-42; Luke 22:42. 

29. The death of a parent should ever awaken new 
affection and kindness in children; and while they unite 
in paying respect to his memory, they should be grateful 
for his virtues, and so far as he obeyed God, imitate his 
example. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

1. Generations of Esau; a notice of his descendants. 
Edom; chap. 25:30. 

2, Esau took his wives; chap. 26: 34; 28:9, In the differ- 
ent accounts his wives and their parents are called hy 
different names, more than one name being often applied 
to the same person, 

7, Could not bear them ; they needed more pasturage for 
their flocks, 

8, Mount Seir; chap. 32:3. 

15. Dukes; leaders, or princes. 

57 



The dukes of Edom. 



GENESIS WWII, 



Josep/i's first dram. 



son ; tiuke Naliath, diiko ZtM-ali, duke Sliaminali, 
duke Mizzali: tliese nre tlio dukes that caiiu' of 
Rcucl, in tlie land of Kdoni : these are the sons of 
Basheniatli, Ksau's wife. 

18 "i And these are the sons of Aholibamah, 
Ksau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalani, duke Ko- 
raii : these urrc tlie dukes f/iat came of Aholibamaii 
the dau-riiter of Anah, Esau's wife. 

ll) These are tiie sons of Esau, who is Edom, and 
tljcse arc tlieir dukes. 

20 *i Tiiese are tlie sons of Scir the Horite," who 
inliabited tiie land; Lotan, aud rfhobal, and Zib- 
con, and Anah, 

21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these arc 
the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in 
the land of Edom. 

22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and 
Hemam;' and Lotan's sister was Timna. 

23 And the children of Shobal were these; AI- 
van,* and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho.*and Onam. 

24; And these are the children of Zibeon; both 
Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found 
the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of 
Zibeon his father. 

25 And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, 
and Aholibamah the dauorhter of Anah. 

26 Aud these nre the cliildren of Dishon ; Hem- 
dan,^ and Eshban, and llhran, and Clieran. 

27 The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and 
Zaavau, and Akan.' 

28 The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and 
Aran. 

29 These are the dukes that came of the Horites ; 
duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 

30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan : these 
are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes 
in the land of Seir. 

31 IT And these are the kings that reigned in the 
land of Edom,'' Ijefore there reigued any king over 
the children of Israel. 

32 Aud Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom : 
and the name of his city ivas Dinhabah. 

33 Aud Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah 
of Bozrah reigned in his stead. 

34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of 
Temani reigned in his stead. 

35 Aud Husham died, and Hadad the son of 
Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, 
reigned in his stead: and the name of his city 
was Avith. 



» Ch. 14:6; Deut. 2:1-1, 2>. • Or, HoiHam. \ Or. Allan, t Or, Shepkl. 
iOT,Amram. iOr,Jakan. blChr.l:4:). ech.lU;il. 1 1 Chr. 1 :oO; Ha- 
dad Pal. After his death was an aristocracy, d Exod. 15:15. ' Ox^ Allah. 
t Heb. Edom I Heb. of his falher's sojounungs. » ch. 17:3; 23:4; 3<:4; 



20. Sons of Seir; these were the former iuhabitants, 
called Horites. 

24. T/ie mules; many prefer to render, the "warm 
springs," perhaps those of Callirrho'e, on the east side of 
the Dead sea. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. In this world, as to temporal things, God treats the 
righteous and the wicked in many respects ahke. He 
makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and 
sends his rain on the just and on the unjust. IJut in the 
future world, each will receive according to his works. 
43. Enough of the history of Esau's descendants is 
58 



30 And Hadad died, ami Samlah of Mas- a. m. »i«ut 
rekah reigned in his stead. ii. <■ Itw. 

37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth'^ by 
the river reigned in his stead. 

3S And Saul died, aud Haal-hanan the son of 
Achlior reigned in his stead. 

3'.) .Vnd Baal-hanan the son of Achlior died, and 
Hadar'' reigued in his stead: and the name of his 
city was l*au; and his wife's name tro,? Mehetabcl, 
the daughter of Hatred, the daughter of Mczahab. 

40 And these are the names of the dukes that 
came of Esau,'' according to their families, after 
their places, liy their names; duke Timnali, duke 
Alvah,' duke Jetheth, 

41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 

42 Duke Keiiaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 

43 Duke Magdiel, duke Irani : these be the dukes 
of Edom, according to their habitations in the 
land oi' their possession: he is Esau the father of 
the Edomites.'' 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

■1 Josepli is liatcd of his brethren. .0 His two dreams. 13 Jacob send- 
eth him to visit his brethren. IS His brethren conspire his death. 
'Jl Reuben saveth him. 26 They sell him to the Ishmaelitcs. 3\ 
His father, deceived by the bloody coat, mourneth for him. 36 He 
IS sold to Potiphar in l^gypt. 

ND Jacob dwelt in the land * wherein his fa- 
ther was a stranger," in the land of Canaan. 

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph 
being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock 
with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons 
of Billiah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's 
wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their 
evil report.'' 

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his 
children, because he teas the son of his old age:° 
aud he made him a coat oiinany colors.^'' 

4 And when his brethren saw that their father 
loved him more than all his brethren, they hated 
him,' and could not speak peaceably unto him. 

5 1 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told 
it his brethren : and they hated him yet the more. 

6 Aud he said unto them. Hear, I pray you, this 
dream which I have dreamed : 

7 For behold, we were binding sheaves in the 
field, and lo, niy sheaf arose, and also stood up- 
right; and behold, youi- sheaves stood round 
about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.J 

8 Aud his brethren said to him, Shalt thou in- 
deed reign over us?" or shalt thou indeed have 



A' 



36:7; Heb. 11:9-16. f 1 Sam. 2:23-24; 1 Cor. 1:11; 5:1; 11:1-. S ch. 
44-2U. ! Or. jJicres. h Judg.5:30; 2 Sam. 13:18; Ezek. 10:16. ich. 49:23; 
Psa. 38:19; B9:4; Tit. 3:5. J ch, 42:6-9; 43:20; 44:14. k Psa. 118:23; 
Luke 19:14, 27. 



given in the Bible to show that the promises of God con- 
cerning him were accomplished. 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

2. Som of Bilhah, and— Zilpah ; Dan and Naphtali, Gad 
and Asher. Chap. 30 : 4-13. Tkeir evil report; Joseph 
made known to Jacob their evil conduct. 

3. Coat of many colors; as a mark of distinction, and an 
expression of his father's love. 

4. Could not; for want of disposition, not of power; 
they chose not to do it. 

7. Made obeisance; bowed down; a common mode of ex- 
pressing subjection. 



Joscp/is second dream. 



GENESIS XXXVII. 



Hh brethren sell him. 



kc.iWx dominion over us? And they liatcd him 
yet tlie more for his dreams, and for his words. 

9 1l And he dreamed yet another dream, and told 
it his brethren, and said. Behold, I have dreamed 
a dream more; and behold, the sun and tlie moon 
and the eleven stars made obeisance to me." 

10 And he told it to his father, and to his breth- 
ren : and his father rebuked him, and said unto 
him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed ? 
Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed 
come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?'' 

11 And his brethren envied him; "^ but his father 
observed the saying.'' 

12 1 And his brethren went to feed their fa- 
ther's flock in Shechem. 

13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy 
brethren feed the flock in Shechem ? Come, and I 
will send thee unto them.'' And he said to him. 
Here mn I. 

14 And he said to him. Go, I pray thee, "see 
whether it be well with thy brethren, and well 
with the flocks; and bring me word again. So 
he scut him out of the vale of Hebron,' and he 
came to Shechem. 

15 T And a certain man found him, and behold, 
he was wandering in the field : and the man asked 
him, saying. What seekest thou?^ 

16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me,'' I 
pray thee, where tiiey feed their flocks. 

17 And the man said, They are departed hence; 
for I heard them say. Let us go to Dothan. And 
Joseph went after his brethren, and found them 
in Dothan.' 

IS And when they saw liim afar off, even before 
he came near unto them, they conspired against 
him to slay him.J 

19 And they said one to another, Beliold, this 
dreamer^ cometh. 

20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him,'' 
and cast him into some pit, and we will say. 
Some evil beast hath devoured him ; and we shall 
see what will become of his dreams. 

21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him 
out of their hands; and said. Let us not kill him. 

22 And Reuben said unto them. Shed no blood,' 
but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, 
and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid 



a Oh 44:14; 46:29; 50:18. bch. 27:29. » Acts 7:9. d Dan. 7:S8; Luke 
2:19. 51. e 1 Sam. 17:17; Luke 20:13. * Heb. see the peace of thy brethren, 
elc. fch. 35:27. f Judg. 4:22; 2 Kings 6:19. hCant.l:7. i2Kings8:13. 
JPsa. 31:13; 37-12. :i2; 94:21; Matt.21:.38; 27:1: John 11:53; Acts 23:12. 
t Reb. rrmster of dreams, k Prov. 1:11, 16; 27:4. 1 ch. 42:22. "Matt. 
27:28. 1 Or, pieces. ' ver. 3. " Psi. 35:7; Lam. 4:2U. p PrOY. 30:2U; 
Amos 6:6. q ver. 28. 36. r Jer. 8:22. « ch. 4:10; Job 16:18. t 1 Sam. 



9. Sun — moon and — eleven stars; referring to Joseph's 
father, mother, and eleven brethren. 

11. Observed the saying; remembered it, and reflected 
much ui)on its meaning. 

12. Shechem; chap. 33:18. 

17. Dothan; twelve or fifteen miles north of Shechem. 

22. That he }night rid him out of their hands; prevent 
their killing hira, and restore him again to his father. 

24. Into a pit ; that is, a cistern underground. Such cis- 
terns are used now, as anciently, to hold water, and some 
of them are of great size. 

28. Midianites — hhmaelites; it seems to have been a 
mixed company', made up of Ishmaelites, descendants of 
Ishmael, and Midianites, descendants of Midian, Abra- 



him out of their hands, to deliver him to his fa- 
ther again. 

23 T And it came to pass, when Joseph was come 
unto his brethren, that they stri]iped Joseph out of 
his coat," his coat oimany colors* that u-as on him ;" 

24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit:" 
and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 

25 And they sat down to eat bread:" and they 
lifted up their eyes and looked, and behold, a 
company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead," with 
their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh,'' 
going to carry it down to Egypt. 

26 And Judah said unto his brethren. What profit 
is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood ?' 

27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and 
let not our liand be upon him ;' for he is our broth- 
er and our flesh : and his brethren ^were content. 

28 Then there passed by Midianites," merchant- 
men ; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of 
the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 
twenty pieces of silver:^ and they brought Joseph 
into Egypt. 

29 1 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and 
behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his 
clothes."' 

30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, 
The child is not;'' and I, whither shall I go? 

31 And they took Joseph's coat,'' and killed a 
kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood ; 

32 And they sent the coat of many colors, and 
they brought it to their father; and said, This 
have we found : know now whether it be thy son's 
coat or no. 

33 And he knew it, and said. It is my son's coat ; 
an evil beast hath devoured him ; Joseph is with- 
out doubt rent in pieces.*^ 

34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sack- 
cloth upon his loins,* and mourned for his son 
many days. 

35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose 
up to comfort him : but he refused to be comfort- 
ed;" and he said. For I will go down into tlie 
grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father 
wept for him. 

36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto 
Potiphar, an officer' of Pharaoh's, and captain^ of 
the guard. 



18:17; 2 Sam. 12:9. i Heb. hearkened. " Jiidg. 6:3. » Psa. 105:17; Zech. 
11:12; Matt. 27:9; Acts 7:9. " Num. 14:6; Judg. 11:35; Job 1:20; Joel 
2:13. ich. 42:13,36; Jer. 31:15. y ver. 23. Jch. 44:29. a 2 Kings 19:1 ; 
Esther4:1; Isa. 32:11; Jonah 3:5. b 2 Sam. 12:17. I Heb. eunuch, cham- 
berlain, or courtier; Esther 1 :1U. % Or, chief marshal. Heb. chief of the 
slaughter-men, or ezccutioners. 



ham's fourth son by Keturah. Hence they are called now 
by one name, now hy the other. 

29. Rent his dollies; a common way in the East of ex- 
pressing deep grief. 

30. The child is not; Reuben was probably absent when 
they sold Joseph. 

33. Joseph is — rent in pieces; Jacob, who deceived his 
father, is now himself wofully deceived by his children. 

34. Sackcloth; a kind of coarse cloth worn by mourners. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. Parents in the treatment of their children need wis- 
dom from above, and should carefully avoid making invid- 
ious distinctions between them. 

59 



The cJiilihtn of .htihih. 



GENESIS \\\\ 111. 



Ttirnar tlecfiirth Judali. 



(11 A I' IKi: \ X \ \ I I I. 

1 Juduli l..-.ii..ih Kr, (in.vi. ,111,1 Sli.l^li. c, Kr iii.irri.ih Tamar. S 
The trnpasa of Onan. 1 1 Tamar nUvrtli for Shclah. 13 Sho iIl- 
ceirrth JuJah. 27 Sho btanlh twins, I'haroz and Znrah. 

AND it c;»nip to jniss at that time, that Judah 
went down from liis brctiiren, and turned in 
to a certain Adnllaniite, wiiose name ivas Iliruli. 

2 And Judali saw there a dannrlitcr of a certain 
Canaanite, whose name u-as .^huah; and lie tooic 
her, and went in unto her. 

3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he 
caih'd his name Er." 

4 And slie conceived asrain, and bare a son ; and 
she called his name Onan.'' 

5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son ; 
and called his name Shelah : '' and he was at Chezib 
•when she bare him. 

6 And Judah took a wife for Er his first-born, 
whose name teas Tamar. 

7 And Er, Judah's lirst-born, was wicked in the 
sight of the Lord; and the Loud slew him.*^ 

8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy 
brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed 
to thy brother." 

9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be 
his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto 
his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, 
lest that he should give seed to his brother. 

10 And the thing which he did 'displeased the 
Lord ; wherefore he slew him also. 

11 Then said Judali to Tamar his daughter-in- 
law, Remain a wndow at thy father's house, till 
Shelah my son be grown : for he said, Lest per- 
adventure he die also, as his brethren did. And 
Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house. 

12 1[ And *in process of time, the daughter of 
Shuah, Judah's wife, died; and Judah was com- 
forted, and went up unto his sheep-shearers to 
Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullaniite. 

13 And it was told Tamar, saying. Behold, thy 
father-in-law goeth up to Timnath' to shear bis 
sheep. 

14 And she put her widow's garments off from 



> Ch.4B:12. b ch. 40:13. c vcr. 11,28. d 1 Chr. 2:3. e Deut. 25:5; 
Matt. 2:2:24. * Heb. was evil in tkf. eyes o/t/ie Lord, t Heb. i/ie days were 
muUiplied. f Jo.*. 15: lU; Judg. 14:1. 1 Heb. the door of eyes, or of Eim- 
jim. sProT. 7:12. t Heb. a kid of the goals, h ver. 25. i 2 Sam. "14:2, 5. 



8. Children who are especiaUy favored need much wis- 
dom, in order not needles.sly to increase the difficulty 
■which the partiality of parents occasions. 

11. God's dealings with children are full of instruction, 
and worthy of being carefully observed and seriously 
pondered by parents. 

18. Envy tends to make men hard-hearted and cruel, to 
root out even natural affection, and awaken the most ma- 
lignant and murderous passions. 

24. Great favors of Providence are often accompanied 
or followed by great trials. 2 Cor. 2:7 ; Heb. 12: 6. 

32. Under the influence of envy or covetousness, men 
may sell even their own brother into perpetual bondage, 
and rend the heart of an affectionate father with exquisite 
anguish. But in doing it, tliey are preparing for exquisite 
anguish themselves. 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

1. Adullamite; belonging to Adullam, a place north of 
Hebron, and south-west from Jerusalem. 

2. Shiiah; the name, not of the daughter, but of her 
father. Vcr. 12. 

60 



her, and covered her with a veil, and wrap- a. v.booi 
ped her.self,andsat in 'an open place," which h >'i;j7 
is by the way to Timnath ; for she saw that Shelah 
was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. 

l.*) When Judah saw her, he thought her to he a 
harlot ; because she had coveretl her face. 

1(1 And he turned unto her by the way, and saiii. 
Go to, 1 pray thee, let me come in unto thee; for 
he knew not that she? was his daughter-in-hiw. 
And she said. What wilt thou give me, that thou 
mayest come in unto me? 

17 And he said, 1 will send thfc 'a kid from the 
flock. And she said. Wilt thou give ine a plcdtre. 
till thou send it ? 

18 And he said. What pledge shall I give thee ? 
And she said. Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and 
thy staff that is in thy hand :'' and he gave it her. 
and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. 

I'J And she arose, and went away, and laid by 
her veil from her, and put on the garments of her 
widowhood.' 

2U And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his 
friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from 
the woman's hand : but he found her not. 

21 Then he asked the men of that jjlace, saying, 
W'lierc is the harlot that was openly' by the way- 
side? And they said, There was no harlot in this 
place. 

22 And he returned to Judali, and said, 1 cannot 
find her ; and also the men of the place said, that 
there was no harlot in this place. 

23 And Judah said. Let her take it to her, lest 
we *be .shamed :J behold, I sent this kid, and thou 
hast not found her. 

24 1i And it came to pass about three months 
after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy 
daughter-in-law hath played the harlot ;" and also, 
behold, she is with child liy whoredom. And Ju- 
dah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.' 

25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her 
father-in-law, saying, By the man whose these are, 
am I with child : and she said, Discern, I pray thee, 
whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff."' 



1 Or, in Enajim. ' Heb. berome a contempt, i Prov. 6:33; Kom. G:2I : 
Eph. S:12. H Judg. 10:2; Hos. 3:3. 1 Lev. 21:9; Deut. 22:21; 2 Sam. 
12:5. mver. 18. 



9. Give seal to his brother; Deut. 25:5, 6. 
12. Timnath; south-west of Jerusalem. 

It. In an open place; or, at the entrance of Enajim. 

15. Covered her face; that he might not know her to be 
his daughter-in-law. 

IS. Signet ; seal. Bracelets ; rather, cord, by which the 
signet was suspended from the neck. 

23. Take it ; keep the pledge to herself. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Although it is ordinarily best for young men to be 
married early in life, j'et it should not be done without 
earnest prayer to God for his guidance and blessing, that 
the connection may be a source of happiness and useful- 
ness. 

10. Secret as well as open sins are all known to God, 
antl unless repented of and forgiven, will be visited with 
his curse. 

20. Judah had been instrumental in deceiving his father, 
and now he is himself deceived. 

24. Those who are most guilty themselves are often 
most ready to denounce vengeance on others. 



Joseph is advanced, 



GENESIS XXXIX. 



and cast into prison. 



A.jrjibout 26 And Judali acknowledj?ed them, and 
li. ^'1727. said, She hath been more righteous than 
I;" because that I gave her not to Shelah my 
son.'' And he knew her again no more.'' 

27 IF And it came to pass in the time of her trav- 
ail, tliat behold, twins were in her womb. 

28 And it came to pass when she travailed, that 
the one put out his hand: and the midwife took 
and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying. 
This came out first. 

29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his 
hand, that behold, his brother came out ; and she 
said. How hast thou broken forth ?' this breach be 
upon thee : therefore his name was called Pharez.*** 

30 And afterward came out his brother, that 
had the scarlet thread upon his hand; and his 
name was called Zarah. 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

1 Joseph adrancpd in Potiphar's house. 7 He resisteth his mistress' 
temptation, l.*^ He is falsely accused. 20 He is cast into prison. 21 
(>od is with hini there. 

AND Joseph was brought down to Egypt ; and 
Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh,'^ captain of 
the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands 
of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down 
thither. 

2 And the Lord was with Joseph,'' and he was 
a prosperous man; and he was in the house of 
his master the Egyptian. 

3 And his master saw that the Lord u-as with 
him, and that the Lord made all that he did to 
prosper in his hand.^ 

4 And Joseph found grace in his sight,'^ and he 
served him : and he made him overseer over his 
house, and all that he had he put into his hand.' 

5 And it came to pass from the time that he had 
made him overseer in his house, and over all that 
he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's 
house for Joseph's sake ;> and the blessing of the 
Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and 
in the field.'' 

6 And he left all that ho had in Joseph's hand; 
and he knew not aught ho had, save the bread 
which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly pe?-- 
wn,' and well-favored. 

7 IT And it came to pass after these things, that 
his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph ;'" and 
she said, Lie with me." 



• 1 Sam. 24:17. b ,er. 14. c Job 34:31, 32; Rom. 13:12; Tit. 2: 11, la. 
* Or, Vfherefort hast thou made this breach against Iher? t That is, A breach, 
i Num. 28:20; 1 Chr. 2:4; Matt. 1:3. « ch. 37:36; Psa. 105:17. ' 1 Sam. 
l(i:18: 18:14, 28; Acts 7:9. S Josh. 1:7,8; 1 Chr. 22:13; Psa. 1:3. h ver. 
21 ; 1 Sam. 16:22. ich.24:2. ich. 30:27. k Deut. 2i:3-8. USam. 16:12; 
17:42. «• Job 31:1; Psa. 119:37. n 2 Sam. 13:11. oProv. 1:10. p Lev. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

4. Grace; favor. 

6. He knew not aught ; he did not take the care of any 
thing himself, but left all to Josei)h. Goodly — well-favor- 
ed ; beautiful in person. 

8. Wottdh; knoweth. 

2i). In the prison; chap. 41 :H; I'sa. 10."): IS. 

22. He was the doer; ho gave directions, and things were 
done accordingly. 

1N3TKUCTI0XS. 

."i. The Lord will not forsake any \vhi> put their trust in 
tiiin; and fidelity in the dischar^'.- ni .liny in Iciwi-r silua- 



8 But lie refused," and said unto his master's 
wife. Behold, my master wotteth not what is witli 
me in the house, and he hath committed all that 
lie hath to my hand ; 

9 There is none greater in this house than I; 
neither hatli he kept back any thing from me but 
thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I 
do tills great wickedness," and sin against God?"" 

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph 
day by day,'' that he hearkened not unto her, to 
lie by her, or to be with her. 

11 And it came to pass about this time, that Jo- 
seph went into tlie house to do his business ; and 
there was none of the men of the house there 
within. 

12 And she caught him by his garment,' saying, 
Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, 
and fled,' and got him out. 

13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had 
left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 

14 That she called unto the men of her house, 
and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought 
in a Hebrew unto us to mock us ;" he came in unto 
me to lie with me, and I cried with a 'loud voice: 

15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I 
lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his gar- 
ment with me, and fled, and got him out. 

16 And she laid up his garment by her, until 
his lord came home. 

17 And she spake unto him according to these 
words, saying, The Hebrew servant which thou 
hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me : 

18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice 
and cried, that he left his garment with me, and 
fled out." 

19 And it came to pass, when his master heard 
the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, 
saying. After this manner did thy servant to me ; 
that his wrath was kindled.'" 

20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him 
into the prison,^ a place where the king's prison- 
ers were bound: and he was there in the prison. 

21 IT But the Lord was with Joseph, and ^show- 
ed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of 
the keeper of the prison.*' 

22 And the keeper of the prison committed to 
Joseph's hand all the prisoners that we7-e in the 
prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was 
the doer of it. 



20:10; Prov. 6:29, 32. q 2 Sam. 12:13; Psa. .'51:4; Jsr. 2:):16. r Prov. 
22:14:23:27. spror. 7:13. I Eccl. 7:26. u Ezelt. 22:5. I Heh. great. 
V Kxod. 23:1; Psa. 37:14; 120:3; Prov. 12:19. w Prov. 6:34, 35; Cant. 8:6. 
I ch. 41:14; Psa. 105:13. i Heb. extended kindness unto him. y Exod. 
12:36; Psa. 106:46; Prov. 16:7; Dan. 1:9; Acts 7:10. 



tions is the best preparation for, and tlie surest way of 
advancement to those that are higher. 

9. The fear of the Lord is the surest pledge of fidelity, 
the best safeguard against temptation, and the most pow- 
erful means of promoting all the great interests of men. 

15. Tempters to sin will turn accusers, and when they 
have power, will become persecutors and tormentors. 

21. No evils which men can inflict can shut out the 
presence and favor of God from tliose who trust in him ; 
and a servant in a dungeon may be more happy than a 
king on his throne. Though he may sufl'er for rigliteous- 
ness' s;i.ke. in liue time he will he delivered, and his sor- 
ri)W tunn;d ir.tu joy. 



Pharaoh's bit I If r 



GENESIS XL. 



an/l bif.er in prison. 



23 Tho kooppr of tlip jirisoii looked not to any 
thine t/int wis under his hand ; because the Loud 
was with liiin, and that which he did, the Lord 
made it to iirosper." 

CHAPTER XL. 

1 The butler and liakcr of Pharaoh in prison. 4 Joseph hath charge 
of them. 5 He interpreteth their dreams. 20 They come to pass 
according to his interpretation. 23 The injjratitude of the butler. 

AND it came to pass after these things, that 
tlio butler" of the king of Egypt and his 
bakor had ofleiided their lord the king of Egypt. 

2 And I'hiiraoh was wroth again.st two of his offi- 
cers,'' against the chief of the butlers, and against 
the chief of the bakers. 

3 And he put them in ward in the house of the 
captain of the guard, into the prison, the place 
where Joseph was bound.'' 

4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph 
with them, and he served them: and they con- 
tinued a season in ward. 

5 If And they dreamed a dream both of them, 
each man his dream in one night,"" each man ac- 
cording to tlie interpretation of his dream, the 
butler and tlie baker of the king of Egypt, which 
were bound in the prison. 

6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morn- 
ing, and looked upon them, and behold, they were 
sad.' 

7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that ivere 
with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, 
Wherefore 'look ye so sadly to-day ?s 

8 And they said unto him. We have dreamed a 
dream, and there is no interpreter of it.*" And 
Joseph said unto them. Do not interpretations be- 
long to God ?' tell me them, I pray you. 

9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, 
and said to him, In my dream,J behold, a vine was 
before me ; 

10 And in the vine were three branches : and it 
was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot 
forth ; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe 
grapes : 



a Ver. 2 


.1 b 


Neh. 1 


11 


c Prov. 


Hi 


14 


19:19. 


dch. 39:20. 23. 


ejob 


a3:15-J7. 


1 lUn 


4:5. • 


HbK. 


are your f 


ices 


nnl 


' S Neh. 2:2. t ch 


41:15. 


i Dan. 2: 


,1, 29 


J Juc 


<-. 7: 


.3. k 


=h. 


41 


■-','>; 


Da 


n. 2:36. t Or, 


reckon. 


1 2 Kings 


•.«:27 


Jer. 5 


2:31. 


t Heb. 


Ttmtnihtr 




' with thee, oi 


Sam. 


20:14, 13 


I Kin 


gs 2:7; 


Luke 


23:42. 


° 


1 Sam. 


24 


11; Psa. 59:3,4 


; Dan. 



CHAPTER XL. 

1. Butler; a cup-bearer; one who presented to the king 
his wine. Baker; the one who furnished the king his 
bread, or had the direction of others who did it. 

3. Ward; prison. 

4. Charged Joseph; gave him the care of them. Served 
them ; supplied their wants. 

5. According to the interpretation ; that is, the dreams 
were truly prophetic, and had each an interpretation, as 
was afterwards explained by Joseph. 

12. Three branches are three days; not literally, but they 
represent or mean three days. So the three baskets, ver. 
18. Compare also Matt. 2o": 26. 

13. Lift up thy head; take thee out of prison. 

15. Stolen; his brethren, in selling him, took what was 
not theirs, and appropriated it to their own use. This, 
Joseph called stealing. 

16. Good; favorable. 

()2 



1 1 .\nd I'haraoli's cup was in my hand: a.m. .u..i 
anil I took tiie grapes, and pressed them h. <: 171^ 
into I'haraoli's cup, and I gave the cup into Pha- 
raoh's hand. 

12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the inter- 
jiretation of it:" The three branches arc three 
days : 

l;5 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift* up 
thy head,' and restore thee unto thy jdace; and 
thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his liand. 
after the former manner when thf)u wast his butler. 

14 But 'think on nie wlien it shall be well with 
thee, and show kindness, 1 jiray thee, unto me,'" 
and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring 
me out of tliis house: 

1.5 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land 
of the Hebrews: and here also have I done noth- 
ing that they should jiut me into the dungeon." 

1() When the chief baker saw that the interjire- 
tation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was 
in my dream, and behold, 1 had three * white bas- 
kets on my head : 

17 And in tlie uppermost basket there was of all 
manner of ' bake-meats for Pharaoh : and the birds 
did eat them out of the ba,sket upon my head. 

18 And Joseph answered and said. This is the 
interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three 
days:" 

19 Yet within three days'" shall Pharaoh ^lift 
up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on 
a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesii from oil' 
thee.i 

20 IT And it came to pass the third day, ickich 
was Pharaoh's birthday,'' that he made a feast 
unto all his servants: and he lifted* up the head 
of the chief butler and of the chief baker among 
his servants. 

21 And he restored the chief butler unto his 
butlership again, and he gave the cup into Pha- 
raoh's hand ;' 

22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Josejih 
had interpreted to them.' 

23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Jo- 
seph, but forgat him." 



6:22. i Or, full of holes. I Heb. meat of Pharaoh, the loork of a baker, or 
cook, o ch.'41:2(). P ver, 13. T Or, reckon ttiee. and lake thy offica from 
thee, q 1 Sam. 17:44; 2 Sam. 21:10. r Matt. 14:B; Mark 6:21. • Or, recA- 
oned. » Neh. 2:1. l ver. 19. u Psa. 31:12; Bed. 9:15, 16; Amos 6:6. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The present condition of men is no certain indication 
of their character. In the same dungeon may be very 
different men, and from very different causes — men who 
are serving different masters, and preparing to dwell for 
ever in different places. 

8. Those who receive their blessings as the gift of God, 
and gratefully acknowledge him, will sympathize in the 
distresses of others, and be disposed, as far as may be 
consistent, to reheve them. 

12. To insist on a literal interpretation where the mean- 
ing is evidently figurative, is a gross perversion of Scrip- 
ture. 

15. The selling of a brother into bondage is not only 
palpable dishonesty, but aggravated theft. Ex. 21:16. 

23. In prosperity men are apt to overlook and forget 
those who have aided them in adversity, and thus to show- 
that their hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. 
Jer. 17:9. 



Joseph interpreteth 



GENESIS XLI. 



Pharaoh's two dreams. 



CHAPTER XLI, 



1 riiaraoh's two dreams. 25 Joseph interpreteth them. 33 He siveth 
Pharaoh counsel. 38 Joseph is advanced. 50 He begetteth Manas- 
seh and Ephraim. 54 The famine beginneth. 

AND it came to pass at the end of two full 
years, that Pliaraoh dreamed:" and behold, 
he stood by the river. 

2 And behold, there came up out of the river 
seven well-favored kine and fat-fleshed ; and they 
fed in a meadow. 

3 And behold, seven other kine came up after 
them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed ; 
and stood by the other kine upon the brink of 
the river. 

4 And the ill-favored and lean-fleslied kine did 
eat up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So 
Pharaoh awoke. 

5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: 
and behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one 
stalk, rank* and good. 

6 And behold, seven thin ears and blasted with 
the east wind sprang up after them. 

7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven 
rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and 
behold, it was a dream. 

8 And it came to pass in the morning, that his 
spirit was troubled ; " and he sent and called for 
all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men 
thereof:" and Pharaoh told them his dream; but 
there was none that could interpret them unto 
Pharaoh.'' 

9 IT Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, 
saying, I do remember my faults this day : 

10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants," and 
put me in ward in the captain of the guard's 
house, both me and the chief baker : 

11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and 
he; we dreamed each man according to the in- 
terpretation of his dream.' 

12 And there was there with us a young man, a 
Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard ; and 
we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams ; 
to each man according to his dream he did inter- 
pret. 

13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, 
so it was ; me he restored unto mine ofiice, and 
him he hanged. 

1-1 T Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and 
they ^brought him hastily out of the dungeon:^ 
and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, 
and came in unto Pharaoh. 



> Esth. 6:1; Din.2;l. • Heb./a(. b Dan. 4:5, 19; 7:23; 8:27. c Exod. 
7:11; Isa. 29:14; Ban. 2:2. <llCor.l:19. ech.4a:2. f ch, 40:5. 1 Heb. 
made him run. B 1 Sam. 2:8; Psa. 105:20. 1 Or, -when thou hearest a dream 
thou canst interpret it. h Psa. 25:14; Dan. 5:16. i oh. 40:8; Dan. 2:30; 



CHAPTER XLI. 

1. JTie river; the Nile, upon the annual overflow of 
which the fertility of Egypt depends. 

2. Kiyie; cows. Well-favored; good looking. So ill- 
favored means bad looking. Both the fat and the lean 
cows came out of the river, signifying that from it come 
both plenty and want in Egypt. 

5. Ears of corn; heads of wheat. The so called Egyp- 
tian wheat bears several heads on one stalk. 

8. Magicians; the sacred scribes of Egypt, whose office 



15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have 
dreamed a dream, and there is none that can in- 
terpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that 
thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.*'' 

16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying. It is 
not in me : God shall give Pharaoh an answer of 
peace.' 

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, 
behold, I stood upon the bank of the river :' 

18 And behold, there came up out of the river 
seven kine, fat-fleshed and well-favored ; and they 
fed in a meadow : 

19 And behold, seven other kine came up after 
them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed, 
such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for 
badness: 

20 And the lean and the ill-favored kine did 
eat up the first seven fat kine: 

21 And when they had * eaten them np, it could 
not be known that they had eaten them ; but they 
were still ill-favored, as at the beginning. So I 
awoke. 

22 And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven 
ears came up in one stalk, full and good : 

23 And behold, seven ears, withered," thin, and 
blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 

24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good 
ears: and I told this unto the magicians;'' but 
there was none that could declare it to me. 

25 IT And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream 
of Pharaoh is one: God hath showed Pharaoh 
what he is about to do.' 

26 The seven good kine are seven years ; and the 
seven good ears are seven years : the dream is one. 

27 And the seven thin and ill-favored kine that 
came up after them are seven years ; and the seven 
empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be 
seven years of famine.'" 

28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto 
Pharaoh: what God is about to do, he showeth 
unto Pharaoh. 

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plen- 
ty thi'oughout all the land of Egypt:" 

30 And there shall arise after them seven years 
of famine;" and all the plenty shall be forgotten 
in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall con- 
sume the land ; ^ 

31 And the plenty shall not be known in the 
land by reason of that famine following; for it 
shall he very grievous.'' 

32 And for that the dream was doubled unto 



2 Cor. 3:5. j ver. 1. iTieh. eome to the inward farts of them. I Or. small. 
k ver. 8; Dan. 4:7. 1 D,in. 2:29, 45; Rev. 4:1. m 2 Kings 8:1. n ver. 47. 
Over. 54. Pch. 47:13. ^ Heb. heavj. 



was to explain signs, interpret dreams, and reveal hidden 
things. 

9. My faults ; against Pharaoh, rather than against Joseph. 

13. lie re.'ilored; Pharaoh restored. The chief butler 
speaks of his monarch in the third person. 

IC. /( IS not in me; he could not of himself interpret the 
dream, it must be by divine aid. A)i answer of peace ; one 
that would remove his fears and promote his good. 

25. Is one ; both dreams mean the same tiling. 

26. Are seven years; represent them. Chap. 40:12, 18. 
28. This is the thing which I have .tpokcn; this is tile 

thing which I said berore. See ver. 25. 
63 



Joseph made diitj rultr. 



(lENKSIS \IJ. 



Seven years of famine. 



Pharaoh twice;" it is bocauso llic thing is estab- 
lished liy God," and God will shortly bring it to 
pass."* 

33 Now therefore let Pharaoli look out a man 
discreet and wise, and set him over the land of 
Egypt. 

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint 
officers* over tiic land, and take up the fifth part 
of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years." 

35 And let thcni gather all the food of tiioso 
gond years tiiat come, and lay up corn under the 
hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the 
cities. 

3G And that food shall be for store to the land 
against the seven years of famine, which shall be 
in tiie land of Egypt; that the laud *peri,sh not 
througii the famine. 

37 *r And tiic thing was good in the eyes of 
Pharaoli,'' and in the eyes of all his servants. 

38 And Piiaraoh said unto his servants. Can wo 
find such a one as this is, a man in whom the spirit 
of God is !" 

39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch 
as God hath showed thee all this, there is none so 
discreet and wise as thou art : 

40 Thou shalt be over my house,'^ and according 
unto thy word shall all my people ^ be ruled : only 
in the throne will I be greater than thou. 

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have 
set thee over all the land of Egypt." 

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand,'' 
and put it upon Jos(!ph's hand, and arrayed him 
in vestui-es of 'fine linen, and put a gold chain 
about his neck;' 

43 And he made him to ride in the second char- 
iot which he had; and they cried before him, 
Bow the knee:'* and he made him ruler over all 
the land of Egyjit.' 

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I aot Pharaoh, 
and w ithout thee shall no man lift up his hand or 
foot in all the laud of Egypt. 

45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath- 
paaneah;* and he gave him to wife Asenath the 



Oh. 37:7,9. • 0-!,prepaTtd of God. b Num. 2:3:19; Isa. 46:10. t Or, 
nturs. c ProvC:0-i: *2:3. i Re\>. be not cut off. d Acts 7:10. e Num. 
27:18; Job 3-2:8; Prov. 2:0; Dan, 4:8, 18; 5:11. f Psa. 105:21. 5 Heb. 6s 
armed, OT kiss, g Dan. 6:.3. h Esth. 3: 10; 8:2, 8, 15. I Ot. silk, i Dan. 
■i:7, 29. 1 Or, Tender fatker. ' Heb. Alirech. i ch. 45:8,20; Acts 7:10. 
t Which in the Coptic signifies, A revealer of setrets, or The man to whom 



34. Of the land; the produce of the land. 
36. The land perish not; the inhabitants of it. 

42. Put it upon Joseph's hand; in token of his being 
clothed with authority. 

43. The second chariot; the chariot assigned to the man 
that stood next in rank to the king, and doubtless second 
to the king's chariot in splendor. 

44. Lift up hts hand or foot ; a proverbial expression, de- 
noting that all the people should be under Joseph's control. 

45. Zaphnath-paaneah ; supposed to mean, saviour of the 
world. Priest; a priest at that time, in Egypt, was a civil 
;is well as an ecclesiastical rnler ; and by this marriage 
.Foseph became connected with one of the great men of 
the kingdom. On ; called by the Greeks Ileliopolis, or the 
city of the sun. It was on the east of the Nile, in the 
land of Goshen, and not far from the modern Cairo. 

47. By handfuls; in great abundance. 

48. Laid up the food; that which was not wanted for 
l)re8ent use. 

.'il. Manasseh , that is, one causing forgctfulness. 
64 



daughter of Poti-jihcrah priest* of On. VrffTi. 
And .Joseph went out over all tlie land of Egyjtt. 
4(1 I And Joseph vas thirty years old when he 
stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.'' And Jo- 
seph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and 
went tliroughout all the hind of Egypt. 

47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth 
brought forth by handfuls. 

48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven 
years, which were in the land of Egyjit, and laid 
up the food in the cities: the food of the field 
which teas round about every city, laid he up in 
the same. 

49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the 
.sea,' very much, until he left miinbering; for it 
was without number. 

50 And unto Josejih were Ijorn two sons before 
the years of famine came:'" which Asenatli the 
daughter of Poti-pherah priest' of On bare unto 
him. 

51 And Joseph called the name of the first-born 
Manasseh.' For God, said he, hath made me for- 
get all my toil, and all my father's house. 

52 And the name of the second called he Ephra- 
im:' For God hath caused me to be fruitful in 
the land of my affliction." 

53 ^ And tiie seven years of plcnteousncss, that 
was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, 
according as Joseph had said :" and the dearth 
was in all lands: but in all the land of Egypt 
there was bread. 

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famish- 
ed,'' the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and 
Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto 
Joseph ; what he saith to you, do. 

56 And the famine was over all the face of thi; 
earth: and Joseph opened *all the storehouses, 
and sold unto the Egyptians;'' and the famine 
waxed sore in tlie land of Egypt. 

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph 
for to buy corn ; because that the famine was so 
sore in all lands. 



secrets are revealed. lOr. prince; Emd.2:16; 2Sam.8:18. k 1 Sara. 10:-il : 
Dan. 1:19; Luke 21:30. 1 ch. 22:17; Judg. 7.12; 1 Sam. 13:5; Pm. 7p:-->7. 
ra ch. 4G:2U; 48:5. 4 Or, prince; ver. 43. I That is, Forgetting. 1 That is. 
Fruitful. 1 ch. 49:2-2. o ver. .30. p Jer. 14:1, 2; Lam. 4:4. • Heb. all 
wherein was. q ch. 42;C: 47:14, 24. 



52. Ephraim; fruitful. 

55. Egypt was famished; the people had consumed all 
their food, and were in want. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

7. AD future things are known to God, and as far as he 
sees best he makes them knoT\Ti to men. Before men had 
the Bible, God often communicated information to them 
in dreams and visions. But now we are not to expect 
information in those ways, but to give heed to the Bililo. 
which is able to make us wise unto salvation, and furnisli 
us thoroughly for every good work. 

14. God never overlooks the trials of his people, or suf- 
fers them to continue a moment too long. When the right 
time comes he delivers them, often suddenly, in ways. In 
means, and for purposes wliich they never expected. 

25. Those who in all their ways acknowledge God. will 
find that he directs their paths ; and those things wliicli 
they thought to be against them, they will see were order- 
ed ill such a way as to promote their highest good. 



facoFs sons are sent 



GENESIS XLll 



In buy corn in Eaypt. 



CHAPTER XLII 



1 Jacob sendeth his ten sons to buy corn in Egypt. IG They are im- 
prisoned by Joseph for spies. 18 They are set at liberty, on condi- 
tion to bring Benjamin. 21 They have remorse for Joseph. 24 Sim- 
eon is kept for a pledge. 2.3 They return witli corn, and tlieir money. 

• 29 Their relation to Jacob. 36 Jacob refuseth to send Benjamin. 

NOW when Jacob saw that there was corn in 
Egypt," Jacob said unto his sons, Why do 
ye look one upon another? 

2 And he said, Behold, I have hoard that there 
is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy 
for us from thence ; that we may live, and not die."" 

3 1 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to 
buy corn in Egypt. 

4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent 
not with his brethren; for he said, Lest perad- 
venture mischief befall him." 

5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among 
those that came: for the famine was in the land 
of Canaan. 

6 And Joseph was the governor over the land,** 
and he it was that sold to all the people of the 
land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed 
down themselves before him with their faces to 
the earth. 

7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew 
them, but made himself strange unto them, and 
spake "roughly unto them ; and he said imto them. 
Whence come ye ? And they said. From the land 
of Canaan to buy food. 

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew 
not him. 

9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he 
dreamed of them,'' and said unto them. Ye are 
spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are 
come. 

10 And they said unto him. Nay, ray lord, but 
to buy food are thy servants come. 

1 1 We arc all one man's sons ; we are true men, 
thy servants are no spies. 

12 And he said unto them. Nay, but to see the 
nakedness of the land ye are come. 

13 And they said. Thy servants are twelve breth- 
ren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan ; 



>Acts7:)2. b ch. 43: S; Psa. 118:17. c ver. 3S. dch. 41:41. • Heb. 
hard tilings wilh them, e ch. 37:5,9. f ch. 37:30; Jer. 31:15; Lam. 5:7; 
Matt. 2:18. 6 Deut. 6:13; 1 Sam. 1:26; 17:55; Jas. 5:12. t Heb. «0Mm/. 
: Heb. ffalAererf. h di. 20:11; Lev. 25:43; Neh. 5:15; Luke 18:2, 4. i ver. 
:14; oh. 43:5; 41:23. jNum. 32:23; lKing3l7:18; Job 36:8,9; Hos.5;15; 



33. The fact that men are dependent on God does not 
supersede the necessity, on their part, of wisdom and dis- 
cretion ; and tliose who have most of these qualities, will 
be most likely to be successful. 

39. Those who know most of God and his ways will be 
the most wise and discreet. They can be most safely 
trusted, and in great and diiBcult services may be expect- 
ed to do the most good. 

44. He who shows the most kindness, patience, com- 
passion, and benevolence in a dungeon, may be expected 
to show the most humility, meekness, cquauimi^, and 
loveliness on a throne. 

52. God can, in this world, cause his people to forget 
their sorrows, or so to remember them as to heighten 
their joys, and make them feel that their sharpest trials 
were not worthy to bo compared with the glory which 
shall follow. 

CHAPTER XLII. 

t. Look one upon another; in perplexity and despair. 
5 



and behold, the youngest is this day with our fa- 
ther, and one is not.*^ 

14 And Joseph said unto them. That is it that I 
spake unto you, saying. Ye are spies : 

15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of 
Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence,'^ except your 
youngest brother come hither. 

16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your 
brother, and ye shall be kept* in prison, tliat 
your words may be proved, wiiether there be any 
truth in you: or else, by the life of Pharaoli, 
surely ye are spies. 

17 And he put* them all together into ward 
three days. 

18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, 
This do, and live; for I fear God:'' 

19 If ye be true me7i, let one of your brethren be 
bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry 
corn for the famine of your liouses : 

20 But bring your youngest brother unto me ; ' 
so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not 
die. And they did so. 

21 T And they said one to another. We are 
verily guilty concerning our brother,^ in that we 
saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, 
and we would not hear ;^ therefore is this distress 
come upon us. 

22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I 
not unto you,' saying. Do not sin against the child ; 
and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also 
his blood is required.™ 

23 And they knew not that Joseph understood 
them; for ^he spake unto tliem by an interpreter. 

24 And he turned himself about from them, and 
wept ; and returned to them again, and communed 
with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound 
iiim before their eyes. 

25 "i Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks 
with corn, and to restore every man's money into 
his sack, and to give them provision for the way:" 
and thus did he unto them. 

26 And they laded their asses with the corn, 
and departed thence. 

27 And as one of them opened his sack to give 



Matt. 27:3,4; Acts 19:18. k Prov. 21:13; 24:11, 12; Jer. 34:17: Matt. 7:2. 
1 oh. 37:21. mch. 9:5; 1 Kings 2:32; 2 Chr. 24:22; Psa. 9:12; Ezek. 3:18; 
Luke 11:50,51; Acts 23:4; Rev. 13:10. 5 Heb. an inttrpreter was MVKen 
them, n Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:17, 20; Eph. 4:2. 



6. That sold; directed as to the seUing. Bowed down; 
chap. 37:7,8. 

7. Made himself strange ; acted as one that did not know 
them. 

9. TTie dreams; chap. 37:5-9. The nakedness of the land ; 
its defenceless points, where and how a successful attack 
might be made upon it. 

14. Tliat is it that I spake unto you; what I said to you 
before, ver. 9, is the truth. Compare above, chap. 41:28. 

15. By the life of Pharaoh; as surely as Pharaoh lives. 
17. Ward; prison. Three days; this gave them time to 

reflect upon their past conduct, their treatment of Joseph 
and Jacob, and upon their present condition and pros- 
pects. This was what Joseph intended, and he no doubt 
prayed that it might be for their good. 

20. Be verified; be proved to be true. 

21. Guilly concerning our brother ; conscience condemned 
them for their treatment of Joseph, more than twenty 
years before. Therefore is this distress; they viewed it as 
a punishniciit of their sins. 

65 



Jacob's spjis rcliini home, 



GENESIS XLllI. 



and art attain sent to Egypt. 



his a«9 provender in the inn, he espied his money ; 
for beiiold, it was in liis sacic's moiitli. 

28 And lie said unto iiis brctlircn, My money is 
restored ; and lo, it is even in my saclc : ami tlieir 
heart Maiioil l/iim. and they we're afraid, sayinji' 
one to another, AViiat is this that God hatii done 
unto us ? 

29 1[ And tliey came unto Jacob their fatlier 
unto the hind of Canaan, and told him all that 
befell unto them; saying, 

30 Tiie man who is the lord of the land spake 
roughly* to us," and took us for spies of the coun- 
try. 

31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we 
are no spies : 

32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father ; 
one is not, and tlie youngest is this day with our 
father in the land of Canaan. 

33 And tlie man, the lord of tlie country, said 
unto us, Hereby shall 1 know that ye are true 
men: leave one of your brethren htre with me, 
and take food for the famine of your households, 
and be gone : 

34 And bring your youngest brother unto me : 
then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye 
are true men : so will I deliver you your brother, 
and ye shall traffic in the land.'' 

35 1i And it came to pass, as they emptied their 
sacks, that beliold, every man's bundle of money 
was in his sack:' and when both they and their 
father saw the bundles of money, they were 
afraid. 

36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me 
have ye bereaved of my children:'^ Joseph is not, 
and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin 
away : all these things are against me.° 

37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, 
Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee : de- 
liver him into my hand, and I will bring him to 
thee again. 

38 And he said. My son shall not go down with 
you ; for his brother is dead,' and he is left alone : 
if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye 
go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with 
sorrow to the grave.^ 



• Heb. went forth, t Heb. tvitli us hard things, a ver. 7, 12. b cl 
ch. 4;!;2I. Jch. '13;14. » 1 Sam. 27:1 ; Job 7:7; Eccl. 7:S; Roi 
ch. 37:33; 44:20, 'iS. 6 ch. 37:35; 44:29, 31; Isi. 3a; lU. t ch 



28. They were afraid; lest they should be charged with 
having stolen the money, and be treated as thieves. God 
hath done; in his providence caused to come upon us as a 
punishment for our sin. 

37. Slay my tiuo sons; that is, you may slay them, if I 
bring not Benjamin bacli again ; a rash expression, but it 
showed Reuben's earnestness and sincerity. 

38. His brother; that is, Joseph; his own brother by 
Rachel. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. In seasons of danger and distress nothing is gained 
by despondency. The question should be, What shall we 
do? and having ascertained, wo should, without delay, 
and in dependence on God, attempt to do it. He helps 
those who, in the right way, attempt to help themselves. 

9. The efforts of men to thwart the plans of God are the 
means of fulfilling them ; yet they are as wicked in oppos- 
ing him, as if he did not make what they do the occasion 
of promoting his cause. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 1i.?:SI: 

1 Jacob i» horilly pcritniulwl t" sonil Benjamin. 1.') Joseph entcrtAinetb 
his brelhnii. 31 Hu niakllh llicm a feast. 

AND the famine was sore in the land.*" 
2 And it came to ])a.«s, when thi'y had eatery 
up the corn wliicii they had brougiit out of Egypt, 
their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a 
little food. 

3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man 
did solemnly protest' unto us, saying, Ye shall 
not see my face, except your brother be with yon. 

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will 
go down and buy thee food: 

5 But if tliou wilt not send him, we will not go 
down: for the man said unto us. Ye shall not see 
my face, except your brother be with you. 

(j And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with 
me, 0.9 to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? 

7 And they said. The man asked us* straitly of 
our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your 
father yet alive? have ye another brother? and 
we told him according to the tenor' of these 
words. Could we certainly know^ that he would 
say. Bring your brother down? 

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send 
the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that 
we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and 
also our little ones. 

9 I will be surety for him;' of my hand shalt 
thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, 
and set him before thee, tlien let me bear the 
blame for ever : 

10 For except we had lingered, surely now we 
had returned this second* time. 

11 And their father Israel said imto them, If it 
must be so now, do this: take of the best fruits 
in the land in your vessels, and carry down the 
man a present,^ a little balm, and a little honey, 
spices and myrrh,'' nuts and almonds : 

12 And take double money in your hand; and 
the money that was brought again in the mouth 
of your sacks,' carry it again in your hand ; per- 
advcnture it was an oversight. 

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again 
unto the man : 



:!0. 1 Hob. protesting ■protested, i THeh. asking askid us. llcb. 
HHeb. Knowing could we knowl ich. 44:32; Psa. 119:122; Phile. 
• Ot, twice by this. jProv. 18:10. tch. 37:25. Ich. 42:25. 



IG. Men are often strongly tempted to do evil that good 
may come, but it is never right ; and the success of a 
plan is no sure evidence of the righteousness of the means 
used in prosecuting it. 

28. When men have done what they know to be wick- 
ed, and evils come upon them, conscience links the two 
together, and views the one as a punishment for the 
other. 

CHAPTER XLIII. 

7. According to the tenor of these words ; suited our an- 
swers honestly to these questions of his. 

11. Balm; balsam, like that of Gilead. Honey; proba- 
bly here honey of grapes, made by boiling down new 
wine to a third or half. Myrrh ; here probably a fragrant 
gum called ladanum. NvAs; the original word means 
pistacia-nuts. 

12. Double money; that which they brought back, and 
enough more to buy the corn which they needed. 



Joseph maketh a feast 



GENESIS XLIII. 



for his brethren. 



B.ct^: 14 And God Almighty give you mercy 
before the man,* that he may send away your other 
brother, and Benjamin. *If I be bereaved of my 
children, I am bereaved." 

15 IT And the men took that present, and they 
took double money in tlieir hand, and Benjamin ; 
and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood 
before Joseph. 

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, 
he said to the ruler of his house," Bring these men 
home, and slay,* and make ready; for these men 
shall dine' with me at noon. 

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the 
man brought the men into Joseph's house. 

18 And the men were afraid, because they were 
brought into Joseph's house; and tliey said, Be- 
cause of the money that was returned in our 
sacks at the first ^me are we brought in; that 
he may seek occasion against us,^ and fall upon 
us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. 

19 And they came near- to the steward of Jo- 
seph's house, and they communed with him at the 
door of the house, 

20 And said, sir, we came indeed down' at 
the first time to buy food : 

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the 
inn, that we opened our sacks,'' and behold, every 
man's money ivas in the mouth of his sack, our 
money in full weight: and we have brought it 
again in our hand. 

22 And other money have we brought down in 
our hands to buy food : we cannot tell who put 
our money in our sacks. 

23 And he said. Peace be to you, fear not:" 
your God, and the God of your father, hath given 
you treasure in your sacks : I had your money .^ 
And he brought Simeon out unto them. 



» Neh. 1:11; Psa. 37:5. • Or, Ami I, as I liave been, e 
c ch. 44: 1. t Heb. kilt a kilting. I Heb. eat. 5 Heb. roll 
Job 30; 14. XUith. cominq down we mine down, d ch. 42: 
19:-20; 1 Sam. 25:6; Luke 24:3(5. 1 Heb. your money 
18:4; 24:32. Sver. 11. hch. 37:7, 10 • "-' 



1> Esth. 4:16. 
Tlself upon us 



judj. 6:23; 
Heb. peace, t Heb. Is there peace 



14. If I be bereaved — I am bereaved; an expression of de- 
eponding resignation. 

23. God — hath given you treasure; not without human 
agency ; but lie liad so ordered tilings in his providence 
that they had their money. / had your money; it was 
paid to me, and I acknowledge the receipt of it; of 
course you need not fear. He had himself, at the com- 
mand of Joseph, without their knowledge, put it into 
their sacks. 

24. Washed their feet ; according to the custom of travel- 
lers in those days. Chap. 18:4. 

25. The present ; that which they had brought from the 
land of Canaan. 

26. Bowed themselves; chap. 37:7. 

31. Refrained; from weeping, and appeared as usual. 

32. For that is an abomination; the Egyptians kept them- 
selves separate from all strangers, and had a particular 
aversion to men whose occupation was that of shepherds. 
See chap. 46:34. 

33. They sat before him; they were seated according to 
their difl'erent ages. Marvelled; that he who seated them 
should know, in each case, which was oldest. 

34. Messes; portions of food. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
5. As to the future doing of things which are left to our 
discretion, it is ordinarily not best to say positively what 
we will or will not do, but to feel our dependence on 



24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's 
house, and gave them water, and they washed 
their feet;'' and he gave their asses provender. 

25 And they made ready the present against 
Joseph came at noon;» for they heard that they 
should eat bread tliere. 

26 ir And when Joseph came liome, they brought 
him the present which was in their hand into the 
house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth." 

27 And he asked them of fhctr welfare," and 
said, Is your father well,* the old man of whom 
ye spake?' Is he yet alive? 

28 And they answered. Thy servant our father 
is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bow- 
ed down their heads, and made obeisance. 

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother 
Benjamin, his mother's son,J and said, Is this your 
younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And 
he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.'' 

30 And Joseph made haste ; for his bowels did 
yearn upon his brother ;' and he sought where to 
weep ; and he entered into his chamber, and wept 
there. 

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and 
refrained himself, and said. Set on bread. 

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for 
them by themselves, and for the Egyptians which 
did eat with him by themselves : because the Egyp- 
tians might not eat bread with the Hebrews ; for 
that is an abomination unto the Egyptians." 

33 And they sat before him, the first-born accord- 
ing to his birtliright, and the youngest according to 
his youth : and the men marvelled one at another. 

34 And he took and sent messes unto them from 
before him:" but Benjamin's mess was five times 
so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and 
^were merry with him." 



toyour father? i ch. 42:11, 13. J ch. 35: 17, IS. k Josh. 7:19; 2 Chr. 29:11 j 
Matt. 9:2. 1 1 Kings 3:26; Jer. 31:2U; Phil. 1:S; 2:1; Col. 3:12. i» ch. 
46:34; Exod. 8:26. d 2 Sam. 11:8. i Heb. drank largeli/. o Prov. 31:6; 
Eccl. 9:7; 10:19; Cant. 5:1; Matt. 11:19; John 2:10 



God; and when the time to act comes, decide as truth 
and duty may then require. 

7. When things seem to go against us, we are apt to 
overlook the controlling hand of God, and regard only the 
instruments ; but in blaming them, we often find fault 
with him. 

11. When a man has promised to do what is wrong, 
instead of feeling that he is bound to fulfil his promise, 
his duty is to acknowledge his sin in making it, repent, 
and do what is right. There is always a law higher than 
any mere human promise, namely, the law of God. If a 
man does wrong because he has promised or sworn to do 
it, he adds sin to sin, and ripens for an aggravated con- 
demnation. Matt. 14:9, 10. 

IS. A guilty conscience, when awakened, naturally for»- 
bodes evil, producing a certain fearful looking for of judg- 
ment and fiery indignation ; and unless men find the way 
of deliverance, it will make them wretched. 

22. Property that has come into our hands by oversight 
or mistake, as well as that which we have wrongfully ob- 
tained, should be carefully and promptly returned to its 
rightful owners. 

2fi. 'When events, long before made known, are accom- 
plished by the voluntary actions of free moral agents, it 
shows that such actions were beforehand certain ; though 
that certainty does not lessen men's freedom, nor dimin- 
ish their praise or blameworthiness in performing those 
actions. Acts 2:23. 

61 



Joseph's policy 



GENESIS XLIV 



to slay his brethren. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 

1 Joseph's policy to stay liin brethren. 1 1 Jtidnh's liiuiible Bupplicntion 

tu Josipll. 

A ND he commanded the steward of his house," 
_Z~X saying, Fill the men's sacks tmth food, as 
niucii as they can carry, and put every man's 
money in his sack's mouth. 

2 Ami put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's 
moutii of the youngest, and his corn-money. And 
he did according to the word that Joseph had 
spoken. 

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men 
were sent away, they and their asses. 

•1 And when they were gone out of the city, and 
not yet far olf, Jose])h said unto his steward, Up, 
follow after the men;" and when thou dost over- 
take them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye re- 
warded evil for good'.'"' 

Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and 
whereby indeed he divineth'^* ye have done evil 
in so doing. 

6 IT And he overtook them, and he spake unto 
them these same words. 

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my 
lord these words'? God forbid that thy servants 
should do according to this thing :'^ 

8 Behold, the money, which we found in our 
sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of 
the land of Canaan:'' how then sliould we steal 
out of thy lord's house silver or gold? 

9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, 
both let him die," and we also will be my lord's 
bondmen. 

10 And he said. Now also M it be according 
unto your words: he with whom it is found shall 
be my servant;' and ye shall be blameless. 

11 Then they speedily took down every man his 
sack to the ground, and opened every )nan his 
sack. 

12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, 
and left at the youngest : and the cup was found 
in Benjamin's sack. 

13 Then they rent their clothes,^ and laded 
every man his ass, and returned to the city. 

14 1' And Judah and his brethren came to Jo- 
seph's house ; for he ivas yet there : and they fell 
before liim on the ground.'' 

15 And Joseph said unto tliem. What deed is 
this that ye have done? wot ye not tliat such a 
man as I can certainly divine?* 

16 And Judah said. What shall we say unto my 
lord? what shall we speak?' or how shall we 



• Heb. him that was ovir his house. •■> Deut. 2:l:i. t Prov. 17:13. t Or, 
tnaktth trial, c Josh. 22:22; 2 Kings S:13. d ch. 43:22. e ch. 31:.32. 
( Exod. 22:3. E ch. 37:29, 34; Num. 14:0; 2 Sa ■■' ' 
make trial; ver. 5.. i Ezra 9:10; Job 40:4. J 



30. Family ties are tender and lasting ; and delightful, 
after long absence, is the meeting of affectionate family 
friends. As their forcible and violent separation causes 
the intensest anguish, so their kind, providential restora- 
tion gives inexpressible joy. 

CHAPTER XLIY. 

5. Whereby — he divinelh; in this, as in using an inter- 
preter and swearing by the life of Pharaoh, Joseph con- 
ducts himself towards his brethren as an Egyptian. We 
arc not to understand that he actually practised divina- 
68 



dear ourselves? uww num lumm .lui, luv- «.,:. i;«;, 

iniquity of thy servants:' behold, wc arc my lord's 
servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup 
is found. 

.17 And he said, God forliid that I should do 
so;" hut the man in whose iiantl the cup is found, 
he shall be my servant ; and as for you, get you 
u]) in peace iinlo your father. 

1<S 1i Then Juilah came near unto him, and said, 
my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a 
word in my lord's cars, and let not thine anger 
burn against thy servant:' for thou art even as 
Pharaoh. 

11) My lord asked his servants, saying. Have ye 
a father, or a brother? 

20 And we said unto my lord. We have a father, 
an old man, and a child of his old age, a little 
one ; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left 
of his mother, and his father loveth him.'" 

21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring 
liim down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon 
him." 

22 And we said unto my lord. The lad cannot 
leave his father: for «/he should leave his father, 
his father would die. 

23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, E.xcept 
your youngest brother come down with you, ye 
shall sec my face no more. 

24 And it came to pass when we came up unto 
thy servant my father, we told him the words of 
my lord. 

25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a 
little food." 

26 And we said. We cannot go down:'' if our 
youngest brother be with us, then will we go 
down ; for wo may not see the man's face, except 
our youngest brother be with us. 

27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye 
know that my wife bare me two sons :'^ 

28 And the one went out from me, and I said, 
Surely he is torn in pieces ;"■ and I saw him not 
since : 

29 And if ye take this also from me, and mis- 
chief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray 
hairs with sorrow to the grave. 

30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant 
my father, and the lad be not with us ; seeing that 
his life is bound up in the lad's life;^ 

31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the 
lad is not vnth vs, that he will die: and thy ser- 
vants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy 
servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 



Prov. 2S:17; Luke 12:2. kProv. 17:15. I ch. 1S:30, 32. mch. 37:3. n ch. 
42:15,20. o ch. 43:2. P Luke 11:7. q ch. 30:2;j; 35;lB; 4B: 10. r cli. 
37:33; 42:36. • 1 Sara. 18:1 ; 25:29. 



tion. The practice of divining by cups was common 
among the Egyjitians. 

14. Fell before him; in token of submission. Chap. 
37:7,10. 

16. Jlie iniquity of thy servants; he might not mean by 
this to confess that they had stolen the cup, but that God 
in his providence was righteously punishing them for 
their sins, and that they meant to accept whatever he 
sliould lay upon them. 

18. Even as Pharaoh ; having full power to do as be 
should choose. 



Joseph mahih himself 



GENESIS XLV. 



knnwn to his hrethren. 



tc.'ml' 32 For thy servant became surety for 
the lad uuto my father,* saying, If I bring him 
not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my 
father for ever. 

33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant 
abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord ;'' 
and let the lad go up with his brethren. 

34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the 
lad be not with me? lest pcradvcnture I see the 
evil'= that shall *come on my father. "^ 



CHAPTER XLV. 

1 Joseph maketh himself known to his brethren. 5 He comforteth them 
in (rod's providence. 9 He sendeth for his father. 16 Pharaoh con- 
firmeth it. 21 Joseph furnisheth them for their journey, and exhort- 
eth them to concord. 25 Jacob is revived with the news. 

THEN Joseph could not refrain himself before 
all tlicm that stood by him; and he ci-ied, 
Cause every man to go out from me. And there 
stood no man with him, while Joseph made him- 
self known unto his brethren. 

2 And he *wept aloud:" and the Egyptians and 
the house of Pharaoh heard. 

3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I ain Jo- 
seph^ doth my father yet live? And his brethren 
could not answer him ; for they were troubled^ at 
his presence.' 

4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near 
to me, I pray you ; and they came near. And he 
.«aid, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into 
Egypt.« 

5 Now therefore be not grieved,'' 'nor angry 
with yourselves, that ye sold me hither ; for God 
did send me before you to preserve life.' 

6 For these two years hath the famine been in 
the laud:J and yet there are five years, in the 
which there shall neither be earing nor harvest." 

7 And God sent me before you '' to preserve you 



»Ch.43:9. t Bxod. 33:33; Rom. 5:7-10; 9:3. t 2 Chr. 34 : 26. • Heb. 
find my father, d Exod. 18:8; Job 31:29: Psa. 110:3; 119:143. t Heb. 
gave forth, kis voice inweeping. e Num. 14:1. 5 Or, terrified, f Job 4:5; 
23:15; Matt. 14:26. B ch. 37:23. h 2 Cor. 2:7. i Ueh. neither let there be 
anger in your eyes. ' ch. 50:20; Psa. 105:16, 17. J cb. 47:18. k Exod. 



33. Let thy servant abide instead of the lad; the feelings 
of the ten brethren towards their father and towards 
Benjamin, the trial of which seems to have been a chief 
object of Joseph's demeanor towards his brethren, were 
fully proved by this last self-sacrificing offer of Judah. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

9. Hasty decisions, and strong, confident assertions are 
often wrong, and bring those who make them into great 
perplexity and distress. Prov. 29:11. 

16. Hearty acknowledgment of the justice of God in 
our trials, and humble submission to his will, indicate a 
preparation for approaching deliverance. 

18. It is never wise or right, in a world of mercy and 
grace, to despair, or cease to use appropriate means ; 
however dark to human appearance may be the prospect, 
or feeble the means used, God can give speedy and tri- 
umphant success. 

32. The most touching and efficacious eloquence is often 
a simple narration of facts. God's ways are great, and a 
true recital of them is suited to produce groat effects. 
His ways, like himself, are perfect, and a knowledge of 
them is suited to make men perfect, and lead them, in 
their measure, to imitate him. 

34. An affectionate and tender regard for one's father, a 
readiness to sacrifice, and if need be suffer, to prevent 



a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives 
by a great deliverance.' 

8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but 
God :"■ and he hatli made me a father to Pharaoh," 
and lord of all his house, and a ruler througli^out 
all the land of Egypt. 

9 Haste ye. and go up to my father, and say 
unto him. Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath 
made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, 
tarry not : 

10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen," 
and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy 
children, and thy children's children, and thy 
flocks, and thy herds, and all tliat thou hast: 

11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there 
are five years of famine ; lest thou, and thy house- 
hold, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 

12 And behold, your eyes see," and the eyes of 
my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that 
speaketh unto you. 

13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory 
in Eg3'pt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye 
shall liaste and bring down my father hither.' 

14 And he fell upon his Ijrother Benjamin's 
neck, and wept;"" and Benjamin wept upon his 
neck. 

15 Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, and 
wept upon them: and after that his brethren 
talked with him. 

16 IT And the fame thereof was heard in Pha- 
raoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come : 
and it pleased Pharaoh well,* and his servants. 

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy 
brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, 
get you unto the land of Canaan ; 

18 Alid take your father, and your households, 
and come unto me : and I will give you the good 
of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of 
the land.'* 



34:21. ^Keh. to put for you n remnant. 1 1 Chr. 11:14 ; Psa. 18:50; 44:4. 
m John 19:11. n ch. 41:4'3; Jiidg. 17:10; Job 29:16. o ch. 40:29; 47: l-«; 
Exod. 8:22; 9:20. p ch. 42:23; Luke 24:39. q Acts 7:14. r ch. 33:4; 
46:29. • Heb. was good in the eyes of Pharaoh. ' ch. 27:2S; 47:6; Num. 
18:29; Deut. 32:14. 



evils from coming upon him, and to prolong his life, pro- 
mote his comfort, and cheer him in old age, is peculiarly 
pleasing to God, and is often followed by some of his 
richest blessings. 

CHAPTER XLV. 

1. Then Joseph; in aU his preceding conduct towards 
his brethren, which had the appearance of harshness, 
Joseph had acted by a divine illumination; not for the 
gratification of his own private feelings, but for the 
accomplishment of the divine purposes, which included 
the humiliation of his brethren, and the trial of their feel- 
ings towards their father and Benjamin. Now the way 
was fully prepared for making himself known to hia 
brethren. 

5. Be not grieved; indulge not excessive anguish, nor 
sink into despair, for God is to be seen and acknowledged 
in all these things. 

6. Earinp:; an old English word for ploughing, or tilling. 

8. Not you ; that is, not you merely, or principally. You 
were instruments in fulfilling the infinitely wise and gra- 
cious purposes of God. 

9. God hath made me lord; men had been the means, but 
God had been the cause, and to him belonged the glory. 

10. Goshen; the north-east part of Egypt, nearest to the 
land of Canaan. 

69 



Jatob goeth into Eiiupt. 



GENESIS XLVI. 



His sons, and their cJiiUren. 



I'.t Now thou art coininaiuled, tliis do ye: take 
yoa waRona out of tlio land of Ejrypt for your 
littU' ones, and for your wivci*, and bring your 
fatlicr, and conit'. 

20 Also 'rcirard not your stuff; for the good of 
all the land of Kirypt iv yours. 

'11 Anil the children of Israel did so: and Jo- 
seph irave them wairnns, accordinu; to the *com- 
mandiuent of I'haraoli," and gave them provision 
for the way. 

22 To all of them he gave each man changes of 
raiment; but to JJenjamin he gave three hundred 
piccrs (if silver, and live elianges of raiment.'' 

23 And to his father ho sent after tiiis manner; 
ten asses Maden with tiie good things of Egypt, 
and ten slie-asses laden with corn and bread and 
meat for his father by tiie way. 

2-t So he sent his brethren away, and they de- 
parted; and he said unto them, See that ye fall 
not out by tiie way. 

25 "l And tiiey went up out of Egypt, and came 
into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 

26 And told liini, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and 
he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And 
Jacob's^ heart fainted, for he believed them not.*^ 

27 And they told liim all the words of Joseph, 
which he had said unto them : and when he saw 
the wagons wliich Joseph had sent to carry him, 
the spirit of Jacob their father revived.'' 

28 And Israel said, It is enough ; Joseph my son 
is yet alive : I will go and see him before I die. 

CHAPTER XLVI. 

1 Jacob is comforted by God at Beer-sheba. 5 Thence he with Iiis 
household goeth into ligypC ^ The number of his family tliat went 
into Egypt. 29 Joseph meeteth Jacob. 31 He instructeth his breth- 
ren how to answer to Pharaoh. 

AND Israel took his journey with all that he 
had, and came to Beer-sheba,'^ and offered 
sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. ^ 

2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of 
the night,*^ and said, Jacob, Jacob; and he said, 
Here am I."* 



• Heb. 


let not 


youT eye spare 


ele 


t Heb. mo 


ulh 


« A 


i.m 


3:16. 


b ch. 


43:34. tHeb. c 


arryi 




8 Heb. his 


c Job 9: 16 


; 29:24; 


P.sa 


126: 1 


Luke 


24:11,41. 


i V. 


a. bo 


(i. 


« ch 


21 :X 


; 28:10. ' 


ch. 


31 :42 


Ki 


6 oh 


15:1; 


Job 3-3:14 


h 1 


Sam 


3:4 


10. 


■ ch. 


12:2; Deut. 


•Hi 


0. J 


ch. 


15:16; 


50:13, 



20. Stuff; furniture ; Buch things as could not be easily 
carried. 

24. Fall not out; not get into any dispute as to who was 
most guilty in selling Joseph, or deceiving his father, or 
about any thing else. 

26. Fainted; in the original, was cold; that is, remained 
unmoved. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. A wise and good man will sometimes act towards 
those whom he loves in a way which he knows will give 
them pain, not because he takes pleasure in distressing 
them, but for the purpose of doing them good ; and he 
will remove their sorrow as soon as he sees that he can 
do it consistently with their highest benefit. 

8. God is not to be overlooked in any of the actions of 
men, but* is to be acknowledged and adored as over all, 
perfect and blessed for evermore. However wicked those 
actions, or great the evils they occasion, he intends so to 
counteract and overrule them as to accomplish unspeak- 
able good. 

9. Whatever good we receive, and in whatever way, 
God is its author, and to him we should give the praise. 

10 



3 And he said, I am God, the God of a",';^ 
thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for 
1 will there make of thee a great nation.' 

4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I 
will also surely bring thee uji again :' and Jo- 
scjih shall ])ut his iiaud upoji thine eyes.'' 

5 Anil .lacob rose up from HeiT-sheba : and the 
sons of Israel carried Jncob their father, and 
their little ones, and their wive.-j, in the wagons 
which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.' 

6 And tiiey took their cattle, and their goods, 
which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and 
came into Egy[)t, Jacob, andall hisseed with him :"' 

7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his 
daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his 
seed brought he with him into Egypt. 

8 1 And tiiese are the names of the children of 
Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his 
sons:" Reuben, Jacob's first-born. 

9 And the sons of Reuben ; Hauoch, and Phallu, 
and ilezron, and Carmi. 

10 "i And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel,' and Ja- 
miii, and Oliad, and Jachin,' and Zohar," and 
Sliaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. 

11 H And the sons of Levi ; Gershon/ Kohath, 
and Mcrari. 

12 ^\ And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, 
and Shelah, and Pharcz, and Zarah ; but Er and 
Onan died in the land of Canaan." And the sons 
of Pharez were Hezron and Ilamul. 

l?j 1 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phu- 
vali, and Job,* and Shimron. 

14 "i And the sons of Zebulun; Sercd, and 
Elon, and Jahleel. 

15 The.se be the sons of Leah, which she bare 
unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter 
Dinah ; all the souls of his sous and his daughters 
were thirty and three. 

16 1 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion,^ and Hag- 
gi, Shuni, and Ezbon,' Eri, and Arodi,^ and Areli. 

17 •[ And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ish- 
uah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serali their sis- 
ter : and the sons of Beriah ; Heber, and Malchiel. 



25; Exoil. 


3:3. k ch. 


50:1; Acts 7:15. 


1 r 


1. 45 


19. 27. 


n> 


Num. 


20:15; 


Deut. 26:5 


Josh. 24:4 


Psa. 105:23; Isa 


. .V2 


4. 


Exod. 


:1 


6:14. 


1 Or, 




■ Or, Zerali. t 


Or, 


GeTskom. o 


ch 


3»:3, 


7, 10. 


1 Or, Fuali 


and Jashub 


iZephon; Num. 26:15. 


lOr, 


zm 




Arod. 



22. It is sometimes right and best to bestow more of 
undeserved favors upon one than upon another; and a 
truly penitent, grateful, and benevolent heart will not re- 
pine at seeing this : it will not blame the giver nor envy 
the receiver, but will admire the one and rejoice with the 
other. 

24. Criminations and contests among brethren are ex- 
ceedingly injurious, and the truly wise and benevolent 
earnestly desire to prevent them. 

28. When the friends of God see the ends he had in 
view, the ways he took to accomplish them, the results 
which have followed and are to follow, it will be enough — 
enough for life, enough in death, and enough for eternity. 

CHAPTER XLVI. 

4. Bring thee up again; that is, thy posterity. Chap. 
50:21. In view of this fact, both Jacob and Joseph, chap. 
50:25, commanded that their bodies should be buried in 
the land of Canaan. Put his hand upon thine eyes; Joseph 
should be with his father, and close his eyes when he 
should die. 



Joseph meelcth Jacob. 



GENESIS XLVII. 



Jacob Iksseth I'harauh. 



n:r:?7oi' 18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom 
Laban gave to Leah his daughter ; '' and these she 
bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls. 

19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife; Joseph, 
and Benjamin. 

20 1 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt 
were born Manasseh and Ephraim,'' which Ase- 
natli the daughter of Poti-pherah priest* of On 
bare unto him. 

21 IT And the sons of Benjamin uvre Belah, and 
Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naanian, Ehi,* 
and Rosh, Muppim,* and Huppim,^ and Ard. 

22 These are the sons of Racliel, which were 
born to Jacob : all the souls tvere fourteen. 

23 1 And tlie sons of Dan; Husliim.' 

24 ^ And the sons of Naphtali ; Jahzeel, and 
Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. 

25 These are the sons of Bilhah. which Laban 
gave unto Racliel his daughter,'^ and she bare 
these unto Jacob : all the souls were seven. 

26 All the souls that came with Jacob into 
Egypt, which came out of his loins,^ besides Ja- 
cob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore 
and six. 

27 And the sons of Joseph, which were borne 
him in Egypt, were two souls : all the souls of the 
house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were 
threescore and ten."* 

28 IT And he sent Judah before him unto Jo- 
seph, to direct his face unto Goshen ;° and they 
came into the laud of Goshen.' 

29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and 
went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and 
pi-esented himself unto him ; and he fell on his 
neck, and wept on his neck a good while.' 

30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me 
die,"* since I have seen thy face, because thou art 
yet alive. 

31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto 
his father's house, I will go up, and show Pha- 
raoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my 
father's house, which were in the laud of Canaan, 
are come unto me ; 

32 And the men are shepherds, for "their trade 
hath been to feed cattle ; and they have brought 
their flocks, and their herds, and all that they 
have. 

33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall 
call you, and shall say. What is your occupation?' 



»CK. 29:24. bch. 41:50. • Or, prince, t jJAiram; Num. 26::i8. 


tShit- 


phnm; Num. 36:39: Shuypim; 1 Chr. 7:12. i Hupham: Num 


SB: 39. 


1 Or. S^u/inm; Num. 2li:42. c cli. 29:29. 1 Heb. 1/iig/i. i Deut 


10:22; 


Acts7:I4. ech. 31:31. fch.4-;l. ecli.45:14. li Luke 2:29, 3U. 


• Heb. 


they are ,nen of cattle, i ch. 47:3. J ch. 3U:35; 37: 12. l>ch.4:):32 


Exod. 



27. Threescore and ten ; seventy ; namely, the sixtj'-six 
mentioned ver. 26, with Jacob, Joseph, and his two sons. 
The Greek version of the Seventy here adds from Num. 
26:28-37, and 1 Chron. 7:14-23, five grandsons of Joseph, 
making the number seventy-five. The same mode of 
computation seems to have been followed by Stephen. 
Acts 7:14. 

30. Let me die; Luke 2:29, 30. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. In undertaking a journey, or entering upon any new 
plan, we should feel our dependence upon God, seek his 
blessing, and commit ourselves to his guidance and care. 

i. With the blessing of God we need not fear to under- 



34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath 
been about cattle from our youth even until now,J 
both we, and also our fathers : that ye may dwell 
in the land of Goshen ; for every shepherd is an 
abomination unto the Egyptians." 

CHAPTER XLVII. 

1 Joseph presenteth five of his bretliren, 7 and his father, before Pha- 
raoh. 11 He giveth them habitation and maintenance. 1.3 He set- 
teth all the Egyptians' money, 16 their cattle, 18 their lands to Pha- 
raoh. 22 The priests' land was not bought. 2.3 He letteth the land 
to them for a fifth part. 3S Jacob's age. 29 He sweareth Joseph 
to bury him with his fathers. 

THEN Josepli came and told Pharaoli,' and 
said. My father and my brethren, and their 
flocks, and their herds, and all tiiat they have, 
are come out of the land of Canaan ; and behold, 
they are in the land of Goshen."^ 

2 And he took some of his brethren, even five 
men, and presented them unto Pharaoh." 

3 And Pharaoli said unto his brethren, "What is 
your occupation?" And they said unto Pharaoh, 
Thy servants are shepherds,? both we, and also 
our fathers. 

4 They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to so- 
journ in the land are we come ; '' for thy servants 
have no ]iasture for tlieir flocks, for the famine is 
sore in tlie land of Canaan : now therefore, we 
pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of 
Goshen. 

5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy 
father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 

6 The land of Egypt is before thee ; in the best 
of the land make thy father and brethren to 
dwell ; in the land of Goshen let tlicm dwell : 
and if tliou knowest any men of activity among 
them, then make tliem rulers over my cattle.'" 

7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and 
set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pha- 
raoh." 

8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art 
thou?* 

9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of 
the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and 
thirty years: few and evil have the days of the 
years of my life been, and have not attained unto 
the days of the years of the life of my fathers 
in the days of their pilgrimage.' 

10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out 
from before Pharaoh. 



8-26 1 ch 46:31. m ch. 46:28. nActs7:13. oJohnl:S. pAmos7:14. 
q ch. 15:13; Deut. 26:5; Psi. 105:23; Isa. 52:4. ' 1 Chr. 27:29; Prov. 
22:29. s 1 Sim. 15:30; 1 Chr. 29:20; 1 Pet. 2:17. t Heb. How many arc 
the days of the years of thy hfe7 tch. 25:7,8 33:23. 



take any service, make any sacrifice, or endure any trial 
to which he may call us. 

30. Men may receive such blessings as to desire no 
more on earth, and be willing at any time to leave it, and 
enter into heaven. Phil. 1:23. 

34. A wise regard for our friends will ordinarily lead 
us to wish them to continue in the employment in which 
they have been educated and with which they are ac- 
quainted, as promising greater happiness to themselves 
and greater usefulness to others. 

CHAPTER XLYII. 

4. Sore; very grievous. 
9. Pilgrimage; journey through this world. 
11 



2'Ik ytars of famive. 



GENESIS XLVII. 



Prosperity of Israel. 



11 IT And Joseph placed liis father and \\h 
brethren, and pave tlicm a possession in tiie land 
of Ksrypt, in the Ik st of the land, in tlie land of 
Rameses. as Piiar;inli Imd coinnianded." 

12 And Joscpii noiirirflied liis father, and his 
brethren, and all his father's household, with 
bread, accnrdinir to their families.* 

13 "i And thirc was no bread in all the land; 
for the famine xms very sore, so lliat tlie land of 
Ej^ypt and a'l llic land of Canaan fainted by 
reason of the famine.'' 

14 And Josopli >i-athcrcd up all the money that 
was found in the land of Esypt, and in the land 
of Canaan, for the corn wliicli tliey lious-ht: and 
.Tosc])li hroiiii'lit the money into I'liaraoli's liouse. 

15 And wluMi money failed in the laud of E;j:ypt, 
and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians 
came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread : for 
whv should wc die in thy presence ? for tlie monev 
faiieth. 

16 And Josepli said. Give your cattle; and I 
will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 

17 And they In-ought their cattle unto Joseph : 
and Josej)h gave them bread in exchange for 
horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of 
the herds, and for the asses ; and he fed* them 
with bread for all their cattle for that year. 

18 When that year was ended, they came unto 
him the second year, and said unto him, Wo will 
not hide it from my lord, how that our money is 
spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; 
there is not aught left in the sight of my lord, 
but our bodies, and our lands : 

19 Wherefore shall wo die before thine eyes, 
both we and our land? buy us and our land for 
bread, and we and our land will be servants unto 
Pharaoh:'^ and give us seed, that we may live, 
and not die, that the land be not desolate. 

20 And Joseph bought all the laud of Egypt 
for Pharaoh ; for the Egyptians sold every man 
his field, because the famine prevailed over them: 
so the land became Pharaoh's. 



a Ver. 6; Exod. 1:11. * Heb. according to the little ones; or. as a little 
rhitd is nourished, b ch. 41:.'!0, 31. t Heb. ltd. c Job 2;4; Lam. 1:H. 
I Or, priiras. i Or, princes. <l Ezri 7:24. e Exod. 1 :7, 12; Deut. 10:22; 



11. Rameses; the capital of Goshen, about half way from 
the Nile to the Red sea. 

21. Removed them to cities; where the food was stored, 
for the greater convenience of supplying them. 

22. Priest.^; the priests of Egypt were a very powerful 
and influential body, and enjoyed many privileges above 
the common people. 

23. Sow the land; as the seven years of famine were 
now drawing to a close. 

26. The fifth part ; this is supposed to have been the 
tax which they paid for the use of the land and the sup- 
port of tlie government. 

30. r/(C(r 6t/)i/!ng-/)/ace; chap. 23:20; 25:9. This Jacob 
did, not merely becau.se he wished to be buried by the 
side of his fathers, but also as an expression of his faith 
in the promise of God that his posterity should inherit 
that land. 

31. Tlie bed's head; in Heb. 11:21, the Septuagint, or 
Greek translation, is followed: worshipped, leaning upon 
the top of his staff. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
4. Notwithstanding our dependence on God for all the 
72 



21 And as for tho people, ho removed 'ii.i;?„'?^ 
them to cities from one end of the borders of 
Egypt even to the alhrr end thereof. 

22 Only the land of the priests' liought he not: 
for the priests ha<l a portion assigned them of 
Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh 
gave thetn: wherefore they sold not their lands. 

2:5 Then Josejih said unto the people. Helndd, I 
have bought you this day and your land for Pha- 
raoh : lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow 
the land. 

24 And it shall come -to pass in the increase, 
that ye .sliall give the fifth part unto I'haraoh, 
and four parts sluiU lie your own, for seed of the 
field, and for your food, and for them of your 
households, and for food for your little ones. 

25 And they said. Thou hast saved our lives: 
let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we 
will lie Pharaoh's servants. 

20 And .Joseph made it a law over the land of 
Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have 
the fifth part; except the land of the priests* 
only,'' ichich became not Pharaoh's. 

27 IT And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in 
the country of Goshen ; and they had possessions 
therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.'' 

28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seven- 
teen years: so the whole age of Jacob' was a 
hundred forty and seven years. 

29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must 
die:'" and he called his son Joseph, and said unto 
him. If now I have foimd grace in thy sight, put, 
I pray thee, thy hand under my tliigh,^ and deal 
kindly and truly with me ; bury me not, I pray 
thee, in Egypt : 

30 But I will lie with my fathers,"* and thou 
shalt carr}' me out of Egypt, and bury me in their 
burying-place. And he said, I will do as thou 
hast said. 

31 And he said. Swear unto me. And he swarc 
unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the 
bed's head.' 



Neh. 9:23. I Hch. days of the years of his life, t Deut. 31 :14: 1 Kings 
2:1; Job 7:1; 14:14. B ch. 24:2. b ch. 50:5-13; Heb. 11:22. i 1 Kinga 
1:47; Heb. 11:21. 



blessings we enjoy and hope for, it is as needful to use all 
suitable means to obtain these blessings, as it would be if 
success depended solely on our efforts. Compare Acts 
28:22-25, 30-32, 44. 

9. The longest life is but a journey through this world 
to another ; and as character is the chief thing, our great 
concern should be that it may be such as shall render us 
most useful and fit us for heaven. 

20. ilen will cheerfully give up their property to save 
the life of the body ; and yet, for the sake of property, 
they will sacrifice the life of their souls. 1 Tim. 6:9, 10; 
Jas. 5:3. 

25. To be ungrateful to one who has saved our life, 
would be base ; how much more so not to be grateful to 
Him who, by suffering and doath for us, has opened a way 
to save the undying soul. 

30. The pious at death wish to have such disposal made 
of their bodies as shall be most useful to survivors, and, 
if consistent, to have them laid with the bodies of pious 
ancestors ; that at the trump of the archangel they may 
rise and ascend together, and complete in body and soul, 
be ever with the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:51-55; 1 Thess. 4:1G, 
17. 



SicJcness of Jacob. 



GENESIS XLVIII. 



Josp'ph visiteth him. 



1 Joseph with his sons visiteth his sick father. 2 Jacob strengtheneth 
himself to bless them. 3 He repeateth the promise. 5 He taketh 
Ephraim and Manasseh as his o\\-ii. 7 He telleth Joseph of his mother's 
grave. 9 He blesseth Ephraim and Manasseh. 17 He preferreth the 
younger before the elder. 21 He propliesieth their return to Canaan. 

AND it came to pass after these things, tliat one 
told Joseph, Behold, thy father w sick : and he 
took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 

2 And one told Jacob, and .'^aid, LJcliold, thy son 
Joseph Cometh unto thee : and Israel strengthened 
himself, and sat upon the bed. 

3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty 
appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan," 
and blessed me, 

4 And said unto me. Behold, I will make thee 
fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee 
a multitude of people ; and will give this land to 
thy seed after thee ybr an everlasting possession.'' 

5 1 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Ma- 
nasseh," wliich were born unto thee in the land of 
Egypt, before I came unto tliee into Egypt, are 
mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 

6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after 
them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the 
name of their brethren in their inheritance.'^ 

7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Ra- 
cliel died by mo in the land of Canaan in the 
Avay, when yet there urns but a little way to come 
unto Eplirath:'' and I buried her tliere in the way 
of Ephrath ; the same is Beth-lehcm. 

8 And Israel bclield Joseph's sons, and said, 
Who are these? 

9 And Joseph said unto his father. They are my 
sons, whom God hath given me in this place.' 
And he said. Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, 
and I will bless them.!^ 

10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim' for age, so 
that he could not see. And he brought them near 
unto him ; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 

11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I' had not 
tiiought to see thy face:" and lo, God hath show- 
ed me also thy seed.' 





• Oh. 


23:13-19; 


.3.'):fi, 


tc. 


bch. 


17:S; Deut 


39 


•R- 


Amos 0:14, 15. 


c 


ch. 


11 


.id-.i 


2. d Josh 


14:4 


e 


ch. 35 


; 16-19. f 


ch. 


31 


.■), B 


ch. 27:i| 


; } 


pb 


11 


21. 


• Heb. heavy, h 


o.h 


37:33, 


35; 45:28. 


iEph 


3:2(1 


> Exod. 


2(1 


12; 


Le 


v. 10:3-3. t ve 


. li). 


1 c 


1.17:1 


24:40. ■» 


Ps 


a. 103:4, 


5. n ch. 


31 


11; 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

3. Luz; chap. 28:13,19. 

5. They shall be mine; adopted as children and made 
heads of distinct tribes, like the otiier sons of Israel. 

6. After the name of their brethren; they shonld not be 
heads of distinct tribes, but should be reckoned as be- 
longing to the tribe of Ephraim or of Manasseh. 

7. Rachel died; chap. 35:9, 16, 19. 

8. Beheld; ho could discern that they were present, 
though he could not distinguish them. 

12. Bou'ed himself; in token of reverence for his father, 
from whom he was now to receive, in the persons of his 
sons, the paternal blessing. 

14. Wittinglij; knowingly, designedly. 

16. The Angel; chap. 17:1; 28:15; 31:11, 13, 24. My 
name — and the name of my fathers; let them be called not 
Egyptians, but Israelites, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob, and heirs of the promises made to them. 

18. Not so ; he thovight his father had made a mistake. 

19. Be greater; have a more ntnnerous and powerful 
posterity. 

22. One portion; the Hebrew word rendered portion is 



12 And Joseph brought them out from between 
his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to 
the earth. J 

13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his 
right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manas- 
seh in his left hand toward Israel's riglit hand, 
and brought them near unto him. 

14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and 
laid it upon Epliraim's licad, who was the younger, 
and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his 
hands wittingly ; for Manasseh was the first-born." 

15 1 And he ble.ssed Josepli, and said, God, be- 
fore whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did 
walk,' the God which fed me all my life long 
unto this day," 

16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil," 
bless the lads:" and let my name be named on 
them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and 
Isaac; and let them ^grow into a multitude in 
the midst of the earth." 

17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his 
right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased 
him : and he lield up his father's hand, to remove 
it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 

18 And Joseph said unto his father. Not so, my 
father: for this is the iii'St-born; put thy right 
hand upon his head. 

19 And his father refused, and said, I know it. 
my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, 
and he also shall be great : but truly his younger 
brother'' shall be greater than he,'' and his seed 
.shall become a multitude* of nations. 

20 And he blessed them that day, stiying, In 
thee shall Israel bless,^ saying, God make thee as 
Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim 
before Manasseh. 

21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die; 
but God shall bo with you,- and bring you again 
unto the land of your fathers.' 

22 Moreover, I have given to thee one portion 
above thy brethren," which I took out of the hand 
of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow. 



63:9. Psa. 34:22. t Heb. as fishes do increase, p Num. 26:34,37. 
urn. 1:33, 35; Deut. 33:17. r oh. 25:23. I Ueh. fulness, s Ruth 4:11, 
tch. 50:24; Josh. 23:14. "Josh. 17:14. 



shechem, which signifies shoulder, and also, as here, tract 
of land. Thus Jacob points out this tract as the inherit- 
ance of Joseph. Compare John 4:5. Accordingly Joseph 
was buried here. Josh. 24:32, and the whole adjacent 
country fell to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. At 
the same time the words, " one portion above thy breth- 
ren," seem to intimate the double inheritance -ndiich Jo- 
seph should have in the land of Canaan through his two 
sons. 1 Chron. 5:2. With my sword and with my bow; by 
warlike force. There is an allusion here to the destruc- 
tion of Shechem by Jacob's sons, which though disap- 
proved by him, was yet, in the providence of God, de- 
signed to foreshadow the future conquest of Canaan by 
his children, to which these prophetic words look forward. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. In sickness it is well gratefully to recount the past 
goodness of God to us and our families, and earnestly to 
recommend him and his salvation to all around us. 

11. God is often better to us than our fears, and does 

more for us than we, in our ignorance and weakness, had 

dared to hope. This should lead us to trust in him at all 

times, and in well-doing, patiently wait for his salvation. 

13 



The sons </ Jacub 



GENESIS XLIX. 



receive his blessing. 



1. '.\ Their blessing in particular. 
h,s burial. 3;j He dlelh. 



CHAPTER XLIX. 

1 J&cob calleth his sons to bli 
'jy He ch.\r({elh thill 

A ND Jacob called unto liis sons," and said, 
J. V Gather yoiir,<elve.s togetlier, tliat I may tell 
you that which i^hall befall you'' in tlie last tJays.' 

2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sous 
of Jacob; and liearken unto Israel your father. 

3 "i l{oiil)en, thou art my first-born, my might, 
and the beginning of my strength,'' the excellency 
of diiiiiity, and the excellency of power: 

4 Unstaiile as water, 'thou slialt not excel; be- 
cause tliDU wcntest up to thy fatlier's bed;" then 
detilixist tliou it: he went up to my couch.* 

5 1l Simeon and Levi are brethren;'' instru- 
ments* of cruelty are in their habitations.'^ 

6 my soul, come not thou into their secret;'' 
unto tiieir assemljly, mine honor, be not thou 
united : for in their anger they slew a man, and 
in their self-will they digL^ed down a wall.^ 

7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce ; and 
their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them 
in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.' 

8 ■[ Judah, tliou art he whom thy brethren shall 
praise:^ thy hand shall he in the neck of thine 
enemies; thy father's children shall bow down 
before thee." 

9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my 
son, thou art gone up : he stooped down, he couch- 



» Dcut. 33:1, etc. b Num. 24:14; Deut. 4:30. c Isa. 2:2; Jer. Si:30. 
•iDeut. 21:17. • Heb. rfo no( I*oa. e ch. 35:22; Deut. 5:21. t Or, my coucA 
is gone, f ch. 29:33, 51. t Oi, their swords are weapons of violence, g ch. 
ai;35-29. k Psa.. 28:9; Pror. 1:15, 16. i Oi. houghed oxen. ■ Josh. 21:3. 
i ch. 29:.35; P.si. 7li:l. t 1 Chr. 5:2; Rev. 3:9. 1 Num. 23:24; Rev. 5:5. 



15. However much we may have of this world, and 
however many may minister to our wants, our daily bread 
comes from God, and he is the giver of all the common as 
well as special mercies of life. 

21. Strong confidence in the promises of God, and good 
hope tlirougli grace that when absent from the body we 
shall be present with the Lord, and that he will be the 
God of our children and children's children to coming 
generations, gives peace and joy in death. 

CHAPTER XLIX. 

3. Excellency nf dignity, and — of power ; as the first-bom, 
the blessings of the birthright belonged to Reuben, but 
on account of his sin it was taken from him. 

4. Unstable as water ; easily overcome by temptation, and 
rushing headlong into iniquity. Shalt not excel; neither he 
nor his posterity would ever be distinguished. Chap. 35 : 22. 

5. Are brethren; not merely descended from the same 
parents, but alike in cruelty of disposition. Instruments 
of cruelty; he refers to their destruction of the Shechem- 
ites, chap. 3i : 25-29. 

6. Come not thou; in this verse Jacob expresses his 
deep abhorrence of their crimes. 

7. / tcill divide them ; this was a prophecy from God, 
that their posterity would be scattered among the other 
tribes. The Simeouites never attained to distinction 
among the tribes of Israel. They had their portion with- 
in the inheritance of Judah, Josh. 19:1; and seem to have 
been gradually absorbed and lost in that powerful tribe. 
The Levites, as is well known, received no separate in- 
heritance among the other tribes, but were distributed in 
cities throughout the land. 

8. Thy brethren shall praise; there is an allusion here to 
the meaning of the word Judah, that is, praise. Chap. 
29:35. His descendants would be highly distinguished 
and honored by all the other tribes. In the neck; they 
would overcome their enemies. 

9. A lion; as the hon is the king of the forest, and ter- 

14 



ed as a lion, and as an old lion ;' who shall u ": ^: 
rouse him up? 

10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,"' 
nor a lawgiver" from between his feet," until Shi- 
loh come;'' and unto him sliall the gathering of 
the people be.'^ 

11 Jiinding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's 
colt unto the choice vine ;'^ he washed his garments 
ill wine, and his clotlies in the liiood of grapes :" 

12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth 
white witli milk.' 

13 1l Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the 
sea; and lie shall he for a haven of ships; and his 
border shall be unto Zidon." 

14 ir Issachar is a strong ass couching down be- 
tween two burdens: 

15 And he saw that rest was good, and the land 
that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to 
bear, and became a servant unto tribute. 

l(j 1l Dan shall judge his people as one of the 
tribes of Israel.'' 

17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder' 
in the path, that biteth the horse's heels, so that 
his rider .shall fall backward. 

18 1 have waited for thy salvation, Lord.'^ 

19 ■[ Gad, a troop shall overcome him : but he 
shall overcome at the last." 

20 1[ Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he 
shall yield royal dainties. 



m Num. 21:17. n Psa. 00:7; isa. 33:22. o Deut. 2rt:57. P Isa. 11:1-5; 

Ezek. 21:27. q John 11:52; 12:32. 'Matt. 21:2. » Isa. 63:1-.). l Cant. 

5:10-16. u Josh. 10:10. v Judg. 13:2, etc. I Hcb. arrowmake. " Psa. 
40:1 ; Isa. 25:9; 26:S. i 1 Chr. 5:18. 



rible to other beasts, so the tribe of Judah would govern 
the other tribes, and be a terror to their foes. 

10. The sceptre; an emblem of power and autliority. 
Shiloh ; the Messiah, Prince of peace, sent as a Saviour. 
Isa. 7:14; 9:6, 7; 11:1-10; Jer. 23:5, 6; Dan. 9:25-27; 
Matt. 1 : 21-23. To him ; to Shiloh. The gathering of the 
people; or, the obedience of the people. See Deut. 18:18, 
19. They shall accept him as their King, and he shall 
reign over them. 

12. Red with wine — white with milk; his posterity would 
have a very fruitful country, and an abundance of the good 
things of life. 

13. The haven of the sea; or, the shore of the sea. The 
possessions of Zebulun extended from the sea of Chin- 
nereth, afterwards called the sea of Galilee, on the east, 
to the Mediterranean on the west. Zidon; or Sidon, a 
very ancient city on the Mediterranean, north of the more 
modern city of Tyre. 

14. 15. Issachar; the territory of Issachar lay south of 
Zebulun, and included the noble and fertile plain of Esdra- 
elon. Strong ass — bmred his shoulder to bear; his poster- 
ity would be distinguished for their ability and readiness 
to labor, for their quiet, patient, and industrious habits, 
and their preferring to hve at home rather than engage in 
wars or public affairs. 

IG. Judge his people; in aUusion to the fneaning of the 
word Dan, that is, one who judges. From the tribe of 
Dan came Samson. Judg. 15:7-20; 16:27-31. 

17. A serpent — an adder; they would overcome their en- 
emies by subtlety, stratagem, and surprise, rather than by 
courage and open force. Judg. 18:27. 

19. Gad ; the possessions of the tribe of Gad lay on the 
east of the Jordan, and were peculiarly exposed to tho 
assaults of hostile troops. See Deut. 33:20; Judg. 10:8; 
Jer. 49:1; iChron. 5:18-22; 12-8. 

20. Fat — royal dainties ; the inheritance of his posterity 
would yield in abundance, not merely the necessaries, but 
also the luxuries of life. 



Jacob's bkssings and death. 



GENESIS L. 



The mourning for Jacob. 



i^JMlJ- 21 INaplitali is a bind let loose: be 
givetb goodly words. 

22 1 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful 
bough by a well; whose branches* run over the 
wall: 

23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and 
shot at him, and hated him:" 

2-t But his bow abode in strength,'' and the arms 
of his hands were made sti'ong by the hands of 
the mighty God of Jacob ;'^ (from thence is the 
shepherd,'' the stone of Israel ;)•= 

25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall 
help thee ;'' and by the Almighty, who shall bless 
thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of 
the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts 
and of the womb : 

26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed 
above the blessings of my progenitors'' unto the 
utmost bound of the everlasting hills:" they shall 
be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the 
head of him that was separate from his brethren.' 

27 T Benjamin shall raven as a wolf:' in the 
morning he shall devour the prey, and at night 
he shall divide the spoil." 

28 1 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: 
and this is it their father spake unto them, and 
blessed them ; every one according to his bless- 
ing he blessed them.' 

29 And he charged them, and said unto them, 
I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me 
with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of 
Ephron the Hittite,™ 



• Heb. daughlers. » ch. 37:4, etc.; 39:20. t" Job 29:20; Psa. 37:14, 15. 
c P-i. 1^:32, 34. d ch. 45:10, 11; 50:21. e I=i. 28:16. f Deut. 33:27. 
SEph. 1:3. liHab.3:(). i Isi. C(i:5. j Judg. 2U:2I, 25. k Ezek. 39:S-10. 



21. A hind let loose; a female deer roaming at large, dis- 
tinguished for beauty and fleetness. But some render, 
Naphtali is a slender deer, slender being used in the sense 
of graceful. Goodly words ; words graceful and pleasant. 
He is thus marked as excelling in the gift of speech. Of 
this the Song of Deborah and Barak, Judges 5, is an ex- 
ample. 

22. A fruitful bough; he would have a very numerous 
posterity. 

24. From tlience ; some refer these words to Joseph, but 
they belong rather to God. We may render the whole 
passage thus : From thence [even from] the Shepherd, the 
Stone of Israel ; from the God of thy father, who helps 
thee ; and from the Almighty, who blesses thee, [shall be] 
blessings of heaven above, etc. 

25. Blessings of heaven above; the sunshine, and fertiliz- 
ing rain and dews. Blessings of the deep; the fertilizing 
springs and streams. Blessings of the breasts and of the 
womb ; fruitfuhiess in his posterity, and in their flocks and 
herds. 

26. Have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors; 
have exceeded the blessings which my ancestors pro- 
nounced on their children. The spirit of prophecy has 
made to me a fuller revelation of the good things reserv- 
ed for thee. Unto the utmost bound — everlasting hdls; so 
long as they shall endure. But many prefer to render, 
" Unto the precious things of the everlasting hills ;" that 
is, my blessing extends so far as to include aU these, and 
as long as they endure. Compare Deut. 33:15. 

27. Haven as a u-olf; his posterity would be warlike, 
fierce, and cruel. Ju'dg. 19:22-27; 20:14-25. 

28. Blessed them ; foretold the blessings God would be- 
stow upon them, and what would take place in future 
times with regard to their posterity. 

29. In the cave; chap. 47:30; 23:19; 25:9; 35:27, 29. 



30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpe- 
lah,° which is before Mamre in the land of Ca- 
naan, which Abraham bought with the field of 
Ephron the Hittite, for a possession of a burying- 
place. 

31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his 
wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his 
wife ; and there I buried Leah. 

32 The purchase of tiie field and of the cave 
that is therein was from the children of Heth. 

33 And when Jacob had made an end of com- 
manding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the 
bed, and yielded up the ghost," and was gathered 
unto his people." 

CHAPTER L. 

1 The mourning for Jacob. 4 Joseph getteth leave of Pharaoh to go 
to bury him. 7 The fimeral. 15 Joseph comforteth his brethren, 
who craved his pardon. 22 His ape. 2.3 He seeth the third genera- 
tion of his sons. 24 He prophesieth unto his brethren of their return. 
2-5 He taketh an oath of them for his bones. 26 He dieth, and is 
embalmed. 

AND Joseph fell upon his father's face, and 
wept upon him, and kissed him. 

2 And Joseph commanded his servants the phy- 
sicians to embalm his father :« and the physicians 
embalmed Israel. 

3 And forty days were fulfilled for him ; for so 
are fulfilled the days of those which are embalm- 
ed: and the Egyptians mourned* for him three- 
score and ten days.'' 

4 And when the days of his mourning were past, 
Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying. 



Rom. 12:6. etc. m ch. 47:30; 2 Sam. 19:37. » ch. 23:3, etc. ojobl4:10. 
1 ver. 29. 1 ver. 26; 2 Chr. 10:14; Matt. 26:12; Mark 14:8; 16:1; John 
12:7. tHeb.roept. r Num. 20:29; Deut. 34:8. 



INSTRCCTIOXS. 

2. We should desire not only to be useful in life, but in 
death to inculcate such truth, communicate such instruc- 
tion, and set such an example as shall be most useful to 
coming generations. 

7. We may feel the effects of our sins long after they 
have been committed. Even if they have been repented 
of and forgiven, we and our posterity may suffer evils in 
consequence of them to the end of time. 

10. The fact that the sceptre has long ago departed from 
the tribe of Judah, who have ceased to govern Israel, 
shows that the Messiah has come, and that the expecta- 
tion of a future Messiah is vain. 

18. The fulfilment of the prophecies uttered by Jacob 
on his death-bed shows that he spoke as directed by the 
Holy Ghost. But however highly favored a good man 
may be on earth, however numerous his blessings or those 
of his posterity, nothing will fully satisfy him but the sal- 
vation of God. 

2G. The measures which men take in opposing God, are 
made the means of fulfilling his designs; -and those which 
are adopted to prevent the exaltation and glory of his 
people, are made the occasion of promoting them. 

33. Men who have finished the work God gave them to 
do. and are through grace gathered in peace — their bodies 
to the grave and their souls to the assembly of just men 
made perfect — are unspeakably blessed. Rev. 14:13. 

CHAPTER L. 

2. Embalm; prepare the body with spices, drugs, and 
gums, in order to preserve it. 

3. Forty days; the time it took to embalm the body. 
Tlireescore and ten; seventy; the forty days in which they 
were embalming him, and thirty besides. 

4. House of Pharaoh; his chief servants or princes. 

15 



Jacob is huritd in CaTuian. 



GENESIS L. 



Joseph diclh and is cmhnln:- 



I f now 1 liave found pracc in your eyes, speak, I 
pray you, in tlio oars of I'liaraoh, sayinfr, 

f) My lather made inc swear." Haying, Lo, I die: 
in my grave wliieli I iiave digged for mo in the 
laud "of Canaan, tlierc shall tiiou bury nie.'' Now 
therefore let nio go up, 1 iiray thee, and bury uiy 
father, and I will eonie again. 

t) And Pharaoh said, Go np, and bury thy 
father, aocording as he made thee swear. 

7 1l And Josepii went up to bury his father : and 
witli liim wont up all the servants of Pharaoh, 
the elders of his house, and all the elders of the 
laud of Egypt, 

8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, 
and his father's house: only their little ones, and 
their flocks, and tiieir herds, they left iu the land 
of Goshen.'^ 

9 And there wont tip witli liim both ehariots 
and horsemen : and it was a very great company. 

10 And they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, 
which is beyond Jordan; and there they mourned 
with a great and very sore lamentation : and he 
made a mourning for his father seven days.'' 

11 And when the inhal)itants of the land, the 
Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of 
Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to 
the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was 
called Abel-mizraim," which is beyond Jordan. 

12 And his sons did unto him according as he 
commanded them:'' 

13 For his sons carried him into the land of 
Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field 
of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the 
field for a possession of a burying-place of Eph- 
ron the Hittite, before Mamre.' 

14 ^ And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and 
Lis brethren, and all that went up with him to 
bury his father, after he had buried his father. 

15 If And when Joseph's bi'cthren saw that their 



' Cb. 47;29. b Isl. 22:10; Matt. 27:60. c Exod. 10:9, 26. i Deut. 34:8; 
1 .«im. :)I:13; 2Sam. 1:17; Job 2:13; Acts &:2. • That is. The mourning 
of IK: Egyptians, ech. 49:29. fch. 23:16. s ch. 27:41 ; Lev. 26:.30; Job 
1.5:21: Prov. 2^:1. f Uib. charged, b Prov. 28:13; Matt. 6:12, 14; 18:3j; 



5. / have digged ; it was common for men to prepare 
their burial-place long bsfore their death, and Jacob is 
supposed to have prepared his in the cave of Machpelah, 
before he left Canaan. 

7. All the servants of Pharaoh; the elders ; his principal 
men ; a great company. Ver. 9. 

10. Beijond Jordan; on the west side; Moses having 
written this on the east of Jordan. 

11. Abel-mizraim; mourning of the Egyjitians. 

17. The trespass of thy brethren; in selling Josepli into 
Egypt. Chap. 37:28. 

18. Fell down ; .chap. 37 : 7, 10. 

19. Am I in the place of God ? it was not his business to 
punish them ; that belonged to God. Rom. 12:19; Heb. 
10:30. 

20. Ye thought evil; in intending that Joseph should live 
and die a slave, and that his father should think that he 
had been torn in pieces. God meant it vMo good; that he 
should be greatly exalted, and be the means of saving his 
father, his brethren, and multitudes of others from death, 
and of illustrating to all future generations the wonderful 
providence of a wonder-working God. 

24. Hesware; chap. 15:14; 46:4; 48:21. 



father was dead, they said, Josepli -will rtS": 
peradventurc hate us, and will certainly requite 
us all the evil which we did unto him." 

If) And they sent* a messenger unto Joseph, say- 
ing. Thy father did command before he died, saying. 

17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray 
thee now, the trespass of thy lirethren, and their 
sin; for they did unto thee evil : and now, we 
pray thee, forgive the tres]iass of the servants of 
the God of thy father.'' And Josepli wept when 
they spake unto him. 

18 And his brethren also went and fell down 
before his face; and they said. Behold, we be thy 
servants. 

19 And Josepli said unto them. Fear not: for 
am I in the place of God?' 

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me;' 
hut God meant it unto good,'' to bring to pass, as 
it is this day, to save much people alive. 

21 Now therefore fear ye not : I will nourish 
you, and your little ones.' And he comforted 
them, and spake kindly unto them.* 

22 M And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his 
father's house : and Joseph lived a hundred and 
ten years. 

23 And Josepli saw Ephraim's children of the 
third generation:"' the children also of Macliir the 
son of Manasseh" were brought up* upon Joseph's 
knees. 

24 And Josepli said unto his brethren, I die; 
and God will surely visit you," and bring you out 
of this land unto the land which he sware to 
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 

25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of 
Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye 
shall carry up my bones from hence." 

26 So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten 
years old : and they embalmed him, and he was 
put in a coffin in Egypt. 



Luke 


7:3.4 


; Eph. 


4:32; Col 


3:13 


Jas. 5:16. 


Deut 


32:35; 


2 Ki 


nps 


5:7; Job 34 


29; Ro 


n. 12:19; 


Ueb. 


0::J0. J 


Psa 


56:5. 


k ch. 


4.5:6. 




1 iMatt 


.5:44 


I Heb 


to their hearts. 


m Job 42 


1(i. 


iiNun 


1. 32:39 


IKeb. 


boT?ie. 


oExod. 3:16 


pExod 


13:19 


Josh. 24 


32; 


AcU7;16; Het 


.11: 


"2. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Divine grace does not destroy or lessen natural aifec- 
tion, but regulates, purifies, and exalts it. 

3. The removal of the righteous, especially those who 
have had great influence, is not only a private, but a pub- 
lic loss, and may well occasion public grief. 

13. Decent and affectionate respect should be paid to 
the mortal remains of departed friends, and their dying 
requests, so far as may be consistent, should be faithfully 
complied with. 

18. A guilty conscience naturally forebodes evil ; and 
duty, as well "as interest, requires that suitable measures 
should be taken to escape it. Lev. 2C:3G, 40-45; Prov. 28:1. 

20. The object of God in sufi'ering men to commit wick- 
edness is very different from their object in committing 
it. Whenever they intentionally do wrong, their object 
is evil, and they are evil. His design in suffering it to be 
committed is good, and he is good. 

25. Living faith in God gives good hope, through grace, 
that when the soul is absent from the body it will be 
present with the Lord ; that in due time the body will be 
raised, immortal and glorious, to be united with the soul, 
and both be perfect in his likeness for ever. 



te 



THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES, 



CALLED 



EXODUS. 



Exodus is a Greek word signifying departure, given as a name to this book because it records the 
departure of Israel from Egypt under Moses, of whose birth, education, and early history a brief narrative 
is given. After the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt, Moses leads the people to Sinai. Here 
God by a voice from heaven proclaims the ten commandments, and adds, through the mediatorship of 
Moses, a brief code of laws. The remainder of the book is mainly occupied with an account of the struc- 
ture of the tabernacle and its furniture. Into the general course of the narrative are interwoven some 
interesting historical incidents ; as the establishment of the passover, the assault of Amalek upon Israel, 
the sin of the golden calf, etc. 



kl^: CHAPTER I. 

1 The children of Israel, after Joseph's death, do multiply. 8 The more 
they are oppressed by a new king, the more they multiply. 1-5 The 
godliness of the midwives, in saving the men-children alive. 22 Pha- 
raoh commandeth the male children to be cast into the river. 

NOW tliese are the names of the children of 
Israel, whicli came into Egypt ;'^ every man 
and liis household came with Jacolj. 

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Ashcr. 

5 And all the souls that came out of the loins* 
of Jacob were seventy souls i** for Joseph was in 
Egypt already. 

6 And Joseph died,'= and all his brethren, and 
all that generation. 

7 IT And the children of Israel were fruitful, 
and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and 
waxed exceeding mighty;'' and the land was fill- 
ed with them. 

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, 
which knew not Joseph." 

9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the 
people of the children of Israel are more and 
mightier than we: 

10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them,^ lest 
they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when 
there falleth out any war, they join also unto our 



« Gen. 46:8. •Keh.lhigh. b Deut. 10:23. <: Gen. 50:90. d Gen. 46:3; 
Deut. 20:5; Psa. 105:-24. e Eccl. 2:19; Acts 7:18. ' Psa. 83:.3, 4; Prov. 
1:11; 21:30; Acts 23:12; 1 Cor. 3:19; Jas.3:15. f ch. 3:7: Gen. 15:13; 
Deut. 26:6; Psa. 81:6. h Gen. 47:11. t Heb. Andas they afflicted them, so 



CHAPTER I. 

5. Seventy souls; including Jacob himself, Joseph, and 
his two sous. (Jen. 46:27. 

8. Knenv not Joseph; was ignorant of his eminent ser- 
vices. Probably he belonged to a new dynasty. 

10. Deal visely; cunningly, in such a manner as to di- 
minisli their number and power. 

11. Burdens; exactions of labor and money. Treasure- 



enemies, and fight against us, and so get them np 
out of the land. 

11 Therefore they did set over them taskmas- 
ters, to afflict them with their burdens." And 
they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom 
and Raamses."* 

12 But the more they afflicted them, the more 
they multiplied and grew.* And they were grieved 
because of the children of Israel. 

13 And the Egyptians made the children of 
Israel to serve with rigor : 

14 And they made their lives bitter with hanl 
bondage,' in mortar, and in brick, and in all 
manner of service in the field :^ all their service, 
wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.'' 

15 1 And the king of Egypt spake to tlie He- 
brew midwives, of which the name of the one 
was Shiphrah, and tlie name of the other Puah ; 

16 And he said. When ye do the office of a mid- 
wife to the Hebrew women, and see i/iem upon 
the stools, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him ; 
but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 

17 But the midwives feared God,' and did not 
as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved 
the men-children alive. 

18 And the king of Egypt called for the mid- 
wives, and said unto them. Why have ye done 
this thing, and have saved the men-children alive? 



Ikey multiplied. ■ ch. 2:23; G:9; Num. 20:15; Ruth 1:20; Acts 7:19, 34. 
i Psa. 6l:G; Nih. 3:14. " Lev. 25:43: Isa. 5S:6; Jer. 50:33. 1 Neh. 5:15; 
Prov. 16:6; Ban. 3:18; 6:13; Acts 5:29. 



cities; fortified places for the keeping of military or other 
stores. Pithom and Raamses; cities in the north-east part 
of Egypt, in or near Goshen. Gen. 45:10; 47:11. 

13. With riffor; with great crueltj-. 

16. See them upon the stools; the Hebrew may be ren- 
dered, '• ye shall look upon the stones." The reference is 
supposed by some to be to a basin of stone, with a stone 
lid, used to wash the new-born infant. 

n 



Moses is born, and 



EXODrS II. 



Jltcih into MUlian. 



19 And the inidwivcs said unto Pharaoh, Be- 
cause tlie Hebrew wonien are not as the Ejryptian 
\ronien ; for they arc lively, and arc delivered ere 
the iniilwives come in unto them." 

20 Therefore God dealt well with the mid- 
wives:'' and the people multiplied, and waxed 
Tcry miiihty. 

21 An(l it came to pass, because the midwives 
feared God, that he made tliem houses."-" 

22 And Pharaoli charged all his people, saying, 
Every son that is born ye shall cast into the 
river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. 

CHAPTER II. 

1 Moses IS born, 3 and in an ark cast into the flags. .O He is fountl, 
anJ broujjht up by Pharaoh's Jau^jliter. 11 He slayeth an Ejn'ptian. 
13 He reproveth a Hebrew. IC) He fleeth into Midian. 21 He mar- 
rieth Zipporah. 22 Gershom is born. 23 God respecteth the Israel- 
ites' cry. 

AND there went a man of the house of Levi, 
and took to wife a daughter of Levi.'' 

2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: 
and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, 
she hid him three months.'' 

3 And when she could not longer hide him, she 
took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with 
slime and with pitch, and put the child tliercin; 
and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. 

4 And his sister stood afar oif, to wit what 
would be done to him. 

5 1 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down 
to wash herself at tlie river; and her maidens 
walked along by the river's side: and when she 
saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid 
to fetch it. 

6 And when she had opened it, she saw the 
child : and behold, the babe wept. And she had 
compassion on him,'' and said, This is one of the 
Hebrews' children. 

7 Tiien said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, 
Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew 
women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 



a Josh. 2:4; 2 Sam. 17:19. b Pror. 11:18; Eccl. 8:12; Isa. 3:10; Heb. 
C:IO. c 1 Sam. a:.^; 2 Sam. 7:11; 1 King.3 2:24; Psa. 127:1. d ch. 6:20. 
• Acts 7:21; Heb. 11:23. f Neh. 1: 11 ; P.sa. 10S:16. sPsa.27;10. 'That 



20. God dealt well with the midwives; blessed them be- 
cause tliey would not obey the command of Pharaoh. 

21. Made them houses; increased and prospered their 
families. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
6. No excellence of character, and no degree of author- 
ity, influence, or usefulness among men can keep off death. 
It becomes all, therefore, to prepare for it, by setting their 
affections on things above, and laying up treasure, not on 
earth, but in heaven. 

10. Tyrants often pretend that their unrighteous de- 
crees are needful to the welfare of the state. Were this 
true it would not excuse them, for the end does not jus- 
tify the means. But it is not true ; the permanent good 
of individuals or communities is never promoted by doing 
wrong. 

11. The providences of God often alarm men ; and to 
prevent evils, real or imaginary, and obtain good, they 
frame and execute wicked devices. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. There went ; had gone. Amram the father of Moses 
had been married a number of years, and had at least two 
78 



8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, » *'• f J??; 
Go. And the maid went and called the child's 
mother. 

'.) And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take 
this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will 
give thee thy wages." And the woman took the 
ciiild, and nursed it. 

10 And tiie child grew, and she brought him 
unto Pharaoh's daugliter, and he became her son. 
And she called his name Moses:' and she said, 
Because I drew him out of the water. 

11 1 And it came to pass in those days, when 
Moses was grown, tluit he went out unto his 
brctiiren, and looked on their burdens:'' and he 
spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his 
bretiircn. 

12 And he looked tliis way and that way. and 
wlicn he saw tiiat there was no man, he slew the 
Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 

K) And when he went out the second day, be- 
hobl, two men of the Hebrews strove together: 
and he said to him that did the wrong. Where- 
fore smitest thou thy fellow? 

14 And he said, Who made thee a prince* and 
a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as 
thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, 
and said. Surely this thing is known. 

15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, ho 
souglit to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the 
face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian : 
and he sat down by a well. 

1(> Now the priest' of Midian had seven daugh- 
ters: and they came and drew water, and filled 
the troughs to water their father's flock.' 

17 And the shepherds came and drove them 
away : but Moses stood up and helped them, and 
watered their flock. 

18 And when they came to Roucl^ their father, 
he said. How is it that ye are come so soon to-day? 

19 And they said. An Egyptian delivered us 
out of the hand of the sheplierds, and also drew 
wafer enough for us, and watered the flock. 



is, Drawn out. h ch. 1:11; 3:7; 5:9-14; Isa. 58;G; Luke 4:18; Acts 7:23. 
24; Heb. 11:24-26. t Heb. a man. a prince. 1 Or, prince. I Gen. 21:11 ; 
29:10; 1 Sam. 9:11. ! Called also /t/Aro, or JelAer; Num. 10:29. 



children, Miriam and Aaron, when Moses was born. Ver. 
4; 6:20; 7:7. 

2. Goo(Wi/ c/(;W,- beautiful, well-favored. Acts 7:20. 

3. Slime and — pitch; to keep out the water. River's 
brink; the border of the river Nile. 

10. Became her son; was adopted as her son. Biases; 
originally an Egyptian word, meaning saved from the wa- 
ter ; but, by a slight change, made to signify in Hebrew 
drawn out. 

11. Was grown; had arrived to years of maturity. He 
was forty years old ; was " learned in all the wisdom of 
the Egyptians," and was " mighty in words and in deeds." 
Acts 7:22, 23. 

12. Slew the Egyptian; Moses may have received from 
God an intimation that he should deliver Israel, Acts 
7 : 25 ; but his present attempt was unauthorized and pre- 
mature. 

15. Midian; a country south and south-east of Canaan, 
and near the Red sea. 

Ifi. Priest of Midian; the Hebrew word for priest sig- 
nifies also prince. Gen. 41:45. 

18. Reuel; probably the same as Jethro; or, as some 
think, the father of Jethro. Chap. 3: 1 ; Num. 10: 29. 



God appcardh to Moses. 



EXODUS III. 



His mcssase unto Israel 



B.c'iMi'' 20 And lie said unto his dauirhters, And 
■where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? 
call him, that he may eat bread." 

21 And Moses was content to dwell with the 
man :'' and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.'' 

22 And she bare him a son, and he called his 
name Gershom ;* for he said, I have been a stran- 
ger in a strange land. 

23 If And it came to pass in process of time, 
that the king of Egypt died : and the children of 
Israel sighed by reason of the bondage,'' and they 
cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason 
of the bondage.'^ 

24 And God heard their groaning, and God 
remembered his covenant with Abraham, with 
Isaac, and with Jacob.' 

25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, 
and God had* respect unto t/mn. 

CHAPTER III. 

1 Moses keepeth Jethro's flock. 2 God nppeareth to him in a burning 
bush. 9 He sendeth him to deliver Israel. 14 The name of God. 
15 His message to Israel. 

NOW Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father- 
in-law, the priest of Midian : and he led the 
flock to the backside of the desert, and came to 
the mountain of God, even to Horeb.^ 

2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him 
in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush ; ^ and 
he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, 
and the bush was not consumed. 

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and 
see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 

4 And when the Lord saw that ho turned aside 
to see, God called unto him out of the midst of 
the bush, and said, Moses, Moses: and he said, 
Here am I.' 

5 And he said. Draw not nigh hither: put off 
thy shoes from off thy feet ; for the place whereon 
thou standest is holy ground.^ 

6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, 
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the 
God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face ; for he 
was afraid to look upon God.' 



, 31:54. b Phil, 4:11. » ch. 18:2 



That is, A stranger here. 
- " - " Gen. 18:20; 



a ijen. Jl:04. o mil. l:ll. »; eft. lo;'.i. iftaL is, a stranger nere. 

d Num. 20:10; Deut. 26:7: Psa. 12:5. e ch. 3:9; 22:23, 27; Gen. 18:20 
Deut. 24:15; Isa. 6:7. f Gen. 15:14; 46:4; Luke 1:72-74. t Heb. knew 
e ch. 1S:5; 1 Kings 19:8. I> Deut. 33:16; Isa. 63:9; Acts 7:30. i Gen 
22:1, 11; 46:2. j oh. 19:12; Josh. 5:15; Eccl. 5:1. k Gen. 23:13; 1 King: 

22. Gershom ; meaning, a stranger there. 

24. His covenant; Gen. 15:14; 46:4. 

25. Had respect; viewed them with compassion, and with 
the purpose to deliver them. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

15. The efforts of men to perpetuate oppression may 
prepare the way for the deUverance of the oppressed. 

22. God has a work for each one of his people; and he 
bestows upon them such mercies, and leads them through 
such trials as are best suited to fit tliem to perform it. 

24. The measures which men adopt to thwart the pur- 
poses of God or the good of his people, are often made 
the means of fulfilling them. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Jethro; chap. 2:18. Horeb; a moimtain in Arabia be- 
tween the two arms of the Red sea. 



7 1 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the 
affliction of my people which are in Egypt,"" and 
have heard their cry by reason of their taskmas- 
ters;" for I know their sorrows;" 

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of 
the hand of the Egyptians,'' and to bring them up 
out of that land unto a good land and a large,'' 
unto a land flowing with milk and honey;' unto 
the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and 
the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, 
and the Jebusites. 

9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children 
of Israel is come unto me : and I have also seen 
the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress 
them. 

10 Come now, therefore, and I will send thee 
unto Pharaoh," that thou mayest bring forth my 
people the children of Israel out of Egypt. 

11 IT And Moses said unto God, Who am I, 
that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should 
bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt ? ' 

12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee;" 
and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have 
sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the 
people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this 
mountain. 

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I 
come unto the children of Israel, and shall say 
unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me 
unto you ; and they shall say to me. What is his 
name ? what shall I say unto them ? 

14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I 
AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the 
children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." 

15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus 
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The 
Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, 
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent 
me unto you : this is my name for ever, and this 
is my memorial unto all generations.^ 

16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, 
and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, 
the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, ap- 
peared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, 
and seen that which is done to you in Egypt :=" 



18:36; Matt. 22:32. ' 




13:22; Isa. 


6:5 


m Neh. 9:9 


Psa. 


106:44; 


Isa. 63:9. n ch. 22:2:; 


• P.a 


145:19. 


H.^a 


142:3. P ch. 


e:6-£ 


; 12:51. 


q Num. 13:19; Deut. 1 


:25. 


r Deut. 2G:9; Je 


r. 11:5; Ezek. 
h. 1:5; Kom.8 


20:6. 


« Psa. 


105:26; Mic.6:4. 1 Jer 


1:6. 


u Gen. 31:3 


Jos 


31. V 


ch.6:3; 


Heb. 13:8. " Psa. 102 


12; 135:13; Hos. 


2:o. 


I Gen. 50:2! 


; Luke 1:68. 



2. Ans:el of the Lord; ver. 4, 6; Gen. 16:7-14; 22:8-12 ; 
24:7. Plame of fire— bush ; the manner of the vision was 
a striking symbol of the condition of Israel, burned in the 
furnace of persecutions, but not consumed. 

5. Holy ground; to be treated with peculiar reverence, 
because of the manifestation of Jehovah there. 

6. Look upon God; John 1:18; 14:9. 

11. Who am I? expressing a sense of his insufficiency. 

12. This shalt be a token; the fulfilment of this prediction 
would be to Moses and Israel a sign that God had sent 
him. 

14. I am that I am; either, I am he who I am; or, I am 
that which I am. In either case, the words denote the 
self-existent, eternal, and incomprehensible nature of Je- 
hovah. As the only original Being, he is the ground of 
all created being. Compare John 8:58; Heb. 13:8; Rev. 
1:8. 

16. Elders of Israel; their head men, 
19 



Mosei rod bcto-'nes a serjkiil. 



Kxours IV 



He is loiUli to he sent. 



17 And I have saiil, I will brinp: you up out of 
the afllictiou of Kjrypt unto llio land of the Canaaii- 
ites, and tiic llittitcs. ami the Aniorites, and tlic 
Perizziles, and the iliviti's. and the Jehusites, 
unto a land llowinir with milk and honey." 

18 And liicy ^^hall hearken to thy voieo: and 
thou Avdlt eonie. thou and the elders of Israel, 
unto the kinjr of Kgypt, and ye shall say unto 
hiui, The Loud God of the Hebrews hath met witii 
us:'' and now let us go, we bcseceh thee, three 
days' Journey into the wilderness, that wc may 
saerihce to tiic Lord our God. 

19 1i And I am sure that the kiuff of Egypt will 
not let you go,*" no, not by a niigiity hand.' 

20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite 
Egypt with all my wonders whieii 1 will do in the 
midst thereof:'' and after tiiat he will let you go.' 

21 And I will give this people favor in the sight 
of the Egyptians :'' and it shall come to pass, that, 
when ye go, ye shall not go empty : 

22 But every woman shall borrow of her neigh- 
bor, and of her tiiat sojournelh in her house, jew*- 
elsof silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:'-' and 
ye shall put t/wm upon your sons, and upon your 
daughters:'' and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.* 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 Moses' rod is turned into a serpent. 6 His hand is leprous. 10 He 
is loath to be sent. !■! Aaron is appointed to assist lum. IS Moses 
departcth from Jetliro. 21 God's message to Pharaoh. 2-1 Zipporah 
circumciseth her son. 27 Aaron is sent to meet Moses. 31 The 
people believeth them. 

AND Moses answei-ed and said, But behold, 
they will not believe me, nor hearken unto 
my voice : for they will say, The Lord hath not 
appeared unto thee. 

2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in 
thy hand ? And he said, A rod. 

3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he 



J Gen. 15 


13-20; 


40-4 


b 


Num. 23:3 


etc. ' 


ch 


5 


2. • 


Or, but 6y a 




<i ch 


7:3 


II 


9; Deut. 6: 


22; Neh 


(» 


Id 


Hs,i 


105:27; Jer. 


:S1:2U; Acts 


7:36. 


ch 


l« 


31. f ch. 


l::j. C 


ch 


!•- 


:;)«. 


h Job 27:17; 


I'rov. 13;22; 


Isi. 33 


1. 


t Or 


,Sg!fft- ' 


ch. 19:9. 


J 


Wi 


m. 1 


2:10; 2 Kings 



18. Met with us; appeared to us and given us direc- 
tions. 

19. No, Tiot by a ruighty haiid; not though I deal with 
him by a miglity hand. He -would withstand aU God's 
mighty judgments, till the last great plague. 

21. 'Give this people favor ; lead the Egyptians to furnish 
them the things they should ask for, and which they had 
doubtless earned. Chap. 12:35, 36. 

22. Borrow; the word rendered borrow, means also, to 
request or demand, not expecting to make a return. Josh. 
15:18; 1 Sam. 8:10; Psa. 2:8. Jewels; the word rendered 
jewels means also furniture, utensils, and goods of various 
descriptions. Gen. 24: 53; 27:3; Deut. 22:5; 1 Kings 6:7; 
2 Chr. 34 : 12. Spoil the Ei^yptiaiis ; carry away the rich treas- 
ures which tliey shall give you. Chap. 12 : 3G ; Gen. 15 : 14. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. The place where God manifests himself has a pecul- 
iar sanctity ; and if we would approach him acceptably, 
it must be with reverence and godly fear. 

9. Jehovah is a just, and also a kind, compassionate, 
and merciful God. He tenderly sympathizes with all the 
distressed, especially such as wrongfully suffer; and in 
due time he will deUver the oppressed, and punish the 
oppressor. 

12. However unworthy men may be, and liowever in- 
sufficient in themselves for services to which God calls 
80 



cast it on the ground, and it became a ^.auj'r 
ser[)eiit; and Jlo.ses (led from before it. 

■1 And the Lord said unto Mose.s. Put forth tliy 
hand, and take it by the tail. And lie jmt fortJi 
his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in 
liis hand : 

T) That they may believe that the Lord God of 
their fathers, the God of Abraliam, the God of 
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto 
thee.' 

G '1 And the Lord said furthermore unto him. 
Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put 
his hand into his bo.<om : and when he took it out, 
behold, his hand was leprous as snow.J 

7 And he said. Put thy hand into thy bosom 
again. And he put his hand into his bosom again : 
and plucked it out of his bosom, and behold, it 
was turned again as his other flesh.'' 

8 And it shall come to pass, if they 'will not be- 
lieve thee, neither hearken to tlic voice of the 
first sign, that they will believe the voice of the 
latter sign. 

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not be- 
lieve also tliesc two signs, neither hearken unto 
thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the 
river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the 
water which thou takest out of the river shall 
become* blood upon the dry land? 

10 1 And Moses said unto tlie Lord, my 
Lord, I am not eloquent,^ neither heretofore, nor 
.since thou hast spoken unto thy servant : ' but 1 
am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 

11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made 
man's mouth ? or who niaketh the dumb, or deaf, 
or the seeing, or the blind ? have not I the Lord ?'" 

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy 
moutii, and teach thee what thou shalt say." 

13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray tliee, 
by the hand of him whom thou wilt^ send. 



5:27. k Matt. S:3. t Heb. shdU U and shall be. > ch. 7:20: Psa. 78:'I4. 
§ Heb. a inan of words. I Heb. since yesterday, nor sinee ike third day. 
mPsa. 94:9; Jer. 1:0, 9. n Isa. 50.4; Malt. 10:19. IOt, shouldest. 



them, if he grant them his presence they may fearlessly 
go forward, expecting to be crowned with success. I'sa. 
71:16; Phil. 4:13. 

15. The eternal, unchanging perfections of Jehovah are a 
proper ground for implicit confidence in him, and prompt, 
persevering obedience to aU his commands. 

20. Neither the power of God, nor the truth of his 
promises, nor the certainty that they will be accomplish- 
ed, renders the use of means unnecessary, or furnishes 
any ground to expect his blessing in the neglect of them. 

CHAPTER IV. 

2. A rod; a shepherd's crook or staff. 

5. Tliat they may believe; this was the object of the mir- 
acle, to lead the people to believe what Moses should say, 
and that God had truly sent him. 

6. Leprous as snow; white with leprosy, a loathsome 
disease, universally regarded as incurable, except by the 
immediate power of God. The twofold miracle of a sud- 
den production and sudden cure of this disease would be 
to the Hebrews a most convincing proof of God's presence. 

8. Believe the voice; its testimony to the fact that God 
had sent Moses to deliver his people from bondage. 

10. Not eloquent ,'■ not of ready utterance, or persuasive 
power of speech. 

13. Sentl, I pray; by some one else, not by me. 



Moses returns to Egypt. 



EXODUS V. 



77(6 people receive him. 



ii:l\S 14 And the anger of tlie Lord was kin- 
dled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the 
Levito thy brother? I know tliat he can speak 
well. And also, behold, he comoth fortJi to meet 
thee : and when, he seeth thee, he will be glad in 
his heart.'' 

15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words 
inhis mouth:'' andIwillbewithtiiymoutli,andwith 
his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 

16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the 
people : and he shall be, even he shall be to thee 
instead of a mouth, and thou siialt be to him in- 
stead of God."= 

17 And thou shalt take this rod in thy hand,"" 
wherewith thou shalt do signs. 

18 1 And Moses went and returned to Jethro* 
his father-in-law, and said unto him. Let me go, I 
pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are 
in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. 
And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. 

19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, 
Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead 
which sought thy life.'' 

20 And Moses took his wife and his sous, and set 
them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of 
Egypt : and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.' 

21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou 
goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all 
those wonders before Pharaoli whicli I have put 
in thy hand :'■' but I will harden his heart, that he 
shall not let the people go.'' 

22 ^Vud thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith 
the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first-born :' 

23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he 



«Ver 


«7 


b Num. 22:38 


23:5, 


etc. 


Deut. 18: 


8; Isa. 


51:16; Jer. 


:!>: 


Luke a 


•1.'). 


c r,h 


7:1: 18 


19. ■! 


ver. 


2. • Heb. 


Jet/ier. 


« ch. a 


15. 


■£t; 


Matt. 2 


•.HI. 1 


eh. 


7:9; Num. 20:1 


,1' 


e ch. 3:21 


b ch 


7:3. etc. 


; 1 


put. 


■2:30; Jo 


sh. 11 


2U; 


sa. 6:10, 


63:17; 


J oh 


n 12:40; R 


m. 9:lcJ;2Thes 


. 2 


10- 



14. Against Moses; on account of his great and unrea- 
sonable reluctance to do what God commanded. 

15. Put words in his mouth ; tell him what to say. 

16. Instead of God; make known to him the will of God, 
and direct him what to do. 

20. His sons; Gershom and Eliezer, chap. 18:3, 4. Re- 
turned; set out to return. The rod of God; ver. 2, 17. 

21. Put in thy hand; directed, and would enable him to 
perform. Will harden his heart; by making known to him 
liis duty and tlie reasons for doing it, and yet suffering him to 
take his own way, and thus obstinately and wickedly refuse 
to obey God's most wise, just, and reasonable commands. 

22. My son — my first-born; greatly beloved, and greatly 
favored. 

23. Slay thy son; chap. 12:29, 30. 

24. Inn; the place where they stopped for the night. 
Kill him; threatened Moses with death, should he still 
contmue to neglect to circumcise his son. As he was 
called to be the leader of Israel, it was preeminently im- 
portant that he should be an example of obedience to all 
God's ordinances. He seems to have culpably delayed 
this rite out of regard to Zipporah's wishes. 

25. Sharp stone; sharp flints were then used for knives. 
A bloody husband; in the original, a bridegroom of blood ; 
that is, a bridegroom to whom I was espoused under the 
necessity of performing upon my offspring the bloody 
rite of circumcision. 

26. He let him go; the Lord ceased to threaten him with 
death for neglecting his duty. i 

27. In the mount; at mount Horeb. Chap. 3:1; 4:14. 

28. Signs ; miracles whidi God had commanded him to 
perform. 



may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, 
behold, I will slay thy son, even thy first-born.^ 

2-4 1 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, 
that the Lord met him," and sought to kill him.' 

25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone,^ and cut 
off the foreskin of her sou,'" and cast* it at his 
feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou 
to me. 

26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody 
husband thou art, because of the circumcision. 

27 1 And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the 
wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and 
met him in the mount of God, and kissed him." 

28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the 
Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which 
he had commanded him. 

29 *[ And Moses and Aaron went and gathered 
togetlier all the elders of the children of Israel : 

30 And Aaron sj)ake all the words which the 
Lord had spoken unto Moses," and did the signs 
in the sight of the people. 

31 And the people believed:'' and when they 
heard that the Lord had visited the children of 
Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, 
then they bowed their heads and worshipped.'' 

CHAPTER V. 

1 Pharaoh chideth Moses and Aaron for their message. 5 He increas- 
eth tlie Israelites' task, l-j He derideth their complaints. 20 They 
cry out upon Moses and Aaron. 22 Moses complaineth to God. 

AND afterward Moses and Aaron went in, 
and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord 
God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may 
hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.'' 



12. i Deut. 14:1; Jer. 31:9; Hos. 11:1; Rom. 9:4. J ch. 11:5; 12:20. 
k Num. 22:22. 1 Gen. 17:14. 1 Or, knife, mjosh. 5:2, 3. t Heh. made it 
touch, n ch. 3:1. o ver. 16. p ch. 3: IS; ver. 8. 9. q Gen. 17:3; 24:26; 
oh. 12:27; 1 Chr. 29:20; 2Chr. 20:li. r ch. 10:9. 



31. Visited the children of Israel; appeared for them in 
mercy, and was about to deliver them from bondage. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. It is often exceedingly difficult to induce even the 
best of men in all things heartily to believe God; and 
were it not for his boundless compassion and grace, in- 
stead of being saved by faith, they would perish through 
unbelief. 

8. God in his mercy furnishes his people with all need- 
ful aid for the services to which he calls them ; so that in 
reliance on him they may safely follow Ids directions, 
expecting that he will give them success. 

13. Jlen are very apt to start objections against doing 
what they dislike, and to desire that others may perform 
the labors and bear the trials of difficult services, rather 
than themselves. 

14. God is angry with men when they are afraid or 
ashamed to obey him, or seek to excuse themselves from 
doing their duty. 

18. In doing the will of God we should endeavor not 
needlessly to exasperate men, and should use all suitable 
means to secure tlieir approbation and aid. 

24. Those who are called to guide others in the path of 
duty should be careful to walk in it themselves, and in all 
things to set an example which others may safely follow. 

31. God is often better to his people than their fears, 
and always better than their deserts. Difficidties in the 
way of duty, which may seem insuperable, when they en- 
gage in it disappear or are readily overcome. The yoke 
which appeared to be so gaUing is easy, and the burden 
which seemed so heavy is light. Matt. 11:29, 30. 
81 



Pharaoh rejects Moses. 



EXODUS VI. 



The people are oppressed. 



2 And Pliaraoh saiJ. Who is tlic Lord, that I 
should obey liis voice to let Israel pro?" I know 
not the JjoisD, neither will I let Israel go. 

3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath 
met with us":" let us go, we pray thee, three days' 
journey into the desert, and sacriiice unto the 
Lord our Cfod ; lest he fall upon us with pcsti- 
lenee, i)r witli the sword." 

4 And tlie king of Egypt said unto them, Wherc- 
fire do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from 
tlieir works? get you unto your burdens. 

5 And riiaraoh said. Behold, the people of the 
land now are many, and yc make them rest from 
their burdens. 

6 And Pliaraoh commanded the same day the 
taskmasters of the people, and their officers, 
saying, 

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to 
make brick, as heretofore : let them go and gather 
straw for themselves. 

8 And the tale of the bricks which they did 
make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them ; ye shall 
not diminish aus:ht thereof:'' for they be idle; 
therefore they cry, saying. Let us go and sacrifice 
to our God. 

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men,* 
that they may labor therein; and let them not 
regard vain words."' 

10 11 And the taskmasters of the people went 
out, and their officers, and they spake to the peo- 
ple, saying. Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give 
you straw. 

11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: 
yet not aught of your work shall be diminished. 

12 8o the people were scattered abroad through- 
out all the land of Egypt to gather stubble in- 
stead of straw. 

13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, 
Fulfil your works, your daily tasks,* as when there 
was straw. 

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, 
which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, 



a 2 Kings 1S:35; Job 21:15; Psi. 12:4. l>ch.3;18. c Deut. 23:21 ; Ezek. 
f.ll "11^51.106:41. ' Heh. Let the work be lifctvi/ upon the men. e 2 Kings 
15:20. ^Keh. a matter of a day in his day. fDeut.32:3S; Eccl.4:l; 5:S 



CHAPTER V. 

3. Tlie desert; the desert of Shur, lying between Egypt 
and Canaan. Fall upon us with pestilence ; punish us with 
death for neglecting to obey his command. 

4. Let the people; hinder their working. 

6. Taskmasters ; Egyptians appointed to exact of the Is- 
raelites the required labor. Officers; Israelites appointed 
to execute the directions of the taskmasters. Ver. 14-10. 

7. Straw ; to be mixed with the clay, to make the bricks 
more firm and durable. They were not burned, but dried 
in the sun. 

8. The tale of tlie bricks; the fuU amount which was re- 
quired. 

9. Vain words; false pretences, about being required by 
God to go and worship. 

21. Judge; judge you for the evil you have brought 
upon us, in occasioning an increase of our burdens. Blade 
our savor to be abhorred; made us odious to Pharaoh and 
his people, and thus disposed them to deal more cruelly 
with us. Put a sword in their liarul; giving them a pretext 
for killing us. 

22. Returned unto the Lord; expressed to him his feel- 



wcro beaten, and demanded. Wherefore *i. ":"!.?: 
have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick 
both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore? 

15 1 Then the officers of the children of Israel 
came and cried unto IMiaraoh, saying, Wherefore 
dealest thou thus with thy servants? 

IG There is no straw given unto thy servants, 
and they say to us. Make brick: and behold, thy 
servants are beaten ; but tiie fault is in thine own 
peo])le. 

17 But he said, Yc are idle, 1/p arc idle; therefore 
ye say. Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord. 

18 Go tiierefore now, and work; for there shall 
no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the 
tale of bricks. 

19 And the officers of the children of Israel did 
sec t/iat they were in evil case' after it was said. 
Ye shall not minish aug/U from your bricks of 
your daily task. 

20 1i And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood 
in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh : 

21 And they said unto them. The Lord look 
upon you, and judge; because ye have made our 
savor to be abhorred* in the eyes of Pharaoh, and 
in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their 
hand to slay us.*-' 

22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said. 
Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil-entreated this 
people? why is it that thou hast sent me?'' 

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy 
name, he hath done evil to this people ; neither 
hast thou delivered^ thy people at all. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 God renewcth his promise by his name JEHOVAH. 14 The geneal- 
ogy of Reuben, 10 of Simeon, 16 of Levi, of whom came Moses and 
Aaron. 

THEN the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt 
thou see what I will do to Pharaoh:' for 
with a strong hand shall he let them go,J and 
with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his 
land.'' 



1 Heb. to stink. S Gen. 34:30; 1 Sam. 13:4; 27:12; 2 Sam. 10:6; 1 Chr. 
19-6. h Jer. 20:7; Hab. 2:3. % Heb- delivering thou hast not delivered. 
i 2 Chr. 20:17; l's3. 12:5. )Psa.S9:13. tch.U:!. 



iugs, which were as unreasonable towards Jehovah as 
those of the Israelitish officers were towards him; and 
much more inexcusable, as he had been expressly fore- 
warned that Pharaoh would for a time resist his efiforts. 
Chap. 3:19,20. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The commands of God are reasonable and binding 
on all who know them. If men do not obey them, it is 
because they have no disposition to obey. 

8. Wicked men often imagine that the friends of Jeho- 
vah have no real regard for him ; that their professions 
are mere pretence, and that if they were not hypocritical, 
selfish, and idle, they would not wish to spend time in 
worshipping him. 

23. Good men in pursuing a good object in the right 
way, if not immediately successful, are liable to become 
discouraged, and to complain not merely of men, but also 
of God. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1. Strong hand; under the judgments of God, Pharaoh 
would not only consent, but be very urgent to have them 



God reneweth his promise. 



EXODUS VI. 



The descent of Moses and Aaron. 



v.c:mt 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said 
unto him, I am the Lord:* 

3 And I appeared unto Abraliam, unto Isaac, 
and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty," 
but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to 
tlicm> 

4 And I haye also established my covenant with 
them, to give them tlie land of Canaan, the land 
of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers/ 

5 And I have also heard the groaning of tlie 
children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in 
bondage J* and I have remembered my covenant." 

6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I 
am the Lord, and I will liring you out from un- 
der the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid 
you out of their bondage,' and I will redeem you 
with a stretched-out arm, and wath great judg- 
ments:' 

7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I 
will be to you a God : and ye shall know that I 
am the Lord your God, wliich bringeth you out 
from under the burdens of the Egyptians.'' 

8 And I will bring you in unto the laud, con- 
cerning the wliich I did swear + to give it to Abra- 
ham, to Isaac, and to Jacob ; and I will give it 
you for a heritage : I am the Lord. 

9 And Moses spake so unto the children of 
Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for 
anguish' of spirit, and for cruel bondage.' 

10 T And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, 
that he let the children of Israel go out of his 
land. 

12 And Moses spake before the Lord, saying. 
Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened 
unto me ;' how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who 
am of uncircumcised lips?" 

13 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children 



•Or.jEHOVAH. a Gen. 17:1; 33:11; 48;3. b ch. 3:11; Psa. 6B:4; K3:lrt; 
Isa. 4-2:3; John 8:53; Revr. 1:4. t Gen. 17:7. 8. d ch. 2:21; Psa. 106:44. 
e Psa. 103:8. ' Deut. 26:8; Psa. 81:6. s ch. 15:13; Deut. 7:8; 1 Chr. 
17:21; Neh.l:10. h Deut.4:2U; 7:6; 2Sam 7:24; Jer. 3l:')3; Hos.l:10; 
Rev. 21:3, 7. t Heb. lift itp my hand. 1 Heb. shortness, 



2. I am the Lord ; in the Hebrew, I am Jehovah. This 
is the first time that the declaration, I am Jehovah, occurs 
in the Bible in this naked form. Its meaning is, that the 
name is a pledge that he who bears it will fulfil all his 
promises. The word Jehovah signifies HE IS, and, like 
the equivalent name, I AM, it denotes the self-existence, 
independence, immutability, and infinite fulness of the 
divine Being. 

3. God Almighty; see Gen. 17:1; 35:11. By my name 
JEHOVAH was I not knoion to them. It had been known 
from the beginning that God's name was Jehovah, Gen. 
4:2. We have reason to believe that God himself, who 
named man Adam, also named himself Jehovah. But in 
his revelations to the patriarchs, God had not appropri- 
ated this name to himself in a peculiar way, as he now 
did. He had said to them, I am God Almighty ; I am Jeho- 
vah, the God of Abraham, etc. ; but not simply, I am Jeho- 
vah. The name of God comprehends the sum of all his 
attributes. To manifest God's name to men, is to manifest 
his true character. John 17:6. When it is said that 
God keeps believers through his name, the meaning is, 
that he keeps them through those divine attributes which 
his name comprehends. John 17:11. When God says, I 
am Jehovah, he means that the fulness of divine perfec- 
tions which that name includes, is a sure pledge that he 
will redeem all his promises to his covenant people. 



of Israel,' and unto Pharaoli king of Egypt, to 
bring tlie children of Israel out of the land of 
Egypt. 

14 IT These he the heads of their fathers' houses : 
The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel ; Ha- 
noch, and Pallu, Hczron, and Carmi :"" these be the 
families of Reuben. 

15 And the sons of Simeon ; Jemuel, and Jamin, 
and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the 
son of a Canaanitish woman:" these are the fam- 
ilies of Simeon. 

16 IT And these are the names of the sons of 
Levi according to their generations ; Gershon, 
and Kohath, and Merari:" and the years of the 
life of Levi u-ere a hundred thirty and seven years. 

17 The sons of Gershon ; Libni, and Shimi, ac- 
cording to their families. 

18 And the sons of Kohath ; Amram, and Izhar, 
and Hebron, and Uzziel : ^ and the years of the life 
of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years. 

19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali andMushi: 
these are the families of Levi according to their 
generations. 

20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's 
sister to wife ; and she bare him Aaron and Moses : 
and the years of the life of Amram were a hun- 
dred and thirty and seven years. 

21 IT And the sons of Izhar; Korali, and Nc- 
pheg, and Zichri." 

22 And the sons of Uzziel ; Mishael, and Elza- 
phan, and Zithri.'' 

23 And Aaron took him Elishcba, daughter of 
Amminadab, sister of Naaslion, to wife;^ and she 
bare him Nadab and Abiliu, Eleazar and Ithamar.' 

24 And the sons of Korah ; Assir, and Elkanah, 
and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Kor- 
hites. 

25 And Eleazar, Aaron's son, took him one of 
the daughters of Putiel to wife; Tind she bare 



i ch 5:21. jver. 9. k ver. 30; Lev. 26:41 ; Jer. 9:26; Acts 7:51. 1 Num. 
27:19, 23; Deut. 31:14. " Gen. 46:9. etc.; 1 Chr. S:3. n 1 Chr. 4:24. 
» Num. 3:17; 1 Chr. 6:1. P Num. 213:57. 1 Num. 16:1. r Lev. 10:4. 
s Ruth 4:19. I 1 Chr. 6:3; 24:1. 



8. Ididswear; Gen. 15:18; 26:3; 28:13; 35:12. 

12. Uncircumcised lips ; not eloquent Chap. 4:10. 

14-27. The special design of this table is to show the 
descent of Moses and Aaron. It therefore proceeds no 
further than Levi, the third son of Jacob, and gives full 
details respecting his descendants. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. When men despair of help from themselves and from 
creatures, and look to God, he shows both his readiness 
and his power to do for them what they need. 

8. Those attributes of God which are implied in the 
names that he appropriates to himself in his word, are 
made known to men in his providence. Both by what 
he says and by what he does, he shows that he is Je- 
hovah. 

12. Even the best of men are strongly tempted to walk 
by sight, not by faith ; and if appearances are against 
them, are liable to be discouraged, though all the perfec- 
tions of Jehovah are pledged in their behalf. 

29. The utter insufficiency of men, and their entire de- 
pendence on God, instead of being a reason why they 
should not in all things obey him, are a reason why they 
should obey him ; and in doing his wiU they will find his 
grace to be sufficient for them, and his strength m;r!i' 
perfect in their weakness. 2 Cor. 12:9; Heb. 11:34. 
83 



Mosu and Aaron before Pharaoh. 



EXODUS VII. 



Ilis heart is hardened. 



him Pliinclia?:" tlicso are the heads of the fathers 
of tlie Lovites according to tlioir families. 

20 Tiiose (irv that Aaron aiui Moses, to whom 
tlic LoiU) said, JJrinij out tlie cliiidren of Israel 
from tiie land of Efrypt accordinji; to their armies. 

-7 These are they which spake to Pharaoli kin;^ 
of Eirypt,'' to liring out tlie children of Israel from 
Ejrypt:" tliese are that Mose.s and Aaron. 

28 1 And it came to ])ass on the day when the 
Lord spake unto Moses in the land of Ejrypt, 

29 Tiiat tiie Lord spake unto Moses, saying, I 
am the Lord : speak tiiou unto Pharaoh king of 
Eirypt all tiiat I say unto thee.'' 

;5U And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I 
am of uncircumcised lips," and how shall Pharaoh 
licarkeu unto me? 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 Moses is encouraged to go to Pharaoh. 7 His age. 8 His rod is 
turned into a serpent. U The sorcerers do the like. 13 Pharaoh's 
heart is hardened. 14 God's message to Pharaoh. 19 The river is 
turned into blood. 

AND the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have 
made thee a god to Pharaoh ;'' and Aaron 
thy brother shall be thy prophet. 

2 Thou shalt speak all tliat I command thee;*' 
and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, 
that he send the children of Israel out of his land. 

3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and mul- 
tiply my signs and my wonders in the land of 
Egypt." 

4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that 
I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth 
mine armies, and my people the cliildren of Israel, 
out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 

5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the 
Lord, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt, 
and bring out the children of Israel from among 
them.' 

6 And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord com- 
manded them, so did they. 

7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron 
fourscore and three years old, when they spake 
unto Pharaoh. 

8 IT And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, 
Show a miracle for you:' then thou shalt say unto 



ajosh. 21:33. b ch. 5: 1 ; 7; 10. c ch. 3:3:1 ; Psa. 77:2Ui Mic. 6: 4. d Jer. 
1:7, S, 17; 2;3:2S;2l):-.>; Ezek. 2:6, 7i 3: 11 ; Matt. 3i:20. e ver. 12. f Psi. 
^2:6; Johnl0:35. ech.8:29. l>cli.ll:9. i ch. 14:4, 18; Psa. 9:16. j Matt. 
12:39; John 2: IS. k Dan. 2:2; 2 Tim. 3:8. 1 ver. 4. » ch. 8:1.'); 10:1, 27. 



CHAPTER YII. 

1. / liave made thee a god to Pharaoh — thy prophet; as God 
communicates to men his will through prophets, so Aaron 
should make known to Pharaoh the messages which Mo- 
ses, acting in God's name, should direct him to deliver. 

3. Harden Pharaoli's heart ; as a punishment for his sins, 
he was given up to Iiardness of heart and blindness of 
mind, so that God's dealings with him served only to in- 
crease his obduracy and wickedness. 

i. That I may lay my hand upon Egypt; this was not 
Pharaoh's object in refusing to obey God, but it was God's 
object in suffering him to do it. 

5. The Egyptians sliall know ; that Jehovah is almighty, 
and able to do his pleasure. 
84 



Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before 'Ji cnJ'l 
Pharaoh, and it .shall become a serpent. 

10 1 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pha- 
raoli, and they did so as tiic Lord had commanded : 
and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and 
before his servants, and it iiecamc a serpent. 

11 Tiien Pharaoh also called the wise men and 
the sorcerers:'' now the magicians of ]']gy]>t, they 
also did in like manner with their enchantments. 

12 For they cast down every man his rod, and 
they became serpents : but Aaron's rod swallowed 
up their i"ods. 

13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he 
hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said." 

14 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, I'liaraoh's 
heart is hardened:'" he refuseth to let the people 
go." 

15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, 
hegoeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand 
by the river's brink against he come ; and the rod 
which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in 
thy hand." 

16 And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God 
of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee,!" saying, 
Let my people go, that they may serve me in the 
wilderness:'' and behold, hitherto thou wouldest 
not hear. 

17 Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know 
that I am the Lord :'' behold, I will smite with the 
rod that is in my hand upon tlie waters which are 
in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.^ 

18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, 
and the river shall stink ; and tlie Egyptians shall 
loathe to drink of the water of the river. 

19 If And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto 
Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand 
upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, 
upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon 
all their pools of water,' that they may become 
blood ; and that there may be blood throughout 
all the land of Egypt, both in vessels o/" wood, and 
in vessels of stone. 

20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord 
commanded : and he lifted up the rod, and smote 
the waters that were in the river, in the sight of 
Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants;' and 
all the waters that were in the river were turned 
to blood. 



n Jer. 8:5, Heb. 12:25. » ver 


10. p ch. 3:13. q ch. H:l. etc. r ver. 5; 


1 Sam. 17:46; 1 Kings 20:2S 


2 Kings 19:19; Ezek. 20:9; 30:8; .•fc;:2:i. 


» Psa. 78:44; 105:29; Rev. 8:8 


16:4, 6. • Heb. gallimng of llieir waltrs. 


Ich. 17:5; Num. 20:11. 





11. The sorcerers — the magicians ; men who yretendcd to 
supernatural power, and were accustomed to practise 
deceits upon their fellow-men. 2 Timothy 3:8. Pharaoli 
probably regarded Moses and Aaron as magicians, and 
wished to see whether his own magicians could perform 
like wonders. With their enchantments: ; certain mysteri- 
ous forms of words by which they pretended to work 
wonders. 

12. And they became serpents; this was probably done by 
sleight of hand. 

13. He hardened Pharaoh's heart; this in the original is 
the same as in verse 22, where it is rendered, Pharaoh's 
heart was hardened. 

19. Streams — rivers; the various branches of the Nile, 
and the canals leading from it. 



The plague of frogs. 



EXODUS VIII. 



The plague of lice. 



B. c' i«L 2 1 And the fish that was in the river died ; 
and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not 
drink of the water of the river;" and tliere was 
blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 

22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their 
enchantments :" and Pliaraoh's heart was liardened, 
neither did he hearken unto them ; as the Lord had 
said. 

23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, 
neither did he set his heart to this also.*" 

24 And all the Egyptians digged round about 
the river for water to drink; for they could not 
drink of the water of the river. 

25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the 
Lord had smitten the river. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1 Frogs are sent. 8 Pharaoh sueth to Moses, 12 anJ Moses by prayer 
removeth them away. 16 The dust is turned into lice, which the 
magicians could not do. 20 Tlie swarms of flies. 2-5 Pharaoh in- 
clineth to let the people go, 32 but yet is hardened. 

AND tlie Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto 
Pharaoh, and say unto him, Tlius saith the 
Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve 
me. 

2 And if thou refuse to let f/mn go, behold, I 
will smite all thy borders with frogs: 

3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abun- 
dantly, which shall go up and come into thy house, 
and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and 
into the house of thy servants, and upon thy peo- 
ple, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading- 
troughs:* 

4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and 
upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. 

5 If And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto 
Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over 
the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, 
and cause frogs to come up upon the land of 

-Egypt. 

(j And Aaron strctclied out his hand over the 
waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and 
covered the land of Egypt." 
7 And the magicians did so with their enchant- 



aVer. 18. b a Tim. 3:8. c Isa. 26:11 ; Jer. 5:3; .3l):24i Hag. 1 :5. •Or, 
dough. dPsa. 78:45; 105:30; Rev. 16:13. e ch. 9:23; 10:17; Num. !>l :7 
1 Kmgs 13:6; Acts B:21. t Or, Have tl 
when. § Heb. to cut off. D Or, Against i 



rer me. i Or, agaimi 
t Deut. 32:31; 33:26; 



22. Dtd so with their enchantments; imitated in appear- 
ance the miracle of Moses. As Pharaoh did not love the 
truth, God suffered the magicians to deceive him to a cer- 
tain point by their enchantments. 2 Thess. 2:11. Thus 
his heart was hardened, and he persisted in his obduracy. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. The Lord takes occasion, even from the obstinacy 
and wickedness of men, to manifest his character and show 
forth his glory, to the terror of his enemies and tlie joy of 
his friends. 

13. Things which, in the course of divine providence, 
take place through the wickedness of men, are sometimes, 
in the Bible, ascribed to God. This shows his all-control- 
ling agency, though he cannot be tempted, neither does he 
at any time tempt men to commit sin. James 1: 13, 14. 

22. When men dislike to obey God, and seek excuses 
for their neglect, they can generally find them ; and when 
they wish to harden themselves against him, he often suf- 
fers them to do it, even to their ruin. 



ments, and brouglit up frogs upon the land of 
Egypt. 

8 It Tlien Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, 
and said. Entreat tlio Lord, that he may take 
away the frogs from me, and from my people ; and 
I will let tlie people go, that they may do sacrifice 
unto the Loud." 

9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over 
me:* when' shall I entreat for thee, and for thy 
servants, and for thy people, to destroy^ the frogs 
from thee and thy houses, (hat they may remain 
in the river only? 

10 And he said. To-morrow.' And he said, Be 
if. according to thy word ; that thou mayest know 
that there is none like unto the Lord our God.'' 

11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and 
from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from 
thy people ; they shall remain in the river only. 

12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pha- 
raoh; and Moses cried unto the Lord because 
of the frogs which he had brought against Pha- 
raoh.^ 

13 And the Lord did according to the word of 
Moses ;'* and the frogs died out of the houses, out 
of the villages, and out of the fields. 

14 And they gathered them together upon heaps ; 
and the land stank. 

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, 
he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto 
them ;' as the Lord had said.^ 

16 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto 
Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of 
the laud, that it may become lice throughout all 
the laud of Egypt. 

17 And they did so ; for Aaron stretched out 
his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the 
earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast ; all 
the dust of the land became lice throughout all 
the land of Egypt." 

18 And the magicians did so with their enchant- 
ments to bring forth lice, but they could not:' so 
there were lice upon man, and upon beast. 

19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This 
is the finger of God:" and Pharaoh's heart was 



2 Sam. 7:23; IChr. 17:20; Psa. 83:18; 86:8; Isa. 40:25; 46:9; Jer. 10:6, 7. 
ejas. 5.16-18. h Deut. 34:10-12. iEcol.S:Il. i ch. 7:4. kPsa.l05:31. 
1 Gen. 41:8; Isa. 19:12; 47:12; Dan. 2:10. m 1 Sam. 6:3, 9; Psa. 8:3; 
Matt. 12:i8; Luke 11:20. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

7. And brought up frogs; see chap. 7:12. 

9. Glory over me; or, according to many, Appoint me a 
time. 

13. Villages; yards, or grounds about the houses of the 
Egyptians. 

15. He hardened his heart; by refusing to obey God. 
Here the hardening of his heart is ascribed to Pharaoh, 
and yet the process was probably the same as when it 
was ascribed to God. Chap. 7:13. In one sense it was 
ascribed to God, and in another to Pharaoh. 

16. Lice; the word translated lice is by many supposed 
to mean gnats. 

18. The magicians did so; smote the earth to bring forth 
lice. Some suppose that as they had no previous warning 
of this plague, and no time to prepare tlieir deceptions, 
they could not imitate this miracle even in appearance ; 
and to hide their shame, confessed that it was the effect 
of divine power. 

85 



Tkt plague of flies. 



EXODUS IX. 



The murrain upon leasts. 



hardened, and he lioaikoncil not unto them ; as 
the Loiin had said. 

20 ^ And the Loud said unto JIoscs, Rise uji 
early in tiio niorniufr, and stand before Pliaraoh ; 
hi, \\v conietii forlli to tiie water ; and say unto 
iiini, Tims saitli tlie Loud, Let my people go, tliat 
tlicy may serve me. 

'1\ IClse, if tliou wilt not let my people go, be- 
hold, 1 will send swarms of flics" upon thee, and 
ujjon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into 
thy houses : and the houses of the Egyptians shall 
be' full of swarms of flics, and also the ground 
whereon tiiey are. 

22 And 1 will sever in that day the land of 
Goshen, in whieh my people dwell, that no swarms 
of fjii's shall be there;" to the end thou mayest 
know that I am tiie Lord in the midst of the 
earth. 

23 And I will jtut a division^ between my peo- 
jile and tliy jioojile: to-morrow* shall this sign be. 

24 And the Lord did so ; and there came a 
grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, 
and into his servants' houses, and into all the laud 
of Egypt: the land was corrupted^ by reason of 
the swarm of flies. 

25 ^ And Pharaoh called for Moses and for 
Aaron, and said. Go ye, sacrifice to your God in 
the land. 

26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do ; for 
we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyp- 
tians to the Lord our God : lo, shall we sacrifice 
the abomination of the Egyptians before their 
eyes, and will they not stone us?" 

27 We will go three days' journey into the wil- 
derness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God,*^ as he 
shall command us.'' 

28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye 
may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilder- 
ness ; only ye shall not go very far away : entreat 
for me.'' 

29 And Moses said. Behold, I go out from thee, 
and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of 
flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants. 



• Or, a mixture of noisome beasts, t 
13:13. t Heb. a rei/emp(io;t. I Or by 
43:32; 40:34; Deut. 7:23; 12:31; 1 Kings 11 



9:1, etc.; 10:2:J; 11: 
4 Or. destroi/ed. b 
7; 2 Kings 2;J:I:). 



21. Swarms of flies; the word in the original, translated 
swarms of flies, means, according to some, a mixed multi- 
tude of noisome insects ; according to others, a particular 
kind of insect. 

22. Sever; separate. 

24. C'ornt/)(cd; destroyed, devoured. Psa. 78:45. This 
word is most naturally understood of the destruction of 
the products and wealth of the land. For this reason 
some suppose that it here denotes a species of beetle, 
common in Egypt, that devours whatever comes in its 
way. 

26. Meet; suitable, fit, proper. Sacriflce the abomination ; 
various animals were worshipped by the Egyptians, and 
should they see the Israehtes sacriflce them they would 
be greatly offended. 

32. Pharaoh hardened his heart ; ver. 15. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

6. God can make even the meanest of his creatures in- 
struments of punishment to those who rebel against him ; 
and none are so exalted that they can resist him and pros- 
per. Though for a time he waits upon them, not willing 
86 



and from his peojilc, to-morrow : but let "li.*'. ui?; 
not Pharaoh deal deceitl'uliy any more in not 
letting the people go to saerilicc to the Loud/ 

IJO And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and en- 
treated the Lord. 

31 And the Loud did according to the word of 
Moses ; and he removed the swarms of flies from 
Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; 
there remained not one. 

32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time 
also, neither would he let the people go.'*' 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 The murrain of beasts. 8 The plague of boils and blains. 13 His 
me.'^sagc about the hail. 22 The plague of hail. 27 Pharaoh luelli 
to Moseii, .'J.3 but yet is hardened. 

''T'^IIEN the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto 

1 Pharaoh, and tell him. Thus saith the Lord 
God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that tliey 
may serve me. 

2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt 
hold them still, 

3 Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cat- 
tle Avhich is in the field, upon the horses, upon the 
asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon 
the sheep : t/icre shall be a very grievous murrain. 

4 And the Loud shall sever between the cattle 
of Israel and the cattle of Egypt : and there shall 
nothing die of all Ihat is the children's of Israel. 

5 And the Lord appointed a set time, saying-, 
To-morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the 
land. 

6 And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, 
and all the cattle of Egypt died :'' but of the cat- 
tle of the children of Israel died not one. 

7 And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not 
one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And tlie 
heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not 
let the people go. 

8 1 And the Lord said imto Moses and unto 
Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the fur- 
nace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven 
in the sight of Pharaoh. 



3:18. 


i rh 


34 


n 


I,ev. 


1(11 


Ma 


t. 


2- 


20. 


c vp 


r. 8 


ch. 9 


2ti; 


1 Ki 


n^s 


13.13. 


f I'sil 




■34 


37 ; .1 


ar. 42 


2U. 


s 


ver 


16; 


ch. 


:2I 


Rom. 


2:3. 


bl 


:.a. 


7S:50. 

































that they should perish, yet " he that being often reproved 
hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that 
without remedy." 

15. Those misgivings, confessions, resolutions, and prom- 
ises which are extorted only by the endurance of present 
or the fear of future evils, are not to be depended on. 
When those evils or fears are removed, their apparent 
good efi'ects will be like the morning cloud or early dew, 
which quickly pass away. Hos. 0:4. 

22. However great the calamities which God brings 
upon his enemies, he is ever able and willing to protect 
his people and deliver them from temptations, while he re- 
serves the wicked to the day of judgment to be punished. 
And though now they may often seem to be in many re- 
spects alike, yet hereafter all men will return and discern 
between him that servetli God and hun that serveth him 
not. Mai. 3:18; 2 Peter 2:9. 

CHAPTER IX. 

3. Murrain; a pestilence among cattle. 
6. Alt the cattle; great numbers of all kinds, as appears^ 
from a comparison with verse 19. 



The plague of lolls. 



EXODUS IX. 



Tlw, pligac of /i^il. 



b.'c!i«l' 9 And it shall become small dust in all 
the land of Eorypt, and shall be a boil breaking 
forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, 
tliroughout all the land of Egypt." 

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and 
stood before Pharaoh ; and Moses sprinkled it up 
toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking 
forth uyit/i blains upon man, and upon beast. 

11 And the magicians could not stand before 
Moses because of the boils ;'' for the boil was upon 
the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. 

12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pha- 
raoh, and he hearkened not unto tlieui;"^ as the 
Lord had spoken unto Moses.'' 

13 1" And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up 
early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, 
and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the 
Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 

14 For I will at this time send all my plagues 
upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon 
thy people;" that thou mayest know that their is 
none like me in all the earth. 

15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I 
may smite thee and tliy people with pestilence;'" 
and thou shalt be cut oflf from the cartii. 

16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised 
thee up,* for to show m thee my power ;'•' and that 
my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 

17 As yet exaltest tiiou thyself against my peo- 
ple, that thou wilt not let them go?" 

18 Behold, to-morrow about this time' I will 
cause it to rain a very grievous hail,^ such as hatli 
not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof 
even until now. 

19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, 
and all that thou hast in the field ; for upon every 
man and beast wliich shall be found in the field, 
and shall not be brought home, tlie hail shall come 
down upon them, and they shall die." 

20 He that feared the word of the Lord among 
the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his 
cattle flee into the houses:' 



»Deut. 23:27; Job 2:7; Rev. J(>:2. b Isi. 47:12, 14. »Psa.81:ll. d oh. 
4:21. « Lev. 2():18; Deut. 25:15; 29:20; 32:;i9; 1 Sim. 4:8; Jer. 19:6j 
Eev. 1S:S; 22:18. f Prov. 2:22. * Heb. tnadi t/ite stand, e Prov. 1(1:4; 
Rom. 9:17; 1 Pet. 3:8. h Job 9:4; 15:25, 26. i 1 Kings 19:2; 20:6. J Psa. 
8:J:15. t ver. 25. I Prov. 16:20; 22:3. 1 Hei. set not his hfart unto, m ch. 
7:2:3. "Josh. 10:11; 1 Sim. 12:17, 13; .lob 38:22; Psi. 18:13; 78:47; 



9. It shall become small dust ; the meaning of these words 
is, that ill connection with this sign a fine irritating dust, 
produced by the power of Jehovah, fiiled the fand, pro- 
ducing painful sores in man and beast. The handful of 
ashes from the furnace is caUed this dugt because it rep- 
resents it symbotically. 

10. Blains; vioient and painful inflammation. 

12. The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; chap. 4:21; 
7:3; 8:15. 

V>. Raised thee up ; caused thee to stand ; continued thee 
in life, notwitlistanding all thy wickedness. My name 
matj he declared ; nij' character, as manifested in my won- 
derful works, may be made known to all people. 

23. Fire; lightning. 

29. The earth is the Lord's; he is its rightful owner and 
universal governor. 

31. Was boiled; the boUa of flax are the round seed-cups 
at the summit of the stalks. Many prefer to render, the 
flax was in flower. 

32. Rye; the Hebrew word means spelt — as it is trans- 
lated in the margin of Isa. 28:25, and Ezek. 4:9 — a species 
of beardless wheat common in Egypt. 



21 And he that regarded not* the word of tlic 
Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.'" 

22 lAnd the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch 
forth thy hand toward heaven, that there may be 
hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon 
beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout 
the land of Egypt. 

23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward 
heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and 
the fire ran along upon the ground ; and the Lord 
rained hail upon the land of Egypt." 

24 So there was hail and fire mingled with the 
hail, very grievous, such as there was none like 
it in all the land of Egypt since it became a na- 
tion. 

25 And the hail smote throughout all the land 
of Egypt all that teas in the field, both man and 
beast ; and the hail smote every herb of the field, 
and brake every tree of the field." 

20 Only in the land of Goshen, where the chil- 
dren of Israel were, was there no hail.'' 

27 It And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and 
Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this 
time : the Lord is righteous, and I and my people 
a)-e wicked.'' 

28 Entreat the Lord'^ <for it is enough) that there 
be no more mighty thuuderings* and hail ; aiid I 
will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. 

29 And Moses said unto him. As soon as I am 
gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my 
hands unto the Lord ;' and the thunder shall cease, 
neither shall there be any more hail ; that thou 
mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's.' 

30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that 
ye will not yet fear the Lord God." 

31 And the flax and the barley was smitten:" 
for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was 
boiled. 

32 But the wheat and the rye were not smitten : 
for they were not grown up.^ • 

33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, 
and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord : and 



105:32; 


Isa. 


30:30; 


F, 


ek. 38 


■■M 


flev 


8:7. 


o Psa. 


103:3.3. 


P ch. 


H:22, 


etc.; Is. 


1 ;w 


: IS. 19 


q 


2Chr 


12 


(i; P. 


a. 9:16 


; 129:4 


; 14.3:17; 


Lam. 


1:18; 


Dau. 9 


14. 


r Act- 


H 


24. 1 


He 


J. vo 


c« ot 


God. 


1 King< 


e-.-.ii 


P.sa. 


U3:(i; 


^:i 


:15. 


P 


a. 24: 


: 1 


(Jor. 


1U:2U. 


u Isa. 


86:10. V 


Amos 4:9; 


Hab. 3: 


17. 


SHeb. 


hidden, or 


dark. 













INSTllUCTIONS. 

6. The brute creation often suSer through the wicked- 
ness of man, and are visited with calamities as a punish- 
ment of his sins. 

11. Whatever power the wicked claim, or whatever in- 
fluence they may be able to exert over their fellow-men, 
they are entirely dependent upon God ; and if they con- 
tinue in rebellion against him, nothing can shield them 
from his indignation. 

16. All men are under sacred obligations to honor God. 
If they will not, by obeying his commands, lie will glorify 
his justice in their punishment,and ultimately in their ruin. 

21. Men who believe God, will use the means which are 
needful to escape the evils he threatens ; while those who 
disbelieve, by neglecting the means of escape, will bring 
those evils upon them. 

27. However much the wicked may try to justify them- 
selves and condemn Jehovah for bringing evils upon them, 
they will ultimately all confess that lie is right and they 
are wrong ; and will feel that they are the cause of their 
own ruin. 

34. The long-suffering and patience of God, his kindness 
87 



75ie plogut of lofusls 



KXoDCS X, 



sent aiul rcmotul. 



the thundors and liail ceased, and the rain was not 
jwiired upon the eartli. 

34 And wlien Pharaoh saw that the rain and the 
liail and (he thunders were eeased, lie sinned yet 
more, and iiardened ids lieart," lie and his servants. 

35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, nei- 
ther would he let the ehildreu of Israel go ; as the 
Lord had spoken by Moses.* 

CHAPTER X. 

1 God throateneth to send locusts. 7 Pharaoh, moved by his scrvanU, 
ini-Iineth to lut the Israelites go. 12 The plague of the locusts. 10 
Pharaoh siieih to Hoses. 1>1 The rlague of darkness. 24 Pharaoli 
sueth unto Moses, 27 but yet is hardened. 

AND the Lord said unto iloscs, Go in unto 
Pharaoh : for I have hardened his heart,'' 
and the heart of his servants, that I might show 
these my signs before him : 

2 And tliat thou iiiayest tell in the cars of thy 
son, and of thy son's son,'' what things I have 
wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have 
done among them ; that ye may know how that 1 
am the Lord.'' 

3 And Moses and Aaron eame in unto Pharaoh, 
and said unto him. Thus saith the Lord God of the 
Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble 
thyself before me?'' let my people go, that they 
may serve me. 

4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, 
to-morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:' 

5 And they shall cover the face* of the earth, that 
one cannot be able to see the earth : and they shall 
eat the residue of that which is escaped,'^ which re- 
maineth unto you froui tlie hail, and shall eat every 
tree which groweth for you out of the iield: 

6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses 
of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyp- 
tians;'' which neitlier thy fathers, nor thy fathers' 
fathers have seen, since the day that they were 
upon the earth unto this day. And he turned 
liimself, and went out from Pharaoh. 

7 And Pharaoli's servants said unto him, How 
long shall this man be a snare unto us?" let the 
men go, that they may serve the Lord their God : 
kaowcst thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed ? 

8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto 
Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the 
Lord your God: but who* are they that shall go? 



»2Chr.33:a'); aii:13; Rom. 2:4,5. • Hei. btj tht hand of Moses, b ch. 
7:13:14. » Deut. 4:9; 6:-J0; Psa. 4^:1; 71:1S; 78:5; Joel 1:3. d Psa. 
53:11. el Kings 21:20; 2Chr.7:14; 33:12.19; Job 42:6; Jer. 13:13; Jas. 
4:10. f Prov. 30:27; Rev. 9:3. t Heb. eye. « ch. 9:32; Joel 1:4; 2:25. 
hver. 14, 15; ch. 8:3. ich.2;j:33; Josh. 2:S:13; 1 Sam. 1S:21; Prov. 20:0; 



in removing evils and in bestowing new mercies, are often 
abused to the increase of transgression, and a preparation 
for more aggravated woe. 

CHAPTER X. 

4. Locusts; a species of insect resembling our grass- 
hopper, but much larger. They fly with the wind in im- 
mense swarms that darken the air, and where they alight 
they cover the face of the ground, and devour every green 
thing. 

10. Be so with you, as I will let you go ; may he deal with 
you just so as I shall let you go. He means, I will not 
let you go ; and if your God grants 3'our requests in the 
same way that I do, you will fare hard. Look to it ; for 
evil is before you; that is, according to our version, by per- 



And Moses said, We will go with our ■ji." mi 
young and with our okl, with our sons and with oiir 
daughters, with our Hocks and with our herds will 
we go; for we must hold a feast unto the IjOKD. 

10 And he said unto them, l^ei the Loud be so 
with you, as 1 will let you go, and your little 
ones: look to it : for evil i.v lit'lore you. 

11 Not so: go now ye that arc men, and serve 
the Lord ; for that ye did desire. And they were 
driven out from Piiaraoh's pre.sence. 

12 *i And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out 
thy hand over the land of Egyjit for the locusts, 
that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, 
and eat every herb of the land, even all that the 
hail liath left.J 

13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the 
land of Egy|it, and the Lord brought an east wind 
u])on tlie land all that day, and all that night ; and 
when it was morning, the east wind brought the 
locusts.'' 

14 And the locusts went up over all the land of 
Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt :' very 
grievous were they: before them there were no such 
locusts as they, neither after tliein shall be such.'" 

15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, 
so that the land was darkened ; and they did eat 
every herb of tiie land, and all the fruit of the 
trees which the hail had left: and there remained 
not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs 
of the iield, through all the land of Egypt. 

10 1 Then Pharaoh called* for Moses and Aaron 
in haste ; and he said, I have sinned against the 
Lord your God," and against you. 

17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin 
only this once, and entreat the Lord your God," 
that he may take away from me this deatli only. 

1 8 And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated 
the Lord. 

19 And the Lord turned a mighty strong west 
wind, which took away the locusts, and cast' them 
into the Red sea;!" there remained not one locust 
in all the coasts of Egypt. 

20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so 
that he would not let the children of Israel go. 

21 T" And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out 
thy hand toward heaven, that there may be dark- 
ness over the land of Egypt,'' even darkness which 
may be felt.'' 



Eccl. 7:20. 1 Heb. who and who,elc. i ch. 7:10 


k Psa. 78:26; 107:25; 


Matt. 8:27. I Psa. 7c:46; 105:34. "■ Joel 2:2. 


Heb. hastened to eall. 


n ch. 9:27. o 1 Kings 13:6: Isa. 26:10. 1 Heb. 
q Psa. 33:0; 105:28; Prov. 4:19; Eccl. 2:14; 0:4, 


fastened. P Joel 2:20. 


Isa. 6:22. t Heb. that 


one may feel darkness. 





sisting in your demand you will bring upon yourselves 
destruction. Compare ver. 28. But many prefer to ren- 
der. Consider that your designs are evil. 

13. East wind; locusts come to Palestine and Egypt 
from their breeding places in the Arabian desert on the 
east. 

17. Tliis death only; this deadly plague, implying that 
he would not give occasion to Jehovah to send another. 

19. The Red sea; which lies east of Egypt. It is com- 
mon for locusts to perish in this way. 

21. Even darkness which may be felt; rather, so that one 
shall grope in darkness. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Tlie glory of God in the manifestation of his true 



Moses tkrcateneih the 



EXODUS XL 



death of the first-horn. 



tc:uit 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand 
towai'd heaven; and there was a thick darkness 
in all the land of Egypt three days : 

23 They saw not one another, neither rose any 
from his place for three days: but all the chil- 
dren of Israel had light in their dwellings." 

24 1 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, 
Go ye, serve the Lord ; only let your flocks and 
your herds be stayed : let your little ones also go 
with you. 

25 And Moses said. Thou must give us* also 
sacrifices and burnt-ofTerings, that we may sacri- 
fice unto the Lord our God. 

26 Our cattle also shall go with us ;" there shall 
not a hoof be left behind ; for thereof must we 
take to serve the Lord our God ; and we know 
not with what we must serve the Lord, until we 
come thither. 

27 *\\ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart,"^ 
and he would not let them go. 

28 And Pharaoh said unto him. Get thee from 
me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; 
for in ttiflt day thou seest my face thou shalt die." 

29 And Moses said. Thou hast spoken well, I 
will see thy face again no more.'' 

CHAriER XI. 

I God's message to the Israelites to borrow jewels of their neighbors. 
4 Moses threateneth Pharaoh with the dcatli of the first-born. 

AND the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I 
bring one j)lague more upon Pharaoh and 
upon Egypt ; afterwards he will let you go hence : 
when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust 
you out hence altogether.' 



» Isa. 4-2:16; Col. 1 


:13; 1 Pel. -2:9. 


Heb. into out Imnds. b Ho5. 5:G; 


Zech. 14; -20 = ver. 1 


,20; ch. 14:4,8. 


d 2 Chr. 10:10: 25:10; Amos 7:13. 


« Heb. 11:27. f ch. 


12::jl-3n. e ch. 


2:30: Psa. 100:40. h 2 Sam. 7:9; 


JJsth. 9:4; Rev. 3:0. 


i Job 34:20; Mi 


. 2:10; Zech. 14:.3. J Amos 4:10. 



character, is one great design of all liis dispensations 
towards tlie children of men. 

7. The wicliedncss and obstinacy of rulers are often the 
means of great calamities to the people. And when, in- 
stead of being what they ought to be, ministers of God 
for good, they become ministers of evil, it is right for the 
people by suitable means to seek a change for the better. 

11. When men become convinced that they must yield 
to God or perish, their yielding is often partial, or in pre- 
tence merely ; and when they find that their submission 
must be sincere, and that they must in all things follow 
the wiU of God, they sometimes become vexed and de- 
termine that they will not regard him. 

17. Increasing sin brings increasing misery; and men 
often earnestly seek deliverance, not from the love and 
practice of iniquity, but from its consequences. 

28. However great the miseries which the sins of men 
bring upon them, if left without the grace of God to pur- 
sue their own chosen way, they will grow worse and 
worse tiU they perish. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. Tlie Lord said; or, the Lord had said, as the Hebrew 
may be rendered. Compare Gen. 12:1. Thus the first 
three verses of this chapter will form a sort of parenthe- 
sis, ver. 4 being immediately cotmected with the last verse 
of the preceding chapter. TkruM you out ; be exceedingly 
earnest to have them all immediately depart. Ver. 8. 

2. Borrow; ask, solicit, or demand. Chap. 3:22. Jew- 
els ; the Hebrew word here used means also vessels, uten- 
sils, garments, and weapons. Chap. 3: 22. 



2 Speak now in the cars of the people, and let 
every man borrow of iiis neighbor, and every 
woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jew- 
els of gold. 

3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the 
sight of the Egyptians.'^ Moreover, the man Mo- 
ses was very great in the land of Egypt," in the 
sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of 
the people. 

4 And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About 
midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.' 

5 And all the first-born in the land of Egypt 
shall die,' from the first-born of Pharaoh that sit- 
teth upon his throne, even unto the first-bom of 
the maid-servant that is behind the mill ; and all 
the first-born of beasts. 

6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all 
the land of Egypt," such as there was none like 
it, nor shall be like it any more. 

7 But against any of the children of Israel shall 
not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast :' 
that yc may know how that the Lord doth put a 
difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 

8 And all these thy servants shall come down 
unto me, and bow down themselves unto me,"" say- 
ing. Get thee out, and all the people that follow 
thee:* and after that I will go out. And he went 
out from Pharaoh in a great anger.* 

9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall 
not hearken unto you ; that my wonders may be 
multiplied in the land of Egypt." 

10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders 
before Pharaoh : and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's 
heart," so that he would not let the children of 
Israel go out of his land. 



kch. 12:30; Amos 5:1 
thy feet: 1 Kings 20: 
1 Sam. 0:0; Roia. 2:^ 



1 Josh. 10:21. m ch. 12:.31, 33. t Heb. that i: 
I Heb. heat of anger, n ch. 7:3. ■> ch. 10:20, 



3. Gave the people favor ; inclined the Egyptians wiUing- 
ly to give the Israelites what they asked, so as to hasten 
their departure. This, however, did not take place till 
after Moses had left Pharaoh, and brought upon him the 
judgment he had denounced. 

5. Beiiind tlie mUl; their grain was ground in a small 
hand-mill of two stones, by female servants who sat be- 
hind the mill and turned the upper stone. The maid-ser- 
vant suffers for the sin of Pharaoh. In respect to Israel, 
she may be innocent ; but in respect to God, she and her 
first-born both belong to a fallen and guilty race, and God 
may deal with them as he sees good. 

7. Not a dog move his tongue; a proverbial expression 
denoting entire peace and safety. 

9. TItc Lord said; had said. He had foretold this, and 
all things had occurred according to his predictions. 
Chap. 3:19; 4:21; 7:3,4; 10:1. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. All hearts are in the hands of the Lord, and he can 
turn them as the rivers of waters are turned. When 
he sees best, he can influence his enemies to favor his 
people, and gladly to bestow upon them whatever they 
desire. 

5. As God is the giver and preserver of life, he has a 
perfect right, at such times and by such means as he sees 
best, to take it away. 

8. When God undertakes to deliver his people he will 
accomplish it; and what men do to prevent this he will 
overrule to render their deliverance in due time more 
complete, triumphant, and glorious. 

89 



Tht Passover 



EXODl'S \1I. 



15 instituted. 



(11 A I' I'Ki: XII 



1 TKe beginning of tin- yi':ir ir i-hnn^'nl. '^ The nassovcr is instituted. 
II Tlw nil' of Uic pasjovcr. I'l Unleavened bread. M The first- 
born arc slain. .'II The Israelites arc driven ont of the land. ;i7 
They come to Sucooth. ^\'^ The ordinance of tlie passover. 

AND tlio LoiM) ^Y^kQ unto Moses antl Aaron 
in the lantl of Kirypt, sayin<r, 

2 Tliis nioiitli shall be unto you the bcffinninf^ of 
months: it shall be the lirst month of tlie year to 
you." 

3 II Speak ye unto all the congrregation of Is- 
rael, sayinir, In tiic tenth day of this month thoy 
AvaW take to them every man a lamli,* accortl- 
inij to the house of their fathers, a lamb for a 
house : 

4 And if tlie houscliolil be too little for the lamb, 
let him and his neighbor next unto his house take 
it according to the number of tlio souls; every 
man according to his eating shall make your count 
for the lamb. 

5 Your lamb shall be without blemish,'' a male 
of the first year:^ ye shall take it out from the 
sheep, or from the goats. 

G And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth 
day of the same month:'' and the whole assembly 
of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the 
evening.*'' 

7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike 
it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post 
of tlie houses, wherein they shall eat it. 

8 And thev shall eat the flesh in that night, 



, 


Ch.l3:J 


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rv 


f 


10:1. 


• Or 


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Lev. » 


i-Ifl 


fll 


Tlpiit 


17:1; 


.Ml 


. 1:5, 14; 


I IV 


. 


:lil 




Heb. 


son c 


t 


a year; Lhv 


ai: 


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•»-r,; 


iVu 


n. 9:3; i 


■AH; 


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•ut. 


11) 


1, e. 


I He 


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bttw 


c,i the 


tu!a 




mgs. 


d ch. 



CHAPTER XII. 

1. Spake; this command seems to have been given pre- 
viously to the ninth plague, which lasted three days. The 
tirst thirteen verses contain particular directions for the 
observance of (he first passover; the next seven, ver. 
14^20, general directions for its observance in all coming 
generations. 

2. This month ; the month Abib or Nisan, answering to 
the last part of March and the first part of April. Tlie 
beginning; of their ecclesiastical year. It had been the 
seventh month ; and Tishri, answering to the last part of 
September and the first part of October, had been the 
first month, and so in their civil concerns it still continued 
to be. 

3. Lamb; the word in the original means either a sheep 
or a goat. It was to be one 3'ear old. Ver. 5. 

4. According to the number; about the number that would 
at a meal consume a lamb. 

5. II'iMout 6/c;?!mA,- perfect, sound, healthy. Of the first 
year; literally a son of a year, that is, a year old. 

6. Ill the evening; literally between the two evenings. 
The first evening began about the middle of the afternoon, 
when the daily evening sacrifice was offered ; the second 
at stuiset. 

7. Upper door-post; tlie lintel or beam that goes across 
over the door. 

8. Fire J as the paschal lamb was a type of Christ, 1 Cor. 
5:7, the fire may be regarded as an emblem of the wrath 
of God which he endured in our stead. Unleavened bread; 
bread not raised with yeast, leaven, or any fermenting 
substance. As leaven works in secret and unseen, it is 
the emblem of hypocrisy and deceit. They were on these 
occasions to abstain from it, to impress on their minds the 
importance of worshipping God sincerely, in spirit and in 
truth. 1 Cor. 5:6-8. Bitter lierhs; as a memorial of their 
bitter servitude in Egypt. But as this was a type of the 

90 



roast with fire, and unleavened bread;" u.c:J51i: 
and with bitter herbs they sliall eat it. 

i) Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, 
but roast with fire ; liis iicad with his legs, and 
with llic purtenance tliereof. 

10 -Villi ye sliall let luithing of it remain until 
the morning;' and thatwliich remainethof it until 
the morning ye .shall liurii with lire. 

11 *! And tlius sliall ye eat it; imtk your loins 
girdeil, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in 
yt )ur hand ; and ye shall cat it in haste : it is the 
Lord's jiassover. 

VI For I will pass through the land of Egypt 
this night, and will smite all the first-born in the 
land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against 
all the gods" of Egypt I will execute judgment ;« 
I am the LoKD. 

1:5 And tlie blood sliall be to you for a token 
upon the houses where ye are: and when I see 
tiie blood, I will pass over you, and the plague 
shall not be upon you to destroy you; when I 
smite the land of Egypt. 

14 And this day shall be unto you for a memo- 
rial ; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord 
throughout your generations:'' ye shall keep it a 
feast by an ordinance for ever. 

15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread;' 
even the fii'st day ye shall put away leaven out 
of your houses : for whosoever eateth leavened 
liread from the first day until the seventh day, 
that soul shall be cut off from Israel.J 



WA-i. e ch. 34;a5; Deut. IC:3; 1 Cor. 5:n. f ch. 2:1:18. 4 Or. princes, 
e Num. .33:4; Psa. S-2A. I Hah. /or a iltslruclion. h Lev. 23:4, 5; ;! Kings 
2;l:al; 1 Cor. 5:8. i ch. 13:6. etc. ; Num. 2?:17. JNum.9:13. 



worse bondage of sin, these bitter herbs may be taken to 
represent the bitter fruits of sin, and tlic necessity of re- 
pentance in order to salvation. 

9. Sodden; boiled. Purtenance ; head, legs, heart.liver, 
lungs, and kidney. The lamb after being dressed was to 
be roasted whole. 

10. That which remaineth ; which they did not eat. 

11. Loins girded; they wore loose flowing garments, 
which, when they were about to travel, were fastened 
close by a girdle, strap, or belt around the body. This 
girdle was to be thus fastened, that they might be pre- 
pared to start immediately on their journey towards Ca- 
naan. The Lord's passover; that, out of regard to which 
the Lord, when he should slay the Egyptians, would pass 
over, spare, and not destroy the Israelites. The blood 
of this lamb, sprinkled by God's command on the door- 
posts, typified the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, 
out of regard to which God passes over, spares, and 
saves those who obey him. Hence Christ is said to be 
" our Passover." 1 Cor. 5:7. By eating of the lamb the 
Israelites were taught the necessity of union by faith to 
Jesus Christ, as well as of reliance on his blood for salva- 
tion. .John 6:48-58. 

12. The gods of Egypt; according to some, by their 
visible destruction, as afterwards in the case of Dagon, 
1 Sam. 5:3, 4; or, as others prefer, the gods (marg. prin- 
ces) of Egypt may refer to the first-born of the ruling 
priests and princes, and of various animals worshipped 
there. See Num. 33:4. 

13. A token; an evidence that they had complied with 
the Lord's directions, and were under his protection. The 
plague; that which destroyed the first-born of Egypt. 
Ver. 23. 

14. A memorial; a means of keeping in remembrance 
their preservation and deliverance when the Egyptians 
were destroyed. Ver. 27. 

15. Seven days; from the evening of the fourteenth to 



The, unleavened bread. 



EXODUS XII. 



The first-horn are slain. 



tll'vvjt 16 And in the first day there shall be a 
lioly convocation, and in the seventh day there 
shall bo a holy convocation to you;'' no manner 
of work shall be done in them, save that which 
every man* must eat, that only may be done of 
you. 

IT And ye shall observe the feast q/" unleavened 
bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought 
your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore 
shall ye observe this day in your generations by 
an ordinance for ever. 

18 1 In the first moiith, on the fourteenth day 
of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened 
bread, until the one and twentieth day of the 
month at even. 

19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in 
your houses :" for whosoever eateth that which is 
leavened, even that soul shall be cut ofl' from the 
congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, 
or born in the land. 

20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened ; in all your 
habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. 

21 IT Then Moses called for all the elders of Is- 
rael, and said unto them. Draw out and take you 
a lamb,* according to your families, and kill the 
passover." 

22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip 
it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the 
lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that 
is in the basin ; '' and none of you shall go out at 
the door of his house until the morning. 

23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the 
Egyptians ; and when he seetli the blood upon 
the lintel, and on the two side-posts," the Lord 
will pass over the door, and will not suffer the 
destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite 
you.'- 

24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordi- 
nance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 

25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come 
to the land which the Lord will give you, accord- 
ing as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this 
service. 

20 And it shall come to pass, when your chil- 
dren shall say unto you, Wliat mean ye by this 
service?' 

27 That ye shall say. It is the sacrifice of the 
Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of 
the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote 



a Num. 29:12. • Heb. soul, b ch. 23:1.5; 34:18; Deut. 16:3. t Or. kid. 
c Josh. 5:10; 2 Kings 23:21; Ezri 6:20; Matt. 26; Is; Mirk 14:12; Luke 
22:7, etc. d Lev. 14:6,7; Psa. 51:7; Heb. 9:19; 11:2S. e Heb. 12:24. 
' 2 Sim. 24:16; Ezek. 9:4, 6; Rev. 7:3: 9:4. 8 ch. 13:8, 14; Deut. 32:7; 
Josh. 4:0; Psa. 7S:6. h ch. 4:31. i Num. 3:13; 8:17; 33:4; Psa. 78:51 ; 



the evening of the twenty-first day of the month. Ver. 
18. Cut off from Israel; see note to Gen. 17:14. 

16. Convocation; an assembling together for public wor- 
ship. No manner of work; except of necessity and mercy. 
Compare Matt. 12:11. 

17. For ever; to the end of the Jewish state. 

21. The passover; the lamb that was to be slain on that 
occasion. 

22. Hyssop; a low shrub, or herb, common in eastern 
countries, 

32. Bless me; seek of God a blessing for me. 

33. H'c be all dead; we shall be, if we retain the Israel- 
ites any longer. 



the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And 
the people bowed the head and worshipped."" 

28 And the children of Israel went away, and did 
as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so 
did they. 

29 H And it came to pass, that at midnight the 
Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt,' 
from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his 
throne unto the first-born of the captive that was 
in the dungeon;* and all the first-born of cat- 
tle. 

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and 
all his servants, and all the Egyptians ; and there 
was a great cry in Egypt :' for there was not a house 
where there was not one dead. 

31 1 And he called for Moses and Aaron by 
night, and said. Rise up, and get you forth from 
among my people, both ye and the children of Is- 
rael ; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said." 

32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye 
have said, and be gone; and bless me also.' 

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the 
people, that they might send them out of the land 
in haste;'" for they said. We be all dead men. 

3-1 And the people took their dough before it was 
leavened, their kneading-troughs^ being bound up 
in their clothes upon their shoulders. 

35 And the children of Israel did according to 
the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the 
Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, 
and raiment : 

36 And the Lord gave the people favor in the 
sight of the Egyptians," so that they lent unto 
them such things as they required: and they spoiled 
the Egyptians. 

37 Tf And the children of Israel journeyed from 
Rameses to Succoth," about six hundred thousand 
on foot that icere men, besides children.'' 

38 And a mixed multitude' went up also with 
them ;'' and flocks, and herds, even very much cat- 
tle. 

39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the 
dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, 
for it was not leavened ; because they were thrust 
out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had 
they prepared for themselves any victuals. 

40 1 Now the sojourning of the children of Is- 
rael, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and 
thirty years.' 



105:36; 135:8; 130:10; Heb. 11:23. 1 Heb. house of the pit. > ch. 11:0; 
Prov. 21:13; Amos 5:17; Matt. 25:6; Jas. 2:13. t ch. 11:1. 1 Gen. 27:34. 
m Psa. 105:33. i Os. dough, n Gen. 39:21 : ch. 3:21; 11:3. o Num. *):3, 
5. P Num. 1:46: 11:21. I Heh. a greal mixture, q Ntmi. 11:4. ' Gen. 
15:13; Acts 7:6; Gal. 3:17. 



34. Kneading-trougtis ; vessels containing their dough. 

35. BonoM'cS; asked, requested. Chap. 3:21, 22 ; 11:2, 3. 

36. Lent unto tliem; granted them what they desired, 
in order to hasten their departure. Spoiled the Egyp- 
tians; by carrying away much of their substance. Gen. 
15:14. 

37. Rameses; a city which the Israelites had built, and 
wliere they were now assembled. Chap. 1:11. Succoth; 
a place of encampment between Rameses and Suez. Six 
hundred thousand — men; this shows that the whole number 
of souls was probably over two millions. Psa. 105:37. 

40. Four hundred and thirty years; from the time the 
promise was made to Abraham, (ion. 15:13. About half 
91 



77ie liitp of tht Passover. 



EXODl'S XIII. 



The fint-horn set nparl. 



41 Aiul it ranio to pass at the end of the four 
hundred and tliirty year;), even tlic selfsame day 
it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Loiib 
went out from tiic land of Kirypt. 

42 It is a ni;rht to lie much observed* unto the 
Loun for briiiL'inji them out from the land of 
Ejrypt:' this is that night of the Lord to be ob- 
served of all the children of Israel in their gen- 
erations. 

43 1 And the Loud said unto Moses and Aaron, 
This is tlie ordinance of the passover :" there shall 
no stramjer eat thereof: 

44 But every man's servant that is bought for 
money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall 
he eat thereof." 

45 A foreigner and a hired servant shall not cat 
thereof.** 

46 In one house shall it be eaten ; thou shalt 
not carry fortli aught of tlie flcsli abroad out of 
the house; neither siiall ye break a bone thereof." 

47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.+ 

48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, 
and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all 
his males bo circumcised, and then let him come 
near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is 
born in the land: for no uncircumcised person 
shall eat thereof. 

49 One law shall be to him that is home-born, 
and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.*^ 

50 Thus did all the children of Israel ; as the 
Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 

51 And it came to pass the selfsame day,^ that 
the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of 
the land of Egypt by their armies." 



ciiAi'TEi; X in. 



. 


\Uh 


a ni 


'*( 


ofotiKtrvat 


„„, 


^ Dei 


t. 1G:1 


,fi. 


b Num. 9 


14. ■: 


(5 


en. 


17: 


1-.!. i 


i.PV 


■ti 


10 


Eph. •. 


■M. 


eNun 


1.9:12 


.lot 


n 19:33, 30 


. t Heb 


do 


ti. 


1 N. 


m. U 


14 


1.1 


15, IB; 


Hal 


3:45: 


^ol. 3 


11. 


S ver. 41. 


h ch. 


(i 


2(>. 


• T 


er 1-. 


\ ch. 


•li 


iS) 


:)4:I9; 


Nur 


n. 3:13 


Deut 


. IS 


10; Luke 


2:33. 


J 


ch. 



this time was spent in Canaan, and the rest in Egypt. 
Gal. 3: 17. 

43. Stranger; a foreigner who had not embraced the 
Jewish religion, and was not circumcised. Ver. 45, 48. 

46. Neither — break a bone; for the syinboUcal and pro- 
phetic meaning of this, see John 19 : 33, 36. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The directions of God to his ancient people were 
suited to impress upon them the evil of sin, the necessity 
of an atonement, and the efficacy of that precious blood 
which was to be shed for many for the remission of sins. 
Matt. 26:28. 

8. It was not enough for the deliverance of Israel that 
the paschal lamb should be slain and its blofid struck 
upon the door-posts, but they must eat of the lamb, and 
thus a union be formed between it and them. So the 
blood of Christ will save none but such as are by faith 
united to him. John 6:53; 1 Cor. 6:17. 

13. It is through the blood of Christ, typified by the 
blood of the paschal lamb, that God pardons men, and 
saves them from that destruction which as sinners they 
deserve. 1 Cor. 5:7. 

24. The ordinances which God appoints as memorials 
of his goodness should be carefully observed by his 
people, not in outward form merely, but in spirit and in 
truth, with repentance for sin. faith in the Redeemer, and 
gratitude for his infinite mercy. 

27. The ordinances of God, when understood, are 

adapted to impress divine truth, especially upon the 

minds of children and youth. The meaning of them 

should therefore be carefully explained by parents and 

92 



1 The first.liorn are sannitifj i.» ' lotl. .'J Thi- inonioriftl of tlie pajtuivcr 
in commiindcd. 11 The firiiilinf;* of be.isls tire eel apart. 17 The 
Uraelites go out of ICj^pt, and carry Juirptrs bones with them. 20 
Thvy come to Eih.itn. '.'1 OoJ guiuttli thcin by a pillar of a cloud, 
and a pillar of tire. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 i^anctify unto me all the first-born, what- 
soever opciieth the womb among tlio fhildrcn of 
Israel, hnth of man and of boast:' it is mine. 

3 1 And Moses said unto the peojile. Remember 
this day, in which ye came out from Kgypt,^ out 
of the house of bondage ;* for by strength of hand 
the Loud brought you out from this place: there 
shall no leavened bread be eaten. 

4 This day came ye out in the month Aliib." 

5 And it shall be when the Lord shall bring 
thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Ilit- 
tites, and the Aniorites, and the Ilivites, and the 
Jebusitcs. which he sware unto thy fathers to give 
thee,' a land flowing with milk and honey, that 
thou shalt keep this service in this mouth. 

6 Seven days thou shalt cat unleavened bread,"" 
and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the Lord. 

7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days : 
and there shall no leavened bread be seen with 
thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee 
in all thy quarters." 

8 •[ And thou shalt show thy son in that day," 
saying, This is done because of i\\:\t xrhich the LORD 
did unto me when I came forth out of Egyjjt. 

9 And it shall be for a sign unto til coupon thy hand, 
and for a memorial between thine eyes,'' that the 
Lord's law may be in thy mouth : for with a strong 
hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt. 



12:42. i Heb. ,i<Tiian<s,- ch. 20:2. k ch. 23:15; Deut. 10: 1-3. 
22:10. " ch. 12:15. ■> ch. 12:19. » ch. 12:26; ver. 14. P v 
0:8: 11:18; Prov.l:9; 0:21; Cant. 8:6. 



10; Deul. 



teachers, that all may apprehend it, and receive the ben- 
efit which it is suited to impart. 

33. God can so order events in his providence, that 
oppressors will be anxious to get rid of those whom 
they oppress; and all will at length see that, under his 
righteous government, the condition of the oppressor is 
more dreadful than that of the oppressed. 

41. If the oppressed believe and obey God, their de- 
liverance from the power of their oppressors will not be 
delayed any longer than is needful to make such deliver- 
ance most for the glory of God, and the final good of all 
who trust in him. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

2. Sanctify; set apart for God, to be devoted peculiarly 
to his service. Ver. 12. AH the first-born ; as a memorial of 
the jjreservation of the first-born of man and beast among 
the Israelites when the first-born among the Egyptians 
were destroyed, all the first-bom males of man and beast 
were devoted to the Lord. The male children were to be 
in all eases redeemed ; the first-born of unclean beasts to 
be redeemed or slain ; the first-born of clean beasts were 
to be offered in sacrifice, and when certain specified parts 
had been burned, the remainder belonged to the priests. 
The particular details are given in the Levitical law. 

4. Abib; meaning, green corn. This was the seventh 
month, called also Nisan. Chap. 12:2. 

9. A sign; a means of keeping their deliverance in re- 
membrance, and making God's commands familiar to their 
minds. Ver. 16 ; Prov. 3:3. The Jews interpreted these 
directions literally, writing certain precepts of the law 
on parchment, and wearing them as evidences or orna- 
ments of piety. Matt. 23:5. 



The. Israelites go 



EXODUS XIV. 



fort/i out of Egypf. 



K.c.'iSt 10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordi- 
nance in his season from 3'ear to year.'' 

11 IF And it shall be when the Lord shall bring 
thee into the land of the Cauaauites, as he sware 
unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 

12 Tiiat thou shalt set apart* unto the Lord all 
that opencth the matrix, and every firstling that 
cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males 
shall be the Lord's. 

13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt re- 
deem with a lamb;^ and if thou wilt not redeem 
it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the 
first-born of man among thy children shalt thou 
redeem. 

14 1 And it shall bo when thy son asketh thee 
in time to come,* saying. What is tiiis?" that thou 
shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord 
brought us out from Egypt, from the house of 
bondage : 

15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would 
hardly let us go, that the Lord slew all the first- 
born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of 
man and the first-born of beast : therefore I sac- 
rifice to the Lord all that opeueth the matrix, 
being males ; but all the first-born of my children 

'I redeem. 

16 And it shall be for a token upon thy hand, 
and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by 
strength of hand the Lord brought us forth out 
of Egypt.= 

n 1[And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had 
let the people go, that God led them not through 
the way of the land of the Philistines, although 
that was near ; for God said, Lest peradventure 



1 Ch. 12: 14, 24. • Heb. cause to pass ovei 
b Deut. 6;20i Josh. 4;6, 21. ' Deut. 26:8. 
«Deut. 17:16. fDeut. 32:10. i0i,byjiv, 



t Or, kid. I Heb. to-morrou: 
i ch. 14:11, 12; Num. 14:1-4. 
in a Tank, s Gen. 50:25; Josh. 



10. In his season; on the fourteenth day of Abib an- 
nually. 

13. Every firstling of an ass — and all the first-born of 
man — slialt thou redeem; Num. 3:46-51; 18:8-18. Shalt 
break his neck; that they might not appropriate it imre- 
deemed to their own use, this precept was added. 

14. What is this? why are the first-born thus devoted 
to God and redeemed? What is the meaning of it? 

15. Would hardly; refused. 

17. Through the — land of the Philistines; the direct way 
from Egypt to Canaan. 

18. lied sea; which separates Egypt from Arabia. It is 
about 1,400 miles long, and upon an average about 150 
miles wide. It extends from the straits of Babelmandel 
on the soiith, which unite it with the Indian ocean, to the 
isthmus of Suez on the north, which separates it from the 
Mediterranean sea. At the north end it divides into two 
arms or gulfs, between which is the wilderness in which 
the children of Israel spent forty years. The western 
arm, called the gulf of Suez, is about 190 miles long and 
on an average 21 miles wide. It was near the head of 
this gulf, that the Hebrews passed and the Egyptians 
were drowned. Chap. 14:21-30. The eastern arm, called 
the gulf of Akabah. and anciently the ^Elanitic gulf or 
gulf of Eiath, is about 100 miles long, and on an average 
about 15 miles wide. On this gulf was Eziongeber, a 
port from which Solomon sent his ships to Ophir for 
gold. 1 Kings 9:20. From Rameses to the Red sea was 
about forty or fifty miles. Harnessed; armed, equipped, 
and in order. 

19. Tlw bones of Joseph; Gen. 50:25. 

20. Etham ; a place near Suez, at the head of the west- 
ern branch of tlu- lied sea. The wilderness; of Etham. 



the people repent when they see war,'' and they 
return to Egypt.'" 

18 But God led the people about, through the 
way of the wilderness of the Red sea:'' and the 
children of Israel went up harnessed^ out of the 
land of Egypt. 

19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with 
him: for he had straitly sworn the children of 
Israel, saying, God will surely visit you ; and ye 
shall carry up my bones away hence with you.« 

20 1[ And they took their journey from Succoth, 
and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wil- 
derness.'' 

21 And the Lord went before them by day in a 
pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by 
night in a pillar of fire, to give them light : to go 
by day and night.' 

22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by 
day, nor the pillar of fire by night, fro7n before 
the people. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 G-od instmcteth the Israelites in their journey. 5 Pharaoh pnrsueth 
after them. 10 The Israehtes murmur. 13 Moses comforteth them. 
1.5 G-od instructeth Moses. 19 The cloud removeth behind the camp. 
21 The Israelites pass through the Ked sea, 23 which drowneth the 
Egyptians. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that 
they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth,^' be- 
tween Migdol and the sea,'' over against Baal- 
zephon : before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 

3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Is- 
rael, They are entangled in the land, the wilder- 
ness hath shut them in.' 



24:32; Acts 7:16. h Nu 
1:33; Neh. 9:12, 19; Psa 
10:1. j Num. 33:7. kj, 



1.33:0. i Num. 9:15-23; 10:34; 14:14; Deut. 
B:14; 99:7; 1U5:.39; Isa. 4:5; 1 Cor. 10:2; Rev. 
. 44:1. 1 Psa. 3:2; 71:11 ; Jer. 20:10. U. 



21. Pillar of a cloud ; a cloud in the form of a pillar, to 
shield them from the sun and guide them in the daytime, 
and to give them light by night. 

22. Took not away the pillar; it continued with them 
through the wilderness, as the emblem of the divine 
presence. Chap. 14:24; 33:9-14. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

7. In the Bible the same or similar instructions aro 
often repeated, that the truth may become familiar, and 
make a strong, abiding impression on the heart. 

14. The ordinances of God are designed to increase the 
knowledge, perpetuate the remembrance, and extend the 
efficacy of his truth ; and the proper understanding of 
these ordinances is suited to benefit all, especially the 
young. 

18. The way through this world in which God leads 
his people is often very diflerent from what they expect 
or desire, and very different from what any finite mind at 
the time would think to be best. 

'' But though they go far wandering round, 
"T is the right way to Canaan's ground.*' 

22. God is the guide and protector of his people. To 
follow him is perfectly safe. And after he has, by the 
wisest means and in the best way, prepared them for 
heaven, he will receive them there. 

CHAPTER XIY. 

2. That theij turn; to the south, and go down on the 
west side of the west arm of the Red sea, instead of 
passing northward round the head of the sea, as they 
might have done. Pi-hahiroth — Migdol and — Baal-zcphon ; 
places south of Elham, where thev would be shut in be- 
■9.) 



Pharaoh pursiieJh Israel. 



EXODUS XIV. 



Po-tsagt nf (he lied sea. 



4 And I will harden riianioli's heart," tliat ho 
shall follow aftor thoin ; and I will be honored upon 
Pharaoh, ami iii^n all liis host ; that the Egyptians 
may know that I am the Lord. And they did so. 

5% And it was told the king of Egypt that the 
people fled : and the heart of Pharaoh and of his 
servants was turned against the people,'' and they 
said. Why have we done this, that we have let 
Israel go" from serving us? 

6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his 
people with him: 

7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and 
all tlic chariots of Egypt, and captains over every 
one of thcm.'^ 

8 And the TiORD liardcned the heart of Pliaraoh 
king of Egypt, and lie pursued after the cliildrcn 
of Israel : and the children of Israel went out with 
a high hand.'' 

9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the 
horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, 
and his army, and overtook them encamping by 
the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth. before Baal-zephon. 

10 1 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the chil- 
dren of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the 
Egyptians marched after them ; and they were 
sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out 
unto the Lord." 

11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were 
no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to 
die in the wilderness? Wherefore hast thou dealt 
thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt ? 

12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in 
Egypt,' saying. Let us alone, that we may serve 
the Egyptians ? For it had been better for us to 
serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in 
the wilderness. 

13 If And Moses said unto the people. Fear ye 
not,^ stand still, and sec the salvation of the Lord, 
■which he will show to you to-day : for the Egyp- 
tians whom ye have seen to-day,* ye shall see them 
again no more for ever. 

14 The LoED shall fight for you,*" and ye shall 
hold your peace. 



«Ch. 4:21, elc. b Psa. 105:25. c ch. 15:4. J Num. 33:3: Deut. 2G:8. 
eJosh. 24:7; Neh. 9:9; Psi.34:17; 106:44, 107:0. tcli. 5:21 : C:9. g Num 
14:9; Deut. 20:3: 2 Kings 6:1S; 2 Chr. 20:15, 17; Psa. 27:1. 2; 46:1-3; 
Isa. 41.10, 14. ' Or, for whereas ye kave seen the Egijptians to-day. h Deut. 



tween the mountains and the sea ; so that should Pharaoh 
follow them with his array, they would, without a mira- 
cle, have no way of escape. 

i. jHarden Pharaoh's heart ; chap. 4:21. I will be honor- 
ed; in the destruction of Pharaoh and his host. 

5. Turned against the people; against permitting them to 
escape. 

8. With a high liand; by a high hand ; that is, by the 
hand of Jehovah, lifted up with might for their deliver- 
ance. 

19. Angel of God; the Angel of the covenant, who was 
afterwards made flesh and dwelt among men. Deut. 1 : 32, 
33; Psa. 99:6, 7; Isa. 63:8-16; John 1:14; 1 Cor. 10:9. 
Compare ver. 24, 25. He was now present in the cloud ; 
and when he removed, the cloud removed with him. 

20. To Mem,- the Egyptians. TScse; the Israelites. 

24. The morning-watch; the night was divided into three 
watches of four hours each. The morning-watch was the 
last, and began eight hours after sunset. Looked; his 
look was accompanied with visible signs of his displeas- 
ure. See the following verse. 
94 



15 1 And the Lonn said unto Moses, u"mJi 
Wherefore criest thou unto me? Speak unto the 
ciiildren of Israel, that they go forward: 

It) But lift thou uj) thy rod. and stretch out thy 
hand over the sea, and divide it: and the chil- 
dren of Israel shall go on dry grou7id through the 
midst of the sea. 

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of 
the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I 
will get mc lionor upon Pharaoh, and upon all his 
host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 

IS And the Egyjitians shall know tiiat I am the 
Lord, when I have got me honor upon Pharaoh, 
upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 

1!) 1 And the Angel of God,' whieii went before 
the camp of Israel, removed and went behind 
them ; and the pillar of the cloud went from be- 
fore their face, and stood behind them: 

20 And it came between the camp of the Egyp- 
tians and the camp of Israel ; and it was a cloud 
and darkness to them, but it gave light by night 
to these: so that the one came not near the other 
all the night. 

21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the 
sea ; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a 
strong east wind all that night, and made the sea 
dry land, and the waters were divided.^ 

22 And the children of Israel went into the 
midst of the sea, upon the dry ground: and the 
waters tvere a wall unto them on their right hand, 
and on their left." 

23 1 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in 
after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pha- 
raoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 

24 And it came to pass, that in the morning- 
watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyp- 
tians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, 
and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 

25 And took ofl' their chariot-wheels, that they 
drave them heavily ;+ so that the Egyptians said. 
Let us flee from the face of Israel ; for the Lord 
fighteth for them against the Egyptians. 

26 1[ And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch 



I:.30; 3:22; 20:4; Josh. 10:14; 23:3, 10; 2 Chr. 20:29; Neh 4:20; Isa. 
30:15. i Num. 20:10: Isa. 63:9. J Josh 3:16; 4:2:j; Psa. 60.6. k 1 Cor 
10:1; Heb. 11:29. 1 Or, aiid made th^m to go heavily. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. If men would not have their hearts hardened, they 
must not continue knowingly to disobey God. If they 
thus disobey, all the blame will rest upon themselves. 

9. When suffering the consequences of sin and fearing 
destruction, men often appear to be penitent and disposed 
to reform ; but if when they are relieved and their fears 
pass away, they rush again into sin, they not unfrequently 
become more hardened, reckless, and wicked than ever, 
till, given up of God, they sink into ruin. 

15. It is the duty of men not merely to pray, but to 
act ; and unless they go forward in the way of duty, their 
prayers wiU not avail. God helps those who do what he 
requires to help themselves. 

18. The dispensations of Providence, as well as the pub- 
lication of divine truth, are to some, by being improved, 
a savor of life unto life ; to others, by being abused, a 
savor of death unto death ; and God is honored in the 
salvation of the one and the destruction of the other. 

20. Many things are very plain, and give great light 
and comfort to those who obey God, which appear ex- 



The Egyptians are drowned. 



EXODUS XV. 



Song oj Moses and Israel. 



B. au9L out thy hand over the sea, that the waters 
may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their 
chariots, and upon their horsemen. 

27 And Moses stretched fortli his hand over the 
sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the 
morning appeared ; and the Egyptians fled against 
it; and the Lord overthrew* the Egyptians in 
tlie midst of the sea. 

28 And the waters returned, and covered the 
chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of 
Pharaoh that came into the sea after them ;" there 
remained not so much as one of tliem. 

29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry 
land in the midst of the sea ; and tlie waters icerc a 
wall unto them on their right hand, and on their 1 eft. 

30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of 
the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the 
Egyptians dead upon the sea-shore. 

31 And Israel saw that great work* which the 
Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people 
feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his 
servant Moses.'' 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 Moses" song. 22 The people want water. 23 The waters at Marah 
are bitter. 2-3 A tree sweeteneth them. 29 At Elim are twelve 
wells, and seventy palm-trees. 

THEN sang Moses and the children of Israel 
this song unto the Lord,'= and spake, saying, 
I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed 
gloriously : the horse and his rider hath he thrown 
into the sea. 

2 The Lord is my strength and song, and he is 
become my salvation:'' he is my God, and I will 
prepare him a habitation;'^ my father's God, and 
I will exalt him. 

3 The Lord w a man of war :'' the Lord m his name. 

4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast 
into tiie sea : his chosen captains also are drowned 
in the Red sea. 

5 The depths have covered them: they sank 
into the bottom as a stone. 

6 Thy right hand, Lord, is become glorious 
in power: thy right hand, Lord, hath dashed 
in pieces the enemy .^ 

7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou 



• Heb. shook off. » ch. 13:10; Psi. 77;l(i-ai; 73;53; 106:11. t HeK. 
hand, b ch. 4:13; 19:9; John 2: 11 ; 11:45. c Judg. 5:1; 3 Sam. 22:1 ; Psa. 
106:12. i Psa. 1S:2; 27:1; 62:6; 118:14; Isa. 12:2. e 1 Kings 8:13, 27. 
f Paa. 24:8; 45:3; Rev. 19:11. e Psa. 118:15, 16. >> Deut. 3:3:26: Psa. 
63:33. i Psa. 59:13; Isa. 5:24; 47:14; Matt. 3:12. J 2 Sam. 22:16; Job 



ceedingly dark and perplexing to those who knowingly 
disobey him. 

28. The way of transgressors is hard. God is against 
them, and the time will come when they will see this. 
Happy will it be if they see it while he is waiting to be 
gracious, saying, " Turn ye, turn ye ; for why will ye 
die ?" and hearken to his voice, instead of madly perse- 
vering in rebellion against him. 

CHAPTER XY. 

2. A habitation ; a place for his public worship. 

8. Blast of thy nostrils; the wind which made the sea 
go back, chap. 14:21, here represented as the breath of 
the Almighty. Ver. 10. The depths were congealed; made 
to stand upon either side like walls of ice. 

10. Didst bloio with thy wind; a wind opposite to that 
which made the sea retire, and which hastened its return 
to overwhelm the Egypti;uis. 



hast overthrown them that rose up against thee : " 
thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them 
as stubble.' 

8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters 
were gathered together, the floods stood upright 
as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the 
heart of the sea.J 

9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, 
I will divide the spoil ; my lust shall be satisiied 
upon them ; I will draw my sword, my hand shall 
destroy* them. 

10 Thou didst blow with thy wind,'' the sea cover- 
ed them: they sank as lead in (he mighty waters. 

11 Who is like unto thee, Lord,' among the 
gods?^ who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fear- 
ful in praises, doing wonders? 

12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the 
earth swallowed them. 

13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people 
which thou hast redeemed :" thou hast guided them 
in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. 

14 The people shall hear, and be afraid : sorrow 
shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. 

15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; 
the miglity men of Moab, trembling shall take 
hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan 
shall melt away." 

16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them;" by 
the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still 
as a stone ;" till thy people pass over, Lord, till 
the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.'' 

17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in 
the mountain of thine inheritance,"' in the place, 
Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell 
in ; in the sanctuary, Lord, which thy hands 
have established.' 

18 The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.' 

19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his 
chariots and with his horsemen into tlie sea, and 
the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon 
them ; but the children of Israel went on dry land 
in the midst of the sea. 

20 IT And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of 
Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand ; " and all the 
women went out after her, with timbrels and with 
dances. 



4:9; 2Thess. 2:S. I Or, repossess, k ch. 14:21; Psa. 147:18. Usa. 40:18. 
S Or, 7nighty ones, m Isa. 63:13. n Josh. 5: 1. o Deut. 2:35; 11:25; Josh. 
2.9. Pi Sam. 25:37. q Psa. 74:2; Acts 20:28. r Psa. 44:2. a Psa. 78:54. 
I Psa. 146:10; Dan. 4:3; 7:27. u Judg. 11:34; 2 Sam. 6:5; Psa. 6S:25; 
81:2; 149:3; 150:4. 



12. The earth ; the sea in the depths of the earth. Psa. 
77:14-20. 

13. Thy holy habitation; the land of Canaan, where God 
would delight to dwell with his people. But perhaps 
here, and ver. 17, there is a prophetic allusion to moimt 
Zion, which became God's special dwelling-place. 

14. Palestina; that is, the country of the Philistines. 
See note, Isa. 14:29. 

15. Dukes; leaders, princes. 

16. Pass over; over the desert and through the inter- 
vening countries, to take possession of Canaan. Pur- 
chased; redeemed or delivered from bondage, to be his 
peculiar people. 

17. The mountain of thine inheritance ; the land of Ca- 
naan, especially Zion, and the temple where he would 
dwell. See note, ver. 13. 

20. The prophetess; appointed of God to instruct the 
wcimen, and lead them in their devotions. Num. 12:1, 2 : 
95 



Tim uiiilcrs nf Mi,r,./i. 



KXODus xvr. 



T/.e pecpic murmur. 



21 And Miriam answered tiicni, Sing ye to the 
Lord," lor lie lialli tiiuuipiicd gloriously: the 
horse and his rider hath he tiirown into the sea. 

'22 So Moses brought Israel from the lied sea, 
and tliey went out into the wilderness of Shur;'' 
and they went three days iu the wilderness, and 
found no water. 

23 *i And when they came to Marali,"^ they could 
not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were 
bitter : therefore the name of it was called Marali.' 

24 Anil the people murmured against Moses, 
saying, Wiiat shall we drink? 

25 And he cried unto the Lord ; and the Lord 
showed liini a tree, tv/iick when he had cast into 
tlic waters, tlie waters were made sweet:'' there 
lie made for them a statute and an ordinance, and 
there he proved them, 

2C And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to 
the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that 
which is right in his sight, and wilt give car to 
his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I 
will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I 
have brought upon the Egyptians:" for I am the 
Lord that healeth thee.'' 

27 H And they came to Elim, where were twelve 
wells of water, and threescore and ten palm- 
trees : and they encamped there by the waters. 

CHAPTER XYI. 

1 The Israelites come to Sin. 2 They murmur for want of bread. 4 
God promiseth tliem bread from heaven. 1 1 Quails are sent, 14 and 
manna. 16 The ordering of manna. 2.'5 It was not to be found on 
the Sabbath. 32 An omer of it is preser\'ed. 

ND they took their journey from Elim,'"' and 
all the congregation of the children of Is- 



A 



» Ver. 1. b Gen. 16:7. t Num. 33:8. • That is. Bilterness; Ruth 1 :20. 
•1-2 Kings 2:21; 4:41. e Deut. 23:27, 68. f Psa. 41:4 ; 10.3:3. ENum.33:10. 
h Ezek? 30:15. i ch. 1.1:24; Psa. 106:25; 1 Cor. 10:10. J Num. 11:4, 5. 



Micah 6:4. Timbrel; a musical instrument like the tam- 
bourine. 

21. Miriam answered; she led the women, who sung 
responsively with the men. 

23. Marah; meaning bitterness; where was a fountain 
of bitter water. 

25. Statute — ordinance ; rule, direction, or decree, men- 
tioned ver. 2C ; Jer. 7:22, 23. Proved them; tried them 
by his providence, and thus gave them opportunity to 
show whether they would obey him. Gen. 22 : 1. 

26. Healeth tliee; removes all plagues, sicknesses, and 
infirmities, such as those which they had witnessed in 
Egypt. These are always regarded in the holy Scrip- 
tures as chastisements for sin. See Deut. 28:59, 61. The 
outward healing of the body is a symbol of the more 
glorious healing and sanctifying of the soul by God's 
grace. 

27. Elim ; a place south-east of Marah, and on the way 
to mount Sinai. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those dispensations of Providence which excite our 
greatest fears, often so result as to call forth our loudest 
praises. 

7. They that, being often reproved, continue to harden 
their hearts, will be suddenly destroyed, and that with- 
out remedy. 2 Chron. 36 : 16 ; Prov. 6 : 14, 15 ; 29 : 1. 

10. When the enemies of God are most confident of 
success, they are often the nearest to destruction. 

16. That fear of coming evil which prevents exertion 
and leads to despair, instead of delivering from danger, 
only increases it, and prevents escape. 



racl came unto the wildernes.s of Sin,'' l..":?;,?; 
which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth 
day of the second mouth after their departing out 
of the land of Egypt. 

2 And the whole congregation of the children 
of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron ia 
the wilderness:' 

3 And the children of Israel said unto them, 
Would to God we had died liy the hand of the 
Lord in the land of Egyi)t, when we sat by the 
flesii-pots,J and when we did eat bread to the full ; 
for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, 
to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 

4 1 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I 
will rain bread from heaven for you;" and the 
people shall go out and gather a certain rate 
every day,* that I may prove them,' whether they 
will walk iu my law, or no. 

5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth 
day they shall prepare t/iat which they bring in ; 
and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."' 

6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the chil- 
dren of Israel, At even, then ye shall know tjiat 
the Lord hath brought you out from the land of 
Egypt: 

7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the 
glory of the Lord;" for that he heareth your 
murmurings against the Lord : and what are we, 
that ye murmur against us? 

8 And Moses said, This shall be when the Lord 
shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in 
the morning bread to the full ; for that the Lord 
heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against 
him: and what are we? your murmurings are not 
against us, but against the Lord." 



kPsa. 78:al; John 6:.31, 32. Mleh. tke portn 
8:16. n. ver. 22. n ver. 10; ch. 40:.'34; Nun 
10:40; Luke 10:16. 



21. Great deliverances should be celebrated with mani- 
festations of hearty gratitude to God, and sincere devo- 
tion of body and soul to his service. 

26. The human heart cannot be safely trusted. At one 
time it will sing praises to God, and at another murmur 
against him. All true confidence in God, and all genuine 
love to him, are the fruit of his Spirit ; and to him belongs 
the glory of every thing spiritually good in men. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1. Fifteenth day of the semrd month; just one month after 
they started from Egypt. 

3. Kill — witli hunger; they had hitherto lived on pro- 
visions which they brought with them, or obtained by 
the way ; but as they now entered the wilderness, where 
they thought they could not obtain any, they feared they 
should perish. 

4. Prove them ; put them to trial. For the meaning of 
this, see Deut. 8:2, 3, 16. 

5. Tlie sixth day; the sixth working day, the day before 
the Sabbath. The Sabbath is spoken of as an institution 
already existing and well known. 

6. Ye shall know; by the Lord's providing you a mirac- 
ulous supply of flesh. Ver. 13. 

7. See the glory of the Lord; in the miraculous provision 
of manna. Ver. 14. 

8. Not against us; Moses and Aaron acted by God's 
direction. The murmurings of the Israelites against 
them, were therefore in reaUty murmurings against Ilim 
who sent them. Compare Matt. 10:40; Luke 10:16; 
John 12:44; 13:20. 



Quads and manna sent. 



EXODUS XVI. 



Directions conccrnin<^ the manna. 



ilc'S 9 IT And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say 
unto all the congregation of the children of Is- 
rael, Come near before the Lord:'' for he hath 
heard your murmurings. 

10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the 
whole congregation of the children of Israel, that 
tliey looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the 
glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.'' 

11 IT And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

12 I have heard the murmurings of the children 
of Israel:*^ speak unto them, saying. At even ye 
shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be fill- 
ed with bread ; and ye shall know that I am the 
Lord your God. 

13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails 
came up, and covered the camp :'' and in the morn- 
ing the dew lay round about the host. 

1-1 And when the dew that lay was gone up, be- 
hold, upon the face of the wilderness tliere lay a 
small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on 
the ground. 

15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they 
said one to another. It is manna :*" for they wist not 
what it loas. And Moses said unto them, This is 
the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat. 

16 IT This is the thing which the Lord hath com- 
manded. Gather of it every man according to his 
eating, an oraer for every man,* according to the 
number of your persons;* take ye every man for 
them which are in his tents. 

17 And the children of Israel did so, and gather- 
ed, some more, some less. 

18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he 
that gatliered much had notliing over, and he that 
gathered little had no lack ;'' they gathered every 
man according to his eating. 

19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till 
the morning." 

20 Notwithstanding, they hearkened not unto 
Moses ; but some of them left of it until the morn- 
ing, and it bred worms, and stank : and Moses 
was wroth with them. 

21 And they gathered it every morning, every 



1 Num. 16:16. b Num. 1-1:10; 1 Kings 8: in. ever.", d Num. 11:31; 
Psa. 7d:27-31; 105:10. * Or, What is this? or, /( is a portion, e ver. 31, 
3:1; Num. 11:7; Dent. 8:3, 18; Josh. 5:13; Neh. 9:15; Psa. 7S:a4; 105:40, 
John 0:.31, 49, 53; 1 Cor. 10:3; Heb. 9:4; Rev. 2:17. t Heb. by the poll, or 



9. Near before the Lord; near to the cloudy pillar, in 
which he dwelt, and from which he spoke. Ver. 10. 

12. I am the Lord your God; of course all their fears in 
following his guidance were groundless. 

li. Round thing; rather, scale-like thing. 

15. Itismanna; which might be translated, What is this? 

II). An omer; the tenth part of an ephah ; ver. 36. Ac- 
cording to a probable computation, the ephah contained 
one and one-twelfth bushels English; this would make 
the omer a trifle less than three and one-half quarts. 

18. 3Iete; measure. Gathered much had nothing over — 
gathered little Imd no lack. These words may be imder- 
stood in two ways : either that when each head of a 
family measured out to the members what he had gather- 
ed, it was miraculously brought about that there was just 
an omer apiece ; or, that when the people measured the 
manna with an omer, the superabundance of one man 
went to supply the want of another. This seems to bo 
the view taken by the apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 8:14, 15. Ac- 
cording to his eating; according to the number of his 
household. 

19. Let no man leave of it till the mornins; not that each 

7 



man according to his eating : and when the sun 
waxed hot, it melted. 

22 IT And it came to pass, that on the sixth day 
they gathered twice as much bread, two omers 
for one man: and all the rulers of the congrega- 
tion came and told Moses. 

23 And he said unto them. This is that which 
the Lord hath said. To-morrow is the rest of the 
holy sabbath unto tlie Lord:'' bake that which yo 
will bake to-day, and seethe that ye will seethe; 
and that which remaineth over, lay up for you to 
be kept until the morning. 

24: And they laid it up till the morning, as Mo- 
ses bade : and it did not stink, neither was there 
any worm therein.' 

25 And Moses said. Eat that to-day ; for to-day 
is a sabbath unto the Lord : to-day ye shall not 
find it in the field. 

26 Six days ye shall gather it ; but on the seventh 
day, u-hich is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.-' 

27 1" And it came to pass, that there went out 
some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, 
and they found none. 

28 And the Lord said unto Moses, How long re- 
fuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?" 

29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the 
sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day 
the bread of two days : abide ye every man in his 
place, let no man go out of his place on the sev- 
enth day. 

30 So the people rested on the seventh day. 

31 And the house of Israel called the name 
thereof Manna: and it ims like coriander-seed, 
white; and the taste of it teas like wafers made 
with honey.' 

32 TT And Moses said, This is the thing which 
the Lord commandeth. Fill an omer of it to be 
kept for your generations ; that they may see the 
bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, 
when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. 

33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and 
put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up 
before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.'" 



head. JUnh. souls. f2Cor.S:15. gMatt.6:34. h ch. 20:8; 31:15; 35:3; 
Gen. 2:3; Lev. 23:3. i ver. 20. jch. 2U:9, 10. t Num. 14:11 ; 2 Kings 
17:14; P=a. 78:10, 22; 100:13; Jer. 9:0; Ezelc. 5:6. 1 Num. 11:7, 8. m Heb. 



one, under all circumstances, was required to eat the 
whole, but no one was allowed to lay up any of it for the 
next day, or for future use. This was designed to teach 
them to depend on God, from day to day, for their daily 
bread. Matt. G: 11, 34. 

23. The Lord hath said; God had told this to Moses, 
ver. 5, and Moses now tells it to the people. Seethe; boil. 
Remaineth over; above one omer for a man, or above what 
they would want for the sixth day. To be kept; for their 
supply on the Sabbath. It was cooked the day before, 
to jirevcnt unnecessary labor on the Sabbath. 

28. 31 y laws; especially those which required them to 
rest from their ordinary employments, and keep the Sab- 
bath-day holy. 

29. Go out of his place; for needless, worldly purposes. 
31. Like coriander-seed ; in shape and size. Wafers; thin 

cakes. When cooked it had something of the taste of 
sweet oil. Num. 11:6-8. 

33. Take a pot ; this command seems to be mentioned 

here by way of anticipation, as the tabernacle was not 

yet made. Before the Lord; in the ark of the testimony, 

the place of his presence. Ver. 34; chap. 25:16,21; 30;6. 

91 



Water from the rock. 



EXODUS XVII. 



Amalek is overcome. 



34 As the Lord commanded Mosos, go Aaron 
laid it up bcforo tlic Testimony, to be kept." 

35 And tiic children of Israel did eat manna 
forty years, until they came to a land inhal)itcd :'' 
they (iid eat manna, until they came unto the bor- 
ders of tiie land of Canaan." 

3G Now an omcr is the tenth part of an cphah.*" 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 The people murmur for water at Repliidlm. 5 God senJeth lliem for 
^-ater to the rock in Horeb. 8 Amalek is overcome by the holding 
up of Moses' hands. lO Moses buildeth the altar Jchovah-nissi. 

AND all the congregation of the children of 
Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin,'' 
after their journeys, accordin<^ to the command- 
ment of the LOKD, and pitched in Rephidim: and 
t/tere was no water for tlie people to drink. 

2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses,' 
and said. Give us water that wo may drink. And 
Moses said unto them, Why ciiide ye with me? 
wherefore do ye tempt tlio Lord ? " 

3 And the people thirsted there for water ; and 
the people murmured against Moses, and said, 
Wlierefore is this that thou hast brought us up 
out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our 
cattle with thirst? 

4 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What 
shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready 
to stone me.*" 

5 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before 
the people, and take with thee of the elders of Is- 





ar 


h. 


a.)- in 


Ni 


m. 1:50; 17 


in 


• 1 K 


nrsS 


9. b Num 


33:33 


Tie 


« ?-2 


:> 


N 


Bh 


!>:-JI ; 


.lol 


.1 0:31, 49. 


c 


Josh. 


.^•IS; 


Neh. 9:15 


i let 


. Hi 


32, 33. 


e 


c.h. 


Iti 


1; N 


iim. 


33:12,14. f 


N 


im. 20:3, 4. 


S Deut. 6 


10; Ps 


i.W 


18,41; 


9 


:d, 


9 


Isa. 


7:f. 


; Matt. 4:7 


1 


Cor. 


10:9. 


h 1 Sam 


30:6; 


John 8:59; 



35. Forty years; the time thoy spent in the wilderness. 
Josh. 5:11, 12. 

36. Ephah; see note, ver. IG. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Men are prone to undervahie their mercies and to 
magnify their trials. By comparing their present with 
their past condition they become discontented, and thus 
unfit themselves for duty and dishonor God. 

5. Such was God's regard for the Sabbath before the 
establishment of the Jewish ritual, and before the ten 
commandments had been written on tables of stone, that 
he wrought a stupendous miracle, that his people might 
continue to keep it holy. 

8. When men murmur against others for doing what 
God commands, instead of blaming men only, they are in 
reality blaming God. 

12. The ingratitude and wickedness of men are often 
the occasion of wonderful manifestations of the patience, 
kindness, and grace of God. 

18. Wore it best, the Lord could furnish his people 
with the necessaries of hfe, and even with luxuries, with- 
out their labor ; and he sometimes does this. But gener- 
aUyhe requires them to make efforts; and in all cases, 
having food and raiment, he requires them to be there- 
with content. 1 Tim. 6:8; Heb. 13:5. 

23. Things should be so arranged on Saturday that all 
may rest from worldly employments on the Sabbath, and 
not be prevented by needless cooking, or any other labor, 
from remembering the day to keep it holy. 

27. However clearly it may be sho^vn that God requires 
men to keep the Sabbath, some will neglect it. And 
though he makes known that men cannot in the end be 
gainers by disobeying him, yet such as have no love to 
him, and no confidence in him, will violate the day. 

35. All which will in the end benefit believers, they 
will, in the use of suitable means, receive. 
98 



rael ; and thy rod, wherewith thou sniotest 1i. ", uj?: 
the river,' take in thy hand, and po. 

() Behold, I will stand before tiiee there upon 
the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, 
and there shall come water out of it,^ that tlic 
people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight 
of the ciders of Israel. 

7 And he called the name of the place Slassah,' 
and Meribah,* because of the chiding of the chil- 
dren of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, 
saying. Is the Lord among us, or not ? 
_ 8 1 Then came Amalek," and fought with Israel 
in Rephidim. 

9 And Moses said unto Joshua,* Choose us out 
men, and go out, fight with Amalek : to-morrow I 
will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of 
God in my hand. 

10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and 
fought with Amalek : and Moses, Aaron, and Hur 
went up to the top of the hill. 

11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his 
hand, that Israel prevailed ; and when he let down 
his hand, Amalek prevailed. 

12 Bat Moses' hands were heavy; and they took 
a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon ; 
and Aaron and Hur sta^'cd up his liands, the one 
on the one side, and the other on the other side ; 
and his hands were steady until the going down 
of the sun. 

13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his peo- 
ple with the edge of the sword. 



10:31; Acts 7:59; 11:19. icli.7:a0; Num. 20:8-11. j Psa. 105:41, 114: 
1 Cor. 10:4. • That is, Ttmplalioti. t That is, Chiding, or SIri/c. k Ge: 
36:12; Num. ai:20. I Called Jesus, Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8. 



"All needful grace will God bestow, 
And crown that grace with glory too; 
He gives us all things, and withholds 
No real good from upright souls." 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1. Rephidim; the last station before the Israelites 
reached Sinai. Num. 33:14, 15. 

2. Did chide with Moses; found fault with him; murmur- 
ed against him. Tempt the Lord; try his patience by 
finding fault with his ministers, and provoking him to 
destroy them. 

6. Stand before thee ; in the cloudy pillar, that would rest 
upon the rock which Moses was to strike with his rod. 

I. Massah; temptation. Meribah; chiding; because 
there they chided with Moses, and tempted the Lord. 

8. Amalek; a people living south of Palestine, between 
Egypt and mount Seir. 

9. Joshua; tliis is the first time he is mentioned in the 
BilMe. His name in Hebrew means Saviour, the same as 
Jesus in Greek. Hence he is sometimes, in the New 
Testament, which was wTitten in Greek, called Jesus. 
Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8. 

10. Hur; 1 Chron. 2:19. 

II. Held up his hand; in token of his seeking help from 
God. 1 Tim. 2:8. In this first conflict between the Is- 
raelites and their enemies, it pleased God to require not 
only the intercessory praj'er of Moses, but also the out- 
ward sign of it; that the people might thus be more 
deeply impressed with the truth that their salvation came 
from God, and was to be sought by earnest prayer. 

12. Heavy; weary, tired. His hands were steady; con- 
tinued to be lifted up ; showing that they felt that success 
must come from God. 

13. Discomfited Amalek; obtained a victory over the 
Amalekites. 



Jelhro's visit 



EXODUS xviir. 



mui sacrifiu. 



k arnt 14 And the Lord said unto Moses, "Write 
this yor a memorial iu a book, and rehearse ii in 
the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the 
remembrance of Amalck from under heaven." 

15 And Moses built an altar, and called the 
name of it Jehovah-nissi:* 

16 For he said, * Because the Lord hath sworn* 
that the Lord will have war with Amalek from 
generation to generation. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 Jethro bringeth to Moses his wife and two sons. 7 Moses entertain- 
eth him. 13 Jethro "s counsel is accepted. 27 Jethro departeth. 

TTTHEN Jethro the priest of Midian," Moses' 
VV father-in-law, heard of all that God had 
done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that 
the Lord had broup;ht Israel out of Egypt ; 

2 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took Zip- 
porah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, 

3 And her two sons ; of which the name of the 
one ivas Gersliom;^ for he said, I have been an 
alien in a strange land : 

4 And the name of the other icas Eliezer;' for 
the God of my father, said he, icas my help, and 
delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh : 

5 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with 
his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilder- 
ness, where he encamped at the mount of God : " 

6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father-in-law 
Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her 
two sons with her. 

7 IT And Jloses went out to meet his father-in- 
law, and did obeisance, and kissed him ; ^ and they 
asked each other of their welfare ;' and they came 
into the tent. 

8 And Moses told his father-in-law all that the 
Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyp- 
tians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had 



» Num. '24::J0: Deut. So: 10. " That is. Tlie Lord 


my banner; Psa. 00:4. 


t Or, Because the hand of Amalek is against the thrc 


ne of the Lord, there- 


fore, etc. 1 Heb. the hand upon the throne 0/ the Lor 


D. bch. 2:10. SThat 


is, A stranger there. 1 That is, My God is a help. 


= ch. 3:1,12. d Gen. 


29:13; 33:4. H Heb. peare. • Yleh. found them. 


e Psa. 1U6:43; 107:2. 



14. Write this; that God would put out tlie remembrance; 
utterly destroy the Araalekites. Deut. 25:17-19; 1 Sam. 
15:3-33; 30:1-19; 2 Sam. 1:1-15. 

15. Jehovah-nissi ; the Lord my banner. 

16. The Lord Iiath sworn; the marginal reading is prefer- 
able. From generation to generation ; till they are destroyed. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. No miracles or manifestations of divine power, wis- 
dom, and goodness, will of themselves lead men to trust 
in God, or prevent them, when tried, from being dissatis- 
fied with his dealings and murmuring against him. 

12. The servants of God may grow weary in prayer, 
and often they do so sooner than in the use of other 
means ; but our great Advocate and Intercessor in heaven 
is never weary. Ministers of the gospel need the aid 
and encouragement of God's people. 

There is no inconsistency between hearty dependence 
on God, manifested in believing, affectionate, fervent 
prayer for blessings, and the most skilful, vigorous, and 
persevering use of all appropriate means to obtain them ; 
but the proper use of the one secures and gives eflBcacy 
to the right performance of the other. 

16. National sins are followed by national judgments; 
and though the manifestation of divine indignation may 
long be delayed, in due time it will come ; and those who 
fear not God, nor regard the welfare of their fellow-men, 
will be destroyed with utter destruction. 



come upon them' by the way, and how the Lord 
delivered them." 

9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which 
the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had de- 
livered out of the hand of tlie Egyptians.'' 

10 And Jethro said. Blessed be the Lord," who 
hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyp- 
tians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh ; who Jiath 
delivered the people from under the hand of the 
Egyptians. 

11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than 
all gods:" for in the thing wherein they dealt 
proudly, he tvas above them.' 

12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a 
burnt-offering and sacrifices for God : and Aaron 
came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat l^read 
with Moses' father in-law before God.-i 

13 1 And it came to pass on the morrow, that 
Moses sat to judge the people: and the, people 
stood by Moses from the morning unto the even- 
ing. 

1-1 And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that 
he did to the people, he said, What is this thing 
that thou doest to the people? Why sittest tliou 
thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee 
from morning unto even? 

15 And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Be- 
cause the people come unto me to inquire of God :'^ 

16 When they have a matter, they come unto 
me ; and I judge between one and another,^ and I 
do make them know the statutes of God, and his 
laws. 

17 And Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The 
thing that thou doest is not good. 

18 Thou wilt surely wear away,* both thou, and 
this people that is with thee : for this thing is too 
heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it 
thyself alone.' 



fRom. 12:15. g2Sam. I8;2S; Lukel:()8. li Psa. 95:3; 97:9. ijob40:ll; 
D.an. 4::37. J Deut. 12:7; 1 Chr. 29:22; 1 Cor. 10:21. k Xura. 15:34; 27:5; 
Deut. 17:8, 9. t Heb. a man and his fellow. 1 Heb. Fading thou u-ilt fade. 
1 Dent. 1:9, 12. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

1. Jethro; chap. 2:16; 3:1. 

2. Sent her hack; he had sent back Zipporah to her 
father, while be and Aaron went to bring Israel out of 
Egypt. Chap. 4:24-26. 

3. Gershom; chap. 2:22. 

4. Eliezer; meaning, my God a help. Acts 7:29. 

5. The mount of God; Sinai. Chap. 3:1, 12 ; 19:11, 20. 

6. He said unto Moses; sent word to him by a messen- 
ger. 

8. Travail; toils and trials. 

11. For in the thing — above them; or, yea, in the thing 
wherein they (the Egyptians) dealt proudly against them 
(the Israelites.) 

12. Burnt-offering and sacrifices; in devout acknowledg- 
ment of the goodness of God, and aa an expression of 
gratitude for his mercies. 

13. Judge the people; hear and decide their controver- 
sies, and give them such instruction as they needed. 
Ver. 16. 

15. To inquire of God; to learn his wiU. 

17. Not good; it was not good for Moses to do the 
whole alone, because it would injure his health and 
shorten his life. 

18. Wear away; he would become exhausted, and the 
people would suflfer through the delay of their causes. 



Jdkro't counstl to Moses. 



EXODUS XIX. 



7Tu people come to Sinai. 



19 Hcarkon now unto my voice, I will >.mvc thee 
counsel, and (IdiI "liail lie with thee: lie tiiou for 
the people to God-ward,* that thou maycst bring 
the caused unto God : 

20 And thou nhalt teach them ordinances and 
lawH,'' and .shall t-liow them the way wherein they 
uiUHt walk, and the work that they niu.il do. 

21 Moreover, thou Khalt proviile out of all the 
jieople able men, such as fear God, men of truth, 
tiating covetousnesH ;° and ])lace .wcA over them, 
to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, 
rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens : 

22 And let them jud^re the i)eo|de at all seasons: 
and it shall be, l/iat every great matter they shall 
bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall 
judge: 80 shall it bo easier for thyself, and they 
sliall bear t/ie burden with thee.'' 

2'6 If thou shalt do this thing, and God com- 
mand thee so," then thou shalt be able to endure, 
and all 'this people shall also go to their place in 
peace.' 

2-1: So Moses hearkened to the voice of his fa- 
ther-in-law, and did all that he had said. 

25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, 
and made tliem heads over the people, rulers of 
thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and 
rulers of tens. 

26 And they judged the people at all seasons: 
tlic hard causes they brought unto Moses, but 
every small matter they judged themselves. 

27 ^ And Moses let his father-in-law depart; 
and he went his way into his own land.'' 



«Cll.a«;10: Dout.5:5. bD(!Ut.4:l; «:I,2; Nch.9:H. ' Dcut. l:!!?-!?; 
I9:lb: aSim. 2:!:3; Job29;10; 3I:1X d Num. 1 1:17. elBim.S:?. 'Gen. 
30:25. I Num. 10:20, 30. h Num. .33: 15. Ich.l7:l,8. Jch.7,cto. k Dnut. 



19. God nlwll be witk tlice ; he belicvcil llie jjlan lie pro- 
posed would be ap])ioved of God. To God-wiird; Moses 
was to inquire of God for them, and make known to them 
his will. 

21. Able men; capable men, who are disposed and qual- 
ified rightly to discharge the duties intrusted to them. 

23. If — God command thee; if he approve the plan, and 
direct thee to follow it. Go to their place; to the land of 
Palestine, whither they wore marching. In peace; a well- 
ordered government would give them peace within and 
R,afety without. 

27. His own land; Midian. Chap. 2:16, 21. 

IXSTRLX'TIOXS. 

2. It is sometimes proper for husbands and wives to 
live apart for a time, but generjxUy it is best for them to 
live together, and by precejit and example unite in train- 
ing u[> their children in tlio imrturo and admonition of 
the Lord. 1 Cor. 7:. 5; lOpli. C:l. 

10. When friends who meet recount the goodness of 
<jod to thc:m, it is calculated to honor him, to increase 
their gratitude, and better to fit them for the discharge 
of their duties. 

12. When those who have been separated meet again, 
it is not enough merely to speak of the kindness of tiod, 
but they should unite in worshipping him as the author 
of all the blessings Ihey enjoy. 

18. It is not wise, nor is it right for men to labor so 
much as to injure their health and shorten their lives, 
even for the purpose of doing gooil ; but they should 
proportion their labors to their ability most usefully to 
perform them. 

21. Rulers and all civil officers should be capable men, 
who love God, speak the truth, hate covetousness, and 
are strictly honest : men who are able and willing prompt- 
100 



CHAPTER XIX. 



1 Tfii; pvople (!omo to SiiiAi. .') Uotl'i mnua^i; hy ftlcrt^i unto the pro- 
i.l<: out of Uie mount. 8 The p<r«|<lc'« nniwi-r returned again. 10 
the people are prepared A;^tnjit ilie third day. 1'2 The mountain 
luujit not be toacned. IC The fearful preience of <iod upon the mount. 

IN the third month, when the children of Israel 
were gone forth out of llie land of Kgypt, the 
same day came they into the wilderne.'^s of Sinai.'' 

2 For they were departed from Kephidim,' and 
were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched 
in the wilderness ; and there Israel camped before 
the mount. 

3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord 
called unto him out of tlic mountain, saying, Thus 
shalt thou say to the hou.'^e of Jacob, and tell the 
children of Israel ; 

4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians,' 
and how I bare you on eagles' wings," and brought 
you unto myself. 

.0 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, 
and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar 
treasure unto me above all people:' for all the 
earth is mine: 

G And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests,"" 
and a lioly nation. These are the words which 
thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 

7 T And Moses came and called for the elders 
of the people, and laid before their faces all these 
words which the Loiii> commanded him. 

8 And all the people answered together, and 
said. All that the Loufj hath spoken Ave will do." 
And Moses returned the words of the people unto 
the Loud. 



32:11; I«l. 40:31; 63:0. 1 Deul. 7:0; 32:0; 1 Kingn 8:53; Pm. 135:4, I«a. 
1:8; 43:1; Tit. 2:14. m JR^v. 1 :0; 5:10. o ch. -^4:3; Deut. 5:27-29; Jo»h. 



■m'.'A; Nch. 10:'20.' 



ly to discharge their appropriate duties, in order to btnor 
God and do good to men. 

2C. Division of labor greatly increases useful results. 
Our object should be to have others do all the good they 
consistently can, and to do ourselves all we consistently 
can of what they leave undone. • 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1. The same day; that is, the first day of the third 
month, called Siv'an, answering to the last part of May 
and the first of June. This was forty-five days after they 
left Egypt ; namely, sixteen days of the first month and 
twenty-nine of the second. The next day Moses went 
up to meet God. Ver. 3. The day after he returned to 
God the answer of the people, verses 7, 8, then three 
days were allowed the people to prepare themselves, and 
on the tliird day, which was the fiftieth from their depar- 
ture out of Kgypt, God came down on mount Sinai and 
gave them the law. Verses 11, 10. Hence the feast 
which was cKtablished in commemoration of this event 
was called IV-ntecoKt, meaning the fiftieth. At this feast 
it was thiit tlie Holy Ghost descended on the disciples. 
Acts 2:1-4. 

4. Bare i/ou on eagles' wings; saved them, and brought 
them safely and triumphantly to the enjoyment of his 
special presence and favor. Dent. 32:11; Isa. 63:9. 

C. A kingdom of priests; the peculiar oifiec of a priest 
is to minister to God in holy things. Though there was 
a body of priests set ajjart from their brethren to offer 
the literal sacrifices and iterform the other outward ser- 
vice of the tabernacle, yet all the Israelites as a holy 
nation were to render to God spiritual service, and oflfer 
spiritual sacrifices. Compare 1 I^eter 2:5. 

7. Laid before tlicir faces; fully explained to them, and 
submitted to their consideration what God had said. 



I'rfpnratums for giving 



EXODUS XX. 



the ten vimmnndmr.ntt 



RruoL 9 And till! Loud said nnto Moacs, Lo, I 
come unto thoc in a thick cloud," that the people 
may hear when I speak with tiicc, and believe 
thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the 
people unto the Loud. 

10 1 And the Loud said unto Moses, Go unto 
the people, and sanctify tliom to-day and to-mor- 
row,'' and l(!t them wash their eh)tlies, 

1 1 And 1:)C ready a'^ainst the third day: for the 
tliird day the Loud will come downtn the sight 
of all the people upon mount Sinai." 

12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people 
round about, sayinj^. Take heed to yourselves, 
Ihat ye 2;o not up into the mount, or touch the 
border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall 
be surely put to death:'' 

13 Tiierc shall not a hand touch it, but lie shall 
surely be stoned, or shot throuj^h ; whether it he. 
beast or man, it sliall not live: wlien the trumpet* 
soundeth lony, ttiey sliall come up to the mount. 

14 IT And Moses went down from tiie mount 
unto the people, and sanctified the people; and 
they washed their clothes. 

1.5 And he said unto the people, Bo ready against 
the third day: come not at your wives." 

16 IT And it came to pass on the third day in 
the morning, that there were tininders and light- 
nings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the 
voice of the trumpet e.Kceeding loud ; so that all 
the people that was in the camp trembled.'' 

17 And Moses brought forth the people out of 
the camp to meet with God; and they stood at 
the nether part of the mount. 

18 And mount Sinai was altogether on asmoke, 
because the Loud descended upon it in fire:" and 
the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a fur- 
nace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 

19 And wiien tlie voice of the trumpet sounded 
long, and waxed loiuler and louder, Moses spake, 
and God answered him by a voice. 



• Ch. W:-H\ 21:1.1 Ki; Ucut. iAl; l'«a. \>i:\\, Vi; I«ii. H);l. I« Lev. 
11:44. 5 vcr. II), IS. ■! Ucb. 12:20. • Or, cornel, o 1 Ham. 21:4..';; Joel 
2:IB, ' Hob. 12:21. t Dcut.4:ll; .31:2: Judg, r,:r>\ P«a.(W:«; llab. .");;!. 
Il Neh. 0:13. t Hub. conunt. i ch. a:i;20; 1 Sam. 0:19. J Uciil. .'5:4, <it<j. 



10. Siinctifij them; cause thern t/j cleanse and i^rcparc 
themselves. The outward washing commanded was a 
sign of the inward cleansing of the heart from sin, which 
God ro(|iiired of every one. 

12. Wliomever lourjwth; the Y>rc8cnoc of O'kI made tlio 
monntiiin sacred, and it must not he profaned Ijy the 
toucli of man or heast. Thus tlic Israelites were taught 
that every thing that pertains to God's service must bo 
regarded with the deepest reverence. 

VS. To tlie mount ; towards it, but not beyond the bounds 
prescribed for them. 

H. Sanctified tlie people; led them to purify themselves 
as directed, verses 10, 15. 

17. Netlter; lower, outside of tlio prescribed lino. 
Ver. 12. 

19. Moses spake, and God answered him; Neh. 9:13; Ilcb. 
12:18-21. 

21. Jlreak through; over tlio bounds set for them. 

IXSTllCCTIONS. 

5. If we hearken to the voice of God, beh'eve his doc- 
laratioiiB, and obey his commands, he will delight in us, 
and esteem us as his peculiar treasure. DfMit. 7:0j 32:9; 
I'sa. i:j5:4; Tit. 2:14; 1 Peter, 2:9; Kev. .0:10. 

S. Men arc often much more ready to promise than to 
perform : and it is generally not wise to say what we will 



20 And the Lord came down upon mount Kinai,'' 
on the top a[' the mount: and the Loiu) called 
Moses up to the. top of tlie mount ; and Moses went 
up. 

21 And the Loud said unto Moses, Go down, 
charge* the peof)lo, lest they break through unto 
tlie Lord to gaze, and many of tliem ficrish.' 

22 And let tin; priests also, whieli come near to 
the L(jitD, sanctify themselves, lest the Lord hicak 
forth upon them. 

23 And Mo.scs said unto the Lord, The peofdo 
cannot come up to mount Sinai : for thou charg- 
cdst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and 
sanctify it. 

21- And the Lord said unto him. Away, get thee 
down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron 
with thee: but let not the priests and the people 
break through to come up unto the Lord, lest ho' 
brcfik forth upon them. 

2l> So Mo.ses went down unto the people, and 
spake unto them. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 The ten commandmentjt. 18 The people are afraid. 20 Mokcr com- 
forUjth tliern. 22 liiolaLry la forbidden. 1^1 Of what itort the aUar 
hhould be. 

AND God spake all these words,' saying, 
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have 
brought thee out of the land of Egypt,'' out ol' the 
house of Ijondage.* 

3 'i'liou slialt liave no other gods before me.' 

4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 
image, or any likeness (f any thin/r that is in heav- 
en above, or that is in the eartli beneath, or that 
is in the water under tlie eartli.'" 

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor 
serve them :" for 1 the LfjitD lliy God am a jealous 
God," visiting tlie iniquity of tlie fathers upon the 
children unto the third and fourth gc7ieralion of 
them that hate mc;'' 



k Lev. 2i;;l:f; l'«:i. Kl;10. I Hob. Krvanlt. I 2 Kingn \1:X>\ J«r. 2.'i;lli 
Matt. 4: 10. m Um. 211: 1 1 Dntit, 4: 1(1. « oh. 23:24 ; Jo.h. 23:7; Jna. 44:1S, 
IB. Jo«h.2l:l«i Nahiiral:2. P ch. 34:7; Num. U;IBi Job 21:10; J«r. 

2:9; 32: IS. 



or will not do, but lo say, " If the Lord will, wo shall live 
and do this or that ;" and while wo resolve in his strength, 
we should di|iiMd on liiiri for wisdom and grace to learn 
and do his will. 

I :i. To meet (iod with accfptanfc. we must approach him 
feeling that we are sinners, and that he is of purer eyes 
than to behohl inir|iiity but with abhorrence, and striving 
to cleanse ourselves from all lilthincHS of the llesh and of 
the spirit, and to jierfect Ii(;liiies8 in the fear of God. 

21. All unholy curiosity in approaching God, gazing 
upon what he designed should not be seen, or prying 
into what is not revealed, is offensive to him and danger- 
ous to ourselves. 

CHAPTER XX. 

'.',. Have no other amis; to have a god, is to love an ob- 
ject supremely. What a man most loves is his god. 
Thou shalt not love any object in comparison with .leho- 
vah, or worship any but him. lie/ore me; besides me, and 
in my sight. 

.0. Not Ijow down — nor serve them ; for that is giving them 
the place of .Jehovah ; worshipping and serving the crea- 
ture in opposition to and defiance of the ('reator. Jcnious 
(Iod; displeased with those who bestow upon others what 
belongs only to him. Vmitinp the iriu/uity of tlie fathers 
upon the children; by suffering the sins of parents to bring 
101 



The ten commaiulmtnls. 



EXODUS XX. 



The people fear and tremble. 



6 And showinir mercy unto tliousands of them 
that love me, ami kcop my connnandmcnt*." 

7 Thou shalt not lake the name of tlie Loud tJiy 
Giiil in vain;'' fur tlio Lord will not hold him 
guiltless that takelh his name in vain.*-' 

8 Remember tlie sabbath-day, to keep it holy. 

Six days shall thou labor, and do all thy work : 

10 But the seventh day is the sabliath of tlie 
LonD thy God :'' in it tiiou shalt not do any work, 
thou, nor thy son, nor thy tlaughter, thy man-ser- 
Tant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor 
thy stransrer that is witliin thy gates:' 

11 For in six days the Loud made heaven and 
earth, tlie sea, and all that in them is, and rested 
the seventh day:*^ wherefore the Lord blessed the 
sabbath-day, and hallowed it.*-' 

12 If Honor tliy father and thy mother;"" that 
thy days may be long upon the land which the 
Lord tliv God givetii thee. 

13 Tiiou shalt not kill.' 

14 Thou slialt not commit adultery.^ 

15 Thou shalt not steal. '^ 

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy 
neighbor.' 



»Dout. 7:0; Rom. ll;2!i. b I,ev. 19:1-2; Deut. 29:SS. c Lev. 24:16 ; Psa. 
11)9 20. d ch. 31:13, 14; Isi. 5S:13. e Lev. 2):3; Kzek. 20:12. f Neh. 
13:13,19; Matt. 12:1-12. S Gen. 2:2, 3. h Deut. 27:16; Prov. 1:8; Jer. 



evil upon children, and often Bufferin<; children, through 
the wicked influence of parents, to imitate their example 
and live and die in sin, and bring upon themselves its 
awful guilt and punishment. 

6. Showing mercy uiito thousands — that love me; not only 
by forgiving their sins and saving their souls, but often 
inak ing them ins trumental in leading others, especially their 
children and children's children, to become pious, and the 
means of salvation to their posterity to many generations. 

7. Take — in vain; the highest violation of this command 
is in false swearing. But it also prohibits every light 
and irreverent use of God's name. Not hold him guiltless; 
wiU view and treat him as he truly is, exceedingly guilty 
and deserving divine displeasure. 

8. Remember ; that God in six days made the heavens 
and the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and that 
the seventh day he made for rest and spiritual duties ; that 
on it he himself rested from all his work ; that he blessed 
it and sanctified it, or set it apart from other days, to be 
devoted from the beginning to the end of time, not to 
Bccular but to sacred duties. Gen. 2:1-3. Keep it holy; 
in accordance with the object for which God made it and 
gave it to men. As a day not to be devoted to worldly 
business, conversation, reading, travelling, visiting, or 
amusement, nor to sleep, idleness, or worldly thoughts 
and feelings, but to be employed in religious worship, 
and in the promotion of our own spiritual good and that 
of our fellow-men. 

9. Six daiji — do all thy work; all the worldly business 
which men do must bo done in the six working days, and 
what cannot be done in those days must be left undone, 
except what is needful to the best discharge of the ap- 
propriate duties of the Sabbath. 

10. The Sabbath ; the day of rest for men and beasts of 
burden. 

11. Hallowed it; devoted it to sacred, in distinction from 
secular duties. 

12. Honor thy father and thy mother; love them, hearken 
to their teaching, and oliey their commands. Treat them 
with respectful and kind attention, assist them when they 
need, labor to sup])Iy their wants, promote their comfort, 
increase their usefulness, and do them all the good in 
your power. Matt. 15:4-6; 19:19; Mark 7:10-13 ; 10:19; 
Luke 18:20; Eph. 6:1-3; Cok 3:20; 1 Tim. 5:4. Days — 
be long ; life be continued prosperous and happy. 

102 



17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's li" "jf 
house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor 
his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, 
nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's." 

is '1 And all the people saw the thunderings, 
and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, 
and the mountain smoking : and when the people 
saw it, they removed, and stofid afar off. 

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with 
us, and we will hear : but let not God speak with 
us, lest we die. 

20 And Moses said unto the people. Fear not: 
for God is come to jirove you, and that his fear 
may be before your faces, lliat ye sin not. 

21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew 
near unto the thick darkness where God was. 

22 1i And the Lord said unto Moses, Thus thou 
shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have 
seen that I have talked with you from heaven. 

23 Yo shall not make with me gods of silver, 
neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 

24 1 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto 
me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings, 
and thy peace-offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen : 



3.5:18, 19; Matt. 15:4, 6; E]*. 0:2. i Gen. 9:0. J Malt. 5:27, 23; 19:18; 
Rom. 13:9. k Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:«. " Psa, 52:3, 5; Rev. 22:15. "Hab. 
2:9; Rom. 7:7; I Cor. 0:10; Col. 3:5. 



13. Not kill; nor take the life of any human being, ex- 
cept when God requires it. Gen. 9:6; Deut. 25:17-19; 
1 Sam. 15:1-3, 18, 19. This command forbids not only 
murder, but all those practices and kinds of business 
which tend to destroy human life ; and requires the per- 
formance of those duties, and the pursuit of such courses 
as tend to preserve it and render it useful. 

14. Not commit adultery; this command forbids all nn- 
chastity in thought, word, or deed. It also forbids all 
those things which tend to this evil. It is the application 
of the great law of supreme love to God and impartial love 
to men with regard to purity in heart and life. Matt. 5 : 28. 

15. Not steal; this command forbids us to appropriate 
to our own use what belongs to others. It is the appli- 
cation of the law of love to property, and requires us to 
do to others, in respect to it, as we ougl^t to wish them 
to do to us. Mic. 6 : 8 ; Col. 4 : 1 ; 2 Peter 2:9. 

16. Not bear false witness; this is the application of the 
law of love to the reputation of others, and forbids us to 
speak differently of them from what, under similar cir- 
cumstances, we ought to wish them to speak of us. 
Matt. 12:37; Rom. 13:10. 

17. Not covet; not desire what does not rightfully be- 
long to us, in any such sense as would incline us wrong- 
fully to take or retain possession of it. Respect and 
treat the rights of all as you would wish them to respect 
and treat yours. 

All these ten commands express great moral obliga- 
tions, arising from the nature and relations of things. 
When they prohibit the highest form of any sin, as mur- 
der, adultery, and theft, they also forbid every thought 
and word that would lead to it. Thus they extend to the ' 
thoughts and feelings as well as the outward actions, and 
are binding in all countries and in all ages. 

18. Saw; personally witnessed the thunderings and 
lightnings. 

19. Lest we die; Judg. 6:22; 13:22. 

20. Fear not ; not fear immediate death, but fear to dis- 
obey God. Prove you; give you opportunity to show 
whether you will or will not obey him. 

22. Seen tliat I have talked ; they heard his voice, but they 
saw no likeness of him ; and this was designed to guard them 
against attempting to make any such likeness. Ver. 23. 

24. Record my name; appoint to meet my people and 
receive their pubUc worshijj. 



Laws rcsjteding 



B.' c:\m\: in all places -where I record my name I 
will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." 

25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, 
thou shalt not build it of hewn' stone ; for if thou 
lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. 

26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine 
altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 Laws for men-servants. 5 For the servant whose ear is boretl. 7 
For women-servants. 12 For manslaughter. 16 For stealers ot" men. 
17 For cursers of parents. 18 For smiters. 22 For a hurt by 
chance. 28 For an ox that goreth. 33 For liim that is an occasion 
of harm. 

NOW these are the judgments which thou shalt 
set before them." 
2 If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he 



EXODUS XXI. men-scrva r.ts. 

shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out 
free for nothing.'^ 

3 If he came in by liimself,+ he shall go out bv 
himself: if he were married, then his wife shall 
go out with him. 

4 If his master hath given him a wife, and she 
have borne him sons or daughters, the wife and 
her children shall be her master's, and he shall 
go out by himself. 

5 And if the servant shall plainly say,' I love 
my master, my wife, and my children ; I will not 
go out free : 

6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judg- 
es ; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the 
door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through 
with an awl ; and he shall serve him for ever. 

7 IT And if a man sell his daughter to be a maid- 



2Chr 



:1G: Ma 



• Heb. butld them with hewing, b Dcut. 6; 1. 



25. Tilou haM polluted it; rendered it unfit for a place 
of public worship, by disobeying God in the manner of 
building it. One reason of this prohibition doubtless 
was, to guard against the superstitious and idolatrous de- 
vices common to heathen altars. 

26. Neither — by steps; they were to go up by a gradual 
ascent, and thus avoid such exposure as might result 
from their being dressed in loose flowing garments. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. By proclaiming the ten commandments to the Israel- 
ites himself, and in circumstances of awful solemnity, 
God showed their fundamental importance, and took a 
course adapted to impress upon all men their obligations 
perfectly to obey them. 

2. Deliverance from bondage is a great and precious 
blessing, and special praises should be rendered to God 
by those who enjoy it. 

3. By forbidding men to regard any object more than 
God, or to worship any other, he would remove the temp- 
tation, and prevent the inclination to break his command- 
ments which supreme regard to creatures occasions. 

5. To treat creatures, or the likenesses of creatures, as 
if they were divine, by bowing down to them and wor- 
shipping them, is to act as if they were gods when they 
are not, and thus by actions to inculcate a falsehood 
suited to degrade, debase, pollute, and destroy the soul. 

7. To use the name of God in a profane, light, or irrev- 
erent manner, or to mention it without good reason, tends 
to lesson the reverence which the soul ought to feel for 
him, to render it reckless and increasingly wicked, and is 
a flagrant ofl'ence against the Ruler of the universe. 

10. Men have no right to employ themselves, their 
children, servants, or cattle in worldly business more 
than six days in a week. If they take the Sabbath for 
worldly purposes, they take what is not theirs, and thus 
show themselves to be dishonest men, taking that which 
does not belong to them, and in opposition to the express 
command of Jehovah. 

11. As God has hallowed the Sabbath, or set it apart 
for sacred purposes, and for this end has blessed it, be 
makes it a blessing to all who rightly keep it, and through 
them a means of rich benefits to others. 

12. Children are bound to respect, love, and obey their 
parents, for the purpose of thus honoring and obeying 
God ; and if they do not thus honor them, they dishonor 
and rebel against him. 

13. By taking the life of a human being when not re- 
quired by God, a man forfeits his own, and ought, in obe- 
dience to the divine requirement, to be put to death. 

H. Unchastity is a sin which greatly corrupts the human 
soul, and exposes it to numerous evils in this world, and to 
the WTath of God in the world to come. Lev. 20: 10 ; Prov. 
6:25; Mai. 3:5; Matt. 5:28; 1 Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:19: Ueb. 
13:4. 



- Deut. 15:12; Jer. 34:!^17. \ Beb. with his body, t Heh. saying shall sny. 



15. Every man has certain things which God has given 
him, and which, by right from God, belong to himself. 
They are his property. To take them away, or without 
just cause deprive him of them, is theft, and exposes 
those who do it to be excluded from heaven. Isa. 10:1,2; 
Luke 16:11; 1 Cor. 6:9; 2 Thess. 2:12. 

16. To utter falsehood concerning others, or truth for 
the purpose of injuring them, is a violation of duty, and 
will be condemned by God when the secrets of all hearts 
shall be revealed. Matt. 12:37; Jas. 4:11. 

17. The law of God forbids us not merely to take what 
belongs to others, but to desire to take it. It extends to 
the thoughts and feelings, requiring us to be content with 
such things as we have and can gain by doing right ; lov- 
ing Jehovah supremely and our fellow-men as we love 
ourselves, and pm-suing that course which, under the 
direction of his word, this love requires. Psa. 119:96; 
Matt. 22:37-40; Rom. 13:7-10; 1 John 3:10; 4:8. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. Judgments; rules or laws by which their civO gov- 
ernment was to be conducted. A collection of such rules 
is found in this and the two following chapters, to which 
this verse serves as an introduction. 

2. If thou buy; God did not require or justify this, any 
more than the taking of two wives, ver. 10, but both 
were then common, and many evils sprung from them. 
God gave directions which would tend to lessen some of 
those evils, and render the case of those servants and 
wives less distressing than it otherwise would be. The 
word translated buy, means to acquire, obtain, or possess. 
Gen. 4:1. T/te seventh; one Hebrew should not be bound 
to serve another more than six years ; about the time that 
an apprentice among us serves his master. For nothing; 
however little work he had done during his time of ser- 
vice, he was not to be required to pay any thing for his 
freedom, because at the close of six years it belonged to 
him, and his master was bound not only to let him go, 
but also liberally to supply him. So with a woman-ser- 
vant. Deut. 15:12-15. 

4. A wife; from his female servants. Shall be her mas- 
ter's ; neither her marriage nor the close of her husband's 
term of service shall release her from any previous obli- 
gation to serve her master. 

5. Plainly say; openly, freely, so as to make it manifest 
that it was his free, deliberate choice; thinking that it 
would on the whole be better for him to continue, than 
to take another course. 

G. Bore his ear; this was to be the evidence, that from 
love to his master, his wife, and his children, he had vol- 
untarily engaged to continue through life to work for his 
master. Forever; through Hfe. 

7. Sell his daughter; under the expectation that the 
buyer or his son would marry her ; and his thus buying 
her was an engagement to do so, as it was then custom- 
103 



Cvncerning tnanslanshtcr. 



KXODl'S XXI, 



nml injuries by strife 



servant," she slifill not fro out as llio mcn-scrvants 
do." 

8 If slie ploa.^o not' lier master, wlio liatli bo- 
trotlied her to liiniself, then sliall he let lier l>c 
rcdcoiiioil : to sell lier unto a strange nation he 
sliall have no power,'' seeing he hath dealt deceit- 
fully witli her.'' 

1) And if he have betrothed her unto his .«on, he 
shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. 

10 If he take him another wife, her food, her 
raiment, and her duty of marriage shall he not 
diminish.'' 

11 And if he do not these three unto her, then 
shall she go out free without money. 

12 IT He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall 
be surely put to deatli." 

13 And if a man lie not in wait,"^ but God de- 
liver /liin into his hand; then I will appoint thee 
a place whitlicr lie shall flee.'' 

14 But if a man come ]iresumptuously upon his 
neighbor to slay him with guile,' thou shalt take 
him from mine altar, that he may die.J 

15 1" And he that smiteth his father, or his 
mother, shall be surely put to death." 

16 IT And he that stealeth a man,' and selleth 
him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely 
be put to death.'" 

17 IT And he that curseth* his father, or his 
mother, shall surely be put to death." 

18 1 And if men strive together, and one smite 
another' with a stone, or with his list, and he die 
not, but keepeth his bed, 

19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his 
staff, then shall he that smote Mm be quit: only 
he shall pay for the loss^ of his time, and shall 
cause him to be thoroughly healed. 

20 IF And if a man smite his servant, or his 



» Neh. 5:5. b vet. 2, 3. • Heb. ie evil in the eyts of. « Deut. 21:14 
<1 Mai. 2: 14, 15. e 1 Cor. 7:5. ' Lev. 24: 17; Num. ;I5:3"0. 31 ; Matt. 20:52. 
f Deut. 19:4, 5. b Num. 35:11. i Num. IJ:.^!). j Gen. 9:8: Dcut. ID: Il- 
ia ; 1 Kings 2:29-34. lilTim.I:0. I Rev. 18:12,13. mDeat.24:7. t Or, 



;iry for a man to buy his wife. 'Nol go out as tlie men- 
xervants do; that is, in the seventli year, ver. 2. She 
Khoufd be better provided for, as specified, ver. 8-11. 

8. JVJio hath betrothed her; by thus buying iier. Let her 
he redeemed; cause lier to be redeemed. Unto a strange 
nation; in the Hebrew, a strange people, wliicli some 
understand to be a foreign nation. But the more proba- 
ble meaning is, people who are strangers to him, not 
being of his family. So " a strange woman " means an- 
other man's wife. He hath dealt deceitfully; in not marry- 
ing her himself, or having her married in his family. 

9. After the manner of daughters; giving her a dowry, 
and treating her on her marriage as ho should his own 
daughter. 

10. Her food, her raiment, and her duiy of marriage; those 
of the wife whom he had bought and married. 

11. Go out free; free from all further obligations to him. 
She might be divorced and married, if she chose, to an- 
other man. 

12. Smiteth a man; intending to kill him. One who 
commits murder. Gen. 9:6; Lev. 24:17 ; Num. 35:30, 31. 

13. Lie not in wait; had no malice against the man, and 
did not intend to kill him. God deliver him; if the act 
was wholly providential, without human intention. Whith- 
er he shall flee; and stay till the matter could be duly ex- 
amined and the man rightly treated. 

14. Slay him with guile; intending to murder him. Take 
him from mine altar; even if he should flee there for ref- 
uge. 1 Kings 2:28-34. 

104 



maid, with a rod, and he die under his B.";ii5ii: 
hand, he shall bo surely ])uuished.' 

21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, 
he shall not lie punislied : lor he is his money. 

22 ^ If men strive, and hurt a woman with child. 
so that her fiuit deitart/ro/n, her, and yet no mis- 
chief follow, he shall be surely punished, accord- 
ing as the woman's husband will lay upon him: 
and he shall pay as tiie judges (hlvrmim." 

23 And if (tny mischief follow, then thou shalt 
give life for life, 

24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, 
foot for foot,'' 

25 ]3urniug for burning, wound for wound, stripe 
for stripe. 

26 *l And if a man smite the eye of his servant, 
or the eye of his maid, that it perish;'' he shall 
let him go free for his eye's sake.'' 

27 And if he smite out his man-servant's tooth, 
or his maid-servant's tooth; he shall Jet him go 
free for his tooth's sake. 

28 1[ If an ox gore a man or a woman that they 
die, then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his 
flesh shall not be eaten;' but the owner of the ox 
shall he (piit. 

20 But if the ox were wont to push with his 
horn in time i)ast, and it hath liccn testified to 
his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that 
he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall 
be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to 
death. 

30 If there bo laid on him a sum of money, then 
he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever 
is laid upon him.' 

31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored 
a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be 
done unto him. 



reviUth. " Prov. 20:20; 30:11, 17 


Matt. 15:-l. t Ol, his neighbor. ! Heb. 


kis ceasing. » Heb. avensed. o ve 


r. 3U; Deut. 10:1a. P Lev. 24:20; Deut, 


19:21: Matt. 5:3M. 1 Eph. (1:9. 


r Col. 4:1. • Gen. 9:5. I ch. 30:12; 


Prov. 13:S. 





15, 17. Smiteth — curseth; rebellion against rightful pa- 
rental authority was rebellion against God ; and to smite 
or curse parents, under that government of which God 
was the civil as well as moral ruler, was at his commaiul 
punished with death. 

16. Stealeth a man; taking him by force or guile, for 
the purpose of selling or enslaving him. The guilt would 
be the same, should one hire or induce others to do it. 

18. If men strive; get into a quarrel. 

19. Be quit ; free from the guilt of killing the man, and 
be punished only as specified. 

20. Surely punished ; according to what, on judicial in- 
vestigation, should appear to have been his intention and 
his crime. 

21. Not be punished; not be punished, especially with 
death. He is his money; the master had such a monied 
interest in the continued life of his servant, that it was 
not to be concluded that he meant to kill him, unless 
there should be clear evidence of the fact. 

22-25. Eye for eye; Lev. 24:17-22; Deut, 19:16-21. 

28. His flesh shall not be eaten; this was designed to im- 
press upon all the sacredness of human life. Be quit; 
not be held guilty of murder, nor suffer, except by the 
loss of the ox. This was on the supposition that he did 
not before know that the ox was unruly, and that its 
going at large would endanger the lives of men. But if 
he did know it, he was to be punished according to the 
circumstances and aggravations of the offence. Ver. 



The ox that "orcth. 



EXODUS XXII, 



Of theft, and damage. 



B. c'Sl' 32 If the ox shall push a man-servant or 
a maid-servant, he shall give unto their master 
thirty shekels of silver," and the ox shall be stoned. 
;53 IT And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man 
shall dip: ^ pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an 
ass fall therein ; 

34 The owner of the pit shall make it .sjood," 
and give money unto the owner of them ; and the 
dead beast siiall be his. 

35 T[ And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he 
die, then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the 
money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. 

36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to 
push in time past,'= and his owner hath not kept 
him in, he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the 
dead shall be his own. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1 Of theft. 5 Of damage. 7 Of trespasses. 14 Of borrowing. 16 Of 
fornication. 18 Of witchcraft. 19 Of bestiality. 20 Of idolatry. 
21 Of str,ragers, widows, and fatherless. 2-J Of usury. 26 Of pledges. 
28 Of reverence to m.agistrates. 29 Of the first-fruits. 

IF a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep,* and kill 
it, or sell it ; he shall restore five oxen for an 
ox, and four sheep for a slieep.'' 

2 IT If a thief be found breaking up," and be 
smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed 
for him.*^ 

3 If tlie sun be risen upon him, there shall be 
blood shed for him ; for he should make full resti- 
tution: if he have nothing, then he shall be sold 
for his theft. 

4 If tlie theft be certainly found in his hand 
alive, whetlier it be ox, or ass, or sheep ; he shall 
restore double.*^ 



^ Job 24:14; Joel 2:9; 



32. Thirty shekels; supposed to be about fifteen dollars. 
Some have thought it to be more. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. God, as civil ruler among the Jews, did not at once 
abolish all existing evils, but suffered some for a time to 
continue, on account of the hardness of their hearts. Yet 
he adopted regulations which were suited to lessen some 
of the distressing consequences of those evils, and prepare 
the way, under the manifestations of increasing light and 
love, for their ultimate entire removal. Matt. 19:8 ; Mark 
10:5; Acts 17:30. 

10. The giving of regulations to lessen the evils of an 
existing practice does not sanction the continuance of 
that practice, or afford any evidence that it ought not to 
be abandoned. 

14. As King of the Jews, God adopted into their civil 
code many of those moral laws which had been obliga- 
tory on all men from the creation of the world, and among 
them was that which required the murderer to be put 
to death — a law binding on men under all dispensations. 
Gen. 9:6; Num. 35:31. 

26. A Jew by maiming his servant forfeited all claim to 
his services ; and God, by requiring him to be set at 
libert\-, and in many other things, showed a regard to the 
persons, property, and rights of servants, and to the 
mutual good of all, far beyond what was then showTi in 
the civil code of any other nation. Dent. 4:5-9; Jer. 
34:8-17. 

29. AVhen a man has reason to believe that any thing 
under his control, if sent out or suffered to go out, will 
endanger the lives of men, he is bound to keep it in. If 
lie does not, and a man is killed by it, ho is responsible 



5 1 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to 
be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed 
in another man's field ; of the best of his own field, 
and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make 
restitution. '^ 

G If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that 
the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the 
field, be consumed therewith: lie that kindled the 
fire shall surely make restitution. 

7 IT If a man shall deliver unto his neighbor 
money or stuft' to keep, and it be stolen out of 
the man's house ; if the thief be found, let him pay 
double. 

8 If the thief be not found, then tlie master of 
the house shall lie brought unto the judges, to see 
whether he have put his hand unto his nciglibor's 
goods. 

9 For all manner of trespass, whither it be for 
ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any man- 
ner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be 
his, the cause of both parties shall come before the 
judges;' and wliom the judges shall condemn, he 
shall pay double unto his neighbor. 

10 If a man deliver unto his neighbor an ass, or 
an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep ; and it 
die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: 

11 Then shall an oath of the Lord be between 
them both,-" that he hath not [)ut his hand unto his 
neighbor's goods ; and the owner of it shall accept 
thereof, and he shall not make it good. 

12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make 
restitution unto the owner thereof. 

13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it 
for witness, and he shall not make good that which 
was torn. 



. 16:18; Rev. 1S:6. hch. 21:34. 



for the life of that man, and will be treated accordingly 
at the bar of God. 

34. Carelessness is forbidden by the law of God, as 
well as malice and covetousness ; and if others suffer loss 
through our neglect, we are bound, as far as may be in 
our power, to remunerate them. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

2. Breaking up ; breaking into a dwelling in the night. 
No blood be "shed ; the man who killed him was' not to be 
deemed guilty of murder, or be punished. 

3. If the sun be risen; if it was in the daytime, the man 
could be seen and secured. There was no need of killing 
him, and the wanton killing of him would be murder. Be 
sold for his theft; that thus restitution may be made to 
the man from whom he has stolen. Among the Jews, 
men were sometimes sold or bound out for a time, as a 
punishment for their crimes. Their services were sold 
till they had made compensation to those whom they had 
injured. A poor man sometimes sold his own services, 
or those of his children, or his creditors sold them for 
the payment of his debts. Chap. 21:2. 

5. Restitution; a proper compensation to the person 
injured. 

6. Make restitution; for the injury which his careless- 
ness or neglect occasioned. 

7. Stiifl'; furniture or articles of any kind. 
S. Put tiis hand; taken the article himself. 
9. Challengeth; affirms or declares. 

12. 3Iake restitution ; on the ground of his not having 
taken proper care to prevent the theft. 

13. Bring it for witness; bring the animal, or some part 
of it, in proof of the fact. 

105 



0/ borrowing and usury. 



EXODUS Will, 



Of justice and charily. 



14 1 And if a man borrow augJd of his ncifrli- 
bor, and it be liurt, or dii'. tlio owner tlicrcof ici/i/j 
not with it, lie siiali surely make it jrood. 

15 But if the owner tiiereof be with it, he shall 
not make it good : if it be a hired thing, it cauic 
for his hire. 

IG ^ And if a man entice a maid that is not be- 
trothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow 
her to be his wife." 

17 If her father utterly refuse to frive her unto 
him, he shall i)ay' money according to the dowry 
of viririns. 

IS 1l Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.'' 

19 IT Whosoever lieth with a beast shall sui-ely 
be put to death.'^ 

20 T He that sacrificcth unto any god,'' save 
unto the Loud only, he shall bo utterly destroyed. 

21 *[ Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor op- 
jiress him:" for ye were strangers in the land of 
p]gypt. 

22 ^ Ye shall not afflict any widow, or father- 
less child.f 

23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they ciy 
at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry ; 

24: And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill 
you with the sword ; and your wives shall be wid- 
ows, and your children fatherless.'"' 

25 1 If thou lead money to any of my people 
that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as a 
usurer," neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. 

26 If thou at all take thy neighbor's raiment to 
pledge,' thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the 
sun gooth down: 

27 For that is his covering only, it is his rai- 
ment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it 



Heb. weigh, b Ler. 20:27; Deut. 18:10; 1 Sim. 
Ler. 18:a.3, 2S. d Deut. 13:1-11. e Lev. 19:3:!; 



» Deut. 22:29, 29. 
23:3, 9; Rev. 22:15, 

Zech. 7:10. f Deul. 24:17; Psa. 94:6, 7; Isa. 1:17; Bzek. 22:7; Jas. 1:27! 
e Jer. 15:8; 18:21; Lam. 5:3. h Neh. 5:7; Psa. 15:5; Ezek. 18:8, 17, 
i Deut. 21:6, etc.; .lob 22:0. j ver. 23. t2Chr.30:9. ^Ot. judges. 1 Acts 
2J:3. 5; Jude 8. 1 Heb. (Ay/u/iKSJ. mMic. 7:1. « Heb. (eor. nch. 13:2. 



14. Make it good; presuming lie had not taken proper 
care of it 

1.5. Not make it good; because the owner could see how 
it was treated. It came for his hire; the price paid for 
tlie use of the beast was supposed to bo enough not only 
to compensate for service, but also to cover the risk to 
which it would be exposed. Of course, should the beast 
be hurt or die, the owner was to bear the loss. 

16. Endow Iter; marry her, and suitably provide for her 
as his wife. 

17. According to the dowry; such as would be proper 
according to her rank and condition. 

18. A witch; one who professed to have intercourse with 
evil spirits, and from them to receive supernatural power. 

20. Shall be utterly destroyed; he not only broke the first 
commandment of the moral law, but also committed trea- 
son against the state, in acknowledging another God instead 
of .Jehovah, who was then the civil head of the Jews. 

21. A stranger; one who came among them from another 
nation. 

25. Usury; interest. 

28. The gods; magistrates, judges, and other civil rul- 
ers, officers under God. Ciirse; speak evil of. 

30. Give it me; this was an acknowledgment of God as 
the rightful proprietor of all. Ex. 1.3:2. 

31. Holy men unto me; separated from others to be 
pecuharly Jehovah's people. 

IKSTRDCTIONS. 
6. When one man injures another through desif^n or 

lo'e 



shall como to pass, when he crieth unto acuJJ: 
me, that I will liear;^ for I am gracious." 

28 t Tliou shalt not revile the gods,* nor curse 
the ruler of thy people.' 

2!) 1 Thou shalt not delay to offer llie first* of 
thy ripe fruits,'" and of thy liiiuors;'^ the first-born 
of thy sons shalt thou give unto ine." 

30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and 
with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his 
dam;" on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. 

31 1 And ye shall be holy men unto me:"" nei- 
tlier shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in 
the field ;'' ye shall cast it to the dogs. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 Of stander and false witness. .3, Of justice. 4 Of charitablenefis. 
10 Of the year of rest. 12 Of the sabbath. 13 Of idolatry. 14 Of 
the three feasts. 18 Of the blood and the fat of the sacrifice. 20 An 
An;^'cl is promised, with a blessing, if they obey him. 

THOU shalt not raise' a fahse report:' put not 
thy hand with the wicked to be an tmright- 
cous witness." 

2 1" Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil ;' 
neither slialt thou speak ^ in a cause to decline 
after many to wrest judgment: 

3 M Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man 
in his cause." 

4 1 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass 
going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to 
him again. ^' 

5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee 
lying under his burden, and wouhlcst forbear to 
help him, thou shalt surely help with him.* 

6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor 
in his cause.'" 



oLev.22:27. P Lev. 19:2; 1 Pet. 1: 1.5. 16. q Lev. 22:8; Ezek. 4:14 ; 41:31 . 
I Or. receive. rPisa. 15:3. • Prov. 19:5; Eph. 4:25. I 1 Kings 19: If); Job 
31:34. 11 Heb. anstoer. o ver. 6. » Matt. 5:44. • Or, jriUthou aase to 
help himl or, woutdest cease to leave thy business /or Aim; tliou shall surety 
leave it to join with him. w ver. 3. 



heedlessness, bo is bound, as far as may be in his power, 
to make him suitable compensation. 

10. Fidelity in the safe preservation and good treat- 
ment of whatever is committed to us, is required by the 
law of God. We should regard another's property as wo 
ought to wish him to regard ours. 

15. When a man hires property, giving a rent sufficient 
to compensate not only for its use, but also for the risk 
to which it is exposed, and the property without his 
fault is providentially injured or destroyed, the loss shall 
fall on the owner. 

20. The restraints which are needful to keep men from 
outbreaking iniquity, show that their hearts are deprav- 
ed ; and that all the holiness which there is among men 
is the fruit of divine grace. Jas. 1 : 17. 

27. Strangers, widows, orphans, and poor persons are 
peculiarly exposed to be wronged bj' the wicked, and on 
this account God graciously makes them objects of his 
peculiar care, and with special severity will punish their 
oppressors. Psa. 68:5; Prov. 22:22,23; Jer. 49:11; Matt. 
26:11. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

3. Countenance; unduly favor. In deciding causes, they 
were not to favor the rich, the great, or the many ; nor 
were they to be partial towards the poor,- but to decido 
according to evidence, right, and dutj'. 

5. Lying under his burden ; fallen, and not able to rise 
witliou't help. Help with him; assist the owner in getting 
the beast up. 



The three yearly feasts. 



EXODUS XXIIL 



The Angel of the Lord. 



B. l\ u'.n. "^ Keep thee far from a false matter ; 
and the innocent and righteous slay thou not : for 
I will not justify the wicked.-'' 

8 IT And thou shalt take no gift:'' for the gift 
blindetli the wise," and perverteth the words of 
the rigliteous. 

9 T[ Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger : for 
ye know the heart* of a stranger, seeing ye were 
strangers in the land of Egypt. 

10 And six years thou shalt sow thy laud, and 
shalt gatlier in the fruits thereof:'' 

11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and 
lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: 
and wliat tliey leave the beasts of the field shall 
eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy 
vineyard, and with thy olive-yard.* 

12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the 
seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and 
thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, 
and tlie stranger, may be refreshed. 

13 And in all things that I have said unto you be 
circumspect:'' and make no mention of the name of 
other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.*^ 

14 il Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto 
me in the year. • 

15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread : 
thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I 
commanded thee, in the time appointed of the 
month Abib; for in it thou camest out of Egypt: 
and none shall appear before me empty : 

IG And the feast of harvest, the first-fruits of 
thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field : and 
the feast of ingathering, tohich is in the end of the 
year, when thou hast gathered in thy labors out 
of the field. 

17 Three times in the year all thy males shall 
appear before the Lord God. 



aCh. 31:7. >> Prov. 17:23; Isl. 33:13. • Ueb. the seeing, t Heb. sou;, 
c LeT. 2J:3, 4; 20:34. 1 Or, olive-trees, i Dcut. 4:9; Eph. 5:15. = .Josh. 
23:7;Psa.lG:4; Hos.2:17. §Or,/eas(. tch.»4:26. sGen. 4S:10; Isa. 63:0. 
hGeii. 12:3; Deut.30;7; Zeoli.2:S. lOt, I wittafflicttkemtliat afflict thee. 



I. Far from a false matter; not attempt to support a 
false accusation. Slay thou not; not be accessory to the 
death of an innocent person. 

8. Gift ; a bribe offered to induce a magistrate to favor 
one in judgment. 

9. A stranger; a foreigner. They had learned by ex- 
perience in Egypt the liability of foreigners to be op- 
pressed, and remembered how they felt under oppres- 
sion. 

II. Let it rest; this was to teach them their dependence 
on God, and the safety of trusting in him. 

12. Thy work; aU worldly business except what was 
needful in acts of mercy, and for the best discharge of 
the appropriate duties of the Sabbath. May be refreshed; 
one day's rest in a week from labor is, for man and beast, 
essential to the best refreshment, the greatest vigor, and 
longest life. Chap. 34:21. 

13. Circumspect ; very careful to obey his will. 

15. Feast of unleavened bread; this followed the pass- 
over, instituted the night before they left Egypt. It was 
called the feast of unleavened bread because they were 
required, during that feast, to eat nothing leavened, and 
to have no leaven in their houses. Chap. 12:14-20. 
Empty ; without an offering, or something devoted espe- 
cially to the Lord. Chap. 34 : 18-20. 

IB. Feast of harvest ; so called because the harvest then 
began to be ripe. It was called also the feast of weeks, 
or of sevens, because it was kept seven weeks after the 
passover; also the feast of Pentecost, which means the 



18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacri- 
fice^ with leavened bread ; neither sliall the fat 
of my sacrifice remain until the morning. 

19 The first of the first-fruits of thy land tliou 
shalt bring into the house of the Lord tliy God. 
Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.'' 

20 1 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to 
keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the 
place which I have prepared .^ 

21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke 
him not ; for lie will not pardon your transgres- 
sions: for my name is in him. 

22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and 
do all that I speak ; then I will be an enemy unto 
thine enemies,'' and an adversary unto thine ad- 
versaries." 

23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and 
bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, 
and the Pcrizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hi- 
vites, and tlie Jebusitcs;' and I will cut tlicin ofl". 

24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods,' nor 
serve them, nor do after their works :'^ but thou 
shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break 
down their images.' 

25 And ye shall serve the Lord your God,"" and 
he shall bless thy bread, and thy water;" and I 
will take sickness away from the midst of theo.° 

26 1 There shall nothing cast their young, nor 
be barren, in thy land : p the number of thy days 
I will fulfil. 

27 I will send my fear before thee, and will de- 
stroy all the people to whom thou shalt come;'' 
and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs' 
unto tliee. 

28 And I will send hornets before thee,'' which 
shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the 
Hittite, from befoi'e thee. 



i ch. 33:2; Josh. 5:13. J ch. 20:5. k Lev. 1S:3; Deut 12:30; Psa. 101:3. 
1 ch. 32:20; Num. 33:52; 2 Chr. .34:7. m Josh. 22:5. n Deut. 7:13; Isa. 
33:10; Mai: 3:10, 11. o Psa. 103:3. p Deut. 2S:4. q Josh. 2:9. 11 ; 1 Sam. 
14:15; aChr. 14:14. H Heb. neci; Psa. 18:40. r Deut. 7:20; Josh. 24:12. 



fiftieth, because it commenced on the fiftieth day after the 
passover, and was commemorative of the giving of tho 
law from mount Sinai, which took place fifty days after 
the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. Chap. 34:22; 
Lev. 23 : 14-21 ; Xum. 28 : 20-31. The feast of ingathering ; 
so called because it took place after the gathering in or 
completion of the harvest. It was called also the feast 
of tabernacles, in commemoration of their having dwelt 
forty years in tabernacles or tents in the wilderness. The 
feast was kept from the fourteenth to the twenty-first day 
of the month Tishri, answering to the last part of Sep- 
tember and the first part of October. It was the seventh 
mouth of their ecclesiastical, and the first of their civil 
year. Lev. 23:34-36; Deut. 16:13-15. 

18. The blood of my sacrifice; or the feast of the pass- 
over. Chap. 12:"7-10; 34:25; Lev. 2:11; Deut. 10:4. 

19. Seethe; boil or cook. Some suppose that this pre- 
cept was intended to guard against a sujierstitious usage 
of the heathen ; others, that its design was to inculcate 
a humane spirit. 

20. An Angel; he who dwelt in the pillar of cloud and 
of fire. Chap. 14:19; 32:34; 33:2, 14; Num. 20:10; Josh. 
5:13-15; 6:2; Isa. 63:7-13. 

21. My name is in him; he possessed and manifested 
the attributes of Jehovah. Mai. 3:1. 

23. 3Iine Angel shall — bring thee in; Josh. 24:2-11. 
26. Thu days I will fulfil; he would preserve their lives 
to a good old age. 

28. Hornets; Deut. 7:20; Josh. 24:12. 
101 



Mdses huUdtlh an altar, 



EXODUS XXIV. 



and ascendclh mount Sinai. 



29 I will not drive them out from before tlioe 
in one year; lest tlie land become desolate, and 
tlie bcaJt of the ticld multiply against thee. 

30 By little and little I will drive them out from 
before thee, until thou bo increased, and inherit 
the hind. 

31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea 
even unto the sea of tlic Philistines," and lVi>iii 
tiie desert unto tlie river:'' for 1 will deliver the 
inhabitants of the land into your hand ;'^ and thou 
shalt drive them out "before thee. 

32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor 
with their gods.'' 

33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they 
make thee sin ai^ainst me: for if thou serve their 
gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee." 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 Moses is called up into the mountain. 3 The people promise obedi- 
ence. 4 Moses buiUeth an altar, and twelve pillars. G He sprin- 
kleth the blood of the covenant. 9 The glory oi^ Orod appeareth. 14 
Aaron and Hur have the charge of the people. 1-3 Moses goeth into 
the mountain, where he contiuueth forty days and forty nights. 

AND he said unto Moses, Come up unto the 
Lord,' thou and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu,'' 
and seventy of the elders of Israel ;" and worship 
ye afar off. 

2 And Moses alone shall come near the Lord : 
but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the 
people go up with him. 

3 'i And Moses came and told the people all the 
words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and 
all the peoiile answered with one voice, and said, 



» Num. 34:3, etc.; Deut. 11:24. !> Num. 34:.'!; Josh. 1:4; Fsa. 72:8. 
Josh. 21:44. i ch. 34:12, 15; Psa. 106:35; 2 Cor. IJ:15. e Judg. 2:3. 
ver. 15; ch. 34:2. 5ch.2S:l. hNum.ll:l(>. i Deut. 5:27; Josh. •.M:22. 



29. BcasI of the field; wild and ravenous beasts. Deut. 
7:22. 

31. Sea of the Philistines; the Mediterranean sea, on the 
eastern shore of wliich the Philistines lived. The desert; 
ofShur. r/fc rzucr; Euphrates. Josh. 1:4; 1 Kings, 4:21. 

32. No covenant — with their gods ; not worship them. 

33. A snare; it would draw them aw;ty from the wor- 
ship of Jehovah, and bring upon them his wrath. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The majority as to numbers, wealth, and political 
influence are often wrong. If in such cases a person 
would do right, he must not be governed by public opin- 
ion, however it may be expressed, but by the law of God. 

7. The laws of Moses, as well as those of Christ, re- 
quired men to love others as the^' loved themselves ; and, 
under all circumstances, to do to others as they ought to 
wish that others should do to them. Matt. 7:12; 19:19; 
22:37-40. 

9. Might never gives right ; and to oppress or wrong 
any one because he cannot defend himself, or bring to 
justice the aggressor, is mean, base, and wicked. 

12. In requiring men to remember the Sabbath-day to 
keep it holj', God regards not only his own glory, but the 
comfort and highest good of all classes of men and of 
laboring animals. To deprive them of the rest of the 
Sabbath is robbery of God, and of man and beast. 

17. Not only individuals but nations are bound to fol- 
low the directions of God. Nor does their safety or their 
best interest ever require them, as nations or individuals, 
to break his commands. Ver. 22-27 ; chap. 34:24. 

31. Jehovah claims and exercises the right to dispose 
of all parts of the earth according to his pleasure. 
108 



All the words which the Lord hath said u.V-utr 
will wc do.' 

4 And Moses wrolc all the words of the Lord.^ 
and rose up early in the morning, and builded an 
altar under the hill, and twelve jiillars, according 
to the twelve triljcs of Israel. 

f) And he sent young men of the children of Is- 
i-acl, which offered burnt-ofleriiigs. and sacrificed 
pface-oll'crings of o.xen unto the Lord. 

And Mo.ses took half of the blood, and put it 
in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on 
the altar. 

7 And he took the book of the covenant, and 
read in the audience of the people: and they said. 
All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be 
obedient. 

8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it 
on the people,'' and said. Behold the blood of the 
covenant, which the Lord hath made with you 
concerning all these words. 

9 1 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, 
and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; 

10 And they saw the God of Israel:' and there 
was under his feet as it were a paved work of a 
sapphire-stone,">and as it were the body of heaven, 
in his clearness.'^ 

11 And upon the nobles of the children of Is- 
rael he laid not his hand : also they saw God, and 
did eat and drink." 

12 If And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up 
to me into the mount, and be there:'' and 1 will 
give thee tables of stone,'' and a law, and com- 
mandments which I have written;"' that thou may- 
est teach them. 



Deut. 31:9. k Heb. 9:19-21; 13:20; 1 Pet. 1:2. I 1 Kings 22:19; Isa. 
i:l,S. m Ezek. 1:26; 1U:1; Rev. 4:3; 21:19. » iMalt. 17:2; Rev. 1:10. 
'Gen. 18:8. Pver. 2, IS. q Deut. 5:22. 'Neh. 9:13. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

I. Come up; this command was given to Moses while 
he was yet with God in the mount, chap. 20:21. The 
meaning is, that he should come up again with the per- 
sons named, after he had iirst descended and done what 
is recorded in ver. 3-8. Nadab and Abihu; the two elder 
sons of Aaron. Chap. 6:23. 

3. All the mrds of tlie Lord — the judgments; those con- 
tained in the four preceding chapters. The ten command- 
ments were spoken by God himself to all the people. 

4. All the uvrds of the Lord ; those which he had pre- 
viously communicated to the people. 

7. The book of the covenant; that which he had written. 
Ver. 4. 

8. The blood of the covenant; that by which the cove- 
nant w'hich they had made was ratified. Heb. 9: 19 ; Matt. 
26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20. 

9. Then went up Moses; as directed, ver. 1. 

10. Saw the God of Israel; compare Isa. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26. 
A paved work of a sapphire; or, transparent sappliire. This 
is the " sea of glass like unto crystal," in Rev. 4:6. The 
sapphire is a precious stone of a sky-blue color. The 
elders of Israel did not see God face to face as Moses 
did, but only from the lower part of the mount, where 
they were commanded to worship "afar off." Ver. 1, 2. 

II. He laid not his hand; they received no harm, though 
they saw God ; not his essence or shape, but his visi- 
ble glory. John 1:18; 5:37; 6:46; 14:9; 15:24; 1 John 
4:12. 

12. Come up to me; still nearer to the visible glory. 
Tables of stone ; on which were the ten commaudments. 
Chap. 31:18; 32:15, 16; Deut. 5:22. 



Offerings for the tabernacle. 



EXODUS XXV. 



T/ie form of ike ark 



B.c'S' 13 And Moses rose up, and his minister 
Joshua; and Moses went up into the mount of 
God. 

14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here 
for us, until we come again unto you : and behold, 
Aaron and Hur are with you : if any man have 
any matters to do, let him come unto them. 

15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a 
cloud covered the mount.-' 

16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount 
Sinai," and the cloud covered it six days: and the 
seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst 
of the cloud. 

17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was 
like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the 
eyes of the children of Israel." 

18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, 
and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in 
the mount forty days and forty nights.*" 



CHAPTER XXV. 

1 What the Israelites must offer for the making of tlie tabernacle. 10 
The form of the ark. 17 The mercy-seat, with the cherubim. 23 
The table, with the furniture thereof. 31 The candlestick, with the 
instruments thereof. 

A ND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
JIX. 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that 
they bring me* an oii'ering:* of every man that 
giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take 
my offering." 



a Ch. 19:9. 1> Lev. 9:23; Num. 14:10. " Deut. 4:36; Ezek. 1:27; Nah. 
1:6, Hab. 3:4, 5; Heb. 12:18, 29. d ch. 34:23; Deut. 9:9. * Heb. take far 



13. Minister ; servant. Into the mount ; towards the top of 
the mount, on wliich was the visible presence of Jehovah. 
It would seem that Moses with Joshua approached near to 
the cloud that covered the mount, and there abode six days. 
On the seventh day God called Moses into his immediate 
presence, while Joshua remained behind and waited for 
him. In chap. 32 : 17, we find him descending with Moses. 

14. Matters to do; controversies to be settled, or cases 
to be decided. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. We should approach God not only with reverence 
and holy fear, but with filial respect, confidence, and love. 

3. We often find that many who are forward to promise 
are backward to perform, and that nothing but the grace 
of God will make those who solemnly covenant with him 
steadfast and persevering in obeying his commands. Num. 
14:11-35; Psa. 78: 10-61 ; 106:8-43; 1 Cor. 10:5-12. 

8. The blood which was shed in sacrifices under the 
Old Testament dispensation, was designed to impress 
upon all the necessity of an atonement, in order to the 
forgiveness of sin and acceptance with God. It pointed 
forward to the blood of Christ, who, in due time, was to 
take away sin by the sacrifice of himself; and who would 
enter the holy place with his own blood, and thus obtain 
eternal redemption for all who should bohcve on him. 
Heb. 9:6-28. 

12. A right understanding of the law which God wrote 
with his finger on tables of stone, is essential to a right 
estimate of human character. Ministers should therefore 
be very explicit in teaching it. Without rightly under- 
standing the law, men will not rightly imderstand the 
gospel, or their need of its blessings. 

18. Moses received his directions from God, therefore all 
the children of Israel were bound to obey him. If they 
did not, they rebelled againstGod,andwere justly exposed 
to his wrath. How much more aggravated will be the sin 
and doom of men who refuse to obey Jesus Christ. Deut. 
18:15; John 1:45; Acts 3:22-26; 7:37; Heb. 10:28-31. 



3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of 
them ; gold, and silver, and brass, 

4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine 
linen,* and goats' hair, 

5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, 
and shittim-wood, 

6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and 
for sweet incense, 

7 Onyx-stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, 
and in the breastplate. 

8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I 
may dwell among them.'" 

9 According to all that I show thee,^ after the 
pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all 
the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. 

10 1 And they shall make an ark of shittim- 
wood:'' two cubits and a half shall be the length 
thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, 
and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 

11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, 
within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt 
make upon it a crown of gold round about. 

12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, 
and put them in the four corners thereof; and two 
rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings 
in the other side of it. 

13 And thou shalt make staves o/" shittim-wood, 
and overlay them with gold. 

14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings 
by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne 
with them. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

We come now to the tabernacle and its furniture. To 
guard against any intermixture of heathenish usages, as 
well as to impress upon the minds of the Israelites the 
truth that all acceptable worship of God must be in 
accordance with the rules of his appointment, Jehovah 
gave to Moses in the moimt specific directions for the 
structure of the tabernacle and every thing pertaining to 
its service. He showed him, moreover, a pattern, by 
which he was enabled at once to apprehend the mean- 
ing of all the directions ho received, and to write them 
out in full, as is done in this and the six following chap- 
ters. 

The tabernacle was God's visible dwelling-place. As 
such it represented to the Israelites the great truth that 
Jehovah dwells spiritually with his people as their king 
and protector. Thus the tabernacle, with all the services 
belonging to it, was " a shadow of good things to come." 
It typified the higher blessings of the Christian dispen- 
sation, as is fully shown in the epistle to the Hebrews. 

2. That frivcth it willingly; thus God tiiught the people 
that he will h.ave willing worshippers. 

4. Bhie, and purple, and scarlet ; these colors were em- 
ployed as being the most excellent. 

5. Badgers' skins; according to some, the original word 
means the skin of a species of seal. Shittim-wood ; a spe- 
cies of acacia, an exceedingly fine and durable wood. 
Gum arabic is obtained from the living tree. 

7. The ephod — breastplate; see the description of these, 
chap. 28:6-30. 

10. An ark; this is a different word in the Hebrew 
from that rendered ark in Gen. 6:14, and means a chest. 
A cubit; about eighteen inches. 

11. A crown; a comice or border aromid the lid of the 
ark. 

13. Staves; poles or rods to go through the rings of the 
ark, by which to carry it. 

100 



Of the mertii-smt , /fie 



EXODUS \\V. 



show-talk, ami the cnndlcstick. 



15 Tlip stave.'' shall be in tlio rings of the ark: 
tlicy sliall nut lie taken IVom it. 

10 And tiioii slialt put into the ark the testi- 
mony wliicli I shall irive tiiee." 

17 Anil thou shalt make a mercy-scat of pure 
jrohl:'' two cubits ami a half ,s/;«// he the lenirtii 
thereof, ami a cubit and a hall' the bread tli tiiereof. 

18 And thou slialt make two cherubim o/"gold, 
q/" beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two 
ends of the mercy-seat. 

19 And make one cherub on the one end, and 
the otlicr cherub on the other end: even of the 
mercy-scat* shall ye make the cherubim on the 
two ends thereof. 

20 And the cherubim shall stretch forth //(f/rwings 
on hijih, covering the mercy-seat with their wings, 
and their faces shall look one to another ; toward 
the mercy -seat shall the faces of tiie cherubim be." 

21 And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon 
the ark i*" and in the ark thou slmlt put the testi- 
mony that 1 shall give thee." 

22 Aud there I will meet with thee, and I will 
commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, 
from between the two cherubim which are upon 
the ark of the testimony ."^ of all things Avhich I 
will give thee in commandment unto the children 
of Israel. 

23 ^ Thou shalt also make a table of shittim- 
wood :^ two cubits shall be the length thereof, and 
a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half 
the height thereof. 

2'1 Aud thou shalt overlay it with pure gold,'' 
and make thereto a crown of gold round about. 

25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of a 
handbreadth round about, and thou shalt make a 
golden crown to the border thereof round about. 

26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, 
and put the rings in the foui" corners that are on 
the four feet thereof. 



"Oh. u;:34; 31:1a; 34:39; Num. 17:4; Deut. 10:a,S; 1 Kings 5:U; 2 Kmgs 
11:1-2; 2Chr. 34:14; Rom. 3:2; Hcb. 9:4. b ch. 37:0; 40:2U; Lev. 16:13; 
Horn. 3:2-5; Heb. 9:5. * Or, of the matter o/(A« mercy-sral. c2Chr.3:10. 
d ch. 20:34. e rer. 10. ' ch. 30:0; Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89; 17:4; 1 Sam. 
4:4; 2Sam.6:2; 2Kingsl9:15; Psa.BO:]; 99:1; Isa. 37:10. S ch. 37:10; 



16. Tlie testimony; the tables of stone, on which were 
written the ten commandments, God's testimony as to the 
duty of men. 

17. A mercy-seat; this was the golden covering or lid, 
the upper side of the sacred chest or ark, called the 
mercy-seat because cm it was sprinkled the blood of 
atonement, and above it dwelt Jehovah in bis visible 
glory, dispensing mercy to men. 

18. Cherubim; representations of creatures intensely 
studying, for the purpose of doing the will of God. 
Some have supposed them to resemble the living crea- 
tures described Ezek. 1:4-14. 

20. One to anotlwr ; the cherub on one end looking towards 
the cherub on the other end of the mercy-seat, both looking 
towards the mercy-seat, and their wings stretched over it. 
Heb. 9 : 5. Between them, on the mercy-seat, was the she- 
kinah, or the visible glory of Jehovah. Hence, he is said to 
dwell between the cherubim. 1 Sam. 4:4; Psa. 80 : 1 ; 99 : 1. 

24. A crown; cornice or rim. 

25. Border ; this was to be below the leaf, around the frame 
of the table. Handbreadth ; the width of the four fingers ; 
about three or four inches. A golden crown; a rim of gold 
around the border, like that around the leaf of the table. 

29. Spoons; or bowls. CoDcrs,- or cans. To cover withal ; 
better, as in the margin, to pour out withal. 

30. S.'iou'-bread ; twelve loaves of bread, equal to the 

110 



27 Over against the liorder shall the *, r.nJ?: 
rings be for i)laces of tlie staves to bear the table. 

28 And tiiou slmlt make the staves of shittiin- 
wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table 
may be borne with them. 

2*.> And thou shalt make the di.slies thereof, and 
spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls 
thereof, to cover withal:* o/fiurc gold shalt thou 
make them.' 

30 And thou shalt set upon the table show-bread 
before me always.' 

31 IT And thou shalt make a candlestick o/"purc 
gold:" o/" beaten work shall the candlestick be 
made: his shaft, aud his branches, his bowls, his 
knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 

32 And si.\ branches shall come out of the sides 
of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the 
one side, and three branches of the candlestick 
out of the other side : 

33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, tvitk a 
knop and a flower in one branch ; and three bowls 
made like almonds in the other branch, with a 
knop and a flower: so in the six branches that 
come out of the candlestick. 

;54 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls 
made like unto almonds, with their knops and 
their flowers. 

35 And there shall be a knop under two branches 
of the same, and a knop under two branches of 
the same, and a knop under two branches of the 
same, according to the six branches that proceed 
out of the candlestick. 

36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the 
same : all of it shall be one beaten work o/'prn-e gold. 

37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps there- 
of: and they shall light* the lamps thereof,™ that 
they may give light over against it.^ 

38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuff-dishes 
thereof, shall be o/"pure gold. 



I Kings 7:4S; Heh. 9:2. h 1 Kings 0:20. 1 Or, lo pour oul withal, i ch. 
37:10; Num. 4:7. i Lev. 24:5, 6; 1 Sam. 21:6; .Mai. 1:7, 12; Matt. 12:4. 
k ch. 37:17; 1 Kings 7:49; 2 Chr. 13:11; Zeoh. 4:2; Heb. 9:2; Rev. 1:12. 
1 Zech. 4:2; Rev. 1:4, 12. I Or, cause to ascend, m ch. 27:20. 21; 30:7, 6; 
Lev, 24:3, 4; Num. t:2; 2 Chr. 13:11. 5 Heb. the face of it. 



number of the tribes. It was placed on the table, and 
called show-bread, or bread of the presence, because it 
always stood in the presence of the Lord. It was sprin- 
kled with iranldncense. On the Sabbath the bread was 
taken away, and new bread put in its place. The frank- 
incense that was on it was burnt as an oblation to God, 
and the bread was eaten by the priests. Lev. 24:5-9. 
On one emergency mentioned in Scripture it was given 
to others. 1 Sam. 21:1-6; Matt. 12:2, 4. This show- 
bread, and all the articles and worship in the tabernacle, 
and afterwards in the temple, pointed forward to the Bread 
of God, which was to come down from heaven, and give 
life unto the world. John 6:32-58. 

31. A candlestick; it consisted of an upright shaft, with 
six branches coming out in pairs, three on each side, mak- 
ing a line of seven lamps. Knops; knobs or embossed 
work. These and the bowls and flowers were ornamental 
figures on the shaft and 1 iranches. 

33. Like unto almonds; in the form of an almond. In the 
six branches; three bowls, knobs, and flowers on each 
branch, and four on tlie shaft of the candlestick, making 
t^venty-two in all. 

35. Of the same; the same material, pure gold. 

37. Seven lamps; one for the shaft, and one for each 
branch of the candlestick. 

38. The tongs; snuifers or scissors to trim the lamps. 



The various cartains 



EXODUS XXVI. 



of tlie taJjcrnade. 



b.c'iml' 39 0/" a talent of pure gold shall lie make 
it, with all these vessels. 

40 And look that thou make them after their 
pattern,'' which was showed thee* in the mount. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

1 The ten curtains of the tabernacle. 7 The eleven curtains of goats' 
hair. 14 The covering of rams' skins. X^t The boarJs of the taber- 
nacle, with their sockets and bars. 31 The veil of the ark. 30 The 
hanging for the door. 

"A TOREOVER thou shalt make the tabernacle 
_LVJ_ with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and 
blue, and purple, and scarlet:" with cherubim of 
cunning work+ shalt thou make them. 

2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and 
twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four 
cubits : and every one of the curtains shall have 
one measure. 

3 The five curtains shall be coupled together 
one to another; and otiier five curtains shall be 
coupled one to another. 

4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the 
edge of the one curtain, from the selvedge in the 
coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the 
uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling 
of the second. 

5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one cur- 
tain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge 



1 IChi. 3S:U; Acts 7:44; Heb.8:o. • Heb. icAifA 
) 1 Chr. 17:1. t Heb. the icork of a cunning imrk- 



39. A talent of pure gold; estimated by some to be equal 
to about twenty, and by others, thirty thousand dollars. 
The light of these lamps represented the spiritual light 
•which God in Christ, by his word and Spirit, through the 
instrumentality of his people, especially his ministers, 
communicates to the world. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. God most justly requires of men that, whatever they do, 
they should seek to honor him and benefit their fellow-men. 

8. Though God is in aU places, yet he dwells especially 
in those which, according to his will, are consecrated to 
his worship ; and from them he bestows peculiar bless- 
ings on his people. 

16. What relates to the worship and glory of God, and 
to the redemption of men by Jesus Christ, is described 
in the Bible with greater minuteness, and treated as of 
greater importance, than the temporal interests of king- 
doms, or all the mere worldly concerns of men. 

22. AU things which, by divine appointment, are con- 
nected with the sanctuary, were designed by God to im- 
press upon the worshij^pers a conviction of his presence, 
and communicate something of those truths which relate 
to the bestowment of mercy and the gift of salvation 
through Clirist. 

30. It is not enough, in order to salvation, that Christ 
tasted death for every man, and was made a propitiation 
for the sins of the world ; but in order to be saved, men 
must receive from him spiritual life, be united to him, and 
receive from him permanently spiritual nourishment and 
support. Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2; John 6:32-58; 15:1-11. 

37. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. All men, 
and especially his ministers, are bound to follow him, that 
they may not walk in darkness, but have the light of life ; 
and to let that light so shine in godly, beneficent conduct, 
that men shall be led to glorify their Father in heaven. 
John 8:12; Matt. 5:14-16. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

1. Tabernacle; the words tabernacle and tent are some- 
times used in a general way to denote the whole structui-e 



of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second ; 
that the loops may take hold one of another. 

6 And thou slialt make fifty taches of gold, and 
couple the curtains together with the taches : and 
it shall be one tabernacle. 

7 1[ And thou shalt make curtains o/" goats' hair, 
to be a covering upon the tabernacle : eleven cur- 
tains shalt thou make.'' 

8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, 
and the breadth of one curtain four cubits : and 
the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure. 

9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by them- 
selves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt 
double the sixth curtain in the fore-fi'ont of the 
tabernacle. 

10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge 
of thb one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, 
and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which, 
couplcth the second. 

11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, 
and put the taches into the loops, and couple the 
tent* together, that it may be one. 

12 And the remnant that remaineth of the cur- 
tains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, 
shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 

13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the 
other side of that which remaineth ^ in the length 
of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the 



of the movable temple described in the present chapter. 
Psa. 78 : 60. But in a strict sense, the tabernacle is alwaj-s 
the inner set of curtains described in verses 1-6 ; while 
the tent is the covering above it of goats' hair. See 
verses 6, 11-13. Cherubim of cunning work; or rather, the 
■work of a cunning deviser. It is generally agreed that 
these curtains were woven with different colors and fig- 
ures of cherubim, while the hanging for the door of the 
tent, ver. 36, 37, was embroidered. 

3. Cow;)/ed/og-c//!CT-; in the Hebrew simply joined. Hence 
a great curtain formed from the union of several smaller 
curtains is caUed a joining, or " coupling." 

4. The edge of the one curtain ; that is, of the one great 
curtain. From tlie selvedge in the coupling; rather, on the 
edge in the coupHng. The coupling is the compound 
curtain made of five single curtains. In the uttermcsl 
edge — coupling of the second ; or, in the edge of the outer- 
most curtain in the second coupling. The simple mean- 
ing is, that in the edge of the outermost curtain of each 
coupling (compound curtain) on the adjacent sides should 
be loops, etc., corresponding to each other. 

5. Coupling of the second; or, second coupling. See above. 
Take hold one of another; or, be opposite one to another. 

6. Taches; clasps to unite the loops, and thus the edges 
of the curtains. 

9. Double; double it over in an ornamental way. 

10. Which coupleth the second; or, in respect to the sec- 
ond coupling. See above. 

12. The half curtain that remaineth; that is, the half of 
the second great curtain made of five single curtains. 
The framework of shittim-wood was thirty cubits long 
and ten cubits high. The two great curtains of goats' 
hair, when united, made a covering 44 cubits long by 30 
wide. Of this, 4 cubits were doubled over in front ; 30 
more were needed to cover the framework ; leaving 10 
cubits, that is, just half of the second great curtain, to 
hang over in the rear. 

13. Tliat which remaineth in the length of the curtains of 
the tent; that in which the curtains of the tent exceed in 
length those of the tabernacle. Here the sacred ^Titer 
reckons according to the length of a single curtain. The 

111 



The boards, burs, and 



KXODl'S WVII, 



rf(7 (if the tahcrimdc 



sides of tlic tabernacle, on tliis side and on tliat 
side, to cover it. 

14 And tliou slialt make a covcrin.2: for tiie tent 
of ranis' t^kins dyed red, and a covering above of 
badv'crs' skins. 

\h *. And tlion slialt make boards for the taber- 
nacle f)/'sliittini-\viiod standing nj). 

10 Ten cubits shall be tlie length of a board, and 
a cubit and a half «/;«// be tlic breadth of one board. 

17 Two tenons* shall there he in one board, set in 
order one against anotlier: tlius siialt tliou make 
for all till-' boards of tlic tabernacle. 

1> And tliou slialt make the boards for the taber- 
nacle, twenty boards on the south side southward." 

I'.l And thou slialt make forty sockets of silver 
under the twenty boards;" two sockets under one 
buard for his two tenons, and two sockets ifbdcr 
anollier board for his two tenons. 

lit) And for the second side of the tabernacle on 
the north side there shall he twenty boards, 

21 And their forty sockets ofsilver ; two sockets 
under one board, and two sockets under another 
board. 

'22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward 
thou slialt make six boards. 

2o And two boards shalt thou make for the cor- 
ners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 

24 And they shall be coupled* together beneath, 
and they shall be coupled together "= above the 
head of it unto one ring :" thus shall it be for them 
both; they shall be for the two corners. 

2.5 And they shall be eight boards, and their 
sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets 
under one board, and two sockets under another 
board. 

26 IT And thou shalt make bars of shittim--wood ; 
five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 

27 And five bars for the boards of the other 
side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards 
of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides 
westward. 



• Heb. hands. ' Num. 3:3G; 4:31, 32. b ch. 27:10. t Jleh. tmimml. 
Tax. 133:1; 1 Cor.3:lG; 1 Pet. 2:5. <i Eph. 4:10: Col. 2:1'J. e ch. 25:9, 
■ " ■ " " ' ' ■ "2; 2Chr. 3:14; 



- I ajL. go-t.t, 1 »jur. >i:iu, iiiti.A.'i. " j:.pn. 1:11): u 
40; 27:8; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5; 8:23. ' ch. 36:33; Le' 



curtains of tlie inner covering (tabernacle) were 28 cubits 
long ; those of the outer covering (tent) were 30 cubits 
in length. When the two coverings were spread over 
the framework of shittim-wood, so tliat the curtains, re- 
garded as single, lay across it and hung down on each 
side, the curtains of the tent must Lave extended just a 
cubit on each side below the curtains of the tabernacle, 
so as entirely to cover the latter. 

15. Boards; with the exceptionofEzek. 27:6, -where the 
meaning is uncertain, the word here rendered " boards " 
is used only of the framework of the sanctuary. It docs 
not denote common boards, but rather thick planks. See 
on ver. 22-25. 

17. Tenons; projections tn set into the sockets of silver. 

22. Six boards; it is generally agreed that the width of 
the tabernacle on the inner side was ten cubits. The 
.Jewish rabbins agree in representing the planks, or tim- 
liers, of the tabernacle to have been one cubit in thick- 
ness. As they were a cubit and a half in width, this 
would require just eight to reach from outside to outside 
on the western end. If they had a less thickness, then 
the two corner planks, ver. 23, must have extended just 
so far beyond the side. 

24. Coupled together; in the Hebrew, twinned, that is, 
112 



28 And the middle bar in the midst of u.cSJJ: 
the boards shall reach from einl to end. 

21) And thou shalt overlay tlic boards with gold, 
anil make their rings <f ixnld for places for the 
bars: and thou shalt ovcihiy the liars with gold. 

30 And th<iu shalt rear up ihc tabernacle accord- 
ing to tlie fashion thereof whicli was showed thee 
in the mount." 

31 ^ And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and 
purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cun- 
ning work:'' witli clierubim shall it Ijc made. 

32 And thou slialt hang it n])on four pillars of 
shittim-n-oori overlaid with gold: their hooks shall 
be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 

33 1 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the 
tachcs, that thou niaycst bring in thither within 
the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil 
shall divide unto you between the holy place and 
the most holy." 

34; And thou shalt put the mercy-seat upon the 
ark of the testimony in the most holy place. 

35 And thou shalt set the table without the 
veil,'' and the candlestick over against the table on 
the side of the tabernacle toward the south : and 
thou shalt ]iut the table on the north side. 

3t) And thou shalt make a hanging for the door 
of the tent, of blue, and purjile, and scarlet, and 
fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.' 

37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pil- 
lars o/'shittini-u'oorf, and overlay them with gold, 
a7id their hooks shall be of gold : and thou shalt 
cast five sockets of brass for them. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

1 The altar of burnt-offering, -with the vessels thereof. 9 The court of 
the tabernacle inclosed with hangings and pillars. 18 The measure 
of the court. 20 The oil for the lamp. 

AND thou shalt make an altar of shittim- 
■wood,J five cubits long, and five cubits broad ; 
the altar shall be four-square, and the height 
thereof shall be three cubits. 



Matt. 27:51; Heb. 9:3, 8; 10:20. 6 1 Kings 8:8-10; 2 Chr. 5:7-10. I" ch. 
40:22. ich.36:37. J ch 38:1; 2 Chr. 4:1 ; Ezek. 43:13; Heb. 13:10. 



made double. Tlie meaning seems to be, that each cor- 
ner-plank shall be joined above and lielow to the adjacent 
side-plank, so that the two shall make a pair. Unto one 
ring ; so that one ring shall serve to unite the two. 

26. Bars; these were to run through the sides of the 
framework, to increase its strength. 

33. The holy place and the most holy; these were the two 
divisions into which the tabernacle was divided ; tlie holy 
place being twenty cubits by ten, and the holy of holies, 
ten cubits square. Heb. 9:6-9. 

36. The door; the entrance to the tabernacle, which was 
on the east. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

30. In order to be accepted, we must consecrate to God 
the best that we have, and be careful in all things to fol- 
low his directions. 

33. As the veil which separated the holy from the most 
holy place, in the tabernacle and afterwards in the tem- 
ple, was at the crucifixion of Christ rent in twain, to show 
us that the way to the throne of mercy is open for all, all 
should, with believing and grateful hearts, draw near to 
God, in that new and living way opened by the death of 
Christ, that they may obtain mercy, and find grace to help 
in all times of need. Heb. 9 : 1-14, 20-22. 



The altar aiul court 



EXODUS XXVIII. 



of the. tahernade. 



upon the four corners thereof:" his horns shall be 
of the same : and thou shalt overlay it with brass. 

3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his 
ashes, and his shovels, and his basins, and his 
flesli-hooks, and his fire-pans: all the vessels there- 
of thou shalt make of brass.*" 

4 And tiiou shalt make for it a grate of network 
o/" brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four 
brazen rings in the four corners thereof. 

5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of 
the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the 
midst of the altar. 

6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves 
o/" shittim-wood, and overlay them with brass." 

7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, 
and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the 
altar, to bear it. 

8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it 
was showed* thee in the mount, so shall they 
make it^ 

9 IT And thou shalt make the court of the tab- 
ernacle:" for the south side southward there shall 
be hangings for the court o/"fine twined linen of a 
hundred cubits long for one side : 

10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their 
twenty sockets shall be of brass ; the hooks of the 
pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 

1 1 And likewise for the north side in length there 
shall be hangings of a hundred cubits long, and his 
twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass : 
the hooks of tlie pillars and their fillets of silver. 

12 T And for the breadth of the court on the 
west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their 
pillars ten, and their sockets ten. 

13 And the breadth of the court on the east side 
eastward, shall be fifty cubits. 

14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be 
fifteen cubits : their pillars three, and their sock- 
ets three. 

15 And on the other side shall be hangings fif- 





J Oh 


29; 12; Lev. 4 


7, 


IS 


i 16: 


IS; IKins 


I:. '5(1 


2 ;W 


; I'sa. 11 


S:27 


Heb. 


« 


IS. 


b 1 Kings 7;45; 


.lp 


r .W 


20. c 


oh 


;t(i-4 


fim 


0. 4:14. 


• Heb. he 


xh 


owec 


. dch. 28:30, 




• 


Heb 


8:5. e 


ch. 


33:9; 


1 Ki 


igs 6:36; 


3:M 


Psa. 


H-. 


:i:i; 


Ezek. 40:20, 


RtC 




r rh 


30:37. 


R 


ch. 23:39; 


39:29; Psa. 


5:14. 


t 


Heb. 


fify iy fifty ■ 


b 




r. 3. 


> Lev 


24 


2. 1 


Heb. 


to ascend 


vp. 


J ch. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

2. Horns; projections of the four corners. 

4. A grate of iietxvorh of brass; the position and office of 
this it is difficult to determine. A common opinion has 
been, that it was suspended by the four rings in the hol- 
low of the altar midway between the top and the bottom ; 
and that on it the sacrifices were burned, the ashes falHng 
through upon the ground below. Others have supposed 
that all the hollow of the altar above the grate was filled 
with earth, upon which the sacrifices were placed. The 
common Jewish tradition is, that the whole interior of the 
altar was filled with earth, chap. 20:24, and that the 
grate went round the altar on the outside, which is favor- 
ed by chap. 28:5, 7. 

9. Court of the tabernacle; a large open inclosure around 
the tabernacle. 

10. Fillets; rods passing from the top of one pillar to 
another. 

13. 0(1 the east side eastward; as this was the front, it 
had a gateway in the centre of twenty cubits, with a hang- 
ing of richer materials, leaving just fifteen cubits on each 
side for the curtain of common materials. 

17. F dieted with silver ; connected at the top by silver fillets. 



teen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets 
three. 

16 IT And for the gate of the court shall be a 
hanging of twenty cubits, o/" blue, and purple, and 
scarlet, and fine twined linen,'' wrought with nee- 
dle-work :i^ and their pillars shall be four, and their 
sockets four. 

17 All the pillars round about the court shall be 
filleted with silver ; their hooks shall be of silver, 
and their sockets o/ brass. 

18 1 The length of the court shall be a hundred 
cubits, and the breadth fifty everywhere,^ and the 
height five cubits of fine twined" linen, and their 
sockets of brass. 

19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the 
service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all 
the pins of the court, shall be of brass.*" 

20 1 And thou shalt command the children of 
Israel, that they bring thee pure oil-olive beaten 
for the light,' to cause the lamp to burn always.' 

21 In the tabernacle of the congregation with- 
out the veil, which is before the testimony. Aaron 
and his sons shall order it from evening to morn- 
ing before the Lord :' it shall be a statute for ever 
unto their generations on the behalf of the chil- 
dren of Israel." 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 Aaron and his sons are set apart for the priest's office. 2 Holy gar- 
ments are appointed. 6 The ephod. 1-5 The breastplate with twelve 
precious stones. 30 The Urim and Thummim. 31 The robe of the 
ephod, with pomegranates and bells. 36 The plate of the mitre. 39 
The embroidered coat. 40 The garments for Aaron's sons. 

AND take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother,' 
and his sons with him, from among the chil- 
dren of Israel, that ho may minister unto me in 
the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, 
Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. 

2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron 
thy brother,"' for glory and for beauty." 

3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise- 
hearted," whom I have filled with the spirit of 



30 


S; 


1 Sam 


3:3; 2 Chr. 13 


11; 


Luke 


12:.1.'> 


k 


-h, as 


43; 29:9 


23; Lev. 


3: 


7; 


16:31; 


24:9; Nu 


m. It- 


.-a 


19:21 


; 1 t* 


im. 30:25. 


1 Lev. S 




Nnm 


IM 


V; 


2Chr. 


26:18-21 


Heb 


5: 


, 4. 


n rh. 


29:5 


29; Lev. 8:7. 


30 


Num. 


2(i 


26 


28; P 


a. 132:16 


"Is 


.61:3,10; 


Rev, 


5:10 


19;S. 


ch. 31 


3- 


35;3U- 


3o 


Prov. 2:6; 1 Cor. 1 


2:11. 



















20. Oit-olive beaten; oil obtained from beating olives in 
a mortar, which was more pure than that obtained by 
pressing them in a mill. 

21. Order it; see to the lighting of the lamp, according 
to divine direction. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

8. Every altar for sacrifice, erected by divine appoint- 
ment under the Old Testament, pointed forward to the 
sacrifice of Christ ; who through the eternal Spirit offered 
himself without spot unto God, to purge our consciences 
from dead works to serve the living God. Heb. 9 : 10-21. 

20. Intelligence and purity should ever characterize the 
followers, and especially the ministers of Christ. He is 
the light of the world, and in following him they will not 
walk in darkness, but have the light of life, and be instru- 
mental in communicating it for the salvation of their fel- 
low-men. Matt. 5:16; John 1:9; 8:12. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

2. Holy garments; garments to be used not on ordinary 

occasions, but ■svhen engaged in the pubUc worship of 

God. For glory and for beauty; the glory and beaufy of 

the priestly garments represented the holiness, purity^ 

113 



The holy garmtnis 



EXODUS XXVIIL 



of the priests. 



wisdom, that thoy may make Aaron's frarmcnts to 
consecrate liini, that he may minister unto mo in 
the priest's oflice. 

4 And these arc tlie trarments wliieh they shall 
make: a breastplate." ami an ephod,'' and a roiie.' 
and a broidcred coat,'' a mitre.'' and a girdle :' and 
they shall make holy garmcnt.s for Aaron thy 
brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto 
me in the priest's office. 

5 And they shall take jrold, and blue, and pur- 
ple, and scarlet, and line linen. 

6 'i And they shall make the ephod o/'gold, of 
blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined 
linen, with cunning work. 

7 It shall have the two shoulder-pieces thereof 
joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be 
joined together. 

8 And the curious' girdle of the ephod, which 
is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the 
work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, 
and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 

9 And thou shalt take two onyx-stones, and 
grave on them the names of the children of Israel : 

10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other 
six names of the rest on the other stone, accord- 
ing to their birth. 

11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like 
the engravings of a signet,'^ shalt thou engrave the 
two stones with the names of the children of Is- 
rael : thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of 
gold. 

12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the 
shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto 
the children of Israel : and Aaron shall bear their 
names before the Lord'' upon his two shoulders 
for a memorial.' 

13 1[ And thou shalt make ouches of gold; 

14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends ; 
ofwreathen work shalt thou make them, and fas- 
ten the wreathen chains to the ouches. 

15 1 And thou shalt make the breastplate of 



» Ver. 15; ch. 39:8,21; Isa. .59:17; Eph. (i: [-1. b ver. 
.•)9:22. <i Lev. 8:7. e ch. 39:SS; Zech. 3:5. fisa. 11:5. 
% ver. 36. h ver. 29; ch. 39:6, 7. i Josh 4:7; Zech. 6:14. 



i. ' ver. 31 ; ch. 
Or, emhrovlered. 
J ch. 39:8; Lev. 



and dignity of their office ; and, since their priesthood 
tj-pifled that of Christ, these holy and glorious garments 
prefigured the infinite dignity, excellence, and spiritual 
beauty of Jesus Christ our great High-priest. 

5. Gold; that is, golden threads. The manner of form- 
ing them is described chap. 39 : 3. 

6. The ephod; this, with the breastplate attached to it, 
was the outermost of the garments belonging to the high- 
priest. The ephod was a short garment reaching down, 
according to the testimony of the ancients, to the middle 
of the thighs. Originally it seems to have been without 
sleeves. Each shoulder-piece consisted of two projec- 
tions from the body of the ephod, the one coming up 
from before and the other from behind, and united on the 
ehoulder at their extremities by an onyx-stone set in 
gold, which served also for a clasp. 

8. Shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; these 
words seem to mean, that it shall be woven as a part of 
the ephod ; and be of the same materials and texture. 

11. Signet; a seal. Ouches; sockets. 

12. For a memorial; to put them in remembrance that 
Aaron, as priest, appeared in their behalf before the 
Lord. 

14. Two chains; these are generally thought to be the 
same chains mentioned ver. 24, 25, their cfinnection with 
114 



judgment with cunning work;' after the n.rlfSi"?: 
work of the ephod thou shalt make it; o/'gold, o/ 
lilue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of line 
twined linen, shalt thou make it. 

1(1 Foursfpiare it shall be beinf^ doubled ; a span 
shall he the length thereof, and a sjtan shall be the 
breadth thereof. 

17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones,* 
even four rows of stones : the first row shall be a 
sardius,* a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the 
first row. 

18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a 
sapphire, and a diamond. 

lit And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an 
amethyst. 

20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, 
and a jasper:" they shall be set in gold in their 
inclosings.^ 

21 And the stones shall be with the names of 
the children of Israel,' twelve, according to their 
names, like the engravings of a signet ; every one 
with his name shall they be according to the 
twelve tribes. 

22 1 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate 
chains at the ends o/" wreathen work o/"pure gold. 

23 And thou .shalt make upon the breastplate 
two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on 
the two ends of the breastplate. 

24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains 
of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of 
the breastplate. 

25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen 
chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put 
them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod before it. 

26 1\ And thou shalt make two rings of gold, 
and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the 
breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the 
side of the ephod inward. 

27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, 
and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod 
underneath, toward the fore part thereof, over 



8:8. t Heh. Jill in il fillings of stone. tOi,Tuit/. k Eev. 4:3; 21:19. 20. 
» Heb. fillings. 1 Rev". 21 : 12. 



the ephod being here considered, and there, their connec- 
tion with the breastplate. 

15. Breastplate of judgment ; so called because worn by the 
high-priest when he applied to the Lord for his judgment, 
or decision, in matters about which they inquired of him. 

16. Four square — being doubled; after being doubled 
over so as to form a sort of bag or pouch, it was four 
square : consequently the whole piece, before doubling, 
was two spans in length. A span is half a cubit, that is, 
between nine and ten inches. 

22. Chains at the ends; at the two upper corners on the 
outside were two rings of gold, to which these chains 
were attached, ver. 23, 24. 

25. The two ouches; the two sockets of the onyx-stones 
on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. 

26. Two rings of gold; on the two lower comers of the 
breastplate on the inside, corresponding to the two rings 
in the ephod, ver. 27. 

27. Two other rings of gold — ephod; this verse may be 
literally rendered thus: "And thou shalt make two rings 
of gold, and shall put them upon the two shoulder-pieces 
of the ephod below, in its forepart, over against its 
coupling, above the girdle of the ephod." The coupling 
is that of the shoulder pieces at the onyx-stones, ver. 7. 
These rings are to be directly opposite to this coupling 



The Urim and Thuvimim. 



EXODUS xxviri. 



TTie plate of tJte mitre. 



RcS' against the other coupling thereof, above 
the curious girdle of the cphod. 

28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the 
rings thereof unto the rings of the cphod with a 
lace of blue, that it may be above the curious gir- 
dle of the cphod, and that the breastplate be not 
loosed from the cphod. 

29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the chil- 
dren of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon 
his heart, when he goeth in unto tiie holy place, 
for a memorial before the Lord continually.'' 

30 IT And thou shalt put in the breastplate of 
judgment the Urim and the Thummim;'' and they 
shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in 
before the Lord : and Aaron shall bear the judg- 
ment of tiie children of Israel upon his heart be- 
fore the Lord continually." 

31 H And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod 
all of blue. 

32 And there shall be a hole in the top of it, in 
the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven 
work round about the hole of it, as it were the 
hole of a habergeon,'' that it be not rent. 

33 And beneath upon the hem* of it thou shalt 
make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of 
scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells 
of gold between them round about : 

34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden 
bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe 
round about. 

35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister : and 
his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto 
the holy place before the Lord,'' and when he com- 
eth out, that he die not. 



»Ver. 12. b 


Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8; 1 Sim. 23:6: Ez 


ra2:63; 


Neh. 7:65. « 


Heb. 9:24. J Neh. 4: 16; Job 41:26. • Or, skirls. 


« Heb. 


a. 12. fch.39 


:W; Zech. 14:20; Heb.7;26; 12:14; Rev. 21:27. fver 


.28,31; 


Num. 15:38. 


tver. 43; Lev. 10:17; 22:9; Num. 18:1; Isa. S3:6, l: 


; Ezek. 


4:4-fi; John 1 


29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:2S; 1 Pet. 2:24. i Ley. 1:4 


22:27; 



below. The two upper corners of the breastplate being 
fastened to the onyx-stones by wreathed chains of gold, 
and the two lower corners to the rings here mentioned 
by a lace of blue, the breastplate is thus made firm over 
the heart, ver. 29 ; a beautiful and most expressive sym- 
bol of the unchangeable love which Christ, our great 
High-priest, bears toward his people, and in which all his 
earthly ministers should strive to imitate him. It has 
been well said that Christ bears his people on his shoul- 
ders by his almighty power and efficacious atonement, 
and on his heart by his everlasting love. 

30. Urim — Thummim; that is, lights and perfections: ac- 
cording to some, these were no other than the precious 
gems themselves, through which God, by a supernatural 
lustre, manifested his will ; others think that they were 
precious stones placed in the pouch of the breastplate, 
and used in consulting God's will. The whole subject is 
involved in obscurity. 

31. Robe of the ephod; worn underneath the ephod. 

32. The hole of it; the hole through which the head 
passed when it was put on. 

33. Pomegranates ; balls in the form of pomegranates, a 
species of fruit shaped like an apple. 

34. A golden bell and a pomegranate ; one after the 
other, alternately, round the hem of the robe. The bell 
was an emblem of pleasant sound, and the pomegranate 
of abundant fruitfulness ; indicating the duty of making 
a good profession, and abounding in fruits of holiness. 

38. Bear the iniquity of the holy things; typically make 
atonement for their sins, and thus obtain forgiveness 
through the atonement of Christ. 

41. Anoint them; in token of their dedication to the 



36 IT And thou shalt make a plate o/'pure gold,' 
and grave u[)on it, like the engravings of a signet, 
HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 

37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace,^ that it 
may lie upon the mitre ; upon the fore-front of the 
mitre it siiall be. 

38 And it shall be upon iVaron's forehead, that 
Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things,'' 
which the children of Israel shall hallow in all 
their holy gifts ; and it shall be always upon his 
forehead, that they may be accepted before the 
Loud.' 

39 1 And thou shalt embroider the coat of 
fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre ef fine 
linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needle- 
work.J 

40 1 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make 
coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and 
bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and 
for beauty." 

41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy 
brother, and his sons with liira ; and shalt anoint 
them,' and consecrate them,* and sanctify them, 
that they may minister unto me in the priest's 
office.'" 

42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches," 
to cover their nakedness;* from the loins even 
unto the thighs they shall reach.^ 

43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his 
sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of 
the congregation, or when they come near unto 
the altar to minister in the holy place:" that they 
bear not iniquity, and die i"" if shall be a statute for 
ever unto him and his seed after him." 



23:11 


Isa. 56:7 


60:7 


Eph. 1 


fi 


1 Pet. 2:5. ] 


Psa. 45:14. k ve 


r. 2. 


loh. 


29:7; 


30:.M: 40 


15; |. 


a 01:1. 


1 


Heb Jill iheir 


hand, ni 


Lev. 8 


Heb 


5:4. 


" Li.v 


16:4; Ez 


k. 44 


18. tHeb 


flesh of their nakedness. 


5 Heb 


«e. 


och. 


20:26 


p Lev. 5 


■1, 1' 


i 20:19, 


20; 22:9; Nrnn 


9:13; 18 


22. q 


ch. 2- 


;21; 


Lev. 


7:7. 



















sacred office. Sanctify them; set them apart, and devote 
them to their work. 

43. Bear not iniquity; do not commit sin, by neglecting 
divine directions, thus exposing themselves to divine 
judgments. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The high-priest, among the Jews, was a striking 
tjTje of the Messiah, who, as a priest, entered the holy 
place with his blood, and obtained eternal redemption for 
his people. Heb. 9:11, 12. 

3. The ingenuity of men, their genius and judgment, 
their ability to plan, and their power to execute, aU come 
from God, and should all be devoted to his service. Jas. 
1:17. 

9, 12. Our great High-priest, of whom Aaron was a 
type, bears all his people upon his heart, presents their 
wants before his Father, and will save to the uttermost 
all who come unto God through him, seeing he ever liv- 
eth to make intercession for them. 1 Pet. 2 : 24 ; Heb. 7 : 25. 

21. The names of all his people are in the Lamb's book 
of life ; he will never blot them out, but will acknowledge 
them as his redeemed people, before his Father and the 
holy angels. Rev. 3:6; Matt. 10:32. 

30. All spiritual illumination and perfection are in Jesus 
Christ, and he is able and willing to communicate accord- 
ing to the wants of all who feel their need, and heartily 
apply to him. 

38. Holiness to the Lord was the great and all-pervad- 
ing characteristic of the Redeemer; and it is his great 
design, by his word, his Spirit, aud his providence, in all 
liis dispensations to make his people like him. 1 Cor. 
15:49: 1 John 3:2. 

115 



The Mnserralwn of 



EXODUS XXIX. 



Aaron and his sons. 



ciiAPi i: i: XXIX 



1 The lacrifion nnJ ccmnonii'j of consecraling the priasU. 3S The 
continual burnt-ofTiTtng. 45 God's promise to dwell among the cliiU 
drcn of isniel. 

AND tliis is the tliinj; tliat tliou slialt do unto 
tlioin to hallow thoni," to iniuister unto me 
in the priest's oflice: Take one young bullock, and 
two rams witlioiil blemish, 

2 And unleavened l)read,'' and cakes unleavened 
tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed 
with oil: o/"wheatcn flour shalt thou make them. 

:5 And thou shalt i)ut them into one basket, and 
bring them in the basket, witii the bullock and 
the two rams. 

4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt Itriiig unto 
the door of the tabcrnaele of the congregation, 
and shalt wash them with water.'' 

5 And thou shalt take the garments,'' and put 
upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, 
and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him 
with the curious girdle of the ephod: 

C And thou shalt put the mitre upon liis head, 
and i)ut the holy crown upon the mitre. 

7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and 
pour it upon his head, and anoint him.'' 

8 And thou shalt bring bis sons, and put coats 
upon them.' 

9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron 
and his sons, and put' the bonnets on them : and 
the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual 
statute :s and thou shalt consecrate + Aaron and 
his sons. 

10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought 
before the tabernacle of the congregation; and 
Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the 
head of the bullock.'' 

11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the 
Lord, by the door of the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation. 

12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bul- 
lock,' and put it upon the horns of the altar with 
thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bot- 
tom of the altar. 

13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth 



" Lev. 8:8. etc. b Lev. 2:4; 6:20-22. c ch. 30:19-21; 40:12; Lev. 8:6; 
Heb. 10:22; 1 Pet. .3.21. i ch. 2S:2-S. e Lev. 10:7; Psa. 133:2. < ch. 
2'':40. etc. • Heb. bind, e Num. 1»:7; Heb. 5:4. t lleb. JiU the fiand of. 
h Lev. 1:4; 3:2; 8:14; Isa. 53:6; 2 Cor. .5:21. i Lev. 8:15. J Or,midTiff. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

Aaron and his sons being sinners, it is necessary that 
they be first cleansed by washing and expiatory sacrifices, 
before they can minister to the Lord as his priests. Heb. 
5:3. This typical cleansing represents the purity and 
holiness of tlie priestly office. The three different kinds 
of sacrifice — a sin-ofi^ering, a burnt-offering, and a peace- 
offering — signify the completeness of their consecration. 

1. To hallow; set apart from secular to sacred duties. 
Without blemish; this was required in the case of every 
sacrifice. On the part of the offerer it signified his su- 
preme love and devotion to God, Mai. 1:8 ; on the part of 
the victim, it prefigured the perfection of Christ's sacri- 
fice. 1 Pet. 1 : 19. 

2. Wafers; thin cakes. 

6. Holy crown; the plate of gold. Chap. 28:36, 37. 

7. Anointing oil; an oil prepared with various spices. 
Chap. 30:23-33. 

9. The bonnets; or turbans. Chap. 28:40. 
116 



the inwards, and the caul' i/iat is above u?;hJ?: 
the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is 
ujion them, and burn t/icm upon the altar. 

14 15ut the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and 
his dung, shalt thou bum with lire without the 
cam]) :' it is a sin-o(Tering. 

1.") 1 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron 
and his sons shall put their hands upon the head 
of the ram.'' 

If) And thou shalt slay tlie ram, and thou shalt 
take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon 
the altar. 

17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and 
wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put 
them unto his pieces, and unto'' his head. 

15 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the 
altar: it is a burnt-offering unto the Lord: it 'is a 
sweet savor,' an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 

19 TI And thou shalt take the other ram:'" and 
Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the 
head of the ram. 

20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his 
blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of 
Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his 
sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, 
and upon the great toe of their right foot, and 
sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about." 

21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon 
the altar, and of the anointing oil," and sprinkle 
it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon 
his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with 
him : and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, 
and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. 

22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and 
the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, 
and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, 
and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoul- 
der ; for it is a ram of consecration. 

23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled 
bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the un- 
leavened bread that is before the Lord. 

24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, 
and in the hands of his sons ; and shalt wave them ' 
foi- a wave-offering before the Lord.'' 



j Lev. 4:11, 12; Heb. 13:11. k ver. 10. iOl,upon. 1 Gen. !<:21 ; Eph. 5:2; 
Phil. 4:18. niver. 3. ■> Lev. 8:24; Heb. 9:22. o ch. 30:25, etc. I Heb. 
s/uxke la and fro. p Lev. 7:30, 



10. Put their hands upon the head of the bullock ; this ex- 
pressed their conviction of guilt, and their hope that 
through the shedding of the 'blood of that victim, point- 
ing forward to the blood of Christ, they should receive 
pardon. 

12. 27(6 horns of the altar; chap. 27:2. 

18. Burn the whole; denoting the necessity of an entire 
consecration of the whole man to God, as well as the ne- 
cessity of an atonement, in order to salvation. 

19. TTie other ram; this was a peace-offering, on the 
flesh of wliich the offerer and his friends feasted, after 
the breast and right shoulder had been given to the 
priests. I,ev. 7 : 28-34. On the present occasion, Moses, 
as performing the priestly office, received for his portion 
the breast, ver. 26. 

20. Tip of the right ear — thumb — toe; this signified the 
completeness of their expiation and consecration. 

24. Wave them ; move them to and fro. This, as well as 
heaving upward, was a sign that they were consecrated 
to God. 



Consecration of tlic priests. 



EXODUS XXIX. 



T/ic continual burn! -offering 



hands, and burn t/iem upon the altar for a burnt- 
offering, for a sweet savor before the Lord:" it is 
an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 

26 And thou shaft talce the breast of tlieram of 
Aaron's consecration,'' and wave it for a wave- 
oiloring before tiie Lord : and it shall be tliy part. 

27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the 
wave-offering,"^ and the shoulder of the heavc-ofler- 
ing, which is waved, and whicii is heaved up, of 
the ram of tlie consecration, «>m of that which is 
for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons : 

28 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a 
statute for ever from the children of Israel ; for 
it is a heave-oflering : and it shall be a heave- 
offering from the cliildrea of Israel of the sacrifice 
of their peace-offerings, even their heave-offering 
unto the Lord. 

29 And tiie holy garments of Aaron shall be his 
sons' after him, to be anointed therein, and to be 
consecrated in them.'' 

30 Jind that son* that is priest in his stead shall 
put them on seven days," when he cometh into tlie 
tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the 
holy pfacc. 

3 1 H And thou shalt take the ram of the conse- 
cration, and seethe his flesh in tlie holy place. 

32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh 
of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket,*^ 
by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

33 And they shall eat tliose things wherewith 
the atonement was made,'^ to consecrate and to 
sanctify them : but a stranger shall not eat thereof,'^ 
because they are holy. 

3i And if aught of the flesh of the consecrations, 
or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then 
thou shalt burn the remainder with fire:' it shall 
not be eaten, because it is holy. 

35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to 
his sons, according to all thino-s wliich I have 



a Ver. IS. b Lev. 8:29. ' Num. 18:11. IS; Deut. 18:3. d Num. 18:8. 
'Kub. he of his sans, e Lev. 8:33 ; 9: 1, f ver. 2, 3, 23. e Lev. lU: 1.3-18; 
JoKn 6.33, 53. h Lev 22:10. i Lev. 7:18; 8:32, J Ezek 43:27; Heb. 
10:11. kch. 30:25-29; 40:10. 1 ch. 30:29; Matt. 23:19. mNum.28:3,4; 



27, 28. Slialt sanctifij the breast of the wave-offering ; these 
two verses contain a general direction respecting all 
peace-offerings. The breast was waved and tlie slioulder 
heaved, and botli went to tlie priests as their portion. On 
the signification of the different sacrifices see, in Leviticus, 
chap. 1-7. 

30. Tliat .son ,• the one who should succeed his father in 
the high-priest's office. Mlten he cometh ; before he should 
be permitted to discharge the duties of high-priest. 

31. The ram of the consecration; the second ram, men- 
tioned ver. 19-26. 

33. Eat tho.ie things wherewith the atonement was maAe ; 
denoting the necessity of union to Him by whom it was 
made. Matt. 26:26; John 6:53-55; 1 Cor. 6:17. 

36. Sanctify it ; set it apart to the worship of God. 

37. For //le o/tor; upon it. //oil/; devoted to God. Matt. 
23:19. 

3S. ContinnaUy; each day. This is the morning and 
evening sacrifice, whicli was offered every day from year 
to year. 

40. A tenth-deal; one tenth of an ephah. The ephah 
being about thirty-four and two-thirds quarts, a tenth- 
deal would be a little less than three quarts and a half; 
and a hin, which, according to the Jews, was the sixth 
part of an ephah, a little less than six quarts. 



commanded thee : seven days shalt thou conse- 
crate them. 

36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock /or 
a sin-offering for atonement :J and thou shalt 
cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atone- 
ment for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it." 

37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement 
for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an 
altar most holy : whatsoever toucheth tlie altar 
shall be holy.' 

38 1 Now this is that which thou shalt offer 
upon the altar:"" two lambs of the first year day 
by day continually. 

39 The one lamlj thou shalt offer in the morn- 
ing; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 

40 And with the one lamb a tenth-deal of flour 
mingled with the fourth part of a hin of beatea 
oil ; and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a 
drink-offering. 

41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, 
and slialt do thereto according to the meat-offer- 
ing of the morning, and according to the drink- 
oflering thereof, for a sweet savor, an offering 
made by fire unto the Lord. 

42 This shall be a continualburnt-offering through- 
out your generations at the door of the taberna- 
cle of the congregation before the Lord, where I 
will meet you," to speak there unto thee. 

43 And there I will meet with tlie childrenof Isra- 
el, and thetahernacle^ shall be sanctified by my glory.'' 

44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the 
congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also 
both Aaron and his sons, to minister to mo in tlie 
priest's office. 

45 And I will dwell among the children of Is- 
raeljP and will be tlieir God. 

46 And they shall know that I am the Lord 
their God, that brought them forth out of the 
land of Egypt,'' that I may dwell among them : I 
am the Lord their God. 



lChr.l6:40; 2Chr. 2:4; 31:3; Ezri3:3; Dm. 9:21, 27; 12:11; Johiil:29; Rev. 
5:9-12. nch. 25:22; 30:6. 30; Num. 17:4. t Or, Israel, o ch. 40:34; 2Chr. 
5:14; 7:1-3: Kzek. 43:5; Hag. 2:7,9; Mai. 3:1. Pch.a5:8; Lev. 21i:12j 
Psa. 68:13; Zech.2:10; John 14:17, 20; 2Cor.0:16; Rev. 21:3. Ich. 2(1:2. 



42. A continual burnt-offering; representing their con- 
tinual need of the constant efficacj' of the atonement, 
righteousness, and intercession of Christ. 

45. Dwell among the children of Israel; by his continual 
presence in the shekinah, or visible glory, on the mercy- 
seat, where he was worshipped, and from which he made 
known his will. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. It is the will of God that those who minister in holy 
things, making known the will of God and leading the 
devotions of his people, should not only be called of him, 
but should be publicly set apart to their work. 

10. Ministers of religion, as well as their people, are 
sinners, and need pardon through the atonement of Christ 
and the purifying influences of his Spirit, in order rightly 
to discharge their duties. 

18. The evidence of genuine repentance for sin, faith 
in Christ, and pardon through his atonement, is sincere 
and hearty consecration of body and soul to his service. 

28. The effects of reconciliation to God are peace and 
communion with him, access to his mercy-seat, and grace 
to help in all times of need. 

33. Continued union to Christ, by habitual trust in him, 
not only for pardon, but for wisdom, strength, consolation, 
117 



Tht altar of iiucnst. 



EXODUS XXX. 



T/ie brazen later. 



CHAPTER XXX 



1 The »ltar of incrnsr. U Tl.r ransom of souls. 17 The braion l.ivcr. 
22 The holy uunnlin;; oil. ;(l Tlio composition of the pcrfunic. 

AND thou slialt make an altar to liiirn incciiso 
upon:" o/* pliittiui-wood slialt thou make it. 

2 A cubit sfiall be the length thereof, and a culiit 
tlie brcadtli thereof; foursquare shall it be, and 
two cubits s/ia'l be the height thereof: the horns 
tiioreof s.'ia'l be of the same. 

•i And thou slialt overlay it with pure gold," the 
top' thorcof, and the sides' tlioi'eof round about, 
and the horns tliereof ; and thou slialt make unto 
it a crown of gold round about. 

4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it 
under the crown of it, by the two corners' there- 
of, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it: 
and they shall be for places for the staves to bear 
it withal. 

5 And thon shalt make the staves of shittim- 
wood,'' and overlay them with gold. 

6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that is 
by tlie ark of the testimony,'' before the mercy- 
seat that is over the testimony," where I will meet 
with thee. 

7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense^ 
every morning:*' when ho dresscth the lamps, he 
shall burn incense upon it. 

8 And when Aaron lighteth' the lamps ateven,^ 
he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense 
before the Loud throughout your generations. 

9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon,'^ 
nor burnt-sacrifice, nor meat-offering; neither 
shall ye pour drink-offering thereon. 

10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon 
the horns of it once in a year with the blood of 
the sin-offering of atonements;'' once in the year 
shall he make atonement upon it throughout your 
generations : it is most holy unto the Lord. 

11 II And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

12 When thou takest the sum of the children of 
Israel after their number,*' then shall they give 
every man a ransom for his soul unto the "Lord,J 



»Ch. 37:25. bch. 25;11. • Heb. roof. 1 Heh. waUs. t Jleh. riis. c ch. 
;13. d oh. 20:31; 40:3; Matt. 27:51; Heb. 9:3. = ch. 2.3:21. i Ileb. 
ceme of spices. ' ver. 34; 1 Sam. 2:23; 1 Chr. 23:13; Luke 1 :9. 1 Heb. 
uscth to ascend, or setteth up. 1 Heb. between the two evens. ? Lev. 10: 1. 



and all needed good, is essential to progress in holiness 
and preparation for heaven. 

42. Habitual acknowledgment of God as the author of 
all good, and daily supplication to him for the blessings 
which we need for ourselves, our friends, and all our fel- 
low-men, are the duty of all. They are also a privilege, 
the enjoyment of which should not be sacrificed for any 
worldly good. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

3. A crown; cornice or border. 

6. The veil; which separated the holy from the most 
holy place, so that the altar stood directly over against the 
ark of the covenant, being separated from it by the veil. 

7. Sweet mcense; this represented the prayers of God's 
people made acceptable by the intercession of Christ, 
Rev. 8:3, 4, as the burnt-ofiering did his atonement. 

9. Strange incense ; other than that prescribed, ver. 34-38. 

10. Once in a year; on the great day of atonement. .Lev. 
16 : 18 ; 23 : 27, 28. Shall—make atonement ; this showed that 
atonement was necessary, in order to the efficacy of in- 
tercession. 

12. The sum; the census; their number. A ransom for 
118 



when thou numberest them; that there be "l, "nii: 
no jilague among tliem,'' when t/iou numberest them. 

Vi 'i'liis they shall give, every one that passetli 
among them that are numb(M-ed, half a shekel 
after the shekel of the sanctuary : (a shekel is 
twenty gerahs:) a half shekel shaU be the offering 
of the Loud. 

14 Every one that passeth among them that are 
numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall 
give an offering unto the Lord. 

1.") The rich shall not give more,* and the poor 
.«hall not give less,' than half a shekel, when i/uy 
give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atone- 
ment for your souls. 

16 And thou shalt take the atoncmcnt-moncy of 
the childrcMi of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the 
service of the tabernacle of the congregation ; 
tliat it may be a memorial unto the children ot' 
Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for 
your souls. 

17 1 And the Lord spake linto Moses, saying, 

18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass,' and 
his foot also of brass, to wash vnthal: and thou 
shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congre- 
gation and the altar, and thou shalt put water 
therein. 

19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their 
hands and their feet thereat."" 

20 When they go into the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, they shall wash with water, that they 
die not ; or when they come near to the altar to 
minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the 
Lord. 

21 So they shall wash their hands and their 
feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute 
for ever to them, even to him and to Ms seed 
throughout their generations. 

22 1 Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, say- 
ing, 

23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of 
pure myrrh five hundred sheJcels,^ and of sweet 
cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and 



h Lev. 16:18; 23:27; Heb. 9:7, 25. • Heb. them tkat are to be numbered. 
■ Num. 1:2; 26:2. J Num. 31:50. k 2 Sam. 24:2-15. t Heb. multiply. 
> Tieh. diminish. 1 ch. 33:8; 1 Kings 7:3S. mPsa. 26:6. oPsa. 45:8. 



his soul ; a tribute paid to God for the preservation and 

blessings of life, and for the support of divine worship. 

13. Half a shekel; in value about twentj'-five cents. 

15. Not give more — not give less; teaching that before 
God the rich and poor are of equal worth, and equally 
need the same atonement. 

16. Ttiat it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel; 
more literally, "that it may be to the children of Israel 
for a memorial before the Lord ;" that is, that it may re- 
mind God in their behalf, Gen. 9:16, of the ransom they 
have paid for their souls. To make an atonement for your 
souls; so that God shall send no plague among them. 
Ver. 12. 

18. A laver; large bowl or basin. 

20. Wash icith water ; an emblem of the purifying influ- 
ences of the Holy Ghost. 

23. Principal spices; of the purest and most precious 
kind. Five hundred shekels; the shekel has been estimated 
at from ten to ten and three quarters pennyweights. Five 
hundred shekels would then be from about nineteen to 
twenty-two and a third pounds, troy weight ; or, from a 
little less than sixteen, to about eighteen and a half 
pounds, avoirdupois. 



Thz holy oin'tntnt and perfume. 



EXODUS XXXI. 



Bezakd and A/wliab called. 



kv'um: fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two 
hundred and fifty shekels, 

24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the 
shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil-olive a hin : 

25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy oint- 
ment, an ointment compound after tlie art of the 
apothecaiy :* it shall be a holy anointing oil."'' 

26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the 
congregation therewith,'' and the ark of the tes- 
timony. 

27 And the table and all his vessels, and the can- 
dlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 

28 And the altar of burnt-oficriug with all his 
vessels, and the laver and his foot. 

29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may 
be most holy : whatsoever toucheth them shall be 
holy.'^ 

30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, 
and consecrate them, that they may minister unto 
me in the priest's office. 

31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of 
Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anointing oil 
unto me throughout your generations. 

32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, 
neither shall ye make any other like it, after the 
composition of it: it is holy, a7id it shall be holy 
unto you.* 

33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or who- 
soever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall 
even be cut off from his people. 

34 1" And the Lord said unto Moses, Take unto 
thee sweet spices," stacte, and onycha, and galba- 
num ; these sweet spices with pure frankincense : 
of each shall there be a like weight: 

3-5 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confec- 
tion after the art of the apothecary, tempered^ 
together, pure and holy : 

3(3 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, 
and put of it before the testimony in the taberna- 
cle of the congregation, where 1 will meet with 
thee:' it shall be unto you most holy. 

37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt 



» Psi. 89:20. b ch. 40:9; Lev. 8:10. c ch. 29:37. 
23; I Cht. 9:29, 30. t Heb. sailed; Lev. 2:13. f oh. 
e ver. 33. h Isa. 45:3, 4. i 1 Chr. 2:20, j oh. 33:31; 



25. Tlie apothecary; perfumer, or maker of ointments. 

30. Anohit Aaron and las sons; in token of tlie necessity 
of tlieir being endued with the Uoly Spirit, to fit them 
for their duties. 

32. Upon man's fiesh; the fiesh of men who were not 
priests. 

34. Slacte — onycha, and galbanum; fragrant spices or 
gums. Some, however, suppose onycha to be a species 
of shell whicli, when burnt, yields a strong odor. 

35. Confection ; mixture, to burn on the altar of incense. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. In the Mosaic ritual we are continually reminded 
of the priesthood, sacrifice, and intercession of Glirist, 
through the incense of whose merits alone our prayers 
can ascend with acceptance before God. 

8. Our need of Christ's intercession is constant; and 
day by day, morning and evening, continually ouf suppli- 
cations should ascend before him as incense, and the lift- 
ing up of our hearts in prayer and praise as our habitual 
sacrifice. Heb. 13:15. 

16. A portion of what God has given us should be 
gratefully devoted to the support of his worship, as a 



make, ye shall not make to yourselves according 
to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee 
holy for the Lord. 

38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell 
thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.^ 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

1 Bezaleel and Aholiab are called and maile meet for the work of the 
tabernacle. 12 The observation of the sabbath is again commanded. 
IS Moses receiveth the two tables. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 See, I have called by name'' Bezaleel the 
son of Uri,' the son of Hur, of the tribe of Ju- 
dah: 

3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, 
in wisdom, and in understanding, and in know- 
ledge, and in all manner of workmanship,-' 

4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, 
and in silver, and in brass, 

5 And in cutting of stones, to set thejn, and in 
carving of timber, to work in all manner of work- 
manship. 

6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aho- 
liab,"^ the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan : 
and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I 
have put wisdom,' that they may make all that I 
have commanded thee : "' 

7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the 
ark of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is 
thereupon, and all the furniture* of the taber- 
nacle, 

8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure 
candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar 
of incense, 

9 And the altar of burnt-offering with all his 
furniture, and the laver and his foot, 

10 And the clothes of service, and the holy gar- 
ments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of 
his sons, to minister in the priest's office, 

11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for 
the holy place: according to all that I have com- 
manded thee shall they do. 



1 Kings 3:9; 7:14. k ch. 35:34. I Prov. 2:6, 7. m chs. 37, 38; Num. oh. 
4; 1 Kings chs. 6, 7, 8; 2 Chr. chs. 3, 4; Ezek. ch. 43. 1 Heb. vessels. 



memorial of his goodness and a testimony of our obliga- 
tions for all the blessings of his providence and grace. 

21. Purity of heart and life is as needful as the pardon 
of sin ; and for it we should look habitually to the Holy 
Spirit, the Author and Finisher of all that is spiritually 
good in the children of men. 

31. All our services must be perfumed with the incense 
of Christ's merits, and be the fruit of his Spirit, working 
in us both to will and also to do, in order to be holy, or 
ascend before God with acceptance. John 15:5; Rev. 
8:4. 

38. While we rely on the atonement, righteousness, and 
intercession of Christ as the one only and all-sufficient 
Mediator, and look to his Sjiirit as the only Sanctifier, we 
should most carefully abstain from looking to or depend- 
ing on any other ; for there is none other name under 
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 
Acts 4:12. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

6. Given with him; as his associate and assistant in 
making the tabernacle and its furniture, according to the 
pattern and directions which God had given to Moses. 
119 



The kcepitif; of the Sabbath. 



EXODUS XXXII, 



A golden calf is made. 



12 \ Ami tlie LoiU) sjiakc unto Moso?, saying, 

13 Speak tliou also uuti) the cliildreii of Israel. 
Bavin"'. Vcrilv my sabbath.^ ye shall keej):" for 
it ts a sign between me ami you tiirougiiout your 
generations;'' that yr may know that I am tiie 
Lord that cloth .^Janctily you. 

14 Ye shall keep tlie .«abbath therefore; for it 
is holy unto you.*^ Every one that defileth it shall 
surely be put to death : for whosoever doeth any 
work tiioroin. tliat soul shall bo cut off from 
ainouLj his people.'' 

15 Six days may work be done; liut in the 
seventh is the sabbatli of rest, iioly* to the Lord: 
whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath-day, he 
shall surely be put to death." 

10 Wiierefore tlie children of Israel shall keep 
tlic sabbatli, to observe the sabbatli tiirougiiout 
their irenerations, /or a perpetual covenant. 

17 It is a sign between me and the children of 
Israel for ever:'' for in six days tiio Lord made 
iieavon and earth,*-' and on the seventh day he 
rested, and was refreshed.'' 

18 H And he gave unto Moses, when he had 
made an end of communing with him upon mount 
Sinai,' two tables of testimony, tables of stone, 
written with the finger of God. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1 The people, in the absence of Moses, cause Aaron to make a calf. 7 
God is angered thereby. 11 At the entreaty of Moses he is appeas- 
ed. Id Moses comctli down with the tables. 19 He breaketli them. 
20 He destroyeth the calf. 22 Aaron's excuse for himself. 2-5 Moses 
causeth the idolaters to be slain. 30 He prayeth for the people. 

AND when the people saw that Moses delayed 
to come down out of the mount,-' tiie people 
gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and 



» Lev. 19::!. 30; 'Jfi:2. b Neh. 9:14; Ezek. 20:12, 2(1. « ch. 20:S: Deul. 
5:12; Isi. 5S: 1.3; Ezek. 44:21. i ch. 35:2. • Heb. holiness, e Num. 15:35. 
' ver. 13. e Gen. 1:31: 2:2; Heb. 4:3, 4,10. h Job 33:7; Psa. 101:31. 
i ch. 21:13; 32:15, 10; 34:2.S, 20; Deut. 4:13; 5:22; 9:9-11; 2 Cor. 3:3. 
J ch. 24:18; Dent. 9:9. k Acts 7:40. 1 Matt. 24:48; 2 Pet. 3:4. m Gen. 

13. A sign between me and you; a sign of the relation 
which subsisted between them. By keejiing the Sabbath 
holy, according to his directions, chap. 20 : 8-11, tliey 
would show that they were his people, and that he was 
their God. It would also be a great means of preserving 
among them a right knowledge of God, and thus making 
them holy and preparing them for heaven. 

14. Hoi ij unto you; set apart; devoted to sacred employ- 
ments. Defiletk it; by devoting it to worldly business. 
Put to death ; by the magistrate, at the command of God, 
who was King of that nation, and had a right to dispose 
of life as he saw best. 

17. A sign; an evidence of God's kindness to men, and 
a public token that they who rightly keep it are his peo- 
ple, that he is their God, and will do for them all that 
he has promised. Was refreshed; delighted in his work, 
especially in the Sabbath — which he had provided and set 
apart as a day of rest for his people — and in the benefits 
which the keeping of it holy would confer upon them. 

18. Tables of testimony; on which were written, by the 
finger of God, the ten commandments, chap. 20:5-17, tes- 
tifying his will and the duty of men. Exod. 20:a-l7; 
24:12; 32:15, 16. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 
3. God bestows various talents on men, not for the pur- 
pose of their lying useless, or being employed only for 
the gratification or benefit of their possessors, but for the 
promotion of his glory and the good of mankind. 

6. Different gifts are imparted to men, that they may 
120 



said unto him, Up, make us gods,'' wJiich H.rul'J; 
shall g(j before us ; for as for this Moses, the 
man that brougiit us up out of the land of Egypt.' 
we wot not what is become of him. 

'2 And A:min said unto them. Ureak off the 
gokieii earrings which are in tlie ears of your 
wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and 
bring them unto 1110.*° 

;5 And all the people brake off the golden ear- 
rings which were in their cars, and brought l/mn 
unto Aaron. 

4 And he received them at their hand, and fash- 
ioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it 
a molten calf:" and they said. These be thy gods. 
Israel, wliicii lirought thee up out of the land 
of Egypt. 

5 And when Aaron saw if, lie Imilt an altar be- 
fore it; and Aaron made ]iroclamation," and said, 
To-morrow is a feast to the Lord. 

() And they rose up early on the morrow, and 
offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offer- 
ings; and the jieople sat down to eat and to drink, 
and rose up to play."" 

7 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get 
thee down; for thy ])eoplc, which thou broughtest 
out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted them- 
selves : ■' 

8 They have turned aside quickly out of the 
way which I commanded them : they have made 
them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and 
have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy 
gods, Israel, which have brought thee up out 
of the land of Egypt. 

9 And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen 
this people, and behold, it is a stifl'-necked people :"■ 

10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath 



24:22; Juilg. 8:24-27; Ezek. 10:12, I"; Hos. 2:8. nch. 20:23; Deut. 9:18; 
Judg. 17:3, 4; 1 Kings 12:28; Neh. 9:18; Psa. 10fi:19; Isa. 40:18. 19; 4S:6; 
Rom. 1 :23. o 2 Kings 10:20. p 1 Cor. 10:7. q Gen. G;ll, 12; Deut. 4:10; 
Judg. 2:19; Hos. 9:9. r2Chr. 30:8; Isa. 48:4. 



feel their need of each other, and be mutual helpers in 
the discharge of their various duties, and the accomplish- 
ment of the work to which he calls them. 

11. The more exactly men follow the directions of God, 
the greater wisdom and goodness they will manifest, and 
the more useful they will be. 

14. The Sabbath was not given to men for labor, even 
in preparing houses or furniture for the worship of God, 
but for rest, and for religious duties. It is in keeping the 
day holy that men show that they rightly know God, 
belong to his people, and are preparing for the rest of 
heaven. Heb. 4:9. 

17. The holy keeping of the Sabbath is delightful to 
the pious. It makes them more and more like God, and 
gives them greater views of his goodness, especially in 
the manifestations which on that day he makes of him- 
self, and in the everlasting and glorious ends which, 
through the Sabbath and its means of grace, he will ac- 
complish. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1. Out of the mount; chap. 24:12-18. Gods; idols, or an 
idol to represent God. Wot ; know. 

6. Play; engage in revelling and wantonness. 

7. Tki/ people, which thou broughtest; he says not, my 
people, whom I brought ; but, thy people, which thou 
broughtest; as if he would disown Israel as his people. 

9. Stiff-necked; refusing to yield obedience to the com- 
mands of God. 

10. Let me alone; do not ask me to spare them. 



Moses destroyeth the idol, 



EXODUS XXXII. 



and inter cedeth for Israel. 



Kc.mt may wax hot against them, and that I 
may consume them:" and I will make of thee a 
great nation.'' 

11 And Moses besought the Lord his God,* and 
said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against 
thy people, '^ which thou hast brought forth out of 
the land of Egypt with great power, and with a 
mighty hand ? 

12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and 
say. For mischief did he bring them out, to slay 
them in the mountains, and to consume them from 
tlie face of the earth?'' Turn from thy fierce 
wrath," and repent of this evil against thy people.' 

13 Rememl}er Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy 
servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self,''' 
and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as 
the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have 
spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they 
shall inherit it for ever. 

14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he 
thouglit to do unto his people. '^ 

15 1 And Moses turned, and went down from 
the mount, and the two tables of the testimony 
loere in his hand : the tables were written on both 
their sides ; on the one side and on the other were 
they written. 

16 And the tables were the work of God, and 
the writing was the writing of God, graven upon 
the tables.' 

17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the peo- 
ple as tiiey shouted, he said unto Moses, There is 
a noise of war in the camp. 

18 And he said, // is not the voice of them thai 
shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them 
that cry for being overcome;^ but the noise of 
them that sing do I hear. 

19 % And it came to pass, as soon as he came 
nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the 
dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he 
cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them 
beneath the mount. 

20 And he took the calf which they had made, 
and burnt it in the fire,' and ground it to powder, 
and strewed it upon the water, and made the 
children of Israel drink of if. 

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this 
people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great 
a sin upon them?'' 



> Ch. 2>:-:i. b Num. 14:12; Psa. 106:ai. * Heb. the fare of Ike Lord. 
e Deut. B:lS--.><); Psi. 74;1, 2. d Deut. 3l>:aG,27. e Deut. 13:17; Josh. 
7:26;^ Ezra 1U:U; Psa. 7>i::iS. f Psa. 90:13. E Gen. 22:16; Heb. 0:13. 
h 2 Sam. 2t:16; I Chr. 21:15; Psa. 10(5:45; Jer. 1S:S; Joel 2:13. i ch. 
3I:IS; Deut. 9:10; Heb. 8:10. t Heb. weakness. J Deut. 9:21. k Gen. 
20:9. 1 Deut. 31:27. mver. 1. o ver. 4. I Ueh. those that rose up against 
them, o ch. 33:4, 5; 2 Chr. 23:19; Isa. 47:3; Micah 1:11; Rev. 3:1S. 



11. Moses in reply says, Thy people, which thou hast 
brought, and adds also that it was with a mighty luind; be- 
cause he means to plead the covenant relation of God to 
Israel, and the wonders He has already wrought in their 
behalf, as a reason why He should spare them. In this 
prayer the one appeal of Moses is to Jehovah's glory; 
and this is a prevailing plea. 

12. Repent of this evil ; not destroy the people, but sp;ue 
them. 

15. Tables of the testimony; those on which God had 
written the ten eiMnmandments. 

19. He — brake them ; to show the people, in a significant 
manner, that they had broken the covenant into which 



22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my 
lord wax hot : thou knowest the people, that they 
are set on mischief.' 

23 For they said unto me. Make us gods, which 
shall go before us : for as for this Moses, the man 
that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we 
wot not what is become of him."" 

2-i And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any 
gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me : 
then I cast it into the fire, and there came out 
this calf." 

25 1[ And when Moses saw that the people were 
naked, ifor Aaron had made tiiem naked unto their 
shame among their enemies,'"; 

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, 
and said, Who' w on the Lord's side? let him come 
unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered 
themselves together unto him. 

27 And he said unto them. Thus saith the Lord 
God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, 
and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the 
camp, and slay every man his brother, and every 
man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' 

28 And the children of Levi did according to 
the word of Moses :'' and there fell of the people 
that day about three thousand men. 

29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves ^ 
to-day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, 
and upon his brother ; ' that he may bestow upon 
you a blessing this day.'' 

30 T" And it came to pass on the morrow, that 
Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great 
sin:" and now I will go up unto the Lord ; perad- 
venture I shall make an atonement for your sin.' 

31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, 
Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have 
made them gods of gold." 

32 Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin ; and 
if not, blot me," I pray thee, out of thy book 
which thou hast written.'" 

33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever 
hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my 
book." 

34: Therefore now go, lead the people unto the 
place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, 
mine Angel shall go before thee:^' nevertheless, 
in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon 
them.^ 



p Num. 25:5. 
And RIoses snt'l 
hath been again 
12:20.23. 1 -N 
V Rom. 9:3. » 
ych. 2:3:20; Nu 



: Mai. 2:4-fi. i Ueh. Fill your hands. I Or, 
i!f.t^U-es to-day to the Lord, because every man 

.junsthisbrnther.ele. rJoel2:12-14. ■ 1 Sam. 
IJ 7,8; Amos 5: 15; Jas. 5:16. " ch. 20:2.3, 
ni 12:1; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5. x P,a. 69:28. 

.63:9. iDeut. 32:35; Amos 3:14. 



they had solemnly entered, chap. 24:4, 7, and deserved to 
be destroyed. 

20. The water; which flowed from the rock, chap. 17:6, 
and of which the people continued to drink. 

25. Naked ; stripped of their ornaments, and exposed. 

27. His brother — companion, and — neighbor; all who had 
been engaged in this idolatry. 

29. Consecrate yourselves; devote yourselves to the Lord, 
in the execution of his will in punishing the transgressors. 

30. Make an atonement ; obtain mercy for theiii. 

32, Blot me— out of thy book; if thou destroy them let me 
die also, and not live to see thy dishonor and their ruin. 
34. Visit ; that is, with evils. 

121 



Gixi truth the jxrple. 



EXODIS XXX 111. 



and talhelh with Moses. 



35 Ami tlip L(iin> ])la!rucil tlio jwoplc, berau.«L' 
they made tlic ciill'. wliii-li Aaron iiuulo. 

(" n A r T i: 11 x x x ii i . 

1 The Lord refusctli to ro as he had promised with the people. 4 The 
pmplo murmur thereat. 7 The tabernacle is removed out of the 
camp. 9 The Lord talketh familiarly witli Moses. 12 Moses desjr- 
oth to see the glory of tJoJ. 

AND the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, aiid 
<ro lip hence, thou and the ))eo]>lc wliich thou 
ha;:t brought up out of tlio land ol' Kirypt, unto 
tlie land wliich I swaro unto Abraliani, to Isaac, 
and to Jacob, sayinfr, Uuto thy seed will I give it: 

2 And I will send an Angel before thee ; and I 
will drive out the Canaaiiite, the Auiorite, and 
the Ilittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivitc, and the 
Jebusite: 

3 Unto a land iiowing with milk and honey : for 
I will not go up in the midst of thee ; for thou 
art a stiff-necked people: lest I consume thee in 
the way. 

4 T[ And when the people heard these evil tid- 
ings, they mourned : and no man did put on him 
Lis ornaments. 

5 For the Loud had said unto Moses, Say unto 
the children of Israel, Yc are a stiff-necked people : 
I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, 
and consume thee : therefore now put off' thy orna- 
ments from thee," that I may know what to do 
unto thee. 

G And the children of Israel stripped themselves 
of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 
7 And Moses took the tabernacle," and pitched 

>Job 1:20: Isi. 32:11; Ezsk.2G:lG. b ch. 29: 42. 43. c Psa. 99:7. aDeut. 
M:10. e ch. 32:34. f Isi. 43:1; Jer. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:19. S Psa. 86:11; 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Into whatever engagements men enter to serve the 
Lord, if left to their own sinful inclinations they will soon 
break them, and plunge into wickedness, to their disgrace 
and ruin. 

6. Those forms of religion which gratify the pride, self- 
ishness, and carnal inclinations of men, while they attract 
great numbers, instead of making them better, only make 
them worse and ripen them for divine judgments. 

14. Prayer for sinners, offered from regard to the glory 
of God, has great influence with him, and is often the 
means of changing his conduct towards them ; so that, 
instead of destroying them, he brings them to repentance, 
and bestows upon them precious and everlasting mercies. 

24. ^Yhen good men connive at iniquity, and especially 
when they aid in promoting it, their guilt is exceedingly 
great, and the excuses which they make are both cow- 
ardly and fooHsh. If such conduct does not bring de- 
struction on themselves, it may on multitudes of others. 

29. It is sometimes a duty to take away human life ; and 
in doing it we may honor God, do good to men, and secure 
special divine favor. When done at the command of God, 
or in obedience to his will, it is a proper and useful ex- 
pression of his indignation against sin. 

34. Respite or delay of punishment is not forgiveness ; 
and persons may be spared for a time, and yet afterwards 
be destroyed. The goodness of God in delaying punish- 
ment, should lead all to repentance. If it does not, it will 
in the end aggravate their ruin. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

3. I will not go; not go with his visible, special pres- 
ence, but would send an Angel to lead them, as stated 
ver. 2, and chap. 32:34. 
122 



it without the camp, afar off from the camp, 1," f^J,; 
and called it tlie Tabernacle of the congregation. 
And it came to pass, t/utf every one wliich sought 
the Ixiui) went out unto the tabernacle of tho 
congregation, which was without the camp. 

8 And it came to jias.-;, wlicii Moses went out 
unto the tabcrnacli-, t/iat all the jieople rose up, 
and stood every man at his tent-door, and looked 
after Jloses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. 

!) And it came to ]iass, as Moses entered into the 
tabernacle, the cloudy ]iillar descended, and stood 
at tiie door of the tabernacle, and l/ie LORD 
talked with iloses.'^ 

10 And all the people saw the cloudy jiillar 
stand at the tabernacle-door: and all the people 
rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent- 
door. 

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face,"* 
as a man speaketh uuto his friend. And he turn- 
ed again into the camp; but his servant Joshua, 
the son of Xun, a young man, departed not out of 
the tabernacle. 

12 H And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou 
sayest unto me, Bring up this people :° and thou 
hast not let mo know whom thou wilt send with 
me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name,'' 
and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 

13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found 
grace in thy sight, show me now thy way,'-' that I 
may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight : 
and consider that this nation is thy people.'' 

14 And he said. My presence shall go with tliee} 
and I will give thee rest.^ 



119:33; John 14:21-2:3. h Deut. 9:26. 29; Joel 2:17. i ch. 40:34-38; Is; 
63:9. j Josh. 2:1:1; Ji». 0:18. 



5. I will — consume thee; this he might justly do; and 
this, should they continue their wickedness, he would do. 
We may, however, render these words. If I come up into 
the midst of thee for one moment, I shall consume thee. 
Tlicrefore now put off thy ornaments ; he will have diem put 
themselves in llie dress of crimuials, while he, as it were, 
deliberates what he shall do to them. 

6. By the mount Horeb; or, at a distance from the mount 
Horeb. 

7. The tabernacle; not the holy tent for the building of 
which directions had been given, for that was not yet 
made ; but probably the public tent of the congregation, 
where Moses had been accustomed to hear causes, and 
where also, before the arriv;d at Sinai, he had received 
communications from God. Without the camp; implying 
that the people's sins had cut them off from the privilege 
of having God's presence in the camp. The Tabernacle of 
the congregation ; the place where the penitent of the con- 
gregation should assemble, and where God would meet 
them. 

10. Worshipped; bowed themselves in token of worship- 
ping Jehovah, who was in the cloudy pillar. 

11. Departed not out of the tabernacle; he seems to have 
remained in charge of it. 

12. Thou hast not let me know ; he had only told him he 
would send an Angel before them, ver. 2; and Moses 
wished for more information, especially that God, by his 
own presence, would go with them. By name; as his 
intimate and peculiar friend. 

13. Tliy way; God's way of dealing with men, including 
his purposes and will respecting Israel, Psa. 25:4. This 
prayer is nearly related to that in ver. 18. 

14. My presence shall go; in the pillar of cloud and of 
fire, to guide and protect them. Thus the prayer of 
Moses was answered. Give thee rest; theo and thy people. 



Moses seeth God's glory. 



EXODUS XXXIY. 



The name of God proclaimed. 



ence go not with me,* carry us not up hence. 

16 For wlierein shall it be known here that I 
and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is 
it not in that thou goest with us ? 80 shall we 
be separated,'' I and thy people, from all the peo- 
ple that are u])on the face of the earth. 

17 And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this 
thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast 
found grace in my sight, and 1 know thee by name. 

18 And he said, I beseech thee, show me thy 
glory. 

19 And he said, I will make all my goodness 
pass before thee,'^ and I will proclaim the name of 
tlie Lord before thee; and will be gracious to 
whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy 
on whom I will show mercy.'' 

20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face:'' 
for there shall no man see me, and live. 

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place 
by me, and thou slialt stand upon a rock: 

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory 
passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of tlie 
rock, and will cover thee with my band while I 
pass by : 

23 And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt 
see my back parts ; but my face shall not be seen. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1 The tables are renewed. 5 The name of the Lord proclaimed. 8 
Moses entreateth tjod to go with them. 10 Grod maketh a covenant 
with them, repeating certain duties of the first table. 28 Moses after 
forty days in the mount cometh down with the tables. 29 His face 
shiueth, and he covereth it with a veil. 

ND tlie Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two 
tables of stone like unto the first: and I 



A 



a 


Pia. 


A -.a. 


b Nun 


. 14 


■14i 


Deut. 4:7 


14; 2 


Pail 


. 7:2:3; 


1 Kings 


8:53; 


I'S!. 


147 


W; •. 


Cor. G 


17. 


c ch 


ii4;5-7. 


a Roi 


n. 9 


15, IS. 


» John 


l:lt<; 


1 '1' 


11. ( 


■.W; Heb. 1:: 


-:). 


1 l)e 


It. 10:1-4 


sell 


li); 


2, 13. 


li Prov. 


18:10. 


■■ N 


ira. 


14;13 


, i Chr 


■JU: 


9; }i 


h. 9:17; 


Psa. 66:15 


103:8 


116:5; 


145:8; 



16. Thou goest with us ? in the cloudy pillar, thus show- 
ing that they were his people, and he was their God. 

18. Show me thy glory; Moses asks and receives such a 
visible manifestation of Jehovah's glory as is at the same 
time a revelation of his glorious character and attributes. 
See ver. 19-23, and chap. 34:5-7. 

19. The name of the Lord; his glorious attributes ; for his 
name is the sum of these. Be gracious — show mercy ; his 
sovereignty' in dealing with sinners, which is always guid- 
-ed by infinite wisdom and goodness, is a part of his glory. 

20. My face; that is, my face when I appear to thee in 
my glory. In conversing with Moses face to face, God 
had veiled his glory, that his servant might not be over- 
whelmed by its brightness. 

21. By me; on Sinai. 

22. Passeth by; in visible form, and, as appears from 
ver. 23, in the form of man. It was the eternal Word 
tliat made to Moses this revelation, John 1:18; and it was 
an anticipation of the glory in which he now reveals him- 
self at the right hand of the Father. Compare Matt. 17 : 2 ; 
Acts 26:13-15; Eev. 1:13-17. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. No created beings and no earthly enjoyments can be 
an adequate substitute for the presence and favor of God. 
Without him as our friend and portion, however many 
otlier things we may have, we shall ultimately be wretched. 

7. If men would find mercy and obtain the favor of God, 
they must seek him while he is to be found, and call upon 
Tiim while he is near ; repent of their sins, forsake their 



will write upon these tables the words that were 
in the first tables, which thou brakest.'' 

2 And be ready in the morning, and come up iu 
the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thy- 
self there to me in the top of the mount. 

3 And no man shall come up with thee,'^ neither 
let any man be seen tliroughout all the mount; 
neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that 
mount. 

4 T And he hewed two tables of stone like un- 
to the first ; and Moses rose up early iu the morn- 
ing, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the Lord 
had commanded him, and took in his hand the 
two tables of stone. 

5 And the Lord descended in the cloud, and 
stood with him there, and proclaimed the name 
of the Lord." 

6 And the Lord passed by before him, and pro- 
claimed, The Lord, tiic Lord God, merciful and 
gracious,' long-suffering, and abundant in good- 
ness and truthjj 

7 Keeping mercy for thousands,'' forgiving in- 
iquity and transgression and sin, and that will by 
no means clear the guilty ; visiting the iniquity of 
the fathers upon the children,' and upon the chil- 
dren's children, unto the third and to the foui-th 
ge7ieratio7i. 

8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head 
toward the earth, and worshipped. 

9 And he said. If now I have found grace in 
thy sight, Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go 
among us;™ for it is a stiff-necked people;" and 
pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for 
thine inheritance." 

10 II And he said, Behold, I make a covenant :p 
before all thy people I will do marvels,'' such as 



Joel 2:13; .Innih 4:2; Enm. 2:4. JPsi.57:10. kMic.7:l8. loh. 20:5.6. 
inch. 3:3:1.3, 10. n oh. 33:3. o Deut. 32:9; Psa. 33:12; <M:!4; l:i5:4 ; Jer. 
10:16; Zech. 2:12. P Deut. 5:2. 3; 29:12, 14. q Deut. 4:32-37; Pia. 78:12. 



evil ways, and turn heartily to him : then he wiU abun- 
dantly' pardon. Isa. 55:7. 

13. Clear views of the will and ways of God are ear- 
nestly desired liy his people; especially such views as 
shall make plain the path of dut)', and prepare them faith- 
fully to walk in it. 

17. The number and greatness of the favors which God 
has bestowed, may be pleaded as a reason why he should 
bestow still more and greater. When rightly improved, 
the more numerous they are the more numerous wiU be 
those which shall follow. 

23. However great the manifestations of the glory of 
God, his people desire to see more; and they will see more, 
and still more, as their blessedness and usefulness may 
require. But however much they may see, and however 
long their knowledge may continue to increase, it wiU 
only increase their sense of the infinitude of what remains 
unseen. 2 Cor. 3:18. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

5. The name; his various perfections, whichare included 
in his name. 

7. By no means clear; literally, clearing will not clear. 
Even the iieniterit, while thej' escape destruction, wLU not 
wholly escape the consequences of sin ; and the persever- 
ingly impenitent will finally perish. Upon the children; 
children often suffer from the sins of parents, while the 
punishment of no one is ever greater than his o\\'n sins 
deserve. 

10. Make a covenant; he renewed his promise, though 
123 



God maktth a covcna lit 



EXdDlS X.XXIV 



vitk the Israelilts. 



have not been done in nil the cartli, nor in any 
nation: and all tlie pooido anionir wliieli thou urt 
eliall see tlie work of tlic Loitn: for it is a terri- 
ble thinir that I will do with tiiee." 

11 ()l).-;erve thou tiiat wiiieh 1 command thee 
this day: behold. I ilrivc out iielbie thee tlie 
Aniorite, and the Canaanite, and the Uittite, and 
the I'erizzite, and the llivitc, and the Jebiisite.'' 

12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a cove- 
nant with the inhabitants of the land whither 
thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of 
thee:'- 

_ 13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their 
images,' and cut down their groves: 

14 For thou shalt worshij) no other god:'' for 
the Loud, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous 
God. 

15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabi- 
tants of the land, and they go a whoring after 
their gods, and do sacrifice uuto their gods, and 
one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 

16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy 
sons," and their daughters go a whoring after 
their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after 
their gods. 

17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods. 

18 T The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou 
keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened 
bread,'' as I commanded thee, in the time of the 
month Abib: for in the month Abib thou earnest 
out from Egypt. 

19 All that oponcth the matrix is mine;s and 
every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or 
sheep, that is male. 

20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem 
with a lamb : * and if tliou redeem him not, then 
shalt thou break his neck. All the first-born of 
thy sons thou slialt redeem. And none shall ap- 
pear before me empty. | 

21 H Six days thou shalt work, but on the sev- 



«Pii.«5:5. b Dcut. 7:1, 19; 9:4,5. c Jpsh. 23:12, 13. • Tieh. slalues 
i -Malt. 4:10. = Num. 2.5:1,2; Ezra 9:2; 2 Cor. 6:14. t ch. 12:1.'); •iil.'i 
s ch. 13:2. t Or, kid. h ch. 33:2. I Hfb. revolulion of the year 
21:14,17. Jver.U. k 2 Chr. 17: 10; Job 1:10. 1 Deut. 20;-.!, 10. ■ 



ch. 



the people had so shamefully and wickedly broken theirs. 
Do marvels; perform wonderful things in giving their chil- 
dren the land of Canaan. A terrible thing; he would ac- 
complish, through their means, towards their enemies. 

11. That which I command ; it is to be noticed that ver. 
12-20 contain a repetition of that part of chap. 21-23, in 
which the duties of the Israelites towards God as his 
covenant-people are specified. Thus he formally renewed 
with them the covenant which they had broken. 

12. A covenant; a treaty of peace. A snare; means of 
leading them into sin. 

13. Their groves; or, their images of Ashtaroth, which 
were generally of wood. 

11. A jealous God; especially displeased with those who 
wor_ship any thing except himself. 

17. Molten ; that is, melted ; idols cast in a furnace. 

18. The feast of unleavened bread; that connected with 
the passover. Chap. 12:14-20. 

19. Is- mine ; chap. 13:2, 12, 13. 

21. Earing; ploughing. Harvest ; in the most busy 
seasons of the year, wlien they would be most strongly 
tempted to break the Sabbath, as well as at other times, 
they were to rest and keep the day holy. 

22. Feast of weeks ; penteoost, which began seven weeks, 
or the fiftieth day after the passover. Chap. 23:16; Deut. 

124 



enth day thou shalt rest:'' in earing-time b.cuJJ: 
and ill harvest thou shaft rest. 

'22 'i And lliou shalt oliserve the feast of weeks, 
of the first-fruits of wheat-harvest, and the feast 
of ingathering at the year's end.- 

2:5 • 'i'lirice ill they(\irsiiall all yourmen-diildren 
a])pear before tlie Lord (Jon, the God of Israel.' 

24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, 
and enlarge thy borders :J neither .'^hall any man 
desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear 
before the Lord thy God tliriet; in the year.^ 

25 Thou shalt not olVer llie blood of my sacrifice 
with leaven ; neither shall tlie sacrifice of the feast 
of the passover be left unto the morning. 

2() The first of the first-fruits of tiiy land thou 
shalt bring unto the house of the LoiU) thy God.' 
Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk."' 

27 And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou 
these words : " for after the tenor of thes(' words I 
have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. 

28 And he was there with the Lord forty days 
and forty nights;" he did neither eat bread, nor 
drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the 
words of the covenant,'' the ten commandments.* 

29 % And it came to pass, when Moses came 
down from mount Sinai with the two tables of 
testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down 
from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin 
of his face shone while he talked with him.'' 

30 And when Aaron and all the children of Is- 
rael saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone ; 
and they were afraid to come nigh him. 

31 And Moses called unto them ; and Aaron and 
all the rulers of the congregation returned unto 
him : and Moses talked with them. 

32 And afterward all the children of Israel came 
nigh ; and he gave them in commandment all that 
the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.'' 

33 And //// Moses had done speaking with them, 
he put a veil on his face.* 



14:21. n Deut. 31:9. o Deut. 9:9, 18. P ver. 1; Deut. 4:13; 10:2. 4; 
2 Cor. 3:7. « Hcb. U'ords. 1 Matt. 17:2; Luke !);2'J; Acts 6:15; 2 Cor. 
3:7, i:3; Rev. 1:16. r ch. 21 : 1 ; Num. 15:40. « 2 Cor. 3: 13-10. 



1C:9, 10. Feast of ingathering ; of tabernacles, which was 
observed at the close of the harvest. Chap. 23: 14-1 fi. 

24. Desire thy land; while all the able-bodied men should 
be absent, God would not only prevent their land from 
being invaded, but he would keep their enemies from de- 
siring it. This promise was literally fuliilled. In the 
history of the Jews, no instance is known of their ene- 
mies' taking advantage of their attendance upon the ap- 
pointed feasts to invade the land. 

25. He wrote; the Lord wrote the ten commandments on 
these tables, as he had done on the first, which were 
broken; and the other commands Moses wrote as God 
directed him, ver. 1; Deut. 10:4. 

29. His face shone; this was the effect of being with 
God, and beholding his glory. 

33. He put a veil on his face; to prevent their being 
afraid of liim. Tlie shining of his face indicated the glory, 
and his veiling it indicated the darkness of that dispensa- 
tion, compared with the gospel. The veil also fitly illus- 
trated the darkness of the human mind as to spiritual 
things, without the illuminating influences of the Uoly 
Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:6-18. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Notwithstanding the indignation of Jehovah against 



Free gifts of the peopk 



EXODUS XXXV. 



for the tabernacle. 



kc i'm: 34 But wlicn Moses wont in before the 
Lord to speak with him, he took the veil ofl', until 
he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the 
children cf Israel i/iat which he was coiumandcd. 
35 And the children of Israel saw the face of 
Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone : and 
Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he 
went in to speak with him. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

1 Tlie Sabbath. 4 The free gifts for the tabernacle. 20 The readiness 
of the people to offer. 30 Bezaleel and Aholiab are called to the 
work. 

AND Moses gathered all the congregation of 
the childi-en of Israel together, and said unto 
them, These ai-e the words which the Lort) hath 
commanded, that ye should do them.'' 

2 Six days shall work bo done," but on the sev- 
enth day there shall be to you a holy day,* a sab- 
bath of rest to the Lord : whosoever doeth work 
therein shall be put to death." 

3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habi- 
tations upon the sabbatli-day.'' 

4 ir And Moses spake unto all the congregation 
of the children of Israel, saying. This is the thing 
which the Lord commanded, saying, 

5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the 
Lord : whosoever is of a willing heart," let him 
bring it, an offering of the Lord ; gold, and silver, 
and brass, 

6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine 
linen, and goats' hair, 

I And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, 
and shittim-wood, 

8 And oil for the light, and spices for anointing 
oil. and for the sweet incense, 

II And onyx-stones, and stones to be set for the 
ephod, and for the breastplate. 

10 And every wiso-hoarted among you shall come, 
and make all that the Lord hath commanded •/ 



iCh. 34:3-2. bLev.23:3. • Heh. /wliness. c Deut. 5:12-14; Luka 13:14, 

<i Num. 15:32. etc. e ch. 25:2; Mark 12:41-44; 2 Cor. 8:11, 12; 9:7. 

h. 31:6. e ch. 25:10, etc. h Lev. 24:5, C. i ch. 30:1, etc. Jch. 27:9; 



backsliders, those who repent and seek his mercy he will 
forgive, renew his covenant with them, and take them 
again under bis gracious care. 

7. Though God forgives bis penitent believing people, 
he does not deliver tbem from all the consequences of 
their sins. The evils of tbem they may feel, in numerous 
ways, to the end of Ufe, and even transmit to future gen- 
erations ; while none who do not repent, and turn heartily 
to him, can escape utter and irretrievable ruin. 

11. No repentance of sin or professed reformation will 
avail to salvation, which does not lead men to do what 
God commands tbem. 

14. To regard any object above Jehovah, or pay even 
external worship to any but him, is exceedingly offensive 
in his sight, and exposes those who are guilty of it to his 
just indignation. 

15. Intimate connection with the openly wicked, and all 
apparent joining with tbem in their iniquity, or conniving 
at it, should be carefully avoided. 

21. Often, plainly, and expressly, God commands men 
to keep the Sabbath; and no pressure of worldly busi- 
ness, even in the most pressing season, should lead them 
ever to neglect it. They have no right to do, to attempt, 
or wish to do any more business than is consistent with 
their remembering the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. 

24. God is able so to control the desires and efforts of 



11 The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, 
his taches, and liis boards, his bars, his pillars, 
and his sockets ; 

12 The ark,!^ and the staves thereof, with the 
mercy-seat, and the veil of the covering; 

13 The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, 
and the show-broad ; *' 

14 Tiie candlestick also for the light, and his 
furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light ; 

15 And the incense-altar,' and his staves, and the 
anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hang- 
ing for tlie door at tlie entering in of the tabernacle ; 

16 The altar of burnt-offering, with his brazen 
grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and 
his foot ; 

17 The hangings of the court,J his pillars, and 
their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the 
court ; 

18 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of 
the court, and their cords ; 

19 The clothes of service, to do service in the 
holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, 
and the garments of his sons, to minister in the 
priest's office.'' 

20 ^ And all the congregation of the children 
of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 

21 And they came, every one whose heart stir- 
red liim up, and every one whom his spirit made 
willing,' and they brought the Lord's offering to 
the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, 
and for all his service, and for the holy garments. 

22 And they came, both men and women, as 
many as were willing-hearted, a7id brought brace- 
lets, and ear-rings, and rings, and tablets, all 
jewels of gold : and every man that offered, offered 
an offering of gold unto the Lord. 

23 And every man, with whom was found blue, 
and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' 
hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, 
brought them. 



2 Sam, 7:2. k ch. 31:10; 39:1,41; Num. 4:5, 7, i 
25:2; 3(j:2; IChr. 28:3,9; 29:9; Ezri7:27. 



, 22, etc. ; ch. 



men, that none shall in the end be losers from conscien- 
tiously and perseveringly obeying him. 

27. It is a great blessing to have the words of the Lord 
written in a book. And as we have the book which contains 
them, written not in words which man's wisdom taught, 
but which the Holy Ghost taught, their meaning should 
be communicated in the plainest manner to all the people. 

33. The meaning and use of the Old Testament are, to 
a great extent, explained in the New. They are parts of 
the same revelation, and a knowledge of both is necessary 
in order to a fuU luiderstanding of either. Those, there- 
fore, who think that the Old Testament is out of date, and 
that the study of it can be neglected without sin, or with- 
out great loss to the soul, do exceedingly err, not know- 
ing the Scriptures. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

3. Kindle no fire; for any worldly purpose; not even to 
manufacture articles for the tabernacle or sanctuary of the 
Lord. 

4-29. The tabernacle. Chap. 25:2-40. 

18. Pins of the tabernacle; supposed to be those to which 
the cords of the sacred tent were fastened, and which 
were driven into the groimd, to keep it firm in its place. 

22. Tablets; supposed to be ornaments worn around the 
head or neck. 

12.5 



Bezalttl and AAoliab. 



EXODUS XXXVI. 



The offering; s are too many. 



24 Every one tliat did ofTor an offering of pilver 
and brass broutrht the Lonn's offering: and every 
man, with wlioni was found shittim-Avood for any 
work of tlic service, brought it. 

25 And all the women that were wise-licartcd 
did spin with their hands," and brought that which 
they had s|inn, both of blue, and of purple, and of 
scarlet, and nf fine linen. 

26 And all the women whose heart stirred them 
up in wisdom spun goats' hair. 

27 And the rulers brought onyx-stones," and 
stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breast- 
plate ; 

28 And spice,'' and oil for the light, and for the 
anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 

29 The children of Israel brought a willing 
offering unto the Lord,'' every man and woman, 
whose heart made them willing to bring for all 
manner of work, which the Loud had commanded 
to be made liy the hand of Moses. 

30 7 And Moses said unto the children of Is- 
rael,'' Sec, the Lord hath called by name Bczaleel 
the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of 
Judah ; 

31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of 
God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in know- 
ledge, and in all manner of w'orkmanship ; 

32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, 
and in silver, and in brass, 

33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and 
in carving of wood, to make any manner of cun- 
ning work. 

34 And he hath put in his heart that he may 
teach,'^6o/A ho, and Alioliab, the son of Ahisamach, 
of tlie tribe of Dan. 

35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart,^ to 
work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of 
the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in 
blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, 
and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, 
and of those that devise cunning work. 



a Ch. 28:3; 2 Kings 23:7; Prov. 31:19. b 1 Chr. 29:6; Ezra2:es. c ch. 
30:2J. d Ter. 21; 1 CKr. 29:9. e ch. 31:2, etc. fNeh. 2:12. 6 ver. 31; 
ch. 31:3,6; 1 Kings 3:12; 7:U; 2 Chr. 2:14; Isa. 2S:26; 51:16. h ch. 



25. Wise-hearted ; skilled in curious spinning. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The observance of the Sabbath was so essential to 
the civil welfare of the Israelites, and to the prevalence 
and perpetuity of true religion, that it was here placed 
first among the directions which God gave his people. 
The command to keep it holy was often repeated, and on 
a variety of occasions ; and the open, presumptuous viola- 
tion of it was to be punished with death. 

5. Free, voluntary offerings for the purpose of promot- 
ing the glory of God and the good of mankind, are pecul- 
iarly pleasing to him. 

10. Those whose talents and skill are employed in do- 
ing what God has commanded, are, in the best sense, 
wise-hearted ; while those whose powers are not em- 
ployed in obeying him, are, in the most emphatic sense, 
fools. Psa. 14:1; Prov. 17:16. 

22. All who are truly wise, both men and women, when 
they know the will of God, will be disposed to do it ; and 
in offering willingly to him of what he has given them, 
they will derive from it greater enjoyment and benefit than 
if they had hoarded it, or employed it on themselves. 

29. In giving to the Lord of what he has given to them, 
all may take a part, the poor as weU as the rich, and their 
126 



(11 A I'TER XXXVI. 1,.?:fli;. 

1 The ofleringa arc dclivcrnl to Uic workmen. 5 The liberality of the 
)>''ople is restrained. 8 The curtains of cherubim. 14 The curtains 
of goals' hair. 19 The covering of skins. 1>0 The boards with their 
BockeU. 31 The bars. 30 Tlie veil. 37 The hanging for tlie door. 

I^UEN" wrought Bczaleel and Aholiab, and ev- 
ery wise-hearted man,'' in whom the Lord put 
wisdom and iiriderstiinding to know how to work 
all manncrof work for the service of tlie sanctuary,' 
according to all that the Lord had commanded. 

2 And Moses called Bczaleel and Aholiab, and 
every wise-]iearted man, in whose heart the Lord 
had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stir- 
red him up to come unto the work to do it.' 

3 And they received of Jloses all the offering, 
which the children of Israel had brought for the 
work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it 
withal. And they brought yet unto him free offer- 
ings every morning. 

4 1 And all the wise men," that wrought all the 
work of the sanctuary,' came every man from his 
work which tiiey made; 

5 And they spake unto Moses, saying. The peo- 
ple bring much more than enough for the service 
of the work, which the Lord commanded to make.™ 

6 And Moses gave commandment, and they 
caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp. 
saying. Let neither man nor woman make any 
more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So 
the people were restrained from bringing. 

7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all 
the work to make it, and too much." 

8 Tl And every wise-hearted man among tlicni 
that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten 
curtains o/'fine twined linen," and blue, and pur- 
ple, and scarlet : with cherubim of cunning work 
made he them. 

9 The length of one curtain was twenty and eight 
cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cu- 
bits : the curtains were all of one size. 

10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto 



2S:3; 31:6; 35:10.35. ■ ch. 25:8; Num. 7:9; Heb. 8:2. J ch. 35:25,20; 
lChr.29:5. l!lCor.3:I0. 12Chr.24:13. >» 2 Cor. 8:2, 3; Phil. 4:17, 16. 
n 2 Chr. 31:10. o ch. 26:1, etc. 



offerings may be equally acceptable. If there be a will- 
ing mind, it is accepted .according to what any one hath, 
and not according to what ho hath not. Mark 12:43, 44; 
2 Cor. 8:12. 

34. Mechanical skill, as really as divine grace, men 
receive from God ; but they can obtain and confer the 
benefits of neither without their own efforts. And both, 
to be accepted, must be employed in the service and to 
the glory of the Giver. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

1. Tlien wro^ighl ; rather, and Bezaleel and Aholiab 
shall work. Accordingly iloses calls them, ver. 2, to this 
service. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Those who are intrusted with public contributions 
should conscientiously appropriate them to the object.; 
for which they are given, and avoid both the reality and 
the appearance of employing any part of them for other 
purposes. 

7. The hearts of men, and all their powers, are so under 
the control of God, that he can at any time lead them_ to 
devote any portion of what he gives them to his service, 
and make them instrumental, in such ways as he sees best, 
of ad^'^ncins: his cause. 



The curtains, boards, and bars. 



EXODUS XXXVII. 



The veil, ark, and mercy-seat. 



b.c'iwl' another: and the other five curtains he 
coupled one unto another. 

11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of 
one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: 
likewise he made in the uttermost side of another 
curtain, in the coupling of the second. 

12 Fifty loops made he in one curtain," and fifty 
loops made he in the edge of the curtain which 
was in the coupling of the second : the loops held 
one curtain to another. 

13 And he made fifty taches of gold, and coup- 
led the curtains one unto another with the taches : 
so it became one tabernacle.'' 

14 ^ And he made curtains of goats' hair for the 
tent over the tabernacle :'^ eleven curtains he made 
them. 

15 The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, 
and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: 
the eleven curtains were of one size. 

16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, 
and six curtains by themselves. 

17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost 
edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops 
made he upon the edge of the curtain which coup- 
leth the second. 

18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple 
the tent together, that it might be one. 

19 And he made a covering for the tent o/" rams' 
skins dyed red,"^ and a covering of badgers' skins 
above that. 

20 T" And he made boards for the tabernacle'^ of 
shittim-wood,'^ standing up. 

21 The length of a board loas ten cubits, and the 
breadth of a board one cubit and a half. 

22 One board had two tenons, equally distant 
one from another: thus did he make for all the 
boards of the tabernacle. 

23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; 
twenty boards for the south side southward : 

21 And forty sockets of silver he made under 
the twenty boards ; two sockets under one board 
for his two tenons, and two sockets under another 
board for his two tenons. 

25 And for the other side of the tabernacle, which 
is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards, 

26 And their forty sockets of silver ; two sockets 
under one board, and two sockets under another 
board. 

27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward 
he made six boards. 

28 And two boards made he for the corners of 
the tabernacle in the two sides. 

29 And they were coupled* beneath, and coupled 
together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he 
did to both of them in both the corners. 





» Oh. 


aii 


.1. b 


1 Cor. 12 


;>n; 


Ejih. 


2:20-22 


1 1 


et. 2:4, 5 


c 


r.h 


26:7. 


d 


h -M 


14 


e ch 


. 26:15. 


r.h 


25:5 


10: Nil 


Ti. 25 


:1; Deut. 


1(1:: 




• Heb. 


n 


innrd 




Heb. 


two sockets. 


two sockets under c 


ne board. 


1! r 


h. 


26:26. 


ll 


:h. -ifi 


:)l 


30:6 


Matt. 27 


.51; 


Heb. 


10:20. 


ch. 


26:36. i 


Heb 


the work 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

2. He overlaid it with pure gold ; some have supposed that 
this was done with thin plates, others that it was gilt. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

As the dwelling of God in the tabernacle, and the sacri- 
fices of his people, were preparatory to and emblematical 



30 And there were eight boards ; and their sock- 
ets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every 
board two sockets.*^ 

31 1 And he made bars of shittim-wood;« five 
for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 

32 And five bars for the boards of the other 
side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards 
of the tabernacle for the sides westward. 

33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through 
the boards from the one end to the other. 

3-4 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and 
made their rings o/'gold to be places for the bars, 
and overlaid the bars with gold. 

35 1 And he made a veil of blue, and purple, 
and scarlet, and fine twined linen : with cherubim 
made he it of cunning work." 

36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shit- 
t\m-ivood, and overlaid them with gold : their 
hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four 
sockets of silver. 

37 IF And he made a hanging for the tabernacle 
door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine 
twined linen,' of needle-work;*^ 

38 And the five pillars of it with their hoots; 
and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets 
with gold : but their five sockets ivere of brass. 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

1 The ark. 6 Tlie mercy-seat \Wth cherubim. 10 The table with his 
vessels. 17 The candlestick with his lamps and instruments. 25 
The altar of incense. 29 The anointing oil and sweet incense. 

AND Bezaleel made the ark o/" shittim-wood :^ 
two cubits and a half urns the length of it, 
and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a 
cubit and a half the height of it : 

2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and 
without, and made a crown of gold to it round about. 

3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by 
the four corners of it ; even two rings upon the one 
side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it. 

4 And he made staves o/" shittim-wood, and over- 
laid them with gold. 

5 And he put the staves into the rings by the 
sides of the ark, to bear the ark. 

6 IT And he made the mercy-seat q/"pure gold:' 
two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and 
one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 

7 And he made two cherubim of gold," beaten 
out of one piece made he them, on the two ends 
of the mercy-seat ; 

8 One cherub on' the end on this side, and an- 
other cherub on* the other end on that side: out 
of the mercy-seat made he the cherubim on the 
two ends thereof. 

9 And the cherubim spread out their wings on 



of a needle-worker, or embroiderer, i Psa. 45:14. t ch. 25:10; 40:3, 21: 
Num. 10:3.3, 35. 1 ch. 25:17. m 1 Kings 6:23; Psa. B0:1. 1 Or, outol. 
I Or, out of. 



of his tabernacling in liuman flesh, and by one otfering of 
himself opening the treasures of his grace to mankind, 
every thing relating to tliem is recorded with minute ex- 
actness, and the fact carefully stated that all was done ac- 
cording to the pattern shown to iloses in the mount ; tlius 
indicating that redemption is peculiarly the work of God, 
and reflecting special honor on Christ as Kcdeemer. 
1-27 



The table, candlestirk, and alUirs. 



EXODUS XX.WIII. 



The. laver, and the court. 



high," and rovcrcd witli tlioir winjrs over tlic iiicrcy- 
scat, witli tl)oir faces one to another; even to tlie 
inercy-suat-ward were the faces of the cheruhiin.'' 

10 IT And lie made tlie tabic of sliittim-wood :'' 
two cubits n-ns thp lengtli tliereof, and a culiit the 
breadtli thereof, and a cubit and a half the height 
thereof: 

11 And he overlaid it with pure pold, and made 
thereunto a crown of fjold round about. 

12 Also he made thereunto a border of a liand- 
breadth round about; and made a crown of gold 
for the border thereof round about. 

13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put 
the rings upon the four corners that were in the 
four feet thereof. 

14 Over against the border were the rings, the 
places for the staves to bear the table. 

15 And he made the staves o/"s]iittim-wood, and 
ovei'laid them with gold, to bear the table. 

IG And he made the vessels which ivere upon the 
table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, 
and his covers to cover withal,* o/pure gold.'' 

17 1i And he made the candlestick o/"pure gold :" 
of beaten work made he the candlestick; his 
shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and 
his flowers, were of the same : 

18 And six branches going out of the sides 
thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of 
the one side thereof, and three branches of the 
candlestick out of the other side thereof: 

19 Three bowls made after the fashion of al- 
monds in one branch, a knop and a flower ; and 
three bowls made like almonds in another branch, 
a knop and a flower ; so throughout the six branch- 
es going out of the candlestick. 

2l) And in the candlestick ivere four bowls made 
like almonds, his knops, and his flowers : 

21 And a knop under two branches of the same, 
and a knop under two branches of the same, and 
a knop under two branches of the same, according 
to the six branches going out of it. 

22 Their knops and their branches were of the 
same : all of it icas one beaten work o/"pure gold. 

23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snufi"- 
ers, and his snuff-dishes, q/"pure gold. 

24 0/" a talent of pure gold made he it, and all 
the vessels thereof. 

25 TI And he made the incense-altar of shittim- 
wood:'' the length of it ivas a cubit, and the 
breadth of it a cubit ; it was foursquare ; and two 
cubits was the height of it ; the horns thereof were 
of the same. 

26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, loth the 
top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and 
the horns of it : also he made unto it a crown of 
gold round about. 

27 And he made two rings of gold for it under 
the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon 



a Gen. 3:24; Isa. 6;2; Ezck. ch. 10. b ch. 25:20. c ch. 25:23; 3.3:13; 
40:4, 22; Ezek. 40:39; Mai. 1:12. • Or. (o prar oul withal, i ch. 25:29; 
2Tim.2;20. *oh. 25:31; 40:21,25; 1 Chr. 2S:15; 2Chr. 13:11 ; Zech.4:2, 
11; Heb.9:2; Rev.l:12.20; 2:1,5. fch.SOil; 40:27; Luke 1:9,10; Hev. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

1. The altar; chap. 27:1-8. 

8. The laver; chap. 30:18-21. Looking-slasses ; mirrors 
128 



the two sides thereof, to be places for the B.'iiJJJ: 
staves to bear it withal. 

2S And he made the staves o/ shiltiiu-wood, and 
overlaid them witii gold. 

21) 'i And he iiuidc the holy anointing oil," and 
th(> pure inciMise of sweet spices,'' according to the 
work of the apothecary. 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

1 The altar of burnt-ofTcring. 8 The lavcr of briws. 9 The court. 21 
Tltc sum of that the people ofiereU. 

AND he made the altar of burntoffering of 
siiittim-wood:' live cubits was tlic length 
thereof, and live cubits the breadth thereof; it icas 
foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof. 

2 And he made the horns thereof on the four 
corners of it ; the horns thereof were of the same: 
and he overlaid it with brass. 

3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the 
pots, and the shovels, and the basins, and the ilesh- 
hooks, and the fire-pans: all the vessels thereof 
made he o/" brass. 

4 And he made for the altar a brazen grate of 
network, under the compass thereof, beneath unto 
the midst of it. 

5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the 
grate of brass, to be places for the staves. 

6 And he made the staves q/" shittim-wood, and 
overlaid them with brass. 

7 And he put the staves into the rings on the 
sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the 
altar hollow with boards. 

8 Ti And he made the laver of brass,J and the 
foot of it of brass, of the looking-glasses* of the 
women assembling,* which assembled at the door 
of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

9 1 And he made the court:" on the south side 
southward the hangings of the court were of fine 
twined linen, a hundred cubits : 

10 Their pillars were twenty, and their brazen 
sockets twenty ; the hooks of the pillars and their 
fillets were q/" silver. 

11 And for the north side the hangings were a 
hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and 
their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the 
pillars and their fillets o/" silver. 

12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty 
cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the 
hooks of the pillars and their fillets 0/ silver. 

13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits. 

14 The hangings of the one side of the gate were 
fifteen cubits ; their pillai'S three, and their sockets 
three. 

15 And for the other side of the court gate, on 
this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen 
cubits ; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 

16 All the hangings of the court round about 
were of fine twined linen. 



8:3,4. ech.30:23; Psa. 23:5; 92:10; Isa.61:l,3. lich.30:34. ich.a7:l 
ich. 30:18. i Or, brazen glasses, t Heh. assernbling by troops. *ch.27;9 
40:8,33; lKings6:36: Fsa.84:2,10. 



of polished metal. Which assembled; for religious pur- 
poses, and to unite in tlie worship of God. 
9. Tlie court ; chap. 27 : 9. 



The sum of the offerings. 



EXODUS XXXIX. 



The holy garments. 



ac'S 17 And the sockets for the pillars were 
o/" brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets 
o/" silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of 
silver ; and all the pillars of the court u-ere fillet- 
ed with silver. 

18 And the hanging for the gate of the court 
was needle-work, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, 
and fine twined linen :" and twenty cubits ivas the 
length, and the height in the breadth icas five 
cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court. 

19 And their pillars it-ere four, and their sockets 
of brass four ; their hooks o/" silver, and the over- 
laying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver. 

20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the 
court round about, were of brass.'' 

21 IT This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of 
the tabernacle of testimony," as it was counted, 
according to the commandment of Moses, for the 
service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar," 
son to Aaron the priest. 

22 And Bezaleel the son of Uri,° the son of Hur, 
of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord 
commanded Moses. 

23 And with him was Aholiab,'" sou of Ahisa- 
mach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cun- 
ning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and 
in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. 

24 All the gold that was occupied for the work 
in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of 
the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and 
seven hundred and thirty shekels,^ after the shekel 
of the sanctuary." 

25 And the silver of them that were numbered 
of the congregation ivas a hundred talents, and a 
thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen 
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary : 

20 A bekah for every man,* that is, half a shekel, 
after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one 
that went to be numbered,' from twenty years old 
and upward,J for six hundred thousand and three 
thousand and five hundred and fifty men. 

27 And of the hundred talents of silver were 
cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets 
of the veil;" a hundred sockets of the hundred 
talents, a talent for a socket. 

28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy 
and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and 
overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.' 

29 And the brass of the ofieriug was seventy tal- 
ents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels. 



lO 


Chr 


. 3:14. 


6 ch. 


87: 


10; 


achr. 


3:9; Ezra 9 


8; Isa. 22 


ai. e 


Num. 


It.Kl, 


.■W; 


9:15; 10:11; 


7-' 


H- 


18:2; 


2 Chr. 


24:6; 


Acts 7:44 


Kbv, 


11:111. 


d ^ll 


-n.l, 


:28,33 


e ch 


31 • 


l.li 


35:31 


. fch 


35:3. 


. s 1 Chr 


W:I4 


; 20:2, 


7; U 


ag- 


i:S. h 


ch. 30 


:13 


■i\ 


Lev. 


5:15; 


27:3, 


25; Num. 


3:47; 


18:16. 



18. Tlie height in the breadth ; the height of the gate, or 
entrance, was equal to the breadth of the curtain, or hang- 
ing, which closed it. 

21. The sum; enumeration or statement of the various 
articles for the tabernacle. 

24. Talents — shekels ; a shekel was half an ounce avoir- 
dupois, and a talent equal to three thousand shekels, or 
ninety-three pounds and twelve ounces. In value, a shekel 
was about fifty cents, and a talent of silver about fifteen 
hundred dollars. A talent of gold was equal, it is sup- 
posed, to about twelve times that amount. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
8. Religion has ever taken a strong and permanent hold 
9 



30 And therewith he made the sockets to the 
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and 
the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and 
all the vessels of the altar, 

31 And the sockets of the court round about, and 
the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the 
tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about. 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

1 The clothes of service and holy garments. 2 The ephod. 8 The 
breastplate. 2*2 The robe of tne ephod. 27 The coats, mitre, and 
girdle of fine linen. 30 The plate of the holy crown. 32 All is 
viewed and approved by Moses. 

AND of the blue, and purple, and scarlet,™ they 
made clothes of service, to do service in the 
holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron ;" 
as the Lord commanded Moses." 

2 And he made the ephod o/gold, blue, and pur- 
ple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.' 

3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, 
and cut it into wires, to woi-k it in the blue, and 
in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine 
linen, with cunning work. 

4 They made shoulder-pieces for it, to couple it to- 
gether : by the two edges was it coupled together. 

5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was 
upon it, was of the same, according to the work 
thereof; o/gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and 
fine twined linen ; as the Lord commanded Moses. 

6 1^ And they wrought onyx-stones inclosed in 
ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with 
the names of the children of Israel.'' 

7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, 
that they should be stones for a memorial to the chil- 
dren of Israel f as the Lord commanded Moses. 

8 IF And he made the breastplate of cunning 
work, like the work of the ephod ; of gold, blue, 
and purple, and scarlet, and tine twined linen.'* 

9 It was foursquare ; they made the breastplate 
double : a span was the length thereof, and a span 
the breadth thereof, being doubled. 

10 And they set in it four rows of stones:' the 
first row was a sardius,* a topaz, and a carbuncle: 
this was the first row. 

11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, 
and a diamond. 

12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an 
amethyst. 

13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a 
jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in 
their inclosings. 



• Heb 


a poll. 


ich 


30 


13,15. JNun 


n. 


:46 


2B:.'il 


. k ch. 26:1^432 


Ich. 


27:17 


a oh. 


95-4 


3.^ 


■X\ 


nch. 31 


Ill 


•.M> 


19. 


ch. 23:4; 


Exek. 


42:14 


Pch. 
etc. 


28:6; L 
Rev. a 


: 10, 


20. 


q ch 
t Or 


28:9-12. 
ruby. 


' 


ch. 


Ja:'^); 


Josh. 4:7 


»ch. 


28:15, 



upon the heart of woman ; and while it has greatly ele- 
vated, adorned, and ennobled her character, increased her 
enjoyments, and extended her usefulness, it has been 
greatly promoted by her prayers, her example, her sacri- 
fices, and her efforts. 

24. However much property, at the direction of God, 
is devoted to the promotion of his glory, in the establish- 
ment and support of his worship, instead of being lost, as 
many suppose, it is employed to tlie greatest advantage, 
both to the possessors and to the world. 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

2-31. Tlie high-priest's dress. Chap. 28. 
129 



Tht hreastpl tie, rule, and milrf. 



EXODl'S XL. 



The taherrutde mmplelid. 



14 And Itic stones were acconlincj to the names 
of tlio cliildrcn of Israel, twelve," aceordinfr to 
their names, like the en<^ravin<^s of a sis^net, every 
one with his name, aceording to the twelve tril)es. 

LS And tliey made upon the breastplate chains 
at the ends, o/'wreathon work o/" pure jrold. 

16 And they made two ouches o/'gold, and two 
gold rinjrs, and pnt the two rings in the two cuds 
of the breastplate. 

17 And they j)ut the two wreathen chains of pold 
in the two rinijs on the ends of the breastplate.'' 

18 And the two ends of the two wreathen ciiains 
they fastened in tlie two onclies, and put them on 
the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, before it. 

I'J And they made two rinirs of sold, and put f/ie?n 
on the two ends of the lireastplato, upon the border 
of it, -which wo* on the side of the ephod inward. 

20 And they made two other iroldcn rings, and 
put them on the two sides of tiie epiiod under- 
neath, toward the forepart of it, over against the 
other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of 
the ephod. 

21 A nd they did bind the breastplate by his rings 
unto the rings of the epiiod with a lace of blue, 
that it might be above the curious girdle of the 
ephod, and that the l)reastplate might not be loosed 
from tlie ephod ; as the Loud commanded Moses. 

22 *! And he made the robe of the ephod of wo- 
ven work, all of blue." 

23 And there van a hole in the midst of the robe, 
as the hole of a habergeon, u-ith a band round 
about the hole, that it should not rend. 

24 And they made upon the hems of the robe 
pomegranates q/" blue, and purple, and scarlet, and 
twined linen. 

25 And they made bells o/"pure gold,'' and put the 
bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of 
the robe,'' round about between the pomegranates : 

26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pome- 
granate, round about the hem of the robe to min- 
ister in : as the Lord commanded Moses. 

27 1 And they made coats of fine linen of woven 
work for Aaron, and for his sons,' 

28 And a mitre o/" fine linen,'^ and goodly bonnets 
of hue linen, and linen breeches o/"fine twined linen,'' 

29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, 
and purple, and scarlet, of necdlc-work ; as the 
Lord commanded Moses.' 

30 IT And they made the plate of the holy crown 
o/"pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to 
the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE 
LORD.J 

31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten 



• Rev. 21:12. b Cant. 1:10. Cch. 28:31. J ch. 28:31. e Cant. 4:13. 
' ch. 23:39, 40. s ch. 28:4, 39. h ch. 23:42; Ezek. 44:18. i ch. 25:39. 
J Zeoh. 14:20. k ,er. 42, 43; ch. 25:40; Dcut. 12:32; 1 Sam. 15:22; 1 Chr. 
25:19; Matt, 23:20; Heb. 8:.'). • Heb. the incense of smet spices. 1 ch. 



37. To be set in order; or, arranged in order, that is, in 
a row. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

32. When numbers unite earnestly and perseveringly 
in a good work, much, with the blessing of God, may be 
accomplished in a short time. 

42. When things are undertaken and accomplished ac- 
cording to the directions of God, they will be done in tlie 
best manner. 

43. When others have done well we should show our- 

130 



U on high upon the mitre; as tlie Loud u.^Nil: 
commanded Moses. 

32 11 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of 
the tent of the congregation finished ; and the chil- 
dren of Israel did according to all that the Lord 
commanded Moses, so diil they.'' 

33 \ And they brought the tabernacle unto Mo- 
ses, the tent, and all his fiiinitiire, his taches, li's 
boards, his bars, and his jiillars, and his sockets; 

34 And the cpvering of rains' skins dyed red, 
and the covering of badgers' skins, and the veil of 
the covering; 

35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves 
thereof, and the mercy-seat; 

3() The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the 
show-bread ; 

37 The pure candlestick, u-ith the lamps thereof 
even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the 
vessels thereof and the oil for light; 

38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, 
and the sweet incense,' and the hanging for the 
tabernacle door ; 

39 The brazen altar, and his grate of brass, his 
staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot ; 

40 The hangings of the court, his jiillars, and his 
sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his 
cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service 
of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation ; 

41 The clothes of service to do service in the 
holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the 
priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the 
priest's ofiBce.' 

42 According to all that the Lonn commanded 
Moses,'" so the children of Israel made all the work. 

43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and 
behold, they had done it as the Lord had com- 
manded, even so had they done it: and Moses 
blessed them." 

CHAPTER XL. 

1 The biternacle is commanded to be reared, 9 and .anointed. 13 Aaron 
and his sons to be sanctified. 16 Moses performeth all things accord- 
ingly. 34 A cloud covereth the tabernacle. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 On the first day of the first month shalt 
thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the con- 
gregation." 

3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the tes- 
timony, and cover the ark with the veil. 

4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in 
order' the things that are to be set in order upon 
it;"" and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and 
light the lamps thereof. 



31:10 




m ch. 


35:10. 


„ 


Ten 


14:19; 


7.^v. 


9:22, 


23; Ni 

-; Neh. 


m. 


6:2.3-27; 


Josh. 


22:6; 


2 


Sam. 


6:18; 


1 Ki 




i:14; 2 


(Jhr 


30:2 


11 


2; Luke 


i-Mi. 




I 


7; ch 


12:2; 


13:^ 


I N 


nm. 7:] 


, t Heb. 


the order 


ereof. P 


Lev. 


24:8. 



























selves pleased, ask God to bless them, and give to him 
the glory. 

CHAPTER XL. 

2. Tlie first day of the first month; they started from Egypt 
on the lifteenth day of the first month. On the fiftieth 
day after, the law was given from mount Sinai ; and Moses 
was eighty days in the mount. A number of other things 
were done, and several delays occasioned, which must 
have occupied about six months, before the tabernacle 



The lahcrnade is set up. 



EXODUS XL. 



Tke cloud covereth 



\\l\\S\: 5 And thou slialt set the altar of gold 
for the incense before the ark of the testimony, 
and put the hanging of the door to tlic tabernacle. 

6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt-oifer- 
ing before the door of the tabernacle of the tent 
of the congregation. 

7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent 
of the congregation and the altar," and shalt put 
water therein. 

8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, 
and hang up the hanging at the court gate. 

9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and 
anoint the tabernacle," and all that is therein, and 
slialt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it 
shall be holy. 

10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt- 
offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar : 
and it shall be an altar most holy.*'^ 

1 1 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, 
and sanctify it. 

12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons 
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, and wash them with water.** 

13 And thou slialt put upon Aaron the holy gar- 
ments, and anoint him,*^ and sanctify him ]^ that he 
may minister unto me in the priest's office. 

14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe 
tliem with coats : 

15 And thou slialt anoint them as thou didst 
anoint their fatlier, that they may minister unto 
me in tlie priest's office: for their anointing shall 
surely bo an everlasting priesthood throughout 
their generations.^ 

IG Thus did Moses: according to all that the 
Lord commanded him, so did he. 

17 1^ And it came to pass in the first month in 
the second year, on the first dmj of the month, 
that the tabernacle was reared up." 

18 And Moses reared up the taiiernacle, and fas- 
tened his sockets, and setup the boards thereof, and 
put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars. 

19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tab- 
ernacle, and put the covering of the tent above 
upon it ; as the Lord commanded Moses. 

20 1 And he took and put the testimony into 
the ark,' and set the staves on the ark, and put 
the mercy-seat above upon the ark :^ 

21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, 
and set up the veil of the covering," and covered 





' v 


er. 30; 


ch. 30 


18. IJ ch 


30:2r.. 


• Hcb. 


halin 


„ 


of kolinesses. 


t ch. 


K-m 


:!7. 


1 Ler. 


3:1-13. 


B ch. 23 


■41; 


Isa 


. a- 


; 


1 John 


2:2(1. 


' John 


17 


ID 


B ^ 


am. 25 


:13; Psa. 


110:4; 


Heb 


7; 


17-24 




h yer. 


2; Num. 7:1. 




h 


J5:16. 


i ch. 


37:6-9. 


k ch. 26:33 


■■i!> 


.12. 


1 


Tcr. 4. 


m ch. 


26:35. 


° 


er. 


4; ch. 


25:37. 


« ch. 30: 


7. P ve 


r. 6; 


ch 


27:1, 


2. 


q ver 


.7; ch 


30:18. 



was begun. As the first day of the first month would 
make a year from the time they left Egypt wanting fifteen 
days, they were probably employed not far from six mouths 
ill preparing the tabernacle. 

17. In the second year; after their departure from Egypt. 

20. The testimony ; the tables containing the ten com- 
mandments, that solemn testimony of God with regard to 
the duty of men. 

21. The veil of the covering; that which covered or closed 
the entrance into the holy of holies, and thus prevented 
the ark from being seen, except by the high-priest once 
a year. Chap. 30 : 10 ; Heb. 9:7. 

32. As the Lord commanded; chap. 30:19-21. 



the ark of the testimony ; as the Lord commanded 
Moses. 

22 IT And he put the table in the tent of the con- 
gregation,' upon tlic side of the tabernacle north- 
ward,"" without the veil. 

23 And he set the bread in order upon it before 
the Lord ; as the Lord had commanded Moses. 

24 IT And he put the candlestick in the tent of 
the congregation, over against the table, on the 
side of the tabernacle southward. 

25 And he lighted the lamps before the Lord ; 
as the Lord commanded Moses." 

26 1" And he put the golden altar in the tent of 
the congregation before the veil: 

27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon ; as the 
Lord commanded Moses." 

28 1 And lie set up the hanging at the door of 
the tabernacle. 

29 And he put the altar of burnt-offering by the 
door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congre- 
gation, and offered upon it tlic burnt-offering and 
the meat-offering ; as the Lord commanded Moses.'' 

30 If And he set the laver between the tent of 
the congregation and the altar, and put water 
there, to wash ■withal.'^ 

31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed 
their hands and their feet thereat: 

32 When they went into the tent of the congre- 
gation, and when they came near unto the altar, 
they waslied ; as the Lord commanded Moses.'' 

33 And he reared up the court round about the 
tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging 
of the court gate.^ So Moses finislicd the work. 

34 \ Then a cloud covered the tent of the con- 
gregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the 
tabernacle.* 

35 And Moses was not able to enter into the 
tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode 
thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the taber- 
nacle. 

36 And when the cloud was taken up from over 
the tabernacle," the children of Israel went on- 
ward* in all their journeys : 

37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then tbey 
journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.^ 

38 For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tab- 
ernacle by day, and fire was on it by night,"' in the 
sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all 
their journeys. 



r ch. 30:19, 20; Psa. 73:13. • ver. 8; ch. 27:9, 16. I ch. 13:21, 22; 29:43: 
a):9; Lev. 16:2; Num. 9:15; 1 Kings 8:10; 2 Chr. 5:13; 7:2; Psa. 18:10- 
12; Isa. 6:4; Hi<r. 2:7, 9; Kev. 15:8. u Neh. 9:19. t Heb. journeyed. 
» Psa. 31:15. "Psa. 78:14; 105:39; Isa. 4:5. 



33. The court; chap. 27:9-19. Finished the work; the 
work of preparing the tabernacle according to the pattern 
which God showed, and the directions he gave to Moses 
in the mount. 

34. A cloud ; that in which Jehovah dwelt. The glorij 
of the Lord ; the resplendent brightness which manifested 
his presence. 

36. The cloud was taken up ; and moved forward in the 
way that they should go. Chap. 13:21, 22; Num. 9:15-23; 
Neh. 9:19; Psa. 78:14; 105:39. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The retura of the seasons is well adapted to remind 
131 



THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES, 



CALLED 



LEVITICUS. 



Leviticts is so called from Levi, because the book is mainly occupied with the duties of the priests and 
Levites, who belonged to the tribe of Levi. It holds a most important place in the Pentateuch, since it 
contains specific directions for the various sacrifices, which fanned the centre of the Mosaic ordinances, 
the priesthood of Aaron and his sons having been divinely appointed to prefigure the priesthood of Christ, 
wlio with his own blood made atonement for the sins of his people, and now intercedes for them at the 
right hand of God. Whatever belonged to the priestly and Levitical service — the different sacrifices and 
(jblations ; the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood, with the various laws for its regula- 
tion ; the death of Nadab and Abiliu for violating a priestly ordinance; the rules respecting ceremonial 
defilements and purifications, the plague of leprosy, incest, and the release of servants at the year of 
jubilee ; various other particulars that came under tlie supervision of the priests — this is all found in the 
book of Leviticus. Interspersed with these details are a few short historic notices. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 The turnt-offerings, 3 of the herd, 10 of the flocks, M of the fowls. 

AND the Lord called unto Moses, and spake 
unto him out of the tabernacle of the con- 
grcfjation," sayinji', 

2 Speak unto tlic children of Israel, and say 
unto them, If any man of you bring an offering 



» Exod. 19:3: Num. 12:4, 5. b ch. 22:13. c ch. 3:1 ; aa:-^, 21 ; Exoii. 
12:5; Deut. 15:21; Mai. 1:14; Luke 1:35; John 1:36; Eph. 5:27; Heb. 



US of the goodness of God, and our obligations to him for 
his mercies. And when, according to his will, we begin 
the year with devoutly acknowledging and adoring him, 
we may hope that whether we continue to its close in this 
world, or are removed to another, we shall still be happy 
in the service of God. 

15 Such is the nature of men, and such the ways in 
which they are most usefully impressed, that the setting 
apart of particular places for public worship, and of par- 
ticular men to conduct it, is suited to promote their high- 
est good. 

32. The doing of all things as the Lord commands, is 
the sure way ofpromotuig his glory, and of obtaining his 
blessing. It is also the way to make our temporary so- 
journ on earth a preparation for an eternal dwelling with 
God in heaven. 

33. God's taking forty days to give directions about the 
tabernacle and its worship, and but six to create the 
world ; and his occupying many chapters of the Bible to 
describe the former, and but one to describe the latter, 
should increase our conviction of the superiority of re- 
demption to creation, and lead us to regard principally not 
things seen and temporal, but things unseen and eternal. 

38. All the preparation that was made to provide a 
dwelling-place for God, and institute his worship among 
the Israelites, the glory which filled the tabernacle, his 
guidance of them by tlie pillar of cloud and fire in all their 
journey through tlie wilderness, and his introduction of 
them into Canaan, prefigured his dwelling in human na- 
ture and becomuig the light of the world, that such as 
132 



of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 

3 If his offering be a burnt-sacrifice of the iierd, 
let him offer a male without blemish:"^ he shall 
offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of 
the tabernacle of the congregation before the 
Lord. 

4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of 



8:14; 1 Pet. 1:19. 



should follow him might be guided by his counsel and 
afterwards be received to glory. John 1:14; 8:12, Heb. 
9 : 2-28. 

CHAPTER I. 

1. Out of tlie tabernacle; the previous directions God 
gave to Moses from the mount ; the subsequent, from the 
tabernacle. 

3. A burnt-sacrifice; all the sacrifices signified the expi- 
ation of sin through the shedding of blood, Heb. 9:22; 
and since " it is not possible that the blood of bulls and 
of goats should take away sins," Heb. 10:4, they typified 
the efficacious atonement of Christ's blood, Heb. 9:12-14. 
When he offered himself on Calvary for the sins of the 
world, the Levitical sacrifices ceased to have any further 
office. The first and most important sacrifice was the 
burnt-offering, which was wholly consumed on the altar, 
and is, for this reason, sometimes called a whole burnt- 
offering, Deut. 33:10; Psa.51:19. Onthei)art of the offerer, 
this signified the entireness of his faith and devotion to 
God, and on the part of the sacrifice, the completeness of 
the expiation. Without blemish; this was required in all 
sacrifices. It indicated, on the offerer's part, that he gave 
to God the best he had ; and, on the part of the victim, 
the perfection of Jesus Christ, the great atoning sacrifice. 
Of his own voluntary will; or, that he may be accepted, 
as in Exod. 28:38, where the same word is used. 

4. Put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; this 
also was required in the case of every sacrifice. Thus 
the offerer solemnly devoted it to God, and signified his 



Of the huriit-sacrificc. 



LEVITICUS II, 



Of the meat-offerings. 



v.IxuIk the burnt-offering ;" and it shall be accept- 
ed for him'' to make atonement for him.'' 

5 And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord : 
and tlie priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, 
and sprinkle the blood round about upon tlie altar 
that is by the door of the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation.'' 

6 And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it 
into his pieces. 

7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put 
fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon 
the fire : 

8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the 
parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood 
that is on the tire which is upon the altar : 

9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in 
water : and the priest shall burn all on the altar, 
to be a burnt-sacrifice, an oft'ering made by fire, of 
a sweet savor unto tlie Lord." 

10 IT And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, 
of tlie sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-sacrifice ; 
he shall bring it a male without blemish. 

11 And he sliall kill it on the side of the altar 
northward before tlie Lord:^ and the priests, 
Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about 
upon the altar. 

12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his 
head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in 
order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon 
the altar: 

i:{ But he shall wasli the inwards and the legs 
with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and 
burn«7upon the altar : it waburnt-sacriSce,an offer- 
ing made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 

14 IT And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering 
to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his 
offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.""' 

15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar. 



a 


Ch. 3: a. 


s. 13 


4:15; 


8:14. 


>). 


10:21; Exod 


flS) 


:10, 15 


1ft; 


N 


im. 


8:12; 


Isn 


53:4-6; 


'.! ('■i\ 


. 5:21 


brh 


22 


21, 


27; 1 


a.. 


■id: 


7. c c. 4 


2(1 


2H 


9:7; 


10 


34: Nmn 


15- 


>5; aChr. 29 


23 


24 


Heb. 


I(. 


*; 


IJohn 


2:2 




cli 


3-K; 


2Chr. 35:11 


; Isi 


52:15, 


Heb. 


12:24. 


e Ger 


. H 


21 


Ezck 


20: 


2-i, 


41; 


Eph. 



desire that the death of the innocent victim might be a 
substitute for his own death. 

6. Flay ; take off the skin. 

9. IFas/t ill water; showing the necessity of internal 
purification. A sweet savor; acceptable to God, as pointing 
to the atonement of Clirist. 

11. Northrvard ; the approach to the altar is supposed 
to have been from the south ; the ashes and refuse to 
have been cast on the east side, ver. 16 ; while the taber- 
nacle stood on the west. This left the north side vacant. 

14. Turtledoves ; emblems of meekness, innocence, and 
purity. These were brought by the poor, who were not 
able to provide a more costly sacrifice. Compare chap. 
5:7; 12:«. 

17. Not divide it asunder; not entirely separate one part 
from the other. Chap. 5:8. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. We should be voluntary, cheerful, and hearty in all 
our offerings to God ; for he looks upon the heart and 
loves a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. 9 : 7. 

4. The great doctrine of atonement by the sufferings of 
the innocent for the guilty, has ever held a conspicuous 
place in the communications of God with men; and he 
has shown himself to be just, as well as merciful, in his 
bestowment of blessings upon them. 

9. Purity of heart, as well as reliance on the atonement, 
is needful to acceptance with God. 



and wring off his head,* and burn it on the altar ; 
and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the 
side of the altar: 

16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his 
feathers,* and cast it beside the altar on the east 
part, by the place of the ashes. 

17 And lie shall cleave it with the wings thereof, 
but shall not divide it asunder:" and the priest 
shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that 
is upon the fire : it is a burnt-sacrifice, an offering 
made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord.' 

CHAPTER II. 

1 The meat-offering of flour with oil and incense, 4 either baken in the 
oven, 5 or on a plate, 7 or in a frying-pan, 12 or of the first-fruits in 
the ear. 13 The salt of the meat-offering. 

AND when any will offer a meat-offering unto 
the Lord,' his offering shall be of fine flour ; 
and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense 
thereon. 

2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the 
priests : and he shall take thereout his handful of 
the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all 
the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn 
the memorial of it upon the altar,'' to be an offering 
made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord : 

3 And the remnant of the meat-offering s/iall be 
Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of 
the offerings of the Lord made by fire. 

4 1 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat- 
offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened 
cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened 
wafers anointed with oil.' 

5 1 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken 
in a pan,* it shall be o/'fine flour unleavened, min- 
gled with oil. 

6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil 
thereon : it is a meat-oflering. 



."-.fl- 


Phil. 4:1 




( Exod 


40-2 


!; K 


lek. 8:5 


B ch. 5:7; 12:8; 


Luke 2:24. 


•Or 


pinch off 


the head w 


th th 


e nai 


. t Or, 


thefiUk thtreof. li Gen 


.15:10. 


i ve 


. 9, 13. 


ch 


0:14; 


J: 17; 


Nun 


1. 15:4. 


k ver. 9; ch.5:12 


24 


7; Acts 


10:4 


1 Exod. 


29: 


I. to 


, on a flat 


Viate^ 


shce. 







13. The ofiFering of innocent animals for guilty men 
typified the death of Christ for sinners, that God might 
be just and yet justify the ungodly. See the epistle to 
the Hebrews, a book which may be profitably read in 
connection with the books of Leviticus and Numbers. 

17. The hearty offerings of the poor, though in the 
sight of men of small value, may through the atonement 
be as acceptable to God as the most costly offerings of the 
rich, and may receive as great reward. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. A meat-offering ; meat, in the Bible, means any kind 
of food ; in this case, it means flour, and articles of food 
made of it. Of the burnt-ofl'erings described in the pre- 
ceding chapter, the whole was burnt with fire; of the 
meat-ofterings described in this chapter, a part, called the 
memorial, ver. 2, was burnt, and the rest was eaten by 
the priests, ver. 3. As the bloody offerings tj-pified the 
expiation of sin through the blood of Christ, so these 
unbloody oblations signified that the offerer devoted him- 
self and all that he had to God in holy love and obedience. 
From such oblations the priests had, in part at least, their 
maintenance. 

2. Oil— frankincense ; emblems of the influences of the 
Holy Spirit, and the acceptable intercession of Christ and 
the supplications of his people. Isa. 61:1 ; 1 John 2:27; 
Psa. 141:2; Rev. 8:3, 4. 

4. Wafers; thin cakes. 

133 



Tht sacrifict of 



LEVITICUS HI. 



the peace-ojferiiig. 



7 ' And if tliy nl)lation Ar a nicat-ofTorinj» baleen in 
thefVvinjjj-pan, it. -shrill lie made o/Tme Hour witiioil. 

8 And tliou slialt l)rinf^ llic niout-alTei-ing that is 
made of tliesc thiuijs unto the Lord: and wiien it 
is presented unto the priest, hesliull bring it unto 
tiic altar. 

9 And the priest shall take from the racat-olTer- 
inj^ a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the 
altar:" it is an olVeriug made by iirc, of a sweet 
savor unto tlie Lord. 

10 And that whieh is left of the meat-offering 
shall be Aaron's and his ?ons': it is a tiling most 
holy of the olTerings of tlie Ijoni) made l)y iire. 

11 \o meatofl'ering which ye siiall bring unto 
the Loud, sliall be made with leaven :'' for ye shall 
l)iirn no leaven, nor any honey, in any ofifcring of 
the Lord made by lire. 

12 1 As for the oblation of the first-fruits, ye 
shall offer thorn unto tlie Lord:" but they shall 
not be burnt' on the altar for a sweet savor. 

13 And every oblation of thy mcat-ofl'ering shalt 
thou season with salt;"* neither shalt thou suffer 
tlie salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking 
from thy meat-offering: with all thine offerings 
thou shalt otfer salt. 

14 And if thou ofter a meat-offering of thy first- 
fruits unto the Lord, thou shalt ofler for tlie meat- 
oftering of tliy first-fruits green ears of corn dried 
by the fire, even corn beaten out of full cars." 

15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frank- 
incense thereon : it is a meatoffering. 

16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, 
part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil 
thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an 
offering made by fire unto the Lord. 

CHAPTER III. 

1 The peace-offering of the herd, G of the flock, 7 either a lamb, 12 or 
a goat. 

ND if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offer- 
ing,'' if he offer it of the herd, whether it be 



A 



»Ch. 6:15. bch. 0:17; Exod. 12:19, 20; Matt. l(i:ll; Mark 8:13; Luke 
12: 1 ; 1 Cor. 5:8-8. ■: ch. 2:): lU, 11 ; Exod. 22:29. • Heb. ascend, d Num. 
1:J:19; Ezra 7:32. Ezek. 43:24; Mark 9:49. e 2 Kings 4:42. t ch. 7:11, 
29; 22:21. e Num. 6:14; Mai. 1:8, 14; Heb. 10:22. »> ch. 1:4, 5; 8:22; 



11. No leaven, nor — honey; leaven was an emblem of 
hypocrisy, and lioney of sensual indulgence, both of which 
are oifensive to God. 

13. Salt; an emblem of purity, integrity, and perpetuity. 
Mark 9:49; Col. 4:6. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. God has ever required that a support be provided 
for his ministers. Under the Old Testament, he ordained 
that those who waited at the altar should be partakers 
with the altar ; and under the New, that those who preach 
the gospel should live of the gospel. 1 Cor. 9: 13, 14. 

9. Christ, as our great High-priest and Intercessor, must 
present all our offerings perfumed with the incense of his 
merits, in order to have them rise with acceptance before 
God. Rev. 8:3, 4. 

13. Pride, hypocrisy, and sinful indulgence of every 
sort must be avoided, and humility, sincerity, and self- 
denial assiduously cultivated, if we would meet the ap- 
probation and obtain the blessing of the Most High. 

14. With the first-fruits of our time, talents, property, 
and all that we possess, God is well pleased ; and our 
own highest interests, as well as his glory, will be pro- 
moted by our devoting them to him. 

134 



a male or female, lie sliall offer it without ui! uJJ: 
blemish before the Lord.''' 

U And he shall lay his hand upon the head of 
his offering,'' and kill it at the door of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation : and Aaron's sons, the 
priest.?, shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar 
round about. 

3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace- 
offering an offering made liy (ire unto the Lord ; 
the fat* that covereth the inwards, and all the fat 
that is upon the inwards,' 

4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on 
them, which is liy the flanks, and the caul above 
the liver, with the kidneys,' it shall he take away. 

5 And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar 
upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood 
that is on the fire :' it is an oflering made by fire, 
of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 

6 1 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace- 
offering unto the Lord be of the flock, male or 
female, he shall offer it without blemish." 

7 If he ofler a lamb for his offering, then shall 
he offer it before the Lord.' 

8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of 
his offering,'" and kill it before the tabernacle of 
the congregation : and Aarons sons shall sprinkle 
the blood thereof round about upon the altar. 

9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace- 
offering an offering made by lire unto the Lord ; 
the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he 
take off hard by the backbone;" and the fat that 
covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon 
the inwards, 

10 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon 
them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above 
the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he takeaway." 

11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: 
it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the 
Lord.'' 

12 1 And if his offering be a goat, then lie shall 
offer it before the Lord. 



16:21 


Exod. 29: 


10. t Or, 


uet. 


ch.4 


8,9; Exod. 


29: 13. 2 


, 


I Or, » 


id- 


ri/f-o 


ver the live 


r, and 


ovei 


the k 


dneys 


J oh. 6:12 


; 2Chr 


35 


14; Ezek. 


44:15 


k ver. 1. 


n K 


nrs 


S:B2. 


mch. 


4:4, 15, 24. 


n Exod. 


29:22. o 


rf.r. 


4 P 


h. 21:6, 22 


; Num 


.23 


2; Ezek. 44 


7; Mai. 1:7 


12; 1 Cor. 


10:21. 





CHAPTER III. 

1. A sacrifice of peace-offering ; the Hebrew word trans- 
lated peace-offering signifies a rendering or paying to 
God of that which is his due, with the accessory idea 
that thus the offerer comes into a state of peace and com- 
munion with God. The peace-offerings were of three 
kinds : thank-offerings, voluntary offerings, and offerings 
upon the payment of vows. Chap. 7: 11, 16. Certain por- 
tions only were burned on the altar ; the breast and the 
right shoulder were given to the priests, chap. 7 : 30-34 ; 
then the offerer and his friends feasted on the remain- 
der : an expressive symbol of peace and communion with 
God through the blood of Christ, and of holy and joyous 
fellowship with each other. 

2. Sprinkle the blood ; typifying that blood which purifies 
the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 
Heb. 9:11-14; 12:24. 

5. Upon the burnt-sacrijice ; the daily burnt-sacrifice, to 
consume wliich a firo was kept constantly burning upon 
the altar. Chap. 6:13. 

9. Rump; it is generally agreed that the Hebrew word 
signifies the very large and fat tail of the eastern sheep. 

11. The food; that part of the beast or offering which 



The sin-offering 



LEVITICUS IV. 



of Ignorance. 



Kv.'m*: 13 And he shall lay his hand upon the 
head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the 
congrejiation : and the sons of Aaron shall sprin- 
kle the blood thereof upon the altar round about. 

14 And he shall ofl'er thereof his offering, cve/i 
an offering made by fire unto the Lord ; the fat 
that covercth the inwards, and all the fat that is 
upon the inwards, 

15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon 
them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above 
the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. 

16 And the priest shall burn them upon the 
altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire 
for a sweet savor: all the fat is the Lokd's.-^ 

17 It sha'l be a perpetual statute for your gener- 
ations throughout all your dwellings,'' that ye eat 
neither fat nor blood." 

CHAPTER IV. 



I The sin-offering of ignorance, 3 for the priest, 13 for the congregation, 
'2'2 for the ruler, 27 for any of the people. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, 
If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any 
of the commandments of the Lord concerning 
things which ought not to bo done, and shall do 
against any of tlicm ; * 

3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according 
to the sin of tiie people ; then let him bring for 
his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock 
without blemish unto the Lord for a sin-oflering."' 

4 Aud he shall bring the bullock unto the door 
of the tabernacle of the congregation before the 
Lord;' and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's 
head, and kill the bullock before the Lord. 

5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of 
the bullock's blood,' and bring it to the tabernacle 
of the congregation : 

6 And tlie priest shall dip his finger in the blood, 
and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the 
Lord," before the veil of the sanctuary. 

7 And the priest shall put some of the blood 
upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before 



■ Ch. 7:'. 


), aS; 1 Sam. 2:15; 2 Chr. 


7:7. b ch. C:18; 7:.36; 17:7; 2.1:14. 


' Gen. 9:4 


D3Ut. 13:11): 1 Sam. 14::33 


33; Ezek. 44:7, 15; Acts 15:20. 29. 


J ch. 5:15, 


17; Num. l.>:23; Paa. 19: 


2; Heb. 5:2. » ch. 16:6. t Exod. 


29:10, U. 


e ch. 10:14; Num. 19:4. 


h ch. 14:18, 27. i ch. S:15; 9:9; 



was presented to God. Ver. 16 ; chap. 21:6, 8, 17, 21, 22 ; 
Num. 28:2; Ezek. 44:7; Mai. 1:7, 12; Rev. 3:20. 

17. Neither fat nor blood; the fat of the inwards and the 
blood above-mentioned. The one was to be burnt, and 
tlie otlier sprinkled upon the altar. Ver. 13, 16. 
IXFTUn'TIOXS. 

5. Tlie comfort of our tliiiiiks,u;ivings to God, the peace 
we have through faith in t'hrist, and the joy of commun- 
ion with him and his people, we should ever remember ai-e 
mercies which come to us through the Saviour's blood. 
Eph. 2:13-22. 

11. The kindness and condescension of God, in commun- 
ing with his people, and permitting them to feast with him 
on the riches of his grace, are unspeakably great. 

17. While we receive with thanksgiving the mercies 
which God bestows, we should conscientiously abstain 
from using, and should sacredly consecrate to him, that 
portion which ho requires. 

CHAPTER IV. 

2. Through ignorance; not sensible at the time of doing 



the Lord,' which is in the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation; and shall pour all the blood of the 
bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt- 
offering,J which is at the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation. 

8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the 
bullock for the sin-oflering ; the fat that covercth 
the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the 
inwards, 

9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon 
them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above 
the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, 

10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the 
sacrifice of peace-ofleriugs : and the priest shall 
burn them upon the altar of the burnt-offering. 

11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, 
with his head, and with his legs, aud his inwards, 
and his dung, 

12 Even tlie whole bullock shall he carry forth 
without the camp* unto a clean ]ilace, where the 
ashes are poured out, and burn liiin on the wood 
with fire:'' where the ashes are poured out* shall 
he be burnt. 

13 IT And if the whole congregation of Israel 
sin through ignorance,' and the thing be hid from 
the eyes of the assembly,'" and they have done 
somewhat against any of the commandments of the 
Lord concerning things which should not be done, 
and are guilty ;" 

14 When the sin, which they have sinned against 
it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a 
young bullock for the sin, and bring him before 
the tabernacle of the congregation. 

15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay 
their hands upon the head of the bullock before 
the Lord ;" and the bullock shall be killed before 
the Lord. 

1(3 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of 
the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation.P 

17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of 
the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the 
Lord, even before the veil. 



10:18; Exod. 30:1-10; Psa. 118:27. J ch. 5:9. • Heb. to u'illiout the mmp. 
k Exod. 29:14; Num. 19:5; Heb. 13:11. t Web. at the pouring out of tia 
askes. 1 Num. 15:24; Josh. 7: 11 ; 1 Tim. 1:13. " ch. 5:2-4, 17. "Ezra 
10:19. ooh. 1:4. P ver. 5; Heb. 9:12-14. 



what was wrong, but becoming convinced of it afterwards. 
Ver. 23, 28. 

3. Tlie priest that is anointed ; the high-priest. Exod. 29 : 7, 
29, 30; Lev. 8:12; 21:10-12. According to the sin of the 
people; or to bring guilt upon the people; for he acted as 
their representative, and his sin involved them in its con- 
sequences. For a sin-offering ; in the burnt-offering and 
peace-offering there was an acknowledgment of general 
sinfulness which needed expiation. But the sin-offering 
was for particular transgressions of the law. 

4. Laij his hand upon the bullock's head; solemnly conse- 
crating the victim to God as an offering for sin ; thus con- 
fessing liis own sin, and his desire to have the liabilitj'to 
suffer transferred from himself to the sacrifice of God'a 
appointment. 

6. Senen ; a number signifying fulness, completeness. 

12. The whole bullock; except the fat, which was burnt, 
and the blood. Ver. 6-10. With fire; a fire made upon 
the ground for that purpose. 

1.'). The elders ; their chief men, magistrates, representa- 
tives of the people. 

135 



TA* iinrofferin/i 



LEVITICUS V. 



of ignorance. 



18 And lie sliall put somf of the blood upon the 
horns of thi^ altar which is before tlic Loiti)," that 
is in the tabernacle of tiie conjjregation, and tihall 
pour out ail the blood at the bottom of the altar 
of the biiriit-oflVriiiir, wliich is at the door of tiic 
tabernacli- of the coiiLTCLration. 

19 And lie sliall take uU his fat from him, and 
burn it upon tiie altar. 

20 And ho shall do with the bullock as he did 
with the bullock for a sin-offering,'' so shall he do 
with this : and the priests shall make an atone- 
ment for them;' and it sliall lie forgiven them. 

21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without 
the camp, and burn him as he burned the lirst bul- 
lock:'' it is a sin-offerincr for the congregation. 

22 IT When a rul(v hath sinned, and done some- 
what through ignorance afrainst any of the com- 
mandments of the Lord his God concerning things 
which should not be done, and is guilty;" 

23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come 
to his knowledge;'' he shall bring liis offering, a 
kid of the goats, a male without blemish: 

• 2-i And ho shall lay his hand upon the head of the 
goat,'' and kill it in the place where they kill the 
burnt-oncriiig before the Lord : it is a sin-offering. 

25 And the jiriest shall take of the blood of the 
sin-offering witli his finger, and put it upon the 
horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour 
out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt- 
offering." 

26 And he sliall burn all his fat upon the altar, 
as the fat of the sacrifice of peace-offerings :' and 
the priest shall make an atonement for him as 
concerning his sin.J and it shall be forgiven him. 

27 1 And if any one" of the common people + sin 
through ignorance,'' while he doeth somewhat against 
any of the commandments of the Lord concerning 
things which ought not to be done, and be guilty ;' 

28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to 
his knowledge;™ then he shall bring his offering, 
a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for 
his sin which he hath sinned. 

29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of 
the sin-offering," and slay the sin-offering in the 
place of the burnt-offering. 



»Ver. 7. b ver. 3. c Num. 15:2.5; Dan. 9:34: Rom. 5:11; Gil. 3:13: 
Heb. 2:17; 10:10, 12; 1 John 1:7; 2:2; Rev. 1:5. i ver. 11, 12 e ver •' 
13. f ver. 14; ch. 5:4. e ver. 4, etc.; Isa, 53:0. h ver. 7,30. i cli. 3:5! 
) ver. 20; Num. 15: ai. • Heb. any soul. 1 Heb. people of the land, k Num 
15:27. 1 Num. 5:0. m ver. 2.J. n ver. 4, 24. o ch. 3:.3, 14. Pch. 1:9; 



20. Make an atonement — be forgiven; be who, in the spirit 
of true faith and penitence, presented to God his sin-offer- 
ing, was saved not only from the temporal punishment of 
his sin, but also, through the atonement of Christ which 
this offering typified, from its eternal consequences. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. There is no man or body of men on earth infallible, 
or perfect. All are liable to sin, through carelessness, 
inattention, and the influence of temptation. All need 
repentance and pardon through faith in the atonement of 
Jesus Christ. Psa. 19:12-14. 

12. The way in which God pardons sin is suited to 
make a deep impression of its evil, and lead men to ab- 
hor and forsake it. 

21. Nations, as well as individuals, may commit great 
iniquity; and without national repentance, reformation, 
and pardon through the atonement of Christ, such iniquity 
will draw down upon them the sore judgments of God. 

136 



30 And the priest shall take of the blood -J,- r ui*: 
thereof will) his finger, and putt/ ujwn the lioriis 
of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall jiour out 
all the blood thereof at tlu! bottom of the altar. 

31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof," 
as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of 
jieace-offerings ; and the jiriest shall burn it ujxin 
the altar for a sweet savor unto the Lord;'' and 
the Jiriest shall make an atonement for him, and 
it shall be forgiven him. 

32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin-offering, he 
.'^hall bring it a female without blomi.sh.'' 

33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of 
the sin-offering, and slay it for a sin-offering in 
the place where they kill the burnt-offering. 

34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the 
sin-offering Avi til his finger.and put?/ upon the horns 
of the altar of burnt-oft'ering, and shall jjour out all 
the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: 

35 And he shall lake away all the fat thereof, 
as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sac- 
rifice of the jieace-offerings ; and the jiricst shall 
burn them upon the altar, according to the offer- 
ings made by fire unto the Lord:"' and the jiriest 
shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath 
committed,' and it shall be forgiven him. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 He that sinneih in concealing his knowledge, 2 in toacliing an un- 
clean thin^. 4 or in muking an oath. 6 His trespass-offering, of the 
flock, 7 of fowls, 11 or of flour. 14 The trespassH>frering in sacri- 
lege, 17 and in sins of ignorance. 

AND if a soul sin,' and hear the voice of swear- 
ing," and is a witness, whether he hath seen 
or known of it : if he do not utter it, then he shall 
bear his iniquity." 

2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing,"" whether 
it be a carcass of an unclean beast, or a carcass of 
unclean cattle, or the carcass of unclean creeping 
things, and ?y it be hidden from him; he also shall 
be unclean, and guilty.^ 

3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man,'' what- 
soever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled 
withal, and it be hid from him ; when he knowetli 
of it, then he shall be guilty.'' 



fixed. 29:18 


Kzr 


a 6:10; Isi 


4-. 


:21 


q ve 


. 28. 


r ch. 3:5. 


S ^jj 


2fi 


.31. 


' Ezek. IB: 4, 


20. 


" 1 Kings >^ 


•11 


Hrov 


20: 


4; Matt. 26:15:!. 


V ver. 


17; 


rh 


7:lf>; 17:16; 


I<I:M 


20:17; Nu 


m. 


»:l;); 


I'sa. 


.38:4, 


Isa. 53:11 


1 Pet. 2:24. 


"•Num. 19:11-16; 


Hag. 2:13. 


* 


ver. 17 


. y ch. 12 


13, 15. « 


ver. 4. 







26. Rulers and teachers, ecclesiastical and civil, often 
fall into sin like other men ; and without repentance and 
forgiveness, in the way that God has provided and made 
known, they will perish. 

35. Pardon of all transgressions is as free to the com- 
mon people, to the poor and despised, as to the rich and 
the great. Acts 2:21; 10:34; Rom. 10:11-13. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Hear the voice of swearing ; literally, "the voice of an 
oath ;" that is, an oath administered by the magistrate, 
when one is summoned to testify, under oath, as to what 
he knows about a matter in question. If he do not viter 
it ; does not tell what he knows. He shall bear his iniquity ; 
has sinned, and is exposed to punishment. 

3. He shall be guilty; of violating that ceremonial law, 
when he knows what he has done. 



The trespass-offering 



LEVITICUS VI. 



for sins of ignorance- 



B.aiwa' 4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with 
his lips to do evil, or to do good," whatsoever it 
he that a man shall pronounce with an oatli, and 
it be hid from him ; when he knoweth of it, then 
he shall be guilty in one of these. 

5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one 
of these things, that he shall confess that he hath 
sinned in that thing. -^ 

6 And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto 
the LoiiD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female 
from the flock, a lamb, or a kid of the goats, for a 
sin-offering ; and the priest shall make an atone- 
ment for him concerning his sin. 

7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb,* then 
he shall bring for his trespass, which lie hath com- 
mitted, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, 
unto the Lord ; one for a sin-offering, and the 
other for a burnt-offering.'' 

8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who 
shall offer that which is for the sin-offering first, 
and wring off his head from his neck,'^ but shall 
not divide it asunder : 

9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin- 
offering upon the side of the altar ;^ and the rest 
of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of 
the altar: it is a sin-offering. 

10 And he shall offer the second ybr a burnt-of 
fering, according to the manner:* and the priest 
shall make an atonement for him for his sin which 
he hath sinned,' and it sliall be forgiven him.^ 

11 IT But if he be not able to bring two turtle- 
doves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned 
shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an 
ephah of tine flour for a sin-offering ;" he shall put 
no oil upon it, neitiier shall he put any franliin- 
cense thereon : ' for it is a sin-offering. 

12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the 
priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial 
thereof,^ and burn if on the altar, according to the 



aJudg. 11:31; lSam.23:aa; 2Kirgs6:3l; Mark 6:33; ActE23:ia. b ch. 
26:40; Num. 5:7; Joshua 7:19; Ezra 111:11; Psalm 32:5; Dan. 9:4; Rom. 
10:10. • Heb. his hand cannot reach to the su^iency of a lamb, c chap. 
12:8; 14.21. dch. 1:15. « Exod. 12:23, 23; Heb. 12:24. \ Qi, ordinance. 



4. A soul swear; rashly, as to what he will or will not 
do, and when it may be wicked, or not in his power to do 
it. It be hid from him; if he was not aware at the time 
that it was wicked, or was not in his power. 

7. Sin-offering; chap. 4:24-26, 32-35. Burnt-offering; 
chap. 1:14-17. 

10. According to the manner; the manner prescribed in 
the previous chapters. 

11. A sin-offering ; in this case, from consideration of 
the offerer's poverty, an exception was made to the rule 
that an expiatory offering must be made through blood. 

12. A memorial; chap. 2:2. 

13. A meat-offering ; chap. 2:1-3. 

15. Holy things of the Lord; by withholding from God 
something which he required to be devoted to his minis- 
ters, or his worship and service. Thy estimation; of the 
value of the things withheld, or perverted from the use 
which God required. A trespass-offering; the exact dis- 
tinction between a sin-offering and a trespass-offering it 
is difficult to determine. The particular cases in which 
it was prescribed are enumerated in this book. See 
chap. 5:15-19; 6:1-7; 14:12,21; 19:20-22; to which may 
be added, Num. 5:5-8; 6:9, 12. 

17. Wis; ; knew. Gi«7fi/; liable to suffer evil, and must, 
when he knows that he has broken the divine command, 
present the required offering. 



offerings made by fire unto the Lord : it is a sin- 
offering. 

13 And the priest shall make an atonement for 
him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one 
of these, and it shall be forgiven him : and the 
remnant shall be tlie priest's, as a meat-offering." 

14 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through 
ignorance, in the holy things of the Lord :' then 
lie shall bring for his trespass unto the Lord a 
ram witliout blemish out of the flocks,™ with thy 
estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of 
the sanctuai-y," for a trespass-offering : 

16 And he shall make amends for the liarm that 
he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the 
fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and 
the priest shall make an atonement for him with 
the ram of the trespass offering," and it shall be 
forgiven him. 

17 ^ And if a soul sin," and commit any of these 
things whicli are forbidden to be done by the 
commandments of the Lord ; though he wist it 
not,'! yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 

18 And he sliall bring a ram without blemish 
oul of the flock, with thy estimation, for a tres- 
pass-offering, unto the priest : and the priest sliall 
make an atonement for him concerning his igno- 
rance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it 
shall be forgiven him. 

19 It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly 
trespassed against the Lord."' 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 The trespass-ofi"ering for sins done wittingly. 8 The l<^^v of the burnt- 
offering, U and of the meat-offering. 19 'The offering at the conse- 
cration of a priest. 24 The law of the sin-offering. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass 
against the Lord, and lie unto his neighbor," in 



f ch. 4:2S. 


S Jls. 5:15. hver. 7. i Num. 5:15. ich. 2:2; Num. 5:28; 


Acts 10:4. 


k ch. 7:6. 1 oh. 22:14. » Ezra 10:19. u Exod. 3(i:13; ch. 


27:25. ve 


r. 10. P oh. 4:2, 22. q ch. 4:2, 13, 27; Psa. 19:12; Luke 12:43. 


r Ezra 10:2 


«ch. 19:11; Acts 5:4; Col. 3:9. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. We should hate sin in ourselves, and by all suitable 
means endeavor to prevent it in others. When called in 
providence to testify before a magistrate, or in a court of 
justice, we should let nothing hinder us from doing it 
with fidelity. 

4. We should be careful never to declare what is false, 
or promise to do what is impracticable or wicked. Es- 
pecially should we avoid all rash and profane oaths. 

5. We may do wrong without at the time being aware 
of it. When we see the wrong, we should be ready to 
confess and forsake it. 

10. No sins, not even those of ignorance or careless- 
ness, even when truly repented of, can be forgiven except 
through the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

II. It is not the greatness of the offerings which we 
present to God, but the spirit with which we offer them, 
that he principally regards. 

16. True repentance will lead a man not only to forsake 
his sins, but to make suitable restitution to those whom 
he has injured. 

19. We need the teaching of the Holy Spirit to see what 
is right, and be disposed heartily to do it. We cannot 
faithfully review the past without perceiving that in many 
things we have done wTong, and need pardoning mercy 
through the atonement of Christ. 

137 



For sins dime uillinsly. 



LEV IT I (IS VI, 



Jjiirnt- and meatofferinf^n. 



tliat which was dolivcrod liim to keep," or in fcl- 
low,*lii|),' or in a tliinu; takiMi away by violence, or 
liath (ieceivcd liis ncii^'hlior :'' 

;{ Or have Ibund that wliich was lost,"^ and licth 
roncerninu; it, and swcaretli falsely ;'' in any of all 
these that a man doetii, sinning therein: 

4 Tlien it shall lie, because he hath sinned, and 
is frnilty, that he shall restore that wliicii he took 
violentlv away, or the thing which he hath deceit- 
fully gotten, or that which was delivered him to 
keep, or the lost thing which he found, 

5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely ; 
he shall even restore it in the i)rincipal,'' and shall 
add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto 
him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his 
trespass-offering.* 

6 And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto 
the Lord, a ram without blenush out of the flock, 
with thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto 
the priest : 

7 And the priest shall make an atonement for 
him before the Lord:' aud it shall Ije forgiven 
him for any thing of all that he hath done in tres- 
passing therein.'^ 

8 *ir And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ' 

9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying. This is 
the law of the burnt-offering: It is the burnt-offer- 
ing, because of the burning* upon the altar all 
night unto the morning,'' and the fire of the altar 
shall be burning in it. 

10 And the priest shall put on his linen gar- 
ment,' and his linen breeches shall he put upon 
his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath 
consumed with the burnt-otlcring on the altar, and 
he shall put them beside the altar. 

11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on 
other garments,^ and carry forth the ashes with- 
out the camp unto a clean place. 

12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning 
in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall 
burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt- 
offering in order upon it; and he shall burn there- 
on the fat of the peace-offerings. 

13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar ; 
it shall never go out. 

14 ^ And this is the law of the meat-offering :" 
The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, 
before the altar. 



> Exod. 25:7, 10. • Hub. pulling of tke hand, or dealing, b Pnv. 24:29; 
2G:19; Jer, 9:5. c Dent. 22:1-1. d ch. 19:12; Jer, 5:2; 7:9; Zcch. 5:4. 
' ch.r,:Ui; Num. 5:7; 1 Sam. 12:3; 2 Sam. 12:0; Luko 19:S. t Heb. in 
the day of his trespass, or in the day of his being found guilty, f ch. 5: 15, 
16. s Isa. 1:18; Matt. 12:31; 1 Cor. U:9-ll. I Or,/or the burning, h ver. 



CHAPTER VI. 

2. In fellowship ; or, in a deposit. 

5. Add the fifth part ; this was the case when he volun- 
tarily confessed his crime and restored that which was 
taken. If he did not confess, but was convicted of the 
crime, he was to pay more. Exod. 22:9, 15. 

6. Thy estimation ; of the amount which, according to the 
direction, ver. 5, he was to restore. Chap. 5: 15. 

11. His garments ; theholy garments which he wore in the 
sanctuary. These he was not allowed to wear elsewhere. 

13. The fire — shall never go out ; this fire was first kindled 
from heaven; and the priests, by timely application of 
fuel, were to keep it continually burning. Chap. 9:24. 

14-17. Meat-offering ; chap. 2:1-1G. 
138 



15 And he shall take of it his handful, I,.??;;,'.; 
of the flour of the nieat-oflering, and of the oil 
thereof, and all the fi-ankincense which is upon the 
meat-offering, and shall liiirn il upon the ullar for a 
sweet savor, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord. 

IG And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and 
his sons eat:' with unleavened bread shall it be 
eaten in the holy ])lare; in the court of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation they .shall eat it. 

17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have 
given it unto than for their portion of my oft'er- 
iiigs made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin- 
offering, and as the trespass-oflcring. 

18 All the males among the children of Aaron 
shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in 
your generations concerning the offerings of the 
Lord made by fire : every one that toucheth them 
shall be holy.'" 

I'J "!i And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons," 
which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day 
when he is anointed ; the tenth ])art of an ejihali 
of fine flour for a mcat-ofi'cring perpetual, half of 
it in the morning, and half thereof at night. 

21 In a pan it shall be made with oil, aiid vrhen 
it is baken, thou shalt bring it in : and the baken 
pieces of the meat-offering shalt thou offer for a 
sweet savor unto the Lord. 

22 And the priest of his sons that is anointed in 
his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto 
the Lord;" it shall be wholly burnt. 

23 For every meat-offering for the priest shall 
be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten. 

24 11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, 
This is the law of the sin-offering:" In the place 
where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-of- 
fering be killed before the Lord : it wmost holy.'' 

2(3 The priest that cffereth it for sin shall eat it: 
in the holy place shall it be eaten,'' in the court of 
the tabernacle of the congregation. 

27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall 
be holy :' and when there is sprinkled of the blood 
thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that 
whereon it was sprinkled in the holy jilace. 

28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden 
shall be broken : and if it be sodden in a brazen 
pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water. 



12.13. i 


ch. 16:4 


Exod 


2J:39-43 


Ezek 


44:1 


7, 19. 


JEzek 


44:19. 


kch. 


2:1; Nu. 
7; Exod. 


11. 15:4. 


1 Num 


18:10; E 


rrk. 4J 


2»; 


I Cor. 9: IS 


14 


moh 


92:3- 


29:37. 


» Ex« 


. 29:1, 2; 


Hfh. 


7:21 


E 


«od. 


29 


2.3-25. 


Prh. 


4:a3. q 


ver. 17; 


ch. 21: 


22. r ch. 


10:17 


IS 


Num. 


la 


10; 


Ezek. 


14:29. 


»ExoJ. 29:37; 30:29; Matt. 9:21; 14:36. 















18. Shall he holy; none but consecrated persons should 
touch them, and they must be free from ceremonial defile- 
ment. 

19-23. Offering of Aarcn; Exod. 25:1-25. 

25-30. Sin-offering; chap. 4:24-31. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When we wrong our fellow-men, we sin against God. 

3. He who finds lost property, and does not wish to 
restore it to its rightful owner, when known, is dishonest. 

7. Though repentance, confession, and restitution are 
all needful in order to pardon, neither nor all of them can 
atone for sin, or of themselves obtain forgiveness. There 
must also be application to that blood which was shed 
for many for the remission of sins. Matt. 26:28. 



Trespass-offerings. 



LEVITICUS VII. 



Peice-offerings. 



B.- " im 29 All the males among the priests shall 
eat thereof: it is most lioly. 

30 And uo sin-offering, whereof any of the blood 
is brouglit into the tabernacle of the congregation 
to reconcile vyithal in tlie ho\y place, shall be eaten : ■'' 
it shall be burnt in the fire. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 The law of the trespass-offering, 11 and of the peace-offer in !;s, 12 
whether it be for a tliauks^ivini^, 16 or a vow, or a freewill-offering. 
22 The fat, 26 and the blood, are forbidden. 2S The priests" portion 
in the peace-offerings. 

TIKE WISE this is the law of the trespass-offer- 
J iug :'' it is most holy. 

2 In the place where they kill tlie burnt-offer- 
ing shall they kill the trespass-offering :■= and the 
blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon 
tlie altar.'' 

3 And he sliall offer of it all the fat thereof;*^ 
the rump, and tlie fat tliat coveretli tlie inwards, 

4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on 
them, which is by the flanks, and tlie caul that is 
above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take 
away : 

5 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar 
for an offering made by fire unto the Lord : it is 
a trespass-offering. 

6 Every male among the priests shall eat there- 
of:'' it shall be eaten in the holy place : it is most 
holy. 

7 As the sin-offering is, so is the trespass-offer- 
ing:^ there is one law for them: the priest that 
maketh atonement therewith shall have if. 

8 And the priest that offcrcth any man's bnrnt- 
offcring, even the priest shall have to himself the 
skin of the burnt-offering whicli he hath offered. 

9 And all the meat-offering that is baken in the 
oven, and all that is dressed in the frying-pan, 
and in the pan,* shall be the priest's that offereth it. 

10 And every meat-offering, mingled with oil, 
and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as 
much as another. 

1 1 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace- 
oft'erinsrs,'' which he sliall offer unto the Lord. 



' Ch. 10:13; 10;27; Heb. 9: TJ. b oh. 6:17, 25; '2\:ii. ' Num. 0:12; 
;ek. 40:39. d ch. 3:2; .5:9. e ch. 4: 8. 9; Exod. 29: 13. f ch. C: IB, l-*. 
h. 6:25,26; 14:13. • Or, on the fiat plate, or slice. tch.3:l; 22:21; 



12. As the ijriest was every morning to put wood on 
the altar, that the fire might never go out ; so we, wlio are 
called to be kings and priests unto God, should every 
morning kindle anew the flame of divine love in our hearts, 
that it may warm all our services, and shine brightly 
through all the duties and events of the day. Matt. 5:10; 
Jude 21. 

17. Often, and in various ways, God warns men against 
insincerity and hypocrisy, and urges upon them the ha- 
bitual practice, in all things, of perfect sincerity and truth. 
1 Cor. 5:7, 8. 

28. All the directions of God with regard to things con- 
nected with his worship, are suited to impress upon men 
the conviction of his purity and their pollution, and that 
without holiness no man can see his face in peace. Chap. 
19:2; 20:7; Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:16. 

CHAPTER VII. 

7. Shall have it; that portion of it which was not burnt 
on the altar. 

I'i. Liavened bread; that which was offered to the Lord 



12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he 
sliall offer witli the sacrifice of thanksgiving un- 
leavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened 
wafers anointed with oil,' and calces mingled with 
oil, of fine flour, fried. 

13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer /or his offer- 
ing leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanks- 
giving of liis peace-offcrings.J 

14 And of it he shall ofl'cr one out of the whole 
oblation /or a heave-offering unto the Lord,'' and 
it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood 
of the peace-ofl'erings. 

15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace- 
offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same 
day that it is ofi'ered ; ' lie shall not leave any of 
it until the morning. 

16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, 
or a voluntary oflering, it shall be eaten the same 
day that he offereth his sacrifice ; and on the mor- 
row also the remainder of it shall be eaten : 

17 But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice 
on the third day shall be burnt with fire.'" 

18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his 
peace-oflerings be eaten at all on the third day, it 
shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed 
untohimthatofl'erethit: it shall be an abomination," 
and the soul tliat eateth of it shall bear his iniquity. 

19 And the flesh that touclieth any unclean thing 
shall not be eaten ; it shall be burnt with fire : and 
as for the flesh, all that be clean shall oat thereof. 

20 But tlie soul that eateth of the flesh of the 
sacrifice of peace-oft'crings, that pertain unto the 
Lord, having his uncleanness upon him," even that 
soul shall be cut ofl" from his people. 

21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any un- 
clean thing,^ as the uncleanness of man,'' or any 
unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing,'' 
and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-ofler- 
ings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul 
shall be cut oS' from his people.^ 

22 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, . 

23 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, 
Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, 
or of goat. 



Ezek. 45:15. ■ ch. 2:4; Num. (i: 15. J Amos 4:5. k Num. 18:8; 11:19. 
Ich. 22:30. m ch. 19:7. n ch. 11 :10, 41 ; 19:7. » ch. 15:3; 1 Cor. 11:28. 
Pch. 11:24, 23. q ch. 12, 13, 15. r Ezek. 4:14. ■ ver. 20. 



was to be unleavened, as before prescribed, ver. 12 ; but 
that which the priest ate himself, in token of tlianksgiving 
for mercies, might, like common bread, be leavened. 

15. The same day that it is offered; this was probably to 
prevent its being reserved by the offerer for his private 
use. He had devoted it to Jehovah, and now it was no 
longer his own. Of it he was to make a feast for his 
friends, and especially for the poor of his people. 

IG. A vow; a sacrifice offered upon the paying of a vow. 
The flesh of this, and of the voluntary offering, might be 
eaten the second day; but what remained till the third 
day was to be burnt with fire. In those warm regions it 
is difficult to keep flesh over the second day in perfect 
purity, which may have been one reason for this injunc- 
tion. 

18. It; his offering. If he ate any of the flesh after the 
second day, his offering would be rejected. Jiear his 
inigtiili/; be held guilty, and exposed to punishment. 

20. tut off; Gen. 17 : 14. 

23. No manner of fat ; of that fat of beasts which was to 
be offered in sacrifice to God. Ver. 3-5, 25. 
139 



Tht priesls' portion. 



ij:\ iTicis VIII, 



Aaron and his sans consecrated. 



24 And the fat of tlio hoasf tliat dieth of itself 
and tlio fat of tliat wliich is torn witii beasts, may 
l>e nsed in any otlior use: but ye shall in no wise 
eat of it." 

-5 For wlmsocver oiitclh the fat of tlie beast, of 
which men oiler an olVerinii niaile by lire unto liic 
Limi), even the soul that eatcth it shall be cut off 
I'roiu his people. 

2() Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood,'' 
w/iil/itr if be of fowl or of beast, in any of your 
dwclliiiffs. 

27 Wliatsoever soul it be tliat cateth any manner 
of lilood, even that soul shall Ije cut off' from his 
people. 

28 IT And the Lord spake unto Moses, sayinjr, 

29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. He 
tliat offereth the sacrifice of his peace-offerings 
unto the Lord,'= shall bring his oblation unto the 
Lord of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings. 

;UI His own hands shall bring the oltcrings of 
the IjOrd made by fire,'' the fat with the breast; it 
shall he liring, that the lireast may be waved for 
a wavc-oS'ering before the Lord.'' 

31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the 
altivr : but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'. 

82 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the 
priest for a heave-offering of the sacrifices of your 
peace-offerings.' 

33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth 
the lilood of the peace-offerings, and the fat, shall 
have the right shoulder for his part. 

34 For the wave-breast, and tiie heave-shoulder 
have I taken of the children of Israel from off the 
sacrifices of their peace-offerings, and have given 
them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons, by 
a statute for ever, from among the children of 
Israel. 

35 H This is the portion of the anointing of Aa- 
ron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the 
offerings of the Lord made by fire, in the day 
tvhen he presented them to minister unto the Lord 
in the priest's office ; 

36 Which the Lord commanded to be given them 
of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed 
them,'^ by a statute for ever throughout their gen- 
erations. 

37 This is the law of the burnt-offering, of the 



• Heb, carcass. » ch. 17:15; Deut. 14:21; Ezek. 44:31. b ch. 3:17; 
17:10-14; Gen. 9:4; I Sam. 14:31; Ezek. 3.3:25; John 0:53; Acts 1S:20, 2<J. 
tell. 3. djohnl0:l8. = oh. 8:27; 9:21; Exod. 29:24, 37. ' Num. B:20. 
e ch. 8:12, 30; Exod. 40:13, 15. t> ch. 6:9,14,25. i ver. 1. j ch. (5-20; 



26. No manner of blood; that which flows from the arte- 
ries and veins, called the life, or the blood of the life. The 
blood which mingled with the flesh when cooked, was not 
forbidden. Gen. 9:4, 5. 

34. Wave-hrea.4 — heave-shoulder; that had been conse- 
crated to Jehovah by waving and heaving. 

35. The portion of the anointing of Aaron; his portion in 
consequence of his having been anointed as high-priest. 
Yer. 3(J. 

37, 38. The law of the— offerings ; Exod. 29:1-44. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 
10. While God requires his ministers to devote their 
time and talents to his immediate service, he also re- 
quires that their temporal wants be supplied by those for 
whose spiritual good they labor. Ver. 31-36; chapter 
10:13-15. 

140 



mcat-offcrinp, and of the sin-offering,'' and ».<'■; iu'io: 
of the tresiiass-olVering,' and of the consecrations, 
and of the sacrifice of the peace-ofl'erings ;J 

38 Which the Lord commanded Moses in mount 
Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children 
of Israel to offer their olilations unto the Lord, in 
the wilderness of .Siuai. 

I 
CHAPTER VIII. 

1 Moses consecratcth Aaron and his sons. II Their sin-ofTering. 18 
Their burnt-offerin;. 2vi The ram of consecration. 31 The place 

jmd time of their consecration. 

VND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Take Aaron and his sons with him," and 
the garments,' and the anointing oil,'" and a Inil- 
lock for the sin-oil'ering, and two rams, and a bas- 
ket of unleavened bread ; 

3 And gather thou all the congregation together 
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion. 

4 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him ; 
and the assembly was gathered together unto the 
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

5 And Moses said unto the congregation. This 
is the thing wliich the Lord commanded to be 
done. 

6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and 
Avashcd them with water." 

7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him 
with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, 
and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him 
with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it 
unto him therewith. 

8 And he ])ut the breastplate u])on him : also he 
put in the breastplate the LTrim and the Thunimim." 

9 And he put the mitre upon his head;'' also 
upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put 
the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord 
commande<;l Moses.'' 

10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anoint- 
ed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and 
sanctified them.'' 

11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar sev- 
en times, and anointed the altar, and all his ves- 
sels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.' 

12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon 
Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.'- 



Exod 


29- 


• ver 


11 


»E 


xod. 29 


1.3. lExod 


. 23:2, 4. 


mExod 


30:24, 


2.5. 


B Exod. 29:4. c 


Kxnd 


•.?H 


15-10; 


39:8-21; Ez 


ra2:63. P 


Exod. 29:6 


Zech. 


3:5. 


qFx 


od. 23:37, e 


,,. 


r Exod, 30:20-29. 


• ch. 4:6; 


Isa. 52 


1,') 


E 


ek. 


30:25 


Ti 


.3:6. 


'ch. 


21: 


10, 12; 


Exod. 29:7; 


30:30; Psa 


. 133:2. 









16. While we are called to mourning on account of our 
sins, we are also called to rejoicing on account of the good- 
ness of God ; and our joy may sometimes be appropriately 
expressed by feasting on the bounties of his providence 
and grace. 

30. Each individual, while he relies on the great atone- 
ment for salvation, must also himself be voluntary and 
active in presenting his offerings to God, and in doing 
what he requires. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1. 77(6 Lord spake unto Moses; after the tabernacle was 
finished, and the way prepared for the consecration of 
Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. 

5. The thing which the Lord commanded; Exod. 28:29. 

12. Sanctify him; set him apart, or consecrate him to 
his sacred office. 



Moses consecratcth 



LEVITICUS IX. 



Aaron ami his sons. 



B.^'im' 13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and 
put coats upon tliem," and girded them with gir- 
dles, and put* bonnets upon them; as the Lord 
commanded Moses. 

14 And he brouglit the bullock for the sin-ofFer- 
ing : and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon 
tlie liead of the bullock for the sin-offering. 

15 And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, 
and i)ut it upon the horns of the altar round about 
with his finger," and purified the altar, and poured 
the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified 
it, to make reconciliation upon it."^ 

16 And he took all the fat that was upon the 
inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two 
kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon 
the altar. 

17 Bat the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and 
his dung, ho burnt with fire without the camp;'' 
as the Lord commanded Moses. 

18 IT And he brought the ram for the burnt-of- 
fering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands 
upon the head of the ram. 

19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the 
blood upon the altar round about. 

20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses 
burnt tlie head, and the pieces, and the fat. 

21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in 
water; and Moses burnt the whole i-am upon the 
altar : it was a burnt-sacrifice for a sweet savor,'' 
and an offering made by fire unto the Lord; as 
the Lord commanded Moses. 

22 ir And he brought the other ram, the ram of 
consecration : '' and Aaron and his sons laid their 
hands upon the head of the ram. 

23 And he slew it ; and Moses took of the blood 
of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, 
and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon 
the great toe of his right foot.'' 

21 And ho brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put 
of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and 
upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the 
great toes of their right feet : and Moses sprinkled 
tlie blood upon the altar round about.'' 

25 And he took the fat,' and the rump, and all 
the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul 
aJiom the liver, and the two kidneys, and their 
fat, and the right shoulder : 

26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread, 
that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened 
cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, 
and put tlKm on the fat, and upon the right 
shoulder : 



aExod. 29:8,9. t Heb. dounrf. k oh. 4:7; Ezek. 43;20, 2G; Heb. 9:18-93. 
CcH. 18:20; 2 Chr. 29:24; Ezek. 45:20; Dan. 9:24; 2 Cor. 5:18, 21; Eph. 
2:111; Col. 1:20-32; Heb. 2:17. a ch. 4:11, 12; Exod. 29:14; Heb. 13:11-13. 
e Gen. 8:20, 21; Eph. 5:2. t Exod. 29:19-31. s cli. 14:14, 17, 23. h Heb. 

17. j4.s the Lord commanded; chap. 4:11, 12. 

34. As he Itath done this day; or, as it hath been done 
this day. Eacli of the seven days he was to offer sacrifice, 
as he had the first day. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
9. If the ministers of religion are comely in the sight of 
God, or in any measure fitted for their work, it must be 
through the comehness which he puts upon them — clotli- 
ing them witli his righteousness, aud adorning them with 
the graces of his Spirit. 



27 And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon 
his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave-offer- 
ing before the Lord. 

28 And Moses took them from off their hands, 
and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt-offer- 
ing : they ivcre consecrations for a sweet savor : it 
is an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 

29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for 
a wave-offering before the Lord :' for of the ram 
of consecration it was Moses' part ; as the Lord 
commanded Moses. 

30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of 
the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled 
it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon 
his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; 
and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his 
sons, and his sons' garments with him.'' 

31 1[ And Moses said unto Aaron and to his 
sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle 
of the congregation ;' and there eat it with the 
bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I 
commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall 
eat it. 

32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and of 
the bread shall ye burn with fire. 

33 And yc shall not go out of the door of the 
tabernacle of the congregation m seven days, until 
the days of your consecration be at an end: for 
seven days shall he consecrate you.™ 

34 As he hath done this day, so the Lord hath 
commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. 

35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the 
tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven 
days, and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die 
not : " for so I am commanded. 

36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which 
the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 The first-offerings of Aaron, for himself and the people. 8 The sin- 
offeriiit^, 12 and the burnt-ofFering for himself. 1-5 The offerings for 
the people. 23 Moses and Aaron bless tile people. 24 Fire Cometh 
from the Lord upon the altar. 

AND it came to pass on the eighth day," that 
Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the 
elders of Israel ; 

2 And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young 
calf for a sin-oflering," and a ram for a burnt-offer- 
ing,i without blemish, and offer them before the 
Lord. 

3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt 
speak, saying. Take ye a kid of the goats "■ for a sin- 



9:22. i Exod. 29:22, etc. 


J Exod. 29:26. k ch. 10:3; Num. 3:3. 1 Exod. 


29:31, 33; 1 Sam. 2:13-17 


m Ezek. 43:25, 26. n Num. 3:7; 9:19- Deut. 


11:1; 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Tim. 


1:18; 5:21; 6:20; 2 Tim. 4:1. o Ezek. 43:27-. 


Pch. 4:3; 8:14; Exod. 29: 


. qch.8:18. rch. 4:23; Ezra 0:17. 



14. Even those who are the most solemnly consecrated 
to the service of God are themselves sinners, and need 
the cleansing of atoning blood. 

30. In every thing sinners need the purifying influences 
of the Holy Spirit, in order to offer acceptable sacrifice to 
a holy God, or be prepared for his presence. Heb. 10:22. 

36. Ministers of religion who have a right spirit, will 
feel deeply the responsibilities of their office ; that they 
are called to it not merely by men, but by God ; and will 
labor first of aU to please him by seeking his glory and 
doing his will. 

141 



Aaron's Jirst offerings. 



LKVITICLS X, 



I^adiib and Abihii slitin. 



offcrin?;' and a calf aiul a lamb, bofh of the first 
year, without bletnisli, fur a Ijuriit-oflorinnr ; 

4 Also a bullock ami a ram for pcace-ofVeriiiirs, 
to sacrifice before the Loiu) ; anil a meat-oiferinir 
mintrled with oil i"" for to-day the Lord will appear 
unto you. 

5 T'And they brought t/mt which Moses com- 
manded before the tabernacle of the congregation : 
and all the congregation drew near and stood 
before the Loun. 

C And Moses said, This is the thing which the 
Loud commanded that ye should do : and the 
glory of the Loiii) siiall appear unto you."= 

7 And Moses said unto Aaron, tJo unto the altar,, 
and ofter thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering,'' 
and make an atonement for thyself, and for the 
people:'' and offer the offering of the people, and 
make an atonement for them;" as the Lord com- 
manded. 

8 *!\ Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and 
slew the calf of the sin-offering, which was for 
himself. 

9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto 
him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and 
])ut it upf)u the horns of the altar ,•= and poured out 
the blood at the bottom of the altar. 

10 But tiie ilit, and the kidneys, and the caul 
above the liver of the sin-offering, he burnt upon 
the altar;'' as the Lord commanded Moses. 

11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire 
without the camp. 

12 And he slew the burnt-offering; and Aaron's 
sons presented unto him the blood, which he 
sprinkled round about upon the altar.' 

13 And they presented the burnt-offering unto 
him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and 
he burnt t/icm upon the altar. 

14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, 
and burnt thc7n upon the burnt-offering on the altar. 

15 IT And he brought the people's offering, and 
took the goat, which was the sin-offering for the 
people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the 
first.' 





» 


sa .1.1 


•Id; 


Hfi 


J. 9:26 


b Nun 


1. 15:9. 


c vpr. 


2.1 


Exod. 24 


:16; 


2Chr. 


s 


l.'i 


14 


d vf> 


2' 


1 Sam 


3:14. e 


Heb. •'1.3 


7:27 


9 


7. ISeh 


5:1. 


goh. 


4 


7 ■ 


Hph 


(!•* 


•'■■I 


b ch 


8:16. 


ch. 1:5; 


H:l(). 


J 


sa. 53:10; 


H«K 


2:17; 


5 


:!. 


•Or, 


ordt 




e. MUb.JUlfd 


his hand out of 


t(. 


l'Exod.29:3S 


IcL. 



CHAPTER IX. 

4. The Lord wdl appear ; in a special manner, and show 
his approbation of tlieir services. Ver. 23, 2-1. 

5. Before the Lord; before the tabernacle, or sanctuary, 
in which ho dwelt. 

7. Go unto the altar; the altar of burnt-offerings ; in the 
court, near the door of the tabernacle. Exod. 27 : 1-8. 

9. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ith- 
amar. Chap. 10:1-C. 

16. According to the manner; the manner that God had 
prescribed. Chap. 1:10-13. 

21. As Mosex commanded; Exod. 29:24-26. 

24. From before the Lord; from his visible presence in 
the tabernacle. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

7. Ministers, after being duly consecrated to their office, 
should without delay enter upon the faithful discharge of 
its duties. 

8. Atonement through the blood of Christ, and purifica- 

142 



10 And he brought the burnt-offering, U.C.I'm 
and offered it according to the manner.* 

17 And he brought tlie meat-offering, and took 
a handful thereof,* and burnt it upon the altar. 
beside the burnt-sacrifice of the morning.'' 

is He slew also the bullock and the ram fur a 
sacrifice of peace-offerings,' which was for the peo- 
ple: and Aaron's sons presented unto him thebUiod. 
which he sprinkled u])on the altar round about, 

19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram. 
the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and 
the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: 

20 And tiiey put the fat upon the breasts, and he 
burnt the fat upon the altar: 

21 And the breasts and the right .shoulder Aaron 
waved /or a wave-offering before the Lord;'" as 
Moses commanded. 

22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the 
people, and blessed them;" and came down from 
offering of the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, 
and peace-offerings. 

23 And Moses and Aaron went into the taber- 
nacle of the congregation, and came out, and 
blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord 
appeared unto all the people." 

24 And there came a fire out from before the 
Lord,'' and consumed upon the altar the burnt-of- 
fering and the fat: which when all the people saw, 
they shouted,'' and fell on their faces. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 Nad.^b .ind Abihu, for offering of strange fire, are burnt by fire, fl 
Aaron and his sons are forbidden to mourn for them. 8 The priests 
are forbidden wine when they are to go into the tabernacle. 1',* 
The law of eating the holy things. 16 Aaron's excuse for transgresr- 
ing thereof. 

A ND Nadab and Alfihu, the sons of Aaron, 
Jl\. took either of them his censer, and put 
fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered 
strange fire before the Lord,'' which he commanded 
them not. 

2 And there went out fire from the Lord,' and 
devoured them, and- they died before the Lord.' 



ch. 7:30-34. ■> Num. 6:23-27; Deut. 21:5; 2 Chr. 6:3; Pta. 



. 3:4; 26:61. 



tion by the Holy Spirit, are among the first great doc- 
trines which a muiister sliould preach ; and which, in their 
various relations, he should continue to incidcate through 
the whole of his ministry. 

22. He should not confine himself to the preaching of a 
few of the many doctrines of the gospel, but should, in 
due time, order, and proportion, labor to inculcate the 
whole ; and in such a manner as shall be most profitable 
to the people. 

24. True love and devotion to God in the human heart 
are enkindled by the Holy Spirit ; and the manifestation 
of his approval is a just cause of rejoicing. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. Censer; a fire-pan for sacred uses. Strange fire; 
common fire — not that which was kindled by the Lord on 
the altar. Chap. 9 : 24. This event seems to have taken 
place in the sanctuary, whither they had gone in an irrev- 
erent and presumptuous manner to burn incense. 

2. From the Lord ; from his visible glory on the mercy- 
scat. Devoured; killed. 



Of witiA and strong drink 



LEVITICUS X. 



Eating the sin-offering 



B.c'S'' 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is 
it that the Lord spal^e, saying, I Avill bo sanctiticd 
in thoin that come nigh me," and before all the 
people I will be glorified.'' And Aaron held his 
peace." 

4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the 
sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto 
them. Come near, carry your brethren from before 
the sanctuary out of the camp. 

5 So they went near, and carried them in their 
coats out of the camp ;'' as Moses had said. 

6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar 
and unto Ithamar, his sons. Uncover not your 
heads, neither rend your clothes;"' lest ye die, and 
lest wrath come upon all the people Z but let your 
brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the 
burning which the Lord hath kindled. 

7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the 
tabernacle of the congregation," lest ye die : for 
the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.'' And 
they did according to the word of Moses. 

8 IT And the Lord spiko unto Aaron, saying, 

9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink,' thou, 
nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tab- 
ernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall 
be a statute for ever throughout your genera- 
tions : 

10 And that ye may put difference between holy 
and unholy, and between unclean and clean ;J 

11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel 
all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto 
them by the hand of Moses." 

12 IT And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto 
Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left. 
Take the mcat-offcring that remaineth of the offer- 



J 


KftiH 


19:23; 


ch. 21 


n 


S, 15; 1 Sim. 6:23 


1 


Thr 


15:12, 13; Psi 


69:7; 


Rl 


53:11 


; Hob. 


12:23. 


b 


SI. 49:3; Ezek. 25 


23 


.Inh 


n 12:2S. = Psa 


39:9; 


4:i 


(0. d 


Acts 5 


8, 10. 
3 Sam 


e 


oh. 21:10; Ezek. 


31: 


7. 


t Num. 1G:4G 


Josh. 


7:1 


; -23: 1 


3, 2J; 


2 


:ll, 15. S ch. 21 


12 


h 


Exod. 2S:41; 


40:15. 



3. The Lord spake; Esod. 19:22; 29:43. Them that come 
nigh me; especially those who conduct religious worship. 
Held his peace; submitted without a murmur to the righ1> 
eou3 judgment of God. 

5. Oat of the camp; for burial. 

6. Uncover not — nzither rend, ; avoid all appearance of 
mourning. 

7. Not go out; not suspend any of the duties of the min- 
istry, but continue to discbarge them. 

9. Do not drink xmne nor strong drink; it is supposed 
that Nadab and Abihu had bjen drinking, and became 
excited; that this was one cause of their transgression; 
and that God enjoined on bis ministers, when about to 
engage in pubUc worship, entire abstinence from the use 
of intoxicating drink, that they might not be unfitted for 
their work. 

10. Hotij and unholy — undean and dean; things which 
God forbids in his worship, and tliose wliich he requires. 

12. Meat-offering; chap. 2:3; 6:16; 7:29-34. 

18. Ye should— ^Lave eaten it ; if its blood had been brought 
into that part of the tabernacle called the sanctuary, or 
holy place, they were to burn it without the camp ; if not, 
they were to eat it. Chap. 6:26-30. 

19. This day — tliey offered; chap. 9:8-21. Such things; 
the death of his two sons. If I had eaten; joined with his 
family in feasting, while thus heavily afflicted. Should it 
have been accepted ? would it, under those peculiar circum- 
stances, have been suitable or pleasing to God ? 

20. He was content; satisfied that God would not be 
displeased witli Aaron and his sons for what they had 
done. 



ings of tlic Lord made by fire, and eat it without 
leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy. 

13 And ye shall cat it in the holy place,' because 
it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices 
of the Lord made by fire : for so I am command- 
ed. 

14 And the wavc-brcast and heave-shoulder shall 
ye eat in a clean place ; thou, and thy sons, and 
thy daughters with thee : for they be thy due, and 
thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices 
of peace-offerings of the children of Israel. 

15 The heave-shoulder and the wave-breast shall 
they bring with the offerings made by fire of the 
fat, to wave it for a wave-offering before the Lord ; 
and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by 
a statute for ever; as the Lord hath commanded. 

16 li And Moses diligently sought the goat of 
the sin-offering, and behold, it was burnt: and he 
was angry witli Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of 
Aaron which were left alive, saying, 

17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin-offering 
in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God 
hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the con- 
gregation, to make atonement for them before the 
Lord? 

18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in 
within the holy •place: ye should indeed have eaten 
it in the holy 'place, as I commanded."" 

19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this 
day have they offered their sin-offering and their 
burnt-offering before the Lord ; and such things 
have befallen me : and if I had eaten the sin-offer- 
ing to-day, should it have been accepted in the 
sight of the Lord?" 

20 And when Moses heard that, he was content. 



i Isa. 28:7; Ezek. 44:21; Luke 1:15; 1 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 1:7. J ch. 11:47; 
20:25, aS; Jer. 15:19; Ezek. 44:23. k Neh. 6:2, 8; Mai. 2:7. 1 Num. 
18:10. m ch. 6:20, 30. n Isi, 1:11-15; Jer. 6:20; 14:12; Hos. 9:4; Hal. 
1:10,13. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Recklessness in divine worship, and the ofiering of 
our own excited and proud emotions instead of that hum- 
ble and obedient spirit which he requires, are peculiarly 
offensive to God. 

2. Great sins and great trials may speedily follow the 
reception of great mercies. 

3. Prompt and cheerful submission to God, and hearty 
acquiescence in his will, under trials, however great, is a 
fruit of the Spirit which peculiarly honors him, and is 
useful to men. 

7. Regard for our friends, or sorrow on account of their 
death, must not lead us improperly to manifest grief, or 
to neglect our appropriate duties. 

11. The use of wine or strong drink is exceedingly dan- 
gerous, and should be abstained from, especially by min- 
isters when about to engage in sacred public duties ; that 
they may rightly conduct the worship of God, and make 
known his will to the people. 

14. A cheerful reception of the good things of Provi- 
dence, and at proper times and in suitable circumstances 
even feasting with our families on the fruits of divine 
kindness, is not only allowable, but is a duty, the right 
performance of which will promote the divine glory and 
our own highest good. 

19. Some things which on ordinary occasions would be 
right, proper, and useful, may without sin be omitted on 
occasions of great affliction and distress ; and some things 
which on ordinary occasions would not be proper, may at 
such times be done. 1 Sara. 21:6; 2 Chron. 30:18-20; 
Matt. 9:1.J; Mark 2:19, 25, 26; Luke 5:34. 
14.'; 



Of dtan and unclcdn 



LEVITICUS XI. 



Icnsts, fishes, and f I wis. 



CHAPTER XI, 



1 Whst befuu may, -1 arul what may not lie faten. 9 What fishes. 
13 What fowU. Sil The cnipin;; things which arc uiiok.in. 

VND the Lord spake unto Moses and to Aaron, 
saying unto llicm, 

2 Speiik unto tlic fliildrcn of Israel, sa3'ing, 
These are the beasts whicli ye sliall eat among all 
tlic boasts that are on the earth." 

3 Whatsoever jiarteth the hoof, and is cloven- 
footed,'' and chcweth the cud, among the beasts, 
that shall ye eat. 

4 Nevertheless, these shall yo not cat of them 
tlint chew the cud, or of tliein that divide the 
hoof: a? the camel, because he chcweth the cud, 
but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 

And the coney, because he chcweth the cud, 
but divideth not the hoof; he is unclam unto you. 

C And the hare, because he chcweth the cud, but 
divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and 
be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud ; he 
is unclean to you. 

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their car- 
cass shall ye not touch ;° they are unclean to you. 

9 1[ These sliall ye eat of all that are in the wa- 
ters:* whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, 
in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 

10 And all that have not tins and scales in tlie 
seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in tlie 
waters, and of any living thing which is in the 
waters, they shaU be an abomination unto you:" 

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; 
ye sliall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have 
tlicir carcasses in abomination. 

12 Whatsoever hatli no fins nor scales in the 
waters, that shall he an abomination unto you. 

13 IT And these are they which ye shall have in 
abomination among the fowls ;'^ they shall not be 
eaten, tliey are an abomination : the eagle, and the 
ossifrage, and the ospray, 

14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 



»Dsut. 14:3, etc. ; Ezek. 4:14; Dan. 1:S; Matt. 15:11; Rom. 14:14; Heb. 
9:10; 13:9. bPsa.l:l,2. c Isa. 82:11 ; Acts 10:10-1.5; 2 Cor. 6:17; Col. 
2:21. liDeut. 14:9. e ch. 7:1S. tDeut. 14:12. ? Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:0. 



CHAPTER XI. 

This chapter treats of the distinction between clean and 
unclean meats, ■which entered largely into Jewish haliits 
of thinking and acting. It cannot be reasonably doubted 
that tlie clean animals here allowed were those which, to 
the people of that region, furnished the most wholesome 
diet. Bf.t the distinction had a much deeper meaning. It 
typified the inward difference which God's servants should 
make between clean and unclean affections, and the holy 
or unholy acts that proceed from them. Another end of 
these distinctions was to keep the Hebrews separate from 
all other nations, as a people devoted to Jehovah. 

3. Cloven-footed; having the hoof divided into two parts, 
like that of the ox and sheep. 

4. Unclean; not to be eaten. 

5. Coney; a small animal inhabiting high, rocky places. 
Prov. 30:26. 

10. An ahominotion; to be loathed and rejected. 

13. Among the fowls; it is plain that the unclean birds 
here named are mostly, if not entirely, birds of prey, or 
such as feed on carrion. But the particular species can- 
not, in all cases, be determined. 
144 



15 Every raven after his kind; » t'liwi: 

16 And the owl, and tlie nighthawk, and the 
cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, 

17 And tlic little owl, and the cormorant, and 
the great owl, 

is And tlie swan, ami the pelican, and the gier- 
eaglc, 

I'J And the stork, the heron after her kind, and 
the lapwing, and the bat. 

20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, 
shall he an abomination unto you. 

21 Yet these may ye cat of every flying creep- 
ing thing that goetli upon all fmir, wliich have 
legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the 
earth ; 

22 Even these of them ye may cat;" the locust 
after his kind, and tlie bald locust af^ter his kind, 
and the lieetle after his kind, and the grasshopjier 
after his kind. 

23 But all other flying creeping things, which 
have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you. 

24 And for these ye shall be unclean : whosoever 
touclieth the carcass of them shall be unclean until 
the even.'' 

25 And whosoever bearetli aught of the carcass 
of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean 
until the even.' 

2() The carcasses of every beast which divideth 
the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor chcweth 
the cud, are unclean unto you: eveiy one that 
touclieth them shall be unclean. 

27 And wliatsoever goeth upon his paws, among 
all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are 
unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcass 
shall be unclean until the even. 

28 And he that beareth the carcass of them 
shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the 
even :' they are unclean unto you. 

29 1 These also shall he unclean unto you among 
the creeping things that creep upon the earth ; the 
weasel, and the mouse," and the tortoise after his 
kind, 



hver. 8; ch. 17:15, 16. ich. 14:8; 15:5; Num. 19:10, 22; 31:21; Psa. .Il:' 
7; Zech. 13:1; John 13:8; Acts 22:16; Heb. 9:10; 10:22; 1 Pet. 3:21; Rev. 
7:14. jver. 21. kisa. 66.17. 



20. Fords that creep; winged insects. See ver. 21-23. 

21. Legs above tlieirfcct; those which, in addition to the 
feet on which they wallv, have long legs with which to 
jump ; as locusts and grasshoppers. 

23. Flying creeping things; as flies, wasps, and bees. 

24. For these; the creatures mentioned verses 2G-28. 
Unclean until the even; not admitted to unite in public 
worship, or associate with others who united in it. 

29. Creeping things; by these the Hebrews understand 
small animals that move with a low or a crawling motion, 
as well as serpents and worms. Few of the particular 
species here mentioned can be determined with any cer- 
tainty. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. In eating and drinking, we should seek not merely to 
gratify appetite or preserve life, health, and reason, but 
to fit ourselves for the best discharge of our duties. 
Whatever as to kind, quality, or quantity, tends to unfit 
us for this, should be rejected. 1 Cor. 10:31. 

8. Great attention and care are needful to avoid the 
commission of sin, and exposure to its punishment. 

25. Pollution by sin,, and need of spiritual cleansing by 
the Holy Ghost, were taught abundantly in the Jewish 



Inclean creeping ikings. 



LEVITICUS XII. 



Purification of women. 



ilaim' 30 And the ferret, and the cliameleon, 
and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. 

31 These are unclean to you anions all that 
creep ; whosoever doth toucli them, when they be 
dead, shall be unclean until the even." 

32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they 
are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean ; whether 
it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or 
sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein a7iy work is 
done, it must be put into water, and it shall be 
unclean until the even ;'' so it shall be cleansed. 

33 And every earthen vessel whereinto any of 
them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean ; 
and ye shall break it.° 

34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on 
which such water cometh sliall be unclean : and 
all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel 
shall he unclean. 

35 And every thiiig whereupon a7iy part of their 
carcass falleth shall be unclean ; whether it be oven, 
or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down -.for 
they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. 

36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there 
is plenty of water," shall l)e clean : but that which 
toucheth their carcass shall be unclean. 

37 And if any part of their carcass fall upon any 
■sowing seed wliich is to be sown, it shall be clean. 

38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and 
any part of tlieir carcass fall thereon, it shall be 
unclean unto you. 

39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die ; 
he tliat toucheth the carcass thereof sliall be un- 
clean until the even. 

40 And he that eateth of the carcass of it shall 
wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even:'^ 
he also that bcareth the carcass of it shall wash 
liis clothes, and be unclean until the even. 

41 And every creeping tiling that creepetli upon 
the eartli shall be an abomination; it shall not be 
eaten. 

42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and what- 
soever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath 
more fcet^ among all creeping things that creep 
upon the earth, them ye shall not eat ; for they are 
an abomination. 

43 Ye shall not make yourselves* abominable 
with any creeping thing that creepeth," neither 



»Ver. 8; Hag. 2:1D. bch. 15;ia. c ch. 6:2S; Psa. '2:9; Jer. 48:38; 2Tim. 
2:01; Rev. 2:a7. • Heh. a gathering together of waters. dch.l7:15; 22:8; 
Deut. 14:21 ; Ezek. 4:14; 44:31; 1 Cor. 10:21. t Heb. doth multiply feet. 
IReb. your souls. ech.30:i5. 'ch.l9:2; 20:7,26; Exod.l9:6; AmM3::3; 



ritual ; and none who understand its teaching, can be igno- 
rant of the doctrine of human depravity and the necessity 
of being born again in order to see the kingdom of God. 
John 3:10. 

45. Hohness is to all men the one thing needful. In 
every heart where it exists, it is the fruit of the Holy 
Spirit. Hence, the reason why all men should hearken 
diligently to his voice speaking to them in the Bible, 
receive his teachings as infallible trutli. and cordially 
obey them. 

CHAPTER XII. 

2. Unclean ; ceremonially ; not allowed to enjoy society, 
attend public ordinances, or eat of the offerings of which 
she might otherwise partake. Chap. 15:19-25. 

4. Three ami thirty day.i; during tliis time she might 
10 



shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that 
ye should be defiled thereby. 

44 For I a7n the Lord your God : ye shall there- 
foi'e sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy ; for 
I am holy :'' neither shall ye defile yourselves with 
any manner of creeping thing that creepetli upon 
the earth. 

45 For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out 
of the land of Egypt, to be your God:*^ ye shall 
therefore be holy, for I am holy. 

46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, 
and of every living creature that moveth in the 
waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon 
the earth : 

47 To make a difference between the unclean 
and the clean," and between the beast that may be 
eaten and the beast that may not be eaten. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 The purification of ■women after childbirth. C Her offerings for her 

purifying. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. 
If a woman have conceived seed, and borne a 
man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days;' 
according to the days of the separation for her 
infirmity shall she be unclean.-' 

3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his fore- 
skin shall be circumcised." 

4 And she shall then continue in the blood of 
her purifying three and thirty days; she shall 
touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanc- 
tuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 

5 But if she bear a maid-child, then she shall be 
unclean two weeks, as in her separation : and she 
shall continue in the blood of her purifying three- 
score and six days. 

6 And when the days of her purifying are ful- 
filled,' for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring 
a lamb of the first year^ for a burnt-oifering, and 
a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin-ofl"er- 
ing, unto the door of the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, unto the priest: 

7 Who shall offer it before the Lord, and make 
an atonement for her ; and she shall be cleansed 
from the issue of her blood. This is the law for 
her that hath borne a male or a female. 





,'i-4S 


; 1 Thess. 


4-7 


1 Pet. 1 


:15, 16 


Rev 


22:11 


14 


e 


Exod 


6:7; 


20:2; 


P^a. 


105:43-4.5 


Ho 


s. 11:1. 


h ch. 10:10, 


Ezek. 


44 


2:i; 


Mai. 


3:18. 


i, lob 14:4; 


Psa. 51:5; 


Luke 2:22. 


ch. 15 


19. 


k Gen 


17 


12; 


Luke 2:21; 


John 


7:22, 


2:3; Rom. 3 


:19 


Gal. 3:3 


1 Luk 


-■- 


. 5 He 


b.a 


son 


of his 


year. 



have society, but not attend pubhc worship or partake of 
ordinances. 

6-8. A burnt-offering — a sin-offering ; these were to ex- 
press her need of pardon, her gratitude to God for his mer- 
cies, her faith in his great atonement, and her devotion of 
herself and all that she had to his service. Luke 2:22-24. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

7. Parents have always been bound gratefully to recog- 
nize the goodness of God in the birth of their children, to 
acknowledge their need of his mercy, and to train tlicm 
for his service and glory. 

8. The poor, as well as the rich, may have access to 
God, and be accepted of him. As to property, opportu- 
nities, and capacities, God requires according to what men 
have, or may Iiave, and not according to what they have 
not, or cannot liave. 



The tolicns foT iliscfrnitui 



LKViTicrs xm, 



the plague of leprosy. 



8 Ami if .«ho he not able to brine: a lamb," Ihcn 
she shall hrinir two turtles, or two younir pifreons ;" 
the one for the burnt-offerinp:, and the other for a 
sin-offerin<x : and the priest shall make an atone- 
ment for her, and she shall be clean. 

CHAPTER XIII. 



1 Thf liTTs anJ tokens whercli 



r thp priest is to be guided in d 
le lejirosy. 



AND the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, 
saying, 

2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh 
a rising,* a scab," or bright spot, and it be in the 
skin oi" his flesh like tiie plague of leprosy ; then 
he shall bo brought unto Aaron the priest,"^ or 
unto one of his sons tlie priests : 

3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the 
skin of the flesh : and wfwn the hair in the plague 
is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper 
than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy : 
and the priest sliall look on him, and pronounce 
him unclean. 

4 If the bright spot he white in the skin of his 
flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, 
and the hair thereof be not turned white; then 
the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague 
seven days:* 

5 And "the priest shall look on him the seventh 
day: and behold, if the plague in liis sight be at 
a stay, and tlie plague spread not in the skin ; 
then the priest sliall shut him up seven days more : 

6 And tlio priest shall look on him again the 
seventh day : and behold, if the plague be some- 
what dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, 
the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a 
scab : and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 

7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the 
skin, after that he hath been seen of the i)riest 
for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest 
again : 

8 And if the priest see that, behold, the scab 
sprcadcth in the skin, then the priest shall pro- 
nounce him unclean: it is a leprosy. 

9 1 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then 
he shall be brought unto the priest ; 

10 And the priest shall see him:" and behold, if 
the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned 
the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh* in 
the rising ; 

11 It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, 
and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and 
shall not shut him up : for he is unclean. 



* Heh. her hand Jind not sufficiency of a lamb. ach. 5:7. 1 OT,sweUins; 
i Deut. 2S;a7i I»a. 3:17. e Deut. I7;S. 9; 24:8; .Mai. 2:7; Luke 17:14. 
4 Num. 12:15. t Num. 12:10, 12; 2Kiliss5:27; 2Chr. 26:19, 20. I Heb. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

2. Leprosy; a foul disease covering the body with a 
kind of white scales; from its loathsome and incurable 
character, it is often referred to as an emblem of sin. The 
terms, "arising, a scab, or bright spot," describe three 
different varieties in its form of appearing. 

3. Unclean ; leprous, and therefore to be excluded from 
divine ordinances and from society. 

6. Dark; or pale, dim, in opposition to bright. 
146 



12 And if a leprosy break out abroad « " S* 
in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the akin of 
him that hath the plague from his head even to his 
foot, wheresoever the )u-icst looketh ; 

i:i Then tlic jiriest shall consider: and behold, 
if \\w lejirosy have covered all his flesh, he shall 
pronounce him clean that hath the plague : it is all 
turned white :^ he i? clean. 

14 But when raw flesh appearcth in him, be 
shall be unclean. 

15 And the priest shall sec the raw flesh, and 
pronounce him to be unclean : for the raw flesh 
vi unclean : it is a lejiro.sy. 

]() Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed 
unto white, he shall come unto the priest ; 

17 And the priest shall see him: and behold, if 
the plague be turned into white; then the i)riest 
shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: 
he is clean. 

18 1 The flesh also, in which, even in llic skin 
thereof, was a boil,"-' and is healed, 

19 And in the place of the boil there be a white 
rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat red- 
dish, and it be showed to the priest ; 

20 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be 
in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof 
be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him 
unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of 
the boil. 

21 But if the priest look on it, and behold, there 
be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower 
than the skin, but be somewhat dark ; then the 
priest shall shut him up seven days :'' 

22 And if it spread much abroad in the skin, 
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it w 
a plague. 

23 But if the liright spot stay in his place, and 
spread not, it is a burning boil;' and the priest 
shall pronounce him clean .J 

24 1 Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof 
there is a hot burning,'"'' and the quick ^*A that 
burnetii have a white bright spot, somewhat red- 
dish, or white ; 

25 Then the priest shall look upon it: and be- 
hold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned 
white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it 
is a leprosy broken out of the burning: where- 
fore the priest sliall pronounce him unclean : it is 
the plague of leprosy. 

26 But if the priest look on it, and behold, there 
be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no 
lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark ; 
then the priest shall shut him up seven days: 



Ihequickcning of living fcah. ' Isa. 64:0; Jolmfl:41. eExod.9:9; 1.^:26. 
li 1 Cor. 5:.5. ■ Job .•J4::il ; PrOT. 28:13; 1 Peter 4:3. )2Cor.2:7. ! Heb. a 
burnins offirt. k ha. 3:21. 



9. The plague of leprosy; another variety in its form, 
namely, the rising, ver. 10. 

13. He is clean; either it is not a true leprosy, or the lep- 
rosy has in this way healed itself. 

24. A hot burning; in the original, a burning of fire; 
which seems to mean a sore made by fire in which the 
plague of leprosy appears. Borne, however, suppose that 
it is an inflamed sore. And the quick flesh that burnelh liave; 
or, "and the mark of the burning be," that is, break out 
into. 



Concerning kprcsy in (he 



LEVITICUS XIII. 



head, or in a garment. 



B ''S*' 27 And the priest shall look upon him 
the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad 
in the skin, then the priest shall jirouounce him 
unclean : it is the plague of leprosy. 

28 And if tlie bright spot stay in liis place, anrf 
spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark ; 
it is a rising of tlie burning, and the priest shall 
pronounce him clean : for it is an inflammation of 
the burning. 

29 1 If a man or woman have a plague upon 
the head or the beard ;" 

30 Tiien the priest shall see tlie plague : and be- 
hold, if it he in sight deeper than the skin, and 
there he in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest 
shall pronounce him unclean : it is a dry scall, 
ei^cn a leprosy upon the head or beard. 

31 And if the priest look on the plague of the 
scall, and behold, it be not in sight deeper than 
the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then 
the priest shall shut up liint, that hath the plague 
of the scall seven days -^ 

32 And in the seventh day tlie priest shall look 
on the plague : and behold, if the scall spread not, 
and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be 
not in sight deeper than the skin; 

33 He shall be shaven, but the scall shall lie not 
shave ; and the priest shall shut up him that hath 
the scall seven days more : 

34 And in the seventh day the priest shall look 
on the scall : and behold, if the scall be not spread 
in the skin, nor be in sight deeper tlian tlie skin ; 
then tlie priest shall pronounce him clean : and he 
shall wasli his clothes, and be clean. 

35 But if the scall spread much in the skin 
after his cleansing f 

36 Then the priest shall look on him : and be- 
hold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest 
shall not seek for yellow Jiair ; ho is unclean. 

37 But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and 
that there is black hair grown up therein; the 
scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall 
pronounce him clean. 

38 1 If a man also or a woman have in the skin 
of tlieir flesh bright spots, even white bright spots ;'' 

39 Then the priest shall look: and beiiold, if 
tlie bright spots in the skin of their flesh be dark- 
ish white, it is a freckled spot that groweth in the 
skin: he is clean. 

40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head,' 
he is bald ; yet is he clean. 

41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the 
part of his head toward his face, he is forehead- 
bald ; yet is he clean. 



» 1 Kings i-M; 2 Chr. 6:29; Isa. 1:5. b ver. -l-fi. <: verses 7, 27; 2 Tim. 
2 17; 3:l;i. i Eccl. 7:20; Rom. 7:22, 23; .Tas. 3:2. • Vieh. head is pilled. 
' Isa. 1:5. t 2 Sam. 13;1U; Ezra 9:3; Job 1:2U; Jer. 36:24; Joel 2:13. 
f ch. 10:0; 21:10. h Ezek. 24: 17, 22; Micah 3:7. i Job 42:6; Psa. 51 :3, 
5: Isa. 6:5; 64:6; Rom. 3:23; 1 Cor. 6:11. j Prov. 30:12. *■ Num. 5:2; 
12:14; 2 Kings 7:3; 15:5; 2Chr. 26:21; Psa. 38:11 ; Lam. 1:1; Luke 17:12: 



30. Beard ; a disease in the part from which the beard 
grows, and affecting the beard itself. 

31. There is no black hair in it ; the presence of this would 
be a ftivorable sign, ver. 37. Its absence makes the case 
doubtful. 

39. Darkish white; or dullish white, in opposition to 
bri,2;ht white spots. 

45. A covering upon his upper lip; this was a sign of 



42 And if there be in the bald head, or bald 
forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy 
sprung up in his bald head, or his bald fore- 
head. 

43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and be- 
hold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in 
his bald head, or in iiis bald forehead, as the lep- 
rosy appeareth in the skin of tlie flesh ; 

44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean : the priest 
shall pronounce him utterly unclean ; his plague 
is in his head." 

45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his 
clothes shall be rent,"^ and his head bare,'' and he 
shall put a covering upon his upper lip," and shall 
cry. Unclean, unclean.' 

46 All tlic days wherein the plague shall he in 
him he shall be defiled ;J he is unclean: he shall 
dwell alone ;'' without the camp shall his habita- 
tion be. 

47 1 The garment also that the plague of lep- 
rosy is in,' whether it be a woollen garment, or a 
linen garment ; 

48 Whether it he in the warp, or woof, of linen, 
or of woollen ; whether in a skin, or in any thing 
made* of skin ; 

49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in 
the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or 
in the woof, or in any thing* of skin; it w a 
plague of leprosy, and shall be showed unto the 
priest : 

50 And the priest shall look upon the plague, 
and shut up it that hath the plague seven days : 

51 And he shall look on the plague on the sev- 
enth day : if the plague be spread in the garment, 
either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or 
in any work that is made of skin ; the plague is a 
fi-etting leprosy ;™ it is unclean. 

52 He shall therefore burn that garment," wheth- 
er warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any 
thing of skin, wherein the plague is : for it is a 
fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire. 

53 And if the priest sliall look, and beliold, the 
plague be not spread in the garment, either in the 
warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; 

54 Tiien the priest shall command that they 
wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall 
shut it up seven days more: 

55 And the priest shall look on the plague, after 
that it is washed ■." and behold, if the plague have 
not changed his color, and the plague be not 
spread, it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the 
fire ; it is fret inward, whether it be bare witMn or 
without.^ 



1 Cor. 5:5. 13; 2Thess. 3:6; 1 Tim. 6:5; Rev. 21:27; 22:15. 1 Josh. 7:21 ; 
Eccl. 9:6; Isa. 61:10; 61:6; Zech. 3:3, 4; .Tis. 5:2; Jude 23; Rev. 4:4; 
10:15. Mleh. work of . I Heh. vessel, or inslrumfnl, ■" ch. 14:44. ■> ch. 
11:33; Deut. 7:25, 20; Isa. 30:22; Acts 19:19, 20. •> Ezek. 24:13; Feb. 
6:4-S; 2 Pet. 1:9; 2:20-22. i Hcb. bald in llie liead thereof, or in the fore- 
head thereof. 



mourning and huraiHation. Ezek. 24:17, 22; Micah 3:7. 
Unclean, unclean; as a warning to others not to approach 
him. 

47. The plague of leprosy; some infection that had a 
general resemblance to lepro.sy. 

51. Afreltinglcprosy; corroding and destroying the clotli. 

55. Bare; deprived of its nap. Within or without; on 
the inner or outer side of the garment. 
147 



nites and stierifices 



LKVniC US XIV. 



in cJennsing the leper. 



56 Ami if tlio priest look, and behold, the plague 
he somowimt dark after the -n-ashins of it; then 
h(> siiall rend it out of th(> irarnient, or out of tiio 
skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof: 

57 And if it ajjpear still in the garment, either 
iti the warp, or in the woof, or in any thinfj; of 
skin; it is a spreading plaspie: thou shalt burn 
lliat wlierein the plague is with lire." 

58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or 
whatsoever thing of skin it he, wldcli tliou slialt 
wash, if the plague be departed from thein, then it 
shall be waslied the second time, and shall be clean. 

59 This w the law of the plague of leprosy in 
a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, 
or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it 
clean, or to jironouucc it unclean. 

CHAPTER XIV, 

1 The rites and sacrifices in cleansing of the leper, 33 The signs of 

leprosy in a house. 43 The cleansing of that house. 

\ ND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

2 A_ 2 This shall be tlie law of the leper in the 
day of his cleansing: lie shall be brought unto 
tlie priest:'' 

3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp ; 
and the priest shall look, and behold, if the 
plague of leprosy be healed in the leper ; 

4 Then shall the priest command to take for him 
that is to be cleansed two birds* alive and clean, 
and cedar-wood,"^ and scarlet, and hyssop:" 



» Isa. aj:14; Matt. 3:12; 25:41; Rev. 21 :S. b Matt 


S:2, 4; Mark 1:44; 


Lnke5:12, 14; 17:14. * Or, sparrows. ' Num. 19:0; 


Heb. 9:19. d Psa. 


51:7. ever. 50. ' Num. 19:1S, 19; Isa. 52:15; Ezek. 


36:25; John 19:34; 


Heb. 9:13, 21; 12:24; 1 John 5:fi. g 2 Kings 5:10,14; 


Psa. 51:2. t Heb. 



56. Out of the warp, or out of tlie woof; as neither the 
warp nor the woof could be removed separately, the 
meaning seems to be, that by rending out the part affected, 
lie shall remove the leprosy, whether it have its seat in 
the warp or the woof, 

INSTRrCTIONS. 
3, Sin occasions a great variety of diseases, and will 
finally consign the body to the grave, and the soul, unless 
cleansed from its pollution, to perdition. All should 
therefore be solicitous to know whether they are under 
its power ; and if so, to apply without delay to Him who 
can say with efifect, 1 will ; be thou clean. Matt, 8:3. 

7, In doubtful cases, persons should not be hasty in 
deciding upon their own spiritual state. They should 
obtain all the light they can from experienced ministers 
and Christians ; from self-examination, from the Scriptures, 
andrehgious books. Above all, they should go habitually 
to God, earnestly praying. Search me, God, and know 
my heart ; try me, and know my thoughts ; and see if there 
be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way ever- 
lasting. Psa, 139 : 23, 24, 

11, Old habits of sin, unless they are effectually re- 
nounced and forsaken, will revive and break out at times 
into flagrant transgression, and the last state of a man bo 
worse than tlie first. Matt, 12:45, 

17. Ministers of the gospel, and those who are called 
not only to judge of their o'wn state, but to give directions 
to others, need great wisdom. They should be familiar 
with the Scriptures, well acquainted with themselves, and 
accustomed in every thing, by prayer and supplication 
with thanksgiving, to make known their requests unto 
God, Eph, 6:18; Phil. 4:0, 

28, Not every sin of which a man may have been guilty, 
of itself merely , proves him to be in an unregenerate state ; 
while no transgression of God's law, known, allowed, and 
persevered in, or not repented of and forsaken, can con- 
sist with a gracious and safe state. 
148 



5 And the priest sliall command that one {,\^^ JJJ,*,: 
of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over 
ruiMiing water,'' 

(■) As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the 
ceihir-wood, and tlie scarlet, and llie hyssop, and 
shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of 
the bird that va.i killed over the running water: 

7 And h(> shall spriiikle'^ u])oti him that is to be 
cleansed from the lepro.sy seven times," and sliall 
pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird 
loose into the open held.* 

8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his 
clothes," and shave otf all his hair, and wash him- 
self in water,' that he may be clean : and after 
that he shall come into tlie camp, and shall tarry 
abroad out of his tent seven days. 

9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he 
shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard 
and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave 
off:^ and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall 
wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. 

10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he- 
lambs without blemish," and one ewe-lamb of the 
first year* without blemish, and three tenth-deals 
of fine flour /or a meat-oflferiug,' mingled with oil, 
and one log of oil : 

11 And the priest that makcth him clean shall 
present the man tliat is to be made clean,"" and 
those things, before the Lord, at the door of the 
tabernacle of the congregation. 



uiwntlir.fanoftlir.fidd. hch. 13:6. ich. 11:2.5; Eph. 5:20; Hi-b. 10:22; 
1 Pet. 3:21; Il(!V. 1:5, 6. J Num. 6:9; 8:7. k ver. 23, I Huh tht (lauehlir 
ofheryenr. I ch. 2:1 ; Num. 15: J, 15. m Num. b:ll, 21 ; Eph. 5:20, 27; 
Jude 24. 



44. Persons may be free from one kind of sin, and yet 
deeply involved in another ; and we are not to conclude 
that we are not under condemnation because we are not 
guilty of all sorts of transgressions, of sins which others 
practise, or which are known to our fellow-men ; but we 
are to search out and forsake all iniquity; crying unto 
God, Cleanse thou me from secret faults, as well as, Keep 
me back fi-om presumptuous transgressions, Psa, 19 : 12-14. 

4G, Sin is contagious, and all suitable efforts should bo 
made to prevent one wicked person from corrupting 
others ; we should not have for our companions any who 
lead us into sin, 1 Cor, 15 : 33 ; Psa. 1:1; Prov. 4 : 14, 15 ; 13 : 20, 

57. We should avoid not only the commission of sin, but 
the occasions of it ; and make whatever sacrifice is needful 
to bo delivered from its power. Matt, 5:29, 30; 6:13. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

4 Scarlet ; wool dyed red. Hyssop ; a bushy plant of a 
spicy, fragrant smell, much used in ceremonial cleansings. 
Exod. 12:22. 

5, Running water ; living, fresh water, in distinction from 
that which is stagnant, or has been long standing. 

6, 7. Shall dip them — shall sprinkle — shall let the living bird 
loose; the fragrant hyssop and cedar wood, the bright 
scarlet, and the running water, are all symbols of purity, 
as the blood is of cleansing. The sprinkling of the man 
with these is a sign of his purification. The living bird 
is first sjTnbohcally purified by being dipped in the blood 
and water, along with the hyssop, cedar wood, and scarlet. 
Then it is let go free, to signify that the leper thus purified 
is set free and restored to the camp. But he needs a fur- 
ther expiation before ho can be restored to the privileges 
of the sanctuary, as the sacred writer proceeds to state, 

in. Three tenth-deals; a tenth-deal, or an omer, is the 
tenth of an cphah, Exod. 16 : 36, One log; somewhat more 
than liidf a pint. 

11, Maketh him clean; cleanses him ceremonially, as 
described in the following verses. 



Cleansing the leper. 



LEVITICUS XIV. 



Leprosy in a Auusi. 



B. aim: 12 And the priest shall take one he-lanib, 
and offer him for a trespass-offerin.a;,''' and the log 
of oil, and wave them for a wave-offering befoi'e 
the Lord.'' 

13 And he sliall slay the lamb in the place 
wlicre he shall kill the sin-offering and the burnt- 
oflering, in tiie holy place : for as the sin-offering 
is the priest's," so is the trespass-offering : it is 
most Iioly : 

14 And the priest shall take some of the blood 
of the trespass-offering, and the priest shall put it 
npon the tip of the right ear of him tliat is to be 
cleansed,'' and upon the thmnb of liis right hand, 
and upon the great toe of his riglit foot. 

15 And the priest shall take some of the log of 
oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left liand : 

16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in 
the oil that is in his left hand, and sliall sprinkle of 
the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord : 

17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand 
shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear 
of him that is to be cleansed," and upon the thumb 
of his riglit hand, and upon the great toe of his 
riglit foot, upon the blood of the trespass-offering: 

18 And the remnant of tlie oil that is in the 
priest's Iiand he shall pour upon the head of him 
that is to be cleansed : and the priest sliall make 
an atonement for him before tlie Lord.'^ 

19 And the priest shall offer tlie sin-offering, and 
make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed 
from his uncleanness ; and afterward he shall kill 
the biirnt-oflering: 

20 And the priest shall offer the burnt-offering 
and the meat-offering upon the altar: and the 
priest shall make an atonement for him, and he 
shall be clean. 

21 And if lie be poor,^ and cannot get" so much ; 
then he shall take one lamb for a trespass-offer- 
ing to be waved,* to make an atonement for him, 
and one tenth-deal of fine flour mingled with oil 
for a meat-offering, and a log of oil ; 

22 And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, 
'such as he is able to get; and the one sliall be a 
sin-offering, and the other a burnt-oflering. 

23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for 
his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the 
tabernacle of the congregation, before the Lord. 

24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the tres- 
pass-offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall 
wave them for a wave-offering before the Lord:" 

25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass- 
ofiering, and the priest shall take some of the 
blood of the trespass-offering,' and put it upon 
the tip of the right ear of him that is to be 
cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, 
and upon the great toe of his right foot. 

26 And the priest shall pour of the oil into the 
palm of his own left hand ; 



«Ch. 5;1H; 6:5, b Exod. 29:24. Cch.7:7. d ch. 8.23. e ver. |. 
4:25^5:0. e ch. 3:7; 12:8. • Heh. his /land nath not. t Hcb./oi 
ins- •■ ver. 12. i ver. 14, 17. J ver. 22; ch. 13: 14. 15. k Psa. 7: 



17, 18. Ear — tliumb — toe — Acarf,- in token that allhis mem- 
bers anii faculties need cleansing through the efficacy of 
the atonement, by the Holy Spirit ; and should all be con- 
aeerated to the service of God. 



27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his righl 
finger so7ne of the oil that is in his left hand sevcm 
times before the Lord : 

28 And the priest shall put of the oil that is in 
his hand npon the tip of the right car of him that 
is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right 
hand, and u]ion the great toe of his right foot, 
upon the place of the blood of the trespass-offering: 

29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's 
hand, he shall put upon the head of him that is 
to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him be- 
fore the Lord. 

30 And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves,J 
or of the young pigeons, such as he can get ; 

31 Eve7i such as he is able to get, the one for a 
sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, 
with the meat-offering : and the priest shall make 
an atonement for him that is to be cleansed be- 
fore the Lord. 

32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague 
of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that 
which pcrtainefh to his cleansing." 

33 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

34 When ye be come into the land of Canaan, 
which I give to you for a possession,' and I put 
the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of 
your possession;'" 

35 And he that owneth the house shall come 
and tell the priest, saying. It seemeth to me there 
is as it were a plague in the house :" 

36 Then the priest shall command that they 
empty* the house, before the ]n-iest go into it to 
see the plague, that all that is in the house be not 
made unclean : and afterwards the priest shall go 
in to see the house : 

37 And he shall look on the plague, and behold, 
if the plague be in the walls of the house with 
hollow streaks, greenish or reddish, which in sight 
are lower than the wall ; 

38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to 
the door of the house, and shut up the house 
seven days:" 

39 And the priest shall come again the seventh 
day, and shall look : and behold, if the plague be 
spread in the walls of the house ; 

40 Then the priest shall command that they 
take away the stones in which the plague is, and 
they shall cast them into an unclean place with- 
out the city:'' 

41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped 
within round about, and they shall pour out the 
dust that they scrape off without the city into an 
unclean place: 

42 And they shall take other stones, and put 
them in the place of those stones ; and he shall 
take other mortar, and shall plaster the house. 

43 And if the plague come again," and break 



Malt. 11:3. 1 Gen. 12:7; 13:17; 17:H; Deut. 32:49. m Prov. 3:33; Amos 
Gil. n Psa. 91:10; Prov. 3:33; Zech. 0:4. 1 Or. prepare. » ch. 13:50. 
p Rev. 22:15. q Heb. 6:4-9; 2 Pet. 2:20. 22; Jude 12. 



37. 1/ the plague be in the walls; this has been supposed 
to be something corrosive, which caused the walls to 
moulder away. Lower than the wall; indentations or hol- 
low places in the wall. 

149 



Tie Irprous house. 



LI'VITK'LS XV. 



Uiidc'imwi.i of men. 



out in the linu.sp, after tliat lie liatli taken away 
tlie stones, and after lie liatli seraped tlie liousc, 
and after it is plastered; 

■11 Tlicn the priest shall come and look, and bc- 
liold, \f the platjiie lie spread in tlie house, it is a 
frettint; lepro'^y in the house:" it is unclean. 

•1.") And he siiall break down tlie house,*' the 
stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the 
mortar of the house; and he shall carry them 
forth out of the city into an unclean jilace. 

4G Moreover, he "that fjoetii into the house all 
the wiiilc that it is shut up .shall be unclean until 
the even." 

•17 And ho that lioth in the house shall wash his 
clothes ; and lie that eateth in the house shall 
wash his clothes. 

4<s And if the priest sliall come in,' and look 
upon it, and behold, the plague hath not spread in 
the house, after the house was plastered ; then the 
priest shall pronounce the house clean,'' because 
tiie plague is healed. 

49 And lie shall take to cleanse tlie house two 
birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop;*^ 

50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an 
earthen vessel ovi'r running water : 

51 And he shall take tlic cedar wood, and the 
hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and 
dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in 
the running water, and sprinkle the house seven 
times : 

52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood 
of the bird, anil with the running water, and with 
the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and 
with the hysso]), and with the scarlet: 

53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the 
city into the open fields, and make an atonement 
for the house;' and it shall be clean. 



»Ch 


l.lfll 


; Zpc 


h.5:4. 


bIK 




9:6-9; V 


Kill 


g5lU:2?; 


I.S:4i Jer. .i2 


H; 


Matt. 


lA-.i. 


t eh 


22:8; 


Num. 


li) 


22, • 


H 


■b. I 




in shall i-ome 


in. 




1 l^or. 


(1:11 


e ve 


4 ( 




r I'll. 


s 


Imit 


24:.S. h 


ch. 13:30. i 


ch. 


13:47. 


J yer 


34. 


k ch 


13:2. 


1 


Ezek. 


41 


•u. 


t Heb. 


i» ihe daij of 


lAe 



44. Fretting leprosy; eating away the walls, or causing 
them to decay. 

53. Let go the living bird; signifying that the house, thus 
purified, is free to the use of its owner. See above on 
ver. 6, 7. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When any one has reason to believe that he is deliv- 
ered from the reigning power of sin, he should make it 
known, and seek admission to the fellowship of the church. 

8. He who is really cleansed from the pollution of sin, 
will gratefully acknowledge his indebtedness for the bless- 
ing to the grace of God in Jesus Christ, and will seek to 
purify himself more and more, and to perfect holiness in 
the fear of God. 

12. The change which has been wrought in a sinner 
when he becomes pious, is never to be ascribed to him- 
self or to creatures, but always to God, and the glory to 
be given to Him. 

21. Althoui^h a man who repents and forsakes his sins, 
is pardoned through faith in Christ, yet, to be saved, he 
must devote his powers of body and mind as an oftering 
of gratitude to his service. 

32. None are excluded from the benefits of Christ's sal- 
vation on account of their poverty ; nor can any be saved 
except through faith in him, and consecration to his ser- 
vice and glory. 

45. Not only our souls, but our bodies, and all that we 
possess, arc affected by sin. Moth and rust corrupt ; 
150 



54 This w the law for all manner of plague uciSii 
of leprosy," and scall," 

55 And for the leprosy of a garment,' and of a 
house,' 

56 And for a rising,'' and for a .scab, and for a 
bright spot: 

57 To teach when it is unclean,' and when ii is 
clean:' this is the law of leprosy. 

CHAPTER XV. 



1 The uncloanness of mm in their i.'<su< 
19 The miclfimncss of women in their 



13 The cle.in.^in^ of them. 
u's. 'J8 Tlifir L-lf.'insing. 

AND the Loud spake unto Moses and to Aaron, 
saying, 

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto tlieni, "When any man hath a running issue' 
out of his fiesh,'" because of his issue he is unclean. 

3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: 
whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh 
be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness. 

4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the 
i.ssue, is unclean : and every thing,' whereon he 
sitteth, shall be unclean. 

5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash 
his clothes," and bathe himself in water, and be 
unclean until the even. 

G And ho that sitteth on any thing whereon he 
sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes," and 
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the 
even. 

7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that 
hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe 
himself in water, and be unclean until tlie even. 

8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that 
is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe 
him-self in water, and be unclean until the even. 



undf.an. and in the day of the dean. 1 Or, running of the reins, m ch. 
22:4; Num. 5:2; 2 Sam. :):29; Matt. 9:20; Mark 7:20-23. ( Heb. vtssel. 
■"ch. 11:25; 17:15. o Isa. 1:16; Jas. 4:8. 



thieves break through and steal. The earthly house of 
this tabernacle must be dissolved; the eartli and all in it 
burnt up. Happy they, and they only, who have a build- 
ing of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens. 

CHAPTER XV. 

1. The Lord spake; the evils about which he speaks in 
this chapter, and which have prevailed more or less in all 
ages and countries, may some of them have resulted from 
natural diseases, and others from diseases occasioned by 
vicious indulgence. All either directly or indirectly spring 
from sin ; and should teach us the necessity, in order to 
escape endless death, of being delivered from the power 
of sin. 

3. Be stopped; he speaks not of a healthy, but of an un- 
natural stoppage. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

7. With depraved hearts, and in a world of temptation, 
we are always exposed to contract moral pollution ; and 
need to be kept, by the restraining and purifying grace 
of God, from its defiling power. 

15. Nothing can avail to the pardon of sin, and the sanc- 
tification of the soul, but the atoning blood of Christ effi- 
caciously applied by the Holy Ghost. 

22. Sin is contagious ; and all occasions of being defiled 
with it, in thought, word, or deed, should be carefully 
guarded against, and the prayer offered to God continually, 
"Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from eviL"' 



Ceremonial 



LEVITICUS XVI. 



R " im 9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon 
tiiat hath the issue shall bo unclean. 

10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was 
under him shall be unclean until the even: and 
ho tiiat bearcth any of those things shall wash his 
clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be un- 
clean until tho even. 

11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the 
issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he 
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, 
and be unclean until the even. 

12 And the vessel of earth,'' that he toucheth 
whicli hath the issue, shall be Ijroken:" and every 
vessel of wood shall be rinsed in v/ater. 

13 And wlien he that hath an issue is cleansed 
of his issue, then he shall number to himself seven 
days for his cleansing,"" and wash his clothes, and 
bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be 
clean. 

14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him 
two turtledoves, or two young pigeons,'' and come 
before the Lord unto the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation, and give them unto the priest: 

15 And the priest shall offer them, the one ybr 
a sin-offering, and the other /or a burnt-offering; 
and the priest shall make an atonement for him 
before the Lord for his issue. 

16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out 
from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, 
and be unclean until the even." 

17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon 
is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with 
water, and be unclean until the even. 

18 The woman also with whom man shall lie 
with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe them- 
selves in water,' and be unclean until the even. 

19 1[ And if a woman have an issuc,"^ and her 
issue in her flesh be blood, she sliall be put apart' 
seven days : and whosoever toucheth her shall be 
unclean until the even. 

20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her 
separation shall be unclean : every thing also that 
she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 

21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash 
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be un- 
clean until the even. 

22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she 
sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself 
in water, and be unclean until the even. 

23 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing 
whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he 
shall be unclean until the even. 

24 And if any man lie with her at all, and her 
flowers be upon him,'' he shall be unclean seven 



»Ch. G;a? 


; 11:33. b Psi. a;9, c ver. as- ch. 14:8; Num. 19: U, la. d cli. 


14:22-31. 


t ch. 22:4: Deut. 23:10. '■ Kxod. 19:15; 1 Sam. 21:4; Psa. 


SI 5; 1 Cnr 


6:18; 1 Thcss. 4:3-5; Heb. !3:4. e ch. 12:2. • Heb. in her 


Sfpnration. 


h ch. 2(I:1S; Ezek. l.S:0; 22:10. i .Mark 5:25; Luke H:43. 



31. The great object of God in his regulations is, that 
men may be holy in body and spirit, and offer unto him 
acceptable service, through Jesus Christ, their strength 
and liedeemer. 

CHAPTER XVL 

In this chapter arc described tho solemn rites con- 
nected with the great day of atonement. Uu this day alone 



jmrifications. 

days ; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be 
unclean. 

25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood 
many days out of the time of her separation,' or if 
it run beyond the time of her separation ; all the 
days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the 
days of her separation : she shall be unclean. 

26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of 
her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her sepa- 
ration : and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be 
unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. 

27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall 
be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe 
himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 

28 But if she be cleansed of her issue.J then she 
shall number to herself seven days, and after that 
she shall be clean. 

29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto 
her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring 
them unto the priest, to the door of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation. 

30 And the priest shall offer the oneyb?- a sin- 
offering, and the other ybr a burnt-offering; and 
the priest shall make an atonement for her before 
the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness. 

31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel 
from their uncleanness;" that they die not in their 
uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that 
is among them.' 

32 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and 
of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled 
therewith ; 

33 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and 
of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the 
woman, and of him that lieth with her that is un- 
clean. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 How the high-priest must enter into the holy place. 11 The sin- 
otfering for himself. 1-5 The sin-offering for the people. 20 The 
scape-n;oat. 29 The yearly feast of the expiations. 

A ND the Lord spake unto Moses after the 
Jlx. death of the two sous of Aaron,"" when they 
offered before the Lord, and died ; 

2 And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto 
Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times 
into the holy place within the veil before the 
mercy-seat, which is upon the ark ; " tliat he die 
not : for I will appear in the cloud upon the mer- 
C3'-seat.° 

3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place, -^ 
with a young bullock for a sin-offering, and a 
ram for a burnt-offering. i 

4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he 



J 1 


er 


13-15. 


k ch. 11 


47 


Ez 


ek. 


44:23, 


Heb. 12:15. 


oh 


19:30; 


21:23; 


Nnm 


5:3; It 


:13, 2U; 


-;z 


pk. 5 


:i: 


; 2:):.3t 


; 44:^7 


Dan 


!l' 


7; 1 Cor 


3:17. 


In 


rh 


10:1,2. 


nExod 


31 


:10; 


He 


b. 9:7, 


i; 10:19. 


oExod. 


25:22; 




H: 





Psa. Is 


It. pH 


eb. 


t):7, 


etc 


. qch 


4:3. 











the high-priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies. 
Thus the people were constantly reminded that the way 
by which sinners can approach a holy God was not yet 
made manifest. Heb. 9:8. At our Lord's crucifixion the 
veil that covered the Most Holy place was rent in twain 
from the top to the bottom, Matt. 27:51; the Holy Ghost 
thus signifying that now the way of approach to God was 
laid open to all through the blood of Christ. 
151 



The high-priest's yea rly 



m: viTurs xvi. 



rnUriii^ the Holy of JIvlies. 



shall have the linen breeches upon his (Icsli, and 
shall he fririled with a limn frinlle, and with tlie 
linen niitro shall he bo attired:* these are holy 
irarinonts; tlierelbrc shall he wash his flesh in 
water, and xo ])nl tiiern on.'' 

And lie sliall take of the conirrefration of the 
children of Israel two kids of the poats for a sin- 
oflerinjr. and one rain for a burnt-olforincr.'^ 

{) And Aaron shall ofl'er his bullock of the sin- 
offerinir, which is for himself, and make an atone- 
ment for himself, and for his house.'' 

7 And he shall take the two goats, and present 
them iK'fore tiie Loud ai the door of the tabernacle 
of the con Strega t ion. 

8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; 
one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the 
scape-goat.* 

9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the 
Lord's lot fell,' and ofl'er him /or a sin-offering. 

10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the 
scape-goat, siiall bo presented alive before the 
Loud, to make an atonement with him,'' and to 
let him go for a scape-goat into the wilderness. 

11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the 
sin-ofl'ering, which is for himself, and shall make 
an atonement for liimself, and for his house, and 
shall kill the bullock of the sin-offering which is 
for himself. 

12 And he shall take a censer'' full of burning 
coals of fire from off the altar before the Loud,'-' 
and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small,'' 
and bring it witliin the veil: 

13 And lie shall put the incense upon the fire 
before the Loud,' that the cloud of the incense 
may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testi- 
mony,-' tiiat he die not: 

14 And he shall take of the blood of the bul- 
lock,'' and sprinkle it with his finger upon the 
mercy-seat eastward; and before tiie mercy-seat 
shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger 
seven times. 

15 1 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offer- 
ing,' that is for the people, and bring his blood 
within the veil,'" and do with that blood as he did 
with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon 
the mercy -seat, and before the mercy-seat. 



«Ch. 6:10: Exod. 2S:39-43; Ezek. 44:17; Matt. 2-2:11, 12. 1> ch. 8:0; 
Exod. 30:20. £ ch. 4:14. ■! ch. 9:7; Heb. 5:2, 3; 7:27, 29; 9:7. • Heb. 
Azazet. t Heb. ivent up. e Isi. 53:5, 6; 2 Cor. 5:21: Heb. 7:27; 0:-J3. 2o. 
' ch. 10:1; Num. 10:18.46. E Isa. 6:6, 7. h Exod. 30:34-35; Rev. H:3, 4. 
■ Exod. 30:8. JExod. 25:21. kch. 4:5.6; Heb.9:l»-a5. 1 ver. .5-9. m ver. 
2; Heb. 6:19; 9:3, 7, 12. « Exod. 29:36; Ezek. 45:18; Heb. 9:22, 23. 



5. Two hkls—for a sin-offering; both the goats consti- 
tuted together one expiatory offering, though but one of 
them was g-acrificed. 

6. Shall offer his bullock; this is spoken by anticipation; 
its actual sacrifice is described ver. 11. 

8. For the Lord; that is, to be sacrificed to the Lord. 

9. Offer him for a sin-offering; this also is spoken by 
anticipation. See ver. 15. 

10. To make an atonement with him ; in the Hebrew, to 
make an atonement upon him, namely, by typically laying 
upon his head the sins of the people, to be borne away by 
him. Ver. 20-22. 

11. Make an atonement for himself; being a sinner, he 
must first offer his own sin-offering, before he could pre- 
sent that of the people. Ileb. 7:27. 

15. Bring his blood within the veil; into the Holy of Holies. 
152 



1() And he shall make an atonement for *,7- fm 
till! holy place," liecause of the nnch'anness of the 
children of Israel, and because of their transgres- 
sions in all their sins : and so shall he do for the 
tabernacle of the congregation, that reniaiiieth' 
among tlicm in the midst of tiicir uncleanncss. 

17 And there shall be no man in t\w tabernacle 
of the congregation when he goetli in to make an 
atonement in the holy place," until he come out, 
and have made an atonement for himself, and for 
his household, and for all the congregation of 
Israel. 

18 And he shall go out unto the altar tlj^ is 
before the Loud, and make an atonement for it;'' 
and shall take of the blooil of the bullock, and of 
the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns 
of the altar round about. 

1!) And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it 
with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and 
hallow it from the uucleanness of the children of 
Israel.'' 

20 1i And when he hath made an end of recon- 
ciling the holy place,^ and the tabernacle of the 
congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the 
live goat : 

21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon 
the head of the live goat, and confess over him 
all the iniquities of the children of Israel," and all 
their transgressions in all their sins, putting them 
upon the head of the goat,' and shall send kim 
away by the hand of a fit man*' into the wilder- 
ness : 

22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their 
iniquities" unto a land not inhabited:'* and he 
shall let go the goat in the wilderness. 

23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of 
the congregation, and shall put off' the linen gar- 
ments, which he put on when he went into the 
holy place, and shall leave them there : 

24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the 
holy place, and put on his garments, and come 
forth, and offer his burnt-ofl'cring, and the burnt- 
offering of the people, and make an atonement for 
himself, and for the people. 

25 And the fat of the sin-offering shall he burn 
upon the altar." 



t Heh. dwellelh. o Exod. 34:3; Heb. 9:7. pExod. 30:10. qEzek. 43:16^ 
2-2. r Ezek. 45:20; Col. 1:20. » ch. 20:40; Psa. 32:5; Prov. 2.-:13; Rom. 
10:10. Ilsa. 53:6. i Reb. a man of opporliinity. u Isa. 63:11. 12; John 
1:29; Heb. 9:25; 1 Pet. 2:24. I lUb. of stparalwn. vPsa. 103:13. >' ch. 
4:S-10. 



This beautifully tj-pifies Christ entering into the presence 
of God with his own blood, and presenting it before the 
Father as a perfect atonement for the sins of his people. 
Heb. 9:23, 24. 

16-19. Became of the uncleanness of the children of Israel; 
thus signifying that so deep and universal is the pollution of 
sinners, that all their services, and every thing with which 
they have to do, needs purifying by the blood of Christ. 

20. Reconciling the hohj place — the tabernacle — the altar; 
making atonement for them, according to ver. 16. 

21. Putting them upon the head of the goat ; typically trans- 
ferring them to him ; as if he were to carry them away, 
;ind thus the people be delivered from them and their 
consequences : thus pointing to Christ and his salvation. 
Isa. 53:-4-12; John 1:29; Rom. 4:25; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18; 
1 John 2:2. A fit man ; or, a man ready at hand. 



The day of atonement. 



LEVITICUS XVII. 



T/te offering of blood. 



B.aim' 26 And he that let go the goat for the 
scape-goat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his 
flesh in water," and afterward come into the camp. 

27 And the bullock for the sin-offering, and the 
goat for the sin-offering, whose blood was Ijrought 
in to make atonement in the holy place, shall ojie 
carry forth without the camp;" and tliey shall 
burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and 
their dung. 

28 And he that burnetii them shall wash his 
clothes, and batlic his flesh in water, and after- 
ward he shall come into the camp. 

29 1 And this shall be a statute for ever unto 
you : t/iat in the seventh mouth,'^ on the tenth day 
of the montli, ye sliall afflict your souls,* and do 
no work at all, whether it be one of your own 
country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you : 

30 For on that day shall the priest make an 
atonement for you, to cleanse you," that ye may be 
clean from all your sins before the Lord. 

31 It shall be a sabbatli of rest unto you,'' and ye 
shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. 

32 And the priest,'^ whom he shall anoint, and 
whom be shall consecrate* to minister in the 
priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the 
atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even 
the holy garments : 

33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy 
.sanctuary,'' and he shall make an atonement for 
the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the 
altar: and he shall make an atonement for the 
priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 

34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto 
you,' to make an atonement for the children of 
Israel for all their sins once a year.-i And he did 
as the Lord commanded Moses. 



"Ver. aS; 


ch. 15:3. bch. 4;li 21; 0:30; Heb. 13:11. c ch. 2:3:S7; Exod. 


30:10; Num 


■J9:7. d Isi. 5S:3, 5; Din. 10:3, 12. « Psa. 51:2; Jer. 33:S; 


Ezefc. 3l3:i5 


Eph. 5:2li: Heb. 9:13, 14; 10:1,2; IJohn 1:7.9. 'ch. 2:3:32. 


?ch. 4::1-16 


•H(!h.J!U his hand. 1> ver. 16; Exod. 29:36. 37. ich. 2:J:.31. 



2G. Shall wash his clothes; being typically defiled by con- 
tact with the scape-goat upon which the sins of the peo- 
ple had been laid. So, ver. 28, he that burns the flesh of 
the two sin-offerings without the camp, is commanded to 
do the same thing. 

29. Seventh month; Tishri; answering to the last part of 
September and the first part of October. It was tlie first 
month of the civil, and the seventh of the ecclesiastical 
year. 

31. Afflict your souls; mourn over, confess, and forsake 
their sins. 

34. An everlasting statute; perpetual, to the end of the 
.lewish dispensation. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. In the dealings of God with men, his justice is no less 
conspicuous than his mercy. Those who approach him 
must do it not only with fihal confidence, but with rever- 
ence and holy fear — in the way of his appointment, and 
for the purpose of honoring him as well as of obtaining 
benefits for themselves and their fellow-men. 

6. Often are we taught that the most holy men, in their 
most holy duties, need the influence of atoning blood, and 
the life-giving communications of the II0I3' Ghost. 

15. Christ has not only made a full atonement for sin, 
and procured the blessings of the Holy Spirit, but has 
entered into heaven itself, and there ever lives to make effec- 
tual intercession for all who come unto God through him. 

22. As far as the east is from the west, so far he 
removes the transgressions of all who trust in him ; so 



CHAPTER XVII. 

1 The blood of all sl.^in beasts must be offered to the Lord at the door 
of the tabernacle. 7 They must not offer to devils. 10 All eating of 
blood is forbidden, 15 and all that dieth alone or is torn. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and 
unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, 
This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded. 
saying, 

3 What man soever there he of the house of 
Israel, '^ that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the 
camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, 

•4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto 
the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord ; blood 
shall be imputed unto that man;' he hath shed 
blood ; and that man shall be cut off from among 
his people : 

5 To the end that tlie children of Israel may 
bring their sacrifices, wliich they offer in tlie open 
field,"' even that they may bring them unto the 
Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of tlie con- 
gregation, unto the priest, and offer them for 
peace-offerings unto the Lord. 

6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon 
the altar of the Lord at the door of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation," and burn the fat for a 
sweet savor unto the Lord." 

7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices 
unto devils," after whom they have gone a whor- 
ing.i This shall be a statute for ever unto them 
throughout their generations. 

8 1[ And thou shalt say unto th(mi. Whatsoever 
man there be of the house of Israel,' or of the 
strangers which sojourn among you, that ofl'ereth 
a burnt-offering or sacrifice, 



j Exod. 30:10; Heb. 9:7. 25. k Deut. 12:5, 6 21. 'Rom. 5:13. m Gen. 
31:54; 2 Chr. 28:4; Ezek. 20:23; 22:9. nch.3:2. oExod. 29:13. p D,?ut. 
32:17; 2 Chr. 11:15; Psi. 106:37; 1 Cor. 10:20; Rev. 9:20. q ch. 20:5; 
Ezek. 23:8. r ver. 4. 



that they will never rise in this world to their shame, nor 
in the future to their condemnation. 

28. The perpetual offerings of blood, and the perpetual 
applications of water, under the Old Testament dispensa- 
tion, show our perpetual need of pardoning mercy through 
Christ, and of the cleansing influences of his Spirit, in 
order to preparation for heaven. 

34. Stated seasons, according to divine appointment, of 
rest from worldly business, cares, and amusements, to 
search out and confess their sins, acknowledge and adore 
.Jehovah, and seek his blessing on themselves and others, 
have been observed by the people of God, and been sea- 
sous of great comfort and benefit to them in all ages of 
the world. 

CHAPTER XYII. 

3. That killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat; some understand 
these words to mean, that whoever would kill for food 
any animal used in sacrifice, should bring it to the door 
of the tabernacle, and offer to the Lord that part pre- 
scribed for a peace-offering ; the object of this law being 
to prevent secret sacrifices to devils, ver. 7. But since 
it is expres.sly said that this shall be " a statute for ever," 
W'hile, in Deut. 12:4-lf), they are required, after their en- 
trance into Canaan, to bring only their sacrifices to the 
tabernacle, and have full liberty to " kill and eat flesh in 
all their gates." others suppose that the present passage 
also refers only to sacrifices. 

4. He liath shed blood; is to be accounted as a murderer. 
Compare Isa. 66:3. 

153 



Ealing of blood forbidden. 



LEVITICIS XV 11 1. 



Uitlawful mar ridges. 



9 And bringetli it not unto tlic door of the tab- 
i-rnai'lc of the contrrcfration, to offer it unto the 
iiOiU); even tliat man shall be cut off from among 
his ])eoi>le. 

10 " And vhatsoevcr man t/ierr he of the liouse 
of Israel, or of the strangers that sdjonrn among 
you, that eatcth any manner of blood;" J will 
even set my face against that soul that eatcth 
blood.'' and will cut him off from among his people. 

1 1 For the life of the flesh is in the blood ;'' and 
I have given it to you upon the altar to make an 
atonement for your souls:'' for it is the blood that 
maketh an atonement for the soul.'' 

12 Therefore 1 said unto the children of Israel, 
No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any 
stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood. 

13 And whatsoever man thcrv be of the children 
of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among 
you, which huutcth' and catcheth any beast or 
fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out 
the blood thereof,' and cover it with dust.^ 

14 For it is the life of all flesh ;" the blood of it 
is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the 
children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no 
manner of flesh; for the life of all flesh is the 
blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. 

15 And every soul that eateth that* which died 
qfitsetf.' or that which was torn with beasts, ivhdher 
it be one of your own country, or a stranger.J he 
shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in 
water, and be unclean until the even: then shall 
he be clean. 

IG But if ho wash them not, nor bathe his flesh ; 
then he shall bear his iniquity." 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 Unbiwful marririjes. 10 Unlawful lusts. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and 
say unto them, I am the Lord your God.' 

3 After the doings of the land of Egypt,'" wherein 
ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of 
the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye 
not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. 

4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordi- 
nances, to walk therein :" I am the Lord your God. 

5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my 



« Gen. 9:4; oh. 7:28, 27; Deut. 12: IB, 2:3; Ezek. 41:7. b Ezelt. 14:9. 
« Ter. H. J Mitt. 28:2-J; Rom. 5:9; Eph. 1:7; Ilcb. 13:12; Rev. 1:5. 
« Heb. 9:22. • Ueb. tkat hunteth. any hunting. ' Deut. 15:2:!. f Ezek. 
21:7. h ver. II. t Heb. a Mrca.ii. i ch. 22:S; Deut. 14:21; Ezek. 4:14; 
44:J1. icK. 11:25. k Num. 19:19. 20. 1 Exod. 0:7. ■" I'si. 10ci:3.5; Ezek. 



10. Eateth any maimer of blood; tlie eating of blood was 
forbidden, to produce a more sacred regard to human life, 
and to the atonement of which blood was the emblem. 
Ver. 11-14. 

I\STRnCTIOXS. 

4. In all things, especially things connected with the 
worship of Uod, we sliould be careful to follow his direc- 
tions, and avoid botli tlio reality and the appearance of 
worshipping any one but Jehovah. 

7. Worship presented to any but Jehovah is peculiarly 
offensive in his sight, and exposes those who render it 
to his indignation. 

12. God requires, and in various ways inculcates, a sa- 
cred regard to human life ; and especially to the great atone- 
ment wijich he Iius made bv the shedding of that blood 
154 



live in them: I am the Loud. 

G 1 None of you shall apjiroach to any that is 
near of kin' to him. to uncover their nakedness: 
1 am the LoHD. 

7 Th(! nakedness of thy father," or the naked- 
ness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she 
is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her naked- 
ness. 

8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou 
not uncover:'' it is thy father's nakedness. 

9 The nakedness of thy sister,'' the daughter of 
thy father, or daughter of thy mother, irhrthir .she 
be born at home, or born abroad, even their naked- 
ness thou shalt not uncover. 

10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of 
thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou 
shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own naked- 
ness. 

11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daugh- 
ter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou 
shalt not uncover her nakedness. 

12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy 
father's sister : she is thy father's near kinswoman. 

13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy 
mother's sister : for she is thy mother's near kins- 
woman. 

14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy 
father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his 
wife : she is thine aunt. 

15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy 
daughter-in-law:' she is thy son's wife; thou shalt 
not uncover her nakedness. 

16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy 
brother's wife :' it is thy brother's nakedness. 

17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a 
woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take 
her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to 
uncover her nakedness; for they are her near 
kinswomen : it is wickedness. 

18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister^ 
to vex Aer,' to uncover her nakedness, besides the 
other in her Uk-time. 

19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman 
to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put 
apart for her uncleanncss." 

20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy 
neighbor's wife, to defile thyself with her/ 

20:7,8; Eph. 5:11. n Deut. 4:1. 2; G: 1; Psa. 119:4; Ezek. 36:27. 1 Heb. 
rtmaimUTofhiafltuh. och. 20: 11, etc.; Ezek. 22: 10. PICor.S:!. q 2 Sam. 
13:11,12. rGen.3S;IS. • Deut. 35:5; Matt. 22:34. « Or. one w//i fo an- 
mlier. t 1 Sam. \:6S; Mai. 2:14, 15. u Ezek. 18:6; ^2:10. » E.i.od. 
20:14; Prov. 0:25,33; Matt. 5:27. 



without which there could be no remission of sin. Heb. 
9:22. 

IG. In this world of impurity, we must have recourse 
to the great Puritier, whom clean water represents, or we 
shall live and die in pollution, and bear for ever the sad 
consequences of our sins. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

2. The doinss ; the sinful practices. 

4. Judgments; Exod. 21:1; Deut. 4:1,2; 0:1. 

7. The nakedness of thy father, or — <f thy motlier; the 
Hebrew may be rendered, the nakedness of thy father, 
and the nakedness of thy mother ; because they were one 
flesh, and the dishonor done to her was done to him also. 
Compare verse 8. 



Abominable lusts. 



LEVITICUS XIX. 



Sundry laws repealed 



a ?' um 21 And tliou shalt not let any of thy seed 
pass through thefirc'^ to Molecli,' neither shalt thou 
profane the name of thy God : I am the Lord. 

22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind,'' as with 
womankind : it is abomination. 

23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile 
thyself therewith ; neither shall any woman stand 
before a beast to lie down thereto : it is confusion. 

24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these 
things:" for in all these the nations are defiled 
which I cast out before you : 

25 And the land is defiled :" therefore I do visit 
the iniquity thereof upon it," and the land itself 
vomitetli out her inhabitants.'^ 

26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my 
judgments, and shall not commit any of these 
abominations; nnlher any of your own nation, 
nor any stranger that sojourneth among you ; 

27 (For all these abominations have the men of 
the land done, which were before you, and the 
land is defiled ;) 

28 That the land spue not you out also,^ when 
ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were 
before you. 

29 For whosoever shall commit any of these 
abominations, even the souls that commit them 
shall be cut off from among their people. 

30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that 
ye commit not any one of these abominable cus- 
toms,'' which were committed before you, and that 
ye defile not yourselves therein:' I am tlic Lord 
your God.J 

CHAPTER XIX. 

A repetition of sundry laws. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto all the congregation of the 
children of Israel, and ^•A.y unto them. Ye shall 
be holy : for I the Lord your God am holy." 



1 Deut. 


■J. 11 


; 18:10; •- 




■>in:.T 


Psa. 100 


:.17; 


.Ter 


7-31. 


- Called Mo- 


hch^ Acts 


in. 


bRom. 


■27, 


c 


pr 


6. etc. i 


Dei 


t. U 


:12. 


e Jer. 5:9, 


29; 


H05. 2: 13 


9:9. 


f ver. 'IS. e 


VPT 


25 


ch. 20:22. 


1. llfi 


ut. 18:9. i ver. 


24. 


J Ycr. 2, 4 


k ch. 11:44; 


20:7, 


211 


Amos 3:3; 


1 Pe 


t. 1: 


6. 


Exod. 20 


12, 


m Exod. 20:8; 


31:13; Is 


a. SO 


13. 


° 


ch. 2fi:l 


; Exod. 


>U:4; 


1 Cor. 10 


14; 



21. Thy seed; children or posterity. Pass through the 
fire to Mokch; be offered to that idol. Profane the name of 
thy God; by giving that worship to another which is due 
to Him alone. 

24. The nations — -which I cast out; the Canaanites, which 
he would cast out. 

25. Vomiteth out her inliabitants ; a strong expression, to 
denote their loathsomeness in the sight of God. 

28. It spued out ; would spue out or eject the inhabitants. 

30. / am the Lord your God; this is often mentioned as 
a strong and conclusive reason why they should in all 
things obey him. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. The sinful maxims and customs of this world we 
must forsake, and be guided, in our connections and inter- 
course with others, by the revealed will of God, or be 
shut out of heaven. 

6. JIarriage is an institution of God, and when it is en- 
tered into, and its duties discharged according to his will, 
it is honorable in all, a means of rich blessings to the per- 
sons concerned, and of great usefulness to others ; and 
the violation of his will with regard to it, is a crime tend- 
ing to the greatest guilt, debasement, and wretchedness 
in this life and the life to cuiue. 



3 1 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his 
father,' and keep my sabbaths :"" I am the Lord 
your God. 

4 1 Turn ye not unto idols," nor make to your- 
selves molten gods : I am the Lord your God. 

5 IT And if ye ofl"er a sacrifice of peace-ofierings 
unto the Lord," ye shall ofifer it at your own 
will. 

6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and 
on the morrow : and if aught remain until the 
third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. 

7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it 
is abominable; it shall not be accepted. 

8 Therefore every one that eatcth it shall bear 
his initjuity, because he hath profaned the hal- 
lowed thing of the Lord ; and that soul shall bo 
cut olf from among his people. 

9 1 And when ye reap the harvest of your land,"" 
thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy 
field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of 
thy harvest. 

10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, nei- 
ther shalt thou gather every grape of thy vine- 
yard ; thou shalt leave them for the poor and 
stranger : I am the Lord your God. 

11 1 Ye shall not steal,") neither deal falsely, 
neither lie one to another.'' 

12 1 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely,' 
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God:' 
I am the Lord. 

13 ir Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor, nei- 
ther rob him.- the wages of him that is hired shall 
not abide with thee all night until the morning." 

14 IThou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a 
stumbling-block before the blind," but shalt fear 
thy God:'' I am the Lord. 

1.5 T Ye shall do no unrighlfeousness in judg- 
ment;" thou shalt not respect the person of the 
poor, nor honor the person of the mighty :'' but 
in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor. 



lJohii5:21. och. 7:16,17. p ch. 23:22; Deut. ai:19-21 ; Ruth 2:15-17. 
q Exod. 20:15. r Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9. ■ ch. 6:3; Exod. 20:7; Jas. 5:12. 
I ch. 18:21; Ezelt. 30:20-43. u Mai. 3:5; Jas. 5:4. v Deut. 27:13. w ch- 
25:17. I Deut. 16:19. y Prov. 24:23; Jas. 2:9. * 



21. The strong tendency to idolatry, and its great preva- 
lence for so long a time and in so many nations, is con- 
clusive evidence that men do not naturally like to retain 
the knowledge and worship of Jehovah, or to walk in his 
ways. 

25. That it should ever be needful for God to prohibit 
practices so unnatural and detestable as are here referred 
to, or that men should be disposed to degrade and sink 
themselves so low, is demonstration that madness, defile- 
ment, and death are in their hearts ; and that except they 
be quickened, justified, and sanctified in the name of the 
Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God, they can never see 
the kingdom of heaven. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

3. Fear — mother— father ; honor, reverence, esteem, and 
in all things right, please them. Exod. 20 : 12 ; Matt. 19 : 19. 

5. At your own wdl ; or, that ye may be accepted, namely, 
when ye comply with all the divine precepts concerning it. 

7. it is abominable; the eating of it in opposition to the 
command of God was wicked, and incurred the divine dis- 
pleasure. 

15. In judgment; in deciding cases of right between 
man and man. 

155 



A repetition 



I.K\ ITICrS XIX. 



r>f sundry laws. 



1() ^ Thou slialt not po up and down as a talo- 
bcarcT amontr tliy people ;" ncitlier shall tliou stand 
ajrainst the blooil ot'tliy neif,'lil)or :'' 1 am the liOUii. 

17 *i 'I'hou slialt not hate tiiy brother in thy 
heart:'" thou slialt in any wise rebuke thy neijrh- 
bor,' and not sutler sin upon hini.'"' 

18 'i Thou shalt not avenge/ nor bear any 
prudire ajrainst the ehildren of thy jieople, but thou 
shalt love thy neiirhbor as thy sell":" I am the Lord. 

19 1i Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt 
not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind:'' 
thou shalt not sow tliy held with mingled seed: 
neither sliall a garment mingled of linen and wool- 
len come upon thee. 

20 If And whosoever lieth carnally with a wom- 
an, that is a bondmaid, betrothed* to a husband, 
and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; 
slic' shall be scourged :■' they shall not be put to 
death, because she was not free. 

21 And he siiall bring his trespass-offering unto 
the Lord,' unto tiie door of the tabernacle of the 
congregation, tven a ram for a trespass-oifering. 

22 And the priest shall make au atonement for 
him with the ram of the trespass- offering before 
tiie Lord for liis sin which he hath done; and the 
sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. 

23 1l And when ye shall come into the land, and 
shall have planted all manner of trees for food, 
then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircum- 
cised : tiiree years shall it be as uncircumcised 
unto you: it shall not be eaten of. 

24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof 
shall be holy to praise the Lord ' withal.' 

25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit 



" Pror. -2(1:19. b KxoJ. -J:!:/, c 1 John 2:9, 1 1; 3: 1.5. <1 Prov. 27:5; Eph. 
5:11; I Tim. 5:20. • Or, rtal Ikou bear not sin for him. e l Cor. 5:2. 
' Rom. 12:17, 19. ! Mattf22:;i9, 40. h Deut. 22:9-11. ^ Heh. repioatlied 
by^ ox for man, or abustd by any. 1 Or. they. 5 Heb. there shall be a scourg- 



16. Stand against the blood ; take a course suited to pro- 
cure the death of the iimocent. 1 Sara. 22:9, 18; 1 Kings 
21.13; Mark 14:. 57. 

17. Hate Ihy brother in thy lieart — rebuke thy neighbor ; in- 
stead of cherishing a secret grudge against our neighbor, 
it is our duty fraukly to reprove him, wherein we think he 
has done wrong. Not suffer sin upon him; better, as in 
the margin, not bear sin on his account, that is, by neglect- 
ing our duty towards him. 

20. She shalt be scourged; literally, there shaU be scourg- 
ing — as is supposed, of the man, as well as the woman. 
Not he put to death; Deut. 22:23-27. 

23. As uncircumcised; that is, unclean and not suitable 
to be eaten by them. Ver. 24. 

26. Observe times; or, practise magic arts. See note to 
ver. 31. 

27. Round — mar the corners; according to the supersti- 
tious observances of the heathen. 

28. Cuttings in yourjiesh ; in mourning for the dead. 

31. Them that Imve familiar spirits; those who profess to 
have intercourse witli demons or the spirits of the dead, 
and by their aid to foretell future events and do other 
supernatural things. Wizards; who profess to have 
supernatural power by the aid of magic arts. Sorcery 
and witchcraft existed among the ancients in a great va- 
riety of forms. Those who practised them 'are called in 
the holy Scriptures, wizards, diviners, enchanters, sooth- 
sayers, etc. Of these, some professed simply to interpret 
signs and omens, and thus to draw from them a know- 
ledge of the future ; others, by means of certain mysteri- 
ous words and forms, to call up demons or the spirits of 
the dead, that they might obtain from them supernatural 
156 



thereof, that it may yield unto you the u.c.uw: 
increase thereof: 1 am the Ijdud your God. 

2() M Ye shall not eat arii/ thin<r with the blood,'' 
neither shall ye use enchantment,' uor observe 
times. 

27 Yc sliall not round the corners of your heads, 
neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.'" 

2S Ye shall not make any cuttings in your llesh 
for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am 
the Loud. 

29 Ti Do not prostitute' thy daughter, to cause 
her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whore- 
dom, and the land become full of wickedness. 

30 1i Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence 
my sanctuary:" I am the Lord. 

31 1 Regard not tiiem that have familiar s[)irits," 
neither seek after wizards, to be dclilcd by them : 
1 am the Lord your God. 

32 H Thou .shalt rise up before the hoary head, 
and honor the face of the old man,'' and fear thy 
God:'' 1 am tlie Lord. 

33 IT And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your 
land,"" yc shall not vex' him. 

34 But the stranger that dwellctli with you shall 
1)0 unto you as one liorn among you, and thou shalt 
love him as thyself; for yc were strangers in tlie 
land of Egypt : 1 am the Lord your God. 

35 IT Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judg- 
ment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 

36 Just balances,'* just weiglit.s,* a just ephali, and 
a just hin, shall yc have: 1 am, the Lord your 
God, whicii brought you out of the land of Egypt. 

37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, 
and all my judgments, and do them :' I am the Lord. 



ing. ich.C:fi. \lieh. holiness of praises to the hoRB. JProv. 3:9. k Dent. 
12:2.3. 1 Dent. 18:1U-H. mch. 21:5. T Heb. pro/<in«. "Eccl.S:!. o Dent. 
18:10, 11. P Job 32:4, C. 1 1 Pet. 2:17. ' Exod. 22:21. * Or, oppriss. 
'Prov.ll:!. t Heb. stones. > Deut. 5:1 ; Psa. 119:4, 34. 



revelations, or accomplish through their aid supernatural 
deeds. All such practices are essentially idolatrous, as 
they withdraw men's faith and love from God and his 
word to things that cannot profit them. See Instruction 
to ver. 28. 

3.'). Meteyard; measure of lengths. Measure; of liquids. 

30. Ephah — liin; names of different measures. Chap. 
5:11; Exod. 1G:36; 29:4J. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. As God is holy, so must we be in order to meet his 
approbation or enjoy his presence. 

3. Due subordination and affection in families is insep- 
arably connected with the right keeping of the Sabbath ; 
and the neglect of the one tends directly and powerfully 
to the destruction of the other. 

4. That men should ever forsake Jehovah for gods of 
their own making, is demonstration of their strong and 
active opposition to him. 

8. To meet the approbation of God, men must not only 
be cheerful and hearty in serving him, but must be guided 
in their efforts by his directions. 

10. God requires, and holiness leads men, to be not only 
pious, but benevolent; to be disposed, as there is oppor- 
tunity and ability, to help the poor ; and one of the best 
ways of helping them, is to lead them to help themselves. 

12. Falsehood is intimately connected with theft; and 
profane swearing with both. Let a man be guilty of one 
of these sins, and you have no security that he will not 
commit any sin to which he may be tempted. 

13. Refusing promptly to pay just wages for labor, and 
robbing men by fraud or violence of their dues, are sins 



Of Molech, and wizards. 



LEVITICUS XX. 



Of unlav'ful lusts. 



CHAPTER XX, 



1 Of him that giveth of his seed to Molech. 4 Of him that favoreth 
such a one. 6 Of goino- to wizards. 7 Of sanctification. 9 Of him 
that curseth his parents. 10 Of adultery. 11, 14, 17, 19 Of incest. 
13 Of sodomy. 1.5 Of beastiality. 18 Of uncle.anness. 23 Obedi- 
ence is required with holiness. 27 Wizards must be put to deatii. 

• A ND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
x\. 2 Again, tliou shalt say to the children of 
Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel,^ 
or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that 
giveth any of his seed unto Molech ; he shall 
surely be put to death: the people of the land 
shall stone him with stones. 

3 And I will set my face against that man," and 
will cut him olf from among his ])eoplc ; because 
he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile 
my sanctuary, and to profone my holy name. 

4 And if the people of the land do any ways 
hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of 
his seed unto Molech, and kill him not;'^ 

5 Then I will set my face against that man, and 
against his family,'^ and will cut him off, and all 
that go a whoring after him,'' to commit whore- 
dom with Molech, from among their people. 

6 IT And the soul that turneth after such as have 
familiar spirits,' and after wizards, to go a whor- 
ing after them, I will even set my face against 
that soul, and will cut him ofl" from among his 
people. 8 

7 1 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye 
holy:'' for I am the Lord your God. 

8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them : ' 
I am the Lord which sanctify you.^ 

9 1 For every one that curseth his father or his 
mother shall be surely put to death;" he hath 



a Ch. 18:21. b ch. 17:10; Ezek. 14:3. t Deut. 17:2-5. d Exod. 20:5. 
: ch. 17:7; Jer. 3:2; Hos. 2:5, 13. 'ch. 19:31. s Rev. 22:15. hch. 19:2. 
cli. 19:37. J ch. 21:8; Exod. 31:13; Ezek. 37:28; 1 Cor. 1:30. k Exod. 



which God abhors, and against which he denounces his 
dreadful curse. Jas. 5:2-5. 

14. To reproach or despise men, or to bring any evil 
upon them, on account of any natural infirmity or calam- 
ity, is mean, ungrateful, and wicked. 

15. Partiality in judicial decisions, and injustice under 
the cover of law. are an abomination in the sight of Jeho- 
vah, and expose those who are guilty of them to his ven- 
geance. 

16. Tattlers, those who go about retailing scandal, and 
delight in accusing, ridiculing, or depreciating others, 
especially the good, are following Satan the great accuser, 
and in a way which leads to his place of torment. 

18. Real love, such as God requires and holiness of 
heart produces, leads men to desire and strive to deliver 
others from all evil, especially from sin, and to do them 
all the good in their power. Let this love fill all hearts, 
and it will make earth resemble heaven. 

22. Without repentance and faith in the atoning blood 
(if Christ, none to whom he is made known can be for- 
given, or escape the just punishment of their sins. 

25. Jehovah is the God of providence as well as of 
grace ; the giver of all temporal as well as spiritual bless- 
ings, which should be received as from him, and used for 
his glory and the good of his kingdom. 

28. There are means of sin, as well as of holiness. 
Among them are all pretended intercourse with evil or 
departed spirits, sorcery, enchantments, jugglery, fortune- 
telling, and every thing which tends to lead men away 
from God as their portion, from his word as their guide, 
from his service as their employment, and his favor as 
their reward. All such things should be avoided, and 



cursed his father or his mother ; his blood shall be 
ujion him.' 

10 1 And the man that committeth adultery with 
another man's wife, even he that committeth adul- 
tery with his neighbor's wife, the adulterer and 
the adulteress shall surely be put to death."" 

11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife 
hath uncovered his father's nakedness:" both of 
them shall surely be put to death; their blood 
shall be upon them. 

12 And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law," 
both of them shall surely be put to death: they 
have wrought confusion ; their blood shall be upon 
them. 

1.3 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth 
with a woman,P both of them have committed an 
abomination: they shall surely be put to death; 
their blood shall be upon them. 

14 And if a man take a wife and her mother,'' it 
is wickedness : they shall be burnt with fire, both he 
and they ; that there be no wickedness among you. 

15 And if a man lie with a beast,'' he shall surely 
be put to death ; and ye shall slay the beast. 

16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, 
and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, 
and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; 
their blood shall be upon them. 

17 And if a man shall take his sister,' his father's 
daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her 
nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a 
wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the 
sight of their people : he hath uncovered his sis- 
ter's nakedness ; he shall bear his iniquity. 

18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having 
her sickness,' and shall uncover her nakedness; 



21:17; Prov. 20:20. Iyer. II, 13. m Deut. 22:22. n Dent. 27:20. • ch. 
13:15. P ch. 18:22; Deut. 23:17. q ch. 18:17. r ch. 18:23; Deut. 27:21. 
» Deut. 27:22. t ch. 15:24; 18:19; Ezek. 18:0. 



only such occupy the attention of men as tend to make 
them holy, and lead them to love, trust in, and obey God. 

30. Stated, regular, conscientious attendance on public 
worship, when God gives opportunity, is an essential part 
of the right keeping of the Sabbath ; and highly promo- 
tive of all the social, civil, and religious interests of men. 

31. Those who pretend to wisdom they do not possess, 
especially to receiving it from disembodied spirits, or 
intercourse with invisible agents, and thus to be able to 
reveal secrets and foretell future events, are morally 
defiled and defihng, and should be treated accordingly. 

32. Respect to the aged is a mark of wisdom, and essen- 
tial to virtue ; a source of comfort, and a means of useful- 
ness ; an ornament to character, and a passport to influ- 
ence, reputation, and honor. 

34. Kindness to strangers is a dictate of true religion, 
and peculiarly grateful to persons in a strange country. 
It so much resembles the kindness of God, that it is one 
of the best means of leading men to love him, and thus 
show their gratitude to him for his love. Eph. 2:19. 

36. Strict honesty in trading, and in all business trans- 
actions, and the doing to others as we ought to wish 
others to do to us, is a duty required bj' God, by our own 
good, and the good of all. 

CHAPTER XX. 

2. Molech ; an idol of the Ammonites to whom children 
were sacrificed. According to the Rabbins his statue 
was of brass and hollow ; and this being heated from be- 
low, the children to be sacrificed were put into its arms. 

8. S(mctify you; separate them from other nations, and 
set them apart for himeelf. Ver. 24, 26. 
157 



Of the priests 



LEVITICUS XXI. 



mournins and marriage^. 



ho liatli <lipcovcrcd' lior fountain, and slie liatli 
iinriivcri'tl tlio fountain ol' Iht lilood : and Imth of 
them shall lio cut oti" from among their people. 

19 And thou shall not uncover the nakedness of 
thv mother's sister," nor of thy father's sister; for 
he uncovcrcth his near kiu: they shall bear their 
ini(|nity. 

"20 And if a man sliall lie with his uncle's wife, 
he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they 
shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.'' 

21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife,'^ 
it is an unclean thing:* he hath uncovered his 
l)roth(M-'s nakedness; they shall t)(> childless. 

'I'l "i Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and 
all my judgments, and do them:'' that the land, 
whither 1 bring you to dwell therein, spue you 
not out." 

23 And ye shall not walk in the manncr.s of the 
nation, which I cast out before you : for they com- 
mitted all these things, and therefore I abhorred 
them.'' 

24 But I have said unto you. Ye shall inherit 
tlicir land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, 
a land that floweth with milk and honey :'■' lam the 
LoKD your Crod, which have separated you from 
other peo}>lc.'' 

25 Ye shall therefore put difference between 
clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean 
fowls and clean :' and ye shall not make your souls 
abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any man- 
ner of living thing that creepeth* on the ground, 
which I have separated from you as unclean. 

26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the 
Lord am \\o\y} and have severed you from other 
people, that ye should be mine.'' 

27 1 A man also or woman that hath a familiar 
spirit,' or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to 
death: they shall stone them with stones; their 
blood shall be upon them. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 Of the priests' mourning. 6 Of their holiness. 8 Of their estimation. 
7, 13 Of their marriages. 17 The priests that have hlemishes must 
not minister in the sanctuary. 

ND the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto 
the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto 



A 





H^h 


made 


akeit. » ch. 18: 


2, etc 


b Jer. 22:30. 


c Matt. 14:3, 4. 


t H 


Ph. a 


separati 


7n. 


d ch. 19:37. 


e ch. 


18:25, 28. ' Deut. 9:5. S Exoil. 


3:17; 6: 


S. hver 


•.>(i 


Exoa. 19:5 


;«■!( 


: 1 Kings 8:53. 
it ver. 21 ; Deut 


ich. 11:47. 1 Or, 


7no 


vfA 


i ver. 7 


.^h 


19:2; 1 Pet. 


l:l(i. 


7:S; 14:2; 30:1?, 


11); 


Tit. 


2; 14. 1 




5; 1 Sam. 23:9. n 


Ezek. 44:25. 


i Or, being a litis- 



23. Cast out ; shall cast out. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Capital punishment by the hand of magistrates is 
sometimes not only right, but a duty which they owe to 
God and their fellow-men. It is a needful means of re- 
straining iniquity; and the people, when God commands 
it, are bound to see that it is executed. 

5. If the magistrates and people neglect to prosecute 
criminals, and to punish the guilty, they encourage crime, 
incur guilt, and expose themselves to divine judgments. 

9. That laws should be needful to keep parents from 
destroying children, and children from cursing parents ; 
and people to whom Jehovali is known from forsaking 
him for idols, and committing the most polluting and de- 
grading abominations, shows the strength and malignancy 
of sin, and the necessity, in order to salvation, of being 
158 



them. There shall n(Uic be defiled for the 1,.^'.:?JiJ; 
dead among his ])eo])le:"' 

2 Hut for his kin, that is near unto him, that is. 
for his mother, and for his father, and for his son. 
and for his daughter, and for his brotlier, 

:! And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh untohini. 
which hath had no husband; for licr may he be defiled. 

4 But he shall not defile himself being a chief 
man among his people,* to profane liimseJf. 

5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, 
neither shall they shave ofl" the corner of their 
beard, nor make any cuttings in iheir flesh. 

() 'i'liey shall bo holy unto their God, and not 
profane the natuc of their God :" for the offerings 
of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their 
God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy." 

7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore,'' or 
profane; neither shall they take a woman jmt away 
from her hu.sband :'' for he is holy unto his God. 

8 Thou shalt sanctify him thercfbre; forhcofl'er- 
eth the bread of thy God : he shall be holy unto 
thee : for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.' 

9 IT And the daughter of any priest, if she pro- 
fane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth 
her father: she shall be burnt with fire." 

10 And he that is the high-jiriest among his breth- 
ren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, 
and that is consecrated to jmt on the garments,' 
shall not uncover his head," nor rend his clothes: 

11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body,* nor 
defile himself for his father, or for his mother ; 

12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor 
profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown 
of the anointing oil of his God is upon him:^^ 1 
am the Lord. 

13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.'' 

14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, 
or a harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall 
take a virgin of his own people to wife. 

15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his 
people:^' for I the Lord do sanctify him. 

16 H And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

17 Speak unto Aaron, saying. Whosoever he be 
of thy seed in their generations that hath any 
blemish,^ let him not approach to offer the bread' 
of his God." 



band 


amon" 


hi 


people, he shall 


not defile hi 


mself for his 


wife, e 


to. See 


H;7ek 


21:10, 


17. 


nch. 19;12. >> 1 


sa. 52:11. P Ezek. 44:22. 


q Deut 


24:1-4 


r ch. 


20:7, fc 




• Gen. 3.-i:2l. < 


Exod. 29:29, 


30. » ch. 10:0, 7. 


» Num 


19:14 


'V ch 


H 


9-12; Exod. 29:0 


7. I ver. 7 


y Gen. 1£ 


19; Ez 


ra 2:62. 


zch. 


22:25. 


1 Or fooil; ch. 3: 1 1 


ach. 10:3. 









delivered from it by the mighty power of God. 1 Cor. 
6:9-11; Eph. 1:19,20. 

CHAPTER XXL 

1. Priests — defiled for the dead; by touching dead bodies, 
going wlierc they were, or assisting in burying them, ex- 
cept in the case of near relatives, mentioned ver. 2, 3 ; and 
the high-priest might not do it even for them. Ver. 10-12. 

4. Being a chief man among his people; see marginal ver- 
sion, which is to be preferred. 

5. Not make baldness; in token of mourning. 

15. Profane his seed; render his sons unfit for the priest- 
hood, by disregarding these divine directions. 

17. Hath any blemish ; the priest, as well as the victims 
he offered, must be without blemish, to typify the moral 
perfection which God's service demands ; and especially, 
to shadow forth the perfect priesthood of Christ. 



Blemishes of priests. 



LEVITICUS XXII. 



Of eating holy things. 



u.r'uw*' 18 For whatsoever man he he that hath 
a blemish, lie shall not approach: a blind man, or 
a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing 
superfluous,* 

19 Or a man that is broken-footed, or broken- 
handed, 

20 Or crook-backed, or a dwarf,* or that hath a 
blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or 
hath his stones broken ;'' 

21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aa- 
ron the priest shall come nigh to offer tlie offerings 
of the Lord made by fire : he hath a blemish ; ho 
shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 

22 Ho shall eat the bread of his God, both of 
the most holy," and of the holy.'' 

23 Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor 
come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blem- 
isli; that he profane not my sanctuaries:" for I 
tiie Lord do sanctify them.'^ 

2-1: And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his 
sons, and unto all the children of Israel. 

CHAPTER XXII. 



1 The priests in tlieir uncleanness must abstain from the holy things. 
G How they shall be cleansed. 10 Who of the priest's house may 
eat of the holy things. 17 The sacrifices must be without blemish. 
26 The age q{ the sacrifice. 29 The law of eating the sacrifice of 
tbauksgivmg. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that 
they separate themselves from the holy things of 
the children of Israel,''' and that they profane not 
my holy name'' in those things which they hallow 
unto me:' I am the Lord. 

3 Say unto them. Whosoever he he of all your 
seed among your generations, that goeth unto the 
holy things, which the children of Israel hallow 
unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him,J 
that soul shall be cut off from my presence : I am 
the Lord. 

4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a 
leper, or hath a running issue ;*'^ he shall not eat 
of the holy things, until he bo clean.' And whoso 
toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead,"' or 
a man whose seed goeth from him;" 



» Oh 


22:23 


• Or, 


00 sleitder. 


li Deut 


23:1. <: oh 


2:.3, 


in 


fi: 


17, 


29; 


7:1; ai 


9; Num. 1S:9 


d 


ch. 22: 


0-12; ^ 


um 


8:19. e 




12. 


f 




. S. 


ENum 


6:3. 


t ch. 18 


«I. 


iKxoc 


2i:3i; 


Ni.m 


. 18:32; 


Deut 


l.i 


111 


J 


ch. 


7:20. 


Hdb 


of the T 


eins 


t ch 


15:2. 


ch. 


15:13. 


m Nn 


m. 


19: 


11, 


12. 


ch. 15:10. 


» ch. 1 


:24, 


43. P 


ch. IS; 


, 19. 


q Hag 


2:13 




ch 


16 


:5; 



22. He shall eat the bread of his God; thougli tfie blemishes 
mentioned disqualified them from oflerinj; sacrifices, they 
did not exclude them from performing such duties as 
were suited to their condition, and receiving a support. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

6. Ministers of religion should be distinguished for 
sobriety, purity, and elevation of character, and for the 
faithful discharge of their appropriate duties ; that to 
their instructions they may add the weight of their ex- 
ample. 

13. Ministers of religion, even those most distinguished, 
sliould in all ordinary cases be married ; and their wives 
should in all cases be examples of purity, propriety, and 
excellence. 

23. All should avoid engaging in duties for which they 
are disqualified, and be diligent in the discharge of such 
as are suited to their condition, and by which thoj' may 
honor God, and beuefit themselves and their fellow-men. 



5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing," 
whereby he may be made unclean,'' or a man of 
whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever un- 
cleanness he hath ; 

6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be 
unclean until even," and shall not eat of the holy 
things, unless he wash his flesh with water.'' 

7 And when tlie sun is down, he shall be clean, 
and shall afterward eat of the holy things ; be- 
cause it is his food.' 

8 That which dieth of itself or is torn with 
beasts,'- he sliall not eat to defile himself there- 
with: I am the Lord. 

9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest 
they bear sin for it," and die therefore, if they pro- 
fane it : I the Lord do sanctify them. 

10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing : 
a sojourner of the priest, or a hired servant, shall 
not eat of tlie holy thing. 

11 But if tlie priest buy amj soul with his money,* 
he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house : 
they shall eat of his meat." 

12 If the priest's daughter also be married unto 
a stranger,^ she may not eat of an ofi'ering of the 
holy things. 

13 But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or 
divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto 
her father's house," as in her youth, she shall eat 
of her father's meat : but there shall no stranger 
eat thereof. 

14 IT And if a man eat of the holy thing unwit- 
tingly," then he shall put the fifth part thereof 
unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the 
holy thing. 

1.5 And they shall not profane the holy things 
of the children of Israel,^ which they offer unto 
the Lord ; 

16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of tres- 
pass,^ when they eat their holy things : ' for I the 
Lord do sanctify them. 

17 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto 
all the children of Israel, and say unto them. 
Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the 
strangers in Israel," that will offer his oblation for 



Heb. 10:22. » ch. 21:22; Num. 18:11, 13. t Exod. 22:31 


Ezek. 44:31. 


" Exod. 28:43. 1 Heb. Me purrhase of his money. » Nu 


m. 18:11, 13. 


S Heb. a man, a stranger, v Gen. 38:11. x ch. 5:15, 16. 


Num. 18:02. 


z ver. 9. D Or, lade themselves with the iniquitij of trespass i 


n their eating. 


• Num. 15:14. 





CHAPTER XXII. 

2. Separate themselves from the holy things ; abstain from 
partaking of them when they were ceremonially unclean, 
and could not partake without defiling them. Ver. 3-7. 

,3. Hallow; consecrate. 

7. Eat of the holy things; that part of them which be- 
longed to the priests. 

11. He shall eat of it ; because he belonged to the family, 
and was entitled to its privileges. 

14. Unu-ittinghj ; not knowing that it was holy, or conse- 
crated to ( iod. Tlieffth — give it unto the priest ; he shouM 
pay for what he ate and one fifth part more. This was 
designed to make them careful not to offend ignorantly. 

16. Or suffer them to bear the imquity; more literally, 
lade them with the iniquity of trespass, namely, by eating 
of their offerings in an unlawful way. For the priests 
acted in behalf of the people, and their sins would bring 
God's displeasure upon the congregation of Israel. 
159 



Sacrifices must be perfect. 



LEVITICUS Will. 



T/ic Sabbal/i and l/te Piissnrrr. 



all liis vows, anil for all his froewill-ofl'orinrrs, which 
they will otVcr unto the Loni) for a hurnt-ofleriML--: 
rj Yc shall offir at your own will a male with- 
out lilcuiish," of the beeves, of the sheep, or of 
tho iroats. 

20 Ihit wliat?i>cvcr hatli a blemish,'" that shall ye 
not olTor: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 

21 And whosoever otlereth a sacrilice of peace- 
nlVerinjrs'^ inito the Loud to accomplish Am vow,** 
or a freewill-otTeriug in beeves or sheep," it sliall 
be perfect to be accepted : there shall be no blem- 
ish therein. 

22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or liaving a wen, 
or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not oiler these unto 
the Lord, nor make an offering by lire of tiiem 
upon the altar unto the Lord. 

23 Either a bullock or a lamb* that hatli any 
tiling superlluous or lacking in his parts,'' that 
mayest thou oiler for a freewill-offering ; but for 
a vow it shall not be accepted. 

24 Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which 
is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither 
shall ye make any offering thereof in your land. 

25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer 
the bread of your God of any of these ;'^ because 
liieir corruption is in them, and blemishes be iu 
thera:'^ they shall not be accepted for you. 

26 IT And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is 
brought forth, then it sliall be seven days under 
the dam ;'' and from the eighth day and thenceforth 
it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire 
unto the Lord. 

28 And whether it be cow or ewe,* ye shall not 
kill it and her young both in one day.' 

29 And when yc will offer a sacrifice of thanks- 
giving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. 

30 On the same day it shall be eaten up ; ye shall 
leave none of it until the morrow : I am the Lord.-' 

31 Tlierefore shall ye keep mj- commandments, 
and do them:'' I am the Lord. 



«Ch. 1;3. b Dcut 


15:21; Mai. 1:8. 14; Eph. 5:27; 1 Pet. 1 


:19. Cell. 3:1, 


li. d Num. 15:3,8. 


'Or, goats. 1 Or, kid. ech. ai:ls. 


f Num. 1G:4U. 


? Eph. 2:12; IJoh 


1 5:19. h Exod. 22:30. t Or, she-goal. 


i Dent. 22:G. 


1 ch. 7:12-15; Psa. 


107:22; Amos 4:5. k oh. 19:37; Mum 


. 15:40; Deut. 



19. At your own will; rather, for your acceptance; and 
80 ver. 29. The expressions, for acceptance, for _your ac- 
ceptance, it shall be accepted, etc., are often added to sig- 
nify that the oiferer is to comply with the rules of the 
Levitical law. So in the present chapter, in the Hebrew, 
ver. 19, 20, 21, 23. 25, 27, 29. 

27. Under the dam ; with its mother. 

32. Profane my holy name; by disregarding his direc- 
tions, lialloived; reverenced, honored, obeyed. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Known and allowed iniquity, secret or open, unfits a 
man for the acceptable discharge of sacred duties; and 
without repentance and reformation he will be excluded 
from the holy society and worship of heaven. 

9. Neglectoftlie ordinances of God, or a profane attend- 
ance on them, exposes men to punishment for their in- 
iquity. 

13. Those who minister in holy things have a right to 
support, not only for themselves, but for their families. 

Ifi. Ministers of religion should labor to enlighten the 
people as to the will of God, that they may not sin igno- 
rantlv : and if they have so sinned, should use all suitable 
160 



32 Neither shall yc profane my holy n.rSil: 
name;' but I will be hallowed among the children 
of Israel:"' I a7n the Lord whieli hallow you," 

33 That brought you out of tiie laud of Egypt, 
to be your God:" 1 am the Lord. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 The feasts of the Lord. 3 The BBl.bath. -1 The paasover. 9 The 
sheaf of first-fruits. 15 The fenst of IV-ntecost. '22 G-leaning» to be 
left for the poor. 23 The fca»t of trumpets. 26 The day of atone- 
ment. 33 The feast of tabernacles. 

AND the LoKD spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto them, Conccrninff the feasts of the Lord,'' 
which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations,' 
even these are my feasts. 

3 Six days shall work be dor.e:'' but the seventh 
day is the sabbath of rest, a holy convocation ; ye 
shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the 
Lord in all your dwellings. 

4 H These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy con- 
vocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. 

5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at 
even is the Lord's passover." 

6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is 
the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: 
seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 

7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convoca- 
tion : ye shall do no servile work therein. 

8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto 
the Lord seven days : in the seventh day is a holy 
convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 

9 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto them. When ye be come into the land which 
I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, 
then ye shall bring a sheafs of the first-fruits of 
your harvest imto the priest:' 

1 1 And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord,° 
to be accepted for you : on the morrow after the 
sabbath the priest shall wave it. 



4:40. 


1 oh. 


8:21. 


„ 


* 


10:3. 


n oh 


20:3. 


ch. 11:45. 


P ver 


4, 37. 


q Exoc 


32:5 

18; N 


Ps 


a. 81 


3 




ch.l9:3; Exod. 20:9. 


» Exod. 12 


6, etc 


; 13:3, 


10; 34 


im 


<J:2 


3 


Deut. IB 


l-S; 


Josh. 6:1( 


> Heb. 


met 


hanil- 


Jul. . 


Exod. 


22 


29; 23 


19 


34:26; 


Proy 


3:9; Eze 


k. 44:30. 


Exod 


29:24. 



means to reclaim them, and bring them in future to know 
and obey the truth. 

21. God justly requires that which is perfect ; and the 
best that we offer can be accepted only through the atone- 
ment, righteousness, and intercession of Christ. 

31. Notwithstanding all that Christ has done, no one is 
or can be saved by him, unless as he is made willing 
heartily to obey God's commands. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

2. Holy convocations ; assemblies for religious purposes. 

5. First month; Abib or Nisan, the first month of the 
ecclesiastical and the seventh of the civil year ; answer- 
ing to the last part of March and the first part of April. 
The Lord's passover ; Exod. 12:3-17. 

10. Shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits ; this sheaf, as 
well as the accompanying offerings, ver. 12, 13, was pre- 
sented to the Lord by the priest in the name of the whole 
congregation. It is thought to have been a sheaf of bar- 
ley, which begun to be ready for the harvest at the pass- 
over. 

11. Wave the sheaf; as a sign of consecration to the 
Lord. On the morrow after the aabbath ; the Jews under- 



Pentecost, Day of AtoncTnent, 



LEVITICUS XXIII. 



and Feast of Tahernades. 



B.c.'im: 12 And ye shall offer that day when ye 
wave the sheaf a hc-lamb without blemish of the 
first year for a burnt-offering unto the Lord. 

13 And the meat-offering tliereof shall be two 
tenth-deals of fine flour mingled with oil," an off"er- 
ing made by fire unto the Lord for a sweet savor : 
and tlie drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the 
fourth part of a hin. 

14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched 
corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that 
ye have brought an oflering unto your God: it 
shall be a statute for ever throughout your gener- 
ations in all your dwellings. 

15 1 And ye shall count unto you from the mor- 
row after the sabl^ath, from the day tliat ye 
brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven 
sabbaths shall be complete:'' 

16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sab- 
bath shall ye number fifty days;'^ and ye shall 
offer a new meat-offering unto the Lord. 

17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two 
wave-loaves of two tenth-deals : tliey shall be of 
fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they 
are the first-fruits unto the Lord.'* 

18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven 
lambs without blemish of the first year, and one 
young bullock, and two rams:° they shall be for 
a burnt-offering unto the Lord, with tlieir meat- 
offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering 
made by fire, of sweet savor unto the Lord. 

19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats 
for a sin-offering,'' and two Iambs of the first year 
for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. 

20 And the priest shall wave them with the 
bread of the first-fruits /or a wave-offering before 
the Lord, with the two lambs: they shall be holy 
to the Lord for the priest.^ 

21 And ye shall proclaim onthe selfsame day, <^a< 
it may be a holy convocation unto you : ye shall do 
no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever 
in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 

22 1 And when ye reap the harvest of your land," 
thou shalt no't make clean riddance of the corners 
of thy field when tliou reapest, neither shalt tliou 
gather any gleaning of tliy harvest: thou shalt 
leave them unto the poor,' and to the stranger : I 
am the Lord your God. 

23 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 



«Ch.2:14-ir, bch. aitS; Exod. 34:22; Deut. lf>:9. c Acts 2 


1. dyer. 


10; Num. 15:20; 23;2fi, etc. e Mai. 1:13, 14. f ch. 4:23. S Nq 


ra. 18:12; 


Bent. 1S:4; 1 Cor. 9:14. h oh. 19:9; Deut. 21:19. i Ruth 2:15. 


Btc; Psa. 


41:1-3; 112:'), Pro?. 11:24. 23; Isa. 53:7, 8, 10; Luke 11:41; 2 Co 


r. 9:5-12. 


jNum 10:10;2U:1; Psa. 31:3,4; 9S:(i. t ch. 25:9; Jsi. 27:13. 1 


ch. 10:30; 



stood the Sabbath here to mean not the weekly Sabbath, 
but the first day of unleavened bread, which was kept as 
a Sabbath, ver. 7. As this fell on the fifteenth of the month 
Abib, the sheaf was presented on the sixteenth. 

14. Bread— pardied corn — green ears; that is, of the new 
crop. 

15. From the morrow after the sabbath; see note to ver. 
11. Seve7i sabbaths; seven weeks or forty-nine days. 
These with the preceding da}', the first day of unleavened 
bread, made fifty days. Hence this was called the feast 
oi Pentecost, a Greek word meaning, The fiftieth. It was a 
feast of thanksgiving at the close of the harvest, which 
began about the time of the passover. It also coincided 
with the giving of the law on Sinai, and was afterwards 
made memorable by the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acta 2:1. 

11 



24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. In 
the seventli month,^ in the first day of tlie montli, 
shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of 
trumpets,'' a holy convocation. 

25 Ye sliall do no servile work therein: but ye 
shall offer an oflering made by fire unto the Lord. 

26 1 And tlie Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month 
there shall be a day of atonement:' it shall be a 
holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afllict 
your souls,™ and ofl'er an offering made by fire 
unto the Lord. 

28 And ye shall do no work in that same day : 
for it is a day of atonement, to make an atone- 
ment for you before the Lord your God. 

29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be 
afflicted in that same day," he shall be cut off from 
among liis people." 

30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any 
work in that same day, the same soul will I de- 
stroy from among his people. p 

31 Ye sliall do no manner of work: it shall be a 
statute for ever throughout your generations in all 
your dwellings. 

32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye 
shall afllict your souls: in the ni7ith day of the 
month at even, from even unto even, shall ye cele- 
brate" your sal^bath. 

33 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying. The 
fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast 
of tabernacles ybr seven days unto the Lord.' 

35 On the first day shall be a holy convocation : 
ye shall do no servile work therein. 

36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by 
fire unto the Lord ; on the eighth day shall be a 
holy convocation unto you,'' and ye shall offer an 
oflering made by fire unto the Lord : it is a solemn 
assembly ;^'* and ye sliall do no servile work thcrdn. 

37 These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye 
shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an 
offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt-offer- 
ing, and a meat-offering, a sacrifice, and drink- 
ofl'erings, every tiling upon his day:' 

38 Beside the sabbaths of the Lord," and beside 
your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside 
all your freewill-offerings, which ye give unto the 
Lord. 



Num. 


29:7. 


10 Ez 


aS:2l ; Dan 


10:3. nl 


sa. 22:12; Jer. 


31:9 


Ez-k. 7:16. 


Gen 


17:1^ 




h. 20:3-6. 


Heb. res 


. q Exod. 2! 


.16; 


34:22: Num. 


29:12; 




10: i: 


; EzTa3:4; Neh. 8:14; 


Zech. 14.16-19; John 7:2; Heb. 


11:9. 


r Nu 


Ti ■?« 


35; Neh. S: 


IS; John 


7:37. t Heb. 


day 


of restraint. 


" DeiU 


10:*; 


2Ch 


. 7:9; Joel 1 


14; 2:15. 


IEccl.3:l. 


uNu 


n. 29:39. 



16. A new meat-offering; made of the new flour. 

17. Bring out of your habitations; the people seem to 
have generally brought, on this occasion, oiferings of flour 
made from the new corn. From a portion of these, two 
loaves were made and ofi'ered by the priest, with the 
accompanj-ing sacrifices and oblations, ver. 18, 19, in the 
name of the whole congregation. 

24. The seventh mo7}thi Tishri. Chap. IG: 29. 

27. Afflict i/our souls; by fasting and confession of sin. 

31. A statute; a law that the tenth day of Tishri should 
be observed as a sabbath, or daj' of atonement, of rest, 
and of religious worship. It was a day of annual fasting; 
humiliation, and prayer. 

34. Feast of tabernacles ; in commemoration of their having 
dwelt in tabernacles during forty years in the wilderness. 
161 



Of the lamps, and show-bread. 



LKVITICUS XXIV. 



The law of blasphemy. 



39 Al?o in the fiftooiith day of tlic seventh month, 
when ye luive gatliered in the fruit of tiie hind," ye 
shall ivcop a feast unto the Loud seven days: on 
the first day shall be a sabbath, and on tiic eighth 
day shall be a sabbatli. 

40 And ye shall take you on the first day the 
bouirhs' of goodly trees, branehes of palm-trees, 
and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the 
brook ; and ye shall rejoice before the Loud your 
God seven days.'' 

41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto tlic Lord 
geven days in the year:'" it shall be a statute for 
ever in your generations; yc shall celebrate it in 
the seventh month. 

42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that 
are Israelites born shall dwell in booths : 

43 That your generations'' may knovr that I made 
the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I 
brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the 
Loud your God. 

44 And Moses declared unto the children of 
Israel the feasts of the Lord.'' 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 The oil for the lamps. 5 The show-bre.id. 10 Shelomith's son blas- 
phcmeth. 13 The law of blasphemy. 17 Of murder. IS Of dam- 
age. 23 The blasphemer is stoned. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Command the children of Israel,' that they 
bring unto thee pure oil-olive beaten for the light, 
to cause^ the lamps to burn continually.*-' 

3 Without tiie veil of the testimony, in the 
tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order 
it from the evening unto the morning before the 
Lord continually : it shall be a statute for ever in 
your generations. 

4 He sliall order the lamps upon the pure candle- 
stick before the Lord continually." 

5 T And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake 
twelve cakes thereof:' two tenth-deals shall be 
in one cake. 

6 And thou shalt set tliem in two rows, six on a 
row, upon the pure table before the Lord.J 

7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense uponeacA 



» Exod. -M 


10 




Heb./ 


uil. b 


Deut. 18:14.1.5 


c Num. 29: 


2. dExod. 


13:11; 


Deut 


:il 


i;!; 


Fsa. 7 


8:5,6. 


e ver. 2. 1 Exod. 27:20, 21 


t Heb. to 


eausf 


o asce 


n'l. 


B 


Matt. 


25:.')-3 


Luke 12:35. 


h Exod. 31:5 


; .37:17-24; 


M:.37; 


Zech 


4;- 


, II 


; Rev. 


1:2U. 


> Exod. •iS-.SU. 


J 1 Kings 7:4- 


; Heb. 0:2. 


k 1 Ch 


.9::i2 


•2Chr 


2:4. 


ch.8:3I; Exod. 29:32; 


lSim.21:G; 


Matt. 12:4. 



42. liootlis; temporary dwellings, made of boughs or 
other sHght materials. 

IN'STRtJCTIONS. 

3. No other seasons or occasions of public worship are 
ever to set aside, supersede, or lead any to neglect the 
habitual and holy observance of the weekly Sabbath. 

5. The reasons why believers in Christ are passed over 
or spared, and made partakers of the riches of grace, 
should ever be remembered, and the love which procured 
their salvation be celebrated according to his command, 
with gratitude and joy. Luke 22 : 19 ; 1 Cor. 5:7; 11 : 24. 

14. The blessings of providence, as well as of grace, are 
from the Lord. They should all be acknowledged as his 
gifts, and used to his glory. 

21. After gathering in the fruits of the earth, a day of 
annual thanksgiving, appropriately observed by all the 
people in commemoration of the goodness of God, is suited 
to honor him and benefit them. 

31. A day annually, of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, 
162 



row, that it may bo on the bread for a me- '),''. f^\ 
morial, even an olVering madi! by fire unto the Lord. 

8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before 
the Lord continually," bdnf, taken from the chil- 
dren of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 

9 And ilsiiall be Aaron's and his .sons'; and they 
shall eat it m the lioly ])lace:' for it is most holy 
unto him of the olTerings of the LoRD made by 
lire by a ]iorpctual statute. 

10 "f And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose 
father %ms an Egyptian, went out among the chil- 
dren of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish 
woman and a man of Israel strove together in the 
camp ; 

11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed 
the name of the LORD, and cursed.*" And they 
brought him unto Moses:" and his mother's name 
was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the 
tribe of Dan : 

12 And tliey put him in ward," that the mind of 
the Lord might bo showed them.*'' 

13 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the 
camp ; and let all that heard him lay their hands 
upon his head, and let all the congregation stone 
hiin.i 

15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of 
Israel, saying. Whosoever curseth his God shall 
bear his sin. 

16 And he that blasphemcth the name of the 
Lord, he shall surely be put to death,'' and all the 
congregation shall certainly stone him: as well 
the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when 
he blasphemeth the name of the LORD shall be 
put to death. 

17 II And he that killeth any man^ shall surely 
be put to death." 

18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it 
good;' beast for beast.' 

19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbor ; 
as he hath done, so shall it be done to him:" 

20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for 
tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so 
shall it be done to him a^ain. 



m Job 1:5, 11, 


22; Isa. 8:21. ■> Exod. 18:20. ' IVum. 15:34. 1 Heb. to ex- 


pound unto III 


m according to t/ie mouth of the hoRD. pNum.27:5. q T)«"Ut. 


13:9; 17:7. ' 


Exod. 211:7; 1 Kings 21 :1U-13; I'si. 71:10, 18; 139:20; .Matt. 


12:31. SHeb. 


smitelh the life of a nmn. ' E.xod 21 : 12; Num. 35:31 ; Dcut. 


19:11,12. tv 


er. 21. 1 Heb. life for life, u Deut. 19:21 ; Matt. 5:38; 7:2. 



when labor and amusements are suspended, and the pco- 
jile unite in confessing and forsaking their sins and im- 
ploring divine mercy, is highly proijer, and has often been 
blessed. 

40. Deliverances from great evils, as well as the recep- 
tion of great favors, call for peculiar gratitude to God, and 
should be celebrated with special thanksgiving. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

5. Two tenth-deals ; two omers, or tenths of an ephah; 
between six and seven quarts. E.xod. 16:3G. 

8. Every sabbath; the bread was taken away and eatcu 
by the priests, and the frankincense was burnt as an offer- 
ing by fire to the Lord ; and new bread and frankincense 
were put in their place. 

12. Ward; prison, or safe custody. 

17. Killeth; miirdereth. 

20. Breach for breach; this was a law for the magistrate 
in punishing crimes, not for private persons. It was in 



Of the seventh year. 



LEVITICUS XXV. 



The year of Jubilee. 



iJ'il,^ 21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall 
restore it : and he that killeth a man, he shall be 
put to death. 

22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for 
the stranger, as for one of your own country:'' for 
I am the Lord your God. 

2;^ IF And Moses spake to the children of Israel, 
that they should bring forth him that had cursed 
out of the camp, and stone him witli stones : and 
the children of Israel did as the Loed commanded 
Moses. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1 The sabbaih of the seventh year. 8 The jubilee in the fiftieth year. 
14 Of oppression. 18 A blessing of obedience. 23 The reJeinption 
of land- 29 Of houses. 3-5 Compassion of the poor. 39 The usage 
of bondmen. 47 The redemption of servants. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, in mount 
Sinai, saying, 

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto 
them. When ye come into the land which I give 
you, then shall the land keep' a sabbath unto the 
Lord. 

3 Six years thou shalt sow thy iield, and six 
years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather 
in the fruit thereof;'' 

4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of 
rest unto the laud, a sabbatli for the Lord : thou 
shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. 

5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy 
harvest thou shalt not reap,'-' neither gather the 
grapes of thy vine^ undressed: for it is a year of 
rest unto the land. 

6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for 
you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy 
maid, aud for thy hired servant, and for thy 
stranger that sojourneth with thee, 

7 And for thy cattle and for the beast that are 
in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat. 

8 T And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of 
years unto thee, seven times seven years ; and the 
space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto 
thee forty and nine years. 



' Num. 15:16. • Heb, 
19.29. t Heb. siparalion 
10:10. I Isa. 61:1, " ' 



I. b Exoil. M:1G; 2 Chr. :16:21. " 2 Kings 

Heh. louil of sound. J ch 2-3:24, 2". = Num. 

63:4; Jer. 34:1.5-17; Zech. 9:11,12; Luka 4:16-21. 



accordance with the general usage of those times, and 
applied only to malicious injuries. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Ministers of religion should constantly endeavor, 
from the word, the Spirit, and the providences of God, to 
enlighten the minds of men as to their duty, and set 
before them the motives to obedience which God has 
revealed. 

16. Blasphemy against God is great and aggravated 
wickedness ; and under the Jewish dispensation, was, as 
treason, punished with death. 

23. The execution, at the command of God, of notorious 
criminals, is a solemn duty, the performance of which is 
suited to give timely warning to the wicked and exercise 
upon them salutary restraint. By commanding that some 
should thus be put to death in this world, God gives indi- 
cations of the terrible punishment which awaits the per- 
seveiingly wicked in the world to come. Hence a reason 
why some who deny punishment in the future world, are 
opposed to capital punishment in this : because one fore- 
shadows the other. 



9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubi- 
lee* to sound on the tenth day of the seventh 
month,'' in the day of atonement shall ye make 
the trumpet sound throughout all your land.'' 

10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and pro- 
claim liberty throughout all the land unto all the 
inhabitants thereof: ' it shall be a jubilee unto you ; 
and ye shall return every man unto his possession," 
and ye shall return every man unto his family. 

11 A jubilee shall that fiftieth year be unto you : 
ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth 
of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy 
vine undressed. 

12 For it is the jubilee ; it shall be holy unto you : 
ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. 

13 In the year of this jubilee ye shall return 
every man unto his possession." 

14 And if thou sell aught unto thy neighbor, or 
buyest aught of thy neighbor's hand, ye shall not 
oppress one another : ' 

15 According to the number of years after the 
jubilee thou shalt buy of thy neighbor, ayid accord- 
ing unto the number of years of the fruits he shall 
sell unto thee : 

16 According to the multitude of years thou 
shalt increase the price thereof, and according to 
the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price 
of it : for according to the number of the years of 
the fruits doth he sell unto thee. 

17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another ; 
but thou shalt fear thy God:-' for I ain the Lord 
your God. 

18 ^ Wherefore ye shall do my statu tes,'' and 
keep my judgments, and do them ; and ye shall 
dwell in the land in safety.' 

19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall 
eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety. 

20 And if ye shall say. What shall we eat the 
seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather 
in our increase : 

21 Then I will command my blessing upon you 
in the sixth year,™ aud it shall bring forth fruit 
for three years. 



sver 13; Ni.m. 36:4. b vcr. lU; ch. 27:17-24. 
2:2, 3; 1 Cor. 6:8. J Gen. 42:18; Jer. 22:16. 1 1 
Psi. 4:8; Prov. 1:33; Jer. 23:6; Ezek. 34:25-23. 



ver. 17; ch. 19-13; Mic 
1.103:13- IDeut. 12:10 
>Deut. ii-.S. 



CHAPTER XXY. 

5. Not reap, neither gather; as in other years, but share 
what grew with others as they might need, ard with the 
beast of the field. Ver. 6, 7, 11, 12. 

6. The .tahbath of the land; the spontaneous produce of 
the sabbatical year. 

9. The day of atonement ; chap. 23:27-32. 

10. Hallow; keep sacred as a season of rejoicing. 

16. According to the multitude — ami — the fewness; the 
price of what they sold -was to be regulated according to 
the distance of time from the year of jubilee, when it 
would revert to its former o-mier. Ver. 10, 23. 

21. For three years ; these words refer not to the year 
of jubilee, but to the regular sabbatical year. This must 
have begun, not in the spring, when the crops were yet 
standing, but in the fall, after the fruits of the year had 
been gathered in. The day for its commencement seems 
to have been the tenth of the seventh month. Ti-shri, when 
the jubilee plainly began, ver. 9. But Moses here com- 
putes the years from the first month Abib, Esod. 12:2. The 
crop, then, so-wn on the sixth year, which is the one that 
163 



Redemption of land. 



LKVmCL'S XXV. 



Usage of bondmen 



22 And ye s-liall pow the eiprlith year," and cat 
yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her 
fruits come in ve shall eat of tht- old store. 

23 1 The land shall not be sold for ever :* for the 
land i.v mine;'' for yc are strangers and sojourn- 
ers with me.° 

24 And in all the land of your possession yc 
shall grant a redemjition for tJic land. 

25 * If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold 
away some of his jjossession, and if any of his kin 
come to redeem it,'' then shall he redeem that 
•which his brother sold. 

2G And if tlie man have none to redeem it, and 
himself 1)0 able to redeem it;* 

27 Tiien let him count the years of the sale 
thereof,'^ and restore the overplus unto the man to 
•whom he sold it; that he may return unto his 
possession. 

28 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then 
that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him 
that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and 
in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return 
unto his possession.' 

29 And if a man sell a dwelling-house in a walled 
city, then he may redeem it within a whole year 
after it is sold ; within a full year may he redeem it. 

30 And if it be not redeemed within the space 
of a full year, then the house that is in the walled 
city shall be established for ever to him that bought 
it througliout his generations : it shall not go out 
in the juljilce. 

31 But the houses of the villages which have no 
wall round about them shall be counted as the 
fields of the country : they may be redeemed,* and 
they sliall go out in the jubilee. 

32 Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites,'^ and 
the houses of the cities of their possession, may the 
Levites redeem at any time. 

33 And if a man purchase of the Levites,^ then 
the house that was sold, and the city of his pos- 
session, shall go out in the year of jubilee : for the 



> 2 Kings 19:39. * Heb. for culling of, or lo be quite cut off. b 2 Chr. 
7:21). c psa. ;)i):l2, J Ruth 2:20; Jer. 32:7, 8. t Heb. hix hand hath 
attained and found xujkieni-y; ch. r,:7. e ver. SO-W. f ver !:). 1 Heb. 
redemption betongeth unto it. S Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:1, etc. 5 Or, one of 
the Leviles redeem ihem. !• Acts 4:36 37. ■ Gal. 2:10; 1 John 3:17. I Heb. 



God promises sliall serve for three years, would be reaped 
at the beginning of the seventh year. The sabbatical 
year beginning in the fall of the same year, there would 
be no sowing, and consequently no harvest at the begin- 
ning of the next, the eighth year. But in the fall of the 
eighth year, after the sabbatical year was closed, they 
would sow, and gather the harvest at the beginning of 
the ninth year, using the corn sown on the sixth year till 
this work was accomplished. Tor the year of jubilee no 
special directions are given. As it occurred but once in 
fifty years, special provision could be easily made for it 
as it approached. 

23. Not be sold for ever ; so as to be alienated from its 
original owner for ever. It must return to him at the year 
of jubilee ; for it belongs to Jehovah, and he will not 
allow any one to take perpetual occupation of it. 

27. Count the years; from the time he sold it to that 
date, and also to the year of jubilee, and giveaccordinglj'. 
If he sold it twenty years before the year of jubilee, and 
ten of them had expired, he would, for the redemption, 
give half as much as he sold it for ; if but five years had 
passed, he would give three quarters ; and so in propor- 
tion for any length of time. Ver. 50-55. 
164 



houses of the cities of the Levites are aruiJ: 
their possession among the children of Israel. 

34 But the licld of the suburlis of their cities may 
not be sold;'' for it j.v their jierjictual possession. 

35 *i And if thy brother be wa.xen poor,' and 
fallen in decay' with thee; then thou shall re- 
lieve^ him :^ yea, thmtr^h he be a stranger,'' or a 
sojourner; that he may live with thee. 

3() Take thou no usury of him,' or increase: but 
fear thy God;'" that thy brother may live with thee. 

37 Thou shall not give him tliy money ujjon 
usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. 

38 I am the Loud your God," which Ijrought you 
forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the 
land of Canaan, and to be your God. 

39 •[ And if thy brother 'that dwdkth by thee Ije 
wa.\en poor, and be sold unto thee; tliou shall 
not compel him to serve as a bondservant :' 

40 But as a hired servant," and as a sojourner, 
he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto 
the year of jubilee: 

41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he 
and his children with him, and shall return unto 
his own family, and unto the possession of his 
fathers shall he return. 

42 For they are my servants, which I brought 
forth out of the land of Egypt:'' they shall not 
be sold as bondmen.* 

43 Thou shall not rule over him with rigor;'' 
but slialt fear thy God."' 

44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which 
thou sliall have, shall he of the heathen that are 
round about you ; of them shall ye buy bondmen 
and bondmaids. 

45 Moreover, of the children of the strangers 
that do sojourn among you,'' of them shall ye buy, 
and of their families that are with you, which they 
begat in your land : and they shall be your pos- 
session. 

46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for 
your children after you,' to inherit them for a pos- 



hi 


^ hant 


fnileth. THeb. .« 


englhen. 


Dpu 


. 15:7, 


9. kHeb. 13:2. 


ITlf 


lit. 


•-': 


:1!); 


sa. 1.5:5. m Neh. 


5:9, 1.5. 


n ch. 


22:.32, 


33. • Heb. serve 


thy 


elt 


If 


tit hi 


n tvith the service 


o Exod. 


21:2 


3. P 


ver. 55; 1 Cor. 7 


22, 


2:1 


t Heb. 1 


ith the sale of a bondman, q 


ver. 40; Epl 


.0:9. r Mai. 3:5 


' 


sa. 


51 


:C. 1 


Isi. 14:2. 















35. Relieve htm; by taking no interest, or increase, for 
what was needful for the poor man's support. Ver. 3fi, 37. 

39. Sold unto thee; becomes obligated to yield service. 
Ver. 42. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

6. God requires that we should in all things feel our 
constant dependence on him ; and he so orders things in 
his providence as to supply the wants of those who trust 
in and obey him. 

17. God is the friend of justice and mercy, and the eter- 
nal enemy of covetousness and oppression. None can 
obtain his favor without doing justly, loving mercy, and 
walking humbly with him. Micah 6:8. 

22. For individuals and for nations, obedience to God is 
the sure means of competence and safety. 

37. God has special regard for the poor, sympathizes 
with them in distress, and requires that such as have the 
means, and know their condition, should relieve their 
wants. 

53. Jehovah is a God of kindness and compassion. 
These traits of character he requires in all his people ; 
and without them none can meet his approbation or en- 
joy the blessings of his everlasting favor. 



Redemption of servants. 



LEVITICUS XXVI. 



A blessing and a cnrse. 



B.c.'im: session; they shall be your bondmen* for 
ever : but over your brethren the children of Is- 
rael, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor." 

47 IT And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich* 
by thee, and thy brotlier that dwelleth by him wax 
poor, and sell liiniself unto the stranger or so- 
journer by thee,'' or to the stock of the stranger's 
family ; 

48 After that he is sold he may be redeemed 
again ; one of his brethren may redeem him : 

49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may re- 
deem him, or miy that is nigh of kin unto him of 
his family may redeem him ; or if he be able, he 
may redeem himself. 

50 And he shall reckon with him that bought 
him from the year that he was sold to him unto 
the year of jubilee : and the price of his sale shall 
be according unto the number of years, according 
to the time of a hired servant shall it be with him.'' 

51 If there he yet many years behind, according 
unto them he shall give again the price of his re- 
demption out of the money that he was bought for. 

52 And if there remain but few years unto the 
year of jubilee, then he shall count with him, and 
according unto his years shall he give him again 
the price of his redemption. 

53 And as a yearly hired servant shall he be 
with him: and the other shall not rule with rigor 
over him in thy sight. 

54 And if he be not redeemed in these years,* 
then he shall go out in the year of jubilee, both he, 
and his children with him. 

55 For unto me the children of Israel are ser- 
vants ; they are my servants whom I brought forth 
out of the land of Egypt : '' I am the Lord your God. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

1 Of idolatry. 2 Religiousness. 3 A blessing to them that keep the 
comniandinents. 14 A curse to those that break tiiem. 40 God 
proriuseth to remember them that repent. 

YE shall make you no idols nor graven image,"* 
neither rear you up a standing image,^ nei- 
ther shall ye set up any image of stone' in your 
land, to bow down unto it : for I atn the Lord 
your God. 

2 IT Ye shall keep my sabbaths,^ and reverence 
my sanctuary : I am the Lord. 

3 IT If ye walk in my statutes,^ and keep my 
commandments, and do them ; 

4 Then I will give you rain in due season,*" and 



• lieb. ye shall serve yourselves ivith Uteyn; ver. 39. a ver. 43. t Heb. his 
hand otilain; ver. 20. b Neh. 5:5, 8. « Job 7: 1 ; Isa. 16:14. I Or, by these 
meins. d ver. 42. e Deut. 16:22; 27:15. 8 Or, pi/tar. I Heb. a «oiie o/ 
jiielure, or figured stone, t ch. 19:30. B Deut. 11 : 13-15; 28:1-14. h Isi. 
30:2:3; Ezek. 34:38. ■ Psi. 67:6. J Amos 9:13. k Psa. 147:14. 11 Heb. 
cause to cease. 1 2 Kings 17:9.); Ezek. 5: 17. n. Deut. 32:30. n E.xod. 2:2o; 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

In this chapter and the twenty-eighth of Deuteronomy, 
is recorded a most wonderful prophecy of the future liis- 
tory of God's covenant people, the fulfilmeiit of which 
through so many centuries is an irrefragalile proof of the 
divine inspiration of the record that contains it. 

8. Five— a hundred — ten thousand; detinite numbers are 
here used for indefinite. 

10. Bring forth tlte old; from their granaries, to make 
room for the new crop. 

11. Set my tabernacle; continue to dwell among them 



the land shall yield her increase,' and the trees of 
the field shall yield their fruit. 

5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vin- 
tage,^ and the vintage shall reach unto the sow- 
ing-time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, 
and dwell in your land safely. 

6 And I will give peace in the land,'' and ye 
shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid : 
and I will rid''^ evil beasts out of tlie land,' nei- 
ther shall the sword go through your land. 

7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they 
shall fall before you by the sword. 

8 And five of you shall chase a hundred,™ and a 
hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: 
and your enemies shall fall before you by the 
sword. 

9 For I will have respect unto you," and make 
you fruitful," and multiply you,"* and establish my 
covenant with you. 

10 And ye shall eat old store," and bring forth 
the old because of the new. 

11 And I will set my tabernacle among you:"' 
and my soul shall not abhor you.'* 

12 And I will walk among you,' and will be your 
God, and ye shall be my people." 

13 I am the Lord your God,'' which brought you 
forth out of tlie land of Egypt, that ye should not 
be their bondmen ; and I have broken the bands 
of your yoke,'" and made you go upright. 

14 T But if ye will not hearken unto me," and 
will not do all these commandments ; 

15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your 
soul abhor my judgments, so that jq will not do all 
my commandments, iiii that ye break my covenant f 

16 I also will do this unto you: I will even ap- 
point over* you terror, consumption, and the burn- 
ing ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause 
sorrow of heart ; and ye shall sow your seed in 
vain,^ for your enemies shall cat it." 

17 And I will set my face against you, and ye 
shall be slain before your enemies :" they that hate 
you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when 
none pursueth you." 

18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken 
unto me, then I will punish you seven times more 
for your sins. 

19 And I will break the pride of your power;'* 
and I will make your heaven as iron, and your 
earth as brass : 

20 And your strength shall be spent in vain : ^ 



2 Kings 13:23. o Neh. 9:93. P Psa. 107:38. <l ch. 25:22. r Psa. 76-2; 
Ezek. 37:26-23; Rev. 91:3. ■ Deut. 32:10; Psa. 7S:50. t 2 Cor. 6:16. 
"Ezek. 11:20. v ch. 25:3S, 42. w Jer. 2:20. J Deut. 2S: IS, 68. y Ezek. 
16:59. • Heb. i/pon. i Mic. 6:15. » Neh. 9:36, 37. bjer. 19:7. c Prov. 
28:1. dlsl. 23:11. e Psa. 127:1. 



with his visible presence on the mercy-seat, and to do 
them good. 

13. Made you go upright; delivered you from bowing 
down under oppression or in despondency. 

16. Appoint over you ; as the executioners of my wrath. 

18. Seven times; the number seven is a symbol of com- 
pleteness. Out of the inexhaustible storehouse of his 
omnipotence, God will continually bring upon them new 
plagues in full measure. 

19. As iron, and — as brass; the clouds would give no 
rain, any more than if they were iron, and the earth no 
fruit, any more than if it were brass. Ver. 20. 

165 



Curia on the Aisobcdient. 



LEVlTICrS XXVI. 



l\krcyfor lite penilcnl. 



for your land shall not yiclil hor increase, neitiier 
shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. 

'21 H And if ye walk contrary unto me,' and will 
not hearken unto nie; I will bring seven times 
more i)la'riies upon you aecordintr to your sins. 

■J2 I will also send wild lieasts anumjr you," 
whieh shall rob you of your children, and destroy 
your cattle, and make you few in number; and 
your highways sliall be desolate."" 

23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by 
these tliinsrs, but will walk contrary unto me; 

24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you," and 
will punish you yet seven times for your sins. 

25 And I will bring a sword upon you. that shall 
avenge the (juarrel of 7ny covenant:'' and when ye 
are gathered together within your cities, I will 
send the pestilence among you;'' and ye shall be 
delivered into the hand of the enemy. 

26 ,'lnd when I have broken the staff of your 
bread,' ten women shall bake your bread in one 
oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again 
by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.*'' 

27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto 
me, but walk contrary unto me; 

28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in 
fury ; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times 
for your sins. 

29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and 
the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.'' 

30 And I will destroy your high i)laces, and cut 
down your images, and cast your carcasses upon 
the carcasses of your idols,' and my soul shall 
abhor you.J 

31 And I will make your cities waste,'' and bring 
your sanctuaries unto desolation,' and I will not 
smell the savor of your sweet odors.'" 

32 And I will bring the land into desolation:" 
and your enemies which dwell therein shall be 
astonished at it." 

33 And I will scatter you among the heathen,'' 
and will draw out a sword after you: and your 
land shall be desolate, and your cities waste. 

34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths,' as 
long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' 



I land; even then shall the land rest, and u.cuso: 
enjoy her salibaths. 

35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; be- 
cause it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye 
dwelt u)ion it. 

3(1 And upon them that are left alive of you I will 
send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of 
their enemies ;"■ and the sound of a shaken* leaf shall 
chase them;" and they shall flee, as fleeing from a 
sword; and they shall fall when none pursucth. 

37 And they shall fall one n])on another,' as it 
were before a sword, when none pursui'th : and ye 
shall have no power to stand before your enemies." 

38 And ye shall perish among the heathen, and 
the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 

3!) And they that are left of you shall i)inc away 
in their iniquity in your enemies' lands ; " and also 
in the ini(iuities of their fathers shall they pine 
away with them. 

40 If they shall confess their iniquity," and the 
iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which 
they trespassed against me, and that also they 
have walked contrary unto me ; 

41 And that I also have walked contrary unto 
them, and have brought them into the land of their 
enemies; if then their uucircuracised hearts" be 
humbled,'' and they then accept of the punishment 
of their iniquity ;^ 

42 Then will 1 remember my covenant with Ja- 
cob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my 
covenant with Abraham will I remember;" and I 
will remember the laud.'' 

43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall 
enjoy her sabbaths,'' while she lieth desolate with- 
out them : and they shall accept of the punishment 
of their iniquity;" because, even because they 
despised my judgments," and because their soul 
abhorred mj- statutes. 

44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land 
of their enemies, I will not cast them away,"^ nei- 
ther will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly., 
and to break my covenant with them -.^ for I am 
the Lord their God. 

45 But I will for their sakes" remember the cov- 



• Or, at alt adl'enlureswil/i me. a a Kings 17:4); Ezck.5:17. l)Lain.l:4. 
cP^a. 13:-2(i: Isi. 6:!:I0. a Dent. 3-2:35; Ezek. -^0:37. ejer.24:10. f Paa. 
11)5:16. « Hag. 1:0. h Lam. 4:10. i Ezek. 6:3 13. J ch. 20:2.3. k Neh. 
2::}. I 2Chron. 36:19; Malt. 24:2. misa. 1:13. ■> Jer. 25:11, 18. o Jer. 
19 1. P Psa. 44:11. q 3 Chr. 36:21. "• Ezek. 21:7, 1.5. t Heb. driven. 
sJot)I5:21. tIsa.lU:4. ujudg.2:14. » Lam. 4:9; Ezek. 4:17. w 1 Kings 



22. Yoiir highways shall be desolate; men would not travel 
in them, on account of the danger. Judges 5 : 6 ; 2 Chron. 
15:5; Isa. 33:8. 

25. Avenge tlie quarrel of my covenant; in the Hebrew, 
avenge the avenging of my covenant, that is, execute ven- 
geance upon 3-ou for breaking it. 

26. Ten women — bake — in one oven; on account of the 
small quantity tlicy would have to bake. By weight ; each 
man shall have a small portion weighed out to him, as is 
the custom in extreme want. 

29. Eat theflenh of your sons, and — daughters; on account 
of the scarcity of food. 2 Kings 6:29; Lam. 4:10; Jose- 
phus, Jewish Wars, B. 7, c. 2. 

35. /( shall rest, became it did not rest; in four hundred 
and ninety years, the time from the reign of Saul to the 
Babylonish captivity, there would be seventy years of 
sabbiUhs, and also seventy sabbatical years — equal to the 
number of years the land lay desolate during their captiv- 
ity in Babylon ; and, as some have supposed, equal to the 
16.6 



8::33, etc.; Neh. 9:2, etc.; Prov. 28:13; Luke 15:18; 1 John 1:9. x Jer. 
9:26; Acts7:5l; Rom. 2:29. r 2 Chn.n. 12:0,7,12. 2 Psa. 39:9; 51:3,4; 
Dan. 9:7. a Psa. 106:45; Ezek. 16:60. b Joel 2:18. c ver. 34, 35. dyer. 
41. e 2 Chron. 36:16. t Psa. 94:14; Lam. 3:31 ; Rom. 11:2. g Psa. 89:33, 
.34. 1" Rom. 11:28. 



number of sabbatical years the observance of which they 
had neglected. 2 Chron. 36:21 ; Jer. 25:8-11. 

38. Eat you up ; consume them : many would die in their 
enemies' country. 

41. Accept of the punishment ; feel and acknowledge that 
God was just in punishing them, and humbly submit them- 
selves to his disposal. 

42. Remember my covenant; granting them the blessings 
promised in it, Rernemher the land; cause it again to be 
inliabited by the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. One of the most effectual means of preservation from 
idolatry, and all sins, secret and open, personal and na- 
tional, "is the due observance of the Sabbath, with habitual 
attendance on public worship. 

12. Obedience to divine commands is not only the 
surest, but the only way to personal and national excel- 
lence, and permauent prosperity, happiness, and glory. 



Of the estimation 



LEVITICUS XXVII. 



of things vowed. 



B " uiia enant of thoir ancestors," whom I brought 
forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the 
heathen, that I miglit be their God : I am the Lord. 
46 These arp the statutes and judgments and laws, 
which the Lord made between him and the children 
of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

1 He that maketh a singular vow must be the Lord's. 2 The estima- 
tion of the person. 8 Of a beast given by vow. 14 Of a house. 16 
Of a field, and the redemption thereof. 28 No devoted thing may be 
redeemed. 32 The tithe may not be changed. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto them. When a man shall make a singular 
vow,'' the persons shall be for the Lord by thy esti- 
mation.'^ 

3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from 
twenty years old even unto sixty years old,'' even 
thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after 
the shekel of the sanctuary.'^ 

4 And if it he a female, then thy estimation shall 
be thirty shekels. 

5 And if it be from five years old even unto twen- 
ty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the 
male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 

6 And if it be from a month old even unto five 
years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male 
five shekels of silver, and for the female thy esti- 
mation shall he three shekels of silver. 

7 And if it he from sixty years old and above ; 
if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen 
shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 

8 But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then 
he shall present himself before the priest, and the 
priest shall value him; according to his ability 
that vowed shall the priest value him.'' 

9 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an 
ofi'ering unto the Lord, all that any man giveth 
of such unto the Lord shall be holy. 

10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good 



a Luke 1:72, 73. b X,u 
5:4, 5. iJ Num. 13:10. 
thy estimatioHj O priest. 



■2; JuJg. 11:30, eic; 1 Sam. 
xod. 30:13. ' Lev. 5:7. • 
er. 15, 19. h Tsa. 101:2 7. 



13. God speaks of deliverance from bondage as a bless- 
ing which lays those who receive it under peculiar obli- 
gations to love and obey him. 

24. The reason why God sets himself against individ- 
uals or nations, or ever punishes them, is because they 
oppose him, and act in opposition to what he directs, and 
what their good and the great interests of his kingdom 
require. 

29. The dreadful evils which sin often occasions in this 
world, are indications of evils still more dreadfid which it 
will occasion in the world to come ; but neither in this 
nor the future world will any sinners suffer more or 
greater evils than their iniquities deserve. 

35. Tlie desecration of Sabbaths, or the neglect to ob- 
serve them according to divine appointment, is highly 
offensive to God and injurious to men. It is treasuring 
up wrath against the day of wrath, and exposes both in- 
dividuals and nations to desolating judgments. 

39. Children often suffer greatly in consequence of the 
sins of their parents ; but not more than their own sins 
deserve, nor more than, if they repent of and forsake 
them, will be overruled for their good. 

45. A deep conviction and hearty confession of the 
righteousness of God in all the evils he brings upon us. 
humble submission to his will, and true devotion to his 



for a bad, or a bad for a good : and if he shall at 
all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange 
thereof shall be holy. 

11 And iiit be any unclean beast, of which they 
do not offer a sacrifice unto the Lord, then he 
shall present the beast before the priest : 

12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be 
good or bad : as thou vainest it, who art the priest,* 
so shall it be. 

13 But if he will at all redeem it,^ then he shall 
add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation. 

14 1 And when a man shall sanctify his house 
to be holy unto the Lord,'' then the priest shall 
estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the 
priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.' 

15 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his 
house, then he shall add the fitthpart of the money 
of thy estimation unto it,^ and it shall be his. 

16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the Lord 
some part of a field of his possession, then thy esti- 
mation shall be according to the seed thereof: a 
homer* of barley-seed shall be valued at fifty shek- 
els of silver. 

17 If he sanctify his field from the year of jubi- 
lee, according to thy estimation it shall stand. 

18 But if he sanctify his field after the jubilee, 
then the priest shall reckon unto him the money 
according to the years that remain,'' even unto the 
year of the jubilee, and it shall be abated from thy 
estimation. 

19 And if he that sanctified the field will in any 
wise redeem it,' then he shall add the fifth part of 
the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall 
be assured to him. 

20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he 
have sold the field to another man, it shall not be 
redeemed any more. 

21 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubi- 
lee,"" shall be holy unto the Lord, as a field devot- 
ed;" the possession thereof shall be the priest's." 

22 And if a man sanctify unto the Lord a field 



13. 1 Or, the \a.nd of a homer, k ch. 25:15, 16. 
o ver. 2S. o Num. 18:14; Ezek. 44:29. 



service, will end in deliverance from all evil.and the ever- 
lasting enjoyment of all needed good. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

2. Make a singular vow; in thellebrew, setapart a vow; 
that is, set apart one's self or any thing belonging to him by 
a vow, as given to the Lord. Men might thus devote them- 
selves to Jehovah, or their children, as Hannah did Samuel, 
1 Sam. 1 : 28, or a portion of their property. By a wise reg- 
ulation they had the right of redeeming themselves, or the 
person or thing vowed, at a certain estimation, as given in 
this chapter. The -persons— for the Lord by thy estimation; 
the persons thus devoted shall belong to the Lord, to be re- 
deemed at the estimation ordered by Moses in God's name. 

9. Shalt he holy; it could not be reclaimed,but must con- 
tinue devoted to the object to which it was consecrated, 
provided it was a thing suitable to be offered in sacrifice 
to God. If not, then he must pay the value of it, accord- 
ing to the estimation of the priest, and one fifth part 
more. Ver. 13-15, 19, 27. 

14. Sanctify; set apart, to be devoted to the service of 
the sanctuary. 

IG. According to the seed; the seed that it would take to 
sow the field, or which the field would produce. A homer; 
ten ephahs, or a little less than eleven bushels. 
167 



Of things deroletl, 



LEVITICUS XXVil, 



and of tithes. 



wliicli lie liatli bought, which is not of tlie fields of 
his possession ;" 

23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the 
worth of liiy estimation,'' ivcn unto tiie year of the 
jubilee: and he shall jrivo thine estimation in that 
day n* a holy thinu: unto the Loud. 

24 In the year of the Jubilee the field shall return 
unto him of whom it was bought,*^ even to him to 
wliom the jKissession of the land did belong. 

25 And all thy estimations shall be according to 
the sliekel of the sanctuary : twenty gcrahs shall 
be the shekel. 

20 1\ Only the firstling' of the beasts, which 
should l)e the Loiio's firstling,'' no man shall sanc- 
tify it, whether it he ox or sheep: it is the Lord's. 

27 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall 
redeem it aceonling to thine estimation, and shall 
add a fifth part of it thereto :"^^ or if it be not re- 
deemed, then it shall bo sold according to thy esti- 
mation. 

28 Xotwithstanding, no devoted thing, that a 
man shall devote unto the Lord of all that he 



■ Gil. 43:45 
:a, 3; 1 Si 



bver. IS. c ch. •M:4'j. • Hub. Jirxt-born. i Exod. 13:2, 
. IS:17| Deut. 15:19. ever. 11-13. f Joshui 0:1<). 5 Num. 
15:16-23. b Gen. 23:22; Nnm. 18:41, 24; 4 Chr. 31:5, 6, 



25. Twenty geraks; a gerah was about two and a half 
cents. 

2fi. It w the Lord's; Exod. 13:2, 12-15. 

28. Devoted thin^; a thing irrevocably devoted by the 
offorer to God, which could not be redeemed, but must be 
applied to the object to which it was devoted. In this 
respect it differed from the things previously mentioned, 
and is expressed in the original by a diflercnt word. 

29. Devoted of men; it is not to be understood that a 
private person could thus devote to destruction a mem- 
ber of liis family. The cases mentioned in Scripture are 
such as that recorded in lumbers 21:2, 3, where the Israel- 
ites devoted to destruction a Canaanitisli people that had 
made war upon them; or where God himself ordered such 
a devotion to be male, as in the case of Jericho and all 
its jiosaessions. Josh. G: 17-19. 

31. Tithes; a tenth part of the products of the land, 
after the first-fruits had been deducted. This the Israel- 
ites were bound to give for the support of the minis- 
ters of religion. Ver. 30-33; Num. 18:21-32. Another 
tenth of what remained was to be brought to Jerusalem 
and used for offerings and for the support of the worship- 
pers while there. Deut. 12:5-7; 14:22-29. 

32. Tlie rod; which had some coloring matter on the 
end, by which one tenth part was marked as a tithe to be 
devoted to the Lord. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. It is good to be ready and zealous in good things,but 



hath, both of man and beast, and of the *i.rulJ: 
field of his possession, shall be sold or redeem- 
ed : every devoted thing is most holy unto the 

LoKIi.' 

2'J None devoted, which .shall be devoted of men, 
shall be redeemed ;••■ but shall surely be put to 
death. 

30 And all the tithe of the land,'' ivhether of the 
seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the 
Loud's: it is holy unto the I>ord. 

31 And if a man will at all redeem aught of his 
tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.' 

32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of 
the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the 
rod,^ the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. 

33 He shall not search whether it be good or 
bad, neither shall he change it:" and if he change 
it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall 
be holy ; it shall not be redeemed. 

34 These are the commandments,' which the 
Lord commanded Jloses for the children of Isra- 
el™ in mount Sinai." 



Jpr. 33:13; Ezek. 9 
lExod. 19:2,3,25. 



wisdom and discretion are also needful. Persons some- 
times devote themselves or others to services for which 
they are not wanted, or are unfit. In such cases it is bet- 
ter for them to aid the cause of Christ in some other way. 
Their money may be more useful than their personal ser- 
vice, or their services more useful in some other employ- 
ment than that to which they aspire. 

10. Rash promises, and inconstancy in performing such 
as are right, should be carefully avoided. 

19. All our possessions belong to the Lord, and should 
be used in sucli a manner as will please him ; some part 
of them should be devoted especially to the support 
and extension of his worship. The proportion wliich 
should be thus devoted is not now definitively prescribed, 
and the manner in which persons feel, judge, and act in 
the use of property, is one of the prominent indications 
and evidences of their character, and one wdiicli will have 
a momentous influence on their future condition. Matt. 
25 : 35^6. 

25. Strict integrity towards God and men is a duty, the 
desire and conscientious endeavor to practise which, is 
essential, in the sight of God, to the character of an honest 
man. 

33. An honest man will not retain, or appropriate to his 
own use, wdiat he knows of right belongs to another, in 
opposition to the known will of the owner, whether human 
or divine ; but he will be disposed to render to all what 
rightfully belongs to them. It is a great thing to be truly 
honest. Mic. 6:8; Matt. 22:21; Luke 16:10-13. 



168 



THE FOURTH BOOK OF MOSES, 



CALLED 



NUMBERS. 



This book receives its name from the two numhcrin^s of tlio Israelites which it records. In it are 
found the rules for the order of marching and encamping in the wilderness, with various repetitions of 
laws previously recorded, and some new enactments. The book also contains many interesting narra- 
tives : as the murmuring of Israel at Taberah ; the sedition of Miriam and Aaron ; the mission of the 
twelve spies, and the consequent rebellion of Israel ; the rebellion of Korah and his company ; the sin of 
Moses and Aaron at Zin ; the prophecies of Balaam ; the destruction of the Midianites, etc. The narrative 
is brought down to the fortieth year of the sojourn in the wilderness. 



i-Ml^ CHAPTER I. 

1 G-od commandeth Moses to number the people. 5 The princes of the 
tribes. 17 The number of every tribe. 47 The Levites are exempted 
for the service of the Lord. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilder- 
ness of Sinai," in the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, on the first day of the second month, in 
the second year after they were come out of the 
land of Egypt, saying, 

2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the 
children of Israel," after their families, by the 
house of their fathers, with the number of their 
names, every male by their polls ; 

3 From twenty years old and upward, all that 
are able to go forth to war in Israel : thou and 
Aaron shall number them by their armies. 

4 And with you there shall be a man of every 
tril)G ; every one head of the house of his fathers." 

5 1 And these are the names of the men that 
shall stand with you: of the tribe o/" Reuben; Eli- 
zur the son of Shedeur." 

6 Of Simeon ; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 

7 Of Judah : Nahshon* the son of Amminadab.' 



8 Of Issachar ; Nethaneel the son of Ziiar. 

9 Of Zebulun ; Eliab the son of Helon. 

10 Of the children of Joseph : of Ephraim ; 
Elishama the son of Ammihud : of Manasseh ; Ga- 
maliel the son of Pedahzur. 

11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni. 

12 Of Dan ; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 

13 Of Asher ; Pagiel the son of Ocran. 

14 Of Gad ; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.^ 

15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enau. 

16 These were the renowned of the congrega- 
tion, princes of the tribes of their fathers,' heads 
of thousands in Israel.'"' 

17 1 And Moses and Aaron took these men 
which are expressed by their names:'" 

18 And they assembled all the congregation 
together on the first day of the second month, and 
they declared their pedigrees after their families, 
by the house of their fathers, according to the 
number of the names, from twenty years old and 
upward, by their polls.' 

19 As the Lord commanded Moses,^ so he num- 
bered them in the wilderness of Sinai. 



Ch. 10:12; Exod. 19:1. b ch. 20:2, 63; Exod. 30; 12; 2 Sam. 24:2; ed ReKei, cb. 2:14. t ch. 7:2; 1 Chr. 27: 16, etc. g Exod. 18:21, 2o. h Rev. 
IChr. ai:2. = Exod. 18:23; Josh. 22:14. d oh. 2:10, etc.; 7:.30, etc.; 7:4, etc.; Isi. 43:1 ; John 10:3. i ver. 20, e 
10:1S, etc. 'Called, A'iKM.TOn, Matt. 1:4; l.uke 3:33. eHuth4:20. t Call- 



CHAPTER I. 

1. The second month; called Zif; answering to the last 
part of April and the first part of Jfay. 

2. Take ye the sum of all the congregation; the Hebrew 
civil division was into thousands, hundreds, fifties, and 
tens, Exod. 18:25 ; Deut. 1: 15 ; and this served also as the 
basis of the military division, 1 Sam. 8:12; 22:7. Tlie 
present numbering was an enrolment of the men of war in 
regular military array. A numbering had been made of 
the people a few months before. Esod. 30:11, 12; 38:25, 
26. The tables prepared on that occasion seem to have 
served for the present enrolment, the men appointed to 



oversee it simply filling up the vacancies occasioned by 
death from those who had in the meanwhile reached the 
a"-e of twenty j-ears. Hence the sum is in both cases the 
same, namely, six hundred and three thousand five hun- 
dred and fifty. It is to be noticed further, that witli the 
single exception of the tribe of Gad, ver. 25, no divisions 
lower than hundreds are reckoned. 

16. Renou-ned of the congregation ; rather, "the called of 
the congregation;" that is, men of standing and influence, 
who were regularly called to the assemblies of the people ; 
for these assemblies consisted not of the whole mass of the 
people, but of certain representatives from each family. 

18. Their pedigrees; the line of their forefathers. 
169 



The number in auh tribe 



NUMBERS I. 



able to go forth to war. 



'20 And flie children of Roubcn, Israel's eldest 
son, l)y their frenerutions, iil'tcr their fiimilics, l)y 
the house of their fathei's, aceordiny: to the nuiii- 
bor of the names. In- their polls, every male from 
twenty years old and upward, all that were able 
to ffo forth to war; 

21 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of R(niben, we7-e forty and six thousand 
and live hundred. 

22 1 Of the children of Simeon, bv their jrcner- 
ations, after their families, by the house of their 
fathers, those that were numbered of them, aecord- 
ini^ to the number of the names, by their polls, 
every male from twenty years old and upward, all 
that were able to go forth to war ; 

23 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand 
and tiireo hundred. 

21 *i Of tiie children of Gad, by their genera- 
tions, after their families, by thehouse of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go forth to war; 

25 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Gad, were forty and live thousand six 
hundred and fifty. 

2G 1 Of the children of Judah, by their genera- 
tions, after their families, by the house of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go ibrth to war ; 

27 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Judah," were threescore and fourteen 
thousand and six hundred. 

28 'i Of the children of Issachar, by their gener- 
ations, after their families, by the house of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go forth to war ; 

29 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand 
and four hundred. 

30 T" Of the children of Zebulun, by their gener- 
ations, after their families, by tlie house of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go forth to war; 

31 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand 
and four hundred. 

32 ^1 Of the children of Joseph," namely, of the 
childri'n of Ephraim, by their generations, after 
their families, by the house of their fathers, accord- 
ing to the number of the names, from twenty 
years old and upward, all that were able to go 
forth to war ; 

33 Tliose that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five 
hundred. 



•2 Chr. 17:14. b Deut. 3:1:17. 



: ch. 26:64. <1 ch. 2:3-2,- 26:51; Exod. 



20-25. Rnihen — Simeon —Gad; the tribes are grouped in 
threes, according to their encampment, as described in 
the following chapters, these three tribes having their 
place on the south side of the tabernacle. 

no 



34 II Of the children of JIanasseh, by 'li.*' ; 
their generations, after their families, by the iiou-c 
of their fathers, according to the number of the 
names, from twenty years old and upward, all 
that were able to go "forth to war; 

3o Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of JIanasseh, were thirty and two thou- 
sand and two hundred. 

36 1 Of the children of Benjamin, by their gener- 
ations, after their families, by the house of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and u]nvard, all that were 
able to go "forth to war; 

37 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thou- 
sand and four hundred. 

38 ^i Of the children of Dan, by their genera- 
tions, after their families, by tlie house of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go forth to war ; 

39 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thou- 
sand and seven hundred. 

40 1 Of the children of Asher, by their genera- 
tions, after their families, by the house of their 
fathers, according to the number of the names, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go forth to war; 

41 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand 
and five hundred. 

42 IT Of the children of Naphtali, throughout 
their generations, after their families, by the house 
of their fathers, according to tlie number of the 
names, from twenty years old and upward, all that 
were able to go forth to war ; 

43 Those that were numbered of them, even of 
the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thou- 
sand and four hundred. 

44 These are those that were numbered, which 
Moses and Aaron numbered," and the princes of 
Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the 
house of his fathers. 

45 So were all those that were numbered of the 
children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, 
from twenty years old and upward, all that were 
able to go forth to war in Israel ; 

46 Even all they that were numbered were six 
hundred thousand and three thousand and five 
hundred and fifty.* 

47 1 But the Levites after the tribe of their 
fathers were not numbered among them.' 

48 For the Lord had spoken unto Moses, saying, 

49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, 
neither take the sum of them among the children 
of Israel : 

50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the 
tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels 



12:37; 38:26; Deut. 10:32. e ch. 2:33; chs. 3, 4; 1 Chion. ch. 6; 21:6. 



45, 46. All that were able to go forth to war in Israel — were 
six hundred thousand; the number able for war shows that 
the whole people must have amounted to more than two 
millions. 



The order of the 



NUMBERS II. 



tribes in their tents. 



B. c im' thereof, and over all things that belong to 
it:" they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the 
vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, 
and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.'' 

51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, 
the Levites shall take it down;'' and when the 
tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set 
it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be 
put to death. "* 

52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their 
tents, every man by his own camp,'' and every man 
by his own standard, throughout their hosts. 

53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the 
tabernacle of testimony,' that there be no wrath 
upon the congregation of the children of Israel:''' 
and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tab- 
ernacle of testimony.*^ 

5-1 And the children of Israel did according to 
all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they. 

CHAPTER II. 

The order of the tribes in their tents. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch 
by his own standard,' with the ensign of their 
father's house : far oif about* the tabernacle of the 
congregation shall they pitch.-* 

3 And on the east side toward the rising of the 
gun shall they of the standard of the camp of 
Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nah- 
shon the son of Amminadab shall he captain of the 
children of Judali." 

4 And his host, and those that were numbered 
of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand 
and six hundred. 

5 And those that do pitch next unto him shall he 
the tribe of Issachar : and Nethaneel the son of 
Zuar shaU be captain of the children of Issachar. 

6 And his host, and those that were numbered 
thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four 
hundred. 

7 Then the tribe of Zebulun : and Eliab the son 
of Helen shall be captain of the children of Zeb- 
ulun. 

8 And his host, and those that were numbered 
thereof were fifty and seven thousand and four 
hundred. 

9 All tliat were numbered in the camp of Judah 
were a hundred thousand and fourscore thousand 
and six thousand and four hundred, throughout 
their armies: these shall first set forth.' 



Cll. 3-.«. etc.; Exoii. 3^:21. 
1. 2:2; 21:2. ' ver. .W. e ch 
9; :il:30, 47; I Chr. 9.3:32; 



ver. Si. c ch. 10:17-31. J oh. lS:2i 
S:19; 10:46; 1S:5; 1 Sam. C:19. h ch. 
1 Chr. l:i:10. i oh. 1:52. • Heb. over 



5.'i. Keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony ; guard 
the tabernacle from the approach of all improper persons, 
and thus keep them from the punishment threatened in 
ver. 51. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

46. From the great increase of the Israelites in their 
bondage, and from their deliverance according to the di- 
vine prediction, we have evidence of the faitlifnlness of 
God, and are encouraged to trust in him for the fulfilment 
of all his promises. 



10 IF On the south side shall he the standard of 
the camp of Reuben according to their armies: 
and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be 
Elizur the son of Shedeur. 

11 And his host, and those that were numbered 
thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hun- 
dred. 

12 And those which pitch by him shall be the 
tribe of Simeon : and the captain of the children 
of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishad- 
dai. 

13 And his host, and those that were numbered 
of them, were fifty and nine thousand and tliree 
hundred. 

14 Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of 
the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Rcuel.* 

15 And his host, and those that were numbered 
of them, were forty and five thousand and six liun- 
droti and fifty. 

16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reu- 
ben were a hundred thousand and fifty and one 
thousand and four hundred and fifty, througliout 
their armies : and they shall set forth in the 
second rank.°^ 

17 1 Then the tabernacle of the congregation 
shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in 
the midst of the camp:" as they encamp, so shall 
they set forward, every man in his place by their 
standards. 

18 IT On the west side shall he the standard of 
the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: 
and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall he 
Elishama the son of Ammihud. 

19 And his host, and those that were numbered 
of them, ivere forty thousand and five hundred. 

20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: 
and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall 
he Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 

21 And his host, and those that were numbered 
of them, were thirty and two thousand and two 
hundred. 

22 Then the tribe of Benjamin : and the captain 
of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of 
Gideoni. 

23 And his host, and those that were numbered 
of them, were thirty and five thousand and four 
hundred. 

24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephra- 
im ^cere a hundred thousand and eight thousand 
and a hundred, throughout their armies: and they 
shall go forward in the third rank." 

25 i The standard of the camp of Dan shall be 
on the north side by their armies: and the cap- 



against. i Jnsh. 3:4. k ch. 1:7. etc.; 10:14; 1 Chron. 2:10; Matt. 1:4; 
Luke 3:32, 33. I ch. 10:14. t Called Deuel, ch. 1:14; 7:42, 47; 10:20. 
moh. 10:i«. n oh. 10: 17, 21. Och. 10:22. 



CHAPTER II. 

2. Standard — ensign ; the standard was that belonging to 
each grand division, embracing three tribes : the ensigns 
are generally understood to have been those of single 
tribes, perhaps also of the subdivisions of these tribes. 

9. The camp of JudaJi; a division of the main host, con- 
sisting of three tribes, of which Judah was the head. 

111. The camp of Reuben; the division of which this tribe 
was the head. 

24. Of Ephraim ; of which Ephraim was the head. 

m 



Number of the people. 



NUMHEKS III 



Families of the Leri/es. 



tain of tlic cliildron of Dan s/iall be Ahiezcr the 
Bon of Annni^liaildai. 

2G And his liost, and those tliat were nnnibercd 
of tliem, urre threescore and two thousand and 
seven hundred. 

27 And tliosc that encamp by him shall be the 
tribe of Aslior: and tlie captain of the cliildren 
of Ashcr s/ia/l be Pairiel tiie son of Ocran. 

28 And his host, and tliose that were numbered 
of tliem, ivere forty and one thousand and five 
liundred. 

2!) "I Then the tribe of Naphtali : and the cap- 
tain of tlic children of Xaplitali shall be Ahira the 
sou of Enan. 

30 And liis host, and those that were numbered 
of them, were fifty and three tliousand and four 
hundred. 

31 All they that ■were numbered in the camp of 
Pan ivcrc a hundred thousand and fifty and seven 
tliousand and six hundred: they shall go hind- 
most with tlieir standards." 

32 H These are tliose which were numbered of 
the children of Israel by the house of their fathers : 
all those that were numbered of the camps through- 
out their hosts were six hundred thousand and 
three thousand and five hundred and fifty.'' 

33 15iit the Lcvitcs were not numbered among 
tlie children of Israel; as the Lord commanded 
Moses. 

3-1 And the children of Israel did according to 
all that the Lord commanded Moses:'' so they 
])itched by their standards,'' and so they set for- 
ward, every one after their families, according to 
the house of their fathers. 

CHAPTER III. 

1 The sons of Aaron. 5 The Levites are given to the priests for the 
service of the tabernacle, 11 instead of the first-born, 14 The Levites 
are nuiiibereJ by their families. 21 The families, number, and charge 
of the Gershonites, 27 of the Kohathites, 33 of the Merarites. 38 
The place and charge of Moses and Aaron. 40 The first-born are 
freed by the Levites. 44 The overplus are redeemed. 

THESE also are the generations of Aaron and 
Moses, in the day that the Lord spake with 
Moses in mount Sinai. 

2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron ; 
Nadab the first-born,'' and Abihu, Eleazar, and 
Ithamar. 

3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the 



»Ch. 10:2 


. bch. 


:4ll 


47; 1 


■.■Z\\ ExoJ 


;is 


20. 


Tsa. 119:0 


<i ch. 


ai:a. .5, (i. e 


Exod. 6: 


>;i. 


t ExoJ 


2^:41; Lei 


.« 


■t, etc 


•Heb 






h! filial, e 


ch. 20:61 


• 1, 


V. 10: 


, 2; 1 Chr. 


94 


2. t 


ch. S:0 


IM 


2. etc.; 


Deut. :M;IU; 


Mai. 2:4 


' 


I Chr. 


J(i:20, 22. 


ch 


1:50. 


tch.S 


19; 


18:6,7. 



31. The camp of Dan; this made four divisions into 
whicli the tribes were divided, and they were arranged 
in tlie order above mentioned. 

33. Not numbered; not numbered as men of war, from 
which they were exempted by their office. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The Lord appoints the habitation and circumstances 
of all as seems good in his sight. If these are favorable, 
we should be grateful ; if trying, submissive ; and in all 
things seek to honor him. 

34. Jehovah is a God of order, requiring each one to 
take and to keep his proper place, by the faithful dis- 
charge of duty. Thus he will not only most honor God, 
but be most happy himself and most useful to others. 

172 



priests which were anointed,^ whom he lirfm 
consecrated' to minister in the priest's oflBce. 

4 And Xadab and Al>iliu died liel'ore tlie LoiU),' 
when they ollered strange lire liefore the Loud, in 
the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children : 
and Eleazar and Itiiaiiiar ministered in the priest's 
office in the sight of Aaron their father. 

5 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

G Bring the tribe of Levi near,'' and present them 
before Aaron the priest, that they may minister 
unto him. 

7 And they shall keep his charge,' and the charge 
of the whole congregation beibre the tabernacle 
of the congregation, to do the service of the tab- 
ernacle.J 

8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the 
tabernacle of the congregation, and the chai'ge of 
the children of Israel, to do the service of the 
tabernacle. 

9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron 
and to his sons:" they arc wholly given unto Jiini 
out of tlie children of Israel. 

10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, 
and they shall wait on their priest's oflicc: and the 
stranger that conieth nigh shall be jiut to death.' 

11 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from 
among the children of Israel instead of all the first- 
born that openeth the matrix among the children 
of Israel:"' therefore the Levites shall be mine; 

13 Because all the iirst-born are mmcf for on 
the day that I smote all the first-born in tlie land 
of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the first-born in 
Israel, both man and beast : mine they shall be : I 
am the Lord. 

14 1l And the Lord spake unto Moses in the 
wilderness of Sinai, saying, 

15 Number the children of Levi after the house 
of tlieir fathers, liy their families : every male from 
a month old and upward shalt thou number them." 

16 And Moses numbered them according to the 
word* of the Lord, as he was commanded. 

17 And these were the sons of Levi by their 
names;'' Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. 

18 And these are the names of the sons of Ger- 
shon by tlieir families;'' Libni, and Shimei. 

19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; 
Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 



I V 


r. ^S 


Eph. 


21i)- 


Heb. 10:19, 


.).) 


m V 


T. 41; 


rh, .^ 


10 


1 Tlxo, 


i:! 


S| 


12 


Lev 


27:20 


l.nk 


2:23. ove 


r, :)il 


ch 


20:02. 


t H 


pb, » 


outh. 


p Up 


n. 


40 


11; Exod. 6 


10. <, 


Exod. 0:17 


-lU. 

















CHAPTER III. 

4. la the sight of Aaron; under his direction. 

6. Minister unto him; wait upon and assist him in the 
service of the sanctuary. Ver. 7-9. 

7. And they shall keep his charge; shall perform, under 
his direction, the services entrusted to their care. The 
charge of the whole congregation; tlie services of the sanc- 
tuary which belonged to the whole congregation, being 
performed by the Levites in their behalf. 

10. The stranger; not of the seed of Aaron, and not 
appointed by God to the priest's office. 

12. Be mine; consecrated to the service of the sanc- 
tuary. 

13. Hallowed unto me; set apart for his particular ser- 
vice. Exod. 12:29, 30; 13:11-15. 



Thi number of the Lcrites, 



NUMBERS III. 



and their several charges. 



B.r.'uw: 20 And the sons of Morari, b)- their fam- 
ilies ; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of 
the Levitcs according to the house of their fathers. 

21 Of Gershon wcw the family of the Libnites, 
and the family of the Shimites: these are the 
families of the Gershouitcs. 

22 Those that -were numbered of them, accord- 
ing to the number of all the males, from a month 
old and upward, even those that were numbered of 
them were seven thousand and five hundred. 

23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch 
behind the tabernacle westward." 

2-1 And the chief of the house of the father of 
the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. 

25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in 
the tabernacle of the congregation" shall be the 
tabernacle,'' and the tent,** the covering thereof 
and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation, 

26 And the hangings of the court," and the cur- 
tain for the door of the court, which is by the 
tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the 
cords of it/ for all the service thereof. 

27 1 And of Kohath rvas the family of the Am- 
ramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the 
family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uz- 
zielites:*^ these are the families of the Kohathitcs. 

28 In the number of all the males, from a month 
old and upward, vjere eight thousand and six hun- 
dred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. 

29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall 
pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward." 

30 And the chief of the house of the father of 
the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan 
the son of Uzziel. 

31 And their charge' shall be the ark,' and the 
table,'' and the candlestick, and the altars,' and the 
vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, 
and the hanging,'" and all the service thereof. 

32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall 
be chief over the chief of the Lcvites, and have the 
oversight of them that keep the charge of the 
sanctuary. 

33 1 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, 
and the family of the Mushites:" these are the 
families of Merari. 

34 And those that were numbered of them, accord- 
ing to the number of all the males, from a month old 
and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. 

3-5 And the chief of the house of the father of the 



1 Ch. 1:53. b ch. 4:24-'20. = Exod. ao:9. d Exod. 2G:I, etc. e Exod. 
27:0, etc. ' Exod. 3.5:18. S 1 Chron. 20:3). t ch. 1:.5:3. ■ oh. 4:15. 
j Exod. 25:10. k Exod. 25:2.3, 31. 1 Exod. 27:1; 30:1. m Exod. 28:32. 
o 1 Chr. 6:10. o ch. 1:53. • Heb. the offi'e of the charge. P ch. 4:31, 32. 



25. The charge of the sons of Gershon; tlie things com- 
mitted to their particular care. 

31. T/ie hanging; the veil that hung immediately before 
the ark, and separated the inner from the outer sanctuary. 
Exod. 2G: 31-33. 

39. Twenty and tivo thousand; the sum of the Gershon- 
ites, Kohathites, and Meraritcs, as separately given 
above, ver. 22, 28, 34, amounts to twenty-two tliousand 
three hundred. It is supposed that from these Moses 
deducted the first-born, amounting to three hundred, who, 
as already devoted to God, could not be taken in ex- 
change for an equal number of first-born from the other 
tribes. 



families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail : 
these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle 
northward." 

36 And under the custody and charge" of the 
sons of Merari shall be the boards of the taber- 
nacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, 
and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, 
and all that serveth thereto, 

37 And the pillars of the court round about, and 
their sockets, and their pins, and their cords."" 

38 If But those that encamp before the taber- 
nacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle 
of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and 
Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the 
sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel;'' 
and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to 
death."' 

39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which 
Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment 
of the Lord, throughout their families, all the 
males from a month old and upward, were twenty 
and two thousand.^ 

40 IT And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all 
the first-born of the males of the children of Israel 
from a month old and upward, and take the num- 
ber of their names.' 

41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am 
the Lord) instead of all the first-born among the 
cliildren of Israel : and the cattle of the Levites 
instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the 
children of Israel." 

42 And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded 
him, all the first-born among the children of Israel. 

43 And all the first-born males by the number 
of names, from a month old and upward, of those 
that were numbered of them, were twenty and 
two thousand two hundred and threescore and 
thirteen. 

44 lAnd the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

45 Take the Levites instead of all the first-born 
among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the 
Levites instead of their cattle;^' and the Levites 
shall be mine: I am the Lord. 

46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the 
two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the 
first-boru of the children of Israel,'' which are 
more than the Levites;'' 

47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by 
the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt 
thou take them;" (the shekel is twenty gerahs:^) 



q ver. 7, 8. ' ver. 10. ' ch. 20:62. 1 ' 
i» ch. 18:15; Exod. 13:13. « ver. 30-43. 
30:13; Lev. 27:25; Ezek. 45:12. 



43. All the first-born males; that is, since the destruction 
of the first-born in Egypt ; as the smallness of the number, 
in comparison with the sum of the whole congregation, 
shows. It was from that event that the first-born were 
to be reckoned as devoted to God. 

47. Five shekels ; about two dollars and a half. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
12. The ministers of religion should be in a peculiar 
sense devoted to God ; not entangling themselves with 
the affairs of this life, but employing their time and tal- 
ents in the discharge of the appropriate duties of their 
office. 

n3 



The asc and time 



NUMBERS IV. 



of the Leriles' scrriu. 



48 And lliou shalt pivc Uic money, whorcwitli 
tlic odd niunbor of tlicin is to be redeemed, uuto 
Aaron luid to his sons. 

4!) And Closes tooic tlie redemption-money of 
tlicni that wiTC over and above tliem that were 
rcilt't'ini'd by the Lovitcs: 

.')() Of the lirst-boni of the cliildren of Israel 
liiok he the money ; a tiiousand three hundred and 
threescore and live s/iekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary :'' 

51 And Moses gave the money of them that were 
redeemed uuto Aaron and to his sons,'' according 
to the word of the Lord, as the Loud commaudcd 
Moses.' 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 The age and time of the Levites' service. 4 The carriage of the 
Kohathitcs, when the priests have taken down the tabernacle. 16 
The charge of Eleazar. 17 The office of the priests. 21 The car- 
riajje of tlie Gershonites. 29 Tlie carriage of the Merarites. 34 The 
number of the Kohathites, 38 of the G-ershonites, 42 and of the Me- 
rarites. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

2 Take the sura of the sons of Kohath from 
among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the 
house of their fathers, 

3 From thirty years old and upward even until 
fifty years old,'' all that enter into the host, to do 
the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. 

4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath 
in the taljeruacle of the congregation,' about the 
most holy things.' 

5 1" And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron 
shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down 
the covering veil,^ and cover the ark of testimony 
with it:" 

6 And shall put thereon the covering of badg- 
ers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly 
of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.' 

7 And upon the table of show-breadJ they shall 
spread a cloth of blue," and put thereon the dishes, 
and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover* 
withal : and the continual bread shall be thereon : 

8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of 
scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of 
badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. 



" Ver. 40 


47, 


b 


ver. 


4« 


» Mai 


4:4. d ch 


8: -24; 


1 Chr. 


•23:3, 21, 27. 


e ver. 13. l 


ver 


19 


R 


'Ixod 


26:31 


■ Isa. 05:7; 


Heb. 9:3; 10:20. h Exod. 


25:10-16. 




«:7 


s. 


Exod 


25:23-30. 


kLev 


24:5-^ 


" Or, pouT 


out. 1 Exod. a 


■>:) 


-:ii 


m 


Exod. 


30:1-5. n 


Exod. 


25:9; 


I Chr. 9;29. 



38. The Lord appoints to all their places and their work ; 
and as it is his will that there should be division of labor, 
each one should strive to fill the place assigned him, and 
faithfully perform the duties to which he is called. 

51. Different persons are called to promote the cause of 
God in different ways ; some by their personal services, 
others by their property, and all by their prayers, their 
influence, and their example. If from love to him they 
employ what he gives them in his service, they will all 
be accepted in Christ, and receive an abundant reward. 

CHAPTER IV. 

3. From thirty years old and upward; in chap. 8:24 it is 
said, "From twenty and five years old and upward they 
shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the 
congregation." But this seems to have been an introduc- 
tory admission to a sort of apprenticeship, while the full 
service was reserved for the age between thirty and fifty. 



9 And they shall take a cloth of 1 due, and L'T; n'i 
cover the candlestiek of the light,' and his lanijis, 
and his tongs, and his snulT-dislics, and all the oil- 
vessels thereof, wherewith tiiey minister unto it: 

10 And they shall put it and all the vessels 
thereof witiiin !i covering of badgers' skins, and 
shall ])ut it u])on a hnv. 

11 And ujion the golden altar they shall spread 
a cloth of blue,'" and cover it with a covering of 
badgers' skius, and shall put to the staves thereol": 

12 And they shall take all the instruments of 
ministry," wherewith they minister in the sanctu- 
ary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover 
them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall 
put tJiem on a bar. 

13 And they shall take away the ashes from the 
altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon : 

14 And they shall ])ut upon it all the vcs.sels 
thereof," wherewith they minister about it, even 
the censers, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and 
the basins,* all the vessels of the altar ; and they 
shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, 
and put to the staves of it. 

15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an 
end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels 
of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward ; 
after that, the sons of Koiiath shall come to bear 
it:^' but they shall not touch any holy thing.i lest 
they die.'' These things are the burden of the 
sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion." 

16 IT And to the office of Eleazar the son of 
Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light,' 
and the sweet incense," and the daily meat-offer- 
ing,^' and the anointing oil,™ a?id the oversight of 
all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the 
sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. 

17 II And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

18 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the 
Kohathites from among the Levites : 

19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, 
and not die, when they approach unto the most 
holy things:-'' Aaron and his sons shall go in, and 
appoint them every one to his service and to his 
burden : 



Exod. 3,3:3; 2 Chron. 4:19. 1 Or, bowls. 1> ch. 7:9; 10:21 ; Deut. 31:9; 
Josh 4:10; 2 Sim. 6; 13; 1 Chr. 15:2, 15. q 2 Sim. 6:6, 7: 1 Chr. 13:9, 10. 
rHeb.l2;29. "oh. 3:31. I Exod. 25:0; Lev. 24:2. >■ Exod. 30:34. v Exod. 
29:40. w Exod. 30:2.1-33. x ver. 4. 



4. About the most holy things; rather, even the most holy 
things ; that is, the charge and bearing of them ; for these 
were committed to their care. 

5. The covering veil; between the Holy and Most Holy 
places. See note to chap. 3: 31. Cover the ark; the cover- 
ing of the ark, with other things committed to their care, 
was designed to hide them from the eyes of the people. 
Thus was signified their sacredness as devoted to_ God's 
immediate service, and reverence was fostered in the 
hearts of the Israelites. 

7. Covers to cover withal ; or, vessels for libation. 

15. The burden of the sons of Kohath; the things con- 
nected with the tabernacle, which they were to carry. 
Chap. 3:31. 

16. The daily meat-offering ; see Exod. 29:40. 

18. Cut ye not off— the Kohathites; by suffering them to 
see the holy things which they were to carry, and thus 
incur the penalty of death. Ver. 20. 



Charge of tlie. Gershonitcs, 



NUMBERS IV. 



Mcrarites, and Kohat kites. 



kciiit: 20 But they shall not go in to see when 
the holy thinizs are covered," lest they die. 
211 And tiie Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

22 Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, 
througliout the houses of their fathers, by their 
families ; 

23 From thirty years old and upward until fifty 
years old shalt thou number them;'' all that cuter 
in to perform the service,* to do the work in the 
tabernacle of the congregation. 

2i This is the service of the families of the Ger- 
shonitcs, to serve, and for burdens:^ 

25 And they shall bear the curtains of the tab- 
ernacle,'' and the tabernacle of the congregation, 
his covering, and the covering of the badgers' 
skins that is above upon it,'' and the hanging for 
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 

26 And the hangings of the court,'' and the hang- 
ing for the door of the gate of the court, which is 
by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, 
and their cords,"^ and all the instruments of their 
service, and all that is made for them: so shall 
they serve. 

27 At the appointment* of Aaron and his sons 
shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershon- 
ites, in all their burdens, and in all their service : 
and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their 
burdens. 

28 This is the service of the families of the sons 
of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation : 
and their charge shall be under the hand of Itha- 
mar the son of Aaron the priest.^ 

29 1 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt num- 
ber them after their families, by the house of their 
fathers ; 

30 From thirty years old and upward even unto 
fifty years old shalt thou number them,'' evci-y one 
that entereth into the service,^ to do the work of 
the tabernacle of the congregation. 

31 And this is the charge of their burden, ac- 
cording to all their service in the tabernacle of 
the congregatiou ; ' the boards of the tabernacle, 
and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and 
sockets thereof,-" 

32 And the pillars of the court round about, 
and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, 
with all their instruments,'' and with all their ser- 
vice : and by name ye shall reckon the instruments 
of the charge of tlieir burden. 

33 This is the service of the families of the sons 
of Mcirari, according to all their service, in the 
tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of 
Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest' 



» Exod. 19:-2l; Lev. 10:2; 1 Sam. 6:19. 
fare; 1 Cor. 9:7; 1 Tim. 1:18. t Or, carri 
iiiH. e Exod. 37:9. 'Exod. 35:18. > Heb. 7nouth. 



ch. 3:25, 26. d Exod. 



32. By name ye sitall reckon tlte instruments — of tlieir bur- 
den; keep an exact inventory of them. This was espec- 
ially necessary in respect to the pins, cords, and sockets, 
which were very numerous, and needed to be carefully 
counted upon each removal. 

47. Service of the ministry; all the other labor belonging 
to the charge of the Merarites distinct from that of bear- 
ing the burdens. As their service included the heaviest 
articles, four wagons were assigned to them, while the 
Gershonites had but two. Chap. 7:7, 8. 



84 1 And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the 
congregatiou numbered the sons of the Kohathites 
after their families, and after the house of their 
fatJiers, 

35 From thirty years old and upward even unto 
fifty years old, every one that entereth into the 
service, for the work in the tabei'nacle of the con- 
gregation:'" 

36 And those that were numbered of them by 
their families were two thousand seven hundred 
and fifty. 

37 These were they that were numbered of the 
families of the Kohathites, all that might do ser- 
vice in the tabernacle of the congregation, which 
Moses and Aaron did number according to the 
commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 

38 And those that were numbered of the sons 
of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the 
house of their fathers, 

39 From thirty years old and upward even unto 
fifty years old, every one that entereth into the 
service, for the work in the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, 

40 Even those that were numbered of them, 
throughout their families, by the house of their 
fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and 
thirty. 

41 These are they that were numbered of the 
families of the sons of Gershon," of all that might 
do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, 
whom Moses and Aaron did number according to 
the commandment of the Lord. 

42 1 And those that were numbered of the fam- 
ilies of the sons of Merari, throughout their fam- 
ilies, by the house of their fathers, 

43 From thirty years old and upward even unto 
fifty years old, every one that entereth into the 
service, for the work in the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, 

44 Even those that were numbered of them after 
their families, were three thousand and two hundred. 

45 These be those that were numbered of the 
families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and 
Aaron numbered according to the word of the 
Lord by the hand of Moses." 

46 All those that were numbered of the Levites, 
whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel 
numbered, after their families, and after the house 
of their fathers, 

47 From thirty years old and upward even unto 
fifty years old,'' every one that came to do the ser- 
vice of the ministry, and the service of the burden 
in the tabernacle of the congregation,'' 



§ Heb. warfare; vei 
I ver. 23; Josh. 3:6. 
1 Chr. 2;l:3, 27. q Rom. 12:6-S; 1 Ci 



ch. 3:36, .37. J Exod. 26: lo 



k Exod. 25:9. 
ver. 3, 23,30; 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Jluturity of body and mind, and thorough prepara- 
tion, are nc-edful to the proper discharge of the duties of 
the ministry ; and none unprepared or uncalled should 
assume the responsibilities of the sacred office. 1 Tim. 
3:6. 

15. Sacred things should be treated with reverence, 
and we should not attempt to reveal or discover what 
God ilcsigned to conceal. 

19. We should use all suitable means to prevent others 



Stparatinff the unclean. 



NUMBERS V. 



T/ie trial of jealousy. 



48 Even those lliat wore nunihcred of thorn, were 
eight thousaiul and five hundred and fourscore. 

49 Accordiiiu; to the conimandmcnt of the Lord 
they were minihored l)y the liand of JFoses, every 
one accordiiii,'' to his service, and according to his 
burden:" thus were they numbered of him, as the 
Lord commanded Moses.'' 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The unclean are removed out of the camp. 5 Restitution is to be 
made for trespasses. 11 The trial of jealousy. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Command the children of Israel that they 
put out of the camp every lepcr,'= and every one 
that hath an issue,'' and whosoever is defiled by 
tiie dead:" 

3 Both male and female shall ye put out, with- 
out the camp shall ye put them/ that they defile 
not tlieir camps, in the midst whereof I dwell." 

•i And tlie children of Israel did so, and put 
them out without the camp: as the Lord spalvc 
unto Moses, so did the children of Israel. 

5 "; And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man 
or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, 
to do a trespass against tlie Lord," and that per- 
son be guilty ; 

7 Then they shall confess their sin which they 
have done : ' and he shall recompense his trespass 
with the principal thereof,J and add unto it the 
fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against 
whom lie hath trespassed. 

8 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense 
the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed 
unto the Lord, even to the priest; beside the ram 
of tlie atonement, whereby an atonement shall be 
made for him. 

9 And every offering* of all the holy things of 
the children of Israel, which they bring unto the 
priest, shall be his." 

10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his : 
whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be 
his. 





a V. 


r. 15. M 


31 


b ver 


1, - 


1. ' 


ch. 12 


11; Lev 


13:3, 48; 


Deut.24 


•S. 9, 


d 


l.PV 


15:2. 


e c 


1. 9:0, 


"; 


.U:ll 


-1.1; 3 


:1U; Lev 


. 2 


:1. ( 


a Kings 


7:3; 


•2 


Chr 


20; 21. 


B 


L,ev. 21 


•11. 


12; 


2 Cor. 


0:18. h 


l,p 


V, K-.>. 


i Lev 


5:5- 


•2. 


:l(l 


Josh. 7 


11) 


Job 35 


27; 


Hs.l, 


32:5; 


Prov. aS: 


13; 


1 John 


1:9. j 


I,«v 


B 


'-" 


7:7. • 


Or 


heave 


ojfe 


rmg. 


k ch 


18:8, 9, 


19 


Exod 


29:2S; 


Lev. 



from committing sin, lest, by our neglect, we become tlie 
occasion of their ruin. 

47. While men should not enter the ministry too young, 
they should also not continue to sustain its responsibili- 
ties, and attempt to discharge its duties, when they are 
too old ; but the Scriptures do not fix the age at which 
the public ministry now should cease. Different duties 
are suited to different periods of life, and wisdom from 
above is needful in order to judge rightly as to what arc 
appropriate duties, and also as to the time and manner of 
performing them. 

CHAPTER V. 

6. A trespass against the Lord; by defrauding his fellow- 
men. 

8. If the man have no kinsman ; if the injured man were 
dead, and he had no relative to receive restitution, then it 
was to be made to the Lord by being given to the priest. 
Ver. 9, 10. 

10. Shall be his; shall be at the disposal of the offerer to 
176 



11 lAnd the Lord spake unto Moses, b,c;?5JJ. 
saying, 

12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto tliem. If any man's wife go aside, and com- 
mit a tros])ass against him, 

13 And a man lie with her carnally,' and it be 
hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept 
close, and she be defiled, and there he no witness 
against her, neither she be taken with the manner; 

14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon liim," 
and he be jealous of his wife, and slie be defiled; 
or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he 
bo jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled : 

15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the 
priest, and he shall bring her ofl'ering for her," the 
tenth part of an ephah of barley-meal ; he shall 
pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon ; 
for it is an otl'ering of jealou.sy, an oifering of me- 
morial, bringing inicjuity to remembrance." 

16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set 
her before the Lord : 

17 And the priest shall take holy water in an 
earthen vessel ; and of the dust that is in the floor 
of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it 
into the water. 

18 And the priest shall set the woman before 
the Lord,'' and uncover the woman's head, and put 
the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the 
jealousy-ofiering : and the priest shall have in his 
hand the bitter water that causeth the curse. 

19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath,i 
and say unto the woman. If no man have lain with 
thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to unclcan- 
ness with another instead of thy husband,* be thou 
free from this bitter water that causeth the curse : 

20 But if thou hast gone aside to another in- 
stead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and 
some man have lain with thee besides thy husband : 

21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with 
an oath of cursing,"' and the priest shall say unto 
the woman. The Lord make thee a curse and an 
oath among thy people,' when the Lord doth make 
thy thigh to rot,* and thy belly to swell ; 



0:17,18; 7:6-14; Deut. 1S:3,4; Ezek. 41:29, 30 ; Mal.3:S-lD; lCor.9:1.3. 
lLev.lb:20. m Prov. (i:34. 35; Cant. S:G; Zeph. 3:8. iiLev.5;ll. <■ I Kvnfis 
17:18; Ezek. 29:18j Heb.l0:3. p Heb. 13:4; Rev. 2:19-23. q Matt. 2li:03. 
t Heb. under, or bemg in the power of thy husband, r Josh. 6:20; 1 Sa: 
-9:22. tflel ' • 



14:24; Neh. 1U:29. 



eb./o«. 



give to the priest who presents his offering. It shall be 

his; shall be the priest's. 

15. Barley-meal — no oil — nor put frankincense ; the coarse- 
ness of the material and the absence of oil and frankin- 
cense well rejjresent the design of the offering, which is 
not to give thanks for past mercies nor obtain future 
blessings; but to bring upon the woman, if guilty, a 
dreadful curse. Bringing iniquity to remembrance ; that is, 
before the Lord, by appealing to him to punish the wom- 
an if guilty. 

16. Near; near to the holy place, where the Lord dwelt 
upon the mercy-seat. 

17. Holy water; water from the laver in the tabernacle; 
called holy because devoted to a sacred or religious use. 
Exod. 30:18. 

18. The bitter water; so called from its effects. 

21. Charge the woman with an oath of cursing ; lay upon 
her an oath which brings with it an awful curse if she 
swear falsely. A curse and an oath; an accursed person 
by whom men shall swear, saying. The Lord make thee 
like that woman. Compare Jer. 29 : 22. 



The law of jealousies. 



NUMBERS V.I. 



The vow of Nazariteship. 



B." imI)* 22 And this water that cause th the curse 
shall go into thy bowels,-' to make thy belly to 
swell, and thy thigh to rot. And the woman shall 
say. Amen, amen.'' 

23 And the priest shall write tliese curses in a 
book, and he shall blot tlmji out with the bitter 
water : 

24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the 
bitter water that causeth the curse : and the water 
that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and 
become bitter. 

25 Then tlie priest shall take the jealousy-offer- 
ing out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the 
offering before the Lord,'^ and offer it upon the 
altar : 

26 And the priest shall take a handful of the 
offering, even the memorial thereof,'' and burn it 
upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the 
woman to drink the water. 

27 And when he hath made her to drink the 
water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be 
defiled, and have done trespass against her hus- 
band, that tlie water that causeth the curse shall 
enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly 
shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the wom- 
an shall be a curse among her people.'' 

28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean ; 
then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.'' 

29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife 
goeth aside to another instead of her husband,"^ and 
is defiled ; 

30 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon 
him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set 
the woman before tlie Lord, and the priest shall 
execute upon her all this law. 

31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, 
and this woman shall bear her iniquity.'' 



»Psi. 1(W:IS. bDeut. 27:15. = Lev. 8:27. dLev. 2:2. 9. e Dent. 2-::37 
Ui. 6S:15; Jer. 24:9; 29:1S. 22; 42:1S; Zeeh. 8:13. f Psa. 113:U. 5 vsr 
19; Isi. 57:8. Ii Lev. 20: 17-2U. ■ Or, make themselves Kazarites. i Judg 
13:3; Acts 21;ffl, 24. j Jer. 3o;G-S; Amos 2:12; Luke 1 :15. t Or, A'asa 



22. Amen; he it so. 

23. In a book; on parchment, or on something from 
which it could be washed off. Shall blot them out with the 
hitter water; the original Hebrew implies that he does this 
by dipping the writing into the water, and thus symboli- 
cally infusing the curse into it, that she may drink it down 
with the water. Compare Psa. 109:18. 

28. She shall be free; from all harm. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. As Jehovah is holy, and requires men to be holy, all 
causes of mental and moral defilement, and especially 
whatever tends to increase and extend it, should be care- 
fully avoided. 

7. Unjustly to obtain or keep possession of another's 
property, is a sin which (Jod abhors. No professed re- 
pentance, which does not lead a man who is conscious of 
this sin to forsake it, and, if in his power, make restitu- 
tion, will deliver him from divine wrath. 

13. Adulterers and adulteresses are highly criminal, and 
exposed to the vengeance of God. Though their crime 
may be known only to him and themselves, he will reveal 
it — if not in this world, in the world to come — and will 
visit them with his terrible indignation. 

27. The diseases which the licentious often suffer, and 

with which they infect and torment each other, are a 

manifestation of divine wrath against their sin, and a 

warning that, unless they repent and become pure and 

12 



CHAPTER VI. 



I The law of the Nazarites. 22 The form of blessing the people. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto them. When either man or woman shall sep- 
arate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite,' to 
separate fhemseli'es unto the Lord;' 

3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong 
drink,J and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vin- 
egar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any 
liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. 

4 All the days of his separation* shall he eat 
nothing that is made of tlie vine-tree,* from the 
kernels even to the husk. 

5 All the days of the vow of his separation there 
shall no razor come upon his head :'' until the days 
be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto 
the Lord, he shall be holy, arid shall let the locks 
of the hair of his head grow. 

6 All the days that he separateth himself unto 
the Lord he shall come at no dead liody.' 

7 He shall not make himself unclean for his 
father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for 
his sister, when they die: because the consecra- 
tion^ of his God is upon his head. 

8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto 
the Lord.™ 

9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and 
he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then 
he shall shave his head in the day of his cleans- 
ing,'' on the seventh day shall he shave it. 

10 And on the eighth day he shall bring two 
turtles," or two young pigeons, to the priest, to 
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation : 

II And the priest shall ofler the one for a sin- 
offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, and 



rites/lip. i Heh. vine of Ike wine, k Judg. 16:17, 19 ; 1 Sam. 1 :11. I ch. 
9:6; 19:11, 10; Lev. 21:1, 2, 11. S Heb. separation. •" 2 Cor. 6:17, 13. 
■iActsl8:l8. oLev.5:7; 14:22; 15:14,29. 



holy, the curses of God will sooner or later overwhelm 
them. 

31. Satan tries hard to promote domestic jealousy, be- 
cause it tends to destroy family peace, religion, and use- 
fulness; all should therefore avoid occasions of producing 
it, and withstand all temptations to indulge it. If any 
are unjustly suspected, they should in calmness, patience, 
and well-doing, commit themselves to the disposal of 
God, and in due time he will remove suspicions, or over- 
rule them for the advancement of his glory and the good 
of his kingdom. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. A Nazarite; the Nazarite was one specially conse- 
crated to God by his parents or himself, and that either 
for life or for a limited term. See note to Lev. 27 : 2. In 
this chapter the case of those only whose Nazariteship 
continued for a limited time is considered. 

4. Eat nothing that is made of the vine-tree; this was a 
symbol of sobriety, and of abstinence from all the intoxi- 
cating pleasures of sin. 

7. He shall not make himself unclean ; by approaching the 
dead body. The Jews add that he was required to ab- 
stain from tlie customary signs of mourning, as in the 
case of the high-priest. This and all the other regula- 
tions were designed to impress upon his mind the sacred- 
ness of his peculiar relation to God, and the deadness to 
worldlv jovs and sorrows demanded bv it. 
177 " 



The law of the Xazariles. 



NUMBERS VII. 



T/ic form of blessing. 



make an atonement for him, for that he sinned hj- 
the lioad, and shall hallow his head that same day. 

12 Ami he shall consecrate unto the JjOitn the 
davs of his separation, and shall bring a lainh of 
the tirstyear for a trespass-offerinfr:" but the days 
that were before siiall be lost,' because his separa- 
tion was dotiled. 

13 1 And tins is the law of tlie Nazarite: when 
the davs of his separation arc fullilled,'' lie shall 
be brouirlit unto the door of the tabernacle of the 
conjrrejration : 

l-i And he shall offer his ofTerinGf nnto the Lord, 
one ho-ianib of the lirst year without bleinisii for 
a l)urut-off(M'itig, and one ewe-lanib of the first year 
witliout blemish for a sin-oficrinir.'^ and one ram 
witliout blemish for peace-offerings,'' 

lo And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of 
fine flour mingled with oil,'' and wafers of unleav- 
ened bread anointed with oil,'^ and their meat- 
offering, and their drink-offerings.'^ 

16 And the priest shall bring them before the 
Lord, and shall offer his sin-offering, and his 
burnt-offering: 

17 And he shall offer the ram /or a sacrifice of 
peace-offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of 
unleavened liread : the priest shall offer also his 
meat-offering, and his drink-offering. 

18 And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his 
separation at the door of the tabernacle of the 
congregation,'' and shall take the hair of the head 
of his separation, and put it in the fire which is 
under the sacrifice of the peace-oflcrings. 

19 And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder 
of the ram,' and one unleavened cake out of the 
basket.^ and one unleavened wafer, and shall put 
them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair 
of his separation is shaven : 

20 And the priest shall wave them ybr a wave- 
offering before the Lord: this is holy for the 
priest, with the wave-breast and heave-shoulder: 
and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. 

21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath 
vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his 
separation, besides that, that his hand shall get: 



»Lev.5:6. • lUb. fall. bActs21:20. = Lev. 4:3, 28, 32; Mai. 1: 13, 14; 
I I'et. 1;19. ■• Lev. 3:0. e Lev. 2:4. ' Exod. 20:2. e ch. 15:5, 7, 10. 
!> Acls2I:2l. i 1 Sara. 2:15. i Exod. 29:23-M. k Lev. 9:22; Deut. 10:S; 
21:5; Jojh. 8:33; 1 Chr. 2:1:13. I Psa. 134:3. "> Psa. 121:7; John 17:11. 
» Psa. 31:16; 67:1; 80:3, 7, I'J; 119:1.35; Dan. 9:17. » Gen. 43:29; Exod. 



12. Days — shall be lost; they would not be counted as a 
part of tne time of his Nazariteship, but lie must begin 
again. 

14. His offering; tliese offerings were an aclcnowledg- 
ment that in liis best services lie needed tlie efficacy of 
atoning blood and of the purifying Spirit, and also tokens 
of gratitude for the goodness of God. 

15. Meat-offering — drink-offerings ; those accompanying 
the sacrifices mentioned in the preceding verse. See 
chap. 15:3-10. 

19. Sodden shoulder ; the boiled shoulder, which was the 
left shoulder, the right with the wave-breast having been 
given to the priest by a general law. Lev. 7:32, 33. 

21. That his hand shall get ; such freewill-offerings as he 
shall be able to make. 

2-4-26. This threefold divine benediction is supposed 
by many interpreters to contain an intimation of the Trin- 
ity in the godhead. 

27. Put my name; call Israel by my name, and teach 
them to obey me as my peculiar people. 
ITH 



he must do after the law of his separation. 

22 11 And the Loud s])ake unto Moses, saying, 

23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying. 
On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel," 
saying unto them, 

21 The Lord bless thee,' and keep thee:"" 

25 The Lord make his face shine ujion thee," and 
be gracious unto t1iee:° 

2G 'J'he Lord lift up his countenance upon thee," 
and give thee ]ieacc.'' 

27 And they shall put my name upon tlie chil- 
dren of Israel,' and I will bless them." 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 Tlie offering of tlie princes at the dedication of the Uibernacle. 10 
Their several offering at the dedication of the altar. S9 God speak- 
eth to Moses from the mercy-seat. 

AND it came to pass on the day that Moses 
had fully set iij) the tabernacle,' and had 
anointed it," and sanctified it, and all the instru- 
ments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels 
thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified 
them ; 

2 That the princes of Israel,'' heads of the house 
of their fathers, who irere the princes of the tribes, 
and were* over them that were numbered, offered : 

3 And they brought their offering before the 
Lord, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a 
wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an 
ox : and they brought them before the tabernacle. 

4 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

5 Take it of them, that they may be to do the 
service of the tabernacle of the congregation ; and 
thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every 
man according to his service. 

6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and 
gave them unto the Levites. 

7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the 
sons of Gershon, according to their service:" 

8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto 
the sons of Merari,'' according unto their service, 
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the 
priest. 



33:19; Mai. 1:9. V Psa. 4:6; b9:15. q Psa, 29:11; Isa. 26:3. 12; Jolin 
14:27; Phil. 4:7; 2 Thess. 3:16. r Dem. 28:10; 2 Chr. 7:14; Isa. 43:7; 
Dan. 9:18, 19. • ch. 23:20; Gen. 12:2,3; Psa. 5:12; 67:7; 115:12, 13; Acts 
3:26; Eph. 1:3. I Exod. 40:18. u Lev. 8:10, 11. vch. 1:4. etc. t Heb. 
who stood, "ch. 4:24-28. xch. 4:29-33. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

8. Holiness to the Lord is the badge of his people, and 
should ever be their peculiar characteristic. They should 
abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, 
moderate their desires for earthly things, place their 
affections on things above, and regulate all their acts by 
the will of God. 

20. We are always exposed in this world to moral defile- 
ment, and in our best services need the application of the 
blood of Christ and the purifying influences of his Spirit, in 
order that our offerings may be acceptable in his sight. 

27. The blessing of Jehovah, in the love of the Father, 
the grace of the Son, and the communion of the Holy 
trhost, bestowed upon his believing, obedient people, will 
make them all for ever truly and perfectly blessed. 

CHAPTER VII. 

2. 77(e pi-mccs o/"/srae/,- chap. 1:16. 

3. Their offering; these were voluntary offerings in ad- 
dition to those which were commanded. 



Offerings of the princes at 



NUMBERS VII. 



the dedication of the altar 



B cuai 9 But unto tlie sons of Kohath he gave 
none : because the service of the sanctuary belong- 
ing unto them was that they should bear upon 
their shoulders." 

10 1 And the princes offered for dedicating of 
the altar in the day that it was anointed," even the 
princes offered tiieir offering before the altar. 

11 And tlie Lord said unto Moses, They shall 
offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the 
dedicating of the altar. 

12 1 And he that offered his offering the first 
day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab,'^ of the 
tribe of Judah : 

13 And his offering was one silver cliarger, the 
■weight whereof ?tias a liundrcd and thirty shekels, 
one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel 
of the sanctuary;'' both of them luere full of fine 
flour mingled with oil for a meat-offering:'^ 

14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of 
incense : ' 

15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering:' 

16 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering:" 

17 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings,' two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
first year: this ims the offering of Nahshon the 
son of Annninadab. 

18 1 On the second day Netlianeel the son of 
Zuar,^ prince of Issacliar, did offer: 

19 He offered /"or his offering one silver charger,'' 
the weight whereof was a hundred and thirty shek- 
els, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the 
shekel of the sanctuary ; both of them full of fine 
flour mingled with oil for a meat-offering. 

20 One spoon of gold often shekels, fuM of incense : 

21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering : 

22 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering : 

23 And for a sacrifice of peace-oflerings, two oxen, 
five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the first year : 
this v-as the offering of Netlianeel the son of Zuar. 

24 1 On tlie tliird day Eliab the son of Helen,' 
prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer: 

2.5 His offering icas one silver charger, the weight 
■whereof was a hundred and tliirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ; both of them full of fine flour mingled 
■with oil for a meat-offering: 

2G One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense : 

27 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering: 

28 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering : 

29 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
first year : this was the offering of Eliab the son 
of Helon. 



» Ch. 4:4-15. b Dcut. 20; S I 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chron. 7:5,9; Ezra 6:10; 
Neh. 12:27; Psa. 3U, title, c ch. 1:7; 2:.'}. <i Exod. 30:13. e Lev. 2:1. 
f Exod. 30:34. eLev. 1:2, 3. l> Lev. 4:43. i Lev. 3:1. ich.l:a;2:5. 



9. Bear upon their shoidders; the ark and tlie sacred 
things -wliii;!! they were to carry. Chap. 3:31. 

11. Eacli prince on his day; by this orderly arrangement 
increased solemnity was given to the transaction, and the 
great truth that God notices and re^wards the gifts of his 
servants individually was taught in a very forcible way. 



30 1 On the fourth day Elizur tlie son of Shc- 
deur,"" prince of the children of Reuben, did offir: 

81 His offering icas one silver charger of^the 
weight of a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ;" both of them full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-offering: 

32 One golden spoon often shekels,fu\] of incense : 

33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-ofi'ering : 

34 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering : 

35 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five hegoats, five lambs of the 
first year : this was the offering of Elizur the son 
of Shedeur. 

36 1 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zuri- 
shaddai," prince of the children of Simeon, did offer: 

37 His offering icas one silver charger, the weight 
whereof was a hundred and tliirty shekels, one 
silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of 
the sanctuary ;P both of them full of fine flour 
mingled with oil for a meat-oficring: 

38 One golden spoon of ten she kels,^n\l of incense: 

39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering : 

40 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering: 

41 And for a .sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
first year : this ivas the offering of Shelumiel the 
son of Zurishaddai. 

42 1 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of 
Deuel,*' prince of the children of Gad, offered: 

43 His offering was one silver charger of the 
weight of a hundred and thirty shekels, a silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ;■■ both of them full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-ofl'cring : 

44 One golden spoon of ten shckels,fu\\ of incense : 

45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burut-ofl'ering : 

46 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering: 

47 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
first year : this was the offering of Eliasaph the 
son of Deuel. 

48 1 On the seventh day Elishama the son of 
Ammihud,^ prince of the children of Ephraim, 
offered: 

49 His offering was one silver charger, the weight 
whereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ; ' both of them full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-oficring: 

50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense : 

51 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering: 



kver. 13, etc. ■ ch. 1:9; 2:7. ■>> ch. 1:5; 2:10. n ver. 13, etc. och. 1:6; 
212 P ver. 13. etc. • Called R«i«;, ch. 2: 14. <1 ch. 1 :14 ; 2:14. f vcr. 
13, etc. »ch. 1:10; 2:1?. l ver. 13, etc. 



13. His offering was one silver charger ; the word in the 
original denotes a deep dish or bowl. Its weight shows 
it to have been of a large size. A hundred and thirty 
shekels; nearly five and a half pounds. Exod. 38:24. One 
silver bowl; a sacrificial bowl for receiving the blood of 
the victims. 

119 



Offerings of the princes at 



NUMBERS VII. 



the dedication of the al/ar. 



52 One kid of the poats for a sin-offering: 

5',\ And for a Faerifico of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, live lic-jroats, five lambs of the 
first year: this vas the offering of Elishama the 
son of Amiiiihud. 

!')4 ■; On the eiglith day offered Gamaliel the son 
of Pedali/ur," i)rince of ll\e children of Manasseh : 

5.1 His offering teas one silver charger of the 
weight of a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ;" both of tlicni full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-offering: 

;JG One golden spoon of ten *Ac/iT/.?,full of incense : 

57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering: 

58 One kid of tlie goats for a sin-offering: 

59 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five hc-goats, five lambs of the 
first year : this was the offering of Gamaliel the 
son of Pedahzur. 

60 H On the ninth dayAbidan thesonof Gideoni,"^ 
prince of the children of Benjamin, offered: 

61 His offering was one silver cliarger , the weight 
whereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of tlie 
sanctuary ;'' both of them full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-offering: 

62 One golden spoon of ten sAtfe/*, full of incense: 

63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering : 

64 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering: 

65 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
fii'st year : this was the offering of Abidan the son 
of Gideoni. 

66 ^ On the tenth day Ahiezcr the son of Am- 
mishaddai,'' prince of tlie children of Dan, offered: 

67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight 
whereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ; ' both of them full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-offering: 

68 One golden spoon of ten sJiekels, full of incense : 

69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering : 

70 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering : 

71 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
first year : this was the offering of Ahiezer the son 
of Ammishaddai. 

72 1 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of 
Ocran,*^ prince of the children of Asher, offered: 

73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight 



aCh. 1:10; Si-JO. b, 
:I2; 2:25. r ver. 13, < 



1:22. i ver. 1 
ver. 13, etc. 



89. Him ; God, to whom the altar and tabernacle had 
been dedicated. The voice of one; Exod. 25:22. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Those who are truly devoted to God, and thankful 
for his mercies, will not be satisfied with doing merely 
what is specifically commanded, but will make voluntary 
offerings of time, talents, and property, from love to him 
and his cause, and to promote his glory and the good of 
their fellow-men. 

5. None need be discouraged when called to great and 
180 



whereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, ar u'.' 
one silver bowl of seventy sliokels, after the shekel 
of the sanctuary;'' botii of thcni full of fine flour 
mingled with oil for a meat-offering: 

74 One golden spoon of ten .y//^7ie/i-, full of incense: 

75 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-oflering: 

76 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering: 

77 And forasacrificcof peaee-oflerings,twooxcn, 
five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the first year : 
this was the oficring of Pagiel the son of Ocran. 

78 H On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan,' 
prince of tlio children of Xaphtali, offered: 

79 His offering was one silver charger, the weight 
whereof was a hundred and tliirty shekels, one silver 
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the 
sanctuary ;' botli of them full of fine flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-offering : 

SO One golden spoon often shekels, full of incense : 

81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the 
first year, for a burnt-offering : 

82 One kid of the goats for a sin-offering : 

83 And for a sacrifice of peace-offerings, two 
oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five lambs of the 
first year : this was the offering of Ahira the son 
of Enan. 

84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the 
day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel : 
twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, 
twelve spoons of gold : 

85 Each charger of silver weighing a hundred 
and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the 
silver vessels weighed two tliousand and four hun- 
dred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary : 

86 The golden spoons were twelve, full of in- 
cense, weighing ten shekels aj^iece, after the shekel 
of the sanctuary : all the gold of the spoons was 
a hundred and twenty shekels. 

87 All the oxen for the burnt-offering were twelve 
bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first 
year twelve, with their meat-offering: and the 
kids of the goats for sin-offering twelve. 

88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace- 
offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams 
sixty, the he-goats sixty, the lambs of the first 
year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, 
after that it was anointed." 

89 And when Moses was gone into the taber- 
nacle of the congregation to speak with him,'' 
then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him 
from off the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of 
testimony," from between the two cherubim : and 
he spake unto him. 



.1. 'ThatiSjeorf. Ich. 12:8; Eiod.a'):9,]l. 



laborious services ; God will provide for them, that as their 
duties are, their strength and all needful mercies may be. 

11. Jehovah would have all things, especially with re- 
gard to his worship, conducted with propriety, and in 
.such a way that the personal responsibility of each wor- 
shipper shall be made manifest, and thus the greatest 
blessing upon the whole be secured. 

13. They whom God has blessed with wealth, or ele- 
vated to stations of honor and influence, should esteem it 
not only their duty but their privilege to be examples of 
liberality in his service. 



Lighting of the lamps. 



NUMBERS VIII. 



Consecration nf the Levitts. 



5.^S" CHAPTER VIII. 

1 How the lamps are to be liglited. 5 The consecration of the Levite-s. 
•J3 The age and time of their service. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, sa3-ing, 
2 Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, 
When thou lightest the lamps," the seven lamps 
shall give light over against the candlestick. 

3 And Aaron did so ; lie lighted the lamps thereof 
over against the candlestick, as the Lord com- 
manded Moses. 

4 And this -n'ork of the candlestick was of beaten 
gold ; " unto the pliaft thereof, unto tlie flowers 
thereof, ivas beaten work;" according unto the 
pattern which the Lord had showed Moses,* so he 
made the candlestick. 

5 1[ And tlie Lord spake imto Moses, saying, 

6 Take the Levites from among the children of 
Israel, and cleanse them. 

7 And thus shalt thou do unto tlicm, to cleanse 
them : Sprinkle water of purifying upon them,'^ and 
let them shave* all their flesli, and let them wash 
their clothes, and so make themselves clean.'' 

8 Then let them take a young bullock with his 
meat-oSering," even fine flour mingled with oil, and 
another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin- 
offering. 

9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the 
tabernacle of the congregation:'' and tliou shalt 
gather the whole assembly of the children of 
Israel together.' 

10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the 
Lord : and the children of Israel shall put their 
hands upon the Levites:-' 

11 And Aaron shall ofler* tlie Levites before the 
LoRD^ybr an offering' of the children of Israel, 
that tliey may execute'' the service of the Lord. 

12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon 
the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer 
the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a 
burnt-off"ering, unto the Lord, to make an atone- 
ment for the Levites. 

13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, 
and before his sons, and offer them ybr an oflfei'ing 
imto the Lord. 



aExod. 25:37; 40:ao. b Exod. 25;31. c Exod. 2j:18. dExod. 25:40. cch. 
19:9,17,eto. • Heb. raiise a razor 10 jiaM orcr, etc. f Lev. 14:8, 9. fLev. 
9:1. 1> Exod. 29:4, etc.; 40:12. i Lev. 8:3. j Lev. 1:4. f Hcb. irat-c 
k ver. 15. I Heb. ivave-nffirin^. i Heb. bt to execute. ' oh. 10:9. »> ch. 



84. That which is publicly given for God's service and 
the advancement of his cause, should be managed in an 
orderly way, and a careful account kept of it, that nothing 
may be lost, and no scandal given to the cause of truth. 
John C:12; 2 Cor. 8:20, 21. 

88. Jehovah is a bountiful God, and is delighted with 
liberality in his people. Much may be devoted to the 
support of his worship, and when so used, it is not wasted 
or unprofitably employed, but is spent to the highest ad- 
vantage. Psa. 145 :1C; Prov. 11:25; Isa. 32:8; 2 Cor. 9:13. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

2. Over ar;nin.st tlie caiullestick; the meaning of these 
words, whicli occur also in Exod. 25: 37, is doubtful. The 
candlestick stood on the south side of the sanctuary over 
against the table of show-bread on the north side. Exod. 
40:24. Some suppose the direction to be, that the lamp- 
cups should be so arranged that their wicks should incline 
towards the north, and thus tlirow their light towards the 
table of show-bread ; others, that the sis wicks of the 



14 Thus shalt thou separate tlie Levites from 
among the children of Israel:' and the Levites 
siiall be mine.'" 

15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do 
the service of the tabernacle of the congregation : 
and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an 
ofiTering." 

16 For tliey are wholly given unto me from 
among the cliildren of Israel ; instead of such as 
open every womb, cve7i instead of tlie first-born of 
all the children of I:<rael, have I taken them 
unto me." 

17 For all the first-born of the children of Israel 
are mine, both man and lieast:^ on the day that I 
smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I 
sanctified them for myself. 

18 And I have taken the Levites for all the 
first-born of the children of Israel. 

19 And I have given the Levites as a gift' to 
Aaron and to his sons from among the children of 
Israel,'' to do the service of the children of Israel 
in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make 
an atonement for the children of Israel : that there 
be no plague among thechildrenof Israel,"^ when the 
children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. 

20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congre- 
gation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites 
according unto all that the Lord commanded 
Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children 
of Israel unto them. 

21 And the Levites were purified, and they 
washed their clothes;^ and Aaron oftcred them as 
an offering before the Lord i*^ and Aaron made 
an atonement for them to cleanse them. 

22 And after that went the Levites in to do their 
service in the tabernacle of the congregation be- 
fore Aaron, and before his sons:" as the Lord 
had commanded Moses concerning the Levites,^' so 
did they unto them. 

23 II And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

24 This is it that belongrth unto the Levites : from 
twenty and five years old and upward they shall 
go in to wait upon the service^ of the tabernacle 
of the congregation : "' 



3:45. » verses 11, 13. 


o ch. 3:12. 45. P ch. 


3:13 


Exod. 13:2, 12-15; 


Luke 2:03. 1 Heb. gi 


■en. q ch. 3:9, r ch. 


l;6:i; 


16:46; 18:5; 2 Chr. 


20:10, ■ ver. 7. t ver 


11, 12. u ver. 15. V V 


er. ,■), 


etc. 1 Heb. war the 


warfare: 1 Cor. 9:7. w 


ch. 4:3; 1 Chr. 23:3, 27 







branches should all incline towards the central lamp, called 
here the candlestick by way of distinction, 

6. Levites; those of the tribe of Levi not descended 
from Aaron, These assisted the priests, Aaron's sons, in 
various services about the tabernacle, and afterwards 
about the temple. 

7. Sprinkle water qfpurifijing upon them ; the preparation 
of which is described inch. 19:1-19. CompareHeb. 9:13, 14. 

11. Offer the Levites ; consecrate them to the service of the 
Lord in the various duties of the sanctuary. Ver. 14-19. 

19. To make an atonement for the children of Israel; to 
make propitiation for the children of Israel, in whose be- 
half they acted ; that is, to avert from them the judgments 
that would come upon them if they should presume to 
meddle with the sacred things. Chap. 1:53; 18:1-5. 

24. Twentij and five years old; at this age they began to 
wait upon the priests, learn their duties as Levites, and do 
some things about the tabernacle ; but they did not enter 
fully on their work as Levites till they were thirty. See 
note to chap. 4:3. 

181 



Of the Passover. 



NUMBERS IX. 



l%e pillar of cLtid. 



25 Ami from tlio n.ffc of fifty years they sliall 
cease waiting ii|Hin the .-service thereof' ami sliall 
serve no more : 

2li Hut shall minister witli tlicii- brctiiren in the 
tAberiniclc uf the conL'resiation. to keep the charire," 
and shall do no serviee.'' Thus slialt thou do unto 
the Levites touching their charge. 

CHATTER IX. 

1 The passnver U conimamlctl again. 6 A second passover allowed for 
tliem lliat were unclean or absent, l.') The cloud guidith ihe rernov- 
ings and encampinga of the Israelites. 

\ND the Lord spake unto Mose.s in the wilder- 
ness of Sinai, in the first month of tlie second 
year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, 
saying, 

2 Let the children of Israel also keep the pass- 
over at his appointed season.'' 

:') In the fourteenth day of tliis month,'' at even,* 
ye shall keep it in his appointed season: accord- 
ing to all the rites of it, and according to all the 
ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. 

4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, 
that they should keep the passover. 

5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth 
day of the first month at even in the wilderness of 
Sinai :" according to all that tlie Lord commanded 
Moses, so did the children of Israel. 

6 1 And there were certain men, who were de- 
filed by the dead body of a man,' that they could 
not keep the passover on that day : and they came 
before Moses and before Aaron on that day.*' 

7 And those men said unto him. We are defiled 
by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we 
kept back, that we may not ofler an offering of 
the Lord in his appointed season among the chil- 
dren of Israel? 

8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I 
will hear what the Lord will command concern- 
ing you. 



• Heb. retuT 


n from the warfare of the service; -i TLm 


. 4:7. » ch. 1:53; 


18:4; 1 Chron 


33:32; Ezek.41:S. U. b l Tim. 4: 15. ' 


Exod.l2:3; Deut. 


10:1. d -i Ch 


on. 30; 2. 15. t Heb. between Ihe two eve 


lings; Exod. 12:6. 


e Josh. 5:10. ■ 


ch. 5:2: 19:11, 10; John 18:23. E ch. 27 


:2, S; Exod. 18:15, 



26. Keep the charge, and — do no service; after the age of 
fifty, they had tlie general charge of the sanctuary, assisted 
their younger brethren in various ways, and instructed the 
people ; but were released from the most laborious duties 
of their offices, especially the bearing of the sacred things. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Ministers of the gospel who communicate a know- 
ledge of God and his will to men, shine as lights in the 
world holding forth the word of life ; and multitudes who 
were in darkness, are, through their instrumentality, made 
light in the Lord, and prepared to shine as the brightness 
of the firmament and as the stars for ever. 

6. The best of men need cleansing through faith in the 
blood of Christ, and by the influence of his Spirit, in order 
that their services may bo accepted of God. 

21. Though God is the author of spiritual cleansing, 
he accomplishes it through the means of his appoint- 
ment; and men arc bound to use these means according 
to his will, and thus cleanse themselves from all filthiness 
of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the 
fear of God. 2 Cor. 7:1; Isa. 1:16, 17; Ezek. 18:31. 

26. After ministers of the gospel have become too old 
to perform the laborious duties of their office, they may 
Btill be very useful by wise counsel, judicious instruction, 
182 



i) 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, b,":u»: 
saying, 

10 Speak iinto the children of Israel, saying. If 
any man of you or of your ])Osleiity shall be un- 
clean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey 
afar off, yet he shall keej) the passover unto the 
Lord. 

11 The fourteenth day of the second month at 
even they shall keep it,'' and eat it with unleaven- 
ed bread and bitter hcrbs.^ 

12 Tiiey shall leave none of it unto the morn- 
ing,^ nor break any bone of it:'' according to all 
tlu^ ordiimnces of tlie ]iassover they sliaii keep it. 

1:5 IJut tiie man that is clean, and is not in a jour- 
ney, and forbearoth to kcej) the passover, even the 
same soul shall be cut off from among his people:' 
because he brought not the offering of the Lord in 
his appointed season,'" that man shall bear his sin." 

14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, 
and will keep the passover unto the Lord ; accord- 
ing to the ordinance of the passover, and accord- 
ing to the manner thereof, so .shall he do : ye shall 
have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for 
him that was born in the land." 

15 5 And on the day that the tabernacle was 
reared up, tlie cloud covered the tabernacle,'' name- 
ly, the tent of the testimony : and at even there 
was upon the tabernacle as it were the appear- 
ance of fire,'' until tiie morning. 

16 So it was alway : the cloud covered it hy day, 
and the appearance of fire by night.^ 

17 And when the cloud was taken up from tho 
tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel 
journeyed :" and in the place where the cloud abode, 
there the children of Israel pitched their tents. 

18 At the commandment of the Lord the chil- 
dren of Israel journeyed, and at the command- 
ment of the Lord they pitched: as long as the 
cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in 
their tents.' 

19 And when the cloud tarried* long upon the 



19. h ver. 3. i Exod. 12:8 J ExoJ. 12:10. k Exod. 12.40; John 


19:36. 


1 Exod. 12:15. "> ver. 7. n ch. S:3I. o Exod. 12:49. P Exod 


40:34. 


q Exod. 13:21; 4U:3S; Neh. 9:12, 19; Psa. 7a:14. ' Deut. 1:.33. 


• ch. 


10:11,33; Exod. 40:36-.3S. 11 Cor. 10:1. 1 Heb. prolonged. 





habitual prayer, and a holy example ; and should be pro- 
vided for to the end of life. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1. The first month ; AV)ib. 

2. TAcpassoDcr; Exod. 12:2-14. 

11. The fourteenth day of the second month; this was in 
the month Zif, and one month after the usual time of keep- 
ing the passover. 

13. Forbcareth to keep the passover ; at the usual time. 

18. At the commandment of the Lord; as manifested by 
the moving or resting of the cloud. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. As the death of Christ is the procuring cause of the 
salvation of his people, it is his will that they should from 
time to time celebrate it according to his appointment, 
with humility, penitence, gratitude, and joy. Matthew 
26:26-28; Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26. 

13. To obey God, we must neither neglect to commemo- 
rate the death of Christ, nor do it in an unholy manner ; 
but must examine ourselves and see whether wo believe 
on him, feel our need of his salvation, and make it our 
great object in all things to do his will. 1 Cor. 11 ; 27-30. 



Of tJie silver trumpets. 



NUMBERS X. 



The Israelites have Sinai. 



kc.'vm: tabernacle many days, then tlic children 
of Israel kept the charge of the Lord," and jour- 
neyed not. 

20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few 
days upon the tabernacle ; according to the com- 
mandment of the Lord they abode in their tents, 
and according to the commandment of the Lord 
they journeyed. 

21 And so it was, when the cloud abode* from 
even unto the morning, and that tlie cloud was 
taken up iu tlie morning, tlicn they journeyed: 
whether it u-as by day or by night that the cloud 
was taken up, they journeyed. 

22 Or whether it loere two days, or a montli, or a 
year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, 
remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in 
their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was 
taken up, tliey journeyed.'' 

23 A t the commandment of the Lord they rested 
in their tents, and at the commandment of the 
Lord they journeyed : they kept the charge of tlie 
Lord," at the commandment of the Lord by the 
hand of Moses.'' 

CHAPTER X. 

1 The use of the silver trumpets. 11 The Israelites remove from Sinai 
to Paran. 14 The order of their march. 29 Hobab is entreated by 
Moses not to leave them. 33 The blessing of Moses at the removinj^ 
and resting of the ark. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Make thee two trimipets of silver ; of a 
whole piece shall thou make them: that thou 
mayest use them for the calling of the assembly," 
and for the journeying of the camps. 

3 And when they shall blow with them,*^ all the 
assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the 
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

4 And if they blow hut with one trumpet, then 
the princes, which are heads of the thousands of 
Israel,' shall gather themselves unto tliee. 

5 When ye blow an alarm,'' then the camps that 
lie on the east parts shall go forward.' 

6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then 
the camps that lie on the south side shall take 
their journey :J they shall blow an alarm for their 
journeys. 

7 But when the congregation is to be gathered 
together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an 
alarm. 

8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow 
with tlie trumpets;'' and they shall be to you for 



» Ch. 1:33; 3:S; Zech. 3:7. • Heb. Ki<M. b Exod 


40:36, .37. « ver. 19. 


dPsa. 77:20. eUa. 1:13. t Jer. 4:5; Joel 2:15. e 


h. 1:10; Exod. la:2l. 


h Joel 2:1. i ch. 2:3. J oh. 2:10. kch. 31:6;Jo 


sl]. 0:4; I Chr. 15:21; 


2Chr.l3:la. 1 Judg. 2:13 ; 10:8, 12; Psa. 10G:42. n, 


2Chr. 13:14. n Gen. 


8:1; Psa. 100:4; 13():23. o Luks 1:70, 71. P ch. 29 


1; Lev. 2:J:24; 1 Chr. 



23. If we are disposed to obey God, he wiU, by his word, 
his Spirit, and his providence, make so plain the path of duty, 
that in walking in it we shall be safe, useful, and happy. 

CHAPTER X. 

5. Bloxv an alarm; this was done \>y blowing long and 
loud with a broken, interrupted sound. 

10. May be to you for a memorial before your God ; may, 
as it were, remind him of his engagements to you as his 
covenant people. Compare ver. 9. 

12. Paran; between Sinai and Palestine, west and south- 



an ordinance for ever throughout your genera- 
tions. 

9 And if ye go to war in your land against the 
enemy that oppresseth you,' then ye shall blow an 
alarm with tlie trumpets;'" and ye shall be remem- 
bered before the Lord your God," and ye shall be 
saved from your enemies." 

10 Also in tlie day of your gladness, and in your 
solemn days, and in the beginningsof your months, ' 
ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt- 
offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace- 
offerings;" that they may be to you for a me- 
morial before your God:'* I am the Lord your 
God. 

Ill And it came to pass on the twentieth day 
of the second month, in the second year, that the 
cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the 
testimony.'' 

12 And the children of Israel took their journeys 
out of the wilderness of Sinai;'' and the cloud 
rested in the wilderness of Paran.' 

13 And they first took their journey according 
to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of 
Moses." 

14 1 In the first place went the standard of the 
camp of the cliildreu of Judah according to their 
armies:'' and over his host was Nahshon the son 
of Amminadab. 

15 And over the host of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 

16 And over the host of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 

17 And the tabernacle was taken down;"' and 
the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set 
forward, bearing tlie tabernacle.^ 

18 1 And the standard of the camp of Reuben 
set forward according to their armies:-' and over 
his host was Elizur the son of Hhedeur. 

19 And over the host of the tribe of the children 
of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 

20 And over the host of the tribe of the children 
of Gad teas Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 

21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the 
sanctuary :■" and the other* did set up the taber- 
nacle against they came. 

22 H And the standard of the camp of the chil- 
dren of Ephraim set forward according to their 
armies : " and over his host was Elishania the son 
of Ammihud. 

23 And over the host of the tribe of the children 
of Manasseh u'a9 Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 



15-24- 2 Chr. 5:12; 7:6; 29:20; Ezra 3:10; Neh. 12::i5; Psa. 61:3; 6T):15. 
1 Exod. 2S:29; Acts 10:4. r ch 9: 17-20; Exod. 40:30, 37. "Exod. 19:1 
t ch. 12:16. u ch. 2:1KJ4. » ch. 2:3-9. w ch. 1:51. i ch. 4:24; 7:l>-8. 
V ch. 2:10, 16. ' ch. 4:4-15. f That is, the GershoniUs and the Memrites; 
ver. 17. »ch. 2: IS, 24. 



west of Edom, there were two intervening encampments. 
Chap. 11:35; 12:16; 33:16-18. 

14. The standard of the camp of — Judah; that of the first 
grand division of three tribes. See chap. 2. 

17. Set forward, bearing the tabernacle; the Gershonites 
and Merarites followed immediately after the first division, 
that they might have time to set up the tabernacle before 
the Kohathites came. 

21. Bearinir the sanctuary; that is, the most holy things, 
as the ark, the altar of incense, the candlestick, etc. See 
chap. 3:31. The other; the Gershonites and Merarites. 
183 



Rising and resting of the ark. 



NUMBERS XI. 



TAc burning at Taberah. 



24 Ami over the host of the tribe of the cliildrcn 
of ISoiijainin iray Aliiilan the fin\ of Gidconi. 

2o * Aiul the stiiiKiard of tlio camp of the cliil- 
dreii of Uiiii set forwaid," wliicli was the rearward 
of all the (•ain])^ throiiu:liout their hosts :'' and over 
his iiost was Ahiiv.er the son of Aniniishaddai. 

20 And over the host of tiie tribe of the ehildreu 
of Asiier was I'asriel the son of Ocran. 

27 And over the host of the tribe of the children 
of N'ai)htali teas Ahira the son of Euan. 

28 Thus' were the journeyings of the children of 
Israel according to their armies, when they set 
forward. 

2i) 1 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of 
RagucP the Midianitc, Moses' fatiier-in-law, We 
arc jouriicving unto the place of which the Lord 
said, I will give it you:'' come thou with us, and 
we will do tiiee good: for the Loud hath spoken 
good concerning Israel.'' 

30 And he said unto him, I will not go ; but 1 
will depart to mine own land, and to my kin- 
dred. 

31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; for- 
asmuch as thou knowest how we arc to encamp in 
the wilderness, and thou niayest be to us instead 
of eyes." 

32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it 
shall be, that what goodness tlie Lord shall do 
unto us, the same will we do unto thee.' 

33 T^And they departed from the mount of the 
Lord three days' journey:^ and the ark of the 
covenant of the Lord went before them in the 
three days' journey, to search out a resting-place 
for them.'' 

34: And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by 
day,' wlicn they went out of the camp. 

35 And it came to pass, when the ark set for- 
ward, that Moses said. Rise up. Lord, and let thine 
enemies be scattered ;' and let them that hate thee 
flee before thee. 

30 And when it rested, he said. Return, Lord, 
unto the many thousands* of Israel. 



a Ch. 2:a5 


31. b Josh. 0:9; Isi. 5S:8. * Heb. Tliese. t Reuel; Exod. 


■2:18. c Gen 


12:7. d Exod. 6:7, 8. e Job 29:15. f Judg. l;l(i; 4:11. 


t Exod. 3:1. 


h Deut. 1::«; Josh. 3:3-6. i Exod. 13:21; Neh. 9:12, 19. 


J Psa. r>S:l, 2 


; 132:8. 1 Hcb. ten thousand thousands; Deut. 1:10. i Or. 


f^treasuwer 


ecomplainers. k Deut. 9:22. I Heb. it was evil in the ears of. 



29. Raguel; supposed to be the same as Reuel and 
Jethio. Exod. 2:18; 3:1; 18:1. 

31. Be to us instead of eyes; Hobab was acquainted with 
the country, and could assist on their journej'. 

33. Tliree days' journey; namely, from Sinai to the wil- 
derness of Paran. Ver. 11-13. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

8. Christian ministers are placed as watchmen, and 
should give the people counsel and warning from God. 
When they speak, it should be with such plainness as to 
be understood, and with such aftection as is best suited 
to persuade the people to follow their directions. 1 Cor. 
14:6-19; Eph. 4:15. 

13. All men are on a journey through this world. Je- 
hovah offers to be their guide, and if they follow him he 
will direct them to the Canaan of eternal rest. If they 
reject him, and continue to walk in their own way, they 
will wander in darkness and find no rest for ever. 

29. Those who have chosen God for their guide, and 
are on their way to heaven, should urge others, especially 
their relatives and friends, to accompany them, and pre- 
184 



CHAPTER XI 



V^ it XV 1 1 JU Ik .iV t • 11. c. uvu. 

The burning at Taber.ih qucnclietl by Moses' prayer. 4 The people 
lusl for tlesh, and loathe manna. 10 Mnsis rornplajnelh of his charge. 
10 ItoJ diviJeth his burden unio seventy elders. 31 Quails are 
t'iven in wrath at Kibrolh-ljatt.-iavah. 



VXD when the pco[)lc complained,'" it dis- 
plea.sed' the Loud: and the Loud heard it; 
and liis anger was kindled;' and the fire of the 
Lord burnt among them, and consumed t/iem that 
were in the uttermost parts of the camp.'" 

2 And tlic people cried unto Moses; and when Mo- 
ses prayed unto the Lord, the lire was (pienclied.^ 

3 And he called the name of the place Taberah :* 
because the lire of the Lord tmrnt among them. 

4 11 And the mixed multitude that was among 
them fell a lusting:*" and the children of Israel 
also wept again,* and said, Who shall give us 
fle.'^h to eat?" 

5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in 
Egypt freely ; the cucumbers, and the melons, and 
the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: 

But now our soul is dried away :'' t/wre is noth- 
ing at all, besides this manna, before our eyes. 

7 And the manna was as coriandcr-secd, and the 
color thereof as the color* of bdellium.'' 

S Jind the people went about, and gathered it, 
and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and 
baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the 
taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.'' 

9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the 
night, the manua fell upon it.'* 

10 If Then Moses heard the people weep through- 
out their families, every man in the door of his tent : 
and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly ; ' 
Moses also was displeased." 

11 And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore 
hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore 
have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou lay- 
est the burden of all this people upon me? 

12 Have I conceived all this people? have I be- 
gotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me. Carry 
them in thy bosom," as a nursing-father beareth the 

I Psa. 78:21. m Lev. 10:2; 2 Kings 1:12. t Heb. ,<Bni. • Thzt it. A burn- 
ing, t Heb. lusted a lust, n Exod. 12:33. t Heb. returned and wept. 
o I Cor. 10:6. Pch. 21:5. i Hub. et/e of it as the eye. 1 Gen. 2: 12. 'Exod. 
1G:31. »Exod.l6:14. i ver. 1 ; lai. 5:25. u Psa. 139:21. vlsa.40:ll. 



sent as a motive the good which God has promised to 
those who follow him. 

32. Those who are journeying towards heaven need help 
not only from God, but also from one another ; and they may 
be of great assistance to each other in guarding from dan- 
ger, and guiding in the way of safety, usefulness, and peace. 

3G. However much assistance the people of God may 
receive from men, their desires can never be fully met, 
nor their wants satisfied, without the permanent presence 
and favor of God. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. The fire of the Lord; a miraculous fire proceeding 
from .Jehovah's presence. Compare Lev. 10:2. 

3. Taberah ; a burninj^. 

4. Mixed midtitude; Exod. 12:38. Fell a lusting; impa- 
tiently desired other kinds of food. 

6. Uur soxd is dried away; we languish and are sufiFering 
for want of other food. 

7. As coriander-seed; a small round seed. Bdellium; ac- 
cording to some, the pearl ; according to others, a gummy 
secretion of a yellowish-white color. 



Seventy elders appointed. 



NUMBERS XI. 



The people lust for fiesh. 



aaiS' sucking child," unto the land which thou 
swarest unto their fathers?'' 

13 Wiieuce should I have flesh to give unto all 
this people?"^ for they weep unto me, saying. Give 
us flesh, that we may cat. 

14 I am not able to bear all this people alone,"* 
because it is too heavy for uie. 

15 And if tliou deal tluis with mo, kill me, I pray 
thee,'' out of hand, if 1 have found favor in thy 
sight ; and let me not see my wretchedness. 

16 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto 
me seventy men of the elders of Israel,'' whom thou 
knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers 
over tiiein ; and bring them unto the tabernacle of 
the congregation, that they may stand there with 
thee. 

17 And I will come down and talk with thee 
there I*-' and I will take of the spirit whicli is upon 
thee,"^ and will put it upon them ; and they shall 
bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou 
bear it not thyself alone. 

18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify your- 
selves against to-morrow,' and ye shall eat flesh: 
for ye have wept in the ears of the Lord,' saying. 
Who shall give us flesh to eat?'' for it was well 
with us in Egypt: therefore the Lord will give 
you flesh, and ye shall oat. 

19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor 
five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 

20 But even a whole month,* until it come out 
at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you:' 
because that ye have despised the Lord which is 
among you, and have wept before him, saying, 
Why came we forth out of Egypt? 

21 And Moses said. The people, among whom 1 
am, are six hundred thousand footmen ;'" and thou 
hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat 
a whole month. 

22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for 
them, to suffice them?" or shall all the fish of the 
sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 

23 And the Loud said unto Moses, Is the Lord's 
hand waxed short?" thou shalt see now whether 
my word shall come to pass unto thee or not." 



»Isa. 40:*3; 


ITIiess. 2:7. b Gen. 13: 15; 25:3. = Matt. 15:33. d Exod 


18:18; Deut. 


:9-l-2. e 1 Kiiifs 10:1; ,ron. 4:3. f Kxod. 24:1,9. s ver. 


35; Gen. 11:5; 
• Exod. 19:10. 


18:21; Exod.lB:2U. li2King3 2:9, 15; Isa.44:3; Joel2:&j. 


J E.xod. 16:7. k ver. 4. 5. • Heb. moath of days. 1 Psa. 


79:29; 106:15. 


ra ch. 1:46; Exod. 12:37. " 2 Kings 7:2; MarkS:4; John 



15. Out of hand; at once, now. 

17. Put it upon them; furnish them with the special in- 
fluences of my Spirit, as I have furnished thee, to fit them 
for their work. 

18. Smdify yourselves; liy the customary rites, Exod. 
19 : 10. These signified and demanded of the people inward 
purification. 

20. Come out at your nostrils; they would eat flesh till 
they were not only satisfied, but made sick by it and 
loathed it. 

23. Waxed shod; is God unable to do what he has prom- 
ised? 

25. Prophened; prophecy is here used in the widest 
sense, as often in the New Testament, to denote all relig- 
ious discourse delivered under immediate inspiration. 
Compare 1 Cor. 12:10; 14:3-5. In the same sense it is 
also employed elsewhere in the Old Testament. 1 Sam. 
10:9-13. 

28. Forbid them ; Joshua seems to have thought that, in 



24 IF And Mosos went out, and told the people 
the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy 
men of the elders of the people, and set them round 
about the tabernacle. 

25 And tiic Lord came down in a cloud,'' and 
spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was 
upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders : and 
it came to pass, that, when tlie sjnrit rested upon 
them, they prophesied,'' and did not cease. 

26 But there remained two of the men in the 
camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the 
name of the other Mcdad : and the spirit rested 
upon them ; and they trere of them that were writ- 
ten, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and 
they prophesied in the camp." 

27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, 
and said, Eldad and Mcdad do prophesy in thecamp. 

28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of 
Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, 
My lord Moses, forbid them.' 

29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for 
my sake? would God that all the Lord's people 
were prophets," and that the Lord would put his 
spirit upon them! 

30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the 
elders of Israel. 

31 1 And there went forth a wind from the 
Lord, and brought quails from the sea,*' and let 
them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey* 
on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the 
other side, round about the camp, and as it were 
two cubits high upon the face of the earth. 

32 And the people stood up all that day, and all 
that night, and all the next day, and they gathered 
the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten 
homers:'" and they spread th(7n all abroad for 
themselves round about the camp. 

33 And while the flesh was yet between their 
teeth," ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord 
was kindled against the people, and the Lord 
smote the people with a very great plague. 

34 And he called the name of that place Kib- 
roth-hattaavah:* because there they buried the 
people that lusted. 



6:7, 9 


oTsa 


50:2 


59:1. 


pRzek 


12 


2,'-.; 


24 


14. q 


ver. 17 




1 Pan 


. lO.S, 


6, etc. 


s.ler 


30:5 


0. t 


Luke 9 


49: 


.Inh 


1 li 


26. u 


I Cor. 


I' 


:5. V 


Exod. 


16:13; 


I'sa. 


S: 26-29; 1(1.= 


:40. t 


Hel 


. tJi 


V 




da,/. 




Knod 


16:36. 


I Psa. 


7S:3II, 


31. 1 


That 


s, llie s 


aiei 


of last 


■ Kent 


9:22. 









remaining behind, they had been guilty of disrespect 
towards Moses. But Jlose-s rejoiced in every gift of God's 
Spirit, though some irregularity might be connected with 
it. Compare Luke 9:49, 50. 

31. From the sea; that is, from Africa beyond the Red 
sea, where quails are found at the present day in prodig- 
ious numbers. Two cubits high; that is, in heaps about 
two cubits high. 

32. Ten homers ; an ephah is estimated to have contained 
about one and onc-twolfth bushels, and a homer was ten 
ephahs. We are not, however, to understand ten homers 
for each individual, but rather, for each head of a house- 
hold. Some propose to render "ten heaps," as the word is 
elsewhere used, Exod, 8:14; but the sacred writer plainly 
means to indicate a definite quantity. This immense pro- 
vision showed not only the abundance of the quails, but 
also the inordinate lust for which God punished the peo- 
ple. 

34. Kibrolh-hattaavah ; that is, the graves of lust. 
185 



TV murmuring of Miriam 



NUMBERS XII. 



and Aaron rebuked 



and Aaron. 10 Miriam's Irpro. 
H God commandetli licr to be 



35 ^Ind tlie people jonrncyctl from Kibroth-liat- 
taarah unto Iluzciotli ;' anil abode at' Hazeroth. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 OoU rebuVclh llie scJiiioii of Min: 
•r ia hmlitl nt Uie prayer of lloii 
■liut out of tht.- host. 

AND Miriam and Aaron spake acrainst Moses 
bccan^eof thcEthiopian' woman wlioin lieliatl 
married: Ibrheliad married ' an Klliiopian woman.'' 

2 And tlicy said, Hath tiie LnuD indeed spoken 
only by Moses? liatli lie not spoken also by usV 
And tlie Loud heard i7.'' 

3 iNow tiie man Moses was very meek, above all 
the men which ivcre upon the face of the earth.) 

4 And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses,'' 
and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out yc 
three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. 
And they three came out. 

5 And tlie Loiti) came down in the pillar of the 
cloud,' and stot)d in the door of tlie tabernacle, 
and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both 
came forth. 

6 And he said. Hear now my words : If there be 
a prophet among you, / the Lord will make my- 
self known unto him in a vision,'-' and will speak 
unto him in a dream.'' 

7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful' in 
all my house.J 



«Ch. 3:1:17. • Ueh. ihti, were in. t Or, Cusliile. tWeh. taken, b ExoJ. 
2:21. 'Exod. I5;-J0; Micah8:4. d ch. 11:1; P«i. 94:7-9; Isa. 37:4 ; Ezpk. 
3.5:12.13. trsa.76:9. fch. 11:25. e Gen. 15:1 ; 4r.:a; Job 33:15; Kzek. 
1:1; Luke 1:11,22; Acts 10:11, 17. h Gen. 31:11; 1 Kings 3:5; Job 33: 15. 



35. Hazeroth; a place still farther on the way towarils 
Canaan. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

1. Discontentment with the dealings of God is unwise 
and wicked. Those who indulge in it provoke him, and 
expose themselves to his 'WTath. 

2. The wicked are more indebted to the righteous than 
they are apt to imagine, and in their distresses they often 
feel this, and look to them for help. 

6. We are apt to depreciate and undervalue the bless- 
ings we liave, and to magnify and overrate those which 
we desire. 

11. The best of men are but partly sanctified ; and not 
iinfrequently in their hearts, and sometimes in words, they 
find fault with God. 

15. Those who kill themselves, or ask God or men to 
kill them, are not in a proper state to die. Did they feel 
right, wliatever their trials, they would say. All the days 
of my appointed time will I wait, till ray change come. 
Not my will, but thine be done. Job 14:14; Luke 22:42. 

17. God is often kind and gracioius in withholding from 
men what in their wickedness they desire, and in giving 
them what they need. If he calls them to great and diffi- 
cult services, they have no reason to complain or to de- 
spond ; if they trust in him he will provide for them, that 
as their duties are, their ability may also be. 

20. What people impatiently and wickedly desire, God 
sometimes suffers them to have, and to abuse to their 
ruin. 

23. It needs stronger faith than good men often have, or 
without the influences of the Holy Spirit would ever have, 
to believe that God will do all that he has promised. 

29. It is natural for men to envy others on account of the 
blessings which God gives them ; but divine grace teaches 
us to rejoice in the blessings of others, and to desire that, 
if consistent, such blessings may be given to all. 

33. God may in wrath give men what they desire, to 
show them and others the wickedness and folly of wish- 
186 



8 With him will 1 speak month to mouth," ■^m-mw 
oven app;uently, ami nut in dark speeches; and 
the siiniiitutle of the Loiso i-liall he behold : where- 
fore then •were ye not afraid to speak against my 
servant Moses?' 

9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against 
them ; and he disparted. 

10 And the cloud departed from off the taberna- 
cle; and behohl, Miriam lunimc leprous, white as 
snow:'" and Aaron looked upon ^liriam, and be- 
hold, she was leprous. 

11 And Aaron said unto Jloses, Alas, my lord, 
I beseecli thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein wo 
have done foolishly, and wiiereiii we have sinned." 

12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh 
is half consumed when he cometh out of his moth- 
er's womb. 

V6 And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal 
her now, O God, 1 beseech thee." 

14 • And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father 
had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed 
seven days? let her be shut out from the camp 
seven days,'' and after that let her be received in 
again. 

15 And M iriam was shut out from the camp seven 
days: and the peo)de journeyed not till Miriam 
was brought in again. 

l(j And afterward the people removed from Ha- 
zeroth, and jiitched in the wilderness of Paran. 



iHfb.3:2,5. J 1 Tim. 3: 15; 1 Peter 2:4, 5. k Exod. 33:11 ; Deut. 31:la 
1 2 Peter 2:10. m Deut. 24:9; 2 Kings 5:27; 2 Chr. 26:19-21. » 2 Sun. 
24: lU; Prov. 30:32. oJas.5:15. PLev. 13:40. 



ing to have their own way, and refusing to be guided and 
governed by him. 

34. Lust, and the use of things lusted after, are plagues 
which have opened and lillod many graves. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1. Miriam ; the sister of Moses and Aaron. Exod. 15:20. 
Ethiopian woman; supposed by some to be Zipporah, 
called an Ethiopian, or, as in the original, a C'ushile, be- 
cause a native of that part of Arabia which was settled 
by the descendants of C'u.sh. Exod. 2: 16, 21. Others sup- 
pose that she was a Cushite woman whom Moses had 
married after the death of Zipporah. 

3. Meek; not easily provoked or disposed to complain, 
not proud or self-sufficient, but humble, patient, and sub- 
missive. 

6. In a vision — in a dream ; that was the usual way in 
which he communicated with prophets. 

8. Mouth to month; the same as face to face, Exod. 33:11; 
Deut. 34:10. Apparentli/; in open vision. Similitude; 
form, Exod. 33:23; 34:5-8; Ezek. 1:26. 

14. Spit m her face; an eastern way of administering a 
very severe rebuke. Be ashamed seven days; manifest her 
sense of shame and humiliation by a separation of seven 
days from the ordinary privileges and society of the 
family. The inference is, that much more should Miriam 
be separated ten days from God's household — the camp 
of Israel — -when he has so rebuked her. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The most inoffensive character, and the moat useful 
life, may not secure persons from being blamed, even by 
their nearest relatives ; but, if humble, patient, and sub- 
missive, the Lord will plead their cause, and in due time 
bring forth their righteousness as the light, and their 
judgment as the noonday. Psa. 37:1-11. 

2. The Lord hears all that men say ; and he is espec- 
ially displeased with those who, without good reason, talk 
against and find fault with his people. 



The twelve spies are sent. 



NUMBERS XIII. 



Their evil report of Canaan. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



1 The names of the men who were sent to search the lanj. 17 Their 
instructions. 21 Tiieir acts. 2li Their relation. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Send thou men, that they may search the 
land of Canaan," whicli I give unto tlie children of 
Israel : of every tribe of their fathers shall yc send 
a man, every one a ruler among them. 

3 And Moses by the commandment of the Lord 
sent them from the wilderness of Paran :" all those 
men were heads of the children of Israel. 

4 And these were their names: Of the tribe of 
Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 

5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. 

6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Je- 
phunneh. 

7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 

8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of 
Nun." 

9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Ra- 
phu. 

10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of 
Sodi. 

11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of 
Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 

12 Of the tribe of Dan, Animiel the son of Ge- 
malli. 

13 Of the tribe. of Asher, Sethur the son of Mi- 
chael. 

14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of 
Vophsi. 

15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. 

16 These are the names of the men which Moses 
sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea 
the son of Nun Jehoshua.'* 

17 ^ And Moses sent them to spy out the land 
of Canaan, and said unto them. Get you up this 
way southward," and go up into the mountain i*^ 

18 And see the land, what it is; and the people 
that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or 
■weak, few or many ; 

19 And what the land is that they dwell in, 
whether it be good or bad ; and what cities they be 
that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong- 
holds ; 



» Ch. 32:8. b Deut. 1;23. c ver. 10. i ver. 8; Exod. 17:9. e ver. 2-J. 
I Gen. 14:10; Deut. 1:24; Judges 1:9, 19. e Neh. 9:25.3.1; Ezek. ai:U. 
* Deut. 31:0, 7, 2:). i Josh. 15:1. J Josh. 19:28. k Josh. 11:21. I Josh. 
•Jl:ll. m Psi. 78:12; Isi. 19:11. • Or. valley. ITha-t is, a cluster of grapes. 



8. Those who wickedly oppose such as God loves and pe- 
culiarly favors, have great cause to fear ; for he views what 
is done to them as in a sense done to him. Matt. 25 : 40. 

10. Sin is sometimes visited with immediate punishment. 

H. To commit known sin is foolish, because it always 
tends not only to dishonor God, but also to injure those 
who commit it. 

14. However great the sins of transgressors, when they 
truly repent and turn to the Lord he will forgive them. 
His people, so far as they have his Spirit, wtll do the 
same ; and desire for such the greatest blessings. Matt. 
18:21-3.5. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

2. Send thou men; this was no command originally given 
by Jehovah. He would have had the people go imme- 
diately forward under his all-sufficient guidance, Deut. 
1:20, 21. But when the people proposed first to search 
the laud, he was pleased to permit the measure, and to 



20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or 
lean,''' whether there be wood therein, or not. And 
be ye of good courage,'' and bring of the fruit of 
the land. Now the time was the time of the first 
ripe grapes. 

21 "i So they went up, and searched the land 
from the wilderness of Zin' unto Rehob,J as men 
come to Hamath. 

22 And they ascended by the south, and came 
unto Hebron ; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Tal- 
inai, the children of Anak," were. Now Hebron' 
was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.'" 

23 And they came unto the brook* ol'Eshcol,* 
and cut down from thence a branch with one clus- 
ter of grapes, and they bare it between two upon 
a staft'; and they brought of the pomegranates, and 
of the figs. 

24 The place was called the brook* Eshcol,* be- 
cause of the cluster of grapes which the children 
of Israel cut down from thence. 

25 And they returned from searching of the land 
after forty days. 

26 ir And they went and came to Moses, and to 
Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children 
of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Ka- 
desh;" and brought back word unto them, and 
unto all the congregation, and showed them the 
fruit of the land. 

27 And they told him, and said. We came unto 
the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it 
floweth with milk and honey ;° and this is the fruit 
of it." 

28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell 
in the land,'' and the cities are walled, and very 
great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak 
there."" 

29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the 
south:' and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and 
the Amorites, dwell in the mountains : and the 
Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of 
Jordan. 

30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses,' 
and said. Let us go up at once, and possess it; for 
we are well able to overcome it." 

31 But the men that went up with him said, We 



I Or, valley, i Ti\it is. a cluster of grapes, n ch. 20:1, 16. o Exod. 33:3. 
P Deut. 1:25, etc. <1 Deut. 9:1, 2. r ver. 33. ' ch. 14:43; Exod. 17:8. 
1 Josh. 14:7, 8. u Rom. 8:37 



give directions respecting the manner of executing it. 
Deut. 1:22,23. 

16. Hoshea ; salvation. Jehoshua ; Jehovah is salvation. 
The Greek form of this name is Jesus, of whom Joshua 
was appointed to be an eminent type. 

20. Fat or lean; fruitful or barren. Time of the first ripe 
grapes; about the month of August. 

21. Wilderness of Zin ; lying south of Canaan. Rehab; 
a city near the north part of Canaan. Hamath ; a city of 
Syria, lying still further north. 

22. Hebron; a city in the south part of Canaan, about 
twenty miles from Jerusalem. Anak; son of Arba, a dis- 
tinguished inaii, after whom Hebron was called Kirjath- 
Arba, or tlio city of Arba. Gen. 23:2 ; Josh. 14:15. 

23. Eshcol ; a fruitful valley near Hebron. 

24. Called the brook Eshcol ; Eshcol meaning a cluster. 
2G. Kadesh; Kadesh-barnea, Deut. 1:19. It lay on the 

south border of Canaan, towards Edoni. 
28. Children of Anak; a family of giants. 
187 



Murmuring of the peopU. 



m:.mi{i;i!S xiv. 



J\Ljscs erpt,sltil(ilcl/i with God. 



be not able to po »ip against tlic poo))lc ; for tlicy 
are .>^tr(iiigei* tlmn wo. 

It- And tlioy brouL'lit nj) an evil rc|)ort of the 
land wliicli they had searched unto tlie children 
of Israel, sayinir. The land, throiii^h whieii we have 
pone to search it, is a land that eateth np tiic 
inhabitants thereof;" and all the people that we 
saw in it are men of a great stature.*'' 

33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of 
Anak,' trfiirh come of the giants: and we were in 
our own sight as grasshoppers,"' and so we were in 
their sight. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



1 The people murmur at llie news. 6 Joshu.^ and Caleh labor to still 
them. 11 t.Tod threateneth lliein. KJ Moses persuadeth G-od, and 
obtaineth pardon. 'JG Tlie nmrmurcrs are deprived of enterin;^ into 
the land. 3t) The men who rai.'.ed the evil report die by a plao^e. 
40 The people that would invade the land against the will of God 
arc smitten. 

AND all the congregation lifted up their voice, 
and cried ; and the people wept that niglit.'' 

2 And all the children of Israel murmured 
against Moses and against Aaron : '' and the whole 
congregation said nnto them, Would God that we 
had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we 
had died in this wilderness! 

3 And wherefore hath the Loud brought us unto 
this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and 
our children siiould bo a prey? were it not better 
for us to return into Egypt? 

4 A nd they said one to another. Let us make a 
captain, and let us return into Egypt.^ 

Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces be- 
fore all the assembly of the congregation of the 
children of Lsrael.'' 

6 Ti And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the 
son of Jephunneli,' lohich were of them that searched 
the land, rent their clothes : 

7 And they spake unto all the company of the 
children of Israel, saying, The land, Avhich we 
passed through to search it, is an exceeding good 
land. 

8 If the Lord delight in us,J then he will bring 

» Deut. 1:23. • Hob. statures. I> Deut. 9:2. c ver. 22. d Isa. 40:22. 
ech. 11:4. tPsi. 100:24, 25. e Deut. 17:10; Neh. 9:17; Acts 7:3U. h ch. 
10:4, 22. i verses 30. 3S. J Deut. 10:15; 2 Sam. 13:25. 26; 22:20; 1 Kings 
10:9; Psa. 147:11. t ch. 13:27. I Deut. 9:23. " Deut. 20:3. nch.24:S. 
t Heb. shallow; Psa. 12l:.5. o Oen. 4S:21; Deut. 20:1-1; 31:6, 8; Judg. 
1:22; 2 Cnr. 13:2; 32:<; Psa. 40:7, 11; Isa. S:9, 10; 41:10; Amos 5:14; 



32. Eateth up the inhabitants ; causing them to die from 
the uiihealthiness of the climate, or some other cause. 
If this were so, it mu»t have been strange that they were 
80 large and strong. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. God deals with men according to th? measure of their 
faith ; those counsels that have their origin in an unbe- 
lieving spirit must be expected to have a disastrous issue. 

27. Those who trust the promises of God and follow his 
directions, will find that what he has promised is true, 
and their own experience will realize its fulfilment. 

29. Men may do externally what God directs, and yet 
with such a spirit and for such a purpose as may tend to 
their ruin. 

30. Different men may unite externally in doing the 
same things, and yet wi'tli a very different spirit and for 
totally different ends. Thus what is done may be to one 
a savor of life unto life, and to another a savor of death 
•unto death. 2 Cor. 2 : 16. 

188 



us into this land, and give it us; a land B.c.fJJJ: 
which iioweth with milk and honey." 

'.) (Jnly rebel not ye against the liOitn,' neither 
fear ye the people of the land ; "' for they arc bread 
forns:" their defence* is departed from them, and 
the Loiii) is with us:" fear them not.'' 

1(1 But all the congregation l)ade stone them with 
stones.'' And the glory of the Liiiin appeared in 
the tabernacle of the congregation before all the 
children of Israel.'' 

1 1 'i And the Lord said nnto Moses, IIow long 
w^iU this people provoke me?' and how long will 
it be ere they believe me,' for all the signs which 
I have showed among them? 

12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and dis- 
inherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation 
and mightier than they." 

13 1 And Moses said unto the Lord," Then the 
Egyptians shall hear jV,"' for thou broughtest up 
this people in thy might from among them ; 

14 And they will tell if to the inhabitants of this 
land : for they have heard that thou Loud art 
among this people," that thou Loud art seen face 
to face,' and t/iat thy cloud standeth over them," 
and that thou goest before them, by daytime in a 
pillar of a cloud, and in a ]jillar of lire by night." 

15 Now if thou slialt kill all this people as one 
man, then the nations which have heard the fame 
of thee will speak, saying, 

16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this 
people into the land which he sware unto them, 
therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness." 

17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my 
Lord be great,'' according as thou hast spoken,'' 
saying, 

18 The LoRDM long-suffering, and of great mer- 
cy, forgiving iniquity and transgression,'' and by 
no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity 
of the fathers upon the children unto the third and 
fourth generation.' 

19 Pardon, 1 beseech thee, the iniquity of this 
people, according unto the greatness of thy mercy, 
and as thou hast forgiven this people,''' from Egypt 
even until now.* 



Zech. S:2:); Rom. b: :;l I' I i 111 
»Zech.8:14; Heb.:l I- ' i I' 
9:26-23. »■ Deut. .-JJ : ! ' 

zch. 10:34. aExod. 1 : Jl. JJ 1' , 
3:8; Matt. 9:0, H. J lOxod. :J4:C,, 
23:2. K Psa. 7S:.38. 1 Or. lutluno. 



I qExod.l7:4. r ch. 16: 19, 42; 20:8. 

I; John 12:37. «Exod. 32:10. 'Deut. 

^ 14. X Josh. 2:9, 10. yExod. 33:11. 

7-!:l4. b Deut. 9:28: Josh. 7:9. eMic. 
7, e Micah 7:18. ' Exod. 20:5; Jer. 



32. In making excuses for not doing their duty, and say- 
ing that they are not able to do what God requires and is 
ready to enable them to perform, men are often very in- 
consistent and contradict themselves. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

5. Fell on their faces; as a sign of their deep grief for 
the sin of the people, and their earnest intercession witli 
God in their behalf. 

G. Rent* their clothes; thus they expressed deep sorrow 
and holy indignation for the unbelieving and rebellious 
spirit of the people. 

9. Are bread for us; food for our swords. Compare 
chap. 24:8. 

16. Therefore he hath slain them; this, Moses thought, 
would be greatly to God's dishonor. 

17. Let the power of my Lord be great; be greatly mani- 
fested in forgiving their iniquity, and bringing them into 
the land of promise. 



The murmurcrs excluded. 



NUMBERS XIY. 



The invaders discomfited. 



aaiS' 20 And the Lord said, I liavo pardoned 
according to thy word:" 

21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be 
filled with the glory of the Loito.'' 

22 Because all those men which have seen my 
glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egyj)t and 
in the wilderness, and iuivo tempted mc now these 
ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice ; 

23 Surely they shall not see* the land which I 
sware unto their fathers," neitlier shall any of 
them that provoked mo see it : 

24 But my servant Caleb,'' because he had an- 
other spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, 
him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; 
and his seed shall possess it. 

25 (Now the Amalekitcs and the Canaanites 
dwelt in the valley.) To-morrow turn you, and get 
you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 

26 *l And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

27 How long shall I bear iciih this evil congre- 
gation," which murmur against me? I have heard 
the murmurings of the children of Israel,*^ which 
they murmur against me. 

28 Say unto them. As truly as I live, saith the 
Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do 
to you: 

29 Your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, 
and all that were numbered of you,*"' according to 
your whole number, from twenty years old and 
upward, which have murnwred against me. 

30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, 
concerning which I sware* to make you dwell 
therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and 
Joshua the son of Nun. 

31 But your little ones, which ye said should be 
u prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know 
the land which ye have despised.'' 

32 But as for you, your carcasses, they shall fall 
in this wilderness.' 

33 And your children shall wander* in the wil- 



«Psa 


1U6;23 


; Jm. 5 


16 


b 


Psa 


72 


1!) 


Isa. 66 


IS, in. 




Ueh.ifthey 


ve. 


" Deut. 


1 :35, e 


c. ; Tsa 


il.'i 


II 


V,7 


fik. 


«1- 


1.5; Heb 


;m7 


IH, 


dch. 32:11, 


W. 


' Matt. 


17:17. 


tExod. 


16 


la. 


Kr 


h. 


:J. 


. tHeb 


blten 




my hand; G 


en 


H:'ii. 


l>Psa. 


06:24. 


■ 1 


Cor. 10:5. 


1 


OT,fttd. 


ich. 


32 


13; Psa. 107 


40. 



20. According to thy word; God so far hearkened to Jfo- 
808 as to spare the people for a time, and to bring their 
children into the promised land. Ver. 31. 

21. But as truly as I live— filled with the glory of the Lord; 
though Jehovali, upon the intercession of Moses, would 
spare the people from immediate destruction, he would yet 
deal with them in such a way as to manifest to all the earth 
his glorious attributes, mingling justice with mercy. 

22. Ten times; that is, often, a definite number for an in- 
definite. 

25. Dwelt in the valley; probably the valley at the foot 
of the hill mentioned ver. 40, 41, whence they could easily 
take possession of the hill-top. Ver. 4,S. These words 
are inserted by Moses in a parenthetical waj', to cxjilain 
the reason of the command that follows. • 

31. Ye said; ver. 3. 

33. Bear your whoredoms; sufi'er the effects of their sins. 
Exod. 20:5. Apostiisy from God is spiritual whoredom. 
Deut. 31: 16. Forty years; from the time they left Egypt. 

34. Kiwiv my breach of promise; or my turning away 
from you; that is. experience its bitter effects in your 
destruction. 

39. These sayings; what God had told him. Yer. 29-35. 

40. Tltc monnti'in : which lies north-west of Kadesh. 



derncss forty years,' and bear your whoredoms," 
until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness. 

34 After the number of the days in which ye 
searched the land, even forty days,' each day for a 
year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, 
and ye shall know my breach of promise.*"' 

35 I the Lord have said," I will surely do it 
unto all this evil congregation," that are gathered 
together against me : in this wilderness they shall 
be consumed, and there they shall die. 

36 And the men which Moses sent to search the 
land, who returned, and made all the congregation 
to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander 
upon the land,'' 

37 Even those men that did bring up the evil 
report upon the land, died by the plague before 
the Lord. 'I 

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son 
of Jephunneh, which loere of the men that went to 
search the land, lived still.'' 

39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the chil- 
dren of Israel : and the people mourned greatly.^ 

40 1" And they rose up early in the morning, and 
gat them up into the top of the moimtain, saying, 
Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which 
the Lord hath promised : for we have sinned. 

41 And Moses said. Wherefore now do ye trans- 
gress the commandment of the Lord ?' but it shall 
not prosper. 

42 Go not up, for the Lord is not among you ; 
that ye be not smitten before your enemies. 

43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are 
there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword : 
because ye are turned away from the Lord," there- 
fore the Lord will not be with you. 

44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill-top : 
nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the Lord,'' 
and Moses, departed not out of the camp. 

45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the 
Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote 
them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.^ 



kjer.3 


1, 


■•; K™ 


k. 23:35; Hos 


fl-1 




ch. 13:25. 


«0r 


all,r 




pose. 


m.li- 


r.l8:! 


10; 


Lam.3:.31-33 




oh. 23; 19. 


ver 


27. 


Pch. 13:31,32. 


qlCor 


HI 


10; H 


17; Jude 


5 r 


nh 


26:65: Josh 
vch. l6:33. 


. 14 


6,111 


■ Exod. 33:4; 


Isa. 26 


16. 


Iver 


2.5. 


u 2 Chr. 


15:2 




wc 


h.2l 


3; Judg. 1:17. 



45. Hormali; a place in the south part of Canaan, not 
many miles from Kadesh. It was before called Zephath. 
Chap. 21:3; Judg. 1:17. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. A long course of bondage, whether bodilj' or spirit- 
ual, is suited to produce a weak and cowardly spirit; to 
degrade and debase the human mind, and unfit it for great 
and noble deeds. 

9. Rebellion against God is the great cause of human 
sorrow. By trusting in him and doing his will, men may 
obtain all needed blessings, in the best way, at the right 
time, and with only those sacrifices which will in the end 
promote their highest good. 

10. The most unreasonable men are most ready to use 
mob violence. Instead of answering their opponents, 
they attempt to kill them. Sometimes they for a time 
succeed, but often they bring ruin on themselves. Acts 
7:59. 

II. Men may see the most stupendous miracles, and re- 
ceive the greatest temporal mercies, and yet remain ene- 
mies to God. No means, without the converting influences 
of his Spirit, will ever lead them to love and serve him. 

1(5. Good men dread what will dishonor God more than 
189 



Law of t fie mtat-offering, 



NC.MP.KKS XV. 



and of the drink-offering. 



CHAPTER XV 



1 Tht law of Ihr in<-»l-(.(T,rlnK iinJ ll.c drink<fl>rin({. 11. 00 Tl.<- 
■trsnger ii under the vane law. 17 The law of the (iril of the iloiijjii 
for » neavc-offering. 22 The sacrifice for «iii» of i|^ontncc. 30 Tlie 
puniihiupiil of prcaiimplion. 'il He tliat violated the sabbath is 
•toniHl. 37 Tlic law of fringes. 

AND tlic Loiii) ppakc unto Jfo.^os, sayinj^, 
2 Spoiik tmto the children of Israel, and say 
nnto them. When ye he come into the land of your 
habitations, whicli I give unto you, 

3 And will make an offering by fire nnto the 
Loitn," a burnt-oflcring. or a sacriiice in jierform- 
intr* a vow,'' or in a freewill-ofl'ering, or in your 
solemn feasts,'^ to make a sweet savor unto the 
Loun,'' of the herd, or of tiie flock : 

4 Tlien shall lie that offereth liis offering unto 
the Lord bring a meat-offering of a tenth-deal of 
flour.'' mingled with tlie fourth part of a hin of oil.'' 

5 And tlie fourth part of a hin of wine for a 
drink-offering slialt thou pre]iare with the burnt- 
offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. 

6 Or for a ram, thou shall prepare for a meat- 
offering two tenth-deals of flour, mingled with the 
third part of a hin of oil. 

7 And for a drink-offering thou shalt offer the 
third part of a hin of wine,ybr a sweet savor unto 
the Loud. 

8 And when thou preparest a bullock /or a burnt- 
offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or 
peace-offerings unto the L(jitn;'^ 

9 Then shall he bring with a Imllock a meat- 
offering of three tenth-deals of flour, mingled with 
half a hill of oil.'' 

10 And thou shalt bring for a drink-offering half 
a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a 
sweet savor unto the Lord. 

11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for 
one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.' 

12 According to the number that ye shall pre- 
pare, so shall ye do to every one according to 
their number. 

13 All that are born of the country shall do these 
things after this manner, in offering an offering 
made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 



a Lev. 1:3,3. • Heb. .upariitin^ ^ Lev. 27:3. b Lpv. 7:16; •>2:1S, 21. 
t Lev.23:i. 12. <1 Kxod. 2'J:18. ' Exod. 29:40; Lev. 23:13. f ch. 2n:5, 
etc.; Lev. 14:10. eLev.7:ll. li ch. 2d:12, etc. ich.23. ) ver. 29; ch. 
9:14; Exod. 12:49. k Deut. 20:1, etc. 1 Josh. 5: 11, 12. n. Prov. 3:9. 10. 



any temporal evils, and desire the promotion of his glory 
mure than the reception of all temporal mercies. 

20. Tlie righteous are often the means of averting great 
calamities from the wicked, and bringing upon them un- 
speakable good. 

21. (lod will bestow mercy only in such a way as is 
consistent with justice, wisdom, goodness, and truth — 
only in such a way as will glorify himself, give a correct 
view of his character, and fill the hearts of all holy beings 
with admiration and delight. 

24. Steadfastness in duty, however unpopular or dan- 
gerous, is the way to glory, honor, and blessedness. 

28. (!od sometimes takes men at their word, and evils 
which they wickedly imprecate, he in righteous judgment 
brings upon them. 

33. Many evils come upon children in consequence of 
the sins of parents ; but. if they do not imitate their par- 
ents, nor disobey God, lie will overrule these evils for 
their highest good. Ver. 31. 

38. In due time, all will see the difference between the 
righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God 
and hira that serveth him not. 
190 



14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, n "uSo! 
or whosoever be among you in your generations, 
and will offer an ofleriiig made by fire, of a sweet 
savor unto the Loiui ; as ye do. so he shall do. 

1.") One ordinance shall be both for you of the con- 
gregation, and also Ibr the stranger that sojonrn- 
etli irith you,' an ordinance for ever in your gen- 
erations: as yc arc, so shall the stranger be before 
the Lord. 

1() One law and one manner shall be for you, and 
for the stranger that sojourneth with you. 

17 H And the Lord sjiake unto Moses, saying, 

15 Speak nnto the ciiildrcn of Israel, and say 
unto tliein, When ye come into the land whither 
I bring you,"" 

19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the 
bread of the land,' ye shall oft'er up a heave-offer- 
ing unto the Lord. 

20 Ye shall ofl'cr up a cake of the first of your 
dough ybr a heave-olfering:'" as ye do the heave- 
offering of the threshing-floor," so shall ye heave it. 

21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto 
the Lord a heave-offering in your generations. 

22 If And if ye have erred," and not observed 
all these commandments, which the Lord hath 
spoken unto Moses, 

23 AVn all that the Lord hath commanded yon 
by the hand of Moses, from the day that the Lord 
commanded Moses, and henceforward among your 
generations ; 

24 Then it shall be, if avght be committed by 
ignorance without the knowledge* of the congre- 
gation, that all the congregation shall ofter one 
young bullock for a burnt-offering, for a sweet 
savor unto the Lord, with his meat-offering,'' and 
his drink-offering, according to the manner,* and 
one kid of the goats for a sin-offering.'' 

25 And the priest shall make an atonement for 
all the congregation of the children of Israel, and 
it shall be forgiven them ; for it is ignorance : "■ and 
they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by 
fire nnto the Lord, and their sin-offering before 
the Lord, for their ignorance: 



n Lev. 23:10. o Lev. 4:2. etc. t Heb. /re 
orilinanct. q ch. 2d: 15; Lev. 4:23; Ezra 
1 Tim. 1:13; Hob. 5:2. 



41. As the Lord never brings evils upon any but for the 
wisest and best reasons, when he docs bring them, nom- 
should murmur against hira, but all should cheerfully sub- 
mit, feeling that he afflicts them less than their iniquities 
deserve, and saying, It is the Lord ; let him do as seemeth 
good in his sight. 

CHAPTER XV. 

2. Ye; the children of those who were to die in the 
wilderness. Chap. 14:31. The land of your habitations; 
Canaan. In the wilderness, which was a land not sown 
nor planted with vineyards, they would not all be able to 
comply with these requirements. 

4. A tenth-deal — a hm ; an ephah contained between thir- 
ty-four and thirty-five quarts. A tenth-deal was the 
tenth, and a hin the seventh part of an ephah. 

14. As ye do, so he shall do; not only to prevent the 
introduction of heathenish rites, but to convey the idea 
that there is one religion and one way of salvation for 
Jews and Gentiles. 

24. According to the manner; the manner above directed 
for the meat-offering, ver. 9, 10. 



Oiie is stoned for 



NUMBERS XVI. 



violatin'' the Sabbath. 



B.c'im' 26 And it shall be forgiven all the con- 
gregation of the children of Israel, and the stran- 
ger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the 
people were in ignorance. 

27 "! And if any soul sin through ignorance," 
then he shall bring a she-goat of the first year for 
a sin-ofl'oring. 

28 And the priest shall make an atonement for 
the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth 
by ignorance before tlic Lord, to make an atone- 
ment for him;*" and it shall be forgiven him. 

29 Ye shall have one law for him tliat sinneth* 
through ignorance, both for him that is born among 
the children of Israel, and for the stranger that 
sojourneth among tlicm.'^ 

30 1 But tlie soul that doeth aught presumptu- 
ously,* whether he be born in tlie land, or a stranger, 
tlie same reproacheth the Lord ; and that soul 
shall be cut off from among his people.'' 

31 Because he hath despised the word of tlie 
LoRD,*^ and hath broken liis commandment, that 
soul shall utterly be cut off; liis iniquity shall be 
upon him.' 

32 IT And while the children of Israel were in 
the wilderness, they found a man that gathered 
sticks ui»on the sabbatli-day." 

33 And they that found him gathering sticks 
brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all 
the congregation. 

3-1 And they put him in ward,'' because it was 
not declared what sliould be done to him. 

35 And the Lord said unto Moses, The man 
shall be surely put to death :' all the congregation 
shall stone him with stones without the camp.J 

36 And all the congregation brought him with- 
out the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he 
died;'' as the Lord commanded Moses. 



i Lev. 4:27, 2S. b LeT. 4:35. 


• lleh. doeth. t Rom. 3:29, 30. t Heb. 


ickA a high liand. i Dcut. 17 


12; Psa. 19:13; Heb. 10:26; 2 Pet. 2:10. 


« a .Sam. 12:9; Prov. 13:13; Act 


13:41; Heb. 10:25,29. t Lev. 5:1; Psa. 


.13:4: Ezck. 18:20; 2 Pet. 2:21. 


S Exod. .35:2.3. h Lev. 24:12. i Exod. 


3l:l4, 1.5. j Lev. 24:14. k Josh. 


7:23. 1 Deut. 22:12; Matt. 23:5. m Deut. 



28. Sinneth ignorantly; through carelessness or inatten- 
tion, violating some law without at the time being aware 
of if. 

30. Doeth aught presumptuously; violates a known law by 
design, and in defiance, of Jehovah. 

31. His iniquity shall be upon him; shall rest upon him 
unforgiven, requiring his punishment. 

32. Gathered sticks upon the sabbath-day; presumptuously, 
in open defiance of God and his laws. Ver. 30, 31. 

38. A ribbon of blue; to distinguish them as the true 
worshippers of God from their heathen neighbors, and to 
remind them of the law of God and their duty to keep it. 
In our Lord's day the Pharisees made this precept the 
occasion of vain ostentation ; keeping it in the letter, but 
breaking it in the spirit. Matt. 23:5. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Though ever so many prove unfaithful to God, and 
cut themselves off from his blessings, it will not aimul his 
faithfulness, or render his promises of no efi"ect. Rom. 
3:3,4. 

l(i. Persons of all nations may have access to God 
through .Jesus Christ, and by faith in him may be freely 
pardoned, sanctified, and saved; whether they be Jews or 
Gentiles, high or low, bond or free. 

21. God is the giver of all our mercies, and in partaking 
of them we should gratefully acknowledge and adore him. 
Prov. 3:6; Phil. 4:6. 



37 ^ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid 
them that they make them fringes in the borders 
of their garments throughout their generations,' 
and that they put upon the fringe of the borders 
a ribbon of blue : 

39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye 
may look upon it, and remember all the com- 
mandments of the Lord, and do tlicm ; and that 
ye seek not after your own heart and your own 
eyes,'" after which ye use to go a whoring:" 

40 That ye may remember, and do all my com- 
mandments," and be holy unto your God.'' 

41 I am the Lord your God,'' which brought you 
out of the land of Egypt, to be your God :" I am 
the Lord your God. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 The rebellion of Korah, D,^than, and Atiram. 23 Moses separateih 
tlie people from the rebels' tents. 31 The earth swalloweth up Ko- 
rah, and a fire consumeth others. 36 The censers are reserved to 
Iloly use. 41 Fourteen thousand and seven hundred are slain bjr a. 
plague for murmuring against Moses and Aaron. 46 Aaron by in- 
cense stayeth the plague. 

ATOW Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Ko- 
i_\ hath, the son of Levi, and Datlian and Abi- 
ram, the sons of Eliab," and On, the son of Peleth, 
sons of Reuben, took 7nen: 

2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain 
of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty 
princes of the assembly, famous in the congrega- 
tion, men of renown:' 

3 ^Vnd tliey gathered themselves together against 
Moses and against Aaron," and said unto them, 
Ye take too much upon you,* seeing all the congre- 
gation are holy,^ every one of them, and the Lord 
is among them;'" wherefore then lift ye up your- 
selves above the congregation of the Lord ? 



29:19; 


Job 31: 


7; Jer. 9 


14 


Ezek 


6:9 


nPsa 


73- 


27; 106:.39. 


oPsa 


119:4. 


P Lev 


11:44. 


45. q L 


=v 


22:33. 


r Heb. 11 


Hi. 


s ch. 26:! 


; Exod 


6:21: 


Jude 11. 1 ch 


26:9. I 


H 


a. 106:16. 


1 Heb 


Iti 


s Jnuch for 


you. V 


Exod. 


19:6. 


wExod 


29:45. 



















26. The law of God is exceeding broad. We often vio- 
late it through inattention, without at the time being 
aware of it; and are in continual need of pardoning mer- 
cy through Christ. Psa. 19:13. 

30. The open transgression of known divine laws is a 
reproach upon their Author, and brings upon the soul his 
awful displeasure. 

36. Wilful sabbath-breaking, in opposition to the known 
command of God, is a sin of presumption, and exposes 
those who practise it to be cut off for ever from his favor. 

39. The disciples of Christ should be continually miml- 
ful of their high calling; and should endeavor to be so 
distinguished from the men of this world in their daily 
spirit and conduct, that all may recognize them as the 
true children of God. 

40. All the directions of God are designed and adapteil 
to make his people holy, to remind them of their obliga- 
tions, and lead them so to keep his commandments as to 
receive the blessings of his everlasting love. 

CHAPTER XYI. 

2. Famou.s in the congregation ; rather, "the called of the 
congregation." See note to chap. 1 : 16. 

3. Arc holy; they mean to say that they all stand in as 
near a relation to (Jod as Aaron and Moses, and ought not 
to be excluded from priestly oflices. Abore the congrega- 
tion ; by acting as rulers and taking the direction of their 
concerns. Ver. 10, 13, 28. 

191 



TTu- rebellion of Korah, 



MM in: IIS XVI. 



Dalhan, and Ahiram. 



■1 Ami wlicn JInsos lioard //. he foil ujion liis 
fucc:* 

5 And lie spiiko unto Korali and unto all his 
company, savinur. Kvon to-morrow tho Ijoum will 
show who are his, ami who is holy ;'' and will canso 
/lim to come iii'ar unto him:^' oven him whom he 
hath chosen'' will he cause to come near unto him.' 

6 This ilo : Take you censers. Korah, and all his 
company : 

7 Ami pat lire (herein, and put incense in them 
liefore the Loun to-morrow: and it shall be thai 
the mau whom the Loud doth choose, he shall be 
holy : ' ye take too much upon you,'-' ye sons of Levi. 

8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, 1 pray you, 
ye sons of Levi : 

!) Scemeth it but a small thing unto you,'' that the 
God of Israel hath scjiaratcd you from the ct)ngrc- 
jjation of Israel.' to liring you near to himself to do 
tlie service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to 
stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 

10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and 
all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and 
seek ye the priesthood also ? 

11 For which cause both thou and all thy com- 
pany are gathered together against the Lord: and 
what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?J 

12 ^ And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, 
thesonsof Eliab; which said, We will not come up: 

13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us 
up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey,'' 
to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thy- 
self altogether a prince over us?' 

14 iloreover. thou hast not brought us into a land 
that floweth with milk and honey,'" or given us in- 
heritance of fields and vineyards : wilt thou put out* 
the eyes of these men? we will not come up. 

15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto 
the Lord, Respect not thou their offering:" I 
have not taken one ass from them," neither have I 
hurt one of them. 

16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all 
thy company before the Lord, thou, and they, and 
Aaron, to-morrow : 

17 And take every man his censer, and put in- 
cense in them, and bring ye before the Lord every 
man his censer ,p two hundred and fifty censers ; 
thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 

18 And they took every man his censer, and put 
tire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood 
in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation 
with Moses and Aaron. 



« Ch. 14:5; 20:6. b Lev. 21 :G, etc. » Heb. 12:14. J ch. 17:5. e oh. 
■i:lO; Lev. 10;:); 21:17, 18; Ezek. 40:46; 44:15. 16. ' Eph. 1:4. g Hub. 
.'5:4. h vcr. W; Isi. 7:1.3. i ch. :!:41. 4.5; 8:14; Dout. 10:8. J Exod. 16:8; 
1 Sam. 8:7; Acts 5:4; 1 Cor. 3:5. k ver. 9. lExod.2;14. ni Exod. 3:8; 
Lev. 20:24. • Heb. bore out. » Gen. 4:5; Isa. 1:10-15. ■> I Sam. 12:3; 
Acts 20:33; 2 Cot. 7:2. PlSam.l2:7. 1ch.l4:10. r ver. 45 ; Rev. 18:4. 



4. He fell upon his face; expressing his deep sense of 
their guilt and danger. 

5. Will he cause to come near; God would show whom he 
had chosen to be priest and leader in his worship. 

7. The man whom the Lord doth choose; that is, as priest. 
This he will do by giving some token of approbation of 
his conduct. He shall be holy; acknowledged and treated 
us high-priest. 

II. Against the Lord; their conduct was rebellion against 
his arrantrement. and of course against him. 
192 



l!» And Korah gathered all the congre- a. m. ssi^ 
gation against them unto the door of the i«i- 
tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of 
the Lord a])]icarcd unto all the congregation.'' 

20 And the LouD spake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, saying, 

21 Separate j'ourselves from among this congre- 
gation,'^ that I may consume them in a moment." 

22 And they fell upon their faces,' and said, 
God, the God of the spirits of all flesh," shall one 
man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the con- 
gregation?'' 

23 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you 
up from about the talfcrnacle of Korah, Dathan, 
and Abiram. 

25 Ami Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and 
Abiram ; and the elders of Israel followed him. 

20 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, 
Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked 
men,"' and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be con- 
sumed in all their sins. 

27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, 
Dathan. and Abiram, on every side : and Dathan 
and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of 
their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and 
their little children. 

28 And Moses said. Hereby ye shall know that 
the Lord hath sent me to do all these works;* for 
/ have not dotie them of mine own mind.^ 

29 If these men die the common death of all 
men,* or if they be visited after the visitation of 
all men;^ then the Lord hath not sent me. 

30 But if the Lord make a new thing,* and the 
earth open her mouth, and swallow them up," with 
all that appertain unto them, and they go down 
(juick into the pit;'' then ye shall understand that 
these men have provoked the Lord. 

31 \\ And it came to pass, as he had made an 
end of speaking all these words, that the ground 
clave asunder that was under them : 

32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swal- 
lowed them up,'' and their houses, and all the men 
that appertai?ied unto Korah, and all their goods. 

33 They, and all that appertained to them, went 
down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon 
them : and they perished from among the congre- 
gation. 

34 And all Israel that were round about them 
fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the 
earth swallow us up also. 



' Heb. 12:23, 29. 1 ch. 14:5. « ch. 27:16: Job 12:10; Eccl. 12:7; Isa. 
57:16; Zech. 12:1; Heb. 12:9. v Gen. 18:32; Josh. 7:1, etc.; Rom. 5:18. 
"Gen. 19:12,14; Isa. 52:11; 2 Cor. B: 17; 1 Tim. 5:22; Rev. 18:4. > Exod. 
3:12; Zech. 2:9; John 5:36. y Jer. 23:16. t Heb. as every man dieth. 
2 Isa. 10:3. \ 'aeh. create a treature. » .lob 31:3. b ver. 33; Psa. 55:15. 
'ch. 26:10, 11; Deut. 11:6; Tsa. 100:17, 18. 



14. Put out the eyes of these men; treat them as blind, and 
attempt to lead them at pleasure. 

15. Respect not thou their offering; regard it not willi 
favor, but with just indignation. 

30. Quick; alive. Yer. 33. 

33. All that appertained to them ; all that belonged to them 
and were with them. The children of Korah, who were 
manifestly not present in this seditious assembly, died 
not. Chap. 26:11. His posterity are subsequently men- 
tioned among the servants of God. 1 ('hr. 9:1!': 26:1. 



The. people murmuring, 



NUMBERS XVII. 



t/ic plague slaytth viany. 



A M. 2533. 35 And there came out a fire from the 
■ 1471.°" Lord," and consumed the two hundred and 
fifty men that offered incense." 

36 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the 
j)riest, tliat he take up the censers out of the burn- 
ing, and scatter thou the fire yonder ; for they 
are hallowed." 

38 The censers of these sinners against their 
own souls,'' let them make them broad plates /or 
a covering of the altar : for they offered them be- 
fore the Lord, therefore they are hallowed: and 
they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.*-' 

39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen cen- 
sers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered ; 
and they were made broad plates for a covering 
of the altar : 

40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, 
that no stranger,'' which is not of the seed of 
Aaron, come near to offer incense before the Lord ; 
that he be not as Korah, and as his company : as 
the Lord said to him by the hand of Moses. 

41 ir But on the morrow all the congregation of 
the children of Israel murmured against Moses 
and against Aaron," saying. Ye have killed the 
people of the Lord. 

42 And it came to pass, when the congregation 
was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, 
that they looked toward the tabernacle of the 
congregation: and behold, the cloud covered it," 
and the glory of the Lord appeared.' 

43 And Moses and Aaron came before the taber- 
nacle of the congregation. 

44 ^ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

45 Get you up from among this congregation,^ 
that I may consume them as in a moment. And 
they fell upon their faces.'' 



«Ch 


II 1 


• T,pv 


10:2. bver 


17 


cT. 


»v. 


27 


». 


d| 


rov 


8:.%; 


20:2- 


H.ib. 


2:10. 


ech. 


17:10 


Ezek. 14:8. 


f 


nh. :i 


10 


2 


Chr 


2« 


IH. 


f oh 


14:2 


Psa,. 


11)8:25, 




hExod. 40:34. i 


ve 


.19. 


) 


eer 


21, 


24. 


k 


ver. i 


; ch. 


20:6. 



35. Two hundred and fifty men; verses 2, 17. 

37. Out of the burning; from the fire that had destroyed 
the men. They are Iwllowed; the censers, or pans for in- 
cense, were set apart for the sacred purpose mentioned 
in verses 38-40. 

46. Make an atonement for them; by offering the incense 
til the Lord, and suppHcating his mercy ; thus typifying 
llie atonement and intercession of Christ. 

4S. The plague was stayed ; expressive of the efficacy of 
the great atoning sacrifice and the all-prevalent interces- 
sion of Christ. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. When some are raised to power and influence, others 
often overlook the hand of God in their elevation, and as- 
cribe it all to men ; and instead of being contented with 
the place which he assigns them, and seeking to discharge 
its duties, they envy and blame those above them, and, in 
so doing, find fault with God. 

7. Servants of God, in the use of suitable means, are 
disposed to refer their cause, and that of their friends, to 
him; and in faith, patience, and prayer, to wait for his 
decision. 

II. Men who ungratefully overlook the goodness of God 
to them, neglect the appropriate duties of their station, and 
ambitiously strive to usurp the places of those above them, 
are under the influence of pride and ripening for ruin. 

15. AYhen falsely charged with baseness and crime, 
conscious integrity, and the expectation that God will 
vindicate tlKKe who trust in and obev him. give unfailing 
13 



46 T And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a cen- 
ser, and put fire therein from off the altar, and 
put on incense, and go quickly unto the congre- 
gation, and make an atonement for them: for 
there is wrath gone out from the Lord ; ' the 
plague is begun. 

47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and 
ran into the midst of the congregation; and be- 
hold, the plague was begun among the people:'" 
and he put on incense, and made an atonement for 
the people." 

48 And he stood between the dead and the liv- 
ing;" and the plague was stayed.P 

49 Now they that died in the plague were four- 
teen thousand and seven hundred, besides them 
that died about the matter of Korah. 

50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the 
door of the tabernacle of the congregation : and 
the plague was stayed. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 Aaron's rod among all the rods of the tribes only flourisheth. 10 It 
is left for a monument against the rebels. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and 
take of every one of them a rod according to the 
house of their fathers,' of all their princes accord- 
ing to the house of their fathers, twelve rods: 
write thou every man's name upon his rod. 

3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the 
I'od of Levi : for one rod shall be for the head of 
the house of their fathers. 

4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle 
of the congregation before the testimony, where I 
will meet with you.'' 

5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod. 
whom I shall choose,'' shall blossom: and I will 



1 ch. 11:33; 18:5; Lev. 10:6; 1 Chr. 27:24. m Psa. 106:29. n Deut. 33:10. 
o Heb. 7:24. 25. P 1 Chr. 21:26, 27; Psa. 106:30. q Ezek. 37:16. r Exod. 
25:22; 29:42, 43; 30:36. s ch. 16:5. 



support, and prepare the soul to go forward in duty with 
fii-mness, courage, and success. Psa. 37 : 3-9. 

26. All such connection with the wicked as tends to en- 
courage them in sin, and all appearance of conniving at their 
transgressions, should be carefully avoided. 2 Cor. 6:17. 

33. Though this is a state of ti-ial rather than of retri- 
bution, God sometimes manifests his hati-ed of sin in such 
a manner as to show that he is a God that judgeth in the 
earth, and that the wages of sin is death. Psa. 58:11; 
Rom. 6:23. 

41. Punishment of itself will not change the hearts of 
the wicked, or lead them to love and serve God. Such a 
change, whenever it takes place, is by the grace of God, 
through the influences of the Holy Spirit. 

48. A good man is kind, compassionate, and forgiving ; 
and does not desire the destruction of the wicked, how- 
ever much they may have injured him. 

49. No finite mind can fully comprehend the evil of sin. 
It has slain not only thousands, but millions and hundreds 
of millions. Deliverance from it is the greatest of bless- 
ings, and all who receive this blessing will be for ever in- 
debted for it to the Father, the Son, and the Holj' Ghost. 
None who continue to love and practise sin can escape 
perdition. Ezek. 33:11. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

5. Wiorn I shall chooae; to be high-priest. MaJce to 
cease — the murmurings ; about the priesthood, by showing 
his will with regard to it. 

193 



AaroiCs rod buJdeth. 



NUMBERS XVIII. 



T/ie charge of the Leoiles. 



inako to cease from mc the nnirniuriiifis of the 
chililreu of Israel, whereby tlicy niurinur against 
you." 

6 1 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, 
and every one of their princes gave liim a rod 
apiece, for each prince one,* according to liieir 
fatiier's liouses, ci'cn twelve rods: and the rod of 
Aaron i/ws' among tiieir rods. 

7 And Moses laid up the rods before the Lord 
in the tabernacle of witness."* 

8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses 
went into the tabernacle of witness; and behold, 
the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was bud- 
ded," and brought forth buds, and bloomed blos- 
soms, and yielded almonds. 

9 And mioses brought out all the rods from be- 
fore the Loud unto all the children of Israel : and 
they looked, and took every man his rod. 

It) T^ And the Lord said unto Moses, Bring 
Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be 
kept for a token against the rebels;*'' and thou 
shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, 
that they die not. 

11 And Moses did so: as the Lord commanded 
him, so did he. 

12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, 
saying. Behold, we die, wc perish, we all perish.^' 

13 Whosoever cometh' any thing near unto the 
tabernacle of the Lord shall die:"-' shall we be 
consumed with dying? 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



I The charge of the priests and Levites. 8 The priests' portion. 21 
The Levites' port' "'".■■ ™ . . 

Levites' portion. 



The Levites' portion. 2-5 The heave-offerin, 



The pri 
gto tlie 



priests out of the 



AND the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy 
sons and thy father's house with thee shall 
bear the iniquity of the sanctuary:'' and thou and 
thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your 
priesthood. 
2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the 



»Ch. 16:11. • llith. arod for one prince. a rod for one prinre. b Exod. 
38:21; Acls7;44. ' Psa. 110:2; Ezek. 19:12, 14. Mlnb. c/iiUren of rebel- 
lion. dHeb. 0:4. « Psa. 90:7; Isa. 57:16. t ch. 1:S1, .W; lo:4, 7. e Eph. 
2:13; Heb. 10:19-22. t Exod. 2S:33; Isa. 53:6, 11; 1 Pet. 2:24. i Gen. 



10. Their murmurings ; on account of the priesthood's 
being confined to the family of Aaron. 

12. Wc die — we all perish; words of terror and despond- 
ency, in view of the severe and oft-repeated judgments 
which had fallen upon them. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. To the clear manifestations of the divine will aU 
should cheerfully submit ; and they who do not, incur the 
guilt of rebelling against God. 

8. (iod is the author of nature as well as of grace. All 
its laws are under his direction, and subject to his control. 

10. God uses all reasonable and proper means to pre- 
vent men from continuing in sin ; but his mercies, if per- 
verted and abused, will increase their guilt and aggravate 
their ruin. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1. Thou and thy sons and thy father's house; this includes 
the Levites with the priests ;' for by his father's house are 
meant the sons of Levi. Bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; 
of all the service pertaining to the sanctuary. It was 
now sho'WTi that Aaron and his sons were confirmed in 
the honors of the priesthood, and the Lord informed him 
li'l 



tril)c of thy father, bring thou with thee, ami™. 
tiiat they may be joined unto liiee,' and min- hti' 
ister unto thee:' but tiiou and thy sons with theo 
shaU minister before tlie tabernacle of witness.'' 

:} And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge 
of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come 
nigh the ves.sels of the sanctuary and the altar,' 
that neither they, nor ye also, die. 

4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep 
the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, 
for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stran- 
ger shall not come nigh unto you. 

5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, 
and the charge of the altar;'" that there be no 
wrath any more upon the children of Israel." 

G And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the 
Levites from among the children of Israel : to you 
they arc given as a gift for the Lord," to do the 
service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall 
keep your priest's office for every thing of the 
altar,'' and within the veil ;'' and ye shall serve: I 
have given your priest's office vnto you as a ser- 
vice of gift : and the stranger that cometh nigh 
shall be put to death. 

8 H And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I 
also have given thee the charge of my heavc-ofi'er- 
ings of all the hallowed things of the children of 
Israel ;■■ unto thee have I given them by reason of 
the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance 
for ever.' 

9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, re- 
served from the fire : every oblation of theirs, every 
meat-offering of theirs,' and every sin-oflering of 
theirs," and every trespass-oflering of theirs,' which 
they shall render unto mc, shall be most holy for 
thee and for thy sons. 

10 In tlic most holy place shalt thou eat it;™ 
every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. 

11 And this is thine ; the heave-offering of their 
gift,'' with all the Avave-offerings of the children 



29:34. 


jch.3:6. 7. tch. 3:10, 


to. 1 ch. 16:40. m Exod. 30:7, etc. ; Lev. 


24:3. 


« ch. 16:46. o ch. 8:19. 


Pver. 5. qHeb. 9:3. 6. rch. 5:9;LeT. 


7:32. 


»Exod. 29:29; 40:13, 15. 


1 Lev. 2:2, 3 ; 10:12, 13. " Lev. 6:25, 26. 


'Lev. 


7:7; 14:13. "Lev. 6:16, 


etc. xver.8. 



that they must bear its responsibilities. If any thing 
should be done wrong, they would be accountable. 77ioi( 
and thy so?).s,- this includes only the priests. 

4. A stranger ; one not of the tribe of Levi. 

5. Keep the charge of the .mnctuary; to see that every 
thing with regard to the worship of God was done ac- 
cording to his direction. 

C. Do the service; the less sacred and more laborious 
parts of it. 

7. The stranger ; one not of the family of Aaron. 

8. The charge of my heave-offerings ; the heave-offerings 
and wave-oflferings were presented under the priest's iti- 
rection, and then, as a general rule, went to his mainte- 
nance. Compare ver. 11. 

9. Reserved from the fire; from such offerings as were 
partly burnt upon the altar. Meat-offering — sin-offering — 
trespass-offering ; the meat-offerings were the unbloody ob- 
lations of flour, cakes, etc. After a portion of these had 
been burned on the altar, the rest fell to the priest. The 
same was the law in respect to sin-offerings and trespass- 
offerings. But the pcace-otferings belonged to the offerer, 
with the exception of the wave-breast and heave-shoul- 
der. Thus a provision was made for the supjiort of the 
priests and their faniilirs. See Lev. chap. 7. 



The portion of the 



NUMBERS XVIII. 



priests and Lcvilcs. 



ij.cS of Israel: I have given them unto thee, 
1171. ■" and to thy sons and to thy daua-liters with 
thee by a statute for ever : " every one that is clean 
in thy house shall eat of it.'' 

12 All the best* of the oil, and all the best of 
the wine, and of the wlieat, the first-fruits of them 
which they shall offer unto the Lord,'= them have 
I given thee. 

13 Jlnd whatsoever is first ripe in tlie land, wliich 
they sliall bring unto the Lord, sliall be thine ; 
every one that is clean in tliy house shall eat of it. 

li Every tiling devoted in Israel shall be tliine.'' 

15 Every thing that openetli the matri.K in all 
flesh,*" which they bring unto the Lord, whether it 
be of men or beasts, shall be thine : nevertheless 
the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem,'' 
and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou re- 
deem. 

16 And those tliat are to be redeemed from a 
month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine 
estimation,'^ for the money of five shekels,'' after the 
shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.' 

17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of 
a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not 
redeem ;■■ they are holy : thou shalt sprinkle their 
blood upon the altar," and shalt burn their fatybr 
an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor unto 
the Lord. 

18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the 
wave-breast and as the right shoulder are thine.' 

19 All the heave- offerings of the holy things, 
which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, 
have I given thee, and tliy sons and thy daughters 
with thee, by a statute for ever:™ it is a covenant 
of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to 
thy seed with thee." 

20 *! And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt 
liave no inheritance in their land," neither shalt 
thou iiave any part among them : I am thy part and 
thine inheritance among the cliildren of Israel." 

21 And behold, I have given tiie cliildren of 
Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance," for 



a Deut. 13:3. b Lev. •3->:-2 
Neh. 10:35, 38. i Lev. a7:-2S. 
sLev. a7:'2, 6. h oh. 3: 47. i] 
Lev. 3:2, 5; Heb. 12:a4. 1 Ex 
•2:13; -2 Chr. 13:5. o ch. 2i:S 



• Heb. /n(. <: ExoJ, ■2!:l'Jj Deut. 1S:4; 
^ Exod. 13:2; 22:-29. 'E.xod. 13:13; 34:-20. 
;ek. 45:12. J Deut. 15:19. k Exod. 2'J: IB; 
I. -la-.-X. 23; Lev. 7:34. m vpr. 11. " Lev. 
p Deut. 10:9; 12:12; 14:27, 29; 19:1,2; 



12. The best of the oil^tke best of the wine; the refer- 
ence here is to the first-fruits of the wine and oil, of 
■wliich it was the duty of the Israelites to give a jior- 
tion to the priest, and which were to be of the best 
quality. 

14. Devoted; solemnly given to God. Provided it was 
any thing that might be eaten or otherwise consumed, it 
went to the priest. But vessels of gold, silver, or brass, 
went to the service of the sanctuary. 

15. Shalt thou redeem; this was done by the priest's re- 
ceiving a specified sum of money in exchange for it. 

16. That are to be redeemed; that is, of men. The first- 
born of unclean beasts were to be redeemed by a lamb. 
Exod. 13:13. Accordi7ig to thine estimation; that is, accord- 
ing to the valuation prescribed to thee in the law; for 
this was not left wholly to the priest's discretion. 

19. A covenant of salt ; a perpetual, permanent covenant. 

20. No inheritance; no landed property. 

21. T/ie tenth ; a tenth part of the produce or increase 
of the property of the other tribes. 

23. T/iey shall hear their iniquity; if auy thing is done 
wrong, they shall bear the blame. 



their service which they serve, even the service 
of the tabernacle of the congregation. 

22 Neitlier must the children of Israel hence- 
forth come nigh the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, lest they bear sin, and die.*'' 

23 But the Levites shall do the service of the 
tabernacle of the congregation,^ and they shall 
bear their iniquity : it shall be a statute for ever 
throughout your generations, that among the chil- 
dren of Israel they have no inheritance. 

2-1 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which 
they offer as a heave-offering unto the Lord, I 
have given to the Levites to inlierit:' therefore I 
have said unto them. Among the children of Israel 
they shall have no inheritance. 

25 TAnd the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto 
tliem, When ye take of the children of Israel the 
tithes which I have given you from them for your 
inheritance, then ye shall ofl'er up a heave-offering 
of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe." 

27 And this your heave-offering shall be reckoned 
unto you, as though it iccre the corn of the thresh- 
ing-floor, and as the fulness of the wine-press.''' 

28 Thus yc also shall offer a heave-offfering unto 
the Lord of all your tithes, whicJi ye receive of 
tlic cliildren of Israel ; and ye shall give thereof 
the Lord's heave-offering to Aaron the priest. 

29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every 
heave-offering of the Lord, of all tlie best* there- 
of, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 

30 Therefore thou shalt say unto tliem. When yc 
have heaved the best thereof from it, then itshall be 
counted unto the Levites as the increase of the thresh- 
ing-floor, and as the increase of the wine-press.'"' 

31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and 
your households: for it is your reward for your 
service in the tabernacle of the congregation.'' 

32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it,-' 
when ye have heaved from it the best of it: nei- 
ther shall ye pollute the holy things of the chil- 
dren of Israel,"" lest ye die. 



Josh. 13:14, 


33 


14:C 


: 18:7 


Psa 


. 15:5 


V.7.9 


k. 44:2> 


. <I L 


sv. 27 


•30. 32. 


t Heb. to die 




f ch. 


1:51. 


' ch 


3:7. 


ver. 


21; Ne 


n. 10:37 


; 12:44; Mai. 


3:8-10; Heb 


'i: 


0-9. 


"Neh 


10:38. VT 


r.30 


IHeb 


fat; V 


I. 12. 


w ver 


27. I Matt. 


U 


10; 


Luke 10:7; 


1 Cor. 


9:13 


2 Cor. 


12:13; 


1 Tim 


. 5:1«. 


y Lev. 19:*; 


•i> 


l(i. 


2 Lev. 


22: -2, 


15; Mai. 1: 


; 1 Cor 


11:27, 


29. 





27. As though it u-cre the corn of the threshing-floor ; tliat 
is, it shall be given by you to the high-priest just as com- 
mon Israelites give a tithe from the corn of their thresh- 
ing-floor to the common priests. 

32. Ye shall bear no sin; they would not do ■WTong in eat- 
ing, as they would if they should not first offer a tenth for 
the use of the priests according to the Lord's directions. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The ministry is a great and responsible work. To 
bo intrusted with it is a peculiar honor ; and to be made 
faithful in discharging its duties is an unspeakable blessing. 

19. While ministers of religion are precluded by their 
office from engaging in worldly business, and thus obtain- 
ing a support for themselves and their families, it is the 
will of God that they should be supported by those for 
whose spiritual good they minister. 

32. God requires not only that his ministers and their 
families should be supported, but also that they slioul<l 
have something for pious and charitable uses; and in 
devoting all to him, they may gratefully partake of what 
they need, and expect his blessing to rest upon them. 
195 



Tht walcr of separation 



NUMBERS XX. 



for purifying the unclean. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



I Tho wsttr of itpiiration miuic of the iisli™ of a ml lioifiT. 11 Tliu 
law fur tltc use of it iii piirilicaliuii of ihu unclfan. 

\ND the Lord gpake unto Moses and unto 
Aaron, payiiiir. 

2 Tliis is the ordinance of the law, which the 
i.oHi) hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the 
i-hihlreii of Israel, tliat tliey liring tiioc a red 
heifer without spot, wherein is no bleini.sh," and 
u])on wliich never came yoke.'' 

3 And ye shall give her unto Elcazar the priest, 
that he may bring her fortli without the camp,'' 
and one shall slay her lielbre liis face: 

4 And Eleazar the priest sliall take of her blood 
with his finger, and sprinkle of her Idood directly 
before the tabernacle of tlie congregation seven 
times.'' 

5 And one sliall burn the heifer in his sight ; Iter 
skin, and her ilesh, and her blood, with her dung, 
shall he burn:'^ 

6 And the priest shall take cedar-wood, and hys- 
sop, and scarlet,' and cast it into the midst of the 
burning of the heifer. 

7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes,^ and he 
shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward lie 
shall come into the camp, and tlic priest shall be 
unclean until tlio even. 

8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes 
in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall 
be unclean until the even. 

9 And a man that is clean sliall gather up the 
ashes of the heifer,'' and lay them up without the 
camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the 
congregation of the children of Israel for a water 
of separation:' it is a purification for sin. 

10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer 
shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the 
even : and it shall be unto the children of Israel, 
and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, 
for a statute for ever. 

11 *! He that toucheth the dead body of any 
man' shall be unclean seven days.' 

12 He shall purify himself with it on the third 
day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean:'' 
but if he purify not himself the third day, then 
the seventh day he shall not be clean. 

13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man 
that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the 



» Exod. 12;5; Mil. 1:13, 14; 1 Pet. 1:19. I> Deut. 21:.3; I Sam. 6:7. 
= Lev. 4:12, 21; 16:27; Heb. 13:11. d Lev. 4:6; 16:14. 19: Heb. 9:13; 
12:44. eExod. 29:14. ' Lev. 14:4, 6, 49. S Lev. 11:25; 15:5. h Heb. 9:13. 
i verses 13,20, 21; ch. 31:23. •Keb.soulofman. J ch. 5:2; 9:6, 10; Lev. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

9. Water of separation; with which to purify those who 
had been separated from the congregation on account of 
ceremonial uiicleanness. 

12. If; the water of separation. Ver. 9. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
4. In the Old Testament, as well as tlie Xew, we are 
often reminded of the prevalence and evil of sin, and the 
necessity of the atonement of Christ, and of purification 
by the Holy Spirit, in order to acceptance with God and 
preparation for heaven. 

10. Though God is the author of spiritual purification, 
men do not obtain it without the use of means. They 

196 



tabernacle of the Lonn ; ' and that soul shall a. m axi. 
be cut olV from Israel : because the water of Hii" 
separation was not sjirinklcd upon him, he shall be 
unclean;"' his uncleanncss w yet ujioii him." 

14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: 
all that come into the tent, and all that is iu the 
tent, shall be unclean seven days. 

1.5 And every open vessel, which hath no cover- 
ing bound upon it, is unclean." 

16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with 
a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone 
of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 

17 And for an unclean person they shall take of 
the ashes' of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, 
and running water shall be put' thereto in a vessel : 

18 And a clean person sliall take hyssop,"" and 
dip it in the water, and s]>rinklo it upon the tent, 
and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that 
were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or 
one slain, or one dead, or a grave : 

19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the 
unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day ;'' 
and on the seventh day he shall purify himself and 
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and 
shall be clean at even. 

20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall 
not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from 
among the congregation, because he hath defiled 
the sanctuary of the Lord : "■ the water of separation 
hath not been sprinkled upon him ; he is unclean. 

21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, 
that he that sprinklcth the water of separation 
shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the 
water of separation shall be unclean until even. 

22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth 
shall be unclean;' and the soul that toucheth it 
shall be unclean until even.' 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 The children of Israel come to Zin, where Miriam dieth. 2 They 
murmur for want of water. 7 Moses smiting the rock bringeth forth 
water at Meribah. 14 Moses at Kadesh desireth passage through 
Edom, which is denied him. 2:2 At mount Hor Aaron resigneth liis 
place to Eleazar, and dieth. 

THEN came the children of Israel, even the 
whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in 
the first month :" and the people abode in Kadesh ; 
and Miriam died there, and was buried there."' 
2 And there was no water for the congregation :'' 



21 1; 


Lam. 4 


i-i; 


Hag. 2 


13. 


k r,h. 


31:19. 1 


Lev 


15:11. m 


ver. 


9; ch. 


8:7. 


n Lev. 7 


20; 


22:3. c 


Lev 


11:32 


tHeb. 


rflMJ 


! Heb. Ih 




waters 


shall be given, 


He 


1. 26:19 


.lohr 


4:10. 


P Psa. S 


:7. 


qLev. 14:9 




ver. 13. 


'Hag 


2:13. 


Lev. 15:5. 


uch 


33:36 


vExod 


15:20. w Exod 


17 


1, etc. 



must make efl'orts according to his directions, or they will 
fail of his blessing. 

20. Sin is the cause of death, and the putrefaction of a 
dead body may well remind us of the pollution of a cor- 
rupt soul. All the washings and sprinkhngs under Le- 
vitical institutions were designed to teach the necessity 
of the washing of regeneration and the renewing of tlie 
Holy Ghost. Titus 3:3-7. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. Desert of Zin; a desert south of Canaan, and west of 
Edom. Ver. 16. !r/ic_^rsfOTon?/(; of the fortieth j'ear after 
they left Egypt, having during that time wandered in tlu- 
wilderness, as God foretold, chap. 14: 27-35 ; 33: 19-30. A 
list of places visited iu these wanderings is given in ch. S.H. 



Water Jlowcth from the rock. 



NUMBERS XX. 



Edom refuseth a passage. 



against Moses and agajnst Aaron. 

3 And the people chode witli Moses, and spake, 
saying, Woidd God that we had died when our 
bretliron died before the Lord!" 

4 And wh_r have ye brought up the congregation 
of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our 
cattle should die there? 

5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up 
out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? 
It is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or 
of pomegranates ; "^ neither is there any water to 
drink. 

6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence 
of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation, and they fell upon their faces : 
and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. 

7 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly 
together, thou and Aaron thy brother, and speak 
ye unto the rock before their eyes ; and it shall 
give fortli his water, and thou shalt bring forth to 
them water out of the rock:'' so thou shalt give 
the congregation and their beasts drink. 

9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, 
as he commanded him. 

10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congre- 
gation together before the rock, and he said unto 
them, Hear now, ye i-ebels; must we fetch you 
watier out of this rock?* 

11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his 
rod he smote the rock twice : and the water came 
out abundantly,'' and the congregation drank, and 
their beasts also. 

12 ^ And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, 
Because ye believed me not,''' to sanctify me in the 
eyes of the children of Israel,** therefore ye shall 
not bring this congregation into the land which I 
liave given them. 

13 This is the water of Meribah ;" because the 
children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he 
was sanctified in them.' 

44 IF And Moses seut messengers from Kadesh 
unto the king of Edom,^ Thus saith thy brother 
Israel,'^ Thou knowest all the travail that hath 
befallen us:* 

15 How our fathers went down into Egypt,' and 



a 


Ch. 16:43. b ch. U: 


2, etc. «ch. 16:14. d ver. 11 ; Neh. 9:15; Psa. 


71 


15, 10; 10J:41; 114:3; 


Isa. 4:3:20; 48:21. e Psa. 106:3;J. 'Exod. 17:6; 


llf 


ut. 8:15; 1 Cor. 1U:4. 


S ch. 27:14; Deut. 3:26; 32:51. h Lev. 10:3; 


Ez 


ek. 38:41; I Pet. 3:15. 


•That is, S/ri/f; Exod. 17:7. i Ezek. 20:41. 



11, 12. Smote the rock twice; this repetition of the stroke 
seems to have been unauthorized, and to have proceeded 
from a mixture of impatience and unbelief. Believed me 
not, to sanctify me; they were guilty of an impatient spirit, 
ver. 10 ; Psa. 106:33; of a rebellious temper, ver. 24 ; chap. 
27:14; and did not manifest full confidence in God, or 
suitably honor him before the people as the author of the 
miracle. 

14. Travail; labor, hardship, suffering. 

16. An Angel; the Angel of his presence ; the Messen- 
ger of the covenant; the Word of God. John 1:1. 

22. Mount Hor; one of the summits of Seir, a chain of 
mountains running through Edom towards the eastern gulf 
of the Red sea. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
5. Inclination to sin is common to all men. No dispen- 



we have dwelt in Egypt a long time;" and the 
Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers : 

16 And when we cried unto the Lord," he heard 
our voice," and sent an Angel,!" and hath brought 
us forth out of Egypt: and behold, we are in Ka- 
desh, a city in the uttermost of tliy border. 

17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country : 
we will not pass through the fields, or through the 
vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of 
the wells : we will go by the king s high-^aj, we 
will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, 
until we have passed thy borders.*! 

18 And Edom said unto him. Thou shalt not 
pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the 
sword. 

19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We 
will go by the highway : and if I and my gattle 
drink of thy water, then I will pay for it:"' I will 
only, without doing any thing else, go through on 
my feet. 

20 And he said. Thou shalt not go through.' 
And Edom came out against him with much peo- 
ple, and with a strong hand.' 

21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage 
through his border: wherefore Israel turned away 
from him. 

22 ^ And the children of Israel, even the whole 
congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came 
unto mount Hor.° 

23 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron 
in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, 
saying, 

24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people : " 
for he shall not enter into the land which I have 
given unto the children of Israel, because ye re- 
belled against my word* at the water of Meri- 
bah.'' 

2.5 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring 
them up unto mount Hor : 

26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and put 
them upon Eleazar liis son : and Aaron shall be 
gathered vnto his people, and shall die there. 
" 27 And Moses did as the Lord commanded : and 
they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all 
the congregation. 

28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, 
and put them upon Eleazar his son ; and Aaron 



JJiid». 11:16, 17. kDeut. 2:4. t Heb. /ounrf us. 1 Gen. 46:0. m Exod. 

12:40 n Exod. 2:2:3. o Exod. 3:7. p Exod. 3:2; 14:19; 23:20; 33:2. 

q ch. 21:22; Deut. ' ' ' -.----■- 

och. 33:37. v Gen 



sations of Providence, without the teaching of the Holy 
Spirit, will prevent their indulging it, or keep them from 
rebelling against God. 

12. The best of men are defective, even in those vir- 
tues for which they are most distinguished. Abraham 
was wanting in faith, Moses in meekness, and Job in pa- 
tience : and if any are saved, it must be by grace through 
faith ; and that not of themselves, it is the gift of God. 
Eph. 2:8; James 1:17. 

21. The Israelites were not at liberty to engage in war 
with any nation, except as directed by God. In destroy- 
ing the Canaanites, and taking possession of their coun- 
try, they were the appointed instruments of his wTath 
against those nations on account of their sins. 

24. The sins of good men are peculiarly offensive to 
God, and lead him often to visit them with sore calami- 
tics. 

197 



Thr. srrpent of brass. 



NUMBERS X\I. 



Jouriuys of tlit Isradi/cs. 



died there in the lop of tlio mount:" and Moses 
and Kleazar came down from the mount. 

29 And wiicn all the conprcj^ation saw that 
Aarou was dead, thev mourned for Aarou thirty 
days, even all the house of Israel. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 Israel with some loss destroy the Canaanites at Hormah. 4 The peo- 
ple murmuring are plagued with fiery serpents. 7 They repenting 
arc healed by a brazen serpent. 10 Sundry journeys of the Israelites. 
22 Sihon is overcome, 33 and Og. 

AND when king Arad tlie Canaanito," which 
dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel 
came by the way of the spies;'' then he fouglit 
against Israel, and took so}?ie of them prisoners. 

2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the Loud,'' 
and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people 
into 'my hand, then I will utterly destroy their 
cities.'' 

3 And the Lord hearkened to the voice of Is- 
rael,' and delivered up the Canaanites; and they 
utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he 
called the name of the place Hormah.* 

4 ^ And they Journeyed from mount Hor by 
the way of tlie Red sea,*-' to compass the land of 
Edoin :'' and the soul of the people was much dis- 
couraged* because of the way. 

5 And tlie people spake against God, and against 
Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of 
Egypt to die in the wilderness?' for there w no 
bread, neither is there any water;'' and our soul 
loatheth tliis light bread. 

6 And the Loud sent fiery serpents among the 
people, and they bit the people ;' and much people 
of Israel died. 

7 1 Therefore the people came to Moses, and 
said, We have sinned,'" for we have spoken against 
the Lord," and against thee; pray unto the Lord," 
that he take away the serpents from us. And 
Moses prayed for the people." 

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a 
fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall 
come to ])ass, that every one that is bitten, when 
he looketh upon it, shall live. 



» Ch. 33:33, 39. b ch. 33:40; Judg. 1:18. c ch. 13:21. i Gen. aS:*', 
Judg. 11:30. « Lev. 27:23; Deut. 13:15. f Psa. 22:4, 5. * Thit is. ITlIer 
dtslrmlion. e ch. i!0:22; 33:41. h Judg. 11:18. 1 Or, grieved; Ueb. short- 
ened; Exod. 6:9. ■ Psi. 7S:19. J Exod. 10:3 ; 17:3. k ch. 11:6; Psa. 
ei:6. 1 Deut. 8:15; 1 Cor. 10:9. m Psa. 73:34. n ver. 5. o Exod. 8:?, 
2S; Deut. 9:20,20; 1 Sam. 12:19; 1 Kings 13:0; Job 42:8, 10; Jer. 15:1; 



29. The most distinguished and useful must soon die. 
Their death is a puljUc calamity, and a just cause of gen- 
eral grief and mourning. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. In the soiitk; the south part of Canaan. By the wny 
of the spies; the way by which the spies had entered tlie 
land of Canaan, namely, by the south, chap. 13:22. Some, 
however, render, "by the way of Atharim." 

3. Hormah ; meaning, utter destruction. 

5. This light bread; the manna. John C:31. 

6. Fiery; probably so called from the burning heat of 
their bite. 

10. Set forward ; to go round the land of Edom, and up 
north, through its eastern border, to the land of Moab. 
Deut. 2 : 1-8. 

12. The valley of Zered ; a valley north-east of the Red 
Bea, on the way towards Canaan. The Zered empties into 
the Dead sea. 

198 



9 And Moses made a serpent of brass,*" li." uS^ 
and j)ut it uj)on a pole; and it came to pass, that 
if a serpent had bitten any man, when be beheld 
the serjient of brass, he lived. 

10 T And the children of Israel set forward, and 
[(itched ill Obolii.^ 

1 1 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched 
at Ije-abarim,' in the wilderness which is before 
Moab, toward the sunrising. 

12 H From thence they removed, and pitched in 
the valley of Zered.' 

13 From thence tliey removed, and ]iitclied on 
the other side of Arnon,' which is in the wilder- 
ness that cometli out of the coasts of the Amorites : 
for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab 
and the Amorites. 

14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars 
of the Lord, What he did in the Red sea,* and in 
the brooks of Arnon, 

15 And at the stream of the brooks that goeth 
down to the dwelling of Ar," and lieth' upon the 
border of Moab. 

10 And from thence tliey went to Beer:'' that is 
the well whereof the Lord spake unto Mose?, 
Gather the peojile together, and I will give them 
water.'"' 

17 * Then Israel sang this song,'' Spring^ up, 
well; sing' ye unto it: 

18 The princes digged the well, the nobles of the 
people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver,^ 
with their staves. And from the wilderness tluy 
urnt to Mattanaii : 

19 And from ^lattanah to Nahaliel: and from 
Xahalicl to Baiiioth : 

20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the 
country* of Moab, to the top of Pisgah,* which 
looketh toward Jesliimon.^'- 

211 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king 
of the Amorites," saying, 

22 Let me pass through thy land : we will not 
turn into the fields, or into the vineyards ; we will 
not drink of the waters of the well : but we will go 
along by the king's high-way, until we be past thy 
borders.'' 



Acts 8:24 ; Jas. 5:16. p Psa. 1015:23. q 2 Kings 1S:4 : John 3:14, 15. r ch. 
Xi:43,-H. > Or, Heap< of Abarim. "Deut. 2:13. > ch. 22:3« ; Judg. 11 :1S. 
i Or, Vaheb in Suphah. u Deut. 2:18, 29. I Ileb. /eniielA. » Judg. 9:21. 
wch. 20:8. » Exod. 15:1: Judg. 5:1; Psa. 100:12, 1 Heb. /l.wtid. "Or, 
answer, y Deut. 33:4; Isa. 33:22. 1 Or. field. I Or. The hill. 5 Or, The 
wilderness. «ch.2:J:2J. = Deut. 2:2t>, 27; Judg. 11:19, 20. bch. 20:17. 



13. Anion ; a small stream which empties into the Dead 
sea from the cast. 

14. The book; some book describing the wars referred 
to. In the Red sea ; or as the margin, " in Suphah ;" appar- 
ently designed to confirm the statement just made, that 
the Arnon was the northern boundary of Moab. 

15. Ar; the capital of Moab. Ver. 28. 
IG. Beer; meaning a well. Ver. 18. 

20. And from Bamoth — to the top of Pisgah; or, "and 
from Bamoth to the valley that is in the country of Moab 
by the top of Pisgah." Pisgah; the summit of Nebo, one 
of the range of mountains called Abarim, between the 
mountains of Gilead on the north and the mountains of 
Seir on the south. Deut. 32:49. Jesliimon; meaning, tlie 
wilderness. 

21. The Amorites; the tribes so called inhabited the 
south of Palestine, Gen. 14:7, 13; Num. 13:29; also the 
region beyond the Jordan, as far south as the river Ar- 
non. 



Sihnn is overcome, and Og. 



NUMBERS XXII. 



Balak sendeth for Balaam. 



pass through his border: but Sihoii gathered all 
his people together, and went out against Israel 
into the wilderness:" and ho came to Jahaz, and 
fought against Israel. 

24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the 
sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto 
Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon:'' for 
tiie border of the children of Ammon was strong. 

25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel 
dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Hesh- 
bon, and in all the villages" tliereof. 

26 For Heshbon icas the city of Sihon the king 
of the Amorites,"' who had fought against the for- 
mer king of Moab, and taken all his land out of 
his hand, even unto Arnon. 

27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say,'' 
Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built 
and prepared : 

28 For there is a iire gone out of Heshbon, a 
flame from the city of Sihon : '' it hath consumed Ar 
of Moab,'a«rf the lords of the high places of Arnon. 

29 Woe to thee, Moab! tliou art undone, peo- 
ple of Chcmosh:' he hath given his sons that 
esca))el, and his daughters, into captivity unto 
Sihon king of the Amorites. 

30 We have shot at them ; Heshbon is perished 
even unto Dibon," and we have laid them waste 
even unto Nophah, which reachcth unto Medeba. 

31 ^ Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amo- 
rites. 

32 And Moses sent to spy out Jazer ; ' and they 
took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amo- 
rites that were there. 

33 IT And they turned and went up by the way 



a Deut. aO;7. b Josh. 12, 1, 2; a4:tf. • Heb. daugllUrs. " Song 7:4; 
Isi. 1J:4. i Hib. 2:6. = Jer 48:45, 40. f Deut. 2:0,18; Isa. 13:1, 2. 
tjudg. 11:34; 2 Kings 23:13. h Jer. 48:13, 22. i cb. 32:1. j Deut. 3:1, 



23. Jahaz; a city near the northern border of Moab. 

26. Heshbon; the city in which Sihon lived, about six- 
teen miles north of tlie Arnon. Ver. 34. 

27. Ill proverbs; that is, in a figurative and poetic st_yle. 
The words that follow seem to be a triumphal song of the 
Amorites, celebrating their victory over Moab. 

28. A fire gone out of Heshbon; a fire, that is, a desolat- 
ing force, has gone out from Sihon, to whom Heshbon now 
belongs, and who has made it his residence. 

29. Chemosh; one of the idols of Moab. 

30. Dibon — -Medeba; cities between Heshbon and the 
Arnon. 

33. BasJiayi; a country east of the Jordan, between 
mount G-ilead and mount Lebanon. Edrei; one of the 
chief cities of Bashan. 

rNSTRUCTIOXS. 

5. However much men may suffer on account of their 
sins, they frequently repeat them ; and under the calami- 
ties which come upon them, they often find fault not only 
with men, but with God, and thus multiply and increase 
their troubles. Prov. 19:3. 

9. .Jehovah answers prayer in a manner suited to try 
the faith of his people. Though he is the great efficient 
Cause, they must use the means appointed in order to 
avail themselves of his blessings. If they do this as he 
has directed, through grace they will live ; if they do 
not. thev will die, and the blame be all on them. John 
3:14; 6:"29; 11:2.5, 26. 

13. Life is like a journey through a wilderness. We 
are never stationary, but constantly passing onward to 
our final and everlasting abode. 



of Bashan : and Og the king of Bashan went out 
against them, he, and all his people, to the battle 
at Edrci.J 

34 And the Lord said unto Moses, Fear him not : 
for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all 
his people, and his land ; and thou shalt do to him 
as thou didst unto Sihon king of tlic Amorites, 
which dwelt at Heshbon. 

35 So they smote him,'' and his sons, and all his 
people, until there was none left him alive: and 
they possessed his land. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1 B.alak's 6rst message for Balaam is refused. 1.5 His second message 
obtaineth Iiim. 22 An angel vouUl have slain him, if his ass had 
not saved him. 36 Balak entertaineth him. 

AND the children of Israel set forward, and 
pitched in the plains of Moab on this side 
Jordan by Jericho.' 

2 IT And Balak the son of Zippor™ saw all that 
Israel had done to the Amorites. 

3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, be- 
cause they irere many: and IMoab was distressed 
because of the children of Israel." 

4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian," 
Now shall this company lick up all that are round 
about us, as the ox licketh uj) the grass of the 
field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of 
the Moabitcs at that time. 

5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the 
son of Beor to Pethor,'' which is by the river of 
the land of the children of his people, to call him, 
saying, Behold, there is a people come out from 
Egypt: behold, they cover the face* of the earth, 
and they abide over against me. 



Ic. k Deut. 20:7; Josh. 13.12: Psa. 135:10, II; 130:20. 1 ch. -33:48. 
Judg. 11:25. n Bxod. 15.15; Deut. 2:25. o ch, 31:S; Josh. 13:21,22. 
Deut. 23:4; Josh. 24:0; Neh. 13:1, 2; Micah 6:5. t Heb. eye. 



16. Though we have many and great trials in this 
world, yet they are never as many or great as our sins 
deserve, and the Lord graciously bestows many and great 
mercies, which, if gratefully received and rightlj' used, will 
eventually prepare us for deliverance from all ti'ouble, and 
the reception of unmingled eternal joy. Eph. 3:10-21. 

31. Li this world we have many enemies, and if we 
would be saved we must fight, not with flesh and blood 
only, but with principalities and powers, with the rulers 
of the darkness of this world, and with spiritual wicked- 
ness in high places. 

34. Those who trust in God and do his will have no 
reason to fear any enemies, however numerous or power- 
ful. He will in due time make them conquerors and more 
than conquerors, through Him that loved them and gave 
himself for them ; and to him they will for ever give all 
the glory. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1. The plains of Moab; in the Jordan valley; so called 
because they had once belonged to Moab. They had 
afterwards been taken by the Amorites, and now by the 
children of Israel. This side; the east side of Jordan. 
Jericho ; a city of Canaan on the west side of Jordan. 

4. Elders; the word translated elders means also princes 
or rulers. Ver. 8, 14, 15. Midian; a people living near 
the Moabites, and who on this occasion acted in concert 
with the Moabites, ver. 7. Lick up all; overcome and 
swallow us up. 

5. Salaam ; a noted sorcerer or soothsayer, of Mesopo- 
tamia. Ver. 7: Joshua 13:22. Pethor; a place near the 
Euphrates. Chap. 23:7; Deut. 23:4. 

199 



Balak's saond mcssai^t. 



NUMI5ERS XX 11. 



Balaam mceltth the an^d. 



G Come now therefore, I pray thoo, cur?e mc this 
people;" for tliey are too mighty for iiie: perad- 
I'Ciitiire I shall prevail, that we may smite them, 
und that 1 may drive them out of the land : for 1 
wot tliat ho wIkuii thou Idessest is blessed, and he 
whom tiiou ouisi'-t is eursed. 

T xViid tlio elders of Moab and the elders of Mid- 
ian departed with the rewards of divination in 
their hand;" and they came unto Balaam, and 
spake uiiti) him tlie words of Balak. 

8 And he said unto them. Lodge here this night, 
and 1 will bring you word again, as the Loud shall 
speak unto mc: and the princes of Moab abode 
with Balaam. 

9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What 
men are those with thee? 

10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak tlio son of 
Zipi)i)r, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 

11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, 
which covereth the face of the earth : come now, 
curse mc them; peradventure I shall be able to 
overcome them,' and drive them out. 

12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not 
go with them ; thou shalt not curse the people : 
for they are blessed.'^ 

13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said 
unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land : 
for the LoKD refuscth to give me leave to go with 
you.'' 

14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they 
went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuscth to 
come with us. 

15 1i And Balak sent yet again princes, more, 
and more honorable than they. 

16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him. 
Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, 
I pray thee, hinder thee* from coming unto me: 

17 For I will promote thee unto very great honor, 
and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: 
come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people." 

18 And Balaam answered and said unto the ser- 
vants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house 
full of silver and gold,' I cannot go beyond the 
word of the Lord my God, to do less or more."^ 

19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here 
this night, that I may know what the Lord will 
say unto me more. 

20 And God came unto Balaam at night,"* and 
said unto him. If the men come to call thee, rise 
up. and go with them ; but yet the word which I 
shall say unto thee, tliat shalt thou do.' 

21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and sad- 



• Ch.23:7. bl Sam. 9:7, 


8; Micaha:ll; Jude 11. • ne\>. I shall prevail 


in Ji^kung against him. 


' Gen. 22:16-18; Dent. 33:29. i Deut. 33:5. 


1 Hob. Be not thou hlttd. 


• ver. 6. 1 ch. 24:13. t ch. 23:26; 24:13; 


1 Kings 2'2:14. h vcr. 9. 


ver. 35; ch. 23:12. J Exod. 4:34. k 2 Kings 


6:17; Dm. 10:7; Acts 2J:9 


1 Cor. 1:27-29. '2 Pet. 2:16. ■» Prov. 12:10. 



6. Wot; know. 

7. Rewards of divination ; money or presents to induce 
him to come and curse Israel. 

8. As the Lord shall speak; this shows that Balaam had 
some knowledge of Jehovah, and of his obHgations to fol- 
low his guidance. 

9. God came unto Balaam; whether he had ever done 
this before we are not informed. 

13. Refuseth to give me leave; the Lord not only did this, 
but told Balaam not to go. 
200 



died his ass, and went with the jirincesof b.";?'JS 
Moab. 

22 "i And God's anger was kintllcd because he 
went : and the angel of the Lord stood in the way 
for an adversary against hiin.J Now he was rid- 
ing ui)on his ass, and his two servants were with 
him. 

23 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord stand- 
ing in the way," and his sword drawn in his hand ; 
and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went 
into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn 
her into the way. 

24 But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of 
the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall 
on that side. 

25 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, 
slie thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Ba- 
laam's foot against the wall : and he smote her 
again. 

26 And the angel of the Lord went further, and 
stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn 
either to the right hand or to the left. 

27 And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, 
she fell down under Balaam : and Balaam's anger 
was kindled, and he smote the ass with a stall'. 

28 And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass,' 
and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto 
thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 

29 And Balaam said unto the ass. Because thou 
hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in 
my hand, for now would I kill thee.'" 

30 And the ass said unto Balaam, ./im not I thine 
ass, upon which thou hast ridden' ever since Iwas^ 
thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto 
thee? And he said. Nay. 

31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam," 
and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the 
way, and his sword drawn in his hand : and ho 
bowed down his head," and fell flat' on his face. 

32 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, 
Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three 
times ?P Behold, I went out to withstand thee,^ 
because thy way is perverse" before me : "■ 

33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me 
these three times : unless he had turned from me, 
surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her 
alive. 

34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, 
I have sinned;* for I knew not that thou stoodest 
in the way against me : now therefore, if it dis- 
please thee," I will get me back again.' 

35 And the angel of the Lord said imto Balaam, 



I Or. w/u) hast ridden upon mt. § Or, thou wast, n Gen. 21:19; 2 Kings 
6:17; Luke 24:16, 31. o Exod. 34:8. \ Or, bowed himself . p Psa. 145:9 
1 Heb. to be an adversary unto thee, q 2 Pet. 2:14. r Proy. 14:2; 28:18. 
' 1 Sam. 15:24, 30; 26:21. * Heb. be evilin thine eyes, i Job 34:31, 32. , 



IS. I cannot go beyond tlie word of the Lord; it was true 
that he could not, consistently with his duty, though it 
seems he earnestly desired to do so. 

20. Rise tip, and go with them ; in this, God suffered Ba- 
laam, from the love of unrighteous gain, to follow his own 
inclinations. 2 Pet. 2:13-16. 

22. Became he went; Balaam's object and course were 
wrong and displeasing to God. Ver. 32-34. The angel of 
the Lord ; supposed to be the same which spoke to him, 
ver. 12, 20, and who is spoken of, ver. 31-35. 



Balaam conuth to Balak. 



NUMBERS XXIII. 



Balaam^ first pro^hecr/. 



a " ul^ Go with the men : " but only the word that 
I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.'' 
So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 

36 IT And when Balak heard that Balaam was 
come, he went out to meet him unto a city of 
Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is 
in the utmost coast. 

37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not ear- 
nestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore earn- 
est tiiou not unto me? am I not able indeed to 
promote thee to honor?'' 

38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come 
unto thee : have I now any power at all to say any 
thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, 
that shall I speak.'' 

39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came 
unto Kirjath-huzoth.' 

40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent 
to Balaam, and to the princes that icere with him. 

41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Ba- 
lak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high 
places of Baal," that thence he might see the utmost 
part of the people. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1, 13, 28 Balak's sacrifice. 7, 18 Balaam's parable. 

AND Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here 
seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen 
and seven rams.' 

2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and 
Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock 
and a ram.^ 

3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt- 
offering, and I will go ■." peradventure the Lord will 
come to meet me, and whatsoever he showeth me 
I will tell thee. And he went to a high* place. 





la. 47:12. b 


ver. 20. c v 


er 17; ch. 24:U; Psa. 75:6; John 5:44. 


A ■, 


er. IS. • Or, A 


city of streets. 


c Deut. 12:2. ' ver. 29. S ver. 14, 30. 


b 


rer. IS. t Or, J 


olitary. » ver 


16. J ch. 22:35; Deut. 18:18; Jer. 1:9. 


tv 


er. IS; ch.24:3, 


15,33; Job 27: 


1; 29:1; Psa. 78:2; Ezek. 17:2; Mio 2:4; 



36. Utmost coast ; boundary of his kingdom. 

39. Kirjath-huzoth; meaning, a, city o( streets; probably 
of many streets — a large city. 

40. Balak offered oxen; as is supposed, to his idols. 
Sent to Balaam ; to come and feast on the sacrifice. 

41. Baal; an idol worshipped by many eastern nations. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Those who know not Jehovah and do not trust in him, 
are always exposed to distressing fears, and to many evils 
from which no human wisdom or power can save them. 

6. The wicked place that confidence in men which 
should be placed only in God, and hope for that from 
them which can come only from him. 

9. God has sometimes held communications with wicked 
men, and given them a knowledge of his will. But know- 
ledge alone, without love, will not lead them so to obey 
him as to obtain his blessing. 

12. All whom God blesses will in the end be truly bless- 
ed ; and all wliom he curses, will in the end be wretched. 

17. Those who supremely regard this world often think 
that other men, like themselves, for a sufficient reward, 
can be persuaded to do what they wish. 

19. To love the reward of iniquity and desire to do 
wrong to obtain it, is exceedingly dangerous. It exposes 
men to be given up to the practice of iniquity till they 
sink into irremediable ruin. 

27. Men are often angry with dumb beasts and cruelly 
beat them, when the fault is all in themselves. 

30. God could speak through the mouths of dumb ani- 



4 And God met Balaam:' and he said unto him, 
I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered 
upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 

5 And the Loud put a word in Balaam's mouth ,^ 
and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt 
speak. 

6 And he returned unto him, and lo, he stood by 
his burnt-sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 

7 And he took up his parable," and said, Balak 
the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, 
out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, 
curse me Jacob,' and come, defy Israel."' 

8 How shall I curse ivhom God hath not curs- 
ed?" or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not 
defied? 

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and 
from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall 
dwell alone," and shall not be reckoned among 
the nations.'' 

10 Who can count the dust of Jacob,i and the 
number of the fourth pari of Israel? Let me* die 
the death of the righteous, and let my last end 
be like his!' 

11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou 
done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies,' 
and behold, thou hast blessed t/tem altogether. 

12 And he answered and said. Must I not take 
heed to speak that which the Lord hath put in 
my mouth?' 

13 And Balak said unto him. Come, I pray thee, 
with me unto another place," from whence thou 
mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost 
part of them, and shalt not see them all: and 
curse me them from thence. 

14 1 And he brought him into the field of Zo- 
phim, to the top of Pisgah,* and built seven altars,^ 
and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar."^ 



Hab. 2:6; Matt. 13:33, .35. iProv. 26:2. ml Sam. 17:10. n Isa. 47:12. 13. 
o Deut. 33:28. P Exod. 33:16; Ezra 9:2; Eph. 2:14. 1 Gen. 13:16. : Heb. 
my soul, or my life. ' Psa. 37:37; Prov. 14:32; 2 Cor. 5:1. • ch. 22:11. 
t oh. 22:38. " 1 Kings 20:23. f Or, The hill, v ver. 1,2. " Isa. 1:11. 



mals, and cause them to teU a tale which would make the 
hearts of their owners quake with fear, and show that, 
through sin, man has sunk below the beasts that perish. 

33. Beasts sometimes see what men do not, and by do- 
ing that for which they are abused, save their owners 
from death. 

34. To have God for an adversary is an unspeakable 
calamity, and one that should by all needful sacrifices and 
labors be avoided. 

41. All expectations from men, in opposition to the pur- 
poses and will of God, are vain, and will end in disap- 
pointment. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

3. Peradventure ; perhaps; it may be. 

5. Put a word m Balaam's mouth; directed him what to say. 

7. Took up his parable; began to speak in solemn, figu- 
rative, prophetic style. Aram ; afterwards called Meso- 
potamia ; a mountainous country north-east of Moab, be- 
tween the rivers Eupliratea and Tigris. Curse — defy; 
devote to destruction. 

9. Dwell alone — not be reckoned ; they should continue to 
be a distinct people, and not be united with, swallowed 
up. or Inst in other nations. 

10. Who can count — the number? they would be exceed- 
ingly numerous. The righteous; those whom God accepts 
and blesses as his redeemed people. 

14. Field of Zophim; that is, watchers, because thence 
they could see to a great distance. Pisgah; chap. 21:20. 
201 



Biiltiam's seeoml ■prcphtcy. 



NUMBERS XXIV, 



Isr/id's htijtpiiusf fiirdvU. 



lo And lie paid unto Balak, Stand liore by thy 
burnt-oiyerinp, while 1 meet the LORD yonder. 

1() And liic LoitD met Halaam, and ])iit a word 
in liis mouth," and said, Go again unto Balak, and 
say thus. 

i7 And when he came to liim, behold, he stood 
liy his burnt-olTering, and the princes of Moab 
with him. xVnd Balak said unto him, What hath 
the Lord spoken?'' 

18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise 
up.' Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son 
of Zip[)or: 

ly God is not a man, that lie should lie; neither 
the son of man, that he should repent:'' hath he 
said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, 
and shall he not make it good?" 

20 Behold,! have received commandment to bless : 
and ho hath blessed;'' and 1 cannot reverse it." 

'21 ile hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, nei- 
ther hath he seen perverseuess in Israel:'' the 
IjOiui his God is with him,' and the shout of a 
king is among them.-i 

22 God brought them out of Egypt ;" he hath as 
it were the strength of a unicorn.' 

23 Surely there is no enchantment against* Ja- 
cob, neither is there any divination against Israel : 
according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and 
of Israel, What hath God wrought!'" 

24 Behold, the peo](le shall rise up as a great 
lion, and lift up himself as a young lion:" he shall 
not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink 
the blood of the slain." 

25 *\\ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse 
them at all, nor bless them at all. 

26 J>ut Balaam answered and said unto Balak, 
Told not I thee, saying. All that the Lord speak- 
eth, that I must doV 

27 1 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray 



»Ver. 5. b 1 Sam. 3:17; Jer. 37:17 


' Judg. 3:-.)a. d 1 Sam. 15:29; Psa. 


89:35; Rom. 11:39; Tit. 1:8; Heb. 6: 


l»;Jas. 1:17. e 1 Chr. 17:27; . Mic. 


7:20. t ch. 2i:la. r John 10:2j, 2fl 


Rom. 8:38, 39. h Psa. 10:1:12; Isa. 


1:13; 38:17; Mic. 7:19; Rom. 4:7, 8; 


8:1. iExod. 29:45,46; 33:16; Psa. 



19. God is not a man; he is unchangeable and almighty. 
3Iake it good; do as he has declared. 

21. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob; the nation of Is- 
rael as a whole was free from idolatry and faithful in God's 
service. Shout of a king; of one who will conquer all his 
foes. 

22. Unicorn; in the Hebrew, reem. This word, in our 
English translation, which agrees with that of the Greek 
Seventy and other ancient versions, means one-horned ; 
that is, a one horned animal of great strength, a view 
which some prefer : but many understand it of the east- 
ern buffalo, an animal of great size and strength. 

23. Enchantment — divination; arts by which heathen sor- 
cerers and magicians sought to deceive and overcome 
then: enemies. W/iat hath God wrought! he hath wonder- 
fully delivered them, and caused them to overcome their 
enemies. 

24. An a great lion; conquer his enemies as a lion does 
beasts of the forest. 

28. Peor; a high place in Moab. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Wicked men often take much pains, perform many 
labors, and are at great expense, to induce God to favor 
their selfish designs. Ver. 14, 30; chap. 24:12. 

4. Evil-doers often boast of what they have done, and 
seem to think that their hypocritical, proud, and wicked 
202 



thee, I will iiring thee unto another place; ^, " ?$?* 
jieradvcnlure it will please God that thou maycst 
curse me them fi-om thenee. 

28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of 
I'eor, that looki'th toward Jc-^hinum. 

2',t And Balaam said unto liahik. Build me here 
seven altars, and ]n-epare me here seven bullocks 
and seven rams. 

30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and of- 
fered a bullock and a ram on every altar. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 Balaam, leaving divinations, prophesieth tlie happiness of Israel. 10 
n:vlak in anger disniisseth him. \!i He proplicsieth of llic Star of 
Jacob, and Uie destruction of some nations. • 

AND when Balaam saw that it pleased the 
Lord to bless Israel, he went not, as at other 
times, to seek for* enchantments, but he set his 
face toward the wilderness. 

2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw 
Israel abiding in his tents according to their 
tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon liim.'' 

3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam 
the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes 
are open* hath said: 

4 He hath said, ivhich heard the words of God, 
which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into 
a trance, but having his eyes open: 

5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, anii thy 
tabernacles, Lsrael! 

6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gar- 
dens by the river's side,'' as the trees of lign-aloes 
which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar-trees 
beside the waters.^ 

7 He shall pour the water out of liis buckets, 
and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king 
shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall 
be e.\alted. 



40:11. J Psa. 118:13. k cli. 24: 
.Matt 12:25,27. m Psa. ,31:19. 
p ver. 12, 13. 1 Heb. to the meeti 
his ei/es shut, but now opened, r 



I Dent. 33:17; Psa. 92:10. • Or. in; 
1 Gen. 40:9; Micah 5:8. o Gen. 49:27. 
;of. qlSam. 1U:10. 1 Heb. iMo And 
ia. 1 :3; Jer. 17:8. ' Psa. 92:12-14. 



services entitle them to the special favor of God. 2 Kings 
10:16; Luke 18:11. 

10. Many have a conviction of the reality, excellence, 
and importance of true religion, and wish to die the death, 
who refuse to live the life, of the righteous. 

16. God can speak by the mouth of a wicked man, or of 
a dumb beast, and communicate momentous truth without 
changing the nature of the one or the character of the 
other. Ver. 20, 26; chap. 24:13. 

23. No enchantment, divination, devices, or efforts of 
men or devils can injure those who please God, and have 
him for their guide, protector, and friend. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1. Enchantments ; this word seems to describe the super- 
stitious means which Balaam employed to obtain revela- 
tions from God. Wilderness; where the Israelites camped. 

3. Whose eyes are open; the eyes of whose mind are 
opened to see God's revelation. 

6. Lign-aloes; an oriental tree remarkable for the fra- 
grance of its wood. 

7. ]Ie shall pour the water out of his buckets; or, "water 
shall flow from his buckets," that is, in a full stream. 
Water is here an emblem of the divine blessing which 
shall make Israel strong and numerous. In many waters; 
or, by many waters, ver. 6. His posterity shall flourish 
Uke trees planted by many waters. 



The Star ami Sceptre 



NUMBERS XXV. 



tif Jacob foretold. 



n.lui: 8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; 
he hath as it were the strength of a unicorn : he 
shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall 
break their bones," and pierce them through with 
his arrows." 

9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a 
great lion:'' who shall stir him up? Blessed is he 
that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth 
thee." 

10 If And Balak's anger was kindled against 
Balaam, and he smote his hands together : and 
Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to cui'se 
mine enemies, and behold, thou hast altogether 
blessed the7n these three times/ 

11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I 
tliought to promote thee unto great honor ; but lo, 
the Lord hath kept thee back from honor. 

12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not 
also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto 
me, saying, 

13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver 
and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of 
the Lord, to do either good or bad of mine own 
mind; Ai/i what the Lord saith, that will I speak? 

1-1 And now, behold, I go unto my people : come 
therefore, and I will advertise thee what this peo- 
ple shall do to thy people in the latter days. 

15 H And he took up his parable, and said, Ba- 
laam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose 
eyes are open hath said : 

16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, 
and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which 
saw the vision of the Almighty, falling i7ifo a 
trance, but having his eyes open : 

17 I shall see him,'' but not now: I shall behold 



1:7. sRev 
t Or, Ihe ua 



Psa. 45:5. » ch. 23:24. <1 Gen. l-'::]. = Neh. 1.3:2. (Rev 
16. hPsa. 110:2. • Or, through the princes. iPsa. 60:8-12 
! that warred against Israel: Exod. 17:8, 10. 1 Or, even (i 



8. Eat up the nations; overcome and destroy them. 

14. Adfertise; iuform. 

15. Whose eyes arc open; to see and foretell many things 
that vriU hereafter take place. 

17. See him — behold him.; the Star and the Sceptre that 
shall rise out of Israel. The reference is undouljtedly to 
the Messiah, but in such a way that it includes David's 
kingdom also, which was perpetuated and received a spir- 
itual form in Christ. Luke 1:32, 33. David's victories 
over the Moabites and other enemies of Israel were but 
anticipations and pledges of the final victory which Jesus 
Christ, his son according to the flesh and sitting upon 
his throne, should gain over all the enemies of Ilis people. 
See Psalms 2,110; Isa.U: 10-16. The children of Sheth; or,as 
many prefer, the children of tumult, the tumultuous war- 
riors of Moab. So the word is explained, Jer. 48:45. 

21. The Kenites; apparently a Midianitish peojjle dwell- 
ing in near connection with the Amalekites. 1 Sam. 15:6. 

22. A.ishur; the Ass>Tians. 

23. Who shall live? who can escape destruction in the 
midst of such desolations ? 

24. Ships; armed forces coming in ships. The coast of 
Chittim; the countries of the west lying on the Mediter- 
ranean. This prophecy was fulfilled in the conquests of 
the Greeks and Romans over the East. Eber ; the pos- 
terity of Eber living on the east of the Euphrates. To 
this people and region Abraham belonged, and thence he 
migrateii to the land of Canaan. To this country Balaam 
also belonged, so that he who was called to curse Israel 
was compelled to foretell the doom of " the children of his 
people." He also; probably, the power that comes from 
'Chittim, but some understand the words of Eber. Balaam 



him, l)ut not nigh: there sliall come a Star out of 
Jacob,'-' and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,'' and 
shall smite the corners* of Moab, and destroy all 
the children of Sheth. 

18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also 
shall be a possession for his enemies;' and Israel 
shall do valiantly. 

19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have 
dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth 
of the city. 

20 H And when he looked on Amalek, he took 
up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of 
the nations;* but his latter end shall be that he 
perish for ever.* 

21 And he looked on the Kenites,^ and took up 
his parable, and said. Strong is thy dwelling-place, 
and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. 

22 Nevertheless the Kenite* shall be wasted, 
until" Asshur shall carry thee away captive. 

23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, 
who shall live when God doeth this!" 

24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chit- 
tim,' and shall afflict Asshur,'" and shall afflict 
Eber," and he also shall perish for ever. 

25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned 
to his place : and Balak also went his way. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1 Israel at Shittim commit whoredom and idolatry. 6 Phinchas kiUelh 
Zimri and Cozbi. 10 (jrod therefore giveth him an everlasting priest- 
hood. 16 The Midianites are to be vexed. 

AND Israel abode in Shittim," and the people 
began to commit whoredom with the daugh- 
ters of Moab.P 
2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices 



destruction; 'Ey.oi.n-.U; \Sa.m. 15:3. i Gen. 15:19. 5 Heb. A'ain. I Or, 
Aoiotong-shallitbe ere. kMll.3:2. IDin. 11:30. m Gsn. 10:11. "Gen. 
10:21,25. och. 33:49; Mic. 0:5. p ch. 31:16; ICor. 10:8. 



having thus foretold the perpetual triumph of God's peo- 
ple and the overthrow of all their enemies, ceases and 
departs. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

I. The Lord will cause all men to see that it is his un- 
changeable purpose to bless his people. Those who re- 
joice in it will be partakers of his joy, and those who are 
grieved at it be filled with ever-growing sorrow. 

4. However much men may know of God and his ways, 
and however much they may see of the blessedness of 
his people, if they do not love and obej' him, their know- 
ledge wiU but increase their guilt and aggravate their 
ruin. 

9. God will treat men in some measure as they treat his 
people. The blessings which they bestow, or the curses 
which they heap upou them, will return upon themselves.' 

II. By refusing to please the wicked, men often fail of 
those worldly honors which by doing wrong they might 
obtain. 

13. Men may feel their dependence on God. that they 
are under his control and cannot escape out of his hands, 
without rejoicing in their dependence, receiving mercies 
with gratitude, or giving him the glory of what they enjoy. 

23. A view of the future, while it awakens gladness in 
the righteous, fills the wicked with apprehension and dis- 
may. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1. Shittim ; a place in the plains of Moab, east of Jor- 
dan. Commit whoredom; this was in consequence of the 
advice of Balaam. Chap. 31:15. 16; 2 Pet. 2:15, 16; Rev. 
2:14. 

203 



Phindms kiUtth Zimri, 



Nl'.MIJKItS XWI. 



T/ie numhcring of Israef. 



of their poilti:" nml the people did cat, and liowod 
down to tlieir pxis.'' 

3 And Israel ji)iiR'<l himself unto Baai-pcor:'' and 
the anirer of the Loitn was kindled ajrainst Israel. 

4 And tlie Loud said nnlo Moses, Take all the 
heads of the people, and iiang them up before the 
Loiti) aL'ainst the sun,'' that the fierce anger of the 
Loitn may be turned awaj- from Israel." 

5 And -Moses said unto the judpres of Israel, 
Slay ye every one his men tiiat were joined unto 
Baal-peor.' 

(1 "i And behold, one of the eliiidren of Israel 
came anil brought unto his bretliren a Midianitish 
woman in the sitrlit of Moses, and in tiie siirht of 
all the congregation of tin; children of Israel, who 
were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation." 

7 And when Phinehas,'' the son of Eleazar, the 
son of Aaron tiie priest, saw it, he rose up from 
among the congregation, and took a javelin in his 
hand ; 

8 And he went after the man of Israel into the 
tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of 
Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the 
plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 

y And those that died in the plague were twenty 
and four tliousand.' 

10 ^ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of 
Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away 
from the children of Israel,^ while he was zealous 
for my sake* among them, that I consumed not the 
children of Israel in my jealousy." 

12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my 
covenant of peace :' 

13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, 
even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood;™ 
because he was zealous for his God," and made an 
atonement for the cliildren of Israel." 

14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, 
even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, 
was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief 
house* among the Simeonites. 

15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that 
was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur ; ^ he was 
head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian. 

16 IT And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 



> Exod. 34: 


15, 10. 


l> Exod. 20:5. c 


Josh 


22:17: 


Psa. IOC 


:29, 20 


; Hos. 


9;10. 


i Deut 


l:i:6-9. e D 


cut 13 


17. 


f Exod. 32:27 


cJoe 


2:17. 


hPsa. 


106:30 


' Deu 


t. 4:3; 


ICor. 


10:8. 


J Psa. 100 


23; John 3:. 36. 


• Or. 10 


ith my 


zeal. 


k Exo< 


. 20:5 


Deut 


32:16 


21 


1 Ki 


igs 14:2 


>; Psa. 


78:53; 


E7fk 


16:38; 


Zeph. 


1:18; 


J:8. 


Mil. 


2:4, 


5. 1 


» Exod. 


40:15. 


n Psa 


69:9. 



3. Baal-peor ; an idol worshipped by the Moabites. 

4. Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before 
the Lord ; these words have been interpreted in two dif- 
ferent ways: either, Take all the heads of the people who 
are involved in this sin and hang them, (the heads of the 
people ;) or, Take with thee all the heads of the people as 
assistants, and hang them, (the guilty persons.) The lat- 
ter interpretation seems to be favored by ver. 5. 

7. Javelin; a kind of spear. 

9. Twenty and four thousand ; supposed to include twen- 
ty-three thousand mentioned in 1 Cor. 10:8, and one thou- 
sand who were slain, ver. 4, 5. 

13. Everlasting priesthood; to continue till the end of the 
Jewish state. Made an atonement ; did that out of regard to 
which God spared the rest of the people. 

17. Vex — and smite ; destroy them. 
204 



17 Ve.x the Midianites, and smite them:'' "li^fi^l 
IS For they ve.\ you with their wiles, where- 
with they have Ijeguiled you in the matter of 
Poor,'' and in tlio matter of Cozbi, the daughter of 
a prince of Midian, their sister, whieli was slain 
in the day of the plague for Poor's sake." 

CHAPTEK XXVI. 

1 The sum of .^1I Israel is taken in the plains of Moab. .IS The law of 
dividing among them the inheritance of tlic land. 57 The families 
and number of the Levites. 63 None were left of them which were 
numbered at Sinai, but Caleb and Joshua. 

A NI) it came to pass after the plague, that the 
1- V Lord spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar 
the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 

2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the 
children of Israel, from twenty years old and up- 
ward, tiironghout their fathers' house, all that arc 
able to go to war in Israel.' 

'6 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with 
them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jeri- 
cho," saying, 

4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years 
old and ujnvard ; as the Lord commanded Moses 
and the children of Israel, which went forth out 
of the land of Egypt. 

5 1 Reuben,"' the eldest son of Israel : the chil- 
dren of Reuben; Hanoch, of whmn cometh the 
family of the Hanochites : of Pallu, the family of 
the Palluites : 

6 Of Hezron, the family of the Ilezronites: of 
Carmi, the family of the Carmitcs. 

7 These are the families of the Reubenites : and 
they that were numbered of them were forty and 
three thousand and seven hundred and thirty. 

8 And the sons of Palln ; Eliab. 

9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, 
and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, 
which were famous in the congregation, who strove 
against Moses and against Aaron in the company 
of Korah,"' when they strove against the Lord : 

10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swal- 
lowed them up together with Korah, when that 
company died, what time the fire devoured two 
hundred and fifty men : and they became a sign.^ 

11 Notwithstanding the children of Korah died 
not.y 



Heb. 2:17. t Heb. house of a father. P ch. 31:6]; Josh. 13:21. q ch. 
31:2. 'ch. 31:16; Rev. 214. » ver. 8. t ch. 1:2. 3; Exod. 30:12; 38:25, 
20. u ver. 63; ch. 35:1. v Gen. 40:8. w ch. 16:1, etc. » ch. 16:38; 

1 Cor. 10:6; 2 Pet. 2:6. y Exod. 0:24, 



IcS. For Peor's sake; because they worshipped Baal-peor. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

3, The greatest evil which any one can do to his fellow- 
men is to induce them to commit sin, and thus provoke 
the Lord to destroy them. 

5. It is the will of God that great transgressors against 
him and against the laws of the state, should in some 
cases, by the magistrates, be put to death. 

8. The death of notorious criminals is often a great 
blessing to survivors. 

15. The higher the station and the greater the influence 
of those who commit iniquity, the greater the evil and 
the more necessary their punishment. 

18. Tempters to iniquity are among the most dangerous 
and destructive enemies, and, as far as may be consistent, 
should be avoided and put away. 



The. numbering of Israel 



NUMBERS XXVI. 



in the plains of 3Toab. 



ii r' i45i' 12 If The sons of Simeon after their fam- 
ilies: of Ncmuel,* the family of the Xemuelites: 
of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites : of Jachin,* 
the fomily of the Jachinites. 

13 Of Zerah,* the family of the Zarhites: of 
Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 

1-4 These are the families of the Simeonites, 
twenty and two thousand and two hundred. 

15 1 The children of Gad after their families: 
of Zephon,* the family of the Zephonites: of 
Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the 
family of the Shunites: 

16 Of Ozni,' the family of the Oznites: of Eri, 
the family of the Erites : 

17 Of Arod,' the family of the Arodites: of 
Areli, the family of the Arelites. 

18 These are the families of the children of Gad 
according to those that -were numbered of them, 
forty thousand and iive hundred. 

19 TT The sons of Judah ivere Er and Onan :'* and 
Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 

20 And the sons of Judah after their families 
were ; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites : of 
Pharcz, the family of the Pharzites : of Zerah, the 
family of the Zarhites. 

21 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, 
the family of the Hezronites : of Hamul, the family 
of the Hamulites. 

22 These are the families of Judah according to 
those that were numbered of them, threescore 
and sixteen thousand and five hundred. 

23 "1 0/" the sons of Issachar after their families :" 
of Tola, the family of the Tolaites : of Pua,* the 
family of the Punites : 

24: Of Jashub,+ the family of the Jashubites : of 
Sliimron, the family of the Shimronites. 

25 These are the families of Issachar according 
to those that were numbered of them, threescore 
and four thousand and three hundred. 

26 ? 0/the sons of Zebulun after their families :*■ 
of Sered, the family of the Cardites : of Elon, the 
family of the Elonites : of Jahleel, the family of 
the Jahleelites. 

27 These are the families of the Zebulunites 
according to those that were numbered of them, 
threescore thousand and five hundred. 

28 IT The sons of Joseph after their families were 
Manasseh and Ephraim.'' 

29 Of the sons of Manasseh : of Machir,'' the 
family of the Machirites : and Machir begat Gil- 
ead: of Gilead come the family of the Gilead- 
ites. 

30 These are the sons of Gilead : of Jeezer,* the 
family of the Jeezerites : of Helek, the family of 
the Helekites : 

31 And q/'Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: 
and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites : 

32 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemida- 
ites: and o/" Hepher, the family of the Hepher- 
ites. 

33 IT And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no 

• Jr.nuul, Sen. 46 10: Exod. 6:15. t Jarii: I Chr. 4. -24. I Zohar: 
lien 46:10. » ZipAion. fien. 46:16. I Or, £i6on,- Gen. 46:10. ^ Arotli ; 
Gen. 46:16. » Gen. 3S:2-10; 1 Chr. 2:3, etc. i> Gen. 46:13; 1 Chr. 7:1 . 
•Or, PAuTo/i. ^ Or. Job. » Gen. 46:14. J Gen. 46:2(1. e Josh. 17:1; 1 Chr. 
7:14, 15. : CaUea Abitzer. .Tosh. 17.2; Judg. 6:11. 24. :!!. f ch. 27:1: 



sons, but daughters : ' and tiie names of the daugh- 
ters of Zelophehad were Mahlah,and Noah, Uoglah, 
Milcah, and Tirzah. 

34 These are the families of Manasseh, and those 
that were numbered of them, fifty and two thou- 
sand and seven hundred. 

35 TI These are the sons of Ephraim after their 
families : of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthal- 
hites : of Becher,^ the family of the Bachrites : of 
Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 

36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah : of Eran, 
the family of the Eranites. 

37 These are the families of the sons of Ephra- 
im according to those that were numbered of 
them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. 
These are the sons of Joseph after their fami- 
lies. 

38 IF The sons of Benjamin after their families:^ 
of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the 
family of the Ashbelites : of Ahiram,' the family 
of the Ahiramites : 

39 Of Shupham,^ the family of the Shuphamites: 
of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 

40 And the sons of Bela were Ard* and Naa- 
man : of Jird, the family of the Ardites : and of 
Naaman, the family of the Naamites. 

41 These are the sons of Benjamin after their 
families: and they that were numbered of them 
were forty and five thousand and six hundred. 

42 ^ These are the sons of Dan after their fami- 
lies:'' of Shuham,^ the family of the Shuhamites. 
These are the families of Dan after their fami- 
lies. 

43 All the families of the Shuhamites, accord- 
ing to those that were numbered of them were 
threescore and four thousand and four hundred. 

44 1 0/" the children of Asher after their fami- 
lies:' of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of 
Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the 
family of the Beriites. 

45 Of the sons of Beriah : of Heber, the family 
of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the 
Malcbielites. 

46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was 
Sarah. 

47 These are the families of the sons of Asher 
according to those that were numbered of them ; 
who were fifty and three thousand and four hun- 
dred. 

48 T 0/" the sons of Naphtali after their fami- 
lies ■) of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites : of 
Guni, the family of the Gunites: 

49 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites : of Shil- 
lem,» the family of the Shillemites. 

50 These are the families of Naphtali according 
to their families: and they that were numbered 
of them were forty and five thousand and four 
hundred. 

51 The.-e icere the numbered of the children of 
Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven 
hundred and thirty." 

36:11. « Btre'l: 1 Chr. 7:20. e Gen. 46:21; 1 Chr. 7:6. I Ehi; Gen 
46:21: Aluirali; lChr.8:I. ^ Muppim. and Hltppim ; Gen. 46:21. •Adder: 
1 Chr. .":3. t> Gen. 46:23. t Or, Hushitn. i Gen. 46:17; 1 Chr 7.^1. 
IGr-n. 46:24; 1 Chr. 7:1.}. 1 S/mWiim : I Chr 7:13. kchl:46. 

•20.5 



The famUies of tht Invites. 



MMI'.KIJS XXVII. 



The law of in/ierilavees. 



52 1 And the Lonn ?\mko unto Mosos, sayinp, 

5:i Unto those the land sluill he divided for an 
inlieritance accordintr to the number of names." 

r)4 To many thou shall pive the more* iidieri- 
tance, and to" few thou shall erivc the less* iiihcri- 
tanee:'' to every one shall his inlieritivnce be 
piven according to those that were numbered of 
him. 

5;j Xotwithstandinc: the land shall be divided by 
lot: according to the names of the tribes of their 
liithers they shall inherit. 

5() According to the lot shall the possession 
thereof lie divided l)Ctwcen many and few. 

57 "l And these are they that were mnnliercd of 
the liCvites after their families:'' of Gershoii, the 
family of the Gershonitos: of Koiiath. tiie family 
of the Kohathites: of Morari, the family of the 
Merarites. 

58 These are the families of the Levitcs: the 
family of the Libuiles, the family of the Hebron- 
itcs, ilic family of the Mahlites, the family of the 
^lushites, the family of the Korathitcs. And Ko- 
hath begat Am ram. 

59 And the name of Amram's wife was Joche- 
bed,'' the daughter of Levi, Avhom her mother hare 
to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram, 
Aaron and iloses and iliriam their sister. 

60 And unto Adron was born Xadab and Abihu, 
Eleazar and Ithamar." 

61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they of- 
fered strange fire before the Lord.'' 

62 And those that were numbered of them were 
twenty and three thousand, all males from a mouth 
old and upward :■-' for they were not numbered 
among the children of Israel," because there was 
no inlieritance given them among the children of 
Israel.' 

63 *i' These are they that were numbered by 
Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the 
children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan 
near Jericho.-* 

6-1 But among these there was net a man of them 
whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when 
they nund)ered the children of Israel in the wil- 
derness of Sinai." 

65 For the Lord had said of them. They shall 
surely die in the wilderness.' And there was not 
left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephun- 
neh. and Joshua the son of Nun. 



"Josh. 11:23; 14:1 


• Ileb. multiply his. t Heb. diminisk Ins. b ch. 


33:54. » Gen. 46:11 


Exod. 0:18-19; lChr.6:l,lC. <1 Exod. 2:1, 2; 6:20. 


e ch. 3:2. 1 ch. 3:4 


Lev. 10:1, 2; 1 Chi. 24:2. S ch. 3:39. t ch. 1:49. 


i ch. 18 20-24: Deut 


10:0; Josh. 13:14, Si; 14:3. J ver. 3. k Dent. 4:.3, 


4. 1 oh 14:28-311; 1 


Cor. lO.i), 6; Jude 51 m ch. 26:33; 30.1-11; Josh. 



CHAPTER XXYI. 

53. Tlie land; Canaan. 

Go. Not left a man; except the two mentioned, and also 
some of the tribe of Levi, wlio were not included in the 
numbering referred to in ver. 6-i. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 



(11 A I'lKi: \ X \- I I. 1:;' ;;; 

1 Tlic daughters of ZiloplnhaJ kir- for nn .nhirilan^n. 6 Tho Uw ..I 
inlrcriuiiictii. I'J Mohcs beiiif; told of his death, aucth for a succcuor. 
i:t Joshua is appointed to succeed him. 

''T'^IIEN came the daughters of Zelophehad,"' tho 
.1 .son of Hcpher, the son f>f (iilcad, tho son. of 
Macliir, the son of Manasseh, of the lamilios of 
Manassoh tho son of Joseph: and Ihose are the 
names of his daughtei's ; Mahlah, Noah, and Uog- 
lah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Elea- 
zar the priest, and before the princes and all the 
congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the 
congregation, saying, 

3 Our father died in the wilderness," and he was 
not in the company of them that gathered them- 
selves together against the Loud in the company 
of Korah;" but died in his own sin,'' and had no 
sons. 

4 Why should the name of our father be done 
away* from among his family, because he hath no 
son? Give unto us therefore a possession among 
the brethren of our father ."i 

5 And Moses brought their cause before the 
Lord."" 

^ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: 
thou shalt surely give them a possession of an 
inheritance among their father's brethren ;' and 
thou shalt cause the iuheritance of their father to 
pass unto them. 

8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, 
saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall 
cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. 

9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give 
his inheritance unto his brethren. 

10 And if ho have no brethren, then ye shall 
give his inheritance unto his father's brethren. 

11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye 
shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is 
next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: 
and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute 
of judgment,' as the Lord commanded Moses. 

12 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Get thee up 
into this mount Abarim," and see the land which 
I have given unto the children of Israel. 

13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt 
be gathered unto thy people," as Aaron thy brother 
was gathered." 



17:3. nch. 14:3.5; 26:64. 63. o ch. 16:1, 2. P Ezek. 18:4; John 8:21, 24 : 
Rom. C:23. ! Heb. diminished, q Josh. 17-4. r Exod. 18:15, 10; Jol. 
23.4. > ch. 36:3. 1 ch. 35:29 u ch. 33:47; Deut. 3:27; 32:49; 34:1. 
V ch. 20:24; 31:2. w ch. 20:23; Deut. 10:G. 



liim who was a murderer from the beginning, and abode 
not in the tnitli. John 8:44. 

65. The declarations of God will in due time all be ac- 
complished, and those who cleave to him and obey his 
commands will be graciously remembered and receive an 
abundant reward. 



! CHAPTER XXVII. 

04. As the murder of one man is a sin so great as justly j 11. A statute of judgment ; a permanent regulation. 
;o incur the penalty of deatli, liow great must be the evil I 12. Abarim; a range of mountains on the east of .Jor- 
■f sin, -which has caused the death of millions, and will dan; one of these was mount Kebo, a summit of whicli it 
• ause the death of millions more; and how great the guilt is supposed was Pisgah, where Moses stood when hi- 
of tliose who love ,ind practise it, and thus unite with ' viewed the land of Canaan. Chap. 21:20; Dent 3:27. 



Joshua is appointed leader. 



NUMBERS XXVIII. 



Offerings to be observe/!. 



i'.v.'u^l 14 For yc rebelled against my command- 
ment in the desert of Zin,'' in the strife of the con- 
gregation, to sanctify me at the water before their 
eyes : that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in 
the wilderness of Zin." 

15 If And Moses spake unto the Lord, saying, 

16 Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all 
flesh,*^ set a man over the congregation,'' 

17 Which may go out before them, and which 
may go in before them," and which may lead them 
out, and whicli may bring them in; that the con- 
gregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have 
no shepherd/ 

18 1" And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee 
Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the 
spirit,' and lay thy hand upon him;'' 

19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and 
before all the congregation ; and give him a charge 
in their sight.' 

20 And tliou shalt put some of thine honor upon 
him,-' that all the congregation of the children of 
Israel may be obedient.'^ 

21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, 
who shall ask counsel for him' after the judgment 
of U rim before the Lord :'" at his word shall they 
go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, 
and all the children of Israel with him, even all 
the congregation. 

22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him : 
and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the 
priest, and before all the congregation : 

23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave 
liim a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand 
of Moses." 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 Offerings are to be observed. 3 The continual burnt-offering. 9 The 
offering on the sabbatli, 11 on the new moons, 16 at the passover, *J0 
in tlic day of first-t"ruits. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Command the children of Israel, and say 
unto them. My offering, and my bread for my sac- 
rifices made by tire,"yo?- a sweet savor unto me,* 
shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due 
season. 
3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offer- 

a Ch. 20:10-12. b Exod. 17:7. t oh. 16:2-2; Heb. 12:9. d .Ter. 3:15. 
« Beut. 31:2; 1 Sam. 8:20; 1S:13; 2 Chr. 1:10; John 10:9. < 1 Kings 
2-2:17; Zech. 10:2; Matt. 0:36; 1 Pet. 2:2.5. B Gen. U:3i; Jadg. 3:10; 
11:29; 1 Sam. 16:13, 13; Dan. 5:11; Acts 6:3. h Deut. 34:9; Acts 6:6. 
i Deut. 31:7. J 2 Kings 2:9, 15. t Josh. 1:10. 17. 1 Judg. 20:13, etc.; 



14. Ye rebelled; chap. 20:8-13. 

16. Set a man over tlie congregation; to succeed MoseB as 
their leader. 

18. The spirit; the Spirit of God. Lay thy hand upon 
him ; in token of liis being appointed as leader of Israel, 
;iiif1 endued with the Holy Spirit to fit him for his office. 

23. Gave him a charge ; instructed him as to his duties, 
:ind exhorted him to the faithful discharge of them. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. As the cause of every death and of all our evils is 
sui, all our suS'erings should lead us more and more to 
:ibhor and forsake it. 

5. In all cases of difficulty w6 should look to God, and 
seek that direction from him which we need. 

13. However much any one may he favored of God, 
however useful lie may he, or however long he may live. 



ing made by fire which ye shall offer unto the 
Lord:" two lambs of the first year without spot 
day by daj,^ for a continual burnt-offering. 

4 The one lamb shalt thou ofler in the morning, 
and the other lamb shalt thou ofler at even;*'' 

5 And a tenth pcu-t of an ephah of flour for a 
meat-offering,'' mingled with the fourth part of a 
hin of beaten oil." 

6 It is a continual burnt-offering which was or- 
dained in mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacri- 
fice made by fire unto the Lord. 

7 And the drink-offering thereof shall be the 
fourth part of a hin for the one lamb : in the holy 
place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured 
unto the LoRDybr a drink-offering. 

8 And the otlier lamb shalt thou offer at even : 
as the meat-ofiering of the morning, and as the 
drink offering thereof, thou shalt ofler it, a sacri- 
fice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord. 

9 *i And on the sabbath-day two lambs of the 
first year without spot, and two tenth-deals of 
flour j'br a meat-offering, mingled with oil, and the 
drink-offering thereof: 

10 This is the burnt-offering of every sabbath, 
beside the continual burnt-offering,' and his drink- 
offering. 

11 "i And in the beginnings of your months" ye 
shall offer a burnt-offering unto the Lord ;'' two 
young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the 
first year without spot ; 

12 And three tenth-deals of flour for a meat- 
offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and 
two tenth-deals of flour for a mcat-oflcring, min- 
gled with oil, for one ram ; 

13 And a several tenth-deal of flour mingled 
with oil for a meat-offering unto one lamb ; for a 
burnt-ofl'ering of a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by 
fire unto the Lord : 

14 And their drink-offerings shall be half a hin 
of wine unto a bullock, and the third paii. of a hin 
unto a ram, and a fourth jjart of a hin unto a lamb : 
this is the burnt-offering of every month through- 
out the months of the year. 

15 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering 
unto the Lord shall be offered,™ beside the con- 
tinual burnt-offei'ing," and his drink-offering. 



1 Sam. 22:10; 23:9; 30:7. mEMd.2S:30. nver.19. ol,ev.3:ll. 'Heb. 
a savor of my rest, p Exod. 29:38. t Heb. m a doy. X Tie^,. between tht 
two evenings, q Exod. 12:6. ' ch. 15:4; Lev. 2:1. » Exod. 29:40, etc. 
t Ezek. 46:4. u ch. 10:10; 1 Chr. 23:31; 2 Chr. 2:4; Neh. 10:33; Isa. 
1:13, 14; Ezek. 45:17; Col 2:16. » ch. 15:3-11. w ch. 15:24. i ver. 10. 



the time will soon come when he must die, and leave all 
the concerns of this world to others. 

16. A pious man earnestly desires the spiritual benefit 
of those who may survive him, and will be much in prayer 
that, after his decease, God wiU continue to bless them 
with all needed good. 

21. Rulers who seek the teaching of the Holy Spirit, 
who know their duties, and are faithful in the discharge 
of them, are great blessings to the 'people. 

CHAPTER XXYIII. 

2. In their due season; according to the wiU of God, 
heretofore or hereafter made known, 
."i. An ephah — a hin; Exod. 29: 10. 

10. Continual; diiily. 

11. Months; these began with each new moon. 

13. A several tenth-deal; one for each lamb. Vvr. ?1, 2!). 
•JOT 



Tlu passiver, aiul first-fruits:. 



Kl' Ml; Kits XXIX, 



Offerings for the holy d t/i. 



16 Ami in tlio fourtecnlli day of the liist inontli 
is till" pussover of the LuUP." 

17 And ill tlie tifteenth day of lliis month is the 
fea-st: seven days sliail uideavened liiead 1)0 eaten. 

18 In tiie first day s/iaJI be a holy eonvoeation ; 
yc sliali do no manner of servile work therein: 

l\) 15ut ye shall oflcr a saerificc made l)y fire /or 
a burnt-olleriiig unto the Lord; two young bul- 
locks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first 
year: they shall be unto you without lileinish.'' 

'20 And their meat-olForing s/iall In- of Wmw min- 
irlcd with oil: three tenth-deals shall ye ofler for 
a bullock, and two tenth-deals for a ram ; 

21 A several tenth-deal shalt thou ofler for every 
lamb, throughout the seven lambs : 

22 And one goat /or a sin-oflTering,'' to make an 
atonement for you. 

23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt-ofTering 
in the moruiug, which is for a continual burnt- 
offering. 

2-1: After this manner ye shall offer daily through- 
out the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made 
by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord: it shall 
be offered beside the continual burnt-offering, and 
his drink-offering. 

2.5 And on the seventh day ye shall have a holy 
convocation; yc shall do no servile work. 

26 *' Also in the day of the first-fruits,'' when yc 
bring a new meat-offering unto the Lord, after 
your weeks he out, yc shall have a holy convoca- 
tion ; ye shall do no servile work : 

27 But ye shall offer the burnt-offering for a 
sweet savor unto the Lord ; two young bullocks, 
one ram, seven lambs of the first year ; 

28 And their meat-offering of flour mingled with 
oil, three tenth-deals unto one bullock, two tenth- 
deals unto one ram, 

29 A several tenth-deal unto one lamb, through- 
iiut the seven lambs ; 

30 Jlnd one kid of the goats, to make an atone- 
ment for you. 

3 1 Ye shall offer them beside the contir.-ual burnt- 
oflering," and his meat-offering, (they shall be unto 
you without blemish,) and their drink-offerings. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1 1 he oiTering at the feast of trumpets, 7 at the day of afflicting their 
souls, 12 and on the eight days of the feast of tabernacles. 

A ND in the seventh month, on the first day of 
.Jx the month, ye shall have a holy convocation ; 



•> Ch. 9:3-, Exod. 12;6, IS; Lev. 23:5, 6; Ezek. 45:21. b ver. i 
29:8; Lev, •J2:20; Deut. 15:21; Mai. 1:1.3, 14; 1 Pet. 1:19. c y 
•1 Exod. 23:16; 34:22; Lev. 23:10, etc.; Deut. 16.10; Acts 2:1. t ■» 
' Lev. 23:24; Psa. 81:3, 4. B ch. 23:11. t ch. 23:3; Heb. 10:1. 



26. After your weeks ; after seven weeks from the second 
(lay of the passover, when the feast of weeks, or Pente- 
cost, was celebrated. 

IXf^TRUCTIOXS. 

2. No engagements for this world should induce us to 
neglect the ordinaiice.s of religion, or to fail to observe, at 
the proper time, the divinely appointed means of grace. 

9. While it is our duty daily to read the Scriptures and 
pray, as individuals and families, we should on the Sab- 
bath give special attention to these duties, and also wor- 
ship God in ptiblic with the assembly of his people. 

11. The Lord has appointed the sun and moon for sea- 
208 



ye shall do no servile work: it is a day ».c:fSi 
iif idiiwing the trumpets unto you.' 

2 And ye shall offer a burnt-oflering for a sweet 
savor unto the Lord ; one young bullock, one 
ram, and seven lambs of the' first year without 
blemish : 

3 And their meat-offering shall be of flour min- 
gled with oil, three tenth-deals for a "bullock, and 
two tenth-deals for a ram, 

4 And one tenth-deal for one lamb, throughout 
the seven lambs: 

5 And one kid of the goats /or a sin-offering, to 
make an atoneuKiiit for you: 

6 Beside the burnt-oflering of the month," and 
his meat-offering, and the daily burnt-oflering,'' 
and his meat-oflering, and their drink-offerings, 
according unto their manner,' for a sweet savor, 
a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord. 

7 IF And yc shall have on the tenth day of this 
seventh month a holy convocation ;J and ye shall 
afliict your souls : " ye shall not do any work therein : 

<S But ye shall ofler a burnt-oflering unto the 
Lord for a sweet savor; one young bullock, one 
ram, arid seven lambs of the first year; they shall 
be unto you without blemish.' 

9 And their mcat-offcring shall be of flour min- 
gled with oil, three tenth-deals to a bullock, and 
two tenth-deals to one ram, 

10 A several tenth-deal for one lamb, throughout 
the seven lambs : 

11 One kid of the goats /or a sin-offering; be- 
side the sin-offering of atonement,"' and the con- 
tinual burnt-offering, and the meat-offering of it, 
and their drink-offerings. 

12 1 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh 
month ye shall have a holy convocation ;" ye shall 
do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto 
the Lord seven days: 

13 And ye shall offer a burnt-offering," a sacri- 
fice made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord : 
thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen 
lambs of the first year; they shall be without 
blemish : 

14 And their meat-offering shall be of flour min- 
gled with oil, three tenth-deals unto every bullock 
of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth-deals to each 
ram of the two rams, 

15 And a several tenth-deal to each lamb of the 
fourteen lambs: 

16 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; 



15:11, 12; Ezra 3:4; 1 Cor. 14:40. j Lev. 10:29; 23:27. k Psa. .35:13; 
Isa. 58:5. 1 ch. 2S:19. ni Lev. 10:.3, etc. " Lev. 23:34; Deut. 10:13; 
Ezek. 45:25. o Ezra 3:4. 



sons ; and the beginning of every day, month, and year, 
should remind us of om- obligations to him, and lead us to 
devote ourselves anew to his service. 

16. In all our religious exercises we should have refer- 
ence to the atonement of Christ, and place our reliance on 
him and what he has done for acceptance with God. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

I. Tlie seventh month; hey. 23:2^-43. 

II. Beside the sin-offering of atonement ; that is, besides 
the special sin-offerings ajipointed for this day,w-hich was 
the great day of atonement. See Lev. 16 : 3, etc., compared 
with \-er. 29-34. 



Of the feast of tabernacles. 



NUMBERS XXX. 



Vows not to be broken. 



B.ailS" beside the continual burnt-offering, liis 
meat-offering, and liis drinlv-offering. 

17 IT And on the second day ye shall offer twelve 
young bullocks, two i-ams, fourteen lambs of the 
first year without spot : 

18 And their meat-offering and their drink-offer- 
ings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the 
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the 
manner:* 

19 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering; 
beside the continual burnt-offering, and the meat- 
offering thereof and tlieir drink-offerings. 

20 1 And on the third day eleven buUocks, two 
I'ams, fourteen lambs of the first year without 
blemish : 

21 And their meat-offering and their drink-offer- 
ings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the 
lambs, shall be according to their number, after 
the manner : 

22 And one goat for a sin-offering ; beside the 
continual burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and 
his drink-offering." 

23 1 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two 
rams, a7id fourteen lambs of the first year without 
blemish : 

24: Their meat-offering and their drink-offerings 
for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, 
sha'l be according to their number, after the man- 
ner: 

25 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering ; 
beside the continual burnt-offering, his meat-offer- 
ing, and his drink-offering. 

26 IT And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two 
rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without 
sjiot : 

27 And their meat-offering and their drink-offer- 
ings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the 
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the 
manner : 

28 And one goat for a sin-offering ; beside the 
continual burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and 
his drink-offering. 

29 "i And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two 
rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without 
blemish : 

30 And their meat-offering and their drink-offer- 
ings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the 
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the 
manner : 

31 And one goat /or a sin-offering; beside the 
continual burnt-offering, his meat-offering, and his 
drink-offering. 



er.3,4,9,IO; ch. 15:12; 2S:7, 14. b Psa. 16:4; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:14. 
. SJ;36; Jolm7:.37. • Or,offtT. d Lev. 23:2, etc.; 1 Chr. 23:31; 2 Chi. 
Ezra3:5; Neh. 10:^3; Isi. 1:14. e Lev. 7:11,16; 22:21,23; Deut.l2:6. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

11. The frequency with which the atonement of Christ 
is brought to view, in both the Old Testament and the 
New, shows its importance in the system of mercy which 
God has devised for the salvation of men, and the neces- 
sity of relying upon it in order to obtain pardon and 
eternal life. 

39. True love to God will lead men not only to attend 
habitually and conscientiously on the appointed means of 
grace, but cheerfuUy to present to him freewill-offerings 
of prayer, alms, thanksgiving, and praise. 
14 



32 1 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, 
two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year 
without blemish : 

33 And their meat-offering and their drink-offer- 
ings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the 
lambs, shall be according to their number, after 
the manner : 

34 And one goat for a sin-offering ; beside the 
continual burnt-offering, his meat-offering, and his 
drink-offering. 

35 1 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn 
assembly:"^ ye shall do no servile work therein: 

36 But ye shall offer a burnt-offering, a sacrifice 
made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the Lord : one 
bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year 
without blemish : 

37 Their meat-offering and their drink-offerings 
for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, 
shall be according to their number, after the man- 
ner: 

38 And one goat for a sin-offering ; beside the 
continual burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and 
his drink-offering. 

39 These things ye shall do* unto the Lord in 
your set feasts,'' beside your vows,'' and your free- 
will-offerings, for your burnt-offerings, and for 
your meat-offerings, and for your drink-offerings, 
and for your peace-offerings. 

40 And Moses told the children of Israel accord- 
ing to all that the Lord commanded Moses. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

1 Vows are not to be broken. 3 The exception of a maid's vow. 6 Of 
a wife's. 9 Of a widow's, or her that is divorced. 

AND Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes 
concerning the children of Israel,' saying, 
Tills w the thing which the Lord hath commanded. 

2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord,''' or swear 
an oath to bind his soul with a bond;" he shall 
not break ^ his word, he shall do according to all 
that proceedeth out of his mouth.' 

3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, 
and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's 
house in her youth ; 

4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond 
wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father 
shall hold his peace at her ; then all her vows shall 
stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound 
her soul shall stand. 

5 But if her father disallow her in the day that 
he heareth, not any of her vows, or of her bonds 



fch 1-4-16 sLev. 27:2; Deut. 23:21; Judg. 11:35,36; Psa. 15:4; Eccl. 
5-4. h Lev. 5:4; Malt. 5:33; 14:7-9; Acts 23.14. t Heb. profane; Psa. 
55:20. i Job 22:27; Psa. 22:25; 50:14; 06:13.14; 116.14, IS; Nah. 1:15. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

2. He shall not break his word; provided the thing which 
he vowed or promised to do is practicable, and not mor- 
ally -wTong : but if the thing promised is wicked, he must 
repent of his sin in promising ; for the sin in this ca^se is 
in the promise, and not in breaking it. Matt. 14:7-10; 
Acts 23:12. 

4. Shall stand ; be binding on her. 

5. The Lord shall forgive her; for not doing as she had 
promised. 

209 



The law of tows. 



NUMBERS XXXI. 



The Mulid nitci spoiled. 



wherewith slie lialh liouiul her soul, shall stand ; 
and the Loitn shall iorfxive her, because her father 
disallowed her. 

G Anil if siie had at all a husliaiid, when she 
vowed,' or uttered autrht out of her lips, where- 
witli she liouiid her t^oul ; 

7 Antl her husband heard if, and held his peace 
at her in tlic day that he heard it ; then her vows 
shall stand, ancl her bonds wherewith she bound 
her soul sliall stand. 

8 But if her husband disallowed licr on the daj- 
that he heard if," tlion he sliall make her vow 
whit'li she vowed, and tiiat which she uticrcil with 
her lijjs, wherewith she bound her soul, of none 
efl'ect; and the Lord shall forgive her. 

9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is 
divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, 
shall stand against her. 

10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or 
bound her soul by a bond with an oath; 

1 1 And her husband heard it, and held his peace 
at her, and disallowed her not; then all her vows 
shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound 
her soul shall stand. 

12 But if her husband hatli utterly made them 
void on the day he heard t/mn ; then whatsoever 
proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or 
concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand : 
her husband hath made them void ;'' and the Loud 
shall forgive her." 

13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict 
the soul, her husljaud may establish it, or her hus- 
band may make it void. 

14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace 
at her from day to day ; then he establisheth all 
her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: 
he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at 
her in the day that he heard them. 

15 But if he sliall any ways make them void 
after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear 
her iniquity. 

16 These are the statutes, which the Lord com- 



• Heb. her vows were vpan her; Psa. 56:12. » Gen. 3:10; 1 Cor. 7:4; 
14:34; Eph. 5:22-24. b 1 Cor. 11:3. ' ver. 5, 8; ch. 15:25, 2S. d ch. 
2.5:17. c ch. 27:13. t Heb. A thousand of a tribe, a thousand of a tribe. 



9. Shall stand ; because she had a right to bind herseK, 
and no one had a right to forbid it. 

to. If she vowed; if the widow or divorced wife vowed 
before her separation from her husband. 

l.i. Make them void; by hindering her from performing 
wh-at he had previously allowed her to promise. Bear her 
iniquity; be punished as the woman would have been if 
she had wilfully broken her promise. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. A man may solemnly engage to do a wicked thing, but 
no engagement can lay him under any obligation to do it ; 
and if he does it, it will bo at the peril of his soul. But if 
the thing which he has engaged to do is not wicked, and 
is practicible, he must not break his engagement, even if 
the fulfilment of it should injure himself. Psa. 15 : 4. 
_ 8. It is the will of God that there should be in all fami- 
lies conjugal and parental government and conti'ol; and 
relative duties are so important, that no vows or cove- 
nants into which any one can enter, can release him or 
her from obhgations to perform them. Those, therefore, 
who induce persons to shut themselves up in nunneries, 
■or to neglect relative duties, that they may control their 
persons or their monev, are blind leaders of the blind — 
210 



niandcd Moses, between a man and liis RrMill 
wife, between the father and his daughter, being 
yet in her youth in iicr father's house. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

1 Tlio Midianitea are Kpoilcd, and Balaam slain. 13 Mosei is wroth 
with tho oiKccrs, for »aring the women alive. 19 How the soldieri, 
wiUi their captives and spoil, are to be purified. 2.5 The proportion 
whereby the prey is to bo divided. 48 The voluntary oblation unto 
the treasury of the Lord. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Mid- 
ianites;'' afterward shalt thou be gathered unto 
tiiy pcopk"." 

3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying. Arm 
some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go 
against the Midianites, and avenge the Loud of 
Midian. 

4 Of every tribe a thousand,* throughout all the 
tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. 

5 So there were delivered, out of the thousands 
of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thou- 
sand armed for war. 

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand 
of every tribe, them and Phinchas the son of Elea- 
zar the priest, to the war, with the holy instru- 
ments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.'' 

7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the 
Loud commanded Moses; and they slew all the 
males.^ 

8 And they slew the kings of Midian,"* beside the 
rest of them that were slain ; namely, Evi, and Re- 
kcm, and Zur, and Hur, and Keba, five kings of 
Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew 
with the sword. 

9 And the chlldi'en of Israel took all the women 
of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took 
the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, 
and all their goods. 

10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they 
dwelt,' and all their goodly castles, with fire. 

1 1 And they took all the spoil,' and all the prey, 
both of men and of beasts. 



h Josh. 13:21, 



men who make void the commandment of God through 
their traditions. Matt. 15 : 3-6. 

15. No conjugal, parental, ecclesiastical, or civil author- 
ity can in any case bind a person to conmiit sin ; and if 
any attempt it, they rebel against the authority of God, 
and expose themselves to his just indignation. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

2. Avenge— of the Midianites; punish them for tempting 
Israelites to sin, and thus causing their destruction. 
Chap. 25 : 1-9, 17, 18. 

3. Avenn;e the Lord; execute his just indignation. 

6. The holy instrummts ; what these were, aside from 
the trumpets, is uncertain. Some propose to render, 
"with the holy instruments, even the ti-umpets." 

7. Slew all the males; that is, all the adult males taken in 
war. We cannot understand in this narrative a general 
extermination of the Midianites, since we find them after- 
wards warring against Israel. The slaughter seems to 
have been confined to the five neighboring tribes that 
were involved in the sin of Baal-peor. Other and distant 
tribes may have been left unmolested. 

8. Balaam; chap. 22:5. 



3Iosai divideth 



NUMBERS XXXI. 



thi Midianitcs' spoil. 



tlio prey, and tlie spoil, unto Moses and Eleazar 
the priest, and unto the congregation of tlie chil- 
dren of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of 
Moab," which are by Jordan near Jericho. 

13 IT And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all 
the princes of the congregation, went forth to 
meet them without the camp. 

1-1 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the 
host, with the captains over thousands, and cap- 
tains over hundreds, which came from the battle." 

15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all 
the women alive?'' 

16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel,'' 
through the counsel of Balaam,'' to commit trespass 
against the Lord in the matter of Peer, and there 
was a plague among the congregation of the Lord." 

IT Now therefore kill every male among the lit- 
tle ones, and kill every woman that hath known 
man by lying with him." 

18 But all the women-children, that have not 
known a man by lying with him, keep alive for 
yourselves. 

19 And do ye abide without the camp seven 
days : whosoever hath killed any person, and who- 
soever hath touched any slain,'*' purify both your- 
selves and your captives on the third day, and on 
the seventh day. 

20 And purify all your raiment, and all that is 
made of skins,* and all work of goats' hair, and all 
things made of wood. 

21 H xlnd Eleazar the priest said unto the men of 
war which went to the battle. This is the ordinance 
of the law which the Lord commanded Moses ; 

22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the 
iron, the tin, and the lead, 

23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall 
make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean : 
nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of 
separation:" and all that abideth not the fire ye 
shall make go through the water. 

24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the sev- 
enth day,' and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye 
shall come into the camp. 

25 1^ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 

26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken,^ both 
of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, 
and the chief fathers of the congregation : 

27 And divide the prey into two parts ;J between 
them that took the war upon them, who went out 
to battle, and between all the congregation. 

28 And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men 
of war which went out to battle :" one soul of five 
hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, 
and of the asses, and of the sheep :' 

29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar 
the priest, ybr a heave-offering of the Lord. 



» Ch. 22:1. • Hob. hoa of war. b Deut. 20:13; 1 Sam. 15:3. t oh. 
25:1-3. d 2 Pet. 2:15; Rev. 2:14. e ch. 25:9. 1 Heh. a male, t Judg. 
21:11. ffch.5:2; 19:11, etc. 1 Heb. instrument, or vessel of shins, h ch. 
19:9, 17. > Lev. 11:25. i Heb. of the captivity. 1 Josh. 22:S; 1 Sam. 



16. Through tlie coumel of Balaam , cb. 25 : 1-3 ; 2 Pet. 2 : 15. 

18. Keep alive for yourselves; to be tbeir servants. 

19. Purify — yourselves; cbap. 19:11-22. 
23. The water of separation ; cbap. 8:7. 



30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt 
take one portion of fifty,'" of the persons, of the 
beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks," of all man- 
ner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites," 
which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the 
Lord." 

31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the 
Lord commanded Moses. 

32 And the booty, being the rest of the jircy 
which the.men of war had caught, was six hundred 
thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand 
sheep, 

33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, 

34 And threescore and one thousand asses, 

35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all, 
of women that had not known man by lying with 
him. 

36 And the half which was the portion of them 
that went out to war, was in number three hun- 
dred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and 
five hundred sheep : 

37 And the Lord's tribute of die sheep was six 
hundred and threescore and fifteen. 

38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand ; 
of which the Lord's tribute was threescore and 
twelve. 

39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five 
hundred ; of which the Lord's tribute was three- 
score and one. 

40 And the persons were sixteen thousand ; of 
which the Lord's tribute was thirty and two per- 
sons. 

41 And Moses gave the tribute which uris the 
Lord's heave-oifering, unto Eleazar the priest, as 
the Lord commanded Moses.'' 

42 And of the children of Israel's half, which 
Moses divided from the men that warred, 

43 (Now the half that pertained unto the congrega- 
tion was three hundred thousand and thirty thou- 
sand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep, 

44 And thirty and six thousand beeves, 

45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred, 

46 And sixteen thousand persons,) 

47 Even of the children of Israel's half,*" Moses 
took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, 
and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the 
charge of the tabernacle of the Lord ; as the Lord 
commanded Moses. 

48 1 And the officers which were over thousands 
of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains 
of hundreds, came near unto Moses: 

49 And they said unto Moses, Thy sei'vants have 
taken the sum of the men of war which are under 
our charge,'' and there lacketh not one man of us. 

50 We have therefore brought an oblation for 
the Lord, what every man hath gotten,* of jewels 
of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, cai--rings, and 



.30:24; Psa. a-:12. 
10. 1 ver. 30.47; 
14. och. 3:7, etc. 



t Gen. 14:20; Josh. G:19; 2 Sam. 8:11, 12; Prov. 3:9, 
ch. 13:26. m ver. 42-47. I Or, goats. >> 1 Cor. 9:13, 
Pch. ls:8, 19. <1 ver. 30. 1 Heb. /laiirf. 'Heb. found. 



50. All oblation ; an ofifering of gratitude for their pres- 
ervation and success. To make an atonement ; tliis offer- 
ing of the officers prefigured tlie atonement of Christ, aud 
showed their need of bis salvation. 
211 



The Retibenites and Ga<lilcs 



NUMBERS XXXII. 



cl/iim t/irir inheritante. 



tablet^, to make an atonement for our souls before 
the Lord." 

51 And "iihifci^ and Kleazar the priest took the 
golfl of them, crcn all wrouf^ht jewels. 

52 And all the gold of the offering" that they 
ofTerod up to the Loitn, of the captains of thou- 
Bands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen 
thou.<and seven hundred and (ifty shekels : 

53 For the men of war had taken spoil," every 
man for himself. 

54 And iloses and Eleazar the priest took the 
gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, 
and brought it into the tabcrnaclo of tlic congre- 
gation, /or a memorial for the children of Israel 
before the Lord." 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1 The Reubenites and G-adites sue for their inheritance on the east of 
Jordan. 6 Mnscs reproveth tliem. 16 They offer him conditions to 
his content. 33 Moses assigneth thorn the hind. 39 They conquer it. 

NOW the children of Reuben and the children 
of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle : 
and wlicn they saw the land of Jazer,* and the land 
of Gilcad,'' that, behold, the place was a place for 
cattle;" 

2 The children of Gad and the children of Reu- 
ben came and spake imto Moses, and to Eleazar 
the priest, and unto the princes of the congrega- 
tion, saying, 

3 Atarotii, and Dibon,'' and Jazer, and Nimrah,* 
and Heslibon,' and Elealch, and Shebam,^ and 
Nebo, and Boon,' 

4 Even tlie country which the Lord smote before 
the congregation of Israel,'' is a land for cattle, 
and thy servants have cattle : 

5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace 
in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants 
for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan. 

6 T And Moses said unto the children of Gad 
and to the children of Reuben, Shall your breth- 
ren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 

7 And wherefore discourage'" ye the heart of the 
children of Israel from going over into the land 
which the Lord hath given them? 



>Exod. 30:12, 16. • UA. heave-ofering. b Dent. 20:14. c Exod. 30:16. 
t Or, Jaazer; ver. a5; ch. 21:32; Josh. 13:25; 2 Sam. 24:5; Isa. 16:8, 9. 
d Jer. 50:19; Micah 7:14. e Gen. 13:2, 5 ; 47:4. ' Isa. 15:2, 4. I Belk- 
MimmA; ver. 36. sjad". 11:26. i Shiimah; yer. 33. t BncU-mean; vet. 
33. bch. 21:21, 34. 1 Heb. 6rea4: Acts 21:13. i ch. 13:3-26; Deut. 1:22. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Vengeance belongetli unto God. It i.s his preroga- 
tive to punish the guilty ; and when he requires a magis- 
trate to put the guilty to death, it is not the wrath of the 
magistrate which is manifested, but the wrath of God — 
designed for a terror to evil-doers, and a protection and 
encouragement to those who do well. 

7. It is as really righteous in God to destroy wicked 
men by the sword of the magistrate as by earthquake, 
pestilence, fever, or any other calamity. 

8. He who tempts men, or induces others to tempt men 
to commit sin, must expect a most fearful retribution. 
Rev. 2:14. 

17. In putting men to death, magistrates may be obey- 
ing God ; and not to do it when he commands, is rebelUon 
against him. 

24. Our best services, even our most hearty obedience 
to God, are imperfect and polluted with sin ; and we need 
in every thing the purifying influences of the Holy Ghost. 
212 



8 Thus did your father.', when I sent u.";SSI 
them from Kadc'sh-liarnea to see the land.' 

II For when they went up unto the valley of 
Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the 
heart of the children of Israel, that they should not 
go into the land which th(' LouD had given them. 

10 And the Lohd'.s anger was kindled the same 
time,J and he sware, saying, 

11 Surely none of the men that came up out of 
Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall 
see the land which I sware unto Aliraham, unto 
Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not 
wholly followed me:*" 

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenez- 
ite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have 
wholly followed tlie Lord. 

13 And the Lord's anger was kindled against 
Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness 
forty years,' until all the generation, that had done 
evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed."" 

14 And behold, ye are risen np in your father's 
stead, an increase of sinful men," to augment yet 
the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel." 

15 For if yc turn away from after him,'' he will 
yet again leave them in the wilderness;'' and ye 
shall destroy all this people. 

16 IT And they came near unto him, and said. We 
will build sheep-folds here for our cattle, and cities 
for our little ones : 

17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before 
the children of Israel,"' until we have brought them 
unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell 
in the fenced cities, because of the inhabitants of 
the land. 

18 We will not return unto our houses,' until the 
children of Israel have inherited every man his 
inheritance : 

19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder 
side Jordan, or forward ; because our inheritance 
is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.' 

20 1 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do 
this thing, if ye will go armed before the Lord 
to war," 

21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan 



Jch.l4:ll,29; Deot.l:35. • lUh. fulfilled after mt. k ch. 14:24, 30; Joah. 
14:8,9. 1 ch. 14:33-35. m ch. 20:131, 65; 1 Cor. 10:5; Heb. 3:16-19. 
o Psa. 78:57. » Neh. 13:1S: Isa. 65:6, 7. p Dent. 30:17; Josh. 22:16, 18; 
2 Chr. 7:19; 15:2. 1 ch. 14135. r Josh. 4:12, 13. sjosh. i:2:4. iver. 33; 
Josh. 13:8. uDeut. 3:1S. etc.; Josh. 1:14, etc.; 4:12, 13. 



28. We should ever acknowledge God as the giver of 
all our mercies, and a portion of aU we obtain by follow- 
ing his directions should be devoted to his worship and 
service. 

47. God is the rightful owner of all things, and in tak- 
ing, at his command, the possessions of tlieir enemies, the 
Israelites were not guilty of robbery, but rightfully ob- 
tained from God that portion of his property which he 
was pleased in this way to give them. Psa. 44:3. 

50. Special favors from God should be acknowledged 
with special thanksgiving, and with hearty reliance on the 
atonement of Christ as the meritorious cause of all our 
mercies. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1. TTie land of Jazer, and—nf Gikad; east of Jordan, be- 
tween the rivers Arnon and Jabbok. 
8. Thus did your fathers; chap. 13:2-20. 
19. Yonder side; the west side. 



Portion of Seuhcn and Gad. 



NUMBERS XXXIII. 



Journeys of the Israelites. 



B."c!i«i' before the Lobd, until he hath driven out 
his enemies from before him, 

22 And the land be subdued before the Lord;" 
then afterward ye sliall return,'' and be guiltless 
before the Lord, and before Israel ; and this land 
shall be your possession before the Lord. 

23 But if yo will not do so, behold, ye liave sin- 
ned against the Lord : and be sure your sin will 
find you out." 

24: Build you cities for your little ones, and folds 
for your sheep ; '' and do that which hath proceeded 
out of your mouth. 

25 And the children of Gad and the children of 
Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants 
will do as my lord commandcth." 

26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all 
our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead : 

27 But thy servants will pass over, every man 
armed for war, before the Lord to battle, as my 
lord saith.'' 

28 So concerning them Moses commanded Elea- 
zar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the 
chief fathers of the tribes of tlie children of Israel : 

29 And Moses said unto them, If tlic children of 
Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with 
you over Jordan, every man armed to battle," be- 
fore the Lord, and the land shall be subdued before 
you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead 
for a possession : 

30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, 
they sliall have possessions among you in the land 
of Canaan. 

31 And the children of Gad and the children of 
Reuben answered, saying. As the Lord hath said 
unto thy servants, so will we do. 

32 "We will pass over armed before the Lord 
into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our 
inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours. 

33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the chil- 
dren of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and 
unto half tlie tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, 
the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and 
the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with 
the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of 
the country round about.'' 



1 Josh. 18:1. 1> Josh. 22:4, 9. = Gen. 4:7; 44:16; Psa. 90:8; 139:11; 
Pro». 13:21; Isa. 59:12; 1 Cor. 4:5. d ver. 16,34, etc. e Josh. 1:13, 14. 
fJosh.4:12. sver.20. h ch. 21 : 24, 33 : Deul. 3:12-17; 29:S; .Tosh. 12:6. 
i ch. 33:45, 46. JDeut.2::Jfl. • Oi, Jaazer ; yeises I, 3. 1 .Vimra/i; ver. 3. 



23. Your sill will find you out; it will bring punishment 
upon you. 

30. Among you; with the rest of the tribes on the west 
of Jordan. 

33. Kingdom of Sihon; lying east of the Jordan near its 
mouth. Kingdom of Og; a country north of Gilead, and 
east of the sea of (jalilee. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. In selecting a place of residence, men often regard 
land, cattle, merchandise, and other earthly treasures, 
more than religious privileges, the favor of God, and 
treasures in heaven. 

15. By discouraging men from pursuing the path of 
duty, persons may be the means of destroying not only 
themselves, but multitudes of their fellow-men. 

18. Kind remonstrances and timely explanations remove 
misunderstandings, and prevent multitudes of evils. Psa. 
Ul:5; Prov. 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:5, 10. 31, 32; 17:10. 

22. Readiness to be satisfied with suitable explanations 



34 1 And the children of Gad built Dibon,' and 
Ataroth, and Aroer,^ 

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jazer,* and Jog- 
behah, 

36 And Beth-nimrah,^ and Beth-haran, fenced cit- 
ies;'' and folds for sheep. 

37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon,' 
and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, 

38 AndNebo,"' and Baal-meon," their names being 
changed, and Shibmah : and gave other names unto 
the cities* which they builded." 

39 And the children of Machir the son of Ma- 
nasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispos- 
sessed the Amoritc which was in it. 

40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son 
of Manasseh;'' and he dwelt therein. 

41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took 
the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth- 
jair." 

42 And Nobah went and took Keuath, and the 
villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his 
own name. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

1 Two and forty journeys of the Israelites. 00 The Canaanites are to 
be destroyed. 

THESE are the journeys of the children of 
Israel, which went forth out of the land of 
Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses 
and Aaron. 

2 And Moses wrote their goings out according 
to their journeys by the commandment of the 
Lord : and these are their journeys according to 
their goings out. 

3 And they departed from Rameses in the first 
month,'' on tlie fifteenth day of the first month;'* 
on the moi-row after the passover the children of 
Israel went out with a high hand in the sight of 
all the Eg3'ptians.* 

4 For tiie Egyptians buried all their first-born, 
which tlie Lord had smitten among them:" upon 
their gods also the Lord executed judgments.'^ 

5 And the children of Israel removed from 
Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.'" 



k ver. 24. I ch. 21:27. m Isa. 40:1. nch. 22:41. IBeb. they called by names 
the names of the cities, over.3; Exod. 23:13; Josh. 23:7. P Josh. 13:29-31. 
qjudg.l0:4. rExod. 12:37. » Exoil. 13:4. t Exod. 14:8. u Exod. 12:29. 
V Exod. 12:12; l3:ll; Isa. 19:1; Kev. 12:7-9. w Exod. 12:37. 



and with good reasons, is an indication of sound judg- 
ment, benevolent feeling, and an honest heart. 

23. The idea that men may be selfish and continue in 
sin, and yet escape punishment, is vain. 

27. In promoting the cause of God and of human wel- 
fare, all should be disposed to bear their proportion of 
needful burdens, sacrifices, and labors. 

33. When God in liis providence deprives one people 
of their possessions and gives them to another, he only 
does what he will with his own. For all his deaUngs he 
has the wisest and best reasons, and he never afflicts in- 
dividuals or nations beyond what their iniquities deserve. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

1. Tlic journeys of the children of Israel; the places men- 
tioned from the third to the forty-ninth verses of this 
chapter, are those tlirough which the Israelites passed 
during their wanderings in the wilderness, and on their 
way irom Egypt to Canaan. 

213 



Record of the journey 



NUMBERS XXXIII. 



of I.iracJ out of Egypt. 



6 And they departed from Puccotli, and pitched 
in Ethain," which w in tiie edge of the wilder- 
ness. 

7 And they removed from Ethain, and turned 
attain unto Pi-hahiroth, wliicii is before Baal-ze- 
phon:'' and they ]iitched bclbre Migdol. 

S And they dep;irted from before Pi-hahirotli, 
and passed through tlie midst of the sea into tiic 
wilderness,'' and went tliree days' journey in the 
wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. 

9 And they removed from Marali, and came unto 
Elim:'' and in Elira loere twelve fountains of wa- 
ter, and tiireescore and ten palm-trees ; and they 
pitched there. 

10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped 
by the Red sea. 

11 Ami they removed from the Red sea, and 
encamped in the wilderness of Sin." 

12 And they took their journey out of the wil- 
derness of 8in, and encamped in Dophkah. 

13 And they departed from Doplikah, and en- 
camped in Alush. 

14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped 
at Ropliidim,' where was no water for the people 
to drink. 

15 And they departed from Repliidim, and pitch- 
ed in the wilderness of Sinai.* 

16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, 
and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah."" 

17 And they departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, 
and encamped at Hazcroth.' 

18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitch- 
ed in Rithmah.-i 

19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitch- 
ed at Rimmon-parez. 

20 And they departed from Rimmon-parez, and 
pitched in Lilanah. 

21 And they removed from Libnab, and pitched 
at Rissah. 

22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched 
in Kehelathah. 

23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched 
in mount Shapher. 

2-1 And they removed from mount Shapher, and 
encamped in Haradah. 

25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitch- 
ed in Makheloth. 

26 And they removed from Makheloth, and en- 
camped at Tahath. 

27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched 
at Tarah. 

28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched 
in Mithcah. 

29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in 
Hashmonah. 

30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and 
encamped at Moseroth.* 

31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitch- 
ed in Bene-jaakan.'' 



> Exod. 13:20. b Exod. 14:2, 9. c Eiod. 14:29; 15:22, 23. <1 Exod. 
15:27. eExod.l6:l. ' Exod. 17: 1 ; 19:2. e Exod. 1G:1 ; 19:1, 2. 'That 
is, TAl graves of lust. tch. 11:34. ich. 11:33. j ch. 12:16. t Mosem; 
Deut. 10:6. k 1 Chr. 1:42. : audgodah; Deut. 10:7. S Jotbath; Deut. 
10:7. 1 Deut. 2:8; 1 Kings 9:20; 22:48. ■» ch. 20:1; 27:14. n oh. 20:22, 
23; 21:1. o ch. 20:25-2S; Deut. 10:0; 32:50. p ch. 21:1, sic. q ch. 21:4. 



52. Pictures; sculptured figures used, as well as the 
214 



32 And they removed from Bene-jaakan, u.c.ml 
and encamped at Hor-hagidgad.' 

33 And they went from Ilor-hagidgad, and 
pitched in Jotbathah.* 

34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and en- 
camped at Elironah. 

35 And they departed from Ebronah, and en- 
camjied at Ezion-geber.' 

30 And they removed from Ezion-geber, and 
pitched in the wilderness of Zin,'" which is Ka- 
desh. 

37 And they removed from Kadcsh, and pitched 
in mount Hor, in tlie edge of the land of Edom." 

38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount 
Ilor at the commandment of the Lord, and died 
there," in the fortieth year after the children of 
Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the 
first day of the fifth month. 

39 And xVaron vas a hundred and twenty and 
three years old wlicn lie died in mount Hor. 

40 And king Arad the Canaanite,'' which dwelt 
in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the 
coming of the children of Israel. 

41 And they departed from mount Hor,'' and 
pitched in Zalmonah. 

42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitch- 
ed in Punon. 

43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched 
in Oboth.'' 

44 And they departed from Oboth, and pitched 
in Ije-abarim,' in the border of Moab.* 

45 And they departed from lim, and pitched in 
Dibon-gad.' 

46 And they removed from Dibon-gad, and en- 
camped in Almon-diblathaim." 

47 And they removed from Almon-diblathaim, 
and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before 
Nebo." 

48 And they departed from the mountains of 
Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by 
Jordan near Jericho."' 

49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-jesi- 
moth even unto Abel-shittim ^ in the jdains of 
Moab.'' 

50 1i And the Lord spake unto Moses in the 
plains of Moab by Jordan mar Jericho, saying, 

51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into 
the land of Canaan;^ 

52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants 
of the land from before you,'' and destroy all their 
pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and 
quite pluck down all their high places: 

53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the 
land, and dwell therein : for I have given you the 
land to possess it. 

54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an 
inheritance among your families :" and to the more 
ye shall give the more inheritance," and to the 



rch. 21:10. IOr,HMpio/yl6arim. >ch. 21:11. tch. 32:34. »Jcr. 48:22; 
Ezek. 6:14. v Bent. 32:49. "ch.22:l. ^Oi. Tkt plains of Shitlim. x ch. 
25:1; Josh, 2:1. r Deut. 9: 1 ; Josh. 3: 17. 2 Exod. 23:24, 33; 34:13; Dent. 
7:2, 5; 12:3; Josh. 11:11; Judg. 2:2. « ch. 20:5.3-55. ■ Heb. multiply his 
inheritance. 



' molten images " or idols, for idolatrous purposes. 



The borders of 



NUMBERS XXXIV. 



the promised land. 



B.'c'usi' fewer ye shall give the less inheritance:* 
every man's inheritance shall be in the place where 
his lot falleth ; according to the tribes of your 
fathers ye shall inherit. 

55 But if ye will not drive out the inliabitants 
of the land from before you;'"* then it shall come 
to pass, that those which ye let remain of them 
shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your 
sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye 
dwell. 

56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall 
do unto you, as I thought to do unto them. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1 The borders of the land. 16 The names of the men which shall di- 
vide the land. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 
2 Command the children of Israel, and say 
unto them. When ye come into the land of Ca- 
naan ; this is the land that shall fall unto you for 
an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the 
coasts thereof: 

3 Then your south quarter shall be from the 
wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom,'' 
and your south border shall be the outmost coast 
of the salt sea eastward : ■= 

4 And your border shall turn from the south to 
the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin : and 
the going forth thereof shall be from the south to 
Kadesh-barnea,'* and shall go on to Hazar-addar, 
and pass on to Azmon: 

5 And the border shall fetch a compass from 
Azmon unto the river of Egypt,' and the goings 
out of it shall be at the sea. 



• Heb. diminish his inheritance. » Exod. 23:33; Josh. 23:12, 13; Judg. 
1:21-36; Psa. 106:31-30; Ezek. 28;S*. b Josh. 15:1. etc.; Ezek. 47:13, etc. 
« Gen. 11:3. d ch. 13:26; 32:S. e Gen. 15:18; 1 Kings S:63; Isa. 27:12. 



55. Pricks — and thorns; sources of vexation and distress. 

56. Do unto you, as I thought to do unto them; expel you 
from your country and destroy you. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Human life is a journey from the cradle to the grave, 
and eacli day carries us one day nearer to our final, our 
eternal abode. 

2. It is often useful to look back on the various stages 
of our past life, to recount the goodness of God, and some- 
times to write down portions of our history for the benefit 
of others. 

49. However long our journey, or whatever be our 
course through time, we shall soon come to its close and 
pass into eternity. 

52. Occasions of sin, temptations to evil, and whatever 
tends to draw our hearts from God and unfit us for 
heaven, should be carefully avoided. 

55. Our fleshly lusts and sinful habits of every kind 
are to our souls what the Canaanites were to the ancient 
Israelites. If we spare them, or continue to indulge them, 
they will coutinue to torment us, and ultimately prove our 
ruin. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

?,. Fiiim the wilderness of Zin — Edom ; he begins with 
the south-eastern border where the wilderness of Zin lay. 
The outmost coast of the salt sea; rather, "from the outmost 
coast of the Salt sea," that is, starting from the extreme 
southern bay of the Dead sea. 

4. Ascent of Akrahbim; a line of cliffs six or seven miles 
south of the Dead sea. Kadesh-barnea ; about twenty-six 



6 And as for the western border, ye shall even 
have the great sea for a border: this shall be 
your west border. 

7 And this shall be your north border : from the 
great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:' 

8 From mount Hor ye shall point out ycn/r 
border unto the entrance of Hamath;^ and the 
goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad:** 

9 And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and 
the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-ehan :' this 
shall be your north border. 

10 And ye shall jioint out your cast border from 
Hazar-enan to Sheplmm : 

11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham 
to Riblah,J on the east side of Ain ; and the border 
shall descend, and shall reach unto the side* of 
the sea of Chinnereth eastward.'' 

12 And the border shall go do'wn to Jordan, 
and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: 
this shall be your land with the coasts thereof 
round about. 

13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, 
saying. This is the land which ye shall inherit by 
lot, which the Lord commanded to give unto the 
nine tribes, and to the half tribe:' 

14 For the tribe of the children of Reuben ac- 
cording to the house of their fathers, and the tribe 
of the children of Gad according to the house of 
their fathers, have received their inheritance ; and 
half the tribe of Manasseh have received their 
inheritance:" 

15 The two tribes and the half tribe have re- 
ceived their inheritance on this side Jordan near 
Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising. 

IG H Ajid the Lord spake unto Moses, saying. 



< ch. .33:37. s ch. 13:21; 2 Kings 14:25; Ezek. 47:46. b Ezek. 47:15. 
i Ezek. 47:17. J 2 Kings £1:33; Jet 39:5, 6. t Heb. shoulder, k. Dent. 
3:17: Josh. 11:2; 19:35; Luke 5:1. 1 ver. 1 ; Josh. 14:2. '»ch..32:33. 



miles a little west of south from the Dead sea. From 
this point the border turned westward, reaching the Med- 
iterranean at the river of Egypt, that is, the modern El- 
Arish and ancient Wiinocolura, south-west of Gaza. See 
the maps of Palestine. 

6. The western border; of Canaan, was the Mediterra- 
nean, from the river of Egypt, in latitude about thirtj--one 
degrees, to a point a little above Zidon, in latitude between 
thirty-three and thirty-four degrees north. Its average 
length was about one hundred and sixty miles. 

7-9. Your north border; from the Mediterranean sea to 
mount Hor; supposed to be a summit or spur of mount 
Lebanon. Hamath; a city and region of Syria on the 
Orontes, which was approached on the south by a pass in 
the mountain called the entering in of Hamath. 1 Kings 
8:65. Zedad — -Ziphron — Hazar-enan; places further east. 

10, 11. East border — Riblah; on the Orontes, some dis- 
tance south of Hamath. Chinnereth ; the lake of Genues- 
aret, or sea of Galilee, which, with the river Jordan and 
Dead sea, formed the eastern border. The land of Canaan, 
upon an average, was about fifty miles wide. It lay be- 
tween thirty-four and thirty-seven degrees east longitude, 
and contained about eight thousand square miles. A por- 
tion of the northern part, as here marked out, was never 
permanently possessed by the IsraeUtes. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. God assigns to individuals and to nations the bounds 
of their habitation, and they possess no rights, privileges, 
or blessings, but what they receive from him. They hold 
thera by his permission, and subject at all times to his 
disposal. 

215 



CiiUsfor tht Lecitci. 



NUMBEllS XXXV 



Cities of refuge. 



IT Tlicsc arc the nnnics of the men which sliall 
divide tiie land unto you: Elcazar the priest, and 
Joshua the iJon of Nun." 

IS And ye shall take one jn-inco of cvei-y tribe, 
to divide the land by inheritance.'' 

1;) And tiio names of the men are these: Of the 
tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneli. 

20 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, 
Shemuel the son of Ammiliud. 

21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of 
Chislon. 

22 And the prince of the tribe of the children 
of Dan, Bukki tiie son of Jogli. 

23 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the 
tribe of the children of ilanasseh, Hanniel the 
son of Ephod. 

24 And the prince of the tribe of the children 
of Ephraim, KomucI the son of Slii])htan. 

2.5 And the prince of the tribe of the childi'en 
of Zebulun, Elizaphan the sou of I'arnach. 

2G And the prince of the tribe of the children 
of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 

27 And the prince of tlie tribe of the children 
of Asher, Ahihud the son of Slielomi. 

28 And the prince of the tribe of the children 
of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of xVmmihud. 

29 These are they whom the Lord commanded 
to divide the inheritance unto the children of 
Israel in the laud of Canaan.^ 



CHAPTER XXXV. 



1 Eight and forty cities for the Levites with their suburbs, and 

therL'of. G Six of them are to be cities of refuge. 9 The laws of 
murder. 21 No satisfaction for murder. 

AND the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains 
of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 

2 Command the children of Israel, that they 
give unto the Levites, of the inheritance of their 
possession, cities to dwell in;'' and ye shall give 
also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round 
about them. 

3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; 
and the sul)urbs of them shall bo for their cattle, 
and for their goods, and for all their beasts. 

4 And the suburbs of the cities, which yc shall 
give unto the Levites," shall reach from the wall of 
the city aud outward a thousand cubits round 
about. 

5 And ye shall measure from without the city 
on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the 
south side two thousand cubits, and on the west 



» Josh. 14;1; 19:51. bch.l:4-16. c ver. 18. d Josh. 14:3-5; 21:2, etc. ; 
Ezek. 4.3, 1. etc.; 48:8, etc. e2Chr.ll:14. f ver. 13, 14; Dent. 4:41-4^: 
Josli. 20:2-9; 21:3, 1:3. etc.; Psa. 02:7, 8; Heh. 6:1S. * Het>. aiove thrm 
yeshallgm. s Josh.'21 :4l. h Josh. 21:3. i ch. 2(i:54. 1 lleh. titey in- 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

2. Suburbs ; the land around and near a city. 

4. A thousand cubits; about fifteen hundred feet. 

5. Two thmisand cubits; this may be best understood of 
the extent of the sides of the suburb belonging to each 
city. 

C. Cities for refuge; cities to which he who had killed 

a man might flee and be safe, till he could have a fair trial, 

and it be proved whether or not he intended to kill the 

man. If he did, he was to be put to death, ver. 30-33 ; if 

216 



side two thousand cubits, and on the north -^i.^.; ^JJ; 
side two thousand cubits; and the city sfuill be in 
the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of 
the cities. 

G Aud amoii<r the cities which 3-e shall give unto 
the Levites //ure shall be si.\ cities for refuge,'^ which 
yc shall appoint for the manslaycr, that he may 
flee thither: aud to them ye shall add" forty and 
two cities. 

7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the 
Levites shall be forty aud eight cities: them shall 
ye give with their suburbs.'' 

8 Aud the cities which ye shall give shall be of 
the possession of the children of Israel:'' from 
them that have many ye shall give many ; but from 
t/tem that have few ye shall give few:' every one 
shall give of his cities unto the Levites according 
to his inheritance which he inheriteth.* 

9 ^ Aud the Lord spake unto Moses, sajnng, 

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say 
unto them. When yc be come over Jordan into 
the land of CanaaUiJ 

11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities 
of refuge for you ;" that the slayer may flee thither, 
which killeth any person at unawares.* 

12 Aud they shall be unto you cities for refuge 
from the avenger;' that the manslayer die not, 
until he stand before the congregation in judg- 
ment. 

13 And of these cities which ye shall give, sLx 
cities .shall ye have for refuge."' 

14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, 
and three cities shall ye give in the laud of Ca- 
naan, which shall be cities of refuge." 

15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both tor the 
children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for 
the sojourner among them;" that every one that 
killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 

IG And if he smite him with an instrument of 
iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the mur- 
derer shall surely be put to death.P 

17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone,^ 
wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a mur- 
derer: the murderer shall surely be put to 
death. 

18 Or if he smite him with a hand- weapon of 
wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a 
murderer : the murderer shall surely be put to 
death. 

19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the 
murderer:'' when he meeteth him, he shall slay 
him. 



heril 


JD- 


ut. 19:2 


Josh 


20:2 


k 


Exod. 2 


:13. 


tHeb. 


by erro 


r. 1 Deut. 


1!):(1 


Josh 


20:3-6. 


m ver 


(i. i> 


lie 


ut. 4:11 


.losh 


. 20:S. 


och. 1 


5:16; Lev. 


21: 2-. 


. P Exod. 21 : 


.2-14; 


Ler. 


94 


17: Deu 


,. 19- 


11, 12. 


( Heb 


a stone of 


the hand. 


q ver. 21 


24,27 


; Deut. 19:6, 12; 


Josh 


20:.3, 5 







he did not, he must stay in the city of refuge till the death 
(if the high-priest, and after that he might go at large. 
Ver. 11, 25-28. 

11. At unawares; without intending it. 

12. Tlie avenger ; the nearest relative of him who vras 
killed, and who, if he could find the manslayer out of the 
city of refuge, would kiU him. Ver. 19. In judgment; 
for trial. Ver. 24. 

II. Tliis side; the east side, where the Israelites then 
were. In the land of Canaan; on the west side of the Jor- 
dan. 



Of iuurdcr and mar.sla.ughtcr. 



NUMBERS XXXVI. 



The inheritance of danghlers. 



B.a iS- 20 But if he thrust him of hatred," or 
hurl at him by laying of wait," that he die ; 

21 Or in cmnity smite him with his hand, that he 
die : he that smote /mn shall surely be put to death ; 
for he is a murderer : the revenger of blood shall 
slay the murderer, wlieu he mceteth him. 

22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, 
or have cast upon him any thing Avithout laying 
of wait, 

23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may 
die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he 
die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his 
harm ; 

2-4 Then the congregation shall judge between 
the slayer and the revenger of blood according to 
these judgments : "^ 

25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer 
out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the 
congregation shall restore him to the city of his 
refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide 
in it unto the death of the high-priest, which was 
anointed with the holy oil/' 

26 But if the slayer shall at any time come with- 
out tlie border of the city of his refuge, whither 
he was fled ; 

27 And the revenger of blood find him without 
the borders of the city of his refuge, and the re- 
venger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be 
guilty of blood:" 

28 Because he should have remained in the city 
of his refuge until the death of the high-priest : but 
after the death of the high-priest the slayer shall 
return into the land of his possession. 

29 So these things shall be for a statute of judg- 
ment unto you throughout your generations in all 
your dwellings.'' 

30 Wlioso killeth any person, the murderer shall 
be put to death by the mouth of witnesses:' but 
one witness shall not testify against any person to 
cause him to die. 

31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the 
life of a murderer, which is guilty of death :* but 
he shall be surely put to death. 

32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that 
is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come 
again to dwell in the land, until the death of the 
priest. 



a Ge 


n. 4:5, 8; 2 Sam. 3:27; 20:10; 1 Kings 2:31,32; Prov. 20:24. bExod. 


21:14; 


Deut. 19:11. = vcr. 12; Josh. 20:0. i Exod. 29:7; Lev. 21:10. 


• Ili-b 


n» 6(oo<Z shall be MA;m,- Exod. 22:2. e ch. 27:11. f Deut. 17:0; 


19:15; 


Matt. 1S:1G; 2 Cor. 13:1; Heb. 10:23. t Heb. faulti/ to die. 


f 2Iu 


ngs 24:4; Fsa. 100:3d; Micah 4:11; Matt. 23:31-35. 1 Heb. there 



27. Not be guilt y of blood ; not be punished as a murderer. 

34. I the Lord dwell among the children of Israel; this he 
did. in a peculiar manner, and especially by the visible 
manifestations of his presence and glory. 
IXSTRUCTIONS. 

7. A comfortable maintenance for the ministers of relig- 
ion and their families is required by God in the Old Tes- 
tament and in the New. 1 Cor. 9 : 14. 

12. He who is charged with killing a man, or is sup- 
posed to have done it, should have a speedy and fair 
trial. If he with malice intended to kill him, he is a mur- 
derer, and should himself be put to death. If ho did not, 
ho should be acquitted. 

24. The intention and the feelings with which an action 
is done give it its character. Two men may sometimes 
perform the same outward act, and one be guilty and the 



33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye 
are: for blood it delileth the land:*-' and the land 
cannot be cleansed* of the blood that is shed there- 
in, but by the blood of him that shed it.*" 

34 DcUle not therefore the land which ye shall 
inhabit,' wherein I dwell : for I the Lord dwell 
among the children of Israel.-' 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

1 The inconvenience of the inheritance of daughters, 5 is remedied by 
marrying in their owTt tribes, 7 lest the inheritance should be removed 
from tile tribe. 10 The daughters of Zelophehad marry their father's 
brothers' sons. 

AND the chief fathers of the families of the 
children of Gilead," the son of Machir, the 
son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of 
Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and 
before the princes, the chief fathers of the children 
of Israel : 

2 And they said. The Lord commanded my lord 
to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the 
children of Israel :' and my lord was commanded 
by the Lord to give the inheritance of Zelophehad 
our brother unto his daughters." 

3 And if they bo married to any of the sons of 
the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall 
their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of 
our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of 
the trilie whcreunto they are^ received:. so shall 
it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. 

4 And when the jubilee of the children of Israel 
shall be," then shall their inheritance be put unto 
the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are 
received : so shall their inheritance be taken away 
from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers. 

5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel 
according to the Avord of the Lord, saying, The 
tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well." 

6 This is the thing which the Lord doth com- 
mand concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, say- 
ing. Let them marry ' to whom they think best ; 
only to the family of the tribe of their father 
shall they marry.'' 

7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of 
Israel remove from tribe to tribe : for every one 
of the children of Israel shall keep himself to' 
the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.'' 



canbenaexpiatiunfor thelatid. h Gen. 9:0. i Lev. 13:25; Deut. 21:23. 
) Exod. 20:43, 40; 1 Kings 6:13; 2 Cor. 6:16. k ch. 26:29. 1 ch. 20:55; 
.■)3:.54; Josh. 17:3. mch. 27:1-7. iUe^i. unto whom they shall be. n Lev. 
25:10, etc. " ch. 27:7. 1 Heb. be wives, p ver. 12; Gen. 24:3; 2 Cor. 6:14. 
U Heb. deam to. 1 1 Kings 21 :3. 



other innocent. Careful discrimination should therefore 
be made in such cases, and each treated according to the 
true character of his deeds. 

33. Murder is a great crime, not only against the person 
who is killed, but against the community and against God. 
It pollutes the land, and exposes those who dwell in it to 
the judgments of God. This exposure cannot be removed 
without the death of the murderer. Hence, it becomes a 
public duty to put him to death. Instead of being, as 
some contend, wrong, it is required by God. and is essen- 
tial in order to escape his judgments. By protecting 
criminals we become partakers in their guilt, and expose 
ourselves to share in their punishment. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

2. Commanded by the Lord; chap. 27:7. 
217 



Of the nuirritige 



}sUMBEltS XXXVI. 



of heiresses. 



8 And every <laiigliter, that posscssctli an inheri- 
tance in any tril)e of the ehihircn of Israel," sliall 
be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her 
father, that the chiklren of Israel may enjoy every 
man the inheritanee of iiis fathers. 

!• Neither shall tiie inlieritanec remove fromonr 
tribe to another trilje; l>ut every one of tiic tribes 
oi' the ehiklren of Israel shall keep himself to liis 
own inheritance. 

10 Even as the Lord commanded Moses,'' so did 
the daughters of Zelophehad : 



il Chr. a'!:ft!. b 2 Clir. 30:12. 



•.of 



13. The judgments; decisions of God concerning the 
duties, rights, and privileges of his people. The plains of 
Monti ; on the east side of Jordan, over against Jericlio. 
The .Nfoabites had once possessed this country. It was 
afterwards taken by tlie Amorites, and was now in tlie 
]iosscs.sion of the Israelites, yet it still retained its ancient 
name. Cliap. 22:1. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
5. It is well to foresee evils to which we are exposed, 



11 For Mahlah,Tir7.ah. and IToglah, and Vomr 
Mileaii, and Noali, tlie daiij^iiters of Zelophchad,' 
were married unto their father's brothers' sons: 

12 .find tiiey were married into the families" of 
llic sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their 
inlieritance remained in the tribe of the family of 
their father. 

13 These are the commandment.s and the judtr- 
ments, which the Lord commanded, by the hand 
of Moses, imto the children of Israel in the plains 
of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.'' 



tin famines. J ch. 2a;3; 33:50. 



and as far as practicable, by the use of proper means, to 
provide against them. 

8. The regulations of the Jews, which were designed 
to make and keep them a peculiar people, separate from 
other nations, are in the Christian dis]ieMs;iti()n doiic> away. 
All nations now arc considered as oul- family; njarriago 
and other connections maybe formed with the inhatiitants 
of different countries, the gospel shoidd be preached to 
all, and individuals and nations do to others as they ought 
to wish that others should do to them. 



218 



THE FIFTH BOOK OF MOSES, 



CALLED 



DEUTERONOMY. 



Dedteronomy is a Greek word signifying second law, or repetition of the law. The book is so called 
because it contains a summary by Moses of the precepts recorded iu the three preceding books, with 
earnest exhortations to obedience, and the solemn denunciation of God's wrath as the penalty of disobe- 
dience. The last chapter, which contains the record of Moses' death, was added after his decease, probar 
bly by the hand of Joshua. 



tli^ CHAPTER I. 

1 Moses' speech in the end of the fortieth year, briefly rehearsing the 
story 6 of God's promise, 13 of giving tnem officers, 19 of sending 
the spies to search the land, 34 of G-oJ's anger for their incredulity, 
41 and disobedience. 

THESE be the words which Moses spake unto 
all Israel on this side Jordan iu the wildcr- 
ness,'"' iu the plaiu over against the Red* sea, be- 
tween Paran, aud Tophel, aud Laban, and Haze- 
roth, and Dizahab. 

2 There are eleven dajs' journey from Horeb by 
the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-liarnea. 

3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in 
the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, 
that Hoses spake uuto the children of Israel, ac- 
cording unto all that the Lord had given him in 
commandment unto them ; 

4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amo- 
rites,'' which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king 
of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: 

5 On this side Joi-dan, iu the laud of Moab, be- 
gan Moses to declare this law, saying, 



Josh. 9:!, 10. • Or, Suph. b Num. 21;a4, 35; Josh. 13:12. c Exod. 
J Exod. 19:1; Num. 10:11. 1 Ueb. all his neigUors. i Heh. given. 



CHAPTER I. 

1. Ill the plain over against tlie Red sea — Dizahab; "the 
plaiu " is the long narrow valley extending all the way 
from the sea of Galilee to the Red sea, in the lowest part 
of which the Dead sea lies. The Israelites were in this 
plain opposite Jericho. They are said to he "over against 
the Red sea," because they are in the northern part of the 
plain opposite to the Red sea, which lay at the other end 
of that plain. This plain is then further described as lying 
between Paran — the region about Kadesh — on the west, 
and Tophel on the east in the mountains of Moab. Several 
places are then named which skirt the western border of 
this plain called the Arabah, or of the sea of Akabah, at 
whicii its southern extremity terminates. See Robinson's 
BibUcal Researches, second edition, vol. II, p. 187. 

.4. Sihon—and Og; Num. 21:21-35. 



6 The Lord our God spake unto us in Horcb," 
saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount : 

7 Turn you, and take your journey,* and go to 
the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places 
nigh thereunto,^ in the plain, in the hills, and in 
the vale, and in the south, and by the seaside, to 
the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, 
unto the great river, the river Euphrates. 

8 Behold, I have set* the land before you : go in 
and possess the land which the Lord sware unto 
your fathers,^ Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give 
unto them and to their seed after them. 

9 1 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, 
I am not able to bear you myself alone :'^ 

10 The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and 
behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for 
multitude.^ 

11 (The Lord God of your fathers make you a 
thousand times so many more as ye are,^ and bless 
you, as he hath promised you!) 

12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, 
and your burden, and your strife?' 



:1(>-1S; S6:3. 4; •2-J:1.3, 14. fExod. 18:18; Num. 11:14. 
1.15:5. ha Sam. 24:3. ■ I Kings 3:7-9. 



6. Horeb; the general name of the mountains of which 
Sinai was one. Is^um. 10:11-13. 

7. The mount of the Amorites; the mountainous region of 
Canaan, which the Israelites, if obedient to God, would 
have entered from its southern part near Kadesh. Num. 
13:17. The Amorites were properly the inhabitants of 
the mountains, but they are sometimes put in a general 
sense for all the Canaanitish tribes. The plain; see note 
to ver. 1. Tlie hills; the mountainous part of Canaan. The 
vale; the level region on the Mediterranean. Tlie south; 
the southern part of the land bordering on the desert. 
The seaside; the coast of the Mediterranean. Lebanon — 
Euphrates; the original grant extended thus far. Gen. 
15:18; but the northern and eastern part of this region 
was never permanently in the jiossession of the Israelites. 

8. Unto your fatliers; Gen. 12:7; 13:14,15; 15:10; 17:7,8. 
9-18. Rulers over you; Exod. 18:17-26. 

219 



JMoscs' rehearsal of 



DEUTEllONOMV 1. 



the Israelite^ pilgrimage. 



13 Take' you wise men, and undcrstamliiiff, and 
known ainonji your tribes, and I will make them 
rulers over you. 

14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing 
wliicli thou ha.~t spoken is goodybr us to do. 

1.5 So 1 took till' fliicl'of your tribes," wise men, 
and known, and made * them heads over you, ca.\y 
tains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, 
and captains over iifties, and captains over tens, 
and ollicors among your tribes. 

10 And I charged your judges at that time, say- 
ing. Hear tlie causes between your brethren, and 
judge righteously between every man and his 
brother,"' and the stranger that is with him.'' 

17 Ye shall not resj)ect persons* in judgment;'' 
but ye shall hear tlie small as well as the great ; 
ye sliall not be afraid of tlie face of man ;" for the 
judgment is God's : ' and the cause that is too hard 
for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. 

18 And I commanded you at tliat time all the 
things which ye sliould do. 

19 "f x\.nd when we departed from Horeb,^ we 
went through all that great and terrible wilder- 
ness,'' which ye saw by the way of the mountain 
of the Amorites, as the Lord our God commanded 
us ; and we came to Kadesh-barnea.' 

20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the 
mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our 
God doth give unto us. 

21 Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land 
before thee : go u]) and possess it, as the Lord God 
of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, nei- 
ther be discouraged. 

22 1 And ye came near unto me every one of 
you, and said. We will send men before us, and 
they shall search us out the land, and bring us 
word again by what way we must go up, and into 
what cities we shall come. 

23 And the saying pleased me well ; and I took 
twelve men of you, one of a tribe :' 

24 And they turned and went up into the moun- 
tain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and 
searched it out. 

25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their 
hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought 
us word again, and said. It is a. good land which 
the Lord our God doth give us. 

26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but 
rebelled against the commandment of the Lord 
your God:" 

27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Be- 
cause the Lord hated us, he hath brought us forth 
out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the 
hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.' 

28 Whither shall we go up ? our brethren have 
discouraged^ our heart, saying. The people is 
greater and taller than we ;™ the cities are great 



• Heb. Give, a Exod. 18:45. t Heb. gave, t, ch. 16:18; John 7:24. 
t Lev. •2.1:22. 1 Heb. acknowledgt faas. d Lev. 19:15; Piov. 21:2.'!; Jai. 
2:1. ejer.l:n. r 2 Chr. 19:6. e Num. 10:12. h ch. 8:15; .32:10 ; Jer. 
2:6. i Num. 13:26. J Num. 13:3. etc. k Num. 14:1, etc. ; Psa. 10fi:al, 
25. 1 oh. 9:28. i Heb. metled; Josh. 2:11. m oh. 9:1, 2. n Num. 1.1:28, 
33. o Exod. 14:14, 25; Neh. 4:20; Rom. 8:37. P ch. 32:11, 12; E.xod. 
19:4; Isi. 40:11; 46:3; 63:9; Hos. 11:3; Acts 13:18. q Psa. 106:24; Heb. 



19-21. Kadesh-barnea ; Num. 13:26. 
22-45. Ye wcndd not go up; Num. 14:2-4.5. 
44. Tlie Amorites; here a general name fcr the Canaan- 
220 



and walled up to heaven; and moreover H.crJ^J: 
we have seen the sons of the Anakim there." 

29 Then I said unto you. Dread not, neither be 
afraid of them. 

oil The Lord your (Jod which gocth before you, 
ho sliiill fight for you," according to all that he 
did for you in Egypt lieforc your eyes; 

31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen 
how that the Lord thy God bare thee,'' as a man 
doth bare his son, in all the way that ye went, until 
ye came into this place. 

32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord 
your God," 

33 Who went in the way before you,' to search 
you out a place to pitch your tents in' in fire by 
night, to show you by what way ye should go, and 
in a cloud by daj'. 

34 And the Lord heard the voice of your words, 
and was wroth, and sware,' saying, 

35 Surely there shall not one of these men of 
this evil generation sec that good land, which I 
sware to give unto your fathers," 

36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunncli ; he slmll 
see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath 
trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath 
wholly followed' the Lord. 

37 Also the Lord was angry with me for your 
sakes,^' saying. Thou also shalt not go in thither: 

38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth 
before thee, he shall go in thither :'' encourage 
him;^ for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 

39 Moreover your little ones,-^' which ye said 
should be a prey, and your children, which in that 
day had no knowledge between good and evil,^ 
they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give 
it, and they shall possess it. 

40 But as for you, turn you, and take your jour- 
ney into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.* 

41 Then ye answered and said unto me. We have 
sinned against the Lord,"" wewill goupaud fight.ac- 
cording to all that the Lord our God commanded us. 
And when ye had girded on every man his weap- 
ons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill. 

42 And the Lord said unto me. Say unto them, 
Go not up, neither fight ; for I am not among you f 
lest ye be smitten before your enemies. 

43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, 
but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, 
and went presumptuously up*" into the hill. 

44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that moun- 
tain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees 
do,'' and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Ilormah. 

45 And ye returned and wept before the Lord ; 
but the Lord would not hearken to your voice, 
nor give ear unto you. 

46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days," accord- 
ing unto the days that ye abode tJiere. 



3:lH;Jude5. ' Exod. 13:21. 22. > Num. 10:33; Ezek. 20:6. I ch. 2:14, 
1.5. u Num. 14:22, etc. I Heb fulfilhd to go afur. v ch. 3:23-28; 4:21 ; 
34:4; Num. 20:12; 27:13, 14; Psa. 106:32. w Num. 14:30; 27:18:23. i ch. 
31:7,2:3. y Num. 14:31. J Rom. 9:11. » Num. 14:25. b Num. 14:40, 
etc. c Josh. 7:12 13. ^ Ueh. ye wer€ presumptuous and went up il Psa. 
lls:12. eNum. 14:25; 20:1, 22; Judg. 11:17. 



itish tribes. In Num. 14:45, they are called Amalekites 
and Canaanites. 

46. In Kadesh many days; Num. 20:1-22. 



Biases contimietk the 



DEUTERONOMY II. 



story of thtir pilgrimage. 



CHAPTER II, 



1 The story is continued, that they were not to meddle with the Edom- 
ites, 9 nor with the Moahites, 17 nor with the Ammonites, 24 but 
Sihon the Amorite was subdued by them. 

THEN wc turned, and took our journey into 
the wilderness by tlie way of the Red sea, as 
the Lord spake unto me:'' and we compassed 
mount Seir many days. 

2 And tlie Lord spake unto me, saying, 

3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough:" 
turn you northward. 

4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are 
to pass through the coast of your brethren the 
children of Esau, which dwell in Seir ;•= and they 
shall be afraid of you : take ye good heed unto 
yourselves therefore : 

5 Meddle not with them ; for I will not give you 
of their land, no, not so much as a footbreadth : * 
because I have given mount Seir unto Esau/o?- a 
possession.'^ 

6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye 
may eat ; and ye shall also buy water of them for 
money, that ye may drink. 

7 For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all 
the works of thy hand :" he knoweth thy walking 
through this great wilderness: these forty years 
the Lord thy God hath been with thee ;' thou hast 
lacked nothing. 

8 And when we passed by from our brethren the 
children of Esau,s which dwelt in Seir, through 
the way of the plain from Elath,"" and from Ezion- 
geVier, we turned and passed by the way of the 
wilderness of Moab. 

9 And the Lord said unto me. Distress not the 
Moabites,* neither contend with them in battle : 
for I will not give thee of their land/or a posses- 



a CI,. 1:1(1; I^um. 1-1:2.5. b ver. 7, 14 c, Num. 20:14. • Beh. even to lite 
treadhis of the sole of the foot, d Gen. 36:8; Josh. 24:4. e Psa. 90:17. 
I ch. 8:2-4; 29:.5; Neil. 9:21 ; Luke 22:35. f Judg. 11:18. h 1 Kings 9:20. 
t Or. ['.•!.■ no hostilit,/ against Moab. i Num. 21:23. J Gen. 1U:.3S, 37. 
k Gen. 14:5. 1 ch. 9:2; Num. 13:22,33. m Gen. 14:6. 1 Hob. inherited 



IXSTRUCTIONS. 
3. Men who have spent their Hfe in the service of God, 
as they draw near its close may often with great advan- 
tage recount the goodness of God, and repeat his com- 
mands to tliose aromid them. 

11. As good men draw near to heaven, they possess, and 
often manifest an unusual degree of the spirit of heaven, 
in earnest desires, fervent prayers, and benevolent efforts 
for the good of others. 

17. Magistrates are God's ministers to execute that part 
of his government which concerns the temporal riglits of 
men, and as such are bound to be candid and impartial ; 
to decide and act in the fear and love of God, and accord- 
ing to truth and duty. 

21. Great courage is needful in order to be willing, 
under all circumstances, to obey God. 

30. None will have courage enough to obey God, except 
those who put their trust in him. 

34. God is angry with those who are afraid to obey him. 
37. To please God, men must be careful not to boast of 
their own power ; or take the glory of what they do to 
themselves. As they have nothing good but what God 
gives them, the glory of their doing good all belongs to 
him. 

39. Little children are objects of God's peculiar kind- 
ness and care ; and though the sins of parents may occa- 
sion them great trouble, yet by loving and obeying their 
Father in heaven they may be delivered from all sorrow, 
and inherit pure and everlasting joys. 



sion ; because I have given Ar' unto the children 
of Lot /or a possession.' 

10 The Emim dwelt therein in times past,'' a peo- 
ple great, and many, and tall, as the Anakim;' 

11 Which also were accounted giants, as the 
Anakim; but the Moabitcs call them Emim. 

12 The Horim also dwelt in Seir beforetime;" 
but the children of Esau succeeded them,* when 
they had destroyed them from before them, and 
dwelt in their stead ;^ as Israel did unto the land 
of his possession, which the Lord gave unto them. 

1 3 Nowrise up, said I, and got you over the brook ■ 
Zcred." And we went over the brook Zcrcd. 

14 And the space in which we came from Ka- 
desh-barnea," until we were come over the brook ^ 
Zered, was thirty and eight years ; until all the 
generation of the men of war were wasted out 
from among the host,'' as the Lord sware unto 
thcm.i 

15 For indeed the hand of the Lord was against 
them,"' to destroy them from among the host," until 
they were consumed. 

16 1 So it came to pass, when all the men of war 
were consumed and dead from among the people, 

17 That the Lord spake unto me, saying, 

18 Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast 
of Moab, this day : 

19 And when thou comest nigh over against the 
children of Ammon, distress them not, nor med- 
dle with them : for I will not give thee of the land 
of the children of Ammon any possession ; because 
I have given it unto the children of Lot for a 
possession.* 

20 That also was accounted a land of giants: 
giants dwelt therein in old time ; and the Ammon- 
ites call them Zamzummim ,* 



them. S Or, room, i Or, valley. "Num. 21:12. o 
hy. P Num. 14:32, 33; 26:64. q ch. 1:34, 35; N 
Ezek.20:15. r Psa. 78:33; 100:26. »lCor.lO:5. 
zim; Gen. 14:5. 



*um. 13:26. H Or. val- 
im. 14:35; Psa. 95:11; 
Gen. 19:36-38. • Zu- 



45. lilen often weep in view of the evils they have 
brought on themselves, when it is too late to escape them. 
They must trust in and obey God, if they would avoid deep 
and unavaiUng sorrow. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. We turned ; from Kadesh-barnea. Mount Seir ; a range 
of mountains ruiming from near the south end of the Dead 
sea, towards the eastern branch of the Red sea. 

3-8. Turn you northward — passed by from our brethren — 
wilderness of Moab; at Kadesh-barnea, Moses requested of 
the king of Edom permission to pass through his country 
on the direct way to the plain of Jordan by Jericho. This 
would have greatly shortened the route. Being denied his 
request, he marched south through " the plain," that is, the 
valley of the Arabah — see note to chap. 1:1 — and passed 
around between moimt Seir and the head of the eastern 
arm of the Red sea, on which Elath and Ezion-geber were 
situated. Then he turned northward and skirted along 
the desert east of mount Seir, here called " the wilderness 
of Moab." 

9. Ar; the capital of Moab, about twenty-five miles 
south of the river Arnon. Num. 21:13-15. 

10. Emim ; the ancient inhabitants of the country which 
was afterwards possessed by the Moabites. 

14. Zered; a brook which empties into the south-east 
part of tlie Dead sea. 

19. Tlie children of Ammon ; on the east of Jordan, north 
of the Moabites. 

221 



Muses eonlinueth the 



DEUTERONOMY 111. 



stury of their yilgrimage. 



21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the 
Anakim;" but the Loud destroyed them before 
theiii ; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their 
stead : 

22 As lie did to the children of Esau, wliirh 
dwelt in Soir, when he destroyed the liorini fioiii 
before them ;■• and they succeeded them, uud dwelt 
in tlieir stead even unto this day : 

23 And tlie Avim wiiich dwelt in Hazerim,"^ even 
unto Azzaii,'' the Caphtorlm," which came forth out 
of Capiitor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their 
stead. 

24 ^ Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over 
the river Arnou:'' behold, I have given into thy 
hand Sihon the Amoritc, king of Heshbon, and liis 
land : begin to possess it' and contend with him 
in battle. 

2.5 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee 
and flic fear of thee upon the nations that are under 
the whole licaven,^ who shall hear report of thee, 
and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of 
thee. 

26 IT And I sent messengers out of the wilder- 
ness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon 
witli words of peace,'' saying, 

27 Let me pass through thy land:' I will go 
along by the highway, I will neither turn unto 
the right hand nor to the left. 

28 Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I 
may eat ; and give me water for money, that I may 
drink ; only I will pass through on my feet : 

29 As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir,^ 
and the Moabites whicli dwell in Ar, did unto me: 
until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which 
the Lord our God giveth us. 

30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us 
pass by him :'' for the Lord thy God hardened his 
spirit,' and made his heart obstinate, tliat he might 
deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day. 

31 And the Lord said unto me. Behold, I have 
begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: 
begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his 
land. 



aVer. 10. b Gen. 30:20. etc. ' Josh. 13:3. 


ilJer. a5:30. e Gen. 10:14; 


Amos 0:7. r Num. 21:13. 14; Judg. 11:1S, 
e Exod. 15:14-16; Josh. 2:9. 10. h ch. 20:10. 


22. ' Heb. be^n. pnKfess. 


i Num. 21:21,22. j Num. 


20:18. k Num. 21:23. I Exod. 4:21; 11:10 


Josh. 11:20; Rom. 9:18, 22. 



23. Hazerim; a country south and south-west of Gaza. 
Azzah ; Ga,zai. CapAfor/m ; the Philistines. Capfeor; sup- 
posed by some to be Crete, by others, Cappadocia. 

24. The river Anion ; the northern boundary of the Mo- 
abites. Heshbon; one of the cities of the Amorites. 

2G. The wilderness of Kedemoth ; a wilderness north of the 
river Arnon. 

30. Hardened his spirit ; by leaving him to follow his own 
wicked inclinations in fighting against the Israelites. 

32. Jahaz; a city near the northern frontier of the Mo- 
abites. 

36. Aroer; a city on the north side of the river Arnon. 
Gitead; the country north of the Amorites. 
_ 37. The land of the children of Ammon ; east of the Amo- 
rites. The river Jahbok; that empties from the east into 
the Jordan, about thirty miles below the sea of Galilee. 

KSTRUCTIONS. 
5. Nations, as well as individuals, are bound in all things 
to obey God ; and rulers are to be governed, in public as 
weM as private concerns, by his revealed will. 

9. The Lord claims, and in his providence exercises, the 
222 



32 Tiien Siiion came out against us,"" ho u,c:ui?: 
and all iiis people, to figlit at Jahaz. 

33 And the Lord our God delivered him before 
us; and we smote him," and his sons, and all Ins 
people. 

34 And we took all his cities at that time, and 
utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and 
the little ones," of every city,* and we left none to 
remain:'' 

35 Only the cattle we took for a prey unto our- 
selves, and the spoil of the cities which we took. 

36 From Aroer,'' which is Ijy the brink of the 
river of Arnon, and//-o?rt tiic city that is by the 
river, even unto Gilcad. there was not one city too 
strong for us: the Lord our God delivered all 
unto us:'' 

37 Only unto the land of the cliildrcn of Amnion 
thou earnest not, ?ior unto any )ilace of the river 
Jabbok,"* nor unto the cities in tlio mountains, nor 
unto whatsoever the Lord our God forbade us.' 

CHAPTER III. 

1 The ston' of the conquest of Og king of Bashan. 11 The bigness of liis 
bed. 12' The distribution of those lands to the two tribes .-md half. 23 
Moses* prayer to enter mto the land. 26 He is permitted to see it. 

THEN we turned, and went up the way to Ba- 
shan : and Og the king of Bashan came out 
against us," he and all his people, to battle at 
Edrei.^ 

2 And the Lord said unto me, Fear him not:" 
for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his 
land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him 
as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites,^ 
which dwelt at Heshbon. 

3 So the Lord our God delivered into our hands 
Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: 
and we smote him until none was loft to him 
remaining. 

4 And we took all his cities at that time, there 
was not a city which we took not from them, three- 
score cities, all the region of Argob,^ the kingdom 
of Og in Bashan. 

5 All these cities were fenced with high walls, 



m Num. 21. 23. 24. ■■ ch. 29:7. o 


ch. 20:16; 29:7. t Heb. every cily of 


men, and worntn, and tittle ones. 


ch. 7:2, 2C. q oh. 3:12; 4:48; Josh. 


13:9. ' Psa. 44:3. » Gen. 32:22. 


t ver. 5, 9, 19. « ch. 29:7; Num. 


21:33-35. »ch. 1:4. w2Chr. 20:17 


X Num. 21:24. y 1 Kings 4:13. 



right of giving any and all portions of the earth to whom- 
soever he will. 

12. When the sins of one nation are full, and have ri- 
pened them for ruin, God in righteous judgment often 
suffers another nation to destroy them and take possession 
of their countiy ; though none have a right to do this, 
except at the direction and under the guidance of God. 

23. As with individuals so with nations, they rise and 
fall in succession, according to the wise and good pm'- 
poses of God. While the heart of man deviseth his way, 
the Lord directeth his steps ; and though there be many 
human devices, the counsel of the Lord shall stand. Prov. 
16:9; 19:21. 

30. If men continue to rebel against God, he will finally 
give them up, and suffer them to pursue their own chosen 
way of iniquity to their utter ruin. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Bashan; a country north-east of Gilead. Edrei; a 
chief city of Bashan. 

4. Argob; a district of Bashan. 



The conquest of Bashan. 



DEUTERONOMY III. 



The petition of Moses. 



Kc.'iSi: gates, aud bars; beside unwalled towns a 
great many. 

G And we utterly destroyed them," as wc did unto 
Sihou Iving of Heshbon, utterly destroying tliemen, 
women, and children, of every city. 

7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, 
wo took for a prey to ourselves.'' 

8 And wc took at that time out of the hand of 
the two kings of the Amorites the land that was 
on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto 
mount Hermon ; 

9 JV/iich Hermon" the Sidonians call Sirion;'' 
and the Amorites call it Shenir;" 

10 All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, 
and all Bashan,' unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of 
the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 

11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the 
remnant of giants ;° boliold, his bedstead ivas a 
bedstead of iron ; is it not in Rabbath of the chil- 
dren of Amnion?'' nine cubits was the length 
thereof and four cubits the breadth of it, after the 
culnt of a mau. 

12 And this land, which we possessed at that 
time, f om Aroer.' which is by the river Arnon, 
and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave 
I unto the Reubenites aud to the Gadites. 

13 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being 
the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of 
Manasscli ■' all the region of Argob, with all Ba- 
shan, which was called the land of giants. 

1-4 Jair the son of Mauasseh'^ took all the coun- 
try of Argob uuto the coasts of Geshuri and Maa- 
chathi;' and called them after his own name, 
Bashan-havoth-jair, unto this day. 

15 And I gave Gilead unto Machir. 

16 And unto the Reubeuites and unto the Gad- 
ites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Ar- 
non half the valley, and the border even unto the 
river Jabbok, which is the border of the children 
of Amnion ; '" 

17 The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast t/wre- 
of, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain," 
even the salt sea, under xVshdoth-pisgah* eastward. 



a Ch. 2:34; Psa. 1:35:10-13; 13G:1&--J1. b Josh. 11:12,14. cch. 4:48, 49. 
dPsa. 29:6. e 1 Clir. 5:23; Ezek. 27:5. f Josh. 12:5; 13:11. eAmos2:9. 
li2Sam. 12:26. i Josh. 12:2, etc. ; 13:9, etc. J Josh. 13:29. klChr.2;a2; 
Num. 32:39.41. 1 Josh. 13:13 ; 2 Sam. 3:3; 10:6. m Josh. 12: 2, 3. n Num. 
34:11. • Or, under the springs of Pisgah, or the hill, o Num. 32:20, etc 



8. Mount Herman ; mount Lebanon consists of two nearly 
parallel ranges, running over against the shore of the Med- 
iterranean north of Palestine ; the eastern of these ranges 
is called Anti-Lebanon. Mount Hermon branches off 
from the south end of the Anti-Lebanon range, near the 
borders of Galilee. 

11. Of giants; of the rephaim or giants here spoken of. 
Nine cubits; thirteen and a half feet. Four cubits; six feet. 
TIte cubit of a man ; this expression seems to mean, the aver- 
age fore-arm of a man from the elbow to the tip of the mid- 
dle finger ; for from this came the measure of the cubit. 

12-20. Tilts land— gave I; Num. 32 : 1-33. 

21. Tlicse two kings; Silion and Og. 

26. Tlie Lord was wroth; Num. 20:7-12. 

27. Pisgaii; the top of Nebo, one of the summits of 
mount Abarim. Num. 27 : 12-14. 

29. BetJi-peor ; meaning, house of Peor; a place in Moab 
noted for the worship of Peor, or Baal. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. When men refuse to take warning from the destruc- 



18 1 And I commanded you at that time, say- 
ing, The LoKD your God hath given you this land 
to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your 
brethren the children of Israel," all thMt are meet'' 
for the war. 

19 But your wives, and your little ones, and your 
cattle, (/or I know that ye have much cattle,) shall 
abide in your cities which I have given you ; 

20 Until the Lord have given rest unto your 
brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also 
[jossess the land which the Lord your God hath 
given them beyond Jordan : aud then shall ye re- 
turn every man unto his possession, which I have 
given you.P 

21 1 And I commanded Joshua at that time,i say- 
ing. Thine eyes have seen all that the Lord your 
God hath done unto these two kings : so shall the 
Lord do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. 

22 Ye shall not fear them:'' for the Lord your 
God ho shall fight for you.'' 

23 And I besought the Lord at that time, saying, 

24 Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy 
servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand:' for 
what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can 
do according to thy works, and according to thy 
might?" 

25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good 
land that is beyond Jordan," that goodly moun- 
tain, and Lebanon. 

26 But the Lord ■was wroth with me for your 
sakes, and would not hear me :"' and the Lord said 
unto me. Let it suffice thee ; speak no more unto 
me of this matter. 

27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah,* and lift 
up thine eyes westward, and northward, and south- 
ward, and eastward, and behold it with thine 
eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 

28 But charge Joshua,'' and encourage him, and 
strengthen him: for he shall go over before this 
people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land 
which thou shalt see. 

29 So we abode in the valley over against Beth- 
peor.^ 



t Heb. sons of power. P Josh. 22:4. <1 Num. 27:22, 23. • Isa. 43:1, 2. 
s ch. 1:30; 20:4; Exod. 14:14. t oh. 11:2. u Exod. 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:22: 
Psa. 71:19; 86:8; 89:6, 8; Isa. 40:28; Dan. 3:29. » Exod. 3:8. " Num. 
20:12; 27:13, 14. t Oi, The hill, i ch. 1:3S; 31 :3, 7; Num. 27:18, 23. y ch. 
4:46. 



tion of others, and rush on in the same course of trans- 
gression, they may expect to come to the same di'eadful 
end. 

11. No human arm however sti'ong, if employed against 
God, can ultimately succeed. God may suffer his opposers 
to prosper for a time, while he waits to be gracious ; but 
if his goodness does not lead them to repentance, they 
will perish. 

18. However great the efforts of the people of God in 
obedience to his command, their successes are to be 
ascribed to him, not to their own wisdom, goodness, or 
power. 

26. With such earthly good things as in the use of 
proper means God sees fit to bestow, we should be con- 
tent, and pray that such evils as our sins here bring upon 
us, may wean us from the world, quicken us in duty, and 
prepare us for heaven. 

28. The good which we caimot do or enjoy, wc should 
rejoice to have done and enjoyed by others ; and we should 
be ready in all proper ways to aid them in doing aud 
enjoying it 

223 



Moses txhurttth the 



DEUTERONOMY IV. 



jicofk to obedience. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1 An exhortation to obfdirni 
ffugc 



M M(>sr5 appointclli the three cities of 
I the t'»sl of Jordan. 



"VTOW therefore hearken, Israel, unto the 
J.\ statutes ami unto the juilpnicnts." wliioh I 
teacli voii, for to do f/icm'' that yc may live, and 
go in and jjossess the hind which the Loiw God of 
your latlicrs givetli you. 

2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I com- 
mand you, neither sliall ye diminish aug/it from it,'' 
that ye may keep the commandments of tlic Loud 
your God which I command you. 

3 Your eyes iiavc seen what the Lord did he- 
cause of Baai-pcor :*' for all the men tlmt followed 
Baal-peor, the Loud thy God hath destroyed them 
from among you." 

4 But ye that did cleave imto the Lord your 
God are alive every one of you this day.*^ 

5 Behold, I have tauglit you statutes and judg- 
ments,''' even as the Loud my God commanded me, 
that ye should do so in the laud whither yc go to 
possess it. 

6 Keep therefore and do them ; for this is your 
wisdom and your understanding in the sight of 
the nations," which sliall hear all these statutes, 
and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and 
understanding people.' 

7 For what nation is there so great,^ who hath God 
so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all 
things that we call upon him ybr .5* 

8 And what nation is there so great, that hath 
statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, 
which I set before you this day?'' 

9 Only take heed" to thyself and keep thy soul 
diligently,' lest thou forget the things which thine 
eyes have seen,™ and lest they depart from thy 
heart all the days of thy life ; but teach them thy 
sons," and thy sons' sons; 

10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the 
Lord thy God in Horeb," when the Lord said unto 
me. Gather me the people together, and I will 
make them hear my words, that they may learn to 
fear me all tlie days that they shall live upon the 
eartli," and that tliey may teach their children. 

11 And ye came near and stood under the moun- 
tain; and the mountain l)urned with fire unto the 
midst* of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick 
darkness. 

12 And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst 
of the fire : ye heard the voice of the words, but 
saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.*'' 



» Lev. 19:37; Psa. 119:4. b Ezek. 30:11 ; Rom. 10:5. c ch. 12:32; Rev. 
22:IS, 19. d Num. 25:1-9: Psa. 106:a8. 29. e Num. 2fi:G4. t Josh. 23:8; 
Acts 11:2.1. e Prov. 22:19, 20. h Job 29:23; Psa. 19:7; 111:10; Prov. 1:7. 
i Psa. 119:99. J2Sam. 7:2;3. k Psa. 147:19. 20. 1 Prov. 4:23. m Prov. 
3:1; 4:21. n ch. 6:7: 11:19; Psa. 73:5-7; Eph. 6:4. o Exod. chs. 19, 20. 
P Eccl. 12:13. • Heb. heart, t Heb. save a voice, q 1 Kings 19:12; Isa. 



CHAPTER IV. 

1. Statutes and — judgments; the laws which God gave 
the Israelites concerning his worship and their social and 
civil duties. Ver. 14. 

3. What the Lord did ; Num. 25 : 1-9. 

6. This ts your wisdom and your understanding ; it would 
promote their reputation for wisdom and understanding 
among other nations. 

10-13. In Horeb; Exod. 19, 20. 

14. Statutes and judgments ; Exod. 21, 22, 23. 
224 



13 And he declared unto you his cove- n.r.?5S: 
nant, wiiich he commanded you to perform, even 
ten commandments;' and he wrote them upon 
two tables of stone." 

14 1 And tiie Lord coinmanded me at that time 
to teach you statutes and jiiduiiiciits,' tiiatye might 
do them in the laud whither ye go over to pos- 
sess it. 

15 Take ye therefore goodhecd unto yourselves ;" 
for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that 
t!ie Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst 
of tlic fire ; '' 

Ifi Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a 
graven image," the similitude of any figure, the 
likeness of male or female," 

17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth,'' 
the likcnessof any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 

18 The likeness of any thing that creepetli on 
the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the 
waters beneath the earth : 

19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven,^ 
and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the 
stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be 
driven to worsliip them, and serve them," wliich 
the Lord thy God hath divided* unto all nations 
under the whole heaven. 

20 But the Lord liath taken you, and brought 
you forth out of the iron furnace,'' even out of Egypt, 
to be unto him a people of inheritance,'' as ye are 
tliis day. 

21 Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for 
your sakcs,'' and sware that I should not go over 
Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good 
land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee /or an 
inheritance : 

22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over 
Jordan : but ye shall go over, and possess that 
good land. 

23 Take heed unto yourselves," lest ye forget the 
covenant of the Lord your God, which he made 
with you, and make you a graven image, or the 
likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God 
hath forbidden thee. 

24 For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire,^ 
even a jealous God.*"' 

25 IF When thou shalt beget children, and chil- 
dren's children, and ye shall have remained long 
in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make 
a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and 
shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to 
provoke him to anger;'' 



30:21 


r 


Exod. 34 


2S. 


»E.\od. 31: 


18. • 


Exod 


ch. 21, etc. u 


Josh. 23:11; 


Psa. 


19:9. v Isa 


411: 


8. IV Exod 


32:7. 


I E.\od. 20:4,5. 7 


Rom. 1:23. 


2 Job 31 


26, 27. 


a ch 


17:3; 2 Kil 


nps 17 


16. 


Or, imparted. 


b 1 Kings 


.M-.5I: 


.k 


. 11:4. 


ch. 


9:29; .32:9; 


Eph. 


:1H. 


i Num. 20:12 


e ver. 15, 


IG. 


ch 


9:3; Heb. 12 


29. S Exod 


20:5 


IMah 


1:2; Zeph. 3:6 


h 2 Kings 


17:17 


et 


:. ; 1 Cor. 


10:2 


2. 











19. God hath divided; he had given the benefit of the 
heavenly bodies to all nations, as well as to the Israelites. 

20. The iron furnace; the great oppression and hard- 
ship of their state of bondage. A people of inlieritance ; his 
peculiar people, and heirs of his favor. 

22. This land; ver. 4C. 

23. Vie covenant; Exod. 20:4, 5. 

24. Consuming fire — a jealous God; one who is greatly 
displeased with those who give to others what is due 
onh' to himself; and if they do not repent, will destroy 
them. Ver. 26. 



IVarning against idolatry. 



DEUTERONOMY IV. 



Tkree cities of refuge. 



B.'"i^' 26 I call heaven and earth to witness 
against you this day," that ye shall soon utterly 
perish from off the land whereunto ye go ovei* 
Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your 
days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 

27 And the Lord shall scatter you among the 
nations," and ye shall be left few in number among 
the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. 

28 And there ye shall serve gods," the work of 
men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, 
nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 

29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord 
thy God,'^ thou shalt find Aim, if thou seek him with 
all thy heart and with all thy soul." 

30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these 
things are pome upon thee,* even iu the latter days,'' 
if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be 
obedient unto his voice ; 

31 (For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;*) 
he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor 
forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he sware 
unto them. 

32 For ask now of the days that are past,'' which 
were before thee, since the day that God created 
man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of 
heaven unto the other, whether there hath been 
ajiy such thing as this great thing is, or hath been 
heard like it? 

33 Did ever people hear the voice of God speak- 
ing out of the midst of the fire,' as thou hast 
heard, and live ? 

34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a 
nation from the midst of another nation, by temp- 
tations,J by signs," and by wonders, and by war, 
and by a mighty hand,' and by a stretched-out 
arm," and by great terrors," according to all that 
the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before 
your eyes? 

35 Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest 
know that the Lord he is God ; there is none else 
beside him. 

36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice," 
that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he 
showed thee his great fire ; and thou hcardest his 
words out of tlie midst of the fire. 

37 And because he loved thy fathers,'' therefore 
he chose their seed after them, and brought thee 



«CK. 30:18. 10; Isa. 1:2; Micah6:2. b ch. 28:62-64; Lev. 26:33; Neh. 
l:S.fl. cJer.lU:13. d Lev. 26:30, 40; Jer. 3:12-14. eJoel2:12. • Heb. 
/met found thee. fjcr. 23:20. e Psai. 116:5; Jonah 4:2. l'JobS:e. ■ Exod. 
19:18.19. J ch. 29:3. k Exod. 7:3. 1 Exod. 13:.3. m Exod. 6:6. n ch. 
34:12: o Hcb. 12:25. P oh. 10: 15; Jer. 31:3. q Exod. 13:3, 9. 14. ■• ch. 



31. The covenant: Lev. 26:42-45; Gen. 15:14-21. 
34. Assayed; a.ttempted. Je7nj)?o(;o)is,- trials; the mighty 
works of (iod. intended to prove the faith of his people. 
36. His great fire; Exod. 19:9-19. 
41. Severed; set apart. 

48. Sion ; called also Sirion, which was another name for 
Hcrmon. Chap. 3:8, 9. 

49. Sea of tlie plain; the Dead sea. Chap. 3: 17. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

1. Obedience to the laws of God is required by interest 
as well as by duty. 

3. AVe should take the testimony of God in his word as he 
has given it. and not be disposed in any respect to alter it. 

4. God often makes a difference in this world between 
tlu' ri<.'litcfinR and the wicked, and shows by his provi- 

15 



out in his sight with his mighty power out of 
Egypt;" 

38 To drive out nations from before thee greater 
and mightier than thou art,'' to bring thee in, to 
give thee their land fm- an inheritance, as it is 
this day. 

39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in 
thy heart,'* that the Lord he is God in heaven 
above, and upon the earth beneath:' there is none 
else. 

40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and 
his commandments," which I command thee this 
day, that it may go well with tliee,'' and with thy 
children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong 
thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God 
giveth thee, for ever. 

41 IT Then Moses severed three cities on this 
side Jordan toward the sunrising ; 

42 That the slayer might flee thither,'^ which 
should kill his neighbor unawares, and hated him 
not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of 
these cities he might live : 

43 JVamely, Bezer in the wilderness," in the plain 
country, of the Reubenites ; and Ramoth in Gilead, 
of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashau, of the Ma- 
nassites. 

44 IT And this is the law which Moses set before 
the children of Israel : 

45 These are the testimonies,^' and the statutes,'' 
and the judgments," which ISIoses spake unto the 
children of Israel, after they came forth out of 
Egypt, 

46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against 
Beth-peor,'' in the land of Sihon king of the Amo- 
rites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the 
children of Israel smote,"^ after they were come 
forth out of Egypt: 

47 And they possessed his land, and the land of 
Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, 
which were on this side Jordan toward the sun- 
rising ; 

48 From Aroer,'' which is by the bank of the 
river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is 
Hermon,'' 

49 And all the plain on this side Jordan east- 
ward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the 
springs of Pisgah.*^ 



7:1; 9:1,2. » Isa. 1 :3; Hos. 7:2. t Josh. 2:11 ; 1 Chr. 29:11. "Lev. 22:31. 
vch 5:16; Eph. 6:3. " ch. 19:4; Num. 35: 11. ijosh.20:8. rPsa.ll9:2. 
2Psa.ll9:5. aPsa.ll9:7. l>ch.3:29. ' ch. 1:4; Num. 21:24, etc. dch. 
2:36. tPsa. 133:3. tch.3:17. 



dence that godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 
Tim. 4:8: 6:G. 

6. Obedience to God is the height of human wisdom, 
and all who neglect his commandments are guilty of the 
greatest folly. Psa. 14: 1. 

10. The object of God in the revelation of liimself, is 
not only to lead tlie present generation to love and serve 
him, but also to communicate a knowledge of his will to 
their children and children's children, and thus perpetuate 
to all generations a people to his praise. 

16. jlen are strongly inclined to corrupt themselves by 
worshipping idols ; serving the creature and neglecting 
the Creator. 

22. True benevolence will teach a man earnestly to desire 
and diligently to labor, that blessings of which he is de- 
prived may, if consistent, be given to others. 
225 



Mosu reJitarstlh 



DEUTEUONo.MV V 



t/ie ten commandments. 



Cn.VPTER V. 



1 The covrnint in llonl'. I'l Tin- Un conimnndtnfnts. 22 At tlio pco- 
plfi rcqvir.-i Mo.-c» rccdvith the law from God. 

\ND jMoscs called all Israel, and said unto 
them, Hear, Israel, Ihc statutes and judir- 
ments which I sjieak in your cars tills day, that ye 
may learu them, and keep and do them.' 

2 The Loud our God made a, covenant with us 
in Iloreh." 

3 The Loud made not this covenant witli our 
fathers, hut with us,"" even us, who are all of us here 
alive tliis day. 

4 Tlio Lord talked with you face to face in the 
mount out of the midst of the lire,'' 

5 (I stood between the Lord and you at that 
time,'' to show you the w-ord of the Lord ; for ye 
were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up 
into t!ie mount,) saying, 

() ^ I am the Lord thy God, wliich brouirlit thee out 
of the land of E2ry])t," from the liouse of bondaiie.^ 

7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.' 

8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image,' 
or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, 
or that is in the earth bcacath, or that is in the 
waters beneath tlie earth : 

9 Tliou shalt not bow down thyself unto thorn, 
nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jeal- 
ous God.'' visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon 
the children unto the third and fourth generation 
of them that hate me,' 

10 And showing mercy unto thousands of them 
that love me and keep my commandments. 

11 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 
thy God in vain :' for the Lord will not hold him 
guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 



• Heb. ieep to do them. » Exod. 19:5-9; Heb. 8:9. b ch. 29:10-15. 
' Exod. 19:9. 18, 19; 20:18-23. il Exod. 24:2. 3; Gal. 3:19. e Exod. 20:2- 
17; Psa.81:10. t Heb. servants. I Matt, 4:10. E ch. 4:1.')-19. h Exod. 
31:14. i Exod. 31:7; Jer. .32:18; Dan. 9:4-9; .Malt. 23:35, 3G; Rom. 11:28, 
29. J Lev. 19:12; Psa. 139:20; Jas. 5:12. k Isa. 58:13; Ezek. 20:12. 



23 Men should be very careful to avoid every species 
of idolatry, and all appearance of worshipping images, or 
giving that lionor to them which belongs only to God. 

26. However great the goodness of God to any people, 
without obedience to his laws they cannot prosper, but 
will become as distinguished for their calamities as they 
have been for his favors. 

,S1. However great have been the iniquities of individ- 
uals or nations, and however dreadful their sufferings, if 
they repent and turn heartily to the Lord, he will have 
mercy upon them and abundantly pardon, Isa. 55 : 7. 

37. The piety of parents is often the means of great 
blessings to their children ; and if they are led to imitate 
their parents in loving and serving God, their blessings 
will be eternal. 

40. All who wisely regard their own interest, or that 
of their posterity, will hearken diligently to the voice of 
God, and heartily obej' his commands. 

CHAPTER A^ 

2. In Horeh; Exod. 19:3-6. 

3. Our fathers; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

8. Any graven image, or any likeness; to bow down to, 
adore, or worship. 

11. In vain ; see note to Exod. 20:7. 

12. As the Lord — commanded; Exod. 20:8-11. 

15. Tlierefore the Lord — commanded; this was to the Isra- 
ehtes a reason, in addition to that mentioned, Exod. 20: 11, 
why they should keep the Sabbath ; and especially why 
their servants should enjoy its rest and privileses. 
■2-2I) 



12 Keep the sabbath-day to sanctify it," V";?Si: 
as the Lord thy God hatli commanded thee. 

13 Si.\ days thou shalt labor, and do all thy work : 

14 Hut the seventh day wthe sabbath of the Lord 
thy God:' in il thmi shiilt not do any work, thou, 
nor thy son, nor thy daiighler, nor thy man-ser- 
vant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine 
ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is 
within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy 
maid-servant may rest as "well as thou.'" 

15 And remember that thou wast a servant in 
the land of Kgyjit," and that the Lord thy (iod 
brought thee out thence through a mighty hand 
and l)y a stretclicd-out arm: therefore the Lord 
thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath-day, 

IG 1i Honor thy father and thy mother," as the 
Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy 
days may be prolonged," and that it may go well 
with thee, in the land which the Lord tliy Goil 
giveth thee. 
" 17 Thou shalt not kill.'' 

18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.' 

19 Neither shalt thou steal.' 

20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against 
thy neighbor.' 

21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife, 
neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his 
tield, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his 
ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor's." 

22 H These words the Lord spake unto all your 
assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, 
of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great 
voice ; and he added no more. And he wrote them 
in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me."' 

23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice 



I Gen 


3-3; 


Heb. 4:4. 


m 


Exod. 23:12. 


» ch. 


15:15 


16:12 


al:lS, 22. 


Lev 


19-3 


Matt. lo:4-<i 


Eph. G: 


1-:i. 


Pch. 


4:40. 


1 Mat 


. 5:21. 22. 


rProv 


fi:t2, 


33; Matt. 5 


•27 


a'-; Jis. 


>:I1 


» Rom 


. I3:il 


Eph. 4 


28. IMal. 


3:5. 


»Hab 


2:9; Luke 


12:15; Rom. 


7:7; 


Heb. 13:.'i. » 


Exod. 31:18. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The great object of attending to and becoming ac- 
quainted with the laws of God should be, that we may 
obey them. 

6. The Lord ever speaks to his people as if their deliv- 
erance from bondage was a great and precious blessing, 
and one which laid them under new and peculiar obliga- 
tions to love and serve him. 

14. Servants as well as masters have an inalienable right, 
and it is their indispensable duty, to rest from their labor.'! 
on the Sabbath, and to keep it holy: masters are sacredly 
bound to grant servants liberty and opportunity for this. 

15. The giving of a new reason .vhy men should perform 
a duty, is no evidence that the duty was not binding 
before that reason was given or even existed; nor that 
there are not many other reasons for the performance of 
the duty. Chap, 24:17, 18, 

16. Few duties are more intimately connected with or 
essential to the prosperity of children, than a kind, affec- 
tionate, hearty obedience to their parents. 

21. It is wrong not only to take what we ought not to 
have, but even to desire it. 

22. The obligations expressed in the ten commands, 
which were written by God on tables of stone, are moral : 
they arise from the nature of men, and their relations to 
God and their fellow-men ; and are binding upon all who 
know them, in all ages and in all countries. 

33. Obedience to all the commands of God is conducive 
to the highest good of men, in tliis world as well as in the 
■svorld to come. 



TIte giving of the law. 



DEUTERONOMY VI, 



Exhortations to obediena. 



S.c'u?? outoftIlemiclstoftllCc^arkness,"fortllemoun- 
taia did burn with fire, that je came near unto me, 
even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders ; 
'24 And ye said, Beliold, the Lord our God hath 
showed us his glory and his greatness, and we have 
heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we 
liave seen this day that God doth talk with man, 
and he liveth.'' 

25 Now therefore why should we die?"^ for this 
great fire will consume us : if we hear* the voice 
of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die. 

26 For who is there o/'all flesh, that hath heard 
the voice of the living God speaking out of the 
midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 

27 Go thou near, and hear all that the Lord our 
God shall say ; and speak thou unto us all that the 
Lord our God shall speak unto thee i"* and we will 
hear it, and do it. 

28 And the Lord heard the voice of your words, 
when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said unto 
me, I have heard the voice of the words of this 
]ieople, which they have spoken unto thee:'' they 
have well said all that they have spoken. 

29 Oh that there were such a heart in them, that 
they would fear me,'' and keep all my command- 
ments always,*^ that it might Idc well with them, 
and with their children for ever!" 

30 Go say to them. Get you into your tents again. 

31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and 
I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and 
the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt 
teach them,' that they may do them in the land 
which I give them to possess it. 

32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord 
your God hath commanded you : ye shall not turn 
aside to the right hand or to the "left.J 

33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord 
your God hath commanded you," that ye may live, 
and that it maybevreW with you,' and that ye may pro- 
long your days in the laud which ye shall possess. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 The end of the law is obedience. 3 An exhortation thereto. 

^TOW these are the commandments, the stat- 
J^>| utes, and the judgments, which the Lord 
your God commanded to teach you, that yc might 
do them in the land whither ye go* to possess it:"" 
2 That thou mightcst fear the Lord thy God," 
to keep all his statutes and his commandments, 
which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy 
son's son, all the days of thy life ; and that thy 
days may be prolonged." 



»Exod. 20:13, 19. b ch. 4:ai; Judg. 13:22. »ch.)S:16. • W eh. add to 
hear, d Heb. ia:19. e ch. 18:17. ' oh. 32:29-, I'sa. 81:13; Tsa. 48:18: 
Bzek.a3:31, 32; Matt. 23:37; Luke 19:42. Sch.ll:l. h ch. 4:40. i Gal' 
3:19. J ch. 17:20; ■>S:14; Josh. 1:7; Prov. 4:27. k Psa. 119:6; Luke 1:0. 
IJer. 7:2:). 1 Heh. pass over, m Ezek. 37:24. » Eccl. 12:13. "Prov, 3:1, 
2. P Eccl. 8:12; Isa. 3:10. q Gen. 22:17. ■■ Mark 12:29-32; John 17:3; 
ICor. S:4, 6. • 2 Kings 19: 15. > 2 Kings 23:25. u Prov. 2:1U, 11 ; 3:3, 5. 



CHAPTER VI. 

1. Commandments — statutes — judc^ments ; in this and some 
other places, commandments seem to mean the moral law, 
statutes the ceremonial, and judgments the judicial, or 
civil law. In other cases they have a more general mean- 
ing, and comprehend the whole of God's commandments. 

8. Bind tliem for a sign— frontlets ; figurativclv spoken, 



3 H Hear therefore, Israel, and observe to do 
if; that it may be well with thee," and that ye 
may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy 
fathers hath promised thee, in the land that flow- 
eth with milk and honey.'' 

4 Hear, Israel:'' The Lord our God is one 
Lord:' 

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 
thy might.' 

6 And these words, which I command thee this 
day, shall be in thy heart:" 

7 And thou shalt teach* them diligently unto thy 
children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in 
thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and 
when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." 

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy 
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine 
eyes.'" 

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of 
thy house, and on thy gates." 

10 And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall 
have brought thee into the land which he sware 
unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to 
Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which 
thou buildedst not,^ 

11 And houses full of all good things, which thou 
filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst 
not, vineyards and olive-trees, which thou plant- 
edst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be 
full : 

12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which 
brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from 
the house of bondage.^ 

13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God,'' and serve 
him, and shalt swear by his name." 

14 Yc shall not go after other gods," of the gods 
of the people which are round about you ; 

15 For the Lord thy God is a jealous God"^ 
among you;'' lest the anger of the Lord thy God 
be kindled against thee,"" and destroy thee from 
off the face of the earth. 

16 H Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God,'' as 
ye tempted him in 5Iassah.° 

17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments 
of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his 
statutes, which he hath commanded thee.'' 

18 And thou shalt do that vhich is right and good 
in the sight of the Lord ;' that it may be well with 
thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the 
good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers. 

19 To cast out all thine enemies from before 
thee,^ as the Lord hath spoken. 



1 Heb. trhel, or sharpen. T ch. 11:19; Psa. 7!-:4-0; Eph. 0:4. w Prov. 
0:21; 7:3. « Hah. 2:2. y Josh. 24: 13; Psa. 105:44. ! Heb. iondmen, or 
servants, z ch. 10:12, 20. a Isa. 65:16: Jcr. 5:2; 12:16. b Jer. 25:6. 
':Exod.20:5. •lAmos3:2. e ch. 7:4; 2 Chr.30:16. 'Matt. 4:7. E Exod. 
17:2, 7; 1 Cor. 10:9 h Psa. 119:4. ■ ch. 12:28; Exod. 15:26. J Num. 
33:52, 53. 



in the sense of, make yourselves familiar with them and 
remember them. 

13. Swear btj his name; in taking an oath on any proper 
occasion, tliey were not to appeal to idols or false gods, 
but onlv to Jehovah. 

14. The gods of tlie people; idols and imaginary deities. 
IG. As >jc tempted him in Massah; Exod. 17:2-7. 

227 



irhy the Ctituianilts 



DEUTEllONOMV VII. 



are to he destroyed. 



20 And when thy son askelh tliee in time to 
come,' sayinL', Wlmt mean tlie testimonies, and tiic 
statutes, an<i tlio iudirinents, which the Lord our 
God iiath coiniiiaiidi'd you?" 

21 Then thou slialt say unto thy son, Wo were 
Pharaoh's bondineu in Egypt ; and the Loui) 
brouglit us out of Hgypt with a mighty hand : 

22 And tlic Loiti) showed signs and wonders,'' ] 
•rreat and sore,' u])on Egyjit, upon Pharaoh, and 
upon all his household, belbre our eyes: 

28 And lie brought us out from thence, that he 
might bring us in, to give us the land which he 
sware unto our fathers. 

24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these 
statutes, to fear the Loud our God,'' for our good 
always,'' that he miglit preserve us alive,'' as it is 
at tliis day. 

25 And it shall be our righteousness,*' if wc 
observe to do all these commandments before the 
LoKD our God, as he hath commanded us. 



CHAPTER VII. 

1 All communion with the nations is forbidden, 4 for fear of idolatry, 
6 for the jioliness of the people, 9 for the nature of God in his mercy 
and justice, 17 for the assuredness of victory which God will give over 
them. 

WHEN the Lord thy God shall bring thee into 
the land whitlier thou goest to possess it, 
and hath cast out many nations before thee,^ the 
Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, 
and the Canaanitos, and the Perizzites, and the 
Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater 
and miglitier than thou;'' 

2 And wlien the Loud thy God shall deliver them 
before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly 
destroy them;' thou shalt make no covenant with 
them, nor sliow mercy unto them : 

3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them ;' 
thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor 
his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 

4 For they will turn away thy son from follow- 
ing me, that they may serve other gods: so will 





mn 


rrot 


1. aExod. 


13: U. b 


Exod. chs 


7-12; 


Psa 


.135:9. 


IHeb. 


-il. c ver 


•>. 


d 


cti. 10:13; 


Job 35:'; 


8: Jer. 3 


>::i9. 


e Psa. 41:2 


Prov. 


liA. tch. 


94 


I.'i; 


Rom. 10:3 


5. 8Psa. 44:3, 3. 


hGen 


15 


19-21. 


Num. 


:;:5-X J E 




9:1 


. 2. I Heb 


statues, 


or pittars. 


k ch 


14 


2; Exod 


. 19:6. 



20. Testimonies; commandments. Ver. 1. 

25. Our righteousness; by observing and doing with a 
I>roper spirit what God commanded, they would for 
Christ's sake be accepted and treated as righteous. 
INBTIU'CTIONS. 

3. The commandments of God are all suited to promote 
industry, economy, temperance, and all those virtues 
which are conducive to health, long life, wealth, and hap- 
piness. 

4. Though God is revealed as existing in three persons, 
yet is he one .Jehovah. 

9. All are bound to become familiarly acquainted with 
the commands of God, in order that through divine aid 
they may habitually and heartily obey them. 

12. Great prosperity, though it comes from God, is apt, 
through the -wickedness of men, to lead them to forget 
and rebel against him. 

21. Children are naturally inquisitive, and parents should 
delight to communicate to them the information they need ; 
especially with regard to the character, works, and ways 
of God. that they may understand and do his will. 
228 



the anger of the Lord be kindled against u.";????: 
you, and destroy thee suddenly. 

o But liius shall ye deal witli them; yo shall de- 
stroy their altars, and break down their images,' 
and cut down their groves, and burn their graven 
images with fire. 

6 For thou art a holy jicople unto the Lord thy 
God:" the Loun thy God jjath cliosen Ihce to be 
a special jieoplc unto himself,' above all people 
that are u])on the face of the earth. 

7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor 
choose yon, because yo were more in numljer than 
any people ; for ye were the fewest of all people :'" 

8 But because the Loud loved you, and because 
he would keep the oath wliicli lie had sworn unto 
your fathers," hath the Loud brought you out with 
a mighty hand," and redeemed you out of the house 
of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of 
Egypt." 

y Know therefore that the Loud thy God, he is 
God, the faithful'' God,'' which keepelh covenant 
and mercy with them that love him and keep his 
commandments to a thousand generations ; 

10 And repayeth them that hate liim to their 
face, to destroy them :* he will not be slack to him 
that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. 

1 1 Thou slial t therefore keep the commandments, 
and the statutes, and the judgments, which I com- 
mand thee this day, to do them. 

12 T Wherefore it shall come to pass, if* ye heark- 
en to these judgments, and keep and do them,' that 
the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the cove- 
nant and the mercy which lie sware unto thy fa- 
thers: 

13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and 
multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy 
womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy 
wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and 
the flocks of tliy sheep, in the land which he sware 
unto thy fathers to give thee. 

14 Thou shalt be l)lcssed above all people: there 
shall not be male or female barren among you, or 
among your cattle." 



llPet.2:9. mch. 10:22. n Gen. 22:16, 17; Luke 1 :72, 7.1. oExod. 12:41, 
42. P Exod. 13:3, 14; 20:2. q Isa, 49:7; ] Cor. 10:13; 2 Thess. 3:3; IJohn 
1:9. rNeh. 1:5; Dan. 9:4. ' ch. 32:35; Isa. 59:18; Rom. 12:19. » Heb. 
because. ' ch. 28:1, etc.; Lev. 26:.3, etc. " Exod. 23:26, etc. 



23. The land of Canaan, of which the children of Israel 
at the command of God took possession, was his gift to 
them. In taking it from the Canaanites and giving it to 
the Israehtes, he only did what he saw to be best with 
his own. 

2.5. The way for men to be treated for Christ's sake as 
righteous, is to obey God ; and they can have no evidence 
that they are accepted of him, any further than they are 
disposed to keep his commandments. 

CHAPTER VIL 

2. 77iott shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; the 
Israelites were the executioners of divine justice upon 
the Canaanites for their sins. 

5. Their groves; or, their images of Astarte. 

1. Fewest of all; when God selected them and made 
promises to Abraham and his seed, they were very few ; 
nor did they so greatly increase till near the time of their 
deliverance from Egypt. Acts 7:17. 

10. Repay him to liis face; promptly and openly punish 
him. 



Obedience urged from 



DEUTERONOMY VIII. 



regard of God's mtrnes. 



B.c'S' 15 And tliG Lord -will take away from 
thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil 
diseases of Egypt,* which thou knowest, upon thoe ; 
but will lay them upon all them that hate tliee. 

16 And thou shalt consume all the people which 
tlie Lord thy God shall delivei- thee; thine eye 
sliall have no pity upon them:'' neither shalt thou 
serve tlieir gods ; for tliat will be a snare unto thee.*^ 

17 If thou slialt say in thy heart, Tlicse nations 
are more than I ; liow can I dispossess them? 

18 Tliou shalt not l)e afraid of them:'' but shalt 
well remember what the Lord thy God did unto 
Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;" 

19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, 
and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty 
hand, and the stretched-out arm, whoreliy tlie Lord 
thy God brought thee out :' so shall the Lord thy 
God do unto all the people of whom thou art 
afraid. I"' 

20 Moreover the Lord thy God will send the 
hornet among them,'' until they that are left, and 
hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. 

21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them : for the 
Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and 
terrible.' 

22 And the Lord thy God will put out* those 
nations before thee by little and little:^ tliou may- 
est not consume them at once, lest the beasts of 
tlie field increase upon tliee. 

23 But tlie Lord thy God shall deliver them unto 
thee,+ and shall destroy them with a mighty de- 
struction, until they be destroyed. 

2-1 And he shall deliver their kings into thy 
hand,'* and thou shalt destroy their name from un- 
der heaven : ' tliere shall no man be able to stand 
before thee,"' until tliou have destroyed them. 

25 The graven images of their gods shall ye 
burn with iire:" thou shalt not desire the silver or 
gold that is on them," nor take it unto thee, lest 
thou be snared therein:" for it is an abomination 
to the Lord thy God. 

20 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into 
tliy house,'' lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but 
thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly 
ablior it: for it is a cursed thine:.'' 





a ExoJ. 9:14 




b ch. VJ-.H 


IS 


:13, 


21. " ch. 


2:30; Exod 


2:3:33 




H 


27; I'si, lOfi 


■Mi 


1 ch. 31 


(i. 


e Psi. 105:5. 


1 ch. 4:34. 


e Josh 


3:10. 


b 


Exod. 2i:iS. 


1 


ch. 10:17. 




Heh 


pluck off. 


J Exod. 23: 


29, 30. 


t Heb. 


b 


fore thy fare. 


k 


Josh. 10:24, 


4;); 


12:1. 1 ch 


25:19. Bi 


ch. 11:2 


5: Isa. 
Ezek. 


54:17. n Exod. 


3-J 


'20; 1 Chr 


14 


I'J. 


Josh. 7:1 


21. Pjudg 


8:27. q 



19. Temptations; trials; miracles by which God proved 
both Pharaoh and his own people. 

25. All abomination ; having been used in idol-worship, 
the Israelites were to treat it with abhorrence, as a testi- 
mony against that sin. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. In putting men to death according to God's directions, 
it is not needful or right to Iiate them, or have any unkind 
feelings towards thera ; and the idea that capital punish- 
ments spring from or imply any such feelings, is a great 
mistake. 

4. Chosen and intimate, connections with the openly 
wicked increase our danger of being drawn into sin, and 
should be carefully avoided. 

9. The Lord will be faithful in fulfilling his promises to 
the righteous, and in executing his threateuings against 
the wicked. 

14. Obedience to God will procure the greatest bless- 
ings for this life and the life to come. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

An exhortation to obedience in regard of God's dealing with them. 

ALL the commandments' which I command 
thee this day shall ye observe to do,' that ye 
may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the 
land whicli the Lord sware unto your fathers. 

2 And thou slialt remember all the way which 
the Lord thy God led tliee these forty years" in 
the wilderness," to humlde thee,'" and to prove 
thee,'' to know what was in tliy heart, whether thou 
wouldest keep his commandments, or no.^ 

3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hun- 
ger, and fed thee with manna,'- which thou knew- 
est not, neither did thy fathers know; that he 
might make thee know that man dotli not live by 
bread only," l3ut by every ivord that proceedeth 
out of the moutli of the Lord doth man live.'' 

4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither 
did tliy foot swell, these forty years." 

5 Thou shalt also consider in thy heart, that, as 
a man chasteneth his son,"* so the Lord thy God 
chasteneth thee. 

6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments 
of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to 
fear liim." 

7 For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a 
good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains 
and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 

8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and 
fig-trees, and pomegranates ; a land of oil-olive,* 
and honey ; 

9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without 
scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a 
land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills 
thou mayest dig brass.'' 

10 'When tliou hast eaten and art full,^ then thou 
shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land 
which he hath given thee.'' 

11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy 
God, in not keeping his commandments, and his 
judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee 
this day : 

12 Lest xchen thou hast eaten and art full,' and 
hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 



14:7. 


Josh. 6:17, IS. sPsa.llO:6. ' ch. 5:32, 3:3. u ch. 2:7; 29;5: Amos 


2:10. 


Psa. 130:16. "Job 33:17. 'Exod. IB: 4. y 2 Chr. 32:31. z Exod. 


1(1:15. 


» Matt. 4:4. b Psa. 104:27-29. c Neh. 9:21. d Prov. 3:12; Heh. 


1'2:.5, 6 


Rev. 3:19. e 1 Sam. 12:24. t Heh. of olive-tree of oil. fch. 33:25. 


f 1 Cor 


10:.31. hi Chr. 29:14; Psa. 103:2; I'rov. 3:9. i Prov. -30:9. 



23. Things which are done by God's direction, and 
which take place under his guiding and all-controlling 
providence, are in the Bible often spoken ofas done by him. 

24. The putting of criminals to death according toGod's 
direction, is a proper expression of his just indignation 
against their sins ; and when he commands, it cannot be 
neglected without disobeying him. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

2. To knoir; make known to themselves and to others. 

3. By bread onlij; that is, food produced by natural 
means. Bij every word that proceedeth out of the month oj 
the Lord ; by food miraculously produced by God's pow- 
erful word. The meaning is, that God can supply the 
wants of his people without the use of natural means, by 
simply speaking the word. He is therefore to be trusted 
for supplies in a desert, as well as in a fruitful land. See 
Matt, 4:4. 

9. Brass; or copper, of which brass is chiefly composed. 
229 



Tiifij must not trust in 



DEUTERONOMY IX. 



t/iiir own riglUtousness. 



13 And when tliy herds and thy flocks multiply, 
nnd thy silver and thy pild is multiplied, and all 
that thou hast is multiplied; 

14 Then thy heart be lifted uj), and thou forget 
tlic Loud thy Ood, which brouijiit thee forth out 
of the land of H.irypt, from tiie house of bondat'o;" 

1") Who led tliee through that great and terrible 
wilderness, ichcrein were licry serpents,'' and scor- 
1 lions, and drougiit,'' wlicre there was no water; 
who brought thee forth water out of the rock of 
Hint;'' 

16 Who fed thee in tlic wilderness with manna,'' 
which thy fathers knew not, that he might humljle 
thee,' and that he might prove thee, to do thee 
good at thy latter end ;'■' 

17 And thou say in thy heart. My power and the 
might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth.'' 

18 But thou slialt remember the Lord thy God: 
for it is he that giveth thee |)ower to get wealth,' 
that lie may estaljlish his covenant which he sware 
unto thy fathers, as it is this day. 

19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the 
Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and 
serve them, and worship them, I testify against 
you this day that ye shall surely perish.^ 

20 As the nations which the Lord destroycth 
before your face, so shall ye perish;" because ye 
would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord 
vour God. 



CHAPTER IX. 



Moses dissuadeth them from the opii 
rehearsing their se 



I of their own righteousness, by 
al rebellions. 



HEAR, Israel : Thou art to pass over Jordan 
this day,' to go in to possess nations greater 
and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced 
up to heaven, 

2 A people great and tall, the children of the 
Anakim, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou 
hast heard say, "Who can stand before the children 
of Anak ! ™ 

3 Understand therefore this day, that the Lord 
thy God is he which goeth over before thee ; " as 
a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he 
sliall bring them down Ijefore thy face: so shalt 
thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly," as 
the Lord hath said unto thee." 

4 Speak not thou in thy heart, after that the 



a Jer. 2:6. b Num. 21:6. c Hos 13:5. d N'um. 2(1:11; Psa.. 7S15, 16: 
114:-; 1 Cor. 10:4. e ver. 3. f ver. 2. e Lam. 3:26-:M; Heb. 12:10, 11. 
''ch.9;4; 1 Cor. 4:7. i Prov. 10:22; Hos. 2:8. j ch. 4:2lj; 30:18. k 3 Chr. 
a;:ir), 17; Dan. 9:11,12. 1 Josh. 4:19. ■» Num. 13:2:^33. och. 31:3-6; 
Josh. 3:11. o ch. 7:24. P Exod. 2-3:31. q ch. t:17; Rom. 111!. 2(1; 1 Cor. 



14. Thy heart be lifted up; become proud and self-confi- 
dent. Ver. 17. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. One great object of God in all his dispensations, is to 
try men and lead them to see and to manifest their true 
character. 

5. The Lord never sends trials because he delights in 
them, but for the profit of his people ; that they may be 
led to feel their dependence, and to exercise those feelings 
towards him which shall fit them for heaven. 

10. In seasons of great prosperity we should feel under 
special obligations to God, and acknowledge his goodness 
with special thanksgiving. 

14. Great prosperity is peculiarly apt to make men 
230 



Loud thy God hath cast them out from *,." u?k 
before thee, saying, For my righteousness the Loud 
hath brought me in to possess tiiis land :'' but for 
the wickedness of these nations the Loud dotii 
drive them out from before thee."' 

') Xot for thy righteousness, or for the upright- 
ness of thy heart," dost thou go to possess their 
land: but lor the wickedness of lliese nations the 
Lord thy God doth drive them (nit from before 
thee, and that he may perform the word which the 
Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham,' Isaac," 
and Jacob." 

Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God 
giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy 
righteousness ; for thou art a slifl'necked people." 

7 ^ Remember, and forget not, how tliou pro- 
vokcdst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilder- 
ness: from the day that thou didst depart out of 
the land of Kgypt," until ye came unto this place, 
ye have been rebellious against tlu! Lord. 

8 Also in Iloreb ye provoked the Lord to wrath/ 
so that the Lord was angry with you to have de- 
stroyed you. 

9 When 1 was gone up into the mount to receive 
the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant 
which the Lord made with you, then 1 abode in 
the mount forty days and forty nights;^ 1 neither 
did eat bread nor drink water: 

10 And the Lord delivered unto me two tables 
of stone written with the finger of God;" and on 
them was ivritten according to all the words which 
the Lord spake with you in the mount, out of the 
midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly.'' 

11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days 
and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two 
tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.*^ 

12 And the Lord said unto me. Arise, get thee 
down quickly from hence; for thy people which 
thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have cor- 
rupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside 
out of the way which I commanded them; they 
have made them a molten image.'' 

13 Furthermore the Lord spake unto me," say- 
ing, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a 
stiifnecked people :'^ 

14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and 
blot out their name from under heaven:^ and I 
will make of thee a nation mightier and greater 
than they." 



4:7. 


r ch 


l,°:l 


2: Gen 


15:16 


T.ev 


18:24. a 


. • Titus 3:5 


1 Gen 


. I 


:7; 


17:H 


<i Gen. 20 


4. vG 


n.28: 


1.3. « 


Exod. :i2 


9; 33;3,-2Ci,r 


3(1 :s. » 


Exod. 


14:1 


; 16: 


>; 17 


2; Num.11: 


; «il: 


"io"b.'8:G 


fExod.S2:l-8. 


jRxoJ 


34 


■?.■^. 


»Kx 


od. 31 


IH. 


i Exod. 


19:1H 


19. 


-10. dJadg.2: 


7; Psa 


7k 


.57; 


Uos. 


6:4. 


tExoii.32:9 


f V 


er. H; 


Acts 7:51 


. «ch. 29:20. 


l> Num 


14 


12. 



proud, and lead them so to trust in themselves and neglect 
God and his service, as to harden their hearts and increase 
their exposure to ruin. Ver. 1'7. 

18. Power to get wealth, and also liberty to keep and en- 
joy it, are from the Lord. For this reason it should ever be 
viewed as his gift, and employed in promoting his cause. 

20. However great the goodness of God, and however 
abundant his promises to any people, continued disobe- 
dience will bring upon them irretrievable ruin. 

CHAPTER IX. 

2. Anakim ; descendants of Anak, son of Arba, and dis- 
tinguished for their size and strength. Num. 13:22. 
10. The words which the Lord spake; Exod. 19 : 18 ; 20: 1-lT. 



Hldsex recoun/efh 



DEUTERONOMY X. 



their rehdiiims. 



Raul?' 15 So I turned and camo down from the 
mount," and the mount burned with lire:'' and the 
two tables of the covenant icere m my two hands. 

16 And I looked, and behold, ye had sinned 
against the Lord your God, and had made you a 
molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of 
the way which the Lord had commanded you. 

17 And I took the two tables, and cast them out 
of my two hands, and brake them before your 
eyes. 

18 And I fell down before the Lord,'^ as at the 
first, forty days and forty nights : I did neither eat 
bread nor drink water, because of all your sins 
which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight 
of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. 

19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot dis- 
pleasure, wherewith the Lord was wroth against 
you to destroy you.** But the Lord hearkened unto 
me at that time also." 

20 And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to 
have destroyed him : and I prayed for Aaron also 
the same time. 

21 And I took your sin,'' the calf which ye had 
made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and 
ground it very small, eveii until it was as small as 
dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook 
that descended out of the mount."^ 

22 And at Taberah,'' and at Massah," and at Kib- 
roth-hattaavah,^ ye provoked the Lord to wrath. 

23 Likewise when the Lord sent you from Ka- 
desh-barnea,'' saying. Go up and possess the land 
which I have given you ; then ye rebelled against 
the commandment of the Lord your God, and ye 
believed him not,' nor hearkened to his voice. 

24 Ye have been rebellious against the Lord 
from the day that I knew you." 

25 Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days 
and forty nights," as I fell down at the first; be- 
cause the Lord had said he would destroy you. 

26 I prayed therefore unto the Lord," and said, 
Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine 
inheritance,'' which thou hast redeemed through 
thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out 
of Egypt with a mighty hand. 





"Exod. 3-3: 15, 


etc. l> 


ch. 4:11 


; 5:23 


Exod 


19:18. 


c F 


xod. 32 


in 


14. 


d 


,iik-. 


12:4,5. 


e Exod 


33:17: 


Psa. 106:2.). 


t Isi. 31 


7. 


S Exod 


32 


■m. 


h 


Niim 


. 11:1-4. 


i Exod. 


17:7. J 


Num. 


11:34. 


k Num 


phs. 


13, 14. 


1 Psa. 


7!) 


-.•l-i; 


1U6:24, 25 


m ch 


31:27. 


»Ter. 


18. 


Exod. 32 


11. 


tc. P 1 K 


ngs 



17. Brake them ; Exod. 32 : LS. ■ 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. In the discharge or duty, we should neither despise 
nor fear our enemies ; but putting our trust in God, go 
forward in humble dependence on him, committing our- 
selves and all our concerns to his wise and gracious guid- 
ance and disposal. 

6. Men do not receive blessings because of their own 
worthiness, but on account of the worthiness of Christ, 
and the abounding grace of God through him. 

14. Should men receive from God their just deserts as 
sinners, they would all be destroyed.. 

19. Humble, believing, earnest, persevering prayer has 
great influence with God, and has often been the means of 
saving the wicked from destruction. 

24. No mercies or trials will of themselves remove men's 
proneness to sin, or prevent their continued and persever- 
ing rebellion against God. He must grant them the influ- 
ences of his Spirit, or they will perish. 



27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob ; look not unto the stubbornness of this peo- 
ple,'' nor to tlieir wickedness,"' nor to their sin:" 

28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out' 
say, Because the Lord was not able to bring them 
into the land which he promised them, and because 
he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay 
them in the wilderness." 

29 Yet they are thy people and thine inheri- 
tance,'' which thou broughtest out by thy mighty 
power and by thy stretched-out arm. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 God's mercy in restoring the two tables, 6 in continuing the priest- 
hood, 8 in separating the tribe of Levi, 10 in hearkening unto Moses' 
suit for the people. 12 An exhortation to obedience. 

AT that time the Lord said unto me, Hew thee 
two tables of stone like unto the first," and 
come up unto me into the mount, and make thee 
an ai-k of wood.'' 

2 And I will write on the tables the words that 
were in the first tables which thou brakest, and 
thou shalt put them in the ark. 

3 And I made an ark of shittim-wood,'' and 
hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and 
went up into the mount, having the two tables in 
my hand. 

4 And ho wrote on the tallies,'' according to the 
first writing, the ten commandments,* which the 
Lord spake unto you in the mount,'' out of the 
midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly : and 
the Lord gave them unto me. 

5 And I turned myself and came down from the 
mount, and put the tables in the ark which 1 had 
made ; and there they be,'' as the Lord command- 
ed me. 

6 1 And the children of Israel took their jour- 
ney from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to 
Mosera:" there Aaron died, and there he was 
buried ; and Eleazar his son ministered in the 
priest's office in his stead. 

7 From tiicnce they journeyed unto Gudgodah ; 
and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers 
of waters. 



8:51. "1 Psa. 78:6. rProv. 21:12. 'Mii;. 7:1.S. t Exod. 0:G-a. u Num. 

14:16. » ver. 26; Neh. 1:10; Psa. 1(10:3. w Exod. 34:1, etc. i Exod. 

a3:10; Heb. 9:4. y Exod. 37:1. z Exod. 34:28. • Heh. words, a Exod. 
20:1-17. 1>1 Kings 8:9. » Num. 33:31-.38. 



29. Prayers which spring from desires to have God hon- 
ored, and reproaclies against him prevented, are the fruit 
of his Spirit, and are peculiarly pleasing in his sight. 

CHAPTER X. 

4. Tlic first writing; chap. 9:10; Exod. 34:28. 

6. From Beerotii — Mosera; the Israelites twice marched 
northward along "the jjlain" of the Arabah to Kadesh. 
and thence southward from Kadesh towards the Red 
sea : first, in the second year of the exodus, Number.«i 
12, 13; secondly, in the beginning of the fortieth year of 
the exodus, Numbers 20. It is probable that the record 
of encampments in Num. 33:31-33, belongs to their journey 
in the second j'ear; and that in the present passage, to 
their southern journey in the beginning of the fortieth 
year. It is to be noticed that when the same route is 
twice gone over, the sacred ■writer, as a general rule, 
names only the more prominent stations. Jlosera, or 
Moseroth, being in the vicinity of mount Hor, probably 
at its foot, Aaron may well be said to have died there. 
231 



The jKojie are counsellal 



DEUTERONOMY XI. 



to fear and obey Cii.d. 



8 IT At that time (he Lord separated the trilic 
of Levi,* to bear tlio ark of the eovenant of tlio 
LoKD,"' to stand het'oro the LoiU)'- to minister unto 
iiim;' and to bless in his name,'' unto tiiis day. 

'.t Wherefore Levi hatli no i)art nor inheritance 
with iiis bretlircn;' the Lord is his iniicritance, 
accordinir a^* tlio Lord thy (!od jironiised him. 

10 And I stayed in the mount, aecordincr to the 
lirst time,* forty days and forty nights; and the 
Lord hearkened unto me at that time also,^ and 
the Luiu) would not destroy thee. 

11 And the Lord said unto mo, Arise, take thy 
journey * before the people, that they may po in and 
possess the laud, which I swarc unto their fathers 
to cive unto them. 

12 'ii And now. Israel, what doth the Lord thy 
God require of thee,'' but to fear the Lord thy 
God,' to walk in all his ways,J and to love him," 
and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart 
and with all thy soul,' 

13 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and 
his statutes, wiiicli 1 command thee this day for 
thy good ?'" 

i4 Behold, the heaven" and the heaven of heav- 
ens is the Lord's thy God," the earth a.'w,'' with 
all that therein is. 

l.'j Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to 
love them, and he chose their seed after them, even 
you above all people, as it is this day. 

16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your 
heart,'' and be no more stifFnccked. 

17 For the Lord your God is God of gods,'' and 
Lord of lords,' a great God, a mighty,' and a ter- 
rible, wiiich regardeth not persons," nor takcth 
reward : 

18 He doth execute the judgment of the father- 
less and widow," and lovetli the stranger, in giv- 
ing him food and raiment. 

19 Love ye therefore the stranger -.^ for ye were 
strangers in the land of Egypt. 

20 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God ; him shalt 
thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave," and 
swear by his name.^ 

21 He is thy praise,'" and he is thy God, that hath 
done for thee these great and terrible things,, 
which thine eyes have seen. 



1 Num. 3;r;-9. b Num. "1:15. c Psa. 135;2. d ch. 18:5; 2 Chr. 29:11 ; 
Horn. 12:7. e ch. 21:5; Num. 6:2'i. f Num. IS:20, 24; Ezek. 44:2i. 'Or, 
farmtTdai/s. e Kxo(I.3-2:l'l. t Heb. ffo in journey. •" Mic. 6:8. i oh. 6:1:); 
P-ii. 31:9. j ch. 5:3:3. t oh. 6:5; 11:13; 30:16, 20; Psa. 18:1; 145:20; 
Mut. 22:37. I Job36:ll; Zeph.3:9; Rom. 1:9; Heb. 12:28. m ch.0:24. 
•Paa.llo:16. o Psa. 148:4. P Gen. 14:19; Psa. 24:1 ; 50:12. qjer.4:4; 



8. At that time; while they were at Sinai. Num. 3, 4. 

16. Circumcise — the foreskin of your heart; break off your 
Bins, and engage heartily in doing the will of God. Ver. 20. 

17. Regardeth not persons; does not regard men accord- 
ing to_ outward distinctions, or appearance merely, but 
according to their true character. 

18. The judgment of the fatherless ; God decides and acts 
rightly, kindly, and graciously concerning them. He opens 
his hand and supplies their wants. 

21. He IS thy praise; the Giver of their mercies, whom 
they ought to praise. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
4. The ten commandments express the will of God and 
the duty of men, and the effect of divine grace is to lead 
men heartily to love them and strive in all things perfectly 
to obey them. 

232 



22 Thy fathers wont down into Egyyit 'lirfj)?; 
with threescore and ten persons;* and now the 
Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of 
heaven for multitude. 

CIIArTER XI. 

1 An exhortation to obedience, 2 by their own experience of God's ^eat 
worlis, 8 by promise of God'i great blcssinj^R, IG and by threatcnin;(s. 
IS A careful study is requireifin God's words. 2G The blewsing and 
curRO is set before thcin. 

THEREFORE thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, 
and his judgments, and his commandments, al- 
way. 

2 And know ye this day: for / speak not Witli 
your children which have not known, and which 
have not seen the chastisement of the Lord your 
God," his gi-eatness, his mighty hand, and his 
stretched-out arm, 

3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did 
in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of 
Egypt, and unto all his land ; 

4 And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto 
their horses, and to their chariots ; how he made 
the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they 
pursued after you,'' and how the Lord hath de- 
stroyed them unto this day; 

5 And what he did unto you in the wilderness, 
until ye came into this place; 

G And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, 
the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the 
earth o])ened her mouth, and swallowed them up, 
and their households, and their tents, and all the 
substance that was in their possession,* in the midst 
of all Israel : 

7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of 
the Lord whicli he did. 

8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments 
which I command you this day, that ye may be 
strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye 
go to possess it ; 

9 And that ye may prolong your days in the 
land, which the Lord swarc unto your fathers to 
give unto them and to their seed, a land that 
floweth with milk and honey. 

10 1 For the land whither thou goest in to pos- 



Rom. 2:25. 29. ' Josh 22:22; Dan. 2:4 
9:32. " 2Chr. 19:7; Job 34:19; Eph. 6:9. 
I Acts 11:23. y Isa. 45:23, 
c Exod. 14:23-31. 1 Or, livii 
at thtir feel. 



17:14; 19:10. I Neh. 

, 68:5. w Lev. 19:33. 

17:14. a Gen. 46:27. b ch. 8:5. 

substance which followed tlum, Heb. was 



8. It is the will of God that there should be an order of 
men set apart to minister for him, conduct his worship, 
proclaim his will, and set before men the motives which 
he has revealed to induce them to do it. 

13. The fear and love of God which lead men cheerfully 
and heartily to obey him, promote not only his glory, but 
their highest good. 

17-19. God is no respecter of persons. He looks with 
tender compassion on the stranger, the widow, and the 
fatherless. He delights to help them, and requires that 
all, in this, should imitate his example. 

CHAPTER XI. 

9. Floweth with milk and honey ; is very fruitful. 

10. Wateredst it with thy foot ; drawing up water from the 
rivers and fountains by treadwheels, with great labor, to 
keep the land from drying up for want of rain. 



Godh word to he regarded. 



DEUTERONOMY XI. 



A blessing and a curse. 



kaubf: sess it, is not as the land of Egypt," from 
whence ye came out, where thou sowedst tliy seed, 
and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of 
herbs : 

11 But tlie land, whither ye go to possess it, is 
a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of 
the rain of heaven : 

12 A land which the Lord thy God careth* for : 
tlie eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it,'' 
from the beginning of the year even unto the end 
of the year. 

13 IT And it shall con»e to pass, if ye shall heark- 
en diligently unto my commandments whicii I com- 
mand you this day," to love the Lord your God, 
and to serve him with all your heart and with all 
your soul,'' 

14 That I will give you the rain of your land in 
his due season,'' the first rain and the latter rain,'" 
that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, 
and thiue oil. 

15 And I will send* grass in thy fields for thy 
cattle," that thou mayest eat and be full.'' 

16 Take heed to yourselves,' that your heart be 
not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other 
gods, and worship thein;^ 

17 And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against 
you," and he shut up the heaven, that there be no 
rain,' and that the land yield not her fruit; and 
lest ye perish quickly from o9' the good laud which 
the Lord giveth you. 

18 If Tlierefore shall ye lay up these my words 
in your heart and in your soul,'" and bind them for 
a sign upon your hand," that they may be as front- 
lets between your eyes. 

19 And ye shall teach them your children, speak- 
ing of tlicm when thou sittest in thy house, and 
when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest 
down, and when thou risest up." 

20 And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts 
of thy house, and upon thy gates : 

21 That your days may be multiplied,'' and the 



>Zech. 14:18. • Keh. seehet/i. blKinss9:3. c ver. 22 


ch.6:17. 'ioh. 


10:13. eLev. 3G:4. ( Joel a:*^; Jas. 5:7. t Heb. sivt. 


B Psa. 104:14; 


Ho3. 2:31,22. !■ Joel 3:19. i .Tosh. 23:11-16. jch. 29:18; 


Jer. 4:18. kch. 


6:15. 1 Kings 8:35; 2 Chr. 7:13. m ch. 6:0-9; Prov. 3 


1. n ProT. 3:3. 



12. Careth for ; by granting seasonable rains and ren- 
dering it fruitful. Ver. 1-t, 15. 

18. Lay up these my words in your heart; remember and 
obey them. 

20. Write them; to make them familiar not only to your- 
selves, but to your children. 

21. As the days of lieaven upon the earth; that you may 
continue prosperous and happy to the end of time. 

23. Possess greater nations; the countries of those na- 
tions. 

24. The wilderness ; of Zin, the south border of Canaan. 
Lebanon; the north border. Euphrates; the east border. 
Tlie uttermost sea; the Mediterranean, the west border of 
Canaan. Num. .34:1-12. 

29. Put the blessing; cause it to be proclaimed. Chap. 
27:12, 13; Josh. 8:30-35. Gerizim—Ebal ; these are two 
steep mountains lying near together. Between them was 
anciently the city t^ychein, or Sichem, also caUed Sychar. 
Gen. 33:18; John 4:5. 

30. Champaign; "the plain" of the Arabah. Gilgal; 
not the (iilgal where Joshua had his first encampment 
after crossing the Jordan, but another Gilgal further north, 
which is named in Josh. 12:23. The plains of Moreh; or 
the oaks of Moreh. See Gen. 12:6, note. 



days of your children, in the land which the Lord 
sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days 
of heaven upon the earth.i 

22 1 For if ye shall diligently keep all these 
commandments which I command you, to do them, 
to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his 
ways, and to cleave unto him;'' 

23 Then will the Lord drive out all these na- 
tions from before you,*' and ye shall possess great- 
er nations and mightier than yourselves. 

24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet 
shall tread shall be yours:' from the wilderness 
and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, 
even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be." 

25 There shall no man be able to stand before 
you:" /or the Lord your God shall lay the fear 
of you and tlie dread of you upon all the land that 
ye shall tread upon,'" as he hath said unto you.'' 

26 li Behold, I set before you this day a bless- 
ing and a curse : ^' 

27 A blessing,^ if ye obey the commandments of 
the Lord your God, which I command you this 
day; 

28 And a curse," if ye will not obey the com- 
mandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside 
out of the way which I command you this day, to 
go after other gods,*" which yo have not known. 

29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy 
God hath brought thee in unto the land whither 
thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the 
blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon 
mount Ebal.'^ 

30 Jire they not on the other side Jordan, by the 
way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the 
Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over 
against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh? 

31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to 
possess the land which the Lord your God giveth 
you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein. 

32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes 
and judgments which I set before you this day.'* 



ooh. 4:9,10. pProv. 4:10; 9:11. q Psa. 89:29. r ch. 10:20; 30:20. 


• oh. 


9:5; Psa. 78:55. t Josh. 1:3. " Gen. 16:18; Num. 34:3. v ch. 


7:a4. 


w Josh. 3:9, 24. x Exod. 23:37. r oh. 30:1, 15, 19. z ch. 23:2-13. 


>ch. 


28:15-68. b l Sam. 12:31, c oh. 27: 12, 13; Josh. 8:33. J ch. 12:.')2. 





INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Love to God and to men, a disposition to honor him 
and do good to them, is the essence of true religion. Matt. 
22 : 36-39. 

8. The dealings of God in past generations form a cogent 
reason why all men should obey liim. 

12. Temporal as well as spiritual blessings are the gift 
of God, and for them men are indebted to his unmerited 
favor. 

17. Temporal as well as spiritual judgments are the 
fruit of sin, and should lead all to hate and forsake it, 
knowing that if they continue in it, it will prove their 
ruin. 

21. Parents should take measures not only to become 
acquainted with the commands of God themselves, but to 
have them deeply impressed on the minds of their chil- 
dren. 

28. Life and death are set before men, and the strongest 
motives presented to induce them to choose life. If they 
do, and show this by taking the way that leads to it, they 
will live. If they do not, they will die, and the blame will 
rest wholly on them. Chap. 30:19; Josh. 24:lo; Ezek. 
33:10-16. 

233 



Moses umlinutlh his 



DEUTEROXOMV XII, 



charf;e In the people. 



CllAl'TF I! XII. 

1 MonumcnU of idolatry nro to be dt-stroved. 5 The plar.o of God's 
siTvioe 10 to be kept. l.'>, -'.'t Blood is'forbiddcn. 17, 20, ','C Holy 
thinrs must be cateii in the liolv place. 19 The Lerite is not to be 
rorea^en. 'JU Idoliilry is not to Le inquired after. 

THESE are the statutes and judgments, which 
yc sliall i)liservc to do in the land, which the 
Loun" (tod of tliy latlitM-.-i trivcth thee to ])ossess it," 
all the days that yc live upon tiic earth.'' 

2 Yc .•<liall utterly destroy all the places,*^ where- 
in the nations which ye shall possess' served their 
gods, upon the liigli mountains, and upon tiie iiiils, 
and under every green tree:'' 

3 And yc shall overthrow^ their altars,'' and 
break their pillars, and burn their groves witii 
lire;'' and ye shall iiew down the graven images 
of their gods, and destroy the names of them out 
of that place. 

4 Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God." 

5 But unto tlie place which the Lord your God 
shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name 
tiiere,'' even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and 
tiiither thou shalt come: 

C And thither ye shall bring your burnt-offer- 
iugs,' and your sacrifices, and your tithes,^ and 
lieave-oft'erings of your hand, and your vows, and 
}'0ur freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your 
herds and of your (locks : 

7 And there ye shall cat before the Lord your 
God, and yc shall rejoice in all that ye put your 
hand unto," yc and your households, wherein the 
Lord thy God hath blessed thee. 

8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do 
liere this day, every man whatsoever is right in 
his own eyes.' 

9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the 
inheritance,'" which the Lord your God giveth you. 

10 But lichen ye go over Jordan," and dwell in 
the land which the Lord your God giveth you to 
inherit, and lohen he giveth you rest from all your 
enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety ; 





• Ch 


6:1. 


b ch. 4 


10. 


E Exod 


?A 


13. 


• Or, inkeri 


(. d 2 


Kings 


17:10, 


II 


: Je 


.U:«. 


t Heb 


break down. 


e 


Num. 


33:52 


Judg. 2:2 


2Chr 


:il:l. 


( Kin 


SS 15:13. ev 


r. 31. 


b ver. 


11; 


ach 


. 7:12 


Psa 


78:68. 


iLev 


17:;i, 


4. 


1 


h. U 


•1126. 


k ve 


rses 12 


18 


; ch. 


16:11- 


15; 


20:11; 


Lev. 


>3:40. 



CHAPTER XII. 

3. Tlicir grove.i; or, images of Astarte. 

4. Not do so unto the Lord; not worship him as the hea- 
then worship their gods, at their own discretion, on moun- 
tains and hills, and with images ; but carry all your sacri- 
fices and offerings to the one place which he shall choose. 

5. His habitation ; the place where he would dwell with 
his visible presence. 

6. Your vows; that is, the ofTerings which they had 
vowed to Jehovah. 

7. T/icre ye shall eat; according to the directions which 
God had before given them. 

8. \ e shall not do ; as they had done while on their journey, 
when various things were neglected which they must at- 
tend to after they should be settled in the land of promise. 

15. Kill and eat flesh; for their ordinary food. Lusteth 
after; desireth, if not forbidden by the law of God. The 
unclean and the clean may eat; they might satisfy their hun- 
ger on flesh, notwithstanding ceremonial uncleanness. As 
of the roebuck, and — hart ; these, though clean animals, were 
not offered in sacrifice. The meaning is, that they were 
as free to kill and eat those animals which were offered in 
sacrifice, as those which were not offered. 
234 



11 Then there shall be a jdacc w liidi llie ».*'■; fJJ;?; 
LoHi) your (iod shall choose to cause his name to 
dwell there;" tiiither shall yc bring all that I 
coniiiiand you; your burnt-ofl'crings, and your sac- 
riticcs, your tithes, ami the heave-offering of your 
hand, and all your choice vows' which yc vow 
unto the Lord: 

12 And ye sliall rejoice before the Lord your 
Got!,'' ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and 
your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and 
the Levitc that is within your gates; forasmuch 
as he hath no ])art nor iiih»ritance with you.'' 

113 Take liecti to thyself tJiat thou offer not thy 
burnt-oirerings in every |ilacc that thou seest:"' 

14 But ill the ])lace which the J>oiU) shall choose 
in one of thy tribes, tlicic thou shalt offer thy 
burnt-offerings," and there thou shalt do all that 
I command thee. 

15 Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and eat 
flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth 
after,' according to the blessing of the Lord thy 
God which he hath given thee: the unclean and 
the clean may eat thereof," as of the roebuck, and 
as of the hart. 

IG Only yc shall not eat the blood; ye shall 
pour it upon the earth as water.^ 

17 1i Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the 
tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thine oil, 
or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor 
any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy free- 
will-offerings, or heave-offering of thy hand: 

18 But thou must eat them before the Lord thy 
God in the place which the Lord thy God shall 
choose," thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and 
thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the 
Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt 
rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that thou 
pattest thy hands unto.^ 

19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the 
Levite as long as thou livest^ upon the eartli.^ 

20 1 When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy 



1 Judg. 17:6; 21:25. iiiHcb.4:0. nJosh.S:!?. o Josh. 18:1 ; 1 Kings 8:S9. 
I Heb. the choice of your voics. P ver. 7. 1 cli. 14:29. r Lev. 17:2-5. 
> ver 11. 1 oh. 14:26. u ver. 22; ch. 15:22. » Gen. 9:4; Lev. 7:26. w ver. 
11, 12; ch. 14:23. i 1 Cor. 10:31. i Heb. all thy days. ych. 14:27. 



16. Not cat the blood; this was the means and emblem of 
life ; it was offered in sacrifice to God to make atonement 
for the sins of men, and was not to be eaten, but to be re- 
garded as sacred, in order to increase their conviction of the 
evil of sin, the justice of God, and their need of pardon. 

19. Forsake not the Levitc; by withliolding what belonged 
to him. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. We should put away all things which tend to draw 
us from the worship and service of God, and encourage 
all which lead us to cleave to and obey him. 

7. To have our offerings accepted, we must bring them 
to God in the way of his appointment, in reliance on the 
atonement and intercession of Christ, and for the purpose 
of honoring him as well as benefiting ourselves and our 
fellow-men. 

12. Sincere and hearty worship of Jehovah is not only 
highly pleasing to him, but a means of usefulness and 
happiness to those who present it, and to all connected 
with them. 

Ifi. A deep conviction of the evil of sin, of the justice 
and mercy of God, and of the necessity and value of the 
atonement, and a holy regard for divine institutions, should 
ever be cultivated by all the children of men. 



The place of God's service. 



DEUTERONOMY XIII. 



Enticers to idolat 



ry- 



Rc'S border," as he hath promised thee," and 
thou shalt say, I will eat flesli, because thy soul 
longeth to eat flesli ; thou mayest eat flesh, what- 
soever thy soul lusteth after. 

21 If the place which the Lord tliy God hath 
chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, 
then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, 
which the Lord hath given thee, as I have com- 
manded thee, and tiiou shalt cat in thy gates what- 
soever thy soul lusteth after. 

22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten," 
so thou shalt eat them : the unclean and the clean 
shall eat of them alike. 

23 Only be sure* that thou cat not the blood: for 
the blood is the life ;'' and thou mayest not eat the 
life with the flesh. 

2i Thou shalt not eat it ; thou shalt pour it upon 
the earth as water. 

25 Tliou shalt not eat it ; that it may go well with 
thee," and witli thy children after tliee, when thou 
shalt do thai ichich w right in the sightof the Lord.' 

26 Only thy holy things which thou hast," and 
thy vows, thou shalt take,"" and go unto the place 
which the Lord shall choose: 

27 And thou shalt oflTer thy burnt-offerings, the 
flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the Lord 
thy God:' and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be 
poured out upon the altar of the Lord thy God, 
and thou shalt eat the flesh. 

28 Observe and hear all these words which I 
command thee,' that it may go well with thee, and 
with thy children after thee for ever, when thou 
doest that u-hich is good and right in the sight of 
the Lord thy God. 

29 IT When the Lord thy God shall cut off the 
nations from before thee," whither thou goest to 
possess them, and thou succeedest* them, and 
dwelleat in their land ; 

39 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared 
by following them,*' after that they be destroyed 
from before thee ; and that thou inquire not after 
their gods, saying. How did those nations serve 
their gods ? even so will I do likewise. 

31 Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God : "" 
for every abomination to^ the Lord which he hat- 
eth have they done unto their gods ; for even their 
sons and their daughters they have burnt in the 
lire to their gods." 

32 What thing soever I command you, observe 
to do it:" thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish 
from it." 



■2i:U, Exoil. 31:24. « ver. 1.5, 16. ' Heb. strong. 
4:4U. ( Exod. lorM; 1 Kings 11:38; Ecol. 2:28. 
' 21-24. i Lev. 1:5,9, 13| 



'I Chr. 4:10. 
d Lev. 17:11, 14 

e Num. 5:9, 10. h Lev. 22:18, etc., . >...i,... ..^i--.,. . i.c.. ,..,,,,, i-, 
17:11. J Exod. 34:11; 2 Chr. 7:17; lEzek. 37:24; John 15:10, 14. k ch 
19:1; Exod. 23:23: Joah. 23:4. t Heb. inherilest, or poisessest. 1 Heb. 
after Ihrm. 1 2 Kings 17:15; Psa. 100:34-38. m Exod. 21:2. « Heb. o/. 
oLev. 18:21; Jer. 32:35; Ezek. 20:31 ; 23:37; Mic.C: 7. ojo3h.l:7. pRev. 



19. What belongs to God and his ministers should not 
be withheld or perverted to any other use. 

25. Subjection of our desires lo the revealed will of God, 
with habitual obedience to his commands, is the way to 
promote not only our own good, but that of all who come 
after us or may feel our influence. 

32. We should not wish to add to or take from what 
God has said ; but should take it as it is, and let it have 
its proper influence on our hearts and lives. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



1 Enticers to idolatry, G how near soever unto thee, 9 are to be stoned 
to death. 12 Idolatrous cities are not to be spared. 

IF there arise among you a prophet,'' or a dream- 
er of dreams,' and giveth thee a sign or a 
wonder,'' 

2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass,* 
whereof he spake unto thee, saying. Let us go after 
other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us 
serve them ; 

3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that 
prophet, or that dreamer of dreams : for the Lord 
your God proveth you," to know whether ye love 
"the Lord your God with all your heart and with 
all your soul. 

4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God,^' and 
fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his 
voice,''' and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him." 

5 And that prophet,^ or that dreamer of dreams, 
shall be put to death ; because he hath spoken to 
turn you away from the Lord' your God, which 
brought you out of the land of Egypt, and re- 
deemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust 
thee out of the way which the Lord thy God com- 
manded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the 
evil away from the midst of thee.^ 

G % If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy 
son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom," or 
thy friend, '^ which is as thine own soul, entice thee 
secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, 
which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers ; 

7 Mamdy, of the gods of the people which are 
round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from 
thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the 
other end of the earth ; 

8 Thou shalt not consent unto him,'= nor hearken 
unto him ; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither 
shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him : 

9 But thou shalt surely kill him ; thy hand shall 
be first upon him to put him to death,'' and after- 
wards the hand of all the people. 

10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he 
die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away 
from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out 
of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.^ 

11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear,'' and shall 
do no more any such wickedness as this is among 
you. 

12 \ If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities,' 
which the Lord thy God hath g^ven thee to dwell 
there, saying. 



2918 q 1 Kin<^ 13:18; Isi. 9:15; Jer. S:13; 23:11; Ezek. 13:2, 3, 23; 
Zech. 13:4. r zlch. 10:2. ' Matt. -ZX-.-U : 2Thess. 2:9; Rev. 13:14. t ch. 
18:22; Jer. 33:9; Matt. 7:22. "lCDr.ll:19. v2Chr.34:3l. wjer.7:23. 
X ch. 10:20. y Zech. 13:3. I Heb. revolt against the 'Lov.v. z ch. 17:7; 
1 Cor. 5:13. » ch. 28:54; Mic. 7:5. b 1 Sam. 20:17. « Prov. 1:10. i ch. 
17:7. 1 Heb 6o«Jjne;i. ech. 19:20. fJosh.23:ll. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

3. Proveth you; by suffering the false prophets to do 
some strange and wonderful things, and thus to tempt 
them to forsake God and worship idols. 

5. Turn you awaij from the Lord; as he was the King of 
the Jews, idolatry was treason, and punishable with death. 

9. Kill htm ; when proved to be guilty by legal process ac- 
cording to divine directions. Be first upon h im ; the accusers 
and witnesses were to cast the first stones. Chap. 17:7. 
235 



Idolatry to bt punished. 



DEUTERONOMY \IV 



Ofmtats clean and uncknn. 



13 Certain men, the children of Belial," are gone 
out from among yon, and have witlidrawn tlie 
inhuhitants of their city," saying, Let us go and 
servo other gods, which j-e iiave not known; 

14 Tiien slialt thou inquire, and make search, 
and ask diligently; and beliold, if it ic truth, and 
tlie tiling certain, tliat such abomination is wrought 
ainon'j you ; 

15 Thou slialt surely smite the inhabitants of 
that city with tlie edge of the sword, destroying 
it utterly ,"* and all that w therein, and the cattle 
thereof, with the edge of the sword. 

10 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into 
the midst of the street thereof and shalt burn 
with lire the city, and all the spoil thereof every 
whit, for the Lord thy God : and it shall be a 
heap for ever;*" it shall not be built again. 

17 And there shall cleave naught of the cursed * 
thing to thy hand:'' that the LoiiD may turn from 
the fierceness of his anger," and show thee inercy,' 
and have compassion upon thee,''' and multiply 
thee,'' as he hath sworn unto thy fathers;' 

18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the 
Loun thy God, to keep all his commandments 
which I command thee this day,J to do that which 
is right in the eyes of the Lord thy God. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 God's chiltlren are not U> disfi^re themselves in mourning. 3 What 
may, and what may not be eaten, 4 of beasts, 9 of fishes, 11 of fowls. 
21 That which dieth of itself may not be eaten. 2'2 Tithes of divine 
service. 23 Tithes and firstlinj^s of rejoicing before the Lord. 28 Tlie 
third year's tithe of alms and charity. 

YE are the children of the Lord your God : "^ ye 
shall not cut yourselves,' nor make any bald- 
ness between your eyes for the dead. 

2 For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy 
God," and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a pe- 
culiar people unto himself," above all the nations 
that are upon the earth. 

3 \ Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing." 

4 These are the beasts which ye shall cat: the 
ox, the sheep, and the goat, 

5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow-deer. 



• Or, naugkty men; Judg. 19:22; 1 Kmgs 2 
22:20; Josh. 0:17, 24. c Josh. 8:28; Jer. 49: 


1:10,13. 3judel9. bExod. 


2. t Oi,chvoud. <i ch. 7:20; 


Josh. 6:19; 7:1. e Josh. 7:26; Psa. 78:38. 


f Exod. 20:6. e Lam. 3:32. 


liEzek. 37:20. i Gen. 22:17. j Psa. 119:0. 


k Jer. 3:19; Rom. S:IO; 9:8, 


2(3: Gal. 3:26. 1 Lev. 19:28; Jer. 16:6. 


1 Lev. S0:20. n 1 Pet. 2:9. 



IC. Burn — every whit ; tliis was to cut off all temptation 
to avarice, and to express tlie utmost abliorrence of tlie 
crime. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Wicked men who give themselves up to the service 
of the devil, may be suffered by God to do many strange 
and unaccountable things. But no one should hearken to 
them, or in any way give them encouragement. 

3. God suffers many things to take place in this world 
to try men, and lead them to show whether they will serve 
him or not. 

8. We must not suffer our nearest relatives or most inti- 
mate friends to lead us into sin, nor must we in any way 
connive at their transgressions. 

11. One object of punishment is to express the wrath 
of God against crime, and thus restrain others from com- 
mitting it. 

17. Men should show a deep abhorrence of crime by 
suitably punishing it. and in executing God's wrath against 
236 



the wild o.K, and the chamois. 

G And every bea.>it that parteth the hoof,'' and 
cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the 
cud among the bea.sts, that ye shall cat. 

7 Nevertheless these ye shall not eat, of them 
that chew the cud, or of them that divide the clo- 
ven hoof; as the camel, and the hare,and theconey : 
for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; 
therefore they are unclean unto you. 

8 And the swine, because itdivideth the hoof, 
yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: 
ye shall not eat of their flesh, uor touch their dead 
carcass.'' 

9 ll These ye shall cat,"' of all that arc in the 
waters : all that have fins and scales shall ye eat : 

10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales yc 
may not eat ; it is unclean unto you. 

11 "l O/'all clean birds ye shall eat. 

12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat:' 
the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 

13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture 
after his kind, 

14 And every raven after his kind, 

15 And the owl, and the niglithawk, and the 
cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind, 

IG Thclittleowl,and the greatowl, and the swan, 

17 And the pelican, and the gier-eagle, and the 
cormorant, 

18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, 
and the lapwing, and the bat. 

19 And every creeping thing that flictli is unclean 
unto you : they shall not be eaten. 

20 But of all clean fowls yc may eat. 

21 ir Yc shall not eat of any thing that dieth of 
itself:' thou shalt give it unto the stranger that 
is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest 
sell it unto an alien: for thou art a holy people 
unto the Lord thy God." Thou shalt not seethe 
a kid in his mother's milk.'^ 

22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy 
seed,'"' that the field bringeth forth year by year. 

23 And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God,^ 
in the place which he shall choose to place his 



oEzek 


4:14 


; Acts 


in 


12 


14 ; 1 Cor. 10:28. 


H 


eb. dishon, 


6ison. 


P Lev. 


11:3,4 


Psa 


34:14 




1 Lev. 11 


26, 27. 


r l,e 


V. 


1:9. "Lev 


11:13. 


iLev. 


17:15; 


22:8; 


Ezek 


4 


14. 


u ve 


r 2 V 


Kxnd 


» 


:19; .'M:26. 


"ch. 12:6, 17; 


Lev. 27:30; 


Num. 


is 


21 


Neh 


10:37. 


ich 


12 


5, etc. 







the guilty they should, both in reality and in appearance, 
be influenced only by holy and benevolent motives. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1. Not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness; as idolaters 
were accustomed to do in the worship of their gods. Lev. 
19:28; 1 Kings 18:28. 

5. Pygarg; a species of antelope or gazelle. Wild ox; 
or, according to some, a species of antelope or mountain 
goat. Chamois; a species of goat. 

13. Glede; a species of kite. 

15. Tlu: owl ; or, the ostrich. Several of the names in 
this list of unclean birds, it is impossible to define with 
any degree of certaintj'. See above on Lev. 11:13-19. 

22. Trtdy tithe; the first tithe or tenth part was devoted 
to the worship of God and the support of the Levites. 
There was a second tithe, a tenth of the nine remaining 
parts ; and once in three years it was to be devoted to the 
entertainment of the Levites, the stranger, the widow, and 
the fatherless. Ver. 29. 



The. seventh year, 



DEUTERONOMY XY. 



or year of release. 



Kc.'uit name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy 
wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy 
herds and of thy flocks ; ■'' that thou mayest learn 
to fear the Lord tliy God always. 

2-1 And if the way be too long for thee, so that 
thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be 
too far from thee,'' which the Lord thy God shall 
choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy 
God hath blessed thee ; 

25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind 
up the money in thy hand, and shalt go unto the 
place which the Lord thy God sliall choose : 

26 And thou shalt bestow that money for what- 
soever tliy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, 
or for wine, or for sti-ong drink, or for whatsoever 
thy soul desireth :' and thou shalt eat there before 
the Lord thy God,^ and thou shalt rejoice, thou, 
and thy household,'' 

27 And the Levite that is within thy gates ; thou 
shalt not forsake him : for he hath no part nor 
inlieritance with thee." 

28 1 At the end of three years thou shalt bring 
forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year,' 
and shalt lay it up within thy gates : 

29 And the Levite, because he hath no part nor 
inheritance with thee,*^ and the stranger,'' and the 
fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy 
gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied ; 
tliat the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the 
work of thy hand which thou doest.' 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 The seventh year a year of release for the poor. 7 It must he no let 
of lending or giving. 12 A Hebrew servant, 16 except he will not 
depart, must in the seventh year go forth free and well furnished. 
19 All firstling males of the cattle are to be sanctified unto the Lord. 

AT the end of every seven years thou shalt 
make a release.^ 

2 And this is the manner of the release : Every 
creditor^ that lendeth aught unto his neighbor 
shall release it ; he shall not exact it of his neigh- 
bor, or of his brother; because it is called the 
Lord'.s release. 

3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again :^ 
1)ut that which is thine with thy brother thy hand 
sliall release ; 

4 Save when there shall be* no poor among 
you ; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the 



» Ch. 15:19, 20. b ch. l-.>:-21. • Heb. asketh. of thee. " ch. 12:7, 18. 
'I Keel. 9:7. e ch. 1S:1. 2; Num. 18:2U. f ch. 211:12; Amos 4:4. Bver.S7; 
ch. 12:12. b Exod. 22:21-34; Job 31:10-32: Luke 14:12-14; Heb. 13:2. 
i ch. 15:10; Proy. 3:9, 10; 19:17; Mai. 3:10. j Exod. 2:1:10, 11; Lev. 
33:2-1; Jer. 34:14-17. t Heb. master of the lending of his liand. k ch. 
3i:20. t Or. To the end that there be. 1 ch. 2S:l-8, etc. "> oh. 23:12, 44. 



26. TTiy soul desireth; in accordance with the revealed 
will of God. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

2. The people of God are called in a peculiar manner to 
lie holy, and should carefully avoid sinful conformity to 
the world, and all those practices which tend to draw 
them away from the word and ordinances of Jehovah. 

C. The Lord allows us freely to partake of all things which 
will not injure us, and which tend to our highest good. 

22. We should endeavor to be truly honest and faithful 
in devoting to God whatever he requires, and in using all 
we possess according to his will, remembering that he is 
the owner, and that we are stewards of what he intrusts 
to our care. 



land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an 
inheritance to possess it:' 

5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice 
of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these 
commandments which I command thee this day. 

6 For the Lord tiiy God blesseth thee, as he 
promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many 
nations, but thou shalt not borrow;™ and thou 
shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not 
reign over thee. 

7 IT If there be among you a poor man of one 
of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy 
land whicli the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou 
shalt not harden thy heart," nor shut thy hand 
from thy poor brother : 

8 But thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him," 
and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, 
in that which ho wantcth. 

9 Beware that there be not a thought^ in thy 
wicked ' heart, saying, The seventh year, the year 
of release, is at hand ; and thine eye be evil 
against thy poor brother,'' and thou givest him 
naught ; and he cry unto the Lord against thee,"* 
and it be sin unto thee."' 

10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart 
shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him :' 
because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall 
bless thee in all thy works,' and in all that thou 
puttest thy hand unto. 

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the 
land : " therefore I command thee, saying, Thou 
shalt open thy hand wide unto thy brother, to thy 
poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. 

12 "ir And if thy brother,^' a Hebrew man, or a 
Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee 
six years ; then in the seventh year thou shalt let 
him go free from thee. 

13 And when thou sendest him out free from 
thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty : 

14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy 
flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine- 
press : of that wherewith tlie Lord thy God hath 
blessed thee'" thou shalt give unto him.'' 

15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a 
bondman in the land of Egypt,-" and the Lord thy 
God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee 
this thing to day. 

16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will 



nl John 3:17. o Lev. 25:35-37; Gal. 2:10. iUeh.u-ord. I Heb. Belial. 
Pch. 3-!:54-5(i; Prov. 23:6; Matt. 20:15. q ch. 24:15; Exod. 22:23. 'Matt. 
25-41-15. s 2 Cor. 9:5-7. ' ch. 24:19: Psa. 41:1. 2: Prov. 11:25; 22:9; 
Heb. 13:16. u Matt. 26:11. ' Exod. 21:2; Lev. -25:39-11; Jer. 34:14. 
«'Psa.6H:10. I Prov. 10:22; Acts 20:35. V ch. 5:15; 10:12; Isa. 51:1. 



29. The ministers of religion, the stranger, the widow, 
the fatherless, and all who are destitute should be kindly 
remembered, and share in the blessings which God gra- 
ciouslj- gives us. 

CHAPTER XV. 

3. Til II brother ; an Israelite. 

9. Givest him naught; dost not lend to him what he 
needs. 

12. If thy brother — be sold unto thee; be bound to serve 
thee for the payment of a debt, according to the custom 
of that age. 

16. Because he is well with thee; because.in his estimation, 
it would be better for him to stay than to go away. 
237 



Firstlings of the jlod: 



DEUTEHOXO.MV XVI, 



T/ic feast of the passorer. 



not po away from thee ;" because lie loveth thee 
and tliy hdu.-^e, Ijoeausc lie is well with thee; 

17 'liipii tlidu ^;llalt take an awl, and tlinist it 
throuirli his oar unto the door, and he shall lie thy 
servant lor ever. And also unto thy maid-servant 
thou slialt do likewise. 

18 It shall not seem hard unto tlico,"' when thou 
sendest him away free tVom tlice ; for he liatli licou 
worth a double hired servant to tliee, in servinjj; 
thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless 
thee in all that thou doest. 

19 '\ All tiie iir.stlinir males that come of thy 
herd and of thy Hock tiiou shalt sanctify unto the 
Loitn thy God:*^ thou siialt do no work with the 
firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of 
thy sheep. 

20 Thou shalt cat it before the Lord thy God 
j^ear by year in the place which the Lord shall 
choose,' thou and thy household. 

21 And if there be any blemish therein,'' as if it 
be lame, or blind, or /lave any ill blemish, thou 
shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God. 

22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the un- 
clean and the clean person shall cat it alike,' as the 
roebuck, and as the hart. 

23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; 
thou shait pour it upon the ground as water. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 The feast of the passover, 9 of weeks, 13 of taberna':les. IG Every 
male must offer, as he is able, at these three feasts. 18 Of judges and 
justice. 21 Groves and images are forbidden. 

OBSERVE the month of Abib,"' and keep the 
passover unto the Lord thy God : for in the 
month of Aliib the Lord thy God brought tliec 
forth out of Egypt by night." 

2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover 
unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd,' 
in the place which the Lord shall choose to place 
his name there.^ 





"Exod. 21:5,6. 


I> ver. 


10. c Exod 


13:2 


Num 


3:13: 18:17. d 


oh.l 


2:5, 


i; 


17. 


e oh. 17:1 


Lev. 23 


:20; Ma,l. 1 


7, K. 


fch. 12:15, et 


. sBxod. 34 


18. 


h 


Uxod 


12:31-12. 


iNum 


aS:16-lfl. 


Jnh. 


15:20. 


"Exod 


13:6.7 


lExod. 


1 


.:10; 


34:25. '01. kill. 


"Exod. 12:6-9. 


n2Ch 


. 35:13. 


«2Kir 


gs 23 


2:j; 



18. Worth a double hired servant; because he has served 
without wages. 

22. Within thy gates; at home: not at the tabernacle or 
temple, as was the case with that which was without 
blemish. Chap. 12:15, 16. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. A debtor who without his fault is poor, and really not 
able to pay, should not be imprisoned, nor disabled from 
making etibrts ; nor should paj'mcnt be enforced till he is, 
or by suitable means may be able to meet it. 

3. While we are bound, as we have opportunity and 
ability, to do good to all who are needy, we are under 
special obligations to do it to the friends of God. 

10. The fact that a man is poor and may not be able to 
repay, is not to jirevent us from lending to him, when it 
is necessary to relieve his wants and our doing so will 
be for his benetit; but we are to love our neighbor as 
ourselves, and do what such love, under the guidance of 
sound wisdom, requires. 

11. God suffers the poor always to be among us, that 
compassion may be cultivated by exercise ; and that we 
may have opportunity to show whether or not we are dis- 
jjosed to assist them, and thus to imitate our Father in 
heaven. Matt. 5:iS; Luke 6:31-3G. 

2.3S 



3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with lif f^JJ 
it;'' seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread 
therewith, even the bread of allliction; for thou 
earnest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: 
that thou mayest remember the day when thou 
earnest forth out of the land of Egviit all the davs 
of thy life. 

4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen 
with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither 
shall there any thinfr of the flesh which thou sac- 
rilicedst the Jirst day at even, remain all night 
until the morning.' 

5 Thou mayest not sacrifice" the jiassover witli- 
in any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giv- 
eth thee: 

6 But at the place which the Lord thy God shall 
choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sac- 
rifice the ])as.sover at even,'" at the going down of 
the sun, at the season that thou caincst forth out 
of Egypt. 

7 And thou shalt roast and cat it" m the place 
which tlio Lord thy God shall choose:" and 
thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy 
tents. 

8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread; and 
on the seventh day shall be a solemn* assembly 
to the Lord thy God :'' thou shalt do no work 
therein. 

9 ir Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee : ' 
begin to number the seven weeks from s^ich 
time as thou bcginnest to put the sickle to the 
corn. 

10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unio 
the Lord thy God with a tribute* of a frcewill- 
ofl'criiig of thy hand, which thou shalt give rnito 
the LORD thy God, according as the L.0KD thv 
God hath blessed thee:"' 

11 And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy 
God,'* thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and 
thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the 
Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger. 



John 2:1.3, 23; 11:55. t Heb. reslmtref; Lev. 23:36. P Lev. 23:8. q Exod. 
2:J:16; 34:22: Lev. 23:15; Acts 2:1. 1 Or, sufficienry. ' vcr. 17; 1 Cor. 
16:2. «ch. 12:7, 12, 18. 



14. Liberality to servants and tliose who have a8sistc<l 
us, and readiness in return to assist them, is an exhibition 
of excellence, and a source of blessings to both givers and 
receivers. 

IG. It is well so to treat servants as to secure their 
confidence, gratitude, and esteem, and that they will rather 
continue with us than go away. By so doing, their ser- 
vices may be greatly prolonged, and rendered much more 
pleasant and useful to us and to themselves. 

18. Kindness and liberality to servants are means of 
securing not only their good will and fidelity, but also 
the blessing of God. 

22. Fidelity to God, in rendering to him what he re- 
quires, is the way to secure his favors, and make them 
the means of the greatest enjoyment to ourselves anil 
others. 

CHAPTER XVL 

1. The month of Abib— the passover ; Exod. 12: 2, 18 ; 34 : IK. 
3. Bread of ajfiiction ; in remembrance of their afflictions 
in Egypt. 

9. To put the sickle; to reap the sheaf of first-fruits, 
which was offered on the first day of unleavened breaii. 

10. The feast of weeks; Exod. 34:22. 



Of the three, feasts. 



DEUTERONOMY XVII. 



Idditcrs to It stoned. 



uJluif: and the fatherless, and tlie -widow, that 
are among you, in the place which the Lord thy 
God hath chosen to place his name there. 

12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a 
bondman in Egypt:" and thou shalt observe and 
do these statntes. 

13 ^ Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles 
seven days,'' after that thou hast gathered in thy 
corn and thy wine:' 

14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast,'' thou, 
and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-ser- 
vant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite, the 
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that 
arc within thy gates. 

15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast 
unto the Lord thy God in the place which the 
Lord shall choose:'' because the Lord thy God 
shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the 
works of thy hands, therefore thou shalt surely 
rejoice. 

16 H Three times in a year shall all thy males 
appear before the Lord thy God in the place which 
lie shall choose ;'' in the feast of unleavened bi'cad, 
and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tab- 
ernacles: and they shall not appear before the 
Lord empty :'^ 

17 Every man shall give as he is able,*!^ accord- 
ing to the blessing of the Lord thy God which 
he hatli given thee.'' 

18 T Judges and officers shalt thou make thee 
in all tliy gates,' which the Lord thy God giveth 
thee, tliroughout thy tribes : and they shall judge 
the people with just judgment. 

19 Tliou shalt not wrest judgment;^ thou shalt 
not respect persons,'^ neither take a gift: for a 
gift doth blind the eyes of the wise,' and pervert 
the words* of the righteous. 

20 That which is altogether just^ shalt thou fol- 
low,'" that thou mayest live," and inherit the land 
wiiicli the Lord thy God giveth thee. 

21 'i Thou slialt not plant thee a grove of any 
trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God," 
■which thou shalt make thee. 

22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image;'"' 
which the Lord thy God hateth.'' 



» Ch. 15 


15- 


Lam. 


3:10. 20. 


b T... 


V. 23:34. • Heb. fo 


or. and th 


1 wixe- 


press. 


' s 


eh. 


3:9-ll> 


d Lev 


2.3:30 


40. e Bxod 


23:14 


34:23. ' 


Exod. 


aM5. 


t Heb. 


accord 


ng to the 


gift of his haiul. 


6 Mirk 1->:4W4: 


2 Cor. 


s.ia. 


hvc 


.1 


. ioh 


1:15-17 


Exoc 


18:25. 20; 1 


Ohr. 2. 


:4; 2Chr 


. 10:5- 


11. J 


Lev. 


19 


15. k 


Prov. -21 


•U. 1 


Prov. 17:23. 


X Or, 


^natters. 


8 Heb. 



13. The feast of tabernacles ; Exod. 23: 14-17. 

19. Wrest; pervert. A frift ; a bribe, something given 
to make a judge partial. Doth blind the eyes of the wise; to 
truth and equity. 

21. Grove; the word in the original rather means a wood- 
en image of Astarte, fixed in the ground. See 2 Kings 17:10. 
IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. We should not forget our past trials, nor the goodness 
of God in our deliverance, but should be encouraged by 
his kindness to put our trust in him, and with patient 
continuance in well-doing look to him for aU wo need. 

6. Such is the untcachableness of men, that the Lord 
sees it needful often to repeat his instructions, especially 
with regard to tlieir guilt as sinners, and their need of 
pardoning mercy through the atonement of Christ. 

11. True religion is social in its character, and tends to 
make all who possess it grateful, kind, communicative, 
benevolent, and joyful. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

1 The things sacrificed must be sound. 2 Idolaters must be slain. 8 
Hard controversies are to be determined by the priests and judges. 
r2 The contemner of that determination must die. 14 The election. 
16 and duty of a king. 

THOU shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy 
God any bullock, or sheep,^ wherein is blem- 
ish, or any evil-favorcdness : '' for that is an abomi- 
nation unto the Lord thy God. 

2 H If there be found among you, within any of 
thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, 
man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in 
the sight of the Lord thy God," in transgressing 
his covenant,' 

3 And hath gone and served other gods, and 
worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any 
of the host of heaven, which I have not com- 
manded ; 

4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of if, 
and inquired diligently, and behold, it be true, and 
the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought 
in Israel; 

5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that 
woman, which have committed that wicked thing, 
unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and 
shalt stone them with stones, till they die. 

6 At the mouth of two witnesses," or three wit- 
nesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to 
death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall 
not he put to death. 

7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon 
him to put him to death,^' and afterward the hands 
of all the people. So thou shalt put the (nil away 
from among you. 

8 ^ If there arise a matter too hard for thee in 
judgment,"' between blood and blood, between plea 
and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being 
matters of controversy within thy gates ; then 
shalt thou arise, and get thee up into tiie place 
which the Lord thy God shall choose;" 

9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Le- 
vites,^ and unto the judge that shall be in those 
days,^ and inquire ; and they shall show thee the 
sentence of judgment: 

10 And thou shalt do according to the sentence, 



Justice, justice, m Mio. 6:8; Phil. 4:8. n Ezek. 1S:5, 9. o 1 Ki 


ngsl4:15. 


lUeh. statue, 01 pillar. P Lev. 26:1. qjer. 44:4. ^ Ot, goat, r 


Mai. 1:8, 


13.14. >ch.13:fl.etc. t Josh. 7:11, 15; Judg. 2:20; 2Kings 16:12 


Hos.8:l. 


u Num. 35:30; John 8: 17; 2 Cor. 13:1; ITira. 5:19. v Acts 7:58, 59 


wE.xod. 


21:12,etc. i Psa. 122:4, 5. y Jer. 18:18; Hag. 2:11; Mai. 2:7. z 


oh. 19: 17. 



17. Religious joy and gratitude to God may at suitable 
times be properly expressed by feasting on the bounties 
of his providence, and giving them liberally to the poor 
and destitute. 

20. Civil government is God's institution to secure to 
men those rights and privileges which it is his will that 
they should enjoy ; and magisti-ates are bound, as far as 
practicable, to give to all what justly belongs to them. 

CHAPTER XTII. 

7. First upon him; chap. 13:9. 

8. Blood and blood; relating to the killing of a man. 
Pica and plea; concerning property, or civil rights. Stroki 
and stroke; personal quarrel. 

'J. Come unto the — judge; apply to a higher tribunal, at 
the licad of which was God liimself. Sentence of judp- 
incnt ; right decision. 

•2"0 



DutUi of judgu and kings. 



DEUTERONOMY X\ III 



Dues nf the Levids. 



wliich they of tluit plarc wliicli the Loui) shall 
clioosc shall show tlice; and tliou tihalt observe to 
do accordinir to all that liicy inform thco: 

11 AecordinsT to the seiiteucc of the law which 
tiiev shall tcacii thee, and according to llio jiidjr- 
inei'it which they shall tell thee, thou slialt do: thou 
shalt not decline from the sentence which they 
shall show thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. 

\'l And the man that will do presumjjtously," 
and will not hearken' unto the priest that staiul- 
eth to minister there before the LoRn thy God,'' or 
unto the judge," even that man shall die:" and thou 
shalt put away the evil from Israel." 

13 And all the ])eople shall hear, and fear,'' and 
do no more presumptuously. 

14 •[ When thou art come unto the land whicli tlie 
Loud thy God givcth thee, and shalt possess it, and 
shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king 
over me."-' like as all the nations that are about me ; 

1.') Tliou shalt in any wise set him king over 
thee, whom the Loud thy God shall choose:'' one 
from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over 
tlice:' thou mayest not set a stranger over theo,^ 
wiiich is not thy brother. 

16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself,'' 
nor cause the peoi)le to return to Egypt,' to the 
end that he should multiply horses: forasnuich as 
tlic Loud hatli said unto you, Yc shall henceforth 
return no more that way."' 

17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, 
that his heart turn not away:" neither shall he 
greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 

18 And it siiall be, when he sittcth upon the 
throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a 
copy of this law in a book out of that which is 
before the priests the Levites: 

19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read 
therein all the days of his life ;° that he may learn 
to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words 
of this law, and these statutes, to do them: 

20 That his heart be not lifted up above his 
brethren, and that he turn not aside from the com- 
mandment," to the right hand or to the left: to 



' Num. 15:30; Ezra 10:3; Hos. 4:4. * Heb. not to hearken. I> Jer. 35:3, 
-.;. cch. 18:3, 7. d Heb. 10:23. e oh. 13:S. tch. 13:11. B 1 Sam. 8:5, 
I'J, -Jl. h 1 Sam. 9:15-17; 10:12; 1 Chr. 22:10. i Jer. .30:21. j Jer. 2:25. 
k IKmgs 10:25-23; P3l.2!):7; H03. 14:3. Usa. 31:1; Ezek. 17:15. mExoJ. 



12. Do presumptuously ; refuse to comply with known 
law, enacted by God, who was then the chief magistrate 
of that people. 

15. S'ialt tluM set Icing over thee; this did not require 
them to set a king over them, or imply that it would be 
right ; it only required, that if at any time they would do 
it, these directions should be followed. 1 Sara. 8:4-22. 

18. This lair; either the book of Deuteronomy, or more 
probably the five books of Jloses, called the law, as con- 
taining the laws of Jehovah for the government of Israel. 
Matt, 5:17; 7:12; Luke 16:16; 24:44. 

19. All tlte days of his life; daily, habituallj-. 

20. Be not lifted up ; do not become proud. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The best we have belongs to God, and it should be our 
delight cheerfully to render to him whatever he requires. 
7. Idolatry in the Jewish commonwealth was treason, 
and as such, when proved by two or more witnesses, 
was punished with death; but great care was taken that 
none should be punished except those who were really 
guiltv. 

240 



the end that he may prolong his days in « r n',' 
his kingdom, he, anil his children, in the midst of 
Israel.'' 

CIIAPTEIl X VIII. 

1 The Lord is the pnestg^ and Levitea' inlieriUince. 3 The priest'i duo. 

6 The Levite's portion. 9 The abominations of tlic nationi are to bo 
avoided. 15 Christ tlie Trophet is to be heard. 20 The presunip 
tuous prophet is to die. 

n[^HE priests the Levites,'' and all the tribe of 
_L Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with 
Israel: they shall eat the ofl'eriugs of the Lord 
made by fire, and his inheritance.' 

2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among 
their brethren : the Lord is their inheritance,' as 
he hath said unto them. 

3 1[ And this shall be the priest's due from the 
people," from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it 
be ox or sheep ; and they shall give unto the priest 
the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 

4 The iirst-fruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and 
of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, 
shalt thou give him." 

5 For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of 
all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of 
the Lord, him and his sons for ever."' 

G 1 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates 
out of all Israel, where he sojourned," and come 
with all the desire of his mind unto the place 
which the Lord shall choose;^' 

7 Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord 
his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which 
stand there before the Lord. 

8 They shall have like portions to eat,^ besides 
that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.* 

9 1i When thou art come into the land which the 
Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to 
do after the abominations of those nations. 

10 There shall not be found among you any one 
that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through 
the fire,'' or that useth divination, or an observer 
of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 

11 Or a eharmer, or a consulter with familiar 
spirits, or a Avizard, or a necromancer. 



13:17; Hos. 11:5. n 1 Kings 11:3. 4. o Josh. 1:S; Paa. 


119:97. Pi Kings 


15:5. qProT. 10:27. r Num. 18:20. > 1 Cor. 9:13, 14. 


tPsa. 16:5; Lam. 


3:24. u Lev. 7::iU^34. v Exod. 22:29. " Num. 3:10. 


I Num. 35:2, 3. 


yPsa.84:2. 22Chr.31:4. \ Ueh. las sales by tke fathers 


"Lev. 18:21, etc. 



9. It is a great privilege that in cases of doubt and dif- 
ficulty with regard to duty, we may appeal to an infaUible 
standard, the Scriptures ; and look to Him who hath said. 
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, and it shall 
be given him. 

12. To turn away and refuse to do the known will of 
God, is great presumption, wickedness, and foUy; and 
justly exposes those who are guilty of it to his indigna- 
tion. 

15. The giving of directions for the regulation of the 
conduct of men, by no means proves that the conduct 
which needs such regulation is right. It may be wicked, 
and the object of the" regulations be, to lessen somewhat 
its evils till it be done away. 

20. God gives the people power to choose their own 
rulers and form of government; and rulers are bound to 
take the Bible as then- guide, and govern according to its 
precepts. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

8. Patrimonii; other property besides what he received 
offioiallv as a Levite. 



The great Prophet. 



DEUTERONOMY XIX. 



Cities of refuge. 



ilc'u™- 12 For all that do these things are an 
abomination unto the Lord : and because of these 
abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them 
out from before thee." 

13 Thou shalt be perfect" with the Lord thy God. 

14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess/ 
hearkened unto observers of times, and unto divin- 
ers : but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not 
suffered thee so to do.'' 

15 T The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee 
a Prophet from the midst of thee," of thy breth- 
reu, lilie unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;'' 

16 According to all that tliou desiredst of the 
Lord thy God in Horcb in the day of the assem- 
lily,° saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the 
Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire 
any more, that I die not. 

17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well 
spoken that which they have spoken. 

18 I will raise them up a Prophet"' from among 
their brethren,' like uuto thee,'' and will put my 
words in his mouth ; and he shall speak unto them 
all that I shall command him.' 

19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will 
not hearken unto my words which he shall speak 
in my name,' I will require it of him. 

20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak 
a word in my name, which I have not commanded 
him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of 
other gods," even that prophet shall die.' 

21 And if thou say in tliy heart. How shall we 
know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?'" 

22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the 
Lord," if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, 
that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, 
hut the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously ; 
thou shalt not be afraid of him." 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1 The cities of refuge. 4 The privilege thereof for the manslayer. 14 
The landiiinrk is not to be renioveil. 15 Two witnesses at the least. 
10 The punishment of a false witness. 

WHEN the Lord thy God hath cut off the 
nations,!' -(^hose land the Lord thy God giv- 



"Rev. aj:!-). • Or. iipTig/U,OT sincere; Gen. 17:1; Jobl;l. t <Jt, inlierit. 
h Gen. 20:0; Psa. 147:19, aO; Acts 14:10. <:Johnl:45; 6:14; Acts :3:*J, 3). 
<1 Matt. 17:5; Heb. 1:1. 2; 2:1-3; 1 John 3:2:3. eExod. 20:19. t Isa. 9;0; 
Zeoh. 6:12, 13; Mai. 3:1. S Luke 24:19. h Num. 12:6-S; Heb. 3:2-6. 
■ John 4:25; S:-2i; 12:49,50; 15:15. j Mark 16: 10; Acts 3:22. 23; Heb. 2:3; 
12:25. k ch. 13:1-5; Jer. 14:14, 15; Zech. 13:3. 1 Jer. 23:15-17; Rev. 



13. Be perfect ; sincerely, heartily, and wholly devoted 
to God. Job 1:1; Matt. 5 : 43-48. 

15. A Prophet ; referring to Jesus Christ. Ver. 18, 19 ; 
Acts 3:22, 23. Of thij brethren; one who shall have the 
same human nature with them. Compare Ileb. 2:11, 12, 
14. Like unto me; standing, as Moses did, at the head of 
a new dispensation, and being, like him, a mediator be- 
tween God and his people. Compare Heb. 3:2-G. 

IG. Thou desiredst; Exod. 20:19; Heb. 12:19. 

19. Require it of him; call him to account and punish 
him for his neglect. 

22. Speaketh in the name of the Lord; pretends to do it, 
and to foretell future events. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

5. Often and in a variety of ways the Lord shows that, 
while it is not his will that his ministers should be rich, 
or engage in worldly business for gain, it is his will that 
they should receive a support for themselves and their 
families, and devote themselves cheerfully and faithfully 
to their appropriate work. 

Itl 



eth thee, and thou succeedest* them, and dwellcst 
in their cities, and in their houses ; 

2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the 
midst of thy land,' which the Lord thy God giv- 
eth thee to possess it. 

3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the 
coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth 
thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer 
may flee thither. 

4 And thisM the case of the slayer, which shall flee 
thither, that he may live : Whoso killeth his neigh- 
bor ignorantly, wJiom he hated not in time past;^ 

5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his 
neighbor to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a 
stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the 
head' slippeth from the helve,' and lighteth upon' 
his neighbor, that lie die ; he shall flee unto one of 
those cities, and live: 

G Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, 
while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because 
the way is long, and slay him;* whereas he u'as 
not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him 
not in time past.* 

7 Wlierefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt 
separate three cities for thee. 

8 And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast,'' as 
he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the 
land which he promised to give uuto thy fathers ;' 

9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to 
do them, which I command thee this day, to love 
the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways ; 
then shalt thou add three cities more for thee,' 
beside these three: 

10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, 
which the Lord thy God giveth theo for an inheri- 
tance, and so blood be upon thee. 

111! But if any man hate his neighbor," and lie 
in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite 
him mortally^ that he die, and fieeth into one of 
these cities; 

12 Then the elders of his city shall send and 
fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand 
of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 



19:2". n. 1 Juhn 4:1-3. " Isa. 41:22,23; .Ter. 2t:il. » Ptov. 20:2. p ch. 
12:29. 1 Heb. inhiritest, or possessest. q ch. 4:41, 42; Exod. 2l:l:i; Num. 
35:10,etc.; Josh. 20:2-7. i Heh. from yesterday l/ie l/iird dai/ I Heb. iron. 
^ Heb. wood. 'Tieb.Jindelh. 1 Heb. smite kirn in life, t Heb. from j/n- 
terday Ihe third day. r Exod. 34:24. > Gen. I5:1S-2I. ' Josh. 20:7, t. 
uGcn.9:fl; Exod. 21 : 12, etc.; Prov.2S:17. iHeb.inlife. 



12. Pretended intercourse with evil spirits, and all seeking 
of information or any good from those who pretend to have 
such intercourse, are an abomination in the sight of God. 

18. Moses was in various respects an eminent tj-pc of 
Christ, especially in acting as mediator between God and 
the people, and making known to them his will. 

19. If he who rejected the testimony of Moses and de- 
spised his law died without mercy, of how much sorer pun- 
ishment will he be thought worthy who rejects the testi- 
mony of Christ and despises his commands? Heb. 10:28,29. 

22. God has given to men, in the holy Scriptures, the 
means of judging, and bj' these they are bound to judge 
whether those who profess to speak in his name, do or do 
not declare his truth. Acts 17:11. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

2. Separate three cities; to be cities of refuge on the west 
side of Jordan, as he already had done on the east side. 
Chap. 4:41-43. 

12. Deliver him into the hand of the avenger: after he had 
been proved guiltv of murder. 

■241 



Tht law of vilnt-sses. 



DELTKltONU.MV \X. 



Laics observed in tear. 



13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt 
put away the f^uilt of iiinofont blood from Israel, 
that it may im wclfwitli thee. 

14 1 Tliou shalt not remove thy ncigiibor's land- 
mark,' wliich they of old time liave set in thine 
inheritance, wiiich tliou shalt Inherit in the land 
that tlie Lnnn thy God friveth thee to possess it. 

15 1 One witness shall not rise up acainstaman 
for any inicjuity.'' or lor any sin, in any sin tliat 
he sinnotU: at tlie mouth of two witnesses, or at 
the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be 
established. 

16 H If a false witness rise up against any man 
to testify against him that which w wrong;" 

17 Then botli the men, Ijctwoen whom the con- 
troversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the 
priests and the judges, which shall be in those 
days ; 

18 And the judges shall make diligent inqui- 
sition: and behold, if the witness be a false wit- 
ness, and hath testitiod falsely against his brother ; 

19 Tlicn shall yc do unto him, as he had thouglit 
to have done unto his brother :*= so shalt thou put 
the evil away from among you. 

20 And those whicli remain shall hear, and fear, 
and shall henceforth commit no more any such 
evil among you. 

21 And thine eye shall not pity; but lik shall go 
for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, 
foot for foot.'* 

CHAPTER XX. 



I The priest's exhortation to encourage the people to battle. 5 The 
officers' proclamation who are to be dismissed from the war. 10 How 
to use the cities that accept or refuse the proclamation of peace. 16 
What cities must be devoted. 19 Trees of man's meat must not be 
destroyed in t!ie siege. 

WHEN thou goest out to battle against thine 
enemies, and scest horses, and chariots,'^ and 
a people more than thou, be not afraid of them : 
for the Lord thy God is with thee, whicli brought 
thee up out of the land of Egypt. 

2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto 
the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak 
unto the people, 

3 And shall say unto them, Hear, Israel, ye 



»H»s. 5:10. b 2 Cor. 13:1. • Ot, falling away. » Prov. 19:5, 9; Dan. 
6:24. ■! Lev. 21:19,20. ePsa. 20:7. t Heb. te le/iAr. i Tieh. make haste ,- 
Isa. 29:16. t Isa. 51:7, 8. 5 ch. 1:30; 3:22; Josh. 23:10; 2 Chr. 13:12; 
32:7, 8. h JJeh. 12:27 ; Psa. 30, title. » Heb. made it common; Lev. 19:23, 



13. Shall not pity him; ia any such way as to prevent his 
execution. 

14. Landmark; that which showed the division line 
between the property of one man and another. 

15. One witness shall not rke; a man shall not be con- 
demned on the testimony of one witness only. 

18. Inquisition; inquiry. 

19. Do unto him; he shall receive the punishment which 
he sought to bring on another. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
7. Great care should be taken that men do not suffer 
for that of which thoy are not guilty. 

13. If men are proved to be guilty of murder, no pity or 
compassion should save them from'the punishment which 
God requires to be inflicted on them. 

14. Every attempt of men to appropriate to themselves 
what belongs to others is a sin against God, and exposes 
those who are guilty of it to his wrath. 

21. Few crimes are more offensive to God than beariiis 



approach this day unto battle against your \^ fJJJ: 
enemies: let not your hearts faint,' fear not, and 
do not tremble,' neitlier be ye terrified because of 
tliem;' 

4 For the Lord your God is lie that goeth with 
you," to figlit for you against your enemies, to save 
you. 

5 1 And the officers shall speak unto the people, 
saying. What man is there that hath built a new 
house, and hath not dedicated it?'' let him go and 
return to liis house, lest he die in tiic battle, and 
another man dedicate it. 

(> And wliat man is he that hath planted a vine- 
yard, and hath not yd eaten of it?* let him also 
go and return unto his house,' lest he die in the 
battle, and another man cat of it. 

7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a 
wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and re- 
turn unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and 
another man take her.J 

8 And the officers shall speak further unto the 
people, and tiiey shall say. What man is there that 
is fearful and faint-hearted?'' let him go and re- 
turn unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint' 
as w^cU as his heart.' 

9 And it sliall be, when the officers have made 
an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall 
make captains of the armies to lead the peoi)le.^ 

10 1^ When thou comcst nigli unto a city to fight 
against it, then proclaim peace unto it.'" 

11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of 
peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all 
the people that is found therein shall be tributa- 
ries unto thee, and they shall serve thee." 

12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but 
will make war against thee, then thou shalt be- 
siege it: 

13 And when the Lord thy God hath delivered 
it into thy hands, thou shalt smite every male 
thereof with the edge of the sword:" 

14 But the women, and the little ones, and the 
cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil 
thereof,'' shalt thou take* unto thyself; and tliou 
shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies," which the 
Lord thy God hath given thee. 



25, i ch. 24:5. J ch. 28:30. k Judg. 7:3. I Heb. 
1 Heb. to be in the head of the reaple. "» 2 Sam. 20: 19-22 
o Num. 31 :7-!l. P Josh. 6:2. * Heb. spoil. 1 Josh. 22:3. 



/(. I Xum, 32:9. 



false witness : and whether false accusers meet due pim- 
ishment or not in this world, continuing impenitent they 
will not escape it in the world to come. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. Thine enemies; foreign nations who should make war 
upon the Israelites, or against whom God should call the 
Israelites to make war. 

5. Dedicated it ; by acknowledging the goodness of God 
in giving it, feasting on the bounties of his providence, 
and seeking his blessing. 

7. Betrothed a wife; engaged to marry her. 

8. Return unto his house; to free the army from all wlio 
were unwilling to go into the battle. 

10. Proclaim peace; propose terms of peace. Vcr. 11. 

13, Smite every male; this was directed by God as a pun- 
ishment for their sins, and was designed so t* weaken 
the nation that they would not be hkely to make war upon 
the Israelites in future. 



Of murder, when the 



DEUTERONOMY XXI. 



shyer is unknown. 



It. C- liiL 

which are very far off from thee, which are not of 
the cities of these nations. 

16 But of the cities of these people, -which the 
Lord thy God doth give thee_/br an inheritance, 
thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:* 

17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them ; namely, 
the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, 
and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites ; 
as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee : 

18 That they teach you not to do after all their 
abominations,'' which they have done unto their 
gods ; so should ye sin against the Lord your God. 

19 ^ When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, 
in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not 
destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against 
them : for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt 
not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's 
life) to employ them* in the siege : + 

20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they 
be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut 
them down ;'' and thou shalt build bulwarks against 
the city that maketh war with thee, until it be 
subdued.' 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 The expiation of an uncertain murder. 10 The usage of a captive 
taken to w-ife. 15 Tlie first-born is not to be disinherited upon private 
affection. IS A stubborn son is to be stoned to death. 22 The male- 
factor must not hang all night on a tree. 

IF one be found slain in the land which the Lord 
thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the 
field, aivl it be not known who hath slain him ; 

2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come 
forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which 
are round about him that is slain : 

3 And it shall be, that the city which is nest unto 
the slain man, even the elders of that city shall 
take a heifer, which hath not been wrought with, 
and which hath not drawn in the yoke ; 

4 And the elders of that city shall bring down 
the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither 



»Ch. 7:1-1; Nom. 21:2, .1.35; Josh. 11: 14. b ch. 12:.')0, 31; Exod. 2.-):a3; 
Psa. 106:31-10; 1 Cor. 15:33. * Heb. to go from before tliee. t Or, for, O 
man, the tree of the field is to be employed in the siege. <= Jer. G:6. I Heb. 
comedown, a 1 Ch'r. 23:1:J. e Xiun. li: 22-27. 5 Heb. inout/i. 'eh. 17:8- 



16. These people ; the Canaanites, who were by God de- 
voted to destruction, and whose land the Israelites were 
to possess. 

19. Not destroy the trees; the fruit-trees. The tree — is 
man's life; its fruit is the means of his support. 

20. Not trees for meat; not fruit-trees. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. Men should not go to war except when God requires 
it ; and when he does, their dependence should be not on 
themselves or their fellow-men, but on him ; and their ob- 
ject not their own gratification or aggrandizement, but the 
promotion of his glory and the highest good of mankind. 

5. The Lord is disposed to gratif}' all the innocent and 
useful affections of men, and not to call them to arduous, 
self-denying, and dangerous duties, except when his glory 
and their good require it. 

II. Peace, wherever it can consistently be maintained, 
is desired by God, and should be by all men. Matt. 5:9, 
43--t8; Rom. 12:18; 14:19; Ileb. 12:14. 

18. As it is wicked to kill any human being unless 
God require it, so it is wicked to spare any whom he 
requires to be slain. 1 Sam. 15:3, 8, 11, 23. 



eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's 
neck there in the valley. 

5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come 
near ; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to 
minister unto him,'' and to bless in the name of the 
Lord;" and by their word^ shall every contro- 
versy and every stroke be tried. ■'^ 

6 And all the elders of that city, that are next 
unto the slain vian, shall wash their hands over the 
heifer that is beheaded in the valley :8 

7 And they shall answer and say. Our hands have 
not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. 

8 Be merciful, Lord, unto thy people Israel, 
whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent 
blood unto thy people of Israel's charge."' And 
the blood shall be forgiven them. 

9 So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent 
blood from among you,' when thou shalt do that 
which is right in the sight of the Lord. 

10 1 When thou goest forth to war against thine 
enemies, and the Lord thy God hath delivered them 
into thy hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 

11 And seest among the captives a beautiful 
woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou 
wouldest have her to thy wife ;■' 

12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thy house; 
and she shall sliave her head,'^ and pare' her nails ; 

1? And she shall put the raiment of her captiv- 
ity from off her, and shall remain in thy house, and 
bewail her father and her mother a full month:' 
and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be 
her husband, and she shall be thy wife. 

14 xind it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, 
then thou shalt let her go whither she will ; Init 
thou shalt not sell her at all for money,"' thou shalt 
not make merchandise of her, because thou hast 
humbled her." 

15 "i^ If a man have two Avives, one beloved," and 
another hated,'' and they have borne him cliildren, 
both the beloved and the hated ; and if the first- 
born son be hers that was hated; 

16 Then it sliall be, when he maketh his sons to 



10. eP.sa.ae.G; Matt.27:24. 1 Heb. 


in the midst of h 2 Kings 24 :4 ; Jon. 


1:14. i ch. 19:13. J Num. 31:18. I 


1 Cor. 11:6. Tf Heb. make, or dress; 


or, .'!uffer to grow. 1 Psa. 45: 10 ; Luk 


14:26. "Exod. 21:8. ""ch. 22:29; 


Gen. :i4:2. » Gen. 29:18, 20. p Gen. 


29::31-33. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

4. A rough valley; or, a valley with a continually flow- 
ing stream. Compare ver. 6. £(!?«(/,■ ploughed. Gen. 45:7. 

6. Shall wash their hands ; a profession of their innocence 
by actions. Ver. 7, 8. 

9. The guilt of innocent blood; these transactions strik- 
ingly showed God's abhorrence of murder and the guilt 
of committing it, and were designed as a safeguard to 
human life. 

12. Pare her nails; the word rendered pare signifies to 
make or dress, and may mean to let them grow, as persons 
did in mourning. 

14. Not sell her — for money; conquerors were accus- 
tomed to sell those whom they took in war, but God in 
this case forbade the Israelites to do it ; not to sanction 
as right in any case the practice here forbidden, bui in 
some measure to lessen its evils while it continued ; and 
open the way for it, under increasing hght and love, to bo 
ultimately done away. 

15. One beloved, and another hated; this regulation did 
not imply that it was right for a man to have two wives, 
or to hate either ; but, like the regulation in ver. 14, was 

243 



The rcbeUious son. 



l)EUTEIiU^■UMV XXII. 



Humane prcwpis. 



inherit that wliicli ln^ lialli, that lio may not make 
the son of the lielovoil lirst-liorn before tlie son of 
tlie hated." irhicli is iiidad the first-born : 

17 IJiit he .<hall acknowledtre tlie son of the hated 
for the first-born," liy giving him a double portion 
"of all that he hath,* for he is the lieginning of his 
strength ; the right of the first-born is his."" 

18 " If a man have a stubborn and rebellious 
son, whieli will not obey the voice of his father, or 
the voiee of his mntlier,'' and t/int. wlieu they have 
chastened him.' will not hearken unto them; 

19 Then shall iiis father and his mother lay liold 
on him, and bring liim out unto the elders of his 
city, and unto the gate of his place; 

'20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city,"^ 
Tliis our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not 
obey our voice;-' he is a glutton, and a drunkard.'' 

21 Andall the men of his city shall stone him with 
stones, that he die:' so shall tiiou put evil away 
from among you ;J and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 

22 T And if a man have committed a sin worthy 
of death," and he be to be put to death, and thou 
hang him on a tree ; 

23 His body shall not remain all night upon the 
tree,' but thou slialt in any wise bury him that 
day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God ;*) 
that thy land be not defiled,'" which the Lord thy 
God givetli thee/or an inheritance. • 

CHAPTER XXII. 

t Of humanity towards brethren. .'5 The sex is to be distinguished by 
apparel. 6 The dam is not to be taken with her young ones. 8 The 
house must have battlements. 9 Confusion is to be avoided. 12 
Fringes upon the vesture. 13 The punishment of him thatslandereth 
his wife. 20, 22 Of adultery, '2-'> of rape, 28 and of fornication. 30 
In^e^t. 

THOU shalt not see thy brother's ox or his 
sheep go astray," and hide thyself from them :° 
thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy 
brother. 



« 1 Chr 


.'J:-2 


: 20 


10 


•2 Chr. 11 


:21, 23. b 


1 Chr. 5 


:1,2. 


• Heb. is 


found 


■toith him 


lie 


n. 4' 


:3 


■= Gen. 


25:31-34. 


d Exod. 


aU: 12 


e Prov. 


13:21; 


19:18. f 


ch. *5:7. 


« 


Prov. 29:17. h Prov 


19:20; 


o'3:19-21. i Prov. 29:1. 


i ch. 13:5 


11. 


l< r 


h. 


19:0; Act 


s 25:11, 25. 


1 Josh 


8:29 


10:26, 2- 


; John 


19:31. tHeb. 


llie 


ur. 


s of God, 


Num. 25:4 


; Gal. 3 


13, a 


Num. 35 


:J3, 34. 



designed to lessen the evils of a wrong practice, while 
men were so ignorant, wicked, debased, and cruel as to 
I ontinue it. 

20. Say unto the elders; concerning their son, that and 
that only which was true. 

21. Tlie men of his city slwll stone him ; to show God's 
abhorrence of the son's conduct, and prevent others from 
imitating his example. 

23. He that is hanged is accursed of God; he is set forth 
as the object of God's curse. For this reason the degra- 
dation of such an act ought not to be prolonged beyond 
the necessary ends of justice. Compare the use which the 
apostle Paul makes of this passage in Gal. 3:13. 
IKSTRUCTIOXS. 

4. The great doctrine of atonement by the substitution 
of the death of the innocent for that of the guilty, is taught 
often, and in various ways, throughout the Bible, show- 
ing the great importance of the right understanding and 
use of this truth. 

9. The guilt of murder rests upon every land in which 
it is committed, if proper measures are not taken to acquit 
the imiocent and punish the guilty. 

17. Though all wrong practices among the Israehtes, on 

account of their wickedness and hardness of heart, were 

not at once discontinued, or in tlie course of providence 

abolislied, God was kind and gracious in giving them reg- 

244 



2 And if thy brotlier he not nigh unto urmJ: 
thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt 
bring it unto tliint! own house, and it shall be 
with thee until thy brtitiier seek after it, and thou 
shalt restore it to him again. 

;5 In like numner slialt thou do with his ass; and 
so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all 
lost things of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and 
thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thoumay- 
est not hide thyself. 

4 • Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox 
fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them :'' 
thou shalt surely helj) him to lift //<w) uj) again.'' 

5 1 The woman shall not wear that which pcr- 
taiiioth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a 
woman's garment: for all that do so are abomina- 
tion unto the Lord thy God."' 

"i If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in 
the way in any tree, or on the ground, vhethcr they 
be young ones,' or eggs, and the dam sitting upon 
the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take 
the dam with the young : ' 

7 But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and 
take the young to thee; that it may be well with 
thee," and that thou maycst prolong thy days.''' 

8 1 When thou Imildest a new house, then thou 
shalt make a battlement for thy roof,'"' that thou 
bring not blood upon thy house, if any man fall 
from thence. 

9 ir Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers 
seeds :" lest the fruit* of thy seed which thou hast 
sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. 

10 11 Thou shalt not jilough with an ox and an 
ass together.^' 

11 II Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers 
sorts, as of woollen and linen together.'^ 

12 IT Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four 
quarters* of thy vesture,'' wherewith thou coverest 
thyself. 



■> Exod. 23:4 


ha 


58:7. 


P Exnd. 23:5. 


q Heb. 12: 1 


1, 13 




rch 


18: 12. 


» Lull 


12:6. 


1 Lev. 


22:28. 


u ch. 4:40. V 


Prov. 22:4. 


w 1 


sa 


22: 


; Jer. 


19:13; 


Matt. 


10:27. 


X Lev 


19- 19. 1 Heb. fulness. 


V 2 


Cr 


r. 0:14-16. 


2 Lev. 


19:19. 


5 Heb 


wings 


• Num. 15:38 


Matt. 23:5 











ulations which, while those practices continued, lessened 
in some measure their evils. 

20. Rebtllion of children against the wise and good 
instruction and authority of parents is highly offensive to 
God, and exposes those who are guilty of it to be aban- 
doned of him, and given up to vice, infamy, and ruin. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1. Ilidc thyself from them; pass by as if j-ou did not see 
them ; refuse to care for them. 

5. Slidll not wear that; because it tended to impurity and 
wickedness. 

C. Shalt not take the dam ; it would be cruel, and tend to 
sanction cnielty,and also to extirpate that species of birds. 

7. Take the young; that is. the young only : not a com- 
mand to take young birds from the nest, but a prohibition 
of their being taken with the parent bird. Prolong thy 
days; by showing a tender and kind spirit, even to tin 
brute creation. 

8. A battlement for thy roof; a wall or railing around the- 
roof, to keep persons from falling oif ; as their roofs weri.- 
flat, and were often resorted to for air and exercise. 

9-12. Divers sorts; these directions may have been de- 
signed to prevent the Israehtes from imitating tlic hea- 
then, and keep them a separate people. Some think that 
they have also a symbolical meaning, and forbid the mix- 



Of a sjispedcd wife. 



DEUTERONOMY XXIII. 



Of adultery amd rapi>.. 



B.i-'iS' 13 IF If any man take a wife, and go in 
unto her,'' and hate her, 

14 And give occasions of speech against her,'' 
and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I 
took tins woman, and when I came to her, I found 
her not a maid ; 

15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her 
mother, take and bring forth the fokp7is of the dam- 
sel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate : 

IG And the damsel's father shall say unto the 
elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, 
and he hateth her ; 

17 And lo, he hath given occasions of speech 
against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a 
maid ; and yet these are the tokens of my daugh- 
ter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth 
before the elders of the city. 

18 And the elders of that city shall take that 
man and chastise him ; 

19 And they shall amerce him in a hundred shek- 
els of silver, and give them unto the father of the 
damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name 
upon a virgin of Israel ; and she shall be his wife : 
he may not put her away all his days.'' 

20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens ofYir- 
ginity be not found for the damsel ; 

21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the 
door of her father's house, and the men of her city 
shall stone her with stones that she die ; because 
she hath wrought folly in Israel,"" to play the whore 
in her father's house :'^ so shalt thou put evil away 
from among you.'' 

22 1[ If a raau be found lying with a woman mar- 
ried to a husband," then they shall both of them 
die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the 
woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. 

23 1 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed 
unto a husband,'* and a man find her in the city, 
and lie with her ; 

24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the 



a 


Gen. 20 


21. t 


1 Tir 


n. 5:14 


' Mitt. liJ 


8.9. d 


Sen. 34:7 


JuJg 


20:(i, 


U) 


■2 Sam. 


13:12, 


Mi. 


Lev. 2 


l:fl. 


t ch. U 


:5. e L 


V. 20:10; 


Mum 


.1:22- 


T, 


Ezek. •. 


i:45-48; John 8:5; 


Hfb 


13:4. 


h Matt. 


:1S, 1«. 


i ch. 


21:14. 


J V 


er. 21, 2 


2; IC 


r. 5: 


, 13. 


Or, 


take str 


ong hold 


of her: 2 


Sam. 


13:14. 



ture of tilings that are incongruous in morals and religion. 
Compare 2 Cor. 6:14-16. 

13-21. Occasions of speech against her; these directions 
were designed to prevent unjust accusations, to protect 
the innocent, and punish the guilty. 

22. Tlxey shall both of them die; this was on the ground 
that both were consenting to the wickedness. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The Old Testament as well as the New requires men 
to do to others as in like circumstances they ought to wish 
others to do to them. 

3. Things which others have lost, and which we find, are 
not ours if by using suitable means we can find the owner. 

4. The law of God requires us to exercise compassion 
not only towards our fellow-men, but also towards animals 
in distress, and to make all proper efforts to relieve them. 

5. All practices which tend to impurity of heart or of 
life, in ourselves or others, should be avoided. 

6. The directions of God are suited to lessen, and should 
they be perfectly followed, to do away the selfishness and 
cruelty of the human heart, and lead it to delight in the 
happiness of the whole sensitive creation. 

7. The manifestation of a kind and compassionate dis- 
position is favorable to the continuance of life, prosperity, 
and happiness. 



gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with 
stones that they die ; the damsel, because she cried 
not, being in the city ; and the man, because he 
hath humbled his neighbor's wife:' so thou shalt 
put away evil from among you.J 

2.5 H But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the 
field, and the man force her," and lie with her; 
then the man only that lay with her shall die : 

26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing ; 
tlicre is in the damsel no sin worthy of death : for 
as when a man riseth against his neighbor, and 
slayeth him, even so is this matter : 

27 For he found her in the field, and the be- 
trothed damsel cried, and there was none to save 
her. 

28 T If a man find a damsel that is a virgin,'' which 
is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with 
her, and they be found ; 

29 Then the man that lay with her shall give 
unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and 
she shall be his wife ; because he hath humbled 
her, lie may not put her away all his days. 

30 H A man shall not take his father's wife,' nor 
discover his father's skirt.™ 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 Who may or may not enter into the congregation. 9 Uni'.le.anness to 
be avoitled in the host. 1.5 Of the fugitive servant. 17 Of filthiness. 
18 Of abominable sacrifices. 19 Of usury. 21 Of vows. 24 Of tres- 
passes. 

HE that is wounded in the stones," or hath his 
privy member cut oft', shall not enter into 
the congregation of the Lord. 

2 A bastard shall not enter into the congregation 
of the Lord ;° even to his tenth generation shall he 
not enter into the congregation of the Lord. 

3 An Ammonite or MoabiteP shall not enter into 
the congregation of the Lord ;" even to their tenth 
generation shall they not enter into the congrega- 
tion of the Lord for ever : 



k Exod. 22:10, 17. 1 ch. 27:20; Lev. 18:8; 20;11 ; 1 Cor. 5:1-13. m Ruth 
3:9; Ezek. 16:8. n Lev. 21:17, 21 ; 22:22-24. o Zech. 9:6. pEuth4:10, 
etc. qNeh. 13:1,2; Isa. 56:3; Lam. 1:10. 



8. Carelessness as well as cruelty is offensive to God, 
and tends to bring numerous evils upon men. If others 
suffer through our neglect, we shall be held responsible 
at the divine tribunal. 

9-12. Jehovah delights in harmony, propriety, decency, 
and order. Every thing contrary to these, and tending to 
corrupt the imagination, pervert the judgment, or deprave 
the heart, is offensive in his sight. 

21. Marriage is an institution of God, established at the 
creation, and to continue to the end of time. Its obliga- 
tions are most sacred, and those who violate them are 
exposed to his awful curse. 

25. By the penalty which God under the Jewish dis- 
pensation affixed to adultery, he showed his deep and 
unchanging abliorrcnce of that crime, and the sore pun- 
ishment which, without repentance awaits the guilty in 
the future world. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1. Not enter into the congregation of the Lord; not bo 
admitted to worship in the temple. This was designed 
to prevent Israelitish parents from mutilating their chil- 
dren, as was often done among the heathen. 

3. Ammonite — Moabde; these nations bordered upon that 
part of Canaan which lay east of the Jordan. 
245 



Laics concerning purity, 



DEUTERONOMY XXIV. 



■usury, vows, aiid vinei/ards. 



4 Because they met you not with bread and with 
water iu the way," when ye came fortii out of Kjrypt ; 
and because they iiired against tiice Bahxaui the son 
of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse tliee.'' 

5 Nevertheless, tiie Louii thy God would not 
hearken unto Balaam; but the Lono tliy God 
turned tiic curso into a blessing unto thee,"^ be- 
cause the Lord thy God loved thee. 

G Tiiou shalt not seek their peace nor their pros- 
perity' all thy days for ever,'' 

7 1 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomitc ; for he is 
thy brother :'^^ thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; 
because thou wast a stranger in his land,' 

8 The children that are begotten of them shall 
enter into the congregation of the Lord in their 
third generation.'' 

9 ^ When the host goeth forth against thine ene- 
mies, then keep thee from every wicked thing,'' 

10 "i If there be among you any man, that is not 
clean by reason of uncleaimess that chanceth him 
by night,' then shall he go abroad out of the camp, 
he shall not come within the camp: 

11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on,* he 
shall wash himself with water;-' and when the sun 
is down, he shall come into the camp again. 

12 ^ Thou shalt have a place also without the 
camp, ■whither thou shalt go fortli abroad: 

13 And thou shalt liavc a paddle upon thy weap- 
on; and it shall bo, when thou wilt ease thyself* 
abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shall turn 
back and cover that which cometh from thee: 

14 For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst 
of thy camp,'' to deliver thee, and to give up thine 
enemies before thee ; therefore shall thy camp be 
holy: that he see no unclean thing^ in thee, and 
turn away from thee, 

15 IT Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the 
servant which is escaped from his master unto thee : ' 

16 He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in 
that place which he shall choose in one of thy 



«Ch. 2:20. b Num. 22:3. etc. c Mic. 6:5. • Ueh. good, d Ezra 9:12. 
e Gen. 23:24-20; Obid. 10. 12; Mai. 1:2. f ch. 10:19; Exod. 22:21; 2:J:9; 
Ley. 19:34. e Rom. 3:29, 30; Eph. 2:12. h Josh. 6:18. i Lev. 15:16. 
t Heb. tiiTneth tmvard. i Lev. 15:5. I Heb. sittesl down, k Lev. 26:12; 
2 Cor. 6:16. i V.iih. nakednesi of any tiling. 1 1 Sam. 30:15. 1 Heb. is 



7. Brother ; relative, being descended like themselves 
from Abraham and Isaac. 

8. Sliall enter into the congregation; become entitled to all 
the privileges of an Israelite, if they embrace his religion. 

9. The host; the army of Israel. 

lO-l-t. Wash himself; these regulations were designed 
to promote cleanliness and a conviction of the necessity 
of internal as well as external purity. 

18. The hire; the wages of iniquity must not be offered 
to the Lord, as was done by the heathen. A dog; a male 
prostitute, a sodomite. 

19. Usury; interest. This was designed to inculcate 
and increase the habit of assisting and doing good to one 
another as the people of God. 

24. Eat grapes thy fill ; enough to satisfy present want. 
Not put any in thy vessel; to carry it away. 

25. Corn; grain. Matt. 12:1, 2. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Every thing should be avoided by parents which 
tends to deprive children of any of the privileges and 
blessings of the people of God. 

3. Sins committed by parents may, long after they are 
dead, entail great evils on their children — and sins com- 
mitted by rulers, great evils on the people. 

246 



gates, where it likcth him best:' thou shalt u.c.SS: 
not oppress him.'" 

17 "l There shall be no whore ^ of the daughters 
of Israel," nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel." 

IS Thou shalt not firing the hire of a whore, or 
the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy 
God for any vow : for even both these are abomi- 
nation unto the Lord thy (Jod. 

I'J "I Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy broth- 
er f usury of money, usury (jf victuals, usury of any 
thing that is lent upon usury : 

20 L) nto a stranger thou niayest lend upon usury ;'• 
but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon 
usury : that the Lord thy God may bless thee in 
all that thou scttest thy hand to iu the land whith- 
er thou goest to possess it,'' 

21 ^ When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord 
thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it:' for the 
Lord thy God will surely require it of thee ; and 
it would be sin in thee. 

22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall he 
no sin in thee. 

23 That wdiich is gone out of thy lips thou shalt 
keep and perform;' even a freewill-oifering, ac- 
cording as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy 
God, which thou hast promised Avith thy moutii. 

24 If When thou comest into thy neighbor's vine- 
yard, then thou niayest eat grapes thy fill at thine 
own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy 
vessel, 

25 When thou comest into the standing corn of 
thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears 
with thy hand ;" but thou shalt not move a sickle 
unto thy neighbor's standing corn. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 Of divorce. 5 A new married man goeth not to -war. 6, 10 Of 
pledges. 7 Of manstealers. 8 Of leprosy. 14 The hire is to be 
given. 16 Of justice. 19 Of charity. 

WHEN a man hath taken a wife, and married 
her, and it come to pass that she find no 



good for him. » Exod. 22:21. ^ Or, sodmniless; Rom. 1:-X. "Lev 


19:29. 


Gen. 19:4,5; 2Kings2-i:7: Rom. 1:27,28. P Exod. 22:25; Lev. 


2.1 ::W- 


37; Neh. 5:2, 7; Psa. 15:5; Ezek. 18:8, 17; 22:12; Luke 6:34, 35. 


1 ch. 


15:3. r ch. 15:10; Lev. 19:34. » Num. 30:2; Ecol. 5:4, 5. 1 Psa 


66:13, 


14; 116:18. uMatt. 12:1. 





9-14. The individuals of an army, even when going forth 
to battle, are all, from the commander-in-chief to the low- 
est subaltern, sacredly bound to be holy in body and 
spirit ; to indulge no feelings and allow no actions which 
shall not be pleasing to God, and tend to fit them for the 
purity, the employments, and the bliss of heaven. 

IC. The oppression of servants, depriving them of their 
rights, or in any way injuring them, is forbidden by Je- 
hovah. 

18. The gains and the practices of iniquity are an abom- 
ination to the Lord ; and no offerings are acceptable to him 
but those of honest, upright, believing, and affectionate 
hearts. 

20. Proper compensation for the use of money or any 
other property is not in itself wrong ; but we should kindly 
assist the poor, and as we have opportunity and ability 
do good to all, especially to the friends of God and those 
who will use our kindness in honoring him. 

23. What we promise, if it is not wicked or impracti- 
cable, wo should be very careful to do: it is better not 
to promise, than to promise and not perform. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1-4. Send her out of his house; this was not a command, 
and it was a practice contrary to the original iustitutioa 



Laws concerning divorce, 



DEUTERONOMY XXIV. 



oppression, charity, etc. 



b'c'iIl favor in his eyes, because lie hatli found 
some uncleanness* in her; then let him write her 
a bill of divorcement/" and give it in her hand, 
and send her out of his house. 

2 And when she is departed out of his house, she 
may go and be another man's wife. 

3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write 
her a bill of divorcement, and givcth it in her 
hand, and sendcth her out of his house ; or if the 
latter husband die, which took her to be his wife ; 

4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may 
not take her again to be his wife, after that she is 
defiled ;•■ for that is abomination before the Lord : 
and thou shalt not cause the land to sin,"^ which the 
Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. 

5 When a man hath taken a new wife,"^ he shall not 
go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any 
business:' but he shall be free at home one year, 
and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.'' 

6 *i Xo man shall take tlie nother or the upper 
millstone to pledge : for he takcth a man's life to 
pledge. 

7 1l If a man be found stealing any of his brethren 
of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise 
of him, or sellcth him; then that thief shall die;' 
and thou shalt put evil away from among you.^' 

8 T[ Take heed in the plague of leprosy i*" that 
thou observe diligently, and do according to all 
that the priests the Levites shall teach you : as I 
commanded them, so ye shall observe to do. 

9 Remember what the Lord thy God did unto 
Miriam by the way,' after that ye were come forth 
out of Egypt. 

10 "d When thou dost lend^ thy brother any thing, 
thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. 

11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to 
whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge 
abroad unto thee. 

12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep 
with his pledge : 



• Huh. matter o/iiakediiess. t Keb. cutting off . a Matt. 5:31. 3J. b Jer. 
3:1. e Lev. 13;'j5-'ii. d ch. 20:7. I heb. not any thing shall pass upon 
him. e Ptov. 5:18. f Exod. 21:10. e ch. 19:19. h Lev. clis. 13, H. 
i Num. 12:10. i Heb. Uni the loan of any thing to. 1 Exod, 22:26, 27. 
k Job 29:ll-;3; 31:19, 20; 2 Cor. 9:13, 14. 1 Gen. 15:6; Psa. 106:31; 



of marriage. God always abhorred it. But on account 
of the wickedness and liardness of their hearts it was for 
a time suffered, and regulations were adopted to lessen 
its evils. Mai. 2:14-16; Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:3-9; Mark 
10:2-12. 

5. Free at home one year; this was suited to increase and 
render more permanent conjugal affection, and thus ren- 
der the family state more useful and happy. 

6. Nether; lower. A man's life ; that which was needful 
to prepare his food, and thus enable him to live. Each 
family then had a mill in their house, and ground their 
grain by hand. Exod. 11:5; Matt. 24:41. 

7. That thief shall die; he that stole an ox was to restore 
double, but he that stole a man was to die ; so much more 
wicked was it to steal a man than an ox. Exod. 21:16; 
22:4. 

8. As I commanded ; Leviticus 13, 14. 

10. Not go into his house; this was designed to protect 
the poor debtor against the violence of the creditor. 

12. Not sleep with hi.i pledge; it might be some covering 
which at night the poor man would need. 

13. It sliall be righteottsness ; doing what would be right; 
and when done with right motives, accepted of God. 

_ 15. At his day; at the close of his day's service, or the 
time he had agreed to work. 



13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge 
again when the sun goeth down.J that he may sleep 
in his own raiment, and bless thee:" and it shall 
be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy 
God.' 

14 Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that 
is poor and needy, wliether he be of thy brethren, 
or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy 
gates : 

15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, nei- 
ther shall the sun go down upon it ; for he is poor, 
and setteth his heart upon it : ' lest he cry against 
thee unto the Lord,™ and it be sin unto thee. 

16 The fathers sliall not be put to death for the 
children, neither shall the children be jiut to death 
for the fathers:" every man shall be put to death 
for his own sin. 

17 1 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the 
stranger, nor of the fatherless;" nor take a wid- 
ow's raiment to pledge : 

18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a 
bondman in Egypt,^ and the Lord thy God re- 
deemed thee thence : therefore I command thee to 
do this thing. 

19 % When thou cuttest down thy harvest in thy 
field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou 
shalt not go again to fetch it : it shall be for the 
stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow:'' 
that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the 
work of thy hands. 

20 When thou beatest thine olive-tree, thou shalt 
not go over the boughs again:'' it sliall be for the 
stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 

21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vine- 
yard, thou shalt not glean it afterward :' it shall 
be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the 
widow. 

22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a 
bondman in the laud of Egypt :'^ therefore I com- 
mand thee to do this thing. 



112:9; 0^1.4:27; Jas. 2:15-23. 


1 Heb. liftelh his soul unto it; Psa. 25:1 ; 


80:4. m Jas. 5:4. ■>2 Kings 14 


5. 6; Jer. 31:29, 30; Ezek, 1S:20. oExod. 


22:22-27; Prov. 22:22, 23; Jer. 


22:3; Zech. 7:10; Mai. 3:5. P ch. 16:12- 


q Lev. 19:9, 10; 33:22j Psa. 41: 


l. 11 Heb. bough it after thee. • Heb. after 


thee, r ver. 18. 





16, Every man; who commits crimes for which death 
is the prescribed penalty. 

18. Do this tiling ; refrain from wronging the laborer, the 
stranger, the widow, or the fatherless. 

20. It; what is left on the trees. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

1. God, as civil ruler among the .Tews, suffered, and in 
his providential government he now suifers some things 
which are contrary to his moral law, which it is wicked 
for men to do, and which, if they do, will draw down upon 
them his curse. 

5. Great care should be taken not to interrupt or weaken 
affection between man and wife, but it should by all proper 
means be cherished and perpetuated. Eph. 5:25-33. 

6. Nothing should be taken from a poor man for debt 
which is needful to his subsistence. 

15. The oppression of the poor, and withholding from 
hired laborers what is due to them, is an aggravated 
offence not only against them, but against God. 

16. No criminal should be punished except for his own 
sins. 

18. The kindness of God to us should lead us to be kind 
to others, especially to the poor, the stranger, the widow, 
and the fatherless. 

24: 



Of lite brcthtr's iciff 



Dia'TKllO.NUMV XXVI. 



Amalck to be destroyed. 



(11 ATT Ell XXV. 

I Stripn muit not cicrcJ forly. •! The oj i> not to be miizzU'il. !> Of 
railing H'til unto n liroilirr. 11 Of llie inimodrst womsn. 13 Of un- 
juit wcijjhti. 17 Till- memory of Anmlik is to be blotted ouL 

[F there be a eontroversy between men," ami tliey 
come unto juilfrmont, that the judges may jiuiirc 
them ; tlien they shall justify the righteous, and 
condemn the wicked." 

2 And it sliall be, if the wicked man be worthy 
to bo beaten,'" tliat tlic jiidffc shall cause him to lie 
down, and to be beaten before his face, according 
to his fault, by a certain number. 

3 Forty stripes ho may give iiim, and not exceed : 
lest, if he should exceeti, and beat him above those 
with many stripes, then thy brother should seem 
vile unto thee.'* 

4 'ii Tliou shalt not muzzle the ox when he trcad- 
cth* out the corn." 

5 IT If brethren dwell together, and one of them 
die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall 
not marry without unto a stranger : her husband's 
brother* shall go in unto her, and take her to him 
to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's 
brother unto her.'' 

6 And it shall be, that the first-born wiiich she 
beareth shall succeed''' in the name of his brother 
which is dead,*" that his name be not put out of 
Israel. 

7 And if the man like not to take his brother's 
wife, then let his brother's* wife go up to the gate 
unto the elders, and say. My husband's brother 
refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in 
Israel, he will not perform the duty of my hus- 
band's brother: 

8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and 
speak unto him : and if he stand to it, and say, I 
like not to take her; 

9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in 
the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from 
off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer 
and say. So shall it Ijc done unto that man that 
will not build up his brother's house. 

10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The 
house of him that hath his shoe loosed. 



» Ch. 19:17; 


Ezfik 


. 44 


:a4 


. b 2 Chr. 19:8 


Prov. 


17:15. 


' Matt. 


in 


17; 


Luke 12:49; i 


Cor. 


11- 


.i4. 


i Job 18:3. 


Heb. 


t/ireskfth; Ho.^. 


1(1 


11. 


' 1 Cor. 9:9; 1 


Tim 


."i: 


H. 


t Or, next kinsn 


tan; G 


Bll. 3t. 


8, 9; Ruth 1 


]■? 


13. ( Malt. -i-Z 


•21. 


e(J 


n. 


3S:S. h Ruth 4: 


10, etc. 


1 Or, 


next kin 


ma 


ns. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

4. Muzzle the ox; to prevent his eating. The usual way 
of threshing grain at that time, was treacling it out with 
oxen. 

6. Succeed — his brother; to his inheritance, and to his 
name in the genealogical records. 

10. Hatli his shoe loosed; a sign of disgrace in view of 
the people. 

13. A preat and a small; so as to get more than just 
weight when he bought, and give less when he sold. 

17. What Amatek did; Exod. 17:8; Num. 24:20. 

ID. Slialt blot out the remembrance; utterly destroy them. 
1 Sam. 15:1-3. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The acquitting of the guilty, and the condemning of 
the innocent, are both an abomination to the Lord. 

4. The withholding of needful support and comfort even 
from oxen, is a sin against God; much more is the with- 
holding of them from servants and other human beings 
248 



1 1 IF When men strive togetlier one with ^,\?. f5S: 
another, and the wife of the (nie draweth near for 
to th'liver hrr husband (Uit of the hand of him 
that sniiteth him, and puttctli forth her hand, and 
taketh him by tiie secrets; 

12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye 
shall not pity her. 

13 "i 'J'hou shalt not have in thy bag divers 
weights,^ a great and a small: 

1-1 Tiiou shalt not have in tiiy house divers meas- 
ures,' a great and a small : 

1.5 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, 
a perfect and just measure shalt thou have:' that 
thy days may be lengthened in the laud which the 
LoKi) tiiy God givcth tiiee. 

10 For all that do such things, and all that do 
unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord 
tiiy God.J 

17 IT Remember what Amalek did unto thee by 
the way, when ye were come forth out of Egy])t ; 

18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the 
hindmost of thee,'' cvrii all that iccre feeble behind 
thee, wlien thou wast faint and weary ; and he fear- 
ed not God.' 

ly Therefore it shall be, when the Lord thy God 
hath given thee rest from all tliine enemies round 
about,'" in the land which the Lord thy God givetli 
thee /'or an iuheritance to possess it, that thou shalt 
blot out the reuicinbraiice of Amalek from under 
heaven;" thou shalt not forget it. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

1 The confession of him th.^t olTereth the basket of first-fruits. 12 The 
prayer of him that giveth his third year's tithes. 16 The covenant 
between God and the people. 

A ND it shall be, when thou art come in unto 
j^A_ the land which tlie Lord thy God giveth thee 
for an inheritance, and posscssest it, and dwellest 
therein ; 

2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit 
of the earth," which thou shalt Ijring of thy land that 
the Loud thy God giveth thee, and shalt ]iut it in 
a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the 
Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there. 



i Heb. a stone and a stone. B Heb. an epfiah ami an ephah. i Lev. 19;"5, 
30; Prov.ll:!; Ezek. 4.'):10; Amos 8:5; .Mic.6:ll. JlThess.4:0. k Exod. 
17:8.elc. 1 Psa.3():l; Prov. 10:0. "olSam.l5:3. nExod.l7;14. "Exod. 
23:19; Num. 18:13. 



who labor for our good, and especially from those who 
labor for our spiritual good. 1 Cor. 9:9-11; 1 Tim. 5: 17, 18. 

10. Various regulations were adopted by God to make 
the Israelites a peculiar people, and keep them separate 
from other nations. These regulations were binding on 
them till the introduction of the gospel dispensation, when 
they were abolished, and the Jews freed from all obliga- 
tions to observe them. 

16. Sti'ict honesty in buying and selling, and a sacred 
regard to what is just and right in all our dealings with 
men, are essential to acceptance with God. 

18. Taking advantage of those who are in distress, and 
wronging such as have not power to protect themselves, 
is mean and wicked. Those who do it incur the WTath of 
God, and may expect to be visited with his curse. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

2. The place which the Lord thy God shall choose; as the 
place of his worship, and of the visible mauifestation of 
his presence. 



First-fruits and tithes. 



DEUTERONOMY XXVII. 



The Lord's covenant. 



R r'i"i™ 3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that 
siiall bo in those days, and say unto him, I profess 
this day unto the Lord thy God, that 1 am come 
unto the country which the Loud sware unto our 
fathers for to give us. 

4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thy 
hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord 
thy God. 

5 And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord 
thy God, A Syrian " ready to perish was my father \'" 
and he went down into Egypt," and sojourned there 
with a few,'' and became there a nation, great, migh- 
ty, and populous : 

6 And the Egyptians evil-entreated us,° and af- 
flicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage : 

7 And when we cried unto the Lord God of our 
fathers, the Lord heard our voice,' and looked on 
our affliction, and our labor, and our oppression : 

8 And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt 
with a mighty hand," and with au outstretched arm, 
and with great terribleucss, and with signs, and 
with wonders:'' 

9 And he hath brought us into this place, and 
hath given us this land, even a land that tioweth 
with milk and honey.' 

10 And now, behold, I have brought the first- 
fruits of the land, which thou, Lord, hast given 
me. And thou shall set it before the Lord thy 
God, and worship before the Lord thy God :^ 

11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thinfr 
which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee,'' 
and unto tliy house, thou, and the Levite,' and the 
stranger that is among you. 

12 1l When thou hast made an end of tithing 
all the tithes of thine increase the third year,'" 
which is the year of tithing," and hast given it 
unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and 
the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, 
and be filled ; 

13 Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, 
I have brought away the hallowed things out of 
my house, and also have given them unto the Le- 
vite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and 





Hos. 12: 


2. 


b Gen 


41:1, 


2. ' Gen 


. 4r. 


1, 0. 


d 


h. 7:7. 


E.xod 


1:11- 


14 


f Exod 


chs 


a-1. 


e Exod. 12:37 


m 


13:3 


Hi 


h ch.4 


34. i 


Exod. 


;i: 


3. JProv. 


3:!); 


1 Cor 


1U:31 


k cli. 12 


:7. 


2: II) 


11 


1 I Cor. 


9:11. 


m Lev. 


■27 


30: Num 


IS: 


>1, n 


..h,I4 


23, 29. 


Psa.. 18: i 


I-2 


4; 215:1,0; Acts 


21:10; 


1 John 3:22 


pPa. lit 


:141. 


q Lev. 7: 


20: 


21:1, 


11; 


Hos. 9:4 


risa. 


03:15. 



5. A Syrian ready to perish ; or, a wandering Sj'rian, in 
reference to the nomade life of Jacob. In a wider sen.se 
Mesopotamia, the birthplace of Abraham, was reckoned 
to Syria, so that Jacob was of Syrian descent, in respect 
to his fathers Abraham and Isaac, as well as his mother 
Rebecca. 

12. The year of tithing ; this was the second tithing, or 
the tithing of the remaining nine parts, after one tenth 
had been given to the Levites. Every third year this 
second tithing was to be given to the poor. Chap. 14:22- 
29. 

13. Tlie hallowed things; those which God required to be 
set apart for the Levites, for the poor, and for religious 
purposes. 

14. Tiiereof; of the hallowed things, ver. 13. In my 
mourning; which was unlawful, as the food of mourners 
was regarded as unclean. Ilosea 9:4. For the dead ; for 
funeral feasts, a use to which it was unlawful to put these 
hallowed things. There is probably an allusion here to a 
heathenish cu.stom. 

17. Aivicched; atlirmcd, declared. 



to the widow, according to all thy commandments 
which thou hast commanded me : I have not trans- 
gressed thy commandments," neither have I for- 
gotten them.^ 

14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning," 
neither have I taken away aught thereof for any 
unclean ?«e, nor given aught thereof for the dead : 
but I have hearkened to tlie voice of the Lord my 
God. a7id have done according to all that thou hast 
commanded me. 

15 Look down from thy holy habitation,'' from 
heaven,'' and bless thy people Israel,' and the land 
which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto 
our fathers," a land that floweth with milk and 
honey. 

16 1 This day the Lord thy God hath command- 
ed thee to do these statutes and judgments : '' thou 
shalt therefore keep and do them with all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul. 

17 Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be 
thy God,"" and to walk in his ways, and to keep 
his statutes,^ and his commandments, and his judg- 
ments, and to hearken unto his voice : 

18 And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to 
be his peculiar people,^ as he hath promised thee, 
and that thou shouldest keep all his command- 
ments f 

19 And to make thee high above all nations 
which he hath made," in praise, and in name, and 
in honor ; and that thou mayest be a holy people 
unto the Lord thy God,'' as he hath spoken. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

1 The people are commanded to write the law upon stones, .5 and to 
build an altar of wliole stoiu-s. U The tribes divided on 'jerizim and 
Ebal. 14 The curses pronounced on mount Ebal. 

AND Moses with the elders of Israel command- 
ed the people, saying, Keep all the command- 
ments which I command you this day. 

2 And it shall be, on the day when ye shall pass 
over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God 
giveth thee,*^ that thou shalt set thee up great stones, 
and plaster them with plaster : 



»IsaOO:l. 1 Psa. aa:9; 51:1S. » Heb. 0:13-18. vch.ll:8. "Exod. 24:7; 
2Chr. 34:31; Isa. 44:5; Zeoh. 13:9; aCor. 8:5. i Psa. 147:19.2(1. y cli. 
14:2; 25:9; Kxod. 19:5.0; Titus2:14. ^ Psi. 119:0; Rom. 10:20. » Psl. 
118:14. bl Pet. 2:9. c Josh. 4:1, etc. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. However long the fulfilment of divine promises may 
be delayed, and however great the obstacles, they wiU in 
due time all be accomplished. 

7. Those who are oppressed, and with humble, believ- 
ing, and affectionate hearts, seek help from God, may 
expect that in due time he will deliver them. 

10. As God is the author of all our blessings, we should 
as such acknowledge hira ; and should honor him with 
our substance and with the first-fruits of all our increase. 
Prov. 3:9. 

14, Obedience to the commands of God is a good prep- 
aration for seeking his favor with acceptance, and receiv- 
ing his blessing on all our enjoyments. Neh. 5:19 ; 13:7- 
31. 

16. As God gives to men, heart, soul, mind, strength, 
and all mercies, it is reasonable that they should be de- 
voted to his service. 

19. Devotion to God, is the way to bo truly great, noble, 
exceUent, useful, and happy. 

249 



Curses to ht pronounced. 



DEUTERONOMY XXVIII. 



liltssings for obedience. 



3 And tlinu shall write upon tlicm all tlic words 
of this law," wlien tliou art ])asscd over, thai thou 
niavcsl (TO in unto tlio lan<l which the Loud thy 
God srivcth thco, a iaiul that Howetli with milk and 
honey ; as the Loiin God of thy fathers hath prom- 
ised thee. 

•1 Therefore it shall 1)C when ye he gone over 
Jordan, l/iat ye shall set up these stones, whicii I 
command you this day, in mount Ebal,'* and thou 
shall plaster them witli jilaster. 

5 And there shall tliou build an altar unto the 
Loiii) tliy God, an altar of stones: thou shall not 
lift up any iron too/ u])on them. 

6 Tliou shall build liic altar of the Lord thy God 
of whole stones : and thou shall offer burnt-oflfer- 
ings thereon unto the Lord thy God: 

7 And thou shall oiTer peace-ofierings, and shall 
eat there, and rejoice before the Lord thy God.'' 

8 And thou shall write upon the stones all the 
words of this law very plainly. 

9 li And Moses and Die priests the Levites spake 
unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O 
Israel ; this day thou art become the people of the 
Lord thy God." 

10 Thou shall therefore obey the voice of the 
Lord thy God, and do his commandments and his 
statutes, which I connnaud thee this day. 

11 T And Moses charged the people the same daj-, 
saying, 

12 These shall stand upon mount Gcrizim to bless 
the people, when yc are come over Jordan ; Sime- 
on, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, 
and Benjamin : 

13 And these shall stand upon moimt Ebal to 
curse;* Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, 
Dan, and Naphtali. 

14 IT And the Levites shall speak," and say unto 
all the men of Israel with a loud voice, 

15 Cursed be the man that makcth any graven or 
molten image,'" an abomination unto the Lord, the 
work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it 
in a secret place. •'^ and all the people shall answer 
and say. Amen. 

16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father 
or his mother : '" and all the people shall say, Amen. 



» Josh. S:3-2. b ch. 


11:29; Josh, 8:30-33. c ch. 20:10, 11. d ch. 20:18. 


•Heh. for a mrsing. 


e cli. 33:10. t Exod. 20:4, 23; Isa. 44:9; Hos. 13:2, 


3. s 2 Kings 17:9. 10 


Jer. 23:24. h Lev. 19:3; Prov. 30:17. i ch. 10:14. 


ILer. 19:14. k Exod 


22:21-24; Mai. 3:5. 1 Lev. 18:8; 20:11 ; 1 Cor. 5:1. 


m Lev. 18:23; 20:15. 


n Lev. 18:9; 20:17. <■ Lev. 18:17; 20:14. P ch. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

3. The vorrls of Ihk law; supposed to be the law or dec- 
laration which follows, ver. H-2G. 

4. Ebal; Gen. 12:6. 

12. Geri:™,- Gen. 12:6. Bks; the people; a.dd their Amen, 
in token of their concun-euce, when the Levites should 
pronounce blessings on the obedient. 

13. To curse; add their Amen when the Levites should 
pronounce curses on the disobedient. Ver. 14-26. 

15. Graven or molten image; for the purpose of wor- 
shipping; it. E.Kod. 20:4-6. 

16. ■S^"cJ/^//g/l^• disropiards and dishonors. Exod. 20:12. 

17. Landmark; chap. 19:14. 

19. Perverteth tlie judgment of; commits injustice towards 
those mentioned. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. All proper methods should be adopted to make the 
law of God familiar to all the people, and to set before 
250 



17 Cursed be he that removeth his neigh- \^ jJJ'r 
bor's landmark:' and all the people shall say. 
Amen. 

18 Cursed be he that makcth the blind to wander 
out of tiie way -.^ and all the iieojile shall say, Amen. 

19 Cur.<ed 6c he that perverteth Die judgment of 
the stranger, fatherless, and widow:'' and all the 
l)eople shall say, Amen. 

20 Cursed be he that licth with his father's wife ; ' 
l)ccause he uncovercth his father's skirt: and all 
the people shall say. Amen. 

21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of 
beast:'" and all the ])Cople shall say. Amen. 

22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the 
daughter of his father, or the daughter of his moth- 
er:" and all the people shall say, Amen. 

23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother-in- 
law:" and all the people shall say, Amen. 

24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbor secret- 
ly:" and all the people shall say, Amen. 

25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an in- 
nocent person : '' and all the people shall say, Amen. 

20 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words 
of this law to do them : "■ and all the people shall 
say. Amen.' 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 The blessings for obedience. 15 The curses for disobedience. 

AND it shall come to pass, if thou shall heark- 
en diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy 
God,' to observe and to do all his commandments 
which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy 
God will set thee on high above all nations of the 
earth:" 

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and 
overtake thee,'*' if thou shall hearken unto the voice 
of the Lord thy God.'" 

3 Blessed shall thou be in the city, and blessed 
shall thou be in the field.'' 

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the 
fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the 
increase of thy kiue, and the flocks of thy sliecp.^ 

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.'' 

6 Blessed shall thou be when thou comest in, and 
blessed shall thou be when thou goest out.^ 



19:11, 12; Exod. 21:12-14. q 


Exod. 23:7, 8; Prov. 1:11-19; Ezek. 22:12. 


fch. S3:15, etc.; Psa. 110:21; 


Gal. 3:10; Rom. 10:5. 'Jer. 11:3-5; Rom. 


3:19. tExod. 15:28; Lev. 20 


3, etc. "oh. 26:19. »ver. 15, 45. w I Tim. 


4:8. X Gen. 39:5; Psa. 129 


1-4. y ch. 7:13; Gen. 49:25: Pel. 1U7:3S; 


127:3. t Or, dough, or kneadi 


>g-traugks. 2 Psa. 121:8. 



them the motives which God has revealed to induce them 
to keep it. 

10. Whenever God makes any his peculiar people, he 
laj-s them under sjiecial obligations to obey him ; and if 
they do not, they incur peculiar guilt and expose them- 
selves to an aggravated punishment. Chap. 28:14-68. 

15. By adding their solemn Amen to what is uttered, 
people profess to believe its truth. If it is a curse, they 
acknowledge its justice ; and if a blessing, their desire to 
receive it. 

26. All the revelations and declarations of God are 
suited to deter men from transgression, and persuade them 
to obedience, showing that he has no pleasure in the 
death of the wicked, but great pleasure in their turning 
from their wickedness, that they may live. Chap. 28; 
Ezek. 33:11; Luke 15:10. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

2. These blessings ; the blessings enumerated in ver. 3-14. 



blessings for oledience. 



DEUTERONOMY XXVIIl. 



Curses for disoledkna. 



B-aS" 1 The Lord shall cause thine enemies 
that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy 
face:'' they shall come out against thee one way, 
and flee before thee seven ways.'' 

8 The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee 
in thy storehouses,* and in all tiiat thou settest thy 
hand unto ;° and he shall bless thee in the land 
which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 

9 The Lord shall establish thee a holy people 
unto himself,'^ as he hath sworn unto thee,'' if thou 
shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, 
and walk in his ways. 

10 And all people of the earth'' shall see that 
thou art called by the name of the Lord;'' and 
they shall be afraid of thee.'' 

11 And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in 
goods,* in the fruit of thy body,* and in the fruit 
of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground,' in the 
land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to 
give thee. 

12 The Lord shall open unto thee his good treas- 
ure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in 
his season,J and to bless all the work of thy hand : 
and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou 
shalt not borrow." 

13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and 
not the tail ; ' and thou shalt be above only, and thou 
shalt not be beneath ; if that thou hearken unto the 
commandments of the Lord thy God, which I com- 
mand thee this day, to observe and to do them: 

14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the 
words which I command thee tiiis day,'" to the right 
hand, or to the left," to go after other gods to serve 
them. 

15 T But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not 
hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God,° to 
observe to do all his commandments and his stat- 
utes which I command thee this day ; that all these 
curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:" 

16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed 
shalt thou he in the field.'' 

17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 

18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the 
fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kiue, and the 
flocks of thy sheep. 

19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and 
cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 

20 The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexa- 
tion,'' and rebuke," in all that thou settest thy hand 
unto for to do,^ until thou be destroyed, and until 
thou perish quickly ;' because of the wickedness of 
thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 

21 The Lord shall make -the pestilence cleave 
unto thee," until he have consumed thee from off 
the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 



» aSim. aa^'JS-tl. b Josh. 3:22; -J Chr. H:9-I.5. • Ot, barm. cLev. 
2J:-Jl. d Psa. 87;5; 2Thess. 3:3; 1 Pet. 5:10. e ExoJ. 10:5. 0. (M3.13:ia. 
r Dan. 9:1s, 19. >> ch. 11:25; 1 Chr. 14:17. t Ot, for good. I Heb. belly. 
i Prov. 10:22. J Joel 2:23. k ch. 15:f.. llsa. 9:H, 15. mdi. 5::32. n Ua. 
3U:21 o Lev. 28:14, etc. P Lam. 2:17. q Mai. 2:2. 'Isa. 2S;19. ska. 
30:17. S Heb, which Ihou wouldest do. t l Sam. 14:2(1; Zech. 14:13. 



7. Seven; used for many. 

10. Called; Jehovah's people. 

23. Jie brass, and — iron ; the heaven would not give any 
more rain than if it were brass, nor the earth yield any 
more fruit than if it were iron. 



22 The Lord shall smite thee with a consump- 
tion, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, 
and with an extreme burning, and with the sword,'' 
and with blasting,' and with mildew; and they 
shall pursue thee until thou perish. 

23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall 
be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be 
iron.'" 

24 The Lord shall make the rain of thy land 
powder and dust : from heaven shall it come down 
upon thee,'' until thou be destroyed. 

25 The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten be- 
fore thine enemies:^ thou shalt go out one way 
against them, and flee seven ways before them; 
and shalt bo removed' into all the kingdoms of 
the earth.'' 

26 And thy carcass shall be meat unto all fowls 
of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth," and 
no man sliall fray them away. 

27 The Lord will smite thee with the botch of 
Egypt, and with the emerods,** and with the scab, 
and with the itch, whereof thou canst notbe healed. 

28 The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and 
blindness, and astonishment of heart:" 

29 And thou shalt grope at noonday,'' as the 
blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not pros- 
per in thy ways : and thou shalt be only oppress- 
ed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save 
thee. 

30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man 
shall lie with her:" thou shalt build a house, and 
thou shalt not dwell therein:'" thou shalt plant a 
vineyard, and shalt not gather* the grapes thereof. 

31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and 
thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be vio- 
lently taken away from before thy face, and shall 
not be restored* to thee: thy sheep shall be given 
unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to 
rescue them. 

32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given 
unto another people,^ and thine eyes shall look, and 
fail with longing for them all the day long: and 
there shall be no might in thy hand. 

33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labors, 
shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up ;'' and 
thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 

34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of 
thine eyes which thou shalt see. 

35 Tlie Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and 
in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, 
from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.' 

36 The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king 
which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which 
neither thou nor thy fathers have known ;' and 
there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. 



"Jer. 21:10. >■ Amos 4:9. 10. I Or. drought, w Jer. 14:1-6. 
Job 18:15-21. y ch. 32:30. Mieh. /or a removing, z Jer. 15 
79:2; Jer. 7:.«3. I> Exod. 9:9, U; 1 Sam. 5:6, 12. c Jer. 4:9. ■ 
Isa.59:10. eJer.S:10. ( Amos 5:11; Mio. 6:15. • Heh. profai 
as eommon meat, as ch, 20:6. t Heb. return, e 2 Chr. 29:9. h 
37; Jer. 5:17. ilsa. 1:6. J 2 Chr. 36:6. 17. 



26. Tliy carcass shall be meat; many of their dead bodies 
would be left unburied, Frau ; frighten, scare. 

27. Botch ; painful ulcers. Ver. 35. 

32, No 7niglit; no power to escape the evils or to pre- 
vent them, 

251 



Curses provounced 



DEUTERONOMY XXVIII. 



for disolxditncf. 



37 And thou slmlt liocomc an astonishniont, a 
liroverl), and a liyword," among all nations wliitli- 
LT the Loud s^hall lead tliir. 

38 Thou sluilt carry muL-h seed out into tlic field, 
and slialt gather but little in ; '' for the locust shall 
consume it.' 

3;) 'I'hou shalt jilant vineyards, and dress them, 
but shalt neither drink q/' the wine, nor gather </te 
grapes : for the worms sliall eat thcra.'' 

40 Tliou shalt have olive-trees throughout all thy 
coasts, liut thou shalt not anoint thyself with the 
oil; for tiiine olive sliall cast his fruit. 

41 Tliou shalt begot sons and daughters, but 
thou shalt not enjoy them ;* for they shall go into 
captivity." 

42 All thy trees and fruit of thy laud shall the 
locust consume.^ 

43 The stranger that is witliin thee shall get up 
above thee very high ; and thou shalt come down 
very low.'' 

44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not 
lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt 
be tlie tail.'' 

45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon 
thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee,'' till 
thou be destroyed;' because thou hoarkenedstnot 
unto tiie voice of tlie Lord thy God, to keep his 
commandments and his statutes which he com- 
manded thee: 

46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and 
for a wonder,J and u])on thy seed for ever. 

47 Because thou sorvedst not the Lord thy Goil 
with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart," for 
the abundance of all things :^ 

48 Tlicrefore shalt thou serve thine enemies,"" 
which the Lord shall send against thee, in hun- 
ger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of 
all things:" and ho shall put a yoke of iron upon 
thy nock, until ho have destroyed thee." 

49 The Lord shall bring a nation against thee 
from far,P from the end of the earth, as swift as 
the eagle flieth ;'' a nation whose tongue thou shalt 
not understand;' 

50 A nation of fierce countenance,^ which shall 
not regard the person of the old, nor show favor 
to the young : "■ 

51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and 
the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed : 
which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, 
or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy 
sheep, until he have destroyed thee. 

52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates.* 
until thy high and fenced walls come down, where- 
in thou trustedst, throughout all thy land : and he 



aP3i.44;14. '>Mic. 0:15; Hag. 1:6. cJoell:4. d Amos 7:1, 2. * Heb. 
they sliall not ie thine, e 2 Kings 24:14; Lam. 1:5. t Or, po.<SMS. f Judf. 
2:11-15. ever. 12, 13. h ver. 15. i 2 Kings 17:20. J Ezek. 14:8; I Cor. 
10:11. kiVeh. 9:3.5-37. Ich. 32:1.5. m a Chr. 12:8; Jer. .5:19; Ezek. 17:3, 
7.12. l,am. 5:2-0. ojer. 2S:I4. p Jer. 5:15; 6:22, 23. q Lam. 4:19. 
1 Heb. hear. ! Heb. strong of face: Prov. 7:13; Ecol. 8:1; Dan. 8:->3. 
r 2Chr. 3B:17; Isa. 47:0. > 2 Kings 25:1-4; Isa. 1:7; 82:8. I Heb. belli/. 



40. Cast his fruit; it would drop off unripe. 
42. Thy trees; their leaves. 

46. For ever ; so long as they should continue as a peo- 
ple to transgress his commands. 

48. A yoke of iron; afflict them with grievous bondage. 

49. Swift as tlie eagle; rapid in their conquests. 

252 



shall be.«iege thee in all thy gates through- -5,^. fj!;j: 
out all thy land, which tJie Lord thy God hath 
given thee. 

53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own 
liody,' the flesh of thy son*; and of thy daughters, 
whicli the Lord tliy God hath given "thee," in the 
siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine ene- 
mies shall distress thee: 

54 So that the man that is tender among you, and 
very delicate, his eye shall lie evil toward his broth- 
er," and toward the wife of his bosom,* and toward 
the remnant of his children which he shall leave: 

55 So that ho will not give to any of them of the 
flesh of his children whom he shall cat: liecause 
ho hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the 
straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress 
thee in all thy gates. 

5() Tlie tender and delicate woman among }'0u, 
which would not adventure to set the sole of her 
foot upon the ground for delicateness and tender- 
ness, her eye shall lie evil toward the husband of 
her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her 
daughter, 

57 And toward her young one,' that cometh out 
from between her feet, and toward her children 
which she sliall lioar;™ for she shall eat them for 
want of all things secretly in the siege and strait- 
ness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee 
in thy gates." 

58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words 
of this law that are written in this book, that thou 
may est fear this glorious^' and fearful name,'' THE 
LORD'' THY GOD;" 

59 Then the Lord will make thy plagues won- 
derful," and the plagues of thy seed, even great 
plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sick- 
nesses, and of long continuance. 

60 Moreover, he will bring upon thee all the dis- 
eases of Egypt,'' which thou wast afraid of; and 
they shall cleave unto thee. 

61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which 
is not written in the book of this law, them will 
the Lord bring* upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 

62 And ye shall be left few in number,' whereas 
ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude;'' 
because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the 
Lord thy God. 

63 And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord 
rejoiced over you to do you good, and to nniltiply 
you;^ so the Lord will rejoice over you to de- 
stroy you. and to bring you to naught;'' and ye 
shall be plucked from off the land whither thou 
goest to possess it. 

" 64 And the Lord shall scatter thee among all 



1 2 Kings 0:23. 29; Jer. 10:9; Lam. 2:20; 4:J0. " ch. 15:9; Matt. 20:15. 
vch. 13:0; Mio. 7:5. 1 Heb. aftcrt/rt/i. w Isa. 49:15. i ver. 53. y Neh. 
0:.5; Psa. 72:19. JPsa.lll:9. « Exod. 0:2, 3 ; Psa. 83:18. bExod.20:2; 
Psa. 50:''; Isa. 41:10. c Dan. 9:12. dch. 7:15. ' "Reh. cause to asetnd. 
e Neh. 7:4; Isa. 1:9. f Neb. 9:23. e ch. 30:9; Jer. 32:41. h Prov. 1:20 j 
Isa. 1:24. 



57. She shall eat them; Josephus' Wars of the Jews, b. 5, 
c. 10, 8. 3 ; b. 6, c. 2, B. 4. 

63. Plucked from off the land; they were by the Romans 
carried off from their land and scattered among all nations ; 
and were forbidden again to come within sight of Jeru- 
salem. 



An exhortation to oh 



DEUTERONOMY XXIX. 



in view of the past. 



ilc'iteL' people," from the one end of the earth even 
unto the other ; and there thou shalt serve other 
gods, which neither thou nor tliy fathers have 
known, even wood and stone. 

65 And among these nations shalt tliou find no 
ease,'' neither shall the sole of thy foot liave rest : 
hut the Lord shall give thee there a trembling 
lieart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind : 

06 And thy life shall hang in doubt before tlieo ; 
and thou shalt fear day and niglit, and shalt have 
none assurance of tliy life : 

67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it 
were even! and at even tliou shalt say, Would 
God it were morning !*= for the fear of tliy heart 
wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the siglit of 
thine eyes which thou shalt see. 

68 And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt 
again witli ships,'^ by the way whereof I spake unto 
tliee, Tliou shalt see it no more again :° and there 
ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen 
and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1 iloses exhorteth them io obedience, by the memory of the ■works they 
have seen. 10 All are presented before the Lord to enter into his 
covenant. 18 The great "wrath on him that fiattereth himself in his 
wickedness. 29 Secret things belong unto G-od. 

THESE are the words of the covenant, which 
the Lord commanded Moses to make with the 
children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the 
covenant which he made with them in Horeb.*^ 

2 T And Moses called unto all Israel, and said 
unto them. Ye have seen all that the Lord did 
before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pha- 
raoh,^ and unto all his servants, and unto all his 
land: 



» Jer. l(i:13; 5U:17; Ezek. ll:lti, 17. b Amoi 9:1. •: 
>j;13; 9:3. ech.l7:16. fch.5:3,3. eExoJ.^-12. hch.4:rj4. 
lU; 03:17; John 8:«. J ch. 8:4. t ExoJ. 16:33; Psa. 78:24, 25. 



.lob 7:4. ■) Hos. 



68. Ye shall be sold — and no man shall buy you ; many were 
sold into perpetual bondage, and many more were offered 
for sale for whom their conquerors could not find a mar- 
ket, so great were their numbers ; and multitudes were 
slain or left to perish. See Josephus, Patrick, Basnage, 
Xe%vton, Keith, etc. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. No tongue can express nor finite mind conceive the 
niunber, greatness, variety, richness, or duration of the 
blessings which flow from obeying God. 

15. The miseries comprehended in the curses which 
How from continued disobedience to God, as much sur- 
jiass all finite conception as the blessings which flow from 
his favor. 

24. As all the elements arc under the conti'ol of God, he 
can at any time ana them against his foes, and pursue 
tliem with wrath till they perish. 

28. Diseases of body and mind are God's servants. 
They go and come at his bidding, and fasten their deadly 
fangs on such as he commissions them to torment and 
destroy. 

32. Few calamities are more dreadful than to sec the 
misery of children and be unable to help them. 

45. What renders calamities vastly more dreadful is, a 
conviction that we b}- our own wickedness have occa- 
sioned them. 

57. The horrors of famine can be but faintly conceived ; 
and if the sufferings occasioned by sin are so great in this 
woidd, what must they be in the world to come ? 

67. The liistorv of the .Jews for more than eighteen 



3 The great temptations which thine eyes have 
seen, the signs, and those great miracles;'' 

4 Yet the Lord hatli not given you a heart to 
perceive,' and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto 
this day. 

5 And I have led you forty years in the wilder- 
ness : your clothes are not waxen old upon you, 
and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot :' 

6 Ye have not eaten bread,'' neither liave ye 
drunk wine or strong drink ;' that ye might know 
that I am the Lord your God. 

7 And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the 
king of Heshbon,"' and Og tlie king of Bashan, 
came out against us unto battle, and we smote 
them : 

8 And we took their land, and gave it for an 
inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gad- 
ites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh. 

9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and 
do them," that ye may prosper in all that ye do. 

10 IT Ye stand this "day all of you before the Lord 
your God;° your captains of your tribes, your el- 
ders, and your officers, vnih all the men of Israel, 

11 Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger 
that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood 
unto the drawer of thy water:" 

12 Tiiat thou shouldest enter* into covenant 
with the Lord tliy God, and into his oath,'' which 
the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day : 

13 That ho may establish thee to-day for a peo- 
ple unto himself,'' and that he may be unto thee a 
God, as he hath said unto thee," and as he hath 
sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham,' to Isaac" 
and to Jacob.''" 

14 Neither with you only do I make this cove- 
nant and this oath ; 



0:45, m Num. 21:23. n Josh. 1:7, 8. o 2 Chr. 23:16; 34:29-32; Neh. 8:2- 
p Josh. 9:21,27 * Heb. pass, q Neh. 10:2!». t ch. 23:9. • Eiod, 6:7. 
t Gen. 17:7. "Gen. 26:3, 4. » Gen 2S: 13-15. 



hundred years demonstrates the truth of the predictions 
contained in this chapter, and conclusively proves that 
in uttering them Moses spoke by the direction, and mider 
the guidance of the Holy Ghost. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1. JTte covenant ; the declarations of God with regard to 
the duty of the Israelites, his blessings on the obedient, 
and his curses on the disobedient. In Horeb; Exod. 
19:3-5; 24:2-8. 

2. Ye have seen; many of the older ones had seen, and 
the rest had heard. 

4. To perceive; the spii'itual beauty, excellence, and glory 
of God, and the supreme blessedness of loving, believing, 
and obeying him. This perception no one has without 
receiving it from God. The great body of the Israelites 
did not fcol their need of this, did not seek it, nor desire 
it, nor obtain it. They rebelled against God, and nearly 
all who when they came out of Egypt were over twenty 
years old, died in the wilderness. 

5. Your clothes — thy shoe; these God so provided and 
preserved as to keep them from want. 

6. Not eaten bread, neither — drtink wine; they lived on 
manna, and drank water from the rock. 

12. Enter into covenant; by engaging to obey him; on 
the fulfilment of which engagements he promised to blest- 
them. 

14. Neither with you only ; God made this covenant not 
only with them, but with their posterity and with all wlm 
sho'uld obev him. Heb. G: 13-20. 

25:^ 



Judgments on I /if <suilly. 



DEUTKllO.NO.MY XXX. 



^hraj fuT the penitent. 



15 But with him that ptamlotli here with us tliis 
day belVir(> tin' Loiin our (iod, and also with him 
that is not iiere witli us this day :" 

Itj (For ye know liow wc have dwelt in the land 
of Ep:y])t; mill how wc came tiirough the nations 
wliich ye passed l)y ; 

17 And yc have seen their abominations, and 
their idols," wood and stone, silver and gold, which 
were among them :) 

1 8 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, 
or family, or tribe, whose heart turnetii away this 
day from the Lord our (Sod, to go and serve the 
gods of these nations; lest there should lie among 
you a root that beareth gall*" and wormwood ;° 

19 And it come to pass, when he lieareth the 
words of this curse, that he l)les3 himself in his 
licart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk 
in the imagination* of my heart, to add drunken- 
ness to thirst:*'' 

20 The Lord will not spare him, but then the 
anger of the Lord,'^ and his jealousy shall smoke 
against that man,'' and all the curses that are writ- 
ten in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord 
shall blot out his name from under heaven.'-' 

21 And the Lord shall separate him unto evil 
out of all the tribes of Israel," according to all the 
curses of the covenant that are written' in this 
book of the law : 

22 8o that the generation to come of your chil- 
dren that shall rise up after you, and the stranger 
that shall come from a far land, shall say, when 
they see the jilagues of that land, and tiie sick- 
nesses which the Lord hath laid upon it;"' 

23 .find that the whole land tliercof is brimstone, 
and salt,' and burning, that it is not sown, nor 
beareth,' nor any grass growelh therein, like the 
overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and 





"Acts 2:39. • Ileb 


dungy gods, t H 


eb. Tosh , 


or,n 


poisonous lurb. 


1> Acts 


V. 


Vt. "^Hcb. 1-2:15. 


J Or. stubbornius 


; JTer. 3 


17- 


■:24. SHeb. the 


drunk- 


tt 


10 the thirsty, i 


sa. 30:1; Rom. 2 


5. <: Psa. 74 


1. ' Psi. 79:.5 


S ch. 


u 


14; Ezck.l4:7, 8. 


h Milt. 24:51. 


1 Heb. is 


written. T Heb. wktrtwith 


th 


c Lord hath 7tiade 


7 sick. 1 Jer. 17: 


6; Zcph. 


2:9. 


J Psa. 1U7:34. 


kGen. 



18. Gall and wormwood; bitter and poisonous plants, 
here representing the effects of sinful practices. 
20. Blot out his name ; destroy him. 

22. Tliat land; the land of Canaan. 

23. Brimstone, and salt ; utterly barren. 

24. This great anger; of God against Canaan, in turning 
it from fertility to barrenness, and visiting its inliabitants 
with such awful calamities. 

26. Whom he had not given; who had not done and could 
not do any thing for them. 

29. Secret things; things not revealed, and which we do 
not and need not know. Things — revealed; those which 
God makes known, or has given us the means of knowing, 
and which we need to know. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

4. So long as men continue to neglect what they know 
to be right and do what they know to be wrong, God will 
not give them hearts to perceive his spiritual glory, or to 
enjoy his infinite love. 

9. A faitliful survey of the past dealings of God with us 
and our friends, is well adapted to lead us to do his will, 
and thus to secure all needed good. 

12. The course taken by parents deeply affects their 
children for both worlds, and may be a means of their 
salvation or of their destruction. 

18. Apostasies from God begin in the heart; and in 
order to escape destruction, men must with all diligence 
keep their hearts in the love of God, with them believe 
25t 



Zeboim, which the IjOrd overthrew in his u.c.iSjf: 
anger and in his wrath :^ 

21 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath 
the Lord done thus unto this land?' \<'\vdt meaneth 
the heat of this great anger? 

2.") Then men shall say. Because they have forsak- 
en the covenant of the Loud God of their fathers, 
wiiich he made with them when lie brought them 
forth out of the land of Egypt: 

2C For they went and served other gods, and 
wtn-shipped them, gods whom they knew not, and 
who7n he had not given* unto them:* 

27 And the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against this land,'" to bring upon it all the curses 
that are written in this book : 

28 And the Lord rooted them out of their land 
in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation." 
and cast them into another land, as it is this day. 

29 The secret thini^s belong unto the Lord our 
God;" but those things vliirh are revealed bclnni^ 
unto us and to our children for ever,'' that wc may 
do all the words of this law. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

1 Great mercies promised unto the repentant. 11 The commandment 
is inaniiest. 1-5 Deatli and life are set before them. 

AND it shall come to pass, when all these things 
are come upon thee, the blessing and the 
curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt 
call them to mind among all the nations, whither 
the Lord thy God hath driven thee,'' 

2 And shalt return unto the Lord thy God,"' and 
shalt obey his voice according to all that I com- 
mand thee this day, thou and thy children, with 
all thy heart, and with all thy soul ; 

3 That then the Lord thy God will turn thy ca]i- 
tivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will 



10:21; Jer. 2U:1G. 1 1 Kings 9:S, 9, Jer. 22:8, 9. • lUh. divided, t Or. 
vfho /tad not given to them Any portion, ro Dan. 9:11-14. n l Kings 14:15. 
o Jer. 23:18; Dan. 2:22, 28; 1 Cor. 2:16. P Psa. 7S:2-7; 2 Tiin. 3:10. 
ql Kings 8:47, 48. risa.55:7; lJohnl:9. 



unto righteousness, and from them make profession of 
their faith and love to salvation. 

19. For a man to think that he shall be happy in a course 
of sinning, or can continue in it and escape destruction, is 
one of the surest ways to ruin. 

23. The past and present state of Palestine, as well as 
of the Jews its ancient inhabitants, is a fulfilment of the 
word of God by Moses, uttered and recorded more than 
three thousand years ago ; and a proof that none of his 
declarations will fail, but all in due time come to pass. 

28. ifen of various nations, characters, and countrie.'i 
now say, concerning the Jews and the land of Canaan, 
what Moses here predicted that they would say ; and thus 
show that he was inspired by Him who sees the end from 
the beginning, and can describe things thousands of years 
before, with as much accuracy as after they have taken 
place. 

29. God gives us the means of knowing all that we need 
to know ; and for us to strive or wish to know what wc 
cannot, ought not, and need not know, is foolish, hurtful, 
and wicked. The more content we are without sucli 
knowledge the better; while, by the revelation of God, to 
Imow him in such a manner as to love and obey him, is 
the whole of man's duty, excellence, blessedness, and glorj'. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

1. Tliese things; the things mentioned in the previous 
chapters. 



Death and life are 



DEUTERONOMY XXXL 



set hefore the people. 



B.' "il"' return and gather tliee from all the nations, 
■whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee." 

4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost 
parts of heaven," from tlicnce will the Lord thy God 
gather thee, and from thence vrill he fetch thee: 

5 And the Lord thy God will bring thee into 
the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou 
shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and 
multiply thee above thy fathers. 

6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy 
heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
that thou mayest live. 

7 And the Lord thy God will put all these curses 
upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, 
which persecuted thee.'' 

8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of 
the Lord, and do all his commandments which I 
command thee this day. 

9 And the Lord thy God will make thee plen- 
teous in every work of thy hand, in the fruit of 
thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the 
fruit of thy land, for good:'* for the Lord will 
again rejoice over thee for good,*^ as he rejoiced 
over thy fathers ; 

10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the 
Lord thy God,' to keep his commandments and 
his statutes lohich are written in this book of the 
law,'^ and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, and with all thy soul.'' 

11 1[ For this commandment which I command 
thee this day, it is not hidden from thee,' neither 
is it far off. 

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, 
Who shall go up for us to heaven,-' and bring it 
unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou should- 
est say. Who shall go over the sea for us, and bi'ing 
it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 

li But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy 
mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 

15 IT See, I have set before thee this day life and 
good, and death and evil;" 



» Jer. 32:37, etc.; Ezek. 36:2t. b Neh. 


1:9. t Isa. 14:1-27; Obid. 10. 


dch.as:!!. = Zoph. 3:17. f 153.55:2.3. 


e 1 Cor. 7:19. t ver. 2; Lam. 


3:40, 4l| Ezek. 33:11, etc. i Psa. 117:19 


Isa. 45:19. j Rom. 10:G, etc. 


k ver. 1, 10; ch. 11:20. 1 Matt. 22:37. 33. 


m John 14:21. n ProT. 14:14. 



6. Circumcise thy heart; turn it from the love and practice 
of sin to the love and practice of holiness. Matjest live ; 
live a life of holiness and prosperity on earth, and of bless- 
edness and glory in heaven. Rom. 2:29; Col. 2:11-13. 

11. It is not hidden — neitlier is it far off; not difficult, but 
easy to be understood. What was wanted was humble, 
docile, obedient, and affectionate hearts. Rom. 10:6-11; 
2 Tim. 3:14-17. 

15. Life and good; temporal and eternal, to be obtained 
as the gracious gift of God, by obeying him. Death and 
evil; which they would bring upon themselves by diso- 
beying him. Ver. 16-18. 

19. Choose life ; by choosing to obey God, and thus ob- 
tain it. Ver. 20. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. However great or long continued the calamities 
which any suffer in this world on account of their sins, if 
they thinJc upon their ways, repent, and turn heartily to 
the Lord, he will forgive them and bestow upon them 
freely, for Christ's sake rich and lasting blessings. Prov. 
1:23; Isa. 55:7. 



16 In that I command thee this day to love the 
Lord thy God,' to walk in his ways, and to keep 
his commandments, and his statutes, and his judg- 
ments,'" that thou mayest live and multiply : and 
the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land 
whither thou goest to possess it. 

17 But if thy heart turn away," so that thou wilt 
not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worshi]) 
other gods, and serve them ; 

18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall 
surely perish,'' ajid that ye shall not prolong your 
days upon the laud, whither thou passest over Jor- 
dan to go to possess it. 

19 I callP heaveni and earth to record this day 
against you,'' that I have set before you life anil 
death, blessing and cursing : therefore choose life, 
that both thou and thy seed may live : 

20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, 
and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou 
mayest cleave unto him ; for he is thy life," and the 
length of thy days ; that thou mayest dwell in the 
land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to 
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

1 Moses encourageth the people. 7 He encourageth Joshua. 9 He 
deiivereth the law unto the priests to read it in the seventh year to 
the people. 14 God giveth a charge to Joshua, 19 and a song to tes- 
tify against the people. 24 Moses deiivereth the book of the law to 
the Levites to keep. 28 He maketh a protestation to the elders. 

AND Moses went and spake these words unto 
all Israel. 

2 And he said unto them, I am a hundred and 
twenty years old this day ;' I can no more go out 
and come in: also the Lord hath said unto me. 
Thou shalt not go over this Jordan." 

3 The Lord thy God, he will go over before thee.^' 
and he will destroy these nations from before thee, 
and thou shalt possess them : and Joshua, he shall 
go over before thee, as the Lord hath said." 

4 And the Lord shall do unto them as he did to 
Sihon and to Og,'' kings of the Amorites, and unto 
the land of them, whom he destroyed. 



ch. S:19. P ch. 4:26; 31:23. 


q ch. 32:1 ; Isa. 1:2; Jer. 2:12, J.3. r Jer. 


22:29; Mio. 6:1,2. » Psa. 27: 


; 30:5; John 11:25; Acts 17:28. t ch. 34:7- 


Exod. 7:7. " ch. 3:27; Num. 


20:12. V ch. 9:3; Psa. 44:2, 3. « Kum. 


27:18-21. iNum. 21:24, 33. 





6-10. When men .turn heartily to the Lord, it is because 
he by his Spirit turns them. Jer. 81 : IS. Of the necessity 
of this turning, circumcision under the Old Testament was 
a sign. Hence the reason why to love the Lord and to 
keep his commandments is spoken of as the circumcision 
of the heart. Ver. 6 ; Rom. 2 : 28, 29. 

14. The way of salvation revealed in the Old Testament 
is the same as that revealed in the New. Hence Paul, in 
describing it, employed the language used by Moses, and 
to persuade men to embrace it, reasoned with them out 
of the Old Testament scriptures. 

19. To be saved, men must choose to obey God ; and 
what is most efficacious in leading them to do this, will 
do the most towards their salvation. Josh. 24:15; Prov. 
1:29. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

2. Go out and come in ; perform the duties of loader of 
Israel. 

3. He will go over; in his visible presence ou the mcr- 
cv-scat. Ver. S. 



The people tneemraged. 



DEUTEUOXOMV XXXI. 



Their apostasy furelolil. 



5 Anil tlic LniM) shall pivo (lioin up before your 
I'acc," tluit ye niiiy do unto llicni iicfordinp unto all 
the (<ouininiitlmonts whioli I liavc coinniandcd you. 

G He stroiii:'' and of a pood eourage,'' fear not, 
nor lie alVaid of tlicin: for tlie Loiu) tliy God, lie 
// i.1 that doth po with tlicc; he will not fail thee, 
nor forsake thee.'" 

7 " And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto 
him in tiic .■-ight of all Israel, Be stronp and of a 
pood courage:'' for thou must po with this people 
unto tiie land which the Loiii) hath sworn unto 
tlioir fathers to pive them; and thou shalt cause 
llii'iii to inherit it. 

s And tiie Lord, lie it is that doth po before 
tiiee:'' he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, 
neither forsake thee:" fear not, neither be dismayed. 

'.I ^ And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it 
unto the priests tlie sons of Levi,'' which bare the 
ark of the covenant of the Lord, and unto all the 
elders of Israel. 

10 And Moses commanded them, sayinp, At the 
end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the 
year of release,' in the feast of tabernacles,^ 

11 When all Israel is come to ajjpcar before the 
Loud thy God in the place which lie sliall choose,'' 
thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their 
hearing.' 

12 Gather the people together,"" men, and women, 
and children, and thy stranger that is within thy 
gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, 
and fear tlie Lord your God, and observe to do 
all tlic words of this law: 

1 3 And that their children," which have not known 
any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord 
your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye 
go over Jordan to possess it. 

14 M And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy 
days approach that thou must die:" call Joshua, 
and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, tiiat I may give him a charge." And 
Closes and Joshua went, and presented themselves 
in tlie tabernacle of the congregation. 

15 And the Lord appeared in the tabernacle in 
a pillar of a cloud:'' and the pillar of the cloud 
stood over the door of the tabernacle. 

16 1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou 
shalt sleep* with thy fathers; and this people will 
rise up,'' and go a whoring aftei; the gods of the 



» Ci 




. IS. 


1- Jos. 


. lU:a5; 1 


Olir 


2i: 


3. » cl 


. aO:4 


Ua.. 43:1-5. 




1:6; 


Heb 


13:5. 


ech.3:aS 


.IcKh 


l-(i 


Eph. 
. J Lev 


10. f 


ver. 3: 


Kxod. 


H:2l, 


aa. 


' ver 


6. h ver. -25, 26. 


> ch. 


IS: 


23:34 


kch 


16:10. 






; aK 


ngs -th 


2; Xeh. 8: 


I-S. 


" nh 


.4:10. 


n Ps.1,. 


■8:4-8. 


och. 




■■Ter 


•Jii; 


Num. a 


:10. q Esod. S3:9. • 


Heb. lie 


down, 


2 Sam 


.7:12. 



9. This law; according to some, the book of Deuteroii- 
omy. But there seems to be no valid ground for thus 
limiting the words. Better, the whole law. See note, 
cliap. 17:18. 

13. Not known ojiiy Iking; not witnessed what God had 
done for his people. 

17. Hide my face; withdraw tokens of favor. 

19. This song; as in the following chapter. 

26. For a witness against thee; when they should rebel 
against God. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

2. As the limit of human life is set, the aged, even if 
they enjoy good health, must soon die ; this they should 
feel, and endeavor so to live as to be prepared at any 
time to leave this world and enter heaven 
256 



strangers of the land," whither they po to h.".?^?: 
/)(■ aiiionp them, and will forsake ine, and break luy 
covenant which 1 have maile with them. 

17 Then my anpru- shall be kindled against thcin 
in that day, and 1 will forsake tiiom.' and I will 
hide my face from tliem." and they siiall be devour- 
ed, and many evils and troubles shall liefall* them; 
so that they will say in that day, Are not these 
evils come upon us. because our God is not among 
us?^- 

18 And 1 will surely hide my face in that day 
for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in 
that they are turned unto other gods. 

19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and 
teach it the children of Israel : put it "in their 
mouths, that this song may be a witness for mc 
against the children of Israel. 

20 For when 1 shall have brought them into the 
land which 1 swarc unto their fathers, that flowcth 
with milk and honey; and they shall have cutcn 
and filled themselves,"' and waxen fat; then will 
they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and 
provoke me, and break my covenant. 

21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils 
and trouljles are befallen them,'' that this song 
shall testify against* them as a witness; for it 
shall not be forgotten out of the moutlis of their 
seed: for I know their imagination which they go 
about,^ even now,^ before I have brought them into 
the land which I swarc. 

22 l Moses therefore wrote this song the same 
day, and taught it the chihlren of Israel. 

23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, 
and said. Be strong and of a good courage: for 
thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the 
land which I sware unto them : and 1 will be with 
thee. 

24 1 xVnd it came to pass, when Moses had made 
an end of writing the words of this law in a book, 
until they were iinished, 

25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which 
bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, 

26 Take this book of the laAV, and put it in the 
side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your 
God, that it may be there for a witness against 
thee.'- 

27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck : 
behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye 

r £xod..3a:C. ' Eiod. 34:16; Judg. 2:17-20; Psa. 7.1:27: Jcr. 3:1; Ezck. 
10:15. t2Chr. 15:2. >■ Isa. 64:7; Ezek. 30:23, 24. tHeb.^irf. v Nun. 
14:42; Judff. 0:13. " ch. 32:15; Neh. 9:25, 26; Hos. 13:0. « ver. 17. 
lUeb. 6e/ore. 8 Heb. rfo. y Psa. 139:2; Hos. 5:3. J 2 Kings 22:6. etc. 



5. In destroying the Canaanites and taking possession 
of their country, the Israelites were only doing what God 
commanded them. Their example gives no authority to 
any nation to destroy another, take their eounti-y, or make 
war upon tliem, without a command from God. 

8. \Vitli the presence and favor of God men may safely 
and properh' undertake any service, however difficult, 
dangerous, or trying, to which he calls them. 

13. The laws of God should be made known and be 
often inculcated upon all the people, young and old, rich 
and poor, bond and free, that all may understand them, 
and the reasons for obeying them which he has revealed. 

18. God is perfectly acquainted with all the sins which 
any will ever commit; and tlieir iniquities alone lead him 
ever to witlulraw from them tlie iiKUiifestations ofhis faVDr. 



Thi people gathered. 



DEUTERONOMY XXXII. 



The song of Moses. 



B "u™' have been rebellious against the Lord;" 
and how much more after my death ? 

28 IT Gather unto me all the elders of yourtribes,*" 
and your officers, that I may speak these words in 
tlieir ears, and call heaven and earth to record 
ajrainst them.*^ 

29 For I know that after my death ye will utter- 
ly corrupt yoursch'es,'^ and turn aside from the way 
wliicli I have commanded you ; and evil will befall 
you in the latter days;' because ye will do evil 
in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger 
through the work of your hands. 

31) And Moses spake in the cars of all the con- 
gregation of Israel the words of this song, until 
they were ended. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1 Mases' song, which setteth forth God's mercy and vengeance. 4G 
Ke exhorteth them to set their hearts upon it. 4S G-oI sendeth him 
up to mount Nebo, to see the land, and die. 

C^ IVE ear, ye heavens, and I will speak; 
ST and hear, earth, the words of my mouth.' 

2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech 
sliall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the 
tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass :^ 

3 Because I will publish the name of the Lord : 
ascribe ye greatness unto our God.** 

4 He is the Rock,' his work is perfect;^ for all 
his ways are judgment : "^ a God of truth and with- 
out iniquity, just and right is he.' 

5 They have corrupted themselves,* their spot is 



»Exoa.33:9. bGen.4D:l,a. 'oh.3-J:l. J JuJj;. 2: 19. oaChr.34:24. 
' ch. 3li:19; Psa. 5U:4. e Fsa. Ti-d; Isa. .55:1U, H; Mio. 5:7. h 1 Chr. 
29:11; Rev. 7:11, 12. i I'sa. l.S:2. J Keel. 3:14. k Dan. 4:37. 1 Psa. 
92: 15. • Heb. He hath corrupted to himself, t Or, that they are not his 



21. Prosperity often leads men to forget God, turn from 
him, and draw down upon themselves his desolating 
judgments. But their own consciences will testify against 
thein, and if they turn not to him will mar their enjoy- 
ments and ere long make them wretched. 

29. A good man knows that no trust can safely be 
placed in the human heart ; that without the constant 
keeping of God, however great its mercies or trials, it will 
show itself to be deceitful above all things and despe- 
rately wicked ; and that there is no hope for the cause of 
God and holiness on earth but in the riches of his grace. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1. Give ear — hear; this mode of address was designed 
to awaken attention, and impress on the hearers the im- 
portance of the subject. 

2. Drop as the rain; be copious and refreshing. Distil 
as the (lew; be gentle, penetrating, and efficacious. 

3. Publish the name ; proclaim those perfections by the 
manifestation of which God makes himself known. As- 
cribe ije greatness unto our God ; treat him according to his 
true character. 

4. The Rock ; this is the first time God is called a rock, 
in the Bible. It expresses his durable and unchanging 
perfection, and the safety of trusting in him and reposing 
on him our hopes for eternity. Ver. 15, IS; Psa. 31:2, 3; 
JIatt. 7:24, 25; 16:18. Judgment; just, and right. 

5. Not the spot of his children ; do not possess their char- 
acter, nor appear as his people. 

(i. Requite; repay, recompense. Thi/ father; one who 
treated them as children. Bousht thee; by delivering 
them from Egyptian bondage. Made thee; made them a 
great people. Established thee ; as an independent nation, 
with a regular and good government. 

7. Remember the days qf old; what God has done for 
your ancestors, and through them, for you. 
17 



not the spot of his children:* t/icy are a perverse 
and crooked generation. 

6 Do ye thus requite the Lord, foolish people 
and unwise ? is not ho thy father"" that hath bought 
thee?" hath he not made thee, and established 
thee ? 

7 % Remember the days of old, consider the years 
of many generations :* ask thy father, and he will 
show thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. 

8 When the Most High divided to the nations 
their inheritance," when he separated the sons of 
Adam,'' he sot the bounds of the people according 
to the number of the children of Israel. 

9 For the Lord's portion is his people;'' Jacob 
is the lot^ of his inheritance."' 

10 Ho found him in a desert land, and in the waste 
howling wilderness ; he led ' him about, he instruct- 
ed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye." 

11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, flutteroth 
over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, tak- 
eth them, bcareth them on her wings;' 

12 So the Lord alone did lead him, and there 
was no strange god with him. 

13 He made him ride on the high places of the 
earth," that he might cat the increase of the fields ; 
and he made him to suck honey out of the rock,' 
and oil out of the flinty rock ; 

14: Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat 
of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and 
goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou, 
didst drink the pure blood of the grape. 



r/iittiren. that is their blot, nt Exod. 15:1G; 1 Co 


. (5:20. 


nch. 28:64. 1 Heb. 


generation and generation, o Acts 1 7:26. p Gen 


.11:B. 


1 Exod. 19:5; Psa, 


133:4. S Heb, cord, r Psa. 7S:71; Eph. 1:18. 


II Or, e 


ompassed. * Zecli, 


2:S. tisa.. «3:9. "Isa. 5.S:14. vPsa. 81:16. 







8. He set the bounds of the people ; so ordered events in 
his providence, when he divided the earth among the 
nations, that the Canaanites, who for their sins were to be 
destroyed, sliould inherit the land that was to be pos- 
sessed by the Israelites ; and thus prepare for them 
houses, cities, cultivated fields, and all needful things. 
According to the number of the children of Israel ; a land just 
large and good enough for the best accommodation of the 
twelve tribes of Israel. Gen. 10:32; 11:9. 

9. The Lord's portion ; those whom he set apart espec- 
ially for himself, treated as his peculiar treasure, and 
from whom he might rightfully expect a special revenue 
of glory. Jacob; who represents his descendants. 

lb. He found him. in a desert land; he went, as it were, to 
look after his people in the wilderness, found them there, 
entered into covenant with them, and consecrated them 
as his people. Chap. 8:11-18. Led him about ; Numbers 
33:3-49. 

11. Stirreth up her nest ; that is, her 3-oung brood, excit- 
ing them to fly. Fluttereth over her young ; in cherishing 
and defending them. Spreadeth abroad her wings; to pro- 
tect her young, assist them in flying, and if need be carry 
them, as a parent would a feeble or weary child. 

12. .So the Lord; excited his people to leave their bond- 
age in Egypt, and protected and assisted them on their 
way to the promised land. No strange god with him ; none 
had assisted the Israelites or bestowed upon them any 
blessings except Jehovah. 

13. Ride on the high places; expressive of their prosperity. 
Honey out of tlic rock, and oil ; from the most rocky parts 
of the country, where these things would abound. 

14. The breed of Bashan; in Bashan was found excellent 
pasturage, and its cattle and flocks were celebrated for 
their strength and fatness. Fat of kidneys of wheat ; a fig- 
urative description of wheat whose kernels arc all plump 
and of a fine qualit\-. 

25" 



The song of Moses, 



DEUTERONOMY XWII, 



fur the use of Israel. 



15 "T But .losliunin waxed fat," and kicked :"' thou 
art waxen fat, tliou art £rn>wn thick, tiiou art cov- 
ered n'lth fiitmxs : then lie forsook God vltich made 
him. and liu-Jitlv estoenii'dtlio Rock of his salvation.' 

Iti They provoked iiini to jealousy with straufje 
/r,x/v,'' with abomiuations provoked they hiin to 
anafer. 

17 They sacrificed unto devils," not to God;' to 
s v.U whom they knew not, to new pods that came 
nmvlv ii]>. wiioin your fathers feared not. 

IS Of tlic Rock tluit hcLMt tlic(> thou art uiiniind- 
fiil. and hast forsjotten God tliat formed tiice.' 

1',) And when the Lokd saw it, lie abhorred' tliem, 
because of the provoking of his sous, and of his 
daughters. 

20 And he said. I will hide my face from them, I 
will see what their end sha'l be: for they arc a very 
froward generation, ciiiidrcn in whom /,« no laitii. 

21 They have moved me to jealousy with that 
which is not God ; they have ])rovoked me to anger 
with their vanities: and I will move them to jeal- 
ousy with those which are not a people ;'■' I will pro- 
voke them to anger with a foolish nation. 

22 For a fire; is kindled in mine anger,'' and shall 
burn' unto the lowest hell, and shall consume^ the 
earth with her increase,' and set on fire the foun- 
dations of the mountains. 

23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend 
mine arrows upon thcni.J 

2-1: They shall be burnt with hunger, and devour- 
ed with burning heat, and with bitter destruc- 
tion: I will also send the teeth of boasts upon 
them, with the poi.son of serpents of the dust.'' 





> 1st 


M:i. 


b 1 Si 


n. •2:-J9; Acts 9 


r,. c 


Neh. 9:25 


20. 


d 1 Cor. 10 


2-2. 


e 


Cnr 


. lu.ao. 


• Or. 


s-hioh were not 


rod; 


^er. 21. f 


Isa. 


7:10 


t Or, 


dr.- 


.f 


srri 


e Ron 


. 10:11 


l> Lira. 4:11 


t <) 


, katk burned. 


» Or 


hath 


on- 


xa 


m-d 


f Hot 


1. 3:6. 


J Ezek. 5:IG. 


t H 


b. eaaU; 


Hah 


:t:.'i. 


k K 


ek. 


11 


i\. 


from 


the chamhfTS. 


• Heb 


berrave. 


1 ha 


. K): 


16. 1 


Or, 



15. Jeslmrun; that is, Israel; a terra of endearment, 
meaning upriglit. 

16. Provoked him to jealousy; greatly offended him. 

19. The proviikiii'r ; the provocation which his rebel- 
lious cliildren Rave liim. It/s sons, aiid — his daughters; by 
birth and privileges. Yet they rebelled against him. Isa. 
1 : 2-1. 

21. That which is not God; that is, by the worship of 
idols. Vanities; a common terra for the heathen gods, 
which are nothing, and which disappoint the hopes of 
those who trust in them. Tliose which are not a people — a 
foolish nation; these words describe the heathen nations 

as being ignorant of God and having no covenant witli 
him, and thus not deserving the name of peoples. Since 
God's people have provoked him to anger by worshipping 
the gods of the heathen, he will provoke them to anger 
by taking away tlieir privileges, and giving them to the 
heathen. This he has done, first, by setting heathen 
rulers over them, as the Babylonians and Romans ; sec- 
ondly, by bringing the fJentiles into their place as his 
peculiar people. Rom. 10:19; 11:1 1-36. 

22. A fire ts kindled — set on fire the foundations of the moun- 
tains; a figurative description of the awful effect of God's 
wrath, wliich nothing can withstand, and which follows 
the sinner to the eternal world. 

27. The wrath of the enemij; the anger of the enemies of 
Israel manifesting itself in blasphemous reproaches against 
the God of Israel. They would ascribe the destruction 
of Israel to the weakness of Jehovah and to their own 
strength. God fears not tlie power of the enemy to injure 
his people, but is concerned for the honor of his own name. 
Compare Exod. 32:12; Num. 14:13-10; Deut. 9:28; 2 Sam. 
1:20. From regard to his own glory, in which the high- 
258 



25 The sword without, and terror with- "li.V. fS 
in,^ shall destroy' both tiie young man and tlic vir- 
gin, the suckling aJso witli the man of gray hairs. 

2() 1 said, 1 would scatter them into corners,' I 
would make the remeinbraucc of them to cease 
from among men : 

27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the 
enemy, lest their adversaries should behave tliein- 
selves strangely, arid lest they should say. Our 
hiuid is high, and the LoitD hath not done' all this. 

2S For they arc a nation void of counsel, neither 
is there any understanding in them. 

29 Oh that they were wise, thai they understood 
this, that they would consider their latter end !'" 

;]() How .should one chase a thousand, and two 
put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had 
sold them," and the Loud had shut them up? 

31 For tiieir rock is not as our Rock," even our 
enemies themselves being judges."* 

32 For their vine is of* the vine of Sodom,'' and of 
the fields of Gomorrah :'^ their grapes are grapes 
of gall, their clusters are bitter: 

33 Their Avine is the poison of dragons," and the 
cruel venom of asps.' 

34 Is not this laid up in store with me," and 
sealed up among my treasures? 

35 'i'o mo Iielongetk vengeance,''' and recompense ; 
their foot shall slide in due time:'" for the day of 
their calamity is at hand,'' and the things that 
shall come upon them make haste. 

36 For the LoKDshalljudgehis people, and repent 
himself for his servants,^' when ho seeth that their 
power ^ is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. 



Our high hand, and not the Lord, hath done, "n Psa. 81:13. n Isa. 60:1. 
1 Sam. 2:2. P 1 Sam 4:.«. 1 Or, wnrse (*aH. qjer. 2:21. rl.sa. 1:10. 
• Psd. 58:4. > Rom. 3:13. " Jer 2:22: Rom. 2:.'>. v Heb. 10:30. «■ Jer. 
13:10. i2Pet.2:3. y Judjr. 10:15. 16. iHeh.hand. 



est welfare of his church is involved, he will not utterly 
destroy his ancient covenant people, but will keep tluin, 
as he is now doing, distinct, with a view, when they shall 
repent and turn to him, of bringing them again into liis 
church and adopting them, with all believing (Jentiles, as 
his people. Uur hand is high; our high, strong hand, and 
not Jehovah, hath done this. 

2S. Void of counsel ; they did not so understand their 
true interests as to fake the way to secure them, but took 
that which ruined them. Matt. 27:25; Luke 13:34, 35. 

29. Consider their latter end ; in such a manner as to shun 
the course that will make it wretched, and take the course 
that will make it blessed. Chap. 30:19. 

30. One chase a thousand; one of the enemies of Israel 
put to flight a thousand Israelites. Had they remained 
obedient to God, the opposite of this would have been 
true. Compare chap. 28:7; Lev. 26:8; Josh. 23:10, with 
chap. 28:25; Lev. 26:36, 37. 

31. Their rock; the gods of the heathen. 

32. 33. Their vine — thetr grapes — their clusters — their wine ; 
all their works, proceeding from their wicked hearts, are 
corrupt ; as if the vine should bear only poisonous and 
bitter fruit, and the wine that comes from its clusters 
should be filled with deadly venom. There seems to be an 
allusion here to certain fruits growing on the borders of 
the Dead sea. which are without fair to the eye, but within 
empty and worthless, yielding no food that can be eaten. 

34. This; the Lord's indignation against their sins, and 
his purpose to punish them. 

36. Jiulge his people, and repent himself for his servants; 
turn from his fierce anger, and be merciful to them. When 
he seeth ; when God sees their helplessness, and they repent 
of their sins and turn to him. 



Tht song of Moses. 



DEUTERONOMY XXXII. 



He is to view Canaan 



kc:{-^: 37 And he shall say, Where arc their 
gods, their rock in whom they trusted, 

38 Which did eat tlie fat of their sacrifices, and 
drank the wine of their driuk-oiferings ? let them 
rise up and help you," and bo your protection.* 

39 Sec now that I, even I, am he,** and there is no 
god with me: I kill, and I make alive ;"= I wound, 
and I heal : neither is there any that can deliver 
out of my hand. 

40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I 
live for ever. 

41 If I whet my glittering sword,'^ and my hand 
take hold on judgment ; I will render vengeance to 
mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. 

42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood," 
and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with 
the blood of the slain and of the captives from the 
beginning of revenges upon the enemy. 

43 Rejoice, yc nations, with his people:* for 
he will avenge the blood of his servants,' and will 
render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be 
merciful unto his land, and to liis people.^ 

44 IT And Moses came and spake all the words 
of this song in the ears of the people, he, and 
Hoshea,* the son of Nun. 

45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these 
words to all Israel : 



« Judj. 10: 14. • Ileb. a hiding for 
■V. 1:17, IS. d Ezek. 21:9-15. e 
i pfopte, j/e nations, f Rev. 19:2. 



'Isa. -l.i:.?, l5, 22. c 
;:5. t Or. Sing yr 
. 85:1. : Or,Jas'/iu 



37. Their gods; false gods, in whom they had trusted. 

38. Eat the fat of titeir sacrifices; idols to whom they had 
sacrificed. Let them rise ; it" they can ; but they caunot, 
and there is no help but in Jehovah. 

42. From the beginning of revenges uponthe enemy; rather, 
from the head of the leaders of the enemy. 

43. Witk his people ; in their repentance and deliverance 
from their oppressors, and in their restoration again in 
due time to the privileges of his chosen and redeemed 
people. Zech. 12:10; Rom. 11:15. Others prefer to ren- 
der, Rejoice, yo nations who are liis people. 

47. Your life ; that on which their continuance and pros- 
perity would depend. 

49. Abarim; Num. 27:12-14. 

50. Ill mount Hor ; Num. 20:22-29. 

51. Meribah-Kadesh; Num. 20:11-13. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The instructions of God through his inspired ser- 
vants, as recorded in the Scriptures, are worthy of univer- 
sal attention. 

2. As the rain and the dew, so the truths of the Bible 
are perfectly adapted to produce their appropriate effects. 
Is:i. 55:10-13. 

4. Nothing could be added to or taken from the char- 
acter of God, which would make it more perfect ; and no 
change in his dealings could make them in any respect 
better. 

5. Men are the authors of all their own wickedness, and 
they are wholly to blame for it. The more they have of 
it the more unlike they are to God, and the more guilty 
in hia sight. 

6. To live in sin, after all that God has done to deliver 
us from it, is the vilest and basest ingratitude, and exposes 
to the most fearful retribution. 

8. The consideration that God thought kindly and gra- 
ciousl}' of us before we were born, and so ordered things 
that our wants of body and soul may all be supplied, is 
suited to impress our obligation to love and serve him, 
and to show our utter inexcusableness and great guilt if 
we neglect it. 

11. God takes a variety of ways to influence men to 



46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto 
all the words which I testify among you this day, 
which ye shall command your children to observe 
to do, all the words of this law.'' 

47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because 
it is your life:' and through this thing ye shall 
prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over 
Jordan to possess it. 

48 And the Lord spake unto Moses that self- 
same day, saying, 

49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim,^ unto 
mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is 
over against Jericho ; and behold the land of Ca- 
naan, which I give unto the children of Israel for 
a possession : 

50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, 
and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy 
brother died in mount Hor,'' and was gathered 
unto his people : 

51 Because ye trespassed against me among the 
children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Ka- 
desh,^ in the wilderness of Zin ; ' because ye sanc- 
tified me not in the midst of the children of Is- 
rael.'" 

52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee;'' but 
•thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I 
give the children of Israel. 



3:1-4; Ezek. 4U:4. ■ Lev. li:5; Trov. 4: 
2U:24-2U. 8 Or. Strife at Kadesh. 1 Nun 
a: 13. nch.34;l-4. 



work out their own salvation, and renders their elForts 
eflectual to their mounting up on wings as eagles, going 
from strength to strength and holding on their way, till in 
heaven they stand, trophies of grace, perfect before God, 
to his infinite and everlasthig joy. So should parents and 
ministers do, with regard to the young ; and if in this they 
imitate the divine example, or are as true to parental in- 
stinct as the eagle, they maj' hope that the objects of their 
affection will much oftener fly upward towards heaven, and 
not downward towards hell. Chap. G:7; Prov. 22:6. 

12. The tenderness of God to his people, his unceasing 
care for them, and the variety and wisdom of the methods 
he takes to lead them to himself, demand their gratitude 
and renewed devotion to his service. 

15. The facts that increasing prosperity so often occa- 
sions increasing wickedness, and that the more outward 
blessings God bestows upon a people the more they for- 
get him and become worldly, proud, sensual, and devihsh, 
are conclusive proofs of the awful wickedness of the hu- 
man heart. Ver. 17, 18. 

19. For those who have experienced most of God's 
goodness, and especially for his redeemed people to rebel 
against him, is peculiarly wicked, and he will pursue them 
with his indignation till they repent or perish. 

29. God desires that men should consider what will be 
the end of their continuing in sin, and that they should 
turn from it and live. Ezek. 33:11; Matt. 23:37. 

43. The mercy of God to those who repent, and the 
good which he bestows upon them, ought to occasion 
universal joy, and will give joy to all the good through- 
out the universe. 

44. Instruction conveyed in poetry is often more im- 
pressive, more easily remembered, and more extensively 
useful, than when conveyed in prose. God has therefore 
manifested his wisdom and kindness in using it so much 
in the Bible. 

40. To-be benefited by God's communications, men must 
attend to them, treasure them up in their memories, and 
apply them to the regulation of their feelings, thoughts, 
words, and actions. 

47. On the manner in which men treat the commands of 
God, and the book which contains them, depends their 
259 



TTie blessings of 



DEUTERONOMY XXXIII 



the twelve tribes. 



C II APT Ell XXXIII. 

'. The m»je»ty of God. C Tho bleuingi of tlie twelve tribes. 26 The 
eicellt'ncy of Ismel. 

VXD this is tlie ltl«'.*.*inir, wlicrcwith Moses the 
mail of God bles.sed the children of Israel 
before his death. 

12 And lie said. Tlic Loitn came from Sinai, and 
rose iij) from Seir unto them;" lie shined forth 
from mount Paran, and he came witli ten thou- 
sands of saints:'' from his right iiand went a fiery* 
law for tiieni. 

3 Yea, he loved the people;*^ all his saints are 
in thy liand:'' and they sat down at thy feet; 
every one shall receive of thy words." 

4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheri- 
tance of the conffrecration of Jacob. 

5 And he was king in Jeshurun,' when the heads 
of the people and tlie tribes of Israel were gather- 
ed together. 

C II Let Reuben live, and not die f and let not 
his men be few. 

7 IT And this is the blessing of Judah : and he 
said, Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring 
him unto liis people: let his hands be sufBcient 
for him ; and be thou a help to him from his ene- 
mies.'' 

8 % And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and 
thy Urim be with thy holy one,' whom thou didst 
prove at Massah, and loitli wliom thou didst strive 
at the waters of Meribah; 

9 Who said unto his ftither and to his mother, I 
have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge 
his brethren, nor know his own children :' for they 
have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant." 

10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and 
Israel thy law: they sliall* put incense before 



» Exod. 19:ia au; Judg. .5:-!, 5; Hib. 3:3. b Psa. 6^:17; Gal 3.19. 
•Or. fire of. ' Hoj. 11:1; 1 John 4:19. d J Sam. i; 9; Psa. 31:15 ; John 
17:11-13. e 1 Thcss. 1:6. f E.iod. 18:10. 19. S Gen. 49::i. etc. h Psa. 
Uli:.3. i EsoJ. 2i:30. J Exod. 3-J:2j-2y. ' k Mai. 2:-5-7. t Or, (el Mem. 



best good and that of their children, for this hfe and the 
life to come. 

oO. Death is always the fruit of sin. By one man sin 
entered, and death by sin. But to tliose who forsake sin 
and serve God, lie turns it into a blessing. Often, as death 
approaches, tho land of promise, the heavenly city, opens 
before them with a beauty, a grandeur, a glory which sur- 
pass all conception. Earth and its glories they joyfully 
relinquish, though to live on it were Christ ; because to 
die and be with Christ, like Christ perfectly and for ever, 
is unspeakable gain. Phil. 1:21 ; 1 John 3:2. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

2. Came from Sinai— Seir — Paran; these mountains in 
and around the Arabian desert are here taken collectively, 
as the place whence God manifested himself in a special 
manner, first to Moses, and afterwards to the whole peo- 
ple. SawUs ; his ministering angels are meant. Psa. G8:17; 
Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19. We may render more literally, He 
came from the myriads of his holy ones ; that is. from his 
secret dwelling-place, where he is surrounded by myriads 
of angels. 

3. All his .mints; all the holy ones of Israel his people. 
■i. Even the inheritance; the law is itself the inheritance 

of God's covenant people. 

I). Reuben; his posterity; the tribe of Reuben, which 
had an ample and fertile territory on the east of the Jordan. 
Siraeon is passed over in silence. 

7. Bring him unto his people; bring him home safe from 
260 



altar.™ 

11 Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept tho 
work of his hands:" smite through the loins of 
tiiein that rise against him. and of them that hate 
liiiii, that tiiey ri.-e not again. 

12 •] yi/irf of Benjamin he said. The beloved of 
the Loiii) shall dwell in safety by him; and the 
LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he 
shall dwell between his shoulders. 

13 *f And of Joseph he said. Blessed of the Loun 
be his land, for the jirccious things of heaven, for 
the dew," and for the deep that coucheth licneath, 

14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by 
the sun, and for the precious things put* forth by 
the moon,' 

15 And for the chief things of the ancient moun- 
tains, and for theprcciou.s thingsof the lasting hills, 

IG And for the precious things of the earth and 
fulness thereof, andybr the good will of him that 
dwelt in the bush : '' let the blessing come upon the 
head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of 
him that was separated from his brethren. 

17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock.^ 
and his horns are /iVcc the horns of unicorns:^'' with 
them he shall push the people together to the ends 
of the earth:' and they air the ten thousands of 
Ei)hraim, and they are the thousands of Manassch. 

18 1 And of Zebulun he said. Rejoice, Zebulun, 
in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. 

19 Tliey shall call the people unto the moun- 
tain;' there they shall ofl'cr sacrifices of righteous- 
ness:" for they shall suek of the abundance of the 
seas, and of treasures hid in the sand." 

20 f. And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that en- 
largeth Gad : he dwelleth as a lion,^' and tcarcth 
the arm with the crown of the head. 



I Heb. 


11 thy nose. 1 Exod. 30:7. 8. m Lev. 1 :9. 17; Psa. 51 :19. "Job 


42: y; E 


zek. 20:49,41. o Gen. 27:2.S. i Or, thrust. IHeh. moons. P Exod. 


3:2,4. 


qlChr. 5:1. T Heb. a i/n/rarn. rPsa. 92:10. 'Psa. 44:5. 1 Isa. 


2:3. u 


Psa. 4;j. V Isa. «0:.5. 10. w 1 Chr. 12:3. 



his conflicts with his enemies. Be sufficient for him ; or, 
as some render, strive for him; that is, let his hands, 
strengthened by thee, fight his battles successfully. 

8. With tliy holy one; the high-priest is meant, who bore 
the Urim and the Thiinimin, and was of the tribe of Levi. 
Mnssah—Merihah ; Exod. 17:7; Num. 20:1-13. 

9. Not seen — acknowledge — nor knew his own children ; he 
did not spare his own relatives, or favor any who were 
guilty, but executed divine justice upon them. Exod. 
32:26-29. 

12. By him ; the Lord. Jerusalem was in the tribe of 
Benjamin. Between his shoulders; as a father bears a child 
upon his shoulders. God would be near him and i^rotect 
him. 

13. The deep that coucheth beneath; the subterranean wa- 
ters, which break forth in springs. 

14. By tlie sun, and — the moon; their influence in ripen- 
ing the products of the earth. 

Ifi. Him that dwelt in tlie bush; Exod. 3:2-6. 

17. Horns of unicorns ; see note on Num. 23:22. Ephra- 
im,(ind — Manasseh; the two tribes which descended from 
Joseph. Thus he foreteUs to Ephraim a more numerous 
posterity than to Manasseh. Gen. 48:1, 17-19. 

18. In thy going out; for trafBc. Gen. 49:13. Zebulun 
would be a commercial and enterprising tribe. In thy 
tents; abiding in quietness at home. 

19. Treasures hid in the sand; or, hid treasures of <,ho 
sand. The sand here represents the seashore, and then, 
generally, the wealth that comes to it through coinnierce. 



Blessings of the tribes. 



DEUTERONOMY XXXIV. 



The death of Moses. 



ilc'i^' 21 And he provided the first part for 
himself,* because there, in a portion of the law- 
giver, was he seated ;* and he came witJi the heads 
of the people, he executed the justice of tlie Lord, 
and his judgments with Israel." 

22 1i And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp : 
he shall leap from Bashau." 

2:? 1 And of Naphtali he said, Naphtali, satis- 
fied with favor,'' and full with the blessing of the 
Lord, possess thou the west and the south." 

24 1 And of Asher he said. Let Asher be blessed 
with children; let him bo acceptable to his breth- 
ren, and let him dip his foot in oil.' 

2.5 Thy* shoes shall be iron and brass; and as 
thy days, so shall thy strength be.^ 

26 1 There is none like unto the God of Jeshu- 
run,'' who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and 
in his excellency on the sky.' 

27 The eternal God is thy refuge,^ and under- 
neath are the everlasting arms : and ho shall thrust 
out the enemy from before thee ; and shall sav. 
Destroy them. 

28 Israel then shall dwell in safety"^ alone:' the 
fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and 
wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. 

29 Happy art thou, Israel :'" who is like unto 
thee, people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy 
help," and who is the sword of thy excellency!" 
and thine enemies shall be found* liars unto thee; 
and thou shalt tread upon their high places. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1 Moses from mount Nebo vieweth the land. 5 He dieth there. 6 Hi.s 
burial. 7 His age. 8 Thirty days' mourning for him. 9 Joshua 
succeedeth him. 10 The praise of Moses. 

ND Moses went up from the plains of Moab 
unto the mountain of Nebo. to the top of 



A 



aNum. 32;l,eto. • Heh. celleil. b Josh. 4: li l:i. c Jo,i,. !•!: j;. d Psa. 
36:9; 9U:U; Jer. 31:14. c Josh. 19:3-2, etc. f Job 29:1). t Or, Under I/iy; 
ch. 8:9. e Isi. 41:10; 1 Cor. 10:13. h Jer. 10:6. i Psa, 6^:4, 3.J. J Psa. 
90:1; Isi. 4^:4. tjcr.23:6. INum.23:9. m Psa. 141:15. n Psa. 115:9- 



21. The first part for himself; in the country which the 
Israelites first conquered, on the east of Jordan. A portion 
of tlie lawgiver ; that which Closes, their lawgiver, assigned 
to them. He came with the heads of the people; went over 
Jordan with the rest of the Israelites and assisted them in 
the conquest of Canaan. 

22. Leap from Ba-flian ; Bashan was a country east of 
Jordan, between the mountains of Hermon and Gilead. 
From this country the Danites made successful warlike 
excursions. Josh. 19:47; Judg. 18:27:29. 

23. West and — south ; west and south of that which was 
conquered by tlie Danites. 

25. Thy slioes ; or, thy bars. Iron and brass ; invincible 
to the power of the enemy. As thy days, so shall thy strength 
be; thy strength shall endure as long as thy days. Some 
render. As thy days, so shall thy quietness be. 

27. The enemy; the Canaanites. 

2.'*. Alone; not incorporated with other nations. 

29. Be found liars unto thee; rather, shall crouch to thee 
from fear ; shall be forced to submit themselves to thee. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Ministers of God delight in proclaiming the blessings 
which will come on his people ; and though in faithfulness 
they must point out the destruction that will come on the 
wicked, they do it with earnest desires that they may turn 
from their wicked ways and live. 

7. Those who have God for their helper will at last tri- 
umph over all their foes. 



Pisgah,^ that is over against Jericho: and the 
Lord showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 

2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, 
and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the 
utmost sea, 

3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of 
Jericho, the city of palm-trees, unto Zoar. 

4 And the Lord said unto him. This is the land 
which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto 
Jacob," saying, I will give it unto thy seed : I have 
caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt 
not go over thither." 

5 1[ So Moses the servant of the Lord died there 
in the laud of Moab, according to the word of the 
Lord. 

6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of 
Moab, over against Bcth-peor : but no man know- 
eth of his sepulchre unto this day.'' 

7 1 And Moses was a hundred and twenty years 
old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his 
natural force abated.'" 

8 1 And the children of Israel wept for Moses 
in the plains of Moab thirty days:' so the days of 
weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. 

9 1 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the 
spirit of wisdom;" for Moses had laid his hands 
upon him :^' and the children of Israel hearkened 
unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses. 

10 1 And there arose not a projihet since in 
Israel like unto Moses," whom the Lord knew face 
to face, 

11 In all the signs and the wonders which the 
Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pha- 
raoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land.'' 

12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the 
great terror which Moses showed in the sight of 
all Israel.-^ 



u. 


o Rev. 


1: 


16. 


I 


Or, 


subdued 


5 Or 


Tlie hill. 


P Ge 


n. T? 


7. q 


ch. 3:20, 


■J7. 


>• Jade 


9. 


H 


H 


eb. 


moisture 


stled. 


! Josb. I' 


:IU, 


11. 


t Nnr 


Q. 2U:29. 


u IJa 


n.S:3 




iN 






:1b, 23. 


>vch. 


18:15, IB; 


Heb 


;):5 


fi. I 


ch. 4:34. 


y ch 


7:19. 

























12. It is a great blessing to enjoy religious privileges, 
and dwell near the house of the Lord ; and those who de- 
light in worshipping him on earth are preparing for the 
worship of heaven. 

17. The fidelity of parents is often followed by rich and 
lasting blessings on their children. 

19. Sacrifices of righteousness offered in love to God, 
will be rewarded with all needed abundance on earth, and 
with endless and inexhaustible treasures in heaven. 

21. In executing just punishments on the wicked, when 
called to it by God, men may be acceptably serving him 
and securing his blessings. 

23. For all temporal as well as spiritual favors, men are 
dependent on the blessing of the Lord. 

25. The Lord communicates to those who trust in him, all 
which they need to secure in the end their highest good. 

27. To have God for our refuge is the best security from 
fear, and the safest protection from danger. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1. Dnn; this was in the north part of the country. 
Judges 18:29. 

2. Utmost sea ; the Mediterranean, forming the western 
boundary. 

3. Zoar; near the southern boundary of Canaan. 
6. Beth-peor; chap. 3:29. 

9. Laid his hands upon him; Num. 27:18-23. 

10. Ktuwface to face; conversed familiarly with him, as 
a man with his friend. 

361 



THE 



BOOK OF JOSHUA 



Tnis book records the miraculous passage of Joshua and the people of Israel into Canaan through the 
Jordan, the conquest of the land, and its division by lot among the several tribes. It closes with the 
account of Joshua's death and burial. 

In regard to the authorship of this book, there are difierent views. Tlie Jewish tradition ascribes it to 
Joshua himself, with the exception of the last five verses. Hut since it records some transactions which 
occurred after Joshua's death, as the conquest of Hebron, (chapter 15:10-19, compared with Judges 
1 : 12-15,) and the excursion of the Danites, (chapter 19 :47, compared with Judges 18,) we must suj)po.se 
citlier that these passages were inserted by a later hand, or as some think, that the book was written 
by some inspired Israelite unknown to us not many years after the decease of Joshua. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 The Lord appointeth Joshu.a to siirceed Moses. ,"! The borders of the 
promised laud. 5, 9 God promiseth to assist Joshu.a. 8 He giveth 
him instructions. 10 He prepareth the people to pass over Jordan. 
12 Joshua putteth the two tribes and a half in mind of their promise 
to Moses. Ifj They promise him fealty. 

"VTOW after the death of Moses" the servant of 
_L >l tlie Loud it came to pass, that the Lord spake 
unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister,'' say- 
ing, 

2 Moses my servant is dead ; now therefore arise, 
go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto 
the land which I do give to them, even to the chil- 
dren of Israel. 

3 Every place that the sole of j-our foot shall 
tread upon, that have I given unto you,"" as I said 
unto Moses. 

4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even 
unto the great river, the river Euplirates,'' all the 
land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea tow- 



• Deot.34:5. bExod.24;13, c Deut. 11:34. d Gen. 15.18; Nam. .'M:-'- 
e Dent. 7:-^. ' ch. J. 7; 6:27. g Deut. 31:6,8; Heb. 13:5. • Or, 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. However long or faithfully the people of God may 
Berve him, they must die. As they approach that momen- 
tous and solemn event, the Lord can. and sometimes does 
give them such views of the glorious things which he has 
promised, as not only to take away fear, but to lead them 
in peace and with delight to yield up their spirit to Him 
who gave it. 

5. Though it is ordinarily a blessing, when called to die. 
to be surrounded with kind, sympathizing friends, yet if we 
die among strangers, or even alone, with no kind hand to 
smooth a pillow or wipe away a tear, God can so manifest 
himself, that without aid from creatures we shall be filled 
to overflowing with the fulness of God. 

8. When friends, especiaUy such as have been eminently 
useful, die, it is proper to mourn ; hut it should be with 
cheerful acquiescence in the will of God, deep loathing of 
sin the cause of death, and earnest prayer that all the liv- 
ing rn vy be so saved from its power, that when absent 
from the body they shall be present with the Lord. 

9. God is not dependent for the accomplishment of his 

262 



ard the going down of the sun, shall be b.cum: 
your coast. 

5 There shall not any man be able to stand be- 
fore thee all the days of tliy life:" as I was with 
Moses,' so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, 
nor forsake thee.''' 

6 Be strong and of a good courage : for unto this 
people shalt thou divide for an inheritance* the 
land, which I sware unto their fathers to give 
them. 

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous,'" that 
thou mayest observe to do according to all the 
law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn 
not from it lo the right hand or to the left, that 
thou mayest prosper* whithersoever thou goest. 

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of 
thy moutli ; but thou shalt meditate therein day 
and night, that thou mayest observe to do accord- 
ing to all that i.s written therein : for then thou 



> Shalt muse this people lo inlicru. h Deut. 31:7, 23; Eph. 6:10; 2 Tii 
f Or, do wisely; Deut. 29:9. 



work on any of his servants, but they are constant!}' and 
entirely dependent on him. He raises up one, fits him for 
his work, sustains him till it is accomplished, and then, in 
his own way and time, removes him. With equal ease he 
can raise uj) others and fit them for what remains to be 
done, so that not one jot or tittle of what he has promised 
shall fail, till all be accomplished. 

10. Moses was an example of true greatness. The more 
we imitate him in meekness, humility, faith in God, cour- 
age, and perseverance in duty, the more free will be our 
access to God, and the greater our likeness to him ; the 
more useful and blessed will be our life, the richer our 
prospect in death, and the more glorious our condition 
and inheritance in eternity. 

CHAPTER I. 

1. Minister, assistant, agent. 

4. The reilderness; of Zin, on the south. Lebanon ; on the 
north. Euphrates; on the east. Tlie great sea; the Medi- 
terranean, on the west. 

8. This book of the law; Deut. 17:18, 19; 31:26. 



Rahal conaaleth 



JOSHUA II. 



the two spies. 



b.'"i4sl' shalt make thy '"'ay prosporou?, and then 
thou shalt have good success.* 

9 Have not I commanded thee?'' Be strong and 
of a good courage; be not afraid, neitlier be thou 
dismayed:'' for the Lord thy God is with thee 
whithersoever thou goest.'' 

10 1i Tiien Joshua commauded the officers of the 
people, saying, 

1 1 Pass through tlie host, and command the peo- 
ple, saying. Prepare you victuals ; for within three 
days ye shall pass over this Jordan,'' to go in to 
possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth 
you to possess it. 

12 •[ And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, 
and to half the tribe of Mauasseh, spake Joshua, 
saying, 

13 Remember the word which Moses the servant 
of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord 
your God hath given you rest, and hath given you 
tills land." 

li Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, 
shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on 
this side Jordan ; but ye shall pass before your 
brethren armed,* all the mighty men of valor, and 
help them; 

1.5 Until the Lord have given your brethren rest, 
as kc hath give7i you, and they also have possessed 
the land which tiie Lord your God giveth them : 
then ye shall return unto the land of your posses- 
sion, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant 
gave you on tliis side Jordan toward the sunrising. 

16 i[ And they answered Joshua, saying, AH 
that thou commandest us we will do,*^ and whith- 
ersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 

17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in 
all things, so will we hearken unto thee : only the 
Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. ^ 

18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy 
commandment, and will not hearken unto thy 
words iu all that thou commandest him, he shall 
be put to death:'' only be strong and of a good 
courage.' 



CHAPTER II, 



1 Rahab receiveth an 
The covenant bt-twe 



concealeth the two spies sent from Shittim. 
L her and them. 2.3 Tlieir return and relation 



A 



ND Joshua the son of Nun sent* out of Shit- 
tim two men to spy secretly,^ saying. Go view 



• Oi, do wisehj ; ver. 7. " 1 Chr. 4-1:20; Hag. •24; Zech. 8:9. b Gen. 
2=:15; Psa. 27:1; Jer. 1:?^. ' Psa. 40:7; Isa. -l-!:!, 5. i oh. 3:2. e ch. 
22:1-4; Num. 32:20-43. t Heb. marshaUtd by five ; Exod. 13:18. f Deut. 
5:27. Ever. 5; 1 Sam. 20:13; 1 Kings 1:37. t Rom. 13: 1-5. i ver. 0, 7. 9; 
1 Cor, 16:13. lOr, AodsoK. i Num. 13:2. t Matt. 1:3; Heb. 11:31; Jas. 



13. Remember the word; Num. 32:1-42. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. When the servants of God die and enter into rest, 
those who survive should bo aroused to increasing efforts 
to c;irry forward the good works which they had begun. 

7. Tlie highest and noblest courage is shown by the 
most faithful discharge of duty, and no real coward makes 
it his great object to obey the known will of God. 

8. The gran<l means of inspiring and increasing true 
courage, is daily attention to the principles and precepts 
of the Bible, for the purpose of understanding and obeying 
them. 

11. The certainty that God will bestow upon his people 
the blessings he has promised them, does not in the least 



the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came 
into a harlot's house, named Rahab," and lodged^ 
there. 

2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying. 
Behold, there came men in hither to-night of the 
children of Israel to search out the country. 

3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, say- 
ing, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, 
which are entered into thy house : for they be come 
to search out all the country. 

4 And the woman took the two men, and hid 
them,' and said thus. There came men unto me, 
but I wist not whence they were: 

5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting 
of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went 
out : whither the men went, I wot not : pursue after 
them quickly ; for ye shall overtake them. 

6 But she had brought them up to the roof of 
the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, 
which she had laid in order upon tlie roof."" 

7 And the men pursued after them the way to 
Jordan unto the fords : and as soon as they which 
pursued after them were gone out, they shut the 
gate. 

8 1 And before they were laid down, she came 
up unto them upon the roof; 

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the 
Lord hath given you the land, and that your ter- 
ror is fallen upon us," and that all the inhabitants 
of the land faint' because of you. 

10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up 
the water of the Red sea for you,° when ye came 
out of Egypt ; and what ye did unto the two kings 
of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jor- 
dan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.'' 

1 1 And as soon as we had heard these things, our 
hearts did melt,*" neither did there remain^ any 
more courage in any man, because of you : for the 
Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and 
in earth beneath.'' 

12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by 
the Lord, since I have showed you kindness, that 
ye will also show kindness unto my father's house,' 
and give me a true token:' 

13 And that ye will save alive my father, and 
my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and 
all that they have, and deliver our lives from 
death. 



2:35. 


« Heb 




2 Sam 


17:19. 


20. n 


Exod. 


1:1. 5-21 





Ren 


35:5; 


Exod. 


15:15 


10: 23:2 


7: he 


n. i::s 


; 11:2. 


5. 1 H 


b. meltj 


1 S 


tm 


14:16; 


2 Sam 


17:10 


o Exod 


14-21 


pNur 


n. 21:'. 


1-15. 1 


ch. 5:1; 


7:5 


l.sa 


13:7 


1 Heb 


rose uv ' De 


ut. 4; 


;9. ' Gen. 2 


:3. 9; 1 


Sam. 20:16, 


17 


Rom. 


1:31; 


Tim. 


5:8. Iv 


cr. IS 


Exod. 


12:13; 


Ezek. S 


:4-6. 









lessen the necessity of their using all appointed means to 
obtain them. 

18. Rebellion against rightful authority requiring what 
is right, is rebellion against God. 

CHAPTER n. 

1. Slultim ; a place in the plains of Moab, a few miles 
east of the Jordan. Num. 25:1. 
4, 5. Wist ; knew. Wot ; know. 

6. The roof of the house ; their roofs were flat, and were 
places often resorted to for air, meditation, and rest. 
Deut. 22:8. 

7. The fords; where they expected that the spies would 
cross over Jordan. 

263 



Tilt spies return. 



.1 OS III: A III. 



Joshua Cometh to Jordnn. 



14 Ami tlic men answered licr, Our life for your?,' 
if ye utter not tiiis our business. And it shall lie, 
when llie LoUD luitli given us the land, that wc 
will deal kindly and truly with thoc." 

15 Then siie let them down by a cord throuprh 
the winilow:'' fur her house nas upon the town 
wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 

ll) And she said unto them. Get you to the moun- 
tain, lest the pursuers meet you ; and hide your- 
selves there tliroe days, until tlie pursuers be re- 
turned : and afterward may ye go your way. 

17 And the men said unto her, We will be blame- 
less of this thine oath which thou hast made us 
swear.*^ 

18 Behold u-hcn we come into the land, thou shalt 
bind this line of scarlet thread in the window 
which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt 
bring' thy father, and thy mother, and thy breth- 
ren, and all thy father's household, home unto 
thee.'' 

19 And it shall bo that whosoever shall go out 
of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood 
s/iali be upon his head, and we wUl be guiltless : and 
whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his 
blood shall be on our head,'' if any hand be upon 
him. 

20 And if thou utter this our business,' then we 
will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made 
ufi to swear. 

21 And she said. According unto your words, 
so be it.*"' And she sent them away, and they 
departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the 
window. 

22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, 
and abode there three days, until the pursuers were 
returned: and the pursuers sought them through- 
out all the way, but found them not. 

23 1 So the two men returned, and descended 
from the mountain, and passed over, and came to 
Joshua the sou of Xuu, and told him all things that 
befell them : 

24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord 
hath delivered into our hands all the land ; '' for 
even all the inhabitants of the country do faint' 
because of us. 



CHAPTER III. 



• Heb. instead of you to die. a Gen. 24:19; Judg. 1:2) 


; 1 Sim. 20:S. 


l'Acls9:23. c Lev. 19:11, 12; Num. 30:2; 2 Sim. 21:1, 2, 7. 


t Heb. gntluT. 


■1 ch. 6:23. e 1 Kings 2:32; Mitt. 27:2.5. < Prov. 11:13. 


e Mitt,27:24. 


•i ch. 21:44; ExoJ. ii:31. t Heb, melt: ver. 9. i ch. 2:1. 


J ch. 1:10, 11. 


k Num. Ill::i3. 1 Deut. 31:9, 45. ■» Exod. 19:12. S Heb. 


since yesterday 



14. Our life for yours ; may God take our life if wo do 
not save yours. 

15. She dwelt upon the wall ; so that from her window she 
could let the men down outside of the city wall. 

17. We will be blameless; not under obligation to fulfil 
their engagement to her, unless she should do as they 
■mentioned, ver. 18. 

19. His blood sluill be upon his head; his death will be his 
■own fault. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

9. The providences of God, as well as his word, often ter- 
rify the wicked ; yet those terrors wliich do not lead them 
to repentance will do them no good, but will be forerun- 
ners of their destruction. 

12. Kindness to tlie people of God, and assistance ren- 
dered to them for his sake, are well pleasing to him, and 
secure his blessing. Matt. 1U:11, 42; Heb. 11:31. 
264 



2 The olTiceri inBtruct the ppopic for the 
luragclh Joshua. 1) Joihua 
vatcn of Jordan are divided. 



1 Josliu.% Cometh to Jordii 
pashajje. 7 The Lord f 
the people. 14 Tht 

AND Joshua rose early in the morning; and 
they removed from Shittim,' and came to 
Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and 
lodged there before they ])assed over. 

2 And it came to pass after three days, that the 
officers went through the host;' 

3 And they conimanded the people, saying. When 
ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lokd your 
God," and the jiricsts the Levites boai'ing it,' then 
ye shall remove from your jilace, and go after it. 

4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it,'" 
about two thousand cubits by measure: come not 
near unto it, that ye may know the way by which 
ye must go : for ye have not passed this way here- 
tofore.* 

5 And Joshua said unto the people. Sanctify your- 
selves:" for to-morrow the LoiU) will do wonders 
among you." 

6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, 
Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over 
before the jieojile.'' And they took up the ark of 
the covenant, and went before the people. 

7 1! And the Loud said unto Joshua, This day 
will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all 
Israel," that they may know that, as I was with 
Moses,' so I will be with thee. 

8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear 
the ark of the covenant, saying. When ye are come 
to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand 
still in Jordan." 

9 H And Joshua said unto the children of Israel. 
Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your 
God. 

10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that 
the living God is among you,' and that he will 
without fail" drive out from before you the Ca- 
naanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and 
the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amo- 
ritcs, and the Jebusites.^ 

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of 
all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.'' 



and the third day. " ch. 7:13; Exod. 1910, 14Ll,ev. 20:7; Num. 11:13: 
1 .Sam. 16:5; Job 1:5; Joel 2:16; John 17:19. o Psa. 86:10. P Num. 4:15! 
q oh. 4:14; 1 Chr. 29:25; 2 Chr. 1:1; Psi. IS:.3.5. r ch. 1:5. • ver. 17. 
tDcut.5:26; Mitt. 10:16; 1 Thess 1:9. "ch. 21:45. » Exod. 33:2; Deut. 
7:1; I'si. 44:2. "ver. U; Isi. 54:5; Mic. 4:13; Zech. 4:14; 6:5. 



14. We should be careful to promise only what is prac- 
ticable and right ; and when we make such promises, should 
conscientiously and faithfully fulfil them. 

24. When God abandons a people on account of their 
sins, all things conspire to work out their ruin. 

CHAPTER III. 

2. After three days; from the time mentioned in chap. 
1:10, il. 

4. r«'o thousand cubits; about one thousand yards, or 
two thirds of a mile. 

5. Sanctify yourselves; Exod. 19:10-14; Lev. 20:7, S; 
Num. 11:18. 

7. Magnify thee; show by miracle that he had appointed 
Joshua, and clothed him with authority as the leader of 
Israel. Chap. 4:14. 

10. Hereby ; by what he would do in dividing the waters 
of Jordan. Ver. 16. 



The passage of Jordan. 



JOSHUA IV. 



Twelve stones set wp. 



out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.' 
13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles 
of tlie feet of the priests that bear the ark of the 
Loun,'' the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the 
waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall 
be cut od' from the waters that come down from 
above ; and they shall stand upon a heap.'^ 

1-1 1 And it came to pass, when the people re- 
moved from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and 
the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before 
the people ;'' 

15 iVnd as they that bare the ark were come unto 
Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the 
ark were dipped in the brim of the water," (for 
Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of 
harvest,)' 

16 That the waters which came down from above 
stood and rose up upon a heap'"' very far from the 
city Adam, that is beside Zaretan;* and those 
that came down toward the sea of the plain,'' cvin 
the salt sea, failed, a7id were cut off: and the peo- 
ple passed over right against Jericho. 

17 And the priests that bare the ai'k of the cov- 
enant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the 
midst of Jordan,' and all the Israelites passed over 
on dry ground, until all the people were passed 
clean over Jordan. 

CHAPTER IV. 

I Twelve men are appointed to take twelve stones for a memorial out 
of Jordan. 9 Twelve other stones are set up in the midst of Jordan. 
10, 19 The people pass over. 14 God magnifieth Joshua. 20 The 
twelve stones are pitched in Qilgal. 

AND it came to pass, when all the people were 
clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord 
spake unto Joshua, saying, 

2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out 
of every tribe a man, 

3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence 
out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where 
the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stoues,J and ye 
shall carry them over with you, and leave them in 
the lodging-place, where ye shall lodge this night. 



4:2. bver. 13. l(i. c Psa. 7S;13. d Dent. SI:-*: Jer. .3: 1(1: Heb. 
ver. 13. f 1 Chr. 13:15; Jer. 12:5. 6 Psa. 114:3. • Zarlanah. 
4:12; Zarlkan, 1 Kings 7:46. h Deut. 3:17. i Exod. 14:29. 



12. Twelve men; these were to be selected for a special 
purpose. Chap. 4:2, 3. 

13. Be cut off; the waters below would separate from the 
waters above, leaving the channel of the river dry. Ver. 10. 

1.'). The tune of harvest ; the people crossed on the tenth 
of tlie first month Abib, or early in April. Chap. 4:19. 
Then, as now, the harvest occurred during April and early 
in >[ay, the barley preceding the wheat harvest by two 
or three weeks. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. They who are earnest, diligent, and persevering in 
the discharge of their appropriate duties, may expect to 
be rendered eminently useful, and advanced to distin- 
guished honor and glory. Ver. 7. 

3. To follow the directions of God as indicated by his 
word, his .Spirit, and his providence, is the way of safety, 
happiness, and success. 

5. Sanctification of body and spirit is a preparation for 
seeing the glory of God, and experiencing the manifesta- 
tions of his power and grace. 



4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he 
had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every 
tribe a man : 

5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before 
the ark of the Lord your ( !od into the midst of 
Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone 
upon his shoulder, according unto the number of 
the tribes of the children of Israel: 

6 That this may be a sign among you, that when 
your children ask their fathers in time to come,* 
saying, What 7nean ye by these stones?'' 

7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters 
of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the cov- 
enant of the Lord;' when it passed over Jordan, 
the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these 
stones shall be for a memorial unto the children 
of Israel for ever."" 

8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua 
commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the 
midst of Jordan, as the Lord spake unto Joshua, 
according to the number of the tribes of the chil- 
dren of Israel, and carried them over with them 
unto the place where they lodged, and laid them 
down there. 

{) And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst 
of Jordan," in the place where the feet of the 
priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood ; 
and they are there unto this day. 

10 IT For the priests which bare the ark stood 
in the midst of Jordan," until every thing was fin- 
ished that the Lord commanded Joshua to speak 
unto the people, according to all that Moses com- 
manded Joshua : and the people hasted and passed 
over. 

11 And it came to pass, when all the people were 
clean passed over, that the ark of the Lord passed 
over, and the priests, in the presence of the people. 

12 And the children of Reuben, and the children 
of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over 
armed before the children of Israel," as Moses spake 
unto them : 

13 About forty thousand prepared* for war pass- 
ed over before the Lord unto battle, to the plains 
of Jericho. 



) Deut. 27:2. t Heb. 

41:1; 7S::!-S. I ch.3:13:l(i. m t 

23:21; 1 Kings 1S:31. "ch. 3:13. 



k ver. 21; ExoJ. 13:14; Dcu' fi:2U; Psa. 
am. 16:40; Psa. 111:4. n Kxod. 24:12; 
P Num. 32:20-29. I Or. ready drmed. 



10. However dark the path before us, God can make it 
plain ; and however great the difficulties in the way of 
duty, he can remove them, and cause us in obeying him 
to triumph. 

13. Multitudes of things which are impossible with men 
are possible with God. It is therefore reasonable and a 
duty to believe whatever he declares, and show that beUef 
by our conduct. 

16. Whatever difficulties may be in the way of believing 
God, living and strong faith will overcome thcin ; and 
those who exercise it will in due time see the complete 
fulfilment of his declarations. 

CHAPTER lY. 

4. Prepared; previously selected. Chap. 3:12. 

6. A sign; a monument to commemorate the dividing of 
the river^Jordan, and to transmit the knowledge of it to 
future generations. Ver. 7. 

7. For ever; as long as tlie knowledge of this event 
should continue. 

265 



7%ey ctuamp in GUgal. 



JOSHUA V. 



Circurndsiun renewed. 



H ^ On that day the Loud macrnifiod Joslma 
in the sight of all L-Jrael ;" and they feared liiin, 
as they feared Moses,'' all the days of his life. 
1') And the Loud sjiake unto .Joshua, t^aying, 
111 Coninuind the ]>iiisls tiiat lirar the ark of the 
testimony,'' that lliry conic u]) out of Jordan. 

17 Joshua therefore eoinnuinded the priests, say- 
ins, Come ye up out of Jordan. 

18 And it came to pass, when the priests that 
bare the ark of tlie covenant of the Lord were 
come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles 
of (he priests' feet were lifted up" unto the dry 
land, tliat the waters of Jordan returned unto 
tlieir place, and ilowed* over all his banks, as 
they did before.'' 

li) 1 And the people came up out of Jordan on 
the lentil day of the lirst month, and encamped in 
Giliral. in tiie east border of Jericho. 

20 .Vnd those tw(?lvc stones," which they took out 
of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Giljral. 

21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, say- 
ino:, When your children shall ask their fathers in 
time to come,* sayintr. What mmn these stones?'' 

22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, 
Israel came over this Jordan on ilry land.'' 

23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters 
of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed 
over, as the Lord your God did to tlie Red sea,'' 
which he dried up from before us, until we were 
gone over. 

24 That all the people of the earth might know 
the hand of the Loud,' that it is mighty; that ye 
might fear the Lord your God for ever.^ 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The Canaanites are afraid. 2 Joshua reneweth circumcision. 10 
The passover is kept at G-ilgal. 12 Manna ceaseth. 13 An angel 
appcareth to Joshua. 

A ND it came to pass, when all the kings of the 
Jrx. Amorites, which loere on the side of Jordan 



a Ch. .3;7. b ExoJ. 14::il ; 1 Sam. !-J:lSi 1 Kings S.-irf. « Exod. 2.5:l(j, 
21. • lleb. plucked up. 1 Ueb. went, d oh. 3:15. e ver. 8. 1 Heb. (o- 
mormc. fver. 6. Sch. 3:17. h Exod. 14:21. > 1 Kings S: 4-2, 4.1; 2 Kings 
19:19; P.^a. 100:8; Jer. 10:8, 7; Dan. 4:*t, 35. 5 Heb. alt days, j Num. 
13:-.>9. kExoJ. 15:14, 1.3. 1 ch. 2:9, II ; Psa. 43:6; Ezek. 21:7. ml Kings 



14. The Lord magnified Joshua j by the manner in whicli 
he led the Israelites over the Jordan. Chap. 3:7. 

19. The tenth day of tlie first month ; forty years, wanting 
five days, from the time they left Egypt, and on the day 
that the paschal lamb was to be set apart for sacrifice. 
Chap. 5:10; Exod. 12:3-42. 

20. Pitch; literally, rear up; that is, into a conspicuous 
heap. 

23. Tlie Red sea; Exod. 14:21, 22. 
INSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. All proper care should be taken to keep in mind the 
mercies of the Lord ; and to transmit a knowledge of them 
to our children and all coming generations. 

6. It is wisely ordered that children should be inquisi- 
tive. It opens the way to communicate instruction in a 
form most interesting and useful. Such opportunities 
should be diligently improved by parents and all intrust- 
ed with the education of the young. 

10. When in obedience to God we have taken the place 
and engaged in the service which he has assigned us, we 
should patiently abide in it till he in his providence bids 
us leave it, and then we should go to any other place and 
engage in any other service to which he calls us. 

12. The friends of God should rememlier that they be- 
long to one family, and have one common cause. Most 
266 



westward, and all the kings of the Canaan- ^i. " m?: 
itcs, which mre by the sea,' heard that the LoHD 
had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the 
children of Israel," until we were pas.sed over, that 
tlioir heart melted,' neither was there spirit in them 
any more,'" because of the children of Israel. 

2 *i At that time the Lord said unto Joshua, 
Make thee sharp knives,' and circumcise again 
the children of Israel the second time. 

3 And Joshua made him shar[) knives, and cir- 
cumcised the children of Israel at tlie hill of the 
foreskins.'' 

4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circum- 
cise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that 
were males, even all the men of war, died in the 
wilderness by the way, after they came out of 
Egypt." 

5 Now all the people that came out were cir- 
cumcised ; but all the people that were born in the 
wilderness by the way as they came forth out of 
Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 

6 For the children of Israel walked forty years 
in the wilderness," till all the people that were men 
of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, 
because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord: 
unto whom the Lord sware that he would not 
show them the land,'' which the Lord sware unto 
their fathers that he would give us, a land that 
(lowctii with milk and honey. 

7 And their children,'' whom he raised up in their 
stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were un- 
circumcised, because they had not circumcised them 
by the way. 

8 And it came to pass, when they had done cir- 
cumcising all the people," that they abode in their 
places in the camp, till they were whole. 

9 And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have 
I rolled away the reproach'' of Egypt from off 
you.'* Wherefore the name of the place is called 
GilgaP unto this day. 



10:5. I Or, itna-Mo//i7!!.t,- Kxoil. 4:25 1 Or. Gibenli-lumralolk. n Num. 
2IJ:04, 05. Num. 14:33; Deut. 1:3; 2:7, 14; B:4. P Psa. 95:10, 11 ; Heb. 
3:11. qNum. 14:31; Deut. 1:.39. • Heb. Hit people had made an rivl to U 
circumrised. rOn.. ■14:14; 1 Sam. 17:20. •cli.21:14- Ezek. 20:7,6; 23:3, 

^. t That is, Rolling. 



gladly, therefore, should each portion pursue the course 
which is best for the whole, and in so doing they will 
subserve their own best interests. 

14. They who most heartily and faithfully follow the 
directions of God, will in due time be most highly hon- 
ored. Matt. 19:28. 

18. What are called laws of nature, are stated modes of 
God's operation, which he can continue or change, as he 
sees best. 

24. When God works wonders, they are not for any par- 
ticular people or period merely, but for all people in all 
ages, and are designed and adapted to make known hia 
character to the universe for ever. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Tlie sea ; the Mediterranean. 

2. The second time; not that any who had been cir- 
cumcised were to be circumcised again, but that the rite 
of circumcision, which had been neglected in the wilder- 
ness, was to be, as it were, established a second time as 
it had been the first time in Abraham's day. 

8. Whole; healed. 

9. The reproach of Egypt; according to some, the re- 
proach of their having been bondmen in Egypt. Accord- 
ing to others, the reproach cast upon them by the Egyp- 



The. Captain of GmPs host. 



JOSHUA VI. 



Jericho is besic"-crJ. 



A. M ■jns', "I Q ^ ^YikI the children of Israel encamped 
in Gilgal," and kept the passover on the t'our- 
teenth day of the month at even in the plains of 
Jericho.'' 

1 1 And they did eat of the old corn of the land 
on tlie morrow after the passover, unleavened 
cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 

1 2 1[ Aivl the manna ceased on the morrow after 
they had eaten of the old corn of the land;'' nei- 
ther had the children of Israel manna any more;'' 
but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan 
that year. 

13 IT And it came to pass, when Joshua was by 
Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and 
behold, there stood a man" over against him with 
his sword drawn in his hand:'' and Joshua went 
unto him, and said unto him, Jirt thou for us, or 
for our adversaries? 

14 And ho said, Nay ; but as captain" of the host 
of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on 
his face to the earth,*-' and did worship, and said 
unto him. What saith my lord unto his servant?*" 

15 And the captain of the Lord's host said unto 
Joshua, Loose thy shoe from oS thy foot ;' for the 
place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua 
did so. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 Jericho is shut up. 2 G-od instructeth Joshua how to besiege it. 12 
The city is compassed. 17 It must be accursed. 20 The walls fall 
down. 22 Rahab is saved. 26 The builder of Jericho is cursed. 

"\ TOW Jericho was straitly shut up* because of 
Jl> the children of Israel: none went out, and 
none came in. 

2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have 
given into thy hand Jericho,^ and the king there- 
of,'^ and the mighty men of valor. 



>Ch.4;19. bExod. 12:6; Num. 9:5. c E.iod. 10:35; Neh. 9:20. d Rev. 
7:16,17. e Gen. :32:21; Exod. 23:2:3. f Num. 22:23; 1 Chr. 21 :27, 30. 'Or, 
Jirince; Exod. 2:3:20; Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Rev. 19:11-14. s Gen. 17:3; 
Num. 16:22. hi Sim. 3:9, 10; Isa.6:8; Acts9:6. iE.xod.3:5; AGts7:.i3. 



tians, as a race out of favor with God, and left by him to 
wander in the wilderness. Compare Exod. 32:12; Num. 
14:13-16; Deut. 9:28. This reproach God had removed 
by receiving them again into covenant with himself by 
circumcision, and by giving them possession of the prom- 
ised land. Gilgal; that is, rolling away. 

10. Fourteenth daij ; just forty years from the time of 
their keeping it on the evening before their departure 
from Egypt. Exod. 12:6-14. 

13. A man; One in the form and appearance of a man. 
He was that " Angel of the Lord " who showed himself to 
be the Lord himself. Gen. 18. 

14. Captain; Heb. 2:10. Did worship; Matt. 4:10; Rev. 
19:10. 

15. Loose thy shoe ; Exod. 3:5. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. However much those who continue in sin may see of 
their own approaching ruin, they take no proper measures 
to escape it. 

2. If under special and peculiar circumstances the ordi- 
nances of God have been for a time neglected, the earliest 
opportunity should be embraced to observe them, and 
thus to secure the benefits they are suited to impart. 

3. Whatever be the circumstances of men, it is safe, 
wise, .ind best for them to obey God. He can protect them 
from all harm, or overrule what they may suffer for their 
highest good. 

6. By the dispensations of his providence, God fulfils 
the declarations of his word. 



3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of 
war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt 
thou do six days. 

4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark 
seven trumpets of rams' horns:' and the seventh 
day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the 
priests shall blow with the trumpets.™ 

5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make 
a long blast with the ram's horn," and when ye liear 
the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout 
with a great shout;" and the wall of the city shall 
fall down flat,* and the people shall ascend up 
every man straight before him. 

6 1i And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, 
and said unto them. Take up the ark of the cove- 
nan t,P and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of 
rams' horns before the ark of the Lord. 

7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and com- 
pass the city,'' and let him that is armed pass on 
before the ark of the Lord. 

8 IF And it came to pass, when Joshua had spo- 
ken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing 
the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before 
the Lord, and blew with the trumpets : and the ark 
of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 

9 And the armed men went before the priests 
that blew with the trumpets, and the rearward^ 
came after the ark,"' the priests going on, and blow- 
ing with the trumpets. 

10 And Joshua had commanded the people, say- 
ing, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with 
your voice," neither shall any word proceed out of 
your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then 
shall ye shout. 

11 So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, 
going about it once : and they came into the camp, 
and lodged in the camp. 



t Heb. dill sliut up, and was shut up. i ch. 2:9, 24; 8:1. k Deut. 7:21; 
Judg. 11:24. IJudg. 7:16. 22. m Num. 10:8. n 2 Chr. 20:21, 23. o 2 Chr. 
13:14,15. t Heh. undtrit. P ch. 3:6. q ver. 3. i Heb. gathering host. 
' Num. 10:25. I Heb. your voice to be heard. 



9. Reproach may for a season rest upon the people of 
God, but in due time it shall be done away, and they shall 
be crowned with honor and glory. 

12. When one source of support ceases, God opens an- 
other, and instead of leaving his people destitute, he will 
abundantly supply them with all real good. 

14. Jehovah, who took the form of man, is the Captain 
of salvation to his people. Those whom he saves worship 
him on earth, and will for ever worship him in heaven. 
Matt. 14:33; Acts 7:59; Rev. 5:8-14. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. And the Lord said; this is a continuation of the nar- 
rative begun in ver. 13 of the preceding chapter; the first 
verse of the present chapter being thrown in simply by 
way of explanation. " The Lord " here is the same as 
" the Captain of the host of the Lord," chap. 5:14, 15. 

3. Shall compass the city; this is a sign of its being given 
by Jehovah into the power of Israel. The number seven, 
here as elsewhere, denotes completeness. 

8. Before the Lord ; before the ark, the visible manifesta- 
tion of his presence. 

9. The armed men; the Hebrew term used here being 
that which is repeatedly applied to the warriors of the 
tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 
some have thought that these warriors were designated 
as those who should go before the ark, the rest of the 
armed men following it. It was only the men of war that 
compassed the city. Ver. 3. 

2G7 



Deslrudion of Jtrichn. 



.losiir.v VII, 



Rafuib is spared. 



1 2 "' And Josliua rose oarly in tlio morning, and 
the pricsU took uji the ark of tlic LoUD." 

i:{ And sevi-n [nicsls buariuL' seven trumpets of 
ranjs' liorns before tlie ark of tlie Loud went on 
continiiallv, and blew with the trumpets: and the 
armed men wi-nt liefore them; but the rearward 
came after the ark of the Loitn, t/te priexls going 
on. and blowing with the trumpets. 

14 And tlic second day tiicy compassed the city 
once, and returned into the camj). So they did 
six days. 

1.5 And it came to pass on tiic seventh day," tliat 
they rose early about the dawning of the day, and 
compassed the city after the same manner seven 
times: only on that day they compassed the city 
seven times. 

li> And it came to pass at the seventh time, when 
the priests blew with tiie trumjjets, Joshua said 
unto the people, Shout ;'^ for the Loud hath given 
you the city. 

IT "i And the city shall bo accursed,* even it, and 
all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab the 
harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in 
the house, because she hid the messengers that we 
sent.'' 

18 And ye, in any -wise keep yourselves from the 
accursed thing," lest ye make yourselves accursed, 
when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the 
camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.'^ 

11) But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of 
brass and iron, are consecrated* unto the Lord: 
they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.*-' 

20 So the people shouted when t/w priests blew 
with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the 
people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the 
people shouted with a great siiout, that the wall 
icll down flat,*'' so thai the people went up into 
tlie city, every man straight before him, and they 
took the city. 

21 And they utterly destroyed all that u-as in 



» Vcr. fl; Deut. 31:\.'5. b ver. 4. c ver. .'">. * Or. devoted,- Lev. 27:25; 
MLc. .1:13, i oh. 'J:4. « ch. 71; neut. 7:20; 13:17; i Cor. 6:17. ' ch. 
7:'25. i lleh. holiness. glKings7:51. t Heb. uiuierit. h ver. 5. i Deut. 
7:-.>, 10; aij;10, 17; 1 Sam. 1,5:3, H; 1 Kings 2IJ:4-i; Psi. 137:8, 9; Jcr. 



17. Accursed; wholly devoted to destruction in God's 
nam? and by liis authority. Jericho being the first>fruits 
of the conquest of Caiuuiu, the Israel'tes were required to 
dcviite every thing in it to God, reserving no spoils to 
themselves. In the manner in whicli they obtained pos- 
session of the city they were taught that it was by God's 
miglit, not their own, that they were to conquer Canaan. 
In t\v ntter devotion of the city and its spoils to Jehovah, 
tliey were further taught that he was tlie sovereign pro- 
prietor of tlie promised land, and liad an absolute riglit to 
dispose of it and its wealth as he saw good. 

13. Into the treasury of the Lord; to be employed in the 
service of the sanctuary and the support of jiublic worship. 

26. Adjured tliein ; commanded them, under the penalty 
of a curse, not to build again the city of Jericho. In his 
firsl-horn,and in his ynunsest son ; tliis is supposed to mean, 
that all his sons would die while ho was building the city ; 
his first-born when he laid the foundation, and his young- 
est when he set up the gates. 1 Kings 16:34. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. If men continue in known transgression, they will 
bring themselves into difficulties and dangers from which 
tliey cannot escape. 

5. God gives success to his people in such a way as to 
268 



the city,' both man and woman, young and r^.i^;;?; 
old, and o.\, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of 
the sword. 

22 JJut Joshua had said unto the two men that 
had si)ied out the country, Uo into the harlot's 
house, and bring out thence the woman, and all 
that she hath, a,s ye sware unto her.^ 

23 And the young men that were spies went in, 
and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her 
mother, and her brethren, and all that she had ;" 
and they brought out ail her kindred,* and left 
them without the caiiip of Israel. 

24 And they burnt the city with fire,' and all 
that vas therein : only the silver, and the gold, 
and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into 
the treasury of the house of the Lord.'" 

25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive," 
and her father's household, and all that she had; 
and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day ;" be- 
cause she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent 
to spy out Jericho. P 

2() If And Joshua adjured them at that time, .say- 
ing. Cursed be the man before the Lord, that ris- 
eth up and buildeth this city Jericho :'' he shall lay 
the foundation thereof in his iirst-born, and in his 
youngest so?i shall he set up the gates of it. 

27 So the Lord was with Joshua;'' and his fame 
was twistd throughout all the country. 



CHAPTER VII. 

1 The Israelites are smitten at Ai. 6 Joshua's complaint. 10 God 
instructeth him what to do. 16 Arhan is taken by the lot. 19 His 
confession. 22 He and all he had are destroyed in the valley of Achor. 

T^UT the children of Israel committed a tres- 
!) pass in the accursed thing:* for Achan,' the 
son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi,^ the son of Zerah, 
of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing : 
and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the 
children of Israel. 



4.<:IU; Rev. 18:21. jch.2:14. k ch. 2: 


1^,. iHeh. families. 


1 Deut. 13:18. 


niver.19. n Judg. 1:24. 25; Heb. 1 1 :31 


oMatt. 1:5 P Jas. 


i:2S. ql Kines 


ll>:34. r Deut. 31:0. > ver. 20, 21. 


Ar/iar; 1 Chr. 2:7. 


l Or, ZImri; 


1 Chr. 2:0. 







try their faith, and to show tliem that tlieir victories come 
not from themselves, but from him alone. 

10. Silence is often conducive to that serious meditation 
and solemn reflection upon the character, works, and wajs 
of God, which prep;ire his people to see bis glory and ex- 
perience his salvation. 

14. Careful attention to the directions of God, and pa- 
tient perseverance in following them, whether we see any 
immediate effects or not, is the highest wisdom, and the 
surest way of securing success. 

19. The silver and gold and treasures of every descrip- 
tion which men have accumulated, belong to the Lord, and 
he has a perfect right to the disposal of them. 

21. The manner in which the Israelites passed over 
Jordan and took the city of Jericho, showed that while men 
obey God they have no good reason to distrust his willing- 
ness or his power to do for them all which they need. 

25. Faith in God meets his approbation, and secures, for 
those who exercise it, the richest blessings, lleb. 11: 30, 34. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1. Tlie children of Israel; Israel is regarded as constitut- 
ing one people consecrated to God's service ; and the sin 
of a single member pollutes the whole body, and brings 
it under God's disijleasure. 



Israel smitten at Ai. J S H U A V 1 1 . 

5; a'us?' 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to M, 
which is beside Bcth-aven, on the east side of Beth- 
el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the 
country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 

3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto 
him, Let not all the people go up; but let about 
two or three thousand men* go up and smite Ai; 
and make not all the people to labor thither ; for 
they are but few. 

4 8o there went up thither of the people about 
three thousand men; and they fled before the men 
of Ai." 

5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty 
and six men: for thej' chased them y?-om before the 
gate,'' even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the 
going down:* wherefore the hearts of the people 
melted,'^ and became as water.'' 

6 ir And Joshua rent his clothes,'' and fell to the 
earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord 
until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and 
put dust upon their heads. "^ 

7 And Joshua said, Alas, Lord God, wherefore 
hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan,''' 
to deliver us into the hand of the Araorites, to de- 
stroy us? would to God we had been content, and 
dwelt on the other side Jordan! 

8 Lord, what shall I say,'' when Israel turneth 
their backs* before their enemies! 

9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of 
the laud shall hear of it,' and shall environ us 
round, and cut off our name from the earth:' and 
what wilt thou do unto thy great name?" 

10 IT And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee 
up ; wherefore liest^ thou thus upon thy face? 

11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also trans- 
gressed my covenant which I commanded them:' 
for they have even taken of the accursed thing,"" 
and have also stolen, and dissembled also," and 
they have put it even among their own stuff. 

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not 
stand before their enemies," but turned their backs 
before their enemies, because they were accursed:'' 
neitlier will I be with you any more, except ye 
destroy the accursed from among you. 

13 Up, sanctify the people, and say. Sanctify 
yourselves against to-morrow :'• for thus saith the 
Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in 
the midst of thee, Israel : thou canst not stand 
before thine enemies, until ye take away the ac- 
cursed thing from among you. 

14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought 



* Heb. about two thousand jnen, or about three thousand men. a Lev. 
2G;17; Deat. aSi-iS. b Deut. 1:44. 1 Or, in Morad. c Lev. afi:30. d Psa. 
•i-2:H. e Gen. 37:29, 3). f 1 Sim. 4: 1'J: 2 Sam. 1 :■> : 13: 19; Neh. 9: 1 ; 
Joba:12. SKxod. 5:221 2 Kings 3:10. liHab.2:l. 1 Heb. nfffa. i ExoJ. 
32:12; Num. 14:13. j Deut. 32:20. 27; Psa. 83:4. k Ezek. 3():22, 23. 
i HAk fallest. Ich. 6:17, IS. m ver. 21. » Acts 5:1, 2. o Num. 14:45; 
JudL- 2:14. P ch. G:ltf; Ueut. 7:2G; Ilag. 2:13, 14. q oh. 3:5. r 1 gam. 



2. Ai; a city north-west of Jericho; the same as Uai. 
Geu. 12:8; 13:3. 

5. Became as water; were utterly discouraged. 

C. Put dust upon their heads; in token of deep distress. 

9. What wilt thou do ? how would God secure his honor 
as faitliful to his promises and able to fulfil them. 

14. The Lord taJceth; designates by lot as presently ex- 
plained. 

19. Give — glory to tlie Lord ; by confessing the truth. 

24. His sons, and his daughters; the lives of all are at 



The sin of Ac/tnn. 

according to your tribes :"■ and it shall be, that the 
tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according 
to the families thereof;" and the family which the 
Lord shall take shall come by households ; and the 
household which the Lord shall take shall come 
man by man. 

15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the 
accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all 
that he hath : because he hath transgressed the 
covenant of tiie Lord, and because he hath wrought 
folly ' in Israel.' 

16 1 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and 
brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of 
Judah was taken: 

17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he 
took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought 
the family of the Zarhites man by man ; and Zabdi 
was taken : 

18 And he brought his household man by man; 
and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, 
the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 

19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, 
I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel," and 
make confession unto him ;" and tell me now what 
thou hast done ; hide it not from me. 

20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed 
I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and 
thus and thus have I done: 

21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Bab- 
ylonish garment,'" and two hundred shekels of sil- 
ver, and a wcdge^ of gold of fifty shekels weight, 
then I coveted them," and took them ;^ and behold, 
they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, 
and the silver under it.^ 

22 11 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran 
unto the tent ; and behold, it was hid in his tent, 
and the silver under it. 

23 And they took them out of the midst of the 
tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all 
the children of Israel, and laid* them out before 
the Lord. 

24 lind Joshua, and all Israel with him, took 
Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the 
garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and 
his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his 
sheep, and his tent, and all tliat he had: and they 
brought tlicm unto the valley of Achor. 

25 And Joshua said. Why hast thou troubled us?-'' 
the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Is- 
rael stoned him with stones," and burned them with 
fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 



10:19; 14: 3S^2. » Trov. 1U:33; Jonah 1 :7. I Or, wickedness. 'Gen. 34:7; 
Judg.20:li; lSam.2li:21. ulSam.0:5; Jer. 13:16. »Nnm. 5:6,7; 2 Chr. 
30:22; 33:12, 13; Ezra 10:10, 11; Psa. 32:5, 51:3; Jer. 3:12, 13; Dan. 
9:4; Rom. 10:10; I John 1:8-10. w Prov. 2-J:22. ^ Ueh. tongue, i Hab. 
2:9; Rom. 7:7; 1 Tim. 6:10; Jas. 1:15. yMic.a;l. zlsa. 29:15. 'Heb. 
poured, a 1 Chr. 2:7; Heb. 12:15. b Deut. 17:5. 



God's disposal, and he has an absolute right to take them 
when and how he pleases. In the present case he saw 
good to direct that all Achan 's family, as well as liis jios- 
sessions, should perish with him. We may reasonably 
suppose that one design of this was to impress more 
deeply upon the minds of the Israelites the malignant 
nature of sin, and its tendency to involve in niin not only 
the transgressor himself, but all connected with him. For 
the administration of justice by human judges he gave a 
different rule : " The fathers shall not be put to death for 
269 



TAt stratagttn by 



.lOSIIlA \ 111. 



which Ai is taken. 



20 And they raised over him a great heap of 
stones nnto liiis day." So the Lokd tui-ncd from 
till- tierccness of liis anger.'' Wiiereforc the name 
of that place was called, The valley of Achor,* unto 
this day." 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1 GoJ cncouragoth Joshua. 3 The stratagem whereby Ai was (Aken. 
29 The kiri^ thereof is hnnged. 30 Joshiln buildetli an altar, 32 
writeth the faw on stones, 33 propoilnjeth blessingH and cursings. 

A ND the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, nei- 
j^\. tlier be thou disnuiyed: take all the people 
of war with thee, iind arise, go up to Ai: see, I 
have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his 
people, and his city, and his land: 

2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou 
didst unto Jericho and her king:'' only the spoil 
thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall yt; take for a 
prey unto yourselves f lay thee an ambush for the 
city beliind it. 

3 1 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, 
to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty 
thousand mighty men of valor, and sent them away 
by night. 

4 And he commanded thcui, saj'ing, Behold, jc 
shall lie in wait against the city,' even behind the 
city : go not very far from the city, but be ye all 
ready : 

5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will 
approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, 
when they come out against us, as at the first,^ that 
we will lioe before them, 

G (For they will come out after us,) till we have 
drawn* them from the city; for they will say, 
Thoy flee before us, as at the first: therefore we 
will flee before them. 

7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and 
seize upon the city: for the Loed your God will 
deliver it into your hand. 



« Ch. 8:-29; 2 Sim. 13:17. b Deut. 13:17. • Tha,t is. trouble, c ver. 
24; Isa. 65:10; Hos. 2:1:3. d ch. 0:21. = Deut. 20:14. f Judi;. 20:29. etc. 
e oh. 7:5. t Heb. Jil(«erf. li 2 Sam. 13: 23. i ver. 5. 1 Or, o/j4i. 5 Heb. 



the children, neither shall the children be put to death for 
the fathers : every man shall be put to death for his own 
sin." Deut. 24:16. 

26. Aclior; meaning trouble. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I, Sins known only to those who commit them and to 
God may occasion calamities to a nation, and be the means 
of brin<;ing many to an untimely grave. 

3. Great prosperity often tempts men to be self-confi- 
dent, and leads them to neglect those means which are 
essential to their continued success, 

4. Wlien men undertake plans in reliance on their own 
judgment or that of others, without inquiring of God, or 
seeking his direction, they will be likely to fail, and 
instead of success meet with speedy and sore disappoint- 
ment. 

5. Men are prone to go to extremes, and after being 
highly elated, to sink into despair. 

7. In trouble we should humble ourselves on account of 
our sins, and implore pardoning mercy ; especially inquir- 
ing why it is that God contendeth with us, and seeking to 
know his will, that we may do it. 

9. When we truly desire the honor of God, and wish for 
success in our elforts that he may be glorified, our pray- 
ers will be accepted and answered in rich mercy. 

II, The cause of all trouble is sin ; and so long as it is 

270 



8 And it shall be, when ye have taken u " unr 
the city, t/iat ye shall set the city on fire: accord- 
ing to the commandment of the Loud shall ye do. 
See, I have commanded you.'' 

!) "I Joshua therefore sent tlnin forth; and they 
went to lie in ambush, and abode between l!cth-cl 
anil Ai, on tiie west side of Ai : but Joshua lodg- 
ed that night anifing the jieople. 

10 And Jfisliua rose up early in the morning, and 
numbered the people, and went up, he and the 
elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 

11 And all the jieojile, ot/i t/u people of war that 
were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came 
before the city,' and jiitched on tlie north side of 
Ai: now t/iere was a valley between them and Ai. 

12 And he took about five thousand men, and 
set them to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, 
on the west side of the city.* 

13 And when they had set the people, even all 
the host that was on the north of the city, and 
their liers in wait^ on the west of the city, Joshua 
went that night into the midst of the valley. 

14 IT And it came to pass, when the king of Ai 
saw it, that the}- hasted and rose up early, and the 
men of the city went out against Israel to battle, 
he and all his pcojile, at a time appointed, before 
the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in 
ambush against him behind the city.-" 

15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they 
were beaten before them, and fled by the way of 
the wilderness. 

16 And all the people that were in Ai were call- 
ed together to pursue after them : and they ]mr- 
sucd after Joshua, and were drawn away from 
the city. 

17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth- 
el, that went -not out after Israel : and they left 
the city open, and pur.sued after Israel. 

18 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out 



4. j Judg. 20:34, etc.; Eccl. 9:12; Isa. 19:11, 13; 



indulged, however secretl.v, we cannot expect deliverance, 
or the protection and blessing of God. 

13. All iniquity is perfectly known to God, and it is a 
solemn thing to stand before him and have it brought to 
light and spread out before the sun, 

15, The punishment which God sometimes brings upon 
the workers of iniquity here, is a premonition of the more 
dreadfid woes which will come upon them hereafter, 

18. The idea of keeping sin a secret is vain: those who 
commit it may be sure that, sooner or later, their sin will 
find them out. Num. 32:23; Matt, 10:26. 

21. I saw, I coveted, and I took, describes the course 
with regard to forbidden objects, of multitudes of trans- 
gressors ; and their condition, when their sins are brought 
to light, is in tot^il contrast to what they expected when 
they committed them. Prov. 13:15; Jas. 1:15. 

25. There are cases where God requires transgressors 
to be put to death, and his anger will not be turned away 
from a people unless they execute this punishment. Gen. 
9:G; Num. 35:16-21; Deut. 19:11:13. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

4. Ye shall lie in wait; from ver. 12 below, it seems prob- 
able that only five thousand of these were actually placed 
in ambush between Bethel and Ai. 

12. About Jive thousand; see above note to ver. 4. 

16. All the people; the men of war. Ver. 24. 



At is destroyed. 



JOSHUA IX. 



T/ie altar in. mount Ehal. 



»; " 1™ the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai ; 
for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua 
stretched out the spear that /w had in his hand 
toward the city. 

19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their 
place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched 
out his hand : and they entered into the city, and 
took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. 

20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, 
they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city as- 
cended up to heaven,'' and they had no power* to 
flee this way or that way : and the people that fled 
to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. 

21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the 
ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of 
the city ascended, then they turned again, and 
slew the men of Ai. 

22 And the other issued out of the city against 
them ; so they were in the. midst of Israel, some on 
this side, and some on that side : and they smote 
them, so that they let none of them remain or escape."^ 

23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and 
brought him to Joshua. 

24: And it came to pass, when Israel had made 
an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the 
field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, 
and when they were all fallen on the edge of the 
sword, until they were consumed, that all the Is- 
raelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the 
edge of the sword. 

25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both 
of men and women, were twelve thousand, e^ien all 
the men of Ai. 

26 For Joshua drew not his hand back,'' where- 
with he stretched out the spear, until he had ut- 
terly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 

27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel 
took for a prey unto themselves," according unto the 
word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua.' 

28 And Joshua burnt Ai,'' and made it a heap 
for ever, even a desolation unto this day. 



1 Exnd. 8:5. b G 
dExoJ. 17:11,12. e^ 
ich. 10:-i6. 27. J De 



. 19:2s; Isa.. 34: lU. • Heb hand. ■: I 
m.3l:22. a«. f ver. 2. e Dent- l:j: 16. hi 
. 21 :22, 23. k ch. 7:26. 1 Deut. 27:4-6. 



19. Set the city on fire; they began the work of burning 
the city, but its destruction was not completed till after 
Joshuu and the men of war with him entered the city, 
spoiled it, and slew all its inhabitants. Ver. 24-27. 

29. As tlie sun was down i Deut. 21:22, 23. 

30. Mount Ehal; Deut. 11:29, 30; 27:2-8. 

31. Whole stones; Exod. 20:25. 

33. Mount Genzim; Deut. 27:12, 13. 
31. Alt the words of the law; Deut. chap. 27, 28. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. When sin is heartily put away, and men are disposed 
to hear and obey God, there is no reason to be discouraged, 
or to fear to undertake any service to which he calls them. 

2. By coveting what does not belong to them, and mak- 
ing haste to be rich, men often bring themselves to an 
untimely end ; when, had they waited with patience and 
faithfully done their duty, they would in due time have had 
an abundance and been able to enjoy it. 

8. If men would secure the blessings of the Lord, they 
must not shrink from any service to which he calls them. 

13. To accomplish things which God has foretold, and 
which are beforehand certain, it is as needful to use means 
as it would be if they were not foretold, or their accom- 
plishment depended wholly upon human efforts. 



29 And the king" of Ai he hanged on a tree 
until eventide:' and as soon as the sun was do\vii,J 
Joshua commanded that they should take his car- 
cass down from the tree, and cast it at the enter- 
ing of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a 
great heap of stones," that remaineth unto this day. 

30 H Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord 
God of Israel in mount Ebal,' 

31 As Moses the servant of the Lord command- 
ed the children of Israel, as it is written in the 
book of the law of Moses,"" an altar of whole stones, 
over which no man hath lifted up any iron: and 
they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the Lord, 
and sacrificed peace-oflcrings. 

32 t And he wrote there upon the stones a copy 
of the law of Moses," which he wrote in the pres- 
ence of the children of Israel. 

33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, 
and their judges, stood on this side the ark and 
on that side before the priests the Levites, which 
bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord," as well 
the stranger,'' as he that was born among them; 
half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half 
of them over against mount Ebal ; as Moses the 
servant of the Lord had commanded before,'' that 
they should bless the people of Israel. 

34 And afterward he read all the words of the 
law,'' the blessings and cursings,'^ according to all 
that is written in the book of the law. 

35 There was not a word of all that Moses com- 
manded, which Joshua read not before all the con- 
gregation of Israel, with the women, and the lit- 
tle ones, and the strangers that were conversant* 
among them. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 The kings combine attains! Israel. 3 The Gibeonites by craft obtain 
a league ; 13 for which they are condemned to perpetual bondage. 

ND it came to pass, when all the kings which 
were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in 



A 



20:25. n Deut. 27:2, 3, S. o Deut. 31:U, 25; I Chr. 15:11-15. p Deut. 
31:12. q Deut. 11:2D; 27:12. r Deut. 31:11; Neh. S:2, 3; 13:1. s Lev. 
20:3, etc. ; Deut. 27:15-26; 38; 29; 30:15-20. t Heb. walked. 



17. When the measure of a people's iniquity is full, they 
are given up, in hardness of heart and blindness of mind, 
to pursue a course which ends in their ruin. 

25. In punishing men for their sins, God uses such 
instruments as he sees best, and it was no more wrong 
for him to destroy the men of Ai by the hand of the Isra- 
elites, than it would have been to destroy them by pesti- 
lence, famine, or an earthquake. 

29. Men of great influence, who have been leaders in 
transgression, will be distinguished in their punishment, 
and the righteous Judge will award to all who persevere 
in iniquity according to their works. 

30. We should ever feel and acknowledge that all our 
blessings come through the atonement of Christ, and 
shoulil engage in nothing which will unfit us to acknow- 
ledge and adore him. 

35. The minds of all classes of people should be habit- 
ually directed to the will of God as revealed in the Scrip- 
tures, and all suitable means be perseveringly used to 
lead them to obey it. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1. This side Jordan; the west side, where the Israelites 
then were. The great sea; the Mediterranean. 
271 



Th( liiiguf made loitk 



JOSHUA IX. 



the crafty Gibeonitu. 



the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea 
over airainst Lebanon," the Ilittite, and the Anio- 
rite, the Canaanitc, tlie Tcrizzite, the Hivito, and 
the .lehusite, hi'ard t/icrcnf:'' 

'2 That they fratliered "themselves together,'^ to 
figlif witli Jo:^liiiaan(l with Israel, with oneaccord.' 

3 •; And when tlie inhabitants of Gibeon'' heard 
what Joshua liad done unto Jericho and to Ai,' 

4 They did work wilily, and went and made as 
if tlicy had been ambassadors, and took old sacks 
upon their asses, and wine-bottles, old, aud rent, 
and liound up; 

5 And old siiocs and clouted upon their feet, 
and old garments upon tlicm ; and all the bread 
of their provision was dry and mouldy. 

6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at 
Gilgal.' and said unto him, and to the men of Is- 
rael, We be come from a far country : now therefore 
make ye a league with us. 

7 And the men of Israel said unto tlio Ilivites,'' 
Peradventure ye dwell among us; aud how shall 
we make a league with yon?'' 

8 And they said unto Josiiua, We are thy ser- 
vants.' Aud Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? 
and from whence come ye ? 

'.) And they said unto him, From a very far coun- 
tryj thy servants are come," because of the name 
of the Lord thy God : for we have heard the fame 
of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 

10 And all that he did to tlie two kings of the 
Amorites, that ivere beyond Jordan, to Sihon king 
of Ileshbon, and to Og king of Baslian, which was 
at Ashtaroth.' 

1 1 Wherefore our eldei's and all the inhabitants 
of our country spake to us,™ saying, Take victuals 
with you* for the journey, and go to meet them, 
and say unto tliem, We are your servants : there- 
fore now make ye a league with us. 

12 This our bread we took hotybr our provision 
out of our houses ou the day we came forth to go un- 
to you ; but oow, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy : 

13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, 
were new ; and behold, they be rent : and these 
our garments and our shoes are become old by 
reason of the very long journey. 

14 And the men took of their victuals,* and asked 
not counsel" at the mouth of the Lord." 

15 And Joshua made peace witii them, and made 



» .Num. 34:0. b ExoJ. .3:17; S3;a3. ' 2 Chr. -211:1, etc.; I'fa. s:i::i, .'); 
Isa. -:0. 10; M:15. • Heb. mouth, d ch. lU:i. e ch, 0:27. f ch. .5: 10. 
Cch. 11:19. h ExoJ. a):.3a; Deut. 7:2; Judg. 2:3. iDeut.-2U:ll: 2Kin<;8 
10:5. J Deul. 20:15. k 1 Kincs 8:41 ; Isa. 55:5; Acts 8:27. I ch. 2:10; 
Kxod. 15:14; Num. 21:35. m Esther 8:17. : neb. in your hanil. 1 Or, 
Mev received the men by reason of their victuals, n Num. 27:21 ; 1 Chr. 
10:13. 14; Isa. 30:1, 2. o Judg. 1:1; 20:1.S. -i-i: 1 Sam. 2:1:10,11; 30:M; 



3. Gibeon ; a large oity of the Hi vites, a few miles north- 
west of Jerusalem. Chap. 10:2. 

4. Wiltly; craftily, deceitfully. Wine-bottles ; these were 
made of the skins of animals. 

6. A league; an agreement not to destroy them. 

18. Sworn unto them; that their lives should be pre- 
served. Ver. 15, 20. 

21. Hewers of -wood and drawers of water; especially for 
the services of religion. Ver. 23, 27. 

27. In the place which he shoiUd choose; for the sanctuary 
and for public worship. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

2. No combination or power of wicked men, if they 
continue in sin, will save them from ruin. 
272 



a league with them, to let them live:'' and I " Hm: 
the princes of the congregation sware unto them." 
10 'i And it came to pass at the end of tlirce 
days after tliey iiad made a h-ague with them, that 
tliey heard tliat they were their neighbors, aud that 
they dwelt among them. 

17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and 
cnme unto their cities on the third day. Now 
their cities tcere Gibeon,' and Chephirah, aud Bee- 
roth, and Kirjath-jearim. 

18 And the children of Israel smote them not, 
because the princes of the congregation had sworn 
unto them by the Lord God of Israel.' And all 
the congregation murmured against the princes. 

19 But all the princes said unto all the congrega- 
tion, We have sworn unto them by the LouD God 
of Israel : now therefore we may not touch them. 

20 This we will do to them ; we will even let 
them live, lest wrath be ujion us, because of the 
oath which we sware unto them.' 

21 And the princes said unto them. Let them 
live; but let them be hewers of wood and draw- 
ers of water unto all the congregation;" as the 
princes had promised them.^ 

22 IT And Joshua called for them, and he spake 
unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, 
saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell 
among us ? 

23 Now therefore ye are cursed,"' and there shall 
none of you be freed from being' bondmen, and 
hewers of wood and drawers of water for the 
house of my God." 

24 Aud they answered Joshua, and said. Because 
it was certainly told thy servants, how that the 
Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to 
give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabi- 
tants of the land from before you,-^' therefore we 
were sore afraid of our lives because of you,'' and 
have done this thing. 

25 And now, behold, we are in thy hand :" as it 
seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us. do. 

26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them 
out of the hand of the children of Israel, that 
they slew them not. 

27 And Joshua made' them that day hewers of 
wood and drawers of water for the congregation, 
and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, 
in the place which he should choose.** 



2 Sam. 21; 5:19. P ch. 11:19. q 2 Sam 21:2. r ch. 10:-2; lb:2S-28. 
« I'sa. 15:4; Eccl. 5:6. 1 2 Sam. -21:1-0; Ezek. 17:12-21; Zech. 5:3,4; 
Mai. 3:5. « Deut. 29:11; 2 Chr. 2:17, Is. v vrr. 16. w Lev. 27:-2S-29. 
i Heb. not be cut off from you. i ver. 21, 27. y Exod. 23:32; Dent. 7:1, -2. 
zExnd. 15:14-16. « 2 Sam. 24:14; Isa. 47:fl. I Heb. gave, oi delivered to 
be; Ezra 8:20. b Deut. 12; 5; Psa. 132: 13, 14. 



8. A knowledge of the truth, the will, and purposes of 
God, leads some to oppose and others to submit them- 
selves to him. Ver. 25. 

14. If men do not ask counsel of God, and seek his 
direction, they may expect to be habitually and grossly 
deceived. 

19. Solemn engagements to do things which are practi- 
cable, and not wicked, should be sacredlj' observed. He 
that changeth not, when he swcareth even " to his own 
hurt," shall dwell in God's holy hill, and " shall never be 
moved." Psa. 15:4 ; Eccl. 5:4-6. 

27. The sins of men are sometimes overruled for their 
good ; but this does not lessen the evil of such sins, or the 
guilt of those who commit them. 



The miracle at Gileon. 



JOSHUA X. 



The five lings hangel. 



CHAPTER X, 



1 Five kings war against Gibeon. 6 Josiiua rescueth it. 10 G-od 
fighteth against tliem with hailstones. 12 The sun and moon stand 
still at the word of Joshua. IG The five kings are immured in a cave. 
23 They are brought forth, 24 scornfully used, 2G and hanged. 28 
Seven kings more are conquered. 43 Joshua returneth to Gilgal. 

NOW it came to pass, when Adoni-zcdck king 
of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had 
taken Ai, and bad utterly destroyed it;" as he 
had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done 
to Ai and her king;'' and how the inhabitants of 
Gibeon had made peace with Israel," and were 
among them ; 

2 That they feared greatly,'' because Gibeon was 
a great city, as one of the royal cities,* and be- 
cause it was greater than Ai, and all the men 
thereof were mighty. 

3 Wlierefore Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent 
unto Hoham king of Hebroii, and unto Piram king 
of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and 
unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 

4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may 
smite Gibeon : for it hath made peace with Joshua 
and with the children of Israel. 

5 Therefore the five kings of the Amoritcs, the 
king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of 
Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, 
gathered themselves together," and went up. they 
and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, 
and made war against it. 

6 TT And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to 
the camp to Gilgal,'" saying. Slack not thy hand 
from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and 
save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amo- 
rites that dwell in the mountains are gathered 
together against us. 

7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all 
the people of war with him, and all the mighty 
men of valor. 

8 IT And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them 
not:^ for I have delivered them into thy hand; 
there shall not a man of tliem stand before thee. 

9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and 
went up from Gilgal all night. 

10 And the Lord discomfited them before Israel,'' 
and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,' 
and chased them along the way that goeth up to 
Beth-horon, and smote them to Azekah, and unto 
Makkedah. 

11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before 



" Ch. 8;-22-2S. 6 ch. 6:21. « ch. 9:15. li E.ioJ. 13: 14-16; Deut. 11:25. 
• Ueh.cilits of t/ie kingdom, e oh. 9:2; Isa. 8:9, 10 tell. 9:6. Ech.ll:6; 
JuJg. 4:14, 15. hjadg. 4:15. i Isa. 25:21. i Kxod. 9:22-26; Psa. 18:13, 
14; Isa. aO:.^; Rev. 16:21. 1 Heb. 6c si&jK. k Job!):7: llah..^:! 1. 1 Judg. 



CHAPTER X. 

3. flctron; south of Jerusalem. The other places named 
are south-west of Jerusalem, in that part of Canaan wliich 
afterwards fell to the tribe of Judali. 

10. 11. The way that goeth up to Beth-horon; literally, the 
way of the ascent of Beth-horon. The going down to Beth- 
horon; the descent of Beth-horon. There was an upper 
and lower Beth-horon, north-west of Jerusalem ; and the 
pass between the two was called the ascent and the de- 
scent of Beth-horon. Azekah; in the western plain of 
Judah. 

12. Ajalon; a town and valley west of Gibeon. 

13. T/ie book of Jaslier; this is supposed bv many to be 

18 



Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, 
that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven 
upon them unto Azekah,J and they died : they were 
more which died with hailstones than they whom 
the children of Israel slew with the sword. 

12 T" Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day 
when the Lord delivered up the Amoritcs before 
the children of Israel, and he said in the sight oi' 
Israel, Sun, stand thou still* upon Gibeon;" and 
thou, moon, in the valley of Ajalon.' 

13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stay- 
ed, until the people had avenged themselves upon 
their enemies. Is not this written in the book 
of Jasher?"" So the sun stood still in the midst 
of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a 
whole day." 

14 And there was no day like that before it or 
after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice 
of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel." 

15 TI And Joshua returned, and all Israel with 
him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 

16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves 
in a cave at Makkedah. p 

17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five 
kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 

18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the 
mouth of the cave,' and set men by it for to keep 
them : 

19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your ene- 
mies,'' and smite the hindmost^ of them ; suifer them 
not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your 
God hath delivered them into your hand. 

20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the 
children of Israel had made an end of slaying 
them with a very great slaughter, till they were 
consumed, that the rest which remained of them 
entered into fenced cities.^ 

21 And all the people returned to the camp to 
Joshua at Makkedah in peace : none moved his 
tongue against any of the children of Israel.' 

22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the 
cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out 
of the cave." 

23 And they did so, and brought forth those five 
kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jeru- 
salem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, 
the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 

24 And it came to pass, when they brought out 
those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all 



12:12. I Or, The upright, rn 2 Sam. 1:1S. n Isa. 38:8. o Dent. 1-30. 
P JuJe. 6:2; 1 Sam. 13:6; 24:.% 8. <1 Matt. 27:60. r Jer. 48:10. » Heb. 
cutoff Ihetail. » 2 Sam. 20:6: Jer. 8:14. IBxod.lI:7. u 1 Sam. 15-32. 



a collection of poems, referring to the wonderful events 
in the history of Israel. 2 Sam. 1 : IS. 

15. And Joshua returned — to Gilgal; these words are re- 
peated in ver. 43. Tlie best explanation of them liere is, 
that they stand at the close of a general summary of Josh- 
ua's victory, to wliicli is immediately added a more partic- 
ular account of the same proceedings. From verse 19, it is 
manifest that it was in the midst of the pursuit that the 
report concerning tlie five kings was brought to Joshua. 

16. Makkedah; south-west of Jerusalem. 

19. The hindmost; such of them as they could overtalce. 

20. Fenced; fortified. 

24. Upon the necks of these kings; in token of the complete 
victory of the Israelites over them and over all their foes. 



Makktdah, Lachish, Hebron, 



JOSHUA X. 



and iilhcr cities destroyed. 



the men of Israel, ami said unto the rnptains of (ho 
men of war wliicli went with liiin, Come near, \m\ 
your feet upon tlic necks" of these kings.** And 
they came near, and put their feet upon the necks 
of them/ 

2.'> Ami .Tosliua said unto them, Fearnot, nor he 
dismaved,'" be strong and of pood courage:" for 
thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against 
wiiom ye figlit.' 

20 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slow 
them, and hanged them on live trees:"-' and they 
were hanging upon the trees until the evoning.'' 

27 And it came to pass at the time of the going 
down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they 
took them down off the trees, and cast tiiem into 
the cave wherein tlicy had been hid, and laid great 
stones in the cave's mouth, which remaiVi until this 
very day. 

28 T And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and 
smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king 
thereof he utterly destroyed,' them, and all the 
souls that were therein; he let none remain: and 
he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the 
king of Jericho.J 

29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all 
Israel with him, unto Libnah," and fouglit against 
Libnah : 

30 And the Loud delivered it also, and the king 
thereof, into the hand of Israel ; and he smote it 
with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that 
were therein; he let none remain in it; but did 
unto tlie king thereof as he did unto the king of 
Jericho.' 

31 ^ And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Is- 
rael with him, unto Lachish,"' and encamped against 
it, and fought against it: 

32 And the Lord delivered Lachish into the 
hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, 
and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all 
the souls that were therein, according to all that 
he had done to Libnah." 



> Isa. 26:5, 6; Mai. 4:3. b Psa. 18:40. ' Psa. 107:40; 149:8. 9. d ch. 
1:9; Deut. 31:6. 8. e Eph. 0:10. f Deut. 3:21; 7:19; Rom. 8:37. e ch. 
8:29. h Deut. '21:23. ■ Deut. 7:2, IB. j ch. 6:21. k ch. 15:42; 21 :13; 
2 Kings 8:22; ,19:8. 1 ver. 28. m Tcr. 3, 5. o ver, 30. o ver. 3. P ver. 32. 



29. Libnah; a city south of Makkedah. 
31. Lachish; still further south. 

33. Gezer; in the territory that afterwards fell to the 
tribe of Ephraim, about fifteen miles north-west of Jeru- 
salem. 

34. Egloti; a few miles west of Lachish. 

36. Hebron; a city east of Lachish, and twenty miles 
south of Jerusalem. 

38. Dehir ; southwest of Hebron. 

40. Country of the hills; the hill country of Judea and 
the southern part of Canaan. Luke 1 : 39, 65. 

41. Kadesh-harnea ; near the south-east border of Canaan. 
Gaza; near the Mediterranean and the south-west border 
of Canaan. Goshen ; lying south, in the mountainous region 
of Judea. Chap. 15:51. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. When sinners desert the cause of Satan and join with 
the people of God, those who continue to be Satan's slaves 
often unite against them, and would, if they could, utterly 
destroy them. 

8. Those who oppose their fellow-men because they 
join the cause of God, oppose him, and thus often bring 
upon themselves utter ruin. 
274 



33 ■! Then Uoramkingof Oezer came up u.":??:": 
to help Lachish; and .loshua smote liim and liis 
people, until he had loft him iioiu' roniaiiiing. 

34 ■[ And from Lachish .bishiia passed unto Eg- 
lon,° and all Israel with him; and they encamped 
against it, and fought against it: 

35 And they took it on that day, and smote it 
with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that 
were therein he utterly destroyed that day, accord- 
ing to all tiiat he had done to Laclii.sh.'' 

36 And .Joshua went up from legion, and all 
Israel with him, unto Hebron;'' and they fought 
against it: 

37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge 
of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the 
cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein ; 
he left none remaining, according to all that he 
had done to Eglon ;"■ but destroyed it utterly, and 
all the souls that were therein. 

38 IT And Joshua returned, and all Israel with 
him, to Debir f and fought against it: 

39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all 
the cities thereof; and they smote them with the 
edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the 
souls that were therein; he left none remaining: 
as lie had done to Hebron,' so he did to Debir, 
ami to the king thereof; as he had done also to 
Libnah, and to her king. 

40 1 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, 
and of the south, and of the vale, and of the 
springs, and all their kings : he left none remain- 
ing, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the 
Lord God of Israel commanded." 

41 And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea''' 
even unto Gaza,'' and all the country of Goshen,^ 
even unto Gibeon.-' 

42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua 
take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel 
fought for Israel.^ 

43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with 
him, unto the camp to Gilgal. 



q ch. 14:13; 15:13; Judg. 1:10; 2 Sam. 5:1-5; l.'i:9, 10; 1 Chr. 12:23, 38. 
rver.35. "ch. 15:15; Judg. 1:11. 1 ver. ,37. u Deut. 20:10, 17. v Deut. 
9:23. w Gen. 10:19; 1 Sam. 6:17. x ch. 11:10. y ver. 2, 12; 1 Kings 3:5. 



11. All the elements are under God's control, and when 
he directs will fight against his foes, as in the days of 
Moses, Barak, etc. Exod. 14:21 ; Judg. 5:20; Job 20:14- 
29; Isa. 45:9; Heb. 2:3. 

14. Those who take the side of God, and follow his 
directions, will experience his aid, and through his grace 
will ultimately triumph. 

18. Places to which the wicked flee for safety may be- 
come their prisons; and measures which they take to 
escape destruction, may be the occasion of bringing it 
upon them. 

22. Those who have been most distinguished by the 
means of doing good, but have employed them in doing 
evil, will be most distinguished in their pmiishmout. Luke 
12:47,48. 

30. Many things which are accomplished by human 
agency, are in the Bible ascribed to God. In one sense 
man is the author, and in another sense God. Acts 2:23; 
3:18. 

40. By commanding the Israehtes to destroy the Canaan- 
ites and take possession of their country, God laid them 
under obligation to do it; but no individual or nation, with- 
out his command, is authorized to do as they did. Deut. 
2:4-9, 19, 30-33. 



Divers Jcinss overcome 



JOSHUA XI. 



at the waters of Merom. 



CHAPTER XI. 



1 Divers kings overcome at the waters of Merom. 10 Hazor is taken 
and burnt. 16 All the country taken by Joshua. 21 The Anakim 
cut off. 

AND it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor 
had licard those things, that lie sent to Jobab 
king of Madon," and to the king of Shimron," and 
to the king of Achshaph, 

2 And to tlic kings that were on the north of the 
mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth,'^ 
and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the 
west,* 

3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the 
west, and to the Araorite, and the Hittife, and the 
Pcrizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and 
to the Hivite" under Hermon*' in the land of Miz- 
peh.s 

4 And they went out, they and all their hosts 
with them, much people, even as the sand that is 
upon the sea-shore in multitude,'' with horses and 
chariots very man}'. 

5 And when all these kings were met together," 
they came and pitched together at the waters of 
Merom, to fight against Israel. 

6 IF And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid 
because of them:' for to-morrow about this time 
will I deliver them up all slain before Israel : thou 
shalt houghJ their horses,*" and burn their chariots 
with fire.' 

7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with 
him, against them by the waters of Merom sudden- 
ly:"' and they fell upon them. 

8 And the Lord delivered them into the hand 
of Israel," who smote them, and chased them unto 
great Zidon,'' and unto Misrephoth-maim,* and unto 
the valley of Mizpeh eastward ; and they smote 
them, until they left them none remaining. 

9 And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade 
hini:° he houghed their horses, and burnt their 
chariots with fire.P 



aCh. 10:3. boh. 19:15. cNum. 34;11. dch. 17:11 


Judg. 1:27; 1 Kings 


4:11. e Judg. 3:3. fch. 13:11. e Gen. 31:49. 1> 


Judg. 7:12; 1 Sam. 


13:5. ' B-eh. assembled hy appointment, ich. 10:3. 


2Sam. S:4. k Psi. 


20:7; Isi. 31:1; Hos. 14:3. 1 P.sa.. 46:9. m ch. 10:9 


1 Thess. 5:3. ■> ch. 


21:44. t Or, Zidon-rabbah. t Heb. Burnings; or, 


Salt-pits. Ter. 6. 



CHAPTER XI. 

1. Hazor; a etron,^ and chief city in the north part of 
Canaan. Yer. 10. 3ia(/o« ,• not far from Hazor. Shiinron ; 
called, chap. 12:20, Shimron-meron. It was afterwards in 
the tribe of Zebuiun. Achshaph; west of Zebulun, in the 
tribe of Asher. 

2. The mountains; probably the mountains of Naphtali 
north-west of the sea of Tiberias. Chinneroth ; on the lake 
of Gennesarcth, or sea of Tiberias. Dor; on the Mediter- 
ranean, not far from mount Carmel. 

3. Hermon; Deut. 3:9. Mizpeh; called, ver. 8, "the val- 
ley of Mizpeh eastward." Hermon, under which it lay, 
was in the eastern range of Lebanon. 

5. Tlie waters of Merom; a collection of waters in the 
upper part of Canaan, from which flows the river Jordan. 
It is about tsvelve miles above the sea of Galilee, and is 
about five miles long, with a level region north of it par- 
tially overflowed in the spring. Its present name is 
Bahr-el-Huleh. 

6. Ho'igh their horses; hamstring them; cut the great 
cord of their hind legs. 

8. Great Zidon; a city on the Mediterranean, about 
twenty-five miles north of Tyre, fifty south of Beyroot, and 
sixty-sis west of Damascus. It is called great on account 



10 1 And Joshua at that time turned back, and 
took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the 
sword : for Hazor beforetime was the head of all 
those kingdoms. 

11 And they smote all the souls that vxre there- 
in with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying 
the7n : there was not any left to breathe : ^ and he 
burnt Hazor with fire. 

12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the 
kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them 
with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroy- 
ed them,i as Moses tiie servant of the Lord com- 
manded. 

13 But as for the cities that stood still in their 
strength,' Israel burned none of them, save Hazor 
only ; that did Joshua burn. 

14 And all the spoil of these cities, and the cat- 
tle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto 
themselves; but every man they smote with the 
edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, 
neither left they any to breathe. 

15 IT As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, 
so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua ; 
he leff nothing undone of all that the Lord com- 
manded Moses. 

16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and 
all the south conn try, "■ and all the land of Goshen," 
and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of 
Israel, and the valley of the same ; 

17 Even from the mount Halak,*' that goeth up 
to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the valley of Leb- 
anon under mount Hermon : and all their kings 
he took, and smote them, and slew them." 

18 Joshua made war a long time with all those 
kings.* 

19 There was not a city that made peace with 
the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhab- 
itants of Gibeon:^' all other they took in battle. 

20 For it was of the Lord"' to harden their 
hearts," that they should come against Israel in 



pEzek. 39:9. 10. iBeh. anij breath; ch. W:iO. q Nu 


m. 33:52; Deut. 7:2; 


20:16,17. iHeb. on !/icir/itap; Jer. 30:18. 11 Heb. 


removed, rch. 12:8. 


sch. 10:41. • Or, the smooth mountain. ' ch. 12:7. 


u oh. 12:9-24; Deut. 


7:24. tTiU1445. v ch. O::!, 7. w Judg. U:4; 1 Sam. 


2:25; 1 Kings 12:15. 


sDeut. 2:.30; Isa. 6:10; Rom. 9:18. 





of its numerous people and abundant wealth. Misrephoth- 
maim; north of Zidon. 

12. As Moses — commanded; this is often mentioned to 
show that for destroying the Canaanites the Israelites 
were not to be blamed but commended, because that iu 
doing it they were obeying God. Ver. 15, 20, 23. 

13. Stood still in their strength; rather, "stood upon their 
hill." It was the custom to build cities on them. These 
cities the Israelites, after destroying their iuhabitant.s. 
reserved for their own use. 

16. r/iefoV/s,- the mountainous region of the south. The 
land of Goshen; see note to chap. 10:41. TTie valley; the 
low region bordering on the Mediterranean. The plain ; 
the long narrow vale tlrrough which the Jordan flows and 
in which the Dead sea lies. The southern portion of it 
opposite to " the south country " is meant. 

17. The mount Halak; that is, "the bald mountain." The 
writer probably means a line of naked chalk hills running 
across thevaUey from west to east about eight miles soutli 
of the Dead sea ; the same as " the ascent of Akrabbim, ' 
which formed the southern boundary of Canaan. Num. 
34 : 4. 3Iount Hermon; the southern part of Anti-Lebanon. 
Deut. 3:8. 

18. A long time; about seven years. 

20. To harden their hearts; by leaving them, as a pun- 
'275 



TTit Analcim cut off. 



JOSIHA XII. 



Coasts of Si/ion and Og. 



liiittlo, that ho niitrht destroy them utterly, and 
that they niif;lit liavc no favor. l)ut that ho niiglit 
ciostroy'tlioni, as the Loup commandcil Moscsi." 

21 • And at that time came .losjiua, and cut off 
the Anakiin fVoni tlic mountains,'' from Ilohron, 
IViini Pi'liir. frnin Anal), and from idl tlie moun- 
tains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Is- 
rael : Joshua destroyed tliem utterly with tiu'ir 
cities. 

2'2 There was none of the Anakini left in the land 
ijf tiu^ children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath," 
and in Ashdod,'' there remained. 

23 So Joshua took tlie wliole land, according to 
all that the Lord said unto Moses;'' and Josliua 
gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according 
to their divisions by their tribes.'' And the land 
rested from war.*' 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 The two kings whose countries Hoses took and disposed of. 7 The 
one and thirtj' kin^ on the otiier side Jordan wliich Joshua smote. 

"\TOW these are the kings of the land, which the 
_L\ children of Israel smote, and possessed their 
land on the other side Jordan toward the rising 
■4" the sun, from the river Anion unto mount lier- 
inon,'' and all the plain on tlie east: 

2 Sihon king of the Amorites,' who dwelt in 
ilcshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the 
bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of 
the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the 



» Deut. 20:16. 17. b ch. 15:13, 14; Num. 13:22, 33j Deut. 9:2. ' I Sam. 
17:4; 2Sim. 31:22; 1 Chr.l'8:l. dch. 15:46; aChr.96:6; Neh. 13:23,24. 
' Num 34:2, etc. ' ch. 14-16; Num. 26:52-55. f ch. 21:44, 45. li Num. 



i -iliment for flioir sins, to pursue their own chosen way to 
luin. Exod. 4:21. 

21. Hebron — Debir — Anab; in the southern part of tlic 
countrj'. 

22. Gaza — Gath — Ashdod; cities of the Philistines in the 
south-west part of Palestine, and near the Mediterranean. 

23. Took the whole land; not absolutely every city and 
region of it, for there remained yet very much land to be 
possessed, chap. J3:l; but he conquered the whole coun- 
try 80 as to be able to divide it by lot to the Israelites. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. The wicked in their distress often pursue courses 
which, instead of relieving them, hasten their destruction. 

6. However numerous the enemies within and without, 
or however mighty the combinations against the people 
of God, if in obedience to him they rightly use the means 
which lie gives them, they have no reason to fear, for at 
his appomted time he will cause them to triumph over all 
their foes. 

7. The aid which God gives is not designed to super- 
sede or render needless human eiibrts ; but to encourage 
men to make efforts, and to render them successful. 

9. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain. 
Even the briite creation suffer in consequence of the sins 
of men. Though these sufferings are under the direction 
of an infinitely wise, holy, and "benevolent God, they are 
the effects of sin, and a just expression of his indignation 
:igaiiist it. 

II. Men are often called to most self-denying duties, 
and those from which the most wise, holy, and benevolent 
minds would, if consistent, gladly be excused. Matt. 26: 39. 

15. Resolute, determined, and habitual obedience to 
God's commands, is the only course of wisdom, safety, 
usefulness, and bliss. 

18. We must not cease in our efforts to conquer the 
spiritual enemies of God and our own souls, till they are 
80 effectually subdued as never again to rise up against us. 
276 



children of Aminon ; 

3 And from tiie phiin to the sea of rhirinerotli 
on the east, and unto tlie sea of the plain, (vcn the 
salt sea on tJic east, the way to Betli-jeshimoth ; 
and from the south," under Aslidotli-jiisgah :* 

4 And the coast of ()g king of Bashan.J which 
vas of the remnant of the giants,'' that dwelt at 
Ashtarotii and at Edrei,' 

5 And reigned in mount ITcrmon, and in Ralcah, 
and in all Baslian, unto tiie border of the (!eshu- 
rites and tiie Maachatiiites. and half Gilead, the 
border of Sihon king of lleshbon."' 

6 Them did Moses the servant of the Lord and 
the children of Israel smite: and Moses the ser- 
vant of the Lord gave it/or a possession unto the 
Reubenites, and tlic Gadites, and the half-tribe of 
Manasseh." 

7 1 And these are the kings of the country whieli 
Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this 
side Jordan on the west, from Baal-gad in the val- 
ley of Lebanon even unto the mount Ilalak, that 
goeth up to Seir ; which Joshua gave unto the 
tribes of Israel ybr a possession according to their 
divisions; 

8 In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in 
the plains, and in the springs, and in tlie wilder- 
ness, and in the south country; the llittites, the 
Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the 
Hivites, and the Jebusites:" 



21:24; Deut. 3:8, 8. i Deut. 2:33, 30; 3:6, 16. 17. •Oi.Teman. 1 Or, Tlie 
springso/ Pisgah,0TThe hilli Deut. 4:49. J Num. 21 : 33-35. kDBut.3:ll. 
1 Deut. 1:4. m Deut. 3:8-14. n Num. 32:29, 33. o Exod. 2.1:23. 



20. When God has determined to desti-oy men, he lets 
them pursue their chosen way of folly and sin to their 
ruin. 

23. Perseverance in humble, hearty, courageous obedi- 
ence to God, will end in sure and most glorious triumph. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1. From the river Arnon; on the south. Unto mount Her- 
mon; on the north. All the plain on the east; tliat is, the 
eastern half of the valley through which the Jordan flows. 

2, 3. Sihon — Ashdoth-piagah ; tliese verses may be thus 
rendered: Sihon, king of the Amorites, who dwelt in 
Heshbon, ruling from Aroer, which is upon the bank of 
the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river ; and 
over half of Gilead, unto the river Jabbok, which is the 
border of the children of Ammon; and [over] the plain 
[northward] to the sea of Chinneroth on the eastern side, 
and [southward] to the sea of the plain, tlie salt sea, on 
the eastern side, the way to Beth-jeshimoth, and, on the 
south, under Ashdoth-pisgah. 

The upper Jabbok divided the kingdom of Sihon from 
the Ammonites ; the lower Jabbok divided Gilead into two 
parts. Beth-jeshimoth seems to have marked the soutli- 
eastern corner of that part of the plain which belonged to 
Silion, and Ashdoth-pisgah its southern extremity. 

4. Ashtaroth and — Edrei; places in Bashan. 

5. Salcah; in the eastern border of Bashan. Geshuritea 
—Maachatlutcs ; north of Bashan. Half Gilead; that half, 
namely, that lay north of the Jabbok, the southern hall' 
belonging to the kingdom of Sihon, ver. 2. 

8. In the mountains — valleys — plains ; in the original, these 
words are in the singular number — the mountain, tlic 
valley, the plain. "The mountain" is the mountainous 
region of Palestine ; " the valley " is the low region bor- 
dering the Mediterranean; '-the plain" is the valley of 
the Jordan and the Dead sea. Springs; or low places at 
the foot of the mountains. 



One and thirty kings subdued. 



JOSHUA XIII. 



The bounds of the land. 



v. a ito?' 9 The king of Jericho," one ; the king of 
Ai," which is beside Beth-el, one ; 

10 The king of Jerusalem,"^ one ; the king of He- 
bron, one ; 

11 The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of La- 
chisli, one : 

12 The Iving of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, 
one; 

i;i The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, 
one ; 

14 Tlie king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, 
one; 

15 The king of Libnah, one; tlie king of Adul- 
1am, one ; 

16 The king of Makkedah, one ; the king of Beth- 
el,'' one; 

17 The king of Tappuah, one; the king of He- 
pher,° one ; 

18 The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasha- 
ron,* one ; 

19 The king of Madon, one ; the king of Hazor,'' 
one; 

20 The king of Shimron-merou,^ one; the king 
of Achshaph, one ; 

21 ThekiugofTaanach, one; the king of Megid- 
do, one; 

22 The king of Kede3h,one ; the king of Jokncam 
of Carniel, one; 

23 The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one ; the 
king of the nations of Gilgal, one ; 

24 The king of Tirzah, one : all the kings thirty 
and one. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1 The toiinds of the land not yet conquered. 8 The inheritance of the 
t«-o tribes and a half. U, 33 The Lord and his sacrifice.s are the in- 
heritance of Levi, l-'i The bounds of the inheritance of Reuben. ^2 
Balaam slain. 24 The bounds of the inlieritance of Gad, 29 and of 
the half-tribe of Manasseh. 

NOW Joshua was old and stricken in years; 
and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old 
and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet 
very much land to be possessed. + 



2 This is the land that yet remaineth:'' all the 
borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri,' 

3 From Sihor,^ which is before Egypt, even unto 
the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted 
to the Canaanite : five lords of the Philistines ;" the 
Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, 
the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites:' 

4 From the south, all the land of the Canaauites, 
and Mearah,* that is beside tlie Zidonians, unto 
Aphek," to the borders of the Amorites:" 

5 And the land of the Giblites,° and all Lebanon 
toward the sunrising, from Baal-gad under mount 
Hermon unto the entering into Ilamath.'' 

6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from 
Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maini,i ^^^^ a]i the Zido- 
nians, them will I drive out from before the chil- 
dren of Israel :"" only divide thou it by lot unto the 
Israelites for an inheritance,'' as I have commanded 
thee. 

7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheri- 
tance unto the nine tribes, and the half-tribe of 
Manasseh, 

8 With whom the Eeubenites and the Gadites 
have received their inheritance, which Moses gave 
them beyond Jordan eastward, everi as Moses the 
servant of the Lord gave them;' 

9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river 
Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, 
and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon;" 

10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amo- 
rites, which reigned in Hcshbon, unto the border 
of the children of Amnion ; 

11 And Gilead," and the border of the Geshu- 
rites and Maachathites, and all mount Hcrmou, and 
all Bashan unto Salcah ; 

12 All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reign- 
ed in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the 
remnant of the giants : for these did Moses smite, 
and cast them out."' 

13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled 
not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites : ^ but the 
Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the 
Israelites until this day. 





» Oh. 0:2 


b 


ch. 8:17. 29 


c 


ch. 


10:i3-43. 


d.T 


odf.. 


:2-2. 


el Kir 


gs4:10. 






, ■ 


sa. 33:9. 


rh 


11 


:10. r 


ch 


II 


1. 


r Heb 


to po 


^se-is it; 


1 


eut. M-.a 


h 


Judg. 3:1. 


i • 


S,i 


m. 3:3; 


13:37, 


3K. 


J .ler. 


•2: IS. 


t Judg. 


3 


.3; LSam. 


6:4 


,16, Zeph. 


2:4, 


5. 


IDeut 


2: 


J3. 


lOr 


, The 


ave. 


n 1 Sam. 



:1. D Judg. 1:30. o 1 Kings 5:18; Psa. 83:7. P ch. 12:7. qch. 11:8. 
Exod. a3:30, 31. »cb. 14:1,2. t Num. 32:33. u ver 16; Num. 21:30. 
■ch.l2:5. wNum. 21:34, 35. i ch. 23:12, 13; Num. 3:j:53j Judg. 2:1-3. 



9-24. The places here mentioned are those v/hich 
Joshua conquered during the wars described in the pre- 
vious chapters. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. It is useful to recount what God has done by human 
instrumentality, and not only by men who are now living, 
but by those who have gone to their rest and are enjoying 
the reward of their labors. 

7. We are greatly indebted to men of past generations. 
Other men have labored, and we enter into their labors ; 
and the good works which they began, but were not able 
to finish, we should endeavor in the strength of the Lord, 
and by his aid, to accomphsh. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1. If'fl'! oW; about one hundred years old. Mnch land; 
that belonged to the Canaanites, and was promised to 
Israel, but was not yet taken. 

2. Tlie borders of the Philistines; a region of country in 
the south-west part of Canaan, and extending on the Med- 
iterranean about sixty miles. Geshuri; a country south of 
the Philistines and on the borders of the wilderness of 



Shur. 1 Sam. 27:8. There was another country of the 
same name on the north-east border of Canaan. 

3. Sihor; probably the eastern arm of the Nile; but 
some suppose it was in the valley El-Arish, and ran into 
the Mediterranean south-west of Gaza. Num. 34:5. Ek- 
ron; the northern district of the Philistines, about ten 
miles north-east of Ashdod, and thirty-four west of Jeru- 
salem. The Avitcs; they were the original inhabitants of 
this country, but were dispossessed by the Philistines, 
calledCaphtorira, Deut. 2:23; Gen. 10: 13, 14. Some Avites 
still continued in that region. 

4. Aphek; supposed to be a city in the north part of 
Canaan. Judg. 1:31. 

5. Giblites; inhabitants of Gebal, near Zidon. 

6. Divide thou it; Joshua was by lot to divide the whole 
land of Canaan on the west side of Jordan among the nine 
and a half tribes, although it was not yet all conquered. 

9-32. These verses describe the countries conquered by 
Moses on the east side of Jordan. The south part was al- 
lotted to the tribe of Reuben, the central part to the tribe 
of Gad, and the north part to the half-tribe of Manasseh. 

13. Geshurites — Maachathites; people inhabiting districts 
277 



JJteision of Ctln(Wl^ 



JOSHUA XIV. 



among the tribes. 



14 Only unto tlio trilio of Levi lie gave none 
iuIicriUincc ;" the sacrifices of the Lord God of Is- 
rael made by fire arc their inheritance,'' as he said 
unto thorn. 

15 % And Moses gave unto the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Reuben inheritance according to their fam- 
ilies. 

IG And tlioir coast was from Aroer,"^ that is on 
the bank of the river Arnon, and tlie city that is in 
the midst of tliP river, and all the plain by Medeba; 

17 Ileshbon,'' and all Inn- cities that arc in tlic 
plain; Dibou, and Bamoth-baal, and 13ctli-baal- 
meon," 

18 And Jahaza,'' and Kcdcmoth, and Mephaath, 

19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zareth-sha- 
liar in the mount of tiie valley. 

20 And 13ctli-pcor, and Ashdoth-pisgah,* and 
Beth-joshinioth, 

21 And all the cities of the plain/ and all the 
kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which 
reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the 
princes of Midian,*-' Evi, and Rckem, and Zur, and 
Hur, and Rel)a, which were dukes of Sihon, dwell- 
ing in the country. 

22 'i Balaam also the son of Beor,*" the soothsay- 
er,* did the children of Israel slay with the sword 
among them that were slain by them. 

23 And the border of the children of Reuben was 
Jordan, and the border thereof. Tiiis ivas the 
inheritance of the children of Reuben after their 
families, the cities and the villages tliereof. 

24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of 
Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to 
their families. 

25 And their coast was Jazer,' and all the cities 
of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Am- 
mon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah.^ 

26 And from Heshbon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and 
Betonim ; and from Mahanaim unto the border of 
Debir : 



» Oh. 14:3, 4. b Num. lb:-J0-i;4. 


'ch. 12:2. d Num. 21:38, 30. 'Or, 


Tlie high places of Boat, and home 


of BaaUmeon; Num. 32:33. e Num. 


21 ■■33. f Or. T/ie springs of Pisgah, 


or The hill. fDeut. 3:10. e Num. 31:8. 


h Num. ■2-2:5 ; 31 : 3. 1 Or, diviner. 


iNum.32:35. J2Sam.ll:l. k Num. 



east of the sources of the Jordan, north of Bashan, and 
near mount Hermon. 

21. Alt the kingdom of Silion ; that is, all that part which 
lay within tlie hmits of the region assigned to Reuben ; 
for " the rest of the kingdom of Sihon," constituting its 
northern part, was given to the ti'ibe of Gad, ver. 27. 

25. Half the land of the children of Ammon; that portion, 
namely, lying between the Arnon and the Jabbok, which 
Sihon liad previously taken from Amnion, as we gather 
from the narrative in Judg. 11:12-23. The Israelites were 
not allowed to take any of the territory which they found 
in possession of the Ammonites. Deut. 2 : 19. 

33. The Lord God of Israel was tlieir inheritance ; tliey 
received their support in conducting his worship from the 
tithes and oflermgs of the people. Num. 18. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. If life is prolonged, old age with its attendant infirm- 
ities wm soon come, and death will follow. All should 
therefore be dihgent in the discharge of their appropriate 
duties. When unfitted for one kind of labor, they should, 
if practicable, engage in another; and spend life in the 
discharge of duty, that they may be fitted to close it and 
enter into rest. 

2. However diligent and successful any may be in 



27 And in the valley, Beth-aram," and VruS; 
Beth-niinrali, and Siiccoth,' and Zaplion, the rest 
of the kingdom of Sihon king of llcshlion, Jordan 
and his bender, even unto tlie edge of the sea of 
Chinnereth on tlie other side Jnnlan eastward.'" 

2S This is the inheritance ul' the children of Gad 
after their families, the cities, and their villages. 

29 1 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half- 
tribe of Manasseh : and this was the possessicm of 
the half-tribe of the children of Manasseh by their 
families. 

30 And their coast was from Mahanaim," all Ba- 
shan, all the kingdom of Og king of Ha.^lum, and 
all the towns of Jair," which are in Basliau, three- 
score cities: 

Jil And half Gilead, and Aslitaroth,^ and Edrei, 
cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were per- 
taining unto the children of Machir the son of 
Manasseh, even to the one-half of the children of 
Machir by their families. 

32 These are the countries which Moses did dis- 
tiibute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on 
the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward. 

33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not 
any inheritance:'' the Loku God of Israel was their 
inheritance, as he said unto them."" 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 The nine tribes .and a half are to have their inlieritance bylot G Ca- 
leb by privile^^e obtaineth Hebron. 

AND these are the countries which the children 
of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, 
which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the sou of 
Xun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of 
the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance 
to them." 

2 By lot icas their inheritance,* as the Lord com- 
manded l.)y the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, 
and /or the half-tribe. 



32:36. 1 Gen. .33:17; 1 Kings 7:46. m Num. 34:11. » Nam. 32:39-41. 

1 Chr. 2:21. p ch. 12:4. q ver. 14. r Dent. 18:1. » Num. 34:17, IS. 

1 Num. 26:55; 33:54; 34:13; Psa.. 16:5,6. 



extending the kingdom of God, much will remain to bo 
accomplished by their successors. Each generation has 
its appropriate work, and no part of what belongs to it 
should be left to be performed by others. 

6. Men may be sure before the promises of God are 
fulfilled that he will perform them, and may with perfect 
propriety act accordingly. 

14. Though the ministers of Christ have not opportuni- 
ties to acquire wealth, yet, if faithful to him, he will pro- 
vide for them all things needful in this world, and will 
himself be their portion for ever. Ver. 33. 

22. Those who love the wages of unrighteousness and 
tempt others to sin, may for a time escape punishment ; 
yet their sins are not forgotten, and in due time they will 
receive the just reward of their deeds. 

32. God places men in such countries and conditions as 
he sees best. They should all receive their blessings as 
gifts, and use them for his honor and their own highest 
good. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

2. Bij lot was their inheritance; and yet God so ordered 
the lot that each tribe obtained the inheritance which it 
was predicted by Jacob and Moses that they should pos- 
sess. Gen. 49; Deut. 33. 



Caleb ohtaiiicth Heiron. 



JOSHUA XV. 



7!^ borders of Judah. 



B.'aiw?' 3 For Moses had given the inheritance 
of two tribes and a half-tribe on the other side 
Jordan : but unto the Levites he gave none inher- 
itance among tliem. 

4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, 
Manasseh and Ephraim:" therefore they gave no 
part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to 
dwell in," with their suburbs for their cattle and 
for tlieir substance.'' 

5 As tlie Lord commanded Moses,'' so the chil- 
dren of Israel did, and they divided the land. 

6 H Then the children of Judah came unto Josh- 
ua in Gilgal : and Caleb the son of Jephunneh tlie 
Kenezite" said unto him, Thou knowest the thing 
that the Lord said unto Moses*^ the man of God^' 
concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. 

7 Forty years old tvas I when Moses the servant 
of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy 
out the land ;'' and I brought him word again as it 
was in my heart.' 

8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me 
made the heart of the people melti^ but I wholly 
followed the Lord my God." 

9 And jMoses sware on that day, saying. Surely 
the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be 
thine inheritance,' and thy children's for ever, be- 
cause thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. 

10 And now, behold, tlie Lord hath kept me alive,™ 
as he said, these forty and five years, even since 
the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the 
children o/" Israel wandered* in the wilderness : and 
now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 

11 As yet I ffl??i as strong this day as lu-as in the 
day that Moses sent me : as my strength was then,'' 
even so is my strength now, for war, both to go 
out, and to come in.° 

12 Now therefore give me this mountain, where- 
of the Lord spake in that day ; for thou heardest 
in that day how the Anakim were there," and that 
the cities were great and fenced : if so be the Lord 



"G 


Bn. 4S:5 


lChr.5: 


1,2. 1>1 Chr. e:54-Sl. ' 


Num. 35:3. 


Num. 35:9. 


« Nn 


n. 33:12 


1 Num 


14:30; D 


ut. 1:36,33. 


S Num. 12:7, 


8. b Num. 


13:6. 


•J6. i N 


im. 13:30 


14:6-a. 


Num. 13:31,; 


2; Deut. 1:28, 


36. tNum. 


M:>A 


Ich. 1 


3. mNu 


Ti. 14:30. 


• Heb. walked 


-Deul. 34:1 


; Psi. 103:5. 


oi)eu 


t. 31;-2. 


pNum. 13:53,33. 


qlSam. 14:6 


2Chr. 14:11 


Tsa. 18:32- 



6. The thing tliat the Lord said; Num. 14 ; 24, 30 ; Deut. 1 : 36. 

7. As it was in my heart ; he gave a sincere, honest, faith- 
ful report. 

12. This mountain; the mountainous country about Ile- 
broii. How the Anakim were there; the presence of the 
Anakim, instead of discouraging Caleb, is an incitement to 
him to undertake the conquest of the region, for he has 
faith in God's presence and help. 

13. Hebron; the district in which Hebron lay; the city 
itself was given to the Levites. Chap. 21:12, 13. 

15. Kirjath-arba ; Gen. 23:2. Had rest; rest from gen- 
eral wars. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

2. Those things which appear to men to be casual, 
which are sometimes spoken of as happening or coming 
by chance, are nevertheless under the direction and con- 
trol of God. Prov. 16:33. 

5. If men do as the Lord commands, they will see the 
truth of his declarations and experience the fulfilment of 
his promises. 

7. Sincerity, honesty, uprightness, and fideUty to God 
and men are the surest course to long life, usefulness, 
respectability, and the greatest enjoyment of blessings for 
this life and the life to come. 



will be with me,'' then I shall be able to drive them 
out, as the Lord said. 

13 And Joshua blessed him,'' and gave unto Caleb 
the son of Jepliunneh Hebron for an inheritance.' 

14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of 
Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this 
day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God 
of Israel. 

15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjath- 
arba;' which Jirba was a great man among the 
Anakim." And the land had rest from war." 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 The borders of the lot of Judah. 13 Caleb's portion and conquest. 

16 Gthniel, for his valor, hath Achsah, Caleb's daughter, to wife. 18 
She obtaineth a blessing of her father. 21 The cities of Judah. 63 
The Jebusites not conquered. 

THIS then was the lot of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Judah by their families :"' even to the 
border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward 
was the uttermost part of the south coast.-'' 

2 And their south border was from the shore of 
the salt sea, from the bay* that looketh southward : 

3 And it went out to the south side to Maaleh- 
acrabbim,* and passed along to Zin, and ascended 
up on the south side unto Kadesh-barnea, and 
passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and 
fetched a compass to Karkaa: 

4 From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went 
out unto the river of Egypt ; and the goings out 
of that coast were at the sea : this shall be your 
south coast. 

5 And the east border xvas the salt sea, even unto 
the end of Jordan. And their border in the north 
quarter teas from the bay of the sea at the utter- 
most part of Jordan : 

6 And the border went up to Beth-hoglah,'' and 
passed along by the north of Beth-arabah ; and the 
Isorder went up to the stone of Bohan the son of 
Reuben:^ 



34; 27:1-3; 44:3; 60:12; 118:10-12; Rom. 8:31; Phil. 4:13; Heb. Il:ft3. 
rch. 22:6; Song 6:9. >ch.l5:13. tGen.23:2. "Gen. 35:27. vch. 11:2:?. 
w Num. 26:65. i Num. 34:3-5. t Heb. tongue. 1 Or, The going uf to 
Acrabbim. y ch. 18:19. zch. 1S:17. 



8. The ways of ti'ansgressors are hard, and those who 
decline the path of duty to avoid its trials or obtain some 
temporary good, take a course that is often most fatal to 
themselves and to others. 

12. If the Lord be with us, and we conduct in such a 
manner as to secure his blessing, we shall be victorious in 
our conflicts, and gain possession of the inheritance which 
he has promised to his people. 

CHAPTER XV. 

2-4. And their south border — south coast; these verses 
contain an accurate description of the south border of 
Judah, which was also the southern limit of Canaan west 
of the Arabah, a long narrow valley running south from 
the Dead sea. Beginning from the southern bay of the 
Dead sea, it ran south about eight miles to Maaleh-acrab- 
bim, a line of chalk hills running east and west across the 
Arabah. Thence it passed south and west to Kadesh- 
barnea. Thence it was carried in a general westerly direc- 
tion to "the river of Egypt" at Rhinocolura. 

5. End of Jordan; its mouth, at the Dead sea. 

6-11. These places lay along a line from near the north 
end of the Dead sea west, by Jerusalem, to Ekron in the 
land of the Philistines. 

279 



The inhtritanct t,f 



.lOSlIlA XV. 



the tribe of Judah. 



I And (he bonier wont up toward Dcliir from the 
valley of Aehor," and so northward, looking tow- 
ard (liljral,'' that is lictbre the going uj) to Adiini- 
niiin, wiiicii is on the s^outh side of the river : and the 
liordcr passed toward tiic waters of Kn-shenicsh, 
and tiie goings out tiiercof were at En-rogei :" 

8 And the border went up by the valley of tlie 
son of llinnotn'' unto tiie south side of tiic Jebu- 
sitc ; the same is Jerusalem :° and the border went 
u]i to the to|) of the mountain that lidh before the 
vaHcy of llinnom westward, wliicii is at tlic cud 
of tin' valley of the giants northward i*^ 

9 And the liorder was drawn from the top of the 
hill unto tlie fountain of the water of Ne])htoah,'-' 
and went out to the cities of mount Ephron ; and 
the border was drawn to Baalah,'' which w Kirjath- 
jearim:' 

10 And the border compassed from Baalah west- 
ward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the 
side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the 
north side, and went down to Bcth-shemesh, and 
passed on to Timnah :' 

II And the border went out unto tlie side of 
Ekron northward:" and the liordcr was drawn to 
Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalaii, and 
went out unto Jabnecl ; and the goings out of the 
border were at the sea. 

12 And the west border was to the great sea,' and 
the coast thereof: this is the coast of the children 
of Judah round about according to their families. 

13 T^ And unto Caleb the son of Jcphunnch he 
gave a part among the children of Judah, accord- 
ing to the commandment of the Lord to Joslma, 
even tlio city of Arba" the father of Anak, which 
city is Hebron. 

14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of 
Anak,'" Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the chil- 
dren of Anak. 

15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of 
Debir :" and the name of Debir before icas Kirjath- 
sepher. 

If) ^ And Caleb said. He that sraiteth Kirjath- 
sephcr," and takcth it, to him will I give Achsah 
my daughter to wife. 

17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz.P the brother of 
Caleb, took it : and he gave him Achsah his daugh- 
ter to wife. 



«Ch.7:-i6. bch. 5:9. » aSam. 17:17; 1 Kings l:fl. d ch. 18: 10: 2 Kings 
21:10; Jer. 19:2, li. e ch. 18:J^; Judg. 19:10. f 2 Sara. 5: IS, 22. e cli. 
I-<:13. h 2 Sam. 6:2; 1 Chr. 13:0. i Judg. 18:12. J Gen. 3S:13; Judff. 
HI. k 1 Sam. 5:10; 7:14; 2Kings 1:2,3, B, 16. 1 Num. 34:6, 7. •Or, 
Knjath-arba. ■» Num. 13:22; Judg. 1: 10, 20. n ch. 10:33. ojudg. 1:12, 
13. pNum. 32:12. q Gen. 21:61; 1 Sam. 25:2.1. r Gen. 33:11 ; Dein. .13:7. 



7. En-rogel; a well in the valley of Kidron a little dis- 
tance south of Jerusalem. 

8. Valley of the son of Hinnom ; this valley begins on 
the west of Jerusalem, and sweeps around its south-west 
corner— the ancient Zion— entering the valley of Kidron 
just helow the city. Tlius Jerusalem itself belonged not 
to Judah, but to Benjamin. Chap. 18: 10. 

15. Debir; a city west of Hebron, and south-west of 
Jerusalem. 

19. A south land; one that was warm and comparatively 
without water. The upper springs, and the nether ; high and 
low grounds that were well watered. 

21-62. The places here mentioned lay in the south part 
of Canaan, in that portion which was alloted to Judah ; a 
part of which was afterwards given to the tribe of Simeon. 
280 



i 18 And it came (o pass, as .«hc came unto n.^.\"" 
/lim, that she moved him to ask of her father a 
held : and she lighted off /icr ass ;i and Caleb said 
unto her, Wiiat wouldest thou? 

1'.) Wiio answered, fiive me a blessing ;' for thou 
hast given me a south land; give me also springs 
of water. And he gave her tlie upper springs, and 
the nether springs. 

20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Judah according to their families. 

21 If And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the 
children of Judah toward the coast of Edom .south- 
ward were Kabzeel. and Eder, and Jagur, 

22 And Kinah, and Dinionah, and Adadali, 

23 And Kcdesli, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 

24 Ziph," and Telein, and Bealoth, 

25 And Hazor, lladattah, and Kerioth, and Hez- 
ron, which is Hazor, 

26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, 

27 And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth- 
palet,' 

28 And Hazar-slmal, and Beer-sheba, and Biz- 
jothjah, 

29 Baalah," and lim, and Azem,^ 

30 And Eltolad, and Che.~il, and Hormah, 

31 AndZikIag,™andiIadniannah,and8ansannah, 
82 And Lcbaoth, and Shilhim, and Aiu,'' and Rim- 

mon : all the cities are twenty and nine, with their 
villages. 

33 1 Jl7id in the valley, Eshtaol,'' and Zoreah, and 
Ashnah, 

34 And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and 
Enam, 

35 Jarmuth, and Adullam,^ Socoh,-'' and Azekah, 

36 AndSharaim,andAdit]iaim,andGederah,and^ 
Gederothaim ; fourteen cities with their villages: 

37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad, 

38 And Dilean, and Jlizpch,'' and Jokthcel,° 

39 Lachish," and Bozkath, and Eglon, 

40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, 

41 And Gederoth, Beth-dagon, and Naamah, and 
Makkedah ; sixteen cities with their villages : 

42 Libnah," and Ether, and Ashan, 

43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 

44 And Keilah,'' and Achzib,^ and Mareshah; 
nine cities with their villages : 

45 Ekron,"" with her towns and her villages: 



si Sam. 23:14, 24. 'Neh. 11:20. u vcr. 0. »lChr.4:29. wl Sam. 27:6. 
iNum. 3-1:11. y Judg. 13:25. » 1 Sam. 22:1 ; Mic. 1 : 15. alSam.l7:l. 
tOr. or. b Gen. 31:48, 49. ':2KingsU:7. <l 2Kings 18:14. 17. «2Kings 
8:22. I 1 Sam. 23:1, elc. E Mic. 1 :14, 15. I> Amos 1:8: Zeph. 2:4; Zech. 
9:5, 7. 



32. Ttventij and nine; tliirty-eight are mentioned; but 
nine, it is supposed, were given to Simeon, leaving twen- 
ty-nine for Judah. 

3C. Fourteen cities; fifteen names are mentioned, but two 
are supposed to belong to one city, or to it and its suburbs. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. God will peculiarly bless those who are faithful in 
his service, and bestow upon them all needed good. 

13. God never forgets his promises, and in due time 
those who trust in him will experience their fulfilment. 

17. It is a great privilege to be connected in marriage 
with pious families ; and where the wiU of God is duly 
regarded in forming this connection, it may be expected 
to promote the respectability, usefulness, and comfort of 
all concerned. 



The cities of Judah. 



JOSHUA XVII. 



Border of Ephraim and Manasseh. 



B.' auS: 46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that 
lai/ near* Ashdod, with their villages: 

47 Ashdod, with her towns and her villages;'' 
Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the 
river of Egypt, and the great aea," and the border 
thereof. 

48 IT And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, 
and Socoh, 

49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is 
Debir,"" 

50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 

51 And Goshen,'' and Holon, and Giloh; eleven 
cities with their villages : 

52 Arab, and Dumah," and Eshean, 

53 AndJanum,* andBeth-tappuali,and Aphekah, 

54 And Humtali, and Kirjath-arba wliich is He- 
bron,' and Zior; nine cities with their villages: 

55 Maon,'^ Carmel," and Ziph, and Juttah, 

56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zauoah, 

57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with 
their villages : 

58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor, 

59 And Maarath, and Beth-anoth, and Eltekon; 
sLv cities with their villages: 

60 Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim,' and 
Eabbah ; two cities with their villages. 

61 *f In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, and 
Secacah, 

62 And Xibshan, and the city of Salt, and Enge- 
di ;' six cities with tlieir villages. 

63 1" As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Je- 
rusalem, the children of Judah could not drive 
them out: but the Jebusites dwell witli the chil- 
dren of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.*" 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 The general borders of the sons of Joseph. 5 The border of the inher- 
itance of Ephraim. 10 The Canaanites not conquered. 

AND the lotof the children of Joseph fell* from 
Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho 
on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from 
Jericho throughout mount Beth-el, 

2 xVnd goeth out from Beth-el to Luz,' and pass- 
eth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth, 

3 And goeth down westward to the coast of 
Japhleti, unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether," 
and to Gezer : " and the goings out thereof are at 
the sea. 



* Heb. 6y the place of. 


»1 Sarr 


.5:1,0; 2Chr.ai:6; Neh. 


13:2.3, M; Isa. 


20:1. b Nam. 34;5, 6. 


« Judg. 


1:11. d ch. 10-41; ll:Ili. 


e Isa. 21:11. 


t Or, Janus. < ver. 13. 


f ISa 


n. 23:25. h 1 Kings 18:42 


i ch. 1S;M. 


j 1 Sim. M-JD. k Judg. 


1:8, 21 


2 Sara. 5:0; Rom. 7:14-31 


t Heb. went 



CHAPTER XVI. 

1. The children of Joseph; 'Ephraim and 'i.la.na.sseh. The 
inheritance of Ejiliraim was north of that of Simeon, 
Judah, Dan, and Benjamin. It extended from the river 
Jordan across the whole land to the Mediterranean. The 
inheritance of that half-tribe of Manasseh which was not 
provided for on the east of Jordan, was north of that of 
Ephraim, and had the Mediterranean on the west, Asher 
and Zebulun on the north, and Issachar on the east, 

2-10. The places mentioned in these verses are in the 
districts of country above described, 
INSTRUCTIONS, 

1. The lot of all is appointed to them in the providence 



4 So the children of Joseph," Manasseh and 
Ephraim, took their inheritance. 

5 1 And the border of the children of Ephraim 
according to their families was thus: even the bor- 
der of tlieir inheritance on the east side was Ata- 
roth-addar, unto Beth-horon the upper; 

6 iVnd the border went out toward the sea to 
Michmethah on the north side;" and the border 
went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and 
passed by it on the east to Janoiiah ; 

7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, 
and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went 
out at Jordan. 

8 The border went out from Tappuah westward 
unto the river Kanah ;'' and the goings out thereof 
were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the 
tribe of the children of Ephraiin by their families. 

9 And the separate cities for the children of 
Ephraim icox among the inheritance of the chil- 
dren of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. 

10 And they drave not out the Canaanites that 
dwelt in Gezer:'' but the Canaanites dwell among 
the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under 
tribute. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 The lot of Manasseh. 7 His coast, 12 The Canaanites not driven 
out. 14 The children of Joseph obtain another lot. 

THERE was also a lot for the tribe of Manas- 
seh; for he was the first-born of Joseph;^ to 
icit, for Macliir the first-born of Manasseh,' the 
father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, 
therefore ho had Gilead and Bashan." 

2 Tliere was also a lot for the rest of the children 
of Manasseh by their families ;'■' for the children of 
Abiezer,^ and for the children of Helek, and for 
the children of Asriel, and for the children of She- 
chem, and for the children of Heplier, and for the 
children of Shemida : these were the male children 
of ilanasseh the son of Joseph by their families. 

3 1 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son 
of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Mana.s- 
seh, had no sons, but daughters: and these arc the 
names of his daughters, Malilah, and Xoah, Hog- 
lah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 

4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, 
and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the 
princes,™ saying, The Lord commanded Moses to 



forth. I ch. 18:13; Gen. 2S:19; Judg. 1:20. ni2Chr.8:5. n 1 Chr. 7:28. 
och. 17:14. Pch. 17:7. qch.l7:9. r Judg. 1 :29; 1 Kings 9: 10, 21. > Gen. 
4I:.'>1. t Gen. 50:23. a Dent. 3:15. » Num. 20:29-32. i Jeezer, Nam. 
2(3:30. "ch. 14:1. 



of God. For its blessings they should be thankful, under 
its trials submissive, and in all its duties guided by the 
revealed will of God. 

10. The more faithfully men follow the will of God, the 
greater real good will they enjoy, both in this life and that 
to come. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1. Gilead and Bashnn ; countries on the east of Jordan 
and north of those allotted to the tribes of Gad and Reu- 
ben. 

2. The rest of the children of Manasseh; those not provided 
for on the east of Jordan. Ver. 5. 

4. The Lord commanded ; Num. 27:G-11. 
2S1 



77it' cAUdren of Jcscph. 



JOSHUA -Will. 



Tilt talernacle sel up. 



frivc us an inlicritaiice nnioiifrourbrctlircii." Tlicre- 
tbrc, iU'cordin? to the foiniiianclinont of tlic Loui), 
he srave them aa iulieritauce aiuoug the brethrcu 
ot their father. 

5 Ami tlierc fell ten portions to Manasseh, be- 
sides tlic land of Gilead and Bashan, which ivere 
on the otlier side Jordan; 

G Uecause the daughters of Manasseli bad an in- 
lieritanee among his sons: and tlie rest of Manas- 
seh's sons liad the land of Gilead. 

7 'i And the coast of iSIanasseh was from Aslier 
to Michmethah," tbat Ikth before Shcchcni; and 
the border went along on the right hand unto the 
inhabitants of Enta])puah. 

8 A'ow Manasseh had the land of Tappuah : but 
Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to 
the children of Ephraim ; 

9 And the coast descended unto the river Ka- 
uah,' southward of the river : these cities of Ephra- 
im are among the cities of Manasseh:'' the coast 
of Manasseh also xvas on the north side of the 
river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea : 

10 Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward 
it was Mauassch's, and the sea is his border ; and 
they met together in Asher on the north, and in 
Issachar on the east. 

11 And Manasseh'' had in Issachar and in Asher 
Beth-shean'^ and her towns, and Ibleam and her 
towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, 
and the inhabitants of Endor''and her towns, and 
the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and 
the inhabitants of Megiddo^ and her towns, even 
three countries. 

12 Yet the children of iranasseh could not drive 
out the inhabitants of those cities;'' but the Ca- 
uaanites would dwell in that land. 

13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Is- 
rael were waxen strong, that they put the Canaan- 
ites to tribute ;' but did not utterly drive them out. 

1-1 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, 
saying, Why hast thou given me hut one lot and 
one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, 



» Num. 27:6, 7. b ch. 16:6-8. • Or, 6roolc of reeds, t ch. 16:9. '' 1 Chr 
7:29. e I Sam.31:10; 1 Kings4:12. f 1 Sam. 2S:7; Tsa. e3;10. B Zeoh. 
12:11. t Judg. 1:27. 29. i ch. 16:10. J Gen. J9:2-.'-26; Num. 26:34-:37; 
Deut. a3: 13-17. 1 Ot, Rephaim, Gen. U:5; 15:20; 2 Sam. 5:18, 22. k Judg. 



5. Ten portions ; after the children of Machir had re- 
ceived Gilead and Bashan, there remained the six other 
sons to be provided for on tlie west side of Jordan. Five 
of these received one portion each ; and for the daughters 
of Zelophehad the son of Hepher were provided five por- 
tions more, making ten in all. 

9. The river Kanak; a small stream which formed the 
boundary between Manasseh and Ephraim, and empties 
into the Jlediterranean south of Caesarea. 

11. In haachar — Asher ; within the limits of those tribes. 

12. Could not ; for want of faith and the use of due means. 

13. Tribute ; an aimual tax, in token of submission. 

14. One lot and one portion; they claimed a double por- 
tion on account of their number. 

15. Get thee up ; take possession of those portions of the 
country allotted to you, which have not yet been subdued. 

16. The valley of Jczreel ; these words seem to include 
both the large plain south-east of mount Oarmel, and 
south-west from mount Tabor, called by the Greeks Es- 
draelon, and also the valley running down from this plain 
to the valley of the Jordan. 

18. The mountain ; the hilly country before spoken of. 
Drive out ; this they could do in reliance on God. 
282 



forasmuch as the Loni) liatli blessed nic u ?• f^J; 
hithertoVJ 

15 And Jo.shua answered them. If thou be a great 
people, then get tiieo up to the wood country, and 
cut down for thyself there in the land of the Per- 
izzites and of tiie giants,* if mount Ejihraim be too 
narrow for thee. 

IG And the children of Joseph said, The hill is 
not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that 
dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of 
iron," both they who are of lieth-shcan and her 
towns,' and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.""- 

17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Josej)!), 
even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying. Thou art 
a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt 
not liave one lot only: 

18 But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a 
wood, and thou shalt cut it down : and the outgo- 
ings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out 
the Canaanites," though they have iron chariots, 
and though they be strong. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 The tabernacle is set up at Shiloh. 2 The remainder of the land is 
described, and divided into seven parts. 10 Joshua divideth it by lot. 
11 Tlie lot and border of Benjamin. 21 Their cities. 

AND the whole congregation of the children of 
Israel assembled together at Shiloh," and set 
up the tabernacle of the congregation there:'' and 
the land was subdued before them. 

2 And there I'cniained among the children of Is- 
rael seven tribes, which had not yet received their 
inheritance. 

3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, 
How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, 
which the Lord God of your fathers hath given 
you?'' 

4 Give out from among you three men for each 
tribe : and I will send them, and they shall rise, and 
go through the land,'' and describe it according to 
the inheritance of them ; and they shall come again 
to me. 



1:19:4:3. ilKings4:12. m 2 Kinjs 9:10, 37. n Deut. 20:1 ; Isa. 41:14- 
16; Rom. 8:31, 37; Heb. 13:16. " ch. 19:51; Jer. 7:12. P Judg. lS;31j 
1 Sam. 1:3, 24; 4:3, 4. q Judg. 18:9. r ver. 8. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The various talents of men come from God, and he 
allots to them such situations as are suited to the duties 
to which he calls them. 

4. It is proper that daughters should have an inheri- 
tance as well as sons, and so far as is consistent be pro- 
vided for according to their wants. 

12. It is often said in the Bible that men "cannot" do 
that which they wiU not try to do, nor use the means by 
which, through the blessing of God, they can do it. 

13. Through sloth and inactivity, men will often sac- 
rifice great future good for the sake of a Uttle present 
ease. 

15. Men are often in want because they neglect to use 
proper means to obtain relief, and the best way to help 
such persons is to put them in a way to help themselves. 

CHAPTER XYIII. 

1. Shiloh ; in the tribe of Ephraim, about twenty-five miles 
north of Jerusalem, and about fifteen south of Shechem. 

2. Seven tribes; Simeon, Benjamin, Dan, Issachar, Zebu-. 
lun, A.sher, and Naphtali. 

4. Give out; choose, or appoint. 



The rcmcdning land surveyed. 



JOSHUA XIX. 



The porlion of Benjamin. 



parts: Jiidah shall abide in their coast on the 
south," and the house of Joseph shall abide in 
their coasts on the north." 

6 Ye shall therefore describe the land i7ito seven 
parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I 
may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God." 

7 But the Levites have no part among you ;'' for 
the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance : and 
Gad, and Reuben," and half the tribe of Manasseh, 
have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on 
the east, -which Moses the servant of the Lord gave 
them. 

8 1 And the men arose, and went away : and 
Joshua charged them that went to describe the 
land, saying, Go and walk through the land,*^ and 
describe it, and come again to me, that I may here 
cast lots for you before the Lord in Shiloh. 

9 And the men went and passed through the land, 
and described it by cities into seven parts in a book,^ 
and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh. 

10 IT And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh 
before the Loed :" and there Joshua divided the 
land unto the children of Israel according to their 
divisions. 

11 IF And the lot of the tribe of the children of 
Benjamin came up according to their families : and 
the coast of their lot came forth between the chil- 
dren of Judah and the children of Joseph. 

12 And their border on the north side was from 
Jordan; and the border went up to the side of 
Jericho on the north side, and went up through the 
mountains westward ; and the goings out thereof 
were at the wilderness of Beth-aven. 

13 And the border went over from thence toward 
Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Beth-el,' south- 
ward ; and the border descended to Ataroth-addar, 
near the hill that lieth on the south side of the neth- 
er Beth-horon.' 

14 And the border was drawn thence, and com- 
passed the corner of the sea southward, from the 
hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward ; and 
the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal, which 
is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the children of Judah : 
this was the west quarter. 

15 And the south quarter was from the end of 



"Ch. 15:1, etc. bch. 16:1-1. c ver. 10; ch. 14:2. d ch. 1:3:3-3. ech. 13:8. 
' Gen. 13:17. r Acts 13:19. h Ezek. 47:22; 48:29. ■ Gen. 28:19; lad". 
1:23. j eh. 16:3. k 1 Chr. 13:5. 6. lch.lo:9. ni ch. 15:8; 2 Kings 23: lU; 



5. TJieir coast; the place already assigned them. 
_ 9. Described it by cities — in a book ; they gave a descrip- 
tion of the country, as divided by them into seven parts, one 
for each tribe that had not yet received its inheritance. 

11. Between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph; 
Judah was on the south, and Ephraim on the north. Jeru- 
ealem was in Benjamin, and thus, as predicted of him, he 
dwelt in safety by the Lord. Deut. 33:12. 

12-28. The places here mentioned were on the borders 
of Benjamin's inheritance, which was bounded by the Jor- 
dan on the east and Dan on the west. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

X. The place for public worship should be central, and 
such as will best accommodate those who are expected 
there to assemble. 

3. Men often long remain destitute of many things which 
it is the will of God that they should enjoy, and which 
■with the right use of means they might enjoy. 



Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the 
west, and went out to the well of waters of Neph- 
toah:' 

16 And the border came down to the end of the 
mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of 
Hinnom, a/id which is in the valley of the giants 
on the north, and descended to the valley of Hin- 
nom,'" to the side of Jebusi on the south, and de- 
scended to En-rogel," 

17 And was drawn from the north, and went 
forth to En-shemesh, and went forth toward Geli- 
loth, which is over against the going up of Adum- 
mim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son 
of Reuben," 

18 And passed along toward the side over against 
Arabah* northward, and went down unto Arabah : 

19 And the border passed along to the side of 
Beth-hoglah northward: and the outgoings of the 
border were at the north bay* of the salt sea at 
the south end of Jordan : this was the south coast. 

20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east 
side. This ivas the inheritance of the children of 
Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, ac- 
cording to their families. 

21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of 
Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, 
and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz, 

22 And Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim," and Beth- 
el ,'i ^ 

2.3 And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,"' 
2i And Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Ga- 
ba; twelve cities with their villages: 

25 Gibeon,^ and Ramah,' and Beeroth, 

26 And Mizpeli," and Clicphirah, and Mozah, 

27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, 

28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi,^" which is Jeru- 
salem, Gibeath, and Klrjath ; fourteen cities with 
their villages. This is the inheritance of the chil- 
dren of Benjamin according to their families. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1 The lot of Simeon, 10 of Zebulun, 17 of Issachar, 24 of Asher, 32 
of Naphtali, 40 of Dan. 49 The children of Israel give an inheritance 
to Joslma. 

ND the second lot came forth to Simeon, evc^i 
for the tribe of the children of Simeon ac- 



A 



2Chr. 23:3; 33:6; Jer. 19:2; 32:35. nch.l5:7. och.l5:C. • Or, T/te plain. 
t Heb. (ongue, Isa. 11:15. p Gen. 10:18; 2 Chr. 13:4. 1 1 Kings 12:29, 32; 
rl Sam. 13:17. » I Kings 3:4, 5. IJer. 31:15. ujudg. 10:17. »ch. 15:8, 63. 



9. In dividing estates, great care should be taken that 
the boundaries be so fixed as to avoid aU future conten- 
tion about them. 

11. By the proper use of means, each individual may 
obtain that situation which is most suitable for him, and 
in which he may promote his highest good. 

20. Families are the appointment of Jehovah, and for 
them he provides w-ith infinite wisdom and goodness. 
They are designed and adapted to be sources of great 
enjoyment on earth and to be nurseries for heaven. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1. Within the inheritance of — Jxidah ; on the survey of the 
whole land, it was found that what had been allotted to 
Judah was too large for one tribe, ver. 9 ; the south-west 
part of it was therefore allotted to Simeon. His inheri- 
tance was bounded on the north and east by that of Judah, 
on the south by the desert of Zin, and on the west by the 
land of the Philistines. 

283 



The lots of Sinutiii, Zcbulun, 



.losiir.v MX. 



JssacJiar, As/ier, and Xaphlali. 



rordinir to (lioir fiuiiilios: and their inlicritaiirc 
was within tiic inheritance of the ciiildren of 
.Indali." 

2 And tlicy had in tlicir iuiioritancc Bcer-sheba'' 
or Slii'lm. and Moladah, 

;5 And llazar-shual," and IJalali, and Azoin, 

4 And Kltohxd, and Betiuii, and Jlornudi,'' 

5 And ZikUig,'' and Bcth-niarcaboth, and Hazar- 
snsali, 

6 Anil Beth-lebaoth, andSharuhen; thirteen cit- 
ies and their viUages: 

7 Ain. IJemmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cit- 
ies and their villages: 

8 And all tlie villages that wei-e round about 
these cities to Baalatli-becr, Ilamath of the soutli.'' 
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the ciiildren 
of Simeon according to tlieir families. 

9 Out of the portion of tlio ciiildren of Judah 
was the inheritance of the children of Simeon : for 
the part of the children of Judah was too much for 
them :s therefore tiie children of Simeon had their 
inheritance within the inheritance of them." 

10 *f And the third lot came up for the children 
of Zobuluu according to their families: and the 
border of their iuiioritancc was unto Sarid: 

11 And their border went up toward the sea,' 
and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and 
reached to the river that is before Jokneam;-' 

12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the 
sunrisiug unto the border of Chisloth-tabor,'' and 
then goeth out to Daberath,' and goeth up to 
Japhia, 

13 And from thence passeth on along on the east 
to Gittahhephcr,'" to Ittah-kazin, and goeth out to 
Renimon-methoar* to Neah ; 

14 And the border compasseth it on the north 
side to Hannathon : and the outgoings thereof are 
in the valley of Jiphthah-cl: 

1.') And Kattath, and Nahallal," and Shimron," 
and Idalali, and Beth-lehem:'' twelve cities with 
their villages. 

16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zeb- 
ulun according to their families, these cities with 
their villages. 

17 ^ And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for 
the children of Issachar according to their families. 

18 And their border was toward Jezreel,i and 
ChesuUoth, and Shunem,'' 





Vei. 9. 


b Gen. 


21:31; 


1 Chr 4:2S. 


<: ch 


15:28-32. 


i Judg. 


1:17. 


e 


Sail 


. 27:6 


30:1. 


(1 Sa 


m. 30:27. e 


I Cor. 9: 14, 15. h , 


er. 1. > 


Gen. 


41) 


i:!. 


jch. 


2:23. 


k Judg 


4:6, 12: Psa 


89:12. 


I 1 Chr. 6: 


-2. mBKinRS 


14 


■i'). 


■ Or, 


which 


is drawn, n Judff. 


1:30. 


ch. 11:1. 


P Ruth 


1:19: 


2 Sam. 


23:15 


2Chr 


11:6. 


q 1 Kings 21 


I. r 


1 Sam. 23:4 


2 King 


4:B, 



2-9. These places were within the above-mentioned dis- 
trict. 

10. Tlie children of Zehuhin ; their inheritance was bound- 
ed on the east by the river Jordan and the sea of GaHlee, 
on the north by Asher and Naphtali, on the west by Asher 
and Manasseh, and on the south by Issachar. 

11-15. These places were in or on the borders of the 
above-mentioned territory. 

17. T/ie children of Issachar; their inheritance was 
bounded on the east by the Jordan, on the north by Zeb- 
ulun, on the west by Manasseh, and on the south by 
Ephraim. 

18-22. Places in or on the borders of Issachar. 

24. Tlve children of Aslier; their inheritance was in the 
north-west part of the country towards Tyre, and was 
284 



iiaratli, 
2U And Rabbilh, and Kisliion, and Abez, 

21 And Keiiieth, and I'higanniin,'' and En-bad- 
dah, and Bctli-pazzez; 

22 And the coast reacheth lo Tabor,' and Sha- 
hazimali, and Buth-sheniesh ;" and the outgoings of 
their border were at Jordan: si.xtecn cities with 
their villages. 

2'd This is the inheritance of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of I.<sacliar according to their families, the 
cities and their villages. 

24 1 And the iiflh lot came out for the tribe of 
the children of A.'^hcr according to their families. 

2o And their border was llelkath,' and Hali, 
and Beten, and Achshaph, 

26 And Alainmclech, and Amad, and Mishal ; 
and reacheth to Carmcl westward,'*' and to Shihor- 
libnath ; 

27 And turncth toward the sunrising to Beth-da- 
gon," and reacheth to Zcbulun, and lo the valley 
of Jiphthali-el toward the north sideof Bcth-cmek, 
and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand, 

28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hanimon, and 
Kanah, even unto great Zidon ;^ 

29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to 
the strong city Tyre;* and the coast turneth to 
Hosah ; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea 
from the coast to Achzib : '■ 

30 Uuimah also, and Aphek,^ and Rehob : twenty 
and two cities with their villages. 

31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Asher according to their families,'' these 
cities with their villages. 

32 IT The sixth lot came out to the children of 
Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali accord- 
ing to their families. 

33 And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to 
Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto 
Lakuni ; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan : 

34 And t/ien the coast turneth westward to Az- 
noth-tabor, and goeth out from thence to Ilukkok, 
and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and 
reacheth to Asher on the west side,' and to Judah 
upon Jordan toward the sunrising. 

35 And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and 
Hammath, Rakkath, and Cliinnereth,'' 

36 And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, 



12. ■ch. 21:29. 1 1 Chr. 6:77. " 1 Sara. 6:9, etc. ; 2Kings 14:11, » 2 Sam. 
2:16. >v 1 Sam, 15:12; 1 Kings 1S:20, 42; Song 7:5; Isa. 33:9; 35:2; 37:24: 
Jer. 40:18. i I Sam. 5:2. y oh. 11:8; Judg. 1:31. t Heb. Tzor; 2 Sam. 
5:11; Ezek. 27:2, etc. 2 Judg. 1:31; Mic. 1:14. » 1 Sam. 4:1; 1 Kings 
20:.30. b Gen. 49:20; Deut. 33:24. » Daiit. 33:23. d Mark 6:53. 



bounded on the east by Naphtali, on the north by Syria, 
on the west by Phenicia, and on the south by Zebulun. 

25-31. Places in or on the borders of Asher. 

32. The children of Naphtali; their inheritance was in 
the north-east part of the country, and was bounded on 
the east by the Jordan, on the north by Syria, on the west 
by Asher, and on the south by Zebulun and the sea of 
Galilee. 

33-38. Places in, or on the borders of Kaphtali. Judah 
upon Jordan toward the smirising ; we are probably to 
understand the cities of Jair in the land of Gilead east 
of the Jordan, 1 Chron. 21:23. Though these properly 
belonged to the half-tribe of Manasseh, they might well 
have been called " Judah upon Jordan," because Jair was 
a descendant of Judah. 



The portion of Ban. 



JOSHUA XX. 



Tlie six cities nf refuge. 



B.' c! S 37 And Kcdesh, and Edrci, and En-Iiazor, 

38 And Iron, and Migdal-cl, Horem, and Beth- 
anatli, and Beth-slicmesli;" nineteen cities with 
their villages. 

39 Tliis is the inheritance of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Naphtali according to their families, the 
cities and their villages. 

40 ^ And the seventh lot came out for the tribe 
of the children of Dan according to their families. 

41 And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah,'' 
and Eshtaol,'^ and Ir-shemesh, 

42 And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon,"^ and Jethlah, 

43 And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron," 

44 And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon,'' and Baalath, 

45 And Jchud,andBene-bcrak,and Gath-rimmon, 

46 And Jlc-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border 
before" Japho.^ 

47 And the coast of the children of Dan went 
out too little for them:" therefore the children of 
Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, 
and smote it with the edge of the sword, and pos- 
sessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, 
Dan, after the name of Dan their father. 

48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Dan according to their families, these cit- 
ies with their villages. 

49 IT When they had made an end of dividing 
the land for inheritance by their coasts, the chil- 
dren of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the 
son of Nun among them : 

50 According to the word of the Lord they gave 
him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah 
in mount Ephraim:*" and ho built the city, and 
dwelt therein. 

51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the 
priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads 
of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Is- 
rael,' divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh 
before the Lord,-' at the door of the tabernacle of 
the congregation. So they made an end of divid- 
ing the country. 



CHAPTER XX 



aVer. 23. b 2 Chr. 11 ;10. cjujg. 18;2. d 1 Sam. 14:31. » 1 Sam. 5:10; 
.\mos 1:8. f 1 Kings 15:27. • Or, over against, t Or, Joppa, Acts 9:36. 
g Judg. 18:1,27-29. h ch. 21:30. i ch. 14:1 ; Num. 34:17. J ch. 18:10; 
Gen. 49:10; Judg. 21:19, 21 ; 1 Sam. 1:3; Psa. 78:00; Jer. 7:12-14. t Exod. 
21:13; Num. 35:6, 11, 14; Deut. 19:2,9. IRuth4:l,2; Prov.31:23. m Heb. 



40. The children of Dan ; their inheritance was bounded 
by Benjamin on the east, by Ephraim on the north, by the 
Mediterranean and the Philistines on the west, and by 
Judah on the south. 

41-46. Places in or on the borders of Dan. 

47. Leshem ; the same as Laish, a city near the foot of 
mount Lebanon and the sources of the Jordan. Judg. 
18:1-29. 

50. Timnath-serah ; a place iiithehilly country of the tribe 
of Ephraim, called, in Judg. 2:9, Timnath-heres. It was 
liere that Joshua lived, died, and was buried. Ch. 24:30. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

9. If through mistake persons have obtained more than 
rightfully belongs to them, they should, on its being known, 
promptly and cheerfully restore it. 

40. Although the land of Canaan was divided by lot 
among the several tribes of Israel, yet their inheritance 
and condition were such as was predicted, and as it was 
beforehand certain that they would be. 

50. They who have been eminent benefactors of their 
fellow-men, should bo remembered with gratitude, hon- 
ored, and if need be, provided for, by those whose inter- 
ests have been secured bv their sacrifices and efforts. 



1 God commandeth, 7 and tlie children of Israel appoint the six cities of 
refujje. 

THE Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying, 
2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 
Appoint out for you cities of refuge," whereof I 
spake unto you by the hand of Moses: 

3 That the slayer tliat killeth any person una- 
wares and unwittingly may flee thither : and they 
shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 

4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those 
cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the 
city,' and shall declare his cause in the ears of the 
elders of that city, they shall take him into the 
city unto them, and give him a place, that he may 
dwell among them." 

5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him," 
then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his 
hand ; because he smote his neighbor unwittingly, 
and hated him not beforetime. 

6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand 
before the congregation for judgment, and until 
the death of the high-priest that shall be in those 
days : then shall the slayer return, and come unto 
his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city 
from whence he fled. 

7 ^ And they appointed* Kedesh in Galilee in 
mount Naphtali," and Shechemin mount Ephraim,'' 
and Kirjath-arba which is Hebron i in the moun- 
tain of Judah."" 

8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho east- 
ward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon 
the plain out of the tribe of Eeuben,* and Ramoth 
in Gilcad out of the tribe of Gad,' and Golan in 
Bashan out of the trilje of Manasseh." 

9 These were the cities appointed for all the chil- 
dren of Israel," and for the stranger that sojourn- 
eth among them, that whosoever killeth any per- 
son at unawares might flee thither, and not die by 
the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood 
before the congregation.'"' 



6:18. n Num. 35: 12, 25. > Huh. sanctified, o ch. 21:32; 1 Chr. 6:70. Pch. 
21:21; 2 Chr. 10:1. q ch. 14:15; 21 :11, 13. r Luke 1:.30. «ch. 21:36; 
Deut. 4:43; 1 Chr. 6:78. t ch. 21:38; 1 Kings 22:3, 4, G. " oh. 21:27. 
V Num. 35:15. w ver. 6. 



CHAPTER XX. 

2. Whereof I spake; Exod. 21:13; Num. 35:C-34; Deut. 
19:2-13. 

3. Unwittingly; without design. 

6. Judgment ; a fair trial and a righteous decision. 

7. Mount Naphtali ; the hilly region in the tribe of Naph- 
tali, in the north part of the country. Shechem ; this was 
in the central part, and Hebron in the south part of the 
country. 

8. Sczer ; a city in the south part of the country, east of 
Jordan ; Ramoth was in the central, and Golan in the north 
part of the comitrv. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. Our lives are always uncertain, and are liable to be 
suddenly taken away, either by design or through our own 
careles.sness or mistakes, or those of our feDow-men. 

6. As life may be destroyed through carelessness as 
well as by design, carelessness is a sin which should be 
most conscientiously avoided, and if it is not, should be 
visited with its appropriate punishment. 

9. No person accused of murder should be acquitted or 
condemned till after a full and fair trial; nor should he 
suffi-r death unless proved to be guilty. 

286 



Eight and forty eilits 



JOSHUA XXI. 



allotted to the Lcvitcs. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



1 Eijjtit and forty ritic« civ.n by \oU out of tlic other tribes, unto the 
L«vitr>. ■I^t ''Oil (;ave llic lanil, niiil nut unto the Iiravliti-s, accord- 
ing to his promise. 

I'^IIEN came near the heads of the fathers of the 
Levilt^s unto Elca/ar tlic priest, and unto 
Joshua llio son of Nun, and unto the heads of tlie 
fathers of the tribes of the ehiidren of Israel ;° 

2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the 
land (if Canaan," sayinsr. The Lniu) commanded 
liy tiio hand of Moses to ffive us cities to dwell in, 
with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.' 

3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Lc- 
vitcs out of their iidieritance, at the commandment 
of tlie LoiiD, these cities and their suburbs. 

4 And the lot came out for the families of the 
Kohathitcs: and the children of Aaron the priest,'' 
which vcre of the Lcvites, had by lot out of the 
tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, 
and out of the tribe of JJcnJamin, thirteen cities. 

5 And the rest of the children of Kohath'' had 
by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, 
and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half- 
tribe of Manassch, ten'cities. 

6 And the children of Gershon'' had by lot out 
of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of 
the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naph- 
tali, and out of the half-tribe of Manasseli in ]3a- 
shan, thirteen cities. 

7 The children of iferari^ by their families had 
out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of 
Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 

8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto 
the Levites these cities with their suburbs," as the 
Lord commanded by the hand of Moses. 

9 IF And they gave out of the tribe of the chil- 
dren of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children 
of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned* 
by name, 

10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the 
families of the Kohathitcs, ivho were of the children 
of Levi, had : for theirs was the first lot. 

11 And they gave them the city of Arba*' the 
father of Anak,J which city is Hebron, in the hill 
country of Judah," with the suburbs thereof round 
about it. 

12 But the fields of the city, and the villages 
thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh 
for his po3.?es3ion.' 

13 t Thus they gave to the ehiidren of Aaron 
the priest Hebron with her suburbs," to be a city 
of refuge for the slayer, and Libnah with her 
suburbs, 

14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa 
■with her suburbs, 

15 And Holon* with her suburbs, and Debir with 
her suburbs, 



» Oh. 14:1; 17:4. b ch. 18:1. c Nnm. 35:2. a rer. 8, 19; ch. 24:33. 
e ver. 20. etc. ' ver. 37, etc. e ver. 34, etc. h ver. 3. • Heb. called, t Or, 
Kirjath-arba; Gen.i3:-2. ilChr. 6:55. j ch. 15:13, 14. k ch. 20:7, etc.; 
Lukel:.39. 1 ch. 14:14. m i chr. 6:56, etc. 1 Hiltn, 1 Chr. 6:53; ch. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

4. Judah — Simeon — Benjamin; thus the priests bad their 
r;ities in the tribes that were near to Jerusalem and the 
t"iii;ile. Ver. 9-19. 

286 



IC) And Ain' with her .suburbs, and Jut- «." i"™; 
tall with her subuibs, and Hi'tii-shemesh with her 
suburbs; nine cities out of tiiose two tribes. 

17 And out of the tribt! of Hcnjamin, Gibeon 
with her suburbs, Geba' with her suburbs, 

IS Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon^ with 
her suburbs ; four cities. 

ly All the cities of the children of Aaron, the 
priests, ivere thirteen cities with their suburl)s. 

20 •[ And the families of the children of Kohath." 
the Levites wiiich remained of the children of Ko- 
hath, even they had the cities of their lot out of 
the tribe of Ephraim. 

21 For they gave them Shechem with her sub- 
urbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for 
the slayer ; and Gezer with her suburbs, 

22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Beth- 
lioron with her suburbs; four cities. 

23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with 
her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, 

24 Ajalon with her suburbs, Gath-rimmon with 
her suburbs; four cities. 

2o And out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taa- 
nach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her 
suburbs ; two cities. 

2() All the cities were ten with their suburbs for 
the families of the children of Kohath that re- 
mained. 

27 IT And unto the children of Gershon," of the 
families of the Lcvites, out of the other half tribe 
of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her 
suburbs," io be a city of refuge for the slayer, and 
Beeshterah with her suburbs ; two cities. 

28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with 
her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs, 

29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with 
her suburbs ; four cities. 

30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with 
her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, 

31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with 
her suburbs ; four cities. 

32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in 
Galilee with her suburbs,"! to be a city of refuge 
for the slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her sub- 
urbs, and Karfan with her suburbs ; three cities. 

33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to 
their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 

34 1 And unto the families of the children of 
Merari,' the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe 
of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kar- 
tah with her suburbs, 

35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her 
suburbs; four cities. 

36 And out of the trilje of Reuben, Bezer with 
her suburbs," and Jahazah with her suburbs, 

37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath 
with her suburbs ; four cities. 



1d:.51. 8 Aslian, ch. 15:42: 1 Chr. 6:50. I Uaba. ch. 1M:24. 1 Alcmeth. 
1 Chr. 6:60. n Tcr. 5; 1 Chr. 6:06. o ver. 6; 1 Chr. 6:71. P ch. 20:,'- 
Ich.SO:?. rver. 7; IChr. 6:77. !ch.a0:8. 



5. Tlie rest; those of the family of Kohath who were not 
priests. Ver. 20-26. 

27 The children of Gershon; these were Levites, but not 
priests. 

34. The children of Mcrari ; Levites, but not priests. 



The two tribes and a half 



JOSHUA XXII. 



luild an altar near Jordan. 



B. c'lM? 38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth 
in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge 
for the slayer; and Mahanaim witlx licr suburbs, 

39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her 
suburbs; four cities in all. 

40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by 
their families, which were remaining of the fami- 
lies of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities. 

41 All the cities of the Levites within the pos- 
session of the children of Israel were forty and 
eight cities with their suburbs.'' 

42 These cities were every one with their sub- 
ui'bs round about them : thus icere all these cities. 

43 IT And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land 
■which he sware to give unto their fathers ;'' and 
they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 

44 And the Lord gave them rest round about," 
according to all that he sware unto their fathers : 
and there stood not a man of all their enemies 
before them;'' the Lord delivered all their ene- 
mies into their hand. 

45 There failed not aught of any good thing 
which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Is- 
rael;"^ all came to pass. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1 The two tribes and a half with a blessing are sent home. 10 They 
build the altar of testimony in their journey. 11 The Israelites are 
offended thereat. 21 They give them good satisfaction. 

THEN Joshua called the Reubenites, and the 
Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 

2 xind said unto them. Ye have kept all that 
Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you,'^ 
and have obeyed my voice in all that I command- 
ed you:' 

3 Ye have not left your brethren these many 
days unto this day, but have kept the charge of 
the commandment of the Lord your God. 

4 And now the Lord your God hath given rest 
unto your brethren, as he promised them : there- 
fore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, 
ajid unto the land of your possession, which Moses 
the servant of the Lord gave you on the other 
side Jordan."" 



»Xum.35:7. b Gen. 12:7: 13:1.5; 15:13-21 ; 28:3, 4; 28:4, 13. 14. = ch 
11:23; 22:4. i Deut. 7:23,24. e ch. 23:14; Num. 23:19; 1 Kings 8:50 
1 Cor. 1:9; Tit. 1:2. ( Num. 32:20-29; Deut. 3:16-20. s ch. 1:12-18! 
liDeut.29:8. i Deut 6:6, 17; 11 :22; 1 Chr. 23:7, 8; Jer. 12:16. J Deut 



10:12. kActsll:*!. 1 ch. 24:14; 1! 



'Gen. 47:7; 2S 



41. Forty and eight cities; according to the direction of 
Moses, Niim. 35:7. 

42. Suburbs; adjacent territory to the extent of two 
thousand cubits on every side, according to the direction 
in Num. 35:5. 

43. Tlieij possessed it; they possessed all that they then 
needed ; ana the rest the Lord would give them, according 
to his promise, Esod. 23:30. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. It is not left merely to the inclinations of men whether 
they will provide for the comfortable support of the minis- 
ters of religion, but it is the command of God that those who 
preach the gospel should live of the gospel, and their hear- 
ers cannot withhold from them needful support without de- 
priving them of what is justly their due. 1 Cor. 9 : 13, 14. 

4. It is a great convenience for the ministers of religion 
to live near the place of public worship, and generally it 
will be found to be most conducive to their good and the 
good of the people. 



5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment 
and the law,' which Moses the servant of the Lord 
charged you, to love the Lord your God,' and to 
walk in all his ways, and to keep his command- 
ments, and to cleave unto him,"' and to serve him 
with all your heart and with all your soul.' 

6 So Joshua blessed them,'" and sent them away : 
and they went unto their tents. 

7 1 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manas- 
seh Moses had given possession in Bashan ; but unto 
the other half thereof gave Joshua among their 
brethren on this side Jordan westward."" And 
when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, 
then he blessed them, 

8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with 
much riches unto your tents," and with very much 
cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, 
and with iron, and with very much raiment : divide 
the spoil of your enemies with your brethren. p 

9 1 And the children of Reuben and the children 
of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned, 
and departed from the children of Israel out of 
Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto 
the country of Gilead,'' to the land of their posses- 
sion, whereof they were possessed, according to 
the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 

10 ^ And when they came unto the borders of 
Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the chil- 
dren of Reuben and the children of Gad and the 
half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by 
Jordan, a great altar to see to.'' 

Ill And the children of Israel heard say,' Be- 
hold, the children of Reuben and the children of 
Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an 
altar over against the land of Canaan, in the bor- 
ders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of 
Israel. 

12 And when the children of Israel heard of it. 
the whole congregation of the children of Israel 
gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go uji 
to war against them. 

13 And the children of Israel sent unto the chil- 
dren of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and 
to the half-tribe of Manasseh, into the land of 
Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest.' 



1:10-14. P Nu 



6:18; Luke 2:31; 24:50. n ch. 17:5. « JJeut. 5:10-14. p i\um. 31:27: 
1 Sam. 30:21; Psa. 6i:12. q Num. 32:1, 20. 29. ' ch. 24:20. 27; Gen. 
28:18; 31:46-52. s Deut. 13:12, etc.; Judg. 20:1, 12. 1 E.\od. 6:25; Num. 
25:7,11-13. 



5. There should be ministers of rehgion in all parts of 
the country, that aU the people may have the benefit of 
their good instructions and example. 

41. The Lord in his providence appoints to ministers 
their various fields of labor, and wherever they are placed 
it should be their great object to honor him and be most 
useful to men. 

43. AVhatever may be the promises of God, and however 
great the difficulties in the way of their accomplishment, 
in due time they will aU be fulfiUed. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1. T/ic Reubenites — Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh ; 
their men of war, who had left their homes on the east 
side of Jordan to assist their brethren in the conquest of 
Canaan. 

7. Bashan; the north part of the counti-y possessed by 
the Israelites on the east of Jordan. 

10. liy .Jordan; on its east bank. 



The altar of v it nets 



josinA xxii. 



beyond Jordan alloved 



14 And witli liiin ten prince?, of each cliiefliouf^e' 
n prince tliroutriii>ul all the triljes of Israel; and 
oudi one ivas a liead of tlie house of their fathers 
anionir the thousands of Israel." 

15 1 And they came unto the children of Reu- 
ben, and (o th(! children of Gad, and to the half- 
ti'ibc of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilcad, and 
they si>akc with them, saying, 

16 Thus saith the whole congregation of tlic 
Lord. Wliat trespass is this that ye have commit- 
ted against the (!od of Israel, to turn away this 
day from following the Lonn, in that yc liave 
buikled you an altar, that ye might I'ebel this day 
against the Lord?" 

17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us,'' from 
wliich we arc not cleansed until this day, although 
there was a plague in the congregation of the Lori^ 

18 But that yc must turn away this day from fol- 
lowing the Lord? and it wmU be, scci?}g yo rebel 
to-day against the Lord,'' that to-morrow he will 
be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.'^ 

19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your posses- 
sion be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of 
the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lord's 
tabernacle dwelleth,'^ and take possession among 
us: but rebel not against the Loud, nor rebel 
against us, in building you an altar besides the 
altar of the Lord our God. 

20 Did not Achan the son of Zerali commit a tres- 
pass in the accursed thing," and wrath fell on all 
tiie congregation of Israel? and that man perished 
not alone in his iniquity. 

21 TThen the children of Reuben and the chil- 
dren of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh an- 
swered, and said unto the heads of the thousands 
of Israel, 

22 The Lord God of gods," the Lord God of 
gods, he knoweth,' and Israel he shall know ;' if it 
lie in rebellion,'' or if in transgression against the 
Lord, (save us not this day,) 

23 That we have built us an altar to turn from 
following the Lord, or if to oifer thereon burnt- 
ofTering or meat-offering, or if to offer peace-offer- 
ings thereon, let the Lord himself require it:^ 

2i And if we have not rather done it for fear of 
this thing, saying. In time to come* your children 
might speak unto our children, saying, What have 
yo to do with the Lord God of Israel? 

25 For the Lord hath made Jordan a border 



Hob. kouse ofthefathe. 

• n.i.i^ A .1 A 1? n 



m. 1:4. b Lev. 17:8,9. » Num. 23:3, 
, Dent. 4:3." <1 I?zra 9:1-3, 14. = Num. 16:82. f ch. 18:1. S ch. 7:1, 
flc. h Deut. 10:17: Psl. 95:3; 1.30:2; Dan. 2:47; 11:36. i 1 KinRS 8:39; 
Job 3.3:10; Psa. 44:21: 139:1-12; Jer. 12:3; John 2:24, 25; 21:17; Acts 
1:24; 2 Cor. 11: 11, 31; Heb.4:13; Rev.2:2.3. JMal.3:18. k 1 Sam. 15:23. 
1 Dcut. lj:19; 1 Sam. 20:16; 2Chr. 24:22. 1 Heb. (o-morrDm; Exod. 13:14. 



16. Builded you an altar; to offer sacrifice in anj^ place 
except at the tabernacle, was expressly forbidden. Lev 
17:8,9. 

17. IniquitijofPenr; Num. 25:3; Deut. 4:3. 

19. If the land — be unclean; if they thought it unclean 
lidcause there was in it no altar for sacrifice, and no place 
l'.)r public religious worship, they were invited to come 
i>ver and live on the west side of Jordan where was the 
taliernacle, rather than tn set up separate worship and 
thus rebel against God. 

20. Not alone; chap. 7:5, 24, 25. 

23. Tlie Lord — require; let him punish us, if we designed 
to rebel against him. 

28S 



between us and you, yo children of Reu- ar fi?<: 
bun and children of Gad ; ye have no part in the 
LoiiD:'" so siiall your children make our children 
cease from fearing the Loud." 

2i) Thoreforewc said. Let usnowprcparc to build 
us an altar, not for burnt-offei'ing, nor for sacriUce : 

27 15ut that it may be a witness between us and 
you," and our generations after us, that we might 
do the service of tlie Lord before him with our 
burnt-offerings,'' and with our sacrifices, and with 
our peace-offerings; that your children may not 
say to our cliildren in time to come, Yc have no 
part in the Loud. 

28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they 
should so say to us or to our generations in time 
to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern 
of the altar of the Lord,'' which our fathers made, 
not for burnt-offerings, nor for sacrilices; but it is 
a witness between us and you. 

29 God forbid that we should rebel against the 
Lord,'' and turn tiiis day from following the Lord. 
to build an altar for burnt-offerings, for meat-offer- 
ings, or for sacrifices, besides the altar of the Loud 
our God that is before his tabernacle. 

30 "i .Vnd when Phinehas the priest, and the prin- 
ces of the congregation and heads of the thousands 
of Israel which were vfith him, heard the words that 
the children of Reuben and thechildren of Gad and 
the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.* 

31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest 
said unto the children t f Reuben, and to the chil- 
dren of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This 
day we perceive that the Lord is among us," because 
ye have not committed this trespass against the 
Lord: now^ ye have delivered the children of Is- 
rael out of the hand of the Lord. 

32 ^i And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 
and the princes, returned from the children of Ren- 
ben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land 
of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children 
of Israel, and brought them word again.' 

33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel : 
and the children of Israel blessed God," and did 
not intend to go up against them in battle, to de- 
stroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and 
Gad dwelt. 

3-1 And the children of Reuben and the children 
of Gad called the altar Ed:' for it shall be a wit- 
ness between us that the Lord is God. 



n.Nch.2:20. n 1 Kingg 12:27, 2.". o vcr. 34. p Dent. 12:.1, etc. 1 ExoU. 
25:40; Ezek. 43:10, U. r Gen. 44:7, 17; 1 Sam. 12:23; 1 Kings 21:3; Roin. 
3:6. 1 Heb. tvai good in their eyes. ' Lev. 26:11, 12; Zech. 8:23; I Cor. 
14:25. SHcb. t/iCTi. I Prov. 2.'): 13. u 1 Sam. 25:32, 33; I Chr. 29:20; Neh. 
8:6; Dad. 2:19; Eph.l:3. I That is, a witness; ch. 24:27. 



25. Make our children eeasefromfearing the Lord; by refus- 
ing to let them corae over the Jordan to worship him. 

28. A witness; that they had a right to go over Jordan 
and worship with the other tribes at the tabernacle. 

29. To build an altar; Deut. 12:13, 14. 

31. Ye have delivered the children of Israel ; not exposed 
them to punishment as they feared, by sinning against the 
Lord, but taken measures to perpetuate his worshiji. 

34. Ed ; a witness. 

INSTRUCTIOKS. 
2. Just commendation is due to those who do well, ;inil 
true gratitude should be exercised towards all who make 



Joshua's exhortation 

ic^Si^T CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 Joshua's exhortation before his death, 3 by former benefits, 5 by 
promises, 11 and by threatenings. 

AND it came to pass, a long time after that the 
Lord had (riven rest unto Israel from all their 
enemies round about," that Josliua waxed old* and 
stricken in ao-e.*" 

2 And Joshua called for all Israel,'^ and for their 
ciders, and for their heads, and for their judges, 
and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old 
and stricken in age: 

3 And ye have seen all that the Lord your God 
hath done unto all these nations because of you ; 
for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for 
you.'' 

4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these 
nations that remain,'' to be an inheritance for your 
tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I 
have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.* 

5 And the Lord your God, he shall expel them 
from before you,' and drive them from out of your 
sight : and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord 
your God liath promised unto you.^ 

6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and 
to do all that is written in the book of the law of 
Moses," tliat ye turn not aside therefrom to the 
right hand or to the left;' 

7 That ye come not among these nations,' these 
that remain among you ; neither make mention of 
the name of their gods,'' nor cause to swear by 
them} neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto 
tlicm: 

y But cleave* unto the Lord your God,'" as ye 
have done unto this day. 

9 For the Lord hath driven^ out from before 
you great nations and strong: but as for you, no 



JOSHUA XXIII. 



before his dailh. 



aCh.U2:4. ''B.e\>. come into days. I>ch.l3:l. c ch. al;L; Deut. 31:28; 
I Chr. 2i:l. i Psi. 44:3. e ch. 13:6,7; 1S:10. t Heb. at tlie sunset. 
(Dent. 11:23; Psa. 44:9. sNura. 33:53. hch.l:7. i Dent. 5:3-2. J Deut. 
7:2,3. kPsa. 16:4; Hos. 2:17. IZeph. 1:4-6. > Or, For if ye will rhare. 
m ch. 2-2:5. ! Or, Then Ike LoED will drive. " Lev. 26:S; Judg. 7:19-22; 



sacrifices, endure hardships, and perform labors for the 
good of their fellow-raen. 

4. Fidelity in obeying God's commands will receive his 
approbation and blessing, and a glorious reward. 

5. The true greatness, glory, and blessedness of a peo- 
ple consist in their loving the Lord, observing his ordi- 
nances, and walking in his ways. 

10. Suitable care should be taken, in providing against 
future evils, not to awaken needless suspicions, nor occa- 
sion unnecessary anxiety and trouble to our fellow-men. 

l(i. We may be blamed, even by good men, for our 1 lest 
actions. But we should not be disconcerted, should listen 
to them with patience, and when we thoroughly understand 
their mistakes, should endeavor kindly to remove them. 

19. "When those who are disturbed at the conduct of 
others, go to them and frankly state their difficulties, and 
manifest a readiness to make sacrifices and even to give 
up their own rights, rather than to have God dishonored 
or his cause injured, it may be expected that with reason- 
able explanations they will be satisfied. 

22. A consciousness of being and doing right tends to 
prevent undue excitement under unjust accusations, and 
to lead to such explanations as will remove needless ap- 
prehensions and be satisfactory to all concerned. 

26. It is proper to take all suitable measures to guard 
our children against evils to which from the selfishness 
of men they will be exposed, and to enable them to know 
what are their rights, especially their religious rights, and 
successfully to maintain and permanently enjoy them. 
19 



man hath been able to stand before you unto this 
day. 

10 One man of you shall chase a thousand :" for 
the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, 
as he hath promised you." 

11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves,' 
that ye love the Lord your God. 

12 Else, if ye do in any wise go back,"" and cleave 
unto the remnant of these nations, even these that 
remain among you, and shall make marriages with 
them." and go in unto them, and they to you: 

13 Know for a certainty that the Lord your God 
will no more drive out any of these nations from 
before you:'' but they shall be snares and traps 
unto you;' and scourges in your sides, and thorns 
in your eyes, until ye perish from ofl' this good 
land which the Lord your God hath given you.' 

14 And behold, this day I am going the way of 
all the earth : and ye know in all your hearts and 
in all your souls," that not one thing hath failed of 
all the good things which the Lord your God spake 
concerning you ; all are come to pass unto you, and 
not one thing hath failed thereof. 

15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all 
good things are come upon you, which the Lord 
your God promised you; so shall the Lord bi'ing 
upon you ail evil things,^ until he have destroyed 
you from off this good land which the Lord your 
God liath given you. 

16 When ye have transgressed tlie covenant of 
the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and 
have gone and served other gods, and bowed your- 
selves to them ; then shall the anger of the Lord be 
kindled against you,''^ and ye shall perish quickly 
from off the good land which he hath given unto 
you. 



15:15. o Exod. 23:27. etc. « Heb. your souLi. p Psa. 135:6; ha. 1:4; 
Zeph. 1:6; Heb. 10:3S. 39; 2Pet. 2:20, 21. q 2 Cor. 6:14. r Judg. 2:2,3. 
! 1 Kings 11:4. t 2 Kings 17:22, 23. n ch. 21:45. » Lev. 26:14, etc.; 



30. A disposition to enjoy religious rights ourselves, 
and to secure them to coming generations, is pleasing to 
all intelligent and right-minded men, especially to pious 
rulers and ministers of the gospel. 

33. Good men, enlightened by the Spirit of God, will 
not make war upon others for maintaining their just rights, 
especially their right to hearken to the voice of God in 
the Scriptures, to judge of his meaning, and to worship 
him according to his directions. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

4. The great sea ; the Mediterranean, which formed the 
western boundary of Canaan. 

7. Neither make mention; the familiar mention of the names 
of idols would tend to lessen their abhorrence of them. 

10. One man of you shall chase a thousand; however few 
they might be, and however numerous their enemies, they, 
in obeying God, would be able to overcome them. 

11. Take good heed; be very careful. 

14. Going the way of all the earth; about to die. Gen. 
3" 19 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. No fidelity to God, or usefulness to men, can keep off 
the approach of age, infirmity, or death. This should be 
borne in mind, and incite all to do with their might what 
their hands find to do, knowing that in the grave, to which 
they are hastening, there is no work. 

3. The aged may recount the mercies of the Lord with 
great advantage to themselves and to their fellow-men. 
289 



Joshua assembklh the 



.lOSIllA XXIV 



tribes at Shechem. 



ClIAPTKi: XXIV 



1 Joihua MwrnbUth llii- Iribos at Sli.chcm. 2 A brief history of Go.ls 
beneliu from Tcrali. M He rcnewt'tli the covenant between tliem iinil 
(j«l. 2(J A »lono Ibe witiiens of the covenant. 29 Jo»liu:i'i! a;,'e, 
death, anil buniil. 32 Joiiepli's bones are buried. 33 Eleaznr dietb. 

AND Josliua gathered all the tribes of Lsrael 
to i^liccliein, ami callod for the elders of Is- 
rael," and lor their heads, and for tlieir judges, and 
for their oQiccrs; and they j)rc.sented themselves 
before God."" 

2 And Joshua said unto all tlic ]i(M)])le, Thus saith 
the Loud God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the 
other side of tiie flood in old time,'' eve/i Tcrah, tiie 
father of Abraliam, and tiic father of Nahor: and 
they served other gods. 

3 And I took your fatlicr Abraliam from the 
other side of the flood,'' and led hiiu throughout 
all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, 
and gave him Isaae.*-' 

4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau:'' and 
I gave unto Esau mount Seir,'' to possess it; but 
Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.'' 

5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued 
Egypt,' according to that which I did among them : 
and afterward I brought you out. 

6 And I brouglit your fathers out of Egypt: and 
ye came unto the sea;^ aud the Egyptians pursued 
after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto 
the Red sea. 

7 And when they cried unto the Lord, he put 
darkness between you aud the Egyptians, and 
brought the sea upon tliein, and covered them ; and 
your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt : 
and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season." 

8 And I brought you into the laud of the Amo- 
rites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan ; and 
they fouglit with you :' and I gave them into your 
hand, that ye might possess their land; and I de- 
stroyed them from before you. 

9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, 
arose and warred against Israel, and sent and 
called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:™ 

10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam;" there- 



>Ch.a3:2. blSim.lO:l9. c Ben. 11:26,6 


tc. <1 Gen. 12: 


. e Gen. 


21:9,3. r Sen. 2.3:94. B Gen. 30:8; Deut. 2:5 


h Gen. 40:1-7 


i Exod. 


oh. 7-12. JBxod. oh. 14. kch. 5:6. 1 Num. 21 


21-35. mNum 


28:5, etc. 


« Dcut. 23:5: Mic. 0:5. o oh. 3:14, 17. P oh. 


6. q Exod. -£1 


■li; Deut. 


7:20. rPsa.44:3,6. "ch. 21:45. loh.ll:13; 


Deut. (i;lU-la. 


u 1 Sim. 



4. Faith in God produces a permanent conviction of tlie 
truth of his promises, and leads men to act as if they line w 
that they would lie tMllilled. 

6. The fact that God will do for us what we need, instead 
of leading us to neglect appropriate means, or to feel that 
they are less important, should lead us with fidelity to 
use them, because that is the only way effectually to secure 
his aid. 

7. Intimate connections with the wicked greatly increase 
the danger of becoming like them. 

9. Things are done by the Lord which are accomplished 
by human instrumentality. Men use the means, and God 
renders them successful. 

20. When God is on our side and works for us, we need 
fear no enemies, however numerous or strong, but we may 
go forward in duty, with assured confidence of final and 
complete victory. 

11. If we love and obey God, we shall be in all good 

efforts in the highest and best sense successful ; but if we 

disregard his laws, and are governed by the principles and 

practices of the wicked, we may expect calamity and ruin. 

290 



fore he blessed you still: so I delivered a. m. 2f.T7. 
you out of his hand. uir;""" 

11 And ye went over Jordan, and came unto 
Jericho:" and the men of Jericho fought against 
you,'' the Amorites, and the Peri/.zites, and the 
Canaanites, and the Ilittites, and the Girgasiiites, 
the Ilivites, and the Jebusite.s; and I delivered 
them into your hand. 

12 And I sent the hornet before you,'' which dravc 
them out from before you, even the two kings of 
the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with 
thy bow.' 

13 And I have given you a land for which ye did 
not labor," and cities which ye built not,' and ye 
dwell in them; of the vineyards and olive-yards 
which ye planted not do ye cat. 

14 H Now therefore fear the Lord," and serve 
him in sincerity and in truth;'' and put away the 
gods which your fathers served on tiie other side 
of the flood, and in Egypt ;" and serve ye tlie Lord. 

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Loiu), 
choose you this day whom ye will serve ;^ whether 
the gods which your fathers served that were on 
the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amo- 
rites, in whose land ye dwell :-' but as for me and 
my house, we will serve the Lord.^ 

10 And the people answered and said, God for- 
bid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve 
other gods ; 

17 For the Lord our God, he it is that brought 
us up and our fathers out of the land of Egyjit, 
from the house of bondage, and which did those 
great signs in our sight, and jireserved us in all 
the way wherein we went, and among all the peo- 
ple through whom we passed : 

18 And the Lord drave out from before us all 
the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the 
land: therefore will we also serve the Lord;" for 
he is our God. 

19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot 
serve the Lord:" for he is a holy God;"^ he is a 
jealous God;'' he will not forgive your transgres- 
sions nor vour sins."^ 



12:24. 


V Gen 


17:1 ; Deut 


18:13; John 


4:24; 2 


Cor. 1: 


12; Eph 


6:24. 


w Lev. 


17:7; 


Ezek. 20 


IS, 


X Ruth 1:15, 


16; 1 1 


ings lb 


21 ; Johr 


0:07. 


y Ezek 


20:31 


z Psa. 


lUI 


:2; 119:100. 


« Psa. 


10:10; 


Luke 1: 


■4, 75. 


b Matt. 


0:24. 


c Lev. 19 


2; 1 Sam. 6:20; Isa. 0:3. 


dExod 


20:5. e 


Exod. 


34:7. 



















14. The fulfilment of God's declarations in times past, 
should assure us of their fulfilment in time to come. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1. Shechtm; a city north of Shiloh, and nearer to Tim- 
nath-serah, where Joshua lived. Chap. 18:1. 

2. The food; the river; meaning the Euphrates. Otiur 
gods; idols. 

4. Seir; a country south of the Dead sea. 

6. The sea; the Red sea. 

7. A Ions; season; about forty years. 
10. His hand; the hand of Balak. 

19. Ye cannot serve the Lord; they could not without re- 
nouncing all idols, as Joshua exhorted them to do, loving 
God with supreme afi'ection, and obeying his commands ; 
and for disposition to do this, they must depend not on 
themselves merely, or on their own goodness, but on the 
influences of his Spirit. He will not forgive your— sins; 
unless they should repent of and forsake them. There- 
fore Joshua urged them to do this. 



He reneweth the covenant. 



JOSHUA XXIV. 



His dentil and burial. 



A.M. 2577. 20 If ye forsake the Lord, and serve 
' u27.°" strange gods," then he will turn and do 
you hurt, and consume you,"* after that he hath 
done you good. 

21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay ; but 
we will serve the Lord. 

22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are wit- 
nesses against yourselves" that ye liave chosen you 
the LoRD,'^ to serve him. And they said. We are 
witnesses. 

23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange 
gods which are among you," and incline your heart 
unto the Lord God of Israel.'' 

24 And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord 
our God will we serve, and his voice will we 
obey .8 

25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people 
that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance 
in Shechein. 

26 1 And Joshua wrote these words in the book 
of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set 
it up there under an oak,"" that was by the sanctu- 
ary of the Lord. 

27 And Joshua said unto all the people. Behold, 
this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath 



a 1 Chi. 2.8:9; Ezra 8:2-2; Isa. (w:ll, 12. b Ezek. 18:24. c Deut. 26:i7. 
■i Psa. 119:173. e Jndg. 10:15, 16; 1 Sam. 7:3. ' Prov. S:2; Heb. 12:38, 21). 
sDeut. 5:38, 29. hjudg. 9:6. iDeut. .32:1. i cli. 22:28, 34. kch. 19:50. 



26. Tliese words; the eiigagemeuts into which the peo- 
ple had entered to serve the Lord. By the sanctuary; near 
the place where the tabernacle stood. 

27. It hath heard ; a strong figure of speech, expressive 
of the solemnity of the transaction, and of their guilt and 
danger should tiiey break their engagements. 

32. JVIiich Jacob bought ; Gen. 33:19; 50:25; Exod. 13:19. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. It is good for all peojjle at times to appear before 
God, look back on the way through which he hath led 
them, recount his goodness, renew their engagements to 
serve him, and seek that grace which they need to do it 
in spirit and in truth. 

2. Aged men may to great advantage give the young a 
history of God's dealings with past generations, point out 
the instructions it affords and the duties it inculcates, and 
exhort all to fidelity in the service. 

6. Things accomplished by human instrumentality and 
the persevering use of appointed means, are in the Bible 
ascribed to God as really as if no instrumentality or means 
had been employed. 

10. Those measures which men take to injure God's 
people and stop the progress of his cause, he often over- 
rules for its advancement. 

13. The mercies by which the friends of God are dis- 
tinguished from his enemies, spring from his unmerited 
goodness, and are given not as the fruit of their worthi- 
ness, but of the abounding riches of his grace. 

14. Peculiar mercies lay men under peculiar obligations 
to put away all sin, and to perfect holiness in the fear and 
love of God. 

15. True religion is a matter of choice with all who 
heartily embrace it, and no man ever does or can serve 
God, in spirit and in truth, without choosing to do so. 



heard all the words of the Lord which he spake 
unto us:' it shall be therefore a witness unto you,^ 
lest ye deny your God. 

28 So Joshua let the people depart, every man 
unto his inheritance. 

29 If And it came to pass after these things, that 
Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, 
died, being a hundred and ten years old. 

.30 And they buried him in the border of his 
inheritance in Timnath-serah,'^ which is in mount 
Ephraiui, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. 

31 And Israel served tlie Lord all the days of 
Joshua,' and all the days of the elders that over- 
lived' Joshua, and which had known all the works 
of the Lord, that he had done for Israel." 

32 ll And the bones of Joseph," which the chil- 
dren of Israel bi'ought up out of Egypt, buried 
they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which 
Jacob bought of tlie sous of Hanior tlie father 
of Shechem for a hundred pieces* of silver;" and 
it became the inheritance of the children of Jo- 
seph. 

33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died ; and they 
buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his 
son, which was given him in mount Ephraim. 



1 JuJg. 2:7. • R&h. prolonged their days after, m Deut. 11:2, 7. 
50:25; Exod. 13:19; Heb. 11:22. t Or, lamis. o Gen. 33:19. 



Of course ministers should present to men the motives 
which are best suited to lead them to do this, and to their 
preaching should add the influence of their example. 

19. As Jehovah is holy, it is impossible acceptably to 
serve him without becoming holy ; and as the cause of holi- 
ness in men is the influence of the Holy Spirit, all should 
feel their need of this, and sincerely, heartily seek it. 

21. Wherever there is a w-illing mind men can tridy 
serve God, and for Christ's sake be accepted in doing it; 
and as a willing mind is the fruit of the Spirit, all who 
possess it should give to him the glory. 

23. It is the duty of men to incline their hearts to serve 
the Lord. They should avoid those things which tend to 
hinder them, and do the things which tend to aid them in 
this. 

24. Persons may, and it is right that they should deter- 
mine, resolve, and engage to serve the Lord ; and they 
may freely and heartily trust in him for what they need 
rightly to do this, and to be accepted in it. 

27. It is so perfectly reasonable that all to whom Jeho- 
vah is known should love and obey him, and they are 
under such strong and indispensable obligations immedi- 
ately to do this, that if they do not, all their mercies and 
every thing around and within them will testify to their 
ingratitude, baseness, and guilt. 

31. Aged men and men of influence, especially rulers, 
magistrates, and all in authority, are under peculiar obli- 
gations to serve God, and to sot holy examples. If they 
do, many others will be likely to follow them and obtain 
eternal life. But if they do not, they will he instrumental 
in bringing destruction not only on themselves, but on 
multitudes of others. 

33. Rulers and ministers of religion, as well as other men, 
will soon die, but their influence for good or evil will live 
and go down to the end of time, and onward to eternity. 



291 



THE 



BOOK OF JUDGES 



The book of Jcdges contains the history of tlic Israelites undor tlio Jiulpfcs, from the death of Joshua 
to tlie birth of Samuel. It records the successive oppressions to whicli the Israelites were subjected by 
their enemies for their sins against Jehovah, and the successive deliverances which God granted them 
through the Judges. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 The .lots of Judah and Simeon. 4 Adoni-bezck jnstly requited. 8 Je- 
rusalem taken. 10 Hebron taken. 11 Othniel hath Acbsah to wife 
for taking of Debir. 16 The Kenites dwell in Judah. 17 Hormali. 
Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron taken. 21 The acts of Benjamin. 22 Of 
thehooseof Joseph, who take Beth-el. 30 Of Zebulun. 31 Of Asher. 
33 0fNaphtali. 34 Of Dan. 

ATOW after the death of Joshua" it came to pass, 
l\| that tlie children of Israel asked the Lord,'' 
sayiiis:. Who shall o-o up for us against the Canaan- 
itcs first, to fight again.-t themV 

2 And the Lord said, Judah shall go up :° behold, 
I have delivered the land into his hand. 

3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come 
up with mc into my lot, that wo may fight against 
the Canaauites ; and I likewise will go with thee 
into thy lot.'^ So Simeon went with him. 

4 And Judah went up ; and the Lord delivered 
the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand : 
and they slew of them in Bezek" ten thousand men. 

5 And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and 
they fought against him, and they slew the Ca- 
naanites and the Perizzites. 

6 But Adoni-bezck fled ; and they pursued after 
him. and caught him, and cut ofif his thumbs and 
his great toes. 

7 And Adoni-bezek said. Threescore and ten 
kings, having their thumbs and their great toes' 
cut off, gathered* their meat under my table: as 
I have done,'' so God hath requited me. And they 
brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. 

8 Now the children of Judah had fought against 
Jerusalem,^ and had taken it, and smitten it with 
the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. 

9 1[ And afterward the children of Judah went 
down to fig-ht asiainst the Canaanites,'' that dwelt 



» Josh. 24:29. b ch. 20:18; Num. 27:21. ' Gen. 40:K, 9. <1 v 


er. 17. 


e 1 Sara. 11:8. • Heb. the thuvihs of their hands anri of their fetl. 


1 Or, 


gUaned. 1 Lev. 24:19; 1 Si.n. 15:33; Isa. .1.5:1; Matt. 7:1,2; Ja. 


.2:13. 


e Josh. 15:63. h Josh. 11:21. 1 Or, Icnv country, i Josh. 15:13. 


J Josh. 



„ , CHAPTER I. 

4. Bezek; a place in the territory of Judah. 

5. Adoni-bezek; the lord or king of Bezek. 

7. Threescore and ten ; these seventy kings were evident^ 
ly petty princes, ruling each over a small territory. 

9. T!ie south; the south part of Canaan. 

10. Hebron; a city twenty miles south of Jerusalem. 
Gen. 13:18; Josh. 15:13. 

292 



in the mountain, and in the south, and in a.m. 2.179. 

,,,..' ' U. C. about 

the valley.' H25. 

10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that 
dwelt in Hebron:' now the name of Hebron be- 
fore ims Kirjath-arba : and they slew Sheshai, and 
Ahimau, and Talmai. 

11 And from thence he went against the inhab- 
itants of Debir : and the name of Debir before was 
Kirjath-scphcr : 

12 And Caleb said. He that smitcth Kirjath-sc- 
pher,' and takcth it, to him will I give Achsah my 
daughter to wife. 

13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's youn- 
ger brother, took it : and he gave him Achsah his 
daughter to %vife. 

14 And it came to pass, when she came to him, 
that she moved him to ask of her father a field : 
and she lighted from ofi' her ass ; and Caleb said 
unto her. What wilt thou? 

15 And she said unto him, Give me a blessing:^ 
for thou hast given me a soutli land ; give me also 
springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper 
springs and the nether springs. 

16 Tl And the children of the Kenite,' Moses' fa- 
ther-in-law, went up out of the city of palm-trees" 
with the cliildren of Judah into the wilderness of 
Judah, which licth in the south of Arad ;° and they 
went and dwelt among the people." 

17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother,'' 
and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Ze- 
phath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of 
the city was called Hormah.'' 

18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof,'' 
and Ashkelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron 
with the coast thereof. 



15:15, etc. k Gen. 33: 11 ; 1 Pet. 3:9. 1 oh. 4:11, 17; 1 Chr. 2:55. 
31:3. n Num. 21:1. o Num. 10:29-32; 1 Sam. 15:6. P Tei. 3. 
21:3. r Josh. 11:22. 



11. Debir; Josh. 15:15. 
15. A south land; Josh. 15:16-19. 

IG. The Kemte; Jethro. Exod. 3:1; Num. 10:29-32. 
Arad; a city on the south border of Canaan. Num. 21:1. 

17. Zcphath ; a place near the south part of Judah. Hor- 
mah ; tliat is, utter destruction. 

18. Gaza — Ashkelon — and Ekron; cities of the Philis- 
tines. 



The conquests of 



JUDGES II. 



several tribes. 



A. M. i-o 19 And the Lord was ■with Judah ;" and 
■ u-i. " be drave out the inhabitants of the moun- 
tain;" but could not drive out the inhabitants of 
the valley, because they had chariots of iron." 

20 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb,'' as Moses 
said:" and he expelled thence the three sons of 
Anak. 

21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive 
out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem;" but 
the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin 
in Jerusalem unto this day. 

22 T^ And the house of Joseph, they also went up 
against Beth-el: and the Lord vms with them.'' 

23 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Beth- 
el:^ now the name of the city before iras Luz:'' 

24 And the spies saw a man come forth out of the 
city, and they said unto him, Show us, we pray thee, 
the entrance into the city, and we will show thee 
mercy.' 

25 And when he showed them the entrance into 
the city, they smote the city with the edge of the 
sword ; but they let go the man and all liis family. 

2(j And the man went into the land of the Hit- 
tites,-' and built a city, and called the name there- 
of Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day. 

27 % Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhab- 
itants o/" Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach 
and her towns, nor the inhaliitants of Dor and her 
towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, 
nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns:" 
but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.' 

28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, 
that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did 
not utterly drive them out. 

29 •[ Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaan- 



iVer.a; 2KingslS:7; Psi. 00:12; Eccl.9;ll. • Oi, possessed the moun- 
tain, b Exod. 14:7. etc. ; Josh. 17:16; Psa. 40:9. ' Josh. 14:9-14. d Num. 
14:24; Deut. 1:36. e Josh. 15:63; 1S:2S. f rer. 19; Gen. 49:34. e Josh. 
l-.i. Ii Gen. 28:19. ' Josh. 2:12; 1 Sam. 3U:15. J 2 Kings 7:6. t Josh. 



19. Could not; because, terrified by the chariots, they 
did not trust in God and use the proper means. 

21. Jcrusahm; this city was on the border between Ju- 
d;di and Benjamin, though in the division of the land it 
was assigned to t.lie latter tribe. Josh. 15:63. 

22. Home of Joseph ; that is, the tribe of Ephraim and the 
half-tribe of Manasseli west of the Jordan, thougli what is 
here said seems to pertain only to tlie territoiy of Ephraim. 

23. Descry; examine and ascertain the state of the city. 
Bethel; a place north of Jerusalem. Gen. 28:19. 

27. Beth-shean ; a place in the valley of the Jordan near 
the east end of the valley of Jezreel. Taanach; on the 
south border of the plain of Esdraelon. Bor ; on the sea, 
south of Carmel. Megiddo; near the Kishon. 

29. Gezer ; north-west of .Jerusalem. 

29-33. Towns within the bounds of the tribes, in con- 
nection with whose names they are mentioned. 

34. The valley ; the plain bordering on the Mediterranean, 
where the Amorites had chariots of iron. Compare ver. 19. 

35. Mount Heres ; the mountainous regions about Dor. 
Ajalon ; a place between Jerusalem and Ekron. Ver. 18. 
The house of Joseph ; his descendants. 

36. The Amorites; these stand here for the Canaanites 
generally. Akrabhim ; a line of hills running across the 
valley al)Out eight mdes south of the Dead sea, here men- 
tioned as the southern border of Palestine. Therock; prob- 
ably Petra, in the mountains of Edom. Upward; northward. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. However great may have been their past successes, 
the people of God should not rest till fully triumphant over 
all their foes. 



ites that dwelt in Gazer ;" but the Canaanites 
dwelt in Gezer among them. 

30 1 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhalii- 
tants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol;" 
but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became 
tributaries. 

31 1 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants 
of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ah- 
lab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, 
nor of Rehob:" 

32 But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaan- 
ites, the inhabitants of the land : for they did not 
drive them out.'' 

33 1 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabi- 
tants of Beth-shemosh,nor the inhabitants of Both- 
anath;'' but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the 
inhabitants of the land : nevertheless, the inhabi- 
tants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became 
tributaries unto them."^ 

3-1 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan 
into the mountain : for they would not suffer them 
to come down to the valley : 

35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres 
in Ajalon,' and in Shaalbim : yet the hand of the 
house of Joseph prevailed,* so that they became 
tributaries. 

36 And the coast of the Amorites was from the 
going up to Akrabbim,* from the rock, and upward. 

CHAPTER II. 

1 An angel rebuketh the people at Bochim. 6 The wickedness of the 
new generation after Joshua. 14 Crod's anger and pity towards them. 
20 The Canaanites are left to prove Israel. 

ND an angeP of the Lord came up from Gil- 
to Bochim,' and said, I made you to go 



A 



:11-13. 1 Rom. 7:21. m Josh. 16:10; 1 Kings 9:16. n Josh. 19:15. 
.Tosh. 19:24-30. p Psa. 106:35. q Josh. 19:32-.;J9. r ver. 30; Psa. 1S:44. 
Josh. 10:12; 19:42. t Heb. u-as heavy. 1 Or, Maaleh-Aerabbim, Josh. 
1:3; Num. 34:4. i Or. messenger. ' ver. 5. 



3. The union of all classes of pious men in doing good, 
is greatly promotive of success. 

6. Pride and cruelty are forerunners of disaster ; and the 
peculiar sins of men may often be read in their punishment. 

7. A true conviction of the evil of sin will lead aU who 
suffer to feel that their punishment is just. 

14. A wise and affectionate wife wishes the temporal 
prosperit}' as well as the eternal good of her husband, 
and wiU use all suitable means to promote it. 

15. A wise and affectionate father will take great pleas- 
ure in complying, as far as may be consistent, with the 
requests of his children. 

19. Viewing difBculties with an eye of sense only, men 
often despond, when, should they use proper means in 
dependence on God, he would render them successful. 

21. Love of ease, and aversion to great and self-denying 
efforts, often keep men from receiving the variety and 
fulness of good which they might otherwise obtain, and 
leave them to suffer much evil which tliey might other- 
wise avoid. 

25. Assisting the people of God in doing his will, may 
be the means of delivering us from many trials and bring- 
ing on us great blessings. 

34. When men neglect their duty, they may expect to 
meet with trouble ; and if they are not led to repentance 
and reformation, their troubles will never end. 

CHAPTER n. 

1. An^el of the Lord; supposed to be the same who ap- 
peared \o Joshua, Josh. 5 : 13. Bochim ; meaning, the weep- 
ers, or place of weeping. Ver. 5. 

293 



Tht Israelites art rehukcil. 



JUDGES II. 



Thi'y foil into iduLitry. 



up out of E^ypt, and Ii.ivc broiinjht you unto tlie 
land whii'li 1 swarc unto your fatlicrs; and I said, 
1 will never break my covenant with you;* 

2 And ye shall make no league with the inhab- 
itants of this land;'' ye shall throw down their 
altars:" but ye have not obeyed my voice;'' why 
have yo done this? 

3 Whcrcrore I also said, I will not drive them 
out from before you ; but they shall be as thorns in 
your sides,'' and their gods*^ shall be a snare unto 
you." 

4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the Loitn 
spake those words unto all the children of Israel, 
that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 

5 And they called the name of that place Bo- 
chim:' and they sacriliced there unto the Loud. 

6 IT And when Joshua had let the people go, the 
children of Israel went every man unto his inher- 
itance to posscj^s the land.'' 

7 And the jieoplc served the Lord all the days 
of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that out- 
lived* Joshua, who had seen all the great works 
of the Lord, that he did for Israel. 

8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the 
Lord, died, bring a hundred and ten years old. 

9 And they buried him in the border of his 
inlieritance in Tiinnath-heres,* in the mount of 
Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 

10 And also all that generation were gathered 
unto their fiithers: and there arose another gen- 
eration after them, whicli knew not the Lord,' nor 
j'Ct the works which he liad done for Israel. 

11 T And the children of Israel did evil in the 
sight of the Lord, and served Baalim : 

12 And they forsook the Lord God of their 
fathers,-' which brought them out of the land of 
Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of 
the people that were round about them, and bow- 
ed themselves unto them,'' and provoked the Lord 
to anger. 

13 And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal 
and Ashtaroth. 

14 ^ And the anger of the Lord was hot against 



» Gen. 17:7; Psa. fcO:34. 


1> Deal. 7:2. ' Deut. 12:.-i. d -v 


er. 20; Psa. 


10G:34-;3S. e .Josh. a!:l:i 


f ch. 3:G. E Exod. 2:i:3-l; Deut. 7 


10. • That 


K^ weepers, h Josh. 24;*^, 


etc. t Heb. prolonged days after. 


t Timnatk- 


serah. Josh. 19:3(J: -M-.M. 


Exod. 5:2; 1 Chr. 26:9; Psa. 92:5, 


6; Jer. 9:3; 


2-2:16; Gal 4:S; 2 Thes. 1 


i\ Tit. 1:1«. J Deut. 31:10. k Del 


t. 5:9. loh. 



2. Ye have not obeyed; they had not done it fully, or to 
the extent which he commanded. 

3. / icill not drive them out; as he would have done, had 
they obeyed him. 

9. Timnath-heres ; called Timnath-serah in Josh. 2-i:30. 

10. Knew not the Lord ; they had not seen his wonders 
in Egypt, and had not that knowledge of him which led 
thera to love and obey him. 

11. Baalim; images of Baal. 

13. Ashtaroth ; images of Astarte, a Phenician goddess. 

14. Sold; delivered. 

16. Judges; rulers and deliverers. 

18. It repented the Lord; the meaning is, that he changed 
his course of conduct towards the Israelites, and instead 
of keeping them longer in bondage, delivered them. 

23. Therefore; on account of the sins of the people. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The rich and lasting blessings which God promises 
to the obedient, men often forfeit by their sins. 

5. Sin is the cause of our sorrows, and no tears will 
remove them, unless we forsake it. 
294 



Israel,' and he delivered them into the g/? ,^^, 
hands of spoilers that spoiled Ihem,"' and n«i* 
he sold them into the hands of their enemies round 
about," so that they could not any longer stand 
before their enemies. 

15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the 
Lord was against them for evil," as the Lord had 
said, and as the Lord bad sworn unto them: and 
they were greatly distressed. 

1(5 "1 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges,'' 
which delivered' them out of the hand of those 
that spoiled them.'' 

17 And yet they would not hearken unto their 
judges, but they went a whoring after other gods,"^ 
and bowed themselves unlo them: they turned 
quickly out of the way which their fathers walked 
in, obeying the commandments of the Lord ; but 
they did not so. 

18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, 
then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered 
them out of the hand of their enemies all the days 
of the judge:' for it repented the Lord because 
of their groanings by reason of them that oppress- 
ed them and vexed them.' 

19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead," 
that they returned, and corrupted' themselves more 
than their fathers, in following other gods to serve 
them, and to bow down unto them ; they ceased 
not from^ their own doings, nor from their stub- 
born way. 

20 IT And the anger of the Lord was hot against 
Israel ; and he said, Because that this people hath 
transgressed my covenant which I commanded their 
fathers,'*' and have not hearkened unto my voice; 

21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from 
before them of the nations which Joshua left when 
he died : 

22 That through them I may prove Israel,^ 
whether they will keep the way of the Lord to 
walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. 

2'.i Therefore the Lord left* those nations, with- 
out driving them out hastily; neither delivered 
he them into the hand of Joshua. 



3:7,8 


1(1-7- 


P«n 


108:. 10-1-2. n 


2 Kin 


gs 17:20. 


„ 


ch. 4 


3; Psa 


44 


12 


Isa 


50:1. 


Lev 


28 


17; Deut. 23: 


1.1. I 


Acts 13 


■n 


5 Het). sa 


w,/. 


q 


Psa. 


100:43-15. ' 


Kxod. iS4:15, 10. 


,losh 


1:5. IG 


en 


.6:fi 


Deut. 


32:. 36; 


Hos. 


11:8. 


■■ oh. 


4:1 


8:33, 1 Heb 


were 


corrupt. 


1 


Heb. 


let noil 


ing 


fall of. 


V Josh 


2:j:10 


w 


Psa. 06:10. • 


Heb. 


iiffered. 















7. The pious instruction, example, and influence of the 
aged are of great service to the j'oung, and often keep 
them from sins that would cause their ruin. 

10. Children, when deprived of the pious influence of 
parents, often become openly vicious ; and nothing but 
the grace of God is a safeguard against abandonment in 
wickedness. 

14. The woes which sin occasions in this life, are a 
warning to men not to continue in it, lest it bring upon 
them woes which will be eternal. 

16. The blessings which God bestows upon men in this 
world show that he desires that they should repent of 
their sins, and thus be prepared for endless blessings in 
the world to come. 

19. If men are not led by the mercies of the Lord to 
repentance, they will become more hardened in sin, and 
ripen for aggravated ruin. 

22. All tlie dealings of God with men in this world have 
a tendency to reveal their true character, show -whether 
they will serve him or not, and prepare them for the retri- 
butions of eternity. 



Notions left to prove Israel. 



JUDGES III. 



Othnkl and Ehud are Judges. 



CHAPTER III, 



1 The nations which were left to prove Israel. 6 By communion with 
them they commit idolatry. 8 Othniel delivereth them from Chushan- 
rishathaim ; 12 Ehud from Eglon ; 31 Shamgar from the Philistines. 

~\TOW these are the nations which the Lord left, 
JJN to prove Israel by tlicm, even as many of Is- 
rael as had not known all the wars of Canaan ; 

'Z Only that the generations of the children of 
Israel might know to teach them war, at the least 
such as before knew nothing thereof; 

3 JYamely, five lords of the Philistines, and all 
the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hi- 
vites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount 
Baal-liermon unto the entering in of Hamath.'' 

•1 And they were to prove Israel by them, to 
know whether they would hearken unto the com- 
mandments of the Lord, which he commanded 
their fathers by the hand of Moses. 

5 T" And the children of Israel dwelt among the 
Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, 
and Hivites, and Jebusites : 

6 And they took their daughters to be their 
wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and 
served their gods." 

7 And the ciiildren of Israel did evil in the sight 
of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and 
served Baalim and the groves. 

8 ^ Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot 
against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of 
Chushan-rishathaim^ king of Mesopotamia:' and 
the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim 
eight years. 

y And when the children of Israel cried unto 
the Lord,'' the Lord raised up a deliverer* to the 
children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel 
the son of Kenaz,'' Caleb's younger brother. 

10 And the Spirit of the Lord came' upon him,'' 
and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and 
the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of 
Mesopotamia^ into his hand ; and his hand pre- 
vailed against Chushan-rishathaim. 

11 And the land had rest forty years: and 
Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 

12 1 And the children of Israel did evil again 
in the sight of the Lord : and the Lord strength- 
ened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, be- 
cause they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 

13 And he gathered unto him the children of 



a .Tosh. 


13:3. b Deut. 7:3. 4. ' Hab. .3: 


7. ' Heb. Aram-naharaim. 


d 1 Sam. 


12:10; Neh. 0:->7; Psa. 107:13, 19. 


t Heb. .OTtior. ' ch. 1:13. 


1 Heb. 10 


w. f ch. B:31; ll:-2<). S Heb. ^ram 


ech. 1:16. hDeut. 2S;1~. 


1 Or, the 


son of Gemini. 1 Heb. shut of his 


riglithand. i Psa. 73:7, 19. 



CHAPTER III. 

3. The Canaanites; those that lived about Zidon. Baal- 
hermon ; a region of country near the sources of the Jor- 
dan. Entering in ofHamalh; the pass north through Leb- 
anon, leading to Hamath. 

5. Among the Canaanites ; those of them that were not 
destroj'ed. 

fi. Gods; idols. 

7. The groves; rather, images of Astarte. See note on 
Deut. 16:21. 

8. Mesopotamia; the country between the Euphrates and 
the Tigris. 

10. Judged; the judges were often military as well as 
civil governors. 



Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, 
and possessed the city of palm-trees.^ 

14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the 
king of Moab eighteen years.*" 

15 But when the children of Israel cried unto 
the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, 
Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite,' a man left- 
handed;'' and by him the children of Israel sent 
a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. 

16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two 
edges, of a cubit length ; and he did gird it under 
his raiment upon his right thigh. 

17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king 
of Moab : and Eglon u-as a very fat man.' 

18 And when he had made an end to offer the pres- 
ent, he sent away the people that bare the present. 

19 But he himself turned again from the quarries* 
that tcere by Gilgal,^ and said, I have a secret 
errand unto thee, king: who said. Keep silence. 
And all that stood by him went out from him. 

20 And Ehud came unto him ; and he was sit- 
ting in a summer-parlor,* which he had for himself 
alone : and Ehud said, I have a messnge from God 
unto thee. And he arose out of kis seat. 

21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took 
the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into 
his belly : 

22 And the haft also went in after the blade; 
and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could 
not draw the dagger out of his belly ; and the dirt 
came out.* 

23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and 
shut the doors of the parlor upon him, and locked 
them. 

24 When he was gone out, his servants came; 
and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the 
parlor were locked, they said. Surely he covereth 
his feet^ in his summer-chamber. 

25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: 
and behold, he opened not the doors of the parlor ; 
therefore they took a key, and opened them: and 
behold, their lord teas fallen down dead oq the 
earth. 

26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and 
passed beyond the quarries," and escaped unto 
Seirath. 

27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that 
he blew a trumpet' in the mountain of Ephraim," 



•Or. graven imngts. JJo3h.4:aO. ^ Yleh. a -parlor of cooling ; Amo53:15. 
I Or, it mme out at the fundament. % Or, dotth his easement; 1 Sara. 24:3. 
k ver. 19. 1 ch. 6:34; 1 Sam. 13:3. "Josh. 17:15. 



13. And he gathered unto him; the king of Jloab gath- 
ered to himself; that is, took into alliance with himself. 
Ammon and Amalek; Ammon bordered on Moab on the 
north-east, and Amalek on the south and south-west. The 
city of patm-trees; Jericho. Deut. 34:3. Though the walls 
of Jericho were not built till a much later period, it seems 
to have been early inhabited by the Israelites as an un- 
walled town. 

22. So that he cordd not draw; more literally, "for he did 
not draw." He thrust in the dagger over the haft, and 
left it there. 

2r>. Vieu tarried till they were ashamed; were ashamed to 
wait any longer, lest they should appear to neglect their 
duty. 

27. Blew a trumpet; as a signal of war. 
295 



S/uimgar, aiul also Dcburtih 



JUDGES IV. 



end liitrak deliver Israel. 



and the children of Israel went down willi him 
from the mount, and he before them. 

28 And lie ^aid unto them. Follow after me: for 
the LoKD hath delivered your cnemie.s the Moah- 
ites intf) your hand." And they went down after 
him, and toitk the fords of Jordan toward iloab, 
and sull'ered not a man to pass over. 

29 And tiiey slew of Moab at that time about 
ten thousand men, all lusty,' and all men of valor ; 
and there esca])ed not a man. 

3(1 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand 
of Israel. And the land iiad rest fourscore year.s. 

lU T And after iiim was Shamijar the son of 
Anatii," which slew of the Piiiiisfiiies si.x hundred 
men with an oxs^oad:" and he also delivered 
Israel.^ 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 Debor-ih and Barak deliver Israel from Jabin and Sisera. IS Jael 
kiUeth Sisera. 

AND the children of Israel asrain did evil in 
the sight of the Lord,'' when Ehud was dead. 

2 And the Lord sold them into tiie hand of Ja- 
bin king of Canaan,* that reigned in Ilazor;'' the 
captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in 
Harosheth of the Gentiles.'' 

'i And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord : 
for he liad nine hundred chariots of iron ;■■' and 
twenty years he mightily oppressed the children 
of Israel. 

4 IT And Deborali, a prophetess, the wife of Lap- 
idoth, she judged Israel at that time. 

5 And she dwelt under the palm-tree of Deborah,'' 
between Kamah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim : 
and the children of Israel came up to her for judg- 
ment. 

6 And she sent and called Barak the son of 
Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto 
him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel command- 
ed, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, 
and take with thee ten thousand men of the chil- 
dren of Naphtali and of the children of Zebu- 
lun? 

7 And I will draw unto thee,' to the river Ki- 



» Cil. 7:'J, 15. • Hob. fat: Psa. 17:10. b ch. 5:6. c ch. 5:8; 15:15; 
1 Sam. 17:47. t So part is called Israel, ch. 4:1, 3. etc. It seems to concern 
only the country next to the Philistines, d ch. 2:19. 1 1 Sam. 1-2:9; Psa. 
Bi:!). It seems to concern only North Israel, e Josh. 11:1, lU. fTer.13,10. 
fob. 1:19. h Gen. 35:8. i Exod. 14:4. J ch. 5:21. k Ter. 18-21. 1 ch. 



28. Fords of Jordan ; by which the Moabites in the land 
of Israel must pass to reach their own land. Thus he cut 
off their retreat. 

30. Fourscore; eighty. 

31. Oxgoad; a staff six or eight feet long, with a sharp 
point of iron on one end for pricking the oxen, and a kind 
of spade on the other for cleaning the plough. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5-7. Intimate connections with the wicked increase the 
temptation to adopt their sentiments and to imitate their 
example. Psa. 1:1; Prov. 1 : 1 0-19 ; 1 Cor. 5:9-11. 

8. The calamities which men suffer are expressions of 
God's displeasure against sin ; and when they duly hum- 
ble themselves before him, and seek his pardoning mercy, 
their trials while continued will be overruled for good, 
iind in due time will be removed. 

29. Though the wicked may for a time be successful, 
;and even be used as instruments of correcting and pun- 
ishing the people of God, yet if they continue in their 
sins, they will come to a dismal end. Isa. 10:5-9. 

296 



slion,' Sisera the captain of Jabin's army, a. m. nnn. 
With his chariots and his inultiludc; and im. 
I will deliver him into thy hand. 

8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with 
me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, 
t/ioi 1 will not gy. 

I) And she said, 1 will surely go with thee: not- 
withstanding the journey that tiiou takest shall not 
be for thine honor; for the Lord sliall sell Sisera 
into the liand of a woman.'' And Deborah arose, 
and went with Barak to Kcdesli. 

10 T And Barak called Zebuiun and Naphtali to 
Kcdesh;' and he went up with ten thousand men 
at his feet: and Deborah went up with liim. 

11 Now Heber the Kenite,'" w/ikh was of the 
children of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses," 
had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched 
his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim,* which is by 
Kedcsh. 

12 And they showed Sisera that Barak the son 
of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 

13 And Sisera gathered' together all his char- 
iots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the 
people that v:ere with him, from Harosheth of the 
Gentiles unto the river of Kislion. 

14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this 
is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sis- 
era into thy hand:" is not the Lord gone out 
before thee? So Barak went down from mount 
Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 

15 And the Lord discomfited Sisera,'' and all /lis 
chariots, and all his host, with the edge of tiie 
sword before Barak ;'' so that Sisera lighted down 
off his chariot, and fled away on his feet. 

IG But Barak pursued after the chariots, and 
after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: 
and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of 
the sword ; and there was not a man' left.'' 

17 Howbcit Sisera fled away on his feet to the 
tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for 
there teas peace between Jabin the king of Hazor 
and the house of Heber the Kenite. 

18 ^ And Jael went out to meet Sisera,' and said 
unto him. Turn in, my lord, turn in to mc; fear 



5:18. mch. I:ie. n Num. 10:29. ! Zaannjmim. Josh. 19:33, 37. I Heb. 
gathered by cry, or proclanuition. o Deut. 9:3; 2 Sam. 5:24; Pea. 68:7, 8; 
Isa. 52: 12. P Psa. t8;9, 10; Josh. 10:10. 1 Heb. 11:32. t Heb. unto one. 
risa. 43:17. s2Kings6:19. 



CHAPTER IV. 

2. Hazor — Harosheth; cities in the north part of Canaan 
in and around which many of the remaining Canaauites 
lived. Josh. 11:1-11. 

5. Mount Ephraim; the hill country of Ephraim. 

6. Kedesh-naphtali ; so called to distinguish it from two 
other cities called Kedesh, one in Issachar and one in 
Judah. Mount Tabor ; on the north-east border of the 
plain of Jezreel. 

7. 27te river Kishon ; which rises at the base of mount 
Tabor, runs through the plain of Jezreel, and empties into 
the Mediterranean at the bay of Acre. 

9. Sell Sisera; ver. 21. 

10. Called Zebuiun and Naphtali; the men of war from 
those tribes. Went up; to mount Tabor. 

11. Had severed himself; the Kenites lived in the south 
part of the country, but Heber had left them and removed 
to the north. Chap. 1:16; Num. 21:1. 

10. Upon ; by. 



Jael slayeth Sisera. 



JUDGES V. 



So7ig of Deborah and Barak. 



A. ji 2709 not. And when he had turned in unto her 
■ \i'M.°" into the tent, she covered him with amantle.* 

19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, 
a little water to drink ; for I am thirsty. And 
she opened a bottle of milk," and gave him drink, 
and covered him. 

20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of 
the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come 
and inquire of thee, and say, Is there any man 
here? that thou shalt say, No. 

21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the 
tent, and took* a hammer in her hand, and went 
softly unto him, and smote the nail into his tem- 
ples,'' and fastened it into the ground : for he was 
fast asleep and weary. So he died. 

22 And behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael 
came out to meet him, and said unto him, Come, 
and I will show tliee the man whom thou seekest. 
And when he came into her te?if, behold, Sisera 
lay dead, and tlie nail was in his temples. 

23 So God subdued on that day Jabiu the king 
of Canaan before the children of Israel." 

24 And the hand of the children of Israel pros- 
pered, and prevailed* against Jabin the king of 
Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of 
Canaan. 



CHAPTER V. 

The song of Deborah and Barak. 

THEN sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abin- 
oam on that day,** saying, 



■ Oi, rug. or Uanket. a ch. 5;25, 20. t Heb. put. b Psa. 3;7. « Psi. 
18:47. 1 Heb. going, went and was hard. J E.xod. 1.5:1; Psa. 18, title, 
e Dent. 32:43; Psa. 18:47. f 2 Chr. 17:18. E Psa. 2:10. b Psa. 68:7,8. 
ia Sam. 22:8; Isa. 64:3; Hab.3:3, 10. 5 Heb./oiiierf, JPsa.97:5. k Exod. 



21. Nail of the tent; a large spike or pin, which was 
driven into the ground to fasten the cords of a tent. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Wlien restraint is removed,not\vithstanding all divine 
favors men will continue in sin, and often be guilty of the 
grossest transgressions. 

3. Oft-repeated iniquities bring upon their perpetrators 
greatly increased calamities. 

7. When men cry unto the Lord in their trouble, he can, 
and often does grant them relief; and in receiving it they 
should hear his voice saying. Sin uo more, lest a worse 
thing come unto thee. John 5:14. 

9. Want of confidence in God, and of readiness to un- 
dertake that to which he calls, brings dishonor, and de- 
prives men of many blessings which they might otherwise 
enjoy. 

13. Men, from pride and the indulgence of wicked pas- 
sions, often engage in projects which God designs shall 
be for their ruin. 

15. Though men are the means, God is the author of 
success, and to him belongs the glory. 

21. When the enemies of God and the oppressors of 
his people say, Peace and safety, sudden destruction may 
come upon them from which there can be no escape. 

23. Things which God in his providence accomplishes 
through the instrumentility of men, are in the Bible as- 
cribed to him as really as if no agency but his had been 
employed ; and they are also ascribed to men as really 
as if men alone had performed them ; thus showing that 
divine and human agency harmoniously cooperate, and 
that men are workers together with God when they obey 
him and thus work out their salvation, he working in 
them to will and to do of his own good pleasure. Phil. 
2:12, 13. 



2 Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel," 
when the people willingly offered themselves.' 

3 Hear, ye kings ;^ give ear, ye princes; I, 
even I, will sing unto the Lord ; I will sing praise 
to the Lord God of Israel. 

4 Lord, when thou wentest out of Scir, wlicn 
thou marcliedst out of the field of Edom,'' the earth 
trembled,' and the heavens dropped, the clouds 
also dropped water. 

5 The mountains melted^ from before the Lord,J 
even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Is- 
rael." 

6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath,' in 
the days of Jael," the highways were unoccupied," 
and the travellers" walked through by-ways.'' 

7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they 
ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that 
I arose a mother in Israel. 

8 They chose new gods;" then was war in the 
gates: was there a shield or spear seen among 
forty thousand in Israel?" 

9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, 
that offered themselves willingly among the peo- 
ple." Bless ye the Lord. 

10 Speak,* ye that ride on white asses,"" ye that 
sit in judgment, and walk by the way. 

11 They that are delivered from the noise of arch- 
ers in the places of drawing water, there shall 
they rehearse^ the righteous acts* of the Lord,' 
even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his 
villages in Israel : then shall the people of the 
Lord go down to the gates. 



19:18. 1 ch. 3:31. m ch. 4:17. n Lev. 26:22. I Heb. tt'/l/ters c/ j)af/i,«. 
^ Keb. crooked toays. o Deut. 32;17. p 1 Sam. 13:19, 22. q ver. 2. "Or, 
meditate, rch. 10:4. spsa. 145:7. 1'Keh. righteousnesses, t] Sam. 12:7. 



CHAPTER V. 

2. Offered Ihemselvci ; to fight against their oppressors. 

4. Wentest out of Seir — Edom ; the mountains of Edom 
or Seir lay on the north-east of the peninsula of mount 
Sinai, Paran on the north of it, and Horeb — of which Sinai 
is a summit — in its bosom. It was in the region which 
these mountains represent that God first revealed himself 
to Moses, and afterwards to the children of Israel. Hence 
it is here considered as his dwelling-place, whence he 
now marches forth in majesty and glory, as he did of 
old, when he came to deliver Israel from the Egyptians. 
Compare Deut. 33:2; Psa. 68:7, 8; Hab. 3:3. The heavens 
dropped; God's presence is accompanied by tempests of 
rain, as well as by thunder and earthquakes. There may 
be here an allusion to the storm which flooded the Kishon, 
and swept away the hosts of Sisera. Ver. 20, 21. 

C. Shamgar; chap. 3:31. The highways were unoccupied; 
on account of the danger of travelling. 

7. The villages ceased; were deserted ; or, as some render, 
leaders ceased in Israel ; which agrees well with what fol- 
lows. And so in ver. 11. 

8. Netv gods; idols as objects of worship. Tlien was 
war; as a punishmsnt for their idolatiy. • A shield or spear ; 
of these the Israelites were very destitute. 

10. White asses; the kind often used by judges. Sit in 
judgment; or sit upon garments or carpets, as is the man- 
ner of oriental judges in administering justice. 

11. From the noise of archers; many prefer to render this 
verse thus: At the noise [triumphal shout] of those tli:it 
divide [the spoil,] at the watering-troughs, there shall 
they rehearse, etc. The places of drawing water, or water- 
ing-troughs, are mentioned as places where the people 
would natiirall_v assemble. Go down to the gates; into the 
gates of their own cities in peace, after celebrating their 
victory and deliverance. 

291 



The triumphal song 



JUDGES V. 



of Deborah and Barak. 



12 Awake, awako," Dilmrali: awako, awako, ut- 
tt'i- a song: aiisi", Barak, ami lead tliy captivity 
cajitivo.'' thou son of Abinoam. 

i;i Tiicii ho made him that remaincth liave do- 
minion over tlie noliies amonji tlie people: the 
lidiU) made me iiavc dominion over tlie niiLrlity.' 

11 Out of Epiiiaim u-as l/ure a root of tiiem 
against Amaiek; after liiec, Benjamin, among thy 
)ieo])le; out of Macliir came down governors, and 
out of Zcbulun they that handle' the pcu of the 
writer. 

15 Ami the princes of Issachar tvere with Deb- 
orah ; even Issai-har, and also Barak: he was sent 
on foot* into the valley. For' the divisions of 
lveul)en tfitre were great thoughts' of heart. 

16 Why abodcst thou among the shccpfolds, to 
hear the bleatings of the flocks? For' the di- 
visions of Reuben there were great searcliings of 
heart.'' 

17 Gilcad abode beyond Jordan: and why did 
Dan remain in ships? Aslier continued on the 
sea-sliore,'' and abode in his breaches.* 

18 Zebulun and Naplitali wcj-e a people t/int jeop- 
arded* their lives unto tlio death" in the high 
places of the field. 

19 The kings came and fought; then fought the 
kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Me- 
giddo ; they took no gain of money. "^ 

20 They fought from heaven i*^ the stars in their 
courses* fought against Sisera. 

21 The river of Kishon swept them away,*" that 
ancient river, the river Kishon. my soul, thou 
hast trodden down strength.' 

22 Then were the horse-hoofs broken by the 



»Psa.57:S. bPsa.flS:lS. cp.,a. -5:7. 


• Heb. dmw u 


ith. t Hob. his feel. 


! Or. In. i Hi>b. impressions. 1 Or, Tn. 


d Psa. 4:4; 


■7:6; Lam. 3:40,41. 


t Or, port. ' Or, creeks, t Heb. exposed 


reproach. 


Rev. 13:11. < Gen. 


14:'J3. Sch.4;lo. > Heh. paths, h ch. 


4:7; 1 Kings 


liJ:4U; Psa. 83:9, 10. 



12. Lead thy captivity captive; lead forth in triumph the 
caiitives whom thuii hast taken. 

13. Him that remaineth; those who remained in Israel. 
The nobles; the chief men of the Canaanites. 

14. Out of Ephraim — thy people; we may render. Out of 
Ephraim [camel they whose dwelling is in Amalok; after 
thee [Ephraim] came Benjamin among thy people ; that 
is, among thy mustered warriors. By those whose dwell- 
ing is in Amaiek, we are probably to understand Ephra- 
iinites from a region occupied before the conquest of 
Canaan by Amalekites. Chap. 12 : 15. Out of Machir ; from 
the tribe of Manasseh. Tlie pen; or rod used by those 
wlio mustered men for the army. 

1.'). Tlie valley ; oiJezveel. Chap. 4:6, 1-t. For the divisions 
of Reuben ; the marginal rendering, In the divisions of 
Keuben, is most literal. This, in the Hebrew, most natu- 
rally signifies the divisions of the water-courses, that is, 
the brooks, where the Reubenites deliberated and inquired 
about the war, but did not go to it. 

17. Remain in ships; Dan, a* seafaring people, stayed 
away from the war to take care of their merchandise. So 
with Asher. Breaches; rents in the coast, making bays 
and harbors ; hence, simply havens or harbors. 

19. Taanach ; a place in the plain of Jezreel. 

20. From heaven; by pourhig down floods of water to 
destroy the enemy. Ver. 21. 

21. Strength; strong and mighty ones. 

22. Were the horse-hoofs broken; or, the horses' hoofs beat 
the ground. Prancmgs ; their swift running. 

23. Meroz; its location is not now known. 

25. Butter; curdled milk. 

26. Smote off; beat or crushed in. 

28. IXetoice; a blind of open wood-work. Incoming; 
298 



means of the prancings,' the prancings of «. " .^, 
their mighty ones. "°* 

2:} Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, 
curse yc bitterly the inhaiiitants thereof; because 
they came not to the help of (he LolU),* to the help 
of I ho Loui) against the miirlily.'' 

24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of 
Ileber the Kenite be; blessed shall she bo above 
women in the tent. 

25 He asked water, and phe gave him milk;' she 
brought forth butter in a lordly dish. 

20 She ])ut her hand to the nail, and her right 
hand to the workmen's hammer ; and with the ham- 
mer she smote' Sisera, she smote oft' his head, when 
she had pierced and stricken through his temples. 

27 At^ her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: 
at her feet he bowed, he fell : where he bowed, 
there he fell down dead.' 

28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, 
and cried through the lattice,'" Why is his chariot 
so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his 
chariots? 

29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she re- 
turned answer* to herself, 

30 Have they not sped? have they not divided 
the prey ;" to every man* a damsel or two ; to Sis- 
era a prey of divers colors, a prey of divers colors 
of needlework, of divers colors of needlework on 
both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the 
spoil? 

31 So let all thine enemies perish," Lord ; but 
let them that love him be as the sun^ when he goeth 
forth in his might.i And the land had rest forty 
years. 



i Psa. 41:5. i^Ai-h. tramplings, ox plunginns. j Neh. 3:5. k 1 Sam. 18:17. 
I ch. 4:19, etc. B Heb she hammered. 1 Heb. iJefifwra. ' Hi^h. destroyed. 
■n Sons :;:9. t Heb. Aer words. i> Exod. 15:9, 10. I Reh. to the hcait of 
a man. o Psa. !I2:9. P 3 Sam. 23:4; Psa. 37:6; Prov. 4:1a. q Psa. 19:5. 



in coming back, as she expected he would, victorious over 
his foes. 

30. Sped; succeeded in obtaining the victory. 

31. So; as had Sisera and his host. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When delivered from great troubles, or in any way 
specially favored of the Lord, we should without delay 
acknowledge his goodness, and render that praise and 
thanksgiving which are his due. 

4. Present mercies should remind us of those which are 
past, and lead us to praise Jehovah for his goodness. 

8. If men forsake Cod and worship idols, or place their 
dependence on creatures to the neglect of their Creator, 
they may expect to be visited with trials, and unless they 
repent and turn to him, to be overwhelmed in ruin. 

9. The Lord is the author of the good we receive from 
men as really as what we receive directly from him ; and 
to him pious and grateful minds will give the praise. 

10. The good desire that all, high and low, rich and ])oor, 
should unite in praising God for his goodness, and for his 
wondiii'ul works to the children of men. 

11. The liberty and power to go in and out at pleasure 
when and where we choose, with none to molest or make 
us afraid, is a great and precious privilege, for which we 
are bound to be specially grateful, and which we should 
earnestly desire may soon be enjoyed by all people. 

20. Human and divine agency, in the production of 
events, often cooperate ; and both should be acknowledg- 
ed. Phil. 2:13. 

30. Worldly minds, which relish no enjojTnents except 
those that spring from worldly things, when these are 
gone will be destitute and wretched. 



Gideon is called to deliver 



JUDGES VI. 



Israel from the Midianites. 



CHAPTER VI, 



1 The Israelites for their sin are oppressed by Midian. 8 A prophet 
rebukelh them. 11 An angel sendeth Gideon for their deliverance. 
17 Gideon's present is consumed with fire. '25 Gideon destroyeth 
Baal's altar, and olfereth a sacrifice upon the altar Jehovah-shalom. 
26 Joash defendeth his son, and calleth him Jerubhaal. 33 Gideon's 
army. 36 Gideon's signs. 

AND the children of Israel did evil in the sight 
of tlie Lord:" and the Lord delivered them 
into the hand of Midian seven years.'' 

2 And tlie hand of Midian prevailed* against 
Israel : and because of the Midianites the cliildren 
of Israel made them the dens which are in the 
mountains, and caves, and strong-holds.'^ 

3 And so it 'was, when Israel had sown, that the 
Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the 
children of the east, even they came up against 
them ; 

4 And they encamped against them, and destroy- 
ed the increase of the earth,'' till thou come unto 
Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither 
sheep,+ nor ox, nor ass. 

5 For they came up with their cattle and their 
tents, and they came as grasslioppers for multi- 
tude ;°yor both they and their camels were with- 
out number: and they entered into the land to 
destroy it. 

6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because 
of the Midianites ; and the children of Israel cried 
unto the Lord.'' 

7 1 And it came to pass, when the children of 
Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midian- 
ites, 

8 Tliat the Lord sent a prophet' unto the chil- 
dren of Israel, which said unto them. Thus saith 
the Lord God of Israel, I brouglit you up from 
Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of 
bondage ; 

9 Aud I delivered you out of the hand of the 
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppress- 
ed you, and drave them out from before you, and 
gave you their land ;" 

10 And I said unto you, I am the Lord your 
God ; fear not the gods of tiie Amorites,** in whose 
land ye dwell : but ye have not obeyed my voice. 

11 IT And there came an angel of the Lord, and 
sat under an oak which ivas in Ophrah, that per- 
taincd unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gid- 
eon^ threshed wheat by the wine-press, to hide it* 
from the Midianites. 

12 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto 



aCh.3:19. bHeb.3:7. • Heb. was strong, c 1 Sam. 13:B. dI,ev.aG:10; 
Deut.a^:.30. 1 Or, goat, e ch. 7:12; Jor. 4U:3:!. tHos..'5:15. IHeh.aman 
a prophet, s Psa. 44:2, 3. h 2 Kings 17::).5-!9. i Gedeon; Heb. 1I:.32. 
I Hfb. cause it to flee. ' ch. 13;3. J Gen. ■i'j;22. k Psa. 77:7-9; 89:49. 
1 Heb. n::i2. • Heb. my thousand is the meanest; Mio. 5:i. m 1 Sam. 



CHAPTER VI. 

1. Midian; the Midianites lived cast of the south part 
of Palestine. 

3. Amalekites, and the children of the cast; neighboring 
tribes to the Midianites. By "the children of the east" 
Arabian tribes seem to be especially intended. 

4. Gaza; a city of the Philistines in the south-west part 
of Palestine, on the Mediterranean. 

5. To destroy it; take away the means of sustenance. 
Ver. 6. 

10. Fear not the gods; not worship or serve them. 



him,' and said unto him. The Lord is with thee, 
thou mighty man of valor. 

13 And Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, if 
the Lord be with us,J why then is all tliis befallen 
us? and wliere be all his miracles which our fathers 
told us of," saying. Did not the Lord bring us up 
from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsalcen us, 
and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 

14 And the Lord looked upon him, and said. Go 
in this tliy might,' and thou shalt save Israel from 
the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 

15 And he said unto iiim, my Lord, wherewith 
shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor* in 
Manasseh, and I am, tlie least in my father's house.'" 

16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will 
be with thee," aud thou shalt smite the Midianites 
as one man." 

17 And he said unto him, If now I have found 
grace in thy sight, then show mo a sign that thou 
talkest with me.'' 

18 Depart not hence,'' I pray thee, until I come 
unto thee, and bring forth my present,* and set it 
before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou 
come again. 

19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid,* 
and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the 
flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a 
pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, 
and presented it. 

20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the 
flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon 
this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 

21 *: Then the angel of tlie Lord put forth the 
end of the staff that u-as in his hand, and touched 
the flesh and the unleavened cakes ; and there rose 
up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and 
the unleavened cakes."' Then the angel of the 
Lord departed out of his sight. 

22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an 
angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas, Lord God! 
for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face 
to face.' 

23 And the Lord said unto him, Peace be unto 
thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.' 

24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the 
Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom:* unto this 
day it is yet in Ophrah of tlie Abi-ezrites. 

25 1 And it came to pass the same night, that 
the Lord said unto him, Take thy father's young 
bullock, even' the second bullock of seven years 



9:21. n ExoJ. 3:12. o 


Isa. 41:15, IB. p ver. 30-40; 2 Kings 2U:S; Psa. 


80:17; Isa. 7:11. q Gen 


18:3,5. ^ Ot. meat-offering. 1 Heh. a kid of Ihs 


goats. rLev. 9:94; 1 K 


ngs 18:38; 2 Chr. 7:1. ■ ch. 13:22, 23: Isa. 6:5-3. 


t Gen. 32::!D. S That is 


The Lord send peace; Gan. 22:14; Exod. 17:15; 


Jer. 33:l(j; Ezek. 48:35. 


D Or, aTtd. 



11. Angel of the Lord; this is supposed to have been the 
Angel of the covenant, who brought Israel out of Egypt, 
Jehovah-.Jesus. Ver. 14, 16, 23. Ophrah; a city in the 
tribe of Benjamin. By the icine-press ; a retired and cov- 
ered place, where the Midianites would not be likely to 
find it. 

14. Looked; looked efficaciously. Luke 22:G1. 

16. As one man; as easily and effectually as if there were 
but one man. 

17. Show me a sign; evidence that it is Jehovah who 
speaks to me, and that his word will be accomplished. 

2 1. Shalom ; meaning peace. 

299 



BddPs altar c/isl dawn. 



.iri)(;i:s vii. 



Gideon's JImcc wel, nvd dry. 



olil, and llirow down llio altar of Baal tlmt thy 
fatliLT liatli, and cut down the grove that is l)y it :" 

'2Ci And build an altar unto the Loud thy God 
U|)()n the top of thi:< rock,' in the ordered place/ 
and take tlie second bullock, and offer a burnt- 
saerilice with the wood of the grove which thou 
shalt cut down. 

•27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, 
and did as the Loito had said unto him : and so 
it was, because lie feared his father's houseiiold, 
and tiie men of the city, that he could not do il by 
day, that lie did it by night. 

28 1 And when the men of tlic city arose early 
in the morning, ))eliold, tlic altar of Baal Avas cast 
down, and the grove was cut down that iras by it, 
and the second bullock was ofl'cred upon tlie altar 
t/iaf. ivas built. 

"29 And they said one to another, Who hath done 
this tiling? And when they inquired and asked, 
they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done tliis 
thing. 

30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, 
Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he 
hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he 
hath cut down the grove that was by it. 

?)1 And Joash said unto allthat stood againsthim, 
Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that 
will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst 
it is yet morning : if he be a god, let him plead for 
himself, because one hath cast down his altar. 

32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerub- 
baal,*'' saying, Let Baal plead against him, because 
he hath thrown down his altar. 

33 *i Then all the Midianites and the Amalek- 
ites and the children of the east were gathered 
together,'^ and went over, and pitched in the val- 
ley of Jezreel. 

3-1: But the Spirit of the Lord came upon' Gid- 



» Dent. 7: J. • H..-b. .sti-on? ptafc. t Or. nn orderly manner. I Thai is, 
Lei Baal p'.ead. b 1 Sam. 13:11 ; 2 Sam. ll:ai, Jerubbeshelh, Ihat is, Let 
the sliame/ul thing plead; Hos. 9: 10. = ver. 3. 1 Heb. clothed, dch. 3: lU. 



28. T/te grove; here, as often elsewhere, the Hebrew 
word rendered "grove" seems to mean a wooden image 
of Astarte fixed by a post in the ground. 

31. Joash .'said; though he seems to have been a wor- 
shipper of Baal, his views may have been changed by 
what Gideon had told him. Whilst it is yet morning; for 
lii.s folly in pleading for Baal, who, if really a Ged, ought 
to take care of himself. Joash said this to dissuade the 
people from their purpose. 

32. Jeruhbaal ; that is, let Baal plead. 

34. Abi-ezer ; the family of his father, and his relatives. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Unless the grace of God prevent, men naturally incline 
to sin, showing that in them, without the grace of God, 
there is no spiritually good thing. 

4. Sin tends to misery, and all the calamities which men 
suffer are tokens of God's displeasure against it. 

7. The only hope of deliverance from sin and its conse- 
quences is in the Lord ; and when men feel this, and cry 
unto him, he for Christ's sake often appears for their help. 

10. When God is about to grant deliverance to his peo- 
ple, he first convinces them that sin is the cause of their 
troubles and leads them to forsake it. 

12. Providence developes human character. Many who 
have been buried for a time in obscurity, have afterwards, 
by peculiar circumstances, been raised to elevated jjosi- 
tions of influence, usefulness, and honor. 

14. A look from the Lord can nerve the self-diffident for 
300 



eon,'' and he blew a trumpet;'' and Abi- a.m. ros. 
ezer was gathered"' after Iiini. "'i!m/''°"' 

35 And lie sent messengers throughout all Ma- 
nassch; wlio also was gathered after him : and ho 
sent messengers unto Asher, and unto ZcbuJun, 
and unto Naphtali; and they came uji to meet 
tiiem. 

36 IT And Gideon .said unto God, If thou wilt 
save Israel by my hand, as thou liast said, 

37 Beliold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor ; 
and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry 
upon all the earth beside, tlien shall 1 know that 
thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as tliou hast said.' 

38 And it was so: for lie rose up early on tiie 
morrow, and thrust the fleece togetliei-, and wring- 
ed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.* 

39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine 
anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this 
once:"" let me prove, 1 pray thee, but this once 
with the fleece; let it now be dry only u]ion the 
fleece, and upon all the gi'onnd let there be dew. 

40 And God did so that night:' for it was dry 
upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the 
ground. 



CHAPTER VII. 

1 Gideon's army of two and thirty thousand is brought to three hundred, 
y He is encouraged by the dream and interpretation of the barley- 
cake. 16 His stratagem of trumpets and lamps in pitchers. 24 The 
Kphraimites take Oreb and Zeeb. 

THEN Jerubbaal, who is Gideon,' and all the 
people that were with him, rose up early, and 
pitclied beside the well of Harod : so that the host 
of the Midianites were on the north side of them, 
by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 

2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people 
that are with thee are too many for me to give 
the Midianites into their hands, lest Israek vaunt 



m. 10:3. ^lleh. called, f Exod. 4:1, etc. 6 Isa. 35:7. h Gen. IB: 32. 
.107:33,35; Isa. 50:2. j ch t):32. 



the most perilous services ; and fit them, notwithstanding 
all difficulties, to go on in his name and strength from con- 
quering to conquer. 

18. God is ready to give evidence of his truth to all sin- 
cere inquirers who wish to understand his will for the 
purpose of doing it. 

24. All the manifestations of God to his believing, obe- 
dient people will lead them anew to adore and bless him. 

25. Strong faith in God's word will be tried, and thus fit 
the believer, by patient continuance in well-doing, to be 
made victorious and perfect. 

31. Idolatry so debases men, and renders them so fool- 
ish, that they will worship, and sometimes try to help gods 
that have no power to help themselves. 

34. If men are to be fitted for good, great, and noble 
deeds, it must be through the influences of the Spirit of 
God. Wisdom, strength, courage, energy, and persever- 
ance are his gifts, and to him they should, by all who 
possess them, be heartily devoted. 

37. Evidence of the presence and favor of God, and a 
conviction of being engaged in his work, support the soul 
under trials, arm it for conflicts, and prepare it, notwith- 
standing aU difficulties and dangers, in his name to triumph. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1. Jerubbaal; chap, fi : 32. Harod; on the borders of Issa- 
char, not far from mount Gilboa. Moreh; near the valley - 
of Jezreel. 

2. Vaunt; boast. 



Gideon's army reduced. 



JUDGES VII. 



The Midiamtcs routed. 



A. M. 2755. themselves against me," savinEr, Mine own 
12M. hand hath saved me. 

3 Now thei'efore go to, proclaim in the ears of the 
people, saying. Whosoever is fearful and afraid,'' 
let him return and depart early from mount Gil- 
ead. And there returned of the people twenty and 
two thousand : and tliore remained ten thousand. 

4 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people 
are yet too many;'' bring tiiem down unto the 
water, and I will try them for thee there : and it 
shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall 
go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of 
whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go 
with thee, the same shall not go. 

.5 So he brought down the people unto the water : 
and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one that 
lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lap- 
peth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every 
one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 

6 And the numljcr of them that lapped, putting 
their hand to their mouth, were three hundred 
men : but all the rest of the people bowed down 
u])on their knees to drink water. 

7 And the Lord said unto Gideon, By the three 
hundred men that lapped will I save you, and 
deliver the Midianites into thy hand : '' and let all 
the other people go every man unto his place. 

8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and 
their trumpets : and he sent all the rest of Israel 
every man unto his tent, and retained those three 
hundred men : and the host of Midiaa was beneath 
him in the valley. 

9 "iT xlud it came to pass the same night,'' that 
tlie Lord said unto him. Arise, get thee down unto 
the host; for I have delivered it into thy hand.' 

ID But if thou fear to go down, go thou with 
Phurah thy servant down to the host: 

11 And thou shalt hear' what they say;'* and 
afterward shall thy hands be strengthened to go 
down unto the host. Then went he down with 
Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed 
men* that were in the host. 

12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and 
all the children of the east lay along in the val- 
ley like grasshoppers for multitude ; ' and their 
camels were without number, as the sand of the 
seaside for multitude. 

13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was 
a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said. 



» Deuc.S:17; Isa. 10:13; Rom. ll:ls; 1 Cor. I:'i9; 3 Cor. 4:7. 


Deut. 


20:8. cPsi. 33:10. d ] Sim 14:6. e Gen. 46:2. 3. 'Josh. 1:5, 9. 


S Gen. 


24:14; 1 Sim. 14:9, 10. h ver. 1.3-13. * Or, ranis Jy J?w ; Exod. 


13:18. 


ioh.(i:5, 3:1; S:10; Psi. 113:10-12. JlCor.l:a-. t Heb, irmtinj. 


:Heb. 



3. Mount Gdead; the range of mountains usually so 
called was on the east of Jordan, but some have supposed 
that there might be an eminence called by this name on 
the west of Jordan, where Gideon was. 

5. Lappeth of the water; from his hand, having raised it 
to his mouth. Ver. 6. 

8. The valley ; the valley of Jezreel. 

13. Tumbled into the host; it is represented as rolling 
down from the hill Moreh, where Gideon was, into the 
vaUey where were the Midianites, overturning their tents 
and prostrating all that was in its way. 

14. This is — the sword of Gideon ; meaning, it represents 
it, and showing that the literal meaning of words is often 
not their true meaning. Matt. 26:26. 

15. Worshipped; bowed himself in grateful reverence 



Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of bar- 
ley-bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and 
came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and 
overturned it, that the tent lay along.J 

14 And his fellow answered and said. This is 
nothing else, save the sword of Gideon the son of 
Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath 
God delivered Midian, and all the host. 

15 1 And it was so, when Gideon heard the tell- 
ing of the dream, and the interpretation ♦ thereof 
that he worshipped, and returned into the host of 
Israel, and said. Arise ; for the Lord hath deliv- 
ered into your hand the host of Midian. 

16 And he divided the three hundred men into 
three companies, and he put a trumpet in every 
man's hand,* with empty pitchers, and lamps^ 
within the pitchers. 

17 And he said unto them. Look on me, and do 
likewise: and behold, when I come to the out-ide 
of the cam)), it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 

18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that 
are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on 
every side of all the camp, and say. The sword of 
the Lord, and of Gideon. 

19 IT So Gideon, and tlie hundred men that ivere 
with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the 
beginning of the middle watch ; and they had but 
newly set the watch :'' and they blew the trumpets,' 
and brake the pitchers that ti-ere in their hands.™ 

20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, 
and brake the pitchers, and lield the lamps in their 
left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands 
to blow withal: and they cried. The sword of the 
Lord, and of Gideon. 

21 And they stood every man in his place round 
about the camp:° and all the host ran, and cried, 
and fled." 

22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets,' 
and the Lord set every man's sword*" against his 
fellow,'' even throughout all the host: and the host 
fled to Beth-shittaii in' Zererath, and to the bor- 
der' of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. 

23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves to- 
gether out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out 
of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 

24 T" And Gideon sent messengers throughout 
all mount Ephraim,' saying, Come down against 
the Midianites, and take before them the waters 
unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men 



trumpets in the hand of all of them. § Ot^Jtrebrands, or torches, k 1 Tliess. 
5:3. lver.8. m ver. 16. i Exod. 14: 13, 14 ; 2 Chr. 20:17. ■> 2 Kings 7:6, 
7. P Josh. 6:16. 20. q Psi. 83:9; Isi. 0:4. r I Sam. 14:20; 2 Chr. 20:2:3. 
I Or. toward. 1 Heb. (?>. sch-3:27. 28. 



before God for giving him this encouragement to go down 
against the Midianites. 

16. Lamps; torches. These were often made of pitch- 
wood, which was easily kindled, and gave a brilliant light. 

19. Tfic miildle watch; they divided the night into three 
equal parts called watches. The Jews afterwards divided 
it into four. 

22. Bcth-shittali — Tabbath; supposed to be places tow- 
ards Jordan, which the Midianites must cross to get into 
their own country. Ver. 24. 

24. Beth-barah; supposed to be the same as Beth-abara, 
John 1 : 28. It means, a house or passage, and lay on the 
east side of Jordan where they crossed the river. TboA 
the waters; guarded the fording-places where they expected 
the Midianites would cross. 

801 



The enemy pursueil. 



.ll'DCKS VIII. 



Suceoth and Penuel punished. 



of K])liraini gathered tlioiiiHclvcs together, and 
took tlie waters unto Ik'th-barali and Jordan.' 

U/J And tliey took two princes of tlie Midianites, 
Orel) and Zeel);'' and they slew Oreb upon tlie 
roek Orel), and Zeelj thry slew at the winepress 
of Zii'li. and i)ursued .Nlidian, and broii<;lit the 
heads of Ureb and Zecb to Gideou ou the other 
side Jordan. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1 GiJeon pacifieth tlie Ephraimites. 4 Succoth and Penuel refuse t" 
relieve Uulfon's army. 10 Zebah anJ Zalniunna are taken. 13 Suc- 
coth and Penuel are destroyed. 18 Gideon revengeth his brethren^ 
ih.-ath on Zebah and Zalmunna. 2*3 He rcfuseth government. 21 
His epiiod cause of idolatry. 2S Midian subdued. 29 Gideons chil- 
dren, and death. 33 The Israelites' idolatry and ingratitude. 

A ND the men of Ephraim'' said unto him, Why 
X\. hast thou served us thus,* that thou ealledst 
us not, when thou wentest to light with tlie Mid- 
ianites? And they did chide with him sharply.* 

2 And he said unto them, What have I done now 
in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the 
grajics of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi- 
ezer? 

3 God hath delivered into your hands the prin- 
ces of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I 
able to do in eomparisonof you? -Then their anger* 
was abated toward him,'' when he had said that. 

4 'i And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed 
over, he, and the three hundred men that were 
witli him, faint, yet pursuing t/iem. 

5 And he said unto the men of f^uccoth,'' Give, 
I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that 
follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing 
after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 

G And the princes of Succoth said, ^Ire the hands 
of Zebah and Zalmunna noAV in thy hand, that we 
should give bread unto tliine army?"^ 



a John has. bch. 8;3; Psa.83:ll. 12. c ch. 1 


i:\; 2 Sam. 19:41. • Heb. 


^V/iat thing is this thou haitt done unto us. t He 


D. strongly. I Heb. spirit. 


d Prnv. 15:1; 2.5:15. • Gen. 33:17; Psa. 00:«. 


t 1 Sam. 25:11; 1 Kings 


20:11. i Heb. Mr«*. Ever. 10. h Gen. .12:3U; 


1 Kings 12:25. i 1 Kings 



25. The rock Oreb; so called, it is supposed, from the fact 
of his having been killed upon it. So with the wine-press. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. To obtain the blessings which God has promised, naen 
must not only rely on him, but must employ those means 
which he has appointed, and in the use of which alone 
they have reason to expect success. 

2. The means by which, and the manner in which God 
accomplishes the purposes of his grace, are adapted to 
show men that the glory of their successes belongs not 
to them, but to him. 

7. The power of God's visible people depends not so 
mucli on their number as on their character; and some- 
times a diminution of their number may give them in- 
creased 8treii<;th. 

10. When God has a work for any one to accomplish, he 
will prepare him to perform it. 

15. If by a dream, or any other means, one is encour- 
aged to obey the revealed will of God, and strengthened 
for the performance of known duty, he has reason to be 
grateful and anew to acknowledge and adore God. 

18. The agency of God and that of men are both em- 
ployed in the accomplishment of his designs. There is 
therefore no good reason to imagine that there is any in- 
consistency between them. Ver. 22. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

2. Tlie gleaning — the vintage; Gideon, of the house of 
302 



7 And Gideon said. Therefore wlien the a. m rss. 
Loud hatii delivered Zebah and Zalmunna i2i»' 
into my hand, then I will tear' your flesh with the 
thorns of the wilderness and with briers." 

8 And he went u]) thence to I'enuel,'' and spake 
unto them liki'wi.-c: and the men of I'enuel an- 
swered him as the men of Succoth had answered 
him. 

9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, 
saying. When I come again in peace,' I will break 
down this tower.^ 

10 *i Now Zebah and Zalmunna wf re in Karkor, 
and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand 
men, all that were left of all the hosts of the chil- 
dren of the east: for there fell a hundred and 
twenty thousand men that drew sword.' 

11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that 
dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbe- 
hah,'' and smote the host : for the host was secure.' 

12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pur- 
sued after them, and took the two kings of Mid- 
ian, Zebah and Zalmuiiua,'" and discomfited' all 
the host. 

13 ir And Gideon the son of Joash returned from 
battle before the sun vas up, 

14 And caught a young man of the men of Suc- 
coth, and inquired of him : and he described* unto 
him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, 
even threescore and seventeen men. 

15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and 
said. Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye 
did upbraid me," saying, Jlre the hands of Zebah 
and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should 
give bread unto thy men that are weary? 

16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns 
of the wilderness, and briers, and with them he 
taught* the men of Succoth. 



22:27. J ver. 17. B Or. one hundred and twenty thousand, every one dratv- 
ingasword. k Num. 32:35, 42. 1 ch. 18:27; 1 Thess. 5:3. m Psa. »3:11. 
^ iieb. terrified. ' Hnh.writ. n ver. 6, 7. ^ 'Rih.inade to knotv. 



Abi-ezer, and his men, who had struck the first blow, are 
compared to those who gather the vintage ; while the 
Ephraimites, who came after him, are compared to glean- 
ers. But here Gideon tells them that the gleaning of the 
grapes is more than the original vintage. This ■s^as a soft 
answer, designed to appease the wrath of the Ephraim- 
ites. Prov. 15:1; Eccl. 10:4. 

5. Succoth; a city in the tribe of Gad, on the east of Jor- 
dan, below the sea of Galilee. Gen. 33:17. 

6. Now in thy hand; have you already taken them? 
Ver. 15. They were men of worldly prudence, but w-ith- 
out either faith in God or devotion to his cause ; and 
would not assist Gideon till they were first sure of his 
success. 

7. Tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness; a mode 
of punishment not uncommon in those days. 

H. Penuel; east of Succoth, and near the river Jabbok. 
Gen. 32:30. 

9. This tower; one to which the men of Penuel trusted 
for their defence. 

10. Karkor; supposed to have been eastward of Penuel, 
and near the borders of Gad. 

11. Nobah is the same as Kenath, and is supposed to be 
the same as the modern Kanatha in Hauran. Jogbeliah was 
in its neighborhood. 

14. Described unto him; literally, WToto for him; proba- 
bly gave him their names. 

IC. Taught the men; showed them the folly of their 
course by punishing them. 



Zebah and Zalmunna slain. 



JUDGES IX. 



Dtatk of Gideon. 



A. M. 275,'i. 17 And he beat down the tower of Pe- 
^ 1243''""' nuel," and slew the men of the city. 

18 IT Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, 
What manner of men were they whom ye slew at 
Tabor ?" And they answered, As thou art, so 
were they; each one resembled* the children of a 
IdniT. 

19 And he said. They were my brethren, even the 
sons of my mother: as the Lord livcth, if ye had 
saved them alive, I would not slay you. 

20 And he said unto Jether his first-born. Up, 
and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword : 
for ho feared, because he was yet a youth. 

21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said. Rise thou, 
and fall upon us : for as the man is, so is his 
strensrth. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah 
and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments* 
that were on their camels' necks. 

22 IF Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, 
Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy sou, and 
thy son's son also : for thou hast delivered us from 
the hand of Midian. 

23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule 
over you, neither shall my sou rule over you: the 
Lord shall rule over you.'^ 

2-1 "i" And Gideon said unto them, I would de- 
sire a request of you, that ye would give me every 
mau the ear-rings of his prey. For they had golden 
ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.'' 

25 And they answered, We will willingly give 
them. And they spread a garment, and did cast 
therein evei-y man the ear-rings of his prey. 

20 And the weiglit of the golden ear-rings that 
he requested was a thousand and seven hundred 
shekels of gold; besides ornaments, and collars,* 
and purple raiment that was on the kings of Mid- 
ian, and besides the chains that were about their 
camels' necks. 



aVer.9. bch.4:6: Psi. S9:l-2. 
mei:ts like the inooiij Isa. 3: 18. 
03:1'J. d Gen. 25:13; :!7:-25, fl^. 



' Heb. according to the form of. t Or, orna- 
c 1 Sam. 8:7; 10:19; 12:12; Isa. 33:22; 
\Qx^ sxocet jewels, ech. 17:5. fch. (i;24. 



21. So is his strength; as his age was mature, so was his 
strength. 

23. The Lord shall rule; he was their chief magistrate, 
and Gideon would not be instrumental in changing that 
form of government. 

24. Ear-rings of his prey; those which they had taken 
from their enemies. Ishmaelites; the Midianites are some- 
times confounded with Ishmaelites; they lived near, and 
often mingled together. Gen. 37 : 28. 

27. An ephod; a very rich and costly garment, such as 
was worn by the high-priest. Exod. 28:4. A whoring 
after it; it became a means of superstition and idolatry. 

33. Baalim and— Baat-berith; idol-gods. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who neglect their duty are often disposed to 
cast the blame on others; and those who refuse to engage 
in great and important services, are often most anxious to 
have the credit of them. 

2. \ command of one's temper, and a disposition to 
give full credit to the worthy actions of others, are Ukely 
means of appeasing envy, abating wrath, and causing con- 
tentions to cease. 

(i. It is unwise to refuse aid to brethren in distress, and 
foolish as well as wicked to upbraid them. 

10. The multitudes who have fallen in wars by the 
hands of their fellow-men, and in the indulgence of the 
must hateful passions, present an impressive view of the 



27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof,'" and put 
it in his city, even in Ophrah :'^ and all Israel went 
thither a whoring after it:^ which thing became 
a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.'' 

28 1 Thus was Midian subdued before the chil- 
dren of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads 
no more. And the country was in quietness forty 
years in the days of Gideon. 

29 IT And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and 
dwelt in his own house. 

30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of 
his body^ begotten:' for he had many wives. 

31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she 
also bare him a son, whose name he called ' Abim- 
elech.^ 

32 T And Gideon the son of Joash died in a 
good old age,'' and was buried in the sepulchre of 
Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. 

33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was 
dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and 
went a whoring after Baalim,' and made Baal- 
berith their god."' 

34 And the children of Israel remembered not 
the Lord their God," who had delivered them out 
of the hands of all their enemies on every side : 

35 Neither showed they kindness to the house 
of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon," according to all the 
goodness which he had showed unto Israel. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his 
brethren, is made king. 7 Jotham by a parable rebuketh them, and 
foretelleth their rum. 22 G-aal conspireth with the Shechemitea 
against him. 30 Zebul revealeth it. 3-1 Abimelech overcometh them, 
and soweth the city witli salt. 46 He burneth the hold of the ^^od 
Berith. 50 At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone. 5G Jo- 
tham's curiae is fulfilled. 

ND Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal Tvent to 
Shechem unto his mother's brethren,P aud 



A 



t Psa. 106:39. h Deut. 7:1( 
II Heb. sel. J ch. 9:13. k G 
n Psa. 78:11, 42; 106:13,21. 



5 Heb. going out of his thigh. 
1.25:8; Job 5:26. 1 ch. 2:17, 19. 
3 ch. 9:16-10. Pch. 8:31. 



evil of sin, and of the horrible state of those who are 
abandoned to its everlasting power. 

16. Sin often brings misery in this world of mercy, as it 
will, to all who continue in it, in the world of retribution. 

21. The dread which men have of a lingering and dis- 
honorable temporal death, should prompt them to imme- 
diate, earnest, and persevering efl'orts to avoid the dis- 
grace and torment of that which is eternal. 

23. A wise man will not covet an increase of power, care, 
and responsibility ; nor, unless it appears to be manifestly 
the will of God, will he consent to receive it. 

27. The consequences of men's actions may be very dif- 
ferent from what they anticipate ; they should not, there- 
fore, at any time lean to their own understandings, but 
should in all their ways acknowledge God, that he may 
direct their paths. 

31. A departure from the design and wiU of God in the 
institution of marriage, has in some form ever been the 
easily besetting sin of men, and the source of innumerable 
and most distressing calamities. 

33. No sooner are restraints removed, than men show 
their wickedness by voluntarily engaging in known sin, 
and the manifestation of awful ingratitude towards both 
God and men. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1. Shechem ; a city in the tribe of Ephraim, lying between 
mount Gerizim on the south, and mount Ebal on the north. 
303 



conspiracy of Abimtkch. 



JUDGES IX, 



Revoll of the Shecliemiks. 



cniiimunocl witli tlifin, and willi all the family of 
tlie linuso of liis moilior'? fiUlior, sayiufr, 

•1 S])(':ik, I juiiy you, in the cars of all tho men 
of Slii'^'lioni. Whoilior' is belter for you, eitlior 
that all tlic .sons of Jcrubhaal, vhkh arc tiireescure 
anil ten person?," reign over you, or that one reign 
over you? remember also that I am your bone and 
voiir llesh."' 

3 Ami his mother's brethren spake of him in the 
ears of all tho men of Siieclieui all these words: 
and their hearts inclined to follow* Abimelech; 
for tlioy said. He is our brother. 

4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces 
of silver out of the house of Baal-bcrith,"^ where- 
with Abimelech hired vain and light persons,'' 
wliieh fi)llowcd him. 

;") And he went unto his father's house at Oph- 
rali, and slew his brethren tiie sons of Jerubbual,* 
beint'^ threescore and ten persons, \ipon one stone: 
notwithstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of 
Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 

G And all the men of Shochcm gathered together, 
and all the house of Jlillo, and went and made 
Abimelech king, by the plain' of the pillar that 
M'fl? in Shechem. 

7 *![ And when they told it to Jotham, he went and 
stood in the top of mount Gcrizim,'' and lifted up 
his voice, and cried, and said unto them. Hearken 
unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may heark- 
en unto you. 

8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king 
over them;'' and they said unto the olive-tree, 
Reign thou over us. 

9 But the olive-tree said unto them. Should I 
leave my fatness,'' wherewith by me they honor God 
and man, and go to be promoted over the trees'?^ 

10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, 
and reign over us. 

11 But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I for- 
sake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to 
be promoted over the trees? 

12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, 
and reign over us. 

13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave 
my wine, which cheeretli God and man,' and go 
to be promoted over the trees? 



• Hp 


b. Wlial is good 


whetlie 


r, etc. » 


ch. S:30 


b 


Ge 


n. 29 


14 


t Heb. 


afUT. 


cch.BiaS. Jch. 


11:3: a 


3hr. 13:7 


Prov. la 


11 


Acts 17:5. 




11:1,2 


1 Or, oak: Jash. ^4:26 


f Josh. 


8:33; John 4 


2( 


e •- 


K 


ngs 14:9. 


li Fsa. 


1(14:15. 5 Heb. 


up and down fo 


r other trees. 




Prov. 


31 


6; Eccl. 


10; 19. 


1 Or, tkistit. i 


\L .■)!): 


2; Dan. 4 


■.VI; Hos 


14:7. 


k ve 


■■• 


>0; Num. 



2. Your bone; a Shechemite and a relative. Ch. 8:31. 
4. Hoiise of Baal-berith ; the place of their idol-worsbip- 

6. Hoiise of MiHo; a tower or castle in the city. It 
seems to have been the same as " the tower of 8hechem," 
ver. 46, 47. The men of Shechem and the house of Millo 
are separatelj' mentioned in Jothara's curse, and, in like 
manner, the destruction of the men of Shechem and the 
men of the tower of Shechem is separately recorded. 

7. Geriztm; a mountain on the south side of Shechem. 

8. Tlie trees went forth; this is the commencement of a 
parable, representing the folly of the Sheohemites in mak- 
ing Abimelech king. 

9. Olive-tree; a tree yielding oil, used not only in food, 
but also in the worship of God and in the consecration of 
men to public office. 

13. Wine, which cheereth God; it was employed in his 
worship, and thus pleased him. 
304 



11 Then said all the trees unto the bram- a. m. r-.o 

III/-, I 1 • u. c. •bom 

ble,' Come thou, and reign over us. lam. 

15 And the liramide .siid unto the trees, If in 
truth ye anoint me king over you, t/ttn conic and 
put your trust in my shadow ;' and if not, let lire 
come out of the bramble," and devour the cedars 
of Lebanon.' 

10 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sin- 
cerely, in tJiat ye have made iVbimelech king, and 
if y(^ have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, 
and have done unto him according to the deserv- 
ing of his hands: 

17 (For my father fought for you,'" and adven- 
tured^ his life far, and delivered you out of the 
hand of Jlidian: 

18 And ye are risen up against my father's house 
this day," and have slain his sons, threescore and 
ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abim- 
elech, the son of his maid-servant," king over the 
men of Shechem, because he is your brother :) 

19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with 
Jerubbaal and with his house this day, t/un rejoice 
ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:'' 

20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, 
and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of 
Millo ; and let fire come out from the men of She- 
chem, and from the house of Jlillo, and devour 
Abimelech.'' 

21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to 
Beer,'' and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his 
brother. 

22 1 When Abimelech had reigned three years 
over Israel, 

23 Then God sent an evil spirit' between Abim- 
elech and the men of Shechem ; and the men of 
Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:' 

24 That the cruelty doiie to the threescore and 
ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood 
be laid, upon Abimelech their brother," which slew 
them, and upon the men of Shechem, which aided 
him in the killing* of his brethren. 

25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for 
him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed 
all that came along that way by them : and it was 
told Abimelech. 

26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with hisbreth- 



21 :2S; Ezek. 19:14. 1 Isa. 2:13; Ezck. 31 -3. n.ch.7 1 Heb. 


ast. n ver. 


.5, 6| ch. 6:35. och. 8:31. P Isa. t-:6; Phil. 3:3; Jm. 4:18. q 


ver. 15. 6fi, 


57 r2Sam.20:14. » 1 Sam. 18:14; 1 Kings 12:15; 22:22, 23; 


Isa. 19:14; 


2 Thess. 2:11, 12. • Isa. 33:1. u 1 Kings 2:32j Esth. 9:25; 


Psa. 7:10. 


* Heb. strengthened his hands to kill. 





14. Tlie bramble; one of the meanest and most worth- 
less shrubs. Gideon, who like the olive, fig-tree, and vine, 
was useful, refused ; but Abimelech, who like the bramble 
was worthless, consented to be made king. 

15. Let fire come out; this expressed the trouble which 
Abimelech would bring upon the chief men of Shechem, 
represented as cedars. , 

Ifi. Truly; rightly, in a proper manner. 

20. Let fire come out; fire will come out; expressive of 
the mutual calamities which Abimelech and the men of 
Shechem would bring on each other. 

21. Beer; a place south of Shechem. 

23. God sent; suffered, through the temptation of Satan, 
to arise in their own hearts. 

25. Liers in wait ; to kill Abimelech, who was then absent 
from the city, or to take him prisoner on his return. 

26. Gaal; supposed to be a Cauaanite, pretending to 



Abimekch taketh Sliccliem, 



JUDGES IX. 



and is slain at T/iebez. 



A. M. 2T9S. ren, and went oyer to Shechem : and the 
law' " menofShecliemputtheirconfidonccinhim. 

27 And they went out into the fields, and gath- 
ered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and 
made merry,* and went into the house of their god,'' 
and did eat and drink, and cursed Abinielech. 

28 And G-aal tlie son of Ebed said, Wlio is Abim- 
elech, and who is Shechem, that we sliould serve 
him?'' is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul 
his officer? servo the men of Hamor tlie father of 
Siiechem:" for wliy should we serve him? 

29 And wonld to God this people were under my 
hand!'' then would I remove Abimelech. And he 
said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come 
out. 

30 1 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard 
the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anffcr was 
kindled/ 

31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech priv- 
ily,* saying. Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his 
brethren be come to Shechem; and behold, they 
fortify the city against thee. 

32 Now therefore np by night, thou and the 
people that is with thee, and lie in wait in the 
field: 

33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon 
as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon 
the city : and behold, ichen he and the people that 
is with him come out against thee, then mayest 
thou do to them as thou shalt find^ occasion. 

34 IT And Abimelech rose up, and all the people 
that were with him, by night, and they laid wait 
against Shechem in four companies. 

35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood 
in the entering of the gate of the city : and Aliim- 
elcch rose up, and the people that were with him, 
from lying in wait. 

36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to 
Zebul, Behold, there come people down from the 
top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him. 
Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they 
were men. 

37 And Gaal spake again and said, See, there 
come people down by the middle ' of the land, and 
another company come along by the plain of Me- 
onenim.^ 

38 Then said Zebul unto him, Whore is now thy 
mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, 
that wo should serve him?" is not this the people 
that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and 
fiofht with them. 



• Or, songs; Isa. 18:9, 10; Jer. 25:30. a rer. 4. b 1 Sam. •25:10; 1 Kinss 
1-2:16. cGen. 34:3, 6. J -2 Sam. 15:4; Psa. 10::3. t Or, /lol. iTieh. craft- 
ily, or to Tormah. i Heb. thy hand shall Jind; 1 Sam. 10:7; 95:8; Ecd. 



have descended from Hamor the father of Sliechem, and 
former prince of that country. Ver. 28 ; Gen. 31:2. 

27. Their god; their idol-god. Chap. 8:33. 

28. Who is Abimelech; that he should reign over the 
ancient and renowned city of Shechem. Zebul ; the gov- 
ernor of Shechem durina; Abimelech's absence. Ver. 30. 

29. Said to Abimelech; that is. by messengers, for Abim- 
elech himself was absent from the city. Increase — come 
out ; a challenge to Abimelech to make hi.i army as strong 
as possible, and meet him on the field of battle. 

31. Sent messengers — privily; because he was not strong 
enough to offer direct resistance to Gaal, who had won 
over the people of the citv to his side. 
20 



39 And Gaal went out before the men of She- 
chem, and fought with Abimelech. 

40 And Abimelech chased hini, and he fled before 
him, and many were overthrown and wounded, 
even unto the entering of the gate. 

41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah : and Zebul 
thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should 
not dwell in Shechem. 

■ 42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the 
people went out into the field ; and they told 
Abimelech. 

43 And he took the people, and divided them 
into three companies, and laid wait in the field, 
and looked, and behold, the people were come forth 
out of the city ; and he rose up against them, and 
smote them. 

44 And Abimelech, and the company that was 
with him, rushed forward, and stood in the enter- 
ing of the gate of the city : and the two other com- 
panies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, 
and slew them. 

4.5 And Abimelech fought against the city all 
that day ; and he took the city,' and slew the peo- 
ple that loas therein, and beat down the city," and 
sowed it with salt." 

46 1 And when all the men of the tower of She- 
chem heard that, they entered into a hold of the 
house of the god Berith.' 

47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men 
of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 

48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zal- 
mon,J he and all the people that were with him; 
and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut 
down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid 
it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that 
were with him, What ye have seen me do,* make 
haste, and do as I have done. 

49 And all the people likewise cut down every 
man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put 
them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon 
them ; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem 
died also, about a thousand men and women. 

50 1 Then went Abimelech to Thcbez, and en- 
camped against Thebez, and took it. 

51 But there was a strong tower within the city, 
and thither fled all the men and women, and all 
they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them 
up "to the top of the tower. 

52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and 
fought against it, and went hard unto the door of 
the. tower to burn it with fire. 



9:10. I Heb. navel. 1 Or, The regarders of times; Hcut. 18:14. e 
•28,29. fTer.'20. e -2 Kings 3:^25. h Dent. 29:23; Kzek. 47:11; Zeph. 
ich. 8:3.3. j Psa. 03:14. • Heb. /Aotrndon^. 



37. Middle of the land; rather, height of the land ; that 
is, from the high hills bordering Shechem. See note to 
ver. 1. The plain of Meonenim ; rather, the oak of Meone- 
nim ; that is, in EngUsh, the enchanter's oak, 

41. Arumah; a place near Shechem. 

43. He; Abimelech. Took; had taken. 

45. Sowed it with salt; in token of its desolation. 

4S. Zalmon ; meaning shady ; supposed to be so called 
from its being covered wth forests. 

50. Tliebez; a city of Ephraim.a few miles north-east of 
Shechem. 

hi. A strong tmcer; such towers in or near cities, to 
which the people fled in time of danger, were common. 
305 



Told and Jair are jutl/^rs. 



jri)(ii;s X. 



Israel oppressed for its sins. 



/is And a cortain woman cast a piece of a mill- 
stone upon Al)imck'cli's head," and all-to brake his 
skull. 

51 Then he called hastily nn(o llic youiitr man 
his armor-bearer, and said unto him, Draw thy 
sword, and slay me,'' that men say not of me, A 
woman slew him. And his younj^ man thrust him 
Ihroufih. and he died. 

5.") And when the men of Israel saw that Abim- 
elci'h was dead, they departed every man unto his 
place. 

.')6 *! Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abim- 
elech, wiiieh he did unto his father, ia slaying his 
seventy brethren : " 

57 And all the evil of the men of Shcchem did 
God render upon their heads: and ui)on them 
came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.*' 



CHAPTER X. 



1 Tola judgeth Israel in Shamir. ."? Ja 



thirty sons had thirty 



cities. 6 The Philistines and Ammonites oppress Israel. 10 lii then 
misery G-od sendeth them to their false gods. 15 Upon their repent- 
ance lie pitieth them. 

VXD after Abimclecli there arose to defend* 
Israel, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, 
a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in 
mount Ephraim. 



i -2 Sam. ll;ai. b 1 Sam. :nA, c ver. -M ; Job 31:3; Psa. <j4fi3; I'rov. 
•■>!• Matt 7:2; Gal. 8:7. J v.-r. 20, 45. • Hob. save, or deliver, e ch. 
:IU; 12:14. 1 Or, T/ie villages of Jair; Num. :)-2A\. (Dout.3:14. 6 ch. 



53. A millstone; the upper stone of a hand-mill, in which 
the women ground their grain. Matt. 24:41. All-to; an 
old English term meaning, wholly, entirely. 

.04. A woman slew him; to be slain by a woman was con- 
sidered disgraceful. 

56. Rendered; requited or punished. Ver. 5, 18, 24. 

57. The curse of Jotliam; ver. 20. 

IXSTIU^CTIOXS. 

2. ilen who earnestly desire power, and flatter their 
fellow-men to obtain it, are not worthy to be trusted, and 
should not be chosen to rule over otliers. 

.3. Men are easily flattered, and their judgment, feelings, 
and conduct often biassed towards those who are related 
to or connected with them. 

4. Tain and light persons, the vicious and the worthless 
of all descriptions, will prostitute their poHtical influence 
to the support of those flatterers who like themselves arc 
vicious, and who will furnish them with money. 

5. Ambitious men, who are given up of God to the grat- 
ification of their lusts, will commit any crime to secure 
their selfish objects. 

6. When a people choose immoral men as their rulers, 
they will generally be made instruments of mutual pun- 
ishment to each other. 

8. Parables may be a most clfoctive and useful method 
of inculcating divine truth, and he who wisely employs 
them li'^ an eminent benefactor of mankind. 

9. Wise men will not be anxious to leave the safe, quiet, 
and useful pursuits and enjoyments of private life, for the 
sake of becoming rulers, especiallv over the wicked. 

15. Those wlio arc most unfaithful and worthless in pri- 
vate life, are often most anxious for promotion to public 
life; and those who thus promote them, may expect 
through them to reap the fniit of their folly. 

19. Teachers of divine truth in all ages have maintained 
that godliness is profitable unto all things, and that the 
way of transgressors is hard ; that righteousness tendeth 
to life, and that those who continue in wickedness do it 
to their own death. 

28. The wicked have no permanent bond of union, safety, 
or peace ; and those who have been treacherous and cruel 
30G 



2 And he judjred Israel twenty and three a.m. aci. 
years, and died, and was buried in Shamir, naj' 

:$ "i And after him arose Jair, a Gilcadite, and 
judjred Israel twenty and two years. 

■1 .\nd he had thirty sons that rode on thirty 
ass colts,'' and they had thirty cities, which arc 
ealloil Havoth-Jair,' unto this day/ which arc in 
the land of (Jilead. 

5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 

1l And the children of Israel did evil ajrain in 
the sight of the Lord," and served Baalim, and 
.\slitarotli, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of 
Zidon,'' and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the 
children of Amnion, and the gods of the I'hilis- 
tines, and forsook the Lord, and served not him. 

7 And the anger of the Loud was hot again,st 
Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the 
Philistines,' and into the hands of the children of 
Amnion. 

8 And that year they vexed and opjjressed' the 
children of Israel : eighteen ycai-s, all the childien 
of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the 
land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 

9 Jloreover the children of Amnion passed over 
Jordan to light also against Judah, and against 
Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim ; so 
that Israel was sore distressed.^ 



1 Sam. 12:9, 10. 1 lleb. 



to others, will ordinarily meet with others who will be 
treacherous and cruel to them. 

26. Men may rebel against one set of wicked rulers, and 
yet choose another who are no better ; and, by so doing, 
may only increase their distress and hasten their ruin. 

27. Dissipation, rioting, and licentiousness are not true 
liberty, and those who indulge in them can never enjoy it. 

2S. Boasting, pride, and self-esteem are forerunners of 
defeat, degradation, and contempt. 

38. Those who pretend to despise their enemies when 
at a distance, are often afraid of them when tliey come 
near ; and the most reproachful in time of safely, are often 
most cowardly in time of danger. 

4.5. The men who aid and exalt the wicked, are often 
the men wlio are injured and destroyed by them. 

46. The courses which wicked men take to secure their 
safety not unfrequently accelerate their ruin; and often 
by those whom they have aided in slaying others, they 
are themselves slain. 

62. Success often renders men reckless, and when they 
are most confident they are nearest to destruction. They 
may escape the greatest apparent dangers, and then fall 
by such as are not thought of. 

54. Men, especially warriors, think much about an hon- 
orable death, and sometimes are peculiarly sensitive of 
their reputation when sinking into shame and everlasting 
contempt. 

56. Jehovah is a God that judgeth in the earth, and often 
here proclaims the sins of men in their punishment. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. He dwelt in Shamir; after he became judge ; as this 
was a more central part of the country, and a more con- 
venient place for a judge than any in his own tribe. 

3. A Gileadite; he" was the first judge from the cast sidi' 
of Jordan. 

4. Havoth-jair ; the villages of Jair. 

7. Phdistines; they lived on the west of the Israelites, 
and the cJiildren of Amman on the east. 

8. Tliat year; the oppression of both began about the 
same time. Tliat of the Ammonites lasted eighteen years, 
and that of the Philistines forty. Chap. 13:1. Other; east. 



IxrpeiUance of Israel. 



JUDGES XI. 



Jejihthah becomes a judge. 



Asy^a. 10 T And the cliildrcn of Israel cried 
no'."" unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned 
airainst tlicc, both because we have forsaken our 
God, and also served Baalim. 

1 1 And the Lord said unto the children of Israel, 
Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians," and from 
the Amorites,'' from the children of Ammon, and 
from the Philistines?" 

12 The Zidonians also,'^ and the Araalekites,'' and 
the Maonites, did oppress you;'^ and ye cried to 
me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 

13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other 
gods t'-' wherefore I will deliver you no more. 

14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have 
chosen ; let thern deliver you in the time of your 
tribulation.'' 

1.5 ir And the children of Israel said unto the 
Lord, We have sinned : do thou unto us whatso- 
ever seemeth good unto thee :*' deliver us only, we 
pray thee, this day. 

IG And they put away the strange gods* from 
among them, and served the Lord :' and his soul 
was grieved* for the misery of Israel.'' 

17 Then the children of Amnion were gathered^ 
together, and encamped in Gilead. And the chil- 
dren of Israel assembled themselves together, and 
encamped in Mizpeh.' 

18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one 
to another, What man is he that will begin to fight 
against the children of Ammon? he shall be head 
over all the inhabitants of Gilead. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 The covenant between Jephtliah and the Gileadites, that he should be 
their head. T^ The treaty of peace between him and the Ammonites 
is in vain. 29 Jepholiah's vow. 33 His conquest of the Ammonites. 
34 He perfoi'meth his vow on his daughter. 

I OW Jephthah' the Gileadite was a mighty 
I man of valor," and he was the son of a har- 
lot :' and Gilead begat Jephthah. 

2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons ; and his wife's 

sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and 

said unto him. Thou shaltnot inherit in our father's 

house; for thou art the son of a strange woman." 

B ir Then Jephthah fled from* his brethren, and 



N 



' Exod. 14;30. b Num. 


.1: 31-35. = oh 


3:13 15, .31 d ch. 5:19. e ch. 


6:3. t Psa. lufi:42. e Jer 


■2:l:j. h Den 


. 33:37, 38; 2 Kings 3:l.i; Jer. 


■2:-& • Heb. is good m l/u 


ne eyes, i 1 Si 


m. 3:18; 2 Sam. 15:20. t Heb. 


gods of strangers, i i Chr. 


7:14; 15:S. 1 


Heb. shortened, k Psa. 100:44, 


45; Isl.(W:9. iHeh. cried. 


1 ch. 11:11. 20 


CTen.31:4!l. H Called Jcp/il/mf,- 



12. The Maonites; jirobably au Arabian tribe. 

13. J will deliver you no more; he would not, unless they 
should repent of their sins. 

14. Cry unto the gods; this was designed to make them 
feel more deeply the worthlessness of their idols, and their 
need of help from Jehovah. 

17. Ill Gilead; on the east of Jordan. Mizpeh; near 
mount Gilead. Chap. 11:29. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Good rulers are the gift of God, and are designed, 
through the enactment and execution of good laws, to be 
for the protection and defence of the people. 

6. Though a course of sinning has often been tried, and 
always found to lead in the end to misery, yet such is the 
folly and wickedness of men, that they will try it again 
with as much eagerness and confidence of success, as if 
the experiment had never been made. 

10. Men who in prosperity cast off the fear of the Lord, 



dwelt in the landofTob: and there were gathered 
vain men to Jephthah," and went out with him. 

•1 1 And it came to pass in process of time,* that 
the children of Ammon made war against Israel. 

5 And it was so, that when the children of Am- 
mon made war against Israel, the ciders of Gil- 
ead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob : 

6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be 
our captain, that we may fight with tlie children 
of Amnion. 

7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, 
Did not ye hate me,'' and e.xpel me out of my fa- 
ther's house? and why arc ye come unto me now 
when ye are in distress? 

8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, 
Therefore we turn again to tiice now,'' that thou 
mayest go with us, and fight against the children 
of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabi- 
tants of Gilead."' 

9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, 
If ye bring me home again to fight against the 
children of Ammon, and the Lord deliver them 
before me, shall I be your head? 

10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, 
The Lord be witness* between us,^ if we do not so 
according to thy words. 

11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gil- 
ead, and the people made him head and captain 
over them :' and Jephthah uttered all his words 
before the Lord in Mizpeh." 

12 'i And Jephthah sent messengers unto the 
king of the children of Ammon, saying. What hast 
thou to do with me, that thou art come against 
me to fight in my land? 

13 And the king of the children of Ammon an- 
swered unto the messengers of Jcplitliali, Because 
Israel took away my land,^' when tlicy came up 
out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok,'"' and 
unto Jordan : now therefore restore those lands 
again peaceably. 

\i And Jephthah sent messengers again unto 
the king of the children of Ammon : 

15 And said unto him. Thus saith Jcphthaii, Is- 
rael took not away the land of Moab, nor the land 
of the children of Ammon:" 



Heb. 


11:32 


m ch 


(i: 


o. ., 


Kings 5:1. 


1 


H 


b. a wc 


man 


harlot. 


n Gen 


31 11 


; Gal 


4:311. 


Hp 


h.tr 


om tlieface 


of. 





ch 


il:' 


; 1 Sa 


m. 22:2 


tHeb 


Oiler 


days. 


P Gen 


ai 


iT. 


q Luke 17 


4. 


r 


ch. 


10: 


rt. I 


Heb. the hearer 


' .ler 


42:5. 


t ver. 


s. 


1 ch 


20: 1 ; 1 S 


im. 


1( 


:17 


V 


Nura 


21:24. 


w Gen 


32:3-. 


. iDeut. 2:U 


19 





















and openly rebel against him, in adversity, and when suf- 
fering the effects of their sins, often feel their need of his 
help. 

15. Though God might justly leave men to the conse- 
quences of their transgressions and never again deliver 
them, yet when they feel and acknowledge his righteous- 
ness, and turn heartily to him, he has compassion on them 
and opens the way for their relief. 

CHAPTER XI. 

2. A strange woman; not the lawful wife of his father. 

3. The land of Tob; supposed to be in or near S^vria. 

10. The Loril be witness ; this was a solemn cngagemeiir 
that they would make Jephthah their ruler. 

11. All his words; the words of the engagement between 
him and the elders of Gilead, that the people might all 
hear, understand, and ratify them. 

13. Israel took away my land; Num. 21:21-35. 
307 



The embassy of Jephlhah. 



.ILDGES XI. 



His rash I'ow. 



16 But when Israel came up from Ejrypt, and 
walked throuirli tlic wilderness unto the Red sea," 
und came to Kadcsli;'' 

17 Tiien Israel sent messengers unto the kinj^ of 
Kdom. sayintr. Let me, I pray tlieo, pass throufrli 
ihv land: but tiic king of Edom would not heark- 
en' //wnyo. And in like manner they sent unto the 
king of Moah: but he wc^uld not consent: and Is- 
rael abode in Ivadesh. 

18 Tiien they went along through the wilder- 
ness, and compassed the land of Edom, and I lie 
land of Moab,'' and came by tlie east side of tiie 
hmd of Moab, and pitclied on tlie other side of 
Arnon, but came not within tlie border of Moab :'' 
for Arnon was the border of Moab. 

19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king 
of the Amorifes, the king of Heshbon;" and Is- 
rael said unto him. Let us })ass, we pray thee, 
through tliy land into my place. 

20 But Siiion trusted not Israel to pass through 
his coast : but Sihon gatlicred all his people togeth- 
er, and pitched in JaJuiz, and fought against Israel. 

21 And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon 
and all his people into the hand of Israel, and 
they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land 
of the Amorites, tlie inhabitants of that country. 

22 And tliey possessed all the coasts of the Am- 
orites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from 
the wilderness even unto Jordan. 

23 So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispos- 
sessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, 
and shouldcst thou possess it? 

24 Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh*^ 
tliy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever 
the Lord our God*-' shall drive out from before 
us," them will we possess. 

2.5 And now art thou any tiling better than 
Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab?' did he 
ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight 
against them, 

26 AVhile Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns,^ 
and in Aroer and her towns,'' and in all the cities 
that be along by the coasts of Arnon, three hun- 
dred years? why tliereforc did ye not recover 
them within that time? 

27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, 



a Num. 14:25; Deut. 1:40; Josh. 5:6. b Num. 20:1, 14. etc. ' Num. 
21:4, et«. d Num 22:36. e Num. 21:21, etc.; Deut. 2:26, etc t Num. 
21:28; 1 Kings 11:7; Jer. 4t:7. e Mic. 4:5. h Deut. 18:12; Psa. 78:55. 
i Num. 22:2, etc. J Num. 21:25. k Deut. 2:30. I Gen. 19:25; Psa. 75:7; 
EccI, 12:14. m Gen. 16:5; 31:51; 1 Sim. 24:12, 15. n ch. 3:10. • Jeph- 
•oah seems to have been judge only of North-east Israel, o Gen . 23: 20 ; 1 Sam. 



22. The coasts of tlie Amorites; the Amorites had dispos- 
Bessed the Ammonites and taken their country, from Ar- 
non to Jabliok, before the children of Israel came out of 
Egypt ; and tlie Israelites took it not from the Ammonites, 
as they now pretended, ver. 13, but from the Amorites. 

24. Chemosh; the idol-god of the Ammonites, to whom 
they ascribed their successes. 

25. Better than. Balak; had they any better claim to the 
lands than had Balak, who was king of Moab when Israel 
took them? He did not take them back; and as the 
Ammonites had not attempted it, but suffered the Israel- 
ites to possess it unmolested for three hundred years, it 
was evident that they had lost all title to it, and the Isra- 
elites did not wrong them in possessing it. 

27. The Lord — be judge; decide, by giving the victoiy 
to those who were right. 

29. ITie Spirit — came upon Jephthah ; furnishing him with 
308 



but thou doest me wrong to war against .* m zw.i 

1 • , Till • 1 .1 • " ' ••>"' 

me: tlie LoUD the Judge' be judge tins "o 
day between the children of Israel and the chil- 
dren of Animon.'" 

28 llowbeit the king of the children of Amnion 
hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah wiiich 
lie sent him. 

2'.> *i Then the Spirit of the Lord" came upon 
Jephthah," and he passed over Gilead, and Ma- 
nassch, and passed over Miz]peh of Gileail, and 
from Mizpch of Gilead he passed over tmto the 
children of Amnion. 

?,() And Jephthah vowed avow unto the Lord," 
anil said, If thou slialt without fail deliver the 
children of Amnion into my hands, 

31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh 
forth* of the doors of my house to meet me, when 
I return in peace from tlie children of Amnion, 
shall surely be the Lord's,'' and* I will offer it up 
for a burnt-offering. 

32 li So Jephthah passed over unto the children 
of Ammon to fight against them ; and the Lord 
delivered them into his hands. 

33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till 
thou come to Minnith,'' even twenty cities, and un- 
to the plain -^ of the vineyards, with a very great 
slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were sub- 
dued before the children of Israel. 

34 1 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his 
house,' and behold, his daughter came out to meet 
him with timbrels and with dances:" and she was 
Ms only child ; beside her he had neither son nor 
daughter.' 

3.5 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that 
he rent his clothes,* and said, Alas, my daughter! 
thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one 
of them that trouble me : for I have opened my 
mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go Ijack." 

36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou 
hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me 
according to that which hath proceeded out of 
thy mouth ; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken ven- 
geance for thee of thine enemies," even of the chil- 
dren of Ammon. 

37 And she said unto her father. Let this thing 
be done for me : let me alone two months, that 1 



1:11 ; Bed. 5:2, 4. 5. t Heb. llmt which cmnrth forlk. u-lnth shall rome 
forth. P Lev. 27:2, 3; 1 Sam. 1:11,2?; Psa. 66: 13, 14. 1 Or. or. q Kzek. 
27:17. S Or, AM. ' ver, 11. « Exod. 15:20; I Sam. I&:6; Psa. 6,-<:25; 
150:4 ; Jer. 31:4. I Or, he had not of his own either son or daughter; Heb. 
of himself, t Gen. 37:29, 34. u Num. 3U:2j Psa. 15:4. v 2 Sam. IB: 19, 31. 



wisdom, courage, and aU needful qualifications to conduct 
the war. Over; through the places mentioned, to collect 
his army. 

31. Be the Lord's; devoted especially to his service. 
And; some liavo translated this, or; supposing that what 
should come to meet Jephthah was to be a burnt-oflering, 
if it were an object which the law allowed for that pur- 
pose ; and if not, that it was to be devoted to God in some 
other way. 

33. Aroer; a town near the river Arnon. Minnith; a 
place north of Aroer, in the tribe of Reuben. 

35. Opened my mouth; made a vow. Ver. 30. Cannot 
go back; he could not, without breaking his engagement, 
and thus, in his view, doing wrong. 

37. My virginity; that she was to live and die without 
being married and having children, which Jewish women 
very much regretted. If, as some suppose, she was not 



The Ephraimltcs defeated. 



JUDGES XII. 



Ibzan, Elon, and Ahdon. 



A. M. 2SM. may go up and down* upon the mountains, 
■ liu °" and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 

38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away /or 
two montiis : and slie went with her companions, 
and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 

39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, 
that slie returned unto her father, who did with her 
according to his vow which he had vowed :" and slie 
knew no man. And it was a custom^ in Israel, 

40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly* to 
lament'^ the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite 
four days in a year. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 The Ephraimites, quarrelling with Jephthah, and discerned by Shib- 
boleth, are slain by the Gileadites. 7 Jephthah dieth. 8 Ibzan, who 
had thirty sons and thirty daughters, 11 and Elnn, 13 and Abdon, 
who had forty sons and thirty nephews, judged Israel. 

AND the men of Ephraim gathered themselves ' 
together,'' and went northward, and said 
unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to 
fight against the cliildren of Ammon, and didst 
not call us to go with thee? we will burn thy 
house upon thee with fire. 

2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my peo- 
ple were at great strife with the children of Am- 
mon ; and when I called you, ye delivered me not 
out of their hands. 

3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I 
put my life in n;y hands,'= and passed over against 
the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered 
them into my hand : wherefore then are ye come 
up unto me this day, to fight against me? 



Heb, g-o ami go down. » ver. 31 ; 1 Sam. 1;*J. 2Ji 3:13. t Or, onl 
ice. I Reh. from yearlo year, i Or. talk with; ch. 5:11. I Heb. Wfi 
t 1 Sam. lil:5; 2i:21; Job 1.3:14; Psa 119:109. d cl 
13:11. • Which signifleth a stream, o: fiooil ; I'sa. 69:: 



literally offered to the Lord as a burnt-offering, it is plain, 
from the language of the sacred writer, that she was de- 
voted to God in such a way as required her to remain 
unmarried and childless. Fellows ; female companions. 

3y. According to his vow ; he devoted her to tlic Lord in 
a manner consistent with his promise, whatever that was. 
She knew no man ; was never married, and had no children ; 
a thing bewailed and lamented both by herself and her 
companions. 

40. Lament; this word in the original means, to cele- 
brate, or rehearse, and is so translated in chap. 5: 11. The 
daughters of Israel, from j'ear to year, commemorated the 
case of Jephthah's daughter. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. As the sins of parents may greatly injure and distress 
their children, this should be a motive to induce them to 
govern all tlieir appetites and passions, and to regulate 
their whole conduct according to the revealed will of 
God. 

7. In prosperity men often despise and reject those to 
whom in adversity they are glad to apply for help. 

9. Arrangements in which different parties are con- 
cerned should be plainly and correctly stated beforehand, 
that there may be afterwards no misunderstandings and 
contests about them. 

12. For the wiclied courses which wicked men pursue 
they can give no good reason ; and a correct statement of 
facts shows that for their pretended reasons there is no 
just foundation. 

21. The agency of God should never be excluded in our 
contemplations of the affairs of men, and his goodness 
should always be acknowledged as the source of all the 
blessings which we enjoy. 



4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men 
of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim : and the men 
of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said. Ye 
Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the 
Ephraimites, aiid among the Manassites. 

5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jor- 
dan before the Ephraimites:'' and it was so, when 
those Ephraimites which were escaped said. Let 
mo go over, that the men of Gilead said unto him, 
Jlrt thou an Ephraimite? If he said. Nay; 

6 Then said they unto him. Say now Shibboleth :* 
and he said Sibboleth : for he could not frame to 
pronounce it right. Then they took him, nnd slew 
him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at 
that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thou- 
sand. 

7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then 
died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in 
one of the cities of Gilead. 

8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-leliem judged 
Israel.* 

9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, 
whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daugh- 
ters from abroad for his sons. And he judged 
Israel seven years. 

10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth- 
lehem. 

11 t And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged 
Israel ;+ and he judged Israel ten years. 

12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was bur- 
ied in Aijalou in the country of Zebulun." 

13 1 And after him Abdou the son of Hillel, a 
Pirathonite, judged Israel.* 



la; Isi. 37:13. • Beseems to h 
North-east Israel, t A civil judg 
civil judge also in North-east Isra 



27. A disposition in the use of proper means to commit 
all our concerns to the guidance and disposal of God, is a 
good preparation for obtaining his favor, and receiving 
from him all needed aid. 

31. We sliould be careful to promise nothing but what 
is practicable, lawful, and right, that all we promise may 
be faithfully performed. 

35. This life is a mixed scene of trials and mercies. 
Great blessings are often followed by great distresses ; 
and if uncalled of God and without good reason we have 
brought them upon ourselves, tlie poignancy of them is 
thereby increased. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1. Went northward; towards Mizpeh, on the east side of 
Jordan, where Jephthah lived. 

2. Ye delivered me not ; did not attempt itj 

3. Put mi/ life in my hands; took on myself the work and 
danger of attempting to obtain deliverance. 

4. Fugitives of Ephraim ; the Gileadites belonged to the 
tribe of Manasseh. Josh. 17 : 1. The Ephraimites reproach 
them as a remnant who had fled Viefore themselves across 
the Jordan, and who were miworthy to be ranked with 
their brethren of Ephraim and Manasseh. 

6. Foi-ty and two thousand ; supposed by many to mean 
two thousand and forty, as the Ephraimites when numbered 
amoimted only to thirty-two thousand five hundred. Num. 
26:37. But this reason cannot be regarded as conclusive, 
since the numbering referred to took place three hundred 
years before. 

10. Bethlehem; there were two places of this name, one 
in Zebulun. and one in Judah where our Saviour was born. 

13. A Pirathonite; so called from Pirathon the place 
where he lived. 

309 



The angtl of the Lird visits 



JUDGES XIII. 



Manoah und Ids wife. 



14 And lie liad forty sons and tliirty ncplicws,' 
tliut rodo on tlirecsi'oiT and ten ass colts :" and he 
jiuliTi'd Israi'l ciirlit voars. 

1 ■) And Alulon tlic'son of Hillel the Pirathonitc 
died, and was Iniiiud in Piratium in the land of 
E]iliraiMi. in tlir niounl of the Anialckites.'' 



CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Iirael is in tlic hand of ihe Philistines. 2 An ixngcl appi'ardli to 
Manonli's wile. 8 The an^al appptirfth to Manoal" \.> Jlanoahs 
Mcrilice, whereby the anjjel is iliscovereJ. 21 Samson is born. 

AND the children of Israel did* evil attain in 
the sijjht of the Lord ;" and the Loiii) deliv- 
ered thcni into the hand of the Philistines forty 
years.''' 

2 T And there was a certain man of Zorah," of 
the family of the Danites, -whose name icas Ihi- 
noah; and his wife u-as barren, and bare not. 

3 And the anicl of the Loud apjicarcd unto tlie 
woman,'' and said unto her. Behold now, thou art 
barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, 
and bear a son. 

4 Now therefore beware, 1 ]iray tliee, and drink 
not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any un- 
clean thing: 

5 For lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son ; 
and no razor shall come on his head :" for the 
child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the 
womb:" and lie shall bcjiin to deliver Israel out 
of the hand of tiio Piiilistincs. 

6 Then the woman came and told her liusband, 
saying, A man of God came unto me,' and his 
countenance was like the countenance of an angel 
of God,-! very terrible: but I asked him not whence 
he was, neither told he me his name: 

7 But he said unto mo. Behold, thou shalt con- 
ceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine 
nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: 
for the ciiild shall bo a Nazarite to God from the 
womb to the day of his death. 

8 1 Then Manoah entreated tlie Lord, and said, 
my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst 
send come again unto us, and teach us what we 
shall do unto tiie child that shall be born. 



ans' sons, i ch. .5:10; 10:4. b oh. :): 13. 127; 5: H. IKeb. atldrd 
: Rom. 2:0. » Jer. 13:23. I This seems a partial captivity. 
2:9 e Josh. 19:41. ' Luke 1 :11, etc. elSara. 1:11. h Vum. 
i 1 Kings 17:-21. J .Watt. 3S:3; Acts (i:1.5. S Heb. ll'Aat shallbc 



14. Nephews; in the original, sons' sons, or grandsons. 

15. Mount of the Amalekites; supposed to be a place in 
Ephiaim called by that name. Chap. 5:14. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Persons who have refused to engage in great and 
difficult services themselves, often most bitterly envy 
those who liave successfully performed them. 

3. Men are sometimes called, instead of depending on 
others, to take themselves the responsibility, meet the 
dangers, and iierform the labors of great and trying emer- 
gencies. In such cases they should not shrink, but in 
dependence on God go forward in duty, and leave the 
result to him. 

4. Family contentions are most bitter and disastrous. 
The beginning of them should be most carefully avoided, 
for when once begun no one can tell where they will end. 

6. Those who wickedly begin a quarrel, would often 
be struck with horror should they foresee all its conse- 
quences. 

7. As death is to all persons near, and after death is the 

310 



'.» And God liearkcned to the voice of a. m. 2>o. 
Manoah ; and the angel of (jod came again nii"*"'' 
unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Ma- 
noaJi her husband ivas not with her. 

10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and 
showed her husband, and said unto him. Behold, 
the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto 
me the other day. 

11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, 
and came to the man, and said unto him, Jlrt thou 
tiie man that gpakest unto the woman? And he 
said, I am. 

12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come 
to pass. IIow shall we order* the child, and how 
shall we do unto him?' 

13 And the angel ol'tlic LoKD said unto Manoah, 
Of all that 1 said unto the woman let her beware. 

14 She may not cat of any thing that comelh 
of tlie vine, neither let her drink wine or strong 
drink, nor cat any unclean thing:'' all that 1 com- 
manded her lot her observe. 

15 If And Manoah said unto the angel of the 
Lord, 1 pray thee, let us detain tliec,' until wc 
shall have made ready a kid for^ thee. 

16 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, 
Though thou detain me, 1 will not cat of thy 
bread : and if thou wilt offer a burnt-oflering, thou 
must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew 
not that he was an angel of the Lord. 

17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, 
What /*■ thy name,'" that when thy sayings come 
to pass we may do thee honor? 

IS And the angel of the Lord said unto him, 
Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is 
secret?* 

19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat-offering, 
and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord :" and 
the angel did woudrously ; and ]\Ianoah and his 
wife looked on. 

20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up 
toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel 
of the Lord ascended in the (lame of the altar: 
and Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on 
their faces to the ground." 



of. I Oi. v;ha.t slMtt he do! Heb. what shall be A/.! wmri-? k ver. 
(i:!.-!. etc. 1 Heb. Uforg. m Gen. 3-J:-.». • Or, wonderful: Isa. 
ch. 0:19-23. » Lev. 9:24; 1 Chr. 21:16. 26; Ezck. 1:2:;; Matt. 



judgment, the great object of all should be so to live as 
to be iitted, through grace, to give up their account with 
joy, and enter into that rest which reiiiains for the people 
of God. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1. Forty years; chap. 10:7. 

2. Zorah; a city in the south part of the tribe of Dan. 

3. The angel of the Lord ; supposed to be the Angel-Je- 
hovah, in the form of man, and the same who api:)eared to 
Moses, Joshua, and Gideon. Ver. 21-23. 

5. Nazarite; for the law of the Nazarite, which Manoah 's 
wife was herself to observe till the birth of the child, see 
Num. 6:2-21. 

12. How slmll we order the child ? or, as in the margin. What 
shall be the manner of the child ? The question relaleg 
to the motlier's deportment before his birth, as immedi- 
ately explained by the angel. 

18. Secret; wonderful; the same in the original as in 
Isa. 9:6. 



Samson marrklh i 



JUDGES XIV 



wift of Iht I'hiUstir.es. 



A. M. 5SC3. 21 But tlie angel of the Lord did no more 
i»i°" appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then 
Manoah knew that he. was an angel of tiie Lord. 

22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall 
surely die," because we have seen God. 

23 But his wife said unto him, If tlie Lord were 
pleased to kill us, he would not have received a 
burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands,'' 
neither would he have showed us all tliese things, 
nor would as at this time have told us such things 
as these. 

24 IT And the woman bare a son, and called his 
name Samson := and the child grew, and the Lord 
ble?sed him.* 

25 And the Spirit of tlie Lord began to move 
him" at times in the camp of Dan* between Zorah 
and Eshtaol.'^ 



CHAPTER XIV. 



1 Sam; 



eth a wife of the Philistines. 5 In his journey he kiUeth 
a lion. S In a second journey he fiiijeth honey in tlie carcass. 10 
Samson's marriage-feiist. r2 His riddle by his wife is made known. 
19 He spoileth thirty Philistines. 20 His wife is married to another. 

AND Samson went down to Timnatli,*' and saw 
a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the 
Philistines." 

2 And ho came up, and told his father and his 
mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Tim- 
nath of the daugliters of the Philistines: now 
therefore got her for me to wife. 

3 Then his father and liis mother said unto him, 
/* there nev'er a woman among the daughters of 
thy brethren," or among all my people, tliat thou 
goest to take a wife of tlie uncircumcised Philis- 
tines?^ And Samson said unto his father, Get 
her for me; for she pleasetli me well.* 

4 But liis father and his mother knew not that 
it was of the Lord,'' that he sought an occasion 
against the Pliilistines: for at that time the Phi- 
listines had dominion over Israel.' 



»ExoJ. 3:i:'0; Dent. 5:20. bPaa.a5:l4; ■>l:Vi, Pror. .3::)->; Jolin 15:15. 

Hsb. ll:3J. d ISim. ••):19. « ch. 3:10. • Heb. ilaliant/i-dan. as ch. 
SAi. 'ch. 1S:11; Jo3h.l5::33. g Gen. .'!-i:13; Josil. 15: 10. h Gen. 34:1, 
:. i Gen. 24:3, 4. J Gen. 34:14; Exod. 31:1-2, l(i; Dent. 7:3. t Heb. is 
igkl in mine eyes, t Josh. Il:a0; aKing3fi:M; 2 Chr. 10:15; 22:7; -25:20. 



25. In the camp of Dan ; or, as in the margin, in Maha- 
neh-dan, tlie name of a certain place, tlie origin of which 
is given in chap. 18:12. Zorak — Eshtaol ; in the south 
part of Dan. 

IX.STRUCTIONS. 

3. Our mercies anil our trials are perfectly known to 
God, and he can so adapt his favors as in the best way 
and time to supply our wants. 

4. Children are the gift of God, and parents should take 
such a course as is best adapted to fit them for his service. 

6. Husbands and wives should avail tliemselves of each 
other's counsel, and thus unite their efforts, especially in 
every thing pertaining to the temporal and eternal wel- 
fare of their children. 

8. One of the most important and difficult duties of par- 
ents is the right education of children ; and no one will 
ever properly perform it, unless in the habit of daily seek- 
ing wisdom from God. 

9. When parents ask direction from God how to treat 
their children, in order most to honor him, to benefit them, 
and make them useful to others, God is ready to hear and 
to aid them in training their children in the way they 
should go. 

13. To be successful in the right education of children, 
parents must give heed to the directions of God on this 



5 1 Tiien went Samson down, and his father and 
his mother, to Timnath, and came to tlic vine- 
yards of Timnath : and beliold, a young lion roar- 
ed against liim.* 

6 And the Spirit of the Lord came miglitily 
upon him,'" and lie rent him as he would liavc rent 
a kid," and he had nothing in liis hand : but he 
told not his fatlier or his mother what lie liad done. 

7 And he went down, and talked with the wom- 
an ; and she pleased Samson well. 

8 % And after a time he returned to take her, 
and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion: 
and behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey 
in the carcass of the lion. 

9 And he took tiiereof in his hands, and went 
on eating," and came to his father and mother, 
and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told 
not them that ho had taken the honey out of the 
carcass of the lion. 

10 IT So his father went down unto the woman: 
and Samson made there a feast ;'' for so used the 
young men to do. 

11 And it came to pass when they saw liim. that 
they brought thirty companions to be with him. 

12 1 And Samson said unto them, I will now 
put forth a riddle unto you:'' if ye can certainly 
declare it me witliin the seven days of the feast,"^ 
and find it out, tiien I will give you thirty sheets,^ 
and thirty change of garments:'* 

13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye 
give me thirty sheets and thirty change of gar- 
ments. And they said unto liim, Put forth thy 
riddle, that we may hear it. 

14 And he said unto them. Out of the eater camo 
forth meat, and out of tlie strong came forth 
sweetness. And they could not in three days 
expound the riddle. 

15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that 
they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband,' 
that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we 



I ch. r!:I. : Heb. iVi meeting him. m ch. 13:25; 1 ,?ain. 11:6. ■■ 1 Sam. 
17:34.35. "1 Ram. 14:25-30; Prov.2o:16. P Esth. 1 :5; 2:ls; Eccl. 10:19. 
qProv. 1:0; Ezek. 17:2; Luke 14-7. r Gen. 29:-27; 2 Chr. 7:8. S Or, shirU. 
• Gen. 45:22. > oh. 16:5; Prov. 1:10. 



subject; and if they would lead their children to obey 
him, they must be careful to set them the example. 

15. The mercies of God bestowed on our children should 
increase our sense of obligation, and lead us to offer to him 
the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. 

18. God manifest in the flesh is indeed, The Wonderful ; 
and while we should receive with implicit confidence all 
that he reveals -concerning himself, we should not seek to 
know what we cannot and do not need to understand. 

20. The Lord is wonderful, not only in his nature and 
perfections, but in his operations ; and they should inspire 
us not only with reverence and awe, but with admiration, 
confidence, and love. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

I. Timnath; then held by the Philistines. 

4. Of the Lord; to overrule this transaction for aveng- 
ing the wrongs inflicted by the Philistines, and beginning 
to deliver the Israelites from their power. Chap. 13:5. 

II. Theij; the people of Timnath. 

12. Put forth a riddle; this was a common amusement on 
such occasions. Thirty sheets; the word in the original 
means shirts or linen, worn next the body. Garments; the 
outer garments, worn over the shirts. 

15. Called us; invited us to the feast. 
311 



Samson vtitth and 



JUDGES XV. 



shiyHh the PliUistlnei. 



burn thee and tliy fiitlior's house with fire:* liavc 
yc called us to take that wc have?" is it not 
so'.' 

16 And Samson's wife wejit before liiin, and said, 
Thou dost but hate me, and lovest nic not:" tiiou 
hast put forth a riddle unto tiie children of my 
people, and hast not told it me. And he said 
unto her, Behold, I iiuve not told it my father nor 
my motlier, and shall I tell it thee? 

IT And she wei)t before him the seven* days, 
while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on 
the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay 
sore upon him:"" and she tohl the riddle to the 
children of her people. 

IS And the men of the city said unto him on the 
seventh day before the sun went down, What is 
sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than 
a liou? And he said unto them. If ye had not 
ploughed with my heifer, ye had not found out 
my riddle. 

ly 1i And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him,'' 
and he went down to Ashkelon. and slew thirty 
men of them, and took their spoil,' and gave ehaiigi! 
of garments unto them which expounded the rid- 
dle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up 
to his father's house. 

20 But Samson's wife was given to liis compan- 
ion,'' whom he had used as his friend. "^ 



» Ch. ISiG. * "Atiti. possess uSy or impoverish us. b ch. IC:15. t Or, iho 
rest of the. ' Luke 11:8; 18:4, S. <1 vcr. C. I Oi, apparel, e ch. 15:2. 



17. The seven days; that is, the rest of the seven days of 
the feast that remained after the tliird. 

IS. Ploughed with my heifer; persuaded his wife to tell 
them. 

lU. Ashkelon; a city of the Philistines, southwest of 
Timnath and nortli'of Gaza. 

20. His friend ; the person who had the direction at the 
marriage-feast ; called by way of eminence the friend of 
the bridegroom. John 3:29. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. On no subject connected with human welfare does a 
young man need divine guidance more than in selecting a 
wife. 

2. It is ordinarily wise for a young man, before engag- 
ing to marry any one, to consult his parents and avail him- 
self of the benefits of their advice. 

3. All wise parents will desire that their children should 
marry those who are pious and who are connected with 
religious families. 

4. While parents should advise their children and give 
them good counsel on the subject of marriage, yet after 
they become of age they should not undertake to control 
them. They do not know enough about the designs of 
God with regard to such connections, to render such con- 
trol either safe or proper. 

5. When the course of children with regard to marriage 
is settled, parents should endeavor to make the best of it, 
and to render it as useful and comfortable as possible. 

6. If a young man is under the direction of the Spirit of 
God, and is aided by him, though he may meet with great 
difBculties and dangers, he will be enabled to overcome 
them. 

8. It is often useful to review the scenes in which God 
has especially favored us and enabled us to overcome the 
dangers to which we were exposed. 

9. A generous mind does not wish to enjoy its blessings 
alone, and its happiness is increased by imparting them 
to others, especially to parents, relatives, and friends ; but 
there are some things the knowledge of which a wise man 
will keep to himself and not impart to any one. 

312 



CHAPTER XV. i..c*j:.?r 



1 S.imjon i« denied liii wife, n Il<- burneUi the Phililtinft' corn wilh 
foxes and firebrand*. liii wife nnd her father are bnrnl by the 
I'hilistinea. 7 Salmon iiniU'th liiein hip and ihii;h. 9 He ii bound 
by the men of Jud:Ul, and delivered to the rhilistlnen. M lie killelh 
Ihein with a jawbone. 18 God makctli the fountain Enhakkore for 
him in Lehi. 

BUT it carac to pass within a while after, in 
the time of wheat-harvest, that Samson vis- 
ited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go 
in to my wife into the chamber. But her father 
would not suffer him to go in. 

2 And her father said, I verily thought that 
thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore 1 gave 
her to thy companion :'-' is not her younger sister 
fairer than she? take her,* 1 pray thee, instead 
of her. 

3 "I And Samson said concerning thcnn. Now 
shall 1 be more blameless than the' Philistines, 
though I do them a displeasure. 

4 And Samson w<'nt and caught three hundred 
foxes, and took firebrands,'' and turned tail to tail, 
and put a firebrand in the miilst between two tails. 

/) And when he had set the lirands on lire, he 
let t/um go into the standing corn of the Philis- 
tines,'' and burnt u]) both the shocks, and also the 
standing corn, with the vinf^ards and olives. 

6 Then the Philistines said, AVho hath done this? 
And the}' answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the 

fJer. 9:1; Mic. 7:5; John. "JiaO. Sch.)J:SO. t \Uh. letlier be Ihine. I Or, 
iVoio shaU I be blameUss from the. 1 Or, torches, h 2 Sara. 14:30. 



10. Marriage is a joyful occasion, and it is proper grate- 
fully to notice it by feasting. But in feasting there is 
peculiar danger, not only of being betrayed into excesses, 
but of forgetting God and sinning against him. All there- 
lore, when so exposed, should seek his protection and 
guidance. 

1 1. Virtuous companions are great blessings, and vicious 
ones are great curses. 

12. When in company with the frivolous and wicked we 
are tempted, especially after feasting, to become like them, 
and to engage in their frivolous or even wicked sports. 
But nothing should receive the sanction of our example, 
except what is moral in its nature and useful in its effects. 

13. The pledging of property on contingencies the re- 
sults of which we cannot foresee, and which render us 
liable to give or receive an amount without an equivalent, 
is wrong. By encouraging idleness, and leading ukmi to 
the wide extremes of liigh expectation and sore disap- 
pointment, it tends greatly to injure them, and should be 
conscientiously avoided. 

15. The hope of gain without laboring or rendering an 
equivalent, the fear of loss, and tlie desire to prevent it, 
have tempted many to the commission of enormous crimes. 

17. We caimot be sure that others will keep a secret 
which we cannot keep ourselves, as their temptation to 
divulge it may be greater than ours. If we would there- 
fore not have a thing known, we should not reveal it. 

18. Intimate companionship with the wicked exposes to 
the most disastrous results, and by it, from the highest 
mirth, men may be plunged into the deepest sorrow. 

20. One wrong step opens the way for another, and 
when a woman betrays her husband, lie has no security 
that she will not forsake him. There is no safety but in 
avoiding the begiiming of evil. 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 . Tlie time of wli^at-harvest ; in May. A kid ; as a present, 
and in token of reconciliation. 

4. Foxes ; the original word includes also jackals, which 
are abundant in Palestine, and easily caught. 



Works of Samson at 



JUDGES XVI. 



Lehi and at Gaza. 



A. M. asfii. Tirnnite, because he had taken his wife, 
' I'uu."" and given her to his companion. And the 
Philistines came up, and burnt lior and her father 
witli fire.* 

7 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have 
done tiiis, yet will I be avenged of you, and after 
that I will cease. 

8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great 
slaughter : and he went down and dwelt in the 
top of the rock Etam. 

9 1 Then the Philistines went up, and pitched 
in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi.'' 

10 And tlie men of Judah said, Why are ye 
come up against us? And they answered. To bind 
Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath 
done to us. 

11 Then .three thousand men of Judah went' to 
the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, 
Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers 
over us?" what is this that thou hast done unto 
us? And he said unto them. As they did unto 
me, so have I done unto them. 

12 And they said unto him. We are come down 
to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the 
hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto 
them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon 
me yourselves. 

13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but 
we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their 
Iiand : but surely we will not kill thee. And they 
bound him with two now cords, and brought him 
up from the rock. 

li ^l ^liid when he came unto Lehi, the Philis- 
tines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the 
Lord came mightily upon him,'' and the cords that 
were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt 
with tire," and his bauds loosed* from off his 
hands. 

15 And he found a new' jawbone of an ass, and 
put forth ids hand, and took it, and slew a thou- 
sand men therewith. 



a Ch. 1 1:1.3. <> ver. 11). ' Hub. iveiu rioun. c cli. 14:4; 


Psa. 


ll)li:4l. 


•ich. 14:(i. e Paa. H::i4. t lleb. u'ere mtlleil. 1 Heb. mo 


St. S 


Heb. a 


heap, twn hfinps. 1 That is, Tlie li/tiit^ up of tlie jnwbon*:. 


or the 


nnntfil^ 


awatjofllujamhone. f Psa. 3:7. ^ Or, Leiu. C Isa. 44:3. 


1> IS3 


. 4U:-i!). 



8. Top; fissure, cleft, or cavern. Etam; supposed to 
be soutli of Timiiath, in the tribe of Judah. 

9. L'Jii ; the place where Samson with a jawbone smote 
the Philistines, and on that account called Lehi, which 
means, in Hebrew, jawbone. Ver. 15-17. 

19. //; the jaw ; or, according to the margin, in Lehi. Com- 
pare ver. 9. That this latter is the right rendering appears 
from the fact that a permanent fountain was produced by 
this interposition of God, which continued to flow in the 
writer's day. En-hakkore; fountain of him that called, that 
is, upon God in prayer. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who have been wronged or offended should 
ever be ready to forgive, and take all suitable measures 
for reconciliation with those who have wronged or offended 
them. Matt. G : 12-15. 

2. The friendship of the wicked is sometimes more haz- 
ardous than their enmity, and the course they propose to 
remove one difficulty often plunges those who follow it 
into a greater. 

3. If there must be a contest, we sliould be careful not 
oursclveM to be the sinful cause of it. 

fi. By doing WTong to avoid an evil, we take a course 
which will bring upon us either that or something worse. 



16 And Samson said. With the jawbone of an 
ass, heaps upon heaps,^ with the jaw of an ass 
have I slain a thousand men. 

17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end 
of speaking, that ho cast away the jawbone out of 
ills hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.' 

18 1 And he was sore athirst, and called on the 
Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliv- 
erance into the hand of thy servant:' and now 
shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the 
uncircumcised? 

19 But God clave a hollow place that was in the 
jaw,"" and there came water thereout;''' and when 
ho had drunk, his spirit came again,'' and he re- 
vived; wherefore he called the name thereof En- 
hakkore,* which is in Lehi unto this day. 

20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Phi- 
listines twenty years.* 

CHAPTEPt XVI. 

1 Samson at Graza escapeth, and carrieth away the gates of the city. 
4 Delilah, corrupted by the Philistines, ent'cetlt Samson. 6 Thrice 
slie is deceived. 15 At last she ovcrcoiiieth him. 21 The Philistines 
take him, and, put out his eyes. 22 His strength renewing, he pulleth 
down the liouse upon the Philistines, and dieth. 

''T'^HEN went Samson to Gaza, and saw there a 

1 harlot,* and went in unto her. 

2 Jlnd it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is 
come hither. And they compassed him in,' and 
laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, 
and were quiet*" all the night, saying, In the morn- 
ing, when it is day, we shall kill him. 

3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at 
midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the 
city, and the two posts, and went away witli them, 
bar and all," and put them upon his shoulders, and 
carried them up to the top of a hill that is be- 
fore Hebron. 

4 1 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved 
a womanJ in the valley^ of Sorek, whose name was 
Delilah. 



•Tliatis, The well of him that calleil. or rri 


,1: Psa. 34:G. t He seems to have 


judged Southwest Israel during twenty yea 


rs of their servitude of the Philis- 


tines; ch. l:i:l. t Heb a u-onmn a harlot . 


i 1 Sam. •i'5:a(>; Psa. Ilt-:1U-12. 


5 Heb silent. 1 Heb. with the bar. 1 I Ki 


Tgs 1 1 : 1 . U Or. Ay the brook. 



11. The professed friends of God may be so besotted 
and debased by sin as to join with his enemies, and oppose 
those who would save them and their children from degra- 
dation and ruin. 

14. The triumph of the wicked is short, and when they 
are most confident of success they are often nearest to 
destruction. 

16. The weakest and most contemptible instruments 
may become mighty through God to the destruction of 
the most powerful of his foes. 

18. Great successes are often, in the course of provi- 
dence, followed by great trials, that all who have been 
favored may feel their dependence on God and their con- 
stant need of his help. 

19. When men are sensible of their insufficiency, and 
look up with a humble, believing, and affectionate heart 
to God, he is able and willing to help them and cause them 
to rai.sc a permanent memorial to his praise. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1. Gaza; the capital of the southern district of the Phi- 
listines. 

'A. Before; in front of. 

4. S()rek; probably near the borders of Dan and the Phi- 
listines. 

313 



iJtlUih's IrcJcJieri/. 



JUDGES XVI. 



Samson's ciplicily. 



5 And tlif lords of the Philistines came up unto 
licr. and said unto her. Entice liini," and sec wliere- 
in hi-; "j^i'oat strenirtii liet/i. and hy wliat means we 
may |irevail airainst liiin, tliat we may bind him 
to alllict* him: and we will }.nvc thee every one 
of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 

G • And Delilah said to Samson, Tell mc, Ipray 
thee, wherein thy great strength /(>//(, and where- 
with lliou mightcst bo bound to aflliet thee. 

7 And ."^anison said unto her, If they bind mo 
witii seven green withs* that were never dried, 
llien shall I be weak, and lie as another' man. 

8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to 
her seven green withs which had not been dried, 
and she bound him with them. 

9 Now t/iere were men lying in wait, abiding 
with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, 
Th(( I'liilistines be upon thee, Samson. And he 
brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken 
when it toucheth^ the lire. So his strength was 
not known. 

10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou 
hast mocked mo. and told me lies: now tell me, J 
jiray thee, wherewith thou mightcst be bound. 

1 1 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast 
Avilh new ropes that never were occupied,' then 
shall I be weak, and be as another man. 

12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and liound 
liim tlierowith, and said unto him, The Philistines 
be upon thee, i^ain-on. And f/iere were Hers in wait 
abiding in the cliamixn-. And he brake them from 
off his arms like a thread. 

13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto 
thou hast mocked me, and told mc lies: tell me 
wherewith thou mightcst be bound. And he said 
unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my 
head with the web. 

II And she fastened it with the pin, and said 
unto him. The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. 
And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away 
with the pin of the beam, and with the web. 

15 "i And she said unto him. How canst thou 
say, I love thee, when thy heart is not with me?'' 
Tiiou hast mocked me those three times, and hast 
not told me wherein thy great strength liefk. 



» Ch. 14:15; ProT. 2:lli-I9; .'5:3-11; fi:J4--28; 7:-2\-27; 1 Cnr. 0:15-18. 
• Or, humb't. t Heb. moist, or new cords. 1 Heb. ont. \ Heb. smelUth. 
I Heb. wkerewith work hatk not bun done, b ch. 14:10. H Heb. shortened. 
<.■ Frov. 1J:J:); iMic. 7:5. <1 cb. l:i:5; Num. 6:5. e Prov. 7:-'0; Eccl. 7:20. 



5. Eleven hundred pieces of silver ; more than frv\-o thou- 
sand dollars. 

3. hi the chamber; in another apartment of the chamber. 
10. Mocked; deceived. 

13. Seven locks; braids or plaits in which his hair may 
have been arranged. Web; the cloth in the loom which 
Delilah was perhaps weaving. 

14. Pin of t lie beam; rather, pin of the braiding ; that is, 
to which the braided locks with the web were fastened. 

17. If I be shaven; in losing his hair, he would lose the 
badge of his Xazariteship and the strength connected 
with it. 

19. Her knee^; as his pillow. 

21. Did grind; this was done by turning round a stone 
with the hands, and was, for a man, a degrading employ- 
ment. 

25. Made them sport; was the subject of their sports. 
The pillars; two central pillars near to each other, on 
which the building mainly rested. 
314 



1() And it camp to pass, when she press- a. m. 2bm. 
ed him daily with her words, and urged nm. 
him, .so that his soul was ve.xed' unto death ; 

17 That he told her all his heart,' and said unto 
her. There hath not eoine a razor upon my head ; 
for 1 have been a Nazarite unto God from my 
mother's womb:'' if 1 be shaven, then my strength 
will go from me, and 1 shall become weak, and be 
like any otixr man. 

1<S And when Delilah saw that he had told her 
all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of 
the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he 
hath showed me all his heart. 'J'hen the lords of 
the Philistines came up unto her, and brought 
money in their hand. 

1!) And she made him sleep upon her knees;" 
and she called for a man, and she caused him to 
shave off the seven locks of his head ; and she be- 
gan to alllict him, and his strength went from him. 

2U And she said. The Philistines be upon thee, 
Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, 
I will go out as at other times before, and shake 
myself.' And he wist not that the Loud was 
departed from him.'^ 

21 If But the Philistines took him, and put out* 
his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and 
bound him with fetters of brass ;'' and he didgrind 
in the jirison-house. 

22 Ilowlicit the hair of his head began to grow 
again after* ho was shaven. 

23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered 
them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto 
Dagon their god,' and to rejoice :J for they said, 
Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into 
our hand. 

24 And when the people saw him, they praised 
their god :'' for they said, Our god hath delivered 
into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of 
our country, which slew many of us.* 

2-5 And it came to pass, when their hearts were 
merry,' that they said. Call for Samson, that he 
may make us sport."" And they called for Samson 
out of the prison-house ; and he made them^ sport : 
and they set him between the pillars. 

26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him 



t Hos. 7:9. c Num. 14:42, 43; 1 Sam. 2i:l.'5. ■ Heb. iorirrf oaf. h Jer. 
2:19. t Ot, as when. > 1 Sam. 5:2, etc. J Job .30:!!, 10; Psa. K:\5, 10; 
Prov. 24:17. IS. k Dan. 5:4. t Heb. and who muUiptied our slain. 1 ch. 
9:27. "Heb. ll:3fi. i Heh. before Ihem. 



IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

1. Many men distinguished by special favors have fallen 
victims to the blandishments of vicious women, and from 
their wiles none, without the keeping of God, can be safe. 

2. No one, when tempted to the commission of sin, can 
yield to the temptation without exposing himself to be 
destroyed. 

3. The punishment of sin is often delaj'ed for a season ; 
but in due time, if men repent not, it will come upon them, 
and there will be no escape. 

4. Yielding to temptation increases its power. 

5. Tempters to sin often become tormentors; and those 
who yield to their enticements, may expect to partake of 
their plagues. 

7. The farther men go in transgression, the greater the 
difHculties of escaping from it; and those who try to. 
deceive others, tempt others to deceive them. 

9. God is long-suffering, and often continues his favora 



Samson's death. 



JUDGES XVII. 



Micah and Ids ffcds. 



pillars whereupon the house standeth, that 
I may lean upon them. 

27 Now the house was full of men and women ; 
and all the lords of the Pliilistiues iccre there ; 
and there were upon the roof about three thousand 
men and women, and beheld while Samson made 
sport. 

28 And Samson called unto the Lord," and said, 

Lord God, remember me,'' I pray thee, and 
strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, God, 
that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines 
for my two eyes. 

29 And Samson took hold of the two middle 
pillars upon which the house stood, and on which 
it was borne up,* of the one with his right hand, 
and of the other with his left. 

30 And Samson said. Let me* die with the Phi- 
listines. And he bowed himself with a/l /lis might ; 
and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all 
the people that ivere therein. ■= So the dead which 
he slew at his death were more than they which 
he slew in his life. 

31 Then his brethren and all the house of his 
father came down, and took him, and brought him 
up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol'' 
in the burying-place of Manoah his father. And 
he judged Israel twenty years. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 Of the money that Micah first stole, then restored, his mother maketh 
imager 5 and he ornaments for them. 7 He hireth a Levite to be 
his rr.est. 

AND there wasaman ofmountEphraini,'' whose 
name u-as Micah. 
2 And he said unto his mother. The eleven hun- 
dred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, 
about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in 
mine ears, behold, the silver is with me ; I took it. 
And liis mother said, Blessed be thou of the Loed,' 
my son. 



iiPsa. 1)1:15; Lam. 3:31, 3-J; Jon. 2:1,2, 7. 1> I'sa. 74:lP-23; Jer. 15:15. 
• Or, /u Uarud on thtm. t Heb. my soul. » Job 20:5; Psa. C2:3; Eccl. 
£1:12. a ch. 13:25. e Josh. 17:14-13. f Gen. 1J:19; Ruth 3:1U; Neh. 
13:25; 2John 11. s ExoJ. 20:4, 2:3; Lev 19:4. h ha. 40:0. i ch. 8:27. 



to the guilty, not willing that they should perish, but that 
they should come to repentance. 

14. Though lying may relieve a man for a moment, yet 
instead of getting him out of ti'ouble, or in the end bene- 
fiting him, it will only plunge him into deeper sorrows, 

IG. Importunity has great influence both with man and 
with God, and much depends upon resolute, earnest, untir- 
ing perseverance. Luke 11:8. 

17, Those who persist in a course of sinning, will soon 
find themselves weak, helpless, and undone. 

20. Men without the aid of God, are not aware of their 
helpless condition till they learn it by experience. 

21. Those senses which have been the inlets of iniquity 
often become the organs of punishment. 

23. The fall of the professed friends of God greatly dis- 
honors him, injures his cause, and gives the wicked occa- 
sion to reproach and triumph. 

27. The triumph of the wicked is short, and the lieight 
of their joys is the prelude of their ruin. Psa. 73: 18-20. 

28. Even the loss of eyesight, great as is the calamity, 
may be to a man the means of uns])eakable good. If it 
lead him to repentance of his sins and faith in Jesus Christ, 
though his grave be with the wicked, his resurrection 
will be with the just. 



3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred 
shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I 
had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord 
from my hand for my son, to make a graven image 
and a molten image :" now therefore I will restore 
it unto thee. 

4 Yet lie restored the money unto his mother; 
and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, 
and gave them to the founder,'' who made thereof 
a graven image and a molten image: and they 
were in the house of Micah. 

5 And the man Micah had a house of gods, and 
made an ephod,' and tcraphim,^ and consecrated' 
one of his sons, who became his priest. 

6 In those days there was no king in Israel,'' but 
every man did that which was right in his own eyes.' 

7 If And there was a young man out of Beth- 
lehem-judah of the family of Judah,"' who was a 
Levite, and he sojourned there. 

8 And the man departed out of the city from 
Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find 
a place: and he came to mount Ephraira to the 
house of Micah, as he journeyed.^ 

9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest 
thou? And he said unto him, I a7n a Levite of 
Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may 
find a place. 

10 And Micah said unto him. Dwell with me, 
and be unto me a father and a priest," and I will 
give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a 
suit of apparel,' and thy victuals. So the Levite 
went in. 

11 And the Levite was content to dwell with 
the man ; and the young man was unto him as one 
of his sons. 

12 And Micah consecrated the Levite ;° and the 
young man became his priest,'' and was in the house 
of Micah. 

13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the Lord 
will do me good," seeing I have a Levite to my 
priest. 



j Gen. 31:19, 30; Hos. 3:4. 


I Heb. Jilltd tke liaml : Exod. 29:0; 1 Kings 


13:33. koh, 18:1,7: 19:1; •, 


1:3.25. IDeut. 12:8; Pro». l(i:2; Eccl. 11:9. 


m Ruth 1:1, 2. 8 Heb. in ) 


laking his way. n ch. 18:19. B Or, a double 


suit; Heb. an ord,r of garme 


nts. over.5. pch. 18:30. qProv. 14:12. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The events recorded in this and the four following chap- 
ters, are supposed to have taken place a considerable time 
before those recorded in the previous chapters, and soon 
after the death of the elders who outlived Joshua. Chap. 
20:28; Josh. 24:31. 

5. Teraphim ; household images, or idol-gods. 

7. Bcth-ldiem-judah ; so called to distinguish it from 
Bethlehem in Zebulun, Of the family; th.<i city was in 
the tribe of Judah. 

10, A fattier; a guardian, guide, and director in spiritu.il 
things. 

12, Consecrated the Levite; set him apart to the office of 
a priest, 

INSTRUCTIONS, 

2, Covetousness often increases with age, so that the 
less a man has to hope for from the world, the more he 
cleaves to it. 

3. What some people call dedication to Jehovah, may 
be a violation of his law and an utter abomination in his 
sight. 

5. The wickedness of parentlis often aided and imitated 
315 



The upedUion of the 



JUDGES XVIII. 



Daniles as^aiiisl Laish. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

I Thf nanito f..nJ five intn to stik out ;in inhcritnncr. 3 At ihc house 
of Mic:ih tii.v cfiiKiik wiihJonaihan.aiiJnreencouragea in their -wny. 
7 'Ih'V x'.ii' II l-'Xi-h. anil bring li:iclc news or good hope. II Six iiun- 
drol iiK n ;tr.' v nl lo surjiri-e iu M In the wny they rob Micnh of l<is 
pri.-.t nnJ hi> r..n»ecnil«l things. -'7 They win Lni>h, and call it Dm. 
So They set up idolatry, wherein Jonathan inherited the priesthood. 

JN tliosc ilays there was no king in Israel:" and 
in those days tlic tribe of tiic Danites souj^lit 
them an inheritance to dwell in;"* for unto liiat 
day a!l their inheritance had not fallen unto tliem 
amonsi tli(> tribes of Israel. 

2 And the children of Dan sent of their family 
five men from their coasts, men" of valor, from 
Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and 
to search it ;'^ and they said unto them, Go, search 
the land: who when tiiey came to mount Ephraiin, 
to the house of Micah. tiiey lodged there. 

3 NVhcn thry icrre by the house of Micali, they 
knew the voice of the younij man the Levite : and 
they turned in thither, and said uuto liim, Who 
brouirlit thee hither? and what makest thou in this 
•place? and what iiast tliou here? 

4 And he said unto them, Tlius and thus dcaleth 
Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his 
priest. 

5 And they said unto liim. Ask counsel,'' we pray 
thee, of God, that we may know whether our way 
which we go shall be prosperous. 

6 And the priest said unto them. Go in peace :° 
before the Lord w your way wiierein ye go. 

7 *i Then the live men departed and came to 
Laisii,* and saw the peo|)le tiiat luerc therein, how 
they dwelt careless, after tlie manner of the Zido- 
nians, tjuiet and secure; and there was no magis- 
trate' in the land, tiiat migiit put them to shame 
in any tiling ; and they were far from the Zidoni- 
ans, and had no business with any man. 

8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah 
and Eshtaol:'' and their brethren said unto them, 
What say y el 

9 And they said, Arise,^ that we may go up 
against them : for we have seen the land, and be- 
hold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not 
slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land. 



»c 


n. I7:«. 


bJosh 


19:47. 


•Heb. 


an 


c 


h. 13:25: 


10 


31 : Gc 


n. 42:0; 


Nom 


13:17: 


Josh, a 


1. <1 H. 


-5. i:\-2 




1 K.1 


^"3 22:0. 


t Called 


Leshtm, 


Josh. 


19-47. 


i Heb. possessor. 


or lieir 


ot 


restraint. ( ver 


2. 


K Nun 


1. 13::!ll; 


IKin 


giii-.-i 




7, 27. i 


Josh. -J 


■a 


■21. 


J Deut. 8 


9. 


S Heb 


ginUd. 



by tlieir children, and thus those who should seek each 
other's salvation, promote each other's destruction. 

6. The want of wise, efficient, and good civil govern- 
ment is a great calamity to a people ; and that may seem 
right to ignorant, wicked men, which is a palpable and 
open violation of the law of God. 

^ 7. Men may have an outward consecration to the ser- 
vice of (jod. and yet in heart and in practice be ready to 
unite with his enemies. 

9. Men who rove about without any regular and stated 
employment are generally worthless, and ready, for money, 
to unite with others in open wickedness. 

12. Many choose both gods and ministers of their own 
making, and depend for acceptance with Jehovah upon a 
religion which he abhors. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1. 77(055 days; the times referred to in the preceding 
chapter. Had not fallen unto them ; it had been allotted to 
them, but they had not gottjn possession of all of it. Chap. 
1:34; Josh. 19:40,47. 

316 



10 When vcgo, ye .shall come unto a poo- Au.nm. 
pie secure," and to a large lanil : ftir God urn. 
hath given it into your iiands;' a place wliern 
there is no want of any tiling tliat (,v in the earth.^ 

11 Ii And there went from tlicncc of the family 
of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, 
si.\ hundred men appointed* with weapons of war. 

12 And tiiey went up, and )iitched in Kirjath- 
jearim," in Judah : wherefore they called that jilace 
Maiianeh-tlan unto this day:' behold, it is behind 
Kirjath-jeariin. 

Vi And they passed thence unto mount E])hraim, 
and came uuto the house of Micah. 

14 M Then answered the live men that went to 
spy out the countiy of Laish, and said unto their 
brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses 
an cpliod,'" and teraphim, and a graven image, and 
a molten image? now therefore consider what ye 
have to do. 

15 And they turned thitherward, and came to 
the house of the young man the Lovite, even unto 
the house of Micah, and saluted him." 

16 And the six hundred men appointed witli their 
weapons of war." which vtre of the children of 
Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. 

17 And the five men that went to spy out the 
land went up,° a7id came in thither, and took the 
graven image, and the cphod, and the teraphim, 
and the molten image: and the priest stood in the 
entering of the gate with the six hundred men that 
were apjiointed with wcajions of war. 

18 And these went into Micalrs house, and fetch- 
ed the carved image, the cjihod, and the terajihim, 
and the molten image. Then said the priest unto 
them. What do ye? 

19 And they said unto him. Hold thy peace, lay 
thy hand upon thy mouth," and go with us, and be 
to us a father and a priest:'' is it better for thee 
to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that 
thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in 
Israel? 

20 And the priest's heart was glad, and lie took 
the ephod, and the terajihim, and the graven im- 
age, and went in the midst of the people. 



k 1 Chr. 13:5, 6; 2Chr. 1:4. 1 ch. 13:2.''>. nich.I7:5. IBeb. asUil liim of 
peirj; Gen. 43:27; 1 Sam. 17:22. over 11. o ver. 2, 14. p Job 21:5; 
29:9; 40:4; Prov. 30:32; Mic. 7:10. qch. 17:10. 



2. Zorah, and — Eshtaol ; towns or districts in the tribe 
of Dan. Chap. 13: 2. Search the land; for a place to which 
a portion of the tribe might migrate. 

3. Knew the voice of the young man; tliey were before 
aciiuainteti with him, or knew from his speech who he 
was. Makest; docst. 

6. Before the Lord is your way; he regards it, and will 
i:irosper it. 

7. Laish; a towni or district in the north of Palestine, at 
the foot of mount Lebanon, and near the source of the 
Jordan ; called also Leshem, Josh. 19 : 47. No business with 
any man; no public connection or intercourse with any 
people from whom they could expect protection and de- 
fence. 

12. In; near. Mahaneh-dan; the camp of Dan ; the same 
place as that mentioned in chap. 13: 25. This encampment 
of the Danites took place before Samson's birth. See in- 
troductory note to chap. 17. Behind; on the west side. 

14. Consider; whether it is not liest for you to rob 
Micah of his images. 

19. Lay thy hand upon thy mouth ; say nothing. 



The Daniies at Laish. 



JUDGES XIX. 



The Levile and his conculine. 



A. M 2598. 21 So tliey turned and departed, and put 
' liul"" the little ones and the cattle and the car- 
riauc before them. 

22 1 ^ind when they were a good way from the 
house of Micali, the men that were in the houses 
near to Micah's house were gathered together, and 
overtook the children of Dan. 

23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. 
And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, 
What ailcth thee," that thou comest* with such a 
company? 

24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods 
whicli I made, and tlie priest, and ye are gone 
away : and what have I more? and what is this 
that ye say unto me. What ailcth tliec? 

25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let 
not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry* fel- 
lows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with 
the lives of thy houscliold. 

26 And the chiklreu of Dan went their way: and 
when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, 
he turned and went back unto his house. 

27 And tliey took the things which Micah had 
made, and the priest which he had, and came 
unto Laisli, unto a people that were at quiet and 
secure :" and thej^ smote them with the edge of tiie 
sword, and burnt the city with fire. 

28 And thei-e was no deliverer,'^ because it was 
far from Zidon, and tliey had no business with a«y 
man ; and it was in tlie valley that lieth by Beth- 
rehob.'' And they built a city, and dwelt therein. 

29 And they called the name of the city Dan,'' 
after the name of Dan their fatlier, who was born 
unto Israel: howbcit the name of the city was 
Laisli at the first. 

30 If And the cliildrcn of Dan set up the graven 
image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son 
of Manasseh.heand his sons were priests to the tribe 
of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.' 

31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, 
which he made, all the time that the house of God 
was in Sliiloh.' 



' Gen. 21:17; aKingsG:'!?; Psa. 114:5; Isa. a>:l. • Ueb. an gathered 
logetlur. 1 Heb. inter of soul; 2 Sam. 17:8. b ver. 7, lU; Deiit. .3:3:22. 
^ver.l,?. J Num. 13:21; 2 Sam. 10:6. e Gen 14:14; Josh. 19:47; 1 Kings 
12:29, aO; 15:20. f 1 Sajn. 4:2, etc. ; Psa. 78:60. e ch. 19:18; Josh. 18:1. 



21. The carriage; the baggage, consisting of such mov- 
ables as men emigrating with their families must take 
with them. Before tliem; in the front part of their train, 
that thus they might be secure against an attack ou the 
part of Micah and Ms friends. 

28. Z;(/on,- a populous city on the Mediterranean. Beth- 
rehoh; a place west of Laish. 

30. Set up the graven image; thus idolatry was first pub- 
licly established in Israel. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. If men were as sensible of their spiritual wants as they 
are of their temporal, and as earnest and persevering in 
providing for them, they might all be made rich for eter- 
nity. Prov. 2:3-5. 

5. Wicked men often have some conviction of their 
dependence on God, and ask others to seek for them his 
blessing. 

7. Those who are without civil government are desti- 
tute of the means which God has appointed to restrain 
the wicked and encourage the good, and to protect the 
one from tlie aggressions of the other. 

9. Power to take possession of a good land does not 
give men a right to it, nor is their success any evidence 



CHAPTER XIX, 



1 A Levite goeth to Beth-lehem to fetrh home his wife. 16 An old 
man entert^iineth him at l-fibea. 2*2 Tlie G-'.beonues abuse his concu- 
bine to death. 29 He divideth her into twelve pieces, to send them 
to the twelve tribes. 

AND it came to pass in those days, when there 
teas no king in Israel, that there was a cer- 
tain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Eplira- 
im, wlio took to him a concubine* out of Beth-le- 
hcm-judali. 

2 And his concubine played the whore against 
him, and went away from him unto lier father's 
house to Beth-lehem-judah, and was there four 
whole months.^ 

3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to 
speak friendly unto her,' and to bring her again,"" 
liaving his servant with iiim, and a couple of asses: 
and she brouglit liim into her father's house; and 
when the father of the damsel saw him, he re- 
joiced to meet him. 

4 And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, re- 
tained him ; and he abode with him three days : 
so they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 

5 ^ And it came to pass on the fourth day, when 
they arose early in the morning, that he rose up 
to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his 
son-in-law. Comfort' thy heart with a morsel of 
bread,' and afterward go your way. 

6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both 
of them together : for the damsel's father had said 
unto the man, Be content, I pray thee, and tarry 
all night, and let thy heart be merry. 

7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father- 
in-law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 

8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth 
day to depart: and the damsel's father said. Com- 
fort thy heart, I pray thee. And they tarried 
until afternoon,* and they did eat both of them. 

9 xVnd when the man rose up to depart, he, and 
his concubine, and his servant, his father-in-law, 
the damsel's father, said unto him. Behold, now 
the day draweth toward evening,^^ I pray you 



t Heb. a icoman a concubhie, 

four months; Heb. days four 

h Jer. 3:1. H Heb. Strenq'tlien, .^,. u, uc... au.„. 

till the day declined. ^ Hah. is weak. J Luke 24:29, 



t wife a concubine, i Or, a year, and 
Ihs. I Heb. to her heart, Gen. 34:3. 
8; Gen. 18:5. i Psa. 104:15. • Heb. 



that God approves of their conduct. He may in wrath 
suffer them to rob others, and that robbery may prepare 
the way for their own ruin. 

14. Consideration and cool deliberate calculation in 
iniquity increase its guilt, and manifest great hardness of 
heart. 

17. Rebellion against God and injustice towards men go 
together, and no ties of relationship or experience of kind- 
ness will lead the wicked ever to make it their object to 
do to others as they would that others should do to them. 

20. The great object of false teachers is worldly good; 
the prospect of this, though by conniving at and sharing 
in flagrant wickedness, makes them glad. 

24. Idols can afford theu" worshippers no help ; and 
were not the human mind a'svfully blinded, and the heart 
besotted by sin, no one would expect it from them. 

25. Robbery prepares men for murder, and those who 
feel and act as if might gave right, will commit any enor- 
mity. 

30. Satan, in his worship, is willing men should use 
robbery for burnt-offerings ; but Jehovah in his worship 
abhors it. Idolatry begun by few may sjircad to many, 
and ultimately prove the ruin of all. 
311 



The wiehdrusi of 



JUDGES XIX. 



the men nf (J ilea h. 



tarry all niplit: Itoliold, the day growelh to an 
end,'" lod^re licre, llmt thy heart may bo merry; 
and to-ni(irrow pet you early on your way, tliat 
thou niayest jro lioinc* 

10 IJut the man wouhl not tarry tliat nijrht. but 
lie rose u|) and ih>iiart(>d, and eamc over airainst- 
■Tclms,'' whicli is Jerusalem; and tlnre vrre with 
him two asses saddled, his couculiiue also was 
witli him. 

1 1 Jliid when tliey were by Jebus, the day was 
far spent; and tlie servant said unto his master, 
Come, 1 |n-ay tlicc, and let us turn in into this city 
of the Jehusites, and lodije in it. 

12 And his master said unto him, We will not 
turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that 
IS not of the children of Israel ; wc will pass over 
to Gibcah. 

13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let 
us draw near to one of these places to lodge all 
niglit, in Gibeali, or in Ramah.'^ 

1-1 And tliey passed on and went their way: and 
the sun went down upon tliem when they were by 
Gibeah, which be/ongrfh to Benjamin. 

15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and 
to lodge in Gibcah : and when he wont in, he sat 
him down in a street of the city: for there ivas no 
man that took them into his house to lodging.'' 

l(j ^ And l)cliold, there came an old man from 
liis w'ork out of the field at oven,'' which vms also 
of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibcah : 
but tlie mon of the place were Bcnjamites. 

17 And wiien he had lifted up his eyes, he saw 
a wayfaring man in the street of the city : and the 
old man said. Whither gocst thou? and whence 
comest thou? 

18 And he said unto him. We are passing from 
Bethdehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephra- 
im; from thence a??i I: and I went to Botli-leliem- 
judah.but I am M0(« going to the house of tlioLoitn ;' 
and there is no man that receiveth* mc to house. 

19 Yet there is both straw and provender for 
our asses ; and there is bread and wine also for 
me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man 



• Heb. it is Ihe piu/img time ofl/ie day. a Jer. 6:4. t Heb. lo thy tent. 
MU\,. to ovr.r against, b Josh. 15:8, 63; 1S:28; 2 Sara. 5:6. t Josh. 18:-i5i 
1 Sam. 7:17. d Matt. 25:43; Heb. 13:2. e Psa. 101:23. ' Josh. 18:1; 
1 Sam. 1:.3, 7. S Heb. galhereth, ver. 15; Jolm 15:6. S oh. 6:2:3; Gen. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

12. A .stranger; the city was then inhabited to a con- 
siderable extent by Jebiisitcs, one of the nations of Canaan 
that had not been driven out. Giheah; this was a few 
miles north of Jerusalem, and on the way towards mouut 
Ejihraim. 

13. Ramah; a place near Gibeah. 

15. To lodge; there were then no taverns, and travellers 
were dependent for lodging on private hospitality. 

18. The house of the Lord; this was in Shiloh, and prob- 
ably not far from the place where the Levite dwelt. 

19. A'o K'oraf ,• except for lodging. He mentioned his pro- 
visions to show that he should not be burdensome to his 
entertainer. 

20. Peace be with thee; the usual salutation of kindness. 
22. Sons of Belial; wicked, abandoned men. 

28. None answered; she was dead. 

INSTRUCTIONS. " 
1. When there is no regular, efficient civil government, 
such is human nature, that crimes of all descriptions will 
:il)ound and the wicked triumph. 
318 



which is with thy servants : there is no want * m sm. 
of any tiling. nw. 

20 And llie old man said. Peace be with thee;* 
howsoever, let all thy wants lie upon me; only 
lodge not in the street.'' 

21 So he Virouglit him into his house,' and gave 
provender unto the asses: and they washed their 
I'eot,^ and did eat and <irink. 

22 1 JVow as they were making their hearts 
merry," behold, the men of the city, certain sons 
of Belial,' beset the house round about,"" arid beat 
at the door, and spake to the niaslor of the house, 
the old man, saying. Bring forth tiio man that 
came into thy house;, that we may know him." 

23 And the man, the master of the house, went 
out unto them, and said unto them. Nay, my breth- 
ren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly : seeing 
that this man is come into my house, do not this 
folly." 

24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and 
his concubine; them I will bring out now, and 
humble ye them,'' and do with them what secmeth 
good unto you : but unto this man do not so vile 
a thing.' 

25 But the men would not hearken to him: so 
the man took his concubine, and brought her forth 
unto them ; and they knew her, and abused her all 
the night until the morning: and when the day 
began to spring, tliey let her go. 

26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the 
day, and loll down at the door of the man's house 
where her lord uvs, till it was light. 

27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and 
opened the doors of the house, and went out to go 
his way: and behold, the woman his concubine 
was fallen down at the door of the house, and her 
hands wei-e upon the threshold. 

28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be go- 
ing: but none answered. Then the man took her 
up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him 
unto his place. 

29 T And when he was come into his house, he 
took a knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and 



43:2:3,21. h Gen. 19:2. i Gen. 24::i2. JGen. 1!-:1 


; John 13:5-14: 1 Tim. 


5:10. k ver. 0,9; ch. 10:25. 1 Deut. 13:13; 2 Sar 


n. 23:0,7. m ch. 20:S; 


Gen. 19:4, etc.; Hos. 9:9; 10:9. n Rom. 1:20.27. 


°2Sam. 13:12. p Gen. 


34:2; Deut. 21:14. P Heb. iht matter of t/iia folly. 





6. Hospitality and kindness to friends are highly com- 
mendable, but we should not urge them against their con- 
venience and to the neglect of their duties. 

7. We should never let kindness and importunity over- 
come our judgment. If we do, by the evils which spring 
from it we may, when too late, be taught our folly. Mul- 
titudes have suffered for want of the habit of saying to all 
undue solicitations, promptly, firmly, pcrseveringly, No. 

8. Nothing should be delayed tiU afternoon that ought 
to be done in the morning. 

12. It is a great comfort and blessing to travellers to 
find good lodging-places, where they can rest in quietness, 
and not be disturbed by the wicked. 

16. Diligence in business is conducive to excellence of 
character, and promotive of all those virtues which secure 
the welfare and comfort of both citizens and strangers. 

20. Hospitality, especially to the needy, is a great bless- 
ing to the giver and to the receiver. It is well-pleasing to 
God, and when exercised from love to him will receive a 
gracious and an abundant reward. Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 
3:2; Tit. 1:8; 1 Pet. 4:!). 

22. The greater the light which men resist, the more 



The Israelites demand 



JUDGES XX. 



justice of the Bcnjamitei. 



A. M iTOs divided her, together with her bones, into 
1406.°"' twelve pieces, and sent her into all the 
coasts of Israel." 

30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There 
was no such deed done nor seen from tlio day that 
the children of Israel came up out of tiie land of 
E.Q;yi)t unto this day : consider of it,'' take advice," 
and speak your minds. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 The Levite in a gpneral assembly declareth his wrong. 8 The de- 
cree of the assembly. 12 Th^ Benjamites, being cited, make he.ad 
against the Israelites. 13 The Israelites in two battles lose forty 
thousand. 2G They destroy by a stratagem all the Benjamites, ex- 
cept six hundred. 

''T^IIEN all the children of Israel went out,* and 

1 the congregation was gathered together as 
one man, from Dan even to Bcer-sheba,'= with the 
land of Gilead, unto the Lord in Mizpeh.*^ 

2 And tha chief of all the people, fw?i of all the 
tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the as- 
sembly of the people of God, four hundred thou- 
sand footmen that drew sword. ^ 

3 Now tiio cluldrcn of Benjamin heard that the 
children of Israel were gone up to Mizpch. Then 
said the cliildreu of Israel, Tell us, how was this 
wickedness?" 

4 And the Levite,* the husband of the woman 
that was slain, answered and said, I came into 
Gibeah that belongeth to Benjamin," I and my con- 
cubine, to lodge. 

5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and 
beset the house round about upon me by night, 
and thought to have slain me: and my concubine 
have they forced,* that she is dead. 

6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, 
and sent her throughout all the country of the 
inheritance of Israel ;■* for they have committed 
lewdness and folly in Israel."^ 

7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel ; give here 
your advice and counsel.' 

8 "i And all the people arose as one man, saying. 
We will not any of us go to liis tent, neither will 
we any of us turn into his house. 

y But now tills shall be the thing which we will 
do to Gibeah ; we will go up by lot against it ; 

10 And wo will take ten men of a hundred 
tliroughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred 
of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, 
to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, 
when they come to Gilieah of Benjamin, according 
to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel. 



«Ch. 20:6, 7; 1 Sam. 11:7. boh. 20:7. = Prov. 11 :14 ; '24:8. dver.ll; 
ch. 21:5; Josh. 22;12; I Sara. 11:7. e 1 gam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 3:10; 21:2. 
' ch. 11:11; 1 Sam. 7:5; 10:17. ech.8:10. h ch. 19:2i-27. * Heb. I/i£ 
itmn the Levile. i ch. 19:15, etc. t Heb. /lamWerf. J ch. 1D:29. k .Tosh. 



wicked they will be; and apostate professors of religion, 
who become openly vicious, are among the worst of man- 
kind. 

25. Habitual wickedness makes men inexpressibly cruel, 
and none are so dead to pity and compassion as those who 
;irc given up to its power. It is the spirit of hell, and those 
who pursue it are ripening for that place of torment. Tsa. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. Dan; in the northern extremity of the land. Beer- 

ihAa; in the southern extremity. Gilead; on the east side 



11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against 
the city, knit* together as one man. 

12 1 And the tribes of Israel sent men through 
all the tribe of Benjamin,™ saying. What wicked- 
ness is this that is done among you? 

13 Now therefore deliver %is the men, the' chil- 
dren of Belial," which are in Gibeah, that we may 
put them to death, and put away evil from Israel." 
But the children of Benjamin would not hearken 
to thevoiceof their brethren the children of Israel: 

14 But the children of Benjamin gathered them- 
selves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go 
out to battle against the children of Israel. 

li) And the children of Benjamin were number- 
ed at that time out of the cities twenty and six 
thousand men that drew sword, besides the inhab- 
itants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hun- 
dred chosen men. 

16 Among all this people there were seven hun- 
dred chosen men left-handed:" every one could 
sling stones at a hair breadth, and not miss. 

17 And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were 
numbered four hundred thousand men that drew 
sword : all these were men of war. 

18 I And the children of Lsrael arose, and went 
up to the house of God,'' and asked counsel of 
God,'' and said, Which of us shall go up first to 
the battle against the children of Benjamin ? And 
the Lord said, Judah shall go up first. 

19 And the children of Israel rose up in the 
morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 

20 And the men of Israel went out to battle 
against Benjamin ; and the men of Israel put them- 
selves in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 

21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out 
of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of 
the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand 
men.'' 

22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged 
themselves, and set their battle again in array in 
the place where they put themselves in array the 
first day. 

23 And the children of Israel went up and wept 
before the Lord until even, and asked counsel ol' 
the Lord,' saying, Shall I go up again to battle 
against the children of Benjamin my brother? 
And the Lord said. Go up against him. 

24 And the children of Israel came near against 
the children of Benjamin the second day. 

25 And Benjamin went forth against them out 
of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down lo 



7:15. I ch. 19:30. tHeb./eHoiM. m De 
1U:22. o Deut. 17:12. Pch. 3:15;lCh 
rch. 1:1; Num. 27:21. » (Jen 
Hos. 5:15. 



13:14; Josh. 22:13, etc. n 

. 2:2. q ver. 23, 20; Joel 1: 

!7; Hos. 10:9. t vet. 26. 27; Psa. K: 



of Jordan. Mizpeh; a place south-west of Gibeah, ami 
near the border of Judah and Benjamin. 

11. Knit; united. 

18. miich of v^ shall go np first ; they did not ask, as they 
should have done, whether they should go up. This, in 
reliance on their own wisdom and strength, they had re- 
solved to do, and they only asked who should go first. The 
Lord told them, but did not by this insure tlieir success. 

25. Destroyed — of the chddrcn of Israel — eighteen thousand; 
the Israelites had themselves been guilty of various crimes, 
and God saw fit thus to punish them before he used them 
as instruments of punishing Benjamin. 



Dcnjamin dffeilol, anil 



JUDGES XX, 



vi'jiiy (housjnds dtslrcyed. 



tlic LTouiul (if tin- c'liililroii of Israel ai^ain ciglitccn 
tliciii-aiid tin'ii ;" all tlicso drew tlic sword. 

'H\ • Then all the children of Israel, and all the 
l>c<)]ili', went np, and came unto the iioiisc of God,'' 
and we|it."" and sat there liefore the Loiui, and fast- 
ed that day until even, and offered burnt-oflferings 
and peaee-olVerinjrs before the Loud. 

27 And the children of Israel inquired of the 
LoKii. (for the ark of the covenant of God uas 
there in those days,'' 

28 And Phinehas,'' the son of Eleazar, the son of 
Aaron, stood before it in those days,') sayincr, Shall 
1 yet airain pro out to battle against the children 
of Iienjamiu my brother, or shall I cease? And 
the Lop.n said, Go u|i; for to-morrow I will de- 
liver them into thy haiul.*-' 

21) And Israel set licrs in wait round about 
Gibeah." 

30 And the children of Israel went up against the 
children of Benjamin on the third day, and putthein- 
sclves in array against Gibeah, as at other times. 

31 And the childrenof Benjamin wentout against 
the people, and were drawn away from the city ; 
and they began to smite of the people, and kill," 
as at other times, in the highways, of which one 
goeth up to the house of God,* and the other to 
Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 

32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are 
smitten down before us, as at the first. But the 
children of Israel said. Let us flee, and draw them 
from the city unto the highways. 

33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their 
place, and put themselves in array at Baal-tamar : 
and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of 
their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. 

3-1 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand 
chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was 
sore : but they knew not that evil was near them.' 

35 And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel : 
and the children of Israel destroyed of the Ben- 
jamites that day twenty and five thousand and a 
hundred men: all these drew the sword. 

36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they 
were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to 
the Benjamites,J because they trusted unto the liers 
in wait which they had set beside Gibeah. 



» Ver. a;, b ver. IS. M. ' Joel 2:12-1?. li Jo-^h. 18:1; 1 Sira. 4:3,4. 
« Num. 45:7-13; Josh. •il:S3. f Deut. 1U:.9; 18:5. e 2 Clir. 20:17. hjosh. 
b:1; 2 Sam. 5:23. • Hub. womided. ^ Or, Beth-el. i Jnsh. 8:14; Eccl. 
»: 12; Ii3. 47:11 ; 1 Thess. 5:3. J Josh. 8:15, etc. 1 Or, made a long sound 
with the trumpets; Josh. 0:5. iOx,tinu. 1 Heb. wilA. 1 Heb. e/cradon. 



28. Phinehas — stood before it in those days; this shows that 
these transactions took place not long after the death of 
.Toslnia or the elders that outhved him. Chap. 17:1. Or 
shall I cease ? this shows that tliey were now in Bome meas- 
ure humbled, ready to commit themselves to the guidance 
and disposal of God, and thus were better prepared for 
success. I will deliver them; not without their use of 
means, but by such means. 

33. Baal-tamar; a place near Gibeah. 

45. Rode of Rimmon; supposed to be a place north-east 
of Gibeah. 

47. In the rock ; in its fastnesses. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The sins of others, especially when great and aggra- 
vated, may be condemned ; but without divine grace men 
will not abhor and forsake their own. 
320 



37 And the liers in wait liastcd, and a. mst.!*. 
rushed upon (Jibeah; and the liers in wait im 
drew t/icm. trims along,' and smote all the city with 
the edge of the sword. 

38 Now there was an ai)pointed sign' between 
the men of Israel and' the liers in wait, that they 
should make a great flame" with smoke rise up 
out of the city. 

3".) And when the men of Israel retired in the 
battle, !?enjamin began to smite, and kill* of the 
men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, 
Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the 
first battle. 

40 But when the flame began to arise up out of 
the city with a ])illar of smoke," the Benjamites 
looked bcliiiid them, and behold, the (lame* of the 
city ascended up to heaven. 

41 iVnd when the men of Israel turned again, 
the men of Benjamin were amazed:' fpr they saw 
that evil was come upon' them. 

42 Therefore they turned their backs before the 
moil of Israel unto the way of the wilderness : but 
the battle overtook them;'" and them which came 
out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of 
them. 

43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round 
about, and chased them, and trode them down with 
ease,' over against^ Gibeah toward the sunrising. 

44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand 
men : all these tcere men of valor. 

4.5 And they turned and fled toward the wilder- 
ness unto the rock of Rimmon :" and they gleaned 
of them in the highways five thousand men ; and 
pursued hard after them unto Gidoni, and slew 
two thousand men of them. 

46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin 
were twenty and five tliousand men that drew the 
sword ; all these icere men of valor. 

47 But si.x hundred men turned and fled to the 
wilderness unto the rock Rimmon," and abode in 
the rock Rimmon four months. 

48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the 
children of Benjamin, and smote them with the 
edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, 
as the beast, and all that came to hand :" also they 
set on fire all the cities that they came to.* 



• Heb. the womuhd. k Gen. 19:28; Joel 2:30. t Heb. whole eonsiimplion. 
1 ha. 13:8; ■3:i:14. I Heh. lourhed. ""Lam. 1:3. I Or, from Menuthah. 
1 Heb. unio over against, o Josh. 15:32; I Chr. 6:77; Zech. 14: 10. o ch. 
21:13. ' Heh, was found. 1 Heb. were found. 



4. Men should carefully inquire into the facts, and obtain 
full proof of guilt, before they undertake to punish. 

8. When men, in reliance on their own wisdom and 
strength, determine what they will do without asking di- 
rection of God or seeking his blessing, they should not 
think it strange if he does not give them success. Deut. 
1:40-44. 

12. Men who protect criminals and screen them from 
punishment, become partakers of their guilt, and often of 
their woes. 

17. The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle 
to the strong. Men are dependent on God, and numbers 
merely can never insure success. 

23. Men may externally seek the Lord without forsaking 
their sins, and in righteous judgment he may suffer them 
to take a course which shall end in their ruin. 

28. A disposition to be governed in all things, not by 



The Benjamilcs ohtain wires 



JUDGES XXI. 



from Jabesh and ^'hikh. 



CHAPTER XXI, 



1 The people bewail the desolation of Benjamin. 8 By the destruction 
of Jabesh- ,'ilead they provide them four hundred wives. 16 They 
advise them to surprise the virgins that danced at Shiloh. 

NOW the men of Israel had sworn" in Mizpeli,'' 
saying, There shall not any of us give his 
daujfliter unto Benjamin to wife. 

2 And tlio people came to the house of God,° 
and abode there till even before God, and lifted 
up their voices,, and wept sore ;** 

3 And said, Lord God of Israel, why is this 
come to pass in Israel, that there should be to-day 
one tribe lacking in Israel? 

4 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the 
people rose early, and built there an altar, and 
offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.'' 

5 And the children of Israel said. Who is there 
among all the tribes of Israel that came not up 
with the congregation unto the Lord? For they 
had made a great oath concerning him that came 
not up to the Lord to Mizpch, saying, He shall 
surely be put to death. 

6 And the children of Israel repented them for 
Benjamin tlieir brother,'' and said, There is one 
tribe cut off from Israel this day. 

7 How shall we do for wives for them that re- 
main, seeing we have sworn by the Lord, that we 
will not give them of our daughters to wives? 

8 IT And they said. What one is there of the tribes 
of Israel that cauie not up to Mizpeh to the Lord? 
And behold, there came none to the camp from 
Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.^ 

9 For the people were numbered, and behold, Mf/f 
io«rpnoneofthe inliabitants of Jabesh-gilead there. 

10 And the congregation sent thitiier twelve 
thousand raeu of the valiantest, and commanded 
them, saying. Go and smite the inhabitants of Ja- 
besh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the 
women and the cliildren.'" 

11 And tills is the thing that ye shall do. Ye 
shall utterly destroy every male, and every wom- 
an that hath lain by man.*' 

12 And tliey found among the inhabitants of Ja- 
besh-gilead four hundred young virgins,* that had 
known no man by lying with any male : and they 
brought them unto the camp to Shiloh.J which is 
in the land of Canaan. 

13 And the whole congregation sent some to 



» I 


Sam. H:ii, -"J; Rom. W:i. b eh WA. lU. c ch. -"U: ISr-.Xi. d lien. 


27: 3J 


lSam..')U:4. e •> Sam. 24:45. (ch. 11:35. e 1 Sara. 11:1; 31 :1 1. 


h ver 


i\ ch. 3:25: 1 Sam. 11:7. • Heb. knowelh Die lying with man. 


iiNun 


1.31:17. ^ Kch. woimn virgins. JJosh.lS:!. i )le\} . and spake and 



our own will, but by the will of God, is a good preparation 
for sure, ultimate, and complete success. 

29. The promise of divine aid, rightly understood, leads 
men not to neglect means, but diligently and perseveringly 
to use them. 

35. However numerous or efficacious the means which 
men use, their success comes from God, and in the Bible 
is ascribed to him as really as if no means had been em- 
ployed. 

46. The wicked in this world are often the means of pun- 
ishing themselves and one another ; and this, in the future 
world, may continue to be the case for ever. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

8. Jabe.A-!;ilend ; a city in tlie half-tribe of Manasseh, on 
the east of Jordan. 

21 



speak* to the children of Benjamin that were in the 
rock Rimmon,'' and to call peaceably^ unto them. 

14 And Benjamin came again at that time ; and 
they gave them wives which they had saved alive 
of the women of Jabesh-gilead : and yet so Ihey 
sufficed them not. 

15 And the people repented them for Benjamin,' 
because that the Lord had made a breach in the 
tribes of Israel." 

16 'i Then the elders of the congregation said. 
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, 
seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin? 

17 And they said. There must be an inheritance 
for them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe 
be not destroyed out of Israel. 

18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our 
daughters : for the children of Israel have sworn," 
saying. Cursed Ic he that gireth a wife to Benjamin. 

19 Then they said. Behold, there is a feast of the 
Lord in Shiloh yearly,' iji a place which is on the 
north side of Bethel, on the east side^ of* the high- 
way that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and 
on the south of Lcbonah. ' 

20 Therefore they commanded the children of 
Benjamin, saying. Go and lie in wait in the vine- 
yards ; 

21 And see, and behold, if the daughters of Shi- 
loh come out to dance in dances," then come ye 
out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his 
wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land 
of Benjamin. 

22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their 
brethren come unto us to comjilain. that we will 
say unto them. Be favorable unto them* for our 
sakes: because we reserved not to each man his 
wife in the war :" for ye did not give unto them at 
this time, that ye should be guilty. 

23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took 
them wives, according to their number, of them 
that danced, whom they caught: and they went 
and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired 
the cities,'' and dwelt in them. 

24 And the children of Israel departed thence- 
at that time, every man to his tribe and to his 
family, and they went out from thence every man 
to his inheritance. 

25 In those days there nas no king in Israel:'' 
everv man did that ichich was right in his own eves.* 



i Or. proclaim peace. 1 ver. li. " 1 Cl.r. 13:11; 15:13; 
-■12. n ver. J. I Reh. from year to year. 1. Or. toward the 
Or. on. o ch. U-.Si; Keel. 3:4. t Or. Gratify us in them. 
qoh.20:4S. r ch. 17:8; 1S:1; 19:1. • Deut. 12:8. 



12. In the land of Canaan; on the west side of Jordan. 

22. Ye did not give unto them ; by this they imply that 
they do not violate the oath spoken of in verses 1, 7, 18, 
as the women were not taken by their consent. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Engagements made in the heat of passion often end 
in bitter repentance. 

5. Civil wars, and those waged among brethren, are often 
most cruel, and lead on from one degree of enormity to 
another, till multitudes of both parties are overwhelmed 
in common woe. 

10. Men may be very scrupulous about moral obligation 
in some things, and most regardless of it in others. 

14. Conscience unenlightened and blinded by sin, is a 
very unsafe guide. What it forbids men to do directly, it 
321 



THE 



BOOK OF RUTH 



Tms brief book has its name from Ruth a Moabitess, and daughter-in-law to Naomi, a Hebrew woman 
of the tribe of Judah. From her marriage, after the death of her first husband, to Boaz, a kinsman of 
Naomi, sprang Obed the grandfather of David. Thus the book connects itself innnediatcly with "the 
hduse and lineage of David;" and may be regarded as supplementary to the history of his family. At 
the same time it contains a charming picture of Hebrew life in the days of the Judges. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 Elimelech driven by famine into Moab. dieth there. 4 Mahlon and 
Chilion, having married wives of Moab, die also. 6 Naomi returning 
homeward, 8 dissuadeth her two daughters-in-law from going with 
her. 14 Orpah leaveth her. but Ruth with great constancy accom- 
panieth her. 19 They two come to Beth-lehem, where they are gladly 
received. 

NOW it came to pass in tlie days when the 
judges ruled,'" that there was a famine in 
the laud. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah 
went to sojourn in the country of Moalj,'' he, and 
his wife, and his two sons. 

2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and 
the name of jiis wife Naomi, and the name of his 
two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth- 
lehern-judali.'^ And they came into the country of 
Moab, and continued^ there. 

3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and 
she was left, and her two sons. 

4 And they took them wives of the women of 
Moab; and the name of the one was Orpah, and 
the name of the other Ruth : and they dwelt there 
about ten years. 

5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of 
them ; and the woman was left of her two sous 
and her husband. 

6 1i Then shearose withher daughters-in-law, that 
she might return from the country of Moab : for she 
had lieard in the country of Moab how that thcLoKD 
had visited his people'' in giving them bread.'' 

7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place 
where she was, and her two daughters-in-law with 



»Jua?. a:lG. bjudg. 17:8, 



J Gen. 51): A) ; Exod. A:M \ Luke !:(«. e Psa. 132:15: Matt. fl;.'JI-34. 
f 2 Tim. I: [iMt. e Gen. 9^:11 ; Deut. 25:5. 1 Or, were with. S Heb. hoTt. 



often suffers them to do indirectly, and under circumstan- 
ces which greatly increase their guilt. 

18. Men may be so blinded by sin as to think that the 
giving of one wife, with her own consent and that of her 
parents, to one man is a crime ; and that being accessory 
by robbery and violence to the giving, without their con- 
sent or that of their parents, two hundred wives to two 
hundred men, is a worthy deed. Surely, he that trusteth 
in his own heart is a fool. Prov. 28:26. 

23. Persons may sometimes be married very improperly, 
and without the consent of friends : yet after their marriage 
322 ^ 



her; and they went on the way to return n.^.w 
unto the land of Judah. '^'^ 

8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in- 
law, Go, return each to her mother's house : the 
Lord deal kindly with you,' as ye have dealt with 
the dead, and with me. 

9 The Loud grant you that ye may find rest, 
each of you in the house of her husband. Then 
she kissed them ; and they lifted up their voice, 
and ^ept. 

10 And they said unto her. Surely we will return 
with thee unto thy peo])le. 

11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters : 
why will ye go with me ? are there yet any more 
sons in my womb, that they may be your hus- 
bands ?s 

12 Turn again, my daughters, go ymir way ; for 
I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, 
I have hope, if I should have' a husband also to- 
night, and should also bear sons; 

13 Would ye tarry*^ for them till they were 
grown? would ye stay for them from having hus- 
bands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me 
much' for your sakes that the hand of the Lord 
is gone out against me.'' 

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept 
again : and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law ; but 
Ruth clave unto her.' 

15 And she said. Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone 
back unto her people, and unto her gods :J return 
thou after thy sister-in-law.'' 



I Heb. I have much bitterness, h Judg. 2:1.5; Job 19:21; Psa. 32:4; 
39:9,10. i Prov. 17:17. J Judg. 11:24. k Josh. 24:15. 



has occurred, and cannot be revoked, it is usually wise for 
friends cheerfully to acquiesce, and strive to make the con- 
nection as useful as possible. 

CHAPTER L 

1. Tlie land; Palestine. Moab; a country south-east of 
Palestine. 

2. Ephrathites ; Bethlehem was called Ephratah, and its 
inhabitants Ephrathites. 

15. Her gods; the idols which her coimtrymen wor- 
shipped. 



IlulL at Bethlehem, 



IIUTII 11. 



glcandh in Boaz's fields. 



AM 2i»: IG And Rutli said, Entreat me not* to 
liii'"'" leave thee;' or to return from following 
after thee : for whither tliou gocst, I will go ; and 
where thou lodgcst, I will lodge : thy people shall 
be my people, and thy God my God :" 

17 "Where thou diest, will 1 die, and there will 
I be buried : the Lord do so to me, and more also,"= 
if aught but death part thee and me.* 

18 When she saw that she was steadfastly mind- 
ed* to go with her,'' then she left speaking unto her. 

19 T So they two went until they came to Beth- 
lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come 
to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about 
them, and they said. Is this Naomi?'' 

20 And she said unto them. Call mo not Naomi,* 
call me Mara:§ for the Almighty hath dealt very 
bitterly with me. 

21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought 
me home again empty:'' why then call ye me Na- 
omi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, 
and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth tlie Moabitcss, 
her daughter-in-law, with her, which returned out 
of the country of iloab : and they came to Beth- 
lehem in the beginning of barley-harvest. 

CHAPTER II. 

1 Ruth gleaneth in the fields of Bonz. 4 Boaz taking knowledge of 
lier, 8 showeth her great favor. IS That which she got, she carrieth 
to Naomi. 

AND Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's,'' 
a mighty man of wealth, of tlie family of 
Elimelecli ; and his name was Boaz." 

2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let 
me now go to the field, and glean oars of corn' 
after hiiri in whose sight I shall find grace. And 
she said unto her. Go, my daughter. 

3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the 
field after the reapers : and her hap was'' to light 



• Heh.Benotagaimlmt. ^-2 Kings '2: -2-6; Luke a4:&j, 29. 


boh. 2:1 1,12, 


c ) Sam. :):17. d Acts 20:24. 1 Heh. strenglhenid herself. 


e Acts 21:14. 


f Isa. 23:7; Lam. 2:15. 1 That is. Pleasant. 5 That is. Bill 


r. s Job 1:21, 


hch. 3:2. 12. 1 Called Boo:, Matl. 1 :o. i Lev. 19:0; Deul. 


24:19. H Ileb. 



16. Thy God my God; in this she expressed her deter- 
mination to embrace and adhere to the Jewish religion. 
20. Naomi; meaning pleasant. Mara; bitter. 
22. Beginning of barley-harvest ; in April. 

■ INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Men are dependent on God for the comforts of this 
life, as well as the life to come ; and without his blessing, 
notwithstanding all human efforts, the earth would never 
yield a harvest. 

2. To remove, from a regard to worldly circumstances 
merely, out of a land of religious light and privileges to a 
laud of darkness and idolatry, is a course full of danger, 
and likely to terminate in distress. 

5. A state of widowhood is one of peculiar trials, which 
calls for, and should receive, peculiar sympathy and aid. 

6. All our blessings are the gift of God ; they should be 
sought from him, and in the reception of them his good- 
ness should be daily acknowledged. Matt. 6:11. 

!). The marriage of daughters with husbands who will 
give them a jicaceful. pleasant, and useful home, is desired 
by wise and pious parents, not only for the good of their 
daiigbtiTs, but of all who may feel their influence. 

li. Pious relatives may conduct with such wisdom and 
kindness as, with the blessing of God, to endear themselves 
to those who have no religion ; and this they should desire, 
for the purpose of doing them good. 



on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who iras 
of the kindred of Elimelech. 

4 1i And behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, 
and said unto the reapers. The Lord be with 3'ou.' 
And they answered him. The Lord bless thee.'' 

5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set 
over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? 

6 And the servant that was set over the reapers 
answered and said. It is the Moabitish damsel that 
came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 

7 And she said, I pray you, let me glean and 
gather. after the reapers among the sheaves: so 
she came, and hath continued even from the morn- 
ing until now, tliat she tarried a little in the house. 

8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, 
my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, 
neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my 
maidens:' 

9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, 
and go thou after tliem: have I not charged the 
young men that tliey shall not touch thee?'" and 
when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and 
drink of that which the young men have drawn. 

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself 
to the ground," and said unto him. Why have I 
found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take 
knowledge of me, seeing I o?n a stranger? 

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It 
hath fully been showed me, all that thou hast done 
unto thy mother-in-law since the death of thy hus- 
band;" and hoiu thou hast left thy father and thy 
mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come 
unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore. 

12 The Lord recompense thy work,^ and a full 
reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, 
under whose wings "i thon art come to trust."' 

13 Then she said, Let me find* favor in thy 
sight,' my lord; for that thou hast comforted me, 
and for that thou hast spoken friendly* unto thy 



happened. J 


?s 


a, 129 


7.S; 


Luke 


1:2H 


2Thess, 3:16 


k 


Tim 


6:2. 1 Song 


1:7, S 


m G 


en 


:>ll-(> 


Hmv 


. 6:29 


»1 


Sam. 25:2;). o 


ch. 


1:14- 


7. P 1 Sam, 


24:19 


Prnv, 


11 


•IH 


qPsa 


17:8; 


;11k7 


; 67:1; 03:7. 


ch. 


I:l(i. 


• Or, IJind. 


! Gen 


33:15 


; 1 


Sam 


1:19 


tH 


b, to 


the heart; Gen 


,34:3; Ji 


dg. 19:3. 



16. Fixed and strong resolution is necessary in order 
truly to serve God, and those who love him will, when 
called to it, give up all for his sake. 

20. True piety will lead men to see and acknowledge 
the hand of God in their mercies and in their trials ; to be 
thankful for the one and submissive under the other, and 
to endeavor in both to honor him. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. Kinsman; relative. 

2. Glean ears; pick up what was scattered and left in 
the field by the reapers. Grace; favor. 

3. A part of the field ; the cultivated fields were not then 
ordinarily divided by fences, but by a stone or landmark. 
Withouther knowing whose it was, God so ordered that 
she went into that part which belonged to Boaz. 

7. In the house; probably the tent pitched in the field 
where the reapers were at work, and under which Boaz 
saw her sitting ; for she does not seem to have gone home 
to her mother in Bethlehem until evening. 

8. Hcarext thou not; hearken. My daughter; an expres- 
sion of kindness. 

10. She fell on her face; a common mode in those regions 
of expressing reverence and gratitude. 

13. Like unto one of thy handmaidens; as a foreigner she 
did not venture to put herself in the same rank with them. 
323 



She ii faro red bi/ Jioiiz, 



KUTII III, 



arul itetk at his feet. 



liaiiilniiiicl, fliougli I be not like unto one of tliy 
lianilniaideiis. 

14 And Hiiaz said unto her, At meal-time come 
tliou iiitlier, and oat of tiic bread, and di]i lliy 
morsel in llie vineirar. And she sat beside the 
reaiiers: and lie readied her jiarelied corn, and 
she did eat, and was sulliced, and left." 

15 And when slie was risen up to glean, ]]oaz 
conunanded lli;^ young men, saying. Let her glean 
even among the sheaves, and reproach' her not.'' 

It) And let fall also some of the liandfuls of pnr- 
p<ise for her, and leave them, that she may; glean 
them, and rebuke her not. 

1 7 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat 
out tiiat she had gleaned: and it was about an 
cphali of barley. 

IS '\ And she took it up, and went into the city; 
and her mother-indaw saw wliat she had gleaned : 
and she brouglit forth, and gave to her that she 
had reserved after she was sufficed. 

19 And her mother-indaw said unto her, Where 
hast thou gleaned to-day? and where wronghtest 
tiiou? blessed be he tiiat did take knowledge of 
tliee.'' And she showed her mother-in-law with 
whom slic had wrought, and said. The man's name 
witli whom I wrought to-day is Boaz. 

20 And Naomi said unto her daugliter-indaw, 
Blessed be he of the Lord,* who hath not left off 
his kindness to tlie living and to the dead." And 
Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto 
us, one of our next kinsmen.^ 

'1\ And Ruth tlie Moabitess said, He said unto 
me also. Thou shalt keep fast by my young men,*^ 
until they have ended all my harvest. 

22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in- 
law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with 
his maidens, that they meet thee not' in any other 
field. 

23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to 



"Psi.SiiS. • Ileb. .lAame. bjas.l;5. «Psa.41:l. il ch. 3:10; 2 Sam. 
2: ">; JobSi):13. eo Sam. 9:1. 1 Or. thai lialli right lo rtdeem/ Lev. 2.5:25. 
f .Song 1:7, 8. t Or, fall not upon thte. e Prov. 1:3:20; 1 Cor. 15:33. h ch. 
1:0; I Cor. 7:30; 1 •lira. 5:8. i ch. 2:8, 23. J 2 Sam. 14:2; Eccl. 0:8. 



14. Vinegar; a kind of sour wine or sauce used in those 
days. 

17. An cphnh; nearly a bushel. 

20. One of our next kinsmen ; one who according to the 
law had a right to redeem. Lev. 25:25. 

23. Wlicat-karvest ; in May. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. True piety will lead those who have it to be indus- 
trious, and to engage in any honest, useful employment to 
which they may hi the providence of God be called. 

3. With a fatherly kindness God watches over and 
directs tlie concerns of the poorest, most obscure, and 
defenceless of his people, and directs them in such a man- 
ner as to promote their highest good. 

4. Love to God inspires good-will to men, and promotes 
kind affection and true politeness in all conditions and 
relations of life. 

8. Kindness to the destitute, especially to the stranger, 
the widow, the fatherless, and those who have no earthly 
helper, is peculiarly pleasing to God and endearing to men. 

11. Afiectionate regard to ])arent8 and other relatives, 
and sacrifices for their benefit from love to God and his 
cause, are always remembered by him, and often even in 
this life receive a great reward. 

13. The humble, who esteem others better than them- 
selves, are often exalted by God's providence above the 
324 



glean unto the end of barley -harvest and * >* »95 
nf wheat-harvest; and dwelt with her "ii 
motiier-in-law." 

CHAPTEU 111. 

1 By Naomi'» instruction, !i Ruth liitli at Bon?.'* fi-el. 8 Boai scknow. 
ledgeih the righl of a kinsman. 14 He iiciidt'lh hir away with >ix 
iiiua^ures of barley. 

''T'^HEN Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, 
L My daughter, shall 1 not seek rest for thee,'' 
that it may be well with thee? 

2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with 
wliose maidens thou wast?' Behold, he winnow- 
eth barley to-night in the threshing-floor. 

3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee,^ and 
put thy raiment npon thee, and get thee down to 
the floor: hut make not thyself known unto the 
man, until li(> shall have done eating and drinking. 

4 And it sliall be, when he lietli down, that thou 
shalt mark tiie place where he shall lie, and thou 
shalt go in, and uncover^ his feet, and lay thee 
down ; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do. 

5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest 
unto me I will do. 

G *i And she went down unto the floor, and did 
according to all that her mother-indaw bade her. 

7 And when ]]oaz had eaten and drunk, and his 
heart was merry,'' he went to lie down at the end 
of the heap of corn : and she came softly, and un- 
covered his feet, and laid her down. 

8 *i And it came to pass at midnight, that the 
man was afraid, and turned' himself: and behold, 
a woman lay at his feet. 

9 AndhesaidjWiioar/thou? And she answered, 
lam Ruth thyhandmaid: spread therefore thy skirt 
over thy handmaid ;' for thou art a near kinsman.^ 

10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my 
daughter : for thou hast showed more kindness in 
the latter end than at the beginning,"" inasmuch as 



S Or, lift up tlie dotlies tliat are an. k Judg. 19:6,9, 22: 2Sam. 13:2«; Ksth. 
1 :10-; Eccl. 8: 15; 9:7; 10: 19. I Or, took hold on. 1 Ezek. 10:8. 1 Or, ont 
that Iiat/i a right to redeem; ch. 2:20. m ch. 1:8. 



proud and self-conceited. Thus the modest Ruth became 
the wife of "a mighty man of wealth," and the ancestor of 
David and of Ilini who is greater than David. All this 
earthly favor was but the earnest and jdcdge of that heav- 
enly exaltation which is reserved for the meek and lowly 
in spirit. 

15. A generous mind will avoid reproaches and every 
thing calculated to wound the feelings of the poor, and 
will delight to aid them in their efforts, by industry and 
economy, to provide for themselves and those dependent 
upon them. 

19. In answer to the prayers of the pious poor for bless- 
ings on those who supply their wants, the rich often re- 
ceive treasures better and more abundant than all which 
they bestow. 

22. When in a course which we find by experience to 
be safe and useful, and in which the Lord blesses us, it is 
ordinarily wise to persevere and not he disposed to change. 
This the aged and experienced feel more deeply than the 
inexperienced and young. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Seek rest; bj' procuring a husband and a home for her. 

9. Spread — thyskirt; this was a request to him to redeem 
her husband's property and marry her, according to the 
directions in Deut. 25:5-10. 



The next of kin refusing, 



RUTH IV. 



Boaz marrleth Ruth. 



A. M. a;92. tliou followedst not younnr men, whether 

U. ('. about . , J ^ ' 

iai2. pool" or rich. 

11 And now, my daugliter, fear not; I will do 
to tliee all that thou requirest: for all the city* of 
my people doth know that thou art a virtuous 
woman." 

12 And now it is true that I am thy near kins- 
man: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I." 

13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morn- 
ing, that if he will perform unto thee the part of 
a kinsman,'' well ; let him do tiie kinsman's jjart: 
but if he will not do tlie part of a kinsman to tliee, 
then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as 
the Lord liveth :'' lie down until the morning. 

1-4 1[ And she lay at his feet until the morning : 
and she rose up before one could know another. 
And he said. Lot it not be known that a woman 
came into the floor.'' 

15 Also he said. Bring the veil* that thou hast 
upon thee, aud hold it. And when she held it, 
he measured six measures of barley, aud laid it on 
her: and he went into the city. 

16 And when she came to her mother-in-law, 
she said. Who art thou, my daughter? And she 

♦ told her all that the man had done to her. 

17 And she said. These six measures of barley 
gave he me; for he said to me. Go not empty 
unto thy mother-in-law. 

18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter,uutil thou 
know how the matter will fall : '' for the man will not 
be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 Boaz calleth into judgment the next kinsman. 6 He refuseth the 
redemption according to the manner in Israel. 9 Boaz buyeth the 
inheritance. 11 He marrieth Ruth. 13 She beareth Obed the grand- 
father of David. IS The generation of Pharez. 

THEX went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him 
down there : and behold, the kinsman of whom 
Boaz spake came by;''' unto whom lie said, Ho, 
sucli a one ! turn aside, sit down hei'e. Aud he 
turned aside, and sat down. 



• Heb. gale. » Proi 
Mitt. Hi-.M, 25. d Je 
npron. I Psa. 37:3, 5. 



12:4; 31:1(1. b ch. 4:1. c ch. 4:5; Deut. 25:5; 
. 4:2. e Rom. 14;1«; 1 Cor. 1U:32. t Or. s/itet, or 
S ch. 3:12. h 1 Kings 21 :8. t Heb. / said I XL-ill 



13. Perform — the part of a kinsman; redeem the property 
and marry her. 

14. Let it not be known; lest false reports should be 
raised. 

15. Veil ; Ruth was in full dress, ver. 3, of which a veil 
of large size constituted a part. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. Wise and pious parents will desire that their children 
should, if the Lord open the way for it, be well settled in 
married life, as most conducive to their usefulness and 
comfort, antl that of those around them. 

5. The directions of parents should be followed by chil- 
dren, even when they have arrived to mature years, so 
far as they accord with the revealed will of God. Prov. 
1:8; 23:22. 

II. A readiness promptly to comply with the known 
will of God, and to promote the highest good of men, 
especially of the poor and needy, is peculiarly pleasing 
in his sight, and prepares us for the reception of his 
choicest blessings. 

14. Many things may be proper in one country or gen- 
eration which would not be proper in another ; and while 
our great object should be in all things to do right, we 



2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city,*" 
and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 

3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is 
come again out of tlie country of Moab, sellcth a 
parcel of land, which was our brother Elime- 
lech's : 

4 And I thought to advertise thee,* saying. Buy 
it before the inhabitants,' and before the elders of 
my ])eople.^ If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: 
but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I 
may know : for there is none to redeem it besides 
thee; and I am after thee. And he said, I will 
redeem it. 

5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field 
of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of 
Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise 
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance." 

6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for 
myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance: redeem 
thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem 
it. 

7 Now this icas the manner in former time in Is- 
rael concerning redeeming and concerning chang- 
ing,' for to confirm all things ; a man plucked off 
his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor : aud this 
was a testimony in Israel. 

8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it 
for thee. So ho drew ofl' his shoe. 

9 1 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all 
the people. Ye are witnesses this day, that I have 
bougiit all that teas Elimelech's, and all that icas 
Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi. 

10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of 
Malilon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise 
up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that 
the name of the dead be not cut oif from among 
his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye 
are witnesses this day. 

11 And all the i>eople that were in the gate, and 
the elders, said. We are witnesses. The Lord make 
the woman tliat is come into thy house like Rachel 
and like Leah," which two did build the house of 



ch. 3:13. 1 Deut. 



should also, as far as consistent, avoid all appearance of 
doing wrong, all occasions of misapprehension, and of 
having our good evil spoken of Rom. 14: IG; 1 Thess. 
5:22. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1. Tlie gate ; to which men resorted to transact business. 

2. He took ten men; to witness the transactions. Ver. 
9-11. 

5. To raise up the name of the dead; he nmst marry Kuth, 
as well as redeefn or buy the land. 

C. Cannot redeem it; that is, upon the condition just 
added bv Boaz, which would impose upon him the burden 
of maintaining Ruth and Naomi, in addition to his own 
family. 

(. A lestimoni/; that the man who gave the shoe trans- 
ferred his right to the one who received it. 

10. Raise up the name of the dead; the eldest son would 
inherit the estate, and thus the name and inheritance of 
the family would be preserved. 

11. Build the house ; had a numerous posterity. Ephra- 
tah — Bethlehem ; different names of the place in which they 
lived. 

3-25 



The posterity of 



RUTH IV. 



J3oaz and Ruth. 



Israel:" and do thou wortliily* iu Ephratah," and 
be fainous* in ncth-lcliein: 

lli Ami let thy lioiise he like tlie lioiisc of Pliarcz, 
wliDiu 'ruiiKir h:iie unto Judali,'' of the seed wliich 
the Loui) slmll izivc thee of this young woman. 

13 "l So iioaz tooiv Kuth, and she was liis wife: 
and wlieu lie went in unto her, the LoKi) gave her 
coneeption, and she bare a son.'' 

14 And the women said nnto Naomi, Blessed be 
the Lditu,'' which hath not left tlicc' this day with- 
out a kinsman," that his name may bo famous in 
Israel. 

15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer o? thy 
life, and a nourisher of thine old age:^ for thy 
daughter-in-law, which loveth thee, which is better 
to tiice than seven sons,' hath borne him. 



,. chs. 29, 30. • Or, gel Ihee riches, or power, b Mic. 5:2. t Hcb. 
Ithyn.jmf. c Gen. .■)-f:29. il Gen. 20:17, IS; 33;o. e Rom. 12:1.'>. 
austd to cease unto, i Or, redeenur. i Heh. to nourish; Gen. 45:11; 



12. Pliares; from whom Boaz and the Bethlehemites 
descended. 

14. A kinsman; one who should perpetuate the name 
and inliei'itanco of her family. 

17. Obcd; meaning a servant, or one who would be ser- 
viceable. From him descended David and Christ. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Punctuality in the transaction of business, and a habit 
of having every thing done at the right time and in the 
right way, are highly conducive to prosperity, usefulness, 
and enjoyment. 

2. In the sale and conveyance of property, great care 
should be taken that the case be fairly stated and correct- 
ly understood by all concerned, that it be dul}' witnessed, 
and 80 conducted in all respects as to cut off all occasion 
of future misunderstanding and coutcution. 



IG And Naomi look the child, and laid a. m. anra 
it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. 'uia 

17 And the women her neighbors gave it anamc," 
saying, There is a son born to Naomi ; and they 
called his name Obed : he is the father of Jesse, 
the father of David. 

18 If Now these are the generations of Pharez: 
Pharcz begat Hezron,'' 

19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat 
Aniniinadab, 

2(1 And Aniniinadab licgat Nahshon,' and Nah- 
shon begat Salmon,' 

21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat 
Obed, 

22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat Da- 
vid, J 



P«a.55:22. ^ )le\, thy gray hairs. flgam.l:8 sLnk»l:58. h Malt 
1:3, etc. 1 Num. 1:7. • Or, Salmah. i 1 Chr. 8:15. 



6. It is not wise for a man to purchase more property 
than he can pay for. Nor, if he has one wife, is it right 
for him to take another. If he does, he violates the orig- 
inal law of marriage, and will find the way of transgres- 
sors to be hard. 

11. Marriage is an ordinance of God, which should be 
entered into in his fear, be solemnized before witnesses, 
and its duties so discharged that it may be a blessing to 
all concerned. 

14. The birth of a child is a just cause of rejoicing, and 
all interested should unite in supplication to God that it 
may live, be sanctified, and mailc a blessing to itself and 
its friends, to the church of God and the world. 

17. Those who honor God he will honor, and make them 
blessings to all generations, even to the end of time and 
onward to eternity. Blessed supremely, for ever blessed, 
are all who trust in and obey him. 



326 



THE 



FIEST BOOK OF SAMUEL, 

OTHERWISE CALLED, 

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE KINGS. 



The two books of Sajittel originally constituted one whole, the division having been made by the Greek 
translators as a matter of mere convenience, so as to close the first book with the death of Saul, and begin 
the second with the accession of David to the throne. To the original work the name of Samuel was given, 
because it opens with the history of his birth and labors ; and this name has been generally retained for 
both parts since its division. The Greek Septuagiut, however, designates the books from their contents, 
" The first and second of Kings." They are a continuation of the history of God's covenant people from the 
close of Eli's administration as judge to that of David's reign. Thus they embrace a most interesting 
period, that of the change of the government to a kingly form, and the successi%'e inauguration of the first 
two monarchs of Israel by God's immediate appointment. This change was so conducted as to manifest 
in the clearest light God's absolute sovereignty over Israel. First He gave the throne to Saul ; but when 
he refused to yield obedience to God's commands, he was set aside, and David appointed in his stead. 
Nor was it till David's obedience had been fully tested, that God confirmed the throne to his family. 

The author of these books is not known. We read, 1 Chron. 29 : 29, 30, " Now the acts of David the 
king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the 
prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, with all his reign and his might, and the times that went over 
him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries." Whoever was the author, it is reasona- 
ble to suppose that he drew largely from the books here mentioned ; and since we find both Gad and 
Nathan active at the close of David's reign, the work may have been completed by one of these two 
inspired men. 

That these books were composed after the death of David is manifest from the fact that they record 
the years of his reign, 2 Sam. 5 : 4, 5 ; and also his last words, 2 Sam. 23 : 1. But it is remarkable that 
they do not record his death, a circumstance that may perhaps be explained upon the supposition that 
they were composed very soon after that event, when it was sufBcient to assume it as universally known, 
without expressly mentioning it. The graphic style of the narratives contained in these books, and the 
minuteness of their details, show that they were written by contemporaries and eye-witnesses. 



B. <*;. about U71. CHAPTER I. 

1 E Ikanah a Levi te, having two wives, worshippeth yearly at Shiloh. 4 He 
cherisheth Hannah, though barren, and provoked by Peninnah. 9 Hannah 
in grief prayeth for a child. 12 Eli first rebuking her. afterwards bless- 
eth her. 19 Hannah having borne Samuel, stayeth at home till he be 
weaned. 24 She presenteth him, according to her vow, to the Lord. 

NOW there was a certain man of Ramatha- 
im-zophim,* of mount Ephraim, and his name 



>1 Sam. 1:19; 7:17; a5:l. 



CHAPTER I. 

1. Of Ramathaim-zophim ; not the Eamah of Benjamin 
situated near Gibeah, a few miles north of Jerusalem. 
Judg. 19:13; Isa. 10:29; Hos. 5:8. It is probably the 
same as the Ramah where Samuel lived antt was buried. 
1 Sam. 1:19; 7:17; 25:1. Its position is uncertain. Some 



teas Elkanah,*" the son of Jeroham, the son of 
Elihu, the son of Tohu, the sou of Zuph,"= an Eph- 
rathite: 

2 And he had two wives ; the name of the one 
teas Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah : 
and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no 
children. 



bl Chr. 6:27, 34. » 1 Chr. 6:35. 



suppose it to have been the place now called Soba. a 
sliort distance west of Jerusalem. Mount Ephraim; this 
was probably a mountainous ridge that had its rise in 
Ephraim, and was continued south through Benjamin un- 
der the same name ; for Ramathaim-zophim seems to have 
been south of the tribe of Ephraim. An Enhrathite; Sam- 
uel was of Levitical descent, and belonged to the family 
327 



Hannah prays for a son. 



1 SAMUEL I. 



Samuel is barn. 



3 Aiul (liis man -went up out of his citj' yearly' 
to worsliipand to sacrilict.' unto tlic LoKi> of hosts 
in Siiiloh.-' Ami tlio two sons of Eli, lloplmi and 
riiinc'lias, tlic ]iiiosts of the LoiU), were tliere. 

4 ' And wlien the time was tliat Ellianaii ofTer- 
ed,** he fravc to I'eninnah his wife, and to all her 
sons and her daui^hters, portions : 

5 Hut unto Hannah he gave a worthy* portion ; 
for lie loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up 
her wonili."^ 

And her adversary also provoked* her sore,'' 
for to make her fret, because the Loud had simt 
uj) her womb. 

7 And as he did so year by year, when she went 
up- to the house of the Loun, so she provoked 
her; therefore slic wept, and did not eat. 

8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Han- 
nah, why weepest thou? .and why eatest thou not? 
and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to 
thee than ten sons?" 

9 ^ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in 
Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the 
priest sat upon a scat by a post of the temple of 
the Lord. 

10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and pray- 
ed unto the Lord, and wept sore. 

11 And she vowed a vow,*^ and said, Lord of 
hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of 
thy handmaid,"-' and remember me,*" and not forget 
thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a 
man-child;^ then I will give him unto the Lord 
all the days of liis life, and there shall no razor 
come upon his head.' 

12 And it came to pass, as sjie continued praying' 
belore the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. 

13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only 
her lips moved, but her voice was not heard : 
therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 

14 And Eli said unto her. How long wilt thou 
be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 



■ Heb. from year to year. 


a Kxod. al:14; Luke 2:.ll. b Deut. 1-2:5-7. 


1 Or,(iouliU. c Gen. 3U;a. 


lleh. angered. J Job -24 : -J 1 . t Or. from the 


time that she went; Heb. frot? 


her going tip. « Ruth 4; 15 1 Heb. bitter 


of. 1 JnJg. 11:3U. e 2 Barn 


1C;12. It Gen. 3U:-i2. VReh.seedofmen. 



of the Kohathites. See the genealogy, 1 Chron. 6:33-35, 
where the name Shemuel is, in the original, the same as that 
here called Samuel ; Eliel is equivalent to Elihu, and Toali 
is only another form of Tohu. His father Elkanah is called 
an Ephrathite either because he resided in mount Ephra- 
im, just as the Ephraimites themselves are sometimes 
called Ephrathites.Judg. 12:5; iKings 11:26; or, as some 
think, from his having lived in Bethlehem Ejjhratah. 

3. The Lord of hosts; this is the first mention in the 
Bible of Jehovah under this title. See verse 11. It means, 
liod of armies, or of the multitudes of heaven, and of the 
universe. Jn S/kM ,• where the tabernacle then was. It 
lay in the tribe of Ephraim, among the hills a little east 
of the road leading northward from Jerusalem to Shechem. 
Eli; he was then high-priest. 

4. Portions; of the offering on which they were to feast. 
Lev. 7:15. 

5. A worthy portion ; larger and better. 

6. Her adversary; supposed to be Peninnah. Ver. 7. 

9. The temple; the tabernacle; the temple was not then 
built. 

11. Give him unto the Lord; to be employed dl his life 
in the special service of Jehovah. No razor come upon his 
head; he should be a Nazarite. Num. 6:2-5. 

16. Daughter of Belial; an abandoned wicked woman. 
Spoken; prayed to the Lord. 
328 



15 And Hannah answered and said. No, a.m. jkb. 
my lord, 1 am a woman ot a sorrowlul uti. 
spirit:* I have drunk neither wine nor strong 
drink, but have poured out my soul before the 
LouD.J 

1() Count not thy handmaid for a daughter of 
Belial : for out of the alnnidance of my complaint' 
anil grief have I spoken hitlicrto. 

17 Then Eli answered anil said. Go in peace: 
and the God of Israel grant t/tic thy petition that 
thou hast asked of him." 

18 And she said. Let thy handmaid find grace in 
thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did 
eat,' and her countenance was no more sad. 

I'J *i And they arose up in the morning early, 
and worshi]>ped before the Loud, and returned, 
and came to tiieir house to l^ainali : and Elkanah 
knew Hannah his wife ; and the Loud remember- 
ed her.'" 

20 AVhereforc it came to pass, when the time was 
come about^ after Hannah had conceived, that she 
bare a son, and called his name Samuel,' saying, 
Because I have asked him of the Lord. 

21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, 
went up to offer unto the Loud tiie yearly sacri- 
fice, and his vow. 

22 But Hannah went not up: for she said unto 
her husband, I icill not po up until the child be 
■\vcaned, and then I will bring him, that he may 
appear before the Lord," and there abide for ever. 

23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her. Do 
what seemeth thee good;" tarry until thou have 
weaned him ; only the LoHD establish his word." 
So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until 
she weaned him. 

24 Tl And when she had weaned him, she took 
him up with her, -\vith three bullocks, and one 
ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought 
him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and 
the child teas voune:. 



iNum. 0:.^. • Heb. multipiiril to pratj. 1 Heb. hard of spirit. JPsa. 62:8. 
t Heb. meditation, k Psa. -20:3, 5. 1 Eccl. 0:7. m ver. 11. S Heb. »n i-f!)- 
otution of days. I That is, Asked of God. o Luke 2:22. " Num. 30:7. 
P 2 Sam. '7: 25. 



18. Grace; favor. No more sad; she cheerfully commit- 
ted her case to the Lord, and expected that he would 
answer her prayers. 

20. Samuel; meaning, asked of God. It appears from 
1 Chron. 6:22-37, that he was a descendant of Korah. 
Thus out of the family of one whom God so sorely pun- 
ished with sudden death, he yet in his great mercy raised 
up in after-times the prophet Samuel and the sweet singer 
Heman. The descendants of the ungodly, warned by the 
fate, and turning from the sins of their fathers, may through 
the grace of God become signally holy, honored, and use- 
ful. 

24. One ephah; about thirty quarts. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When a man so far departs from the original law of 
marriage as to have two wives, he may expect to have 
peculiar trials. 

6. Designed and needless provocations increase the 
wickedness of the giver and the unhappiness of tlie re- 
ceiver. 

8. A just sense of our unworthiness as sinners, and of 
the numerous mercies which God bestows upon us, would 
cure us of discontent. 

10. The best way to obtain relief from trouble is to go 
to God in humble, affectionate, beUeving prayer, spread 



Samuel is lent to the Lord. 



1 SAMUEL II. 



Hannah's song of praise. 



A. M. 2S33. 25 And they slew a bullock, and brought 

iih. the child to Eli. 

26 And she said, my lord, as thy soul liveth, 
my lord, I am the womau that stood by thee here, 
praying unto the Lord. 

'27 For this cliild I prayed;" and the Lord hath 
givui me my petition which I asked of him:'' 

2S Tiierefore also I have lent him to the Lord ;* 
as long as he livetli he shall be lent* to the Lord. 
And he worshipped the Lord there. 



CHAPTER II. 

1 Hannah's song in thankfulness. 12 The sin of Eli's sons. 18 Sam- 
uel's ministry. '20 By Eli's blessing Hannah is more fruitful. 22 
Eli reproveth his sons. 27 A prophecy against Eli's house. 

AND Hannah prayed, and said. My heart re- 
joicetii in the Lord,'' my horn is exalted in 
the Lord;'' my mouth is enlarged over mine ene- 
mies ; because I rejoice in thy salvation." 

2 There is none holy .13 the Lord : ' for there is 
none besides thee : neither is there any rock like 
our God.° 

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly ; let not 
arrogancy* come out of your mouth :'' for the Lord 
is a God of knowledge,' and by him actions are 
weighed. 

4 Tlic bows of the mighty men are broken,^ and 
they tliat stumbled are girded with strength. 

5 Tkey that ivere full have hired out themselves 
for bread ; and they that were hungry ceased : so 
that the barren hath borne seven;'' and she that 
hath many children is waxed feeble. 

6 Tlio Lord killeth, and maketh alive:' hebring- 
eth down to the grave, and bringeth up. 

7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich :™ he 
bringeth low, and lifteth up." 

8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and 



>Phif4;G. b Psa. H5:l^. 19. • Or. return^,! 1,1m. 


chom I liave obtained 


hy piAilion. to the Lord, t Or, he whom [have obtn 


ned by petition, shall 


be return.d. c Luke 1:46. etc. d Psi. lIO:s, 8. e 


Psa. 13:5. f Exod. 


1.5:11. r Deut. 3J:31. I Heb. hard, i Psa. 94:4. 


i Jer. 17:10. j Psa. 


37:13:17. k Psa. 113:9. 1 Deut. 3->:39. mJobl:3l. 


■> Psa. 75:7. o Psa. 



out before him our wants, and beseech him for Christ's 
sake to bestow the blessings we need. 

17. Fidelity in giving reproof, meekness in receiving it, 
and readiness to correct mistakes, and also to receive cor- 
rection, are traits of character in the worshippers of Jeho- 
vah which prepare them for the mutual reception of his 
blessings. 

is. Prayer often brings sweet peace to the soul, before 
the particular blessings prayed for are received. 

2U. Blessings obtained of God in answer to prayer should 
be promptly and gratefully acknowledged, and measures 
be taken to keep his goodness in perpetual remembrance. 
Psa. 116:1, 2. 

2;i. A wise woman will, if consistent, nurse and train 
her own children. Even if it keep her for a time from 
public worship, and occasion many privations and cares, 
yet, in the health, character, and conduct of her well- 
trained children, she may expect, with the blessing of 
God, whose wise and good arrangement she has in this 
respect followed, a gracious and abundant reward. 

28. Xo blessings are more dear, and none give greater 
comfort, than those which are gratefully received from, 
and heartily devoted to the Lord. 

CHAPTER IL 

1. Mij horn is exalted; the horn was an emblem of pow- 
er: the Lord would cause her to triumph over all her foes. 



lifteth up tlie beggar from the dunghill, to set 
them among princes," and to make tlieni inherit 
the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth 
are the Lord's, and lie hath set the world upou 
them.P 

9 He will keep the feet of his saints,' and the 
wicked shall be silent in darkness ; for by strength 
shall no man prevail."' 

10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken 
to pieces ; '^ out of heaven shall he thunder upon 
them :' the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth ;" 
and he shall give strength unto his king, and ex- 
alt the horn of his anointed.'' 

11 And Elkauali went to Ramah to his house. 
And the child did minister unto the Lord before 
Eli the priest. 

12 TT Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; 
they knew not the Lord.™ 

13 And the priest's custom with the people was, 
t/iat, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's 
servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with 
a fle.sli-hook of three teeth in his hand ; 

1-1 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or 
caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought 
up the priest took for himself. So they did in 
Shiloli unto all the Israelites that came thither. 

15 Also before they burnt the fat,^ the priest's 
servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, 
Give flesh to roast for the priest ; for he will not 
have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 

16 And if any man said unto him. Let them not 
fail to burn the fat presently,^ and then take as 
much as thy soul desireth ; then he would answer 
him, JYay ; but thou shalt give it me now : and if 
not, I will take it by force. 

17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very 
great before the Lord:^' for men abliorred the 
offering of the Lord.^ 



113:7 


Si 


Pan 


4:17 


. P 


Psa. 


101. 


:25. 


t Psa 


121:3. 


r Eccl. 9:11. 




15:0; 


l'< 


a. '2: 


'I. t 


Psa 


If- 


l:l. 


14. 


Psa. 


fl(>:13. 


» Psa. 89:24. 


»■ Jer. 


52:10 


H 


om. 


-.•M, 


»•<. 


« 1 


^v. 


:i ■.■(-,! 


Ill 


5 Heb. 


IS on the day. 


y Gen. 


13:13 




Mai 


•2:6. 



















2. None besides thee ,• no other living and true God. Rock^ 
support, refuge, source of good. 

3. Actions are weighed; God perfectly understands their 
nature,*character, and deserts. 

4. The mighty; who ti'ust in their own strength. Tlieif 
tliat stumbled; the feeble who ti'ust in God. 

5. Ceased; ceased to be hungry, from the abundanca 
that God gave them. Borne seven; had many children. 

8. The pillars of the earth are the Lord's; he made and sus- 
tains it, and he overrules and disposes of all its concerns. 

9. Keep the feet of his saints; preserve them. By strength; 
of any created arm. 

10. His king — his anointed; this is the first time the word 
Messiah, or the Anointed, is mentioned in the Bible. It 
is applied to David and to Christ. 

11. iJaniaA,- the same as Ramathaim-zophim. Chap. 1:1. 
Minister unto the Lord ; perform such services about the 
sanctuary as were suited to his age. 

12. Sons of Eli; Hophni and Phinehas. Ter. 34. Sons 
of Belial; exceedingly wicked. Knew not the Lord; not in 
such a manner as to love and serve him. 

13. Seething; boiling. 

14. TIte priest took; this was robbing the offerer. 

15. Sodden; boiled. 

16. I will take it; this was-an additional robbery. 

17. Men abliorred tlie offering of the Lord ; on account of 
the wickedness of the priests. 

329 



A prapkeey apainst Eli's 



1 SAMUEL II. 



house, for the puilt of his sons. 



\S 1 But Samui'l niiiiistercd before the Lord, 
biinsr a child, pinled with a linen cphod." 

IK Moreover his niotiier made him a little coat, 
and brouiiht (7 to him from year to year, when she 
came iip with her husband to oiler the yearly 
sacriliee." 

20 • And Kli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and 
said. The Loud give thee seed of this woman for 
the loan which is lent* to the Lord. And they 
Went unto their own home. 

21 And the Lord visited Hannah,'' so that she 
conceived, and l)arc three sons and two daughters. 
And tlic child .'^aiuuel grew before the Loud. 

22 IT Now Eli was very old, and heard all that 
his sous did unto all Israel ; and how they lay 
with the women that assembled* at the door of 
the taberuacic of the congregation. 

23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such 
things? for I hear of your evil dealings' by all 

"this people. 

24 Nay, my sons ; for it is no good report that I 
hear : yc make tlie Lord's people to transgress.^ 

23 If one man sin against another, the judge shall 
judge hiiu; but if a man sin against the Lord,'' 
who shall entreat for him?'' Notwithstanding, they 
hearkened not unto the voice of their father, be- 
cause the Lord would slay them.' 

26 And the cliild Sanmol grew on, and was in 
favor botli with the Lord, and also with men.'^ 

27 1[ And there came a man of God unto Eli, 
and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I 
plainly appear unto the house of thy father," when 
they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house? 

28 And did I choose him out of all the tribes of 
Israel to he ray priest to offer u])on mine altar, to 
burn incense, to wear an ephod before me?' and 
did I give unto the house of thy father all the 



» Exod. 23:1. b ch. 1:3. • Or, ptlition wJiirk she asked, c Gen. 21:1. 
1 Keh, assembled by iroops; Exod. 3S:H, I Or. evil loords of you. 4 Or, cry 
0111. d Num. 15::iU; Psa. 51:4, 16. e l Tim. 2:5; Hob. 7;2.i. t Josh. 11:20. 
sProv. 3:4; Luke 2:52. h Exod. 4: 14, 27. i Exod. 2S:1, 4. JLev.7:7.8, 
34; Num. 5:9, 10; 18:S-19. 110001.32:15. 1 Exod, 29:9. m Jer. 18:9, 10. 



18. A linen ephod; a garment like that which was worn 
by the priests. 

20. The loan ; chap. 1 : 28. 

24. Ye make the Lord's ■people to transgress; by tempting 
them to sin. 

25. The judge shall judge him; if it were an offence of a 
man against his fellow-man, he might be punished accord- 
ing to the law ; or by offering the appointed sacrifice, he 
might through faith in Christ be forgiven. But this was 
a sin not only against men, but against God ; it profaned 
the sacrifice which typified the sacrifice of Christ, and 
there remained no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain 
fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation. 
Such was probably the meaning of Eli, but he did not 
convey it with clearness and power to the minds of his 
profligate sons. Nor did he, as he should have done, act 
it out, by not only reproving them, but expelling them 
from their office and visiting them with condign punish- 
ment, as a warning to all of the guilt and danger of such 
wickedness. He was a judge as well as a father, and 
should have been a terror to those evil-doers. But he 
regarded his sons in this matter more than he did the 
honor of God. Because; on account of their sins. 

26. In favor — with the Lord; God may have given him 
renewing grace in his infant years, in answer to the pray- 
ers of his niother. 

27. Appear unto the house of thy father; Eli descended 
from Aaron. Exod. 4 : 14, 27 ; 28 : 1-4 ; Le v. 7 : 7-35. 

330 



offerings made by fire of the children of a h ac9. 
Israel !' ims. 

2'.) Wherefore kick yc at my sacrifice and at 
mine offering,'' which 1 have commanded in my 
habitation; and lionorost thy sons above me, to 
make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the 
offerings of Israel my people? 

HO Wherefore the Loeid God of Israel saith, I 
said indeed t/iat thy house, and the house of thy 
father, should walk before me for ever:' but now 
the Lord saith. Be it far from me;'" for them that 
honor me 1 will honor," and they that despise me 
shall be lightly esteemed." 

31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off 
thine arm, and the arm of thy father's hous<\ that 
there shall not be an old man in thy house.'' 

32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habita- 
tion, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel :' 
and there shall not be an old man in thy house 
for ever. 

33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut 
off" from mine altar, s/ialt be to consume thine eyes, 
and to grieve thy heart: and all tlie increase of 
thy house shall die in the flower of their age.'' 

34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall 
come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas ; 
in one day they shall die both of them.'' 

35 And I will raise me up a foithful priest, that 
shall do according to that whicli is in my heart 
and in my mind:' and I will build him a sure 
house; and he shall walk before mine anointed 
for ever. 

36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that 
is left in thy house shall come and crouch to him 
for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and 
shall say. Put* me, I pray thee, into one of the 
priests' offices,* that I may eat a piece of bread. 



n Psi. 91:11; Prov. 3:9, 10. o Mai. 2:S, 9. P 1 Kings 2:27, 35. t Or, the 
affliction of the tabernacle, for alt the wealth which God would have given 
Israel. 1 Ileb. m,-n. 1 ch. 4:11. r Ezek. 44:15, 16. * Heb. Join, t Or, 
somewhat about the priesthood. 



29. Kick; dishonor, by profaning them or suffering them 
to be profaned. 

30. Walk before me; Exod. 28:43; 29:9; Num. 25:10-13. 
For ever ; to the end of the Jewish dispensation. Lightly 
esteemed; rejected and punished. 

31. Cat off thine arm; cause his power and authority to 
cease. 

32. An enemy in my habitation; or, according to the mar- 
ginal reading, the atniction of the tabernacle, on account 
of the ark being taken by the Philistines, and other calam- 
ities. 

34. A sign; an evidence that all which he had foretold 
would be accomplished. Chap. 4:11. 

35. A faithful priest; Zadok, a descendant not of Eli, but 
of Eleazar. 1 Kings 2:27, 35; 1 Chron. 29:22. Build him 
a sure house; continue his posterity in the priesthood. 
3Iine anointed; the kings of David's line who would bo 
anointed by him to their office, and from whom Christ 
would come. For ever; as long as the kings of Israel 
should continue. 

36. Li thy house; of Eli's descendants. Shall say; on 
account of their great poverty and degradation. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Whenever we receive new mercies, let who wiU be 
the instrument, we should feel that they come from God, 
and give him the praise. 

3. A conviction of the constant, all-pervading presence of 



God calkth Samuel, and 



1 SAMUEL III. 



forctdleth Eli's woes. 



CHAPTER III. 



1 How the word of the Lord was first revealed to Samuel. 11 God 
telleth Samuel the destruction of Klfs house. 1.5 S.amuel, though 
loath, tellelh Eli the vision. 19 Samuel growcth in credit. 

AND the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord 
before Eli. And the word of the Lord was 
precious in those days;" there was no open vision. 

2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli 
ioas laid down in his place, and his eyes began to 
wax dim, that he could not see ; 

3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the tem- 
ple of the Lord,'' where the ark of God was, and 
Samuel was laid down to sleep; 

4 That the Lord called Samuel : and he answer- 
ed, Here am I. 

5 And he ran unto Eli, and said. Here am I; 
for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; 
lie down again. And he went and lay down. 

6 And the Lord called yet again, Samuel : and 
Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said. Here am 
I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I 
called not, my son : lie down again. 

7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither 
was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him.* 

8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third 
time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said. 
Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli per- 
ceived that the Lord had called the child. 

9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: 
and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt 
say. Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So 
Samuel went and lay down in his place. 

10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called 
as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.'^ Then Samuel 
answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. 



» Psa. 74:9. b Exod. 27:20:21. * Or. Thus did Samuel before he knew 
the Lord, and before the word of the Lokd was revealed unto him. c ver. 
4,5.6,«. d 2Kings21:12; Jer. 19:.'). e ch. 2:20, etc. t Heh. beginning 
andemling. t Or, An'J I will tell. fEzek. 7:3. i Or. accursed, ech. 2:12, 



God tends to keep us from sin, excite us to duty, and make 
us humble, grateful, and better fitted for every good work. 

6. Changes in the condition of individuals, families, and 
nations, though brought about by human instrumentality, 
are ordered by the Lord, and his agency in them should 
always be acknowledged. 

9. However great the opposition of the wicked, theright- 
eous shall finally overcome, and the temporary successes 
of the wicked will end in their final and everlasting defeat. 

11. God is greatly pleased when little children devote 
themselves to his service ; and the smallest child who 
loves him has more true spiritual knowledge than the 
greatest and most learned man who neglects his service. 

12. Men may be (Jailed priests, or ministers of religion, 
may conduct the forms of public worship, and have the 
best opportunities of knowing God, and yet hate him and 
be guilty of the most enormous wickedness. 

17. A covetous, self-indulgent, and licentious ministry 
is one of the greatest curses to the souls of men. It leads 
multitudes to despise the ordinances of religion and sink 
into the darkness and pollution of infidelity. 

20. A freewill-offering to the Lord, even of that which 
is his, he receives with dehght, and bestows upon the 
ofterer an abundant reward. 

22. When those who have the right and the power to put 
licentious men out of the ministry, neglect to do it, they 
become partakers in their sins, and will share their woes. 

26. Parents who receive their children as the gift of 
God, and train them up in the way they should go, may 
hope that, through the renewing and sanctifying influences 
of the Holy Spirit, they will early devote themselves to 



11 1 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I 
will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears 
of every one that heareth it shall tingle." 

12 In that day I will perform against Eli all 
things which I have spoken concerning his house :° 
when I begin, I will also make an end.* 

13 For I have told* him that I will judge his 
liouse for ever for the iniquity which he knowcth ;'' 
because his sons made themselves vile,^*-' and he 
restrained them not." 

14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house 
of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be 
purged with sacrifice nor oflering for ever.** 

15 *i And Samuel lay until the morning, and 
opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And 
Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 

16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, 
my son : and he answered. Here am I. 

17 And he said, What is the thing that the 
LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it 
not from me:' God do so to thee, and more also,' 
if thou hide a7iy thing* from me of all the things 
that he said unto thee. 

18 And Samuel told him every whit,* and hid 
nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord -J 
let him do what seemcth him good. 

19 1 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with 
him, and did let none of his words fall to the 
ground.'' 

20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba 
knew that Samuel was established* to be a prophet 
of the Lord. 

21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh : for 
the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by 
the word of the Lord. 



43, etc. I Ueb. frowned not upon them, h Num. 15:.30; Psa. 51:16; Isa. 
22:14; Heb 10:4-10. iRuthl:17. H Heb. so add. • Or, word, t Heb. o/J 
the things, or words, i Job 121; Psa. 39:9; Isa. 39:6. k oh. 9.6. I Or, 
faithful. 



the service of Christ, and continue in it to the end of life. 
Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4. 

27. Great favors shown to any one lay him under great ob- 
ligations to be faithful in the discharge of his appropriate 
duties, and will aggravate his guilt if he neglect them. 

29. It is a great sin for parents to regard their children 
more than they do God, and the continued indulgence of 
this sin will bring upon them fearful punishment. 

31. The sins of parents may deeply affect not only their 
children, but their distant posterity, even to the end of 
time and onward to eternity. 

34. When God makes declarations with regard to the 
future, he furnishes such evidence of the certainty of their 
accomplishment as ought to produce universal conviction. 

35. The providence of God is a commentary on his 
word, and the more we see of the operations of the one, 
the more we shall see of the truth ofthe other. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Precious; rare, uncommon. No open vision; literally, 
" vision was not spread abroad," that is, revelations from 
God were not common. 

7. Did not yet know the Lord; did not know him in the 
way of receiving revelations from him. 

14. Not be purged; not so done away as to prevent the 
threatened punishment. 

17. Do so to thee; punish thee. 

19. Let none ofht.'i words fall; let none of his predictions 
fail of their accomphshment. 

20. From Dan even to Beer-sheba; from one end of the 
land to the other. 

831 



Tht Philistines ortraimt. 



1 SAMUEL IV. 



Israel at Ehen-tztr. 



CH APT Ell IV. 



I The IinwlitM »ro ovftcomc by llic PhiliBtincj at Eben-mer. 3 Tlicy 
fetch the lirk lo the Urror of the I'hili»lliie». 10 They liro «mitt<ii 
aj^in, the uric t.iken. niul Kophni and Phinehus arc slain. 12 Eli lit the 
newi, fallinc backward, breakelh hii neck. 19 I'binehu' wife, du- 

cuura^'ed in h'r imv.iiI with Ichahod, dieth. 

\XD (lie word of Piunucl came' to all I.-^rael. 
Now Israel went out ajiaiiist the I'liili.-^tiney 
to battle, and pitched 1 csidc Ebeu-czer: and th(5 
Philistines pitciied in Ajiliek. 

"2 And the riiilistincs put themselves in array 
aifainst Israel: and when they joined battle,* Is- 
rael was smitten before the Philistines: and they 
slew of the army' in the field about four thousand 
men. 

3 IT And when the people wore come into the 
camp, the ciders of Israel said, Whereroio hath 
the LoKU smitten us to-day before :he Philistines? 
Let us fetch* the ark of the covenant of the Loud 
out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among 
us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 

4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might 
bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the 
Lord of hosts, which dwelleth bttu-an the cheru- 
bim:'' and the two sons of Eli, Ilophni and Phiu- 
ehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of 
God. 

5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Loud 
came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a 
great shout, so that the earth rang again. 

6 And when the Pliilistiues heard the noise of 
the shout, they said, What imaneth the noise of 
this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? 



• Or. ram^ lopats; Heb. wax. t Heb. Ill', batlle wax spread. 1 Heb. l/ic 
array, i Heb. take unto us. a Exod. 25:18. 'li; '2 Sam. f>:'i\ Psa. aU:l. 
Xiieh. yeuerilay,ct the third day. b 1 Cor. Ili: 13. «Judg.l3:I. H Heb. 6e 



INSTRUCTION'S. 

1. Those who are blessed with a fulness of divine in- 
struction and with all the means of grace, but very faintly 
realize tlie sad condition of such as are without them, 
wandering in darkness and the shadow of death. 

2. Eyesight is a great blessing, which should bo care- 
fully preserved and wisely employed ; that in case of its 
loss, the mind, in rich stores of knowledge, may have 
materials for useful and happy contemplation. 

5. Cheerful readiness in clnldren to comply with the 
wishes of parents and teachers, is an indication of great 
excellence of character, and of eminent usefulness in future 
life. 

7. God by his Spirit, in his word and his providence, 
sometimes repeatedly speaks to men before thej' are aware 
of it. especially if they are young and have not been ac- 
customed to distinguish his voice from that of others. 

10. When men, and even children, manifest a readiness 
to be instructed by God, he will communicate to them a 
knowledge of his will ; and though it may be trying, yet 
in doing it they will be accepted of him and receive a 
great reward. 

Vi. Parents, to please God and escape his indignation, 
must not only pray with and for their children, and coun- 
sel and advise them, but must also govern them; and if 
they are disposed to be openly vicious, must inflict such 
punishment as will eftoctiially" restrain them. Nor must 
fear or favor hinder them from exercising the authority 
and power which God has given them for this purpose. 

17. Parents should encourage their children freely and 
fully to communicate with them on all things in which 
they are interested, especially on the subject of religion 
and whatever pertains to the jierformance of duty. 

18. When the will of God is made known, true piety in 
vigorous exercise will lead the soul to acquiesce in it, 

332 



And they understood that the ark of the a. « swa 

L^ . , , II. <•. .tool 

oitii was come mlo the camp. lui. 

7 And the Philistines were afraid ; for lliey said, 
God is come into the canii). And they said. Woe 
unto usl for there hath not been such a thing 
heretofore.' 

8 Woe unto us! who .shall deliver us out of the 
hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods 
that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in 
the wilderness. 

!) Be strong, and quit yourselves like men,'' 
ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the 
Hebrews, as they have been to you:'' quit your- 
selves like mcn,^ and fight. 

10 '', And the Philistines fought, and Israel was 
smitten,'' and they Hod every man into his tent : and 
there was a very great slaughter; for there fell 
of Israel thirty thousand footmen. 

11 And the ark of God was taken ;" and the two 
sons of Eli, Ilophni and Phinehas, were slain.' 

12 T And there ran a man of Benjamin out of 
the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with 
liis clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.'' 

13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by 
the way-side watching: for his heart trembled for 
the ark of God.^ And when the man came into 
the city, and told it, all the city cried out. 

14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, 
he said. What intandh the noise of this tumult? 
And the man came in hastily, and fold Eli. 

lo Now Eli was ninety and eight years old ; and 
his eyes were dim,* that he could not sec. 



feeling that what God says must be true, and what ho 
does must be right and good. 

19. When men follow the directions of God so far as 
they know thern, he will communicate to them an increas- 
ing knowledge of his will, and by experience they will 
acquire the habit of readily understanding and promptly 
obeying it. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1. The word of Samiwl ; that which God revealed to him. 
Eben-ezer — Aphck ; Mizpeh, where Samuel judged Israel, 
is supposed to have been the modern Neby Samwil, 
(Prophet Samuel,) a few miles north-north-west from Je- 
rusalem. Eben-ezer, here named by way of anticipation, 
was in its vicinity. Chap. 7: 12. There were several places 
that bore the name of Aphek. That named here can hard- 
ly have been the Aphek near Jezreel, where the Philistines 
encamped before the overthrow of Saul, chap. 29 : 1, as that 
is far distant from Eben-ezer. It seems rather to have 
been situated in the tribe of Judah, jierhaps south-west 
of Eben-ezer on the road to Ashdod. Chap. 5:1. 

'i. Let lis fetch the ark; the emblem of the divine pres- 
ence. They hoped to receive from the emblem what 
could only come from God ; as many now hope, from the 
image or figure of the cross, to receive what can come 
only from Him who bled upon it. 

■f. Between the cherubim ; the Shekinah, or visible glory 
of God, was manifested over the mercy-scat between the 
cherubim, and that was regarded as his special dwelling- 
place. 

8. Gods; God. Though this word in the original is in 
the plural number, yet when applied to Jehovah, it should 
be, as it usually is, translated in the singular. 

9. Quit yourselves; do your duty. 

12. His clothes rent; in token of great mourning. 



The death of Eli. 



1 SAMUEL V. 



Dagnn falls before the ark. 



A.M .2WX 16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he 
°ii4i'''°"' that came out of tlie army, and I fled to- 
day out of the army. And he said. What is there 
done," my son? 

17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel 
is fled before the Philistines, and there liath been 
also a great slaughter among the people, and thy 
two sons also, Hophni and Phinelias, arc dead, and 
the ark of God is taken." 

18 And it came to pass, when he made mention 
of the ark of God, that he fell from ofl" the seat 
backward by tlic side of the gate, and his neck 
brake, and ho died : for ho was an old man, and 
heavy. And lie had judged Israel forty years.* 

19 T And liis daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, 
was with child, near to be delivered:* and when 
she heard the tidings tliat the ark of God was 
taken, and that her fatlior-in-law and lier husband 
were dead, she bowed herself and travailed ; for 
her pains came* upon lier. 

20 And about the time of her death the women 
that stood by licr said unto her. Fear not;" for 
thou hast borne a son. But she answered not, 
neither did she regard it.' 

21 And she named the child Ichabod,' saying. 
The glory is departed from Israel : because the 
ark of God was taken, and because of her father- 
in-law and her husband. 

22 And she said. The glory is departed from 
Israel :■= for the ark of God is taken. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The Philistines having brought the ark into Ashdod, set it in the 
house of Dagon. 3 D^on is smitten down and cut in pieces, and 
they of Ashdod smitten with emerods. 8 So God dealeth with them 
of (jath, when it was brought thither: 10 and so with tliem of Ekron, 
when it was brought thither. 

AND the Philistines took the ark of God, and 
brouglit it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.** 
2 When the Philistines took tlie ark of God, 
they brought it into the house of Dagon," and set 
it by Dagon. 



• Heb. Ilie t/iing. ' cb. •2:'i'2. t He seems to have been a judge to do jus- 
tice only, and that in South-west Israel. 1 Or, rri/ out. S Heb. roer^ turned. 
b Gen. SJ; 17. I Heb. set not her heart. 1 That, is, Where is the s:lory1 or, 
There \s no glory, c Psa. 78:G1; 100:20; Jer. 2:11; Hos. 9:12. J ch. 7:12. 



18. He fell; Eli. 

21. Ichabod; uo glory. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The declarations of (iod in liis word are often shown 
to be true by his providence, ami those who had disbe- 
lieved them are tluis made to see their truth. 

3. !Men often expect from the mere forms of religion 
what can come only from its power: from senseless wood 
or stone they expect what can come only from the one 
living and true God. 

5. Ignorant and false zeal in immoral and wicked teach- 
ers is apt to be noisy and vain-glorious, to be fond of 
show, and to abound in appeals to the senses and pas- 
sions of men. 

7. All men who are in any measure enlightened have a 
conviction of a power wdiich is above them, and which, 
on account of their sins, they have reason to fear. 

10. Under wicked religious teachers the people also 
become exceedingly wicked, and thus ripen for divine 
judgments; and when ripe, others who are wicked are 
often suffered to bring those judgments upon them. 

13. The place where God dwells is precious to good 
men, and they fear the loss of his presence more than that 
of any worldly good. 



3 1 And when they of Ashdod arose early on 
the morrow, behold, Dagon zoas fallen upon his face 
to the eartli before the ark of the Lord. And 
they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.' 

4 And wlien they arose early on the morrow 
morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face 
to the ground before the ark of the Lord ; and 
the liead of Dagon and both tlie palms of his hands 
were cut off upon the tlireshold ;" only the stump 
o/' Dagon" was left to him. 

5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor 
any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the 
thresliold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. 

6 But tlie liand of the Lord was heavy upon 
them of Aslidod,'' and he destroyed them, and 
smote them with emerods,' even Ashdod and the 
coasts tiioreof. 

7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it icas 
so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall 
not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, 
and upon Dagon our god. 

8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords 
of the Piiilistines unto them, and said. What shall 
we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And 
they answered. Let the ark of the God of Israel 
be carried about unto Gath. And they carried 
the ark of tlie God of Israel about thither. 

9 And it was so, tliat, after they had carried it 
about, the hand of the Lord was against the city 
with a very gi-eat destruction :■' and he smote the 
men of the city, both small and great, and they 
had emerods in their secret parts. 

10 11 Tlierefore they sent the ark of God to 
Ekron.'' And it came to pass, as the ark of God 
came to Ekron, that tlie Ekronites cried out, say- 
ing, Tliey have brought about the ark of the God 
of Israel to us, to slay us and our* people. 

11 So they sent and gathered together all the 
lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the 
ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his 
own place, that it slay us not, and our* people: 



e Judg. 10:21; 1 Chr. 10:10. ' Isi 
6:4, B; Mio. 1:7. • Or. fishy part. I 
13:11. i Deut. 28:27; Psa. 78:00. J 
1:2. t Heb. me, to slay me. and my. 



19:1; 40:1, 2, 7. e Jer. 50:2; Ezek. 
ver.7,11; Exod.9:3: Psa. 32:4; Acts 
:h. 7:13; 12:15; DeutI 2:15. k 2 Kings 
I Heb. me not, and my. 



18. The dishonor of God, and his frown upon the peo- 
ple, are more distressing to good men than the death even 
of their nearest earthly friends. 

21. The chief glory of a nation is the presence and favor 
of God, for the loss of which no earthly good can be an 
adequate compensation. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Ashdod; one of the cities of the Philistines. 

2. Dagon ; from dag, signifying a fish. It was the namo 
of an idol, the upper jiart of which was in the form of a 
man, and tlie lower part in that of a fish. 

4. Only the .slump ; in the original, the dagon, that is, the 
fishy part of the idol. 

5. Tread on the threshold; from superstitious reverence 
towards it, as being the place where Dagon's body has lain. 

8. Lords; rulers. Gath; another city of the Philistines. 

9. Emerods; hemorrhoids, or a species of the piles. 

10. Ekron ; the northernmost city of the Philistines. 

11. Vcrij heavy; God smote them with sore judgments. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. As a punishment to his people, God often suffers the 
wicked for a time to triumph over them, and to take from 
them many precious blessings. 

333 



The rhUistines srnd hack 



1 SAMUEL VI. 



the ark to Bilh-sAemuh. 



for there was a tlcadly (1(\<I ruction tlirougliout all 
tlio city : the liaiui of (_!od was very iieavy tlioro." 
12 Anil the men tiiat died not were smitten with 
the eincrods : and the cry of the city went up to 
heaven.'' 



CHAPTER VI. 

1 After seven* months the Philistines take counsel how to send back the 
Brk. 10 They bring it on a new cart with an offering unto Bith-»hc- 
me-sh. 10 The people are smitten for looking into tlie ark. 'Jl They 
senii to them of Kirjath-jearim to fetch it. 

AND the ark of the Lord was in the country 
of the Philistines seven months. 

2 And the Philistines called for the priests and 
the diviners,'' sayin]i, What .shall we do to the ark 
of the Loud? tell us wherewith we shall send it 
to his place.'' 

3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the 
God of Israel, send it not empty ;"■ but in anj' wise 
return him a trespass-offering:'' then ye shall be 
healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand 
is not removed from you.''' 

4 Then said they, Wliat«Aa//6e the trespass-offer- 
ing wiiich we shall return to him? They answered, 
Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, accord- 
inp; to the number of the lords of the Philistines :'" 
for one jtlague icas on you* all, and on your lords.' 

.'J Wherefore ye shall make images of your em- 
erods, and images of your mice that mar the land ; 
and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel :' 
peradventurehewill lighten his hand from off you, 
and from off your gods, and from off your land.'' 

6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the 
Egy]itians and Piiaraoh hardened their hearts ?' 
when he had wrought wonderfully* among them, did 
they not let the people* go, and they departed?"' 

7 Now therefore make a new cart," and take two 
milch kine, on wiiich there hath come no yoke, and 
tie the kine to the cart, and bring their calves 
home from them : 

8 And take the ark of the Lord, and lay it upon 
the cart ; and put the jewels of gold," which ye 
return him ybr a trespass-offering, in a coffer by 
the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go. 

9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own 



coast to Bclh-shemesh,'' thai he"' hath done a. m jwh. 
us this greatevil :'i but if not, then we shall ii*o' 
know that it is not his hand t/iat smoto us;'' it 
was a cliancc t/iat happened to us. 

10 T And the men liid so; and took two milch 
kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their 
calves at home: 

11 And they laid the ark of the Loud upon the 
cart, and the cidVer with the mice of gold and the 
images of their emerods. 

112 And the kine took the straight way to the 
way of Beth-shemcsh, a7id went along the highway, 
lowing as they went, and turned not aside to the 
right hand or to the left ; and the lords of the 
Philistines went after Ihcm unto the border of 
Beth-shemesh. 

K3 And they o/" Beth-shemcsh vxre reaping their 
wheat-harvest in the valley : and they lifted up 
their eyes, and saw the ark, ajid rejoiced to see it. 

11 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a 
Beth-shemite, and stood there, Mhere t/tere teas a 
great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, 
and offered the kine a burnt-offering unto the 
Lord.' 

15 And the Levites took down the ark of the 
Lord, and the coffer that was with it, wherein the 
jewels of gold uxrc, and put t/um on the great 
stone : and the men of Beth-shemesh offered burnt- 
offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day 
unto the Lord. 

IC) And when the five lords of the Philistines 
had seen ?V,' they returned to Ekron the same day." 

IT And these are the golden emerods which the 
Philistines returned for a trespass-offering unto 
the Lord ; for Ashdod one,'' for Gaza one,"' for 
Ashkclon one," for Gath one,-'' for Ekron one ; 

18 And the golden mice, according to the num- 
ber of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to 
the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of co.iutry 
villages, even unto the great .v/o?!eo/" Abel, 'where- 
on thej' set down the ark of the Lord: which stone 
rcmaincth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the 
Beth-shemite. 

19 1 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, be- 
cause they had looked into the ark of the Lord,'' 



a Ver. G 


9. b ch. 9:16; Jer. 14 


2. c Gen. 41:8; Exod. 7:11; Isa. 47:13; 


Dan. 2:2; 


5:7; Matt. 2:4. d Mi 


. 6:5-9. e Deut. 16:16. t Lev. 5:15, 16. 


e .lob 10:-. 


; 31:31.32. h ver. 17. 


1.3: Josh. l:S-3; Judg. 3:3. • Heb. them. 


i Rom. 2: 


11. J Jnsh. 7:19; .Mai. 


2:3. kch. 5:6, 11. 1 Exod. 7:14 ; 8:15; 


14:17, 2.1. 


t Or, reproarhfitHi/. 


1 Heb. tJiem. m Exod, 12:31. n 2 Sam. 



4. All the efforts of the wicked to perpetuate their tri- 
umphs, and ultimately to prevail over the people of God, 
will be unavailing. 

7. God will finally convince all that they cannot con- 
tinue to oppose him and prosper, and that those things 
which they have idolized, and from which they expected 
help, have proved their ruin. 

10. All expedients of men to save themselves from the 
wrath of God, without returning in penitence and faith 
to him, are vain. 

12. Diseases are God's servants ; they go and come at 
his bidding, and all things in heaven, earth, and hell, are 
subject to his control. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. Priests — diviners; their religious guides. 

5. Mice; these, it is supposed, destroyed their crops. 
7. No yoke — bring their calves home; they judged that if, 

in such circumstances, the kine proceeded straight ou the 
334 



6:3. over. 4,5. Pjosh. 15:10. 5 Or, i(, <IAmos3:B. r ver. 3; Isa. 28:11. 
« Judg. 8:26; 2 Sam. 24:22. 25. t ver. 4. "ch. 5:10. v 2 Chr. 28:8; Jer. 
25:211; Zeoh. 9:5, 6. " Judg. 10:1. 21; Amos 1:6.7. i 2 Sam. 1:2U. 
y2Sam. 21:22; Amos 6:2. I 0:, great slone. zExod. 19:21; Num.4:I5, 
20; 1 Chr. 13:9, 10. 



road to the Israelitish city Beth-shemesh, it would be 
a proof that they were immediately guided by Jehovah 
himself, and that his presence had been the cause of their 
calamities. 

8. Coffer ; a small chest or box for money and precious 
treasures. 

9. Beth-shemesh; a city of priests in the tribe of Judah 
and on the border of the Philistines. 

13. Tlieir wheat-harvest; in May. 

18. Botli of fenced cities, and of country villages; the mean- 
ing of these words seems to be, that while the five golden 
mice answered in number to the five chief cities of tlie 
Philistines, a contribution was levied for them upon all the 
towns, whether fenced cities or open villages. Unio the 
great stone of Abel ; which marked the boundary of Philistia, 
on the road taken by the kine. It is the same stone men- 
tioned in ver. 15. Abel means mourning, the stone receiving 
this name from the circumstance recorded in ver. l!t. 

19. Because they had looked into the ark; by divine appoint- 



A fast hdd at Mizpeh. 



1 SAMUEL VII. 



The Philistines discomfited. 



A. M. 2.K.U. even he smote of the people fifty thousand 
'^uw!'"" and threescore and ten men: and the peo- 
ple lamented, because the Lord had smitten many 
of the people with a great slaughter. 

20 And tlie men of Beth-shcmesh said, Who is 
able to stand before this holy Lord God?* and 
to whom shall he go up from us?'' 

211 And they sent messengers to the inhabitants 
of KirjatlKJearim,"= saying, The Philistines have 
brought again the ark of the Lord ; come ye down, 
and fetch it up to you. 



, CHAPTER VII. 

1 They of Kirjath-jearim bring the ark into the house of Ahinadab, and 
sanctify Eleazar his son to keep it. 2 After twenty years 3 the Isra- 
elites, by Samuel's means, solemnly repent at Mizpeh. 7 While Sam- 
uel prayeth and sacrificeth, the Lord discomfiteth the Philistines by 
thunder at Eben-ezer. 13 The Philistines are subdued. 15 Samuel 
peaceably and religiously judgeth Israel. 

AND the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and 
fetched up the ark of the Lord,'' and brought 
it into the house of Abinadab in the hill," and 
sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the 
Lord/ 

2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in 
Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long ; for it was 
twenty years : and all the house of Israel lament- 
ed after the Lord.^ 

3 IT And Samuel spake unto all the house of Is- 
rael, saying. If ye do return unto the Lord with 
all your hearts," then put away the strange gods 
and Ashtaroth from among you,' and prepare your 
hearts unto the Lord,^ and serve him only:'' and 
he will deliver you out of the hand of the Phi- 
listines.' 

4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baa- 
lim and Ashtaroth,'" and served the Lord only. 

5 Xnd Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, 
and I will pray for you unto the Lord. 

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and 
drew water, and poured it out before the Lord," 





1 •?, 


Sam. 


6:7,9: 


Psa 


76:7; Ma 


, .1'2 


b Luke 5:3; 


.8:. 17. c Josh. 


18:14: 


Ti. 


1" 


ISI- 


; 1 Ch 


i:i 


5,6. Ich 


(i:ai 


; Psa. Ki-.e. 


2.?am. 6:3, 4. 


1 Isl. 


.■>■• 


II 


k7, 


ech. 12 


in 


1. hDeut 


:«):■> 


10; 1 Kings 8:4.8; Joel 2: 13. 


1 Gen. 


33 


2; 


Josh 


•24:11, 


■Si. 


J 2Chr. 30:19; 


Job 11:13, 14 


John 4:21. t 


Deut. 



nient the ark was kept in the Holy of Holies, concealed 
from the eyes of all but the high-priest on the great day 
of atonement. In the journeyings of the Israelites in the 
wilderness, it was carefully covered from view. Num. 4 : 5, 6. 
None but the high-priest and his sons might see it, or any 
of the holy things the sanctuary contained. The act of the 
men of Beth-shcmesh therefore was one of profane curios- 
ity, contrary to the divine command, and to that reverence 
which God required for the holy things of the tabernacle. 
Fifty thousand and tlircescore and ten; literally, threescore 
and ten men, fifty a thousand ; supposed by some to mean 
fifty out of a thousand, or seventy out of fourteen hundred 
iiihiibifcmts. A great slaughter ; for such a place. 

21. Kirjath-jearim; north-east of Beth-shemesh, and on 
the border between Judah and Benjamin. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1 So long as men continue in wickedness, it is vain to 
expect permanent deliverance from trouble. 

4. Sinners who are ignorant of, or who reject the way 
of acceptance which God has provided through Jesus 
Christ, devise various methods of their own, and are often 
willing to make great sacrifices and be at much expense 
to appease his wrath and purchase his favor. 



and fasted on that day, and said there. We liave 
sinned against the Lord." And Samuel judged 
the cliildren of Israel in Mizpeh. 

7 And when the Philistines heard that the chil- 
dren of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, 
the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. 
And when the children of Israel heard it, they 
were afraid of the Philistines. 

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, 
Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us,*" 
that he will save us out of the hand of the Phi- 
listines. 

9 1 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and oifer- 
ed it for a buriit-ofi'cring wliolly unto the Lord: 
and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel ; and 
the Lord heard* him." 

10 And as Samuel was oifcring up the burnt- 
offering, the Pliilistines drew near to battle against 
Israel : but the Lord thundered with a great thun- 
der on that day upon tlie Pliilistines, and dis- 
comfited them;' and they were smitten before 
Israel. 

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, 
and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until 
they came under Beth-car. 

12 Then Samuel took a stone,^ and set it be- 
tween Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of 
it Eben-ezer,* saying. Hitherto hath the Lord help- 
ed us. 

13 IT So the Philistines were subdued, and they 
came no more into the coast of Israel: and the 
hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all 
the days of Samuel. 

14 And the cities which the Philistines had tak- 
en from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ek- 
ron even unto Gath ; and the coasts thereof did 
Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. 
And there was peace between Israel and the 
Amorites. 

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of 
his life. 



13:4. llsa. 55:7; 


Hos.6:l. niJudg.i:U. n Job 16:a0; Je 
Jer. 3:13, 14. • Heb. Be not silent from i 


9:1. 


Judg. 


10:10; Psa. 106:6 


,v tront 


crying. 


Pisa. 37:4. t Or. 


answered, q Psa. 99:6; Jas. 5:16. r Psa. 


lh:14. 


»Gen. 


28:18,19. tTliat 


IS, Tlie stone of help. 







9. Men had rather feel that their sufferings come by 
chance, than see in them the hand of God, and feel that they 
are manifestations of his displeasure against their sins. 

12. God has perfect control over the animal as well as 
the rational creation, can use the instincts of nature or 
counteract them as he pleases, and will eventually con- 
vince all that nothing comes \>y chance throughout his 
dominion. 

18. An unhaDowed desire to see what God has hidden, 
to pry into what he has not revealed, -and do what he 
forbids, is a sin, the indulgence of which has involved 
multitudes in ruin. 

CHAPTER YII. 

2. It was twenty years ; after the ark was brought to Kir- 
jath-jearim, before the Israelites humbled themselves and 
turned to the Lord as related in the following verses. 

4. Baalim and Ashtaroth ; images of Baal and Astarte. 

6. Poured it out before the Lord; by this symbolical act, 
in comiection with fasting and prayer, they seem to have 
denoted the entire prostration of their souls before God 
in humble penitence. 

12. Eben-ezer; meaning, the stone of help, or the help- 
stone. 

335 



7%< Israelites ask a laim. 



1 SAMUEL VIII. 



T^ir import unity 



ICi And lie wont from yoar to year in circuit' 
to Hpi1i-o1, and <!ilvai, and Mizpcli, and judjred 
Israel ill all those ]ilai'Cs. 

17 And his return iras to Raniali ;" for there vas 
bis house; and there he judged Israel; and there 
lie built an altar unto the Loud. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1 By occ&aion of (he ill government of SamucPs sons, the Israelites ask a 
kin'T. G Samuel praying in grief, is comforted by God: 10 he tell- 
etli'the manner of a king. 1!) iJod willeth Samuel to yield mito the 
importunity of the people. 

AND it came to pass, when Samuel was old, 
tliat he made his sons judges over Israel. 

2 Now the name of his first-born was Joel ;* and 
the name of his second, Abiah: tlicy twn' judges 
in Beer-slicba. 

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but 
turned aside after lucre,'' and took bribes,"^ and 
perverted judgment. 

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered them- 
selves together, and came to Samuel unto llamali, 

5 And said unto hiin. Behold, thou art old, and 
thy sous walk not in thy ways: now make us a 
king to judge us like all the nations.'' 

6 1i But the thing displeased* Samuel, when they 
said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel 
prayed unto the Loud. 

7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto 
the voice of the people in all that they say unto 
thee : for they have not rejected thee, but they have 
rejected me,*" that 1 should not reign over tiiem. 

8 According to all the works wiiich they liave 
done since the day that I brought them up out of 
Egyi)t oven unto this day, wherewith they have 
forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they 
also unto thee. 

9 Now therefore hearken unto^ their voice: liow- 
beit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show' them 
the manner of tlie king that shall reign over them.*^ 

10 H And Samuel told all the words of the 



Lord unto the people that asked of liim a m jors 
a king. iim. 

1 1 And he said, Tiiis will be the manner of the 
king tiiat shall reign over you : lie will take your 
sons, and appoint t/inn for himself, I'or his chariots, 
and to be his horsemen ; and .lomc shall run Infore 
his chariots. 

\'2 And he will aii]ioint him captains over thou- 
sands, and cajitains over liflies; and vill sd limn 
to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to 
make his instruments of war, and instruments of 
his chariots. 

1:5 And he will take your daughters to be con- 
feetionarics, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 

14 And he will take your fields, and your vine- 
yards, and your olive-yards,'-' even the best of them, 
and give them to his servants. 

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and 
of your vineyards, and give to his officers,^ and to 
his servants. 

16 And he will take your men-servants, and your 
maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and 
your asses, and put them to his work. 

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep : and ye 
shall be his servants. 

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of 
your king which ye shall have clioscn you; and 
the Lord will not hear you in that day.' 

19 IT Nevertheless tlio people refused to obey the 
voice of Samuel ;J and they said. Nay ; but we will 
have a king over us; 

20 That we also may be like all the nations ; " 
and that our king may judge us, and go out before 
us, and fight our battles. 

21 And Samuel lieard all the words of the peo- 
ple, and lie rehearsed them in the ears of the Lord. 

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken unto 
their voice, and make them a king.' And Samuel 
said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto 
his city. 



• Heb. ami hf r.ircuHed. ' ch. S:A. t Vashni: 1 Chr. 0:aS. b Exod. 
19:31; I Tim. :!::). «Prov.2<J:4. d Deut. 17: 1 1; Hos. 13: lU. 1 Heb. was 
evil in the. eyes of. e Exod. VhS; ]\Iatt. l(i:4(). S Or. obey. I Or, notwith- 
standing when thou hast solemnly protested aizainst them, then thou shalt 



IG. Betliel was nortli, and Mizpch (in the original Miz- 
pah) north-west from Jerusalem. 

17. Ramah; in Benjamin, generally supposed to be the 
same as Ramathaim-zophim. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The ordinances of God will benefit all who rightly 
observe them, but none who contimie to neglect them. 

3. By the right use of means which God has provided, 
men are bound to prepare their hearts for his service. 

5. Penitent confession of sin, and humble prayer for 
divine mercy, ara essential to forgiveness, and are a sure 
preparation for the reception of divine favors. 

8. All who have right views of God and of themselves, 
will place a high value on the prayers of his people, and will 
earnestly desire them. Esth. 4:16; Job 42 : 8, 9 ; Jas. 5:16. 

10. Humble, believing, earnest, persevering prayer has 
great influence with God, and is instrumental of unspeak- 
able good to men. 

13. Rulers who are men of prayer, and who transact 
their civil duties in the fear and love of God, are great 
blessings to the people. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

3. Lucre; gain. Bribes; gifts to induce one wrongly to 
favor those who offer tliem. 
336 



shou 




f,:h. 


10:25; 14 


S-i. S 


IKi 


niTsal 


li 


Kzek. 


46:1?. 


i Heb. e 


tnurhs. 


dm 


■■n 


:l(i. 


i Prov. 1 


a5-2S 


|S3. 


1:1.^ 


c. 3:4 


jjer 


44:10. 


ver. 5. 


1 ver 


7, 


Uos 


13:11. 



















6. Displeased Samuel; appeared to him to be wrong. 
Samuel prai/ed; to be rightly directed with regard to the 
matter in ([uestion. 

7. Hearken unto the voice of the people — they have not re- 
jected thee, hut — me; for the accomplishment of his own 
wise and holy purposes, God saw good to grant their 
request ; but it proceeded from a spirit of unbelief and 
worldly confidence. In looking to an earthly king, after 
the manner of their heathen neighbors, instead of Jeho- 
vah, for deliverance, they rejected him as their king, and 
.brought upon themselves many great evils, from whicli 
simple faith in God and obedience to his words would 
have saved them. 

9. Hearken; give them a king, if, after showing how he 
will treat them, they continue to insist upon it. Ver. 19-22. 
Tlie manner of the king; how he would treat them. Ver. It. 

11. Run before; as attendants and waiters. 2 Sam. 15:1. 

12. To ear; to plough. Gen. 45:7. 

13. Confectionaries ; persons who prepared perfumes ami 
spices. 

19. The voice of Samuel ; in dissuading them from having 
a king. Nay; we will not hearken to thee. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. When men appoint their own rulers, if they do not 
have such, and such only, as are wise and good, it is their 



Saul seeling his father's 



1 SAMUEL IX. 



asses, is led lo Samuel. 



CHAPTER IX. 



1 Saul despairing to find his father's asses, 6 by the counsel of his ser- 
vant, 11 and direction of young maidens. 15 according lo God"s reve- 
lation, 18 Cometh to Samuel. 19 Samuel enterta]neth Saul at the feast. 
'J5 Samuel, after secret communication, bringetii Saul on his way. 

"\TOW there was a man of Benjamin, whose name 
_LN icas Kish," the sou of Abiel, the son of Zeror, 
the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiali, a Bcnja- 
niitc,* a mighty man of power.* 

2 And he had a son, whoso name ims Saul, a 
choice young man, and a goodly : and there tvas 
not among the children of Israel a goodlier per- 
son than he: from his shoulders and upward he 
was higher than any of the people.'' 

'6 And the asses of Kisli Saul's father were 
lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now 
one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek 
the asses. 

4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and 
passed through the land of Shalisha,'' but they 
found them not: then they passed through the 
land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he 
passed through the land of the Benjamites, but 
they found them not. 

5 ./Ind when they were come to the land of Zuph, 
Saul said to his servant that was with him. Come, 
and let us return ; lest my father leave caring for 
tlie asses, and take thought for us. 

6 And he said unto him. Behold now, there is in 
this city a man of God," and he is an honorable 
man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass :" now 
let us go thither ; peradventure he can show us 
our wajf that we should go. 

7 Tiien said Saul to his servant. But behold, ifvre 
go, what shall we bring the man'?' for the bread 
is spent in* our vessels, and there is not a present 
to bring to the man of God: what have we?^ 

8 And the servant answered Saul again, and 
said, Behold, I have here at hand" the fourth part 



«Ch. 14:51. • Or. Ike son of a man of Jemini. f Or, substance. i> ch. 
10:23. c 2 Kings 4:42. d Deut. 33:1; 1 Kings 13:1. c ch. 3:19. 'Gen. 
43:11; Jodg. 0:18; 1 Kings 14:3; 2Kings8:8. t Heh. gone out of. JHeb. 
is wil/i us. I Heb. t/iere is found in viy hand, s 2 Sam. 24: U ; 2 Kings 
17:13; 2 Chr. 16:7, 10; Isa. 30:10; Amos 7:12. 1 Heb. T/iy Kord is good. 



own fault; but when the government is hereditary, and 
descends from parents to children, whether good or bad, 
wise or foolish, it is often unjust and cruel, for wise and 
good parents maj' be followed by foolish and wicked chil- 
dren. 

5. When men in trouble follow their own judgment 
merely, as to the way of getting out of it, they often take 
a course which tends only to increase it ; and if they wiU 
not be dissuaded from such a course, God in righteous 
judgment sometimes suffers them to pursue it, and thus 
dreadfully to punish themselves. Jer. 2 : 19. 

5. When in new and difficult circumstances men go to 
God for direction, choosing rather to be governed by his 
will than their own, he will guide them, and in the proper 
use of their own faculties will lead them to right decisions. 

9. God delights to communicate to men all needed infor- 
mation, so that if they will follow his directions, they may 
be saved from suffering, the fruits of their foil}-. 

18. When men with their eyes open go on in wicked- 
ness, regardhig their feelings more than the testimony of 
Jehovah, and thus bring themselves into trouble, God 
leaves them to endure it till they are convinced of their 
sin and turn to him, or sink into utter ruin. 

19. When men by word or deed say to God, Not thy 
will, but mine be done, let them prepare for trouble, if 
in that way they should succeed and be finally blessed, it 



of a shekel of silver : t/tat will I give to the man 
of God, to tell us our way. 

9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to 
inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us 
go to the seer : for he that is now called a Prophet 
was beforetime called a Seer.^) 

10 Then said Saul to his servant. Well said;"" 
come, let us go. So they went unto the city where 
the man of God v-as. 

11 IT JInd as they went up the hill to the city,* 
they found young maidens going out to draw wa- 
ter,"^ and said unto them. Is the seer here? 

12 And they answered them, and said. He is: 
behold, he is before you : make haste now, for he 
came to-day to the city ; for there is a sacrifice* of 
the people to-day ' in the high place.J 

13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall 
straightway find him, before he go up to the high 
place to eat : for the people will not cat until he 
come, because he doth bless the sacrifice ;'' and after- 
wards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get 
you up ; for about this time* ye shall find him. 

14 And they went up into the city: and when 
they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came 
out" against them, for to go up to tlic high place. 

15 t Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear^ 
a day before Saul came,' saying, 

16 To-morrow about this time I will send thee 
a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt 
anoint him to be captain over my people Israel,"' 
that he may save my people out of the hand of 
the Philistines: for I have looked upon my peo- 
ple, because their cry is come unto me." 

17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said 
unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee 
of 1 this same shall reign over' my people." 

18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, 
and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's 
house is. 



• Heb. in the ascent of the citi/. h Gen. 24:11. tOr./fa.!(. i ch. lti:2; Gen. 
31:51. J 1 Kings3:2. k Mark 6:41; Luke 24:30. 1 Heb. to-dai/. t Heb. 
revealed the ear of Samuel ; ch. 20:2. lAraos3:7; Acts27:a3. mch.lO:!. 
nElod. 2:2:1-25; Psa. 106:14. I Heh. restrain in. oAcls 13:21. 



would show that their will was wiser and better than his, 
as Satan tempts them to believe. Hence God, in vindica- 
tion of his own character, disappoints them. 

20. Men who are enclianted with the trappings of roj-- 
alty, and carried away by a thirst for military glory, are 
not safe guides for themselves nor their fellow-men. 

CHAPTER IX. 

2. A choice young man; these words relate chiefly to his 
personal appearance. 

4. Mmint Ephraim; see note to chap. 1:1. 

6. In this city; it has been commonly assumed that this 
was Ramah, the home of Samuel. But Saul, on his return 
home, passed by Rachel's sepulchre, which was south of 
Jerusalem near Beth-lehcm. This circumstance has led 
some to suppose that the city where Saul and his servant 
fomid Samuel was not Ramali, but some place near Beth- 
lehem, whither he had gone in the discharge of his public 
duties. 

7. A present; such as it was then, and in the East is 
now, customary to offer. 

8. A shekel; about fifty cents. 

12. Before you ; in the city to whicli thcj' were going. The 
high place; the eminence on which they offered sacrifices. 

13. Tliey eat; that portion of the offering which was 
allowed them in the Levitical law. 

S37 



Samuel feasteth Saul, 



1 SAMUEL X. 



and anoitUeth him. 



19 And f^ainnol answered Paul, and said, I mn tlic 
sccr: HI) up lirfori' mo unto the liiirli place; for vo 
shall eat wiili iiio to-day, and to-morrow 1 will let 
theopo, and will tell thee all tiiat is in thy heart." 

20 And as for thine asses tliat were lost three 
days ago,"'' set not thy mind on tiiem ; for they are 
found. And on whom is all tiie di'siie of Israel'.'" 
Is it not on thee, and ou all thy fatiier's house? 

21 And Saul answered and said. Am not I a 
Bcnjamite, of the smallest of tlie trihes of Israel ?'' 
and my family the least of ail tlio families of tiic 
trilie of Benjamin?" wherefore then spoakest thou 
so to me?* 

22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and 
brought them into the parlor, and made them sit 
in the chicfest place among them that were bid- 
den, whicli were about thirty persons. 

23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the 
portion wliieh I gave thee, of whicli I said unto 
thee, Set it by tliee. 

2-i And tiio cook took up the shoulder,*^ and that 
whicii tuas ujjon it, and set it before Saul. And 
Samxiel said, Bciiold that whicli is left!* set it be- 
fore thee, and eat: for unto tins time hath it been 
kept for thee since I said, I have invited the peo- 
ple. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. 

25 T And when tiiey were come down from the 
high place into the city," Samml communed with 
Saul upon tlic top of tiie house.'' 

26 And they arose early: and it came to pass 
about the spring of the day, that Samuel called 
Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I 
may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they 
went out botii of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 

27 And as they were going down to the end of 
the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass 
on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still 
a while,^ that I may show thee the word of God. 



» John 4:-29. • ne^,. to-day three days, b ver. 3. cch. 12:13. li Judg. 
aO:46-4i; P.-;a.6S:27. ejudg. 6:15. ^ K^h. according to this loord. 'Lev. 
7:32, 3:j; Ezek. 24:4. I Heb. reserved, e ver. 13. b Acts 10:9. 1 Heb. to- 
day, i ch. 9:16: 16:13: 2 Kings 9:.3, 6. j 2 Sam. 19:39: 1 Thcss. 5:26. 
k 2 Sim. 5:2. iPsa. 78:71. m Gen. 35:19, 20. n Josh. 19:28. I lleb. iKsi- 



24. Left ; rather, as in the margin, reserved, in anticipa- 
tion of Saul's coming. 

25. The top of the house ; a retired place, to wliich they 
often went for conversation, and where also they fi-e- 
quently slept. 

INSTRITTTOXS. 

2. A sound mind and a well-ronned, healthy, and vigor- 
ous body are rich gifts of God, which lay those who pos- 
sess them under pecuhar obligations of distinguished use- 
fulness in his service. 

3. All earthly possessions are liable to be lost ; and this 
should lead us to seek those treasures which will he se- 
cure, and which when obtained will be enjoyed for ever. 

5. As property is of little value compared with life, it 
is foolisli, as well as wicked, for the sake of obtaining the 
one to sacrifice the other. 

6. If men were as anxious to be saved from sin as they 
are to find lost property, they would seek all needful 
information, and when they learned the waj' would let 
nothing liinder them from walking in it. Prov. 2:4, 5. 

13. Those who eat, drink, and enjoy the good things of 
life without thanking God or imploring his blessing, act 
in this respect like atheists, and the language of their 
practice is, No God. Psa. 14: 1 ; 53: 1. 

15. The Lord makes known to those who do his will 
many things of which others are ignorant, and which no 
one without obeying him will ever know. 
338 



CHAPTER X. 



1 Snmucl anDintcth Ssul. 2 He cnnfirmctli him by prediction of three 
8i;;iu. 9 Saul's heart i« cimnged, tind he pronhemeth. 14 He con- 
critlcth the matter of the kmgdom from liis uncle. 17 Saul ia chosen 
at Mizpeh by lot 2G The dilferrDt all'ectioni of hii aubjecls. 

'"fllEN Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it 
1. ujioii liis head,' and kissed liiiii,^ and said, Is 
it not because the Loud hath anointed thee to be 
captain'' over his inheritance?' 

2 When tliou art departed from mc to-day, then 
tliou shall iind two men by Kachel's sepulchre'" in 
tiic border of Benjamin at Zel/.ah;" and tliey will 
say unto thee, The asses wliieh tiiou wentest to 
seek are found: and lo, thy father hath left the 
care- of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, 
What shall I do for my son? 

3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, 
and thou siialt come to the plain of Tabor, and 
there shall meet thee three men going up to God 
to Beth-el,° one carrying three kids, and another 
carrying three loaves of bread, and another car- 
rying a bottle of wine: 

4 And they will salute thec,^ and give thee two 
loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their 
hands. 

5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God,^ 
where is the garrison of the Philistines:'' and it 
sliall come to pass, when thou art come thither to 
the city, that thou shalt meet a company of jiroph- 
ets coming down from the high jilace'' with a psal- 
tery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before 
them;' and tiiey siiall prophesy:' 

6 And the Spirit of tlie Lord will come upon 
thee," and thou shalt prophesy with them, and 
shalt be turned into another man. 

7 And let it be," when these signs are come unto 
thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee;* for God 
is with thee. 



7tc!.5s. oGen.2«:19. 1 Hub. a.«i 1A« o/'peact; Judg. 18:15. Pyer.lO. qch. 
13:3. rch.9:12. 'Exod. 15:20. liCor.l4:l. " ch. 16:13; Num. 11 :2S, 
20. • Heb. it shall come to jiass that, t Heb. do for thet ai thy hand shall 
find; Judg. 9:33. 



20. While men in their actions seek one object, God 
often by them accomplishes another; and no one, when 
he performs any act, can tell what great results may be 
connected with it. 

22. Those who are selected by God as rulers should, 
for their office' sake, receive all due honors, and when 
the wiU of (jod with regard to them is known, all should 
acquiesce in it. 

27. Ministers should make known to rulers as well as 
others the will of God, and none are ever so exalted as not 
to be imder sacred obligations in all things to obey it. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. Poured it upon his head ; in token of his being set apart 
and furnished bv God to be king of Israel. 

2. Rachel's sepulchre; Gen. 35:19,20. See note, chap. 11:6. 

3. Tahor ; or oak of Tabor : not mount Tabor, but a jilace 
apparently in the tribe of Benjamin. Men going up lo God; 
to worship God. 

5. Tlie hill of God; an eminence on which he was wor- 
shipped, and on which was a school of the prophets. 
They sliall prophesy ; praise God, under divine inspiration, 
with the voice and instruments of music. 

6. Prophesy with them; compare Exod. 15:21; 1 Chron. 
25:3. Turned into another man ; so changed by the influ- 
ence of God's Spirit as to be fitted to become king. 

7. As occasion serve; as he should judge best; or as cir- 
cumstances might require. 



Siiiil propheskik 



1 SAMUEL XI. 



lie is clioscn l'in<'. 



A.M. 2909. 8 And tliou slialt co do'wn before me to 
iiw'.""" Gilgal;" and behold, I will come down 
unto thee, to offer burnt- oiferings, and to sacrifice 
sacrifices of peace-offerings : seven days shalt thou 
tarry," till I come to thee, and show thee what 
thou shalt do. 

9 H And it was so, that, when he had turned his 
back* to go from Samuel, God gave* him another 
heart : and all those signs came to pass that day. 

10 And when they came thither to the hill, be- 
hold, a company of prophets met him ; and the 
.Spirit of God came upon him,'^ and he prophesied 
among them. 

1 1 And it came to pass, when all that knew him 
bcforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among 
the prophets, then the people said one to another,* 
What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? 
Is Saul also among the prophets?'^ 

12 And one of the same place^ answered and 
said, But who is their father? Therefore it became 
a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets? 

13 And when he had made an end of prophesy- 
ing, he came to the high place. 

14 IT And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his 
servant. Whither went ye? And he said. To seek 
the asses: and when we saw that they were no- 
where, we came to Samuel. 

15 And Saul's uncle said. Tell me, I pray thee, 
what Samuel said unto you. 

16 And Saul said unto his uncle, ITe told ns 
jilainly that the asses were found. But of the 
matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he 
told him not. 

17 1 And Samuel called the people together 
unto the Lord to Mizpeh;° 

18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus 
saitli the Lord God of Israel, I brought up Israel 
out of Pjgypt, and delivered you out of the hand 
of the Egyptians, and out of the haud of all king- 
doms, and of them that oppressed you:'' 



11:14, 15; 1.1:4. S. b ch. 13:3. * Heb. .WioifWer. t Heb. turned. 

; oh. 11:6. I Heb. a man to his neighbor, i ch. 10:-2U-24; John 

5 Heb. from l/ienet. e ch. 7:5. 6. I JuJg 2:-2: 0:8. 9; Neh. 9:9, 

:h. P:7. 10; 1-.>:1'J. h Psa. 106:8-10; Isa. 03:9; Jpr. :!:-i'J. i Josh. 



9. Anollier heart ; one tliat fitted liim to govern the people. 

11. h Saul also among the prophets? they were surprised 
tliat, without having been instructed, he should be able 
thus tn join witli tliem. 

12. 3'//f(V/o?/icr; the father of the prophets. This was 
God, who eould endow whomsoever lie pleased with tlie 
gift of prophecy. It ought not tlien to surprise tliem that 
Saul was among tlie propliets. 

19. Rejected yoiir God; by insisting on a change in the 
government which he had establislied. 

20. Benjamin was taken; they cast lots, and the lot fell 
upon the tribe of Benjamin. 

22. Should yet come thither; or, had yet come thither. 
Stuff; the baggage and other furniture of the assembled 
people. 

. 23. Higher than any of the people; personal size and 
strength were much valued by the ancients in their kings. 
God was pleased, in the iirst instance, to give the people 
a king after their own ideas, before he gave them one 
after his own heart. 

25. The manner of the kingdom ; the regulations which 
God had prescribed for its government. Dent. 17:14-20. 

26. Had touched; inclined by his Spirit to follow Saul 
and support liis authority. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. If men wait upon God and follow his directions, he 



19 And ye have this day rejected your God," 
who himself saved you out of all your adversities 
and your tribulations;" and ye have said unto 
him, Jfay, but set a king over us. Now there- 
fore present yourselves before the Lord by your 
tribes,' and by your thousands. 

20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of 
Israel to come near, the tribe of Ben jamin was taken. 

21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin 
to come near by their families, the family of Matri 
was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken : 
and when they sought him, he could not be found. 

22 Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, 
if the man should yet come thither. And the 
Lord answered. Behold, he hath hid himself 
among the stuff. 

23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and 
when he stood among the people, he was higher than 
any of the people from his shoulders and upward.^ 

24 And Samuel said to all the people. See ye 
him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none 
like him among all the people? And all the peo- 
ple shouted, and said, God save the king.' 

25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of 
the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it 
up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the peo- 
ple away, every man to his house. 

26 H And Saul also went home to Gibeah ;^ and 
there went with him a baud of men, whose hearts 
God had touched. 

27 But the children of Belial' said. How shall 
this man save us? And they despised him, and 
brought him no presents.'" But he held his peace.^ 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 Nahash oifereth them of Jabesh-gilead a reproachful condition. 4 They 
send messsengers. and are delivered by Saul. 12 Saul thereby is con- 
firmed, and his kingdom renewed. 

THEN Nahash the xVmmonite came up," and 
encamped against Jabesh-gilead," and all the 



7:14, etc. J ch. 9 

Jl:12. k oh. 11:4 

4:21; 10:25: 2 Chr. 17:5; Psa. 72:10. 1 Or, was as t/iough lie liad teen 

deaf. nch. 12:12. Judg. 21 :g, etc. 



I Heb. Let the king lire; 1 Kings 1:25, 39; 2 Kings 
Deut. 13:13; 2 Chr. 13:7. m 2 Sam. 8:2; 1 Kings 



will show them what he would have them do, and furnish 
them for the duties to which he calls them. 

7. If men are under the guidance of God and seekliis glory, 
they will be able to judge, in view of all circumstances, 
what should be done to render themselves most useful. 

9. All the qualifications of men for the formation and 
accomplishment of great and useful plans come from God, 
and lay them under increased obligations of devotion to 
his service ; but enlarged views and great talents may be 
given, and men may join externally in the worship of God, 
without the renewing and sanctifying influences of his 
Spirit. 

19. The reception from God of an object which is sought 
is no certain evidence of his approbation. He may give 
it in wrath. Chap. 12:12, 13, 19. We should therefore 
rely upon his wisdom rather than our own, saying. Not 
my will, but thine be done. 

25. Kings, and men in authority, as well as in all other 
conditions of life, are bound to be acquainted with and 
to be governed by the revealed will of God. 

27. The best way to treat difficulties often is, for a time 
at least, to say and do nothing about them. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. Jahesh-gilead ; a city in the tribe of Slanasseh, on the 



cast side of Jordan. 



339 



•S'(j«/ resairlh Jobts/i. 



1 SAMIKL XII, 



S(unuers address to Israel. 



iiion of Jabcsli saiil 1111(0 Xaliasli, Make a cove- 
nant with lis," anil we will sorvo liice. 

2 And Naha.^li tlio AiiiiiKMiitc answered them, 
On tliisro;it//7(t<;i will 1 maker; corcnanl witli you,'' 
that I may thrust out all your ritrlit eyes, and lay 
it for a reproaeh ujion all Israel.' 

3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto liim, Give 
us' seven days' res])itc, tliat we may send messen- 
gers unto all the coasts of Israel : and then, if //«'?■« 
be no man to save us, we will come out to thee. 

4 ^ Then eaine the messengers to Gibeah of Saul,'' 
and told the tidings in the ears of the peojdc : and 
all the jjcoplc lifted up their voices, and wept. 

5 And behold, Saul came after the herd out of 
the field ; and 8aiil said. What ailef/i the people 
that they weep? And they told him the tidings 
of the men of Jabcsh. 

6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when 
lie heard those tidings," and his anger was kindled 
greatly. 

7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them 
in pieces, and ^Qiii't/mn throughout all the coasts 
of Israel by the iiands of messengers,'' saying, 
"Whosoever cometli not forth after Saul and "after 
Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.'' And 
the fear of the Loud fell on the people, and they 
came out with one consent.* 

8 And when he numbered them in Bezek,** the 
children of Israel were three hundred thousand, 
and the men of Judali thirty thousand. 

9 And they said unto the messengers that came. 
Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, 
To-morrow, by that time the sun bo hot, ye shall 
have help.* And the messengers came and showed 
it to the men of Jabesh ; and they were glad.' 

10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said. To-morrow 
we will come out unto you,J and ye shall do with 
us all that seemeth good unto you. 

11 And it was so on the morroAV, that Saul put the 
people in three companies ;'' and they came into the 
midst of the host in the morning-watch, and slew 
the Ammonites until the heat of the day: aud it 
came to pass, that they which remained were scat- 
tered, so that two of "them were uot left together. 

12 IT And the people said unto Samuel, Who is 
he that said, Shall Saul reign over us?' bring the 
men, that we may put them to death.™ 



» Isa, 36:16; Ezek. 17:i;i, 1) Prov. 1-2:10. c ch. 17:26. • Keh. Forbtar 
us. ■lch.l5:.^^; 2Sam. 21:6. ech. 10:10. (Judg.I9:29. gjudg. 21:5-10. 
t Heb. a,5 one man; Judg. S0:1. hjudg. 1:5. I Or. deliveranct. i ch. 
:il:ll. iver.3. kjudg.7:l6. 1 ch. 10:27. m Luke 19:27. n ch. 14:45; 
2 Sim. 19:22. och. 19:5; Isa. 5:1:10. Pch. 10:8. q ch. B:S. 19. 20. r ch. 



4. Gibeah; in Benjamin, where Saul lived. 

0. Tlie Spirit of God; awakened Saul's indignation and 
inspired him with wisdom, courage, and all needful quali- 
ties to collect an army and lead them forth to victory. 

7. The fear of the Lord ; that he would in his providence 
bring dreadful judgments upon them, if they should not 
go forth to protect their brethren. 

8. Bezek; a place between Sliechem and Jabesh-gilead. 

11. The moriiing-tratch ; between two o'clock and sunrise. 

12. Who is he; chap. 10:27. 

14. Remw the kingdom ; publicly proclaim Saul as king. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. If it is wise in men to make great sacrifices and sub- 
mit to many hardships to save their lives, how much more 
wise is it to sacrifice and suffer whatever may be needful 
to save their souls. Matt. 5:29. 30. 

340 



13 And Saul said, There shall not a man * /? »^ 
be put to death tiiis day:" for to-day the i<«t 
Luiii) hath wrought salvation in Israel." 

14 Then said Samuel to the pi'ojile, Come, and let 
us go to Gilgal,'' and leiiew liie kingdom there. 

\^i And all the people went to Gilgal; and there 
they made Saul king before the Loiti) in Gilgal ; 
and (here they sacriticcd sacrifices of peace-oll'er- 
in.irs before the Loud; and there Saul aud all the 
men of Israel njoiced greatly. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 Simucl testificth liis intcRrity. 6 He renroveth the people of in;r.nti- 
tude. IG He territieth Ihcrn wiili thunder in han'est-tinie. -0 He 
roniforteth them in God's mercy. 

AND Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, J 
have hearkened unto your voice in all that 
ye said unto me,'' and have made a king over you.'' 

2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you : 
and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my 
sons are with you: and I have walked before you 
from my childhood unto this day. 

.3 IJehold, here I am: witness against me before 
the Lord, and before his anointed : whose ox have 
I taken ? or whose ass have I taken ?'* or whom have 
I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose 
hand have I received any bribe,* to blind mine eyes 
therewith?" and I will restore it you." 

4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, 
nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught 
of any man's hand. 

5 And he said unto them. The Lord is witness 
against you, aud his anointed is witness this day, 
that ye have not found aught in my hand.'' And 
they answered, He is witness. 

6 1 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the 
Lord that advanced^ Moses and Aaron, and that 
brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 

7 Now^ therefore stand still, that I may reason 
with you before the Lord of all the righteous 
acts* of the Loud,'"' which he did to* you and to 
your fathers. 

8 W^hen Jacob was come into Egypt, and your 
fathers cried imto the Lord, then the Lord sent 
Moses and Aaron," which brought forth your fa- 
thers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this 
place. 

10:24; 11:14,15. > Num. 15:15; Acts 20:33; 2 Cor. 12: 14. 5 Heb. ransom. 
I Or. thai I should hide mint eyes at him. ' Deut. 16:19. <■ Exod. 22:4. 
>■ Acts 21: 16, 20. 1 Or. made. • Heh. righteousnesses, or btnejits ; Judg. 5:11. 
"Isa. 1:18; Mio. 6:2, 3. 1 Heb, toilA. i Exod. 3:10. 



2. Great cruelty and bitter opposition to the people and 
cause of God generally go together. 

4. It is right that one portion of the human family should 
deeply sympathize with the sufferings of another, and do 
whatever may be consistent with truth and duty to afford 
them relief. 

9. If gladness and joy are occasioned by deliverance 
from temporal calamities, much more should they be by 
deliverance from those which arc eternal. 

13. True courage and real greatness are manifested in 
forgiving personal injuries, not in avenging them. 

CHAPTER XII. 

.';. His anointed ; Saul. Chap. 10:1. 
4. Taken aughl ; any thing wrongfully. 



1 SAMUEL XIII. 



Samuel's discourse 

A. M. 2TO. 9 And when thoy forgat tlio Lord their 
"' 109?°'" God, he sold them into the hand of Hiscra," 
captain of the host of Hazor, and into tlie liand of 
the Piiilistines," and into the hand of the king of 
Moab," and they fought against them. 

10 And they cried unto the Lord/' and said, We 
have sinned, because we have forsaken tlie Lord, 
and liave served Baalim and Ashtaroth:'' but now 
deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we 
will serve thee. 

11 And the Lord sent Jerubbaal,'' and Bedan, 
and Jcphthah,*^ and Samuel," and delivered you 
out of the hand of your enemies on every side, 
and ye dwelt safe. 

12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of 
the children of Ammon came against you,' ye said 
unto me, Nay ; but a king shall reign over us : when 
the Lord your God loas your king. 

13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have 
chosen, and whom ye have desired ! and behold, 
the Lord hatli set a king over you.J 

14 If ye will fear the Lord," and serve him, and 
obey his voice, and not rebel against the com- 
mandment' of the Lord; then shall both ye and 
also the king tliat reigneth over you continue* 
following the Lord your God : 

15 But if ye will not obey tlie voice of the Lord, 
but rebel against the commandment of the Lord ; 
tiicn shall the hand of the Lord be against you,' 
as it ina.i against your fathers.™ 

1(5 ir Now therefore stand and see this great 
thing, wliich the Lord will do before your eyes. 

17 Is it not wheat-harvest to-day? I will call 
nnto the Lord," and he shall send thunder and 
rain ; that ye may perceive and see that your wick- 
edness is great, which ye have done in the sight 
of the Lord, in asking you a king. 

18 So Samuel called unto the Lord ; and the 
Lord sent thunder and rain that day : and all the 
people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel." 



to the Israelites. 



» .Tadg 


4 a 


1> Judg. 10:7 


13:1. 


c Judg. 3:12. 


d 


Judg 


10.10 


, etc. 


e .I.iJg. -l 


M. 


f Judg. 0:11. :« 


E .ludg 


11:1, etc. 1> 


ch 


7:i:i 


ich. 


11:2. 


j Ho<. 13 


n 


k Josh. 21:14, 


ai; Psa. 81:12-15. • Heb 


mou 


h. t 


Heb. 


b: after. 


M.p 


.26:14, etc. ni 


ver. 9. n 


Jm. 5:10-18 


o 


ixod. 


14:31; 


Kzra 


1U:U. p Exod 


9:23; 10:17; I 


a. 2li:lS; 


1 John 5:1G. 


1 


Deut 


11:10 


Jer. 



11. Jerubbaal; Gideon. Judg. 6:14, 32. Bedan; perhaps 
either Barak or Abdon. 

12. That Nahash — came; the attack of Nahash upon Ja- 
besh-Gilead took place after Saul had been anointed king ; 
but he had previously threatened the Lsraelites, and the 
fear of liira was with them a chief motive for asking of 
Samuel a king to go before them and fight their battles. 

18. The Lord sent thunder and ram ; an uncommon thing, 
as it ordinarily never rained in Palestine during the sea- 
son of wheat-harvest. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Those who serve God from their childhood are often 
made distinguished benefactors to mankind. 

4. Men who have long been in public life, and have 
been governed by the fear and love of God, may expect 
when they retire to leave a conviction of their fidelity in 
the hearts of others, which shall tend greatly to promote 
his glory and the good of their fellow-men. 

C. Aged men, after retiring from more laborious and 
active duties, may still be useful by communicating to the 
young a knowledge of facts in the history of their fathers, 
and of tlie instructions which those facts afford. 

10. A just review of the past will impress the convic- 
tion that sin leads to misery, and that there is no escap- 



19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray 
for thy servants unto the Lord thy God," that we 
die not: for we have added unto all our sins this 
evil, to ask us a king. 

20 •[ And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not : 
ye have done all this wickedness : yet turn not 
aside from following the Lord,'' but serve the Lord 
with all your heart; 

21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go 
after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver ;"■ 
for they are vain.' 

22 For the Lord will not forsake his people' for 
his great name's sake:" because it hath pleased 
the Lord to make you his people. 

23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should 
sin against the Lord in* ceasing to pray for you :" 
but I will teach you the good and the right way : 

24 Only fear the Lord,"' and serve him in truth 
with all your heart : for consider how great things* 
he hath done for vou. 

25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be 
consumed, both yc and your kiiig."^ 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Saul's selected band. 3 He calleth the Hebrews to Gilgal against the 
Philistines, whose garrison Joiiatlian had smitten. 5 The Pliilistines' 
great host. 6 The distress of tlie Israelites. 8 Saul, weary of stay- 
ing for Samuel, sacrificeth. 11 Samuel reproveth him. 17 The three 
spoiling bands of the Philistines. I'J The policy of the Philistines, to 
suffer no smith in Israel. 

SAUL reigned one year;' and when he had 
,_ reigned two years over Israel, 

2 Saul chose him three thousand nun of Israel ; 
whereof t\fo thousand were with Saul in Michmash 
and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with 
Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin -J and the rest of 
the people he sent every man to his tent. 

3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Phi- 
listines that was in Geba,'^ and the Philistines 
heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet through- 
out all the land, saying. Let the Hebrews hear. 



31. 


r.Ter 


10:19 


Jon. 2;b. 




Hah 


2:18. 


t Lam 


3:31 


32. u 


Ezek 


. 20:0, 


14 


: Heb 


trmn 


» Col. ] 


:9 


w 


Eccl. 1 


:13. 


! Ur. 


rhat a 


great 


thing. 


I I)e 


ut. 2S 


30. 1 


Heb. Ike 


SOfl 


otc 


lie year 


in his 


reigntng. 


f ch. 


10:20. 


1 Ur. 


The hill, z 


ch. 10:5. 



















ing it, except in repentance and hearty devotion to the 
service of God. 

15. However great the blessings which God bestows 
upon a people, they cannot long preserve them unless 
they hearken to his voice and walk in his ways. 

19. The true friends of God can greatly benefit their 
fellow-men; and often the wicked in their distress feel 
this, and apply to them for help. 

23. However ungratefully pious men may have been 
treated, they will labor to do good even to those who have 
done them evil ; while they maintain that there can be no 
real blessedness but in hearty obedience to the commands 
of God. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

2. Michmash ; this place lay on the north side of a pre- 
cipitous valley, a few miles north of Jerusalem ; while 
Geba, which must not be confounded with Gibeah of Ben- 
jamin, lay over against it on the south side of the same 
valley. Mount Bethel; a short distance north-west from 
Michmash. Gibeah of Benjamin; not far from Geba on 
the south-west. 

3. Smote the garrison — in Geba; thus he obtained control 
of the south side of the valley north of which Michmash 
lay. 

341 



The PhUistints tear 



1 SAMUEL XIV 



agai/isi the Israelites. 



4 And all Israel heard say that Saul iiad siiiit- 
ten a parrisoii of tin' PhilLstiiies. and that Israel 
also was had in abomination' with the I'iiilistines. 
And the iiet>i)le were called together al'ter Saul to 
Gilgal. 

5 1 And the Philistines gathered themselves to- 
gether to fight with Israel, thirty thousand ehar- 
iots, ami six (Iiousand horsemen, and people as 
the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude: 
and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, cast- 
ward from Bcth-avcn.'' 

When the men of Israel saw that they were in 
a strait,'' (for the people were distressed,) then the 
peojjlc did hide themselves in caves, and in thick- 
ets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.*^ 

7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan 
to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he 
was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him 
trembling/ 

8 IT And he tarried seven days, according to the 
set time that Samuel had appointed:'^ but Samuel 
came not to Gilgal; and the people were scatter- 
ed from him. 

9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt-offering 
to me, and peace-offerings. And he offered the 
burnt-offering. 

10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had 
made an cud of offering the burnt-offering, behold, 
Samuel came; antl Saul went out to meet him, 
that he might salute* him. 

Ill And Samuel said. What hast thou done? 
And Saul said. Because I saw that the people were 
scattered from me, and that thou earnest not with- 
in the days appointed, and that the Philistines 
gathered themselves together at Michmash ; 

12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come 
down now upon me to Gilgal, and I liave not made 
supplication unto^ tiie Lord: I forced myself 
therefore, and offered a burnt-offering. 

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done 
foolishly :' thou hast not kept the commandment of 
tlic Loud thy God, which he commanded thee:*^ 
for now would the Lord have established thy 
kingdom upon Israel for ever. 

14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue : the 
Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart,'-' 
and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain 



•'Heh. diJ slink; Gan. 34:30; ExoJ. 5:il . > Josh. 7: -2. b -J Sim. 24:14. 
= ch. 14:11; Judg. 6:2. t Heb. trembled after him. i ch. 10:8. t Heb. 
bless, ii Huh. entreated the fare. eaChr. 10:9. f ch. 15:11, 38. e Psa. 
b9:20; Acts 13:2-2. IHeb./ounrf. hch. 14:2. 1 Heb. GeJo. ver. 3. i Josh. 



7. Went over Jordan ; to escape from the oppression of 
the Philistines. 

13. Thou liast done fool islily ; in offering sacrifices which 
lie had no right to offer, and in not waiting for Samuel, as 
God had commanded. 

14. A man after his own heart ; David. 

17. Camp of the Pkilistines ; who had their head-quarters 
at Michmash. Ophrak; north-east from Michmash. 

18. The way to Beth-lmron ; toward the west. Toward 
the wilderness; on the east. 

19. There was no smith; the Philistines had removed 
them to prevent the IsraeUtes from bemg fui-nished with 
implements of war. 

23. Went out to the passage of Michmash ; to its commence- 
ment on the north side of the steep and difficult way that 
led across the valley from Michmash to Geba. Saul and 
Jonathan were on the south side of the same valley. 
342 



over his people, because thou hast not kept a. m. »ii. 
that whicii the Lord commanded thee. iws.* 

1") And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gil- 
gal unln (Jibeah of Benjamin. And Saul number- 
ed the peo])le that were present' with him, about 
si.x hundred men.'' 

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the peo- 
ple that rrerc present with them, abode in Gibcah' 
of Benjamin : but the Philistines encamped in 
Michmash. 

17 *: And the spoilers came out of the camp of the 
Philistines in three companies: one company turn- 
ed unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah,' unto the 
land of Shual : 

1 8 And another company turned the way to Beth- 
horon:' and another company turned to the way 
of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim 
toward the wilderness." 

19 •[ Now there was no smith found throughout 
all the land of Israel:' for the Philistines said, 
Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears : 

20 But all the Israelites went down to the Phi- 
listines, to sharpen every man his share, and his 
coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 

21 Yet they had a file" for the mattocks, and 
for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the 
axes, and to sharpen* the goads. 

22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that 
there was neither sword nor spear found in the 
hand of any of tiie jjcople that were with Saul and 
Jonathan :'" but with Saul and with Jonathan his 
son was there found. 

23 And the garrison' of the Philistines went out 
to the passage of Michmash." 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 Jonathan, unwitting to his father, the priest, or the people, goeth and 
miraculously smiteth the Philistines' garrison, lo A divine terror 
maketh them beat themselves. 17 Saul, not staying the priest's an- 
swer, setteth on them. 21 Tiie captivated Hebrews, and the hidden 
Israelites, join against them. 2^ Saul's unadvised adjuration hinder- 
eth the victory. 32 He restraineth the people from eating blood. 3-5 
He buildetn an altar. 36 Jonathan, taken by lot, is saved by the 
people. 47 Saul's strength and family. 

"XTOW it came to pass upon a day,^ that Jona- 
J_>l than the son of Saul said unto the young 
man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over 
to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other 
side. But he told not his father. 



18:23. J Josh. 1(>;3. k Gen. 14:2; Neh. 11:34; Hos. 11:8. 1 2 Kings 
24:14; Isa.54;l(i; Jer. 24:1. • MA, .file with mouths . t Heb. «(. "Judg. 
5:S. \0t. standing camp. njsa. 10:28. iOt, there was a day. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

6. Those who rely on their own wisdom, trusting to 
man not to God, and expect to prosper, will be disap- 
pointed, and troubles will come upon them, from which, 
without returning to him, they cannot escape. 

9. The expedients which men adopt to deliver them- 
selves from calamities, often only increase them. 

13. No one can tell the evils which may result from a 
single act of known disobedience to God. 

la. For their sins, a people are often brought into op- 
pressive and degrading bondage, when, had they obeyed 
God, they might have enjoyed liberty, peace, and pros- 
perity. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1. On the other side; of the valley which lay between the 
Israelites and the Philistines. 



Jonathan smiteth the 



1 SAMUEL XIV. 



Philistines' garrison. 



A. M. 2917. 2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part 
■ 1087. ""' of Gibeah under a pomegranatc-trce which 
is in Migron : and the people that were with him 
u'erc about six hundred men;" 

3 And Ahiah,* the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's 
brotlicr,'' the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the 
Lord's priest in Shiloh, wearing an epliod."^ And 
the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 

•1 1 And between the passages, by which Jona- 
than sought to go over unto the Philistines' gar- 
rison,* there ivas a sharp rock on tlie one side, and 
a sharp rock on the other side : and the name of the 
one was Bozez, and tlie name of the other Seneh. 

5 The forefront + of the one v:as situate north- 
ward over against Michmasli, and the other south- 
ward over against Gibcali. 

6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare 
his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the gar- 
rison of tliese uncircumcised : it may be that the 
Lord will work for us : for there is no restraint 
to the Lord to save by many or by few.^ 

7 And his armoi'-bearer said unto him, Do all 
that is in thy heart: turn thee; behold, I am with 
thee according to thy lieart. 

8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, wo will pass over 
unto these men,' and we will discover ourselves 
unto them. 

9 If they say thus unto us. Tarry* until we come 
to you ; then we will stand still in our place, and 
will not go up unto them. 

10 But if they say thus. Come up unto us ; then 
we will go up : for the Lord hath delivered them 
into our hand ; and this shall be a sign unto us." 

11 And both of them discovered themselves unto 
the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philis- 
tines said. Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of 
the holes where they had hid themselves.'" 

12 And tiie men of the garrison answered Jona- 
than and ids armor-bearer, and said. Come up to us,' 
and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said 
unto his armor-bearer. Come up after me: for the 
Lord hath delivered them into tlie hand of Israel.-' 

13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and 
upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him : and 
they fell before Jonathan;'' and his armor-bearer 
slew after him. 

14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and 
his armor-bearer made, was about twenty men, 
within as it were a half acre^ of land, ichich a yoke 
of oxen might plough. 



» Ch. 13:15. • Called Ahimttfth, ch. 29:9, 11, 31. 


bch.4:21. tch. 2:2?. 


■i ch. 13:3). f Heb. loath, c Deut. 3-2:36; Judg 


7:4, 7; 2 Chr. 14:11. 


' Judg. 7:9-11. I Heb. Be still, e Gen. 24:14. 


Ii ch. 13:6. i 2 Kings 


14:3. jaSam. 5:24. k Lev. 26:8. i Oi. half afurr 


w of an acre. 13 Kings 


7:8, 7; Job 1S:U. "> ch. 13:17. 1 Heb. tremUii 


g of God, Gen. 35:5. 



5. Over against Gibeah; the original reads Gcia, which 
should not be interchanged with Gibeah. This latter place 
lay about three miles west of south from Geba. 

10. A sign ; that God called them to go up to the Philis- 
tines, and would give them success. 

12. Wilt show you a thing; will show you something; 
namely, how soon we can destroy you. 

IG. The multitude; of the Philistines. 

18. Bring hither the ark of God ; for the purpose of inquir- 
ing of God, through his priest, what should be done. The 
inquiry was made by the Urim and Thummim, in the high- 
priest's breast-plate. Exod. 28:30; Num. 27:21. Why 



15 And there was trembling in tlie host,' in the 
field, and among all the people : the garrison, and 
the spoilers,'" they also trembled, and the earth 
quaked : so it was a very great trembling." 

16 And the watchmen of Saul in GiVieali of Ben- 
jamin looked; and behold, tlie multitude melted 
away, and they went on beating down one another." 

17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with 
him. Number now, and see who is gone from us. 
And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan 
and his armor-bearer were not there. 

18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the 
ark of God :" for tiie ark of God was at that time 
with the children of Israel. 

19 1 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto 
the priest,'' that the noise^ that teas in the host of 
the Philistines went on and increased : and Saul 
said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand. 

20 And Saul and all the people that were with 
him assembled themselves,* and they came to the 
battle : and behold, every man's sword was against 
his fellow," and there was a very great discomfiture. 

21 Moreover, the Hebrews that were with the 
Philistines before that time, which went up with 
them into the ca.m\) from the country round about, 
even they also turned to be with the Israelites that 
icere with vSaul and Jonathan. 

22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid 
themselves in mount Ephraim,'' when they heard 
that the Philistines fled, even they also followed 
hard after them in the battle. 

23 So the Lord saved Israel that day,* and the 
battle passed over unto Beth-aven.' 

24 % And the men of Israel were distressed that 
day : for Saul had adjured the people," saying. 
Cursed be the man that eateth any food until even- 
ing, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So 
none of thg people tasted any food. 

25 And all they of the land came to a wood ; and 
there was honey upon the ground.^ 

26 And when the people were come into the 
wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man 
put his hand to his mouth : for the people feared 
the oath. 

27 But Jonathan heard not when his father 
charged the people with the oath : wherefore ho 
put forth the end of the rod that icas in his hand, 
and dipped it in a honey-comb, and put his hand 
to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened."' 

28 Then answered one of the people, and said, 



nver 


20. 


2 Sam. 13:2 


1-26. 


P Num 


27:21. 


1 Or, 


tumult. 


• Heb. 


vrre 




osetke 


T. q Jude. 7 
44:6, 7;TIo 


22; •- 


Chr. 2C 


2:j; Isa 


19:2. 


rch. 13:6. ■ E 


xod. 


14:30 


P^ 


1 -7 


I ch. 


13:5. 


» Josh 


6:26. V 


Exod. 


;i;«; 


Num 


13:27 


Matt. 3:4. 


"ch. 


30:12; Prov. 25 


16. 









Saul wished for the presence of the ark is not certainly 
known. Perhaps it was that God, who dwelt between the 
cherubim, might thus be visibly present at the transac- 
tion. 

19. Withdraw thy hand; he need not proceed any fur- 
ther in his inquiry as to what Israel should do, for the 
duty of pursuing the Philistines now seemed plain to him. 

20. Against his fellow; the Philistines destioyed one 
another. 

24. Cursed; devoted to destruction. 
27. His eyes were enlightened; he was invigorated and 
refreshed. 

343 



SauTs rash oath. 



1 SA.MIKL XIV. 



Junalluin is rescutd. 



Tliy father strnitly cliartrod the poo])lo with an 
oath, sayiiisr, Curscii br the man (hat catotli any 
tooil this liny. Anil the people were faint.* 

2".t Tiien said .lonatliaii. My father liath troubled 
the land : .-Jee, I pray you, how mine eyes have been 
inliihtened, beeausel ta.<;ted a liltleof this honey. 

:{(l How much more, if haply the people had eat- 
en frei'ly to-day of tiie s])oil of their enemies whieli 
ihev found? for had there not been now a much 
jrreater slaiijjiiter among the Philistines? 

:5I And they smote tlie Piulistines tliat day from 
Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very 
faint. 

:]2 And the people flow upon the ppoil, and took 
sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew l/icm on the 
ground : and the pcoplcdidcat tJiemw'ith the l)lood. 

33 •: Then they told Saul, saying, Dciiold, the 
people sin against the Lord," in that they eat with 
the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed:^ 
roll a great stone unto me tlus day. 

34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among 
the people, and say unto them. Bring mo hither 
every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and 
slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the 
Loud in eating with the blood. And all the peo- 
ple brought every man his ox with him' that night, 
and slew t/icm there. 

3,5 And Saul liuilt an altar unto tlie Lord:"' the 
same was the first altar that he built unto the 

LORD.^ 

36 'I And Saul said, Let us go down after the 
Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morn- 
ing light, and let us not leave a man of them. 
And they said. Do whatsoever seemeth good unto 
thoc. Then said the priest, Let us draw near 
hither unto God. 

37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go 
down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them 
into the hand of Israel? But he answered him 
not that day.'= 

38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither,* all tlie 
chief of the people; and know and see wherein 
this sin hath been this day : 

39 For, as the Lord liveth,"' which savcth Israel, 
though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely 
die. But there was not a man among all the peo- 
ple that answered him. 



• Or, WMry. " Lev. 3:17; 17:10; Deut. ia:23, 24; Kzek. 33:25. t Or. 
deall trear/teroiahj. t Heb. tn his hand. 1> Hos. 8:14. » Heb. that altar he 
began to buiU unto the Lord. ' eh. 28:6. d ch. 10:1'J; Josh. 7:14, etc. 
I Heb. corners; Judg. 20:2. ' 2 Sam. 12:5. 1 Or, Show the innocent. 
' Prov. 10::M; Acts 1:21. yleh. went forth, r Jon. 1:7-10. h ver. 27. 



31. Aijalon ; in the tribe of Dan, towards the land of the 
PhilisUncs. 

32. Did cat Ihcm with the blood; in a manner forbidden by 
their law. 

36. Draw near — unto God; inquire of him whether they 
should go after the Philistines or not. 

38. This sin; the sin which prevented the answer to his 
inquiry. 

41. God do SO; inflict greater evil upon me, if I do not 
put thee to death according to my oath. Ver. 24. 

47. Zobah ; a part of Syria north-east of Canaan. 

48. Amalekites; south and south-east of Canaan. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 
6. When men in the fear and love of God engage in 
duties to which he calls them, they may safely trust in 
344 



40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be yo a.m.wi: 

• 1 1 . It .1 ■'».<?. .tout 

on one side, and J and .Jonallian my son iu«. 
will be on the other side. And the people said 
unto .*^aul, Do what seemcth good unto thee. 

41 Tiierefore Saul .'^aid unto the Ijmh God of 
Israel, Give a jierfect"' lot.^ And Saul and Jona- 
than were taken: but the peo]ilc escaped." 

42 And Saul said. Cast lots between me and Jon- 
athan my sou. And Jonathan was taken. 

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, 'i'dl me what 
thou hast done." And .lonathan lold him. and 
said, I did but taste a little honey wilii the end of 
tiic rod that ivas in my hand,'' and lo, I nmst die. 

44 And Saul answered, God do so and more 
also:' for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.^ 

45 And th(> ]ieoj)Ie said unto Saul, Shall Jona- 
than die, who hath wrought this great salvation 
in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there 
shall not one hair fif his head fall to the ground;" 
for he hath wrought with God this day.' So the 
people rescued Jonathan, that he died not."' 

46 Then Saul went up from following the Phi- 
listines: and the Philistines went to their own 
place. 

47 *!l So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and 
fought against all his enemies on every side, against 
Moab. and against the children of Ammon," and 
against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah," 
and against the Philistines: and whithersoever 
he turned himself, he vexed them. 

48 And he gathered a host/ and smote the Ama- 
lekites," and delivered Israel out of the hands of 
them that spoiled them. 

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and 
Ishui, and Melchi-shua:'' and the names of his two 
daughters xrtre Ihcsc; the name of the first-born 
Merab, and the name of the younger Michal : 

50 And the name of Saul's wife ivas Ahinoam, 
the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the 
captain of his host was Abner,* the son of Ncr, 
Saul's uncle. 

51 And Kish was the father of Saul ;"■ and Ner 
the father of Abner teas the son of Abicl. 

52 And there was sore war against the Philis- 
tines all the days of Saul : and when Saul saw 
any strong man, or any valiant laan, he took him 
unto him." 



iRiithl:!7. i»er.39. k 2.Sain. 14:1 1 ; I Kings 1 ;5a; Luke 21 : 18. 12Chr. 
19:11; Isa. I3:S; 2Cor.0:I; Phil. 2:12, 13. m Isa. 29:20, 21. i>ch. 11:11. 
2 Sam. 10:6. t Or, wrought mightily. P ch. 15:3, 7. 1 ch. 31 :2; 1 Chr. 
8:33. 1 Heb. iliincr. roh. 9:1, 2. "ch. 8:11. 



hira, and expect, in following his directions, to meet with 
success. 

12. Right views of dependence on God will lead men to 
use means to obtain his blessing, and when it is obtained, 
to acknowledge his goodness and give him the glory. 

20. When God sets himself against a people, he can 
cause them to fall, not only before their enemies, but liy 
the hands of one another. 

24. There is neither wisdom nor piety in forbidding 
men to partake of those bounties of providence the proper 
use of which is conducive to their comfort, and to the 
best discharge of their appropriate duties. 

32. Forbidding men to do what God allows, increases 
their temptations to do what he forbids, and thus to bring 
trouble not only on themselves, but upon all with whom 
they are connected. 



Saul, sent to destroy the 



1 SAMUEL XV. 



AmalekUes, sparet/i some. 



i^;^!-.S,079. CHAPTER XV. 

1 Samuel sendeth Saul to destroy Amalek. 6 Saul favorethtlie Kenites. 
8 He sparelh A jag and the best of the spoil. 10 Samuel denounceth 
unto Saul, commending and excusing himself, Ood's rejection of him 
for his disobedience. 24 Saul's humiliation. 32 Samuel killeth Agag. 
34 Samuel and Saul part. 

Sx\,MUEL also said unto Saul, The Lord sent 
me to anoint thee to be king over his people, 
over Israel : " now therefore hearken thou unto 
the voice of the words of the Lord. 

2 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that 
which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid icait for 
him in the way,** when he came up from Egj-pt. 

3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy 
all that they have,"" and spare tiioni not;" but slay 
both-mau and woman, infant and suckling, ox and 
sheep, camel and ass. 

4 And Saul gathered the people together, and 
numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand 
footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah. 

5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid 
wait* in the valley. 

6 H And Saul said unto the Kenites,"^ Go, depart,"^ 
get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I 
destroy you with them : for ye showed kindness 
to all the ehildreu of Israel,^ when they came up 
out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among 
the Amalekites. 

7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah'' 
until thou comest to Shur,' that is over against 
Egypt. 

8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites 
alive,' and utterly destroyed all the people with 
the edge of the sword." 

9 But Saul and the people spared Agag.' and the 
best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fat- 
lings,* and the lambs, and all that iras good, and 
would not utterly destroy them : but every thing 
that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed ut- 
terly. 

10 "[Then came the word of the Lord unto 
Samuel, saying, 

lilt repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be 
king:'" for he is turnetl back from following me," 
and hath not performed my commandments." And 



»Ch.9:16. b Exod. 17:S, 14; Deut aS: 17-19. = Lev. aTiSS; Josh. B: 17, 
21. <1 Num. -24:20 • Or, fought, e Jud». 1 :16; 4:11. tRev.l8:4. s Num. 
10:20-52; aTim. 1:16. ii Gen. 2:11; 23:18. i Gen. 10:7. J 1 KinRs 20: 30, 
etc. kch. 30:1. 1 ver. 3, 15. : Or. second sort. ■>> ver. 35; Gen. C:C, 7; 
2Sim. 21:16; Jer. 1S:8. 10. n 1 Kings 9:6; Heb. 10:3S. o ver. 3, 9; ch. 



35. Education, the goadings of conscience, the hope of 
gain, and many other motives may lead men to attend to 
some of the externals of religion, wlio never make it their 
great object in all things to obey God, and who have no 
real love to his character or ways. 

39. Those who axe least sensible of their own sins are 
often most ready to denounce the sins of others, and while 
they openly disobey God's commands, to kill those who 
disobey theirs. 

44. Reckless zeal, profane swearing, and great cruelty, 
may all be united, and under cover of regard for truth 
and duty, stille even natural affection and lead to the 
commission of the most abominable crimes. 

45. The most solemn engagements to commit sin can 
never be binding on the conscience, and should never in 
any case be fulfilled. The guilt in such cases is not in 
breaking the engagement, but in making it ; and the fulfil- 
ment of it would only increase the sin. 

48. Civil government, though administered by wicked 
men, may be the means of protectmg God's people, and 



it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the Lord 
all night. 

12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in 
the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul 
came to Carmel,'' and behold, he set him up a place, 
and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down 
to Gilgal. 

13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said 
unto him. Blessed be thou of the Lord:" I have 
performed the commandment of the Lord.'' 

14 And Samuel said. What mcaneth then this 
bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing 
of the oxen which I hear? 

15 And Saul said, They have brought them from 
the Amalekites : for the people spared the best of 
the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord 
thy God ;'' and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 

16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will 
tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. 
And he said unto him. Say on. 

17 And Samuel said, When thou ivast little in 
thine own sight,' uast thou not made the head of 
the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee 
king over Israel? 

IS And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and 
said. Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Ama- 
lekites, and fight against them until they be con- 
sumed.* 

19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice 
of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst 
evil in the sight of the Lord? 

20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obey- 
ed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way 
which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag 
the king of Amakk, and have utterly destroyed 
the Amalekites. 

21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and 
oxen," the chief of the things which should have 
been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord 
thy God in Gilgal. 

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great de- 
light in burnt-oflferings and sacrifices, as in obeying 
the voice of the Lord?"' Behold, to obey is better 
than sacrifice,""' and to hearken than the fat of rams. 



13:13. Pi Kincs 18:42. qjudg. 17:2. r Prov. 2S:13; 30:13. ' ver. 9, 21. 
> ch. 9:21. 1 Heb. cojisume. u ver. 15. v Psai. 50:8, 9; 51 :!«. 17; ProT. 
21:3; Isa.Ml-l': Jer. 7:22, 23; Mic. 6:6-8; Heb. 10:4-10. "Ecol.5:lJ 
Hos. 6:6; Mark 12:*). 



procuring for them blessings which lay them under new 
obligations to honor him, and to do good, as they have 
opportunity, to their fellow-men. 

CHAPTER XY. 

2. Tltat which Amakk did; Exod. 17:8-16. 
4. Telaim ; supposed to be a place in the southern part 
of Judah. 

6. Kenites; supposed to have been descendants of Je- 
thro. Ye showed kindness; Exod. 18:9-19; Number 10:29- 
32. 

7. From HavilaJi; in the east border of their country. 
To Shur; in the west border. 

8. Jll the people; all who fell into his hands. 

11. It repenteth me; he would change his conduct tow- 
ards Saul on account of his sins, and would reject him 
from being king. Ver. 23-28. 

12. To Carmel; a city in the south part of Judah. A 
place ; a monument of his victorv. 

'345 



God rtjfctelh Saul. 



1 SAMIKI. XVl, 



Sumutl seal to Btthrlehem. 



23 For rebellion is as the pin of wilclicraft,' ami \ 
Ptuliliornncss is as iniiiuity and idolutry." Because 
thou Imst rejceted the word of the LoHD, he lialh 
also ii'Jeeted thee from buiii^ kinjr.'' 

21 •! And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned : 
for 1 have trans<rrcsscd the coiiiinandnient of tlie 
LoRH, and thy words: because 1 feared the pco- 
jile," and obeyed their voice. 

25 Now therefore, I pray thee, ]iardon my sin, and 
turn airain with ine. that 1 may worsliip the Loud. 

2(1 And Sanuiol said unto Saul, I will not return 
with thee-/' for thou hast rejected the word of the 
Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being 
king over Israel. 

27 Anil as Samue] turned about to go away, he 
laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle,'^ and it rent. 

28 Anil Samuel said unto him. the Lord hath 
rent the kingdom of Israel from thee; tiiis day, and 
hath given it to a neighbor of tiiiiie, that is better 
than tiiou. 

29 And also the Strength* of Israel will not lie 
nor repent:' for he is not a man, that he should 
repent. 

30 Then he said. I have sinned: yet honor me 
now,= I pray thee, before the elders of my people, 
and before Israel, and turn again with me, that 1 
may worship the Lord thy God. 

31 So Samuel turned again after Saul ; and Saul 
worshipped the Loud. 

32 • Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me 
Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag 
came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely 
Ihc bitterness of death is past. 

33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made 
women childless," so sliall thy mother be childless 
among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces 
before the Lord in Gilffal. 



• Heb. divination; Dent. 1»:1U. a 2 Cor, ():16; Gal. S-.-M); Rev. ; 
2-2:15. b ch. 13;U. c Exod. 2:J:2; Prov. 29:25; Isa. 51:12; Gal. I:1U. 
<i 2 John 11. e 1 Kings 11:30. 31. t Or, Eternity, or Victory. I Num. 2:!: lU; 
Ezek. 2J:U; 2 Tim. 2:l:|; Tit. 1:2. e Jo!in 5:44; 12:43. h Judg. 1:7, 
i ver. U; Psa. 119:130; Jer. 13:17. J ch. 15:35; Jer. 7:10; 11:14; 14:11 



31 '1 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and * •« »^, 
Saul wenlu|ito his house toGibeali of Saul, '"t* 

:').') .And Samuel eunie no mine to see Saul until 
theday of hisdt'ath : ncvcrihi'ji'.-s Samuel mourned 
fill- Saul :' and the Loud rcpcnlnl tiiat he had made 
Saul king over Israel. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 Samuel sent by God, under pretence of a sacrifice, cometh to Beth- 
lulifin. C His Imiiiun judgment ift reproved. 11 lleanointetli David. 
1.'5 Saul sendeth for David to quiet his evil spirit. 

A ND the Lord said unto Samuel, How long 

j_ V wilt tliou mourn for Sau!,^ seeing I have 
rejected him from reigning over Israel?'' fill thy 
horn with oil,' and go, I will send thee to Jesse 
the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king 
among his sons.'" 

2 And Samuel said, IIow can I go? if Saul hear 
it, he will kill me. And the Lord said. Take a 
heifer with thee,' and say, I am come to sacrifice 
to the Lord." 

3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will 
show thee what thou shalt do : and thou shalt 
anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee." 

4 And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, 
and came to Beth-lchcm. And the elders of the 
town trembled at his coming,*^ and said, Comest 
thou peaceably?'' 

.5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacri- 
fice unto the Lord : sanctify yourselves,'' and come 
with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse 
and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 

6 II And it came to pass, when they were come, 
that he looked on Eliab," and said. Surely the 
Lord'.s anointed is before him. 

7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on 
his countenance, or on the height of his stature;'' 



23. As the sin of witchcraft ; in its guilt. 

27. He laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle ; Saul laid hold 
upon the skirt of Samuel's mantle, as if forcibly to detain 
liim. 

28. To a neighbor; David. 

29. The Strength; Jehovah, who had given Israel the 
victory. Nor repent ; he would not reverse the sentence 
he had pronounced against Saul. 

32. Delicately; or, witli pleasure. Bitterness — is past ; he 
thought that as Saul had spared his life, he should not 
now be slain. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The reception of special favors lays men under spe- 
cial obligations to hearken attentively to the directions of 
God, and in all things to follow them. 

2. Though God may delay for a time to punish the wick- 
ed, yet he does not forget their sins, and unless they re- 
pent, he will in due time punish them according to their 
deserts. 

6. Intimate associations with the wicked are dangerous, 
and we must separate ourselves from their sins, or we 
shall share in their punishment. 

9. God requires that some men should be put to death ; 
and in sparing them we may as really rebel against him 
and expose ourselves to his wrath, as in taking the hfe 
of those whom he requires to be preserved. Ver. 18. 

13. Men often imagine that they have obeyed God and 
are entitled to his favor, when their obedience has been 
346 



k ch. 15:2:!. 1 2 Kin;;.s 'J: 1 . m P..=a. 7^:70; SB: I'.l. -iO; I>a. 55:4. 1 Heb. in 
Ihy hand, n ch. B:1J: 20:29. o Dcut. 17:15. » Heb. WKedng-. P 1 Kincs 
2:13. q Exod. 19:10; Num. 11:18; Josh. 3:5; Job 1:5- 1 Cor. 11:28. I Call- 
ed Elihu, 1 Chr. 27:18; ch. 17:13. r Psa. 147:10. 



only external, and has extended only to a part of his com- 
mands. Ver. 20. 

11. Facts often show the falsehood of men's professions, 
and that liowevcr high they nuy stand in their own esti- 
mation, they are rebels in the sight of God. 

16. The Lord's messengers must point out and condemn 
the sins of rulers as well as of people ; and let nothing 
hinder them from declaring with plainness and fidelity tho 
whole revealed will of God. 

21. Wicked men when convicted of sin often try hard 
to throw the blame of it on others. 

22. No external attention, even to things whicli God 
has commanded, can be accepted as a substitute for an 
obedient heart. He is a Spirit, and to be accepted, men 
must obey him in spirit and in truth. 

2.5. Multitudes are more anxious to stand well with 
their fellow-men than with God, and often look for pardon 
to them rather than to him. 

32. When wicked men most confidently imagine that 
they have escaped all danger, they may be the nearest to 
ruin. There is and can be no security except in the 
friendship and protection of Jehovah. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1. The Beth-lehemite ; so called from his residing in Beth- 
lehem. 

4. Trembled at his coming; perhaps fearing that he had 
come to rebuke them for some neglect of duty. 

5. Sanctfy yourselves; Exod. 19:10-15. 



Samuel anoinleth David. 



1 SAMUEL XVII. 



David quietei/i Saul. 



A. M. 2911. because I have refused him : for (he LORD 
m-j' ""' seeth not as man seeth ; " for man looketh 
on the outward appearance,*'' but the Lord look- 
eth on the lieart.'= 

8 Tlien Jesse called Abinadab, and made him 
pass before Samuel. And be said, Neither hath 
the Lord chosen this. 

9 Then Jesse made Shammah* to pass by. And 
he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. 

10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass 
before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The 
Lord hath not chosen these. 

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all 
thy children? And he said. There remaineth yet 
the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep.'' 
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him : 
for we will not sit down* till he come hither. 

12 And ho sent, and brought him in. Now he 
was ruddy,'' and withal of a beautiful countenance,^ 
and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, 
anoint him: for this is he. 

I 1.3 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anoint- 
ed him in the midst of his brethren : and the Spirit 
of the Lord came upon David from that day for- 
ward.' So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 

14 T But the Spirit of the Lord departed from 
Saul,'' and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled' 
him." 

15 And Saul's servants said unto him. Behold 
now, an evil spirit from God troubletli thee. 

16 Let our lord now command thy servants 
which arc before thee, to seek out a man who is a 
cunning player on a harp: and it sliall come to 
pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, 
that he shall play with his hand,' and thou shalt 
be well. 

17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me 
now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 

18 Then answered one of the servants, and said. 
Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-le- 
hemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty 
valiant man,-' and a man of war,'' and prudent in 



ilsi. 55:9, 9. "Heb. eyes, b 2 Cor. 10:7. « 1 Kings 8:39: 1 Ciir. 49:9; 
Psa. 7:9; Jer. 17:10; Rev. 3:-i5. t ShhiKali, 2 Sam. 13:3; Shimma. 1 Chr. 
2:13. daSam. 7:8; Psa. 78:7U-72. 1 Heb. round. = ch. 17:42; SongS: 10. 
i Heb. fair of eyes. I ch. 10:6,9,10; JuJg. 11:29; 14:6. e Jadg. l(i:20; 
Psa. 51:11. I Or, lerrijied. h oh. 18:10; 19:9. i ver. 23. 1 oh. 17:32-30. 



11. Sit dou-n; to feast on the sacrifice. 

13. TIte Spirit of the Lord came upon David; to fit him to 
become king of Israeh 

14. Departed from Saul; thus he lost the qualifications 
whicli God had before given him for tlie successful dis- 
charge of pubhc business. An evil spirit from tlie Lord 
troubled him ; the meaning seems to be that tjod gave him 
up to the power of an evil spirit, which from time to time 
assailed him, filhng him with melancholy suspicion and 
ungovernable anger. 

16. Thou sha/l be well; they hoped that music would 
cheer up his spirits, and remove his difficulties. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. No sorrows should ever lead us to murmur at the 
dealings of God, or to neglect the duties to which he 
calls us. 

2. When God requires men to engage in perilous ser- 
vices, they need not fear ; if they trust in him and follow 
his directions, he will protect them and give them all 
desirable success. 

7. As God looks upon the heart, and judges of men 



matters,^' and a comely person," and the Lord is 
with him." 

19 1i Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, 
and said. Send me David thy son, which is with 
the sliee]). 

20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and 
a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by 
David his son unto Saul. 

21 And David came to Saul, and stood before 
him : " and he loved him greatly ; and he became 
his armor-bearer. 

22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying. Let David, 
I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found 
favor in my sight. 

23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from 
God was upon Saul," that David took a harp, and 
played with his hand : so Saul was refreshed, and 
was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 The armies of the Israelites and the Philistines being ready to battle, 
4 G-oliath Cometh proudly forth to challenge a combat. 12 David, 
sent by his father to visit his brethren, taketh the challenge. 28 Eliab 
cliideth him. 30 He is brought to Saul. 32 He showeth the reason 
of his confidence. 38 Without armor, armed by faith, he slayeth the 
giant. 5:J Saul taketh notice of David. 

NOW the Philistines gathered together their 
armies to battle, and were gathered together 
at Shochoh," which belongeth to Judah,'' and pitched 
between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim.* 

2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered 
together, and pitched by the valley of El ah, and 
set the battle in array* against the Philistines. 

3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on 
the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the 
other side : and there uas a valley between them. 

4 11 And there went out a champion out of the 
camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, 
whose height was six cubits and a span. 

5 And he had a helmet of brass upon his head, 
and he was armed* with a coat of mail ; and the 
weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of 
brass. 



k 2 Sam. 17:8, 10. 1 Or, ,!peec/i. 12Sam. 14:20. m ver. 12. ■> oh. 18:12-14. 
oProv. 22:29. Pver.l4,l(i. q 2 Clir. 28: 18. rjosh. 15:35. ' Oi, Tiie toast 
of Dammim; called Pas-dammim, 1 Chr. 11 : 13. f Heb. ranged tke bailie. 
t'Heb. clothed. 



according to their real character, the great object of aU 
should be, not outward appearance or external accom- 
plishments merely, but internal purity and the exercise 
of such feelings as are pleasing to God. 

11. Those who are faithful in the duties of private life, 
will be most likely to be so in the duties of public life. 

17. Human expedients may for a time lessen one's sor- 
row ; yet there is no permanent relief from the sad effects 
of sin but in heartily forsaking it, and believing in Jesus 
Christ, who died, the just for the unjust, that he might 
bring us to God. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1. Sliochoh ; a place in Judah between fifteen and eigh- 
teen miles south-west from Jerusalem, having a valley 
north of it. which is believed to be the ancient valley of 
Elah. Azekah and Ephes-dammim were near to Shochoh. 

2. Bfi the valley of Elah; on the north side of it. 

4. Whose height was six cubits and a span; a cubit was 
about eighteen inches, and a span about nine inches. 

t>. Coat of mail ; in the original, a coat of mail of scales; 
that is, made of thin plates of metal overlapping each 
347 



Goliath dtfielh Israel. 



1 SAMUEL XV 11, 



Davit! visile I h l/ic camp. 



fi And he had proavcs of bras? upon his legs, and 
a tarircf of brass bi^twccn liis sliouldors. 

7 And tlio stall' of liis spear iras like a weaver's 
beam;" and liis spear's iiead wnsxhcd six liinidred 
sliekels of iron : and one bearing a sliield went 
before iiini. 

8 And lie stood and cried unto the armies of 
Israel, and said unto them, Wiiy are ye come out 
to set 7/oi/r battle in array'/ am not 1 a Philistine, 
and ye servants to Saul'/'' choose you a man for 
you. and let him come down to me. 

9 If ho be al)le to light with me, and to kill me, 
then will we be your servants: but if I prevail 
against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our 
servants, and serve us. 

It) And the Philistine said, 1 defy the armies of 
Israel this day ;" give mc a man, that we may light 
together. 

11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words 
of tlio Philistine, tiiey were dismayed, and greatly 
afraid. 

] 2 ^ Now David icas the son of that Ephratliite 
of l>eth-le!ieui-judah, whose name teas Jesse;'' and 
he had eight sons:'^^ aud the man went among men 
for an old man in the days of Saul. 

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and 
followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his 
three sons that went to the battle tvcre Eliab the 
first-born, and next uuto him Abinadab, and the 
third Shammah. 

14 And David wa.i the youngest: aud the three 
eldest followed Saul. 

15 But David went and returned from Saul to 
feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem.' 

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and 
evening, and presented himself forty days. 

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now 
for thy brethren an cphah of this parched corn, 
and these ten loaves, aud run to the camp to thy 
brethren ; 

18 And carry these ten cliceses^ unto the cap- 
tain of their thousand,* and look how thy brethren 
fare," and take their pledge. 

19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, 
icere in the valley of Elah, lighting with the Phi- 
listines. 

20 1 And David rose up early in the morning, 
and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, aud 
went, as Jesse had commanded him ; and he came 
to the trench,^ as the host was going forth to the 
fight,' and shouted for the battle. 

21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the 
battle in array, army against army. 

22 And David left his carriage^ in the hand of 



• Or, gorget 


» a Sam. 21:19. b oh. 8:17. c ,er 26; 2 Sim. 2l;-'l. 


J Rulh ■i-.-ii. 


• ch. 10:10. 11. f ch. 1G:1I, 19. t Heb. ckeests of milk. 


1 Hob. a Ihous 


and. 5 Gen. 37:14. « Or. place of the rarringl ; cb. 2(i:.l. 


X Or, bnttlt arr 


ai/, or place of figkt. 1 Heb. llie vessels from upon litm. 



other like the scales of a fish. Five thousand shekels; nearly 
two hundred pounds. 

6. Target; a smaller shield suspended between his 
shoulders, to be used when occasion might require. The 
larger shield was carried before him by his armor-bearer. 
Some, however, prefer to understand a javelin hung by a 
strap behind his back. 

7. Six hundred shekeh; about twenty-five pounds. 

348 



the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the * m jwi 
army, and came and saluted his brethren.* i'»a' 

2:5 And as he talked with Ihcm. behold, there 
came up the champidn, the I'liilisline of Oath, 
Goliath by nann\ out of the armies .of the Philis- 
tines, and spake according to the same words:" 
and David heard them. 

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the 
man, (led from him,* and were sore afraid. 

25 And the men of Israel said. Have yc seen 
this mau that is come up'.' surely U> defy Israel is 
he come up: and it shall be, that the "man who 
killeth him, the king will enrich him with great 
riches, and will give him his daughter,' aud make 
his father's house free in Israel. 

26 And David spake to the men that stood by 
him, saying, What shall be done to the man that 
killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the re- 
proach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised 
Philistine,-' that he should defy the armies of the 
living God?'' 

27 And the people answered him after this man- 
ner, saying. So shall it be done to the mau that 
killeth him. 

28 1 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when 
he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was 
kindled against David,' and he said, Why cainest 
thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left 
those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy 
pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou 
art come down that thou mightest sec the battle. 

29 And David said. What have I now done?™ 
Is there not a cause? 

30 IT And he turned from him toward another, 
and spake after the same manner:- and the peo- 
ple answered him again after the former manner. 

31 And when the words were heard which David 
spake, they rehearsed tliem before Saul : and he 
sent for him.^ 

32 II And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart 
fail because of him ;" tl)y servant will go and fight 
with this Philistine. 

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able 
to go against this Philistine to fight with him: 
for thou art hut a youth, and he a man of war 
from his youth. 

34 And David said unto Saul. Thy servant kept 
his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a 
bear, and took a lamb' out of the flock: 

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, 
and delivered it out of his mouth : and when he 
arose against me, I caught hiin by his beard, and 
smote him, and slew him. 

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: 



• Heb. asked his brethren of pence, as Judg. 18:15. h ver. 8. t Heb. his face. 
i .IfL.h. 1.5:Ui. Jch.l-4:6. k Deut. 5:-20. 1 Gen. 37:4, 8, 11 . mProv.iSil. 
llleb. word. 5 Heb. Jooi Aim. n Deut. 20:2, 3. I Or, iirf. 



12. That Ephrathite of Beth-lehem-mdah; so called from 
Ephratah, one of the names of Bethlehem. Chapter 16: 1 ; 
ilicah.5:2. 

22. Carriage; the articles which he had brought with 
him. Carriage, in the old English use of the word, signi- 
fies baggage, vessels, etc., that one carries with him in 
journeying. 

25. Free; free from taxes and public burdens. 



David fightclh with Goliath, 



1 SAMUEL XVII. 



and slayelh him. 



A. M. 2911. and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be 
1063° "" as one of tiieni, seeing he hath defied the 
armies of tlie living God. 

37 David said moreover, The Lord that deliv- 
ered me ont of the paw of the lion, and out of the 
])a\v of the bear," he will deliver me out of the 
liand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, 
Go, and the Lord be with thee." 

38 1 And Saul armed David with his armor," 
and he put a helmet of brass upon his head ; also 
he armed him with a coat of mail. 

39 And David girded his sword upon his armor, 
and he assayed to go ; for he had not proved it. 
And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these ; 
for I have not proved t/mn. And David put them 
oil" him. 

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose 
him five smooth stones out of tlie brook,* and put 
them in a shepherd's bag' which he had, even in 
a scrip ; and his sling was in his hand : and he 
drew near to the Philistine. 

41 And the Philistine came ou and drew near 
unto David ; and the man that bare the shield 
we?it before him. 

42 And when the Philistine looked about, and 
saw David, he disdained him:'-' for he was but a 
youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance." 

43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a 
dog,"" that thou comcst to me with staves? And 
the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 

44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to 
me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the 
air, and to the beasts of the field.'' 

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou 
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and 
with a shield : but I come to thee in the name of 
the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel,''' 
whom thou hast defied." 

4(3 This day will the Lord deliver thee^ into 
my hand ; and I will smite thee, and take thy head 
from thee;' and I will give the carcasses of the 
host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of 
the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth ;' that 
all the earth may know that there is a God in 
Israel."^ 

47 And all this assembly shall know that the 



» Psa. 11:1; 1S:17; 77:11; 2 Cor. 1:10; aTim. 4:17. 13. b ch. 20:13; 
1 Chr. a-3:ll. 10. ' KA. rlolhed David uiUA his clothes. IOt, valley. 1 Heb. 
i-M.«i. c Psi. 1^3:4; 1 Cor. 1:27-29. dch. 16:12. e 2 Sam. 3:8, 2 Kings 
.'-:13. M Kings 20:10, 11. e 2 Sam. 22:33, 35; Psa. 124:8; 125:1 ; 2 Cor. 
SS: Heb. 11:33. b ver. 10. i Heh. shut thee up. iver. 61. JDeut. a<:20; 



39. Assayed; attempted. Not proved them ; not been ac- 
customed to them, and could not readily use them. 

45. In the name of the Lord; by his direction, with confi- 
dence in him, and for the purpose of promoting his cause. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

10. When distinguished strength and courage make men 
proud, and lead them to trust in themselves and despise 
others, they often become the occasion of their ruin. 

17. Men in executing their projects often have no idea 
of the ends which God by them will accomplish. 

25. Men are induced to perform much labor, and make 
many sacrifices, by the hope of reward ; and (jod gracious- 
ly points us to the joy set before us, as a motive to deny 
ourselves, take up the cross, and follow Christ. Rom. 
8:24. 

28. Men naturally en\-\- those who do better and are 



Lord savcth not with sword and spear:' for the 
battle is the Lord's,'" and he will give you into our 
hands. 

48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine 
arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, 
that David hasted, and ran toward the army to 
meet the Philistine. 

49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took 
thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philis- 
tine in his forehead," that the stone sunk into his 
forehead ; and he fell upon his face to the earth. 

50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with 
a sling and with a stone," and smote the Philis- 
tine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the 
hand of David. 

51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the 
Philistine, and took his sword,'' and drew it out 
of the sheatli thereof, and slew him, and cut oft' 
his head therewith. i And when the Philistines 
saw iheir champion was dead, they fled." 

52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, 
and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until 
thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron." 
And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by 
the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto 
Ekron. 

53 And the children of Israel returned from 
chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled 
their tents.' 

54 And David took the head of the Philistine, 
and brought it to Jerusalem ; but he put his armor 
in his tent. 

55 IT And when Saul saw David go forth against 
the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of 
the host, Abner, whose son is this youth?" And 
Abner said, As thy soul liveth, king, I cannot 
tell. 

56 And the king said. Inquire thou whose son 
the stripling is. 

57 And as David returned from the slaughter of 
the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him 
before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his 
hand." 

58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, 
thou young man? ^Vnd David answered, / am the 
son of thy servant Jesse the Betli-lehemite.^" 



Matt 


•2A 


28. t Josh. 


4-21 


I Kin 


^S:43; 1 


s:.3fi; 


2KinK!! 10:10 


Psa 


46:10; 


Isa 5 


2:10. 1 Psa. 44 


li, 7 


Hos. 1 


:7; Zech. 


4:U. 


m 2 Chr. 


20:14. « 


Kine^ 


22:34 





JudK. 3:31 


; l.'i 


15. P 


ch. 21:9 


2 Sam. 23:2 


: P.- 


a. 7:15, 16. 


q ver. 


4« 


r Heb. 11 


■M. 


• Josh 


15:33,30 


45. 


t Jer. 3(J 


Hi. 


U ch 


10:21, 


22. V 




.51. "ver 


12. 

















more honored than themselves, and no ties of relationship 
are any certain security against the effects of this evil 
and malignant passion. James 4:5. 

32. Confidence in God is a source of the highest and 
noblest courage, the most self-sacrificing devotion to duty, 
and the most exalted virtue. 

34. Past experience of the readiness and power of God 
to help, encourages men to trust in him, and to expect 
from him in future all which they need. 

38. The devices and efforts of men to aid us often prove 
a hinderaiice instead of a help, and we must renomice 
dependence on them and depend on God in our efforts, iu 
order to meet with success. 

40. True dependence on God leads men not to neglect 
appropriate means, but iu the right way to use them. 
Thus, while they work, God works by them in securing 
tlie result, and preparing them to give him the glory. 
349 



Junathan's love for Diivid, 



I SAMCML XV nr. 



and SauVs jealousy of hint. 



CHArTEU XV HI. 

1 Jondlhin lovrih Pnvid. .') Saul .Tivirth lii» praise, 10 icclcfth to kill 
him in Ins lury, I'.' fcnrcili Iniii Tor liis i-wA succiis. 17 oircrolh liiii> 
his J»u;4hl<T» lor a snarf. >'J tliiviJ, pcrsuuleil to be the tune's »on- 
in-l.itr. '^n-rih two humlrid furcskjiiH of the IMiilisi im-s for Michal's 
Jo« rv. 'JS Saul's hatred, and LlaviJ's jjlory increaseth. 

A XI) it came to pass, when he liad mailc an 
_Z V (Mul of s]>eakin<i; unto Saul, tliat llic soul of 
.fonatliaii was knit with the soul oi' David," and 
Joiiallian loved him'' as his own soul.'' 

2 And Suul took him that day, and would let 
him tro no more home to his father's liousc. 

3 Then Jonathan and David made a eovcnant, 
because he loved him as his own soul. 

4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the rolte 
that ims u])on him,'' and frave it to David, and his 
garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and 
io his irirdle. 

5 1 And David went out wliitlicrsocver Saul 
sent him, and behaved' himself wisely: and Saul 
set him over the men of war, and he was accepted 
in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight 
of Saul's servants. 

6 And it came to pass as they came, when David 
was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine,^ 
that the women came out of all cities of Israel, 
singing and dancing," to meet king Saul, with tab- 
rets, with joy, and with instruments of music' 

7 And the women answered one another as they 
phiyed, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, 
and David his ten thousands.' 

8 And Saul was very wroth,^ and the saying 
displeased him;* and he said. They have ascribed 
unto David ten thousands, and to me they have 
aseriljed hit tliousands: and what can he Lave 
more Imt tiie kingdom?'' 

y And Saul eyed David from that day and for- 
ward. 

10 T And it came to pass on the morrow, that 
the evil spirit from God came upon Saul,' and he 
prophesied in the midst of the house -J and David 
played with his hand, as at other times : and there 
ivas a javelin in SauFs hand.'' 

11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will 
smite David even to the wall with it. And David 
avoided out of his presence twice.' 

12 IF And Saul was afraid of David, because the 
Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul. 



» Gen. 44;30. b ver. 3; ch. 19:2i 2U:17; -2 Sam. 1:26. c Deal. 13:6. 
■1 Gen. 41:42. • Or, prospered, ver. 14, 15, 30; Psa.l:3. t Or, P/ii/i'.t(ines. 
e Exod. 1.5:20; Judg. II :34. : Heb. three-slrin^ed inslrumenls. 'ch. 21:11. 
e Prov. 27:4; Eccl. 4:4. 5 Beb. was euil in Ins eyes, h ch. I.';:a3. i ch. 
16:11. J ch. 19:24; Acts 15:16. k ch. !<):«, 10; 20:33. 1 Psa. .37:32. 33; 
Isa. 54:17. 1 Or, prospered ; ver. 5. ni Num. 27:17; 2 .''am. 5:2; 1 Kings 



43. Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit 
before a fall. Prov. 16:18. 

46. One great design of Jehovah in all his dealings, is 
to make known his character, and show to the universe 
that there is no one but himself who governs and controls 
in the kingdoms of nature, providence, and grace. 

51. The strongest as well as the weakest are dependent 
upon God, and that expectation which rests on creatures 
is liable at any time to be disappointed. 

55. Services performed for men may by them be forgotten, 
and those 'who render them pass out of mind ; but services 
done for God he always remembers, and will graciously 
reward. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

6. Tabrets; or timbrels : a sort of small drum. 
350 



i;i Therefore .'■^aul removed him from him, a.m »« 
and made him his captain over a thousand ; iokT 
and h(! went out and came in bel'ori; the people. 

14 \ni\ David behaved' himself wisely in all his 
ways; and the Loud iras with him. 

l;j Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved 
himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 

10 Hut all Israel and Judah loved David, because 
he went out and caiue in hel'iire Iheiii.'" 

17 •! And Saul said to David, Behold my elder 
daughter Merab," her will I give thee to wife; 
only be thou valiant^ for me, and light the Lord'.s 
battles." For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon 
him, but let the hand of the Philistines be ujion 
him." 

18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I?'' and 
what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, 
that I should be son-in-law to the king? 

19 ]]iit it came to pass at the time when Merab 
Saul's daughter should have been given to David, 
that she was given unto Adriel'' the Meholatliite' 
to wife. 

20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David; 
and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.' 

21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she 
may be a snare to him,' and that the hand of the 
Philistines may be against him." Wherefore Saul 
said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son-in- 
law in the one o/the twain. 

22 1l And Saul commanded his servants, saying, 
Commune witJi David secretly, and say, Behold, 
the king hath delight in thee, and all his servants 
love thee ; now therefore be the king's son-in-law. 

23 And Saul's servants spake those words in 
the ears of David. And David said, Scemeth it 
to you a light thing to be a king's son-in-law,^' see- 
ing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?" 

24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying. 
On this manner '^ spake David. 

25 And Saul said. Thus shall ye say to David, 
The king desireth not any dowry,-'' but a hundred 
foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the 
king's enemies.^' But Saul thought to make David 
fall by the hand of the Philistines. 

2G And when his servants told David these 
words, it pleased David well to be the king's son- 
in-law ; and the days were not expired.* 



3:7. nch. 17:25. H Heb. oMn f>/wi/or. och.25;2j'. p ver. 21,2i; 2 Sam. 
12:9. 1 ver. 23; ch. 9:21; 2 Sam. 7:18. r a Sam. 21:.S. » JuJg. 7:22. 
• Ilet. Ktts right in his eyes, t Exod. 10:7; Prov. 29:5. u ver. 17. v l John 
3:1. w Psa. 119:141. t Heb. According to these words. « Exod. 22:17. 
ych. 14:24. fUeh. fulfilled. 



9. Said eyed David; he watched him with jealous feel- 
ings. 

10. Prophesied; under the influence of the evil spirit, 
the king imitated the maimer of speaking that belonged 
to the true prophets when they were under the inspira- 
tion of the Holy Spirit. A javelin; a light spear pointed 
with metal. 

18. What is my life; what is my condition of life? or, as 
we sa_y. What are my circumstances? He intimates that 
they are too humble to allow him to think of such an 
alliance. Compare ver. 23. 

25. Dowry; among the Hebrews, and generally, in the 
East, a compensation or present made by the bridegroom 
to the father of the bride. 

26. The days; previous to the time appointed for his 
marriage. 



Saul seeketh David's life. 



1 SAMUEL XIX. 



David escapclh to Naioth. 



A. M. 2941. 27 Wherefore David arose and went, lie 
'1063° " and liis men," and slew of the Philistines 
two hundred men ; and David brought their fore- 
skins,*" and they gave them in full tale to the king, 
that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul 
gave him Michal his daughter to wife. 

28 IT And Saul saw and knew that the Lord was 
with David, and that Michal Saul's daughter loved 
him. 

29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David ; 
and Saul became David's enemy continually.'^ 

30 Then the princes of the Philistines went 
forth :'' and it came to pass, after they went forth, 
that David behaved himself more wisely than all 
the servants of Saul f so that his name was much 
set by.* 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1 Jonathan discloseth his father's purpose to kill David. 4 He per- 
suadeth his fatlier to reconciliation. 8 By reason of David's good suc- 
cess in a new war, Saul's malicious rage breaketh out against him. 
1 12 Michal deceivetli her father with an image in David's bed. 18 
;• David Cometh to Samuel in Naioth. 20 Saul's messengers sent to 
take David, 22 and Saul himself, prophesy. 

AND Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to 
all his servants, that they should kill David. 

2 But Jonathan Saul's sou delighted much in 
David /and Jonatlian told David, saying, Saul my 
fatlier seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray 
thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and 
abide in a secret yj/ace, and hide thyself: 

3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in 
the field where thou art, and I will commune with my 
father of thee ; and what I see, that I will tell thee. 

4 1 And Jonathan spake good of David unto 
Saul his father,*^ and said unto him. Let not the 
king sin against his servant, against David ;" be- 
cause he hath not sinned against thee, and because 
his works have been to thee- ward very good:' 

5 For he did put his life in his haud,J and slew 
the Philistine,'' and the Lord wrought a great sal- 
vation for all Israel:' thou sawest it, and didst 
rejoice : wherefore then wilt tliou sin against inno- 
cent blood,™ to slay David without a cause? 

6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jona- 
than : and Saul sware," Jls the Lord liveth, he 
shall not be slain. 

7 And Jonathan called David, and Jouathanshow- 
ed him all those things. And Jonathan brought 
David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in 
times past.+° 



• Ver.l:). b2Sim.3:14. » Psa. 37:12, H. d 2 Sam. 11:1. ever.SiPsa. 
119:99, • Heb. predtms/ ch.'iH-.-iX; 2 Kings 1:13; Psa. 116:15; 1 Pel. 2:7. 
'ch.l8:l. sProv.31:8,9. hGen. 43:22. i Psa. 35:12; 109:5; Prov. 17:13. 
ich. 23:21; Judg. 12:3; I'sa. 119:109. k cb. 17:49,50. 1 ch. 11:13; 1 Chr. 
11:14. m ch. 20::32. d Prov. 26:24, 25. 1 Heh. yesterday third day. o cb. 



30. Went forth; to fight with Israel. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. Real excellence of character forms the surest basis for 
ardent and durable friendship, and those wlio rightly cul- 
tivate it on earth may hope to enjoy it for ever in heaven. 

5. The presence and favor of God are the grand source 
of all true wisdom, and the surest guarantee of durable 
success. 

8. An envious disposition tends to torment him who 
indulges it, and all who feel its influence. 

II. There is no wickedness so great but the liuman 
heart, uiu'estrained by divine grace, may commit it. 



8 IT And there wars war again : and David went 
out, and fought with the Philistines, and slew them 
with a great slaughter; and they fled from him.* 

9 And the evil spirit from the Lord was upon 
Saul," as he sat in his house with his javelin in his 
hand: and David played with his hand. 

10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the 
wall with the javelin ; but he slipped away out of 
Saul's presence, and he smote the javelin into the 
wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.'' 

11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house,'' 
to watch him, and to slay him in the morning : and 
Michal David's wife told him, saying. If thou save 
not thy life to-night, to-morrow thou shalt be slain. 

12 1 So Michal let David down through a win- 
dow:'' and he went, and fled, and escaped.' 

13 And Michal took an image,^ and laid it in 
the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his 
bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 

14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, 
she said. He is sick. 

15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see 
David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that 
I may slay him. 

16 And when the messengers were come in, be- 
hold, there uas an image in the bed, with a pillow 
of goats' hair for his bolster. 

17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou 
deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that 
he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul," He 
said unto me. Let me go : why should I kill thee?"" 

18 1i So David fled, and escaped, and came to 
Samuel to Eamah, and told him all that Saul had 
done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt 
in Naioth. 

19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David 
is at Naioth in Eamah. 

20 And Saul sent messengers to take David :^ 
and when they saw the company of the prophets 
prophesying,^ and Samuel standing as appointed 
over them, the Spirit of God was upon the mes- 
sengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.-^' 

21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other 
messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And 
Saul sent messengers again the third time, and 
they prophesied also. 

22 Then went he also to Eamah, and came to a 
great well that is in Sechu : and he asked and 
said. Where are Samuel and David? And one 
said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Eamah. 



16:21 


1H- 


2, 13. 1 


Heb, 


his face. 


P ch. 


6:14; 16:10, 11. q Psa. 


124 


■f; 


Matt. 


in-' 


,J. r Ps 


a. 59. 


title. 8 


Josh. 2 


15; Acts 9:24, 


25; 2 Cor 


11 


32, 


33. 1 


Psa 


34:19. 


8 Heb. teraph, 


my Gen 


31:19; Judg. 


17:5. « 


2 S 


m 


17:20 




2 Sam. 2 


■S2. 


« John ■ 


:32, 45. 


I ch. 10:5, 6 


1 Cor. 14 


24. 


2.'>. 


yNun 


1.11 


25; Joel 


2:2tf. 















15. Rulers often regard their o'svn glory more than the 
public good, and seek to destroy those whom the people 
dehght to honor. Luke 19:47, 48. 

17. 'What men will not do directly, they often attempt 
to do indirectly, and thus try to cast the responsibility uf 
their evil actions on others. 

29. The more one is favored in the course of divine 
Providence, the more will envious men hate him. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

."!. In the field; where Jonathan expected his father would 
walk. 

18. Naioth ; a place in Benjamin, near to Ramah. 

.351 



Joiuilhan ami David 



1 SAMIKL XX, 



rewic iheir covenant. 



2:} Ami lie wont lliiliior lo Xaintii in Kaniali : 
iind till' S|)ii-it of Goil was n])on liini also, ami lie 
\v(Mit on. and itroithesicd, until he came to Xai(jUi 
in {{ainali. 

•1\ And lie stripped off liis clothes also," and 
pri)l>lii'sicd before Sanincl in like manner, and 
lav' down naked all that day and all that night. 
AVhcroforo they say, Is Saul also among the 
proplicts?'' 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 Darid consuUeth with Jonathan for In's safety. 11 Jonathan and 
P.avid renew their covenant by oath. IS Jonathan's token to L)avid. 
24 Saul, niissinpf David, seckotli to kill Jonathan. 3-3 Jonathan lov- 
ingly takctli his leave of I'avid. 

AND David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and 
came and said before Jonathan, What have 
I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my 
sin before thy father, that he seeketli my life? 

2 And he said unto him, God forbid ; thou shalt 
not die: bcliolil. my fallior will do nothing cither 
great or small, but that he will show it me:* and 
why should my father hide this thing from me? 
it is not so. 

3 And David sware moreover, and said. Thy 
father certainly knoweth that I have found grace 
in thine eyc.^; and he saith. Let not Jonathan 
know this, lest he be grieved: but truly, as the 
Lord liveth, and as thy soul livcth, there is but a 
step between me and death." 

4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever 
thy soul desireth,* I will even do* it for thee. 

, .5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to-mor- 
row is the new moon,'' and I should not fail to sit 
with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may 
hide myself in the field unto the third day at even." 

6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David 
earnestly asked kave of me that he might run to 
Beth-lchem his city : for there is a yearly sacrifice' 
there for all the family. 

7 If he say thus. It is well; thy servant shall 
have peace : but if he be very wroth, then be sure 
that evil is determined by him.'' 

8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy ser- 
vant;" for thou hast brought thy servant into a 



»Isa.20:2. • Heb./e«; Num. 34:4. bch. 10:10, 12. tHeb. 
wr; vcr 12;ch.9:ia. c ch. 27:1 ; 2 Cor. 1:9. 10. IHeb. speaktth. or think- 
elk. S Or, Say what is thy mind, and I will da. <1 Num. 10: 10; aS: U. = eh. 
10:2. I Or,/ea.i(,- ch. 9:12. t ch. 2.);17; Esth. 7:7. f Josh. 2:14. h ver. 
Hi; ch. 13:3; 23:18. ■ 2 Sam. U.Si. 1 Hcb. searched. • Heb. 



24. His clothes; his outer garments. Naked; without his 
upper garments. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. En\-y indulged often leads to murder, and many are 
in heart guilty of this sin who are prevented from out- 
wardly committing it. 1 John 3:15. 

4. Real love will seek the good of the object beloved, 
and if need be, perform labors, make sacrifices, and meet 
dangers to promote it. 

6. Sound reason and kind persuasion may for a time 
overcome passion ; but without a change of heart, when 
depravity is restrained in one direction it will break out 
ill another. 

10. When one is given up to the power of evil, not only 
ingagements but solemn oaths will be disregarded, and 
malignant passions will overcome all restraint. 

17. Those who hate others, and treat them as enemies, 
are apt to feel that others hate them and are their enemies. 
3.52 



covenant of IheLnnn with thee:'' notwith- a, m ?<H2 
standing, if there lie in me iniijuity,' slay i'»' 
me thvsclf; for whv shouldest thou bring me to 
thy father? 

'.) And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for 
if I knew certainly that evil was deteimined by 
mv father to come ujwu thee, then would not i 
tell it thee? 

10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell 
me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly? 

11 1 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and 
let us go out into the field. And they went out 
both of them into the field. 

12 And Jonathan said unto David, LoiiD God 
of Israel, when I have sounded' my father about 
to-morrow any time, or the thiid dai/. and behold, 
if there he good toward David, and 1 then send 
not unto thee, and show it thee;* 

13 The Loud do so and much more to Jonathan : 
but if it please my father to do thee evil, then i 
will show it thee, and send thee away, that thou 
maycst go in peace: and the Lord be with thee,' 
as he hath been with my father.'' 

14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live show 
me the kindness of the Lord, that I die not: 

15 But also thou shalt not cut off" thy kindness 
from my house for ever:' no, not when the Lord 
hath cut off the enemies of David every one from 
the face of the earth. 

16 So Jonathan made* a covenant with the house 
of David, saying, Let the Lord even require t7 at 
the hand of David's enemies.™ 

17 And Jonathtro caused David to swear again, 
because he loved him:' for he loved him as he 
loved his own soul." 

18 Then Jonathan said to David, To-morrow is 
the new moon :° and thou shalt be missed, because 
thy seat will be empty .^ 

19 And when thou hast stayed three days, tfieu 
thou shalt go down quickly,' and come to the place 
where thou didst hide thyself when the business 
was in hand,''' and shalt remain liy the stone Ezel.* 

20 And 1 will shoot three arrows on the side 
thereof, as though I shot at a mark. 

21 And behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, 





17:37. k ch. 10:7; 11:6, etc.; 2Sam. 7:15. ' ch. 


21:21; 2 Sam. 9:1-7. 1 


Heb. CB(. m ch. 31:2; 2 Sam. 4:7. t Or, »y Aij 




18:1. over. 5. « Heb. m/sserf. i Or. diligently; 


Heb. greatly. H Heb. < 


<i llic day of the busimss. p ch. 19:2. • Or, That 


sitoli'eth the way. 





20. Tlie hearts of aU are in the hands of the Lord, and 
he can turn them whithersoever he will. No devices will 
succeed against those whom he designs to bless, and no 
evils will come upon them which he will not overrule for 
their good. 

CHAPTER XX. 

5. Tlienetumoon; the beginningofthemonth, when itwas 
customary for relatives to unite in a sacrifice and a feast. 
12. Soitnded ; learned his state of mind. 

14. T/ie kindness — that I die not; it was common, when 
one began to reign, for him to put to death those who 
were supposed to have a claim to the throne. 

15. My house; his posterity. 

16. Require it; take vengeance on either party, should 
they break this covenant. 

18. Thy scat; at the family feast. 

19. Tlie stone Ezcl ; this was apparently a way-stone. 



The parting of 



1 SAMUEL XXI. 



David and Jonathan. 



A. M. 29K fnirl out tlic arrows. If I expressly say unto 

' luia. the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side 

of thee, take them ; then come thou : for there is 

peace to thee, and no hurt;' as the Loud liveth." 

22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, 
the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the 
Lord liatli sent thee away. 

23 And as touching the matter which thou and 
I have spoken of," Ijchold, the Lord be between 
thee and me for ever. 

24 1 So David hid himself in the field ; and when 
the new moon was come, the king sat him down 
to eat moat. 

2.5 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other 
times, even upon a seat by the wall : and Jonathan 
arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's 
place was empty. 

26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that 
day : for he thought. Something hath befallen liim, 
he is not clean; surely he is not clean.'' 

27 And it came to pass on the morrow, ivhich 
was the second day of the month, that David's 
place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan 
his sou. Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to 
moat, neitlier yesterday, nor to-day? 

28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David ear- 
nestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem :'' 

29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee ; for our 
family liath a sacrifice in the city ; and my brother, 
lie hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I 
have found favor in thine eyes, let me get away, 
I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he 
Cometh not unto the king's table. 

30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jona- 
than," and he said unto him, Thou son ^ of the perverse 
rebellious woman,* do not I know that thou hast 
chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and 
unto the confusion of th_y mother's nakedness? 

31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon 
the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy 
kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him 
unto me, for he shall surely die.^' 

32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and 
said unto him. Wherefore shall he be slain?- what 
hath he done? 



• Heb. not any Iking. > Jer. 4:2. b ver. 14, 15, 42 


c Lev. 7:21; IS:.?, 


etc. d ver. 0. e I'roy. 19:1-.'. ^ Oi, perverse rebel. 


Heb. perverse rebel- 


lion. ! Heb. is(Aj.wno/rfOT(/i. ' ch. 19:fi, 11 . B cb 


19:5; Prov. 31:8, 0; 


Matt. 27; 23. l>ch. 18:11. i ver. 7. H Heb. Jo pa.M 


over. S ver. 21, 22. 



22. Hath sent thee away; in order to preserve his Hfc. 

26. He is not dean; Saul thought that David was cere- 
monially unclean, and had kept away on that account. 

40. Artillery; weapons. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. This is a state of trial, and even obedience to God 
will not keep a person from suiferings ; yet it will cause 
ttiem to be overruled for his good and the good of others. 

10. Tlie certainty that David would be king did not 
render it unnecessary for him to use means to preserve 
his life : nor does the promise of God, to keep his chil- 
dren to the end, render unnecessary their own diligent 
prayers and efforts to persevere in faith and holiness. It 
is through the use of appropriate means, and not without 
them, that the end will be accomplished. 

15. The conduct of parents may deeply aft'cct not only 
tlieir children, but their distant posterity, and each one 
should so act as shall tend to secure blessings to all who 
'.;ome after him. to the end of time. 



33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him :'' 
wliereby Jonathan knew that it was determined 
of ills father to slay David.' 

34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce 
anger, and did cat no meat the second day of the 
month ; for he was grieved for David, because his 
father had done him shame. 

35 1 And it came to pass in the morning, that 
Jonathan went out into the field at the time ap- 
pointed with David, and a little lad with him. 

36 And he said unto his lad. Run, find out now 
the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, 
he shot an arrow beyond' him. 

37 And when the lad was come to the place of 
the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan 
cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow 
beyond thee?J 

38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, 
haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up 
the arrows, and came to his master. 

39 But the lad knew not any thing : only Jona- 
than and David knew the matter. 

40 IT And Jonathan gave his artillery' unto his 
lad,* and said unto him. Go, carry th(7n to the city. 

41 T ./Ind as soon as the lad was gone, David 
arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on 
his face to the ground, and bowed himself three 
times : and they kissed one another, and wept one 
with another, until David exceeded. 

42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace,^ 
forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name 
of the LoRD,+ saying. The Lord be between me 
and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for 
ever. And he arose and departed : and Jonathan 
went into the city. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 David at Nob obtaineth of Ahiir.elech hallowed bread. 7 Doeg wa!" 
present 8 David taketh GroliatU's sword. 10 David at Gath feign- 
eth himself mad. 

THEN came David to Nob to Ahimelech^ the 
priest : and Ahimelech was afraid at the 
meeting of David,' and said unto him, Why art 
thou alone, and no man with thee? 
2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest,"" 



1 Heb. instruments. • Heb the lad that vis. his. k ch. 1:17. t Or, the 
Lord be witness of that u'kirh, etc.; ver. 2'i. t Called Ahiah. ch. I4::i; 
called also ,14iartar. Mark 2:2U. 1 ch. 16:4, mPsa. ii9;29. 



23. An habitual conviction that the Lord is witness of 
all we do, that we shall stand before him in judgment, 
and be treated for eternitj' according to our works, tends 
to make us circumspect, upright, and faithful. 

27. An appearance of kindness may cover a murderous 
heart, and no crime is so abominable that a supremely self- 
ish heart, under strong temptation, may not commit it. 

31. Men in saying, I will, or. He shall, often speak as if 
events depended solely on themselves, whereas they de- 
pend on God ; and men ought ever to feel, that if the Lord 
will, they shall live and do this or that. James 4:15. 

39. Men often promote more benevolent objects, and ac- 
complish greater good, than they are aware of; and all who 
faithfully do their duty, however humble their condition, 
when they see the results of their labors, will admire the 
grace of God. and be filled with gratitude and joy. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. Noh; a citv of Benjamin. Ahimelech: one of the de- 
3.53 



David flath to yob, 



I SAMIKI. WII. 



til Giit/i, inul lu Aihdlum. 



The kins Imtli coinmamlod mc a business, and lialli 
said unto ino, lii't im man know any tiling of tlic 
business wiicri'ahoiit I send tiicf, and what 1 have j 
coniniandfd tlicc: and I iiave ajipointcd »iy sor- ; 
vants to sudi and siifii a place. | 

3 Now tliercforc wliat is under tiiy liand? jrivc 
mc live loaves o/"liread in my iiand, or wliat tiiere , 
is present.' 

4 And llie priest auswercd David, and said, Tkcrc 
is no common bread under my hand, l)ut there is 
hallowed bread;" if tlic younir men have kejil 
themselves at least from women.'' 

5 And David answered the jtriest, and said unto 
him, Of a truth women have been kept from us 
about these three days, since I came out, and the 
vessels of the young men arc holy,'' and the bread 
is in a manner commou, yea, though it were sauc- 
tilied this day in the vessel.* 

6 So the priest gave him hallowed brcad:^ for 
there was no bread there but the show-laread, that 
was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread 
in the day when it was taken away. 

7 Xow a certain man of the servants of Saul was 
there that day, detained before the Loun ; and his 
name was Doeg,° an Edoniite, the chiefest of the 
hcrdmen that bclonfred to Saul. 

8 Tf And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there 
not here under thy hand spear or sword ? for I have 
neither brought my sword nor my weapons with 
me, because the king's business rc(iuired haste. 

9 And the priest said, 'I'he sword of Goliath the 
Pliilistine, whom thou slowest in the valley of 
Elah,'' behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind 
the ephod:'' if thou wilt take that, take it; for 
there is no other save that here. And David said, 
There is none like that ; give it mc. 

10 ^ And David arose, and fled that day for fear 
of Saul, and went to Acliish* the king of Gath. 

11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is 
not this David the king of the land?'' did they not 
sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul 



•H 


b. found. 


a Exod. 2.5:;JU 


T.ev 


24 fl 


-9. b Exod. 19; LO. 


' 1 Th 


es-i. 


4:4. 


\ Or, espuciatty 


when tin's 


tiai/ 


there 


is other sanctijied it 


t the ves 


scl. 


<IMat 


. \i:S. 4. 


e nh 


22:9; Psa 


. .v.!, 


.tie. 


f ch. 17:2,59,51. 


rch. 31 


19. 


1 Or. AbimeUth; 


l's,i,. 


34, tiUo. 


1' H.-n 


.56, title. >ch. 1S:7;29 


.5. j h 


ike 


2:19. 


k Psi. 34 


tille 


. 1 Eccl. 


7:7. 


i Or 


made marks. I Or 


playeth 


Ike 



scentJants of Eli. Wws afraid; that there was a difficulty 
between David and Saul, and that it might be dangerous 
to entertain liim. No man with thee; no one of his custom- 
ary retinue. lie was not absolutely alone, but appeared 
at Nob as a private person. 

4. Hallowed bread; Exod. 25:30; Lev. 24:5-9. 

5. In a manner common ; every Sabbath, the bread which 
had stood on the table during the week was taken away 
to be eaten by the priests, and new bread was put in its 
place. The old bread which had been taken from tlie 
fable, was that of wliich David and his men partook. 
Matt, 12:3, 4; Mark 2:25, 26. T/iotigh it were sanctified; 
since other bread is this day sanctitieil, or put in its place. 
Ver. C. 

7. Detained ; for the purpose, it is supposed, of perform- 
ing some religious service. 

10. Achish; this was his proper name as an individual, 
while Ahimelech, that is, king's father, was the common he- 
reditary title. Compare Psahii 34, title, and Genesis 20: 2 ; 
26:1. 

12. Sore afraid; lest Achish should think that he liad 
come for some evil purpose, and should ti'eat him as an 
enemy. 

354 



hath slain his thousands, and Pavid his *•,^'^=«;^| 
ten thonsandsV 'itxia. 

12 And Ihivid laid up these words in his lieart,' 
and was sori- alVaiil ol' Achish the king of (!ath. 

115 Anil he changed his behavior before them,'" 
and feigned iiimself mad in tiieir hands,' and 
scrabbled* on the doors of the gate, and let his 
spittle fall down upon his beard. 

14 'J'hcn said Achish unto his .servants, Lo, ye 
see the man is mad:' wherefore then have ye 
brought him to me? 

If) Have 1 need of madmen, that ye have brought 
this /('//o?i) to play the madman in my prescuce? 
shall this fellow come into my house? 



CHAPTER XXII. 



lompar 
n-ndetl 



iiU'nueth his parents unto the king of Moab. 5 Admonished by (5:i«i, 
he Cometh to Hareth. 6 Saul j;oiii^ to pursue him, complainclh of 
his servants' unfaithfulness. 9 boe<r accuseth Aliimclrch. 11 Saul 
commandeth to kill the priests. 17 The footmen refusing, Uoeg 
cxecuteth it. 20 Abiathar escaping, bringeth David tiie news. 

DAVID therefore departed thence, and es- 
caped'" to the cave Adullam:" and when his 
brethren and all his father's house heard it, they 
went down thither to him. 

2 And every one that was in distress," and every 
one that was in debt,' and every one that «•«« dis- 
contented," gathered themselves unto him ; and he 
became a captain over them ri* and there were Avitli 
him about funr hundred men. 

:5 ■; AiidlJavid went thence to Mizpeh of Moab:'' 
and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father 
and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be 
with you, till I know what God will do for mc. 

4 And heljroughtthcm liefore the kingof Moab : 
and they dwelt with him all the while that David 
was in the hold.'' 

5 1; And the prophet Gad" said unto David. 
Abide not in the hold ; depart, and get thee into 
the land of Judah. Then David departed, and 
came into the forest of Hareth.' 



vtadnian. m Psa. 57, title, and 142. title. 
11::I8. oJudg. 11:3. "lUeh. hada crediti 
72:12-14; Matt. 9:12, 13. <\ Judg. 11.29. 
2Chr. 29:25. 1 Matt. 19:23. 



2 Sam. 2:3:13; Mic. 1:15; Heb. 
' Heb. hittr-r of soul. V Pi^a. 
I Ciir. 12:1C. ■ 1 Clir. 21:9; 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Elevated situations are often places of peculiar trials, 
and from the height of worldly prosperity men may sud- 
denly fall into deep distresses ; we sliould therefore not 
put our trust in men, nor even in i>riiices, but in the liv- 
ing tiod, who hath said to all who trust in him, I will 
never leave nor forsake thee. 

2. Wlien men are guilty of falsehood for the sake of 
obtaining a present good, they know not what evils they 
may occasion to themselves and others. Chap. 22:9-22. 

7. Men may externally attend on the worsliip of (!od, 
and yet in their hearts be opposed to him, and when 
tempted, may even destroy those with whom, in the ibrms 
of devotion, they have imited. 

10. It is sometimes more safe to be among the heathen, 
than among those who have enjoyed the light of revelii- 
tion and have abused it — who in words profess friendship 
to Jehovah, but in works deny him. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1. Adullam; in the tribe of Judah. 

3. Mizpeh; in Moab, on the east of Jordan. 
■ >. Hareth ; in the land of Judah. 



Saul slaydh the pricsls. 



1 SAMUEL XXIII. 



David rescudk Kulah. 



A. St. 2912. 6 1 When Saul heard that David was 
■ liio:;. discovered, and the men that were with 
him ; (now Saul abode in Gibeali under a tree in 
Ramah," having his spear in iiis hand, and all his 
servants inrc standing about liim;) 

7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood 
al)out liim. Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son 
of Jesse give every one of you fields and vine- 
yards," and make you all captains of thousands, 
and captains of hundreds ; 

8 That all of you luxve conspired against inc, and 
there is none tliat showeth me+ that my son hath 
nrade a league witli tlic son of Jesse,'' and there is 
none of you that is sorry for me, or showetli unto 
me that my son hath stirred up my servant against 
me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 

y •[ Then answered Docg the Edomite,'^ whieli 
was set over tlio servants of Saul, and said, I saw 
the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the 
son of Aid tub.'' 

10 And he inquired of tlie Lord for him,'' and 
gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of 
Goliath the Philistine. 

11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the 
priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, 
the priests that were in Nob: and they camo all 
of them to the king. 

12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. 
And he answered. Here I am,* my lord. 

13 And Saul said unto him. Why have ye con- 
spired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in 
that tiiou liast given liim broad, and a sword, and 
hast inquired of God for liim, that he should rise 
against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 

14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said. 
And who is so faithful among all thy servants as 
David,'' which is the king's son-in-law ,» and goeth 
at thy bidding, and is honorable in thy house? 

15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? 
be it far from me: let not the king impute any 
thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my 
father : for thy servant knew nothing of all this, 
less or more.^ 

16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, 
Alumelech, thou, and all thy father's house." 

17 1 And tlie king said unto the footmen' that 
stood about him. Turn, and slay the priests of the 



■ Or. grove in a high place, a ch. 18:14. t Heb. uncoveret/t mine ea 


r; ch. 


20;2. b ch. 18:3; a):3U. c ch. 21:7; Psa. 52, title, and ver. 1. 2. 3. 


d ch. 


•il:t,etc. = Num. 27:21. 1 Heb. Behold me. f ch. 19:'1,5; 24:11. 


gch. 


13:27. iB.eh. Utile or great, h Ueut. 24:10; Esth. 3:8. 1 Or, giiaril 


Hnb. 



6. In Ramah; or, in a high place. 

9. I saw the so7^ of Jesse; chap. 21:7. 

11. His father's hou.'se; the descendants of Eli. 

13. Ha.it inquired of God for him ; that is, as Saul alleges, 
with a view to aid him in his plan to possess himself of 
the kingdom. 

18. Fourscore and five; thus was fulfilled the Lord's dec- 
laration to Eh, chap. 2:31-3G; 3:12-14. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The distresses of children occasion great anxiety to 
parents, and right-minded children will strive to alleviate 
their sorrows, and as far as Providence may permit, to 
provide for their wants. 

5. While we exercise our own best judgment, we should 
feel our need of divine guidance, seek wisdom from above, 
and be readv to sro wherever God calls. 



Lord ; because their hand also is with David, and 
Ijccausc tiiey knew when he fled, and did not show 
it to me. But the servants of the king would not 
put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the 
Lord.' 

18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and 
fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite 
turned, and he fell upon tiie priests, and slew on 
tliat day fourscore and five persons that did wear 
a linen epliod.J 

ly And Nob,'^ the city of the priests, smote lie 
with the edge ot the sword, Ijoth men and women, 
children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and 
slicep, with the edge of the sword. 

20 II And one of the sons of Ahimelech tlie son 
of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after 
David.' 

21 And Abiathar showed David that Saul had 
slain the Lord's priests. 

22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that 
day, when Doeg the Edomite teas there, that he 
would surely tell Saul:"' I have occasioned ike 
death of all the persons of thy father's house. 

23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that 
sceketh my life seeketh thy life : but with me thou 
shalt be in safeguard. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 D.aviJ, inquiring of the Lord by Abiathar, rescueth Keilah. 7 God 
showing him the coming of Saul, and the treachery of the ICeilites, he 
escapeth from Keilah. 14 In Ziph Jonatlian cometh and comfortetli 
him. 19 The Ziphites discover him to Saul. 25 At Maon he is 
rescued from Saul by the invasion of the Philistines. 29 He dwelleth 
at En-gedi. 

THEN they told David, saying. Behold, the 
Philistines fight against Keilah," and they rob 
the threshing-floors. 

2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord," say- 
ing, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And 
tiie Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Phi- 
listines, and save Keilah. 

3 And David's men said unto him. Behold, we 
be afraid here in Judah :•' how much more then if 
we come to Keilah against the armies of the Phi- 
listines? 

4 Then David inquired of the Lord yet again."" 
And tlie Lord answered him and said, Arise, go 



runners. iExod. 1:17. ich. 2:31,33. 
2:26,27. mch. 21:1-9. » Josh. 15:44. 
5:19,2.3. P Psa. 11:1. qjudg. 0:39. 



. 9, It. 1 ch. 23:6; 1 Kings 
r. 4, 6, 9; ch. 30:8; 2 Sam. 



7. Men are apt to judge others by themselves, and when 
they are supremely selfish to think that others are so too. 

9. To exalt themselves, and gain the favor of those 
above them, many will occasion the ruin of others, and 
even imbrue their hands in the blood of the innocent. 

17. Tyrants who resolve to take the life of their feUow- 
men will not be hindered by want of reasons, or be back- 
ward to contend that the public good requires it. 

18. Rulers who require men to commit sin, will gener- 
ally find some who are wicked enough to obey them. 

22. To have been even the innocent occasion of the 
death of others is exceedingly distressing to an ingenuous 
mind, and much more distressing is it when it has been 
occasioned by their kindness to us or by our sins. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1. Keilah ; south-west from Jerusalem. 



David cscaptlh to Ziph. 



1 SAMUEL XXIII. 



He is pursued by Saul. 



down to Keilah ; for I will deliver the riiilistiucs 
into tliy liaiid. 

.") So David and liis men went to Kcilali, and 
foiiglit willi the riii!i.stines, and l)roiijrlit away 
their oattle.and smote tlicni with a great slaugiiter. 
So David .•^aved the iidialjitanls of Keilaii. 

(J And it came to jiass, when Ahiatljar the son 
of Ahiinelech fled to David to Keilali," that he 
eaine down icilh an cphod in ids liand. 

7 "i And it was tolil Saul tliat David was come 
to Keilaii. And Saul said, God hath delivered 
him into my hand ; for he is shut in by entering 
into a town that iiath gates and liars.'' 

8 And Saul called all the ])eo|)le together to war, 
togodowu to Keilaii, tobesiegi; David and his men. 

9 "y And David knew that Saul s-ecrctly i)rac- 
tised mischief against him ;" and he said to Abia- 
thar the priest. Bring hither the ephod.'' 

10 Tiicn said David, IjOud God of Israel, thy 
servant hath certainly heard that Saul sccketh to 
come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.'' 

11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into 
his hand? Will Saul come down, as thy servant 
iiath heard? Lord God of Israel, I beseech 
thee, tell thy servant. And the Loku said, Ho 
will come down. 

12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah 
deliver' me and my men into the hand of Saul? 
And the Lord said. They will deliver t/iee uj). 

13 *; Then David and his men,'' u-hich were about 
•nix hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, 
and went whithersoever they could go. And it 
was told Saul that David was escaped from Kei- 
lah; and he forbare to go forth. 

14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong- 
holds, and remained in a mountain''' in the wilder- 
ness of Ziph.'' And Saul sought him every day, 
])ut God delivered him not into his hand.' 

15 And David saw that Saul was come out to 
seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of 
Ziph in a wood. 

16 'i And Jonathan Saul's son arose and went 
to David into the wood, and strengthened^ his 
hand in God.'' 

17 And he said unto him, Fear not : for the hand 
of Saul my father shall not find thee;' and thou 



, 


Ch. *. 


•■.^n 


. bPsi. 71 


■10 


11. 


t.Ter 


11 


1H 


19. d 


ch. 30:7 


Num. 27:21; 


.Is 


. 3:3:3 


e 


ver. S: E 


th. 


:i:l!; 


Hrr>v 


•Jt 


15 


Rom 


3:15,16. 


• Heb. shut 




tch. 


«:> 


2; ai:l3. 


rl' 


a.. 11 


:l. 


!• Joih. 


.5:55. 


iPsi. 37:32.33; 54:3. 


4. 


JProv 


■r 


:9. 17; Isa 


35:3,4; 


Hfb. 


12: 


12. 


kEph. 0:10. 


Job 5: 11-15. 


"'ch.-2l:->0. 


nch. 20:10 


42 


2 S3 


n>.2I 


•'■ 


och. 20:1 


; Psa. 54 


title. tUeb. 



6. An ephod in his hantl ; this is supposed to have been 
the higli-priest's epliod, containing the breastplate with 
Urira and Thummini. Upon the death of Ahiinelech this 
was saved by Abiathar in his flight, and David consulted 
God by it. 

14. Wilder-iuss of Ziph ; a rough, hilly region in the tribe 
of .Judah south-east of Ilebron. 

16. Strengthened his hand in God; encouraged him to 
hope in God, and expect deliverance irom him. 

19. Jeshimon; meaning wilderness, or desert. 

21. Moon; a place south of Ziph. 

28. Sela-}uimmah-lckot)i ; meaning, according to some in- 
terpreters, the rock of divisions ; according to others, the 
rock of escape. 

29. En-gedi; north-east of Maon, and on the border of 
the Dead sea; called also, Hazezon-tamar. Gen. 14:7; 
2Chron. 20:2. 

350 



shall be king over Israel, and 1 shall be a. m. aws. 

I 111 111 '*■ *"■ •I'ofI 

ne.xt unto tiiee; and that also haul my iwi- 
father knoweth.'" 

18 And they two made a covenant before the 
Lord:" and David abode in the wood, and Jona- 
than went to his house. 

I'J 'J'lien came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gib- 
eah," saying, Doth not David hide himself with us 
in strong-holds in the wood, in the hill of llacli- 
ilah, which is on the south' of Jeshimon?* 

20 Now therefore, king, come down according 
to ail the desire of thy soul to come down ; and our 
part s/iall be to deliver him into the king's hand.'' 

21 And Saul said, Ble^se(l lie ye of the Lono;'' 
for ye have compassion on mc. 

22 Go, I }n-ay you, prepare yet, and know and 
see his place where his haunt is,* and who hath 
seen him there: for it is told mc thai he dealcth 
very subtilely. 

23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the 
lurking places where he hidelii hiniscll,'' and come 
ye again to me with the ci'itainty, and 1 will go 
with you: aud it shall come to pass, if he be in 
the land, that I •will search him out" throughout 
all the thousands of Judah.' 

24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: 
but David and liis men vxre in the wilderness of 
Maon," in the jilain on the south of Jeshimon. 

25 Saul also and his men went to seek kirn. 
And they told David : wherefore he came down 
into a rock,' and abode in the wilderness of Maon. 
And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David 
in the wilderness of Maon. 

20 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, 
and David aud his men on that side of the moun- 
tain : and David made haste to get away for fear 
of Saul;" for Saul and his men compassed David 
and his men round about to take them.'' 

27 IT But there came a messenger unto Saul," 
saying. Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines 
have invaded^ the laud. 

28 Wherefore Saul returucd from pursuing after 
David, and went against the Philistines: therefore 
they called that place Kela-hammah-lekoth." 

29 IT Aud David went up from thence, and dwelt 
in strong-holds at En-gedi.-' 



on the Tiskt hand. 


Ulr. 


Tliel 


•iUerness, 


P P.'ia. 5 


:3. q Jude. 17:2 


; Mic. 


3:11. i lUb. foot shall be 


. r.l 


hn la:2, 3 


»1 Kin 


gs 18:10. 


iNum. 


10:30; 


Mic. 5:2. "ch.as 


2. 1 


Jr. Jr 


wn the roric 


V Psi. 


31:22. " 


P>a. 17:9,11; 


140:1-9 « 2 King 


sl9:!) 


1 Heb. spread 


Ihemselv 


s upon. 


That 


8, The 


Tockofdtoisions. 


r-iCh 


r. 20: 


-'■ 











INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. A conviction of our dependence on God, and a dispo- 
sition to seek his direction, are a good preparation for 
receiving his favor and securing success. 

7. Men arc apt to interpret the providences of God ac- 
cording to their wishes, and to think that what favors their 
designs is a token of his approval. 

12. It is not uncommon for men to return evil for good, 
and requite their benefactors with base ingratitude. 

16. Pions friendship delights in giving comfort in dis- 
tress, by raising expectations from, and inspiring hope in 
Jehovah. 

21. Men sometimes invoke the blessing of the Lord in 
the pursuit of objects which he abhors. 

27. The Lord lias a variety of ways in which he can 
protect his people, and he sometimes makes use of one 
cnemv to deliver them from another. 



David sparcth Saul's life. 



1 SAMUEL XXIV. 



Saul cmifcsselh his fault. 



S.^'2',f„oe, CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 David in a cave at En-gedi, having cut off Saul's skirt, spareth his 
life. 8 He showeth thereby his innocency. 16 Saul, acknowledging 
his fault, taketh an oath of David, and departeth. 

AND it came to pass, when Saul -was returned 
from following* the Philistines," that it was 
told liim, saying. Behold, David is in the wilder- 
ness of Eii-gcdi. 

2 Then 8aul took three thousand chosen men 
out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his 
men'' upon the rocks of the wild goats.'' 

3 And he came to the sheopcotes by the way, 
where was a cave ; and Saul went in to cover his 
feet:'' and David and his men remained in the 
sides of the cave." 

4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold 
the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, 
I will deliver thine enemy into thy liand,' that thou 
mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. 
Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's 
robe* privily. 

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's 
heart smote him,^ because he had cut off Saul's 
skirt. 

6 And he said uuto his men, The Lokd forbid 
that I should do this thing unto my master, the 
L')Ud'8 anointed,'' to stretch forth my hand against 
him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.' 

7 So David stayed* his servants with these 
words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul.-' 
But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his 
way. 

8 1 David also arose afterward, and went out 
of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying. My lord 
the king. And when Saul looked behind him, 
David stooped with his face to the earth, and 
bowed himself. 

9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest 
thou men's words,'' saying. Behold, David secketh 
thy hurt? 

io Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how 
that the Lord had delivered thee to-day into my 
hand in the cave : and some bade me kill thee : ' 
but mine eye spared thee ; and I said, I will not 



• Heb. after. 


a ch. -i 


■.■2)i. 29. b Psa. 38:1-2. ' Psa. 141-.n. i Jnjg. 3:24. 


' P»a. 57 j 14-J, 


tUles. 


fch. 26:6-11. t Heb. the robe which was Saufs. 


f 2 Sim. al:lU 


1 John 


3:20,21. h I Kings 21:3. 12 Sam. 1:14. I Heb. 


nit off. jPsa. 


;4; Ma 


tt. 5:44; Rom. 12:17-21. k Lev. li):lfl; Prov. 1B:S; 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

2. Rocks of the wild goats ; the wild, uncultivated regions 
inhabited by those animals. 

3. A cave ; caves in that country are often large enough 
to contain hundreds of men. 

5. David's heart smote him; fearing he had done -wrong 
in cutting off Saul's skirt, and had not treated him whom 
God had made king with proper respect. 

13. Wickedness — from the wicked; if David had been wick- 
ed, and sought Saul's life, he would have killed him. But 
as he did not, it showed that he was not thus wicked. 

14. After a dead dog; one insignificant and worthless. 
21. Not destroy my name; by cutting off his posterity. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Where the heart is not duly humbled and turned 
from the love of sin, men will contimie in some form to 
practise it. When disappointed in one way they will 
pursue it in another, and nothing but the grace of God 
will lead them wholly to forsake it. 



put forth my hand against my lord ; for he is the 
Lord's anointed. 

11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt 
of thy robe in my hand : for in that I cut off the 
skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou 
and see that there is neither evil nor transgression 
in my hand,"' and I have not sinned against thee; 
yet thou huntest my soul to take it." 

12 The Lord judge between mo and thee, and 
the Lord avenge me of thee: but my hand shall 
not be upon thee. 

13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wick- 
edness proceedeth from the wicked : but my hand 
shall not be upon thee. 

14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? 
after whom dost thou pur.sue? after a dead dog, 
after a flea. 

15 The Lord therefore be judge, and judge be- 
tween me and thee, and see," and plead my cause,'' 
and deliver^ me out of thy hand.i 

16 TT And it came to pass, when David had made 
an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that 
Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And 
Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 

17 And he said to David, Thou art more right- 
eous than I : for thou hast rewarded me good,"" 
whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 

18 And thou hast showed this day how that thou 
hast dealt Avell with me : forasmuch as when the 
Lord had delivered' me into thy hand, thou kill- 
edst me not. 

19 For if a man find liis enemy, will he let him 
go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee 
good for that thou iiast done unto nie this day.'* 

20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt 
surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel 
shall be established in thy hand.' 

21 Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, 
that thou wilt not cut off my seed alter me, and 
that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my 
father's house." 

22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went 
home ; but David and his men gat them up unto 
the hold.''' 



26:211-22; 29:12; Ecol. 7:21. I ver. 4. nPsa.3.5:7. nch. 26:20. o 2 Chr. 
24:22. P Psa. 35:1 ; 43:1; 119:154; Mio. 7:9. iHeh. judge, q ch. 26:21. 
f Matt. 5:44. 1 Heb. shut up; ch. 23:12; 26:8. > Psa. 1S:20; Prov. '25:21, 
22. tch. '2:3:17. u 2 Sam. 21 :6, 8. v ch. •2:!:'29. 



4. We should be very careful not to interpret the op- 
portunity and inclination for iniquity as a license from 
God to commit it. 

6. Conscientious regard to propriety in the treatment 
of those whom God has raised to be rulers, will ever 
characterize his enlightened and consistent friends. Yet 
this will not lead them to justify their errors, nor hinder 
them from condemning their vices. 

7. To be accepted of God, we must not only abstain 
from evil ourselves, but must use our influence to prevent 
it in others. 

9. It is highly honorable to religion, when the conduct 
of its friends shows that the slanders of their enemies 
are false. 

13. The conduct of men is the best evidence of their 
character, and they should ever so act as to show supreme 
regard to God and good-will to men. 

16. Wicked men often see that they are wicked, that 
the righteous are more excellent and more happy than 
they, and that their end will be more glorious. 
357 



Sitmuel d'uth at R.im..h. 



I SAMUEL XXV 



Nabiirs c/iurlishntss. 



CHAPTER XXY. 



r.iran jcnaelh lo Nsbil. 10 ProToked by 
iiilflh to destroy him. 1-1 Abi^il iindcr- 



1 Siunurl difth. 2 DaviJ 
Nnbsli churli3lini'«<. lie 

■tandin" tlierc-'f. IS tAkvth a prfscnt. 'S\ and by berwiRdoin lf2 paci 
fielh David. :W Nab.il lieanni; lli.T.of dlctli. SU David take tli Abigail 
nad Aliiiioam li bo his wives. -II Miclul is given lo Plialti. 

A XD Samuel ilicil; ami all the l.sraelites were 
i, \_ ■i;atliereil together, and laineiiteJ him, ami 
Iniriei liiiii in his hou.se at Hainah." Ami David 
arcso. and went down lo tlie wilderness of Paraii.'' 

2 Anil i/icre mas a man in Maoii,'' wliosc po.sses- 
sions' iccrc in Carinel ; and tlio man icas very great, 
and he iiad three thousand slieep, and a tiiousaiul 
goats: and l>o was sliearing his siieep in Carmel. 

3 Now the name of tiic man was Nahai, and the 
name of iiis wife Abigail; and she was a woman 
of good umlerslaiidiug,'' and of a beautiful coun- 
tenance; but the man ?m.? ciiurlish and evil in his 
doings;" and lie ivas of the hou.se of Caleb. 

•4 T And David hoard in tlie wilderne.ss that 
Nabal did shear liis sheep/ 

5 And David seat out ten young men, and David 
said unto the young men, Get you np to Carmel, 
and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name : ^ 

6 And thus sliall ye say to him that livcth in 
prosperity, Peace be botli to tlice, and peace be to 
thy house, and peace be unto all tliat thou liast." 

7 And now I have heard tliat thou hast shearers : 
now thy shei)herds wliich were with u.s, we hurt* 
them not, neitiicr was tlicre aught missing unto 
them, all the while tlioy were in Carmel. 

8 Ask thy young men, and they will show thee. 
Wherefore let tlic young men find favor in thine 
eyes; for we come in a good day:'' give, I pray 
thee,' wliatsoever comctli to tliy hand unto thy ser- 
vants, and to thy son David.J 

9 And when David's young men came, tliey 
spake to Nabal according to all those words in 
the name of David, and ceased.^ 

10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and 
said. Who is David?" and who is the son of Jesse? 
there be many servants nowadays that break 
away every man from his master. 

11 Shall I then take my liread,' and my watei-, 
and my flesh' tliat I have killed for my shearers, 
and give it unto men, whom I know not whence 
they be? 

12 So David's young men turned their ■way, and 
went again, and came and told him all those sayings. 

13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on 
every man his sword. And they girded on 
every man his sword ; and David also girded on 
his sword : and there went up after David about 



» Ch.2S:3; Num. 20:29; Beut. 3-1:9. b Gen. 21:21; Num. 10:12; l.'):3, 
96. cch. 23:21. • Or, business, d Prov. 14:1; 31:2G, 30. f ver. 10, II, 17. 
-' Gen. 33:13; 2 Sam. 13:2:J. t Heb. ask him in my name of peare ; ch. 
17:22. B 1 Chr. 12:1S; Luko 10:5. 1 Hcb. shamed; ver. 15, 21. I> Neh. 
3:10-12; Esther 9:19. iEc<:1.11:2. jl.ukell:41. » Heb. rrsted. k Judg. 
fl:-i3; Psi. 73:7.8; l-i3:3, -1; I.sa. 32:5, 7. ' Judg. 8:0. I Heb. slaughter. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

1. At Ramah; the place where he was born, and had 
lived. Paran; near the southern border of Judah. 

2. Carmel; a few miles south of Hebron. It should be dis- 
tinguished from mount Carmel on the Mediterranean. 

8. Whatsoever cometli to thy hand ; what he had and could 
conveniently spare. 

16. A wall unto us; they protected us. 
358 



four hundred men : and two hundred abode * m ivu 

by Ihe .sintl.'" lucu 

M •[ But one of the young men told Abigail, 
Nabal's wife, saying, Heiiold, |)avid sent messen- 
gers out of the wilderness to salute our master; 
and he railed ou^ them. 

1.5 But tiie men were very good unto us, and wo 
were not Jiurt,'" neither missed we any thing, as 
long as we were conversant with them, when wc 
were in tlie fields. 

U) Tiiey were a wall unto us both by night and 
day," all tiie while wc were with tlicm keejiing 
tlie slicep. 

17 Now tliereforc know and consider what thou 
wilt do; for evil is determined against our mas- 
ter, and against all his houst-liold : for he is sut/i 
a son of Belial,'' that a ma?) cannot speak to him. 

IS "[Then Abigail made haste, and took two 
hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and live 
sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched 
corn, and a hundred clusters* of raisins, and two 
hundred cakes of figs, and laid f/i(?n on asses.'' 

19 And she said unto her servants. Go on before 
me;'" behold, I come after you. But she told not 
her husband Nabal. 

20 And it Avas so, as she rode on the ass, tiiat 
she came down by the covert of the hill, and be- 
hold, David and his men came down against her; 
and she met them. 

21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I 
kept all that this felloio hath in the wilderness, so 
that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto 
him; and he hath requited me evil for good." 

22 So and more also do God unto the enemies 
of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by 
the morning light any that pisseth against the 
wall. 

23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, 
and lighted off the ass,' and kU before David on 
her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 

2-1 And fell at his feet, and said. Upon me, my 
lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let thy hand- 
maid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience,* and 
hear the words of thy handmaid. 

25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard^ this man 
of Belial, even Nabal : for as his name is, so is he : 
Nabal' is his name, and folly w with him: but I 
thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, 
whom thou didst send. 

26 Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord liveth, 
and as thy soul liveth, seeing the Lord hath with- 
holden thee from coming to shed blood," and from 

mch. .30:24. t Hob./fw upon. • lleb. shamed, n ver. 7. o Exod. 14:2-3; 
Job 1:10; Jer. 15:20. p 2 Sam. 23:(). 7. t Or, lumps, q Gen. 32:13; Prov. 
1S:10; 21:14. r Gen. 32:10, 20. « Psa- 109:5; Prov. 17:13. 1 Josh. 15:18. 
! Heb. ears, i Hc-b. fey i> to his heart. I That is. Foot. " ver. 33; Gen. 
2;l:6. 



22. So and more also do God; this was a kind of oath 
wliich David took that he would destroy every man be- 
longing to Nabal. 

24. This iniquity ; the blame belonging to her husband for 
so basely treating David and his men. Audience; hearing. 

25. Nabal ; meaning folly. 

2G. Hath withholden thee; by sending Abigail to persuade 
him not to do as he had intended. As Nabal; share his 
miserable lot. 



Abigail padftelh David. 



1 SAMUEL XXV. 



He takclh her to wife. 



A. M. 2944. avenging* thyself with thine own hand," 
"■ liJeo.™ now let tiiino enemies, and they that seek 
evil to my lord, be as Nabal.'' 

27 And now this blessing* which thy handmaid 
iiath brought unto my lord,'' let it even be given 
unto tlie young men that follow* my lord. 

28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of tliy hand- 
maid: for" the Lord will certainly make my lord 
a sure house ;'' because my lord iighteth the battles 
of the Lord," and evil hath not been found in thee 
all thy days.' 

29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek 
thy soul : but the soul of my lord shall be bound 
in the bundle of life with the Lord tliy God ■,'^ and 
the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, 
as out of the middle of a sling.^'' 

30 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord 
shall have done to ray lord according to all the 
good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and 
shall iiave appointed thee ruler over Israel; 

31 That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor 
offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou 
hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath 
avenged liimself: but when the Lord shall have 
dealt well witli my lord, then remember thy hand- 
maid.' 

32 li" And Daviil said to Abigail, Blessed be the 
Lord God of Israel.J which sent thee this day to 
meet me: 

33 And blessed be thy advice,'' and blessed be 
thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to 
shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine 
own hand. 

34 For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel 
liveth, which liath kept me back from hurting 
thee,' except thou hadst hasted and come to meet 
me, surely there liad not been left unto Xabal 
by the morning light any that pisseth against the 
wall. 



• iieh. saiiiig. a Rom. 12:19. b o gam. 18:32. tOz,present. c Gen. 
3:5:11; 2 Kings 5:15. 1 Heb. walk at the feet of; ver. 42; Judg. 4:1U. 
•1 2Sam. 7:11. 27; 1 Kings 9:3; Psa. 1^9:29. e ch. 18:17. t I Kings 15:5; 
Psi. 119.1-3. E Mai. .3:17. 5 Heb. In the midst of the how of a slin?. 
h Jer. KJ.IS. 1 Heb. sta^sering. or slumMins:. i Gen. 40:1'!; Luke 23:42. 
J Gen. 24:27; Exod. 18:10; Ezra 7:27; Psi. 41:13; Luke 1:68. k Psa. 



27. This blessing; the present she had brought. 

28. Make my lord a sure house; estabHsh and prosjier 
him ill his kingdom. 

29. ^ man ; Saul. Soul;\i{e. Bound in the bundle; Burely 
be preserved. Sting out ; destroy or reject them. 

37. Hisheartdied; he was overcome and became senseless. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The removal by death of the wise and good is a just 
cause of lamentation to the living, and should lead to fer- 
vent prayer that God would raise up others to fill their 
places, and carry forward his work. 

6. Kind feelings manifested in kind words and actions, 
even towards the evil and unthankful, are means of great 
good to those who indulge them, and tend to the good of 
all who feel their influence. 

10. Unkindness and reproaches torment those who in- 
dulge in them, and often tempt others to commit sin. 

14. Servants are often wiser and better than their mas- 
ters, arc more grateful for kindness, and more disposed to 
treat it as it deserves. 

15. A iinidcnt wife is from the Lord, and may be the 
means in liis hands of unspeakable good to her husband. 

22. .Men who have nobly withstood great and sore temp- 
tations, may meanly give way to those which are small, 



35 So David received of her hand that which 
she had brought him, and said unto her. Go up in 
peace to thy house ;™ see, I have hearkened to thy 
voice, and have accepted thy person. 

36 T And Abigail came to Nabal ; and behold, 
he held a feast iu his house," like the feast of a 
king ; and Nabal's heart was merry within him," 
for he icas very drunken : wherefore she told him 
nothing, less or more, until the morning light. 

37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the 
wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told 
him these things, that his heart died within him,"" 
and he became as a stone. 

38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that 
the Lord smote Nabal,'' that he died. 

39 IT And when David heard that Nabal was 
dead, he said. Blessed be the Lord,'' that hath 
pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand 
of Nabal," and hath kept his servant from evil;' 
for the Lord hath returned the wickedness of 
Nabal upon his own head." And David sent and 
communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 

40 And when the servants of David were come 
to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, say- 
ing, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him 
to wife. 

41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face 
to the earth, and said. Behold, let thy handmaid 
be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of 
my lord.^ 

42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon 
an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after 
her ;' and she went after the messengers of David, 
and became his wife. 

43 David also took Ahinoara of Jezreel; and 
they were also both of them liis wives."' 

44 IT But Saul had given Miehal his daughter, 
David's wife, to Phalti' the sou of Laish, which 
was of Gallim.'^ 



141:5; Prov. 9:0. 1 ver. 21). m 2 Sam. !5:U; Luke 7:5U. n 2 Sam. 13:23. 
o Prov. 20:1: Eccl. 10:19; Isa. 2S:3, 7. p Job 15:21; Prov. 2:3:29-35. 
q 2 Kings 1.5:5; Acts 12:23. r ver. 32. ' Prov. 22:33. t ver. 20, 34. 
" I Kings 2:44; Psa. 7:16. v Ruth 2:10, 13; Prov. 15:33. t Heb. at her 
ftet; •iet.'a. w oh. 27:3. • Heb. P/mftiei; 2 Sam. 3:15. i Isa. 10:30. 



and profanely resolve to commit such enormous crimes as 
would cover them with deserved and perpetual disgrace. 

26. All the wisdom needful in conducting a difficult con- 
cern, and all the success of human efforts in accomplishing 
it, come from God, and lo him the wise and the good will 
give the glory. 

30. When one is raised by God to a station of great 
power and influence, it is a source of much {pleasure to 
be able to look back and see that he has not swerved from 
the path of truth and duty in order to obtain it. 

32. However great the blessings which come through 
the instrumentality of creatures, we should not overlook 
the Creator, or fail to acknowledge his gracious agency in 
the affairs of men; nor while we acknowledge him as the 
source of all good, should we fail to be grateful to the 
voluntary and benevolent instruments through which his 
goodness is bestowed. 

34. None but God knows how many evils may be avert- 
ed from a foolish and wicked husband by a pious, prudent, 
and energetic wife. 

36. A iierson when drunlc is ordinarily not in a cnmlition 
to be benefited by conversation, and it is not usually wise, 
while he is iu that state, to attempt to converse witli him. 

38. Many a drunkard, after lying for a time as dead, has 
been smitten by the Lord, and in less than ten days has 
359 



David again spareih 



1 SAMUEL XXVI. 



lU lift of the king 



CHAPTEli XXVI. 

1 Ssul, by the ili»co»rry of the Ziphitcn, comotli to Kscliilah njpiinst 
DkviJ. S UnriJ coiniiiK into (Jlo trench Btayi'th Abialmi from killing; 
Saul, but tAki'th hia apfar anJ cruse. 13 L>avid reprovetli Abnt-r, 
18 anJ cxhorU'th Saul. 21 Saul Bcknowlcdgelli his lin. 

AND tlic Zi])liitcs camo unto Saul to Oibcah," 
saviuir. Dotli not Haviil liiilo liinisell' in the 
hill of Jhichilali, which w bcl'oie .losliinion? 

2 Then Saul arose, and went down to the wil- 
dcrncs.-^ of Zipli, having three thou.'^and chosen 
men of Israel with hini, to seek David in the wil- 
derness of Ziph. 

:$ And Saul ])itched in the hill of Ilacliilah, 
which is belbre Jeshimon, by the way. JJiit David 
abiide ill tiic wilderness, and he saw that Saul came 
after him into the wilderness. 

4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood 
tlial Saul was come in very deed. 

.") ''. And David arose, and camo to the place 
where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the 
[)laee where Saul lay, and Alincr tlie son of Ner,'' 
thecaptainof his host: and Saul lay in the trench,* 
and the people pitched round about him. 

6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelccli 
the Ilittitc, and to Abishai the sou of Zcruiah,'^ 
brotiier to Joab, sayini::^^ Who will ufo down with 
mc to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I 
will go down with thee. 

7 So David and Abishai came to the people hy 
night: and beliold, Saul lay sleeping within the 
trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his 
bolster: but Abner and the people lay round 
about him. 

8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath deliv- 
ered' thine enemy into thy hand this day: now 
tlierofore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the 
spear even to the earth at once, and I will not 
smite him the second time. 

9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: 
for who can stretch forth his hand against the 
Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?'* 

10 David said furthermore, ^i the Lord liveth, 
the Loud shall smite him;" or his day sliall come 
to die ;' or he shall descend into battle, and perish.'-' 

11 The LoRoforbid that! should stretch forth my 
hand against the Lord's anointed:'' but, I pray thee. 



>Ch. 


2:!;19i 


Paa 


r,i 


title. 


bch 


14 


.in. 


Or 


midsl 


nfli, 


* carriage 


t; ch. 


17:2U. 


1 Ch 


.■1:16. 


tHeb 


shut 


up 


ch. 


>l: 


8. ■ich.24 


a. elc. ; ■_ 


.Sam. 


1:16. 


Psa. 04:2:) 


Luke \S 


7. 1 


l)e 


It.. :il 


14 


Job 7 


1; 1' 


a. :)7:13i 


Horl 


3:2; H 


b. 9: 27 


. 5 


ch 


31:6. 


h ch 


. a4 


:8, la 




Gen. 


J:ai; 


15:12. 1 


Heb. 



gone to the drunkard's grave ; and no one who falls into 
the drunkard's sleep can avoid the danger of awaking in 
the drunkard's eternity. 

43. Men who see and acknowledge the duty and the 
blessedness of obeying God, and in some things actually 
do it; in other things, when tempted, are sometimes left 
openly to rebel against him, and thus pierce themselves 
and others through with many sorrows. 

CHAPTER XXVL 

19. Let him accept an offering; if David had sinned, and 
on that account was persecuted, he would present the 
proper offering, and thus seek forgiveness and a termina- 
tion of his distresses. Go, serve other gods ; by driving him 
out among the heathen, they had tempted and exposed 
him to idolatry. 

20. A flea — a partridge; a thing of small value, difScult 
to catch, and of little use when caught. 

360 



take thou now tlie spear that w at his bol- a. « J9«. 
ster, and tlie cruse ol watiu", and let us go. low 

\'l So David took the s]iear anil the cruse of 
water from Saul's bolster: and they gat them 
away, and no man saw //, nor knew it, neither 
awaked: for they wr/r all a.'^leep ; because a deep 
sleep from the LoUD was I'allcii u]ion them.' 

D3 ?i 'J'lieii i>avid went over to the other side, 
and stood on the top of a hill afar olV; a great 
sjjace biing between them : 

14 And l)avid cried to the peojile. and lo Abner 
the son of Ner, saying, Aiiswerest thou not, Abner? 
Then Abner answered and said. Who art thou 
that criest to the king? 

15 And David said to Abner, Jirt not thou a 
xmHant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? 
wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the 
king? for there came one of the people in to 
destroy the king thy lord. 

IC This thing is not good that thou hast done. 
Jls the Lord liveth, ye are worthy to die,' because 
ye have not kept your master, the Lord's anoint- 
ed. And now see where the king's spear is, and 
the cruse of water that u-as at his bolster. 

17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is 
this thy voice, my son David ?J And David said, 
it is my voice, my lord, king. 

18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus 
pursue after his seivant? for what have 1 done? 
or what evil is in my hand? 

19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the 
king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord 
have stirred thee up against nie,'' let him accept' 
an ofl'cring:' but if ihaj be the children of men, 
cursed be they before the Lord ; for they have driv- 
en me out"' this day from abiding' in the inherit- 
ance of the Lord," saying. Go, serve other gods. 

20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the 
earth before the face of the Lord : for the king of 
Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth 
hunt a partridge in the mountains. 

21 1 Then said Saul, I have sinned :° return, my 
son David ; for I will no more do thee harm, be- 
cause my soul was precious in thine eyes this day : ^ 
behold, 1 have played the fool, and have erred 
exceedingly. 



the sons of dealli; 2 Sam. 12:S. jch.!l4:lC. k 2 Sim. 10:11 ; 24:1. I Heb. 
smell; Gen. t:21: Lev. aU:.'51. 1 Psa. 110:108. m Dent. 4:27. 28; I'sa. 
120:5; Isa 00:5. t Heh. cleaving, o 2 Sara. 14:10. och. 15:24. Pver.21. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Whatever promises of reformation men may make, 
unless tliey are led to hate sin they will continue in some 
form to commit it ; and after temporary and partial leforma- 
tion. if they go back, they often become worse than before. 

5. No one, when closing his eyes to sleep, can tell to 
what dangers he may be exposed before he awakes. Each 
one should therefore examine and see whether he is pre- 
pared for whatever may befall him, and commit himself 
and all his interests to Jehovah, who alone can make him 
dwell in safety. 

9. It is never necessary to do wrong in order to obtain 
any needful good, and confidence in God will lead a man, 
in the path of duty, to wait till He shaH give him what he 
desires. 

15. Confidence in men for protection and support is 
always liable to be disappointed, and none are or can be 
safe except those who put their trust in God. 



ISaul relarrielh home. 



1 SAMUEL XXVIII. 



David amcna the Philistines. 



AM smi. 22 And David answered and said, Bc- 
iW"'" liold tlic Iving's speavl and let one of the 
youno; men come over and fetch it. 

213 The Loud render to every man his righteous- 
ness and liis faithfidncss ;'' for the Lord delivered 
thee into mt/ hand to-day, but I would not stretch 
forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. 

24 And beliold, as thy life was much set by this 
day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in 
the eves of the Lord, and let him deliver me out 
of all" tribulation." 

25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed he thou, my 
son David: thou shalt botli do great things, and 
also shalt still prevail." So David went on his 
way, and Saul returned to his place. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

1 Saul lie.iriii!; David to lie in G-ath, seeketh no more for him. 5 David 
beg^'ctli Ziltiag of Achisli. S He, invadmj; otiier countries, persuadeth 
Acliish he fought against Judah. 

AND David said in his heart, I shall now per- 
ish* one day by the hand of Saul:'' there is 
nothing better for me than that I should speedily 
escape into tlie land of the Philistines ; and Saul 
shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any 
coast of Israel : so shall I escape out of his hand. 

2 And David arose, and he passed over with tiie 
sis hundred men'= that were witli him unto Achisii, 
tlie son of Maoch, king of Gath.'' 

3 And David dwelt witli Achish at Gath, he and 
his men, every man with his household, even David 
with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jczrcelitcss, and 
Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife." 

4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to 
Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 

.5 1 And David said unto Achish, If I have now 
found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a 
place in some town in the country, that 1 may 
dwell tliere:" for why sliould thy servant dwell 
in the royal city with thee? 



» I'sa. 7:3; 


lS:-20. b Psa. 18, title; 34:17, 


S; 111:2: 2 Cm. 1:1). Ill; 


2Thess. 3:3 


= Gen. 32:aS; Isa. 54:17; Horn. 8: 


3 >. 37. • Pieb. he consumed. 


•1 Isa. 4U-i--l 


; .Jl:l-J. ' oh. 2.5:13. f ch. 21 


:lll. e ch. 2.5:43. h Gen. 


■16;:M. i Josii. 


1'J:.5. t Heb. the nunibei of days. 


i Heb. a year o/rfor//.?; cli. 



20. Worldly men often pursue what it is very difficult 
to obtain, and what, if they should obtain it, would in the 
end do them little good. 

21. For a man supremely to regard himself and seek his 
own glory, is foolish as well as wicked. It cxiMisrs liiiii 
to great vexation, and will end in total disa|i]"Mnliiii'iit. 

24. Those who seek to glorify God, and tn |>iuiii.ii,> Uie 
highest good of men, will in the end receive iiom him all 
which they can reasonably desire. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

2. Unto Aeliixh; this act of David, in seeking to ally 
himself to a heathen ruler after he had received so many 
signal deliverances from God, seems to have been the 
fruit not of faith but of unbelief; and it was the occasion 
of his being led into one wrong deed after another. Gatli ; 
the easternmost city of the Philistines, near the border of 
Judah. 

5. Grace; favor. 

6. Ziklas ; a town allotted first to Judah, which afterwards 
fell to Simeon, and was now occupied by the Philistines. 

8. Geshurites — Gezrites — Amalekites ; people south of Ju- 
dea. Shnr ; a region between Palestine and Egypt. 

10. Jcralimeelites ; descendants of Jerahmeel, who was 
of the tribe of Judah. 1 Chron. 2:9. They lived in the 



6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag tiiat day:' 
wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of 
Judah unto tliis day. 

7 And the time* that David dwelt in the crun- 
try of the Philistines was a full year' and four 
months. 

8 ^ And David and his men wont up, and invaded 
the Geshurites.J and the Gezrites,"^" and the Ama- 
lekites:' for those nations were of old the inliab- 
itants of tlie land, as thou goest to Shur,'" even 
unto the land of Egypt. 

9 And David smote the land, and left neither 
man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, 
and the o.x:en, and the asses, and the camels, and 
the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish. 

10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made' a 
road to-day? And David said. Against the south 
of Judah, and against the south of the Jcralimeel- 
ites," and against the south of the Kenites." 

11 And David saved neither man nor woman 
alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying. Lest they 
should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so 
will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the 
country of the Philistines. 

12 And Achish believed David, saying. He hath 
made his people Israel utterly to ablior him;' 
tlierefore he shall be my servant for ever. 

CHAPTEPt XXVIII. 

1 Achish putteth confidence in David. 3 Saul, having destroyed tlie 
witches, 4 and now in his fear forsaken of God, 7 seekelh to a witch. 
9 Tile witch, encouraged by Saul, raiseth up S:imuel. 15 Saul, hear- 
ing his ruin, fainteth. 21 The woman with his servants refresh him 
with meat. 

AND it came to pass in those days that the 
Philistines gathered their armies together 
for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achisli 
said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou 
shalt go out with nie to battle, tliou and thy men. 
2 And David said to Acliish, Surely thou shalt 
know what tliv servant can do. And Achish said 



2((::i. j.losh. l;i:2. SOr. GtT2, 
25: LS. I Or. Did you not make, 
to stink; Gen. 34;3U. 



kJudg. 1:2!). 1 Exod. 17:11). mGen. 
IChr. 2:U,25. ojudg. 1:10. 1 Heb. 



southern part of Judah. Kcnites ; a people near tlie Je- 
rahmeelites. The deception practised by David on Achish 
is not mentioned to be commended. It proceeded not 
from faith in God, but from a worldly spirit that seeks 
deliverance by worldly policy. 

12. Therefore ; supposing from David's equivocal answer 
that he had fought the Israelites. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Persons who at one time exercise strong confidence 
in God, may at another be guilty of great unbelief, and 
instead of seeking his guidance, may trust to their own 
wisdom, and bring upon themselves and others many 
sorrows. 

5. The people of God are sometimes more persecuted 
by his professed friends, than by the heathen : and have 
fled to the one, to escape the violence of the other. 

10. Intimate connections with the wicked are sources 
of great temptation, and those who needlessly expose 
themselves cannot rationally expect to escape unliarmed. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

2. What thy servant can do ; Achish understood David to 
ii!0;in, what he would do in favor of the Philistines ; though 
he did not say that, but gave, as in chap. 27:10, an equiv- 
ocal reply. Keeper of my head ; captain of his bodv-guard. 

3G1 



Saul $(tkelh vnio 



1 SAMUEL XXVIII. 



a wilJi at En-dor. 



to David. TluToloiT will I make tlicc keeper nf 
my head for ever. 

3 "i N<i\v Saiiiiu'l was dead, and all Israel had 
lamented him, and Imriccl jiim in Hainah, even in 
his own cily." And Saul had |)ut away those that 
iiad familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the 
land." 

4 And the Pliilistines jxathered themselves to- 
gether, and eame and pitched in Sliunem:'' and 
Said <ralhered all Israel together, and they piteii- 
ed in diliioa.'' 

5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, 
he was afraid,*' and his heart fjreatly tremliled. 

6 And when Saul in(pnred of t lie Loud, tlie Loud 
answered him not,' neither by dreams," nor by 
Urini.'' nor by ])ropliets. 

7 *! Tlien said Saul unto his servants. Seek me 
a woman tliat hath a familiar spirit, that I may 
go to her, and inquire of her.' And his servants 
said to liim. Behold, there is a woman lliat hath a 
familiar sjjirit at En-dor. 

8 And Saul di.ss:uised himself, and put on otiier 
raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and 
they came to the woman by night: and he said, 1 
pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, 
and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto 
thee. 

9 And the woman said unto liiin, llehold, thou 
knowest what Saul hath done, liow he hath cut 
off those that have familiar spirits, and tiic wiz- 
ards, out of the land:^ wherefore then layest tiiou 
a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 

10 And Saul sware to her by tiie Lord, saying, 
.Is the Lord liveth, there sliall no punishment 
hai)pen to thee for this thing. 

11 Tlien said the woman, Whom shall I bring 
up unto thee? And he said. Bring me up Samuel. 





> Ch. 


•ii:!. 


l>Lev 


20: '27: 


Deul 


H 


10, 11. 


c 


Tns^ 


. in 


IS; 2Ki 


„, 


4-a 


d 


ch. ;)i 


1. e 


Job 19 


U. (Prov. 1 


i2S; 


Lam. 


in 


« 


Nnn 


n. 12:(i. 


1 K 


um 


o' 


:1>1. 


■ I.PV 


. 19:^1 


1 Chr. 


10:i; 


; h 


a. 8:1! 






. It, 


k Kxod 


o.> 


•.H ■ 


P 


a. H-J 


(i, 7. 


• Heb 


Whal 


is his 


fo 


m' 1 


rh. 


!.■> 


27; 


2 Kings 


V.s, 


l;l. 


m 


Prov. 


5:11- 


H: U: 


14; Jcr 


2:17 


19 


n ch 


i.s 


12; 


Hos 


9: 12. 




. 6. 



3. Those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards; per- 
sons who pretended to have intercourse with evil spirits, 
and by their aid to foretell future events. 

4. Shunem; in the tribe of Issacliar. Gilboa; a moun- 
tain near Shunem, and at the south-east side of the valley 
of Jezreel. 

6. By Urim; as worn by the high-priest. Exod. 28:30; 
Num. i'i:'l\. 

7. A woman that hath a familiar spirit; in the original, 
"a woman mistress of a familiar spirit;" that is, one wlio 
claimed tu have such a spirit at her command — herfajnil- 
iar, as it were, that would come at her call — and to be 
able to obtain from it the knowledge of secret things. 
This seems to have been a false pretence, kept up by 
jugglery and cheating ; but even if we were to suppose 
such intercourse with familiar spirits to be a reality, its 
wickedness would be none the less, for it would be noth- 
ing else than resorting to created spirits for that know- 
ledge which God keeps in his own power. All such 
intercourse with tlie spirits of the dead, or spirits of any 
other order, God has strictly forbidden. It withdraws 
men's love and contidence from himself and his word and 
Spirit, and its reward will be such as Saul received on 
mount Gilboa. 1 Chron. 10: LS. En-dor; east of Shunem. 

10. Saul sware to her; in doing this, he swore that he 
would not obey God. Exod. 22 : 18. 

U. Brinp; me up Samuel ; witches pretended to be able 
to do this, though it was a false pretence. 
3G.-2 



12 And wiicn the woman saw Sanmel, a. m 2W8. 
she cried witii a loud voice: and the woni- ii«6* 
an spake i» Saul, saying. Why hast thou deceived 
me? for tiiou art Saul. 

11] And t!ie king said unio her, IJe not afraid: 
for what sawcst tliou? And liie woman said unto 
Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.'' 

11 And he said unto her, AVhat form is he of?' 
And she said, An oiil man eomi'th ii)i; and he is 
covered with a mantle.' And Saul perceived that 
it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the 
ground, and bowed hinrself. 

15 1 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou 
disquieted me. to bring me uji? And Saul answer- 
ed, 1 am sore distressed ;"' for the Philistines make 
war against me, and God is departed from me," 
and answereth me no more," neitlier by* ]uoj)hets, 
nor by dreams : therefore I have called thee, that 
thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. 

16 Tiicn said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou 
ask of me, seeing the Lord is dei)arted from thee,'' 
and is become tiiine enemy?'' 

17 And t he Ldiii) hath done to him,* as he spake by 
me :^'' for the Loud hath rent the kingdom out of thy 
hand, and given it to thy neighbor, even to David : 

18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the 
Lord," nor cxecutedst his fierce wrath upon Am- 
alek, therefore hath the Lord done this thing 
unto thee this day.' 

19 Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel 
with thee into the hand of the Philistines:" and 
to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: 
the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into 
the hand of the Philistines. 

20 Then Saul fell straightway all along' on the 
earth, and was sore afraid,'' because of the words 
of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; 



t Heb. 4y the hand of. P 2 Kings 0:27. q Lam. 2:5. 1 Or. /or himself; 
Prov. 1G:4. i Heh. my hand, r ch. 15:28. ■ ch. l.J:9, 1:); I Kings 20:42; 
1 Ohr. 10:1:!; Jer. 4S:10 t Psa. 511:21, 22. >■ ch. 31:1-0; Dan 5:20-2^. 
n Heb. made haste and fell with the fulness of his stature, v job 15:20. 



12. When the woman saw Samuel; if he really appeared, 
it was not she, or an evil spirit, that brought him up, but 
it was God, who sent him to denounce the death of Saul. 
Thou art Said; what there was connected with the appear- 
ance of Samuel's form, that revealed to the woman the fact 
that it was Saul who was consulting her, is not stated, and 
conjectures upon it would be vain. 

13. I .mio gods ascending; or a god, ver. 14. She seems 
herself to have been surprised and affrighted at what she 
saw. 

15. Why hast thou disquieted me; from my rest in the 
world of spirits ; that is, Why hast thou been the occa- 
sion of it? 

17. To him; that is, done for himself. 

18. Thou obeyedst not; chap. 15:9, 23-26. 

19. Witk me; with the dead. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When men equivocate to get out of one difficulty, 
tlicy often plunge into a greater, and unless the grace of 
God do better for them than they do for themselves, they 
will sink into utter ruin. 

4. When godly magistrates and ministers of religion 
are removed the people become peculiarly exposed, and 
if on account of their sins God have departed from them, 
their enemies may be expected to triumph. 

7. Those who have resisted great light, and long con- 
tinued in open disobedience to known commands of God, 



David amonn- the Philistines. 



1 SAMUEL XXIX. 



He is dismissed by Arhish. 



A.M. 2148. for he had eaten no bread all the day, 

B. C. about n .11 ■ 1 i 

lost). nor ail the night. 

21 1 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw- 
that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, 
Behold, thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and 
I have put my life in my hand," and have heark- 
ened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me. 

22 Now therefore, I pray tliee, hearken thou also 
unto the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set a 
morsel of bread before tiiee ; and eat, that thou 
mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. 

23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But 
his servants, together with the woman, compelled 
him ; and ho hearkened unto their voice. So he 
rose from the earth, and sat upon the bed. 

24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house ; 
and she hasted, and killed it, and took flour, and 
kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 

25 And she brought it before Saul, and before 
his servants ; and they did eat. Then they rose 
up, and went away that night. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1 David marching witli (lie Philistines, 3 is disallowed hy tlieir princes. 
6 Achish disniisseth him, with commendations of Ins fidelity. 

NOW the Philistines gathered together all 
their armies'' to Aphek:'' and the Israelites 
pitched by a fountain whicli is in Jezreel. 

2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by 
hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his 
men passed on in the rearward with Aeliish. 

3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What 
do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto 
the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, 
the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath 
been witli me these days,"* or these years, and I 
Jiave found no fault iu him since he fell unto me 
unto this day?'' 



>Ch. 19:5. bch. a8:I,3. «ch.4:l. d oh. 27:7. f oh. 25:28; Dan. 6:5. 
I 1 Chr. 12:19. e ch. 14:21. h ch. 18:7. > 2 Sam. 3:2.i; 2 Kings 19:27. 
J ver. 3. • Heb. tliau art not good in the eyes of the lords, t Heb. do .lot evil 



often commit sins which they once had earnestly opposed, 
and go from one degree of iniquity to another, till they 
become their own destroyers. 

10. Men who wish to commit crimes themselves are 
often ready to connive at them in others, and if need be, 
to bind themselves by awful imprecations to secure them 
from punishment. 

15. If men continue iu sin, God will at length depart 
from them, and they will then find no effectual help from 
heaven, earth, or hell. 

19. Though none suffer except for their own sins, nor 
more than they deserve, yet ungodly parents may be the 
means of great distress to their children, and ungodly 
rulers of great calamities to their people. 

22. Men may as well expect to have health and strength 
without eating, drinking, or sleeping, as to he blessed 
here or hereafter without obeying God. They may say, 
He is good, and he is almighty. This is true, but it will 
not save them from death, temporal nor eternal. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1. Aphek; in Issachar, not far from Gilboa. 

2. By hundreds, and by thousands ; that is, having the men 
under their charge arranged in divisions of hundreds and 
thousands. Passed on in the rearward with Achish; by dis- 
simulation and falsehood David had ingratiated himself 
into the friendship and confidence of Achish, and been 
made keeper of his Ufc. The consequence was that he 



4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth 
with him; and the princes of the Philistines said 
unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go 
again to his place \f hich thou hast appointed him,'' 
and let him not go down with us to battle, lest 
in the battle he be an adversary to us :'^ for where- 
with should he reconcile himself unto his master? 
should it not be with the heads of these men? 

5 Is not this David, of Avhom they sang one to 
another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, 
and David his ten thousands?" 

Then Achish called David, and said unto him, 
Surely, as the Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, 
and thy going out and thy coming in with me in 
the host is good in my sight:' for I have not 
found evil in thee since the day of thy coming 
unto me unto this day -J nevertheless the lords 
favor thee not.' 

7 Wliercfore now return, and go in peace, that 
thou displease not* tlie lords of the Philistines. 

8 *\\ And David said unto Achish, But what have 
I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant 
so long as I have been with* thee unto this day, 
that I may not go fight against the enemies of my 
lord the king? 

9 And Achish answered and said to David, I 
know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel 
of God:" notwithstanding, the princes of the Phi- 
listines have said, He shall not go up with us to 
the battle.' 

10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning 
with thy master's servants that are come with 
thee : and as soon as ye be up earlj' iu the morn- 
ing, and have light, depart. 

11 So David and his men rose up early to depart 
in the morning, to return into the land of the 
Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jez- 
reel." 



in the eyes of. t lleb. before, k 2 Sam. 14:17; 19:27. li 



now found himself in a very embarrassing situation. He 
must accompany Achish to the war against Israel, and 
there either betray the man who had honored him with 
his highest confidence, or fight against his own country- 
men. From this dilemma it pleased God to deliver him 
through the distrust of the lords of the Philistines ; a 
deliverance, however, on which he had no right to calcu- 
late. 

4. His place; Ziklag. His master; Saul. Jl'ith the heads 
of these men; by killing the Philistines. 

8. That I may not go fight ; he seems to have said this 
for the purpose of maintaining his reputation for loyalty 
towards Achish. Thus one act of dissimulation led to 
another. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The fact that men have so often been assembled by 
hundreds and thousands for the sake of destroying one 
another, shows the awful depravity of the human heart, 
and the necessity of its being changed by the Holy Spirit 
before men will love one another as they love themselves, 
or do to others as they would that others should do to 
them. 

6. When men have brought themselves into difficulty, 
the Lord often graciously delivers them, and by means 
which they never thought of, and for purposes wholly 
unexpected ; and when afterwards they see the ends 
which he had in view, they behold new manifestations of 
his wisdom, kindness, and grace. 

363 



T}ii Amaltlitts burn Ziklog. 



1 SAMUEL XXX, 



David pursuelh Ihcm. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

I Thp Am»lckilcii «roil JCitln-. •! P^vicl mVin" counncl ii cncourngrd 
by God to piirtur Uuin. II Kv thv iiuans ol n rt-virrd Ecyplinn ho 
is brou^'lit to tliv fiiriiiii's, mill rccovcroUi ull iKu kpoil. '£1 L)avi(l'ii 
law to (livjili' iJlc «i<«i1 fqiinlly bctM'ren tliiin that licht and thciii thnt 
kri'P thr &iutr. 'JC lit' stndi-ih presents to his rricnus. 

AND it came to pass, wlicn David and liis men 
were come to Ziiclag on the third day, that 
tiic Amalekitcs hail invaded tlie soiitii,aiid Zilviae, 
and smitten Zii<lair, and l)iirned it witli fire; 

'1 Anil had taicen tiie women captives, tiiat ?«>•« 
therein : tiicy slew not any," either f^reat or small, 
hut carried them away, and went on tlicir way. 

3 *l So David and his men came to the city, and 
hehold, it was burned with (ire; and their wives, 
and their sons, and tlicir daughters, were taken 
cajitives. 

4 Then David and the people tliat were with 
him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had 
nt) more power to weep. 

And David's two wives were taken captives, 
Ahinoam tlio Jezreelitcss, and Abigail the Avifc of 
\abal tiie Carmelite." 

tj And David was greatly distressed; for the 
pcopli' spake of stoning him,'= because the soul of 
all the people was grieved,* every man for his 
sons and for his daughters : but David encouraged 
iiimsclf in the Lord his Gf)d.'' 

7 And David said lo .Vbiathar the priest, Ahim- 
elecli's son, I ])ray thoo, bring nio hither the epliod."" 
And Abiatliar lirongiit hither the cjjhod to David. 

8 And David inquiivd at the Lord, saying, Shall 
I pursue after tiiis troop? shall I overtake tiiera? 
And he answered him. Pursue: for thou shalt 
surely overtake them, and witliout fail recover all. 

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men 
that iccre with him, and came to the brook Besor, 
where those that were left beliind stayed. 

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred 
men: for two hundred abode behind,'' which were 
so faint that they could not go over the brook 
Eesor. 

11 \ And they found an Egyptian in the field, 
and brought him to David, and gave him bread, 
and he did eat ; and they made him drink water ; 

12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, 
and two clusters of raisins: and when he had 
eaten, his spirit came again to him:''' for he had 
eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days 
and three nights. 

13 And David said unto him. To whom belon^est 
thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a. 
young man of Egypt, servant to an Araalekite ; 
and mv master left me, because three davs agone 
I fell sick. 



» Psa. 76: 10. b 


ch. 2.5: "la, 43. cExod. 17:J. • Heb. 4iH«-,ch. 1 


10; JudR. 


18:23; v> Sam. 17 


:■<: 2 Kings 4:27. d Psa. 1S:6; 20:1, 2; .31:1- 


; 40:1,2; 


42:5,11; 5C>:1^; 


Isa. 25:4; Jer. 16:19; Hab. 3:17; Rom. 8:31 ; 


Cor. 1:6, 


lU; Hcb. 13:6. « 


ch. 23:2-9. fver.21. r ch. 14:27; Judg. 15:19. 


h2Sim. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

1. T!ie south; the soutli part of Judca, Avhere Ziklag was 
situated. 

6. Spake of stoning him ; for leaving their wives and 
children exposed and defenceless. Encouraged himself m 
the Lord; by remembering what God had already done for 
him, and what He had promised to do. 
364 



14 We made an invasion upon the south j* "? »jj-, 
of the ("hcrethitc.a.'' .'iiid upon the coast iui«* 
which brkmfrcth to .ludiili, and n)><m Ihe south of 
Caleb;' and we burm-d Ziklag with fire. 

DJ And l>avid said lo him. Canst tiioii bring me 
down to this company? And he said, Swear unto 
nie by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor 
deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will 
bring tiice down to this company. 

IG *f And when he had Inoiight him down, be- 
hold, they iL-crc spread abroad ujion all the earth, 
eating and drinking,^ and dancing, because of all 
the great spoil that they had taken out of the land 
of the I'hilistines, and out of the land of .Iiididi. 

17 And David smote them from the twilight 
even unto the evening of the next day :* and there 
escaped not a man of them, save four hundred 
young men, which rode ujion camels, and fled. 

18 And David recovered all that the Amalek- 
itcs had carried away : and David rescued his two 
wives. 

19 And there was nothing lacking to them,'' nei- 
ther small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, 
neither spoil, nor any tiling that they had taken 
to them : David recovered all.' 

20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, 
wJdch they dravc before those otlur cattle, and 
said, This is David's spoil. 

21 lAnd David came to the two liundred men,'" 
which were so faint that they could nut follow 
David, whom they had made also to abide at the 
brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, 
and to meet the people that were with him : and 
when David came near to the people, he saluted 
them.* 

22 Then answered all the wicked men, and nun 
of Belial," of tliose^ that went with David, and 
said, Because they went not with us, we will not 
give them aught of the spoil that we have recov- 
ered, save to every man his wife and his children, 
that they may lead them away, and dejiart. 

23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my 
brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, 
who hath preserved us, and delivered the company 
that came against us into our hand. 

24 For who will hearken unto you in this mat- 
ter? but as his part is that goeth down to the 
battle, so shall his ])art be that tarricth by the 
stuff: they shall ]iart alike." 

25 And it was so from that day forward,' that 
he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel 
unto this day. 

26 II And when David came to Ziklag. he sent 
of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his 

8:18; 1 Kings 1:33. 44; Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:.'i. ■ Josh. 14:13. > Matt. 
24:3-<, 39; 1 Thess. 5:3. t Heb. l/in> morrou'. k Gen. 14:14-16. 1 vor. 8. 
m ver. lU. 1 Or, nsfarf them how they did; Judp. 1«:15. "i 1 Kings 21:10, 
13. iWeh.men. o Num. .31 :27; Josh. 2i:S. \ Heb. and forward. 



9. The brook Besor; a small stream which empties into 
the Mediterranean south of Gaza. 

12. His spirit came again; he was revived and strength- 
ened. 

14. Cherethiles; Philistines. "Ver. 16. The south of Ca- 
leb; this was probably "the south land " given by Caleb 
to Othniel and his daughter Achsah, upon their marriage. 
Josh. 15:19. 



The Philistines slay 



1 SAMUEL XXXI. 



Saul and Jo nc: then. 



A H cojs. friends, saying, Behold, a present* for you 
ib.w ,""' of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord ; 

27 To them which icere in Bcth-el, and to them 
wliich were in south Ramoth,* and to them which 
v)ere in Jattir,'' 

28 And to them which were in Aroer,'' and to 
them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which 
were in Eshtcmoa,'' 

29 And to them which were in Radial, and to 
them, which were in the cities of the Jerahnieel- 
ites,'' and to them which loere in the cities of the 
Kenites,' 

30 And to them wliich were in Ilormah,'' and to 
them which loere in Chor-ashan, and to them which 
were in Atliach, 

31 Anil to them which were in Hebron," and to 
all the places where David himself and his men 
were wont to haunt. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

1 Saul having lost his army, and his sons slain, he and his armor-bearer 
kill themselves. 7 The Philistmes possess the forsaken towns of the 
Israelites. 8 They triumph over the dead carcasses. 11 They of 
Jabesh-gilead. recovering the bodies by night, burn them at Jabesli, 
and mournfully bury their bones. 

NOW the Philistines fouijht against Israel:' 
and the men of Israel fled from before the 
Philistines, and fell down slain* in mount Gilboa.J 

2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul 
and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jona- 
than, and Abinadab, and Melchi-shua, Saul's sons." 

3 And the battle went sore against Saul,' and 
the archers* hit^ him; and he was sore wounded 
of the archers. 

4 Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, Draw 



■ Heb. bUss 


ins;, ch. 20:27; Gen. m.U. a 


Josh. 19:8. b Josh. 15:4S. 


' Josh. r):IH. 


<l Josh. 15:50. e ch. 27:10. 


' JuJg. 1:11). g Judg. 1:17. 


tijosh. 14:13; 


2 Sam. 2:1. U Chr. 10:1, etc. 


t Or. wounded. J ch. 28:4. 


t oil. 14:4!)i 


Chr. H-.Si. 1 2 Sam. 1:G, etc 


I Heb. shooters, men with 



27-31. The places here mentioned were those visited 
by David in the south of Judea. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. We can never be certain when we leave our friends, 
that we shall again meet them in this world. We should 
therefore commit them and ourselves heartily to the care 
of God, and endeavor so to act that if we meet them not 
again on earth, we may be prepared to meet them in 
heaven. 

4. No one beforehand can tell how great may be his 
calamities, how soon or suddenly they may come upon 
him, or liow deeply they may afflict him. 

6. It is not wise under troubles to vent reproaches on 
others, or to give up in despair ; we should rather con- 
fess and forsake our sins, seek help from God, and en- 
deavor to learn and do his will. 

10. All camiot endure the same fatigue, or perform the 
same amount of labor ; but if from love to God and men 
we do what we can, he will see that we are not left desti- 
tute, but partake with others in the rich blessings of his 
grace. 

12. Servants who are destitute of property are liable 
when sick greatly to suffer, and sometimes even to die 
from want, and those who with right feelings assist them 
will not fail of an abundant reward. 

16. Great prosperity tempts to sensual indulgence, and 
i.s often the means and forerunner of speedy and utter 
ruin. 

22. Selfishness is hard-hearted and cruel, ungrateful and 
wicked. It would keep all it can get, and leave others, 
Kipially deserving, to destitution and death. 



thy sword, and thrust me through therewith;"" 
lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me 
througii," and abuse' me. But his armor-bearer 
woultt not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore 
Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 

5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was 
dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died 
with him. 

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor- 
bearer, and all his men, that same day together." 

7 T And when the men of Israel that were on 
the other side of the valley, and thty that ivere on 
the otlicr side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel 
fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they 
forsook the cities, and fled ; and the Philistines 
came and dwelt in them. 

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the 
Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found 
Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 

9 And they cut oft" his head, and stripped oft" his 
armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines 
round about, to publish it in the house of their 
idols, and among the people. 

10 And they put his armor in the house of Ash- 
taroth;'' and they fastened his bodyi to the wall 
of Bcth-slian.'' 

11 T And when the inhabitants of Jabc'^h-gilead' 
heard of that^ which the Philistines had done to 
Saul, 

12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, 
and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his 
sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and came to 
Jabesh, and burnt them there.' 

13 And they took their bones, and buried them 
under a tree at Jabesh," and fasted seven days.^' 



hoi 


s. % Heb 


fo 


und. 


>i Jud 


f.9:54 


och. 


14 


6- 


-,-x\. 


lOr 


mork. 


• cb. 


2S: 


19. pch. 




9. q 2 Sam. 


21:12. 


r Josh 


1 


■n 


Judg. 


1:27 


s 


cb 


11:1- 


M. 


S Or, nn 


^prt 


ins hi 


n t 


2 Chr. 


ie:14; 


If 


.:t4 




10. 


D 


Sam. 


2:4 


5; 21:12 


14 


«Ge 


1.50 


10. 



















26. A benevolent mind takes pleasure in giving ; ita 
happiness is increased by imparting to others, and thus 
enabling them to become partakers of its joys. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

10. Beth-shan; on the west of Jordan, and north-east of 
mount Gilboa. 

11. Jabesh-Gilead; in the tribe of Manasseh, east of Jor- 
dan. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Good men are, in the natural order of things, more 
or less involved in the calamities which wicked rulers 
bring upon themselves, and the state intrusted to their 
care. 

4. The wicked are more afraid of men than they are of 
God, and seek the praise of men more than the praise of 
God. 

6. Though the righteous and the wicked may here live 
and die together, yet in eternity they will be separated 
and be in states as diverse as heaven is from hell. 

9. It matters little where the body is, or how it is treat- 
ed after death, if the soul is freed from sin and happy 
with God in heaven; for the bodj- in that case will soon 
rise in the likeness of Christ's glorified bod}', and with the 
soul shine for ever like the sun in the kingdom of God. 

10. The final reward of resorting to unlawful means for 
deliverance from trouble and the maintenance of earthly 
power and honor, will be shame and ruin. 

12. The character of trulj' noble men appears most 
clearly in times of deep distress. 

365 



THE 

SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL, 

OTIIERAVLSE CALLED, 

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 



All that is needful to be said concerning this book is contained in the introduction to the first book 
of Samuel, of which it was originally a part, as it is now in the Jewish canon. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 The Amalekite who brought tidings of the overthrow, and ivccuseJ 
himself of Saul's death, is slain. 17 David's lamentation over Saul and 
Jonathan. 

NOW it came to pass after the death of Saul, 
when David was returned from the slaugh- 
ter of the Amalckites,'' and David had abode two 
days in Ziklag; 

2 It cam3 even to pass o;i the third day, that 
behold, a man came out of the cainp from Paul 
with his clothes rout, and earth upon his head :" 
and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell 
to the earth, and did obeisance. 

3 And David said unto him, Prom whence com- 
est thou? And he said unto him. Out of the camp 
of Israel am I escapsd. 

4 And David said unto him, How went* the mat- 
ter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, that 
the people are fled from the battle, and many of 
the i)eople also are fallen and dead ; and Saul 
and Jonilhan his son are dead also. 

5 And David said unto the young man that told 
him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan 
his son be dead? 

6 And the young man that told him said, As I 
happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, 
Saul leaned upon his spear;'' and lo, the chariots 
and horsemen followed hard after him. 

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, 
and called unto me. And I answered, Here ajn I.* 

8 And he said unto me. Who art thou? And I 
answered him, I am an Amalekite. 

9 He said unto me again. Stand, I pray thee, upon 



« 1 Sim. 30:17-26. b l Sam. 4;1-.', IB. • Heb. What was, etc.: 1 Sam. 
4:16. <: 1 Sam. :31:1.9, etc. t Heb. Behold me; 1 Sam. 23:12. 1 Or. nij 
coat ofmaily or my emhroidered coat, hindereth me, t!iat my, etc. d ch. 3:31 ; 



CHAPTER I. 

I. When David was returned; 1 Pam. 30:17-26. 

II. Rent them; in token of anguish. 

It. The Lord's anointed; him whom God had anointed 
to ))e kincr. 



me, and slay me : for anguish is come upon u. ": iSm: 
mc, because my* life is yet whole in me. 

10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because 
I was sure that he could not live after that he was 
fallen : and I took the crown that uas upon his 
head, and (ho bracelet that icas on liis arm, and 
have brought lliem hither unto my lord. 

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and 
rent them;" and likewise all the men that were 
with him: 

12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until 
even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for 
the people of the Lord, and for the house of Isra- 
el ; because they were fallen by the sword. 

Vi 1\ And David said unto the young man that 
told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I 
am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 

14 And David said unto him, How wast thoii 
not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the 
Lord's anointed ?'' 

15 And David called one of the young men, and 
said. Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote 
him that he died. 

IG And David said unto him. Thy blood he upon 
thy head;'' for thy mouth hath testified again.^t 
thee,8 saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed. 

17 IT And David lamented with this lamentation 
over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 

18 (Also he bade them teach the children of 
Judah the use o/"tho bow: behold, it is written in 
the book of Jasher:'*') 

19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high 
places:' how are the mighty fallen I^ 



13:31. e 1 Sam. a):6; 26:9; P.sa. 105:1.5. f 1 Kings 2:32, 33, 37. g vcp 
10; Luke 19:22. 5 Or, the upright, t Josh. 10:13. i Lam. 2:1. i Lani 



18. The bow; some suppose this to be the title of tlin 
poem which follows. The book of Jasher ; Josh. 10:13. 

19. Tlie beaiity of Israel is slain upon thy high places; or. 
Thy beauty, Israel, is slain upon thy high jilaoes ; that 
is, Saul and .Jonathan, here called the beauty or glory of 
Israel. 



David's lamentation. 



SAMUEL II. 



David made king nf Judah. 



f.c.ml 20 Tell it not in Gatli," publish it not 
in the streets of Aslikelon; lest the daughters of 
tlie Philistines rejoice,'' lest the daughters of the 
uncircumcised triumph. 

21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, kt there be no dew, 
neither let there be rain, upon you," nor fields of 
offerings;'' for there the shield of the mighty is 
vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he 
had not been anointed with oil." 

22 From tlie blood of the slain, from the fat of 
the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back,*^ 
and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 

23 Saul and Jonatlian were lovely and pleasant* 
in their lives, and iu their death they were not 
divided :" they were swifter than eagles, they were 
stronger than lions.** 

24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who 
clothed you in scarlet, with other delights; who 
put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 

2.5 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of 
the battle ! Jonathan, thou wast slain in thy 
high places. 

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jona- 
than : very pleasant hast thou been unto me : thy 
love to me was wonderful, passing the love of 
women.' 

27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons 
of war perished !J 

CHAPTER II. 

1 David, by God's direction, with his company goeth up to Hebron, 
where he is made king of Judah. 5 He commendeth them of Jabe^h- 
gilead for their kindness to Saul. 8 Abner maketh Ish-bosheth king 
of Israel. 12 A mortal skirmisli between twelve of Abiier's and twelve 
of Joab's men. IS Asahel is slain. 25 At Abner's motiorx Joab 
souiideth a retreat. 32 Asahei's burial. 

A ND it came to pass after this, that David 
X \. inquired of the Lord,'' saying. Shall I go up 
into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord 



a 


\li(i. 1 


10. 


b .1 


udC. 


18:-i:S. 


c 


Job 3:3-10; J 


r. 20: 


14-16. d J 


Del 1:9; 


'i-M 


e 1 


S;im 


11): 


. f 


1 Sam 


14 


(i, Etc 


• Or, 


sweet. 


S 1 Sam. 


31:1-1. 


h.lii 


»-. 14: 


!-<; 


I'rov 


30:30. i 1 


Sa 


71. IH: 


,3; 20 


17,41 


: 23:11). J 


ver. 19, 


2-5. 


k Judg 


. 1; 


; I Sam. 


23:2, 4 


10 


Ich. 


5:1,3. 


ml Sam. 30:5. n 


1 Sam. 



21. As though he had not been anointed with oil; he has 
perished in dishonor, as though he had been a common 
man, and not tlie Lord's anointed. 

23. Lovelij anil pleasant; that is, in their relation to each 
other. Though .Jonathan was the firm friend of David, yet 
he remained faithful to his father ; and Saul, except in some 
moments of jealousy, honored Jonathan with his entire con- 
fidence. 1 Sam. 20:2. It is worthy of remark how David 
mentions what was good in Saul, omitting his faults. 

24. Clothed you in scarlet — put on ornaments of gold; the 
reference is probably to the spoil taken from the enemies 
of Israel, with which he enriched the Israelitish women. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Many will pay court to those who are to have power, 
hoping in this way to obtain their favor and gain promotion. 

10. The courses wicked men take for their own ad- 
vancement, often prove the occasion of their ruin. 

12. A good man will not desire the death even of his 
bitterest enemy, though it would open the way to his 
own elevation, influence, and honor. 

17. It is proper to lament the death of those with whom 
we have been connected ; and while wc bow with submis- 
sion to the aftiicting liand of God, we should acknowledge 
with gratitude his goodness in the natural endowments as 
well as the spiritual blessings which he bestowed on them. 

23, 24. In speaking of the dead it is proper to omit all 



said unto him. Go up. And David said, Wliither 
shall I tro up? And he said. Unto Hebron.' 

2 So David went up thither, and his two wives 
also, Ahinoam the Jezrcelitess, and Abigail Na- 
bal's wife the Carmelite."' 

3 And his men that were with him did David 
bring up," every man with his household : and they 
dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they 
anointed David king over the house of Judah. 
And they told David, saying that the men of Ja- 
besh-gilead ive7-e they that buried Saul." 

5 1 And David sent messengers unto the men of 
Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them. Blessed be ye of 
the Lord,'' that ye have showed this kindness unto 
your lord, eve7i unto Saul, and have buried him. 

6 And now the Lord show kindness and truth 
unto you:"" and I also will requite you this kind- 
ness, because ye have done this thing. 

7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, 
and be ye valiant :+ for your master Saul is dead, 
and also the house of Judah have anointed me 
king over them. 

8 IT But Abner the son of Ner,"' captain of Saul's 
host,' took Ish-boshcth^ the son of Saul, and 
brought him over to Mahanaim ; 

9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the 
Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, 
and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 

10 Ish-bosheth Saul's son was fort}' years old 
when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned 
two years. But the house of Judah followed 
David. 

11 And the time' that David was king in He- 
bron over the house of Judah was seven years and 
six months.^ 

12 1 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants 
of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Ma- 
hanaim' to Gibeon." 



27:2,3; 


1 Chr. 


12:1, etc. 


01 Sam. 31:11- 


13. pRuthi 


■•?l 


; 3:10. 


q2Tim. 


1: 16-18. 


t Heb. the son 


s of valor. 


' 1 Sam. 14:jO. 


U 


Eb. theh 


ost whick 


was Sai 


I's. S 


Or, Eshbaat, 1 Chr. 


8:.3;i 


; 9:39. 1 H 


-h. 


number 




sch. h:5 


; IKi 


ngs2:ll. 


Ich. 17:24 


(ieii 


.32:2. »Jo 


h. 


10:2, 4, 


•2. 



notice of their faults, except when the cause of truth 
requires that they be mentioned. 

26. The most intimate and endearing friendships must 
soon be broken ; but if founded in true piety, they will be 
revived again never to be interrupted, but to become 
more and more intimate and endearing for ever. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. Hebron; the chief city of .Judah before David chose 
Jerusalem as his residence. It lay in the central part of 
the territory of Judah, in a mountainous region ; was an 
ancient and honorable city ; and was every way suitabhi 
to be his residence while he reigned over Judah alone. 

3. Cities of Hebron; towns near Hebron and dependent 
upon it. 

4. Anointed David king; by the first anointing under 
Samuel's hand he had been designated by God as tlie 
future king; by the present anointing he was solemnly 
inducted into office. Buried Saul; 1 Sam. 31:11-13. 

8. Mahanaim; a city on the east of Jordan, in the tribe 
of Gad. 

9. The Ashurites; supposed to have been a region east 
of the Jordan. It must not be confounded with the tribe 
of Asher. 

12. Gibeon; north-west of Jerusalem, in the tribe "I' 
Benjamin. 

367 



Abner slaytlh Asahtl. 



2 SAMUEL II. 



The wir eontinufs. 



13 And .loiib tlic son of Zcrniali, an<l llic Hcr- 
vuiits of l);i\iiJ, went mil, and mot toj^ctlior* hy 
Itio pool of IJiln'on: ' and they sat down, tli(> one 
on tlic one side of llie pool, and tlie otlier on the 
other side of the pool. 

14 And Aimer said to Joab, Let the yonni; men 
now arise, and play before us." And Joab said, 
Let th(Mn arise. 

1.') Tiieii there arose and went over by number 
twelve of IJenjaniin, whicii pertained to Isii-bosheth 
tlie son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of 
David. 

1() And tlicy caught every one his fellow by 
the head, and t/inist his sword in iiis fellow's 
side; so they fell down together: wherefore that 
place was called Helkatli-hazzurira,* wiiich is in 
Gibcon. 

17 And there was a very sore battle that day; 
and Abner was beaten/' and the men of Israel, 
before the servants of David. 

18 "li And tliere were tlirec sons of Zcruiali there, 
.loab, and Abishai, and Asahcl:'' and Asaliel was 
as liglit of foot' as a wild roe.''' 

19 And Asahol pursued after Abner; and in 
going lie turned not to the riglit hand nor to the 
left iVoni following' Abner. 

20 Then Al)ner looked behind liini, and said, 
Jlrt thou Asahol? And he answered, I am. 

21 And Abner said to him. Turn tiioc aside to 
thy right hand or to tliy left, and lay thee hold 
on one of the young men, and take thee his armor .' 
Ibit Asahol would not turn aside from following 
of liim. 

22 And Abner said again to Asahol, Turn thee 
aside from following me: wherefore should I smite 
thee to the ground? how then should I hold up 
my face to Joab thy brother?' 

23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore 
Abner with the hinder end of his spear smote him 



• Keh. thrm together. ajer.41:l2. b Prov. lO:*!. f That is. T/ie/fWo/ 
strong men. cch.3:l. J 1 Clir. 2:IG. t lleb of his feel. ( iUb. as one 
of the roes thai \3 in the field, e 1 Chr. 1-2:S; Songs'2:17; S:H. I Ileb. 



14. Plaij before us; the meaning of this proposal was, 
that a chosen number from each army should make a trial 
of their strength in fighting. 

16. Helkath-hazzuriin ; meaning, according to some, the 
field of the strong men ; according to others, the field of 
the swords. 

18. Zeiitm/i. ,• a sister of David. iChron. 2:1R. 

21. Take thee hia armor; he means to say, that if Asahel 
is determined to fight, he should choose some one over 
whom he could prevail. 

26. Bitterness in tlie latter end; the unrelenting persecu- 
tion of your brethren will exasperate them and drive tliem 
to extremities, and thus bring great calamities on you as 
well as on them. 

27. Unless thou hadst spoken ; tliat is, according to some, 
c;hallenged the young men to combat, ver. 14. Iladst thou 
in the morning of to-day shown a disposition for peace, 
my followers would have retired from thee in peace. 
Others suppose him to mean, Unless thou hadst now spo- 
ken, the pursuit would not have ended till the morning of 
to-morrow. Gone up; to the higher region of Hebron. 

29. Bithron ; a hilly country between the .Jordan and 
Mahanaim. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Men who in all their ways acknowledge Ood. seek 
direction from him, and are disposed to follow his guid- 
368 



under the fd"th r//*," that tlio spear came out am s^r 
lieliinil him: and lie fell down there, and luJ* 
died in the siime jjlace: and it came to pass, t/ial 
iis nuuiy as came to the place where Asahel fell 
down !ind died, stood still. 

21 .loab also and Abi.-hai pursued after Abner: 
and the sun went (hnvn when they were come to 
the hill of Annnah, that liit/i before Giah by the 
way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 

2.5 * And the children of Benjamin gathered 
Ihemselves together after Abner, and became one 
troo]>. and stood on the to]) of a hill. 

21) Then AViner called to Joab, and said. Shall 
the sword tlcvour for ever?'' knowest thou not 
that it will bo bitterness in the latter end?' how 
long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people 
return froiu following their brethren? 

27 And Joab said, JJs God liveth, unless thou 
hadst spoken,' surely then in' the morning the 
people had gone up* every one from following his 
brother. 

28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people 
stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, 
neither fought thoy any more. 

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night 
through the i)lain, and passed over Jordan, and 
went through all Bithron, and tlicy came to Maha- 
naim.'' 

30 And Joab returned from following Abner: 
and when he had gathered all the people together, 
there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and 
Asahel. 

31 But the servants of David had smitten of 
Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hun- 
dred and threescore men died. 

32 1 And they took up Asahel, and buried him 
in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth- 
lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and 
they came to Hebron at break of day. 

nfler. ^ Or, .■:poil; Juig.M-.ia. fch.3:a7. S ch. 3:27: 4:6; 20:10. Iich. 
Il:i5; Isi. 1:-.J0; Jer. 4U:10,14. i ver. 16; Prov. 17:14. JIsa.47:7. * Heb. 
from, t Or, awaij. k ver. 12. 



ance, will see the path of duty, and in walking in it will 
find great reward. 

3. Those who have befriended and assisted us in ad- 
versity, should be gratefully remembered and duly hon- 
ored by us in prosperity. 

5. Gratitude and kindness to benefactors are not only 
right, but the surest means of securing gratitude and 
kindness in return, and thus promoting the good of all 
concerned. 

8. Men who aspire to power, and grasp at the posses- 
sion of it without asking counsel of God or inquiring 
whether it is right, though they may for a time succeed, 
will in the end find it to be a source of vexation, bitter- 
ness, and sorrow. 

14. Warriors often treat the butchering of men as a 
matter of sport, and thus show themselves to be children 
of him who was a murderer from the beginning, and who 
as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may 
devour. .Tohn8:44; 1 Pet. 5:8. 

21. Ambition to be distinguished as a warrior has often 
proved a man's ruin, and from the height of expectation 
and effort he has fallen suddenly into an untimely grave. 

26. Want of success in war often disposes men to peace, 
and leads them to speak very differently about the evils 
of war from what they did when it began ; and though 
they have been the cause of their own troubles, they often 
try to throw the blame of them on others. 



Abiicr deserts to David. 



2 SAMUEL III. 



He is viurdcred by Joah. 



CHAPTER III. 



1 Durin'T the war David still waxeth stronger. 2 Six sons were born to 
hirii in Hebron. 6 Abner, displeased with Ish-bosheth, 12 revolteth to 
Daviil. 13 David requireth a condition to bring him his wife Michal. 
17 Abner, having communed with the Israelites, is feasted by David, 
and dismissed. 22 Joab, returning from battle, is displeased with the 
kiu". and killeth Abner. 28 David curseth Joab, 31 and mourneth 
for Abner. 

NOW there was long war between the house 
of Saul and the house of David ; but David 
■waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of 
Saul waxed weaker and weaker." 

2 1 And unto David were sons born in Hebron :" 
and his first-born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the 
Jezreelitess;° 

3 And his second, Chileab,* of Aliigail tlie wife 
of Nabal the Carmelite; and tlie tliird, Ab,«alom 
tlic son of Maacah'^ the daughter of Taluiai king 
of Gesliur ;" 

4 And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;'' 
and the fiftli, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 

5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. 
These were born to David in Hebron. 

G '!i And it came to pass while there was war be- 
tween tlie liouseof Saul and the house of David, that 
Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul." 

7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was 
Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah : '' and Ish-bosheth said 
to Aluier, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my 
iatlier's concubine? 

8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of 
Ish-bosheth, and said, Jim I a dog's head,' which 
against Judah do show kindness this day unto the 
house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to 
his friends, and have not delivered thee into the 
liand of David, that thou chargest me to-day with 
a fault concerning this woman?-* 

9 So do God to Abner, and more also," except, as 
the Lord hath sworn to David,' even so I do to him ; 

10 To translate the kingdom from the house of 
Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel 
and over Judah,"' from Dan even to Beer-sheba." 

11 And lie could not answer Abner a word 
again, because he feared him. 

12 1 And Abner sent messengers to David on 
his behalf saying. Whose is the land? saying also, 
Make thy league with me, and behold, my liand shall 
he with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee. 

13 Tl And he said, Well ; I will make a league 
with thee : but one thing I require of thee, that 
is,* Thou shalt not see my face," excejit thou first 
bring Michal Saul's daughter," when thou comest 
to see my face. 

1-4 And David sent messengers to Isli-liosheth 
Saul's 9on,'' saying, Deliver me my wife Miclial, 
which I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of 
the Philistines.'' 



'Oh. -2:17; Job 17 


9; Psa. 84:7; Prov. 4: 18, 19; Rev. 6:2. biChr. :J:1- 


4. c 1 Sam. 2.5:43. 


• Or, Darnel. 1 Chr. 31. i ch. 15-18. e ch K-.iT; 


1 Sam. 27:8. ( 1 K 


ngs 1:5. etc. ft Prov. 21:30; Isa. 8:9, 10. Ii ch. 21:8. 


■ ch. 9:8; 1 Sam. 21 


U. JP5a.2:l. k Ruth 1: 17; 1 Kings 19:2. 1 1 Sim. 


15:28; 16:1-12; 28; 


7: Psi. 89:3.5-37. mIChr. 12:23. « ch. 17:11 ; Judg. 


20:1; 1 Kings 4:25 


t Heb. sayins- " Gen. 43:3. p 1 S.im. 18:20. 28. 



CHAPTER III. 

3. Gcshur : a country on the east of Jordan, near mount 

1 Sam. 25:44. 



15 And Ish-bosheth sent, and took lier from her 
husband, even from Phalticl* the son of Laish. 

16 And her husband went with her along weep- 
ing'' behind her to Baliurim.* Then said Abner 
unto him, Go, return. And he returned. 

17 Tl And Abner had communication with the 
elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in 
times past' to be king over you: 

18 Now then do it : for the Lord hath spoken 
of David,' saying. By the hand of my servant 
David I will save my people Israel out of the 
hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all 
their enemies. 

19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benja- 
min :" and Abner went also to speak in the ears of 
David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and 
that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin. 

20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and 
twenty men with him. And David made Abner 
and the men that were with him a feast. 

21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and 
go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the 
king,'' that they may make a league with tlice, and 
that thou mayest reign over all that tliy heart 
dcsireth." And David sent Abner away ; and he 
went in peace. 

• 22 11 And behold, the servants of David and Joab 
came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great 
spoil with them : but Abner icas not with David 
in Hebron ; for he had sent him away, and he was 
gone in peace. 

23 When Joab and all tlie host that was with 
him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the 
son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him 
away, and he is gone in peace. 

24 Then Joab came to the king, and said. What 
hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto tliee; 
why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is 
cjuite gone? 

25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he 
came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and 
thy coming in,'' and to know all that thou docst.-^' 

26 And when Joab was come out from David, he 
sent messengers after Abner, which brought him 
again from the well of Sirah : butDavid knew i'/not. 

27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, 
Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him 
quietly,' and smote him there under the fifth rib, 
that he died,^ for the blood of Asahcl his brother.* 

28 IT And afterward when David heard it, he 
said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the 
Lord for ever from the blood" of Abner the son 
of Ner : 

29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his 
father's house;'' and let there not fail* from the 
house of Joab one that hatli an issue,"' or that is a 



Hcrmon. 
13. Michnl 



qch.2:10. r 1 Sam. Ic>:i3. 27. 1 /'An/ri. ] Cam. 23:44. SHeb. fo 


n?a,ul 


weeping. ' ch. 19:16. 1 Heb. both yfsterdny find tlie third day. t 


ver. 9. 


" 1 Chr. 12:29. »ver. 10.1-'. w 1 Kings II :37. i 1 Sam. 29:6. 


y Gen. 


42:9. 12. 1 Or, peaceably, z ch. 20:9, 10; 1 Kings 2:5. » ch. 2:23. 


•Heb. 


bloods, b 1 Kings 2;.32, 33. t Heb. 6e cut o^. c Lev. 15:2. 





24 



16. Bahurim; in the tribe of Benjamhi, not far from Je- 
ru.salem. 

2G. Tfie well of Sirah ; supposed to have been near He- 
bron, to which city Abner was brought back by the emis- 
saries of Joab. 

369 



Daviil moumetk fnr Ahntr. 



2 SAMUEL IV. 



hh-hosluth is murdertd. 



Ippor," or tli.1t Ii'aiictli on a stafT, or that fallcth on 
tlic swonl. or that hicki'th liroad. 

3(1 So Joal) and Aliishai liis brother slew Abncr, 
because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gib- 
eon in the battle. 

31 1l And David ?aid to Joab, and to all the 
people that ircrr with him, Rend your clothes,'' and 
gird you with sai'kcloth,'' and mourn before Abner. 
Anil kiutr Oavid //j/nsT//" followed the bier.* 

3"J And tiicy buried Abncr in Hebron: and the 
king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of 
Abner; and all the people wei)t. 

33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, 
Died Abner as a fool diethV 

34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into 
fetters : as a man falleth before wicked men,* w fell- 
est thou. And all the people wept again over him. 

35 And when all the jieople came to cause David 
to cat meat while it was yet day,'' David sware, 
saying. So do God to me, and more also, if I taste 
bread, or aught else, till the sun be down.'' 

36 And all tlie people took notice of it, and it 
pleased them : * as whatsoever the king did pleased 
all the people. 

37 For all the people and all Israel understood 
that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner 
the son of Nor. 

38 And the king said unto his servants. Know 
ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen 
this day in Israel? 

39 And I am this day weak,^ though anointed 
king ; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too 
hard for me:"^ the Lord shall reward the doer of 
iBvil according to his wickedness.'' 

CHAPTER IV. 

•X The Israelites being troubled at the death of Abner, 2 Baanah and 
Rechab slay Ish-bosheth, and bring his head to Hebron. 9 David 
causeth them to be slain, and Ish-bosheth"s head to be buried. 

AND when Saul's son heard that Abner was 
dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble,' and 
all the Israelites were troubled.^ 



» Lev. n:2, etc. 1> ch. 1:2, 11; Josh. 7:0. c Gen. 37:34. • Heb. bed. 
4 Prov. 18:7; Jer. 17:11. tKeb.cliildrtnofiniquiUj. ech. 12:17. '.Tudg. 
20:26. illeb.-uias goodinlhiireyrs. iUeh. tender. ech.l9:6,7- h I Kinjs 
2:.'), 6. 33: Psa. 7:10; 28:4; (52:12; 2 Tim. 4:14. ■ Ezra 4:4; Isa. 13:7. 
i Matt, 2:3. I Heb. second, k Josh. 1»:25. ' Neh. 11:33. " ch. 9:3. 



34. Sofellest thou; by the hand of an assassin. 

39. Weak — too hard ; David was not able then to punish 
the murderers, on account of their great influence with 
the army. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Though the accomplishment of divine promises may 
for a time be delayed, yet all things will conspire to their 
ultimate fulfilment. 

2. Men who depart from the original constitution of God 
with regard to marriage, will find the way of transgressors 
hard, and may expect, through life, to reap the sad fruits 
of their folly. 

8. Men often revolt from the charge, and even from the 
Buspicion of crime, who have no hesitation in commit- 
ting it. 

12. Selfish and ambitious men when disappointed in 
one quarter will turn to another ; and in prosecuting their 
objects will sell themselves to the highest bidder. 

18. Such is the wickedness of men, that they will often 
act in opposition to what they know to be the revealed 
will of God. 

20. When those who have been our enemies profess to 
310 



2 And Saul's son had two mon l/iat were * m mm. 
captains of bands: the iiaiiic of the one i"<"' 
was Baanah, and the name of the other' Rechab, 
the sons of Riminon a Heerothite, of the children 
of Iknjamiu: for Beerotli also was reckoned to 
Benjamin:" 

3 And the Bcerothites fled to Gittaim,' and were 
sojourners there until this day. 

4 And .lonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was 
lame of his feet.'" He was five years old when the 
tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezrecl," 
and his nurse took him up, and lied : and it came 
to pass, as she made haste to (lee, that he fell, and 
liecanie lame. And his name was Jlejihibosheth.' 

5 And the sons of Riminon the Bcerothite. Re- 
chab and Baanah. went, and came about the heat 
of the (lay to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on 
a bed at noon. 

6 And they came thither into the midst of the 
house, as though they would have fetched wheat; 
and they smote him under the fifth rib:° and Re- 
chab and Baanah his brother escaped. 

7 For when they came into the house, he lay on 
his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, 
and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his 
head, and gat them away through the plain all 
night. 

8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto 
David to Hebron, and said to the king. Behold 
the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine ene- 
my, which sought thy life;'' and the Lord hath 
avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and 
of his seed. 

9 11 And David answered Rechab and Baanah 
his brother, the sons of Rinimon the Beerothite, 
and said unto them, Jis the Lord liveth, who hath 
redeemed my soul out of all adversity," 

10 When one told me, saying. Behold, Saul is 
dead,"' thinking to have brought* good tidings, I 
took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who 
thought that I would have given him a reward* 
for his tidings : 



■ 1 Sam. 29:1, II. H Or, MeWi-iaa/. 1 Chr. 8:34; 9:40. ocb.2:23. P 1 Sara. 
.9:2, 10. 11; 23:15; 25:29; Psa. 63:9. 10; 71:24. 1 Gen. 48:16; 1 Sam. 
>6:24; 1 Kings 1:29; Psa. 31:7; 34:0, 7, 17. rch. 1:2-16. • Heb. At tool 
'.n his own eyes as a bringer of. t Or, which was the reward I gave him. 



become our friends, we may treat them as such, yet wo 
cannot and ought not to repose full confidence in them 
till their professions are verified by their conduct. 

25. Men may appear very anxious to accomplish one 
object, when they are looking principally at another ; and 
may denounce others for deception, while they are seek- 
ing to practise it themselves. 

39. None are so high in authority and power that they 
can commit murder with imiJunity. Though they should 
not be punished by men, the vengeance of God in duo 
time will overtake them, and they will sink under his 
indignation. 1 Kings 2:5, 6, 32-34. 

CHAPTER IV. 

2. Beeroth; a city near Gibeon. 

4. The tidings came; of the death of Saul and Jonathan. 

6. v4.s though they would hove fetched wheat ; more literally, 
fetching wheat. To conceal their guilty purpose they 
fetcheri wheat, as though this was their business. 

7. Tlie plain ; the Jordan valley, which lay between Ma- 
hanaim and Hebron. 

10. One told me; chap. 1:2-16. 



David is made kins 



2 SAMUEL V. 



over all Israel. 



A. M »v,. 11 How much more, wlien wicked men 
*' loia "'" have slain a righteous person in liis own 
house upon his bed? shall I not tlicrefore now 
require his blood of your hand," and take you 
away from the earth? 

12 And David commanded his young men, and 
they slew them," and cut off their "hands and their 
feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. 
But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried 
it in tlie sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.'^ 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The tribes come to Hebron to anoint David over Israel. 4 David's 
age. 6 He taking Zion from the Jebusites, dwelleth in it. 11 Hiram 
sendeth to David. 13 Eleven sons are born to hirn in Jerusalem. 
17 David, directed by God, smiteth the Philistines at Baal-pcrazim, 
2'2 and again at the mulberry-trees. 

THEN came all the tribes of Israel to David 
unto Hebron,'' and spake, saying, Behold, we 
are thy bone and thy flesh.'' 

2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over 
us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest 
in Israel:'' and the Lord said to thee, Thou slialt 
feed my people Israel,'^ and thou shalt be a cap- 
tain over Israel.'' 

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king 
to Heln-on ; and king David made a league with 
them in Hebron before the Lord:' and they 
anointed David king over Israel. 

4 1 David was thirty years old when he began 
to reign, and he reigned forty years.J 

5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years 
and six mouths: and in Jerusalem he reigned 
thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. 

6 IT And the king and his men went to Jerusa- 
lem unto the Jebusites,'' the inhabitants of the 
land: which spake unto David, saying. Except 
thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt 
not come in hither: thinking, David cannot* come 
in hither. 

7 Nevertheless, David took the strong-hold of 
Zion : the same is the city of David.' 

8 And David said on tliat day. Whosoever get- 



»(;en 9:3,6. bch.I:15. » ch. 3:32. dlChr.ll:!. ejudg.9:2. ( 1 Sam. 
18:13. e Psa. 73:70-72. Iilsa.55:4. i 2 Kin?3 11 :17; Neh. 9:3ti. j 1 Chr. 
29:27. k Josh. 15:03. • Oi, saying, David shall not. U Kings 8:1. t Or, 
Because they had said, even the blind and the lame. He shall not come into 



11. A righteous person; inuocent as to his murderers, 
one who had done them no wrong. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. A common method by which God overthrows nations 
and parties that oppose themselves to liis rigliteous cause, 
is to take from them the wise and strong men to wliom 
they trusted as leaders. 

4. Many are the dangers of life and limb to which little 
children are exposed, and the kindness of God in their 
preservation and comfort is constant and great. 

C. Rulers who depend for support only on soldiers, can 
never be safe ; many who for a time fight for them will, 
when they hope to be gainers, fight against them and 
even take their life. 

8. Men often glory in iniquity, and speak of treason, 
bloodshed, and murder as if they were pleasing to God. 
and entitled the perpetrators to the gratitude of their 
fellow-men. 

9. Men who trust in God will not commit sin to accom- 
plish his or their purposes ; nor wiU they reward it or 
connive at it in others. 

12. All who expect in the end to be gainers by the com- 



teth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, 
and the lame and the blind, that are hated of 
David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Where- 
fore they said. The bliud and the lame shall not 
come into the house.'' 

9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the 
city of David. And David built round about from 
Millo and inward. 

10 And David went on, and grew great,' and 
the Lord God of hosts it-as with him. 

11 1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers 
to David,'" and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and 
masons:^ and they built David a liouse. 

12 And David perceived that the Lord had 
established him king over Israel, and that he had 
exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. 

13 1 And David took him more concubines and 
wives out of Jerusalem," after he was come from 
Hebron : and there were yet sons and daughters 
born to David. 

14 And these be the names of those that were 
born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah,' and 
Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 

1.5 Ibhar also, and Elishua,"' and Nepheg, and 
Japhia, 

16 And Elishama, and Eliada," and Eliphalet. 

17 *li But when the Philistines heard that they 
had anointed David king over Israel, all the Phi- 
listines came up to seek David ; and David heard 
of it, and went down to the hold." 

18 The Philistines also came and spread them- 
selves in the valley of Rephaim.'' 

19 And David inquired of the Lord,i saying. 
Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver 
them into my hand? And the Lord said unto 
David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the 
Philistines into thy hand. 

20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David 
smote them there, and said. The Lord hath bro- 
ken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the 
breach of waters. Therefore he called the name 
of that place Baal-perazim.* 



the house. I Heh. going and growing, ml Kings 5:1. i Hei. hewers of 
theslom of the wall, n Deut. 17:17; 1 Chr. 14:3. I Or. Shimea, 1 Chr. 
3:5. 1 Or, Elishama, 1 Chr. 3:6. • Or, Beeliada, 1 Chr. 14:7. o ch. 23:14. 
P Josh. 15:8; 1 Chr. 11:15. qjaines4:15. \ T\\z.t. is, The plain of breaclies . 



mission of sin, wiU meet with sure and woful disappoint- 
ment. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Then came all the tribes; David had before reigned 
over only the tribe of Judah. Yer. 5. 

2. Feed my people; this is the first time a ruler is spoken 
of in the Bible under the emblem of a shepherd. 

6. Jerusalem; a portion of this city had continued to be 
inhabited by the Jebusites. Except thou take — the blind and 
the lame ; rather thus : Thou shalt not come in hither ; but 
the blind and the lame shall take thee away ; that is, though 
we had only the blind and lame, they could repel thee. 

8. Tlie lame and the blind; the Jebusites themselves, with 
allusion to their boast, ver. 6. 

9. Millo; supposed to have been a part of the fortress 
on mount Zion. 

11. Tyre; a city of the Phenicians on the Mediterra- 
nean, near the northern border of Palestine. 

17. The hold; a fortress, or fortified place. 

IS. Rephaim ; a valley on the south-west of Jerusalem. 

20. Banl-pcrazim ; meaning the plain of breaches ; it was 
in the valley of Rephaim. 

371 



The ark brought up from 



2 SAMUEL VI. 



Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. 



21 And tlii'ie lliov left (heir images, and David 
and Ills men Imrncil tlicni.' 

22 1^ And tlic riiilislincs came npyot aijain, and 
spread tlieiiiselvos in (lie valley of Rcpliaiin. 

23 And when David inquired of the Loud, lie 
said, Thou .shalt not go up; but fetch a compass 
behind them, and come upon them over against 
the mulherry-trees. 

24 And let it be, wlicn thou hearest the sound 
of a goinjj in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that 
then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then sliall the 
Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the 
Philistines. 

25 And David did so, as the Lord had command- 
ed him; and smote the Philistines from Gcba* 
until thou come to Gazer. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 David fetcheth the ark from Kiriatli-jt-arim on a new cart. 6 Uzzah 
is smitten at Perez-uzzah. 9 G-od blesseth Obed-edom for the ark. 
12 David bringing the ark into Zion with sacrifices, danceth before it, 
for which Michal despiseth him. 17 He placeth it in a tabernacle 
with great joy and fea-sting. '20 Michal reprovmg David for his relig- 
ious joy. is childless to her death. 

AGAIN, David gathered together all the cho- 
sen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 

2 And David arose, and went with all tlic peo- 
ple that ivere with him from Baale* of Judali, to 
bring up from thence tJie ark of God, whose name 
is called by tlio name of the Lord of hosts* that 
dwelleth between the cherubim. 

3 And they set' the ark of God upon a new cart, 
and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that 
was in Gibeah ; '' and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of 
Abinadab, drave the new cart. 

4 And they brouglit it out of the house of Abin- 
adab which was at Gibeah, accompanying* the ark 
of God : and Ahio went before the ark. 

5 And David and all tlie house of Israel played 
before the Lord on all manner of instruimnts 
wade o/" fir-wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, 
and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. 



• Or. took them away 


t Gib 


on 


1 Chr 


. l'i:l(i. 


1 Or, 


Baalah, that is. 


KiTjath'jearim; Jo.^h. !■ 


:9. 60, 


Hf 


b. at 


^vhirh the 


nam 


, even tilt 


jtam^ 


of the LORD of hosts wc 


s called I 


pan 


IH 


eb. jnnde i 


rid 


. 11 Or, Th 


hill 


' Heb, unth. t Cliidon, 


1 Chr. i:j 


;<). 


a .Nu 


m.4:I5. 


1 Or. 


stuvxbUd. 


i Or. 



25. From Geba until thou come to Gazer; in 1 Chron. 14: IG 
we read, " from Giljeon even to Gazer." Geba was a short 
distance north of Jerusalem, and Gibeon a short distance 
nnrth-west. Gazer was on the western border of Ephraim. 
Josh. 16:3. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who wait upon God in humble supplication 
and hearty obedience, will in due time, and in the best 
way, receive all which they need or can reasonably desire. 

3. A clear definition and correct understanding of the 
mutual relations and duties of rulers and people tend to 
promote the stability of civil government and to increase 
its usefulness. 

6. Dependence on creatures is followed by sore disap- 
pointment ; while dependence on God secures his bless- 
ing and leads to glorious success. 

12. Rulers are appointed and intrusted with authority 
for the good of the people, and are bound in all their acts 
to seek this end. 

13. Great prosperity increases the power of temptation, 
and often leads to great transgressions. 

17. Such is the wickedness of men, that the increasing 
power and prosperity of one nation awakens the jealousy 
and provokes the hostility of another, and leads them to 
372 



() • .\nd when they came to Nachon's* » r filis 
threshing-floor, Uzziih jiut forth his liandio the ark 
of Goil," and took hold of it ; for tlie o.xen shook it.* 

7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against 
Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error;' 
and there he died by tlie ark of God. 

8 And David was displeased, liecausc the Lord 
had made' a breach uiton Uzzah; and he called 
the name of the place Perez-uzzah^ to this day. 

And David was afraid of the Lord tliat day,'' 
and said, How shall the ark of the Lord come 
to me? 

10 So David would not remove the ark of the 
Lord unto him into the city of David : but David 
carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the 
Gittite. 

1 1 And the ark of the Lord continued in the 
liouse of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and 
the Lord blessed Obed-edom, and all his house- 
hold. 

12 T And it was told king David, saying, The 
Lord hath blessed the liousc of Obed-edom, and 
all i\vAi per tabu th unto him, because of the ark of 
God.'' So David went and brought uj) the ark of 
God from the house of Obed-edom into the city 
of David with gladness. 

13 And it was so, that when they that bare the 
ark of the Lord had gone si.x paces,'' lie sacrificed 
oxen and fallings. 

14 And David danced before the Lord with all 
his might ;'^ and David was girded with a linen 
ephod." 

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought 
up the ark of the Lord'^ with shouting," and with 
the sound of the trumpet. 

IG And as the ark of the Lord came into the city 
of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through 
a window, and saw king David leaping and danc- 
ing before the Lord ; and she despised him in her 
heart. 

17 II And they brought in the ark of the Lord, 



■ashness. B Heb. broken. ^ ^. 
Matt. 10:42. J 1 Chr. K:% 
a. sPsi. 132. hPsa. 47:1.' 



seek their own elevation by the depression or ruin of 
their neighbors. 

20. One nation can gain no advantage over another, ex- 
ce])t such as God sees fit to grant, or for wise reasons to 
permit ; and whenever he gives prosperity, he lays men 
under new obligations to obey him. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. Bank; another name for Kirjath-jearim. 

.3. Upon a new cart ; following in this the example of the 
Philistines ; while the divine ordinance was that the ark 
should be reverently borne by the Levitcs, for which pur- 
pose it was provided with rings and bars. Num. 4:5-15. 
In Gibeah ; rather, on the hill. 

6. Put forth his hand; this was contrary to the command 
of God. Num. 4:15-20. 

8. Perez-uzzah; meaning, the breach of Uzzah. 

10. T/ie Gittite; so called, it is siipposed, from Gath-rim- 
mon, the place of his birth or abode. 

1.3. They that bare the ark; it was now borne by the Le- 
vites, according to the divine direction. 

14. Danced before the Lord; as a manifestation of joy in 
God and gratitude for his mercies. 

16. Despised him; she thought he was degrading himself. 



Thu joy of the. people. 



2 SAMUEL VII. 



God's promises to David, 



u.c.'iwl: and set it in his place," in the midst of the 
tabernacle that David had pitched* for it: and 
David offered burnt-oifcrings and peace-offerings 
before the Lord." 

18 And as soon as David had made an end of of- 
fering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, he blesS' 
ed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts." 

19 And he dealt among all the people, even 
among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to 
the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, 
and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.^ 
So all the people departed every one to his house. 

20 1 Then David returned to bless his house- 
hold." And Michal the daughter of Saul came 
out to meet David, and said. How glorious was 
the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered himself 
to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his ser- 
vants,'' as one of the vain fellows shamelessly* 
uncovereth himself 1 

21 And David said unto Michal, It was before 
the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and 
before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the 
people of the Lord, over Israel :'>■ therefore will I 
play before the Lord. 

22 And I will yet be more vile tiian thus, and 
willbe base in mine own sight: and of the .maid- 
servants* which thou hast spoken of, of them shall 
I be had in honor. 

23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had 
no child unto the day of her death." 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 Nathin first approving the purpose of David to build God a liouse, 4 
after by the word of Ood forbidaeili him. \2 He promiseth him bene- 
fits and blessings in liis seed. IS David's prayer and thanksgiving. 

AND it came to pass, when the king sat in his 
house,' and the Lord had given him rest 
round about from all his enemies ;' 
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, 



alChr.l6:l. • Hfsh. stretched, b I Kings 9:5. 63. » F.xod. 39:43; 1 Kings 
8:55. d2Chr. 30:21; 35:7, 8, 1-2; Neh. 8:10. e Psi. 3(1, title; lUl :2. tver. 
14, IC; 1 Sim. 19:24. 1 Oi. openly. E 1 Sam. 13: 14; 15:28. I Or, of the 
handmaids of my servants, h 1 Sam. l.i;35. i 1 Chr. 17:1. > Fsa. 18, title. 
n ch. 5:11. 1 Exod. 2li:l, etc.; 40:21. S Heb. to my servant, to David. 
■n 1 Kings 5:3; 8:1G-19; 1 Chr. 22:8; 28:3, etc. " Lev. 26:11, 12; Deut. 

20. Uncovered himself; he had laid aside his royal robes 
fur the ephod of the priests, ver. 14. 

21. It was before the Lord; for the purpose of honoring 
him. Will I play; or, I did play. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Rulers and people should without any unnecessary 
delay establish the worship of God, and regularly attend, 
according to his will, upon all the ordinances of his ap- 
pointment. 

6. Irreverence and rashness in our approaches to God 
and all disregard to his commands in our attendance on 
his worship, are offensive in his sight and expose men to 
his displeasure. 

10. The displeasure of God against those who profane 
his worship, sliould not lead any to neglect it, for that will 
also displease him ; while in properly attending upon it, 
they will secure his favor and receive a great reward. 

lii Ardent love to God and engagedncss in his worship, 
are thought by many to be suitable only for the weak and 
ignorant; hut they are in reality exalting and ennobling. 
and confer the hi.ghest and most durable honor upon per- 
sons of all descriptions. 

18. Acts of pitty should never be dissociated from those 
of charity and mercy ; nor should the public duties of relig- 



See now, I dwell in a house of cedar,'' but the ark 
of God dwolleth within curtains.' 

3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that 
is in thy heart; for the Lord is wilh thee. 

4 1 And it came to pass that night, that the 
word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, 

5 Go and tell my servant David,* Thus saith the 
Lord, Shalt thou build me a house for mc to 
dwell in?™ 

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in avy house since 
the time that I brought up the children of Israel 
out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked 
in a tent and in a tabernacle. 

7 In all the places wherein I have walked with 
all the children of Israel" spake I a word with 
any of the tribes' of Israel, whom I commanded 
to feed my people Israel," saying. Why build ye 
not me a house of cedar? 

8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my ser- 
vant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took 
thee from the sheepcote, from following^ the sheep, 
to be ruler over my people, over Israel : 

9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou went- 
est,'' and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy 
siglit, *'' and have made thee a great name,'' like 
unto the name of the great mc7i that are in the earth. 

10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my peo- 
ple Israel, and will plant tliem,^ that they may 
dwell in a place of their own, and move no more ; 
neither shall the children of wickedness afflict 
them any more,* as beforetime, 

11 And as since the time that I commanded 
judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused 
thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the 
Lord telleth thee that he will make thee a house." 

12 *[[ And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou 
shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed 
after thee," which shall proceed out of thy bowels, 
and I will establish his kingdom. 



23 14; 2Cor- 6:10. i Judges, I Chr. 17:6 o ch. 5:2; Psa. 78:71, 72; Jer. 
3:15; Matt. 2:0; Acls20:28; 1 Pet 5:2, 1 Heb. a//er. Poh,5:ld; 1 Sam. 
18:14. •Heb. from thy faee. q Psa. 18:37-42. r Gen, 12:2. » Psa. 44:2; 
Jer. 24:6. I Ezek. 28:24 ; Ecv. 21:4. » 1 Kings 11:38. vlKings8:20; 
Psa. 132:11,12. 



ion be disconnected from those of the family and the closet; 
but regular attendance on the one should be a prepara- 
tion for the conscientious and habitual performance of the 
other. 

21. Those who know by experience the pleasure and 
benefit of fervently worshipping God in spirit and in truth, 
will not be deterred from it by the sneers and scoffs of 
friends or foes; but will resolve in his strength, whatever 
others may do, to be more and more devoted, for time 
and eternity, to his service. 

CHAPTER VII. 

2. Within curtains; in the tabernacle. Chap. C:l7. 
7. The tribes; their rulers. 

11. Make thee a house; give him posterity to succeed him 
on the throne of Israel. 

12. /«•(// .let up thy seed after thee; the immediate refer- 
ence is to Solomon, but in such a way that it includes 
also the whole royal line, at the head of which, after Da- 
vid, Solomon stood ; and which terminated in Christ, the 
son of David according to the flesh, to whom God gave 
the throne of his father David. Luke 1 : 32, 33. The com- 
plete fulfilraent, therefore, of this prophecy can only be in 
Christ's everlasting kingdom. 

313 



Davids s gratitude to God. 



2 SAMUEL VIII. 



Jle subdtuth the Philistines. 



13 Tie shall build a Imii^o for my name, and I 
will c'stalilisli tlio tindiif <it' his kinj^doin lor ever. 

14 I will l>i' his lallu'r, and ho shall be my son." 
If he commit inii|uity, I will chasten him with the 
rod of men, and with the stripes of the children 
of men. 

15 But my mercy shall not depart away from 
liim.'' as I took it from Saul, wliom I put away 
before thee. 

16 And thy hou.se and thy kingdom shall be 
established for ever before thcc: thy throne shall 
be established for ever." 

17 According to all these words, and accord- 
ing to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto 
David. 

18 *! Then went king David in, and sat before 
the Lord, and ho said. Who am I, Lord Gon?'' 
and what is my house, that thou hast brought me 
hitherto? 

19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, 
Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy 
servant's house for a great while to come. And 
is this the manner* of man, O Lord God? 

20 And what can David say more unto thee? for 
thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant. 

21 For thy word's sake," and according to thine 
own heart, hast thou done all these great things, 
to make thy servant know them. 

22 Wherefore thou artgrc^at, Lord God:'' for 
there is none like thee, neither is there any God 
besides thee," according to all that we have heard 
"with our ears. 

23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy 
people, even like Israel," whom God went to redeem 
for a people to himself, and to make him a name, 
and to do for you great things and terrible, for 
thy land, before thy people, which thou redeem- 
edst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and 
their gods? 

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy peo- 



» Psa. 89:20-37. b 1 Kings 11 : 13, 34. c John 12:34; Heb. 1:8. d Gen. 
33:10: Eph. 3:8. • Heb. toio. e Psi. 138:2; Ezek. 36:22. 32. fjer. 10:6, 
7. 5 Isa. 45:5. IS, 22. hPsi. 147:20. "Deut. 26:18. iPsi 48:14. t Ueb. 
openedMe for; Ruth4:4; 1 .Sam. 9:15; Psa. 40:8. k John 17:17. 1 Heb. 



14. / will he his fatlLcr, and he shall be my son ; not the 
father of Solomon alone, considered as an individual, but 
of the whole royal line from Solomon to Christ ; and tlie 
father of Christ in a preeminent sense. With the rod of 
men; gently and for his good, as a kind father corrects 
his child. 

16. Thy throne shall be established; it should not be taken 
away, as it was from Saul ; but should continue in David's 
family till the coming of Christ, who, as King of his peo- 
ple, will reign for ever. 

18. Sat before the Lord; before the ark of the tabernacle. 

21. For thy word's sake, and according to thine oivn heart; 
David ascribes all God's gifts to him and his family, not 
to any goodness of his own, but to God's free promise, 
made according to the counsel of His own will. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. When men employ their seasons of rest and retire- 
ment in reviewing the goodness of God, and in devising 
plans for the promotion of his glory, much benefit may be 
expected to result to them, to their children, and to all 
who may feel their influence. 

8. A faithful review of the goodness of God to us is 
suited to fill us with humility and self-abasement, and 
also with adoring gratitude and praise. 
374 



pie Israel tohc a people unto thee for ever :' u. ? JJ2; 
and thou, LoitD, art liccmiic their God.' 

l!5 And now, O Loud God, the word that thou 
hast spoken concerning tliy servant, and concern- 
ing his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou 
hast said. 

26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, say- 
ing. The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel : 
and let the house of thy servant David be estab- 
lished before thee. 

27 For thou, Lord of hosts, God of Israel, 
hast revealed* to tliy servant, saying, I will build 
thee a hou.se ; therefore hath thy servant found in 
his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. 

28 And now, Lord God, thou art that God, 
and thy words be true,'' and thou hast promised 
this goodness unto thy servant: 

29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless* the 
house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever 
before thee;: for thou, Lord God, hast spoken 
it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy ser- 
vant be blessed for ever.' 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1 David subdueth tlie Philistines and the Moabites. 3 He smiteth 
Hadadezer, and the Syrians. 9 Toi sendeth Joram with presents to 
bless hiin. II The presents and the spoil David dedicateth to God. 
14 He putteth garrisons in Edom. 16 David's officers. 

AND after this it came to pass, that David 
smote the Philistines, and subdued them:" 
and David took Metheg-ammah* out of the hand 
of the Philistines. 

2 And he smote Moab," and measured them with 
a line, casting them down to the grotmd ;° even 
with two lines measured he to jiut to death, and 
with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moab- 
ites became David's servants," and brought gifts." 

3 ^ David smote also Hadadezer,' the son of 
Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his 
border at the river Euphrates. 



bf thou pleased andbtess. 1 ch. 22:51. 
Ammah. n Num. 24:17. o ch. 12:31. 
72:10. I Or, HaJareztr, 1 Chr. 13:3. 



I Chr. 18:1. § Or, Tht bridle of 
'ver. 6, 14. q 1 Sam. 10:27; Psi. 



12. God, in giving parents reason to hope that when 
they die their children will imitate their good example, 
and execute the schemes of benevolence which they de- 
vise, greatly encourages thom to call upon him, and to 
devote themselves with increasing fidelity to his glory 
and the good of their fellow-men. Gen. 18:18, 19 ; 2 Tim. 
1:4-6. 

18. When the goodness of God leads men in hrnnble 
and devout thanksgiving to himself, il; shows that they 
are ripening for increasing manifestations and experience 
of his goodness for ever. 

24. To have Jehovah for their God, and to be governed 
by his laws, is the best defence and highest glory, not only 
of individuals and families, but of states and nations. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1. Metheg-ammah ; meaning, the bridle of the metropo- 
lis ; that is^ Gath and her towns. 1 Chron. 18:1. 

2. Casting them down to the ground; more literally, mak- 
ing them to lie down upon the ground. The meaning 
seems to be, that he compelled the captives to lie down 
upon the ground in regular order, and then measured off 
two portions of them to be slain, and one to be preserved. 

3. Zobah; a part of Syria north-east of Palestine. 



Syrians and Edomites subdued. 



2 SAMUEL IX. 



Jonathan's son cherished. 



B. c' lim 4 And David took from him* a thousand 
chariots,^ and seven hundred liorsemen, and twen- 
ty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the 
chariot horses^ but reserved of them /or a hundred 
chariots. 

5 And when the S3'rians of Damascus came to 
succor Hadadezer king of Zobah,"^ David slew of 
the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 

6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damas- 
cus : and the Syrians became servants to David, 
and brought gifts. And the Lord preserved David 
whithersoever he wcnt.'^ 

7 And David took the shields of gold that were 
on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them 
to Jerusalem. 

8 And from Betah,* and from Berothai,* cities of 
Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass. 

9 *i WhenToi^ king of Hamath heard that David 
had smitten all the host of Hadadezer, 

10 Then Toi sent Joram' his son unto king 
David, to salute him,^ and to bless him, because he 
had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him : 
for Hadadezer had wars with* Toi. And Joram 
brought with him* vessels of silver, and vessels 
of gold, and vessels of brass: 

1 1 Which also king David did dedicate unto the 
LoRD,'^ with the silver and gold that he had dedi- 
cated of all nations which ho subdued ; 

12 Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children 
of AminoQ, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, 
and of the spoil of Hadadezer, sou of Rehob, king 
of Zobah. 

18 And David gat him a name when he returned 
from smiting' of the Syrians^ in the valley of salt,^ 
being^ eighteen thousand men. 

14 "[ And he put garrisons in Edom ; throughout 
all EJi)m put he garrisons, and all they of Edom 
became David's servants." And the Lord pre- 
served David whithersoever ho went.' 

15 And David reigned over all Israel ; and David 
executed judgment and justice unto all his i)eople.' 

16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah ivas over the 
host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was 
recorder;'" 

17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahime- 



•Or, o/- A.J 


>1 Chr. H:4 


. 1> Josh. 11 


6, 9. t 


1 Kings 1 1 


21. 


d ver. 


U. 


t Or, Tibhath 


1 Or, 


Chun. 


. Chr. 18:8. 


i Ton, 


1 Chr 


lH:i) 


1 


Hadoram, 


1 Chr. 13:1U. 


1 Heb 


ask h 


m of peace. 


• Heb. 


was a 


man 


at 


wars w 


ilh. 


t Heb. in his 


hand w 


re. e 


1 Kings 7:51 


1 Chr. 


1S:11 


26:28. 


■ Heb. 


his 


smitin?. 1 Psji. 150. 


e 2K 


ngsl4:7. 4 


Or, slay 


iiig. 


hGen 


.27 


29; N 


im 



4. Houghed; cut their hamstrings. 

9. Hamath ; a city witli its territory on the Orontes 
north of Damascus, and bordering on /^obah. 

13. Th^ valley of salt ; south of the Dead sea, where Da- 
vid's general slew eighteen thousand Syrians, or Edomites 
united with the Syrians against him. 2 Kings 14:7; 1 Chr. 
18:12. See the title to Psalm GO. 

Ifi. Recorder; an officer appointed to record the events 
of the king's reign ; an official historian. 

17. Scribe; king's secretary. 

IS. The Cherethites and tli£ Pelethites ; supposed to have 
been David's body-guards. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 
2. Some are called to meet death, while others who 
appeared to be equally exposed are preserved alive. But 
whoever may be the instruments, and in whatever way 
life ia preserved, those who enjoy it are indebted for it to 
God, and are bound to devote it to him. 



lech the son of Abiathar, were the priests;' and 
Seraiah was the scribe;' 

18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada" was aver 
both the Cherethites and the Pelethites;" and 
David's sons were chief rulers." 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 David by Ziba sendeth for Mephibosheth. 7 For Jonathan's sake he 
entertaineth him at his table, and restoreth him all that was Saul's. 
9 He maketh Ziba his farmer. 

AND David said. Is there yet any that is left 
of the house of Saul, that I may show him 
kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant 
whose name was Ziba." And when they had called 
him unto David, the king said unto him, Jlrf thou 
Ziba? And he said. Thy servant is he. 

3 And the king said. Is there not yet any of the 
house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of 
God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, 
Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.' 

4 And the king said unto him. Where is he? 
And Ziba said unto the king. Behold, he is in the 
house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.'' 

5 1 Then king David sent, and fetched him out 
of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from 
Lo-debar. 

6 Now when Mephibosheth,* the son of Jonathan, 
the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on 
his face, and did reverence. And David said, Me- 
phibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! 

7 1 And David said unto him. Fear not : for I 
■will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy 
father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of 
Saul thy father ; and thou shalt eat bread at my 
table continually. 

8 xVnd he bowed himself, and said, What is thy 
servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead 
dog as I am?^ 

9 1i Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, 
and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's 
son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.' 

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy ser- 
vants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt 
bi'ing in the fruits, that thy master's son may have 



24:18. i Psa. 121:4-8. i Psa.72:2; 89:14; Jer. 22:15, 16; Amos 5:15, 24. 
1 Or, remembrancer, or wriler of chronicles, k 1 Kings 4:3. 1 1 Cbr. 24:3. 
^ Or. serrelari/. m 1 Chr. 18:17. nl Sam. 30:14. • Or, princes, o 1 Sam. 
20:14; Prov. 27:10. pch. 16:1,4. qch.4:4. rch. 17:27. 1 CMed Merid- 
baal, I Chr. 8:34. » ch. 16:9. t ch. 19:29. 



6. However exposed men may be to danger in doing 
the will of God, by putting their trust in him they may be 
safe. He will protect them till their work on earth is 
accomplished, and then receive them to the rewards of 
grace in heaven. 

15. However successful in war any ruler may be, his 
chief glory consists in doing justly, loving mercy, walking 
humbly with God, and advancing, as far as may be in his 
power, the highest good of mankind. 

CHAPTER IX. 

3. Vie kindness of God; kindness exercised in the fear 
of God, in accordance with his oath to Jonathan. 1 Sam. 
20:14-17. 

4. Lo-debar; east of Jordan, in the land of Gilead. 

7. Thy father; his grandfather. 

5. A dead dog; an expression of great unwortliiness of 
such distinguished favors. 

10. May luivefood to eat; though Mephibosheth himself 
375 



David defeateth tht 



2 SAMUEL X. 



Ammonites and SyriaTU. 



food to cat: l>iit Mopliilmslicth thy master's Bon 
sliall cat bic;icl alway at my tabic." Now Ziba 
had lit'lccn fioii'^ ami twenty servants.'' 

11 Then said Zil)a unto the kinij, According to 
all that niy lord the king hath connnandcd liis 
servant, ."^o shall thy servant do. As for Mcpliilj- 
oslieth, said the Icing, he shall eat at uiy table, as 
one of the kini^'s sons. 

12 .Vnd ^lopliiboshetli Iiad a young son, whose 
name was Miclia." And all tliat dwelt in tlie 
house of Ziba were servants unto Jlcphibosiicth. 

13 So Mcphiboslicth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he 
did cat continually at the king's table;'' aud was 
lame on both his feet. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 David's messenjers, sent to comfort Hcvnun the son of Nahash, are \ril- 
lanously entreated. 6 The Ammonites, strengthened by tlie Syrians, 
are overcome by Joab and AbisKai. \^i Shob-icb, makin^^ a new sup- 
ply of the Syrians at H'jlam, is slain by David. 

AND it came to pass after this, that tiie king 
of the children of Amnion died, and Hanun 
his sou reigned in his stead.'' 

2 Then said David, I will show kindness unto Ha- 
nun the sonofNaliash, as his father showed kindness 
unto me. And David sent to comfort hiin by the 
hand of his servants for his fatiicr. And David's ser- 
vants came into the land of the children of Amnion. 

3 And the princes of the children of Amnion 
said unto Hanun their lord, Thiukest thou tiiat 
David doth* iionor thy father, that he hath sent 
comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent 
his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to 
spy it out, and to overthrow it?' 

4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and 
shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut 
off their garments in the middle, even to their but- 
tocks," and sent them away. 

5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet 
them, because the men were greatly ashamed : and 
the king said. Tarry at Jericho until your beards 
be grown, and then return. 



»Ver.7,l:!. bch. 10:17. c 1 Chr. 8:34. d 2 Kings 25:20. elOhr.IO:!. 
• Ueh In. thine eyes dotli David. ( Gen. 42:9. « Isa. 20:1; 47:2. i Gen. 
34;:i0; Exod. 5:21; 1 Sara. 13:4. ich.8:3,5. t Ot, Tlie men of Tot, ; J aig. 



sat at the king's tabic, he needed a suitable provision for 
his household. 

13. Was tame; chap. 4:4. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. True piety will be grateful, not only to God the author 
of all good, but to those who imitate him, and through 
whom his goodness is displayed ; and it will manifest 
itself not only towards them, but when practicible tow- 
ards others who are connected with them. 

7. The good character and conduct of parents, and their 
kindness, especially to the distressed, are often followed 
by great blessings on their children. 

8. A conviction of unworthiness, and true gratitude for 
favors, tend greatly to increase the liberality and useful- 
ness of the giver, and also the happiness and benefit of 
the receiver. 

13. Bodily infirmities, though a present calamity to those 
who suffer them, may be overruled for their highest good. 

CHAPTER X. 

2. His father showed kindness unto me; this is supposed 
to have occurred wliile David was persecuted by Saul. 

4. Shaved off the one half of tlieir beards ; to the iiiiabitants 
376 



TAnd whonthechiMrcnof Ammonsaw a.miwit. 
that tiicy stank bclorr liiivid.'' tJir children 'lo-v'"" 
of Aniinon sent and hired the Syrians of Bcth- 
reliob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand 
footmen,' and of king Maacali a thousand men, and 
of Ish-tob* twelve thousand men. 

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and 
all the host of the mighty men.-' 

8 And the children of Amnion came out, and 
put the battle in array at the entering in of tin; 
gate : and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Kehob, and 
Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the 
fleld.'' 

9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle 
was against him before and behind, he chose of 
all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array 
against the Syrians:' 

10 And the rest of the people he delivered into 
the hand of Abishai his brother, that he miglit put 
them in array against the children of Amnion. 

1 1 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for 
me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children 
of Amnion be too strong for thee, then I will come 
and helj) thee. 

12 IJe of good courage,'" and let us play the men 
for our people," and for the cities of our God : 
and the Lorti do that which scemeth him good." 

13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that 
were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: 
and they fled before him.'' 

1-1 And when the children of Ammon saw that 
the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before 
Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab re- 
turned from the children of Ammon, and came to 
Jerusalem. 

15 1 And when the Syrians saw that they were 
smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves 
together. 

16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the 
Syrians that were beyond the river;* and they 
came to Ilelam : and Shobach ^ the captain of the 
host of Hadarezer went before them. 



U::l,5. jch.23:M. k ver. G 1 Josh. 8:21, 22. m Deut. 31 ;0; Josh, l:Ci, 7, 
9. Nch. 4:14. n 1 Sam. 4:9; 1 Cor. 10:13. o JuJg. 10:15; 1 Sam. 3:1?. 
PPsa. 0S:1, 12. I That is, £upAm(e». 1 Or, S/iop/mcA, 1 Chr. 10: 16. 



of the East, the mutilating of the beard is considered a 
great disgrace. 

5. Jericho; one of the first towns to which they came, 
after crossing the Jordan on their return. 

6. Bcth-rehoh; on the northern borders of Palestine, in 
the valleys of Lebanon. Zoba; a part of Syria north-east 
of Palestine. Ish-tob; rather, as in the margin, "the men 
of Tob." The land of Tob was beyond Jordan, Judg. 11:3. 
King Maacah; or, the king of Maacah, ver. 8. Maacah is 
supposed to have been at the foot of Hermon, near Geshur. 
Deut. 3:14. 

8. The entering in ofthe^ate; the gate of Medeba, a city 
in the tribe of Reuben, near the border of the Ammon- 
ites, and in their possession. I Chron. 19:7. 

9. Before and behind; the Syrians on one side and the 
Ammonites on the other. The Syrians; all the people 
named in verse 6, as hired by the Ammonites. 

IC. //arfare^cr; the king of Zoba. T/ie rit-er; Euphrates. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. Selfish men, who intend when they can to deceive 
others, are ever ready to suspect that others intentl to 
deceive them ; and those who hearken to such counsel- 
lors, will be likely to be led by them into mischief. 



David's adultery. 



2 SAMUEL XI. 



Uriah is slain. 



A. M. 2<«a. 17 And when it was told David, he gath- 
1036°" ered all Israel together, and passed over 
Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set 
themselves inarray against David, and fought with 
him. 

18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David 
slew the men o/" seven hundred chariots of tlie Syr- 
ians, and forty thousand horsemen,' and smote Sho- 
bach the captain of their host, who died there. 

19 2Vnd when all the kings that were servants 
to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before 
Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served 
them.* So tlie Syrians feared to help the chil- 
dren of Ammon any more.'' 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 While Joab besieged Rabbah, David committeth adultery with Bath- 
sheba. 6 Uriah, sent for by David to cover the adultery, would not 
go home neither sober nor drunken. 14 He carrieth to Joab the letter 
of his death. IS Joab sendeth the nevre thereof to David. 26 David 
taketh Bath-sheba to wife. 

AND it came to pass, after the year was ex- 
pired,* at the time when kings go forth to 
battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with 
him, and all Israel ; and they destroyed the chil- 
dren of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah.'' But David 
tarried still at Jerusalem. 

2 1[ And it came to pass in an evening-tide, that 
David arose from off his bed, and walked upon 
the roof of the king's house : and from the roof he 
saw a woman washing herself;" and the woman 
■was very beautiful to look upon." 

3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. 
And one said, Is not tliis Bath-sheba,* the daughter 
of Eliam,8 the wife of Uriah the Hittite?' 

4 And David sent messengers, and took her ; and 
she came in unto him, and he lay with her;*-' for 
she was purified from her iincleanness : '^ and she 
returned' unto her house. 

5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told 
David, and said, I am with child. 

6 IT And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me 
Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 

7 And wlieii Uriah was come unto him, David 
demanded of him how Joab did,"' and how the 
people did, and how tlie war prospered. 

8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy 



• Footm 


^n, ICh 


. 19:18. 


ach. 8:6. 


b? 


a. 18:37, 38. 


tHeb. 


at the 


return 


of the ijtar ; I Kin 


gs ao:aa, 


26; 2Chr 


.■i6: 


1(1. 


t 1 Chr. 


2(1:1. 


i (iPH 


3i:-i; 


Job 31:1; 


Prnv. G 


25; Matt 


o-.'ii. e 


-■rov 


.SI 


30. 1 B 


zth-sliu 


, 1 CI 


r. 3:5. 


! Or, .4m 


mUL t 


ch. -iiM. e Psa 


SI; 


J as 


1:14, U 


. h Lev. 15 


19-28; 



5. Those who in the discharge of duty are dislionorably 
and basely treated, Bhould not be cast down by the indig- 
nities of the wicked, and should receive from their friends 
special kindness. 

6. Those who are most ready to give needless and wan- 
ton offence, are most backward to make amends for it, and 
often proceed from one offence to another till they are 
ruined, 

9. The fact that men are dependent on God, and that he 
gives success to whomsoever he will, does not supersede 
the necessity of their using the most appropriate means ; 
for by such means God usually works, in accomplishing 
the end. 

12. A conviction and acknowledgment of dependence 
on God for success in the use of means, is one of the 
surest ways of obtaining it. 

16. All the efforts of men to thwart the counsels of God, 



house, and wash thy feet.' And Uriah departed 
out of the king's house, and there followed' him 
a mess of meat from the king. 

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house 
with all the servants of his lord, and went not 
down to his house. 

10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah 
went not down unto his house, David said unto 
Uriah, Camest thou not from /^y journey? why 
then didst thou not go down unto thy house? 

11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark,^ and 
Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord 
Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped 
in the open fields ;" shall I then go into my house, 
to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife?' as 
thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do 
this thing. 

12 kwA David said to Uriah, Tarry here to-day 
also, and to-morrow I will let thee depart. So 
Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the mor- 
row. 

13 And when David had called him, he did eat 
and drink before him ; and he made him drunk :™ 
and at even he went out to lie on his bed with 
the servants of his lord, but went not down to his 
house." 

14 T And it came to pass in the morning, that 
David wrote a letter to Joab," and sent it by the 
hand of Uriah. 

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying. Set ye Uri- 
ah in the forefront of the hottest* battle, and retire 
ye from* him, that he may be smitten, and die." 

16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the 
city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place wliere he 
knew that valiant men were. 

17 And the men of the city went out, and fought 
with Joab : and there fell some of tlie peojile of the 
servants of David ; and Uriah the Hittite died also. 

18 1 Then Joab sent and told David all the 
things concerning the war ; 

19 And charged the messenger, saying, "When 
thou hast made an end of telling the matters of 
the war unto the king, 

20 And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and 
he say unto thee. Wherefore apjiroachcd ye so nigh 
unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that 
they would shoot from the wall? 



IS: 19. 1 Or. and when she had purified herself . i 



>1 Kings 2I:i-, 9. tHeb. 



I Heb. from after, p ch. 12:9. 



and to succeed in opposition to him, will be in vain, and 
in the end will recoil on themselves. Psa. 2 : 1-9. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. The time when kings go forth ; in the spring. Rabhah; 
the capital of the Ammonites. 

2. An evening-tide ; the latter part of the afternoon. 

6. Tlie Hittite; one who descended from the Hittites, 
but hail united with the Israelites. 

8. WW/, thyfect; this was the custom after travelling, 
as they wore sandals, or soles tied to their feet ; it was 
a great refreshment, 

9. The servants of his lord; probably the soldiers who 
formetl David's body-guard, 

11. / will not do this thing; he resolved to be as self- 
denying as were the soldiers in the field. 
377 



Davul marricth Balh-shchn. 



2 SAMUEL XII. 



Nathan's parable of t/ie ewe-lamb. 



21 Who smote Abiniclech (lie son of .TcniMip- 
shctli?'" did not a woiiiiiii cast a piece ofa iiiillslone 
upon him from the wall, that he died in Theljc/.V 
■whv went ye niirh the wall? Then say thou, Thy 
servant Uriah the Ilittite is dead also. 

22 •. So the messenger went, and came and show- 
ed David all that Joab had sent him for. 

23 And the messenger said unto David, Purely 
the men prevailed against us, and eamc out unto 
us into the held, and wo were upon them even 
uuto the entering of the gate. 

2-i And the shooters shot from off the wall upon 
thy servants ; and sonic of the king's servants be 
dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead 
also. 

25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus 
shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing dis- 
please thee,* for the sword devoureth one as well 
as another :*" make thy battle more strong against 
the city, and overthrow it:'^^ and encourage thou 
him. 

26 1 And when the wife of Uriah heard that 
Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her 
husband. 

27 And when the mourning was past, David sent 
and fetched her to his house, and she became his 
wife, and bare him a son.'' But the thing that 
David had done displeased* the Lord.'' 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 Nathan's parable of the ewe-lamb causeth David to be his own judge. 
7 David, reproved by Nathan, confesseth his sin, and is pardoned. 
15 David mourneth and prayeth for the child, while it lived. ^4 Solo- 
mon is born, and named Jedidiah. 26 David taketh Kabbah, and 
tortureth the people thereof. 

AND the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And 
he came unto him,' and said unto him,'^ There 
were two men in one city ; the one rich, and the 
other poor. 

2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and 
herds : 

3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little 
ewe-lamb, which he had bought and nourished up : 



• JeruMaat, laie. 6:3-2. "JudK0:53. 1 Heb. be evil in Mneeyes. I Heb. 
io and such, b Eccl. 9:2, 3, la. » ch. 12;26. i ch. 12:!); Deut. aai-iS. 
iTl^i,. was evil in the eyes of. elChr. 21:7. f Psa. 51, title. S ch. 14:5, 
et«.; 1 Kings 20:35. 41; Isa. 5:1-7; Matt. 21:.33, etc.; Luke 15:11, etc.; 
16:19,etc. W.A.Tnorsel. h Prov. 5:18, 10. iGen.lS:2,7. 1 Or, is wor- 



21. Jerubhesheth ; Jerubbaal, Gideon. Judg. 6:32; 8:35; 
9:53. 

25. This thing; the loss of his men. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Great prosperity, while it increases the power of 
temptation, lessens the firmness of resistance, and is often 
followed by the commission of the greatest crimes. 

4. Neitlier mercies nor trials, privileges nor obligations, 
reputation nor usefuhiess, will keep back the human heart, 
when left to itself, from the commission of the grossest 
and most enormous wickedness. 

6. The commission of one sin increases the temptation 
to commit anotlier and another, and, without the grace of 
God, the soul will go on adding sin to sin for ever. 

8. All attempts to hide iniquity, and to prevent the final 
disclosure of it, are vain. They may for a time screen it 
from the view of men, but God will at length bring it all 
to light. Matt.lO:2C. 

14. The soul under the blinding, polluting, and harden- 
ing power of sin, can plot the ruin of a most devoted and 
self-denying friend, and no generous emotion keep it back 
378 



anil i( grew up together with him, and with a. m z>:o. 
his chihlrcii: it did eat of his own meat,' 'iu«' 
ami drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom,*' 
and was unto him as a daughter. 

4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man,' 
and he spared to lake of his own Hock and of his 
own herd, to dress for the wayfai-ing man that 
was come unto him; but took the poor man's 
lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come 
to him. 

5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against 
the man ; and lie said to Nathan, Jh the Lord 
liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall 
surely die:'' 

G And he shall restore the lamb fourfold,^ be- 
cause he did this thing, and because he had no 
pity. 

7 1 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the 
man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I 
anointed thee king over Israel,'' and I delivered 
thee out of the hand of Saul ;' 

8 And 1 gave thee thy master's house, and thy 
master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the 
house of Israel and of Judah ;'" and if that had been 
too little, I would moreover have given uuto thee 
such and such things. 

9 Wherefore hast thou despised the command- 
ment of the Loun," to do evil in his sight?" thou 
hast killed Uriah the Ilittite with the sword, and 
hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain 
him with the sword of the children of Amnion.'' 

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart 
from thy house ; "> because thou hast despised me, 
and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to 
be tliy wife. 

11 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up 
evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will 
take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them 
unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives 
in the sight of this sun."' 

12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this 
thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 



thy to die, or is a son of death; 1 Sam. 20:16. J Exod. 22:1 ; Luke 19:S. 
k 1 Sam. 16:13. 1 Psa. 18, title. n> ch. 5:5. « 1 Sam. 15:19. o Num. 
15:31; Isa. 5:2-1; Amos 2:4. P ch. 11: 15-27. q Amos 7:9; Matt. 26:52. 
rch. 16:22; Deut. 28:30. 



from the guilt of shedding, with cool dehberation, a bene- 
factor's blood. 

25. Death-like moral insensibility is one of the fruits of 
allowed and continued iniquity ; the soul under its influ- 
ence can contemplate with indifference, and attempt to 
smooth over and even rejoice in the foulest transgres- 
sion. Let him tliat tliinketh he standeth, take heed lest 
he fall. He who trusteth in his own heart is a fool. Prov. 
28:26; 1 Cor. 10:12. 

CHAPTER XII. 

I. Nathan; a prophet of the Lord. Chap. 7:2. 
6. Fourfold; Exod. 22:1. 

9. Thou hast killed; a man is said to do, and is held 
responsible for doing, wliat he causes to be done. 

10. The sword shall never depart; there would be war and 
various distresses in liis family to the end of his life. 
Ver. 11. Thoit hast despised me; by regarding his own 
sinful gratification more than tlie will of God. 

II. / untl take thy wives; chap. 16:21, 22. 

12. I will do this thing; it would take place in the course 
of God's providence,"through the wickedness of Absa- 



David's child dieth. 



2 SAMUEL XII. 



Rabbah is taken. 



A. M. 2070. 

B. C. about 
1034. 



13 And David said unto Natlian, I have 
sinned against the Lord.'' And Nathan 
said unto David, The Lord also hath put away 
tliy sin;" thou shalt not die. 

i4 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast giv- 
en great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to 
blaspheme,"^ the child also that is born unto thee 
shall surely die. 

15 1^ And Nathan departed unto his house. And 
the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare 
unto David, and it was very sick. 

16 David therefore besought God for the child; 
and David fasted,* and went in, and lay all night 
upon the earth.* 

17 Aad the elders of his house arose, and went 
to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he 
would not, neither did he eat bread with them. 

IS And it came to pass on the seventh day, that 
the child died. And the servants of David feared 
to tell him that the child was dead : for they said, 
Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake 
unto him, and he would not hearken unto our 
voice: how will he then vex^ himself, if we tell 
him that the child is dead! 

19 But when David saw that his servants ■whis- 
pered, David perceived that the child was dead : 
therefore David said unto his servants. Is the child 
dead? And they said, He is dead. 

20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, 
and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, 
and came into the house of the Lord, and wor- 
shipped:'^ then he came to his own house; and 
■wheu he required, they set bread before him, and 
he did eat. 

2 1 Then said his servants unto him. What thing 
is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and 
weep for the child, while it was alive; but when 
the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. 



" Ch. 24:10 


Job 7 


■XI 


33:27, 


23; Psi. 


32:5: 51:4; 


Pro». 2o 


\:i. 


>> Tsa. 


19): 3. 1; Isa. 


i:5-7; 


Ml 


c. 7:1S 


Zech. 3:4; 1 John 1 


:7, 9; 2: 


: He 


T. i.a. 


' Isi oi:5; B 


ek.30 


■JO, 


2:3: Eo 


m. 2:2J. 


• Heb. fasled a fast. 


■ioh 


13::31. 


t Heb. Jo hurl 


to. e 


Job 1:20. 


1 Isa. 3S 


2,3; Joel 2 


14; Jon. 


3:!). 


s Job 



lom, in violation of God's law, and to the great distress of 
David. 

13. Put away thy sin; so forgiven it, in view of his pen- 
itence, as expressed in Psalm 51, that lie should not die 
according to the law, Lev. 20:10. 

16. Lay all night upon the earth; in token of his sorrow 
for sin, his deep humiliation, and his earnest desire that 
the child, if consistent with the will of God, might live. 

20. Washed and anointed — dianged his apparel, and — wor- 
shipped; in token of his hearty submission to the mani- 
fested will of God. 

24. Solomon; meaning, peaceable. 

25. Jedidiah ; meaning, beloved of the Lord. 

26. Foughi against Rabbah; Joab was besieging Rabbah 
when David committed the sin in respect to Uriah. The 
sacred writer, having mentioned this great crime, pro- 
ceeds with the account of its consequences as far as the 
birth of Solomon, before he returns to the history of the 
siege of Rabbah. The capture of that city and the pun- 
ishment of its people occurred in the interval, certainly 
before the birth of Solomon, and perhaps before the 
repentance of David. 

27. The city of waters; that part of the city which sup- 
plied the other parts with water; of course the whole 
must soon surrender. 

'M. Under saws; some have supposed the meaning of 
these words to be, that he put the Ammonites to hard 
labor with the instruments mentioned. But it is said, I 



22 And he said. While the child was yet alive, 
I fasted and wept : for I said, Who can tell whether 
God will be gracious to me, that the child may 
live?' 

23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? 
can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, 
but he shall not return to me.^ 

24 1 And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, 
and went in unto her, and lay with her : and she 
bare a son, and he called his name Solomon:'' and 
the Lord loved him. 

25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the 
prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah,* be- 
cause of the Lord. 

26 TT And Joab fought against Rabbah of the 
children of Ammon,' and took the royal city.-" 

27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, 
I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the 
city of waters. 

28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people 
together, and encamp against the city, and take 
it : lest I take the city, and it be called after my 
name.^ 

29 And David gathered all the people together, 
and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and 
took it. 

30 And he took their king's crown from off his 
head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold 
with the precious stones : and it was set on David's 
head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city 
in great" abundance. 

31 And he brought forth tlie people that were 
therein, and put fhein under saws, and under har- 
rows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made 
them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did 
he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. 
So David and all the people returned unto Jeru- 
salem. 



7:8-10. hlChr. 92:9. 1 That is, Bc/oucd o/(Ae Lord; Neh. 13:26. ■ 1 Chr. 
20:1. j Deut. 3:11. i Heb. my name be called upon it. I Heb. very 
great. 



1 Chron. 20:3, "he cut them with saws, and with harrows 
or iron, and with axes." We must then understand that 
he put them to torture, or more probably to death, with 
these instruments; a severity which the sacred WTiter 
simply records without in any way expressing approba- 
tion of it, and which may have been exercised before his 
repentance in respect to the matter of Uriah. Brickkiln; 
apparently in a burning state. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. lien may try ever so much to hide their iniquity, but 
all who commit it may be sure that in due time their sin 
will find them out. 

2. Much knowledge of men and much skill are requisite 
in order most effectually to administer reproof, especially 
to rulers and men of high rank ; and few methods are more 
suited to this, than wisely selected and graphic illustrations. 

5. Those most indulgent to their own sins, are often 
most severe against the supposed sins of others. 

6. Pity for those in distress is a duty so obvious, lovely, 
and universal, that those who have been most hardened 
and cruel themselves, when they see in others only a 
shadow of their own baseness, are ready indignantly to 
condemn it. 

7. To rulers, as well as all other classes of people, the 
ministers of God, when called to it, should make a pl;un, 
personal, and foithful application of his trudi. Neither 
fear nor favor should hinder them from pointing out tho 

379 



Amnon forceth 



2 SAMUEL XIII. 



Tamar his sister. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Aninnn loving TBiiiar. liy .Iiin.vliil)'ii counsel fi'igning himiclf •ick, 
niriiihcih her. !.'> Hv Imicth lur, iiiul Kliaint'fully lurncih her away. 
lU Ali«alom cnltrtninotli licr, niiil concialtlh Ins purpose. '^3 At a 
shi'vp-shcanng, among all tliu kind's sons, he killctli Amnon. '.Hi 
PaviJ grieving at the news is comforted by Jonadub. 37 Absalom 
flwth to Tnlinai at Geshur. 

AND it came to pass after this, that Absalom the 
son of r^aviil liaJ a fair si.ster, wliose name vas 
TiiiiKir;' and Aiiuiou tlie son of David loved her. 

2 And Aniiioii was so vexed, that lie fell sick for 
his sister Taniar ;'' for she was a virfrin ; and Amnon 
thoujrht it hard for him* to do any tiling to her. 

3 Hut Amnon had a friend, whose name was 
Jonadab, the son of Shimcah* David's brother: 
and Jonadab was a very subtle man. 

■1 And he said unto him, Why nrf tliou, beivg the 
king's son, lean* from day to day?" wilt thou not 
tell mo? And Ainnon said unto him, 1 love Tamar, 
my brother Absalom's sister. 

5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on 
thy bed, and make thyself sick : and when thy 
father coraeth to see thoe, say unto him, I pray 
thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give mc meat, 
and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see -it, 
and eat it at her hand. 

6 1 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick : 
and when the king was come to sec him, Amnon 
said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sis- 
ter come, and make me a couple of cakes in my 
sight,'^ that I may eat at her hand. 

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now 
to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress liim meat. 

8 So Tamar went to her brother ximnon's house ; 
and he was laid down. And she took flour,' and 
kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did 
bake the cakes. 

9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before 
him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said. 
Have out all men from me. And they went out 
every man from him. 

10 And Amnon .said unto Tamar, Bring the meat 
into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand. And 
Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and 
brought them into the chamber to Amnon her 
brother. 

11 And when she had brought them unto him to 



' I Ch 


r. .3:9; 


b 1 Ki 


ngs '21 


4] a Cor. 


71 




• Heb. 


it wo 


marrrllaus. „r 


hidden 


II the eyes of 


Amno, 


. t Slia 


nin 


7,/., 


1 Sim. 


Ifi:!). 


t Heb 


thin. 


S Heb. 


morning 


b„m 


jrning 


c Gen. 


1«:G. 


1 Or, paste. 


d Gen. 


.39:12. 


1 Heb. 


/tumble t 


te; Ge 


n. 31:2. • Heb 


i< 




hi not s 


to be done. 


e Lev. 


13:9. 11 


•-'0:17. 


1 Uen 


.31:7 


Judg. 19 


•23 


I'r 


ov. 5:3- 


,23. 


E Deut. 


22:25. 



■wickedness of the most exalted sinner, and declaring. 
Thou art the man. 

9. Great mercies bestowed on any one exceedingly ag- 
gravate the guilt of his trangressions, and render him 
deserving of an aggravated punishment. 

11. God often causes men to read their sins in their pun- 
ishment, and what they did in secret is punished before 
the world. 

13. One of the iirst things in doing good to sinners, is 
to make them sensible of their sins, and lead them to con- 
demn themselves, and feel that God would be just should 
he punish them as they deserve. 

14. Though the truly penitent, however great their 
transgressions, will, for Christ's sake and through faith in 
him, be forgiven, yet many distressing effects of their sins 
they may experience to the end of life. 

20. The true penitent, however he may desire and pray 
380 



eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, a. m. ari 
Lome lie willi mc, my sister." m<3. 

12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do 
not force me ;^ for no .«uc!i thing ought to be done' 
in Israel i*^^ do not thou this folly.' 

13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? 
and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the foola 
in Israel. Now therelbre, I pray thee, speak unto 
the king; for he will not withhold me from tlicc. 

14 Ilowbcit he would not hearken unto her 
voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, 
and lay with her." 

15 1i Then Amnon hated her exceedingly;' so 
that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater 
than the love wherewith he had loved her. And 
Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 

K) And she said unto him, There is no cause: 
this evil in sending me away is greater than the 
other that thou didst unto me. But he would not 
hearken unto her. 

17 Then he called his servant that ministered 
unto him, and said. Put now this woman out from 
me, and bolt the door after her. 

18 And she had a garment of divers colors upon 
her:'' for with such robes were the king's daugh- 
ters that ictre virgins apjiarelled.' Then his ser- 
vant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 

19 H And Tamar put ashes on her head,^ and rent 
her garment of divers colors that ii-as on her, and 
laid her hand on her head,'' and went on crying. 

20 And Absalom her brother said unto her. Hath 
Amnon' thy brother been with thee? but hold now 
thy peace, my sister : he is thy brother ; regard not* 
this thing. So Tamar remained desolate' in her 
brother Absalom's house. 

21 T" But when king David heard of all these 
things, he was very wroth. 

22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon 
neither good nor bad:' for Absalom hated Am- 
non,'" because he had forced his sister Tamar. 

23 1^ And it came to pass after two full years, 
that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor,° 
which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited 
all the king's sons. 

2-1 And Absalom came to the king, and said. 
Behold now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let 



t Heb. with lirmt hatred grrntly. h Gen. 37:3; Juilg. .'J:3U. i I'si. 43:l.i, 
11. J ch. 1:2; Josh. 7:6. Job 2:12. k Jer 2:37. 1 Heb. ylwiinon. » Heb. 
set not thy heart. I Heb. and desolate. I Gen. 24:50; 31:24. m Lev. 19:17, 
18. oGen. 38:12, 13; 1 Sam. 25:4,30. 



that his distresses may be removed or lessened, will heart- 
ily submit to those that God lays upon him ; feeling that 
God doeth all things well, and saying, Not as I will, but 
as thou wilt. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. 
Matt. 26:39; Job 13:15. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

2. T/iought it hard; difficult or impracticable. 

5. Make; feign, pretend to be. Dress the meat; cook 
him some food, pretending that she could do it better 
than any one else. Ver. 6-8. 

21. Wa.% verywroth ; but took no measures to inflict pun- 
ishment upon Amnon for his crime. This leniency seems 
to have proceeded partly from parental fondness, and jnirt- 
ly from the recollection of his own heinous crime. 

24. Sheep-shearers; at sheep-shearing it was customary 
to make a feast and invite friends. 



Absalom, killeth Anmcii, 



2 SAMUEL XIV. 



and fleclh to G^shur. 



A. M 2972 the king, I beseech thee, and his servants 

1032.'°" go witli thy servant. 

25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, 
let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto 
thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would 
not go, but blessed him. 

2f> Tlien said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my 
brotlicr Amnon go with us. And the king said 
unto him. Why should he go with thee? 

27 But Absalom pressed him," that he let Amnon 
and all the king's sOns go with him. 

28 1 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, 
saying, Mark ye now when Amuon's heart is merry 
with wine,'' and when I say unto you. Smite Am- 
non; then kill him, fear not: have not I com- 
manded you?* be courageous, and be valiant.^ 

2d And the servants of Absalom did unto Am- 
non as Absalom had commanded." Then all the 
king's sons arose, and every man gat him up* 
upon his mule, and fled."^ 

30 IF And it came to pass, while they wore in the 
way, that tidings came to l)avid, saying, Absalom 
hath slain all the king's sous, and there is not one 
of them left. 

31 Tlien the king arose, and tare his garments," 
and lay on the earth/ and all his servants stood 
by with their clothes rent. 

32 And Jonadab,'^ the son of Shimeah David's 
brother, answered and said, Let not my lord sup- 
jjose that they have slain all the young men the 
king's sons ; for Amnon only is dead : for by the 
appointment* of Absalom tliis hath been deter- 
mined" from the day that he forced his sister 
Tamar. 

33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take 
the thing to his heart,'" to think that all the king's 
sons are dead : for ximnon only is dead. 

3-1 But Absalom fled.' And the young man that 
kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and 



a Prov. aOra-l-ao. b Judg. 19:0, 9, '2i: Ruth 3:7; 1 Sam. a5:.3r),- Esth. 
I: ID; Psa. 101:15; Eccl. 9:7; 10:19. * Or, wilt younai, since I /i ave com- 
manded you? Josh. 1:9. lUeh. sons of volar, c Prov. 29:12. tHeh. rode. 
d 1 Kinss 1:33. ech.l:ll. f ch. 12:18. e ver. 3. i Keh. moulli. I Or, 



37. Ta/ma; ,• Absalom's grandfather. Chap. 3:3. 
39. Comforted concerning Amnon ; was less grieved at 
his death, than at the absence of Absalom. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Great beauty, great honor, high station, and much 
property, are often the occasion of ruin to the possessor. 
They sliould tlierefore not be coveted. If bestowed, they 
should be employed to the honor of God and the good of 
men ; and if not bestowed, wo sliould be contented with- 
out them. 

2. Were the power of men equal to their wickedness, 
virtue would be constantly outraged, and earth become 
an emblem of hell. 

3. Wicked men in high stations are ordinarily surround- 
ed by subtle flatterers, who labor to secure their favor by 
tempting them to the commission of sin, and thus become 
the means of their destruction. 

6. No deception is so gross, and no wickedness so hor- 
rible, that licentious men in high stations will not prac- 
tise it with cool deliberation and determined purpose. 

12. Natural affection, gratitude, and all kindly feelings, 
the dictates of conscience, regard to consequences, and 
every thing which stands in the way of sinlul gratifica- 
tion, will be disregarded by those who surrender them- 
Belvos to its power. 



behold, there came much people by the way of the 
hill-side behind him. 

35 And Jonadab said unto the king. Behold, the 
king's sons come: as thy servant said,^ so it is. 

36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made 
an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons 
came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the 
king also and all his servants wept very sore." 

37 1 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai,^ the 
son of Ammiliud,* king of Geshur. And David 
mourned for his son every day. 

38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur,'' and 
was there three years. 

39 And the soul of king David longed* to go 
forth unto Absalom: for lie was comforted con- 
cerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.' 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 Joab, suborning a -H-idow of Tekoah, by a parable to incline the king's 
heart to fetch home Absalom, bringeth him to Jerusalem. 25 Absa- 
lom's beauty, hair, and children. 28 After two years, Absalom by 
Joab is brought into the king's presence. 

NOW Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that 
the king's heart icas toward Absalom." 

2 And Joab sent to Tekoah," and fetched thence 
a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign 
thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourn- 
ing apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but 
be as a woman that had a long time mourned for 
the dead : 

3 And come to the king, and speak on this man- 
ner unto him. So Joab put the words in her 
mouth. 

4 IT And when the woman of Tekoah spake to 
the king, she fell on her face to the ground," and 
did obeisance, and said. Help,* king. 

5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? 
and she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, 
and my husband is dead." 



settled, hch. 19:19. i ver. 38. ^\{e\). according to the word of thy servant. 
• Heb. witk a great weejiing greatly, j ch. 3:3. t Or, Aimniliur. ^ ch. 
14:23. 1 Heb. roasconsa»Krf; Psa. 84:2. 1 Gen. 37:35; 38:12. mch. 13:.39. 
naChr. 11:6. olSam. 2U:41. » Heb. Sare. p ch. 12:1, etc. 



19. There are injuries inflicted which in this world can 
never be repaired, and distresses which none but God 
can assuage. Though he permits such injuries, he does 
not forget them, nor does he fail in due time to visit their 
authors with his wrath. Ver. 29. 

21. It is not enough for rulers to be angry at the foul 
crimes of their subjects ; they should punish them, that 
others may fear and be restrained from practising such 
iniquities. Nor, while they remember with shame their 
own sins, and the injurious influence they may have ex- 
erted on others, should they let natural affection or a sense 
of their own guilt hinder them from doing their duty. 
Rom. 13:3, 4. 

28. When rulers, whose office it is to punish crime, 
neglect their duty, the natural result is the commission 
of further crimes. 

29. One wicked man, in the indulgence of his hateful 
passions, may be the instrument of executing not only his 
own wrath, but the just indignation of God against another, 
and then in due time be himself punished, and that for 
ever and ever. Chap. 17 : 14, 23 ; 1 Kings 2 : 31-34. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1. The king's heart was toward Absalom ; he wished for 
some pretext to bring him back. 

2. Tckoali ; in Judah, a few miles south-east of Bethlehem. 

381 



Joab's dtrirt to 



2 SAMIKI. XIV. 



irin^' bade Ahsnlnm. 



6 And thy liandmaid liad two son?, and tlioy two 
strove togollicr in tlio tield, and tlurv was mmo to 

Eart' them, but the one smote the other, and slew 
im. 

7 And behold, the whole family is risen apainst 
thy liandniaid, and they said. Deliver him tliat 
smote his l)rother, tliat wc may kill him," for the 
life of iiis brother whom he slew : and we will de- 
stroy the heir also: and so they shall queiieh my 
coal whieh is loft, and shall not leave to my hns- 
band mither name nor remainder upon the earth.* 

8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy 
house, and I will give cliarge coneerniug thee. 

9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king. 
My lord, king, the iniquity be on me, and on my 
father's house:" and the king and his throne be 
guiltless."^ 

10 And the king said, Whosoever saith aught 
unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch 
thee any more. 

11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king re- 
member the Lord thy God, that thou wouldest not 
suffer the revengers of blood to destroy' any more,'' 
lest tlioy destroy ni)- son. And he said, As the 
LoKD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son 
fall to the earth.'' 

12 Then the woman said. Let thy handmaid, I 
pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. 
And he said. Say on. 

Vi And the woman said. Wherefore then hast 
thou thought such a thing against the people of 
God? for the king doth speak this thing as one 
which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch 
home again his banished. "^ 

14 For we must needs die,*^ and are as water spilt 
on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again ; 
neither doth God respect any person ;'' yet doth he 
devise^ means," that his banished be not expelled 
from him.^ 

15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of 
this thing unto my lord the king, it is because tlie 
people have made me afraid : and thy handmaid 
said, I will now speak unto the king ; it may be 
that the king will perform the request of his hand- 
maid. 



* Heb. no deliverer 


between 


. a Deut. 


l'J:12 


1 Heb. 


far 


of the earth. 


b Gen 


37:13; 1 Sam 


25:34. 


t oh.3;2'5; 


1 Km 


gs 2::J3. 


1 Heb. that the re- 


vtngti 


of blood do no 


multiply to destroy 


d.N 


urn. 35:1! 


e 


1 Sam. 14:45; 


Jer. 4 


i. 'oh. 13:37 


. 3s. e 


Job ;54:15; 


Psa. 90:3, 10; 


Heb 


9:27. h Job 


34:19 


IVIalt. 22.16; 


\ct3 10:34; Rom. S 


:U. 


% Or, because 


God hath not 



1. Quench my coat; destroy her son. 

8. Gwe charge concerning tliee; directions that she should 
not be injured. 

9. Iniquity be on me; the blame, if there was any, of his 
deciding tliat her son should not be slain. 

12. Speak one word ; having got David to decide that her 
son, who she said had killed his brother, should not be 
hurt, she wished now to make the appUcation to Absa- 
lom, who had killed Amnon. 

13. Such a tiling; more literally, a thing like this; that 
is, like what my family proposed to do in the case of my 
son. Against the people of God; implying that David was 
injuring them by keeping Absalom" in banishment, and 
having decided that her .son should be spared, was faulty 
in not sparing his own son, and bringing him back from 
banishment. 

14. Yet doth he devise means; as God devises means to 
save men, and is ready to be reconciled to them, her impli- 
cation was that David should be reconciled to Absalom. 

382 



Ifi For the king will hear, to deliver his H.riSf: 
haiiilmaid out of the hand of the man t/iat would 
destroy nie and my son logelher out of tiic inhei- 
ilance of God. 

17 Then thy handmaid said. The word of my 
lord the king siiall now be comfortable:' for as 
an angel of God," so is my lord the king to dis- 
cern' good anil bad: therefore the Loud thy God 
will 1)0 with thee, 

l^^ Then the king answered and said unto the 
woman. Hide not from me, 1 pray thee, the thing 
that I shall ask thee. And tlie woman said, Let 
my lord the king now speak. 

19 And the king said. Is not the hand of .lniib 
with tlice in all tiiis? And the woman answered 
and said, Jls thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none 
can turn to the right hand or to the left from 
aught that my lord the king hath s]ioken: for thy 
servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these 
words in the mouth of thy handmaid:' 

20 To fetch about this form of speech hath lliy 
servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, 
according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to 
know all things that are in the earth. 

21 •[ And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I 
have done this thing : go therefore, bring the young 
man Absalom again. 

22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and 
bowed himself, and thanked* the king: and Joab 
said, To-day thy servant knowcth that I have iniind 
grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the 
king hath fuliilled the request of his* servant. 

23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur,™ and 
brouglit Absalom to Jerusalem. 

24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own 
house, and let him not see my face." So Absalom 
returned to his own house, and saw not the king's 
face. 

25 1 But in all Israel there was none to be sp 
much praised as Absalom for his beauty:* from 
the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head 
there was no blemish in him." 

26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at 
every year's end that he polled it: because the hair 
was heavy on him, therefore he polled it,) he weigh- 



taken away his /(/V, he hath also devised, i Num. 35:24. J Lev. 20:40; Isa. 
50:1,2; Lam. 3:31,32. 1 Heb. /or re,«. kch. 19:27. 1 Heb. Aear. 1 ver. 
3. • Heb. blessed, t Or, thy. m ch. 13:37. n Gen. 43:3; Exod. 10:28. 
1 Heb. And as Absalom tliere was not a beautiful man in all Israel to praise 
greatly, o Isa. l:(i. 



15. Tlie people liave made me afraid; as she stated, ver. 7. 
and she insinuated that there would be greater reason to 
fear the people, if Absalom should not be brought back, as 
they greatly desired it. I will now speak unto lite king; state 
a case as if it were her own, and then apply it to Absalom. 

17. As an angel of God; wise and discerning. 

20. To fetch about this form of speech; or, to change the 
face of this matter ; that is, to give a new turn to the mat- 
ter of Absalom's banishment. 

21. I have done this thing; he had decided, in the sup- 
posed case, that the woman's son should not be hurt, and 
was ready to make the desired application to Absalom. 

22. Grace; favor. 

2(). After the king's weight; some have thought this to 
be much less than the common shekel. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Courtiers, and those who covet royal favor, are quick 
to discern the inclinations of rulers, and skilful in devising 
means and presenting inducements to gratify them. 



Absalom is restored. 



2 SAMUEL XV. 



He deviselh treason. 



b.c.'mIi' ed the hair of his head at two hundred 
shekels after the king's weight. 

27 And unto Absalom there were born three 
sons/ and one daughter, whose name was Tamar : 
she was a woman of a fair countenance. 

28 1 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jeru- 
salem, and saw not the king's face.'' 

20 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab,to have sent 
him to the king ; but he would not come to him : 
and when he sent again the second time, he would 
not come. 

30 Therefore ho said unto his servants, See, 
Joab's field is near mine,* and he hatli barley there ; 
go and set it on fire."^ And Absalom's servants 
set the field on fire. 

31 Thou Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto 
his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy 
servants set my field on fire? 

32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent 
unto thee, saying, Come iiither, that I may send 
thee to the king, to say. Wherefore am I come from 
Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there 
still : now therefore let me see the king's face ; and 
if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me. 

33 So Joab came to the king, and told liim : and 
when he had called for Absalom, he came to the 
king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground 
before the king : and the king kissed Absalom." 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, stealeth the hearts of Israel. 
7 Under pretence of a vow he obtaineth leave to go to Hebron. 10 
He niaketh there a great conspiracy. 13 David upon the news fleeth 
from Jerusalem. 19 Ittai would not leave him. 2A Zadoic and Abi- 
atiiar are sent back with the ark. 30 David and his company go up 
mount Olivet weeping. 31 He curseth Ahithophel's counsel. 32 
Hushai is sent back with instructions. 

AND it came to pass after this," that Absalom 
prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty 
men to run before him.' 



a Ch. 18:18. bver. 34. • Heb. my place, c Judg. 15:4, 5. 
Luke 15:311. e ch. 13:11. f 1 Kings 1:5. t Heb. la come, 
kcarlhee from the king downward, g Prov. 30:11, J7. hjudg 



2. When great men and those in authority are set upon 
accompUshing their selfish objects, they will generally find 
agents deceitful and wicked enough to aid them. 

4. Flatterers and those who are engaged in artful projects, 
are often most complaisant and respectful to those whose 
favor they seek, and whom they are aiming to deceive. 

5. Compassion towards the distressed and desires to 
grant relief should be regulated by correct knowledge 
and sound judgment. 

S. It is ordinarily unwise to decide a case on the testi- 
mony of one party, especially one that is interested and 
likely to be strongly biassed in his own favor. 

13. After persons are committed on the wi-ong side, 
those who are interested will endeavor to take adv'antage 
of that commitment to lead them still further into error 
and transgression. 

14. Those who so sympathize with murderers as to try 
to screen them from the punishment which God has di- ■ 
reeled, often refer to his mercy as a reason why his direc- 
tions should not be followed ; as if his justice were at war 
with his mercy, or as if they were more merciful than God. 

21. When rulers, through fear or favor, natural affection, 
or improper sympathy, fail to punish murderers, or par- 
don and receive them into favor, they take a course which 
tends to increase crime, and to bring upon themselves 
and others great distresses. 

25. Men are prone to regard and be greatly influenced 



2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside 
the way of the gate : and it was so, that when any 
man that had a controversy came^ to the king for 
judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, 
Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant 
is of one of the tribes of Israel. 

3 And Absalom said unto him. See, thy matters 
are good and right ; but there is no man deputed of 
the king to hear tliee.*^ 

4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made 
judge in the land,'' that every man which hath any 
suit or cause might come unto me, and I would 
do him justice! 

5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh 
to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, 
and took him, and kissed him. 

6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel 
that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom 
stole the hearts of the men of Israel.' 

7 \\ And it came to pass after forty years, that 
Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me 
go and pay my vow,J which I have vowed unto 
the Lord," in Hebron. 

8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode 
at Geshur in Syria,' saying, If the Loud shall bring 
me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve 
the Lord. 

9 And the king said unto him. Go in peace. So 
he arose, and went to Hebron. 

10 IT But Absalom sent spies throughout all the 
tribes of Israel, saying. As soon as ye hear the sound 
of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigu- 
eth in Hebron. "^ 

11 And with Absalom went two hundred men 
out of Jerusalem, that were called ; and they went 
in their simplicity," and they knew not any thing. 

12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilo- 
nite, David's counsellor," from his city, even from 
Giloh," while he oflered sacrifices. And the con- 



by mere external accomplishments, while the most beau- 
tiful form and graceful exterior may cover a polluted and 
murderous heart. 

30. Connivance at crime, or an utterly inadequate pun- 
ishment, tends to increase haughtiness, pride, and self- 
will in criminals, and to lead them on from one crime to 
another till they perish. 

33. Parents who only kiss their children when they 
should punish them, have reason to fear that God, in 
righteous judgment, will suffer their children by their 
wickedness to become instruments of punishing their 
parents. Chap. 16:11, 21, 22; 18:9, 14, 33. 

CHAPTER XV. 

2. Tlie vaijofthe txate; where the people assembled/or 
judgment, or to obtain the king's decision of their cases. 

3. No man deputed nf the king; he spoke as if David was 
negligent of his duty in not appointing him or some one 
to hear them. 

G. Stole the hearts; led the people to admire him. 
9. Go in peace; he probably hoped that Absalom was 
becoming better. 

11. Called ; invited to go with Absalom, supposing his 
object was, as he stated, a religious one. 

12. Ahithophel; he had been a great friend to David, but 
now deserted him. Chap. 17:23. Giloh; in the moun- 
tainous parts of Judah. Josh. 15:51. 

383 



David leatdh JerumUm. 



2 SAMUEL XV 



Ziidok aiid Ilushai return. 



spiracy was stioiip; for the people increased con- 
tiiiualiy witli Absalom." 

V.\ ■ Ami there came a messenger to Pavid, say- 
inir. The hearts of the men of Israel arc after 
Absalom." 

It Ami David .«aid unto all his servants that i/Trt' 
with him at Jerusalem, Ari.se, and let us flee ■," for 
we siiall not else escape from Absalom: make speed 
to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and briii}^* 
evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of 
the sword. 

15 And the king's servants said unto the king, 
Behold, tliy servants are ready to do whatsoever 
my lord the king sliall appoint.* 

iC) And the king went forth, and all his house- 
hold after him.' And the king left ten women, 
which were concubines,'' to keep the house. 

IT And the king went fortli, and all the people 
after him, and tarried in a place that was far ofl'. 

18 And all his servants passed on l)esidc liini ; 
and ail the Cherethites, and all the Pelothites,'' 
and ail the Gittitcs, six hundred men wiiich came 
after him from Gatii, passed on before the king. 

l'.> • Tlieu said tiic king to Ittai the Gittite,'' 
Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy 
place, and abide with the king: for thou art a 
stranger, and also an exile. 

2(J Whereas thou earnest but yesterday, should I 
this day make thee go up and down^ with us? 
seeing I go whither I may,''' return thou, and take 
back tliy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. 

21 And Ittai answered the king, and said. As the 
Lord livcth," and as my lord the king livetli, surely 
in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in 
death or life, even there also will tliy servant be. 

22 iVnd David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. 
And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, 
and all the little ones that were with him. 

23 And all the country wept with a loud voice,' 
and all the people passed over : the king also him- 
self ])asscd over the brook Kidron,' and all the 
people passed over, toward the way of the wil- 
derness.^ 

24 ^ And lo, Zadok also, and all the Levites were 
with him, bearing tlie ark of tlio covenant of God:'' 
and they set down the ark of God ; and Abiathar 
went up, until all the people had done passing out 
of the city. 



"Psa. 3:1,2. b ver. 6; Judg. 9:3. c oh. 19:9. ' U A. thrust, t Heb. 
choos'. 1 Heb. o( Au /ij(. d ch. 12:11 ; 16:21, -ia. ech. B:18. f ch. 18:2. 
I Heb. wander in going. S I Sam. 2:1:13. h Ruth 1:16. 17: Pro'- 17:17; 
18:24; Matt. 8:19, 20; John 6:6li-6J; Acts 11:23; 21 :13; Rev. 2:10. i Rom. 
12:15. I Called Cedron, John 18:1. job. 10:2. k Num. 4:15. 1 Psa. 43:3, 
4j 63:1, 2; Isa. 38:22. m ch. 22:20; Num. 14:9; 1 Kings 10:9. a 1 Sam. 



19. Ittai; the commander of the Gittites. The king; 
•Absalom, who had proclaimed himself king. Thou art a 
stranger; the Gittites were from the Philistines, but had 
become attached to David and his cause. 

23. Tfic brook Kidron; on the east side of Jerusalem, 
between the city and the mount of Olives. 

24. Abiathar; ho was high-priest at that time. 

27. A seer; a prophet, or a wise and discerning man. 

30. His head covered; in token of deep humiliation and 
distress. He was reaping the fruit of kissing Absalom 
when he should have punished him, and also tlie fruit of 
his own sins in the matter of Uriah. Chap. 14: 33 ; 11 : 2-27. 

31. Turn the cowuel o/Ahitlmphcl into foolishness ; by pre- 
venting it from helping Absalom or injuring David. 

384 



2.5 And Iho king said unto Zadok, Carry l.^JSi: 
back the ark of (Jod into the city: if 1 shall find 
favor in the eyes of the Lord, lu.' will bring me 
again, and show nie both it and his habitation:' 

20 Hut if he thus say, I have no delight in thee ;"" 
behold, hire am I, let him do to nic as seemeth 
good unto him." 

27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Jlrt 
not thou a seer?" return into tlie city in ]>eace, and 
your two sons with you, Ahiniaai; thy son, and 
Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 

28 See, I will tarry in the jdain of the wilder- 
ness," until there come word from you to certify inc. 

29 Zadok therefore and Aliiathar carried the 
ark of God again to Jerusalem : and they tarried 
there. 

30 % And David went up by the ascent of mount 
Olivet, and wept as he went up,^ and had his head 
covered,'' and he went barefoot:'' and all the peo- 
ple that was with him cohered every man his head,' 
and they went up, weeping as they went up.' 

31 * And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is 
among the conspirators with Absalom." And 
David said, Loud, I pray thee, turn the counsel 
of Ahithophel' into foolishness.'' 

32 1; And it came to pass, that when David was 
come to the top of the jtunmt, where he wor.ship- 
ped God, behold, Ilushai the Architc'' came to 
meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his 
head:-'' 

33 Unto whom David said. If thou passest on 
with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:^ 

34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto 
Absalom, I will be thy servant," king ; as I have 
been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also 
be thy servant: then niayest thou for me defeat the 
counsel of Ahithophel." 

35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and 
Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that 
what thing soever thou shalt hearout of the king's 
house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar 
the priests.'^ 

36 Behold, they have there with them their two 
sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abia- 
thar's son;'^ and by them ye shall send unto me 
every thing that ye can hear. 

37 So Hushai," David's friend,' came into the 
city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. 



3:18. o 1 Sam. 9:9. 
19:4 Esther 0:12. r 
vch. 10:23, 17:14,23, 
a ch. 16:19. b ch. i; 
f 1 Chr. 27:33. 



P ch. 17:16. 1 Heb. going up. and weeping, q ch. 

Isa 20:2, 4. • Jer. 14:3, 4. t Psa. 120:0. » Ter. 12. 

>»Job5:13. "Josh. 16:2. rch. 1:2. « ch. 19:35. 

:5-14. c ch. 17:15, 10. J ver 27. e ch. 16:16, 17. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Men of weak minds and depraved hearts are pecul- 
iarly fond of personal decoration and external display, 
while the truly worthy and noble seek principally internal 
excellence and those spiritual ornaments which alone are, 
in the sight of the Lord, of great price. 

3. Familiarity and flattery, high promises of gratifica- 
tion, and strong expressions of regard for the people, 
mark the efforts of heartless demagogues to delude the 
multitude and promote their own elevation to office. 

5. Many a good cause has been betrayed, and many a 
bad one promoted, by a kiss. Luke 22:48. 

7. Where godliness is respected, the most villanous 



David deceived by Ziba, 



2 SAMUEL XVI. 



and cursed by Shimei. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



1 Ziba, by presents and false suggestions, obtaineth his master's inher- 
itance. 5 At Bahurim Shimei curseth David. 9 David with patience 
abstaineth, and restraineth others, from revenge. 1.5 Hushai insinu- 
ateth himself into Absalom's counsel. '20 Aluthophel's counsel, 

AND when David -(vas a little past tlio top of 
the hill," behold, Ziba the servant of Mephib- 
osheth met hiixi,'' with a couple of asses saddled, 
and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and 
a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of 
summer fruits, and a bottle of winc.'^ 

2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest 
thou by these? And Ziba said. The asses be for 
the king's household to ride on; and the bread 
and summer fruit for the young men to eat ; and 
the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness 
may drink.'^ 

3 And the king said. And where is thy master's 
son? And Ziba said unto the king. Behold, he 
abideth at Jerusalem:" for he said, To-day shall 
the house of Israel restore mo the kingdom of my 
father. 

4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are 
all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba 
said, I humbly beseech thee* that I may find grace 
in thy sight, my lord, king. 

5 IT And when king David came to Bahurim, 
behold, thence came out a man of the family of the 
house of Saul, whose name iDas Shimei. the son of 
Gera : ' he came forth, and cursed still as he came.* ^ 

6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the 
servants of king David: and all the people and 
all the mighty men were on his right hand and on 
his left. 

7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed. Come 
out, come out, thou bloody man,* and thou man of 
Belial: 



a Ch. 15:30, Si. 


boh.9:a. c 1 Sam. 17:17, 18; 25:18. d oh. 17:29. e ch. 


19:27; Prnv. 19:17. 


• Heb. do obeisance. ' ch. 19:16, etc.; 1 Kings 2:44, 


etc. t Heb. stitl c 


ame forlh and cursed, e Psi. 1U9:17, 23; Prov. 26:2; 


Eecl. 1U:-J0; Matt. 


5:11,12 t Heh. man of blood, h ch. 1:16; 3:23, 29; 



conduct is sometimes masked under the semblance of 
piety, and those most pleased with the appearance of 
religion may be most readily deceived. Jer. 17:9. 

12. Traitors and apostates are among the most virulent 
enemies, and those whom we have especially favored, and 
treated with confidence, may become our bitterest foes. 
Psa. 41:9; 55:12-14. 

13. No one, however exalted or meritorious, can safely 
depend on popular favor. At one time the people may 
eulogize, and at another curse him; at one time cry, IIo- 
sanna, and at another crucify him. Matt. 21:9; Mark 7 : 37 ; 
Luke 7:34; 23:21. 

19. A generous and benevolent mind will not wish its 
friends to be involved in its troubles, but will desire, as 
far as may be consistent, to relieve them, and to promote 
their enjoyment. 

21. True love is gratified not only in labors, but in self- 
denials and sacrifices to relieve tlie distresses and advance 
the happiness of the object beloved. 

25. Humble and hearty submission in distress to the 
chastising hand of God, and cheerful commitment of one's 
interests to him, form a good preparation for deliverance. 

30. Parents for their sins are often chastised by the 
sins of children, which are the occasion to them and their 
friends of many tears. 

31. A very short but hearty supplication to God may be 
answered in great and lasting blessings. Chap. 17:23; 
Gen. 17:18; Luke 23:34; John 17:24. 

36. Prayer, though elBcacious, does not lessen the ne- 
25 



8 The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood 
of the house of Saul,'" in whose stead thou hast 
reigned ; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom 
into the hand of Absalom thy son : and behold, thou 
art taken in thy mischief," because thou- art a bloody 
man. 

9 T Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto 
the king. Why should this dead dog' curse my lord 
the king?J let me go over, I pray thee, and take off 
his head. 

10 And the king said, What have I to do with 
you,'' ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, be- 
cause the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David.' 
Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done 
so?-' 

11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his 
servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my 
bowels," seeketh my life : how much more now may 
this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him 
curse ; for the Lord hath bidden him. 

12 It may be that the Lord will look on mine 
affliction,'" and that the Lord will requite me good 
for his cursing this day.f 

13 And as David and his men went by the way, 
Shimei went along on the hill's side over against 
him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at 
him, and cast dust.' 

14 And the king, and all the people that iccre 
with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves 
there. 

15 1" And Absalom, and all the people the men 
of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with 
him. 

16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite,' 
David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hu- 
shai said imto Absalom, God save the king, God 
save the kino;.* 



Gen.29:32; 1 Sam. 1:11; Psa. 25:18. o 1 Pet, 4:19. pRnra.e:2e. 1 Heb". 
dusted him with dust. qch. 15:37. ' Keh. Let the king live. 



cessity of using means ; and in cases of difficulty, the more 
knowledge a person has with regard to them, the more 
properly he will be able to treat them. But no means 
should be used to gain knowledge, or accomplish any 
object, but such as are right, and no declarations made 
except those which are true. Prov. 12:17, 19, 20, 22. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

I. The hill; Olivet. Chap. 15:30. Ztba; chap. 9:2, 9-13. 
A bottle; bottles then were whole skins of animals, and 
some held a large quantity. 

3. r/i(/m(!S?cr'sso?i; Mephibosheth. Chap. 9:6-13. Ziba 
said; what was not true, but was a slander on Mephibo- 
sheth, for the purpose of getting his estate. Ch. 19 : 26, 27. 

4. Thine are all; a hasty and unjust decision of David. 

5. Bahurim; a city in the tribe of Benjamin. Shimei; 
a relative of Saul. 

7. Come out; in the original. Go out; flee from the king- 
dom, as not fit to live in it. 

10. The Lord hath said; so ordered things in his provi- 
dence, that this, as well as other trials, should come upon 
David as a jiunishment for his sins. 

II. 3Iy son — seeketh my life; David wickedly sought the 
life of Uriah, and now Absalom wickedly sought his, and 
Shimei wickedly cursed him. 

16. Hushai; chap. 15:32. God save the king; he did not 
say which king he wished God to save, whether Absalom 
or David, though he meant that Absalom should under- 
stand it of himself. 

385 



AhitAophePs eounsd is 



2 SAMUEL XVII. 



overthrown hy Hushai. 



17 And Alisnlom paid to Ilufshai, Js this thy kind- 
ness to thy friend? why wcntcst thou not with thy 
friend?* 

18 And Ilusliai paid unto Absalom, Nay; but 
■whom till" LouK, and tliis peopU', and all the men 
of Israel, choose, his will 1 be, and with him will 
1 ai)ide. 

19 And again, whom should I serve? should I not 
serve in the |)resence of his son? as I have served 
in Ihy fatiier's presence, so will I he in thy ])rcson('(\ 

121) "i Then said Absalom to Ahithophcl, Give 
counsel amonfif you what we sliall do.'' 

21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in 
unto tliy father's concubines, whicli he hath left to 
kco|) the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou 
art abhorred of thy father:'' then shall the hands 
of all that are with thee be strong.*" 

22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top 
of the house ; and Absalom went in unto his father's 
concubinos in the sight of all Israel. ° 

23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he coun- 
selled in those days, rcas as if a man had inquired 
at the oracle' of Goil : so icas all the counsel of 
Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 Ahithophel's counsel is overthrown by Hushai's, according to God's 
appointment. 15 Secret intelligence is sent unto David. 23 Ahitho- 
phel hangeth himself. S."} Ainasa is made captain. 27 David at 
Mahanaim is furnished with provision. 

OREOVER Ahithophel said unto Absalom, 
Let me now choose out twelve thousand 
men, and I will arise and pursue after David this 
night: 

2 And I will come upon him while he is weary 
and weak-handed,' and will make him afraid: and 
all tlie people that are with him shall flee; and I 
will smite the king only:^ 

3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee : 
the man whom thou seeke.st is as if all returned : 
so all the people shall be in peace. 

4 And the saying pleased^ Absalom well, and 
all the elders of Israel. 



» Oh. 15:33, .34. b ch. 15:1-2. c l gam, S7:l-2. d ch. 2:7; Zeoh. 8:13. 
' oh. 12:11, 12; 15:16: 20:3. • Heb. word, t ch. 16:14; Deut. 25:18. 
si Kings22:31; Zeoh. 13:7. 1 Heb. was ris/it tn Ihe eyes of: lSim.l8:20. 
! Heb. IS in his mouth, i Heb. word. I Heb. counselled. 1 Heb. bitter of 



17. Thy friend; David. 

21. Thy father's concubines; c\ia.T[i.'l5:U. Abliorred of thy 
fatlier; for his wickedness, so that his father woultl not 
again be reconciled to him. Chap. 12: 12. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Sympathy and kindness under trials deeply affect the 
generous heart, and sometimes the pretence of them is 
used to conceal the basest selfishness. 

4. Hasty decisions under the influence of strongly ex- 
cited feelings, without taking time for deliberation, or ask- 
ing direction of God, are generally wrong and often are 
exceedingly unjust and cruel. 

7. A mahgnant heart rejoices in the calamities of those 
it hates, and is gratified in tormenting them. 

10. A penitent soul will never overlook the hand of God 
in its trials, whoever and whatever may be the instru- 
ments of them ; and when we heartily submit to his cor- 
rections, without any wrong feelings towards the instru- 
ments of them, they will in the end promote our good. 

ICi. Men who undertake to deceive others are strongly 
tempted to use language which is equivocal, and may be 
386 



f) Then said Ab.«alom, Call now Ilushai n " itS' 
the Architc also, and let us hear likewise what lie 
saith.' 

tj And when Ilushai was come to Absalom, Ab- 
salom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath 
spoken after this manner: shall we do after his 
saying?' if not, speak thou. 

7 And Ilushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that 
Ahitlioplicl hath given' ii not good at this time. 

8 For, said Ilushai, thou knowcst thy father and 
his men, that they he mighty men, and they be 
chafed^ in their minds, as a bear robbed of her 
wiiel])s in the field:'' and thy father w a man of war, 
and will not lodge with tlie pcojile. 

'J Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some 
other place: and it will come to pass, when some 
of them be overthrown' at the first, that whoso- 
ever heareth it will say. There is a slaughter among 
tlie people that follow Absalom. 

10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as 
the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt:' for all 
LsracI knoweth that thy father is a mighty mau,^ 
and they which he with him are valiant men.'' 

11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be gener- 
ally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Bcer- 
shcba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude ;' 
and that thou go* to battle in thin(> own person. 

12 So sliall we come upon him in some jilace 
where he shall be found, and we will liglit upon 
him as the dew falleth on the ground : and of him 
and of all the men that are with him there shall 
not be left so much as one. 

13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then 
shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we 
will draw it into the river, until there be not one 
small stone found there. 

li And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, 
The counsel of Hushai the Arcliite is better than 
tlie counsel of Aliithoplicl. For the Lord had 
appointed*'" to defeat" the good counsel of Ahith- 
ophel," to the intent that the Lord might bring 
evil upon Absalom. 

15 1l Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abi- 



som;,- Judg. 18:25. h Prov. 17:12; Hos. 13:8. • Heb./a«en. i Josh. 2:11. 
j 1 Sam. 18:17, Heb. 11:34. t Song 3:7. 1 Josh. 11:4; 1 Kings 20:10. 
i Heb. thy face, or presence go. I Heh. commanded, m ch. 15:31, etc. ojob 
5:12,1:). o Luke lli:3. 



understood as meaning one thing or another according to 
the situation of different parties, and which, in the sense 
in which they design to be understood, is positively false. 
21. The wickedness of the wicked is made instrumental 
by God in correcting and sanctifying his people, and thus 
in fulfilling his declarations of judgment and mercy con- 
cerning them. Chap. 12:11, 12; Acts 2:23. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

I. Pursue after David this 7Uf;ht ; with the intent of kill- 
ing him. He understood that the success of the conspir- 
acy depended on a decisive stroke at the beginning, and 
that the death of David could alone make the throne sure 
to Absalom. 

II. Tliat all Israel be — gathered; Hushai proposed this 
magnificent but foolish plan, which flattered the vanity of 
Absalom, to gain time for David, and prevent the execu- 
tion of Ahithophel's purpose. 

14. TIte Lord had appointed; he so ordered events that 
Absalom should prefer the counsel of Hushai to that of 
Ahithophel, and thus penitent, believing David be saved, 
and impenitent, unbelieving Absalom be destroyed. 



David crosseth the Jordan. 



2 SAMUEL XVIII. 



He ordereth his army. 



u.c.hrS athar tlie priests, Thus and thus did Ahith- 
ophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel ; 
and thus and thus have I counselled. 

16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, 
saying, Lodge not this night" in the plains of the 
wilderness,'' but speedily pass over ; lest the king 
be swallowed up, and all the people that are with 
him. 

17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz'^ stayed by En- 
rogcl;'' for they might not be seen to come into 
the city: and a wench went and told them; and 
they went and told king David. 

18 Nevertheless, a lad saw them, and told Absa- 
lom : but they went both of them away quickly, 
and came to a man's house in Bahurim," which had 
a well in his court; whither they went down. 

19 And the woman took and spread a covering 
over the well's mouth,' and spread ground corn 
thereon; and the thing was not known. ^ 

20 And when Absalom's servants came to the 
woman to the house, they said. Where is Ahimaaz 
and Jonatlian? And the woman said unto them. 
They be gone over the brook of water. And when 
they had sought and could not find th€7>i, they re- 
turned to Jerusalem. 

21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, 
that they came up out of the well, and went and 
told king David, and said unto David, Arise," and 
pass quickly over the water : for thus hath Ahith- 
ophel counselled against you. 

22 Then David arose, and all the people that were 
with him, and they passed over Jordan: by tlie 
morning light there lacked not one of them that 
was not gone over Jordan. 

23 •[ And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel 
was not followed,* he saddled his ass, and arose, 
and gat him home to his house, to his city,' and put 
his household in order,* and hanged himself,J and 
died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 

24 Then David came to Mahanaim.'' And Absa- 
lom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of 
Israel with him. 

25 IT And Absalom made Amasa captain of the 
host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's 



» ProT. 0:-l,5. 1> ch. 15:2J. c ch. 


15:37,30. i Josh. 15:7. e ch. 10:5. 


'Jnsh. 2:6. etc. sExod. 1:19. h ve 


. 15, 10. • Heb. done, i ch. 15:12. 


t Ueb. gave charge concerning his liotts 


e; 2 Kings 20:1. j Psa. 5:10, 55:2.'i; 


Matt. 27:5. k ch. 2:8. t Oi, Jether 


an Ishmaelite. i Heb. Abigal. 1 Or, 



16. Pass over; over the river Jordan. Ver. 22. 

17. En-rogel; on the east side of Jerusalem. 

23. Put his household in order ; settled up his affairs. 
Hanged himself; he understood that Absalom's cause was 
lost, anil with it all his own hopes. 

24. Mahanaim; chap. 2:8. 

25. Amasa; he and Joab were cousins, and were sons 
of David's sisters. 

27. Lo-debar — Rogetim ; in the tribe of Gad, not far from 
Mahanaim. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Apostates and traitors who give themselves up to 
iniquity, are often left to go from one degree of sin to 
another till they plunge into irretrievable ruin. 

4. If parents do not govern their children and effectu- 
all_v subdue them when young, they will bo in danger 
afterwards of being subdued by them. 

7. That counsel which would be most likely to succeed, 
should it be followed, may still not be good. It may spring 
from evil, tend to evil, and its prosecution be productive 



son, whoso name was Ithra an Israelite,* that went 
in to Abigail^ the daughter of Nahash,' sister to 
Zeruiah, Joab's mother.' 

26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of 
Gilead. 

27 1 And it came to pass, when David was come 
to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash "" of 
Rabbah of the children of Amnion," and Machir 
the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar," and Barzillai the 
Gileadite of Rogelim,'' 

28 Brought beds, and basins,^ and earthen ves- 
sels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched 
corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, 

29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese 
of kine, for David, and for the people that were with 
him, to eat: for tliey said. The people is hungry, 
and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.'' 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 David viewing the armies in their march, giveth them charge of Ab- 
salom. 6 The Israelites are sore smitten in the wood of Ephraim. 
9 Absalom, hanging in an oak, is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit. 
IS Absalom's place. 19 Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David. 
33 David mourneth for Absalom. 

AND David numbered the people that were with 
him, and set captains of thousands and cap- 
tains of hundreds over them. 

2 And David sent forth a third part of the peo- 
ple under the hand of Joab, and a third part under 
the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's 
brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai 
the Gittite.'' And the king said unto the people, 
I will surely go forth with you myself also. 

3 But the people answered. Thou shalt not go 
forth:" for if we flee away, they will not care for us ;* 
neither if half of us die, will they care for us : but 
now thou art worth* ten thousand of us: therefore 
now it is better that thou succor* us out of the city. 

4 And the king said unto them. What seemeth 
you best I will do. And the king stood by the 
gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds 
and by thousands. 

5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai 
and Ittai, saying. Deal gently for my sake with the 

Jesse, IChr. 2:1.3, 10. 1 1 Chr. 2:10.17. inch.lC:l. o ch. 12:29, 30. » ch. 
9:4. Pch. 19:31, 32, 1 Kings 2:7. 1 Or, cups, q ch. 16:2, 14; 17:2. rch. 
15:19. ■ ch. 21:17. • Heb. se( their Aearl on us. t Heb. as. t Keh. be to 



of mischief; still, no one has a right to do evil in order to 
defeat it. 

14. The Lord can easily defeat the craftiest counsels, 
disappoint the best-concerted schemes, and overrule all 
things for the salvation of his friends and the destruction 
of his enemies. 

16. Men must make efforts to save themselves with as 
much promptness, skill, energy, and perseverance, as if 
their salvation depended solely on their efl'orts ; while it 
is God who renders those efforts successful, and to him, 
if they feel right, they will give the glory. 

23. The way of transgressors is hard, and the wages of 
sin is death ; when men are given up to its power, it makes 
them wretched here and plunges them into endless wretch- 
edness hereafter. 

CHAPTER XTIII. 

3. Succor tiSotUofthe city; by sending them what they 
might need. • 

387 



Absalom slain by Jixih. 



2 SAMUEL XVIII. 



Tidings borne to David. 



yonnir man. rrin witli Alisaloin. And nil tlii> ]iPo- 
jilr lii-anl when tlio kiiijr iJravc all the captains 
fliar^rt' •■Knei'miiiir Ali.-aloiii." 

t) ' So tlii> |if'f>iil<' went out into tlio field ajrainst 
Israel: ami t lie ii:itlli' was in the woodofKiiiiraiin;'' 

7 Where the people of Israel were slain bi-forc 
liie servants of David, and there was there a great 
slaipjrhter that day of twenty thousand mm. 

8 For the liatlle was there scattered over the 
face of all the country: and the wood devoured* 
niitre |>eo]ilo that day than the sword devoured. 

11 ' And Absalom met the servants of Itavid. 
And AI)salom rode upon a mule, and the mule 
went under the thick Iwughs of a jjreat oak, and 
his head caught hold of thi^ oak, and he was taken 
up between tlie heaven and tlie earth ;'^ and the 
mule tiiat tons under him went away. 

10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and 
said, Bciiold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 

11 And Joab said unto the man that told him. 
And Ijehold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou 
not smite him there to the ground? and I would 
have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. 

12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should 
receive* a thousand sMcels of silver in my hand, 
yet would I not put forth my hand against the 
king's son: for in our hearing the king charged 
thee and Abishai and Ittai,'' saying. Beware* that 
none fourh tlu; young man Absalom. 

13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood 
against mine own life : for there is no matter hid 
from the king,'^ and thou thy.self wouldest have 
set thyself against me. 

14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus wifh- 
tliec. And he took three darts in his hand, and 
thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while 
he was yet alive in the midst- of the oak. 

15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armor 
compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew 
him. 

16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people 
returned from pursuing after Israel : for Joab held 
back the people. 

17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a 
great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap 
of stones upon him : ^ and all Israel fled every one 
to his tent. 

18 IT Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and 
reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's 
dale;S for he said, I have no son to keep my name 
in remembrance:" and he called the pillar after 
his own name;' and it is called unto this day, 
Absalom's place. 



»Ver. la. b Josh. 17:15, 18. • lieb. multiplied to devour, c Deut 21 r-i"!; 
2,: 18. 20: Jobl<:S-10; 31:3; Psa. B:i:9, 10; i'rov. 20:20; Jer. 48:44. t Heb. 
meigh upon my liand. J ver. 5. 1 Heb. Beware wltosoever ye be of. ' ch. 
14:19,20. i-Aah. before. I Heb. AcaM. fJo3h.7:26. BGen. 14:17. k ch. 
14:27. . Psa. 49:11. 1 Heb. judged him from the haiul, elc. • Heh. be a 
man of tidings. 1 Heb. be lohat may. 'l Or, convenient, i John 20:4. 



6. TIte wood ofEphraim; on the east side of Jordan. 

8. The wood devoured; more perished in their flight 
through the wood.'!, than had been slain in the open field. 

13. Wrought fatselwod ; acted in such a manner as to 
endanger his own life. 

18. TAe Amg-'s da/e; near Jerusalem. Gen. 14: 17, 18. / 
have no son; he had had three scjns, who it is supposed 
were dead. Chap. 14:27. 
388 



It) IThon.^aidAhimaazlhc.-oiiofZadok, ^^S 
Let me now run. and bear th<' king tidings, how 
that the Ijohd hath avenged him' of his enemies. 

20 And Joab said unto him. Thou shall not bear 
tidings* this day, but tiiou shalt liear tidings an- 
other day : but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, 
because the king's son is dead. 

21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king 
what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself 
unto .Joab, and ran. 

22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again 
to Joab, But howsoever,* let me, I jiray thee, also 
run after Cushi. And Joalj said, Wherefore wilt 
thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings 
ready?* 

23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And ho 
said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the 
way of the jilain, and overran Cushi.J 

2-1 And J)avid sat between the two gates: and 
the watchman went nj) to the roof over the gate 
unto the wall,'' and lifted up his eyes, and looked, 
and behold a man running alone. 

2.5 And the watchman cried, and told the king. 
And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings 
in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 

26 And the watchman saw another man running : 
and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, 
Behold anol/icr man running alone. And the king 
said, Ho also bringeth tidings. 

27 xVnd the watchman said, Methinketh the run- 
ning^ of the foremost is like the running of Ahim- 
aaz the son of Zadok. And the king said. He is 
a good man, and coraeth with good tidings.' 

28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, 
All is well.' And he fell down to the earth upon 
his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the 
Lord thy God,"" which hath delivered up^ the men 
that lifted up their hand against my lord tlie king. 

29 And the king said. Is the young man Absa- 
lom safe?* And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab 
sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw 
a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 

30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, aiid 
stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 

31 And behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said. 
Tidings,* my lord the king: for the LoRn hath 
avenged" thee this day of all them that rose up 
against thee." 

32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young 
man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The 
enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise 
against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young 
man w.p 



t 2Kings 9:17; Isa. 21:11, 12; Ezek. 33:2-7. § Heb. / see 
1 1 Kings 1:42; Prov. 25:13; Isa. 52:7. I Or, Peace be to Ihee; Heb. Peace. 
mPsa. 124:1). I Heb. jAudip; Fsa. 31:8. • Heb. Is there Jjra«» t Heb. 
Tilting.^ is brought, n Psa. 144:7, 10; Luke 18:7, 8. o Psa. 124:2, 3. pjudg. 
5:31; Dan. 4:19. 



24. Between tlie two gates; of the city Mahanaim. Cliap. 
17 : 24. The roof; of the watchhouse. 

29. / knew not wliat it was ; not having been entrnsted 
by Joab with the message concerning Absalom's death, he 
does not venture to communicate it, though he was fully 
aware of it, ver. 20. 

32. The enemies of my lord — be as that young man is; imply- 
ing that he was dead. 



David lamentdh for 



2 SAMUEL XIX. 



Absalnm his 



B.c' iS 33 1l And the king Tvas much moved, and 
went up to the chamber over tlie gate, and wept : 
and as he went, thus he said, my son Absalom, 
my son, my son Absalom !" would God I had died 
for thee,'' Absalom, my son, my son ! 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1 Joab causeth the king to cease his mourning. 9 The Israelites are 
earnest to bring the King back. 11 David sendeth to the priests to 
incite them of Judah. 18 Shimei is pardoned. 24 Mephibosheth 
excused. 32 BarziUai dismissed, Chimham his son is taken into the 
king's family. 41 The Israelites expostulate with Judah for bringing 
home the king without them. 

AND it was told Joab, Behold, the king wcep- 
eth and mourneth for Absalom.'' 

2 And the victory* that day was turned into 
mourning unto all the people: for the people 
heard say that day how the king was grieved for 
his son. 

3 And the people gat them by stealth that day 
into the city, as people being ashamed steal away 
Avhen tiiey flee iu battle. 

4 But the king covered his face,* and the king 
cried witli a loud voice, my son Absalom ! 
Absalom, my son, my son !" 

5 And Joab came into the house to the king, 
and said. Thou hast shamed this day the faces of 
all thy servants, which this day have saved thy 
life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daugh- 
ters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of 
thy concubines ; 

(3 In that thou lovest^ thine enemies, and hatest 
thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that 
thou regardest neither princes nor servants:* for 
this day I perceive, tliat if Absalom had lived, 
and all we had died this day, then it had pleased 
thee well. 

7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak com- 



> Ch. 19:4. b Rom. 5:7, 8; 9:3. t Prov. 17:25. ' Heb. salvation, or de- 
teranc€. d oh. 15:30. c ch. 1S:33. i Heh. By loving, t Ueb. lliat prin- 
or servants are 7iot to tlut. § Heb. to the heart of; Gen. 31:3. f Prov. 



33. Died for thee; instead of thee, iu thy place. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. All should consider in what way they can be most 
useful, and be disposed to take that course in which they 
can do the greatest good. 

5. The love of parents to their children is ordinarily 
much greater than that of children to their i)arents. Some- 
times it overcomes their judgment, and leads them to act 
in such a maimer as is exceedingly injurious to them- 
selves, their children, and the community. 

9. Though criminals may sometimes escape from their 
fellow-men, they cannot escape from God. However great 
their efforts, his judgment will in due time overtake and 
destroy them. 

12. Though money is valuable and has great influence 
with men, yet it is foolish to endanger one's life for it, 
and much more foolish to endanger one's soul. 

14. One criminal is often made the means of punishing 
another, and he may do it for an object and with a spirit 
which may justly draw down punishment on himself. 

17. Children who rebel against and ill treat their par- 
ents, are in special danger of coming to an untimely and 
miserable end. 

20. The immediate effect of joyful or mournful tidings 
depends much on the manner in whicli they are commu- 
nicated. Care should therefore be taken to have it done 
by such persons and in such a manner as will teud to 
produce the best results. 



fortably unto^ thy servants: for I swear by the 
Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry 
one witli thee this night: and tliat will be worse 
unto thee than all tlie evil that befell thee from 
thy youth until now.'' 

8 Tlien the king arose, and sat in the gate. And 
they told unto all tiie people, saying, Behold, the 
king doth sit iu the gate. And all tlie people 
came before the king: for Israel had fled every 
man to his tent."^ 

9 IT And all the people were at strife throughout 
all the tribes of Israel, saying. The king saved us 
out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered 
us out of the hand of the Philistines ; and now he 
is fled out of the land for Absalom.'' 

10 And Absalom, wliom we anointed over us, is 
dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not 
a word' of bringing the king back? 

Ill And king David sent to Zadok and to Abi- 
atliar the priests, saying. Speak unto the elders of 
Judah, saying. Why are ye the last to bring the 
king back to his house? seeing the speech of all 
Israel is come to the king, even to his house. 

12 Ye are my lu'cthren, ye are my bones and my 
flesh :' wherefore then are ye the last to bring back 
the king? 

13 And say yo to Amasa, Jirt thou not of my 
bone, and of my flesh ?^ God do so to me, and 
more also, if thou be not captain of tlie host before 
me continually iu the room of Joab. 

14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of 
Judah, even as t/ie heart of one man ;'' so that they 
sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all 
thy servants. 

15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. 
And Judah came to Gilgal,' to go to meet the 
king, to conduct the king over Jordan. 



27. Our wishes have a great influence on our judgment, 
and high expectations of good are liable to be followed 
by distressing accumulations of evil. 

33. None fully know the sufferings of affectionate par- 
ents iu the untimely and violent death of children, but 
those who endure them ; and none but those who experi- 
ence it can imagine the blessedness, at such times, of in- 
telligent, affectionate, childlike confidence in God, and a 
hearty commitment of all one's interests to his infinitely 
wise and good disposal. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

3. Gat them by stealth; secretly, privately, because the 
king appeared as if he was displeased at what they had 
done. 

6. Thou lovest thine enemies; Joab's meaning was, that 
David by so moruning for Absalom acted as if he loved 
him more than he did his family and people, whose lives 
had been saved by the death of Absalom. 

7. Speak comfortably unto thy servants; show thyself 
pleased with their victory. 

11. The speech of all Israel is come; expressing their de- 
sire to have the king return. 

12. My flesh; of tlie same tribe with him. 

13. Amasa ; lie had been the commander of Absalom's 
army. Chap. 17:25. 

14. He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah; according 
to some, Amasa did this ; but others understand David as 
doing it through his messages to Zadok and Abiathar. 

389 



David restortd to 



2 SAMUEL XIX. 



his kingdom in peace. 



1(> "^ And Phimoi Hip son of Gem." a Honjaniitc, 
wliifli u-as of Haluiiiin, hastoil ami cainc down 
\vitl\ flio nion of .Judali to moot king Daviil. 

17 And //iirr virc a thousand mon of Honjaiiiin 
Willi him, and Ziba tlio pcrvant of tlic house of Saul,'' 
and his liftoen sons and his twenty servants with 
iiini: and they went over Jordan before the kin<r. 

18 And there went over a ferry-boat to carry 
over the king's household, and to do what lie 
thouirht erood." And Shiniei the son of Gora fell 
down before the king, as he was come over Jordan ; 

I'.l And said unto the king, Let not my lord im- 
pute iniquity unto me,° neither do thou remember 
tiiat which thy servant did perversely'' tlie day 
that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem," that 
the king should tako it to his heart/ 

20 For thy servant doth know that I have sin- 
ned : therefore, behold, I am come the iirst this 
day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet 
my lord the king. 

'Jl But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and 
said, Shall not Sliimei be put to death for this, 
because ho cursed the IjOrd's anointed?" 

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, 
ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be ad- 
versaries unto me? shall tliere any man be put 
to death this day in Israel?'' for do not I know 
that I am this day king over Israel? 

23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou 
shalt not die' And tlic king swarc unto him. 

24 *: And .Mephil)osheth the son of Saul came 
down to meet the king,* and liad neither dressed 
his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his 
clothes, from the day the king departed until the 
day he came again in peace. 

25 And it came to pass, when he was come to 
Jerusalem to meet the king, tliat the king said 
unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, 
Mephibosheth?" 

26 And he answered, My lord, king, my ser- 
vant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will sad- 
dle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to 
the king ; because thy servant is lame. 

27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my 
lord the king ;' but my lord the king is as an angel 
of God:™ do therefore what wgood in thine eyes. 

28 For all of my father's house were but dead 
men* before my lord the king: yet didst thou set 
tliy servant among them that did eat at thine own 
table." What right therefore have I yet to cry 
any more unto the king? 

29 And the king said unto him. Why speakest 
thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou 
and Ziba divide the land. 





» Ch 


1C:5. 


!> ch. 9:-' 


10. 


■ Heb 






c 1 Sam. 22:15; 






9; Rom. 4:5-8. 


d Ps 


a. 7!1:S. 


' ch. 16:5. etc 


frh 


13:3:j 


eExoii. 


'J 


l-.i-i; 


1 Sam. 


26:9. h 


Sa 


m. 11:13 i 


1 Kin?s 2 


S, 3(i 




ch. 9:6. 




ch. 16:17. 1 


ch. 18:3; 


Jer 


9:4. 


n rh. 


14:17.20. 


t Hf 


). mtn 


of death; 


) 


Sim 


■Hi: 16. 


ch. 9:- 


, lU 


13. o 


1 Kj 


igs 2:7. 


1 ch. 


7:27. 


q 1 Tim. 



19. Thy servant did perversely ; chap. 16:5-13. 

23. Not die; not be put to death for that ofifence. 

24. Neither dressed— nor trimmed — nor washed; showing 
that he had been in a state of deep mourning ever since 
David left the city. 

26. My servant ; Ziba. 

27. Slandered thy servant ; chap. 16:1-3. 

29. Divide the land; the land that had belonged to Saul, 
390 



30 And Mepliiboshodi said unto the king. 1i. " iS' 
Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the 
king is come again in peace unlo his own house. 

;^1 • And Barzillai tho (Jilcadite came down 
from Rogelim," and went over Jordan with the 
king, to conduct him over Jordan. 

32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, (vcn 
fourscore years old : and he had jprovided the king 
of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim;'' for he 
vas a very great nian."" 

33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou 
over with me, and 1 will feed thee with me in 
Jerusalem. 

34 And Barzillai said unto the king. How long 
have ] to live,' that 1 should go up with the king 
unto Jerusalem? 

35 I a7n this day fourscore years old:' and can 
I discern between good and evil?" can thy ser- 
vant taste what I eat or what I drink?' can I 
hear any more the voice of singing men and sing- 
ing women? whercfoi'c then should thy servant 
bo yet a burden unto my lord th(-' king? 

30 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan 
with the king : and why should the king recom- 
pense it me with such a reward?" 

37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, 
that I may die in mine own city, and be bnri(d Ijy 
the grave of my father and of my mother. But 
beiiold thy servant Chimham;" let him go over 
with my lord the king; and do to him what shall 
seem good unto thee. 

38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go 
over with me, and I will do to him that which 
shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou 
shalt require* of me, that will I do for thee. 

39 And all the people went over Jordan. And 
when the king was come over, the king kissed 
Barzillai,"'' and blessed him ; and he returned unto 
his own place. 

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal. and Chim- 
ham ' went on with him : and all the people of 
Judah conducted the king, and also half the peo- 
ple of Israel. 

41 IT And behold, all the men of Israel came to 
the king, and said unto the king, Why have our 
brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and 
have brought the king, and his household, and all 
David's men with him, over Jordan?'' 

42 And all the men of Judah answered the men 
of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us:- 
wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have 
we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he giv- 
en us any gift? 

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of 



6:17-19. 1 Heb. How many days are the years of my life; Gen. 47:9. r Psa. 
90:10; Prov. 16:31. ■Heb.5:l4. ' Ecol. 12:3-5. u Luke 6:38. v 1 Kinss 
2:7; Jer. 41:17. 5 Heb. f*oo,<e. " Gen. 31:55; 1 Thess. 5:26. I Heb. CAim- 
han. I ver. 11-15. y ver. 12. 



and which David, after restoring it to Mephibosheth, had 
hastily given to Ziba. Chap. 9:7; 16:4. 

31. Barzillai; chap. 17:27. 

37. Chimham; he seems to have been tho son of Barzil- 
lai. 1 Kings 2:7. 

41. Stolen thee away; gone first and brought the king 
without consulting the other tribes. Ver. 43. 

42. Near of kin; he belonged to their ti'ibe. 



Sheba's rebellion. 



2 SAMUEL XX. 



Joab slayelh Amaxa. 



RvwS: Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the 
king, and wc have also more rig/it in David than 
ye : why tlion did ye despise us,* that our advice 
should not be first had in bringing back our king? 
And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer 
than the words of the men of Israel." 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 By occasion of the quarrel, Sheba maketh a party in Israel. 3 Da- 
vid's ten concubines are shut up in perpetual prison. 4 Amasa, made 
captain over Judah, is slain by Joab. 14 Joab pursueth Sheba unto 
Abel. 16 A wise woman saveth the city by Sheba's head. 23 Da- 
vid's officers. 

AND there happened to be there a man of Be- 
lial, wliose name icas Sheba, tlie son of Bich- 
ri, a Bcujamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, 
We have no part in David, neither have we inher- 
itance in the son of Jesse r** every man to his tents, 
Israel. 

2 So every man of Israel went up from after 
David,'' and followed Sheba the son of Bichri : but 
tlie men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jor- 
dan even to Jerusalem.'' 

3 1[ And David came to his house at Jerusalem ; 
and tlie king took the ten women his concubines," 
whom he had left to keep tlie house, and put them 
in ward,**^ and fed them, but went not in unto them. 
So they were shut up* unto the day of their death, 
living in widowhood.^ 

4 IF Tlien said the king to Amasa, Assemble' me 
the men of Judah within three days, and be thou 
here present. 

5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah t"^ 
but he tarried longer than the set time which he 
had appointed him. 

6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba 
the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absa- 
lom: take thou thy lord's servants," and pursue 



■Heh. set us at tiglit. aJudg, b:1 ; Jas. 3:2-10. bch. 19;4.1i lKingsia:16; 
Lukel9:14. cPaa.6>:9. J oh. !9:41 ; 2 Chr. 10: 17. e ch. 15:16; 16:2l,2->. 
1 Heh. a house of ward, f Gen. 40:3, 4, ". IKeb.bound. S Heb. tn wirfoid- 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Excessive sorrow unfits the soul for duty, displeases 
God, and tends to injure all who indulge it or feel its influence. 

6. Rulers, as well as people, should be plainly told of 
their duty, and such motives set before them as are suited 
to induce them to perform it. 

S. The approbation of rulers should be promptly and 
cheerfully given to those who do right, and their disap- 
probation manifested towards those who do wrong. Rom. 
13:3, i. 

11. All prudent care should be taken to avoid coming 
evils, especially to prevent discord among brethren, and 
to lead them to cooperate for the public good. 

13. When men are strongly excited and set upon ac- 
complishing a favorite object, they are tempted to make 
rash promises, and to adopt measures which events show 
to have been unwise. 

19. If men confess their sina and appear to be penitent, 
it is ordinarily wise to treat them as if they were so. God 
alone knows the heart, and men ought not to judge of it, 
except so far as its character is manifested in the conduct. 

24. True love will show itself in grief at the sorrows of 
those beloved, and in joy at the return of their joys. 

27. Slander is a common and aggravated sin, and the 
slanderer, though he often escape punishment from men, 
is and ought to be regarded as among the basest of sinners. 

32. Kindness and active benevolence are peculiarlv 
agreeable in the aged, and should ever be met with grate- 
ful and active kindness in return. As their tastes for the 
comforts of this life are diminishing, their desires for those 



after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape 
us.^ 

7 And there went out after liim Joab's men, and 
the Ciioretliites, and the Pelethites,' and all the 
mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to 
pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 

8 When they were at the great stone which is in 
Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's 
garment that he had put on was girded unto him, 
and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon 
his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went 
forth it fell out. 

9 And Joab said to Amasa, Jl^-t thou in health, 
my brother ? And Joab took Amasa by the beard 
with the riglit liand to kiss him.-' 

10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that 
icas in Joab's hand : so he smote him therewith*^ 
in the fifth r?i,' and shed out his bowels to the 
ground, and struck him not again ;* and he died. 
So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after 
Sheba rhe son of Bichri. 

11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and 
said. He that favoreth Joab, and he that is for 
David, let him go after Joab. 

12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst 
of the highway. And when the man saw that all 
tlie people stood still, he removed Amasa out of 
the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon 
him, when he saw that every one that came by 
him stood still. 

13 When he was removed out of the highway, 
all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after 
Sheba the son of Bichri. 

14 II And he went through all the tribes of Israel 
unto Abel, and to Bcth-maachah, and all the fie- 
ri tes :'" and they were gathered together, and went 
also after him. 



hoodofli/e. 1 Heb. Ca/i. Bch.l9:13. h ch. 11 :ll ; 1 Kings 1 :-33. 1 Ileb. 
deliver himself from our eyes, i I Kings l::la. JLuke 22:47. klKings2:5. 
1 oh. 2:23. • Heb. doubled not his stroke, "n 2 Kings 15:20; 2 Chr. 10:4. 



of the future should be increasing, and their chief con- 
cern be for preparation to close their work on earth, and 
cuter the rest of heaven. 

37. Aged benevolent men are pleased to have those 
who are younger jiartake of lawful innocent enjoyments, 
for which they themselves have no relish. 

38. The kindness and fidelity of parents tlie Lord often 
rewards in blessings on their children and children's chil- 
dren ; thus showing mercy even to thousands of those who 
love him and keep his commandments. 

CHAPTER XX. 

3. Li vard; in seclusion. 

6. Ahi.'iltai ; Joab may not have been at that moment 
present in Jerusalem, so that the charge was given to 
Abishai. But we find Joab with Abishai soon after, ver. 8. 

8. Amasa %eent before them; or,came before them, metthem 
on his return from assembling the men of Judah. It fell out; 
it is probable that Joab so managed as to have the sword 
fall out as he approached Amasa. However this may be, 
it is plain that he took it up with his iet'i hand, while he 
extended his right hand to take Amasa by the beard. 

10. He smote htm; as he had before smitten Abner, chap. 
3: 27 ; being angry because David had put Amasa over him. 

12. Stood stdt; to gaze, and were thus hindered from 
going forward to Joab and Abishai. 

14. Ahel and — Beth-maadtah ; called also Abel of Beth- 
maachah, to distinguish it from several other places that 
bore the name of Abel. It was on the east of the Jordan, 
at the foot of Anti-Lebanon. 

391 



Sheba is sLiin. 



2 SAMUEL XXI. 



T/ic GibconUcs avenged. 



I'j And tlicy canio ami bcsiofrod Iiim in Abel of 
Bolli-iiiaai'liali, ami they i"ist ii]i a l)aiik aL'aiiist 
tiio I'ity," ami it stood in the tn'ncli:* and all the 
pco|ilo tiiat wire with Joab battered' the wall, to 
tlirow it ilown. 

1() " Then cried a wise woman ont of the city, 
Hear, hear ; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near 
hither, tliat I may sjieaic with thee. 

IT And when he was come near unto her, the 
woman said, .Irt thou Joab ? And he answered, I 
am he. Then slic said unto him, Hear the words 
of thy handmaid. And lie answered, I do hear. 

IS Then she spake, saying, They were wont to 
sjieak ia old time, saying. They sliall surely ask 
coumvl at Abel : and so tiiey ended the matter.* 

r.) I am om of them that are iicaecablc and faith- 
ful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a 
mother in Israel:'' why wilt thou swallow up the 
inheritance of the Loud? 

20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far 
be it from me, that I should swallow up or de- 
stroy. 

21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount 
Epiiraim, Hheba the son of Bichri by namc,^ hath 
lifted up his hand against tiic king, even against 
David : deliver him only, and I will depart from the 
city. And tlie woman said unto Joab, IJehoId, his 
liead sluill be thrown to thee over tiie wall. 

22 Then the woman went unto all the i)caple in 
her wisdom:'^ and they cut off the head of iSheba 
the sou of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he 
blew a trumpet, and they retired' from the city, 
every man to his tent. And Joab returned to 
Jerusalem unto the king. 

23 1i Now Joab was over all the host of Israel :'' 
.and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cher- 
ethites and over the Pelethites : 

24 And Adoram was over the tribute : ^ and Je- 
ioshaphat the sou of Ahilud was recorder:"' 

25 And Sheva icas scribe : and Zadok and Abi- 
.athar were the priests : 

2G And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler* 
about David. 



* '3 Kings 19:3"i. ' Or, against the outmost walL t Heb. inaTred to throw 
down. X Ur, They ptainiy spake in the hcginning, saying. Surely they will 
ask of Abel, and so make an end; Deut. 2U:11. b Judg, '5:7. | Heb. his 
nam,. » Keel. 9:11-10. I Heb. were scattered, d ch. 8:10-18. e 1 Kings 
f 1 Kings 4:3. • Or. a prinee, ch. 8:18; Gen. 
sought the face; Num. iT-.il. e 1 Sam. 2-2:19. 



15. /( stood in the trench; or, he (Joab) stood on the outer 
'Wall. This was a low wall with a trench, encomijassiug 
the inner wall. 

IS. To speak; in proverbs. Ask counsel at Abel; as a 
place celebrated for wisdom. And so ; by listening to the 
counsel of its wise men. T/iey ended the matter; brought 
it to a successful termination. Joab ought not therefore 
to destroy such a city without a hearing. 

19. A mother m Israel; one of its chief cities. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Many difficulties might be amicably settled, did not 
some wicked man take occasion to fan the flame, and lead 
on to acts of rashness destructive, it may be, to himself 
and to his fellow-men. 

10. Many a bold and successful warrior has the heart 
of an assassin, and will without scruple murder even his 
own relatives who stand in the way of his advancement. 
Chap. 3:27; i: 6. 

15. The presence of one man may endanger the destruc- 
392 



CHAPTER XXI. 



1 The three yean' famine for the Gibconit»-« cc-wetli, by hanging Bcvrn 
of Stiul's H>ni. 10 Itizpah'i kinJncM unto ihu (lead. 12 David buri- 
eth iho bonii of Saul and JonaUi:in in lii» fathcr'a sepulchre. 15 I'uur 
batllfM against the Phitiitinex, wherein four valianu of David slay 
four giants. 

I^IIEN there was a famine in tiic days of David 
_ three years, year after year; and David in- 
f|uiri'il* of the Loud. And the Loud answered, 7< 
is ibr iSaul, and for hin bloody house, because he 
slew the Gibeonites." 

2 And the king called the Gibcouites, and said 
unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of tiic 
children of Israel,'' Init of the remnant of the Amo- 
rites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto 
them : and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal 
to the eliildren of Israel and Jiidali ;) 

3 Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, 
What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I 
make the atonement, that ye may bless the inher- 
itance of the Lord?' 

4 And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will 
have no silver nor gold of Saul,J nor of his house ; 
neither for us shalt thou kill' any man in Israel. 
And he said. What ye shall say, tJiat will I do for 
you. 

5 And they answered the king. The man tliat 
consumed us, and that devised against us,^ that we 
should be destroyed from remaining in any of the 
coasts of Israel, 

6 Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto 
us," and we will hang them up unto the Lokd in 
Gibcah of Said,' who7n the Lord did choose.' And 
the king said, I will give them. 

7 But the king spared Mephiboslieth, the son of 
Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord's 
oath that was between them, between David and 
Jonathan the son of Saul." 

8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the 
daughter of Aiah," whom she bare unto Saul, 
Armoni and Mephiboslieth ; and the five sons of 
MichaP the daughter of Saul, whom she brought 
up for Adriel* the son of Barzillai the Mehol- 
athite : 



b Josh. 9:3-21. ich. 20:19. j Psa. 49:6, 7. 1 Or, It is jio( JiViicr nor g-o/d 
that we have to do with Saul or his house, neither pertains it to us to hill, etc. 
i Ot, rut us off', k Ezek. 18:19. 1 1 Sam. 111:20. I Or, rAoKTt o/r/w: l.oHD. 
m 1 Sam, 2U:1.5. n ch. 3:7. V Or, Michars sister. • lleb. bare to Adriel ; 
1 Sam. IS: 19. 



tion of a whole city, and the wisdom of one woman may 
do more than all its men of war towards saving it. 

22. Magistrates, by putting to death one criminal, may 
save the lives of many who are innocent. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

2. In his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah; ho would 
have destroyed them, not for any wrong act on their part, 
but simply because they were remnants of the Canaanites, 
in direct violation of the oath of Joshua and the elders of 
Israel, Josh. 9 : 15-27. The sin was therefore one of the 
nation whom Saul represented, and God punished it by 
a national calamity. 

3. Bless the inheritance ; that the famine might cease, and 
the Israelites have the blessings of harvests. 

7. Ilie Lord's oath; 1 Sam. 20: 15-17. 

8. Michal ; it was Merab, the sister of Jlichal, who mar- 
ried Adriel the Meholathite, 1 Sam. 18:19. Some suppose 
they are here called Michal's sons because she had the 
education of them. 



Philistine siants slain. 



2 SAMUEL XXII. 



David's psalm of praise. 



Kvum. 9 And he delivered them into the hands 
of the Gibeouites, and they hanged them in the 
hill before the Lord : ^ and they fell all seven to- 
gether, and were put to death in the days of har- 
vest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley- 
harvest. 

10 IT And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sack- 
clotli, and spread it for her upon the rock, from 
tlie beginning of harvest until water dropped upon 
them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds 
of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts 
of the field by night. 

1 1 And it was told David what Rizpah the daugh- 
ter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 

1"2 1" And David went and took the bones of 
Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the 
men of Jabesh-gilcad,'' which had stolen them from 
the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had 
hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul 
in Gilboa: 

13 And he brought up from thence the bones of 
Saul and the bones of Jonathan liis son ; and they 
gathered the bones of them that were hanged. 

14 A:id the bones of Saul and Jonathan liis son 
buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah,'^ 
in the sepulchre of Kish his father : and they per- 
formed all that the king commanded. And after 
that God was entreated for the land.** 

15 1 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again 
with Israel; and David went down, and his ser- 
vants with him, and fought against the Philistines : 
and David waxed ftxint. 

16 And Ishbi-benob, which was of the sons of the 
giant,* the weight of whose spear* weighed three 
hundred s/wkels of brass in weight, he being girded 
with a new sword, thought to have slain David. 

17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succored him, 
and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then 
the men of David sware unto him, saying. Thou 
shalt go no more out with us to battle," that thou 
quench not the light* of Israel.' 

18 And it came to pass after this, that there was 



a I .Sim. 15;33. b| Sam. 31:11. c Josh. 19:3S. d ch. 24:33. • Or, fia- 
jiha. t Heb. the staff, or tlie head, e ch. 18:3. I Heb candle, or lamp. 
t 1 Kings 11 :.36. 5 Or. Sippai. 1 Or, Kapha. S 1 Chr. 20:4. H Or, .Tair. 
* Or. Kapha, t Or, reproached; 1 Sam. 17:10, 35, -26. t Shammah, 1 Sam. 



9. Barley-harvest; in March. 

10. Water dropped upon them ; the rain was a token of 
God's reconciliation. If it fell at the usual time, it was 
about the middle of October. 

12. The boms of Saul; 1 Sam. 31:11-13. 

14. Was entreated for the land; removed the famine by 
sending raiu. 

17. Quench not the light; not deprive the nation of the 
blessings of David's reign. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Temporal calamities are the consequences of sin, and 
should lead those who suffer them to self-examination, 
rei)entance, and reformation. 

6. The wickedness of parents may bring great calamities 
on their children, and the wickedness of rulers great calami- 
ties on their people, long after such parents and rulers are 
dead. Though the Lord delays, he docs not forget, and in 
due time will manifest his just indignation against sin. 

10. The condition of children is often a source of great 
distress to parents, and occasions them troubles under 
which none but God can comfort, and from which none 
else can relieve them. 



again a battle with the Philistines at Gob : then 
Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph,* which was of 
the sons of the giant. "^ 

19 And there was again a battle in Gob with 
the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare- 
oregim,^ a Beth-lehemite, slew t/ie brother of Goliath 
the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a 
weaver's beam. 

20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where 
was a man oi great stature, that had on every hand 
sis fingers, and on every foot si.x toes, four and 
twenty in number ; and he also was born to the 
giant.* 

21 And when he defied* Israel, Jonathan the son 
of Shimeah* the brother of David slew him. 

22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, 
and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand 
of his servants. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

A psalm of thanksgiving for God's powerful deliverance, and manifold 
blessings. 

AND David spake unto the Lord the words of 
this song,'" in the day that the Lord had de- 
livered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and 
out of the hand of Saul :' 

2 And he said. The Lord is my rock,^ and my 
fortress, and my deliverer ; " 

3 The God of my rock : in him will I trust : he 
is my shield,' and the horn of my salvation,™ my 
high tower," and my refuge," my saviour; thou 
savest me from violence. 

4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be 
praised : so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 

5 When the waves ^ of death compassed me, the 
floods of ungodly men' made me afraid ; 

6 The sorrows' of hell compassed me about; the 
snares of death pi-evented me. 

7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and 
cried to my God : ■" and he did hear my voice out 
of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears." 



16:9. hPsa. lli;:2. 3. i Psa. IS. title. J Dent. 32:4. kPsa. 01:2. 1 Gen. 
15:1; Psa. t>l:ll. "Luke 1:69. n Prov. 1S:1U. » P.=a. 46:1,^ II ; Jer. 
16:19. i Or, pangs, t Heb. Belial. ^ Or, cords, p Jon. 2:2. q Psa. 34:6, 



14. The common blessings of life all come from God, 
and every new harvest lays men under new obligations 
to love and obey him. 

17. The life, health, and reputation of good rulers are 
great blessings to the people, for the possession and con- 
tinuance of which they should earnestly pray, and, when 
granted, be especially grateful. 

19. Great bodily strength and vigor are apt to be idol- 
ized, and when they are, often prove occasions of ruin to 
their possessors. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

2. Rock, and— fortress ; support and protection. 

3. The God of my rock; ver. 47 ; 2 Cor. 1:3. Shield; de- 
fence from enemies, /forn; the emblem of power. Tower; 
source of security. 

5. Waves of death ; calamities breaking in upon him like 
the waves of the sea, and threatening to destroy him. 
Floods of ungodly men ; this figure expresses both their 
multitude and their impetuous force. 

6. Prevented; this word originally meant, to go before, 
so as to stop one's way. 

393 



David's psalm of 



2 SAMUEL XXII. 



thanksgiving to God. 



8 Then tlic onrtli slionk and frcniblcil ;" the foun- 
dations of licavcu moved and shook,'' because lie 
was wrotli. 

9 Thoio went up a smoke out of his nostrils, 
and lire out of his mouth devoured:*' coals were 
kindli'd liy it. 

1(1 lie Itowed the heavens also, and came down ;'' 
and darkness wax under his feet." 

11 And he rode mion a cherub, and did fiy / and 
he was seen upon flie wings of tlie wind." 

12 And he made darkness ])avilions round about 
him, dark waters.* and tluck clouds of tlio skies. 

1;J Tliroufjli the brightness before hiiii were coals 
of lire kindled. 

14 The LoitD thundered from heaven,'' and the 
Most High uttered his voice. 

15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them ; ' 
lightning, and discomfited them. 

1(5 And the channels of the sea appeared,-' the 
foundations of the world were discovered, at the 
rebuking of the LoiU), at the blast of the breath 
of his nostrils.* 

17 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me 
out of many'* waters." 

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and 
from them that liatcd me : for they were too strong 
for me. 

19 Tliey prevented me in the day of my calam- 
ity : but the Lord was my stay. 

20 He brought me forth also into a large place : 
he delivered me, because he deliglited in me.' 

21 The Lord rewarded me according to my 
righteousness:™ according to the cleanness of my 
hands hatli he recompensed me." 

22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord," and 
have not wickedly departed "from my God. 

23 For all his judgments were before me:'' and 
as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 

24 I was also upright before him,' and have kept 
myself from mine iniquity. 

2-5 Therefore tiie Lord hath recompensed me 
according to my righteousness ; according to my 
cleanness in his eyesight.^ 

26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself mer- 



» Judg..):4; Hab. :!:0, 10. bJoba6:ll. • Heb. Jy. <^ Tsa. 07:3, 4. d Tsi. 
64:1. ePsa. 07:2. f Ezek. 0:3. s Psa. 104:3. 1 HA. binjing of waters. 
hPsa. 29:31 Isa. 30:30. '0601.32:23. j Nab. 1:4. t Or, o/i^-fr; Psi. 74:1. 
iOr.grmt. klsa.43:2. 1 ch. 15:2e. m I Sam. 26:23. iiJobl7:9. o Prov. 
b:32. p Psa. 110:30. I Heb. to him. 1 Heb. iefore his eyes. <l Malt. 5:7. 



8-16. A highly poetical description of God's appearing 
for the deliverance of his servant, and the destruction of 
his enemies. 

13. Through the brightness — kindled; or, from the bright- 
ness that was before him burning coals proceeded. 

16. Cliannek — appeared, the foundations of the world irere 
discovered; the waters are represented as fleeing at God's 
presence, so that the deep channels of the sea are laid 
bare to human vision. 

17. Many waters; great afflictions. See note to ver. 5. 

19. Prevented; see note to verse 6. 

20. Into a large place; where I had freedom from my 
enemies and the distresses they brought upon me. The 
figure is taken from military life, where notliing is bo 
dangerous as to be hemmed in among narrow defiles. 

21. Righteousness—ckanness of my hands; his innocence 
of the sins charged upon him, and his hearty devotion to 
the service of God. 

24. Upright; honest, sincere, and merciful. Mine ini- 
quity; that to which he was most tempted. 
394 



cifiil ;■' and with the upright man thou wilt li."; iS5. 
shiiw lliyself u])right. 

27 With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; 
and with the froward thou wilt show' thyself un- 
savory.' 

28 And the afllieted people thou wilt save: but 
thine eyes arc njion the haughty," that thou nuiy- 
est Ijriiig thim down. 

2',l For thou art my lamp,' Lord: and the 
Lord will lighten my darkness. 

30 For by thee I have run' through a troop: by 
my God have I leaped over a Avail. 

31 ./is for God, his way is perfect; the word of 
the Lord is tried:* he is a buckler to all them 
that trust in him. 

32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is 
a rock, save our God? 

33 God is my strength and power ; and he mak- 
eth' my way perfect. 

34 He maketh^ my feet like hinds'/cf<,' and set- 
teth me upon my high places. 

35 He teacheth my hands to war ;* so that a bow 
of steel is broken by mine arms. 

3C Thou hast also given me the shield of thy sal- 
vation : and thy gentleness hath made me great.' 

37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so 
that my feet' did not slip. 

38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed 
them ; and turned not again until I had consumed 
them. 

39 And I have consumed them, and wounded 
them, that they could not arise: yea, they are 
fallen under my feet." 

40 For thou hast girded me with strength to 
battle: thorn that rose up against me hast thou 
subdued'^ under me.'' 

41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine 
enemies,™ that I might destroy them that hate me. 

42 They looked, but there teas none to save ; tvtn 
unto the Lord, but he answered them not." 

43 Then did I bent them as small as the dust of 
the earth :■' I did stamp them as the mire of the 
street,^ and did .spread them abroad. 

44 Thou also hast delivered me from the striv- 



•Ot, wrestle. r'l.ev.iCy.-i'i. •Dan.4:.'!7. t Or, mnrf/c. X Or. broken, i Or, 
refined, t lleh riddeth, or looseth. 1 Beb. equallelh. <Hab'. 3:19. * Hcb. 
for the war. t Hsb. multiplied nu. t Heb. ankles, u Mai. 4:3. » Heb. 
causedtobow. vp..a.44:.5. w Gen. 49:8; Josh. 10:24. i Prov. 1:28; Wic. 
3:4. y 2 Kings 13:7. zMic. 7:10. 



27. Show thyself unsavory ; he would contend with, op- 
pose, and punish them. 

29. My lamp; showing him the way in which he should 
go. 

30. Run through; broken. Leaped over a wall ; scaled 
the wall of the enemy. 

34. Like hinds' feet ; very swift, and able to stand in 
safety on the most dangerous places. 

35. A bow of steel is broken; or, according to some trans- 
lators, is bent; showing that God had given him great 
strength. 

36. Gentleness; condescending kindness and teaching. 

37. Enlarged my steps; given me full liberty and enabled 
me to walk in safety. 

41. The necks of mine enemies; the meaning of the orig- 
inal is, Tliou hast caused mine enemies to turn their backs 
before me. 

42. Answered them not; their cry to him was that of dis- 
tress merely, after they were given up to ruin as a pun- 
ishment for their sins. Prov. 1:28. 



David's Inst words. 



2 SAMUEL XXIII. 



His mighty men of war. 



B.i''ioi^' ings of my people," tliou hast kept me to 
be head of tlic heathen:" a people which I knew 
not sliall serve me. 

45 Strangers* shall submit themselves* unto me : 
as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto 
me. 

40 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be 
afraid out of their close places.'' 

47 The Lord liveth ; and blessed be my rock ; 
and exalted be the God of the rock of my salva- 
tion. 

48 It is God that avengeth me,* and that bring- 
eth down the people under me, 

49 And that bringeth me forth from mine ene- 
mies: tliou also hast lifted me up on high above 
them that rose up against mo : thou hast delivered 
me from the violent man.'' 

50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, 
Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises 
unto tliy name. 

51 He is the tower of salvation for his king : and 
showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to 
his seed for evermore." 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 David, in his last words, professeth his faith in G-od's promises to be 
beyond sense or experience. 6 The different state of the wicked. 8 
A 'catalogue of David's mighty men. 

ATO W these be the last words of David. David 
_L\ the son of Jesse said, and the man %vho was 
raised up on high,'' the anointed of the God of 
Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel,!^ said, 



»CK. 3:1| 19:9, 14; 20:1,2 


22. bPsi. 2:8. • 


Helt. Sons of the strayiger. 


t Or, yield feigned obedience 


; Heb. lie,- Dent. 


33:29; Psa. 06:3. c Mio. 


7:17. 1 Heb. giveth avenge 


ment for me; ch. 


18:19, 31; 1 Sim. 2.5:39. 


d I'sa. 52:1,5, d; 2 Thess. 3:-. 


. f Psa. 89:29, 36 


rPsa. 78:70, 71. 5 Luke 



46. Shalt be afraid out of their dose places; shall come forth 
out of thein with fear. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. DeUverance from trouble should be ever followed by 
devout acknowledgment of God as its author, and hearty 
thanksgiving for his mercies. 

4. Humble dependence on God with believing suppli- 
cation to him for all which is needed, is one of the best 
means of gaining benefit from trials while they last, and 
in due time a glorious deKverance from them. 

8. All created tilings are dependent upon and under the 
control of Jehovah, and whenever he sees best he can use 
them as instruments for the salvation of his friends and 
the destruction of his enemies. 

21. The Lord often treats men in this world according 
to their character; and he will always do it in the world 
to come. 

28. The humble, sincere, and benevolent are objects of 
God's favor, and receive special tokens of his love; while 
the proud, hypocritical, and selfish he abhors, and will 
visit with his displeasure. 

34. There are no difficulties in the path of duty which 
those who trust in God may not overcome, and no dangers 
which they may not escape. 

40. God adapts his dealings to the circumstances of his 
people, and gives mercies according to their necessities ; 
so that as their day is, their wisdom, strengtli, consolation, 
and all needful blessings will be. Deut. 33:25. 

45. From what God has done for his people they are 
encouraged as to what he will do, and led confidently to 
expect that he will fulfil his promises for ever. 

CHAPTER XXIIL 

1. Tlie last words of David ; the last that he spoke under 



2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his 
word was in my tongue.'' 

3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel 
spake to me. He that ruleth^ over men must be 
just,' ruling in the fear of God.J 

4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, 
wheniha sun riseth.fwcn a morning without clouds;'' 
as the tender grass springing out of the eartli by 
clear shining after rain.' 

5 Although my house be not so with God ; yet 
lie hath made with me an everlasting covenant,"" 
ordered in all things, and sure : for this is all my 
salvation, and all 7ny desire," although he make it 
not to grow. 

6 But the S071S of Belial shall be all of them as 
tliorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken 
witli hands: 

7 But the man that shall touch them must be 
fenced" witli iron and the staff of a spear; and 
they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same 
place." 

8 1 Tliese be the names of the mighty men whom 
David had: The Tachmonite tliat sat in the seat, 
chief among the captains;' the same ivas Adino 
the Eznite : he lifted up his spear against eight hun- 
dred, whom* he slew at one time. 

9 And after him ivas Eleazar the son of Dodo 
the Ahohite, 07te of the three mighty men with 
David, when they defied the Philistines that wei-e 
there gathered together to battle, and the men of 
Israel were gone away : 

10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his 



24:44. haPet. 1-21. i Ot, Be tliou ruler, etc. ; Vs3.. U0:2. iProv. 31:9. 
J Exod. 18:21; 2Chr. 19:7, 9. kProv. 4:18. 1 Psa. 72:0. m ch. 7:14-16; 
Isa. 55:3. n Psa. 73:2.5, 26 I Heb.^i/erf. o Matt. 3:10. % Oi, Joshebbasse- 
bet the Tachmonite, heact of the three. ' Or, slain. 



the immediate inspiration of God's Spirit ; or the last in- 
spired song that he dictated. Perhaps, also, they are lit- 
erally his last words, for it seems probable that the events 
recorded in this and the following chapter are not given 
in the exact order of time. Those recorded in the first 
book of Kings are from the pen of another author. 

5. Altliough my house be not so with God; though my fam- 
ily be not in many respects such in character as the just 
ruler wliom I have described. Altliough he make it not to 
grow; although my family do not increase in piety and 
prosperity as I could desire. But some prefer to render 
tliese two clauses interrogatively, thus : " Is not my house 
so with God ?'' and, " Shall he not make it to grow ?" That 
is, Shall he not establish my house for ever, according to 
the everlasting covenant he has made with me? The prom- 
ise that David's house should be established for ever is 
fulfilled in Christ, the son of David. See note to chap. 7:12. 
And it is in Christ alone that the idea of a perfect ruler, 
such as David here describes, is realized. Compare the 
very similar language used of Christ's reign, Psa. 72:6,7, 
12-14. 

6. Tliorns thrust away ; rejected as worthless, and destined 
to be rooted out and burned. Cannot be taken with hands ; 
that is, cannot be plucked away with unarmed hands. 

7. Shall touch them ; take hold of them to destroy them. 
Among the sons of Belial David probably included such 
men as .loab, whom he found himself unable to root out 
during his own reign. See 1 Kings 2:5. 

8. Tlie Tachmonite — chief among the captains; compare 
1 Cliron. 11:11, where the number slain by him is stated 
at tliree hundred. In very brief notices like this, appar- 
ent discrepancies frequently occur, which a more minute 
statement of circumstances might remove. Some, liow- 
ever, suppose that an error of number has been admitted 
in transcribing. 

395 



A attalogue of Darid's 



2 SAMUEL XXIII. 



mighty men of war. 



hand was weary, ami liis liaiul olave unto tlic 
Bwortl: and the' liOHi) wroujrht a jri-oat victory 
that day ; and tlie ]iec)plc retuined al'lor him only 
to spnil. 

1 1 And after liini was Sliammah the son of Agec 
the llararito. And tlio Pliilistines were gathered 
tosrether into a troop,' where was apieceoff^round 
full of leutiles: and the people fled from the Phi- 
li.-itiiH's. 

12 Hut he stood in the midst of the ground, and 
defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the 
LoKi) wrought a great victory. 

l:} And three of the thirty chief* went down, 
and came to David in the harvest-time unto the 
cave of Adullam : " and the troop of the Philistines 
pitched in the valley of R('|iliaini. 

1-1 And David was then in a hold, and the gar- 
rison of the Pliilistines was then in Bcth-lohcm. 

15 And David longed, and said. Oh that one 
woidd give me drink of the water of the well of 
Beth-lehem, which is by the gate ! 

IG And the three mighty men brake through the 
host of the Philistines, and drew water out of 
the well of Betli-lchem, that was by the gate, and 
took it, and brought it to David : nevertheless he 
would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto 
the Loiu). 

17 And he said, Be it far from me, Lord, that 
I should do this : is not this the blood of the men 
that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he 
would not drink it. These things did these three 
mighty men. 

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of 
Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted 
up his spear against three hundred, ajid slew* them, 
and had the name among tliree. 

19 Was he not most honorable of three? there- 
fore he was their captain: howbeit he attained 
not unto the first three. 

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of 
a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many 
acts,^ he slew two lion-like men ' of Moab : he went 



• Or. for foraging, t Or, the three captains over the thirty, a 1 Sam. 
22:1. 1 Hcb. sfain. iUA.' great of a^ts. fRi-h. linns of Gad. H Heb. a 
man of countenance, or sight; called, 1 Chr. llril, a man of great stature. 



11, Lentiles; a species of pulse or pea. 
iX Atlallam; 1 Sam. 22:1. licpJtaim; chap. 5:18. 
17. The blood of the men; water for which they had haz- 
arded their lives, 

20. Kabzccl; in the south part of Judah. Josh. 15:21. 
Lion-like; fierce, strong, courageous. 

21, ^ goodly man; one of warlike appearance, and of 
great strength and stature. 1 Cliron. 11 : 23, 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1, The last words of good men often make a deep im- 
pression on survivors, and their past labors, directed and 
aided bj' the Spirit of God, may to the end of time assist 
others in preparing for heaven. 

2, As the Spirit of God spoke by David, the words which 
under His guidance he uttered were the words of God ; 
and Peter, in declaring that the Holy Ghost spoke by the 
mouth of David, uttered nothing but what was true. Acts 
1:16, 

3, Parents, masters, magistrates, and rulers of every 
description, are under sacred obligations to be in all things 
strictly just ; they are forbidden by Jehovah to exercise 
the least injustice towards any whom they govern. 

396 



(lipwn :ilso and slew a lion iu the midst of u.JviSl 
a pit in time of snow. 

21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly maii:^ 
and the l']gyptian had a spear in his hand : hut he 
went down to him with a stall", and jducked the 
spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him 
with his own spear. 

22 These </i/»i/fi- did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, 
and had the name among three migiity men, 

23 lie was more honorable than the thirty,* but 
he attained not to the first three. And David set 
him over his guard.* 

24 Asahel the brother of Joab vas one of the 
thirty ; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Belh-leheni, 

25 Shamniah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 
2() llelez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkcsh the 

Tekoite, 

27 Aliiezer the Auethothite, Mcbunnai the II u- 
shathitc, 

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netojiha- 
thite, 

29 Ileleb the son of Baanah, a Netophatliite, 
Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the chil- 
dren of Benjamin, 

30 Benaiah tliePiratlionite,Hiddaiof the brooks* 
of Gaash, 

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bar- 
hnmitc, 

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonitc ; of the sons of Ja- 
shen, Jonathan, 

33 Sliammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of 
Sharar the Hararite, 

3-1 Eliphelct the son of Ahasbai, the son of the 
Maaehalhitc, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the 
Gilonite, 

35 Hczrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 

36 Igal the sou of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the 
Gadite, 

37 Zeiek the Ammonite, Nahari the Bcerothite, 
armor-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 

38 Ira an Ithrite,'' Gareb an Ithrite, 

39 Uriah the Hittite:'' thirty and seven in all. 



afjle among the thirty. 1 Or. over council; Hi'b. at kis command; 
14. t Or, valleys, bch. 2U:26. c ch. 11:3, etc. 



4. Rulers who obey God and so rule as to please him, are 
great blessings to themselves, their families, and the world. 

5. Parents, however exalted, cannot with certainty se- 
cure the piety of their children, nor masters of their ser- 
vants, nor rulers of their people ; and even for their own 
piety and salvation they are dependent upon the rich grace 
of God in Jesus Christ. The everlasting covenant made 
with him and his people is their only security. In this 
they delight, and the salvation it proffers they supremely 
desire. 

6. Though the wicked may here for a time prosper, and 
the righteous be in ti-ouble, yet their condition will soon 
be reversed ; the righteous through grace will be com- 
forted, and the wicked through their persevering wicked- 
ness will be tormented, Mai, 3:18; Luke 16:25. 

8. Different men have different talents, both in kind and 
degree ; but all their capacities and powers they receive 
from God, and should employ in learning and doing his 
will. They will thus best secure their own welfare, and 
do the most good of which they are capable to others. 

13-17, We should ever be ready to deny ourselves and 
endure privation, rather than jeopard the lives or injure 
the souls of our feUow-men, 1 Cor. 8:9-13. 



David numhtrcth Israel. 



2 SAMUEL XXIV. 



He repenteth thereof. 



klS CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 David, tempted by Satan, forceth Joab to number the people. 5 The 
captains, in nine months and twenty days, bring the muster of thir- 
teen hundred tlwusand figlitmg men. 10 David, having three pKagues 
propounded by Gad, repenteth, and chooseth the three days' pestilence. 
1.5 After the death of threescore and ten thousand, David by repent- 
ance preventeth the destruction of Jerusalem. 18 David, by (jad's 
direction, purchaseth Araunah's threshing-floor; where having sacri- 
ficed, the plague stayeth. 

AND again the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against Israel," and lie" moved David against 
them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.'' 

2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the 
host, wliich ivas with him, Go* now through all the 
tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and 
number ye the people, that I may know the num- 
ber of the people.'^ 

3 And Joalj said unto the king, Now the Lord 
thy God add unto the people, how many soever 
they be, a hundred-fold, and that the eyes of ray 
lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord 
the king delight in this thing? 

•i Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed 
against Joab, and against the captains of the host. 
And Joab and the captains of the host went out 
from the presence of the king, to number the peo- 
ple of Israel. 

5 T And tliey passed over Jordan, and pitched 
in Aroer,"* on the right side of the city that liefh in 
the midst of the river* of Gad, and toward Jazer :" 

6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of 
Tahtim-hodshi j^ and they came to Dan-jaan,*' and 
about to Zidon,^ 

7 .\nd came to the strong-hold of Tyre, and to 
all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaan- 
ites : and they went out to the south of Judah, 
even to Beer-slieba. 

8 So when they had gone through all the land, 
they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months 
and twenty days. 

9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of 
the people unto the king: and there were in Israel 
eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the 
sword ; and the men of Judah wei-e five hundred 
thousand men. 

10 "I And David's heart smote him after that he 
had numbered the people." And David said unto 
the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have 
done:' and now, I beseech thee, Lord, take 
away the iniquity of thy servant ;' for I have done 
very foolishly.'' 

li For when David was up in the morning, the 



aCh. 


21:1. 


Satan 


; 1 Chr. 21:1, 


etc.; Jas. 1:1.'S. 


14. hi Chr. 


27:23,24. 


t Or. Compass. 


= .Ter 


17:5. djosh 


!:i:9, 15. 1 Or 


ralUy. e > 


urn. 32:1, 


3. SOr 


nether lanil ne 


wly inhabited. 


fjudg 


18:29. 


e Josh. 19:2S. 


tlSam. 


24:5. 


ch. 12: in. J flos. 14:2. ' 


1 Sam. 


13:13. 


1 1 Sam. 29:5: 1 Chr. 


29:29. 


m Lev. 


26:41, 


43. » 1 Chr. 


21:12. 


B Or. many, o Psa. 


1U3:S-11; 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

1. Kindled against Israel; on account of their sins. He 
moved David against them; David was moved or tempted 
by Satan to commit a sin, which was made instrumental 
in punishini; the Israehtes for their sins. 1 Chron. 21:1; 
Jas. 1 : 13, 14. 

2. Go now through all the tribes of Israel, and number ye 
the people; he had no good reason for this act, which seems 
to have been prompted by a feeling of pride and ambitious 
curiosity. 

5. Aroer; a city in the south-east part of the country. 

6. Gilead — I'ahtim - liadshi — Dan-jaan; places between 



word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad,' 
David's seer, saying, 

12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, 
I offer thee tliree thinsrs : choose thee one of them,'" 
that I may do it unto thee. 

13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said 
unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto 
thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months 
before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or 
that there be three days' pestilence in thy land?" 
Now advise, and see what answer I shall return 
to liiin that sent me. 

14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great 
strait : let us fall now into the hand of the Lord ; 
for his mercies are great : ' ° and let me not fall into 
the hand of man.'' 

15 1 So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel 
from the morning even to the time appointed : and 
there died of the people from Dan even to Beer- 
sheba seventy thousand men. 

16 And when the angel stretched out his hand 
upon Jerusalem to destroy it,'' the Lord repented 
him of the evil,"" and said to the angel that de- 
stroyed the people, It is enough:' stay now thy 
hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the 
threshing-place of Araunah' the Jebusite. 

17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw 
the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I 
have sinned, and I have done wickedly :' but these 
sheep," what have they done? let thy hand, I pray 
thee, be against me, and against my father's house. 

18 IT And Gad came that day to David, and said 
unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in 
the threshing-floor of Araunah* the Jebusite. 

19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, 
went up as the Lord commanded. 

20 And Araunah looked and saw the king and 
his servants coming on toward him : and Araunah 
went out, and bowed himself before the king on 
his face upon the ground. 

21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord tlie 
king come to his servant? And David said, To 
buy the threshing-floor of thee,^' to build an altar 
unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed 
from the people." 

22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord 
the king take and ofler up what secmet/i good unto 
him : behold, here be oxen for burnt-sacrifice," and 
threshing-instruments and other instruments of the 
oxen for wood. 



119:1.50:130. p Psa. 106:41. 42; Isa. 47:0. 1 Plxod. 12:23. r Psa. 90:13: 
135:14. 3 Isa. 27:S; 57:16;Joel 2:13,14. 1 Ornan.l Chr. 21:15; 2 Chr. 



Aroer and the north border of Canaan. Zidon; at the 
north-west corner. 

7. Tyre; south of Zidon. Beer-sheba; the southern ex- 
tremity of the country. 

11. David's seer; a prophet who made known to him the 
-B-ill of God. 

14. Into the hand of the Lord; thus he chose the pesti- 
lence, which came as an immediate infliction from God. 

16. Repented him; changed his course of conduct. Arau- 
nah the Icbitsite ; the Jebusites were the original iidiabitants 
of Jerusalem, and Araunah's threshing-floor was probably 
on the site of the future tem]>le. 1 Chrou. 22:1. 

17. These sheep; the Israelites. 

397 



SacriJUts being offend, 



2 SAMUEL XXIV. 



the plague is stayed. 



2li All these //ii;i/r.? diil Araunali, as a kiiif^," give 
unto the kiiiir. Ami AiMiiiiali said uuto tlic king, 
The L(iui) tliy (Jod aeeept lliee.'' 

24 And the king said unto Araunali, Nay; l)ut 
I will surely buy // of thee at a ))rice: uuilhor will 
I offer burnt-oflerings unto the Lokd my God of 
that whieh doth cost uic nothing. So David bought 



:0. b Job 4i:8, 9; Ewk. 4():40, 41. 



24. Fi/ly shekels of silver; ho further paid him bIx hun- 
dred shekels of gold for " the place of the threshing-floor." 
iChion. 21:22-25. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Rulers are often left to act very foolishly and wick- 
edly, and Satan is sufl'ered to tempt them to tlio conimis- 
sion of sins, which occasion dreadful calamities as a pun- 
ishment for the sins of the people. 

2. A rapid increase of population and great prosperity 
among a people may make not only them but their rulers 
proud, overbearing, and self-cohfideut, and may thus draw 
down upon them the sore and desolating judgments of 
heaven. 

3. Even wicked men see with great clearness that the 
course which Christians .sometimes aro disposed to take 
is morally wrong, and will end in trouble. They some- 
times give warning and advice which it would be well 
for Christians to follow. 

4. Despotic power tends to blind the mind and harden 
the heart. Those who possess it are often deaf to reason, 
and bent on a course which will bring great troubles on 
themselves and others. 

10. A good man's conscience, though it sometimes in 
his commission of sin seems to be dead, is nevertheless 
alive ; and it will sooner or later awake, condemn him for 
his iniquity, fill him with pungent grief, and deep, heart- 



tho threshing-floor and the o.xen for fifty u.oim?: 
shekels of silver. 

2.5 And David built there an altar unto the Lord, 
and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. 
So the Loud was entreated for the laud," and the 
plague was stayed from Israel.'' 



JNum. 10:47,48; 21:7-0. 



felt contrition, and lead hira to most earnest suppKcations 
to God for mercy. 

12. No degree of penitence or faith in Jesus Christ will 
save the guilty in this world from many of the distress- 
ing effects of their sins, nor can they bo sure that they 
will not be the occasion of bringing upou others endless 
destruction. 

14. The only resource for the truly penitent is in hearty 
submission to God, and unreserved commitment of all their 
interests to him. 

16. Jehovah is a God of infinite compassion. lie has 
no pleasure in the ruin even of the most guilty, and pun- 
ishes as few and as little as will possibly consist witli the 
highest public good. In the turning of sinners from tho 
error of their ways, he has groat delight. 

17. Few things are more distressing to a truly ingenu- 
ous and benevolent mind, than to have been the guilty 
occasion of bringing distress upon others, and it often 
wishes that the consequences of its own sins could bo 
borne only liy itself 

2.5. There is no effectual and permanent relief from tho 
sufierings which sin occasions, or from sin itself, but in 
hearty ;ipplication, according to the directions of God, to 
Ilim who (lied the just for the unjust, offering himself a 
sacrifice for sin. and thus obtaining eternal redemption 
for all who put their trust in him. 



398 



THE 

FIEST BOOK OF THE KINGS, 

COMMONLY CALLED, 

THE THIED BOOK OF THE KINGS. 



The two books of the Kixgs, like the two of Samuel, properly constitute but one work. That they 
were composed at one time and by one author is generally agreed. The division into two books was 
first made bj' the Greek translators, who named them respectively, Second and Third Book of the Kino-s. 
See the introduction to the first book of Samuel. 

According to the tradition of the Jewish Talmudists, " Jeremiah wrote his own book " that of his 

prophecies— " and the book of Kings and Lamentations." This tradition is not improbable, thouo-li we 
cannot certainly say whether the work proceeded from him, or some other prophet who lived during the 
Captivity. It comprises the history of Judah and Israel from the closing years of David's reign to the 
death of Jehoiachin in Babylon ; that is, according to the common computation, through a period of more 
than four hundred and fifty years. See the marginal dates. Evil-merodach, who released Jehoiachin 
from prison, reigned, according to Josephus, two years. Whether Jehoiachin survived him and if so 
how long, we have no means of determining. 

The author of these books constantly refers, for the history of the kingdom of Judah, to " the book of 
the Chronicles of the kings of Judah," except in the case of Solomon, where he names " the book of the 
acts of Solomon." For the history of the kingdom of Israel, he refers, in like manner, to "the book of the 
Chronicles of the kings of Israel" in such a way as to make it manifest that these were two separate 
books of annals, from which he took such extracts as suited his purpose, while he referred the reader to 
the works themselves for fuller details. These two books of chronicles must not be confounded with the 
books of Chronicles contained in tlie sacred canon, which are of later date, and also themselves refer to 
fuller annals. See the introduction to the books of Chronicles. 

The exact character of the annals to which the author of the books of Kings so constantly refers, it 
is not necessary that we should determine ; since it is certain that he was divinely illuminated, so as to 
present the historic facts contained in these annals in their true light. His history faithfully and impar- 
tially records alike the sins of the pious kings, and the acts of the wicked kings that were in their out- 
ward form right and conducive to the prospcj'ity of the people. It goes below the surface of things, and 
traces, as it should, the prosperity of God's people, and the calamities which befell them, to his blessing 
and his curse, measured out to tlicm according to the immutable principles of the covenant made with 
their fathers. 

And since the general principles upon which God deals with nations are the same for aU ages and 
countries, this histoi-y of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel is a clear mirror into which the rulers of the 
present day and their people may look, if they will, and see the destiny that awaits them. It is only by 
righteousness and the fear of God that they can attain to true freedom and prosperity. The idea that 
by any increase of their outward power and wealth they can be made permanently happy and tranquil, 
while they despise God's word, break his laws, and administer their governments upon unrighteous prin- 
ciples, is a miserable delusion. They who indulge in it will sooner or later be awakened from their 
foolish dream by the stern hand of God's providence, and made to understand, by their own bitter expe- 
rience, that "righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people." 

399 



T?ie rebellion of Adonijah. 



1 KINGS I, 



David's promise to Bath'shcba. 



CHAPTER I, 



1 Abithsg cheriihfth l>»riJ in hi» citroinc nge. 5 Adonijah, Dsrid'n 
darlini;. uiurpcUi Uie kingjom. II Uy tlio counsel of Nathnn. lO 
Bnth-ihcbs niovrtli ilu- kiuK, '-.>-.> ruid Nathnn sccondelh hi-r. 2S iH- 
TiJ rcnrwrlli his o^iih to lluili-sht'h.i. 3..' St^lomon, by Davitl'a apimnit- 
ment, bnn^ anoint^'d tiing by Zadolc and N;ithan, thu people triumph. 
41 Jonathan brinj^ing these news, Adonijah's guests fly. SU Adoni- 
jah, tlyint; to thu horns of the altar, upon his good behavior is dis- 
missed by Solomon. 

NOW kiiifT David was old and stricken inycars ;* 
and they covered him with clothes, but he gat 
no heat. 

2 Wlierefore his servants said unto him, Let 
there be sought* for my lord the king a young vir- 
gin :' and let lier stand before the king, and let her 
cherish^ him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that 
my lord tlie king may get.heat. 

3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout 
all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shu- 
nammite, and brought her to the king. 

4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished 
the king, and ministered to him: but the king 
knew her not. 

5 TT Then Adonijah the son of Haggith" exalted 
himself,'' saying, I will be king:' and he prepared 
him chariots and horsemen, and lifty men to run 
before liim." 

6 And his father had not displeased him at any 
time^ in saying. Why hast thou done so? and he 
also icas a very goodly man; and his motlier bare 
him after Absalom. 

7 And he conferred* with Joab the son of Zeru- 
iah,'^ and with Abiatliar the priest:" and they fol- 
lowing Adonijali helped him.^ 

S But Zadok the priest, and Benaiali the son of 
Jehoiada, and Nathan tlie proiihct, and Shiraei,'' 
and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to 
David,- were not with Adonijah. 

9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat 
cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En- 
rogel,* and called all his brethren the king's sons, 
and all the men of Judah the king's servants: 

10 But Nathan the prophet,'' and Beuaiah, and 
the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he call- 
ed not. 

11 1 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba 
the mother of Solomon, saying. Hast thou not heard, 
that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and 
David our lord knoweth it not? 

\'l Now tlierefore come, let me, I pray thee, give 
thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, 
and tlie life of tliy son Solomon. 

13 Go and get thee in unto king David, and say 
unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, king, swear 
unto thy handmaid,' sayings Assuredly Solomon 



^f^h. entered into days, t Heb. them seek. I lleh. a damsel, a virgin, 
t Hub. be a rherMer unto, a 2 Sam. 3:4. l>Lukel4:]l. i Hub. reign. 
c-JSam. lo:l. ^ H-h. from his days. • Heb. his words were, d ch. 2:23. 
« 2 Sam. 20:25. t Ueb. helped after Adonijah. t ch. 4: IS. s 2 Sam. 2:3:8, 



CHAPTER I. 

5. Ha^sith ; one of David's wives. 

6. Bare him after; he was next in age to Absalom, whose 
mother's name was Maacah. 2 Sam. 3:3, 4. 

.S. Hhimei; supposed to have been Shimei the son of Elah, 
afterwards one of Solomon's officers. Chap. 4:18. 

9. Ett-rogel; a fountain on the south-east of Jerusalem, 
in the valley of Kedron. 
400 



thy son shall reign after me, ami he shall n *'• nlfj; 
sit u])on my tlirone?^ why then doth Adonijah 
reign? 

14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the 
king, 1 also will come in after thee, and conlirm* 
thy words. 

15 "il And Bath-shcba went in unto the king into 
the chamber : and the king was very old : and .\bi- 
sliag the Shunammite ministered unto tlic king. 

16 And Bath-sheba bowed and did obeisance 
unto the king. And the king said, What wouldcst 
thou?' 

17 And she said unto him. My lord, thou swarcst 
by the Lord thy God unto tiiy handmaid, saying, 
Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, 
and he siuill sit upon my throne. 

18 And now, behold, Adonijali reigneth ; and 
now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not : 

19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and 
sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons 
of the king, and Abiatliar the priest, and Joab the 
cajjtain of the host:'' but Solomon thy servant 
hath he not called. 

20 And thou, my lord, king, the eyes of all 
Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell lliem 
who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king 
after him. 

21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord 
the king shall sleep with his fathers,' that I and 
my son Solomon shall be counted oifenders.' 

22 IT And lo, while she yet talked with the king, 
Nathan the prophet also came in. 

23 And they told the king, saying,Behold Nathan 
the propliet. And when he was come in before the 
king, he bowed himself before the king with his 
face to the ground. 

24 And Nathan said. My lord, king, hast thou 
said, Adonijali shall reign after me, and he shall 
sit upon my throne? 

25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain 
oxen and f\it cattle and sheep in abundance, and 
hath called all the king's sons, and the captains 
of the host, and Abiathar the priest;™ and behold, 
they eat and drink before him, and say, God save 
king Adonijah."" 

26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the 
priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy 
servant Solomon, hath he not called. 

27 Is this tiling done by my lord the king, and 
thou hast not showed it unto thy servant, who 
should sit on the throne of my lord the king after 
him? 

28 1 Then king David answered and said, Call 



etc. 1 Or, the well Rogel; 2 Sara. 17:17. h 2 Sam. 12:1, etc. i ver. 30. 
J 1 Chr. 22:(i-13. i Heb.jill up. I Heb. What to thee? k ver. 7-9. I ch. 
2:10. % Heb. sinners, ni yer. 19. • Heb. Let king Adonijah live, n 1 Sam. 



12. Save thine own life, and the life of thy son; had Ado- 
nijah succeeded, it would have been his policy to put 
Solomon, and probably his mother also, to death ; as the 
people knew that David intended that he should be his 
successor, and there would have been a strong party in 
his favor. See ver. 21. 

21. I and my son Solomon shall be counted offender.^; we 
shall be regarded and treated as persons deserving to 
die- 



Solomon is anointed kin^. 



1 KINGS I. 



Adonijah is spared. 



n.c.'m!: me Bath-sheba. And she came into the 
king's presence,* and stood before the king. 

29 And the king sware, and said, Jls tiie Lord 
livcth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all 
distress," 

30 Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God 
of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall 
reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in 
my stead;" even so will I certainly do this day. 

31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to "the 
earth, and did reverence to the king, and said. Let 
my lord king David live for ever." 

32 % And king David said. Call me Zadok the 
priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the 
son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. 

33 The king also said unto them. Take with you 
the servants of your lord,** and cause Solomon my 
son to ride upon mine own* mule, and bring him 
down to Gilion:" 

34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the 
prophet anoint him there king over Israel:' and 
blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king 
Solomon.^ 

35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may 
come and sit upon m}' throne ; for he sliall be king- 
in my stead : and I have appointed him to be ruler 
over Israel and over Judah. 

36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered 
the king, and said. Amen:" the Lord God of my 
lord the king say so too.' 

37 As the Lord hath been with my lord the 
king,J even so be he with Solomon, and make his 
throne greater than the throne of my lord king 
David." 

38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, 
and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cher- 
ethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused 
Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and 
brought him to Gihon. 

39 And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out 
of the tabernacle,' and anointed Solomon.'" And 
they blew the trumpet ; and all the people said, 
God save king Solomon." 

40 And all the people came up after him, and the 
people piped with pipes,* and rejoiced with great 
joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. 

41 H And Adonijah and all the guests thsit were 
with him heard it as they had made an end of 



• Heb. before 


the king. 


2 Sam 


4:9. b ver. 


13, 17. 


c Neh. 2 


3; Dan. 


2:4; 5 


10; 6:2 


. i 


2 Sam 


20:6. 


t Heb- wkick 


beloiigeth to me; 


Est. 6:S. 


• 2Chr 


. 32:30. 


(r.h 


19:16 


ISam. 


10:1; 16:3, 1 


>; 2Sam 


2:4; 5:.3 


; 2 Kings 


9;3; 1 


:!■>; Psi. 89:20, 3G; 


[sa. 45: 


; Acts 10:33 


2Cor. 


:21.92. 


% *2 Kings 


'J:13. 


h Psa. 7 


2: 19. 


i 1 Chr. 17:2- 


. J Josh. 1:5 


17. *■^ 


er. 47; P 


a. 89: -J?. 



33. Gihon; a fountain on the west side of Jerusalem. 

50. Horns of the altar; as a sacred place, where it was 
not customary to put criminals to death. The wilful mur- 
derer was to be taken from the altar before he was slain. 
Exod. 21:14. 

52. Will show himself a worthy man — if tvickedness shall be 
found in him; Solomon will pass by for the present Ado- 
nijah's offence, and put him upon his good behavior. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. If life is spared, age and infirmities will come, and no 
means or efforts of men can save any one from death. All 
should therefore make it their great object so to live that 
death shall be gain. 

li. Over-indulgent parents arc often cursed with rebel- 



eating." And when Joab heard tlie sound of the 
trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city 
being in an uproar? 

42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the 
son of Abiatliar the priest came: and Adonijah 
said unto him, Come in ; for thou ari a valiant man, 
and bringest good tidings." 

43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adoni- 
jah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solo- 
mon king. 

44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the 
priest, and Nathan the propliet, and Benaiah the 
son of Jehoiada, and the Cherctliitcs, and the Pe- 
lethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the 
king's mule; 

45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan tlie prophet 
have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are 
come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang 
again. This is the noise that ye have heard. 

46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of 
the kingdom.'' 

47 And moreover the king's servants came to 
bless our lord king David, saying, God make the 
name of Solomon better tlian thy name, and make 
his throne greater than thy throne."' And the king 
bowed himself upon the bed." 

48 And also thus said the king. Blessed be the 
Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit 
on my throne this day,' mine eyes even seeing it." 

49 And all the guests that u-ere with Adonijah 
were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his 
way. 

50 1 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, 
and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns 
of the altar.'' 

51 And it was told Solomon, saying. Behold, 
Adonijah feareth king Solomon : for lo, lie hath 
caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying. Let 
king Solomon swear unto me to-day tliat he will 
not slay his servant with the sword. 

52 And Solomon said. If he will show himself a 
worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to 
the earth:"" but if wickedness shall be found in 
him," he shall die.'' 

53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him 
down from the altar. And he came and bowed 
himself to king Solomon : and Solomon said unto 
him. Go to thy house. 



1 Exod. 30:23-25; Psa. 89:20. m 1 Chr. 29:22. n 1 Sam. 10:21. I Or, rtuto. 
o Prov. 14:13; Eccl. 7:4-6. P 2 Sam. 18:27. q I Chr. 29:23. r ver. 37. 
sGen.47:31. l ch. 3:6; Psa 132:11 . u Psa. 128:5,6. v ch. 2:28. w 1 Sam. 
14:45; Acts 27:34. i Job 15:22; Prov. 13:6; 21:12. J ch. 2:21-25. 



lions children ; and inordinate desires for political distinc- 
tions have involved multitudes in ruin. 

9. Feastings and carousals have strong attractions for 
the thoughtless, and are often used to draw them into dis- 
sipation and crime. 

12. All wise and proper means should be used to pre- 
vent the success of evil projects, and aid those which will 
honor God and benefit men. 

21. Parents should do what is practicable to prevent 
evils from coming on their families after their death, and 
to secure for them permanent blessings. 

27. Good rulers, who have secured general confidence, 
may by their dying advice greatly promote the welfare 
of their people. 

32. What is essential for the public good should not be 
401 



DavuTs dying ehargf. 



1 KINGS II 



riols of Adonijah. 



CHAPTEU II. 

1 Darid, h.iring pvcn a r.lii»ri;r to Solomon, 3 of rcligiouintM, .') of 
Jo«b, 7 of Banilliu, 8 of ShiimM, 10 JicUi. 1'2 Solomon luccotili'lli. 
13 AJonijiih, inovinjr lintli-nhtlia to sue unto Solomon for AbiilinK. '" 
put to (Iciith. -ti Abiivtiisr, Imving hii lifu given him, ii JepriveJ of 
the prinlhood. 28 Joak lU'eing to the horn» of the altjir it tliure 
sinin. 3-'> Urnaiah in put in Joab a room, and S^adok in Abiathar's. 3ti 
Shimei. confined to Jeriualem, by occ&aion of going thence to Galh is 
put to death. 

NOW the ilays of David drew nigh tliat lie 
should die;" and he charged Solomon lii.s 
son, saving, 

2 I Ro llic way of all the earth :'' be thou strong 
therefore, and siiow thyself a man ;" 

3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to 
walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his 
commandments, and his judgments, and his testi- 
monies, as it is written in the law of .Moses,'' that 
thou mayest i)rosper" in all that thou doest,'^ and 
whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 

4 That the Loud may continue his word which 
ho spake concerning me, saying, If thy children 
take heed to their way, to walk l)eforc me in truth 
with all their heart and with all their soul,' there 
shall not fail thee, said he, a man on the throne of 
Israel.*^ 

5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the 
son of Zcruiah did to me,'' and what he did to the 
two cajitains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the 
son of Ner,' and nnto Amasa the son of Jether,-' 
whom he slew, and shed* the blood of war in peace, 
and put the blood of war upon his girdle that teas 
about his loins, and iu his shoes that were on his 
feet. 

6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom,'' and let 
not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.' 

7 But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai 
the Gilcaditc,'" and let them be of those that eat 
at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled 
because of Absalom thy brother." 

8 And behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son 
of Gera," a Benjamite of Bahuriin, which cursed 
me with a grievous' curse in the day when I went 
to Mahanaim : but he came down to meet me at 
Jordan,'' and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, 
I will not put thee to death with the sword. 

9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless : « for thou 
art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest 



a Gen. 47:29; Deut. 31:14; Job 7:1. b Josh. 2.'J:14; Psa. S9:48; lUh. 
9:27. c Eccl. 12:13; 1 Cor. 10:13. d Deut. 17:16-20. • Or, do wisely; 
1 Sam. 18:5, 14, 30. e Deut. 29:9. ' Psa. 1.32: 12. t Heb. be cut off from 
thee from the throne. saSam. 7:16. h 2 Sam. 19:5-7. i 2 Sam. 3:27. 
I 2 Sam. 20:10. 1 Heb. put. k ver. 9. 1 ver. 31, 34; Gen. 42:38; 44:31. 
» 2 Sitn. 19:31-10. n2Sam. 17:27. o 2 Sam. 16:5, etc. 8 Heb. slrong-. 



postponed, lest the opportunity of doing it be lost ; but 
should be undertaken with promptness, and prosecuted 
with energy till it is accomplished. 

37. When God is duly acknowledged as the author of 
all good, men may reasonably expect that their blessings 
will be increased. 

49. The most sanguine projects of the wicked are des- 
tined to disappointment; and from the heights of expec- 
tation they may suddenly be thrown into the depths of 
despair. 

CHAPTER II. 

4. Continue; more literally, establish; that is, continue 
to fulfil his promise, which was made conditional upon 
the obedience of David's successors on the throne. 

9. With blood; put him to a violent death for his crimes. 
402 



to do unto him; but his hoar head bring u.c wJJ; 
thou down to the grave with lilood. 

lU So David slept with his fathers,' and was 
buried" iu the city of David.' 

1 1 And the days that David reigned over Israel 
were forty years:" seven years reigned he in He- 
bron, and thirty and tlircc years reigned he in 
Jerusalem. 

12 *i 'J'hcii sat Solomon ujion the throne of Da- 
vid his father;" and his kingdom was established 
greatly."- 

13 "I And Adonijah the son of Ilaggith came to 
Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, 
Comest thou peaceably?" And he said. Peaceably. 

14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say 
unto thee. And she said, Say on. 

15 And he said. Thou knowest that the kingdom 
was mine,^' and that all Israel set their faces on 
me, that I should reign : howbeit the kingdom is 
turned about, and is become my brother's: for it 
was his from the Lord.'' 

10 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny mc 
not.' And she said unto him, Say on. 

17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solo- 
mon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that 
he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife." 

18 And Batli-.sheba said, Weil; I will speak for 
tliee nnto the king. 

19 1j Bath-sheba therefore went unto king Solo- 
mon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the 
king rose up to meet her,"" and bowed himself unto 
her," and sat down on his throne, and caused a 
seat to be set for the king's mother ; and she sat 
on his right hand.'' 

20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of 
thee ; / pray thee, say me not nay. And the king 
said unto her, Ask on, my mother; for I will not 
say thee nay. 

21 And she said. Let Abishag the Shunammite 
be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 

22 And king Solomon answered and said unto 
his mother. And why dost thou ask Abishag the 
Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the king- 
dom also ; for he is mine elder brother; even for 
him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the 
son of Zeruiah.'^ 



P 2 Sam. 19:18-2.3. q Exod. 20:7; Job 9:28. f ch. 1:21 ; Acts 13:36 'Acts 
2:29. t2Sam..'j:7. " I Chr. 29:27. v 1 Chr. 29:23; 2 Chr. 1 :1. "Psa. 
72:8, etc. « 1 Sam. 16:4,5. ych. 1:5. ' 1 Chr. 22:9, 10; Jer. 27:5-S; Dan. 
2:21. I Heb. turn not away my face; Psa. 132:10. » ch. 1:3,4. 1> Lev. 
19:32. c Exod. 20:12. <i Psa. 45:9. ech. 1:7. 



David judged it jiroper, at the time when Shimei met him, 
to give him his oath that he would not put him to death ; 
but he felt that for the good of his kingdom such conduct 
ought to bo punished with death, and Solomon was tree 
to treat him according to his deserts. 

10. The city of David; Zion. 2 Sam. 5:7. 

15. The kingdom was mine; his meaning was, that it be- 
longed to him as David's oldest living son. His second 
son Chileab, 2 Sam. 3:3, seems to have been already dead. 

22. Ask for him the kingdom; by this Solomon intimated 
to his mother, that, considering the relation Abishag had 
sustained to David, Adonijah's request for her implied 
an assertion of his right to the kingdom; for this was, 
according to the custom of those days, the way in which 
an usurper proceeded in resisect to the concubines of his 
predecessor. 



The death of Adonijah, 



1 KINGS II. 



of Joab, and of Shimei. 



B l- ml' 23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, 
saying, God do so to me, and more also,'' if Adoni- 
jah have not spoken this word against his own life. 

24 Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath 
established me, and set me on the throne of David 
mv father, and who hath made me a house, as he 
promised," Adonijah shall be put to death this day."" 

25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Bena- 
iah the son of Jehoiada ; and he fell upon him that 
he died. 

26 1 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, 
Cict thee to Anathoth,'' unto thine own fields; for 
tliou art worthy of death :* but I will not at this 
time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark 
of the Lord God before David my father," and 
because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my 
father was afflicted.' 

27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being 
priest unto the Lord ; that he might fulfil the word 
of the Lord, which he spake concerning the house 
of Eii in Shiloh.s 

28 1 Tiien tidings came to Joab : for Joab liad 
turned after Adonijah," though he turned not after 
Absalom.' And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the 
Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.J 

29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was 
fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord ; and behold, 
he is by the altar ."^ Then Solomon sent Benaiah 
the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. 

30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the 
Lord, and said unto him. Thus saith the king, 
Come forth. And he said. Nay ; but I will die 
here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, 
saying. Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. 

31 And the king said unto him. Do as he hath 
said, and fall upon him, and bury him ; that thou 
mayest take away the innocent bk)od,' which Joab 
shed,"" from me, and from the house of my father. 

32 And the Lord shall return his blood upon his 
own head," who fell upon two men more righteous 
and better than he," and slew them with the sword, 
my father David not knowing thereof,''' to loit, Ab- 
ner the son of Ner,'' captain of the host of Israel, 
and Amasa the son of Jether,'' captain of the host 
of Judali. 





a Sam. 3:35. 


b 2 Sam. 7:11 


-13. 


cch. 1- 


12. 


d Josh. 21 


18. 


Heb. a 


m 


moftkalh; 1 


Sam. 215:16. e 


1 .« 


am. 23:6 


2 S 


am. 15:24, 


2i). 1 


1 Sara. 


.>> 


■20--2i. g 1 Sa 


n. 2:30-36. h 


h.l 


7. iDeu 


t. 32 


35. ) ch. 


I:. Ml. 


k Exod. 


21 


14; Ezek. 9:6 


; 1 Pet. 4:17. 


1 Nil 


m. 35::).J 


Dci 


t. 19:13; 


21:8, fl 


n' ver. 


5. 


njujg. 0:21 


57; Psa. 7:16. 


; 


Chr. 21 


13. 


p 2 Sam. .' 


:37. 


q 2 Sam. 



23. God do so to me; put me to death, if I do not put 
Adonijah to death. 

24. Made me a house ; secured him a posterity to inherit 
the throne after him. 

26. Aiiathoth; a city in Benjamin. 

27. Abiathar, who was of the house of Eli, in the line of 
Ithamar, liad been the high-priest after the death of Ahim- 
eloch his father. Zadok, who succeeded him as high- 
priest, was descended from Aaron by the hne of Eleazar. 
iChron. 24:3. 

,28. Fled uiilo the tabernacle — the altar; as a place of safety. 
See note to chap. 1:51. 

31. Do as lie hath said; slay him at the altar. Solomon 
put substantial justice above the observance of an ancient 
usage. 

33. S'lall there be peace; by putting Joab to death, they 
would be free from the guilt of conniving at the murders 
he had committed. Gen. 9:6. 

42. Goest out; away from Jerusalem. 



33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the 
head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for 
ever:" but upon David, and upon his seed, and 
upon his house, and upon his throne,' shall there 
be peace for ever from the Lord." 

34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and 
fell upon him, and slew him : and he was buried in 
his own house in the wilderness. 

35 T^ And the king put Benaiah the son of Je- 
hoiada in his room over the host : '' and Zadok the 
priest"' did the king put in the room of Abiathar.^ 

36 t And the king sent and called for Shimei,'' 
and said unto him. Build thee a house in Jerusa- 
lem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any 
whither. 

37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest 
out, and passest over the brook Kidron,'' thou 
shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: 
thy blood shall be upon thine own head." 

38 And Shimei said unto the king. The saying is 
good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy 
servant do. And Shemei dwelt in Jerusalem many 
days. 

39 And it came to pass at the end of three years, 
that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto 
Achish son of Maachah king of Gath." And they 
told Shimei, saying. Behold, thy servants be in 
Gath. 

40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and 
went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants : and 
Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath. 

41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had 
gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again. 

42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and 
said unto him. Did I not make thee to swear by 
the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying. Know 
for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walk- 
est abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely 
die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I 
have heard is good. 

43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the 
Lord, and the commandment that I have charged 
thee with?'= 

44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou 
knowest all the wickedness which thv heart is 



3:27. 


' 2 Sam. 2U 


Id. 


! 2 San 


n. 3:29. 


Prov. 25 


5. " 


Psa. B9:36. 


:)7 


Isa. 


9:fi, 7. 


V Job 34 


24 


w Nu 


m. 25:11- 


13; 1 Chr 


. 6:53; 24:3. 


X 


ver 


27: 


1 Sam. 


2:35. y TC 


r. S. 


2 2S 


im. 15:23 


« Lev. 


20:9; 


Josh. 2 


19 


2 Sam. 


1:16. 


b 1 Sam. 27 


2. 


= Eocl. 


8:2. 















INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. To walk in the way of the Lord by keeping his com- 
mandments is, in rulers as well as people, not only right 
and honorable, but the surest means of permanent pros- 
perity ; while the contrary course, in rulers or people, is 
dishonorable and ruinous. 

7. The compassion of parents, and their readiness to do 
good, especially to the distressed, are often owned of God 
in blessings on their children, by leading them to imitate 
the good examples of their parents, and thus to become 
partakers of their reward. 

15. God in his providence raises up one and puts down 
another ; and when he ha£ determined to elevate an indi- 
vidual to great power and influence, no efforts of men, 
however wisely directed or diligently pursued, will pre- 
vent it. 

19. No elevation of wise children will prevent them from 
loving and honoring aged parents, and as far as may be 
consistent with duty, complying with their requests. 
403 



God appears to Solomon. 



1 KINGS III. 



His wist cAoia. 



privy to," Hint lliou diilst to David my fatlicr; 
tlicrbforo (In- Liiiu) sliiill return tliy wickedness 
upon tliinc own head :'' 

45 And kini; Soluiiioii s/iall he blessed,"" and tlic 
tlirone of David sliaii be cstablisiied before tiic 
Loni) for ever.'' 

46 So tlic kins connnandcd Bcnaiali the son of 
Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon iiini, that 
he died. And the kingdom was established in the 
hand of Solomon.*^ 



CHAPTER III. 

1 Solomon marrieth Pharaoh's daughter. 2 High places being in use, 
Solomon sacrificeth at Gibeon. 5 Solomon at Gibeon, in the choice 
which (joJ gave him, preferring wisdom, obtainctli wisdom, riches, 
and honor. 16 Solomon's Judgment between the two harlots maketli 
him renowned. 

\ ND Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king 
Jrx. of Egypt, and took Pliaraoh's (Uuigiiter,' and 
brougiit iier into the city of David,*-' until ho had 
made an end of building his own house,'' and the 
house of the Lord,' and the wall of Jerusalem 
round about.-' 

'2 Ouly the people sacrificed in liigh places,'' 
becau.<e there was no house built unto the name 
of the Lord, until those days. 

3 And Solomon loved the Lord,' walking in the 
statutes of David his father : "' only he sacrificed 
and burnt incense in high places. 

4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice 
there ;" for that was the great high place :" a thou- 
sand burnt-offerings did Solomon otl'er upon that 
altar. 

.5 1 1n Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon'' 
in a dream by night:'' and God said. Ask what 1 
shall give thee.'' 

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto 
thy servant David my father great mercy,* accord- 
ing as he walked before thee in truth, and in 
righteousness,'' and in uprightness of heart with 
thee ; ' and thou hast kept for him this gi'cat kind- 
ness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his 
throne," as it is this day. 

7 And now, O Lord ray God, thou hast made 
thy servant king instead of David my father : and 
I am but a little child :" I know not how to go out 
or come in.^ 



»2Sam. le:.';-^; Rom. 2:15; Ijohn3:a0. b Ezek. 17:19. cPsa. 72:17. 
■i ver. 33. :51. e2Chr.l:l. f ch. 7:S; 9:21. e2Sam.5:7. lich.7:l. i ch. 
B. Jch. 9:1.5,19. k ch. 23:43; Lev. 17:3. 5. 1 Deut. .■)0:I(!, 2U: Psi. 31:23; 
.Matt. 22:37; Rom. 3:2-1. m ver. 6, 14; John 14:15, 21. n 2 Chr. 1:3, etc. 
» 1 Chr. 10::39. Pch.9:2. q Num. 12:0 ; Matt. 1 : 20. r Matt. 7:7; John 
I6:-24. • Or, bounty. " ch. 2:4; 9:4; 15:5. I 2 Kings 20:3; Psa. 15:2. 
•1 ch. 1:43. V 1 Chr. 29:1. w Psa. 121:8. » Dent. 7:6. y Gen. 13:18. 



22. No filial respect or affection, and no promises or 
engagements, should ever lead men to do what is morally 
wrong. 

26. No elevation or official sanctity should be permitted 
to cover the guilt of crime, nor should the openly criminal 
or vicious be continued in any public employment. 

39. By a too eager desire that others should servo them, 
men may occasion their own ruin. 

CHAPTER III. 

2. Only the peopk sacrificed; the word "only" implies 

that in general the people were obedient to the law of 

Moses, but that in this respect they did not comply with 

it. In high places; the high places whore the people sac- 

404 



S And thy servant is in the midst of tliy Vr wm 
people wiiich thou iiast chosen,^ a great jieoplc, that 
cannot l>e numbered nor counted for multitude.^ 

9 Give tiierefore thy servant an understanding' 
heart'- to Judge thy people," that J may discern 
between good and bad:'' for who is able to judge 
tills thy so great a jieoplc? 

10 And the s|ieccli ])leased the Lord, that Solo- 
mon had asked this thing. 

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast 
asked this tiling,'' and hast not asked for thyself 
long life;* neither hast asked riches for thyself, 
nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast 
asked for thyself understanding to discern'' judg- 
ment ; 

12 I3ehoId,I have done according to thy word :'' 
lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding 
heart ; so that there was none like thee before 
thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto 
thee." 

13 And I have also given thee that which thou 
hast not asked,'' both riches, and honor :^ so that 
there shall not be ' any among the kings like unto 
thee all thy days." 

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep 
my statutes and my commandments, as thy father 
David did walk, then I w'ill lengtlien thy days.' 

15 And Solomon awoke; and behold, it was a 
dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood 
before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and 
offered up burnt-offerings, and offered peace-offer- 
ings, and made a feast to all his servants.' 

IG IT Then came there two women, that were liar- 
lots, unto the king, and stood before him.'' 

17 And the one woman said, my lord, I and 
this woman dwell in one house ; and I was deliv- 
ered of a child with her in the house. 

18 And it came to pass the third day after that 
I was delivered, that this woman was delivered 
also : and we were together ; f/ure was no stranger 
with us in the house, save we two in the house. 

19 And this woman's child died in the night; 
because she overlaid it. 

20 And she arose at midnight,' and took my son 
from beside me, while thy handmaid slept, and 
laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in 
my bosom. 



1 Heh. hearing, z Prov. 2:3-9; Jas. 1 :5. » Psa. 72:1. 2; John 5:30. b Heb. 
5:14. t Rom. 8:26; Jas. 4:2: I Ueb. many days. iUeb hear, il ] John 
5:14. e ch. 4:29-31 ; 5:12; 10:23, 24; Eccl. 1 : l:i, 16. f Matt. 6:3:3; Eph. 
3:10. e ch. 4:21, 24; Prov. 3:16. I Or, hath not been, h ch. 10:23-29. 
i Deut. 25:15; Psa. 21:4; 91:16; ProT. 3:2; 1 Tim. 4:8. J ch. 8:65; Esth. 
1:3; Mark6:21. kNum.27:3. 1 Job !M:16; Psa. 139:11. 



rificed, as here, to Jehovah, must be distinguished from 
the high places devoted to the worship of idols. The law 
of Moses required that all offerings should be made at the 
tabernacle. Lev. 17:5; but previously to the building of 
the temple this rule was not strictly observed, even by 
such eminent prophets as Samuel, 1 Sam. 9:12-14. 

5. A dream; before men had the Bible to guide them, 
God sometimes made known to them his will in dreams. 

7. A little child; young and inexperienced. Go out or 
come in ,- act as ruler in Israel. 

11. Diacern judgment ; judge rightly in cases that might 
come before him. 

14. Lengtlien thy days; this and other promises made to 
Solomon were on condition that he should continue to 
obey God. Chap. 6:12. 



Solomon^ wise judgment. 



1 KINGS IV. 



His princes and officers. 



k^lwu: 21 And wlien I rose in the morning to 
give my child suck, behold, it was dead : but when 
I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was 
not my son, which I did bear. 

22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the liv- 
ing is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this 
said, No ; but the dead is thy son, and the living 
is my son. Thus tliey spake before the king. 

23 Tiien said the king. The one saith. This w my 
son that livetli, and thy son is the dead : and the 
other saith, Nay ; but thy son is the dead, and my 
son is the living. 

2J: And the king said. Bring me a sword. And 
they brouglit a sword before the king. 

25 And tiie king said, Divide the living child in 
two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. 

20 Then spake the woman whose the living child 
vns unto the king, for her bowels yearned* upon 
her son," and she said, my lord, give her the 
living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other 
said. Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. 

27 Then the king answered and said. Give her 
the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the 
mother thereof. 

28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which 
the king had judged ; and they feared the king : 
for they saw that the wisdom of God v:as in him + 
to do judgment.'' 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 Solomon's princes. 7 His t«'elve officers for provision. 20, 24 The 
peace and largeness of his kingdom. 22 His daily provision. 26 
His stables. 29 His wisdom. 

SO king Solomon was king over all Israel. 
2 And these were the princes whicli he had : 
Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,* 

3 Elihoreph and Ahia, the sons of Shisha, scribes ;^ 
Jehoshaphat tlie son of Ahilud," the recorder." 

4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the 
host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:'' 

5 And Azariah tlie son of Nathan was over the 
officers : and Zabud the son of Nathan was prin- 
cipal officer, and the king's friend:" 



• Heb. wert ho 


(. a Gen. 43:30; Isa. 49:15; Jer. 31:20; Hos. 11:8. t Heb. 


the midst of him 


. b Psa. 72; a, 4. 1 Or, the chief officer. 5 Or, senetaries. 


c■,>:^am, 30:24. 


1 Or, rememkranrer. •! ch. 2:27, 35. e 1 Chr. 27:.3:!. ^ Or, 


fecy, ch 5:14. 


Or, Benhur. 1 Or, Bendekar. 1 Or, Benheml. S Or, Ben- 



27. She is the mother ; having shown for the child a moth- 
er's love. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. To love God is the highest duty, the greatest honor, 
and the supreme blessedness of men. Those who do it, 
whatever their condition in this world, are kings and 
priests unto God, and will reign with him for ever and ever. 

5. The fact that before the canon of Scripture was com- 
plete, God sometimes made known his will in dreams, 
gives no countenance to the idea that he continues to do 
it, or that any can safely be guided by dreams now. 

6. God in not only permitting, but inviting all in every 
condition who lack wisdom to ask it of him in faith and 
love, expecting on the ground of his promise to receive 
it, shows marvellous condescension and kindness ; and if 
any to whom he is revealed do not become wise unto sal- 
vation, it will be their own fault. Jas. 1:.5. 

7. A deep sense of want and a grateful recognition of 
the goodness of God, confidence in his willingness and 
power to help, and a disposition to ask of him, are a good 
preparation for receiving what we need. 

lU. God is pleased when men from the heart ask for wis- 



G And Ahishar was over the household : and 
Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.' 

7 1 And Solomon had twelve officers over all 
Israel, which provided victuals for the king and 
his housoliold : each man his month in a year made 
provision. 

8 And these are their names : The son of Hur,* 
in mount Ephraim : 

9 The son of Dekar,* in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, 
and Bcth-sheiuesh. and Elon-beth-hanan : 

10 The son of Hcsed,* in Aruboth ; to him per- 
tained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: 

11 The son of Abinadab,'» in all tlie region of 
Dor ; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon 
to wife : 

12 Baana the son of Ahilud; fo him pertained 
Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which 
is by Zartanah beneath Jczreel, from Beth-shean 
to Abcl-meliolah,f«m unto the place that is beyond 
Jokneam : 

18 The son of Geber,' in Ramoth-gilcad ; to him 
pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh,'^ 
which are in Gilead ; to him also pertained the re- 
gion of Argob,^ which is in Bashan, threescore 
great cities with walls and brazen bars: 

14 Ahiiiadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:' 

15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Bas- 
math the daughter of Solomon to wife : 

16 Baanah the son of Husliai was in Asher and 
in Aloth : 

17 Jehoshapliat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: 

18 Shimei the son of Elah, in Benjamin: 

19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of 
Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amo- 
rites, and of Og king of Bashan ; and he was the 
only officer which wa.s in the land. 

20 •[ Judah and Israel were many, as the sand 
which is by the sea in multitude,'' eating and 
drinking, and making merry." 

21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from 
the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto 
the border of Egypt :' they brought presents," and 
served Solomon all the days of his life. 



atinadab. I Or, Ben^ebcr. I Num. 32:41. e Ueut. 3:4, S. T Or, to Mitha- 
naim. h ch. 3:8; Gen. 22:17; Prov. 14:23. i Eod. 2:24. J 2 Chr, 9:26. 
etc.; Psi. 72:8-11, k 1 Sam. 10:27; Psa, 68:29. 



dom to understand and do their duty ; and in all such cases 
he will give them not only what they ask, but numerous 
other blessings for this world and the world to come. 

14. Obedience to God is conducive to health, long life, 
and the greatest enjoyment of temporal favors. It is also 
conducive to the greatest usefulness, and is, through divine 
grace, a sure preparation for heaven. 

22. Persons who steal will also lie, and the practice of 
these sins prepares the heart for, and often leads to the 
commission of murder. 

23. An acquaintance with human nature, and with the 
working of the various passions of the human heart, is an 
important qualification for a judge, and will in various 
ways aid him in eliciting evidence and coming to right 
decisions. 

2G. A mother's love is great and in a high degree self- 
denying, but the practice of iniquity tends to destroy it, 
and to sink the mind to such baseness as to wish to rob 
others of what it cannot itself enjoy. 

CHAPTER IV. 

21, The river; Euphrates. 

405 



Solomon's great wisdom. 



1 KINGS V. 



Asrumenl with Hiram. 



22 ^ And Solomon's provision' for one day was 
thirty moasurcs' of line Hour, and threescore incus- 
urcs of meal, . 

23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen out of tlie pas- 
tures, and a hundred sheep, besides harts, and roe- 
bucks, and fallow-deer, and fatted fowl. 

24 For he had dominion over all (he region on 
this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, 
over all the kings on tliis side the river: and he 
had ]ioace on all sides round about him." 

25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely,*" every 
man under his vine and under his fig-tree,'^ from 
Dan even to Bccr-sheba, all the days of Solomon. 

26 1 And Solomon iiad forty tiiousand stalls of 
horses for his chariots,'' and twelve thousand horse- 
men." 

27 And those officers provided victuals for king 
Solomon, and for all tiiat came unto king Solomon's 
table, every man in his month : they lacked nothing. 

28 Barley also and straw for the horses and drom- 
edaries^ brought they unto the place where (he offi- 
cers were, every man according to his charge. 

29 *i\ And God gave Solomon wisdom and under- 
standing exceeding mucli, and largeness of heart/ 
even as the sand that is on the sca-sliore. 

30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom 
of all the children of the east couuti'y,^ and all 
the wisdom of Egypt."* 

31 For he was wiser than all men ; than Ethan 
the Ezrahite,' and Heman,-' and Chalcol, and Dar- 
da, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all 
nations round about. 

32 And he spake three thousand proverbs:" and 
his songs were a thousand and live.' 

33 And ho spake of trees, from the cedar-tree 
that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that spriug- 
eth out of tlie wall : he spake also of beasts, and 
of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. 

3-i And there came of all people to hear the wis- 
dom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which 
had heard of his wisdom.™ 



• Heb. briad. t Heb. cars. =■ I Clir. •Jrl:'3. 1 Hob. confidently, b Jer. 
2!:6. c Mic. 4:4; Zcch. 3:10. d Deut. I7:lr5. c ch. 10:20; 2 Chr. 1:14. 
• Or,inu/«,ors!«i/I4easU; Esth.8:14; Mic.l:13. ' ch. 3:13. eJobl:3; 
Matt. 2:1, 10. h Acts 7:22. i 1 Chr. 15:19; Psa. 89, title. J 1 Chr. 2:6; 
6:33; Psa. 88, title, k Prov. 1. etc. ; Eccl. 12:9. ■ Song 1:1, etc. ■>i2Chr. 



22. Provision; for all his numerous household and the 
dependents of his palace. Tliirtij measures ; in the Hebrew, 
thirty cors. The cor was ten ephahs. Reckoning the 
ephah at one bushel and one twelfth, a cor would be a 
little less than eleven bushels. 

24. This side the river; the west side. Tiphsah; a city 
on the Euphrates. Azzah; Gaza; on the south-west of 
Canaan towards Egypt. 

26. Forty thousand stalls of horses; Solomon had " a thou- 
sand and four hundred chariots," 2 Chron. 1 : 14, for which 
four thousand stalls would be a suitable proportion, ac- 
cording to the number given in 2 Chron. 9: 25. It has been 
the opinion of some expositors from ancient times that 
this latter number was the original reading. 

28. Dromedaries; a species of camels, remarkable for 
speed ; but others understand the original word of a breed 
of swift horses. The place where the officers were; the words, 
"the ofBcers," were supplied by the translators. We might 
better render, either the place where they — the horses and 
dromedaries — were ; or, the place where Solomon was. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. A wise and good ruler, in the appointment of officers 
to take part in the administration of his government, will 
406 



CHAPTER V, 



1 Hiram, ■eniline to concratulati; Solomon, i> certiRnl of hii purpose to 
build the temple, And detired to rurniitti him with timber tnervto. 7 
lliram, blessing God Tor Solomon, and rcqufsting food for his family, 
furnisheth him with tieea. 13 The nuniDcr of Solomon'a workmen 
and laborers. 

AND Hiram' king of Tyre sent his servants 
unto Solomon; for he had heard that they 
had anointed him king in the room of his father: 
for Hiram was ever a lover of David." 

2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 

3 Thou knowest how that David my Either could 
not build a house unto the name of Ihe Loud his 
God, for the wars which were aliout him on every 
side," until the Loud put them under the soles of 
his feet. 

4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest 
on every side,P so (ha( (here is neither adversary 
nor evil occurrent. 

5 And behold, 1 purjiose^ to build a house unto 
the name of the Lord my God,'' as the Lord spake 
unto David my father,'' saying, Thy son, whom 1 
will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build 
a house unto my name. 

G Now therefore command thou that they hew 
me cedar-trees out of Lebanon ; and my servants 
shall be with thy servants; and unto thee will I 
give hire for thy servants according to all that 
thou shalt appoint:" for thou knowest that (here 
is not among us any that can skill to hew timber 
like unto the Zidonians.'* 

7 IT And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the 
words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and 
said. Blessed be the Lord this day,' which hath 
given unto David a wise son over this great 
people." 

8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have 
considered* the things w'hich thou sentest to me 
for: and I will do all thy desire concerning tim- 
ber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 

9 My servants shall bring (hem down from Leb- 
anon unto the sea ; and I will convey them by sea 



9: 1, 23; Isa. 2:2, 3; Col. 2:3. I Hitram, 2 Chr. 2:3; ver. 10, IH. o 2 Sam. 
5:11; Amos 1:9. « 1 Chr. 22:3; 28:3. p Psa. 72:7; Isa. 9:7. 1 Hfib. say. 
q 2 Chr. 2:4, etc. r a Sam. 7: 13; 1 Chr. 17:12. • Heb. ioy. »lCor.l2:14, 
etc. 1 Dan. 2:20, 21. uProv. 13:1. t ITeb. /learrf. 



be especially careful to select such as are distinguished 
for wisdom and fidelity, and whose example and influence 
will be salutary to the j^eople. 

21. Jehovah is a God of truth: when the word hath 
gone out of his mouth it standeth for ever ; and though 
the fulfilment of his promises may be long delayed, in due 
time they will be accomplished. Gen. 15:18. 

25. The true glory of rulers is not the extent of their 
conquests, nor the splendor of their establishments, but 
the happiness and prosperity of their people. 

29. Jehovah has infinite fulness, and he can so replenish 
the minds and hearts of his people with knowledge, wis- 
dom, and grace, that they will shine as lights in the world, 
and pour forth the richest blessings on all generations, to 
the end of time. 

33. All the works of God manifest his infinite power, wis- 
dom, and goodness, and may suitably engage a measure of 
the thoughts and investigations of the wisest among men. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Tyre; a city of the Phenicians on the Mediterranean, 
north of Canaan. 

6. TVif I/,- the subjects of Hiram. ZidontoTW,' inhabitants 
of Zidon, a city north of Tyre. 



Solomon raiseth a levy. 



1 KINGS VI. 



lie Jjuilddh the temple. 



B "ST in floats unto the place that thou shalt 
appoint* me, and will cause them to be discharged 
there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt 
accomplish my desire, in giving food for my house- 
hold." 

10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar-trees and fir- 
trees according to all his desire. 

11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand 
measures* of wheat /b;- food to his household, and 
twenty measures of pure oil : thus gave Solomon 
to Hiram year by year. 

12 And the Loud gave Solomon wisdom as he 
promised him:'' and there was peace between Hiram 
and Solomon ; and they two made a league together. 

13 1[ xlnd king Solomon raised a levy* out of all 
Israel ; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 

14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand 
a month by courses : a month they were in Leba- 
non, and two months at home: and Adoniram was 
over the levy."^ 

15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thou- 
sand that bare burdens,'^ and foui'score thousand 
hewers in the mountains;" 

16 Besides the cliief of Solomon's officers which 
were over the work, three thousand and tiiree hun- 
dred, which ruled over the people that wrought 
in the work. 

17 And the king commanded, and they brought 
great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to 
lay the foundation of the house. 

18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders 
did hew them, and the stone-squarers :^ so they pre- 
pared timber and stones to build the house. 



• Heb. semi. » Ezra 3:7; Ezek. 27:17| Acts 12:20. t Heb. rors. b ch. 
3:12. 1 Heb. IrrtuJeof men. « ch. 4:0. d oh. 9:21. e Josh. 9:21. 5 Or, 
GMiles: Ezek. 27:9. 1 Heb. built, f Ezek. oh. 40,41. 1 Or, windows 



11. Twenty thousand measures; in the Hebrew, twenty 
thousand cors, and so also below, thirty thousand cors. 
For the cor, see note to chap. 4:22. 

13. Levy out of all Israel; this levy of thirty thousand 
men consisted of Israelites. 

15. Threescore and ten thomond — fourscore thousand ; these 
one hundred and fifty thousand men were of the remnants 
of the Canaanites, chap. 9 : 20 ; 2 Chron. 2 : 17, 18. It should 
be borne in mind, (1) that every piece of timber had to be 
carried chiefly, if not entirely by hand, from Lebanon to 
the sea; (2) that those hewers and bearers prepared and 
collected timber not only for the temple, but also for Solo- 
mon's own house, and for many other sumptuous edifices 
which he was engaged in building. See chap. 9:15-23. It 
is reasonable to suppose that a portion of them were employ- 
ed in hewing and transporting stones also, as well as timber. 

16. Three thousand and three hundred ; the number of chief 
officers set over the one hundred and fifty thousand men 
is here stated at three thousand three hundred ; while in 
chap. 9 : 23, the chief officers over Solomon's work are 
given as five hundred and fifty. The sum of these two 
numbers is three thousand eight hundred and fifty. In 
2 Chron. 2 : 17, the chief officers set over the one hundred 
and fifty thousand are stated at three thousand six hun- 
dred; while in 2 Chron. 8:10, the chief officers that bare 
rule over the people are given as two hundred and fifty. 
These two numbers again make three thousand eight hun- 
dred and fifty. It is evident that the apparent discrepancy 
between the two accounts, in Kings and in Chronicles, arises 
simply from different modes of classifying these oflicers. 

18. Stnue-sfjuarers; in the margin, Giblites; inhabitants 
of Gebal, a town near Zidon. Josh. 13:5; Ezek. 27:9. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Kings as well as subjects are bound to love one an- 



CHAPTER VI. 



1 The building of Solomon's temple. .5 The chambers thereof. 11 God's 
promise unto it. 15 The ceiling and adorning of it. 23 The clieru- 
bim. 31 The doors. 36 The court. 37 The time of building it. 

AND it came to pass in the four hundred and 
eightieth year after the children of Israel 
were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth 
year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month 
Zif which is the second month, that he began to 
build' the house of tlic Lord. 

2 And the house which king Solomon built for 
the LoRD,'^the length thereof tras threescore cubits, 
and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the 
height thereof thirty cubits. 

3 And the porch before the temple of the house, 
twenty cubits u-as tlie length thereof according 
to the breadth of the house ; and ten cubits was the 
breadth thereof before the house. 

4 And for the house he made windows of nar- 
row lights.*" 

5 % And against" the wall of the house he built 
chambers* round about,^ against the walls of the 
house round about, both of the temple and of the 
oracle : and he made chambers* round about. 

6 Tiie nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, 
and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third 
was seven cubits broad: for without in the icall of 
the house he made narrowed rests ^ round about, 
that the beams should not be fastened in the walls 
of the house. 

7 And the house, when it was in building, was 
built of stone made ready before it was brought 
thither:'' so that there was neither hammer nor 



hout; or, skejreU and closed. * Or, upon, 
t Heb. /oor,!. f Ezek 41:6. t Heb. njs. 8 Heb. 
Its. h ch. 5:17, IS; Deut. 27:5, 6. 



other, to rejoice in each other's prosperity, and seek each 
other's good. 

4. Peace is the gift of God. It should be received with 
gratitude, and employed by rulers and people in the pros- 
ecution of such works, and such only, as will be for his 
glory and their highest prosperity. 

9. The difference in the climate, soil, and productions 
of difi'erent countries, renders an interchange of commodi- 
ties a mutual benefit ; and this should ever be so con- 
ducted as to benefit all concerned. 

13. The building of suitable houses for public worship 
is essential to the highest prosperity of the community, 
and all should be disposed to do their part towards the 
accomplishment of this work. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1. Zif; the second month of their ecclesiastical year, 
answering to a part of April and May. 

2. Threescore cubits — tiventy cubits; the proportion of the 
length of the temple to its breadth was the same as that 
of the tabernacle ; but each dimension was twice as great. 

4. Windows of narrow lights; or, windows with fixed 
lattices. 

5. The oracle; the inner apartment of the temple, twenty 
cubits square, situated at its west end, and answering to 
the " holy of holies " in the tabernacle. The chambers 
were thus built around the house on its two sides and end, 
the front, wliich was towards the east, remaining open. 

6. The nethermost chamber; here put collectively for the 
whole lower range of chambers, of which there were three 
stories. Five cuhils — six cubits — seven cubtts ; the walls of 
the temple were thickest at the bottom, with ofisets on the 
outside, making horizontal ledges a cubit in width. On 
these ledges the timbers of the chambers rested on the 

407 



Hit construdion and 



1 KINGS VI. 



ornaments of the temple. 



axe nor any tool of iron licard in tiic house, while 
it was in luiiiclins- 

8 The (hior tor llie middle chamber was in the 
risrht side* of the house: and they went up with 
wintiinj^ stairs unto the middle c/iamlwr, and out 
of the middlo into the tiiird. 

'.) So 111' liuilt tlic houso, and finished it; and cov- 
ered till- house wilii heanis and boardsof cedar.* 

10 And //loi he built cliambers against all the 
house, five culnts higli: and they rested on the 
house with timber of cedar. 

11 * And the word of the Lokd came to Foiomon, 
sayinir, 

1 2 Conrcrninr; this house which thou art in build- 
hi^, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute 
my judgments, and keep all my connnandmcnts tu 
walk in tlicm ;" then will I perform my word with 
thee, which I s])ake unto David thy father:" 

13 And I will dwell among the ciiildren of Is- 
rael,'' and will not forsake; my pco])lc Israel.'' 

14 So Solomon ])uilt the house, and liiiished il. 

15 And lie built the walls of tiie house within 
with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, 
and the walls* of the ceiling: and ho covered i/iem 
on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of 
liic house witii planks of lir. 

10 And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the 
house, both the floor and the walls with boards of 
cedar: he even built them for it within, even for 
the oracle, even for the most holy place." 

17 And the house, that is, the temple before it, 
was forty cubits long. 

18 And the cedar of the house within was carved 
with knops* and open' flowers: all was cedar; 
there was no stone seen. 

1!) And the oracle he prepared in the house 
within,' to set there the ark of the covenant of 
the Lord. 

20 And the oracle in the forepart zcas twenty 
cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, 
and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he 
overlaid it with pure" gold; and so covered the 
altar which was o/' cedar. 

21 So Solomon overlaid the house within with 
pure gold : and he made a partition by the chains of 
goldbefore theoracle; andheoverlaid itwithgold. 



" Heb. skouktrr. t Or, the vault-beams and the ceilings with cetlar. * ch. 
9:4. b 2 Sam. 7:13. t Exod. 25:S; 2 Cor. (i: Iti; Rev. 21:3. dDeut. 31:6; 
Heb. l:!:5. 1 Or, from the floor of the house unto the walls, etc., and so, ver. 
10. tch. 8:0; Exod. 2«:3:j; Ezek. 4.J;:). i Or, gourds. I Heb. openings of. 



side towards tlie temple. Thus the necessity of letting 
them into the wall was avoided. Narrowed rests; the 
ledges i)roduoed by diminishing the tlaickness of the wall 
on thfi outside. 

8. For the middle chamber; the middle chamber of the 
lower story on the south side. There seems to have been 
but one entrance to the chambers. Unto the middle cham- 
ber; the middle chamber of the second story. 

10. And then he built ; the word " then" is not in the orig- 
inal, and obscures the sense. We might better render, 
" And he built the chambers," etc. He goes on to describe 
their height, which was five cubits, apparently for each 
story, malting fifteen cubits in all. This would leave am- 
ple room for the windows of the temple above them. 

16. On the sides ; more exactly, in the hindermost part. 
He is describing the holy of holies. 

17. Before it; before the most holy place. 

18. Knaps; or, as in the margin, gourds ; that is, orna- 

408 



22 And the whole house he overlaid with \^. tlS: 
gold, until he had linishcd all the house: also the 
whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid 
with gold." 

23 '! And within the orailc he made two cher- 
ubim o/' olive-tree,"'' each ten cubits high. 

24 And live cubits was the om- wing of the cher- 
ub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: 
fidiii the ntterinost part of the one wing unto the 
uttermost part of the other iccre ten cubits. 

25 And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the 
cherubim were of one measure and one size. 

20 The height of the one cherub uas ten cubits, 
and ,so 2vas it of the other cherub. 

27 And he set the cherubim within the inner 
house: and they stretched forth the wrings of the 
cherubim,* ,so that the wing of the one touched the 
one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched 
the other wall ; and their wings touched one an- 
other in the midst of the house. 

28 And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. 

29 And he carved all the walls of the house 
round about with carved figures of cherubim and 
palm-trees and open* flowers, within and without. 

30 And the floor of the house he overlaid with 
gold, within and witiiout. 

31 IT And for the entering of the oracle he made 
doors o/" olive-tree: the lintel and side-posts were 
a fifth part^ of the wall. 

32 The two doors' also iwre o/" olive-tree ; and 
he carved upon them carvings of cherubim and 
palm-trees and open^ flowers, and overlaid tliem 
with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubim, 
and upon the palm-trees. 

33 So also made he for the door of the temple 
posts o/" olive-tree, a fourth part* of the wall. 

34 And the two doors were o/" fir-tree: the two 
leaves of the one door were folding, and the two 
leaves of the other door iccre folding.' 

35 And he carved thereon cherubim and palm- 
trees and open flowers: and covered them with 
gold fitted upon the carved work. 

30 IT And ho built the inner court with three 
rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams. 

37 *\\ In the fourth year was the foundation of the 
house of the Lord laid, in the month Zif : 



f ver. 5. IG; Psa. 2-^:2. T Heb. shut vp. E Kxod. 30: 


1, 3. 5; 2Chr. 3:7, 


etc. ' Heb. trees of oil, or oily trees, h Exod. 37:7-<). 


t Or. the cherubim 


stretched forth their wings. I Heb. openings of . i Or. 


fivC'Sguare. 1 Or, 


leaves of t fie doors. H Hub. openings of. * Or. foursqua 


re. iKzek. 41:2:J. 



mental figures resembling gourds. T/tcrc was no stone seen ; 
the walls of the temple were of hewn stone ; but these 
were entirely covered with cedar planks. 

20. The altar; the altar of frankincense, which stood just 
outside of the partition whicli separated the most holy 
from the holy place. 

21. Partition by the chains of gold ; or, a partition of chains 
of gold, to divide the holy from the most holy place. 

27. He set the cherxibim ; they were not arranged face to 
face, like those upon tlie mercy-seat, but side by side, 
with their backs to the fartliest or western side of the 
oracle ; so that their outsiiread wings extended through- 
out its whole breadth. 

33. The door of the temple; the door leading from the 
porch into the holy pilace. 

31). The inner court; directly before the porch, in which 
was the altar of burnt-offering. 

37. In the fourth year; of Solomon's reign. 



1 KINGS VII. 



The building 

j^'c'S 38 And in the eleventh year, in the month 
Bui, which is the eighth moutii, was the house fin- 
ished throughout all the parts thereof, and accord- 
ing to all the fashion of it.* So was he seven 
years in building it." 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 The tuililinn- of Solomon's house. 2 Of the house of Lebanon. 6 Of 
the porch of pillars. 7 Of the porch of judgment. 8 Of the house 
for Plu^raoh's daughter. 13 Hiram's work of the two pillars. 23 Of 
the molten sea. '27 Of the ten bases. 38 Of the ten layers. 40 and 
all the vessels. 

r")UT Solomon was building his own house thir- 
) teen years," and lie finished all iiis house. 

2 IF He built also the house of the forest of Leb- 
anon; the length thereof u-as a hundred cubits, 
and tlie breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the lieight 
thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pil- 
lars, with cedar beams upon the pillars. 

3 And it ivas covered with cedar above upon the 
beams,* tliat lay on forty-five pillars, fifteen in a row. 

4 And there u-ere windows »t three rows, and 
light u-as against light,» in three ranks. 

5 And all the doors and posts ivere square,^ with 
the windows : and light was against light in three 
ranks. 

6 TT And he made a porch of pillars ; the length 
thereof was fifty cubits, aud the brcadtli thereof 
thirty cubits: and the porch icas before' them: 
and the other pillars and the thick beam were 
before' them. 



of Sclomcii's house. 



' Or, with all the appurLenancts thereof^ and with all the ordinance!! there- 
of. 1 ver. 1, 9. >> ch. li: lU; a Chr. S: I. t Heb. ribs. I Heb. sight against 
sight. 5 Or, spaces and pillars were square in prospect. 11 Or. according to. 
1 Heb. from floor to floor, c ch. 3:1; -J Chr. S:1I. d J„|in m.-a-, Acts 



38. Tlte eighth month; answering to a part of October 
and November. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The successful accomplishment of a great and diffi- 
cult undertaking depends much on the proper preparation 
for it; and the time, money, and labor so spent are as 
needful and as useful as those spent in any part of the 
work. 

12. However much may be expended in building and 
ornamenting houses for the worship of God, none of the 
worshippers will be accepted but those who worship him 
in spirit and in truth. 

19. Although Jehovah dwells not in temples made with 
hands, yet he is peculiarly present where his people as- 
semble to acknowledge, adore, and praise him ; and there, 
by the proclamation of his truth, he will communicate to 
them a knowledge of his will. 

30. (.lold, although among the most precious things of 
earth, is nevertheless worthless and fit only to be trodden 
under foot, compared with that holiness of heart and life 
without which no man can see the Lord. 

37. That which is undertaken in the fear and love of 
God, and is prosecuted according to his will, may be ex- 
pected in due time to be successfully and joyfully accom- 
phshed. 

CHAPTER VII. 

2. He built also the house; literally. And he built the 
house, etc. It is probable that verse 1 refers to the struc- 
ture of Solomon's house as a whole, consisting of several 
divisions ; while the particular description of the parts 
begins with ver. 2, thus : And he finished all his house ; 
and [as a part of it) he built the house of the forest of 
Lebanon, etc. This seems to have been in Jerusalem, 
and to have been so called from the multitude of cedar 
pillars and timbers employed in making it. Upon four 



7 T Then he made a porch for tlie tlirone where 
he might judge, even the porch of judgment : and 
it teas covered with cedar from one side of the 
floor to the other.' 

8 t And his house where he dwelt had another 
court within the porch, ii;hich was of the like work. 
Solomon made also a house for Pharaoh's daugh- 
ter, whom he had taken toivife," like unto this porch. 

9 All these were of costly stones, according to 
the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, 
within and without, even from the foundation unto 
the coping, and so on tlie outside toward the great 
court. 

10 And the foundation icas of costly stones, even 
great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of 
eight cubits. 

11 xVnd above were costly stones, after tlie meas- 
ures of hewed stones, and cedars. 

12 And the great court round about icas with 
three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar 
beams, both for the inner court of tlie house of the 
Lord, and for the porch of the house." 

13 i And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram* 
out of Tyre. 

14 He was a widow's son* of the tribe of Naph- 
tali," and his father was a inau of Tyre, a worker 
in brass :'' and he was filled with wisdom, and un- 
derstanding, and cunning to work all works in 
brass.'' And he came to king Solomon, and wrought 
all his work. 

15 For he cast* two pillars of brass,'' of eighteen 



al; 2Kingsao:17; 2 Chr. 



■. 40. t Heb. t/ie son of a widow woman. 
Exod.31:3, 4; 36:1. 1 Ueh. fashioned. 
1:15, etc.; 4:ia, etc. ; Jer. 5a:a!, etc. 



rows of cedar pillars ; in accordance with the general style 
of oriental palaces, it is probable that it was constructed 
without of massive hewn stones, ver. 9-11, and ixsting 
within on rows of cedar pillars, which were four in number, 
arranged around the four sides of a hollow oblong area. 

3. Beams; the Hebrew word here used is elsewhere 
rendered chambers, chap. 6:5, 6, and this seems to be the 
preferable rendering here. We may then render the whole 
verse thus: And it was covered with cedar above upon 
the chambers which lay on the pillars — forty and five 
[chambers,] fifteen to a row. We may understand the 
rows of chambers, as successive stories of fifteen cham- 
bers each built round the open area. 

4. /)( three rows; that is, according to the above inter- 
pretation, three rows, one for each story. Light was against 
light; either the lights of the middle story were directly 
above those, of the lower, and so of the third; or the 
lights on one side of the area were directly opposite to 
those of the other side. 

5. Square, icith the windows ; or, were squared with beams ; 
covered above with straight beams, bo as to make a square 
and not a vaulted opening. 

6. A porch of pillars; generally supposed to have been 
in front of the structure just described. And the porch — 
were before them ; or, and [another] porch was before them, 
[the pillars of the porch of pillars,] and pillars and a 
threshold before them. 

9. All these; all these several structures that have been 
described. 

12. The great court round about ; plainly enclosing all the 
various structures above described, which, taken as a 
whole, seem to be what is meant by Solomon's house, ver. 
1. Both for the inner court — and for the porch; or, even ac- 
cording to the inner court — and according to the porch. 

14. Bnits; this term was ajiplied to various metals, com- 
posed chiefly or wholly of copper. 

409 



73« lico pillers, the multen 



1 KINGS VII, 



sea, and the ten lavers. 



ciiMts liijrh npiorr: and a line of twelve cubits diil 
compa.ss eithor of tliciii about. 

U) And li(> niadi! two chapiters o/" molten V)rass, 
to set ui)oii till' to])s of the i>iliars: tiie liei^iit of 
the one eliapiter u-as live cubits, and the height of 
the oliicr chajjiter xvas live cubits: 

17 ,'ind nets of checker-work and wreaths of 
chain-work, for tiie chapiters which ?cprf upon the 
top of tiie jjillars ; seven for the one chapiter, and 
seven for tlie other diapitcr. 

18 And he made the pillar.'?, and two rows round 
about upon the one network, to cover the chapi- 
ters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: 
and so did he for the other chapiter. 

19 And the chapiters that were upon the top of 
the pillars iccrc of lily-work in the porch, four 
cubits. 

20 And the chapiters upon the two pillars had 
pomegranates also above, over against the belly 
■which wox by the network: and the pomegranates 
icere two hundred in rows round about upon the 
other cha])iter. 

'2\ And he set up the pillars in the porch of the 
temple :" and he set up the right pillar, and called 
the name thereof Jachin :* and he set up the left 
pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.* 

22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily-work : 
so was tlie work of the jiillars finished. 

23 "1 And he made a molten sea," ten cubits from 
the one brim to the other :* it icas round all about, 
and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty 
cubits did compass it round about. 

21 And under the brim of it round about there 
were knops compassing it," ten in a cubit, compass- 
ing the sea round about : the knops were cast in 
two rows, when it was cast. 

25 It stood upon twelve o.\en, three looking tow- 
ard the north, and three looking toward the west, 
and three looking toward the south, and three 
looking toward the east : and the sea was set above 
upon them, and all their hinder parts were in- 
ward. 

26 And it was a handbreadth thick, and the 
brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, 
with flowers of lilies : it contained two thousand 
baths. 

27 1 And he made ten bases of brass ; four cu- 
bits was the length of one base, and four cubits 
the breadth thereof, and three cubits -the height 
of it. 

28 And the work of the bases was on this man- 



« Ver. 12; ch. 6:3. • That is, He sliall eslahUsli. t That is, In it isslrengl/i. 
b2Kins5-i-)::3. I Hfh. from his brim 10 his brim, t 2 Chr. 4::)-5. li Ezek. 
1:1U; 1U;U; 41:19; Hos. 5:U; Rev 5:5. e Gen. 3:24; Exod. 25:18; 37:7; 



16. Chapiters; capitals or heads of the cohimns. They 
had a swel] in their central part called " the belly," ver. 20, 
which was surrounded with checker-work and chain-work, 
ver. 17, with two rows of pomegranates around each, be- 
sides an ornament of lily-work, ver. ]9, 22. 

21. Jachin ; meaning, he shall establish, or make it stand. 
Boaz; in strength. 

23. Molten sea ; a very large vat or basin for water. 

26. Two thousand batlix; a bath is supposed to have been 
about seven and a half gallons. 

27. Bases; tables or platforms for the vessels of water 
to stand on. These bases were complicated in their struc- 
ture and highly ornamented, so that it is difBcult to obtain, 

410 



7irr; they had borders, and the borders were li.cvwS 
between till- ledges: 

2'J And on the borders that ircre between the 
ledges were lions,'' o.\en,and cherubim :" and u])on 
the ledges //htc wa* a base jiliove: and beneath 
the lions and o.xcn wrrc certain adilitioiis made of 
thin work.'' 

30 And every base had four brazen wheels, and 
]ilates of brass: and the four corners thereof had 
uiulersetters: under the laver tvcre undcrsctters 
molten, at the side of every addition. 

31 And the mouth of it within the chapiter and 
above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was 
round after the work of the base, a cubit and a 
half: and also upon the mouth of it M-cre gravings 
with their borders, fours(]uare, not round. 

32 And under the borders u'cre four wheels ;" and 
the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base :' 
and the height of a wheel icas a cubit and half a 
cubit. 

33 And the work of the wheels was like the work 
of a chariot wheel : their axletrees, and their naves, 
and their felloes, and their spokes, mre all molten. 

34 And fhirc vrre foiir undersetters to the four 
corners of one base: a7id the undersetters were of 
the very base itself. 

35 And in the top of the base vas there a round 
compass of half a cubit high : and on the top of 
the base the ledges thereof and the borders there- 
of mre of the same. 

36 For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and 
on the borders thereof, he graved cherubim, lions, 
and palm-trees, according to the proportion' of 
every one, and additions round about. 

37 After this manner he made the ten bases: all 
of them had one casting, one measure, and one 
size. 

38 IF Then made he ten lavers of brass:'' one 
laver contained forty baths : and every laver was 
four cubits : and upon every one of the ten bases 
one laver. 

39 And he put five bases on the right side^ of 
the house, and five on the left side of the house : 
and he set the sea on the right side of the house 
eastward, over against the south. 

40 1 And Hiram" made the lavers, and the shov- 
els, and the basins. So Hiram made an end of 
doing all the work that he made king Solomon 
for the house of the Loud : 

41 The two pillars, and the tico bowls of the 
chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars ; 



Heb. 9:5. t 1 Pet. 2:5. e Ezek. 1:15, etc. 5 Heb. in the base. 1 Heb. 
nakedness. ,1" 2 Chr. 4:6, etc. 1 Heb. shoulder. ' Heb. Hirom ; ver. 13. 



from the description here given, any thing more than a 
general idea of their form and parts. 

28. Borders; the word in the original seems to mean 
pannels, on the four sides, that were ornamented with fig- 
ures of lions, oxen, and cherubs. Ledges; raised work 
around the edges of the borders. 

29. Certain additions made of thin work; the original 
seems to mean, festoons of flowers hanging down. 

30. Undcrsctters ; literally, shoulders, that is, projections. 

31. TAc mowrto/ /(/ of the laver. The mouth of the laver 
seems here, from its position, to be the lower part of the 
laver, through which its waters were discharged. The 
chapiter; the head of the base above described. 



The tcmpk completed, 



1 KINGS VIII. 



and dedicated to God. 



n.llifm: and the two networks," to cover the two 
bowls of the chapiters which were upon the top of 
the piUars ; 

42 And four hundred pomegranates for the two 
networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one 
network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters 
that irere upon the pillars ; * 

43 And the ten bases, and ten lavcrs on the bases ; 

44 And one sea, and twelve oxen under the sea ; 

45 And the pots, and the shovels, and the basins :" 
and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king 
Solomon for the house of the Lord, were of bright 
brass.* 

46 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, 
in the clay-ground* between Succoth" and Zar- 
than." 

47 And Solomon left all the vessels umveighed, 
because they were exceeding many :^ neither was 
the weight of the brass found ' out. 

48 And Solomon made all the vessels that per- 
tained unto the house of the Lord : the altar of 
gold,'' and the table of gold, whereupon the show- 
bread was/ 

49 And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on 
the right side, and five on the left, before the ora- 
cle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs 
of gold, 

50 And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the ba- 
sins, and the spoons, and the censers' of pure gold ; 
and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the 
inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors 
of the house, to wit, of the temple. 

51 So was ended all the work that king Solo- 
mon made for the house of the Lord. And Solo- 
mon brought in the things which David" his father 
had dedicated f even the silver, and the gold, and 
the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the 
house of the Lord. 



»Ver 17,18. • Heh. upon tlu face of the piUars. b ExoJ. -27:3. t Heb. 
brass niade bright, or scoured. 1 Heb. in the thickness of the ground, c Gen. 
33:17. d Josh. 3:16. % R^h. for the exceeding multitude. Heb. ifiarc/ierf; 
1 Chr. 2S:U. e Exod. 37:-2.5. f Lev. 24:5-S. 1 Heb. ash-pans. • Heb. 
holy things of David, s 2 Sara. 8:11. h 2 Chr. 5:2, etc. t Heb. princes. 



46. Succoth and Zarthan ; places near the Jordan, and not 
far from Jericho. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. While convenient and comfortable dwellings are 
blessings for which men should be grateful, their great 
concern should be to secure a house not made with hands, 
eternal in the heavens. 

8. The more husbands and wives are united in their 
views, judgments, and efforts, dwelling together as heirs 
of the grace of life, the more happy they will be, and the 
more useful to all who may feel their influence. 

14. All natural endowments, as well as all spiritual 
graces, come from God. He bestows them in different 
measures upon different individuals, and in his service 
requires of each according to that he hath, and not accord- 
ing to that he hath not. 

23. The method of divine worship prescribed under 
every dispensation, the preparations for it, the mode of 
conducting it, and the truths inculcated by it, have all 
tended to impress upon the worshippers a conviction of 
their moral pollution, and the necessity of spiritual puri- 
fication in order to preparation for heaven. 

48. In order to the right use of wealth, all persons need 
and should habitually seek wisdom from above. How 
much, or what proportion, is to be employed in one way, 
and what in another, in order most to honor God and do 
good, he has not definitely prescribed. But each one 



CHAPTER VIII. 



I The feast of the dedication of the temple. 12, 54 Solomon's Messing. 
2'2 Suloiiion's prayer. 62 His sacrifice of peace-offerings. 

THEN Solomon assembled the elders of Israel,** 
and all the heads of the tribes, the chief* of 
the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king 
Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up 
the ark of tlie covenant of the Lord' out of the 
city of David,J which is Zion. 

2 And all the men of Israel assembled them- 
selves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month 
Ethanim,'' which is the seventh month. 

3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the 
priests took up the ark.' 

4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and 
the tabernacle of the congregation," and all the 
holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those 
did the priests and the Levites bring up. 

5 And king Sohnnon, and all the congregation 
of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with 
him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen," 
that could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 

6 And the priests brought in the ark of the cov- 
enant of the Lord unto his place," into the oracle 
of the house, to the most holy place, even under the 
wings of the cherubim." 

7 For the cherubim spread forth their two wings 
over the place of the ark, and the cherubim cov- 
ered the ark and the staves thereof above. 

8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends* 
of the staves were seen out in the holy place^ be- 
fore the oracle, and they were not seen without: 
and there they are unto this day. 

9 There ims nothing in the ark save the two 
tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb,' 
when' the Lord made a covenant with the children 
of Israel,"^ when they came out of the land of 
Egypt. 



12 Sam. 6:17. 12 Sam. 5:7-9. k Lev. 23:34. 1 Num. 4:15; 1 Chr. 15:14. 
m 2 Chr. 1:3. n 2 Sam. 6:1:3. o Exod. 26:.53. P ch. 6:27. 1 Heb. heads. 
S Or, ark, 2 Chr. 5:9. 1 Exod. 25:21; 40:20; Deut. 10:2,5; Heb. 9:4. 
I Or, where. ' Exod. 34:27, 28. 



should endeavor so to act as a steward of God, that when 
called to give up his account, he may do it with joy, and 

not with grief. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

1. Bring up the ark; from mount Zion in the south-west 
part of Jerusalem, where David lived, to the temple on 
mount Moriah, an elevation in the east part of the city. 

2. The feast ; of tabernacles. Ethanim; answering to a 
part of September and October. 

4. The tabernacle of the congregation ; as this was the pe- 
culiar name by which the tabernacle constructed by Moses 
in the wilderness was known, it is probable that it had 
been brought from Gibeon, where it was at the beginning 
of Solomon's reign— 1 Chr. 16:39; 21:29— to be deposited 
in the temple. Some, however, suppose that we are here 
to understand the tabernacle which David had prepared 
for the ark when he brought it from the house of Obed- 
edom. 2 Sam. 6:17. 

6. Under the wings of the cherubim ; the two cherubim of 
olive-wood that Solomon had placed in the holy of holies, 
chap. 6:23-28. 

8. The staves; those by which the ark was borne, Exod. 
2.5: 13-15. They wore drawn partly out, so that their ends 
projected into the holy place. Unto this day; an expression 
which the author of the books of Kings seems to have re- 
tained from " the book of the acts of Solomon." Chap. 11 : 41. 
411 



Solomon's prayer 



I K'INCS VIII, 



at the dedicalion. 



10 And it came <o pass, when the priests wore 
coino (Pia of (lie hdly /jlticc, that the cloud tilled 
the house of the LoitD," 

1 1 So that the priests could not stanjl to min- 
ister lieeause of the cloud: for the fflory of the 
LoitP hail filled the house of the Loui). 

I'l '.' 'I'iieii spake Solomon, The LouD said tliat 
ho would dwell in the thick darkness.'' 

13 1 have surely liuilt thee a house to dwell in,'' 
a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.*' 

14 And the kin<^ turned his face about, and 
blessed all the conpjregation of Israel :*= and all 
the conffre.ijation of Israel stood : 

15 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of 
Israel/ which spake with his mouth unto David 
my father,''' and hath with his hand fulfilled it, 
sayinir, 

16 Since the day that I brought forth my people 
Israel out of Egypt, I chose uo city out of all the 
tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name 
might be therein; but 1 chose David to be over 
my people Israel." 

17 And it was in the heart of David my fiither 
to build a house for the name of the Lord God of 
Israel.' 

18 And the Lord said unto David my father. 
Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house unto 
my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart. 

19 Nevertheless, thou shall not build the house; 
but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, 
he shall build the house unto my name. 

20 And the Lord hath performed his word that 
he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David 
my fatlier, and sit on tiie throne of Israel, as the 
Lord promised/ and have built a house for the 
name of the Lord God of Israel. 

21 And I have set there a place for the ark, 
wherein is the covenant of the Lord," which he 
made witli our fathers, when he brought tlicm out 
of the land of Egypt. 

22 T And Solomon stood before the altar of the 
Lord in the presence of all the congregation of 
Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven :' 

23 And he said. Lord God of Israel, there is no 
God like thee,"" in heaven above, or on earth be- 
neath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy 
servants" that walk before thee with all their 
heart:" 

21 Who hast kept with thy servant David my 
father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also 
with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, 
as it is this day. 

25 Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep 
with thy servant David my fatiier that thou prom- 
isedst him,'' saying, There shall not fail thee a man 



» Exod. 40:34; h-.Y. 16:'>. b a Chr. 6:1, etc ; I'sa.. 97:2; Isi. 45:1^. 
« 2 Sam. 7:1:3. a Psa. 132:14. e 2 Sam. 6:18. 'Luke 1:68. S 2 Sam. 7:5, 
etc. h 1 Sam. 16:1. i 1 Chr. 17:1, etc. J 1 Chr. 2X:5, 0. k ver. 9; Deut. 
31:26. IKxod. 9:33; Isa. 1:15. m Exnd. 15:11 ; 2 Sara. 7:22. nNeh.l:.!: 
Dan. 9:4. o ch. 3:6. Pch. 2:4. • Hub. There shall not ke cut off unto thte 
a man from my sight, f Hsb. on/i/ i/. q Psa. 119:19. r 2 Chr. 2:6; Isa. 



10. The cloud ; the symbol of God's presence, Exod. 19: 16 ; 
20:21; 40:34, 35; Isa. 6:4; Rev. 15:8. 

22. Stood before the altar ; he presented himself before 
the altar, standing with his face towards the congregation, 
and then kneeled down and spread out his hands as he 
prayed, ver. 54. 

412 



in my sight" (o sit on the throne of Israel ; *;, " TJUS: 
so that' thy ciiildreii take heed to their way, liiat 
they walk before mc as thou hast walked before 
me. 

2(j And now, God of Israel, let thy word, I 
pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto 
liiy servant David my father.'' 

27 ]5ut will God indeed dwell on the earth? 
behold, the heaven and heaven of hea^■ens can- 
not contain thee;"' how much less this house that 
I have builded? 

28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy 
servant, and to his supplication, Lord my (iod, 
to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which 
thy servant prayeth before thee to-day: 

21) That thine eyes may be o]ien toward this 
house night and day, (vin toward the ])lace of 
which thou hast said. My name shall be there:" 
that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which 
thy servant shall make toward' this ])lace. 

30 And hearken thou to the siipjilication of thy 
servant,' and of thy people Israel, when they shall 
pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven 
thy dwelling-place: and when thou hearest, for- 
give. 

31 1 If any man tresiiass against his neighbor, 
and an oath be laid upon him' to cause him to 
swear, and the oath come before thine altar in 
this house: 

32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge 
thy servants," condemning the wicked, to bring 
his way upon his head ; and justifying the right- 
eous,' to give him according to his righteousness. 

33 II When thy people Israel be smitten down be- 
fore the enemy," because they have sinned against 
thee, and shall turn again to thee," and confess thy 
name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee 
in^ this house: 

34 Then hear thou in licavcn, and forgive the 
sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto 
the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. 

35 T When heaven is shut up,-'' and there is no 
rain, because they have sinned against thee; if 
they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, 
and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them : 

36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the 
sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that 
thou teach them the good way wherein they should 
walk,^ and give rain upon thy land, which thou 
hast given to thy people for an inheritance. 

37 1 If there be in the land famine," if there bo 
pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be 
caterpillar ; if their enemy besiege them in the 
land of their cities;' whatsoever plague, whatso- 
ever sickness there he; 



06:1; Jer. 23:24; ActsI7:'i); 2 Cor. 12:2. ' Deul. 12:11. 1 Or, jn; Dan. 
Ii:lli. 12 Chr. 20:9. S Or, in,- Dan. 0:10. I ijeb. he require an oath of him ; 
Exod. 22:11. u Exod. 34:7; Deut. 251. v Isa. 3.10; Rom. 2:13; 5:9. 
w Deut. 2.8:25. x Lev. 20:411-42; Neh. 1:8. 9. 11 Or. toward. 1 Lev. 
21:19; Deul. 28:23. • 1 Sam. 12:23; Psa. 25:8; 91:12. a Lev. 20:16, 
etc.; Deut. 28:21. etc.; 2Chr.20:9. • Or. iurisdirlion. 

2G. Verified; shown to be true, by its fulfilment. 

29. May be open; look with favor. Toward; in, ver. 33. 

31. An oath be laid upon him; this oath he was required 
to take before the altar. 

33. /n,- toward, ver. 30. The word in the original means 
in, or toward, accordinar to the connection. 



Solomon's prayer. 



1 KINGS VIII. 



Tie blesseth Israel. 



B.r'iSr 38 What prayer and supplication soever 
be made by any man, or by all thy i)eople Israel, 
whicli shall know every man the plague of his own 
heart, and spread forth his hands toward this 
house: 

39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, 
and forgive, and do, and give to every man ac- 
cording to his ways, whose heart thou knowest ; 
(for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all 
the children of men ;)" 

40 That they may fear thee all the days that 
thev live in the land which thou gavest unto our 
fathers." 

41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not 
of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far coun- 
try for thy name's sake ; 

42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and 
of thy strong hand, and of thy stretchcd-out arm ;) " 
when he shall come and pray toward this house : 

43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and 
do according to all that the stranger calleth to 
thee for : that all people of the earth may know 
thy name,* to fear thee, as do thy people Israel ; 
and that they may know that this house, which I 
have builded, is called by thy name.* 

44 T" If thy people go out to battle against their 
enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and 
shall pray unto the Lord toward the city* which 
thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have 
built for thy name : 

45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and 
tlieir supplication, and maintain their cause.* 

46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man 
that sinneth not,)''and thou be angry with them, 
and deliver them to the enemy, so tliat they carry 
them away captives unto the land of the enemy,'' 
far or near ; 

47 Yet if they shall liethink themselves^ in the 
land whither they were carried captives, and re- 
pent, and make supplication unto thee in the land 
of them that carried them captives, saying. We 
have sinned,"^ and have done perversely, we have 
committed wickedness ; 

48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, 
and with all their soul,'' in the land of their ene- 
mies which led them away captive, and pray unto 
thee toward their laud, which thou gavest unto 
their fathers," the city which thou hast chosen, and 
the house which I have built for thy name : 

49 Then hear thou their prayer and their sup- 
plication in heaven thy dwelling-place, and main- 
tain their cause,' 

50 And forgive thy people that have sinned 
against thee, and all their transgressions wherein 



" 1 Chr. aS:0; Psa. 11:4; Jer. 17:111; Heb. 4:12. b Psa. 130:4. t Deut 
4 3t li 2 Kings 19:19; Psi. 6-:->; K«:I5. • Heh. thy name is calUd upon 
tins house, t Heh. the uxiij of t/i'' cilti. lOr, rifAf. e Eccl. "-aO; Jas 3-2' 
1 John 1:8, 10. f Deut. «;.')0. 64. i Heb. bring back to their heart. 6 Neh. 
I ;6, etc.; Psa. 108:6; Dan. 9:.5, etc- b Jer. 29:l-'-14; Hos. 14:1, 2. i ver. 



38. The plague o/"A/.s own heart; the sorrow that is his 
own special burden, and which he feels to be the chas- 
tisement from God for his sin. 

41. For thy name's sa/ce ; on account of what he had heard 
about God, and for the purpose of worshipping him and 
sharing in the blessings of his people. 

63. A sacrifice of peace-offerings — two and twenty thousand 
oxen — twenty thousand sheep; certain prescribed portions of 



they have transgressed against thee, and give them 
compassion before them who carried them captive,^ 
that they may have compassion on them : 

51 For they be thy people,'' and thine inheritance, 
which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from 
the midst of the furnace of iron :' 

52 That thine eyes may be open unto the suppli- 
cation of thy servant, and unto the supplication 
of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all 
that they call for unto thee. 

53 For thou didst separate them from among all 
the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as 
thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant,™ 
when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, 
Lord God. 

54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made 
an end of praying all this prayer and supplication 
unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of 
the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his 
hands spread up to heaven. 

55 And he stood, and blessed all the congrega- 
tion of Israel with a loud voice," saying, 

56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest 
unto his people Israel, according to all that he 
promised : there hath not failed'' one word of all 
his good promise," which he promised by the hand 
of Moses his servant. p 

57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was 
with our fathers : let him not leave us, nor forsake 
us:" 

58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to 
walk in all his ways, and to keep his command- 
ments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which 
he commanded our fathers.'' 

59 And let these my words, wherewith I have 
made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto 
the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain 
the cause of his servant, and the cause of his peo- 
ple Israel at all times,* as the matter shall require : 

60 That all the people of the earth may know 
that the Lord is God,'' arid that there is none else. 

61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the 
Lord our God,' to walk in his statutes, and to 
keep his commandments, as at this day. 

62 ^\ And the king, and all Israel with him, 
offered sacrifice before the Lord." 

63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace-of- 
ferings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and 
twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty 
thousand sheep. So the king and all the children 
of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 

64 The same day did the king hallow the mid- 
dle of the court that wos before the house of the 
Lord : for there he offered burnt-offerings, and 



29. 1 


Or, rishl. 1 


T.7.T 


1 7:6 


Psa 


106:40. 


t Dcu 


t. 9:29. 


1 Den 


. 4:20; 


Jer. l: 


:4. ni ExoJ 


19 


.■). 6; 


Deut. 


14:2. 


2 Sam 


6:1S. 


1 Heb 


fallen. 


Josh 


2.'!:14. P Deut. 


12:1(1 


II. 


Q Deut. 


31:6. 


r Psa. 119:36. 


• Heb. 


the thi 




I his 


day. 


8 ver 


43; Deut. 4:35, 


39; Josh 


4:24. 


1 Deut. 


18:13. 


u-jChr. 7:4 


. etc 

















these peace-oifcrings were burned, Lev. 3:3, 4, 10, 11, and 
from the rest he furnished a feast for the immense multi- 
tude of the people assembled from all parts of the land 
for fourteen days, ver. 65, 66. In this he imitated the ex- 
ample of David when he removed the ark to Zion, 2 Sam. 
6:17, 10. Thus was strikingly typified the spiritual feast 
which a greater than Solomon has provided for all who 
believe, hy the sacrifice of his blood. Isa. 25:6. 
413 



Go^i antnant vith Solomon. 



1 KINGS IX. 



The cities given to Iliram. 



meat-oflTorinirs, iintl tlio fat of tlio pcaco-ofTcM-infrs : 
because llic lira/.i'ii altar lliat wax before the Luuii 
teas loo little to receive the burnt-ofl'eriugs, and 
mcat-otVeriiiL'S, and the fat of the lieace-oflerings." 

65 And at that time Solomon held a feast,"* and 
all Israel with him, a great congregation, from 
the entering in of llamath unto the river of 
Egypt,"" before the Lord our God, seven daya and 
seven days, even fourteen days. 

66 On the eighth day lie sent the people away: 
and they blessed* the king, and went unto tlieir 
tents Joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness 
that the Lokd had done for David his servant,'' 
and for Israel his people. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 God's covenant in a vision with Solomon. 10 Tiie mutual present3 of 
Solomon and Hiram, l.") In Solomon's works the Qcntilts were liis 
bondmen, the Israelites honorable servants. 24 Pharaoh's dauijhler 
removeth to her house. 'S) Solomon's yearly solemn sacrifices. :J6 
His navy fetcheth gold from Ophir. 

AND it eame to pass, when Solomon had fin- 
ished the building of the house of the Loud,' 
and the king's house,' and all Solomon's desire 
which he was pleased to do," 

2 That the Lord appeared to Solomon the sec- 
ond time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.'' 

3 And the Loud said unto him, I have heard thy 
prayer and thy su])plication,' that thou hast made 
Defore me : I have hallowed this house, which thou 
hast built, to put my name there for ever;^ and 
mine eyes aud my heart shall be there perpetu- 
ally.^ 

4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David 
thy father walked,' in integrity of heart, and in 
uprightness, to do according to all that I have 
commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and 
my judgments ;'" 



«2Clir. 4;1. b ver. 2. <: Num. »1:5, 8. 'Oi, thanked, d Psa, 106:4, 5; 
122:6-9. »2Chr. 7:11, etc. fch. 7.1. e2Chr. 8:6. boh. 3:5. i 2 Kings 
20:5; 1 John 5:14. J ch. 8:29. kDeut. 11:12. 1 ch. 2:4; 6:12; 15:5. 
■» Proy. 10:9; 23:18. n 1 Chr. 22:9, 10; Psa. 132:12. » 2 Sam. 7 : 14 ; Psa. 



65. The entering in of Hamath; on the north border of 
Canaan. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The most costly and splendid temple without the 
presence and favor of God, is but a dead mass of useless 
matter; and the most exact and gorgeous forms of wor- 
ship, without love and faith in the worshippers, are no 
more pleasing to him than sounding brass or a tinkling 
cymbal. 1 Cor. 13:1. 

10. "When the people of God have dedicated to him a 
house, and assemble in it to worship him in spirit and in 
truth, they may expect glorious manifestations of his pres- 
ence, and rich spiritual joys. 

17. To every sincere desire for the promotion of his 
glory and the good of men, God is witness ; and whether 
it can consistently be now granted or not, he will connect 
it with great results, and bestow upon it a gracious and 
glorious reward. 

22. Every ruler sliould be a man of prayer, and on suit- 
able occasions should publicly set the example of acknow- 
ledging and adoring God ; blessing him for his goodness, 
and seeking of him those mercies which are needed for 
rulers and people. 

33. The public calamities of a people are caused by 
their sins ; and repentance, reformation, and earnest sup- 
plications to God are his appointed means for their re- 
moval. 

414 



f) Then I will establish the tiirono of thy "u",-^^ 
kingdom upon Israel for ever, as 1 ])romis('d to 
David thy father," saying, Tliere shall not fail thee 
a man ujion the throne of Israel. 

6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, 
ye or your children, and will not keep my com- 
mandments and my statutes which 1 have set be- 
fore you," but go aud serve other gods, and wor- 
ship them; 

7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which 
I have given them ;■' and this house, which I have 
hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my 
sight;'' and Israel shall be a proverb and a by- 
word among all people:"" 

8 And at this house, u/iich is high, every one 
that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall 
hiss; and they shall say. Why hath the Loud done 
thus unto this land, and to this house?' 

9 And they shall answer. Because they forsook 
the Loud their God,' who brought forth their fa- 
thers out of the land of P'gyjit, and have taken 
hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, 
and served them : therefore hath the Loud brought 
upon them all this evil." 

10 IT And it came to pass at the end of twenty 
years,''" when Solomon had built the two houses, 
the house of the Loud, and the king's house, 

11 (JVbt/j Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished 
Solomon with cedar-trees and fir-trees, and with 
gold, according to all his desire,) that then king 
Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the laud 
of Galilee. 

12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the 
cities which Solomon had given him; and they 
pleased him not.^ 

13 And he said, "What cities are these which thou 
hast given me, my brother? And he called them 
the land of Cabul* unto this day.™ 



89:30, etc. PDeut. 4:20; 


2 Kings 17:23, 


qjer.?:^. r Dent. 28:37; Psa. 


44:14. ■ Deut. 29:24.-a«; 


Jer, 22:8, 9. 


t Zeph. 1:4. 5. <■ Jer. 12:7, 8. 


'2 Chr. 8:1, etc. t Heb. 


cere not right i 


I his eyes, t That is, Displeasing. 


or Dirty, w Josh. 19:27. 







41. All enlightened and sincere friends of God earnestly 
desire that the blessings which he bestows on them may 
be enjoyed by all people, and that for this end he may be 
revealed to them and they be taught to worship him in 
the beauty of holiness. 

40. There is no land so distant or dark, and no condition 
so trying, that men may not think of their sins as the 
cause of their sorrows, repent of them, from the hearl 
make supplication to God, and in due time receive abun- 
dant answers to their prayers. 

58. God is the author of the inclination to love and serve 
him, and no greater blessing is ever bestowed bj' him on 
earth, than a disposition to beUeve his declarations and 
keep his comrhandments. 

65. Sincere and upright worship of God, and hearty obe- 
dience to his commands, is a source of gladness and ex- 
ceeding joy. It raises the soul to the highest enjoyment 
which can be found on earth, and fits it for perfect and 
endless bliss in heaven. 

CHAPTER IX. 

3. Hallowed; accepted theu: consecration of the tempk- 
to his service. 

8. Wiiicli is hi^h ; its height shall only make it a more 
conspicuous object of reproach. 

13. Cabul; the meaning of this word cannot be certainly 
determined, but it evidently denotes something displeasing. 



Sclomon^s xcorks arid sacrifices. 



1 KINGS X. 



Ships sent to Opkir. 



k?mP I'i And Hiram sent to the king sixscore 
talents of pjold. 

15 ir And this is the reason of the levy which 
king Solomon raised;" for to build the house of 
the Lord, and his own house, and Millo," and the 
wall of Jerusalem," and Hazor,'' and Megiddo,'' 
and Gczer/ 

16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and 
taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the 
Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and given it 

for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife. 

17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Beth-horon 
the nether,^ 

18 And Baalath,'' and Tadmor in the wilderness, 
in the land, 

19 And all the cities of store that Solomon had, 
and cities for his chariots,' and cities for his horse- 
men, and that which Solomon desired" to build 
in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land 
of his dominion. 

20 Jlnd all the people that were left of the Amo- 
rites, Hittites, Pcrizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, 
which luere not of the children of Israel, 

21 Their children that were left after them in 
the laiid,J whom the children of Israel also were 
not able utterly to destroy,'' upon those did Solo- 
mon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.' 

22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon 
make no bondmen:'" but they ivere men of war, 
and his servants, and liis princes, and his captains, 
and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. 

23 These were the chief of the officers that ivere 
over Solomon's work, five hundred and fifty, which 
bare rule over the people that wrought in the 
work. 

2-1 \ But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the 
city of David" unto her house which Solomon had 
built for her;" then did he build Millo." 

25 IT And three times in a year did Solomon 



• eh. 5:13. basim5:9. cPsi. 51:18. d Josh. 19: Mi. = Josh. 17: II. 
' JosK. 16:10; Judg. ISO. B Josh. 18:3. h Josh. 19:44; i Chr. t-:4, 6, etc. 
' ch. 4:-26. • H?b. the d^^sirc of Solomon which he desired, i Judg. 3:1. 
k Josh. 15:63; 17:12. 1 Judg. 1:2S; Ezra, 2:58. m Lev. 25:39. » oh. 3:1. 



15. Levij; levy of men, ver. 21, and chap. 5:1.5. Millo; 
a part of the citeide! or fortifications of Jerusalem. Hazor; 
in Naphttili. Megiddo; in Issachar. Gezer; in Ephraim. 

17. Beth-horon; in the tribe of Benjamin. Nether; lower. 
There were two places of this name, the upper and the 
lower, with a steep descent between, Jo.sh. 10:11; 16:3. 

18. Baulath; in the territory of Dan. Tadmor; supposed 
to be the same as Palmyra, a city the ruins of which are 
still to be seen in the desert east of Damascus. 

26. Ezion-geber ; near the north end of the east branch 
of the Red sea. 

28. Ophrr; supposed to be some place either in Arabia, 
or on tlie Indian ocean. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. All sincere and hearty supplications to God will be 
accepted, and all offerings presented in love to him receive 
a gracious reward. 

6. Continued obedience to God is needful in order to 
the continuance of his favors ; and if those who have been 
distinguished by his mercies rebel against him, they will 
be distinguished in their punishment. 

12. Different men have different tastes, which lead them 
to follow different occupations and live in different places. 
Some are attracted by the noise and bustle of cities, others 
by the stillness and quiet of the country, and both may be 



offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the 
altar which he built unto the Lord, and he burnt 
incense upon the altar^ that was before the Lord. 
So he finished the house. 

26 Tl And king Solomon made a navy of ships in 
Ezion-geber,'' which is beside Eloth,"' on the shore* 
of the Red sea, in the land of Edom. 

27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, 
shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the 
servants of Solomon. 

28 And they came to Ophir,'' and fetched from 
thence gold,' four hundred and twenty talents, and 
brought it to king Solomon. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 The queen of Sheba admireth the wisdom of Solomon. 14 Solomon's 
gold. 16 His targets. 18 The throne of ivory. 21 His vessels. 
'24 His presents. 26 His chariots and horse. 20 His tribute. 

AND when the queen of Sheba heard of the 
fame of Solomon concerning the name of the 
LoRD,"she came to prove him with hard questions.'' 

2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great 
train, with camels that bare spices, and very much 
gold, and precious stones : and when she was come 
to Solomon, she communed with him of all that 
was in her heart. 

3 And Solomon told her all her questions :^ there 
was not any thing hid from the king, which he told 
her not. 

4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solo- 
mon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, 

5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of 
his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, 
and their apparel, and his cup-bearers,' and his 
ascent by which he went up unto the house of the 
Lord ; there was no more spirit in her. 

6 And she said to the king. It was a true report* 
that I heard in mine own land of thy acts* and of 
thy wisdom. 



o ch. 7:8. P ver. 15; ch. 11:27; 2 Chr. 32:5. t Heb. upon it. q 2 Chr. 
S: 12, etc. 'Deut. 2:8. 1 Heb. //p. •ch. 10:11. I Job 22:24. "2 Chr. 9:1, 
etc.; Matt. 12:42. vProv. 1:5.6. J Heb. tt'ords. t^e^. standing. T Or, 
butlers. ' Heb. word, t Or, sayings. 



where God calls them, and be mutually serviceable to each 
other. 

18. The most opulent cities, and the most splendid hu- 
man works, are liable to become a heap of ruins. None 
should therefore set their hearts on them, but all should 
secure durable riches and righteousness, treasures in the 
heavens which will never pass away. 

25. All who are distinguished by wealth, power, and 
influence, should also be dislinguished for habitual devo- 
tion to God, and regular, conscientious attendance upon 
his worship. 

26. As commerce is a source of wealth, and seamen are 
exposed to numerous privations, hardships, dangers, and 
vices, those who are benefited by their services should, 
in addition to .giving them suitable compensation and tem- 
poral comforts, furnish them with the Bible and other 
good books, and as far as practicable with all the means 
of grace. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. Slieba ; supposed to have been a country in the south- 
ern part of Arabia near the south end of the Red sea. 
Heard oftliefame; probably by the ships that went down 
from Ezion-geber. Prove hun ; ascertain whether he was 
as wise as he had been represented to be. 

5. No more spirit; she was utterly astonished. 
41.5 



3Tt« quttn of SAeba. 



1 KINGS X. 



Sdomon's wisdom and wealth. 



7 llowbcit I believctl not tlif wor(l.«,until 1 came, 
ami iniiiiM'ves liiul i^i'oii it: ami behold, the liaWwas 
not tolil iiic: thy wi.^doiii and i)rosj)crity exceed- 
Otii* the iaiiie wiikli I heard. 

8 llai)pv arc thy men, happy are these thy ser- 
vants, wliieh stand continually before thee, and 
that hear thy wisdom." 

9 Blessed be the Lord thy God,"" which delight- 
ed in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel : 
because the LoRn loved Israel for ever, therefore 
made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.'' 

10 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty 
talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and 
precious stones:'' tiicre came no more such abun- 
dance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba 
gave to king Solomon. 

11 And the navy <ilso of Hiram," that brought 
gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great 
plenty of almug-trccs,* and precious stones. 

12 And the king made of the almug-trces pillars' 
for the house of the Lord, and for tlie king's house, 
harps also and psalteries for singers: there came 
no sucli almug-trces, nor Avcrc seen unto this day. 

13 And king Solomon gave unto the (jnoen of 
Sheba all her desire, w'hatsoever she asked, besides 
that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty.^ 
So she turned and went to her own country, she 
and her servants. 

14 1 Now the weight of gold that came to Sol- 
omon in one year was six hundred threescore and 
six talents of gold, 

1.5 Besides t/iat he /iodof the merchant-men, and of 
the traffic of tlie spice merchants, and of all the kings 
of Arabia, and of the governors' of the country. 

16 1 And king Solomon made two hundred tar- 
gets of beaten gold : six hundred shekels of gold 
went to one target. 

17 And he made three hundred shields o/" beaten 
gold;'' three pounds of gold went to one shield: 
and the king put them in the house of the forest 
of Lebanon.""' 

18 IT Moreover, the king made a great throne 



' Heb. thou hast added wisdom and goodtuss to. 


»Prov. 8:34 


. b 


h. 5:7. 


tPsa. 


Tl:->, ProT. 8 


15. i Psa. TZ 


10. 15. 


e eh. 9:27. t Algum 


trees 


2 Chr. 


•i:i; 9 


10,11. 1 Or, 


rails; Heb. a 


prop. 


i Heb. which he gave 


her, 


accord- 


tag to 


'.luhandofk 


n^ Solomon. 


I Or, 


jptains. 


t ch. 14:2G. 


e 


h. 7: -J. 


T Heb 


on the hinder 


part thereof. 


• Heb 


hands. 


t Heb. so. 


I Or, there 



11. Almug-trees; according to some a species of sandal- 
wood, line-grained and fragrant, much employed in the East 
at the present day for elegant articles of cabinet-work. 

14. Six hundred threescore and six talents of gold ; a talent 
consisted of three thousand shekels. The shekel of silver 
has been variously estimated at from fifty to sixty cents. 
This would make the talent of silver from one thousand 
five hundred to one thousand eight hundred dollars. The 
talent of gold was many times greater, according to the 
relative value of gold to that of silver. 

17. Three pounds ; in tlie Hebrew, three manehs, the ma- 
neh being generally reckoned at one hundred shekels. 

21. It was nothing accounted of; that is, silver, from its 
abundance. 

22. Navy of Tarsh-ish; some have understood the words, 
"navy of Tarsliish," to mean a navy of ships of a pecul- 
iar construction called Tarsliish ships, though thev might 
sail to other ports, just as the English word Indiaman is 
used. Others suppose that Solomon and Hiram had two 
navies, one on the Mediterranean, which went to Tarshish 
in Spain, the other at Ezion-geber on the eastern arm of the 
Red sea. which went to Ophir. In the vovage to Tarshish, 

416 



of ivory, and overlaid it with the best a. m. .wu 

gold. WL 

1!) The throne had six steps, and the lop of the 
throne u-as round behind:' and there were stays* 
on either side on the jilacc of the seat, and two 
lions stood beside the stays. 

2U And twelve lions stood thereon the one side 
and on the other upon the six steps: there was 
not the like' made in any kingdom. 

21 'i\ And all king Solomon's drinking-vcssels 
were o/" gold, and all the vessels of the house of the 
forest of Lebanon vxre of pure gold ; none uere of 
silver:' it was nothing accounted of in the days 
of Solomon. 

22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tarshish 
with the navy of Hiram :'' once in three years came 
the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, 
ivory,* and apes, and peacocks. 

23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of 
the earth for riches and for wisdom.' 

21 ■ And all the earth sought to' Solomon, to 
hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.' 

2.5 And they brought every man his present, ves- 
sels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, 
and armor, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate 
year by year. 

26 1 And Solomon gathered together chariots 
and liorsemen:'' and he had a thousand and four 
hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, 
whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and 
with the king at Jerusalem. 

27 And the king made' silver to be in Jerusalem 
as stones, and cedars made he to Ic as the syca- 
more-trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 

28 ^, And Solomon had horses brought* out of 
Egypt, and linen yarn:' the king's merchants re- 
ceived the linen yarn at a price. 

29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt 
for six hundred shekels of silver, and a hor.se for 
a hundred and fifty : and so for all the kings of 
the Hittites,"' and for the kings of Syria, did they 
bring them out by their means. ^ 



was 


no silver i 


\ them. 


h 


en 


10:4 


2Ch 


. 20:36. S Or. eltvhanW 


teeth. 


ich. 


3:1-2, 1.3 : 


: 29-^4. 


IH 


eb 


Iheja 


ceof. 


JFrov. 2:6 


Jas. 1:5. kaChr. 


1:14 


etc. U Heb. gave 




n 


b. And the 


goin^ forth 


of the horses 


whidt 




SotomoH^s 


. lEze 


t. 27 


7 


m:. 


Kings 


7:6. tHeb 


hand. 





" ivory, apes, and peacocks," could be easily obtained from 
the northern coast of Africa. Silver was very abundant 
in Tarshish. This may explain its abundance in Jerusalem 
in Solomon's da}'. 

24. Alt the earth ; people from all surrounding nations. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The highest honor and the noblest fame is that which 
relates to the name of Jehovah, and the greatest wisdom 
consists in learning and doing his will. Psa. 111:10. 

3. The richest and most profitable knowledge that can 
be communicated, is the knowledge of God and the way 
of acceptably worshipping him. 

7. The blessings wliich God bestows upon those who 
love and obej' him exceed all human description, and they 
never can be fully known except by those who receive 
and enjoy them. 

9. Wise and good rulers are manifestations of God's 
peculiar favor to a people, while foolish and wicked ones 
are tokens of his wrath. 

18. A great increase of wealth is liable to be abused, 
and instead of leading men to God, to be prostituted to 



Snlomo7i's idolatrous works. 



1 KINGS XI. 



God raiseth up adversaries. 



CHAPTER XI. 



1 Solomon's wives and concubines. 4 In his oU a;;e they draw him to 
idolatry. 9 God threateneth him. 14 Solomon's adversaries were 
Had:id, who was entertained in Eg^pt, 23 Rezon^ who reigned in 
Ditnascus, '2G and Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah prophesied. 41 Solo- 
mon's acts, reign, and death: Rehoboam succeedeth him. 

BUT king Solomon loved many strange 'women, 
together witli' the daughter of Pharaoh, 
■(viiinen of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, 
Zidonians, and Hittites ; 

2 Of the nations concerning 'svhich the Lord said 
unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to 
them, neither shall they come in unto you : for 
surely they will turn away your heart after their 
gods:" Solomon clave unto these in love. 

3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, 
and tliree hundred concubines : and his wives 
turned away his heart." 

4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, 
that his wives turned away his lieart after other 
gods: and his heart was not perfect withtlie Lord 
his Grod,'^ as toas the heart of David liis father.'' 

5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the god- 
dess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom,^ the abom- 
ination of the Ammonites. 

6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, 
and went not fully after* the Lord, as did David 
his father. 

7 Then did Solomon build a high place' for Clic- 
niosh the abomination of Moab,' in the hill that is 
before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination 
of the children of Amnion. 

8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, 
which burnt ineease and sacrificed unto their gods. 

9 'i And the Lord was angry with Solomon,*^ 
because his heart was turned from the Lord God 
of Israel, wliich had appeared unto him twice,'' 

10 And had commanded him concerning this 
tiling, that he should not go after other gods: but 
he kept not that which the Lord commanded. 

11 Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, For- 
asmuch as this is done of thee,^ and thou hast not 
kept my covenant and my statutes,' which I have 
commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom 
from thee,-' and will give it to thy servant. "^ 

12 Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it 
for David thy father's sake:' bui I will rend it 
out of the hand of thy son. 

13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the king- 
dom ;'" but will give one tribe to thy son for David 
my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which 
I have chosen." 

1-1 1l And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto 
Solomon, Hadad the Edomite:" he was of the king's 
seed in Edom. 



• 


,4^ 


udf 


s. a Bx 


>1. 31:1 


; neut. 7 


:3. 4. 


b n 


ent. i: 17; Neh 


13: -26. 


c ch. 


S:l) 


. 


oh. 9:4. 


t Oil' 


ed Molteh 


ver. 7. 


1 


Heb. fulfilled no 


( after, 


Num. 


14; 


>\. 


e Num. 


3.-J:.3>; 


i Kln^s -in Vi. 


Ni 


m -21:29; Judj. 


llfll 


! Hsi 


'(- 


■■>-i. 


hch. 3: 


3; 9:-> 


SH«b u> 


th ;hu 




sa.29:l.'), 14. j 


fer.31. 


i ch. 


IJ; 


ii;. 


211. 1 ch 


■i\:-29 


i Kings 


■20:17, 


19; 


■2-2:19, -20. m v 


ei. 39; 



purposes of personal aggrandizement, external pomp, mag- 
nificence, and show. 

24. The possession of peculiar ■(visdom lays men under 
peculiar obligations to glorify God by instructing their 
fellow-men, and promoting their highest -svelfare. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. Strange women ; women of foreign nations. 
27 



1 .5 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom,'' 
and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to 
bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in 
Edom;i 

16 (For six months did Joab remain there with 
all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom ;) 

17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of 
his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; 
Iladad being yet a little cliild. 

18 And they arose out of Midian,"" and came to 
Paran : '^ and they took men with tlicm out of Paran, 
and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of 
Egypt ; which gave him a house, and appointed 
him victuals, and gave him land. 

19 And Hadad f^ound great favor in the sight of 
Piiaraoh, so tiiat he gave him to wife the sister of 
his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.' 

20 And the sister of Tahpenes bai-e him Genu- 
bath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's 
house : and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household 
among the sons of Pharaoh. 

21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David 
slept witli his fathers, and that Joab the captain 
of the host was dead," Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let 
me depart,' that I may go to mine own country. 

22 Then Pharaoh said unto liini, But what hast 
thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to 
go to thine own country? And he answered. Noth- 
ing:'' howbeit let me go in any wise. 

23 TT And God stirred him up another adversary, 
Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord 
Hadadezer king of Zobah :" 

24 And he gathered men unto him, and became 
captain over a band, wlien David slew them of 
Zobah:^'' and they went to Damascus, and dwelt 
therein, and reigned in Damascus. 

25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the 
days of Solomon, besides the mischief that Hadad 
did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over 
Syria. 

26 T And Jeroboam the son of Nebat," an Eph- 
rathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose moth- 
er's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he 
lifted up his hand against the king.^ 

27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his 
hand against the king : Solomon built Millo,^ and 
repaired' the breaches of the city of David his 
father. 

28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighly man of 
valor : and Solomon seeing the young man that he 
was industrious,* he made him ruler over all the 
charge* of the house of Josejih. 

29 And it came to pass at tliat time when Jero- 
boam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet 



lb: 1-2, 



n Deut. 1-2:11. » 1 Clir. .'):-2(). P -2 Sam. 8:14; 1 Chr. 

-24:19; Deut. -20:13. r Gen. '25:2, 4; Exod. 2:15. • Gen. 
1.41:45. »ch.2:IO, 34. XBuh. Send meaiaay. t Heb Not. 

"2 Sam. 10:8. 19. i ch. 12:2; 2 Chr. 13:6. r 2 Sam. -20:21. 
' Heb. dosed, t Heb. did work. 1 Heb. burden. 



5. Mikom ; supposed to be the same as Molech. Ver. 7. 
Abom illation ; idol-god. 

11. Thy servant ; Jerohoam. 
13. One tribe; Judah, including also Benjamin. 
15. Every male; all that he could capture. 
18. Paran; south of Palestine, between Edom and Egypt. 
26. Zereila; in the tribe of Ephraim. 
29. Shilonite; a native or inhabitant of Shiloh. 
417 



Promists to Jtrohonm. 



1 KINGS XII. 



Rdiohoam succeeds Solomon. 



Aliijah tlio Shilonilo fcuiiul liim in tlio way;" and 
ho had chid hinisidl'wilh a new ganiiciit ; and tlicy 
two irrrr ahmi' in the field: 

30 And Aiiijah i'aii,irhl tiic new garment that u-oi 
on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:'' 

31 And he said to Jori)l)oaMi, Take thee ton 
piceos: lor thus saith the LdiU). tiie God of Israel, 
Behold, I will rend the kinj^doni out of the liaud of 
Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:" 

32 (But he shall have one tribe for iny servant 
David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city 
■which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 

33 Because that they have forsaken mo, and have 
•worshi|i]i('d Aslitoretli the p;odili'ss of the Ziiloni- 
ans, Chemosh the goil of the Moabites, ami Mil- 
com the god of the children of Ammon,'' and have 
not walked in my ways, to do ihal which is right 
in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judg- 
ments, as (lid David his father. 

34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom 
out of his hand:'' but I will make him prince all 
the days of his life for David my servant's sake,' 
whom I chose, because he kept my commandments 
and my statutes : 

35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's 
hand,' and will give it unto thee, cvc}i ten tribes. 

36 And unto his son will I give one tribe,'' that 
David my servant may have a light" alway before 
nic in Jerusalem,' the city which I have chosen me 
to put my name there. 

37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign 
according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt 
be king over Israel. 

3S And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all 
that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, 
and do that is- right in my sight, to keep my stat- 
utes and my commandments,J as David my ser- 
vant did; that I will be with thee," and build thee 
a sure house,' as I built for David, and will give 
Israel unto thee. 

39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, 
but not for ever."" 



» Ch. 14:3. b 1 Sam. 15:27. c ver. 11-13. <1 ver. .'5-7; Jer. 2: 13; Ho.? 
4:17. ePsa. 103:10. ' Isi. 55:3. e Exoii. 20:5, 6. I>ch. 12:17. • Heb. 
iamp, or caiuiU. i ch. 15:4; 2 Kings .S: 19; I'sa. 132: 17. i ch. 9:4, 5. k Josh. 
1:5, I 2 Sam. 7:11, 27. m Psi. S9:3U-3I; Lam. 3:31, :32. » Prov. 19:21. 



38. Build thee a sure house; cause his posterity to reign 
after him. 

41. The bpok; a record which was kept of the transac- 
tions of his reign. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The union for hfe of one man with one woman, ac- 
cording to t!ie appointment of God, is essential to the 
highest excellence, usefulness, and happiness in life ; and 
the neglect or violation of the original institution of mar- 
riage is a source of many of the most direful evils to which 
men on the earth are exposed. 

2. However great the blessings which any one may have 
enjoyed, and however weh he may in times past have im- 
proved them, yet, if left to himself, he is liable to depart 
from God, and to fall into the most abominable h-ansgres- 
sions. 

4. Licentiousness weakens the understanding, corrupts 
the affections, stupefies the conscience, hardens the heart, 
and debases all the jiowers of tlie human soul. No talents, 
acquisitions, or renown, can keep the soul which is under 
its power from the practice of the most degrading and 
destructive sins. 

9. The practice of iniquity shows that the heart is turned 
418 



40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jer- a.*i.»i24. 
olioam." And Jcroimani arose, and flod i«>' 
into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Kgypt, and was 
in Kgypt until the death of Solomon. 

41 *] And the rest of iho ads' of Solomon, and 
all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not writ- 
ten in the Iwok of the acts of Solomon?" 

42 And the lime' that Solomon reigned in Jeru- 
salem over all Israel vas forty years. 

43 And Solomon slept with hi.s fathers, and was 
buried in the city of David his father: and Keho- 
boam* his sou reigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 The Israelites, assembled at Shcchcm to crown Rehoboam, by Jero- 
boam make a suit of relaxation unto him. G Rehoboam, refusing the 
olJ men's counsel, by the advice of young men, unswcreth them rough- 
ly. 16 Ten tribes revolting, kill Adoram, and make Rehoboam to fl.'p. 
'Jl Rehoboam, raising an army, is forbidden by Shemaiah. 2.0 Jero- 
boam strengtheneth himself by cities, 26 and by the idolatry of the 
two calves. 

AND Kehoboam went to Shechem:'' for all 
Israel were come to Shechem to make him 
king. 

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son 
of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt,*" heard of it, (for 
he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, 
and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt,) 

3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam 
and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake 
unto Kehoboam, saying, 

4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: ''now there- 
fore make thou the grievous service of thy father, 
and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, 
and we will serve thee. 

5 And he said unto them. Depart y at for three 
days, then come again to me. And the people 
departed. 

6 "I And king Rehoboam consulted with the old 
men, that stood before Solomon his father while he 
yet lived,^ and said, How do ye advise that I may 
answer this people? 

7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt 



t Or, words, or things. t> 2 Chr. 9:29-31. 1 Heb. days. » Called Roboam, 
Malt. 1:7. P aChr. 10:1, etc. q ch. 11:26, 40. r ch. 4:7: 9:15; 1 Sam. 
8:11-18. "Job 12:12. 



away from God, and subjects the soul to his just indignation. 
No previous favors, and no fulness or variety of earthly 
blessings, can then preserve it from trouble and sorrow. 

25. The wickedness of rulers tends greatly to corrn])t 
their people, and often brings on them numerous long and 
dreadful calamities. 

31. When rulers and people become corrupt, public 
peace and prosperity will decline, and divisions, revolu- 
tions, and bloodshed maj' be expected to follow. 

34. God is merciful and gracious, not willing that men 
should perish, but that they should come to repentance ; 
and punishments are sometimes delayed, and children suf- 
fered to live in the enjoyment of manifold blessings, out of 
regard to the piety and faithfulness of parents. 

38. The promises of God are connected with obedience. 
If men walk in his ways, blessings will be granted, and 
may go down increasing to their children. But if they 
rebel against him, they forfeit his favor, and may deprive 
not only themselves, but their posterity, of his mercies. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1. Shechem ; in the tribe of Ephraim. Ver. 25. 
7. Be a servant; comply with their wishes. 



The ten tribes revolt. 



1 KINGS XII. 



Golden calves of Jeroboam. 



A. M. 302<> be a servant unto this people tins day," 

B, C. about 1 Ml il 1 i1 

9.'.5 and wilt serve them, and answer tliein, 
and speak good words to them,'' then they will be 
thy servants for ever. 

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, 
which they had given him, and consulted with the 
young men that were grown up with iiim, mid which 
stood before him : 

9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye 
that we may answer this people, who have spoken 
to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did 
put upon us lighter? , 

10 And the young men that were grown up with 
him spake unto him, saying. Thus shalt tliou speak 
unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy 
father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it light- 
er unto us ; thus shalt thou say unto them, Jly little 
finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. 

11 And now whereas my father did lade you with 
a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke : my father 
hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise 
you with scorpions." 

12 T^ So Jeroboam and all the people came to 
Rehoboam the tliird day, as the king had appoint- 
ed, saying. Come to me again the third day. 

13 And the king answered the people roughly,*'' 
and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave 
him;'' 

14 And spake to them after the counsel of the 
young men,' saying. My father made your yoke 
heavy, and I will add to your yoke : my father 
also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise 
you with scorpions. 

15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the 
people; for the cause was from the Lord,'' that he 
might perform his saying, wliich the Loud spake 
by Ahijah the Shilonito unto Jeroboam the son 
of Nebat." 

16 1 So when all Israel saw that the king heark- 
ened not unto them, the people answered the king, 
saying. What portion have we in David?' neither 
have we inheritance in the son of Jesse : to your 
tents, Israel : now see to thine own house, 
David. So Israel departed unto their tents. 

17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt 
in the cities of Judah,J Rehoboam reigned over 
them. 

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram," who was 
over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with 
stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehoboam 
made speed* to get him up to his chariot, to flee 
to Jerusalem. 



» Mirk lO;^, 44. bProv. 15:1. c Kzek. 2:6. * Heb. terrf/y. d Trov. 
10:11, 32; Eocl. 10:12; Jas. 3:17. e Prov. 13:20. ' 2 Chr. 22:4, 5. 6 uer. 
21; JuJg 14:4; 2 Chr. 22:7; 25:20; Amos3:B. h ch. 11:11, 31. i 2 Sam. 
2U:1. J ch. 11:13. 3li. k ch. 4:(i; 5:14. t Heb. strengthened himself, 
t Or, fell away. 1 2 Kings 17:21. ""Hob. 11:12. " 2 Chr. 11:1, etc. over. 



15. The cause was from the Lord; he so ordered events in 
his providence as to fulfil his declarations. Yer. 24. 

IS. The tribute; the revenue of the kingdom. 

25. Penucl ; east of Jordan, on the river Jabbok. 

27. If this people go up to do .mcrifice ; according to the 
Mosaic law all the males throughout Israel were required 
to go up to Jerusalem three times a year to the national 
feasts. Jeroboam feared the influence of these annual 
visits upon the people, and determined to prevent them 
by corrupting the public worship of God. Thus he sot 



19 So Israel rebelled* against the house of David 
unto this day.' 

20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard 
that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and 
called him unto tlie congregation, and made him 
king over all Israel : there was none that follow- 
ed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only."" 

21 IF And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusa- 
lem," he assembled all the house of Judah, witli 
the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore 
thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to 
fight against the house of Israel, to bring the 
kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 

22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah 
the man of God, saying, 

23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, 
king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah 
and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, 
saying, 

24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor 
fight against your brethren the children of Israel : 
return every man to his house; for this thing is 
from me." They hearkened therefore to the word 
of the Lord, and returned to depart, according 
to the word of the Lord. 

25 IT Then Jeroboam built Shcchem in mount 
Ephraim,'' and dwelt therein; and went out from 
thence, and built Ponuel.'' 

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart. Now shall 
the kingdom return to the house of David: 

27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the 
house of the Lord at Jerusalem,"' then shall the 
heart of this people turn again unto their lord, 
even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they fhall 
kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made 
two calves of gold,^ and said unto them, It is too 
much for you to go up to Jerusalem : behold thy 
gods, Israel, which brought thee up out of the 
land of Egypt.' 

29 And he set the one in Beth-el," and the other 
put he in Dan."" 

30 And this. thing became a sin :"■" for the people 
went to icorship before the one, (vin unto Dan. 

31 And he made a house of high places, and 
made priests of the lowest of the people, which 
were not of the sons of Levi.^ 

32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth 
month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto 
the feast that is in Judali,^' and he offered upon 
the altar.^ So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing' unto 
the calves that he had made : and he placed in 



15. pjudg.9:45. qjudg.8:17. r Deut. 12:5, 14. ■ 2 Kings 10:29; 17:16. 
I Exod.32:4, t-. u Gen. 28:19. ' Judg. 18:29; Amos 8: 14. «■ ch. 13:34; 
Deut.24:15. i Num. 3:10; 2 Kings 17:32; Ezek. 44:6-8. y Lev. 23:33, 34. 
§ Or, went up to the altar. I Or, to sacrijice. 



the supposed interests of his own family above the author- 
ity of God and the religious welfare of the people. Ttieu 
shall kill me; this was in direct contradiction to what God 
had said, showing that he did not believe him. Ch. 11:38. 
29. Bcth-cl ; in the south part of his kingdom. Dan; in 
the north part. 

31. A house of high places; a temple for the idolatrous 
worship at Dan, wliich the sacred writer first describes. 

32. Ttic eighth month; called Bui, and answering to a part 
of October and November. Like unto the feast; the feast 

419 



Jeroboam's hand viihrrdh. 



1 KINGS XIII. 



The disobedient prophet. 



Botli-cl the pricrits of the liigli places which he 
hinl iniuli'." 

33 So lie ofTorcil upon llie, altar' whicli he had 
made in Jicth-el the liftecnfli day of the eighth 
month, even in the month which he had devised 
of his own heart;'' and ordained a feast unto the 
children of Israel : and he offered upon tlie altar, 
and burnt* incense." 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Jeroboam^s hand, that offered violcnco to him that prophesied a^inst 
his altnr at Beth-el, withereth, 6 and at tiie prayer of the propTiet is 
restored. 7 The propitet, refusing the king's entertainment, departeth 
from Beth-el. 11 An old prophet, seducing him, bringetlt him back. 
20 He is reproved by G-oa, 23 slain by a lion. 26 buried by the old 
prophet, ^l who ronfinneth his prophecy. ,33 Jeroboam's obstin.icy. 

AND behold, there came a man of God out of 
Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el : 
and Jeroboam stood by the altar to iKirii' in- 
cense.'' 

2 And he cried against the altar in the word of 
the Lord, and said, altar, altar, thus saith the 
Lord : Behold, a cliild shall be born unto the 
house of David, Josiah by name ; and upon thee 
shall he offer the priests of the high places that 
burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be 
burnt upon thee." 

3 And he gave a sign the same day,' saying, This 
is the sign which the Loud hath spoken : Behold, 
the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon 
it shall be poured out. 

4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam 
heard the saying of the man of God, which had 
cried against the altar in Beth-el, that ho put forth 
his hand from the altar, saying. Lay hold on him.*'' 
And his hand, which ho \)\\t fortli against him, 
dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to 
him. 

5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured 
out from the altar, according to the sign which 
the man of God had given by the word of the 
Lord.'' 

6 And the king answered and said unto the man 



> Amos 7:l'3. • Or, wenl up to llie atlar. b Num. 15:30. t Heb. (o 6urn. 
cch. 1-J;1. lOr, o^er. d ch. ia:3->, 33. e 2 Kings 23:15-20. ' Isa. 7:14; 
39:7, 22; John 2:1^; I Cor. 1:22. S 2 Chr. 16:10; 18:25. etc.; 25:15, 16; 
Pia. lOJ:!.?; .Ter. 20:2-1; Amos 7:10-17; Matt. 23:^0; John 13:20; Acts 



of tabernacles, celebrated in Jerusalem a month earlier. 
Lev. 23 : 39-44. So did he in Belh-el ; as he had done in Dan. 
The writer now proceeds to describe the idolatrous insti- 
tutions at Beth-el. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Governments should exist for the good of the people, 
and this should be sought in all their acts. 

7. No enlightened and patriotic people can permanently 
be governed by mere force or fear. Every wise ruler will 
therefore endeavor to conciliate his people, and secure 
their confidence and love. This, old men who have long 
observed the course of events and are well acquainted 
with human nature, feel much more deeply than young 
men. 

10. Young men, especially those who have grown up in 
luxury and disjipation, without restraint, and under the 
influence of bad examples, are ;ipt to be proud, self-confi- 
dent, and overbearing ; not only fond of power, but of 
making a display of it, and accomplishing their objects 
not by truth, reason, and moral influence, but by force. 

15. 'When God leaves a man, especially a ruler, to follow 
pernicious counsels and his own wicked inclinations, it is 
420 



of Cud. Kntreat now the face of the LORD ^j,",. ",!??: 
thy God,' and ])ray for nir, ijuit my hand may be 
restored me again. And the iiiaii of God besought 
the Loud,' and the king's hand was restored him 
again, and became as it vas before. 

7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come 
homo witii me, and refresh thyself, and 1 will give 
thee a reward.' 

8 And the man of God said unto the king. If 
thou wilt give me half thy liouse,'' I will not go 
in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink 
water in this place: 

9 For so was it charged me by the word of the 
Lord, saying, Eat no bread,' nor drink water, nor 
turn again by the same way that thou camest. 

10 Bo he went another way, and returned not 
by the way that he came to Beth-el. 

11 If Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth- 
el ; and his sons' came and told him all the works 
that the man of God had done that day in Bethel : 
the words which he had spoken unto the king, 
them they told al.=o to their father. 

12 And their father said unto them. What way 
went he? For his sons had seen what 'way the 
man ot God went, which came from Judah. 

13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the 
ass. So they saddled him the ass; and he rode 
thereon, 

14 And went after the man of God, and found 
him sitting under an oak : and he said unto him. 
Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah ? 
And ho said, I am. 

15 'J'hen he said unto him. Come home with me, 
and cat bread. 

10 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor 
go in with thee : neither will I eat bread nor drink 
water with thee in this place:™ 

17 For it was^ said to me by the word of the 
Lord," Thou shalt cat no bread nor drink water 
there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou 
camest. 

18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as 



6:12. 1> ver. 3. i Exod. 8:8 


Num. 21:7; Acts 8:24; Jas. 5:16. » Heb. 


the face of the Lord, j 1 Sam 


9:7; 2 Kings 5:15. k Num. 22:18; 24:13. 


1 1 Cor. 5:11. 1 Heb. son. <a 


ver. 8, 9. 1 Heb. a leord vas. ■> oh. 20:;i5; 


I Thess. 4:15. 





evident that he is preparing to punish him, and those who 
arc partakers in his sins. 

20. In the appointment of rulers, the agency of men and 
the agency of God are both concerned ; and while the heart 
of man deviseth his way, the counsel of the Lord shall 
stand. 

27. Unbelief of God's declarations is a most fruitful 
source of trouble ; and the wicked courses which men 
take to avoid apprehended evils, are often the means of 
bringing those evils upon them. 

30. Wicked rulers often wish to govern the church as 
well as the state, and to have no ministers of religion 
except such as wiU regard them more than God. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1. liij the word of the Lord; at his command. 

2. Offer the priests of the hie:h places ; kill them, and burn 
their bones on the alter. 2 tings 23:20. Men's hones shall 
be burnt upon thee; the bones of men long since dead. 
2 Kings 23: 16. 

3. A sign; a miracle, to show that God had sent him. 
Ver. 5. 



The prophet slain. 



1 KINGS XIV. 



Jtroboam^s obstinacy. 



K^vT' thou art: and an angel spake unto mo by 
the word of the Lord, saying, Bring liim back 
witli thee into thy house, that he may eat bread 
and drink water. But lie lied unto him." 

ID So he went back with him, and did cat bread 
in his house, and drank water.'' 

20 IT And it came to pass, as they sat at the 
table, that the word of the Lord came uuto the 
prophet that brought him back : 

21 And he cried uuto the man of God that came 
from Judah, saying. Thus saith the Lord, Foras- 
much as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the 
Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which 
the Lord thy God commanded thee," 

22 But earnest back, and hast eaten bread and 
drunk water in the place,'' of the which the LORD 
did say to thee. Eat no bread, and drink no water ;" 
thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulchre of 
thy fathers.'' 

23 T xVnd it came to pass, after he liad eaten 
bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled 
for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he 
had brought back. 

24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by 
the way, and slew him:''' and his carcass was cast 
in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also 
stood l)y the carcass. 

25 And behold, men passed by, and saw the car- 
cass cast in the way, and the lion standing by the 
carcass: and they came and told it in the city 
where the old prophet dwelt. 

26 And when the prophet that brought him back 
from the way heard thereof, he said. It is the man 
of God, who was disobedient unto the word of 
the Lord : therefore the Lord hath delivered him 
unto the lion, which hath torn* him, and slain 
him, according to the word of the Lord, which 
he spake unto him.*" 

27 And he spake to iiis sous, saying. Saddle me 
the ass. And they saddled him. 

28 And he went and found his carcass cast in 
the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the 



, 


Isa. 9:15 


Jer. a3:3u 


, b 


T)f 


ut. 13 


1, ■ 


■ S; 


1S:2U; 


Acts 4:19 


c 


Num. 


nn- 


i ; 1 Sim 


l:):13 


14 


IS-: 


t. 


d Ter 


19 


e V 


er. 9. 


' ver. 30; 


oh 


14:13; 


nr:> 


r. 21: -20; 


sa. 14; 


l^^■ 


:): .1- 


r 


li: 18, 


!l. 


Rnh 


■20:36 


Prov. 22: 


13 


21): 13. 


• H 


b broken 


h ver 


.9. 


tH 


eb 


broke 




Jer. 


2-2:18. 


J 2 Kings 


23:16-19. 



19. He went back; instead of following the command of 
God : he had received his directions from God, and had 
no right to deviate from them until God himself had coun- 
termanded them. That God had done so, he had no suffi- 
cient evidence. 

32. Samaria ,- a part of Canaan which lay between Judea 
and Galilee. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Shrewd worldly politicians know that men must have 
some religion, and the}' encourage that which they think 
will increase and perpetuate their power. But in sub- 
stituting one of their own devising for that which God 
requires, they incur his wrath and accelerate their own 
ruin. 

3. When God sends a message to men, he gives such 
evilerice that it comes from him as ought to convince, and 
if rightly treated, wiU convince them ; and if it does not, 
it is their own fault. 

6. God can easily and quickly bring the most bitter per- 
secutors of his people into such a condition that they will 
earnestly desire and implore their help. 

8. The messengers of God should show that they regard 



carcass: the lion had not eaten the carcass, nor 
torn* the ass. 

29 And the prophet took up the carcass of the 
man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought 
it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to 
mourn, and to bury him. 

30 And he laid his carcass in his own grave; 
and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my 
brother!' 

31 And it came fo pass, after he had buried him, 
that he spake to his sons, saying, "When 1 am dead, 
then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of 
God is buried ; lay my bones beside his bones :' 

32 For the saying which he cried by the word of 
the Lord against the altar in Beth-el, and against 
all the houses of the high places which are in the 
cities of Samaria,'' shall surely come to pass. 

33 IF After this thing Jeroboam returned not 
from his evil way,' but made again* of the lowest 
of the people priests of the high places :"" whoso- 
ever would, he consecrated him,^ and he became 
one of the priests of the high j)laces. 

84 And this thing became sin unto the house of 
Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from 
off the face of the earth.'' 



CHAPTER XIV. 

1 Abijah being sick, Jeroboam sendeth his -wife disguised, -with presents 
to the prophet Aliijah at Shiloh. 5 Ahijah, forewarned by God, de- 
nounceth Orod's jud'gment. 17 Abijah d'ieth, and is buried. 19 Na- 
dab succeedeth Jeroboam. 21 Rehoboam's wicked reign. 25 Shishak 
spoileth Jerusalem. 29 Abijam succeedeth Rehoboam. 

AT that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell 
sick. 

2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray 
thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known 
to be the wife of Jeroboam ; and get thee to Shi- 
loh : behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which 
told me that / should be king over this people." 

3 And take with thee' ten loaves," and crack- 
nels,'' and a cruse* of lioney, and go to him: he 
shall tell thee what shall become of the child. 



kch. 16:24. 1 ch. 12:31, 32; 2Chr. 11:15; 13:9. > Heb. relumed and made. 
m 2 Tim. 3:13. S Ueb. JilleJ his hand; Judg. 17:12. n ch. 14:10; Proy. 
13:6. och. 11:31. iK^b. inthy hand. PlSam. 9:7, 8. 1 Or, miei. • Or, 



him more than aU earthly good, and no temptations should 
induce them to swerve from following his directions. 

15. God's people are sometimes tempted to disobey him, 
but they are never forced to do it ; and if they do it, they 
displease him, and subject themselves to his rebuke. 

19. When God has clearly made known his will, we are 
not to follow the opposing counsels of men, however plaus- 
ible they may seem. 

24. As no one knows the time or manner of his death, 
all should so live as to be jirepared at any time to meet it, 
and hear the joyful sentence, Well done, good and faithful 
servant; enter thou into the joy of tliy Lord. 

30. When those we have injured are dead, the recollec- 
tion of our influence over them often gives us poignant 
sorrow. 

33. We are often reminded that no mercies or judg- 
ments, promises or threatenings, without the grace of 
God, will lead men to forsake their sins and turn to him ; 
and that whatever be his dealings, they will continue in 
transgression till they perish. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

3. Cracknels; a kind of cakes. 

421 



Jeroboams xcife risikth 



1 KINGS XIV. 



the prophet Ahijah. 



4 Aiitl JcrohoainV wife did po, and arofjp. and 
wont to Sliiloli." iind oiiniL" to tlir liousc of Aliijali. 
But Aliijuii could not see; for his eyes were set 
bv reason of liis a,i;;e."'' 

") ", And the Loud said unto Ahijali, Behold, tlic 
wife of Jerolioani coinetii to asiv a tiling of lliei; for 
her son; for lie is sicic : thus and tlius slialt tiiou 
sav unto Jicr; for it sliall be, wiien siie conietii in, 
tliaf she shall feiu'n herself /o hr unotlier icoman." 

6 And it was so, when Aiiijah iieard the sound 
of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he 
said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam ; why fcigii- 
est thou thyself /o be another? for I am sent to thee 
tfit/i heavy* tidinfrg. 

7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God 
of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from amoni^ 
the people, and made thee prince over my people 
Israel,*" 

8 And rent the kinirdom away from the house of 
David, and gave it tlico:" and yd thou hast not 
been as my servant David, who kept my com- 
mandments, and who followed me with all his 
heart, to do t/mt only which tvas right in mine 
eyes ; ' 

9 But hast done evil above all that wci-e before 
thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other 
gods, and molten images,'-' to provoke me to an- 
ger,'' and hast cast me behind thy back:' 

10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the 
house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam 
him that pisseth against the wall,^ and him that is 
shut up and left in Israel," ^nd will take away the 
remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man tak- 
eth away dung, till it be all gone. 

11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall 
the dogs eat;' and him that dieth in the field shall 
the fowls of the air cat: for the Lord hath spoken 
it. 

12 Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own 
house : and when thy feet enter into the city, the 
child shall die.'" 

13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury 



»Ch. ll:Sa. • H<-b. stood for his /wariness, b Gen. 27:1 ; Eccl 


12:3. 


c Psa. 139:1^. t Heb. hard, d ch. 10:2. e ch, ll:3l-.38. 1 ch 


15:5. 


e ch. 12:-2S; 2 Chr. 11:1.''). I> P.-^a. 1U8:29. i Neh. 9:2'i; Psa. 50: 17; 


Ezek. 


2!::i5. J ch. 13:29. k Deut. 32:30; 2 Kings 14:26. 1 ch, 10:4; 


21:24. 


m ver. 17. » Ezek. 18:14, clo. " 2 Chr. 19:3. P ch. 15:27-29. 1 


Deut. 



8. Followed me with all his heart; not that he did not com- 
mit great transgressions, but he repented of them, and was 
Binoerely devoted to the service of God. 

9. CcKt me behind thy back; treated him as unworthy of 
regard. 

13. Come to tlie grave; be buried with respect. 

14. Eveniiow; what he predicted was certain and near. 

15. As a reed is sliaken; they would be subject to per- 
petual commotions. Beyond the river ; the river Euphra- 
tes. 2 Kings 15:29. 

17. Tirzah; where Jeroboam Uved, supposed to have 
been near Shechem. 

19. The book of tlie Chronicles of the kings of Israel; see 
the introductory remarks to tliis boolc. 

21. To put his name there ; as the place where he would 
be publicly inquired of and worshipped. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Parents are often punished in the sickness of their 
child, en, and should bo led by it to repentance of their 
sins, and hearty consecration of themselves to the service 
and glory of God. 

422 



him: for he onlv of Jeroboam shall come a.m nM«. 
to tlie grave," because m him there is lound vm 
some gooil thing toward tlie LoiU> God of Israel 
in tiie house of Jeroboam." 

14 Moreover the Lord shall raise him uj) a king 
over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jero- 
boam that day:'' but what? even now. 

1.5 For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is 
shaken in the water, and he shall root uj) Israel 
out of this good land,'' which he gave to their fa- 
thers, and shall scatter them beyond the river,' 
because they have made their groves," provoking 
tiie Lord to anger. 

l(j And he shall give Israel up because of the 
sins of Jerolx)am,' who did sin, and who made Is- 
rael to sin." 

17 1 And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, 
and came to Tirzah:^ and when she came to the 
threshold of the door, the child died ; 

18 And they Imried him; and all Israel mourn- 
ed for him, according to the word of the Lord, 
which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah 
the prophet." 

19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he 
warred," and how he reigned, behold, they are 
written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings 
of Israel. 

20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were 
two and twenty years: and he slept* with his 
fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead. 

211 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned 
in Judah. Rehoboam icas forty and one years old 
when he began to reign,^' and he reigned seventeen 
years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did 
choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his 
name there.'' And his mother's name icas Naamah 
an Ammonitess. 

22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, 
and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins 
which they had committed," above all that their 
fathers had done. 

23 For they also built them high places,*" and 



•i^:6:!. 6(i; Josh, a.!:!.?, 10; Psa. 52:5. r 2 Kings 15:29; 17:6. "Dcut. 12:3, 
4; l«a. 1;2S, 29. iPsi.Bl:12. " ch. 15:30, 31 ; 10:2. vch. 10:«,^. "ver. 
12.13. I 2 Chr. 13:2. etc. I Heb. toy rfotffn. y2Chr.l2:13. Zch.ll:30. 
"Deut. 32:21; P5a.78:5d; 1 Cor. 10:22. b Ezek. 10:24, 25. 



2. Men who profess to believe that God is acquainted 
with all things, often act as if they hoped to deceive him ; 
but all such efforts are vain, and will end in disappoint- 
ment and sorrow. 

3. Men are frequently more anxious to know the secret 
purposes of God, than to know his will for the sake of 
doing it. 

5. Though age and infirmities may lessen or destroy the 
human senses, God can, and if men are disposed to obey 
him, he will, reveal to them all they need to know in order 
to understand and do their duty. 

7. A man's guilt is aggravated in proportion to the bless- 
ings he has abused ; and in the same proportion, unless 
he repent, will be his punishment. 

8. In reading the Bible, we are often called to witness 
that many things which take place in the course of provi- 
dence and are accomplished by human instrumentality, are 
spoken of as done by God. Ver. 14, 15; Jer. 61:39. 

10. By obedience to God, parents may be the means of 
bringing on their children great blessings, and by disobe- 
dience, great evils. Chap. 11:38. 

22. The course of human nature left to itself is down- 



Jerusalem captured. 



1 KIXGS XV. 



Reign of Ahijavi and Asa. 



* f,',;;'!' imanjes,' and groves,* on every high hill, 
and niider every green tree.'' 

24 And there were also sodomites in the land:'^ 
and they did according to all the abominations of 
tlie nations which the -Lord cast out before the 
children of Israel. 

25 1 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king 
Rehoboam, that Shiskak king of Egypt came up 
against Jerusalem :'' 

26 And he took away the treasures of the house 
of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house ; 
he even took away all : and he took away all the 
shields of gold wliich Solomon had made." 

27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead bra- 
zen shields, and committed thejii unto the hands 
of the chief of the guard,* which kept the door of 
the king's house. 

28 And it was so, when the king went into the 
house of the Lord, that the guard bare them, and 
brouglit them back into the guard-chamber. 

29 1 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and 
all tliat he did, are they not written in the book 
of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

30 And there was war between Rehoboam and 
Jeroboam all their days.*^ 

31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and 
was buried with his fathers in the city of David. 
And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammon- 
itess. And Abijam* his son reigned in his stead. 



CHAPTER XV. 

1 Abijam's wicked reign. 7 Asa succeedeth him. 9 Asa's good reign. 
16 The war between Baasha and hiin causeth him to make a league 
with Ben-hadad. 23 Jehosiiaphat succeedeth Asa. 25 Nadab's wick- 
ed reign. 27 Baasha conspiring against him executetii Ahijah's proph- 

. ecy. 31 Nadab's acts and death. 33 Baasha's wicked reign. 

NOW in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam 
the son of Nebat, reigned Abijain over Ju- 
dah.^' 

2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And 
his mother's name was Maachah,^" the daughter of 
Abishalom.' 

3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, 
which he had done before him : and his heart was 



• Or, standing images, or statues. » i Kings 17:9, 10. b Isa. 57:5: Jer. 
3:13. c Deut. '23:17; aKingsa;3:7. d aChr. 1-2:2, etc. e ch. 10:17. t Heb. 
runners. I ch. 12:24; 15;«. t Abijall, 2 Chr. 12:1B; Abia, Matt. 1:7. 
S 2 Chr. 13:1, etc. i Micliaiak the daughter of Uriel, 2 Chr. 13:2. h 2 Chr. 



ward from bad to worse, and the most higlily exalted by 
privileges and blessings, when not restrained by divine 
grace, will become the most wretched and debased by 
their crimes. 

CHAPTER XV. 

2. Maachah, the daughter of Abislialom; in 2 Oiron. 13:2, 
the mother of Abijam (Abijah) is said to be Michaiah, the 
daughter of Uriel. This may perhaps be explained on 
the supposition that Michaiah is another name borne by 
Maachah ; and that she was the granddaughter of Abisha- 
lom, and the daughter of Uriel. 

3. Perfect; sincerely devoted to God. 

4. A lamp; continue to Iiim the kingdom. 

5. Turnal not aside from any thing; not in such a wicked 
and notorious manner in any thing else ; and for that he 
heartily condemned himself, and most sincerely repented. 
Psa. 51. 

10. His mother's name; that is, as we must necessarily 
understand, his grandmother's name, ver. 2. 



not perfect with the Lord his God, as the heart 
of David his father.' 

4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the Lord 
his God give him a lamp^ in Jerusalem,J to set up 
his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: 

5 Because David did that which was right in the 
eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any 
thing that he commanded him all the days of his 
life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Ilittite. 

6 And there was war between Rehoboam and 
Jeroboam all the days of his life. 

7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all 
that he did, are they not written in the book of 
the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there 
was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 

8 And Abijam slept with his fathers ; and they 
buried him in the city of David : and Asa his son 
reigned in his stead.'' 

9 H And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king 
of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 

10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jeru- 
salem. And his mother's* name was Maachah, the 
daughter of Abishalom. 

11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes 
of the Lord, as did David his father. 

12 And he took away the sodomites out of the 
land, and removed all the idols that his fathers 
had made. 

13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he 
removed from bei7ig queen, because she had made 
an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed* her idol,' 
and burnt it b}^ the brook Kidron.™ 

14 But the high places were not removed :" nev- 
ertheless Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord 
all his days. 

15 And he brought in the things* which his fa- 
ther had dedicated, and the things which himself 
had dedicated, into the house of the Lord, silver, 
and gold, and vessels. 

16 'i And there was war between Asa and Baasha 
king of Israel all their days. 

17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against 
Judah," and built Ramah," that he might not suffer 
any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.' 



11:20-22. I Absalom, 2 Chr. 11:21. i ch. 11:4. 1 Or mndlc; ch. 11:36. 
j 2 Chr. 21:7. k 2 Chr. 14:1, etc. • That is, grandmothtr's; ver. i. t Heb. 
cut off. 1 2 Chr. IS: 16, etc. m Exod. 32:20. n ch. 22:43. I Heb. holy. 
o2Chr. lti:l, etc. p Josh. lt::2-5. qch. 12:27. 



13. 3Iade an idol in a grove; rather, an idol to Asherah, 
that is, Ashtoreth. Kidron; a torrent-bed on the east side 
of Jerusalem, between the city and the mount of Olives ; 
the same as Cedron, John 18:1. 

14. The high places were not removed; of both Asa and 
Jehoshaphat his son it is said that they took away the 
high places, 2 Chron. 14:3; 17:6; and yet it is said of both, 
that during their reign the high places were not taken 
away. See, besides the present verse, chap. 22:43; 2 Chr. 
15:17; 20:33. Some have supposed that in one case the 
reference is to high places where idols were worshipped, 
and in the other to high places for the worship of Jeho- 
vah. But perhaps the more probable meaning is, that 
while these two kings did what lay in their power to 
remove the high places, they could not wholly extirpate 
them. 

17. Built Ramah; commenced the work of fortifying it. 
Ramah was in the tribe of Benjamin, a short distance north 
of Jerusalem. Baasha's object in doing this was to com- 
mand the road to and from Jerusalem on the north. 
423 



Aia'i waneitA natisha. 



1 KINGS XVI. 



Nadah ami Baasha. 



18 Tlicn Asa took nil tlic >;ilvor and the pild 
that urre left in llie trunsiuTS of the house of tlio 
Loun, and tlie treasures of tlic kiiit,''s liouse, and 
delivered them into the hand of his servants: and 
king Asa sent them to Hen-liadad, tlic son of Tab- 
rimon, tiio son of llezion, king of Syria, that 
dwelt at Itaniascus," saying, 

19 T/icrc is a league between nic and thee, and 
between my father and thy father: behold, 1 have 
sent unto tiiee a present of silver and gold ; eome 
and break tiiy league with Baasha king of Israel, 
that he may depart' from me. 

•20 So Ben-hadad liearkencd unto king Asa, and 
sent the captains of the hosts wliieli he had against 
the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon,'' and l)an,'= and 
Abel-beth-maachah,'' and all Ciiinueroth, with all 
the land of Naphtali. 

21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard there- 
of, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt 
in Tirzab. 

22 Then king Asa made a proclamation through- 
out all Judah ; none ivas exempted :* and they took 
away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, 
wherewith Baasha had builded ; and king Asa built 
with them Geba of Benjamin,'-' and Mizpah/ 

23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his 
might, and all that he did, and the cities which 
he built, are they not written in tlie book of the 
Chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless 
in the time of his old age he was diseased iu his 
feet.« 

24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was bur- 
ied with his fathers in the city of David his fa- 
ther: and Jehoshaphat* his son reigned in his 
stead." 

25 IT And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to 
reign ^ over Israel in the second year of Asa king 
of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. 

26 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and 
walked in the way of his father, and in his sin 
wherewith he made Israel to sin. 

27 1 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house 
of Issachar, conspired against him ; and Baasha 
smote him at Gibbcthon,' which belonged to the 
Philistines ;J for Nadab and all Israel laid siege 
to Gibbethon. 

28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah 
did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. 

29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, thai 



>Ch. ll:ai, 24. 'Huh.goiip. b2Kingsl5:a8. c Judg. 18:29. daSam. 
20:14. meh./ree e Josh. 21 : 17. f Josh. 13:26. E2Chr. 16:12. : Calkd 
Josaphal, -Mza.i-.S. h 2Chr. 17:1, etc. i Heb. reigntd. ich. 14:14 J ch. 
10:15; Josh 21:23, t ch. 14:9-16. 1 ch. 14:22. m vcr. 16. n ch. 12:2S. 



18. Damascus; the capital of Syria. 

20. Ijon — Dan — Abcl-heth-maadiah — Chinncroth; places in 
the north part of Israel, next to Syria. 

27. Gibhethon; in the tribe of Dan, but occupied by the 
Philistines. 

29. The saying of the Lord; chap. 14:14. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
8. Sometimes very pious parents are followed by very 
wicked children, and very wicked parents by very pious 
children. 

13. No affection or regard for earthly relatives or friends, 
however exalted, should lead us to encourage or connive 
at their sins, or hinder us from using all proper means to 
prevent their injurious influence. 
424 



he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he *ji" *™; 
left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until lie 
had destroyed him, according unto the saying of 
tlie Loitii, which he spake by his servant Ahijah 
the Shihniite:" 

;50 Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he 
sinned, and whidi he made Israel sin. by his jirov- 
ocation wherewith he provoked the LuiiD God of 
Israel to anger.' 

311^ Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all 
that he did, are they not written in the book of 
the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 

32 And there was Avar between Asa and Baasha 
king of Israel all their days.'" 

33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began 
Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel 
in Tirzah, twenty and four years. 

34 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and 
walked in the way of Jeroboam," and in his sin 
wherewith he made Israel to sin." 



CHAPTER XVI. 

1, 7 Jfhu's prophecy against Baasha. 6 Elah succeedeth him. 8 
Zimri conspiring against Elali succeedeth hitn. 11 Ziinri executeth 
Jehu's prophecy. 15 Oinri, made king by the soldiers, forceth Zimri 
desperately to burn himself. 21 The kingdom being divided, Omri 
prevaileth against Tibni. 23 Omri buildeth Samaria. 25 His wicked 
reign. 27 Ahab succeedeth him. 29 Ahab's most wicked reign. 34 
Joshua's curse upon Hiel the builder of Jericho. 

T^'IIEN the word of the Lord came to JehuP the 
X son of lianani against Baasha,'' saying, 

2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, 
and made thee prince over my people Israel ;"■ and 
thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam," and hast 
made my people Israel to sin,' to provoke me to 
anger with their sins; 

3 Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baa- 
sha, and the posterity of his house ;" and will make 
thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of 
Nebat. 

4 Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the 
dogs eat;'' and him that dieth of his in the fields 
shall the fowls of the air eat. 

5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what 
he did, and his might, are they not written in the 
book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?" 

6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was 
buried in Tirzah :'' and Elah his son reigned in his 
stead. 



29; 13:3.3. 34. o ch. 14:16; Isi. 1:4. P ver. 7; 2 Chr. 19:2; i!0:34. q ch. 
15::M. r ch. 14:7. » ch. 15:34. 1 Matt 5:19. o Tor. 11 ; ch. 21:21, 22. 
vch. 14:11. wachr. 16:1, etc. ich. 15:21. 



18. "When men, instead of trusting in God and doing his 
will, apply to the wicked for help and devote to them what 
should be devoted to him, though they may sometimes 
gain temporary relief, j-et it will in the end be very likely 
to increase their trouble. 

23. However long any may live, and however much in 
the providence and by the grace of God they may be 
favored, they are constantly liable to disease and death. 
Nothing should hinder them from being habitually ready 
to close life, and enter upon the retributions of eternity. 
Eccl. 8:G-13; 12:1. 

29. One set of wicked men, in the prosecution of their 
wicked objects, may without intending it bring on other 
wicked men punishments which God has denounced. Isa. 
44:28; 45:1-5; Dan. 5:30, 31. 



Umist of Baasha destroyed. 



1 KINGS XVI. 



Zimri, Omri, and Ahah. 



ill:''.;''" 7 And also by tlie hand of the prophet 
Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the Lord 
against Baasha," and against hi^ house,'' even for 
all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord, 
in provoking him to anger with the work of his 
hanils,'' in being like the house of Jeroboam; and 
because he killed him." 

8 1l In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king 
of Judah began Elah the son of Baasha to reign 
over Israel in Tirzah, two years. 

9 And his servant Zimri," captain of half his 
chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tir- 
zah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza,*^ 
steward of* his house in Tirzah. 

10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed 
him, in the twenty and seventh year of Asa king 
of Judah, and reigned in his stead. 

11 IT And it came to pass, when he began to 
reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew 
all the house of Baasha : ho left him not one that 
pisseth against a wall,^ neither of his kinsfolks, nor 
of his friends.* 

12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baa- 
sha, according to the word of the Lord, which he 
spake against Baasha by* Jehu the prophet,'' 

13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of 
Elah his son, by which they sinned, and by which 
they made Israel to sin, in provoking the Lord 
God of Israel to anger' with their vanities.' 

14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that 
he did, are they not written in the book of the 
Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 

15 IT In tlio twenty and seventh year of Asa king 
of Judah did Zimri reign seven days in Tirzah." 
And the people ivere encamped against Gibbethon, 
wliich belonged to the Pliilistines.' 

16 And the people that were encamped heard say, 
Zimri liath conspired, and hath also slain the king : 
wherefore all Israel made Omri, the captain of the 
host, king over Israel that day in the camp. 

17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all 
Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 

18 xVnd it came to pass, when Zimri saw that 
the city was taken, that he went into the palace 
of the king's house, and burnt the king's house 
over him with fire,'" and died, 

19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in 
the sight of the Lord, iu walking in the way of 
Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make 
Israel to sin." 

20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his 



» Ver. 1. t> Exod. 20:5. c ver, 13. d oh. 15:27-29. e a Kings n;.31. 
f Nilium 1:10. • H.jb. wliirk was over, s 1 Sim 25:22. t Or. both his 
kinsmen and his friends. I Heb. by the hand of. b ver. 3. i ch. 15-30 
j Deut. 32:21; 1 Sam. 12:21; Isa. 41:29; Jon. 2:8; Rom. 1:21-23: 1 Cor. 
B:4: 10;19. k ver. 8. I ch. 15:27. m 2 Sam. 17:23; Psa. 9:16. nch. 12:28- 
15:2li, 34. o Frov. 23:2; Isa. 9:19-21 ; 19:2; Matt. 12:25. p 2 Chr. 22-2 



CHAPTER XVI. 

7. Kdhd him ; not Jeroboam himself, but his posterity. 
Chap. 15:27-29, Though God had foretold, chap. 14:1-4, 
that Baasha would do this, and it was beforehand certain 
that he would, yet he was just as wicked and guilty in 
doing it as if it had not been foretold, or had not been 
certain. 

13. Vanities; here used, as often elsewhere, of the false 
gods which the people substituted for Jehovah the only 
living and true God. The idols themselves and the confi- 



treason tliat he wrought, are they not written in 
the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 

21 ^i Then were the people of Israel divided into 
two parts:" half of the people followed Tilmi (he 
son of Ginath, to make him king; and half fol- 
lowed Omri. 

22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed 
against the people that followed Tibni the son of 
Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 

23 If In the thirty and first year of Asa king of 
Judah began Omri to reign over Israel,'' twelve 
years: six yeai-s reigned he in Tirzah. 

2-1 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer 
for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and 
called the name of the city which he built, after 
the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.*' 

25 If But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the 
Lord,'' and did worse than all that ivere before 
him. 

26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam 
the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith lie made 
Israel to sin,' to jirovoke the Lord God of Israel 
to anger with their vanities.' 

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri wliich he 
did, au,d his might that he showed, are they not 
written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings 
of Israel? 

28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was bur- 
ied in Samaria : and Ahab his sou reigned iu his 
stead. 

29 IT And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa 
king of Judah began Ahab tlie son of Omri to reign 
over Israel : and Ahab the son of Omri reigned 
over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. 

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight 
of the Lord above all that 7rcre before him." 

31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light 
thing' for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam 
the son of Nebat," that he took to wife Jezebel'" 
the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians,'' 
and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.'' 

32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the 
house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 

33 And Ahab made a grove f and Ahab did more 
to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than 
all tiie kings of Israel that were before him." 

34 T In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jer- 
icho : he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram 
his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his 
youngest son Segub, according to the word of the 
Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun." 



i Heb. Shomeron. qch. 13:32; 2Kingsl7:24i John 4:4; Acts8:5-*. r Mio. 
0:16. s ver. 19. < ver. 13; Acts 14:15. " ver. 33. 1 Heh. was il a light 
thing. V Ezek. 6:17; 1C:47. »■ Deut. 7:3; Josh. 23:12, 13. « Jndg. 18:7. 
y oh. 21:25, 26; 2 Kings 10:13, etc.; 17:16. « 2 Kings 13:0; 17:10j 21:3- 
Jer. 17:1, 2. 'Ter. 30; oh. 21:25. b Josh. 6:26; Matt.24;3S. 



dence which the people reposed in them were alike vain 
and profitless. " The stock is a doctrine of vanities." Jer. 
10:8. 

24. TTie hill Samaria; a beautiful hill lying a few miles 
north-west of Shechem, and compassed all round by a 
deep broad valley. It was very suitable for the capit-al 
of the Israelitish kingdom, being a strong, as well as a 
central position. Calleil the name — Samaria; in the He- 
brew, Shomeron, from Shemer. 

31. Ba/il; the chief idol of the Zidonians. 

34. Beth-elite; one who lived in Beth-el, where Jeroboam 
425 



Elijah ftd by ravens 



1 KINCS xvir. 



Ticii miradts at Zartphath. 



CIIArTER XVII 



1 Elijkh, hnvini proplirtioJ nsniint Alinb, ii Bent lo Chcrilh, where the 
rarciH Ur-i hiiii. S He i« KMit lo the wiJaw of Znrephatli. 17 He 
raitetli llie widow'i ton. '-ii The woiiwii kelicvcth him. 

AND Elijali" the Tislibitc, who was of the in- 
habitants of Giload, sail! unto Aliab, ./Is tlic 
Li)Ui> Goil ol" Israel livoth," bi'Iore whom 1 stand,'' 
tiierc shall not be dew nor raiu liicsc years,"' but 
aeeordinj^ to my word. 

2 Andihewordol'the LoRDcameuntohim.saying, 

3 Get thee lience, and turn tiiee eastward, and 
hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before 
Jordan. 

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the 
brook ; and I have commanded the ravens to feed 
thee there."* 

5 So he went and did according unto the word 
of the Lokd: for he w-ent and dwelt by the brock 
Cherith, that is before Jordan. 

6 And the ravens Ijrouuht him bread a:.d flesh 
in the morning, and bread and flesh iu the even- 
in'^;'' and he drank of the brook. 

7 And it came to pass after a while,* that the 
brook dried up, because there had been no rain iu 
the land. 

8 T And the word of the Lokd came unto him, 
saying, 

9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath,* which helongeth 
to Zidon, and dwell there : behold, 1 have com- 
manded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 

10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And 
wiicn he came to the gate of the city, behold, the 
widow woman wns tliere gathering of sticks: and 
he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, 
a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called 
to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a moi'sel 
of bread in thy hand. 

12 And she said, Jis the Lord thy God liveth, I 
Lave not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel. 



• Heb. Elijahu; he is called £«a.t, Luk( 


1:17; 4:45. a 2 Kings .3:11. 


b Deut. 1U;3. e Luke 4:23: Jas. 5:17. d 1 


sa. 43:S0. e Psa. 37:3. 19; Isa. 


a?: Hi; Ilab. 3:17, 18: Matt. 6::J1-:J3; Luke 


2-i:35; Heh. 13:5. 6. t Heb. at 


llu end of days. 1 Called Sarepla. Luke -1 


:a6; Obad. 20. ( Gen. 21:11); 



had put one of his golden calves. Chap. 12:29. The word 
of tlie Lord; spoken more than four hundred years before. 
Josh. 6:2(). 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. By whatever means and in whatever way any are 
exalted to power, authority, or influence, there is an im- 
portant sense in whicli their elevation is of the Lord ; and 
all their increase of power increases their obligations to 
honor him and do good, and if they do not, increases their 
guilt and their exposure to speedy and awful ruin. 

3. Imitation of predecessors in wickedness prepares the 
way for similarity in punishment. 

7. Wicked men niay by their wickedness fulfil the dec- 
larations of God and be executioners of his wrath on his 
enemies, without lessening their guilt or their exposure 
to his just indignation. 

9. Those who use as a beverage intoxicating liquor, are 
not only in danger of forming anintemperate appetite, but 
of becoming intoxicated, and while in that state being 
Buraraoned to the bar of God. 

13. Those who not only sin themselves, but who, by 
fear, favor, or any temptation, induce others to sin, become 
peculiarly offensive to God and obnoxious to his wrath. 

18. A man's pride and cowardice may be so great as to 
lead him to kill himself; or in a duel, or some other equal- 
426 



and a little oil in a cruse: and behold, I a.m .miM. 
am gatiicring two sticks, that J may go in I'lu 
and dress it for ine and my son, thai wc may eat 
it. and die.^ 

13 And Elijah said unto her, Ft.'ar not; go mid 
do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little 
cake fust," and liiiiig it unto me, and after make 
for thee and fur thy son. 

14 For thus saitli the Loud God of Israel, The 
barrel of meal shall not waste, neitlicr t^hall the 
cruse of oil fail, until the day l/tat the LonD Bcnd- 
elh* rain upon the earth. 

15 And slie went and did according to the say- 
ing of Elijah : and she, and he, and lier house, did 
eat 7naiiij days.' 

16 jJnd the iiarrcl of meal wasted not, neither 
did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of 
the Lord, which he spake by^ Elijah. 

17 ^ And it came lo ])ass after these things, 
t/iat the son of the woman, the mistress of the 
house, fell sick ; and his sickness was so sore, that 
there was no breath left in him. 

18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do 
with thee,'' thou man of God? art thou come 
•jiilo me to call my sin to remembrance,' and to 
slay my son? 

li) And he said unto her. Give me thy son. And 
he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up 
into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his 
own bed. 

20 And lie cried unto the Loud, and .said, Lord 
my God, hast tliou also brought evil u))on the wid- 
ow with whom J sojourn, by slaying her son? 

21 And he stretched* himself upon the child 
three times, and cried unto the Lord,' and said, 
O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul 
come into him* again. 

22 And the Lord heai-d the voice of Elijah ; and 
the soul of the child came into him again, and he 
revived. 



Jer. 14:18; Lair. 4:9. 


e Prov. 3.9. 10; Mark 9:41 ; Heb. 6:10. 1 Heb. giv- 


er/i . 1 Or, a full year. 


1 Heb. by the hand of. h Luke 5:8. i Job |:i:23, 
• Heb. measured. J 2 Kings 4:34, 35. t Heb. his in- 


2l>; Ezek. 21:2:3,24. 


ward parts. 





ly foolish and wicked way, expose himself to be killed by 

others. 

22. For the wickedness of a people many are the rulers 
thereof. When revolution quickly succeeds revolution, 
and rulers in rapid succession, by violence and murder, 
succeed rulers, without any fixed, stable, just, and efficient 
government, God has a controversy with the people, and 
is through their revolutions and rulers punishing them 
for their sins. And without repentance and reformation 
there will be no permanent relief from their troubles. 

30. The children of the wicked, when raised to power, 
and left to act out their wickedness, often do worse than 
their fathers ; choosing the openly vicious for their com- 
panions, they become abandoned in wickedness, and plunge 
into remediless destruction. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1. According to my word; as he should foretell and pray 
for it. 

9. Znrephaih ; a city on the ^fediterranean, between Tyre 
and Zidon; in the New Testament, Sarepta. Luke 4:26. 

12. Two; meaning a few. 

18. Slay my son ; she supposed her afflictions might have 
been as a punishment for her sins, and brought upon her 
by God through the instrumentality of the prophet. 



The famine in Israel. 



1 KINGS XVIII. 



Ohadiah sent to A/iab. 



A. M 30M. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought 
"'910°"'°'" him down out ol" the chamber into the 
house, and delivered him unto his mother:" and 
Elijali said, See, thy son liveth. 

24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this 
I know that thou aii a man of God," and that the 
word of the Lord iu thy mouth is truth. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Aliab, mceteth good Oba- 
diah. 9 Obadiah bringcth Ahab to Elijali., 17 Elijah, reproving 
Aliab, by fire from heaven convmceth Baal's prophets. 41 Elijah, by 
prayer obtaining rain, foUoweth Ahab to Jezreel. 

AND it came to pass after many days,'^ that the 
■word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third 
year, saying. Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I 
will send rain upon the earth.'' 

2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. 
And t/m-e was a sore famine in Samaria. 

3 And Ahab called Obadiah," which was the 
governor f^f his house.* Now Obadiah feared the 
Lord greatly :° 

4 For it was so, when Jezebel* cut off the proph- 
ets of the Lord, that Obadiah took a hundred 
]irophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave,'' and fed 
them with bread and water.'' 

.5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the 
land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all 
brooks : pcradventure we may find grass to save 
the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all 
the beasts.^ 

6 So they divided the land between them to pass 
throughout it : Ahab went one way by himself, 
and Obadiah went another way by himself. 

7 1[ And as Obadiah was iu the way, behold, 
Elijah met him : and he knew him, and fell on his 
face, and said, Jlrt thou that my lord Elijah? 

8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, 
Behold, Elijah is here. 

9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou 
wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of 
Ahab, to slay me? 



J 


}U 


I., 


11:33. b J 


ohn 3:2 


1S:3U. c 


chap. 


17:1. 


<1 T) 


cut 2^ 


12; Psa. 


1+7 


H; 


.1 


r. 5:24; U 


■22; Hos. 


2:21,22. 


He I. 


Obadiaku. 


t Heb 


uver his 


lin, 


Sf, 


e 


Neh. 7:2. 


Heb. Iz 


tbel. fNeh 


•I:!.'). 


S Psa 


34: 


', 10; Is 


a. 33:16. 


( 1 


flh 




« nol of 01 


rselves/ 


rom the beasts. I 


2 Kin 


-s 2 


16; Ez 


k. 3:12, 


li, 


M 


lit 


4:1; Acts 


d:39. i 


Prov. 3:13 


Eccl 


7:1b 


Isa. 


50:1U. 


J Matt. 



24. In thy mouth is truth ; she knew that what the prophet 
hatl declared was true, and would be accomplished. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. Instead of at once destroying the wicked as they de- 
serve, God often waits long upon them, visits them with 
judgments and with mercies, and does all that infinite 
wisdom and goodness can consistently do to lead them to 
repent, and thus to escape the destruction which contin- 
ued wickedness and impenitence will bring upon them. 

G. Neither the fowls of the air nor the beasts of the field 
ever rebel against the will of their Creator, nor do they 
refuse to do what he bids them. 

9. Whenone means ofsupply fails those who trust in God, 
he will provide for them another, and in obeying him they 
never will want any thing necessary to their highest good. 

II. God often requires of his people what nothing but 
strong faith and active benevolence will lead them to do. 

1.5. Confidence in the promises of God, manifested by 
acting under a conviction of their truth, will not be dis- 
appointed, but will be followed by timely and abundant 
supplies. 

17. No exercise of faith in God, love to his friends, or 



10 j]s tlio Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation 
or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek 
thee: and when they said. He is not there; he took 
an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found 
thee not. 

11 And now thou sayest. Go, tell thy lord, Be- 
hold, Elijah is here. 

12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am 
gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall 
carry thee whither I know not ;'' and so when I 
come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he 
shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord 
from my youth.' 

13 Was it not told my lord what I did when 
Jezebel slew the ])rophets of the Lord, how 1 hid 
a hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a 
cave,^ and fed them with bread and water?" 

14 And now thou sayest. Go, tell thy lord, Be- 
hold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.' 

1.5 And Elijah said, Jls the Lord of hosts liveth, 
before whom I stand, I will surely show myself 
unto him to-day."" 

16 So Obadiah went to neet Ahab, and told 
him : and Aliab went to meet Elijah. 

17 1[ And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, 
that Ahab said unto him, Jlrt thou he that troub- 
leth Israel?" 

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; 
but thou, and thy father's house," in that ye have 
forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou 
hast followed Baalim." 

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all 
Israel unto mount Carmel," and the prophets of 
Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of 
the groves four hundred,'' which eat at Jezebel's 
table. 

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, 
and gathered the prophets together unto mount 
Carmel." 

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and 
said. How long halt ye between two opinions?" 
if the Lord be God, follow him : but if Baal," then 



10:41, 


2. k 


M 


att 


25:35. 


Matt. 


in 


as. m 


Isa 


,■51 


7, 8. 


n Acts 


16:20; 


17:6. 


» ch. 


21: 


2(1. 


P 2 Chr. 


15:2. 


q 


1 Sam 


15: 


2; 


2 Kings 2:25 


r ch. 


16:3.1. 


« ch 


22 


■(). 


1 Or, thoughts. 


t 


2 King 


17:41; 


M.-itt 


6:al. 


" Josh. 


24:15. 



























readiness to honor him in doing them good, will secure us 
from liability to great and sore trials. It is only through 
much tribulation that any are prepared to enter the king- 
dom of God. Acts 14:22; Rom. 5: 3; 2 Cor. 1:3-11; 7:4-10; 
iThess. 3:3-13; Heb. 11:35-40; 12:1-13; Rev. 7:14-17. 

18. All our sufferings are caused by our sins, and should 
lead us more and more to loathe and forsake them, trust- 
ing in Christ for pardon, and for all whicJi wo need to do 
the will of God, and meet his gracious acceptance. 

24. To those who obey God, he so manifests himself as 
to convince them that all his declarations will be surely 
and fully accomplished. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

10. Nn nation or kingdom ; in that vicinity, or connected 
with Israel. 

IS. Baalim; images of Baal. 

19. Mount Carmel; a mountain near the Mediterranean, 
and south of the bay of Acre. Of the groves; or, of Ashe- 
rah, the same as Ashtoreth. 

21. Halt ye; act as if doubtful whether Jehovah or Baal 
were the true God. 

427 



The trial at Carmd. 



1 KINGS XVIII. 



BaoTs prophets slain. 



follow liiin. And the people answered him not a 
word. 

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, etvn 1 
only, remain a ])ioph«.'t of the Luitn ;° but Baal's 
prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 

23 Let them therefore give u.s two bullocks; 
ami let them choose one bullock for tiieuisclves, 
and cut it in pieces, ami lay it on wood, an<l ]iut 
no fire tinder: and I will dress the other bullock, 
and lay it on wood, and |)ut no lire uiidir: 

24 And call ye on the name of your floods, and 
I will call on the name of the Loitn : and the God 
that answereth by fire,'' let him be God. And all 
the people answered and said, It is well spoken.' 

2.5 And Elijah said unto the prophets of 13aa], 
Ciioose you one bullock for your.selvcs, and dress 
it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of 
your gods, but put no fire under. 

26 And they took the bullock which was given 
them, and they dressed it, and called on the name 
of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O 
Baal, hear* us. But there rm.s no voice,"" nor any 
that answered.* And they leaped upon the altar-' 
wliicli was made. 

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah 
mocked them, and said. Cry aloud:' for he is a 
god;'' eitlier he is talking,^ or he is pursuing," or 
he is in a journey, or peradventure he slecpeth, 
and must bo awaked. 

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves 
after tlieir manner with knives and lancets," till 
the blood gushed out upon them.^ 

29 And it came to pass, when mid-day was past, 
and they prophesied until the ti?ne of the ofl'ering* 
of the evening sacrifice, that i/iere icas neither voice, 
nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.^ 

30 And Elijah said unto all the people. Come 
near unto me. And all the people came near unto 
him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that 
was broken down. 

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to 
the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, 
unto whom the word of the Lord came,' saying, 
Israel shall be thy name: 

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the 
name of the Lord: and he made a trench about 
the altar, as great as would contain two measures 
of seed. 

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the 
bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood,^ and 



"Ch. 10:10, 14. b iChr. 21:36; aChr. 7:1. 3. • Ueh. T/ie word is good. 
t Or, antxoer. c Pm. 115:5-9; Jer. 10:5; 1 Cor. 12:2. 1 Or, htaril. i Or, up 
and down at the altar. I Heb. witk a great voice, i Isa. 41 :23. t Or, med- 
itatetlt. ' Heh. hath a pursuit, e Lev. 19:29. t Heh. they poured out blood 
upon tktm. I Heb. aseending. i Heb. attention. ' Gen. 32:28. s Lev. 



22. I only; he was the only prophet of Jehovah who was 
present, or appeared before the people. 

24. Let him be God; let him be acknowledged and adored 
as God. 

26. Leaped; as was the custom with idolaters. 

27. He IS a god ; spoken in irony, intimating the absurd- 
ity of idol- worship. 

29. The time of the offering; about three o'clSok in the 
afternoon, or between that and sunset. 

32. Two measures; a measure was about ten quarts. 
37. 7'«rnc(i^/^ei)■/l^a?•f,■ to worship Jehovah as the true God. 
40. The brook Ktshon; which emptied into the bay of 
428 



j said. Fill four barrels with water, and *»';|;^, 
pour it on the burn t-j;acri lice, and on the !«>•' 
wood. 

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And 
they did it the second time. And he .«aid, Do // 
the third time. And they did it the third time. 

35 And the water ran round about the altar; 
and he filled the trench also with water.'' 

3G And it came to i)ass at the time of the offer- 
ing of the tvining sacrifice, thai Elijah the prophet 
came near, and said, Loiti) God of Abraham, 
Isaac, and of Israel,' let it be known this day that 
thou art God in Israel,^ and that 1 am thy ser- 
vant, and that I have done all these things at 
thy word.'' 

37 Hear me, Lord, hear me, that this people 
may know that thou art the Lord God, and that 
thou hast turned their heart back again. 

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell,' and consumed 
the burnt-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, 
and the dust, and licked up the water that was in 
the trench. 

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on 
their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the 
God; the Lord, he is the God.'" 

40 And Elijah said unto them, Take^ the pro{ili- 
ets of Baal ; let not one of them escape. And they 
took tliom : and I]lijah brought tliem down to the 
brook Kishon, and slew them there." 

41 IT And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, 
eat and drink; for there is a sound* of abundance 
of rain. 

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And 
Elijah went u]) to the top of Carmel ; and he cast 
himself down upon the earth," and put his face 
between his knees, 

43 And said to his servant. Go up now, look 
toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, 
and said, There is nothing. And he said. Go 
again seven times. 

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that 
he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out 
of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said. Go 
up, say unto Ahab, Prepare^ thy chariot, and get 
thee down, that the rain stop thee not. 

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that 
the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and 
there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and 
went to Jezreel. 

46 And the band of the Lord was , on Elijah ; 



1:0-8. tHeh.went. h ver 32, 38. i Exod. 3:0. jch. 8:43; 2Kings 19:19; 
Psa. 83:18; Ezek. 30:23; 39:7. k Num. 1U:'.'S. I Lev. 9:24; Judg. 6:21: 
lChr.21:26; 2Chr. 7:1. i>iver.24. 1 Or, Apprehend. ■> Deut. 13:5; 18:20; 
2 Kings 10:23. • Or, o noise, o Jas. 5:17, 18. Mleb. Tie, ot Bind. 



Acre near the foot of mount Carmel. Slew them ; according 
to the command of God. Deut. 13:5; 18:20; Jer. 48:10. 

42. Went up; from the brook Kishon to a place where 
refreshments were provided for him. 

44. Get thee doum; from the mountain where he was, and 
return to his palace at Jezreel. 

40. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah; imparting to him 
supernatural strength. Girded up his loms ; put a girdle or 
belt around his outer garments, as was the custom when 
about to travel. Ran before Aliab ; after the manner of 
royal attendants, that he might thus pubUcly honor him 
as the king of Israel. 



Elijah Jkdh to Horcb. 



1 KINGS XIX. 



God appeareth to film. 



A. M. 2ms. and he girded up his loins," and ran before 
■ m" °"' Ahab to" the entrance of Jezrcel. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

1 Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, fleeth to Bcer-sheba. 4 In the wilder- 
ness, being weary of his life, he is comforted by an angel. 9 At Ho- 
reb <Tod ;ippeareth unto him, sending him to anoint Hazael. Jehu, 
and Elisha. 19 Elisha, taking leave of liis friends, foUoweth Elijah. 

AND Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had 
done, and withal how he had slain all the 
prophets with the sword." 

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, 
saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also,'' 
if I make not thy life as the life of one of them 
l)y to-morrow about this time.* 

'6 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for 
his life, and came to Bcer-sheba, which helongeth 
to Jiulah, and left his servant there. 

4 IF But he himself went a day's journey into the 
wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper- 
tree : and he requested for himself^ that he might 
die; andsaid,Itisenougli; now, Lord, take away 
my life;'^ for I am not liettcr tlian my fathers.' 

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper-tree, 
behold, then an angel touched him,'' and said unto 
him. Arise and eat. 

6 And he looked, and behold, there teas a cake ba- 
ken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head.* 
And lie did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 



'i Kings 4:29; 9:1; Job 38:3; Jer. 1:17; Eph. 6:14; 1 Pet. 1:13. • Heb. 
■ill t/ioumnulo. bch, 18:40. c ch. 20:10; Ruth 1 : 17; -J Kings 0:31. <■ Psa. 
)7;:W,:!3. t Heb. Ais/i/e. e Num. 11 : 15; Jon. 4:3, S. fPaa. 39:12. S Heb. 



7 And the angel of the Lord came again the 
second time, and touched him, and said. Arise and 
eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went 
in the strength of that meat forty days and forty 
nights'' unto Horeb the mount of God.' 

9 IT And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged 
there ; and behold, the word of the Lord came to 
him, and he said unto him. What doestthou here, 
Elijah? . 

10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the 
Lord God of hosts :^ for the children of Israel 
have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine 
altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword ;'' 
and I, even I only, am left ; and they seek my life, 
to take it away. 

11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the 
mount before the Lord.' And behold, the Lord 
passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the 
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before 
the Lord;" but the Lord iras not in the wind:" 
and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord 
icas not in the earthquake : 

12 And after the earthquake a fire ; but the Lord 
was not in the fire : and after the fire a still small 
voice. 

13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he 
wrapped his face in his mantle," and went out, and 
stood in the entering in of the cave. And behold. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The fidelity and usefulness of truly religioijs persons 
sometimes lead very wicked men to employ them in pref- 
erence to all others ; and good men should ever strive so 
to act as to show that godliness is profitable unto all things, 
and that it renders those who possess it conscientiously 
diligent and faithful in the discharge of all the duties of 
life. 

4. Under the government of wicked rulers the Lord's 
ministers are often persecuted, imprisoned, and dependent 
on charity for support, while Satan's ministers go at large, 
and riot in luxury and abundance. 

9. Even the people of God are sometimes afraid to do 
what he commands them, lest they should suffer ; but if 
tliey are truly devoted to him, and desirous of doing their 
duty, he will make it plain and enable them by his grace 
to perform it. 

17. Persecutors are apt to represent those who condemn 
them for their wickedness as disturbers of the public peace 
and troublers of the people, and to contend that their lib- 
erty is inconsistent with the public good, and that they 
should be banished or put to death. 

18. The troubles which come upon rulers and people 
are a punishment from God on account of their sins. Not 
those who condemn these sins, but those who commit 
them, are the real troublers of the country. 

21. As Jehovah has in various ways shown conclusively 
that he is the only living and true God, reason, interest, and 
duty require that all to whom he is revealed should, with- 
out hesitation or reserve, love, worship, and obey him. 

22. Which is the right way is not to be determined by 
the numbers, wealth, and power of those who follow it. 
God's friends may be few, poor, feeble, and despised, 
while Satan's may be many, rich, powerful, and respected. 
It is better, in such cases, to be of the few than of the 
many. Psa. 138:6; Prov. 3:34; 1G:19; 28:6. 

27. The worship of images, and of all false, imaginary 
deities, is mean, base, and foolish. 

28. "The worship of false gods is cruel to the worship- 



1:14. I Heb. bolster. hExod. 34:28; Deut. 9:9, 18; Matt.4:a. iExod.3:l; 
Mai. 4:4, 5. j Num. 25:11, 13; Psa. 09:9. k ch. 18:4, 13; Mic. 7:2; Eom. 
11:2-4. lExod. 24:12. mEzek. 1:4. nZeoh.4:(i. o Exod. 3:6; Isa. 0:2. 



pers, and often leads to the infliction of great bodily pen- 
ances and sufferings. Such sufferings please the torment- 
ors, but do the tormented no good ; and are an abomina- 
tion to Jehovah, whose ways are ways of pleasantness, 
and whose paths are paths of peace. 

33. True religion has nothing to fear from experiment, 
and from candid, thorough, and searching investigation. 
It loves the fight, and seeks to diffuse it among all classes 
of people, so that they may be able to judge of it them- 
selves, and act intelligently with regard to it. 

37. Prayer, simple, earnest, and sincere, not in a foreign 
tongue which is not understood, but in that which the 
hearers themselves speak, is a powerful means of grace, 
and one by which God often convinces men of the truth 
and leads them to embrace it. 

43. Not only sincerity and earnestness, but persever- 
ance in supplication and obedience to God, are essential 
to the highest success. However small the number or 
trying the condition of the friends of Jehovah, let them 
trust in him, seek of him what they need, and follow his 
directions, and they shall in due time gloriously triumph 
over all their foes. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

2. So let the gods do to me; let them kill me, if I do not 
kill thee. 

4. Into the wilderness; which lay south of Canaan, and in 
which Israel had wandered forty years. 

8. Forty days and forty nights; lieing miraculously sup- 
ported. Horeb; where God appeared to Israel and gave 
them the l;iw. Deut. 1:6. 

10. Jealous for the Lord; desirous of honoring him by 
leadhig the people to obey him. I only; no other prophet 
openly appeared to stem the torrent of iniquity. 

11, 12. Tlie Lord was not in the wind — earthquake — fire; 
indicating that he would not reform Israel by terrific out- 
ward displays of his power, but by the quiet persevering 
labors of his servants, under the invisible and silent influ- 
ences of his Spirit. 

429 



The caU of Elisha. 



1 KINGS XX, 



The fugc of Samaria. 



there caim a voii-cuiito liini, and saiii, Wliatdocst 
tlioii Ih'I-c, Klijali? 

1 1 Ami lie Niiii, I- have been very jealous for the 
Lduh Goil of liost^ :" beeause the cliililren of L^rael 
have for.rakeii tiiy coveiinnt, thrown down thine 
altars, and slain tiiy prophets with the sword;'' 
and I, even I only, am lefi ; and they seek my life, 
to take it away. 

1.') And tlie Loud said unto him. Go, return on 
tliy WMV to the wilderness of Damascus: and when 
thou L'onicst, anoint Hazacl to be king over Syria :' 

IG And Jehu the son of Nimshi sluilt thou anoint 
to he kin<>: over Israel:'' and Elisha' the son of 
Shaphat of Abel-meholali slialt thou anoint to be 
jtrophet in thy room. 

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that 
escajjeth tlie sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay:'' 
and liiin that escapcth from the sword of Jehu 
shall Elisha slay.' 

18 Yet 1 have left me* seven thousand in Israel,*-' 
all tlie knees w-hicii have not bowed unto Baal, 
and every mouth which hath not kissed him.'' 

I'J •[ So he departed thence, and found Elisha 
the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing loith twelve 
yoke of oxen before him, and he witii the twelfth : 
and Elijaii passed by him, and cast his mantle upon 
him. 

20 And ho left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, 
and said. Lot me, I pray thee, kiss my father and 
my mother, and then I will follow thee.' xVud ho 
said unto him. Go back again:' for what have I 
done to thee? 

21 And he returned back from him, and took a 
yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh 
with the instruments of the oxeu,^ and gave unto 
the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and 
went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. 



• Ver.O.IU. l)Jor.aj:9. c 2 Kings 8: 1-2, I:), a -i Kingi 9:1-3. -Called 
Elistm. Luke 4:27. e 2 Kings 9:14, etc.; 10:8, etc.; W-.J. t Hos. 0:5. 
t Or, wiUlmve. s Rom. 11:4. b Hos. ia:2. i Mitt. 8:21, 22.; Luke 9:61, 



10. Ahd-meholah; a town in the plain of Jordan, between 
Beth-sliean and Shechem. 

17. Hazael — JeJiu — and — ElisJta; they would all be in- 
strumental in the punishment of idolatrous Israel. 

18. Seven tliousand; who were still worshippers of Jeho- 
vah. 

19. Cast his mantle upon him; indicating that he should 
follow him. 

20. Go back again; probably said to try the firmness of 
his purpose. 

21. Took a yoke of oxen ; to provide for himself and friends 
a feast before lie' left them. Ministered unto him ; waited 
on and assisted hiin. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. No miracles or means of grace will of themselves 
lead persecutors and liaters of God to cease from their 
eflforts to overcome and destroy his people. 

3. However bold, courageous, and successful the people 
of God may liave been under his influence, unless that is 
continued they will become timid and cowardly, desert 
their duty, and in despair even wish to die. 

5. God knoweth the frame of his people and remember- 
eth that they are dust. He compassionates their infirmi- 
ties and sympathizes in their sorrows, and when they duly 
feel their weakness and wants, appears for their relief. 

9. Men are made not merely to be acted upon but to act, 
and should never voluntarily go where they have nothing 
to do, or can do nothing. 
430 



CHAPTER XX. 



1 B(-'n.|iU(l(u], not content with Atnb's liointi;;f, bcsipgeth Samnria. 13 
Hy the dircolion of a projilict. tlif Syrwrm iirf »luin. '^i Ai the proph- 
et forewarned Ahab, the Syriant, truHiiii}; in the valleyn, come aj;aintt 
him in Aphek. 28 By tlie word of thi- prophet, and t>od'i judgment, 
the Syrians are itmitten again. 31 The Syrians Hiibmittmg (hem- 
selves, Ah:ib sendeth Ben-liadad away with a cnvnant. 30 I'lio 
prophet, under the parable of a priitoner. making Ahab to judge him- 
sell, denounceth Crod's judgment agamst him. 

AND Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all 
his host together: and l/iirc vtrr thirty ami 
two kings with him, and horses, and chariots : and 
he went up and besieged Samaria, and Marred 
against it. 

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel 
into the city, and said unto him. Thus i^aith J5eii- 
hadad, 

3 Thy silver and tliy gold is mine; lliy wives 
also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.'' 

4 And the king of Israel answered and said. My 
lord, king, according to thy saying, I am thine, 
and all that I have. 

5 And the messengers came again, and said. Thus 
speaketh Den-liadad, saying, Although I have sent 
unto thee, saying, Thou slialt deliver me thy silver, 
and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 

6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to-mor- 
row about this time, and they shall search thy 
house, and the houses of thy .servants ; and it shall 
be, f/iat whatsoever is pleasant" in thine eyes, they 
shall put it in their hand, and take it away. 

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders 
of the land,' and said, Mark, I pray you, and see 
how this ma7i sceketh mischief; for he sent unto 
mo for my wives, and for my children, and for my 
silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.' 

8 And all the elders and all the people said 
unto him, Hearken not imto him, ilor consent. 

9 "Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Bcn- 



02. 1 Heb. Go, return. 12 Sam. 21:22, 
1 2 Kings 5: 7. « lleb, kept not back froi 



.10:13,14. i Hob. dMiraWe. 



10. Men are never more likely to boast of their past 
labors, than when they are neglecting their present duty; 
nor ever more likely to complain, iind fault with others, 
and sink into despair. 

12. It is not always that wliich is most visible and tan- 
gible, or which makes the most noise, that is most effica- 
cious in doing good. 

15. If the people of God, when fearful, discouraged, and 
desponding, would get out of trouble, they must go to 
work ; what their hands find to do, they must do for the 
purpose of honoring God and doing good, committing 
themselves and all their interests to Lis guidance and 
disposal. 

18. Some good men are at times tempted to think that 
there are none who labor in the right way to sustain 
the cause of God but themselves, and that when they are 
gone it must sink. But he will show that it is not as 
dependent on them as they thought it was. 

20. God can at any time so touch the hearts of men that 
they will voluntarily and cheerfully leave all for him and 
his cause. But in doing this, he wiU not lessen their nat- 
ural affection, or lead them to neglect any of the proper 
kindnesses and courtesies of life. 1 Pet. 3:8. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. Kings; rulers of cities and the adjoining districts of 
country. 

4. lam thine; meaning, that he would be tributary to 
the king of Syria. 



Defeat of Bcn-hadad. 



1 KINGS XX. 



He renews the war. 



ac'w™ liadad, Tell my lord the king, All that 
thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I 
will do: but this thing 1 may not do. And the 
messengers departed, and brought him word again. 

10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The 
gods do so unto me, and more also," if the dust of 
Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the peo- 
ple tluxt follow me." 

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, 
Tell /urn, Let not him that girdeth on his harness 
boast himself as he that putteth it oif.'' 

12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard 
this message,^ as he was drinking, he and the kings 
in tlie pavilions,* that he said uuto his servants, 
Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves 
in array' against the city. 

13 IT And behold, there came' a prophet unto 
Ahab king of Israel, saying, Tiius saith the Lord, 
Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, 
I will deliver it into thy hand this day ;° and thou 
shalt know that I am the Lord. 

II And Ahab said, By whom? And he said. 
Thus saith the Lord, Even hj the young men'' of 
the pri.ices of the provinces. Then he said. Who 
shall order* the battle? And he answered. Thou. 

15 Tlien he numbered the young men of the 
princes of the provinces,'' and they were two hun- 
dred and thirty-two: and after them he numbered 
all the iieoplo, fwe7i all the children of Israel, being 
seven thousand. 

16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad 
was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions,' he 
and the kings, the thirty and two kings that help- 
ed him.' 

17 And the young men of the princes of the 
provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, 
and they told him, saying. There are men come 
out of Samaria. 

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for 
peace, take them alive ; or whether they be come 
out for war, take them alive. 

11) So these young men of the princes of the 
provinces came out of the city, and the army which 
followed them. 

21} And they slew every one his man:" and the 
Syrians fled ; and Israel pursued them : and Ben- 
hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with 
the horsemen. 

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote 
the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with 
a great slaughter. 

22 1 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, 



a Ch. 19:2. • Heb. ire at my feet; Exod. 11:8; Judg. 1:10. b I'rov. 27:1. 
^ Heb. word. \ Or, tents, t Or. Plar.e the engines: and titeii placfd engines. 
I Heb. approached, c ver. 2S. 1 Or. servants. ' Heb. bind, or tie. d Jmig. 
/:-. c ver. 12; ch. 16:9; Prov. 21:2iK!-Ji Hos. 4:11. flsa. 54:15. « Judg. 
7:21,22; Eccl. 9:11. h 2 Kings (J: 12. i2Sam. 11:1. J Psa. 115:2, 3; Isi. 



10. If tlie dust of Samaria sliall svffice; meaning) that he 
would come with such a multitude of people that the sand 
of >Samaria would not give to each a handful. 

11. Girdeth on his harness; puts on his armor for battle, 
or begins a war. Putteth it off; victoriously closes it. 

14. The young men ; those who waited upon the princes ; 
their servants. The princes of the provinces; these seem to 
have been the rulers who governed in the different dis- 
tricts of the kingdom. 

23. Gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger tlian we; 



and said unto him. Go, strengtlien thyself, and 
mark, and see what thou doest:'' for at the return 
of the year the king of Syria will come up against 
thee.' 

23 And the servants of the king of Syria said 
unto him. Their gods are gods of the hills ;J there- 
fore they Avere stronger than we; but let us fight 
against them in the plain, and surely Ave shall be 
stronger than they. 

21 And do this thing. Take the kings away, 
every man out of his i)lace, and put captains in 
their rooms : 

25 And number thee an army, like the army that 
thou hast lost,* horse for horse, and chariot for 
chariot: and we will fight against them in the 
l)lain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.'' 
And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. 

26 And it came to jiass at the return of the year, 
that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went 
up to Aphek,' to fight against Israel.* 

27 And the children of Israel were numbered, 
and were all present,^ and went against them : and 
the children of Israel ]iitchcd before them like two 
little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the 
country. 

28 T And there came a man of God, and spake 
unto the king of Israel, and said. Thus saith the 
Lord, Because the Syrians have said. The Lord 
is God of the hills, but he is not God of the val- 
leys, therefore will I deliver all this great multi- 
tude into thy hand," and ye shall knoAV that I am 
the Lord." 

29 And they pitched one over against the other 
seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh 
day the battle was joined : ° and the children of 
Israel slew of the Syrians a hundred thousand 
footmen in one day. 

30 But the rest fled to Aphek,'' into the city ; and 
there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand 
of the men that ircre left.'' And Ben-hadad fled, 
and came into the city, into an inner chamber.' 

31 If And his servants said unto him, Behold 
now, we have heard that the kings of the house 
of Israel are merciful kings : "■ let us, I pray thee, 
put sackcloth on our loins,^ and ropes upon our 
heads, and go out to the king of Israel : peradven- 
ture he will save thy life. 

32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and 
put ropes on tlieir heads, and came to the king of 
Israel, and said. Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I 
pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet 
alive? he is my brother. 



42:S. t Heb. was fallen, k Psa. 10:3. I 1 Sam. 4:1; 29:1 ; 2 Kings 13:17. 
I Heh.llie war wiih Israel, i Or, victualled, m Isa. 37:29-')6. over. 13; 
Job 12:16-19. oPsa.lO:16. pPsa.l8:45 q Jer. 43:44; Luke 13:4. I Or, 
from rliambcr to chamber; Heb. a chamber within a chamber; ch. 22:35. 
rjsa. 16:5. • Gen. 37:34. 



the idea was, that different gods ruled over different pla- 
ces, and that they must fight the Israelites in places where 
their gods did not govern. 

26. Aphek; in the tribe of Issachar. It seems to have 
been in the valley of Jezreel. 

31. Go out to the king of Israel; as prisoners of war. lia- 
ble, according to the then prevalent custom, to be put to 
death. 

32. On their heads; about their necks. My brother; au 
king. 

431 



AAab sparetA Ben-kid nd. 



1 KINGS XXI. 



and cord el A N.iboth's nneyard. 



33 Now the men diil (lili;ri'ntly ohscrvo wliedior 
emy thin^ inm'.d come IVoiii him, and liiil liastily 
catch it: aiul thi-y .-^aiil, Tliy lirothiT Beii-hailaJ. 
Then hu saiti, Go ye, bring him. Then JJen-iiaihid 
came Ibrtli to liim; and lie caused liim to come u]i 
into thi' chariot." 

31 And Hi n-hadad said unto him, Tiic cities which 
my father took from tliy fatiier," 1 will restore; 
and thou shall make streets for thee in Danuiscus, 
as my father made in iSamaria. Then said Jlhab, 
I will send thee away with this covenant. So he 
made a covenant with liini," and sent him away. 

35 1 And a certain man of the sons of the proph- 
ets'' said unto his neiglihor in tiie word of the 
Loud,'' Smite me, I pray thee.' And the man re- 
fused to smite him. 

36 Then said he unto him. Because thou hast not 
obeyed the voice of the Loud, beliold, as soon as 
thou art departed from mo, a lion shall slay thee. 
And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion 
found liira, and slew him.''' 

37 Then ho found another man, and said, Smite 
me, I i)ray thee. And the man smote him, so that 
in smiting he wounded* him. 

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the 
king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes 
upon liis face.'' 

39 And as the king passed by, ho cried unto the 
king:' and he said. Thy servant went out into the 
midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned 
aside, and brought a man unto me, and said. Keep 
this man : if by any means he be missing, tlien siiall 
thy life 1)0 for his life,J or else thou shalt pay* a 
talent of silver. 

40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, 
he was gone.* And the king of Israel said unto 
him, So shall thy judgment ie;" thyself hast de- 
cided it} 

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from 
his face ; and the king of Israel discerned him that 
he was of the prophets. 



• 2Kings 10:ia; Acts 8i31. b ch. 15:-20. clsa..8:12. d 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 
ete. ech. 13:17, 18. fjer. 27:2; Eiek. 4:3. Bch. 13:24. * Heb. smKinff 
and wounding, h 2 Sim. 14:2. ■ 2 Sam. 12:1, etc. i 2 Kings 10:24. t Heb. 
weigk. I Heb. was not. t 2 Sam. 12: .'3-7. I Job 15:0; Matt. 21 :41-13; Luke 



35. In the word of the Lord ; by his command. 

40. Tkijself hast decided ; tliat according to his own state- 
ment, which was designed to represent the case of Ahab, 
he had forfeited his life. Ahab decided that he should be 
put to death, and thus virtually condemned himself for 
letting Ben-hadad go when he had him in his power. 

42. Appointed to utter destruction ; required that he should 
be destroyed. Thy life— for his life; Ahab would himself 
bo destroyed. Chap. 22:31-37. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Wickedness persevered in not only prevents men 
from receiving any saving benefit from divine judgments 
and mercies, but renders them mean, cowardly, base, and 
contemptible. 

6. Success in wickedness often increases men's pride, 
arrogance, haughtiness, and rapacity, emboldens them in 
Bin, and thus ripens them for ruin. 

10. For men to boast of what they have done, is vain 
and foolish ; to boast of what they will do, presumptuous 
and wicked. It is glorying in the creature, and rebeUing 
against the Creator. 

13. The object of God in suffering wicked rulers to as- 
semble great multitudes for war and go forth to battle, is 
432 



I'J .Villi he .said unto him. Thus saith the V'l.^ilU; 
Loup, jjecauso thou hast let go out of thy Jiand 
a man whom I ajijiointeil to utter destruction, 
tluTeforc thy life shall go for his life,'" and thy 
people for his people. 

43 And the king of Israel went to his liouso 
heavy and displeased," and came to Samaria. 

(' II A V T E II XXI. 

1 Ahab bein^ Jenii'il Nnbotli'i vinrytird is grievej. 5 Jezebel wriling 
letters against Nabotli, he is condemned of blasphemy. 1.') AhaB 
taketh possession of the vineyard. 17 Elijah denouneeth judgments 
a^'iimst Ahab and Jezebel. U5 Wicked Ahab repenting, CJod defer- 
rcth the judgment. 

AND it came to pass after these things, that 
Naboth the Jezreclitc had a vineyard, which 
iras- in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king 
of Samaria. 

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying. Give 
me thy vineyard," that I may have it for a garden 
of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I 
will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, 
if it seem good to thee,* I will give thee the worth 
of it in money. 

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid 
it me, that I should give the inheritance of my 
fathers unto thee.'' 

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and dis- 
pleased because of the word which Naboth the 
Jezreelite had spoken to him:'' for he had said, I 
will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. 
And he laid him down upon his bod, and turned 
away his face, and would eat no bread. 

5 % But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said 
unto him, "Why is thy spirit so sad,' that thou eat- 
est no bread? 

6 And he said imto her, Because I spake unto 
Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him. Give 
me thy vineyard for money ; or else, if it please 
thee. I will give tlieo another vineyard for it: and 
he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 



19:22. mch. 22:31 37. iich.21:4. '>lSam.8:14. iHeb. be gotxl in l/iine 
eyes. P Lev. 25:23; Num. 30:7; Ezek. 46:13. q Job 5:2; Hab. 2:9-12. 



very different from their object in doing it. They design 
to promote their own glory, and he designs to show his 
perfections and advance his cause. 

16. Under the influence of intoxicating liquor, men are 
self-confident and reckless, and they often speak and act 
as if all things were under their control, and are urged on 
by Satan and their own lusts from one crime to another 
till they perish. 

22. God knows and can reveal what men will do before 
they think of doing it, and yet leave them as free and ac- 
countable as if he had not revealed what they would do. 

28. God hears all that wicked men say, sees all that they 
do or intend to do, and can adapt his providence to meet 
their cases, and make them the occasion of advancing his 
glory and the welfare of his people. None therefore who 
put their trust in him, and follow his directions, need to 
fear. Psa. 4 : 2. 

35. No feelings or considerations should ever hinder 
men from obeying God, and when they save from death 
those whom God requires to be slain, they incur his dis- 
pleasure, and expose themselves to be destroyed. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 . The palace of Ahab king of Samaria ; see note to ver. 18. 



Naboth is stoned to dtath. 



1 KINGS XXI. 



His murderers denounced. 



iV"sia"''' 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, 
Dost tliou now govern the kingdom of Israel? 
arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry: 
I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jez- 
reelitc.-' 

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name,'' and seal- 
ed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the 
elders and to the nobles that icere in his city, 
dwelling with Naboth. 

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim 
a fast, and set Naboth on high among' the people : 

10 And set two men, sons of Belial,'= before him, 
to bear witness against him, saying, Thou- didst 
blaspiieme God and the king.'' And then carry 
him out. and stone hini,'^ that he may die. 

11 And the men of his city, even the elders and 
the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, 
did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was 
•written in the letters which she had sent unto 
them. 

12 They proclaimed a fast,'' and set Naboth on 
high among the people. 

13 And tiiere came in two men, children of Be- 
lial, and sat before him : and the men of Belial 
witnessed against him,*-' even against Naboth, in 
the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did 
blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried 
him forth out of tlie city, and stoned him with 
stones, that he died.'' 

1-4 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is 
stoned, and is dead. 

15 1 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard 
that Nab(itli was stoned, and was dead, that Jeze- 
bel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the 
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite,' which he re- 
fused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not 
alive, but dead. 

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that 
Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down 
to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take 
possession of it. 

17 *i And the word of the Lord came to Elijah 
the Tishbite,-' saying, 

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, 



' Mic. -ia.a. b aSam. 11:11, 15; Esth. 3:1-2. 13. • Hub. in the top of. 
<: Deut. 13:l:J. d Bxod. -ii-.-iS; Lev. 2»:15,16| Matt. 26:59-68: Acts(i:ll. 
e LeT. 21:U. ( Isa. 58:4. 8 E.xod. 20:10; Psa. 27:12; Prov. 25:IS; Mai 
3:5. li2KiiigsO:2(); Eocl. 4:1 ; Acts 7:57-59. i Prov. 1 :ia-ll); 4: 17. J I'sa. 
9:12. t ch. l.!:32; 2 Chr. 22:9. 1 ch. 22:3^; Psa. 7:10; Matt. 7:2. m ch. 



8. Wrote letters ; from Samaria. Scaled thetn with his seal ; 
this gave them the king's authority, and required all to 
obey on pain of his displeasure. 

9. Proclaim a fast; to make an impression that Naboth 
had committed some great wickedness, which required 
him to be put to death. 

10. Sons of Belial ; wicked, abandoned men. Stone him; 
stoning was the punishment which God commanded for 
blasphemy, the crime of which Naboth was falsely accused. 
Lev. 24:15, IG. 

16. To go down; from Samaria to .Tczreel. 

18. Which i.i in Samaria ; whose customary residence is 
in Samaria. Samaria was the capital of Ahab's kingdom, 
and his proper residence, ch. 22:37-39; but he had also 
a palace at .Jezreel, and sometimes resided there. Ver. 1 ; 
2Chr. 22:6. 

20. Sold thi/self; abandoned himself to wickedness. 

21. ShxU up and left; a proverbial expression originally 
denoting bond and free, but put here to represent aU 
classes of persons. 

28 



which is in Samaria :'' behold, he is in the vineyard 
of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying. Thus 
saith the Loud, Ilast thou killed, and also taken 
possession? And thou slialt speak unto him, say- 
ing, Thus saitli the Loud, in the place where dogs 
licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy 
blood, even thine.' 

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found 
me, mine enemy?'" And he answered, I have 
found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work 
evil in the sight of the Lord." 

21 Behold, 1 will bring evil upon thee," and will 
take away thy posterity, and will cut ofl" from 
Ahab him that pisselli against the wall,'' and him 
that is shut up and left in Israel, 

22 And will make thy house like the house of 
Jeroboam the son of Nebat," and like the house 
of Baasha the son of Ahijah,'' for the provocation 
wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and 
made Israel to sin. 

23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, 
The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall* of Jez- 
reel.'* 

2-1 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs 
shall eat ; and him that dieth in the held shall the 
fowls of the air eat. 

25 \ But there was none like unto Ahab, which 
did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight 
of the Lord,' whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.*" 

26 And he did very abominably in following 
idols, according to all things as did the Amorites,'' 
whom the Lord cast out before the children of 
Israel. 

27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those 
words, that he rent his clothes," and put sackcloth 
upon his flesh,'' and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, 
and went softly. 

28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the 
Tishbite, saying, 

29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself be- 
fore meV because he humbleth himself before me," 
I will not bring the evil in his days:" but in his 
sou's days will I bring the evil upon his house." 



18:17. iiver.25; 2 Kings; 17:17; Isa. 50:1; 52:3; Rom. 7:14. " ch. ^4:10. 
P Exod. 20:5, 0; 2 Kings 9:8. q ch. 15:29. r ch 10:3, II. f Or. itilch. 
' 2 Kings 9:36, 37. l ch. 16:30, 31 : ver. 20. t Or, innled. u Josh. 23:12, 
13; Ecol. 7:26. v Gen. 15: 16; 2 Kings 21 :11. w Joel 2: 12, 13. x Jon. 
3:0-10. y Exod 10:3. «Isa.60:2. > 2 Kings 20:19. b 2 Kings 9:25. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Covetousness is idolatry ; and if the heart be under 
its power, and cannot obtain its wishes, it may at any time 
he rendered miserable. Even little things that cannot be 
obtained, but are inordinately desired, may make a man 
wretched. 

7. Despotic power in the hand of man or woman under 
the control of wickedness is a terrible curse, and liable 
at any time to be employed in the commission of the most 
outrageous and abominable injustice and cruelty. 

9. No plans are so wicked that men who are disposed 
may not find some wicked enough to aid in executing 
them ; and no forms of injustice and cruelty are more 
execrable, and none will receive a deeper condemnation, 
than those which are perpetrated under the cover of relig- 
ion and law. 

16. Men who have the power and the right to prevent 
crime, and yet suffer it for the sake of sharing its gains, 
are partakers in the guilt of those who commit it, and will 
share in their plagues. 

433 



Jduakapkat visits Ahah. 



1 KlNliS XXH. 



rrediction of Micaiah. 



CIIAPTEU XXI I 



I Ahab. MtlucrJ by UUe prophrU, ncrordjti^' to the v.-or<l of Micaiah, 
u (lain at Kaiiioih.'jilraJ. 37 The >lo;t» lick up hit blooJ, and Ahii- 
■iah •urcrrjt'th hinj. 41 Johoiimphai'a ^ooil reign. -IS Hia acu. 
au ji'horaiii auccrctlolli him. 51 Ahaziah s evil reign. 

AND tlu'v oontiuuod three years without war 
liotwocii Syria ami l.-^racl. 

2 And it came to pas.-; in tiic tiiird year, tliat 
Jelin.^haphat tiic kinij of Judali came down to tiic 
kiiiL' of l.-racl." 

3 And the kinsr of Is;rael said unto lii.s ?crvant?, 
Know ye that Ramoth in Ciilead is ours," and wc 
Af still, and take it not' out of the liand of the 
kinir of Syria? 

4 And lie said unto .lehoshaphat. Wilt thou go 
with me to Ijattlc to Ramoth-gilead'.'"' And Je- 
hoshaphat .said to the king of Israel. I can as thou 
art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy 
horses.'' 

5 And .lehoshaphat said luito the king of Israel, 
Inquire, 1 pray thee, at the word of tlu' Loud to- 
day." 

G Then the king of Israel gatliered the prophets 
together,'' about four hundred men, and said unto 
them, Simll I go against Ramotli-gilead to battle. 
or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up ;'■' for 
the LoKD shall deliver it into the hand of tiie 
king. 

7 And Jehoshaphat said, h there not here a 
prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire 
of him?" 

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 
There is yet one man, Mieaiali tiie son of Indah. 
by wiioMi wo may inquire of the Lord: liut 1 hate 
him;' for he doth not prophesy good concerning 
me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the 
king say so. 

9 Tiien the king of Israel called an officer,* and 
said. Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah, 

10 And tlie king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the 
king of Judah sat eacii on his throne, having put 
on their robes, in a void place' iu the entrance 
of the gate of Samaria ; and all the prophets proph- 
esied before them, 

11' And Zedekiah tlio son of Chenaanah made 
him horns of iron ; and he said. Thus saith the 



» 2Chr. 1S:'2, etc. b Deat. 4:13; Jnsh. '^0:8. • Hcb silent from Inking 
it. » Pro». 1:10; aCor. 8:14. <1 3 Kings :l:7. e Prov. 3:G; Jer. 21:2. ' ch 
1H:19. eJer. 5:)!. h a Kings :!:ll. 'Psa. 34:21. t Or. eimi/fA. 1 Heb. 
floor. J Ezek. !:J:6-9: Mo. 3:11. kJ'>b'J:4. I tsa. 3U:10. m Num. 22:3.-<; 



20. Sinners are apt to be enemies to those who. by the 
command of God, denounce his wratli against tliem, and 
to feel as if such persons were their enemies. But this is 
a great mistalco. Tliey hate their sins, and lament the 
ruin these occasion. Matt, 23:37, 

23. Ringleaders in transgression will be distinguished 
in their punishmoiit; and though external humiliation may 
secure temporal favors, nothing short of real penitence 
and hearty forsaking of sin will save from its endless con- 
sequences. 

CHAPTER XXn. 

3. Ramoth ; a city of Gad. east of Jordan. 

4. lam as thou art; I will act in concert with thee in all 
things. Jehoshaphat had joined affinity with the king of 
Israel by taking for a wife to his son Jehoram, Athaliah 
the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. 2 Kings 8: 18 ; 2 Chron. 
18:1. By this wrong step he brought upon himself, his 

434 



Loud, ■Willi these shait tli<.ii \n\A\ tlie Syr- •*iiVw: 
ians, until thou have consuiiH'd them, 

12 And all the pro|(hi'ls prophesied so,^ saying, 
Go u]) to Ranioth-gilead, and prosper:" for the 
Loud shall deliver it into the king's hand, 

\'.\ And tiie mcs.senger that was gone to call 
Micaiah sjiaUe unto him. saying, Hdioid now, the 
words of the prophets dcclarr good unto tlii- king 
with one mouth : let thy wonl, 1 pray thee, be like 
the word of one of them, and speak that which is 
good,' 

14 And Micaiah said, As the Loun livcth, what 
the Lord saith unto me, that will 1 speak,'" 

1.') ", .So he came to the king. And the king 
said unto hiin, Micaiah, shall we go against Ra- 
moth-gilcad to battle, or shall we forbear? An<l 
he answered him. Go, and prosper: for the Lord 
shnll deliver it into the hand of the king. 

1() And the king said unto him, How many times 
shall 1 ailjurc thee that thou tell me nothing but 
that which is true in the name of the Lord? 

17 And he said, 1 saw all Israel scattered upon 
the hills, as.slieep that have not a shepherd:" and 
the Lord said, These have no master: let them 
return every man to liis house in peace. 

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jeho.shaphat, 
Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no 
good concerning me, but evil? 

19 And he said. Hear thou therefore the word 
of the Lord : 1 saw the Lord sitting on his throne," 
and all the host of heaven standing by him on his 
right hand and on his Icft.i' 

2(1 And t!ie Jjord said, AVho shall persuade' 
Ahab, tliat he may go up and fall at Ramoth- 
gilead? And one said on tliis manner, and an- 
other said on that manner. 

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood be- 
fore the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. 

22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? 
And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying 
spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he 
said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: 
go forth, and do so. 

23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a 
lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets,'' 
and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee. 



24:13; Jer. 2.'!:28; Acts 20:27; Gal. 1:10. p Zech. 13:7; Matt. 9:35. "Ua.. 
fi:l-3; Dan. 7:9,10. P Job 1:6; Psa. 103:21 ; Malt. 25:31 ; Rev. 5:11. » Or, 
dmive. q Judg. 9:23; Job 12:10; Ezek. 14:9; 2 Thess. 2:10. 12. 



family, and his kingdom very dreadful calamities. In con- 
sequence of the alliance between him and Ahab, he "felt 
obliged to offer his services on the present occasion, 
though evidently with much misgiving. 

ti. Prophets; these were false prophets, probably con- 
nected with the worship of the golden calves, who had 
not been present at mount Carmel when Elijah slew the 
prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth. 

15. Go, ami prosper ; this was spoken ironically, and in a 
manner that showed the king that Jlicaiah did not expect 
him to prosper. 

17. I saw; a representation of what would take place at 
the battle, upon Ahab's death. Ver. 36, 

19. I saif; a representation of what was then going on 
for the deception and ruin of Ahab. 

23. The Lord liath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all 
these thy prophets; an instance of the manner in which 
things that take place, in the providence and under the 



Ahah slain hy a Syrian. 



1 KINGS XXII. 



Ads of Jclwshaphat. 



B.' c' sIi't!" ' 24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanali 
■went near, and smote Micaiali on the elicck," and 
said, Whieli way went tlie Spirit of the Loed 
from me to speak unto thee? 

25 And Micaiah said, Bcliold, thou shalt see in 
that day, when thou shalt go into an inner cham- 
ber'" to hide thyself. 

2(i And tlic king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, 
and ('arry him back unto Amon the governor of 
tlie city, and to Joash tlic king's son ; 

27 And say, Tims saith the king. Put i\\K fellow 
in tlie prison,^' and feed him Avitli bread of afflic- 
tion and witli water of affliction,'' until I come in 
peace. 

28 And Micaiah said. If thou return at all in 
peace, tlic Lord iiath not spoken by me." And he 
said, Hearken, peo])le,'' every one of you. 

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the 
king of Judali went up to Ranioth-gilead. 

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 
I will disguise myself,* and enter into the battle; 
but j)ut thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel 
disguised himself, and went into the battle.'' 

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty 
and two captains that had rule over his chariots, 
saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save 
only with the king of Israel. 

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of 
the chariots saw Jehosliaphat, that they said, Sure- 
ly it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside 
to light against him :-' and Jehoshaphat cried out. 

33 And it came to pass, when the captains of 
the chariots perceived that it icas not the king of 
Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 

3-4 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture,* 
and smote the king of Israel between tiie joints 
of the harness :^ wherefore he said unto the driver 
of his chariot. Turn thy hand, and carry me out of 
the host; for I am wounded.' 

35 And the battle increased^ that day: and the 
king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syr- 
ians, and died at even : and the blood ran out of 
the wound into the midst' of the chariot. 

36 And there went a proclamation throughout 
the host about the going down of the sun, saying. 
Every man to his city, and every man to his own 
country.'' 



» iMatt. an:6S; Acts 23:3. * Or, from chamber to ckamfter; Hcb. a chamber 
ill a ckamber. ch. 2U:30. b Jer. aa:0; Acts 5:18; Rev. •2:1U. = Deut. 1(>::!; 
l.^a. 3U:-JU. d Num. 16:29; Dent. l!J:20, 22. e Matt. 13:0,43. t Or, when 
he was to disguise himself . ' 2 Chr. 3.3:22. r Prov. 13:20. t Web. in his 
simplicity, 2 Sam. 15:11. 4 Heb. and the breastplate. B Heb. made sick. 



government of God, are ascribed to him ; he suffered those 
false prophets to tell lies, and by their lies, as a punishment 
of Ahab for his sins, to deceive him to his destruction. 

25. Thou shalt see; know who speaks the truth, you or I. 

27. Bread of affliction ; coarse and scanty fare. 

30. Disguise myself; so array himself as not to be known 
to be king. 

34. At a venture ; shooting into tlie midst of the Israel- 
ites, without taking aim at any one. 

38. According unto the word of the Lord; chap. 21:19; 
2 Kings 9 : 25, 26. 

39. The ivory house; a house adorned with ivory, or pre- 
cious ornaments made of elephants' tusks. 

43. T/ie u-ays of Asa; cliap. 15:11-15. 

44. Made peace; by making affinity with him. See note 
to ver. 4. 



37 T So the king died, and was brouglit* to 
Samaria ; and they buried the king in Samaria. 

38 And 07ie washed the chariot in the jiool of 
Samaria ; and the dogs licked up his blood ; and 
they washed his armor; according unto tiie word 
of tlic Lord which he spake.' 

3'J Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all 
that he did, and the ivory house which he made,J 
and all the cities that he built, are they not writ- 
ten in the book of tlie Chronicles of the kings of 
Israel? 

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers ; and Ahaziah 
his son reigned in his stead. 

41 IT And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to 
reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king 
of Israel.'' 

42 Jehoshaphat ivas thirty and five years old 
when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty 
and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother'.s 
name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 

43 And he walked in all tiic Avays of Asa his 
father;' he turned not aside from it, doing that 
u'hich icas right in the eyes of tiic Lord : never- 
theless the high places were not taken away : for 
the people ofl'ered and burnt incense yet in the 
high places. 

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king 
of Israel."' 

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and 
his might tiiat he showed, and how he warred, are 
they not written in the book of the Chronicles of 
the kings of Judah? 

4(5 And the remnant of the sodomites, which 
remained in the days of his father Asa, he took 
out of the land." 

47 There icas then no king in Edom:° a deputy 
ivas king. 

48 Jehoshaphat made ships* of Tarshish to go to 
Ophir for gold :'' but they went not;'' for the ships 
were liroken at Ezion-geber.'' 

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto 
Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy ser- 
vants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would" not. 

50 1[ Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, 
and was buried Avith his fathers in the city of 
David his father : and Jehoram his son reigned in 
his stead .^ 



t Heb. ascended. • Heb. bosom, h ver. 17, 39. t Heb. ear 


ne. ich. 21:19. 


JAmr.s3:I5. k 2 Chr. 20:31. etc. 1 2 Chr. 17:3. b. 2 Ki 


ngsS:l8; 2 Chr. 


19:2; 2 Cor. 6:14. nch. 14:24; 15:12. o Gen. 25:23; 2 Sar 


n. S:I4; 2 Kings 


3:9; 8:20. t Or, had ten ships, p 2 Chr. 2U:35, etc. q c 


HI 10:22. ' ch. 


9:26. s 2 Chr. 21:1. 





48. Ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir; the ships were made 
at Ezion-gcber on the eastern arm of the Red sea, which 
was the port for going to Ophir. Some suppose they are 
called "ships of Tarshish" merely to indicate ships of a 
certain form or size, such as were used in voyages to 
Tarshish. See notes to chap. 10:22; 2 Chr. 20:36. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Intimate connections with the wicked, and readiness 
to form coalitions with them, are exceedingly dangerous, 
and often lead to the most disastrous results. 

6. False teachers are numerous, and they endeavor to 
ingratiate themselves with those who employ them by 
consulting their wishes, pandering to their pleasures, and 
aiding in accomplishing their favorite designs. 

13. Manv seem to think it unwise for ministers to con- 
4.35 



Tfe evil reign of king 



1 KlNdS XXII, 



Ahaziah, the sin of Ahnb, 



51 *i Azahiah (ho son of Aliali Ijopan to reign 
over Israel in Samaria llic soventecnlli year of 
Jchosliajiiiat king ol'Judali, and reigned two years 
over Israel." 

52 And he did evil in the siglit of the Lord,'' and 
walked in tlie way of his faiher," and in the way 



■X.-OSJ. t ell. 1G.3U, He. <1 cl,. l:.':i:-33; 'J Clil 



fine themselves to truth and duty ; and that it would be 
better to go with the multitude, and do what is popular, 
especially with the ridi and j)o\verfuI. 

18. True ininister.s will jiriiclaiin only the truth and will 
of God. Of course they can jiroraise no good to those 
who continue in sin, and ou this account they aro often 
hated. 

23. As a punishment for their sins, God sometimes suf- 
fers wicked men to bo deluded by false teachers and evil 
spirits, and under that delusion to bo destroyed. 2 Pet. 
2:1-3, 18-22. 



of iiis mother, and in the way of Jerolioani ■*ii"c."J(S: 
the son of NeViat, who made Israel to sin i** 

r)li For lie served Baal, and worsiiipped him, 
and ]n'ov()lved to anger the Ijoiii) God of Israel, 
according to all that his father had done." 



11:11, IS. • JuJg. -2:11; ch. 21:23, -JU. 



28. They who disbelieve the word of God, will learn 
the truth of his declarations by Uicir fulfilment. 

30. No eiTorts of the wicked to C8ca|)c the evils which 
God intends to bring upon them will be successful. 

34. Every arrow which flies is under the direction and 
control of God, and — though often without the intention 
of men — alwaj's accomplishes his disigns. 

35. Animals, in following the instincts and appetites 
which God has given tlu'ui, may bo instruments of his 
wrath against the wicked, and the means of fulfilling Ida 
declarations concerning them. 



436 



THE 

SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS, 

COMMONLY CALLED, 

THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE KINGS. 



See the introductory remarks to the first book of the Kings, of which this second book originally con- 
stituted a part. 



B.' C.'about S93, (j H A 1 i £i It 1 . 

1 Moab rebelleth. 2 Ahaziah, sending to Baal-zebub, hath his judg- 
ment by Elijah. 5 Elijah twice bringeth tire from heaven upon 
them whom Ahaziah sent to apprehend liim. lu He pitieth the tiurJ 
captain, and, encouraged by an angel, telleth the king of his death. 
17 Jehoram succeedeth Ahaziah. 

THEN Moab rebelled against Israel after the 
death of Ahab." 

2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in 
his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was 
sick : and he sent messengers, and said unto them. 
Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron," 
whether I shall recover of this disease." 

3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the 
Tishbito, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of 
the king of Samaria, and say unto them. Is it not 
because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to 
inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?'' 

4 Now therefore tlnn saitli the Lord, Thou shalt 
not come down from that had on which thou art 
gone up," but shalt surely die. And Elijah de- 
parted. 

5 M And when the messengers turned back unto 
him, he said unto them. Why are yc now turned 
back? 

Q And they said unto him. There came a man up 
to moot us, and said unto us. Go, turn again unto 
the king that sent you, and say unto him. Thus 



liMark :!:->3 
down from i 



!.Sam. S:-2. b 1 Sam. .':in. ' ch. 8:9, 10; 1 Kings 14:3. 
• Heb. T/ie bed whit/ier Ihau art gone up, thou slialt not rome 
= Isa. 41:J3, -21. ' 1 Chr. 10: l:J; Psa. 10:4. t Heb. IFAal 



CHAPTER I. 

1. Moab rebelled; tliey had before, from the days of Da- 
vid, been tributary to the Israelites. Chap. 3:4,"5. 

2. Lattice; or balustrade; a light fence, or not-work. 
Baal-:chub ; an idol god. Ekron ; a city of the Philistines. 

8. A hairy man; in his per.son ; probably also dressed 
in a garment made of hair. Matt. 3:4. 

10. L'-t fire come down; this was designed to show that 
Jehovah was the only living and true God, and able to 
protect all who put their trust in him. 



saith the Lord,' Is it not because there is not a 
God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal- 
zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not 
come down from that bed on which thou art gone 
up, but shalt surely die.'' 

7 And he said unto them. What manner of man 
was he'' which came up to meet you, and told you 
these words? 

8 And they answered him. He teas a hairy man, 
and girt with a girdle of leather about his'loins.^ 
And he said. It is Elijah the Tishbito. 

9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty 
with his fifty. And he went up to him: and be- 
hold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spake 
unto him. Thou man of God, the king hath said. 
Come down. 

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain 
of fifty, If I ie a man of God, then let fire come 
down from heaven," and consume thee and thy 
fifty. And there came down fire from heaven,' 
and consumed him and his fifty.' 

11 Again also he sent un(o him another captain 
of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said 
unto iiini, man of God, thus hath the king said. 
Come down quickly. 

12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If 
I 6e a man of God, let fire come down from heaven. 



was the manner of the t 
I.uke 9:54: Heb. 12:ti9. 
5:5,9. 



S Zech. l.'):4; Matt. 3:4. h Num. 16:35; 
Kings 18:24; Dan. 3:25. j ch. 2:24; Acts 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The constant liability of men to sickness and death 
should lead all so to live, as to be at all times prepared 
for these events. They will then have no occasion for 
anxiety, and no inclination to turn away from Jehovah in 
applying for help. 

3. "Applying to false gods, is acting as if Jehovah wcro 
not the only living and true God ; anti is highly provoking 
to Him, who will not give his glory to another, nor his 
praise to graven images. 

437 



Tkalh II f Ahixlah. 



2 KlXdS [I. 



lllijah talitn to heaven. 



and roiisuino tliec and thy fifty. And llic iiro of 
(iiid cainc down from lioavoii, and consumed him 
and lii.s fd'ty. 

lU H Ami lio sent again a cajitain of tlic third 
liflv wilii ids fifty. And the third cajitain of fifty 
wont up, and came and fell* on liis Icnees before 
r]iijali," and licsonjjlit liim, and said unto liim, 
num of God, 1 jiray lliee, let my life, and tlic lilc 
of tlieso fifty thy servants, be precious in tliy sijrlit.'' 

14 J5ehohi, tlierc came fire down from heaven, 
and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties 
with tlicir fifties:'' tiicreforc let my life now be 
precious in tliy siglit, 

1.5 And llic angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, 
Go down with him: bo not afraid of him. And 
lie arose, and went down with liini unto the king. 

16 And he said unto him. Thus saitii the Loud, 
Forasnnicli as thou hast sent messengers to incjuirc 
of Baal-zebul) the god of Eicron, is it not because 
there is no God in Israel to ini]uire of his word?'' 
therefore thou slialt not come dowji oil' tliat l)ed 
on whicli thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 

17 \\ So he died according to the word of tiic 
Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jclioram 
reigned in his stead, in the second year of Jeho- 
rani the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah;* be- 
cause he had no son. 

15 Now the rest of tlic acts of Ahaziah which 
he did, are they not written in the book of the 
Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 

CHAPTER II. 

1 Elijah, taking his leave of Elisha, with his m.antlc dividcth Jord.ln, 
9 and, granting Elisha his request, is taken Tip by a fiery chariot into 
heaven. 1*2 Elisha, dividin;^ Jordan with Elijah's mantle, is acknow- 
ledged his successor. 16 The voung propiiets, hardly obtaininjj leave 
to seek Elijah, could not find liini. 19 Elisha with salt healeth the 
unwholesome waters. 23 Bears destroy the children that mocked 
Elisha. 

AND it came to pass, when the Lord would 
take up Elijah into lieaven by a wliirlwind," 
that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.'' 

2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I 
pray thee ; for the Lord hath scut me to Beth-el. 
And Elisha said unto him, Jls the Lord liveth," 
and as thy soul liveth," I will not leave thee. So 
they w^ent down to Beth-el. 

3 And the sons of the ])rophets that were at 
Beth-el came forth to Elisha,' and said unto him. 



• Heb 


bowed 1 !sa. 66 


•i. b 1 Sam. 20 


•il; P.-a. 72:14; 116:15. 


c ver. 


in, 12. 


d ver. 0. t The 


second ye 


r that Je/ton 


in wa 


Prorex, a 


nd the 


eighteen 


th of Jekoshapliat. 


ch. 3:1 


Gen. 


5:31. 


1 1 Ki 


tgs 1<):S1. 


e Jer. 


4:2. h 


ver. 4, 0; ch. 4:3U 


1 Sam. 1 


■36. ■ 


ver. 5, 


v, li; 


ch. 4:1, 33 


; 9:1; 



9. It is sometimes necessary for good men, in order to 
honor God, to disobey the hi.^hest earthly authority ; and 
even to be instrumental in the destruction of those who 
rebel against him. 

13. The only way for wicked men finally to escape the 
judgments of God, is by humble submission to him, hearty 
acknowledgment of his authority, and fervent supijlica- 
tion for his mercy. 

15. When God commands, his people may visit in safety 
their greatest persecutors, and proclaim without fear Ills 
truth and will concerning them. 

CHAPTER n. 

3. Sons of the prophets; young men instructed, it is sup- 
posed, by the prophets in seminaries for that purpose. 
9. A double portion ; he wished a double portion of the 
438 



Kuiiwcst thou that the LoitD will fake ^j^c'S: 
away thy master lV<un thy licad to-day? And he 
said, Yea, 1 know it : hold ye your jieace. 

4 And iOiijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, 
1 pray thee ; for the Loud hath sent me to Jericho. 
And he said, Jls the LouD liveth, and as thy soul 
liveth, 1 will not leave thee. So they came to 
Jericho. 

.'i And the sons of the prophets that wire at 
Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto liini, 
Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy 
master from thy head to-day? And he answered. 
Yea, I know it : hold ye your peace. 

(') And Elijah said unto him. Tarry, I pray thee, 
here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And 
he said, ^Is the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, 
1 will not leave thee. And they two went on. 

7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, 
and stood to view* aliir ofl": and they two stood 
by Jordan. 

8 And Elijah took his mantle,' and wrajipcd it 
together, and smote the waters, and they were 
divided hither and thither." .so that they two went 
over on dry ground. 

9 1 And it came to pass, when they were gone 
over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I 
shall do for thee, bcf(U-e 1 lie taken away from 
thee. And I'^lisha said, 1 ])i-ay thee, let a double 
portion of thy s])irit be upon me.' 

10 And he said. Thou hast asked a hard thing:' 
nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from 
thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall 
not be so. 

11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and 
talked, that behold, th(re appeared a chariot of lire, 
and horses of lire,'" and jiartcd them both asunder ; 
and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 

VI 1 And Elisha saw it, and he cried. My father, 
my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen 
thereof!" And he saw him no more: and he took 
hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two 
pieces. 

13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that 
fell from him, and went back, and stood by the 
bank' of Jordan ; 

14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell 
from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where 
is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also 



1 Kings 2I):.35. I Heb. in sight, or aver against. I I Kings 19: 13, 19. » ver. 
14; Exod. 14:31; Josh. 3:14-17. I Num. 27:20. i Reh. lioiie liarii in ask- 
ing. «> ch. 8:17; Psa. 104:4. nch. 13:14. 1 Heb. /i>. 



influences of the Holy Spirit ; not necessarily double the 
amount that had rested on Elijah, but rather double the 
amount granted to the prophets in genera! ; that is, a very 
plenteous endowment, such as should qualify him to stand 
at the head of the school of the prophets. 

12. The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof; as much 
as to say, The chariot of fire and horses of fire liave taken 
from Israel him who was their true chariot and horsemen; 
a better protection than any earthly chariots and horsemen 
can be. Compare the application of the words to the dying 
Eli.sha, chap. 13:14. 

14. Where is the Lord God of Elijah ? let him manifest his 
presence and power, as he had been wont to do unto Eli- 
jah. They parted ; by this God showed that he was with 
Elisha, as he had been with Elijah, and that his request, 
verse 9, was granted. 



Wonders wrought hy Elis/ui. 



2 KINGS III. 



Rebellion of Moab. 



i). "sali"'' had smitton the waters, tlier parted hither 
and thither :■■' and Elislia went over. 

15 And when tlie sons of tlie prophets which 
were to view at Jcriciio saw liiin,'' tlioy said, Tlie 
spirit of Elijali doth rest on Elislia. And they 
came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the 
ground before him. 

16 1 And they said unto him, BehoUl now, there 
b? with tliy servants lifty stroni;; men;' lot them 
go. we pray thee, and seek (hy master: lest per- 
adventure the Spirit of th;; Lord hath taken him 
up," and cast him npon some mountain,* or into 
some valley. And ho said, Yc shall not send. 

17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, 
he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men ; 
and they sought tliroc days, but found him not. 

18 And when they came again to him, for he 
tarried at Jericho, he said unto them, Did I not 
say unto you. Go not? 

19 1 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, 
Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is 
pleasant, as my lord seeth : but the water is naught, 
and the ground barren.* 

20 And he said. Bring me a new cruse, and put 
salt therein. And they brought it to him. 

21 And he went forth unto the spring of the 
waters, and east the salt in there,'' and said, Thus 
saith the Loud, I have healed these waters;" there 
shall not be from thence any more death or bar- 
ren land.^ 

22 So the waters were healed unto this day, 
according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. 

23 1[ And he went up from thence unto Beth-el : 
and as he was going up by the way, there came 
forth little children out of the city,'^ and mocked 
hiui,'' and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head ; 
go up, thou bald head. 

2'1 And he turned back, and looked on them, 



aVer.8. b vcr. 7. • ileh. sonx of strength, c 1 Kings 18:1-2; Acts 8:39. 
t Heb. 07U of the mountains. 1 Heb. causing to mismrry. d Lev. '2: n ; Malt. 
o 13; Mirk 9:511. <= ch. 4:41; Exod. 15:25; Ez'ik. 47:S, 0. t Psi. 107::!3, 34. 



15. Bowed themselves; acknowledging him as their teach- 
er in the place of Elijah. 

17. Was aslmmed; any longer to refuse. 
19. Nauglit; bad. 

23. Little children ; young persons. Go up, thou bald head ; 
an expression of tlie contempt of these young idolaters for 
the presence and office of the aged prophet. 

24. Cursed them in the name of the Lord; this was intended 
to show God as the protector of his people and the pun- 
isher of idolatry. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. At whatever time or in whatever way men are re- 
moved from this world, it is God who removes them ; and 
although his reasons may not be known by creatures, yet 
they are always the wisest and the best, and wo should 
bow submissively and cheerfully to liis holy will. 

2. It is a great privilege to be with wise and holy men 
who realize that they are near the close of life, and who 
are expecting soon to exchange earth for heaven. 

8. No obstructions will meet a soul that is ripe for 
heaven, which true faith will not overcome. It can, when 
called to do so, go through Jordan on dry ground, and rise 
to God in a chariot of fire. 

9. It is right to desire a double portion of the spirit 
which prepares good men for usefulness and for glory; 
and attending upon their instructions, uniting with them 
in devotion, and ministering to their wauts, are fruitful 
means of obtaining such a blessing. 



and cursed them in the name of the Loud.' And 
there came forth two she bears out of the wood, 
and tare forty and two children of them. 

25 And \w went from thence to mount Carmel, 
and from thence he returned to Samaria. 



CHAPTER III. 

I Jehoram's reign. 4 Me-sha rebelleth. 6 Jehoram with Jthoshaphat, 
and the king of Edom, being distressed for want of w.ater, by Elisha 
obtainetli water, and promise of victory. 21 The Moabites, deceived 
by the color of the water, coming to spoil, are overeome. 26 The 
king of Moab, by sacrificing the king of Edom's son, raiseth the siege. 

N"OW Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign 
over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth 
year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned 
twelve years.^ 

2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord ; 
but not like his father, and like his mother: for 
he put away the image^ of Baal that his father 
had made.'' 

3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jero- 
boam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin ;' 
he departed not therefrom. 

4 Tl And Mesha king of Moab™ was a sheep- 
master, and rendered unto the king of Israel a 
hundred thousand lambs," and a hundred thousand 
rams, with the wool. 

5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead," 
that the king of Moab rebelled against the king 
of Israel. 

6 1 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the 
same time, and numbered all Israel. 

7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king 
of Judah, saying. The king of Moab hath rebelled 
against me : wilt thou go with me against Moab 
to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as 
thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses 
as thy horses.'" 



e Job 19: 18 ; 30: 1 , 8, etc. h Matt. 27:29, i 
Lam. 3:G5. jch. 1:17. M:lc\j. statue, kl 
»>2Sara.«:2; Psa. 108:9, 10. nLsa.lG:!. 



c. i Gen. 9:25; JuJg. 9:20, it; 
Cings 10:32. I I Kings l2:2S-:52. 
»ch. 1:1; 8:20. PlKings22:4. 



14. Though the wisest and best of men are removed 
from earth, God can make their successors wiser and bet- 
tor than they ; so that the light, not only of his ministers 
and individual Christians, but of his church, sliall be as 
the light of the morning, growing brighter and brighter 
to the perfect day. 

16. The wisdom of age and experience cannot by any 
methods of instruction be imparted to the young. There 
is much, very much, which they need to know, that noth- 
ing but experience will effectually teach them. Job 15 : 8- 
10: 32:7. 

19. There are many places and conditions which are 
externally very pleasant, and yet are internally barren 
and bitter. 

21. Divine kindness, power, and grace, can make a wil- 
derness become like Eden, and a desert like the garden of 
God. 

23. The wickedness of parents is often followed and 
sometimes exceeded by that of their children, and the 
curse of God on the children becomes the means of pun- 
ishing the parents, till those who have been mutual and 
successful tempters become mutual and dreadful tor- 
mentors. 

CHArTER III. 

3. Cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam ; though he put away 
the image of Baal, he still continued to worship the golden 
calves. I Kings 12:28, 29. 

439 



EUsha obtaiwth water. 



2 KINGS IV. 



The ^loahilts dtftatal. 



8 And ho Faid, Which way shall wo po up? And 
he answcii'd, '\\\c way llirouph tlic wilderness of 
Eduin. 

9 So the kinp of Israol went, and the king of 
Judah, and tiic kinj; of Edoni : and tlicy fetclicd 
a compass of seven days' journey : and there was 
no water for the host, and for the cattle that fol- 
lowed lliem.' 

10 And the kinp: of Israel said, Alas, that the 
Lord halh called these three kinjrs together, to 
deliver tlicni into the hand of Moab! 

11 Hiit.Tehoshaphatsaid,/,s//if7Tnotherea proph- 
et of the Lord, that we may inijiiirc of the Lord by 
him?" And one of the kin;;: of Israel's servants 
answered and said, Here m Elisha the sou of Slia- 
phat, wliich ]iourcd water on tlie hands of Elijah." 

12 And Jehoshaphat said. The word of the Loud 
is with him. So the kins of Israel and Jehosha- 
phat and tlic king of Edom went down to him. 

13 And Elislia said unto the kingof Israel, What 
have 1 to do with thee?'' get tliee to the ])ropiicts 
of thy father, and to the prophets of tliy inotiicr.'' 
And the king of Israel said unto iiim. Nay : for 
the Lord hath called those three kings together, 
to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 

14 And Elisha said, Jls the Lord of hosts liveth," 
before wliom I stand, surely, were it not that I 
regard the ])resence of Jehoshaphat tiie king of 
Judah,' I would not look toward tiiee, nor sec tliee. 

15 But now bring mc a minstrel.'"' And it came 
to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand 
of the Lord came upon him.'' 

16 And he said. Thus saitli the Lord, Make this 
valley full of ditches.' 

17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see 
wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley 
shall be liiled with water, that ye may drink, both 
ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 

18 And this is hut a light thing in the sight of 
the Lord : he will deliver the Moabites also into 
your hand. 

19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and 
every choice city, and shall fell every good tree,^ 



• Heb. al their feet; Exod. 11:8. a 1 Kings ti:'. b Luke ■2-';-.'(i; John 
13-5,14; lTim.5:10. « Ezek. 11:3. d Judg. 1(1: 14 : I Kings l.S: 19 ; Prov. 
t:-«i; Jcr. i-.-l-i. = oh. 5:16; 1 Kings 17:1. f Fsi. 15:4. S 1 .Sam 10:.i. 
fc Ezek. 1::!; 3:14; 8:1. i ch. 4:3. i Deut. 211:10, 2(1. t Hcb. grieve. 



8. The wilderness of Edom; south of the Dead sea. 
11. Poured water; in washing one's hands, it was then 
customary for an attendant to do this. 

14. Not look toward thee; not deign to notice him, or 
regard his request, because of his idolatry. 

15. A minstrel; one who could play on a musical instru- 
ment in praising God ; and thus aid in preparing the mind 
of the prophet to be directed by him. 1 Sam. 10 :,5. 

18. A liglU thin^; only a small part of what God will do. 

25. Kir-liarasetli ; a strongly fortified place in the land 
of Moab ; called also Kir-haresh. Isa. 16:7, 11. The stones 
thereof; that is, the stones of which the wall was built. 

26. To break through ; through the forces of the king of 
Edom, and so perhaps escape. 

27. Offered him; as a sacrifice to his idols, hoping in 
that way to obtain their help. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Men may refuse to commit, or may break off some 

Bins, and yet continue to practise others ; but without a 

heart to hate and forsake all known sins, they must perish. 

7. When men engage in projects without acknowlcdg- 

440 



and stop all wells of water, and mar* ^is'(''^ 
every good pieci; of hmd with stones. 

lilt And it came to pass in the morning, when 
tlie mcat-odering was oiVered,'' that beiiold, there 
came water by the way of Edom, anil the country 
was iilled witli water. 

21 •: And when all the Moabites heard that the 
kings were come uj) to fight against them, they 
gathered' all that were able lo put on armor.* 
and upward, and stood in IIk; liorder. 

22 And they rose up early in the morning, and 
the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites 
saw the water on the other side as red as Idood : 

23 And they said. This is blood : the kings are 
surely slain,' and tliey have smitten one another: 
now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 

24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, 
the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so 
that they fled before them: but they went forward 
smiting" the Moabites, even in their country. 

25 And they b(!at tlowii the cities,' and on every 
good piece of land east every man his stone, and 
iilled it; and they stopped all the wells of water,'" 
and felled all the good trees: only in Kir-hara- 
seth left they the stones thereof;'" howbcit the 
slingers went about it, and smote it. 

26 1 And when the king of iloab saw that the 
battle was too sore for him, lie took with him seven 
hundred men that drew swords, to break through 
even unto the king of Edom : but they could not. 

27 Then he took his eldest son that should have 
reigned in his stead," and oflcred himybr a burnt- 
ofl"eriiig upon the wall." And there was great 
indignation against Israel : and they departed 
from him, and returned to their own land.' 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 Elisha muU.iplietli the widow's oil. 8 He giveth a son to the pood 
Shunammite. 18 He r.iiseth .^a:un her dead son. 38 At Gilg.il he 
healetii the deadly pottage. 4'.^ He satislieth a hundred men witll 
twenty loaves. 

NOW there cried a certain woman of the wives 
of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha,"' 



k Exod. 29:39, 4(1. 1 Heb. were cried together. » Heb. gird himxelf with a 
girilU. I Heb. destroyed. 1 Or. smote in it. even smiling. ' Isa. 37:26. 
■" ' llfb. untiUie left the stones thereof in Kir-lmraselh. n Isa. 
:2:1. q Isa. .37::i7. r l Kings «0::}5. 



ing God or seeking his direction, especially when they 
join the wicked in the prosecution of their plans, they 
may expect to be brought into trouble, and will have 
special reason for gratitude if they escape destruction. 

11. In times of danger it is always safest to go to God. 
and ask counsel of him. 

14. From regard to his people, the Lord often bestows 
great blessings not only on them, but on others with whom 
they are connected ; and the wicked may thus receive 
favors, which they would otherwise never obtain. 

16. God requires men in their troubles, not only to seek 
his help, but to show by their actions that they believe 
him and are willing to follow his directions ; and unless 
they do this, they cannot reasonably expect that he will 
grant thorn relief. 

23. Things often appear to the wicked to be very differ- 
ent from ^vhat they really are ; and as they do not feel 
their need of divine guidance, and do not seek it, they 
have no security against fatal deception. 

27. The devices of men to atone for their sins and obtain 
help from idols, are sanguinary and cruel. They leave the 
heart wedded to its lusts, and arc utterly vain. 



The widow's oil multiplied. 



2 KINGS lY. 



The woman of Shunem. 



u.c.m"^ "fiyi'iffi T'ly servant my liusband is dead; 
and tliou knowest that thy servant did fear the 
Lord : and tiie creditor is come to take unto him 
my two sons to be bondmen.'' 

2 And Elisha said unto her, Wliat sliall I do 
for thee? tell nic, what hast thou in the house? 
And she said, Thy handmaid hath not any thing 
in tlio house, save a pot of oil.'' 

3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad 
of all thy neighbors,'' even empty vessels; borrow* 
not a few. 

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut 
the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt 
pour out into all those vessels,'' and thou shalt 
set aside that which is full. 

5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon 
her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to 
her ; and she poured out. 

6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were 
full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a 
vessel. And ho said unto her. There is not a ves- 
sel more. And the oil stayed. 

7 Then she came and told the man of God. And 
he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt,* and live 
thou and thy children of the rest. 

8 H And it fell on a day,* that Elisha passed to 
Shunom,'' where ivas a great woman ; and she con- 
strained him^ to cat bread. And so it was, that 
as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to cat 
bread. 

9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, 
I perceive that this is a holy man of God,' which 
passeth by us continually. 

10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on 
the wall ; and let us set for him there a bed, and 
a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it 
shall be, when he cometh to us, that ho shall turn 
in thither.'-' 

11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, 
and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. 

12 Aud ho said to Gchazi his servant, Call this 
Shunammite. And when he had called her, she 
stood before him. 

13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, 
Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all 
this care ;" what is to bo done for thee? wouldest 
thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain 
of the host? And she answered, I dwell among 
mine own people. 

14 And he said, What then is to be done for 
her? Aud Gchazi answered, Verily she hath no 
child, and her husband is old. 

15 And he said. Call her. And when he had 
called her, she stood in the door. 

16 And he said. About this season,' according 
to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.' 
And she said. Nay, my lord, thoti man of God, do 
not lie unto thy handmaid.^ 



» Lev.a5::M 


Mitt. IS 


•i3. bi 


Kin" 


17- 


■i. c 


ch.3:16: Rom 


4:17. • Or, 


SMIll. 


J Mark 0:37-41 


, 8:5-!) 


.loh 


1 a-- 


-!); Eph. 3:20. t 




1 Hub. 


there tv 


35 a day. 


= Josh 


1!):1 


■>. ! 


Hfih 


laid hold on h 


m. f Matt. 


.5:11). 


e Matt 


10:41,42 


Mark 9:41; 


Hfib 


i:i:2 


; 1 Pet. 4:9. 


■ Ht-b. (i:10. 


1 Heb. 


set ttm 


. i Gen 


1S:10, 


14. 


vcr 


23. 


k Psa. 113:9 


Luke 1:^6. 



CHAPTER IV. 

8. Shunem; a city in the tribe of Issachar. 
woman; wealthy and influential. 



A great 



17 And the woman conceived,'^ and bare a son 
at that season that Elisha had said unto her. 
according to the time of life. 

18 1 And when tin; child was grown, it fell on a 
day, that he went out to his father to the reapcr.s. 

19 And he said unto his father. My head, my 
head! And he said to a lad, Carry him to his 
mother. 

20 And when ho had taken him. and brought 
him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, 
and then died. 

21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of 
the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and 
went out. 

22 And she called unto her husband and said, 
Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and 
one of the asses, that I may run to the man of 
God, and come again. 

23 And he said. Wherefore wilt thou go to him 
to-day ? it is neither new-moou,' nor sabbath. And 
she said. It shall he well.*' 

24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her ser- 
vant, Drive, and go forward ; slack not thy riding 
for me,* except 1 bid thee. 

25 So she went, and came unto the man of God 
to mount Carmel.™ And it came to pass, when the 
man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gc- 
hazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunam- 
mite: 

26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say 
unto her. Is it well with thee? is it well with thy 
husband? is it well with the child? And she an- 
swered. It is well." 

27 And when she came to the man of God to the 
hill, she caught him by the feet:* but Gchazi came 
near to thrust her away." And the man of God 
said. Let her alone; for her soul is vexed* within 
her : and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath 
not told me.'' 

28 Then she said. Did I desire a son of my lord? 
did I not say. Do not deceive me?'' 

29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gii'd up thy loins,'' 
and take my stall" in thy hand, and go thy way: if 
thou meet any man, salute him not;'* and if any 
salute thee, answer him not again : and lay my 
staft' upon the face of the child.' 

30 And the mother of the ciiild said../?* the Lord 
liveth, and as thy soul livcth, 1 will not leave thee. 
And he arose, and followed her. 

31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid 
the staff upon the face of the child ; but there was 
neither voice, nor hearing.^ Wherefore he went 
again to meet him, and told him, saying. The child 
is not awaked." 

32 And when Elisha was come into the house, 
behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 

33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon 
them twain,^' and prayed unto the Lord."' 



1 Num. 2«:11. 1 Heb. peace. • H 


eb. restrain not for me to ride, m ch. 


2:25; Isa. 35:2. n Lev. 10:3; Job 1 


21. 22, Psa. 39:9. t Heb. hy his feet; 


Matt. 2,«:9. o Matt. 20:31. 1 Heb 


inter; 1 Sam. 1:10. P Gen. l'«:17. 


Over. 16. rch.9:l. > Luke 10:4. t 


Exed. 7:19; AcU 19:12. ! Heb. adra- 


tion. u Mark 5:39; Jolin 11:11. »v 


er. 4; Matt. 6:6. "■ 1 Kings 17:20, 21. 



27. Tlie Lord hath hid it from mc, and hath not told me; 
the prophets did not know more than other men, except 
as tlie Lord tauglit them. 

411 



2%e Shunammilf's son raised. 



'-> K 1 N ( i S \' 



Naaman the Sr>rvtv. 



34 And ho wont up. and liiv upon llio ohild, and 
put lii.s nututli upon his nioutli, and liis oyos upon 
fcis ovcs. and liis hands upon liis liands: and In- 
streti'hod hinisoir upon tlic cliiki ;" and tlic flosh of 
the cliild waxed warm. 

35 Then lie rotuincd. and walked in the house 
to and IVo;* and went up, and strotohed himself 
upon him: and the ehild sneezed seven times, and 
the child opened his eyes. 

30 And he called Gehazi, and said. Call this 
Shunannnite. So he called iier. And when she 
was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 

37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and 
bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, 
and went out.'' 

38 "i And Elisha came again to Gilgal:'' and 
there was a dearth in the land ;'' and the sons of 
the prophets" were sitting before him :' and he said 
unto his servant. Set on the great pot, and seethe 
pottage for the sons of the prophets. 

3!) And one went out into the field to gather 
herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered there- 
of wild gourds his lap full," and came and shred 
t/iem into the pot of pottage : for they knew them 
not. 

40 So tliey poured out for the men to eat. And 
it came to pass, as they were eating of the pot- 
tage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of 
God, there is death in the pot. And they could 
not eat thereof. 

41 But he said, Then bring meal.'' And he cast 
it into the pot ; and he said. Four out for the peo- 
ple, that they may cat. And there was no harm* 
in the pot. 

42 'i And tliere came a man from Baal-shalisha,' 
and brought the man of God bread of the first- 
fruits,J twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of 
corn in the husk thereof.* And he said, Give 
unto the people, that they may eat. 



-13 And his servitor said, What, should *i," "!"' 
I sot tills before a hundred men?'' JIo said again. 
(Jive the people, that they may cat: for thus saith 
the Loud, Tlioy shall cat, and sliall leave t/ifnoJV 
I 44 So he set it before tlioni, and they did eat. 
and left thereof, according to the word of the 

LnUli. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 Naam.in, by the report of n csplive maiJ, ia sent to Samaria to be 
cureii of his leprosy. 8 Elisha, sending him to Jordan, cureth him. 
IT) He refusinj; Nnanian's gifls, granletli him sonic of the earth. W 
Gehazi, abusing his master's name unto Naaman, is smitten with 
K'prosy. 

"XTOW Naaman,"" captain of the host of the king 
XN of Syria, was a great man with* his master, 
and honorable,' because by him the Loui) had 
given deliverance^ unto Syria: lie was also a 
mighty man in valor, hut he was a leper. 

2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, 
and had brought away captive out of the land of 
Israel a little maid ; and she waited on" Naaman's 
wife. 

3 And she said unto her mistress. Would God 
my lord were with* the prophet that is in Samaria ! 
for he would recover him of his leprosy. 

4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying. 
Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of 
Israel. 

5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and 1 
will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And 
he departed," and took with him^ ten talents of 
silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten 
changes of raiment. 

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, 
saying. Now when this letter is coinc unto thee, 
behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant 
to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leji- 
rosy. 



» Acta 20: 10. • 


Heb. 




kithtT, and once 


thilh 


r. I> 


Heb. 11 


:35. c ch. 


S:l. 


ch. S:l. 


ch. 2 


■■{ 


1 


Luke 


10::iU: 


Acts 


«2::|. 


e Isa. 


5:.|; Matt. 


15:13; 


Heb. 12:15 


b ch 


2 


21 


Kxof 


. 15:25 


,Ioh 


1 !):». 


tHeb 


evil tiling. 


i ISa 


n. 9:4, 7. 


1 Cor 


« 


11 


Gal. 


6:G. 


Or, 


>l his 


scrip, 


r garment. 



38. A dearth; scarcity of food. Seeth/;; boil. 

39. Knew — not; that they were hurtful. 

40. Death; that which was hurtful and might cause 
death. 

41. No harm; nothing that would injure them. 

42. Baal-shalislm ; in the tribe of Ephraim. 

43. Servitor; servant. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The power to take and hold men as bondmen in pay- 
ment for debt, is a source of great distress, from which 
all proper means should be used to afford relief. 

7. Poverty does not release debtors from obligation to 
pay their creditors. Whenever God gives them the means 
to pay their debts, they should do it with promptness and 
alacrity. 

9. A disposition to relieve and assist the pious is pecul- 
iarly pleasing to God, and a means of securing the special 
manifestations of his presence and favor. 

13. The truly pious are grateful for the favors they 
receive, and are disposed to make the best return in their 
power. 

18. Some of the highest joys and the deepest sorrows 
come to parents tlirough the medium of their children. 
But both are from God, and in both he sliould be arlmow- 
ledged as doing all things well. 
442 



k I.uke 0:17 


John C: 


U-13. 1 Malt. 14 


:20; 15:37. "Luke 4: 


27. 


t Hel.. 


before 


. lOr, 


gracious 


Heb. lifleo 


up. or 


accepted t 


n countenance 


t Or, r;>- 


tory. 


• Heb 


was be/c 


re. t fleb. 


before 


. 1 Heb. 


gather in. « 


cb 


6:8,9; 


ISin- 


.9:8. 


i Heb. in 


his hand. 













26. True piety inspires a deep interest in the happiness 
of others, especially of benefactors ; and leads us to delight 
in communicating enjoyment, as we liavc opportunity, to 
all, especially to tlie people of God. 

39. Though every creature of God is good for the pur- 
pose for which he made it, yet there arc many thinge 
which he did not make for food or drink ; and men cannot 
so use them without producing sickness and death, and if 
they know these to be their effects, sinning against (Jod. 

42. Kindness to the good because they are good blesses 
not only those who bestow and those who receive it, but 
often multitudes of others ; and while it breathes good- 
will to men, it brings glory in the highest to God. 

CHAPTER V. 

3. The prophet; Elisha. 

4. His lord; Ben-hadad the king of Svi-ia. 

5. He; Naaman. Pieces; that is, shekels. A talent of 
silver contained three thousand shekels. A shekel of sil- 
ver has been estimated at from fifty to sixty cents. A 
shekel of gold was many times greater. See note to 1 Kings 
10:14. 

6. That thou mayest recover him ; he expected the cure to 
be performed by Elisha, but supposed that the prophets 
of Israel, like those of the lieathen nations, were under tlit- 
direction of their monarch, and would act at his bidding. 



Naaman cured of his leprosy. 



2 KINGS V. 



Sin and punishment of Gehazi. 



A.M. .'.111). 7 And it came to pass, when the king 
'8W.° °" of Israel had read the letter," tliat he rent 
his clothes, and said, Jim I God,'' to kill and to 
make alivc,"^ that this man doth send nnto mc to 
recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore con- 
sider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quar- 
rel asainst me.'' 

8 'i And it was so, wlion Elisha the man of God 
had heard that the king; of Israel had rent iiis 
clotlics, that he sent to the king, saying. Where- 
fore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now 
to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet 
in Israel.'' 

9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his 
chariot, and stood at the door of the house of 
Elisha. 

10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto liim, say- 
ing. Go and wash in Jordan' seven times,-' and 
thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shall 
be clean. 

11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and 
said. Behold, I thought,* He will surely come out 
to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord 
his God, and strike* his hand over the place, and 
recover the leper." 

12 Jire not Abana* and Pharpar, rivers of Damas- 
cus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I 
not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned 
and went away in a rage. 

13 And his servants came near, and spake unto 
him, and said. My father,' if the prophet had bid 
thee do some great thing, wonkiest thou not have 
ilone it ? how much rather then, when he saith 
to thee. Wash, and be clean ?J 

14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven 
times in Jordan,'' according to the saying of tlie 
man of God: and his flesh came again like unto 
the flesh of a little child,' and he was clean.™ 

15 H And he returned to the man of God, he and 
all his company, and came, and stood before him : 
and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no 
God in all the earth, but in Israel:" now there- 
fore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant." 

16 Bat he said, ^is the Lord liveth,'' before whom 
I stand, 1 will receive none.'' And he urged him 
to take it : but he refused. 

17 And Naaman said. Shall there not then, I 



• Ua. 37:14. b Gen. .■J0:2 c Beut. 33:39; 1 Sam. 2:6. d | Kings 20:7; 
I.uke 11:54. « 1 Kings 18:36, .37; Ezek. 2:5; 33:3.3. t John 9:7. « Josh. 
0:-l-IC. • Or, said with myself; Heb. said, t Heb. move up and down. 
h John 4:43. 1 Or, Amana. i cli. 2:12; Gen. 41:4.3. j I Cor. 1:21. 27. 
k Ezek. 47:1-9, Zech. 13:1; 14:S. 1 Job 33:25. m Luke 4:27. n Dan. 
2:47; 3:29; 6:26, 27. oGcn.33:ll. Pch.3:14. q Gen. 14:23; Matt. 10:8; 



15. A blessing; a gift or present. 

17. Two mit/cs' burden of earth; with this it is supposed 
lio intended to build an altar or mound, on which to offer 
.laorifices to Jehovah, considering the earth of Israel more 
sacred than that of his ovm country. 

18. Rimmon; an idol god. When I bow down myself; 
it has been supposed that he meant not as himself wor- 
shipping the idol, but only in attending on, and perform- 
ing a civil duty to the king. 

22. My master hath sent me; this was false. 

25. Went no U'hither; another falsehood. 

26. Went not my heart ; did I not perceive. 

27. For ever; as long as thev should live. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 
1. No honors or successes can secure men from trouble : 



pray thee, be given to thy servant* two mnles' bnr- 
den of earth? for tliy servant will henceforth oiler 
neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other 
gods, but unto the Loud.'' 

18 In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, 
that when my master goeth into the house of Him- 
mon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand," 
and I liow myself in the house of Rimmon : when 
I liow down myself in the house of Rimmon,' the 
Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." 

19 And he said unto him. Go in peace." So he 
departed from him a little way.^ 

20 IT But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man 
of God, said. Behold, my master hath spared Naa- 
man this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that 
which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will 
run after him, and take somewhat of him."' 

21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And 
when Naaman saw him running after him, he light- 
ed down from the chariot to meet him, and said. 
Is all well?' 

22 And he said. All is well. My master hath 
sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come 
to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the 
sons of the prophets : give them, I pray thee, a 
talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 

23 And Naaman said. Be content ,'' take two tal- 
ents. And he urged him, and bound two talents 
of silver in two bags, with two changes of gar- 
ments, and laid them upon two of his servants; 
and they bare them before him. 

24 And when he came to the tower,^ he took 
them from their hand, and bestowed them in the 
house :■ and he let the men go, and they departed. 

25 But he went in, and stood before his master.'- 
And Elisha said unto him. Whence earnest thou, Ge- 
hazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.' 

26 And he said unto him. Went not my heart 
u-ith thee,'' when the man turned again from his 
chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive 
money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, 
and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-ser- 
vants, and maid-servants? 

27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave 
unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever." And he 
went out from his presence a leper as lehite as 
snow.'' 



Acts 20:33-35. r l Theas. 1 :9. • ch. 7:2. ' Exod. 20:5. u 2 Clir. 3U:IS. 19. 
» Mark 5: 34 ; Luke 7: 50. S Heb. fiece of ground, as fien . 35: 1 6. " Hab. 
2:9; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10. I Heb. Is there place? » ch. 6:3. 1 Or, secret place. 
y Josh 7-21; Isa. 29:15. z Ezek. 3:3:31. • Heb. not hilktr or thitlttr. 
a Prov. 12:19, 22. b Isa. 50:2, 3; Hos. 10:13. c ch. 15:5; Num. 12:10. 



and for the blessings they obtain by their own efforts, or 
those of others, they are indebted to God. 

?,. Servants may be the means of great blessings to their 
masters ; and the good infiuenco even of a pious child may 
be felt through a nation, and to distant countries and times. 

6. Despotic rulers often feel and act as if ministers of 
Cod in the discharge of their duties were to be subject to 
tlioir control. 

10. Mini.sters who understand and do their duty, will 
not be elated nor overawed by the presence of the rich and 
great; but Avill make known to them with plainness and 
fidelity the will of God, whether they will hear or forbear. 

13. "Servants are sometimes wiser and better than their 
masters, and give them advice which it would be well for 
them tr. follow. 

413 



God's can of ElUha. 



2 KINGS VI, 



Famine in Samaria. 



CHAPTER VI. 



1 Elitha, girins \n\-r to tlm vounj prophet* to rnlarjp their dwclline>, 
e&uuth iron to awim. ^ Hi* diM^lou'th thif king of Syriii'i couiuvl. 
13 Tho army, winch «'iu urnt to Uoihnn to a|ipri'hJnil Eliahit, is 
■mittfn with blinJmu. 1!) lii-ing brought into S.iimiria, thiy an- 
durniMed in peace. 24 The rnmine in Samnria raiincth women to 
e»t their own cliilJren. 30 The kiii^ senJeih lo ^lay ICIisha. 

AND the sons of the jirophets said unto Elislia," 
UelioKl now, the place wlicre \vc dwi-U willi 
thee is too strait for us. 

2 Lot us go, \vc pray thee, unto Jordan, ami take 
thence every man a beam, and let us make us a 
place there, where wo may dwell. And he an- 
swered, Go ye. 

3 And one said, Be content," I pray thee, and go 
with tliy servants. And he answered, I will go. 

4 So lie went with them. And whcu tiiey came 
to Jordan, they cut down wood. ' 

5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head* 
fell into tho water: and he cried, and said, Alas, 
master! for it was borrowed. 

6 And tlio man of God said, Where fell it? And 
he showed him the place. And Ik; cut down a 
stick, and cast it in thither ; and liie iron did 
swim.'' 

7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And 
he put out his hand, and took it. 

8 If Tlien the king of Syria warred against Israel, 
and took counsel with his servants, saying. In such 
and such a place shall be my camp.* 

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of 
Israel, saying. Beware that thou pass not such a 
place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which 
the man of God told him and warned him of, and 
saved himself there,'' not once nor twice. 

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was 
sore troubled for this thing ;'' and he called his 
servants, and said unto them. Will ye not show 
me wliich of us is for the king of-Isracl? 

12 And one of his servants said. None,* my lord, 

king: but Elisha, the prophet tiiat is in Israel,' 
telleth the king of Israel the words that thou 
speakest in thy bed-chamber.'-' 

13 1 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that 

1 may send and fetch him." And it was told him, 
saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.' 

14 Therefore sent ho thither horses, and chariots, 
and a great^ host : and they came by night, and 
compassed the city about. 



• Ch. 4:3-<. b ch. S;i3. • Heb. iron. ' ch. 2:21. t Or, cnmiiiping. 
i aChr. 20:00. e Psi, 4t<:4, r,; Malt. 2:3, etc. 1 Heb. jYo. ' Amos 3:7. 
« Psa. 1.39:1-1; Jer. 2:J;24. b I'sa. 37:32, 3:3; Jer. 30:2G; Acts 23:12-27. 
i Gen. 37:17. i Heb. heavy. I Oi, minister, j 2 Chr. 10:9; 32:7. 8; Psa. 



14. Simply following the directions of God, however plain 
and easy, is more efBcacious than the most sitilful, laborious, 
and costly schemes of men. These tend to feed and strength- 
en human pride; the other to exalt and glorify God. 

16. Disinterested kindness, and doing good without ex- 
pecting or wishing any earthly reward, is adapted to con- 
vey to men a correct impression of true religion. 

20. The unprincipled, selfish, and covetous think it wise 
to take any course in which, without danger, they can get 
money. 

25. Men who will Bacrifico conscience for money, will 

tell lies in order to keep it ; but the getting or keeping of 

money by lying, instead of being in the end a source of 

profit. wiE occasion most dreadful loss. 

444 



1.') .And when the servant' of the man of J " »'" 
Cioil was risen early, and gone forth, be- »«>. 
hold, a host compassed the city both with liorscs 
and chariots. And his servant said unto him. 
Alas, my master! how shall we do? 

It) And he answered. Fear not: for they that he 
with us arc more than they that /)(■ with them.' 

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Loud, I pray 
thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the 
Loud opened the eyes of tlu; young man ; and he 
saw: and behold, the mountain ico.v full of horses 
and chariots of lire round about Elisha." 

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha 
prayed unto the Loud, and said, Smile this jicople. 
1 pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them 
with Itlindness according to the word of Eiisha.' 

19 \ And Elislia said unto them. This is not 
the way, neither is this the city: follow me,^ and 
I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.™ But 
he led them to Samaria. 

20 And it came to pass, when they were come 
into Samaria, that Pllisha said. Lord, open the 
eyes of these me?}, that they may see. And the 
Lord opened their eyes," and they saw; and be- 
hold, they n-cre in the midst of Samaria. 

21 Anil tho king of Israel said unto Elisha, when 
ho saw them. My father, shall I smite them? shall 
I smite them? 

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: 
wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken 
captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set 
bread and water before them," that they may eal 
and drink, and go to their master. 

23 And he prepared great provision for them : 
and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them 
away, and they went to their master. So the 
bands of Syria came no more into the land of 
Israel. P 

24 \ And it came to pass after this, that Ben- 
hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and 
went up, and besieged Samaria. 

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria : 
and behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head 
was sold for fourscore picas of silver, and the fourth 
part of a cab of dove's dung for iive pieces of sil- 
ver." 

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by 
upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, say- 
ing, Help, my lord, king. 



.'!.-) 


1 = 


Rom. .S:31. k 


e.h. R 


11: Psa. 34:7; 


fiS: 


17 


Zech. 1 


«; 


0:1- 


; Rev 


19 


II 


14. 


"Gen. 19:11 


1 H 


eb. com 


evafl 


r m 


e. 


n> 2 Sam 


11 


:1«. 


n Luke 


Jl 


10 


.31, 


Prov. 25:i 


1, :«: 


Horn. 


2:20. 


P eh 


S 


2; 24:2. 


< 


Lev 


20:20 


Jc 


. Ci 


J:0; 


Ezek. 4:16. 





















CHAPTER VI. 

1. Tlie place; the building or apartment they occupied. 
Slrail ; narrow, small. 

13. Dothan; a place a few miles north of Samaria, men- 
tioned in Gen. 37:17. 

IG. They that be with Wf; God, and all the heavenly hosts. 

18. This people; the hosts of the king of Syria. 

22. WovMest thou smite those; he would not; and much 
less should he smite those who had been miraculously 
delivered into his power. 

25. Pieces ; shekels. A cab ; between one and two quarts. 
Dove's dung; supposed by many to be a mean kind of pulsf 
or pea, called by that name. 



Eliska's prediction. 



2 KINGS VII. 



Tke Syrian host Jleelh. 



A. M. 3112. 27 And he said, If tlic Loud do not help 
■s<J2.° °" thee,* whence shall I help thee?" out ol' 
the barii-floor. or out of tlic wine-press? 

2.S Ami the king said unto her, What aileth 
thee? And she answered, This wouian said unto 
me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, 
aud we will eat my sou to-morrow.'' 

29 So we boiled my son, and did cat him: and 
I said unto her on tiic next* day. Give tliy son, 
that wc may eat him: and she hath hid her son.'' 

30 % And it came to pass, when the king heard 
the words of the woman, that lie rent his clothes ;"* 
and he passed by upon the wall, and the people 
looked, aud behold, he had saekclotii within upon 
his flesh. 

31 Then he said, God do so and more also to 
me,'' if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall 
stand on him this day. 

32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the ciders 
sat with him;' and the king sent a man from bo- 
fore him : but ere the messenger came to hini,'^ he 
said to the cklers. See ye how this son of a mur- 
derer hath sent to take away my head?'' look, 
when the messenger cometh, simt the door, and 
hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his 
master's feet behind him? 

33 And wiiile he yet talked with them, behold, 
the messenger came down unto him : and he said. 
Behold, this evil is of the Lord ;' what should I 
wait for the Lord any longer ?J 

CHAPTER VII. 



1 Elisha prophesieth incredible plenty in Samaria. 3 Four lepers, ven- 
turing on ihe host of the Syrians, bring tidniss of their flight, l^ The 
king, iinjing by spies the news to be true, spoileth the tents of the 
Syrians. 17 The lord who would not believe the prophecy of plenty, 
having the charge of the gate, is trodden to death in tile press. 

THEN Elisha said. Hear ye the word of the 
Lord ; thus saith the Lord, To-morrow about 
this time sha'J a measure of fine flour be sold for a 
shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, 
in the arate of Samaria.'' 



• Or, Lei not Ihe LoBD save ther.. a Psa. 1-27:1; 14fi;3, 


5; Jer. 17:5, 


d Lev. 2fi:-,'9i Deut. 2S:5'-57; Isaiah 40:15. t Heb. oMer. c 


1 Kings 3:31!. 


d I Kinss al:a7. e 1 Kings ia:-i. f Ezelt. S: 1 ; 2U:1. S 


1 Kings 14:li. 


b 1 Kings 18:13, 14. iJobl:-il. JPsa. 37:7,9. k ver. 19, lU. 


1 Heb. wkkh 


belonged to the kin^, leaning upon hts hand; ch. 5: 18. I Ge 


n. 7:11; Mai. 



31. If the head of Elisha — shall stand on htm ; he consid- 
ered Elisha as the cause of the famine, or as guiUy in not 
removing it. Many suppose that the prophet had prom- 
ised him deliverance from the Syrians, and that he was 
vexed at the delay, and ready to destroy Elisha as a 
deceiver. See note to ver. 3.'i. 

33. What should I imitfor the Lord; the exclamation of 
the king, who immediately followed his messenger to the 
door of Elisha ; implying that God was his enemy, that 
the promised deliverance was no longer to be hoped for, 
and that confidence in Jehovah was a vain thing. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. Borrowed articles should be used with care, and in 
due time returned, uninjured, to the owner. 

H. Wicked men often hope to prevail against those 
who have God for their protector, but all such hopes are 
vain. 

17. All who have right views will see that the servants 
of God, however great their apparent danger, are perfectly 
safe under his care. 

22. Kindness towards enemies is good policy, as well 



2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned* 
answered tiie man of God, and said, Behohi, if the 
Lord would make windows in heaven,' might this 
thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shaft see it 
with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.'" 

3 1[ And tliere were four leprous men at the 
entering in of the gate:" and they said one to 
another. Why sit we here until we die? 

4 If we say. We will enter into the city, then the 
famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and 
if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore 
come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: 
if they save us alive, we shall live ; and if they kill 
us, we shall but die.° 

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto 
the camp of the Syrians: and wlien tliey were 
come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, 
behold, there ivas no man there. 

G For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians 
to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, 
even the noise of a great host:'' and they said one 
to another,'' Lo, tlie king of Israel hath hired 
against us the kings of the Hittites,"' and the kings 
of the Egyptians, to come upon us. 

7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight,' 
and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, 
even the camp as it icas, and fled for their life. 

8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost 
part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did 
eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, 
and raiment, and went and hid if; and came again, 
and entered into another tent, and carried thence 
also, and went and hid it. 

9 Then they said one to another. We do not 
well :' this day is a day of good tidings, and we 
hold our peace : if we tarry till the morning light, 
some mischief will come upon us:^" now therefore 
come, that we may go and tell the king's house- 
hold. 

10 So they came and called unto the porter of 
the city:" and they told them, saying, We came 
to the camp of the Syrians, and behold, there was 



3: 111. ra ver. 17, ■-'U. n Lev. 13:40. o Esth. 4:10; Luke 15:17, 19. p ch. 
111:7; 2Sim. 5:a4; Job lo:2l. q ch. 3:2i etc, r 1 Kings 10:29. 'Psa, 
14:5; 49:4-0; 09:1-2; Prov. 31:1. t Lev. 18:18; Prov. 11:30. i Heb. we 
sImUfind punishment. " Esth. 4:14. v a Sam. 18:30. 



as a Christian duty ; and however it may be received, will 
be the means of good to those who exercise it. 

25. None but God can fidly understand the evils of war, 
or the guilt of those who are instrumental in needlessly 
inflicting them upon their fellow-men. 

31. Those who foretell the calamity of the wicked, are 
often treated as if they were the cause of it, and as if their 
removal would prevent the coming or continuance of 
threatened evils ; but all expectations of relief in that way 
will be disappointed. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1. A measure; in the Hebrew, a seah, which contained 
about one-third of a bushel. Considering the present 
severity of the famine, cha]). 6:25, this seemed to the 
unbelieving lord an incredible change. 

2. Would make windows i/i heaven; to rain down provis- 
ions. This was an expression of luibelief, for which 
Elisha immediately announced that he should be excluded 
from a share in the coming plenty. 

6. Hear a noise; like that of chariots, horses, and a great 
army. 

445 



The s'uge is raised. 



no man tlirro, noithor voiro of man, lint horses 
lioii. and asses tied, and llic (ciils as llicy mrc. 

11 And lie calliii llie |)oiti'is; and llicy told it 
to the kind's house witliin. 

ll! "j And the king arose in the nitrht, and said 
nnto his servants, 1 will now show you what the 
Syrians have done to us. They know that we be 
hungry; tlierofore are they gone out of the camp 
to hide themselves in the iield, saying, When they 
come out of tlie city, we vsliall calcli them alive, 
and get into the city. 

13 And one of his servants answered and said, 
Let some take, I pray tliee, live of the iiorses that 
remain, which are left in tiie city," (behold, they 
are as all tiie multitude of Israel tiiat are left in 
it: Ijcliold, / say, they arc even as all the multitude 
of tlic Israelites that arc consumed,) and let us 
send and see. 

14 They took therefore two cliariot horses; and 
the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying. 
Go and see. 

1.5 And they went after them unto Jordan: and 
Id, all the way was full of garments and ves- 
sels, wliicli the Syrians had cast away in their 
haste. And tiie messengers returned, and told 
the king. 

16 Anil the people went out, and spoiled the 
tents of the Syrians." So a measure of fine flour 
■was so!d for a shekel, and two measures of bar- 
ley for a shekel, according to the word of tlie 
Lord.'' 

17 ^ And the king appointed tiic lord on whose 
hand he leaned to have liic charge of tiie gate: 
and the people trode upon him in the gate, that 
he died, as the man of (lod had said, wiio spake 
when the king came down to him.'' 

18 And it came to pass as the man of God had 
spoken to the king,"" saying, Two measures of bar- 
ley for a shekel, and a measure of lino Hour for a 
shekel, shall be to-morrow about this time in the 
gate of Samaria : 

I'd And tiiat lord answered the man of God, and 
said. Now, behold, if the Lord should make win- 
dows in heaven, might such a thing be?. And he 
said. Behold, thou slialt see it with thine eyes, but 
shalt not eat thereof." 

2t) And so it fell out unto him : for the people 
trode upon him in the gate, and he died. 



2 K I N G S \li I . T/,e SJiunammile't suit. 

Cn APT Ell VIII. ■...-^..iLJ'yf: 

1 Till- Shunnmmiti!, Imv'nir \rh licr coiinlry »<vi'n yciirii, to nvoij llie 
fiiriwiirmd rmiiinr, for blialui'n iiiiriii'l< 'k »alir Ijntli licr Uiid rntorcd 
hy the kin;-. 7 Haziu'l. Wiri^' »ini wiili » (.resent by Bin Irndnd to 
I'.lialia lit Linmuciiii, nrtrr lie Imd heard llic propliecy, killelli liiii niiu. 
ti-r and miccefdelh liiin. 10 Jeliornin'ii wiollcd rci|,'n in Judiili. V.>0 
Kdom and Libiiati revolt. y:j Aliiiziuli nucceedcih Jeliorain. 2.'» 
Ahazialia wicked reign. 28 He vitiietli Jclioram wounded, at in- 

'"I^HEN spake Elisha unto the woman, whose 
1 son he had restored to life,' saying. Arise, 
and go thou and thy household, and sojourn where- 
soever thou canst sojourn : for the Loud hath called 
for a famimc;" and it shall also come upon the 
land seven years.'' 

'1 And the woman arose, and did after the say- 
ing of the man of God: and she went with her 
household, and sojourned in the laud of the Phil- 
istines seven years. 

3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, 
that tiie woman returned out of the land of the 
Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the 
king for her liou^e and for her land. 

4 And the king talked witii (ichazi the servant 
of the man of God,' saying. Tell me, I pray thee, 
all the groat things that Elisha hatli done.' 

5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king 
how he had restored a dead body to life," that be- 
hoUl, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, 
cried to the king for her house and for her land. 
And Geliazi said. My lord, O king, this w the woman, 
and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 

And when the king asked the woman, she told 
him. .So the king appointed nnto her a certain 
officer,* saying. Restore all that my« hers, and all 
the fruits of the field since the day that she left 
the land, even until now. 

7 Ti And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben- 
hadad the king of Syria was sick ; and it was told 
him, saying. The man of God is come hither. 

8 And the king said unto Hazael,' Take a ]ires- 
ent in thy hand,'" and go, meet the man of God, 
and inquire of the Lord by him," saying, Shall I 
recover of this disease? 

9 So Ilazael went to meet him, and took a pres- 
ent with him,* even of every good tiling of Damas- 
cus, forty camels' burdcm, and came and stood be- 
fore him, and said. Thy son Ben-hadad king of 
Syria hath sent mc to thee, saying. Shall I recover 
of this disease? 



•Heb.mi't. » Psa. n-i:ia; Isa.. :j:i:l,4, at. b ver. 1. c ver. a. d Gen. 
18:14; Nam 11:«; a3:19. e Num. SU; 1-J : Jcr. 17:5. 6; Heb. .1:10. t „h. 
11:4, etc. e P»a.. 105;1U; Hasgii 1:11. h Gen. 41 :a7. i ch. 5:30. 27. 



13. Behold, theij are; or, they will be; the horses and 
horsemen will be exposed to no worse calamity in explor- 
ing the Syrian camp than that which awaits the besieged 
in the city. They can but die, and death awaits them if 
they sit still. 

17. The people trade upon him ; in their haste to get food. 

INSTRCCTIOXS. 

1. However great the calamities which any people suf- 
fer, the Lord can remove them ; and interest as well as duty 
require all to wait upon him in the way of his appointment, 
till they obtain relief. 

2. Disbelief of the promises of God cuts men off from 
the blessings of their fulfilment. 

4. Though deliverance comes from God, it is ordinarily 
granted through the instrumentality of human efforts ; and 
446 



JMatt.a:8; Luke 0:9; S3;8; John 9:27. kch.4::W. t Or. t 
19:15. n. 1 Kings 14:3. n eh. 1 : ■->, C. I Heb. in Ai'i Aarid. 



to obtain it, men must use the means which God has ap- 
pointed for that purpose. 

9. When men are blessed with abundance, true wisdom, 
as well as real gratitude, and even self-interest, require 
that they should desire others to enjoy it with them. 

IG. However great the improbability, or to human ap- 
pearance the imiiossibility, the word of the Lord will in 
due time be perfectly accomplished. 

IS. The fulfilment of divine declarations is to some the 
means of salvation, and to others of destruction. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

2. The land nf the Philistines; on the Mediterranean, 
south-west of Canaan. 

7. Damascus; the capital of Syria. 

8. Hazael; an officer of the king of Syria. 



Ilazacl slaydh his master. 



2 KINGS VIII. 



Fuign cf Jorc.m and Ahuziah. 



Hc'S^' 10 And Elisha said unto liini, Go, say 
niito Inni, Thou mayest certainly recover :" liowbeit 
the Loud luitli showed me that he siiall surely die." 

11 And he settled his couiilcnancc steadfastly,* 
until he w;is ashamed : and tlie man of God wept."^ 

12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? 
And he answered. Because I know the evil that 
thou wilt do unto the children of Israel:'' their 
stronir-holds wilt thou set on lire, and their younj^ 
men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash 
iheir children,'' and rip up their women with child.' 

13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a 
don^, that he should do tliis p;''cat thinji'V" And 
Elisha answered. The Lord hath showed nic that 
thou shall be kinj;' over Syria.'' 

14 So he dopai-ted I'roni Eli~ha, and came to his 
uuister; who said to him, Wh;it said Elisha to 
thee? And he answered, lie told me thai thou 
shouldcst surely recover.' 

15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he 
took a thick cloth, and dip|)cd it in water, and 
spread it on his face, so that he died : and Hazael 
rei(>-ued in his stead.J 

1() 1 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of 
Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat beingr then king 
of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king 
of Jiidali began to reign. *'^ 

17 Thirty and two years old was he when he 
began to reigu; and he reigned eight years in 
Jerusalem. 

18 And he walked in the way of the kings of 
Israel.' as did the house of Ahab; for the daugh- 
ter of Ahab was his wife:'" aad he did evil in the 
sight of the Lord. 

19 Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for 
David his servant's sake," as he promised him to 
give him always a light,* and to his children." 



> 1 Kini;- a-Jtla. b ver. 1.5. • Heb. aiid stt k. c Luke l'J:Jl. J ch. 
10:32; 12:17; 1:)::!, 7. e Psa. 137:d, !1; Amos l;:i^. ( ch. 15:l(i; Hos. 
13;ie; Amos l:l:j. s 1 Sam. 17:J:!. h I Kin.is 19:15. ■ ver. 10 j Mic. 
2:1. t Heb. rei>ii-rf. k -2 Chr. -il:.?. ere. 1 1 Kings 2J:.W. S). ra ver. 2li. 
oJer. 3!:25, 2li; Hos. 11:9. t Heb. miulte, or lamp. o2Sim.7:13; 1 Kings 



10. Thou muijest — recover; his disease was not in itself 
mortal, and would not cause his death. He s'lalt surely die ; 
because, as the event showed, Hazael would Icill him. 
Such is the common, and perhaps the preferable inter- 
pretation of tliis passage. But the original Hebrew test 
may be read, Go, say unto him, Tliou shalt sm-ely not 
recover; for the Lord hath showed me that lie shall surely 
die. According to this reading, Hazael directly falsiiied 
the prophet's words. According to the common inter- 
pretation, he suppressed the second part of them. 

11. He settled his countenance ; on Hazael. Until lie was 
nshamel ; till Hazael was put out of countenance. Wept; 
foreseeing tlie cruelties Hazael would commit. 

13. But u-luit, is thy servant a dog; probably meaning, 
What is thy servant, who is but a dog? that is, a man in 
a very humble position. This great thing; a work which 
could be performed only by one invested with royal power. 

14. Tiiou s'lO'ildest surely recover; see note to ver. 10. 

15. He took ; Hazael did. this. 

21. Smote the Edomites which compassed him about; this 
seems to have been not so much a decisive victory on the 
jiart of .Ichoram, as an escape from destruction. Hence 
it is added in the next verse that the revolt of the Edom- 
ites was permanent. 

22. Libnah ; one of the cities of Judah. 

28. Ramoth-gilead ; east of Jordan, in the tribe of Gad. 

29. Je^reel; west of the Jordan, in tlie tribe of Issachar. 
Ahaziah — went down; from Ramoth-gilead, whither he had 



20 1[ In his days Edom revolted from under 
the hand of Judah,'' and made a king over them- 
selves." 

21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the 
chariots with him : and he rose by night, and smote 
the Edoinites which compassed him about, and the 
captains of the chariots: and the people fled into 
their tents. 

22 Yet Edom revolted from under the !i;ind of 
Judah unto this day.' Then Libiiah revolted at 
the same time.'' 

23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all 
that he did, are they not written in the book of 
the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

2'1 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was 
buried with his fathers in the city of David : and 
Ahaziah-' his son I'cigned in his stead.' 

25 1( In the twelfth year of Joram the son of 
Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jeho- 
ram king of Judah begin to reign. 

2tJ Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when 
he began to reign ; and he reigned one year in 
Jerusalem. And his mother's name wa.? Atlialiah, 
the daughter' of Oniri king of Israel. 

27 And he walked in the way of the house of 
Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as 
did the house of Ahab : lor he icas the son-in-law 
of the house of Ahab. 

28 IT And he went with Joram the son of Ahali 
to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ra- 
motli-Gilead ; and the Syrians wounded Joram." 

29 And king Joram went back to be healtd in 
Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had 
given' him at Ramah,* when he fought against 
Hazael king of Syi-ia. And Aliaziah the son of 
Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram 
the son of Ahab in Jezreel,^' because he was sick.^ 



Ih.lB; 15:4; Psa. VVl-.r,. V Gen. 27:411. q 1 Kmps 22:47. ' ver. 20. 
s Joshua 21: l:!. « Called JrnriaA, 2 ChT. 22:6; and J<r/ioaA<2=. 2Chr. 21:17; 
•iZ-.a. 1 2 Chr. -22: 1 , etc. I Or, grandilaiiglitir, ver. la. u ch.'9;15. 1 Heb. 
u'/iereicith thf Syrians had wounded. ' Called Ramot/t, ver. 2S. v ch. 9:16. 
t Heb. wounded. 



gone in alliance with Joram. Thus, by the providence of 
God, the king of Judah, being one of Ahab's descendants, 
was brought to Jezreel. to meet his death there with Joram 
at the hand of Jehu. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. AVhen the Lord is about to chastise a people for their 
sins, he remembers his children and supplies their wants 
or sanctifies their privations to their highest good. 

6. The goodness of God is often manifested tow;irds his 
people, by inclining those in authority to do them justice 
and show them favor. 

8. Men who in health pay no regard to God or his peo- 
ple, in sickness or distress often apply to them for help. 

10. Of many blessings which God would otherwise be- 
stow, men are often deprived by the wickedness of their 
fellow-raen. 

i:}. A change of circumstances often shows that men 
are much more wicked than they imagined, and that noth- 
ing but the grace of God keeps them from the commission 
of the most enormous crimes. 

14. A slight change in the words of a communication 
may entirely alter its meaning, and convey to the hearers 
a false impression. 

18. A man's character and conduct are greatly influenced 
by his wife ; and no one should marry a woman who will 
draw him away from the service of God. 

27. The evil example of parents and those in authority 
may extend its mischievous intluence not only to their 
■417 



Jthu is anointed liiu;. 



2 KINT.S IX. 



The house of Ahah judged. 



CHAPTER IX. 



1 Elitha trnileth ft yoiin;; pmphft with inntrtictions to anoint Johu 5t 
Kainolti-mlrsJ. 4 Tlio pruplift liiivin;; dniu- lii« tncMago florth. II 
Jdhu, bi-iiig iiijuli- Vmi ly tlio toMii-rs, kill.lli Joraiii ni iho fioia of 
Naboth. *J7 Ahnxiftli is hinin at Our, and buried nl Jcrubalrtn. 30 
Proud Jnrbcl in Uirowii down out of a window, and eaU'n by dogv. 

AND Kiisliii tlic prophet called one of the cliil- 
ilieri ol' till! piopiu'ls," and said unto him, 
(lird ii]i thy loins,'' and t-ake lliis box of oil iu thy 
liand, and jro to Haniolli-Gilead i'^ 

2 And wlicn thou coniost thitiier, look out there 
Jehu the sou of Jchosliaphat the son of Niinshi, 
and go in, and make him arise up from among his 
bretiircn,'' and carry him to an inner (•hamber;* 

3 Tiien take tlie Ijox of oil,' and )innr // on his 
hcad,*^ and say. Tims saith tiic Loud, 1 have anoint- 
ed thcc king over Israel. Tlieu open the door, 
and flco, and tarry not. 

4 'l So the young man, even the young man the 
proplict, went to llamoth-gilead. 

5 And when he came, bcliold, tiie ca]itains of the 
liost were sitting; and he said, I liave an errand 
to thee, captain. And Jehu said. Unto whicli 
of all us? And he said. To thee, O captain. 

6 And he arose, and went into tiie house; and 
he poured tlic oil on his head, and said unto him, 
Tlius saith tlie Lord God of Israel,''' 1 iiave anoint- 
ed thee king over the people of the Lord, even 
over Israel." 

7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy 
master, that I may avenge the blood of my ser- 
vants tiie propliots,' and the blood of all the ser- 
vants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel.J 

8 For the whole iiouse of Aliab shall perish: and 
I will cut off from Ahab iiim that pisseth against 
the wall,'' and him tliat is sliuL up and left in Israel : ' 

9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the 
house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,'" and like the 
house of B.ia?ha the son of Ahijah:" 

10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion 
of J.ezreel," and there shall be none to bury her. 
And he oponcd the door, and fled. 

11 IT Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his 
lord : and one said unto him. Is all well? wherefore 
came this mxdfelloM to thee?!" And he said unto 
theai, Ye know the man, and his communication. 

12 Anl tiiey said, /; is false; tell us now. And 
he said, Tims and thus spake he to me, saying, 
Tims saith the Lord, I have anointed thee king 
over Israel.'! 

13 Then they hasted, and took every man his gar- 
ment,'' and put it under him on the top of the stairs, 
and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king.* 



"1 Kinu's-JI)::)). b oh. 4:«J; Jer. 1 :17. ' ch. K-.-ii. dyer. 5, 11. • Heb. 
chamWr ,a a chimier. t \ Kings H):10 ' 1 Sam. 10:1. r 2 Chr. •ii-.l. 
h Psa Tjifi; Dan. i:i\: 4:17. :3-i; .'5:30. 31. i Luke 18:7, 8: Rev. 6:9, 10. 
J 1 King* 1~:4; -^1:1.5. -21. k l Kings 14: 10. 1 Dent. 33:30. m 1 Kings 
15:30. "I Kings 10:5, II. o ver. :J5. 30; 1 Kings 31 :3:). P Jer. 89:30; ll.is 
9:7; John 1(1: ;u; Ans 30:31; 1 Cor. 4:10. q ver. 0. r.Matt.3l:7. '3Saiii. 



children, but also to their distant posterity ; and long after 
they are dead be instrumental in ruining" their fellow-men. 

CHAPTER IX. 

I. One of the children of tlie prophets; a young man who 
was under the instruction of Elisha and preparing to be a 
prophet of the Lord. 

10. The portion of Jezreel ; the portion of land that had 
belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite, ver. 25. 

II. Ye know the man ; that is, to what class of men he 

448 



IJ So Jehu the son of Jclioshaphat the *i,"''»J 
son of Niinshi conspired against .Joram. (Now 
.lorani had kept Haniotli-gilead, he and all Israel, 
because of Hazael king of Syria: 

15 Hut king Joram' was returned to be healed 
in .lezrecd of the wounds which ttic Syrians had 
giveir* him, wiien he fought witli Ha'zael king of 
Syria.)' And Jelui said. If it be your minds, then 
let none go fortii nor escape' out of the city to go 
to tell it in Jezreel. 

IG So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jez- 
reel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziaii king of 
Jiiilah was come down to sec Joram. 

17 And there stood a walchman on the tower 
in Jezreel," and he spied the company of Jeiiu as 
he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram 
said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, 
and let iiim say. Is it peacc?^ 

LS So there went one on horseback to meet him, 
and said. Thus saith Ihc king. Is it jieace? And 
Jehu said, What hast lliou to do with peace? turn 
thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying. 
The messenger came to them, but he cometh not 
again. 

19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, 
which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, 
Is it peace? And Jehu answered. What hast thou 
to do with peace? turn thee behind me. 

20 And the watchman told, saying. He came even 
unto them, and cometh not again: and the driv- 
ing^ is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi ; 
for he driveth furiously.*" 

21 And Joram said. Make ready.* And his char- 
iot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel 
and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his 
chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met' 
hiin in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 

22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, 
that he said. Is it peace, Jehu ? And he answered, 
W'hat peace,^ so long as the whoredoms of thy 
mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?-'' 

23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and 
said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, Ahaziah. 

24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength,' 
and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the 
arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk ' down 
in his chariot. 

25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain. Take 
up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Na- 
l)oth the Jezreelite : for remember how that, when 
I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, 
the Lord laid this burden upon him;' 

1.5:10. t Heb. reigneth. ! Heb. Jelioram. ! Heb. smote. I ch. 8:38, 39. 
1 Heb. let no esmper go. u 3 Sam 18:34; Isa. 31:0. etc. v ] Sam. 16:4; 
17:33; 1 Kings 3:13. 1 Or, marrhinf;. ' Heb. in mwlness. v liab. 1:6. 
t Heb. B/nrf. ! Heb./.iiinrf. » Isa. 48:33. y Rev. 2:20-33. J Hcb./Hed 
his hand Willi a bow. i\{c\>. bowed, i 1 Kings 31:29. 



belongs. His communication ; his discourse. As much as 
to say. When a prophet comes you expect him to dis- 
course on religious duties. This was an attempt to evade 
their question, and they so understood it. 

22. Whoredoms; this word is used in the Old Testament 
to denote idolatry. Her witchcrafts — many; expressive of 
the various superstitious and deceitful practices which 
Jezebel used to draw the people into idolatry. 

25. Laid this burden; denounced this judgment against 
him and his family. 1 Kings 21:19, 29. 



Ahaziah aiul Jczchcl slain. 



2 K1N(JS X. 



'J'Ac sons of Ahah slain. 



».■(•'««?■ 2G Surely I have seen yesterday the 
blood* of Nabotli, and tlic blood of his sons, saitli 
the Lord; and 1 will rci]uitc thee in this plat,*" 
saith Mic Lord. Now therefore take and cast him 
into the plat of ground, according to the word of 
the Loud. 

27 f But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw 
this, he fled by tlie way of the garden-iiouse. And 
Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also 
in the chariot. And they did so at the going up 
to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Me- 
giddo,"" and died there. 

28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to 
Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with 
his fatlicrs in the city of David. 

29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of 
Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.'^ 

30 1 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jez- 
ebel heard of it : and she painted her face,* and 
tired her head, and looked out at a window. 

31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, 
Had Zimri peace,'' who slew his master? 

32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and 
said, AVho is on my side? wlio? And there looked 
out to him two or three eunuchs.^ 

33 And lie said. Throw her down. So they 
threw her down: and some of her blood was 
sprinkled on tlic wall, and on the horses: and he 
trode her under foot. 

3-4 And when he was come in, he did eat and 
•Irink and said, Go, see now this cursed xcoman, 
and bury her : for she is a king's daughter .° 

35 And they went to bury her : but they found 
no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and 
the palms oi her hands.' 

36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. 
And he said. This is the word of the Lord, which 
he spake by ' his servant Elijah the Tishbite, say- 
ing, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the 
flesh of Jezebel.^ 

37 And the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung 
upon the face of the field in the portion of Jez- 
reel ;" so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel. 



CHAPTER X. 



• Heh. Wood,!, t Or, portion. » 1 Kings 21:19 b Josh. 17:11; Judg. 
1:27; aChr.2-i:9. cch.8:35; 2Chr. 22:1,2. t Heh. pul lier eyes in patJit- 
m?; Ezek. 23:40. d 1 Kings 16:9-20. i Or:, cliamierlaitts. = 1 KinRS l(i:31. 
f Keel. 6:3; Isi. 14:13-20; Jcr. 22:19; 36:30. iHeb by the hand of. e 1 Kings 



27. Smite him also in the chariot ; Abaziah at first escaped 
to Samaria and concealed himself there. But being found, 
he was brought to Jehu, and by his command slain at the 
ascent of Gur, by Ibleam. See 2 Chron. 22 : 9. 

30. Painted Iter face, and tired her head; intending by her 
royal attire and demeanor to overawe Jehu. 

31. Had Zimri peace ; as much as to say. You may expect 
Zimri's fate. See 1 Kings 21:19. 

36. In tlte portion of Jezreel; Elijah had said, By the wall 
of Jezreel, 1 Kings 22:23, which was literally fulfilled, since 
Ahab's palace stood by the wall at the entering of the gate, 
ver. 31. As Naboth's vineyard was " Iiard by the palace 
of Aliab." Jezebel's body may have been taken up and 
cast into it, as Joram 's had been. Or Jehu may have 
spoken of her as devoured by the dogs in the portion of 
Jezreel, because he regarded this as simply a part of the 
royal establishment. 

INSTRUCTIONS, 
8. God claims and exercises the riglit of giving author- 
ity to such as lie choo.sos : and all who arc intrusted with 



1 Jehu, by his letters, cn,useth seventy of Ahab's cliiljren to be behead- 
ed. 8 He cxcu.seth the fact by the prophecy of Elijah. 13 At the 
shearing-house he slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah's brethren. 15 
He taketh Jehonadab into his company. 18 By subtlety he destroy- 
eth all the worshippers of Baal. 29 Jehu followeth Jeroboam's sins. 
32 Hazael oppresseth Israel, 31 Jehoahaz succeedeth Jehu. 

AND Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And 
. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto 
the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them 
that brought up' Ahab's children, saying, 

2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, see- 
ing your master's sons are with you, and there are 
with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, 
and armor; 

3 Look even out the best and meetcst of your 
master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, 
and fight for your master's house. 

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, 
Behold, two kings stood not before him ;' how then 
shall we stand? 

5 And he that was over the house, and he that 
iras over the city, the elders also, and the bringers 
up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy 
servants,' and will do all that thou slialt bid us ; 
we will not make any king : do thou that irhich is 
good in thine eyes. 

6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, 
saying. If ye be mine," and if ye will hearken unto 
my voice, take ye the heads of the men your mas- 
ter's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow 
this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy per- 
sons, were with the great men of the city, which 
brought them up. 

7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to 
them, that they took the king's sons.'' and slew 
seventy persons,' and put their heads in baskets," 
and sent him ttiem to Jezreel. 

8 IF And there came a messenger, and told him, 
saying, They have brought the heads of the king's 
sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at 
the entering in of the gate until the morning. 

9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he 
went out, and stood, and said to all the people. 



21:23. h Psa. f3:10; Jer. 8:2; 16:4. T Heb. nimrisher.l. ■ ch. 9:44, 27. 
J 1 Kings 20:4, 32. • lleh. for me. k 1 Kings 21:21. 1 Judg. 9:5, etc. 
mMatt. 14:8, 11. 



it are laid under peculiar obligations to employ it accord- 
ing to his will. 

21. The declarations of God in his word are fulfilled in 
liis providence ; and though the fulfilment may be long 
delayed, in due time it will be perfectly accomplished. 

27. Those who associate with the wicked are in danger 
of partaking in their punishment. 

SC. Men may have a conviction of the truth of divine 
declarations, and even see their fulfilment in the destruc- 
tion of the wicked, and yet not forsake their sins, or floe 
from the wrath to come. 

CHAPTER X. 

9. Said to nil the people. Ye be righteous; ye are in noway 
concerned in my master's death, and are therefore impar- 
tial judges, in a condition to understand the meaning of 
this transaction. He then proceeds in the next verse to 
show that it is a pledge of the fulfilment of all Jehovah's 
threatenings against the house of Aliab, 1 Kings 21 : 19- 
U. 

449 



H''ors/iippfTS of BimI slain. 



2 KINCS X, 



IVideilness of Jehu. 



Ye hr riu'litooiis: hdiolil. I conspirnl iitrainst, my 
master, iiiid slow liim:' Imt. w lio slew nil liicsc? 

10 Kmiw iinw that there shall fall unto the earth 
nolhiiiir 111' the word ot' the LoiM),'' wliieh the Loud 
sjpiike eoiieeniiiii,' the house ol' Ahab:"^ for the 
Liiiii) hath done //(rtMvhich he spake by* his ser- 
vant Klijali. 

11 So .leliu slow all that remained of the house 
of Ahal) in.Ii'/ri'el. and all his irreat men, and his 
kinsfolks,' and his i)riests,'' until he left liini none 
rcniaininur." 

12 ^ And he arose and de])arted, and cami^ to 
Samaria. ..4rtd us he u-as at the shearing-house* 
in the way, 

13 .lehu nict' with the hrcthren of Ahaziah king 
of Judaii. and said, Who arc ye? And they an- 
swered. We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we 
go down to salute- the children of the king and 
the eliildren of the qiUMMi. 

14 And he said, Take them alive.'' And they 
took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the 
shearing-house,' even two and forty men ; neither 
left he any of them. 

1.5 "i And when he was departed thence, he light- 
ed on^ Jehonadab'' the son of ilechab' coming to 
meet him; and he saluted* him, and said to liiui. 
Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart ? 
And "Jehonadab answered. It is. If it be, give me 
thy hand.J And he gave him his hand ; and he 
took liim up to liim into the chariot. 

16 And he said, Uome with me, and see my zeal for 
the Loud.'' So they made him ride iu his chariot. 

17 And wlien he came to Samaria, he slew all 
that reuiained uuto Ahab in Samaria,' till he had 
destroyed hiiu, according to the saying of the 
Lord, whieii he spake to Elijah.'" 

18 •[ And Jehu gathered all the people together, 
and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little;" 
but Jehu shall serve him niucli. 

19 Now therefore call uuto me all the prophets 
of Baal," all his servants, and all his priests; let 
none be wanting ; for I have a great sacrifice to 
do to Baal : whosoever shall be wanting, he shall 
not live. But Jehu did it iu subtlety," to the intent 
that he might destroy tlie worshippers of Baal. 

20 And Jehu said. Proclaim* a solemn assembly 
for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 

21 And Jehu sent tiirough all Israel: and all 
the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was 
not a man left that came not. And they came 
into the house of Baal;'i and the house of Baal 
was full from one end to another.* 



»Ch.9;H,21. blSarn. 3:19; jRr. ■14:-.'8, a), c l Kings ril: 10. etc. • Heb. 
by the hand of . t Ot, acquaintance, tl Psa. 125:5; Prov. I;J:20. c 1 Kin^s 
14:10. i l\A. house of sheplurds binding s.\iM-p. iUeh. found. I Heb. Me 
feaceof. ' 1 Kings 20: la. E2Chr. 22:8. IHeb./ound. •> Jer. 35:0, etc. 
i 1 Chr. 2:55. • Heb. blessed, i Ezra 10: 19. " 1 Kings 19:10; Prov. 27:2; 
Ezek. 33:.31 ; Matt. 0:2, 5. 1 ch. 9:6i. m I Kings 21 :21. n t Kings lG::il, 
32. 1 Kings 22:0. P Job 13:7; Prov. 29:5. t Heb. Sanrti/i/. 1 1 Kings 



1.5. h tliij heart right; do you favor my cause? 

17. The saying of Die Lord; 1 Kings 21:21. 

27. A draught-house ; a house for the reception of filthy 
ordute. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

6. The sins of parents are often tlie occasion of destruc- 
tion to their children, and of various evils to all connected 
with them. 

15. Wicked men, who externally obey the commands of 
450 



22 And he said unto him thai vas over *»**, 'JS; 
the vestry, J5riiig forth vi'slinouts lor all the wor- 
shipiters of Baal. And he brought them forth 
vestments. 

23 And Jehu went, and Jelionadab the son of 
Hecliab,' into the house of Baal, and said unto the 
worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there 
b(; here with you noiu; of the servants of tiiC LoRD, 
but the worshippers of Baal only." 

24 And when they went iu to ofl'er sacrifices 
and buriit-oll'erings, Jehu a])]iointcd fourscore men 
without, and said, (/"any of the men whom I have 
brought into your hands cseafie, he that kitetli him 
ff;o, his life shall be for the life of him.' 

25 And it came to jiass, as soon as he had made 
an end of oilcring the burnt-offering, that Jehu saiil 
to the guard and to the captains. Go in, and slay 
them;" let none come forth. And they sniole 
them with the edge'' of the sword ; and the guard 
and the captains cast them out, and went to the 
city of the house of Baal. 

2G And they brought forth the images' out of 
the house of Baal,' and burned them.'' 

27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and 
brake down the house of Baal, and made it a 
draught-house unto this day." 

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 

29 *l ]lowbeit./;-o?n the sins of Jeroboam the son 
of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, Jehu departed 
not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that 
wc7-e in Beth-el, and that ivcre in Dan.^ 

30 And the Lord said unto Jehu, Because thou 
hast done well in executing t/iat which is right in 
mine eyes,^ a?id hast done unto the house of Ahab 
according to all that ivas in my heart, thy chil- 
dren of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne 
of Israel." 

31 But Jehu took no heed' to walk in the law 
of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart:'' 
for he dcinirted not from the sins of Jeroboam,'" 
which made Israel to sin. 

32 1 In those days the Lord began to cut Israel 
short:" and Ilazael smote them in all the coasts 
of Israel ;'' 

33 From Jordan eastward,* all the land of Gil- 
cad, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the 
Manassitcs, from Aroer, which is by the river 
Arnon, even Gilcad and Bashan.*'* 

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all 
that he did, and all his might, are they not writ- 
ten in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of 
Israel? 



10:32. 1 Or, so full tliat they stood mouth to mouth, r ver. 15. » Matt. 
13:30, 41 ; 25:32,3:1. t 1 Kings 20:39. " Exod. :)2:27; Deut. 13:6-11; Ezek. 
9:.5-7. S Heb. moiir/i t UtA. statues, v 1 Kings U:23. w 2 Sam. 5:21; 
1 Kings 15:13 «EzraO:ll; Dan. 2:5; 3:29. yl Kings 12:28. 29. « Ezek. 
29:18-20 a ver. 35; ch. 13:1, 10; 14:23; 15:6-12. 1 Heb. observed not. 
bJohi.4:24. t I Kings 14:16. • Heb. to cut off the ends. •ich.B:12. t Heb. 
toward the risingof the sun. 1 Or, even to Gilead and Bashan. c Amos 1:3. 



God, are often proud of their obedience and disposed to 
proclaim it, that they may receive the praises of men. 

19. The Lord often uses one wicked man in punishing 
others, and afterwards punishes him for his wickedness. 

30. External obedience to some of the known commands 
of God, is often rewarded witli external mercies; but that 
obedience only whicli springs from the heart, and has 
respect to the whole will of God, has the promise of eter- 
nal life. 



Jelwash is crowned, 



2 KINGS XI. 



and Athaliah slain. 



kllSt' 35 And Jehu slept witli liis fiitlicrs: and 
they buried liiui in rfauuxria. And Jclioaliaz his 
son reigned in iiis stead. 

36 And the time* tliat Jehu reigned over Israel 
iu Samaria was twenty and eight years. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 Jehoash, being saved by Jehosheba his aunt from Athaliali's massacre 
of tlie seed royal, is hid six years in the liouse of God. 4 Jehoiada, 
giving order to the captains, in the seventh year anointetli hnn king. 
1 J Atii.aliah is slain. 17 .Telioiada restoreth the worship of G^od. 

AND when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah" 
saw tliat her son was dead, she arose and 
destroyed all tlie seed royal.^'^ 

2 But Jehoslicba,* the daughter of king Joram, 
sister of Aliaziah, took Joash^ the son ofAliaziah, 
and stole him from among tlie king's sons ivhich 
were slain ; and tliey hid liim, even him and his 
nurse, iu the bedchamber, from Athaliah, so that 
lie was not slain. 

3 And he was witli her hid in the iiouse of the 
Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over 
the land. 

4 1 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and 
fetelicd tlie rulers over hundreds, with the captains 
and tlie guard, and brought them to him into the 
house of the Lokd, and made a covenant with 
them, and took an oath of them in the house of 
t!ic Lord, and .showed them the king's son.'^ 

.5 And he commaaded them, saying, Tliis is the 
tiling that ye shall do: A third part of you that 
cuter iu on the sabbath shall even be keepers of 
the watch of the king's house ;'^ 

(j And a tliird part shall be at the gate of Sur; 
and a third part at the gate behind the guard : so 
shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not 
broken down." 

7 And two parts'' of all you that go forth on the 
sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the 
house of the Lord about the king. 

8 And ye shall compass the king round about, 
every man with his weapons iu his hand : and he 
that coraeth within the ranges, let him be slain : 
and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he 
cometh in. 

9 And the captains over the hundreds" did ac- 





• Heh 


the day 


were 


" ch 


b:\!fi. 


t H 


.b. 


seed of th 


ki 


igdom. 


baChr. 


'>:' 


1(). 


1 Jckoshabfatli 


,■ i Cn 


r. -li: 


1 S 





. .Jehoash 


c 


■2 Chr. 


2.3:1, etc. 


d 


K. IG 


18. lOr 


from 


brenkir 


gup. 


lOr 


companie.i; 


Heb. hands, e 1 Cnr. 


■Jb 


•Jli. 


f -2 Sam 


S;7. 


■ Hob 


shoulder. 


S 


Psa. 21:3 


h 


Dent. 


17:18-20. 



CHAPTER XI. 

1. Destroyed all the seed royal; so tliat she might reign 
without a rival. 

4. Jehoiada ; the high-priest. Fetched the rulers over hun- 
dred's; he had previously assembled the Levites and chiefs 
of the fathers of Israel out of all parts of the kingdom, 
that he might have a force suiBcient to withstand Atha- 
liah. 2Chron. 23:2. 

5. Enter in on the Sabbath; take your weekly turn in 
ministering at the temple. 

7. Go forth on the Sabbath; are released after your week's 
service at the temple. 

8. Ye shall compass the king; to prevent his being slain 
by the partisans of Athaliah. Within ths ranges ; the lines 
of guards. 

12. I7ie ((?s(imo;ii/,- a copy of the lawof Moses. Compare 
Deut. 17:18-20. 



cording to all things that Jehoiada the priest com- 
manded : and they took every man iiis men that, 
were to come in on tlie sabbath, with them that 
should go out on the sabbatli, and came to Jehoi- 
ada the priest. 

10 And to the captains over hundreds did tlic 
priest give king David's spears and shields,' that 
urre in the temple of the Lord. 

11 And the guard stood, every man with his 
weapons in his hand, round about tiie king, from 
the right corner* of the temple to the left corner 
of the temple, along by the altar and the temple. 

12 And he brought Ibrth the king's son, and put 
the crown upon him,''' and gave him the testimony ;'' 
and they made him king, and anointed him;' and 
tliey clapped their hands,^ and said, God save the 
king.*'' 

13 TF And when Athaliah heard the noise of the 
guard and of the people, she came to the people 
into the temple of the Lord. 

1-1 And when she looked, behold, tlie king stood 
by a pillar,' as the manner was, and the princes 
and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people 
of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets :"" and 
Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried. Treason, trea- 
son. 

15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the cap- 
tains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, 
and said unto them. Have her forth without thi^ 
ranges ;" and him that followeth her kill with t]w 
sword. For the priest had said. Let her not be 
slain in the house of the Lord." 

16 And they laid hands on her; and she went 
by the way by the which the horses came into the 
king's house: and there was slie slain.'' 

17 IT And Jehoiada made a covenant between 
the Lord and the king and the people^ that they 
should be the Lord's people ;"■ between the king 
also and the people. 

18 And all the people of the land went into the 
house of Baal,'* and brake it down ; his altars and 
his images brake they in pieces thoroughly,' and 
slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars." 
And the priest appointed officers* over the liouse 
of the Lord. 

19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and 



:1. 1 lleh. Ul :he king lire, k 1 Sam. 10:2^ ; 
>Chr.34:31. m Num. 111:1-10. n ExoJ. 21 :14. 
P Gen. 9:R. q a Sam. 5:3; Neb. 9:3ti; 1I1:2S. 21). roCor. 
.10:20,27. I Deut. 12:3. u Zech. 13:2, 3. 1 Heb. O^CM. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Love of power tends to destroy natural affection, and 
leads not only to the violation of the rights of humanitj', 
but to the commission of the most abominable crimes. 

4. Subjects are not ahvaj's bound to obey their rulers, 
but may be called in extraordinary cases to set them aside, 
and place others in their stead ; and if need be, to bring 
about a revolution for this purpose. 

12. No king can be safe on his throne, or magistrate 
preserve his authority, without the providential care and 
gracious aid of (lod. 

14. That treatment which, without remorse, persons 
have unjustly shown towards others who were innocent, 
they are ready to stigmatize as enormous wickedness 
when justly shown towards themselves. 

20. When rulers receive their authority as from God, 
and use it according to his will, quietness, peace, and 
prosperity may be expected throughout the land. 
451 



Jehoash pnrriJctA for 



2 KINGS XII. 



the repair of the temple. 



the captains, ami tlio fiuard, ami all tlio iipoplo of 
the land; and thov liioiiglit down the king from 
tlie house of tiio Loiin, and came by the way of 
the pate of the iraard to the king's house. And 
he sat on tin" throne of the kings. 

20 And all the people of the land rejoiced," and 
the city was in rpiicl : and they slew Athaliah with 
the sword beside the king's house. 

21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began 
to reign. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 Jfho,vh rcigncth well all the Jays of Jehoiada. 4 He givcth order 
for tliu repair of the temple. 17 HazacI is diverted from Jerusalem 
by a present of the hallowed treasuivs. 19 Jehoash being slain by 
his servants, Amaziah suceeedcth him. 

IN the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to 
reign ;'' and forty years reigned he in Jerusa- 
lem. And his mother's name icas Zibiali of Beer- 
sheba. 

2 And Jehoash did that which teas riglit in the 
sight of the LoiU) all iiis days wherein Jehoiada 
the priest instructed him. 

3 l>ut tlic high places were not taken away :" 
the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the 
high places. 

4 ^ And Jehoash said to the priests, All the 
money of the dedicated things' that is brought into 
the house of the Lord, even the money of every one 
that passeth the areoitnf,'' the money that every man 
is set at,* and all the money that eoiiiefh into any 
man's heart' to bring into the house of the Lord,' 

5 Let the priests take it to thcin, every man of 
his acquaintance: and let them repair the breach- 
es of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be 
found. 

6 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth 
year^' of king Jelioasli the priests had not repaired 
the breaches of the house. 

7 Then king Jelioash called for Jehoiada the 
priest,'' and the other priests, and said unto them, 
Why repair ye not the breaches of the iiouse? now 
therefore receive no more money of your acquaint- 

»Prov. 11:10; •»):2. 1> 2Chr. 21:1, etc. cch. 14:4; 1 Kings 15:14; 23:4:!; 
Jer. 2:20. • Or, Ao/y tilings; Heb. Aolinesses. i ch. 22:4; Exod. 30:1.3. 
t Heb. of the souts of his estimation; Lev. 27:2. I Heb. aseeitdelh upon the 
heart of a man, eExoi. 35:5. iHeh. in the tttxntiet/i year atid third year. 



CHAPTER XII. 

2. Wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him; after the 
death of Jehoiada lie was seduced by the princes of Judah 
into idolatry, as recorded in 2 Chron. 24:17, 18. 

4. Money of the dedicated things; literally, money of the 
holy things ; that is, the various incomes immediately af- 
terwards specified. The money of every one tliat passeth the 
actwint; this is generally understood of the half-shekel 
that every Israelite who was numbered with the congre- 
gation was required to pay, and, as many think, annually. 
Money that every man is set at; the redemption money to 
be paid, according to the estimation of the priest, for per- 
sons dedicated to the Lord, as prescribed in the twenty- 
seventh chapter of Leviticus. Money that cometh into any 
man's heart to bring; that is, freewill-offerings not pre- 
scribed by the law, but left to every man's choice. 

5. Everyman of h/s acipiaintance ; as there was a large 
body of priests to receive, each would naturally take the 
above-named sums from those belonging to the circle of 
bis acquaintance. Besides, as wo learn from 2 Chron. 
24:5. the priests and Levites were sent throughout all 

4.i2 



ance, but deliver it for the breaches of the ^u^;.'^. 
house. 

8 Ami the priests consented to receive no inore 
money of the people, neither tO repair the breaches 
of tlio house. 

i) But Jehoiada the priest look a chest, and bored 
a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, 
on the right side as one cometh into the house of 
the Loud: and the priests that kept the door' put 
therein all the money that was brought into the 
house of the Lord. 

10 And it was so, when thej- saw that there was 
much money in the chest, that the king's scribe' 
and the high-priest came up, and they put np* in 
bags, and told the money that was lound in the 
house of the Lord. 

11 And they gave the money, being told, into 
the hands of them that did the work, that had the 
ovorsiglit of the house of liio Loiui : and they laid 
it out* to the carpenters and builders, that wrought 
upon the liouse of tiie Lord, 

12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to 
buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breach- 
es of the house of the Lord, and for all that was 
laid out' for the house to repair it. 

11! llowbeit tliere were not made for the house 
of the Lord bowls of silver, .snuflers, basins, trump- 
ets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of 
the money that was brought into the house of the 
Lord : 

14 But they gave that to the workmen, and re- 
paired therewith the house of the Lord. 

15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, 
info whose hand tiicy delivered the money to be 
bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.^ 

IG The trespass-money and sin-money was not 
l^rought into the house of the Lord:'' it was the 
priests'.' 

17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and 
fought against Gath, and took it :' and Hazael set 
his face to go up to Jerusalem. 

18 And Jelioash king of Judah took all the hal- 
lowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and 



f 2Chr. 24:5. etc. I Heb. threshold. 1 Or, secretary. 
t Heb. brought it forth, t Heb. went forth. B ch. 22:1 
iLev. 7:7; Num. 1S:9. Jch.8:l2. 



Heb. bound up. 
bLev. 5:15, 1?. 



Israel, to stimulate the people to give, and to receive their 
gifts ; and they would naturally go each to his own town 
and its vicinity. 

8. Consented to receive no more money; tliey had before 
received what was offered, but had not appropriated it to 
the object for which it was given. 

10. And the high-priest; cither personally, or by his offi- 
cer. See 2 Chron. 24 : 11. Told tlie money; counted it, and 
stated the amount. 

13. Were not made — bou-ls — trumpets; that is, as we learn 
from 2 Chron. 24 : 14, not till the work of repairing the tem- 
ple was finished, when the rest of the money was devoted 
to the making of these vessels. 

17. Gath ; a city of the Philistines that had been taken 
and was in possession of the Israelites. 

18. Took all the Imllowed things ; this was after he had suf- 
fered a severe defeat, as we learn from 2 Chron. 24:23, 24. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Wlien young rulers select pious counsellors and give 
due heed to their instructions, they may expect to pros- 
per, and be instrumental of great good to the people. 



Reign of Je/ioa/ias 



2 KINGS XIII. 



EUsha's last prediclion. 



A. M.31M. Ahaziab, his fathers, kinj^s of Judali, had 
wo"'"'" dedicated, and his own halk)\ved tilings, 
and all the gold that was fonnd in the treasures of 
the house of the Lord, and in tlic king's house, 
and sent it to Hazael king of Syria:-* and he went 
away* from Jerusalem. 

IS) !i And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all 
that he did, are they not written in the book of 
the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

20 And his servants arose, and made a conspir- 
acy,'' and slew Joash in the house of Millo,* which 
goeth down to Silla. 

21 For Jozachar' the son of Shimeath, and Je- 
hozabad the son of Shomer,^ his servants, smote 
him, and he died; and they buried him with liis 
fathers in the city of David : and Amaziah his son 
reigned in his stead. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Jehoaha,z's wicked reign. 3 Jelioahiiz, oppressed by Hazael, is re. 
licved by prayer. 8 Joash succeedetli him. 10 His wicked reign. 
12 Jeroboam succeedeth him. 14 Elisha dyinL,s propilesieth to Joasll 
tliree victories over the Syrians. '20 Tlie lloabites invading tlie land, 
Elislia's bones raise up a dead man. '22 Hazael dying, Joash getleth 
three victories over Ben-hadad. 

IN the three and twentieth year' of Joash the 
son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz the 
son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Sama- 
ria, and reigned seventeen years. 

2 And he did that iMch ims evil in the sight of 
the Lord, and followed"' the sins of Jeroboam the 
son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin ; he de- 
parted not therefrom. 

3 1 And the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against Israel," and he delivered them into the 
hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand 
of Beu-hadad the son of Hazael,'' all their days. 

4 And Jehoahaz besought the Lord," and the 
Lord hearkened unto him: for he saw the op- 
pression of Israel,' because the king of Syria op- 
pressed tliem. 

5 (And the Lord gave Israel a savior,^ so that 
they went out from under the hand of the Syrians : 
and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as 
beforetime.* 

6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins 
of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, 
hut walked* therein : and there remained* the grove 
also in Samaria.)'' 

7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz 
but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thou- 
sand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroy- 



"Ch. 18:15, 16; 1 Kings 1.5:19. • 


Heb. up. b ch 


14:5. t Or. Bctli-millo. 


I Zabad; i Chr. ■U-.ili. S Or, Skim 


rilh. 1 Heb. l/ie 


ttcentUth year and third 


war. 1 Heb. xcalktd nflir. ' Judg 
f oh. ll.-.'fi; ExoJ. :i:7. c ver. 45. 


2:14. dch. 8: 


■i; 12:17. e Psa. 78:34. 


• Heb. yesurdn 


/ and tfiird day. t Heb. 



8. Ministers of religion should either avoid receiving 
money for pious and charitable uses, or exercise the most 
conscientious fidelity in the appropriation of it. 

15. All money received should be kept with care, and 
faithfully appropriated to the persons to whom it belongs, 
and for the objects for which it was given. 

is. Though an enemy may sometimes be pacified by 
pectmiary contributions, it is ordinarily unwise to attempt 
to procure peace in that way ; it may lead to increasing 
demands, till the whole is required to satisfy the rapacious 
invader. 



ed them, and had made them like the dust liy 
tliresliing.' 

8 11 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and 
all that ho did, and his miglit, are they not writ- 
ten in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of 
Israel ? 

9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers ; and they 
buried him in Samaria: and Joash^ his son reign- 
ed in his stead. 

10 "J In the thirty and seventh year of Joash 
king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz 
to reign over Israel in Samaria,'' aiid reigned six- 
teen years. 

11 And he did that icltich teas evil in the sight 
of the Lord ; he ilejuirted not from all the sins of 
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin : 
but he walked therein. 

12 And the rest of the acts of Joash,^ and all 
that he did, and his might wherewith he fought 
against Amaziah king of Judah,'' are they not writ- 
ten in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of 
Israel? 

13 And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jero- 
boam sat upon his throne : and Joash was buried 
in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 

14 1 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness 
whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel 
came down unto him, and wept over his face, and 
said, my father, my father! the chariot of Israel, 
and the horsemen thereof.' 

1.5 And Elisha said unto him. Take bow and ar- 
rows. And he took unto him bow and arrows. 

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand' 
u]ion the bow. And ho put his hand vpc7i it: and 
Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. 

17 And he said. Open the window eastward. 
And he opened it. Then Elisha said. Shoot. And 
he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's 
deliverance,'" and the arrow of deliverance from 
Syria : for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek," 
till thou have consumed them. 

15 And he said. Take the arrows. And he took 
the7n. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite 
upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. 

19 And the man of God was wroth with him, 
and said. Thou shouldcst have smitten five or six 
times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou 
hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite 
Syria but thrice." 

20 ^ And Elisha died, and they buried him. And 
the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the 
coming in of the vear. 



hewallced. I V.A. stood, h 1 Kings 10:33. i Amos 1:3 % Jehoash; let. 
10. I Alone. 1 In consort with his father, ch. 14:1. J ch. 14:15, 25. kch. 
14-0 etc ■ 2 Chr. 2.'i:17, etc. I ch. 2:12. * Heb. Make thy hand to ride, 
m JuJj. 7:20. ■> 1 Kmgs 20:20. o ver. 25. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

5. A savior; Joash the son of Jehoahaz, whose victories 
over the SjTians are recorded in the latter part of this 
chapter. 

14. The chariot — and the horsemen; he who was the de- 
fence of Israel. See note to chap. 2 : 12. 

17. Aphek ; a city of Israel which tlie Syrians had taken. 

18. He smote thrice; this marked the number of times 
that he would beat the Syrians. 

20. lloabites; a people south-east of Judea. 
453 



Ifazotl oppressfs Israel. 



2 KINGS XIV. 



T/if reign of Amnziah. 



21 And it canio to pa??, ns thoy wore Imryinff a \ 
man, that lidiolti. tlicy spied a liand nf mm : and 
they cast the man into the sepulehic of Klislia: 
nnd when the man was let (h)wn," and tonchctl tlic 
boues of Elislia. lie revived, and stood up on his 
feet. I 

22 t But Ilazael king of Syria oppressed Israel , 
nil the days of Jelioalmz." 

23 And tlie Loud was gracious nulo them, and 
Iiad rompassion on liieni, and had resjii'ct unto 
tiiem,'' because of Ids covenant witii Abraham, , 
Isaac, and Jacob,'' and would not destroy them, 
neitlicr cast lie tliem fiom Ids presence' as yet," j 

24 So Hazael Icing of Syria died ; and lien-hadad i 
his son reigned in his .stead. 

2.5 And .lehoash tiie son of Jelioaiiaz took again' ' 
out of tiic hand of Bcn-hadad the son of Hazael 
tiie cities, wliicli he had taken out of the hand of 
Jehoahaz Ids father by war. Tiiree times did 
Joash beat him,"' and recovered the cities of Israel. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 Amaziah's good reign. 5 His justice on the murderers of his father. 
7 His victory over Kdom. 8 Amaziah, provoking Jehoash, is over- 
come and spoiled. 15 Jeroboam succeeueth Jeho.-ish. 17 Amaziah 
stain by a conspiracy, '.^l Azaiiah succcedeih him. 23 Jeroboam^s 
wicked reij^n. 2S Za^^tiariah succeedcth him. 

IN the second year of Joash son of Jehoahazking 
of Israel,*^ reigned Amaziah tiic sou of Joash 
king of Judah.^ 

2 He was twenty and five years old when he 
began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years 
in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jcho- 
addan of Jerusalem. 

3 And he did that ir/iich teas right in tlie sight 
of the Loud, yet not like David his father: he did 
according to all tilings as Joash his father did. 

4 Howbeit the high places were not taken away :" 
as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense 
on the high places. 



• Heb. wen 


t dow 


J. »ve 


r :! 


ch 


RIfl 


I, 


Rxod -J 


■24, 2-'). 


c 


r.rn 


7:3-5; 


Exod. 32:13 


\.-h 


fl:3i; 


■>.! 


lUli:45. 


t Heb. far 


. 1 G 


pn 


(i:3. 


1 Heb. 


returned and took. 


e ver 


IN 


1(). 


' oh 


1: 


10. e 


2 Chr. 


),-,. 




h ch. 


12:3. ioh. 1 


J:-,>0. 


JDeut 


•J4 


lU. 


k Ezek. 


l,'i:4, 211 


. SOr. 


T/i 


e rock 


Obid. 



21. A band; of the Moabites. He revived; showing that 
God was with Elisha after his death, as really as before. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The sins of transgressors may be imitated long after 
they are dead, and be instrumental in the destruction of 
their distant jjosterity. 

4. Cries to the Lord for help may be the means of deliv- 
erance from evil and of the reception of temporal good, 
even where the heart is not right with him, nor the life 
devoted to his service. 

11. No temporal favors, without the grace of God, will 
induce men to break off their sins, or lead them to walk 
in the ways of the Lord. 

14. The expected removal of the righteous is often la- 
mented even by the wicked, under the conviction that their 
pious lives arc a great blessing to mankind. 

18. Strong confidence in God is needful in order to the 
reception, to the fullest extent, of his favors. Mark 11 : 24 ; 
Jas. 1:5-7. 

21. The presence of God with his people is not confined 
to this life ; and in answer to their prayers while here, he 
may after they are dead bestow great blessings on his 
people. 

23. Wicked men are often spared in life and made the 
recipients of many groat and precious blessings, in con- 
454 



f) 1 And it came to pass, as soon as tlie ^i,*", '^J; 
kingdom was eonlirmed in his liaiid, that he slew 
his servants which had slain the king his father.' 

t'l IJiit the eiiildren of the niiirdi'rers he slew not : 
according unto that which is written in the bodk 
of the law of Moses,J wherein the Loud command- 
ed, saying. The fathers shall not be put to death 
for the eldldren, nor the children be put to death 
for tlie fathers;" but every man shall be put to 
death for his own sin. 

7 He .slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten 
thousand, and took Selah* liy war, and called the 
name of it Joktheel unto this day.' 

8 If Then i\maziah sent messengers to Jelioash, 
the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel,'" 
saying. Come, let us look one another in the face." 

y And Jehoash tlie king of Israel sent to Ama- 
ziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that u-as 
in Lebanon sent to the cedar that u-as in Lebanon," 
saying. Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and 
there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, 
and trode down the thistle. 

10 Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thy 
heart hath lifted thee up :'' g]ory of this, and tarry 
at home:' for why shouldest thou meddle to t/n/ 
hurt, that thou shouldest fall,'' even thou, and Judah 
with thee? 

1 1 Hut Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Je- 
hoash king of Israel went u]) ; and he and Amaziah 
king of Judah looked one another in the face at 
Beth-sheiuesh,'' which beloiifreth to Judah. 

12 And Judah was put to the worse^ before 
Israel ; and they fled every man to their tents. 

13 And Jelioash king of Israel took Amaziah 
king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of 
Ahaziah, at Beth-sheniesh, and came to Jerusalem, 
and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the 
gate of Ephraiin' unto the corner gate,' four hun- 
dred cubits. 



n 


1 Josh 


l.i:38. m 


2 Chr. 


9.-1 • 


7. 


etc n 


2 Sam 


. 2:14. 


Judff. 


n:«. 


ntr. 


p 


Dcut. ts 


14; 2 Chr. 


32:23; 


Ez 


ek 


■a-.i. 5, 17; 


Hab. 2 


4. 1 He 


b. a 


'*» 


h 


use. q 


?rov. 3:30; 


13:18; 


25 :g. 


'Josh 


1ll::i-< 


1 Sam 


0:9, etc 


IHeb. 


s, 


nilten. 


»Neh. 8:10 


tJer 


31 


■■IS 


Zech. 


14:10 











sequence of the piety and benevolence of those who have 
gone before them. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

3. Tliat which was right; externally; in doing, at the 
commencement of his reign, many things which God had 
commanded. 

C. Tliat which is written; Deut. 24:16. 

7. The valley of salt ; near the south end of the Dead sea. 
Sdah; a city of Edom, supposed to be Petra the capital of 
Edom, situated in a valley surrounded by precipitous rocks 
in an exceedingly strong position. Compare Jer. 49: KJ; 
Obad. 3, 4. JoMec/; signifying subdued by (Jod. Ingoing 
to the war against Edom he had dismissed the large army 
of Israelites hired to help him, according to God's direc- 
tion. 2 Chroti. 25:7-10. In the name now given to Selah, 
ho ascribes his victory over it to God's help. 

8. Look one another in the face; engage in battle. This 
challenge may have been provoked, in part at least, by the 
conduct of the Israelitish army which he had dismissed, 
2 Chron. 2.') : 1.3. But it clearly betrayed the pride of his 
heart in view of his victory over the Edomites, to which 
he added the sins of idolatry and contempt of God's proph- 
et. 2 Chron. 25:14-16, 20. 

9. The thistle; representing the kingdom of Judah, 37ie 
cedar; the kingdom of Israel. 



Reign of Jeroboam. 



2 KINGS XV. 



Azariah's sood reign. 



ii r a "u 14 And ho took all the gold and silver, 
>*2o and all the vessels that were found in tiie 
house of the Lord," and in the treasures of the 
king's house, and hostages, and returned to Sama- 
ria. 

15 1 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which 
lie did, and his might, and how he fought with 
Ainaziali king of Judah, are they not written in the 
book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?" 

16 And Jehoasli slept with his fathers, and was 
buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel ; and 
Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead. 

17 T And Amaziah the son of Joash king of 
Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Je- 
hoahaz king of Israel fifteen years."^ 

18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they 
not written in the book of the Chronicles of the 
kings of Judah? 

19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in 
Jerusalem : and he fled to Lachish ;'' but they sent 
after hiai to Lachish, and slew him there. 

20 And they brought him on horses: and he was 
buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city 
of David. 

21 "f And all the people of Judah took Azariah," 
•which was sixteen years old, and made him king 
instead of his father Amaziah. 

22 Ho built Elatli,<= and restored it to Judah, 
after that tiie king slept with his fathers. 

23 IF In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of 
Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash 
king of Israel began to reign in Samaria,^ and 
reigned forty and one years. 

24 And he did that lohich was evil in the sight of 
the Lord : he departed not from all the sins of Jero- 
boam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.' 

25 He restored the coast of Israel from the enter- 
ing of Hamath^ unto tlie sea of the plain,'' accord- 
ing to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which 
he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah,* the 
son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath- 
heplier. 

26 For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that 
it was very bitter : for there was not any shut up, 
nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.' 

27 And the Lord said not that he would blot 



»lKmgs7:51. I>ch.l3:l-J. = 2 Chr. 25.S5, etc. J Jnsh. 1U::31. * He is 
called Uzziah. ch. 15:13; 2Chr. 40:1. e ch. 1G:6. T Now he begins to reign 
alone, f I King.5 12:43, etc.; Psa. 103:20. E Num. 34:S. hDeut. 3:17. 
1 Called Jonas, Matt. 12:30, 40; Jonah 1:1. i Deut. 32:36. JDeut.0:t4; 
Rom. 11:2, etc. k ch. 13:5. 1 2 Sam. 8:0; 1 Kings 11:24; 2 Chr. 8:3. 
i After an interregnum of eleven years; ch. 15:S. i Called Uzziah, ver. 13, 



14. Hostages; some of the prhicipal men of the city, as 
security that it would not again molest him. 

19. Made a conspiracy against him; thus God, by the 
hand of wicked men, punished him for his disobedience. 
Compare 2 Chron. 25 : 27. Lachish ; in the south part of 
Judah. 

22. Elath ; at the head of the eastern branch of the Red 
sea. The king; his father Amaziah. 

25. //umaM ,- a city north of Palestine. See note to Judg. 
3:3. The sea of tlie plain; the Dead sea, at the south part 
of the country. Gath-Iiepher ; a tomi in the tribe of Zeb- 
uluii. 

28. Damascus, and Hamath; these cities, which were taken 
from the Syrians in the time of David and Solomon, 2 Chron. 
8:3, 4, and had been retaken by the Syrians, were now 
taken from them again by Jeroboam, and restored to 
Israel. 



out the name of Israel from under heaven :> but 
he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son 
of Joash.'' 

28 1i Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and 
all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and 
how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which 
belonged to Judah,' for Israel, are they not written 
in tlie book of the Chronicles of the kings of 
Israel ? 

29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even 
with the kings of Israel ; and Zachariah his son 
reigned in his stead.^ 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 Azariah's good reign. 5 He dying a leper, Jotham succeeJeth. 8 
Zachariah, the last of Jehu's generation, reigning ill, is slain by Shal- 
lum. 13 Shallum, reigning a month, is slain by Menahtm. 16 Men- 
ahem strengtheneth himself by Pul. 21 Pekahiah suoceedelli him. 
23 Pekahiah is slain by Pekah. 27 Pekah is oppressed by Tiglaih- 
pileser. and slain by Hoshea. 32 Jotham's good reign. 36 Ahaz 
succeedeth him. 

IN the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king 
of Israel began Azariah' son of Amaziah king 
of Judah to reign.'"' 

2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to 
reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jeru- 
salem. And his mother's name icas Jecholiah of 
Jerusalem. 

3 And he did that irhich was right in the sight 
of the Lord, according to all that his father Ama- 
ziah had done; 

■1 Save that the high places were not removed :" 
the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on 
the high places. 

5 1 And the Lord smote the king," so that he 
was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt 
in a several house. And Jotham the king's son 
was over the house, judging the people of the land. 

6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all 
that he did, are they not written in the book of 
the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

7 So Azariah slept with his father.^ ; and they 
buried him with his fathers in the city of David: 
and Jotham his son reigned in his stead. 

8 ^ In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah 
king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam 
reiou over Israel in Samaria six months.* 



30, etc. ; 2 Chr. 26: 1 . T This is the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam's part- 
nership in the kingdom with his father, who made him consort at his going 
10 the Syrian wars. It is the sixteenth year of Jeroboam's monarchy, m ch. 
14:21; 2Cnr.26:l. n ver. 35. o2Chr.20:19. • There having been ao in- 
terregnum for eleven years. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. External obedience will be followed by temporal ben- 
efits ; but if it be merely external, it will have no reward 
hereafter. 

8. That pride which leads to contention and bloodshed 
is the fruit of wickedness, the cause of many calamities, 
and often the forerunner of ruin. 

25. The Lord may govern nations by means of wicked 
rulers ; may enlarge their borders, and thus fulfil his word 
and accomplish towards his people his own benevolent 
designs. 

CHAPTER XV. 

5. Smote the king; for his pride and presumption in 

attempting to burn incense to the Lord in the temple. 

2 Chron. 26:16-20. A several house; a retired building, 

where he was separated from the rest of the inhabitants. 

455 



Various kings of 



2 KINGS XV. 



Judah and Israel. 



9 Ami he did that v/iir/i trnx ovil in tlic siirlit of 
the L()iti>. us his futlicis luid doiio: ho di'|>iiilf(i 
not I'loin the sins of Jeroboiini tho son of Mcijut, 
wlio nuuk' Isna-i to sin. 

10 AikI Sliiillum the son of Jabcsh conspired 
ii>;ain-t him. and smote Idin before tiie peoi)le, and 
»le\v him. and reij^ni'd in ids stead.* 

1 1 And liie rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, 
I hey arc written in tlic book of the Chronicles of 
tiie kin.L's of Israel. 

12 This was tlic word of the Lonn which he 
spake unto Jehu, saying, Tiiy .sons shall sit on the 
throne of Israel unto the fourth generation.'^ And 
so it came to pass. 

i:? *! Shallum tJie son of Jabc.«h began to reign 
in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah^ king of 
Judaii ; and he reigned a full month'' in Samaria. 

1-i For Mcnahem tlic son of Gadi went up from 
Tirzah. and came to Samaria, and smote Sliallum 
tlie sou of Jabesli in Samaria, and slew him, and 
reigneil in his stead. 

15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his 
conspiracy winch he made, behold, they are written 
in the book of tlie Chronicles of the kings of Israel. 

16 1 Tiien Menalicm smote TiphsaJi,'' and all 
that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tir- 
zah: bccau.se they opened not to him, therefore he 
smote it ; and all the women therein that were 
with child he ripped up.'' 

17 In tlie nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king 
of Judaii began Menaliem tiie sou of (Jadi to reign 
over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. 

18 And lie did that which ivas evil in the sight 
of tlie Lord : he departed not all his days from the 
sins of Jeroboam the son of Ncbat, who made 
Israel to sin. 

19 And Pul tlie king of Assyria came against 
tlie land:'' and Menalicm gave Pul a thousand tal- 
ents of silver,'' tliat liis hand iniglit bo with him 
to eoiilinii tiie kingdom in liis liaud.'' 

20 And Menaiiom exacted* tlie money of Israel, 
even of all the mighty men of wcaltii, of eacli man 
fifty shekels of silver, to give to tiie king of As- 
syria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and 
stayed not there in the land. 

21 •; And the rest of the acts of Menaliem, and 
all that lie did, are they not written in the book 
of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 

22 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and 
Pekaliiali his son reigned in his stead. 

23 1; In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Ju- 



' As prophesied, Amos 7:9. > ch. 10::)0. t Called Ozias 
artoA. vet. 1. 1 HeD. a month of days, b 1 KinRS -1:2 
QOs 1:13. i 1 Chr. 5:26. e Hos. B:9. f ch. 14:5. S Heb. 



, Matt. 1:8:9; 
, c ch 8:lj; 
catisiui to come 



dah, Pckahiah the son of Menalicm began ^ii"'?'! 
to reign over Israel in Saiiiai'ia, and reigned two 
years. 

24 And ho did that vhirh nu.i evil in the sight of 
tiie Loan: he de[iarted not from liie sins of .Jero- 
boam the son of Ncbat, wiio made Israel to sin. 

2o But I'ekah tiie son of Kcmaiiali, a captain of 
ids, conspired against iiim. and smote iiiin in Sama- 
ria, in the jialace of the king's iiouse, witii Argob 
and Aricli, and with him lilty men of tiie Giiead- 
ites: and lie killed him, and reigned in his room. 

2() And tlie rest of tiic acts ol' I'ekaiiiaii.and all 
that he did, lieliold, they are written in the book 
of tiie Clironicles of tiie kings of Israel. 

27 "i in tho two and fiftieth year of Azariah 
king of Judaii, Pekah the son of Penialiali began to 
reign over Israel in Samaria,''' and reigned twenty 
years. 

28 And he did that which was evil in the sight 
of theLoiii) : he departed not from the siiisof Jero- 
biiani the son of Xehat, who made Israel to sin. 

29 In the days of Pi'kaii king of Israel, came Tig- 
lalh-pilcser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and 
Abel-beth-maacliah, and Janoah, and Kcdesii,and 
Ilazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all tiie land of 
Naphtali,'' and carried tiicni captive to Assyria. 

'iO And Ilosliea liie son of Klaii made a conspir- 
acy against Pekali tho son of Keinaliah, and smote 
him, and slew him, and reigned in iiis stead,' in the 
twentietli year of Jotiiain the son of Uzziah.^ 

31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all 
that he did, behold, they are written in the book 
of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. 

32 *\ In the second year of Pekaii the son of 
Ilemallah king of Israel, began Jotham the son 
of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.' 

33 Five and twenty years old was he when he 
began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in 
Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, 
the daughter of Zadok. 

34 And lie did that which was right in the sight 
of the LoiiD : lie did according to all that his fa- 
ther Uzziali liad done. 

35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: 
the people sacrificed and burned incense still in 
the high places. He built the higher gate of the 
house of tiie Lord. 

36 1i Xow the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all 
that he did, are they not written in the book of 
the Clironicles of the kings of Judah'? 

37 In those days* the Lord began to send 



11. Zachariah; lie was the fourth of the descendants of 
Jehu. Ver. 12; chap. 10:30. 

14. Menahem ; supposed to have been one of the gener- 
als of Zachariah. Tirzah ; a city of the tribe of Ephraim, 
for a time the capital of the ten tribes. 1 Kings, chaps. 
14-16. 

16. Tiphxah; supposed to have been in Ephraim. A 
place of tliis name was situated on the Euphrates, and 
was taken possession of by Solomon. 1 Kings 4:24. 

29. Ijon — Naphtali; the places here mentioned were in 
the north part of the land of Israel. 

30. The twentteth year of Jotham ; as Jotham reigned but 
siiteen years, ver. 33, it has been supposed that the sacred 

456 



forth. E Isa. 7:1. 4. 9. hlsa. 9:1. I Afler an anarchy for some years, c! 
'17:1; Hos. IU:.1, 7^ 15. 1 The fourth yearof Ahaz. Ihetnemieth after Jolha 
had begun to reign. Usher, i 2Chr. 27:1, etc. " At the end of Jotham'sreif 



writer here means, in the twentieth year from the time 
when Jotham came to the throne : Ahaz his successor not 
being named, because the history of his reign has not 
yet been reached. See the marginal note. 

INSTRUCTION'S. 

9. The sins of rulers and distinguished persons are often 
the means of destruction to their distant posterity, and to 
multitudes of others who imitate their wicked example. 

29. When the people of God rebel against him, the 
wicked are suffered to overcome and oppress them ; nor 
without repentance and reformation can they escape de- 
struction. 



IVidcd reign of Ahaz. 



2 KINGS XVI. 



He spoikth the temple. 



A. M. 3-2f,2. against Judah, Rezin the king of Syria," 
■Jsi' "'" and Pelvah tlie son of Remaliaii.'' 
38 And Jotluim slept with his fathers, and was 
buried with his fathers in the city of David his 
father : and Aliaz his son reigued in his stead. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 Ahaz's wicked reign. 5 Ahaz, assailed by Rezin and Pekah, hireth 
Tiglatli-pilcser against them. 10 Ahaz, sending a pattern of an .altar 
from Damascus to Urijah, diverteth the brazen altar to his own devo- 
tion. 17 He spoileth the temple. 19 Hezekiah succeedeth him. 

iN the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of 
Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jothain king of Ju- 
dah l)Cgan to reign.'' 

2 Twenty years old ivas Ahaz when he began to 
reign, and reigned sixteen j^ears in Jerusalem, and 
did not that which u-as right in the sight of the 
Lord his God, like David his father. 

3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Is- 
rael, yea, and made his son to pass through the 
fire," according to the abominations of the hea- 
then," whom the Lord cast out from before the 
children of Israel. 

4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high 
places, and ontlie hills, and under every green tree.' 

5 11 Then Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah son of 
Remaliah king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to 
war :''■ and they besieged Ahaz, but could not over- 
come him. 

6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered 
Elath to Syria," and drave the Jews from Elath:' 
and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there 
unto this day. 

I 7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser+ 
king of Assyria,' saying, I am thy servant and thy 
son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the 
king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of 
Israel, which rise up against me. 

8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was 
found in the house of the Lord,-' and in the treas- 
ures of the king's house, and sent it for a present 
to the king of Assyria. 

9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him : 
for the king of Assyria went up against Damas- 
cus,* and took it,^ and carried the people of it cap- 
tive to Kir, and slew Rezin. 



»Ch. 10:.5. I>ver. 27. c 2 Chr. SS: 1, etc. ■! Lev 


18:21; Psa. 10(i;:37, 33. 


e Deul. l-2;:il; Psi. 1U6;35. 1 Deut. 13:2; 1 Kings 


I4:2:S. r Isa. 7:1, etc. 


hch. 14:22. • Heb. Elolh. t Heb. ri/jal/i-pKe.wr; 


Ti/gnth-pilneser, 1 Chr. 


5:26; 2 Chr. 28:20. ich. 15:29. jch. 12:13. I Heb 


Danmiesek. § Foretold, 



CHAPTER XVI. 

3. Made hia son to pass through the fire ; burnt him in the 
fire as an offering to Moloch, 2 Chron. 28:3. 

5. Could not overcome him; could not take Jerusalem his 
capital, Isa. 7:1, 6. They gained bloody victories over 
him and took many persons captive, 2 Chron. 28:6-15. 

7. The king of Syria — the king of Israel ; the Edomites 
and Philistines had also invaded him on the south, as 
recorded in 2 Chron. 29:17, 18. 

9 Kir; a place in upper Media, west of the Caspian sea. 

10. An altar ; dedicated to idol gods. 

17. The borders oftlie bases ; the ornamental borders placed 
on them by Solomon, 2 Kings 7 : 28, 29. These as well as the 
things mentioned in ver. 18, he seems to have taken as a 
present to the king of Assyria. Removed the laver from off 
them ; that is, each of the ten lavers from ofl' its brazen base, 
when he had mutilated it by the removal of its border. 



10 1l And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet 
Tiglath-pile.-^cr king of Assyria, and saw an altar 
that %cas at Damascus : and king Ahaz sent to Uri- 
jah the ju'iest the fashion of the altar, and the 
pattern of it, according to all the workmanship 
thereof. 

11 And Urijah the priest built an altar accord- 
ing to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damas- 
cus:" so Urijah the priest made it against king 
Ahaz came from Damascus. 

12 And when the king was come from Damas- 
cus, the king saw the altar: and the king ap- 
proached to the altar, and offered thereon.' 

13 And he burnt his burnt-offering and his meat- 
offering, and poured his drink-offering, and sprin- 
kled tiie blood of his peace-offerings,' upon the 
altar. 

14 And he brought also the brazen altar,™ which 
u-as before the Lord, from the forefront of the 
house, from between the altar and the house of 
the Lord, and put it on the north side of the altar. 

15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, 
saying. Upon the great altar burn the morning 
burnt-oflering, and the evening meat-oifcring," and 
the king's burnt-sacrifice, and his meat-offering, 
with the burnt-offering of all the people of the 
land, and their meat-offering, and their drink-of- 
ferings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the 
burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice : 
and the brazen altar shall be for me to inquire by. 

16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all 
that king Ahaz commanded. 

17 Tl And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the 
bases," and removed the lavcr from ofl" them ; and 
took down the sea .from off the brazen oxen that 
were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones. 

18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had 
built in the house, and the king's entry without, 
turned he from the house of the Lord for the king 
of Assyria. 

19 1l Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he 
did, are they not written in the book of the Chron- 
icles of the kings of Judah? 

20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was 
buried with his fathers in the city of David :'' and 
Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. 



Amos 1:5. k Psa, 1IJ6;:1U. 1 Num IS:3; 2 Chr. 2li: 10. 19. iYleh. the peace- 
oJfenngswhick^eTehis. m2 Chr. 4:1. » Exod. 29:39-11. o] Kings 7:23. 
2S. P 2 Chr. 2a;27. 



18. Covert for the Sabbath ; supposed by some to have 
been a canopy or covering, under which the king and his 
attendants went to the temple on the Sabbath-day. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. No advantages without the grace of God will over- 
come the wickedness of the human lieart, or keep men 
from practising the vilest transgressions. 

7. The wicked will often bow in the most abject submis- 
sion to their fellow-men, and give up their choicest treas- 
ures to obtain help from them, when they will not humble 
themselves before God for their sins, and seek effectual 
help from him. 

10. The trappings of idol-worship and the splendors of 
heathen idolatry have sometimes more attractions for the 
human heart, than the pure and simple wor.ship of Jeho- 
vah ; and there have been not only kings, but priests and 
professed ministers of religion, who would exchange the 
one for the other. 

457 



hrad earritd cnplire 



2 KINGS XVII. 



bp the Assyrian*. 



CHAPTER XVI 1. 



1 Hothw'i wioknl reign. M Briii^; >utHlui.'J by Sliiilmnnrtcr, lie con- 
■pircUi againkt him wiih So kins of li{,7pt. •) Sanmria for tlioir »iii« 
ii uptivalnl. 'J4 The ■triin;;p nnlioiii, which wore trantplitntrd into 
Saniiru, bring pl.-itgOini wiUi liout, iiiikc a iniituro of rcligioni. 

I\ tlic twolflli year of Aliaz king of Jiidah, bc- 
paii llnslica tlio t^Dii of Klali lo rcifrn in Sama- 
ria over Israel nine years.* 

2 And lie iliil that which iras evil in the siglit of 
the Loitn, but not as the kings of Israel that were 
before him. 

3 'i Against liira came up Shalmancser king of 
Assyria;" and lloshca became his servant, and 
gave* him ])resonts.' 

4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in 
Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king 
of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of 
Assyria, as he had done year by year : therefor(; 
the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in 
prison. 

5 "i Then the king of Assyria came up througli- 
out all the land, and went up to Samaria, and be- 
sieged it three years. 

6 In the ninth year of IToshca, the king of As- 
syria took Samaria,'' and carried Israel away into 
Assyria.'' and placed tiiem in Ilalali ami in Habor 
by the river of Gozan,'' and iu tlic cities of the 
Medes. 

7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had 
sinned against the Loud their God, which had 
brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from 
under tlie hand of Piiaraoh king of Egypt, and 
liad feared other gods, 

8 And walked in the statutes of the heatlien,'' 
whom the Lord cast out from before the children 
of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which tlicy 
had made. 

9 And the children of Israel did secretly those 
things that were not right against the Lord their 
God,'- and they built them high places in all their 
cities, from the tower of the watchmen to tiic 
fenced city.*^ 

10 And they set them up images' and groves in 
every high hill,''' and under every green tree:'' 

11 And there they burnt incense in all the high 
places, as did the heatlien whom the Lord carried 
away before them ; and wrought wicked things 
to provoke the Lord to anger : 



' After ! 



,ch. 15:30. » oh. 18:9. 1 Heh. rcmJmd; i I 



— all iiiv.;iic^iiuiii, uii. iu:.n'. "ori. io:y. i neo- Teniirrfuf .: cam. 

S:2. : Or, Iriiule. S Foretold in Hos. 1.3:lfi; ch. 16:10. 11. 1> Lev. -Mi-.m, 

. 2:1:38, 61; 2!):-i7, -if. c 1 Chr. 5:28. d oh. 18:3; Lev. l-:3; Doul. 



33; Dent. -.i:j:.>o, o^ ; xic-i/, -j-i. c j unr. o:*Jti. u ch. Hi::s\ Liev. l-::j; Lieut. 
1S:0; Psa. 1U6::!5. eEzek.8:12. fch.IS:S. I Heb. .WnlBM. Sch.IG:!; 
Deut. 12:2; 1 Kings U:2:J: ha. 57:5. h Deut. 18:21: Mic .'5:14. i Jixnd. 
20:3, 4; Lev. 20:1; Deut. 4: 19; 5:7. .S. 1 Heh. ty the liand of. JTsa.Mli. 
17; 53:7; Jcr.lS:ll; 25:3; :M:I5; EEek.lS:31; 2Pet.3:9. '06^.31:27; 



16. Wicked rulers have ordinarily been aided by wick- 
ed ecclesiastics, and the corrupt projects of the one been 
supported by the ready and zealous cooperation of the 
other. 

CHAPTER XYII. 

2. Not as the kings of Israel ; he did not so rigidly enforce 
idolatry. 

6. Halah; probably one of the northern provinces of 
Assyria. In Habor by the river of Gozan ; or, by Habor, 
the river of Gozan. Habor is generally thought to be the 
ancient Chaboras, a river of Mesopotamia, which flows 
into the Euphrates, (the modern Khabur,) and Gozan, a 
458 



12 For they served idols, whereof the Lord '^j,*',-'?!!? 
had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.' 

i;5 Yet the liOitD testified against Israel, and 
against .Jinlali, by' all the pro|iliets, and by all the 
seers, saying. Turn ye from your evil ways, and 
keep my idinmaiidnienls and my statutes, accord- 
ing to all the law which 1 c<iiiiiiiaiided your fa- 
thers, and which 1 sent lo you by my servants the 
prophets.^ 

14 Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but 
hardened their necks,'' like to tiie neck of their 
fathers, that did not believe in the LoiMi their God, 

15 And they rejected his statutes,' and his cov- 
enant that he made with their I'allieis,'" and his 
testimonies which he testified against them ;" and 
they followed vanity," and became vain,'' and went 
after the heathen that lare round about them, con- 
cerning wlioni the Lord had charged them, that 
they should not do like then'." 

IG And they left all the commandments of the 
Lord their God, and made them molten images,"' 
ivin two calves,' and made a grove,' and wor- 
shipped all the host of heaven," and served I5aal.^ 

17 And they caused their sons and their (laugh- 
ters to pass through the lire,"' and used divination 
and enchantments.-'' and sold themselves to do evil 
in the sight of the Lord, to jirovokc him to anger .^' 

18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Is- 
rael, and removed them out of his sight: there 
was none left but the trilie of Judah only.'- 

19 Also Judah kcjit not the conimandmcnts of 
the Lord their God," Init walked iu the statutes 
of Israel which Ihey made. 

20 And the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel,'' 
and afflicted them, and delivered them into the 
hand of spoilers,"" until he had cast them out of 
his sight. 

21 For he rent Israel from the house of David;'' 
and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: 
and Jerolioam drave Israel from following the 
Lord, and made them sin a great sin.'' 

22 For the children of Israel Avalked in all the 
sins of Jeroboam which he did ; they departed 
not from them ; 

23 Until the Lord removed Israel out of his 
sight, as he had said by all his servants the proph- 
ets.' So was Israel carried away out of their own 
land to Assyria unto this day.^ 



Prov, 29:1: Isa. 4d:4; .ler. 7;2fi. 1 Jer. S:9. m Deut. 29:2.'), 26. • Dent. 
8:17. 13; Jer. 44:2.-). oDeut. 32:21; ISam. 12:21; 1 Kings 16:13. pjonih 
2:8; Rom. 1:21. q Deut. 12:31), 31. r Exnd. :)2:4, H. ■ 1 Kingi 12:28. 
1 1 Kins 14:15, -23; 15:13. " Jcr. 8:2. v 1 Kings 16:31; 22:53. w ch. 
16:3; Lev. 18:21 : Ezek. 21:37. x Deut. 1S:1U. y 1 Kings 21:21). « 1 Kingi 
11:13, 32. » Jer. 3:.-*. b Jer. 6:30. « ch. 1.3:3; l.>:29; Neh. 9:27, 2e. 
<l I Kings 11:11. e 1 Kings 12:2(1. 28. f 1 Kings 14:10. e ver. 0. 



province situated on this river. Some, however, placo 
Habor and Gozan farther east. 

9. From tlic tower of the watchmen, to the fenced city ; that 
is, from the least to the greatest of their dwelling-places, 
the tower of the watchmen being a solitary building, where 
only the watchman and his de])eiidents lived. 

10. Groves; here, as often elsewhere, the original word 
means an image of Astarte. So below, ver. 16; chap. 
18:4, etc. 

l.*). Vanity; here used, as frequently elsewhere, to de- 
scribe idolatry. 

18. The tribe of Judah only; comprehending at this time 
the tribe of Benjamin. 



The idolatrous 



■xhip 



2 KINGS XVIII. 



of the Samaritans. 



A. M. s.iai. 24 1l And the king of Assj-ria brought 
' Kfi" ° " men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and 
from Ava," and from Hamath, and from Scphar- 
vaim, and ])Iaccd thcvi in the cities of ?araaria 
instead of the children of Israel:" and they pos- 
sessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.'' 

25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwell- 
ing there, that they feared not the Lord: there- 
fore the Loud sent lions among them,'' which slew 
some of them. 

26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, 
saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and 
placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the man- 
ner of the God of the land : therefore he hath sent 
lions among them, and behold, they slay them, be- 
cause they know not the manner of the God of the 
land. 

27 Tlien the king of Assyria commanded, say- 
ing, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye 
brought from thence ; and let them go and dwell 
there, and let him teach them the manner of the 
God of the land. 

28 Then one of the priests whom they had car- 
ried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Beth- 
el, and taught them how they should fear the Lord. 

29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their 
own,'' and put them in the houses of the high 
places which tlie Samaritans had made, every na- 
tion in their cities wherein they dwelt. 

30 And the men of Babylon made Succoth-bo- 
noth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the 
men of Hamath made Ashima," 

31 Anil the Avitcs made Nibhaz and Tartak,'' 
and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire 
to Adraramelech and Anammelcch, the gods of 
Sepharvaim.^' 

32 So they feared the Lord, and made unto 
themselves of the lowest of them priests of the 
high places," which sacrificed for them in the 
houses of the high places. 

33 They feared the Lord, and seuved their own 





Ivalt, 


I'h 


ie:34. 


avfi 


. -M. 


b Ez 


M.4-;' 


U 


' IKi 


,a3l:J:-Jli 


Jer. 5:0; 


V. 


ck. N 


:>! 


i Mio 


4-.i. 


e V 


sr.;«. 


1 K7 


nA 


9. S Deut. 12:31. 


h 1 Kings 


1-J 


31. . 


ve 


. 41; Z 


ph. 


:5. 


t Ur, 


who 


art 


'ed tlum 


awny fr 


tn tlience. 



24. Cuthah — Ava — Hamath — Sepliarvaim ; provinces of 
Assyria north-east of Palestine. 

26. The manner of the God; the proper way of worship- 
ping him. 

30,31. Succoth-benoth — Nergal — Ashima — Nibhaz and Tar- 
tak; names of different heathen gods. 

33. Feared the Lord, and served their own gods ; they feared 
Jeliovah. not as the only true God, with filial reverence 
and obedience to all his commands, but only as one god — 
the god of that particular land — among many other gods. 
Supposing tliat he had special power in his own land, 
they feared his wrath and sought to appease him with 
outward services, while they still clung each to the wor- 
ship of his own god. 

34. They fear not the Lord; not with a true fear and love, 
as the only true Cod. After their statutes; after their own 
idolatrous statutes. Their religion is neither the pure 
worship of Jehovah, nor pure idolatry, but a mixture of the 
two. This people are supposed to have been the ancestors 
of the Samaritans mentioned in the New Testament. 

INSTRUCTION'S. 
2. Some sinners are less atrociously wicked than others ; 
yet none are so innocent as not to deserve all the evils 
they suffer in this world, and still more dreadful evils in 
the world to come. 



gods,' after the manner of the nations whom they 
cari'ied away from thence* 

3'1 Unto this day they do after the former man- 
ners : they fear not the Lord, neither do they after 
their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the 
law and commandmcut which the Lord comnumd- 
cd the children of Jacob,-* whom he named Israel ; 

35 With whom the Lord had made a covenant, 
and charged them, saying. Ye shall not fear other 
gods,'' nor bow yourselves to thera, nor serve 
them, nor sacrifice to them:' 

36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of 
the land of Egypt with great power and a stretch- 
cd-out arm,"' him shall ye fear," and him shall ye 
worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. 

37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and 
the law, and the commandment, which he wrote 
for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore;" 
and ye shall not fear other gods. 

38 And the covenant that I have made with 
you ye shall not forget;'' neither shall ye fear 
other gods. 

39 But the Lord your God ye shall fear; and 
he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your 
enemies. 

40 Howbeit they did not hearken,'' but they did 
after their former manner. 

41 So these nations feared the Lord, and served 
their graven images,'' both their children and their 
children's children: as did their fathers, so do 
they unto this day. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 Hezeltiah's good reign. 4 He destroyetli idolntry, and prospereth. 9 
Samaria is carried captive for their sins. 13 Sennacherib invading 
Judah is pacified by a tribute. 17 Rab-shafjeh, sent by Seniiaclierib 
a^ain. revileth Hezekiah, and by blasphemous persuasions soliciteth 
the people to revolt. 

NOW it came to ]uss in the third year of Ho- 
shea son of Elali king of Israel, that Hczeki- 
ah* the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 



iGen.S-JtaS. k Judg. 0:10. lExod.20:5. 
o Dent. 5:3-3. P Deut. 4:'2:3. q Jer. \J:-i3. 
Ezekins, Matt. 1:9; S Chr. 2S:a7 «):I. 



:<jd.O:(i. n Dent. 10:20. 
r. 32, 33. 1 He is called 



G. Though God bears long with guilty nations, if they 
repent not of their iniquities he will eventually destroy 
them. 

9. Wicked as are the outward actions of men, their 
secret conduct is often much worse, and has greater influ- 
ence in drawing down upon them the just judgments of 
heaven. 

13. Men do not go to destruction without warning from 
God, and their disregard of him and his threatenings is 
among the chief causes of their ruin. 

17. No wickedness is so great that it may not be com- 
mitted by those who have light, but reject it ; who know 
the will of God, and yet refuse to do it. 

25. Even the heathen, though not as guilty as sinners 
under the gospel, know, or have the means of knowing, 
enough of God to render them guilty in not obeying him. 

29. Though unconverted heathen may be brought to 
pay a kind of reluctant outward liomage to Jehovah, yet 
without his grace their hearts will cleave to their idols, 
and they will still make and worship the gods to which 
they have been accustomed. 

40. No instruction in the knowledge and worship of God 
will of itself lead men to love and obey him, or prevent 
them from practising those sins which provoke him to 
destroy them. 

459 



llcztkiah'S good reign. 



2 KINGS Will. 



SennacJierib's invasion. 



2 Twoiity and five years old was lie whfii lie 
bcjrUn to icifrii; ami Im- n-i^nicd tws'iity and iiiiii; 
years in Jcrusali'iii. His nmllicr's name also icas 
Abi,' tiie dauiriiier of Zathariali. 

3 And lie did titaf w/iich was rifjlit in tlie sight 
of tlio Loud, according to all that David his father 
did. 

4 " lie removed the high places, and brake the 
imaires.' and cut down the groves, and brake in 
pieces the lirazen serpent tiiat Mose^ liad made: ' 
ibr unto tliosc days the children of Israel did burn 
incense to it: and lie called it Nehnslitan.* 

5 He trnsted in the Lord God of Israel; so 
that after him was none like him anK)ng all the 
kings of Judaii,'' nor anij that were bcfoi-c him. 

G Fov he clave to the Loito,'' and dc|)arted not 
from following him,^ but kcjit his commandments, 
wliicli the LoKD commanded Moses. 

7 And the Lohd was with him;'' a?id he pros- 
pered wliitiiersoever he went fortii:'' and he re- 
belled against the king of Assyria, and served 
him not.' 

8 He smote thcPiiilistines, even unto Gaza,' and 
the borders thereof, from the tower of the watch- 
men to the fenced city. 

9 M And it came to pass in the fourth year of 
king Ilezekiah, which was the seventh year of 
Hoshca sou of Elah king of Israel, f/ial Shalmane- 
ser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and 
besieged it.^ 

10 And at the end of three years they took it: 
even in the sixth year of Ilezekiah, tliat is, the ninth 
year of Iloshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 

11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Is- 
rael unto Assyria," and put them in Halah and in 
Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of 
the Mcdes: 

12 Because they obeyed not tlie voice of the 
Lord their God,' but transgressed his covenant, 
and all that Moses the servant of tiie Lord com- 
manded, and would not hear them, nor do them. 

13 1l Now in the fourteenth year of king Heze- 
kiah did Sennacherib' king of Assyria come up 
against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took 
tlicm.' 

14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king 
of Assyria to Lachisli, saying, I have oflendcd ; 
return from me: that Avhich thou puttest on me 
will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed 



' Aiijali.-'Cttr.-XIA. 1 Heb. statues, a Num. 31:0. ITh-jt is, A pica of 
brass, boh. aivM. c Deut. 10:21); Josh. 2:):a i Heb. after /lim. ■! 1 Sam. 
ls:14; 2Cnr. I5:i e Psa 00: 1-2: Rom. 8:31. f ch. 1():7. I Hub. Azzah. 
tch. 17:!, etc. h 1 Chr. 5: -.'B. i Neb. 8:26, 27; Psa. 107: 17; Dan. 0:0. 10. 
1 Heb. Sanherib. i 2 Chr. 32:1. etc.; Isa. 36:1, etc. k ch. 16:M. * Heb. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

2. Twenty anil five years old; he was, accordingly, born 
when Ahaz was eleven years old, or perhaps, making al- 
lowance for portions of years, when he was twelve years 
old. See chap. 1G:2. This is not impossible, though some 
think an error of transcribing has found its way into the 
account respecting either Ahaz or Hezekiah. 

4. Neku-i'ttan; meaning a piece of brass. 

9. In the fourth year of king Hezekiah ; if we suppose that 
tlie fourth year of Hezekiah fell partly in the sixth and 
partly in the seventh year of Hoshea, then the sixth year 
of Hezekiah would coincide with the last part of the eighth 
and the beginning of the ninth year of Hoshea. 
460 



unto Ilczi-kiah king of .Fiidah three hun- '^ii*','^?^';i 
dif'd tah'nts of silver and thirty talents of iro],l. 

l.j And Hezekiah gave /lim all the silver that 
was found in the house of the LuuD, and in the 
treasures of the king's house.'' 

10 At that time did Hezekiah cut olV (/le f^o/d 
from the doorsof the tem|ileof the Lord, andyz-wn 
the pillars which Ilezekiah king of Judali had 
overlaid, and gave it* to the king of A.^syria. 

17 'i And the king of A.-syria sent Tartan' and 
Rabsaris and Rab-shakeh i'rom Lachisli to king 
Hezekiah with a great* host against Jerusalem: 
and they went up and came to Jerusalem. And 
when they were come u]), they came and stood by 
the conduit of the njiper pool, which is in the high- 
way of the fuller's lield.'" 

18 And when they had called to the king, there 
came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which 
teas over the household, and Shebna the scribe,* 
and Joali the son of Asaph the recorder. 

1!) And Rab-shakeh said unto them, Speak ye 
now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the 
king of Assyria, What coniidencc is this wherein 
thou trustest? 

20 Thou sayest,* (but fhey are but vain words,') 
/ /lave counsel and strength ibr the war.^ Now 
on whom dost thou trust, that thou rcbellest 
against luc? 

21 Now, behold, thou trustest* upon the staff of 
this bruised reed," even upon Egypt, on which if a 
man lean, it will go into his hand and pierce it: 
so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust 
on him. 

22 But if ye say nnto me. We trust in the Lord 
our God : is not that he, whose high places and 
whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away," and hath 
said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship 
before this altar in Jerusalem? 

23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges* to 
my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver 
thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy 
part to set riders upon them. 

24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of 
one captain of the least of my master's servants, 
and put thy trust ou Egypt for chariots and for 
horsemen? 

25 Am I now come up without the Lord against 
this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, 
Go up against this land, and destroy it." 



t/iem. 


1 Isa 


20:1. t Heb. heavy. 


B Isa. 7:.3. 


1 Or. secretary. 


Ulr 


inlir. 


est. I 


Hpb. 


word of the 


lips. 1 Or. But coun 


«/ and strength a 


re t< 


rihe 


war. 


• Heb 


trustest the 


e. n Ezek 


211:6, 7. 


ver. 4j 2 Chr. 31 


:l. 


t Or, 


Aostag 


s. Pisa. 10:5,6; 


Amos 3:6; 


John 19:10 


11. 







10. At the end of three years; not necessarily three com- 
plete years, but a space of time occupying one whole year 
and part of two others. Compare our Lord's declarations 
respecting the time that he should lie in the grave. Matt. 
12:40; Mark 8:31. 

14. Lachish ; a fortified city in the south part of Judah. 

17. The upper pool; on the west side of the city. 

22. Wliose altars Hezekiah hath taken away ; either through 
ignorance or malice he represents the reformation in relig- 
ion that Hezekiah had effected as an affront to Jehovah, 
as if he had thus sought to diminish the honor paid to 
Him. 

25. The Lord said to me ; an impious falsehood, by which 
he sought to intimidate the people. 



Rabshakeh's llasplicmics. 



2 KINGS XIX. 



His mcssai'c to Ilczckiak. 



B.-c'Tm"'- 2G Then said Eliakim the son of Hilki- 
ah, and Shebna, and Joali, unto Rab-?liakoli, Speak, 
I pray tlice, to tliy servants in the Syrian lan- 
guas^e; for wo understand it: and talk not with 
us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people 
tliat arc on tlic wall. 

27 But Rab-shakeh said unto tliom, Hath my 
master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak 
these words? hath he not sent me to the men which 
sit on the wall, that they may cat their own dung," 
and drink their own piss* with you? 

28 Then Rab-shakeh stood and cried witli a loud 
voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear 
the word of the great king, the king of Assyria: 

29 Thus saith the king. Let not Hezekiah deceive 
you:'' for he shall not be able to deliver you out 
of his hand : 

30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the 
LoiiD,'' saying. The Lord will surely deliver us, 
and tliis city shall not be delivered into the hand 
of the king of Assyria."* 

31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the 
king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a 
present,^ and come out to me, and then eat ye every 
man of his own vine, and every one of his fig-tree, 
and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern : * 

32 Until I come and take you away to a land 
like year own land, a land of corn and wine, a 
land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil-olive 
and of honey ,"= that ye may live, and not die: and 
hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth^ 
yoii, saying. The Lord will deliver us. 

33 Hathany of thegodsof the nations delivered at 
all his land outof tliehand of the king of Assyria?'' 

34: Where arc the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad ?" 
where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah ?' 
have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? 

35 Who are they among all the gods of the coun- 
tries, that have delivered their country out of my 
hand,*" that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem 
out of my hand ? 

36 But the people held their peace, and answered 
him not a word : ' for the king's commandment 
was, saying, Answer him not. 

37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which 
was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, 
and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Heze- 
kiah with their clothes rent,J and told him the 
words of Rab-shakeh. 



» Lam. 4:5; Ezek. 4:15. • Heb. l/ie water of titeir feet, b Psa. 73:S, 9. 
<■ Psa. 11:1; 2-2:7, 8; 12.5:1, 2. d 2 Thess. 2:4,8. t Or. Seek my favor ; 
Hab. Make with >m a blessing; Gen.32:2U; 33:11; Prov. 18:16. 1 Or. pi!, 
t Deal. 8:7, 8. i Or, deceivelli. fch. 19:12, 13; Isa. 10:10, 11. ejer. 49:23. 
I Ava, ch. 17:34. h ch. 19:17, IS; Dan. 3:15. i Pro». 20:4; Amos 5:13. 



27. Eat their own dung; in the extremity of the famine 
which he threatened to bring upon them. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. Confidence in God is tlie best safeguard in danger, 
and the surest means of all desirable prosperity and suc- 
cess. 

12. The wickcil often succeed, not on account of their 
worthiness, but on account of the wickedness of those 
over whom they triumph. 

25. Success emboldens men in transgression, and they 
sometimes claim that they please God, because he sufFers 
them for a time to prosper in their sins. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



1 Hezekiah mourning; sendeth to Isaiah to pmy for them. C Isaiah 
comforteth them. 8 Sennaciicrib, going to encounter Tirhakah, send- 
eth a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah. 14 Hezekiah's pntyer. 20 
Isaiah's prophecy of the pride and destruction of Sennacherib, and the 
good of Z:on. J.3 An angel shiyeth the Assyrians. 36 Sennacherib 
is slain at Nineveli by liis own sons. 

AND it came to pass, when king Hezekiah 
heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered 
himself with sackcloth, and went into the house 
of tiie Lord.'' 

2 And he sent Eliakim, w/n'c/i was over the house- 
hold, and Shebna tlie scribe, and the elders of the 
priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah^ the 
prophet the son of Amoz. 

3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, 
This day is a day of trouble,' and of rebuke, and 
blasphemy :* for the children are come to the birth, 
and there is not strength to bring forth. 

4 It may be the Lord thy God will hear all the 
words of Rab-shakeh,"' whom the king of Assyria 
his master hath sent to reproach the living God ;" 
and will reprove the words which the Lord thy 
God hath heard :" wherefore lift up thy prayer for 
the remnant that arc left.+P 

5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to 
Isaiah. 

6 IF And Isaiah said unto them. Thus shall ye 
say to your master. Thus saith the Lord, Be not 
afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with 
which the servants of the king of Assyria have 
blasphemed me.i 

7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him,'' and he 
shall hear a rumor, and shall return to his own 
land ; and I will cause him to fall by the sword 
in his own land.'* 

8 IT So Rab-shakeh returned, and found the king 
of Assyria warring against Libnah: for he had 
heard that he was departed from Lachish.' 

9 And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of 
Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against 
thee;" he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, 
saying, 

10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of 
Judah. saying. Let not thy God in whom thou 
trustest deceive thee,^' saying, Jerusalem shall not 
be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria. 

11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of 
Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them 
utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 



ilsa. 33:7. kisa. 37:1, etc. H Called £soia«, Luke 3:4. I Jer. 30:7. 'Or. 
provocation. n> ch. 18:17. n Psa. 74:18. o Psa. 50:21. t Heb. found. 
. — _..„„-_, ,. . . _ 35-37. t oh 1S:14. " l Sam. 



35. Ascribing to creatures or to false gods what be- 
longs only to Jehovah, and pretending that it is as vain 
to trust in him as in them, is a sure way to provoke his 
wrath. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

3. Come to the birth — not strength to bring forth ; it is a 
day of prolonged anguish, from which we have no strengtli 
to deliver ourselves. 

7. A blast ; the original may mean either a wind, that is. 
a pestilential blast to destroy his army, or a spirit, that 
is, of consternation, ver. 9. 

•S. Lihnnh; one of the fortified cities of Judah. 
461 



Isaiah's prophtcy. 



2 KINGS XIX. 



SennaJierib's ruin. 



12 lliivo the pods of tlio nations dclivi'ied tlicin 
wliii'li my I'litlKTs Iimvc tic.-tmycil ;' as (io/an.and 
Uiiraii, and Ifozcpli, and tlic cliildrcn of Kden 
wliii'h were in 'riiclasar?'' 

i;{ Wliorc is the kinir of Hanialli, and tlic kinj? 
of Arpud. and tlii^ king of tiic city of Sci)iiarvaini, 
of UniM. and Ivah?. 

It *i And Ili'zckiah received tlie lottor of llic 
liand of llic ni('-;*on<rcrs, and read it: and lleze- 
kiuh went np into the iiouse of tlic Loud, and 
spread it before tlie Lord. 

l.T And Ilezekiali prayed before tlie LoiM).'' and 
paid. LoiiD God of Israel, which dwellest 6c- 
(irri/t ilie eherubiin,'' thou art the (lod, ivoi thou 
alone, of all the kinirdoni.s of the eartii ;'' thou hast 
nuulo heaven and earth.' 

1() Loud, bow down thine ear, and hear :" o])en, 
Loud, thine eye?, and see:'' and hear the words 
of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach 
the living God. 

IT Of a truth. Lord, the kings of Assyria have 
de.-troyed the nations and their lands, 

18 And have cast* their gods into the fire: for 
they tcere no gods, but the work of men's hands, 
wood and stone:' therefore they have destroyed 
tlieni. 

ly Novr therefore, Loud our God, 1 l)cseech 
thee, save thou us out of his hand, tiiat all the 
kingdoms of the eartli may know that thou art the 
LoKD God, even thou only.-" 

20 T Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to llezc- 
kiah, saying. Thus saith tlie Loud God of Israel, 
That whicli thou hast prayed to me against Sen- 
nacherib king of Assyria I have licard." 

21 This is the word that the Lord hath spoken 
concerning him: The virgin the daughter of Zion 
hath despised thee,' and laughed thee to scorn; the 
daugliter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at 
thee.'" 

22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? 
and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, 
and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the 
Holy One of Israel." 

23 By * thy messengers thou hast reproached the 
Loud, and hast said. With the multitude of my 
chariots I am come up to the height of the moun- 
tains," to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down 



« Ch. 1«:33, 34. b Ezek. 27:2:1. ' 2 Chr. .32:20. d 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Clir. 
5:7.8. e 1 Kins3l3:.39; Ua. 44:6. ' Psi. 102:25. ePsa, 31:2. h 2 Clir. 
«:40. • lleh. given, i Psa. 115:4, etc.; Isa. 44:10, etc. J 1 Kini;s 2U:2a. 
kPsa.65:2. lLam.2:13. m Job lli:4: Lam. 2: 15. n Isa. 5:24; Jcr. 51:5. 
t Heb. Bi/ Ike /land of. o Psa. 20:7. 1 Heb. the taltness. i Or. ihe forest 
and hisfruitfulfieU; Isa. 10:18. I Or, fenced, p Isa. 45:7. 1 Or, Hast 



21. The daughter of Zion; the church of God that had 
its centre in Jerusalem. 

23. Cut down the tall cedar-trees ; the desolation of Leba- 
non, the most conspicuous object of Palestine, figuratively 
represents the conquest of the -whole land, the desolation 
of its fenced cities, and the subjugation of its king and 
princes. The lodgings of his borders ; or, its extreme lodges, 
its most remote recesses. The forest of his Carmel; the 
word Carmel here signifies a park of goodly trees, inter- 
spersed witli fertile gardens. 

24. Have digged — dried up; neither the want of water, as 
in marching through deserts, nor its abundance, as in the 
arms of the Nile, by which the cities of Egyptare defended, 
can arrest my course. " Strange waters " are either wells 
in foreign lands which he will dig for his armv, thus pos- 

462 



(he tall' eedar-trees tliereof and the choice ^n'V'm 
lir-trees thereof: and 1 will cntir into the lodgings 
of his borders, and into the forest • of his Carmel. 

24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and 
with the sole of my feet have 1 dried up all the 
riv(>rs of besieged places. 

2.'3 Hast thou not heard long ago hoio I have done 
it,'' a7id of ancient times that 1 have formed it? 
now iiave I brought it to pass, that thou siiouldcst 
be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous lieaps.^ 

2(\ Therefore their inhabitants were of small 
power,* they were dismayed and confounded ; they 
were as the grass of the field, and as the green 
herb, as the grass on the house-tops,'' and as corn 
blasted before it be grown np. 

27 But I know thy abode,* and thy going out. 
and thy coming in, and thy rage against me. 

28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult 
is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put 
my hook in thy nose,'' and my bridle in thy lips, 
and I will turn thee back by the way by which 
thou camest. 

29 And this shall be a sign unto tliee. Ye shall 
eat this year such things as grov^ of themselves, 
and in the second year that which springeth of the 
same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and 
plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. 

30 And the remnant that is e.-caped of the house 
of Judali* shall yet again take root downward, 
and bear fruit upward. 

31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a rem- 
nant," and they that escape^ out of mount Zion: 
the zeal of the Loud of hosts shall do this. 

32 Therefore thus saith the Loud concerning the 
king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, 
nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with 
shield, nor cast a bank against it. 

33 By the way that he came, by the same shall 
he return, and shall not come into this city, saith 
the Lord. 

34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for 
mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.' 

35 T And it came to pass that night, that the 
angel of the Loud went out, and smote in the camji 
of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thou- 
sand : and when they arose early in the morning, 
behold, they were all dead corpses." 



thou not heard Iiow / have made it long ago. and formed it of ancient tiniest 
.'should I now firing it to be laid waste, and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps? 
• Heh. short of hand, q P.-ia. 120:6. 1 Oi, silling. rEzek.:W:4. ! Heb. 
the escaping of the house of Judah that remaiiielh. » ver. 4. J Heb. the 
escaping, t ch. 20:6. u 2 Chron. 32:21; Isa. 37:36. 



sessinghimself of the country, or waters unknown to others. 
All the rivers of besieged places; or, as we may render, all the 
canals of Egypt, which served for its defence. 

2.'5. / have done it ; the Lord had suffered him to accom- 
plish what he had done, and it was aU in the fulfilment of 
the purposes of Jehovah. 

28. Will put my Itook in thy nose; as men tame ferocious 
beasts and lead them at their pleasure. 

29. A sign unto thee; to Hezekiali and his people. This 
year — the second year; the land was possessed and deso- 
lated by the enemy. Agriculture had been already inter- 
rupted for more tlian a year. The present year there had 
been no seed-time, so that there would be no harvest fur 
the following year. 

35. Tliey arose; those who were spared. They were all 



IIczekiaKs siclcness and recovery. 



2 KINGS XX. 



The CO plicily foretold. 



B.aT^™' 3G SoSennaclieribkiiigofAssyriadopart- 
ed, aud went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh." 
37 And it came to pass, as he was worsiiipping 
in the house of Nisroch his god, tliat Adraninic- 
lech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the 
sword:'' and tliey escaped into the land of Arme- 
nia.* And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his 
stead." 

CHAPTER XX. 

I Hezelviah. having received a message of death, by prayer hath his life 
lengthened. 8 The sun goeth ten degrees backward for a sign of that 
promise. 12 Beroda?h-baIad.an sending to visit Hezekiah because of 
the wonder, iiath notiee of iiis treasures. ]4 Isaiah unJersUanding 
thereof foretelleth the Babylonian captivity. 20 Manasseh succeedetii 
Hezekiah. 

IN tiioso days was Hezekiah sick unto death.'' 
And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came 
to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, 
Sot thy house in order ;'' for thou shalt die, and not 
live. 

2 Then he turned his face to the wall, aud prayed 
unto the Lord, saying, 

3 I beseech tliee, Lord, remember*^ now how 
I have walked before thee in truth and with a 
perfect heart,' aud iiave done that which is good 
in thy sight.*^ And Hezekiah wept sore.* 

4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out 
into the middle court,^ that the word of the Lord 
came to him, saying, 

•5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of 
my people," Thus saith the Lord, the God of David 
thy father, I have heard thy prayer,' I have teon 
thy tear,?:' behold, I will heal thee:'' on the third 
day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord. 

6 And I will add unto tliy days fifteen years; 
and I will deliver thee and this city out of tlie 
hand of the king of Assyria ; and I will defend 
this city for mine own sake, and for my servant 
David's sake.' 

7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they 
took and laid it on the boil, aud he recovered. 



house; 2 Sam. 17:33. e Neh. 13:2i fGen. 17:1; 1 Kings 3:6. ech. 18:3- 
6. I K'ti. with a great weeping. % Or, city, h 1 Sam. 0:1G; 1U:1. i ch. 
19:20; Fsa. 6li:19, 20. J Psa. 39:12; 56:8; 126:5. k Deut. 32:39. 1 ch. 



dead; those who had, the night before, been smitten by 
tlie angel of the Lord. 
37. Ntsroch; an idol god. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. God is the unfailing resource of his people. In times 
of trouble they repair to him, and find him to be a very 
present and all-sufficient helper. 

4. Jehovah is a prayer-hearing God ; and his people not 
only call on him themselves, but desire the prayers of 
others, especially such as are distinguished by his pres- 
ence and favor. 

6. Those who trust in the Lord, and so fear as to obey 
him, have no reason to fear any others, but may expect in 
due time his effectual aid. 

12. Because the idols in which the wicked trusted have 
not delivered them, some conclude that Jehovah will not 
deliver his people, and treat him as if he could do no more, 
for or against them, than gods of wood and of stone. 

19. Jehovah will show tiiat he is the one only living and 
true (Jod, and that those who exalt themselves he is able 
to abase ; and will cfToctually protect and provide for all 
who trust in him. 



8 T And Htizekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall 
be the sign that Ihe Luim) will heal me,'" and that 
I shall go up into tlie house of the Lord the third 
day? 

9 And Isaiah said. This sign shalt thou have of 
the Lord, tliat the Lord will do the thing that he 
hath spoken : shall the shadow go forward ten 
degrees, or go back ten degrees? 

10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing 
for the shadow to go down ten degrees : nay, but 
let the shadow return backward ten degrees. 

11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: 
and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward," 
by which it had gone down in the dial' of Aliaz. 

12 At tiiat time licrodach-baladan,"^ the son of 
Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a pres- 
ent unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Heze- 
kiah had been sick.° 

13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and 
showed them all the house of his precious tilings," 
the silver, and the gold, and the spices," and the 
precious ointment, and all the house of his armor.' 
and all that was found in his treasures:'' there 
was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, 
tiiat Hezekiah showed them not. 

14 1[ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king 
Hezekiah, and said unto him. What said these 
men? and from whence came they unto thee? And 
Hezekiah said. They arc come from a far country, 
even from Babylon. 

1-5 And he said. What have they seen in thy 
house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things 
that are in my house have they seen:"" there is 
nothing among my treasures that I have not 
showed them. 

16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the 
word of the Lord. 

17 Behold, the days come, lliat all tiiat is in thy 
house, and that which thy fathers liave laid up in 
store unto this day, shall be carried unto Baby- 
lon :** nothing shall be left, saith the Lord. 



19:34. m Judg. 6:17, 37; Isa. 7:11,14. n Josh. 10:12. I Heb. degrees. 
? Ot, Meroctach-baladan. o Isa. 39:1, etc. ' Or, spicery. P 2Chr. 32:27. 
\ Or, jeioets; B.<ih. vessels, q Prov. 23:5. r ver. 13. » ch. 24:13; 25:1.1; 
Lev. 26:19; Jer. 27:21 j 52:17. 



25. The exploits of the wicked are onlj' a fulfilment of u 
part of the plan of Jehovah ; and when he sees fit he can 
dash them in pieces as a potter's vessel, or cause them in 
his own way and time to come to an ignominious and 
miserable end. 

29. To his people God affords evidence that it is safe to 
trust in him, and to wait upon him in humble supplication : 
for in due time all his promises will be fulfilled. 

35. Armies are as dependent on God as individuals ; he 
keeps the breath in their nostrils, and can at any time 
take it away and leave them all dead corpses. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. Sick unto death; with a deadly disease. 

7. The boil; with which Hezekiah was afflicted, and which, 
if God had not interposed, would have been mortal. 

9. The sliadow; the shadow on the sun-dial, ver. 11; Isa. 
38:8. 

13. Showed litem all tlie house of his preciom thitigs — all that 
um.<<fottnd in hix treasures; in this he was manifestly elated 
with vanity, and God accordingly forewarned him of the 
judgments that should come from Babylon upon his fam- 
ily. Compare 2 Chron. 32:31. 

■163 



Man/iistJi's grtat wicktdntss. 



2 KINGS XXr. 



Preilicllons ai'aliist Jiidah. 



18 And of tliy sons lliat sliall issue frnin Hipp, 
which thou shall Iicl'-cI. shall they lako away ;" and 
thev sliall he (ninuchs in tlio paiacc of the king of 
Babylon.'' 

1!) TliPu said Uezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the 
word of the Loun, which thou hast spoken." And 
he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be' in 
my days? 

20 'And the rest of the acts of Uezekiah, and 
all Ids niiLdit, and how he made a ])Ool,'' and a con- 
duit, and brouirht water into the city," are liiey 
not wiiitiMi in the book of the Chronicles of the 
kinjrs of .Iiidah? 

'21 And Uezekiah slept with his fathers: and 
Mauassch his son reigned in his stead. 

CIIAPTEIl XXI. 

I ManMSfh's reign. 3 His great idolatry. 10 His wiclicdncss causet!i 
prophecies against Jiidah. 17 Amon succeedetli him. 19 Anion's 
wiciied reign. 23 He being slain by liis servants, and those murder- 
ers slain by the people, Josiali is made king. 

]\ /rANASSEH icas twelve years old when he 
J.V_L Itegan to reign, and reigned fifty and five 
years in Jerusalem.'' And his mother's name jvas 
Ilephzi-bah. 

2 And he did that rnhic/i was evil in the sight of 
the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen,*' 
wliom the Lord cast out before the children of 
Israel. 

i5 For he built up again the high plaees whicli 
Hezekiah his lather had destroyed ;" and he reared 
up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Aliab 
king of Israel;' and worshipped all the host of 
heaven, and served them.' 

4 And he built altars in the house of the Lord,'' 
of which the Lord said, la Jerusalem will I put 
my name.' 

.5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven 
ill the two courts of the house of the Lord. 



aCh.ai;12; SChr. 33:11. bDin.l:3. cJobl:21. • Or. Shall tliere not 
be peace and truth? <INeh.3:16. c 2 Chr. 32:30. f 2 Chr. 33:1, etc. ech. 
16:.). h ch. 1S:4. i 1 Kings 16:32. J eh 17: 16; Deut. 4:19; Job 31 :26. 
"■Jer. 32:34. lKings8:29. m ch. 16:3; 17:17; Micah 0:7. n Deut. 18:1U. 
o2Sam.7:13. PlKing59:3. q2Sam.7:10. rprov.29:12. » ch. 23:26, 



IS. TAf/sojJs; that is, thy descendants. The threatening 
was Utemlly fulfilled in the case of Daniel and his compan- 
ions, who were " of the king's seed." Dan. 1 : 3. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. In every situation men are liable to sickness and 
death. They should therefore have all their affairs so 
arranged, as to be habitually prepared to leave this world 
and enter on the retributions of eternity. 

5. Prayer is often a means of removing sickness which 
would otherwise prove mortal, and inducing the Lord to 
continue life when he would otherwise have taken it away. 

7. The fact that diseases are God's servants, and that 
they come and go at his bidding, should never supersede 
the use of appropriate means, or lead us in any measure 
to neglect them. 

II. The Lord gives abundant evidence of the truth of 
his promises, that his people may trust his word without 
fear of being disappointed. 

13. Even good men are liable to be elated with their 
lilessings, to seek applause, and so display their acquisi- 
tions as to displease the Lord. 

IC. The Lord will cifcctually humble the pride of his 
people, take off their hearts from transitory, uncertain 
riches, and lead them to trust alone in Him who giveth 
them richly all things to enjoy, and who can at any time 
take av.-av what he has given. 
464 



(> .Viid he made his son pass through the .^.M. .•««:, 

,, ,,, , , , ,. ' , '^1 U r .bo... 

lire,'" and ol)served tunes, and used en- «& 
cliantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and 
wizards:" he wrought iiiiicli wickedness in the 
siglit of the LoitD, to provoke /lim to anger. 

7 And he set a graven image of the grove that 
he had made in the lioiise, of which IIk; Lord said 
to Oavid," and to Solomon his son,'' in this house, 
and in .Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all 
the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for cvci-: 

8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move 
any more out of the land which I gave their fa- 
thers;'' only if they will observe to do according 
to all that 1 have commanded them, and according 
to all the law that my servant Moses commanded 
them, 

9 But they hearkened not: and Manas,sch se- 
duced them to do more evil than did the nations 
whom the Lord destroyed before the children of 
Israel.'' 

10 "i^ And the Lord spake by his servants the 
proiihcts, saying, 

11 Becau.se Manasseh king of Judah hath done 
these abominations," andhnth done wickedly above 
all that the Amorites did,' which were before him. 
and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: 

12 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel. 
Behold, 1 am bringing svch evil upon Jerusalem 
and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his 
cars shall tingle." 

13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line 
of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of 
Ahab:" and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wip- 
eth a dish,"' wiping it, and turning it upside 
down.* 

14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine in- 
heritance,'' and deliver them into the hand of their 
enemies;* and they shall become a prey and a 
spoil to all their enemies ; 



27; 24:.3, 4: Jcr. 15:4. I ver. 9; 1 Kings 21:20, » 1 Sam. 3:11 : Jer. 19:3; 
Amos 3:2. " Isa. 1U:22; 34:11; Lam. 2:8; Amos 7:7,8. " I Kings 14:1«. 
t Heb. fie wipeth and lurnelh it vpon the fate thtrtof. « Psa. 89::Jd, etc.; 
Jer. 12:7; Amos 5:2. y Psa. 74:1-7. 



19. However trying the dispensations of Providence, 
pious men will submit to them; knowing that God has 
the best of reasons for all which he does, and doeth all 
things well. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

6. Observed times; or, practised divination. Divination 
and witchcraft, in all their varied forms, were parts of the 
ancient system of idolatry, as they are of modern systems. 

12. Botit hif: ears sliall tingle; at the dreadfulness of the 
judgments which God would bring upon them. 

13. The line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house of 
Altab; the line and the plummet are here the symbols of 
God's exact justice in the judgments he inflicts on the 
wicked. Compare Amos 7:7-9. The meaning of the figure 
is, that God will execute upon Judah and Jerusalem the 
same righteous judgments that he has sent upon Samaria 
and the house of Ahab. Wipe Jerusalem; wipe out its 
inhabitants and its wealth, and utterly overturn it. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Men from religious families sometimes commit wick- 
edness far beyond others who have not had pious instruc- 
tion and example. 

9. Those who break over the restraints of a pious edu- 
cation and become abandoned in wickedness, often go to 



Reigns of Anion and Josiah. 



2 KINGS XXII. 



The hooli vf the law found. 



A. M. 3?flG. 15 Because they have done that which 
Ma* " was evil in my sight, and have provolced 
me to anger, since the day their fathers came 
forth out of Egypt, even unto this day. 

16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very 
much," till he had filled Jerusalem from one end 
to another;* besides his sin wherewith he made 
Judah to sin," in doing that which was evil in the 
sight of the Lord. 

17 1[ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and 
all that he did, and his sin that he sinned, are 
they not written in the book of tlic Chronicles of 
the kings of Judah?'' 

18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was 
buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden 
of Uzza : and Araon his son reigned in his stead. 

19 1 Amon was twenty and two years old when 
he began to reign, and he reigned two years in 
Jerusalem." And his mother's name was Meshul- 
lemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 

20 And he did that which was evil in the sight 
of the Lord, as his father Manasseh did." 

21 And he walked in all the ways that his father 
walked in, and served the idols that his father 
served, and worshipped them : 

22 And he forsook the Lord God of his fathers, 
and walked not in the way of the Lord.*' 

23 And the servants of Amon conspired against 
him, and slew the king in his own house. 

21 And the people of the land slew all them that 
had conspired against king Amon ; and the people 
of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. 

2-5 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he 
did, are they not written in the book of the Chron- 
icles of the kings of Judah? 

26 And he was buried in his sepulchre in the gar- 
den of Uzza : and Josiah^ his son reigned in his 
stead. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1 Josiah's good reign. 3 He taketh care for the repair of the temple. 
8 Hilkiah having found a book of the law, Josiah aendeth to Huldah 
to inquire of the Lord. 15 Huldah prophesieth the destruction of Je- 
rusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time. 

JOSIAH ivas eight years old when he began to 
reign, and he reigned thirty and one years 
in Jerusalem.*"' And his mother's name was Jedi- 
dah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.'" 

2 And he did that which was right in the sight 
of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David 
his father, and turned not aside to the right hand 
or to the left.' 



»Jer. 2::H; I'J:4. • Keb. from moulh tomoulh. b 1 Ki 


gsl4:lfi. cachr. 


33:1-*P. i iChr. a):2l, etc. e ver. 2, etc. f ch. 22: 


7, 1 Kings 11:*I. 


t Called JosiVm, Matt. 1:IU. f 1 Kmes 13:2; 2Chr.34:l, 


to. 1> Josh. 1.5:.-)9. 


1 Deut. 5:32. J ch. 12:J, Mo. 1 Hpb. Ilireshold. k Ps 


a. 81:10. 1 Deut. 



greater lengths in inquity than even the heathen, and ripen 
for more aggravated ruin. 

21. The wickedness of fathers will bo likely to be imi- 
tated by their children, and that of rulers by tlieir people ; 
and after having been tempters of each other in this world, 
they will, if they continue in sin, become tormentors of 
each other in the world to come. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

8. The book of t lie law; this is supposed to have been 
the original copy of the law of Moses, written and depos- 
30 



3 1 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year 
of king Josiah, that tlie king sent Sliaphan the 
son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, 
to the house of the Lord, saying, 

4 Go up to Hilkiah the high-priest, that he may 
sum the silver which is brought into the house of 
the LouDjJ which the keepers of the door* have 
gathered of the people:'' 

5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the 
doers of the work, that have the oversight of the 
house of the Lord: and let thein give it to the 
doers of the work, which is in the house of the 
Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, 

6 Unto carpenters, and liuildcrs, and masons, 
and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the 
house. 

7 Howbeit, there was no reckoning made with 
them of the money that was delivered into their 
hand, because they dealt faithfully. 

8 K And Hilkiah the high-priest said unto Sha- 
phan the scribe, I have found the book of the law 
in the house of the Lord.' And Hilkiah gave the 
book to Sliaphan, and he read it. 

9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and 
brought the king word again, and said, Thy ser- 
vants have gathered^ the money that was found 
in the house, and have delivered it into the hand 
of them that do the work, that have the oversight 
of the house of the Lord. 

10 And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, 
saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a 
book. And Shaphan read it before the king."" . 

11 And it came to pass, when the king had 
heard the words of the book of the law, that he 
rent his clothes." I 

12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest^ 
and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor' the 
son of Michaiah,"' and Shaphan the scribe, and 
Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying. 

13 Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me^" and for 
the people, and for ail Judah, concerning the 
words of this book that is found : for great is the 
wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us,p be- 
cause our fathers have not hearkened unto the 
words of this book," to do according unto all that 
which is written concerning us,'' 

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Ach- 
bor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah 
the prophetess, the wife of Shalhim the son of 
Tikvah,* the son of Harhas,* keeper of the ward- 
robe ;* now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college ;^ 
and they communed with her. 



31:24; 2 Chr. .34:14, etc. S Heb. m< 
n ver. 19. I AMon. 2 Chr. 34:20. ' 
76:7; Nah. l:li: Rev. 6:17. q Deut 
2 Chr. 34:22. t Or. Hmra/i . ! Heb. 



m Neh. b:3. IS; Jer. 36:6, 15. 
Mirah. o 1 Chr. 10:14. p Psa. 
7. r Jas. 1:22-25. • Tilcvatll, 
S Or, (rt the second part. 



ited in the ark by himself. The book of the law, or a 
copy of it, had been used in the days of Jehoshaphat by 
those who were sent through the cities of Judah as relig- 
ious teachers, 2 Chron. 17:9. But it seems to have been 
lost sight of some time before Josiah's reign. 

11. He rent his clothes; on account of the judgments de- 
nounced in the law against the people ; and to which they 
were exposed on account of their idolatry. Ver. 19. 

14. In the college; literally, according to the margin, in the 
second, which seems to mean the second and newer part 
of the citv, lying below Zion on the north. 
465 



Josiah's pious rrii;n. 



2 KIX(iS Will, 



lie (lislroydh ulolalry. 



ir> «[ Anil plic said unto lliom, Tims snilli the 
Loud God of l^'rilel, Tell the man that sent you 
to me. 

IC Thus sailh the Loud, Bcliohl, I will briiifr 
evil upon this jilacc, and upon the inhabitant- 
thereof, urn all tiic words of the book which the 
kiiiir of Jiulah hath read: 

17 15ecaiise they liuve for.sakon me, and liave 
burned incense unto other frods," that they niiy:lil 
provoke me to anscer with all the works of their 
hands ; therefore my wrath siiall be kindled against 
this place, and shall not be (|ucnchcd.'' 

18 But to tiic kinLj of Judali which sent you to 
inquire of the Loun, tiiu.s shall ye say to him, 
Tims saith tlie Lord God of Israel, ^1s toiuhin<r 
the words which tlioii hast heard; 

1\) Because thy heart was tender,'^ and thou hast 
humbled thyself before the Loud,'' wheu thou 
heardest what I spake against this place, and 
against the inhaliitants thereof, that they should 
become a desolation" and a curse,' and hast rent 
thy clothes,^' and wejjt before me;" I also have 
heard t/iec, saitii the Lord. 

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy 
fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave 
in peace;' and tiiine eyes shall not see all the 
evil which I will bring u])on this place. And they 
brought the king word again. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 Jo5i:ih causeth the book to be read in a solemn assembly. 3 He re- 
newerh the covenant of the Lord. 4 He destroyeth idolatry. 15 He 
burnt dead men's bones upon the altar of Beth-el, as was before prophe- 
sied. 21 He kept a most solemn passover. 2-1 He put away witclies 
and all abomination, 2G God's final wrath against Judah. 29 Jo- 
siah, provoking Pharaoh-necho, is slain at Megiddo. 31 Jehoahaz, 
succeeding him. is imprisoned by Pharaoh-necho, who made Jehoia- 
kim king. 30 Jehoiakim's wicked reign. 

AND the king sent, and they gathered unto him 
all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem^ 
2 And the king went up into the house of the 
Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhab- 
itants of Jerusalem with liim, and the priests, and 
the prophets, and all the people, both small and 



»Deut. 29:2.5, etc.: Neh. 9:26,27; Dan.9;ll-M. b 1 Thess. 2:16. 


tPsa. 


51:17; Isa.. 57:15. d 1 Kings 21:29. o Lev. 26:31, 32. r Jer. 26:6 
gver.ll. liNeh.l:4. i Psa. . 17:37; Isa. 57:1. 2: Jer. 22:10. J2Chr 


4J:2J. 


:JI;29, 


etc. • Keb. from small even uiUo great, k ch. 22:8. loh.U:U,17 


mch. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Though children may be expected generally to imi- 
tate their parent.s, a wicked child sometimes arises from 
a very pious family, and a pious child from a very wicked 
family ; thus showing the power and the sovereignty of 
God in the bestowmeut of his grace. 

3. True piety will manifest itself in efforts to promote 
the salvation not only of him who has it, but of all who 
may feel his influence. 

12. A real belief of the threatenings of God against sin, 
will lead to the most earnest desire and diligent efforts 
to escape his wrath, and obtain his everlasting favor. 

_ 16. The piety of an individual, though it will avail to 
his salvation and his deliverance from many temporal 
evils, will not save others who continue in their sins, or 
avert from them ultimately the judgments of heaven. 

20. Death, though the consequence of sin, is through 
the grace of God sent in mercy to his people, and made 
the means of delivering them from the evils of this world, 
and introducing them to the perfect and unending joys of 
the world to come. 

466 



fricat:' iind lie read in their ear.* all the "^kV-S 
words of ilie liook of (lie eovcnant which was 
fonnd in the lion.<e of llio IjOHD.'' 

IJ "i And the kinjr stood by a pillar, and nnidc a 
eovenant liefore the Loun,' to walk after the LouD, 
and to keep his commandments and hi.s testimonies 
and his statntes with all t/idr heart and all ifuir 
sonl, to )ierforin the words of this covenant that 
wer.' written in liiis book. And all the peoj)le 
stood to tlie ('ovenant. 

4 And the king commanded Ililkiah the high- 
priest, and the priests of the second order, and the 
keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the teni- 
])le of tlic LoiU) all the vessels that were nnide for 
Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of 
heaven:'" and he bnrncdthcin without Jcnisalein 
in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of 
them unto Beth-el. 

5 And he put down* the idolatrous priest.s,* 
whom the kings of Jndah had ordained to burn 
incense in the high places in the cities of Jndaii, 
and in the places round about Jerusalem ; them 
also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, 
and to the moon, and to the planets,^ and to all 
the host of heaven. 

fi And he brought out the grove from the house 
of the Loiti), without Jerusalem, unto the Ijrook 
Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and 
stamped it small to powder, and cast the ])Owder 
thereof upon the graves of the children of the 
people." 

7 And he brake down the houses of the sodom- 
ites," that were by the house of the Lord, where 
the women wove hangings' for the grove.'' 

8 And he lirouglit all the jiricsts out of the cities 
of Judah, and defiled the high places where the 
priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beer- 
slieba,'' and brake dow'n the high places of the 
gates that were in the entering in of the gate of 
Joshua the governor of the city, which wei-e on a 
man's left hand at the gate of the city. 

9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places 
came not up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem,'' 



21:3,7. fUeh. caused to cease. !Heh. chemarim, Has. W:S; foretold, Zcph. 
1 :4. i Or. twelve signs, or constellations. " 2 Chr. 34:4. o I Kings 14:24 ; 
1.5:12. 1 Heb. houses, p Ezek. 8:14; 16:16. q 1 Kings 15:22. r Ezek. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

3. Stood to the covenant; accepted it and bound them- 
selves to fulfil it. 

4. TAc grove; the wooden statue of Astarte. Fields of 
Kidron; on the east side of Jerusalem, through which r.in 
the brook of that name. Ver. 6. Unto Bethel; which, as 
the chief seat of idolatry under the Israelitish kings, he 
purposed to defile in every way. See ver. 15, 16. 

6. The grove; see note to ver. 4. 

8, 9. All tlie priests — cams not up to the altar; these were 
Levitical priests who had been set apart to burn incense 
on the high places. Josiah, after he had taken away their 
unlawful office, would not allow them to minister any more 
at God's altar in Jerusalem, but granted them their regular 
portion which fell to them as priests forbidden to officiate. 
Compare Lev. 21:21, 22. Some suppose that they were 
the same as the idolatrous priests mentioned ver. 5. But 
there another word is used in the origin,al, which is not 
elsewhere applied to Levitical priests. Geba; in the north 
part of Judea. Eeer-sheba ; in the south part of Judca. 



Jusiah purge! k Judah. 



2 KINGS XXIII. 



His fulcHly, aiul dcnih 



is, r's™' but they did eat of the unleavened bread 
among their brethren." 

10 And lie defiled Topheth/' whicii is in the val- 
ley of the children of Hinnoni,' tiiat no man miijlit 
make his son or his daughter to pass through the 
lire to Molech.'' 

11 And he took away the horses that the kings 
of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in 
of the house of the Lord, by tlie chamber of Na- 
than-melech the chamberlain,* which ivas in the 
suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with 
fire. 

12 And the altars that it-ere on the top of the 
upper chamber of Ahaz,*^^ which the kings of Judah 
had made, and the altars which Manasseh had 
made in the two courts of the house of the Lord,' 
did the king beat down, and brake them down from 
thence,^ and cast the dust of them into the brook 
Kidron. 

13 And the high places that were before Jerusa- 
lem, which icere on the right hand of the mount of 
corruption,^ whieli Solomon the king of Israel had 
builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zi- 
donians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the 
Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the 
children of Amnion, did the king defile.^ 

14 And he brake in pieces the images,^ and cut 
down the groves," and filled their places with the 
bones of men. 

15 1 Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, and 
the high place which Jeroboam the sou of Nebat, 
who made Israel to sin, had made,' both that altar 
and the high place he brake down, and burned tiie 
high place, and stamped it small to powder, and 
burned the grove. 

16 And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the 
sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, 
and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burn- 
ed them upon the altar, and polluted it, according 
to the word of the Lord which the man of God 
proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.J 

IT Then he said. What title is that that I see? 
And the men of the city told him, It is tlie sepul- 
chre of the man of God, which came from Judah, 
and proclaimed these things that thou hast done 
against the altar of Beth-el." 

IS And he said. Let him alone : let no man move 
his bones. So they let his bones alone,' with the 
bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria. 

19 And all the houses also of the high places 



» 1 Sam. 2:36. b Isa. 30:3.3; Jer. 7::31. = Jnsh. 15:8. <1 Lev. \^:i\; 
Deul. 1S:10; Ezek. a:3:37, 39. • Or, eunuch, or officer, e Jer. 19:13; Zeph. 
1:5. f ch. 21:5. 1 Or, ran from tlience. : That is. the mount of Olives. 
Si Kings 11:7. i Keb. statues. Ii Exod. 23:24; Num. .33:.i2; Dent. 7:5. 
25; Mio. 1:7. ■ 1 Kings 12:4^, 33. J 1 KinRS 13:2. k 1 Kings 13:30. 31. 
I Heb. to escape. 1 2 Chr. 34:6, 7. H Or, sacrificed, m ch. 11:18; Exod. 



10. Tlie valley of the children of Hinnom; a deep valley 
on the south-east side of Jerusalem, m which idolaters 
made their children pass through fire in honor of their 
idol gods. 

12. The altars — of Ahaz; which had been erected to 
idols. 

13. Mount of corruption; supposed to be the mount of 
Olives. Ashtoreth — Chemosh — Milcom ; idol gods. 

15. The altar that wits at Beth-el ; consecrated to the wor- 
ship of the golden calf set up by Jeroboam the son of 
Nebat, 1 Kings 12:29. The kingdom of Israel no longer 
existed, but many of the IsraeUtes remained in their own 



that were in the cities of Samaria,' whirh the kings 
of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, 
Josiah took away, and did to thein according to 
all the acts that he had done in Betli-el. 

20 And he slew' all the jiriests of the high places 
that we}-e there upon the altars,"' and burned men's 
bones upon them," and returned to Jerusalem. 

21 If And the king commanded all the people, 
saying, Keep the passover unto the Lord your God, 
as it is written in the book of this covenant." 

22 Surely there was not holdcn such a passover 
from the days of the judges that judged Israel, 
nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of 
the kings of Judah ;'' 

23 But in th.c eighteenth year of king Josiah, 
wherein this passover was holdcn to the Lord in 
Jerusalem. 

2-1 H Moreover the ivorkers with familiar spirits,i 
and the wizards, and the images,* and the idols, 
and all the abominations that were spied in the 
land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah jiut 
away, that ho might perform the words of the law."' 
which were written in the book that Hilkiah the 
priest found in the house of the Lord. 

25 And like unto him was there no king before 
him,'' that turned to the Lord with all his heart, 
and with all his soul, and with all his might.' ac- 
cording to all the law of Moses;" neither after him 
arose there «?)?/ like him. 

26 11 Notwitlistanding, the Lord turned not from 
the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his 
anger was kindled against Judah, because of all 
the provocations* that Manasseh had provoked 
him withal.*' 

27 And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also 
out of my sight,"" as I have removed Israel,^ and 
will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have cho- 
sen, and the house of which I said. My name shall 
be there.y 

28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all 
that he did, are they not written in tlie book of the 
Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

29 ■[ In his days Pharaoh-necho king of Egypt 
went up against the king of Assyria to the river 
Euphrates:'' and king Josiah went against him; 
and he slew him at Megiddo," when he had seen 
him. 

30 And his servants carried him in a chariot 
dead from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusa- 
lem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And 



22:20; 1 Kings 1S:4U. ■•2Chr. 34:5. oExod. 12:3. etc.; .Num. 9:2; Dent. 
16:2,etc. p 2Chr. 3o:lS. 19. q ch. 21 :6; Rev. 22:15 " Or. (erapAi'm. Gen. 
31:19. 'Lev. 19:31: 20:27; Dent. 18:11. « ch. l--;5. I 1 Kings ?:4b; .ler. 
29:13. " i\eh. 10:2!!. lUeb. angers. » ch. 21 ;11, 12; 24:3, 1; Jer. 15:1. 
"ch. 21:13. ich. 17:1S, 20; 1S:11. y 1 Kings 9:3. » 2 Chr. 35:20. etc. 
»Zech. 12:11. 



country. Josiah found himself able to go through the cities 
of Samaria and destroy their idolatrous places without mo- 
lestation from the distant Assyrian monarchs, who were 
already falling before tlie rising Chaldean empire. 

l(i. 'The man of God ; 1 Kings 13:1-32. 

17. Title; or, monument. 

22. Such a passover; with such solemnity, and in such 
strict accordance with the law of Moses, a copy of which 
had recently been found in the temple. 

29. Mcf;iddo ; near the Kishon, and on the border of the 
great plain of Esdraclon. The highway from Egypt to 
Assyria led by this place. 

467 



Jthoahaz and Jrhoiahim. 



2 KINCS XXIV. 



Jchifiachin carried captive. 



the iK'oplo of flio liiml fofik Jolioaliaz tlic son nf 
Jo.-iiiili, and anoinli'd liini, and made him kinfr in 
his fatlier's stead." 

:il "i Jehoahaz' was twenty and three years old 
wiien he Ix'iran to rci.irn, and he reij^ned tlirec 
inontiis in Jerusalem. And his motlier's name* u-as 
Hamiital. the (huiirhfer nf Jeremiaii of Lil)naii.'' 

32 And he did that ic/iic/i was evil in the sight of 
the LoKii.aceordiuir to all that his fathers had done 

8:J Atid Pharaoli-neeho ]iiit him in bands at Rilj- 
lah in the landof Hamatli," that he might not reign* 
in Jerusalem ; and put the land to a tribute' of a 
Inmdred talents of silver, and a talent of gohl. 

8-t And Pharaoh-nccho made Eliakitn the son of 
Josiah king in the room of Josiaii his father, and 
turned his name to Jehoiakim;' and took Jehoa- 
haz away : and he came to Egypt, and died there.'' 

35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold 
to Pharaoh;' but he taxed the land to give the 
money according to the commandment of Pha- 
raoh : he exacted the silver and tiie gold of the 
people of the land, of every one according to his 
taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-neclio. 

36 T Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old 
when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven 
years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name teas 
Zebudah, tlie daughter of Pedaiah of Rumali. 

37 And he did t/iat which was evil in the sight 
of the Loud, according to all that his fathers had 
done. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1 Jehoiakim, first subdued by Nebucluidnezzar, then rebelling against 
him, procureth his own ruin. 5 Jehoiachin succeedeth him. 7 The 
king of Egypt is vanquished by the king of Babylon. 8 Jehoiachin's 
evil reign. 10 Jerusalem is taken and carried captive into Babylon. 
17 Zedekiah is m.ade king, and reigneth ill unto the utter destruction 
of Judah. 

IN his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon 
came up,'^ and Jehoiakim became his servant 
three years : then he turned and rebelled against 
him. 

2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the 
Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of 
the Moabites, and bands of the children of Am- 



a2Chr. 30:1, 


etc • 


Called Shalhtm, 1 CI 


r. 3:1 


j; Jer 


«:' 


■M 




bch 


21:18. 


cch 2.5:6; Jer. 


.iJ:27 


t Or 


because he re 


igned 


t Heb. 


sei 


a 


jnukt upon 


the land; -2 Chr 


3(i:3. 


d ch. 


•24:17; Gen. 


41:45 


; Dan 


1 


7. 


e 


Jer 


2->:ll. 


12: Ezek. 19;:), 


4. f« 


er. 33. 


e2Chr. 3G:5 


. etc. 


h.ler 


9,i 


"; 


:i-. 


:2-i 


Kzek. 


19:3. SHeb. 4j/ 


the hand of. 


' oh. 2:1:26; 


Exod. 


2U:5. 


i 


cb. 


21 


■AH 


Deut. 



33. Put him in bands at Riblali; after he had first de- 
posed him from his kindly olTice in Jerusalem. 2 Chron. 
36:3. The district of ilamuth lay on the northern border 
of Palestine, and tlirough it the armies of Egypt on the 
one side, and Assyria and Baljylon on the other, passed in 
their wars with each other. 

IN'STRUCTIONS. 

3. No repentance is genuine which does not lead to 
external reformation ; and no reformation is accepted of 
God, but such as springs from the heart, and is persevered 
in to the end. 

6. Things which have been used as instruments, and 
which operate as incentives to evil, should be effectually 
removed, and either destroyed or so treated that their 
evil influence shall Ik' done away. 

16. Though tlie fulfilment of divine declarations may be 
long delayed, and many may conclude that they will never 
be accomplished, not one jot or tittle of them will fail to 
come to pass. 

468 



ninn, and sent them against .ludah to de- *ii" "Sj 
stroy it.'' aeoording to the word of the Loitu, 
which he spaki; by' his servants the prophets. 

3 Surely at the commandment of the Loiin came 
t/iis upon Judah, to remove l/icm out of ids sight, 
for the sins of Manasseh,' according to all that he 
did; 

4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed :' 
for he filled .lerusalcm with innocent blood,'' which 
the Loiin would not ))ai'don.' 

.5 If Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and 
all that he did, are they not written in the book 
of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 

So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers:"' ami 
Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 

7 And the king of Egypt came not again any 
more out of his land:" for the king of Babylon 
had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river 
Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt." 

8 % Jehoiachin' teas eighteen years old when he 
began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three 
months. And his mother's name ivas Nehushta, 
the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 

y And he did that which icas evil in the sight of 
the Lord, according to all that his father had 
done. 

10 ^ At that time the servants of Nebuchadnez- 
zar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem,'' 
and the city was besieged.^ 

11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came 
against the city, and his servants did besiege it. 

12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out 
to the king of Babylon,'' he, and his mother, and 
his servants, and his princes, and his officers:' 
and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth 
year of his reign. 

13 And he carried out thence all the treasures 
of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the 
king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of 
gold which Solomon king of Israel had made iu 
the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said.'' 

14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all 
the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, eve?) 
ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and 



19:10; Jer. 2:24; 19:4. k Psa. 100:38. 1 Ezok. 33:25. m Jer. 22:18, 10 
D Jer. 37:5, 7. o Jer. 46:2. 1 Called Jeeoniah. I Chr. 3:10; Jer. 24:1; and 
Contab, Jer. 22:24, 23. P Ban. 1:1. 2. t Heb. came into siege, q Jer. 
29:1,2. 'Or, eunuchs, rch. 20:17. 



25. No penitence on the part of individuals, and no 
external reformation of those over whom they have influ- 
ence, can save guilty nations who have sinned away their 
day of grace, from meeting the retribution which they 
deserve. 

29. Though pious men may, through their own fault or 
the wickedness of others, come to an untimely and violent 
death, it will be well with them at last. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

3. Out of his sight; from the land where he had mani- 
fested his special presence and favor. 

12. In the eifrhth year of his reign; it is generally agreed 
that the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar is hero reckoned 
from the time when his father invested him with supreme 
authority over his army, while, in Dan. 2 : 1, the date is 
reckoneil more strictly from his accession to the throne 
after his father's death. 

14. The poorest — of the land ; from whom he had nothing 
to fear. 



Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem. 



2 KINGS XXV. 



Judah is carried captive. 



B.cm^' smitlis:" none reir.ainocl, save the poorest 
sort of the people of the huid.'' 

15 And he carried away Jehoiacliin to Babylon, 
and the king's mother, and tiie king's wives, and 
his officers,' and tiie mighty of the land, those car- 
ried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 

16 And all the men of might, even seven thou- 
sand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all 
that were strong and apt for war, even tiiem the 
king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 

17 IT And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah 
his father's brother king in his stead, and changed 
his name to Zedekiah.'^ 

18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when 
he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years 
in Jerusalem.'' And his mother's name was Ha- 
mutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah." 

19 And he did that which ivas evil in the sight 
of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had 
done. 

20 For through the anger of the Lord it came 
to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast 
them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebel- 
led against the king of Babylon.'' 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1 Jerusalem is besieged. 4 Zedekiah taken, his sons slain, his eyes put 
out. 8 Nebuzar-adan defaceth the city, carrieth the remnant, except 
a iew poor laborers, into captivity, 13 spoiletli and carrieth away the 
treasures. 18 The nobles are slain at Riblah. 22 Gredaliah. who 
was set over them that remained, being slain, the rest flee into Egypt. 
27 Evil-merodach advanceth Jehoiachm in his court. 

AND it came to pass in the ninth year of his 
reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day 
of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Baby- 
Ion came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, 
and pitched against it;" and they built forts 
against it round about. 

2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh 
year of king Zedekiah. 

3 And on the ninth day of t\io fourth month the 
famine prevailed in the city, and there was no 
bread for the people of the land. 

4 IT And the city was broken up, and all the 
men of war fled by night by the way of the gate 
between two walls, which is by the king's garden : 
now the Chaldees were against the city round 

»Jer. 21:1. b ch. 45:1-2. • Or, eunuc/is. c Jer. .37:1, etc. d Jer. 5-2:1, 
etc. e ch. •2:i:3l. ' -2 Chr. 36:1.3; Ezek. 17:15. P 2 Chr. .36:17. etc.; Jer. 
34:-2. etc.; .39:1, etc.; 5-2:4. etc.; £zck. •24:-2. etc. 1> Ezek. l'2:l-. 



2.3:3.3. t Heb. spakr. judgment with hin 



Heb. made blind, i Ezek. 



16. Men of might ; the warriors. Seven tliousand — a thoiir 
sand; the sacred writer specifies certain classes of the ten 
thousand beforenamed. The other two thousand may 
have been nobles and other principal men. The number 
of ten thousand includes onlj- adult males, the women and 
children that accompanied them not being reckoned. 
INSTRUCTION'S. 

2. The Lord is never at a loss for instruments to punish 
his rebellious people ; and though the wicked act out 
their enmity to him in opposing them, yet through them 
he fulfils his declarations and accomplishes his wise and 
holy designs. 

10. TliC Lord sometimes permits one class of wicked 
men to prevail against his people, and at other times an- 
other ; but their own sins are the cause of their troubles, 
and whoever may be their oppressors, he never suffers 
them to inflict evils greater than their iniquities deserve. 

lii. To whom much is given, of them much will be 



about: and the king went the way toward the 
plain.'' 

5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after 
the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jer- 
icho : and all his army were scattered from him. 

6 So they took the king, and brought him up 
to the king of Babylon to Riblah;' and they gave 
judgment upon him.* 

7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his 
eyes, and put out the eyes of* Zedekiah,^ and 
bound liim with fetters of brass, and carried him 
to Babylon. 

8 IT And in the fifth month, on the seventh day 
of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king 
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar- 
adan, captain of the guard ,^ a servant of the king 
of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 

9 And he burnt the house of the Lord,'' and the 
king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and 
every great man's house burnt he with fire.' 

10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were 
with the captain of the guard, brake down the 
w^alls of Jerusalem round about.™ 

11 Now the rest of the people that were left in 
the city, and the fugitives that fell away' to the 
king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multi- 
tude, did Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard 
carry away. 

12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor 
of the land to be vine-dressers and husbandmen." 

13 And the pillars of brass that wei-e in the house 
of the Lord, and the bases, and the brazen sea 
that ivas in the house of the Lord," did the Chal- 
dees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them 
to Babylon. 

14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuff- 
ers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass 
wherewith they ministered," took they away. 

15 And the fire-pans, and the bowls, and such 
things as wei-e of gold, in gold, and of silver, in 
silver, the captain of the guard took away. 

IG The two pillars, one^ sea, and the bases which 
Solomon had made for the house of the Lord ; the 
brass of all these vessels was without weight. 

17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen 
cubits,'' and the chapiter upon it was brass: and 



12:1:3, etc. i Or, rhiefmarsliat. k 1 Kings 9:8; Psa. 79:1; Isa. 64:10. 11. 
lAmos'2:5. mNeh. 1:3; Jer. 5-2:14, etc. 1 Heb. /a/fen ait-oy och. 34:14; 
Jer.4U:7. o Exod. -27:3; Jer. '27:19, etc.; IKings 7. 15--27. PlKings7:47, 
50. 1 Heb. the one. 1 I Kings 7:15. 



required ; and those who are distinguished by outward 
privileges and blessings, if they abuse them will be dis- 
tinguished in their punishment. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

4. Between Iwo tvalls — Ini the Icing's jiarden; this gate was 
in the southern part of the city, near tlie pool of Siloani, 
Neh. 3:15. The double wall here mentioned was proba- 
bly built across the valley that lies between Zion and 
Ophel, at the mouth of which valley is the pool of Siloam. 

5. T/ic plains of Jericho; the deep valley through which 
tlie Jordan flows and in which the Dead sea lies. 

10. Brake down the units; to prevent the inhabitants of 
.lerusalem from giving the king of Babylon any further 
trouble. 

16. The two pillars — sea — bases; see the description of 
these in 1 Kings 7 : 15-47. Witluntt weight ; in such abun- 
dance, that the quantitj- and its value were not estimated. 
469 



The cAief ctiplivfs sitiin. 



2 KI\(iS XXV. 



JcJioific/iin at Babylon. 



tlio lu'i^'lit of tlic rlmpitor llircp nihils; ami tlic 
wiiMtlii'ii work, iiml ]ioinc!rraiiiitc's u|ion the cliap- 
ili'r rmiiid al>oiit, all oflirass: ami like unto tlav'^u 
hail thr sfcond pillar with wrcatlu'ii work. 

18 * AntI tlio captain of the fruaril took Scraiah 
the chief prie.-<t," aiuJ Zephaiiiah the second ju-icst,'' 
ami the tliiro kec|)ers of the door:" 

111 And out of the city lie took an officer* that 
was set over the men of war, and live men of Iheiii 
that were in the kiu'j's presence.' which were found 
in the city, and the pri-ncipal gcribe of the host,* 
wjiich mustered the i)eo])le of tiie land, and threc- 
^core men of tiie people of tlie land t/iat wire found 
in the city : 

20 And Xebuzar-adan c;i])taiu of 1he<ruard took 
these, and brouj^ht them to tlie king of Babylon 
to Kiblah: 

'2\ And the king of Babylon smote them, and 
slew them at Kiblah in the land of llamatli. So 
Judah was carried away out of their land."= 

22 T And as for the ])cople that remained in the 
land of Judah, whom Nebuchailnezzar king of Bab- 
ylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah 
the son of Aliikam, the son of f^haphan, ruler.'' 

23 And when all the captains of the armies, 
they and their men, heard that the king of ]5aby- 
Inn had made Gedaliah governor, there eame to 
Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Neth- 
aniah, and Johanau the son of Careah, and Seraiali 
the son of Tauhumeth the Netophathitc, and Jaaz- 
aniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 



a 1 Chr 


a-.u 


Et- 


ra7 


1. 


b.I.. 


., 


:1 


■la-.-a, -.'9. • 


Heh 




t Or. 


euHitcfi. 


:Ueb 


$ai 


ithe 


ki 


ns'sj 


lee. 


I' 


slh. 1:1J. «0r. sn 


:t,f. 


of the cnptain 


cf l/u hoa. c 


ch. 


•ti:: 


7: 


I.BV. 


J(r 


W; 


Deut. 8S:36 


Ii4; 


K? 


ek. li 


•i5-a->; 


•J4:14. i 


Jer. 


iU:b 


otc 




Hull 


<'S 


the kingdom, e 


Jer. 


41: 


1, etc 


'Jer. 



21. Slew them at Riblah; as special friends of Zedekiah 
and men of influence among the people. 

25. Mizpali; supposed to be a town in the tribe of Ben- 
jamin. 

28. Tlie kings; those who had been conquered by the 
Babylonians, and who were kept as prisoners at Baby- 
lon. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Xo human power or skill can avail against the provi- 
dence of God; and when he undertakes to punish guilty 
individuals or nations, without repentance and reformation 
there is no escape. 

7. The obstinate wickedness of parents is often the 
occasion of ruin to their children ; and those senses which 
have been inlets of iniquity, become inlets of torment. 



•J I Ami Gedaliah sware to them, and to ■*] ,", 'ilJI: 
their men, and said unto them. Fear not to be the 
servants of the C'lialdecs: dwell in the land, and 
.serve the king of Babylon; and it .shall be well 
with you. 

2.5 But it came to pass in the sevcntli month, 
that Jshmael the son of Nethaniah, the son ol' 
IClishama, of the seed royal,' came, and ten men 
with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and 
the dews and the Chaldces that were with him 
at Mizpah.'' 

20 And all the people, both small and great, and 
the captains of the armies, arose, and eame to 
Egypt :' for they were afraid of the Chaldees. 

27 II And it came to jiass in the seven and thir- 
tieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of 
Judah,'-' in the twelfth month, on the seven and 
twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodacli 
king of Babylon in the year that he began to 
reign did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of 
Judah out of prison ;'' 

28 And he spake kindly to him,^ and set his 
throne above the throne of the kings that were 
with him in Babylon;' 

29 And changed his prison garments:' and he 
did eat bread continually before him all the days 
of his life.'' 

30 And his allowance v-as a continual allowance 
given him of the king, a daily rate for every day,' 
all the days of his life. 



43:4.7. e Jer. 5-2:31, etc. k Gen. 40:13, 20. Mich, good things irilh him. 
i Dan. 2:37;- 5:18, 19. jlsa.61:3. »2Sam.9:7. 1 Neh. U:2:J; Dan. l:5j 
-Matt. 0:11 ; Acts 6:1. 



9. As a punishment to his people, the Lord sometimes 
suffers the wicked to abolish the observance of his own 
ordinances, and to carry away or destroy what has been 
most solemnly devoted to his service. 

18. Those most intimately associated with the wicked in 
crime, are most exposed to be partakers with them in 
punishment. 

24. Supreme power is often greatly coveted, and no 
crimes are so base as not to be perpetrated to obtain it. 
But the greater the power which is obtained by iniquitj-, 
the greater curse it will be to those who receive it. 

27. The hearts of kings, and of all others, are in the 
hands of the Lord ; and lie can at any time incline them to 
favor even the most abject and distressed, and thus sliow 
them and others that they who truly seek the Lord shall 
not want any good thing. 



470 



THE FIRST BOOK 



OF 



THE CHRONICLES 



It is generally agreed that the two books of the Chronicles were written after the return of the Jews 
from the Babylonish captivity by Ezra, to whom the Jews unanimously ascribe the completion and arrange- 
ment of the canon of the Old Testament. In the Hebrew canon they stand last in order. Whatever use 
Ezra may have made of the books of Samuel and Kings, it is plain that these were not his chief sources, 
for lie records many things not found in them. He compiled his narrative from the public records of the 
two kingdoms of Judah and Israel, the same, in part at least, that were used by the writer of the books 
of Kings. How far the particular works mentioned by him — the book of Samuel the seer, the book of 
Nathan the prophet, the book of Gad the seer, 1 Cliron. 29:29; the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, 
2 Chron. 9:29; the visions of Iddo the seer, mentioned under various titles, 2 Chron. 9:29; 12:15; 
13 : 22 ; the book of Shemaiah the prophet, 2 Chron. 12:15; the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, 2 Chron. 
20 : 34 ; the writings of Isaiah the prophet, 2 Chron. 26:22; 32 : 32 ; the sayings of Hosai, 2 Chron. 33 : 19— 
how far the above-named works were incorporated into these public annals, it is impossible to determine. 
That the book of Jehu was thus inserted is certain. Sec note to 2 Chron. 20 : 34. 

That there are a few discrepancies between the books of Kings and of Chronicles, arising from errors 
in transcribing, is generally admitted. These relate, however, mainly to dates, and do not affect the 
general integrity of the works. Most of the apparent disagreements, however, between the two histories, 
arise from their brevity, and from the fact that the two authors frequently select from the same reign 
different events, the one passing by in silence what the other records ; or that, where they record the 
same event, various accompanying circumstances are omitted. See, for example, 2 Kings 9 : 27, com- 
pared with 2 Chron. 22 : 9, and the accompanying note. 

The first nine chapters of the present book are made up principally of genealogies, probably designed 
to point out the descent and location of the different tribes and families before the captivity ; and thus to 
enable those who returned from Babylon to regain their former inheritance, and to establish the worship 
of God according to his appointment. They appear also to have been designed to show the origin of the 
human race ; that all men sprung from one human pair according to the account in Genesis, and that 
according to the prophecies contained in Scripture our Saviour was the son of David, of Judah, and of 
Abraham. These and subsequent genealogies were kept by the Jews with great care, and have been 
and still are important to the ends for which they were written. They first trace the descendants of 
Adam to Abraham ; and then give the line of his descendants, to David and to Christ. But as these 
chapters are occupied principally with names, and suggest inquiries more particularly interesting to the 
learned and critical student than to common readers, we shall not further notice them. The recapitulation 
of the history of the Israelites commences with the tenth chapter. 



CHAPTER I, 



B. C. 40M, etc 

1 Adam's line to Noah. 5 The sons of Japheth. 8 The sons of Ham. 
17 The sons of Shem. 24 Shem's line lo Abraham. 29 Ishmael's 
sons. 32 The sons of Keturah. 34 The posterity of Abraham by 
Esau. 43 The kings of Edom. 51 The dukes of fidom. 



A 



DAM," Sheth. Enosh, 
2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, 



i Gen. 4:2.5, 26; 5:3, 0. b Gen. 9:1; 10:1. 



10:21-31. d Ge 



3 Henoch, Methu?clah, Lamech, 

4 Noah,'' Shem,'' Ham, and Japheth. 

5 IT The sons of Japheth;'' Gomer, and Magoor, 
and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meslicch, 
and Tiras. 

6 And the sons of Gomer; Asbchcnaz, and Ei- 
phath,* and Togarmah.' 



• Or, Diphath, 



471 



'Ezek. 27:14: 3!-:fi. 



Genealogical 



1 CHRONICLES II. 



tables. 



7 And (ho .^on? of Javau ; Elisliah, and Tartiliisli, 
Kittini. and nodanim.' 

8 T TIr' soui cil" Ham; Cutih, and Mi/.raim, I'ut, 
and Canaan. 

9 And tlio sons of Cusli; St-lia, and llavilali, ami 
Sabta. and Raaniali, and Sabtoi-lia. And the sous 
of Uaaniali ; Slioba, and Dedan. 

10 And C^u.-h begat Nimrod: he began to be 
niiijlity upon the earth. 

1 1 And ilizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and 
Lehabiui, and Naphtuhim, 

12 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom 
came tlie Philistines,) and Caphtoriin." 

13 And Canaan begat Zidou his lirst-born, and 
Ileth. 

14 The Jobusite also, and the Anioritc, and the 
Girgashite, 

15 And the Hivite, and the Arkitc, and tlio fin- 
ite, 

1 C And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the 
Hamathite. 

IT 1i The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and 
Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, 
and Gethcr, and Meshech.* 

18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shclah be- 
gat Eber. 

19 And unto Eber were born two sons : the name 
of the one was Peleg ;* because in his days the earth 
was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan. 

20 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, 
and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 

21 Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah, 

22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Shcba. 

23 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All 
these were the sons of Joktan. 

24 1 Shem," Arphaxad, Shelah, 

25 Elier, Peleg, Reu, 

26 Serug, Nahor, Terah, 

27 Abram;'^ the same is Abraham. 

28 The sons of Abraham ; Isaac,'' and Ishmacl." 

29 1 These are their generations : The first-born 
of Ishmael,'^ Nebaioth ; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and 
Mibsam, 

30 Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad,' and 
Tema, 

31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are 
the sons of Ishraael. 

32 1 Now the sons of Keturah,^ Abraham's con- 
cubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Me- 
dan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And 
the sons of .Jokshan ; Sheba, and Dedan. 

33 And the sons of Midian ; Ephah, and Epher, 
and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these 
arc tlie sons of Kcturah. 

34 And Abraham begat Isaac.'" The sons of 
Isaac: Esau and Israel.' 

35 11 The sons of Esau ; Eliphaz, Reucl, and 
Jeusli, and Jaalam, and Korah.J 

36 The sons of Eliphaz; Tcman, and Omar, 
Zeplii,' and Gatam, Kenaz, and Timna, and Ama- 
lek. 



■ Or, Rodanim, according to some copies, a Dent. 2:*23. t Or. Mask, 
Gen. 10:2.3. 1 That is, ZMcijion; Gen. 10:25. b Gen. 11:10, etc. t Gen. 
17:5. dGen. 21:2,3. e Gen. 16:11, 15. 'Gen. 25:13-16. SOr, iforfar, Gen. 
25:15. E Gen. 25:1, etc. h Gen. 21:2,3. ■ Gen. 25:25, 28. j Gen. 3(i:9, 
etc. I Or, ZepAo, Gen. 36:11. 1 Or, Hemon, Gen. 36:22. • Or, Alvan, 

412 



37 The pons of Uimel ; Naliath, Zcrah, a m 21.M. 
.^liaininali, and .Mi/zah. ihm 

3.S And th(' sons of Scir; Lotan, and Shobal, 
anil Zibeon, and Anali,and Dishon, and Ezar, and 
Di.-lian. 

3'.l And the sons of Lotan ; Hori, and Homam:^ 
and Timna was Lotan's sister. 

40 The sons of Shobal; Alian,* and Manahath, 
and Ebal, Sliephi,* and Onam. And the sons of 
Zibeon ; Aiah, and Anah. 

41 The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons 
of Dishon; Amram,* and Eshban, and Ithran, and 
Cheran. 

42 The sons of Ezcr ; Bilhan, and Zavan, and 
Jakan.^ The sons of Dishan ; Uz, and Aran. 

43 IT Now these are the kings that reigned in 
the land of Edom before any king reigned over 
the children of Israel ; Bela the son of Bcor : and 
tiie name of his city was Dinhabah. 

44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of 
Zcrah of Bozraii reigned in his stead. 

45 And when Jobab was dead, Ilusham of the 
land of the Temanitcs reigned in his stead. 

46 And wlien Ilusham was dead, Hadad the .son 
of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of 
Moab, reigned in his stead : and the name of his 
city was Avith. 

47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Mas- 
rekah reigned in his stead. 

48 And when Samlali was dead, Shaul of Echo- 
both by the river reigned in his stead. 

49 And when Shaul was dead, Baal-hanan the 
son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 

50 And when Baal-hanan was dead, Hadad' 
reigned in his stead: and the name of his city 
luas Pai ;^ and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the 
daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 

51 1 Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom 
were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah,* duke Jetheth, 

52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 

53 Duke Kcnaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 

54 Duke ilagdiel, duke Iram. These are the 
dukes of Edom. 

CHAPTER II. 

1 The sons of Israel. 3 The posterity of Judah by Tamar. 13 The 
children of Jesse. 18 The posterity of Caleb the son of Hezron. 2i 
Hezron's posterity by the daughter of Machir. 25 Jerameel's posteri- 
ty'. 34 Sheshan's posterity. 42 Another branch of Caleb's posterity. 
oO The posterity of Caleb the son of Hur. 

THESE are the sons of Israel ; + Reuben, Sim- 
eon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, 

2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, 
and Asher." 

3 1 The sons of Judah ; Er, and Onan, and She- 
lah:' which three were born unto him of the 
daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the 
first-born of Judah, was evil in the sight of the 
Lord, and he slew him. 

4 And Tamar his daughter-in-law bare him Pha- 
rez and Zerali.™ All the sons of Judah were five. 



Gen. 36:23. t Or. Shtpho, Gen. 36:23. 1 Or, Hemdan, Gen. 36:26. J Or, 
Alcan, Gen. 36:27. I Or, Hadar, Gan. 36:30. 1 Or, Pau, Gen. 30:39. 
■ Or, Alrah. t Or, Jaeoi. n Gen. 29:32, etc.; 30:5, etc.; 35:18, etc.; 46:8, 
etc 1 Genesis 3d:3, etc.; 46:12; Numbers 26:19. n> Genesis 38:29, 30j 
Matthew 1:3. 



Genealusncal 



1 CHRONICLES II. 



A. M. 2275. 5 The sons of Pharez ; Hezron, and Ha- 

B. V. 1729, , „ ' ' 

<"'■ mul." 

6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri,* and Ethan, 
and Hcman, and Calcol, and Dara:* five of them 
in all. 

7 And the sons of Carmi ; Achar,* the troubler 
of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.'' 

8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah. 

9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto 
him ; Jerahmeel, and Ram,^ and Chelubai.' 

10 And Ram begat Amminadab;" and Ammin- 
adab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of 
Judah;"* 

1 1 And Nahshon begat Salma,^ and Salma begat 
Boaz, 

12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse. 

13 \\ And Jesse begat his first-born Eliab,'' and 
Abinadab the second, and Shimma* the third, 

14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 

15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh : 

16 Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. 
And the sons of Zeruiah ; Abishai, and Joab, and 
Asaliel, three. "^ 

17 And Abigail bare Amasa:^ and the father 
of Amasa ivas Jether the Ishmaelite.'' 

18 "[ And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children 
of Azubah his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are 
these ; Jeshcr, and Shobab, and Ardon. 

19 And wlien Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto 
him Ephrath, which bare him Hur." 

20 And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.' 

21 IT And afterward Hezron went in to the daugh- 
ter of Machir the father of Gilead,J whom he mar- 
ried' when he was threescore years old; and she 
bare him Segub. 

22 And Segub begat Jair, who had three and 
twenty cities in the land of Gilead. 

23 And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the 
towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the 
towns thereof, even threescore cities." All these 
belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead. 

24 And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb- 
ephratali, then Abiah, Hezron's wife, bare him 
Ashur the father of Tekoa.' 

25 ^ And the sons of Jerahmeel the first-born 
of Hezron were, Ram the first-born, and Bunah, 
and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah. 

26 Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name 
was Atarah ; she was the mother of Onam. 

27 And the sons of Ram the first-born of Jerah- 
meel were, Maaz, and Jamin, and Eker. 

28 And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and 
Jada. And the sons of Shammai; Nadab, and 
Abishur. 

29 And the name of the wife of Abisliur was 
Ablhail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid. 

30 And the sons of Nadub ; Seled, and Appaim : 
but Seled died without children. 

31 And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the 
sons of Ishi ; Sheshan. And the children of She- 
shan ;™ Ahlai. 

> Genesis 46:12; Ruth 4:18. • Or, Zairfi, Joshua 7: 1 . f Or, Carrfo. I Or, 
AeJian. I> Joshui 6:18; 7:1,25. S Or, ylram, Matthew 1:.3. 4. lOr.Cal/f,. 
ver. l-. 42. ' Ruth 4:19, 20. i Numbers 1:7. 1 Or. Salmon, Ruth 4:2ll 
e 1 Samuel 16:6, etc. • Or, Sliammah, 1 Samuel 16:9. ' 2 Samuel 2IS. 
t 2 Sam. 17:25. t Ithra, an IsratliU. t ver. 50. i Exodus 31:2. J Num. 



32 And the sons of Jada the brother of Sham- 
mai ; Jether, and Jonathan : and Jether died with- 
out cliildren. 

33 And the sons of Jonathan ; Peleth, and Zaza. 
These were the sons of Jerahmeel. 

34 TT Now Siieshan had no sons, but daughters. 
And Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose 
name was Jarha. 

35 And Siieshan gave his daughter to Jarha his 
servant to wife; and she bare him Attai. 

36 And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat 
Zabad," 

37 And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat 
Obed, 

38 And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Aza- 
riah, 

39 And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat 
Eleasah, 

40 And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai be- 
gat Shallum, 

41 And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah 
begat Elishama. 

42 IT Now the sons of Caleb" the brother of Je- 
rahmeel 7cere, Mesha his first-born, which was the 
father of Zipli ; and the sons of Mareshah the fa- 
tlier of Hebron. 

43 And the sons of Hebron ; Korah, and Tap- 
puah, and Rekem, and Shema. 

44 And Sliema begat Raham, the father of Jor- 
koam: and Rekem begat Shammai. 

45 And the son of Shammai was Maon : and Maon 
was the father of Beth-zur. 

46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, 
and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez. 

47 And the sons of Jahdai ; Regem, and Jo- 
tham, and Geshan, and Relet, and Ephah, and 
Shaapli. 

48 Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber. and 
Tirhanah. 

49 She bare also Shaaph the father of Madman- 
uah, Slieva the father of Machbenah, and the fa- 
ther of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was 
Achsa."" 

50 "S These were the sons of Caleb the .son of 
Hur, the first-born of Ephratah;^ Shobal the fa- 
ther of Kirjath-jearim, 

51 Salma the father of Beth-lchom, Harcph the 
father of Beth-gader. 

52 And Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim had 
sons; Haroeh,' and half of the Manahetliites.^ 

53 And the families of Kirjath-jearim ; the Ith- 
rites, and the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and 
the Mishraites ; of them came the Zareathites, and 
the Eshtaulites. 

54 The sons of Salma ; Beth-lehem, and the Neto- 
phatliites, Ataroth, the house of Joab,* and half of 
the Manahcthitcs, the Zorites. 

55 And the families of the scribes which dwelt 
at Jabcz; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and 
Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of 
Hemath,i the father of the house of Rechab."' 

27:1. I Heb. look, k Numbers 32:41; Deuteronomy 3: 14 ; Joshua 13:.10. 
lchap.4:5. inver.34.35. n chap. 11:41. over.9. p Joshua l.i: 17. » Or, 
Ephralk, ver. 19. I Or, Kmio*, chap. 4:2. 1 Or, half of llie Mtnmhilts, 
or Hatsibam-menuchoth. ' Or, Atarites, or croif;i* of the house of Joab. 
q Judges 1:1G. r Jeremiah 35:2. 

473 



Gtntalogical 



1 CHRONICLES IV. 



tables. 



CIIAl'TER III. 



1 The MM of Pavid. 10 III- lino In ZiJekiah. 17 The 
J«oinoh. 

NOW these were the sons of David, wliicli were 
l)orn unto liiin in Ilpliron; tlie first-born 
Amnnn," ol'AliiMnMni tlii- Jczroolitoi's:'' the second, 
Daniel,' of Alji^^ail the Carnielite.-^s : 

2 The tiiird, Alisaioin the son of Maaelmh the 
daiiL'liter of Talniai Icing of Gcsiiur: the fourtii, 
Adoiiijah tlic son nf Ilairfrith : 

3 The fifth. Shejiiiatiah" of Abital: tlic sixtli, Itli- 
ream by Eghiii his wife. 

4 These six were born unto him in Hebron ; and 
tlierc he reigned seven years and six niontlis : 
and in Jerusalem lie reigned thirty and tlirec 
years.'= 

5 And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; 
Shiniea,* and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 
four, of Bath-shua' the daughter of Aiiiniiel:-^ 

6 Ibhar also, and Elishama,' and Eliphelet, 

7 And Xogah, and Nc|)lieir, and Japhia, 

8 And Elishama, and Eliada,^ and Eliphelet, 
nine. 

9 These were all the .sons of David, besides the 
sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.'' 

10 If And Solomon's son %vas Reholjoam, Abia* 
his son, Asa his son, Jchoshaphat his son, 

11 Joram his sou, Ahaziah* his sou, Joash his 
son, 

12 Amaziah his son, Azariah* his son, Jotham 
his son, 

13 Ahaz his son, Ilezekiah his son, Manasseh his 
son, 

14 Amon his son, Josiah his son. 

15 And the sons of Josiah were, the first-l)orn 
Johanan,^ the second Jelioialcim,' the third Zede- 
kiah.' the fourtli Shalliim. 

16 And the sons of Jehoiakim; Jeconiah* his 
son, Zedekiah his son. 

17 % And the sons of Jeconiah ; Assir, SalathieP 
his son, 

IS Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, 
Jecaiuiali, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 

19 And the sous of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, 
and Sliiinei : and the sons of Zerubbabel ; Meshul- 
lain, and Hananiah, and Shclomith their sister: 

20 And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and 
Hasadiah, Jushabiiosed, five. 

21 And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and 
Jesaiah : the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, 
the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah. 

22 And the sons of Shechaniah ; Shemaiah : and 
the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and 
Bariah, and Ncariah, and Shaphat, six. 

23 And the sons of Neariah ; Elioenai, and Heze- 
kiah,* and Azrikam, three. 

24 And tlu! sons of Elioenai were.Hodaiah, and 
Eliashib, and Pclaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, 
and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven. 



» 2 Samuel 3:2, etc. b 1 Samuel ISAi, 43. • Or, ChiUnb. 2 Samuel 
3:3. c 2 Samuel 5:4, 14, etc. t Or. Stemmua, 2 Sam. 5: 14. i Or, Bntkshe- 
4ii,2Samuel 11:3. S Or, Etiam, 2 Samuel 11:3. I Or. Elixhiia, 2 S.imuel 
6:15. ^ Or, Beeliada.ch.U-.T. li 2 Samuel 1.7:1. -Or Aiiinm I Kings 



t Or, Azariah, 2 Chronicles 22:0 

1 Or. Vzziah, 2 Kings 15:30. i Or, Jelioa. 

2 Kings 23:34. 1 Or, Maltaniah, 2 Kings 24: 17. 

474 



Jehoahaz. ".2 C 
aKings2:!::ill. 



! Or. Etinki: 



:17. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1,11 Tlio ponlority of JuJul. by Cakb Ih., k.ii of Hur. 5 Of A.l.ur the 
imitliuliiinis ton of ]{i-zrnn. Of hM-i. nn<l liii prayer. 21 The 
l>osU'rity of Shi'lah. U-l The po«u-rilv una citit« of Simoon. 39 Their 
i-i.iitjucfct ofGeJor, and of the Aiimluuiit-s in mount Seir. 

''T'^HE sous of Judah;'' I'harcz, Hczron, and 
J.. (Jarnii,^ and Hur, and Shobal. 

2 And lleaiah' the son of Shobal begat Jahath ; 
and Jahath begat Ahiiniai, and Lahad. These 
arc the families of the Zoratiiites. 

3 And these were of the father of Etam ; Jezrcel, 
and Lshma. and Idbash: and the name of their 
sister was Ilazelelponi: 

4 And Peiiuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the 
father of Iliishah. Tlu.'se are the sons of Hur, the 
iirst-born of Ephrataii, the father of Beth-lehem. 

5 '\ And Ashur the father of Tckoa had two 
wives, Helali and Naarali. 

() And Naarali bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, 
and Tenicni, and Haahashtari. These were the 
sons of Naarali. 

7 And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezo- 
ar, and Etlinan. 

8 And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the 
families of Aharhel the son of Harum. 

9 1i And Jabez was more honorable than his 
brethren :' and his mother called his name Jabez,^ 
saying, Because 1 bare him with sorrow. 

10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, say- 
ing. Oh that thou wouldcst* bless me indeed, and 
enlarge my coast, and that thy hand might be 
with mo. and that thou wouldcst keep me* from 
evil, that it may not grieve me! And God grant- 
ed him that which he requested. 

11 tAnd Chelub the brother of Shuah begat 
Mehir, which u-as the father of Eshton. 

12 And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, 
and Tohinuah the father of Irnahash.* These are 
the men of Rechah. 

13 And tlie sons of Kenaz ; Othniel, and Sera- 
iali: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath. 

14 And Meonothai begat^ Ophrah: and Seraiah 
begat Joab, the father of the valley' of Chara- 
sliim;^ for they were craftsmen.* 

15 And tlie sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; 
Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even 
Kenaz.' 

16 And the sons of Jehaleleel ; Ziph, and Ziphah, 
Tiria, and Asareel. 

17 And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, 
and Epiicr, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and 
Siiammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 

18 And his wife Jehudijah* bare Jered the fa- 
ther of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, 
and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these 
are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, 
which Mered took. 

19 And the sons of his wife Hodiah* the sister 
of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and 
E.shtemoa the Maachathite. 



' Or, Jehoiachiiij 2 Kings I before 



24:6; or Coniak, Jeremiah 22:24. t Heb. Shealliel. I Heb. Hiskijnhu. 
e Genesis 46: 12. 5 Or, Chelubni, chap. 2, 9; or Caleb, oh. 2: IS. I Or, Harc^ 
eA, chap. 2:5i f Genesis 34: IS). 1 That is, Sorro!«/u;. • \leh. If thou wilt. 
t Heb. da me : Or, The city of Nahash S Or, Hathath, and Mconothai, 
who begat. H Or, inhabitants of the valley. 1 That is. Craftumen. 5 Ne- 
iah 11:35. • Or, Uknaz. 1 Or, The Jewess, t Or, /eAiidyo/i, mentioned 



Genealogical tables. 



1 CHRONICLES V. 



Smis of Reube}i and Gad. 



A M. 2704. 20 And the sons of Shimon ivere, Amnon, 
■fiV. ' and Rinnah, Ben-lianan, and Tilon. And 
tlio sons of Ishi tverc, Zoheth, and Bcn-zoheth. 

21 1 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, 
Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of 
Mareshah, and the families of tiie house of them 
tluit wroun;ht fine linen, of the house of Ashbca, 

22 And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Jo- 
ash, and Sara])h, wlio had the dominion in Moab, 
and Jashubi-lehem. And these are ancient things. 

23 These were the potters, and tiiose that dwelt 
among plants and hedges : there they dwelt with 
the king for his work. 

24 1 The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel," and 
Jamin, Jarib,* Zerah, and Shaul : 

25 Shalluni his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his 
son. 

2G And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, 
Zacchur his son, Shimei his son. 

27 And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daugh- 
ters ; but his brethren had not many children, 
neither did all their family multiply, like to* the 
children of Judah. 

28 And they dwelt at Beer-sheba, and Moladah, 
and Hazar-shual, 

2'J And at Bilhah,* and at Ezem, and at Tolad,' 

30 And at Bethuel, and at Hormab, and at Zik- 
lag, 

31 And at Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-susim,' 
and at Beth-birei, and at Shaaraim. These were 
their cities unto the reign of David. 

32 And their villages luere, Etam," and Ain, Rim- 
mon, and Tocheu, and Ashan, five cities : 

33 And all their villages that were round about 
the same cities, unto Baal.^ These ivere their hab- 
itations, and their genealogy.* 

34 And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the 
son of Amaziah, 

35 And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the 
son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 

36 And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, 
and Asaiah. and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah, 

37 And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, 
the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of 
Shemaiah ; 

38 These mentioned ^ by their names were princes 
in their families: and the house of their fathers 
increased greatly. 

39 1 And they went to the entrance of Gedor, 
even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pas- 
ture for their flocks. 

40 And they found fat pasture and good, and 
the land icas wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for 
t/ici/ of Ham had dwelt there of old. 

41 And these written by name came in the days 
of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, 
and the habitations that were found there, and 
destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt 
in their rooms:" because there was pasture thei'e 
for their flocks.'' 



•Or, Jemuei, Genesis 46:10; Exodus6:I5; Numbers 26: 12, t Or. JufAm, 
Zo/inr. ! Helirow, uiilo » Or, B(i(a/i, Joshua ID;). I Or. Eilotorf, Joshua 
10:1. 1 Or, Hiinr-JlwaA, Joshua 19:5. ■ Or, £lAer, Joshua 19:7. t Or, 
i5(w^a//i';«r, Joshua 19:9. 1 Or, a* they divided themselves by nations among 
them, t Heh. coming. » 2 Kings 18:?', etc. 1> Numbers 32: 1-1. 'Exodus 
17:16; Deuteronomy 25:17, 19; 1 Samuel 15:S; 3U:I7; 2 Samuel 8:12. 



42 And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, 
five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for 
their captains Pelatiah, and Ncariah, and Repha- 
iah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. 

43 And they smote the rest of the Amalekites 
that were escaped,'' and dwelt there unto this day. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The line of Ucuben (wlio lost his birthright) unto the captivity. 9 
Their habitation and conquest of the Hagarites. 11 The rhief men 
and habitations of Gad. IS The number and conquest of Reuben, 
Gad, and the half of Manasseh. 23 The habitations and chief men of 
that half tribe. 25 Their captivity for their sin. 

NOW the sons of Reuben the first-born of 
Israel : for he icas the first-born ;'' but, foras- 
much as he defiled his father's bed,'' liis birthright 
was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of 
Israel ; '' and the genealogy is not to be reckoned 
after the birthright ; 

2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren,'^ and 
of him came the chief ruler ; " but the birthright 
was Joseph's : 

3 The sons, I say, of Reuben the first-born of Is- 
rael iccre, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.'' 

4 The sons of Joel ; Shemaiah his son, Gog his 
son, Shimei liis son, 

5 Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son, 

6 Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser' king 
of Assyria carried away captive : he was prince of 
the Reubenites. 

7 And his brethren by their families, -when the 
genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were 
the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 

8 And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shenia,* 
the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer,' even unto 
Ncbo and Baal-meon : 

9 And eastward he inhabited unto the entering 
in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates: 
because their cattle were multiplied in the land of 
Gilead.^ 

10 And in the days of Saul they made war with 
the Hagarites,'' who fell by their hand : and they 
dwelt in their tents throughout all the cast* la7id 
of Gilead. 

11 1l And the children of Gad dwelt over against 
them, in the land of Bashan unto Salcah:' 

12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and 
Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 

13 And their brethren of the house of their fa- 
thers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, 
and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven. 

14 The.se are the children of Abihail the son of 
Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the 
son of Michael, the son of Jesliishai, the son of 
Jahdo, the son of Buz ; 

15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, chief 
of the house of their fathers. 

16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan. and in 
her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon,™ upon 
their borders.* 



d Genesis 29:32. e Genesis 35:22. f Genesis 48:15. s Genesis 49:8, 10; 
Psalm 60:7; Micah 5:2; Hebrews 7:14. I Or, prince, h Genesis 46:9; 
Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:5. 1 Or, Tiglath-piUser. 2Kings 15:29; 10:7. 
• Or, 5*«naiVi, ver. 4. i Joshua 13: 16. J Joshua 22:9. k Genesis 25:12; 
Psalm 8:1:6. t Heb. vjton all the fare of the east. ' Joshua 13:11. ■» chap. 
27:29; Song 2:1. Hi^h. goings forth. 

475 



Israelites btiforul Jurdan. 



I ("imONICLES VI. 



T/if sons of Levi. 



17 All tlii'sf wfiv rcckniicil l>y gcuciiloj^Mi's in 
tho (lays olMotliiun kiiii; ot'.ludali," and in the days 
of .Iciolioaiii kiiii: of Israel.'' 

is " The sons of Kculion, and the Gadiles, and 
hair llic tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men,* men 
able to bear Imikler and sword, and to slioot with 
bow. and skilful in war, iwrf four and forty tliuu- 
sand seven hundred and threescore, that went out 
to the war. 

I'.t And they made war with the Ilagarites,'^ with 
Jettir. and Nephish, and Nodab. 

20 And they were helped against them, and the 
Ilagarites were delivered into their hand,"' and all 
that icerc with them: for they cried to God in the 
battlc.*^^ and he was entreated of them; because 
they put their trust in him.' 

121 And they took away' their cattle; of their 
camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundi'cd 
and lifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, 
and of men' a hundred thousand. 

22 For there fell down many slain, because tho 
war was of God." And they dwelt in their steads 
until the captivity.'' 

23 1 And the children of the half tribe of Ma- 
nasseh dwelt in the land : they increased from 
Bashan unto Baal-Hermon and Scnii", and unto 
mount Hcrmon. 

24 And these were the heads of the house of 
their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Elicl, 
aud Azricl, and Jeremiah, and Ilodaviah, and 
Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous mcu,^ and 
heads of the- house of their fathers. 

2.5 •' And they transgressed against the God of 
their fathers, and went a whoringafter the gods 
of tlie ))coj)Ie of the land,' whom God destroyed 
before tliem. 

26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit 
of Pul king of Assyria,J and the spirit of Tilgath- 
pilnescr king of Assyria, and he carried them 
away, even the Reubeuitcs, and the Gadites, and 
the half tribe of Manasseh, aud brought them unto 
Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river 
Gozan, unto this day." 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 The sons of Levi. 4 The line of the priests unto the captivity. Ifi 
The families of Gershom, Merari, and Kohath. 49 The office of 
Aaron, and his line unto Ahimaaz. 54 The cities of the priests and 
Levites. 

THE sons of Levi;' Gershon,' Kohath, and 
Merari. 

2 And the sons of Koliath ; Amram, Izhar,"' and 
Hebron, and Uzziel. 

3 And the children of Amram ; Aaron, and 
Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; 
Nadab aud Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar." 

4 1i Eleazar begat Phinehas," Phinehas begat 
Abishua, 

5 And Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat 
Uzzi, 



«2KiaKS 15:32. b a Kines 14:10. •Keh.sonsofralor. f ver. 10 d ver 
22. e 2Chr. 18:31. f 2 Chr. 14:11; Psa. 2>:4, 5; 84:11. 12. t Heb. led 
aiplwe. 1 Heb. soi/iso/meii; as Num. 31:35. e Josh. 23:10, 2 Chr. 3a:8. 
Ii 2 Kings 15:29; 17:B. iKeb. nun of names, i 2 Kings 17:7-18. J 2 Kinja 
p:19. k2Kingsl8:ll. ' Gen. 40:11 ; ,\um. 26:57. I Or, GcwAom, ver. 
16. "ver.22; Exod.6;21,24. n Lev. 10:1, 16. o Nam. 25:11, 13. P 2 Sam. 

476 



(i And Uzzi liegatZerahiah,andZerahiali ^ »" koi. 
begat Meraioth, iriui. iw. 

7 Meraioth begat Amariah, and Ainariah begat 
Ahitub, 

8 And Ahitub begat Zadok,'' and Zadok begat 
Ahimaaz, 

It And Ahimaaz begat Azariah, aud Azariah be- 
gat .lohanan, 

10 And .lohanan begat Azariah; he it is that 
executed the priest's oflice in the temple'' that 
Solomon built in Jerusalem:" 

11 And Azariah begat Amariah,'' and Amariah 
begat Ahitub, 

12 And Ahitub begat Zadok, aud Zadok begat 
Shallum," 

13 And Shallum begat Hilkiah,and Hilkiah be- 
gat Azariah, 

14 And Azariah begat Seraiah," and Seraiah 
begat Jehozadak, 

15 And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the 
Lord carried away Jiidah aud Jerusalem by the 
hand of Nebuchadnezzar.' 

16 1 The sons of Levi; Gershom,' Kohath, and 
Merari. 

17 And these be the names of the sons of Ger- 
shom ; Libni, and Shimei. 

18 And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and 
Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. 

19 The sous of Merari ; Mahli, and Mushi. And 
these are the families of the Levites according to 
their fathers. 

20 Of Gershom ; Libni his son, Jahath his son, 
Zimmah his son, 

21 Joah* his son, Iddo^ his son, Zerah his son, 
Jeaterai' his son. 

22 The sons of Kohath ; Amminadab^ his son, 
Korah his son, Assir his son, 

23 Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and 
Assir his son, 

24 Tahatli his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, 
and Shaul* his son, 

2.5 And the sons of Elkanah ; Amasai, and Ahi- 
moth. 

26 ./3s for Elkanah : the sons of Elkanah ; Zo- 
phai' his son, and Nahath* his son, 

27 Eliab his son, Jerohamhisson, Elkanah hisson. 

28 And the sons of Samuel ; the first-born Yash- 
ni,^ and Abiah. 

29 The sons of Merari ; Mahli, Libni his son, 
Shimei his son, Uzza his son, 

30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his 
son. 

31 And these arc they whom David set over the 
service of song in the house of the Lord, after that 
the ark had rest." 

32 And they ministered before the dwelling- 
place of the tabernacle of the congregation with 
singing, until Solomon had built the house of the 
Lord in Jerusalem : and t/ien they waited on their 
office according to their order. 

8:17. ^ Heb. house, q 2 Chr. 26:17. ' Ezra 7:3. • Or. Meshullam. ch. 
9:11. 'Neh. 11:11. I 2 Kings 25:18. t Or, GjriAon, ver. 1. \ Or, Elhan, 
ver. 42. 5 Or, Adaiah, ver. 41. I Or, Ethni, ver. 41. 1 Or, Jzhar. ver. 
2, 18. • Or, Zephaniah, Ai.aria/i, Joel, verso 35. t Or, Zupk, ver. 35- 
1 Samuel 1:1. 1 Toah, ver. 34. 8 CaUed also Joel, ver. 33; 1 Samuel 8:2. 
u chap. 16:1. 



The families of 



1 CHRONICLES VI. 



the sons of Levi. 



A. M. 2721 33 And these are tliey that waited* with 
\-!ii).'"w. their children. Of tlie 8ons of the Ko- 
hathites, Heman a singer,'' the son of Joel, the son 
of Shemuel, 

34 The son of Ellcanah, the son of Jeroham, 
the sou of Eliel, the son of Toah,* 

35 The son of Zuph,* the son of Elkanah, the son 
of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 

36 The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel,^ the son 
of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 

37 The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son 
of Ebiasaph," the son of Korah, 

38 The son of Izhar, the son of Kokath, the son 
of Levi, the son of Israel. 

39 And his brother Asaph,"^ who stood on his 
right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the 
sou of Shimea, 

40 The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the 
son of Malchiah, 

41 The son of Ethni, the son of Zerah," the son 
of Adaiah, 

42 The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son 
of Sliimei, 

43 The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the 
son of Levi. 

44 And their brethren the sons of Merari stood 
on the left hand : Ethan ''' the son of Kishi,' the 
son of Abdi, the sou of Malluch, 

45 The sou of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, 
the son of Hilkiah, 

46 The son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of 
Shamer, 

47 The son of Mahli, the son of Mushi, the son 
of Merari, the sou of Levi. 

48 Their brethren also the Levites were appoint- 
ed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle 
of the house of God.' 

49 1 But Aaron and his sons ofiFered upon the 
altar of the burut-ofl'ering." and on the altar of 
incense,'* and were appointed for all the work of the 
place most holy, and to make an atonement for 
Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of 
God had commanded. 

50 And these are the sons of Aaron;' Eleazar 
his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, 

51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, 

52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub 
his son, 

53 Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son. 

54 ?[ Nowthesearctheir dwelling-places through- 
out their castles iu their coasts, of the sons of 
Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites:^ for 
theirs was the lot. 

55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of 
Judah, and the suburbs thereof round about it. 

56 But the fields of the city, and the villages 
thereof, they gave to Calel) the son of Jephunneh.'' 

57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities 
of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and 
Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir, and Eslite- 
moa, with their suburbs. 



• Heb. stood. « Psa. 88, title, t Naliath. ver. ?B. : Or, Zopliai. t S/iaul. 
Vzziak. Uriel, ver. al. 1> Exodus 0:41. « Neliemiah 7:44; Psalm 7.i, etc., 
titles, i ver. il. I Called Jedulliun, chap. 8:11); -iSA. 3, 6. t Psalm ^(1, 
title. 1 Or, KusAaiaA. chap. 15.17. ' Numbers 8:5-11. e Leviticus 1 : 9. 



58 And Hilen' with her suburbs, Debir with her 
suburbs, 

59 And Ashan* with her suburbs, and Beth-she- 
mesh with her suburbs: 

60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin ; Geba with 
her suburbs, and Alemeth* with her suburbs, and 
Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities 
throughout their families u-ere thirteen cities. 

61 And unto the sous of Kohath, v^fiich were left 
of the family of that tribe,' were cities given out 
of the half tribe, namely, out of the half tribe of 
Manasseh, by lot, ten cities. 

62 And to the sons of Gershom throughout their 
families out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of 
the tribe of Ashcr, and out of the tribe of Naph- 
tali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, 
thirteen cities. 

63 Unto the sous of Merari ^ were given by lot, 
throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reu- 
ben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the 
tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 

64 And the children of Israel gave to the Le- 
vites these cities with their suburbs. 

65 And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the 
children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the 
children of Simeon, and out of the tribe of the 
children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called 
by their names. 

66 And the residue of the families of the sons of 
Kohath had cities of their coasts out of the tribe 
of Eiihraim." 

67 And they gave unto them, q/"the cities of ref- 
uge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her sub- 
urbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs, 

68 And Jokmcam with her suburbs,^ and Beth- 
horon with her suburbs, 

69 And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gath- 
rimmon with her suburbs : 

70 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh ; Aner 
with her suburbs, and Bileam with her suburbs, 
for the family of the remnant of the sons of Ko- 
hath. 

71 Unto the sons of Gershom were given, out of 
the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in 
Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her 
suburbs : 

72 And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh 
with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs, 

73 And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem 
with her suburbs : 

74 And out of the tribe of Asher ; Mashal with 
her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs, 

75 And Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob 
with her suburbs : 

76 And out of the tribe of Naphtali ; Kedesh in 
Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her 
suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs. 

77 Unto the rest of the children of Merari were 
given, out of the tribe of Zobulun, Rimmou with 
her suburbs. Tabor with her suburbs: 

78 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on 

fc Exodus 30:7. i ve'r. 4-8. J Joshua 21. k Joshua 14:13: 15:13. • Or, 
Holon, Joshua 'Jl : 15. t Or, Ain, Joshua 21 :16. I Or, Almon. Joshua 21 : 18. 
1 ver. (iG. m Numbers 3:20. a ver. 61. 5 Joshua 21:21-35, where many of 
these cities have other names, 

477 



Sons of Issadiar, Ufiijamin, 



1 ("IIHONICLES VII. 



Manassch, Ephraim, aiid Asher. 



llio OMst side of .lonliiii, mrv triim them, out of 
the liil)e of Heiilien. Jic/cr in ttic wil(ienics.s with 
liiT suluirlis, anil .lali/.ali witii iier suljurbs," 

T'.l KeiieniDtli alsii witii her suburbs, and Mc- 
jiliaalli with her siihurl)s: 

SI) Anil out of the tribe of Gatl ; Ramoth in 
(lileail with her t^uburbs,'' and Slahanaini with her 
suliurbs," 

,si And rieslibon with her s^ubuibs, and Jazcr 
witii her suburbs. 

CHAPTEU VII. 

1 The sons of Issschsr, 6 of Benjamin, 13 of Napluali, 14 of Manassch, 

~' . - " . - 2\ The calamity ot Ephraim by the men 

128 Ephraim's habitations. 30 Tlie 



20, 24 and of Ephraim. 

of Gath. 23 Beriah is born. 

sons of Ashcr. 



Xy W tiie sons of Issachar jwre, Tola, and Puah,' 
jL\ Jaslnib, and Siiimroii, four.'' 

2 And the sons of Toki ; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, 
and Jeriel, and .Jahniai, and Jibsani, and Shemuel, 
heads of their fatiier's liouse, to wit, of Tola: they 
wire valiant men of might in their generations; 
whose nunil)er was in the daj-s of David two and 
twenty tliousand and six Innidred.'' 

3 And tlie sons of Uzzi ; Jzrahiali: and the sons 
of Izrahiali ; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishi- 
ali, five: all of them chief men. 

4 And with tliem, by their generations, after the 
house of their fathers, were bands of soldiers for 
war, six and thirty thousand men: for they had 
many wives and sons. 

.5 And their brethren among all the families of 
Issachar were valiant men of might,*^ reckoned in 
all by their genealogies fourscore and seven thou- 
sand. 

6 T The sn7is of Benjamin ;« Bela, and Becher, 
and Jediael, three. 

7 And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and 
Uzziel, and Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the 
Jiouse of their fathers, mighty men of valor ; and 
were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and 
two tliousand and tliirty and four. 

8 And the sons of Becher ; Zemira, and Joash, 
and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and Omri, and Jeri- 
moth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth. 
All these are the sous of Becher. 

9 And the number of them, after their geneal- 
ogy by their generations, heads of the house of 
tlieir fathers, mighty men of valor, was twenty 
thousand and two hundred. 

10 Tiie sons also of Jediael ; Billian: and the sons 
ofBillian; Jeush,andBenjainin,aiid Eiiud,andClie- 
naanali, and Zethan, and Tarshish, and Aliishahar. 

11 All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads 
of their fathers, mighty men of valor,** were seven- 
teen thousand and two hundred soldiers, fit to go 
out for war and battle. 

12 Shuppim also, and Huppim,* the children of 
Ir,' and Hushim, the sons of Aher.^ 

13 1 The sons of Naphtali ; Jahziel, and Guni, 
and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah. 

" Deuteronomy 4:41-1.3. b ] Kings 22:3, etc. <: Ginesis 32:2; 2 Samuel 
1T-J4. 27. • Pfiuvah. Job. ^l Genesis 4«: 13; Numbers 28:2:1. e cliap. t?: 1 . 
'ciap. 12:32. s chap, b:!, etc. ; Genesis 46:91 . h 2 Clironioles 17:13, etc. 
1 S/tiipham and Hupham, Numbers 26:39. J Or. Iri. verse 7. S Or. Alti- 
ram. .Numbers 26: 3S. i verse 12. i 1 Samuel 12:11. I Jezer. Numbers 

478 



14 •The sons of Manassch; Ashriel. ■}, »V f^'*"- 
whom she bare; (but iiis conculiine the "c 
Arainitess bare Macliir tiie fatiier of (lilead : 

l.'j And Macliir took to wife the sister of lliijipiin 
and Shuppim,' whose sister's naiiie«a.v Maaeliah ;) 
and the name of the second was ZelopLehad : and 
Zelophehad had daughters. 

1() And Maachali the wife of Macliir bare a son, 
and she called his name I'eresh ; and the name of 
his lirother was Sheresh; and his sons wire Ulam 
and Rakcra. 

17 And the sons of Ulam; Bcdan.' These wwe 
the sons of Gilead, the son of Macliir, the son of 
Manasseh. 

18 And his sister Hammoleketh bare Ishod, and 
Abiezer,' and Malialah. 

19 And the sons of Shemidah wei-e, Ahian, and 
Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam. 

20 11 And the sons of Ephraim ;'' Shuthelah, and 
Bered his son, and Taliath his son, and Eladali his 
sou, and Taliath his son, 

21 And Zabad his son, and Shuthclah his son, 
and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath that 
were born in that land slew, because they came 
down to take away their cattle. 

22 And Ephraim their father mourncil many 
days,' and his brethren came to comfort him.'" 

23 T And when he went in to his wife, she con- 
ceived and bare a son, and he called his name Be- 
riah,^" because it went evil with his house." 

24 (And his daughter was Sherali, who built 
Bcth-horon the nether, and the upper, and Uzzen- 
shcrah.) 

25 And Rcphah icas his son, also Resheph, and 
Telah his son, and Talian his son, 

26 Laadan his son, Aminihud his son, Elishama 
his son, 

27 Non* his son, Jehosliuah his son. 

28 \ And their possessions and habitations were, 
Beth-el and the towns thereof, and eastward Naa- 
ran,'' and westward Gezcr, with the towns* there- 
of; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto 
Gaza* and the towns thereof: 

29 And by the borders of the children of Ma- 
nassch,'' Beth-shean and her towns, Taanach and 
her towns, Megiddo and her towns. Dor and her 
towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the 
son of Israel. 

30 TT The sons of Asher ;"■ Imnah, and Isuali, and 
Ishuai, and Beriah, and Serah their sister. 

31 And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Mal- 
cliiel, who is the father of Birzavith. 

32 And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer,^ and 
Hothain, and Shua their sister. 

33 And the sons of Japhlet ; Pasaeh, and Bim- 
hal, and Ashvath. These are the children of 
Japhlet. 

34 And the sons of Shamer ;" Ahi, and Rohgah, 
Jehubbah, and Aram. 

35 And the sons of his brother Helem ; Zophah, 
and Imna, and Shelesh, and Amal. 

S6:.30. k Numbers 26:35. 1 Genesis .37:34. m Job 2:11. T That is, /n 
evil, n Genesis 3o;lS; 1 Samuel 4:21. o 2 Samuel 2.3:o. * Or, Nun, 
Numbers 13:8, 16. P Joshua 16:7. t Hebrew, daughters. I Or. Arlasa. 
q Joshua 17:7, 11. r Genesis 46:17; Numbers 26:44. ! Shamer, verse 34. 



I Shomci 



.32. 



Sons of Benjamin. 



1 CHRONICLES IX. 



Inhabitants of Jerusalem. 



A. M 23C0. 36 The sons of Zophah ; Suah, and Har- 
'•'":■ ' nepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrali, 

37 Bezer, and Hod, and Sliamma, and Sliilshah, 
and Itliran, and Beera. 

38 And tlie sons of Jether; Jepliunneh, and 
Pispali, and Ara. 

3U And the sons of Ulla ; Arah, and Haniel, and 
Rozia. 

40 All these were the children of Asher, heads 
of their father's house, choice and mighty men of 
valor, chief of the princes. And the number 
throughout the genealogy of them that were apt 
to the war and to battle was twenty and six thou- 
sand men. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

1 The sons and chief men of Benjamin. 33 The stock of Saul and Jon- 
athan. 

"\TOW Benjamin begat Bela his first-born, Ash- 
J^ > liel the second, and .;\.harah the third, 

2 Nohah the fourth, and Raplia the fifth. 

3 Ami the sons of Bela were, Addar,* and Gera, 
and Abihud, 

4 And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, 

5 And Gera," and Shephuphan,* and Huram. 

G And these are the sons of Ehud : these arc the 
heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, 
and they removed them to Manahath:'' 

7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he re- 
moved them, and begat Uzza, and Ahihud. 

8 And Shaharaim begat children in the country 
of Moab,"^ after he had sent them away ; Hushim 
and Baara were his wives. 

And he begat of Hodesh liis wife, Jobab, and 
Zibia, and Mesha, and ilalchani, 

10 And Jeuz, and Sliai'hia, and Mirma. These 
were his sons, heads of the fathers. 

11 And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and El- 
paal. 

V2, The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and 
Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod,'' with the towns 
thereof: 

13 Beriah also, and Shema," who were heads of 
the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who 
drove away the inhabitants of Gath : 

14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 

15 And Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader, 

16 And Micliael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons 
of Beriah ; 

17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, 
and Heber, 

18 Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the 
sons of Elpaal ; 

19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi, 

20 And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel, 

21 And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the 
sons of Shimhi;* 

22 And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel, 

23 And Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, 

24 And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah, 



• Or, Arii, Genesis 4r.:2I. • Judijes .■J;15. t Or, Slmpham, Numbers 
26::i3; cliap. 7:12. 1> chap. 2;.53. = Ruth 1:1. <1 Ezra 2:33; Neheniiah 
6:2; H-.K. e vcr. 21. ! Or, .S7iemn. ver. 13. f Joshua 1^:23; Nehemiah 
11:1. S CalleJ Jehitl, chap, i)■.^l. I Or, Zechariah, chap. 9:37. 1 Or, Sltun- 



2.5 And Iphedeiah, and Pcneul, the sons of Sha- 
shak ; 

26 And Shamshcrai, and Shehariah, and Atha- 
liali, 

27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons 
of Jcroliam. 

28 These were heads of the fathers, by their 
generations, chief men. These dwelt in Jerusa- 
lem.*^ 

29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father^ of Gibeon ; 
whose wife's name was Maachah : 

30 And his first-born son Abdon, and Zur, and 
Kish, and Baal, and Nadab, 

31 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zachcr.' 

32 And Mikloth begat Shimeah.' And these 
also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over 
against them. 

33 IT And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, 
and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-sliua, and 
Abinadab," and Esh-baal.* 

34 And the son of Jonathan was Mcrib-baal;* 
and Mcrib-baal begat Micah. 

35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Me- 
lech, and Tarea,^ and Ahaz. 

36 And Ahaz begat Jehoadah;' and Jehoadah 
begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and 
Zimri begat Moza ; 

37 And Moza begat Binea : Kapha' was his son, 
Elcasah his son, Azel his son. 

38 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, 
Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and 
Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of 
Azel. 

39 And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam 
his first-born, Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the 
third. 

40 And the sous of Ulam were mighty men of 
valor, archers, and had many sons, and sons' sons, 
a hundred and fifty. All these are of the sons of 
Benjamin. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 The original of Israel's and Judah's genealogies. 2 The Israelites, 
10 the priests, 14 and the Levites, with Nethinim, which dwelt in 
Jerusalem. 27 The charge of certain Levites. 35 The stock of Saul 
and Jonathan. 

SO all Israel were reckoned by genealogies ; and 
behold, they were written in the book of the 
kings of Israel and Judah,M'/io were carried away 
to Babylon for their transgression. 

2 1" Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their 
possessions in their cities ii-ere, the Isz'aelites, the 
priests, Levites,^ and the Nethinim.*" 

3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of 
Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and of 
the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh ;' 

4 Utliai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, 
the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children 
of Pharez the son of Judah. 

5 And of the Shilonites ; Asaiah the first-born, 
and his sons. 



earn, chap. 9:3,S. • Ishui, 1 Samuel 14:40. t Or, Jshhosltelh. 2 Samuel 2:S. 
! Or, ilifpAiics/Ki/i, 2Samuel 4:4; 9:0, 10. § Or, Ta^rfo, chap. 9:41 . I Jn- 
rah, chap. 9:42. 1 Repliaiah, chap. 9:43. S Ezra 2:7U; Nehemiah 7:73. 
li Joshua 9:27; Ezra 2:43; Si;20, i Nehemiah 11:1, 

479 



JPrusIs and purtcrs. 



1 CHRONICLES IX. 



C And uf tin; sons of Zcrali ; Jcnel, and their 
brotliicn, six liiindiiMl and ninety. 

7 And of till' sons uf Ik'iijaniin; Haliu the son 
of Mcslinllaui, the son of lloduviaii, tiie son of 
IIuM'nuali, 

8 Ami IbiiL'iaii the son of .loroliani.and Khih tlie 
son of L'zzi, the son of Michri, and Mesiiiilhini tiie 
son of Siieplialiiiah, the son of Reuel, the son of 
Ibnijaii ; 

9 And their brethren, accordino: to their genera- 
tions, nine iuindred and fifty and six. Ail those 
men ircre chief of the fathers in the house of their 
fatlicrs. 

10 "i Andof the priests;" Jedaiah.and.Tehoiarib, 
and Jachin, 

U And Azariah* the son of Hilkiah, the son of 
MeshuUani, the son of Zadok, the son of Jlerai- 
oth, the sou of Aliitub, the ruler of the house of 
God ; 

12 And Adaiah the son of Jcroham, the son of 
Pasluir, the son of Maluliijali, and Maasiai the sou 
of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Me- 
shullaiu, the son of Meshilleniith, the son of Im- 
mer ; 

1:5 And their brethren, heads of the house of 
their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and 
tlireescore ; very able men * for the work of the 
service of the house of God. 

14 And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of 
Hasshub, the sou of Azrikain, tlic son of Hasha- 
biah, of the sons of Merarl ; 

15 And Bakbakkar, Hercsh, and Galal, and Mat- 
taniah the son of Micah, the sou of Zichri, the son 
of Asaph ; 

1() And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of 
Galal, the son of Jeduthun, aud Bercchiah the son 
of Asa, the sou of Elkanah, that dwelt in the vil- 
lages of the Netophathites. 

17 1 Aud the porters were, .Shallum, and Akkub, 
aud Talmou, and Ahiman, aud their brethren: 
Shallum icas the chief; 

18 Who hitherto waited in the king's gate east- 
ward : they were porters iu the companies of the 
children of Levi. 

19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of 
Ebiasaph, the sou of Korah, and his brethren, of 
the house of his father, the Korahites, were over 
the work of the service, keepers of the gates* of 
the tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the 
host of the Lord, were keepers of the entry. 

20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the 
ruler over them in time past,'' and the Lord ivas 
with him. 

21 And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was 
porter of the door of the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation. 

22 All these which were chosen to be porters in 
the gates were two hundred and twelve. These 
were reckoned hy their genealogy in their villages, 
whom David *= and Samuel the seer* did ordain* in 
their set office.' 

23 So they and their children had the oversight 



• SeraiaM. Nehsmiih 11:11. t Hebrew, mighty 
tkresholdf. b Numbers 31 : 0. » chap. SK: I. etc. 



» Neiiemiah 11:10, et( 
men nfvnlnr. 1 He^^re 

rf 1 Samtiel 9-9. i Hebrew. /oi/nrf^d. 1 Or. trust e 2 Kinc? il:.5. 1 Or. 
trust. • Or, storehouses, t Hebrew, bring them in by tale, and carry them 

480 



S/iiil and Jvtuitliiin. 

of the gates of tlie house of the Loud, a. »i.»h 
namely, the liouse of the tabernacle, by cu.'^' 
wards. 

24 In four quarters were the jKjrters, toward the 
east, west, north, and south. 

25 And their bretiireu, which were in tlieir vil- 
lages, were to come after seven days from time to 
time with theni.'- 

20 For these Levites, tlie four cliief porters, were 
iu their set office,' and were over the chambers* 
and treasuries of the liouse of God. 

27 Aud they lodged round about the house of 
God, because the charge was upon them, and the 
opening thereof every morning pertained to them. 

28 And certain of them had the charge of the 
ministering vessels, that they should bring them 
in and out by tale.* 

29 Some of them also u-ere appointed to oversee 
the vessels, and all the instruments' of the sanc- 
tuary, and the line flour, aud the wine, and the oil, 
aud the frankincense, and the spices. 

30 And some of the sons of the priests made the 
ointment of the spices.' 

31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was 
the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, had the 
set office* over the things that were made in the 
pans."*' 

32 And other of their brethren, of the sons of 
the Kohathites, were over the show-bread,^ to pre- 
pare it every sabbath. 

33 And these are the singers,*" chief of the fa- 
thers of the Levites, who remaining in the cham- 
bers v:ere free; for they were employed in* that 
work day and night. 

34 These chief fathers of the Levites were chief 
throughout their generations ; these dwelt at Jeru- 
salem. 

35 IT And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, 
Jehiel, whose wife's name was Maachah:' 

36 And his first-born son Abdon, then Zur, and 
Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab, 

37 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and 
Mikloth. 

38 And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also 
dwelt with tlieir brethren at Jerusalem, over 
against their brethren. 

39 And Ner begat Kish ;J and Kish begat Saul ; 
and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malehi-shua, and 
Abinadab, and Esh-baal. 

40 And the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal : and 
Merib-baal begat Micah. 

41 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Me- 
lech, and Tahrea, and Jihaz.^ 

42 And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat 
Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri 
begat Moza ; 

43 xlnd Moza begat Binea; and Eepbaiah his 
son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. 

44 And Azel had six sons, whose names are 
these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and Shea- 
riali, and Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the 
sons of Azel. 

out by tale, t Or, vessels . f Exodus :3(l:a3, -W i Ol. trust. I Or, on flat 
plates, or sliees. e I,eviticus ■2:^; G:'21 t Hebrew, '>renrf 0/ ordering;; 
Leviticus 24:H. h chap. 0:31; '2.5:4. • Heblew, uyon them was. i chap, 
8:29. J chap. 8:3-3. k chap. 8:35. 



6'a ul is ovtrthrown. 



1 CHRONICLES XI. 



David is viade kin 



CHAPTER X. 



1 Saul's overtRrow ami death. S The Philistines triumph over Saul. 
11 The idndnass of Jabesh-gilead towards Saul and his sons. 13 
Saul's sin, for which the kingdom was translated from him to David. 

NOW the Pliilistines fouglit against Israel;" 
and tlie men of Israel fled from before the 
Philistines, and fell down slain" in mount Gilboa. 

2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, 
and after his sons ; and tiio Philistines slew Jon- 
athan, and Abinadabjt and Malchi-shua, the sons 
of Saul. 

3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and 
the archers* hit^ him, and he was wounded of the 
archers. 

4 Then said Saul to his armor-bearer, Draw thy 
sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest 
these uncircumcised come and abuse' me. But 
his armor-bearer would not ; for he was sore 
afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 

5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was 
dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died. 

6 So Saul died, and his three sous, and all his 
house died together. 

7 And when all the men of Israel that ivere in 
the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and 
liis sons were dead, then they forsook their cities,'' 
and fled: and tiie Philistines came and dwelt in 
them. 

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the 
Pliilistines came to strip the slain, that they found 
Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 

9 And when tiiey had stripped him, they took 
his head, and his armor, and sent into the land of 
the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto 
their idols, and to the people. 

10 And they put his armor in the house of their 
gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Da- 
go n.= 

11 IT And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that 
the Philistines had done to Saul, 

12 Tliey arose, all the valiant men, and took 
away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, 
and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their 
bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven 
days. 

13 IT So Saul died for his transgression which 



« 1 Sam. 31:1, etc. • Or, wounded, t Or, ftAui. 1 Sam. 14:49. 1 Heb. 
shooters with bows, fi Heb. found. I Or, mock, b Lev. 3f»;31 « I Sam. 
:il:10. 1 Heb. transgressed, i 1 Sam. 13:13; 15:2:3. « 1 Sam. 28:7, etc. 
• Heb. Isai. ' 1 Sam. 16:1, 13; 23:17; 2 Sam. 3:9, lU; 5:3. S 2 Sam. 5:1, 



CHAPTER X. 

" 1. Mount Gilboa; on the south of the valley of Esdraelon, 
sometimes called the valley of Jezreel. 

6. All his house; all the men belonging to his household 
wlio were present at the battle. His son Ish-bosheth, 
called Esh-baalin IChron. 8:33 and 9:39, survived him, and 
also Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan. Ziba also, one of 
the servants belonging to Saul's house, is mentioned in 
2 Sam. 9:2, etc. 

9. To carry tidings unto their idols; to whose aid they 
:iseril>ed their victory. 

10 Fiiflciied his liead ; his body had been fastened to the 
wall in Btth-shan. 1 Sam. 31 : 10. 

12. Jdiesh ; on the east of Jordan. 

^ INSTRUCTIONS, 

t. Those who have not chosen God as tlieir portion and 
31 



he committed'^ against the Lord, (vc7i against the 
word of the Loud,'' which he kept not, and also 
for asking counsel oi' 07ie that had a familiar spirit, 
to inquire of it;" 

14 And inquired not of the Lord : therefore he 
slow him, and turned the kingdom unto David the 
son of Jesse.'*' 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 David by a general consent is made king at Hebron. 4 He winnetli 
the castle of Zion from the Jebusites by Joab's valor. 10 A catalogue 
of David's mighty men. 

THEN all Israel gathered themselves to David 
unto Hebron,*-' saying, Behold, we are thy bono 
and thy flesh. 

2 And moreover in time past,* even when Saul 
was king, thou wast he that leddcst out and 
broughtest in Israel: and the Lord thy God said 
unto thee. Thou shalt feed*' my people Israel, and 
thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel." 

3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the 
king to Hebron ; and David made a covenant wilh 
them in Hebron before the Lord ; and they anoint- 
ed David king over Israel, according to the 'word 
of the Lord by^ Samuel.' 

4 1i And David and all Israel •went to Jerusa- 
lem, which is Jebus;^ where the Jebusites were, 
the inhabitants of the land. 

5 And the inhabitants of Jcbus said to David, 
Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David 
took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. 

6 And David said. Whosoever smiteth the Jeb- 
usites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab 
the son of Zeruiah went first up, and -was chief. 

7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they 
called it the city of David.' 

8 And he built the city round about, even from 
Millo round about: and Joab repaired* the rest 
of the city. 

9 So David waxed greater and greater :* for the 
Lord of hosts was •with him. 

10 IT These also are the chief of the mighty men 
whom David had, who strengthened themselves 
with him* in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to 
make him king, according to the word of the 
Lord concerning Israel." 



etc. t Heb. both yesterday and the third day. I Or, rule, h Tsa. 78:71 ; Jer. 
3:15. « Heb. by the hand of. ■ 1 Sam. 10:1, 12. > iuig. 1:21; 10:1U. 
I Heb. head. II That is, Zion; 2 Sam. 5:7. * Heb. revived, t Heb. went 
in going and increasing, t Or, held strongly with him. t 1 Sam. 16:1, 12. 



have no hope in his mercy, are often very miserable ■when 
they come to die ; and sometimes are ready to hasten their 
death by their own hands. 

14. To seek help from evil spirits is a great sin, ami 
exposes those who do it to the just judgments of God. 
Pretensions to intercourse with departed spirits dishonor 
him and his word, and should be refrained from and dis- 
countenanced. Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:27; Deut. 1S:11; Isa. 
8:19, 20. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. All Israel gathered ; this was after David had reigned 
over the tribe of Judah alone six years and three months. 
2 Sam. 5:5. For the position of Hebron, see note to 2 Sam. 
2:1. 

4. Jebu.f ; the former name of Jerusalem. 

6. Chief and captain; that is, over the host. 

8. Milio; a fortified part of Jerusalem. 
481 



1 Cniio.NK'l.KS \l. 



Darufs chief r/iplains 

11 And lliis is llio ninnbor of llic mijriily iik'ii 
whom Havid liml ; Jasliolicaiii, a Uacliiiioiiilc,' iIk- 
chk'l'ortlu' c'iii>liiiiis: lie lifk-d up liis spear against 
three liundri'ti slain hy him at one time. 

VI And alter iiim iras Eleazar the son of Dodo, 
the Aiiohite, who was one of tlie tlireo mighties. 

13 He was with David at I'as-(himniim.' and 
there the I'iiilistincs were gathered togoliier to 
battle, wiiere was a parcel of ground full of liar- 
ley ; and the ])eoplc lied from before the Philis- 
tines. 

1-1 And tlicy set* themselves in the midst of that 
parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; 
and tlie Loud saved Hum by a great deliverance.'^ 

1.5 T[ Now tlirec of the thirty captains' went 
down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adul- 
1am ;" and the host of the PJiilistincs enc^ampcd 
in the valley of Rephaim.'' 

16 And David was then in the hold, and the 
Philistines' garri.son was then at Bethdehcra. 

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one 
would give me drink of the water of the well of 
Bcth-lchem, that is at tiie gate!'' 

18 And the three brake through the host of the 
Philistines, and drew water out of the well of 
Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and 
brought it to David : but David Avould not drink 
of\i, but j)oured it out to the Loud,'' 

19 And said, My (lod forbid it me, that I should 
do this thing: shall 1 driidc tlie blood of these 
incn° that have put their livcs^ in jeopardy?' for 
with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it: 
therefore he would not drink it. These things did 
these three mightiest. 

20 11 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was 
chief of the three :» for lifting up his spear against 
three hundred, he slew them, and had a name 
among the three. 

21 Of the three, he was more honorable than 
the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he 
attained not to i\\Q first three. 

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a val- 
iant man of Kabzccl, who had done many acts;* 
he slew two lion-like men of Moab : also he went 
down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. 

23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great 
stature,* five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's 
hand was a spear like a weaver's beam ; and he 
went down to him with a staff, and plucked the 



and mighty men. 



' Or, son of Hachmoni. 1 Or. Epiits-d/i 
S Or, salcation. I Or, three eapia' 



in. 1 Si 
lliirly. 
ch. 14:9. c psa. 107:5. i 1 Sim. 7:6. = Lev. 17:10,11: Psi. 7-2:14. 
1 Keh. icith their lives, r .Tadg. 5:13; 9:17; 1 Sam. 19:5. r 2 Sam. 2:i:lS, 
etc. • Ueb. great of deeds. : Keh. of measure, h 1 Sam. 17:51. 1 Or, 



II. Lifted up his spear against three hundred; see note to 
2 Sara. 23:8. 

14. T/iey set tltemselves ; Eleazar and his associates. Ac- 
cording to the opinion of some, his chief helper in tliis 
exploit was Shammah, to whom this victory is ascribed in 
2 Sam. 23: 11. A comparison of this list of David's heroes 
with that given in 2 Samuel 23, shows several points 
of difference, which a fulU-r knowledge of the history of 
those times might help us to explain. They relate wholly 
to names or circumstanti;d details. 

15. In the valley of Rnpliaim; south-west of Jerusalem. 
26. Tlie valiant men of the armies; this list of David's 

mighty men is fuller than that contained in the correspond- 
ing list in the second book of Samuel. 
482 



lini with his own spear.'' 

24 These tilings did lk'nai:ih the son of .Jehoiada. 
and had a name among the three mighties. 

25 BeiioUl, he was honorable among the thirty, 
but attained )iot to the first three: and David set 
him over his guard. 

2tj 'l Also the valiant men of the armies were. 
.Vsahel the brother of Joab, Elhanau the son of 
Dodo of Beth-lehem, 

27 Bhammoth' the Harorite," Ilelcz the Pelu- 
nite,' 

28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-czer 
the Antothite, 

29 Hibbecai"' the Hushatliite, Ilai* the Ahohito. 

30 Maharai the Netophathite, lieled' the .-on of 
Baanah the Netophathite, 

31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibcah, that per- 
tained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the 
Pirathonite, 

32 Ilurai* of the brooks of Gaasli, Abicl' the 
Arbathite, 

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaal- 
bonitc, 

34 The sons of Hashem- the Gizonite, Jonathan 
the son of Shage the Hararite, 

35 .\hiam the son of Sacar^ the Hararite, Eli- 
phal* the son of Ur,* 

30 Ilepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelo- 
nite, 

37 Hezro* the Carmelite, Naarai^ the son of 
Ezbai, 

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibliar the son 
of llaggeri," 

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naliarai the Berothite, 
the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 

42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a cap- 
tain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 

43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat 
the Mithnite, 

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the 
sons of Hothan the Arocrite, 

45 Jediael the son of Shimri,^ and Joha his 
brother, the Tizitc, 

4() Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Josha- 

viah the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite. 



Shnmmali 


5 Or, 


Harodiu.. 2 S 


am 


•23:25. 1 


Or, 


Pallite, 2 


Sam. 


23:2G 


1 Or, Mebi 


nnai. 


Or. 




to 


. Heleb 


lOr 


Hiddai. 


§ Or, 


Abi-ai- 


bon 1 Or 


Jas/ten 


asj 


im. 23: :3a, 


.•w. 


1 Or. Sharar. 


• Or, El 


fhelet 


tOr. 


Ahasbai. 


1 Or, He 


zrai. 


« Or. Paarai the Arbite 


1 Or, the Hag 


genie 


lOr, 


Shimrite. 





















INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Wlien the time comes, all persons and things con- 
spire, as far as may be needful, to advance those who are 
selected of God for stations of honor and responsibility, and 
to fulfil his designs of love and mercy with regard to them. 

9. The presence and favor of God will overcome all ob- 
structions in the way of the advancement of those whom 
he delights to honor. 

13. Though deliverance from evil comes from God, yet 
he works by means, and men must employ them according 
to his appointment in order to receive his help. 

19: .-V generous man will not encourage others to expose 
their lives for his gratification, but will ratlier deny him- 
self than be the means of such exposure to his fellow-men. 



The hosts that came 



1 CHRONICLES XII. 



to tlie help of David. 



B. <■. nboul IOr«. CHAl illilt All. 

1 The companies that came to DaviJ at Ziklag. 23 The armies that 
came to him at Hebron. 

ATOW these are they that came to David to 
±\i Ziklag," while he yet kejit himself close* be- 
cause of Saul the son of Kisli : and they were among 
the mighty men, helpers of the war. 

2 They were armed with bows, and could use 
both the right hand and the left in hurling stones 
and shooting arrows out of a bow,'' even of Saul's 
brethren of Benjamin. 

3 The chief ivas Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of 
Shemaah* the Gibeathite; and Jezicl, and Pelct, 
the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu 
the Antothite, 

4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man 
among the thirty, and over the thirty ; and Jere- 
miah, and Jahaziel, and Johauan, and Josabad the 
Gederathite, 

5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shcm- 
ariali, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 

6 Elkanah, S^nd Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, 
and Jashobeam the Korhites, 

7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jcro- 
hara of Gedor. 

8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves 
unto David into the hold to the wilderness men 
of might, and men of war\/5'^ for the battle, that 
could handle shield and buckler, whose faces u-ere 
like the faces of lions, and loere as swift as the roes 
upon the mountains;**^ 

9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the 
third, 

10 Mislimannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 

13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the» eleventh. 

14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of 
the host: one of the least was over a hundred, and 
the greatest over a thousand.' 

15 These are they that went over Jordan in the 
first month, when it had overflown'' all his banks ; "^ 
and tiiey put to flight all them of the valleys, both 
toward tiie east, and toward the west. 

16 And there came of tlie children of Benjamin 
and Judah to the hold unto David. 

17 And David went out to meet them,* and an- 



a I Sam -^7:3, 0. • Heh.hemg yet shul up. b J„dg. 2(i;l0. t Or, Hhj- 
manh. t Heb. of the host. 5 Heb. as the roes upon the mountains to make 
hasle. c 3 gani. 2:18; Song 8:14. 1 Or, one that was least coulj resist a 
huniired, and the greatest a thousand. 1 Heb. Jilled over, d .To^h. :J:15. 
■ Heb. before them. 1 Heb. be one. I Or, violence, i Heb. clothed ; Jndg. 



CHAPTER XII. 

1. Ziklag; the town assigned by Achish, king of Gath, 
to David while lie sojourned among the Philistines, 1 Sam. 
27: 6. It lay south-west from Jerusalem. 

2. Of Saul's brethren of Benjamin ; belonging to the tribe 
of Benjamin, which was Saufs tribe. The list, verses 3-7, 
apparently includes some of the tribe of Judah, as the 
Korhites, chapter 2:43, and those from Gedor, chapter 
4:4. 

15. Went over Jordan ; the Gadites dwelt on the eastern 
side of Jordan. Many suppose that the event recorded in 
this verse took place when they were on their way to join 
David in Ziklag. The valleys; tlie valleys that lined the 
Jordan on either side. 

19. Cam: Kith the Philistines; 1 Sam. 23. Lul they helped 



swered and said unto them, If ye be come peace- 
ably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit* 
unto you : but if ye be come to betray me to mine 
enemies, seeing there is no wrong* in my hands, 
the God of our fathers look theremi, and rebuke 
it. 

18 Then the spirit came upon^ Amasai,' who was 
chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, 
David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, 
peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers ; 
for thy God helpeth thee. Then David I'cceived 
them, and made them captains of the band. 

19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David, 
when he came with the Philistines against Saul 
to battle ; ' but they helped them not : for the 
lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him 
away, saying. He will fall to his master Saul to 
the jeopardy of oiiv heads.' 

20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of 
Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jcdiael, and 
Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, cap- 
tains of the thousands that wwe of Manasseh. 

21 And they helped David against the band^ of 
the rovers:'^ for they were all mighty men of valor, 
and were captains in the host. 

22 For at that time day by day there came to 
David to help him, until it was a great host, like 
the host of God. 

23 1 And these are the numbers of the bands* 
that were ready armed to the war, arid came to 
David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to 
him," according to the word of the Lord. 

24 The children of Judah that bare shield and 
spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready 
armed* to the war. 

25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor 
for the war, seven thousand and one hundred. 

26 Of the children of Levi, four thousand and 
si.x hundred. 

27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaron- 
ites, and with him were three thousand and seven 
hundred ; 

28 And Zadok,' a young man mighty of valor, 
and of his father's house twenty and two cap- 
tains. 

29 Andof the children of Benjamin, the kindred' 
of Saul, three thoussand : for hitherto the greatest 



G:34; Isa. 59:17. eSSam. 17:25. ' 1 gam. 20:2, 3. iHeh. on our heads. 
1 Or, with a band, e 1 Sam. 3U: I-IO. * Or, captains, or men; Heb. heads. 
h chap. 11:1. i Or. prepared. ' 2 Samuel 8:17. 1 Heb. ireMren/ Genesis 
31;2:i. 



them not; David and his men helped not the Philistines 
against Saul. 

20. Went to Ziklag; went back on his return from the 
army of the Phihstines. Tliere fell to him of Manasseh; 
these seven men seem to be the same as those of Manas- 
seh referred to in ver. 19. 

21. The band of the rovers; the Amalekites who had 
spoiled Ziklag, 1 Sam. 30. 

22. The liost of God ; very numerous and powerful. Com- 
pare Psa. C5:9; 104:16. 

27. The Aaronites; the priests of the house of Aaron. 
This consisted of two main branches, the family of Elca- 
zar, and that of Ithamar. Abiathar, tlic high-jiriest under 
David, was of the family of Ithamar ; Zadok, here mention- 
ed as " a young man mighty of valor," and the successor 
of Abiathar the sou of Ahimelcch in the office of high- 
483 



h'ing David's army. 



1 ClllioXIClJ.S XIII. 



Removal of the ark of God. 



imrt' (if them liml kept llic ward of the house of 
Saul." 

:5(l Ami of tlio childivii nf Kpliraim twenty tliou- 
suiul and ei'.'hl hmiilir.l, niiirlily men <if vahjr, fa- 
inou<* thruULrhoiit tlif liuiiso of their fathers. 

31 And of tlie lialf tribe of Maiiasseh eii!;litcen 
tliou.sand, which were expressed l)y name, to come 
and make Pavid kinir. 

32 And of the ehihlren of Issaeliar, xohich were 
nun that had understandini;- of the times,'' to know 
what Israel (umlit to ih); the lieads of them vrre 
two hundred ; and all their brethren ircrc at tiieir 
commandment. 

33 Of Zebulun, sueh a? went fortli to battle, ex- 
jiert in war,' with all instruments of war, fifty 
thousand, which could keep rank:* they were not 
of <lonble heart.' 

34 And of Najilitali a thousand captains, and 
with them with shield and spear thirty and seven 
thousand. 

35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and 
I'iu'lit thousand and six hundred. 

3G And of Asher, sueh as went forth to battle, 
expert in war,' forty thousand. 

37 And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reu- 
iienites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe 
of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of 
war for the battle, a hundred and twenty thou- 
sand. 

38 All these men of war, that could keep rank, 
came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make 
David king over all Israel : and all the rest 
also of Israel were of one heart to make David 
king. 

39 And there they were with David three days, 
eating and drinking : for their l)rethren had pre- 
pared for them. 

40 Moreover they that wore nigh them, even unto 
Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread 
on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on 
oxen, and meat, meal.' cakes of figs, and bunches 
of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep 
abundantly : for tliere was joy in Israel. 



• Heb. 


a multitude 


a 2 Sam. 2:8, S 


. 1 


Heb 




of names. 


b Esth. 


\ \:i; Isa 


33:(>; Mic 


0:9; Jas 


3:13, 17 


1 


Or, r 


mge 


s of battle, n 


r ranged 


Tn baitk. 


J Or, set Ih 


e battle ir 


array. 


IHeb.w 


thout a heart and 


a heart; 


Vsa. Vl.'l 


1 Or, /ceepi 


ng their 


rank, ver 


a:! 


Joel 


2-7. 


' Or, victual 


of meal. 


1 ileb. br 


eak forth ai 


d semi. 


c ISatn 


31 


1 ; 2 Sam. 


8:1-11. I Heb. Tlie 



priest, 1 Kings 2:26, 27, 35, was of the line of Eleazar. 
See 1 Chron. 24:3. 

33. Double lieart ; wavering, inconstant. 

38. Perfect heart ; united, single, and firm in their purpose 
to make David king. All the rest also of Israel ; wlio came 
not in person to Hebron. For tliougli the number assem- 
bled was very great, consisting of about three liundrcd and 
fifty thousand armed men, a very large number remained at 
liome ; and the representation from the different tribes, for 
reasons that arc not explained, was very unequal. See the 
account of tlie numbering of the Israelites near the close of 
David's reign, chap. 21:5. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The hearts of all arc in the hand of the Lord. He 
endows them with quaUties which fit them for the work 
to which they are called, and when lie has need of them, 
uses them in advancing his cause. 

17. Services to be acceptable must be sincere ; and what 
is done heartily, as unto the Lord, he will approve, and 
upon it bestow an abundant reward. 
484 



CHAPTER XIII. 1.1': SS 

1 PaviJ fulcliclh IIip ark willi gm[ Kr,|..ninlly from Kiriath-jearim. 9 

t:zz:il. l.i-i.iK Klinll.n, tl,.- ..rk i, 1. fl al tin- Ijciik.; of Obi-d'.i'ilom. 

VND David consulted with the captains of thou- 
sands and himdreds, and with every leaiier. 
12 And David said unto all the congn^gation of 
Israel, If ?V seein good inito you, and l/iat it be of 
the LoiU) our (!od, let us send abroad* unto our 
brethren everywhere, titat are left in all the land 
of Israel,'^ and with them nl.so to the ]n'icsts and 
Levites which arc in their cities ff«(/ suburbs,' that 
they may gather themselves unto us: 

3 And let us bring again* the ark of our God to 
us: for we inquired not at it in liie days of Saul.'' 

4 And all the congregation said that they would 
do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all 
the ]ieoplc. 

5 So David gathered all Israel together,'' from 
Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hc- 
matli,' to bring the ark of (!od from Kirjath-jea- 
rim. 

t» And David went up. ami all Israel, to Baalah," 
that is, to Kirjath-jcarim, which belon.<r(d to Judali, 
to bring up tlience the ark of God the Lord, that 
dwelleth between the cherubim,'' whose name is 
called on it. 

7 And they carried the ark of God' in a new 
cart out of the house of Abinadab:' and Uzzali 
and Aliio drave the cart. 

S And David and all Israel played before God 
with all their might,' and with singing,' and Avitli 
harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and 
with cymbals, and with trumpets. 

9 T^ And when they came unto the threshing-floor 
of Chidon," Uzzah put forth his hand to hold the 
ark; for the oxen stumbled.* 

10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled 
against Uzzah, and he smote him, because ho put 
his hand to the ark :'' and there he died before 
God.' 

11 And David was displeased, because the Lord 
had made a lireach upon Uzzah : wherefore that 
place is called Perez-uzzalr to this day. 



ciliesof their suburbs, i Heh. about ■! 1 Sam. ';:1, 2. e 2 Sam. 0: 1, etc. 
' Jo.h. 13:3; Jor. 2:18. « Josh. 15:9, (iU. hi. Sam. 4:4. I Heb. made the 
ark to riile. i I Sam. 7:1. j 2 Sam. 0:.'), etc. 1 Heb. songs. • Called Ka- 
f/ion, 2 Sam. 6:8. t Heb. s/ioi)4 it. k ch. 15: 13, IS; Num. 4:15. I Lev. 
lU: 2. 1 That is. The breach of Uzzah. 



22. The Lord can touch the hearts of multitudes as well 
as of individuals, and can unite as many as he pleases in 
the promotion of his cause. 

32. Men of understanding as well as of might arc needed 
ih the concerns of states and kingdoms ; and when God 
raises them up and inclines them with one heart to engage 
in his service, it is an indication of mercy, and should call 
forth the devout thanksgiving of his people. 

38. Union in the selection and support of good rulers, 
is an occasion of gratitude and joy to all who desire the 
honor of God and the prosperity of his people. 

CHADTER XIII. 

3. Tlie arte; this had been for a number of years at Kir- 
jath-jcarim, a city of the Gibeonites. 

5. Shihor; at the south-western, Ilcmnth, at the north- 
eastern extremity of Palestine. 

8. Played ; danced, as an expression of his joy and grati- 
tude to God. Chap. 15:29; 2 Sam. 6:5, 14, 20. 

10. He put his hand to the arte; this was contrary to the 
divine command, Num. 4:15-20. 



David ckfcaUlh the r/iilis tines. 



1 CHRONICLES XV. 



lie. removctk the ark to Jerusalem. 



tlifS: 12 And David was afraid of God that 
day, saying, How shall 1 bring the ark of God 
home to me? 

13 So David brought* not tlio ark hn?nc to liini- 
self to tlic city of David, but cari-icd it aside into 
the house of Obcd-edom the Gittito. 

1-1 And tlie ark of God remained with, the fam- 
ily of Obcd-edom in his house three months. And 
the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all 
that he had." 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 Hiram's kindness fo David. 2 David's felicity in people, wives, and 
children. S His two victories a^^ainst the Philistines. 

NOW Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to 
David," and timber of cedars, with masons 
and carpenter.s, to build him a house. 

2 And David perceived that the Lord had con- 
firmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was 
lifted up on high, because of his people Israel. 

3 ir And David took morc+ wives at Jerusalem: 
and David begat more sons and daughters. 

4 Now these a?-c the names of Am children which 
he had in .lerusalem;" Shammua, and Shobab, Na- 
than, and Solomon, 

5 And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, 

6 And Nogah, and Ncpheg, and Japhia, 

7 And Elishaina, and 15oeliada,* and Eliphalet. 

8 1 And when the Philistines heard that David 
was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philis- 
tines went up to seek David. And David heard 
(if if, and went out against them. 

i) And the Philistines came and spread them- 
selves in the valley of Rephaim.'' 

10 And David inquired of God, saying. Shall I 
go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou de- 
liver them into my hand? And the Lord said 
unto him. Go up ; for I will deliver them into thy 
hand. 

11 So they came up to Baal-perazim ; and David 
smote them there. Then David said, God hath 
broken in upon mine enemies by my hand like the 
breaking fortii of waters : therefore they called 
the name of that place Baal-perazim.^ 



• Hfb. remomd. » ch. aU:5: Gen. .•3U;a7; Trov. 10:22. 1) 2 Sam. 5;11, 
fXc. filnh. yet. c ch. 3:5, etc;. I Or, B/inda, 2 Sam. 5:1G. dch. ll:1j. 
JThit IS, .4p.'ofeo/4reoc/rM. « ver. 0. 1 Ge6n, 2 Sam. 5:25. f Josh. 0:27; 



Vi. The cit y of David ; Zion. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. When those in pubUc stations propose to make 
changes, it is ordinarily wise to consult tlie leading men 
and secure tlieir cooperation. This will open the way to 
bring the subject before the people generally, and thus to 
unite them in it. 

8. Times of religious reformation are justly times of 
rejoicing. The king and the beggar, if they love the Lord, 
will nnite in praising him and rendering thanks for his 
mercies. 

10. That reverential fear of God which leads to a careful 
regard to his commandments, is essential to secure his 
approbation, or avoid his displeasure. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

2. Lifted up on high; greatly strengthened and pros- 
pered. 

9. Tlic valley of Rephaim; near Jerusalem on the south- 
west. 



12 And when they had left their gods there, 
David gave a commandment, and they were burn- 
ed with tire. 

13 And the Philistines yet again spread them- 
selves abroad in tlic valley.'^ 

14 Therefore David inquired again of God ; and 
God said unto him. Go not up after them ; turn 
away from them, and come upon them over against 
the mulberry-trees. 

15 And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound 
of going in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then 
thou shalt go out to battle : for God is gone forth 
before thee to smite the host of the Pliilistines. 

16 David therefore did as God commanded him ; 
and they smote the host of the Philistines from 
Gibeon' even to Gazer. 

17 And the fame of David went out into all 
lands;' and the Lord brought the fear of him 
upon all nations.'^ 

CHAPTER XV. 

1 David, having prepared a place for the ark. ordcreth the priests and 
Levites to bring it from Obed-edom. 2-5 He performeth the solemni- 
ty thereof with great joy. 29 Mich:il despiseth him. 

AND David made him houses in the city of 
David, and prepared a place for the ark of 
God, and pitched for it a tent.'' 

2 Tiien David said. None ought to carry the ark 
of God but the Levites:* for them hath the Lord 
chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister 
unto him for ever.' 

3 And David gathered all Israel together to 
Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto 
his place, which he had prepared for it.' 

4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, 
and the Levites: 

5 Of the sons of Kohatli ; Uriel the chief, and 
his brethren* a hundred and twenty: 

6 Of the sons of Merari ; Asaiah the chief, and 
his brethren two hundred and twenty: 

7 Of the sons of Gershom ; Joel the chief, and 
his brethren a hundred and thirty : 

8 Of thesonsof Elizaphan;" Shemaiah the chief, 
and his brethren two hundred : 



aChr. 20:S; Psa 1S:44. S Deut. 2:a5; II :25. 
to carry the ark of God, but for tke Levites. ' 
31:9. jch. 13:3; 1 Kings b:l. t Or, kinsmen. 



k Exod. 6:22. 



■ Heb. It is not 
-15; Deut. 10:B; 



10. Go up; to the head-quarters of the Philistines, from 
which they spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 

11. Baal-perazim; near the valley of Rephaim on the 
south. 

16. Gibeon; in the tribe of Benjamin. Gazer; one of 
the cities of the Philistines. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. All blessings, temporal and spiritual, come from God. 
When this is duly acknowledged, it honors him and pre- 
pares the way for the increase and continuance of his 
favors. 

8. Great mercies are often followed by great trials ; but 
careful inquiry as to the will of God, and a readiness when 
it is known to obey it, will secure his aid, and in due time 
give deliverance from trouble, and victory over every foe. 

CHAPTER XV. 

5-7. Kohath — Merari — Gershom ; the three sons of Levi. 
Exod. 6:lfi. 
8-10. Elizaphan — Hebron — Uzzicl ; Hebron and Uzziel 
485 



Dat'id's festival 



1 CHRONICLES XVI. 



iind sacrifices. 



9 Of (lie sons of IIclirDn;' Elicl tlie chief, and 
his lirt'lhron foursroro : 

10 Of thr sons of Tzzii'l; Annninsidiib tiiC chief, 
anil Ills Itrolhren a Imndrod and twelve. 

U And David called for Zadok and Abiathar 
tiie priestH. and for the Levitcs, for Uriel, Asaiah, 
and .loci. Sheniaiali, and Elicl, and Aniniinadab. 

12 And said nnto them, Ve arc the ciiief of tlie 
fatliers of the Levitcs: sanctify yourselves,'' both ye 
and your iiretiiren, tliat ye may liring up the ark 
of the LoRP God of Israel unto the place that 1 
have ) prepared for it. 

13 For because ye did it not at tiic first, the 
LoiiD our God made a l)reacli u])on us,° for that 
we sought him not after the due order.'' 

1-i So tlic priests and tlic Levitcs sanctified them- 
selves to bring up tlic ark of the Lord God of 
Israel. 

\i> And tlic children of the Levitcs bare the ark 
of God upon their shoulders with the staves there- 
on, as JIoscs commanded, according to the word 
of the Lord." 

lf> And David spake to the chief of the Levites 
to appoint their brethren to he the singers with 
instrument.s of music, psalteries and harps and 
cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with 
joy.^ 

17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of 
Joel ;^ and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Bere- 
ehiah;'* and of the sons of Meruri their brethren, 
Ethan the son of Kusliaiah ;' 

18 And with tliem tlieir brethren of the second 
degree, Zechariah, Hen, and Jaaziel, and Shemira- 
nioth, and .Jchiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Bcnaiah, 
!ind Maasciah, and Mattithiah, and Eli])helcli, and 
Miknciah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters. 

19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, 
■were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; 

20 And Zechariah, and Aziel,* and Shemiramoth, 
and Jehiel, and L^nni, and Eliab, and Maasciah, 
and Bcnaiah, with psalteries on jVlaraoth;^ 

21 And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mik- 
nciah, and Obod-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, 
with harps on tlie Sheminith* to excel. 

22 And Chenaniah. chief of the Levites, was for 



«Exod.6:lS. b -2 Chr. 5:11 ; 29:5; Ezek. 43:11. « ch. 13:9. 10; 2 Sam. 
HI, a. d 2 Chr. 13:17-20; 1 Cor. 11:2; 14:40. e Exod. 25: 14; Num. 4:15; 
7:9. f2Chr. 5:13. «oh. G:3.3. hch. 0:30. ich. 6:41 • JaaiiW, ver. 18. 
J rsi. 4ii, title, t Or, eighth, to oversee: Psi- 0. title- 1 Or, was /or tlie ear- 



were the .sons of Kohatli ; Elizaplian, or Elzaphan, was the 
son of Uzziel, and tlie grandson of Kohath. Exod. 6: 18, 22. 

11. Zadnk and Ahiathar ; Zadok mmistered as priest at 
Gibeon, wlieie were tlie tabernacle, the brazen altar, and 
the daily sacrifice. See chap. 16:39, 40. Abiathar was 
the regular high-priest officiating at Jerusalem. See note 
to chap. 12:27. 

12. Sanctify iiou"selves; by cleansing themselves from all 
ceremonial and moral pollution, and by the performance of 
those duties which (Jod had prescribed for that purpose. 

13. Made a breach upon vs; in the destruction of Uzzah. 
2C. Helped the Levites; by enabling them to carry the ark 

in safety to its place without suffering any calamity, such 
as that which had befallen Uzzah. 

29. She despised him ; she thought that he degraded him- 
self, by thus joining with the priests and the people in 
their expressions of religious joy. 

IX.STPaCTIONS. 
2. Our mistakes in times past should make us wiser in 
486 



song:' he instructed about the song, bo- am sn 
cause he i/v(,v skilful. mz 

211 And Bcrcchiah and Elkanah M'ere door-kcep- 
crs for the ark. 

24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nctli- 
ancel. and Aniasai, and Zechariah, and Bcnaiah, 
and Eliezcr, the jn-iests, did iilow with the trum- 
pets iiefore the ark of God :" siiid Obcd-cdoni and 
Jehiali were door-k<'Cpcrs for tiic ark. 

25 "i So Daviil. ami the elders of Israel, and the 
ca|)taiiis over thousand.*, went to bring up the ark 
of the covenant of the Loud out of the house of 
Obcd-edoin with joy.' 

20 And it came to pass, when God helped the 
Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the 
LoKD, that they offered seven bullocks and seven 
rams. 

27 And David icas clothed with a robe of fino 
linen, and all the Levitcs that bare the ark, and 
the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song* 
with the singers: David also /tad upon him an 
epliod of linen. 

28 Tiius all Israel brought up the ark of the 
covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with 
sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with 
cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and 
harps.'" 

29 1 And it came to pass, as the ark of the cov- 
enant of the Lord came to the city of David, that 
Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a win- 
dow saw king David dancing and playing;" and 
she despised hini in her heart." 



CHAPTER XVI. 

1 David's festival sacrifice. 4 He ordcreth a choir to sing tljanks'^ir- 
iiig. 7 Tlie psalm of thanksgiving. 37 He appoiiiteth minister?, 
porters, priests, and musicians, to attend continually on the ark. 

SO they brought the ark of God, and set it in 
the midst of the tent that David had pitched 
for it :'' and they offered burnt-sacrilices and peace- 
ofl'erings before God. 

2 And when David had made an end of offer- 
ing the burnt-offerings and the peace-offerings, he 
blessed the people in the name of the Lord. 



riage 


he it 


^tructed about the e 


irriage 


; Heb. liftin 


gup. k Num. 10:8 


Psa. 


81:3; 


Joel 2: 1,15. 


lasa 


n. 


■AS, el 


c; 1 Kings S 


1 . i Or, carnage. 


mch. 


13:8; 


2Chr 


. 5:12; 


Ezra 3 


III. 


11; H 


a. 47:1, elc. 


68:25; 9e:4-li; 150:3-5. 


Dl'sa 


149:: 


; Eccl 


3:4. 


r» 


.69:7 


-9. P 2 Sam 


0:17-19. 





future ; should lead us to avoid the errors into which, 
from presumption, ignorance, or inattention, we may have 
fallen ; and should engage as in the performance of all 
duties which we have neglected. 

12. Peculiar sanctity becomes the ministers of religion, 
and especially when engaged in religious duties ; they 
should be watchful not to indulge in any thing offensive 
to God, or that tends to unfit them for his holy service. 

16. Singing is an important part of divine worship, and 
when rightly performed is acceptable to Cod. Those who 
engage in it should never forget that (jod looks upon the 
heart, and requires that those who worship him should 
worship him in spirit and in truth. 

28. Though that fervor of devotion which the Holy Spirit 
inspires, and which is manifested by those who are under 
his influence, is often despised and treated as degrading, 
espcci;tlly to the rich, the great, and the powerful, this 
will not prevent true Christians from being zealous in tho 
service of God. 



David's psalm of 



1 CHRONICLES XVI. 



praise to Jehovah. 



A M 2%2. 3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, 
' iiiii.'"" both niau and woman, to every one a loaf 
of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagou 
of wine. 

4 ^ And he appointed certain of the Levites to 
minister before tlie ark of the Lokd, and to re- 
(wrd," and to thank and praise the Lord God of 
Israel : 

5 Asaph the chief, and next to liim Zechariah, 
Jeiel, and Shemiranioth, and Jehiel, and Mattithi- 
ah, and Eliab, and Benaiaii, and Obed-edom : and 
Jeiel with psalteries and with harps;* but Asaph 
made a sound with cymbals ; 

(3 Benaiah also and Jaliaziel the priests with 
trumpets continually before the ark of the cove- 
nant of God. 

7 If Then on that day David delivered first this 
psalm to thank the Lord into the liand of Asaph 
and his brethren.'' 

8 Give thanks unto the Lord,"" call upon his 
name, make known his deeds among the people. 

9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye 
of all Ids wondrous works.'' 

10 Glory ye in his holy name : let the heart of 
tliem rejoice that seek the Lord. 

11 Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face 
continually. 

12 Remember his marvellous works tliat he hatli 
done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth ; 

13 ye seed of Israel his' servant, ye children 
of Jacob, liis chosen ones. 

1-1 He is tlie Lord our God; his judgments ai-e 
in all the earth. 

15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the 
word tckich he commanded to a thousand genera- 
tions; 

l(j Eveji of the covenant which he made with Abra- 
ham,' and of his oath unto Isaac ; ' 

17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a 
law,s and to Israel ''_/br an everlasting covenant," 

18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of 
Canaan, the lot*^ of your inheritance ; 

19 When yo were but few,* even a few, and stran- 
gers in it.J 

20 And v;hen they went from nation to nation, 
and from one kingdom to another people ; 

21 He suffered no man to do them wrong ; yea, 
he reproved kings for their sakes," 

22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my 
prophets no harm. 



» Psa. 3S, 70, titles. " Heb. instrumentS-of jisalteries and harps, b 2 Sam. 
22:1; 2:):1. c Psa. 105:1-15. i Mai. 3:16. e Gen. 17:2. ' Gen. 2G:.'i, 
e Gen. 2S:13- 35:11. h Exod. 3:17; Josh. 24:11-1:3. iJcr.ll:2-7. t Heb. 
cord. 1 Heb. mai of number, i Gen. 34:30. k Gen. 12:17: 20-3; Exoil. 
7:15, etc. ' Psa. gs. m Lev. 19:4; Isa. 44.9, etc.; Jer. 10:10-14. ■> Psa. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

7. This psalm ; composed by David, and now first given 
to the musicians to be sung in public worship. 

12. T/ie judgments of his mouth ; those decisions and stat- 
utes which he liad made known for the benefit of the people. 

14. Ill all tlie earth; the Lord reigns among all people, 
and so manifests himself by bis providential dealings with 
men as to leave them without excuse if they do not love 
and obey bim. 

15. A thousand generations ; a definite for a long indefi- 
nite period. 



23 Sing unto the Lord, all the earth;' show 
forth from day to day his salvation. 

24 Declare his glory among the heathen ; his 
marvellous works among all nations. 

25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be 
praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. 

26 For all the gods of the people are idols : "' but 
the Lord made the heavens." 

27 Glory and honor are in his presence ; strength 
and gladness arc in his place. 

28 Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the peo- 
ple, give unto the Lord glory and strength. 

29 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his 
name : bring an offering, and come before him : 
worship the Lord in tlie beauty of iioliness. 

30 Fear before him, all the earth : the world 
also shall be stable, that it be not moved. 

31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth 
rejoice : and let men say among the nations, The 
Lord reigneth. 

32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let 
the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 

33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at 
the presence of the Lord, because he cometh to 
judge the earth. 

3-i Oh give thanks unto the Lord;" for he is 
good ; for his mercy endureth for ever. 

35 And say ye. Save us, God of our salvation, 
and gather us together, and deliver us from the 
heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy 
name, and glory in thy praise." 

36 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever 
and ever."' And all the people said, Amen, and 
praised the Lord."" 

37 If So he left there before the aik of the cove- 
nant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, to min- 
ister before the ark continually, as every day's 
work required: 

38 And Obed-edom with their brethren, three- 
score and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jedu- 
thun and Hosah to be porters : 

39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the 
priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the 
higli place that was at Gibeon,* 

40 To oifer burnt-offerings unto the Lord upon 
the altar of the burnt-oflering continuallj' morn- 
ing and evening,^' and to do according to all that 
is written in the law of the Lord, whicli, he com- 
manded Israel ; 

41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and 



102:25; Isa. 40:26; 44:24; Rev. 14:7. » 2 Chr. 5:13; 7:3; Psa. 106:1; 

107:1; 11S:1; 13H:I. P Psa. 106:47, 48. ql Kings 8:15. rBeut. 27:15; 

Neh.S:6; 1 Cor. 14:16. »2 Chr. 1:3. 13. i}l<ih. in the morning and in tke 
evening, t Exoil. 29:33; Num. 2S:3, 4. 



30. The world also shall he .liable ; in the original, the same 
as Psa. 93:1. "The world also is established, that it cannot 
be moved ;" wliere see note. 

33. To judge the earth; deal righteously with men accord- 
ing to their character. 

37. The ark; this was carried to Jerusalem; and a part 
of the priests resided there with David to niini.stfr before 
it. Another part resided at Uibeou. where tlie tabernacle 
and brazen altar still remained, and where was offered the 
daily sacrifice. Ycr. 39, 40, and chap. 21:29. 

41. With them; with Zadok and his brethren at Gibeon. 
I See note to ver. 37. 

4S7 



(toiTs promisfs to Da viJ, 



( IIKONICLKS WII. 



(i7ul Dand's l/rnvhsgivin" 



tlic rest tliat were clio.-on, wlio wore exijrcsscd l)_v 
ruiiiio, to jrivo timiiks to the Loud, because liis 
inerev (itdtinllt for over;" 

\1 Ami witli llioiii Heiiuiii ami Jedutliun witli 
Irimiiiets ami oviiihals for tiioso that .-houki make 
a soiiinl,'' ami with musieal instruinouts of God. 
And the sons of Jedutliun xccrc porters.'*' 

4:5 And all the people departed every man to his 
iiouse : and David returned to bless his house.'' 

('llAPTi:it XVII. 

1 Nathan first approving the purpose of David U» build God a house, 3 
.ifuT by (be word of God forbidderli him. 11 lie proiniRetb him 
hlessin;r3 and benelils in iiis seed. IG David's prayer and thanksj^iv* 

"\yOW iteamo to pass, as David sat in iiis iionso, 
L\ tliat David said to Nathan tlie pro|iiiet, Lo, 
I dwell ill a house of cedars, lint tiie ark of the 
covenant of the Lord rcmainrfh under curtains.'' 

2 Tiien Nathan said unto David, Do all that is 
in thy heart i"^ for God /.? with thee. 

3 •[ And it caino to pass the same night, that the 
word of Go 1 came to Nathan, saying, 

4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith (he 
Lord, Thou slialt not build inc a house to dwell in : 

5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day 
that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have 
gone* from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle 
to another. 

6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, 
spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, 
whom I conmiandcd to feed my people, saying. 
Why have ye not built nie a house of cedars? 

7 Now therefore thus slialt thou say unto my 
servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I 
took thee from the sheep-cote," ei'en from follow- 
ing' the sheep, that thou shouldest bo ruler over 
my people Jsiael. 

8 .\nd 1 have been with thee whithersoever thou 
hast walked," and have cut off all thine enemies 
from before thee,' and have made thee a name like 
the name of the great men that arc in the earth. 

9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, 



•Ver.al; l-;zr.i :J: 11 ; P»i. 10:i;17; Jcr. 33: 1 1. b Psa. 15U:5. • Heb. /br 
Hiegate. »Psa5l:IO. li a Sam 0:19, -20. c aSam. 7:1. elc. ; aChr. G;7-9. 
' I Cor. l:i:9. t Ueb. Uen. g 1 Sam. l(i:ll, 1-2 1 Heb. after. Ii Gen. 
2-i:13; 1 Sdin. l.-i:ll: 2 Sara. S:6. 14. i Psa. IS, title. J Psi. 92:13; Isa. 
61:i; Jer. -2^:6. k Rev. 3:12. 1 Ezek. !»:-2! ; Rev. •21:4. m Judg. 2:14-18. 



43. Blex his house; instruct and implore blessings upon 
iiis houseliold, and engage with tliem in tlie worsliip of 
God. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

2. Love to God and generosity to men go well togctlier, 
and mutually aid each other. 

7. Singing the praises of God and calling upon his name 
have ever formed an important part of his worship, and 
arc well suited to the devotions of his people. 

15. The covenant which God hath made in Christ with 
his people, is an everlasting covenant, and its blessings 
are sure to all who put their trust in him. 

2.'S. Praising God for his salvation, and praying that all 
may be made partakers of it, should form an important part 
of our daily duties. 

34. The mercy of God in Christ is the only ground of 
hope for lost and guilty men. On this they should depend, 
while they glory in him as their righteousness, wisdom, 
and strength. 

43. While the public wor.'hip of God should not be neg- 
lected, but statedly observed according to divine appoint- 
488 



and will jjlant them,^ ami they shall dwell a.m ams. 
in their ]ilace, and shall btr movetl no iimJ °" 
more;'' m'ithor shall the children of wickedness 
waste lliein any more,' as at the beginning, 

10 And since the time that 1 conimandcd judges 
lo be over my people Israel.'" Moreover 1 will 
subdue all thine enemies." Furthermore I tell 
thee, that the Lord will build the(! a house. 

11 •; And it shall come to pass, when thy days 
be expired that thou must go lo lie with thy fathers, 
that I will rai.^e up thy seed after Ihcf. which shall 
be of thy sons; and I will establish his kiiigihuii. 

12 He shall build me a house, and I wWi stablisli 
his throne for ever. 

13 I will be his father, and he shall be my sfin :" 
and I will not take my mercy away frcun him,'' as 
I took it from /lim that was before thee : 

14 ]>ut I will .«ettle him in my Iiouse and in my 
kingdom for over :'' and his throne shall be estab- 
lished for evermore.'' 

1.5 According to all these words, and according 
to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. 

10 •] And David the king came and sat before 
the Lord, and said. Who ajn I, Lord God,' and 
wdiat is my house, that thou hast brought mc hitli- 
ei'to?' 

17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, 
God ; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's 
house for a great while to come, and hast regarded 
me according lo the estate of a man of liigli de- 
gree, Lord God. 

18 What can David .t;3fo/c more to theeforthehoii- 
or of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant. 

19 Lord, for thy servant's sake," and accord- 
ing to thine own heart,''' hast thou done all this 
greatness, in making known all f/icse great things.^ 

20 Lord, t/iere is none like thee,'" neither w 
t/m-e any God besides thee, according to all that 
we have heard with our ears. 

21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy 
people Israel,'' whom God went to redeem to be 
liis own ])eople, to make thee a name of greatness 
and terribleness, by driving out nations from bc- 



n Psa. is:. 1(1. etc.: 1 Uor. 1 

55:3. q Luke 1:33. rPsa. 72:17 

" Isa. 3' 

wDeut 



2Sam. 7:14, 15. I> Psa. 69:28, etc. ; Isa. 
. „.- o.,.,... t:._i. ...o . ja6g e-.W,. 



q Luke l;33. ' Psa. 72:17 ' Gen.-32:1U; Eph.S:,". I Judg 6:1 
I7::i'); 12:1; 49:5, fi; Dan. 9:17. vMatt. 11:2U. i lUh. grealnessi 
:. 33:20; Psa. 80:S; Eph. 3:20. x Deut 4:7, 32; 33:29. 



ment, it should never supersede, or be suffered to hinder 
the regular observance of family duties. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1. As David sat in his house; for the exposition of this 
chapter, see the notes on 2 Sara. 7. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. A godly man is not content merely to receive bless- 
ings himself, but wishes to do all he can for the honor of 
(jod and the good of mankind. 

7. The elevation of rulers is from God; and the higher 
they are raised in power and influence, the greater is their 
obligation to love and serve him, and the greater will be 
their guilt, and the more dreadful their condemnation, if 
they rebel against him. 

16. The goodness of God to his people deeply humbles 
them on account of their unworthiness, and leads them to 
feel that for all their mercies they are indebted to the 
riches of his grace. 

24. The righteous wish to have the promises of God 
fulfilled, not merely that it may be well with them, but 



cdcemed 



David defeats l/ic rh'dhlines, 

A. M. M;;2. foi-e thy people, whom tliou liast r 
■ i.Jii'"" out of Egypt V 

22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thiue 
own pi^oplo for ever;" and thou, Lord, becamest 
their God. 

23 Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that thou 
hast s])oken concerning thy servant and concern- 
ing his house be established for ever,'' and do as 
tiiou hast said. 

2-1 Lot it even be established, that thy name may 
be magnified for ever, saying, Tlie Lord of hosts 
is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel ;■= and 
kt the house of David tliy servant be established 
before thee.'' 

25 For thou, my God, hast told thy servant* 
that thou wilt build him a house: therefore thy 
servant hatli founil in his heart to pray before thee. 

26 And now. Lord, thou art God, and hast prom- 
ised this goodness unto tliy servant: 

27 Now therefore let it please* thee to bless the 
house of tliy servant, that it may bo before thee 
for ever: for thou blessest, Lord, and it shall 
be blessed for ever." 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 David subJueth tlie Philistines and the Moabites. 3 He smiteth Had- 
arezer and the Syrians. 9 Tou sendeth Hjidorani with presents to 
bles5 Divfid. 11 The presents and the spoil Darid dedicateth to God. 
13 He putteth garrison-! in Edom. 14 David's officers. 

NOW after this it came to pass, that David 
smote the Piiilistines, and subdued them, 
and took Gath and her towns out of the hand 
of the Philistines.' 

2 And he smote Moab ; and the Moabites be- 
came David's servants, and brought gifts. 

3 *r And David smote Hadarezer* king of Zobah 
unto Hamath, as ho went to stablish his dominion 
by the river Euphrates. 

4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, 
and .-icven thousand' horsemen, and twenty thou- 
sand footmen : David also houghed all the chariot 
horses, but reserved of them a hundred chariots. 

5 And when the Syrians of Damascus' came to 



1 C 11 R N I C L E S XVIII. Moabiles, Syria ns, and Edomiks. 

help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the 
Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 

6 Tlien David put p;an-isons in Syria-dainascus ; 
and tlio Syrians became David's servants, and 
brought gifts. Thus the Lord preserved David 
whithersoever he went. 

7 And David took the shields of gold tluit wore 
on the servants of Iladarczcr, and brougiit them 
to Jerusalem. 

8 Likewise from Tibhath,' and from Chun," cities 
of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, 
wherewith Solomon made the brazen sea, and the 
pillars, and the vessels of brass." 

9 ^ Now when Tou* king of Ilamath heard how 
David had smitten all tlic liost of Hadarezer king 
of Zobah ; 

10 He sent Hadoram* his son to king David, to 
inquire' of his wellare, and to congratulate' him, 
because ho had fought against Hadarezer, and 
smitten him ; (for Hadarezer had war' with Tou :) 
and idth him all manner of vessels of gold and 
silver and brass. 

11 *! Tiiem also king David dedicated unfo the 
Lord, with the silver and the gold that he brought 
from all these nations ;" from Edom, and from jMoab, 
and from tlie children of Amnion, and from the 
Philistines, and from Amalck. 

12 Moreover, Abishai* the son of Zeruiah slew 
of the Edomitcs in the valley of salt eighteen 
thousand.' 

13 1[ And he put garrisons in Edom; and all 
the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the 
Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. 

14 'i So David reigned over all Israel, and exe- 
cuted judgment and justice among all his people.J 

15 AndJoabthosonof Zeruiaii icasoxQv the host; 
and Jehoshaphat the son of Aliilud, recorder;* 

16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimc- 
lech * the son of Abiathar, were the priests ; and 
Sliavsha^ was scribe; 

17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over 
the Cherethites and the Pelethites ; and the sons 
of David were chief about ' the kins-. 



» ExoJ. igrS. 8; 1 .Sail. li:ii; Rom. 9:4, 5; 11:1, 3. etc. b Psa. 119:-I0; 
•Ter. 11:5. « Hab. 8: 10; 11 :1«; JRev. -Jl ::j. d I'sa. 9U:17. • l\eh. revealed 
tke ear of thy seroxiit. t Or, it luilh pleased, e 14nm.ll:-29. f 2Sim..S:l, 
etc. I Or. Hadadezer.-'Si'n.S:^. f Seven /iimdred, -2 S3.ia. 8:4. I Hcb. 
Darmesek. 1 Called Betah, ■! Sim. 8:tf. • Called Berot/iai, i Sam. .■<:S. 
tl Kings 7: 15, etc. t Or, rot, 2 Sam. 8:9. 1 Or. Jomm, -JSam. S: lU. « Or, 



that he may be glorified, and multitudes be led to adore 
him for ever. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The narratives in this and the folio wini; chapter arc for 
substance the same as those contained in 2 Samuel, chap. 8 
and 10, and the reader is referred to the notes on these 
chapters. 

3. A^ he wsnt; the narrative leaves it doubtful whether 
it was David or Hadarezer who was on his way to the 
river Euphrates. 

12. AbiAai ; in 2 Samuel, the victory is ascribed to David, 
because whatever was done by his servants was done by 
him. In the title of Psalm 80, .Joab is mentioned as flic 
leader. Perhaps Joab was the commander-in-chief of Da- 
vid's forces, while Abishai led the division that gained 
this victory. Of tite Edomitc%; in 2 Sam. 8:1.3, they are 
called Syrians. Probably the Syrians and Edomites were 
in alliance. Eifxhtecn thoiLvind ; in the title to Psalm fiO, 
which seems plainly to refer to the same event, the num- 



sa'.itle. I Heb. W«s. ^ Tieh. was the man of wars. hjnsli.6;l9. • Heb. 
Abshai. ' i Sam. i-.Vi, 14; Psa. 00. J Gen. 18:19; 1 Kin"s 10:9; Psa. 
l^-.-ii; 69:14; l.=a. 9:7; 32:1. t Or, rtmembraneir. 1 Called Ahimeledl, 
■i Sam. S:17. 8 Called Seraiah, 2 Sam. B:17; and SAi's/io, 1 Kings 4:3. 
I Heb. at the hand of. 



ber is given as twelve thousand. It may be that twelve 
thousand were slain in one decisive battle, and six thou- 
sand more in one or more other engagements. When the 
events of a whole campaign are crowded into single sen- 
tences, it is not surprising that in different narratives there 
should be apparent (lisa.sreenients, which a full knowledge 
of ihe details wniiM (■ii;il)le us to reconcile. "The valley 
of salt" here nirnti<iniMl lies at the southern extremity of 
the Dead sea, where there is a salt mountain, and where 
the streams are salt as brine. 

INSTRUCTIOXS. 

I. ^VTieu a man's ways please the Lord, he often makes 
his eneuiies to be at peace with him, or gives him the vic- 
tory over all his foes. 

8. The spoils of the enemies of the Lord when they 
come into the possession of his people, instead of being 
used for their own aggrandizement, should be consecrated 
to his service and to the good of mankind. 

13. The preservation of the people of God amidst the 
dangers to which tliev arc exposed, and all the successes 
489 



Darui's mcsstncers abused. 



1 C H 11 ' ^ X I < I, I . S X X . TV"' -\niiiwiiilius ami Syrians defeated. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

1 D»ria'i iiHwnKeni, .cil lo c.rnforl ILinuii Ihc non of Nahiuli, «rc 
TilUinouily rnlrciilnl. <« Tlir Ainni"niU«, »trcngllicn«l by tlii' Syr- 
iwu, >ra ovrrcuiiic by Juub and Abmhni. IC Shophacli, making a 
new lupply of the Syriuus. is "lain by David. 

^'(>\V i( caiiio to ]iiiss after tliis, that Nahasli 
the kiii-r of the children of Aininou died, and 
liis .<on reitrncil in liis stead." 

•J And David said, 1 will show kindness unto I 
llanun the son of Nahash, because his father | 
siiowed kindness to nie. And David sent nicssen- 
j^ers to eomfort him coueeniing his fatlier. Ho 
l!i(! servants of David eanie into the land of the 
cliildrcn of Annuoii to llanun, to comfort him. 

3 Hut the princes of the children of Anmion said 
lo llanun, Tiiinkcst thou tiial David doth" honor 
tliy fallier, tiial he hath sent comforters unto thee? 
are not his servants come unto thee for to search, 
and to overtlirow, and to spy out the land?'' 

4 AVherefore llanun took David's servants, and 
shaved tliem, and cut otf their aarments in the 
miilst hard by their buttocks, and sent tliem away." 

') Tlicn there went certain, and told David how 
tlic men were served; and he sent to meet them: 
for tiie men were greatly ashamed. And the king 
said. Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, 
and f/nn return. 

t) • .\iid when the children of Ammon saw that 
they had made themselves odious* to David, Ha- 
nun and tlie children of Ammon sent a thousand 
talents of silver to hire them chariots and horse- 
men out of Mesopotamia,'' and out of Syria-maa- 
chali, and out of Zobah.'' 

7 >So they hired thirty and two thousand char- 
iots, and the king of Maachah and his people; 
who came and ])itched before Medeba. And the 
children of Ammon gathered themselves together 
from their cities, and came to battle. 

8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, 
and all the host of the mighty men. 

9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put 
the battle in array before the gate of the city: 
and the kings that were come were by themselves 
in the field. 

10 Now when Joab saw that the battle* was set 
against him before and behind, he chose out of all 
the choice^ of Israel, and put them in array against 
the Syrians. 

1 1 And the rest of the people he delivered unto 



»a Sam. 10:1, etc. • Heh. In Ihine ei/ts dolk Dapid. b Gen. 42:3. = Psa. 
03:12; im):4, 5. 1 Heb. lo .«mt. Gen. :i4::JU. li Psa. 40:9. c ch. IS:-'), i). 
: ileh. face of the battle, i Or, young men. I Heb. AMiai. ' Neh 4:11. 



the lianil of Aiti.shai' his brother, and they f}*^- 
set l/irmsclir.i in array against the ciiildreii nw- 
of Amnion. 

12 And lie said, If the Syrians be too strong for 
me, then thou slialt hel]) me: but if the children 
of Ammon be too strong for thee, then 1 will help 
thee. 

1'5 Be of good courage,'' and let us lieiiave our- 
selves valiantly for <iur people, and for the cities 
of our God : and let the Loud do l/iat which is good 
in liis sight." 

1-1 So Joab and the ]ieoplc that were with him 
drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and 
they lied licfore him.'' 

15 And when the children of Ammon saw that 
the Syrians were lied, they likewise lied before 
Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. 
Then Joab came to Jerusalem. 

10 f And when the Syrians saw that they were 
jiut to the worse before Israel, they sent messen- 
gers, and drew forth the Syrians that w(re beyond 
the river ;^ and Shophach' the captain of the host 
of Hadarezcr wait before them. 

17 And it was told David ; and he gathered all 
Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon 
them, and set the battle in array against them. So 
when David had jmt the battle in array against 
the Syrians, they fought with him. 

18 i>ut the Syrians lied before Israel ; and Da- 
vid slew of the Syrians seven thousand mev which 
fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, 
and killed Shophach the captain of the host. 

19 And when the servants of Hadarezcr saw 
that they were put to the worse before Israel, 
they made peace with David, and became his 
servants:' neither would the Syrians hel^) the 
children of Ammon any more. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 Rabbah is besieged by Joab. spoiled by David, and the people thereof 
tortured. 4 Three giants are slain in three several overthrows of the 

Piiilistines. 

AND it came to pass, that after the year was 
expired,* at the time that kings go out to 
battle,' Joab led forth the power of the army, and 
wasted the country of the children of Amnion, and 
came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried 
at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Kabbah, and de- 
stroyed it." 



with which they are favored, come fioin him ; and lay 
them under new obligations to love and obey him. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

16. The. river; Euphrates. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Gratitude sliorild ever be manifested for favors ; and 
if it cannot be shown toward.s the benefactors themselves, 
it should be towards their cliihlren or odiers who were 
connected with them. 

3. Our best intentions may be misunderstood and mis- 
represented ; evil may be returned for good, and that 
which sliould have been the means of forming and cement- 

490 



g JuJg. 10:15. Ii Jer. 40:15. 16. 1 That is. Euphrates. • Or, Sliobach, 
■J Sun. 10:10. i Psa. 19:39, 44. i Beb. at the return of the year, j 2 Sam. 
11:1. k 2 Sam. 1-2:20, etc. 



ing friendship, may be made the occasion of enmity and 
strife. 

13. In a good cause, men should be of good courage; 
and while they use with fidelity all appointed means, they 
should feel their dependence on God, and commit the 
result of their eflbrts to him. 

18. All I'tVorts of the wicked to prevail against God and 
his people will in the end prove ineflectual, and be the 
means of hastening and aggravating their own ruin. 

CHAPTER XX. 

1. Rabhali ; the capital of the Ammonites. Tarried at 
Jerusalem; that is, as explained in 2 Sam. 12:27, 28, till 
Joab sent for him, when he had nearly completed the 
conquest of the Ammonites. 



Philistine sir.nts slain. 



1 CHRONICLES XXI. 



David numlcrelh Isr'.el. 



A. M. 2971. 2 And David took tl\e crown of tlieir king 
■ luM."" from ofl" his head, and found it to weigh* a 
talent of gold, and i/urc n-erc precious stones in it; 
and it was set upon David's head : and he brought 
also exceeding much spoil out of the city. 

3 And he brought out the people that tccre in 
it, and cut f/iem with saws, and with harrows of 
iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David witli 
all the cities of tlie children of Amnion. And 
David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. 

4 ITxVnd it came to pass after tliis, tiiat tliere 
arose* war at Gezcr* witli the Philistines;" at 
which time Sibljcchai tiie Hushathite slew Sippai,^ 
that was of tlio cliildrcn of the giant;' and tliey 
were subdued. 

5 And there was war again with the Philistines ; 
and Elhanau the son of Jair' slew Lahmi the broth- 
er of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear-staff was like 
a weaver's beam. 

And yet again there was war at Gatli,'^ where 
was a man of great stature," whose fingers and toes 
were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six on 
each foot: and he also was the son of tlic giant.* 

7 But when he defied* Israel, Jonathan tiie son 
of Shimca,^ David's brother, slew him. 

8 These were born unto the giant in Gatli ; and 
they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand 
of his servants. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

I DaviJ, tempted by Satan, forceth Joab to number the people. 5 The 
number of the people being brought, David repenteth of it. 9 David 
having three plagues propounded by Gad, chooseth the pestilence. 11 
After the death of seventy thousand, David by repentance preventeth 
the destruction of Jerusalem. 18 David, by Gad's direction, purchas- 
eth Oman's threshing-floor: where having built an altar, God giveth 
a sign of his favor by fire, and stayeth the plague. 28 David sacri- 
ficeth there, being restrained from Gibeon by fear of the angel. 

A ND Satan stood up against Israel,'' and pro- 
Jtx. voked David to number Isi"ael.'' 

2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of 
the people, Go, number Israel from Beer-sheba 
even to Dan ; and bring the number of them to 
me, tiiat I may know if." 

3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his peo- 
ple a hundred times so many more as they be: but, 



• Heh. the ireigM of . t Ot, continued ; 'ileh. stooil. t Or, Gob. »2Sam. 
•21:18, etc. « Or. ,Sap/i, 2 Sam. 21;I8. t (Jr. Kapha. 1 Called also Jaare- 
ore^im, a Sam. 21: ly. b 2 Sam. 21:20. • Heb. measure. 1 Ueb. born to 
the giant, or Rapha, ver. 4. I Or. reproached. 5 Called Shamntah, 1 Sam. 
10:9. = Job 1:U, etc. ; 2:1; Zeoh. 3:1. <1 2 Sam. 21:1, etc. « cli. 27:23. 



3. Brought out the people; see note on 2 Sam. 12:31. 

4. Gezer; a city in the western part of the tribe of 
Ephraim, bordering upon the Philistines. 

6. Gath; a city of the Philistines. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Reference to the sin of David in the matter of Uriah, 
which took place while Joab was besieging Kabbah, is 
here entirely omitted ; and it is alw.ays proper to be silent 
about the sins of others, unless the cause of God and of 
truth requires the mention of them. 

4. This is a world of trial, and one trouble will succeed 
uuother through the whole journey of life. Hut to those 
who honor God in their trials, he will at last grant a com- 
])lete and glorious deliverance. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. Soor/ »/),• presented himself as an accuser. Provoked; 
moved, excited. 



my lord the king, are they not all my lord's ser- 
vants? wliy then dotli my lord require this tiling? 
why will he bo a cause of trespass to Israel? 

4: Nevortheh:'ss the king's word prevailed against 
Joab.' Wherefore Joab departed, and went through- 
out all Israel, and came to Jerngalem. 

5 II And Joab gave the sum of the number of the 
people unto David. And all they o/" Israel were 
a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand men 
that drew sword: and Judah iva.f four hundred 
threescore and ton thousand men that drew sword. 

6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among 
them :^ for the king's word was abominable to Joab. 

7 And God was displeased with' this thing; 
therefore he smote Israel. 

8 And David said unto God, I have sinned 
greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, 
I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy ser- 
vant;" for I have done very foolishly.' 

9 * And the Lord spake unto Gad, David's seer,J 
saying, 

10 Go and tell David, saying. Thus saith the 
Lord, I offer thee^ three things: choose thee one 
of them, that I may do it unto thee. 

11 So Gad came to David, and said nnlo him, 
Thus saith the Lord, Clioose thee* 

12 Either three years' famine; or three months 
to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the 
sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee : or else 
three days the sword of the Lord, even the pesti- 
lence, in the laud, and the augcl of the Lord de- 
stroying tliroughout all the coasts of Israel. Now 
therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring 
again to him that sent me. 

13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great 
strait:'' let me fall now into the hand of the Lord;' 
for very great* are his mercies:™ but let mo not 
fall into the hand of man." 

14 1 So the Lord sent pestilence upon Israel:" 
and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men. 

15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to de- 
stroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord be- 
held, and he repented him of the evil,'' and said 
to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now 



t Eccl. 8:4. tch. 27:24. I Heb. it was evil in the eyes of God c 
h2!5im. 12:13. i 1 Sam. 2(i:ai, JlSam.9:0. ^ Heb. stretch out. "Heb. 
Take to thee, k John 12:27. ■ Heb. 10:31. t Or, many. ■» P.<a. fB:S, IS. 
■> 2Chr. 28:9; Prov. 12:10; Isa. 46:7; Lam. 5:2-15. o Num. 16:46^9. 
P Judg. 2: 18; Jonah 4:2. 



2. Beer-sheba — to Dan; one end of the land to the other. 

3. A cause of trespass to Israel ; a means of leading them 
into sin, and of thus bringing judgments upon them. Joab 
seems to have understood that David was influenced by 
foolish pride in requiring this thing. 

5. A thousand thousand and a hundred thmi-wnd; this sum 
differs from that given in 2 Sam. 24 : 9. For some reason 
not explained, a portion of the armed men — perhaps those 
already enrolled for military service before this number- 
ing — seem to be included in one account, and not in the 
other. Four hundred threescore and ten thousand ; for which 
we have, in 2 Sam. 24 : 9, tlie round number of five hundred 
thousand. 

12. Three years' famine; in 2 Sam. 24:13, we read, seven 
years of famine, wliich may be an error of the transcribers. 
This miglit tlie more easily happen, as numbers were often 
indic;iled by letters. 

1.'). liepenled him of the evil; he changed his course of 
conduct. 

491 



OrnniCs thrtshing-ftoor. 



1 ClIltOXKLF.S xxir. 



Mulcr'u.h fi r llie Icmjh 



ihv Imiul." Anil tin- :injr<'l of llie Lkuii stood by 
till- tlirt'sliin'.'-ll • nf OiiKiii' the Jobusilr.'' 

1*1 Anil I):ivi<i lil'lcil ii|> Ills ovt's, iiiid saw llio 
!\ii'_'t'l of till' l.iiiM) sland hi'twet'U tlift osirtli uikI 
the lu'avoii,' having a drawn sword in his liand 
slretc'licd onl ovor Jerusalem. Tlien Uavid and 
tlie ehlers of Imail, u-ho wire clothed in sackcloth, 
fell upiiii their faces. 

17 .\nd Kavid saiil unto God, Is it not I thai 
coniinandcd the iieoplc to be numbered? even 1 it 
is that liavo sinned and done evil indeed; but as 
for those sheep,'' what have they done? let thy 
haiiil, 1 pray thee, O Lord my God, be on me, and 
on my father's house;'' but not on thy people, that 
tliey should be ])lagu<'d. 

l.S "i Then the angel of the Lord commanded 
Gad to say to David, that David .should go up, 
and sot up an altar unto the Lord in the tliresli- 
ing-lloor of Oman tiie Jebusitc.' 

i'J And David went up at the saying of Gad, 
whioli lie spake in the name of the Lord. 

21) And' Oman turned Ijack, and saw the an- 
gel ; and' his lour sons with him hid themselves. 
Now Oman was threshing wheat. 

21 And as David came to Oman, Oman looked 
and saw David, and went out of the threshing- 
floor, and bowed hims5elf to David wilii his face 
to the ground. 

22 Tlicn David said to Oman, Grant' nic the 
place of this threshing-floor, tfiat I may build an 
altar tiiereiu unto the Lord: thou slialt grant it 
me for the full price: that the plague may be 
stayed from tin; people. 

23 And Oman said unto David, Take il to tliee, 
and let my lord the king do that ivhich is good in 
his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen a'so for burnt- 
ofl'ei'iMgs, and the threshing instruments for wood, 
and the wheat for the meat-oflering ; I give it all. 

21 And king David saiij to Oman, Nay; but I 
will verily buy it for the full price:" for 1 will not 
take that which is thine ff)r the Lord, nor oflcr 
burnt-olVerings without cost.'' 

25 So David gave to Oman for the place six 
huudred shekels of gold by weight. 



» Psd. 7-.i-l. • Or, A mitnali. -J Sam. 24 : IS. 


b 2 Chr. .•!: 1 . 


c Gen. 3:24: 


Num. a2::il; Jo.*. 5:l:i. 14. i Psa. 44:11. 


John 10:11, 


2. f ^er. 1.5. 


t Or, ir/iju. I Or, then he nnil. ^ Heb. Gi 


)>. e Gen. 2 


:l:!. h Bent. 


16:17. i Lev. 9:24; Judg. (i:il; 1 Kings la: 


M, m; 2 Chr. 


7:1. i EsoJ. 



17. TJicse sheep; the children of Israel, the people gen- 
erally. 

25, Six hundred shekels; see note to 2 Sam. 24: 24. 

20. Bijfire; the fire descended from God and burnt up the 
sacrifice, in token of liis acceptance of David and lii.s offering. 

28. Ik sacrificed tlicrc ; continued to make that a place of 
sacrifice. 

29. In the high place at Gibeon; compare chap. 16:39, 40. 

30. CoiM not go before il ; he feared to do so in the cir- 
cumstances above narrated. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Wiencvcr the people of God are left to themselves. 
Sat,an st.inils ready to tempt them to the commission of 
sins which will bring distress, if not ruin, on themselves 
and others. 

8. Though the people of God may discover their sins, 
be deeply humbled on account of them, and be forgiven, 
yet if their sins have been open ami brought scandal upon 
the cause of religion, the Lord will manifest his displeas- 
ure against them. 

492 



2() And l);ivid built there an allar unto "5, c I'l; 
the Liiitn, ami ofl'ered Imrnl-oll'erings and peace- 
olVerings, and calleil upon the Loun: and he an- 
swered him from iieavcu by fire iipiui the allar of 
bumt-olVcring.' 

27 And the Loud commanded the angel ; and he 
put up his sword again into Ihe sheath Ihercof. 

28 "I At that timo'when David saw that (he Loud 
had answoreil him in the ihreshiuglloor of Oman 
the Jebusito, then he sacrificed there. 

29 For the tabernacle of the Loiui, which Moses 
made in the wilderne.--s,J and the altar of the burnt- 
oiVoring, icere at that season in the high place at 
Gibeon.'' 

;)() Hut David could not go before it to inquire 
of God : for he was afraid because of the sword 
of the angel of the Lord.' 

C II A P T E 11 XXII. 

1 David, foreknowinc the place of the temple, prepareth abundance for the 
luildin:;of it. 6 m iiistructftli Solomon inCrod's proniisci*. and his duty 
111 liiiildin^ the temple. 17 He chargeth the princes to a.«sist liis son. 

^T^HEN David said, This w the house of the Loud 
1. God, and this is the altar of the burnt-offer- 
ing for Israel."' 

2 And David commanded to gather together the 
strangers that mre in the land of Israel ;" and he 
sot masons to hew wrought stones to build the 
house of God. 

3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the 
nails for the doors of the gates, and for the .join- 
ings;" and brass in abundance without weight;'' 

4 Also cedar-trees in abundance:'* for tlieZido- 
iiians and they of Tyre brought much cedav-wood 
lo David. 

5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and 
tender,'' and the house that is to be builded for the 
Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and 
of glory throughout all countries:'! will therefore 
now make preparation for it. So David prepared 
abundantly before his death. 

G 'i Then he called for Solomon his son, and 
charged him to build a house for the Lord God 
of Israel. 



40. k ch. l(i:3'J; 1 Kings 3:4, etc. 1 Psa. 90:11; Jer. 5:22; 10:7; Heb. 
12:3^, 20; Rev. 15:4. m ch. 21:28; Beut. 12:5; 2 Chr. 3:1. n 1 King* 
!l:21. ver. 14. PI Kings 7:47. q 1 Kings 5:6. r 1 Kings 3:7. "Ezra 
3;e>; Isa. 04:11; Ezek. 7:20; Hag 2:3. 



13. The penitent soul in all its difficulties will submit to 
the Lord, and commit itself and its interests to his merciful 
care and disposal. 

17. The ingenuous soul mourns deeply, not only on ac- 
count of its sins and the sufferings they bring upon itself, 
but for the evils they bring upon others whom they love, 
;ind whom they wish to benefit. 

2G. When the soul is duly penitent for its sins, sub- 
mits to the judgments of God, and is ready to follow his 
directions, he is ready to forgive and grant manifestations 
of his mercy and love. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

1. This is the house — this is the altar; that is, here on the 
threshing-floor which I have bought, and where I have 

I sacrificed, shall the house of the Lord be built and the 
altar of burnt-offering esta,blished. The tabernacle and 
altar which Moses built were yet at Gibeon, and there the < 
daily sacrifices were offered. Chap. 21:29. 

I 3. Joinings; clamps of iron used to fasten work together. 



David's change to Solomon. 



1 CHRONICLES XXIII. 



Distribution of the Levilcs. 



as for me, it was in my mind to build a house" 
unto ttie name of the Lord my God:'' 

8 But the word of (he Lord came to me, sayin<?, 
Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made 
great wars:" thou shalt not build a house unto my 
name, because thou hast shed much blood upon 
the earth in my sight." 

!) Behold, a son shall bo born to thee, wlio shall 
bo a man of rest; and I will give him rest from 
all his enemies round about: for his name shall 
be Solomon,* and I will give peace and quietness 
unto Israel in his days.'' 

10 He shall build a house for my name j^ and he 
shall be my son, and I will be his father;^ and I 
will establish the throne of his kingdom over Is- 
rael for ever. 

11 Now, my son, the Lord be with thee;" and 
prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy 
God, as he hath said of thee. 

12 Only the Lord give thee wisdom and imdcr- 
standing, and give thee charge concerning Israel, 
that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy 
God.' 

13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed 
to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the 
Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel :^ be 
strong, and of good courage;"^ dread not, nor be 
dismayed. 

14 Now, behold, in my trouble^ I have prepared 
for the house of the Lord a hundred thousand 
talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents 
of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; 
for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have 
I prepared ; and thou mayest add thereto. 

15 Moreover, there arc workmen with thee in 
jibundanee, hewers and workers of stone and tim- 
ber,* and all manner of cunning men for every 
manner of work. 

16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the 



> Ch. 17:1, etc.; S^ri, etc. b Deut- 1-2:5, 11. c 1 Kings 


)::J. d Nam. 


;il:I9. • That is, peaceable. ' 1 Kings 4:-J5; Psa. 7-2:7. f 


2 Sam. 7:13. 


sPsi. 80:'2Si Heb. 1:3. bver. IB. i 1 Kings 3, 9. 12; Ps„. 72 


1 ; Prov. 2:6, 


7;Jas. 1:5. j 2Chr. 20:20; Psa. 119:0. t Deut. 31:7, 8; Josh 


1:6-9. tOr, 



9. So/omor! ; meaning, peaceable. 

10. For ever; so long as be should continue to obey God. 
\\r. 12, 13, 19. 

19. Bring the ark; from Zion, to which place David had 
iilieady transferred it from Gibeon. Chap. 15. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The people of God, when delivered from the sad effects 
of their sins, will become more engaged than before in 
doing his work ; and if they cannot honor him in one way 
they will attempt to do it in another, and thus to fill up 
life with fidelity and usefulness. 

5. Good men live and labor not merely for themselves 
and their own generation, but for posterity and for all 
coming time ; and their efforts wiU be felt not only to the 
end of the world, but to eternity. 

10. The promises of God to individuals, are made on 
condition that they hearken to his voice and continue to 
obey his commandments. If they forsake him, he will 
cast them off. 

16. If men would avail themselves of the blessings of 
Jehovah, enjoy his presence, and experience the benefit 
of his promises, they must be found doing his will. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

The present and the four following chapters are occu- 



iron, there is no number. Arise thcrejorc, and be 
doing, and the Lord be with thee.' 

17 ir David also commanded all the princes of 
Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 

18 Is not the Lord your God with you ? and hath 
he 7iot given you rest on every side?'" for he hath 
given the inhabitants of the land into my hand ; 
and the land is subdued before the Lord, and be- 
fore his people. 

19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the 
Lord your God;" arise therefore, and build ye 
the sanctuary of the Lord God," to bring the ark 
of the covenant of the Lord,p and the holy vessels 
of God, into the house that is to be built to the 
name of the Lord. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 DaviJ in his old age maketh Solomon king. 2 The number .ind dis- 
tribution of the Levites. 7 The Oimiliesof the licTslionile^. ]' The 
sons of Kohath. m The sons of Merari. 21 The office of the Levites, 

SO when David was old and full of day.s, ho 
made Solomon his son king over Ii^rael." 

2 T[ And he gathered together all the princes 
of Israel, with the priests and the Lcvites. 

3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age 
of thirty years and upward:'' and their number 
by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight 
thousand. 

4 Of which, twenty and four thousand urre to 
set forward^ the work of the house of the Lord; 
and six thousand v:ere officers and judges:' 

5 Moreover four thousand were porters ; and four 
thousand praised the Lord with the instruments 
which I made," said David, to praise therewith-. 

6 And David divided them into courses' among 
the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and 
Merari. 

7 H Of the Gershonites were Laadan,^ and Shimei. 

8 The sons of Laadan ; the chief was Jchiel, and 
Zetham, and Joel, three. 



poverty, t 'V\iz.l is, masons and eaTpenttrs. I ver. 11. ni ch. 2J:"2.'>; Deut. 
12:111; Josh. 22:4; 2Sam. 7:1. n 2 Chr. 20:.3. o Psa. 27:4. PlKingsi-:6, 
21. qch. aS:5; 1 Kings 1:3.3, etc. r Num. 4:.3, 47. %OT.<yvenre. s Dciit. 
16:1S. > 2Chr.29:2o.2n; Amos6:5. \lUh. divisions. 1 Or, Litni, ch. B:17. 



pied with an account of the orderly arrangements made 
by David for the service of the sanctuary and the admin- 
istration of the affairs of his kingdom. To the writer of 
the books of Chronicles, who lived after the Babylonish 
captivity, these were matters of deep interest, as they 
furnished a general model for the rci-stablishment of the 
state and the public worship of God. 

3. From the age of thirty years and upward; in ver. 24, 27, 
we read, '-from the age of twenty years and upward." 
The two statements may be thus reconciled : the Levites 
were distributed for the different services by thousands, 
ver. 4, 5. Of these the great body, upon whom full ser- 
vice was laid, was from thirty years old and upward. But 
to fill out the thousands a portion of younger men was 
taken, who discharged the lighter and less responsible 
duties. 

4. The tvork of the hov^e of the Lord; all the service con- 
nected with the sanctuary, its revenues, and the ordering 
of the public worship of God. 

7. of the Gershonites; before giving the heads of the 
courses into which the priests and Levites were divided, 
the writer gives a partial list of the fathers' houses among 
tlio sons of Levi, embracing only such as belonged to the 
twenty-four thousand assigned for " the work of the house 
of the Lord." 

49:5 



Duties of Iht Tycviles. 



I clIltONICLES XXIV. 



Courses of the priests. 



9 Tho sons of Sliimoi; Slicloiiiilh, iind Ilazicl, 
nnd Ilaiaii, tlm'O. Tlicsc urrc llie cliicf of llio 
fallicrs of Ijaailaii. 

10 Anil I ho sons of Sliinici were, Jaliatii, Zina," 
and .leiisli, and Beriali. Tlicsc four nrre the sons 
of Sliinici. 

1 1 And Jahatli was the cldcf, and Zizah llio sec- 
ond : Imt .loush and Beriah had not many sons:* 
iIktc fciic thoy wen! in one reckoning, according 
to //iclr futiier's iioiise. 

12 "i The sons of Kohath; Anu-ani, I/.liar, He- 
bron, and Uzziel, fonr. 

13 The sons of Anu'ani; Aaron, and Moses: and 
Aaron was separated," that he sliould sanctify tlie 
most holy things, he and his sons for ever, to hum 
incense before the Ldki),'' to minister unto him, 
and to bless in his name for ever.'' 

1-1 Now concernin<j; Moses the man of God, his 
sons were named of the tribe of Levi. 

15 Tiie sons of Moses iverc, (lershom, and Eliezer . 

16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel* ivas the 
chief. 

17 And the sons of Eliezer ivere, Rehabiah the 
cliief.^ And Eliezer had none other sons; but the 
sons of Ilchabiah were very many.' 

18 Of the sons of Izliar ; Shelomith' tlie cliief. 
I'J Of tiie sons of Hebron ; Jeriah tlie first, vVina- 

riah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam 
the fourth. 

20 Of the sons of Uzziel ; Micali tlie first, and 
Jesiah the second. 

21 1[ The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Muslii. 
The sons of Mahli ; Eleazar, and Kisli. 

22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daugh- 
ters ; and their brethren* the sons of Kish took 
them. 

23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and 
Jeremoth, three. 

24 TT These ivere the sons of Levi after the house 
of their fathers ; even the chief of tiie fathers, as 
they were counted by number of names by their 
polls,'' that did the work for the service of the 
house of the Loud, from the age of twenty years 
and upward." 

25 For David said. The Lord God of Israel 
hath given rest unto his peoiilc,*' that they may 
dwell* in Jerusalem for ever: 

26 And also unto the Levites: they shall no 



• Or, Ziia/i, ver. n. \ Heh. did not multiply sons. » Exod. 28: 


,elc.; 


Heb. 5:4. b Num. 16:40. c Num. 0:2:1-28. 1 S/iu6ae(, ch. 24:2U. 


S Or, 


Irst. I Heh. highly multiplied. ^ Shelomoth, ch. ■2i:-2-2. • Or, /.v 




<iNum. 10:17,21. ever.27; Ezra.3:8. foh.2i:IS. t Or, nnrf /,« rfi 


mlleth. 


I Heb. nuTnljers. em.3,-M. t Heb. slatioa\il^at IhehandoJ; Neh 


l\:-U. 



9. Shimei; not the Shimei mentioned in ver. 7, 10, who 
was a brotlier of Laadan, but a descendant of Laadaii. 

13. For ever; continually, to the end of the Jewish dis- 
pensation. 

26. Carry tlie tabernacle; from place to place, as in the 
wilderness, and afterwards in the land of Canaan. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
3. Nothing is more important to the interests of true 
religion than the increase of faitliful ministers; and good 
men at the close of life, will be peculiarly anxious that a 
sufficient number may be provided and rightly employed 
for the good of coming generations. 

30. ReUgionis adaily duty; morning and evening offer- 
ings of prayer, thanksgiving, and praise should be pre- 
■lt)t 



of it for tiie service tiicrcof. mii 

27 For by the last words of David the Levitcs 
were numbered' from twenty years old and above :" 

28 Because their oflicc vas to wait on' the sons 
of Aaron for tlu; service (d' the hou.sc of the Lonn, 
in the courts, and in the chambei-s, and in thi' 
puril'ying of all holy things, and tlie woik of the 
service of the iiouse of God ; 

2*J Both for tlie show-bread,'' find for the fine 
flour for mrat-oirering,' and for the unleavened 
cakes,^ and for that vhich is ba/ad in the pan,' and 
for that which is fried, and for all manner of meas- 
ure and size;" 

30 And to stand every morning to thank and 
])raise the Lord, and likewise at even:' 

31 And to ofl'er all burnt-sacrifices unto the Lord 
in the sabbaths,'" in the new moons, and on the set 
feasts," by number, according to the order com- 
manded unto them, continually before the Lord: 

32 And that they should keep the charge of the 
tabernacle of the congregation," and the charge 
of the iioly place, and the charge of the sons of 
Aaron their brethren,'' in the service of the house 
of tho Lord. 



CHAPTER XXIV, 



1 Til. 



N 



divisions of the sons of Aaron by lot into four and twenty orders. 
20 The Kohathiles, 27 and tlie "Merarites divided by lot. 

OW these are the divisions of the sons of Aa- 
ron.i The sons of Aaron ; Nadab and Abilin. 
Eleazar and Ithamar. 

2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father,"' 
and had no children : therefore Eleazar and Itha- 
mar executed the iiricst's office. 

3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of 
the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of 
Ithamar," according to their offices in their service. 

4 And there were more chief men found of the 
sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar ; and 
thus were they divided. Among the sons of Ele- 
azar there icere sixteen chief men of the house of 
their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar 
according to the house of their fathers. 

5 Thus were they divided by lot,' one sort with 
another ; for the governors of the sanctuary, and 
governors of the house of God, were of the sous of 
Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. 



h Exod. 25:30. i Lev. 6: SO. J Lev. 2:4-7. I Or, flat plate, k Lev. 19:.15. 
laChr. 29:25,26; Ezra 3:10, 11; Psa. 135:1,2. m Num. 10:10; Psa. 81:3. 
n Lev. 23:4, etc. oNum.l:.53. PNum. 3:6-9. q Lev. 10:1,6; Num. 2():6<l. 
1 Sam. 21:1; 22:9, etc. ' Josh. 1»:10; Prov. 16:33; Jonalj 



Acts 1:26. 



sented to God, and such sjiecial seasons of devotion from 
time to time be observed, as he has appointed. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

1. Tlic divisions of the sons of Aaron ; these divisions, it 
is supposed, were made by David according to divine 
appointment. By them the priests were distributed into 
twenty-four courses, sixteen of the sons of Eleazar, and 
eight of the sons of Ithamar. These served at the sanctu- 
ary, each course in its turn, from Sabbath to Sabbath, ac- 
cording to the testimony of Josephus, which agrees with 
the words of the sacred writer, 2 Kings 11:5, 7. 

5. One sort xvitli another; the two sorts were those ol' 
Elcazar's sons, and those of Ithamar's. 



The four and lucnty orders. 



1 CHRONICLES XXV. 



Singers and oUier musicians. 



B. C. 101 

the scribe, one of tlic Levites, wrote tliem before 
the kiiifi^, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, 
and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before tlie 
chief of the fathers of tlic priests and Levites: 
one principal houseliold* being- talvcn for Eleazar, 
and one taken for Itiiamar. 

7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the 
second to Jedaiah, 

8 The tiiird to Ilarim, tlie fourth to Seorim, 

9 The fifth to Malchijali, the sixth to Mijamin, 

10 The seventh to Ilakkoz, tlie eighth to Abijah," 

11 The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah, 

12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelftli to Jakim, 

13 The thirteenth to Hiippah, the fourteenth to 
Jeshebeal), 

14 The fifteenth toBilgah,the sixteenth tolmmer, 

15 The seventeenth to Ilezir, the eighteenth to 
Aphses, 

16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth 
to Jehezekel, 

17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and 
twentieth to Gamul, 

18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four 
and twentieth to Maaziah. 

19 These were the orderings of them in their ser- 
vice to come into the house of the Lord,'' accord- 
ing to their manner, under Aaron their father, as 
the Lord God of Israel had commanded him. 

20 IT And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: 
Of the sons of Amram; Shubael:* of the sons of 
Siiubael ; Jehdeiah. 

21 Concerning Rejiabiah : of the sons of Keha- 
biah, the first was Isshiah. 

22 Of the Izharitcs; Shclomoth:* of the sons of 
Slielomoth ; Jahath. 

23 And the sons of Hebron: Jcriah the first, Am- 
ariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam 
the fourth. 

24 Of the sons of Uzziel ; Michah : of tlie sons 
of Micliah ; Shamir. 

25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah : of the 
sons of Isshiah; Zcchariah. 

26 "ii The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi : ■■ 
the sons of Jaaziah ; Bono. 



•-Eeh. house of Ike father, a Neh. ia;4, 17; Luke 1 :5. bch.9:ia. 1 She- 
6uei, ch. 23:10. \ SHclamitk, (-W. -ii:\a. t Exod. B:19. dch. a3:2-3. e ch. 
25:8. f ch. 0:33, etc. S Otherwise ciUed .Tesarelah, ver. 14. I Heb. ii/ the 



6. One — takenf or Eleazar, andone — for Itiiamar ; onecourse 
of the house of Eleazar was drawn, and one of the house 
of Ithaniar alternately, till the latter house was exhausted, 
when the remaining eight of Eleazar were drawn. But 
Bome think that the original text implies that a double lot 
was drawn for Eleazar to a single lot for Ithamar. 

19. U ader Aaron their father ; all the priests were con- 
sidered as successors of Aaron, and he is spoken of as 
their father. 

20. Tae rest of the sons of Levi ; that is, who were not 
priests. 

31. Over against their brethren; that is, as the original 
seems to imply, so that course answered to course, there 
being twenty-four courses of the Levites, corresponding 
with the twenty-four of the priests. T/ie principal fathers 
over against their younger brethren ; so that no preference was 
given in casting the lots, to one division above another. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Order and regularity are important in all concerns, 
especially in those of religion ; and its ministers should all, 



27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziali ; Bcno, and 
Slioiiam, and Zaccur, and Iliri. 

28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.'' 

29 Concerning Kisli : the son of Kish was Jc- 
rahmecl. 

30 The sons also of Mushi ; Mahli, and Eder. 
and Jerimoth. These were tlie sons of the Levites 
after the house of their fathers. 

31 These likewise cast lots over against their 
brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of Da- 
vid the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the 
cliief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even 
tlie principal fatiiers over against their younger 
brethren." 



CHAPTER XXV. 

1 Tlie number and offices of the singers. 8 Their division by lot into 
four and twenty orders. 

ly /TOREO VER David and tlie captains of the 
_LVJ. host separated to the service of the sous of 
Asapli, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun,'' who 
should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and 
with cymbals: and the number of the workmen 
according to their service was : 

2 Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, 
and Nethaniah, and Asharelah,^ the sons of Asaph 
under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied ac- 
cording to the order of the king." 

3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of. Jeduthun ; Gedaliah, 
and Zcri,"^ and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Matti- 
tliiali, six,* under the hands of their father Jedu- 
thun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks 
and to praise the Lord. 

4 Of Heman : the sons of Heman ; Bukkiah, Mat- 
taniah, Uzziel,* Shebuel,* and Jerimoth, Hananiah, 
llanani, Eliathali, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer. 
Joshbeka-shah, Mallothi, Hothir, aiid Mahazioth: 

5 All these icere the sons of Heman the king's 
seer in the words^ of God, to lift up the horn. 
And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three 
daughters. 

6 All these were under the hands of their father 
for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, 
psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house 



in the place which God assigns them, attend with punctu- 
ality and perseverance to the duties of their oifice. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1. Asaph; he was descended from Gershon orGershom. 
the eldest son of Levi. Chap. 6:39-43. //fmajj ,■ the grand- 
son of Samuel, and a descendant of Kohath, Levi's second 
son. Chap. ■6:33-38. Jeduthnn ; supposed to be the same 
as Ethan, a descendant of Merari, the youngest of Levi's 
sons. Chap. 6:44-47. Jeduthun signifies " praising," or 
" celebrating," and seems to have been a name given him 
from his office. •Prophcxy with harps — cymbals; they not 
only sung inspired songs, accompanying them with instru- 
mental music, but themselves received, at times at least 
the spirit of prophecy. To Asaph, twelve psalms — 50, 
and 73-83 — are in all probability to be ascribed. Heman 
is called " the king's seer," verse 5 ; and both Heman 
and Ethan (Jeduthun) were celebrated for their wisdom. 
1 Kings 4:31. 
5. Lift up the horn; blow it loudly. 
495 



Divisians of the singrrs. 



1 CIIKONICLKS XXVI. 



]^ifi.iii/-n.i nf Ihe porters. 



of Cioil, ncronlinir to tlic kiiifrV oidfi" to Asaph, 
.Iciliitiinii. iind ilciiian. 

7 So tlic iiuiiiImt of tliom, with their brcthron 
thai wore iiistriu'lod iii tiie songs of the Lord, 
vvm all that were eimning, was two liuiidred four- 
score and eijjflit. 

8 •; And liiev cast lots," ward against ward, as 
well tli(! small as the great, liie teacher as the 
scholar." 

*.» Now the first lot came forth for Asiiiili to 
Joseph: ti>c second to Gedaliali, wlio willi his 
brethren and sons ivere twelve: 

It) The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his 
lirethreii, were twelve: 

11 The fourth to Izri./ie, his sons, and his breth- 
ren, icere twelve : 

12 The fifth to Ncthaniah, he, his sons, and his 
brethren, were twelve: 

13 The sixth to Bukkiah, Ite, his sons, and liis 
brethren, were twelve: 

14 The seventh to Jcsarclah, he, his sons, and 
his bretiiren, wor twelve : 

15 The eighth to Jcshaiah, Jie, his sons, and his 
l)rethren, were twelve: 

U> Tlic ninth to Mattaniah, he, liis sons, and his 
brethren, xvere twelve : 

17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his 
l)i'ethrcn, loere twelve: 

18 Tlio eleventh to Azareel,* he, his sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve: 

19 Tlic twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and 
liis brethren, icere twelve: 

20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and 
his brethren, icere twelve: 

21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve : 

22 The fifteenth to Jeremotli, he, liis sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve : 

215 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve: 

24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, 
and his l)rethren, leere twelve: 

25 The eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve : 

26 The nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve: 

27 The twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and 
his brethren, were twelve: 

28 The one and twentieth to ITothir, Af, his sons, 
and his brethren, ivere twelve : 

29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his 
sons, and his brethren, icere twelve : 



• Heb. by Ike hands of the king, ver. 2. » ch. 24:5. b aChr. 2-5: 13. t Uz- 
ziel.ver.i. t Or, SMemlah. ver. U. i Or, EimsnpA, ch. (i:!!7; 9:19. « ch. 
l.1:l=.-JI: 10:5. i- IThatia, Ot«;-edom,asch.l.'!:14; Psi.l2a:l,2. <lNeh. 



7. All that were cunning; these two hundred and eighty- 
eight — twelve times twenty -four — were the teachers men- 
tioned in the following verse. The remainder of tlie four 
thousand were the scholars. 

8. iVard; here put for a course of singers. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. To praise God is one of the noblest services in which 
men can engage ; and where it is done from the heart it is 
acceptable to God, and raises the affections to him. 

5. Children are the gift of God ; and whether they be 
496 



:50 The three anil twentieth to Mahazioth, a.m. jwd. 

, . 1 I • 1 1 1 11. t". Nbout 

he, Ins sons, and Ins lirctlni'ii, mre twelve: iuit>. 

iil The four and twentieth to Ronianili-ozcr, hr, 
his sons, ami his brethren, were twelve. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

1 The divisions of the porters, 1.1 The Kales nsKigiica by lot 20 The 
bcvitf.i thiit had chargp of the trta.«iiri«. L'O OIHcers and judges. 

/' ■CONCERNING the divisions of the porters: 
VJ Of the Korhites vas Mesheleniiah' the son 
of Kore, of the sons of Asa])li.'' 

2 And the sons of Jleshcleiniah tare. Zecliiuiali 
the first-born. .lediacl the second, Zcbadiah the 
third, .lathniel the foniili, 

'.^ Elani the fifth, Jehohanau the sixth, Elioenai 
the seventh. 

4 Jloreover the sons of Obed-edom were Shcma- 
iah the first-born, Jchozabad the second, Joah the 
thiitl, and Sacar the fourth, and Ncthaneel the 
fifth, 

5 Aniniiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peul- 
tliai the eighth:'' for God blessed him.' 

G Also unto Sheniaiah his son were sons born, 
that ruled throughout the house of their father : 
for they trere mighty men of valor.'' 

7 The sons of Sheniaiah: Othni, and Rcphael, 
and Olied, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong 
men, Elihu, and Semachiah. 

S All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and 
their sons and their brethren, able men for strength 
for the service,'' were threescore and two of Obed- 
edom. 

9 AndMe.shelemiahhad sons andbrethren, strong 
men, eighteen. 

10 Also Hosali, of the children of Merari, had 
sons;' Simri the chief, for thoitgh he was not the 
lirst-born, vet his father made him the chief; 

11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zecli- 
ariah the fourth : all the sons and brethren of Ho- 
sah were thirteen. 

12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, 
even among the chief men, /(at'wg' wards one against 
another, to minister in the house of the Lord. 

13 1[ And they cast lots, as well the small as the 
great,' according to the house of their fathers, for 
every gate. 

14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah.* Then 
for Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast 
lots; and his lot came out northward. 

15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons 
the liouse of Asuppim.'^ 

10 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth 



11:14. c Matt. 25:1.5; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 2 Cor. 3:0; 1 Pet. 4:11. f ch, 16:38, 
^ Or, as %iieU for tlit smalt as for Iht great. ' Called Meslittemiah, ver. 1. 



sons or daughters, the great object of parents should be 
to train them up for his service. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

1. The porters; these had charge of the gates leading to 
the temple. The temple was not yet built in David's day. 
but the porters wore assigned in anticipation of it; and 
their offices arc here described as they existed under 
Solomon and onward. 

4. Obed-edom ; who took charge of the ark after the death 
ofUzzah. 2 Sam. 6:10-12. 



Various officers of the lemp/e. 



1 CHRONICLES XXVII. 



Tweke captains for each month. 



A. M. 2989. westward, with the gate Shalleclieth, by 
' liii' "" the causeway of the going up, ward against 
ward." 

17 Eastward were six Lcvites, nor tli ward four a 
day, southward four a day, and toward Asuppim 
two and two." 

18 At Parbar westward, four at tlie causeway, 
and two at Parbar. 

19 These are tlie divisions of the porters among 
the sons of Kore, and among the sons of Merari. 

20 lAnd of the Levites, Aliijah ims over the 
treasures of the house of God, and over the treas- 
ures of the dedicated* tilings." 

21 Jls concerning the sons of Laadan;^ the sons 
of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fatliers, even of 
Laadan the Gershonite, icere Jehieli.* 

22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his 
brother, which were over the treasures of the house 
of the Lord. 

23 Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the He- 
bronites, and the Uzzielites : 

24 And Shcbuel the son of Gershom, the son of 
Moses, was ruler of the treasures.'' 

25 And his brethren by Eliczer; Rehabiah his 
son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his sou, and 
Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son:" 

26 Which Sheloinith and his brethren loere over 
all the treasures of the dedicated things, which 
David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains 
over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of 
the host, had dedicated. 

27 Out of the spoils^ won in battles did they 
dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord.*' 

28 And all that Samuel the seer," and Saul the 
son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab 
the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated ; and whosoever 
had dedicated any thing, it teas under the hand of 
Shelomith, and of his brethren. 

29 1 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons 
were for the outward business over Israel, for offi- 
cers and judges.'' 

30 Jind of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his 
brethren, men of valor,' a thousand and seven 



» 1 Kings 10:5; •_> Chr. 9:4. t> Ter. 15. • Heb. holy. 


= ch. 2.S:12; Mai. 


3:1(1. t Or, Libni. ch. 8:17. I Or, Jehiel,ch. 'Zi-.B; 29:8. 


dch. 23:10. ech. 


23:18. i Reb. batiks and spoils. 'Josh. 6:19. 6 1 Sir 


11.9:9. lich.2'):4. 


■ ver. 6. 1 Heb. over the charge. J ch. 2:1; 19. k Josh. 21 


:39. ^Heb. thing. 



20. Of the Levites; these seem to have been Levites who 
were neither singers nor porters, but belonged to the 
twenty-four thousand who had charge of the work of the 
house of the Lord, having special services assigned to 
thera connected with the sacred treasures. This will ex- 
plain the fact that so many of the names here mentioned 
are those contained in the list in chap. 23:12-23, while no 
name belonging to the singers or porters appears here. 

2i. The son of Gershom ; that is, his descendant. 

25. His brethren bij Etiezcr ; Shebuel's brethren descend- 
ed from Eliezer, who was also a son of Moses. 

28. Whosoever hpxl dedicated anything; it had been cus- 
tomary for those who had property to dedicate a portion 
of it to the Lord. 

29. Of tlic Izharites; the sacred writer comes, in the last 
place, to notice the six thousand Levites who were officers 
and judges. Chap. 23:4. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
4. Those who treat the ordinances of God with rever- 
ence, and are faithful in his service, may expect that he 
will prosper them and their children after them, and make 
them blessings to mankind. 

32 



hundred, were officers' among them of Israel on 
this side Jordan westward in all the business of 
the Lord, and in the service of the king. 

31 Among the Hebronites icas Jerijaii the ciiief,' 
even among the Hebronites, according to the gen- 
erations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of 
the reign of David they were sought for, and there 
^^ere found among them mighty men of valor at 
Jazer of Gilead.'' 

32 xVnd his brethren, men of valor, were two 
thousand and seven hundred chief fathers, whom 
king David made rulers over tlie Reubenites, the 
Gadites, and the half tribe of Manassch, for every 
matter pertaining to God, and affairs^ of the king.' 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

1 The tn'elve captains for every several month. 16 The princes of the 
twelve tribes. 23 The numhering of the people is hindered. 25 Da. 
vid's several officers. 

"VTOW the children of Israel after their num- 
J_\ bcr, to vit, the chief fathers and captains of 
thousands and hundreds, and their officers that 
served tlic king in any matter of the courses, 
wliich came in and went out month by month 
throughout all the montlis of tlie year,™ of every 
course were twenty and four thousand. 

2 Over the first course for the first month was 
Jasliobeam the son of Zabdiel :" and in his course 
icere twenty and four thousand. 

3 Of the children of Perez was the chief of all 
the captains of the host for the first month. 

4 And over the course of the second month was 
Dodai" an Ahohite, and of his course was Miklolh 
also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty 
and four thousand. 

5 Tliethirdcaptainof the host for the third month 
was Bcnaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest:^ 
and in his course icere twenty and four thousand. 

6 This is that Benaiah, xcho was mighty among the 
thirty, and above the thirty:" and in his course 
was ximmizabad his son. 

7 Tlic fourth captain for the fourth month was 
Asahel the brotlier of Joab,!" and Zebadiah his son 



I 2 Chr. 19:11. m 1 Kings 4:7. 27. "ch 11:11. * Or. JDorfo, 2 Sam. 2:):!). 
t Ol. principal officer, 1 Kings 1:5. o ch. 11:22-24; 2 Sam. 2:J:20, 22. p ch. 
11:20; 2 Sam. 2:18-23; 23:24. 



13. In the service of God, each one should stand in his 
lot, and be ready to perform his portion of labor. 

20. The treasures with which any one is intrusted should 
be guarded with care, and faithfully approjiriated to the 
objects for which they are given. 

27. As all our treasures come from God, a suitable por- 
tion of them should be devoted to the support of his wor- 
ship, and the spread of a knowledge of his truth and will 
throughout the world. 

CHAPTER XXYII. 

1. Twenty and four thousand ; these were kept constantly 
under milit;iry discipline, and were changed for as many 
others once a month. 

3. Of the children of Perez vja.% the chief; or. Of the chil- 
dren of Perez was he, being chief, etc. Perez is, in tlie 
Hebrew, the same as Pharez the son of Judah, from whom 
also David descended. Gen. 38:29 ; 1 Chron. 2:3-12. 

4. The ruler; a subordinate ruler under Dodai. 

7. Asahel — Zebadiah his scm after him; Asahel had been 
slain at the beginning of David's reign, but his son Zeba- 
diah seems to have succeeded him in the comm;ind of his 
497 



Princes of the trtlfs. 



1 CHRONIC Li:s XXVII r. 



King David's oncers. 



after him : and in liis cour^iC were twenty and four 
tlli>us:ill(i. 

.s The liftli c:i|itain for tlip fifth montli u-osSham- 
liiilh the l/raliili': and in liis course were twenty 
and four tliousand. 

9 Tlie sixth iniilnin fnr tlic sixth month was Ira 
the son of Ikivt-'sli the Tekoitc:" and in iiis course 
were twenty and four thousand. • 

II) TlicscviMitli cajdtiin for tiic sovonth nionlli was 
Uoluz llic Pelonitc, of the children of Epiiraini:'' 
and in his course were twenty and four thousand. 

11 The eighth captain for tiic oigiilh niontli was 
Sibbecai the Hushathite, of tiio Zariiites:" and in 
his course were twenty and four tliousand. 

12 The nintli captain for the ninth month was 
Abiczor tlie Anetothite, of the ]>enjaniites:'' and 
in his course were twenty and four iJiousand. 

1:3 The tenth captain for the tenth month was 
Maharai the Netophathite, of tlie Zarhitcs :° and 
in his course were twenty and four thousand. 

1-i The eleventh captain for the eleventli month 
was Benaiah tlie Pirathonitc, of the children of 
E])hraim:'' and in his course were twenty and four 
thousand. 

15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was 
lleldai' the N(!to])hatliite, of Othniel : and in his 
course ivere twenty and four thousand. 

16 1 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the 
ruler of the llcubcnites was Eliezer the sou of 
Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the sou of 
Maachali : 

IT Of the Levitos, Hashabiah the son of Kemu- 
elr' of the Aaronitcs, Zadok : 

18 Of Judali, Elihu/ one of the brethren of Da- 
vid: of Issacliar, Omri the son of Michael: 

19 Of Zebuluu, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah : of 
Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel : 

20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son 
•of Azaziah : of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel 
the son of Fedaiah: 

21 Of tlie half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo 
the son of Zechariah: of Beiflamin, Jaasiel the 
son of Abner : 

22 Of Dan, Azarcel the son of Jeroham. These 
were the princes of the tribes of Israel. 

23 IBut David took not the number of them 
from twenty years old and under: because the 
Lord had said he would increase Israel like to the 
stars of the heavens.'* 

24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, 
but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it 



»Ch.U:-2?. bch.ll:'2-. c di. 11 :-J9; 2Sarn. 21 :1S. dch. 11:38. « ch. 
11::)0; aSam. 23;-«». fch. ll::n. * Or, HcW, cli. 11 ::30. F ch. afitSO. 
h Gen. 15:5. i ch. iJI :?; 2 Sam. ai: 15. I Heb. 
IS of the vineyards. J 1 Kings 10:27. I Or, 



division, which retained the name of Asahel's division. 
When David — how early in his reign we are not informed — 
divided the army into the twelve divisions here mention- 
ed, Asahel's came in as the fourth. 

23. From twenty years old and under; these being unfit 
for military service, an<l exceedingly numerous, he did not 
attempt the labor <if numbering them. 

24. Began to number ; that is, to number the men of war 
who were twenty years old and upward. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. In those services which are needful for the public 
498 



aji:ainst Israel;' neitlier was' the number *■,>> »^ 
])ut in the account of the Chronicles of luin- 
kini; David. 

25 II And over the kinu:'s treasures was Azma- 
vcth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses 
in the lields, in the cities, and in the vil]a;res, and 
in the castles, teas Jehonathan the son of Uzziah : 

20 And over them that did the work of the lield 
foi- tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Che- 
lub : 

27 And over the vineyards was Shimei tlie Ra- 
mathite : over the increase of the vineyards* for 
the wine-cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite: 

28 And over the olive-trees and the sycamore- 
treesJ that were in the low ])lains iras Baal-hanan 
the Gederite : and over the cellars of oil was Joash : 

29 Anil over the herds that fed in Sharon was 
Shitrai the Sharonitc: and over the herds t/mt 
were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai : 

30 Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmael- 
ite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Mcroii- 
otiilte: 

31 And over the flocks was Jaziz the Ilagerite. 
All these were the rulers of the substance which 
was king David's. 

32 Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsel- 
lor, a wise man, and a scribe : ' and Jehiel the son 
of Ilachinoni^ was with the king's sons: 

33 And Ahithophel was the king's counsellor:" 
and Ilnsliai the Archite was the king's companion :' 

34 And after Ahithophel vms Jehoiada the son 
of Benaiah, and Abiathar :'" and the general of the 
king's army ii:as Joab." 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 David in a solemn assembly having declared God's f.ivor to him, and 
promise to his son Solomon, exhortetli them to fear God. 9, 20 He 
encourageth Solomon to build the temple. 11 He giveth him patterns 
for the form, and gold and silver for the materials. 

AND David assembled all the princes of Israel, 
the princes of the tribes," and the captains 
of the companies that ministered to the king by 
course,'' and the captains over the thousands, and 
captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over 
all the substance and possession" of the king,i and 
of his sons,* with the officers,* and with the mighty 
men, and with all the valiant men,' unto Jerusalem. 
2 Then David the king stood up u])on his feet, 
and said. Hear me, my brethren, and my people : 
As for me, I had in my heart to build a house of 
rest for the ark .of the covenant of the Loud,' and 



secretary. 1 Or, Harlmonite. k 2 Sam. 15:12. 1 2 Sam. 1.5:37; 18:10. 
■nlKinpsl:7. "cli.lhe. och.27:16. Pch.27:l,2. • Or. m(«e. q oh. 
27:25. ^ Or, and lUs sons. I Or, eunuclis. >• ch. 11:10, etc. ■2Sam.7:2; 
Psa. 132:2-7. 



safety, all should be willing to take part ; and as far as 
consistent, these services should be so divided as to bear 
equally upon all according to their ability. 

2a. It may sometimes be expedient and useful for the 
people of a country to be numbered ; but this should be 
done for useful purposes, and not to gratify pride, or lead 
men to glory in their numbers, prosperity, or strength. 

25. The division of labor, and the appointment of suit- 
able persons to superintend every department of business, 
are essential to that regularity, diligence, and dispatch, 
which the highest prosperity and usefulness indispens- 
ably require. 



David's char'^e to Solomon. 



1 CHRONICLES XXVIII. 



Materials for the temple. 



A. M-^^89. for the footstool of our God," and had made 
1015° ready for the building: 

3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build a 
house for my name, because thou hast been a niau 
of war," and hast shed lilood.* 

4 Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me be- 
fore all the house of my father to be king over 
Israel for eyer:"" for he hath chosen Judah to be 
the ruler;* and of the house of Judah, the house 
of my father;" and among the sons of my father 
he liked me to make me king over all Israel : 

5 And of all my sons, for the Lord hath given 
me many sons,'' he hatli chosen Solomon my son to 
sit upon tlie throne of the kingdom of the Lord 
over Israel. 5 

G And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall 
build my house and my courts:" for I have chosen 
him to be my son, and I will be liis father. 

7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for 
ever, if he be constant* to do my commandments 
and my judgments, as at this day.' 

8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel the 
congregation of the Lord,^ and in the audience of 
our God,'' keep and seek' for all the command- 
ments of the Lord your God;™ that ye may pos- 
sess this good land," and leave it for an inherit- 
ance for your children after you for ever." 

9 IF And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the 
God of thy father,"* and serve him" with a perfect 
heart and witii a willing mind:*" for the Lord 
searcheth all hearts," and understandeth all the 
imaginations of the thoughts:' if thou seek him, 
he will be found of thee ;" but if thou forsake him, 
he will cast thee off for ever. 

10 Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen 
thee to build a house for the sanctuary : " be strong, 
and do it. 

Ill Then David gave to Solomon his son the 
pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof. 



»Psa. 9D:3; Lam. a:!, b 1 Kings 5:3. ■ Heb. itood.i. c 1 Sam. 16:7-|:i. 
<i oh. 5;a; Gen. 49:8, lU; Psa. 0IJ:7; 7S:6n; Heb. 7:14. e 1 Sam. lfi:l. 
f ch..3:l,etc. e ch. 2J:9, 10. h aSam. 7:13, 14. \ Keh. strong. ich.a2:l:!. 
J Deal. 4:6: Matt. 5:14-16. k Deut. 29:10, 15. 1 Isa. 34:16; Acts 17:11. 
m Psa. 119:4, 10. n Deut. 6:1-3. ■> Ezra 9:12; Prov. 13:22. P Jer. 9:21; 
Johnl7:3. qjob 36:11, 12. r2Kings20:3; Psa. 101:2; JjhD4:24; Horn. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

4. For ever; that is, in his posterity. David here refers 
to the promise, " Thy throne shall be established for ever," 
2 Sam. 7:1G, which has its perfect fulfilment in Christ. 
See notes on 2 Sam. 12:16. 

7. If he be constant ; had Solomon and his successors 
been constant in God's service, he would have established 
the earthly kingdom of David without interruption till it 
should have been merged in Christ, of whom the angel 
Gabriel said, " The Lord God shall give unto him the 
throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the 
house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall 
be no end." lAike 1 : 32, 3i. But for their unfaithfulness 
the earthly successors of David were rejected for many 
centuries before the advent of the Messiah. 

8. In the sight of alt Israel — in the audience of our God; 
supply, " I charge you." 

12. By the Spirit; as divinely directed. 

15. The candlesticks of gold ; of these there were ten, 
2 Chron. 4:7. The candlesticks of silver were for uses 
less sacred, but which are not stated by the inspired 
writer. 

16. Tables of shoiv-bread ; here, and in 2 Chron. 4:19, the 
writer speaks of the tables of show-bread as more than 



and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper 
chambers thereof and of the inner parlors there- 
of, and of the place of the mercy-seat, 

12 And the pattern'' of all that he had* by tlic 
Spirit,'^ of the courts of the house of the Lord, and 
of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries 
of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the 
dedicated things:^ 

13 Also for the courses of the priests and the 
Levites, and for all the work of the service of the 
house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of ser- 
vice in the house of the Lord.'' 

1-1 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, 
for all instruments of all manner of service ; silver 
also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all 
instruments of every kind of service : 

15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, 
and for their lamps of gold, by weight for every 
candlestick, and for the lamps thereof:" and for 
the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the 
candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, accord- 
ing to the use of every candlestick. 

16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of 
show-bread, for every table; and likevnse silver 
for the tables of silver : 

IT Also pure gold for the flesh-hooks, and the 
bowls, and tiie cups:" and for the golden basins 
he gave gold by weight for every basin ; and like- 
wise silver by weight for every basin of silver: 

18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by 
weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot 
of the clicrubim,'' that spread out their irings, and 
covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 

19 All this, said David, the Lord made me un- 
derstand in writing by his hand upon me, even all 
the works of this pattern.* 

20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong 
and of good courage,'^ and do it: fear not, nor be 
dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, vAll be 



1:9; Heb. 12:26. • 1 Sam. 16:7; Psa. 7:9; Jcr. 17: 10; Rev. 2:2). 1 Psa. 
1.39:2. u2Chr. 15:2. ' ver. 6. w Exod. 31 :2. 3. t Heh. was with him. 
I Exod. 25:40; Heb. 8:5. y ch. 26:20. « 1 Kings 7:13. etc. »Zech.4:2; 
Rev. 1:13,20. b 1 Sam. 2:13, 14. ' Exod. 25:ls-22; 1 Sam. 4:4; I Kings 
6:23; Heb. 9:5. d ver. II, 12. e ch. 22:13; Deut. 31:7, 8; Josh. 1:6-9. 



one. Elsewhere one table for show-bread is mentioned : 
2 Kings 7:48; 2 Chron. 29:18. Perhaps the writer means 
the table of show-bread and the other golden tables con- 
nected with it. In 2 Chron. 4:8, ten tables are mentioned. 

18. Of the chariot of the cherubim ; or, " the chariot, the 
cherubim ;" that is, the chariot of God consisting of the 
cherubim. Compare Psa. 18:10. The reference is to the 
two cherubim of olive-wood overlaid with gold, which 
Solomon placed in the holy of holies, and under the shallow 
of whose wings the ark was placed. 2 Chron. 3:10-13; 
5:7, 8. 

19. In writing; what God showed David with regard to 
the temple and its furniture, as related from verse 11, it is 
sup)iosed he wrote down and delivered to Solomon for his 
guidance. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

1. As men draw near the close of life, they should en- 
deavor to communicate such instruction from the word 
and providence of God, as may be most useful to sur- 
vivors. 

7. Fidelity to God is essential to the reception of those 
blessings which, to the faithful, he has eng;igcd to inifMrt. 

9. To be accepted of God, wliat men do they must do 
hcitrtily as unto him, with a willing mind, for his glory 
and the best good of men. 

499 



Gifts for the temple. 



1 CHRONICLES XXIX. 



Dm-i(l's thanksgiving and prayer. 



with tlicc; ho will not fail tlioo, nor forsake thee," 
until thou hast tiiiisluHl all the work for the ser- 
vice of the house of the Lord. 

'21 And liehold, tiic courses of the priests and 
the Levites,'' rvcn they shall be unth thee for all the 
i-erviee of the house of God : and there shall be with 
thee for all manner of workmanship every willing 
skilful man/ for any manner of service: also the 
princes and all the people will be wholly at thy 
commuudnient.'' 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1 David, by his example and entreaty, 6 causeth the princes and people 
to offer willingly. 10 Diivid's thanksgiving and prayer. 20 The 
people, having blessed »>od, and sacriliced, make Solomon king. 26 
David's reign and dealli. 

FURTHERMORE David the king said unto 
all the congregation, Solomon my sou, whom 
alone God hath clioseu, is yet young and tender," 
and the work is great: for the palace is not for 
man, but for the Lord God. 

2 Now I have prepared with all my might for 
tlie house of my God the gold for things to be made 
of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the 
brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, 
and wood for things of wood ; onyx stones,'' and 
stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers 
colors, and all manner of precious stones, and mar- 
ble stones iu abundance. 

8 Moreover, because I have set my aifection to 
the house of my God, I have of mine own proper 
good, of gold and silver, which I have given to 
tiie house of my God, over and above all that I 
have prepared for the holy house, 

4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold 
of Ophir,''' and seven thousand talents of refined 
silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal: 

5 The gold for things of gold, and the silver for 
things of silver, and for all manner of work to be 
made by the hands of artificers. And who then is 
willing to consecrate his service" this day unto 
the Lord? 

6 1 Tiien the chief of the fathers and princes of 
the tribes of Israel,'' and the captains of thousands 
and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king's 
work, offered willingly,' 

7 And gave, for the service of the house of God, 
of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand 
drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of 
brass eighteen tliousand talents, and one hundred 
thousand talents of iron. 

8 And they with whom precious stones were found 



»Heb. 13:5. bch.a4-a6. c Exod. 35:25, 26; SB: I, 2; Rom. 13:1. <! Tit, 
3:1. e ch. -il-.i; 1 Kings 3:7; I'rov. ■1:3. f Exod. 2H:2II; 39:15, etc.; Isa. 
.14:11, 12; Rev. 21 :1S. S 1 Kings 9:2»: Job 2o: 10. • Ueh. fill '^i'^ hand 
bch. 27:1, etc. i2Cor.9:7. jch. 28:21. kProv. 23:15. 12Chr.2U:a6- 
• - Psa. H9:52; I Tim. 1:17; Rev. 5:12, 13. n Gen. 33:20. " Matt, 
" "'"" " '" " 1:18; Eccl. 5:19; Rom. 11:36. q Psa. 75:6, 7, 



6:13. P Deut. 8:13; Prt 



19. The Lord will show his believing people all that 
they need to know ; and in following his directions, how- 
ever great or difficult their work, they may undertake it 
with resolution and go forward with cheerfulness, expect- 
ing that in due time he will give them success. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

7. Drams; or, as some prefer, darics, a Persian coin 

estimated at about three dollars. It was not iu use among 

500 



gave them to the treasure of the house of * /? „^, 
the Lord, by the hand of .lehiel the Ger- loio! "" 
shonite.^ 

9 Tlien the people rejoiced, for that they offered 
willingly, because with perfect heart they offered 
willingly to the Lord: and David the king also 
rejoiced with great joy.'' 

10 II Wherefore David blessed the Lord before 
all the congregation:' and David said, Blessed Ae 
thou,'" Loud God of Israel our father," for ever and 
ever. 

11 Thine, Lord, is the greatness, and the pow- 
er, and the glory, and the victory, and the majes- 
ty;" for all that is in the heaven and in the earth 
is thine; thine is the kingdom, Lord, and thou 
art exalted as head above all. 

12 Both riches and honor come of thee,'' and thou 
reignest over all ; and in thy hand is power and 
might ; and in thy hand it is to make great,"" and 
to give strength unto all.'' 

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and 
praise thy glorious name. 

14: But who am I, and what is my people, that 
we should be able^ to offer so willingly after this 
sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own' 
have we given thee." 

15 For we arc strangers before thee, and sojourn- 
ers, as were all our fathers :' our days on the earth 
are as a shadow," and there is none abiding.^ 

16 Lord our God, all this store that we have 
prepared to build thee a house for thy holy name 
cometh of thy hand, and is all thine own.'' 

17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the 
heart," and hast pleasure in uprightness." As for 
me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly 
offered all these things : and now have I seen with 
joy thy people, which are present" here, to offer 
willingly unto thee. 

18 Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, 
our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination 
of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and 
prepare^ their heart unto thee:'' 

19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect 
heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimo- 
nies, and thy statutes, and to do all Me.se things, 
and to build the palace, ^or the which I have made 
provision.^ 

20 lAnd David said to all the congregation. 
Now bless the Lord your God." And all the 
congregation blessed the Lord God of their fa- 
thers, and bowed down their heads, and worship- 
ped the Lord, and the king. 



'Lsa. 40:29. 1 Kei. retain, or obtain streiii;lh. ilJeh.hnnd. » Rom. 11:36; 
Jas. 1:17. 1 Psa. 39:12; Heb. 11:13; 1 Pet. 2:11. " Job 14:2; Psa. 90:9; 
102:11; 114:4; Isa. 40:6-3; .las. 4:14. S Heb. trpertnlion. v Psa. 24:1. 
"ch. 88:9. x Prov. 11:20. I Or,/oBBrf. ^ Or, stablisk, Fsa.. 10:17. y Prov. 
16:1. 2 ch. 22:14. > Psa. 145:1. 



the Israelites in David's time, but is employed by the 
author of the books of Chronicles, as a coin well known 
to the Jews of his day. 

9. Perfect heart ; sincere, upright, for the purpose of 
honoring God. ■\'er. 17. 

18. Keep this; this same disposition to offer willingly of 
their substance to the Lord. 

20. The king; before whom they bowed, and thus paid 
civil obeisance. 



Sclomon is magnified. 



1 CHRONICLES XXIX. 



Death of David. 



A.M.a)s9. 21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the 
11)15 Lord, and ofl'ered burnt-offerings unto the 
Lord, on the morrow after that day, ewM a tliou- 
sand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand 
lambs, with their drink-offerings, and sacrifices in 
abundance for all Israel : 

22 And did eat and drink before the Lord on 
that day with great gladness. And they made 
Solomon the son of David king the second time, 
and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief 
governor," and Zadok to be priest. 

23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord 
as king instead of David his father, and prosper- 
ed ; and all Israel obeyed him. 

24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and 
all the sons likewise of king David, submitted 
themselves unto* Solomon the king. 

25 And the Lord magnified Solomon exceeding- 
ly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon 



a 1 Kings 1:34, etc. * Heb. gave the liand under; Gen. 24:2; 47:39; 2 Chr. 
30:8; Ezek. 17:18. b ver. 11, 12; 1 Sam. 2:30; Eocl. 2:9. " 1 Kings 



22. King the second time ; his first anointing to tlie kingly 
office was on the occasion of Adouijah's attempt to usurp 
the throne. 1 Kings 1 : 39. 

25. Magnified Solomon; caused him to appear great in 
tlie eyes of the people. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The Lord chooses such as lie sees fit, to possess 
power and exercise authority among men ; on him they 
are dependent, and to him they must give account for the 
manner in wliich they use the blessings with which they 
are favored. 

3. If a man's affections are set on God and bis service, 
he will willingly offer a portion of what God has given 
him to establish and maintain his worship among men. 

9. Such is the nature of the human soul, that in offering 



him such royal majesty as had not been on any 
king before him in Israel." 

20 1 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over 
all Israel. 

27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was 
forty years ;■' seven years reigned he in Hebron, 
and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusa- 
lem. 

28 And he died in a good old age,'' full of days, 
riches, and honor:" and Solomon his son reigned 
in his stead. 

29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, 
behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the 
seer, and in the book* of Nathan the prophet, and 
in the book of Gad the seer, 

30 With all his reign and his might, and the 
times that went over him,*^ and over Israel, and 
over all the kingdoms of the countries. 



: Job 5:26. t Or, kistory ; Yleh. words. (Dan. 4:23, 



its best affections and choicest treasures to the Lord, it is 
filled with gladness and exceeding joy. 

11. None can offer any thing good and acceptable to 
God, except what they have first received from him. For 
all blessings, and for a disposition rightly to use them, 
men are indebted to his grace. To him belongs, and to 
him, so far as they feel right, they will give, all the glory. 

17. Sensible that God looks upon the heart, and that 
nothing is acceptable to him except what is done in sin- 
cerity and truth, good rilen will seek from him a prepara- 
tion of heart not only for themselves, but for their children 
and all who come after them. 

20. However greatly men may be honored in being 
instrumental of good to others, the glory they will give to 
the Lord, whose is the greatness, and the power, and the 
victory, for ever. Amen. 



501 



THE SECOND BOOK 

OF 

THE CHRONICLES 



The two books of the Chronicles originally constitutod but one history, the division into two parts 
being simply a matter of convenience. The reader is referred to the introductory remarks prefixed to the 
first book. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 The solemn offering of Solomon at Gibeon. 7 Solomon's choice of 
wisdom IS blessed by God. 13 Solomon's strengtli .\nd wealth. 

VXD Solomon tho son of David was strength- 
ened iu lii.s kingdom," and the Lord his God 
was witii him," and magnified liim exceedingly.'^ 

2 Then Solomon spake uufo all Israel, to the 
captains of thousands and of liuudrcds,'' and to 
tlie judges, and to every governor in all Israel, 
the cliief of tlie fathers. 

.3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with 
him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon;'' 
for there was tlie taljernacle of tlie congregation 
of God,'' which Moses the servant of the Lord had 
made in the wilderness. 

•4 But the ark of God had David brought up 
from Kirjath-jearim, to the place which David had 
prepared for it:'"' for he had pitched a tent for it 
at Jerusalem. 

5 Moreover the brazen altar, that Bezaleel the 
son of Uri, the son of Hur, liad made,'' he put* 
before the tabernacle of the Lord : and Solomon 
and the congregation sought unto it. 

6 And Solomon went up thither to the brazen 
altar before the Lord, which was at the taberna- 
cle of the congregation, and oflered a thousand 
burnt-offerings upon it. 

7 *i In that niglit did God appear unto Solomon, 
and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 

8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast showed 
great mercy unto David my father, and hast made 
me to reign in his stead.' 



"1 Kings 2:40. b Gen. . Mia. c i Chr. 29:25. dl Chi. 27:1. e 1 Kings 
3:4, etc. I I Chr. 16:39. e 1 Chr. 15:1, etc. h Exod. 33:1. 2. * Or, was 
Ihcre. 1 1 Chr. 23:5. t Heb. muth as tht dust of the earth, i PrOT. 4:7; 
Jas. 1:5, 6. k Nam. 27:17; Deut. 31:2. 1 Prov. 2:3:7; Heb. 4: 12. "» ch. 



CHAPTER I. 

3. TTiere was the tabernade; the tabernacle and brazen 
altar of burnt-offering made under the direction of Moses 
in the wilderness remained at Gibeon, though the ark had 
been carried to Jerusalem. See notes to 1 Chron. 16:37 ; 
22:1. 

502 



unto David my father be established : for thou 
hast made me king over a people like the dust of 
tlie cartli^ in multitude. 

10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge,^ that 
I may go out and come in before this people i"* for 
who can judge this thy people, that is so groat? 

11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was 
in tiiy heart,' and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, 
or honor, nor the life of tliine enemies, neither yet 
hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and 
knowledge for tliyself, that thou mayest judge my 
people, over whom I have made thee king: 

12 Wisdom andknowledge wgranted unto thee;'" 
and I will give tliee riches, and wealth, and honor," 
sucli as none of the kings have had that have been 
before thee, neither shall there any after thee have 
the like." 

13 1 Then Solomon caxncfj-om his journey to the 
high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from 
liefore tlie taljcrnacle of the congregation, and 
reigned over Israel. 

14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horse- 
men:'' and he had a thousand and four hundred 
chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whicli he 
placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at 
Jerusalem. 

1-5 And the king made* silver and gold at Je- 
rusalem as plenteous as stones,'' and cedar-trees 
made he as the sycamore-trees that are in the vale 
for abundance. 

16 And Solomon had horses brought^ out of 



!l:22| Eccl.2:9; Jas. I:.?, n .Matt. (i:3.3. o 1 Chr. 29:2.5. P 1 Kinps 1U:10, 
etc. IMfih.gavt. q 1 Kings 10:27, etc. ; Job 22:24. ^Heh. t/ie going forth 
of the horses which was Solomon's. 



10. Go out and come in; discharge aright his public 
duties. 

IG. Linen yarn; or, as some render, caravans or compa- 
nies of horses. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. When the Lord is with his x^eople they wiU be strong, 



Solomon^s contract with IIu,ram 

B r'lmT Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's mer- 
chants received the linen yarn at a price. 

17 And they fetched up, and brouglit forth out 
of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of sil- 
ver, and a horse for a hundred and tifty : and so 
brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hit- 
titus, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.* 



CHAPTER II. 

1, 17 Solomon's laborers for the buiUing of the temple. 3 His embas- 
sa;;e to Huram for workmen and provision of stuff. 11 Huram send- 
etii him a kind answer. 

AND Solomon determined to build a house for 
the name of the Loud, and a house for his 
kingdom. 

2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten 
thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore 
thousand to hew in the mountain, and three thou- 
sand and six hundred to oversee them. 

3 lAnd Solomon sent to Huram^ the king of 
Tyre," saying. As thou didst deal with David my 
father,'' and didst send him cedars to build him a 
house to dwell therein, even so deal with me. 

4 Behold, I build a house to the name of the 
Lord my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn 
before him sweet incense,*" and for the continual 
siiow-brcad,'' and for the burnt-offerings morning 
and evening, on tiie sabbatlis, and on the new 
moons, and on the solemn feasts of the Lord our 
God.'^ This is an ordinance for ever to Israel. 

5 And the house which I build is great: for 
great is our God above all gods.'' 

(3 But who is able' to build hlni a house,^ seeing 
the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain 
him?'' who am I tlien, that I should build him a 
house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? 

7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work 
in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, 
and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and tliat 
can skill to grave' with the cunning men tliata?-e 



2 CHRONICLES II. 



for lemj)/c matcri.is. 



• Heb. hand, t (Jr. Hiram, 1 Kiiigi .3:1. » I Kings :i;-J. oic. I> 1 Ciir. 
14:1. IKeh. incmseofspites. cyxoj. :JU:7. d ExoJ. i)::)!!; Lev. 41 :5-!l. 
e Nam. 2S::J, etc. f I'sa. la.i:5; 1 Tim. 6: 1j. 4 Heb. katk retaiiifd. or ob- 
tained strenglh. e Isa. 68:1, 2. !• ch. 6:13. I Heb. to grave gravings. 

and by his word. Spirit, and providence be furnished for 
every good work. 

6. Communion with God and supreme devotion to him, 
are a good preparation for the reception of all needed 
blessings. 

11. When men desire that wisdom which is from above 
more tlian they desire wealth, power, or influence, they 
may expect to receive it; and with it all things necessary 
for their spiritual and everlasting good. 

CHAPTER XL 

2. Threescore and ten thousand men — three thousand and six 
hundred; for this passage, and verses 17 and 18 below, see 
notes to the corresponding narrative, 1 Kings 5:15, 16. 

6. Should build him a house; that is. a house that can 
contain him. Save only to burn sacrifice before him ; he 
wishes Iliram to understand that he does not propose to 
build a house that shall contain God's majesty and glory, 
according to the notions of the heathen respecting their 
gods, but only a house that shall serve as a suitable place 
for his public worship, which the burning of sacrifices 
and incense here stands to represent. 

8. Algum-trecs; these came in the ships that went to 
Ophir under the joint management of Hiram's and Solo- 



with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David 
my father did provide.' 

8 Send me also cedar-trees, fir-trees, and algum-^ 
trees, out of Lebanon : for I know that thy ser- 
vants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and 
behold, my servants shall he with thy servants, 

9 Even to prepare me timber in uluindunce: for 
the house which I am about to build shall be won- 
derful great.* 

10 And behold, I will give to thy servants, the 
hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures 
of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures 
of barle}', and twenty thousand baths of wine, and 
twenty thousand baths of oil. 

Ill Then Huram the king of Tyre answered 
in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the 
Lord hath loved his people,^ he hath made thee 
king over them. 

12 Huram said moreover. Blessed be the Lord 
God of Israel, that made heaven and earth,'' who 
hath given to David the king a wise son, endued 
with^ prudence and understanding, that might 
build a house for the Lord, and a house for his 
kingdom. 

V.i And now I hare sent a cunning man, endued 
with understanding, of Huram my father's, 

14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan,' 
and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work 
in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, 
and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, 
and in crimson ; also to grave any manner of grav- 
ing, and to find out every device which shall be 
put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the 
cunning men of my lord David thy father. 

15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the 
oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of, 
let him scud unto liis servants: 

10 And wc will cut wood out of Lebanon, as 
much as thou shalt need:* and we will bring it to 
thee in floats by sea to Joppa;^ and thou shalt 
carry it up to Jerusalem. 



i 1 i 


hr. 'ii 


15. » OT,almi 


sg 


m.lK 


nes 


1U:11. • 


Heb. great and wonder- 


till. 


1 1 K 


ingslO:<J; Psi. 


'/•J: 


7. k 


I'sa 


ai:(i; Jer 


I0:1U 


11; Aets 14:15; 


Hpv 


1U:6. 


t Heb. kiiowi 


IS. 


11 K 


ngs 


7:1:!, 14. 


I Heb. 


according to all 


lliij 


leed. 


} Heb. Japko, Josh 


19:46 


Acts 9:36. 







mon's servants, so that Hiram had a sliare in the work of 
procuring them. 1 Kings 9:2ti-'28; 10:11, 12; 2 Chron. 
S : 17, 18 ; 9 : 10, 1 1. They seem to be mentioned here along 
with the trees of Lebanon, becanse they were used in 
common with them in the work of the temple. 

13. Of Huram my father's; or, as some propose to ren- 
der, Huram Abi ; Abi, my father, being an honorary title 
borne by this artificer, whose name was Huram or Hiram, 
1 Kings "7: 13. 

U. Ufthe datnrhleis of Dan; in 1 Kings 7:14. this man is 
called "a widow's son of the tribe of Kaphtali." Proba- 
bly his mother was b_y birth of the tribe of Dan, but had 
married into the tribe of Kaphtali. 

16. Joppa; the nearest seaport on the Mediterranean, 
about forty miles west of Jerusalem. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The establishment and support of the wor.ship of 
God according to his appointment, and the spread of a 
knowledge of his salvation, is the most honorable and 
noble work in which the kings of the earth can engage; 
by it they not only honor God, but promote their own 
highest good and the good of tlie people over whom they 
are placed. 

G. The more exalted a good man's views of God, and the 
503 



BaiUiing of the temple. 



2 CHRONICLES IV. 



Its several portions. 



17 T And Solonioii mniihoroil iill tlif t;lningcrs' 
tliat were in the laiiil of Isiai'l," after tlic uuinlicr- 
iii<r wliiTewith Uavid liis fatliiT had niiinl)('rc(l 
tliein:'' ami tliev wen? found a liundi'cil and lifly 
tlioiinand and tiiiei' llioiisand and .six iiundrcd. 

18 And lie set threescore and ten tliousand of 
tiiein to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thou- 
sand to he hewers in the mountain, and tiiree thou- 
sand and six hundred overseers to set the people 
aworii. 

CHAPTER III. 

1 The place, and time of building the temple. 3 The measure and orna- 
ments of tlie house. 11 The cherubim. 14 The veil and pillars. 

'"P^IIEX Solomon began to build the house of 
_L the Loud at Jerusalem'' in mount Moriah,'' 
wliere t/ie LORD a])iM'ared unto David his father,*'^ 
ill the place that J)avid lia<l jiroparedin the thresh- 
ing-lloor of Oman* the Jcimsitc. 

2 And he lici^an to build in the second day of the 
second inontli, in the fourth year of his rei<rn. 

3 ^ Now these arc the things wherein Solomon was 
instructed^ for the Imilding of the house of God.'' 
The length by cubits after the first measure vms 
threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty culiits. 

4 And the porch that was in the front of the 
housed' tlie length o/'iYwa? according to the bread tli 
of the house, twenty cubits, and the height was a 
liuiidred and twenty: and he overlaid it within 
with pure gold. 

•') And the greater house he ceiled with fir-tree, 
wliich he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon 
pi Ira-trees and chains. 

6 And he garnished' the house with precious 
stones for beauty -.^ and the gold was gold of Par- 
vaim. 

7 He overlaid also the house, tlie beams, the 
posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors tliereof, 
with gold ; and graved cherubim on the walls. 

8 And he made the most holy house,' the length 
whereof was according to the breadth of the house, 
twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty 
cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amount- 
ins: to six hundred talents. 



• Heb. the men lite alrangerx. a ch. b:7, 8; 1 Kings O-.-X. 21. b 1 Clir. 
2-2:2. » 1 Kings 5:1, etc. d Gen. 2->:2, 14. 1 Or, wIMi wai seen of Darid 
his father. eIChr,21:18. 1 Or. ilroanaA, 2Sam. 24:18. iHeb./oMrfed. 
' IChr. 23:11, f John 10:23; Acts 3:11 ; 5:12. I Heb. covered, b 1 Chr. 
29:2, S; Isi. 51:11, 12; Rev. 21 :1S-21. > Heb. 9:.3-9. 1 Or, is some think, 



more abundant his labors and offerings for Him, the more 
humble will be his views of himself, and the more entire 
his sense of dependence on the riches of divine grace. 

10. Not only the mutual exchange of kind offices, but 
the exchange of the labor and productions of different 
countries, may be of service to all. 

17. With a proper division of labor and union of effort, 
and with the blessing of God on well-directed diligence 
and perseverance, the most difficult undertakings may in 
due time be accompUshed. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Mount Moriah; an elevation in the eastern part of 
Jerusalem. 

6. Parvaim; perhaps a general name for the eastern 
regions whence the gold came. 

14. The veil; between the holy and the most holy place. 

15. Thirty and five cubits ; inlKin^sT -.15, and Jer. 52:21, 
the height of these pillars is stated at eighteen cubits. 

504 



9 And the weight of the nails was fifty i'!:'^ 
shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper cham- 
bers with gold. 

10 • And in the most holy house he made two 
cherubim of image work," and overlaid them with 
gold. 

11 And the wings of the cherubim ircre twenty 
cubits long: one wing of the one cherub «a.v live 
cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the 
other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to 
the w-ing of the other cherub. 

12 And 07ie wing of the other cherub uas five 
cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the 
other wing wasiiwc cubits a/*o, joining to the wing 
of the other cherub. 

13 The wings of these cherubim spread them- 
selves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on 
their feet, and their faces were inward.* 

14 1 And he made the veil of blue, and purple, 
and crimson, and fine lineu,^ and wrought* cher- 
ubim thereon. 

1.5 Also he made before the house two pillars of 
thirty and five cubits high,"' and the chapiter that 
ii-as on the top of each of them teas five culiits. 

IG And he made chains, as in the oracle, and 
put the7n on the heads of the pillars ; aud made 
a hundred pomegranates, and put them on the 
chains. 

17 And he reared up the pillars before the tem- 
ple, one on the right hand, and the other on the 
left; and called the name of that on the right 
hand Jachiu,* aud the name of that on the left 
Boaz.' 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 The altar of brass. 2 The molten sea upon twelve oxen. 6 The ten 
lavers, candlesticks, and tables. 9 The courts, and the instruments 
of brass. 19 The instruments of gold. 

]\/IOREOVER he made an altar of brass,' 
i_V_L twenty cubits the length thereof, and twen- 
ty cubits the breadth thereof, aud ten cubits the 
height thereof. 

2 1 Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from 
brim to brim,^ round in compass,™ and five cubits 



oi movable work. ' Oi, toward the house. J Exod. 26:31. 1 Heh. caused to 
asceiul. 1 Heb. long, k 1 Kings 7:15-21; Jer. 52:20, 21. 5 That is. He 
shall establish. lTh:kt is, In it is strength. 1 Exod. 27:1, 2: 2Kings 16:14; 
Ezek. 43: 13-17. 1 Heb./rom his brim to his brim, m 1 Kings 7:23, etc. 



Some have supposed that the height of each pillar was 
seventeen cubits and a half, with a base of half a cubit, 
making eighteen in all; and that here the joint height of 
both pillars is given. Five cubits; in 1 Kings 7:15, the 
height of the chapiters is given at three cubits. In Jer. 
52 : 22, it is stated at " five cubits, with net-work and pome- 
granates upon the chapiters round about." It has been 
supposed that, in Kings, only the tliree cubits below the 
net-work are reckoned. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. However great or difficult the work to which God 
calls men, in his name and strength they should undertake 
it, with confidence that he will give them all needed aid. 

3. To those who are disposed to learn and do their 
whole duty, God will gr.ant all needful instruction; so 
that they will see not only what to do, but also how to 
do it in order to meet his approbation, secure his blessing, 
and be made benefactors to mankind. 



F'urnishhig of the temple. 



2 CHRONICLES V. 



The ark of God brought in. 



uil-un^l the height thereof; and a line of thirty 
cubits did compass it round about. 

3 And under it was the similitude of oxen, which 
did compass it round about: leu in a cubit, com- 
passing the sea round about. Two I'ows of oxen 
were cast, wlien it was cast. 

4 It stood upon twelve oxen, thi-ee looking tow- 
ard the north, and three looking toward the 
west, and three looking toward the south, and 
tliree looking toward the east: and the sea was 
set above upon them, and all their hinder parts 
ivcre inward. 

5 And the thickness of it was a handbreadth, 
and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a 
cup, witli flowers of lilies;' and it received and 
held three thousand batlis. 

6 li He made also ten lavers, and put five on the 
right hand, and live on the left, to wash in them: 
such things as they oflercd for the burnt-offering* 
they washed in them;" but the sea was for the 
priests to wash in. 

7 And he made ten candlesticks of gold accord- 
ing to tlieir form,'' and set t/icm in the temple, five 
on the right hand, and five on the left. 

8 tie made also ten tables, and placed them in 
the temple, five on the riglit side, and five on the 
left. And he made a hundred basins* of gold. 

9 ^ Furthermorcliemade thecourtofthepriests,"^ 
and tlie great court, and doors for the court, and 
overlaid the doors of them with brass. 

10 And he set tlie sea on the right side of the 
east end, over against the south. 

11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, 
and the basins.^ And Huram finished' the work 
tliat he was to make for king Solomon for the 
house of God ; 

12 To ivit, tlie two pillars, and the pommels, and 
the chapiters lohich were on the top of the two pil- 
lars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pom- 
mels of the chapiters which were on the top of the 
pillars; 

13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two 
wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each 
wreath, to cover tlie two pommels of the chapi- 
ters which locre upon the'' pillars. 

14 He made also bases,'' and lavers" made he 
upon the bases ; 

15 One sea, and twelve oxen xmder it. 



• 


. HI. 


t a Uly.flower 


t He 


b the 


eork 


ofblir 


t-otrering. 


Heb. 


9::>.1. 


bExo 


rVi 


:31-4U; 1 Chr 


•2.S; \.y- 


v.); H 


eb. S 


5. t Or, bowls, c 1 


Kings 


ii-Wi 


» Or. 1 


o,ci. 


. 1 Hab.yin 


shf.d lo 


make 


1 Heb./a 


zeoflhe. i\ 


Kings 


7:^7, 


43. • 


Ur, 


caldrons, o 


Kings 


7:14, 


45. 


t Heb. 


made bright 


or scoured. 



CHAPTER IV. 

3. Tlie similitude of oxen ; small figures like oxen running 
around the brim of the sea in two rows. In 1 Kings 7 : 24, 
they are called " knops." They must not be confounded 
with the twelve oxen on which the sea stood. 

9. The court of tlie priests; called, in 1 Kings 6:36, "the 
inner court," as being next to the sanctuary. The great 
court was for the Israelitish people. 

16. Huram his father; see note to chap. 2:13. 
IXST RUCTIONS. 

2. The ordinances of divine appointment have ever been 
such as to impress upon men a conviction of their moral 
pollution, and the necessity of being washed in that foun- 
tain which Jesus Christ has opened to purify them from 
sin and aU unclcanness. 



16 Tlio pots also, and the shovels, and the flesh- 
hooks, and all their instruments, did Huram his 
father make to king Solomon for the house of the 
Lord,'' of bright* brass. 

17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, 
in the clay ground* between Succoth and Zereda- 
thah. 

18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great 
abundance : for the weight of the brass could not 
be found out. 

19 If And Solomon made all the vessels that were 
for the house of God, the golden altar also, and 
tlie tables whereon the show-bread ivas set;' 

20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, 
that they should burn after the manner before the 
oracle, of pure gold;^ 

21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, 
made he o/"gold,'' and that perfect gold;^ 

22 And the snuffers, and the basins,' and the 
spoons, and the censers, of pure gold : and the en- 
try of tlie house, the inner doors thereof for the 
most holy place, and the doors of the house of the 
temple, were of gold. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 The dedicated treasures. 2 Tlie solerfin induction of the ark into the 
oracle. 11 G-od being praised giveth a visible sign of his favor. 

THUS all the work that Solomon made for the 
house of the Lord was finished:' and Solo- 
mon brought in all the things that David his father 
had dedicated;-* and the silver, and the gold, and 
all the instruments, put he among the treasures 
of the house of God. 

2 IT Then Solomon assembled the elders of Is- 
rael, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of 
the fatliers of tlie children of Israel, unto Jcrusa- 
lem,'' to bring up the ark of the covenant of the 
Lord' out of the city of David,'" which is Zion." 

3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled 
themselves unto the king in the feast which was 
in the seventh month." 

4 And all the ciders of Israel came ; and the Le- 
vitcs took up the ark. 

5 And they brought up the ark, and the taber- 
nacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels 
that u-c7-e in the tabernacle, these did the priests 
and tlie Levites bring up. 



tHnb 


thiclcnesses 


ofth. 


ground. 


f Exod 


25:30. 


bKj 


od 


27:20,31 


b Exod. 


•ii::!! 


etc 


illeb 


pert 


ctions of 


gold. 


Or. bowls. 1 


I Kings 7 


:.'il 


> I Chr. 


±>.:U 


k 


1 Kings 


H:l, f 


to. 1 Nui 


n. 10::3,3G. 


■»as 


nm 


li:l2. 


D 


Psa. 2:0j 


87:2; 


13d 


13-17. 


Och 


7:8-10. 

















7. Men are naturally in spiritual darkness; and will 
never view things aright, unless the Holy Spirit shine 
into their minds and give them the light of the knowledge 
of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. 

21. Treasures devoted to the service of God are by no 
means lost, but are safely invested where they will yield 
thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold. 

CHAPTER Y. 

2. Zion; in the south-west part of Jerusalem, and south- 
west from Moriah. the site of the temple. 

3. The fea.'it which waji in the seventh month ; the feast of 
tabernacles, which was celebrated in the montli Tishri, 
corresponding to the last part of September and the lirst 
part of October. Lev. 23 : 34-43. 

505 



Go<rs ploryfiUeth the trmpk. 



2 CHRONICLES VI. 



luiij' Solomon blesselh God. 



Also kin;; tSoloinnn. iiml all (lie conirrcffiition 
of Israel that were asseinlileil unto him ipct'onr the 
ark, sacrilieed sheep ami oxen, wliieli coulil not 
be told nor niiinliereil for multilmle. 

7 And the |iriests broiifrht in the ark of (he cove- 
nant of tlic Ijinw unto his place," to the oracle of 
the house, into the most holy place, even under the 
winirs of the cherubim :'• 

8 Tor the cherubim pprcad forth t/ieir wings 
over tlie jjlaee of the ark, and the eliorubim cov- 
ered the ark and the staves thereof above.'' 

;) And they drew out the staves ofl/te ark, that 
thc^ ends of the staves were seen from the ark bc- 
Ibre the oracle; but they were not seen without. 
And there it is* unto this day. 

10 There wa.^ nothing in the ark save the two 
tables whicli Moses put tlwrein at Horeb,'' when* 
the Loim made a covenant with the children of Is- 
rael, when they caine out of Egypt. 

Ill And it came to jiass, when the priests were 
come out of tlie holy ^jfacc- (for all the ]ii-icsts that 
vxrc present' were sanctified, and did not then wait 
by course :° 

12 Also the Lcvites which were the singers,'' all 
of them of Asaph, of Henian, of Jcduthun, with 
their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in 
white linen, having q^vmbals and psalteries and 
harps, stood at the cast end of the altar, and with 
them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with 
trumpets:") 

13 It came even to pass, as the; trumpeters and 
singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard 
in praising and thanking the Lord;" and when 
they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and 
cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the 
Lord, saying, For he is good ; for his mercy endur- 
eth for ever : ' that then the house was filled with 
a cloud, even the house of the Lord ; 

14 Ho that the priests could not stand to minis- 
ter by reason of the cloud : for the glory of the 
Lord had filled the house of God.J 



CHAPTER VI. 

1 Solomon, liaving blessed the people, blesseth God. 12 Solomon's 
prayer in the consecration of tiie temple, upon the brazen scaffold. 

THEN said Solomon, The Lord hath said that 
he would dwell in the thick darkness.'' 



» Psa. 13-2:8. b Exod. 37:7-9; Heb. 9:4, 5. c Exod. 37:15. • Or, they 
are tkere, as 1 Kings 8:S. d Deut. 10:2-5. t Or, xokere. 1 Heb. found. 
e ch. 3o:4. ' 1 Chr. 25:1. e 1 Chr. 15:24; Psa. 0d:25. h Rev. 5:8-14. 
i 1 Chr. 10:34-41; Psa. 130. J ch. 7:2; E.\od. 40:35; Ezek. 10:4; Rev. 
15:8. k Lev. 10:2; 1 Kings 8:12, etc.; Psa. 18:11; Nah. 1:3; Heb. 12:18. 



7. The cherubim ; the two cherubim of olive-wood over- 
laid with gold. Chap. 3: 10-13. 

9. [/»(o this day; see note to 1 Kings 8:8. 

10. Tlie two tables ; on which were engraved the ten com- 
mandments. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When a whole people assemble, and with united 
hearts engage sincerely in the worship of God, they may 
expect that their service will be acceptable to him and 
greatly beneficial to themselves. 

10. The ten commandments express the will of God, and 
are the measure and the rule of human duty, under all 
dispensations, and in all ages. 

13. When the ministers of religion heartily unite in 
praising and adoring God for his mercies, he will accept 
506 



2 IJiit I have built a house of habitation "u^ ^ 
for thee, and a ))lace for iliy dwelling for ever. 

;J .Viid the king turned his lace, and blessed the 
whole congregation of Israel:' and all the con- 
gregation of Israel stood.'" 

4 And he said. Blessed be the Loun God of Isra- 
el, who hath with his hands fuliillcd that which he 
spake with his mouth to my father David," .•-aying, 

5 Since the day that I brought forth my ]ieople 
out of the land of Egypt 1 chose no city among all 
the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my 
name might be there ;" neither chose I any man to 
be a ruler over my ]ieople Israel: 

f) But 1 have chosen Jerusalem,'' that my name 
might be there; and have chosen Havid to be 
over my people Israel.'' 

7 Now it was in the heart of David my father 
to build a house for the name of the Lord God of 
Israel. ■■ 

8 But the Lord said to David my father. Foras- 
much as it was in thy heart to build a house for 
my name, thou didst well in that it was in thy 
heart : 

9 Notwithstanding thou shall 110 tbuild the house; 
but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, 
he shall build the house for my name. 

10 The Lord therefore hath performed his word 
that he hath spoken : for I am risen up in the 
room of David my father, and am set on the throne 
of Israel,'* as the Lord promised,' and have built 
the house for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 

11 And in it have I put the ark," wherein is the 
covenant of the Lord, that he made with the chil- 
dren of Israel. 

12 1 And he stood before the altar of the Lord 
ill the presence of all the congregation of Israel,^ 
and spread forth his hands : 

13 For Solomon had made a brazen scaftbld, of 
five cubits long,** and five cubits broad, and three 
cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the 
court: and upon it he stood,"' and kneeled down 
upon his knees before all the congregation of Is- 
rael, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, 

14 And said, Lord God of Israel, there is no 
God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth ;^ 
which keepest covenant,*' and showest mercy unto 
thy servants, that walk before thee with all their 
hearts : 



1 Num. 6:23-27. m Neb. 8:5. n Luke 1 :0e^70. o Dent. 12:5, 11. p cb. 
12:13. ql Chr. 28:4. f 2 Sam. 7:2. etc. ; 1 Chr. 28:2. etc. ■ 1 Chr. 29:23. 
<1 Chr. 17:11. »ch. 5:7, 10. » 1 Kings 8:22, etc. t Heh. the length there- 
of, eta. "Neh. 8:4. i Exod. 15:11 ; Deut. 4:39; 7:9. y Neh. 1:5; Dan. 



their offerings, and give evidence of his approbation by 
delightful manifestations of his presence and favor. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. Tlitj dwelling for ever; the place where he would per- 
petually manifest his special presence. 

5. Neither chose I any man; to establish in him and his 
posterity a hereditary authority, as he chose David. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. What God promises in his word, he will in his provi- 
dence and by his Spirit faithfully perfonn. 

8. Those who wish to do good, may in such wishes be 
accepted of God, when it is not his will that they should 
accomplish the particular object on which their hearts 
are set. 



Solomon's prayer at the 



2 CHRONICLES YI. 



consecration of the temple. 



n.c.S: 15 Thou whicli hast kept witli thy ser- 
vant David my father that which thou hast prom- 
ised him;" and spakest with thy moutli, and hast 
fullilled it witli thy hand,** as it « this day. 

1(3 Now therefore, Loud God of Israel, keep 
with thy servant David my father that whicli thou 
hast promised him,'' saying, There shall not fail 
thee a man' in my sight to sit upon the throne of 
Israel ; yet so that thy children take heed to their 
way to walk in my law,* as thou hast walked be- 
fore me. 

17 Now then, Lord God of Israel, let thy word 
be verified, which thou hast spoken unto thy ser- 
vant David. 

18 But will God in very deed dwell with men 
on the earth?'' Behold, heaven and the heaven 
of heavens cannot contain thee;' how much less 
this house which I have built! 

19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy 
servant, and to his supplication. Lord my God, 
to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy 
servant ])rayeth before thee : 

20 That tliiue eyes may be open iipon this house 
day and night,*"' upon the place whereof thou hast 
said that thou wouldest put thy name there ; to 
hearken unto the prayer which thy servant pray- 
etli toward* this place. 

'Jl Hearken therefore unto the supplications of 
thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they 
shall make* toward this place: hear thou from 
thy dwelling-place, even from heaven ;'' and when 
thou hearest, forgive. 

22 T[ If a man sin against his neighbor, and an 
oath be laid upon him'* to make him swear, and 
the oath come before thine altar in this house; 

23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and 
judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by 
recompensing his way upon his own head;' and 
by justifying the righteous, by giving him accord- 
ing to his righteousness. 

24 1 And if thy people Israel be put to the 
worse' before the enemy, because they have 
sinned against thee; and shall return and con- 
fess thy name, and pray and make supplication 
before thee in^ this house; 

2.5 Then hear thou from the heavens,J and for- 
give the sin of thy ])eople Israel, and bring them 
again unto the laud which thou gavest to them 
and to their fathers. 



»lChr.22:9. b rer. 4. c o g^n,, 7.i.j_i(;. x Kings 2:4; 6;12. • Heb. o 
manhecutoff. d Psi. 13-3:12. e Exod. 29:45, 40; Psa 6S:18. 'ch. 2:6; 
Isa. 61i:l; Acts 7:49. ePsi. 121:4. t Or, ire. I Heb. pray, h ch. 39:27. 
S Heb. he require an oath of him. i 2 Kings 9:26; Psa. 10:14; .ler. 2S:16, 
17; 51:56. I Or, .mlr(ttn. ^Or,loward. J Psa. 1(16:49-17. tl Kings ch. 
17, la; Isa. 5:6. 1 Jer. 5:24; Ezek. 34:20; Hos. 2:21 22. m ch. 20:5-13. 



12. When we have finished a work, we should in earnest 
bcheving prayer commend it to the blessing of God, with- 
out which it will not accomplish any good. 

D). The promises of God are often so connected with 
the faithfulness of his people, that their conditions must 
be fulfilled, in order to obtain their blessings. Chap. 
7:17-22. 

20. Prayer is a chief means of obtaining that forgiveness 
of sin, without which there can be no deliverance from its 
power. 

24. Sin is the cause of all sorrow ; and unless it is con- 
fessed and forsaken, it will cause sorrow eternal. 



2G 1 When the heaven is shut up, and there is 
no rain, because they have sinned against thee;'' 
yet if tliey jiray toward this place, and confess thy 
name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost 
afflict them ; 

27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the 
sin of tliy servants, and of thy people Israel, when 
thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they 
should walk ; and scud rain upon thy land,' which 
thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance. 

28 "1[ If there be dearth in the land, if there be 
pestilence,'" if there be blasting or mildew, locusts 
or caterpillars;" if their enemies besiege them in 
the cities of their land ;* whatsoever sore, or what- 
soever sickness there be;" 

29 Then what prayer or what supplication soever 
shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Is- 
rael, when every one shall know his own sore and 
his own grief," and shall spread forth his hands 
in'' this house : 

30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling- 
place, and forgive, and render unto every man 
according unto all his ways,'' whose heart thou 
knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of 
the children of men;) 

31 That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, 
so long as* they live in*' the land which thou gavest 
unto our fathers. 

32 1; Moreover concerning the stranger,' which 
is not of thy people Israel, but is come from a far 
country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty 
hand, and thy stretched-out arm ; if they come and 
pray in this house ; 

33 Then hear thou from the heavens, eve7i from 
thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that 
the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people 
of the earth may know" thy name," and fear thee,' 
as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this 
house which I have built is called by thy name.' 

34 If thy people go out to war against their ene- 
mies by the way tliat thou shalt send them," and 
they pray unto thee toward this city which thou 
hast chosen, and the house which I have built for 
thy name; 

35 Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer 
and their supplication, and maintain their cause.''*' 

30 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man 
which sinneth not,"') and thou be angry with them, 
and deliver them over before t/ieir enemies, and 



n Jnel 1:4, 11; 2:25. • Heb. land of their enles. o ch. .32:84; Jas. 5:1.3. 
p Psa. 32:2-6; 142:1, 2. t Or, lownrrf. q Psa. 62:12. 1 Heb. aU Uiedays 
whirh. i Heb. upon the faee of. ' Isa. 56::), 6. 7: .Tohn 19:10; Acts S:27- 
39; Kph. 2:12. 13. » Psa. 46:10. t Jcr. 19:7. I Heb, thy name is railed 
upon this house. « ch. 14:11, 12; 1.0:4, etc. 1 Or, right. ^ Psa. 9:3, 4. 
w Ecol. 7:29; }as. 3:2; 1 John 1:». 



28. Temporal calamities are God's servants ; and are 
sent to remind men of their sins, and lead them to repent- 
ance, that they may escape everlasting punishment. 

32. God is no respecter of persons ; but the prayer of 
the penitent, of whatever nation, kindred, or tribe, offered 
in faith, he will hear and answer according to the riches 
of his grace. 

34. The event of wars is in the hands of God: wlienhis 
people rebel against him, he often suffers the wicked to 
prevail against them ; but if thej' become penitent, and 
turn heartily to him, he will deliver them and grant them 
his salvation. Chap. 7:14. 

507 



Firr faUtlh from haix-tn. 



2 ClllKtNK I.KS \ 1 



Sncrificts ami feasts. 



tlicv carry tlu'in nway captives' unto a land fur 
off or near ; 

'.\~ Yd if tlioy liclliink tlicnisclvcs* in tlio land 
wliitlicr tlicy aic c;iiric<l captive, and turn and 
prav iintu tliec in tlie ianii of tiicir captivity, say- 
inir! We liave sinned, wo have done amiss, and 
have dealt wickedly ; 

3S It'thev return to thee with all their heart and 
with all tlieir soul in tiie land of tlieir captivity," 
whitlier they have carried tlieni captives, and ]iray 
tiiward their land, whicli tliou Liavest unto liieir 
failicrs.and toward tiiecity wliicii thou hast <'1ios(mi,'' 
and toward tiie house wliich 1 iiave built for tliy 
name: 

39 Then hear thou from the heavens, nrn from 
tiiy dwelling-place,' their prayer and their sup])li- 
cations. and maintain their cause,' and forgive thy 
people which have sinned against thee. 

40 Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes 
be open, and /<>/ thine ears/jc atteut uuto the pray- 
er that is made in this place." 

41 Now therefore arise,'' Lord God, into thy 
resting-place,'' thou, and the ark of thy strength: 
let thy priests, O Lord (Jod, be clothed with sal- 
vation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness/ 

42 Lord God, turn not away the face of thine 
anointed : remember the mercies of Uavid tliy ser- 
vant>' 



C II A P T K 11 VII. 

1 God having given testimony to Solomon's prayer by fire from heaven, 
and glory in the temple, tlie people worship him. 4 Solomon's sol- 
emn sacrifice. 8 Solomon having kept tlie feast of tabernacles, and 
the feast of the dedication of the altar, dismisseth the people. \'2 G-od 
appearing to Solomon giveth him promises upon condition. 

NOW when Solomon had made an end of pray- 
ing,'' the fire came down from heaven,' and 
consumed the burnt-ofifering and the sacrifices ; and 
the glory of the Lord filled the house.J 

2 And the priests could not enter into the house 
of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had 
filled the Lord's house. 

3 And when all the children of Israel saw how 
the tire came down, and the glory of the Lord 
upon the house, tliey bowed themselves with their 
faces to the ground upon the pavement, and wor- 
shipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is 
good ; for his mercy endureth for ever." 

4^ Then the king and all the people offered 
sacrifices before the JjORD. 
And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty 



" Heb. thty that take thtm captives carry them away, t Heb. bring bade to 
thfir heart. » Jer. -29:13-14. bDin. tj:IO. « Dan. 9:16-19. \ Or, rigkl. 
i nch. to the prayer of this place, d Psa. 132:S, etc. e 1 Chr. '23:2; Isa. 
60:1. f Neh. 9:*); Psa. G5:4, 11; Zcch. 9:17. elEa.55:3. h 1 Kings 8:54, 
etc. i Exod. -Xl-.n: Lev. 9:^4; Juci;;. B:'.'l; 1 Kings 13:38; 1 Chr. 21:«; 
Mil. 3:1, 2. jch. 5:1.3, 14; Kzek. 1U:3. 4. kch. 20:21; IChr. lfi:41; Psa 



41. When tlio rainiBtera of God faithfully proclaim his 
salvation, and show its living power in their example, they 
may expect that many will embrace it, and rejoice in it 
with exceeding joy. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1. Fire came don-n from heaven; this was evidence that 
Solomon and the people were accepted in their offerings. 

8. From the entering in of Hamath unto tlie river of Egypt ; 
from the north to the south part of the land. 
508 



and two thousand oxen, and a hundred and ■), *' -JIJS: 
twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the 
people dedicated the house of (iod. 

t> And the priests wailed mi their offices: the 
Leviles also witli instruments of music of the 
Loud,' which David the king had made to praise 
the Lord, because his mercy nidureth for ever, 
when David prai.sed by their ministry;' and the 
jiriests sounded trumpets before them,'" and all 
Israel stood. 

7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the 
i:otirt that was before the house of the Loud: for 
tliero he oflcred burnt-offerings, and the fat of tlie 
peace-offerings, because the brazen altar which 
Solomon had made was not able to receive the 
burnt-offerings, and the meat-offering.s, and the 
fat. 

8 I'Also at the same time Solomon kept tlie 
feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very 
great congregation, from the entering in of Ha- 
math unto the river of Egypt." 

9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn^ 
assembly: for they kejit the dedication of the 
altar seven days, and th(! feast seven days. 

10 And on the three and twentieth day of the 
seventh month he sent the people away into their 
tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness 
tiiat the Lord had showed unto David, and to 
Solomon, ami to Israel his people. 

1 1 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Loud, 
and the king's house:" and all that came into 
Solomon's heart to make in the house of the 
Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously ef- 
fected. 

12 lAnd the Lord appeared to Solomon by 
night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, 
and have chosen this place to myself for a house 
of sacrifice.'' 

13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or 
if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if 
I send pestilence among my people;* 

14 If my people, which are called by my name," 
shall humble themselves,'' and pray," and seek my 
face,' and turn from their Avicked ways ;° then will 
I hear from heaven,^' and will forgive their sin, 
and will heal their land. 

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears 
attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.* 

IG For now have I chosen and sanctified this 
house, that my name may be there for ever : and 
mine eyes and my heart shall be there perpetually. 



103:17; 130:1; Heb. 7:24, 25. I 1 Chr. 15:16; Psa. 87:7. I Heb. Iiaml. 
mch. 5:12. n Josh. 13:3, 5. ^ Hei. restraint, o 1 Kings 9:1. etc. p Deiil. 
12:5. 11 ch. 6:26, 2S; Psa. 107:34. • Heb. upon whotn my name is called. 
'Jas.4:10. >Acts9:ll. t Isn, 45: 19; Lam. 3:40, 41. i'lsa.59:30. v ch. 
(J : 27, 30. t Heb. to the prayer of t/iis place. 



9. Tlie dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven 
days; the feast here referred to is the feast of tabernacles, 
which began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, 
and lasted seven days, Lev. 23:34-36. The seven days of 
the dedication of the altar preceded the seven days' feast 
of tabernacles. Compare 1 Kings 8:62. 

IG. Sanctified tliis liouse; devoted it to a holy use. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Tlie manner in which God shows his acceptance of 
his people is such as to fill them with awe of his justice, 



Go(Vs promises to Solomon. 



2 CHRONICLES VIII. 



His servants and sacrifices. 



B.S'ff- IT And as for thee, if thou wilt walk 
before me as David thy fatlier walked, and do 
according to all that I have commanded thee, and 
shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; 

18 Then v/ill I stablish the throne of thy king- 
dom, according as I have covenanted with David 
thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee* a man 
to be ruler ia Israel. 

19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes 
and my commandments, which I have set before 
you, and shall go and serve other gods, and wor- 
ship them;" 

20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out 
of my land which I have given them; and this 
house, which I have sanctified for my name, will 
I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a 
proverb and a byword among all nations. 

21 And this house, which is high, shall be an 
astonishment to every one that passcth by it ; so 
that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus 
\mtn this land, and unto this house?'' 

22 And it shall be answered. Because they for- 
sook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought 
them forth out of tlie land of Egypt, and laid hold 
on other gods, and worshipped them, and served 
them : therefore hath he brought all this evil upon 
them. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

1 Solomon's buildings. 7 The Gentiles which were left Solomon made 
tributaries; but the Israelites rulers. 11 Pharaoh's daughter remov- 
eth to her house. 12 Solomon's yearly solemn sacrifices. 14 He 
appointeth the priests and Levites to their places. 17 The navy 
fetcheth gold from Ophir. 

AND it came to pass at the end of twenty 
years, wherein Solomon liad built the house 
of the Lord, and his own house,'^ 

2 That the cities which Huram had restored to 
Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the 
children of Israel to dwell there. 

3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah,** and pre- 
vailed against it. 

4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and 
all the store-cities, which he built in Hamath. 

5 Also he built Beth-horon tlie upper, and Beth- 
horon the nether,'' fenced cities, with walls, gates, 
and bars; 

6 And Baalath, and all the store-cities that Sol- 



• Heb. he cut ojf to thf:e. 


' l,ei. -'0: 14, etc. ; Deut. ■Ai;36. b Jer. 2-2:8. 9. 


■=1 Kings 9: 1(1, etc. d i\um 


. 34;8i aSam. 8:3. e .losli. 10:3, 5; lChr.7:21. 


t Heb. the desire of Sotom 


ja which he. 1 Eccl. 2:4, etc. g 1 Kmgs 7:2; 


Song 4:b. h Josh. 18:1U; 


17:i:j. i 1 Kings 9:2-). J 1 Kings 3:1; 7:8. 



as well as adoring gratitude for his mercy, and bind them 
in willing obedience to his service. 

6. Praise is the spontaneous expression of truly grateful 
hearts ; and is well-pleasing to God, and most useful to men. 

10. True devotion of heart to God, manifested in sucli 
acts of public religious worship as he has appointed, is a 
source of great joy to his people, and prepares them to 
return to their families and engage in the duties of life 
with new cheerfulness and success. 

13. No evil comes upon individuals or nations without 
the permission and control of God; and he is able and 
ready, when they are duly humbled, to remove it and 
manifest towards them new tokens of his favor. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

3. Hainath-zobah ; Zobah was a country north and east of 



onion had, and all the chariot-cities, and the cities 
of the horsemen, and all that Solomon* desired to 
build in Jerusalem,'' and in Lebanon,^ and through- 
out all the land of his dominion. 

7 IT As for all the people that mere left of the Hit- 
tites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the 
Hivites, and tlie Jebusites, which were not of Is- 
rael, 

8 But of their children, who were left after them 
in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed 
not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute unto 
this day.'' 

9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon 
make no servants for his work ; but they were men 
of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of 
his chariots and horsemen. 

10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's 
officers, eve7i two hundred and fifty, that bare rule 
over the people.' 

1 1 TI And Solomon brought up the daughter of 
Pliaraoh out of the city of David unto the house 
that he had built for her:^ for he said. My wife 
shall not dwell in the house of David king of Is- 
rael, because tlie places are holy,* whereunto the 
ark of the Lord hath come. 

12 TT Then Solomon offered burnt-offerings unto 
the Lord on the altar of the Lord, which he had 
built before the porch,'' 

13 Even after a certain rate every day,' offer- 
ing according to the commandment of Moses, on 
the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the 
solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the 
feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of 
weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles,"" 

14 1 And he appointed, according to the order 
of David his father, the courses of the priests to 
their service, and the Levites to their charges," 
to praise and minister before the priests, as the 
duty of every day required: the porters also by 
their courses at every gate:" for so had David 
the man of God commanded.^ 

15 And they departed not from the command- 
ment of the king unto the priests and Levites con- 
cerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 

IG Now all the work of Solomon was prepared 
unto the day of the foundation of the house of the 
Lord, and until it was finished. So the house of 
the Lord was perfected. 



1 Heb. holiness, k John 10:23. 1 Exod. 29:38. m Exod. 23:14; Dent. 
lli: 16. a 1 Chr. ch. 24, 2.'>. o 1 Chr. 9:17; 20:1. 5 Heb. was Ike command- 
ment of David the man of God. 



Palestine. Hamath was a city on the river Orontes, appar- 
ently belonging to Zobah. 

4. Tadmor ; a city in the great Syrian desert, between 
Damascus and the Euphrates. It was afterwards called 
Palmyra, and has long been in ruins. 

5. Beth-horon the upper, and— the nether; on the border 
of Ephraim and Benjamin. 

6. Baalath ; a city within the territory of the tribe of 
Dan. 

8. TniH^c; tribute of bondservice. 1 Kings 9:21. Unto 
this day; see note to 1 Kings 8:8. 

11. The city of David ; Zion, the south-western hill of 
Jerusalem. Shall not dwell in the house of David ; he seems 
to have regarded this as too sacred a ])lacc for the resi- 
dence of one who was a foreigner, not of Israelitish de- 
scent. 

509 



Tht queen of Shebii's visit. 



2 CIIIIOMCLKS l\ 



Solomon's royul state. 



1" •. Then went Solomon to Ezion-gcdier," and 
to Klolli,* at the sca.^idc in tlio land of Edoni. 

IS And llnrain sent iiini, bv the hands of his 
-crvants, siiips, and servants tliut had knowledge 
111' llie sea:'' and tiiey went with the servants of 
Sohnnoii to Opliir, and took tiienee four hundred 
and tiftv talents of gold, and brought them to king 
Solomon.'^ 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 The queen of Shcba adinireth the wiwlom of Solomon. 13 Solomon's 

S.ia. 15 His torgets. 17 The throne of ivory. 20 His vesaels. 2.3 
i» presents. 25 Hi« chariot* and horse. 26 His tributes. 29 His 
reign and death. 

AND when the queen of Plieba heard of the 
fame of Solomon.'' she came to j)rove Solo- 
mon with hard questions at .Jerusalem, with a 
very great company, and camels that bare spices, 
and gold in abundance, and precious stones : and 
when she was come to Solomon, she comuiuucd- 
with him of all that was in her heart. 

2 And Solomon told her all her questions:'' and 
there was nothing hid from Solomon which he 
told her not. 

){ And when the queen of Sheba had seen the 
wis lorn of Solomon, and the house that he had 
built, 

•4 And the meat of his table, and tiie sitting of 
his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, 
and their apparel ; his cup-bearers* also, and their 
ap|)arel ; and his ascent by which he went up into 
the house of the Loed ; there was no more spirit 
in her. 

5 And she said to the king. It tvas a true report* 
which I heard in mine own land of thine acts,*" 
and of thy wisdom : 

G Ilowbeit T believed not their words, until I 
came, and mine eyes had seen it: and behold, the 
one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not 
told me:'' for thou exceedest the fame that I 
heard. 

7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy 
servants, which stand continually before thee, and 
hear thy wisdom. 

8 Blessed be the Lord thy God,''' which delight- 
ed in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for 
the Lord thy God : because thy God loved Israel, 
to (Establish them for ever, therefore made he thee 
king over them, to do judgment and justice.'' 

9 And she gave the king a hundred and twenty 
talents of gold, and of spices great abundance, and 



> 1 Kir 


gs a-.-ilt. 27. 


• Elath, 


Deut. •• 


■s. 


•2 Kings 


14:23. 


b ch. fl: 


10, 13. 


c Bccl. -2 


S. d 1 Kings 


10:1, etc 


, Malt 


!-.> 


4-,>; Luke 11:31 


e Prov 


18:4; 




t Or. kutkrs. 


tHeb. 


jiord. S Or 




f Psa 


31:19. 


ePsa. 




h 1 Kings 3 


■23; ProT 


•il:3. 


■ P 


a. 7-2:10 


15. JEccl. 2:8 


kch. 



17. Ezion-geber, and — Eloth; on the eastern branch of 
the Red sea. 

18. Ophir; a distant place visited by ships from the Red 
sea, the location of which is not known with certainty. 
It is generally supposed to have been in either Arabia or 
India. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
4. So fading and transitory are all earthly things, that 
the most splendid cities may become a heap of ruins. 
This should lead all to seek a city that hath foundations, 
whose builder and maker is God. 

11. A man's wife has great influence upon him, and 
510 



precious stones:' neither was there any a « .1012. 
such spice as the queen 01 Sheba gave ««• 
king Solomon.^ 

10 And the servants al.so of Ilurain, and the 
servants of Solomon, which Ijnmght gold from 
Ophir,'' brought algum-trces,' and precious stont.'s. 

11 And the king made (/ the alguin-trees ter- 
races^ to the house of the Loud, and to the king's 
palace, and harps and jisaltcries for singers:' and 
there were none such seen before in the land of 
Judah. 

12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of She- 
ba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, besides 
that which .she had brought unto the king. So 
she turned, and went away to her own laud, she 
and her servants. 

13 •[ Now the weight of gold that came to Solo- 
mon in one year was six hundred and threescore 
and six talents of gold ; 

14 Besides that ichkh chapmen and merchtrnts 
brought. And all the kings of Arabia and gov- 
ernors* of the country brought gold and silver to 
Solomon.'" 

15 •[ And king Solomon made two hundred tar- 
gets of beaten gold : " six hundred shekels of beat- 
en gold went to one target. 

16 And three hundred shields TTiatfr /^eo/' beaten 
gold : three hundred shekels of gold went to one 
shield. And the king put them in the house of 
the forest of Lebanon." 

17 1 Moreover the king made a great throne of 
ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 

18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a 
footstool of gold, 2chich were fastened to the throne, 
and stays* on each side of the sitting-place, and 
two lions standing by the stays : 

19 And twelve lions stood there on the one side 
and on the other upon the six steps. There was 
not the like made in any kingdom. 

20 *r And all the drinking vessels of king Solo- 
mon were o/"gold, and all the vessels of the house 
of the forest of Lebanon loere o/"pure' gold : none 
were o/" silver ;'• it was not any thing accounted of 
in the days of Solomon. 

21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish witJi 
the servants of Huram : every three years once 
came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and sil- 
ver, ivory,' and apes, and peacocks. 

22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of 
the earth in riches and wisdom." 

23 1 And all the kings of the earth sought the 



S:1S. I Almug-lrees, 1 Kings 10:11. 1 Or. stairs; Heb. highways. I Psa. 
92:3: Rev. 5:S; 14:2 • Or, caplaivs. m Psa. 68:29. ■> ch. 12:9, !0. 
o I Kings 7:2. t Heb. hands. 1 Heb. shut up. § Or, there was no silver in 
them. I Or, elephants'' leM. P 1 Kings 3: 12, 13 ; 4:30. etc. 



through him upon others; lot him be careful that this 
influence do not mislead him into sinful practices. 

14. The commands of parents, so far as they accord with 
the commands of God. should be remembered and carefully 
followed by their children. 

CHAPTER IX. 

1. Slt£ba; supposed to have been a country of southern 
Arabia bordering on the Red sea. 

14. Chapmen; sellers, market-men. 

21. The king's ships went to Tarshish; see note to 1 Kings 
10:22. 



Death of king Solomon. 



2 CHRONICLES X. 



Rehohonm repels the ten trihes. 



A.M. 3012. presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, 
■ 992' °"' that God had put in his heart. 
24 And they bi'ought every man his present, 
vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, 
harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year 
by year. 

2.5 1 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for 
liorses and chariots, and twelve thousand horse- 
men ; wliom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and 
with the king at Jerusalem. 

26 M And he reigned over all the kings from 
the river* even unto tiie land of the Philistines, 
and to tiic border of Egypt." 

27 And the king made^ silver in Jerusalem as 
stones, and cedar-trees made he as the sycamore- 
trees that are in the low plains in abundance.'' 

28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out 
of Egypt, and out of all lands. 

29 II Now the rest of the acts of Solomon," first 
and last, are they not written in the book* of Na- 
than the prophet, and in the proi)hecy of Ahijah 
the Shilonite,'^ and in the visions of Iddo the seer 
against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?" 

30 And Solomon reigned iu Jerusalem over all 
Israel forty years. 

31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he 
was buried in the city of David his father: and 
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 The Israelites, assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboam, by Jeroboam 
make a suit of relaxation unto him. 6 Rehoboiim, refusing the old 
men's counsel, by the advice of young men answereth them roughly. 
16 Ten tribes revolting kill Hadoram, and m;ike Rehoboam to flee. 



ND Rehoboam went to Shechem:*" for to 
Shechem were all Israel come to make him 



A 

king.« 

2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son 
of Nebat, who was in Egypt,'' whither he had fled 
from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, 
that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 

3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam 
and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, 

4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now 
therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servi- 
tude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put 
upon us, and we will serve thee. 

5 And he said unto them. Come again unto me 
after three days. And the people departed. 

6 IT And king Rehoboam took counsel' with the 



• Tliat is, Eupkrates. a Gen. 15:18; 1 Kings 4:-21; Psa. 7d:P. t Heb. 
g^ve. li ch, 1:15-17; 1 Kings 10:27, etc. c 1 Kings 11:41-13. 1 Heb. 
worils. Ill Kings ll:-29. e eh. I->:15; 13:*2. t Gen. 37:12. 13; Julg. 9: 1. 
e 1 Kings 12:1, etc. t I Kings 11:26, 40. i FroT. 12:15; 19:20. j Job 12:12, 



24. Harness; tliat is, armor. 

29. Book of Nathan — of Ahijah — of Iddo; books of Jewish 
history, not now extant. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who know the vahie of true wisdom will seek 
to obtain it; and one means of this is, familiar intercourse 
witli those who possess it. He that walketh with wise 
men shall be wise. 

8. All true wisdom comes from God, and habitual com- 
munion with him is the best means of obtaining it. 

12. A truly wise man will delight not only in receiving, 
but in imparting knowledge ; and by doing it will become 
a benefactor to those around him. 



old menJ that had stood before Solomon his father 
while he yet lived," saying. What counsel give ye 
me to return answer to tliis people? 

7 And they spake unto him, saying. If thou be 
kind to this people, and please them, and speak 
good words to them,' they will be thy servants 
for ever. 

8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men 
gave him, and took counsel with the young men 
that were brought up with him,'" that stood before 
him. 

9 And he said unto them, "What advice give ye 
that we may return answer to this people, which 
have spoken to me, saying. Ease somewhat the 
yoke that thy father did put upon us? 

10 And the young men that were brought up 
with him spake unto him, saying, Thus slialt thou 
answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, 
Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou 
it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say 
unto them, My little ^Hg-cr shall be thicker than 
my father's loins. 

11 For whereas my father put^ a heavy yoke 
upon you, I will put more to your yoke: my fa- 
ther chastised you with whips, but I will chastise 
you with scorpions. 

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Re- 
hoboam on the third day, as the king bade, say- 
ing. Come again to me on the third day. 

13 And the king answered them rouglily; and 
king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old 
men," 

14 And answered them after the advice of the 
young men, saying. My father made your yoke 
heavy, but I will add thereto : my father chastised 
you with whips, but I uiil chastise you with scor- 
pions. 

15 So the king hearkened not unto the people:" 
for the cause was of God,'' that the Lord might 
perform his word, which he spake by the hand of 
Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.' 

16 1 And when all Israel saw that the king 
would not hearken unto them, the people answered 
the king, saying, What portion have we in David? 
and wc have none inheritance in the son of Jesse; 
every man to your tents, Israel:'' and now, Da- 
vid, see to thine own house. So all Israel went 
to their tents. 

17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in 
the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 



13. kPr 


ov. 27 


10. 


iPrr 


, 


15:1 


. misa 


30:1 


5H 


eb 


laded. 


n Prov. 19 


•'7 


o Isa. 30 


12, 13 


1 


IJeu 




i:30; 


I Sam. 


2:24, 


Isa. 


lil 


14. q 


1 Kings 11 


31, 


■■ 2 Sam. 


20:1. 

























20. Silver and gold are a blessing or a curse according 
to the use that is made of them. A wise man, therefore, 
will not be so anxious to obtain more, as he will be to use 
what he has to the glory of the Giver. 

CHAPTER X. 

17. Rehoboam reigned over them; and also over the tribe 
of Benjamin, which was joined to that of Judah. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
4. Expensive undertakings of rulers necessarily bring 
heavy burdens on the people, under which they become 
uneasy, and from which they wish to be delivered. 
511 



Works of JitJioboam. 



2CnR0NICLES XII. 



Jlis wires and idolatry. 



18 Then kiii-r Hcliolionm pent Iladorain* that 
u-as over tla- trilmte; and tin- children of Issnu'I 
stoni'd him wiiii stones, that he died. But king 
Rehoboani made speed' to get him up to Aw char- 
iot, to tleo lo Jerusalem. 

19 .\nd Israel rebelled against the house of Da- 
vid uulo this day." 

C II A TIE 11 XI. 

1 Rehoboum raising nn army lo subiluo Israel, is forbidden bjr Shem.^- 
M\. C> Ho strongllicneth his kingdom with forts and provision. 13 
The priwits and Lcvites. and such as feared God, forsaken by Jerobo- 
am, strengthen the kmgdom of Judah. 18 The wives and children of 
Rehoboam. 

VXn wlien Rchoboam was como to Jerusalem, 
he gathered of the house of Judah and J5eii- 
jamin a liundrod and fourscore, thousand cluisen 
nun, wliicli were warriors, to figlit against Israel, 
that he might bring the kingdom again to lleho- 
boam.'' 

2 But the word of the Lord'' came to Shemaiah 
tlie man of God,'' saying, 

3 Speak unto Relioboam the son of Solomon, 
king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and 
Benjamin, saying, 

4 Thus saith the Lord, Yc shall not go up, nor 
fight against your brethren:" return every man 
to his house : for this thing is done of me.*^ And 
they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned 
from going against Jeroboam. 

5 1 And Reholjoam dwelt in Jerusalem, and 
built cities for defence in Judah. 

6 He built even B(!th-lehcm, and.Etam, and Te- 
koa, 

7 And Bcth-zur, and Sooo, and Adullam, 

8 And Gath, and jMareshah, and Ziph, 

9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 

10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which 
are in Judah and in Benjamin, fenced cities. 

11 And he fortified the strong-holds,^ and put 
captains in them,'' and store of victuals, and of oil 
and wine. 

12 And in every several city he put shields and 
spears, and made them exceeding strong, having 
Judah and Benjamin on his side. 

13 1[ And the priests and the Lcvites that were 
in all Israel resorted* to him out of all their coasts. 

1-4 For the Lcvites left their suburbs and their 
possession,' and came to Judah and Jerusalem: 



• Adonimm, 1 Kings J:G; 5:14. t Heb. sirengthened himself. » Tsa. 
89:3U, etc. b l Kings 1-2:21, etc. cProv. 21:3U. d ch. 12:5. « Gen. 13;S. 
' ch. 10:1.';; Psa. :i:i:ll. g Isi. 22: 1(1, 11. hch. 17:19. t Heh. presenltd 
themselves. ■ Num. 3o:2, etc. ich. 13:9. k 1 Kings 12:31 ; 13:3:!. 'Lev. 

7. Kindness in rulers often does more to secure obedi- 
ence from the people, than force ; and the longer men live, 
and the more they see of their feUow-men, the deeper is 
their conviction of this truth. 

lil. Youth are reckless, and often plunge into coursefe 
■which bring distress and ruin upon themselves and others. 

lr>. The hand of God is never to be overlooked in the 
events of his providence, but is to be acknowledged even 
in those calamities which the folly and wickedness of men 
bring upon themselves. 

CHAPTER XI. 

15. Devils; demons, to which idolaters rendered relig- 
ious worship. Compare 1 Cor. 10:20. 
512 



for Jerolioam and his sons had cast them '*it"-^: 
ofl' from executing the jiriest's office unto the 
LolU):^ 

1.5 And he ordained him priests for the high 
places," and for the devils,' and for the calves 
which he had made.'" 

1(1 And after them, out of ;ill the tribes of Isra- 
el," such as set their hearts to seek the Loud God 
of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the 
Louu God of their fathers. 

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah," 
and made Rchoboam the son of Solomon strong, 
three years: for tlirec years they walked in the • 
way of David and Solomon. 

18 1[And Rchoboam took him Mahalath the 
daughter of Jerimotli the son of David to wife, 
and Aljihail the daughter of Eliab tlie son of Jesse ; 

19 Which liarc him children; Jeush, and Sham- 
ariah, and Zaham. 

20 And after her he took Maachali the daugliter 
of Absalom;'^ which bare him Abijah, and Altai, 
and Ziza, and Shelomith. 

21 And Rchoboam loved Maachah the daughter 
of Absalom above all his wives and his concu- 
bines : for he took eighteen wives, and threescore 
concubines ; and begat twenty and eight sons, and 
threescore daughters. 

22 And Rchoboam made Abijah the son of Maa- 
chali the chief," to be ruler among his brethren: 
for he thought to make him king. 

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his 
children tliroughout all the countries of Judah 
and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he 
gave them victuals in abmidancc. And he de- 
sired many wives.' 

CHAPTER XII. 

1 E,ehoboam, forsaking the Lord, is punished by Shishak. 5 He and 
the princes, repenting at the preaching of Shemaiah, are delivered 
from destruction, but not from spoil. 13 The reign and death of Reho- 

b.«r,l. 

AND it came to pass, when Rchoboam had 
established the kingdom, and had strength- 
ened himself he forsook the law of the Lord, and 
all Israel with him."" 

2 And it came to pass that, in the fifth year of 
king Rchoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up 
against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed 
against the Lord, 



17-7 


I> 


lit, ,3-. 


:17; ICor 


1(1- 


>n 


mlKi 


i<T 


12:2S; 


14:9; 


Hos. 13 


.2. 


n 


ch. 


t5') 


30:11, 18; Psa. 


f*4 


M 





ch 


12 


1. 


h She 


is called Michaiah 


the 




Iter 


of i: 


iel, ch. 


13 


■>-\ 


I K 


n"s 


\h 


2. 


Pch. 


12:18 


Deut. 


21 


\:y-\l. 


IHe 




mutli 


ude of 


^.r 


s. 


qch 


U 


17. 


■■ 


Deut. 32:15, 


^^; IKi 


igs 


14 


22. 



23. He dealt wisely; in placing his children in different 
parts of the country, so that they should not unite against 
Abijah, wliora he appointed as ruler over them. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Things which take place under the directing and 
contrulling providence of God, are spoken of in the Bible 
as done by him. 

1.5. The worship of images is treated in the Bible as 
worship offered to devils. 1 Cor. 10:20. 

17. As long as nations walk in the way of the Lord, they 
may expect that he will give them prosperity ; but wlien 
they forsake him, they take a course adapted to bring 
ruin on themselves. 



Judah invaded hy Skishali. 



2 CHRONICLES XIII. 



T/w reign of Abijah. 



h. " oT?' 3 With twelvehundred chariots, and three- 
score thousand horsemen : and the people ivere with- 
out number that came with hiui out of Egypt; the 
Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians." 

4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained 
to Judali, and came to Jerusalem. 

5 ITIicn came Shemaiah the prophet to Reho- 
boam,'' and to tlic princes of Judali, that were 
gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shi- 
shak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, 
Yc have forsaken me,"^ and therefore have I also 
left you in the hand of Shishak. 

6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king 
humbled themselves;'' and they said, The Lord is 
righteous." 

7 And when the Lord saw that they humbled 
tliemselves,'^ the word of the Lord came to Shema- 
iah, saying, They have humbled themselves; there- 
fore I will not destroy them,'' but I will graut them 
some' deliverance ; and my wrath shall not be pour- 
ed out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 

8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants;" that 
they may know my service, and the service of the 
kingdoms of the countries.' 

9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against 
Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the 
house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's 
house; he took all: he carried away also the 
shields of gold which Solomon had made.' 

10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields 
of brass, and committed t/iem to the hands of the 
chief of the guard,'' that kept the entrance of the 
king's house. 

1 1 And when the king entered into the house of 
the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and 
brought them again into the guard-chamber. 

12 And when he humbled himself,' the wrath of 
the Lord turned from him, that he would not de- 
stroy hi?!! altogether; and also in Judah things 
went well.'^ 

13 ^ So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in 
Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one 
and forty years old when he began to reign, and 
he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city 
which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes 
of Israel, to put his name there. And his moth- 
er's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 





• Ch 


lfi:S. 


bch. 11: 


2. tch. 15:2. <IJer 


13:1.5, IS 


; Jas. 4:P, 10. e 


Exod. 


1) 


J7. 


1 K 


ngs2I:2? 


29. e 


Lev. 26:41, 


12. -Or, 


a mile while, h Neh. 


«■ 


)6.37; Isi 


2«:13. 1 


Deut. 


28:47,48. jch. 9:15, IG. kaSim. 8:1S 


Ich. 


» 


:12, 


l:ii Is 


a. 87:15: 


IPet. 


5:6. t Or, a 


nd yet in 


Judah there wer 


e good 


(A 


tngs 


ch. 


9:3: Gen 


.1S:U 


1 Kings 14 


13. I Or 


fixed, m Deut 


5:29; 



CHAPTER XII. 

3. Lubim — Sukkiim — -Ethiopians ; people living in coun- 
tries bordering upon Egypt. 

12. Tilings went well; tUerc were yet some good men, and 
things went well compared with what they had done. 

14. He prepared not his heart ; his reformation was merely 
external. 

15. Of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies ; that is, the 
book of Iddo the seer, which has for its object to give 
genealogical registers. These registers also contained 
notices of the acts of the persons whose genealogy was 
given. 

IXSTRDCTIOXS. 
1. Great prosperity is dangerous ; when it is granted 
men are increasingly prone to rebel against God, and thus 



14 And he did evil, because he prepared' not 
his heart to seek the Lord.'" 

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are 
they not written in the book^ of Shemaiah the 
prophet," and of Iddo the seer concerning geneal- 
ogies?" And there were wars between Rehoboam 
and Jeroboam continually. 

10 And Relioboani slept with his fathers, and 
was buried in the city of David: and Abijah' his 
son reigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Abijah succeeding maketh war against Jeroboam. 4 He declareth 
the right of his cause. 13 Trusting in Lrod, he overcometh Jeroboam. 
21 The wives and children of Abijah. 

NOW in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam 
began Abijah to reign over Judali.'' 

2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His 
mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of 
Uriel of Gibeah.i And there was war between 
xibijah and Jeroboam. 

3 And Abijah set^ the battle in array with an 
army of valiant men of war, even four hundred 
thousand chosen men : Jeroboam also set the bat- 
tle in array against him with eight hundred thou- 
sand chosen men, bcinp: mighty men of valor. 

4 IF And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim,'' 
which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, 
thou Jeroboam, and all Israel ; 

5 Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of 
Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for 
ever," even to him and to his sous by a covenant 
of salt?' 

6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant 
of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath 
rebelled against his lord." 

7 And there are gathered unto him vain men,'' 
the children of Belial, and have strengthened 
themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solo- 
mon, when Rehoboam was young and tender- 
hearted,'^ and could not withstand them. 

8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom 
of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David ; and 
ye he a great multitude, and there are with you 
golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.^ 

9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord,^ 
the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made 



Ezek.a3:.31. S Heb. iporrfs. n ver. 5. och.n:29. I jlii/nm. 1 Kingsl4:3I. 
P 1 Kings 15:1, etc. 1 ch. 11:20. 1 Heb. bound together, t Josh. 18:22. 
• 2 Sam. 7:12-16. < Nam. 18:19. u 1 Kings )1:2H; 12:20. » Judg. 9:4 
"ch.lO:lU. I 1 Kings 12:23; Hos. 8:5, C. y ch. 11:14, 15. 



to bring ruin upon themselves and those who join with 
them. 

6. When men become sensible of their sins, ascribe 
righteousness imto God, and humble themselves before 
him, he is ready to forgive and save them from that de- 
struction which their sins deserve. 

14. Reformations which are merely external and in which 
the heart is not engaged, will not avail to the permanent 
removal of calamities in this world, or save the soul from 
destruction in the world to come. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

5. By a covenant of salt; all the sacrifices and oblations 
required by God's covenant with Israel were to be sprin- 
kled with salt. Ilence it is called the salt of God's cove- 
nant. Lev. 2:13: Ezek. 43 : 24. I'hiis salt became a symbol 
51.3 



Abijiih's tear tcith Jrrobanm. 



2 ('III!()X1("IJ;S XIV. 



T/ie good reign uf Asa. 



you priosts nftor the ninnnpr of the nations of 
other liinils? so tlmt wliOMievi-r conicth to conse- 
crate liinisclf" with n youii^r bullock anil sovon 
rams, the same may be a priest of thcin that arc uo 
gods. 

10 But as for U3, the Loud m our God, and wo 
have not forsaken him ; and the priests, whidi 
minister unto tlic Loud, are the gons of Aaron, 
and the Levitos wait upon their business: 

11 And tiicy burn unto the LolU) every morning 
and cverv cveninjf bunit-saci-iliccs and sweet in- 
cen.-c:" tin' show-bread also set they in order u])on 
the jmrc table;'' and the candlestick of jrold with 
the lamps tiiereof, to burn every evening:"^ for we 
keep the charsro of the Loud our God; but ye 
have forsaken him. 

12 And behold, God himself?.? with u?'' for our 
captain.'' and his priests with sounding trunifiets 
to cry alarm against you.' O cliiiilrcu of Israel, 
fight ye not against the Lord God oi' your fa- 
thers ;■'■ for yc shall not prosper. 

13 *i But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to 
come about liehind them: so they were before 
Judah, and the ambusliment was behind them. 

14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the 
battle was before and behind : and they cried 
unto the Loud, and the priests sounded witli the 
trumpets. 

l.j Then the men of Judali gave a shout: and 
as the men of Judah siiouted, it came to pass, that 
God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah 
and Judah.'' 

16 And the children of Israel fled befoi'e Judah : 
and God delivered them into their hand. 

17 And Abijah and his jjcople slew tiiem with a 
great slaughter : so there fell down slain of Israel 
live humlred thousand chosen men. 

18 Thus the children of Israel were brought 
under at that time, and the children of Judah pre- 
vailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of 
their fathers.' 

19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and 
took cities from him, 15eth-el with the towns there- 
of, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and 
Ephraim with the towns thereof. 



• Heb. Jilt hia 


hand 


Kxod 


29: 1 ; Lev. 8: 


2. «di. 


2:4 




Lev. 


21:5-9. 


«Exod. 27;-2U,:. 


1 ; Lev 


. ai;2. 


3. <1 Isa. 8 


HI 


Josh. 5 


14, 


5. 


'Nun 


.10:8; 


Josh. B: 13-20. 


? Job 9:4; . 


er. 50:24; 


Acls 


5::i9. 


oh 


14:12. i 


1 Clir. 


5:20; Psa. 22;5 


, Dan 


3:28; 


Nah. 1:7. 


J Psa. 18:37 


33. 


k 


1 Sam. 


25:3a. 



of the perpetuity of God's covenant with men, and " a cov- 
enant of salt" is a covenant that can never be changed or 
destroyed. 

22. Story; or, as in tlie margin, commentary, that is, in 
the Latin sense, book of memoirs. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The frequency, prevalence, and devastation of war, 
show the wickedness of the human lieart and the power 
of the great adversary in leading men in such vast num- 
bers to murder one another. 

9. When men cast off the true ministers of religion, and 
■choose those who connive at and encourage them in their 
sins, they are ripening for ruin. 

13. None can contend against God and prosper. How- 
ever numerous or thoroughly disciplined their armies, and 
however skilfully devised their plans, they will be broken 
in pieces and flee before those who have the Lord for their 
helper and trust in him for defence. 

20. Life and death are in the hand ^jf the Lord: and 
614 



2tl Neitlierdid Jerolioamrecoverstrength ^ji"'!!!]; 
again in the days of Aliijah :' and the Lord Btruck 
him,'' and he died. 

21 *i But Abijah waxed mighty, and married 
fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, 
and sixteen daughters. 

22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and liis 
ways, and his sayings, arc written in tiie story* of 
the prophet Iddo.' 

CHAPTER XIV. 

1 Asa succeeding tlestroyetli idolatry. C Having peace, he ptrengihen- 
etti his kingdom will) foru and armies. 9 Calling on God. he over. 
throwetii Zerali, and spoileth the Ethiopians. 

SO Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried 
him in the city of David:'" and Asa his son 
reigned in his stead. In his days the laud was 
(luict ten years. 

2 And Asa did that which was good and right in 
the eyes of the Lord his God : 

3 For he took away the altars of the strange 
f^ods, and the high places," and brake down the 
images,' ami cut down the groves :° 

4 And comnianded Judah to seek the Lord God 
of their fathers, and to do the law and the com- 
mandment. 

5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Ju- 
dah the high places and the images:* and the 
kingdom was quiet before him. 

() ■[ And he built fenced cities in .Judah: for the 
land had rest, and he had no war in those years ; 
because the Loud had given him rest."" 

7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build 
these cities, and make about them walls and tow- 
ers, gates and bars, while the land is yet before 
us; because w'C have sought the Lord our God.'' 
w-e have sought him, and he hath given us rest on 
every side. So they built and prospered. 

8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets 
and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand ; 
and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew 
bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all 
these were mighty men of valor. 

1) 1i And there came out against them Zerah the 
Ethiopian with a host of a thousand thousand, and 



t Or, commentary. 1 ch. 12:15. m I Kings 15:8, etc. n ch. 15:17; 1 Kings 
11:7. I Heb. 5ra(«e5. o. Exod. 34:13. h ')A^\i. sun images, p Josh. 23:1. 
q Psa. 105:3,4; Jer. 29:13. 



when he smites, the most mighty fall before him. How- 
ever numerous their attendants, they can give them no 
respite and afford them no relief. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

.■?. 77ic grovca; or images of Astarte. See note to Deut. 
lfi:21. 

9. Zero/i the Ethinpian ; in the Hebrew, Zerah the Cushite. 
It has been doubted whether he was a king of the Arabian 
Cushitos, or of the African Cushites, that is, the Ethiopians 
properly so called in Africa, south of Egypt. But since 
lie came from the direction of Egypt and fled towards 
Egypt — .see the annexed notes on Mareshah and Gerar — and 
had moreover the Lubim, that is. Libyans, in his service, 
chap. 1G:8, it seems more probable that he was an Egyp- 
tian king of an Ethiopian dynasty, and had also Ethiopians, 
as well as Egyptians and Libyans in his service. Marc- 
shah; in the south-western part of Judah, near the Philis- 
tines. 



The Ethiopians defeated. 



2 CHRONICLES XV 



Asa's solemn covenant. 



ii.ra^'' three hundred chariots;" and came unto 
Mareshah.'' 

lU Then Asa went out against him, and they set 
the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at 
Mareshah. 

1 1 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God,"^ and 
said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether 
with many, or with tiiem that have no power:'' 
help us, Lord our God; for we rest on thee, 
and in thy name we go against this multitude." 
Lord, thou art our God; let not man' prevail 
against thee. 

12 So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, 
and before Judah;'' and the Ethiopians fled. 

13 And Asa and the people that were with him 
pursued them unto Gerar:"^ and the Ethiopians 
were overthrown, that they could not recover 
themselves; for they were destroyed^ before the 
Lord, and before his host; and they carried away 
very much spoil. • 

14 And they smote all the cities round about 
Gerar ; for the fear of the Lord came upon them :'' 
and they spoiled all the cities ; for there was ex- 
ceeding much spoil iu them. 

15 They smote also the teuts of cattle, and car- 
ried away sheep and camels in abuudanee, and 
returned to Jerusalem. 



CHAPTER XV. 

1 Asa with JuJah and many of Israel, moved by the prophecy of Azari- 
ah the son of Oded, make a solemn covenant witli God. 16 He put- 
teth down Maachah his mother for her idolairy. IS He bringeth 
dedicated things into the house of G-od, and enjoyeth a long peace. 

AND the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the 
sou of Oded:' 

2 And he went out to meet* Asa, and said unto 
him. Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benja- 
min : The Lord is with you, while ye be with 
him ;' and if ye seek him, he will be found of you ; ^ 
but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.' 

3 Now for a long season Israel hath been with- 
out the true God," and without a teaching priest," 
and without law. 

■4 But when thev in their trouble did turn unto 



» Ch. 16:8. b Josh. lo;41, » ch. 13:14; Exod. 14:10; Psa. 1S:6; 120:1. 
<1 1 Sam. 14:6. e 1 Sam. 17:45; Prov. 18:10. • Or, mortal man. I ch. 
1.3:15. f(5en.90:l. IHeh.broken. h ch 17:10; Gen. 35:5; Josh. 2:9. 24; 
Isa.3l:9. i ch. 20:14; 24:20; Num. 24:2; Judg. :l:10. IHeb.*f/ore. j Jas. 
4:8. k ver. 4. 15; ch. 33:12, 13; 1 Chr. 2^:9; Jer. 29:12. 13; Matt. 7:7, .8. 
1 ch. 24:20; Heb. 10:3S. m Hos. 3:4. n Lev. 10: 11; Mai. 2:7. o Deut. 



1:5. Gerar; a city of the Philistines near the southern 
border of Palestine. 

li. Tkey smote all tlie cities round about Gerar ; probably 
as being confederates with Zerah, as would naturally be 
the case if he was an Egyptian king. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Pious rulers are a great blessing to a nation ; and by 
their efforts to reform the people and lead them to obey 
God, they prepare the way for him to bless them with all 
needed earthly good. 

9. Although it is our duty in times of trouble to use all 
suitable means to help ourselves, yrt our dependence for 
deliverance should be upon God. He can save by few or 
by many, and is ready to help all who truly trust in him. 

CHAPTER XV. 

3. Israel hath been without the true God; the exact refer- 
ence of this verse and the three following is doubtful. 



the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was 
found of them." 

5 And in those times tliere icas no peace to him 
that went out, nor to him that came in,P but great 
vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the 
countries. 

6 And nation was destroyed' of nation.^ and city 
of city : for God did vex tliein with all adversity ."■ 

7 Be ye strong therefore,'' and let not your hands 
be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 

8 And when Asa heard these words, and the 
prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, 
and put away the aboniinalde idols' out of all the 
land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities 
which he had taken from mount Ephraim,' and 
renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before 
the porch of the Lord. 

9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and 
the strangers witli them out of Ephraim and Ma- 
nasseh, and out of Simeon:" for they fell to him 
out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that 
the Lord his God icas with him. 

10 So they gathered themselves together at Je- 
rusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year 
of the reign of Asa. 

11 And they offered unto the Lord the same 
tiine,'^ of the spoil ichich they had brought, seven 
hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. ^' 

12 And they entered into a covenant'' to seek 
the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart 
and with all their soul;^ 

13 Tiiat whosoever would not seek the Lord 
God of Israel should be put to deatli,^ whether 
small or great, whether man or woman. 

14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud 
voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and 
with cornets. 

15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they 
had sworn with all their heart, and sought him 
with their whole desire;'^ and he was found of 
tiiem : aud the Lord gave them rest round about. 

10 IT And also concerning Maachah the mother* 
of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen," 
because she had made an idoP in a grove: and 



4:29; Psa. 100:44. p Judg. 5:6; 1 Sam. 13:6. « Heb. beaten in pieces. 
q Matt. 24:7. r Amos 3:6. s Josh. 1:7. 9; 1 Chr. 2S:20. I Heb. oiomiao- 
tions. 1 ch. 13:19. « ch. 11:10. 5 Heb. in that day. » ch. 14:13, IS. 
" ch. 34:31; 2 Kmgs 23:3; Neh. 10:29. x Acts 21:14, J Exod. 22:20; 
Dcut. 13:5-15: 17:2-5. 2 ver. 12. * That i%, grandmother ; 1 Kings 15:2, 
lU. i 1 Kings 15: 13, etc. t Heb. horror. 



Some suppose that tlie prophet is giving a general descrip- 
tion of the unsettled times of the judges : " Now for a long 
season Israel was without the true God," etc. According 
to this interpretation, the third verse would describe the 
general ignorance of the people. The mass of them were 
witliout the true knowledge of God and his law ; and, 
though there were regular priests, few resorted to them 
for instruction. Others suppose the reference to be to the 
kingdom of Israel after its separation from that of Judah : 
" Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true 
God," etc. The fourth verse will then refer to the pious 
remnant among the ten tribes. Compare ver. 9. 

7. Be ye strong therefore; he applies the past history of 
God's people to the case of Asa and his kingdom. If they 
will believe in God and serve him steadfastly they shall 
be delivered, as their fathers have been. 

8. Oded tite prophet; or, as in ver. 1, Azariah the eon of 
Oded. 

16. Bscaust she had made an idol in a grove; rather, Be- 
515 



Asti's uiibeJief rrprotvd. 



2 C\\\[nS\C\A.> Wll, 



J lis illiwss and tlailh. 



Asa out down lior idol, and stamped /7, aiid liunil 
il at tlio lirook Kiilroii. 

17 IJut ilio hiirli pliires were not taken away out 
of l.-;iael :•' ne\eitlieloss llic licart of Asa was pcr- 
fcft all his days. 

IS *. And he liroujrht into the house of God the 
ihinjrs that his father had dedicated, and that he 
himself had dedieated.silver, and gold, and vessels. 

19 And there was no more war unto the five and 
thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1 Asa, by the aid of the Syrinns, ilivcrteth B:i;is)ia from building of Ra- 
mah. 7 Being reproved thereof t>y Han.ini, he pultetil him in prison. 

1 1 Among his other acts in his disease he scelceth not to God, but to 
the physicians. 13 His death and burial. 

TN the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa, 
Baasha king of Israel came up against Judali, 
and Imilt Raraah,'' to the intent that he might let 
none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah." 

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of 
the treasures of the house of the Loun and of the 
king's house, and sent to Ben-liadad king of Syria, 
that dwelt at Damascus,* saying, 

3 T/icre is a league between me and thee, as there 
was between my father and thy father: behold, 1 
have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy 
league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may 
depart from mc. 

4 And Ben-iiadad hearkened unto king Asa, and 
sent the captains of his armies* against the cities 
of Israel ; and they smote Ijon, and Dan. and Abel- 
maim, and all the store-cities of Nai)htali. 

.'i And it came to pass, when Baaslia heard it, 
that he left off building of Bamah, and let his 
work cease. 

(> Then Asa the king took all Judali ; and they 
carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber 
thereof, wherewith Baaslia was building; and he 
(milt therewith Geba and Mizpah. 

7 IT And at that time Hanani the seer came to 
Asa king of Judali,'' and said unto him, Because 



>Ch. 14:3,5. blKingsl5:l7,etc. cch.l5:5. ■ Ueh. Darmexek. t Heb. 
mits which were his. i ch. 19:2; 1 Kings 1G:1. e Psi. 14(i:.'J, G; Isa. 
:1; Jer. 1T:5. I Hcb. in abundance, t eh. 12:3; 14:9. e Job 34:21; 



cause she had made an image of Astarte. Kidron ; a tor- 
rent-bed between Jerusalem and the mount of Olives, 
which ran through the valley of Jehoshaphat into the 
Bead sea. 

17. But the high places were not taken away ; see note to 
1 Kings 15:14. 

19. Unto the five and tliirlieth year «f the reign of Asa; see 
note to chap. 16 : 1. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. The Lord encourages those who seek him, with spe- 
cial manifestations of his presence and favor; while he 
warns tliose who forsake him, that he will forsake them, 
and leave them to that ruin which they deserve. 

7. The certainty that if men engage and persevere in 
well-doing they shall be graciously and abundantly re- 
warded, should make them steadfast, immovable, always 
abounding in the work of the Lord. 

9. Evidence of the presence and favor of God will draw 
together multitudes, of all classes who love him, to acknow- 
ledge his goodness and render united thanks to his holy 
name. 

16. No natural afliection, or regard to relatives and 
friends, should load us to connive at their sins, or pre- 
61G 



liiou hast relied on the king of Syria, and *a',;."u?l; 
not relied on the Loud thy God," therefore is 
the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thy 
hand. 

8 Were not the Ethiojiians and the Lubim a 
huge host,* with very many chariots and horse- 
menV yet, because thou didst rely on the Loud, 
he delivered them into thy hand. 

1) For the eyes of the Loud run to and fi'o 
throughout the whole earth," to show himself 
strong ill the behalf of them'' whose heart is per- 
fect toward him. Herein thou lia-t done fool- 
ishly: therefore from henceforth thou shall have 
wars." 

10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and ]iiit 
him ill a prison-house;' for he was in a rage with 
him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed' 
some of the peoiile the same time. 

Ill And behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, 
lo,.they arc written in the book of the kings of 
Judah and Israel. 

12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his 
reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease 
was exceeding great: yet iu his disease he sought 
not to the Lord, but to the physicians. 

13 If And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in 
the one and fortieth year of his reign. 

14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, 
which he had made"' for himself in the city of 
David, and laid him in the bed which was iilletl 
with sweet odors and divers kinds of spices jire- 
pared by the apothecaries' art: and they made u 
very great burning for him. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

1 Jehoshaphat, succeeding Asa, reigneth well, and prospereth. 7 He 
sendeth Levites with the princes to teach Judah. 10 His enemies 
being terrified by God, some of them bring him presents and tribute. 
1- His greatness, captains, and armies. 

AND Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead,^ 
and strengthened himself against Israel. 
2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities 



Prov. 5:21 ; 15:3; Jer. 16:17; 32:19; Zech. 4:10. i Or, stranghj to hold 
wilh them, b 1 Kings 15:32. i ch. 18:28; Jer. 20:2. I Heb. crushed. 
1 Heb. digged. J 1 Kings 15:24. 



vent us from taking decided measures to resist their evil 
influence. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

1. In the six and thirttetli year of the reign of Asa; Baaslia 
began to reign in the third year of Asa, and he reigned 
twenty-four years. 1 Kings 15:33. Thus he died in the 
twenty-seventh year of Asa's reign. It has been supjiosed 
that an error has occurred in the number here given. 
Numbers were anciently indicated by letters, whence mis- 
takes in transcribing them might more readily occur. Ba- 
asha — built Ramah; see note on 1 Kings 15:17. 

14. A very great burning; of sweet spices. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. When men in trouble rely upon their own efforts 
merely, or look for help to their fellow-men instead of 
trusting in the Lord, they dishonor him, and may expect 
that ho will visit them with tokens of his displeasure. 

10. Men, when reminded of their sins, instead of forsak- 
ing them, are sometimes angry with him who reminds 
them, and persecute him for his fidelity. J!ut this in- 
creases their guilt, and ripens them for the just judgments 
of God. 



Jekoshaphafs good reign. 



2 CHRONICLES XVIII. 



Jlis affinity with Ahab. 



A.M.a»o. Qf ju(jaij^ and set garrisons in the land of 
Judah, and in the cities' of Ephraim, which Asa his 
father had taken.'' 

3 And the Lord was with Jchoshaphat, because 
lie walked in the first ways of his father David,* 
and sousiht not unto Baalim ; 

4 But'sought to the LORD God of his father, 
and walked in his commandments, and not after 
the doings of Israel." 

5 Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom 
in his hand; and all Judah brought* to Jeliosha- 
phat presents; and he had riches and honor in 
abundance. 

6 And his heart was lifted up* in the ways of 
the Lord :'^ moreover lie took away the high places 
and groves out of Judali.'' 

7 11 Also in the third year of his reign he sent 
to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiali, 
and to Zechariah, and to Nathaneel, and to Micha- 
iah, to teach in the cities of Judah." 

8 And with them he sent Levites,'' even Shemai- 
ah, and Ncthaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and 
Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and 
Tobijali, and Tob-adonijali, Levites ; and with them 
Elishama and Jehoram, priests.^' 

9 And they tauglit in Judah, and had the book 
of tlie law of the Lord with them, and went about 
througiiout all the cities of Judah, and taught the 
people. 

10 1 And the fear of the Lord felP upon all the 
kingdoms of the lands that were round about Ju- 
dah," so that they made no war against Jchosha- 
phat.' 

11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jchosh- 
aphat presents,^ and tribute silver; and the Ara- 
bians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven 
hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hun- 
dred he-goats. 

12 "ij And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly ; 
and he built in Judah castles," and cities of store. 

13 And he had much business in the cities of 
Judah -.^ and the men of war, mighty men of valor, 
were in Jerusalem. 

14 And these are the numbers of them according 
to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the cap- 
tains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with 
him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand. 



» Ch. l.i:8. • Or, of his fnlher and of David, b 1 Kings 12:30. 


t Heb. 


gave, i That is, loas enrouraged. <= Psi. IS: 21, 22. d ch. 19:3; 


20:33. 


^ch. 15::i. r ch. 35:3; Neh. »:7. e Mai. 2:7 i Heb. was. h ch 


14:14. 


iExo(i.:14:24; Prov. 16:7. j ver. 5: 2 Sim. 8 2. lOr.palaces. k ch 


26:10, 


15; 1 Uhr. 27;2S-:J1. 1 Heb. at his hand. <■ Judg. 5:2, 9; 2Cor. 8:5. 


■nver. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

6. Lifted up; encouraged, strengthened. 

7. To leach ; teach the people the will of God. 

10. The fear of the Lord; a great dread, so that they did 
not dare to war against his servant. 

19. Fenced; fortified. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. A succession of pious rulers is a great blessing to a 
people, and opens the way for permanent peace and pros- 
perity. 

7. The teaching of the word and will of God to all the 
people, is the grand means of leading them to obey him, 
and thus securing his favor. 

10. When a man's ways please the Lord, ho maketh 
his enemies to he at peace with him ; and they who seek 
Jehovah as their chief good, will not want any good thing. 



15 And next to him^ u-as Jehohanan the captain, 
and with him two hundred and fourscore thou- 
sand. 

16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, 
who willingly oflered himself unto the Lord;' and 
with him two hundred thousand mighty men of 
valor. 

17 And of Benjamin ; Eliada a mighty man of 
valor, and with him armed men with bow and 
shield two hundred thousand. 

18 And next him was Johozabad, and with him 
a hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared 
for the war. 

19 These waited on the king, besides those whom 
the king put in the fenced cities throughout all 
Judah.'" 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

1 Jelioshaphat, joined in .affinity with Ahab, is persuaded to go with 
him against Ramoth-gilead. '4 Ahab, seduced by false prophets, ac- 
cordiiio; to the wor^ of Micaiah, is slain there. 

ATOW Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in 
X>i abundance," and joined affinity Avith Ahab." 

2 And after certain years* he went down to 
Ahab to Samaria.!" And Ahab killed sheep and 
oxen for him in abundance, and for the people 
that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up 
with him to Ramoth-gilcad. 

3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehosha- 
phat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ra- 
moth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou 
art, and my people as thy people ; and we will be 
with thee in the war. 

4 H And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Is- 
rael, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord 
to day." 

5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together 
of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them. 
Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall 
I forbear ? And they said. Go up ;'' for God will 
deliver it into the king's hand. 

6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a 
prophet of the Lord besides,* that we might in- 
quire of him? 

7 And the king of Israel said unto Jchoshaphat, 
There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of 
the Lord : but I hate him ;" for he never prophe- 



2 n ch. 17:5. o 2 Kings 8:18; 2 Cor. «:14. * Ueb. at (/i« end of years. 
p 1 Kin-rs 22:2. etc. 1 1 Sam. 23:2, 4. 9; 2 Sam. 2:1. r Jer. 23:14; 28:1, 
etc. t iieb. ijel, or more. > Psa. 34:21; 55:3; 09:14; Prov. 29:10; Amos 
5:10; Luke 6:22. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

For this chapter see notes to 1 Kings 22:1-36. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Great wealth is a source of great temptations, and 
among them is that of forming intimate connections with 
the rich and great, though they are enemies to the truth 
and will of God. 

3. When good men yield to the enticements of the wick- 
ed, and unite in their plans, without inquiring as to the 
will of God, or in opposition to it when known, they are 
preparing for trouble. 

5. False teachers are numerous; and those who reject 
the testimony of God, are suffered to be deceived by them 
to their ruin. 

7 Faithful ministers promise no good to the wicked, 
517 



lificnbh's preJklion. 



2 ( lIKdNlCI.KS Will, 



'J'/i( /i-iiiff of Israel slain. 



Fit'tl ^'ood unto mo, but always evil : tlie same is 
Mii-aiuli. tlio sou of Imlii. Ami Jcliosliapiiat said, 
Lot lint the kiliir sav so. 

8 And till' kinir of Israel called for one of his 
odicers,* and said, Fetch* quickly Mieaiali the son 
of Imla. 

y And the king of Israel and Jelioshaphat king 
of Judah sat eitlier of thciii on his throne, clothed 
in l/icir roljes, and they sal in a void place,' at the 
entering in of (lie gate of Samaria; and all the 
propliets prophesied before them. 

1(1 And Zedekiah the son of Chcnaanah had 
made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the 
Loi£D, With these thou shalt push Syria until they 
be consimicd.*" 

11 And all the jn-ophets prophesied so, saying, 
Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the 
Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 

12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah 
spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the 

firophets declare good to the king with one assent ;' 
et thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of 
theirs, and speak thou good.'' 

13 And .Micaiah said, .ds the Lord livcth, even 
what my God saith, that will I speak."^ 

14 And when he was come to the king, the king 
said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth- 
gilead to battle, or shall I forbear ? And he said. 
Go yo up, and prosper, and tliey shall be deliver- 
ed into your hand. 

15 And the king said to him. How many times 
shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the 
trnth to me in the name of the Lord? 

16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered 
upon tlie mountains, as sheep that had no shep- 
herd :'' and the Lord said. These have no master ;'' 
let them return therefore every man to his house 
in peace. 

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 
Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy 
good unto mo, but evil?'' 

18 Again he said. Therefore hear the word of 
the Lord : 1 saw the Lord sitting upon his throne,' 
and all the host of heaven standing on his right 
hand and on his left.^' 

19 And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab 
king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ra- 
moth-gilead? And one spake saying after this 
manner, and another saying after that manner. 

20 Then there came out a spirit,*" and stood be- 
fore the Lord, and said, I will entice him.' And 
the Lord said unto him. Wherewith? 



• 


Or, e 


unurAs. 


1 H 


b. Hasten 


! Or, floor 


» Heb. thoa con 


«im 


Hh 


m 




10.11. 


He 




Ik. 


Isa. 30:10: 


Mi 


. 2:8. t 




.)-> 


•IS 


W- 




1%-Jli 


24:13. 


IJe 


.2)- 


,2; Ezek. 34:5-8 


Zp 


ch.lO:2 


13-7 


e 


2S 


m 


2:7 


; 2KngslO:3 


1 Or. fo 


re.ml. 


f Isa. 0:1, 




Dan. 7 


9,10 


A 


ts7 


m 






1:10, 12 


etc. 


e a 


n.32 


2; Psa. 103 


21. 


h Jobl 


6. ■ 


Jub 12: 


10; 



and on thi.s account are often hated and rejected by them ; 
while the friends of God desire to know his will. 

12. Worldly minded men think those tlie best preachers 
who best please their hearers ; and that no message can 
be good which they dislike and reject. 

20. Satan is the father of lies, and will, if suffered, be a 
lying spirit in the mouth of all false teachers, and deceive 
those who follow them to their destruction. Gen. 2:17: 
3:4,5; John 8:44. 

27. Though men may by falsehood be deceived for a 
518 



21 And he said, I will go out and be a ^i",'!',!;: 
lying spirit in the montit of all his prophets. 
Ami thv LORD said. Thou shalt entice him, and 
thou shalt also jirevail : go out, and do even so. 

22 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a 
lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets,^ 
and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee." 

2:5 Then Zedekiah the son of (Jhenaanah came 
neai'. and smote ^Micaiah u])on the cheek,' and 
said, Wliieh way went the Spirit of the Loud 
from mo to speak unto tlieo? 

24 And Micaiah said, Rchold, thou shalt .see on 
that day when thou shalt go into an inner cham- 
ber' to hide thyself. 

25 Then the king of Israel said. Take ye Mi- 
caiah, and carry him back to Anion the governor 
of the city, and to Joa.sh the king's son; 

26 And say. Thus saith the king. Put this /l/foiw 
in the ])rison,"' and feed him with bread of afflic- 
tion and with water of affliction, until 1 return in 
peace. 

27 And I\licaiali said, If thou certainly return 
in j)eace," thin hath not the Lord spoken by me." 
And he said. Hearken, all ye people. 

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the 
king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 

21) And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 
I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; 
but put thou on thy robes. S(j the king of Israel 
disguised himself;" and they went to the battle. 

30 Now the king of Syria had conimandc4 the 
captains of the chariots that u-cre with him, saj-- 
ing. Fight ye not with small or great, save only 
with the king of Israel. 

31 And it came to pass, when the captains of 
the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is 
the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed 
about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, 
and the Lord helped him ;*• and God moved them 
to depart from him. 

32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of 
the chariots p(u-ccived that it was not the king of 
Israel, they turned buck again from pursuing* him. 

33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture,' 
and smote the king of Israel between the joints 
of the harness:^ therefore he said to his chariot 
man. Turn tVy hand, that thou mayest carry me 
out of the host; for I am Avoundcd.' 

34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit 
the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot 
against the Syrians until the even : and about the 
time of the sun going down he died. 



2 Thess. 2:11, 12. J Ui. 19:14; Ezek. 14:9. k Jer. 1S:11; Micah 2:3. 

1 Jer. 2U:2: Mark 14:65; Acts 23:2. * Or. from rhamber to chamber; Heb. 
a chamber in a chamber ; IVimp-M-.SO. ■>ich.l«:10. »Amos9:10. o Num. 
10:20. Pch.35:22,23. qPsa.34:7. fHeb.o/Ifr. tUA. in his simplicity, 

2 Sam. 15:11. 4 Heb. and between the breastplate. I Heb. made sick. 



time, the final event, as all faithful teachers know, will 
effectually undeceive them. 

31. Though good men by their own folly and wicked- 
ness may bring themselves into great trouble, yet if they 
turn heartily to God he will so order events in hia provi- 
dence that they shall escape. 

33. A bow drawn at a venture, and an arrow sent at 
random, so far as the agency of man is concerned, may be 
so guided by God as to fulfil his predictions and manifest 
to all the truth of his word. 



JdwshafhaCs pietij. 



2 CHRONICLES XX. 



The invasion of Judah. 



5?«r CHAPTER XIX. 

1 Jehoshaphat, reproved by Jehu, visiteth his kingdom. 5 His instruc- 
tions to the judges, S to the priests and Lev'ites. 

A ND Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned 
x\. to his house in peace to Jerusalem. 

2 And Jehu the son of Ilanani the seer went 
out to meet him," and said to Iving .Jehoshaphat, 
Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love tiiem 
that hate the Lord?'' therefore is wrath upon thee 
from before the Lord.'^ 

3 Nevertheless, there are good things found in 
thee," in that thou hast taken away the groves out 
of tlie land, and hast prepared thy heart to seek 
God." 

4 And Jehosliaphat dwelt at Jerusalem : and he 
went out again* through the people from I3eer- 
sheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back 
unto the Lord God of their fathers. 

5 T And he set judges in the land throughout 
all the fenced cities of Judah,' city by city, 

6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye 
do : for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord,'-' 
who is with you in the judgment. *'' 

7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be 
upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no in- 
iquity with the Lord our God,' nor respect of per- 
sons, nor taking of gifts.-' 

8 •[ Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set 
of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief 
of the fathers of Israel," for the judgment of the 
Lord, and for controversies, when they returned 
to Jerusalem. 

9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye 
do in the fear of the Lord,' faithfully, and with a 
perfect heart. 

10 And what cause soever shall come to you of 
your brethren that dwell in their cities, between 
blood and blood, between law and commandment, 
statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them 
that they trespass not against the Lord,'" and so 
wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren:" 
this do, and ye shall not trespass. 

11 And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over 
you in all matters of the Lord;" and Zebadiah 
the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Ju- 



> Ch. 16:7 


. b 


Psi. 139 


•21. c 


ch. 3-2: -25. 


d ch. l'2:l-2; 17 


4 


(1 


e ch. 


30:19; Ezra 


7:1U. 


• Heb. 


return 


d and went out. f Deu 


. lli 


IH. 


K 


Deut. 


1:17. t Hel 


. matter of jud^men 


. h Psa. 8 


2:1; Eccl. 5 




Dent 


32:4; 


Rom. 3:5, 8; 


0:U 


j Deut 


IU:17 


Job 31: 19 


Acts 10:34; 


Rom 


•? 


n 


Eph. 


6:9; 1 Pet. 1 


:W. 


k Deut. 


17:8,9 


1 2 Sam. 


•2:i:3. n.Ez 


k. 3 


18 


'■ 


Num. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

3. The groves; or, images of Astarte. 

4. He went out a<xiva through the people; the reference is 
to chap. 17:7-9, where it is related how Jehoshaphat sent 
teachers throughout his kingdom. As these teachers went 
under his direction, he may be said to have gone forth on 
this mission, whether he personally accompanied them or 
not. 

6. But for the Lord; because judges are appointed to 
administer justice in God's n;ime, and must render an ac- 
count to him of the manner in which they fulfil the duties 
of tlieir office. 

7. Giftx; bribes to pervert judgment. 

10. lietween blood and blood; where the question is who 
is guilty of shedding blood. Between law aiul command- 
ment—judgments; where the question is as to the right 
understanding or application of any of the Mosaic ordi- 
nances. 



dah, for all the king's matters : also the Levites 
shall be oflicers before you. Deal courageously,* 
and the Lord shall be with the good." 

CHAPTER XX. 

1 Jehoshaphat in his fear proclaiineth a fast. 5 His prayer. 14 The 
propliecy of Jahaziel. 2U Jehoshaphat exhorteth the people, and set- 
teth singers to praise the Lord. 22 The great overthrow of the ene- 
mies. 2G The people, having blessed God at Berachah, return in 
triumph. 31 Jelioshaphat's reign. 35 His convoy of ships, -which he 
made with Ahaziah, according to the prophecy of Eliezer, unhappily 
perished. 

IT came to pass after this also, that the children 
of Moab, and the children of Amnion, and with 
them other besides the Ammonites, came against 
Jehoshaphat to battle. 

2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, 
saying. There coineth a great multitude against 
thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria ; and 
behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar,"" which is En- 
gedi.-- 

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself^ to 
seek the Lord,^ and proclaimed a fast throughout 
all Judah.' 

4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to 
ask help of the Lord : even out of all the cities of 
Judah they came to seek the Lord. 

5 IT And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation 
of Judah and Jerusalem, in the liouic of the Lord, 
before the new court, 

6 And said, Lord God of our fathers, art not 
thou God in heaven?" and rulest not thou over 
all the kingdoms of the heathen?^' and in thy 
hand is there not power and might, so that none is 
able to withstand thee? 

7 Jirt not thou our God, icho' didst drive out 
the inhabitants of this land before thy people Is- 
rael,"' and gavest it to the seed of Abraham" thy 
friend for ever?^ 

8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a 
sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, 

9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, 
judgment, or pestilence, or famine,^ we stand be- 
fore this house, and in thy presence," (for thy 
name is in this house,'') and cry unto thee in our 
affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. 



16:40 





1 Chr 


3(i-.3( 


IHeb. Taktco 




and do. 


Pch 


15:3; 


Eccl. 


i>:!>B, 


qK^n 


H 


-7. r 


.losh. 


5-f.:> 


5 Heb. hi 


s far 




»ch. 


19:3. 


1 Ezr 


iH:-2l 


Jer. 


36:9: 


Da 


n (<-:l 


• .Inel 


:M,1. 


etc.; Jonah3:o. 




Deu 


.4:39 


■losh 


2:11 


Psa. 


ll.'i:3 




Dan 


4-17, 


:«. 


Heb. lliou 


. w 


R- 


a. 44 


2. I 


Isa. 4 


:8. yjas. 


•>:-23. 


'■ 


:h. 6: 


!t-iU. 


aM 


itt. 1>:20. 


bch 


6 


2U. 











11. Matters of the Lord; pertaining to the service of the 
Lord ; and so, " the judgment of the Lord," ver. 8. The 
king's matters; pertaining to the civil administration of the 
government under the king. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Intimate connections with the openly ungodly are dis- 
pleasing to God, and dangerous to men. 

6. Magistrates are God's ministers, and should by im- 
partial and just decisions approve themselves to him, and 
guard the riglits of all their fellow-men. 

11. True courage is essential to obedience to God; and 
none who do not regard him ujore than men, will ever be 
accepted of him. 

CHAPTER XX. 

2. Ty/e.wn; the Dead sea. £(ig-crf( ,■ on the western shore 
of the Dead sea. 

619 



T.ic aumtis ij Judak 



■JCIlKdMCI.KS XX 



destroy vne another. 



10 And now, hohold, the children of Amman 
and MoiiW and niouiil Soir, wliom thou wouldcst 
not lit IsiMil invade," when they enmc out of the 
land of Klvi'I. ''"' *^''^y tui""cd from them,'' and 
destrovfd lln'in not; 

11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to conic 
to cast us out of thy possession," which thou hast 
given us to itdii'ril. 

1'2 O our (iod, wilt thou not judge them? for 
we have no ndght against this great company that 
conictli against us; neither know we what to do: 
but our eyes are upon thee.'' 

i;} And all Judah stood before the Lord, with 
tlieir little ones, their wives, and their ciuldren. 

14 ^ Then upon Jahazici the son of Zcchariah, 
tlic son of Ueuaiali, the son of Jeiel, the son of 
JIattuniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came 
the Sjjirit of the Lord in the midst of the congre- 
gation;" 

1,5 And he said. Hearken ye, all Judah, and 
ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Je- 
hoshapluit, Thus saitli the Lord unto you, Be 
not afraid nor disinayi^d by reason of this great 
multitude ;'^ for the battle is not yours, but 
God's. 

16 To-morrow go ye down against them : be- 
hold, they come up by the cliff' of Ziz; and ye 
shall fincl them at the end of the brook,* before 
the wilderness of Jeruel. 

17 Ye sliall not 7ieed to fight in this battle: set 
yourselves, stand ye st'd','^ and see the salvation of 
the Loud with you, Judah and Jerusalem: fear 
not, nor be dismayed ; to-morrow go out against 
tiiem : for tiie LoRf) will he with you.** 

18 And Jeliosliaphat bow(!d his head with his 
face to tlie ground:' and all Judali and the inhab- 
itants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord,J worship- 
ping the Lord. 

ly And the Levites, of the children of the Ko- 
hathitcs, and of the children of the Korhites, stood 
up to praise the Lord God of Israel" with a loud 
voice on high.' 

20 "[And they rose early in the morning, and 
went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as 
they went forth, Jehosluiphat stood and said. Hear 
me, O Judah, and ye iuhabitauts of Jerusalem: 
Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be 
established ; believe his prophets, so shall ye pros- 
per."" 

21 And when he had consulted with the people, 
he appointed singers unto the Lord," and that 
should praise* the beauty of holiness," as they went 



» Dcut. •J:4,9, 19. b Num. 20:31. cpsa. 83:12. d Psa. 12:): 1, 2. ' ch. 
15:1, 2; 21:20; Num. 11:25, 26; 21:2; Isa. 65:24; Dan. 9:20. 21. f ch. 
32:7, 8; txod. 14:13, 14; Deal. 1:29, 30; 31:0, 8; Isa. 43:1, 2. ' Heb. 
ascent. MJ,, valUy. B Isa. 30:7, 15; Lam. 3:26. Ii Num. 14:9; Rom. 8:31. 
iEiod.4:31. J Job 1:20; Psa. 95:0. k Neh. 12:42, 43. 1 Psa. hi :1; 93:1, 
2. n Isi. 7:9; Heb. 11:6. n ch. 5:13. \ Keh. praism of. olChr. 16:29. 



10. Mount Seir ; a mnunt.ainous country south of the 
Dead sea, inhabited by the Edomites. 

16. Ziz; a pass at Engedi, by which the enemy would 
go up to the interior of Judah. Brook; or ravine. 

20. Tekoa ; a place south of Bethlehem, on the border of 
the desert. It lay on the route from Jerusalem to Engedi, 
and appears to have been connected with " the wilderness 
of Jeruel," ver. 16. 

22. The Lord set ambiidiments ; the nature of these am- 
520 



out before the army, and to say, Praise the ^i^r'aS; 
Lord;'' for Ids mercy cndureth for ever.'' 

22 *l And when' they began to sing and to 
jiraise,' the Lord set aiiiliiisimuMits against the 
children of Aiiimon, Moab, ami mount Heir, which 
were come against Judah ; and they weje smit- 
ten."' 

211 For the children of Aniinon and Moab stood 
up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly 
to shiy and destroy thtm:' and when they had 
made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one 
heliied to destroy another.* 

24 And when Judah came toward the watch- 
tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the 
multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen 
to tiie earth," and none escaped.* 

25 And when Jeiiosha]iliat and his people eamc 
to take away the spoil of them, they found among 
them in abundance both riches with the dead 
l)odies, and precious jewels, which they stripped 
oft' for themselves, more than they could carry 
away : and they were three days in gathering of 
the spoil, it was so mucli.' 

20 • And on the fourth day they assembled them- 
selves in the valley of Berachah;* for there they 
blessed the Loud: therefore the name of the same 
place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto 
this day. 

27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and 
Jerusalem, and Jcliosliafihat in the fore-front* of 
them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy ; for the 
Lord had made them to rejoice over their eue- 
mies." 

28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries 
and harps and trumpets unto the house of the 
Lord. 

29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms 
of those countries,^ when they had heard that the 
Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. 

30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for 
his God gave him rest round about.'" 

31 1[ And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he 
icas thirty and five years old when he began to 
reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in 
Jerusalem.'' And his mother's name was Azubali 
the daughter of Shilhi. 

32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, 
and departed not from it, doing that which was 
right in the sight of the Lord. 

33 Ilowbeit the high places were not taken 
away:-" for as yet the people had not prepared 
their hearts unto the God of their fathers.'' 



Pch. 7:3, 0. <1 Psa. 136. i Heh. in the time that. I Heb. m 
praise. 1 Ox, smote one another, p Judg. 7:22; 1 Sam. 14:20. 



Heb. for 
the destruction. 'Bxod. 14:30: 1 Chr. 5:22; Isa. 37:36. t Heb. there was 
not an escaping, Ezra 9:14. > Ezek. 39:8-10. I That is. Blessing, i Heb. 
head. " Neh. 12:43. » ch. 17:10. " ch. 15:15; Job 34:29. i 1 Kings 



22:41, 



ych. 17:6. I ch. 12:14; 19:3; Deut. 29-4. 



bushments cannot be clearly determined. Some have sup- 
posed that they consisted of bands of angels ; others, that 
through the influence of a spirit of jealousy and discord, 
one portion of the allied forces set ambushments against 
the rest; others still, that, by a delusion sent upon them 
from God, the ambushments which they had set for Judah 
fell upon their own allies. Were smitten; rather, as in the 
margin, " smote one another." 
26. Berachah; that is, blessing. 



WicJced reign of Jehoram. 



2 CHRONICLES XXI. 



The Tprojphcc7j of Elijah. 



R "s™"' 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehosha- 
phat, first and last, behold, they are written in the 
book* of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is men- 
tioned* in the book of the kings of Israel. 

35 If And after this did Jelioshaphat king of 
Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, 
who did very wickedly: 

36 And he joined himself with him to make 
ships to go to Tarshish : " and they made the ships 
in Ezion-gcber. 

37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah 
prophesied against Jelioshaphat, saying, Because 
thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord 
hath broken thy works."* And the ships were bro- 
ken, that they were not able to go to Tarsliish.'= 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1 Jehoram, succeeding Jehoshaphat, slayeth his brethren. 5 His wicked 
reign. 8 E Jom and Libnah revolt. \2 Tlie prophecy of Elijah against 
him ill writing. 16 Philistines and Arabians oppress him. 18 His 
incurable disease, infamous death, and burial. 

NOW Jelioshaphat slept with his fathers, and 
was buried with his fathers in the city of 
David.'* And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 

2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshapliat, 
Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zochariah, and Azariah, 
and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the 
sons of Jelioshaphat king of Israel. 

3 And their father gave them great gifts of sil- 
ver, and of gold, and of precious things, with 
fenced cities in Judah : but the kingdom gave ho 
to Jehoram;" because he was the first-born. 

4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the king- 
dom of his father, ho strengthened himself, and 
slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers 
also of the princes of Israel. 



• net,, words, t Yle\i. wtis made to ascend, i 1 Kings a-J: -IS, 4<J. b Josh 
7:11, \-i\ Ptov. 13:20. » ch. 9:21. i I Kings 2J:.5II. e 2 Kings 8:16, etc. 
' ch. 22:2. 1 Heb. lamp, or candle. 5 2 Sam. 7:12. 1.3; 1 Kings 11:30; 



34. Wko is mentioned; or, who is brought into; that is, 
whose writings are inserted. 

36. Skips to go to Tarshish; in 1 Kings 22:4S, it is said 
that Jehoshaphat " made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir 
for gold." The ships were made at Ezion-gcber, on the 
eastern arm of the Red sea, which was tlie port fur Ophir. 
It has been supposed that by "ships of Tarshish" are 
meant ships of a particular construction fitted for navi- 
gating the open sea, such as tliose originally emplf)yed in 
the trade with Tarsliish ; and that in process of time all 
ships of this form and size were called "ships of Tarshish," 
without regard to their destination. But in the present 
passage the ships are made " to go to Tarshish." How 
this statement is to be reconciled with that in Kings is 
not agreed. Some have assumed the existence of a sec- 
ond Tarshish in the direction of Ophir; others, that the 
fleet was expected to circumnavigate Africa, taking Ophir 
on its way, and returning by Tarshish in Spain. II is 
possible, however, that, in the days of tlie author of the 
Chronicles, "Tarshish" had come to be an indefinite term 
for remote regions that must be approached by sea. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. This is a world of trials, and none in passing through 
it can escape them ; but if they, in despair of all human 
help, look to the Lord and depend upon him, he will in 
due time appear for them and grant them relief. 

7. The past mercies of God should be remembered with 
gratitude, and may be pleaded as reasons for the continu- 
ance of his favors and for the bcstowment of future bless- 
ings. 



5 IT Jehoram was thirty and two years old when 
he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in 
Jerusalem. 

6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Is- 
rael, like as did the house of Ahab : for he had 
the daughter of Ahab to wife:*^ and he wrought 
that v'/iich was evil in the eyes of the Lokd. 

7 Ilowljoit the Loud would not destroy the 
house of David, because of the covenant that he 
had made with David, and as he promised to give 
a light* to him and to his sons for ever.''' 

8 f In his days the Edomites revolted from un- 
der the dominion'' of Judah, and made themselves 
a king. 

9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, 
and all his chariots with him : and he rose up by 
night, and smote the Edomites which compassed 
him in, and the captains of the chariots. 

10 So the Edomites revolted from under the 
hand of Judah unto this day. The same time 
also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; be- 
cause he had forsaken the Lord God of his fa- 
thers. 

11 Moreover he made high places in the moun- 
tains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Je- 
rusalem to commit fornication,'' and compelled 
Judah thereto. 

12 1 And there came a writing to him from Eli- 
jah the prophet, saying. Thus saith the Lord God 
of David thy father, because thou hast not walked 
in the ways of Jelioshaphat thy father, nor in the 
ways of Asa king of Judah, 

13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of 
Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants 
of Jerusalem to go a whoring,' like to the whore- 
doms of the house of Ahab,J and also hast slain 



2 Kings 8:19. i Heb. /ian</. h ver. 13; Lev. 20:5; Rev. 2:20-22. i Exod. 
31:13; Deut. 31:16; Jer. 3:8, 9. J 1 Kin;s 16:31-:33; 2Kings9:22. 



12. The less we depend upon ourselves or creatures, 
and the more entire our dependence is on God, the more 
certainly will help come from him. 

15. When God undertakes to fight for his people, how- 
ever numerous or powerful their foes, he will give his 
people the victory, and in such a manner as to manifest 
his own glory. 

20. Faith in God is an earnest of success, and prepares 
the soul to liail his interposition with gladness and jo}-. 

23. God can grant deliverance to his people, by leaving 
their enemies to fight against and destroy one another ; 
so that while his people stand still, they see the salvation 
of God. 

29. The fear of the Lord is the best security of his peo- 
ple, and when he gives them rest and quietness none shall 
make them afraid. 

35. Good men who unite with the wicked, dishonor God, 
injure his cause, and bring disappointment, trouble, and 
distress upon themselves. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

1. TIic city of David; the hill of Zion, chap. 5:2. 

4. Slew ail his brethren; lest they should rebel against 
his authority. 

10. Libnah; in the south-western part of Judah. 

12. A writing ; it is commonly supposed that Elijah pre- 
pared this awful message before his death by God's direc- 
tion, and left it to be communicated to .Ichonim at the 
proper time ; just as he fulfilled the command to anoint 
Jehu king over Israel and Hazael king over Syria, not in 
his own person, but by the ministry of others. 
521 



.IMoram'i wntcXtti end. 



2 ( IIIIUNICKKS XXII. 



Al/rilii/i u^uryclli the thront. 



tliy lircthron of thy fiitlier's house," whidi were 
belter thiiii thvsfll': 

14 Urhol.l. witli a t'lo.it phifruc' will the Lonn 
smile tiiy ].eople, ami thy children, uud thy wives, 
and all thv l' is: 

15 And thoii sliii'.l have preat sickness liy disease 
of thy Ixiwels," initil thy bowels fall out by reason 
of th(« sickness day by day. 

1(> ^ Moreover the Loui) stirred up against Jo- 
horam the spirit of the Philistines, and of the 
Aralii^iiis. that mrc near the Ethiopians:'-' 

17 And they cantc up into Jndaii, and brake 
into it, and carried away* all tlic substance tliat 
was fmind in the kin;^''s house, and his sons also, 
ami his wives; so that there was never a son left 
jiiui, save Jehoahaz,' the younsest of his sons. 

IS •] And after all this' the Lord smote him in 
his bowels with an incurable disease.** 

I'.l And it came to pass, that in process of time, 
after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by 
reason of his sickness : so he died of sore diseases. 
And his people made no burning for him, like the 
burning of his fathers." 

20 Thirty and two years old was he when he be- 
pjan to reijrn, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight 
years, ami departed without being desired.^'' How- 
bcit they buried him in the city of David, but not 
in the sepulclu'cs of the kings. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

1 Ahaziah succeeding rci^neth wickedly. 5 In liis confederacy with 
Joram the son of Ah^b, he is slain by Jehu. 10 Athaliah, destroying 
all the seed royal, save Joash, whom Jchoshabeath his aunt hid, usurp- 
eth till- kingdom. 

AND the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Aha- 
ziah his youngest son king in his stead :° 
for the band of men that came with the Ara- 
bians to the camp had slain all the elders. So 
Ahaziah the sou of Jehoram king of Judah 
reigned. 

2 Forty and two years old icas Ahaziah when he 
began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jeru- 
salem. Uis mother's name also icas Athaliah the 
daughter of Omri.'" 

3 He also walked in the wavs of the house of 



» Vcr. -1. •\IA. stroke, b vt-r. Is, 19. c 1 Kings 11 :14,SJ; Isa. 10:5, B. 
t Heb. mptive, cli. 'ii-.l. i Or, Ahaziah^ ch. '22;1; or, Azariah^ ch. 2d:G. 
•Iver. 15-, Aclsl-ii-it. ech.l6:14. 5 Heb. rfesire. fjer.22:18. Kch.21:17; 
T«. 0; 'JKingi 8:44, etc. h ch. 21:8. " Gen. 27:12. W; Deut. 7:9. 4; 
13:8-10; Matt. 10:37; Acts 4:19. J Prov. 12:5. k Miclh 6:16. I Heb. 



19. .Vo burning ; of sweet spices, as a mark of honor. 

20. Without being desired ; the people did not desire that 
ho should live, nor did they mourn his death. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Divine grace is not inherited; and no parent c.in know 
what will be the state of his children after he is dead. 

C. Intimate connections with the openly wicked tend to 
corrujit the heart, debase the character, and ripen the soul 
for the ven;;caiif-e of Hod. 

12. Tht; wickedness of the wicked is all known to Jeho- 
vah, and in <lue time he will punish it as it deserves. 

18. The effects of sin are often terrible in this world, and 
dreadful warnings of the misery which awaits it in the 
world to come. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

2. Forty and two; in 2 Kings 8:2C, we find " twenty and 



Aliab: for his mother was his counsellor ^"c.'eaX: 
to ilo wickedly.' 

4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the Lord 
like the lioiist; of Ahab: for they were his coun- 
sellors, after the deatii of his father, to his destruc- 
tion.^ 

.5 ^ He walked also alter their couusel,'' and went 
with Jehoram the son of Aliali king of Israel to 
war against llazael king of Syria at Kamoth-gil- 
ead: and the Syrians smote .loram. 

And he returned to be healed in Jczreel be- 
cause of the wounds which were given him' atRa- 
mali, when he fought with llazael king of Syria.' 
And Azariali' tiie son of Jehoram king of Judah 
went down to see Jehoram the sou of Ahab at Jcz- 
reel, because he was sick. 

7 And the destruction' of Ahaziah was of God 
by coming to Joram:"' for when he was come, he 
went out with Jeiioram against Jehu the son of 
Nimslii," whom the Lord had anointed to cut off 
the hou.se of Ahab. 

8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was ex- 
ecuting judgment u])oii tlie jioiise of Ahab," and 
found the princes of Judah, and tiie sons of the 
brethren of Ahaziali, that ministered to Ahaziah, 
he slew them.'' 

9 And he souglit Ahaziah :'i and they caught liim, 
for he was hid in Samaria, and brought him to 
Jehu: and when tiiey had slain him, they buried 
iiim : Because, said they, he is the son of Jeliosha- 
phat,"' who sought the Lord with all his heart." 
So tiie house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still 
the kingdom. 

10 •} But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah 
saw tiiat her son was dead, she arose and destroy- 
ed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.' 

11 But Jchoshabeath,^ the daughter of the king, 
took Joash the sou of Ahaziah, and stole him from 
among the king's sons that were slain, and ]iut 
him and his nurse in a bed-chamber. So Jeho- 
slialieatli, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife 
of Jeiioiada the priest, (for she was the sister of 
Ahaziah,) hid him from Atlialiah, so that she slew 
him not. 

12 And he was with fheiii hid in the house of God 
six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land. 



whcrewillt they wounittd liitn. 1 2 King^ i):l.'i. ^ Called Ahaziah, ver. 1; 
and Je/iofl/ms. ch. 21 : 17. ' Hfh. tTeadingtioivn. mch. 10:15; Deut. 32:35; 
Juds. 14:4; I Kings 12:15; Hos 14:9. n 2 Kings 9:21. o 2 Kings 9:6, 7. 
P 2 Kings 10:12-14. q 2 Kings 9:27. r 1 Kings 14:13. 'ch. 17:4. t 2 Kings 
11:1. etc. t Jebosheha, 2 Kings 11:2. 



two," which must be the right reading, since Jehoram his 
father was but forty years old when he died. See chapter 
21:20. 

9. He was hid in Samaria; see note to 2 Kings 9:27. 

10. Destroyed all the seed royal; that they might not dis- 
turb her in reigning over the people. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. Those parents who counsel their children to do wrong, 
are often the means of their destruction, temporal and 
eternal. 

5. Those who knowingly do wrong are not unfrequently 
given up of God to pursue such courses as involve them- 
selves and their connections in irretrievable ruin. 

10. The judgments of God upon the wicked, instead of 
being improved as a warning against sin, are sometimes 
made the occasion of greater transgressions, which bring 
down heavier divine judgments. 



Joash is made kins. 



2 CHRONICLES XXIII. 



The. worship of God revived. 



kl^- CHAPTER XXIII. 

1 Jehoiatla, having set things in order, maketh Joasli kin^. 12 Atlialiah 
is slain. 16 Jehoiada restoreth tlie worship of God. 

AND ill the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened 
himself,'' and took the captains of hundreds, 
Azariah the son of Jerohaiu, and Ishniael the son 
of Jehohauan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and 
Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the 
son of Zichri, into covenant witli him. 

2 And they went about in Judah, and gath- 
ered the Levitcs out of all the cities of Judah, 
and tiie chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came 
to Jerusalem. 

3 And all the congregation made a covenant 
■with the king in the house of God.'' And he said 
unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as 
the Lord hath said of the sous of David. "^ 

4 This is tiie thing that ye shall do : A third part 
of you entering on the sabliath,of the priests and 
of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors;* 

5 And a third part shall be at the king's house ; 
and a third part at the gate of the foundation : and 
all the people shall be in the courts of the house of 
the Lord. 

6 But let none come into the house of the Lord, 
save the priests, and they that minister of the Le- 
vites :•* they shall go in, for they are holy : but all 
the people shall keep the watch of the Lord. 

7 And the Levites shall compass the king round 
about, every man with iiis weapons in his hand; 
and whosoever else cometli into the house, he shall 
be put to death i'' but be ye with the king when he 
Cometh in, aud when he goeth out. 

8 So the Levites aud all Judah did according to 
all things that Jehoiada the priest had command- 
ed, and took every man his men that Avere to come 
in on the sabbath, witii them that were to go out 
on the sabbath : for Jehoiada the priest dismissed 
not the courses.'' 

9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the 
captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and 
shields, that had been king David's, which v;ere in 
the house of God." 

1(3 And he set all the people, every man hav- 
Inir his weapon in his hand, from the right side* 
of the temple* to the left side of the temple, along 
by the altar and the temple, by the king round 
about. 

11 Then they brought out the king's son, and 



» -i Kill 


;3ll:4, 


tr 


b 2 Sam 


. r> 


3. c ch. ai;7; 2 


Sam.- 


•19 


Ifi 


1 Kinjs 


9:5; Psa 


»S:*J. 


• H 


Bb. threshofd 


. i I Chr. 2:J:2.- 


29. 


N 


iin 


3: 10, 3!j. 


' 1 Chr. 


1. ■.>4. -Jo 


e 


J Sam ft 


7, 


t Heb. shovlder. 


tHeb 


ho 


iKp, 


h Deut. 


17:l»->li. 


! Heb. 


Ut 


Ike king 


In 


e. i I'sa. 14;5. 


■ Prov. 


11: 


10. 


k 1 Chr. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

For this chapter compare 2 Kings 11. 

3. The king's son; Joash tlie son of Ahaziah. 

14. Ranges; raiilis of guards around tlie temple. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Revolutions in liuman governments are sometimes 
needful; and those who are most distmguished by wis- 
dom, integrit}-, and influence, are the best fitted to take 
the direction of them, and to conduct them to successful 
results. 

8. Power to select rulers is with the people, and in doing 
it they should regard the word aud will of God ; selecting 



put upon him the crown, and gave him the testi- 
mony,'' and made him king. And Jehoiada and 
his sons anointed him, and said, God save the 
king.s 

12 1i Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the 
people running and praising the king, she came 
to the people into the house of the Lord : 

13 And she looked, and behold, the king stood 
at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes 
and the trumpets by the king :' and all the people 
of the land rejoiced,-* and sounded with trumpets, 
also the singers with instruments of music, and 
such as taught to sing praise.'' Then Athaliah 
rent her clothes,' and said. Treason, treason.' 

14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the 
captains of hundreds that were set over the host, 
and said unto them. Have her forth of the ranges :"" 
and whoso foUowcth her, let him be slain with the 
sword. For the priest said. Slay her not in the 
house of the Lord. 

1.5 So they laid hands on her ; and when she was 
come to the entering of the horse-gate by the king's 
house," they slew her there." 

16 ll And Jehoiada made a covenant between 
him, and between all the people, and between the 
king," that they should be the Lord's people.'' 

17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, 
and brake it down, and brake his altars and his 
images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of 
Baal before the altars.'' 

18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the 
house of the Lord by the hand of the priests the 
Levites, whom David had distributed in the house 
of the Lord, to ofler the burnt-ofi'erings of the 
Lord,^ as it is written in the law of Moses,' with 
rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordairied by''^ 
David. 

19 xVnd he set the porters at the gates of the 
house of the Lord," that none which was unclean, 
in any thing should enter in. 

20 And he took the captains of hundreds,^' and 
the nobles, aud the governors of the people, and 
all the people of the land, and brought down the 
king from the house of the Lord : and they came 
through the high gate into the king's house, and 
set the king upon the throne of the kingdom. 

21 And all the people of tiie land rejoiced :"' and 
the city was quiet, after that they had slaiu Atha- 
liah with the sword. 



25:8.7. lEocl, 9:12. tHeb. Conspirari/. m ExM. 21 : M. n N 


h. 3:28. 


Psa. 5:6; 55:23; Jas. 2:13. P Dcut. 29:1-1.5. q Dent. 20:17-19. 


r Dent. 


13:9. MChr. ch. a). 24. tNum. ch.2a. 1 Heb. 4y </ie /mnrfj o/. 


>■ 1 Chr. 


26:1. etc. » 2 Kings 11:19. w Psa. S?: 10. 11 ; Rev. 18:20; 19:1, 2 





such persons and conducting in such a manner as will 
meet his approbation. 

13. Usurpers and those who have been guilty of trea- 
son themselves, are among the first to cry out against it 
in others. But not every revolution is wrong, nor should 
theory of "Treason!" hinder those who have power, from 
placing the government in the hands of such as will use 
it for the glory of God and the good of mankind. 

18. Whatever be the form of government, and who- 
ever is called to administer it. it should be carried on in 
accordance with the revealed will of God ; and should 
protect all in their just rights, especially the right to 
worship their Maker according to the dictates of con- 
science. 

523 



TJ>c Umplc U repaired. 2 CII HO NICLES XX I V. Idolatry and dcUh of Joash. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 



1 } \>h r.ijn.'ti \rill :>!! (lie .!»)•« cf Jfhoiiuiiv. 'I Ho (pvtth order for 

X * 1,1 'JfhoiEulji'ft death and lioriornblo Liirinl. 

, ry. .Iny.lh Z.-chiiri»li tin- ton of Ji-lioiads. 

Syrmiii, and ilain by Zabad and Jvlioiabad. 

IOASli tills ^cveii years old wlicn lie began to 
ifijrii, ami lie reigned forty years in .lenisa- 
lein.* ills motiier's iiuuio also was Zibiali of Bccr- 
slielia. 

2 And Joash did that which vas right in tiic 
sight of the LoKU all the days of Jchoiada the 
priest.'' 

'.i And Jelioiada took for him two wives; and 
he liegat sons and daughters. 

4 ", .Vnd it eanic to |>ass after this, that Joasli 
was mindi'd to rejiair" the house of the Loud. 

.5 And he gatlierod together the priests and the 
Levitcs, and said to them, Go out unto the cities 
of .ludah, and gatiier of all Israel money to repair 
the h<>u.-;e of your God from year to year, and see 
that yc hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites 
hastened it not. 

(i And tiic king called for Jehoiada the chief, and 
said unto him, Why hast thou not rc(iuircd of the 
Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jeru- 
salem the collection, according to the commandment 
of Moses tlic servant of the Lord,'' and of the con- 
gregation of Lsrael. for tlie tab(;rnacle ol' witness?' 

7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, 
had broken u)) the house of God;" and also all 
the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did 
they bestow upoii Baalim.' 

8 And at the king's commandment tliey made a 
(■hcst, and set it without at the gate of the house 
of the Loud. 

9 And they made a proclamation' through Ju- 
dah and Jerusalem, to bring in to tlie Loud tiie 
collection t/iat Moses the servant of God laid upon 
Israel in the wilderness.'^ 

10 And all the princes and all tlio people re- 
joiced,'' and brought in, and cast into the chest, 
until they had made an end. 

11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the 
chest was brought unto the king's office by the 
hand of the Levitcs, and when they saw that thfre 
was much money, the king's scribe and the high- 
priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and 
took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus 
tiiey did day by day,' and gathered money in 
abundance. 

12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such 
as did the w^ork of the service of the house of the 
Loud, and hired masons and carpenters to repair 
tlie liDuso of the Lord, and also such as wrought 
iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord" 



»-iKmgilI:'Jl; 12:1, etc. b ch. 28:5; I«a. 29:13. ' Heb. renru: c Exnd. 
30:12-16. li Num 1:50; Acts 7:44. ech. 21:17. r Eiek. 16:17-10; Hos. 
2:8,13. tHcb. coiM. s ver. «. ho Cor. 9:7. i 1 Cor. IB: 2. t Heb. (/i« 
/lealing went up upon the icork. < Or, ptslits. i ch. 23; vcr. 2, 12, N. 
k I'rnv 26:y. iPro». 29:12. ■» 1 Kings 14:23. o ch. 28:13: 29:1:'; 3(!:I4- 
10; JuJs- 5:9; Hos. 5:10. 14; Zcph. l:4-<i; Eph. 5:0. o Jor. 7-2.5. 20: 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

6. T/te commandment of Mones; Exod. 30:12-1B. 

14. Continually; thejdaily Ijurnt-offering prescribed in 



the law of Moses is referred to, 
17. Made obeisance to the kinsr 
524 



rendered him homage, 



i;5 So the workmen wrought, and the ^hm'sS: 
work was perfecleip by tlieni, and they set the 
house of God in his slate, and strengtiiened it. 

14 Ami when tiiey had linisiicd it. they brought 
the rest of the money before the king and Jehoi- 
ada, whereof were made vessels for the house of 
the Loitn, even vessels to minister, and to offer* 
icithal, and s|ioons. and ve.^.sels of gold and silver. 
And they olVen'd biirnt-oiVeiings in the house of 
the Lord contiiiually all the days of Jelioiada. 

15 1i But Jelioiada wa.xeil old, and was full of 
days when he died ; a hundred and thirty years 
old was lie when he died. 

16 And they buried him in the city of David 
among the kings, because he had done good in 
Israel,' both toward God, and towanl his house. 

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the 
princes of .Judah, and made obeisance to the king." 
Then the king hearkened unto them.' 

18 And they left the house of the Lord God of 
their fathers, and served groves and idols:™ and 
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this 
their trespass." 

19 Yet ho sent prophets to them," to bring them 
again unto the Lord; and they testified against 
them: but they would not give ear.P 

20 And tiie Spirit of God came upon' Zechariah 
the son of Jchoiada the pi-ic^st, which stood above 
the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, 
Why transgress ye the commandments of the 
Lord,'' that ye cannot prosper? because ye have 
forsaken the Loud, ho hath also forsaken you." 

21 And they conspired against him," and stoned 
him w'ith stones' at the connnandineiit of the king 
in the court of the house of the Loud. 

22 Thus Joasli the king remcmljcrcd not the 
kindness which Jchoiada his father had done to 
him, but slew his son." And when he died, he 
said. The Lord look upon it, and require it.'' 

23 li And it came to pass at the end of ^ the 
year, that the host of Syria came up against him :" 
and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and de- 
stroyed all the princes of the j)eo])le from among 
the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the 
king of Damascus.* 

24 For the army of the Syrians came with a 
small company of men,'' and the Lord delivered a 
very great host into their hand,'' because they had 
forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they 
executed judgment against Joash.'' 

2.') And when they were departed from him, (for 
they left him in great diseases,) his own servants 
conspired against him for the blood of the sons of 
Jehoiada the priest," and slew him on his bed, and 
he died: and they buried him in the city of Da- 

25:4; 20:5. P Psa. 95:7. fe; Acts 7:51. 1 Hcb. ctolAerf, Judg. G:.34. q Nam. 
H:41. r ch. 15:-'. > Jcr. H:I8. t Mitt. 21:.35; 23:3.5; Acts 7:58, 59. 
" I'rov. 17:l:l. » Psa. 10:14; Jer, 51 :56; Luke 11 :51 ; 2 Tim. 4:16. 1 Heb. 
intliertvohuianof. w 2 Kings 12:17. • Heb. DnrmMcA". i Lev 26:37; 
Dent. 32::!0; I,a. :)0:17. y Lev. 26:25; Deut. 28:25, 48. » ch. 22:8; Isa. 
10:5. >ver. 21,12. 



and made entreaty unto him for the restoration of idolatry 
in Judah. 

18. Groves; or images of Astarte. 

22. Require ; that is. punish it. 

24. Executed jwlgment; thejustjudgmcnts of God against ' 
Joash for liis sins. 



Amaziah conqucrcih Edom, 



2 CHRONICLES XXV. 



and worshippr.lh Us iduh. 



K.v.:m!'' vid, but they buriod liim not in tlic sepul- 
chres of tlic kings. 

2() And tliese are they that conspired against 
iiini: Zabad' tlie sou of Sliimoatli an Aminonitess, 
and Jchozabad the son of Siiimrith* a Moabitcss. 

27 1^ Now concerning his sons, and tlie greatness 
of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing* 
of the house of God, beliold, they arc written in 
the story^ of the boolc of the Icings. And Ama- 
ziali his son reigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

1 Amaziah beginneth to reign well. 3 He executeth justice on the trai- 
tors. 5 Having hired an army of Israelites against the Edomites, at 
the word of a prophet he loseth the hundred talents, and dismisseth 
them. 11 He overthroweth the Edomites. 10, 13 The Israelites, dis- 
contented wilh their dismission, spoil as they return home. 14 Ama- 
ziah, proud of his victory, serveth the gods of Edom, and despiseth the 
admonitions of the prophet. 17 He provolceth Joash to his overthrow. 
25 His reign. 27. He is slain by conspiracy. 

AMAZIAH was twenty and five years okl 
ichen he began to reign, and lie reigned 
twenty and nine years in Jerusalem." And his 
mother's name ims Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 

2 And he did that ivhich was right in tlic sight 
of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart.'' 

3 1 Now it came to pass, wlien the kingdom was 
established to him,' that he slew his servants that 
had killed the king his father. 

4 But he slew not their children, but did as it is 
written in the law in the book of Moses," where 
the Lord commanded, saying. The fathers shall 
not die for the children, neitlier shall the children 
die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his 
own .sin.** 

5 IT Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, 
and made them captains over thousands, and cap- 
tains over hundreds, according to the houses of 
their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin : 
and he numbered them from twenty years old and 
above,'' and found tliem three hundred choice men, 



• Or, Jozachnr, 2 Kings 12:21. t 
''Ommentary. a 2 Kings 14; I, etc. b 
l:S; 4:S- iiich. conjirmed upon fiii 



Shomer. t Heb. founding, i Or, 
7t(:37; Isa. 29:13: Hos. IU:2; Jas. 
•Deut. 24:10. d Jer. 31:30; Ezek. 



27. Burdens; either burdens in the sense of heavy judg- 
ments from God, or as the same word is rendered in 
chap. 17:11, burdens of tribute impcsed on him by the 
conquerors. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. It is a great blessing for men, especially when young, 
to be surrounded with wise and pious counsellors ; and 
in following their advice they will find the ways of wis- 
dom to be ways of pleasantness and her paths to be paths 
of peace. 

4. JIany are zealous in the externals of religion who 
have no real piety; and wlio, when left to the Hattery of 
the wicked, will cast off the appearance of religion and be 
guilty of the most abominable iniquity. 

7. Wicked rulers, by their profane ti-eatment of sacred 
(hings, corrupt the hearts of the people and bring down 
u|)on them the just judgments of (iod. 

10. When rulers and those in MUtlioritj' set the example 
I'f outward respect for divine things, multitudes are ready 
to follow ; and many will give of their .substance to repair 
and decorate houses of worshiji. who will not give their 
hearts to God. 

17. When pious persons who have been instrumental in 
keeping up public worship are removed by death, sur- 
vivors who have no love for it often renounce it, and show 



able to go forth to war, that coukl handle spear 
and sliield. 

Gilo hired also a hundred thousand mighty men 
of valor out of Israel for a hundred talents of silver. 

7 But tiiere came a man of God to him, saying, 
king, let not the army of Israel go witii thee; 
for the Lord is not with Israel, to wit, with all the 
children of Ephraim. 

8 But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for tlie 
battle : God shall make thee fall before the enemy : 
for God hath power to help, and to cast down.' 

9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But 
what shall we do for the hundred talents which I 
have given to the army' of Israel? And the man 
of God answered. The Lord is able to give thee 
much more than this.*^ 

10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the 
army tliat was come to him out of Ephraim, to go 
home again:* wherefore their auger was greatly 
kindled against Judah, and they returned home in 
great anger .^ 

111 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led 
forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, 
and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand. 

12 And other ten thousand left alive did tlie chil- 
dren of Judah carry away captive, and brought 
them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down 
from the top of the rock, that they all were broken 
in pieces. 

13 IBut the soldiers of the army* which Ama- 
ziah sent back, that they should not go with him to 
battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria 
even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of 
them, and took much spoil. 

14 1 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah 
was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that 
he brought the gods of the children of Seir,'' and 
set them up to he his gods, and bowed down him- 
self before them,' and burned incense unto them. 

15 Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kin- 



. e Num. 1:3. t ch. 20:6; Psa. fi2:ll ; Eccl. 9:11. 1 Heb. band. 
.24:1; Prov. t0:22; Phil. 4:19. • lUh. to thrir place, t Heb. Aeat o/ 
. iUeh. sons of the band. lich. 28:23. i Exod. 20:3, 5j Isa. 44:19. 



by their conduct that their appearance of religion sprung 
from regard to men, not to God. 

19. Apostates who have cast off the fear of the Lord, 
are exceedingly averse to being reproved for their sins, 
and often hate, persecute, and even kiU those who reprove 
them. 

22. Though God sometimes suffers the wicked to kill 
his servants, and their punishment may be for a while 
delayed, it will, unless they repent, in due time overtake 
them. 

24. With a very small company God can easily overcome 
and desolate the counti-y of those who rebel against him. 
and show them, by their punishment, his wrath against 
their iniquity. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

2. He did tliat wliicli u-as riglit ; extcrnalij', and for a time, 
(i. He liired also n livndred titousand miglity men; to assist 
him in a war which he proposed against tJie Edomites. 

11. Children of Seir ; Edomites. 

12. Unto tlie top of the rock; the word in the original for 
rock is Scia, the same as that used in 2 Kings 14:7. Sela 
is generally considered to have been the same as Petra, 
(rock,) a celebrated city of Edom lying in ;i v:\lley sur- 
rounded by precipices of rock, from which it received its 
name. 

525 



.\ma:i:ih's tear trilh Junsh. 



2 CIIWONICLKS XXVI. 



Uzzuih succcalel/i him. 



(llodncminst Amaziiili.nml hoscnt UIl(ollilnuflropll- 
. i. wliirli >:ii.i unto him, Why Imst thou HOUjrht 
after tho goils of \\\o pniph-. which coiilil not de- j 
liver their own iK-ojih- oiil of thy hanii?" I 

16 Anil it came to pass, as he talki'il with him, 
that the kinfr said unto iiini. Art tliou made of tlio 
kinir's counsel? forliear; why phouldest tliou bo 
smitten? Then tho |iro|iliel forliare, and said, 1 
know tliaf God hath delenninod* to destroy thee, 
hecaiise tiiou iiast done this, and hast not iieark- 
oned unto my counsel.'' 

17 • Then Amaziah king of Jiidah took advice, 
jind sent to Joash, the son of Jehoaiiaz, the son of 
Jehu, king of Israel, saying. Come, let us see one 
anotlier in the face.'' 

IS And .loash king of Israel sent to Amaziah 
king of .luilah, saying. The thistle* that was in Leb- 
anon sent to tlie cedar that leas in Lebanon, say- 
ing. Give thy daughter to my ,«on to wife: and 
there passed by a wild beast* that was in Lebanon, 
and trodo down the thistle. 

li) Thou sayost, Lo, thou hast smitten tlic Edom- 
ites; and thy heart lifteth thee up to lioast: abide 
now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to f/iy 
liurt. that thou shouldest iaU.,even thou, and Judah 
with thee? 

20 But Amaziah woidd not hear ; for it came of 
God.'' that ho might deliver them into the hand of 
t 'icir enemies, because they sought after the gods of 
Edom. 

21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and 
they saw one another in the face, both ho and Ama- 
ziah king of Judah, at Beth-shemcsh, which belong- 
ct/i to Judah. 

22 And Judali was put to the wor.se'' before Is- 
rael, ami they fled every man to his tent. 

2:5 And .loash the king of Israel took Amaziah 
king of .ludali, the son of Joash, tlic son of Jehoa- 
iiaz," at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jeru- 
salem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from 
tli(! gate of Ephraim to the corner-gate,' four hun- 
dred cubits.' 

24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and 
all the vessels that were found in the house of 



• Vtr. 11, I2i Psa. Bfl;5. • Heb. counselled, b 1 Sara. -i-.-H. ' i KitiRS 
II:S, etc. 1 Or, furze-iush, or thorn, t liei>. beast of the field, d ch. 2-2:7; 
wr. IB; 1 Kings 12:15. i Heb. smitten, o ch. 21:17. I Ileb. gale of il 
Ihallooketh. fch. 20:9. e 2 Kings 14:17, etc. ^ Veb. after, h ch. 15:2. 



17. Let ii.% see one anotlier ; let us try our strength togetliiT 
in battle. On tliis whole narrative, verses 17-24, see 2 Kings 
14:8-14, and the notes upon that passage. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Many for a time do that externally which is right, 
■who have no supreme regard to God, and whose services 
for this reason are not accepted of him. 

5. When men engage in projects without asking coun- 
sel of the I^ord, they may expect them to be sources of 
trouble, if not of ruin. 

7. >fen, out of regard to their own interests merely, 
sometimes do externally as tho Lord directs, and thus 
save themselves from many of the evils which would 
otherwise come upon them. 

9. Men are often very reluctant to do what is right, on 
account of the pecuniary sacrifice it may involve; but 
whatever be the sacrifice which obedience to God may 
occasion, it is wise to make it, for God can give us much 
more than we lose for his sake. 

12. Apostasv and cruelty are often united. War tends 
526 



God with Oiied-edotn, and the treasures *k', 'S: 
of tlie king's house, the hostages also, and return- 
ed to Samaria. 

25 • And .\iiiaziah the son of Joasli king of Ju- 
dah lived afler the death id' .loash son of Jehoa- 
haz king of Israel liftcen years." 

2(1 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first 
an<l last, behold, are they not written in the book 
of the kings of .ludah and Israel? 

27 IT Nr)w after tiie time that Amaziah did turn 
away from following" the Lokd'' they made a con- 
s|)iraey' against him in Jerusalem ; and he lied to 
Lachish : but they sent to Lachisli after him, and 
slew him there. 

28 And they brouglit him upon horses, and buried 
him with his fathers in the city of Judah.' 

CHAPTEU XXVI. 

I Uzziah succeeding, antl reijcning well in the days of Zechariah, pro»- 
pereth. !15 Waxing proud, lie invadetli the priest's ofiice, and is smit^ 
ten with leprosy. 22 He ciieth, and Jotham succeedeth him. 

THEN all the people of Judah took Uzziah,' who 
was sixteen years old, and made him king in 
the room of Ids father Amaziah.' 

2 Ho built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after 
that the king slept with his fathers. 

3 Sixteen years old iras Uzziah when be began 
to reign, and he reigned lifty and two years in 
Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah 
of Jerusalem. 

4 And he did that which was right in tlie sight 
of tlie Lokd, according to all that liis father Ama- 
ziah did. 

.5 And he souglit God in the days of Zechariah.' 
who had understanding in the visions^ of God : 
and as long as he sought the Lord, God made 
hiin to prosper." 

6 And he went forth and warred against the Phil- 
istines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the 
wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built 
cities about Ashdod,' and among tho Philistines. 

7 And God helped him against the Philistines,' 
and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal,"" 
and the Meliunim. 



• Heb M 


nspired 


< coHspirney. t That is, Tlu citi, of David; 2 Kings 14:20. 


t Or, Az 


iriah. 


2 Kings 14:21, 22; 1.5:1, etc. J ch.24;2; Gen. -11:15, 38; 


Dan. 1:1 


7; 10:1. 


i Heb. seeing, k 1 Chr. 22:13. 1 Or, in the country of 


Ashdod. 


UChr 


5:20; Isa. 14:29. mch. 21:1«. 



to the production and increase of both, and is a source of 
innumerable evils to mankind. 

14. That men who know the true God and have received 
special blessings from him, should renounce his service, 
bow down to idols, and expect to be gainers by it, shows 
that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately 
wicked. 

IG. When men persevere in rejecting the counsel of 
God, it is evidence that he intends to destroy them. 

17. As a punishment for their sins, God often suffers 
the wicked, in gratification of their pride, to engage in 
projects which occasion their ruin. 

27. Turning away from the Lord is often followed by 
great troubles from men, who, though they mean not so. 
neither does their heart think so, are yet instrumental in 
executing the wrath of God upon those who rebel against 
him. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

7. Mehv.nim ; a people in Arabia. 



The leprosy of Isaiah. 



2 CHRONICLES XXVII. 



Jcth':7n's sood reisn. 



B.'c'sw'*' 8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uz- 
ziah:'' and his name spread* abroad even to the 
entering in of Egypt: for he strengthened /w'otsp//" 
exceedingly. 

9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at 
the corner-gate,'' and at the valloy-gate, and at the 
turning of the wall, and Ibrtilicd* them. 

10 Also he built towers in the desert, and dig- 
ged many wells :* for he had much cattle, both in 
the low country, and in the plains ; husbandmen 
a'so, and vine-dressers in the mountains, and in 
Carmol:^ for he loved husbandry.' 

11 Moreover Uzziah had a host of fighting men, 
that went out to war by bands, according to the 
number of their account by the hand of Joiel the 
scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of 
Hananiah, one of the king's captains. 

12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers 
of the mighty men of.valor ircre two thousand and 
six hundred. 

13 And under their hand was an army,'' three 
hundred thousand and seven thousand and five 
hundred, that made war with mighty power, to 
lielp the king against the enemy. 

li Ami Uzziah prepared for them throughout all 
the ho.^t shields, and spears, and helmets, and ha- 
bergeons, and bows, and slings, to cast stones.* 

15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented 
by cunning men, to bo on the towers and upon the 
bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. 
And his name spread* far abroad ; for he was mar- 
vellously helped, till he was strong. 

16 *1 But when he was strong,"" his heart was lifted 
up to Am destruction:'' for he transgressed against 
the Lord his God, and went into the templeof the 
Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense."" 

17 And Azariah the priest went in after him,' 
and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that 
were valiant men : 

18 And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said 
v.nto him, // appertaiiieth not unto thee, Uzziah, to 
burn incense unto the Lord,^ but to the priests the 
sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn in- 
cense:" go out of the sanctuary ;' for thou hast tres- 



aCh. 17:11. -Heb.wenJ. b ch. 25:23; Neh.3:!3, 32; Zech. 14:1(1. t Or, 
repaired. I Or, cut out many cisterns. % Or, fruitful jields. ilHeh. ground. 
T Heb. the power of an army. ' Heb. stones of slings, t Heb. went forth. 
'^ch.->J:19; Deut..S:14; 32:15. il Prov. IC: 13. e o Kings 16: 13. 13. f 1 Chr. 
0:10. s Num. 10:40; 1S:7. t Exod. 30:7, 8; Heb. 5:4. i 1 Cor. 5:5. 



14. Habergeons ; armor covering the neck and breast. 
21. Several house; one separate from all others. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

5. Those who rightly seek the Lord will not want any 
good thing, hut may expect to prosper both for this life 
and the life to come. 

7. Help from God is needful in all human undertakings, 
and those who receive it may hope to triumph over all 
their foes. 

10. Husbandry is a most healthful, honorable, and use- 
ful ciii]iloymrnt ; and one which has engaged the attention 
and tlie lalior.s of some of the wisest and best of mankind. 

14. Dependence on God, when rightly viewed, will not 
prevent the diligent use of means, or hinder one from 
making all proper efforts to accomplish his ends. 

16. When men are greatly prosjiered, unless kept lium- 
ble by divine grace they will be lifted up with pride, and 
in the gratification of it work out their ruin. 

19. Men who refuse to hearken to friendly warnings, 



passed ; neither shall it he for thine honor from the 
Lord God.J 

19 Then Uzziah was wroth,'' and Aarf a censer in 
his hand to burn incense : and while he was wroth 
with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his 
forehead before the priests in the house of the 
Lord, from beside the incense-altar.' 

20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all tlie 
priests, looked upon him, and behold, he uas lep- 
rous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from 
thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out,"' be- 
cause the Lord had smitten him. 

21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the 
day of his death," and dwelt in a several* house, 
bein^ a leper ;° for he was cut off from the house of 
the Lord : and Jotham his son was over the king's 
house, judging the people of the land. 

22 IT Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and 
last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.P 

23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers,'' and they 
buried him with his fathers in the field of the 
burial which belonged to the kings ; for they said, 
He is a leper : and Jotham his sou reigned in his 
stead. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

1 Jotham reigning well prospereth. ij He siibdueth tlie Ammonites. 
7 His reign. 9 Ahaz succeedeth him. 

JOTHAM was twenty and five years old when 
he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen 
years in Jerusalem.'" His mother's name also was 
Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. 

2 And he did that which was right in the sight 
of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah 
did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the 
Lord. And the people did yet corruptly. 

3 He built the high gate of the house of the Lord, 
and on the wall of OpheP he built much. 

4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of 
Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 

5 TT He fought also with the king of the Ammon- 
ites, and prevailed against them. And the chil- 
dren of Ammon gave him the same year a hundred 



J 1 Sim. 2:30. t ch. 23:16. 1 Num. 12:10; 2 Kings 5:27. m Esth. 6:12. 
■i2Kingsl5:5. tUeh. free, o Lev. 13:46; Nom. 5:2; 12:15; 2Kings7:.3. 
Pisa. 1:1. qlsi. 6:1. r 2 Kijlgs 15:32, etc. § Or, TAe (TO-er, ch. 33:14: 
Neh. 3:26, 27. 

and are angry at just rebukes, may expect to be visited 
with the sore judgments of heaven. 

21. Sin is a source of great calamities here, and if not 
repented of, will cause endless misery hereafter. 

CHAPTER XXVIL 

2. He entered not into the temple; as Uzziah rashly did to 
burn incense. Chap. 26:16. 

3. Ophel ; a ridge on the eastern side of Jerusalem run- 
ning in a southern direction from Moriah, and terminating 
at the junction of the valley of Hinuom with the valley of 
Jehoshaphat. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Men who imitate the virtues and avoid the vices of 
those who have gone before them, may expect the bless- 
ing of God. 

6. Those who in all their ways acknowledge God, and 
whatever they do, do it heartily from love to his name 
and service, will rise to groat eminence in spiritual life, 
be blessed in death, and glorious to eternity. 
527 



Hril rtign of Ahti:. 



L'CIIMOMCLES XXVill. 



Captins for Jiuhh re tared. 



Uileiil.s of silver, ami t«'ii lliniisiiKi nifiisiin's of 
wlioal, anil ten thoii.-and of liaili'v. So' iiiucli did 
llio cliildrcn of Amnion pay unto liiin, Lotli the 
."iiH-ond yt'ar, and tlu' third. 

6 So Jothain licranif niijjhty," because lie pre- 
imicd' his ways before the Loitl) his God.'' 

7 * Now the rest of the acts of .Jothani, and all 
his wars, and hi.s ways, io, tliey are written in the 
liook of the Jvinirs of Israel and .ludah. 

S He was five and twenty years ohl wlien he 
bepan to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jeru- 
salem. 

;> * .\nd Jothain slept with liis fathers, and they 
liiiiii'il him in tlie city of David : and Aliaz his son 
roigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 Ahiz reining very wickedly is greatly alTlicted by the Syrians. C 
.rud.-ih being made captive by the Ismelitus, is sent home by the counsel 
of Oded tlie prophet. IG Ahaz sending for aid to Assyria is not helped 
ihcrebv. 22 In his distress he groweth more idolatrous. 2G He dy- 
ing, liezekiah succeedelh him. 

AHAZ was twenty years old when he beiran to 
reign, and he reigned si.xteen years in Jeru- 
salem :" but he did not that which was right in the 
sight of the Loud, like David his father: 

2 For he wallccd in the ways of tlie kings of Is- 
rael, and made also molten images'' for Baalim. '^ 

'd Moreover he burnt incense' in the valley of the 
son of IIinnom,'^and burnt his children in the lire," 
after the abominations of the licathcu whom the 
IjORI) had cast out before the children of Israel. 

4 IIo sacrificed also and burnt incense in the 
high places, and on the hills, and under every green 
tree. 

5 Wherefore tlie Loud his God delivered him 
into the hand of the king of Syria;'' and they 
smote him, and carried away a great multitude of 
tliein captives, and brought them to Damascus.^ 
And he was also delivered into the hand of the 
king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaugh- 
ter. 

6 For Pckah the son of Remaliali slew in Judah 
a hundred and twenty thousand in one day,' which 
were all valiant men;' because they had for.saken 
the Loiii) God of their fathers.^ 

7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew 
Maasciah the king's son, and Azrikam the gover- 
nor of the house, and Elkanah that was next^ to 
tlic king. 

8 l^And the children of Israel carried away 
captive of their brethren two hundred thousand," 

• Hfh. This. »ch. 20:5. 1 Or, eslaitished. b ch. 19:3. c -2 Kings 16i2, 
'tc. "lEiod.IU;!?; Lev. 19:4. » Judg. 2:11; Hos. a;^, 17. I Or, o/Tercrf 
MUTlfiee. l2KinEs23:10. s ch. 33:0; Uv. 18:21 ; Psa. 106::)7; Jer. :i-2:35; 
Kr.ek. lfi:20, 21; Micah 0:7. h I<a. 7:1. ! Heb. BaTTtlesek. > 2 Kings 
1.1:27. I Heb. .tons of valor, i Deut. 31:16, 17; Jojh. 21:20; Isa. 1:2S; 
Jer.I5:0. 1 Heb. Ilit second. kch.ll:4. I Gen. 4:10; Ezra9:6:Psa. 69:20; 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

;;. Valley of the son of Uinnom ; a valley commencing on 
the western side of Jerusalem, sweeping round it to the 
.south, and so entering the valley of Jehoshaphat, which 
runs on the eastern side. 

5. The kinp; of Syria : who was confederate with Pekah 

king of Israel. 2 Kings 16:.^; Isa. 7:1, 2. Of the three 

ilifferent accounts which we have of this war — 2 Kings 

in: 5-9, Is.i. 7:l-!i. and the present passage — no one con- 

528 



women, sons, ami daughters, and took also *ii"-.'?I?: 
away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil 
to Samaria. 

9 Hut a projihct of the Lord was there, whose 
name u-as Oded : and he went out before the host 
that came to Samaria, and said unto them. Behold, 
because tlie Louu God of your fathers was wroth 
with Judah, he hath delivered them into your 
hand, and ye have slain them in a rage //<«/ reach- 
eth u]) unto heaven.' 

10 And now ye purpose to keep under the chil- 
dren of Judah and Jerusalem for liondmen and 
bondwomen unto you:'" but are there not with 
you, even with you, sins against the Lord your 
God?" 

1 1 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the 
cajitivcs again," which ye have taken captive of 
your brethren : for the fierce wrath of the Loiti) 
is upon you.'' 

12 Then certain of the heads of the children of 
Ephraim, Azariali the son of Jolianan, Berechiah 
the son of Jlcshillemoth, and Jehiskiah the son 
of Shalluin, and Amasa the son of Iladlai, stood 
up against them that came from the war, 

13 And said unto them. Ye shall not bring in 
the captives hither: for whereas we have offended 
against the Loud already, ye intend to add more 
to our sins and to our trespass : for our trespass 
is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 

14 So the armed men left the captives and the 
spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 

1.5 And the men which were expressed by name 
rose up,"" and took the captives, and with the spoil 
clothed all that were naked among them, and ar- 
rayed them, and shod them, and gave them to cat 
and to drink,'' and anointed them, and carried all 
the feeble of them upon asses," and brought tlieiii 
to Jericho, the city of palm-trees,' to their breth- 
ren : then they returned to Samaria. 

IG 11 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the 
kings of Assyria to help him." 

17 For again the Edomites had come and smit- 
ten Judah,^' and carried away captives.* 

18 The Philistines also had invaded the citiea 
of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and 
had taken Beth-shemesh, and Aijalon, and Gede- 
roth, and Soco with the villages thereof, and Tim- 
nah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the 
villages thereof:"' and they dwelt there. 

19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of 
Ahaz king of Israel ;'' for he made Judah nakcd,^ 
and transgressed sore against the Lord. 



Isa. 10:5-7; 47:8; Jer. 50:17, 13: Ezek. 25:12-17; 26:2, 3: ObaJ. 10, etc.; 
Zech. 1:15; Rev. 18:5. m Lev.'25:39, etc. " Jer. 25:29: Matt. 7:2-J 
Isa. . 18:6; .Ter. 31:14. p Jas. 2:1.3. q ver. 12. r 3 Kirgs 6:22; Prov. 
2.5:21,22; Luke 6:27, 35. sRom.l5:l. I Deut. 34:3; Judg. 1: 16. ''2Kings 
16:7. V Obad. 10. 13. 14. • Heb. a eaptivUy. " Ezek. 10:27, 57. « Psd. 
100:4:). y Exod. 32:2.3; Rev. 3:17, IS; 16:15. 



tains a full history of all the events that took place. Each 
writer gives those incidents which he was guided by the 
divine Spirit to record, and the order in which they hap- 
pened cannot be certainly determined. It is probable, 
however, that the great slaughter recorded in verse 6 of 
this chapter took place before the attempt to besiege 
Jerusalem mentioned in Kings and Isaiah. 

18. Cities of the low country; towns of Judah lying in the 
eastern part of the plain that borders on the Mediterranean. 

10. yalcerl ; weak and defenceless. 



Idolatry and death of Akaz. 



2 CHRONICLES XXIX. 



Ilczeldah restureih rdision. 



B. c:\v& 20 And Tilgatli-pilneser king of Assyria 
camo unto him, and distressed liim,* but strength- 
ened him not. 

21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the 
house of the Lord, and out of tlie house of the 
king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king 
of Assyria : but he helped him not. 

22 1' And in the time of liis distress did he tres- 
pass yet more against the Lord : this is that king 
Ahaz. 

23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus," 
which smote him : and he said. Because tlie gods 
of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I 
sacrifice to them, that they may help me.'' But 
they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel." 

24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of 
tlie house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of 
the house of God, and shut up the doors of the 
house of the Lord,* and he made him altars in 
every corner of Jerusalem. 

25 And in every several city of Judah he made 
high places to burn* incense unto other gods," and 
provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers. 

26 1 Now the rest of his acts and of all his 
ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the 
book of the kings of Judali and Israel. 

27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they 
buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem ; but they 
brought him not into the sepidchresof the kings of 
Israel : and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

1 Hezekiah's good reign. 3 He restoreth religion. 5 He exhorteth the 
Levites. \2 They sanctify themselves, and cleanse the house of Ciod. 
20 Hezekiah otTereth solemn sacrifices, wherein the Levites were more 
forward than the priests. 

HEZEKIAH began to reign when he was five 
and twenty years old, and he reigned nine 
and twenty years in Jerusalem.' And his mother's 
name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.*^ 

2 And he did that which was right in the sight 
of the Lord, according to all that David his father 
had done. 

3 IT He in the first year of his reign,*" in the first 
month, opened the doors of the house of the Lord,' 
and repaired them. 

4 And he brought in the priests and the Le- 



vites, and gathered them together into the east 
street, 

5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanc- 
tify now yourselves,^ and sanctify the house of the 
Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the 
filthiness out of tlie holy place.^ 

6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that 
ichich u-as evil in the eyes of the Lord our God,' 
and have forsaken him, and have turned away 
their faces from the habitation of tlic Lord," and 
turned their backs.* 

7 Also they have shut u]> tlio doors of the porch," 
and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense 
nor offered bunit-offerings in the holy place unto 
the God of Israel. 

8 Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was upon 
Judah and Jerusalem," and he hath delivered them 
to trouble,^ to astonishment, and to hissing,'' as ye 
see with your eyes. 

9 For, lo, our "fathers have fallen by the sword,"! 
and our sons and our daughters and our wives are 
in captivity for this. 

10 Now it is in my heart to make a covenant 
with the Lord God of Israel,'' that his fierce wrath 
may turn away from us. 

1 1 My sons, be not now negligent : ' for the Lord 
hath chosen you to stand before him,'' to serve him, 
and that ye should minister unto him, and burn 
incense.^ 

12 IThen the Levites arose, Mahath the son of 
Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons 
of the Kohathites:' and of the sons of Merari : 
Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Je- 
halelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of 
Ziinmah, and Eden the son of Joah : 

13 And of the sons of Elizaphan ; Shimri, and 
Jeiel : and of the sons of Asaph ; Zechariah, and 
Mattaniah : 

14 AndofthesonsofHeman; Jchicl.and Phimei: 
and of tlie sons of Jeduthun ; Shcniaiah, and UzzieL 

15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanc- 
tified themselves," and came, according to the com- 
mandment of the king, by the words' of the Lord, 
to cleanse the house of the Lord.'' 

16 And the priests went into the inner part of 
the house of the Lord, to cleanse it, and brought 
out all the uncleanness that they found in the tem- 



a 2 Kings 15:i!9; 16:7-9. • Heb. Barme.wi. b Jer. 10:.5; 44; 17-4S. « Isa. 
1:23; Hos. 13:9. d ch. 29:.3, 7. 1 Or, offer, e Jer. 11:1.3. 'a Kings 18:1, 
etc. s ch. 26:5. h Psa. 101:3; Gal. 1:16. i ver. 7. j ch 33:0; 1 Chr. 
15:12. k Ezek. 8:3, 9, etc. I Neh. 9:10. m Jer. 2:27; Ezek. 8: 16. 1 Heb. 
gictn the luek. n ch. 28:24; ver. 3; Mai. 1:10. o oh. 24:18. § Heb. coin- 



20. Distressed him; by the heavy tribute which he ex- 
acted of him. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. The frequency with which God's ancient people for- 
sook hira and imitated the lieathen. showed tliat tliey did 
not like to retain him in their knowledge, and were there- 
fore often given up to their own hearts' lusts, to work all 
uncleanness with greediness. 

5. When rulers and people imitate the heathen in their 
practices, they may expect the heathen to become instru- 
ments of their jiunishment, and executioners of divine 
vengeance upon them for their sins. 

16. Xo application to the wicked and no dependence on 
creatures will help those who have God for their enemy, or 
deliver them from the effects of his wrath against their sins. 

22. Distresses which come upon men on accovmt of their 
34 



modon, Deut. 2S:25. P 1 Kings 9:8; Jer. 1-<:15, 10; 25:9, 1*. 1 ch. a-i:5, 
8, etc.; Lam. 5:7. r ch. 15:12. I Or, deceived. • Num. 3:0. 7; 18:2-6. 
H Or, offer sacrifice. ' JInm 4:2, etc. u ver. 5. • Or, in. tke business. 
» 1 Chr. 23:28. 



sins, instead of leading them to repentance, wiU, if they 
are left to themselves, lead them to trespass more and 
more, till they being often reproved, and hardening their 
hearts, are suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

5. Sanctify now yourselves; they sanctified themselves 
and the temple by performing the purifications and clcans- 
ings required by the law of Moses, all which represented 
tliat inward purity of heart without which no ontn'ard 
worship or service is acceptable to God. 

6. T/ie habitation of the Lord; the temple, where the Lord 
manifested his presence. 

16. The brook Kidron; a deep valley on the east of Jeru- 
salem, through which, as in the case of many other valleys 
of Palestine, water flows only in the rainy season. 
529 



llfztkiah offerrtk 



2 CHRONICLES XXX. 



soUmn sacrifii-fs. 



tie of the Loud into (ho court of the liotisc of tlic 
.<»iin.* Ami thf Li'viios took it, to carry it out 
nliroiid into the l)rook Kiilron. 

17 Now tlii'v lifpiii on the first day of the first 
niontli to .siiiiiiry, mul on tlie cij^lith day of the 
niontli came they to the porch of tlie Loud:'' so 
tlicy sanctified "tlie house of the Lokd in eight 
davs; and in tiie sixteenth day of the iirst mouth 
tliey made an end. 

IS Then they wont in to Hezckiali tlie king, and 
gaid, We have' cleansed all the house of the Lord, 
and the altar of buriit-offering, with afll the vessels 
tliereof, and the show-bread table, with all the ves- 
sels thereof. 

19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in 
his reign did cast away in his transgression,'" have 
we prepared and sanctified, and behold, they are 
before the altar of the Loud. 

20 ?[ Then Ilczckiah the king rose early, and 
gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the 
house of the Loud. 

21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven 
rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a 
sin-offering for tlie kingdom, and for the sanctuary, 
and for Judah.'' And he commanded the priests 
the sons of Aaron to offer tliem on the altar of the 
Lord. 

22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests 
received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar f 
likewise, when they had killed the rams, they 
sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed 
also the lambs, and they sprinkled tlic blood upon 
the altar. 

23 And they brought forth* the he-goatsybr the 
sin-offering before the king and the congregation ; 
.and they laid their hands upon them: 

24 And the priests killed tlicni, and they made 
reconciliation with tiicir blood upon the altar, to 
make an atonement for all Israel : for the king 
commanded that tiie burnt-offering and the sin- 
offoring should be made for all Israel. 

2o And he set the Levites in the house of the 
Lord with cymbals, with psalteries, and with 
harps, according to the commandment of David,' 
and of Gad the king's seer,"^ and Nathan the 
prophet: for so was the commandment of the Lord 
by' his prophets."* 

2G And the Levites stood with the instruments 
of David,' and the priests with the trumpets.-' 

27 And Hezckiali commanded to offer the burnt- 
offering upon the altar. And when* the burnt- 
offering began, the song of the Lord began also 



• Matt. ai:ia, 13. blKingse:3. c ch. 28:31. d Lev. J:3, 14. « Lev. 
e-.H, etc.; Heb. 0:21. • Heb. near. » ch. 8:14 ; 1 Chr. 16:4; 23:5; 25:1, 
«tc. S aSim. 21:11. 1 n<>b. by the hand of. h oh. 3U:12. i 1 Chr. 23:5; 
P»a. 8T:7; 150:-!-5; Isa. .3-J:20. J 1 Chr. 16:6. 1 Heb. in the lime, k ch. 
23: IS; Pia. 137:3, 4. i Beb. haTidi of instruments. I Heb. Jonjr. T Heb. 



17. Bep;an — to sanctify; they began apparently with the 
courts of the temple, and came to the temple proper on the 
eij^hth day, occupying eight days more in cleansing it. 
Tiie first month; Kisan, part of >[arch and April. 
IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

3. In entering on a new eituiition, it is of great impor- 
tance to begin right ; for the first actions may have a lead- 
ing influence upon all which follow. 

5. Ministers of religion must themselves be holy, to be 
instrumental of promoting holiness in others. 
530 



with the trumpets,'' and with the instru- *ii"o.'?i5: 
incuts^ nrduimd by David king of Israel. 

28 And all tiic congregation worshipped, and 
the singers' sang, and tiie truiii|)cters sounded: 
and all this contintud until the burnt-offering was 
finished. 

2'J -Viid wiii'n they had made an end of offering, 
tlie king and all that were present^ with liini 
bowed themselves,' and worshipped. 

?A) Moreover Ilezekiah the king and the princes 
commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the 
Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the 
seer. And tliey sang praises with gladness,'" and 
they bowed their iicads and wor.-^hipped." 

31 Then Ilezekiah answered and said. Now ye 
have consecrated yourselves* unto the Lord, come 
near and bring sacrifices and tiiank-ofl'erings into 
the house of the Lord." And tiie congregation 
brought in sacrifices and thank-offerings; and as 
many as were of a free heart, burnt-offerings. 

32 And the number of the burnt-offerings, which 
the congregation brought, was threescore and ten 
bullocks, a hundred rams, a7id two hundred lambs : 
all these icere for a burnt-offering to the Lord. 

33 And the consecrated things were six hundred 
oxen and three thousand sheep. 

34 But the priests were too few, so that they 
coulil not flay all the burnt-offerings: wherefore 
their brethren the Levites did hclp^ them,'' till 
the work was ended, and until the other priesta 
had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were 
more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than 
the priests.'' 

35 And also the burnt-offerings irere in abun- 
dance, with the fat of the peace-offerings,'' and 
the drink-offerings for every burnt-offering.' So 
the service of the house of the Lord was set in 
order. 

36 And Hezekiah rejoiced,' and all the people, 
that God had prepared the people:" for the thing 
was done suddenly. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

1 Hezekiah proclainieth a solemn passover on the second month for Ju- 
dah and Israel. 1.3 The assembly, having destroyed the altars of 
idolatry, keep the feast fourteen days. 27 The priests and Levites 
bless the people. 

AND Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, 
and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Ma- 
nasseli, that they should come to the house of the 
Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the 
Lord God of Israel. 



fo, 


nd. 1 ch. 


20:18 


Psa 


72:1 


1. n 


P8 


a. 


100:2. 


■> I'Si 


05:6 


• Or 


filled 




r hand, ch 


13:0. 


o|„ 


V 7 


12. 


IHeb 


strengthened. 


Pch 


.35:11. 


Ich. 


3(1; 3; Psa. 26 


6; 94 


15 r 


Lev 


3-1h 




N 


im. 15 


5-1 U. 


K?;ra 


6:22. 


u I'sa. 


10 


17; Prov. 


16:1. 























8. All troubles are the consequences of sin, and should 
lead men to repentance and to newness of life. 

15. In reformations, ministers of the gospel and civil 
rulers should take the lead, go before the people in every 
good work, and set examples which all may safely and 
usefully follow. 

25. Hearty turning unto the Lord is a source of gladness 
and joy ; and as it comes from God, and is the fruit of his 
Spirit, it should be acknowledged with adoring gratitude 
and praise. 



The passover proclaimed, 



2 CHRONICLES XXX. 



and observed with joy. 



B.' r-'l'' 2 For the king had taken counsel, and his 
princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to 
keep the })assover in the second month. ^ 

3 For tliey could not keep it at that time,'' be- 
cause the priests had not sanctified themselves 
sufficiently," neither had the people gathered them- 
selves together to Jerusalem. 

4 And the thing pleased' the king and all the 
congregation. 

5 8o they establislied a decree to make procla- 
mation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even 
to Dan, that they should come to keep the pass- 
over unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem : 
for they had not done it of a long time in such sort 
as it was written."* 

6 So tiie posts went with the letters from* the 
king and his princes throughout all Israel and 
Judah, and according to the commandment of tlie 
king, saying. Ye children of Israel, turn again 
uuto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Isra- 
el,'' and he will return to the remnant of you,'' 
that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of 
Assyria. 

7 And be not ye like your fathers,'^ and like 
your brethren, which trespassed against the Lokd 
God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up 
to desolation,'' as ye see. 

8 Now be ye not stiff-necked,*' as your fathers 
were, but yield yourselves^ unto the Lord,^ and 
enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sancti- 
fied for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that 
the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from 
you.* 

9 For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your 
brethren and your children shall Jind compassion 
before them that lead them captive,' so that they 
shall come again into this land : for the Lord your 
God is gracious and merciful,'" and will not turn 
away his face from you, if ye return unto him." 

10 So the posts passed from city to city, through 
the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even unto 
Zcbulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and 
mocked them." 



•Num. 9 


in 


U. l>Exod. 


12:0 


18. t ch. ao::!i 


• Heb. u 


as righ 


in 


the 


eyes of. d 


)« 


t. 12:32; I Cor. 1 


:2. t Heb. /row 


I the hand c 


f. e.I. 


r.i 


■1 ; 


Lam. 5:21; 


Jo 


Bl2:13, 14. f 


Isa 


6:13. S Ezek. 


20: 13. elc. 


Heb. 3 


:7- 


11 


i ch. -29; 8. 


I 


Heb. harden 


not 


your necks, i Deut. 10:16 


Rom. 


10 


21. 


8 Heb. give 


the hand; 1 Chr 


29 


24; Ezra 10:19. 


J Rom. 


13-19. 


k 


ch. 



CHAPTER XXX. 

2. To keep tlie passover in the second month; in accordance 
with the provision of the law, Num. 9:10, 11. 

5. As it was written; written and required in tlie law of 
Moses. 

6. Kings of Assyria ; Pul and Tiglath-pileser. Hezekiah 
came to the throne in the reign of Iloshea the last king of 
Israel, 2 Kings 18:1, when the Assyrians had already wast- 
ed the kingdom of Israel and carried captive many of its 
inhabitants, and were preparing to make its overthrow 
complete. 

U. The altars; idolatrous altars which they had caused 
to be erected. 

15. Were ashamed; to see the people go before them in 
the good work of reformation. 

17. Not sanctified; by the performance of those ceremo- 
nies which were required by the law of Moses. 

20. Healed tlie people ; pardoned and accepted them, be- 
cause they were sincere in his service, notwithstanding 
their ceremonial uncleanness. 



11 Nevertheless, divers of Ashcr and Manasseh 
and of Zebulun humbled themselves," and came to 
Jerusalem. 

12 Also ill Judali the hand of God was to give 
them one licart to do tlie commandment of the 
king and of the [irinces,'' by the word of the Lord."' 

13 T^ And there assembled at Jeru.salem niucii 
people to keep the feast of unleavened bread iu 
the second month, a very great congregation.' 

14 And they arose and took away the altars 
that icere in Jerusalem,' and all the altars for in- 
cense took they away, and cast them into the brook 
Kidron. 

15 Tiicn they killed the passover on the four- 
teenth day of the second mouth : and the priests 
and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified them- 
.selvcs," and brought in the burnt-oflferings into the 
house of the Lord. 

16 And they stood in their place" after their 
manner, according to the law of Moses tlie man 
of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which 
they received of the hand of the Levites. 

17 For there iccre many in the congregation that 
were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the 
charge of the killing of the passovers for every 
one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the 
Lord. 

18 For a multitude of the people, even many of 
Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun," 
had not cleansed themselves,'"' yet did they eat the 
passover otherwise than it was written. But Hez- 
ekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord 
pardon every one 

19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the 
Lord God of his fathers," though he be not cleansed 
according to the purification of the sanctuary. 

20 And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and 
healed the people.^ 

21 And the children of Israel that were present^ 
at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread 
seven days with great gladness : and the Levites 
and the priests praised the Lord day by day, sing- 
ing; with loud instruments" unto the Lord. 



29:10. 1 Psa. 10Ik4I). m Exod. 34:6; Neh. 9:17. 31; Psa. 111:4; Jonah 
4:2. nProv. 2^:13; Isa. 55:7. och. 30:16. P ch. 11: 10; ver. 18. 21. q Jer. 
21:7; Ezek. 36:26; Phil. 2!l3 rch.29:25. >Psi.84;7. irh. 28:24. u ch. 
29:34. i)ieh. standing. » ver. 11. " Num. 9:10, etc. xch. 19:3. T Jas. 
5:15. IHeb. /ound. ' l^eh. instruments of strength. 



IXSTRUCTIOXS. 

1. The true friends of God are exceedingly desirous that 
all, brethren and strangers, friends and foes, should unite 
in worshipping him and attending, according to his require- 
ments, on his ordinances. 

6. If those who are suffering for their sins heartily for- 
sake them and turn unto the Lord, he will have mercy upon 
them, turn from the fierceness of his anger, and do them 
good according to the riches of his grace. 

1.0. When the offers of mercy are made to men, some 
treat them with scorn and contempt ; others who feel their 
need of mercy, joyfully accept them, humble themselves 
before God, and devote their bodies and souls to his 
service. 

18. The proper preparation of the heart is more impor- 
tant in the sight of God, when attending on his ordinances, 
than any mere outward observance ; and inability to attenil 
on what is external, should not lead to the neglect of the 
heart. 

22. They who attend on ordinances sincerely and are 
531 



Zeal of tht pfitplf 



'-'<'IIi:n\lCLES X.\X[. 



against idolatry. 



'22 And Iliv.ckiali spako coiiiforlalily iiiilo all' 
till- Levitcs that laiiL'lit tlie piod kiiowJiMlfre of 
tiio LoiM':" ami lli<'_v diil cat tlirouirjidut the feast 
^^L•vl'll days, olloriuir jicaei'-olTcriiiirs, and making 
confostiioii to the Lmtn Godof (licir fatiit-rs.'' 

23 And liie whole usscni My took counsel to keep 
other seven days : and they kept other seven days 
with trl!>di>''''s. 

:;i For llezekiah king of Judah did give* to the 
congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thou- 
sand sheep; and the princes gave to the congre- 
gation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep : 
anda groat number of priests sanctified themselves. 

'2'i And all the congregation of Judah, with the 
priests and the Levites, and all the congregation 
that came out of Israel, and the strangers that 
came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in 
Judah, rejoiced. 

2G So there was great joy in Jerusalem : for since 
the time of Solomon the son of David king of Is- 
rael there was not the like in Jerusalem. 

27 f Then the priests the Levites arose and 
lilessed the people: and their voice was heard, 
and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling- 
place,* even unto heaven. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

1 The people is for«-ard in Jestroviug iilolatry. 2 Hezekiah ordereth 
the courses of the priests anJ Levites, and providelh for (heir work and 
maintenance. 5 The people's forwardness in offerings and tithes. 1 1 
Hezekiah appointeth officers to dispose of the tithes. 20 The sin- 
cerity of Hezekiah. 

NOW when all this was finished, all Israel that 
were present ^ went out to the cities of Ju- 
dah, and brak(i the images' in pieces, and cut 
down the groves,*^ and threw down the high places 
and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in 
Ephraim also and Manassch,'' until they had utter- 
ly destroyed them all."' Then all the children of 
Israel returned, every man to his possession, into 
their own cities. 

2 T And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the 
pri(;sts and the JjCvites after tiieir courses,'' every 
inau according to his service, tlie priests and Le- 
vites for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, 
to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in 
the gates of the tents of the Lord.'' 

3 He appointed also the king's portion of his sub- 
stance for the burnt-ofterings, /o wit, for the morn- 
ing and evening burnt-oii'crings, and the burnt- 
oftcrings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, 
and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law 
of the Lord." 



' \U\>.lolht hmTlofnll,U3..W:-2. a Deut. Miin. bEzralO:!!. t Heb. 
Iffltdup.oTofftrt.t. I ne\>. the habitation of his holinfss; Psa.OSiS. 1 Heb. 
found. I Heb statues, c 3 Kinffs ls:4. i ch. 311:11. 5 Heb. to mala an 
end. « IChr. a3:(i; •>4;l,etc. f 1 Chr. S3:30. B jNuin. ch. 23. 29. h .Num. 
l»:ti, etc.; Neh. l:i:IO-l:!. i Mai. 2:7: 1 Cnr. 9:9-11; Gal '6:6. • Heb. 



accepted of God, nevertheless need further instruction as 
to liis character and will ; and minifiters should continue 
to give such instruction, that their hearers may understand 
the whole will of God. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

1. In Ephraim also and Manas^eh ; in the weak and ruin- 
ous condition of the kingdom of Israel, the patrons of idol- 
atry were able to oppose no effectual resistance to the 
destruction of their images and high places. 
532 



•1 Moreover he commanded the people *ii"'fS 
that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the jHution of the 
jiricsts and the Levilc.s.'' that they might bu en- 
couraged in the law of the Lord.' 

5 1i And as .<oon as the commandment came 
abroad,* the children of Israel brought in abun- 
dance the first-fruits of corn, wine, and oil, and 
honey,* and of all the increase of the field ;J and 
the tithe of all M/zj^r.v brought they in abundantly. 

6 And concerning the children of Israel and Ju- 
dah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also 
brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep," ai'id the 
tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto 
the Lord tiieir God, and laid them by heaps.' 

7 In tlic third month tiiey began to lay the foun- 
dation of the heaps, and finished them in the 
seventh month.' 

8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and 
saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord,"' and his 
people Israel. 

9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the i)ricsts 
and the fievitos concerning the heajjs. 

II) And Azariah the chief priest of the house of 
Zadok answered him, and said, Hince the people he- 
gan to bring the oficrings into the house of the 
Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left 
plenty : " for the Lord hath blessed his people ; 
and that which is left is this great store. 

11 'i Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare 
chambers^ in the house of the Lord; and they 
prepared them, 

12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes 
and the dedicated things faitiifuUy :" over which 
Cononiali the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his 
brother was the next. 

13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Naliath, and 
Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel,and 
Ismachiah, and Mahatli, and Benaiah, were over- 
seers under ' the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his 
brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the 
king, and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 

14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the 
porter toward the east, was over the freewill-oiier- 
iugs of God, to distribute the oblations of the 
L()RD,P and the most holy things. 

15 And next him' were Eden, and Miniamin, 
and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Sheca- 
niah, in the cities of the priests," in their set ofBce,* 
to give to tiieir lirethren by courses, as well to the 
great as to the small : 

16 Besides their genealogy of males, from three 
years old and upward, n^cn unto every one that en- 



braki 


forth. 


t Or. dates 


J Exod. 2 


l-.'X). k 


Lev. 27:30 


Deut. 14:20. 


IHob. 


heap 


, heaps. 1 Lev. 2 


:in. 


etc. 


m 1 Cbr 


. 29:14 


K 


ra 7:27; 


2 Cor 


f:l6; 


Phil. 


4:10, 


9. Mai. 


1:10 


S 




ousts. 


2 


Kings IV 


:1.5. 


1 Heb. 


9:22 


P Neh 


13:13. 1 Heb. 


at his 


hand. 


q Josh. 


21 


9. • Or 


trust, 


1 Chr. 



7. The third month; Sivan, part of May and June. The 
seventh month ; Tishri, part of September and October. 

16. From three years old and upward; the male children 
of the priests, between the ages of three and twenty years, 
seem to have been permitted to enter the temple under 
the care of the priests their parents, and to have a share 
in the provision made for them. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1, The finishing of one duty should be a preparation for 



Sennacherib the Assyrian 



2 CHRONICLES XXXII. 



invadttk Judah. 



tv.vS^' tereth into the house of the Lord, his 
daily portion for their service in their charges 
according to their courses ; 

IT Both to tlie genealogy of the priests by the 
house of their fathers, and the Levites from twen- 
ty years old and upward," in their charges by their 
courses; 

18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, 
their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, 
through all the congregation : for in their set of- 
fice* they sanctified themselves in holiness: 

19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which 
icere in the fields of the suburbs of their cities," in 
every several city, the men that were expressed 
by name," to give portions to all the males among 
the priests, and to all that were reckoned by gen- 
ealogies among the Levites. 

20 1[ And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Ju- 
dah, and wrought that ivhich was good and right 
and truth before the Lord his God."* 

21 And in every work that he began in the ser- 
vice of the house of God, and in the law, and in 
tlie commandments, to seek his God, he did it 
with all his heart," and prospered/ 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

1 Sennacherib invading Judah, Hezekiah fortifieth himself, and encour- 
agetft his people. 9 Against the blasphemies of Sennacherib, by mes- 
sage and letters, Hezekiah and Isaiah pray. 21 An angel destroyeth 
the host of the Assyrians, to the glory of Hezekiah. '24 Hezekiah 
praying in his sickness, God giveth him a sign of recovery. 2-5 He 
waxing proud is humbled by God. 27 His wealth and works. 31 
His error in the ambassage of Babylon. 32 He dying, Manasseh suc- 
ceedeth him. 

AFTER these things, and the establishment 
thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, 
and entered into Judah, and encamped against the 
fenced cities,*^ and thought to win them* for him- 
self. 

2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was 
come, and that he was purposed to tight* against 
Jerusalem, 

3 He took counsel with his princes and his 
mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains 
which were without the city:'' and they did help 
him. 

4 So there was gathered much people together, 
who stopped all tlie fountains, and the brook that 
ran" through the midst of the land, saying. Why 
should the kings of Assyria come, and find much 
water? 



» 1 Chr- 23:a4, 27. • Or, (rus(. b Lev. 25:34; Num. 35:2. t ver. 12-15. 
■i 2Kings 20:3; John 1:47; Acts 24:l(i; 1 Thcss. 2:10; 3 John 5. e Psa. 
1:2, 3. ' ch. 26:5; Josh. 1:7, 8; Matt. 6:33; 7:21-27. e 2 Kings 18:13, 
etc. ; Isa. 36:1, etc. t Heb. break them up. I Heb. his face was to ifar. 
1" Isa. 22:9, II. i Heb. ovtrfloxced. i ch. 25:2.3. i 2 Sam. 5:9; 1 Kings 



the performance of others ; and we should never grow 
weary of well-doing, for in due time we shall reap if we 
faint not. 

3. In all our efforts for reformation, the word of God 
should be our rule ; and a readiness to contribute liberally 
of our substance to support the ministers and worship of 
(Jod, will be an evidence of sincerity, and a preparation 
for the reception of his blessings. 

8. The bounties of providence and a disposition rightly 
to use them are both from the Lord, and should be acknow- 
ledged as his gifts with devout thanksgiving and praise. 

12. Special care should bo taken of charitable contribu- 
tions, and faithful application made of them to the objects 
for which they were given. 



5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all 
the wall that was broken,' and raised it up to the 
towers, and another wall without, and repaired 
Millo in the city of David,J and made darts' and 
shields in abundance. 

G And he set captains of war over the people, 
and gathered them together to him in the street 
of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to 
them,' saying, 

7 Be strong and courageous," be not afraid nor 
dismayed for the king of Assyria,' nor for all the 
multitude tiiat is with him : for there he more with 
us than with him.'" 

8 With him is an arm of flesh;" but with us is 
the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our bat- 
tles." And the people rested * themselves upon the 
words of Hezekiah king of Judah.'' 

9 1 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria 
send his servants to Jerusalem, (but he himself 
laid siege against Lachish, and all his power* with 
him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all 
Judah that were at Jerusalem, saying, 

10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, 
Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege* 
in Jerusalem? 

11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over 
yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, 
The Lord our God shall deliver us out of the 
hand of the king of Assyria? 

12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his 
high places and his altars, and commanded Judah 
and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before 
one altar, and burn incense upon it? 

13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done 
unto all the people of other lands?'' were the gods 
of the nations of those lands any ways able to de- 
liver tlieir lands out of my hand? 

14 Who was there among all the gods of those 
nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that 
could deliver his people out of my hand, that your 
God should be able to deliver you out of my hand? 

15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, 
nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet be- 
lieve him : for no god of any nation or kingdom 
was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and 
out of the haud of my fathers : how much less shall 
your God deliver you out of my hand?"' 

16 And his servants spake yet inore against the 
Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 



9:24. 


lOr 


swords 


or weapons. 


1 H 


b. 


Ihei 


heart, 


ch. 30: 


1.1 


k Deut. 


31-6. 


Ich 


20:15. 


m 2 Kings 6 


l«. 1 


.l-r 


. 17:5 


o ch 


13:12 


Ho 


n. ^:31; 


1 Johr 


4-4 


•Heb 


leaned. P Prov. 1 


*:2.7 


t Heb. dominion. 


tOr 


strong- 


haUl. 


qlsa 


. 10:14; 


Dan. 5:19. 


rUan 


. 3: 


15. 











20. When men do heartily unto the Lord that which is 
true, right, and good, he accepts them and their offerings, 
and gives them all that jirosperity which will advance his 
glory and their own highest good. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

3. Stop the waters ; this was done by carrying them into 
the city in an underground channel, vcr. 30. 

5. Mdlo; a citadel or fortress in Jerusalem. 

8. Rested themselves ; believed what Hezekiah said, and 
depended upon its fulfilment. 

y. Lachtsh; in the south part of Judah. 

15. How much less; as if Jehovah were less powerful than 
idols. 

533 



Tht ruin nf SfmHaehrrih. 



•1 CIIKONICU'S XXXIIl. 



ULnuissr/i's wicked reign. 



17 Ho wrote iilso letters to rail on the LiiUD 
Go.l of Ii«niel, aixi to speak a^'aiiist liiiii, sayiii<r, 
As the jroilsof the nations of oZ/kt lainls have not 
deiivereil tlieir people out of niv hand, so slnill 
in>t the (Joel of He/ckiah deliver his jieople out of 
niyhnml!* 

is Then they eried witli a loud voice, in the 
Jews' speeeh. unto the people of Jerusalem that 
\trre on the wall, to alTrijijhl them,'' and to trouble 
them: that they miirht take the city. 

19 And they spake ai^ainst tiie God of Jerusa- 
lem." as ajrainst the <^ods of the people of the 
earth, ichich uere the work of the hands of man. 

20 And for this cause Ilezckiah the king,** and 
the prophet Lsaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and 
cried to heaven.'' 

•Jl " And the LoRP sent an angel.^ which cutoif 
all the mighty men of valor, and tiie leaders and 
captains in the camp of the king of Assyria.'' So 
he returned with shame of face to liis own land. 
Ami when he was come into the house of his god, 
iliey that came forth of his own bowels slew him' 
there with the sword. 

22 Thus tlie Loud saved FTezekiah and the in- 
habitants of tl(,'rusalem from the hand of Senna- 
cherib the king of Assyria,'' and from the hand of 
all others, and guided tliem on every side.' 

23 And many brouglit gifts unto the Lord to 
Jerusalem, anil presents* to Ilezekiah king of Ju- 
dali : so that he was magnified in the sight of all 
nations from thcncefortli. 

24 1 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the 
death, and prayed unto the Lord:' and he spake 
unto iiim, and he gave him a sign.* 

2-5 Hut Hezekiah rendered not again according 
to the benefit done unto him;'' for his heart was 
lifted up:' tlierefore there was wrath upon him, 
and upon Judah and Jerusalem."" 

26 N'otwithstanding. Hezekiah humbled himself 
for the pride^ of his heart, both he and the inhabit- 
ants of Jerusalem," so that the wrath of the Lord 
came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah." 

27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches 
and honor:!' and he made himself treasuries for 
silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and 
for .spices, and for shields, and for all manner of 
pleasant jewels;' 



» 2 Kings 19:9, etc b Neh. 0:9. c ] Sam. 17:36; Job 15:25, 28; Psa. 
111:13, 14; 7:):8-ll; 139:19, 20. d la. 37:1. etc. e Psa. 50:15; 91:14, 15. 
'■JS.irn.2):l8; Psa. 18:50; Dan. 3:25; fi:22. « Isa. 10:16-18; 42:8 * H'-b 
mi,U kirn fall, h P»a. 37:39, 40; Hosea 1:7. ■ Psa. 48:14; 71:20. 21. 
t W'h. frmaus things, i 2 Kings 20:1, etc. ; Isa. 3S;1, etc. I Ot, torought 
a mirarlt far him. k Psa. 118:12. 1 ch. 26:16; Dan. 5:20, 23; Hab. 2:4. 
■"ch.21:l-). IHeb. (i/lm? up, 2 Kings 14:10. ■> Jer. 2G:I8, 19. " 1 Kings 



24. He gave him a sign; 2 Kings 20:4-11. 

30. Gihon; a fountain ou the west side of Jerusalem. 
See note to ver. 3. 

31. The business of the ambassadors; 2 Kings 20: 12, 13. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

7. Those wlio have God for their helper have more for 
them than can ever he against them. 

10. ImpHcit confidence in God often appears to worldly 
men foohsh and absurd ; and they expect no more from 
him, than they do from the idols of the heathen. 

16. Speaking against the Lord is a preparation for expe- 
rienci:ig his wrath. 

20. I'rayer to God in trouble is the never-failing resource 
of his peopla 

534 



2S Storehouses also for tlie increase of %", '-jJ: 
corn, and wine, and oil ; and stalls for all manner 
of lieasts, and cotes for flocks. 

2!) Moreover he j)rovideil him cities, and pos- 
sessions of flocks and herds in abundance:'' for 
God had given iiini substance very much. 

liO Tills same Hezekiah also stopped the upper 
water-cour.se of Gihon,' and brought it straight 
down to the west side of tlie city of David. And 
Hezekiah prospcreil in all his works. 

81 1 Howbeit, in the i«4w.Mo/" the ambassadors^ 
of the princes of Jiabylon. who sent unto him to 
inquire of the wonder that was dove in the land," 
God left him, to try him, that he might know all 
that iras in his heart.' 

32 It Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and 
his goodness,' behold, they are written in the vis- 
ion of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz," and 
in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.^' 

33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they 
buried him in the cliiefest* of the sepulchres of the 
sons of l):ivid : and all Judah and the inhabitants 
of Jerusalem did him honor at his death.'^ And 
Manasseli his son reigned in his stead. 

CHAPTER XXXIIl. 

1 Manas-seh's wicked reign. 3 He sctteth up idolatry, and w»uld not 
be admonished. 11 He is carried into B.ibylon. 12 Upon his prayer 
to God he is released, and puttcth do«-n idolatry. 18 His acts. 20 He 
dyin^. Anion succeedeth liiin. 21 Amon reifying wickedly is slain 
by his servants. 25 The niorderers being slain, Josi&h succeedeth 
hnn. 

]\ rANASSEH uas twelve years old when he 
l.V_L began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five 
years in Jerusalem:" 

2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the 
Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen,^ 
whom the Lord had cast out before the children 
of Israel. 

3 1 For he built again' the high places which 
Hezekiah his father had broken down,'' and he 
rcartMl up altars for Baalim, and made groves," and 
worsliip[i('(l all the host of heaven,'' and served them. 

4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, 
whereof the Lord had said. In Jerusalem shall my 
name be for ever. 

5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven 
in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 



21:19. P Prov. 10:22 II Heb. in.<lni»im(s o/ (/e.iire. q Job 1 :3, 9; 42:11. 
r l«a. 22:0, 11. 1 Heb. inlerprelers. > 2Kings 20:12. etc.; Isa. 39: 1, etc. 
' Deut. 8:2, 16; Jas. 1 : 13. ' Heb. kindnesses. " Isa. ch. 36-39. » 2 Kings 
ch. 18-20. 1 Or. highest. wProv. 1(1:7. x 2 Kings 21 : 1. etc. ych.2t-:3; 
Deut. 18:9. 12. t Heb. relurmd and built, z ch. 30:14- 31:1; 32:12. 
= Deut. 16:21. b Deut 17:3. 



25. Even good men, if left to themselves when greatly 
blessed of God, instead of rendering to him gratitude and 
praise, will be lifted up with pride, and thus draw down 
upon themselves his chastisements. 

29. As all earthly substance comes from God, men should 
receive it as his gift, view it as his property, and use it 
according to his will. 

31. God often leaves men to themselves to try them, 
that they and others may know what is in their hearts, 
and to lead them to trust in him. They will then be as 
mount Zion that cannot be moved, and in seeking him as 
their jjortion they will not want any good thing. 

CHAPTER XXXIIL 

3. Groves; images of Astarte. See chap. 34:4. 



PenUcna and release of Manassck. 2CHR0NICLES XXXIV. 



Anion is followed by Joskih. 



B "ess* 6 And he caused his cliildrcn to pass 
through the fire in the valh^y of tiio sou of iliii- 
nom:" also he observed times, and used eucliant- 
ments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a famil- 
iar spirit, and with wizards :'' he wrought much evil 
in the sight of tlie Lord, to provoke liini to anger. 

7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he 
had made, in the house of God, of which God had 
said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, 
and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all 
tlie tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever : 

8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of 
Israel from out of the land whicli I have appointed 
for your fathers ; so that they will take heed to do 
all that I have commanded them, according to the 
■whole law and tlie statutes and the ordinances by 
the hand of Moses. 

9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants 
of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the hea- 
then, whom the Lord had destroyed before the 
children of Israel. 

10 And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his 
people: but they would not hearken. 

11 1l Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the 
captains of the iiost of the king" of Assyria, which 
took Manasseh among the thorns," and bound him 
with fetters,* and carried him to Babylon.'' 

12 And when he was in affliction, he besought 
the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly 
before the God of his fathers,'' 

13 And prayed unto him: and he was entreated 
of him,' and heard his supplication, and brought 
him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then 
Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.'^ 

14 Now after this he built a wall without the 
city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the 
valley, even to the entering in at the fish-gate, and 
compassed about Ophel,' and raised it up a very 
great height, and put captains of war in all the 
fenced cities of Judah. 

15 And he took away the strange gods, and the 
idol out of the house of the Lord,"" and all the al- 
tars that he had built in tlie mount of the house of 
the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of 
the city. 

16 And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and 
sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offer- 
ings,' and commanded Judah to serve the Lord 
God of Israel. 



» Ezek. 3J:37, 39. b Dent. )S:ll), 11. • Heb. ic/iic/i were the king's. 
c Lim. 3:7. t Or, chains, d Psa. IU7: 111-14. e Hos. 5:15; 1 Pet. 5:6. 
I 1 Chr. 5:'>0; Ezra 8:2:). C Psa. 9:16; Dan. 4:31, 35. 1 Or, the lower, ch. 
27:3. liyer.3,5,7. iL«v.7:12. J 2 Kings 15:4. lilJohnl;9. 1 Rom. 



11. Among the thorns; from a thicket of thorns in which 
he had concealed himself. Compare 1 Siim. 13:6. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. For wise reasons, God often suffers the wicked to 
prosper for a time in their iniquity ; but if they continue, 
they will find that judgment lingereth not, and damnation 
slumbereth not. 

10. To reject instruction, and turn a deaf ear to all warn- 
inj-'.s, is an indication of approaching and speedy ruin. 

12. Afflictions may be made the means of leading the 
most hardened sinners to repentance, and thus preparing 
them for the reception of divine mercy. 

13. True repentance will show itself in earnest, affection- 
ate, and persevering prayer ; in breaking off our sins by 
righteousness, and our iniquities by turning unto the Lord. 



17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in 
the high phices,J yet unto the Lord tlieir God only. 

18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and 
his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers 
tliat spake to him in the name of the Lord God of 
Israel, behold, they are written in the book of tiie 
kings of Israel. 

19 His prayer also, and hmv God was entreated 
of him," and all his sins,' and his trespass, and the 
places wherein he built high places, and set up 
groves and graven images, before he was hum- 
bled:"" behold, they are written among the sayings 
of the seers.^ 

20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they 
buried him in his own house: and Amon his son 
reigned in his stead. 

21 1[ Amon was two and twenty years old when 
he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jeru- 
salem." 

22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of 
the Lord, as did Manasseh his father : for Amon 
sacrificed unto all the carved images which Ma- 
nasseh his father had made, and served them;" 

23 And humbled not himself liefore the Lord, as 
Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but 
Amon trespassed more and more."" 

24 And his servants conspired against him, and 
slew him in his own house. 

25 1 But the people of the land slew all them that 
had conspired against king Amon ■.'^ and the people 
of the land made Josiah his sou king in his stead. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1 Josiah's good reign. 3 He destroyeth idolatry. 8 He taketh order 
for the repair of the temple. 14 Hilkiah h.aving found a book of the 
law, Josiah sendeth to Huldah to inquire of the Lord. 23 Huldah 
prophesieth the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's 
time. 29 Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renew- 
eth the covenant with Grod. 

JOSIAH ivas eight years old when he began to 
reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and 
thirty years."' 

2 And he did that ifliich was right in the sight of 
the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his 
father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor 
to the left.' 

3 *\\ For in the eighth year oHiis reign, while he 
was yet young,' he began to seek after the God of 
David his father : and in the twelfth year he began 
to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places," 



5- 16. ■>> Psa. 119:67. 71, 75. i Or, Homi. ■> 


2 Kings 21:19, etc. ■> Isa. 


44:13, etc. 1 Heb. miifti>(ierf (rejpass. P Jer. 


7:26. q Gen. 9:0; Num. 


35:31, 3:3. r 2 Kings 22:1, etc. « Deut. 5:32; 


7.11,20; 28:14; Josh. 1:7. 


1 Prov. 8:17; Eccl. 12:1. » ch. 3:3:17, *'. 





16. The true penitent will emleavor, as far as possible, 
to undo the mischiefs which in his days of impenitence he 
has occasioned, and to reclaim to the love and service of 
God those whom his former vices had led astray. 

22. Many imitate their parents and superiors in wicked- 
ness, who do not imitate them in their repentance ; and 
though they may be their successors in this world, they 
will have no connection or fellowship with them in the 
world to come. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

3. He began to purge JxiAnli anri Jerusalem ; the work was 
not completed till the eighteenth year of his reign. Com- 
pare verses 8 and 33. It is this final purging that is re- 
corded in 2 Kings 23. 

535 



Ji^uih Jindttk the book oflk Uur. L' ( II 1! ( ) X U' KK S X X X 1 V . 

aiiil tlio proves, and tlie tarvfd images, auU thf 
uiolic'ii iniagoy.* 

I Ami tiny brake down the altars of Baalim in 
his |ir»'si'nc(': and llio iniugcs,* that tare on liipli 
above llieni, he eut down ; and tlio jrrovcs, and the 
curved iinajres, and tlic molten images, he brake in 
|)ieees, and made dnst ttf l/icm,'' and strewed it upon 
the praves* of llicm that liad saerificed unto thcni. 

;"» Ami lie burnt tlie bones of the jiriests upon 
their altars,'' and cleansed Judah and .Jerusalem. 

C And so did he in the cities of Manassch, and 
Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with 
their mattocks' round about. 

7 And when he had broken down the altars and 
the groves, and Iiad beaten tlie graven image.? into 
jxiwder,^' and eut down all the idols tlirouglioul 
all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. 

8 *i Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, 
when he had purged the land, and tliehonse,he8cnt 
Siiaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the gov- 
ernor of the city, and Joah tlic son f)f Joahaz the 
recorder, to rcjtair the house of the Lord his God. 

9 And when they came to Ililkiali the high-priest, 
they delivered the money that was brought into 
the house of God,*^^ which the Levitcs that kept tlie 
doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and 
Epiiraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of 
all Judaii and Benjamin ; and they returned to Je- 
rusalem. 

Ill And they put it in the hand of the workmen 
that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, 
and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in 
the house of the Loud, to repair and amend the 
house: 

II Even to the artificers and builders gave they 
it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, 
and to floor' the houses which the kings of Judah 
had destroyed. 

12 And the men did the work faithfully Z and the 
overseers of them were Jaliath and Obadiah, the 
Levitcs, of the sous of Merari ; and Zcchariah and 
.Meslmllam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it 
forward; and other of the Levites, all that could 
skill of instruments of music. 

13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, 
and were overseers of all that wrought the work 
in any manner of service :- and of the Levites there 
were scribes, and officers, and porters.'' 

14 H And when they brought out the money that 
was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah 
the priest found a book of the law of the Lord 
given by^ Moses.' 

1.5 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan 
the scribe, I have found the liook of the law in 
the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered 
the book to Shaphan. 

16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king,J 
and brought the king word back again, saying. All 



/ I-ev. 20:30. Or, sun iirajts, ch 11:5. b •> Kinrs -a-A. t lUh. face 
of Ike graves. 'lKlng!.Ut:2. I O,. maul.1. i Heh. lo make powder. 
A S"', K^^-o ,'J £'°u8'/^-„«- ' 0, rafter, f ch. 31:12; Neh. 7:2; 1 Cor. 
• Dcut_.l,:1.9.I9; Jo,h.l:». J Jer. 36:20,21. • lieh. to the hand of t Heb. 

" ■ '■ 'Horn. 7:7. 9. « Or, >4c/i4or, 2 Kings 

:.;2U:1. etc. m Isa. .37:4. nLev. 20:14, 



The prop/irn/ of Ilultliih. 

that was committed to* tliy ecrvants, they ^u^c^Sl 
do it. 

17 And they have gathered' together the money 
that was found in the house of tlie Lord, and have 
delivei'i'd it into the hand of the overseers, and to 
the hand of the workmen. 

18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, say- 
ing, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And 
Shaphan read it- before the king. 

1*J And it came to pass, when tlie king had heard 
the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.'' 

20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahi- 
kam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon' the sou of 
Micah, and Shajihan the scribe, and Asaiah a ser- 
vant of the king's, saying, 

21 Go, inquire of the Lord for me,' and for 
them that are left in Israel and in Judah,"' con- 
cerning the words of the book that is found : for 
great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out 
upon us, because our fathers have not kept the 
word of the Lord, to do after all that is written 
in this book." 

22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had ap- 
pointed, went to lluldah the projjhetess, the wife of 
Shalluin the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrali,' 
keeper of the wardrobe;'' now she dwelt in .Jeru- 
salem in the college;" and they spake to her to 
that effect. 

23 "il Andshe answered them, Thus saith the Lord 
God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, 

2-1 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil 
upon this place," and upon the inhabitants thereof, 
even all the curses that are 'written in the book 
which they have read before the king of Judah : 

25 Because they have forsaken me, and have 
burned incense unto other gods, that they might 
provoke me to anger with all the works of their 
hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out 
upon this place,'' and shall not be quenched. 

20 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you 
to inquire of the Lord, so shall ye say unto him. 
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel cemcerning the 
words which thou hast heard; 

27 Because thy heart was tender,'' and thou didst 
humble thyself before God,'' when thou heardest 
his words against this jilace, and against the in- 
habitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before 
me, and didst rend thy clothes and weep liefore 
me; I have even heard thee also,* saith the Lord. 

28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and 
thou shalt bo gathered to thy grave in peace, 
neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will 
bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of 
the same.' So they brought the king word again. 

29 *i Then the king sent and gathered together 
all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem." 

30 And the king went up into the house of the 
Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabi- 



etc; Deut.2*:1.5.etc.; 29:18-23; 30:17-19; :Jl:16-22; 32:15-2.'); Rom. 1:18; 
2:8-12. I Or. Harhas. 2 Kings 22:14. V Heb. garments. ' Or, srhool, or 
second part, o Jer. 0:19; 19:3, 15; 35:17. P Isa. 42:25; Jer. 7:20; Lam. 
2:4; 4:11. q ch. :J3:12, 13; Psa. 34:18; .51:17; Isa. 57:15; 60:2; Ezek. 
9:4. r Jas. 4:0. 10. ■ Psa. 10:17; Isa. 66:24. t l Kings 21:29; 2 Kings 
20:19. u 2 Kings 23:1, etc. 



12. T/iat could sii7/ of instruments of music; that were skilful iu playing upon the inatruments used in the temple. 
536 



Josiah obscrvtth 



2 CHRONICLES XXXV. 



a sokmn passbver. 



uaeli"' tants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and 
the Levites, and all the people, great and small :* 
and he read in their ears all tlie words of the 
book of the covenant that was found in the house 
of the Loud. 

31 And the king stood in his place,* and made a 
covenant before the Lord," to walk after the Lord, 
and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, 
and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his 
soul," to perform the words of the covenant which 
are written in this book.'' 

32 And he caused all that were present* in Je- 
rusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the 
inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the cov- 
enant of God, the God of their fathers. 

33 And Josiah took away all the abominations 
out of all the countries that pertamed to the chil- 
dren of Israel,'^ and made all that were present in 
Israel to serve, even to serve the Loud their God. 
And all his days they departed not from following' 
the Lord, the God of their fathers.' 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

1 Josinh keepeth a most solemn passover. 20 He, provoking Pharaoh- 
necho, is slain at Megiddo. 25 Lamentations for Josiah. 

MOREOVER, Josiah kept a passover unto the 
Lord in Jerusalem:^' and they killed the 
passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.'" 

2 And he set the priests in their charges,' and 
encouraged them to the service of the house of the 
Lord, 

3 And said unto tlie Levites that taught all Is- 
rael,-' which were holy unto the Lord, Put the holy 
ark in the house which Solomon the son of David 
king of Israel did build ; it shall not he a burden 
upon your shoulders:" serve now the Loud your 
God, and his people Israel, 

4 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your 
fathers, after your courses, according to the writ- 
ing of David king of Israel,' and according to the 
writing of Solomon his son:™ 

5 And stand in the holy place according to the 
divisions of tiic families^ of the fathers of your 
brethren the people," and after the division of the 
families of the Levites." 

G So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves," 
and prepare your brethren, that they may do ac- 



• Ueb. from great even to small. ach.6:l3; 3Kingsll:14. b Jer. 50:5. 
c Psa. 119:111, ua. J Psa. IIU: 105. 1 Heb. found, el Kings 11:5. 1 Heb. 
after, t Jer. 3: lU; Hos. 6:4. e 2 Kings 2:1:21. etc. i Exod. 12:6; Ezra 
0:19. i ch. 2^:18. J oh. 30:22; Deut 3;i:10; Mai. 2:7. t 1 Chr. 2.3:26. 
1 1 Chr. ch. 23-26. " ch. 8: 14. S Heb. house. I Heb. sons of the peopU. 



33. Made all — to serve ; made them conform externally to 
what was required in the law of iloses. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Piety in early youth saves from many troubles, and 
is a preparation for great enjoyment and usefulness in 
riper years. 

5. True reformers will treat vice with abhorrence, and 
endeavor in all suitable ways to render it contemptible. 

8. The preparation of suitable houses, and the regular 
establishment of public worship, is one of the essential 
means of general and permanent reformation. 

14. If the Scriptures are lost, or the people are not in 
the habit of reading or hearing them, great degeneracy 
and wickedness will follow; and there is no way of effect- 
ually reclaiming men, but in bringing them to an acquaint- 
ance with the word of God. 



cording to the word of the Lord by the hand of 
Moses. 

7 And Josiah gave' to the people, of the flock, 
lambs and kids, all for the passover-oiferings, for 
all that were present, to the number of tliirty 
thousand, and three tiiousand bullocks : these were 
of the king's substance.'' 

8 And his princes gave* willingly unto the jieo- 
ple, to the priests, and to the Levites: Ililkiah 
and Zcchariah and Jchicl, rulers of the house of 
God, gave unto the priests for the passover-ofier- 
ings two tiiousand and six hundred small cattle, 
and three hundred oxen. 

9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, 
his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Joza- 
bad, chief of the Levites, gave* unto the Levites 
for passover-offerings.five thousand small cattle, 
and five hundred oxen. 

10 So the service was prepared, and the priests 
stood in their place, and the Levites in their 
courses,' according to the king's commandment. 

11 And they killed the passover, and the priests 
sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Le- 
vites flayed them.' 

12 And they removed the burnt-offerings, that 
they might give according to the divisions of the 
families of the people, to offer unto the Lord, as 
it is written in the book of Moses.^ And so did 
they with the oxen. 

13 And they roasted the passover with fire ac- 
cording to the ordinance :' but the other holy offer- 
ings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans," 
and divided thern^ speedily among all the people. 

14 And afterward they made ready for them- 
selves, and for the priests : because the priests the 
sons of Aaron irere busied in offering of burnt- 
offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Le- 
vites prepared for themselves, and for the priests 
the sons of Aaron. 

15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in 
their place,** according to the commandment of 
David,'' and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the 
king's seer ; and the porters icaited at evei'y gate ;^ 
they might not depart from their service ; for their 
brethren the Levites prepared for them. 

IG So all the service of the Lord was prepared 
the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer 



n Psa. 134:1. ch. 30:3, 15; Ezra 6:20. 1 Heb. offered. P ch. 7:8-10; 
30:24. • Heb. offired. t Hub. offered, q Ezra 6:18. ' ch. 29:22, 34. 
» Lev. 3:3. I Exod. 12:8, 9: Deut. 10:7. u 1 Sam. 2:13-15. 1 Heb. made 
them run. i\leb. station, v l Chr. 25:1, etc. w 1 Chr. 9:17. 



21. All who truly believe the Bible, will be anxious to 
know what they must do to escape that wrath of God to 
which on account of their sins they are exposed. 

28. Although tlie true penitent shall not perish, he may 
nevertheless be exjiosed to a violent death. 

31. When rulers t;ikc the lead in reformation, many may 
be expected to follow, and to continue externally in the 
ways of the Lord as long as those in authority set them 
the example. 

CnAPTER XXXY. 

3. Put the hohjnrk inthe house; it is commonly suiipcsed 
that some time before the reign of Josiah, the ark had been 
removed from tlie most holy place — perhaps because it 
was out of rejiair — and committed to the custody of the 
Kohathites, as before the temple was built. 
537 



Dmth nf Jotiah. 



2('iiH()M('LES xxxvr. 



llts three suettssors. 



burnt-ofTorin7;» upon tlio nitnr nf tlio Lord, accord- 
iiiL' to the (■(iiiiiimiiiltncnl of kiii^: .'"siali. 

17 And tlio oliildicn of Isniol that were present* 
kept the pns.-ioviT at tliat time, and llie feast of 
unleaveiictl luead seven days. 

18 And there was no passover like to that kept 
in Israel from tlie days of Samuel the prophet; 
neither did all the kings of Israel keep sueii a 
passover as Josiali k(>pt. and the ]>riests, and the 
Leviti's, and all .hidali and Israel that were pres- 
ent, ami the inhaliitants of .It'rusaleni. 

11) Jn the eighteentli year of the reign of Josiah 
was (his ])assover kept. 

20 i; After all this, wiien Josiali had prepared 
the temple,* Xeclio king of Egypt eanic up to fight 
against Charchemish by Eujdiratcs: and Josiah 
went out against hiin." 

•Jl But he sent ainba.^sadors to liim, saying, What 
have I to do witli thee, thou king of Judah? / come 
not against thee this day, but against the house 
wherewith I have war \'' for God commanded me to 
make haste : forbear thee from iiwddling with God, 
who is with me, that he destroy thee not. 

'I'l Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his faee 
from him, but disguised iiimself, tiiat he might fight 
witii him, and hearkened not unto the words of 
Neclio from the mouth of God, and came to fight 
in the valley of Megiddo. 

23 And the archers sliot at king Josiah ; and the 
king said to his servants. Have mc away; for I 
am sore wounded.* 

24 His servants therefore took him out of tliat 
chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he 
had ; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he 
died, and was buried in one o/" the sepulchres' of 
his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourn- 
ed for Josiah. 

25 ^ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah:'' and 
all the singing-men and the singing-women spake 
of Josiah in their lamentations to this day.'^ and 
made them an ordinance in Israel:'' and behold, 
they are written in the lamentations. 

2(i Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his 
goodness,"' according to that which wis written in 
the law of the Lord, 

27 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are 
written in the book of the kings of Israel and 
Judah. 



• llpb./oumJ. tHeb.AoKjs. » 2Kings a3:29. etc.; Jer. 46:2, etc. I Heb 
of my war. I Heb. made sick. I Kings 22::M. I Or, among the seputrlires. 
oZech. 1-.>;11; Lam. 4:2U c Matt. 9;2:J. d Jer. as-.an. T Heb. ii)id;ifS.t«, 
ch. 3i:3-i. t 2 King« 23:30, etc. • Heb. rinwvtd him. t Heb. mulctfj. 



20. Ptepnred the temple; for the observance of divine 
worship, according to the law of Moses and the command- 
ments of David and Solomon. Cliarchemish ; a strongly 
fortified city on the river Euphrates. 

22. Valleij of Mci^iddo; near the river Kishon, in tlie 
tribe of Manasseh ; it formed a part of the great jjlain of 
EsdraeloQ. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. Rulers should ever encourage good works ; and labor 
to unite all classes, especially ministers of religion, in the 
regular and habitual worship of God. 

B. Due preparation is necessary to acceptable worship. 
10. When those in authority set the example, and min- 
isters of religion faithfully do their duty, many may be 
e.xpected to engage in the service of God. 
538 



CHAPTER XXXVI. VcTo: 

1 JelioAlmz •ucccfdiny in (Ji'poiieJ iiv I'har.i'ih, nnd carried into K^jj-pt. 
r> Ji'hniiikim rt'i^iiing ill ii ciirnrd bound intn li.ihylon. 9 JrhoLv^hm 
succeeding rci^rni'tli jll, and i« brou;;tit into Babylon. 1 1 ZtNl<-kiab 
■uccvvdin^^ rt'igiH-tti ill, and deipisctli the prophfta, and rebfllcUl 
li^miM N<lut:li.idn.zz:ir. II Jeruwiliin, lor llit- iini of Uie pritiU 
iiiul pfoplf, is wholly dt-iitroyetl. 22 The proclamation of Cyriw. 

^"^IIEN the people of the land took Jehoahaz 
. the son of Josiah, and made him king in his 
father's stead in Jerusalem."' 

2 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when 
lie began to reign, and he reigned three months 
in .Jerusalem. 

3 And the king of Egypt put him down' at .lerii- 
salem, and condemned* the land in a hundred 
talents of silver and a talent of gold. 

4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim liis 
brotiier king over Judah and Jerusalem, and 
turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took 
Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. 

5 1 Jeiioiakim was twenty and five years old 
when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven 
years in Jerusalem : and he did that which was evil 
in the sight of the Lord his God. 

C Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of 
Babylon,"^ and bound him in fetters,* to carry him 
to Babylon. 

7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of 
the house of the Lord to Babylon, and put them 
in Ids temple at Babylon. 

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his 
abominations which he did, and tliat which was 
found in him, behold, they are written in tlicbook 
of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jelioia- 
chin* his son reigned in his stead. 

9 IT Jchoiachin was eight years old when he began 
to reign, and he reigned three months and ten 
days in Jerusalem:'-' and he did that which was 
evil in the sight of the Lord. 

10 And when the year was expired,' king Nebu- 
chadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, 
with the goodly vessels' of the house of the Lord,'' 
and made Zedekiah his brother* king over Judah 
and Jerusalem.' 

11 *i Zedekiah teas one and twenty years old 
when he liegan to reign, and reigned eleven years 
in Jerusalem.^ 

12 And he did that which teas evil in the sight 
of the Lord his God, arid humbled not himself be- 



r 2King8 2t:l, etc. I Or, chain.':; foretold, Hab. 1:0, etc. ( Or, J«. 
1 Chr. 3: IC; or, Coniah, Jet. ■.•■-':24. S 2 Kings 24:8, etc. I Heb, 
turn of the year. 1 Heh. vessels of desire, 
laniali, his father's brother, 2 Kings 24:17. 



i'Dan. 1:1, 2; 5:2. • Or. Mat- 
37:1. jjer. 52:1, etc. 



22. It is hazardous to engage in any enterprise, without 
first asking counsel of God and obtaining his approbation. 

25. Many lament the removal cf great and good men, 
who liave not given heed to their instructions while they 
were living, nor imitated their example after they were 
dead. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

6. To carry him to Babylon ; either Nebuchadnezzar did 
not carry out his purposeof transporting Jehoiakim to Bab- 
ylon, or he restored him again to Jerusalem, and permitted 
liim to reign there as his tributary. See 2 Kings 24:6. 

9. Eifrht years old; in 2 Kings 24:8, he is said to have 
been eighteen years old. This latter is generally thought 
to be the true reading. 



Judah carried cajitire. 



2 CHRONICLES XXXVI. 



Jerusalem dextrnyed. 



from 



iic'sia"' fore Jeremiah the prophet speaki 
the mouth of the Lord. 

13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchad- 
nezzar," who had made him swear by God : but he 
stiffened liis neck,'' and liardened his heart from 
turning unto tlic Lord God of Israel. 

14 1 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and 
the people, transgressed very much after all the 
abominations of the heathen ; and ]iolluted the 
house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jeru- 
salem. 

15 And the Lord God of their fathers sent to 
them by' his messengers, rising up betimes,* and 
sending;" because he had compassion on his 
people, and on his dwelling-place: 

16 But they mocked the messengers of God,'' 
and despised his words,'' and misused his prophets, 
until the wrath of the Lord arose against his 
people, till there was no remedy.* 

17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of 
the Chaldees,'' who slew their young men with the 
sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no 
compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, 
or him that stooped for age : he gave them all into 
his hand. 

18 And all the vessels of the house of God, 
great and small, and the treasures of the house of 



■. .Wia; Ezek. 17:15, 18 b 2 Kings 17:14. * Heb. by the hand of. 
{a, continuaUti aiul carefully. <= Jer. 25::J, 4; 35:15. d Isa. '28:22. 
. l:2t-JU. t Heb. healing. I Deut. 23:49; 2 Kings 25:1, etc. ; Ezra 



13. Made him swear; swear allegiance to the king of 
Babylon. 

15. Betimes; often, seasonably, continually. 
17. T/ie Chaldees; the Babylonians. 

20. Until the reign of the kingdom of Persia; about seventy 
years. 

21. The word of the Lord; Jer. 25:9-11. Until the land 
had enjoyed her sabbaths ,- the sabbatical year occurred every 
sevt'iitli year. Lev. 25:2-7. In four hundred and ninety 
j'ears there would be seventj' sabbatical years. It has 
been supposed that the observance of the sabbatical year 
had been omitted for about that space of time before the 
Babylonish captivity ; that is, from about the time of the 
establishment of the monarchy. 

IXSTRUCTIOXS. 
1. When wise and pious rulers are removed and arc 



the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of 
his princes ; all these he brought to Babylon. 

19 And they burnt the house of God,^ and brake 
down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the 
palaces thereof with lire, and destroyed all the 
goodly vessels thereof. 

20 And them that had escaped from the sword' 
carried he away to Babylon ; where they were 
servants to him and his sons until the reign of the 
kingdom of Persia : 

21 To fullil the word of the Lord by the mouth 
of Jeremiah,'' until the land had enjoyed her sab- 
baths:' for as long as she lay desolate she kept 
sabbath, to fulfil tlirecscore and ten years. 

22 If Now in the first year of Cyrus king of 
Persia,J that the word of the Lord spoken by the 
mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the 
Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Per- 
sia,'' that he made a proclamation throughout all 
his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 

23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the 
kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of 
heaven given me ; and he hath charged me to build 
him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who 
is there among you of all his people ? The Lord 
his God be with him, and let him go up. 



e Psa. 74:()-S; Isa. fi4:ll. 
■. 25:9-12; 26:0, 7; 2B:10. 
kisa. 44:28; 45:1, etc. 



5 Heb. tlie remainder from the sword. 
Lev. 20;y4, 43; Dan. 9:2. JEzral:!, 



succeeded by those who are foolish and wicked, it is a 
punishment of the people for their sins ; and where it 
does not produce reformation, it forebodes approaching 
destruction. 

7. God sometimes suffers the wicked to obtain great 
power, that they may be scourges of his people on account 
of tlieir sins. 

12. No trials, without the grace of God, will humble and 
purify the human lieart, or lead men to forsake their sins 
and turn to the Lord. 

16. When men mock the messengers whom God sends 
to reclaim them, and despise their words of mercy and 
love, they are ripening for wrath against which there will 
be no remedy. 

21. The providence of God manifests the truth of his 
word ; and shows that when a declaration has once gone 
out of his mouth, it will in due time be accompHshed. 



639 



EZRA. 



Tnis book, of which Ezra was undoubtedly the author, gives a brief sketch of the history of the Jews 
from their return to Palestine under Zerubbabel and Joshua till the time of his arrival at Jerusalem ; and 
closes with an account of the reformation cflected by him in respect to the intermarriage of the Jews willi 
their heathen neighbors. Certain portions of the book of Ezra, which arc mainly occupied with documents 
respecting the rebuilding of the temple and the orderly arrangement of its service, are written in the 
Chaldee language ; namely, eliapters 4 : 8 to 6 : 18, and chapter 7 : 12-26. 

In respect to the Persian nionarclis mentioned in this and the two following books, there is not an 
entire agreement among learned men. Tlie f(jllowing table, formed in accordance with the view that 
seems to be best supported, will be useful to the reader. It contains, arranged in three parallel columns, 
first, tlie names of the Persian kings in their order of succession, as given by profane historians ; secondly, 
their scriptural names ; thirdly, the dates of their accession to the throne, according to the received 
chronology. 



Cyrus, -- Cyrus, Ezra 1 : 1, etc., 

Ciimbyses, Ahasuerus, Kzra 4:6, 

Smerdis,° - Artaxerxcs, Ezra 4 : 7-23, 

Dnrhis llystajjpis, Uarius, Ezra 4:24 to 6: 15,t 

Xerxes, Ahiusucrus, Esther throughout, J 

Artaxerxcs Longimanus, Artaxerxcs, Ezra 7 :1, etc. ; Neh. 2:l,etc.,- 

* He was a usurper who reigned less tlmn a year. 

t But in Neh. 12:22, Darius Nothus, or Darius Codomannus must be referred to. 

X Some suppose Darius, others Artaxerxcs, to have been the Ahasuerus of Esther. 



-B.C. 536 

- " 629 

- " 522 

- " 521 

- " 485 

- " 464 



CHAPTER I. 

1 The proclamation of Cyrus for the building of the temple. .O The 
people provide for the return. 7 Cyrus restoreth the vessels of the 
temple to Sheshbazzar. 

"VyOW in the fir.-st year of Cyrus king of Persia," 
j_\ tliat the word of the Lord by tlie raoutli of 
Joreniiah might be fulfilled," the Lokd stirred up 
tljo .'i])irit of Cyrus king of Pcr.sia,'' that lie made 
a proclamation' throughout all his kingdom,'' and 
put it also in writing, saying, 

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord 
God of heaven hath given mc all the kingdoms of 
the earth ;" and he hath charged uic to build him 
a house at Jerusalem,' which is in Judah. 

3 Who is tfierc among you of all his people? his 
God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, 
which is in Judah, and build the house of the Loud 
God of Israel, (he is the God,*-') Avhich is in Jeru- 
salem. 

4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where 



'■iChr.m:2i.-a. 
* Heb. caused a voit 
4S:l, 13. S Psa. 63 



l> Jer. 23:12; 29;10; 33:7-13. c Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:1. 
tlopass. d ch. 5:l:), 14. e Dan. 2:21. f Isa. 44:2S; 
18; Isa. 45:.5; Jer. 10:10; Dan. 6.28. t Heb. lift him 



CHAPTER I. 

1. Ciini.'; king of Persia ; he harl overthrown the kingdom 
of the ('hal<lees, and taken Babylon its metropolis. The 
word nf the Lord; Jer. 25:12-14; 29:10; 33:7-13. 

2. He hulk charged me; Cyrus may have said this in 
consequence of a propliecy uttered concerning him, more 
than a liundred years before he was born. Isa. 44: 26-28 ; 
45:1-6, 12, 13. 

640 



ho sojoiiriieth, let the men of his place '^ii^c.^iS: 
help iiini* with silver, and with gold, and with 
goods, and witli beasts, besides the freewill-ofl'cr- 
ing ibr the house of God that is in Jerusalem. 

5 1l Then rose up tlie chief of the fathers of 
Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Le- 
vites, with all t/ie}n whose spirit God had raised," 
to go u}) to build the house of the Lord which is 
in Jerusalem. 

G And all they that were about them strength- 
ened their hands' with vessels of silver, with gold, 
with goods, and with beasts, and with precious 
things, besides all t/iat was willingly offered. 

7 if Also Cyrus the king brought forth the ves- 
sels of the house of the Lord,' which Nebuchad- 
nezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem,-' and 
had put them in the house of his gods ; 

8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring fortli 
by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and luiin- 
bered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 



up. h Neh. 2:12; Prov. 10:1; Phil. 2:13; 3 John 11. 1 That : 
them. ich.S:14; 6:5. J 2 Kings 24:13; 2Chr.36:7; Dan. 5:2. 



3. Ulto « there ? tliat wishes to go up to Jerusalem. 

4. Remaineth in any place where he sojourneth ; these words 
seem to refer to the Jews, wlio were waiting in the place 
of tlieir captivity for tlie means necessary to defray the 
expenses of their journey to Jerusalem. 

5. Rai.fed; stirred up ; the same word in the original as 
was applied to Cyrus, verse 1. 

8. Sheshbazzar; afterwards called Zerubbabel, chap. 2:2. 
He was the grandson of Jehoiachin king of Judah. 



Number of tkoxc. mho 



EZRA II. 



retuTTied from Babylon. 



B.'"'.^^'' 9 And this is the number of them : thirty 
chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, 
nine and twenty knives, 

10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a sec- 
ond sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a 
thousand. 

11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five 
tiiousand and four hundred." All these did Shesh- 
bazzar bring up with them of the captivity' that 
were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. 

CHAPTER II. 

1 The number that return, of the people, 36 of the priests, 40 of the 
Levites, 43 of tlie Ncthinim, 55 of Solomon's servants, 62 of the priests 

; which could not siiow their pedigree. 64 The whole number of^ them, 
with their substance. 68 Their oblations. 

NOW these are the children of the province 
that went up out of tlie captivity,'' of those 
which had been carried away, whom Nebuchad- 
nezzar the king of Baliylon had carried away unto 
Babylon,"" and came again unto Jerusalem and 
Judah. every one unto his city ; 

2 Wliich came with Zerubbabel:* Jeshua, Nehe- 
miah, Seraiah,^ Reelaiah,* Mordecai, Bilshan, Miz- 
par,^ Bigvai, Rehum," Baanah." The number of 
the men of the people of Israel : 

3 The children of Parosh, two thousand a hun- 
dred seventy and two. 

4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred 
seventy and two. 

5 Tlie children of Arah,'' seven hundred seventy 
and five. 

6 The children of Pahath-moab. of the children 
of Jeshua and Joab,s two thousand eight hundred 
and twelve. 

7 The children of Elam,'' a thousand two hun- 
dred fifty and four. 

8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and 
five. 

9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and 
threescore. 

10 The children of Bani,' six hundred forty and 
two. 

11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty 
and three. 

12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hun- 
dred tweutv and two. 



1 2 Tim. 2:20, 21. • Heb. tmnfportciUon ; Matt. 1:11, 12. 1> Neh. 7:0. etc. 
<: 2 Kings -^1:14-16; 2 Chr. :3U:20; Lam. 1:3, S; 4:22; Zeph. 2:7. i Hag. 
l;l,cto. t Or, /liarjaA. Neh. 7:7. I 0:. Raamiali. f Or, Mispent/i. 1 Or, 
Nelium. ech. 4:8. 'Neh. 7:1U sKeh. 7:11. h ver. 31. ^ Or, Binnui, 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The liearts of kings and all others are in the hand of 
the Lord, and he turncth them whithersoever ho will ; and 
whatever difficulties may, to human view, stand in the way 
of the fulfilment of his declarations, they will in due time 
all be accomplished. 

5. Tiiough the offers of mercy are freely made to all, 
none will accejjt them and thus avail themselves of the 
benefits, except those whose spirit God stirs up for that 
purpose. 

CHAPTER II. 

1. T/ie children of the province; those who had been car- 
ried away from Judca — here spoken of as a province of 
the Persian empire — and their descendants, who now re- 
turned. This catalogue is repeated in Neh. 7 : C-C9, with 
various difTerenccs, however, in respect to names and nuiii- 



13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty 
and six. 

14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty 
and six. 

15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and 
four. 

16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and 
eight. 

17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty 
and tlirce. 

18 The children of Jorah,* a hundred and twelve. 

19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty 
and three. 

20 The children of Gibbar,* ninety and five. 

21 The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twen- 
ty and three. 

22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six. 

23 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and 
eight. 

24 The children of Azmaveth,* forty and two. 

25 The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and 
Boeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. 

26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hun- 
dred twenty and one. 

27 The men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and 
two. 

28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred 
twenty and three. 

29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two. 

30 The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and 
six. 

31 The children of the other Elam,' a thousand 
two hundred fifty and four. 

32 The children of Harim, three hundred and 
twenty. 

33 The children of Lod, Hadid,^ and Ono, seven 
hundred twenty and five. 

34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty 
and five. 

35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and 
six hundred and thirty. 

36 1i The priests : the children of Jedaiah,J of the 
house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. 

37 The children of Immer,'' a thousand fifty and 
two. 

38 The children of Pashur,' a thousand two hun- 
dred forty and seven. 



Noh. 7: 13. • Or, Hariph, Neh. 7:24. t Or, Gibeon, Neh. 7:25. I Or. Bah- 
n=mat«(A. Neh. 7:28. i ver. 7. i Or, ifan'i/, a£ it is in some copies J 1 Chi. 
24:7. kl Chr. 24:14. U Chr. 9:12. 



bors. The differences of names may be easily explained 
from the fact that it was common for men to bear different 
titles, particularly if they were persons of distinction ; as, 
for example, Daniel and Belteshazzar, Zerubbabel and 
Sheshbazzar. It is not certain upon what principle the 
differences in numbers are to be explained. The sum 
total of both catalogues is the same, namely, forty-two 
thousand three hundred aud sixty ; from which it is plain 
that the lists are in both cases partial, since neither of 
them amounts to this sum. '■ The sum of the mmibcrs, as 
separately detailed, will correspond, if to the twenty-nine 
thousand eight hundred and eighteen specified by Ezra, we 
add the seventeen hundred and sixty-five persons reckoned 
liy Nehemiah which Ezra has omitted ; and, on the other 
hand, to the thirty-one thousand and eighty-nine enumer- 
ated by Nehemiah, add the four hundred and ninetj--four, 
which is an overplus in Ezra, not noticed by Nehemiah; 
541 



AWiiniM nnd Solomon't icrranls. 



KZKA II, 



Offerings of the dinf men. 



39 The children of Ilurim," a thousand and seven- 
teen. 

40 ^ The Lovites: the children of Jeshua and 
Kadinu'l, of the children of llodaviah," seventy 
and four. 

41 The sinpcrs: llie children of Asaph, a hun- 
dred twenty and eijrht. 

4'J The cIiiliircM of the ])0rterH!: tlic cliildren of 
Shalltiiii, the children of Ater, the children of Tal- 
nioii. the children of Akkuli, the children of llatita, 
tlie children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and 
nine. 

•13 IThe Nothiniin:" the children of Ziha, the 
children of llasujiha, the children of Tuhbaoth, 

44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha,* 
the chihlren of I'adon, 

4') The children of Lebanah, tiic children of 
Ilairabali, the children of Akkub, 

4(1 The children of llagab, the children of Shal- 
uiai.' the children of Hanan, 

47 The children of Giddcl, the children of Ga- 
har, tlie children of Ucaiah, 

48 The cliildren of Rozin, the childrcnof Nckoda, 
the children of Gazzani, 

49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseali, 
the children of Besai, 

50 The children of Asnah, the children of Me- 
huuini, the children of Neiiluisim,* 

.51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Ha- 
ku])ha, the children of Harhur, 

52 The cliildren of Bazluth,' the children of Mc- 
hida, the children of Harsiia, 

53 The children of BarkoSjtlie cliildren of Sisera, 
the children of Thainah, 

54 The children of Neziah, the cliildren of Ha- 
tipha. 

55 \Thc children of Solomon's servants :"= the 
children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the 
children of Peruda,^ 

56 The children of Jaalali, the children of Dar- 
ken, the children of Giddel, 

57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of 
Hattil, the children of Pocherctii of Zebaim, the 
children of Ami.' 

58 All the Nethinim,'' and the children of Solo- 



a 1 Chr. 24:8. • Or, Jutlah, ch. 3:9; called also Hudevak, Neh. 7:4:). 
b ver is. 1 Or. Sia. I Or, Shamlai. ( Or, Nepkishesim. I Or, Baztilh, 
Neh. 7:54. « 1 Kings 9:31. 1 Or, Perida, Neh. 7:57. • Or. Amon. Neh. 
7:59. J Josh. 0:21, •-'7; 1 Chr. 9:2; Neh. 3:26. t Or, /((Won, Neh.' 7:01. 



both writers including in the sum total ten thousand seven 
hundred and seventy-seven of the mixed multitude, not 
particularized in the individual detail," Grey's Key, as 
quoted by Scott. 

41,42. Tlie singers — chihlren of the porters ; see the ar- 
rangement of the Levites, 1 Chron. 2r>, and 2G:1-19. 

43. The Nethinim ; the word Nethinim means given ; 
that is, devoted or consecrated. It is a term applied to the 
servants of the sanctuary. These seem to have consisted 
originally of the Gibeonftes, Josh. 9 : 27. At a later period 
it is probable that other persons were included in their 
number. 

55. Solomon's servants; from gentile nations, whom he 
had subdued and brought into bondage. 1 Kings 9 : 20, 21. 

59. Tlieij could not show Iheir father's house, and their seed; 
their names were not found in the genealogies or records 
of Israel. 

62. Put from the prie.'Uhood; because there was nothing 
to show that they were descendants of Aaron 
542 



nion's .servants, trere three hundred ninety a m wo*. 
and two. »!■ 

5'.) .Vnd these trcrc they which went up from Tel- 
nielali. Tel-harsa, Cherub, .Vddaii,' and Ininier: 
i)Ut tiiey could not show their father's house, and 
their seed,' whether they were of Israel : 

(JO The children of Dclaiah, the children of To- 
biah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and 
two. 

Gl T And of the children of the priests: the chil- 
dren of Ilubaiah, the children of Koz, the children 
of Barzillai; which took a wife of the dauL'hters 
of Barzillai the Gileadite," and was called after 
their name : 

()'2 These sought their register ammig those that 
were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not 
found :' therefore were they, as polluted, put from 
the priesthood.* 

63 And thcTirshatha' said unto them, that they 
should not cat of the most holy things,'^ till there 
stood up a priest with Urini and with Thum- 
mini.'' 

()4 IT The whole congregation together wo* forty 
and two thousand three hundred and threescore,' 

G5 Besides their servants and their maids, of 
whom there were seven thousand three hundred 
thirty and seven : and there were among them two 
hundred singing-men and singing-women. 

66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and 
si.x; their mules, two hundred forty and five; 

67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five ; 
their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twen- 

68 1 And so/nc of the chief of the fathers, when 
they came to the house of the Loud which is at 
Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to 
set it up in his [dace.^ 

69 They gave after their ability unto the treas- 
ure of the work threescore and one thousand drams 
of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and 
one hundred priests' garments.'' 

70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of 
the people, and the singers, and the porters, and 
the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel 
in their cities. 



1 Or 


pedigree. « 2 Sam. 


17::. 


7. f 


\um. 


3:1U. 


! H 


Bh. 


Ihry 


,„„ 


e polluted 


Jfa,n 


the priesthood. 


1 Or 


governor 


Neh. 


8:9. 


It l,e 




2: 19. 


14. 


f Exod. 


28:30; Lev. 8:8; Nu 


m 27 


21 


Deul 


Xl-.t 


i N 


ph, 7 


!>(> 


etc. 


J Neh. 7:70. 


etc. 


k 1 Chr. 26:20. 























63. Tirslvatha; governor. A prie.'it with Urim and with 
Thummim; one who by revelation from God could decide 
their case. 

1)9. Drams of gold; see note to 1 Chron. 29:7. Pounds; 
see note to 1 Kings 10:17. 

70. Their cities; Jerusalem and the cities round about it. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who accept the offers of mercy and give up 
all for the service of Christ, will be enrolled in an imper- 
ishable record, and be mentioned with honor for ever. 

59. Cases from time to time occur in which we cannot 
with confidence determine the true character of individ- 
uals, but must leave it to Him who searches the heart, 
and will render to all according to their works. 

C8. Those who are made partakers of the grace of God, 
will offer willingly of their substance for the establish- 
ment and support of his worship, and labor to extend its 
benefits to all around them. 



The. new (cmpk leg un. 



EZRA IV. 



The Jews' adversaries. 



CHAPTER III. 



1 The altar is set up. 3 Offerings frequented. 7 Workmen prepared. 
8 liie foundations of the temple are laid in great joy and mourning. 

AND when the seven tli month was come, and 
the children of Israel tofre in the cities, the 
people gathered themselves together as one man 
to Jerusalem. 

2 Then stood up Joshua" the son of Jozadak, and 
his brethren the priests, and ZcrubbabeP the son of 
Sliealtiel,* and his brethren, and builded the altar 
of the God of Israel, to ofl'er burnt-oflerings there- 
on, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of 
God." 

3 And they set the altar upon his bases ; for fear 
rcas upon them because of the people of those 
countries : and they offered burnt-oflerings thereon 
unto the Lord, even burnt-offerings morning and 
evening. 

4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles,'' as 
it is written, and offered the daily burnt-offerings 
by number, according to the custom, as the duty 
of every day^ requii'cd;'^ 

5 And afterward offered the continual burnt-offer- 
ing, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts 
of the Lord that were consecrated,'' and of every 
one that willingly offered a freewill-ofi'ering unto 
the Loud. 

6 From the first day of the seventh month began 
they to offer burnt-ofl'crings unto the Lord. But 
the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not 
yet laid.' 

7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to 
tlie carpenters ;'' and meat, and drink, and oil, unto 
them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar- 
trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa," accord- 
ing to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of 
Persia.' 

8 1 Now in the second year of their coming 
unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second 
month, began Zerubbabel the sonof Shealtiel, and 
Jesliua the son of Jozadak,^ and the remnant of 
their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all 
they that were come out of tlie captivity unto 
Jerusalem ; and appointed tlie Levites, from twentj' 
years old and upward," to set forward the work 
of the house of the Lord. 



• Or, /osAiM, Hig. 1 : 1 ; 2:ai Zech. .■):!. t Called ZoroSaiei, Matt. 1:1-2; 
Luke 3:27. 1 Called Sa(alAie(, Matt. 1;1:>; Luke3:-J7. a Num. W:.^, etc.; 
Deut. 12:5,6. b Neh. 8:14, 17; Zech. 14:10. 5 Heb. Ihe matter of the day 
in his day. c Exod. 29:3.-i. •> iNum. ch. 28, 29. 1 Heb. the temple of the 
LORD teas not yet founded. ^ Or. tmrkmen e 1 Kings 5:6, 9. f ch. 6:3. 
ever. 2. I> 1 Chr. 23:24. • Or, HorfauiaA, ch. 2:40. t Heb. as on«. i Zech. 



CHAPTER III. 

2. Jeshua; he was grandson of Seraiah, who was high- 
priest at the taking of Jerusalem. 

3. Fear was upon them ; and they put themselves under 
the special protection of the Almighty by establishing 
among them his worship. 

;"). Afreewill-offcring; in addition to what was required 
in tlie law. 

7. Jopna ; a seaport about forty miles west of Jerusalem. 

12. Irept ; at the remembrance of the glory of the former 
temple, which was now in ruins. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. The establishment of the worship and ordinances of 
God is the surest safeguard against enemies, and the best 
preparation for all the dispensations of Providence. 



9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his breth- 
ren, Kadmicl and his sons, the sous of Judah,* to- 
gether,* to set forward the workmen in the house 
of God : the sons of Henadad, with their sous and 
their brethren the Levites. 

10 And when the builders laid the foundation of 
the temple of the Lord,' they set the priests in 
their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the 
sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, 
after the ordinance of David king of Israel.-' 

11 And they sang together by course in praising 
and giving thanks unto the Lord ; because he is 
good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Is- 
rael.'' And all the people shouted with a great 
shout, when they praised the Lord, because the 
foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.' 

12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief 
of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen 
the first house,'" when the foundation of this house 
was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice ;" 
and many shouted aloud for joy:" 

13 So that the people could not discern the noise 
of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping 
of the people :'' for the people shouted with a loud 
shout, and the noise was heard afar off. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with 
the Jews, endeavor to hinder it. 7 Their letter to Artaxerxes. 17 
The decree of Artaxerxes. 23 The building is hindered. 

NOW when the adversaries of Judah and Ben- 
jamin heard tiiat the children of the captiv- 
ity* builded the temple unto the Lord God of 
Israel;'* 

2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief 
of the fathers, and said unto them. Let us build 
with you : for we seek your God, as ye do ,•"' and we 
do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-had- 
don king of Assur,'* which brought us up hither. 

3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of 
the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, 
Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house 
unto our God;' but we ourselves together will 
build unto the Lord God of Israel, asking Cyrus 
the king of Persia hath commanded us." 

4 Then the people of the land weakened the 



4:1U. J IChr. 6:31, etc. ; 16:4, etc.; 25:1, etc.; Neh. 12:24, etc. k 1 Chr. 
10:31. 41; Psa. 136: 145:1-11; Jcr. 33:11. 1 Rev. 21:10-14. m Hag. 2:3. 
n Psa. ]-J6:6; Jer. 31:S. 9. « Psa. 5:11. P Judg. 2:5. 1 Heb. sons of the 
transportation, q ver. 7-9. r 2 Kings 17:24, etc. » 2 Kings 19:37. 1 Neh. 
2:-2U; AclsS:21; 3John9,10. uch.l:l-3. 



7. Money given for the establishment and sujiport of 
divine worship, instead of being lost, as some think, is 
most profitably used, and invested where it will yield an 
abundant reward. 

11. Success in all good undertakings comes from the 
Lord, and the glorv should be given to him. Compare 
1 Chr. 29:11-16; Psa. 12(i:l. 

12. Jlen are often more atfected by what they want, than 
with what they have ; and thus -\veep and lament, -n-hen 
they ought to rejoice and render praise. 

CHAPTER IV. 

1. 77(1,' adversaries of Judah ; the Samaritans, composed 
of persons of various provinces -whom the king of Assyria 
had removed and ])laced in Samaria. Ver. 7-10. 

2. Assur; Assyria. 

543 



JjelUr lo Artaitrits. 



I.ZKA V. 



The hu'ddinp hindertd. 



hands of llip people of Jmlnh,* and trouMcd tlicni 
in luiildinir.'' 

fi Ami liirod <-.)uii;=cllor.« atrainist llioni,'" to frii?- 
tralr tlicir |>iiriMisi'. all tin- days ol' Cvnis king of 
roi>iu,i>v.'n uii till lirrrigii of I Uirius king of Persia. 

fi Anrl in the rciirn of Aliasucrns," in the begin- 
ning of his ii'ign, wrote they vnto him an accnsa- 
tion against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusa- 
lem. 

7 ■ .\nd in the days of Artaxcrxcs wrote Bish- 
lani.' Milhroilath.Tabe(>I.anil the restof their eom- 
panions,= nnto Arlaxcrxes king of Persia; and the 
writing of the letter n-as written in the Syrian 
tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. 

S Kehuni tlie ehancellorand Shiuishai the scribe^ 
wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxcs 
the king in this sort: 

9 Then wrote Reliuni the ehancellor, and Sliim- 
shai the scribe, and the rest of their eompanions;' 
the Dinaites,'' the Apharsathcliites, tlicTarpelites, 
tlie Apharsites, the Archevites, the Jiabylonians, 
the .■^usanchites, the Dchavites, and the Elamites, 

10 And the rest of the nations whom the great 
and noble Asnapper brougiit over," and set in the 
cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side 
the river, and at such a time.^'^ 

11 T[ This is the copy of the letter tliat they sent 
unto him,cfe« unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy ser- 
vants the men on this side the river, aud at such 
a time. 

12 Be it known uuto the king, that the Jews which 
came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, 
building the rebellious and the bad city,*-' and have 
setup' t he walls ///rrfo/", and joined* the foundations. 

13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this 
city be builded, and the walls set up ap;ain, then 
will they not pay* toll, tribute, and custom,'' and so 
thou slialt endamage tlie revenue* of the kings. 

1-4 Now because we have maintenance from the 
king's palace,' and it was not meet for us to see the 
king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certi- 
fied the king ; 

15 That search may be made in the book of the 
records of thy fathers : so shalt thou find in the 
book of the records, and know that this city is a 





' i\ 


sh. 5 


9. b ch 


3:3. c 


Acts 21:1 


elc. • Heb 


Ahaskverosh. 


t Or, in 


v 


la. 


: H 


b. societies. ( Or 


secretary. 


1 Chald. soc 


ietUs. d -J Kin 


gs 17:.30, 


ai 


B 


Rom 


13:7. 


1 Chald 


Cheeiuth 


1 vcr. 11, 


17; ch. 7:ia. 


e Ezek. 


i'( 


la- 


•-'1. 


• Ot, fin 


shed, t 


Child se 


eed together 


1 Chald eiv 


e. b ch. 


'■ 






strength 


1 Child, are salted with the salt of the ■palace 


i Esth. 



6. Ahmuerus; king of Persia, between Oyrus and Darius. 

7. Artaxerxes ; wlio also reigned between Cyrus and 
Darius. Bishlam, Mithredalh, Tabeel; rulers among the 
Samaritans. 

9. Dinaites — Elamites; who came into Israel from the 
different Assyrian provinces. 

10. The river; the Euphrates. 

12. Builiting the rebellious and the bad city; it was only 
the temple that they were rebuilding. But their adver- 
saries chose to represent this as only the beginning of a 
plan for rebuilding the whole city, with its walls and 
towers. 

20. Beyond the river; west of the Euphrates. 1 Kings 
4:21. 

24. Darius; who had succeeded Artaxerxes as king of 
Persia. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. Worldly men are often disturbed at the prosperity 
544 



rebellious city, and hurtful nnto king.'^ and '*ji''r1iS 
provinces,' and that they JKive moved' sedition 
within the same' of old time: for which cause 
was this city destroyed.^ 

Ill We certify the "king that, if this city be build- 
ed afrain, and the walls thereof set up, by this 
means thou shall have no portion on this side the 
river. 

17 ^ Then sent the king an answer unto Reliuin 
the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to 
the rest of their companions* that dwell in Sama- 
ria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and 
at such a time. 

18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been 
plainly read before me. 

19 And 1 Cdiuniaiided,* and search hath been 
made, and it is found that this city of old time hath 
made insurrection^ against kings, and that rebel- 
lion and sedition have been made therein.'' 

20 There have been mighty kings also over Je- 
rusalem, which have ruled over all countries be- 
yond the river ;' and toll, tribute, and custom, was 
jtaid unto them. 

21 Give ye now commandment' to cause these 
men to cease, and that this city be not builded, 
until another commandment shall be given from me. 

22 Take hi'ed now that ye fail not to do this: 
why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? 

23 1 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' 
letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the 
scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste 
to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to 
cease by force'' and power. 

24 Then ceased the work of the house of God 
which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the sec- 
ond year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 Zerubbabel and Jeshua, incited by Hiiggai and Zechariah, set forward 
the buildino; of the tpini>Ie. 3 Taln:ti and Shethar-boznai could not 
hinder the .Tuw-s. G Their letter to Darius against the Jews. 

''T^HEN the prophets, Haggai the prophet," and 
_L Zechariah the son of Iddo," prophesied unto 
the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the 
name of the God of Israel, even unto them. 



.3:9. 1 Chald. mode. • C\i3\A. in thc'midst thereof . j 2 Kings 24:20; 45:1, 
4. t Oiald. societies. 1 Chald. by me a decree is set. i Chald. lifted up it- 
self, k 2Kings!8:7. 1 Gen. 15:18; Josh. 1:3,4; 1 Kings 4:21, 24; Psa. 
72:8. I Cba.\i. Make a decree. H Chald. arm. niHig.l:!. nZech.l:!. 



of the church ; and if it does not promote their own selfish 
purposes, they endeavor to prevent its progress. 

11. One way in which wicked men attempt to hinder 
the progress of the church, is to represent it as injurious 
to the interests of the state ; and thus to enlist civil rulers 
against it, and open the way to put it down by force. 

14. Opposers of the church often represent themselves 
as special friends of the state, and express great concern 
lest the increase of religion should conflict with the inter- 
ests of civil rulers. 

17. Rulers who depend upon the representations of 
others, are often deceived as to facts ; and take such 
courses as are subversive of the rights, and injurious to 
the interests of their fellow-men. 

CHAPTER V. 

1. Prophesied unto the Jews; exhorting them to proceed 
with the building of the temple. 



The work is resumed, 



EZRA VI. 



with the. consent of Darius. 



v.c.'^f*' 2 Then rose up Zerubhabel the son of 
Shealtiel, and Jesliua the son of Jozadak, and be- 
gan to build the house of God which is at Jeru- 
salem: and with thein were the prophets of God 
helping them. 

3 IT At the same time came to them Tatnai, gov- 
ernor on this side the river, and Sliethar-boznai, 
and their companions, and said thus unto them, 
Wlio hath commanded you to build this house, 
and to make up this wall? 

4 Then said we unto them after this manner,"What 
are the names of the men that make" this building? 

5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of 
the Jews,* that they could not cause them to cease,'' 
till the matter came to Darius : and then they re- 
turned answer by letter concerning this matter." 

6 1 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor 
on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his 
companions the Apharsachites, which were on this 
side the river, sent unto Darius the king : 

7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein* was writ- 
ten thus : Unto Darius the king, all peace. 

8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into 
the province of Judea, to the house of the great 
God, which is builded with great stones,* and tim- 
ber is laid in the walls, and tliis work goeth fast 
on, and prospereth in their hands. 

9 Then asked we those elders, and said imto 
them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, 
and to make up these walls?* 

10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, 
that we might write the names of the men that 
were the chief of them. 

11 And thus they returned us answer, saying. 
We are the servants of the God of heaven and 
earth,'' and build the house that was builded these 
many years ago, which a great king of Israel 
builded and set up.' 

12 But after that our fathers had jirovoked the 
God of heaven unto wrath,*^ he gave them into the 
hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon,'' the 
Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried 
the people away into I5abylon. 



• Chald. build, a 


ch. 7:6, aS; Psa. 32;H; 33:IS; 34:15; 76:10. b Psa. 


I29:2-S. cch. S;C. 


t Chald. in tke midst wlureof. t Chald. stoms of roll- 


ing. i ver. 3, 4. 


« Dan. 3:26; Acts 27:23; Rom. 6:16. ' ] Kings 6:1. 


? -JChr. 36:16, 17. 


1> a Kings 21:2; 25:8-11. i ch. 1:1-3. J Jet. 52:19. 



3. Governor on this side the river ; of the Assyrian prov- 
inces west of the Euphrates. 

4. Whit are the names; this question it seems was put 
by Tatnai the govenior, to the Jews. Ver. 10. 

16. Since that time even until now; that is, in process of 
huilrling: as inueh as to say. It was commenced then and 
is not yet iini.shed. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

I. When the people of God needlessly neglect his work, 
he will reprove them, and by his ministers and his provi- 
dence convince them of their sin, and lead them to engage 
anew in the discharge of their duty. 

5. Those who attempt, in deiiendence on God, to do 
wliat they can for tlie promotion of his cause, will find 
him ready to assist them ; and with him for their guide 
and helper, tlie efforts of enemies to stop their progress 
will be in vain. 

II. Open and frank acknowledgment of our attachment 
to God and his cause, of our sins against liim. and of )iis 
justice in our punishment, is the surest way of securing 
his continued ."imites. 



13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of 
Baljylon,' i/ie same king Cyrus made a decree to 
build this house of God. 

14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the 
house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of 
the temple that icas in Jerusalem, and brought 
them into the temple of Babylon,^ those did Cyrus 
the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and 
they were delivered unto 07ie, whose name was 
Sheshbazzar," whom he had made governor f 

15 And said unto him. Take these vessels, go, 
carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, 
and let the house of God bo builded in his place. 

16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the 
foundation of the house of God which is in Jeru- 
salem : ' and since that time even until now hath it 
been in building, and yet it is not finished.™ 

17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let 
there bo search made in the king's treasure-house," 
which is there at Babylon, whether it be so. that 
a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this 
house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send 
his pleasure to us concerning this matter. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1 Darius, finding the decree of Cyrus, maketh a nf%v decree for the ad- 
vancement of the building. Vi By the help of the enemies, and the 
directions of the prophets, the temple is finished. 16 The feast of the 
dedication is kept, 19 and the passover. 

THEN Darius the king made a decree, and 
search was made in the house of the rolls,' 
where the treasures were laid up^ in Babylon." • 

2 And there was found at Achmetha," in the 
palace that is in the province of the Modes, a roll, 
and therein icas a record thus w^'itten : 

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, t/ie same 
Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house 
of God at Jerusalem,'' Let the house be builded, the 
place where they offered sacrifices,'' and let the 
foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height 
thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof 
threescore cubits ; 

4 With three rows of great stones,' and a row of 



k Hag. 1:14; 2:2. 21. iHh. deputy. I ch. 3:S, 10. mch.6:15. nch.6:l, 
2. \C\i^\ii. books. \ C\\^\i. madt to descend . och. 5:17. * Or, fc^otona, 
o^inacoffer. p 2 Chr. 36:22, 23. q Psa. 122:4. ri Kings 6:36. 



17. A true statement of facts as they are, will ordinarily 
show the integrity of the j)eople of God, and that in tliose 
transactions in which the wicked have most opposed them, 
they have acted with fairness, uprightness, and fidelity. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1. The house of the rolls; the place in which the records 
of the realm were kept. Tlie king's officers seem to have 
searched for this record first at Babylon, and afterwards 
at Achni(-'tli;i. 

2. Ac/imciha ; the same as Ecbatana ; a chief city of Media, 
and tlie summer residence of the Persian kings. 

3. Tlie hcijiht thereof; tliat is, of its porch. This was 
half the height of the porch of Solomon's temple. 2 Chrou. 
3:4. Compare Josephus"- Antiquities, book 15, chap. 11:1. 
The breailtk thereof; or, as some propose to render the 
original word here and in Dan. 3:1, extent in depth, reck- 
oning from the front backward ; for Solomon's temple was 
si.xty cubits in depth, but only twenty in widtli : and, even 
if the chambers on each side be added, it fell far short of 
sixtv cubits in width. 

545 



TV dfcrtr of Darius. 



r.ziiA VII. 



The lemple dediaUcd. 



new tirnhcr: nnd let the expenses be given out of 
llii' kiiifr's liousc : 

f) And also let the polden and silver vessels of 
tiie house of (iod," which Nchuchaduczziir look 
forth out of the ti'iiiplf which is at .lerusaloni, and 
brouirht unto Halivloii, 1m' ri'storcd, and brougiif 
again inilo tlic temple wliich is at Jerusalem, every 
one to ids place, and place l/iem in the house of 
God. 

6 Now therefore, Tatnai,'' governor beyond the 
river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions* the 
Apharsachites, wliich arc beyond the river, be yc 
far from thence : 

7 Let the work of this house of God alone ; " let 
the gnvernor of the Jews and the elders of the 
Jews build this house of God in his place. 

8 Moreover 1 make a decree' wliat yc shall do 
to the elders of these Jews for the building of this 
house of God : that of the king's goods, even of the 
trii)ute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be 
given unto these men, that they be not hindered.^ 

9 And that which they liave need of, both young 
bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for tlic burnt-offer- 
ings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, w'inc, and 
oil, according to the appointment of the priests 
which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day 
by day without fail:'' 

10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors' 
unto the God of heaven," and pray for the life of 
the king,"^ and of his sons. 

11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever 
shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down 
from his house, and being set up, let him be hang- 
ed^ thereon ; and let his house be made a dunghill 
for this.'' 

12 And tlie God that hath caused his name to 
dwell there'' destroy all kings and people, that shall 
put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house 
of God which is at Jerusalem.' I Darius have 
made a decree ; let it be done with speed. 

13 1i Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, 
Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according 
to that which Darius the king had sent, so they 
did speedily. 

11 And the elders of the Jews buildcd,and they 
prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the 



• Oh. 1:7, 8; 5:14; Dan. 5:a. * Chald. go. b ch. 5:3. t Child, iheir so- 
mites, c Acts 5:3S, 39. I ChsM. ki/ nu a decree is made. 1 Child, marfc 
toeease. i Isi. 49:3). I Chald. of rest, e ch. 7:23; Jer. 29:7. I I Tim. 
i:l,l 1 Chald. (fcjiroyji. S Dan. 2:5; 3:39. h 1 Kings 9:3. i Psa. 137:8, 
9; Chad. 10. Jch. 5:1, 2. • Chald. rftcree. k ver. 3. I ch. 4:24. m ch. 
7:1. t Child, sons of Ihe transportation, ch. 4:1. » 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chr. 



6. Now therefore ; this is the direction of Darius to the 
Samaritans, and others who had sympathized and acted 
with them. 

11. Word; decree. 

14. Artaxerxes; one who succeeded Darius as king of 
Persia. 

22. Assyria ; Persia, of which Assyria then formed a p i rt. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Diligence and fidelity in searcliing for and obtaining 
a correct knowledge of facts, will show that opposition to 
the people of God in the estaWishment of his worsliip, is 
unreasonable and wicked. 

6. As the hearts of kings and rulers are in the hand of 
the Lord, he can lead them to favor his people and use 
their power and influence to advance his cause. 

13. Under the superintending providence of God, those 
546 



prophet ami Zochariali thi> son of Iddo.J ■*i,"c'!!!j; 
And tiicy liuildc(|, and linishcij it, according to the 
commandment of the Ciod of Israel, and accord- 
ing to the commandment' of t'yrus,'' and Darius,' 
and Artaxer.xes king of Persia.'" 

If) And this house was finished on the third day 
of the month Adar. which was in the sixth year of 
the reign of Darius the king. 

Itj "i And the children of Israel, the priests, and 
the Levitcs, and the rest of the children of the 
captivity,' kept the dedication of this house of 
God" with joy," 

17 And offered at the dedication of this house 
of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, 
four hundred lambs;'' and for a sin-ofTering for all 
Israel, twelve lic-goats, according to the number 
of the tribes of Israel. 

18 And they set the priests in their divisions,*" 
and the Levitcs in their courses,^ for the service 
of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written* 
in the Ixjok of Moses.' 

19 And the children of the captivity kept the 
passover upon the fourteenth day oi' the iirst month.' 

20 For the jiriests and the Levitcs were purified 
together," all of them were pure, and killed the 
passover for all the children of the captivity, and 
for their brethren the priests, and for them- 
selves.''' 

21 And the children of Israel, which were come 
again out of captivity, and all such as had sepa- 
rated themselves unto them from the filthiness of 
the heathen of the land,"' to seek the Lord God of 
Israel, did eat, 

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven 
days with joy: ^ for the Lord had made them joy- 
ful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria 
unto them,^' to strengthen their liands in the work 
of the house of God, the God of Israel. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 Ezra goeth up to Jerasalem. 11 The gracious commission of Arta- 
xerxes to Ezra. 27 Ezra blesseth G-od for his favor. 

New after these things, in the reign of Arta- 
xerxes king of Persia,'- Ezra the son of Se- 
raiah," the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 



7:5. o ser. 22: .\eh. 8:10; 12:43; r.^. 122:1. p ch. .S:35. ql Chr. 24:1. 
rl Chr. 23:0. I a>a.U. accoriling to the writing. ■ Num. 3:0; 8:9. < Exod. 
12:6. "2 Chr. 30:15. v 2 Chr. 35:11. wch. 9:11. » Exod. 12:15; 13:6; 
2 Chr. 30:21 ; 35:17; 1 Cor. 5:7, 8. J ver. G; Prov. 21:1. ' Neh. 2:1. 



who have bitterly opposed his cause may be led to unite 
with his people in promoting it; and thus by the labors 
of both, great and good works may be speedily accom- 
plished. 

20. The holy character and conduct of ministers is inti- 
mately connected with the prosperity of religion ; and the 
establishment of the worship and ordinances of God ac- 
cording to his appointment, is, to his people of every coun- 
try and name, an occasion of joy. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1. Artaxerxes ; Artaxerxes Longimanus, the second king 
in order after Darius. He must not be confounded witli 
the Artaxerxes mentioned in chap. 4:7, etc. See the intro- 
ductory remarks. Ezra; he was grandson of the high- 
priest who was slain at the taking of Jerusalem, 2 Kings 
25:18-21, and was a descendant of Aaron. 



Ezra comes to Jcrusakn 



EZRA VII. 



Decree of Artaxtrxcs. 



4 ?S^f 2 Tlie son of Sliallum, the ?on of Zadok, 
the son of Aliitub, 

3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, tlie 
son of Meraioth, 

4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son 
of Biikki, 

5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas," the 
son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest :" 

6 This Ezra went up from Babylon ; and he was 
a ready scribe in tlie law of Moses,'^ which the 
Lord God of Israel had given: and the king 
granted him all liis request, according to the hand 
of the Lord liis God upon him.'' 

7 And there went up some of the children of Is- 
rael," and of the priests, and the Levites, and the 
singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim,*^ unto 
Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the 
king. 

8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, 
which was in the seventh year of the king. 

9 For upon the first day of the first month began 
he to go up* from Babylon, and on the first day of 
the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according 
to the good hand of his God upon him.'' 

10 For Ezra had prepared his heart'' to seek the 
law of the Lord,' and to do it,' and to teach in 
Israel statutes and judgments.'' 

Ill Now this is tiie copy of the letter that the 
king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the 
scribe, even a scribe of the words of the command- 
ments of the Lord, and of his statutes to Israel. 

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings,' unto Ezra the 
priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, 
perfect peace,* and at such a time. 

13 1 make a decree, that all they of the people 
of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my 
realm, which are minded of their own free will to 
go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. 

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king,* and 
of his seven counsellors,"" to inquire concerning 
Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy 
God which is in thy hand ; 

15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the 
king and his counsellors have freely ofiered unto the 
God of Israel," whose habitation is in Jerusalem," 

16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst 
find in all the province of Babylon,'' with the free- 
will-offering of the people, and of the priests, oftcr- 
ing willingly for the house of their God which is 
in Jerusalem:'' 

17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this 



a Num. a5;ll-13. b Heb. 5:4. e ver. 11, 12. SI. i vcr. 9; ch. 8:22, 31; 
Neh. 2:8, 18; Proir. 3:6. e ch. 8:1, 15, etc. f ch. 2:43. • Heb. was the 
foundation of the gain? up. e ver. B. li2Chr.l9:3. ■ Psi. 119:4.5. i DBut. 
li;:la; Dan. 6:5. k Doul. 3:i:10; Mil. 2:7; Tilus 2:1, 15. I Ezek. 26:7; 
Dan. 2:37. t Or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect snibe of the law of the God of 
heaven, ^ice, etc. t Ch3.U. from before' the king. mEslh. 1:14. of 



6. Scribe in tlie law ; one skilful in writing the law and 
in instructing tlie people in its meaninfc, ver. 10. 

8. In the seventh t/ear of the king; consequently thirteen 
j-ears before the mission of Nehemiali. Neh. 2:1. 

20. Bestow it out of the kind's treasure-house; from the 
tribute and customs paid into the king's treasury, by the 
people west of the PiUphrates. Vcr. 25. 

27. Blesseii he the Lord God; the exclamation of Ezra in 
view of what (Jod had done for him and the Jews, espe- 
cially in inclining the king to favor them. 



money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offer- 
ings and their drink-offerings,'' and offer them upon 
the altar of the house of your God which is in 
Jerusalem." 

18 And whatsoever sJiall seem good to thee, and 
to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver 
and the gold, that do after the will of your God.' 

19 The vessels also that are given thee for the 
service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou 
before the God of Jerusalem. 

20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for 
the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occa- 
sion to Ijcstow, bestow it outrjf the king's treas- 
ure-house. 

21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make 
a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond 
the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the 
scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall re- 
quire of you, it be done speedily, 

22 Unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a 
hundred measures* of wheat, and to a hundred 
baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and 
salt without prescribing how much. 

23 Whatsoever is commanded' liy tlie God of 
heaven," let it be diligently done for the house of 
the God of heaven:'' for why should there be 
wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 

24 Also we certify you, that, touching any of the 
priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinim, or 
ministers of this house of God, it shall not be law- 
ful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. 

25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, 
that is in tliy hand, set magistrates and judges,"' 
which may judge all the people that are beyond 
the river, all such as know tlie laws of thy God ; 
and teach ye them that know them, not.'^ 

2fi And whosoever will not do the law of thy 
God, and the law of the king, let judgment be 
executed speedily upon him, whether it he unto 
death, or to banishment,^ or to confiscation of 
goods, or to imprisonment. 

27 IT Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers,^' 
which liath put such a thing as this in the king's 
heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is 
in Jerusalem:^ 

28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the 
king," and his counsellors, and before all the king's 
mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the 
hand of the Lord my God was upon me,*" and I 
gatliered together out of Israel chief men to go 
up with me. 



63:29; 76:11. o 2 Chr. 6:2; Psa. 9:11 ; 26:S; 135:21. Pch.8:2S. 1 1 Chr. 
29:6,9. r Num. 15:4-13. • Dent. 12:5-11 . t Eph. 5:17. 5 Chald. cor,!. 
I Heb. of the decree. » ver. IS. » Psa. 119:4. " Exod. 18:21. 22; Deul. 
16:18. X ver. 10; Rom. 10:14-17. 1 Chald. rooting out. y 1 Chi. 29:10. 
ich.6:22. ach.9:9. b ver. 6; ch. 8:18. 



IXSTRUCTIONS. 

6. To be scribes well instructed in the things of the 
kingdom of God. and able to teach others, men must devote 
themselves to this work, and seek that preparation which 
comes from him onlj'. 

12. 'When rulers and those in authority are led to pro- 
mote the cause of God, his people should view it as the 
fruit of his grace, and render to him their tribute of grat- 
itude and praise. 

21. Rulers who not only favor the cause of God, hut use 
547 



Hzrit'K companions in 



{./.[[. \ VIII. 



returning from Babylon. 



(HA TIER VII I 

n. .f I'/r. ■>' t.t, 



t. nun, I frr.in lUl.vlon. ]•'• He «pnd- 
•Jl Ho Iti-i-prlh B fiul. 'Jl 
Wf ,-,v ly of till* pricsUi. 'U From 

Ali»n ■ ireiuuru ii weighnl in llic 

t«m|i! ' ■'■ 

''T^ilESK are now the ciiicrof tlicir fatliors, and 
\. this is the L'enealojry of them that went up 
with nie from Babvlou, in the reign of Artaxcrxes 
liie kiiijr. 

2 Of the sons of Phinclias;" Gcrshom: of the 
}!nns of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; 
llattu^h.'' 

3 Of the sons of Ifheclianiah, of tlic sons of Pha- 
rosh ;'' Zechariali : and with liiin wore reckoned by 
jrenealo'i'v of tlie males a hiinilicd anti fifty. 

4 Of the sons of Pahath-iiioalj; Elilioeiiai the son 
of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. 

5 Of the sons of Siiechaniah : the son of Jaha- 
ziel. and with him three hundred males. 

6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ehed the son of 
Jonathan, and witii him fifty males. 

7 And of the sons of Elani ; Jcshaiah the son of 
Atlialiah, and with him seventy males. 

S And of the sons of Shephatiah ; Zebadiah the 
son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. 

9 Of the sons of Joab ; Obadiah the son of Jc- 
liicl, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 

10 And of the sons of Slieloniith ; the son of 
.losiphiah, and with him a hundred and threescore 
males. 

11 And of the sons of Bebai ; Zechariah the son 
of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. 

12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son* 
of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten 
males. 

13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, ■whose 
names are these, Eliphclct, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, 
and with them threescore males. 

14 Of the sons also of Bigvai ; Uthai, and Zab- 
bud,* and with them seventy males. 

15 *^ And 1 gathered them together to the river 
that runneth to Ahava; and there al)ode' we in 
tents three days : and I viewed the people, and the 
priests, and found there none of the sous of Levi." 

16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for She- 
maiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for 
Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and 
for Meshullam, cliief men ; also for Joiarib, and for 
Elnathan, men of understanding.'^^ 

17 And 1 sent them with commandment unto 



* I Chr. 0:4, etc. b 1 Chr. 3::22. c ch. 2:3. ' Or, youngest son. t Or, 
Zomir, M lome read. XOt,pitehed. <lch.7:7. e IChr. 1-2:3J; Prnr. 20:5; 
28:2. i Heb. / put words in their mouth, 2 Sam. 14:3. 19. f Tit. 1:5. 
«*'«h, 8:7; 9:4, 5. hch. 2:43. iPhil. 4:.3. J 2 Cliron. 20:3. k Lev. 16:29; 
23:29; Isa.5-J:3,5; Joel 2:13. lPEa.5:8; 143:8,10; ProT.3:6; l8a..'J0:21; 



their influence to gain the cooperation of others, may ex- 
pect a blessing on themselves and their fellow-men. 

CHAPTER YIII. 

15. Ahava; in Assyria, on a river of the same name, 
which emptied into tlic P^uplirates. Ver. 21. 

17. Casiphia; supposed to have been not far from Ahava. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
15. Ministers are sometimes backward to engage in diffi- 
cult and perilous services, and need, by the exhortation 
548 



iddo the rhief at the place f'asipliia, and * « w 
I told Ihotn what they should say* unto w" 
Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethiniin, at tlie 
place Casipliia, that they should bring unto us 
ministers for the house of our (iod.' 

is And by the good hand of our Ood upon us 
they brought us a man of understanding," of tlie 
sons of ^lahli, the son of Levi, th(( son of Israel ; 
and Shercbiah, with his sons and his brethren, 
eighteen. 

19 And llashabiah, and with him .leshaiah of 
the sons of Alerari, liis iirclhren and their sons, 
twenty ; 

20 Also of the Nethinim,'' wlioin David and the 
princes had appointed for the service of the Lo- 
vites, two hundred and twruty Nethinim: all of 
them were expressed by name.' 

21 ^ Tiien 1 jiroclaimed a fast there.' at the river 
of Aliava, that we might afflict ourselves before our 
God," to seek of him a right way for us,' and for 
our little ones,'" and for all our substance. 

22 For I was asliamed to require of the king a 
band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against 
the enemy in the way:" because we had spoken 
unto the king, saying. The hand of our God is 
upon all them for good" that seek him;'' but his 
power and his wrath is against all them that for- 
sake him.'' 

23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: 
and he was entreated of us.'' 

24 1 Tiien I separated twelve of the chief of the 
priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their 
brethren with them, 

2.5 And weighed unto them the silver, and the 
gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house 
of our God,' which the king, and his counsellors, 
and his lords, and all Israel there present had 
oflered : 

20 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred 
and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels a hun- 
dred talents, and of gold a hundred talents ; 

27 Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand 
drams; and two vessels of fine copper,' precious^ 
as gold. 

28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the 
LoHD;' the vessels are holy also;" and the silver 
and the gold are a freewill-offering unto the Lord 
God of your fathers. 

29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them 
before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and 



42:16 


Jer. 10:2:). " Psa. 8:2; Mark 10:13, Ifi. n 1 Cor. 9:15. » oh. 7:6, 


9,23. 


P Psa. 33:18, 19; 31:15,22; Lam. 3:25; Rom. 8:28. q 2 Chr. 15:2; 


Zeph. 


1:4, 0; Heb. 10:38. r 1 Chr. 5:20; Psa. 66:18-20; Isa. 19:22; Jer. 


29:12, 


13. » ch. 7:15, 16. > Heb. yellow, or shining brass, t Heb. dejiro- 


ble. 


Lev. 21:6-8; 22:2,3; Dent. 33:8. "Num. 4:15; Rom. 9:23. 



of their more zealous brethren, to be stirred up to their 
duty. 

21. We should never undertake a journey, or any enter- 
prise, without first seeking the guidance and blessing of 
God; which is a better security against evils than any 
assist;uice that can be rendered by men. 

24. Those should be especially holy, who are intrustcil 
with lujly things ; and should carefully preserve and faith- 
fully appropriate what is committed to them. 

31. Those who secure the protection and blessing of 
God, may pass through the greatest dangers and prosecute 
the most difficult enterprises with safety and success. 



£:ra mourncth the Jews' 



EZRA IX. 



affindy with heathen. 



A. M. SM7. chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, 
' 457. " in the chambers of tlio house of the LoRn. 

30 So took the priests and tiie Levitcs the weight 
of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring 
them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God." 

31 1[ Then we departed from tlie river of Ahava 
on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto 
Jerusalem : and the hand of our God was upon us,'' 
and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, 
and of such as lay in wait by the way. 

32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there 
three days."" 

33 1 Now on the fourth day was the silver and 
the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of 
our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of 
Uriah the priest;" and with him was Eleazar the 
sou of Phinehas ; and with them was Jozabad the 
sou of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Le- 
vitcs ; 

34 By number and by weight of every one : and 
all the weight was written at that time. 

35 ^ilso the children of those that had been car- 
ried away, which were come out of the captivity, 
oflcred burnt-olTerings uuto the God of Israel,*' 
twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, 
seventy and seven lambs, twelve he-goatsybr a siu- 
ofiferiug: all this was a burnt-offering unto the 
Lord. 

36 1 And they delivered the king's commissions 
unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors 
on this side the river:'' and they furthered the 
people, aud the house of God. 



CHAPTER IX. 

1 Ezra mourneth for the affinity of the people witli strangers. He pray- 
eih unto God with confession of sins. 

NOW when these things were done, the princes 
came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and 
the priests, and the Levites, have not separated 
themselves from the people of the lands,"^ daing ac- 
cording to their abominations,'' ew?iof the Canaan- 
ites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the 
Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the 
Amorites. 

2 For they have taken of their daughters for 
themselves, and for their sons:' so that the holy 
seed^ have mingled themselves with the people of 
those lands:'' yea, the hand of the princes and 
rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 

3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my gar- 
ment and my mantle,' and plucked off the hair 
of my head and of my beard,"" and sat down aston- 
ished." 



>Ver. 33. Iich.7:-J6. » Neh. 2:11. d ver. 20, 30. ech. 6:17. fch. 7:21. 
ech. 0:21; Neh. 9:2; aCor.0:17. t Deut. 12:30, 31 ; Rom. 2:17-25. iExod. 
34:16; Neh. 13:2:3. J Deut. 14:2; Isi. 6:13. k2Cor.6:14. 12KinEsl9:l. 
m Isi. 15:2. n Psi. 60:3. o oh. 10:3; Psa. 119:130; Isi. 66:2; Ezek. 9:4. 
PBxod. 29:39. • Or,nfflirtion. q I Kings 8:22. "-Dan. 9:7, 8. ■ Psa. 38i4. 
f Or, guiltiness. ' 2 Chr. 28:9; Luke 15:21; Rev. 18:5. u Psi. 106:6. 



CHAPTER IX. 

3. / rent my garment; a token of great consternation 
and sorrow at the transgression of the people, in niinf;Uiig 
by marriage with the idolatrous nations around them. 

;■). At the evenins; sacrifice; when the people assembled 
for e\ening worship. 



4 Then were assembled unto me every one that 
trembled at the words of the God of Israel," be- 
cause of the transgression of those that had been 
carried away ; and I sat astonished until the even- 
ing sacrifice.'' 

5 1i And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from 
my heaviness;* and having rent my garment and 
my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out 
my hands unto the Lord my God," 

6 And said, O.my God, I am ashamed and blush 
to lift up my face to thee, my God :'' for our iniqui- 
ties are increased over our head," and our tres- 
pass* is grown up unto the heavens.' 

7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a 
great trespass unto this day ;" and for our iniqui- 
ties have we, our kings, and our priests, been de- 
livered into the hand of the kings of the lands," 
to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to 
confusion of face, as it is this day. 

8 And now for a little space* grace hath been 
showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a rem- 
nant to escape, and to give us a nail^ in his holy 
place, that our God may lighten our eyes,'' and 
give us a little reviving in our bondage. '^ 

9 For we wo-e bondmen ■/ yet our God hath not 
forsaken us in our bondage,^ but hath extended 
mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, 
to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our 
God, and to repair' the desolations thereof, and 
to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem." 

10 And now, our God, what sliall we say after 
this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 

11 Which thou hast commanded by'' thy ser- 
vants the prophets, saying. The land, unto which 
ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the 
iilthiness of the people of the lands, with their 
abominations, which have filled it from one end to 
another" with their uncleanness. 

12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto 
their sons, neither take their daughters unto your 
sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever ;" 
that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the 
land, and leave it for an inheritance to your chil- 
dren for ever. 

13 And after all that is come upon us for our 
evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that 
thou our God hast punished us less than our iniq- 
uities deserve* and hast given us such deliverance 
as this;" 

14 Should we again break thy commandments,'* 
and join in affinity with the people of these abomi- 
nations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till 
thou hadst consumed us," so that there should be no 
remnant nor escaping? 



"0601.28:36,64. lUeb. morrunt. i Or, a pin: Ih^l h, a conslant and sun 
abode, U3L. ia-.-il. " Psa. 13:3. xPsa. 85:6. y Neh. 9:36. i Psa. 136:23; 
Ezek. 11:16. I Heh. set up. acli. 6:8, 14. 1B.eb. by the hand of. • Hcb. 
mouth to mouth, 2 Kings 21:16. b Dent. 23:6. t Heb. withheld beneath our 
iniquities, c Psa. 103: 10. J John 5:14; 2 Pet. 2:20, 21. e Deut. 9:8. 



6. Grown up unto the licai-en.'s; become exceedingly great. 

8. A little space; from the time Zerubbabcl with his com- 
pany arrived at Jerusalem, to the arrival of Ezra. A nail 
in his Itolij place; permanently established them at Jeru- 
salem. 

9. A wall in Judah; the means of defence from their 
enemies. 

549 



E:r,i rtformelk tht 



EZIIA X. 



marriages with strangers. 



1") (1 Lord Goil of Isrnol, thou art rifrlitoous;" 
for wc remain vol ( s(;i|ii'(i,'' as iV is tlii.s day : bc- 
liold, wc art before tlioe in our trespasses;" lor we 
cannot stand before ihco because of tiiis.'' 

niAl'TKi! X. 

1 Sh«^ ■. 'ii Kzra to r« T'Tm \hv Rtran;;r marriages. C 

Kir . I.'lh tho people. 9 The people, al tile ellinr- 

Uti .ml promise amomlment. 1.') The care to per- 

fonii.. -" ;.' ^ ol lliem which haJ niarrieJ strange wives. 

"VT W when Ezra liad prayed, and wlieii he had 
i > confessed, weeping and easting iiinisclf down 
beftM-e the iiouse of God," tiicre assembled unto 
liim out of Israel a very great congregation of men 
and women and children : for the peoj)lc wept very 
sore." 

2 And Shechaniah the son of Jchiel, one of the 
sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We 
have trespassed against our God, and have taken 
strange wives of the people of the land / yet now 
tiiere is hope in Israel concerning tiiis thing.'' 

3 Xow tiiereforc let us make a covenant with 
our God'' to put away* all the wives, and such as 
are born of them, according to tlic counsel of my 
lord, and of those that tremble at the command- 
ment of our God;' and let it be done according 
to the law.J 

4 Arise; for this mmitcv helongeth m\io thee: wc 
also will be with thee : be of good courage, and do it. 

5 Then arose Ezra, and made the cliief priests, 
the Levitcs,and all Israel, to swear that they should 
do according to this word." And they swarc. 

G 1 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of 
God, and went into flic chamber of Jolianau the 
sou of Eliasliib: and vhtn he came thitlier, he did 
oat no bread, nor drink water:' for he mourned 
because of the transgression of them tliat had been 
carried away. 

7 And tiiey made proclamation throughout Judah 
and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captiv- 
ity, that they should gather themselves together 
unto Jerusalem ; 

8 And that whosoever would not come within 
three days, according to the counsel of the princes 
and the elders, all his substance should be for- 
feited,* and himself separated from the congrega- 
tion of those that had been carried away. 

9 IT Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin 
gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem with- 



in three days. It was the ninth month, *i,*','5f,;: 
on the twentieth day oi tlie mnntii ; and all the 
I)eoplesat in the street of the house of God, Ireni- 
iiling because of this matter,'" and for the great 
rain.'' 

10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto 
them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken' 
strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 

1 1 Now tluacforc make confession unto the Lonn 
God of your fathers," and do his pleasure: and 
separate yourselves from the people of the land, 
and from the strange wives. 

12 Then all the congregation answered and said 
with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do. 

13 But the jieople arc many, and it is a time of 
much rain, and we arc not able to stand witiiout, 
neither is this a work of one day or two: for wo 
are many that have transgressed' in this thing. 

14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation 
stand, and let all them which have taken strange 
wives in our cities come at ajipoiuted times, and 
with them the elders of every city, and the judges 
thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this 
matter lie turned from us.* 

15 1i Only Jonathan the son of Asahcl and Ja- 
haziah the sou of Tikvali were employed* about 
this ^natter: and Meshullam and Sbabbethai th« 
Levite helped them. 

16 And tlie children of the captivity did so. 
And Ezra the priest, tdth certain chief of the 
fathers, after the house of their fathers, and ail 
of them by their names, were separated, and sat 
down in the first day^ of the tenth mouth to cx- 
aniiiio the matter." 

17 And they made an end with all the men that 
had taken strange wives by the first day of the 
first month. 

18 1 And among the sons of the priests there 
were found that had taken strange wives :'' namdy, 
of the sons of Je.shua the son of Jozadak, and his 
brethren ; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and 
Gedaliali. 

19 And they gave their hands that they would 
put away their wives;" and being guilty, they of- 
fered a ram of the flock for their trespass.' 

20 And of the sons of Immer ; Hanani, and Zeba- 
diah. 

21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and 
Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 



"Nch.9:.13; Dan. 9:14. b Lam. :J:-J-i, 2:!. c John 8;al, 2J; I Cor. 15:17, 
•|Pki.130:3. eachron.-i0:9. • \lA.agr,Mweepins. 'Neh. 13:27. f La. 
► ^••' < , .- ''i"- ^*-^^- ' Heb. brinpfonh. i cb. 9:4. J Deut. 7:2. .■). 
t iN.n. 5:12. 1 Deut. 9:18. I Heb. devottd. m I Sam. 12:18. S Heb. 
ilxoxeera. I Hgb. caustd to dwell, or have brought buck, n Prov. 28:13; 



15. Thouart righteous; in the punishment he had inflicted 
on them for tlieir sins ; and their dehverance was all of 
grace. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. However great the judgments of God on men for their 
Sins, or his mercy in their deliverance, they are prone to 
lorget him, and even to repeat the sins for which they 
liave been called to suffer. 

2. Marriages with the openly wicked have ever been a 
powerful means of public corruption, and a fruitful source 
of calamity to both rulers and people. 

6. Ingenuous confession of sin, with hearty supplication 
to God for pardon, is a more sure means of relief than any 
application which can be made to creatures 
550 



1 John 1:9. 1 Or, have greatly offended. * Or, be turned from us till this 
inaffcr be dispatched, t Heb. sfood. o Deut. 13:14; Job2i):16; John 7:51. 
P Jcr. 23:11; Mai. 2:8, 9. q 2 Kings 10:15; 1 Cbr. 29:24; 2 Chr. 30:8; 
Lam. 5:0. r Lev. 5:15. 18; 6:4, 0. 



13. Eowever great the calamities which God inflicts on 
his people, they feel that he is righteous, and that he pun- 
ishes them less than their sins deserve. 

CHAPTER X. 

14. Come at appointed times; to have their cases duly 
investigated and decided according to the truth. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Those who would lead others to repentance, must 
show that they are deeply affected with their sins, and 
earnestly desire their good. 

3. True repentance will always be accompanied with 



Names of those who 



EZRA X. 



put away strange wices. 



r.'.c'i^^' 22 Audof thesonsof Pashur;* Eliocnai, 
Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaucel, JozabaJ, aud Ela- 
sah. 

23 Also of the Levites ; Jozabad, and Shimei, and 
Kelaiali, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiab, Judah, 
and Eliezer. 

24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the 
porters; Shallum, and Teleni, and Uri. 

25 Moreover of Israel : of the sons of Parosh ; 
Ramiah, and Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, 
and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiali. 

26 And of the sons of Elam ; Mattaniah, Zecha- 
riah.and Jeliiel,andAbdi,and Jeremot]i,andElia]i. 

27 Andof the sons of Zattu ; Elioenai, Eliashib, 
Mattaniah, and Jeremotli, and Zabad, aud Aziza. 

28 Of the sons also of Bcbai ; Jehohauan, Hana- 
niah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 

29 Andof the sons of Bani; Meshullam,Malluch, 
and Adaiah, Jashub, and Slieal, and Ramoth. 

30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab ; Adna, and 



' Nehemiah 7:41. • Or, Mabnadebai. 



: copies, b Deuter- 



thorough reformation ; and no sin is repented of, that is 
not heartily forsaken. 

7. Those who undertake public reformations need en- 
couragement from their brethren, and the cooperation of 
many will effect what no one can accomplish alone. 

9. If men would forsake their sins and turn to the Lord, 



Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bczaleel, 
aud Binnui, and Mauassch. 

31 Aud of the sons of Harim ; Eliezer, Ishijah, 
Malchiah, 8heinaiah, Siiimeon, 

32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 

33 Of the sonsof Hashum; Mattenai,Mattathah, 
Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Sliimci. 

34 Ofthe sons of Bani; Maadai,Amram,andUel, 

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 

36 Vaniah, Mercmoth, Eliashib, 

37 Mattaniah, Mattcnai, and Jaasau, 

38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, 

39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 

40 Machnadebai," Shashai, Sharai, 

41 Azareel, and Shelcmiah, Shemariah, 

42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 

43 Of the sons ofNebo; Jciel, Mattithiah, Za- 
bad, Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah. 

44 All these had taken strange wives :'' and som£ 
of them had wives by whom they had children. 



onomy7;3,4; Joshua 23:12, 13; Judges .'5:5-8; Proverbs 5:20. 



they must not only resolve to do it, but with his help must 
carry their resolutions into effect; actually doing what 
they know and acknowledge to be their duty. 

17. Courage, resolution, activity, and perseverance, with 
dependence on God, will enable his people, for the good 
of his church, to accomplish objects otherwise impossible. 



5§L 



THE 



BOOK OF NEIIEMIAH. 



This book, of wliich Nchcmiah was the author, chap. 1:1, continues the history of the Jewish people 
from the time wlicn Nehemiah was connuissioncd by Artaxcrxce to go to Jerusalem in the capacity of 
civil governor, that he might rebuild its walls, and regulate the affairs of the province. The last event 
that it records is the expulsion from Jerusalem of one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the higli- 
pricst, because ho had married the daughter of Sauballat. This occurred during Nchemiah's secoiul 
administration, the duration of which is not known. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 Kehcmiah, untlerstanding by Hanani tlie misery of Jerusalem, mourn- 
eUl, fasteth, and prayeth. 5 His prayer. 

TITE words of Nehemiah the son of Ilaclialiah." 
And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in 
the twentieth year, as I was in Shusiian the palace, 

2 That Ilauaui, one of my brethren, came, he 
and certain men of Judali ; and I asked them con- 
cerniniT the Jews tiuit had escaped, wliich were 
left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are 
left of the captivity there in the province are in 
great affliction and reproach ;'' the wall of Jerusa- 
lem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are 
bm"ncd with fire." 

4 •[ And it came to pass, when I heard these 
words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned 
certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the 
God of heaven, 

5 And said, I beseech thee, Lord God of 
heaven, the groat and terrible God,'' that kcepeth 
covenant and mercy for them that love him and 
observe his commandments:" 

6 Let thine car now be attentivc,'^ and thine 
eyes open,'^ that thou mayest hear the prayer of 
thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day 



• Ch.lO;l. b Psa. 137:1-3; Lam. 1:7; 3:B1; 5:1 
64:10,11. d Dan. 9:4, etc. «Esod. 20:6. flK 
»P»l. 34:15. h Psa. 32:5; 1 John 1:9 



2Kings25:10; Isa. 

6. u. 23, 29; 2Chr. 6:40. 

Psa. 106:0. JDeut. 23:15. t Lev. 



CHAPTER I. 

1. Chisleu; the ninth month, answering to a part of No- 
vember and December. In the twentieth year; of Arta- 
xerxes' reign. Chap. 2:1. Shv.s!uin; a city in Persia, and 
the winter residence of the kings. 

2. Came; from Jerusalem. 

9. Tlie place that I have chosen; Jerusalem. 

10. These are til y servants; the Israelites who had return- 
ed to Judea. 

11. Tliis man; the king of Persia. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
2. True pietv is sometimes found among those who are 
552 



and night, for the children of Israel thy ^J'jjf^^^, 
servants, and confess the sins of the chil- '"«" "" 
dren of Israel,which wc have sinned against thee i*" 
both 1 and my father's house have sinned. 

7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee,' 
and have not kept the commandments, nor the 
statutes, nor the judgments, which thou command- 
edst thy servant Moses.-i 

8 Remember, 1 beseech thee, the word that thou 
commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, //"ye trans- 
gress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations :" 

9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my com- 
mandments, and do them ; though there were of 
you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven,' 
yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring 
them unto the place that I have chosen to set my 
name there."' 

10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, 
whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and 
by thy strong hand." 

110 Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be 
attentive to the prayer of thy servant," and to the 
prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy 
name : " and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this 
day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. 
For I was the king's cupbearer.'' 



26:33, etc.; Deut. 4:25, etc.; 28:64. I 1 
11:12; S6:S; Jer. 12:15; .TO:19, 20. » De; 
86:6. Pisa. 26:8; Heb. 13:18. qch.2:l. 



high in civil office ; and it leads them to take a deep inter- 
est in the welfare of the people and cause of God, in all 
parts of the world, especially in the home of their ances- 
tors and brethren. 

5. Pr;iyer to the God of heaven forms the best prepara- 
tion for great and difficult undertakings, and is the surest 
means of securing complete and final success. Compare 
ch. 2:4-8; Ezra 7 : 6. 

7. Hearty confession of sin, and an expression of firm 
confidence in the promises of God, are traits of acceptable 
prayer, and open the way for answers of peace. 

11. As the hearts of all men are in the hand of the 
Lord, application to him is the surest way of obtaining 
favors from him. 



Nehemiah sent to Jerusalem. 



NEHEMIAH II. 



He begins to rebuild 'U. 



CHAPTER II, 



1 Artaxences understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness sendeth 
him with letters and commission to Jerusalem. 9 Nehemiah, to the 
grief of the enemies, Cometh to Jerusalem. 12 He vieweth secretly 
the ruins of the walls. 17 He incitetli the Jews to build in despite 
of th, 



AND it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the 
twentieth year of Artaxerxes tlie king,'* that 
wine n-as before him : and I took up the wine, and 
gave it unto the king."* Now I had not been be- 
foretime sad in his presence. 

2 Wherefore the king Kaid unto me, Wliy is thy 
countenance sad, seeing tliou art not sick? this is 
nothing else but sorrow of heart."^ Then I was 
Tery sore afraid, 

3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for 
ever:* why should not my countenance be sad, 
when the city,'' the place of my fathers' sepulchres,'' 
lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed 
with fire? 

4 Then the king said unto me. For what dost 
thou make request? So I prayed to the God of 
heaven.'' 

5 And I said unto the king. If it please the king, 
and if thy servant have found favor in tliy sight, 
that thou wouldest send mo unto Judali, unto the 
city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. 

6 And the king said unto me, (the queen* also 
sitting by hiin,) For how long shall thy journey 
be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased 
the king to send me; and I set him a time." 

7 Moreover I said unto the king. If it please the 
king, let letters be given me to the governors be- 
yond the river, that they may convey me over till 
I come into Judah ; 

8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the 
king's forest, that he may give me timber to make 
beams for the gates of tlie palace which appertained 
to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for 
the house that I shall enter into.' And the king 
granted me, according to the good hand of my 
God upon me.^ 

9 ^ Then I came to the governors beyond the 
river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the 
king had sent captains of the army and horsemen 
with me. 



i>Ezr 


v7:l 


b 


nh. 


1:11. c 


Prov. 


15:13. dlKinff 


1:31; Dan 


fl-4. 


eoh. 


It!, f 


J l-'hr 


. 21 


■M; 


23:27; 


»>.::a 


r ProT. 


3:6; 1 


hil. 4:0. • 


Heb 


u-iff. 


h ch. 5 


14; 


a:B 


I 


ch. 3:7 


1 V 


r. 13; Ez 


a 5:5. 


t Psa. 11^ 


:ll); 


Ezek. 


45:6-8. 


1 E 


ira 8:32 


m Psa. 51 : 


18; 122:6 


ii2 


Chr. 26:9. 


och 


. 1:3. 



CHAPTER II. 

1. Ill the month Nisan; the first month of the Jewisli 
year ; consequently about foiir months after Nehemiah 
had inquired about the Jews and engaged in special 
prayer in their behalf. The months Chisleu and Nisan 
both fell in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes. Chapter 
1:1. 

4. So I prayed to tlte God of heaven; in silent prayer that 
he might DC directed, and the king be led to favor him. 

17. Jerusalem lieth waste; this was more than ninety years 
after the decree of Cyrus giving the Jews permission to 
return to their own land, and about seventy years after the 
completion of the second temple. The feebleness and 
poverty of the Jews, and the strong opposition of their 
enemies, had thus far prevented them from rebuilding the 
walls of Jerusalem. It is from the decree of Artaxerxes, 
empowering Nehemiah to perform this long-neglected 
work, that the seventy years of Daniel, Dan. 9:25, are to 



10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah 
the servant, tlie Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved 
them exceedingly that there was come a man to 
seek the welfare of the children of Israel.'' 

11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there tliree 
days.' 

12 1 And I arose in the night, I and some few 
men with me; neither told I any man what my 
God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem:"' 
neither teas there any beast with me, save the beast 
that I rode upon. 

13 And I wont out by night by the gate of the 
valley," even before the dragon-well, and to the 
dung-port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, 
which were broken down, and the gates thereof 
were consumed with fire." 

14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain," 
and to the king's pool : but there was no place for 
the beast that loas under me to pass. 

15 Then went I up in the night by the brook,'' 
and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered 
by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 

16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or 
what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the 
Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to 
the rulers, nor to the rest tliat did the work. 

17 1 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress 
that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the 
gates thereof are burned with fire:'' come, and let 
us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no 
more a reproach.'* 

18 Then I told them of tlie hand of my God 
which was good upon me;' as also the king's 
words that he had spoken unto me. And they 
said, Let us rise up and build. So they strength- 
ened their hands for this good icork.^ 

19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah 
the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Ara- 
bian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn,'' and de- 
spised us, and said. What w this thing that ye do? 
will ye rebel against the king?''' 

20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, 
The God of heaven, he will prosper us;" therefore 
we his servants will arise and build : but ye have 
no portion,^ nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.^ 



ch, 1:3. p ch. 3:15. q 2 .Sam. 15:23; Jer. 31:3?, 40. r Lam. 2:2, 8, 9. 
s ch. 1:3; Psa. 41:13; 79:4, 12; Jer. 24:9; Ezek. 5:14, 15; 22:4. 1 ver.8. 
u2Sam. 2:7; Ezra0:22. v Psa. SU:e. wchO:0. i Psa. 102:13, 14; Eccl. 
7:13. y Ezra 4:3. sisa. 56:5. 



be reckoned. This decree is placed by some chronologists 
454, by others, 449 years before Christ. See notes on Dan. 
9:25, 26. 

18. The hand of my God; how God had favored him. 

19. Sanballat — Tobiah — Geshem; these men, so often men- 
tioned in the book of Nehemiah, were the chief men among 
the opponents of the Jews in the provinces west of the 
Euphrates. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Silent ejaculatory prayer should be intermingled Avith 
all our employments ; and the habit of asking the guidance 
and blessing of God in all our concerns, is honorable to 
liim and highly useful to ourselves. 

7. While we first seek the blessing of God on our en- 
deavors to do good, we should use all suitable means to 
secure the aid and cooperation of men ; especially of those 
in authority, and such as have influence with others. 

10. The wicked are often grieved when the cause of God 
prospers and they cannot prevent it. 
553 



.ViiM£f and ordtr of tkt 



NEllE.MlAll III 



builders of l/ie wall. 



niAi'Tr.i: in 



*■ piIEN* Klia.-'liili llic liigh-priest ro.*c up witli his 
1. Itrc'tliion tlio prii'sL'^," and llicv built tlie sliccp- 
pito;'' tlicv sanclilifti it, and t^et uj) the duors of 
it; ovfii iiiito till' towor of Mcaii they saactiliod it,'' 
unto the tower of llauaiieel.' 

2 And next unto iiim" buildcd the men of Jeri- 
cho.'' And next to tiieiu builded Zaccur the son 
of Irnri. 

;j Hut tiic fisli-gate did the sons of IIas?enaah 
build/ who aho hvid tlie beams thereof, and set uj) 
the door:? tiiereof, the locks thereof, and tiio bars 
tliereof. 

4 And next unto them repaired Mercmoth the 
son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto 
them repairi'(l Mcshiillam the son of Bcrecliiah, 
the son of Meshezaboel. And next unto them 
repaired Zadok the son of Baami. 

5 And next unto tlieni the Tekoites repaired; 
but their nobles put not their necks to the work 
of tiieir Lord."-' 

6 Moreover tlie old gate repaired Jehoiada the 
sonof Paseali,and MeshuUam the son ofBesodeiah; 
they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors 
thereof, and the locks tliereof, and tlie bars thereof. 

7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the 
Gibeonite, and Jadon tlie Meroiiothite, the men of 
Gibcon, and of JIiz])ali, unto the throne of the 
governor on this side the river.'' 

8 Next unto him repaired Uz/icl the son of Har- 
haiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also re- 
paired Ilananiah the son of on« of the ajiothecaries, 
and they fortified* Jerusalem unto the broad wall.' 

9 And next unto them repaired RepJiaiah the 
son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. 

10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son 
of Ilarumaph, even over against his house. And 
next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hash- 
abniali. 

1 1 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the 
son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece,* and 
the tower of the furnaces. 

12 And next unto him repaired Shalhim the son 
of Ualohesh, the ruler of the half ])art of Jerusa- 
lem, he and his daughters. 

13 The valley-gate repaired Ilaniin, and the in- 
habitants of Zaiioali ; they Imilt it, and set up the 
doors thereof, the locks tliereof, and the burs there- 
of, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the 
dung-gate.^ 

14 But the dung-gate repaired Malcliiah the sou 
of Recliab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem ; he 



"Ch.lailO. bJohnS:'. tch. 12:39. i Jer. 31:33; Zech. 14: 10. • Heb. 
nlAwAnnd. >!Ezn2:34. ' 2 Chr. 33:14; Zeph. 1; 10. e Jiide. 3:23; Jer. 
;., 1 5; ICor. 1:2«; ITlm. 0:17, 18. b ch. 2:8. 1 Or, k/t. i ch. 12:38. 
MU\>. Ktond mtasure. J ch. 2:13. kch. 2:14. 1 John 9:7. ■■> 2 Kings 

18. The history of God's dealings with his people affords 
them encouragement to engage vinitedly and lieartily in 
his work. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. The sheep-gate; in tlio eastern part of the city near the 
temple, where sheep were sold for the sacrifices. Com- 
pare ver. 32; ch. 12:39; John :>:2, margin. 
554 



built it, and set up the doors thereof, the ^"c.'ms: 
locks thereof, and the bars thereof. 

l.O But the gale of the fountain repaired Phallum 
the son of Coi-hozeh,'' the ruler of jiart of Mizjiah ; 
he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors 
thereof, the loiks thereof, and the bars thereof, 
and the wall of the pool of Siloali by the king's 
garden,' and unto the stairs that go down from 
the city of David. 

IG jVfter him repaired Nehemiah the .^on of Az- 
buk, the ruler of tlie half i)art of Bcth-ziir, unto the. 
place over against the sejiulchres of David, and to 
the ])ool that was made,'" and unto the house of the 
mighty. 

17 After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son 
of Bani. Next unto him rc})aired liashabiali, the 
ruler of the half part of Kcilah, in his part. 

18 After him reiiaired their brethren, Bavai the 
son of llenadud, tlie ruler of the half part of Kei- 
lah." 

I'J And next to him repaired Ezer the son of 
Jesliua, the ruler of Miz])ali, another piece over 
against the going up to the armory at the turning 
of tlie wall." 

20 After him Barucli the son of Zabbai^ earnest- 
ly repaired the other piece, from the turning of 
the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the 
high-priest. 

21 After him repaired ilcremoth the son of Uri- 
jah the son of Koz another piece, from the door of 
the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house 
of Eliashib. 

22 And after him repaired the priests, the men 
of the plain.'' 

23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over 
against their house. After him repaired Azariah 
tlie son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by Lis 
house. 

24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad 
another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the 
turning of the wall,'^ even unto the corner. 

25 Palal the son of Uzzai, over against the turn- 
ing of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from 
the king's high house, that ivas by the court of the 
prison."' After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh. 

20 Moreover the Nethinim'' dwelt in Ophel," 
uiito^ the place over against the water-gate toward 
the east," and the tower that lieth out. 

27 After them the Tekoites repaired another 
piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, 
even unto the wall of Ophel. 

28 From above the horse-gate repaired the 
priests,^ every one over against his house. 

29 After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer 



20:20; Isi. 7:3; 22:11. nl Sam. 23:1, etc. 


2 Chr. 20:9. 5 Or. Zaaai. 


P ch. 12:29. q ver. 19. r Jer. .■)2:2; 37:21. 


■ Ezra 2:4:), etc. 1 Or. the 


lower. I 2 Chr. 27:3. 1 Or, which dwitl in 


Ophel, repaired unto. " ch. 


8:1,3; 12:.37. v o Kings 11:16; Jer. 31:40. 





5. Put not their necks; did not assist Nehemiah in the 
building of the wall. 

7. The throne of the governor ; the place where he admin- 
istered justice. 

14. The dung-gate; on the south-west side. 

15. The gate of the fountain ; near the pool of Siloam, at 
the south-east part of the city. 

2C. Ophel; an elevation with a tower, south of Moriah. 



Plots of the enemies 



NEHEMIAH IV. 



of the Jews lujjlal. 



H."«S^' over against his house. After him repair- 
ed also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the 
keeper of the east-gate. 

30 After liim repaired Hananiah the son of Shel- 
omiah, and Ilanim the sixth son of Zalaph, another 
piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of 
Berechiah over against liis cliambcr. 

31 After liim repaired ilalcliiah the goldsmitli's 
son unto tlie place of the Nethinim/' and of the 
merchants, over against tlie gate Miphkad, and to 
the going up of the corner.* 

32 And between the going up of the corner unto 
tlie sheep-gate repaired the goldsmiths and the 
merchants." 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 While the enemies scoff, N ehemiah prayeth and continueth the -work. 
7 Understanding the wratli and secrets of the enemy, he setteth a 
watch. 13 He armeth the laborers, 19 and j,'iveth military precepts. 

BUT it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard 
that we builded the wall,'-' he was wroth, and 
took great indignation,'' and mocked the Jews.'' 

2 And he spake before his brethren and the army 
of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews?*^ 
will they fortify themselves?* will they sacrifice? 
will they make an end in a day? will they revive 
the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which 
are burned? 

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he 
said. Even that which they build, if a fox go up, 
he shall even lireak down their stone wall.''' 

4 Hear, our God ; for we are despised :*'' and 
turn their reproach upon their own head,' and give 
them for a prey in the land of captivity : 

5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their 



» Ver. 26. • Ot, corner chamber, b yer 1. = ch. 2:10, 10. d Acts 5: 17. 
Heb. 11:36. f Zech. 12:8. \ Heh. leave to themselves, e 2 Kings 1S:2.3. 
Heb. rfespi(€. 1> Psi. 123:3, 4. i Psa. 79:12; Prov. 3:34. j Psa. 09:27; 
■r. 18:23; 2 Tim. 4:14. k 2 Chr. 29:36; Psa. 110:3. 5 Heb. ascended. 
Psa. 83:3-5. 1 Heb. make an error to it; Jer. 20:10; Dan. 0:4, S. oi Psa. 



32. Tlie sheep-gate ; the place where they began to build. 
Thus they had surrounded tlio whole city. 
INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. In works of public reformation and such as are re- 
quired for the protection and prosperity of the church, 
ministers of religion should take the lead, and set an ex- 
ample which may be safely and usefully followed. 

5. Men of rank often excuse themselves from the per- 
formance of those labors which the public good requires, 
and in which others are engaged ; and thus neglect the 
talents witli which they are intrusted, and set an example 
mischievous to all within their influence. 

8. Persons of all trades and professions may assist in 
])romoting the cause of God, and each should endeavor 
faithfully to perform that which belongs to him, and which 
his condition fits him to accomplish. 

12. When rulers and people of both sexes engage in 
works of beneficence, all doing what is approjiriate to 
their condition, the work of the Lord will prosper and the 
highest good be effectually advanced. 

28. Division of labor, and assigning to each one that 
which peculiarly belongs to him, and which he can most 
readily perform, prevents confusion, promotes dispatcli, 
and tends to the most speedy and thorough accomplish- 
ment of every good work. 

CHAPTER IV. 

2. Will theu fortify themselves? or," Will they leave it to 
them ?" that is, will the Persian governors permit them to 
go on with the work? Sacrifice — make an end in a day? 



sin be blotted out from before thee -J for they have 
provoked thee to anger before the builders. 
_ 6 So built we the wall ; and all the wall was 
joined together unto the half thereof: for the peo- 
ple had a mind to work." 

7 1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, 
and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammon- 
ites, and the Ashdoditcs, heard that the walls of 
Jerusalem were made up,^ and that the breaches 
began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 

8 And conspired all of them together to come 
and to fight against Jerusalem,' and to hinder it.' 

9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our 
God,'" and set a watch against them day and night," 
because of them. 

10 And Judah said. The strength of the bearers 
of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; 
so that we are not able to build the wall. 

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not 
know, neither see, till we come in the midst among 
them, and slay them," and cause the work to cease. 

12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews 
which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten 
times, From all places whence ye shall return unto 
us^ they loill be upon you. 

13 If Therefore set I in the lower places* behind 
the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the 
people after their families with their swords, their 
spears, and their bows. 

14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the 
nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the 
people. Be not ye afraid of them:^ remember the 
Lord, ivhich is great and terrible,'' and fight for 
your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, 
your wives, and your houses.' 



50:15; 55:16-22. ■>Luke21:36; Acts4:24-29. o2Sam. 17:2: Aots23:12, 
21. 1 Or, That from all-places ye must return to us. • Heb. /rom the lower 
parts of the place. P Deut. 1:29, 30; Matt. 10:28. q Dent. 10:17; Psa. 
00:3, 5; Nahuml:6, 7. r 2 Sam. 10:12. 



will they, by worshipping their God through sacrifices, 
obtain such help from him as to finish the work in a single 
day ? But we may, perhaps, better render, " Shall they 
sacrifice? shall they at this time make an end?" that is, 
shall tliey be allowed to go on sacrificing to their God, 
and building the walls, till they are completed ? 

6. Unto the half thereof ; that is, the half of its intended 
height. 

12. From all places whence ye shall return tinto us; ap- 
parently meaning that the enemy are ready to assail them 
from ail the roads which they employ in returning from 
Jerusalem to their several homes. The passage is difficult, 
and has been variously interpreted. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Opposers of religion often attempt to hinder its prog- 
ress by ridicule ; but if this excites the people of God to 
increased prayer, it will further, rather than hinder their 
work. 

6. ^Vhere there is a will there is a way. Whenever 
the people of God are disposed to work for him, he will 
open a way for them to be employed in his cause witli 
success. 

6. Prayer to God, and a diligent use of all appropriate 
means, will defend his people from the rage of their ene- 
mies, and carry them forward in their appropriate work 
till it be accomplished. 

14. It is sometimes right to fight for the protection of 
our wives, children, property, and religious privileges, 
rather than to have them taken away liy our enemies. 

20. When men who are at work for God are called to 
555 



7%e pt"pl^ ualch and labor. 



NKllKMlAll V. 



Tae usurers rtbuhul. 



l."» Anil it nimc lo |i:iss, whoii our onoinies lirard 
tliiit it wns known iiiilo us, and (iod had Imiufrlit. 
their counsfl to naught," that wo returned all of 
us to tlie wall, every one unto his work. 

Iti And it came to pass from thai time forth, 
Ma/ the half of mv servants wrouirhl in tiic work, 
luid the other half of them held both the spears, 
the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; 
and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 

17 'I'liey whieh builded on the wall, and they 
that bare burdens, with those tiiat huled, every one 
with one of his hamls wrought in the work, and 
willi the other hand held a weapon.** 

is For the builders, every one had liis sword 
_'irdi'd by his side,* and so builded. And he that 
Hiunded the trumpet was by me. 

IK * And I .''aid unto the nobles, and to the 
rulers, and to the rest of the ])eoplo. The work w 
great anil large, and we arc separated upon the 
■wall, one far from another. 

20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of 
the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God 
shall light for us.'-' 

21 ."^o we labored in the work : and half of them 
held the spears from the rising of the morning till 
the stars appeared. 

22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the 
people. Let every one with his servant lodge within 
Jerusalem, tliut in the night they may be a guard 
to us, and labor on the day. 

2ii ."^o neither I.'' nor my brethren, nor my ser- 
vants, nor the men of the guard which followed 
me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every 
one put them off for washing.* 

CHAPTER V. 

1 Tlie Jews compiain of their debt, mortg,ige, and bondage. 6 Nehe- 
miah rebukcth the usurers, and causeth them to make a covenant of 
restitution. 14 He forbeareth his own allowance, and keepeth hospi- 
tality. 

AND there was a great cry of the people and of 
their wives against their brethren the Jews.' 

2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and 
our daughters, are many: therefore we take up 
corn for l/iem, that we may eat, and live. 

3 Some also there wore that said. We have mort- 
gaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we 
might buy corn, because of the dearth.' 

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed 



•Job5:la; P5a.a3:10: Lam. .■):3T.3J. b I Cor. 10:13; Phil. 1:43. • Hcb. 
on Am /oini. c Ejoj I4.i4_ .2.5. Bem. 1:30; Zech. 14:3. ' 1 Cor. 15:10. 
t Or, ertrn out Went with Ais weapon for water; Judg. 3:11 . ' Isa. 5:7. 
' L«v. -25:35-09; Deut. 13:7. s Isa. 55:7. hExod. 21:7. I lleb. mj, AMr( 



contend with enemies, they may expect that he will fight 
for them ; and with God on their side they may both work 
and fight without fear, till their work is done. 

CHAPTER V. 

2. Take up corn ; that is, upon usury, liaving no money 
with which to purchase it. Thus they brought themselves 
into the power of their creditors. 

4. The king's tribute; the taxes wliich they were obliged 
to pay to the king of Persia. 

5. We bring into bondage our sons ; by the sore exactions 
to which they were subjected in their poverty. 

7. Uxury; interest. 

II. Thehundredth part of the money; this is generally un- 
556 



money for the king's tribute, a/id ///a/ upon '*ij"c'Mi 
our lands and vineyards. 

T) Yet now our llesli is as the flesh of our breth- 
ren," our children as their chililri'ii: mid lo. we 
bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to 
be servants,and sotae of our daughters are lirought 
into bondage ainadi/:'' neither is it in our power 
to redeem llitm ; for other men have our lands and 
vineyards. 

G *! And I was very angry when I heard their 
cry and these words. 

7 Then 1 consulted with myself,* and I rebuked 
the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, 
Ye exact usury,' every one of his brother. And 
1 set a great assembly against them. 

8 And I said unto them. We, after our ability, 
have redeemed our brethren the Jews,* which were 
sold unto the heathen ; and will ye even sell your 
brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then 
held they their peace, and i'oiiud nothing to an- 
swer. 

9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought 
ye not to walk in the fear of our God'' because of 
the reproach of the heathen our enemies?' 

10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, 
might exact of them money and corn : I pray yoti, 
let us leave off this usury. 

11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, 
their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and 
their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, 
and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye 
exact of them. 

12 Then said they. We will restore them, and 
will require nothing of them ; so will wc do as 
thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took 
an oath of them,'" that they should do according to 
this promise. 

13 Also I shook my lap," and said, So God shake 
out every man from his house, and from his labor, 
that performeth not this promise, even thus be he 
shaken out, and emptied.^ And all the congrega- 
tion said. Amen," and praised the Lord. And the 
people did according to this promise. p 

14 "i Moreover from the time that I was appoint- 
ed to be their governor in the land of Judah, 
from the twentieth year even unto the two and 
thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king," that is, 
twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten 
the bread of the governor."" 



ransuUedinme; Psa.4:4. J Exnd. 22:25; Psa.l5:l,5; Elek. 22:12. JLev. 
25:18. kver.15. 1 2 Sam. 12:14; Rom. 2:24 ; 1 Pet. 2:12. in2King523:2, 
3; Ezra 10:5; Jer. 34:8, U. n Mali. 10:14 ; Acts 13:51 ; 18:6. » Heb. ^mply. 
or void, o Deut. 27:15, etc. P 2 Kings 23:3. qch. 13:0. f 1 Cor. 9:4, 15.' 



derstood to mean a hundredth part per month, or twelve 
per cent, interest per annum. 

14. From the twentieth year — unto the tu-o and thirtieth 
year; these twelve years include the period of his first 
a<lmii]istration. lie then returned to the Persian court, 
and afterwards came back to Jerusalem and assumed the 
administration of the affairs of the Jews a second time. 
Chap. 13:6, 7. Tlie bread of the governor; the maintenance 
which the people whom he governed might, according to 
established usage, have been required to furnish him. lie 
had not required the people to support him, but had sup- 
ported himself 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The rich, instead of relieving the poor, often taKe 



Devices of the enciiiy 



NEHEMIAH VI. 



The wall completed. 



kc.'Si^' 15 But the former governors that had 
been before me were chargeable unto the people, 
and had taken of them bread and wine, besides 
forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants 
bare rule over the people: but so did not I,''' be- 
cause of the fear of God.'' 

IG Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, 
neither bought we any land: and all my servants 
luere gathered thither unto the work. 

17 Moreover t/m-e were at my table a hundred 
and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that 
came unto us from among the heathen that are 
about us. 

18 Now thai which was prepared for me daily 
was one ox and six choice sheep ; also fowls were 
prepared for nie, and once in ten days store of all 
sorts of wine : yet for all this required not I the 
bread of the governor, because the bondage was 
heavy upon this people." 

19 Tliiuk upon me,* my God, for good, accord- 
ing to all that I have done for this people." 

CHAPTER VI, 

1 Sanballat practiseth by craft, by rumors, by hired prophecies, to ter- 
rify Nehemiah. lo The work is finished to the terror of the enemies. 
17 Secret intelligence passeth between the enemies and the nobles of 
Ju,lah. 

ATOW it came to pass when Sanballat, and To- 
_L 1 biah, and Geshem" the Arabian, and the rest 
of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, 
and that there was no breach left therein ; ' (though 
at that time I had not set up the doors upon the 
gates;) 

2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, say- 
ing. Come, let us meet together,^ in sojne one of 
the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought 
to do me mischief.' 

3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am 
doing a great work, so that I cannot come down : 
why should the work cease, while I leave it, and 
come down to you? 

4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this 
sort ; and I answered them after the same manner.^ 

5 Tlien sent Sanballat his servant unto me in 
like manner the fifth time with an open letter in 
Ids hand; 

6 Wherein icas written, It is reported among 
the heathen," and Gashmu* saith it, that thou and 



' Prov. 16:6; 2 Cor. 11:9: 12:13. b ver. 9. » Psa. 37:31. 26. d Psa. 
40:17; ch. 13:22. e Matt. 25:40; Mark 9:41. • Or, Gashmu, ver. 6. toh. 
2:10. 19; 4:1,7. S Prov. 26:24, 2.5. h 1 Chr. 8:12; ch. 11:3.5. iPsa.37:12, 
32. J Prov. 14:15. kjer. 20:10. t Or. GesAem, ver. 1 . I I Sam. 30:6; Psa. 



advantage of their necessities to obtain their property, 
iind sometimes to bring them and their children into bond- 
age ; thus violating the duty of doing to others as they 
should wish others to do to them. 

G. " Oppression maketh a wise man mad," and he will 
without delaj', as far as may be in his power, devise and 
execute means to bring it to a speedy and perpetual end. 

ti. Those who oppress their brethren will have nothing 
to answer when God shall call them to account. 

U. Those who have wrongfully taken any thing from 
■ )thers are bound to make full restitution, and always to 
do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God. 

15. The fear of God will often lead the rich to relinquish 
what is justly due to them, especially when those from 
whom it is due are poor, and unable to pay their honest 
debts without distressing themselves. 



the Jews think to rebel : for which cause thou 
buildest the wall, that tiiou niaycst be their king, 
according to these words. 

7 And tiiou hast also appointed prophets to 
preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying. There is a 
king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to 
the king according to the.se words. Come now 
therefore, and let us take counsel togelhcr. 

8 Then I sent unto him, saying. There are no 
such things done as thou sayest, but thou feiguest 
them out of thine own heart. 

9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their 
hands shall be weakened from the work, that it 
be not done. Now therefore, God, strengthen 
my hands.' 

10 Afterward I came unto the house of She- 
maiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, 
who was shut up ; and he said, Let us meet to- 
gether in the house of God, within the temple, and 
let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will 
come to slay thee ; yea, in the night will they come 
to slay thee.™ 

11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee?" 
and who is there, that, being as I am, would go 
into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. 

12 And lo, I perceived that God had not sent 
him ; but that he pronounced this prophecy against 
me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 

13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be 
afraid, and do so, and sin,° and t/tat they might 
have matter for an evil report, that they might 
rcproacli me.'' 

14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and San- 
ballat according to these their works,'' and on the 
prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, 
that would have put me in fear. 

1.5 T So the wall was finished in the twenty and 
fifth day oi the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 

16 And it came to pass, that when all our ene- 
mies heard thereof and all the heathen that were 
about us saw these things, they were much cast 
down in their own eyes: for they perceived that 
this work was wrought of our God.'' 

17 1 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah 
sent many letters unto Tobiah,* and t]ie Utters of 
Tobiah came unto them. 

18 For there icere many in Judah sworn unto 
him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah 



71:1. n> Job 24:16. o Psa. 11:1 ; 112:6, »; Luke 13:31-a: Acts 20:24; 
21:13. oJas.4:17. p Ezek. 13:17, etc. q ch. 13:29; Psa. 36:11. 12. r Psa. 
126: 2 ; Acts 5:38, 39. I Heb. mulliplicd their tellers passing lo Tobiah. 



19. Those who from love to God and to men have made 
pecuniary sacrifices for liis cause, will not in the end be 
losers ; but wiU receive from God a gracious and an abim- 
dant reward. 

CHAPTER VI. 

2. Hie plain of Ono; in the tribe of Benjamin. 

II. Gash/nu; the same as Geshem. 

7. The king ; the king of Persia. 

9. Made us afraid; attempted to make us afraid. 

11. Being as lam; having a good conscience, and being 
engaged in the work of the Lord. 

K;. W(ui wrought of our God; that he was with the peo- 
ple and blessed them in their work. 

18. Slieclianiah — and — Meshullam ; foreigners whose 
daughters Tobiah and Jobanan had married. 
557 



Utntaln/^y of thou who 



NI.IIKMlAil \II, 



rcturnr/l from I3abyli>it, 



tlx' soil of Aruh ; ami liis son Johiinnn lia<l taken 
tlio iliuijrhtor of Mrslnillnm tho son of Horrcliiah. 
lit Also they roportrd his pood doeils bcforo inc. 
and uttcrod my words' to liini. .']iid Toliiuli sent 
letters to |iut nio in fear. 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 N<h«nii>h rommiliclh iho cliivrgs of Jrruulcm to Hannni and H»im- 
nUh. •'• A rf>;uUT of the gcnMlocy of them which came HI tho first 

001 of IlBhrlon, 9 of the people, 39 of tho prirsti, 43 of tlie Levites. 
46 of ill"- Seihinim. W of Sulomon'a servnnta, C3 anil of the prieats 
vhieh rnuM not lind their liedigree. 6G Tho whole number of tlicin, 
with their lubilance. 70 Their oblations. 

^TOW it came to pa.«s, when tlio Avail wasl)uilt, 
S and I had set up tlic doors," and tiie porters 
antl the singers and the Levites were appointed, 

2 That I gave my brother llanani, and Ilana- 
niah the rnler of (lie palace, charge over Jerusa- 
li'iii : for ho icas a faithful man,'' and feared God 
above many.'^ 

3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Je- 
rusalem be opened until the sun bo hot ; and wliile 
they stand by, let tiieni shut the doors, and l)ar 
them: and aj)point •watches of the inliabitants of 
Jerusalem, every one in bis watch, and every one 
to be over atrainst iiis bouse. 

4 Xow the city icas large and great;* but the 
people were few therein, and the houses were not 
builded. 

5 H And my God put into my heart to gather 
together the nobles,'' and tlie rulers, and th(> jieo- 
ple, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. 
And I found a register of the genealogy of them 
whicli came up at tlic first,'^ and found written 
therein, 

G These are the cliildrcn of the province, tliat 
went up out of tho captivity.'' of those that Iiad 
been carried away, whom Xcbuchadnezzar tlie king 
of Babylon liad carried away,^ and came again 
to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his 
city ; 

7 Who came with Zerubbabel,'' Jeshua, Nehe- 
miali, Azariah,* Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordccai, 
Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nchum, Baauah. The 
number, / say, of the men of the people of Israel 
was this : 

8 The children of Parosh, two thousand a hun- 
dred seventy and two. 



"Or, wioHwj. ach. 6:1. «> Acts 6:3, S. c Exod. 1S:21. t lleb. iroad in 
ijxiat. i Em I ■.■XI. e l Chr. 9:1, etc. fEzra2:l. S 2 Kings 24: 14-15. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Wlicn the efforts of •wicked men to hinder the •work 
of God are disappointed in one •ivay, they are often tempt- 
ed to try another. 

9. Fear of men is unbecoming in the people of God, and 
when threatened, they should look up to him for the cour- 
age, -wisdom, and strength which they need, go forward 
in duty, and let nothing hinder them from learning and 
doing his will, committing themselves and their cause to 
his wise and gracious disposal. 

II. Sometimes, if need he, it is proper in a good cause 
to endanger one's own life, but it is never proper to do 
wrong in order to save it; for he who tints saves his life 
shall lose it, and he who lo.ses his life in doing right shall 
keep it to life eternal. 

15. Sometimes (jod so manifestly appears in support of 
his cause, that even its enemies see his hand, and arc 
convinced that their efforts to stop it will be unavailing. 
558 



i» Tiic children of Shephatiaii, three hnn- ^"c'SS. 
tired seventy and two. 

IK The children of Arab, six hundred fifty and 
two. 

1 1 The chililren of Pahath-moab, of the cliildreii 
of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hun- 
dred and eighteen. 

12 The children of Elam, a thousaml two liun- 
dreil fifty and four. 

13 Tho children of Zattu, eight hundred forty 
and five. 

14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and 
threescore. 

1.5 Tho children of Binnui,' six hundred forty 
and eight. 

IG The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty 
and eiglit. 

17 'i'he children of Azgad, two thousand thre<' 
hundred twenty and two. 

15 The children of Adonikam, six hundred tlircf- 
scorc and seven. 

li) The children of Bigvai, two thousand three- 
score and seven. 

20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and 
five. 

21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety ami 
eight. 

22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twen- 
ty and eight. 

23 Tlie children of Bezai, tlirco hundred twenty 
and four. 

24 The children of Ilariph,' a hundred and 
twelve. 

2.") The children of Gibeon,' ninety and five. 
2G Tlie men of Bcth-lehem and Nctophah, a hun- 
dred fourscf)re and eight. 

27 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and 
eight. 

28 Tho men of Beth-azmaveth," forty and two. 

29 Tlie men of Kirjath-jearim,* Chephirah, and 
Becrotli, seven hundred forty and three. 

30 The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundreil 
twenty and one. 

31 Tho men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty 
and two. 

32 The men of Betli-cl and Ai, a Jiundred twenty 
and three. 



CHAPTER VII. 

2. For he; Hananiah. 

.S. Let not tlie gates of Jerusalem be opened; this was de- 
signed to guard against enemies. 

4. Tlte city was large; the walls, having been built on 
the old foundations, enclosed more than -was inhabited. 

5. A re^ster; containing the names of those who came 
up from Babylon to Judea. For tho remainder of this 
chapter, see notes on Ezra 2. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Power and authority should be committed to those 
•who fear God, and will employ their talents for his cause. 

3. AVc shotild sho-w our trust in God by the proper use 
of means, and not tempt him by the neglect of them. 

5. Every good thought is from above; and while " ' 
diligently improve it to tho best advantage, God shoull 



Genealogy of those who 



NEHEMIAII VIII. 



returned from Balylon. 



A. M. 3«8. 33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and 

B. C. about , ' *' 

536. two. 

3-1 The children of the other Elam,^ a thousand 
two luindred fifty and four. 

35 The children of Harim, three hundred and 
twenty. 

36 Tlic children of Jericho, three hundred forty 
and five. 

37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven 
hundred twenty and one. 

3S The children of Senaah, three thousand nine 
hundred and thirty. 

39 II The priests: the children of Jedaiah," of the 
house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. 

40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and 
two. 

41 The children of Pashur,'' a thousand two hun- 
dred forty and seven. 

42 The children of Harim, a thousand and sev- 
enteen. 

43 1 The Lcvitcs : the children of Jeshua, of 
Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah,* seven- 
ty and four. 

44 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hun- 
dred forty and eight. 

45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the 
children of Ater, the children of Talnion, the chil- 
dren of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the chil- 
dren of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight. 

46 1 The Nethinim : the children of Ziha, the 
children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 

47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia,* 
the children of Padon, 

48 The children of Lebana, the children of Ha- 
gaba, the children of Shalmai,* 

49 The children of Hanan, the children of Gid- 
del, the children of Gahar, 

50 The cliildren of Reaiah, the children of Re- 
zin, the children of Nekoda, 

51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uz- 
za, the children of Paseah, 

52 The children of Besai, the children of Meu- 
nim, the children of Xepliishesira,^ 

53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Ila- 
kupha, the children of Harhur, 

54 The children of Bazlith,' the children of Me- 
liida, the children of Harsha, 

55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sise- 
ra. the children of Taniah, 

56 ThechildrenofNeziah.the children of Hatipha. 

57 T^ The children of Solomon's servants : the 
children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the 
children of Perida,^ 

58 The children of Jaala, the children of Dar- 
ken, the children of Giddel, 

59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of 
Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zcbaim, the 
children of Amon.' 



a Ver. 1 


1. blChr. 24:7, elc. = 1 Clir. 9:12. • Or,Ha<MtimA, Ezra 2:40; 


or, Jufiah 


Ezra 3:9. t Or, Sm/ia. I Or, S/mintai. t Or, Kepku.Hm. I Or, 


BttzlMh. 


1 Or, terudit. ' Or, Ami. t Or, AdOan. d Ezra 2:59. 1 Or, 


pedigree. 


e2Sara. 17:27; 19:31-39; lKings2:7. f Malt. 22: 11-13. s Malt. 



ho acknowledged as the giver of all good, and tho glory of 
all bo rendered to him. 

70. When God, in addition to all his other mercies, gives 



60 All the Nethinim, and the children of Solo- 
mon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. 

61 And these viere they which went up also from 
Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon,* and Im- 
mer:'' but they could not show their father's house, 
nor their seed,* whether they v^cre of Israel. 

62 The children of Delaiaii, the children of To- 
biah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty 
and two. 

63 1l And of the priests : the children of Haba- 
iah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai,'' 
which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the 
Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name. 

64 These sought their register among those that 
were reckoned by genealogy,'' but it was not 
found -.^ therefore were they, as polluted, put from 
the priesthood.'' 

65 And the Tirshatha^ said unto them, that they 
should not eat of the most holy things,' till there 
stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.J 

66 1[ Tho whole congregation together ilus forty 
and two thousand three hundred and threescore, 

67 Besides their man-servants and their maid- 
servants," of whom there u^erc seven thousand .three 
hundred thirty and seven : and they had two hun- 
dred forty and five singing-men and singing- 
women. 

68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six : 
their mules, two hundred forty and five : 

69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five : 
six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. 

70 T" And some ' of the chief of the fathers gave 
unto the work. The Tirshatha' gave to the treas- 
ure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five 
luindred and thirty priests' garments. 

71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to 
the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams 
of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pounds 
of silver. 

72 And that which the rest of the people gave 
was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thou- 
sand pounds of silver, and threescore and seven 
priests' garments. 

73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the por- 
ters, and the singers, and some of the people, and 
the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities ; 
and when the seventh month came, the children 
of Israel were in their cities.'" 

CHATTER VIII. 



1 The religious manner of readin<j and hearing the law. 9 They com- 
fort the people. 13 The forwardness of thenr to hear and be instructed. 
16 They keep the feast of tabernacles. 

AND all the people gathered themselves to- 
gether as one man" into the street that icas 
before the water-gate ■" and they spake nnto Ezra 
the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses.' 
which the Lord had commanded to Israel. 

2.3:11,12. liLcT. 4:3; ch. 13:29. » Or, gormior, ch. 8:9. i Lev. 7:19. 20. 
JExod.23:30. I'isa.l4:l,a. I Heb. por». 1 ch. 8:9. ■nEzra3:I. "Ezra 
3:1, oto. och. 3:20. P Ezra 7:6; Isa. 34:16. 



men a disposition to employ what they have to his glory. 
it is evidence of his peculiar favor, and should be acknow- 
ledged with peculiar gratitude ami joy. 
059 



TV /()» is fullicly 



NEIIKMIAII VIII. 



rend and erpLinrd. 



2 Anil K/.ni the jiriost lirouplit IIk' law bcroro 
tho coiigri'L'iitioii lioili iif im-ii uiiil wonioii," and 
all tlmt could lii'iir Willi iinderstunding," upon the 
lirst dav of tlio .^inciilh month.'' 

3 And li« HMil therein iiel'orc the street that was 
before the water-gate from the morning' until 
middav, before the men anil the women, and those 
that could understand; and the ears of all the 
people irrre attcnlirc unto the book of the law. 

4 .Vnd Kzra the scribe stood upon a jjulpit* of 
wood, which they had made for the purpose; and 
beside him stood .Mattithiah, and Shema, and Ana- 
iah. and Urijah, and Ililkiali, and Maasciaii, on his 
right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and 
Mishael, and Malcliiah, and llashum, and Hash- 
badana. Zechariah, and Mesliulhun. 

•J And Kzra opcni'il the bonk in the sight^ of all 
the people ;■■' for he was above all the ])eople; and 
when he opened it, all the people stood up:'' 

t) And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God." 
And all the people answered, Amen, Amcu,'^ with 
lifting up their hands:''' and they bowed their 
heails, and worshipped the Lord with tlieir faces 
to tiiy ground.'' 

7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Shercbiali, Janiin, 
Akkub, Shabbethai, Ilodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, 
.Vzariah, Jozabad, llanan, Pelaiali, and the Le- 
vites, caused the people to understand the law:' 
ami the people stood in their place. 

8 So they read in the book in the law of God 
tlistinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them 
to umlerstand the reading.^ 

9 ^ -Ind Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha,' and 
Vj'.yo. the priest the scribe, and the Levitcs that 
taught the people, said unto all the people, This 
day is holy unto the Lord your God;" mourn not, 
nor weep.' For all the people wept, when they 
heard the words of the law."' 

10 Tiien he said unto them, Go your way, eat 
the fat, and drink the sweet," and send portions 
unto them for whom nothing is prepared :" for this 



«Aotsl5:2l. ' Reb. understood in the hearing. bLev.23:2-l. flUh. light. 
■ neb. lower, t Hub. ei/es. e Luke 4:1S, etc. d Jade. 3:20; 1 Kings y:14. 
'2Chr.6:4. flCor. 14:16. s Psi. 63:4; Lam. 3:41 ; 1 Tim. 2:8. S Exod. 
12:27; 2Chr. 20:1S. i Deut. .'W:IU; 2Chr. 17:7-9; 30:22; Mai. 2:7. i Luke 
21:27, 45; AoU 8:30, etc. I Or, governor, k Lev. 23:24; Num. 29:1. 
1 Deut. 16:14; Bed. 3:4; Isi. 01:3. m 2 Chr. 34:19, 21 ; Rom. 7:9. n Song 



CHAPTER VIII. 

2. The seventh month ; Tishri, answering to a part of Sep- 
toinber and October. On the first day of tliis month was 
kept the feast of trumpets. Lev. 23:23-25. 

3. The law; tlic law of Moses. 

8. Gave t/ie sense — caused them to understand; this may 
moan simply that they expounded to the people the mean- 
ing of what was read. But as it is certain that soon after 
tlie captivity the old Hebrew ceased to be a living lan- 
guage among tlie Jews, and the Aramsean or Clialdee took 
Its place, it is probable that for this reason all but the 
lietter educated among the Jews needed an interpretation 
of what was read. 

9. JVr.sA<rf/Mi,- governor. 77iepco;)/cK'cp(; invievtofthoir 
transgressions and tlie imnishnient which they deserved. 

14. In th£ feast of the scvenllt month; tho feast of taber- 
nacles. Lev. 23:34. 

17. Made booths; in remembrance of their fathers' hav- 
ing dwelt in tents forty years in the wilderness. There 
Ufa.'.- very great gladness; in view of their being settled again 
in Canaan, as there was in the days of Joshua, when they 
took possession of it. 

50(1 



(hiy IS holy unto our Lord: neither bo ye a.m. si-o. 

,• ,t ■ p ., t . •' 11. O. •bull! 

sorry; lor the joy of tho JiORD is your <«• 
strength.'' 

11 So the Lcviles stilled all the people, saying, 
Hold your peace, for the day is holy ; neither be 
ye grieved. 

lli And all the ]icople went their way to eat, 
and to drink, and to send ijortions, and to make 
great niirtli,'' because they had understood the 
words that were declared unto them."^ 

13 T And on the second day were gathered to- 
gether the chief of the fathers of all the people, 
the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, 
even to understand^ the words of the law. 

14 And they found written in the law which the 
Lord h;ul commanded by ' i\losos, that the children 
of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of tho 
seventh month:" 

15 And that they should publish and proclaim in 
all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying. Go forth 
unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine 
branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branch- 
es, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as 
it is written. 

16 ■: So the people went forth, and brought them, 
and made them.selves booths, every one upon the 
roof of his house,' and in their courts, and in tho 
courts of the house of God, and in the street of 
the water-gate, and in the street of the gate of 
Ephraim." 

17 And all the congregation of them that were 
come again out of the captivity made booths, and 
sat under the booths : for since the days of Joshua 
the son of Nun unto that day had not the children 
of Israel done so. And there was very great glad- 
ness."' 

18 Also day by day, from tho first day unto the 
last day, he read in the book of the law of God." 
And they kept the feast seven days; and on the 
eighth day was a solemn* assembly, according 
unto the manner.^ 



.5:1. » E.«th 9:19, 22; Rev. 11:10. P Psa. 149:2; Isa. 12:2, 3; 35:1, 4; 
61:10; Joel 2:23; Phil. 3:3. q Psa. 126:1-3. ' ver. 7, 8; Rom. 7:1, 8. 
^ Or, that they might instruct in. • Heb. by the hand of. • Lev. 2J:34, 42; 
Deut. 10:13, etc. ' Deut. 22:8. " 2 Kings 14:13; ch. 12:37, 30. v 2 Chr. 
30:21. w Deut. 31:10-13 t Heb. rcslraml. x Num. 29:35. 



18. According unto the manner; as prescribed in the law 
of Moses. 

TNSTm'CTIOXS. 

1. The reading and cxiiliiiiation of the Scriptures is one 
of the most powerful means of reviving true religion ; and 
when men desire to hear, ministers should ever be ready 
to communicate to them a knowledge of the word and will 
of God. 

6. Proper attention to the word of God will lead a peo- 
ple to liless him for his goodness, and to worship him in 
tho way of liis ajjpointment. 

9. Sorrow for sin, however great or long continued, 
should never prevent humble trust in God, or hinder any 
from using the bounties of Pro\'idence with cheerful grat- 
itude, ami imparting liberally to those who are destitute, 
that all may rejoice together. 

13. Due attention to the word of God will lead men to 
have respect to all his commandments ; nor will attention 
to one set of duties prevent them from promptly engag- 
ing in and faithfully performing others to which they arc 
called. 

17. Readiness to engage in all known duty, and fidelity 
in the performance <if i(, fill the soul with gladness; and 



The Lcvites' confession 



NEHEMIAII IX. 



at the solemn fast. 



CHAPTER IX 



1 A snlemn f;i3t, and repentance of the people. 4 The Levites make a 
reli^nou3 confession of God's goodness, and tiieir wickedness. 

NOW iu the twenty and fourth day of this 
month tlie children of Israel were as.sembled 
with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon 
them." 

2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves 
from all strangers,'^ and stood and confessed their 
sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 

3 And they stood up in their place, and read in 
the book of the law of the Lord their God mie 
fourth part of tlfe day ; " and another fourth part 
tliev confessed, and worshipped the Lord their 
God. 

4 IT Then stood up upon the stairs,* of the Le- 
vites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bun- 
ni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Clienani, and cried with 
a loud voice unto the Lord their God.'' 

5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, 
Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Sliebauiah, and 
Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your 
God for ever and ever : " and blessed be thy glo- 
rious name,' which is exalted above all blessing 
and praise.' 

Thou, even thou, art Lord alone;'' thou hast 
made heaven,' the heaven of heavens, with all 
their host, the earth, and all things that are there- 
in,' the seas, and all that is therein, and thou pre- 
servest them all;'' and the host of heaven wor- 
shippeth thee.' 

7 Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose 
Abram,"' and broughtest him forth out of Ur of 
the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abra- 
ham :" 

8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee,° 
and madest a covenant with him to give the land 
of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and 
the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girga- 
sliites," to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast per- 
formed thy words ;i for thou art righteous: 

9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in 
Egypt/ and heardest their cry by the Red sea;'* 

10 And showed st signs and wonders upon Pha- 
raoh, and on all his servants, and on all the peo- 
ple of his land : ' for thou knewest that they dealt 
proudly against them." So didst thou get thee a 
name,^' as it is this day. 

11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, 
so that they went through the midst of the sea on 
the dryland;"' and their persecutors thou threw- 
est into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty 
•waters. 

12 Moreover tliou leddest them in the day by a 
cloudy pillar ; and in the night by a pillar of fire, 



» 1 Sam. 4;|-J. • Heb. strange children, Psi. 144:11. b Ezra 0:2; 10:11. 
cch.8:7, 8. tOr, jOT/foM. Psa. 3:4. o Psa. LM:!, 2. f I Chr. 29:l:i. 
S Psa. lfi:2; 106:2. h Psa. 86:10; Isa. 37:16. i Ren. 1:1; Exod. 20:11. 
j Deut. 10:14. k Psa. 3B:6. 1 Rev. 5:11-13. >" Gen. 12:1. n Geu. 17:5. 
o Gen. 15:6. 18. P Psa. 105:S. q Josh. 2:3:11. r Exod. 3:7, 8. « Exod. 
14:10. tExod.7-14. «Exod.l9:ll. » Isa. 6:1:12-14; Jer. 32:20. wExod. 



through grace prepare it to rejoice for ever with j iv un- 
speakable and fuU of glory. 



1. Tlds month 



CHAPTER IX. 

Tishri, the seventh month 
36 



to give them light in the way wherein they sliould 
go." 

13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, 
and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest 
them right judgments, and true laws,* good stat- 
utes and commandments:-^ 

14 And madest known unto them thy holy sab- 
bath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, 
and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant: 

15 And gavest them bread from heaven for their 
hunger,'' and broughtest fortb water for them out 
of the rock for their thirst," and promisedst them 
that they should go in to possess the land which 
thou hadst sworn^ to give them. 

10 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and 
hardened their necks,*" and hearkened not to thy 
commandments, 

17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful 
of thy wonders that thou didst among them f but 
hardened their necks, and in their rebellion ap- 
pointed a captain to return to their bondage :'' but 
thou art a God ready to pardon," gracious and 
merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and 
forsookest them not. 

18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf,'^ 
and said, This is thy God that brought thee up 
out of Egypt, and had wrought great provoca- 
tions ; 

19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest 
them not in the wilderness :'^ the pillar of the 
cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them 
in the way ; neither the pillar of fire by night, to 
show them light, and the way wherein they should 
go. 

20 Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct 
them,''' and withheldcst not thy manna from their 
mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. 

21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in 
the •wilderness,'' so that they lacked nothing ; their 
clothes waxed not old, and tiieir feet swelled not.' 

22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and 
nations, and didst divide them into corners: so 
tliey possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of 
the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of 
Bashan.J 

23 Their children also multipliedst thou as the 
stars of lieaven, and broughtest them into the land, 
concerning which tliou hadst promised to their 
fathers, that they should go in to possess it. 

24 So the children went in and possessed the 
land," and thou subduedst before them the inhab- 
itants of the land,' the Canaanites, and gavest them 
into their hands, with their kings, and the people 
of the land, that they miglit do with tiiem as they 
would.' 



ch. 14, 15. X Exod. 13:21. 22. 1 Ileb laws of truth. 7 E.xod. cii. 20. etc. 
'■ Exoil. 16:14, 15; John 0::il-.35. a Exod. 17:6; Nnm. 20:7-11. I Heb. 
lift up Ihn hand; Nam. 14:.30. b Deut. 31:27; Psa. TS:S. etc. = Psa. b«:5, 
lo. d Num. 14:4. I Heb. o/parrfonj. e Exod. 32:4. f 1 Sam. 12:22: Isa. 
41:21. f Isa. 63:11. h Deut. 2:7. i Deut. 8:4. J Num. 21 :21, etc. k Num. 
14:31; Josh. 21:43. 45. iPsa. 44:2,3. fKeb. according lo their tciU. 



13. Judgments; especially judicial decisions. Statutes; 
what he ordained. 

17. Appointed a captain; resolved to do it. Num. 14:1—4. 

20. Thy good Spirit to instruct them ; by tlie mouth of his 
servants. Ver. 30. 

661 



The IjtritcJ cunfestion. 



NEHEMIAIl X, 



Tilt cotciuinl scaled. 



2'} Ami tiloy (<'<>k Ptroiifr cilics, and a liit land, 
anil possos.^eif li(>ii.s<'s full of all goods, w<Ils' dig- 
ged, vineyards, ami olive yards, and fruit-trees' in 
abundance: si> tliey ditl eat, and were filled, and 
bofamofat,' and delighted tlicm.-iclvcs in thy great 
poodnes-. 

2G XevtTtheless tlicy were disobedient, and re- 
bclletl against thee,'' and cast thy law behind their 
backs," and slew thy prophets which testified 
against theni to turn them to tbee,'' and they 
wrought great |)ro vocations. 

27 Therefore thou deli vcrodst them into the hand 
of their enemies,'' who vexed tiieni : and in the time 
of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou 
heardest t/icm from heaven ; and according to thy 
manifold mercies thou gavest them saviors, who 
saved them out of the hand of their enemies. 

28 But after they had rest, they did evil again* 
before tiiee: therefore Icftest thou them in the 
hand of their enemies, so that they had the domin- 
ion over them : yet when tiicy returned, and cried 
unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven ; and 
many times didst thou deliver tlicin according to 
thy mercies ; 

29 And testifiedst against them, that thou might- 
est bring them again unto thy law : yet they dealt 
proudly, and hearkened not unto thy command- 
ments, but sinned against tliy judgments, which 
if a man do, he shall live in them ; and withdrew 
the shoulder,* and hardened their neck, and would 
not hear. 

30 Yet many years didst thou forbear' them, and 
testifiedst against them by tiiy Spirit in^ thy proph- 
ets:' yet would they not give ear: therefore gav- 
est thou them into the hand of the people of the 
lands. 

31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou 
didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them ; 
for thou art a gracious and merciful God. 

32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, 
and the terrible God, who kcepest covenant and 



• 


, risterns. 


t Heb. trees of food 


a Deut 


a> 


:15. b J 


udr- a 


11. 12; 


Ezek. 


•iO:-2l. t 


Psi. 50:1- 


d , 


Ki 


iffS 18:4; 


Acts 7:.i2. 


e Psa. 


108:41. 


lUeb 


returned 


do evil. 


« Heb. 


theygave a u 


ithdrawing shoulder 


; Zech. 




1 Heb. protract over. 


IHel 


. in 


the hand 


of. 


faChr. 


36:15. 


•Heb. 


wtariness. t Heb. found. 


« a K 


ng.s 


17:3. 1> 


Psi 


119:137 


14.3:1 


"; Dan. 



27. Saviors ; men raised up in providence to deliver them. 
3G. We are servants; in bondage to the king of Persia. 

37. Dominion over our bodies; to employ them in wars 
and other services, at their pleasure. 

38. We make a sure covenant ; a covenant, in all sincerity, 
with the Lord to obey him. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. Due attention to the word of God will lead to humble 
confession of sin, and hearty devotion to his worship and 
service. 

5. Though the Lord is exalted above all human concep- 
tion, yet he is pleased with the praises of his people, and 
glorified by all who worship hira in spirit and in truth. 

8. God is faithful to his promises, and never disappoints 
the well-grounded hopes of those who trust in him. 

13. The laws of Jehov;ih are all right and good ; and 
suited to promote not only his glory, but the excellence, 
usefulness, and happiness of all who obey them. Rom. 
7:12; Gal. 5:14, 22, 23. 

IG. No mercies are so numerous, great, or long contin- 
ued as to lead men, without the grace of God, to obey 
him; but the greater and more constant their mercies, 
562 



mercy, let not all llie trouble' seem little ^,"'i'i?: 
liefore thee, that iiatli come upon' us, on our kings, 
oiiour ])rinces,and on our prie.~ts,and on our proph- 
ets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since 
the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day." 

33 llowbuit iUini a// just in all that is brought 
upon us;'' for tiiou hast done right, but we have 
done wickedly:' 

34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our 
priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor heark- 
ened unto tiiy commandments and thy testimo- 
nies,^ wherewith thou didst testify against them." 

35 For they have not served thee in their king- 
dom,' and in thy great goodness that tlion gavest 
them, and in the large and fat land which thou 
gavest before them,'" neither turned they from 
their wicked works. 

3G Behold, we are servants this day," and /or the 
land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the 
fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are 
servants in it : 

37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings 
whom tiiou hast set over us because of our sins :" 
also tliey liave dominion over our bodies, and over 
our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great 
distress. 

38 And because of all this we make a sure cm;- 
enant,^ and write it; and our princes, Levites, and 
priests, seal unto it,^ 

CHAPTER X. 

1 The names of tliem that sealed the covenant. 2D The points of the 
covenant. 

NOW those that sealed^ were, Nehemiah, the 
Tirshatha,' the son of Hachaliah," and Zid- 
kijah, 

2 Seraiah,' Azariah, Jeremiah, 

3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah, 

4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 

5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 



9:5-14. i Psa. 100:6. jjer.29:19. k Drat. 31 :21 ; 2 Kings 17:13. 'Deut. 
28:47. mDeut. 31:20. nEzra9:9. o Deut. 28:33. p 2Kings 23:3; 2 Chr. 
29: 10 ; ch. 10: 29. I Heb. are at the sealing, or sealed. ! Heb. at the sealings, 
cli.9:38. I Or, ?ODernor, ch. 8:9. qoh.l:!. r ch. 12:1, etc. 



the greater will be their ingratitude, till they ripen for 
ruin 

20. The Lord, by his Spirit, often admonishes and in- 
structs even the most rebellious ; and for a long time 
waits to be gracious, doing them good and using all suit- 
able means to lead them to repentance and salvation. 

24. Children who inherit great blessings through the 
instrumentality of their parents and others, not unfre- 
quently abuse them to their owni destruction. 

28. Life often consists much in a contest between the 
goodness of God and the ingratitude and rebellion of men ; 
and though, in answer to their cries, he often delivers 
them from their troubles, they as often forget his mercies 
and trample on his commands. 

33. Sin is the cause of all trouble ; and God is holy, just, 
and good in all the judgments he brings upon those who 
commit it. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. Tliose that sealed; that set their seal to the covenant 
mentioned at the close of the last chapter. This list com- 
prises only the chief men of the nation. The rest of the 
people agreed to this covenant by oath, ver. 28, 29. 



Nam-cs of the scalers. 



NEHEMIAH XI. 



Points nf the covenant. 



B. c'ua. 

7 Mesliullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 

8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiali : these were the 
priests. 

9 And the Levites : both Jesliua tlie son of Aza- 
niah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmicl; 

10 And tlieir brethren, Shebauiah, Hodijah, Ke- 
lita, Pehxiah, Hanan, 

11 Micha, Rcliob, ITashabiah, 

12 Zacciir, Sherebiali, Sliebaniah, 

13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu. 

14 The chief of the people; Parosh," Pahath- 
nioab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, 

15 Bunui, Azgad, Bebai, 
IG Adonijah, Bigvai, Adiu, 

17 Atcr, Hizkijah, Azzur, 

18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 

19 Hariph, Anatlioth, Nebai, 

20 Magpiash. Mesliullam, Ilezir, 

21 Meshezabeel, Zadok, Jaddua, 

22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 

23 Hoshca, Hananiah, Hashub, 

24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobck, 

25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 

26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 

27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 

28 1 And the rest of the people, the priests,'' the 
Levites, the porters, the singers, tlie Ncthinim, and 
all they that had separated themselves'^ from the 
people of the lauds unto the law of God,* their 
wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one 
having knowledge, and having understanding f 

29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, 
and entered into a curse, and into an oath,' to 
walk in God's law,^ which was given by' Moses 
the servant of God, and to observe and do all the 
commandments of the Lord our Lord, and liis judg- 
ments and his statutes ; 

30 And that we would not give our daughters 
unto the people of the land,** nor take their daugh- 
ters for our sons : 

31 And //"the people of the land bring ware or 
any victuals on the sabbath-day to sell,' that we 
would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the 
holy day: and that we would leave the seventh 
year,J and the exaction of every debt.* " 

32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge 
ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for 
the service of the house of our God ; 



aEzra2:3. etc; ch.7:3, etc. bEzri2:36. « Ler. 20:31; Ezn lU:ll-li); 
ch. 9:2; 13:3. J Rom. 1:1. « ch. 8:2; Psa. 47:7. f Deut. 29: 1-2, 14 ; oh. 
.1:1-2. 13; Psa. ll9:l(Hi. S 2 Chr. 34:31. * Heb. hy the liand of. h Exod. 
31:16; Deut. 7:3; Ezra 9:12, 14. i Lev. 23:3; Deut. 5:12; ch. 13:15, etc.; 
Isa. 5H:13, 14. J Lev. 2J:4. t Heb. hand, t Deut. 15:2; oh. 5:1-13. 



29. Tliey clave to tlieir brethren ,- consented by an oath to 
the same covenant into which their chief men had entered 
to serve the Lord. See note to ver. 1. 

37. Might have tlie tithes; rather, might give the tithes, 
and so in verse 38 ; for the Levites gave to the priests a 
tithe of the tithes which they received from the people. 
See chap. 12:47. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. All who know God should covenant to obey him, 
and having solemnly recognizeil tlieir obligations to liim 
should be careful to fulfil them. When tliis is done by 
ministers of the gospel and leading men among a people, 
multitudes will be ready to follow their example. 

31. Abstinence from traffic and from all kinds of secular 



33. For the show-bread,' and for the continual 
meat-offering,'" and for the continual burnt-offer- 
ing," of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the 
set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin- 
offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for 
all the work of the house of our God. 

34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the 
Levites, and the people, for the wood-oflering," to 
bring it into the house of our God, after the houses 
of our fathers, at times ai)poiutcd year by year,P 
to burn upon the altar of the Lokd our God, as it 
is written in the law:'' 

35 And to bring the first-fruits of our ground, 
and the first-fruits of all fruit of all trees, year 
by year, unto the house of the Lord :'' 

36 Also the first-born of our sons, and of our 
cattle, as if is written in tlie law," and the firstlings 
of our herds aud of our flocks, to bring to the hou-^e 
of our God, unto the pi'icsts that minister in the 
house of our God : 

37 And that we should bring the first-fruits of 
our dough,' and our offerings, and the fruit of all 
manner of trees," of wine andofoil, unto the priests, 
to the chambers of the house of our God ; and the 
tithes of our ground unto the Levites,^ that the 
same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities 
of our tillage. 

38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with 
the Levites, when the Levites take tithes : and the 
Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto 
the house of our God, to the chambers into the 
treasure-house."' 

39 For the children of Israel and the children 
of Levi shall bring the oflering of the corn, of the 
new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where 
are the vessels of the sanctuary,^ and the priests 
that minister, and the porters, and the singers : and 
we will not forsake the house of our God.^ 

CHAPTER XI. 

1 Tlie rulers, voluntary men, and the tenth man chosen by lot, dwell at 
Jerusalem. 3 A catalogue of their names. 20 The residue dwell in 
other cities. 

A ND the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusa- 
JrX- lem : the rest of the people also cast lots,' to 
bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy 
city,'' and nine parts to dwell in other cities. 

2 Aud the people blessed all the men, that will- 
ingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.'' 



1 Lev. 


'.MS. 


n Num. ch. 2S 


29. 


n Heb. 10:11. o el 


. 13:31 


; Isa 


40:16. 


P Heb 


111::)- 


7. q 


Lev. 6:1- 


r 


Exod 


23:19; Num 


18:2; 


Deut. 


20:2. 


• Exod 


13:2, 


12, 13 


Lev. 27: 


26. 


t Num 


.15:19; Deut. 


18:4. 




20:2. 


V Nura 


1W:2 


; M»l 


3:8,10. 


" 1 Chr. 9: 


26; 2 Chr. 31:1 


1, 12. 


I Deut 


19-6, 


11. yc 


h. 13: 


10-12. 


2 Josh. IS 


:10. 


iver. 


18; Malt. 4:S; 


27:53. 


bjud 


f.5:9. 



travelling and business on the Sabbath, is essential to a 
due observance of that holy day ; and all who have cove- 
nanted to obey God, should remember the Sabbatli-day 
and keep it holy. 

31. While each individual should be disposed to bear 
his part in supporting the ministers, the worsliip, and the 
ordinances of the gospel, he should also give to habitual 
attendance upon them the influence of a conscientious aud 
consistent example. 

CHAPTER XI. 

1. One of ten to dwell in Jerxuiulem ; Jerusalem at this 
time was only partially rebuilt, and was especially exposed 
to the attacks of the enemies of the Jews. For the pro- 
563 



The distribution 



NEHE.MIAII XL 



of the people. 



3 If Now those nrc tlio cliiof of the province tlint 
dwelt in Jeni^nlem: but in tlie cities of .ludah 
dwelt every one in liis possession in tlieir cities, to 
trit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the 
Netliiniin,* and the cliildri'n of .'Solomon's servants. 

4 And at Jcrusaleiii dwelt ctrlaiii of tiie eliiidren 
of Jmlali. and of the children of Benjamin.'' Of 
tln« children of .Fndali ; Athaiah the son of Uzziali, 
the son of Zechariah, the son of Aniuriah, the son 
of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the chil- 
dren of I'erez ;* 

.") And Maasi'iah the son of Barueh, the son of 
Col-hozch, the son of Ilazaiah, the son of Adaiali, 
the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son 
of Shiloni. 

6 All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem 
xocre four hundred threescore andeightvaliantmen. 

7 And these are the sons of Benjamin ; Sallu the 
son of Mesliullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pc- 
daiah. the son of Kolaiah, tlie son of Maaseiah, the 
son of Ithicl, the son of Jesaiah. 

8 And after him Uahbai, Sallai, nine hundred 
twenty and eight. 

9 And Joel the son of Zichri u-as their overseer : 
and Judah the son of Senuah was second over the 
city. 

10 Of the priests:'' Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, 
Jachin. 

11 Seraiah the son of Ililkiah, the son of Me- 
sliullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the 
son of Aliitub, was the ruler of the house of C.od. 

12 And tlieir lu-ethron tliat did tlie work of the 
house iivrc eight hundred twenty and two: and 
Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, 
the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the sou of 
Pashur, the son of Malchiah, 

i:} And iiis brethren, ciiicf of the fathers, two 
hundred forty and two : and Amashai the son of 
Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of Meshille- 
moth, the son of linmer, 

14 And their brethren, mighty men of valor, a 
hundred twenty and eight : and "their overseer was 
Zabdiel, the son of one o/" the great men.* 

15 Also of the Levites: Bhemaiah the son of Ha- 
shub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, 
the son of Bunni; 

16 And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of 
the Levites, had the oversight of* the outward 
business of the house of God.'' 

17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha," the son of 
Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to be- 



' Ezra 2:4:). M. b l Chr. 9:3, etc. 
t Or, Ha^gedolim. I Heb. 



\ "b ■ '?^*,.,' '.9" "*■■'■ '^■■*-^\ Phil. i:li. s ver. L S Heb. at the gates. 
I-Psa. 84:X0. \ 0,,lhe lower, i ch. 3:-a5. J Ezra 6:8, 9; 7: aj, etc. 1 Or, 



tection of the citj-, therefore, with its temple and temple 
services, it was necessary to require a certain portion of 
the people to rcsiilc there, who, if left to themselves, 
would have preferred some other place. It is probable 
that, alter taking the names of those who " wilHngly offered 
themselves," ver. 2, they cast lots for the remainder of this 
tenth part. 

16. TIte outward business of the house of God; providing 
the sacrifices, and making all needful preparation for the 
worship which the priests performed in the temple. 

24. Zerah—was at tlie king's hand; a commissioner or 
agent to transact his business \vith the people. 
564 



gin the thanksgiving in prayer:' and Bak- ■*ii"'m: 
bukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda 
the son of Shammua, the son of (jalal, the son of 
Jedutliun. 

IS All the Levites in the holy city were two liun- 
dr('(l foiirsciin; and four.'-' 

19 Moreover the jiortcrs, Akkub, Talmon, and 
their brethren that kept the gates,*'' were a hun- 
dred seventy and two. 

20 1[ And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and 
the Levites, tcere in all the cities of Judah, every 
one in his inheritance. 

21 But the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel:" and Ziha 
and Gispa wire over the Nethinim. 

22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusa- 
lem icas Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hasha- 
biah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha. Of 
the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the busi- 
ness of the house of God. 

23 For it was the king's commandment concern- 
ing them,^ that a certain portion^ should be for 
the singers, due for every day. 

24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the 
children of Zeiah" the son of Judah, nas at the 
king's hand in all matters concerning the people.'' 

25 And for the villages, with their fields, some 
of the childi'en of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba,' 
and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon, and in 
the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the 
villages thereof, 

26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth- 
phclet, 

27 And at Ilazar-shual, and at Beer-slieba, and 
in the villages thereof, 

28 And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the 
villages thereof, 

29 And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jar- 
muth, 

30 Zanoah, Adullani, and in their villages, at 
Lachish, and the fields thereof, at Azekah, and in 
the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer- 
sheba,"' unto the valley of Hinnom." 

31 The children also of Benjamin from^ Geba 
du-elt at* Michmash, and Aija, and Beth-el, and in 
their villages, 

32 ^ind at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiab, 

33 Hazor, Raniah, Gitfaira, 

34 Hadid, Zeboini, Neballat, 

35 Lod, and (Jno, the valley of craftsmen." 

36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, 
a7)d in Benjamin. 



a sure ordinance. • Zara/i, Gen. 39:30. k 1 Chr. 18:17. IJcsh. 14:15. 
m Gen. 26:33; Amos8:14. ■> Josh. 15:9; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 32:35. t Or, 
of. I Or, to. ul Chr. 4:14. 



INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. It is a great blessing to dwell where spiritual privi- 
leges are enjoyed; and many will commend those that 
choose such places for their residence, who will not imi- 
tate their example. 

4. In selecting a place of residence, all should regard 
primarily the will of God, and seek a place in which they 
can most honor him, and secure the highest permanent 
benefit to themselves, their children, and their fellow- 
men. 

20. Wherever people are called to live, the worship of 
God should be a part of their daily business ; and in seek- 



Prii'sts and Lcvites. 



NEHEMIAH XII. 



Dedication of the leall. 



g.?'„t^«6. CHAPTER XII. 

1 The priests, S and the Levites, which came up with Zerubbabel. 10 
The succession of high-priests. 22 Certain chief Levites. 27 The 
solemnity of the dedication of the walls. 44 The offices of priests and 
Levites appointed in the temple. 

"XyO W these are the priests and the Levites that 
J_>j went up with Zerubbabel the son of Sheal- 
tiol," and Jeshua: Scraiah,'' Jeremiah, Ezra, 

2 ximariah, Malluch,* Hattush, 

3 8hechaniah,+ Rehum,* Meremoth,^ 

4 Iddo, Ginuetlio,' Abijah,"' 

5 Miamiu," Maadiah,* Bilgah, 

6 Sheinaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, 

7 Sallu,* Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. Tliesc were 
the chief of the priests and of their brethren in 
the days of Jeshua.^ 

8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kad- 
miel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattauiah,'^ which was 
over tlie thanksgiving,' he and his brotliren. 

9 Also Bakbukiah and LTnni, their brethren, were 
over against thetn in the watches. 

10 H And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also 
begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat Joiada, 

11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan 
begat Jaddua. 

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the 
chief of the fathers : of Seraiah, Meraiah ; of Jere- 
miah, Hananiali ; 

13 Of Ezra.Meshullam ; of Amariah, Jeliohanan; 
l-l Of Melicu, Jonathan ; of Shebaniah, Joseph ; 
15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Hclkai : 

IG Of Iddo,Zec]iariah; ofGiniiet]ion,Meslmllam; 

17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, 
Piltai ; 

18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Sliemaiali, Jehona- 
than ; 

19 And of Joiarib, Mattcnai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi ; 

20 Of Sallai, Kallai : of Amok, Ebcr ; 

21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah ; of Jedaiah, Nethaueel. 

22 1 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joia- 
da, and Johanau, and Jaddua, were recorded chief 
of the fathers : also the priests, to the reign of 
Darius the Persian. 

23 The sons of Levi, tlie chief of the fathers, 
were written in the book of the Chronicles,'' even 
until the davs of Johanan the son of Eliasliib. 

21 And tlie chief of the Levites : Ilashabiali, 
Sherebiah, and Jeshua the sou of Kadinicl, with 
their brethren over against them, to praise and 
to give thanks, according to the commandment of 
David the man of God,'' ward over against ward.'' 

25 Mattauiah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiali, Meshul- 



» Kzra 2:1, 2. b ch. 1(1; 2-:*. * Or, Melku, 


ver. 14. t Or, Shebaniah. ver. 


14. I Or, Harim, ver. 15. 5 Or, Memiath. v 


er. 1.3. 1 Or. GiiiiMhon, yer. 


IG. 1 Abia, Luke 1:3. • Or. Minmmin, ver 


. 17. t Or, Moadiah, ver. 17. 


1 Or. Sallai, ver. 20. 5 Josliiia: Ezra 3:2; 


Haj. 1:1; Zcch. :i:l. c ch. 


11:17. 1 That is, the psalms of tlianks^ivinq 


dl Chr. 9:14, etc. e 1 Chr. 



iiig first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all 
needed blessings will be given them. 

CHAPTER XII. 

1. Thai went up; from Babylon to Jerusalem. 

11,22. Jaddua; commonly thought to be the high-priest 
who, according to .losephus, met Alexander the Great on 
his march to Jerusalem. Darius the Persian; according to 
some, Darius Nothus ; but the mention of him in connec- 
tion with Jaddua has led many to think that Darius Codo- 
manus, whom Alexander conquered, is meant. It has 



lam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keejiing the 
ward at the thresholds' of the gates. 

26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of 
Jesiiua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Ne- 
hemiali the governor,^ and of Ezra the priest, the 
scribe.'' 

27 1 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusa- 
lem' they sought the Lcvites out of all their places, 
to bring tliem to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication 
with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with 
singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.' 

28 And the sons of the singers gathered them- 
selves together, both out of the plain country round 
about Jerusalem, and from the villages of Xeto- 
phathi ; 

29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the 
fields of Geba and Azmaveth : for the singers had 
buikled them villages round about Jerusalem. 

30 And the priests and the Lcvites purified them- 
selves, and purified the people,'' and the gates, and 
the wall. 

31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon 
the wall, and appointed two great companies of 
thevi that gave thanks, whireof one went on the 
right hand upon the wall' toward the dung-gate i"" 

32 And after them went Hoshaiah, and half of 
the princes of Judah, 

33 And Azariah, Ezra, and Mcshullam, 

34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shcmaiah, and Jer- 
emiah, 

35 And certain of the priests' sons with trump- 
ets;" namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the 
son of Shcmaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of 
Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph : 

3G And his brethren, Shcmaiah, and Azarael, 
Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Han- 
ani, with the musical instruments of David the man 
of God,° and Ezra the scribe before them. 

37 And at the fountain-gate,'' which was over 
against them, they went up by the stairs of the city 
of David, at the going up of the wall, above the 
house of David, even unto the water-gate eastward. 

38 And the other company of them that gave thanks 
went over against the7n, and I after them, and the 
half of the people upon the wall,'' from beyond the 
tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall; 

39 And from above the gate of Ephraim,"' and 
above the old gate, and above the fish-gate, and 
the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, 
even unto the sheep-gate : and they stood still in 
the prison-gate.' 



ch. &. 35, 20. < Ezra 3:11. 1 Or, Inasuries. or assimilies. e ch. S:!l. 
Ii Ezra 7:6. 11. i Psa. .30, title. J 1 Chr. 25:6; 2 Chr. 5:13. kHeb. 5:1,3. 
Iver. 3S, 40. m ch. 3:13. ■> Num. 10:2, 8. « 1 Chr. 23:5. P ch. 3:15, etc. 
qver.31. r 2 Kings 14:13; ch. 8:16. •Jer.32:2. 



been the opinion of many that this, and verse 11 above, are 
additions by a later hand after the death of Neluniiah. 

27. Tlie dedication of the wall; as Jerusalem was designed 
to be a holy city, all parts of it were dedicated to the ser- 
vice of God. 

31. Two great companies ; one company went one way upon 
the wall with Ezra, and tlie other went the other way with 
Xeheniiah. They met on the opposite side of the city, and 
went together to the temple and offered their sacrifices of 
thanksgiving and praise, for having been enabled to finish 
the rebuilding and fortifying of tlie city. Ver. 40-43. 
565 



OJinrt III lh< templf. 



N Kill: Ml. Ml Xlll. 



Abuses reflijwd. 



40 So Stood tlio two companies of tin in that franc 
tliaiiks in the lioupo of God, and 1, and llie iialf of 
tlif rnlors with \w. 

•II And the luicst^; Kliakiin, Maasi'iali, Minia- 
inin, Mii'liaiaii. Kiioenai, Zccliariaii, aiul ilanauiali, 
vith trunipi'ts; 

42 And Mnaseiaii, and Slicinaiali, and Elcazar, 
and Uz/i, and Jehohanan, ami Mak-hijali, and 
Elnm, and K/.or. And the singers sang loud,*" 
with Jezrahiali tfidr overseer. 

43 Also that d;iy they olViMcd great sacrifices, and 
rejoiced; for God liad made them rejoice with 
great joy: the wives also and the children re- 
joiced : so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard 
even afar off.'' 

44 U And at that time were some appointed over 
the chambers for the treasures," for the offerings, 
for the iirst-fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into 
them out of the liclds of the cities the portions of 
the law^ for the priests and Levites; for Judah 
rejoiced* for the priests and for the Levites that 
waited.' 

4o And both the singers and the porters kept the 
ward of their God, and the ward of the purifica- 
tion, accordi ng to the commandment of David," and 
of Solomon his son. 

46 For in tl>c days of David and Asaph of old 
there u-ere chief of the singers, and songs of praise 
and thanksgiving unto God.' 

47 -Vnd ail Israel in the days of ZeruLbabel, and 
in the days of Xelieniiah, gave tlic portions of the 
singers and the porters, every day liis portion :' and 
they sanctified' /loly things unto the Levites; and 
the Levites sanctified them unto the children of 
Aaron. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

1 Upon the reading of the law sppitration is made from the mixed mul- 
titude. 4 Nehemiuh at his return causeth the chambers to be cleansed. 
10 He reformeth the offices in the house of God. 15 The violation 
of the sabbath, 23 and the marriages with strange wives. 

X that day they read^ in the book of Moses 
in the audience' of the people ;''' and therein 



o 



• Hfb miuU their voice lobe heard. » Psa. 81 : 1 ; 9^;4-<>. b Ezra 3:13. 
^ -h 13:1-2. 13. t That is. oppoinled 6y («« /aw. > Hub. for Iht joy of Ju- 
•lik. h Hub. stood, d 1 Clir. cli. -23, 20. e 2 Chr. '.'9:30. f Num. 1S:21, 20. 

Tliat i«. Ml apart. 1 Heb. there was read. ' Heb. tart, g Deut. 31 :11, 
I-.': 2 KinjTi 23:2; ch. 8:3, 8. h Deut. 23:3, 4. i Matt. 25:40. J .Num. 



45. Kept tlie ward of their God; discharged the duties 
assigned to them in God's service. " Ward " is here used 
ill the sense of a charge committed to one to keep. The 
v:nrd of the purification; the charge committed to them in 
respect to purification. Tliey were to see that nothing 
unclean entered tlie sanctuary. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

22. \X\im ministers of the gospel arc most faithful in 
the discharge of their ajipropriate duties, they take the 
best course, not only to honor God and advance the inter- 
ests of true religion, but also to secure a comfortable sup- 
port for themselves and their families. 

30. To be made instrumental in purifying others, minis- 
ters of the gospel must seek purification themselves, and 
endeavor in all things to set before the people a safe and 
u.scful example. 

40. Thanks should be rendered to God at the conclusion 
of every great and goo'l work ; and all the glory of success 
by all classes should be given to him. 

45. The influence of good men is felt long after they are 
dead ; and each one should be careful to set an example 
which will be useful as long as it shall be remembered, 
566 



was found written, tliat the Aminonife and ^i", *?■«: 
the Moaliite should not come into the congrega- 
tion of God for ever:'' 

2 Hccaiisi' they met not tlu! children of Israel 
witii bread and with water,' but hired Balaam 
against them, that he .sliould curiae Iheni :' howbcit 
our God turned the curse into a bles.sing.'' 

3 Now it came to pass, ■wlicn thi'y had heard the 
law, that tliey scparatcil from Israel all thenii.\ed 
multitude.' 

4 ^i And before this, Eliashib the priest, having 
the oversight of^ the cliamber of the house of onr 
God, ims allied unto Tobiah: 

5 And ho had pre]iared for liim a great cliam- 
ber, where afoietime they laid the meat-oflering.s, 
the frankintieiise, and the vessels, and the tithes of 
the corn, the new wine, and the oil,'" which was 
commanded to be given to the Levites,' and the 
singers, and the porters;" and (he oflerings of the 
priests. 

6 But in all this time was not 1 at Jerusalem: 
for in the two and tliii'tioth year of Artaxerxes 
king of IJubylon caino I unto the king," and after 
certain days" obtained 1 leave of the king: 

7 And 1 came to Jernsalem, and understood of 
the evil that Kliashil) did for Tobiah, in ])rej)ar- 
ing him a chamber in the courts of the house of 
God. 

8 And it grieved me sore : therefore I cast forth 
all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the cham- 
ber. 

9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the 
chambers : and thither brought I again the vessels 
of the house of God, with the meat-oflfering and 
the frankincense. 

10 T And I perceived that the portions of the 
Levites had not been given thim: for the Levites 
and the singers, that did the work, were fled every 
ona to his field. 

11 Then contended I witli the rulers, and said. 
Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gath- 
ered them together, and set them in their place.'' 



22:.5. k Num. 1M:10; Deut. 23:5; Josh. 24:B, 10; Mic. 0:,'!. I ch. !l:2. 
t Heb. being set over, m a Chr. 31 : 11 ; ch. 12:44. 1 Heb. the rommandment 
iftheLevites. n Num. lS:j;lj 24. o ch. 5:14. i Ueb. at the end of days. 



uj t'lc i^,;i/(ico. - iiuiii. i^.i», iit. - till. ,J. 

U Or, / earrustly requested. 1 Heb. standing. 



and be instrumental when he is in heaven of preparing 
others for the same exceeding and eternal glory. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

4. Tobiah; the Ammonite, mentioned in chap. 2:10 and 
elsewhere as an enemy to the Jews. 

5. A great chamber ; in the courts of the temple, contrary 
to the command of God. 

6. Was not I at Jerusalem ; Nehemiali had left Judc;i and 
returned to Persia ; and the above-mentioned aliuscs are 
supposed to have taken place during his absence. Came 
I unto tite king; the king of Persia, who reigned also over 
Babylon, and is here called the king of I3Mii3'lon. Nche- 
miah'g return was twelve years after he first left Persia 
and went to Jerusalem. Obtained I leave of the king ; leave 
to go back again to Jernsalem. How long he now contin- 
ued in Persia is not known, but from the account which 
he gives of the evil practices that had arisen during his 
absence, verses 4, 5, 10, 15, etc., it is probable that his 
absence was prolonged through several years. 

10. Were fed; because they ilid not receive their sup- 
port. It is probable also that they were wanting in zeal 
for God's service. Compare Mai. 1:10. 



Sabbath viola t ion 



NEHEMIAII XIII. 



and xlranse wives. 



A.M.3570. 12 Then brought all Judali the tithe of 
' «4. the corn and the new wine and the oil unto 
the treasuries." 

13 And 1 made treasurers over the treasuries," 
Slielomiah the priest, and Zadok the scribe, and 
of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them* loas 
Hauan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah : 
for they were counted faithful,'' and their ofBce 
ivas^ to distribute unto their brethren. 

14 Remember me, my God, concerning this,'' 
and wipe not out my good deeds* tliat 1 have done 
for the house of my God, and for the offices' 
thereof. 

15 iriu those days saw I in Judah some tread- 
ing wine-presses on the sabbath,'' and Itringing in 
sheaves, and lading asses ; as also wine, grapes, and 
figs, and all ma^frtpro/" burdens, which they brought 
into Jerusalem on the sabbath-day f and I testified 
against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. 

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which 
brought iish, and all manner of ware, and sold on 
the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Je- 
rusalem. 

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah,'' 
and said unto them. What evil thing is this that 
ye do, and profane the sabbath-day? 

IS Did not your fathers thus,' and did not our 
God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? 
yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning 
tiie sabbath. 

19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of 
Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath,'' 
I commanded that the gates should be shut, and 
charged that they should not be opened till after 
the sabbath : and some of my servants set I at the 
gates, that there should no burden bo brought in 
on the sabbath-day. 

20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of 
ware lodged vvithout Jerusalem once or twice. 

'21 Then I testified against theui, and said unto 
them. Why lodge ye about' the wall? if ye do so 





• 


. slore/wiiSffS, Mil 


3: 10. a ch 


1 


>-4J; 


ver, 5. 


Heb. a 


Ihn 


hand. 


b 


Af.i 


«:■}; 1 Tim. 3:10 


I Heb. it 


va 


itvon 


tkem. c 


Psa. la 


!:li-'l 


Heb. 


«• 


1(1. 


§ Heb. kindnesses 


1 Or, ofjser 


•ations. 


i E.>ioa. 


•20:10. 


ech. 


10:31. 


f 


i'er 


1: Prov. 2S:4. S Jer. n-.H-l 


. 


h Leii 


.■Zi:»i. 


TI Heb. 4 


efore 


ioh. 


li 


;;ju 


1 ver. 14, 31. ■ 


Or, multttu 


le. 


t Heb. 7nn//fi 


la dwell 


with them. 



12. Tite tithe; a tenth part of their produce, for the sup- 
port of the ministers of religion. 

l."). Treading wine-presses ; to press the juice out of grapes, 
which was the usual manner of making wine. 

25. Plucked off their iiair; a token of disgrace. 

26. Outlamlish; lieathen. 

28. Sanballat the Horonite; governor of the Samaritans. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 
1. The daily reading of a portion of Scripture is one of 
tlie most effectual means of communicating a knowledge 
of the will of God, and leading men to perform it. 

4. Alliance with the wicked is one of the causes of 
increasing human corruption; and wlien ministers of re- 
ligion are guilty of it, it tends to spread the evil through 
tlie community. 

5. When the authority of pious magistrates is suspend- 
ed, and those who rule encourage or connive at iniquity, 
it will be greatly increased ; all who are disposed will then 
commit it with impunity and without restraint. 

8. Increase of iniquity greatly grieves the friends of 
God ; and if they have the right and the ability, they will 
attempt speedily to restrain and remove it. In this they 
may expect the aid of good men and the blessing of God. 



again, I will lay hands on you. From that tiiuc 
forth came they no more on the sabbath. 

22 And I commanded the Levites, that they 
should cleanse theiii.selves,' and that they should 
come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath- 
day. Remember me, my God, concerning this 
also,J and spare me according to the greatness "of 
thy mercy. 

23 ir In those days also saw I Jews that had 
married* wives of Ashdod, of Amnion, and of 
Moab:" 

2-1 And their children spake half in the speech 
of Ashdod, and could not speak* in the Jews' lan- 
guage, but according to the language of each peo- 
ple.^ 

25 And I contended with them,' and cursed' 
them, and smote certain of them, and plucked ofi 
their hair, and made them swear by God,'" saying, 
Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, 
nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for 
yourselves. 

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these 
things?" yet among many nations was there no 
king like him," who was beloved of his God," and 
God made him king over all Israel : nevertheless 
even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 

27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this 
great evil, to transgress against our God in mar- 
rying strange wives? 

28 And (me of the sons of Joiada,'' the son of Eli- 
ashib the high-priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat 
the Horonite : therefore I chased him from me. 

29 Remember them,'' my God, because they 
have defiled' the priesthood, and the covenant of 
the priesthood, and of the Levites.' 

30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and 
appointed the wards of the priests and the Le- 
vites,' every one in his business; 

31 And for the wood-offering at times appoint- 
ed, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, my 
God, for good." 



k F,7 


ra 9:2. t Jleh. they discerned not to speak, i Heh. people and people. 


1 -ver 


11,17. 1 Or, re!)i7e(/. Psa. 15:4. m Ezra 10:5; ch. 10:29, 30. n 1 King! 


HI 


etc. ) Kings 3:13; 3 Chr. 9:22. P 2 Sam. 12:24. <t ch. 12:10. 22. 


r eh 


B:I4. ^ Heb. for t/ie dejilings. • Mai. 2:4, 10. t ch. 10:34. u Psa. 


•20:8 


9. 



10. The withholding of adequate support from the min- 
isters of the gospel, is one of the devices of Satan and his 
adherents to prevent a continuance of their labors. 

1.5. The selling of food or other commodities, travelling 
for profit or pleasure, and the transaction of other secular 
business, on the Sabbath, are liigldy offensive to God ; and 
tend to bring down upon individuals and the community 
his curse and wrath. 

19. As servile or secular labor on the Sabbath is incon- 
sistent with the temporal welfare of the community, as 
well as the eternal good of individuals, it is the duty of 
the government by penal sanctions to prevent it, and if 
men will violate the law, to visit them with punishment; 
and when transgressors find the government and the peo- 
ple resolutely set against them, and that they cannot tram- 
lile on the Sabbath with impunity, they will be likely to 
abstain from it. 

28. Those who set at open defiance the laws of God and 
man, and whose continued presence is inconsistent with 
tlie welfare of the community, should not be permitted to 
live in it; and in all wise and good eiforts to prevent 
their pestiferous influence, men may expect the aid of 
the enlightened, patriotic, and good, and the blessing of 
God. 

567 



THE 



BOOK OF ESTHER 



This book rclutcs the wonderful manner in wliich the plot of Ilaman the Agagitc, to destroy the Jews 
tlinnij^houl the whole empire of Persia, was not only overthrown, but turned to their enlargement and hoixir. 
Till- author, whose name is unknown, manifestly designs to represent this deliverance as eflccted by the prov- 
idiMK-e of God in answer to the prayers of the Jews, though he refrains throughout from mentioning the 
name of Jehovah, preferring, as it would seem, to let the facts narrated speak for themselves. For the 
]ieri.Hl in Persian liistory to wliich this narrative belongs, see the introductory reniarkK to the book of Ezra. 



CHAPTER I. 

1 Ahiuuerus maketh royal feasts. 10 Vashti, sent for, refusetli to come. 
13 Ahuuerus, by the counsel of Memucan, maketh the decree of men's 
wvvr.ii;'")-- 

AT OW it came to pass in the days of Aliasuerus," 
_L>| (this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India 
even unto Etliiopia, over a hundred and seven and 
twenty provinces,'') 

2 That in tho.se days, when the king Aliasuerus 
sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in 
Shuslian the palace,'' 

3 In tlic third year of his reign, he made a feast 
unto all his princes and his servants;'' the power 
of Persia and Media, the nobles and jirinces of the 
provinces, being before him: 

4 Wlien he showed the riches of his glorious 
kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty 
many days, even a hundred and fourscore days. 

5 -Vnd when these days were expired, the king 
made a feast unto all the people tiiat were pres- 
ent' in Shushan the palace, both unto great and 
small, seven days, in the court of the garden of 
the king's palace : 

6 Where were white, green, and blue* hangings, 
fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to sil- 
ver rings and i)illars of marble: the beds were of 
gold and silver,'' upon a |)avement of red, and 
blue, and white, and black marble.* 

7 And they gave t/mn drink in vessels of gold, 
(the vessels being diverse one from another,) and 
royal wine'' in abundance, according to the state' 
of the king. 

8 And the drinking was according to the law ; 
none did compel :"■ for so the king had appointed 
to all the officers of his house, that they should do 
according to every man's pleasure. 

9 Also Yashti the queen made a feast for the 



• Ezn4:6; Dan. 9;1. «> ch. fe:9; Dan. 6: 1. cNchlrl. •< r,en. W-.-iU; 
ch. 2;18; Mlrk0:->1. •Heb./ouiirf. t Or, r/Wel, ch, 8: 15. c Ezek. 2.-3:41 ; 
Amos 6:4. 1 Or, 0/ porphyry, and marble, ami alabasln, and stmt of Hue 
color. \nt\,.u>mtof Ik', kingdom. I Heb. Aan/i. fHai>. 2:13. I! 2 Sam. 



CHAPTER I. 

1. A)uisuerus; see introduction to the book of Ezra. 

8. Noite did compel; none were compelled to drink, but 
each one drank, or refrained, as lie pleased. 

12. Vashti refttsed to come; it was felt by her to be an o - 

indignitj' to be siunmoned thus into the presence of men, alleged, a bad example 
568 ' 



women in the royal house which belonged b.'?' «S 
to king Ahasuerus. '" 

10 1 On the seventh day, when the heart of the 
king was merry with wine,''' he commanded JIcliu- 
nian, Biztha, Ilarboua," Bigtha, and Abagtha. Ze- 
thar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains^ that 
served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 

11 To bring Vashti the (juecn before the king 
with the crown royal, to show the people and 
the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look 
on.' 

12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the 
king's commandment by his chamberlains:* there- 
fore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned 
in him. 

13 "I Then the king said to the wise men,' which 
knew the times,^ (for so was the king's manner 
toward all that knew law and judgment: 

14 And the next unto him was Carshcna, She- 
thar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and 
Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media," 
which saw the king's face,' and which sat the first 
in the kingdom,) 

15 What shall we do* unto the queen Vashti 
according to law, because she hath not performed 
the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the 
chamberlains? 

IG And Memucan answered before the king and 
the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong 
to the king only, but also to all the princes, and 
to all the people that are in all the provinces of 
the king Ahasuerus. 

17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad 
unto all women, so that they shall despise their 
husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, 
The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen 
to be brought in before him, but she came not. 



l:J:-2^; Eccl. 10:10. Iich.7:9. tOt.eunurlls. • nA. good of c 

1 S,im. 25:3. t Heb. which was by the hand of his eunuchs, i Jer. 10:7. 

JlChr. 12:32. k Ezra 7:14. I 2 Kings 25:19. I Heb. HAa< (o rfo. 



to gratify the caprice and vanity of the king ; and this the 
king himself would have seen, had not his mind been 
clouded liy the influence of wine. 

13. Wliich knew the times; were acquainted with the his- 
tory and customs of the kingdom. 

16. Done virong — to all tlte people; by sotting, as they 



Vashti is deposed. 



ESTHER II. 



Esther in the kins's house. 



B o'aS' ^^ Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and 
' 519. Media say this day uuto all the king's prin- 
ces, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus 
shall there arise too much contempt and wi'ath. 

19 If it please* tlie king-, let tliere go a royal com- 
mandment from him.* and let it bo written among 
the laws of the Persians and the Modes, that it be 
not altered,* That Vashti come no more Ijcforc 
king Ahasuerus ; and let the king give hor royal 
estate unto another* that is better than she. 

20 And when the king's decree, which he shall 
make, shall be published throughout all his em- 
pire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to 
their husbands lionor," lioth to groat and small. 

21 And the saying pleased' the king and tlie 
princes ; and the king did according to the word 
of Momucan : 

22 For he sent letters into all the king's prov- 
inces,'' into every province according to the writ- 
ing thereof, and to every people after their lan- 
guage, that every man should bear rule iu his own 
house,'' and that it sliould be published according 
to the language of every people.'' 

CHAPTER II. 

1 Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen. 5 Mordecai the 
nursing father of Esther. 8 Esther is prelerred by Hegal before the 
rest. 12 The manner of purification, and going in to the Icing. 1.3 
Esther best pleasing the king, is made queen. 21 Mordecai d 
I is recorded m the chronicles. 



AFTER these things, when the wrath of king 
Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered 
Vashti, and what she had done, and what was 
decreed against her.'^ 

2 Then said the king's servants that ministered 
unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought 
for the king: 

3 And let the king appoint officers in all theprov- 
inccs of his kingdom, that they may gather together 
all the fair young virgins unto Shushau the palace, 
to the house of the women, unto the custody* of He- 
ge* the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women ; 
and let tlieir things for purification be given them: 

4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be 
queen instead of Vashti." And the thing pleased 
the king ; and he did so. 

5 1 JYow in Shushan the palace there was a cer- 
tain Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, 
the sou of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite ; 



• Heb be good with. 1 Heh. from before him. I Keh. pass jwt away ; ch, 
8:8; Dan. 6:8-15. i Heb. her companion, a Kph. 5:.'i3: Col. 3:18. I Heb. 
teas goodin the eyes of. bch. 8:9. = Eph. .'):i!-J-a4; 1 Tim. 2:12. 1 Heb. 
one should publish it according to the language of his people, d ch. 1:19, 20. 
'Heh.hand. t Or, Hegai, vm. 8. e Mm. 30:1(); 2-3:ll. t Or, Jehoiachin, 



19. That it be not altered; it was then the established 
usage, that laws of the Medes and Persians, once passed, 
could not be altered. No law of divorce such as this has 
any divine sanction. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

4. Great power, wealth, and influence, tend to increase 
the pride of the human heart, and to lead men for the dis- 
play of their own glory to scenes of festive and sensual 
indulgence, which expose them to vexation and sorrow in 
this world, and to endless woe in the world to come. 

10. Wine is a mocker, and strong drink is raging. When 
under its influence, reason is dethroned, and men often adopt 
measures disgraceful to themselves and ruinous to other,'!. 

15. Those who are clothed with authority sliould be 
careful not to give commands which cannot consistently 



6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem 
with the captivity which had lieen carried away 
witli Jcconiah* king of Judaii,' whom Nebuchad- 
nezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. 

7 And he brought up* lladassah, that is, Esther, 
his uncle's daughter : for she had neither father 
nor mother, and tlie maid was fair and beautiful ;' 
whom Mordecai, when her fatlier and mother were 
dead, took for his own daughter. 

8 1[ So it came to pass, when the king's com- 
mandment and his decree was heard, and when 
many maidens were gathered together unto Shu- 
shan the palace, to the custody of Hegai,''' that 
Estiicr was brought also uuto the king's house, to 
the custody of Hcgai, keeper of tiie women. 

y And tlie maiden pleased him, and she obtain- 
ed kindness of him;'' and he speedily gave her 
her things for purification,' with such things'' as 
belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were 
meet to be given her, out of the king's house : and 
he preferred* her and her maids unto the best place 
of the house of the women. 

10 Esther had not showed her people nor her 
kindred : for Mordecai had charged her that she 
should not show itJ 

11 Aud Mordecai walked every day before the 
court of the women's house, to know how Esther 
did,* and what should become of her. 

12 T Now when every maid's turn was come to 
go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been 
twelve months, according to tlie manner of the 
women, (for so were the days of their purifications 
accomplished, fot«'<, six months with oil of myrrh," 
and six montiis with sweet odors, and with other 
things for the purifying of the women,) 

13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; 
whatsoever she desired was given her to go with 
her outof the house of the women unto the king's 
house. 

l-l In the evening she went, and on the morrow 
she returned into the second house of the women, 
to the custod}- of Shaashgaz, the king's chamber- 
lain, which kept tlie concubines : she came in unto 
the king no more, except the king delighted in her,' 
and that she were called by name."" 

15 IT Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter 
of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken 
her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the 



2Kings24:C. f 2 Kings 


21:11 


1.5; 


Jer. 24:1. 


1 Heb. no 


urished, 
3. 1> P. 


Eph. 0:4. 


1 Heb. fair of form, at 


d good of 


countenance, s ver. 


a. 106:46. 


i ver. 3, 12. 1 Heb. her 


portic 


ns. 


• Heb. chc 


nged. i y 


cr. 20. 


r Heb. the 


peace of Esther ; Gen. 3 


:14; 


S.-itn 


17:18. k 


Prov.7:17 


Isa. 57 


9. IGen. 


34:19; Deut. 21:11; Isa 


62:4, 


5. « 


nisa. 43:1 









be complied with, which can neither be obeyed nor dis- 
obeyed without involving others in distress and ruin. 

16. When men in high stations are surrounded by ad- 
visers who, instead of giving them faithful counsel, only 
flatter their vanity and consult their depraved passions, 
they will be led into unwise and unjust measures, liy wliich 
great WTong will be done to those under their power. 

19. As human laws are more or less imperfect, and are 
at times palpably unjust, the idea that they are never to 
be altered is the oflspring of self-sufficiency and pride. 

CHAPTER II. 

7. IIadas.mh ; her Hebrew name, signifying, Jf jTtle. Es- 
ther ; the Persian name given her upon her advancement 
to the dignity of queen. It signifies. Star. 
569 



littler it crovnrd ijuith. 



ESTH 



kiuL', slio loquiri'd notliinir Init what Ilocrai the 
kiiiL's cliainbcrlain, tho k<'oper oCtlic women, i\\y- 
jHiiiitcHl. Anil Kstlier olilained favor in the sight 
of all them (hat luokeil upon lier." 

li". So EsthiT was taken unto kinfi^Ahasncnis into 
his house roval in the tentli 7niinth, wliieh is the 
month Telielh, in the sevcntii year of his reign. 

17 And tiie king loved Eslher aliove all the 
women, nntl she obtiiined grace and favor' in his 
sifflil* more than all tlie virgins; so that he set 
tlie royal erown uiion her head, and made her 
i|iiei'n instead of Vashti. 

IS Then the king made a great feast uuto all 
his [irinecs and his servants,'' (ven Esther's feast; 
and he made a release* to the provinces, and gave 
gifts,*" according to tho state of the king. 

lit And when the virgins were gathered together 
the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's 
gate." 

20 Esther had not yd sliowed her kindred nor 
her people, as Mordecai had charged her: for 
Esther did the conniiandinent of Mordecai," like 
as when she was brought uji with him. 

'21 " Inthoscdays,wliil(']\lord('caisatin the king's 
gate, twi) of the king's ciiainlicrlains, Bigtlian* and 
Teresh, of tiiose which kept the door,' were wroth, 
and souglit to lay liand on the king Ahasucrus. 

"I'l And the thing was known to Mordecai, who 
told it niito Esther the queen ;'^ and Estlier certi- 
fied the king thereof \n Mordecai's name. 

-'.] And when inquisition was made of the mat- 
ter, it was found out; therefore they were both 
hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book 
of the chronicles before the king. 



• S"ns«:9; ,S:10; Acts 7.10. * Or, kmJnesx. t Ueh. before him. b ch. 
1:3. I llcb. rM(. eNoh.«:l'2. dch.3:a. ' Kf\\. O:\~1. ' i Or, Biglliana, 
cb. fl:3. I Hcb. threshold. I ch. 0:1, 2. t Num. i4;7j 1 Sim. lo:S, :«. 



l(i. Ill tlie seventli year ofliis reign; about four years after 
the divorce of Vashti, cliap. 1 : 3. 

18. A release; a remission of tribute. 

19. Were gathered together the second time; tho meaning 
of Ihese words is not certain; they may refer to a second 
gatliering of fair virgins from whom concubines for the king 
wore to be selected, after that first gathering for tlic clioice 
of a queen. Sat in the king's gate ; tliose words imjjly that 
he liad received an office in tlie lcing'.s jialace, and sat in his 
gate, according to the custom at tlio Persian court, ready 
to discharge whatever duties might l)e required of liini. 

21. .%'tg/ir(o/(((//(«nrfo»iMcAmg-; conspired against his hfe. 
23. The book of the chronicles ; the register of the affairs 
of the kingdom, kept in the royal palace. Chap. 6:1. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. What is done in a passion is often a source of deep re- 
gret ; and if men do not change their conduct, but continue 
in sin and folly, choosing rather to do this than to aclcnow- 
ledgc their error, they must in the end be miseral)Ie,eat the 
fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 

■1. Sin in prospect appears to those who love it very 
different from wliat it does after it has been committed. 
It promises good; but at last, bites like a serpent and 
stings like an adder. 

7. Kindness to orphans is well-pleasing to God, and he 
often follows it with s])eeial manifestations of his favor. 

10. Ability and disposition to keep secret what should 
nut be published, is a valuable trait of character, and 
bIk.mM be cultivated by all who are intrusted with great 
and important concerns. 

10. God is able to overrule those actions of men that 
are in themselves neither wise nor rigliteous, for the ac- 
570 



|[ III. Ifavuin ili.^piseil by Mordecai. 

CHAPTER III. ...e*..2„.ru. 

1 llnrnMi, lulvancfd by tho kinc, nntl aiiipi«ta by Mortl.cai, Bcolitili re. 
v.iiiji; iipun nil the Jiwii. * He cnnlith lot». 8 He obtniiicth by 
rniuiliniuUnn & ilccrrc ol the king to put the Jt'Wl^lo llratll. 

AFTER these things did king Ahasuerus pro- 
mote Ilaman the son of Haminedatlia the 
Agagite," and advanced liim, and set his scatabovc 
all tlie princes that were with him. 

2 Ami all the king's servants, that were in the 
king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Hainan:'' for 
the king had so comniamleil concerning him. But 
Monlecai bowed not, nor did /mn reverence.' 

3 Then the king's servants, whicii were in the 
king's gate, said nnto Morde(^ai, Why transgress- 
est thou the king's commandment?^ 

4 Now it came lo pass, when they spake daily unto 
him, and lie hearkened not unto them, that they told 
Ilaman, to see uhctlicr Jlonlccai's matters would 
stand : for he hail told them that he was a Jew. 

5 And wlicn ilaman saw that Mordecai bowed 
not, nor did him reverence," then was Haman full 
of wrath.' 

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Morde- 
cai alone; for they had showed him the peojile of 
Monlecai: wherefore Hainan sought to destroy 
all the Jews that were tiiroughout the whole king- 
dom of Ahasucrus, even the people of Mordecai.'" 

7 1 In the first mouth, that is, the month Nisan, 
in the twelfth year of king Ahasucrus, they cast 
Pur," that if, the lot, before Haman from day to 
day, and from month to month, to the twelfth 7ftOTi//j, 
that is, the month Adar. 

8 T And Haman said uuto king Ahasuerus, There 
is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed 



complishment of his own most wise and righteous coun- 
sels. Thus the divorce of Vashti prepared the way for 
the elevation of Esther to the royal dignity, with all its 
important consequences to the Jewish people. 

17. When God sees best, he can give his people favor 
even v/ith those who rebel against him ; and all the influ- 
ence he gives to any should be employed to promote his 
glory and the good of men. 

21. While the wicked are devising wicked devices and 
seeking the ruin of others, God may be preparing to over- 
rule it for their own destruction, and for the salvation of 
his people. 

CHAPTER III. 

1. Haman; supposed to have been an Amalekite, and a 
descendant of one of their ancient kings. Esod. 17 : 14 ; 
Deut. 25:17-19. 

2. Bowed not ; it was not contrary to the laws and usages 
of the .Tews that they should render to riders the custom- 
ary marks of honor, even to prostration on the earth, 
where these would not be misunderstood. But Mordecai 
seems to have felt that he could not, in the present cir- 
cumstances, render homage to this vile favorite of the 
king, without degrading his character and his religion 
before the eyes of the heathen. 

4. He had told them that he was a Jew; he seems to have 
excused himself from bowing before Haman on the ground 
of his religion as a Jew. 

7. Caxt Pur — the lot; to determine the time when the 
Jews sluuild be destroyed. This was done in accordance 
with the heathenish idea that one day is more lucky than 
another fcjr the accomplishment of an undertaking. 

8. To suffer them ; suffer them to live. 



Hamnn plotteth to slriy 



ESTHER IV 



MorrJecni and all the. Jews. 



B r'a'»ut ^•i^ong tlie people in all theprovincesof thy 
510. kingdom ; and their lawstrrediversefromall 
people;" neither keep tliey the king's laws: there- 
fore it is not for the king's profit" to suffer them. 

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they 
may be destroyed :* and I will pay* ten tliousand 
talents of silver to the hands of those that have the 
charge of the business, to bring it into the king's 
treasuries. 

10 And the king took liis ring from his hand," and 
gave it unto Hanian the son of Hammedatha tiie 
Agagite, the Jews' enemy. ^ 

11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is 
given to tiiee, the people also, to do with them as 
it seemeth good to thee. 

12 Then were the king's scribes' called on the 
tliirteenth day of the first month," and there was 
written according toall that Haman had command- 
ed unto tlie king's lieutenants, and to the govern- 
ors that were over every province, and to the rulers 
of every people of every province according to tlie 
writing thereof, and to every people after their lan- 
guage ; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it writ- 
ten, and sealed with the king's ring.'' 

13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the 
king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause 
to perisli, all Jews, both young and old, little chil- 
dren and women, in one day, even upon the thir- 
teenth day of the twelfth month, which is tlic month 
Adar, and to take tlie spoil of them for a prey. 

14 The copyof tlie writing for a commandment to 
be given in every province was published unto all 
people, that they should be ready against that day. 

15 The posts went out, being hastened by the 
king's commandment, and the decree was given in 
Siiuslian the palace. And the king and Haman sat 
down to drink ; but the city Shushan was perplexed.'' 

CHAPTER IV. 

1 The great mourning of Mordecai and the Jews. 4 Esther, under- 
standing ic, sendeth to Mordecai, who showeth the cause, and adviseth 
her to undertake the suit. 10 She excusing herself is threatened by 
Mordecai. 1.5 She appointing a fast, undertaketh the suit. 

WHEN Mordecai perceived all that was done, 
Mordecai rent his clothes,' and put on 



a Ezra 4; 13; Acts 16:2Q. • Heb. mett, or equal, f Heb. todestroy tlitm. 
1 Heb. weigli. I> Gen 41:42; ch. 6:3, 8. 5 Or, oppressor, ch. 7:6. I Or, 
sirretaries. » oh. 1^:11, etc. d 1 Kings 21:8. « Prov. 29:2. f2Sara.I:ll; 
Jobl:2U. 6 Josh. 7:6; Ezek. 27::J0; Jon. 3:6. 1> Gen. 27:34. i Isa 22.4, 



9. Tke charge of the business ; not the business of destroy- 
ing the Jews, but the pecuniary matters of the king. Ilaman 
offers to pay to the managers of the king's treasury this sum, 
if the king will grant the decree ; intending, no doubt, to 
collect it out of the spoils of the Jews. Compare chap. 4:7. 

10. Took hi.s ring — and gave it unto Haman ; his signet-ring. 
Thus he gave liim authority to accomplish his wishes. 

11. The silver is given to thee; by these words the king 
releases Haman from the condition proposed by him, ver. 9. 

1.5. Sliuslian was perplexed ; on account of the decree to 
destroy the Jews. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Despots not unfrequentlj' advance to places of honor 
an 1 power the most wicked of their subjects. 

?: When rulers require their subjects to disobey God, 
it is the duty of subjects to disobey them ; and though 
this may expose them to the wrath of men, it will meet 
the approbation of God. 

G. A man may be so wicked as to regard his own glory 
more than he does the lives of his fellow-men. 



sackcloth with ashes,'' and went out into tlie midst 
of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry ;" 

2 And came even before the king's gate; for 
none might enter into tlie king's gate clothed with 
sackcloth. 

3 And in every province, whithersoever the 
king's commandment and his decree came, there 
was great mourning among the Jews,' and fasting, 
and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sack- 
clotli and ashes.^ 

4 ^ So Esther's maids and her chamberlains* 
came and told 'it her. Then was the queen ex- 
ceedingly grieved ; and she sent raiment to clothe 
Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from 
him : but he received it not.J 

5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the 
king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed *■ to 
attend upoai her, and gave him a commandment to 
Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was. 

6 So Hatacli went forth to Mordecai unto the 
street of the city, wliich wo? before the king's gate. 

7 And Mordecai told him of all that had hap- 
pened unto him, and of the sum of tlie money that 
Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasu- 
ries for the Jews, to destroy them.'' 

8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of 
the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy 
them,' to show it unto Esther, and to declare it 
unto her, and to charge her that she should go in 
unto the king, to make supplication unto him,"' and 
to make request before him for her people. 

9 And Ilatach came and told Esther the words 
of Mordecai. 

10 \\ Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave 
him commandment unto Mordecai ; 

11 All the king's sci-vants, and the people of the 
king's provinces, do know, thatwhosoever, whetiier 
man or woman, shall come unto the king into the 
inner court," who is not called, there is one law of 
his to put him to death," except such to whom the 
king shall liold out the golden sceptre,'' that he 
may live : but I have not been called to come in 
unto the king these thirty days. 

12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. 



r, 


3 


:l-3. 


1 Heb 




rkclotk antl 


ashes 


were laid under 




Isa 


53:5; 


11 


m 


(1:3. 


•Heb. e 


un 


urits. 


J Psa 


77:2. 


t Heb. ,w 


before 


trh' 


3<l 


Irh. 


3: 


14 


15 


» Xeh. 2 


4 


Prov 


21:1. 


nch 


5:1. oD 


m. 2:9 


Pch 


5:2 


8:4. 



7. The lot may be cast into the lap, but the disposal will 
be of God ; and he miij' so order it as to prevent the end 
it was intended to subserve. 

11. For the gratification of a worthless favorite, a mon- 
arch will sometimes sacrifice the happiness, and even the 
lives of thousands of his subjects. 

15. The triumph of the wicked is short; and while Prov- 
idence for a time seems to favor them, and they glory in 
their ex|)ected success, they may be working out their 
own destruction. 

CHAPTER IV. 

2. Came even before the king's gate; according to tlie 
usages of those times and coiuitries. Mordecai could have 
no direct access to the queen. He therefore took this 
method of making knowTi to Esther the calamity tliat had 
befallen him and his nation. 

3. Great mourning — andfa.tting.a)u{vreeping; they hum- 
bled themselves deeply before God. Chap. 9:31; Jonah 
3:8,9. 

571 



Mordftai cJuirgttk Esther. 



ESTIIKi: V 



S/if gm'th before the king. 



\.\ Tlion MDnltvuiiiirnmanilod to nnsworEstlier, 
Think not willi tliy.-i'll' tlial tlum slialt escape in 
the kinir's house, iiion' than all the .lews." 

14 For if tlioii altoL'olher iioldest thy ]>caco at 
this time,'' thin shall tiiere cnhirjreiuenf anil dcliv- 
cranco arise to the Jews from another jilacc; but 
thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: 
and who knoweth whether thou art come to the 
kini^doiii for such a time as this? 

1.") • Then Esther bade Hum return Mordccai 
this answer, 

1(( Go, gather together all the Jews that are pres- 
ent' in Shushan, and fast ye for rae," and neither 
eat nor drink three days, nigiit or day: I also 
anil my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I 
go in unto the king, which is not according to the 
law : and if 1 perish, 1 perish.'' 

17 So Mordecai went' his way, and did accord- 
ing to all tiiat Esther had commanded him. 

CHAPTER V. 

1 Esther, adventuring on the king^s favor, obtaineth the prace of the 
coMen sceptre, and inviteth the king and Hainan io a banquet. 6 
She, being encouraged by the kin^ in her suit, inviteth them to an- 
other banquet the next d.%y. 9 Hanian, proud of his advancement, 
repincth at the contempt of Mordecai. 14 By the counsel of Zeresh 
he buildeth for him a pair of gallows. 

"\yOW it came to pass on the third day," tliat 
jL > Esther put on hvr royal apparel, and stood in 
the inner court of tiie king's house,' over against 
the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal 
throne in the royal house, over against the gate 
of the house. 

2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the 
queen standing in tlic court, fhat she obtained favor 
in his sight:- and the king hehl out to Esther the 
golden sceptre that icas in his hand.'' So Estlier 
drew near and touched the top of the sceptre. 

3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou. 
queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall 
be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.' 

4 And Esther answered, Hit seem good unto the 
king, let the king and Haman come this day un- 



• Pror. il:ll, 12. 


b Num. 23:23; 1 Sam. 12:22; Isa. 54:17. • Heb. r«- 


piralion; Job 9:1S. 


t nth. found, c Jon. 3:4-9. d Gen. 43:14. 1 Heb. 


passed. « ch. 4:IG. 


f ch. 4:11; 0:4. f Neh. 1:11; 2:4, etc.; Prov. 21:1. 


"■ ch. 8:4. i ver. 8 


Mark 0:23. i ch. 7:2; 9:12. k »er. 3. i Heb. do. 



14. T/icn ahall — enlars;emcnt — arise to the Jews from anotlier 
place; by tliis Mordecai showed his confidence ia God, and 
his expectation that He would in some way grant them 
deliverance. 

lii. I also and my maidem will fast; this fast of Esther and 
her people was doubtless attended with earnest supplica- 
tions that the Most High would interfere in their behalf. 
IXSTRLXTIOXS. 

3. Tliis is a state of trial, and great calamities may come 
upon us wlieu we least exjiect tliein. Our interest and duty 
both require that we should so live as to be prepared at all 
times to meet such events ; and when they come, instead 
of sinking in desi>air, we should look to (jod for help. 

5. Diligent inquiry into the sufferings of others for the 
purpose of relieving them, well becomes those who are at 
ease ; as they know not liow soon they also may need sym- 
pathy and assistance. 

8. It is proper to make application to men, if they have 
tlie power to help us ; but while so doing, we should also 
make supplication to God, that lie would incline men to use 
their power in such a manner as to afford needed relief. 

14. Strong confidence in God, and expectation that he 
■will in his own time and way appear for those who put 
572 



to the banquet that I have prepared for a.u.mi. 
him. ^ m""'" 

T) Then the king said, Cause Ilaman to make 
haste, that he nuiy do a-s Esliier hath said. So 
the king and Hainan came to the bantpiet that 
Esther had pr(>pared. 

G 1i And the king said unto Esther at tiie iKinipiet 
of wine, AVhat is l\\y petition? and it shall be grant- 
ed thee;' and what is tiiy re(|iiest? even to the 
half of the kingdom it shall be performed.'' 

7 Then answered Esther, and said, My iietition 
and my request is; 

8 If 1 have found favor in the sight of the king, 
and if it please the king to grant my petition, and 
to [lerforni'' my rcfjue>t, let the king and Iliunaii 
come to the ban<iucl that 1 shall ])re]iare ibr tht'iii, 
and I will do to-morrow as the king hath said. 

9 If Then went Hainan forth that day joyful and 
with a glad heart; but when Hainan saw Morderai 
in the king's gate, that he stood not uj),' nor moved 
for him, he was full ofindignation against Mordecai. 

10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself:"' and 
when he came home, he sent and called for his 
friends, and Zeresh his wife. 

11 And Haman told them of the glory of his 
riclies, and the multitude of his children," and all 
the things wherein the king had juomoted him, and 
how he iiad advanced him above the princes and 
servants of the king." 

12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen 
did let no man come in with the king unto the ban- 
quet that she had prepared but myself ; and to-mor- 
row am I invited unto her also with the king. 

13 Yet all tliis availeth me nothing,'' so Icuig as 
I sec Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. 

14 1 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends 
unto him, Let a gallows' be made of fifty cubits 
high,"' and to-morrow speak thou unto the king 
that Mordecai may be hanged thereon:'' then go 
thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. 
And the thing pleased Haman ; and he caused the 
gallows to be made." 



1 ch. 3:5; Dan. 3:16-19; Matt. 2:10. " 2 Sam. 13:22. I Heh. earned to i 
»oh. 9:12, 13. o.ch. 3:1. P 1 Kings 21:4 ; Job 15:20. 1 Heb. Ir« ' 
7:9. rch. 0:4. • Psa. 37:14, 32 



their trust in him, is a preparation to experience his sal- 
vation. 

IG. Show good men the path of dutj', and thougli it be 
at the hazard of all earthly things, even of life itself, thr-y 
will walk in it, committing themselves and all their inter- 
ests, mortal and immortal, to Him who ruleth over all and 
who doeth all things well. 

CHAPTEli V. 

13. All this availeth me nothing; it did nothing towards 
making him happy, or satisfying the wants of his soul. 

14. Fifti/ cubits high ; about seventy-five feet. Go Ihnii 
in merrily; being relieved from thy trouble by the death 
of Mordecai. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

3. God often favors his people, not only equal to, Init 
beyond their expectations ; doing for them exceeding 
abundantly above all that they ask or think; and the sur- 
est way of obtaining the favor of men, is first to secure 
the favor of God. 

6. Although men are prone to change, and but little 
dependence can be placed ujxju their promises, God can 



Mordecai is honored. 



ESTHER VII. 



The quten's banquet. 



I MO. 



CHAPTER VI. 



1 Ahasuerus, reading in the chronicles of the good service done by Mor- 
d<.'cai, talceth care for his reward. 4 Haman, coming to sue that 
Mordecai miglit be hanged, unawares giveth counsel that he might 
do hini honor. 12 Complaining of his misfortune, his friends tell him 
of his final destiny. 

ON that night could not the Icing sleep,* and he 
commanded to bring the book of records of 
the chronicles;" and they were read before the 
king. 

2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had 
told of Bigthana* and Teresh, two of the king's 
chamberlains, the keepers of the door,* who sought 
to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 

3 And the king said, What honor and dignity 
hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said 
the king's servants that ministered unto him, There 
is nothing done for him." 

4 1 And the king said, Who is in the court ? Now 
Hainan was come into the outward court of the 
king's liouse, to speak unto the king to hang Mor- 
decai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 

5 And the king's servants said unto him, Be- 
hold, Hainan standeth in the court. And the king- 
said, Let him come in. 

C So Haman came in. And the king said unto 
him, What shall be done unto the man whom the 
king delighteth to honor?^ Now Haman thought 
in his heart. To whom would the king delight to 
do honor more tlian to mj'self 'F"^ 

7 And Haman answered the king. For the man 
whom the king delighteth to honor,' 

8 Let the royal apparel be brought^ which the 
king uset/i to wear," and the horse that the king 
ridcth upon, and the crown royal which is set 
uiiDii Ills head : 

9 And let this a])parel and horse be delivered to 
tlie liaud of one of the king's most noble princes, 



• Ilib. the king's sleep fiul aimij. » oh. 3:2.3. t Or, Biglimn, ch. i-.il. 
1 Hob. tlireskoU. b Heel. 9: ]5. S Heb. in whose honor the king delighteth? 
i: Prov. IS: l->. 1 Heb. in pilose lionor the king delighteth. H Heb. then bring 
the royal apparel. ' Heb. wherewith the king clotheth himself, t Heb. cause 



keep them of one mind as long as the good of bis people 
requires. Cliap. 7:2. 

8. Though delays are often dangerous, yet sometimes they 
are essential to success ; and wisdom from above is needful 
in order to judge rightly as to the time as well as the manner 
of attempting to execute difficult and important designs. 

11. No favors of mere creatures can satisfy the wants 
of the soul, or keep it from being wretched while seeking 
supremely its own glor3', regardless of the glory of God 
and the good of mankind. 

11. The measiu'es which men take for the destruction 
of others often prove the means of their own ; and while 
they glory in anticipated victory, they sink into irretriev- 
able ruin. 

CHAPTER VI. 

1. That night could not the king sleep; God so ordered it, 
to make him acquainted with what Mordecai had done. 
Tlie rJiroiiicles; the records of the kingdom. 

12. Having his head covered; a token of mortification, 
chagrin, and disappointment. 

13. Be of the seed of the Jews — shalt surely fall before him ; 
the more sagacious among the heathen had some general 
knowledge of the wonderful dealings of Jehovah, " the 
God of heaven," towards his covenant people ; and the}' 
had noticed the efficacy of his favor towards those who 
were his faithful worshippers : perhaps, also, they were 
acquainted with the history of Daniel and his companions. 
From all this, as well as from their knowledge of the sud- 



that they may array the man withal whom the king 
delighteth to lionor, and bring him* on horseback 
through the street of the city, and jtroclaim before 
him. Thus shall it be done to the man whom the 
king delightetli to honor.'' 

10 Then the king said to Hainan, Make haste, 
and take tlie apparel and the horse, as tliou hast 
said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that 
sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail' of all 
that thou hast spoken. 

11 Then look Haman the apparel and tlie horse, 
and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horse- 
back through the street of tlie city, and proclaim- 
ed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man 
whom the king delighteth to lionor. 

12 IT And Mordecai came again to tlieking's gate. 
But Haman hasted to his house mourning," and 
having his head covered. "^ 

13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his 
friends every thing that had befallen him. Then 
said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, 
If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before 
whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not pre- 
vail against him,'-' but shalt surely fall before him." 

14 And while they tt'f/c yet talking with liim, came 
the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Ha- 
man unto the banq^uet that Esther had j^repared.' 

CHAPTER VII. 

1 Esther, entertaining the king and Haman, malteth suit for lier own 
life and her people's. 5 She accuseth Haman. 7 The king in his 
anger understanding of the gallows which Haman had made for Mor- 
decai, causeth him to be hanged thereon. 

O the king and Haman came to banquet^ with 
O Esther tlie queen. 

2 And the king said again unto Esther on the 
second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy 
petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted 



ride, d Gen. 41:43; 1 Kings 1:33, 34. I Heb. suffer not a whitto 

fall, e a Chr, 2G:20. ( 2 Sam. 15:30; Jer. 14:3, 4. S Job 15:24. h PrOT. 
23:18; Hos. 14:9. ich.5:S. i Heb. drini. 



denness with which the king transferred his affections 
from one favorite to another, they surely gathered the 
approaching fall of Ilaman. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. Sleep is a blessing which comes from God ; and when 
permitted quietly and safely to enjoy it, we should recog- 
nize his goodness and render him thanks for his mercy ; 
and if kept awake during the night, we should so occujiy 
our minds as to honor God, and advance our growth in 
grace and our highest usefulness. 

3. Ingratitude is acomnKm sin, and we may perform for 
others the most important services and yet receive from 
them no reward. But actions performed for God will 
never be forgotten ; even the giving of a cup of cold water 
for his sake to one of his discijiles will be acknowledged 
and graciously rewarded before the assembled world. 

4. The design of God in leading a man from one place 
to another, may be very different from his own in going. 
While his heart deviseth its way, the Lord directeth hia 
steps ; and though there be many devices in a man's 
heart, the counsel of the Lord that shall stand. 

6. When a man delights to honor himself supremely, he 
thinks that others should do the same ; and if they do not, 
he is often ready to overwhelm them in ruin. 

13. God in his providence taketh the wise in their own 
craftiness, the counsel of the froward he carrieth head- 
long ; and he may so evidently work against a man, that 
even worldly sagacity may foresee his downfall and ruin. 
573 



Uiimiin IS himgtii. 



ESTIlKi: VIII, 



Faror granted to the Jews, 



tlu'c: and wluit is tliy rpquosf? niid it sliall bo 
iMTriiniu'ii. rren to the liuir<>f tlic kiiijjrdom. 

:i 'riu'ii Kstlior tlic (|Uorn answcrt'd and said, Tf 
1 iiavo fomid fiivor in tiiy sijriit. O kinjr, and if it 
jilease tlie kin^', let niv lilV lie {riven nie at my 
IM'titinn, anil my |ici)|il(' at my rci|uest: 

■1 For we are sold. 1 and my jieoplc, to be de- 
stroyed, to jje slain, and to perish.*" liut if we had 
been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had iield 
mv loiiiriie, altiioujih the enemy could not counter- 
vail the king's damage. 

b • Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said 
unto Esther the (lueon, Who is he, and where is 
he, that durst presume in his heart' to do so? 

(> And Esther said. The adversary' and enemy 
is this wicked Haman. Tiien Human was afraid 
before' the king and the queen." 

7 ' And the king arising from the banijuet of 
wine in his wrath went into the palace garden : 
and llanuin stood up to make request for his life 
to Esther the queen ; for ho saw that there was 
evil determined against him by the king. 

8 Then the king returned out of the palace gar- 
den into the place of the banquet of wine; and 
Human was fallen u])Ou the bed whereon Esther 
i/v/.v. Tiien said the king. Will ho force the queen 
also before' me in the house? As the word went out 
of the king's raoutli, they covered Hamau's face.*^ 

y And Uarbonah,'' one of the chamberlains, said 
before the king. Beiiold also the gallows^ fifty 
cubits high," which Haman had made for Mordc- 
cai, who had spoken good for the kiug, standcth in 
the house of Haman. Then the king said. Hang 
him thereon. 

10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that 
he had prepared for Mordecai.' Then was the 
king's wrath pacified. 

CHAPTER VIII. 



1 Mordecai is advanced. 3 Esther maketh suit to reverse Haman 's let- 
ters. 7 Ahasuerus granteth to the Jews to defend themselves. 15 
Mordecai's honor, and tlie Jews' joy. 

0\ that day did the king Ahasuerus give the 
house of ilanian tlic .Jews' enemy unto Esther 
the queen." And Mordecai came before the king ; 
for Esther had told what he was unto her.'' 

2 And the king took ofl" his ring,' which lie had 
taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. 
And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.-' 

3 *! And Esther spake yet again before the king, 



• Heb. tlutt Uuy should destroy, and IciU, and cause to perish, a ch. 3:9; 
4:7. 1 Heh. whose heart hath JUUU him. 1 iifth. The man adversary. S Or, 
at the presenre of. b ProT. 1G:1J. I Heb. with, c Job 9:-li. i ch. 1:10. 
1 Heb. (r<«. « ch. .5:H ; Psa. 7: 15, 16; 3.5:8; 141:10; Prov. 11:5. 0. f Dan. 
0:d4; Psa. 37:3.3,30. g Prov. 13:3i h ch. v>:7. i ch. 3:10. J Psa. 37:34; 



CHAPTER VII. 

4. Hie king's damage ; by making so large a number of 
his siil>jects slaves. 

8. T/tey covered Haman' s face; a token that he was con- 
demned by the king. 

LVSTRUCTIOXS. 

4. Persecution is always detrimental to rulers and sub- 
jects. 

6. When the doings of the wicked are brought to light, 
they see that they have reason to fear ; and that nothing 
but mercy can save them from ruin. The fear of the 
574 



anil ftdl down at Ins leet, and besought a. m.sim. 
liim with tears to jiut away tlic mischief »io 
of Hainan the Apagite, and his device that lie 
had devLsed against the Jews. 

4 'J'lien the king held out the golden sceptre 
toward Esther.'' So Esther arose, and stood be- 
fore tiie king, 

5 And said. If it please the king, and if I have 
found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right 
before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let 
it be written to reverse the letters* devised by 
Hamaii tlie son of Ilamiiiedatha the Agagite, which 
he wrote' to destroy the Jews which are iu all the 
king's provinces : 

6 For how can I endure to see* the evil that 
shall come unto my people?' or how can I endure 
to see the destruction of my kindred? 

7 Ti Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther 
the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I 
have given Esther the house of Haman,'" and him 
they have hanged ujion the gallows, because he 
laid his hand upon the Jews. 

8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it likcth you, iu 
the king's name, and seal it w'ith the king's ring : 
for the writing which is written in the king's name, 
andsealed with the king's ring, may no manreverse." 

9 Then were the king's scribes called at that 
time in the third month," that is, the month Sivan, 
on the three and twentibtli day thereof; and it 
was written according to all that Mordecai com- 
manded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and 
the deputies and rulers of the provinces whicii arc 
from India unto Ethiopia,'' a hundred twenty and 
seven provinces, unto every province according to 
the writing thereof, and unto every people after 
their language, and to the Jews according to their 
writing, and according to their language. 

10 iVnd he wrote in the kiug Ahasuerus' name, 
and sealed it with the king's ring,'' and sent letters 
by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, 
and young dromedaries : 

11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which 
were in every city to gather tlicmselves together, and 
to stand for tlieir life, to destroy, to slay, and to 
cause to perish,'' all the power of the people and 
province that would assault them, both little ones 
and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 

12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king 
Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the 
twelfth month, which is tlie month Adar.^ 



Tim 


S 


48. 


• Heb. she 


vtpt^ and besot 


sht him 


k 


ch. 4:11; 


S:2 


t Heb. 


(lem 


,.. 


tor 


who wrote. 


5 Heb 


he able that I mat/ s 


e. 1 Nch 


'2:3 


ch. 7:4. 


m ve 


r. 


D 


ch. 1:19; Z 


an. 6: = 


12. IS 


ch. 3 


IU. 


P ch. I: 


;. ' 


I Kings 


•.!1:S 




Psa 


37:14, 15; 


6d:23; 


137:8; 


149:6-9; 


Hz 


sk. 39:10 


8 


ch. 3:13, 


etc.; 


•J 


1. 



















wicked Cometh upon him. He is taken in his own net, 
and entangled in his own devices. 

9. ^\^len men begin to fall, many who have before favor- 
ed them turn against them and unite to hasten their ruin. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

2. The king took off his ring — and gave it unto Mordecai; 
his signet-ring. Thus he invested him with full authority. 

11. To stand for their life; in self-defence, and to destroy 
those who should attempt to destroy them. The first 
decree for the destruction of the Jews was not formally 
repealed, since edicts sealed with the king's seal were 



The Jews arc sucwrcd, 



ESTHER IX. 



atul their enemies slain. 



A. >i. 3194. 13 The copy of tlic writinpr for a com- 

B. C. about , , , ' 1 ■ . ° 

510. mandment to lie giveu iii every pi-ovince 
was published* unto all people, and that the Jews 
should be ready against that day to avenge them- 
selves on their enemies. 

1-1 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels 
went out, being hastened and pressed on by the 
king's commandment. And the decree was given 
at Shushan the palace. 

15 IT And Mordecai went out from the presence 
of tlie king in royal apparel of blue^ and white, 
and with a great crown of gold, and with a gar- 
ment of fine linen and purple : and the city of Shu- 
shan rejoiced and was glad. 

1() The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, 
and honor." 

17 And in every province, and in every city, 
whithersoever the king's commandment and his 
decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a 
feast and a good day.** And many of tlie people 
of the land became Jews j for the fear of the Jews 
fell upon them.'^ 

CHAPTER IX. 

1 The Jews (the rulers, for fear of Mordecai, helping them) slay their 
enemies, with the ten sons of Haman. 1'2 Ahasuerus, at the request 
of Esther, granteth another Jay of slaughter, and Hainan's sons to be 
liatiged. 20 The two days of Purim are made festival. 

NOW in the twelfth month, that is, the month 
Adar,'' ou the thirteenth day of the same, 
when the king's commandment and his decree drew 
near to be put in execution,'' in the day that the 
enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over 
them; though it was turned to the contrary, that 
the Jews had rule over them that hated them ; 

2 The Jews gathered themselves together in 
their cities throughout alltheprovincesof theking 
Ahasuerus,' to la}' hand on such as sought their 
hurt:*' and uo man could withstand them ; for the 
fear of them fell upon all people." 

3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the 
lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the 
king,* helped the Jews; because the fear of Mor- 
decai fell upon them. 

4 For Mordecai u-as great in the king's house,' 
and his fame went out throughout all the provin- 
ces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and 
grekter.^ 





Heb. revealed, t 


Or, violet, ch. 1 


6. » Psa. 18:28; 


.10:5-11 


97:11: 


I'm 


V. 11:10 


Isa. 30:-29 


bch. 9:19, 2-2. 


cExod. 15:16; De 


ut. 2:25 


11:25; 


ch. 


!):-2. i 


ch. 8:12. 


e ch. 3:13. f ch 


S:ll; Ter. 16. 5 


Psa. 71 


13. 24. 


h Gen. 35:5 


ch. 8:17. 


1 Heb. those which did the business that belonged to 



unchangeable ; but a new decree was made, empowering the 
Jews to defend themselves and destroy their enemies. 

15. In royal apparel; in token of his being clothed, as 
prime-minister, with royal authority. 

IXSTRUCTIONS. 

2. Men cannot tell what will become of their riches and 
honors after they are dead. The wealth of the wicked is 
often laid up for the just ; and when the good of his church 
requires, God can cause the one to give place to the other. 

3. The mischief which men do while they live, often en- 
dures long after they are dead ; and were it not for the over- 
ruling providence of God, would continue to the end of time. 

G. The exposure of our relatives and friends to destruc- 
tion is pecuharly distressing ; and should lead us earnest- 
ly to seek and fervently to pray for their salvation. 



5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with 
the stroke of the sword, and slaugliter, and de- 
struction, and did what they would' unto lliose 
that hated them. 

6 And ill Sliushan the palace the Jews slew and 
destroyed live hundred men. 

7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 

8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, 

9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and 
Vajezatha, 

10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammed- 
atha,'' the enemy of the Jews, slew they ; but on 
the spoil laid they not their hand.' 

11 On that day the number of those that were 
slain in I^hushaii the palace was brought' before 
the king. 

12 \\ And the king said unto Esther the queen, 
The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred 
men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of 
Haman ; what have they done in the rest of the 
king's provinces? now what is tliy jietition? and 
it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request 
further? and it shall be done. 

13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be 
granted to the Jews which arc in Shushan to do to- 
morrow also according unto this day's decree, and 
letHaraan'sten sons be hanged'' uponthegallows." 

14 Aud the king commanded it so to be done: 
and the decree was given at Shushan; and they 
lianged Hainan's ten sons. 

15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered 
themselves together on the fourteenth day also of 
the month Adar," and slew three hundred men at 
Shushan ; but on the prey they laid not their hand." 

16 But the other Jews that were in the king's 
provinces gathered themselves together, and stood 
for their lives, and had rest from their enemies, 
and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, 
but they laid not their hands on the prey, 

17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; 
and on the fourteenth day of the same" rested they, 
and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 

18 But the Jews that icerc at Shushan assembled 
together on the thirteenth day thereof, aud on the 
fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the 
same they rested, and made it a day of feasting 
and gladness. 

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt 



the tins, i Psa. 1^:43. 1 2 Sam. 3:1; 1 Chr. 11:9; Prov. 4:1?. i Heb. 
acroTdmg to their wiU. k ch. 5:11; Job ls:19; 27:13-15; Psa. 21:10. 1 ch 
8:11. meb.came. t Heb. W mm /long-, jn Deut. 21:23; 2 Sam. 21:6,9: 
Gal. 3:13 n ver. 2. 13. o ver. 10. • Heb. (n it. 



10. With the utmost practicable haste, the way of sal- 
vation should be made known to all people, and they be 
urged to embrace it and live. 

15. Sudden changes await the people of God; and as 
sudden await those who oppose them, or neglect the great 
salvation. Lazarus may one day lie at the rich man's gate 
full of sores, and the next day be in glory; while the rich 
man, who is one day clothed in purple and fine linen, may 
the next be in torment. The hope of tlie wicked shall 
perish ; while light is sown for the righteous, and gladness 
for the upright in heart. Chap. 9:22, 25. 

CHAPTER IX. 

13. Tlic gallmvs; the one, it is supjiosed. which Ilaman 
had prepared for Mordecai, and on which he was himself 
hanged. 

575 



Tkt frnsl of Purim. 



KSTlir.lf X. 



Mordecai's advancement. 



in tlif unwallt'il towns, nmdo tlio fonrlcenth ilay nf 

tlu-montli Aiiiir a »%(>/■ v'li>'l»''^!^'>"'l''™«''"ff"'"'<^ 
opu)il(liiv.iiii.i<il'>i'n(liiii:|(c)rti()n.-'()iK't()anotlior.'' 

•Jtl •( Ami Monifciii wrote tlicse tliiufrs, ami sent 
letters unto all the Jews that inre in all the jnov- 
inees of the kimr Aiiasuerus. Mh nigh ami I'ar, 

■Jl To e!;tat'li;'h M/.<niiii>iiirthem, that they should 
keep the I'luirtecntli day of the month Adar, and 
the lifteenth day of the same, yearly, 

'I'l As the days wherein the Jews rested from 
their enemies, and the month wliich was tnrnod 
unto them from sorrow to joy,'= and from mourn- 
ing into a good day : that they should make them 
days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions 
cue to another, and gifts to the poor. 

2:$ And the Jews undertook to do as they had 
begun, and as Mordccai had written unto them ; 

24 Because Haman the son of Jlummcdatiia, the 
Agagitc, the enemy of all tlic Jews, had devised 
against the Jews to destroy them,'' and had cast Pur, 
that w,the lot, to consume* them, and to d estroy them : 

2.J But when Esther* came ])eforc the king, he 
commanded by letters that his wicked device, 
which he devised against the Jews," should return 
upon his own head.'^and tliat he and his sons should 
be hanged on the gallows. 

2tj Wherefore they called these days Purim after 
the name of Pur.* Therefore for all the words of 
this letter,^ and q/"//;rt< which they had seen concern- 
ing this matter, and which had come unto them. 

27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and 
upon their seed, and upon all such asjoiucd them- 
selves unto them,'' so as it sliould not fail,^ that they 
would keep these two days according to their writ- 
ing, and according to their appointed time every year ; 



• De 


lit. 16:11 


, ll;ch 


tr:17. 


b ver 


■2i; He 


h. 8 


lU-1 


i. c 


'sa. 3U:11. dch. 


3:0,7 


• Heb. 


eritsh. 


t Heb 


. she. 


e ch. a 


:t, 


1.' f 


I'si. 


7:10. 1 


rhat is, 


tot. t 


ver. ao. 


b ch. 6 


17; 1 


a. 50:! 


, 0; Ze 


nh. 


2:\\. 


5 Heb. ]>ass. 


1 Hob. 


pass. 


5 Htb. br ended 


•11. 


b. Sim 


?//.. . 


ch. 


a-AU 


ver. 


-.0. tn 


b. l/ieir 



21. FuurteeiUhdaynf the month Adar ; this month answer- 
ed to part of February and March. The feast of Purim, or 
the lot, thus instituted, is observed by the Jews to this day. 

29. Tkis secoml letter of Purim ; the first letter mentioned, 
verse 20, seems to have been more of the nature of a rec- 
ommendation, but the second letter was authoritative. 

30. With words of pence and truth; kind words of truth 
according to the will of God. 

31. Tiie fastings; to keep in mind those observed by 
Esther and the Jews. Chap. 4:16, 17. Tlieir cry; for 
deliverance from the machinations of their enemies. 

32. In the hook; the records of the acts that were passed 
on this occasion. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. The trinmph of the wicked is short, and their most 
confident expectations will come to naught. Pro v. 11:7. 

3. Many are more influenced by the fear of man than by 
the fear of God ; and when rulers are on the side of right, 
many will externally follow their example. 

10. The wickedness of parents may prove the occasion 
of destruction to their children ; and efl'orts to destroy the 
church of God may ruin not only those who make them,, 
but all who are induced to follow their example. Ver. 25 ; 
chap. 3:6. 

16. One man, by his wickedness, may be instrumental 
in the destruction of thousands. Exod. 7-14. 

19. Willi the people of God, darkness may endure for a 
night, but light cometh in the morning. 

" Let those that sow in sadness wait 
Till the fair harvest come ; 
They shall confess their sheaves are great, 
And shout the blessings home." 

576 



28 .\nil that these days slimld he remem- a.m. mm. 
bered and kept throughout every genera- £<». 
tion, every family, every province, and every city; 
and that these days of Purim siiould not fail' from 
among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish^ 
from their seed. 

2!) Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abi- 
hail, and Mordccai tiic Jew, wrote with all author- 
ity,* to conlirm tiiis second letter of Purim.' 

30 iVnd he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to 
the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the 
kingdom of Ahasucrus, with words of peace and 
trutii, 

31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times 
appointed, according as Mordccai the Jew and Es- 
ther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had 
decreed for themselves* and for their seed, the 
matters of the fastings and their cry.-* 

32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these mat- 
ters of Purim ; and it was written in the book. 

CHAPTER X. 

1 Ahasuerus' greatness. 3 Mnrdecai's advancement. 

AND the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon 
the land," and iipon the isles of the sea.' 

2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, 
and tlic declaration of the greatness of Mordccai, 
whcrcunto the king advanced him.* are they not 
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings 
of Media and Persia? 

3 For Mordccai the Jew itrns ne.xt unto king 
Ahasuerus,'" and great among the Jews, and ac- 
cepted of the multitude of his brethren," seeking 
the wealth of his people," and speaking peace to 
all his seed. 



souls. J ch. 4:3, 10. k Luke 2:1. I Gen. W-.h; Psa. 72:10; Isa. 21:13. 
1 Heb. made Aim ^ml,- Dan. 2:48. ■» Gen. 41:40; Dan. 6:10, 29. "Rom. 
14:ld. oKeh.2:10; Psa. 122:0-9; Rom. 10:1. 



28. Special mercies demand special thanksgivings to the 
Author and Finisher of all good, and call us to imitate the 
Saviour's example in doing good as we have opportunity 
and ability, to those who may need and feel our influence. 

CHAPTER X. 

1. A tribute; a tax to be paid into the king's treasury. 

2. The book of the chronicles; the book that contained the 
records of the kingdoms of Media and Persia. 

INSTRUCTIONS. 

1. As civil government is an ordinance of God, and a 
great blessing, all should be willing to bear their part in 
supporting it; and taxes which are needful for that pur- 
pose should be paid with cheerfulness and fidelity. 

2. Records of the acts of governments should be fairly 
and faithfully kept, for the benefit of the present and 
future generations. 

3. The names of rulers who are acceptable to the peo- 
ple, who seek their peace and prosperity, and who adopt 
such measures as are best suited to promote them, will be 
handed down with honor to posterity. They are special 
gifts of God, and should call forth devout gratitude to him 
from all who enjoy the benefits of their administration. 

Although in the book of Esther the name of God is not 
mentioned, yet we here see most illustrious and striking 
displays of his character and government : that he ruleth 
over all; maketh the wrath of man to praise him and 
restraineth the remainder thereof; that the greatest and 
the smallest events are under his control, and are all so 
directed by him as to promote the salvation of his people 
and the destruction ot their and his enemies. 



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