The Pentateuch

Front matter

Theological Seminary,

PRINCETON, N. J.

C((SC Division ^. j

Introduction

Page Contents and Arrangement of the Book of Numbers, ... 1

Exposition.

I. Preparations for the Departure of Israel from Sinai (Chap. i. 1-x. 10) Numbering of the People of Israel at Sinai (Chap, i.-iv.), . Spiritual Organization of the Congregation of Israel (Chap. v. and

Closing Events at Sinai (Chap, vii.-ix. 14),

Signs and Signals for the March (Chap. ix. 15-x. 10),

II. Journey from Sinai to the Steppes of Moab (Chap. x. 11-xxi.), From Sinai to Kadesh (Chap. x. 11-xiv. 45) : —

Removal of the Camp from the Desert of Sinai (Chap, x

11-36),

Occurrences at Tabeerah and Kibroth-Hattaavah (Chap, xi.), Rebellion of Miriam and Aaron against Moses (Chap, xii.). Spies sent out. Murmuring of the People, and their Punishment (Chap. xiii. and xiv.), Occiu-rences during the Thirty-seven Years of Wandering in the

Wilderness (Chap, xv.-xix.), Various Laws of Sacrifice. Punishment of a Sabbath -breaker,

Command to wear Tassels upon the Clothes (Chap, xv.), Rebelhon of Korah's Company (Chap, xvi.-xvii. 5), Punishment of the murmuring Congregation, and Confirmation

of the High-priesthood of Aaron (Chap. xvi. 41-xvii. 18

Service and Revenues of the Priests and Levites (Chap, xviii.), 115 The Law concerning Purification from the Uncleanness of

100 105

VI TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page Israel's Last Journey from Kadesh to the Heights of Pisgah in the

Fields of Moab (Chap. xx. and xxi.), . . . 126

Death of Miriam. Water out of the Eock. Eefusal of a Passage

through Edom. Aaron's Death. Conquest over the King

of Arad (Chap, xx.-xxi. 3), . . . . 127

March round the Land of Edom and Moab. Conquest of Sihon

and Og, Kings of the Amorites (Chap. xxi. 4-35), . 138

III. Occurrences in the Steppes of Moab, with Instructions relating to the Conquest and Distribution of the Land of Canaan (Chap xxii.-xxxvi.), . . ....

Balaam and his Prophecies (Chap. xxii. 2-xxiv. 25),

Whoredom of Israel, and Zeal of Phinehas (Chap, xxv.), .

Mustering of Israel in the Steppes of Moab (Chap, xxvi.), .

The Daughters of Zelophehad claim to Inherit. The, Death of Moses foretold : Consecration of Joshua as his Successor (Chap, xxvii.), ........

Order of the Daily and Festal Offerings of the Congregation (Chap, xxviii. and xxix.), .....

Instructions as to the Force of Vows (Chap, xxx.), .

War of Eevenge against the Midianites (Chap, xxxi.).

Division of the Conquered Land beyond the Jordan among the Tribes of Eeuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh (Chap, xxxii.),

List of Israel's Encampments (Chap, xxxiii. 1-49),

Instructions concerning the Conquest and Distribution of Canaan (Chap, xxxiii. 60-xxxvi. 13), ....

Law concerning the Marriage of Heiresses (Chap, xxxvi.), .

156 157 203

216 223 225

248 267

THE FIFTH BOOK OF MOSES (DEUTERONOMY).

Introduction.

Contents, Arrangement, and Character of Deuteronomy, . . 269

Exposition.

Heading and Introduction (Chap. i. 1-5), .... 277

I. The First Preparatory Address (Chap. i. 6-iv. 40), . . .282

Eeview of the Divine Guidance of Israel from Horeb to Kadesh

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page

Review of the Divine Guidance of Israel round Edom and Moab to the Frontier of the Amorites, and of the Gracious Assistance afforded by the Lord in the Conquest of the Kingdoms of Sihon and Og (Chap. ii. and iii.), . . . .291

Exhortation to a Faithful Observance of the Law (Chap. iv. 1-40), 308

IL Second Address, or Exposition of the Law (Chap. iv. 44-xxvi.

19), 318

A. The True Essence of the Law and its Fulfilment : —

Exposition of the Decalogue, and its Promulgation (Chap, v.), 319

On Loving Jehovah, the One God, with all the Heart (Chap.

Command to destroy the Canaauites and their Idolatry (Chap.

Review of the Guidance of God, and their HumUiation in the Desert, as a Warning against Highmindedness and Forgetfulness of God (Chap, viii.), . . . .330

Warning against Self-righteousness, founded upon the Recital

of their previous Sins (Chap, ix.-x. 11), . . . 334

Admonition to fear and love God. The Blessing or Curse consequent upon the Fulfilment or Transgression of the Law (Chap. X. 12-xi. 32), ....

B. Exposition of the Principal Laws (Chap, xii.-xxvi.).

The one Place for the Worship of God, and the Right Mode of worshipping Him (Chap, xii.), ....

Punishment of Idolaters, and Tempters to Idolatry (Chap xiii.), ......

Avoidance of the Mourning Customs of the Heathen, and Unclean Food. Application of the Tithe of Fruits (Chap, xiv.), ......

On the Year of Release, the Emancipation of Hebrew Slaves, and the Sanctification of the First-born of Cattle (Chap XV.), ......

On the Celebration of the Feasts of Passover, of Pentecost, and of Tabernacles (Chap. xvi. 1-17), .

On the Administration of Justice and the Choice of a King (Chap. xvi. 18-xvii. 20), .

Rights of the Priests, the Levites, and the Prophets (Chap xviii.), ......

Laws concerning the Cities of Refuge, the Sacredness of Landmarks, and the Punishment of False Witnesses (Chap. ^•),

343 351

352 362

369 374

378 387

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page

Instructions for future Wars (Chap, xx.), . . . 400

Expiation of an uncertain Murder. Treatment of a Wife who had been taken captive. Eight of the First-born. Punishment of a Refractory Son. Burial of a Man who had been hanged (Chap, xxi.), ..... 404

The Duty to love one's Neighbour ; and Warning against a Violation of the Natural Order of Things. Instructions to sanctify the Marriage State (Chap, xxii.), . . 409

Regulations as to the Right of Citizenship in the Congregation

of the Lord (Chap, xxiii.), .... 413

On Divorce. Warnings against Want of Affection or Injustice

Laws relating to Corporal Punishment; Levirate Marriages

and Just Weights and Measures (Chap, xxv.), . . 421

Thanksgiving and Prayer at the Presentation of First-fruits and Tithes (Chap, xxvi.), ....

III. Third Discourse, or Renewal of the Covenant (Chap, xxvii.-xxx.), On the setting up of the Law in the Land of Canaan (Chap, xxvii. Blessing and Curse (Chap, xxviii. 1-68),

Conclusion of the Covenant in the Land of Moab (Chap. xxix. and XXX.), .....-•

IV. Moses' Farewell and Death (Chap, xxxi.-xxxiv.), . Moses' Final Arrangements. Completion and handing over of the

Book of the Law (Chap, xxxi.), Song of Moses, and Announcement of his Death (Chap, xxxii.), Moses' Blessing (Chap, xxxiii.), ....

Death and Burial of Moses (Chap, xxxiv.), .

429 429 435

464 492 514

Concluding Remarks on the Composition of the Pentateuch, . 517

THE FOUKTH BOOK OF MOSES.

(NUMBERS.)

INTRODUCTION.

CONTENTS AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE BOOK OF NUMBERS.

HE fourth book of Moses, which the Jews call either Vayedahber (ilT'l), from the opening word, DnsDD {'Api6- IJLOi, Numeri, LXX., Vulg.), or mipQ recensiones {=^Uber recensionum), and to which the heading "lairon (in the wilderness) is given in the Masoretic texts with a more direct reference to its general contents, narrates the guidance of Israel throufh the desert, from Mount Sinai to the border of Canaan by the river Jordan, and embraces the whole period from the second month of the second year after the exodus from Egypt to the tenth month of the fortieth year.

As soon as their mode of life in a spiritual point of view had been fully regulated by the laws of Leviticus, the Israehtes were to enter upon their journey to Canaan, and take possession of the inheritance promised to their fathers. But just as the way from^ Goshen to Sinai was a preparation of the chosen people for their reception into the covenant with Gcod, so the way from Sinai to Canaan was also a preparation for the possession of the promised land. On their journey through the wilderness the Israelites were to experience on the one hand the faithful watchfulness and gracious deliverance of their God in every season of distress and danger, as v/ell as the stern severity of the divine judgments upon the despisers of their God, that they might learn thereby to trust entirely in the Lord, and strive after Plis kingdom alone ; and on the other hand they were to receive during their journey the laws and ordinances relating to their civil and political constitution, and thereby to be PENT. — ^VOL. III. A placed in a condition to form and maintain themselves as a consolidated nation by the side of and in opposition to the earthly kingdoms formed by the nations of the world, and to fulfil the task assigned them by God in the midst of the nations of the earth. These laws, which were given in part at Sinai, in relation to the external and internal organization of the tribes of Israel as the army and the congregation of Jehovah, and in part on various occasions during the march through the desert, as well as after their arrival in the steppes of Moab, on the other side of the Jordan opposite to Jericho, with especial reference to the conquest of Canaan and their settlement there, are not only attached externally to the history itself in the order in which they were given, but are so incorporated internally into the historical narrative, according to their peculiar character and contents, as to form a complete whole, which divides itself into three distinct parts corresponding to the chronological development of tlie history itself.

The FIRST part, which extends from chap. i.-x. 10, contains the preparations for departing from Sinai, arranged in four groups: — viz. (1) the outward arrangement and classification of the tribes in the camp and on their march, or the numbering and grouping of the twelve tribes around the sanctuary of their God (chap. i. and ii.), and the appointment of the Levites in the place of the first-born of the nation to act as servants of the priests in the sanctuary (chap. iii. and iv.) ; (2) the internal or moral and spiritual organization of the nation as the congregation of the Lord, by laws relating to the maintenance of the cleanliness of the camp, restitution for trespasses, conjugal fidelity, the fulfilment of the vow of the Nazarite, and the priestly blessing (chap. v. and vi.); (3) the closing events at Sinai, viz. the presentation of dedicatory offerings on the part of the tribe princes for the transport of the tabernacle and the altar service (chap, vii.), the consecration of the Levites (chap, viii.), land the feast of Passover, with an arrangement for a supplementary Passover (chap. ix. 1-14) ; (4) the appointment of signs and signals for the march in the desert (chap. ix. 5-x. 10). In the second part (chap. x. 11-xxi.), the history of the journey is given in the three stages of its progress from Sinai to the heights of Pisgah, near to the Jordan, viz. (1) from their departure from the desert of Sinai (chap. x. 11-36) to their arrival at the desert of Faran, at Kadesh, including the occurrences at Tabeerah, at the graves of lust, and at Hazeroth (chap. xi. and xii.), and the events at Kadesh which led God to

INTRODUCTION. 3

condemn the people who had revolted against Him to wander in the wilderness for forty years, until the older generation that came out of Egypt had all died (chap. xiii. and xiv.) ; (2) all that is related of the execution of this divine judgment, extending from the end of the second year to the reassembling of the congregation at Kadesh at the beginning of the fortieth year, is the history of the rebellion and destruction of Korah (chap, xvi.-xvii. 15), which is preceded by laws relating to the offering of sacrifices after entering Canaan, to the punishment of blasphemers, and to mementos upon the clothes (chap, xv.), and followed by the divine institution of the Aaronic priesthood (chap. xvii. 16-28), with directions as to the duties and rights of the priests and Levites (chap, xviii.), and the law concerning purification from uncleanness arising from contact with the dead (chap, xix.) ; (3) the journey of Israel in the fortieth year from Kadesh to Mount Hor, round Mount Seir, past Moab, and through the territory of the Amorites to the heights of Pisgah, with the defeat of the kings of the Amorites, Sihon and Og, and the conquest of their kingdoms in Gilead and Bashan (chap. XX. and xxi.). In the third part (chap, xxii.-xxxvi.), the events which occurred in the steppes of j\Ioab, on the eastern side of the plain of Jordan, are gathered into five groups, with the laws that were given there, viz. (1) the attempts of the Moabites and Midianites to destroy the people of Israel, first by the force of Balaam's curse, which was turned against his w^ill into a blessing (chap, xxii.-xxlv.), and then by the seduction of the Israelites to idolatry (chap, xxv.) ; (2) the fresh numbering of the people according to their families (chap, xxvi.), together with a rule for the inheritance of landed property by daughters (chap, xxvii. 1-11), and the appointment of Joshua as the successor of Moses (chap, xxvii. 12-23) ; (3) laws relating to the sacrifices to be offered by the congi-egation on the Sabbath and feast days, and to the binding character of vows made by dependent persons (chap, xxviii.-xxx.) ; (4) the defeat of the Midianites (chap, xxxi.), the division of the land that had been conquered on the other side of the Jordan among the tribes of Keuben, Gad, and half INIanasseh (chap, xxxii.), and the list of the halting-places (chap, xxxiii. 1-49) ; (5) directions as to the expulsion of the Canaanites, the conquest of Canaan and division of it among the tribes of Israel, the Levites and free cities, and the marriage of heiresses (chap, xxxiii. 50-xxxvi.).

EXPOSITION.

I. PREPARATIONS FOR THE DEPARTURE OF ISRAEL FROM SINAI.

numbering of the people of israel at sinai.