either with the moral obligations of the divine law, or with the gracious requisitions of the blessed gospel. The one contains a full demand of willing obedience; the other reveals a full provision for all our necessities. This view of the subject is essential to a right understanding of the matter, and to keep the mind clear of all offence. There is no virtue, no efficacy, no merit in a vow. The cases here supposed, in this chapter, of their being made, and then set aside by parties who had not made them, clearly indicate that they are of no moral force or obligation in themselves; and, therefore, as before observed, particular care ought to be taken, that any laws you make do not usurp the place, or supersede the obligations, of the divine law of truth.

All vows ought to be lawful. More than forty men bound themselves with an oath to kill Paul. Herod vowed that he would give the daughter of Herodias whatever she might ask, even to the half of his kingdom. Jeptha vowed, on his return from the slaughter of the enemy, that he would sacrifice to the Lord whatever first met his eye on coming to his house. Saul adjured the people with an oath not to taste of any food, on pain of death, till their enemies were entirely vanquished, though the wilderness dropped with honey, and all his army was faint and weary; and he would have put his own son to death for having tasted a little with the end of his spear, even though he was utterly ignorant of what his father had spoken. In all these cases, the vow was wicked in itself, and led to the most disastrous results. No man truly enlightened in the Word of God, or walking in the liberty of the faith of Christ, would ever have thought of acting in so absurd and wicked a manner.

Let the matter be rightly understood. There may be as much sin in an unlawful vow, as in any other unlawful act whatever. Take care, then, that in making a vow, you do not, by a sinful act, bind yourself to the commission of more sin. Even when the thing vowed may be right in itself, the manner, or the object of your making it, may be sinful before God. You bind yourself to afflict

your soul for sin, or to give yourselves to the Lord, or to walk in his ways. These things are right. You ought to mourn for sin. You

ought to give yourselves to the Lord. You ought to walk in his way. But if you think it is your vow that lays you under these obligations, or that your having vowed to do so will assure your becoming a true penitent, or a true believer, or a truly devoted servant of the Lord, it must be quite clear that your vow was made with an ignorant or a selfrighteous spirit: with a superstitious, if not a graceless heart. Instead of doing God a service, it is a snare to your soul, and an abomination in his sight.

5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD 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 Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

9 And the children 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.

11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.

12 And they brought the captives, and the

prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.

13 ¶ And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.

14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains 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 Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

17 Now therefore kill every male among the little 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 whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves 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 ¶ And 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 seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward shall come into the camp. ye

25 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; 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, for an heave offering of the LORD.

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 manner 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 prey 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 hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep:

37 And the LORD's tribute of the 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 threescore and one.

40 And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was thirty and two persons.

41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD's heave offering, 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 congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand 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 And the officers which were over

GOD will not allow the enemies of his people to vex, ensnare, or curse them with impunity. Though let alone for a time, the day of their visitation will come at last; and when it comes, it will entail the most fearful desolation. Such was the case here recorded. Balak, the king of Moab, had wished to curse the people of the Lord. Disappointed in that design, the Midianites are employed to allure them into idolatry, and entice them to sin. Some awful examples had been made of numbers of the congregation who did so. But now, at length, the turn of those tempters and seducers was come; and the Lord would destroy them with a great destruction.

Does not this speak with a loud voice to all? Ought not all tempters and persecutors to hear and fear, to repent of their sins, and seek for mercy? Hath not God visited such characters with the most signal tokens of his mighty displeasure? Was not Pharaoh a persecutor? Did not Amalek lay wait by the way when they came out of Egypt? Did not Edom cherish the old grudge? Did not

Saul persecute David? Did not Herod cut and slay the servants of the Lord? What became of them all? Ah! take care. He that toucheth a child of God to his hurt, toucheth the apple of God's eye; and he will surely avenge their cause. (Zech. ii. 8.)

One thing is here especially to be noted, namely, the death of Balaam. In the eighth verse it is said, "Balaam the son of Beor they slew with the sword." Unhappy man! He said he would go to his own people, when he took leave of Balak. But the sword overtook him, and he perished among the enemies of God. Did he repent? Where is the evidence? Did he not lay the most fatal snares for the ruin of others, though he could not curse them? He said, indeed, "Let me die the death of the righteous; and let my last end be like his" (ch. xxiii. 10). But how did he live? He lived the life of the wicked. He was cut off with the wicked. He perished with the wicked for ever.

Will not a false Christian as certainly perish as a false prophet? What could his boasted gifts and attainments avail, when God required his soul? Oh! take care. You may have the name, the profession, the language, the appearance of a Christian; and yet, if you are not a real Christian in deed and in truth, you will perish at last among the hypocrites and deceivers. Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Gal. vi. 7.)

Two other things are also here to be noted. The victorious people dedicated a large portion of the spoil of their enemies to the service of the Lord. What does this fact teach us? "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." (Prov. iii. 9, 10). He that gives the victory should receive the honour. He that bestows the blessing should have the praise and glory. In this respect, also, it should always be borne in mind, that you can give nothing to the Lord but what the Lord hath first given you. "Of thine own have we given thee" (1 Chron. xxix. 14).

These transactions were to take place as a prelude to Moses's death. "Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward

shalt thou be gathered to thy people" (v. 2). See the holy familiarity between God and his servant. Is not fellowship with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, one of the great privileges of the gospel. All believers may walk with God, and speak with God now. Hereafter they will see and serve him for ever. See how death is spoken of. Thou shalt be gathered unto thy people. Where were they? Above. There soon should Moses be. His work would soon be ended. He would soon enter the joy of the Lord. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. Even so saith the Spirit; for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them (Rev. xiv. 13).

CHAPTER XXXII.

1 The Reubenites and Gudites sue for their inheritance on that side Jordan. 6 Moses reproveth them. 16 They offer him conditions to his content. 33 Moses assigneth them the land. 39 They conquer it.

NOW

OW the children of Reuben and the multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;

Children or Gad had a very great

2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying,

3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon,

4 Even the 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 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall sit here?

ye

7 And wherefore 'discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?

8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.

9 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 the LORD had given them.

10 And the LORD's anger was kindled the same time, 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 Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not 'wholly followed me:

12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the 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 up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.

15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds 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 ¶ 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 before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,

22 And the land be subdued before the LORD then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned 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 commandeth.

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 Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel:

29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before 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 shall 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 our's.

33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the 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.

34 ¶ And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,

35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah,

36 And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim,

3

38 And Nebo, 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 Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite 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 Kenath,

passed over into the promised land; and, also, what passed between them and Moses on the occasion. There was something in the proposal which Moses disliked. He seems to have had many fears, that they wished to escape the future perils of the way; to settle down at once in quiet possession; and to leave their brethren to succeed as they might. This feeling on the part of Moses, will account for what passed on this occasion; and the issue proved, that the best way to obviate groundless surmises is, to be open and candid, and to give a faithful statement of your motives and intentions. But here are many things to be improved.

Over anxiety to settle advantageously in the world, may sometimes expose you to just suspicions. It seems pretty clear, that these two tribes should have waited till the Lord had given them directions on the subject. When proposed, it ought to have been done more in the spirit of inquiring for permission, than of eager desire. Above all, they ought not to have made the least attempt without prayer. here?

May not many feel condemned Does not the world possess too strong a hold on your heart? Are you not often more eager to embrace some fair prospect of settling in life, or carrying on your business or trade with greater advantage, than to ask counsel of the Lord, or wait for the Are not reliopening of his providence? gious advantages, and gospel blessings, too little considered on such occasions? Fruitful fields, and pleasing prospects, often prove dangerous snares. Men that will be rich are often drowned in destruction and perdition. When it is too late, it is often found that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matt. xix. 24.)

On all occasions, the benefit of faithful advisers is of inestimable value. Real up

after his own name.

caution and reproof. Where there is a readiness to give candid explanation, there ought to be as candid a mind to receive it. This is beautifully illustrated in this case. Instead of being offended at Moses's faithful reproof, they took it in good part, and explained the case. Instead of doubting their words, he