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Mouth to mouth will I speak with him, and in vision, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of Jehovah shall he besaw, (Ezek. i.)

VER. 8.-MOUTH TO MOUTH,] That is, familiarly, plainly, in mine own presence, without any interposed mean; as the Chald. translateth, speech with speech. So when Joseph spake without an interpreter, he said, it is my mouth that speaketh unto you,' Gen. xlv. 12; and the apostle opposeth it to speech by writing, as, I would not write with paper and ink, but I trust to come unto you and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be full,' 2 John ver. xii; and 3 John xiv. A like phrase is in Exod. xxxiii. 11, 'Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend:' and in this manner of communication, Moses excelled all the other prophets, Deut. xxxiv. 10. The Heb. doctors have explained this matter thus; "it is one of the foundations of the law, to know that God maketh the sons of men to prophesy; and prophesy resteth not but on a wise man, great in wisdom, mighty in his virtuous qualities, that his affections (or natural corruption) prevail not over him in any thing in the world, but he prevaileth by his knowledge over his affections continually, &c. On such a man the Holy Spirit dwelleth, and when the Spirit resteth upon him, his soul is associated to the degree of angels which are called men, and he is turned to another man, and perceiveth in his own knowledge that he is not so as he was, but that he is advanced above the degree of other wise men, as it is said of Saul, and thou shalt prophesy with them, shalt be turned to another man,' (1 Sam. X. 6.) The prophets were of divers degrees : as in wisdom one wise man is greater than another, so in prophesy, one prophet was greater than another. And all of them saw not the vision of prophesy but by dream, by vision of the night, or in the day time, after that a deep sleep was fallen upon them, Num. xii. 6; and all of them when they prophesied, their joints trembled, and strength of body failed, and their thoughts were troubled, and the mind was left changed to understand that which was seen; as it is said of Abraham,

and, lo, a terror, a great darkness fell upon him,' (Gen. xv. ;) and as is said of Daniel, and my vigour was turned in me unto corruption, and I retained no strength,' (Dan. x. 8.) The things that were made known to a prophet by vision prophetically, were made known to him by way of parable, and forthwith the interpretation of the parable was written in his heart, and he knew what it was. As the ladder that Jacob our father did see, and the angels ascending and descending on it, (Gen. xxviii. 12;) and the

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living creatures which Ezekiel and the seething pot and almond rod which Jeremiah saw, (Jer. i.;) and the ephah which Zechariah saw, (Zech. v.) and so the other prophets, of whom some spake the parable and the interpretation thereof, some the interpretation only; and sometime they uttered the parable only without the interpretation, as part of Ezekiel's and Zechariah's words: and they all prophesied by parables and after the way of dark speeches. None of the prophets prophesied at all times when they would; but prepared their understanding, and sat joyful, and with cheerful heart, and with contemplation. For prophesy cometh not upon men, either when they are sorrowful, or when they are slothful, but when they are joyful: therefore the sons of the prophets had before them psalteries, and timbrels, and pipes, and harps, (1 Sam. x. 5;) and they sought for prophesy; and this is that which is written, and they prophesying,' (1 Sam. x. 5;) as if he should say, walking in the way of prophesy, until they do prophesy. Those which forget to prophesy, are called sons of the prophets: and although they prepared their wits (or understanding,) it might be the Holy Spirit would come down upon them, and it might be not. All these things that we have spoken of, were the way of prophesy for all the former and latter prophets, except Moses our master, the master of all the prophets. And what difference was there between the prophesy of Moses, and of all the other prophets? the prophets prophesied by dreams or by vision: but Moses prophesied when he was waking and standing; as it is written, and when Moses was gone into the tent of the congregation, to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him,' (Num. vii. 89.) All the prophets prophesied by the hands of an angel, therefore they did see that which they saw in parables and dark speeches: Moses prophesied not by the hands of an angel, as it is said, mouth to mouth, I will speak with him,' (Num. xii. 8;) it is also said, the Lord spake unto Moses face to face,' (Exod. xxxiii. 11;) and again it is said, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold, (Num. xii. 8 ;) as if he should say, there is no parable there, but he seeth the thing concerning his Creator, without dark speech, without parable. He it is of whom the law testifieth, apparently, and not in dark speeches, (Num. xii. 8;) for he prophesied not by dark speech, but apparently, for he saw the thing concerning his Creator. All the prophets were afraid, and troubled, and fainted, but Moses was not so; for the

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hold and wherefore were ye not afraid to speak against my seranger of Jehovah was kindled 10 And the cloud departed from

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vant, against Moses? And the
against them, and he went away.
Scripture saith, as a man speaketh unto his
friend,' (Exod. xxxiii. 11;) as if he should
say, As a man is not troubled to hear the
words of his friend, so there was strength in
the mind of Moses to understand the words
of prophesy, and he stood on his place safe
and well. None of the prophets prophesied
at all times when they would: but Moses
was otherwise, for at any time when he
would, the Holy Spirit clothed him, and pro-
phesy came upon him; and he needed not to
prepare his mind and make himself ready
for it, for he was prepared and ready, and
stood as the angels of ministry, therefore he
prophesied at all times, as it is said, stand
still, and I will hear what the Lord will com-
mand concerning you,' (Num. ix. 8.) And
this God caused him to trust upon, as it is
said, but as for thee, stand thou here with
me, &c. (Deut. v. 31:) whereby thou mayest
learn that all the prophets, when prophesy
was taken up from them, returned to their
tents, which was for things necessary to the
body of them all, as the rest of the people;
therefore they were not separated from their
wives: but Moses our master returned not to
his first tent, therefore he was separated from
his wife for ever; and his mind was fast
bound unto God the rock everlasting, and
his glory was never taken up from upon him,
but the skin of his face shined, and he was
sanctified as the angels." Maim. in Misn.
tom. i.; in Jesude hatorah, chap. vii. sect.
1-6. Now as the apostle compareth Christ
with Moses, and preferreth him before Moses,
Heb. iii.; so in this gift of prophesy he did
excel him: for the Lord gave him the
tongue of the learned, that he knew how to
speak a word in season,' Is. 1. 4; and this he
learned not by dreams or visions, nor by
angels, nor by speech communicated mouth
to mouth; but by clean seeing of God, (which
no man ever did at any time ;) and being

in the bosom of the Father,' John i. 18; and having the Spirit, not by measure, he testified what he had seen and heard with his Father, John iii. 32, 34; viii. 38; and in him all fulness dwelt, even the fulness of the Godhead bodily,' Col. i. 19; ii. 9. WILL I SPEAK,] That is, I usually speak: the time to come is used to signify a continued action. IN VISION,] Or, by sight, or appearance, that is apparently: the Gr. translateth, in an appearance or sight: which word is opposed (in 2 Cor. v. 7;) to faith, which is of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1; and here the Lord opposeth it to dark speeches, so it meaneth an apparent or clear revelation.

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Aben Ezra explaineth it thus, "I will show him the thing as it is, as the form of the tabernacle, (Exod. xxv. 40,) and not in a dark speech, (or riddle), like (that in Ezek. xvii. 2;) a great eagle with great wings, &c. DARK SPEECHES,] Or, hidden speeches, riddles a dark speech is called in Heb. Chidah, of sharpness, because it requireth sharpness of wit, both to propound and expound the same, as we have an example in Samson's riddle, Judg. xiv. 13, 14, &c.; and it is of the nature of a parable, as in Ezek. xvii. 2, 3, Son of man put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel; a great eagle with great wings, long winged, full of feathers which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon,' &c. And all close and hidden doctrine is called a riddle, Ps. xlix. 5. And the Holy Spirit translateth it in Gr. sometime Ainigma, a riddle, 1 Cor. xiii. 12; (as the common Gr. version here hath,) sometime 'hidden things,' Matt. xiii. 35; from Ps. lxxviii. 2; and so the Chald. of Jonathan expoundeth it here. The apostle showeth the meaning of this word, when he said, ' now we see through a glass in a riddle, (that is, darkly,) but then (we shall see) face to face,' 1 Cor. xiii. 12. THE SIMILITUDE,] Or, the likeness, image, which the Gr. interpreteth the glory of the Lord. Sol Jarchi saith, "this was the sight of (God's) backparts," mentioned in Exod. xxxiii. 23. And this prerogative Moses had above all Israel, which saw no similitude of God, Deut. iv. 12, 15; and above all prophets, who saw no vision of God so clear as he did. For even Moses himself could not see the face of God, Exod. xxxiii. 20. No man hath seen God at any time,' John i. 18; neither can see,' 1 Tim. vi. 16. AGAINST MY SERVANT, AGAINST MOSES,] A manner of speech both earnest and elegant, like that in Gen. xxi. 10, with my son, with Isaac;' and that in 2 Sam. vii. 23, like my people, like Israel.' Sol. Jarchi noteth, "he saith not against my servant Moses; but against my servant, against Moses; against my servant though he were not Moses; against Moses, for though he were not my servant, it were meet ye should fear before him, how much more seeing he is my servant? According to this the apostle speaketh in 2 Pet. ii. 10, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.'

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VER. 9. HE WENT AWAY,] Withdrew the sign of his glorious presence, not vouch safing to hear their answer; which was a token of his great displeasure.

VER. 10. THE CLOUD DEPARTED,] The

NUMBERS.

off the tent; and, behold, Mary became leprous as snow: and Aaron looked upon Mary, and, behold, she was leprous. "And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas! my Lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. 12 I beseech thee, let her not be as one dead, of whom when he cometh out of his mother's womb, half his flesh is even consumed. 13 And Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, O God, I beseech thee, heal her now.

"And Jehovah said unto Moses, And if her father had spitting spitted in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut seven days out from the camp; and after let her be ga

cloud of the glory of the divine presence of the Lord, saith Thargum Jonathan. LEPROUS AS SNOW,] That is, leprous white as snow; and this was the sorest leprosy, and most incurable, see Exod. iv. 6; 2 Kings v. 27; and they that had this disease, were put out of the Lord's camp as unclean, Lev. xiii.; and therefore God departed now away, for (as Chazkuni here saith,) "It is not the way of the earth, that holiness should stay in an unclean place." This punishment was very memorable, both for the suddenness and soreness of it; wherefore it is after said, member what Jehovah thy God did unto Mary by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt,' Deut. xxiv. 9. God did thus unto so great a woman for And if Moses' sake, what will he do to such as rebel against Christ, who is counted worthy of more glory than Moses,' Heb. iii. 3.

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For

if they escaped not, who refused him that
spake on earth; much more shall not we es.
cape if we turn away from him that speaketh
from heaven,' Heb. xii. 25. For Christ is
not the servant, but the Son, even
Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 47.

'the

VER. 11.-ALAS, MY LORD,] Or, Oh, my lord, Heb. unto me, to wit, have respect; the Chald. explaineth it, we pray thee, my lord: see this phrase in Gen. xliii. 20. Aaron as unworthy of access himself unto God now departed, maketh request unto Moses, honoureth him (though Aaron himself was both the elder brother and the high priest,) with the title of his lord, confesseth their sin against him, craveth pardon; and by Moses' mediation, to have their sister cured. SIN,] That is, the punishment of sin, (as Lev. xxii. 9; Num. xviii. 32;) which he desireth that by Moses' intercession, it might not be laid upon them of God. WHEREIN WE HAVE DONE FOOLISHLY,] Or, because we are become foolish: the Gr. translateth, because we have done ignorantly in that we have sinned: in which sense it is a lessening of their sin, as done through unadvisedness and oversight, not maliciously

VER. 12.-AS ONE DEAD,] By continu. ance of the leprosy upon her, whereby she should be shut out of the communion of the church, Num. v. 2; should defile all that touched her as do the dead; and in the end be consumed, and die utterly with that fretThe Chald. expoundeth this verse thus ; "let ting plague, as the words following show. her not now be separated from among us, she is our sister: pray now for this dead flesh for that is in her, that it may be healed." Is EVEN CONSUMED,] Or, is even eaten, to wit, with the disease: and by coming out of his mother's womb, the Gr. understandeth and translateth, an untimely birth and coming out, &c. for as of such a dead birth the flesh is half consumed, so is the flesh of a leper.

VER. 13.-CRIED OUT,] That is, as the Chald. translateth, prayed, but earnestly, and as grieved for her affliction; so the word usually signifieth. which is one of God's names, signifying his O GOD,] Hebr. El, might, and including his mercy; as is noted on Gen. xiv. 18. So in Thargum Jonathan, it is here explained, "And Moses prayed, and besought mercy before the Lord, saying, I beseech for mercy of the merciful God, beseech God that hath power of the spirits of all flesh, heal her I beseech thee,"

The

VER. 14.-HAD SPITTING SPITTED,] That is, had but spitted, to wit, in anger. Chald, expoundeth it, had rebuked. Spitting on the face, is a sign of anger, shame, and contempt, Job xxx. 10; Is. 1. 6; which, if it had been from her earthly father, should have made her ashamed and sorrowful seven days: how much more now that it is from her Father which is in heaven? SEVEN DAYS,] So long every leper was to be shut up by the law, for every trial; and also at his cleansing; see Lev. xíii. 4, 5, 21, 26; xiv. viii. So long was he unclean that touched a dead man, Num. xix. 11. That is, received in, or as the Gr. translatGATHERED,] eth, enter in. So gathering is used for receiving or taking in, after that one is neglected or forsaken, Judg. xix. 15; Josh. xx. 4;

thered in. 15 And Mary was shut out from the camp seven days; and the people journeyed not till Mary was gathered in again. 16 And afterward the people journeyed from Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Pharan. Ps. xxvii. 10. Here Thargum Jonathan addeth this paraphrase, "And I will cause to stay, for thy sake, the cloud of my glory, and the tabernacle, and the ark, and all Israel, until the time that she is healed, and afterward she shall be gathered in."

VER. 15.-MARY WAS SHUT,] In Gr. was separated: this was an example of justice against sinners, without respect of persons: therefore they are after desired to remember this, Deut. xxiv. 9. And even kings when they were lepers, were separated, and dwelt apart, 2 Chron. xxvi. 20, 21. THE PEOPLE JOURNEY ED NOT,] But stayed mourning for her, till she was cured; which

was a special honour unto Mary above other lepers, for whom there was no such stay, Num. v. 2, 4. Because this Mary was one of those whom God sent before his people, Mic. vi. 4; Exod. xv. 20. Sol. Jarchi saith, "The Lord imparted this honour unto her, because she once stayed for Moses when he was cast into the river, as it is written, And his sister stood afar off," &c. Exod. ii. 4.

VER. 16. WILDERNESS OF PHARAN,] Or, of Paran; which had been Ishmael's' habitation, Gen. xxi. 21, and the place where they pitched in this wilderness was called 'Rithmah,' Num. xxxiii. 18, and 'Cadeshbarnea,' Num. xiii. 3, 26; Deut. i. 19, &c.

CHAP. XIII

1. The Lord enjoineth Moses to send one man of every tribe, to search the land of Canaan. 4. Their names and tribes. 17. Their instructions. 21. Their acts and return after forty days. 26. Their relation of the goodness of the land, and strength of the inhabitants. 30. Caleb encourageth the people, but the others discourage them, and bring up an evil report upon the land.

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'AND Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give to the sons of Israel: one man, one man for a tribe of his fathers, shall or at least, permitted the thing which they desired.

DDD Here beginneth the thirty-seventh section of the law: see Gen. vi. 9.

VER. 1.-JEHOVAH SPAKE,] By Moses' relation after, it appeareth, that when God had led his people from mount Horeb to Cadesh Barnea, through the great and fearful wilderness, and they were come to the mountain of the Amorites; then Moses said, 'See, the Lord thy God hath given the land before thee; go up, possess it. And all the people came near unto Moses, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search out the land for us, and bring us word again, by what way we shall go up, &c. That word liked Moses well; and,he took of them twelve men, and sent them to spy out the land,' Deut. i. 19 -24. So where here it is said, 'Jehovah spake,' &c. it is not meant, that this motion came first from the Lord; but the people first spake of it to Moses, he consulted with the Lord about it; and the Lord approved,

VER. 2. SEND THOU,] Or, send for thee: which Sol. Jarchi expoundeth to this sense; "I command thee not; if thou pleasest, send: forasmuch as Israel came and said, we will send men," &c. Deut. i. 22. THAT. THEY MAY SEARCH,] Or, and let them search, or espy, by searching round about: and the word implieth the action of the heart and mind, not of the eyes only, Eccl. i. 13; vii. 25. Thus God let them go search or espy the land, which he himself before had espied for them,' Ezek. xx. 6, and went before them in the way, to search them out a place to pitch their tents in, in fire by night, and in a cloud by day, Deut. i. 33. OF CANAAN,] That is, as the Gr. translateth, of the Canaanites: named as the chief, for it was the land of seven mighty nations,' Deut. vii. 1. I GIVE,] Or, am giving: so he speaketh as of a

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ye send every one a ruler among them. " And Moses sent them from the wilderness of Pharan, at the mouth of Jehovah: all those men were heads of the sons of Israel. And these were their names: Of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. "Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Of the tribe of Issachar, Jigal the son of Joseph. Of the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10 Of the tribe of Zabulon, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. "Of the tribe of Joseph, of the tribe of Manasses, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. 13 Of the tribe of Aser, Sethur the son of Michael. 14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. " Of the tribe of Gad, Gevel the son of Machi. 16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent

ONE

thing present, for more assurance.
MAN, ONE MAN,] An Hebrew phrase, mean-
ing, of every tribe one man, excepting the
tribe of Levi, for of them none was sent;
because they were to have no inheritance in
the land, Deut. xviii. 1. A RULER,] Or, a
prince; not of the baser sort, because the
business was weighty: whereupon their re-
bellion following was of the more note.

VER. 3.-AT THE MOUTH,] Or, according to the mouth, that is, the word of the Lord, as the Chald, translateth; and the Gr. by the voice of the Lord: and this Sol. Jarchi expoundeth, "by his permission." So in the commentary called Phesikta, fol. 47, it is said, "The election of the spies was according to the mouth of the Lord; not that God commanded them to send them. If thou sayest, why did he not forbid them to send? To accomplish their desire, and to render them their recompense, and to give unto Joshua and Caleb a good reward." HEADS,] That is, as the Gr. saith, chiefrulers; and Chazkuni expoundeth them, "captains over thousands:" as in Exod. xviii.

25.

VER. 4.-SHAMMUA,] In Gr. Samiel son of Zacchour

VER. 5.-SHAPHAT,] In Gr. Saphat son of Souri.

VER. 6.-CALEB,] In Gr. Chaleb son of Jephonne. See 1 Chron. iv. 15. His name signifieth hearty: and he brought Moses word again, as it was in his heart, Josh. xiv. 7.

VER. 7.-JIGAL,] In Gr. Igad.

VER. 8.-HOSHEA,] In Gr. Auses son of Nave.

VER. 9.-PALTI,] Or, as in Gr. Phalti. VER. 10. GADDIEL,] In Gr. Goudiel son of Soudi.

VER. 11.-OF JOSEPH,] He was father of Ephraim in ver. 8, as well as of Manasseh

here; and sometime Joseph is named for Ephraim, Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 19; Rev. vii.

8. Here he is named as father of Manas-
seh, who was his first-born, Josh. xvii. 1,
although the Heb. give another reason;
namely, "Because both of them uttered an
ill report; Joseph, of his brethren, (Gen.
xxxvii. 2,) and the prince of Manasseh, of
the land: which Hoshea of Ephraim did not, '
Chazkuni on Num. xiii.

VER. 13.-SETHUR,] In Gr. Sadour.
VER. 14.-NAHBI,] Or Nachbi; in Gr.
Naabi son of Sabi.

VER. 15.-GEVEL,] In Gr. Goudiel.

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VER. 16.-THESE ARE THE NAMES,] Chazkuni here observeth, "He sent no spy of the tribe of Levi, because he had no portion in the land." NUN,] Called also, Non, 1 Chron. vii. 27, in Gr. Nave. JOSHUA,] Or, Jehoshua, called sometime Jeshuah,' Neh. viii. 17, in Gr. Jesus; and so the New Testament writeth him, Acts vii. 45, Heb. iv. 8, that signifieth a 'Saviour,' Mat. i. 21. And this name Moses gave him by the Spirit of God; either as foreseeing that he should be his successor, and save the people from their enemies the Canaanites; or, (as Sol. Jarchi here noteth) praying for him, that the Lord would save him from the counsel of the (wicked) spies. But Chazkuni expoundeth it, "Moses had called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua, not that he now first called him Joshua, but before when he was made his minister, and found grace in his eyes." We find him called Joshua,' before they came to mount Sinai, Exod. xvii. 9, and after this, when Moses is ready to die, he is called "Hoshea,' in Deut. xxxii. 44. Where Chaz. kuni saith thus; "At the first when he was taken to be Moses' minister, Moses called him Joshua; for so is the manner of kings, to change the name of their ministers, Gen. xli. 45; Dan. i. 7. But now when he is

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