showed in a vision the rod of an almond tree, (which hath the name of hastening,) and opened the same unto him thus, thou hast well seen; for I will hasten my word to perform it,' Jer. i. 11, 12. Therefore as soon as Uzziah the king rose up to usurp the priest's office, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead,' 2 Chron. xxvi. 18, 19.

VER. 10.-BRING AGAIN,] Or, return Aaron's rod. Before the teSTIMONY,] In Gr. the testimonies; meaning the tables of the covenant in the ark; as is noted on ver. 4; before which it was laid up, and not in it: for nothing was in the ark save the two tables of stone,' 1 Kings viii. 9. The Hebs. record how in Solomon's temple," there was a stone in the most holy place, in the west part thereof, on which they set the ark: and before it was the golden pot of manna and the rod of Aaron." Maim. tom. iii. in Beth habchirah, chap. iv. sect. 1. ТО ВЕ КЕРТ, Heb. for a keeping (or reservation.) As the manna was kept in the golden pot within the most holy place of the sanctuary, for a reservation and monument to the Israelites, that the generations after might see the bread which God had given their fathers to eat in the wilderness, Exod. xvi. 32-34; so this rod was kept in the same place for a reservation and for a sign, that all generations might know the confirmation of their priesthood in Aaron's line. Both did lead them unto Christ; the manna figuring the flesh of Christ, the true bread from heaven, wherewith the faithful should be nourished unto life eternal, John vi. 31-33, 51; and the rod, the priesthood of Christ, whereby they should be reconciled unto God, Heb. ix. 11, 12. Therefore the apostle mentioneth this budding rod, with the pot of manna among the most memorable things that were kept in the holy of holies, Heb. ix. 3, 4. THE SONS OF REBELLION,] Which the Gr. translateth, "the disobedient sons;" meaning the Israelites, called sons (or children of rebellion,) because they were so much addicted thereunto, as if rebellion itself had been their mother: so that Moses testi

fied, Ye have been rebellious against the Lord, from the day that I knew you,' Deut. ix. 24. This phrase is common in the Scriptures, as, a son of injurious evil (or of wickedness,') Ps. viii. 23; for an injurious or wicked person: and sons of affliction,' Prov.

xxxi. 5; for afflicted persons: so, sons of Belial,' Deut. xiii. 13; 1 Sam. ii. 12; 'sons of disobedience,' Eph. ii. 2; v. 6;

sons of the light and of the day,' 1 Thes. v. 5; children of wisdom,' Matt. xi. 19; 'children of obedience,' 1 Pet. i. 14; and sundry the like. THOU SHALT QUITE TAKE AWAY,] Or, shalt consume, shalt wholly end their murmurings: the Gr. translateth it, "and let their murmurings cease from me, and they shall not die."

VER. 12. We give up the ghost,] Or, have given up the ghost, that is, died: or, as the Gr. translateth, 66 are consumed.' " This may be taken as an unjust complaint of theirs, for the punishments that they had felt and should still feel for their sins. Or rather, as a serious complaint of their own misery, being under sin, and so by the law under punishment and wrath: like that which the apostle saith, I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; and the commandment which (was ordained) unto life, I found (to be) unto death,' Rom. vii. 9, 10. The Chald. paraphraseth upon these words, thus, “Behold the sword hath killed some of us, and behold the earth hath swallowed some of us, and behold some of us are dead with the pestilence." And Thargum Jonathan thus, "Behold some of us are consumed with flaming fire, and some of us are swallowed up into the earth and perished; behold we think that as they, so we all shall perish."

VER. 13.—THAT COMETH NEAR,] In Gr. that toucheth the tabernacle. SHALL WE BE CONSUMED IN GIVING UP THE GHOST ?] That is, shall we die every one? This seemeth to be a deprecation, whereby acknowledging their sins to be worthy of death, they pray for mercy for so questions are often used in ear

:

nest deprecations, as, wilt thou be angry with us for ever?' &c. Ps. lxxxv. 6; wilt thou utterly reject us ?' Lam. v. 22; wilt

thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore? Is. Ixiv. 12; and many the like.

VER. 1.-SAID UNTO AARON,] Because of the people's fear and complaint, in the end of the former chapter, God here taketh order for the watch of the sanctuary, that the care thereof should lie upon the priests, that the people might not transgress and perish. So the remedy for terrors of conscience wrought by the law, is faith in Christ, whose priesthood was fore-shadowed in Aaron's, and which should deliver them who through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage,' Heb. ii. 15. THY FATHER'S HOUSE,] The house or posterity of Levi, who was father to all the priests and Levites. THE INIQUITY OF THE SANCTUARY,] That is, shall bear the punishment for all the iniquity that is done in the sanctuary; at your hands will I require it. Thus Jarchi expoundeth it, "upon you I will bring the punishment of the strangers that shall sin concerning the sanctified things that are delivered unto you." And as the sanctuary comprehended both the tabernacle and the court-yard, with all things in them: so this is generally spoken concerning the priests and Levites (which were of Aaron's father's house,) who were all toward the sanctuary, though in distinct places, as shall after be showed. INIQUITY OF YOUR PRIESTHOOD,] That is, the punishment for all iniquity done about your priest's office. And this is special concerning the priests, whose care and charge was over the Levites also, which might not come near some things belonging to the priesthood. R. Menachem here saith, that "by this admonition was

signified how the priests should not intermeddle with the service of the Levites, nor the Levites with the service of the priests. Whereof, see more on ver. 3.

VER. 2. THE TRIBE,] The Heb. here hath two words, Matteh (the tribe) of Levi, and Shebet (the tribe) of thy father: of which the former signifieth a staff; the latter, a rod: both of them applied to a tribe or kindred, which did spring and grow out of Levi, as rods, staves, or branches from the stock of a tree. Of this name tribe, see what is noted on Gen. xlix. 16. THAT THEY MAY BE JOINED,] Or, and let them be joined; as the Gr. translateth," and let them be added unto thee." Here is an allusion to Levi's name, which signifieth joined. The Father Levi had the name, because at his birth his mother said, 'now my husband will be joined unto me,' Gen. xxix. 34; his children (called of him, Levites,) are according to the notation of their name, made adjoints to the priests. And this word is after used and applied to such as adjoined themselves to the Lord, and to his people, Is. Ivi. 3, 6; Jer. 1. 5; Esth. ix. 27; so in the New Testament, Acts v. 14; xi. 24; ii. 41, 47. MINISTER UNTO THEE,] So in Num. iii. 6; the Levites are appointed to minister unto Aaron: elsewhere they are said to minister unto the congregation, Num. xvi. 9; and unto the Lord, Deut. x. 8; 1 Sam. iii. 1; 2 Chron. xxix. 11; and in the name of the Lord,' Deut. xviii. 6, 7; and are called the ministers of his house, Ezek. xlv. 5. BE

FORE THE TENT,] Herein is the difference between the priests and Levites' office, that the priests served at the altar, and in the holy place; the Levites served the outer services, helped to kill, slay, take the blood, &c., and gave it to the priests, who sprinkled the blood received from their hands, 2 Chron. xxx. 16; xxix. 34; 1 Chron. xxiii. 28-32. OF THE TESTIMONY,] That is, of the law, written on the two tables kept in an ark within the tent or tabernacle; and thereof it had this name, as is noted on Exod. xxv. 16.

VER. 3.-SHALL KEEP THY CHARGE,] Or, bserve thy observation, thy custody, or thy teard; at thy appointment doing their service: see Num. iii. 7. THE VESSELS OF HOLINESS,] In Gr. the holy vessels: to come nigh unto them, to serve with them at the altar, or in the holy place the Levites might not: which the Heb. canons explain thus, "all the Levites are forbidden the service at the altar, as it is said (in Num. xviii. 3.) But they shall not come nigh unto the vessels, &c. They shall not come nigh to the service; but to touch them it was lawful." Maim. tom. iii. in Cle hamikdash, chap. iii. sect. 9. So in Num. iii. 8, the Levites were appointed to keep all the vessels of the tabernacle. BOTH THEY AND YOU,] They for doing so, you for suffering it. But from these words the Hebs. say, " as the Levites are forbidden to do the service of the priests, so the priests are forbidden to do the service of the Levites, as it is written, both they and you." Maim. in Cle hamikdash, chap.

iii. sect. x.

VER. 4. THE CHARGE,] Or, the custody; in Gr. the custodies, or the wards, watches: for so the word is used for keeping watch by night also, as in Ps. xc. 4. See the notes on Exod. xiv. 24. A STRANGER,] Any of Israel that is not a Levite, is counted a stranger in this business: and in the priests' affairs, the Levites themselves were counted strangers, ver. 7. See the notes on Num. iii. 10.

VER. 5.-KEEP THE CHARGE OF THE HOLY PLACE,] Heb. observe the observation of the holiness; which the Gr. translateth, "of the holies:" by this name the apostle calleth the first tabernacle, wherein was the candlestick, table, and show-bread; as the inmost part

5

And

of the tabernacle is called holy of holies, that is, the holiest of all, Heb. ix. 2, 3. To keep the charge, or observe the observation, is to have continual care day and night, that all things be kept pure and uncorrupted, and administered according to the will of God: as they that kept the charge (or ward) of the house of Saul, were such as endeavoured to keep and maintain the kingdom in Saul's family, 1 Chron. xii. 29. This duty of the priests and Levites in the tabernacle, continued also in the temple, where some were porters, keepers of the gates, and lodged round about the house of God; some had charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale; some of the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and of the spices, and of the show-bread; some were singers employed in that work night and day,' &c. 1 Chron. ix. 19, 23-33. Of their manner of keeping the temple, the Hebs. have thus recorded: "the keeping of the sanctuary is a thing commanded, yea though they be no fear of enemies or of thieves; for the keeping thereof is but for the honour thereof. this keeping is commanded to be all the night: and the keepers are the priests and the Levites, as it is said, and thou and thy sons with thee (shall be) before the tent of the testimony,' (Num. xviii. 2;) as if he should say, you shall be the keepers (or watchmen) thereof. Moreover, it is said of the Levites, and they shall keep the charge of the tent,' (Num. xviii. 4.) It is also said, ' and they that encamp before the tabernacle, foremost before the tent of the congregation eastward, (shall be) Moses and Aaron, and his sons, keeping the charge of the holy place,' (Num. iii. 38.) And if they leave off the keeping of it, they transgress against a prohibition. The commandment of keeping it, is, that the priests be the keepers in the inner (places), and the Levites in the outer. And twenty-four companies kept it every night continually in twenty-four places; the priests in three places, and the Levites in one and twenty places, &c. The priests that warded, slept not in their priestly garments, but folded them up and laid them at their heads, and put on their own garments, and slept on the ground, as is the manner of all that_ward

6

kings' courts, that they sleep not on beds. And they set one provost over all the wards (or custodies) of the keepers, and he was called the man of the mountain of the house (of God.) And he went round about unto every ward, all the night with torches burning before him; and every warder that did not stand and say, Thou man of the mountain of the house, peace be unto thee, it was known that he was asleep, and he did beat him with his staff. And he had authority to burn his garment, so that (sometimes) they said in Jerusalem, What noise is in the court? It is the cry of a Levite that is beaten, and his garments burnt, because he slept at his watch. In the morning, the provost of the sanctuary came and knocked at the gate for the priests that were in the place of burning, (the holy things,) and they opened unto him. He took a key and opened the little gate, that was between the place of burning and the courtyard, and went from the burning place into the courtyard, and the priests went in after him. And two torches of fire were in their hand, and they divided themselves into two companies; one company went eastward, and another westward; and they searched and went through all the court-yard, till both companies came to the place where they made the priests' meat-offering, (spoken of in Lev. vi. 20, 21.) When both sides came thither, they said, Peace, all is peace, and they set those that made the meat offering to make the same. After this order did they every night, save the nights of the Sabbath: for then they had not fire (torches) in their hand, but searched with the lamps that were lighted there on the evening of the Sabbath." Maim. in tom. iii. in Beth habchirah, chap. 8.

NO FERVENT WRATH ANY MORE,] For transgressing, as in former time, when fervent wrath went out from the Lord, Num. xvi. 46. See also Num. viii. 19.

VER. 6. I HAVE TAKEN,] Instead of all the first-born of Israel, who otherwise should have ministered unto me: see Num. iii. 12;

and the annot. there. A GIFT FOR JEHOVAH,] Or, unto Jehovah, as the Gr. saith, "to the Lord;" the Chald. "before the Lord.” See Num. iii. 9, 12; viii. 13, 16, 19; where they were offered unto the Lord, and given unto him, and by him given unto Aaron.

VER. 7.-WITHIN THE VAIL,] Not only the second vail, (as it is called in Heb. ix. 3,) but the first vail, within which the priests went always, accomplishing the services,' Heb. ix. 6; as to burn incense,' Luke i. 9; to trim the lamps,' Exod. xxvii. 20, 21; to set on the show-bread every Sabbath,' Lev. xxiv. 8, 9, and the like. I HAVE GIVEN,] Heb. I will give; which form of speech, noteth a continuance of the gift. A SERVICE OF GIFT,] A service freely given you; which Sol. Jarchi and Chazkuni explain thus, "I have given it unto you by gift, that none should say, ye are come into it of yourselves. THE STRANGER,] Any Israelite, Levite, or whosoever is not of Aaron's seed: see the notes on Num. iii. 10.

VER. 8.-I HAVE GIVEN,] After the office of the priests and Levites prescribed, God here provideth for their maintenance and livelihood, which they should have from the people for their service. The equity whereof remaineth perpetual, as the apostle observeth, saying, Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things, eat of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar, are partakers of the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel, should live of the gospel,' 1 Cor. ix. 13, 14. THE CHARGE,] Heb. "the keeping (or observation) of mine heaveofferings;" which the Gr. translateth, "the keeping of my first-fruits;" in Chald." the keeping of my separated things." They are said to be a charge or keeping, because they were carefully to be taken, and used holily, as gifts from the Lord. Sol. Jarchi explaineth it,

which thou must keep in cleanness (or purity.) Therefore they are called holy things, and were to be eaten (some of them) in the