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5 And the LORD 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 burntsacrifice, 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, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall 1 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, and the number of the fourth part 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 them 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 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.

Ver. 1. These solemn preparations shew that there was still a lingering hope in Balaam's mind that the Almighty would alter his purpose, or that he might by some means overcome the obstacles which stood in the way of his fortune. The altars were most probably raised to the true God, but with superstitious rites, as well as bad intentions. See the beginning of next chapter, and also chap. xxxi. -Ver. 7. His parable, or prophetic speech. The power of the Holy Spirit was too mighty for the human will of the prophet, and he poured forth, under the irresistible Impulse of his inspirations, a succession of the most glorious predic

16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And 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 Zippor:

19 God is not a man, that he 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, I have received commandment to bless; and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

22 God brought them out of Egypt: he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, 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 people 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 proy, and drink the blood of the slain.

25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.

26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do ?

27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.

28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.

29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven builocks and

seven rams.

30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.

CHAPTER XXIV.

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

tions that the enemies of Israel could have heard. Ver. 21. That

is, such iniquity and perverseness as other people were guilty of, or he would not, because of his promises, take vengeance on the offenders. Ver. 23. No enchant ment, neither divination: that is, none which could affect their safety.

Ver. 1. He had by this time discovered that all his arts and attempts were vain to propitiate the Lord for the Moabites, and turn his hand against his people. He now therefore yielded willingly to the divine influence, and, setting his face towards the wide spread camp of Israel, thus sublimely figured

tents according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

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, which 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 and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign-aloes, which the LORD hath planted, and as cedartrees beside the waters.

7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an 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 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times ?

11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from

honour.

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; but what the LouD saith, that will I speak?

14 And now, behold, I go unto my people; come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam 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 know

ledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

17 I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall 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

forth its future success and power. -Ver. 4. 1 Sam. xix. 24; Ezek. i. 28; Dan. viii. 18; x. 16; Rev. i. 17. Ver. 9. Gen. xlix. 9; xii. 3; xxvii. 29. Ver. 17. The mind is overwhelmed with astonishment at this wonderful prophecy, which, applying as it did in a certain degree to the triumphs of the Israelites, so brightly imaged out

destroy him that remaineth of the

city.

20 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 Chittim, 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.

AND Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LoaD may be turned away from Israel.

5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor.

6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came, and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman, in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the 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 the priest, saw it, he rese 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.

9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, that turned my wrath away from the

the glories of the Messiah. - Ver. 24. Chillim: that is, Macedonia, as is generally supposed.

Ver. 1. The Lord had strongly warned the Israelites against the temptations to which they would be exposed as they came near the nations surrounding the promised land; but his warnings were neglected, and, having allowed themselves to be ensnared by sensual passion, they at once fell into the grossest idolatry: So sure is the indulgence of unlawful desire to destroy the energies of the mind, and render it dull to the most obrious distinctions of truth and falsehood. Ver. 3. Baal-peor : this was one of the basest of 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 children 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 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them:

18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.

CHAPTER XXVI

AND it came to pass after the

plague, that the 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 upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.

3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab, by Jordan near Jericho, saying,

4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.

5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites:

6 Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

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 Pallu; 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 false deities.-Ver. 13. 1 Chron. vi. 4.

Ver. 1. A long interval had now elapsed since the former numbering, and many thousands of the people had fallen beneath the inflictions which they had brought upon themselves by their wickedness. The time, moreover, was now at hand when the entrance to Canaan was to be laid open, and it was essential to their proper settlement on the different portions of land that the force of each tribe should be known. The reader may profitably compare the accounts of the two numberings, as he will then see how the tribes had increased or decreased. Ver. 9. See chap. x. 2; xvi. 6. —

Korah, when they strove against the LORD:

10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed 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.

12 The sons of Simeon, after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites:

13 Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

14 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.

15 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 five hundred,

19 The sons of Judah were 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 Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites:

21 And the sons of Pharez were t 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 Of 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 Shimron, 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 Of the sons of Zebulun, after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: 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 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 Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.

30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites of Helek, the family of the Helekites:

31 And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites:

32 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

33 And Zelophehad the son of

Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

34 These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.

35 These are the sons of Ephraim, after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites 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 sous of Ephraim, according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph, after their families.

38 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 Shaphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, 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 families of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan, after their families.

43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.

44 Of the children of Asher, after their families: 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 Malchielites.

46 And the name of the daughter

of Asher was Sarah.

47 These are the familles of the sons of Asher, according to those that were numbered of them, who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

48 Of the sons of Naphtali, after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites:

49 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, 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 These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand, and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

52 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance, according to the number of names.

54 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be

given according to those that were numbered of him.

55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.

57 And these are they that were numbered of the Levites, after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.

59 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

60 And upto Aaron was born Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.

62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males, from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was

no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

63 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.

64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness 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 Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

CHAPTER XXVII. THEN came the daughters of

Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar 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 wilder ness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD 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. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

6 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 inheritance 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 he 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 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.

14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh, in the wilder ness of Zin.

15 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 which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

18 And the LORD said unto

11; and Josh. xvii. 3. Ver. 12. Abarim: this was a chain of mountains bordering the district of the Moabites and Ammonites. The part which Moses ascended was called Nebo, and the summit Pisgah. See Deut. xxxii. and xxxiv. Ver. 14. Chap. xx. 10-12.

Ver. 65. See chap. xiv. 28, 29. How awful a proof was thus given of that often declared truth, that God's-Ver. 16. There is great sublimity mercy may be wearied, and that when it is, there is no place left for repentance? As the Israelites who had come out of Egypt lost the promised land, so thousands lose heaven; and when it is seen how the Almighty does sometimes withdraw all grace and possibility of return from obstinate sinners, surely no one ought to hazard his soul on the notion that he may at any time supplicate God and secure his pardon.

Ver. 1. Chap. xxvi. 33; xxxvi.

in this answer of Moses to the rebuke and announcement which he received from the Lord. He resigned himself with the deepest humility to the divine will, and listened with the calmness of mingled faith and penitence to the summons which called him from the prospect of Canaan to another world; but his thoughts were still auxiously employed for the people whom he had now so long conducted through difficulty and peril. -Ver. 18. See chap. xi. 17

28.

Moses, Take thee Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine 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 thou shalt put some of thine honour 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 Urim 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 him a charge; as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

AND the LORD spake unto Moses,

saying,

2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.

3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot, day by day, for a continual burnt-offering.

4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.

6 It is a continual burnt-offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

7 And the drink-offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink-offering.

8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat-offering of the morning, and as the drinkoffering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

9 And on the sabbath-day two lamhs of the first year without spot, and two tenth-deals of flour for 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 drinkoffering.

11 And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burntoffering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot:

12 And three tenth-deals of flour

Joshua had shewn his faith and heroic trust in the Almighty by his conduct when he returned with the spies, and disputed, in conjunction with Caleb, their discouraging account of the prospect presented by the promised land. See chap. xiv. 38.

Ver. 3. Exod. xxix. 38.-Ver. 16. Exod. xii. 18; Levit. xxiii. 5.

for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth

deals of flour for a meat-offering, mingled with oil, for one ram;

13 And a several tenth-deal of flour mingled with oil for a meatoffering unto one lamb, for a burntoffering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

14 And their drink-offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb; this is the burnt-offering of every month throughout the months of the year.

15 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burntoffering, and his drink-offering.

16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.

17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no manner of servile work therein.

19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire, for a burnt-offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish.

20 And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth-deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth-deals for a ram;

21 A several tenth-deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, through

out the seven lambs:

22 And one goat for a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you.

23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt-offering in the morning, which is for a continual burntoffering.

24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt-offering, and his drink-offering.

25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.

26 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meatoffering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work :

27 But ye shall offer the burntoffering for a sweet savour 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 tenthdeals unto one bullock, two tenthdeals unto one ram,

29 A several tenth-deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs;

30 And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.

31 Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish,) and their drink-offerings.

Ver. 26. Exod. xxiii. 16; xxxiv. 22; Levit. xxiii. 10. These laws were repeated, it seems, that the people, previously to being led into the promised land, might be strongly impressed with the necessity of obedience. Many also were now grown up who were children when the law was originally given.

CHAPTER XXIX.

AND in the seventh month, on

the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.

2 And ye shall offer a burntoffering for a sweet savour 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 mingled 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 for a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you:

6 Beside the burnt-offering of the month, and his meat-offering, and the daily burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and their drinkofferings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

7 And ye shall have on the tenth day of the seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein:

8 But ye shall offer a burntoffering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish.

9 And their meat-offering shal! be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth-deals to a bullock, and two tenth-deals to one rain,

10 A several tenth-deal for one Jamb, throughout the seven lambs;

11 One kid of the goats for a sinoffering, beside the sin-offering of atonement, and the continual burnt-offering, and the meat-offering of it, and their drink-offerings.

12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an 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 burntoffering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour 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 mingled with oil, three tenth-deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenthdeals to each ram of the two rams, 15 And a several tenth-deal to each lamb of the fourteen larabs;

16 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, beside the continual burnt-offering, his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

17 And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year, without spot:

18 And their meat-offering, and their drink-offerings, for the bul locks, 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 their drink-offerings.

20 And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year, without blemish: 21 And their meat-offering, and

Ver. 1. Sec Levit. chap. xxiii.

their drink-offerings, 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 burntoffering, and his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

23 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and 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, shall be according to their number, after the manner;

23 And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, beside the continual burat-offering, his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

26 And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 27 And their meat-offering, and their drink-offerings, for the bul locks, 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 burntoffering, and his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

29 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-offerings, for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner;

31 And one goat for a sin-offering, besile the continual burntoffering, his meat-offering, and his drink-offering.

32 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-offerings, 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 burntoffering, his meat-offering, and his drink offering.

35 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly; ye shal' do no servile work therein:

36 But ye shall offer a burntoffering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour 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 bul lock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner;

38 And one goat for a sin-offering, beside the continual burntoffering, 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 peaceofferings.

40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.

ΑΝ

CHAPTER XXX.

ND Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the Ver. 35. This was the day alluded. to by St John, vii. 37. as the "last and great day of the feast."

children of Israel, saying, This is 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.

3qIf 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 bath 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 wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand; and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.

6 And if she had at all an husband when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith. she bound her soul;

7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day. that he heard it; then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it, then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect; 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;

11 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 hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bou of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.

13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband 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, be

one

Ver. 2. These qualifications respecting the keeping of vows were of the highest consequence, being founded in mercy, and on the real nature of things. A vow wrong in itself could not be observed without a direct violation of the laws of God; a vow made by some under the just control of others could not be kept, contrary to their will, without a manifest violation of social or domestic duty: when, on the other hand, those who had the right to prohibit its observance refrained from doing so, or neglected to notice it, it was fitting that the row, if otherwise lawful, should be binding.

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2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.

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 LORD 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 thousand armed for war.

6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them aud Phinchas 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, besides 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?

Ver. 1. See chap. xxv. Ver. 8. The speedy fate of Balaam, and the ailusion made to him in ver. 16. are strong proofs of the guiltiness of his conduct and disposition. See 2 Pet. ii. 15. Ver. 9. There is every reason to believe that the women were spared rather from motives of sensuality than mercy. But the war was begun at the express command of the Almighty, and the Israelites were but his instruments in taking vengeance on the base and deceitful idolaters whom he had resolved to root out

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