Exodus 23

Chap. XXIII. Ver. 1—19. Farther political laws, and gracious promises.—The 2d and 3d verses of this chapter enjoin strict a ghan in judgment. “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil,” is an excellent maxim, but the original is more comprehensive. The Hebrew Rabbins include the great, as well as the many. “Thou shalt not follow the great, the mighty, the learned, to do evil: neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after (the) many (or great) to wrest judgment.” An ancient Jewish commentator tells us, “that, among the Jews, the judges of less authority and character were to give their opinion first, for fear they should be biassed by the judgment of those of greater.” On the contrary, a sycophant Roman senator desired to know the opinion of Tiberius in a certain case, and then he should soon be able to form his own!

The three great annual feasts are here enjoined, namely, the passover, or feast of unleavened bread, to which was annexed that of the first-fruits; the pentecost, or feast of harvest; and the feast of tabernacles, (or booths,) and of the ingathering at the end of the year, when all the fruits of the earth and of the vintage were completely gathered in. Of these feasts, two things must be remarked. 1. That all the males were to attend them from a certain age; that is, according to Maimonides, “every son that can hold his father by the hand, and go up from the gates of Jerusalem to the mount of the temple; his father is bound to cause him to go up and appear with him, that he may catechise him (or train him up) in the commandments.

2°. That females, slaves, and men that were lame, infirm, blind, &c. were not to attend. As to the women, the learned Joseph Mede gives three reasons for their non-attendance, 1. From the weakness of their sex; 2. From the danger of their virtue, amidst so vast a mixed multitude of men; and, 3. From the necessity of their remaining at home to take care of their families and houses.—One of the prohibitions here given may seem singular to many: “Thou shalt not seethe (or boil) a kid in his mother’s milk.” This is, first, a lesson of humanity, like that which forbids taking the dam with the young of birds: ((Deuteronomy 22:6).) and secondly, a prohibition of an ancient practice of idolatry, which they had probably seen in Egypt.

Dr. Cudworth quotes the following from an old Karaite manuscript:— “It was a custom of the ancient heathens, when they had gathered in all their fruits, to take a kid and boil it in the dam’s milk; and then, in a magical way, to go about and besprinkle with it all their trees, fields, gardens, and orchards, thinking thereby to make them more abundantly fruitful.” Spenser has shown that the Zabians also used this idolatrous custom. Ver. 20—33. A guide promised to the Israelites.—“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way,” &c. To the rank and character of this angel we have repeatedly adverted; (see on (Genesis 16:7). xxxi. 24. xlviii. 16. (Exodus 14:19). xix. 1.) and some particulars are here added, which seem to confirm the opinion above given, that this angel was no less a person than the Son of God himself.

It is here said, “My name is in him;” i.e. my peculiar name, Jehovah. Christ is “the image of the invisible God,” the “brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person;” and being thus “in the form of God, he thought it no robbery to be equal with God;” yet did he humble himself, first, to be the guardian angel of the Israelites, and, subsequently, the Redeemer of mankind. ((Colossians 1:15). (Hebrews 1:3). (Philippians 2:6).) The modern Jews, indeed, explain this text of a created angel; but not so their fathers. Some of the ancient Rabbins say this angel was “Metatron, the great scribe;” alluding probably to Isaiah ix. 6. where Messiah is called “the Counsellor,” which the Septuagint renders, “The Angel of the Great Council;” called the Angel of the Covenant, (Malachi 3:1). But the most express and remarkable illustration of his character is quoted by Dr. Clarke from Philo Judeus, who says, “God, as the shepherd and king, conducts all things according to law and righteousness, having established over them his right Word, his only begotten Son, who, as the viceroy of the Great King, takes care of, and ministers to, this sacred flock. For it is somewhere said, ‘Behold, I am; and I will send my angel before thy face to keep thee in the way.’” Of this great angel it is said, “Beware of him, and obey his voice; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions.” This last sentence has been urged to prove that this angel was, as we have said, Christ himself; for who else could pardon?

But, on the other hand, some have thought it inconsistent with his gracious character; but if we refer to what is said above, (Exodus 6), on the name Jehovah, we shall perhaps see the propriety of the caution. The awful name residing in the angel, was to remind them of the terrible judgments inflicted on the Egyptians, the fame and terror of which going before them, was to intimidate their enemies; as it is said, “I will send my fear before thee:” and, at the same time, the recollection of them should guard them against treating himself with presumption or contempt. He, in whom this name resided, must not be trifled with. A host of hornets, also, were to precede them, and gradually prepare their way; and wherever Israel obtained possession one of their first aims should be to destroy the objects and monuments of idolatry, lest they should be seduced into the same crimes.

It may be thought strange that idolatry, which to us appears infinitely absurd, should be so bewitching to the ancients; and this may be attributed partly to the pomp and pomp of their religious rites, but still more to the license it allowed to the grosser passions of mankind; the indulgence of which, in many instances, formed a part of their religious worship. The same thing is observable in the popular superstitions of the present day. It is too simple in its services, and too strict in its morality, to suit the taste of carnal minds.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XXIII. Ver. 2. Thou shalt not follow.—Bib. on this passage; also Ainsworth and Dr. Ver. 5. And wouldest forbear to help him.—Margin, “him;” or, “And wouldest cease to leave (thy business) for him; thou shalt surely leave it (to join) with him.” All these versions mean, that the ass, even of an enemy, is not to be left to perish under his burden in a ditch. Ver. 20. Behold, I send an Angel.—The authorities referred to in the Exposition, may be seen in the Bibloth. Bib., Ainsworth, Gill, Dr. A. Clarke, and Dr. Owen on the Hebrews. “Wilt cease to help Ver. 23. Mine Angel shall bring thee unto the Amorites, &c.—The Samaritan, LXX., Coptic, and at least one Hebrew MS., add the Gergashites, which makes up the seven nations of Canaan.—Dr. Clarke. Ver. 28. I will send hornets before thee.—This is repeated (Deuteronomy 7:20), and we read of its fulfilment in (Joshua 24:12). Tzérah, the hornet, is probably so called from the Arabic zaraa, to lay prostrate, strike down, because of the destruction occasioned by the violence of its sting. —Bagster. The hornet is a large species of wasp, very strong and bold, and its sting terrible. Ilian says, that the Phaselians (a people descended from the Canaanites) were forced to leave their habitations by wasps; and many similar instances may be found in Orient. Lit. No. 211; or Taylor’s Expos. Index. Cul. Chap. XXIV. Ver. 10. A paved work of a sapphire is no doubt the sapphire; which is a most beautiful precious stone of a fine true colour second only to the diamond in lustre, hardness, and value.

The ancient oriental sapphire is supposed to have been the same as the lapis lazuli. Pliny informs us that “the sapphire glitters with golden spots; that they are of an azure or sky-blue colour, but rarely intermixed with purple.” The ruby and topaz are considered of the same genus. Supposing, says Dr. A. Clarke, that these different kinds of sapphires are here intended, how glorious must a pavement be, constituted of polished stones of this sort, very transparent, with an effulgence of heavenly splendour poured upon them! —Bagster. The late king of France (Louis XVI.) had a sapphire with ‘a stripe of fine yellow topaz in the middle.”—Ency. Brit. Ver. 11. He laid not his hand.—That is, he inflicted no punishment, as the term is generally taken, (see (Nehemiah 13:21). (Psalms 55:20).) and—as the Greek and the Chaldee paraphrase here explains it, notwithstanding the prohibi- ((Exodus 19:21, 24). xxiv. 2.) against any of them attempting to ascend a mount,