Deuteronomy 14
PATmanner, sect. 6.< u Thus saith the Lord, If you do justice upon a city full of idolatry, I will account it, as if you had offered a whole burnt-offering unto me." • And if shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.] The Hebrew doctors do not entirely agree in the interpretation of these words. For some of them say (in that place of the Sanhedrin now named), that they were not so much as to make a garden or orchard in that place. Others of them say, though it might not be restored into the form of a city, yet thej might employ the ground in plantations of trees. But there are those who interpret the words so rigidly, that they think it was not lawful to erect any building there, not so much as a dove-house, but it was to lie waste. (See Selden, sect. 8,) If any man did attempt to build such a city r he was to be beaten, as the same great man observes, lib. i. de Synedriis, cap. 13. p. 558. self J] Unto this discourse about food, it was very proper to add a caution, (which he had given. before, Lev. xi. 39, 40.) that, though they might kill and eat any clean creature, yet if it died of itself, it was unlawful to eat it, because the blood was in it* Some verses ascribed to Phocylides contain this sense so fully, that one would think he. had read Moses, (See Jos. Scaliger in Eusebium, p. SS.) Thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is within thy gates.]The prcfcelytes of the gate (as they called them) who had not embraced their religion,. but were not idolaters,’ and therefore suffered to dwell among them, might eat such meat, having no obligation upon them to observe these laws; for they were not circumcised. Or thou mayest sell it unto an alien.’] To a mere gentile, who might happen then to be in their country. For there were three sorts of people called by the name of strangers, being not of the Jewish nation. First, such as had re* ceived circumcision, and consequently embraced the Jewish religion, who were called gere-tzedek strangers, or proselytes of justice. Others, were not circumcised, but yet worshipped the God of Israel, who were called strangers of the gate, or gere-tosha, strangers dwelling among them; because they were to abide in their country constantly. But there was, a third sort, called nocherim, which we here translate aliens, who were mere gentiles, and not suffered to have a habitation among them; but only to come. and go iatheir.traffic with them. „ For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God.] This reason was given in the beginning of this discourse, (ver. 2.) and so it is in Leviticus, in the conclusion of it. (See xi. TIiou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.] Now he plainly returns to caution them against idolatrous customs. For this was practised among the heathens in the end of harvest, when they sprinkled their fields and their gardens with this broth, to make them fruitful. It is mentioned twice before. (See Exod. xxiii. 19. and xxxiv. 2G.) e’..
Deuteronomy 14:17
And there shall cleave nothing of the cursed thing tojthine hand. They were not to take the smallest part of the spoil to their own use. “For as long as the wicked arc in the world (say the Jews in the forenamed title Sanhedrin), the fierce anger of God will remain in the world; but when they arc removed, the wrath of God also will cease.”" Now the wickedness of purloining any thing that was a cherem, as the Hebrews calLit, or an accursed thing, appears in the story of Achan,. who brought all Israel into danger by it, as we read in the seventh of Joshua. And Saul is an eminent example of it also, for he lost his kingdom for this sin, (1 Sam. xv. 3. 9. 19. 26, &c.) - Thai the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger.] This explains, in part, what he means in the former verse, when he bids them burn the city and the spoil,/or the Lord their God r i. «. to pacify the. Divine Majesty, who was highly incensed by such a wickedness.‘The punishment of which was, indeed, very terrible, but very necessary; because the crime was of so high a nature, that it struck at the very foundation of their religion and government. And sheiv thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee.] God promises to deal the better with them, for executing this judgment upon such dangerous offenders. And multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers.] They were not to fear any want of people, by cutting off such a multitude; for God promises to increase them by this loss.
Deuteronomy 14:18
When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command t/iee this day, &c. It was not sufficient that they kept themselves from idolatry, unless they also executed his vengeance upon idolaters: for the inflicting the punishment beforenamed was as right in his eyes, as the observance of any other of his precepts. CHAP. XIV.. Ver. I. Ye are the children of the Lord your God’.] Sothe Lord had owned them to be, when he sent Moses unto Pharaoh, to command him to dismiss Israel;, telling him he was his son, even his first-born, (Exod. iv. 22, 23.) This was a good reason, therefore, why they should own no other God but him;, and, consequently, follow none of the customs of idolatrous people, but be wholly governed by hislaws^
Deuteronomy 14:22
Tliou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, which the field bringeth forth year, by year. Thisdolh not seem to reach unto herbs, as the pharisees interpreted it;* of which see Grotius,on Matt, xxiii. 4. But though Casaubon and Drusius, and other great men, are. of this opinion, yet the contrary is maintained by persons of no small note; because our Saviour, when he determines this case, saith, “These things ye ought to have done, and not left. the other undone.” As for the tithe here mentioned, I have shewn elsewhere, that it was the manner of the eastern princes to receive the tenth of the fruits of their country, for the maintenance of their ministers and officers; as we read 1 Sam. viii. 15. In like manner, God, the great king of all the earth, and the peculiar sovereign of this country, required a tenth of all their increase for the maintenance of his priests and Levites in bis service. After which he ordered also a further tithe to be taken out of the nine parts remaining (which was called the second tithe), to be spent in feasts at his tabernacle. And this is, with great reason, thought to be particularly enjoined in these words; for of such tithes he speaks in the next verse. It might seem indeed a little hard, to give another tenth part, after they had paid one already, which they might be tempted not to perform exactly;;and therefore he saith, Thou shalt truly, that is,, faithfully, without any deceit or fraud, tithe all the increase ofthtjseed. 7 Arid when this was done, he required also, once in three years, a third tithe, for the use of the poor, (see ver. 28.) that they might also be entertained at his cost, though not at that. time at his houso. For it was suitable to his royal greatness, that all his subjects should, be feasted by his order at his, palace; and that the. poorest of them should not be neglected, but some time or other partake of his bounty; as they did at those, feasts I mentioned, where their men-servants and maid-servants were to be entertained as well as the Levites, (xii. 12. 18.)
Deuteronomy 14:23
And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there. See xii. 5, 6. Tlie tithe of thy corn, and of thy wine, and of thine oil.] This cannot be meant of the tithe paid to the Levites;. of which the people were not to partake^ but only the priests^ to whom the Levites were to give a tithe. Therefore it must be understood of the second tithe, separated (after the other was paid) for this holy use. The design of which was, that they might be secured in his religion, by eating and drinking in his presence; and thereby professing that they belonged to him, and were his thankful servants. The observation of R. Bechai upon these words [thy corn, thy wine, and thine oil] is something curious, but it hath a great deal of truth in it: — If thou pay the tithe,, saith he, then it is thy corn; if thou do not, it is my corn, and not thine (in like manner, if they paid the tithe of wine and oil); for it is said in Hosea ii. 9." Therefore I will return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof." For they forfeited the whole, who did not pay the tenth, which was the rent God reserved to himself. And the same R. Bechai represents this as a very merciful law: For it is the fashion of the world, saith he, if a man have gronnd of his own, to let it out to tenants at what rate he pleases, for a. half or third part, to be paid to him: but it is not so with the Almighty, whose the earth is, and who raises clouds, and waters it with rain, and sends down drops of dew, and makes fat the fruits of the earth; and. yet requires but one part of ten, for his own uses. This made it highly reasonable, that Moses should admonish the Israelites so often diligently to pay their tithe. And the firstlings of thy herds, and of thy flocks.] See concerning these, xii. 6…! i; That thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.] This justifies what I said, that the design of this was to preserve them steadfast in their religion, by having commu* nion with him, in so solemn a manner, every year: for that is meant by fearing the Lord always; “continuing in the worship and service of him alone. (See vi. 1.)
Deuteronomy 14:24
And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far off from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose, &c;. If they lived at so great a distance from the sanctuary, or the way was so bad, that it would be very troublesome and chargeable to carry those tithes in kind, here they have a liberty granted them to make money of them, and with that to buy provision for the feast at the sanctuary, when they came thither; as it follows in the next verse. AH things, likewise, which would not keep so long as till they, could go to the house of God, they were to turn into money; but things that were 4X2 Microsoft®’[chap. XV. not perishable, they wero to carry in kind, if they did not dwell too far off from it * t Ver. 25i Then shall thou turn it into money.] Adding a fifth part to it, as the law is, Lev. xxvii. 31. And bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose.] Put it into a bag by itself, and not mix it with other money, but keep it bound up till the next feast; and then carry it in their hand, to the place where God’s house was settled. God would not have them excused from going to that |)lace with these things in kind upon every slight reason; and therefore made it something chargeable to exchange them into money, by requiring a fifth part to be added. And besides, the ciders made a constitution, That this liberty should be allowed to none, but those who lived above a day’s journey from Jerusalem, which at last was the fixed place of God’s worship. And, that it might be known certainly what was a day’s journey, the places at that distance were fixed from every quarter; viz. Lydda on the west, the river Jordan on the east, Acrabatta on the north, and Elath on the south, as J. Wagenscil hath observed in his confutation of that blasphemous book, called Toldos Jeschu, p. 22. Ver. 2G. And thou shall bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, Sec] Purchase such provision as they most delighted in, of all meats that God’s law allowed. And thou shall eat there before the Lord thy God.] Make a holy entertainment at the house of God.. And thou shall rejoice, thou and thine household,] Menservants and maid-servants, as well as sons and daughters, (xii. IS.) together with the Levitcs, widows, orphans, and strangers.
Deuteronomy 14:27
And the Levite that is within. thy gates, thou shalt hot forsake him. They were always to be invited to these feasts. (Sec xii. 19.) For he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.\ They being wholly devoted to the worship of God, and the study of the law, as Maimonides observes, in his More Nevochim, par. iii. cap. 39. (Sec xii. 19.)
Deuteronomy 14:28
At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase. The opinion of the Hebrew doctors is, That this was not a distinct tithe from that which they call the second tithe, paid every year, but the very same, which every third year was not to be carried to the sanctuary, but to be employed to the comfort of the poor, in their own cities and houses. For thus they explain it: That in the third year after the yeai* of release, and in the sixth year, the tithe that was wont to be carried to the place where the sanctuary was, and there spent in feasts before God, was to be spent upon the poor in every town where they that paid the tithe lived; but every first, second, fourth, and fifth year, from the year of release, it was spent in holy entertainments at the house of God. In the year of release itself (which was every seventh year), no tithes at all were paid of any kind, because all lay common. So that every year the owner of the ground set out a second tithe; but he was not bound to carry it every year to Jerusalem; for in the compass of seven years, four of those years only were appointed for their journey thither, and two they stayed at home. (Sec Sclden, x>f Tithes, and lib. vi. de Jure Nat. et Gent. p. G93.) But this is contradicted by other great men, particularly by Bishop Montagu, who asserts these to be two distinct tithes: see p. 302, &c. especially p. 34G. and those that follow. And Josephns seems plainly to be of his mind, p. 349. Old Tobit calls it rpirrw Sacafiiv, the third tithe, i. 8. Hie tithe of thine increase the same year.] t. e. Of the third year.., And shall lay it np within thy gates.] It was not to be carried to the place where God’s house was, but to be spent at home.
Deuteronomy 14:29
And the Levite, because he hath no part norinheritance with thee. See ver. 37. And the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall, come, and shall eat, and be satisfied.] This tithe was not spent in joy and gladness, as the second titho was, (ver. 26.) when they went to God’s dwelling-place, but merely in the relief and comfort. of the poorer sort of people, who otherwise might have been forced to beg, or to serve strangers, and thereby bq( * in danger of being perverted from their religion. That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.] This tithe, the Jews say, was called the consummation of tithes; because herein the love of their neighbours was most eminently apparent; For it is likely they themselves had no sharo in this, as they had at the feasts upon the second tithe, but is wholly spent upon the persons here named. Whose hearts could not but be moved to pray to God for his blessing upon them in all their labours, which he here promises to bestow,