Deuteronomy 18

Jrim by his father, he was, notwithstanding, to transcribe one himself, as the Jews say; in the Gemara Sanhedrin, (cap. 2. sect. 13.) AH this is very agreeable to these words;.but whether he was bound, if he had not written a copy before he was king (as every private Israelite, they say, ♦was bound to do), to write two when he sat on the throne, may be doubted; for it cannot, without violence, be drawn from these words; and their authority is not sufficient to warrant it: they give, indeed, a plausible reason for it, that the one he was to carry about with him whithersoever he,went, and to read in the other at home; but why one copy might not serve for both these purposes, I do not see. -. Out. of that which is before the priests the Levites.] He was not to write one word of it out of his memory merely,.or any private man’s copy, but out of the book which was in the sanctuary, where the" original and uncorrupted copy,.was in the custody of God’s ministers: there are ia great many rules the Jews give about the right writing of this copy, which may be seen in Guil. Schickardi Mischpat •Hammelech, cap. 2. Theor. 5. Ver. 19; And it shall be with him.] Wheresoever he was, cither in the camp, or at home, or in any other place, provided it was pure, and free from filth, as the Jews limit it. (See there, Theor. 6.) i And he shall read therein all the days of. his life;] Diligently study it, not spending his time, as Maimonidcs glosses, in drinking and making merry, but in learning the law of God. (See there, p; 63.) From the neglect of this precept, their kings became so ignorant of the laws of God, and of their obligation to observe them, that, in the’ days of the good king Josiah, he was strangely started at what he heard read out of this book of the law, when it was found in the temple, where it had long lain without any knowledge of if. That he may learn to fear Hie Lord his God.] Bo preserved in the true religion. * - To keep all th-e words of this law, and these statutes, to do them.’) Be acquainted with his whole duty, and perform it constantly. (See Josh. i. 8.) k Vcr. 20. Tliat his heart be not lifted up above his brethren.) Not imagining himself to be above all laws, nor slighting his subjects as unworthy of his notice, but taking a due care to promote their happiness. " For as the Scriptures (saith Maimonides) provided the king should have great honour done him, obliging all to reverence him, so it commands him.to be lowly in heart, and not to carry himself insolently: let him be gracious, and full of clemency to little and great, so shall he go out, and come in, with the love and good wishes of them all." Unto which Nachmanides adds this pious reflection: “If the Scripture deters kings from pride and haughtiness of heart; how unbecoming is it in other men, who are far inferior to them?” &c. * * And that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand or the left.] Neither by changing the laws, on pretence of making better-; nor by abrogating them, on pretence -of their inconveniency: but where the Divine law was not clear, or where nothing was there defined, he might by his authority make newconstitutions, as David and Solomon did, as well in sacred as in civil matters. To the aid that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, Jie, and his children, in the midst of Israel.] This shews that jGod intended to establish a successive right in that family to which ho chose to give the kingdom", if they continued in a constant observation of his laws.‘And, indeed, there is no way to establish and perpetuate a family in the throne, like the due observation of laws, though they be but human, notDivine laws: for, as Aristotle truly said, * He that commands the law shall govern all (i.e. all things be ordered according to law), So«7 Ktktvuv aQxw rov Gebv kq\ rovg vojiovc’seems to command that God should rule, and the laws: but he that bids a man rule without laws (according to his own will), irpo(rriOr<n Oripiov, sets up a beast togova-n." And above all things, he ought to endeavour to win the love of his subjects, by humility and clemency; as the same Aristotle taught Alexander, if we may believe R. Jedaja, in his book called Mibchar Happeninim, where he reports a letter of his to that great prince," advising him to gain the affection of his people by a gentle government, which is far better than to rule tyrannically by force and violence: " For to what purpose is it to have possession of their bodies, when the true possession is to be master of their hearts? get possession of their hearts by clemency, and that will draw their bodies’ alon? with them/’ 5. 8. Numb. xv. 3.) in which the people had a considerable interest..,.,.*-’… <. Whether it be ox, or sheep.’] Under sheep are comprehended goats also, as I have observed. (See Lev. iii.). And they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, >] Together with the breast; as we read Lev. vii. 32 — 34. And the two cheeks, and the maw J] These were not given to the priests before, but were now added to their portion, being accounted the. best part of the beasts: for, as the cJieeks were the best part of the head, and the shoulder, and breast the best of, the other members of the body, $o the maw was the principal part of the entrails,.as Maimonides observes, par. iii. More Nevochim, cap. 39. By the maw is meant the stomach; and in beasts that chew the cud, who have four stomachs, that which is called by the Greeks tiwotqov, viz. the lowest of them, which. had this name, because the digestion which is begun in the other, is here perfected and completed: and it appears that this part of the. entrails was accounted by the ancients a great dainty, as Bochartus proves out of Aristophanes, in his Hierozoicon, par. i. lib. ii. cap. 45. p. 505-,,.. altar it then was; who, by the ordinance of God, delivered to Moses and Aaron (who, they suppose, arc here called the fathers), were to have the right shoulder of the peaceofferings. Sec Lev. vii. 33, where it is said, " He among the sons of Aaron that offercth the pcaee-offcrings and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part;" in which jione other was to participate. But why this should be called ihe sales, I do not understand, unless we interpret it tis Forstcrus doth, venditiones, L e. " res venditas & patribus," things sold by the fathers, that is, appropriated by thcra (to the particular priest that offered the sacrifice), as things -sold -arc to. those that buy them. magical arts, were gathered together as his guard and courtiers. (See Ludolphi Comment, in Hist. Ethiop. cap. 16. n: 116.) But the common interpretation which the Jews give of chober timber is, that he is one who uses strange words, which have no signification; but he pretends are powerful to charm a serpent (for instance), that it shall not sting, or to preserve from any other harm. So Maimonides, in Avoda Zara, cap. 11. And to this sort of superstition the world was so addicted, that this precept of Moses could not bring the Jews quite off from it; but, when they threw away Other charms, they used the words of Scripture instead of them; pretending, for instance, to cure wounds by reading that verse in the law, Exod. xv. 26. " I will put none of these diseases upon thee," &c. So we find they themselves acknowledge in Sanhcdrin, cap. 2. sect.l. And Maimonides saith, in the forenamed treatise, this is forbidden by Moses in this place, as much as any other kind of charm; " for the words of the law arc turned hereby to another use than God intended in them; which was not for healing tho body, but curing the soul." And I see no reason why it should not be thought as great a crime to use the Schtm Hamphorash (as they call the name Jehovah) to such purposes; and yet the Jews are so stupid as to imagine Moses wrought all his miracles by the virtue of it. Maimonides, indeed, was so sober as to reject this (common conceit, condemning those who think there was a power in the very letters and pronunciation of the word, (lib. i. More Nevochim, cap. 62.) Or a constdter with familiar spirits, or a wizard.] Of these two see what I have noted, Lev. xix. 31. and Lev. xx. 6. A necronutncerJ] In the Hebrew, one that seeks to, or inquires of, the dead. It is not easy to tell wherein this differs from one that had a familiar spirit, as we translate It.- For the woman whom Saul consulted, who had a spirit, called Obot h, inquired also aftef this manner; their spirit, it seems, teaching such persons to call for the dead to appear to them: but some, perhaps, had not such a spirit, who notwithstanding consulted the dead, by going to their graves in the night, and there lying down, and muttering certain words with a low voice, that they might have communion with them by dreams, or by their appearing to them: unto which the prophet Isaiah is thought to allude, viii. 19. xxix. 4. Maimonides, in Avoda Zara, cap. 11. sect. 15. thus describes a necromancer; He is one, who, having afflicted himself with fasting, goes to the burying-placc, and there lies down, and falls asleep; and then the dead appear to him, and tell him what he desires. Such are they also, who put on a certain kind of garment, speak some uncouth words,. and make a fume, and then lie down alone, that the dead, whom they desire, may come to them, and discourse with them in their sleep. To the same purpose Abcn Ezra. To this the gentiles were very prone; and it was thought so high an attainment to come to this knowledge, that Julian the apostate, who was ambitious to be acquainted with all the heathen mysteries, secretly practised this Nefcuo/uavnfe, in the most retired part of his palace, cutting up the bodies of virgins and boys, to bring up the dead to him; which was far more impious than what, the Talmudists say (in the title Bcracoth), that such kind of people were wont to burn the secundine of a black cat, when she had her first kittens, and, beating it very small, put some of the powder npon their eye, whereupon demons appeared to them. (See Greg. Nazianz. in his invectives against Julian,.p. 91, tad St. Chrysostom, in his oration upon St. Babylas.) I shall only add, that this was not only privately practised among the gentiles, but there were also public places to which men resorted to consult the dead, particularly at Thesprotis, near to the river Acheron, where Herodotus, lib. v. mentions a Nc/cvojuavr/Aov; and Plutarch (to name no more) mentions another at Heraclea, which Pausanias, in his distress, went to consult, as he relates in the life of Cimon. perpetual springs or fountains, over which (substantial powers) the goddess Themis is said to preside/’ &ci Which shews that Julian, who called Jupiter the most high God, the King of all, yet courted other inferior powers, by such rites, as he imagined would win their favour: which was rank idolatry. But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.] But absolutely forbidden it, Lev. xix. 31. xx. 6. where he warns them to have nothing to do with some of the persons here mentioned; and not only instructed them in the way to live happy, but established an oracle among them, to be consulted on all weighty occasions, and governed them by men, whom he had endued with his Spirit, (Numb. xi. 1G, 17. 25.) Therefore, if any Israelite practised any of the things here forbidden, though he did not worship any idol, lie was scourged by the sentence of the court of judgment. (See Selden, lib. de Jure Nat. et Gent. cap. 7J) • John viii. 28. 42. * This was the highest honour of all, to speak God’s words, (ver. 47.) in the name of God, (ver; 42;) I conclude this with the remarkable words of the Midrasch upon Ecclesiastes, who thus expresses the sense of this prophecy, cc As was the first Redeemer, such shall be the last Redeemer" Which plainly determine the prophet here spoken of to be one single person; and he no other but the Lord Christ. (See Huetius, in his Demonst. Evang. propos. 7. n. 9.) / will require it of him.’] Severely punish him, so as to destroy him from among his people, as St. Peter interprets it, Acts iii. 23. And so this phrase is used, Gen. ix. 5. xlii. 22. And there was great reason for this severity, seeing they had so solemnly bound themselves to hearken to this prophet, when they desired God not to speak anymore to them by himself, but by a mediator, which God then promised, as I observed, ver. 18. A mediator of a better covenant, who should secure them from such dreadful flames, as they then saw, if they would hearken to him, as they promised to do; otherwise, what could they expect, €t but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment, and fiery indignation, to devour the adversaries?" For since " he that despised Moses’s law died without mercy, under two or three witnesses, of how much sorer punishment, suppose, ye, shall he bo thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot ttie Son of God," in the open face of all the world? Heb.x. 27—29. which is a full explication of these words, Whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him; or, is Qnkelos translates it, my Word shall require it of him: where Memra, Word, can signify nothing but a Divine person, distinct from him who speaks these words, even that very person to whom the apostle applies them. prophet’s words were fulfilled in one or more things, he was not to be judged a true prophet, unless every thing hQ spake in the name of God came to pass: which he proves from those words concerning Samuel, (1 Sam. iii. 19, 20.) " The Lord let none of his words fall to the ground: and all Israel knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord/’ The Jews also made this addition to the rule forcmentioned of trying prophets, as Mr, Scldcn observes, (lib. iii. de Syncdr. cap. 5. n. 3.) that “whatsoever prophet had the testimony of another undoubted prophet, was to be taken for a true prophet.” By which rule they might have known the great Prophet whom God promised to thcra in the foregoing verses: for John the Baptist, whom the whole nation took for a prophet, testified to them that Jesus was the Christ. And besides all other undoubted marks of his being sent from God, his rising from the dead, which he himself foretold, was enough to satisfy all men of the truth of what he said: for though every prediction of what afterward comes to pass, will not necessarily prove a man to be a true prophet; yet the fulfilling of a great number of things (not one of which fails, as was said before of Samuel), especially of such a thing as this, which was impossible to be brought to pass but by an almighty power, is an uncontrollable evidence of a Divine mission. R. Solomon, upon this verse, hath a note which is worth. our observation, though it be not to the purpose of Moses’s words: " A prophet. (saith he) that bids thee not observe some of the precepts, is not to’be heard, unless he be known to be a man of eminent virtue, and upright life, as Elijah was, w T ho bade them build an altar on Mount Carmcl, even when the sacrifices upon high places were forbidden. But there was a necessity for it, that he might restore the true worship of God in Israel." >Vhich should have made them hearken to our blessed Saviour, better than they did, he being so perfectly holy and pure, that he challenged any of them to charge him with sin; especially, when he only laid aside some of their vain traditions, but conformed to all the rites of Moses: so that if in conclusion wc should grant that Moses (in the fourteenth and sixteenth verses, &c.) speaks of all the prophets that should succeed him (which it is certain he doth not principally intend), the Jews were impious in rejecting our Saviour, who came as a prophet to them, and had all the marks that a prophet could Jiave of his being sent from God. But the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously.’] For it was an act of high presumption, and arrogant pride, for any man to pretend a commission from God, when he had not sent him. Which was done two ways, as the Jews interpret this, cither when a man spake in the name of God that which was false, or when he pretended that to have been spoken to him which was revealed by God to another. (See Jcr. xxii. 30.) Both these were impudent impostors, and accordingly to be treated. Tlioa shalt not be afraid of him.] Have no reverence or regard to him, though he be never so confident: nor be afraid to lay hold of him, and endeavour to bring him to the Sanhcdrin, to have their sentence passed upon him (as the Jews understand it), though he have never so powerful an interest to support him, and preserve him from punishment. Thus Maimonidcs, in the forcnamed preface to Seder Zeraim: " Thou shalt not be terrified, or averted from endeavouring to have him put to death, by, his religion, goodness, or knowledge, since in his proud brags he hath spoken false things of God." # For to be afraid of such a person, and of his partakers, was to dis-’ trust God, who is the defender of those that defend the cause of religion.

Deuteronomy 18:1

JL HE priests the Invites, and all the tribe of Levi. Or, even the whole tribe of Levi. (Sec xvii. 9.) TJiey shall have no inheritance with Israel.] As had been said Numb, xviii. 20. and here in this book, x. 7. * Which made’it the more necessary Moses should remind the people of that maintenance God had appointed for them; which, unless it was duly given them, religion could not be supported; and consequently the government (of which he had been speaking) would be quite confounded. TJiey shall eat the offbings of the Lord made by fire.] Not the burnt-offerings, which were wholly God’s; but all other offerings, of which a share was appointed for the priests the sons of Aaron, (Numb, xviii. 9 — 11. 18, 19.) " And his inheritance.] That is, the inheritance of the Lord, of whom he spoke before, who had reserved certain oblations to himself, and bestowed them upon the priests: They are mentioned Numb, xviii. S, 9. and ver. 12 — 15. wbere he first speaks of the first-fruits, and the first-born, which were all brought unto the Lord, and by him given to them. In like manner, all the tithes of the land are said to be a heave-offering unto the Lord, ver. 24. where he saith,‘I have given them to the Levites to inherit. So these two, the offerings of the Lordrnade by fire, and his inheritance, comprehend all that belonged to his ministers, whether priests or Levites/

Deuteronomy 18:2

Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren; the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them. The Lord had given them that part and portion of the offerings which were peculiarly his own; and therefore is said to be their inheritance, because they enjoyed his inheritance; as thesfc holy things are called in the foregoing words. •: (See Numb; xviii; 20. 24. and Josh. xiii. 14. 33.)

Deuteronomy 18:3

And this shall be the priest’s due from the people. Besides those things that God gave them, which peculiarly belonged to him.‘i From them that offer d sacrifice.] Of peace-offerings, which are sometimes called simply a sacrifice, (Lev. xvii.

Deuteronomy 18:4

The first-fruits also of thy corn,.ofthy wine, and of thy oil. See Numb, xviii; 12. To which it may be useful to add this out of Maimonides (who hath distinctly represented the order wherein all oblations were made), that after the fruits of the earth were gathered, every man was bound to,bring a fiftieth part of them, as a first-fruit to the priests, which was called irumah gedolah,the great oblation, of which Moses speaks in this place: and next of all, he separated a tenth part of the whole from the rest, which was r?iaasher rishon, the first tithe, and given to the Lqvites, (Numb, xviii. 24.) Then, out of what remained, another tenth part was taken, called maaser sheni,. the second tithe, which was every, third year given to the poor, and in the two intermediate years, spent in feasting at the house of God, (Deut. xiv. 28.). So that, for instance, if a man had pressed out a hundred and two logs of oil, he sent two of them as first-fruits to the priest, and then ten more, as tithe to the Levites, and deducted nine parts more out of the residue for the poor; by which it appears, that one-and-twenty parts of.a hundred and two, that is, a fifth part of the whole, was separated for pious and charitable uses. (See Schickard, in his Jus Regium, cap. 4. Theor. 15.) And the first of the fleece of thy sheep shall thou give him.] This is comprehended under first-fruits, but never particularly mentioned before now: and though the quantity is not mentioned, yet the Jews have adventured-to determine, that less than one fleece in sixty was not accepted. For so they say of all other jirst-fruits, that a sixtieth part of the whole was the least that any man gave; and he was accountedl a covetous man if he gave no more; they that were indifferently good, giving a fiftieth part, and liberal persons the fortieth. By this means the priests were provided with clothes, as by other offerings with food.,And the Avool also, as they call it, of goats (which were shorn in these countries) is comprehended under the fleece of sheep., l(;:::fr..,

Deuteronomy 18:5

For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord.* This was the office of a priest, to offer sacrifices unto God, and to bless the people in his name. «. >…. Him and his sons for ever.] The family of Aaron, of which he is, principally speaking. Who, when they were -few Jn. number, all ministered unto God; bujt afterward -they took their courses of attendance. And, as the Jews. say, there were eight courses before Moses died; four of the.family of Eleazar, and as many of Ithamar’s, which in David’s time were enlarged into four-and-twenty courses. (See Selden, lib. i. de Succession, in Pontificat. cap. 1.).» • Ver. G. And if a Levi te.] By a Levite he seems here to mean a priest. (See ver. 1.) For they only could minister unto God, and the Levites ministered unto them..;; t Come from any of thy gates out of all Israel] From any. city, in any tribe of Israel. Where he sojourned.] i. e. Leave the country where he hath. been wont to live. ■»… • / • And come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose.] With a sincere affection to devote himself to the perpetual service of God at the sanctuary; so that, instead of coming in his course, he would always wait there, and never stir from that place.

Deuteronomy 18:7

TJien he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God. Attend continually at the altar, to do all the service of the sanctuary. The LXX. translate it, He shall?ni?iister to the name, of the Lord, i. e. to the Divine Majesty, who. dwells there. k,,.* As his brethren the Levites c?o.] As all those do who live at that place.. -., Which stand there before the Lord.] To minister unto him: this was the case of Samuel.

Deuteronomy 18:8

They shall have like portion to eat. This shews that he is speaking of the priests; for the Levites did hot eat of the holy things offered at the altar: and the meaning is, that the rest of the priests who.waited there, should allow him the same portion which they themselves had in the sacrifices.. t „; % Besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.] Which was to remain proper to himself, and not be divided with other priests at Jerusalem (suppose) where he ministered. The Hebrew words are something obscure, being beside his sales by, or unto the fathers, that is, such possessions as their fathers purchased, and left to them: for* though the priests had no share in the land of Canaan given them at the division of it, yet they might purchase houses, and goods, and cattle; and sometimes they purchased fields, as we read Abiathar had fields of hisown at Anathoth, 1 Kings ii. 20. and the prophet Jeremiah, who was a priest also, purchased a field of his uncle’s son in his own town, Jer. xxxii. 7, 8, &c….w.r,r. But the.Jews make a quite different construction of these three verses, which they understand in this manner, that if any Levite (i. e. priest, for they only ministered before God) came up out of the city where he commonly resided, out of pure devotion to attend at the three solemn feasts, which were held at the place where the sanctuary was (where they were bound to wait, only Avhen their course came, but at these feasts might all come and minister in the sanctuary), his brethren, whose w r eek it, was then to attend, should both admit him to minister before God; with them, and also give him an equal portion. with themselves in the extraordinary sacrifices which were then offeredat those festivals, except only those which \v v ere peculiarly assigned to them whose week of waiting at the 4Z2

Deuteronomy 18:9

When thou art come into the land which the Lord iky God givcthihec. The land of Canaan, which the Lord was about to bestow upon them, according to his promise, Thoti shalt not leant to do after the abominations qftlwse nations.] Jfow he returns to warn them again not to fall into 4he idolatry and the superstitions of the country whither Ihcy were going. (Sec Lev. xviii. 3.).Vcr. 10. There shall not be found among you.] So as to $>e tolerated. Any one tliat maketh his son or his daughter to pass through tlicfire.] This was the most abominable idolatry •practised in that country whither they^were going, who consecrated their children in this manner to Moloch, or ihe sun, of which I have said sufficient, Lev. xviii. 21. Therefore I shall only add here, that this wicked custom seems to have flowed from this country of the Phoenicians and Tyrians unto the Carthaginians; who were guilty of the \ impiety of sacrificing their children, as they did also here unto Moloch, (Lev. xx. 2, 3.) which spread itself, in a manner, over all the world, as many have shewn; particularly Job. Oeusius, in -his treatise de Victimis Humanis, par. i. cap. 11. and it was found among the Americans, when that new world was discovered. (See also par. ii. cap. 5.)’ Or tliat useth divination.] Of which there were many •sorts; and one was, by rakinganto the bowels.of their safcrifiqes, particularly of human sacrifices;- by the observation of which they pretended to foretell things, as many authors testify; Yea, they offered little children on purpose, that thereby they might make their auguries, as the same Geusius hath observed in that book, (cap. 21.) Unto which, perhaps, there is a peculiar respect in this place; for I find most of the things here mentioned, joined in other places with making tlieir children pass through the fire, particularly 2 Kings xxi. G. 2 Chron. xxxiii. 6. And the prophet Ezekiel seems to intimate, that hereby they divined, when he charges the Israelites with this crime, xx. 2G. 31. For he adds, SJiall I be inquired by you, O house of Israel, who have inquired, that is, by making your children pass through the fire? < But it must be confessed, that the Hebrew words kosem kosemim (which we translate useth divination), are by many thought to have a peculiar respect unto such as used to divine by casting or drawing of lots. And the, word, as our learned Dr. Castcll observes, Isaiah 50 used in the Arabian language for distribution of lots. Which sort of divination was much in use among the Greeks and Romans; and had been so, it is very likely, in more ancient times among the eastern nations: for nothing is more known thaa the Sortes Pramcstiua3 and Putivinas among the Romans;, and the [chap. xvnr. Dodonassc, and DindymenDc, and many others, among the Greeks, particularly that at Bura in Achaia, where there was a cave in which was the image Of Hercules; before which they, who resorted thither to inquire directions in any case, or the success of any affair, >iscd to fall down, and say their prayers, and after that to throw four dice upon the table, and by the letters or marks upon which they fell, tho divination was made; as Pausanias describes it in his Achaica* In other places they used them in a different manner, and the ancient Arabians divined by arrows, as our famous Dr. Pocock has shewn In his notes upon Gregor. Abulfaragus’s book, concerning tho Original and Manners of tho Arabians, p. 327, 328, &c. where he describes the manner of it, and shews that it was performed before some idol, and therefore was strictly forbidden, by Mahomet in his Alcoran, as a diabolical invention. In which he seems to have imitated Moses, who may be thought here to forbid such kind of divination; which was in use among the eastern people in the days of the prophet Ezekiel, xxi..21. where we find the same word osem, which that learned author thinks is illustrated by that Arabian custom. It is to be noted, also, that they used to divine by a dead man’s skull, as our Dr. AVindet hath observed out of the Sanhedrin, (cap. 7.) and Maimonides. Which custom the Greeks likewise followed; forTalladius relates howMacarius inquired irpbc rbv Xvpov icpaviov, at a dry skull, &c. (See Windet,[inhis book de Vitse Functorum Statu,.sect. 1.) Several sorts of such kind of persons there were among the Edomites, Moabites, and other nations near Jydea, who, in the days of Jeremiah, deceived the people with their divinations, prophecies, dreams, enchantments, and sorceries, as we learn from Jer. xxvii. 3. 9. Or an observer of times, or an enchanter.] Of these I have said enough upon Lev. xx. 26.. Or a witch.] This word signifies worse than any of the former, viz. one that doeth mischief unto men or beasts by evil arts: concerning which see upon Exod. xxii. 18. Unto which I shall here add, that the Jewish nation have been extremely addicted to witchcraft, and some of their famous rabbins have been suspected of it. (See J. Wagenseil upon Sota, p. 529.) Vcr. 11. Or a charmer.] There are various conjectures about the meaning of the Hebrew words chober chaber; which importing something of society, or conjunction, some translate fortune-teller, who by the conjunction of the planets pretends to predict future things; others, one that hath society with evil spirits, which is mentioned afterward, in another word. Job Ludolphus seems to me to have given the plainest account of the words, which he translates congregans congregationem, gathering together a company. For it was an ancient way of enchantment, to bring various kinds of beasts into one place, which the rabbins distinguish into the great congregation, and the little congregation: the great was, when they assembled together a great company of the larger sort of beasts; and the less, when they gathered together as great a company of the smaller, such as serpents, scorpions, and the like: but we cannot be certain of this; though Tclezius tells us, it is in use at this day in the eastern countries. For so he describes the election of the king of Gingir, that ho stood compassed about with lions, tigers, leopards, and dragons, which, by

Deuteronomy 18:12

For all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord^\ Because they were invented by idolatrous people, if not by the suggestions of evil spirits. And because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.’] Expelled the Amorites, and other wicked inhabitants of the country, where they practised these abominations; which, no doubt, had some relation to idolatry, and therefore were forbidden to the Israelites. Vqr. 13. Thou shall be perfect with the Lord thy God.] This shews there was something of idolatrous worship in all the forenamed practices; which, if they’followed; it was, in some’ degree, to forsake the Lord, on whom they were wholly to depend, and seek to him alone.-in the ways which he had prescribed in his laws.’ For this was to be perfect with the Lord* to have nothing to do with any other God, nor with the rites and ceremonies that were used in their worship: and therefore the LXX. translate this word sometimes by aTrXow, (Job xxii. 8.) as well as by raXuoo); for then they were perfect.with God, when they kept his worship simple and pure, without the mixture of any foreign religion; which the whole context shews to be the sense, both in the words foregoing and following.

Deuteronomy 18:14

For tliose nations, which thou shall possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and’ to diviners. The ancient heathen, as Strabo tells us, lib. vi. had these diviners in such esteem, wart ical (iamXdac ov d%tov<T%atj tliat they thought them worthy of the highest authority. But God would not have his people so much as to consult such persons: for it appears by these words, that not only they who were diviners (for instance), but they who hearkened to thiem, were odious to’ God. For that even the art of divination depended upon some idolatrous opinions and practices, appears evidently, even from the most refined account we have of it in ancient authors: for instance, Ammianus Marcellinus, who, to acquit his master Julian from the suspicion of sorcery, which some said he used, to get the foreknowledge of things future, makes it a principal point of wisdom, not unworthy such a prince, who was a professed lover of all sciences, to ofFer placatory sacrifices to draw in the spirit of all the elements, to endue him with a spirit of divination: for so his words are in the beginning of his one-and-twentieth book: " Tho spirit of all the elements, being all way and every way invigorated with the forepcrcciving motion of the everlasting ( i. e. the heavenly) bodies, makes us partakers of the gifts of divining; and the substantial powers, ritu diverso placata, being rendered favourable by respective rites (u e. such as were proper and suitable to each of them), convey predictions to mortality, as from so many

Deuteronomy 18:15

TJie Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet. Since the Jews, as all other nations, were extremely desirous to know things to come, Moses reveals unto them from God a thing future of the highest importance, viz. the earning of Christ, and the greatness of “his authority; and in aftcrtimes God revealed to them, by degrees, the time of his birth, his death, resurrection, &c. The Jews, indeed, commonly take these words to be a promise of a constant succession of prophets, that should be among them, to preserve them from going to such diviners as were famous among their heathen neighbours; and thus many Christian interpreters make out the connexion of these words with the foregoing. But though this maybe allowed to be intimated, and this promise be acknowledged to be partly verified in those prophets which God raised up, from age to age, after Moses, for further knowledge of his will (as the promise of a Saviour was in part verified in those judges and kings by whom God delivered bis people from their enemies), yet it is very evident; that he speaks of a single prophet more eminent than all the rest; and that these words, in their most literal sense, cannot belong to any other, person but the Messiah. So that albeit the continuance of prophets among this people, w T as a means to prevent all occasions of consulting sorcerers or witches; yet the chief ground upon which Moses dissuades them from such practices, according to the literal connexion of these words with the foregoing, the Lord thy God hath not suffered tliee to do so, L e. to hearken unto observers of times and diviners, was, the consideration of their late xnightyjdeliverancc by Moses; the excellency of their present law, which God had given them for their direction; and their expectation of a greater Lawgiver in future times, wheii the first covenant should wax old, and prophecy itself for along time fail, as it did* before the coming of this great prophet, the Lord Christ. To this purpose Dr. Jackson, in his third book upon the Creeds chap. 21. parag. 19. From the midst of thee, of thy brethren.] It’ was a great honour” to them to have such a prophet as is here spoken of, arise out of their nation; but as he w^as after a peculiar sort raised up by Jehovah, not merely by tho external * assistances or impulsion of his Spirit, (to use the words of the same excellent person, parag. 1);) but by intrinsic assumption into the unity of his person; so likewise he was raised up in a strict and proper sense from the midst of them, being, as it were, extracted out of a pure virgin, as the first woman was out of the man, by the Almighty’s own immediate hand. Like unto me.] This shews he speaks of a single prophet/and not of a constant succession of prophets, there being none of them like to Moses, whom God himself distinguished from them all, (Numb.xii. C — 8.) And accordingly that Divine writer, who added those verses which are at the end of this book (concerning the death of Moses), testifies that there never rose in Israel a prophet like to Moses. (Sec Dcut. xxxiv. 10.) It is commonly thought to he done by Ezra, who hath effectually confuted all the conceits of R. Bechai, Abcn Ezra, Abarbinel, and other Jewish doctors, who take either Joshua or Jeremiah to have been this prophet. If Joshua, as some fancy, added these words,.then he excluded himself from being the person; nor did Joshua act as a prophet, but as a judge or governor: and Jeremiah is acknowledged by Abarbinel himself to, be inferior to Isaiah: for though in his preface to his commentary upon Jeremiah, he mentions fourteen things wherein he was like unto Moses, and saith he prophesied just forty years, as Moses did; yet, in his commentary upon the lesser prophets, he prefers Isaiah before them all, and censures the’rudeness of Jeremiah’s language, in many things preferring Ezekiel to him. So little do these doctors. agree in their interpretation of this prophecy, which can belong to none of their prophets which succeeded Moses (who were all much inferior to him), until He came, who perfectly resembled him, but w r as much superior to him* (Sec ver. 18.) And thus the ancient Jews understood this prophecy; for though Maimonides only saith, the Messiah should be endued wath wisdom greater than Solomon’s, and should equal their master Moses, yet those before him pro: ceeded a great deal further." This being a common saying among them, which Abarbinel himself remembers, in his commentary upon the small prophets, " He shall be exalted above Abraham, lifted up above Moses, and higher than the angels of the ministry." Nor is the cabalistical observation, mentioned in Baal-Hatturim, to be quite neglected; which is, that this verse begins and ends with the letter nan, which is the numeral letter for fifty, importing, that to the prophet here promised should be opened the fifty gates of knowledge,’ forty-nine of which only were opened to Moses." And that this verse also consists often words, to signify, that they w T ere to obey this prophet no less than the ten commandments: which observation, it must be confessed, is weakly grounded, but contains a most illustrious truth, and shews that they believed Moses here speaks of the Messiah.,. o Unto him shall ye hearken.] As they had engaged themselves to do: it will appear from the following words.

Deuteronomy 18:16

According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let tne not hear again the’ voice of the Lord, &c. So we read Exod. xx. 19. where they made this request unto Moses, saying, Speak thou wiUi us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest ive die. In which words the whole multitude bound themselves solemnly to hear the words of the Lord, being delivered not immediately from his own mouth, but by Moses’, as is, more fully expressed in this book, Deut. v. 27—29. where God highly commends this good resolution in them, as Moses here observes again in the next verse/ \ -.

Deuteronomy 18:17

And the Lord said nnto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. He approved their desire, and resolved not to speak to them any more, as he did from Mount Sinai, with a voice out of the fire and cloud; but by Moses himself while he lived, and afterward by one like to Moses, as it here follows.

Deuteronomy 18:18

I will raise them tip a Prophet from among their brethren. These words seem to have been spoken to Moses tiy God, when they desired God would not speak to them nny more immeulately by himself, but by a mediator. Then God was pleased to promise them a great deal more than they desired, which was to raise up another Prophet like to Moses, who should acquaint them more fully with his mind and will in as familiar amanner -as Moses did, without striking any such terror into them, as they were in at the giving of the law, though the words of this prophet came from the mouth of God himself: in which two things the Israelites excelled all other nations (i. e. in that they had such an excellent law delivered by Moses, which was to be bettered by an everlasting covenant, made by this Prince of the prophets)/ In respect of both (as the same Dr. Jackson expresses it), the name of sootlisayer, or sorcerer, -was not to be named in Israel, as they were in the nations that knew not God, much Jess expected such a Mediator. In whom the Spirit of life should dwell as plentifully, as splendour doth in the body of the sun; from whose fulness, ere he visibly appeared in the world, all other prophets were illuminated: so that Moses himself, and all the prophets that followed him, were but as messengers sent from God, to solicit his people to preserve their allegiance fr’eefrom all commerce or compact with familiar spirits, until the Prince of Glory came in person to visit them, and dwell among them. Like unto thee.’] This is well explained by Eusebius, vtvTipog Kara Mwv<x(a vofio^ir^g, a second lawgiver, as Moses was: for in saying not simply he would raise them up a prophet, but like unto thee, it must signify, saith he, that this Prophet should be a lawgiver as well as Moses, which none of the prophets were, till our Saviour came. Neither Isaiah nor Jeremiah were the makers of laws, but only called upon them to observe the law of Moses; whereas, when the Lord Jesus came, he gave laws to all the world, and those far superior to the laws of Moses, who only said, " Thou shalt not commit adultery f but our Lord saith, " I say unto you, Ye shall not lust;" and instead of " Thou shalt not kill," he saith, “Be not angry with thy brother,” &c. Whence it was that they who heard him were asto-" nislied at his doctrinfe, and said, that he spake not as the scribes, who were expounders of the law, but as one that had authority, that is, power to ordain and enact laws, and not only to explain those that were already written, (lib. i. Demonstr. Evahg. cap. 7. and lib. 111. cap. 2. lib. ix. p. 443, &c. see also what Joh. Wagenseil hath said upon these words, in his annot. in Lipman. Carm.Memoriale, p. 548.) And will pat my woi’ds in his mouth, and he shall speak nnto them all that I shall command him.] Reveal the whole mind and will of God, (John xii. 49, 50;) For he was herein like to Moses (though far superior to him), that he was intimately acquainted with God’s counsels, being “in the bosom of the Father,” (1 John xviii.) and confirmed all that he said to be from God by miracles, and wonders, and signs, far more mighty than those of Moses, and more in number than had been wrought by all the prophets, from the beginning of the world. Particularly, he fed multitudes with a little food, (which made the people cry out, " This is of a truth that Prophet which should come into the world," John vi. 14.) but above all this, gave them that bread from heaven, of which the manna which Moses gave them was but a shadow, as he took occasion to shew the people, upon their admiration of that miraculous feast he had made for them, with five barley-loaves, and two small fishes: for he himself was that bread of life, who nourished men’s souls with the word of eternal life, which he had in himself, as he shewed by his resurrection from the dead, which he himself predicted, and thereby proved himself the greatest of all the prophets: foir though Moses foretold his own death, yet neither he, nor any other prophet whatsoever but our Saviour, spake of his being raised up again. In which he may be thought to be like to Moses, who was raised up by God to be a saviour of his people out of that ark, which, without the special providence of God, had been his tomb. And unto this resurrection of Christ doth the propriety of this phrase, from the midst of thee, agree: for this was done, as Dr. Jackson also well observes, in the midst of Jerusalem, the metropolis of Jndea, not without express notice given of it to the rulers of the people; and such a confirmation it was, that he teas the prophet they, should all hear, that there could not be a greater; as all strangers, both to their religion and ours, must agree, and they themselves cannot deny; for Nachmanides, relating, in a letter of his to the rabbins at Marseilles, bdw therfc was a man in those days, in the southern -countries, who pretended to be the forerunner of the Messiah, unto whom great numbers both of Jews and Arabs resorted, tells us, that he being apprehended by the king of the country, and asked what miracle he shewed to confirm his commission, he answered boldly, “Cut off my head, and I will come to life again.” To which the king of the Arabs replied, “There is no sign greater than this; which, if it come to pass, both I and the whole world will believe thee.” Whereupon his head was cut off, and there was an end of all his pretences^ though some of the Jews were so mad, as Maimotrides there saith, that they still expected his return to. life. Thus R. Gedaliah reports in his Schalshelet Hakkabalah.

Deuteronomy 18:19

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken nnto my words, which he shall speak in my name. This is the proper character of a prophet, to deliver in the name of God what he received from God. This did Moses: but Christ most eminently, as I before observed from John xii. 49, 50. where he saith, I have not spokenof myself, but the Father which sent me; he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak, &c. whatsoever therefore I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. Which is a perfect commentary upon these words of Moses, who here calls Christ a prophet, not a priest, or a king (though he was to be both), because he would not have the Jews mistake, and expect to find in his person the worldly grandeur of a mighty prince, or the high honour and splendour of Aaron; but have the greatest regard to the heavenly doctrine which he taught them, as he himself (he told them) was taught by the Father: Fori proceeded forth (saith he) and came from God; neither came I of myself but he sent me; and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things,

Deuteronomy 18:20

But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, &c. These words plainly suggest to us, that Moses intended, in the foregoing discourse, to admonish the Israelites to hearken diligently to all such prophets as God should at any time raise up to them; though it be most evident, if we examine the propriety of every word or clause in the whole context, they cannot be exactly jfitted unto any prophet but Christ; unto whom the whole discourse is as fully accommodated, as a w; ell-made garment to the body that wears it. They are the words of the same excellent person, so often mentioned, Dr. Jackson, book iii. on the Creed, chap. 21. parag. 1, 2. Speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him, or tliat shall speak in the nau\e of other god$.] It was a manifest sign a man was a false prophet, if he spake in the name of Baal, or any other god, but the God of Israel: or if he said, Such a star by its spiritual influence coming upon me, said, Worship me after this manner, or, Thus call upon me, as Maimonides (who gives ah account of the several sorts of false prophets) speaks, in his preface to Seder Zcraim. But how should they know a man to be a false prophet, when he spake to them in the name of the Lord? For men might pretend, as some did, that God had sent them, aud given them a command, when he had not. To which he answers in the next verses. Even that prophet shall die.] He was to bo strangled, say the Jews, by the sentence pf the great Sanhedrin: for it is a tradition of their rabbins, saith the Gemara Babylonica upon that title, that in the business of prophecy there aro three sorts of persons, who are to be punished by the judgment of men, and three by the sentence of Heaven. Ho that prophesied what he did not hear from God, (an example of which we have in Zedekiah, 1 Kings xxii. 11.) or spake what was not said to him, but to another, (an example of whieh they make Hananiah, Jer. xxviii. 11.) or prophesies in the name of an idol (supposes Baal); all these were to be put to death by the sentence of the court of judgment; but he that suppressed his prophecy (like Jonah), or despised the words of a prophet, or did not ob* serve his own words, was to be punished by the hand of Heaven. (See Selden, lib. iii. de Synedr. cap. 6. n.l.)

Deuteronomy 18:21

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?. Which was but a reasonable question, there being as great care necessary, not to hearken to falsehood, as to be attentive unto truth. And this relates unto such prophets as came to them in the name of the Lord: for if a man came in the name of any other God, there needed no other mark to discover him to be an impostor.

Deuteronomy 18:22

When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord. Predigting some wonderful thing to come to pass, as a token"" he is sent of God to deliver what he speaks to the people. Jf the thing follow not, nor coim to pass, that is the thing which the LQrd, hath not spoken.] For if the Lord had sent him, he would have accomplished what he gave as a sign of his mission; which not coming to pass, he was proved to be a false prophet, who spake out of his own heart, and not the word of the Lord. But here the Jews distinguished between a prophet who predicts evil things, as famine, or pestilence, &c. and one that predicts good things, as rain’(when there is great need of it), and fruitful years, &c. Though the predictions of the former sort did not come to pass, he was not to be reputed presently a false prophet, because God is very merciful, and often repented him of the evil, as he did in the case of Nineveh; but, in the latter case, if any one of the good things he foretold did not come to pass, he was to bo taken for a deceiver; which theyunderstand also of the very timp and place, when and where he said tho things he predicted would be fulfilled: and here they bring in the example of Hanajiiah, the son of Azur, mentioned before, Jer. xxviii. 11. and see ver. 8, 9. of that chapter. But this doth not give us the true difference; for both God’s promises and thjeatenings many times depend upon a condition, as appears from, that famous place in the prophet, Jer. xviii. 7^—9. So that the good things a prophet foretold might not come to pass, and yet he might be a true prophet; because the people proved unworthy of them, and God did not absolutely intend them. Therefore the true meaning seems to be, that if a prophet foretold such a thing as the power of nature cannot produce, and gave it as a sign God sent him, who would justify his mission by doing that wonder, and the thing did not come to pass, he was to be looked upon as not a man of God: for example, when Moses threw his rod on the ground, and said it should become a serpent, if it had not been turned into a serpent, he had been convicted of falsity: or a prophet said fire should come down from heaven, and consqme the sacrifice which lay before him, whieh was tho case of Elijah; if it had not come down, he would ha,ve been no more owned for a true prcphet, than the prophets of Baal. And, as Maimonides well observes, if a