Numbers 33

Numbers 33:1

TjtESE are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt. A brief recapitulation of the travels of the children of Israel through the wilderness; whereby the wonderful providence of God over them appears, in their protection and preservation, from the time they departed out of Egypt, till they came to the borders of the land of Canaan. Digitized by microsoft ® CHAP. XXXIII.] UPON NUMBERS. ■‘With their armies.’) For they marched in an orderly manner, as armies do. (See Exod. xii. 41. 51. xiii. 18.) Under the hand of Moses and Aaron.] By whom they were conducted, as the ministers of God, (Exod. xii. 1. 28.‘5(K)

Numbers 33:2

And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys. Every removal which they made from the place where they were, unto another whither they journeyed. By the commandment of the Lord.] This may refer either to their journeys, (which were by God’s commandment, chap. x. 13.) or rather to Moses’s writing this epitome of their travels, of which God ordered him to give a distinct account: which was no unnecessary work, but most useful to posterity; there being no history extant in the world, as David Chytrseus well observes (except that of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ), which contains so many wonderful instances of Divine providence, as this of bringing the. children of Israel out of Egypt, and leading them through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness; concerning which Maimonides hath an excellent discourse in his third part of Moro Nevochim, cap. 50. the substance of which is this: that it being impossible any miracles should continue throughout all generations, due care should be taken that the memory of them be not lost, but faithfully preserved by the history and narration of them in future times. Now there being no greater miracle than the subsistence of the children of Israel in the desert for forty years ^ a desert full of scorpions and serpents, destitute of water, uninhabited, through which no man had been wont to pass, as Jeremiah speaks, chap. ii. 6. where they ate no bread, nor drank wine, or strong drink, (Deut. xxix. 6, &c.) God would have the particular places set down distinctly where they pitched in that howling wilderness; that all men might be satisfied (who would take the pains to examine things), by what a marvellous providence such a multitude of people were fed every day for forty years together; and none might be able to cavil and say, that they travelled through a country good enough, and pitched in habitable places, where they might plough, and sow, and r£ap; or where they might have herbs and roots for their sustenance; or where manna ordinarily came down from the clouds for men’s support.. And these are their journeys according to their goings out.] As if he had said, Having received this commandment from God, this is a true and exact account, which here follows, of their travels from place to place.

Numbers 33:3

And they departed from Rameses. See Exod. xii. 37. Here, in all likelihood, they sacrificed the paschal lamb, and were preserved from the destroying angel; which • made this placo very remarkable: for they seem to have been all summoned hither, to meet here, as in a common rendezvous (as they now speak), to be ready to march away when God gave the w r ord of command. " In the first month, oh the fifteenth day of the first month, on the morrow after tlie Passover.] Which they had kept in Egypt on the fourteenth, (Exod; xii. 46.) The children of Israel went out of Egypt with a high hand.] Exod. xiv. 8. In the sight of the Egyptians.] Who thrust them out, (Exod. xii. 39.)

Numbers 33:4

For the Egyptians buried all their first-born,. They were so terrified with the sudden death of all their firstborn, that they pressed them to be gone, lest they T0L’ u Digitized by should be slain also, (Exod. xii. 33.) And were so employed in mourning for them, and giving them decentburial, that they thought not of pursuing the Israelites till some days after. Which the Lord had smitten among them.] At midnight, between the fourteenth and fifteenth days, (Exod. xii. 20.) Upon their gods also the Lord executed judgment.] Which still more astonished them, (Exod. xii. 12. xviii. 11. 2 Sam. vii. 23.) just as he did with Babylon afterward, (Isa. xxi. 9.)

Numbers 33:5

And the children of Israel removed from RameseS, and pitched in Succoth. Exod. xii. 37. Here they received the command to set apart all the first-born unto the Lord, in memory of God’s sparing them when he slew all the firstborn of the Egyptians, (Exod. xiii. 1. 12, 13, &c.)

Numbers 33:6

And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, &c. See Exod. xiii. 20. where it immediately follows, that they wereconducted hither by amiraculous cloud, which ever after led them in all their journeys.

Numbers 33:7

And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth. So it is expressly recorded, Exod. xiv. 2. Hither they were led on purpose, that they might see the wonderful power and goodness of God, in a placewhere they had high mountains on each side of them, and the army of Pharaoh behind them, and the Red Sea before them, through which God made them a passage, rather than let them fall again under the Egyptian tyranny. Here is also the singular number for the plural, in the word turned again, (as was observed before in another word, chap, xxxii. 25.) but the observation of the Hebrew doctors upon it seems to be frivolous, " That with one heart they did what Moses commanded." Which is before Baal-Zephon, and they pitched before Migdol.] This is explained in Exod. xiv. 2.

Numbers 33:8

And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea. See Exod. xiv. 23. Where Pharaoh and his host were drowned; as they could not but call to mind when they read this brief history: which, it might be expected, would also call to remembrance their own distrust of God^ notwithstanding which he most graciously delivered them, (Exod. xiv. 11, 12, &c.) Into the wilderness, and went tliree days’ journey in tlie wilderness of EtJiam.] Called in Exod. xv. 22. the wilderness of Shur: where they were very much distressed for want of water. And pitched in Marah.] Where God obliged them; by; a new miracle, in making the bitter water sweet, (Exod. xv,

Numbers 33:9

And they removed from Marah, and cameto Elim; andin Elim were twelve fountains ofwater,8cc. See Exod. xv. ulL

Numbers 33:10

And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea^. Not by that part of it, where they lately came out of it; but by a mor6 southerly part of it, where it bends towards Arabia. For the Red Sea, which Ptolemy calls the Arabian Gulf, runs a long wiay, like the Adriatic, ndw called the Gulf of Venice/ or the Baltic S6a, as David Chytraeus observes; who compared these three together as much of a length, and all in some places broader, and some narrower. This station is not mentioned in the book of Exodus.

Numbers 33:11

And they removed from the Red Sea, and en- Microsoft (§ 4 N [chap, xxxiii. camped in the wilderness of Sin. Exod. xvi.l. where manna first began to rain upon them, with which God fed them forty years. Vcr. 12. And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Do’phkah.] This and the next station (Alush) arc not mentioned in Exodus; because nothing remarkable (it is supposed) fell out in these two places*‘as there, did in the next; and they made no. long stay there.

Numbers 33:13

And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. The Jewish doctors find something remarkable here, though Moses sailh nothing of it. For, as the sabbath was iirst commanded at Marah, which was their fifth station, so it was first observed here at Alush, as they fancy, which was. their tenth. And. more than that, this was the only sabbath, in their opinion, which they exactly kept; the very next being profaned. (See Seldcn, lib. iii. de Jure Nat ct Gentium, &c. cap. 11. and lib. ii. dc Synedr. cap. 1.). The author of Sepher Cosri saith, the.. ancient tradition is, “that at this -place the manna first descended/’ (par. ii. Sect. 20.) Ver; 14. And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim.] See Exod. xvii. 1….. 1 Where tvas no water for the people to drink:] And thereby an occasion given to the Almighty Goodness to shew his wonderful power, in bringing water out of a rock for them, (ver: 5,!G.) And here also " Amalek lay in wait for Israel, in the way when they came out of Egypt,” (1 Sam.xv. 2.). and smote some that lagged behind, (Dcut. xxv. 1G.) but, were vanquished by Joshua, in a pitched battle..(Exod.. xvii, 8, 9,. &c) And here Jethro also^came to see Moses,, and gave him advice about the government of the people with more’ case both to himself and them, (Exod. xviii.), Vcr. 15. And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched m hi the Wilderness of Sinai] Exod. xix. 1, 2. This was fortyseven days after they came from Barneses, on the first day of the third month; three days after which (viz. on the fiftieth day after.they came out of Egypt) God gave them his law from Mount Sinai; where Moses was called up to him, and Stayed with him twice forty days; and was instructed there how to make the tabernacle, and set it up when it was made; with all the furniture belonging to it. All sorts of sacrifices were ordered while they remained in this place; priests consecrated; laws given about clean and unclean things; and about marriages, and feasts, and the year of jubilee, with several other things, mentioned in the book of Leviticus.. Here, also the people were numbered; their encampment ordered; a second Passover kept; laws given about the water of jealousy and the Nazarites, with several other matters:. and then, after they had lain here eleven months and twenty days, they are commanded to leave this famous station; the most remarkable of all other r (Numb. x.11,12.),… Ver. 1G. And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah.\ A place in the wildcrness.‘of Paran, three days’ journey from Mount Sinai, Numb, x. 23. xi. 34. where there was a dreadful slaughter of the people, that wantonly - despised manna, and lusted after flesh. Yet here God was pleased to vouchsafe to send his Spirit upon the seventy elders, for the assistance of Moses.,: Vcr.l7> And they departed from KibrotMiqtttaavaJi, - * ; and encamped’at Jlazeroth.] Sec chap. xi. 35. where Miriam was punished for her envy at Moses, chap. xii. 1. 10.: Ver. IS. And they departed from Jlazeroth, and pitched at Rithmah.’] A place also in the wilderness of Paran, as appears from this book, (chap. xii. 1G.) and was not far from Kadcsh-barnca, from whence the spies were sent to search out the land of Canaan. (Sec chap. xiii. 2G.) In which place they lay a long time, (Deut. i. 46.)

Numbers 33:19

And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched in Rimmon-Parez. This and the following stages arc no < where else mentioned; and seem to havo all been in the * \Vilderness of Paran before spoken of; which was a very; long tract of ground, from Elana, a port in the Arabian Gulf, to Kadesh-barnca; which, as David Chytraeus com*, putes it, was thirty German miles. Ver; 20. And. they departed from Rimmon-Parez, and’ pitched iii Libnah.] This and the rest to ver. 31. arc places of which, as I said, we no where else read, and so can give \ no account of them. They were all uninhabited, and out > of the road of all travellers; and perhaps had no names till they were given them by the Israelites; who encamped > in so many various places (sometimes in mountains, as^ appears from vcr. 23. and sometimes in the plain), that! they might be taught, that God was alike present every where to protect, defend, and provide for them; even there? where no man dwelt. The Jews made this use < of their, travels, here recorded by Moses, through so many un-’ known places, by which he brought them at last to Canaan; to keep up their spirits, under this long captivity, (as they, call it) wherein they now are, and have wandered uncertainly from mountain to mountain, from kingdom to king-; dom, from banishment to banishment (as they themselves* speak), till their Messiah come to redeem them: which he; will do, when their eyes are opened to see what one of their ancient rabbins (Moses Hadarschan) hath told them, as he is quoted by Paulus Fagius, that." the Redeemer was bom before hira who reduced Israel into this last* captivity.",.

Numbers 33:30

And they removed from Ezion-Gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. See chap. xx. 1. He doth not mean Kadesh-barnea, which was on the borders of.Canaan; but another Kadesh, in the skirts of this wilderness, towards the south, not far from the port I now mentioned (which the Greeks call Elana), on the border of Edom; where Miriam died, and where water was brought out of a rock. (See chap. xx. 8. 14. 16.)

Numbers 33:31

And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched: in Bene-Jaakan.~. Jn Deut. x. G. Moses seems to say the: quite contrary, that they took their journey from Bceroth of the children ofJaakaii to Mosera. But there he may be thought to speak of a different place, as Drusius notes, upon those words: or if he doth not, it is no wonder if, while they wandered in this tedious wilderness, they went.2 backward and forward..from Benc-Jaakan to Moseroth, whichhe mentions in Deuteronomy; and from Moseroth back again to Benc-Jaakan, which he mentions here.

Numbers 33:32

And they journeyed front Bene-Jaakan, and encamped at Ilorrhagidgad. This: - place was also called Gudgodah, Dcut. x. 7. if Moses speaks there of the same* places he doth here. Vcr. 33. And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jothathah.] Called Dcut. x. 7. Jotbath. •

Numbers 33:34

And they removed from Jothathah, and en-’ camped at Ebronah. All their removals mentioned from ve"r. 16. to this and the next place, are an account of their wanderings in the wilderness, from the. second year after their coming out of Egypt till the’ fortieth; in which time all the congregation, above twenty years of age, were consumed, and buried in somo part -or other of this great’ desert.. -, „ 4.. j,.. £HAP. XXXIII.] UPON NUMBER’S. Vcr. 35. And they departedfrom Ebronah, and encamped at’Ezion-GaberJ] A place on the Red Sea, unto which they were brought before they ended their travels, (1 Kings -ix. 26. xxii. 18.) It had its name from the snagged rocks, Jiketo the backbone, which stretched out a great way on jthat shore, as Eochart observes: which rocks made* this part so dangerous, that it was forsaken, in aftertimes, and Elah frequented as a safer harbour.. (See lib. i. Canaan, cap. 44.) It is not recorded how long they remained in any of these places; but it is likely a considerable time in ^some of them; for they spent thirty-eight years in these removals. *

Numbers 33:37

And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in Mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom. See chap. xx. 28. Vcr. 38. And Aaron went up into Mount Hor, at the commandment of the Lord ^] Sec chap. xx. 23, 24.27. Dcut. xxxii. 50. The Hebrew doctors are too conceited in their.observation, that, because it is said of him, and of Moses, that they died al pi (at the month) of the Lord, the Lord took their souls out of their bodies with a kiss; * But Maimonides endeavours to make a sober sense of this, by making their meaning to be, that they expired with the transcendent pleasure of Divine love, (More Nevoch. par. iii. cap. 51.) And died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel came otrf of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.’] A few months before his brother Moses.

Numbers 33:39

And Aaron was a hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in Mount Hor. He was just eighty and three years old, when he and Moses first went with a message to Pharaoh, (Exod. vii. 7.) By which it appears, that they were not long iri working all the miracles in Egypt, before they brought the people forth; for now, forty years after, he was but a hundred twenty-three years old. Vcr. 40. And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in tlie south in the land of Canaan.] See chap, xxi, 1. Heard of the coming of the children of Israel] Had news brought him, that the Israelites were coming towards his country; w f hercupon he went out to, oppose them; and God gave them" (as we read there) a glorious victory over him. This shews that Moses intended, in the recital of all these places where they had been, to bring to remembrance the most remarkable passages of God’s providence over than;, some of which he expressly sets down.

Numbers 33:41

And they departedfrom Mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah. AVc read in the twenty-first chapter of this book, vcr. 4. that they journeyed from Hor to compass the land of,Edom, but arc not told there where they pitched; which is here supplied, the name of the place being Zalmonah; which carries in it the signification of an image; and therefore here, perhaps, the brazen serpent was erected. (See chap. xxi. 9.). * r

Numbers 33:42

And they departedfrom Zalmonah, and pitched iii Pnnon. ’ Where Bbchartus “rather thinks the brazen serpent was set up; because after Moses hath given us the history of that, he saith, they set forward and pitched iri Oboth, (chap. xxi. 10.) which was the place of their abode next to Punon, as it here follows, Hierozoic: par.’ i. lib; iii. cap. 12. in the latter end of it.

Numbers 33:43

And they departedfrom Punon, and pitched in Oboth. See chap. xxi. 10.

Numbers 33:44

And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Jie-abarim, in the border of Moab. See chap. xxi. 11/ This name is translated in the margin, heaps of Abarim; which may possibly signify many heaps of stones, which lay not far from the mountains of Abarim, (ver. 47.)..

Numbers 33:45

And they departedfrom Jim, and pitched Jn Dibon-gad. Here half the name of the first place..is omitted; as is usual when the names are long. This may seem not to agree with chap. xxi. 12. where it is said they removed from thence, and pitched in the valley of Zered; near unto which, in all probability, was this Dibon-gad. See what I have noted there. r

Numbers 33:46

And they removed from Dibon-gad, arid en-* camped in Almon-Diblathahn.~§ See chap. xxi. 13.

Numbers 33:47

And they removed from Almon-Diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim before Nebo. We read no where when they came to this mansion: but it is.plain they were not far from it, when God bade Moses go into one ] of these mountains, and take a view of Canaan. (See chap.xxvii. 12.) But this followed their last mansion; and therefore it is most likely this is* the place mentioned chap. xxi. 20. See there; where Ihavc observed other places mentioned, ver. 18, 19. of which there is no notice taken in this catalogue. But they seem to have been places’ where they only touched, and made no encampment in them; which is the tiling of which Moses here gives an account. • -.Vcr. 48. And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab, &c] Sec chap, xxii* 1. Vcr. 49. And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-Jeshi-. moth.] A place where there was a temple, in all likelihood, to some deity: for so Beth denotes in many compositions; as Beth-Peor (the house or temple of Baal on the top of Peor), Beth-Astaroth, and Beth-Baal-berith, (Judg.ix.4.) and Bcth-Shcmcsh is often mentioned; where the sun was worshipped. And possibly Jcshimoth may be the same.with Jeshimon, (chap. xxi. 20.) Even unto Abel-Shittim, &c] Called simply Shittim, chap. xxv. 1. which some fancy had the name of Abel added to it (which signifies mourning), because of that lamentation which was. made there, by some, for the grievous* sin there committed; and by others, for the heavy punishment inflicted in that. place. But it seems to* have been anciently called Abel-Shittim, before this time. (See there.)’ Vcr. 50. And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab, &c] After he had prepared them for their entrance into Canaan, he ordered the first and principal work they should there undertake. Vcr. 51; Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Wlien ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan.] Accordingly Moses did deliver this command unto them, (Deut. vii, 1, 2.) f Microsoft ® 4 N 2 [chap. XXXIV.

Numbers 33:52

Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Not suffer them to dwell in tho land any longer; but either destroy, or expel them; because they were abominable idolaters, devoted to extermination, (Exod. xxiii. 33. Deut. xx. 16—18.) by whom the Israelites would have been in danger to be corrupted, if they were not rooted out. And destroy all their pictures.’] Or their temples, or honses of worship, as Onkclos interprets it. But others (particularly the Jerusalem Targum), understand it of the idols or statues set up in those temples; or some representations of their gods. (See concerning the Hebrew word maskith, Lev. xxv. 1.) And destroy their molten images.] Exod. xxiii. 24. xxxiv. 13. for if they suffered them to remain, they might be enticed to worship them. These were idols, perhaps, in public places, or private houses, out of their temples. And quite pluck down all their high places.] They could not throw down the mountains, upon which the people of Canaan worshipped; but the meaning is, that they should cut down the groves which were there planted, and demolish all the altars that stood in them. For there were no other temples, at first, but these groves upon mountains; where the ancient heathen Vorshipped the sun, moon, and stars: unto which they thought the mountains approached nearer than the rest of the earth; and therefore their sacrifices there would be most prevalent. But of this I have said enough elsewhere.

Numbers 33:53

And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. Yet he did not intend they should dispossess the old inhabitants all at once, but by degrees; as hehim? self saith in Exod. xxiii. 29, 30. Deut. vii. 22.

Numbers 33:54

And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inlieritance among your families. Follow the directions I have already given for the dividing of the land, after the old inhabitants are expelled, (chap. xxvi. 53. 55.) And to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer the less, &c] See chap. xxvi. 54. 56.

Numbers 33:55

And if ye ivill not drive out. the inhabitants of the land from before you. At the first they could not drive them all out;, nor was it God’s design, as I before observed. Therefore Joshua, would not attempt it while he lived; but left several nations, or part of them, unsubdued, (Judg. iL 21. 23.) Of which he himself takes notice a little before he died, Josh, xxiii. 4, 7. where he warns them to have nothing to: do with them; promising them that God would in time expel them quite, (ver. 5.) But when the Israelites grew slothful and cowardly, and negligently suffered tl>e people of Canaan to dwell among them, and made friendship with them (as they did after Joshua and all that generation were dead), then followed what is here threatened in the next words. Then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them.] Voluntarily permit, to live among you, without endeavouring to dispossess them. Sltall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides.] Bring very sore calamities upon you; as grievous and as mischievous as a, wound made in the eye, which is a most tender paTt; or in the side, when, a thorn sticks and festers in it. Some. arc so curious, as, by the first part of these words (pricks in your eyes), to understand their Digitized by i being stimulated to idolatry, by beholding their rites of religion and manner of worship: and the next they take to signify the effect of it in sharp punishments, which should befal them for their forsaking God. Joshua threatened the same before he died, chap, xxiii. 13. Of which an angel, or messenger of the Lord, minded them, Judg. ii. 3. And so it came to pass, as we read there, ver. 14. and throughout that whole book. And shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.] Make you very uneasy, nay, sigh and groan, in the good land which God gives you, by reason of their oppression, (Judg. ii. 18. iv. 3. vi. 6, &e.)

Numbers 33:56

Moreover, I will do unto you as I thought to do unto than. As I purposed to do unto them; u e. make you their slaves; as they were to several people whom they served many years, Judg. iii. 8. 14. vi. 2. and many other places. Or make you flee before them; and at last expel you from the land I give you.