PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers
Rayner Winterbotham [1842-1924] · 425,969 words · 472 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 121
(at nny re.te) the nrk went before the host ; thousands (literally, myriad thoUMnds; see tor if it he.d remained in the midst, it would eh. i. 16) of Israel. l"I~~~ being construed not hnve stirred until he.If the tribes he.d with the accusative is of somewhat doubtful moved off, nor would it he.ve halted until interpr…
939 wordsSECTION 122The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 122
Ill. THAT THE ISRAELITES WERE IN PART SHIELDED FROM THE .FIERCE AND J.rATAL BEATS OP' THE DESERT MARCH BY THE CLOUD WHICH OVERSHADOWED THEM FROM ADOVII THE ARK. For that l~minous cloud which rested permanently over the ark was ~pread_ O\"er the follow1~g host when on the march. St. Paul says that the Jews were bapt…
1,003 wordsSECTION 123The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 123
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS .AUTHORS. Vers. 35, 36.--The payers at the moving and resting of the ark. Here are two petitions-one as the cloud rose to point the way, the other as it settled down again to indicate the time for rest. The morning and the evening prayer cannot be the same; there is one set of needs to be supplied …
913 wordsSECTION 124The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 124
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XI. gone like a bad dream, leaves behind it above all things o.n incurable sUBpicion of, and a THE PLACE OF llUll:laNG (vers. 1-3). rooted disbelief in, others, which shows itself Ver. 1.-A:nd when the people complained, outwardly by blank mgratitude and persistent it displeased the Lord. There i…
1,194 wordsSECTION 125The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 125
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-8.-Wrath awaked and wratli appeased. In this short pussuge we huve, in a microcosm, the whole sud history of the Church. For the history of the Chnrch, as it is glorious on the side of God and his faithfulness, so it is sad indeed on the side of m,m and his unfaithfulness. Here we mny see trial fol…
1,230 wordsSECTION 126The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 126
antagonism. It pleased God that his anger against ein and rebellion should be visibly kindled by the complaints of the people ; that his mercy ebould be moved by the prayer of Moses. Thus was signified the eternal purpose of God to show mercy and forgiveness to nll men through the e.tonement of Christ (Rom. viii. 34 ; …
791 wordsSECTION 127The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 127
the wonderful manifestations of God in Christ Jesus? We, even more than the Israelites, are the objects of God's g·racious interposition. It seemed of no use to remind them of God the Deliverer and Provider. And so now, although Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, although he has conquered sin and death for n…
773 wordsSECTION 128The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 128
and of aome,perplexity. There does not seem Sic., i. 86, 62 ; Herod., ii. ~3 ; Strabo, xvii. any room for them in the regulations laid p. 829). Cucumbers. C't:trpi?. Cucumbers of down for Israel, nor a.re they mentioned in peculiar softness and flavoiir a.re spoken of ony other place except at Exod.. xii. 88. In by Egy…
987 wordsSECTION 129The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 129
deny that manna. only for people who had to the heavy or savoury food which they been accustomed to a rich and varied diet remembered in Egypt. must hal'e been exceedingly trying both to Ver. 9.-Anl whe11. the dew fell,. , . the the palate and the stomach (t:f. eh. ui. 5). m&llJl.a fell upo11. it, We know from Exod. V…
1,041 wordsSECTION 130The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 130
cowardly thing thus to dwell upon his own identify this arpointment with that narrated grievance, and to leave out of sight the grave in Exod. xvi.Ji. 21, sq. and Dent. i. 9, sq. dishonour done to God, and the awful danger The circumstances and the purposes appear incurred by the people. It was the more quite distinct:…
1,003 wordsSECTION 131The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 131
11trange that in the face of the clear teaching anim~l food was. given them in qno.ntity of St. Paul in 1 Oor. rii., xiii., a.nd in view sufficient to have gorged tho vrholo nation of such cases as those of Saul (1 Sam. :a:. 10; for a month, if they had ea.red to go on xix. 28) and David (1 Sam. xvi. 13), any eating…
1,036 wordsSECTION 132The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 132
to Moses by the fact that he communicated so. That men in the camp, and away from of it to the seventy." They propheaied. the visible centre and scene of Divine mani- The ;phenomenon here mentioned for the festations,ehonld beaccessible to the heavenly first time was no doubt an ecstatic utterance, afflatus was a vas…
999 wordsSECTION 133The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 133
Akahah. And brought quails from the sea. more q_ua.ils apiece than would have filled A On the "quails" (Hebrew, .mwim-probably 460 gallon tun. No doubt the total number the common quail) see Exod. xvi. 13. The was something enormous, and far above a.ny. Septuagint ha.s in both places~ l,prvyoµ~rpa, thing that could …
1,038 wordsSECTION 134The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 134
and the murmuring were foremost in the to shut in, means "enclosuree ; " so named ruin which followed. perhaps from some ancient stone enclosures Ver. 84.-Xibroth-Hattaavah, The graves erected by wandering tribes for their herds of greediness. Septuagint, MvfipaTa TiJ, and flocks. It has been identified with Ain el …
859 wordsSECTION 135The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 135
Ill, THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAKL WERE CARRIED AWAY WITH IT, IN SPITE 011' TBB WARNmG THEY HAD so RECENTLY RECEIVED AT TABEERAH. No doubt it spread the more rnpidly because, (1) it fell in with their own secret feelings, (2) it was recommended by considerations of friendship and relationship, (3) the voice of prudenc…
864 wordsSECTION 136The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 136
o:r WHAT THEY ABKED :B'OR. Even so God punishes oar greed by letting us have as much as we want of the coveted thing. The covetous person is punished by ample wealth, the slothful by abundance of ease, the proud by success and flattery, the vain by large admiration, the sensual by anstinted gratification. Thus the m…
835 wordsSECTION 137The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 137
sickly soul, palls upon it after a while, and the old longings reassert themselves, How many tire of "~?8'8le' food" who took to it eagerly enough o.t first I (of. 1 Tun. v. 11-13, 15; Rev. u. 4). II. THAT THE MANNA WAS IN FORM AS II CORIANDER SEED," WHICH WE KNOW; IN COLOUR AS" BDELLIUM," WHICH WE DO NOT XN0W. Eve…
844 wordsSECTION 138The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 138
vi. 1, 6); out of the troubles at Corinth the better regulation of the Agape and the Euchanst (1 Cor. xi. 17-34). VII. THAT IT WAS THE 8PIRIT WHIOB RESTED UPON MOSES WHIOB WAS COMMUNI- CATED TO THE SEVENTY, inasmuch as their prophetic office was to be held and exer- cised in unity with1 and subordination to, the me…
802 wordsSECTION 139The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 139
I. Uega.rding TilE STATUS AND FUNCTIONS OF THIS COMPANY OF SEVENTY there have been many debates. Some ha,·e identified them with the Sanhedrim or .Council of Seventy whom we meet with so often in the Gospels and the Acts. Passing by these questions, le! us note the facts recorded in the text itself. What was wanted …
864 wordsSECTION 140The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 140
ceased; but the spiritual endowment of which it was the token remaine<l. This prophesying, if yciu consider it well, will be seen to be more than a token. Besides notifying the Lord's approval of the elders, and assuring them of help, it suggested much instruction regarding the principles which should regulate their ad…
841 wordsSECTION 141The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 141
fire, not the sword. Nevertheless, order is quite as necessary in the Church as in the State. " In all churches of the saints God is the author of peace, not of confusion," and all things are to be "done decently and in order" (1 Cor. xiv. 33-40). 2. The narrative admonishes us that office and order and official servi…
866 wordsSECTION 142The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 142
might well plead with men to labour in this work. When destitution and filth are suffered to generate typhus among the poor, the deadly infection will make its way into the palaces of the rich. Bo when sin is euffered to become rampant in one class the other classes will not long escape the contagion. 2. The matter …
863 wordsSECTION 143The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 143
strange cairns in the wilderness, 1 "the graves of lust," we hear n voice (1 Cor. x, 6 ). l. THE DISCONTENT OF THE ISRAELITES. II. ITS DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. I. 1. Jt;s disgraceful origin: "the mixed multitude,"" hangers-on," 11 riff-re.ff." The chosen people of God listened and sympathised with them rather than w…
783 wordsSECTION 144The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 144
been too great for him" olone;" a heavier not too great with God (cf. John xv. 5; Philip. iv. 18). v. IT PROMPTS HIM TO A SINFUL PRAYER (ver. 16). Imagine that the prayer had been 11nswered, 11nd Moses bll.d died on the spot; whata humi)iating end I ( cf. 1 Kings :xix. 4). Let us )earn the leeson Ps. lvi. 8, and th…
833 wordsSECTION 145The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 145
Ver. 4.-'J'M mi-zed mmtitwh. I. How CAME IT THERE? It left Egypt with them (Exod. xii. 38). It had been accumulating, one knows not how long, and in bow many ways. Egypt had not been n very comfortable place even for the Egyptians just before the exodus. Ten plagues in swift succession and inoreo.sing eeYerity woul…
877 wordsSECTION 146The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 146
Vera. 10-15.-The expostulation of Moses. Jehovah and his servant Moses are very differently nffected oy this universal complo.int of the Israelites. "The anger of the Lord was kindled greo.tly ; '' how it wo.s expressed, we see later on. At present we have to consider the displeasure of Moses. God was made angry by t…
872 wordsSECTION 147The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 147
this sudden temptation, had come into his mind. 2. The first wo,·d of God tends to bri'R,<] Moses to a calmer mind. It sets before him something practical and not very difficult. Left to himself, he knows not how to begin dealing with this anarchy, especially wit.h his own mind in such a distressed state. But it ,va…
909 wordsSECTION 148The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 148
II. Goo's TEST OF SELF-CONTROL. He gives the quails, not for one day's luxury, hut to be the food of a month. As nothing is said to the contrary, we mast presume the manna was still continued. Indeed we can easily see the reason for its continu• ance. God in giving the quaile, adds an express and solemn warning. They a…
887 wordsSECTION 149The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 149
repeat tl1emselvos in their manner of receiving God's promises, Moses tn.lks here aa the disciples did at the ~eeding of the five thousand (Matt. xiv. 15). And yet, after all his wonderful expenences, tl1ere should not have been the slightest difficulty in receiving what God had said. Of all possible convictions, th…
1,193 wordsSECTION 150The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 150
CHAPTER XII. of Cush were distributed both in Africa (the Ethiopians proper) and in Asia (the southern TJUI SEDITION AND PUNISHMENT 01!' Arabians, Babylonians, Ninevites, &c.). See MIRIAM (eh. xii.). Ver. 1.-And Miriam Gen. x. Some have thought that this Ethi- and Aaron spake against Moses. While opian woman was none…
491 wordsSECTION 151The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 151
deliberately married n Cushite woman in order Ver. 3.-Now the man lloaes waa veryo to set forth the essential fellowship between meek, above all the men which were upon. Jew and Gentile. It is true that such mar- the face of the earth. For the Hebrew \tV riages as those of Joseph, of Salmon, of the Septuagint has ,r…
1,014 wordsSECTION 152The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 152
Tho whole Corm of the sentence, indeed, as I the Lord will make myself known. }fore well ns its J;lOsition, proclaim it so cleo.rly to probably " the Lord " belongs to the first be o.n addition by some l.o.ter ho.nd, tho.t the clause : "If there be to you a prophet of the question me.y be left to the common sense Lord,…
1,043 wordsSECTION 153The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 153
time he walked and spake on earth. Who is Gen xxxii. SO; Judges xiii. 22, and elsowhcre. f&ithflll in all mine house. I~~~ with ::I means On the other hand, the seventy clJers seem to be proved, or attested, and so established to have seen the "Temunah" of tho Lord (cf. 1 Ssrn. ill. 20; xxii. 14). The Septuagint upo…
1,049 wordsSECTION 154The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 154
ofo.n nffectionate disposition (cf. Levit. x. 19), sion, considered as coming from the mouth of and suffered his own punishment in witness- God. The aC't in question was, however, not in(: thnt of others. 3. He wns God's high uncommon in itself, and in significance priest, and the office would hnve shared in clearly ma…
911 wordsSECTION 155The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 155
Nor is this typical c!1aracter arbitrai:y or un_real, for we may clearly see in them the same tendencies winch afterwards npened into utter blasphemy and Deicide. II. THAT TJIE OFFENCE OF MOSES IN THE EYES OF MIRIAM WAS HIS HAVING ALLIED HIMSELF WITH A GENTILE WIFE OF A DESPISED RACE. Even 80 the crime of our Lord,…
1,229 wordsSECTION 156The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 156
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-6.-The sedition of Miriam and Aaron. Here is another sedition in Israel. What is worse, the sedition does not, at this time, originate among the mixed multitude, the pariahs of the camp. The authors of it Ill'& the two leading person- ages in the congregation, after Moses Mmself. -…
1,254 wordsSECTION 157The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 157
Moses nil the three offices wore foreshadowed at once. Of these two men, Moses and Christ, and of no other since the world began, could it be affirmed that they wer0 11 faithful in nil the Lord's house." No doubt there was disparity as well BB a resem- blance. Both were servants. But Moses was a servant in a house wh…
902 wordsSECTION 158The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 158
to one who believes and duly considers the singular honour of Moses as described in this text, especially if it is read in connection ,vith the similar testimony home elsewhere to Christ. Moses, and the Prophet like unto Moses, stand by themselves in the history of Divine revelation in this respect, that each served "i…
818 wordsSECTION 159The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 159
deeds done in the body (2 Cor. v. 10). 3. A godly mother in the midst of daily duties, not only praying but soliloquising, ae in Ps. !xii. 1, 2, 6-7. Whether or not ehe may ea.y Pe. v. 1, God does "give ear," and the words are "acceptable" (Ps. xix. 14). 4. Sufferere lamenting; e. g. Hagar (Gen. xvi. 11); Ishmael (G…
888 wordsSECTION 160The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 160
with Mary, the mother of Jesus: the one all chafed and swelling within, who thinks the people should attend her as much as her brother; the other having the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, humbly submissive to Go.briel's word nothing doubting yet prostrate in amazement that she should have been chosen' as the m…
877 wordsSECTION 161The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 161
distance between his created and corrupted life and the glory of tl e great I AM. If God wore so gracious, forgiving, and bountiful to him ( eh. xi. ), why should not he be long-suffering and meekly tolerant with Miriam? (Matt. xviii. 23-35), We shall not blow oureelvee out and etrut before men if we only constantly re…
857 wordsSECTION 162The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 162
God, was the whole. What a humbling hour for this proud woman to find that Jehovah himself had taken up the cause of her despised brother I It is probable that Moses himself had mentioned little of the details of his experiences of God • they were not things to talk much about ; perhaps he could not have found the fit …
857 wordsSECTION 163The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 163
tfonlars 88 do not directly concern the Divine Ver. 16.-Jloses called Oshea the IIOn of goTI!l'Ilment a.nd guidance ot Israel It ie 1'11ll 1eboahna. The change was from Pi?ll"I not, therefore, a serious di.fliculty tho.t the (Hoshea, help or salvation) to~M~ (Jehoshua record onl:, begins here at the point when God adop…
1,072 wordsSECTION 164The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 164
Ne~b they were to make their way into the and tho following details or their journey are mountain or hill countiy which formed the appended to the geneml statement of ver. 21 back-bone of Southern P&l.estine, from the in that inMtificial style or narrative still Wady )Iurreh on the south to the plain of common in th…
1,020 wordsSECTION 165The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 165
Tostamon t : what the place really received Ver 31.-For they are 1tronger than we. was not a new nnme, but a new signification In point of nnm hers the enormous superior- to the old name ; but this appeared all one ity of the Israeliu,11 over any combination in the eyes of the sacred writer. likely to oppose them must …
975 wordsSECTION 166The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 166
personal ends. Hore we ma.y see the true >.ao~ rik yijr, 6r, ttarafjpe,µa uµiv l,mv. ?98.Son why Joshua had not been put for. Theu: defence ia departed from them. Liter- ward to ad l"orot:e an immediate advance. ally, "their shadow.'' that which shielded The Septuagint has 01iy6nutoJ1 (cf. 1 Cor. them for a while fr…
993 wordsSECTION 167The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 167
o.mong the nations, and st thwart his own Rather "as trnly as I live, and the glory purposes, without making one effort (however of the Lord sho.11 fill all the earth." Both audacious) to tum his wrath a.side. We can clauses are dependent on C~1:-t~, and the see that it is (as in Exod. llXii. 11, 12, only second is but…
989 wordsSECTION 168The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 168
~ep11.ration RS le1tder, not of Ephraim, but of "mountain of the Amorite" on the south. lsmel, TI'!I.S Rlready anticipated in the singu- If so, we must conclude that not only tha lnrity, 11.t least, of his position. Caleb, on roving Amalekites, but also the Canaanitos, the other hand, was merely a chieftain of the o…
1,025 wordsSECTION 169The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 169
,ro,, 11 p,111 ravr17v ; The verb is mpplied from of " discouraging," or " tnrning away:• the sense. (Septuagint, ivari 8,.a11rpltp,r•~-, He~~ 1t Ver. 29.-All that were numbered of you, must mean "my withdrawal, or my .. from twenty yeara old (cf. eh. i. 18, 19, turning a.side from you." They should 47). All th11t had…
1,060 wordsSECTION 170The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 170
Bormah. This mention or llorma.h is ex- in the mountains beyond, u far u • pla.ce tremely perplexing, especially when we find CAlled Hormah, perhaps from this very from Deut. i. 44 that it 'WllS "in Seir" slaughter. Others have found Hormah (or (,"V~i'), which is the ordinary name for the ~phath, Judges L 17) and Se…
730 wordsSECTION 171The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 171
of the Azazimeh (see note on eh. x. 12). This desert plain, some ten miles by six in extent, is screened from ordinary observation by the outer mountain walls of tha .Azazimat, which shut it off on the west from the desert road from Sinai to Hebron, on the north from the Wady Murrah. At the north-east of the plain i…
718 wordsSECTION 172The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 172
may place with more i-onfidence the well of Hagar (Gen. xvi. 14)1 which is placed between " Kadesh and Bered." It is difficult to think that this Kadesh could possibly have been in the Aro.bah. Gernr, again, which was certainly near to Beersheba, is placed (Gen. n. 1) "between Kadesh and Shur," These notices are ind…
783 wordsSECTION 173The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 173
oan hardly be Mount Seir in itB ordinary reBtrict~d Bense. If the name Seir haB to be sought anywhere outBide of Edom proper, it would Beem more natural to find it in the northern part of the wilderness of Paran, where it iB said to be still common, than anywhere else. And if thiB extension of Edom can be establishe…
641 wordsSECTION 174The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 174
HOMILETICS. Che. xiii., xiv.-The revolt oj Israel,. In these two chapters we have ae the writer t-o the Hebrews teaches us, a Divinely-recorded " enmple of unbelief'" (Hob. iv. 11 )-of that air,~,a which we cannot satisfactorily translate, because it is a dubelief which prompts and produces, and so appears in pract…
893 wordsSECTION 175The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 175
Ible. Even eo the powers of evil which bar our urward way a.re indeed mighty, and that for two especial reasons: ( 1) as wielded and swayed by beings of superhuman origin and power (Eph, vi. 12); (2) as having entrenched themselves in the ancient and (as it were) invmcible habits, customs, e.nd temlencies of the human …
931 wordsSECTION 176The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 176
~l1ey forfeit the rest prepared for them, nnd doom themselves to n frnitless wandering lil dr:r places. . 9. Th~ tM firs~ fruit of tM!, refusal to advanc8 tM&. mourning, tlte second •murmuring, the third flat rebellwn. Even eo when we, hem~ called, ehrink from going on unto_ perfe<:_tion, the first consequence is tha…
878 wordsSECTION 177The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 177
,in, and by a preJumptuous appropriation of Goas promiies, as though the land was theirs whenever 11nd however they chose to take it. Even so do many put aside all genuine repentance and self-humiliation for their grievous sins, when those sins are brought home to them, speaking and acting as if a bare ncknowledgmen…
838 wordsSECTION 178The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 178
avenged, to discourage the waverin~, and to provide those that are disaffected with arguments and reasons against a religious life. 9. That Jofluea and Caleb li~ on, s!farin,g tM present _puni,J,,ment, but not desflroyd by it, b&:att.se cheered with certain hOJJe· Even so in an evil age, amidst an unspiritnal peopl…
883 wordsSECTION 179The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 179
2. That God did not desire tlu sin of the people, but he ao dealt with thei:r sin aa to bring out the aingular goodnes& of hu servant. Even so it was not of God that man should fall into condemnation, but it was overruled by him for unspeakable good in the eelf-encrifice of his dear Bon (Rom. v. 8; Gal. ii. 20 b.; 1 Jo…
852 wordsSECTION 180The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 180
11. prolongation of the Jordan valley southwards to the Red Sea. From Kadeeh the people can see, rising before them towards the north-west, the steep ascent which leads into the hill country, the destined inheritance of the tribe of Judah. The march from Egypt, including th_e twelve months' sojourn in Horeb, has occ…
854 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.