ple, that God had called them to that empl -yment and would be with them in it, as it was with Sau! upon the ſame occaſion, 1 Sam 10. 10. || Either for that d:y, they continued in that exerciſe all that day, and, it may be, all the night too, as it is ſ:id of Saul, i Sam: 19. 24. Or, afterwards alſo, to note that this was a continued gift con- ferred upon them to enable them the better to diſcharge their Ma- giſtracy; which was more expedient for them than for the Rulers of other people, becauſe the Jews were under a Theocracy or the ; Government of God, and even their civi! controverſies were de- | cided out of that word of God which the Prophets expounded, and in their wilderneſs condition-they had frequent occaſions of ſeeking counſel from God, which was the work of Prophets, and they were to determineall things agreeably to the mind and will of God, which therefore they were obliged ro ſtudy. Others tranſlate the words, and they added not: So the ſenſe is, they propheſied only this day for ant aſſurance of vocation to, and due qualification for their work, bur afterwards they propheſied no more ; the gift of prophecy ceaſ- ed in them, and oaly the ſpirit of goyernment reſted upon them.
curſes. whileſt he deals much more favourably with Moſes, though |
murmuring. But God wil make a gieat difference between per- |
have lightly eſteemed his bounty and manifold bleffings in Manns |
z of the elders of the people, and ſet them round about
of Prophecy, as a ſign and ſeal both ro themſelves and to the peo- |
Macle might be more evident, and their call and authority more unqueltionable to all the people. 2 To wit, in. a bock or paper by Moſes, who by God's direQion nominated the fitteſt and worthi= e{t perſons. | |
z7 And there ran a young man, and told Moſes band ſaid Eldad and Medad do prophchie in the camp. |
b Fearing leaſt his authority ſhould be diminiſhed by their pro« pheſying; And thereby, as by the ſignal given ar this time, taking authority to themſelves without his know letgeand conſent.
28 And Jothua the fon of Nun the ſervant of Moſes, : one of his young men c anſwered, and ſaid, * My iord *Sce Luk | Moſes, forbid them 4+ 9- 49-
"_y | | ©c Or, one of his choice miniſters, a choſen or excellent perſon :
which may be empharically added, to note that even great and good men may mittake and mij-ju:ge ab ut the works of God. Or, from his youth, as the words will bear, and the Chaldee, Syr. Cc. render it. So it may be ad-ed as a reaſon why Joſbua above others were concerned for Moſes his honour and autho:iry. d He teared either ſchiſm, or ſedition, or that by their uſurpation of authority independently upon Moſes and ſeparately from him, his power and eſteem might be leſſened, as the next words ſhew.
29 And Moſes faid unto him, Envieff thou for my ſake e? would God that all the LORDS people were prophetsf, and that the LORD would part his ſpirit u= pon them«
e Art thou grieved becauſe the gifts and graces of God are im- parted to others belides me? Compare Joh: 3. 26. f He ſaith Pro- phets, not Rulers, for that he knew was abſurd and impoſſible.
39 And Moſes gat him into the camp g, he and the elders of Iſrael.
g Among the people, to exerciſe the gifts and authority now, or formerly rec:ived.
21 And there went fortha * wind from the LORD * Exod: h, and brought quails 3 from the ſea &, and let them fall 76: 23 by the camp, Þ as it were a days journey on this ſide, ;,.1 200) and as it were a days journey on the other fide round a- 40.
face of the earth /. þ (i. e.) An extraordinary and miraculous wind both for its ve- 2% eb hemency and for its effetts. 7 A delicious and very nouriſhing 7” food, which, conſidering their greedy appetite, and the newnelſs and plenty of it, diſpoſed them to ſurfers and other diſtempers of | bocy, and prepared the way for the following plague. God gave them quails once before, Exod: 16. 13. but neither in the ſame | quantity, nor with the ſame defign and effe& as now. &k Princi« ' pally from the Red ſea, and both ſides of it; where, by the report of ancient heathen Writers, they were then in great numbers, and, , no doubt were wonderfully increaſed by God's ſpecial providence | for this very occaſion. #/ Not as if the quails did cover all the ' ground two cubits high for a days jou:ney on each ſide of the | camp, for then there had been no place left where they could ſpread | them all abroad round about the camp, as it is ſaid they did, wer: 32. bur the meaning is, that the quails came and fell down roi:nd a- bout the camp for a whole days journey on each fide of it, and that in all that ſpace they lay here and there in great heaps, which were oft-times two cubits high.
32 And the people ftood up m all that day, and all that night », and all the rext day, and they gathered the quaiis: he that gathered leaſt, gathered ten homers os and they ſpread them all abroad for themſelves p, round about the camp. | | |