io And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, thatare in the land of Canaan,the children of Reuben,and , che children of Gad,and the half tribe of Manaſſeh,built
there g an alrar by Jordan, a great altar to ſee to.
g Or, then, as this Particle is elſewhere uſed; and ſo Learned In- terpreters underſtand it, Pſal. i4, 5+ and 36 12. Eccleſ. 3. 17. Hoſ. 2. 154And in theLatine Tongue Adverbs of Place are ſometimes pur for Adverbs cf Time: So I rakeit here. Firſt, Becauſe this beſt an- iwers to the when in the beginning of the Verſe.Secondly, This ſeems to me to clear a great difticuity as ro the place where the Altar was bilt, which though according to our Tranſlation it ſeems and is ge- erally thought by Interpreters to have been in the Land of Canaan; yetif things be more narrowly examined,it may be thought to have 2CEN on the other ſide Jerdan in Gilead; and that both, Firſt, from v. 11. where :t 1s ſaid tc have been built over againſt,or,in the ſignt of the land of Canaan, therefore not in it. And Secondly, From the reaſon they give of the building of this Altar,for fear leſt the 1/rael- ites within Jerdany and in Canaan, fbould ſay unte their Chrildren awel - ling beyond Jordan,The Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you,8&c, Which jealcuſie would have been much confirmed by build- ing the Alrar in Canaan, but would be ſatisfied and confuted by ha- ving on the cther fide of Jordan,and in their own Land,a pattern of thar Altar «t which God was ſerved 1n the Land of Canaan, asa Wit- neſs that they owned the ſame God, and the ſame way of Worſhip with their Brethren that lived in Canaan. Bur whether the Hebrew Particle be rendred then or there, it is not to be taken too ſtrictly ; 'f then,the menu g 1s net,that they did this as ſoon as ever they came to the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan; but about that time when they come to them,that they thought and deſigned it,and as con as ever they were got over Jordan,which was 1n a very little ime,they effc&cd and pert ted it: if itbe rendred rhere, itis not to be limited ro the very fame ſpet ef ground mentioned before, as if it was bui't at that border of Jordan that was inthe Land of Canaan; but fo be a little more Jarge!ly underſtood ; to be built at one or other of the borders of Jordan ; or in general,by Jordan: which is here purpoiely added, for the Explicition of the Word zhere, and to pre- vent the reſtraint of it to the border of Jordan, within Canaan.
11 9 And the children of Iſrael heard fay, Behold the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half tribe of Manafleh, have built an Altar over-againſt the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan,at the paſ-
ſage of the chiidren of Iſrael þ. h Where they paſſed over Jordan,cither at their firſt entrance in« ro Canaan, Or afterwards, and uſually.
12And when the children of Iſraeli heard of it,the whole congregation of the children of Iſrael gathered chem- ſelves together at Shiloh,to goup ro war againſt them k.
;# Not 1a their own perſons, but by their Elders, who uſed to rraniatt all Afffairs of this kind in the name and ſtead of all the Pec- ple. k As Apoſtates from God,according to Gods command in that caſe, Deut. 13+ 13, &c.
13 And the children of Iſrael ſent unto the children of Reuben,and to the children of Gad, and to the half cribe of Manaſleh into the land of Gilead, * Phinehas the ſon of Eleazar the prieſt.
14 And with him ten Princes of each + chief houſe a prince,throughour all the tribes of Iſrael, and each one was an head ofti.e houſe of r5cir fathers among the thou- | _ ſands of lirael, "he father
15 4 And they came unto the children of Reuben, 2nd to the children of Gad,and to the half tribe of Manaſleh, unto the land of Gilead,andthey ſpake with them, ſaying, | 16 Thus faith the whole congregation of the LORD ;. What treſpaſs is this mm, that ye have committed againſt che God of Irael,to turn away this day » from follow- ing the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, tat ys might rebel o this day againlt the LORD ?
* Exod.6-
270 Numb 25. 7+
} rp ff fe
MmMorr
/ Who
Chap. X XI.
+Nvumb.
+ Chip. 7. I, $*
{ Who do and are reſolved to cleave unto that God from whom you have revolted, and who ſpeak this to you in the name of the LORD. »» How hainous acrime is this! » (z.e. ) So ſoon after God harh obliged you by ſuch wonderful favours, and when God 1s now conduQing you home to reap the fruits of all your pains and ha- Lars. o With a defign to revolt from, and rebel againſt God, and againſt his EXPreis command of worſhipping him at one only Al- tar, Ex3a8 20: 24» Levite 17: 8, 9. Deuc: 5 2: Gy Ti 13»
1 Is the iniquity 7 of Peor p too little for us, from which we are not cleanſed until this day 9 ( although there was a plague in the congregation.of the LORD )
p (7. ) Of our worſhipping of Baal-Peor, Numb: 25.4 For though God had pardoned 1t, as 10 the National Punithment of it, Numb. 25: 11. Yet they were not yet thorowly purged from it; partly be- cauie rhs ſhame and blor of that filthy and odious prattice was net y=r wiped off: and partly, becauſe ſome of that corrupt leaven ſt1]} remained among them, and rhough ſmothered for a time, yet was r2:dy to break forth uponall occaſions. See Jof: 24: 23. And Gog alio took notice of thete Idolatrous inclinations in particular perſons, and tound out ways to puniſh them one time or other.
18 But that ye muſt turn away this day from follow ing the LORD? and it will be, ſeing ye rebel to day againſt the LORD, that to morrow r he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Iſrael s. |
r (1.e,) Suddenly, as rhar w-rd 1s ofr uſed, as Mat: 6; 30+ 1 Cor. 255 33+ ©) puniſhing 1t+
19 Notwith{tanding, if the land of your poſſeſſion be unclean tr, then pals ye over unto the land of the pol- {:{tton of the LORD. wherein the LORD'S tabernacle dwelleth,and take poſſeflion among us «: but rebel not againſt the LORD. nor-rebel againſt us », in building
you an altar, belide the altar of the LORD our God,