m(lre happily circumet.anced it would hR,·P l,Prn diffrrent.. A~ if a mnn did not to e. larg~ exten1, make hi~ own circumstJrnrPR, rhon~r hiR cornp1rnion~, construct his own way ol hfe. V.'e a.re not forced to compeny with eny men, much less any women, out of husinelll' hou!'II. We a.re not compelled to ~o to places of public amusement where we are tempted. The "circumstances" which lead to sin are usually circumst.ances which we might easily have avoided, if we h&d chosen, as Aaron might have e.voided making the mould, or eT8D a.eking for the ornaments.
EXPOSITION. Ven;. 25-2!1.-MOlllll! rlJlllIBIIB8 TIii: BING - featUTe (Herod. ii. 60), ao that there ia no LBADl!:B8. The presence elf Moaas in the camp reuon for changing the expression used in -his impressive act in breaking the tables- tbe Authorised Venion. Moses saw that even his &ei&ure of the idol and coneignment most of the people were still without the garment.'! that they had laid aside when they of it to destroct.ion-did not arrast the licen- began to dance, and were probably still en- tious orgy in which the people had engaged gaged in dancing and shouting. Aaron had before his coming. The "play" that had ma4e them naked. Aaron is said to have followed on the feasting still continued ; done that to which his actions had led. He though we may suppose that many had been had made the calf and proclaimed a festival. The "nakedness" had naturally followed. impr&WI. and had desisted. Moses felt that an Unto their Iha.me among their enemies. exanple must be ma.de, a.ad a stop put to Amalekites were no doubt still hovering about conduct which was more and more provoking the camp; indeed, the tribe probably still held the Almighty, and might at any moment most of the surrounding mountains. They bring do111'D the judgment elf complet.e de- would witness the orgy, and see the indecent and shameful exposure. struction upon the whole people. He there- Ver. 26.-J[osea stood in the gate of the fore took his station at the main gate of the oamp. We must understand "the Jlrincipal camp (ver. 2G), &11.d shouted the words- gate,n since the camp had several ( ver. 27) "Who is on Jehovah's aide P Here, to me I" Who i.a on the Lord's Bide 1 Let him oome The sound of the words could not, of course, to me. Literally, "Who for Jehovah? To me "-but expressed, as the Hebrew idiom have reached very far-but they rallied to allows, in three words, forming an excellent him those of his own tribe who stood near, rallying cry. All the aona of Levi----i.e., all and thui; placed a strong force at his disposal who heard the cry. It is evident that there Moses bade them get their swords, and proceed were Levites among the idolaten (vers. ~. through the camp from end t.o end, slaying 29). Ver. 27.-Go in and out from gate to the idolat.ers--not, we m&y be sure, indis- gate, etc.,----i.e., " pass through the whole criminat.ely, but executing God's judgment on camp-visit every part of it-and, where you those who were most conspicuous and persis- see the licentious rites continuing, use your tent. They were aspeci&lly bidden not to swords-do not spare, though the man be a spare their own neanist ,and dearest, which brother, or a companion, or a neighbour- strike nevertheless, and bring the revel to an implies that many Lerites were among the end_" ringl.eaden.. The renlt was the destroction Ver. 28.-About three thoUBalld. We can- by the swam of three tho11Sand men-d not gather from this, as some have done, that the mpprel!llion m the festival. It is not t.o the Levites who rallied t.o Moses were only be donbt.ed that Moses had Divine aanction 3,000-for every Levite was not obliged to kill a man-but only that, when this number for what be did in this matter (ver. ~). was slain, the idolaters desisted from their orgy Ver. 25.-rhe people were naked. It has Ver. 29.-l!'or Koae1 had said. Moses, on been suggested that " licentiom D or " un- giving them their commission (ver. ~). had rul v" would be a bett.er rendering (Gesen.ius, told them, that their zeal in the matter would Dathe. Baimuntiller, Kalisch, Cook), but the be a consec:ration, and would secure them primary senae of phsrwa is" naked,"" stri__pt ;" God's blessing. They earned by it the semi- and of the licentious orgies of the East, priestly position, which wu soon afterwa.rdl lltripping or G...._.-enng the person wu a 1111Signed to them (Num. iii. 6-13). CH, llXXJI, 25-30.] TliE BOOK OF EXODU& 341