The Pulpit Commentary — Leviticus — Section 425

occasion for the enactment of other statutes (vers. 16-22). The story and the statutes 11uggest- L WHAT LAl!TING EVIL MAY AOORUE FROM. AN UNBOLT Al.LIA.NOE, Had the Israelitish woman not married an Egyptian (ver. 10), it is morally certain that she would not have been called upon to part with her son under these tragic and terrible circumstances. She consulted her own fancy rather than the known will of Jehovah, and, long yeara afterwards, she bore her penalty in maternal grief. There is nothin"0 fraught with more grave and enduring evils than an unwise, unholy alliance. II. How LIKELY ONE FOLLY IS TO END IN ANOTHER, This son of the Israelitish woman strove with a man of Israel in the camp, and their strife led to blasphemy and cursing on the part of one of them. Strife led to profanity. Similarly, carelessness often ends in fraud, fraud in falsehood, indelicacy in impurity, occasional excess in habitual intemperance, anger in murder, etc. IlL How SERIOUS A SIN MAY BESIDE IN A FEW WRONG WORDS, (Ver. 16.) Pl'obably the words in which Shelomith's son blasphemed were few in number. Words are but breath, impressions made on the air, we may say, Yet, simple though they be, they may (1) reveal a most foul and guilty state of soul, (2) work terrible mischief to other ~uls, (3) be heard with deep abhorrence by God and the good. IV. Ifow WISE A OOUBSE IS THE PATIENT ADMINISTRATION OF LAW. Had the cro•.vd -that gathered at the strife between these two men indicted condign punishment on the ·transgressor, the event would have been regarded as an ordinary disturbance, and no moral effect would have been produced. Possibly the guilty man would have been pitied as a victim of the violence of a mob. But by the patient course pursued (vers. 11-15, 23) it was clearly seen by all that the man died because he had com- mitted a grievous sin, and that whosoever followed him in his guilt must expect to suffer the same penalty he endured. Thus that which might have seemed nothing better than fatal exasperation was made to wear the true aspect of righteous vindication of law. It is always best to be patient in the infliction of punishment. Here as every- where, but here especially, calmness is strength, passion is weakness. By restraining ourselves from hasty action we may restrain many others from the commission of sin. V. How SAD .A SERVICE SOME MEN A.BE COMPELLED TO BENDER THEIR RACE. Some men serve their fellows involuntarily. They become beacons to warn all who approach from the danger they are running. Shelomith's son, by this evil deed of his, caused the enact- ment of ver. 16; and this weighty law, together with the impressive circumstance out -0f which it grew, undoubtedly produced a very deep and permanent impression on lsraeL It materially contributed to the very striking result that no nation has been more reverent iu its tone and spirit than the Jews. It is a sad reflection that a man should serve his race by suffering death as the penalty of his sin. We may be com- pelled, by overruling Omniscience, so to serve others. How much rather would the heavenly Father accept our willing service, and make use of our devout endeavour to bless our kind !-C. VeI'B. 17-22.-The holy Law of God. These enactments, occasioned by the sin of the son of Shelomith, contain certain principles on which God founded his Law, and which he would have 118 introduce into our dealings and regulations now. These are- I. THE SACREDNESS OF HUMAN LIFE. "He that killeth any man shall surely be pnt to death" (ver. 17). This is significantly repeated (ver. 21) We can hardly be said to have learnt tbid lesson yet, after eighteen centuries of Christian legislation. Here, however, is a statute which unmistakably and emphatically asserts it. II. EQUITY. There is to be careful discrimination. in awarding penalty (vers.18-20)• .A man must suffer accordin;; to the injury he has done. Nothing is more destructive of the main purpose of Jaw than undistinguishing, and therefore unrighteous, retribu- tion, whether at the national tribunal, or in the school, or in the home ; nothing more salutary than the calm, regulated equity which estimates degrees of guilt, and determines the fair penalty therefrom. IIL CoNSIDEBATENESB, Law is obliged to regard the general good, the welfare of the community at large, the result of action and of permission in the end and upon the whole. It therefore often bears severely on individual men. Dut it must not be inconsiderate. Where it can right one man that has been wronged it ruust do so. "He that killeth a beast, he shall restore it" (ver. 21). OIL XXIV, 10-23.] THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS. 891