The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 120

EXPOSITION. TlIE ACTUAL DEPA.ltTURE FROM SINAI in the midst o( the host by the Kobtbites, (vers. 88-86). Ver. 33.-.1.nd they de• but that God reserved the place of the ark pa.rted. These words mark the moment of itself to his own immediate disposition. A actual dcpart1ue, which has been anticipated general does not include himself in his own in the general statement of ver. 12. It was marching orders, however minuto; o.nd the one of the supreme moments in tho life of ark was the outward symbol of God's own Israel-one of those beginnings or "depar- personal presence and ~dance. It is, there• tures" which lead to untold ga.in or loss ; it fore, not at all surprismg that tho first inti- was, in fa.et, although t.hey knew it not, the mation of the position of the ark on the march commencement of a march which for almost should be givenat the moment when the march all of them should kno,~ no end except within actually commenced. 3. 'That the usual place a ha.sty grave. No doubt, during themontlis for the ark was no doubt with the sanctuary, spent at Sinai, every preparation had been as implied in the orders, but that ® tins made for the onward journey; but none the SJJecial occasfon the ark went to the front in less it was a stupendous enterprise to march consequence of some Divine intime.tion, just that vast host, so largely composed of women as it did at the crossing of Jordan and at tbe and children, so little inlll'ed to such fatigue, taking of Jericho. Certainly there is much and so impatient of such discipline, for three reason in this view, considering how mo- consecutive days into a wilderness. Three mentous and formidable 'l\'as their first e.ssny days' journey. This expression is apparently at me.rching from their temporary home a general one, and not to be strictly pressed towards that unknown land beyond tho (cf. Gen. xxx. 86; Exod. iii 18; xv. 22}. northern horizon. If. the deep waters of At the same time it implies (1) that the host Jordan might fright them, or the walls of twice halted for the n.ight during the journey, Jericho defy them, well might they shrink and (2} that the whole journey was re,,o-arded from plunging into the broken, stony, and as one and in some sense as complete in itself. intractable country into which the ark and Tile terminus a,d quem of this three days' the cloud now led them. We shall pro- journey is given us in ver. 12; it was to take bably think that either habitually or at least them across the intervening belt of sand, and occasionally the ark did go before, and that to land them fa.irly within the "wilderness the feet of them that bare it were super• of Pa.ran." During this journey no doubt the naturally directe<l, either by the movemeuts march -would be pushed on as steadily as of the cloud, or by some more secret intima• possible, butitisllotlikely that it would cover tion, towards th~ destined place of rest. It so much as thirty miles. A modern army, i, allowed by all that the cloud preceded and llllencumbered with non-aombatants, docs not directed the march, and it would be strango make more than ten miles a day over difficult indeed if these twin symbols of the Divine country, nor can cattle be driven faster than presence had been so far separated from one that. Even to accomplish that rate, and to another ; for the accustomed place of the keep the whole multitude together, as the cloud was above the tabemncle, i. e. above tho narrative implies, required supernatural a.id ark, yet outside of the tabernacle, so as to be and strength. For the direction of the march visible to all. see notes on eh. xiii The ark of the cove- Ver. 34.-The cloud oft.he Lord wa.s upon nant of the Lord went before them. It is them by day. It would seem a.a if the cloud, obviollB that what is apparently affirmed here which was luminous by night, dense and dark is apparently at variance with eh. ii 17 and by day, spread itself upwards and backwards ver. 21 of this cha1-ter, which speak of the from over the ark, overshadowing the host as "holy things "-of which the ark was the it followed-a. refreshment at any rate to those most holy-a.a carried by the Kobathites in who were near, perhaps to all, and a guiding the very midst of the long line of march. beacon to those who were afar, To what Throe opinions have been held on the subject, extent the people at large were able to enjoy I. That the ark was really carried with the this shade amidst the burning beats of the other "holy things," and only "went before" desert we cannot possibly tell, but there is metaphorically, as a general may be said to no doubt that it dwelt in the memory of the lead his troops, although he may not be actu- nation, and ga.ve meaning to such expressions ally in front of them ; to which it is obvioW! as the "shadow of the Almighty " (Ps. xci. to reply that if the ark did not actually pre- 1), and " the shadow of a cloud" (Isa. xxv. cede the host, there was no possiblo way in 4, 5). which it could direct their movements; tho Ver. 85.-When the ark set forward. cloud alone would b~ the visiblo expression These words, taken in connection with the of the Divine guidance. 2. That the "holy words "when it rested," in the following things " generally 'Yere ordered to be carried verse, eoufirm the belief that at this tim@ OH, X, 33-36.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. !19