home, also serving God in its own way, and looking after the interests of those who were absent. We must not get into the way of looking at one part of the com- munity as more necessary than another. It was not for the army to any "What would Israel h!ve d?ne in t&king ven~anc? on Midian but for us?" se:ing that God had made 1t plam how he was working m and through the army. Nor was it for the people who stayed at home to say, "What right have twelve thousand man to half the spoils?" The twelve thousand were not looked at in themselves; they stood for Israel militant. All Israel gained a real blessing by this expedition, and the_ chief _gain to them was in so far_ as the.y were effectually warned against the penis of idolatry. Whateye_r there might be rn the way of improved perception of truth and duty and the D1vme character was far more than all the spoil. God did not send them against Midian for the sake of the spoil, but for the sake of vengeance. II. THE SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE LEVITES. It was very appropriate that this should be strictly exacted, after all the service which Phinehaa had rendered. The tribe of Levi had done its part in a way which could not be mistaken. Upon this great occasion, when so much had to be distributed, God taught the lesson that distribu- tion should be made according to the needs of men. The Levites had need not only to be supported, but well supported. The work they had to do, in the reality, the extent, the continuity, and the minuteness of it, had been lately indicated in more ways than one. Consider all the Levitical service that was involved in the offerings mentioned in cha. xxviii. and xxi.x. It was becoming more and more clear that Levi must be set apart and properly maintained; for thus only could there be regu- larity and efficiency in the service of God. III. BALAAM'S ASS WAS PROBABLY A.MONO THE ASSES THAT WERE TAKEN (ver. 34). It is pleasant to imagine that it may have found its way into the Lord's tribute, and that the animal which had so long borne a wicked man faithfully, would now with equal faithfulness be able to bear perhaps Eleazar himself. We need much of the spirit of obedience to God to use rightly that vast multitude of the brute creation which God has put under our control. How pitiable to see the horse carefully trained for war, and, as one might almost think, taught to cherish feelings which by nature are alien to it I May we not well wish for the day when not only the sword of the dragoon shall be turned to the ploughshare, but the horse on which he rides shall draw that share along? Think how the horse and other animals are degraded by the occasions for gambling which they furnish. Think of all the cruel field-sports in which man finds such pleasure. When he leaves the pleasures which are sppro- priate to his nature, what a tyrannous and hideous monster he may become I Man in sll his life should be drawing nearer to God, and, rising higher himself, should raise all creation with him. Whereas he is drawn downward, and in his willing descent he degrades even the lower creation.-Y.
EXPOSITION. Jaazer, probably stood neo.r the northern CHAPTER XXXII. source of the Wady Hesban, which enters THE TWO AND A HALF TRIBES BEYOND the Jordan not far from its mouth. The JORDAN (vers.1--42). Ver.1.-The children " land of J azer" would seem to me11n the of Reuben and the children of Gad. Reuben Mishor, or plateau, of Heshbon, over which and Gad bad both been camped on the same the Israelites had passed on their way to (southern) side of the tabernacle, but had the plains of Moab (see on Deut. iii. 10, not apparently been neighbours, since Simeon " all the cities of the Mishor "). The land intervened on the march (see on eh. ii 10- of Gilead. Gilead ns the name of a district 14). Simeon, however, was at this time en- only previously occurs in Gen. xxxvii. 25. feebled and disgrac<Jd, and was not likely to It is used with a considerable latitude of assert himself in any way. The "great meaning in this and the following books. multitude of cattle " belonging to the two In its widest sense it sfands for the wholo tribes probably point to pastoral habits of territory to the east of Jordan (see on ver~. long standing, since the cattle of the Amor- 26, 29), including even the rugged, volcamo ites and Midianites would be equally divided districts of Bashan (Deut. xxxiv. 1 ; 1 Chron. 111Inong all The la.nd of lazer. Jazer, or v. 16) ; but more properly it denoted the CH. XXXII. 1-42.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 413