poriod nppointcd judges to settle disputes distinctly trorisonable was itlolntry. In Rmong the peoplo, and had given instruc- proceeding, therefore, to give some praotioal tions to them for the disclmrge of their duty admonitions as to the things to be observed (Exod. niii.; Dent. i. 12-18). Whilst iu the administration of justice, Moses begins I he people were in the wilderness, united by denouncing and forbidding this most ns one body and under the leadership of flagrant form of iniquity. l\1osos, this arrangement wns sufficient; but Ver. 21.-Thou shalt not plant thee a a more extended arrangement would be grove of any trees ; thou shalt not plant, i.e. required when they cnme to be settled in place or set up, an as11ernh of any wood. Canaan and dispersed in towns and villages 'fhe asberah was an idol of wood in the form of a pillar, usunlly placed by the side over the whole land. In prospect of this, of the altars of Ban.I. It was the symbol of l\Ioses here enacts that judges and officers Astarte, the great Cnnaa.nitish goddess, the were to be appointed by the people in all companion and revealer of Dao.I. The two their gat.es, in all their places of residence, arc usually assooiated in the Old Testament which the Lord should give them. (cf. Judg. ii. 13; vi. 28; l Kings xviii. 19; 2 Kings xxiii. 4). The rendering "grove" Yer. I 8.---.Tudges and officers. The has been t.a.ken from the LXX. and the "officers" (shoterim, writers) associated Vulgate; but that it is an error is evident with the judges both in the earlier ar- from l Kings xiv. 23; 2 Kings xvii. 10; and rangements and in that which was to Jer. xvii. 2; where the ashera.h is said to suc~eed were secretaries and clerks of be under a. green tree ; and from the use of court, and acted also as assessors and· such words as make, set up, cause to stand, adnsers of the judges. No instruction is build, to denote the action of producing an given as to the number of judges and a.sherah (cf. l Kings xiv. 15; xvi. 31!; 2 officers, or as to the mode of appointing Kings xvii. 16; xvii. 10; 2 Chron. xx.xiii. them ; nor was this necessary. The former 19; l Kings xiv. 23), none of which a.re would be determined by the size and popu- appropriate to the planting of a. grove. lation of the place where they were ap- Here, indeed, the word "plant" is used, pointed, and the latter would, as a matter but this is only because, as the e.sherah of course, follow the method instituted by was sunk in the earth that it might stand Moses in the earlier arrangement (see eh. firm, it might be figuratively said to be i. 13-15; Exod. xviii. 21-26). planted, just as nails driven in are said to Ver. 19.-{Cf. Exod. xxiii. 6, 8.) Respect be planted (Eccles. xii. 11, where the same persons (cf. eh. i. 17). Pervert the words verb is used; comp. also lea.. li. 16; Amos [margin, matters] of the righteous; rather, ix. 15; Dan. xi. 25). the case or the cause of the righteous. Ver. 22.-Any image; any pillar, etc. The Ver. 20.-That which is altogether just; Hebrew word (;,;1)(1?, mazzebah) denotes literally, justice, justice. The repetition of generally any pillar or stone that is set up, the word is for tbe sake of emphasis, as in whether as a. memorial (Gen. xxviii. 18), or Gen. xiv. 10, "pits, pits," equal to full of as e. sign (Exod. xxiv. 4; Isa.. xix. 19), or pits. for purposes of utility or ornament (Jer. Yers. 21, 22.-In all states, the highest xliii. 13). Here, as in other passages, it is crime of which the judge has to take note is a. pillar or statue set up as an object of that of treason against the supreme power; worship (cf. 2 Kings iii. 2; :1., 26 ; Hos. x. l ; and, under the theocracy, the ad most Micah v. 12).
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-8.-The Feast of the Passover. (For a reference to the minute points of difference necessitated by different circumstances, between the first passover and subse- quent on;s, see art. 'Passover,' in Smith's 'Bibl. Diet.;' see a~so_ the Exposition for its historical significance.) We now take for granted that 3:11 tlu,~ 1s well u,?derst?od ~y, and perfectly familiar to, the reader. Our purpose no_w IS t~ o_pen up, not its h1s- tr...rical meaning/nor even its symbolism for Israel, but its typ1c_al mtent a~ foreshadow- b10- gospel truths showino- how in Christ our Passover, and m the ordmance of the L;rd's Supper as' our Pa;sover feast, the far-reaching significance of the offering of the Paschal lamb is most clearly seen. I. lsRAEL's P ABSOVER HAS ITS ANTITYPE IN CHRIST. So argues the aposLle, in 1 Cor. v. 7, "Christ our Passover ie sacrificed for us." We ca.nuot but feel here the wondrous Oll, XVI, 1-22.] THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. 273