19 This chapter introduces the giving of the law upon Mount Sinai, which was one of the most sensible appearances of the divine glory that ever was in this lower world. Here are,

1. The circumstances of time and place, Exo 19:1-2.
   
2. The covenant between God and Israel settled in general. The gracious proposal God made to them, Exo 19:3-6.
   And their consent to the proposal, Exo 19:7-8.
   
3. Notice given three days before of God's design to give the law out of a thick cloud, Exo 19:9.
   Orders given to prepare the people to receive the law, Exo 19:10-13.
   and care taken to execute those orders, Exo 19:14-15.
   
4. A terrible appearance of God's glory, Exo 19:16-20.
   
5. Silence proclaimed, and strict charge given to the people to observe a decorum while God spake to them, Exo 19:20-25.
   

19:1 In the third month after they came out of Egypt. It is computed that the law was given just fifty days after their coming out of Egypt, in remembrance of which the feast of Pentecost was observed the fiftieth day after the passover, and in compliance with which the spirit was poured out upon the apostles, at the feast of Pentecost, fifty days after the death of Christ. Mount Sinai was a place which nature, not art, had made conspicuous, for it was the highest in all that range of mountains. Thus God put contempt upon cities and palaces, setting up his pavilion on the top of a mountain, in a barren desert. It is called Sinai, from the multitude of thorny bushes that over - spread it.

19:3 Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and the children of Israel - The people are called by the names both of Jacob and Israel, to mind them that they who had lately been as low as Jacob when he went to Padan - aram, were now grown as great as God made him when he came from thence, and was called Israel.

19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on Eagle's wings - An high expression of the wonderful tenderness God shewed for them. It notes great speed; God not only came upon the wing for their deliverance, but he hastened them out, as it were upon the wing.Also that he did it with great ease, with the strength as well as with the swiftness of an eagle. They that faint not, nor are weary, are said to mount up with wings as eagles, Isa 40:31. Especially it notes God's particular care of them, and affection to them. Even Egypt was the nest in which these young ones were first formed as the embryo of a nation: when by the increase of their numbers they grew to some maturity, they were carried out of that nest. I brought you unto myself - They were brought not only into a state of liberty, but into covenant and communion with God. This, God aims at in all the gracious methods of his providence and grace, to bring us back to himself, from whom we have revolted, and to bring us home to himself, in whom alone we can be happy.

19:5 Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me - He doth not instance in any one particular favour, but expresseth it in that which was inclusive of all happiness, that he would be to them a God in covenant, and they should be to him a people. Nay you shall be a peculiar treasure: not that God was enriched by them, as a man is by his treasure, but he was pleased to value and esteem them as a man doth his treasure; they were precious in his sight. He took them under his special care and protection, as a treasure that is kept under lock and key. He distinguished them from, and dignified them above all people, as a people devoted to him, and to his service.

19:6 A kingdom of priests, a holy nation - All the Israelites, if compared with other people, were priests unto God, so near were they to him, so much employed in his immediate service, and such intimate communion they had with him. The tendency of the laws given them was to distinguish them from others, and engage them for God as a holy nation. Thus all believers are, through Christ, made to our God kings and priests, Rev 1:6, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, Pe1 2:9.

19:7 And Moses laid before their faces all these words - He not only explained to them what God had given him in charge, but put it to their choice, whether they would accept these promises upon these terms or no.His laying it to their faces speaks his laying it to their consciences.

19:8 And they answered together; all that the Lord hath spoken we will do - Thus accepting the Lord to be to them a God, and giving up themselves to be to him a people.

19:10 Sanctify the people - As Job before sent and sanctified his sons, Job 1:5.Sanctify them, that is, call them off from their worldly business, and call them to religious exercises, meditation and prayer, that they may receive the law from God's mouth with reverence and devotion. Two things particularly were prescribed as instances of their preparation. 1st, In token of cleansing of themselves from all sinful pollutions,they must wash their clothes. Not that God regards our clothes, but while they were washing their clothes, he would have them think of washing their souls by repentance. It becomes us to appear in clean clothes when we wait upon great men; so clean hearts are required in our attendance on the great God. 2dly, In token of their devoting themselves entirely to religiousexercises upon this occasion they must abstain even from lawful enjoyments during these three days, and not come at their wives.

19:11 In the sight of all the people - Though they should see no manner of similitude, yet they should see so much as would convince them, that God was among them of a truth. And so high was the top of Mount Sinai, that it is supposed not only the camp of Israel, but even the countries about might discern some extraordinary appearance of glory upon it.

19:12 Set bounds - Probably he drew a ditch round at the foot of the hill, which none were to pass upon pain of death. This was to intimate, 1st, That awful reverence which ought to possess the minds of all thatworship God. 2dly, The distance which worshippers were kept at under thatdispensation, which we ought to take notice of, that we may the more value our privilege under the gospel, having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Heb 10:19.

19:13 When the trumpet soundeth long - Then let them take their places at the foot of the mount. Never was so great a congregation called together and preached to at once as this was here. No one man's voice could have reached so many, but the voice of God did.

19:16 Now at length is come that memorable day, in which Israel heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire and lived, Deu 4:33. Never was there such a sermon preached before or since, as this, which was here preached to the church in the wilderness. For, the preacher was God himself, Exo 19:17, The Lord descended in fire; and Exo 19:18.The Lord came down upon mount Sinai. The Shechinah, or glory of the Lord, appeared in the sight of all the people; he shined forth from mount Paran with ten thousand of his saints, attended with a multitude of the holy angels. Hence the law is said to be given by the disposition of angels, Act 7:53. He spake from mount Sinai, hung with a thick cloud, Exo 19:16, covered with smoke, Exo 19:18, and made to quake greatly. Now it was that the earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, and the mountains skipped like rams, Psa 114:4, Psa 114:7, that Sinai itself, though rough and rocky, melted from before the Lord God of Israel, Jdg 5:5. The congregation was called together by the sound of a trumpet exceeding loud, Exo 19:16, and waxing louder and louder, Exo 19:19. This was done by the ministry of the angels, and made all the people tremble. The introductions to the service were thunders and lightnings, Exo 19:16. These have natural causes; but the scripture directs us in a particular manner to take notice of the power of God, and his terror in them. Thunder is the voice of God, and lightning the fire of God, proper to engage both the learning senses of seeing and hearing.

20 All things being prepared for the solemn promulgation of the divine law, we have in this chapter,

1. The ten commandments as God himself spake them upon Mount Sinai, Exo 20:1-17.
   
2. The impressions made upon the people, thereby, Exo 20:18-21.
   
3. Some particular instructions which God gave to Moses, relating to his worship, Exo 20:22-26.
   

20:1 God spake all these words - The law of the ten commandments is a law of God's making; a law of his own speaking. God has many ways of speaking to the children of men by his spirit, conscience, providences; his voice in all which we ought carefully to attend to: but he never spake at any time upon any occasion so as he spake the ten commandments, which therefore we ought to hear with the more earnest heed. This law God had given to man before, it was written in his heart by nature; but sin had so defaced that writing, that it was necessary to revive the knowledge of it.

20:2 I am the Lord thy God - Herein, God asserts his own authority to enact this law; and proposeth himself as the sole object of that religious worship which is enjoined in the four first commandments.They are here bound to obedience.

1. Because God is the Lord, Jehovah, self - existent, independent,eternal, and the fountain of all being and power; therefore he has an incontestable right to command us.
2. He was their God; a God in covenant with them; their God by theirown consent.
3. He had brought them out of the land of Egypt - Therefore they werebound in gratitude to obey him, because he had brought them out of a grievous slavery into a glorious liberty. By redeeming them, he acquired a farther right to rule them; they owed their service to him, to whom they owed their freedom. And thus, Christ, having rescued us out of the bondage of sin, is entitled to the best service we can do him. The four first commandments, concern our duty to God (commonly called the first - table.) It was fit those should be put first, because man had a Maker to love before he had a neighbour to love, and justice and charity are then only acceptable to God when they flow from the principles of piety.

20:3 The first commandment is concerning the object of our worship, Jehovah, and him only, Thou shalt have no other gods before me - The Egyptians, and other neighbouring nations, had many gods, creatures of their own fancy. This law was pre - fixed because of that transgression; and Jehovah being the God of Israel, they must entirely cleave to him, and no other, either of their own invention, or borrowed from their neighbours. The sin against this commandment, which we are most in danger of, is giving that glory to any creature which is due to God only. Pride makes a God of ourselves, covetousness makes a God of money, sensuality makes a God of the belly. Whatever is loved, feared, delighted in, or depended on, more than God, that we make a god of. This prohibition includes a precept which is the foundation of the whole law, that we take the Lord for our God, accept him for ours, adore him with humble reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him. There is a reason intimated in the last words before me. It intimates,

1. That we cannot have any other god but he willknow it.
2. That it is a sin that dares him to his face, which he cannot, willnot, overlook. The second commandment is concerning the ordinances of worship, or the way in which God will be worshipped, which it is fit himself should appoint.Here is, [1.] The prohibition; we are forbidden to worship even the true God byimages, Exo 20:4-5. First, The Jews (at least after the captivity) thought themselves forbidden by this to make any image or picture whatsoever. It is certain it forbids making any image of God, for to whom can we liken him? Isa 40:18, Isa 40:25. It also forbids us to make images of God in our fancies, as if he were a man as we are. Our religious worship must be governed by the power of faith, not by the power of imagination.Secondly, They must not bow down to them - Shew any sign of honour to them, much less serve them by sacrifice, or any other act of religious worship. When they paid their devotion to the true God, they must not have any image before them for the directing, exciting, or assisting their devotion. Though the worship was designed to terminate in God, it would not please him if it came to him through an image. The best and most ancient lawgivers among the Heathen forbad the setting up of images in their temples. It was forbidden in Rome by Numa a Pagan prince, yet commanded in Rome by the Pope, a Christian bishop. The use of images in the church of Rome, at this day, is so plainly contrary to the letter of this command, that in all their catechisms, which they put into the hand of the people, they leave out this commandment, joining the reason of it to the first, and so the third commandment they call the second, the fourth the third, etc only to make up the number ten, they divide the tenth into two.For I the Lord Jehovah, thy God, am a jealous God, especially in things of this nature. It intimates the care he has of his own institutions, his displeasure against idolaters, and that he resents every thing in his worship that looks like, or leads to, idolatry: visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation - Severely punishing. Nor is it an unrighteous thing with God if the parents died in their iniquity, and the children tread in their steps, when God comes, by his judgments, to reckon with them, to bring into the account the idolatries their fathers were guilty of. Keeping mercy for thousands of persons, thousands of generations, of them that love me and keep my commandments - This intimates, that the second commandment, though in the letter of it is only a prohibition of false worship, yet includes a precept of worshipping God in all those ordinances which he hath instituted. As the first commandment requires the inward worship of love, desire, joy, hope, so this the outward worship of prayer and praise, and solemn attendance on his word. This mercy shall extend to thousands, much further than the wrath threatened to those that hate him, for that reaches but to the third or fourth generation.

20:7 The third commandment is concerning the manner of our worship; Where we have,

[1.] A strict prohibition. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thyGod in vain - Supposing that, having taken Jehovah for their God, they would make mention of his name, this command gives a caution not to mention it in vain, and it is still as needful as ever. We take God's name in vain, First, By hypocrisy, making profession of God's name, but not living up to that profession.Secondly, By covenant breaking. If we make promises to God, and perform not to the Lord our vows, we take his name in vain.Thirdly, By rash swearing, mentioning the name of God, or any of his attributes, in the form of an oath, without any just occasion for it, but to no purpose, or to no good purpose.Fourthly, By false - swearing, which some think is chiefly intended in the letter of the commandment.Fifthly, By using the name of God lightly and carelessly. The profanation of the form of devotion is forbidden, as well as the profanation of the forms of swearing; as also, the profanation of any of those things whereby God makes himself known. For the Lord will not hold him guiltless - Magistrates that punish other offences, may not think themselves concerned to take notice of this; but God, who is jealous for his honour, will not connive at it. The sinner may perhaps hold himself guiltless, and think there is no harm in it; to obviate which suggestion, the threatening is thus expressed, God will not hold him guiltless - But more is implied, that God will himself be the avenger of those that take his name in vain; and they will find it a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

20:8 The fourth commandment concerns the time of worship; God is to be served and honoured daily; but one day in seven is to be particularly dedicated to his honour, and spent in his service. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy; in it thou shalt do no manner of work - It is taken for granted that the sabbath was instituted before. We read of God's blessing and sanctifying a seventh day from the beginning, Gen 2:3, so that this was not the enacting of a new law, but thereviving of an old law. 1st. They are told what is the day, they must observe, a seventhafter six days labour, whether this was the seventh by computation from the first seventh, or from the day of their coming out of Egypt, or both, is not certain. A late pious Writer seems to prove, That the sabbath was changed, when Israel came out of Egypt; which change continued till our Lord rose again: But that then the Original Sabbath was restored.And he makes it highly probable, at least, That the sabbath we observe, is the seventh day from the creation. 2dly, How it must be observed;

1. As a day of rest; they were to do no manner of work on this day,in their worldly business.
2. As a holy day, set apart to the honour of the holy God, and to bespent in holy exercises. God, by his blessing it, had made it holy; they, by solemn blessing him, must keep it holy, and not alienate it to any other purpose than that for which the difference between it and other days was instituted. 3dly, Who must observe it? Thou and thy son and thy daughter - Thewife is not mentioned, because she is supposed to be one with the husband, and present with him, and if he sanctify the sabbath, it is taken for granted she will join with him; but the rest of the family is instanced in it, children and servants must keep it according to their age and capacity.In this, as in other instances of religion, it is expected that masters of families should take care, not only to serve the Lord themselves, but that their houses also should serve him. Even the proselyted strangers must observe a difference between this day and other days, which, if it laid some restraint upon them then, yet proved a happy indication of God's gracious design, to bring the Gentiles into the church. By the sanctification of the sabbath, the Jews declared that they worshipped the God that made the world, and so distinguished themselves from all other nations, who worshipped gods which they themselves made. God has given us an example of rest after six days work; he rested the seventh day - Took a complacency in himself, and rejoiced in the work of his hand, to teach us on that day, to take a complacency in him, and to give him the glory of his works. The sabbath begun in the finishing of the work of creation; so will the everlasting sabbath in the finishing of the work of providence and redemption; and we observe the weekly sabbath in expectation of that, as well as in remembrance of the former, in both conforming ourselves to him we worship. He hath himself blessed the sabbath day and sanctified it. He hath put an honour upon it; it is holy to the Lord, and honourable; and he hath put blessings into it which he hath encouraged us to expect from him in the religious observation of that day. Let us not profane, dishonour, and level that with common time, which God's blessing hath thus dignified and distinguished.

20:12 We have here the laws of the second table, as they are commonly called; the six last commandments which concern our duty to ourselves, and one another, and are a comment upon the second great commandment, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. As religion towards God is, an essential branch of universal righteousness, so righteousness towards men is an essential branch of true religion: godliness and honesty must go together. The fifth commandment is concerning the duties we owe to our relations; that of children to their parents is only instanced in, honour thy father and thy mother, which includes,

1. an inward esteem of them, outwardly expressed upon all occasions in ourcarriage towards them; fear them, Lev 19:3, give them reverence, Heb 12:9.The contrary to this is mocking at them or despising them,
2. Obedience to their lawful commands; so it is expounded, Eph 6:1-3. Children obey your parents; come when they call you, go where they send you, do what they bid you, do not what they forbid you; and this chearfully, and from a principle of love. Though you have said you will not, yet afterwards repent and obey.
3. Submission to their rebukes, instructions and corrections, not only tothe good and gentle, but also to the froward.
4. Disposing of themselves with the advice, direction and consent ofparents, not alienating their property, but with their approbation.
5. Endeavouring in every thing to be the comfort of their parents, and tomake their old age easy to them; maintaining them if they stand in need of support. That thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee - This promise, (which is often literally fulfilled) is expounded in a more general sense Eph 6:3.That it may be well with thee, and thou mayst live long on the earth - Those that in conscience towards God keep this and other of God'scommandments, may be sure it shall be well with them, and they shall live as long on the earth as infinite wisdom sees good for, them, and what they may seem to be cut short of on earth, shall be abundantly made up in eternal life, the heavenly Canaan which God will give them.

20:13 Thou shalt not kill - Thou shalt not do any thing hurtful to the health, or life of thy own body, or any other's. This doth not forbid our own necessary defence, or the magistrates putting offenders to death; but it forbids all malice and hatred to any, for he that hateth his brother is a murderer, and all revenge arising therefrom; likewise anger and hurt said or done, or aimed to be done in a passion; of this our Saviour expounds this commandment, Mat 5:22.

20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery - This commandment forbids all acts of uncleanness, with all those desires, which produce those acts and war against the soul.

20:15 Thou shalt not steal - This command forbids us to rob ourselves of what we have, by sinful spending, or of the use and comfort of it by sinful sparing; and to rob others by invading our neighbour's rights, taking his goods, or house, or field, forcibly or clandestinely, over - reaching in bargains, not restoring what is borrowed or found, with - holding just debts, rents or wages; and, which is worst of all, to rob the public in the coin or revenue, or that which is dedicated to the service of religion.

20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness - This forbids,

1. Speaking falsely in any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devisingand designing to deceive our neighbour.
2. Speaking unjustly against our neighbour, to the prejudice of hisreputation; And
3. (which is the highest offence of both these kinds put together)Bearing false witness against him, laying to his charge things that he knows not, either upon oath, by which the third commandment, the sixth or eighth, as well as this, are broken, or in common converse, slandering, backbiting, tale - bearing, aggravating what is done amiss, and any way endeavouring to raise our own reputation upon the ruin of our neighbor's.

20:17 Thou shalt not covet - The foregoing commands implicitly forbid all desire of doing that which will be an injury to our neighbour, this forbids all inordinate desire of having that which will be a gratification to ourselves. O that such a man's house were mine!such a man's wife mine! such a man's estate mine! This is certainly the language of discontent at our own lot, and envy at our neighbour's, and these are the sins principally forbidden here. God give us all to see our face in the glass of this law, and to lay our hearts under the government of it!

20:18 They removed and stood afar off - Before God began to speak, they were thrusting forward to gaze, but now they were effectually cured of their presumption, and taught to keep their distance.

20:19 Speak thou with us - Hereby they obliged themselves to acquiesce in the mediation of Moses, they themselves nominating him as a fit person to deal between them and God, and promising to hearken to him as to God's messenger.

20:20 Fear not - That is, Think not that this thunder and fire is, designed to consume you. No; it was intended,

1. To prove them, to try how they could like dealing with Godimmediately, without a mediator, and so to convince them how admirably well God had chosen for them in putting Moses into that office. Ever since Adam fled upon hearing God's voice in the garden, sinful man could not bear either to speak to God, or hear from him immediately.
2. To keep them to their duty, and prevent their sinning against God.We must not fear with amazement; but we must always have in our minds a reverence of God's majesty, a dread of his displeasure, and an obedient regard to his sovereign authority.

20:21 While the people continued to stand afar off - Afraid of God's wrath, Moses drew near unto the thick darkness; he was made to draw near, so the word is: Moses of himself durst not have ventured into the thick darkness if God had not called him, and encouraged him, and, as some of the Rabbins suppose, sent an angel to take him by the hand, and lead him up.

20:22 Moses being gone into the thick darkness where God was, God there spoke in his hearing only, all that follows from hence to the end of Exo 23, which is mostly an exposition of the ten commandments; and he was to transmit it to the people. The laws in these verses relate to God's worship. Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven - Such was his wonderful condescension; ye shall not make gods of silver - This repetition of the second commandment comes in here, because they were more addicted to idolatry than to any other sin.

20:24 An altar of earth - It is meant of occasional altars, such as they reared in the wilderness before the tabernacle was erected, and afterwards upon special emergencies, for present use. They are appointed to make these very plain, either of earth or of unhewn stones.That they might not be tempted to think of a graven image, they must not so much as hew the stones into shape, that they made their altars of, but pile them up as they were in the rough. In all places where I record my name - Or where my name is recorded, that is, where I am worshipped in sincerity, I will come unto thee, and will bless thee.

20:26 Neither shall thou go at by steps unto mine altar - Indeed afterwards God appointed an altar ten cubits high. But it is probable, they went not up to that by steps, but by a sloping ascent.

21 The laws recorded in this chapter relate to the fifth and sixth commandments; and though not accommodated to our constitution, especially in point of servitude yet are of great use for the explanation of the moral law, and the rules of natural justice.

1. Here are several enlargements upon the fifth commandment, which concerns particular relations.
   1. The duty of masters towards their servants, their men servants Exo 21:2-6.
      and maid - servants, Exo 21:7-11.
      
   2. The punishment of disobedient children that strike their parents, Exo 21:15.
      or curse them, Exo 21:17.
   
   
2. Upon the sixth commandment, which forbids all violence offered to the person of man. Here is,
   1. Concerning murder, Exo 21:12-14.
      
   2. Man - stealing, Exo 21:16.
      
   3. Assault and battery, Exo 21:18-19.
      
   4. Correcting a servant, Exo 21:20-21.
      
   5. Hurting a woman with child, Exo 21:22-23.
      
   6. The law of retaliation, Exo 21:24-25.
      
   7. Maiming a servant, Exo 21:26-27.
      
   8. An ox goring, Exo 21:26-32.
      
   9. Damage by opening a pit, Exo 21:33-34.
      
   10. Cattle fighting, Exo 21:35-36.
   
   

21:1 The first verse is the general title of the laws contained in this and the two following chapters. Their government being purely a theocracy; that which in other states is to be settled by human prudence, was directed among them by a divine appointment. These laws are called judgments; because their magistrates were to give judgment according to them. In the doubtful cases that had hitherto occurred, Moses had particularly enquired of God, but now God gave him statutes in general, by which to determine particular cases. He begins with the laws concerning servants, commanding mercy and moderation towards them. The Israelites had lately been servants themselves, and now they were become not only their own matters, but masters of servants too; lest they should abuse their servants as they themselves had been abused, provision was made for the mild and gentle usage of servants.

21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant - Either sold by him or his parents through poverty, or by the judges for his crimes, yet even such a one was to continue in slavery but seven years at the most.

21:6 For ever - As long as he lives, or till the year of Jubilee.

21:8 Who hath betrothed her to himself - For a concubine, or secondary Wife. Not that Masters always took Maid - servants on these terms.

21:9 After the manner of daughters - He shall give her a portion, as to a daughter.

21:20 Direction is given what should be done, if a servant died by his master's correction. This servant must not be an Israelite, but a Gentile slave, as the Negroes to our planters; and it is supposed that he smite him with a rod, and not with any thing that was likely to give a mortal wound, yet if he died under his hand, he should be punished for his cruelty, at the discretion of the judges, upon consideration of circumstances.

21:24 Eye for eye - The execution of this law is not put into the hands of private persons, as if every man might avenge himself, which would introduce universal confusion. The tradition of the elders seems to have put this corrupt gloss upon it. But magistrates had an eye to this rule in punishing offenders, and doing right to those that are injured.

22 The laws of this chapter relate,

1. To the eighth commandment, concerning theft, Exo 22:1-4.
   Trespass by cattle, Exo 22:5.
   Damage by fire, Exo 22:6.
   Trusts, Exo 22:7-13.
   Borrowing cattle, Exo 22:14-15.
   Or money, Exo 22:25-27.
   
2. To the seventh commandment. Against fornication, Exo 22:16-17.
   Bestiality, Exo 22:19.
   
3. To the first table. Forbidding witchcraft, Exo 22:18.
   Idolatry, Exo 22:20.
   Commanding to offer the first - fruits, Exo 22:29-30.
   
4. To the poor, Exo 22:21-24.
   
5. To the civil government, Exo 22:28.
   
6. To the Jewish nation, Exo 22:13.
   

22:1 Five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep - More for an ox than for a sheep, because the owner, besides all the other profit, lost the daily labour of his ox. If we were not able to make restitution, he must be sold for a slave: the court of judgment was to do it, and it is likely the person robbed received the money. Thus with us in some cases, felons are transported to the Plantations, where only, Englishmen know what slavery is. But let it be observed, the sentence is not slavery, but banishment: nor can any Englishman be sold, unless he first indent himself to the captain that carries him over.

22:2 If a thief broke a house in the night, and was killed in the doing it, his blood was upon his own head. But if it were in the day - time that the thief was killed, he that killed him was accountable for it, unless it were in the necessary defence of his own life.

22:3 For he should make full restitution - This the law determined: not that he should die.

22:4 In his hand alive - Not killed, nor sold, as Exo 22:1, so that the owner recover it with less charge and trouble.

22:5 He that wilfully put his cattle into his neighbour's field, must make restitution of the best of his own. The Jews hence observed it as a general rule, that restitution must always be made of the best; and that no man should keep any cattle that were likely to trespass upon his neighbour, or do him any damage.

22:6 He that designed only the burning of thorns might become accessary to the burning of corn, and should not be held guiltless. If the fire did mischief, he that kindled it must answer for it, though it could not be proved that he designed the mischief. Men must suffer for their carelessness, as well as for their malice. It will make us very careful of ourselves, if we consider that we are accountable not only for the hurt we do, but for the hurt we occasion through inadvertency.

22:7 If a man deliver goods, suppose to a carrier to be conveyed, or to a warehouse - keeper to be preserved, or cattle to a farmer to be fed upon a valuable consideration, and a special confidence reposed in the person they are lodged with; in case these goods be stolen or lost, perish or be damaged, if it appear that it was not by any fault of the trustee, the owner must stand to the loss, otherwise he that has been false to his trust must be compelled to make satisfaction.

22:14 If a man (suppose) lent his team to his neighbour, if the owner were with it, or were to receive profit for the loan of it, whatever harm befel the cattle the owner must stand to the loss of it: but if the owner were so kind to the borrower as to lend it him gratis, and put such a confidence in him as to trust it from under his own eye, then, if any harm happened, the borrower must make it good. Learn hence to be very careful not to abuse any thing that is lent to us; it is not only unjust but base and disingenuous, we should much rather chuse to lose ourselves, than that any should sustain loss by their kindness to us.

22:17 If the father refused, he shall pay money - This shews how ill a thing it is, and by no means to be allowed, that children should marry without their parents consent: even here where the divine law appointed the marriage, both as a punishment to him that had done wrong, and a recompence to her that had suffered wrong, yet there was an express reservation for the father's power; if he denied his consent, it must be no marriage.

22:18 Witchcraft not only gives that honour to the devil which is due to God alone, but bids defiance to the divine providence, wages war with God's government, puts his work into the devil's hand expecting him to do good and evil. By our law, consulting, covenanting with, invocating or employing any evil spirit to any intent whatever, and exercising any enchantment, charm, or sorcery, whereby hurt shall be done to any person, is made felony, without benefit of clergy; also pretending to tell where goods lost or stolen may be found, is an iniquity punishable by the judge, and the second offence with death. This was the case in former times. But we are wiser than our fore - fathers. We believe, no witch ever did live!At least, not for these thousand years.

22:21 A stranger must not be abused, not wronged in judgment by the magistrates, not imposed upon in contracts, nor any advantage taken of his ignorance or necessity, no, nor must he be taunted, or upbraided with his being a stranger; for all these were vexations. For ye were strangers in Egypt - And knew what it was to be vexed and oppressed there. Those that have themselves been in poverty and distress, if Providence enrich and enlarge them, ought to shew a particular tenderness towards those that are now in such circumstances as they were in formerly, now doing to them as they then wished to be done by.

22:22 Ye shall not afflict the widow or fatherless child - That is, ye shall comfort and assist them, and be ready upon all occasions to shew them kindness. In making just demands from them, their condition must be considered who have lost those that should protect them: they are supposed to be unversed in business, destitute of advice, timorous, and of a tender spirit; and therefore must be treated with kindness and compassion, and no advantage taken against them, nor any hardship put upon them, which a husband or a father would have sheltered them from.

22:25 If thou lend -

1. They must not receive use for money from any that borrowed fornecessity. And such provision the law made for the preserving estates to their families by the year of Jubilee, that a people who had little concern in trade could not be supposed to borrow money but for necessity; therefore it was generally forbidden among themselves; but to a stranger they were allowed to lend upon usury. This law therefore in the strictness of it seems to have been peculiar to the Jewish state; but in the equity of it, it obligeth us to shew mercy to those we have advantage against, and to be content to share with those we lend to in loss as well as profit, if Providence cross them: and upon this condition it seems as lawful to receive interest for my money, which another takes pains with, and improves, as it is to receive rent for my land, which another takes pains with, and improves, for his own use.
2. They must not take a poor man's bed - clothes in pawn; but if theydid, must restore them by bed - time.

22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods - That is, the judges and magistrates. Princes and magistrates are our fathers, whom the fifth commandment obligeth us to honour, and forbids us to revile.St. Paul applies this law to himself, and owns that he ought not to speak evil of the ruler of his people, no, not though he was then his most unrighteous persecutor, Act 23:5.

22:29 The first - born of thy sons shalt thou give unto me - And much more reason have we to give ourselves and all we have to God, who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. The first ripe of their corn they must not delay to offer; there is danger if we delay our duty, lest we wholly omit it; and by slipping the first opportunity in expectation of another, we suffer Satan to cheat us of all our time.

22:31 Ye shall be holy unto me - And one mark of that honourable distinction is appointed in their diet, which was, that they should not eat any flesh that was torn of beasts - Both because the blood was not duly taken out of it, and because the clean beast was ceremonially defiled, by the touch of the unclean.

23 This chapter concludes the acts that passed in the first session (if I may so call it) upon Mount Sinai. Here are,

1. Some laws of universal obligation, relating especially to the ninth commandment, against bearing false witness, Exo 23:1.
   and giving false judgement, Exo 23:2-3, Exo 23:6-8.
   Also a law of doing good to our enemies, Exo 23:4-5.
   and not oppressing strangers, Exo 23:9.
   
2. Some laws peculiar to the Jews: the sabbatical years, Exo 23:10-11.
   the three annual feasts, Exo 23:14-17.
   with laws pertaining thereto.
3. Gracious promises of completing the mercy God had begun for them, upon condition of their obedience, that God would conduct them through the wilderness, Exo 23:20-24.
   that he would prosper all they had, Exo 23:25-26.
   that he would put them in possession of Canaan, Exo 23:27-31.
   But they must not mingle themselves with the nations, Exo 23:32-33.
   

23:1 Thou shalt not raise, the margin reads, Thou shalt not receive a false report, for sometimes the receiver in this case is as bad as the thief; and a backbiting tongue would not do so much mischief, if it were not countenanced. Sometimes we cannot avoid hearing a false report, but we must not receive it, we must not hear it with pleasure, nor easily give credit to it.

23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil - General usage will never excuse us in any ill practice; nor is the broad way ever the safer for its being crowded. We must inquire what we ought to do, not what the most do; because we must be judged by our master, not our fellow servants; and it is too great a compliment, to be willing to go to hell for company.

23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter - From assisting or abetting an ill thing. Yea, keep thee far from it, dread it as a dangerous snare.I will not justify the wicked - That is, I will condemn him that unjustly condemns others.

23:9 Thou shalt not oppress the stranger - Though aliens might not inherit lands among them; yet they must have justice done them. It was an instance of the equity of our law, that if an alien be tried for any crime except treason, the one half of his jury, if he desire it, shall be foreigners; a kind provision that strangers may not be oppressed. For ye know the heart of a stranger - You know something of the griefs and fears of a stranger by sad experience.

23:10 The institution of the sabbatical year was designed,

1. To shew what a plentiful land that was, into which God was bringing them,that so numerous a people could have rich maintenance out of the products of so small a country, without foreign trade, and yet could spare the increase of every seventh year.
2. To teach them a confidence in the Divine Providence, while they did theirduty, That as the sixth day's manna served for two days meat, so the sixth year's increase should serve for two years subsistence.

23:13 In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect - We are in danger of missing our way on the right hand and on the left, and it is at our peril if we do, therefore we have need to look about us. A man may ruin himself through mere carelessness, but he cannot save himself without great care and circumspection; particularly since idolatry was a sin they were much addicted to, and would be greatly tempted to, they must endeavour to blot out the remembrance of the gods of the heathen, and must disuse all their superstitious forms of speech, and never mention them but with detestation. In Christian schools and academies (for it is in vain to think of re - forming the play - houses) it were to be wished that the names and stories of the heathen deities or demons rather were not so commonly and familiarly used.

23:14 The Passover, Pentecost, and feast of Tabernacles, in spring, summer, and autumn, were the three times appointed for their attendance; not in winter, because travelling was then uncomfortable; nor in the midst of their harvest.

23:17 All thy males - All that were of competent years, and health and strength, and at their own disposal. 'Tis probable, servants were exempt: for none was to appear without an offering: but most of these had nothing to offer.

23:19 Some of the Gentiles, at the end of their harvest, seethed a kid in it's dam's milk, and sprinkled that milk - pottage in a magical way upon their gardens and fields, to make them fruitful.But Israel must abhor such foolish customs. Is not this rather forbidden, as having some appearance of cruelty?

23:20 Behold, I send an angel before thee - The angel of the covenant: Accordingly the Israelites in the wilderness are said to tempt Christ. It is promised that this blessed anger should keep them in the way, though it lay through a wilderness first, and afterwards through their enemies country; and thus Christ has prepared a place for his followers.

23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice; provoke him not - It is at your peril if you do; for my name - My nature, my authority is in him.

23:25 He shall bless thy bread and thy water - And God's blessing will make bread and water more refreshing and nourishing, than a feast of fat things, and wines on the lees, without that blessing. And I will take sickness away - Either prevent it or remove it. Thy land shall not be visited with epidemical diseases, which are very dreadful, and sometimes have laid countries waste.

23:26 The number of thy days I will fulfill - And they shall not be cut off in the midst by untimely deaths. Thus hath godliness the promise of the life that now is.

23:27 I will send my fear before thee - And they that fear will soon flee. Hosts of hornets also made way for the hosts of Israel; such mean creatures can God make use of for the chastising of his people's enemies.

24 Moses as mediator between God and Israel, having received divers laws and ordinances from God in the foregoing chapters, in this chapter,

1. Comes down to the people, acquaints them with the laws he had received, and takes their consent to those laws, Exo 24:3.
   writes the laws, and reads them to the people, who repeat their consent, Exo 24:4-7.
   and then by sacrifice, and the sprinkling of blood ratifies the covenant between them and God, Exo 24:5-6, Exo 24:8
   
2. He returns to God again, to receive farther directions. When he was dismissed from his former attendance, he was ordered to attend again, Exo 24:1-2.
   He did so with seventy of the elders, to whom God made a discovery of his glory, Exo 24:9-11.
   Moses is ordered up into the mount, Exo 24:12-13.
   the rest are ordered down to the people, Exo 24:14.
   The cloud of glory is seen by all the people on the top of mount Sinai, Exo 24:15-17.
   and Moses is there with God forty days and forty nights, Exo 24:18.
   

24:1 Worship ye afar off - Before they came near, they must worship. Thus we must enter into God's gates with humble and solemn adorations.

24:2 And Moses alone shall come near - Being therein a type of Christ, who as the high priest entered alone into the most holy place. In the following verses we have the solemn covenant made between God and Israel and the exchanging of the ratifications: typifying the covenant of grace between God and believers through Christ.

24:3 Moses told the people all the words of the Lord - He laid before them all the precepts, in the foregoing chapters, and put it to them, whether they were willing to submit to these laws or no? And all the people answered, All the words which the Lord hath said we will do - They had before consented in general to be under God's government; here they consent in particular to these laws now given.

24:4 And Moses wrote the words of the Lord - That there might be no mistake; as God dictated them on the mount, where, it is highly probable, God taught him the use of letters. These Moses taught the Israelites, from whom they afterwards travelled to Greece and other nations. As soon as God had separated to himself a peculiar people, he governed them by a written word, as he has done ever since, and will do while the world stands. Pillars according to the number of the tribes - These were to represent the people, the other party to the covenant; and we may suppose they were set up over against the altar, and that Moses as mediator passed to and fro between them. Probably each tribe set up and knew its own pillar, and their elders stood by it. He then appointed sacrifices to be offered upon the altar.

24:6  1. The blood of the sacrifice which the people offered was (part of it) sprinkled upon the altar, which signified the people'sdedicating themselves to God, and his honour. In the blood of the sacrifices, all the Israelites were presented unto God as living sacrifices, Rom 12:1. 2. The blood of the sacrifice which God had owned and accepted was (the remainder of it) sprinkled, either upon the people themselves, orupon the pillars that represented them, which signified God's conferring his favour upon them, and all the fruits of that favour, and his giving them all the gifts they could desire from a God reconciled to them, and in covenant with them. This part of the ceremony was thus explained, Behold the blood of the covenant; see here how God sealed to you to be a God, and you seal to be to him a people; his promises to you, and yours to him, are yea and amen. Thus our Lord Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant (of whom Moses was a type) having offered up himself a sacrifice upon the cross, that his blood might be indeed the blood of the covenant, sprinkled it upon the altar in his intercession (Heb 9:12,) and sprinkles it upon his church by his word andordinances, and the influences and operations of the Spirit of promise by whom we are sealed.

24:10 They saw the God of Israel - That is, they had some glimpse of his glory, in light and fire, though they saw no manner of similitude.They saw the place where the God of Israel stood, so the seventy, something that came near a similitude, but was not; whatever they saw it was certainly something of which no image or picture could be made, and yet enough to satisfy them that God was with them of a truth. Nothing is described but that which was under his feet, for our conceptions of God are all below him. They saw not so much as God's feet, but at the bottom of the brightness they saw (such as they never saw before or after, and as the foot - stool or pedestal of it) a most rich and splendid pavement, as it had been of sapphires, azure, or sky - coloured.The heavens themselves are the pavement of God's palace, and his throne is above the firmament.

24:11 Upon the nobles or elders of Israel he laid not his hand - Though they were men, the splendour of his glory did not overwhelmthem, but it was so moderated (Job 36:9,) and they were so strengthened (Dan 10:19,) that they were able to bear it: nay, though they were sinful men, and obnoxious to God's justice, yet he did not lay his avenging hand upon them, as they feared he would. When we consider what a consuming fire God is, and what stubble we are before him, we shall have reason to say, in all our approaches to him, It is of the Lord's mercies we are not consumed. They saw God, and did eat and drink; They had not only their lives preserved, but their vigour, courage, and comfort; it cast no damp upon their joy, but rather increased it. They feasted upon the sacrifice before God, in token of their chearful consent to the covenant, their grateful acceptance of the benefits of it, and their communion with God in pursuance of that covenant.

24:12 Come up to the mount and be there - Expect to continue there for some time.

24:13 Joshua was his minister or servant, and it would be a satisfaction to him to have him with him as a companion during the six days that he tarried in the mount before God called to him. Joshua was to be his successor, and therefore thus he was honoured before the people, and thus he was prepared by being trained up in communion with God.Joshua was a type of Christ, and (as the learned Bishop Peirson well observes Moses takes him with him into the mount, because without Jesus, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, there is no looking into the secrets of heaven, nor approaching the presence of God.

24:16 A cloud covered the mount six days - A visible token of God's special presence there, for he so shews himself to us, as at the same time to conceal himself from us, he lets us know so much as to assure us of his power and grace, but intimates to us that we cannot find him out to perfection. During these six days Moses staid waiting upon the mountain, for a call into the presence - chamber. And on the seventh day - Probably the sabbath - day, he called unto Moses. Now the thick cloud opened in the sight of all Israel, and the glory of the Lord broke forth like devouring fire.

24:18 Moses went into the midst of the cloud - It was an extraordinary presence of mind, which the grace of God furnished him with, else he durst not have ventured into the cloud, especially when it broke out in devouring fire. And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights - It should seem the six days, were not part of the forty; for during those six days, Joshua was with Moses, who did eat of the manna, and drink of the brook mentioned, Deu 9:21, and while they were together, it is probable Moses did eat and drink with him; but when Moses was called into the midst of the cloud, he left Joshua without, who continued to eat and drink daily while he waited for Moses's return, but from thenceforward Moses fasted.

25 At this chapter begins an account of the instructions God gave Moses for erecting and furnishing the tabernacle.Here are,

1. Orders given for a collection to be made among the people, Exo 25:1-9.
   
2. Particular instructions,
   1. Concerning the ark of the covenant, Exo 25:10-22.
      
   2. The table of shew - bread, Exo 25:23-30.
      
   3. The golden candlestick, Exo 25:31-40.
   
   

25:1 Doubtless when Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and abode there so long, he saw and heard glorious things, but they were things which were not lawful or possible to utter; and therefore, in the records he kept of the transactions there, he saith nothing to satisfy curiosity, but writes that only which he was to speak to the children of Israel. Probably there never was any house or temple built for sacred uses, before this tabernacle was erected by Moses. In this God kept his court, as Israel's king, and it was intended for a sign or token of his presence, that while they had that in the midst of them they might never again ask, Is the Lord among us or not? And because in the wilderness they dwelt in tents, even this royal palace was ordered to be a tabernacle too, that it might move with them. And these holy places made with hands were the figures of the true, Heb 9:24. The gospel - church is thetrue tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man, Heb 8:2.The body of Christ, in and by which he made atonement, was the greater and more perfect tabernacle, Heb 9:11.The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, as in a tabernacle.

25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring me an offering - This offering was to be given willingly, and with the heart. Itwas not prescribed to them what or how much they must give, but it was left to their generosity, that they might shew their good - will to the house of God, and the offices thereof.

25:4 Blue, and purple, and scarlet - Materials of those colours.

25:5 Shittim - wood - A kind of wood growing in Egypt and the deserts of Arabia, very durable and precious.

25:8 A sanctuary - A place of public and solemn worship; that I may dwell among them. Not by my essence, which is everywhere; but by my grace and glorious operations.

25:9 According to all that I shew thee - God shewed him an exact plan of it in little, which he must conform to in all points. And God did not only shew him the model, but gave him also particular directions how to frame the tabernacle, according to that model, in all the parts of it. When Moses was to describe the creation of the world, tho' it be such a stately and curious fabrick, yet he gave a very short and general account of it; but when he comes to describe the tabernacle, he doth it with the greatest niceness and accuracy imaginable: for God's church and instituted religion is more precious to him than all the rest of the world. And the scriptures were written not to describe to us the works of nature, (a general view of which is sufficient to lead us to the knowledge of theCreator,) but to acquaint us with the methods of grace, and those things which are purely matters of revelation.

25:10 The ark was a chest or coffer, in which the two tables of the law, written with the finger of God, were to be deposited. If the Jewish cubit was, as some learned men compute three inches longer than our half - yard, (twenty one inches in all) this chest or cabinet was about fifty - two inches long, thirty - one broad and thirty one deep; it was overlaid within and without with thin plates of gold; it had a crown, or cornish of gold round it; rings and staves to carry it with; and in it he must put the testimony. The tables of the law are called the testimony, because God did in them testify his will; his giving them that law was in token of his favour to them, and their acceptance of it was in token of their subjection to him. This law was a testimony to them to direct them in their duty, and would be a testimony against them if they transgressed. The ark is called the ark of the testimony, Exo 30:6, and the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, Num 10:11. The tables of the law were carefully preserved in the ark, to teach us to make much of the word of God, and to hide it in our inmost thoughts, as the ark was placed in the holy of holies. It intimates likewise the care which divine providence ever did, and ever will take to preserve the records of divine revelation in the church, so that even in the latter days there shall be seen in his temple the ark of his testament. See Rev 11:19.

25:17 The mercy - seat was the covering of the ark, made exactly to fit the dimensions of it. This propitiatory covering, as it might well be translated, was a type of Christ the great propitiation, whose satisfaction covers our transgressions, and comes between us and the curse we deserve.

25:18 The cherubim (Cherubim is the plural of Cherub, not Cherubims) were fixed to the mercy - seat, and of a piece with it, and spread their wings over it. It is supposed these were designed to represent the holy angels, (who always attend the Shechinah, or divine majesty,) not by any effigies of an angel, but some emblem of the angelical nature, probably one or more of those four faces spoken of Eze 1:10.Whatever the faces were, they looked one towards another, and both downwards towards the ark, while their wings were stretched out so as to touch one another. It notes their attendance upon the Redeemer, their readiness to do his will, their presence in the assemblies of saints, Psa 68:17 Exo 25, Co1 11:10, and their desire to look into the mysteriesof the gospel, which they diligently contemplate, Pe1 1:12. God is said to dwell or sit between the cherubim, on the mercy - seat, Psa 80:1, and from thence he here promiseth for the future tomeet with Moses, and to commune with him. Thus he manifests himself, willing to keep up communion with us, by the mediation of Christ.

25:23 This table was to stand not in the holy of holies, (nothing was in that but the ark with its appurtenances) but in the outer part of the tabernacle, called the sanctuary or holy place. This table was to be always furnished with the shew - bread, or bread of faces, twelve loaves, one for each tribe, set in two rows, six in a row. As the ark signified God's being present with them, so the twelve loaves signified their being presented to God. This bread was designed to be, a thankful acknowledgment of God's goodness to them in giving them their daily bread, a token of their communion with God; this bread on God's table being made of the same corn as the bread on their own tables. And a type of the spiritual provision which is made in the church, by the gospel of Christ, for all that are made priests to our God.

25:31 This candlestick had many branches drawn from the main shaft, which had not only bowls to put the oil and the kindled wick in for necessity, but knops made in the form of a pomegranate and flowers for ornament. The tabernacle had no windows, all its light was candle - light, which notes the comparative darkness of that dispensation, while the sun of righteousness was not as yet risen, nor had the day - star from on high visited his church. Yet God left not himself without witness, nor them without instruction; the commandment was a lamp, and the law a light, and the prophets were branches from that lamp, which gave light in their several ages. The church is still dark, as the tabernacle was, in comparison with what it will be in heaven: but the word of God is the candlestick, a light burning in a dark place.

26 Moses here receives instructions,

1. Concerning the inner curtains of the tabernacle, Exo 26:1-6.
   
2. Concerning the outer curtains, Exo 26:7-13.
   
3. Concerning the cover which was to secure it from the weather, Exo 26:14.
   
4. Concerning the boards which were to support the curtains, Exo 26:15-30.
   
5. The partition between the holy place and the most holy, Exo 26:31-35.
   
6. The veil for the door, Exo 26:36-37.
   These particulars seem of little use to us now, yet having been of great use to Moses and Israel, and God having thought fit to preserve to us the remembrance of them, we ought not to overlook them.

26:1 The curtains were to be embroidered with cherubim, to intimate that the angels of God pitched their tents round about the church, Psa 34:7. As there were cherubim over the mercy - seat, so there wereround the tabernacle. There were to be two hangings, five breadths to each, sewed together, and the two hangings coupled together with golden clasps or tacks, so that it might be all one tabernacle, Exo 26:6. Thus the churches of Christ, though they are many, yet are one, being fitly joined together in holy love and by the unity of the Spirit, so growing into one holy temple in the Lord. This tabernacle was very strait and narrow, but at the preaching of the gospel, the church is bid to enlarge the place of her tent, and to stretch forth her curtains, Isa 54:2.

26:14 Badger skins - So we translate it, but it should rather seem to have been some strong sort of leather, (but very fine) for we read of the best sort of shoes made of it. Eze 16:10.

26:15 Very particular directions are here given about the boards of the tabernacle, which were to bear up the curtains. These had tenons which fell into the mortaises that were made for them in silver bases. The boards were coupled together with gold rings at top and bottom, and kept firm with bars that run through golden staples in every board. Thus every thing in the tabernacle was very splendid, agreeable to that infant state of the church, when such things were proper to possess the minds of the worshippers with a reverence of the divine glory. In allusion to this, the new Jerusalem is said to be of pure gold, Rev 21:18. But the builders of the gospel church said, Silver and gold have we none; and yet the glory of their building far exceeded that of the tabernacle.

26:31 The veils are here ordered to be made, one for a partition between the holy place and the most holy, which not only forbad any to enter, but so much as to look into the holiest of all. Under that dispensation divine grace was veiled, but now we behold it with open face. The apostle tells us, this veil, intimated that the ceremonial law could not make the comers thereunto perfect. The way into the holiest was not made manifest while the first tabernacle was standing; life and immortality lay concealed till they were brought to light by the gospel, which was therefore signified by the rending of this veil at the death of Christ. We have now boldness to enter into the holiest in all acts of devotion by the blood of Jesus; yet such as obliges us to a holy reverence, and a humble sense of our distance. Another veil was for the outward door of the tabernacle. Through this the priests went in every day to minister in the holy - place, but not the people, Heb 9:6. This veil was all the defence the tabernacle had against thieves and robbers, which might easily be broken through, for it could be neither locked nor bared, and the abundance of wealth in it, one would think, might be a temptation. But by leaving it thus exposed,

1. The priests and Levites would be so much the more obliged to keep astrict watch upon it: and,
2. God would shew his care of his church on earth, though it be weak anddefenceless, and continually exposed. A curtain shall be (if God please to make it so) as strong a defence, as gates of brass and bars of iron.

27 In this chapter directions are given,

1. Concerning the brazen altar, Exo 27:1-8.
   
2. Concerning the court of the tabernacle, Exo 27:9-19.
   
3. Concerning the oil for the lamp, Exo 27:20-21.
   

27:1 As God intended in the tabernacle to manifest his presence among his people, so there they were to pay their devotions to him; not in the tabernacle itself, into that only the priests entered as God's domestic servants, but in the court before the tabernacle, where, as common subjects they attended. There an altar was ordered so be set up, to which they must bring their sacrifices; and this altar was to sanctify their gifts; from hence they were to present their services to God, as from the mercy - seat he gave his oracles to them; and thus a communion was settled between God and Israel.

27:2 The horns of it, were for ornament and for use; the sacrifices were bound with cords to the horns of the altar, and to them malefactors fled for refuge.

27:4 The grate was set into the hollow of the altar, about the middle of it, in which the fire was kept, and the sacrifice burnt; it was made of net - work like a sieve, and hung hollow, that the fire might burn the better, and that the ashes might fall through. Now, this brazen altar was a type of Christ dying to make atonement for our sins. Christ sanctified himself for his church as their altar, Joh 17:19, and by his mediation sanctifies the daily services of his people. To the horns of this altar poor sinners fly for refuge, and are safe in virtue of the sacrifice there offered.

27:9 Before the tabernacle there was to be a court, enclosed with hangings of fine linen. This court, according to the common computation, was 50 yards long, and 25 broad. Pillars were set up at convenient distances, in sockets of brass, the pillars filleted with silver, and silver tenterhooks in them, on which the linen hangings were fastened: the hanging which served for the gate was finer than the rest. This court was a type of the church, enclosed, and distinguished from the rest of the world; the inclosure supported by pillars, noting the stability of the church hung with the clean linen, which is said to be the righteousness of saints, Rev 19:8. Yet this court would contain but a few worshippers; thanks be to God, now the inclosure is taken down; and there is room for all that in every place call on the name of Christ.

27:20 We read of the candlestick in the 25th chapter; here is order given for the keeping of the lamps constantly burning in it. The pure oil signified the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which are communicated to all believers from Christ the good olive, of whose fulness we receive, Zec 4:11-12. The priests were to light the lamps, and to tend them; to cause the lamp to burn always, night and day. Thus it is the work of ministers to preach and expound the scriptures, which are as a lamp to enlighten the church. This is to be a statute for ever, that the lamps of the word be lighted as duly as the incense of prayer and praise is offered.

28 In this and the following chapter care is taken about the priests that were to minister in this holy place.In this chapter,

1. He pitcheth upon the persons who should be his servants, Exo 28:1.
   
2. He appoints their livery; their work was holy, and so must their garments be, and answerable to the glory of the house which was now to be erected, Exo 28:2-5.
   
   1. He appoints the garments of his head - servant, the high - priest,
      1. An ephod and girdle, Exo 28:6-14.
         
      2. A breast - plate of judgement, Exo 28:16-29.
         in which must be put the Urim and Thummim, Exo 28:30.
         
      3. The robe of the ephod, Exo 28:31-35.
         
      4. The mitre, Exo 28:36-39.
      
      (2.) The garments of the inferior priests, Exo 28:40-43.
   
   

28:1 Aaron and his sons - Hitherto every master of a family was priest to his own family. But now the families of Israel began to be incorporated into a nation, and a tabernacle of the congregation was to be erected, as a visible centre of their unity, it was requisite there should be a publick priesthood instituted. Moses, who had hitherto officiated, and is therefore reckoned among the priests of the Lord, Psa 99:6, had enough to do as their prophet, to consult the oracle forthem, and as their prince, to judge among them. Nor was he desirous to ingross all the honours to himself, or to entail that of the priesthood, which alone was hereditary, upon his own family; but was very well pleased to see his brother Aaron invested with this office, and his sons after him; while (how great soever he was) his sons after him would be but common Levites. It is an instance of the humility of that great man, and an evidence of his sincere regard to the glory of God, that he had so little regard to the preferment of his own family. Aaron, that had humbly served as a prophet to his younger brother Moses, and did not decline the office, is now advanced to be a priest to God. God had said to Israel in general, that they should be to him a kingdom of priests; but because it was requisite that those who ministered at the altar should give themselves wholly to the service, God here chose from among them one to be a family of priests, the father and his four sons; and from Aaron's loins descended all the priests of the Jewish church, whom we read of both in the Old Testament and in the New.

28:2 The priests garments were made for glory and beauty - Some of the richest materials were to be provided, and the belt artists employed in making them, whose skill God, by a special gift, would improve to a very high degree. Eminency, even in common arts, is a gift of God; it comes from him, and, ought to be used for him.The garments appointed were,

1. Four, which both the high - priest and the inferior priests wore,viz. The linen breeches, the linen coat, the linen girdle which fastened it to them, and the bonnet; that which the high - priest wore is called a mitre.
2. Four more which were peculiar to the high - priest, the ephod, with thecurious girdle of it, the breast - plate of judgment, the long robe, and the golden plate on his forehead. These glorious garments, were appointed,
   1. That the priests themselves might be minded of the dignity of theiroffice.
   2. That the people might thereby be possessed with a holy reverence ofthat God whose ministers appeared in such grandeur.
   3. That the priests might be types of Christ, and of all Christians whohave the beauty of holiness put upon them.

28:6 The ephod, was the outmost garment of the high - priest; linen ephods were worn by the inferior priests, but this, which the high - priest wore, was called a golden ephod, because there was a great deal of gold woven into it. It was a short coat without sleeves, buttoned close to him with a curious girdle of the same stuff. The shoulder pieces were buttoned together with two precious stones set in gold, one on each shoulder. In allusion to this, Christ our high priest appeared to John, girt about the paps with a golden girdle, such as was the curious girdle of the ephod, Rev 1:13. Righteousness is the girdle of his loins.He is girt with strength for the work of our salvation. And as Aaron had the names of all Israel upon his shoulders in precious stones, so He presents to himself and to his Father a glorious church, Eph 5:27.He bears them before the Lord for a memorial, in token of his appearing before God as the representative of all Israel, and an advocate for them.

28:11 Ouches - Hollow places, such as are made in gold rings, to receive and hold the precious stones.

28:15 The most considerable of the ornaments of the high priest was this breast - plate, a rich piece of cloth curiously wrought with gold and purple, two spans long, and a span broad; so that, being doubled, it was a span square. In this breast - plate, the tribes of Israel were recommended to God's favour in twelve precious stones. Some question whether Levi had a precious stone with his name on or no; if not Ephraim and Manasseh were reckoned distinct, as Jacob had said they should be, and the high priest himself being head of the tribe of Levi, sufficiently represented that tribe. Aaron was to bear their names for a memorial before the Lord continually, being ordained for men, to represent them in things pertaining to God; herein typifying our great High Priest, who always appears in the presence of God for us. The name of each tribe was engraven in a precious stone, to signify how precious, in God's sight, believers are, and how honourable, Isa 43:4.The high priest had the names of the tribes both on his shoulders and on his breast, noting both the power and the love with which our Lord Jesus interceeds for us. How near should Christ's name lie to our hearts, since he is pleased to lay our names so near his? And what a comfort is it to us, in all our addresses to God, that the great High Priest of our profession has the names of all his Israel upon his breast, before the Lord, for a memorial, presenting them to God?

28:30 The Urim and Thummim - By which the will of God was made known in doubtful cases, was put in this breast - plate, which is therefore called the breast - plate of judgment. Urim and Thummim signify light and integrity: many conjectures there are among the learned what they were: we have no reason to think they were any thing that Moses was to make, more than what was before ordered; so that either God made them himself, and gave them to Moses, for him to put into the breast - plate when other things were prepared; or, no more is meant but a declaration of the farther use of what was already ordered to be made. The words may be read thus, And thou shalt give, or add, to the breast - plate of judgment, the illuminations and perfections, and they shall be upon the heart of Aaron - That is, he shall be endued with a power of knowing and making known themind of God in all difficult cases relating either to the civil or ecclesiastical state. Their government was a theocracy; God was their king, the high priest was, under God, their ruler, this Urim and Thummim were his cabinet council: probably Moses wrote upon the breast - plate, or wove into it, these words, Urim and Thummim, to signify, that the high - priest, having on him this breast - plate, and asking council of God in any emergency, should be directed to those measures, which God would own.If he were standing before the ark, probably he received instructions from off the mercy - seat, as Moses did, Exo 25:22. If he were at a distance from the ark, as Abiathar was when he enquired of the Lord for David, Exo 23:6, then the answer was given either by a voice from heaven, or by an impulse upon the mind of the high priest, which last is perhaps intimated in that expression, he shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart. This oracle was of great use to Israel, Joshua consulted it. Num 27:21, and it is likely, the judges after him. It was lost in the captivity, and never retrieved after.It was a shadow of good things to come, and the substance is Christ. He is our oracle; by him God in these last days, makes known himself and his mind to us. Divine revelation centers in him, and comes to us through him; he is the light, the true light, the faithful witness; and from him we receive the Spirit of truth, who leads into all truth. The joining of the breast - plate to the ephod notes, that his prophetical office was founded on his priesthood; and it was by the merit of his death that he purchased this honour for himself, and this favour for us. It was the Lamb that had been slain that was worthy to take the book and to open the seals. Rev 5:9.The judgment - The breast - plate of judgment: That breast - plate which declared the judgment or mind of God to the Israelites.

28:31 The robe of the ephod - This was next under the ephod, and reached down to the knees, without sleeves, and was put on over their head, having holes on the sides to put the arms through, or, as Maimonides describes it, was not sewn together on the sides at all. The hole on the top through which the head was put was carefully bound about, that it might not tear in the putting on. The bells gave notice to the people in the outer court, when he went into the holy place to burn incense, that they might then apply themselves to their devotions at the same time, Luk 1:10, in token of their concurrence with him, and their hopes ofthe ascent of their prayers to God in the virtue of the incense he offered.Aaron must come near to minister in the garments that were appointed him, that he die not. 'Tis at his peril if he attend otherwise than according to the institution.

28:32 An habergeon - A coat of armour.

28:33 Pomegranates - The figures of Pomegranates, but flat and embroidered.

28:36 On the golden plate fixed upon Aaron's forehead, like an half coronet, reaching, as the Jews say, from ear to ear, must be engraven, Holiness to the Lord - Aaron must hereby be minded, that God is holy, and that his priests must be holy. The high priest must be consecrated to God, and so must all his ministrations. All that attend in God's house must have holiness to the Lord engraven upon their foreheads, that is, they must he holy, devoted to the Lord, and designing his glory in all they do. This must appear in their forehead, in an open profession of their relation to God, as those that are not ashamed to own it, and in a conversation answerable to it. It must likewise be engraven like the engravings of a signet, so deep, so durable; not painted, so as it may he washed off, but sincere and lasting.

28:38 Aaron must have this upon his forehead, that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things, and that they may be accepted before the Lord - Herein he was a type of Christ, the great Mediator between God and man. Thro' him what is amiss in our services is pardoned: even this would be our ruin, if God should enter into judgment with us: but Christ our high priest bears this iniquity; bears it for us, so as to bear it from us. Thro' him likewise what is good is accepted; our persons, our performances are pleasing to God upon the account of Christ's intercession, and not otherwise. His being holiness to the Lord, recommends all those to the divine favour that believe in him. Having such a high priest, we come boldly to the throne of grace.

28:39 The embroidered coat of fine linen - Was the innermost of the priestly garments, it reached to the feet, and the sleeves to the wrists, and was bound to the body with a girdle or sash of needlework.The mitre or diadem was of linen, such as kings anciently wore in the east, typifying the kingly office of Christ.

28:43 It shall be a statute for ever - That is, It is to continue as long as the priesthood continues. And it is to have its perpetuity in the substance, of which these things were the shadows.

29 Orders are given in this chapter,

1. Concerning the consecration of the priests, and the sanctification of the altar, Exo 29:1-37.
   
2. Concerning the daily sacrifice, Exo 29:38-41.
   To which gracious promises are annexed, Exo 29:42-46.
   

29:4 They were to be consecrated at the door of the tabernacle - God was pleased to dwell in the tabernacle, the people attending in the courts, so that the door between the court and the tabernacle was the fittest place for them to be consecrated in, who were to mediate between God and man, and to stand between both, and lay their hands (as it were) upon both.Here they were to be washed, signifying that they must be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord, Isa 52:11. And they were to be clothed with the holy garments, to signify that it was not sufficient for them to put away the pollutions of sin, but they must put on the graces of the Spirit, be clothed with righteousness, Psa 132:9.They must be girded, as men prepared and strengthened for their work; and they must be robed and crowned, as men that counted their work and office their true honour.

29:7 The high priest was to be anointed with the holy anointing oil - That the church might be filled with the sweet favour of his administrations, and in token of the pouring out of the Spirit upon him, to qualify him for his work.

29:10 There must be a sin - offering, to make atonement for them. The law made them priests that had infirmity; and therefore they must first offer for their own sin, before they could make atonement for the people, Heb 7:27-29. They were to put their hand on the head of their sacrifice; confessing that they deserved to die for their own sin, and desiring that the killing of the beast might be accepted as a vicarious satisfaction. It was used as other sin - offerings were; only, whereas the flesh of other sin - offerings was eaten by the priests, in token of the priests taking away the sin of the people, this was appointed to be all burnt without the camp, to signify the imperfection of the legal dispensation, for the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by those sacrifices, but they must expect a better high priest, and a better sacrifice.

29:15 There must be a burnt - offering, a ram wholly burnt, in token of the dedication of themselves wholly to God, as living sacrifices, kindled with the fire, and ascending in the flame of holy love. This sin - offering must be offered, and then the burnt - offering, for till guilt be removed no acceptable service can be performed.

29:19 There must be a peace - offering; it is called the ram of consecration, because there was more in this, peculiar to the occasion, than in the other two. In the burnt - offering God had the glory of their priesthood, in this they had the comfort of it. And in token of a mutual covenant between God and them, the blood of this sacrifice was divided between God and them, part of the blood was sprinkled upon the altar round about, and part upon them, upon their bodies, and upon their garments. Thus the benefit of the expiation made by the sacrifice was applied and assured to them, and their whole selves from head to foot sanctified to the service of God. The blood was put upon the extreme parts of the body, to signify, that it was all as it were enclosed and taken in for God, the tip of the ear, and the great toe not excepted. And the blood and oil signified the blood of Christ, and the graces of the Spirit, which constitute and compleat the beauty of holiness, and recommend us to God. The flesh of the sacrifice, with the meat - offering annexed to it, was likewise divided between God and them, that (to speak with reverence) God and they might feast together, in token offriendship and fellowship.

29:22 Part of it was to be first waved before the Lord, and then burnt upon the altar, these were first put into the hands of Aaron to be waved to and fro in token of their being offered to God, and then they were to be burnt upon the altar, for the altar was to devour God's part of the sacrifice. Thus God admitted Aaron and his sons to wait at his table, taking the meat of his altar from their hands. Here, in a parenthesis as it were, comes in the law concerning the priests part of the peace - offerings afterwards, the breast and shoulder, which were now divided; Moses had the breast, and the shoulder was burnt on the altar with God's part.

29:31 The other part of the flesh of the ram, and of the bread, Aaron and his sons were to eat at the door of the tabernacle, to signify that he not only called them servants but friends. He supped with them, and they with him. Their eating of the things wherewith the atonement was made, signified their receiving the atonement, their thankful acceptance of the benefit of it, and their joyful communion with God thereupon.

29:35 Seven days shalt thou consecrate them - Though all the ceremonies were performed on the first day, yet, they were not to look upon their consecration as compleated till the seven days end, which put a solemnity upon their admission, and a distance between this and their former state, and obliged them to enter upon their work with a pause, giving them time to consider the weight of it. This was to be observed in after ages: he that was to succeed Aaron in the high priesthood, must put on the holy garments seven days together, in token of a deliberate advance into his office, and that one sabbath might pass over him, in his consecration.Every day of the seven, in this first consecration, a bullock was to be offered for a sin - offering, which was to intimate,

1. That though atonement was made, yet they must still keep up a penitentsense of sin, and often repeat the confession of it.
2. That those sacrifices which were thus offered day by day, could notmake the comers there unto perfect, for then they would have ceased to be offered; Heb 10:1-2. They must therefore expect the bringing in of a better hope. Now this consecration of the priests was a shadow of good things to come.
   1. Our Lord Jesus is the great high priest of our profession, called ofGod to be so consecrated for evermore, anointed with the Spirit above his fellows, whence he is called Messiah, the Christ; clothed with the holy garments, even with glory and beauty; sanctified by his own blood, not that of bullocks and rams.
   2. All believers are spiritual priests, to offer spiritual sacrifices,
   Pe1 2:5,washed in the blood of Christ, and so made to our God priests, Rev 1:5-6. They also are clothed with the beauty of holiness, and have received the anointing, Jo1 2:27.His blood sprinkled upon the conscience, purgeth it from dead works, that they may, as priests, serve the living God. The Spirit of God is called the finger of God (Luk 11:20, compared with Mat 12:28,) and by him the merit of Christ is effectually applied to our souls, as here Moses with his finger was to put the blood upon Aaron. It is likewise intimated that gospel ministers are to be solemnly set apart to the work of the ministry with great deliberation and seriousness, both in the ordainers, and in the ordained, as those that are employed in a great work, and intrusted with a great charge.

29:36 The consecration of the altar, seems to have been coincident with that of the priests; and the sin - offerings, which were offered every day for seven days together, had reference to the altar, as well as the priests. And atonement was made for the altar. The altar was also sanctified, not only set apart itself to a sacred use, but made so holy as to sanctify the gifts that were offered upon it, Mat 23:19.Christ is our altar, for our sakes he sanctified himself, that we and our performances might be sanctified and recommended to God, Joh 17:19.

29:38 This daily service, a lamb offered upon the altar every morning, and every evening, typified the continual intercession which Christ ever lives to make in the virtue of his satisfaction for the continual sanctification of his church: though he offered himself once for all, yet that one offering thus becomes a continual offering. And this teaches us to offer up to God the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise every day, morning and evening, in humble acknowledgment of our dependence upon him, and our obligations to him.

29:40 A tenth deal, or tenth part of an Ephah, is about three quarts. A hin is five quarts.

30 Moses in this chapter farther instructed,

1. Concerning the altar of incense, Exo 30:1-10.
   
2. Concerning the ransom money, which the Israelites were to pay when they were numbered, Exo 30:11-16.
   
3. Concerning the laver of brass, Exo 30:17-21.
   
4. Concerning the anointing oil, Exo 30:22-33.
   
5. Concerning the incense and perfume, which was to be burned on the golden altar, Exo 30:34-38.
   

30:1 The altar of incense was to be about a yard high, and half a yard square, with horns at the corners, a golden cornish round it, with rings and staves of gold for the convenience of carrying it, Exo 30:1-5. It doth not appear that there was any grate to this altar for the ashes to fall into, that they might be taken away; but when they burn incense, a golden censer was brought, with coals in it, and placed upon the altar, and in that censer the incense was burnt, and with it all the coals were taken away, so that no coals or ashes fell upon the altar. The altar of incense in Ezekiel's temple is double to what it is here, Eze 41:22, and it is there called an altar of wood, and there is no mention of gold, to signify that the incense in gospel times should be spiritual, the worship plain, and the service of God enlarged. It was placed before the veil, on the outside of that partition, but before the mercy - seat, which was within the veil. For though he that ministered at that altar could not see the mercy - seat, the veil interposing, yet he must look towards it, and direct his incense that way, to teach us, that though we cannot with our bodily eyes see the throne of grace, that blessed mercy - seat, yet we must in prayer by faith set ourselves before it, direct our prayer and look up.

30:7 Aaron was to burn sweet incense upon this altar every morning and every evening, which was intended not only to take away the ill smell of the flesh that was burnt daily on the brazen altar, but for the honour of God, and to shew the, acceptableness of his people's services to him.As by the offerings on the brazen altar satisfaction was made for what had been done displeasing to God, so by the offering on this what they did well was, as it were, recommended to the divine acceptance.

30:10 This altar was purified with the blood of the sin - offering put upon the horns of it every year, upon the day of atonement. See Lev 16:18-19. The high priest was to take this in his way as he cameout from the holy of holies. This was to intimate, that the sins of the priests who ministered at this altar, and of the people for whom they ministered, put a ceremonial impurity upon it, from which it must be cleansed by the blood of atonement. This altar typified the mediation of Christ: the brazen altar in the court was a type of Christ dying on earth; the golden altar in the sanctuary was a type of Christ interceding in heaven. This altar was before the mercy - seat, for Christ always appears in the presence of God for us; and his intercession is unto God of a sweet smelling savour. And it typified the devotions of the saints, whose prayers are said to be set forth before God as incense, Psa 141:2.As the smoke of the incense ascended, so must our desires, being kindled with the fire of holy love. When the priest was burning incense the people were praying, Luk 1:10, to signify that prayer is the true incense. This incense was a perpetual incense, for we must pray always. The lamps were dressed or lighted at the same time that the incense was burnt, to teach us that the reading of the scriptures (which are our light and lamp) is a part of our daily work, andshould ordinarily accompany our prayers and praises. The devotions of sanctified souls are well - pleasing to God, of a sweet - smelling savour; the prayers of saints are compared to sweet odours, Rev 5:8, but it is theincense which Christ adds to them that makes them acceptable; and his blood that atones for the guilt which cleaves to our best services. Yet if the heart and life be not holy, even incense is an abomination, Isa 1:13.

30:11 Perhaps the repetition of those words, the Lord spake unto Moses, here and afterwards, Exo 30:17, Exo 30:22, Exo 30:34, intimates, that God did not deliver these precepts to Moses, in a continued discourse, but with many intermissions, giving him time either to write what was said to him, or at least to charge his memory with it.

30:12 Some think this refers only to the first numbering of them, when the tabernacle was set up, and that this tax was to make up what was wanting in the voluntary contributions. Others think it was to be always when the people were numbered; and that David offended in not demanding it when he numbered the people. But many of the Jewish writers are of opinion, it was to be an annual tribute; only it was begun when Moses first numbered the people. This was that tribute - money which Christ paid lest he should offend his adversaries. The tribute to be paid was half a shekel, about fifteen - pence of our money. In other offerings men were to give according to their ability, but this, which was the ransom of the soul, must be alike for all; for the rich have as much need of Christ as the poor, and the poor are as welcome to him as the rich. And this was to be paid as a ransom of the soul, that there might be no plague among them - Hereby they acknowledged that they received their lives from God, that they had forfeited their lives to him, and that they depended upon his power and patience for the continuance of them; and thus they did homage to the God of their lives, and deprecated those plagues which their sins had deserved. This money was employed in the service of the tabernacle; with it they bought sacrifices, flour, incense wine, oil, fuel, salt, priests garments, and all other things which the whole congregation was interested in.

30:18 The laver, or font was a large vessel, that would contain a good quantity of water. The foot of brass, it is supposed, was so contrived as to receive the water, which was let out of the laver, by spouts or cocks. They then had a laver for the priests only to wash in, but to us now there is a fountain opened for Judah and Jerusalem, Zec 13:1, an inexhaustiblefountain of living water, so that it is our own fault if we remain in our pollution. Aaron and his sons were to wash their hands and feet at this laver every time they went in to minister. For this purpose clean water was put into the laver, fresh every day. Though they washed themselves ever so clean at their own houses, that would not serve, they must wash at the laver. This was designed, to teach them purity in all their ministrations, and to possess them with a reverence of God's holiness, and a dread of the pollutions of sin. They must not only wash and be made clean when they were first consecrated, but they must wash and be kept clean, whenever they went in to minister. He only shall stand in God's holy place that hath clean hands and a pure heart, Psa 24:3-4. And it was to teach us, who are daily to attend upon God,daily to renew our repentance for sin, and our believing application of the blood of Christ to our souls for remission.

30:23 Interpreters are not agreed concerning these ingredients: the spices, which were in all near half a hundred weight, were to be infused in the oil, which was to be about five or six quarts, and then strained out, leaving an admirable smell in the oil. With this oil God's tent and all the furniture of it were to be anointed; it was to be used also in the consecration of the priests. It was to be continued throughout their generations, Exo 30:31.Solomon was anointed with it, Ki1 1:39, and some other of the kings, and all the high priests, with such a quantity of it, as that it ran down to the skirts of the garments; and we read of the making it up, Ch1 9:30. Yet all agree that in the second temple there was noneof this holy oil, which was probably owing to a notion they had, that it was not lawful to make it up; Providence over - ruling that want as a presage of the better unction of the Holy Ghost in gospel - times, the variety of whose gifts was typified by these sweet ingredients.

30:34 The incense which was burned upon the golden altar was prepared of sweet spices likewise, though not so rare and rich as those which the anointing oil was compounded of. This was prepared once a year, (the Jews say) a pound for each day of the year, and three pound overfor the day of atonement. When it was used it was to be beaten very small; thus it pleased the Lord to bruise the Redeemer, when he offered himself for a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour. Concerning both these preparations the same law is here given, that the like should not be made for any common use. Thus God would preserve in the peoples minds a reverence for his own institutions, and teach us not to profane or abuse any thing whereby God makes himself known.

31 In this chapter,

1. God appoints what workmen should be employed in the building and furnishing the tabernacle, Exo 31:1-11.
   
2. He repeats the law of the sabbath, Exo 31:12-17.
   
3. He delivers to Moses the two tables of the testimony, Exo 31:18.
   

31:2 See I have called Bezaleel, the grandson of Hur, probably that Hur who had helped to hold up Moses's hand, Exo 17:10-12, and was at this time in commission with Aaron for the government of the people in the absence of Moses. Aholiab of the tribe of Dan is appointed next to Bezaleel, and partner with him. Hiram, who was the head - workman in the building of Solomon's temple, was also of the tribe of Dan, Ch2 2:14.

31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God; and Exo 31:6.In the hearts of all that are wise - hearted I have put wisdom. Skill in common employments is the gift of God; It is he that puts even this wisdom into the inward parts, Job 38:36. He teacheth the husbandman discretion, Isa 28:26, and the tradesman too, and he must have the praise of it.

31:13 It is a sign between me and you - The institution of the sabbath was a great instance of God's favour, and a sign that he had distinguished them from all other people: and their religious observance of it, was a great instance of their duty to him. God, by sanctifying this day among them, let them know that he sanctified them, and set them apart for his service, otherwise he would not have revealed to them his holy sabbaths to be the support of religion among them. The Jews by observing one day in seven, after six days labour, testified that they worshipped the God that made the world in six days, and rested the seventh; and so distinguished themselves from other nations, who having first lost the sabbath, the memorial of the creation, by degrees lost the knowledge of the creator, and gave the creature the honour due to him alone.

31:14 It is holy unto you - That is, it is designed for your benefit as well as for God's honour; it shall be accounted holy by you.

31:15 It is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord - It is separated from common use, for the service of God; and by the observance of it we are taught to rest from worldly pursuits, and devote ourselves, and all we are, have, and can do, to God's glory.

31:16 It was to be observed throughout their generations, in every age, for a perpetual covenant - This was to be one of the most lasting tokens of the covenant between God and Israel.

31:17 On the seventh day he rested - And as the work of creation is worthy to be thus commemorated, so the great Creator is worthy to be thus imitated, by a holy rest the seventh day.

31:18 These tables of stone, were not prepared by Moses, but probably by the ministry of angels. They were written with the finger of God - That is, by his will and power immediately, without the use of any instrument. They were written in two tables, being designed to direct us in our duty, towards God, and towards man. And they were called tables of testimony, because this written law testified the will of God concerning them, and would be a testimony against them if they were disobedient.

32 Here is,

1. The sin of Israel, and Aaron particularly in making the golden calf, Exo 32:1-4.
   and worshipping it, Exo 32:5-6.
   
2. The notice which God gave of this to Moses, who was now in the mount with him, Exo 32:7-8.
   and the sentence of his wrath against them, Exo 32:9-10.
   
3. The intercession which Moses made for them, Exo 32:11-13.
   and the prevalency of that intercession, Exo 32:14.
   
4. His coming down from the mount, and being an eye witness of their idolatry, Exo 32:15-19.
   in detestation of which he broke the tables, Exo 32:19.
   and burnt the golden calf, Exo 32:20.
   
5. The examination of Aaron about it, Exo 32:21-24.
   
6. Execution done upon the ringleaders in the idolatry, Exo 32:25-29.
   
7. The further intercession Moses made, to turn away the wrath of God from them, Exo 32:30-32.
   and a reprieve granted thereupon, reserving them for a further reckoning, Exo 32:33-35.
   

32:1 Up, make us gods which shall go before us. They were weary of waiting for the promised land. They thought themselves detained too long at mount Sinai. They had a God that stayed with them, but they must have a God to go before them to the land flowing with milk and honey. They were weary of waiting for the return of Moses: As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of Egypt, we know not what is become of him - Observe how slightly they speak of his person, this Moses: And howsuspiciously of his delay, we know not what is become of him. And they were weary of waiting for a divine institution of religious worship among them, so they would have a worship of their own invention, probably such as they had seen among the Egyptians. They say, make us gods which shall go before us. Gods! How many would they have? Is not one sufficient?And what good would gods of their own making do them? They must have such Gods to go before them as could not go themselves farther than they were carried!

32:2 And Aaron said break off the golden ear - rings - We do not find that he said one word to discountenance their proposal. Some suppose, that when Aaron bid them break off their ear - rings, he did it with design to crush the proposal, believing that, though their covetousness would have let them do it, yet their pride would not have suffered them to part with them.

32:3 And all the people brake off their ear - rings - Which Aaron melted down, and, having a mold prepared, poured the melted gold into it, and then produced it in the shape of an ox or calf, giving it some finishing strokes with a graving tool.

32:5 And Aaron built an altar before it, and proclaimed a feast - A feast of dedication; yet he calls it a feast to Jehovah; for, as brutish as they were, they did not design to terminate their adoration in the image; but they made it for a representation of the true God, whom they intended to worship in and through this image. And yet this did not excuse them from gross idolatry, no more than it will excuse the Papists, whose plea it is, that they do not worship the image, but God by the image; so making themselves just such idolaters as the worshippers of the golden calf, whose feast was a feast to Jehovah, and proclaimed to be so, that the most ignorant and unthinking might not mistake it.

32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered sacrifice to this new made deity. And the people sat down to eat and drink of the remainder of what was sacrificed, and then rose up to play - To play the fool, to play the wanton. It was strange that any of the people, especially so great a number of them, should do such a thing. Had they not, but the other day, in this very place, heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire, Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image? - Yet They made a calf in Horeb, the very place where the law was given It was especially strange that Aaron should be so deeply concerned, should make the calf and proclaim the feast! Is this Aaron the saint of the Lord! Is this he that had not only seen, but had been employed in summoning the plagues of Egypt, and the judgments executed upon the gods of the Egyptians? What! And yet himself copying out the abandoned idolatries of Egypt? How true is it, that the law made them priests which had infirmity, and needed first to offer for their own sins?

32:8 They have turned aside quickly - Quickly after the law was given them, and they had promised to obey it; quickly after God had done such great things for them, and declared his kind intentions to do greater.

32:9 It is a stiff - necked people - Unapt to come under the yoke of the divine law, averse to all good, and prone to evil, obstinate to the methods of cure.

32:10 Let me alone - What did Moses, or what could he do, to hinder God from consuming them? When God resolves to abandon a people, and the decree is gone forth, no intercession can prevent it. But God would thus express the greatness of his displeasure, after the manner of men, who would have none to interceed for those they resolve to be severe with. Thus also he would put an honour upon prayer, intimating, that nothing but the intercession of Moses could save them from ruin, that he might be a type of Christ, by whose mediation alone God would reconcile the world unto himself.

32:11 And Moses besought the Lord his God - If God would not be called the God of Israel, yet he hoped he might address him as his own God.Now Moses is standing in the gap to turn away the wrath of God. Psa 106:23. He took the hint which God gave him when he said,Let me alone, which, though it seemed to forbid his interceding, did really encourage it, by shewing what power the prayer of faith hath with God.

32:12 Turn from thy fierce wrath - Not as if he thought God were not justly angry, but he begs that he would not be so greatly angry as to consume them. Let mercy rejoice against judgment; repent of this evil - Change the sentence of destruction into that of correction, against thy people which thou broughtest up out of Egypt - For whom thou hast done so great things? Wherefore should the Egyptians say, For mischief did he bring them out - Israel is dear to Moses, as his kindred, as his charge; but it is the glory of God that he is most concerned for. If Israel could perish without any reproach to God's name, Moses could persuade himself to sit down contented; but he cannot bear to hear God reflected on; and therefore this he insists upon, Lord, What will the Egyptians say? They will say, God was either weak, and could not, or fickle, and would not compleat the salvation he begun.

32:13 Remember Abraham - Lord, if Israel be cut off, what will become of the promise?

32:14 And the Lord repented of the evil he thought to do - Though he designed to punish them, yet he would not ruin them. See here, the power of prayer, God suffers himself to be prevailed with by humble believing importunity. And see the compassion of God towards poor sinners, and how ready he is to forgive.

32:15 On both their sides - Some on one table and some on the other, so that they were folded together like a book, to be deposited in the ark.

32:16 The writing of God - Very probably the first writing in the world.

32:19 He saw the calf, and the dancing, and his anger waxed hot - It is no breach of the law of meekness to shew our displeasure at wickedness.Those are angry and sin not, that are angry at sin only. Moses shewed himself angry, both by breaking the tables, and burning the calf, that he might by these expressions of a strong passion awaken the people to a sense of the greatness of their sin. He broke the tables before their eyes, as it is Deu 9:17, that the sight of it might fill them with confusion when they saw what blessings they had lost. The greatest sign of God's displeasure against any people is his taking his law from them.

32:20 He burnt the calf - Melted it down, and then filed it to dust; and that the powder to which it was reduced might he taken notice of throughout the camp, he strawed it upon the water which they all drank of. That it might appear that an idol is nothing in the world, he reduced this to atoms, that it might be as near nothing as could be.

32:21 What did this people unto thee - He takes it for granted that it must needs be something more than ordinary that prevailed with Aaron to do such a thing? Did they overcome thee by importunity, and hadst thou so little resolution as to yield to popular clamour! Did they threaten to stone thee, and couldest not thou have opposed God's threatenings to theirs?

32:23 They said, make us Gods - It is natural to us to endeavour thus to transfer our guilt. He likewise extenuates his own share in the sin, as if he had only bid them break off their gold, intending but to make a hasty essay for the present, and childishly insinuates that when he cast the gold into the fire, it came out either by accident, or by the magic art of some of the mixt multitude (as the Jewish writers dream) in this shape. This was all Aaron had to say for himself, and he had better have said nothing, for his defence did but aggravate his offence; and yet as sin did abound, grace did much more abound.

32:25 The people were naked - Stript of their armour, and liable to insults.

32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, the place of judgment; and said, Who is on the Lord's side? - The idolaters had set up the golden calf for their standard, and now Moses sets up his in opposition to them.

32:27 Slay every man his brother - That is, Slay all those that you know to have been active for the making and worshipping of the golden calf, though they were your nearest relations or dearest friends. Yet it should seem they were to slay those only whom they found abroad in the street of the camp; for it might be hoped that those who were retired into their tents were ashamed of what they had done.

32:28 And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men - Probably these were but few in comparison with the many that were guilty;but these were the men that headed the rebellion, and were therefore picked out to be made examples of; for terror to others.

32:31 Oh, this people have sinned a great sin - God had first told him of it, Exo 32:7, and now he tells God of it by way of lamentation.He doth not call them God's people, he knew they were unworthy to be called so, but this people. This treacherous ungrateful people, they have made them gods of gold.

32:32 If not - If the decree be gone forth, and there is no remedy but they must be ruined, blot me, I pray thee out of the book which thou hast written - That is, out of the book of life. If all Israel must perish, I am content to perish with them. This expression may be illustrated from Rom 9:3.For I could wish myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren's sake. Does this imply no more than not enjoying Canaan?Not that Moses absolutely desired this, but only comparatively expresses his vehement zeal for God's glory, and love to his people, signifying, that the very thought of their destruction, and the dishonour of God, was so intolerable to him, that he rather wishes, if it were possible, that God would accept of him, as a sacrifice in their stead, and by his utter destruction, prevent so great a mischief.

32:33 Whosoever hath sinned, him will I blot out of my book - The soul that sins shall die, and not the innocent for the guilty.

32:34 My angel shall go before them - Some created angel that was employed in the common services of his kingdom, which intimated that they were not to expect any thing for the future to be done for them out of the common road of providence. When I visit - Hereafter he shall see cause to punish them for other sins, I will visit for this among the rest. From hence the Jews have a saying, that from hence - forward no judgment fell upon Israel, but there was in it an ounce of the powder of the golden calf.

32:35 And the Lord plagued the people - Probably by the pestilence, or some other infectious disease. Thus Moses prevailed for a mitigation of the punishment, but could not wholly turn away the wrath of God.

33 In this chapter we have a further account of the mediation of Moses between God and Israel.

1. He brings a very humbling message from God to them, Exo 33:1-3, Exo 33:5.
   which has a good effect upon then, Exo 33:4-6.
   
2. He settles a correspondence between God and them; and both God and the people signify their approbation of that correspondence, God by descending in a cloudy pillar, and the people by worshipping at the tent - doors, Exo 33:7-12.
   
3. He is earnest with God in prayer, and prevails.
   1. For a promise of his presence with the people, Exo 33:12-17.
      
   2. For a sight of his glory for himself, Exo 33:18-23.
   
   

33:5 I will come up - As if he had said, ye deserve that I should do so. Put off thine ornaments, that I may know what to do with thee - That is, put thyself into the posture of a penitent, that the dispute may be determined in thy favour, and mercy may rejoice against judgment.

33:6 And Israel stript themselves of their ornaments, by the mount; or, as some read it, at a distance from the mount - Stand afar off, like the publican, Luk 18:13.God bid them lay aside their ornaments, and they did so; both to shew in general their deep mourning, and in particular to take a holy revenge upon themselves for giving their ear - rings to make the golden calf of.

33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle - The tent wherein he gave audience, heard causes, and inquired of God, and pitched it without, afar off from the camp - To signify to them that they were unworthy of it. Perhaps this tabernacle was a model of the tabernacle that was afterwards to be erected, a hasty draught from the pattern shewed him in the mount, designed for direction to the workman, and used in the mean time as a tabernacle of meeting between God and Moses about public affairs.

33:8 And when Moses went out to the tabernacle, the people looked after him - In token of their respect to him whom before they had slighted, and their dependence upon his mediation. By this it appeared, that they were full of concern what would be the issue.

33:10 And when they saw the cloudy pillar, that symbol of God's presence, give Moses the meeting, they all worshipped every man at his tent door - Thereby they signified, Their humble adoration of the divine majesty. Their thankfulness to God, that he was pleased to shew them this token for good, for if he had been pleased to kill them he would not have shewed them such things as these. And their hearty concurrence with Moses as their advocate, in every thing he should promise for them.

33:11 And the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend - Which intimates not only that God revealed himself to Moses with greater clearness than to any other of the prophets, but also with greater expressions of particular kindness than to any other. He spake not as a prince to a subject, but as a man to his friend, whom he loves, and with whom he takes sweet counsel. And he turned again into the camp - To tell the people what hopes he had of bringing this business to a goodissue. But because he intended speedily to return to the tabernacle, he left Joshua there.

33:12 Moses now returned to the door of the tabernacle, as an important supplicant for two favours, and prevails for both: herein he was a type of Christ the great intercessor, whom the Father heareth always. He is earnest with God for a grant of his presence with Israel in the rest of their march to Canaan. Thou sayst, bring up this people - Lord, it is thou thyself that employest me, and wilt thou not own me? I am in the way of my duty, and shall I not have thy presence with me in that way? Yet, Thou hast said, I know thee by name, as a particular friend, and thou hast also found grace in my sight, above any other.

33:13 Now therefore, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me thy way - What favour God had expressed to the people they had forfeited the benefit of; and therefore Moses lays the stress of his plea upon what God had said to him. By this therefore he takes hold on God, Lord, if thou wilt do any thing for me, do this for the people. Thus our Lord Jesus, in his intercession, presents himself to the Father, as one in whom he is always well - pleased, and so obtains mercy for us with whom he is justly displeased, Shew me thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight - He insinuates that the people also, though most unworthy, yet were in some relation to God; consider that this nation is thy people; a people that thou hast done great things for, redeemed to thyself, and taken into covenant with thyself; Lord, they are thy own, do not leave them.

33:15 And he said, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence - He speaks as one that dreaded the thought of going forward without God's presence.

33:16 Wherein shall it be known to the nations that have their eyes upon us, that I, and thy people, have found grace in thy sight; so as to be separated from all people upon earth? Is it not that thou goest with us? Nothing short of that can answer these characters.

33:17 I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken - See the power of prayer! See the riches of God's goodness! See in type the prevalency of Christ's intercession, which he ever lives to make for all those that come to God by him! And the ground of that prevalency, is purely in his own merit, it is because thou hast found grace in my sight. And now God is perfectly reconciled to them, and his presence in the pillar of cloud returns to them.

33:18 I beseech thee shew me thy glory - Moses had lately been in the mount with God, and had had as intimate communion with God, as ever any man had on this side heaven, and yet he is still desiring a farther acquaintance. Shew me thy glory - Make me to see it; so the word is: make it some way or other visible, and enable me to bear the sight of it.Not that he was so ignorant as to think God's essence could be seen with bodily eyes, but having hitherto only heard a voice out of a pillar of cloud or fire, he desired to see some representation of the divine glory, such as God saw fit to gratify him with.

33:20 Thou canst not see my face - A full discovery of the glory of God would quite overpower the faculties of any mortal man. I will make all my goodness pass before thee - He had given him wonderful instances of his goodness in being reconciled to Israel; but that was only goodness in the stream, he would shew him goodness in the spring. This was a sufficient answer to his request: Shew me thy glory, saith Moses; I will shew thee my goodness, saith God. God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him by the glory of his mercy, more than by the glory of his majesty. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious - In bestowing his gifts, and is not debtor to any, nor accountable to any; all his reasons of mercy are fetched from within himself, not from any merit in his creatures, and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy - For his grace is always free. He never damns by prerogative, but by prerogative he saves.

33:22 I will put thee in a cleft of the rock - In that he was to be sheltered from the dazzling light, and devouring fire of God's glory. This was the rock in Horeb, out of which water was brought, of which it is said, That rock was Christ, Co1 10:4. 'Tis in the clefts of this rock that we are secured from the wrath of God, which otherwise would consume us: God himself will protect those that are thus hid: and it is only through Christ that we have the knowledge of the glory of God. None can see that to their comfort, but those that stand upon this rock, and take shelter in it.

33:23 And I will take away my hand - Speaking after the manner of men.And thou shalt see my back - parts - The face in man is the seat of majesty, and men are known by their faces, in them we take a full view of men; that sight of God Moses might not have, but such a sight as we have of a man who is gone past us, so that we only see his back. Now Moses was allowed to see this only, but when he was a witness to Christ's transfiguration, he saw his face shine as the sun.

34 Four instances of the return of God's favour we have in this chapter.

1. The orders he gives to Moses to come up to the mount the next morning, and bring two tables of stone with him, Exo 34:1-4.
   
2. His meeting him there, and the proclamation of his name, Exo 34:6-9.
   
3. The instructions he gave him there, and his converse with him forty days, Exo 34:10-28.
   
4. The honour he put upon him when he sent him down with his face shining, Exo 34:29-35.
   In all which God dealt with Moses as a mediator between him and Israel, and a type of the great Mediator.

34:1 Moses must prepare for the renewing of the tables. Before God himself provided the tables, and wrote on them; now Moses must hew him out the tables, and God would only write upon them. When God was reconciled to them, he ordered the tables to be renewed, and wrote his law in them, which plainly intimates to us, that even under the gospel (of which the intercession of Moses was typical) the moral law shouldcontinue to oblige believers. Though Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, yet not from the command of it, but still we are under the law to Christ. When our Saviour in his sermon on the mount expounded the moral law, and vindicated it from the corrupt glosses with which the scribes and Pharisees had broken it, he did in effect renew the tables, and make them like the first; that is, reduce the law to its primitive sense and intention.

34:5 The Lord descended - By some sensible token of his presence, and manifestation of his glory. He descended in the cloud - Probably that pillar of cloud which had hitherto gone before Israel, and had the day before met Moses at the door of the tabernacle.

34:6 And the Lord passed by before him - Fixed views of God are reserved for the future state; the best we have in this world are transient. And proclaimed the name of the Lord - By which he would make himself known. He had made himself known to Moses in the glory of his self - existence, and self - sufficiency, when he proclaimed that name, I am that I am; now he makes himself known in the glory of his grace and goodness, and all - sufficiency to us. The proclaiming of it notes the universal extent of God's mercy; he is not only good to Israel, but good to all. The God with whom we have to do is a great God. He is Jehovah, the Lord, that hath his being of himself, and is the fountain of all being; Jehovah - El, the Lord, the strong God, a God of almighty power himself, and the original of all power. This is prefixed before the display of his mercy, to teach us to think and to speak even of God's goodness with a holy awe, and to encourage us to depend upon these mercies. He is a good God. His greatness and goodness illustrate each other. That his greatness may not make us afraid, we are told how good he is; and that we may not presume upon his goodness, we are told how great he is. Many words are here heaped up to acquaint us with, and convince us of God's goodness. 1st, He is merciful, This speaks his pity, and tendercompanion, like that of a father to his children. This is put first, because it is the first wheel in all the instances of God's good - will to fallen man. 2ndly, He is gracious. This speaks both freeness, and kindness: itspeaks him not only to have a compassion to his creatures, but a complacency in them, and in doing good to them; and this of his own good - will, not for the sake of any thing in them. 3dly, He is long - suffering. This is a branch of God's goodnesswhich our wickedness gives occasion for. He is long - suffering, that is, he is slow to anger, and delays the executions of his justice, he waits to be gracious, and lengthens out the offers of his mercy. 4thly, He is abundant in goodness and truth. This speaksplentiful goodness; it abounds above our deserts, above our conception. The springs of mercy are always full, the streams of mercy always flowing; there is mercy enough in God, enough for all, enough for each, enough for ever. It speaks promised goodness, goodness and truth put together, goodness engaged by promise. 5thly, He keepeth mercy for thousands.This speaks,

1. Mercy extended to thousands of persons. When he gives to some,still he keeps for others, and is never exhausted:
2. Mercy entailed upon thousands of generations, even to those uponwhom the ends of the world are come; nay, the line of it is drawn parallel with that of eternity itself. 6thly, He forgiveth iniquity, transgression and sin - Pardoning mercyis instanced in, because in that divine grace is most magnified, and because that it is that opens the door to all other gifts of grace. He forgives offences of all sorts, iniquity, transgression and sin, multiplies his pardons, and with him is plenteous redemption. He is a just and holy God.For, 1st, He will by no means clear the guilty. He will not clearthe impenitently guilty, those that go on still in their trespasses; he will not clear the guilty without satisfaction to his justice. 2dly, He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children - Especially for the punishment of idolaters. Yet he keepeth not hisanger for ever, but visits to the third and fourth generation only, while he keeps mercy for thousands - This is God's name for ever, and this is his memorial unto all generations.

34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head - Thus he expressed his humble reverence and adoration of God's glory, together with his joy in this discovery God had made of himself, and his thankfulness for it. Then likewise he expressed his holy submission to the will of God made known in this declaration, subscribing to his justice as well as mercy, and putting himself and his people Israel under the government of such a God as Jehovah had now proclaimed himself to be. Let this God be our God for ever and ever!

34:9 And he said, I pray thee go among us - For thy presence is all to our safety and success. And pardon our iniquity and our sin - Else we cannot expect thee to go among us. And take us for thine inheritance - Which thou wilt have a particular eye to, and concern for. These thingsGod had already promised Moses; and yet he prays for them, not as doubting the sincerity of God's grants, but as one solicitous for the ratification of them. But it is a strange plea he urges, for it is a stiff - necked people - God had given this as a reason why he would not go along with them, Exo 33:3.Yea, saith Moses, the rather go along with us; for the worse they are, the more need they have of thy presence. Moses sees them so stiff - necked, that he has neither patience nor power enough to deal with them; therefore, Lord, do thou go among us; else they will never be kept in awe; thou wilt spare, and bear with them, for thou art God and not man.

34:10 Behold I make a covenant - When the covenant was broke, it was Israel that broke it; now it comes to be renewed, it is God that makes it. If there be quarrels, we must bear all the blame; if there be peace, God must have all the glory. Before all thy people I will do marvels - Such as the drying up of Jordan, the standing still of the sun.Marvels indeed, for they were without precedent, such as have not been done in all the earth; the people shall see, and own the work of the Lord; and they were the terror of their enemies: it is a terrible thing that I will do.

34:11 Observe that which I command thee - We cannot expect the benefit of the promises, unless we make conscience of the precepts. The two great precepts are,

1. Thou shalt worship no other gods - A good reason is annexed; forthe Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God - As tender in the matters of his worship as the husband is of the honour of the marriage - bed.
2. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods - Thou shalt not worship the trueGod by images. This was the sin they had lately fallen into, which therefore they are particularly cautioned against. That they might not be tempted to worship other gods, they must not join in affinity or friendship with those that did.

34:12 Take heed to thyself - It is a sin thou art prone to, and that will easily beset thee; carefully abstain from all advances towards it, make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land - If God in kindness to them drove out the Canaanites, they ought in duty to God not to harbour them: If they espoused their children they would be in danger of espousing their gods. That they might not be tempted to make molten gods, they must utterly destroy those they found, and all that belonged to them, the altars and groves, lest, if they were left standing, they should be brought in process of time either to use them, or to take pattern by them.

34:21 Here is a repetition of several appointments made before, especially relating to their solemn feasts: when they had made the calf they proclaimed a feast in honour of it; now, that they might never do so again, they are here charged with the observance of the feasts which God had instituted. Thou shalt rest, even in earing - time and in harvest - The most busy times of the year. All wordly business must give way to that holy rest: harvest - work will prosper the better for the religious observation of the sabbath - day in harvest - time. Hereby we must shew that we prefer our communion with God, before either the business or the joy of harvest.

34:23 Thrice in the year shall all the men - children appear - But it might be suggested, when all the males slain every part were gone up to worship in the place that God should chuse, the country would he left exposed to the insults of their neighbours; and what would become of the poor women and children? Trust God with them.

34:24 Neither shalt any man desire thy land - Not only they shall not invade it, but they shall not so much as think of invading it. What a standing Miracle was this, for so many Generations?

34:28 He wrote - God.

34:29 The skin of his face shone - This time of his being in the mount he heard only the same he had heard before. But he saw more of the glory of God, which having with open face beheld, he was in some measure changed into the same image. This was a great honour done to Moses, that the people might never again question his mission, or think or speak slightly of him. He carried his credentials in his very countenance, some think as long as he lived, he retained some remainders of this glory, which perhaps contributed to the vigour of his old age; that eye could not wax dim which had seen God, nor that face wrinkle which had shone with his glory.

34:30 And Aaron and the children of Israel saw it, and were afraid - It not only dazzled their eyes, but struck such an awe upon them as obliged them to retire. Probably they doubted whether it was a token of God's favour, or of his displeasure.

34:33 And Moses put a veil upon his face - This veil signified the darkness of that dispensation; the ceremonial institutions had in them much of Christ and the gospel, but a veil was drawn over it, so that the children of Israel could not distinctly and steadfastly see those good things to come which the law had a shadow of. It was beauty veiled, gold in the mine, a pearl in the shell; but thanks be to God, by the gospel, the veil is taken away from off the old testament; yet still it remains upon the hearts of those who shut their eyes against the light.

34:34 When he went before the Lord, he put off the veil - Every veil must be thrown aside when we go to present ourselves unto the Lord.This signified also, as it is explained, Co2 3:16, that when a soul turns to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away, that with open face it may behold his glory.

35 The great affair of setting up God's worship is now upon its former channel again.

1. Moses gives Israel those instructions he had received, which required a present observance,
   1. Concerning the sabbath, Exo 35:1-3.
      
   2. Concerning the contribution that was to be made for erecting the tabernacle, Exo 35:4-9.
      
   3. Concerning the framing of the tabernacle, and the utensils of it, Exo 35:10-19.
   
   
2. The people bring in their contributions, Exo 35:20-29.
   
3. The head workmen are nominated, Exo 35:30-35.
   

35:2 Six days shall work be done - Work for the tabernacle, but on the seventh day - You must not strike a stroke, no not at the tabernacle - work; the honour of the sabbath was above that of the sanctuary.

35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire - For any servile work, as that of smiths or plumbers. We do not find that ever this prohibition extended farther.

35:21 Every one whom his spirit made willing - What they did they did chearfully. They were willing; and it was not any external inducement that made them so, but their spirits. It was from a principle of love to God, and his service; a desire of his presence with them by his ordinances; gratitude for the great things he had done for them; and faith in his promises of what he would do further.

35:22 Tablets or Lockets.

35:30 The Lord hath called Bezaleel - And those whom God called by name to this service, he filled with the spirit of God, to qualify them for it. The work was extraordinary which Bezaleel was designed for, and therefore he was qualified in an extraordinary manner for it.Thus when the apostles were appointed to be master - builders in setting up the gospel - tabernacle, they were filled with the spirit of God in wisdom and understanding.

36 In this chapter,

1. The work of the tabernacle is begun, Exo 36:1-4.
   
2. A stop put to the people's contributions, Exo 36:5-7.
   
3. A particular account of the making the tabernacle; the fine curtains of it, Exo 36:8-13.
   The coarse ones, Exo 36:14-19.
   The boards, Exo 36:20-30.
   The bars, Exo 36:31-34.
   The partition veil, Exo 36:35-36.
   and the hangings of the door, Exo 36:37-38.
   

36:2 And Moses called Bezaleel - "Even those whom God has qualified for, and inclined to the service of the tabernacle, yet must wait for a call to it, either extraordinary, as that of preachers and apostles, or ordinary, as that of pastors and teachers. And observe who they were that Moses called; those in whose heart God had put wisdom for this purpose, beyond their natural capacity, and whose heart stirred him up to come to the work in good earnest." Those are to be called to the building of the gospel tabernacle, whom God has by his grace made in some measure fit for the work, and free to it: ability and willingness, with resolution, are the two things to be regarded in the call of ministers.

36:35 The veil made for a partition between the holy place and the most holy, signified the darkness and distance of that dispensation compared with the New Testament, which shews us the glory of God more clearly, and invites us to draw near to it; and the darkness and distance of our present state in comparison with heaven, where we shall be ever with the Lord, and see him as he is.

36:37 An hanging - Which divided the holy place from the court.

37 Bezaleel and his workmen are still busy, making,

1. The ark with the mercy - seat and the cherubim, Exo 37:1-9.
   
2. The table with its vessels, Exo 37:10-16.
   
3. The candle - stick with its appurtenances, Exo 37:17-24.
   
4. The golden altar for incense, Exo 37:25-28.
   
5. The holy oil and incense, Exo 37:29.
   

37:1 These several ornaments where with the tabernacle was furnished, the people were not admitted to see, but the priests only; and therefore it was requisite they should be thus largely described, particularly to them.And Moses would thus shew the great care which he and his workmen took to make every thing exactly according to the pattern shewed him in the mount. Thus he appeals to every reader concerning his fidelity to him that appointed him, in all his house. And thus he teacheth us to have respect to all God's commandments, even to every jot and tittle of them. In these verses we have an account of the making of the ark with its glorious and significant appurtenances, the mercy - seat and the cherubim. Consider these three together, and they represent the glory of a holy God, the sincerity of a holy heart, and the communion that is between them by a Mediator. It is the glory of a holy God that he dwelleth between the cherubim, that is, is continually attended by the blessed angels, whose swiftness was signified by the wings of the cherubim, and their unanimity in their services, by their faces being one towards another. It is the character of an upright heart, that, like the ark of the testimony, it hath the law of God hid and kept in it. By Jesus Christ the great propitiation there is reconciliation made, and a communion settled, between us and God: he interposeth between us and God's displeasure; and through him we become entitled to God's favour. See note Exo 37:1

37:10 Observe how much the dispensation of the gospel exceeds that of the law. Tho' here was a table furnished, it was only with shew - bread, bread to be looked upon, not to be fed upon, while it was on the table, and afterwards only by the priests: but to the table Christ has spread in the new covenant all good Christians are invited guests, and to them it is said, Eat, O friends, come eat of my bread. What the law gave but a sight of at a distance, the gospel gives the enjoyment of.

37:17 This candlestick, which was not of wood overlaid with gold, but all beaten - work of pure gold only, signified that light of divine revelation with which God's church upon earth (which is his tabernacle among men) hath always been enlightened, being always supplied with fresh oil from Christ the good olive, Zec 4:2-3. The bible is a golden candlestick, it is of pure gold; from it light is diffused to every part of God's tabernacle, that by it the spiritual priests may see to do the service of his sanctuary. The candlestick has not only its bowls for necessary use, but its knops and flowers for ornament; many things which God saw fit to beautify his word with, which we can no more give a reason for than for these knops and flowers, and yet must be sure they wert added for good purpose. Let us bless God for this candlestick, have an eye to it continually, and dread the removal of it out of its place!

37:25 The incense burnt on this altar daily, signified both the prayers of saints, and the intercession of Christ, to which is owing the acceptableness of them.

38 Here is an account,

1. Of the making of the brazen altar, Exo 38:1-7.
   and the laver, Exo 38:8.
   
2. The preparing of the hangings for the inclosing of the court in which the tabernacle was to stand, Exo 38:9-20.
   
3. A summary account of the gold, silver and brass that was contributed to, and, used in the preparing of the tabernacle, Exo 38:21-31.
   

38:1 The altar of burnt - offering - On this all their sacrifices were offered. Christ was himself the altar to his own sacrifice of atonement, and so he is to all our sacrifices of acknowledgment. We must have an eye to him in offering them, as God hath in accepting them.

38:8 This laver signified the provision that is made in the gospel for cleansing our souls from the pollution of sin by the merit of Christ, that we may be fit to serve the holy God in holy duties. This is here said to be made of the looking - glasses of the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle. It should seem these women were eminent for devotion, attending more constantly at the place of public worship than others, and notice is here taken of it to their honour. These looking - glasses were of the finest brass, burnished for that purpose.In the laver, either they were artfully joined together, or else molten down and cast anew; but it is probable the laver was so brightly burnished that the sides of it still served for looking - glasses, that the priests when they came to wash might there see their faces, and so discover the spots to wash them clean.

38:9 And he made the court - The walls of the court, were like the rest, curtains, or hangings. This represented the state of the Old Testament church, it was a garden enclosed; the worshippers were then confined to a little compass. But the inclosure being of curtains only, intimated that that confinement of the church to one particular nation was not to be perpetual. The dispensation itself was a tabernacle - dispensation, moveable and mutable, and in due time to be taken down and folded up, when the place of the tent should be enlarged, and its cords lengthened, to make room for the Gentile world.

38:21 By the hand of Ithamar - Here we have a breviate of the account which by Moses's appointment the Levites took and kept of the gold, silver, and brass, that was brought in for the tabernacle's use, and how it was employed. Ithamar the son of Aaron was appointed to draw up this account. All the gold amounted to twenty nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels over; Which some compute to be about one hundred and fifty thousand pounds worth of gold, according to the present value of it. The silver amounted to about thirty - four thousand pounds of our money.The raising of the gold by voluntary contribution, and of the silver by way of tribute, shews that either way may be taken for the defraying of public expences, provided that nothing be done with partiality.

39 This chapter gives us an account of the finishing of the work of the tabernacle.

1. The last thing prepared was the holy garments. The ephod, and its curious girdle, Exo 39:1-5.
   The onyx stones for the shoulders, Exo 39:6-7.
   The breast - plate with the precious stones in it, Exo 39:8-21.
   The robe of the ephod, Exo 39:22-26.
   The coats, bonnets and breeches for the inferior priests, Exo 39:27-29.
   And the plate of the holy crown, Exo 39:30-31.
   
2. A summary account of the whole work, Exo 39:32-43.
   

39:1 The priests garments are called here clothes of service - Those that wear robes of honour must look upon them as clothes of service; for those upon whom honour is put, from them service is expected.Holy garments were not made for men to sleep in, but to do service in, and then they are indeed for glory and beauty. These also were shadows of good things to come, but the substance is Christ. He is our great high priest; he put upon him the clothes of service when he undertook the work of our redemption; arrayed himself with the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which he received not by measure; charged himself with all God's spiritual Israel, bare them on his shoulder, carried them in his bosom, and presented them in the breast - plate of judgment unto his Father. And, lastly, he crowned himself with holiness to the Lord, consecrated his whole undertaking to the honour of his Fathers holiness.And all true believers are spiritual priests. The clean linen with which all their clothes of service must be made, is the righteousness of saints: and holiness to the Lord must be so written upon their foreheads, that all who converse with them may see they bear the image of God's holiness.

39:32 Thus was all the work finished - In not much more than five months. Though there was a great deal of fine work, such as used to be the work of time, embroidering, and engraving, not only in gold, but in precious stones, yet they went through with it in a little time, and with the greatest exactness imaginable. The workmen were taught of God, and so were kept from making blunders, which would have retarded them. And the people were hearty and zealous in the work, and impatient till it was finished. God had prepared their hearts, and then the thing was done suddenly, Ch2 29:36.

39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work - Piece by Piece, and behold they had done it according to the pattern shewed him - For the same that shewed him the pattern, guided their hand in the work. And Moses blessed them - He not only praised them, but prayed for them: he blessed them as one having authority. We read not of any wages Moses paid them for their work, but his blessing he gave them. For though ordinarily the labourer be worthy of his hire, yet in this case, they wrought for themselves. The honour and comfort of God's tabernacle among them would be recompence enough. And they had their meat from heaven on free - cost, for themselves and their families, and their raiment waxed not old upon them; so that they neither needed wages, nor had reason to expect any. But indeed this blessing in the name of the Lord was wages enough for all their work. Those whom God employs he will bless, and those whom he blesseth, they are blessed indeed. The blessing he commands is life for evermore.

40 In this chapter,

1. Orders are given for setting up the tabernacle, and fixing all the appurtenances of it, Exo 40:1-8.
   and the consecrating of it, Exo 40:8-11.
   and of the priests, Exo 40:12-15.
   
2. Care taken to do all this, and as it was appointed to be done, Exo 40:16-33.
   
3. God's taking possession of it by the cloud, Exo 40:34-38.
   

40:2 The time for doing this is, On the first day of the first month - This wanted but fourteen days of a year since they came out of Egypt.Probably the work was made ready just at the end of the year, so that the appointing this day gave no delay. In Hezekiah's time they began to sanctify the temple on the first day of the first month, Ch2 29:17. The new moon (which by their computation was the firstday of every month) was observed by them with some solemnity; and therefore this first new moon of the year was thus made remarkable.

40:15 Their anointing shall be an everlasting priesthood - A seal that their priesthood shall continue as long as the Jewish polity lasts.He signifies that this unction should be sufficient for all succeeding priests. None were afterwards anointed but the high - priests.

40:34 As when God had finished this earth, which he designed for man's habitation, he made man, and put him in possession of it; so when Moses had finished the tabernacle, which was designed for God's dwelling - place among men, God came and took possession of it. By these visible tokens of his coming among them, he testified both the return of his favour, which they had forfeited by the golden calf, and his gracious acceptance of their care and pains about the tabernacle. Thus God shewed himself well - pleased with what they had done, and abundantly rewarded them.A cloud covered the tent - The same cloud which, as the chariot or pavilion of the Shechinah, had come up before them out of Egypt, now settled upon the tabernacle, and hovered over it, even in the hottest and clearest day; for it was none of those clouds which the sun scatters. This cloud was intended to be a token of God's presence, constantly visible day and night to all Israel. A protection of the tabernacle: they had sheltered it with one covering upon another, but after all, the cloud that covered it was its best guard: And a guide to the camp of Israel in their march through the wilderness. While the cloud continued on the tabernacle, they rested; when it removed, they removed and followed it, as being purely under a divine conduct. And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle - The Shechinah now made an awful entry into the tabernacle, passing through the outer part of it into the most holy place, and there seating itself between the cherubim. It was in light and fire, and, for ought we know, no other - wise, that the Shechinah made itself visible. With these the tabernacle was now filled; yet as before the bush, so now the curtains were not consumed, for, to those that have received the anointing, the majesty of God is not destroying. Yet now so dazzling was the light, and so dreadful was the fire, that Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, at the door of which he attended, till the splendor was a little abated, and the glory of the Lord retired within the veil. But what Moses could not do, our Lord Jesus has done, whom God caused to draw near and approach, and as the fore - runner he is for us entered, and has invited us to come boldly even to the mercy - seat. He was able to enter into the holy place not made with hands; he is himself the true tabernacle, filled with the glory of God, even with that divine grace and truth which were figured by this fire and light. In him the Shechinah took up its rest for ever, for in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

19 Союз-Завет, заключенный с Ноем, относился ко всему человечеству (Быт 9:9), а Союз-Завет с Моисеем запечатлел избранность народа и подтвердил обетования (Исх 6:6-8), подобно тому как Союз-Завет с Авраамом (Исх 6:5) подтвердил первые обетования Божии (Быт 17). Синайский союз обязывает весь народ, который получает определенный Закон: десять Заповедей и книгу Завета. Этот Закон в расширенном виде становится хартией иудаизма, и Сир 24:9-27отождествляет его с премудростью. В то же время он является и "свидетельством против народа" (Втор 31:26), ибо в результате нарушения этого Закона обетования перестают быть действенными, и нарушители навлекают на себя Божие проклятие.

19:6 "Царство священников", т.е. служителей Бога, посредников между Ним и другими людьми (Лев 10:3). "Народом святым", т.е. посвященным Богу, принадлежащим Ему. Это обетование получает свое конечное осуществление в духовном Израиле, в Церкви, в которой верующие именуются "святыми" (Деян 9:13) и в единении с Первосвященником-Христом приносят Богу жертву хваления (1 Петр 2:5, 1 Петр 2:9; Откр 1:6; Откр 5:10; Откр 20:6).

19:12 Запрет, целью которого является пробуждать благоговение, трепет перед тайной ("Страх Божий" ср. Притч 1:7).

19:16-19 Бог проявляет Себя в грозе: Он не только Владыка сил природы, Его теофания (явление) выражает Его величие и трансцендентность.

20:2 Первые слова Декалога (Десяти Заповедей). Они сохранились и в другом варианте (Втор 5). Оба варианта близки по форме и не противоречат общему духу Декалога, который обнимает всю сферу религиозной и нравственной жизни.

20:3-11 Заповеди 1-4 касаются отношения человека к Богу. В истории религий первая Заповедь - совершенно исключительная, неизвестная другим религиям древности вероучительная истина. О 2-ой заповеди см. прим к Исх 32:1.

20:7 Здесь может подразумеваться, кроме клятвопреступления (Мф 5:33) и лжесвидетельства (Исх 20:16и Втор 5:20), всякое злоупотребление именем Божиим. В послепленную эпоху, чтобы вернее избежать всякого греха против этой Заповеди, перестали произносить само имя Ягве. Его заменяли другими наименованиями, напр., Адонаи (Господь) Предвечный, Всевышний, Святой, или даже словами: Имя, Место, Небо, указывая т. обр. на величие, святость или иное свойство Бога.

20:8 Название субботы непосредственно связывается в Библии с корнем глагола, означающего "перестать", и "быть праздным": день еженедельного отдыха посвящен Богу, чтобы человек помнил о Творце, которому принадлежит вся его жизнь. С религиозной мотивировкой соединяется забота о человеке (Исх 23:12; Втор 5:14). Соблюдение субботы получило особое значение со времени Плена и стало одной из отличительных черт иудаизма (Неем 13:15-22; 1 Макк 2:31-41). Законнический дух превратил радость этого дня в нечто принудительное, от чего Иисус освободил Своих учеников (Мф 12:1сл. п.; Мф 13:10сл.; Лк 14:1сл.).

20:12-17 Заповеди 5-10 касаются отношений между людьми. Они свидетельствуют о том, что не ритуал, а человечность и отказ от зла - первостепенные обязанности верующего. Христос суммирует эти два аспекта Декалога в виде двух "главных" Заповедей - о любви к Богу и к ближнему (Мф 22:36-40). Для НЗ Декалог- основа Моисеева учения - имеет непреходящее значение. Поэтому Иисус говорит: "Не нарушить пришел Я, но исполнить" Закон (Мф 5:17).

20:21 "Мрак" символизирует невыразимую тайну Божественного. Этот символ часто встречается в писаниях христ. мистиков.

20:22 Начало культового, гражданского и уголовного законодательства, которое именуется Книгой Завета (см. Исх 24:7) или "Сводом Завета" и включает Exo 20:22-23:33. Эта книга есть расширенное толкование Декалога, приспособленное уже к потребности оседлого образа жизни, но дух Моисеева учения продолжает пронизывать и эти постановления и заветы. На протяжении ВЗ-ной истории многие культовые и гражданские установления подвергались изменениям и отменялись. В НЗ-ную эру большинство из них было упразднено, ибо на смену Закона приходит Благодать (Ин 1:17; Гал 2:15-19). Однако нравственные предписания Закона не теряют силы, а лишь доводятся до совершенства (Мф 5:21-48).

20:24 В противоположность Втор 12:5, в книге Завета признается существование различных мест поклонения.

21:13 В обществе, где родовая месть еще не сменилась государственным правосудием, учреждение городов-убежищ защищает невольного убийцу от кровного мстителя (ср. Числ 35:19). Убежищем сначала было святилище (3 Цар 1:50; 3 Цар 2:28-34), но совершитель предумышленного убийства не имел права убежища (Исх 21:14).

21:25 Закон возмездия (ср. Лев 24:17-20; Втор 19:21), встречающийся также в своде законов Хаммурапи и в ассирийских законах, имеет социальный, а не индивидуальный характер. Налагая наказание, соответствующее причиненному вреду, он стремится ограничить крайности мести (ср. Быт 4:23-24). Самым простым случаем является смертная казнь убийцы (Исх 21:31-34; ср. Исх 21:12-17; Лев 24:17). В действительности, применение этого правила, по-видимому, уже очень рано потеряло свою первоначальную жестокость. Обязанности "кровного мстителя", гоэла (Числ 35:19), постепенно ограничивались вплоть до того, что свелись в основном к выкупу (Руф 2:20) и к покровительству (Пс 18:15; Ис 41:14). Принцип оставался в силе, но в смягченной форме (Сир 27:25-29; Прем 11:16; ср. Прем 12:22). Израильскому народу предписывалось прощать своим соотечественникам (Лев 19:17-18; Лев 10:6; Sir 27:30-28:7); впоследствии Христос расширил сферу применения этой Заповеди (Мф 5:38-39; Мф 18:21-22).

22:21-24 "Пришельцами" (евр. "герим") назывались иноплеменники, жившие в Палестине.

22:25 Запрет ростовщичества.

23:4-5 Заповедь, запрещающая платить злом за зло. Предвосхищение НЗ-ной этики.

23:14 "Три раза в году празднуй Мне" - здесь предписаны три основных праздника: Пасха и День Опресноков, связанный с началом жатвы ячменя; празд. Пятидесятницы или седмиц- начало "жатвы пшеничной" - праздновавшийся через семь недель (Втор 16:9), или через 50 дней (Лев 23:16)- откуда и название "пятидесятница" (греч и рус); праздник Кущей, связанный с собиранием плодов в конце года (Втор 16:13- "кущами" наз. шалаши из зелени, подобные тем, которые ставились в виноградниках при сборе урожая). И в НЗ-ной Церкви один из праздников - Преображение - связан с днем благословения плодов. Впоследствии к указанным праздникам добавились еще другие: религиозный Новый Год (Лев 23:24), День Очищения (Лев 16и Лев 23:27-32), Пурим (Есф 9:24-26), праздник Обновления (1 Макк 4:59), день Никанора (1 Макк 7:49).

23:19 Хананейский обычай язычников-скотоводов, согласно финикийским текстам из Угарита.

23:31 Указанные здесь границы: Акабский залив, Средиземное море, Синай и Евфрат - представляют собой максимальные границы царства Давида и Соломона (3 Цар 4:21, ср. Числ 34:1-2; Суд 20:1).

24:6-8 Моисей, посредник между Богом и народом, объединяет их символически, изливая на жертвенник, символизирующий Ягве, и затем на народ кровь одной и той же жертвы. Договор, т. о., скреплен кровью (Лев 1:5), так же как новый Союз-Завет скреплен кровью Христа.

25 В Союзе важнейшее место занимает культ, который является символическим выражением отношения людей к Богу. Обосновывая все прямыми велениями Бога Моисею, свящ текст утверждает божественный характер религиозных установлений Израиля.

25:8 Богу поклоняются в местах, где Он особо проявил Свое присутствие (Быт 12:7; Быт 28:12-19и т. д.). Синай - место Его величественной теофании - "гора Божия" (Исх 3:1; 3 Цар 19:8), где Он пребывает (Втор 33:1-2; Суд 5:4-5; Авв 3:3; Пс 67:9). Ковчег - знамение Его присутствия (Исх 25:22; ср. 1 Цар 4:4; 2 Цар 6:2), а скиния, содержащая ковчег, - обитель Бога (ст. Исх 24:9и Исх 40:34), которая следует за Его народом в Его странствиях (2 Цар 7:6), пока Иерусалимский Храм не станет Его домом (3 Цар 8:10).

25:16 Внутри ковчега помещено "свидетельство (евр. "эдут" - пункты договора), т.е. "скрижали Завета" или Декалог (Десятисловие); ковчег назван "ковчегом свидетельства" (евр. Исх 25:22; Исх 26:33; Исх 40:21), ибо Десятисловие является свидетельством Союза-Завета.

25:18 Эти херувимы похожи на вавилонских карибу - духов-хранителей храмов и дворцов, изображавшихся в виде полулюдей-полуживотных. Согласно библейским описаниям и восточной иконописи, херувимы подобны крылатым сфинксам. В Иерусалимском Храме они расположены на ковчеге. Поэтому впоследствии стали говорить что Бог восседает на херувимах (1 Цар 4:4; 2 Цар 6:2; 4 Цар 19:15; Пс 79:2; Пс 98:1). В Храме Соломона они стоят по сторонам от ковчега (3 Цар 6:23-28). Они везут Божию колесницу (Иез 1и Иез 10). Бог летит на них (Пс 17:11; ср. также Быт 3:24).

28 Здесь речь идет о символическом значении свящ. одежд (Исх 25:28) и обрядов посвящения и об обязанности священнослужителей совершать жертвоприношения (Исх 25:29). Все это конкретно выражает назначение священства.

30:12 Перепись, т.е. запись имени, своей необычностью внушала страх. Предписанное приношение - выкуп за жизнь, дарованную Господом. Одинаковый для всех размер подати свидетельствует о равенстве всех израильтян перед Богом.

30:23-28 Миро и пр. благовонные вещества и масла были на Востоке символом сохранности и прочности. В данном случае они означали постоянное действие благословения Божия.

31:18 Скрижали представляли собой две каменные доски, на которых был высечен текст Декалога. Надписи на камне были на древнем Востоке в широком употреблении. Моисей, вероятно, пользовался т. н. "синайским алфавитом", который употребляли семиты, жившие по соседству с Египтом.

32:1 "Сделай нам бога" - требование народа дать ему зримый образ Божества вопреки категорическому запрещению Декалога. Это запрещение никоим образом не относится к иконопочитанию, ибо слова "не сотвори себе кумира" означают то же, что и слова: не поклоняйся богам чужим, не идолопоклонствуй. Почитающий икону тем самым поклоняется первообразу: Слову, ставшему плотью (Ин 1:14), Второму Лицу Пресвятой Троицы, воплотившемуся в Богочеловеке Иисусе Христе, "Который есть образ Бога невидимого" (2 Кор 4:4; Кол 1:15); христианин почитает и изображения Пресвятой Богородицы м святых как образы, уподобившиеся Богу и отображающие славу Его. Если ты узрел, - говорит Иоанн Дамаскин, - что Бестелесный стал человеком ради тебя, тогда, конечно, ты можешь воспроизвести его человеческий образ. Если Невидимый, воплотившись, стал видимым, ты можешь изобразить подобие Того, Которого видели. Если... Пребывающий в образе Божием, принял образ раба, низвел себя к количеству и качеству и облекся человеческим естеством, запечатлевай на дереве и предлагай созерцанию Того, Кто пожелал стать видимым." См. подробнее в постановлениях 7 Вселенск. Собора.

32:4 Телец был символом божества, распространенным в Египте, Сирии и др. странах.

32:26-29 Левиты засвидетельствовали верность Богу, принеся в жертву даже свои родственные связи. Суровая расправа - свидетельство жестоких нравов того времени.

33:20 Между Богом Святым и недостойным человеком - бесконечное расстояние (см Лев 16:1), так что человек должен умереть, если увидит Бога (ср. Исх 19:21; Лев 16:2; Числ 4:20) или даже только услышит Его (Исх 20:19; Втор 5:24-26; ср. Втор 18:16). Вот почему Моисей Исх 3:6), Илия (3 Цар 19:13) и даже серафимы закрывают свои лица перед Богом. Те, кто, увидев Бога, остались в живых, испытывают благоговение и благодарность (Быт 32:30; Втор 5:24) или религиозный страх Суд 6:22-23; Суд 13:22; Ис 6:5). Явление Бога свидетельствует о его особом благоволении (Исх 24:11), напр., к Моисею, "другу" Своему (Исх 33:11; Числ 12:7-8; Втор 34:10) и к Илии (3 Цар 19:11сл.). Оба они становятся свидетелями Преображения Христа (Мф 17:3п.). В НЗ "Слава" Божия (ср. ст. Исх 33:18и Исх 24:16) проявляется в Иисусе Христе (Ин 1:14; Ин 11:40); Он один видел Бога, Отца Своего (Ин 1:18; Ин 6:46; 1 Ин 4:12). Для людей созерцание Бога лицом к лицу возможно только в будущей жизни (Мф 5:8; 1 Ин 3:2; 1 Кор 13:12).

34:6-8 Бог открывает свое отношение к человеку, милость Его простирается на тысячи родов, а кара за преступления - до четвертого рода. Угроза наказания детей за грехи родителей - здесь воспитательная мера (ср. Иез 18:20, где подчеркивается индивидуальная ответственность за грех). На той стадии духовного развития народа были необходимы строгие предупреждения, чтобы воздействовать на его необузданный нрав. Только исполнение времен явит гармоническое единство любви и справедливости в Боге (Еф 1:10; ср. Иак 2:13), когда Господь явится во плоти (Ин 1:14); оно окончательно свершится, когда "Сын человеческий приидет во славе Своей" (Мф 25:21) как наш Спаситель и Судия.

34:10-26 Т. н. культовый Декалог. В нем Заповеди, данные на Синае, дополняются культовыми предписаниями относительно праздников приношения начатков и жертв.

34:13 Повеление, данное для того, чтобы исключить возможность языческого соблазна.

19:1 Прямого указания на время прибытия евреев в пустыню Синайскую нет ни в данном месте, ни в параллельном ему Чис 10:10 . Но так как еврейское выражение «ходеги» (месяц) употребляется в значении «новомесячия» ( 1 Цар 20:5; 4 Цар 4:23 ), то в соединении с числительным «гашшелиши» оно должно быть переведено: «в третье новомесячия», т. е. в первое число третьего месяца. Только при таком понимании становится понятною и дальнейшая фраза: «в этот именно день» («байом газзе»). Не будь точного определения времени прибытия ранее она остается неясною. На первое число третьего месяца падает прибытие евреев к Синаю и по иудейскому преданию, записанному в Талмуде.

19:2 Гора Синай, против которой расположились станом евреи и на которой совершилось впоследствии законодательство, относится по более распространенному христианскому преданию к юго-восточной группе гор Синайского полуострова и отождествляется с тою, у подножия которой находится монастырь св. Екатерины. Отождествление горы законодательства с горою Сербал, находящеюся вблизи города Фарана, не может быть допущено потому, что она не видна на близком расстоянии, — закрывается другими горами, а между тем, по свидетельству Библии, вершина горы законодательства была видна евреям, стоящим при ее подошве ( 20:18; 19:17 ). Кроме того, окружающие Сербал долины невелики, не отличаются ровностью, одним словом — не представляют места, необходимого для расположения стана еврейского.

19:4 Речь Господа направлена к тому, чтобы побудить евреев дать добровольное согласие на вступление с Ним в завет. Оно прежде всего вызывается их религиозным опытом, — «вы видели». Этот опыт есть знание Божественного Правосудия по отношению к врагам, — «вы видели, что Я сделал египтянам», и милости к ним самим. Всемогущею силою Божией евреи избавлены от рабства и приведены в безопасное место, место явления и откровения славы Иеговы (к Себе). Эти прежние милости, возбуждая в народе ревность к исполнению воли Божьей, должны служить для него залогом, ручательством получения новых благодеяний.

19:5 И действительно, послушание воле Божьей, проявляющееся в исполнении заключаемого теперь завета, привлечет новую, чрезвычайную милость. Она выразится в том, что евреи сделаются «драгоценною собственностью Бога» (евр. segulla, 1 Пар 29:3 ; греч. λαὸς περιούσιος ) среди всех народов земли. Последние — собственность Бога по творению, Израиль же — собственность Его по избранию и спасению ( Втор 4:20; 7:6; 9:20; 14:2,21; Пс 134:4; Ис 41:8 ). Этим драгоценным уделом он и останется под условием соблюдения завета ( Втор 24:18 ).

19:6 Драгоценную собственность Бога евреи составят потому, что, исполняя его завет, образуют царство священников. Весь народ будет находиться в ближайшем общении с Богом, какого удостаиваются лица — священники, — призванные быть посредниками между Богом и остальными людьми ( Лев 10:3 ). Являясь священником — служителем Иеговы ( Ис 61:6 ), провозвестником Его воли и спасения, народ будет дорог в очах Божиих ( Ис 42 ). Евреи будут не союзом, не собранием священников, а «царством», потому что им по праву должно будет принадлежать господственное, царское положение среди остальных народов ( Втор 24:19 ). Как царство священников, евреи сделаются «народом святым» — чистым от грехов, составляющих нарушение закона Божия ( Лев 11:44-5; 20:26; Втор 14:2 ).

19:9 Данное народом согласие на исполнение завета ( ст. 8 ) немыслимо без веры в его божественный авторитет, а эта последняя без веры в Моисея, — посредника при заключении завета, — как посланника Божия, вестника божественной воли. За такового евреи примут его, услышав голос к нему Иеговы из облака: Моисей приносит народу откровение.

19:10-13 Приготовление к предстоящему законодательству через омовение указывает на него, как на событие, выделяющееся из ряда обыденных. Даже самая гора отделяется (освещается — ст. 23) от остальной местности. Переступивший черту убивается издали, так как в противном случае и убивающему пришлось бы переступить ее, т. е. нарушить запрещение. По греческому чтению ст. 13 народ мог подняться на гору после богоявления.

19:17 Появление облака служило для Моисея указанием на начало богоявления ( ст. 9 ); во время его должны присутствовать и евреи (9), а потому теперь они и подводятся Моисеем к горе.

19:18 Огонь, в котором снисшел на Синай Господь и который горел до самых небес ( Втор 4:11 ), служил символом Его божественной славы ( Втор 5:20-21 ). Ее проявление не выдерживает даже неодушевленная природа, — «вся гора сильно колебалась» (ср. Пс 67:8-9; 113:7 ).

19:19 Судя по дальнейшему, вопросы Моисея были направлены к тому, чтобы узнать предстоящие распоряжения Господа.

19:20 Первым из них является призвание Моисея на вершину горы, которая является тем местом, на которое сошел Господь.

19:21 Повторение прежнего повеления едва ли не было вызвано тем, что народ считал его обязательным только для двух истекших дней и необязательным для дальнейших. Нарушение его могло произойти и от необычайности совершавшегося, которая могла одолеть долг послушания, чувство страха, — вызвать желание посмотреть.

19:22-24 В силу своей греховности народ не может находиться в непосредственном общении с Богом, в знак чего он и не переступает черты, отделяющей его от места присутствия Господа. В том же положении оказываются и священники, совершители жертв. Их священство основывается на праве естественном, праве старшинства в роде, но не на божественном избрании и приближении ( Лев 10:3; Чис 16:5 ). Они не могут взойти на гору, — быть посредниками при заключении завета между Богом и людьми, так как не получили от Бога прав на подобное посредство. Отдельное упоминание о священниках уместно в данном случае потому, что они, считая себя стоящими выше остального народа, могли думать, что на них не простирается обязательное для всех запрещение «порываться к Иегове».

20:1 Судя по 19 ст. данной главы, равно Втор 4:36; 5:4 , «все слова сии», т. е. десятословия ( Втор 4:13; 10:4 ), были изречены Господом непосредственно самому народу. Ввиду этого свидетельство Втор 5:5 , должно быть понимаемо в том смысле, что посредником между Богом и народом в деле передачи Его велений Моисей явился позднее (ср. ст. 19 ). В данное время он, сойдя с горы ( 19:25 ), находится вместе со всем народом у ее подошвы, не восходит на вершину (ст. 21-22). Служение ангелов, о котором говорит архидиакон Стефан ( Деян 7:53 ), возвещение слова (т. е. закона) через ангелов, о котором упоминает ап. Павел ( Евр 2:2 ), и преподание закона через ангелов ( Гал 3:19 ) указывают не на то, что Бог изрекал заповеди через ангелов, но или на то, что Иегова-законодатель сошел на Синай с сонмом ангелов ( Втор 33:2 ), присутствовавших при изречении заповедей, или на то, что закон ветхозаветный, взятый во всей совокупности его предписаний, а не в смысле одного десятословия, был дан народу еврейскому через многих провозвестников («ангелов») божественного откровения.

20:2-3 Я Иегова, Бог откровения, завета, проявивший Себя истинным Богом в целом ряде казней, и факт изведения народа из Египта ( Втор 4:32-5 ) должен быть твоим «Элохимом» — предметом твоего почитания. «Иегова есть Бог, нет другого, кроме Его» ( Втор 4:4,35; 6:4 ). Поэтому с верою в Него несовместимо почитание других богов, — оно исключается ею: «да не будет у тебя других богов пред лицом Моим», при Мне, вместе со Мною ( Втор 5:7; 4 Цар 17:35 ).

20:4-6 Запрещая служение языческим богам, первая заповедь запрещает поклонение и их изображениям, от которых они неотделимы. Языческие боги имеют характер чувственный — без внешних форм, идолов они и немыслимы. Ввиду этого особое запрещение изображений языческих богов представляется уже излишним. Следовательно, во второй заповеди предметом запрещения является не делание изображений других богов, а создание изображений Бога откровения, Иеговы. Побуждением к такому запрещению могло служить то обстоятельство, что свойственная человеку потребность наглядного представления о Боге невидимом ( Втор 4:15 ) могла привести к изображению Его в чувственных, видимых формах и к обоготворению этих последних — идолопоклонству. Иегова не должен быть представляем в виде кумира, изваяния (евр. «песел»; Втор 4:16 ) и под другими формами, образами («всякое подобие»: евр. «векол. темуна», темуна — образ, облик ( Втор 4:15; Иов 4:16; Пс 16:15 ), являющимися воспроизведением светил небесных («на небе вверху»), людей, скота, птицы, гада («на земле внизу») и рыб («в воде ниже земли», — Втор 4:16-19 ). Запрещение делать изображения Иеговы основано на том, что Он невидим ( Втор 4:15 ), запрещение же поклоняться и служить им (5 ст.) мотивируется тем, что Иегова есть Бог-ревнитель ( Втор 4:24; 5:15 ; И. Нав 24:19 ), т. е. ревностно оберегающий Ему одному принадлежащие права на поклонение со стороны людей и не допускающий, чтобы свойственные Ему слава и прославление воздавались идолам ( Ис 42:8; 48:11 ). Побуждением для евреев избегать поклонения идолам является вытекающая из свойств Бога-«ревнителя» неизбежность наказания ослушников Его воли и милости к верным Ему ( 34:7; Чис 14:18; Ис 14:21 ). Иегова наказывает детей за вину отцов, не безвинных детей за преступления предков, что несогласно с Втор 24:16; Иер 31:30; Иез 18:1-32 , а тех детей, собственная преступность которых («ненавидящих Меня») коренится в виновности их отцов.

20:7 Вера в Иегову-Элохима, существо, вызывающее чувство почтения, страха ( Быт 31:42 ), предполагает почтение, благоговейное отношение и к Его имени. Этого последнего и требует третья заповедь, запрещая профанирование — бесцельное, напрасное употребление божественного имени («напрасно» — евр. «шаве», — см. Иер 2:30; 4:30; 6:29 ).

20:8-11 Предписание о субботе было уже известно народу еврейскому ( Быт 2:3; Исх 16:23 и далее ), поэтому оно только напоминается: «помни день субботний», а не объявляется в качеств нового закона. Израиль должен помнить об освящении субботы ( 31:13-14; Лев 19:3,30; 24:2; Втор 5:12 ), т. е. о выделении (ср. 16:2,12; 1 Цар 21:5-6 ) ее из ряда других недельных дней. Это выделение выражается в том, что шесть из них посвящаются работе разного рода ( 31:15; 34:21; Лев 23:3 ), а седьмой Господу. Шесть первых дней — время заботы о земных нуждах, в седьмой же еврей должен освободиться от погружения в житейские интересы, отрешиться от привязанности к земле. Средством к этому является прекращение всякого дела ( Лев 23:3 ), — собирания манны ( 16:26 ), приготовления пищи в вареном и печеном виде ( 16:23 ), сеяния и жатвы ( 34:21 ), возжигания огня ( 35:3 ), собирания дров ( Чис 15:32 ), ношения тяжестей ( Иер 17:21 ), торговли ( Ам 8:5 ), работы в точилах, перевозки снопов и товаров ( Неем 12:15 ). Работа запрещается не только самому еврею с семейством, но даже рабу, пришельцу и скоту. В противном случае, т. е. при работе раба, хозяин-еврей невольно бы переносился мыслью к его труду, не отрешился бы, следовательно, от забот о земном. Основанием для субботнего покоя служит освящение субботы самим Богом (ст. 11): священное не может быть включаемо человеком в круг явлений житейского обихода ( 31:31-32; Чис 27:28-29 ). По указанию Втор 5:15 , суббота празднуется в воспоминание исхода из Египта. Освобождение от рабства было вместе и избранием евреев в народ Божий, теократический, положило начало ему. По идее же теократии Израиль должен служить Иегове. Празднование субботы — посвящение ее Богу и служило прямым выражением этой основной идеи ветхозаветной теократии, идеи избрания евреев в народ Божий и вытекающего отсюда служения Иегове.

20:12 Почитание отца и матери, повиновение им детей является источником благоденствия и долгоденствия отдельных лиц ( Притч 20:20 ), целых поколений ( Иер 35:18-19; Притч 1; Сир 3:6-9 ) и всего народа. Крепкие своею нравственною связью, верностью заветам отцов, отдельные семьи не распадутся и сами (ср. Еккл 4:9-12 ) и создадут прочное, долговечное общество; расстройство, распадение семьи — признак близкой гибели целого народа ( Мих 7:6 и далее ). Ввиду подобного значения семьи, как основы всей гражданской жизни, Моисей и начинает определение, урегулирование взаимных, общественных отношений пятою заповедью: прочная семья — залог прочного общества. Выражение: «да благо ти будет», отсутствующее в еврейском чтении ст. 12, но встречающееся при повторении данной заповеди во Второзаконии ( 5:16 ), имеется налицо в том и другом месте по тексту LXX.

20:13 Шестая заповедь охраняет право человека на жизнь. Виновником жизни каждого человека является Бог ( Иов 10:10-32 ), а потому и отнять ее может только Он один.

20:14 Под прелюбодеянием разумеется грех мужчины с чужою женою, замужнею женщиною ( Лев 20:10; Притч 6:32; Иер 29:23 ), и даже невесты с посторонним мужчиною ( Ос 4:13 ). Оно рассматривается как нарушение брачного союза, почему и идолопоклонство народа еврейского, измена завету с Богом, который представляется под образом союза мужа с женою ( Иер 3:1; Ос 2:4,13 ), называется прелюбодеянием ( Ос 2:4 ). И так как брачной союз является божественным установлением, то уже в патриархальный период прелюбодеяние считается великим злом, грехом пред Господом ( 39:9 ).

20:15 Восьмая заповедь охраняет собственность ближнего. Собственность добывается посредством труда, труда тяжелого ( Быт 3:19 ), который в силу этого ценится и уважается самим трудящемся. Но всякий ценящий свой труд должен ценить и труд ближнего (см. толкование 22 гл.), а потому и не наносить ущерба его собственности.

20:16 Требование восьмой заповеди расширяется в девятой. В то время как первая запрещает нанесение вреда лишь собственности ближнего, вторая имеет в виду вред, причиняемый жизни, чести и т. п. ближнего, как ложным показанием пред судьей ( Втор 19:18 ), так и клеветою ( 21:1; Пс 14:2-3; 49:20; Сир 7:12-13 ).

20:17 От запрещения худых дел и слов закон переходит в десятой заповеди к запрещению худых желаний и помышлений, составляющих источник худых дел. В порядке перечисления предметов, на которые воспрещено обращать худые желания и помышления, есть разница между еврейским текстом кн. Исхода и Второзакония ( Втор 5:18 ). В первой редакции заповедь начинается так: «не желай дома ближнего твоего», а во второй: «не желай жены искреннего твоего», а потом: «не желай дома ближнего». Какая редакция вернее, сказать трудно. Но если чтение одной и той же заповеди переиначивается в разных книгах, то это указывает на то, что переставленные слова составляют одну заповедь, а не две, чего держатся лютеране и римо-католики. По их взгляду, девятую заповедь составляют слова: «не желай жены искреннего твоего», а десятую — остальные. Перенесение слов из одной заповеди в другую немыслимо, а перестановка в одной и той же возможна. Под «домом», пожелание которого запрещается, всего естественнее разуметь дом не только в смысле жилища, но в смысле семьи и всех стяжаний домохозяина, которые затем и перечисляются отдельно, в разъяснение общего понятия «дом».

20:18-19 Боязнь быть сожженными огнем ( Втор 5:22; 18:16 ) заставляет евреев отступить от Синая. При возникшей вследствие этого невозможности лично слышать голос Иеговы народ просит Моисея быть посредником между ним и Богом. Ущерба от этого, как бы говорят евреи, не произойдет никакого: выслушивая повеления Иеговы из уст Моисея, они исполнят их ( Втор 5:24 ), как будто слышали непосредственно от самого Бога.

20:20 Вызывающие чувство страха явления имеют своею целью не смерть народа, но запечатление в его памяти совершавшегося законодательства, чтобы воспоминание о нем удерживало впоследствии евреев от нарушения заповедей. Страх, вызываемый видом грозного явления и поддерживаемый воспоминанием о нем, проникнет все существо народа и оградит от покушения нарушать завет.

20:21 Так как не было побуждений ослаблять чувство страха повелением подойти к горе, то народ и остался вдали от нее.

20:22-26 С данного стиха начинается изложение законов, возвещенных на Синае одному Моисею и им переданных впоследствии всему народу. К этим законам и относятся слова Втор 5:5 . Первым из таких постановлений является постановление о месте совершения богослужения — жертвеннике. Так как жертвенник назначается для Бога (ст. 24-25), то он должен быть сооружен в духе истинного богопочитания, не должен носить и следов язычества. И прежде всего на нем или при нем не могут находиться статуи, — золотые и серебренные идолы, несогласные с верою в единого истинного Бога. Ввиду этого и повторяется вторая заповедь, с указанием основания для запрещения делать кумира: невидимость Бога — «говорил с неба» ( Втор 4:36; Неем 9:13 ). Так как далее евреи подражая язычникам, могли делать на камнях жертвенника изображения и кланяться им ( Лев 24:1; Исх 65:3 ), то во избежание этого закон требует, чтобы жертвенник был сделан из земли, а если из камней, то непременно из нетесанных ( Втор 27:5 и далее; Нав 8:31; 3 Цар 18:32; 1 Макк 4:47 ), так как на них труднее вырезать то или другое изображение. Ввиду временного отсутствия одного определенного места для совершения богослужения ( Втор 12:5,11,21; 14:23; 16:6,11 ) жертвенник может быть сооружаем там, где «Господь положить память имени Своего» (24), т. е. там, где Он проявит Свое присутствие ( 3 Цар 9:3 , — по поселении евреев в Ханаане получил полную силу закон Второзакония об единстве места богослужения, цит. места). Только тогда будет угодна Богу приносимая на жертвеннике жертва. И, наконец, как жертва покрывает грехи человека, так должна быть скрываема и нагота, напоминающая о грехе: при жертвеннике не должно быть ступеней, восхождение по которым способствует открытию наготы.

21:2 По закону в рабы мог быть покупаем обедневший еврей за неуплату долга ( Лев 25:39 ), а также вор, оказавшийся не в состоянии уплатить за похищенное ( Исх 22:3 ). Шестилетний срок рабства ( Втор 15:12,18; Иер 34:14 ) назначается в соответствие заповеди о шести днях работы и покое седьмого дня. Год освобождения раба седьмой не есть седьмой юбилейный, а седьмой от начала рабства каждого отдельного раба. Если бы он был седьмым юбилейным, то рабу пришлось бы служить не шесть лет, а столько времени, сколько оставалось до него с момента поступления в рабство, в некоторых случаях месяц, даже меньше. И действительно закон прямо указывает, что в седьмой юбилейный год рабы находятся при своих господах, не получают свободы ( Лев 25:4-6 ). По окончании шестилетней службы раб отпускался на волю не только «даром», без выкупа, так как за это время он заработал двойную плату наемника ( Втор 15:18 ), но и получал от хозяина все необходимое для обзаведения собственным хозяйством: от стад, от гумна и точила ( Втор 15:14 ).

21:3-4 В первом случае (ст. 3) жена рассматривается как собственность мужа-раба, а потому с нею, своею собственностью, он и уходил на волю. Во втором (ст. 4) она — собственность господина, в силу чего при освобождении своего мужа остается с детьми в доме хозяина.

21:5-6 Еврей, женившийся в состоянии рабства на рабыне своего господина и потому не имеющий права освободиться в седьмой год со всею своею семьей, из-за любви к жене и детям может остаться рабом навеки, т. е. до пятидесятого юбилейного года ( Лев 25:39-41 ). Для указания на свое добровольное закрепощение, чем устраняются могущие возникнуть впоследствии недоразумения, он приводится к судьям (евр. elohim — существо, предмет вызывающий чувство почтения, уважения, страха, означает судей, — Пс 81:6 ), которые и становятся свидетелями данного им обязательства. Другое действие, также устраняющее возможность разных злоупотреблений, состояло в прокалывании уха раба шилом у косяка или дверей того дома, в котором он пожелал служить ( Втор 15:16-17 ). Раб как бы прикреплялся к дому своего господина.

21:6  Пред богов — т. е. пред судей ( Пс 81:1,2,6 .)

21:7 Как видно из Втор 15:17 и Иер 34:9-11,16 , рабыни-еврейки освобождались на тех же началах, что и рабы-евреи. Поэтому общее правило: «рабыня не может выйти, как выходят рабы», имеет в виду не просто рабынь, но рабынь-наложниц.

21:8 Когда еврейка, купленная в качестве наложницы и сделавшаяся таковою, впоследствии будет отвергнута господином, то он, как виновный в ее бесчестии, должен помочь ей выкупиться, уступить ее дешевле тому, кто пожелает ее купить, только не язычнику, брак с которым запрещен ( Втор 7:3 ).

21:9 Отдав еврейку-рабыню в наложницы сыну, господин должен рассматривать ее не как рабу, а как дочь.

21:10 При существовании других наложниц, появившихся позднее, она не лишается прав жены и средств к существованию.

21:11 Если хозяин дома не позволит отвергнутой им наложнице выкупиться, не будет рассматривать ее, наложницу сына, в качеств дочери и при существовании у сына других наложниц лишит ее сожительства с ним, то при несоблюдении этих трех условий она получает право уйти от него без выкупа.

21:12-32 Законы, разъясняющие заповедь — «не убий»: убийство сознательное и ненамеренное; различные случаи увечья, как нанесения вреда жизни ближнего.

21:12 Сознательное убийство во всех его видах ( Чис 35:16-21 ), будет ли оно совершенно евреем или же пришельцем ( Лев 24:22 ), наказывается по общему праву кровавой мести смертью: «мститель за кровь сам может умертвить убийцу, лишь только встретит его» ( Чис 35:19,21 ).

21:13 Применяемое в случае сознательного убийства, право кровавой мести не имеет места при убийстве ненамеренном, заранее необдуманном ( Чис 35:22-23; Втор 19:4-5; 1 Цар 24:18 ). Невольный убийца не подлежит суждению на смерть ( Втор 19:6 ), и само общество должно спасти его от руки мстителя за кровь ( Чис 35:25 ), предоставив право убежать в место, «назначенное Богом», в один из городов убежища ( Чис 35:11 и далее ). Закон о невольных убийцах, ограничивая право кровавой мести, смягчал грубость нравов.

21:14 Коварный, сознательный убийца, лишенный права скрыться в одном из городов убежища ( Втор 19:11-12 ), не может спастись от смерти и у жертвенника ( 3 Цар 2:28-34 ). Требуя от Израиля истреблять зло из своей среды ( Втор 19:19-20 ), Господь тем более сам не может охранять его на месте Своего жилища, в скинии или храме, у жертвенника.

21:15 Как видно из Втор 21:18-21 , отец и мать сами отказываются от дурного сына. Нетерпимый член семьи, поругающий внушаемые природою чувства, он нетерпим и в обществе — исторгается из его среды, побивается камнями.

21:16 Свобода драгоценна не менее жизни, поэтому лишение ее — покража и продажа евреем своего соотечественника ( Втор 24:7 ) приравнивается к убийству.

21:18-33 Различные случаи увечья; назначаемые за них наказания соответствуют степени преступления.

21:18-19 Избивший ближнего в драке должен вознаградить его тем, чего он лишил его: уплатить ему ту сумму денег, которую пострадавший мог бы заработать, если бы был здоров, и на свои средства вылечить его.

21:20-21 За убийство раба и рабыни, умерших во время наказания, хозяин не подвергается смерти, а лишь назначаемому судом наказанию, или потому, что раб не приравнивается к свободному (ср. ст. 21 с 19; 26 с 23 и 32 с 29), или потому, что хозяин только наказывал неразумного раба ( Притч 10:13 ), не имея в виду убить его. Господин даже и совсем освобождается от наказания, когда смерть раба не является непосредственным следствием побоев: умрет день или два спустя после побоев. Для хозяина в этом случае достаточно и того наказания, что, теряя раба, он теряет заплаченные за него деньги, наносит себе ущерб: «это его серебро».

21:22 Пеня назначается за преждевременно выкинутое дитя. Посредники требуются для предотвращения со стороны мужа неумеренности в требованиях. Греческий перевод вносит такое различение в степени развития выкидыша, для которого нет основания в еврейском тексте. Выкидыш «неизображенный» — ребенок не сформировавшийся, — он не приравнивается к полному человеку — и потому за смерть его назначается лишь пеня. Выкидыш «изображенный» — вполне сформировавшийся ребенок, и за его смерть, как и за смерть взрослого человека, виновный подвергается смерти.

21:23-25 Если последствием драки, кроме преждевременных родов, будет нанесение повреждения самой беременной женщине, то в этом случае нужно поступать по следующему правилу: «душу за душу», т. е. жизнь за жизнь (термин «душа», употребляемый в Библии для обозначения жизненной силы, с удалением которой живое существо умирает, ставится взамен выражения «жизнь»: Пс 106:5; Иона 2:8; Плач 1:11,19 , Пс 55:7; 3 Цар 17:21 ), глаз за глаз и т. д. Составляя продолжение предшествующей речи, слова: «если будет вред, то» устанавливают и общее правило о возмездии за увечье ( Лев 24:20; Втор 19:21; Мф 5:38 ). Зло, причиненное одним евреем другому, должно быть наказано таким же злом, — возмездие простое, чувствительное и способное с силою предупреждать преступление.

21:26-27 Общее правило, определяющее степень наказания за нанесенное увечье, не применяется к рабам, но его изменение ограничивает произвол и жестокое обращение с ними хозяев.

21:28 Вол умерщвляется как опасное для жизни человека животное и притом согласно божественному определению ( Быт 9:5; Чис 35:33 ). Не освобожденное от крови, мясо его не вкушается по общему закону, требующему вкушать мясо без крови ( Лев 17:10-14 ). Хозяин, не знавший о бодливости своего вола (ср. ст. 29 ), не виноват. Но побитие вола камнями и запрещение извлечь пользу из его мяса наносили хозяину столь значительный ущерб, что естественно побуждали его не относиться равнодушно к вопросу: не имеет ли вол наклонности бодаться?

21:29 Хозяин вола предается смерти за беспечное отношение к жизни ближнего. Виновником смерти является не столько неразумное животное, сколько он сам, имевший возможность устранить ее соответствующими мерами. Строгость наказания совершенно уничтожала возможность равнодушия к бодливости животного и заставляла заботиться о безопасности ближних.

21:30 Смерть заменяется выкупом на том, может быть, основании, что вина домохозяина заключается только в беспечности, но не в злом умысле.

21:32 30 сиклей составляют, по всей вероятности, покупную цену раба, подобно тому, как 50 сиклей — выкупную цену взрослого человека ( Лев 27:3 ).

21:33-34 Хозяин незакрытой ямы возмещает тот убыток, который причинила ближнему беспечность.

21:35 Солидарность интересов заставляет — делить несчастие пополам.

21:36 В убытках виноват лишь тот, кто беспечно, нерадиво относится к собственности ближнего, а потому он один и терпит ущерб.

22:1 Покража вола, как более ценного и полезного в хозяйстве животного, чем овца, наносит ему больший ущерб; за больший ущерб, назначается и большее наказание. Заколовший или продавший животное наказывается строже того, в руках которого оно найдено. Причина этого заключается в том, что заклание или продажа украденного животного, с одной стороны, лишает хозяина возможности когда-либо воротить похищенное, а с другой — свидетельствует об отсутствии у вора всякого желания принести повинную в своем преступлении.

22:2-4 Убийство вора ночью приравнивается к убийству ненамеренному, так как в темноте трудно определить куда наносится удар, и соразмерить силу последнего. Как ненамеренное, оно и не наказывается смертью. Убийство же вора при дневном свете, когда домохозяин мог избежать его, употребив другие средства для охранения своей собственности, считается сознательным и, по общему закону ( 21:12 ), карается смертью. В том случае когда вор пойман с поличным в руках, — не успел привести в исполнение своего замысла продать или заколоть похищенное животное, он не наносит домохозяину ущерба и наказывается только за самое преступление: за вола и овцу платит вдвое (ст. 4). Подобное постановление совершенно неприменимо к ворам-беднякам, что в свою очередь могло поощрять их к воровству. Ввиду возможности совершения краж людьми, являющимися по указанным предписаниям безнаказанными, в закон вносится новое постановление: если укравший не в состоянии своим имуществом возместить нанесенный им убыток, то он продается, и продажная цена идет на удовлетворение потерпевшего.

22:5-6 Собственность ближнего должна быть ценима и уважаема, как личная. Пренебрежительное отношение к ней, тем более сознательное: «пустит скот свой травить чужое поле», наказывается тем, что нанесший ущерб достоянию ближнего возмещает его с избытком: платит лучшим из виноградника своего. Греческий и славянский текст говорят о вознаграждении лучшим в том лишь случае, когда потравлена вся нива или виноградник. При полном истреблении растений трудно определить, каковы они были, хорошие или худые; но так как закон — на стороне обиженного, а не обидчика, то последний и отдает первому лучшее из своего поля. Разводящий огонь на своем поле, предполагается, может быть, для сожжения сорных трав, виноват в том, что дал ему возможность достигнуть громадных размеров, — сжечь терн, изгороди из колючих растений, отделявшие одно поле от другого, и хлеб соседа ( Лев 24:4 ).

22:7  См. толкование ст. 2-4.

22:8 При ненахождении вора подозрение в покраже падает на того, кто взял у ближнего на сохранение пропавшую вещь. Для освобождения от него достаточно со стороны подозреваемого одной клятвы пред судьями, что он «не простер руки своей на собственность ближнего».

22:9 Вышеуказанный частный случай дает повод установить общее правило о разрешении тяжб «по всякому делу неверному», т. е. по таким делам, в которых предполагается неверный, несогласный с правдою образ действования заинтересованных сторон. Вопрос, кому принадлежит спорная вещь или животное, решается судьями, причем, если правда на стороне собственника, то присвоивший их платит ему вдвое. Если же собственник оклеветал ближнего, то он подвергается наказанию, назначенному за ложное показание ( Втор 19:19 ).

22:10-11 Отсутствие свидетельских показаний («никто не видал»), при каких обстоятельствах произошла утрата взятого на сохранение скота, заменяется доверием к клятве подозреваемого (ср. ст. 8 ). Хозяин скота «принимает» ее, — довольствуется и не имеет права требовать уплаты.

22:12 Если украден будет отданный на сбережение скот, причем предполагается и то, что вор не найден, и то, что скот украден из дома, где можно бы уберечь его, то взявший скот на сбережение платит потерпевшему.

22:13 Представление растерзанного диким зверем животного служит не только подтверждением совершившегося факта, но и доказательством того, что взявший животное охранял его, прогнал хищника (растерзанное не съедено). Поэтому он не виноват ( Быт 31:39 ).

22:14 Скот, взятый у ближнего на пользование, должен быть охраняем более, чем взятый на сохранение, так как в первом случае он доставляет прямую пользу взявшему. Поэтому если он не будет заботиться о нем, то наказывается за свое небрежное отношение, последствием которого является смерть или повреждение животного от жестокого обращения с ним.

22:15 Присутствие хозяина при смерти или повреждении скота, отданного на время другому, освобождало последнего от обязанности платить за него, потому что хозяин лично мог видеть, что в обращении с его животным не было небрежности или жестокости, и сам мог принять меры к охранению своей собственности. «Если он наемный, то пусть и пойдет за наемную плату свою». Ссужая другого своею скотиною из выгод, за плату, ссужающий извлекая выгоду, берет на свой страх и ущерб, который может быть покрыт полученною наемною платою.

22:16-17 Обольщение девушки является кражею ее высшего достояния — девственности, а вместе с тем и обесценение ее на случаи выхода замуж или продажи в рабство. Поэтому обольститель и платит вено в 50 сиклей ( Втор 22:28-9 ) и в случае согласия отца на брак ( Быт 34:11-12; 1 Цар 18:25 ) женится на ней без права развода во всю дальнейшую жизнь.

22:18-20 Изложенные в данных стихах законы ограждают не такие или иные права ближнего, но определяют наказание за нетерпимое в народе Божием нарушение основных начал его нравственной и религиозной жизни. Общее между ними и то, что они постановляют одинаковое наказание — смерть.

22:18 Ворожба, мнимое или действительное вступление в общение с темною силою, несовместима с верою в божественное покровительство ( Чис 23:22-23 ) и существованием откровения ( Втор 18:10-15 ). Прорицатели, гадатели, чародеи и т. п. должны быть преданы смерти через побиение камнями ( Лев 20:27 ), и чувство сострадания к слабой женщине не должно склонять еврея к желанию не прилагать к ворожее закона во всей его строгости.

22:19 Скотоложство — порок народов, отвергнутых Богом ( Лев 18:23 и далее ), является попранием закона и целей брака, оскверняет землю ( Лев 18:28 ).

22:20 Как народ богоизбранный, евреи должны служить Иегове; приносящий жертву другим богам является нарушителем закона, лежащего в основании завета между Богом и народом избранным ( Исх 20:5 ).

22:21 Гуманное отношение к пришельцам ( Исх 23:9; Лев 19:33; 25:35; Втор 10:19; Иер 7:6; Мал 3:5 ), лицам других национальностей, представляет по своим мотивам: «ибо вы сами были пришельцами в земле Египетской» применение к частному случаю общего правила: «не делай другому того, что нежелательно для себя». Как видно из Лев 19:33-34 , закон разумеет не одно только избежание обид и пристрастное отношение к ним, но гораздо большее, именно любовь к ним: «люби его, как себя».

22:22-24 Легкая возможность притеснять вдову и сироту, не имеющих для себя заступника, отказать им в законных требованиях ( Втор 27:19 ), отнять их собственность ( Ис 10:2; Мих 2:9 ), обратив их в рабов ( 4 Цар 4:1 ), не должна служить приманкою для своекорыстных людей. Защитником вдов и сирот вместо умершего главы семейства является сам Бог ( Пс 67:6 ); Он услышит вопли их, как и вопли всех нуждающихся ( Иов 34:28 ), и накажет притеснителей вдовством их жен и сиротством детей. В основе, гуманного отношения к вдовам и сиротам лежит то же начало, что и в основе сострадательного отношения к пришельцам (см. выше, ст. 21).

22:25 Ссуда имеет целью не обогащение, наживу кредитора, а поддержание обедневшего ближнего ( Лев 25:35-7 ), поэтому с него и нельзя брать процентов, ни серебра, ни хлеба отдавать в рост ( Втор 23:20; Пс 14:5; Иез 18:8,13 и далее ). Основанием для этого частного предписания является общее положение, что в народе еврейском не должно быть бедности ( Втор 15:4 ).

22:26-27 Для обеспечения уплаты долга заимодавцу позволялось брать от должника залог, но и в этом случае первый должен был руководиться состраданием к бедному должнику. Заимодавец не мог пойти за этим залогом в самый дом должника: последнему предоставлялось самому выбрать вещь, без которой он сравнительно легко мог обойтись в течение известного времени ( Втор 24:10-11 ; ср. и ст. 6 ). Таковою вещью являлась, между прочим, одежда, нередко отдаваемая в залог ( Иов 22:6; Притч 20:16; 27:13; Ам 2:8 ). Возвращение ее должнику — акт сострадания к бедному ближнему, обреченному в противном случае, за неимением особого покрывала, дрогнуть от стужи в течение холодной восточной ночи ( Иов 24:7 ). Так как у заимодавца могло возникнуть опасение, чтобы возвращение заклада не лишило его возможности получить уплату долга, и он мог бы не дать особенного значения мысли, что его должнику нечем будет прикрыться во время ночи, то побуждением к состраданию является соображение, что Бог, милосердный к бедному ( 34:6; Пс 85:15; 2 Пар 30:9 ), будет строг к жестокосердому, — накажет его ( Иов 22:6,10 ).

22:28  Не злословь, не порицай судей, — евр. elohim. По объяснению одних, Бога, за каковое понимание ручается Притч 24:21 и 1 Петр 2:17 , — в том и другом месте заповедь о страхе пред Богом стоит, как и в данном стихе, в связи с указанием на уважение начальников, по мнению других — судей в буквальном смысле, так как к ним прилагается имя «elohim» ( Пс 81:6 ). В последнем случае предписание стремилось бы поднять уважение к закону, подрываемое поношением его представителей. Но так как понимание «elohim» в смысле «судей» вносит тавтологию в узаконение: «судей не злословь, начальника, того же судью, не поноси», то гораздо естественнее разуметь под «elohim» Бога. За это ручается, между прочим, и то, что предписание: «не порицай «elohim'а» стоит пред речью о промедлениях в принесении Богу плодов земли и доставлении первородных ( ст. 29,30 ). Наконец, при подобном объяснении становится вполне понятною и естественною связь рассматриваемых слов с предшествующими. Исполнение нравственных предписаний, данных в ст. 21-27 , стесняло свойственную многим наклонность увеличивать свое благосостояние посредством утеснения бедных и потому могло вызывать ропот и недовольство законом. Ввиду этого теперь говорится: «Бога не порицай», — не жалуйся на Бога, не ропщи на Него за то, что тебе даются предписания, стесняющие твои своекорыстные поползновения. «Не поноси и начальников», следящих за исполнением этих узаконений.

22:29 Начатки «гумна», т. е. хлеба, «точила», т. е. винограда и елея, приносились Богу, как владыке земли обетованной, в благодарность за дарование ее евреям ( Втор 24:2-11 ), а Он отдавал их священникам ( Чис 18:12 ). Чтобы последние могли получать необходимые к жизни средства в свое время, евреи и не должны медлить приношением начатков. Народу дается предостережение от легкомысленного отношения к исполнению заповедей.

Первенца от сынов твоих отдавай Мне. Эти слова не представляют повторения прежде данной заповеди ( Исх 13:13 ), а только приложение повеления «не медлить» к исполнению уже известной заповеди относительно первородных.

22:30 Замечание о принесении Богу первенцев чистых животных в восьмой день по рождении говорит о том, что они предназначались в жертву ( Лев 22:27 ). И так как нужда в жертвенных животных была велика, то закон и требует не медлить их доставлением.

22:31 Вкушение мяса животного, растерзанного зверем, оскверняло еврея ( Лев 22:8; Иез 4:14 ), поэтому запрещение вкушать его и стоит в связи с повелением быть людьми святыми.

23:1 Произнесению справедливого приговора о подсудимом немало мешает существование разного рода недостоверных, ложных о нем слухов. Поэтому во имя справедливости не следует распространять о нем что-нибудь дурное, как выдуманное самим, так и слышанное от других: не следует быть «переносчиком в народе» ( Лев 19:16; Притч 10:18 ; Пс С, 5). Из желания угодить «великому» ( Лев 19:15 ), стремящемуся погубить невинного подсудимого, не следует помогать ему («давать руку») ложным показанием против обвиняемого. Такого свидетеля ждет установленное законом наказание ( Втор 19:18-19; Притч 19:5,9 ).

23:2 При показаниях на суде должно руководиться не мнением большинства, а одною лишь истиною. Ей не нужно изменять даже в том случае, когда большинство свидетелей показывает заведомую неправду с целью погубить подсудимого ( Притч 18:5; Мф 27:24-26; Мк 15:15; Лк 23:23; Деян 24:27; 25:9 ).

23:3 Снисходительное, сострадательное отношение к бедным ( 22:24 и далее ) не должно мешать справедливости; если он виновен, то следует наказать его ( Лев 19:15 ).

23:4-5 Справедливость заставляет относиться и к врагу, как к брату ( Втор 22:1-4 ). Эта мысль и поясняется двумя примерами помощи врагу в бедствии, причем во втором случае помощи требует уже больше самоотвержения, так как гораздо труднее работать вместе с врагом в его интересах («развьючь вместе с ним» — ст. 5), чем помочь врагу в его отсутствие (ст. 4).

23:6 Судя по еврейскому «шафат», употребляемому для обозначения деятельности судьи, требование данного стиха предъявляется уже не свидетелям, а судьям. Они извращают дело нищего в том случае, когда принимают во внимание ложные показания свидетелей и произносят несправедливые приговоры ( Втор 27:19; Исх 10:12; Иер 5:28 ). Хотя права каждого, и богатого, и бедного, не должны быть нарушаемы на суде, но о бедном говорится потому, что бедному легче пострадать на суде, чем богатому.

23:7 По связи речи ясно, что под «неправдою» нужно разуметь намеренно неправильное постановление приговора. Избегать сознательно несправедливых приговоров тем большая обязанность судьи, что они приводят невинных к смерти, которая не остается ненаказанною ( Втор 27:25; Притч 17:26; Иер 7:6-7 ).

23:8 Принятый от тяжущегося подарок невольно вызовет к подсудимому такое расположение, при котором судья утратит способность правильно рассмотреть дело. Взятки заставляют не видеть неправды там, где она есть ( Исх 33:15 ), и правды там, где она несомненна. Они ослепляют глаза даже мудрых ( Втор 16:19; Сир 20:29 ) и в результате прекращают дело правых, — у правого отнимают законное ( Исх 5:23; Мих 7:3 ).

23:9 Повеление: «пришельца не обижай» не составляет повторения Исх 22:21 . Там речь шла об отношениях между собою частных лиц, здесь о судебном разбирательстве. Пришельцы, как подчинившиеся в известном отношении законам народа еврейского, и должны быть рассматриваемы с точки зрения этих законов: «один суд должен быть для еврея и для пришельца» ( Втор 1:16; 24:17; 27:19 ).

23:10-11 Продолжением субботнего недельного покоя является покой в седьмой субботний год. Необрабатываемая в это время земля восстановляла свои естественные силы, истощенные предшествующею шестилетнею работою. Все выросшее на ней без содействия отдельных личностей ( Лев 25:5 ) являлось общим достоянием и потому было предметом свободного пользования со стороны неимущих.

23:12 Закон о субботнем покое преследует цель восстановления сил утомленного шестидневною работою раба и скота.

23:13 Праздничные времена, бывшие для евреев благодеянием, должны были напоминать народу о виновнике их установления — Боге, причем благодарность за благодеяние естественно приводила к точному исполнению Его повелений, исключающему возможность мысли о других богах.

23:14 Почитание Иеговы должно найти свое выражение не в одном устном исповедании Его Богом истинным, но и в троекратном в течение года праздновании Ему. Три ниже перечисляемые праздника имеют ближайшее отношение к жизни евреев, как народа земледельческого.

23:15 Праздник опресноков, первым днем которого было 15-е авива ( Лев 23:6 ), совпадал с началом жатвы ( Лев 23:10; Втор 16:9 ), и потому в благодарность за новопоспевший хлеб и для снискания благоволения Божия на второй день его совершалось возношение пред Господом снопа из начатков жатвы ( Лев 23:10,11 ) и с этого же времени разрешалось вкушение нового хлеба ( ст. 14 ).

23:16 Праздник жатвы новых плодов труда народа еврейского ( Лев 23:16 ), праздник седмиц ( Лев 23:15; Втор 16:9 ), или пятидесятница, был праздником «начатков жатвы пшеничной» ( Исх 34:22 ) Начатки этой последней, два кислые хлеба, испеченные из лучшей новой муки, приносились Господу, как первый плод ( Лев 23:16-17 ). Праздник собирания плодов в конце года ( Исх 34:22 ), или праздник кущей ( Втор 16:13 ), продолжавшийся семь дней ( Лев 23:34; Чис 29:12 ), был временем веселия и благодарения Бога за божественное благодеяние, наглядное проявление которого еврей видел в собранных плодах ( Втор 16:15 ).

23:17 Так как земледельцы видели в перечисленных праздниках проявление благодетельной руки Божией, то для исповедания владычества Иеговы они и собирались пред «лице Его» ( Втор 16:16 ), т. е. в скинию. Являлся мужеский пол; на нем лежал труд обработки земли, и поэтому он имел более оснований и побуждений прославлять давшего урожай; но его присутствие не исключало явления на эти праздники и женщин ( 1 Цар 1:3 и далее ).

23:18-19 Три частные предписания, относящиеся к трем годичным праздникам.

23:18 Греко-славянский текст в вначале стиха 18-го имеет прибавку против оригинала: « ὅταν γὰρ ἐκβάλω ἔθνη ἀπὸ προσώπου σου καὶ ἐμπλατύνω τὰ ὅριά σου », «егда бо изжену языки от лица твоего и расширю пределы твоя»; прибавка эта явно перенесена сюда из параллельного места Исх 36:24-25 (ее нет в некоторых кодексах). Первоначальность на стороне текста масоретского (ср. русск. перев.). «Не изливай крови жертвы Моей на (евр. «ал») квасное». Так как еврейский предлог «ал» значит не только «на», но и «с», то смысл данного предписания тот, что пасхальный агнец, являвшийся жертвою (см. выше толкование 12:3), не должно вкушать с квасным хлебом. «Тук от праздничной жертвы Моей не оставляй до утра», — не должна оставаться до утра жертва праздника Пасхи ( Лев 34:25 , ср. Исх 12:10 ).

23:19 Так как общий закон о посвящении Богу начатков был объявлен ранее ( 22:29 ), то предписание данного стиха нельзя считать его повторением. Скорее можно думать, что в настоящем случае идет речь о принесении начатков в праздник седмиц, или пятидесятницу. «Не вари козленка в молоке матери его». Религиозное усердие собиравшихся на великие праздники могло выражаться желанием употребить лучшие способы приготовления в пищу тех частей жертвенных животных, которые были оставляемы для употребления как представивших животное в жертву, так и священников. Евреи и сами опытом могли дознать, и от иноземцев получить сведение, что мясо, сваренное в молоке, особенно любимое мясо козленка ( Быт 27:9; Суд 6:19; 13:15; 1 Цар 16:20 ), получает особую нежность. В большой праздник, при святилище, приготовить мясо наиболее вкусным образом было достаточно побуждений. Закон и не воспрещает варить мясо в молоке: он только воспрещает употреблять для этого молоко матери козленка, потому что и естественное чувство может возмущаться употреблением матернего молока для наиболее вкусного изготовления ее детеныша.

23:20-33 Покровительство Божие евреям проявится в посольстве ангела, хранителя на пути (ст. 20), сообщении новых откровений (ст. 21), основанных на повиновении Богу непреоборимости и благополучии народа (ст. 22-26, ср. Лев 24:9; Втор 7:13; 28:11 ; греко-славянский текст в ст. 22 имеет вставку, заимствованную из Исх 19:5-6 ), в завоевании земли Ханаанской не столько силою оружия, сколько силою божественной помощи (ст. 27-28; ср. 15:14-16; Втор 2:25; Нав 2:11; Втор 1:44; 7:20; Нав 24:12 ), в постепенном подчинении хананеев (ст. 29-30), как средстве к обеспечению развития и укрепления самих евреев, так как при быстром истреблении врагов земля превратилась бы в пустыню, и евреям пришлось бы страдать от диких зверей (ср. 4 Цар 17:25 и далее ), и, наконец, в даровании в прочное владение земли Ханаанской в границах от моря Чермного до моря Филистимского (Средиземного) и от пустыни (Аравийской) до реки Евфрата.

24:1 Народ, как член заключенного завета (ст. 6-8), допускается в лице своих представителей — 70 старейшин, глав 70 родов ( Исх 1:5 ), за черту у подножия горы для поклонения Господу, — выражения своего благоговения и полной покорности.

24:2 Повеление ст. 2 касается дальнейшего восхождения Моисея. Вместе с Аароном, Надавом, Авиудом и 70 старейшинами он поклонился Господу «издали» ( ст. 1-11 ), не приближался к Нему. После этого он должен взойти на гору один и приблизиться к Иегове ( ст. 12,16,18 ). Причина, удалявшая членов ветхозаветного царства от непосредственного общения с Богом, т. е. греховность, не уничтожена и доселе: для получения скрижалей, законов и заповедей восходит на гору один лишь Моисей.

24:3 После богоявления, бывшего во мраке ( 20:18 ), Моисей сошел с горы к народу и объявил ему «все слова Господни и все законы» — не десятословие, так как евреи слышали его непосредственно из уст самого Господа, а законы гл. 20, 19-23. Последовавшее за этим обещание народа: «все, что сказал Господь, сделаем» является выражением добровольного согласия на вступление в завет, последним моментом пред его заключением ( ст. 4 и далее ).

24:4 По идее завета, обе вступающие в союз стороны должны составлять одно неразрываемое целое. Эта мысль и выражается в дальнейших обрядах. Как жертвенник, место явления Бога Своему народу ( 20:21 ), указывает на присутствие Иеговы, так двенадцать столпов означают присутствие всего народа. При заключении союза находятся налицо обе стороны.

24:5 В завет с Богом вступает новый, юный Израиль, новый в том смысле, что он дал обещание отказаться от своей греховной воли и поступать по заповедям Божьим ( ст. 3 ). Этот-то новый народ и представляется теперь своими «юношами», первенцами, для которых дальнейшая жизнь впереди. Принесенные ими от лица всего народа жертвы всесожжения и мирные выражали всецелую преданность Богу, и благодарность за принятие в завет.

24:6-8 Как две равные крови, будучи взяты вместе, составляют одно целое, так и окропленный одной половиной крови народ составляет теперь единое с Богом, место присутствия Которого — жертвенник — окропляется другою половиною крови. Повествование 24 гл. кн. Исход о жертвоприношении при вступлении израильтян в завет с Богом значительно расходится с свидетельством о том же предмете Послания к Евреям ( Евр 9:19-21 ). По словам ап. Павла, израильский народ окроплялся кровью тельцов и козлов, причем кровь была смешана с водою и кропилась посредством червленой шерсти и иссопа; окроплялся не только народ, но и книга закона, скиния и все богослужебные сосуды. По одному объяснению, разноречие произошло от того, что ап. Павел принял во внимание свидетельство иудейского предания; по другому же, он имел в виду день очищения. Этот последний был ежегодным воспоминанием и как бы повторением дня заключения завета при Синае, а потому и неудивительно, если апостол отождествил оба эти дня. В день же очищения, кроме тельцов, приносились в жертву козлы, а также кропилась кровью скиния и все ее принадлежности ( Лев 16 ).

24:9-11 Как член заключенного завета, народ допускается для поклонения Господу. Замечание о поклонении Ему издали ( ст. 1 ), о виде подножия (ст. 10) и о сохранении в живых после видения (ст. 11) ясно свидетельствует, что поклонившееся Господу не духовно только созерцали Его, но видели славу и присутствие Его телесными очами. Но, с другой стороны, явление им Господа есть появление не Его самого, т. е. не Его сущности и внутренней жизни, а только Его славы; взошедшие видели только подножие в том явлении, в котором открылось присутствие божества. Созерцание Бога, не сопровождавшееся смертью созерцавших, служило знаком Его благоволения к народу еврейскому. Как ранее, находясь вне завета, он не мог взойти на гору и остаться живым ( 19:24 ), так теперь, удостоенный союза с Богом, остается цел и невредим. Греческие переводчики, смущаясь свидетельством еврейского текста, что взошедшие видели Бога, вставили слова: «место, где стоял» (Бог, — ст. 10).

24:12 Как видно из последних слов ст. 11: «ели и пили», повеление о новом восхождении на Синай дано было Моисею после того, как он сошел со старейшинами с горы. Цель нового восхождения — получение «скрижалей каменных, закона и заповедей, которые Господь написал для научения». Не отмеченное в настоящем случае, число скрижалей указано в других местах ( 31:18; 32:15 ); их было две, и каждая была исписана с обеих сторон ( 32:15 ). Слова: «закон и заповедь» едва ли могут означать десятословие, начертанное на скрижалях, так как оно обыкновенно называется «откровением», «словами завета», «десятословием» ( 25:16; 31:18; 32:15; 34:28; 40:20; Втор 10:4 ). «Закон и заповедь» указывают на те законы и повеления, которые даны Моисею во время его пребывания на горе и изложены в главах 25-31. Сообразно с этим выражение: «которые Я написал в научение их» должно относить только к скрижалям.

24:13 В восхождении Моисея с И. Навином усматривается действие божественного Промысла, давшего возможность проявиться неверию евреев. Если бы И. Навин остался в стане, то он, предполагают, не допустил бы народ до поклонения золотому тельцу. Как можно заключать из 2 ст. данной главы, а равно 33:11 , И. Навин хотя и находился на горе, но не в одном месте с Моисеем.

24:14 Заместителями Моисея при разборе важных дел являются ближайшее его помощники — Аарон и Ор ( 17:10 и далее ).

24:15-18 Законодательство продолжается при той же, что и ранее, обстановке ( 19:18 ).

25:1-2 Скиния устраивается на добровольные приношения как потому, что не было иных источников для приобретения необходимых материалов, так и потому, что она, жилище Иеговы ( ст. 8; 29:45 ), Бога всего народа, является общенародным достоянием. Обращение к доброхотным жертвователям было так успешно, что после пришлось прекратить прием приношений ( 36:5,6 ).

25:3 Говоря о золоте, ст. 3 не прибавляет слова: «чистое» (ср. ст. 11 и 17 ), а потому можно думать, что предметом приношений могло быть и очищенное, и неочищенное золото.

25:4 Так как из материи указанных цветов (текелет, аргаман, толаат, шани) в соединении с виссоном (льном) устроились покрывала скинии ( 24:1 ), одежды первосвященника ( 28:5 и далее ), а закон запрещает соединять нити из шерсти и льна ( Лев 19:19; Втор 22:11 ), то очевидно, что она не была материей шерстяной. Под «виссоном», из некоторого были сделаны десять покрывал скинии ( 24:1 ), завеса, отделявшая святилище от святого святых ( 24:31 ), завеса при входе в скинию (ст. 36), а также сшиты ефод, пояс и наперсник судный первосвященника ( 28:5 и далее ), хитоны, головные повязки, нижнее платье и пояса священников ( 39:27,28 ), разумеется, вероятно, хлопчатая бумага. Это доказывается теми названиями, которые давались данной ткани евреями. Из них «шеш» представляет видоизменение египетского слова «щепе», означающего «лен», а «буц» употребляется для означения сирийского льна, отличного от египетского ( Иез 27:16 ). Лен и хлопчатая бумага жителями Востока строго не различались (арабское «каттунь» обозначает и «лен», и «хлопок», а также полотняную материю из хлопч. бумаги или льна).

25:5 Кожи бараньи красные — сафьян. Кожи «тахаш», — от какого животного, дельфина, тюленя или морской породы, они добывались, неизвестно. Несомненно одно, что, предназначенные служить верхним покрывалом скинии ( 24:14 ), они отличались прочностью и непромокаемостью. Дерево «ситтим», аравийская акация, отличалось твердостью и легкостью, и потому было самым подходящим для устройства переносной скинии.

25:6 Ароматы для елея помазания перечислены в 30:23-25 ; для благовонного курения — в 30:34-35 .

25:7 Камни «шогам», оникс или аквамарин; «камни вставочные», которые нужно вставить в оправе в облачение первосвященника ( 28:17-20; 49:10-13 ).

Ефод — верхняя короткая одежда.

25:9 Как видно из 25:40; Деян 7:44; Евр 8:5 , Моисею даны были не только словесные наставления относительно устройства скинии и ее принадлежности, но и были показаны самые образцы здания и находящихся в нем предметов.

25:10-11 Сделанный из аравийской акации, длиною около 30 вершков (локоть — около ¾ аршина) шириною [около 130 см] и высотою около 18 вершков [около 80 см], ковчег завета снаружи и изнутри был обложен золотыми шестами. На самом ли верху, или же ниже шел венец, текст не говорит.

25:12 Четыре золотых кольца были приделаны по два на каждой стороне ковчега, вероятно на поперечной, но не продольной ( 3 Цар 8:8 ).

25:13-15 Шесты назначены для того, чтобы носить ковчег завета, не прикасаясь к нему руками ( Чис 4:15 ). Они всегда должны быть вдеты в кольца, за исключением того случая, когда нужно было закрыть ковчег покрывалами пред перенесением его на другое место ( Чис 4:5,6 ).

25:16 В ковчег должно быть доложено «откровение», т. е. две скрижали ( 31:18; 34:20 ), которые будут даны ( 24:12 ).