2 A bastard 'shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord. 3 An Ammonites or Moabited shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: 4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor, of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. 5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee. 6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their *prosperity all thy days for ever. bech. 9. 6. c Neh. 13. 1, 2. Is. 56. 3. Lam. 1. 10. 29. f Num. 22. 5, &c. g Mic. 6. 5. h Ezra 9. 12. d Ruth 4. 10, &c. e c. 2. ⚫ good. i Gen. 25. 24-26. v. 28, 29. This was to deter men from such vicious practices, which it is a shame that we are necessitated to read and write of. VI. The law against a man's marrying his father's widow, or having any undue familiarity with his father's wife, is here repeated, v. 30, from Lev. 18. 8. And probably, it is intended (as Bishop Patrick notes) for a short memorandum to them carefully to observe all the laws there made against incestuous marriages, this being specified, which is the most detestable of all; it is that of which the apostle says, It is not so much as named among the Gentiles, 1 Cor. 5. 1. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXIII. V. 1-8. Interpreters are not agreed what is here meant by entering into the congregation of the Lord, which is here forbidden to eunuchs and to bastards, Ammonites and Moabites, for ever, but to Edomites and Egyptians only till the third generation. 1. Some think they are hereby excluded from communicating with the people of God in their religious services; though eunuchs and bastards were owned as members of the church, and the Ammonites and Moabites might be circumcised and proselyted to the Jewish religion, yet they, and their families, must lie for some time under marks of disgrace, remembering the rock whence they were hewn, and must not come so near the sanctuary as others might, nor have so free a communion with Israelites. 2. Others think they are hereby excluded from bearing office in the congregation; none of these must be elders or judges, lest the honour of the magistracy should thereby be stained. 3. Others think they are excluded only from marrying with Israelites. Thus the learned Bishop Patrick inclines to understand it; yet we find that when this law was put in execution after the captivity, they separated from Israel, not only the strange wives, but all the mixed multitude, see Neh. 13. 1-3. With the daughters of these nations, (though out of the nations of Canaan,) it should seem, the men of Israel might marry, if they were completely proselyted to the Jewish religion; but with the men of these nations the daughters of Israel might not marry, nor could the men be naturalized, except as here excepted. It is plain, in general, that disgrace is here put, (1.) Upon bastards and eunuchs, v. 1, 2. By bastards here, the Jewish writers understand, not all that were born of fornication, or out of marriage, but all that were of those incestuous mixtures, which are forbidden, Lev. 18. And though it was not the fault of the issue, yet, to deter people from those unlawful marriages, and unlawful lusts, it was very convenient that their posterity should thus be made infamous. By this rule Jephthah, though the son of a harlot, a strange woman, (Judg. 11. 1,2,) yet was not a bastard in the sense of this law. And as for the eunuchs, though by this law they seemed to be cast out of the vineyard, as dry trees, which they complain of, Is. 56. 3, yet it is there promised, v. 5, that if they took care of their duty to God, as far as they were admitted, by keeping his sabbaths, and choosing the things that pleased him, the want of this privilege should be made up to them with such spiritual blessings as would entitle them to an everlasting name. (2.) Upon Ammonites and Moabites, the posterity of Lot, who, for his outward convenience had separated himself from Abraham, Gen. 13. 11. And we do not find that he or his ever joined themselves again to the children of the covenant. They are here cut off to the tenth generation, that is, (as some think it is explained,) for ever. Compare Neh. 13. 1, The reason of this quarrel, which Israel must have with them, so as not to seek their peace, v. 6, is because of the unkindness they had now lately done to the camp of Israel, notwithstanding the orders God had given not to distress or vex them, Deut. 2. 9, 10. [1.] It was bad enough that they did not meet them with bread and water in the way, v. 4, that they did no', as allies, or at least as neutral states, bring victuals into their camp, which they should have been duly paid for. It was well that God's Israel did not nced their kindness, God himself following them with bread and water. However, this omission of the Ammonites should be remembered against their nation in future ages. Note, God will certainly reckon, not only with those that oppose his peo 7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land. 8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation. 9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep "thee from every wicked thing. 10 If "there be among you any man that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. 12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy wea Ob. 10. 12. Mal. 1. 2. k Ex. 22. 21. 23.9. Lev. 19. 34. c. 10. 19. [ Rom. 3. 29, 30. Eph. 2. 12. m Josh. 6. 18. n Lev. 15. 16. ↑ turneth toward. o Lev. 15. 5. ple, but with those that do not help and further them, when it is in the power of their hand to do it. The charge at the great day is for an omission, I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat. [2.] The Moabites had done worse, they hired Balaam to curse them, v. 4. It is true, God turned the curse into a blessing, v. 5, not only changing the word in Balaam's mouth, but making that really turn to the honour and advantage of Israel, which was designed for their ruin. But though the design was defeated, and overruled for good, the Moabites' wickedness was not the less provoking. God will deal with sinners, not only according to their deeds, but according to their endeavours, Ps. 28. 4. (3.) The Edomites and Egyptians have not so deep a mark of displeasure put upon them, as the Moabites and Ammonites had. If an Edomite or Egyptian turned proselyte, his grandchildren should be looked upon as members of the congregation of the Lord to all intents and purposes, v. 7, 8. We should think that the Edomites had been more injurious to the Israelites than the Ammonites, and deserved as little favour from them, Num. 20. 20, and yet " Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, as thou must an Ammonite, for he is thy brother." Note, The unkindness of near relations, though by many worse taken, yet should with us, for that reason, because of the relation, be first forgiven. And then as to the Egyptians, here is a strange reason given why they must not be abhorred, "Thou wast a stranger in their land, and therefore, though hardly used there, be civil to them, for old acquaintance' sake." They must not remember their bondage in Egypt, for the keeping up of any ill will to the Egyptians, but only for the magnifying of God's power and goodness in their deliverance. V. 9-14. Israel was now encamped, and this vast army was just entering upon action, which was likely to keep them together for a long time, and therefore it was fit to give them particular directions for the good ordering of their camp. And the charge is in one word to be clean. They must take care to keep their camp pure from moral, ceremonial, and natural pol lution. 1. From moral pollution, v. 9, When the host goeth forth against thine enemy, then look upon thyself as in a special manner engaged to keep thyself from every evil thing. (1.) The soldiers themselves must take heed of sin, for sin takes off the edge of valour; guilt makes men cowards. They that put their lives in their hands, are concerned to make and keep their peace with God, and preserve a conscience void of offence; then may they look death in the face without terror. Soldiers, in executing their commission, must keep themselves from gratifying the lusts of malice, covetousness, or uncleanness, for those are wicked things; must keep themselves from the idols, or accursed things, they found in the camps they plundered. (2.) Even they that tarried at home, the body of the people, and every particular person, must at that time especially keep from every wicked thing, lest by sin they provoke God to withdraw his presence from the host, and give victory to the enemy for the correcting of his own people. Times of war should be times of reformation, else how can we expect God should hear and answer our prayers for success? Ps. 66. 18. See 1 Sam. 7. 3. 2. From ceremonial pollution, which might befall a person, when unconscious of it, for which he was bound to wash his flesh in water, and look upon himself as unclean until the even, Lev. 15. 16. A soldier, notwithstanding the constant service and duty he had to do in the camp, must be so far from looking upon himself as discharged from the observance of that ceremony, that more was required from him than at another time; had he been at his own house, he needed only to wash his flesh, but being in the army, he must go abroad out of the camp, as one concerned to keep it pure, and ashamed of his own impurity, and not return till after sunset, v. 10, 11. By this trouble and reproach, which even involuntary pollutions exposed men to, they were taught to keep up a very great dread of all fleshly lusts. It were well if military men would consider this. 3. From natural pollution; the camp of the Lord must have nothing offensive in it, v. 12-14. It is strange that the divine law, or at least the solemn order and direction of Moses, should extend to a thing of this nature; but the design of it was to teach them, (1.) Modesty and a good decorum; nature itself pon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: 14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy; that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. 15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: 16 He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him. 17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite 'of the sons of Israel. 18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God. 19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury. ⚫eittest down. p Lev. 26. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 16. † nakedness of any thing. q 1 Sam. 20 Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that "the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a free-will offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. 24 When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn. u Ex. 22. 25. Lev. 25. 35-37. Neh. 5. 2, 7. Ps. 15. 5. Ez. 18. 8, 17. 22. 12. Luke III. The matter of usury is here settled, v. 19, 20. 1. They must not lend upon usury to an Israelite. They had and held their estates immediately from and under God, who, while he distinguished them from all other people, might have ordered, had he so pleased, that they should have all things in common among themselves, but instead of that, and in token of their joint interest in the good land he had given them, he only appointed them, as there was occasion, to lend to one another to the lender, because their land was so divided, their estates were so little, and there was so little of merchandise among them, that it was seldom or never that they had occasion to borrow any great sums, except for the subsistence of their families, when the fruits of their ground had met with any disaster, or the like; and in such a case, for a small matter to insist upon usury, would have been very barbarous. Where the borrower gets, or hopes to get, it is just that the lender should share in the gain; but to him that borrows for his necessary food, pity must be showed, and we must lend, hoping for nothing again, if we have wherewithal to do it, Luke 6. 35. 2. They might lend upon usury to a stranger, who was supposed to live by trade, and (as we say) by turning the penny, and therefore got by what he borrowed, and came among them in hopes to do so. By this it appears that usury is not in itself oppressive; for they must not oppress a stranger, and yet might exact usury from him. I. The land of Israel is here made a sanctuary, or city of refuge, for servants that were wronged and abused by their masters, and fled thither for shelter from the neighbouring countries, v. 15, 16. We cannot suppose that they were hereby obliged to give entertainment to all the unprincipled men that ran from service; Israel needed not (as Rome at first did) to be thus peopled. But, 1. They must not deliver up the trem-without interest; which, among them, would be little or no loss bling servant to his enraged master, till upon trial it appeared that the servant had wronged his master, and was justly liable to punishment. Note, It is an honourable thing to shelter and protect the weak, provided they be not wicked. God allows his people to patronise the oppressed. The angel bid Hagar return to her mistress, and St. Paul sent Onesimus back to his master Philemon, because they had neither of them any cause to go away, nor were either of them exposed to any danger in returning. But the servant here is supposed to escape, that is, to run for his life, to the people of Israel, of whom he had heard (as Ben-hadad of the kings of Israel, 1 Kings 20. 31) that they were a merciful people, to save himself from the fury of a tyrant; and in that case to deliver him up is to throw a lamb into the mouth of a lion. 2. If it appeared that the servant was abused, they must not only protect him, but supposing him willing to embrace their religion, they must give him all the encouragement that might be, to settle among them. Care is taken both that he should not be imposed upon in the place of his settlement-let it be that which he shall choose, and where it liketh him best; and that he should not exchange one hard master for many-thou shalt not oppress him. Thus would he soon find a comfortable difference between the land of Israel and other lands, and would choose it to be his rest for ever. Note, Proselytes and converts to the truth should be treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no temptation to return. IV. The performance of the vows wherewith we have bound our souls, is here required; and it is a branch of the law of nature, v. 21-23. 1. We are here left at our liberty whether we will make vows or no. If thou shalt forbear to vow, (some particular sacrifice and offering, more than was commanded by the law,) it shall be no sin to thee. God had already signified his readiness to accept a free-will offering thus vowed, though it were but a little fine flour, Lev. 2. 4, &c. which was encou ragement enough to those who were so inclined. But lest the priests, who had the largest share of those vows and voluntary offerings, should sponge upon the people, by pressing it upon them as their duty to make such vows, beyond their ability and inclination, they are here expressly told that it should not be it would be if they omitted any of the sacrifices that God had particularly required. For (as Bishop Patrick well expresses it) God would have men to be easy in his service, and all their offerings to be free and cheerful. 2. We are here laid under the highest obligations, when we have made a vow, to perform II. The land of Israel must be no shelter for the unclean; no whore, no sodomite, must be suffered to live among them, v. 17, 18, neither a whore nor a whoremonger. No houses of uncleanness must be kept either by men or women. Here is, 1. A good reason intimated why there should be no such wick-reckoned a sin in them, if they did not make any such vows, as edness tolerated among them; they were Israelites. That seems to have an emphasis laid upon it. For a daughter of Israel to be a whore, or a son of Israel a whoremaster, is to reproach the stock they are come of, the people they belong to, and the God they worship. It is bad in any, but worse in Is CHAPTER XXIV. In this chapter we have, I. The toleration of divorce, v. 1-4. II. A discharge of new-married men from the war, v. 5. III. Laws concerning pledges, v. 6, 1013, 17. IV. Against mau-stealing, v. 7. V. Concerning the leprosy, v. 8, 9. VI. Against the injustice of masters toward their servants, v. 14, 15, judges in capital causes, (v. 16,) and civil concerns, v. 17, 18. VII. Of charity to the poor, v. 19-22. WH WHEN a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her; then let him write her a bill of tdivorcement," and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife. 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: • matter of nakedness. † cutting of. a Matt. 5. 31, 32. b Jer. 3. 1. c Lev. 18.25-28. d c. 20. 7. not any thing shall pass upon him. e Prov. 5. 18. it, and to perform it speedily; Thou shalt not slack to pay it; lest if it be delayed beyond the first opportunity, the zeal abate, the vow be forgotten, or something happen to disable thee for the performance of it. That which is gone out of thy lips as a solemn and deliberate vow, must not be recalled, but thou shalt keep and perform it, punctually and fully. The rule of the Gospel goes somewhat further than this, 2 Cor. 9. 7, Every one, according as he purposeth in his heart, though it have not gone out of his lips, so let him give. Here is a good reason why we should pay our vows, that if we do not, God will require it of us, will surely and severely reckon with us, not only for lying, but for going about to mock him, who cannot be mocked. See Ec. 5. 4. and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. 5 When da man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. 6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge. 7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put sevil away from among you. 8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do. 9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt. 10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. f Ex. 21. 16. g c. 19. 19. & Lev. 13. 14. i Num. 12. 10. § lend the loan of any thing to. 2. That it must be done, not by word of mouth, for that might be spoken hastily, but by writing, and that put in due form, and solemnly declared, before witnesses, to be his own act and deed, which was a work of time, and left room for consideration, that it might not be done rashly. 3. That the husband must give it into the hand of his wife, and send her away; which, some think, obliged him to endow her, and make provision for her, according to her quality, and such as might help to marry her again; for this, there was good reason, since the cause of quarrel was not her fault, but her infelicity. 4. That being divorced, it was lawful for her to marry another husband, v. 2. The divorce had dissolved the bond of marriage as effectually as death could; so that she was as free to marry again as if her first husband had been naturally dead. 5. That if her second husband (died, or) divorced her, then still she might marry a third, but her first husband should never take her again, (v. 3, 4,) which he might have done, if she had not married another; for by that act of her own she had per V. Allowance is here given, when they passed through a cornfield or vineyard, to pluck and eat of the corn or grapes that grew by the road-side, whether it was done for necessity or delight, only they must carry none away with them, v. 24, 25. Therefore the disciples were not censured for plucking the ears of corn, (it was well enough known that the law allowed it,) but for doing it on the sabbath day, which the tradition of the elders had forbidden. Now, 1. This law intimated to them whatfectly renounced him for ever, and, as to him, was looked upon great plenty of corn and wine they should have in Canaan, so much that a little would not be missed out of their fruits; they should have enough for themselves and all their friends. 2. It provided for the support of poor travellers, to relieve the fatigue of their journeys, and teaches us to be kind to such. The Jews say, "This law was chiefly intended in favour of labourers, who were employed in gathering in their harvest and vintages, their mouths must not be muzzled any more than that of the ox when he treads out the corn." 3. It teaches us not to insist upon property in a small matter, of which it is easy to say, What is that between me and thee? It was true, the grapes which the passenger ate were none of his own, nor did the proprietor give them him; but the thing was of so small value, that he had reason to think, were he present, he would not deny them him, any more than he himself would grudge the like courtesy, and therefore it was no theft to take them. 4. It used them to hospitality, and teaches us to be ready to distribute, willing to communicate, and not to think every thing lost that is given away. Yet, lastly, It forbids us to abuse the kindness of our friends, and to take the advantage of fair concessions to make unreasonable encroachments: we must not draw an ell from those that give but an inch; they may eat of their neighbour's grapes: but it does not therefore follow that they may carry away. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXIV. V. 1-4. This is that permission which the Pharisees erroneously referred to as a precept, Matt. 19. 7, Moses commanded to give a writing of divorcement; it was not so; our Saviour told them that he only suffered it because of the hardness of their hearts, lest if they had not had liberty to divorce their wives, they should have ruled them with rigour, and, it may be, have been the death of them. It is probable that divorces were in use before, they are taken for granted, Lev. 21. 14, and Moses thought it needful here to give some rules concerning them. 1. That a man might not divorce his wife, unless he found some uncleanness in her, v. 1. It was not sufficient to say that he did not like her, or that he liked another better, but he must show cause for his dislike; something that made her disagreeable and unpleasant to him, though it might not make her so to another. This uncleanness must mean something less than adultery; for, for that she was to die; and less than the suspicion of it, for in that case he might give her the waters of jealousy; but it means either a light carriage, or a cross froward disposition, or some loathsome sore or disease; nay, some of the Jewish writers suppose that an offensive breath might be a just ground for divorce. Whatever is meant by it, doubtless, it was something considerable; so that their modern doctors erred, who allowed divorce for every cause, though never so trivial, Matt. 19. 3. as defiled, though not as to another person. The Jewish writers say that this was to prevent a most vile and wicked practice which the Egyptians had, of changing wives; or perhaps it was intended to prevent men's rashness in putting away their wives; for the wife that was divorced, would be apt in revenge to marry another immediately, and perhaps the husband that divorced her, how much soever he thought to mend himself by another choice, would find the next worse, and something in her more disagreeable; so that he would wish for his first wife again. "No," (says this law,) "you shall not have her, you should have kept her when you had her." Note, It is best to be content with such things as we have, since changes made by discontent often prove for the worse. The uneasiness we know is commonly better, though we are apt to think it worse, than that which we do not know. By the strictness of this law, God illustrates the riches of his grace in his willingness to be reconciled to his people that had gone a whoring from him, Jer. 3. 1, Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me; for his thoughts and ways are above ours. V. 5-13. Here is, I. Provision made for the preservation and confirmation of love between new-married people, v. 5. This fitly follows upon the laws concerning divorce, which would be prevented if their affection to each other were well settled at first. If the husband were much abroad from his wife the first year, his love to her would be in danger of cooling, and of being drawn aside to others whom he would meet with abroad: therefore his service to his country in war, embassies, or other public business that would call him from home, shall be dispensed with, that he may cheer up the wife which he has taken. Note, 1. It is of great consequence that love be kept up between husband and wife, and that every thing be very carefully avoided, which might make them strange one to another, especially at first; for in that relation, where there is not the love that should be, there is an inlet ready to abundance of guilt and grief. 2. One of the duties of that relation, is, to cheer up one another, under the cares and crosses that happen, as helpers of each other's joy; for a cheerful heart does good like a medicine. II. A law against man-stealing, v. 7. It was not death by the law of Moses to steal cattle or goods, but to steal a child, or a weak and simple man, or one that a man had in his power, and to make merchandise of him, this was a capital crime, and could not be expiated, as other thefts, by restitution; so much is a man better than a sheep, Matt. 12. 12. It was a very heinous offence, for, 1. It was robbing the public of one of its members. 2. It was taking away a man's liberty, the liberty of a free-born Israelite, which was next in value to his life. 3. It was driving a man out from the inheritance of the land, to the privileges of which he was entitled, and bidding him go 11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom | stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take the widow's thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto raiment to pledge: thee. 12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: 13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless 'thee: and it shall be "righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God. 14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor and *setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry "against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee. 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin. 17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the k Ex. 22. 26, 27. I Job 29. 11-13. 31. 19, 20. 2 Cor. 9. 13, 14. m Gen. 15.6. Ps. 106. 31. 112. 9. Dan. 1. 27. Jam. 2. 15-23. lifteth his soul unto it. Ps. 25. 1. 86. 4. n Jam. 5. 4. serve other gods, as David complains against Saul, 1 Sam. 26. 19. III. A memorandum concerning the leprosy, v.8,9. 1. The laws concerning it must be carefully observed. The laws concerning it we had, Lev. 13. 14. They are here said to be commanded to the priests and Levites, and therefore are not repeated in a discourse to the people; but the people are here charged, in case of leprosy, to apply themselves to the priest according to the law, and to abide by his judgment, so far as it agreed with the law, and the plain matter of fact. The plague of leprosy being usually a particular mark of God's displeasure for sin; he in whom the signs of it did appear, ought not to conceal it, or cut out the signs of it, or apply himself to the physician for relief; but he must go to the priest, and follow his directions. Thus they that feel their consciences under guilt and wrath, must not cover it, or endeavour to shake off their convictions, but by repentance, and prayer, and humble confession, take the appointed way to peace and pardon. 2. The particular case of Miriam, who was smitten with leprosy for quarrelling with Moses, must not be forgotten. It was an explication of the law concerning the leprosy. Remember that, and, (1.) "Take heed of sinning after the similitude of her transgression, by despising dominions, and speaking evil of dignities, lest you thereby bring upon yourselves the same judgment." (2.) "If any of you be smitten with a leprosy, expect not that the law should be dispensed with, nor think it hard to be shut out of the camp, and so made a spectacle; there is no remedy; Miriam herself, though a prophetess, and the sister of Moses, was not exempted, but was forced to submit to this severe discipline, when she was under this divine rebuke." Thus David, Hezekiah, Peter, and other great men, when they had sinned, humbled themselves, and took to themselves the shame and grief; let us not expect to be reconciled upon easier terms. IV. Some necessary orders given about pledges or pawns for the security of money lent. They are not forbidden to take such securities as would save the lender from loss, and oblige the borrower to be honest; but, 1. They must not take the millstone for a pledge, v. 6, for with that they ground the corn that was to be bread for their families; or if it were a public mill, with it the miller got his livelihood; and so it forbids the taking of any thing for a pledge, by the want of which a man was in danger of being undone. Consonant to this is the ancient common law of England, which provides, That no man be distrained of the utensils or instruments of his trade or profession, as the axe of a carpenter, or the books of a scholar, or beasts belonging to the plough, as long as there are other beasts, of which distress may be made. (Coke, 1 Inst. fol. 47.) This teaches us to consult the comfort and subsistence of others as much as our own advantage. That creditor who cares not though his debtor and his family starve, nor is at all concerned what becomes of them, so he may but get his money or secure it, goes contrary not only to the law of Christ, but even to the law of Moses too. 2. They must not go into the borrower's house to fetch the pledge, but must stand without, and he must bring it, v. 10, 11. The borrower (says Solomon) is servant to the lender; therefore lest the lender should abuse the advantage he has against him, and improve it for his own interest, it is provided that he take not what he pleases, but what the borrower can best spare. A man's house is his castle, even the poor man's house is so, and is here taken under the protection of the law. 3. That a poor man's bed-clothes should never be taken for a pledge, v. 12, 13. This we had before, Ex. 22. 26, 27. If they were taken in the morning, they must be brought back again at night, which is in effect to say that they must not be taken at all. "Let the poor debtor sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee," that is, "pray for thee, and praise God for thy kindness to him. Note, Poor debtors ought to be sensible (more sensible than commonly they are) of the goodness of 18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing. 19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20 When thou beatest thine olive-tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22 And thou shalt remember that thou wasta bondman in the land of Egypt; therefore I command thee to do this thing. o 2 Kings 14. 5, 6. Jer. 31. 29, 30. Ez. 18. 20. p Prov. 22. 22, 23. Jer. 22. 3. Zech. 7. 10. Mal, 3. 5. Ex. 22. 22-27. g c. 16. 12. T Lev. 19. 9, 10. 23. 22. Ps. 41. 1. ↑ bough it after thee. after thee. s ver. 18. those creditors that do not take all the advantage of the law against them, and to repay their kindness by their prayers for them, when they are not in a capacity to repay it any other way. "Nay, thou shalt not only have the prayers and good wishes of thy poor brother, but it shall be righteousness to thee before the Lord thy God," that is, "It shall be accepted and rewarded as an act of mercy to thy brother, and obedience to thy God, and an evidence of thy sincere conformity to the law. Though it may be looked upon by men as an act of weakness, to deliver up the securities thou hast for thy debt, yet it shall be looked upon by thy God as an act of goodness, which shall in no wise lose its reward." V. 14-22. Here, Let I. Masters are commanded to be just to their poor servants, v. 14, 15. 1. They must not oppress them, either by overloading them with work, giving them undue and unreasonable rebukes, or withholding from them proper maintenance. A servant, though a stranger to the commonwealth of Israel, must not be abused, "For thou wast a bondman in the land where thou wast a stranger, v. 18, and thou knowest what a grievous thing it is to be oppressed by a task-master, and therefore, in tenderness to those that are servants and strangers, and in gratitude to that God who set thee at liberty, and settled thee in a country of thy own, Thou shalt not oppress a servant." not masters be tyrants to their servants, for their master is in heaven. See Job 31. 13. 2. They must be faithful and punctual in paying them their wages. "At his day thou shalt give him his hire, not only pay it him in full, without fraud, but pay it in time, without further delay. As soon as he has done his day's work, if he desire it, let him have his day's wages," as those labourers, Matt. 20. 8, when even was come. He that works by day-wages, is supposed to live from hand to mouth, and cannot have to-morrow's bread for his family, till he is paid for his day's labour. If the wages be withheld, (1.) It will be grief to the servant, for, poor man, he sets his heart upon it, or, as the word is, he lifts up his soul to it, he is earnestly desirous of it, as the reward of his work, Job 7. 2, and depends upon it as the gift of God's providence for the maintenance of his family. A compassionate master, though it should be somewhat inconvenient to himself, would not disappoint the expectation of a poor servant that is so fond to think of receiving his wages. But that is not the worst. (2.) It will be guilt to the master. "The injured servant will cry against thee to the Lord; since he has no one else to appeal to, he will lodge his appeal in the court of heaven, and it will be sin to thee." Or if he do not complain, the cause will speak for itself, the hire of the labourers which is kept back by fraud, will itself cry, Jam. 5. 4. It is a greater sin than most people think it is, and will be found so in the great day, to put hardships upon poor servants, labourers, and workmen that we employ. God will do them right if men do not. II. Magistrates and judges are commanded to be just in their administrations. 1. In those which we call Pleas of the Crown, a standing rule is here given, that the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children for the fathers, v. 16. If the children make themselves obnoxious to the law, let them suffer for it, but let not the parents suffer either for them or with them; it is grief enough to them to see their children suffer: if the parents be guilty, let them die for their own sin; but though God, the sovereign Lord of life, sometimes visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, especially the sin of idolatry, and when he deals with nations in their national capacity, yet he does not allow men to do so. Accordingly, we find Amaziah sparing the children, even then when the fathers were put to death for killing the king, 2 Kings 14. 6. It was in an extraordinary case, and no doubt by special direction from heaven, that Saul's sons were put to death for his offence, and they died rather as sacrifices than as malefactors, 2 Sam. 21. 9, 14. 2. In common pleas between party and party, great CHAPTER XXV. Here is, 1. A law to moderate the scourging of malefactors, v. 1-3. II. A law in favour of the ox that treads out the corn, v. 4. III. For the disgracing of him that refused to marry his brother's widow, v. 5-10. IV. For the punishment of an immodest woman, v. 11, 12. V. For just weights and measures, v. 13-16. VI. For the destroying of Ainalek, v. 17—19. there be a controversy "between men, and they 6 And it shall be, that the first-born which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, "that his name be not put out of Israel. 7 And if the man like not to take his brother's twife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother rehe will not perform the duty of my husband's brother: 8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; If judges may up them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. 2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. 3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile dunto thee. 4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he "treadeth out the corn. 5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's/brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her. a c. 19, 17. Ex. 44.24. b 2 Chr. 19. 8. Prov. 17. 15. e Matt. 10. 17, Luke 12. 48. 2 Cor. 11. 24. d Job 18. 3. e 1 Cor. 9. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 18. • thresheth. Hos. care must be taken that none whose cause was just, should fare the worse for their weakness, nor for their being destitute of friends, as strangers, fatherless, and widows, v. 17. "Thou shalt not pervert their judgment, nor force them to give their very raiment for a pledge, by defrauding them of their right." Judges must be advocates for those that cannot speak for themselves, and have no friends to speak for them. III. The rich are commanded to be kind and charitable to the poor. Many ways they are ordered to be so, by the law of Moses. The particular instance of charity here prescribed, is, that they should not be greedy in gathering in their corn, and grapes, and olives, so as to be afraid of leaving any behind them, but be willing to overlook some, and let the poor have the gleanings, v. 19-22. 1. "Say not, It is all my own, and why should not I have it! But learn a generous contempt of property in small matters. One sheaf or two forgotten, will make thee never the poorer at the year's end, and it will do somebody good, if thou have it not." 2. "Say not, What I give I will give, and know whom I give it to, why should I leave it to be gathered by I know not whom, that will never thank me? But trust God's providence with the disposal of thy charity, perhaps that will direct it to the most necessitous." Or, "Thou mayest reasonably think it will come to the hands of the most industrious, that are forward to seek and gather that which this law provides for them." 3. "Say not, What should the poor do with grapes and olives? It is enough for therm to have bread and water; for since they have the same senses that the rich have, why should not they have some little share of the delights of sense?" Boaz ordered handfuls of corn to be left on purpose for Ruth, and God blessed him. All that is left, is not lost. NOTES TO CHAPTER XXV. V. 1-4. Here is, · I. A direction to the judges in scourging malefactors, v. 1-3. 1. It is here supposed, that if a man be charged with a crime, the accuser and the accused (Actor and Reus) should be brought face to face before the judges, that the controversy may be determined. 2. If a man were accused of a crime, and the proof fell short, so that the charge could not be made out against him by the evidence, then he was to be acquitted, "Thou shalt justify the righteous," that is, "him that appears to the court to be so." If the accusation be proved, then the conviction of the accused is a justification of the accuser, as righteous in the prosecution. 3. If the accused were found guilty, judgment must be given against him, "Thou shalt condemn the wicked;" for to justify the wicked is as much an abomination to the Lord, as it is to condemn the righteous, Prov. 17. 15. 4. If the crime were not made capital by the law, then the criminal must be beaten. A great many precepts we have met with, which have not any particular penalty annexed to them, the violation of most of which, according to the constant practice of the Jews, was punished by scourging, from which no person's rank or quality did exempt him, if he were a delinquent, but with this proviso, that he should never be upbraided with it, nor should it be looked upon as leaving any mark of infamy or disgrace upon him. The directions here given for the scourging of criminals, are, (1.) That it be done solemnly; not tumultuously through the streets, but in open court, before the judge's face, and with so much deliberation as that the stripes might be numbered. The Jews say that while execution was in doing, the chief justice of the court read with a loud voice, Deut. 28. 58, 59, and 29. 9, and concluded with those words, Ps. 78. 38, But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity. Thus it was made a sort of religious act, and so much the more likely to reform the offender himself, and to be 9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house. 10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. 11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets; 12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her. 10. 11. tor, next kinsman. Gen. 38. 8, 9. Ruth 1. 12, 13. f Matt. 22. 24. g Gen. 38. 8. Ruth 4. 10, &c. or, next kinsman's. a warning to others. (2.) That it be done in proportion to the crime, according to his fault, that some crimes might appear, as they are, more heinous than others, the criminal being beaten with many stripes, to which, perhaps, there is an allusion, Luke 12. 47, 48. (3.) That how great soever the crime was, the number of stripes should never exceed forty, v. 3. Forty save one was the common usage, as appears, 2 Cor. 11. 24. It seems, they always gave Paul as many stripes as ever they gave to any malefactor whatsoever. They abated one, either for fear of having miscounted, (though one of the judges was appointed to number the stripes,) or, because they would never go to the utmost rigour, or, because the execution was usually done with a whip of three lashes, so that thirteen stripes (each one being counted for three) made up thirty-nine, but one more by that reckoning would have been forty-two. The reason given for this, is, lest thy brother should seem vile unto thee. He must still be looked upon as a brother, (2 Thes. 3. 15,) and his reputation as such was preserved by this merciful limitation of his punishment. It saves him from seeming vile to his brethren, when God himself by his law takes this care of him. Men must not be treated as dogs; nor must those seem vile in our sight, to whom, for aught we know, God may yet give grace, to make them precious in his sight. II. A charge to husbandmen not to hinder their cattle from eating when they were working, if meat were within their reach, v. 4. This instance of the beast that trod out the corn, (to which there is an allusion in that of the prophet, Hos. 10. 11,) is put for all similar instances. That which makes this law very remarkable above its fellows, (and which countenances the like application of other such laws,) is, that it is twice quoted in the New Testament, to show that it is the duty of the people to give their ministers a comfortable maintenance, 1 Cor. 9. 9, 10, and 1 Tim. 5. 17, 18. It teaches us in the letter of it to make much of the brute creatures that serve us, and to allow them not only the necessary supports for their life, but the advantages of their labour; and thus we must learn not only to be just, but kind, to all that are employed for our good, not only to maintain but to encourage them, especially those that labour among us in the word and doctrine, and so are employed for the good of our better part. V. 5-12. Here is, 1. The law settled concerning the marrying of a brother's widow. It appears from the story of Judah's family, that this had been an ancient usage, Gen. 38. 8, for the keeping up of distinct families. The case put, is a case that often happens, of a man's dying without issue, it may be in the prime of his time, soon after his marriage, and while his brethren were yet so young as to be unmarried. Now in this case, 1. The widow was not to marry again into any other family, unless all the relations of her husband did refuse her, that the estate she was endowed with might not be alienated. 2. The husband's brother, or next of kin, must marry her, partly out of respect to her, who, having forgotten her own people and her father's house, should have all possible kindness showed her by the family into which she was married; and partly out of respect to the deceased husband, that though he was dead and gone, he might not be forgotten, nor lost out of the genealogies of his tribe; for the first-born child, which the brother or next kinsman should have by the widow, should be denominated from him that was dead, and entered in the genealogy as his child, v. 5, 6. Under that dispensation we have reason to think men had not so clear and certain a prospect of living themselves on the other side death, as we have now, to whom life and immortality are brought to light by the Gospel; and therefore they could not but be the more desirous to live in their posterity, which innocent desire was in some measure gratified by this law, an expedient |