And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, Ver. 1. _Unto Moses and to Aaron._] Magistrate and minister must jointly see that God's laws be duly executed. Queen Elizabeth once in her progress visiting the county of Suffolk, all the justices of peace in that county met her majesty;... [ Continue Reading ]
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These [are] the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that [are] on the earth. Ver. 2. _These are the beasts which ye shall eat._] These, and these only; (1.) That ye may be at mine appointment for your very meat, as who am chief Lord of all; (2.)... [ Continue Reading ]
Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. Ver. 3. _Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and cheweth the cud._] To teach them to think upon God's commandments to do them, Psa 103:18 cleansing themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spir... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: [as] the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you. Ver. 4. _The camel._] The foolish Jews when they saw Mohammed arising in such power, were immediately read... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you._ Ver. 5. _And the coney._] Which hath his name in Hebrew from hiding himself in holes. A weak, but a wise creature. Pro 30:26 And wisdom is better than strength. Ecc 9:15 The hare that trusts to the swi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he [is] unclean unto you. Ver. 6. _Because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not._] Meditation must end in practice: as lessons of music must be practised, and a copy not read only, but written after.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you. Ver. 7. _And the swine._] _Anima sui data pro sale, ne carnes putrescant,_ said Cleanthes. The swine hath his soul for salt only; so hath the drunkard.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they [are] unclean to you. Ver. 8. _Of their flesh shall ye not eat._] Not above the quantity of an olive, say the Jew doctors, who will needs be mending _magnificat,_ adding to the law.... [ Continue Reading ]
These shall ye eat of all that [are] in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. Ver. 9. _Whatsoever hath fins and scales._] The fins of the fish are for steering of their motion, the scales for smoothness of passage, for safeguar... [ Continue Reading ]
_And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which [is] in the waters, they [shall be] an abomination unto you:_ Ver. 10. _Of all that move in the waters._] And yet swim also in the air. Like to these is the temporary... [ Continue Reading ]
They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination. Ver. 11. _They shall be even an abomination._] To teach us, that nothing is lawful, no not for our common use, unless it be "sanctified by the word of God and prayer." 1 Tim... [ Continue Reading ]
Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that [shall be] an abomination unto you. Ver. 12. _Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales._] These are little in motion or action, and so not so wholesome as eels and lampreys, that lie lazily in the mud.... [ Continue Reading ]
And these [are they which] ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they [are] an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, Ver. 13. _The eagle._] Which yet is counted and called the king of birds, and delights in high flying. That which is highly "est... [ Continue Reading ]
And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; Ver. 14. _And the vulture, and the kite._] That feed upon carrion and dead carcasses, and are emblems of greedy gripers and oppressors.... [ Continue Reading ]
Every raven after his kind; Ver. 15. _Every raven._] Unnatural to his young, whom God himself heareth and feedeth, Psa 147:9 though they cry with a harsh note, and cry to God by implication only; and though the raven be an inauspicate bird, and a sign both of man's punishment and God's curse. Isa 3... [ Continue Reading ]
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, Ver. 16. _And the owl, and the night hawk._] Night birds that hate the light, or fly against it, as bats do, are an abomination. Deeds of darkness are out of date, now in the days of the gospel especially. Rom 13:12-13... [ Continue Reading ]
And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, Ver. 17. _And the cormorant._] An unsatisfiable bird, that fitly resembleth the devil, who daily devours souls, and yet enlargeth his desires as hell.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, Ver. 18. _And the swan._] Whose white feathers, but black skin under them, might serve to set forth the hatefulness of hypocrisy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. Ver. 19. _And the stork._] Which builds high, Psa 104:17 but feeds low on fishes, frogs, and snakes; and so might be the rather rejected as unfit for food. _ And the lapwing._] Which is worthily made a hieroglyphic of infelicit... [ Continue Reading ]
_All fowls that creep, going upon [all] four, [shall be] an abomination unto you._ Ver. 20. _All fowls that creep._] So all mongrels in religion, that, like the planet Mercury, can he good in conjunction with good, and bad with bad; that have _religionem ephemeram, fidem menstruam._ _a_ a Hilar.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon [all] four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; Ver. 21. _Which have legs above their feet,_] _i.e., _ Which have the hinder feet longer, whereby they may leap. Whereas those that have all four feet equ... [ Continue Reading ]
Leviticus 11:22 [Even] these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. Ver. 22. _The locust, &c._] All creeping fowls that go upon all four might not be beaten, except _Arbe, Soleam, Chargol,... [ Continue Reading ]
But all [other] flying creeping things, which have four feet, [shall be] an abomination unto you. Ver. 23. _Which have four feet._] See on Leviticus 11:21 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even. Ver. 24. _Whosoever toucheth the carcass._] This and the like signified that all, even the least sins, are to be purged through Christ, and carefully cast away.... [ Continue Reading ]
And whosoever beareth [ought] of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. Ver. 25. _Beareth aught, &c._] In his clothes, though he do not touch them with his flesh. _ Shall wash his clothes._] This was a type of the defiling property of sin: as also of our cleansi... [ Continue Reading ]
Leviticus 11:26 [The carcases] of every beast which divideth the hoof, and [is] not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, [are] unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. Ver. 26. _Not cloven footed._] See on Leviticus 11:5 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on [all] four, those [are] unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. Ver. 27. _Paws._] As wolves, lions, bears, dogs, cats, apes, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they [are] unclean unto you. Ver. 28. _Shall wash his clothes._] As having committed a greater sin than he that toucheth a carcass only. All sin defileth not alike.... [ Continue Reading ]
These also [shall be] unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, Ver. 29. _And the tortoise._] Which hath its name in Hebrew of a coach or wagon. The thick shell wherewith it is covered is said to be so hard, tha... [ Continue Reading ]
And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole. Ver. 30. _The chameleon._] A very fearful creature, and therefore easily turning himself into sundry colours. Carnal fear puts men upon unwarrantable shifts. See Zephaniah 3:13 .... [ Continue Reading ]
These [are] unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even. Ver. 31. _Touch them, when they be dead._] There is no kind of living creature that is defiled while it is alive, or that defileth while it is alive, save man only, saith... [ Continue Reading ]
And upon whatsoever [any] of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether [it be] any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel [it be], wherein [any] work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.... [ Continue Reading ]
And every earthen vessel, whereinto [any] of them falleth, whatsoever [is] in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it. Ver. 33. _Ye shall break it._] So shall reprobates be broken in pieces, like a potter's vessel. Psa 2:9 _,_ Jer 9:11... [ Continue Reading ]
Of all meat which may be eaten, [that] on which [such] water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every [such] vessel shall be unclean. Ver. 34. _Such water._] Coming out of such an unclean place, or vessel.... [ Continue Reading ]
And every [thing] whereupon [any part] of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; [whether it be] oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: [for] they [are] unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. Ver. 35. _Whether it be oven, or ranges for pots._] All this, to teach them how strict they... [ Continue Reading ]
Nevertheless a fountain or pit, [wherein there is] plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean. Ver. 36. _Nevertheless a fountain._] Because it would cleanse itself, and work out the uncleanness. So will faith.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if [any part] of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it [shall be] clean. Ver. 37. _It shall be clean._] Because of necessity.... [ Continue Reading ]
But if [any] water be put upon the seed, and [any part] of their carcase fall thereon, it [shall be] unclean unto you. Ver. 38. _It shall be unclean._] And therefore not to be eaten, but given to beasts.... [ Continue Reading ]
And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even. Ver. 39. _Of which ye may._] Compare Psalms 49:12, _pecoribus morticinis._ - Tremel.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. Ver. 40. _Shall wash his clothes._] To teach them to "hate even the garment spotted by the flesh," Jdg 1:23 al... [ Continue Reading ]
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth [shall be] an abomination; it shall not be eaten. Ver. 41,42. _And every creeping thing._] Whether it goeth upon the belly, as snakes, worms; or crawls upon all fours, as toads, scorpions; or hath any feet to creep withal, as caterpillars, _Mill... [ Continue Reading ]
Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon [all] four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they [are] an abomination. Ver. 42. _See Trapp on "_ Lev 11:41 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. Ver. 43. _Ye shall not make yourselves._] Heb., Your souls. See on Leviticus 11:32 .... [ Continue Reading ]
For I [am] the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I [am] holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Ver. 44. _Ye shall be holy; for I am holy._] Great men look to be served like themselves: s... [ Continue Reading ]
For I [am] the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I [am] holy. Ver. 45. _That bringeth you up._] This is often inculcated. God's blessings are binders; and every new deliverance calls for new obedience.... [ Continue Reading ]
This [is] the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: Ver. 46. _This is the law of the beasts._] Grounded upon right reason, however it may seem otherwise, as is also every other law of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten. Ver. 47. _To make a difference._] Ministers also in their discourses should put a difference, and take out "the precious from the vile," Jer 15:19 as did Zuinglius; w... [ Continue Reading ]