Leviticus 19:2
Be ye holy — Separated from all the forementioned defilements, and entirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his laws. I am holy — Both in my essence, and in all my laws, which are holy and just and good.... [ Continue Reading ]
Be ye holy — Separated from all the forementioned defilements, and entirely consecrated to God and obedient to all his laws. I am holy — Both in my essence, and in all my laws, which are holy and just and good.... [ Continue Reading ]
His mother — The mother is put first, partly because the practice of this duty begins there, mothers, by perpetual converse, being sooner known to their children than their fathers; and partly because this duty is commonly neglected to the mother, upon whom children have not so much dependence as th... [ Continue Reading ]
Idols — The word signifies such as are no Gods, or nothings, as they are called, 1 Corinthians 8:4, many idols having no being, but in the fancy of their worshippers, and all of them having no virtue or power to do good or evil, Isaiah 41:23.... [ Continue Reading ]
At your own will — Or, according to your own pleasure, what you think fit: For though this in general was required, yet it was left to their choice to determine the particulars.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the morrow — He speaks here of that sort of peace — offerings, which were offered either by vow or freely for the obtaining of some mercy, for the other sort, which was by way of gratitude for mercies received, were to be eaten the same day.... [ Continue Reading ]
I am the Lord your God — Who gave you all these things with a reservation of my right in them, and with a charge of giving part of them to the poor.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye shall not swear falsely — This is added, to shew how one sin draws on another, and that when men will lye for their own advantage, they will easily be induced to perjury. Profane the name — By any unholy use of it. So it is an additional precept, thou shalt not abuse my holy name by swearing eith... [ Continue Reading ]
Before the blind — To make them fall. Under these two particulars are manifestly forbidden all injuries done to such as are unable to right or defend themselves; of whom God here takes the more care, because they are not able to secure themselves. Fear thy God — Who both can and will avenge them.... [ Continue Reading ]
The poor — So as through pity to him to give an unrighteous sentence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Stand against the blood — In judgment as a false accuser or false witness, for accusers and witnesses use to stand, whilst the judges sit in courts of judicature.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt not hate — As thou dost, in effect, if thou dost not rebuke him. Thy brother — The same as thy neighbour, that is, every man. If thy brother hath done wrong, thou shalt neither divulge it to others, nor hate him, and smother that hatred by sullen silence; nor flatter him therein, but shal... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy neighbour — Every man, as plainly appears, By comparing this place with Leviticus 19:34, where this law is applied to strangers. Because the word neighbour is explained by another man, Leviticus 20:10; Romans 13:8. As thyself — With the same sincerity, though not equality of affection.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender — This was prohibited, partly to restrain the curiosity and boldness of men, who might attempt to amend or change the works of God, partly that by the restraint here laid even upon brute — creatures men might be taught to abhor all unnatural lusts, partly to teac... [ Continue Reading ]
She shall be scourged — Heb. There shall be a scourging, which probably may belong to both of them, for Both were guilty. It follows, they shall not be punished with death, which may seem to imply that they were to be punished by some other common and considerable punishment, which scourging indeed... [ Continue Reading ]
As uncircumcised — That is, As unclean, not to be eaten but cast away. This precept was serviceable, To the trees themselves, which grew the better and faster, being early stript of those fruits, which otherwise would have drawn away much more of the strength from the tree. To men, both because the... [ Continue Reading ]
Holy — Consecrated to the Lord, as the first — fruits and tithes were, and therefore given to the priests and Levites, Numbers 18:12; Deuteronomy 18:4 yet so that part of them were communicated to the poor widows and fatherless and strangers. See Deuteronomy 14:28. To bless the Lord, by whose power... [ Continue Reading ]
That it may yield the increase — That God may be pleased to give his blessing, which alone can make them fruitful.... [ Continue Reading ]
Any thing with the blood — Any flesh out of which the blood is poured. Neither shall ye use enchantments — It was unpardonable in them, to whom were committed the oracles of God, to ask counsel of the devil. And yet worse in Christians, to whom the son of God is manifested, to destroy the works of t... [ Continue Reading ]
The corners of your heads — That is your temples, ye shall not cut off the hair of your heads round about your temples. This the Gentiles did, either for the worship of their idols, to whom young men used to consecrate their hair, being cut off from their heads, as Homer, Plutarch and many others wr... [ Continue Reading ]
Cuttings in your flesh — Which the Gentiles commonly did both in the worship of their idols, and in their solemn mournings, Jeremiah 16:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
Do not prostitute — As the Gentiles frequently did for the honour of some of their idols, to whom women were consecrated, and publickly prostituted.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wizards — Them that have entered into covenant with the devil, by whose help they foretel many things to come, and acquaint men with secret things. See Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:11; 1 Samuel 28:3, 1 Samuel 28:7, 1 Samuel 28:9; 2 Kings 21:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
Rise up — To do them reverence when they pass by, for which end they were obliged, as the Jews say, presently to sit down again when they were past, that it might be manifest they arose out of respect to them. Fear thy God — This respect is due to such, if not for themselves, yet for God's sake, who... [ Continue Reading ]
Vex him — Either with opprobrious expressions, or grievous exactions.... [ Continue Reading ]
As one born among you — Either 1, as to the matters of common right, so it reacheth to all strangers. Or 2, as to church — privileges, so it concerns only those who were proselytes. Ye were strangers — And therefore are sensible of the fears, distresses, and miseries of such, which call for your p... [ Continue Reading ]
In mete — yard — In the measuring of lands, or dry things, as cloth, ribband. In measure — In the measuring liquid or such dry things as are only contigious, as corn or wine.... [ Continue Reading ]
A just ephah and a just hin — These two two measures are named as most common, the former for dry, the latter for moist things, but under them he manifestly comprehends all other measures.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore — Because my blessings and deliverances are not indulgences to sin, but greater obligations to all duties to God and men.... [ Continue Reading ]