_A.M. 2513. B.C. 1491._ This chapter concludes the acts that passed in the first session (if it may be so called) upon mount Sinai. Here are, (1,) Some laws of universal obligation, relating especially to the ninth commandment, against bearing false witness, Exodus 23:1, and giving false judgment,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not raise_ Or, _receive_, as the margin reads it, and as the Hebrew תשׂא _, tissa_, also signifies, or, _give credit to a false report._ 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. So... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not follow a multitude_ Either their counsel or their example; _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... [ Continue Reading ]
_Neither shalt thou countenance_ Hebrew, _honour or favour; a poor man in his cause._ Thus we are properly cautioned against an opposite error which we may be also in danger of falling into, that of respecting the poor man's cause, out of pity and compassion, when the cause of the richer man is more... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt surely bring it back to him_ So far shalt thou be from revenging his injuries, that thou shalt render good to him for them, whereby if thou dost not reconcile him, thou wilt at least procure peace to thyself, and an honour to religion.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And wouldest forbear to help him_ The duty inculcated in this verse is inculcated also Deuteronomy 22:4, although not in the same words in the original. And the intention of both verses is plain, but the marginal reading here shows that there is some difficulty in the Hebrew text in this place. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor_ As a judge should beware, lest through motives of compassion, or an affectation of popularity, he be biassed in favour of the poor; so, on the other hand, he must not despise a man because he is poor and without friends: he must not take advantage of h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Keep thee far from a false matter_ From assisting or abetting all ill thing. Yea, keep thee _far_ from it, dread it as a dangerous snare. I will not _just_ i _fy the wicked_ That is, I will condemn him that unjustly condemns others.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt take no gift_ From those whose causes are depending before thee; because, if thou dost not sell justice for it, thou wilt both seem and be tempted to do so. _The gift blindeth the wise_ Bribes and interest cast a mist before the eyes, and bias the judgment and affections even of those wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not oppress the stranger_ Though aliens might not inherit lands among them; yet, they must have justice done them. It is 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 p... [ Continue Reading ]
The institution of the sabbatical year was designed, 1st, To show 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... [ Continue Reading ]
_The seventh day thou shalt rest_ This command is here repeated lest any should think the weekly rest might cease when the whole year was consecrated to rest. There were three sorts of sabbaths to the Jews, 1st, Of days: 2d, Of years, namely, the seventh year: 3d, Of weeks of years, namely, the jubi... [ Continue Reading ]
_In all things 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. Partic... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
_All thy males_ All that were of competent years, and health, and strength, and at their own disposal. It is probable, servants were exempt: for none was to appear without an offering: but most of these had nothing to offer.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk_ It is remarkable that this command, extraordinary as it is, is repeated Exodus 34:26, and Deuteronomy 14:21, and that, as here, in connection with the offering of the first-fruits. Hence it has been conjectured that it has a reference to the payment... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 Angel should _keep them in the way_, though it lay through a wilderness first, and afterward through their enemies' country; a... [ Continue Reading ]
_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... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will send my fear before thee_ And they that _fear_ will soon _flee:_ I will strike a terror into the inhabitants of Canaan, which shall facilitate the conquest of them, Joel 2:9. _I will send hornets before thee_ Thus Joshua observes, (Joshua 24:12,) that the Amorites were driven out, not by the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lest the land be desolate_ The Israelites were not numerous enough to people all the land immediately. Providence had likewise another end in view in suffering some of the Canaanites to remain in the land: _they were to prove Israel_, and show _whether they would hearken unto the commandment of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou shalt make no covenant with them_ Thou shalt give no toleration to idol-worship, nor suffer it to be introduced into thy territories. Thou shalt make no league with them, either civil or religious. _They shall not dwell in thy land_ Unless they renounce their idolatry, which is plainly underst... [ Continue Reading ]