_A.M. 2514. B.C. 1490._ The murmuring of the people against Moses and Aaron, Numbers 14:1. Who endeavour in vain to still them, Numbers 14:5. God's threatening utterly to destroy them, Numbers 14:11; Numbers 14:12. The intercession of Moses, Numbers 14:13. The decree that all that generation should... [ Continue Reading ]
_Against Moses and Aaron_ As the instruments and causes of their present calamity. _That we had died in the wilderness_ It was not long till they had their desire, and did die in the wilderness. _Wherefore hath the Lord brought us_, &c. From instruments they rise higher, and not only vent their pass... [ Continue Reading ]
_A captain_ Instead of Moses, one who will be more faithful to our interest than he. Nehemiah tells us they actually appointed them a captain. _Into Egypt_ Stupendous madness, insolence, and ingratitude! Had not God both delivered them from Egypt by a train of unparalleled wonders, and followed them... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fell on their faces_ As humble and earnest supplicants to God, the only refuge to which Moses resorted in all such straits, and who alone was able to govern this stiff-necked people. _Before all the assembly_ That they might awake to apprehend their sin and danger, when they saw Moses at his prayer... [ Continue Reading ]
_Rent their clothes_ To testify their hearty grief for the people's blasphemy against God and sedition against Moses, and that dreadful judgment which they easily foresaw this must bring upon the congregation.... [ Continue Reading ]
_If the Lord delight in us_ If by our rebellion and ingratitude we do not provoke God to leave and forsake us. _They are bread for us_ We shall destroy them as easily as we eat our bread. _Their defence_ Their conduct and courage, and especially God, who was pleased to afford them his protection, ti... [ Continue Reading ]
_The glory of the Lord appeared_ Now, in the extremity of danger, to rescue his faithful servants, and to stop the rage of the people. _ In the tabernacle_ Upon or above the tabernacle, where the cloud usually resided, in which the glory of God appeared now in a more illustrious manner. When they r... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will smite them_ This was not an absolute determination, but a commination, like that of Nineveh's destruction, with a condition implied, except there be speedy repentance, or powerful intercession.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Not able_ His power was quite spent in bringing them out of Egypt, and could not finish the work he had begun and had sworn to do. _Let the power of my Lord be great_ That is, appear to be great; discover its greatness; namely, the power of his grace and mercy, or the _greatness of his mercy_, in p... [ Continue Reading ]
_By no means clearing the guilty_ These words may seem to be improperly mentioned, as being a powerful argument to move God to destroy this wicked people, and not to pardon them. But Moses uses these and the preceding words together, because he would not sever what God had put together; and to show... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have pardoned_ So far as not utterly to destroy them. _With the glory of the Lord_ With the report of the glorious and righteous acts of God in punishing this rebellious people. _My glory_ That is, my glorious appearances in the cloud, and in the tabernacle. _Ten times_ That is, many times. A cer... [ Continue Reading ]
_Caleb_ Joshua is not named, because he was not now among the people, but a constant attendant upon Moses; nor was he to be reckoned as of them, any more than Moses and Aaron were, because he was to be their chief commander. _He had another spirit_ Was a man of another temper, faithful and courageou... [ Continue Reading ]
Numbers 14:25. _In the valley_ Beyond the mountain, at the foot whereof they now were, Numbers 14:40. And this clause is added, either, 1st, As an aggravation of Israel's misery and punishment, that being now ready to enter and take possession of the land, they are forced to go back into the wildern... [ Continue Reading ]
_As ye have spoken_ When you wickedly wished you might die in the wilderness. _To make you dwell_ That is, your nation; for God did not swear to do so to these particular persons.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Your carcasses_ See with what contempt they are spoken of, now they had by their sin _made themselves vile!_ The mighty men of valour were but carcasses, now the Spirit of the Lord was departed from them! It was very probably upon this occasion that Moses wrote the ninetieth Psalm.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall wander in the wilderness_ Hebrew, יהיו רעים, _Jehju rognim, shall feed_, shall seek their food from place to place, after the manner of the Arabian shepherds, that were forced to remove their tents from one place to another, that they might find pasture for their flocks. _Forty years_ Reckoni... [ Continue Reading ]
_Each day for a year_ So there should have been forty years to come, but God was pleased mercifully to accept of the time past as a part of that time. _Ye shall know my breach of promise_ That as you have first broken the covenant between you and me, by breaking the conditions of it, so I will make... [ Continue Reading ]
_By the plague_ Either by the pestilence, or by some other sudden and extraordinary judgment, sent from the cloud in which God dwelt, and from whence he spake to Moses, and wherein his glory at this time appeared before all the people, (Numbers 14:10,) who therefore were all, and these spies among t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the people mourned greatly_ But it was now too late. There was now no place for repentance. Such mourning as this there is in hell; but the tears will not quench the flames. _Gat them up_ Designed or prepared themselves to go up.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Canaanites_ Largely so called, but strictly the Amorites. _Hormah_ A place so called afterward, (Numbers 21:3,) from the slaughter or destruction of the Israelites at this time.... [ Continue Reading ]