Numbers 10:35

_AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE ARK SET FORWARD, THAT MOSES SAID, RISE UP, LORD, AND LET THINE ENEMIES BE SCATTERED; AND LET THEM THAT HATE THEE FLEE BEFORE THEE._ When the ark set forward, that Moses said. Moses, as the organ of the people, uttered an appropriate prayer both at the commencement and the end of each journey. Thus, all the journeys were sanctified by devotion; but it is in a poetical form, and was probably the initial words of a hymn or sacred song chorussed by the people on these occasions. It was imitated by David. Psalms 68:1. Modern criticism asserts that the psalm was the original whence the words in this passage of Numbers was borrowed, 'Lord' being changed into 'God' (Ewald, also Hupfeld, quoted by Arnold, 'English Biblical Criticism and the Pentateuch,' p. 53). But for this assertion there is no reason, except what arises from the theory of the late comp

35._And it came to pass, when the ark set forward. _Since their journey was by no means a peaceful one, but the attack of enemies was constantly to be dreaded, it was needful to beseech God that He would go forth as if prepared for battle. Thus, too, did Moses support their courage, lest any more immediate cause for terror should render them sluggish and inert. It is, then, as if he had prayed thus: O Lord, not only show us the way, but open it to us also by the power of thy hand in the destruction of the enemies. He calls them not the enemies of _the people _but of _God, _in order that the Israelites might be assured that they fought under His auspices; for thus might both a more certain victory be expected, since the righteous God, who avenges iniquity, was defending His own cause; and also, it was no slight matter of consolation and rejoicing, when the people heard, that whosoever sho...

33-36 Their going out and coming in, gives an example to us to begin and end every day's journey and every day's work with prayer. Here is Moses's prayer when the ark set forward, "Rise up, and let thine enemies be scattered." There are those in the world who are enemies to God and haters of him; secret and open enemies; enemies to his truths, his laws, his ordinances, his people. But for the scattering and defeating of God's enemies, there needs no more than God's arising. Observe also the prayer of Moses when the ark rested, that God would cause his people to rest. The welfare and happiness of the Israel of God, consist in the continual presence of God among them. Their safety is not in their numbers, but in the favour of God, and his gracious return to them, and resting with them. Upon this account, Happy art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people! God will go before them, t...

Verse Numbers 10:35. _RISE UP, LORD, AND LET THINE ENEMIES BE SCATTERED_] If God did not arise in this way and scatter his enemies, there could be no hope that Israel could get safely through the wilderness. God must go first, if Israel would wish to follow in safety....

Each forward movement and each rest of the ark was made to bear a sacramental character. The one betokened the going forth of God against His enemies; the other, His gathering of His own people to Himself: the one was the pledge of victory, the other the earnest of repose. Numbers 10:36 may be translated: “Restore” (i. e. to the land which their fathers sojourned in), “O Lord, the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel.” (Compare Psalms 85:4, where the verb in the Hebrew is the same.)...

EXPOSITION THE ACTUAL DEPARTURE FROM SINAI (Numbers 10:33-4). NUMBERS 10:33 AND THEY DEPARTED. These words mark the moment of actual departure, which has been anticipated in the general statement of Numbers 10:12. It was one of the supreme moments in the life of Israel—one of those beginnings or "departures" which lead to untold gain or loss; it was, in fact, although they knew it not, the commencement of a march which for almost all of them should know no end except within a hasty grave. No doubt, during the months spent at Sinai, _every _preparat

AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE ARK SET FORWARD,.... Carried by the Kohathites, Numbers 10:21; THAT MOSES SAID; in prayer, as both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem express it; and it was a prayer of faith, and prophetic of what would be done, and might serve greatly to encourage and animate the children of Israel in their journeys; for the following prayer was put up not only at this time, but at all times when the ark set forward; and so Ben Gersom says, it was the custom of Moses, at whatsoever time the ark was moved, to pray as follows: RISE UP, LORD, AND LET THINE ENEMIES BE SCATTERED; the Jerusalem Targum is, "rise up now, O Word of the Lord;'' and the Targum of Jonathan, "be revealed now, O Word of the Lord;'' the essential Word of God, the Messiah, to whom these words may be applied; either

NUMBERS 10:33 (JE). THE MOVEMENTS OF THE ARK. Here the Ark is not regarded as carried in the middle of the column (as in Numbers 10:21), but as preceding it (_cf._ Psalms 68:7). The address to it assumes that it was the seat or symbol of Yahweh, and the particular expressions used are more appropriate to a time after the settlement in Canaan, when the Ark accompanied the Israelite armies to war (1 Samuel 4:3; 2 Samuel 11:11), than to the period spent in the wilderness....

(NUMBERS 10:35) These two verses are marked Hebrew Manuscripts by "inverted _Nuns",_ i.e. the Hebrew letter (n) inverted and used as brackets, to show that Numbers 10:35 and Numbers 10:36 are thus enclosed to show that Numbers 10:34 should follow Numbers 10:36. This is shown by the Structure: 33. The setting forth of the ark. 35. "Rise up,. Jehovah" Words 36. "Return,. Jehovah" Spoken. 34. The setting forth of the cloud. There are eight of these inverted _nuns._ See notes on...

DISCOURSE: 149 MOSES’ PRAYER AT THE REMOVAL AND RESTING OF THE ARK Numbers 10:35. _And it came to past, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee. And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel._ PATRIOTISM, according to the general acceptation of the term, consists in such a partial regard for our native land, as would advance the interests of one’s own country at the expense of all others, and trample upon the most sacred rights of justice for the attainment of its ends. In this view, it is no better than a specious cloak for cruelty and oppression: but, when freed from selfishness and injustice, it is a good principle, and nearly allied to religion itself. Such was the patriotism of Moses: he wished well to his own country, and sought to