Chapter 25:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Leviticus Deuteronomy
Numbers 25
The sin of Israel, ver. 1-3. Their punishment, ver. 4, 5. The
zeal of Phinehas, with the promise annext to it, ver. 6-15. The
command to slay the Midianites, ver. 16-18.
Verse 1. Shittim - And this was their last station, from whence they
passed immediately into Canaan. This is noted as a great
aggravation of their sin, that they committed it, when God was
going to put them into the possession of their long-expected land.
The people - Many of them. Whoredom - Either because they
prostituted themselves to them upon condition of worshipping
their God: or because their filthy God was worshipped by such
filthy acts, as Priapus and Venus were. The daughters of Moab -
And of Midian too; for both these people being confederated in
this wicked design, the one is put for the other, and the daughters
of Moab may be named, either because they began the
transgression, or because they were the chief persons, possibly,
the relations or courtiers of Balak.
Verse 2. They - The Moabites being now neighbours to the Israelites,
and finding themselves unable to effect their design by war and
witchcraft, fell another way to work, by contracting familiarity
with them, and, perceiving their evil inclinations, they, that is,
their daughters, invited them. Unto the sacrifices - Unto the feasts
which were made of their parts of the sacrifices, after the manner
of the Jews and Gentiles too, the participation whereof, was
reckoned a participation in the worship of that God to whom the
sacrifices were offered. Of their gods - Of their God, Baal-peor,
the plural Elohim being here used, as commonly it is, for one
God.
Verse 3. Joined himself - The word implies a forsaking God to whom
they were joined and a turning to, and strict conjunction with, this
false God. Baal-peor - Called Baal, by the name common to many
false Gods, and especially to those that represented any of the
heavenly bodies, and Peor, either from the hill Peor, where he was
worshipped, chap. xxiii, 28, rather from a verb signifying to open
and uncover, because of the obscene posture in which the idol was
set, as Priapus was: or because of the filthiness which was
exercised in his worship.
Verse 4. Take all the heads - Take, that is, apprehend, all the heads, that
is, the chief, of the people, such as were chief in this
transgression, and in place and power, who are singled out to this
exemplary punishment for their concurrence with others in this
wickedness, which was more odious and mischievous in them.
Hang them up before the Lord - To the vindication of God's
honour and justice. Against the sun - Publickly, as their sin was
publick and scandalous, and speedily, before the sun go down.
Verse 5. Every one his men - Those under his charge, for as these
seventy were chosen to assist Moses in the government, so
doubtless the care and management of the people was distributed
among them by just and equal proportions.
Verse 6. One came - This was done, when Moses had given the charge
to the Judges, and, as it may seem, before the execution of it;
otherwise it is probable he would not have been so foolish to have
run upon certain ruin, when the examples were frequent before his
eyes. To his brethren - Into the camp of the Israelites. In the sight
of Moses - An argument of intolerable impudence and contempt
of God and of Moses. Weeping - Bewailing the wickedness of the
people, and the dreadful judgments of God, and imploring God's
mercy and favour.
Verse 8. Thrust them thro' - Phineas was himself a man in great
authority, and did this after the command given by Moses to the
rulers to slay these transgressors, and in the very sight, and no
doubt by the consent of Moses himself, and also by the special
direction of God's spirit.
Verse 9. Twenty four thousand - St. Paul says twenty three thousand, 1
Cor. x, 8. The odd thousand here added were slain by the Judges
according to the order of Moses, the rest by the immediate hand of
God, but both sorts died of the plague, the word being used, as
often it is, for the sword, or hand, or stroke of God.
Verse 12. My covenant of peace - That is, the covenant of an everlasting
priesthood, as it is expounded, ver. 13, which is called a covenant
of peace, partly with respect to the happy effect of this heroical
action of his, whereby he made peace between God and his
people; and partly with regard to the principal end of the priestly
office, which was constantly to do that which Phinehas now did,
even to meditate between God and men, to obtain and preserve his
own and Israel's peace and reconciliation with God, by offering
up sacrifices and incense, and prayers, to God on their behalf, as
also by turning them away from iniquity, which is the only peace-
breaker, and by teaching and pressing the observation of that law,
which is the only bond of their peace.
Verse 13. At everlasting priesthood - To continue as long as the law and
common-wealth of the Jews did. But this promise was
conditional, and therefore might be made void, by the
miscarriages of Phinehas's sons, as it seems it was, and thereupon
a like promise was made to Eli of the line of Ithamar, that he and
his should walk before the Lord, namely, in the office of high-
priest, for ever, which also for his and their sins was made void, 1
Sam. ii, 30. And the the priesthood returned to Phinehas's line in
the time of Solomon, 1 Kings ii, 26, 27, 34.
Verse 17. The Midianites - And why not the Moabites. It is probable the
Midianites were most guilty, as in persuading Balak to send for
Balaam, chap. xxii, 4, 7. So in the reception of Balaam after Balak
had dismissed him, chap. xxxi, 8, and in farther consultation with
him, and in contriving the means for the executing of this wicked
plot.
Verse 18. With their wiles - For under pretense of kindred and
friendship and leagues, which they offered to them, instead of that
war which the Israelites expected, they sought only an opportunity
to insinuate themselves into their familiarity, and execute their
hellish plot of bringing that curse upon the Israelites, which they
had in vain attempted to bring another way.
Chapter 25:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Leviticus Deuteronomy
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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