3. Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a ftiff-necked people: left I con fume thee in the way. 4. And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned and no man did put on him his or naments. 3. Stiff-nceked: Ch 32.9. Deut. 9. 13. 4. And when the people: The order in which the thing's here reported to have been faid and done will moft clearly appear, if after v. 3. we read vs. and then v. 4, and 6. And this our Tranflators feem to be fenfible of by their rendring those words, v. 5. For the LORD bad faid, &c. They could not but fee that the threatning words which God bid Mofes fay to the Child n of Ifrael, v. 5. was the reason why the people mourned v. 4. The word For, with which the fifth Verfe begins, plainly fhews, that this was the reafon they mourned: They did this upon the fad tidings that God would not go up in the midst of them. God does after this promife his Prefence, v. 14. 5. For the LORD had faid unto Mofes, Say unto the children of Ifrael, Te are a ftiff-necked people: I will come up into the midft of thee in a moment, and confume thee, therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. 5. That I may know: We must not think that God did not know his own purpose, and the etherefore the Greek vent of things. And render the word as fignifying to fhew, words, That I may or make known to others. And the know, according to this rendring are as much as, That I may (or and I will) difcover. See the Notes on Gen. 226 12. I 6. And the children of Ifrael ftript themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 6. By the mount Or, From the mount. At fome distance poffibly from the Mount, as being unworthy to come near the place where God did reveal himself. 7. And Mofes took the Tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass that every one which fought the LORD, went out unto the Tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. 7. The Tabernacle His Tabernacle, fays the Greek: i. e. The he was wont to give Tent of Mofes where Judgment, and to answer in matters of doubt. Without the camp: This was an Argument of God's displeasure with the People: It is not to be fuppofed that Mofes did this without God's direction; and the defcent of the cloudy Pillar upon this Tabernacle (v. 9.) was an argument that God withdrew from the People the token of his Prefence and Favour. d called it, &c. By the fame name which the Tabernacle which was to be built by God's Command was called. This was at prefent a provifional Tabernacle inftead of that (v. 9.) Which fought the LORD: i. e. That fought the knowledge of God's Will by Mofes, Ch. 18.15, 19, 200 8. And it came to pass, when Mofes went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rofe up, and stood every man at his tentdoor, and looked after Mofes, untill he was gone into the tabernacle. 9. And it came to pass, as Mofes entred into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar defcended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Mofes. 10. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar ftand at the tabernacledoor and all the people rofe up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. : 11. Face to face: i. e. Plainly and familiarly; not in Vifions, and Dreams, This was a peculiar and dark fpeeches. privilege to Mofes, Num. 12.6, 8. Deut. 34. 10. Departed 12. Whom: i. e. What Angel. Iknow not: He stayed to give Judgment, ch. 18. 26. 12. And Mofes faid unto the LORD, See, thou fayeft unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt fend with me. Yet thou haft faid, I know thee by name, and thou haft alfo found grace in my fight. 13. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy fight, thew me now thy way that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy fight, and confider that this nation is thy people. 14. And he said, My prefence Shall go with thee, and I will give thee reft. thee by name: In a fpecial manner I know thee: Above all men, as the Geeek render it. See v.11. 13. Thy way: i. e. Thy gracious and mercifull Admini ftration. Vid.Pf.103, I may find grace, &c. 7. and 67. 2. That That fo I may be af fured of thy Favour. 14. My prefence: i.e. My felf. Here God promifes the presence of his Di vine Majefty; and that he will not leave them to the conduct of a created Angel: They fhall be under the care of the Angel of his Prefence according to his Promife, Exod. 23. 20. Vid. Ifa. 63.9. 15. And he faid unto him, 'If thy prefence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 15. And be faid unto him : Which words may be rendred, And he had faid unto him; and fo perhaps the words v. 17. The Lord faid, might have been better rendred, The Lord had faid. 16. Be feparated: i.e. Diftinguished by a peculiar privilege, Pf. 76. 1. 16. For wherein shall it be known here, that I and thy people have found grace in thy fight? Is it not in that thou goeft with us? So Shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. 17. And the LORD faid unto Mofes, I will do this thing alfo that thou haft spoken: for thou hast found grace in my fight: and I know thee by name. 18. And he faid, I beseech thee, fhew me thy glory. 18. Thy glory: i.e. Thy Face as it is expreffed. 20.) That which Mofes begs is a more plain and familiar knowledge of the Divine Nature and Effence, or fuch a feeing of God (v. 20.) as this mortal state will not admit of. 19. And be faid, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and I will be gracious, to whom I will be gracious, and will fhew mercy on whom I will fhew mercy. how he is affected to mankind. Rom.9. 15. 20. And be faid, Thou canst not Jee my face for there fhall no man fee me, and live. 19. I will make all my goodness, &c. ie God promifes to grant to Mofes a knowledge of his goodness, he fhould fee the footsteps of his Mercy, and he would let him know will be gracious: And 20. See my face: i. e. Perfectly know me, I Cor. 13. 12. 21. And the LORD faid, Behold, there is a place 22. Myglory: i.e Glorious appearance which fpeaks me preCover thee by me, my band fent. with my hand: ie. Powerfully protect thee, and hide thee. 23. And imperfectly in this Life; we learn fomething of him by the effects of his Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness. A fuller knowledge is referved for a future state. CHAP. XXXIV. The ARGUMENT. The two Tables are renewed. The Lord's Name pro claimed. Mofes begs God's Prefence and Pardon. Idolatry is strictly forbid. God renews his Covenant, and repeats feveral Laws that were given before. Mofes continues fafting in the Mount forty days and forty Nights. The Face of Mofes fhines. He puts a Veil thereon whiles he speaks with the People, and removes it when he speaks with God. 2. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and prefent thy felf there to me, in the top of the mount. 3. And no man fhall come up with thee, neither let a ny man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount: 4. And he bewed two tables of stone, like unto the firft; and Mofes rofe up early in the morning, and went Ff4 |