N
U M B E R S
CHAP. X.
In
this chapter we have, I. Orders given about the making and using of silver
trumpets, which seems to have been the last of all the commandments God gave
upon mount Sinai, and one of the least, yet not without its significancy, ver.
1-10. II. The history of the removal of
Israel
's camp from mount Sinai, and
their orderly march into the wilderness of Paran, ver. 11-28. III. Moses's
treaty with Hobab, his brother-in-law, ver. 29-32. IV. Moses's prayer at the
removing and resting of the ark, ver. 33, &c.
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The
Moving of the Camp.
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B.
C. 1490.
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1 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a
whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of
the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they
shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow
but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads
of the thousands of
Israel
, shall gather themselves unto
thee. 5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east
parts shall go forward. 6 When ye blow an alarm the second time,
then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall
blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 But when the congregation is
to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they
shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then
ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before
the LORD
your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. 10 Also in the
day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your
months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over
the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial
before your God: I am the LORD
your God.
We have here directions concerning the public notices that were to be given to
the people upon several occasions by sound of trumpet. In a thing of this
nature, one would think, Moses needed not to have been taught of God: his own
reason might teach him the conveniency of trumpets; but the constitution of
Israel was to be in every thing divine, and therefore even in this matter,
small as it seems. Moses is here directed, 1. About the making of them. They
must be made of silver; not cast but of beaten work (as some read it), the
matter and shape, no doubt, very fit for the purpose. He was now ordered to
make but two, because there were but two priests to use them. But in Solomon's
time we read of 120 priests sounding with trumpets, 2 Chron. v. 12. The
form of these trumpets is supposed to have been much like ours at this day. 2.
Who were to make use of them; not any inferior person, but the priests
themselves, the sons of Aaron, v. 8. As great as they were, they
must not think it a disparagement to them to be trumpeters in the house of
God; the meanest office there was honourable. This signified that the Lord's
ministers should lift up their voice like a trumpet, to show people
their sins (Isa. lviii. 1), to call them to Christ, Isa. xxvii. 13. 3. Upon
what occasions the trumpets were to be sounded. (1.) For the calling of
assemblies, v. 2. Thus they are told to blow the trumpet in Zion
for the calling of a solemn assembly together, to sanctify a fast, Joel ii.
15. Public notice ought to be given of the time and place of religious
assemblies; for the invitation to the benefit or ordinances is general: whoever
will, let him come. wisdom cries in the chief places of concourse. But,
that the trumpet might not give an uncertain sound, they are directed,
if only the princes and elders were to meet, to blow but one of the trumpets;
less should serve to call them together, who ought to be examples of
forwardness in any thing that is good: but, if the body of the people were to
be called together, both the trumpets must be sounded, that they might be
heard at the greater distance. In allusion to this, they are said to be
blessed that hear the joyful sound (Ps. lxxxix. 15), that is, that are
invited and called upon to wait upon God in public ordinances, Ps. cxxii. 1.
And the general assembly at the great day will be summoned by the sound of
the archangel's trumpet, Matt. xxiv. 31. (2.) For the journeying of the
camps, to give notice when each squadron must move; for no man's voice
could reach to give the word of command: soldiers with us that are well
disciplined may be exercised by beat of drums. When the trumpets were blown
for this purpose, they must sound an alarm (v. 5), a broken,
quavering, interrupted sound, which was proper to excite and encourage the
minds of people in their marches against their enemies; whereas a continued
equal sound was more proper for the calling of the assembly together (v.
7): yet when the people were called together to deprecate God's judgments we
find an alarm sounded, Joel ii. 1. At the first sounding, Judah's squadron
marched, at the second Reuben's, at the third Ephraim's, at the fourth Dan's, v.
5, 6. And some think that this was intended to sanctify their marches, for
thus were proclaimed by the priests, who were God's mouth to the people, not
only the divine orders given them to move, but the divine blessing upon them
in all their motions. He that hath ears, let him hear that God is with them
of a truth. King Abijah valued himself and his army very much upon this (2
Chron. xiii. 12), God himself is with us for our captain and his priests
with sounding trumpets. (3.) For the animating and encouraging of their
armies, when they went out in battle (v. 9): "If you go to war,
blow with the trumpets, signifying thereby your appeal to heaven for the
decision of the controversy, and your prayer to God to give you victory; and
God will own this his own institution, and you shall be remembered before
the Lord your God." God will take notice of this sound of the
trumpet, and be engaged to fight their battles, and let all the people take
notice of it, and be encouraged to fight his, as David, when he heard a
sound of a going upon the tops of the mulberry trees. Not that God needed
to be awaked by sound of trumpet any more than Christ needed to be awaked by
his disciples in the storm, Matt. viii. 25. But where he intends mercy it is
his will that we should solicit it; ministers must stir up the good soldiers
of Jesus Christ to fight manfully against sin, the world, and the devil, by
assuring them that Christ is the captain of their salvation, and will tread
Satan under their feet. (4.) For the solemnizing of their sacred feasts, v.
10. One of their feasts was called a memorial of the blowing of trumpets,
Lev. xxiii. 23, &c. And it should seem they were thus to grace the
solemnity of all their feasts (Ps. lxxxi. 3), and their sacrifices (2 Chron.
xxix. 27), to intimate with what joy and delight they performed their duty to
God, and to raise the minds of those that attended the services to a holy
triumph in the God they worshipped. And then their performances were for a memorial
before God; for he takes pleasure in our religious exercises when we take
pleasure in them. Holy work should be done with holy joy.
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The
Removal of the Camp.
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B.
C. 1490.
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11 And it came to pass on
the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the
cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai;
and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13 And they first
took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD
by the hand of Moses. 14 In the first place went the
standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and
over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over
the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son
of Zuar. 16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of
Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon. 17 And the tabernacle
was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward,
bearing the tabernacle. 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben
set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the
son of Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children
of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over
the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of
Deuel. 21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary:
and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.
22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward
according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of
Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of
Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the
host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of
Gideoni. 25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan
set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their
hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel
the son of Ocran. 27 And over the host of the tribe of the
children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan. 28 Thus were
the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they
set forward.
Here is, I. A general account of the removal of the camp of Israel from mount
Sinai, before which mountain it had lain now about a year, in which time and
place a great deal of memorable business was done. Of this removal, it should
seem, God gave them notice some time before (Deut. i. 6, 7): You have dwelt
long enough in this mountain, turn you and take your journey towards the land
of promise. The apostle tells us that mount Sinai genders to bondage
(Gal. iv. 24), and signifies the law there given, which is of use indeed as a
schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, yet we must not rest in it, but advance
towards the joys and liberties of the children of God, for our happiness is
conferred not by the law, but by promise. Observe, 1. The signal given (v.
11): The cloud was taken up, and we may suppose it stood for some time,
till they were ready to march; and a great deal of work it was to take down
all those tents, and pack up all those goods that they had there; but every
family being employed about its own, and all at the same time, many hands made
quick work of it. 2. The march began: They took their journey according to
the commandment of the Lord, and just as the cloud led them, v. 13.
Some think that mention is thus frequently made in this and the foregoing
chapter of the commandment of the Lord, guiding and governing them in
all their travels, to obviate the calumny and reproach which were afterwards
thrown upon Israel, that they tarried so long in the wilderness, because they
had lost themselves there, and could not find the way out. No, the matter was
not so; in every stage, in every step, they were under divine direction; and,
if they knew not where they were, yet he that led them knew. Note, Those that
have given up themselves to the direction of God's word and Spirit steer a
steady course, even when they seem to be bewildered. While they are sure they
cannot lose their God and guide, they need not fear losing their way. 3. The
place they rested in, after three days' march: They went out of the
wilderness of Sinai, and rested in the wilderness of Paran. Note,
All our removals in this world are but from one wilderness to another. The
changes which we think will be for the better do not always prove so; while we
carry about with us, wherever we go, the common infirmities of human nature,
we must expect, wherever we go, to meet with its common calamities; we shall
never be at rest, never at home, till we come to heaven, and all will be well
there.
II. A particular draught of the order of their march, according to the late
model. 1. Judah's squadron marched first, v. 14-16. The leading
standard, now lodged with that tribe, was an earnest of the sceptre which in
David's time should be committed to it, and looked further to the captain of
our salvation, of whom it was likewise foretold that unto him should the
gathering of the people be. 2. Then came those two families of the Levites
which were entrusted to carry the tabernacle. As soon as ever the cloud was
taken up, the tabernacle was taken down, and packed up for removing, v.
17. And here the six wagons came laden with the more bulky part of the
tabernacle. This frequent removing of the tabernacle in all their journeys
signified the movableness of that ceremonial dispensation. That which was so
often shifted would at length vanish away, Heb. viii. 13. 3. Reuben's squadron
marched forward next, taking place after Judah, according to the
commandment of the Lord, v. 18-20. 4. Then the Kohathites followed
with their charge, the sacred furniture of the tabernacle, in the midst of
the camp, the safest and most honourable place, v. 21. And they
(that is, says the margin, the Gershonites and Merarites) did set up the
tabernacle against they came; and perhaps it is expressed thus generally
because, if there was occasion, not those Levites only, but the other
Israelites that were in the first squadron, lent a hand to the tabernacle to
hasten the rearing of it up, even before they set up their own tents. 5.
Ephraim's squadron followed next after the ark (v. 22-24), to which
some think the psalmist alludes when he prays (Ps. lxxx. 2), Before
Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, the three tribes that composed this
squadron, stir up thy strength (and the ark is called his strength, Ps.
lxxviii. 61), and come and save us. 6. Dan's squadron followed last, v.
25-27. It is called the rearward, or gathering host, of all the
camps, because it gathered up all that were left behind; not the women and
children (these we may suppose were taken care of by the heads of their
families in their respective tribes), but all the unclean, the mixed
multitude, and all that were weak and feeble, and cast behind in their march.
Note, He that leadeth Joseph like a flock has a tender regard to the hindmost
(Ezek. xxxiv. 16), that cannot keep pace with the rest, and of all that are
given him he will lose none, John xvii. 11.
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Moses's
Request to Hobab.
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B.
C. 1490.
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29 And Moses said unto
Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are
journeying unto the place of which the LORD
said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the
LORD
hath spoken good concerning Israel. 30 And he said unto him, I
will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.
31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we
are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of
eyes. 32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be,
that what goodness the LORD
shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee. 33 And they
departed from the mount of the LORD
three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD
went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for
them. 34 And the cloud of the LORD
was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp. 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. 36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD,
unto the many thousands of Israel.
Here is, I. An account of what passed between Moses and Hobab, now upon this
advance which the camp of Israel made towards Canaan. Some think that Hobab
was the same with Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, and that the story, Exod.
xviii., should come in here; it seems more probable that Hobab was the son of
Jethro, alias Reuel, or Raguel (Exod. ii. 18), and that when the
father, being aged, went to his own land (Exod. xviii. 27), he left his son
Hobab with Moses, as Barzillai left Chimham with David; and the same word
signifies both a father-in-law and a brother-in-law. Now this
Hobab staid contentedly with Israel while they encamped at mount Sinai, near
his own country; but, now that they were removing, he was for going back to
his own country and kindred, and his father's house. Here is, 1. The kind
invitation Moses gives him to go forward with them to Canaan, v. 29. He
tempts him with a promise that they would certainly be kind to him, and puts
God's word in for security: The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.
As if he had said, "Come, cast in thy lot among us, and thou shalt fare
as we fare; and we have the promise of God that we shall fare well."
Note, Those that are bound for the heavenly Canaan should invite and encourage
all their friends to go along with them, for we shall have never the less of
the treasures of the covenant, and the joys of heaven, for others coming in to
share with us. And what argument can be more powerful with us to take God's
people for our people than this, that God hath spoken good concerning them?
It is good having fellowship with those that have fellowship with God (1 John
i. 3), and going with those with whom God is, Zech. viii. 23. 2. Hobab's
inclination, and present resolution, to go back to his own country, v.
30. One would have thought that he who had seen so much of the special
presence of God with Israel, and such surprising tokens of his favour to them,
would not have needed much invitation to embark with them. But his refusal
must be imputed to the affection he had for his native air and soil, which was
not overpowered, as it ought to have been, by a believing regard to the
promise of God and a value for covenant blessings. He was indeed a son of
Abraham's loins (for the Midianites descended from Abraham by Keturah), but
not an heir of Abraham's faith (Heb. xi. 8), else he would not have given
Moses this answer. Note, The things of this world, which are seen, draw
strongly from the pursuit of the things of the other world, which are not
seen. The magnetic virtue of this earth prevails with most people above the
attractives of heaven itself. 3. The great importunity Moses used with him to
alter his resolution, v. 31, 32. He urges, (1.) That he might be
serviceable to them: "We are to encamp in the wilderness" (a
country well known to Hobab), "and thou mayest be to us instead of
eyes, not to show us where we must encamp, nor what way we must
march" (which the cloud was to direct), "but to show us the
conveniences and inconveniences of the place we march through and encamp in,
that we may make the best use we can of the conveniences, and the best fence
we can against the inconveniences." Note, It will very well consist with
our trust in God's providence to make use of the help of our friends in those
things wherein they are capable of being serviceable to us. Even those that
were led by miracle must not slight the ordinary means of direction. Some
think that Moses suggests this to Hobab, not because he expected much benefit
from his information, but to please him with the thought of being some way
useful to so great a body, and so to draw him on with them, by inspiring him
with an ambition to obtain that honour. Calvin gives quite another sense of
this place, very agreeably with the original, which yet I do not find taken
notice of by any since. "Leave us not, I pray thee, but come
along, to share with us in the promised land, for therefore hast thou known
our encampment in the wilderness, and hast been to us instead of eyes; and
we cannot make thee amends for sharing with us in our hardships, and doing us
so many good offices, unless thou go with us to Canaan. Surely for this reason
thou didst set out with us that thou mightest go on with us." Note, Those
that have begun well should use that as a reason for their persevering,
because otherwise they lose the benefit and recompence of all they have done
and suffered. (2.) That they would be kind to him: What goodness the Lord
shall do to us, the same we will do to thee, v. 32. Note, [1.] We
can give only what we receive. We can do no more service and kindness to our
friends than God is pleased to put it into the power of our hand to do. This
is all we dare promise, to do good as God shall enable us. [2.] Those that
share with God's Israel in their labours and hardships shall share with them
in their comforts and honours. Those that are willing to take their lot with
them in the wilderness shall have their lot with them in Canaan; if we
suffer with them we shall reign with them, 2 Tim. ii. 12; Luke xxii. 28,
29.
We do not find any reply that Hobab here made to Moses, and therefore we hope
that his silence gave consent, and he did not leave them, but that, when he
perceived he might be useful, he preferred that before the gratifying of his
own inclination; in this case he left us a good example. And we find (Judg. i.
16; 1 Sam. xv. 6) that his family was no loser by it.
II. An account of the communion between God and Israel in this removal. They
left the mount of the Lord (v. 33), that Mount Sinai where they
had seen his glory and heard his voice, and had been taken into covenant with
him (they must not expect that such appearances of God to them as they had
there been blessed with should be constant); they departed from that
celebrated mountain, which we never read of in scripture any more, unless with
reference to these past stories; now farewell, Sinai; Zion is the
mountain of which God has said. This is my rest for ever (Ps. cxxxii.
14), and of which we must say so. But when they left the mount of the Lord
they took with them the ark of the covenant of the Lord, by which their
stated communion with God was to be kept up. For,
1. By it God did direct their paths. The ark of the covenant went
before them, some think in place, at least in this removal; others
think only in influence; though it was carried in the midst of the
camp, yet the cloud that hovered over it directed all their motions. The ark
(that is, the God of the ark) is said to search out a resting place for
them; not that God's infinite wisdom and knowledge need to make searches, but
every place they were directed to was as convenient for them as if the wisest
man they had among them had been employed to go before them, and mark out
their camp to the best advantage. thus Canaan is said to be a land which God spied
out, Ezek. xx. 6.
2. By it they did in all their ways acknowledge God, looking upon it as
a token of God's presence; when that moved, or rested, they had their eye up
unto God. Moses, as the mouth of the congregation, lifted up a prayer, both at
the removing and at the resting of the ark; thus their going out and coming in
were sanctified by prayer, and it is an example to us to begin and end every
day's journey, and every day's work, with prayer.
(1.) Here is his prayer when the ark set forward: Rise up, Lord, and let
thy enemies be scattered, v. 35. They were now in a desolate
country, but they were marching towards an enemy's country, and their
dependence was upon God for success and victory in their wars, as well as for
direction and supply in the wilderness. David used this prayer long after (Ps.
lxviii. 1), for he also fought the Lords' battles. Note, [1.] There are those
in the world that are enemies to God, and haters of him: secret and open
enemies; enemies to his truths, his laws, his ordinances, his people. [2.] The
scattering and defeating of God's enemies is a thing to be earnestly desired,
and believingly expected, by all the Lord's people. This prayer is a prophecy.
Those that persist in rebellion against God are hasting towards their own
ruin. [3.] For the scattering and defeating of God's enemies, there needs no
more but God's arising. When God arose to judgment, the work was soon
done, Ps. lxxvi. 8, 9. "Rise, Lord, as the sun riseth to scatter the
shadows of the night." Christ's rising from the dead scattered his
enemies, Ps. lxviii. 18.
(2.) His prayer when the ark rested, v. 36. [1.] That God would cause
his people to rest. So some read it, "Return, O Lord, the many
thousands of Israel, return them to their rest again after this
fatigue." Thus it is said (Isa. lxiii. 14), The Spirit of the Lord
caused him to rest. Thus he prays that God would give Israel success and
victory abroad, and peace and tranquillity at home. [2.] That God himself
would take up his rest among them. So we read it: Return to the thousands
of Israel, the ten thousand thousand, so the word is. Note, First,
The church of God is a great body; there are many thousands belonging to God's
Israel. Secondly, We ought in our prayers to concern ourselves for this
body. Thirdly, The welfare and happiness of the Israel of God consist
in the continual presence of God among them. Their safety consists not in
their numbers, though they are thousands, many thousands, but in the favour of
God, and his gracious return to them and residence with them. These thousands
are cyphers; he is the figure: and upon this account, Happy
art thou, O Israel! who is like unto thee, O people!
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