---
title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah"
author: "Adam Clarke"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 160 of 914
url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/160/
cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 160. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/160/"
---

# Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah

*Adam Clarke*

Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 1 of 2.

## 160. Numbers · 9 of 34

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/160/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/160/#p-N

### Introduction

[¶1] The Israelites are reminded of the law that required them to keep the passover at its proper time, and with all its rites, [Num 9:1-3]. They kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, [Num 9:4], [Num 9:5]. The case of the men who, being unclean through touching a dead body, could not keep the passover, [Num 9:6], [Num 9:7]. Moses inquires at the Lord concerning them, [Num 9:8]; and the Lord appoints the fourteenth day of the second month for all those who through any accidental uncleanness, or by being absent on a journey, could not keep it at the usual time, [Num 9:9-12]. Those who neglect to keep this solemn feast to be cut off from among his people, [Num 9:13]. The stranger who wishes to keep the passover is at liberty to do it, [Num 9:14]. The cloud covers the tabernacle both by day and night, from the time of its dedication, [Num 9:15], [Num 9:16]. This cloud regulates all the encampments and marchings of the Israelites through the wilderness, [Num 9:17-22]. Their journeyings and restings were all directed by the commandment of the Lord, [Num 9:23].

### Verse 1

[¶3] The Lord spake unto Moses - The fourteen first verses of this chapter certainly refer to transactions that took place at the time of those mentioned in the commencement of this book, before the numbering of the people, and several learned men are of opinion that these fourteen verses should be referred back to that place. We have already met with instances where transpositions have very probably taken place, and it is not difficult to account for them. As in very early times writing was generally on leaves of the Egyptian flag papyrus, or on thin laminae of different substances, facts and transactions thus entered were very liable to be deranged; so that when afterwards a series was made up into a book, many transactions might be inserted in wrong places, and thus the exact chronology of the facts be greatly disturbed. MSS. written on leaves of trees, having a hole in each, through which a cord is passed to keep them all in their places, are frequently to be met with in the cabinets of the curious, and many such are now before me, especially in Singalese, Pali, and Burman. Should the cord break, or be accidentally unloosed, it would be exceedingly difficult to string them all in their proper places; accidents of this kind I have often met with to my very great perplexity, and in some cases found it almost impossible to restore each individual leaf to its own place; for it should be observed that these separate pieces of oriental writing are not always paged like the leaves of our printed books; nor are there frequently any catch-words or signatures at the bottom to connect the series. This one consideration will account for several transpositions, especially in the Pentateuch, where they occur more frequently than in any other part of the sacred writings. Houbigant, who grants the existence of such transpositions, thinks that this is no sufficient reason why the present order of narration should be changed: "It is enough," says he, non ignorare libros eos Mosis esse acta rerum suo tempore gestarum, non historiam filo perpetuo elaboratam," "to know that these books contain an account of things transacted in the days of Moses, though not in their regular or chronological order.'

### Verse 3

[¶5] According to all the rites of it - See all those rites and ceremonies largely explained in the notes on Exodus 12 (note).

### Verse 7

[¶7] We are defiled by the dead body of a man - It is probable that the defilement mentioned here was occasioned by assisting at the burial of some person - a work both of necessity and mercy. This circumstance however gave rise to the ordinance delivered in [Num 9:10-14], so that on particular occasions the passover might be twice celebrated:

[¶8] 1. At its regular time, the 14th of the first month;

[¶9] 2. An extra time, the 14th of the second month.

[¶10] But the man who had no legal hinderance, and did not celebrate it on one or other of these times, was to be cut off from the people of God; and the reason given for this cutting off is, that he brought not the offering of God in his appointed season - therefore that man shall bear his sin, [Num 9:13].

[¶11] We have already seen, from the authority of St. Paul, that Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us; and that it was his sacrifice that was pointed out by the paschal lamb: on this, therefore, we may observe, that those who do not sooner or later eat the true Passover, and get the salvation procured by the sprinkling of his blood, shall be cut off from among those that shall enter into the rest prepared for the people of God; and for the same reason too; they bring not the offering of God in its appointed season, and therefore they shall bear their sin.

### Verse 15

[¶13] The cloud covered the tabernacle - See the whole account of this supernatural cloud largely explained, [Exo 23:21]; and [Exo 40:34-38]. Calmet observes that the 15th verse, beginning a new subject, should begin a new chapter, as it has no connection with what goes before; and he thinks this chapter, begun with the 15th verse, should end with the 28th verse of the following. ([Exo 10:28])

### Verse 21

[¶15] Whether - by day or by night - As the heat of the day is very severe in that same desert, the night season is sometimes chosen for the performance of a journey; though it is very likely that in the case of the Israelites this was seldom resorted to.

### Verse 22

[¶17] Two days - a month - a year - It was by the Divine counsel alone that they were directed in all their peregrinations: and from the above words we see that their times of tarrying at different stations were very unequal.

### Verse 23

[¶19] Kept the charge of the Lord - When we consider the strong disposition which this people ever testified to follow their own will in all things, we may be well surprised to find them, in these journeyings, so implicitly following the directions of God. There could be no trick or imposture here. Moses, had he been the most cunning of men, never could have imitated the appearances referred to in this chapter. The cloud, and every thing in its motion, was so evidently supernatural, that the people had no doubt of its being the symbol of the Divine presence. God chose to keep this people so dependent upon himself, and so submissive to the decisions of his own will, that he would not even give them regular times of marching or resting; they were to do both when and where God saw best. Thus they were ever kept ready for their march, though perfectly ignorant of the time when they should commence it. But this was all well; they had the presence of God with them; the cloud by day and the fire by night demonstrated that God was amongst them. Reader, thou art here a tenant at will to God Almighty. How soon, in what place, or in what circumstances, he may call thee to march into the eternal world, thou knowest not. But this uncertainty cannot perplex thee, if thou be properly subject to the will of God, ever willing to lose thy own in it. But thou canst not be thus subject, unless thou have the testimony of the presence and approbation of God. How awful to be obliged to walk into the valley of the shadow of death without this! Reader, prepare to meet thy God.

### Introduction

[¶21] Moses is commanded to make two silver trumpets for calling the assembly, [Num 10:1], [Num 10:2]. On what occasions these trumpets should be sounded. First, for calling the assembly to the door of the tabernacle, [Num 10:3]. Secondly, to summon the princes and captains of the thousands of Israel, [Num 10:4]. Thirdly, to make the eastern camps strike their tents, [Num 10:5]. Fourthly, to make those on the south do the like, [Num 10:6]. No alarm to be sounded when the congregation only is to be assembled, [Num 10:7]. The sons of Aaron alone shall sound these trumpets, it shall be a perpetual ordinance, [Num 10:8]. Fifthly, the trumpets are to be sounded in the time of war, [Num 10:9]. Sixthly, on festival occasions, [Num 10:10] On the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, the Israelites began their journey from the wilderness of Sinai, and came to the wilderness of Paran, [Num 10:11], [Num 10:12]. By the commandment of God to Moses the first division, at the head of which was the standard of Judah, marched, first, [Num 10:13], [Num 10:14]. Under him followed the tribe of Issachar, [Num 10:15]; and after them the tribe of Zebulun, [Num 10:16]. Then the Gershonites and Merarites followed with the tabernacle, [Num 10:17]. At the head of the second division was the standard and camp of Reuben, [Num 10:18]; and under him were that of Simeon, [Num 10:19]; and that of Gad, [Num 10:20]. Next followed the Kohathites bearing the sanctuary, [Num 10:21]. Then followed the third division, at the head of which was the standard of the camp of Ephraim, [Num 10:22]; and under him Manasseh, [Num 10:23]; and Benjamin, [Num 10:24]. At the head of the fourth division was the standard of the camp of Dan, [Num 10:25]; and under him Asher, [Num 10:26]; and Naphtali, [Num 10:27]. This was their ordinary method of marching in the wilderness, [Num 10:28]. Moses entreats Hobab the Midianite to accompany them through the wilderness, [Num 10:29]. He refuses, [Num 10:30]. Moses continues and strengthens his entreaties with reasonings and promises, [Num 10:31], [Num 10:32]. They depart from Sinai three days' journey, [Num 10:33]. The cloud accompanies them by day and night, [Num 10:34]. The words used by Moses when the ark set forward, [Num 10:35], and when it rested, [Num 10:36].

### Verse 2

[¶23] Make thee two trumpets of silver - The necessity of such instruments will at once appear, when the amazing extent of this numerous army is considered; and how even the sound of two trumpets could reach them all is difficult to conceive; but we may suppose that, when they were sounded, the motion of those that were within reach of that sound taught the others in succession what they should do.

[¶24] As the trumpets were to be blown by the priests only, the sons of Aaron, there were only two, because there were only two such persons to use them at this time, Eleazar and Ithamar. In the time of Joshua there were seven trumpets used by the priests, but these were made, according to our text, of rams' horns, [Jos 6:4]. In the time of Solomon, when the priests had greatly increased, there were 120 priests sounding with trumpets, [2Chr 5:12].

[¶25] Josephus intimates that one of these trumpets was always used to call the nobles together, the other to assemble the people; see [Num 10:4]. It is possible that these trumpets were made of different lengths and wideness, and consequently they would emit different tones. Thus the sound itself would at once show which was the summons for the congregation, and which for the princes only. These trumpets were allowed to be emblematical of the sound of the Gospel, and in this reference they appear to be frequently used. Of the fate of the trumpets of the sanctuary, See the note on [Exo 25:31].

### Verse 5

[¶27] When ye blow an alarm - תרועה teruah, probably meaning short, broken, sharp tones, terminating with long ones, blown with both the trumpets at once. From the similarity in the words some suppose that the Hebrew teruah was similar to the Roman taratantara, or sound of their clarion.

### Verse 6

[¶29] When ye blow an alarm the second time - A single alarm, as above stated, was a signal for the eastward division to march; two such alarms, the signal for the south division; and probably three for the west division, and four for the north. It is more likely that this was the case, than that a single alarm served for each, with a small interval between them. The camps, or grand divisions of this great army, always lay, as we have already seen, to the east, south, west, and north: and here the east and south camps alone are mentioned; the first containing Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the second, Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. The west and north divisions are not named, and yet we are sure they marched in consequence of express orders or signals, as well as the other two. There appears therefore a deficiency here in the Hebrew text, which is thus supplied by the Septuagint: Και σαλπιειτε σημασιαν τριτην, και εξαρουσιν αἱ παρεμβολαι αἱ παρεμβαλλουσαι παρα θαλασσαν· και σαλπιειτε σημασιαν τεταρτην, και εξαρουσιν αἱ παρεμβολαι αἱ παρεμβαλλουσαι προς βορῥαν. "And when ye blow a third alarm or signal, the camps on the west shall march: and when ye blow a fourth alarm or signal, the camps on the north shall march." This addition, however, is not acknowledged by the Samaritan, nor by any of the other versions but the Coptic. Nor are there any various readings in the collections of Kennicott and De Rossi, which countenance the addition in the above versions. Houbigant thinks this addition so evidently necessary, that he has inserted the Latin in his text, and in a note supplied the Hebrew words, and thinks that these words were originally in the Hebrew text, but happened to be omitted in consequence of so many similar words occurring so often in the same verse, which might dazzle and deceive the eye of a transcriber.

### Verse 9

[¶31] If ye go to war - These trumpets shall be sounded for the purpose of collecting the people together, to deliberate about the war, and to implore the protection of God against their enemies.

[¶32] Ye shall be remembered before the Lord - When ye decamp, encamp, make war, and hold religious festivals, according to his appointment, which appointment shall be signified to you by the priests, who at the command of God, for such purposes, shall blow the trumpets, then ye may expect both the presence and blessing of Jehovah in all that ye undertake.

### Verse 10

[¶34] In the day of your gladness - On every festival the people shall be collected by the same means.

### Verse 11

[¶36] The twentieth day of the second month - The Israelites had lain encamped in the wilderness of Sinai about eleven months and twenty days; compare [Exo 19:1] with this verse. They now received the order of God to decamp, and proceed towards the promised land; and therefore the Samaritan introduces at this place the words which we find in [Deu 1:6-8] : "The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying: Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount, turn and take your journey," etc.

### Verse 12

[¶38] The cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran - This was three days' journey from the wilderness of Sinai, (see [Num 10:33]), and the people had three stations; the first at Kibroth-hattaavah, the second at Hazeroth, [Num 11:35], and the third in the wilderness of Paran, see [Num 12:16]. But it is extremely difficult to determine these journeyings with any degree of exactness; and we are often at a loss to know whether the place in question was in a direct or retrograde position from the place previously mentioned.

### Verse 14

[¶40] The standard - of Judah - See this order of marching explained at large on Numbers 2 (note). The following is the order in which this vast company proceeded in their march: -

[¶41] Judah Issachar Zebulun Gershonites, and Merarites carrying the tabernacle.

[¶42] Reuben Simeon Gad The Kohathites with the sanctuary.

[¶43] Ephraim Manasseh Benjamin

[¶44] Dan Asher Naphtali.