---
title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah"
author: "Adam Clarke"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 162 of 914
url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/162/
cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 1: Genesis to Jeremiah, section 162. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/162/"
---

# 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.

## 162. Numbers · 11 of 34

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/162/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-1-genesis-to-jeremiah/162/#p-N

[¶0] Presume to prophesy!

### Verse 28

[¶2] My lord Moses, forbid them -

[¶3] How often have I blindly done

[¶4] What zealous Joshua did,

[¶5] Impatient to the rulers run,

[¶6] And cried, "My lords, forbid!

[¶7] Silence the schismatics, constrain

[¶8] Their thoughts with ours t' agree,

[¶9] And sacrifice the souls of men

[¶10] To idol unity!"

### Verse 29

[¶12] Enviest thou for my sake? -

[¶13] Moses, the minister of God,

[¶14] Rebukes our partial love,

[¶15] Who envy at the gifts bestow'd

[¶16] On those we disapprove.

[¶17] We do not our own spirit know,

[¶18] Who wish to see suppress'd

[¶19] The men that Jesu's spirit show,

[¶20] The men whom God hath bless'd.

[¶21] Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets -

[¶22] Shall we the Spirit's course restrain,

[¶23] Or quench the heavenly fire?

[¶24] Let God his messengers ordain,

[¶25] And whom he will inspire.

[¶26] Blow as he list, the Spirit's choice

[¶27] Of instruments we bless;

[¶28] We will, if Christ be preached, rejoice,

[¶29] And wish the word success.

[¶30] Can all be prophets then? are all

[¶31] Commission'd from above?

[¶32] No; but whome'er the Lord shall call

[¶33] We joyfully approve.

[¶34] O that the Church might all receive

[¶35] The spirit of prophecy,

[¶36] And all in Christ accepted live,

[¶37] And all in Jesus die!

[¶38] Short Hymns on Select Passages of the Holy Scriptures, by Charles Wesley, M. A., and Presbyter of the Church of England. Bristol, 1762. 2 vols. 12mo.

[¶39] These sentiments are the more particularly remarkable as they come from one who was sufficiently bigoted to what was called ecclesiastical orders and regularity.

### Verse 31

[¶41] A wind from the Lord - An extraordinary one, not the effect of a natural cause. And brought quails, a bird which in great companies visits Egypt about the time of the year, March or April, at which the circumstance marked here took place. Mr. Hasselquist, the friend and pupil of the famous Linnaeus, saw many of them about this time of the year, when he was in Egypt. See his Travels, p. 209.

[¶42] Two cubits high upon the face of the earth - We may consider the quails as flying within two cubits of the ground; so that the Israelites could easily take as many of them as they wished, while flying within the reach of their hands or their clubs. The common notion is, that the quails were brought round about the camp, and fell there in such multitudes as to lie two feet thick upon the ground; but the Hebrew will not bear this version. The Vulgate has expressed the sense, Volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram. "And they flew in the air, two cubits high above the ground."

### Verse 32

[¶44] The people stood up, etc. - While these immense flocks were flying at this short distance from the ground, fatigued with the strong wind and the distance they had come, they were easily taken by the people; and as various flocks continued to succeed each other for two days and a night, enough for a month's provision might be collected in that time. If the quails had fallen about the tents, there was no need to have stood up two days and a night in gathering them; but if they were on the wing, as the text seems to suppose, it was necessary for them to use dispatch, and avail themselves of the passing of these birds whilst it continued. See Harmer, and see the note on [Exo 16:13].