4. Their names are mysterious; for Zelophehad, צלפחד Tselophchad, signifies the shadow of fear or dread. His first daughter, מחלה Machlah, infirmity; the second, נעה Noah, wandering; the third, חגלה Choglah, turning about or dancing for joy: the fourth, מלכה Milcah, a queen; the fifth, תרצה Tirtsah, well-pleasing or acceptable.
By these names we may observe our reviving by grace in Christ; for we are all born of the shadow of fear, (Tselophchad), being brought forth in sin, and through fear of death being all our life time subject to bondage, [Heb 2:15]. This begets (Machlah) infirmity or sickness - grief of heart for our estate. After which (Noah) wandering about for help and comfort we find it in Christ, by whom our sorrow is turned into joy (Choglah). He communicates of his royalty (Milcah) to us, making us kings and priests unto God and his Father, [Rev 1:6]. So we shall at last be presented unto him glorious and without blemish, being (Tirtsah) well-pleasing and acceptable in his sight." This is a specimen of pious Ingenuity, which has been endeavoring to do the work of an Evangelist in the Church of God from the time of Origen to the present day.
Verse 12
Get thee up into this Mount Abarim - The mountain which Moses was commanded to ascend was certainly Mount Nebo, see [Deu 32:49], etc., which was the same as Pisgah, see [Deu 34:1]. The mountains of Abarim, according to Dr. Shaw, are a long ridge of frightful, rocky, precipitous hills, which are continued all along the eastern coast of the Dead Sea, as far as the eye can reach. As in Hebrew עבר abar signifies to pass over, Abarim here probably signifies passages; and the ridge in this place had its name in all likelihood from the passage of the Israelites, as it was opposite to these that they passed the Jordan into the promised land.
Verse 14
Ye rebelled against my commandment - See the notes on [Num 20:12].
Verse 16
The Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh - See the notes on [Num 16:22].
Verse 17
That the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd - This is a beautiful expression, and shows us in what light Moses viewed himself among his people. He was their shepherd; he sought no higher place; he fed and guided the flock of God under the direction of the Divine Spirit, and was faithful in all his Master's house. To this saying of Moses our Lord alludes, [Mat 9:36].
Verse 18
In whom is the spirit - This must certainly mean the Spirit of God; and because he was endued with this Spirit, therefore he was capable of leading the people. How miserably qualified is that man for the work of God who is not guided and influenced by the Holy Ghost! God never chooses a man to accomplish his designs but that one whom he himself has qualified for the work.
Verse 20
And thou shalt put, etc. - מחודך mechodecha, of thine honor or authority upon him. Thou shalt show to the whole congregation that thou hast associated him with thyself in the government of the people.
Verse 21
Eleazar the priest - shall ask counsel for him - Here was a remarkable difference between him and Moses. God talked with Moses face to face; but to Joshua only through the medium of the high priest.
Verse 23
He laid his hands upon him - As a proof of his being appointed to and qualified for the work. So at the word of Joshua they were to go out, and at his word to come in, [Num 27:21]. And thus he was a type of our blessed Lord as to his mediatorial office, and Divine appointment as man to the work of our salvation; and to this circumstance of the appointment of Joshua to this work, and his receiving of Moses's honor and glory, St. Peter seems to refer in these words, [2Pet 1:16], [2Pet 1:17] : "We were eye-witnesses of his majesty; for he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him." See [Mat 17:5]. But one infinitely greater than either Moses or Joshua is here.
Introduction
All the offerings of God to be offered in their due season, [Num 28:1], [Num 28:2]. The continual burnt-offering for the morning, [Num 28:3-6]; and its drink-offering, [Num 28:7]. The continual burnt-offering for the evening, [Num 28:8]. The offerings for the Sabbath, [Num 28:9], [Num 28:10]. The offerings for the beginning of each month, [Num 28:11-15]. Repetition of the ordinances concerning the passover, [Num 28:16-25]. Ordinances concerning the day of first-fruits or pentecost, [Num 28:26-31].
Verse 2
Command the children of Israel, etc. - It is not easy to account for the reason of the introduction of these precepts here, which had been so circumstantially delivered before in different parts of the books of Exodus and Leviticus. It is possible that the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly services had been considerably interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled state of the people in the wilderness, and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons:
1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant.
2. Because the former generations being all dead, multitudes of the present might be ignorant of these ordinances.
In their due season - Moses divides these offerings into: -
1. Daily. The morning and evening sacrifices: a lamb each time, [Num 28:3], [Num 28:4].
2. Weekly. The Sabbath offerings, two lambs of a year old, [Num 28:9], etc.
3. Monthly. At the beginning of each month two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin-offering, [Num 28:11], etc.
4. Annual.1. The passover to last seven days; the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat for a sin-offering, [Num 28:16], etc. 2. The day of First-Fruits. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, [Num 28:26], etc.
With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong wine, [Num 28:7], [Num 28:14], and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine flour mingled with oil, [Num 28:8], [Num 28:12], etc. For an ample account of all these offerings, see the notes on Leviticus 7 (note) and Exodus 12 (note).
Verse 7
Strong wine - Sikera; see the note on [Lev 10:9], where this is largely explained.
Verse 26
Day of the first-fruits - Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of pentecost. See it explained [Exo 23:14] (note), and [Lev 23:15] (note).
Verse 31
Without blemish - This is to be understood as applying, not only to the animals, but also to the flour, wine, and oil; every thing must be perfect in its kind.
Introduction
The feast of trumpets on the first day of the seventh month, and its sacrifices, [Num 29:1-6]. The feast of expiation, or annual atonement, on the tenth day of the same month, with its sacrifices, [Num 29:7-11]. The feast of tabernacles, held on the fifteenth day of the same month, with its eight days' offerings, [Num 29:12]. The offerings of the first day, thirteen bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, [Num 29:13-16]. The offerings of the second day, twelve bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs, and one kid, [Num 29:17-19]. The offerings of the third day, eleven bullocks; the rest as before, [Num 29:20-22]. The offerings of the fourth day, ten bullocks; the rest as before, [Num 29:23-25]. The offerings of the fifth day, nine bullocks, etc., [Num 29:26-28]. The offerings of the sixth day, eight bullocks, etc., [Num 29:29-31]. The offerings of the seventh day, seven bullocks, etc., [Num 29:32-34]. The offerings of the eighth day, one bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and one goat, [Num 29:35-38]. These sacrifices to be offered, and feasts to be kept, besides vows, freewill-offerings, etc., etc., [Num 29:39]. Moses announces all these things to the people, [Num 29:40].
Verse 1
And in the seventh month, etc. - This was the beginning of their civil year, and was a time of great festivity, and was ushered in by the blowing of trumpets. It answers to a part of our September. In imitation of the Jews different nations began their new year with sacrifices and festivity. The ancient Egyptians did so; and the Persians still celebrate their nawi rooz, or new year's day, which they hold on the vernal equinox. The first day of the year is generally a time of festivity in all civilized nations. On this day the Israelites offered one young bullock, one ram, seven lambs, and a kid, for a sin-offering, besides minchahs or meat-offerings.
Verse 7
On the tenth day - See the notes on [Lev 16:29], and [Lev 23:24] (note).
Verse 12
On the fifteenth day of the seventh month - On this day there was to be a solemn assembly, and for seven days sacrifices were to be offered; on the first day thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs. On each succeeding day one bullock less, till on the seventh day there were only seven, making in all seventy. What an expensive service! How should we magnify God for being delivered from it! Yet these were all the taxes they had to pay. At the public charge there were annually offered to God, independently of trespass-offerings and voluntary vows, fifteen goats, twenty-one kids, seventy-two rams, one hundred and thirty-two bullocks, and eleven hundred and one lambs! But how little is all this when compared with the lambs slain every year at the passover, which amounted in one year to the immense number of 255,600 slain in the temple itself, which was the answer that Cestius, the Roman general, received when he asked the priests how many persons had come to Jerusalem at their annual festivals; the priests, numbering the people by the lambs that had been slain, said, "twenty-five myriads, five thousand and six hundred." - For an account of the feast of tabernacles, see on [Lev 23:34] (note).