36 matching verse commentaries
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The Numbering of the Israelites. (b. c. 1490.) 1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The thousands of Israel, having been mustered in the former chapter, in this are marshalled, and a regular disposition is made of their camp, by a divine appointment. Here is, I. A general order concerning it, ver. 1, 2. II. Particular directions for the posting of each of the tribes, in four distinct squadrons, three tribes in each squadron. 1....
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter and the next are concerning the tribe of Levi, which was to be mustered and marshalled by itself, and not in common with the other tribes, intimating the particular honour put upon them and the particular duty and service required from them. The Levites are in this chapter considered, I. As attendants on, and assistants to, the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In the former chapter an account was taken of the whole tribe of Levi, in this we have an account of those of that tribe who were in the prime of their time for service, betwixt thirty and fifty years old. I. The serviceable men of the Kohathites are ordered to be numbered, and their charges are given them, ver. 2-20. II. Of the Gershonites, ver....
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. An order, pursuant to the laws already made, for the removing of the unclean out of the camp, ver. 1-4. II. A repetition of the laws concerning restitution, in case of wrong done to a neighbour (ver. 5-8), and concerning the appropriating of the hallowed things to the priests, ver. 9, 10. III. A new law made concerning...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. The law concerning Nazarites, 1. What it was to which the vow of a Nazarite obliged him, ver. 1-8. 2. A remedial law in case a Nazarite happened to be polluted by the touch of a dead body, ver. 9-12. 3. The solemnity of his discharge when his time was up, ver. 13-21. II. Instructions given to the priests how they should...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
God having set up house (as it were) in the midst of the camp of Israel, the princes of Israel here come a visiting with their presents, as tenants to their landlord, in the name of their respective tribes. I. They brought presents, 1. Upon the dedication of the tabernacle, for the service of that, ver. 1-9. 2. Upon the dedication of the altar,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is concerning the lamps or lights of the sanctuary. I. The burning lamps in the candlestick, which the priests were charged to tend, ver. 1-4. II. The living lamps (if I may so call them), The Levites, who as ministers were burning and shining lights. The ordination of the priests we had an account of, Lev. viii. Here we have an...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is, I. Concerning the great ordinance of the passover; 1. Orders given for the observance of it, at the return of the year, ver. 1-5. 2. Provisos added in regard to such as should be ceremonially unclean, or otherwise disabled, at the time when the passover was to be kept, ver. 6-14. II. Concerning the great favour of the pillar of...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
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...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Hitherto things had gone pretty well in Israel; little interruption had been given to the methods of God's favour to them since the matter of the golden calf; the people seemed teachable in marshalling and purifying the camp, the princes devout and generous in dedicating the altar, and there was good hope that they would be in Canaan presently....
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In the foregoing chapter we had the vexation which the people gave to Moses; in this we have his patience tried by his own relations. I. Miriam and Aaron, his own brother and sister, affronted him, ver. 1-3. II. God called them to an account for it, ver. 4-9. III. Miriam was smitten with a leprosy for it, ver. 10. IV. Aaron submits, and Moses...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
It is a memorable and very melancholy story which is related in this and the following chapter, of the turning back of Israel from the borders of Canaan, when they were just ready to set foot in it, and the sentencing of them to wander and perish in the wilderness for their unbelief and murmuring. It is referred to Ps. xcv. 7, &c., and improved...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter gives us an account of that fatal quarrel between God and Israel upon which, for their murmuring and unbelief, he swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. Here is, I. The mutiny and rebellion of Israel against God, upon the report of the evil spies, ver. 1-4. II. The fruitless endeavour of Moses and Aaron, Caleb...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter, which is mostly concerning sacrifice and offering, comes in between the story of two rebellions (one ch. xiv. the other ch. xvi.), to signify that these legal institutions were typical of the gifts which Christ was to receive even for the rebellious, Ps. lxviii. 18. In the foregoing chapter, upon Israel's provocation, God had...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The date of the history contained in this chapter is altogether uncertain. Probably these mutinies happened after their removal back again from Kadesh-barnea, when they were fixed (if I may so speak) for their wandering in the wilderness, and began to look upon that as their settlement. Presently after new laws given follows the story of a new...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Enough had been done in the chapter before to quash all pretensions of the families of the tribe of Levi that would set up in competition with Aaron, and to make it appear that Aaron was the head of the tribe; but it seems, when that matter was settled, the princes of the rest of the tribes began to murmur. If the head of a tribe must be a priest,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Aaron being now fully established in the priesthood abundantly to his own satisfaction, and to the satisfaction of the people (which was the good that God brought out of the evil opposition made to him), in this chapter God gives him full instructions concerning his office or rather repeats those which he had before given him. He tells him, I....
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is only concerning the preparing and using of the ashes which were to impregnate the water of purification. The people had complained of the strictness of the law, which forbade their near approach to the tabernacle, ch. xvii. 13. In answer to this complaint, they are here directed to purify themselves, so as that they might come as...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
At this chapter begins the history of the fortieth year (which was the last year) of the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness. And since the beginning of their second year, when they were sentenced to perform their quarantine in the desert, there to wear away the tedious revolution of forty years, there is little recorded concerning them till...