Numbers 1:32-33
tribe <04294> [the tribe.]
40,500 <0705> [were forty.]
Numbers 1:1
wilderness <04057> [wilderness.]
tent <0168> [tabernacle.]
first ..... second ..... second ... after <0259 08145> [on the first day.]
As the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month, in the second year of their departure from Egypt, (Ex 40:17,) and this happened on the first day of the second month, in the same year, it is evident that the transactions related in the preceding book must all have taken place in the space of one month, and during the time the Israelites were encamped at mount Sinai.
Numbers 19:1-22
ordinance <02708> [the ordinance.]
red heifer <06510 0122> [a red heifer.]
The following curious particulars have been remarked in this ordinance: 1. A heifer was appointed for sacrifice, in opposition to the Egyptian superstition, which held these sacred, and worshipped their goddess Isis under this form; and this appears the more likely, because males only were chosen for sacrifice. So Herodotus says, they sacrifice males, both old and young; but it is not lawful for them to offer females. 2. It was to be a red heifer, because the Egyptians sacrificed red bulls to the evil demon Typhon. 3. It was to be without spot, having no mixture of any other colour. Plutarch says, the Egyptians "sacrifice red bulls, and select them with such scrupulous attention, that if the animal has a single black or white hair, they reckon it [athuton,] unfit to be sacrificed." 4. Without blemish. (See note on Le 22:21.) 5. On which never came yoke: because an animal which had been used for a common purpose was deemed improper for sacrifice.
defect <03971> [no blemish. See on]
never <03808> [upon which.]
outside ... camp <02351 04264> [without the camp.]
sprinkle <05137> [sprinkle.]
clean ................. clean <02889> [clean.]
put <03240> [lay them up.]
water ... purification <05079 04325> [a water of separation.]
That is, water prepared by being mixed with the ashes of the heifer, and set apart for the special purpose of being sprinkled on those who had contracted any legal defilement. To this rite the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews. (ch. 9:13, 14,) pointedly alludes: "For if," says he, "the blood of bulls and of goats," alluding, probably, to the sin-offerings and the scape-goat, "and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot unto God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God."
wash ... clothes <03526 0899> [wash his.]
Israelites <01121> [it shall be.]
touches ... corpse <04191 05060> [toucheth the dead.]
He who touched a dead beast was only unclean for one day, (Le 11:12, 27, 39;) but he who touches a dead man is unclean for seven days. This was certainly designed to show the peculiar impurity and sinfulness of man, and the hatefulness of sin, seven times worse than the vilest animal!
person <0120> [man. Heb. soul of man.]
purify ........................ purify <02398> [He shall purify.]
"Yithchatta," literally, "he shall sin himself," i.e., not add sin, but take it away, purify. So we say to fleece, and to skin, which do not signify to add a fleece, or a skin, but to take one away.
on ... third day ... on .... day .............. on ... third day ..... day <03117 07992> [third day.]
purify <02398> [purifieth.]
water <04325> [the water.]
uncleanness <02932> [his uncleanness.]
touches <05060> [toucheth.]
bone <06106> [a bone.]
grave <06913> [a grave.]
ashes <06083> [ashes. Heb. dust.]
fresh running water <04325 05414 02416> [running water shall be put thereto. Heb. living waters shall be given.]
sprinkle <05137> [shall sprinkle.]
on .... day ... on ... seventh day ... on ... seventh day <03117 07637> [on the seventh day he.]
purify <02398> [shall not.]
unclean <02931> [whatsoever.]
person <05315> [the soul.]
Numbers 21:1-35
Arad <06166> [Arad.]
road ... Atharim <0871 01870> [the way of the spies.]
Dr. Kennicott remarks, that the word {atharim,} rendered spies in our version, is in the Greek a proper name ([Atharein,] Atharim).
fought <03898> [then.]
made <05087> [vowed.]
utterly <02763> [I will.]
listened <08085> [hearkened.]
utterly <02763> [and they utterly.]
{Wyyacharem,} rather with the LXX. [kai anethematisen,] "and they anathematised, or devoted them to destruction;" for it is certain that these Canaanites and Arad were not utterly destroyed till the time of Joshua. (Jos 12:14.)
name <08034> [the name.]
{Hormah,} that is, utter destruction. {Chormah,} rather a devoting to destruction: so LXX. [Anathema,] and Tremellius, {devotio sive anathema.}
Mount Hor <02023 02022> [mount Hor.]
road .................... way <01870> [by the way.]
around <05437> [compass.]
<05315> [the soul.]
impatient <07114> [discouraged. or, grieved. Heb. shortened.]
spoke <01696> [spake.]
detest <05315> [and our soul.]
sinned ..... spoken <02398 01696> [We have.]
Pray ................ prayed <06419> [pray.]
Moses ............................... Moses <04872> [And Moses.]
bronze snake ............ snake .......... bronze snake <05175 05178> [A serpent of.]
looked <05027> [when he.]
<02425> [he lived.]
Oboth <088> [Oboth.]
Probably Oboda, a city of Arabia Petr‘a, mentioned by Ptolemy. Pliny assigns it to the Helmodians; but Stephanus to the Nabatheans.
Iye Abarim <05863> [Ije-abarim. or, heaps of Abarim.]
valley ... Zered <02218 05158> [the valley of Zared.]
[the brook Zered.]
Book <05612> [in the book.]
Waheb <02052> [What he did. or, Vaheb in Suphah.]
The following seems to be the sense of this passage: "From Vaheb in Suphah, and the torrents of Arnon, even the effusion of the torrents, which goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth for the boundary of Moab; even from thence to the well; (which is the well of which Jehovah spake unto Moses, Gather the people, and I will give them water. Then sang Israel this song: Spring up, O Well! Answer ye to it. The well, princes digged it; even nobles of the people digged it, by a decree, upon their borders;) and from the wilderness (or the well, as in LXX.) to Mattanah; and from Mattanah," etc. The whole of this, from ver. 14-20, is a fragment from "the book of the wars of Jehovah," probably a book of remembrances or directions written by Moses for the use of Joshua, and describes the several boundaries of the land of Moab. This rendering removes every obscurity, and obviates every difficulty.
Ar <06144> [Ar.]
falls off <08172> [lieth. Heb. leaneth.]
Beer <0876> [Beer.]
Gather <0622> [Gather.]
sang <07891> [sang.]
up <05927> [Spring up. Heb. ascend. sing ye. or answer.]
princes <08269> [princes.]
scepters <02710> [the lawgiver.]
wilderness <04057> [And from.]
country <07704> [country. Heb. field.]
top <07218> [to the.]
Pisgah <06449> [Pisgah. or the hill. Jeshimon. or, the wilderness.]
Sihon .... permit <05511 05414> [Sihon would.]
Jahaz <03096> [Jahaz.]
Israelites <03478> [Israel.]
Arnon <0769> [Arnon.]
settled <03427> [dwelt.]
Heshbon <02809> [in Heshbon.]
Heshbon was situated, according to Eusebius, twenty miles east of Jordan; and Jerome, who places it at the same distance, says it was, in his time, a very considerable city. It still subsists, in ruins, under the name of Heshban.
villages <01323> [villages. Heb. daughters.]
Arnon <0769> [Arnon.]
Arnon is a stream which takes its rise in the mountains of Moab, and, by a north-west course, during which it receives the waters of several streams, runs into the Dead sea. It is now called Wady Modjeb, and divides the province of Pelka from that of Kerek, as it formerly divided the kingdoms of the Moabites and Amorites. Its principal source is at a short distance to the north-east of Katrane, a station of the Syrian Hadj, where it is called Seyl Sayde; and lower down it receives the name of Esseim el Kereim, or Szefye.
fire <0784> [a fire.]
Ar ... Moab <06144 04124> [Ar of Moab.]
overpowered <03384> [have shot.]
Dibon <01769> [Dibon.]
Jaazer <03270> [Jaazer.]
[Jazer.]
turned <06437> [they turned.]
Bashan ...... Bashan <01316> [Bashan.]
Og <05747> [Og.]
fear ...... delivered ............. You will ...... you <03372 05414> [Fear him.]
delivered ............. You will ...... you <05414> [for I have.]
do ...... did <06213> [thou shalt.]
do ...... did <06213> [as thou.]
