Numbers 29
PATVer; I.jcLnD in the seventh month. Which was anciently the first month of the year; but now the seventh* reckoning from that wherein the Passover was kept; which fdr a special reason was made the first: (see Exod. x. 2.) On Jhe first day of the month ye shall have a holy con* vocation; ye shall do no servile tvork.] So it was ordained before, in Lev. xxiii. 24, 25. It is a day of blowing of trumpets nnto you.] In that place of Leviticus it is called a memorial of blowing of trumpets from morning until evening; which the Jews fancy was to awaken them to repentance, upon the great day of expiation, which followed on the tenth day of this month. But it was manifestly intended quite contrary, to excite them unto joy and gladness: for zichron teruah is a memorial of jubilation, triumph, and shouting for joy; the word teruah being never used in Scripture, but for a sound, or shout of gladness; as the Chaldee word jabbaba, which is here used by the paraphrast, always signifies. And this agrees with their notion, who think; it was a special remembrance of the creation of the world, at which the an* gels rejoiced. Or, it might be ordained to stir up the people to a grateful remembrance of all God’s benefits the year past. Whatsoever was the cause, certain it is, this seventh month was very famous on this account, that more solemn days were to be kept in it than in all the year besides; and upon that account, the people might be awakened,* by this blowing of trumpets, to observe them aright. the continual burnt-offering, &c] There is no augmentation of the sin-offering; but it is the same with that on other festivals, (ver. 5.) And all these sacrifices, it appears by this, were to.be added to the daily sacrifice. -..
Numbers 29:2
And shall offer a burnt-offering for a sweet savour unto the Lord. Over and above all other sacrifices, which were heretofore ordered upon this day, as appears from ver. 6. One bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year, without blemish.] This is less than was appointed upon the foregoing festivals, (chap, xxviii. 19. 27.) because those very sacrifices were also to be offered upon this day, on another account; as I shall observe on ver. 6.
Numbers 29:3
And their meat-offering shall be of flour mingled with oil,. three tenth-deals for a bullock, and two for a rami. This is the proportion appointed, by a general rule, for all sacrifices of this kind. (See the fifteenth chapter of this book, ver. 6. 9.)
Numbers 29:4
And one tenth-deal for one lamb, Ice. So it is there appointed, (ver. 4.)
Numbers 29:5
And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, to make an atonement for you. As is appointed in the foregoing festivals, (chap, xxviii. 15. 22. 30.) Ver; 6. Besides the burnt-offering of the morning, with Ms meat-offering.] It w r as appointed before, that in the beginning of every month there should be a burnt-offering offered of two bullocks, &c. (chap, xxviii. 11, 12.) which was not to be omitted in the beginning of this month; but these other sacrifices added to the offerings of every new moon: which made this a greater new moon than any other; being the first moon of the old civil year.; And the daily burnt-offering, and his meat-offering, and 4L2 Microsoft ® [CHAI\ XXIX, their drink-offerings.] With which the solemnity of the daybegan; and then followed the proper sacrifices belonging to it. According to their manner.’] Or, in the order which God appointed: which I observed before (on chap, xxviii. 11.) was this; that, first, the daily burn t-sacriticc was offered; then the sacrifices appointed for the first day of every month; and then those appointed for this first day of the seventh month… For a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Jjord.] Which was acceptable to the Divine Majesty, when performed according to his directions..
Numbers 29:7
*** And ye shall have on the tenth day of this month a holy convocation.** This solemn assembly is ordered twice before in the book of Leviticus, (chap. xvi. 29. xxiii. 27.) and here repeated, perhaps, for the sake of Elcazar and Joshua, who were newly advanced to their several offices, that they might take special notice of it, and see it observed. -And ye shall afflict your souls.] That was the special intention of it (as we read in both the forenamed places), that they might receive the benefit of the atonement on this day made. Ye shall not do any work therein.] It was to be observed as strictly as a sabbath, (Levit. xvi. 31. xxiii. 32.) wherein they were to abstain not merely from servile work, but from all manner of work whatsoever, (Levit. xvi. 29. xxiii.
Numbers 29:8
And ye shall offer a burnt-offering unto the Lord for a sweet savour. Endeavour to procure acceptance of the rest of the sacrifices of the day, with this whole burntoffering, besides the daily sacrifice; as it follows, (ver. 11.) One bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year, &c.] The same that were appointed on the foregoing solemnity, ver. 2. (except the monthly offering, ver. G.)“to which was added another ram for a burnt-offering, (Levit. xvi. 5.) as a devout acknowledgment that they owned him alone for their sovereign Lord. ■
Numbers 29:9
And their meaUoffering shall be of fine flour, &c. The’mcat-offering attending these burnt-offerings was to be in the same proportion as before ordered, (ver. 3, 4.) Ver.. 11. One kid of the goats for a sin-offering.] As was appointed in the foregoing solemnity, (ver. 5.) Besides the sin-offering of atonement.]’ Mentioned Levit. xvi. 9, &c. whose blood was carried by the high-priest into the most holy place; which was dono in no other sacrifice but that, and the bullock which was offered as a sinoffering for the family of Aaron on the same day, (Levit. xvi. 14.) And the continual burnt-offering, and the meat-offering of it, and their drink-offerings.] These were no more to be omitted on the great day of atonement, than on any other day; but the service of the day was to begin with the continual burnt-offering; and then followed the burnt-offerings, with the meat and drink-offerings belonging to them, and the sin-offering here prescribed; and then the sacrifice of atonement, and all that is ordered in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus, for the expiation of the sins of all the people of Israel: which sacrifice the present Jews now wanting, and yet.bcing sensible of the necessity of sonic satisfaction, but not believing in our blessed Saviour/ who hath fully made it for all mankind; they arc in a lamentable plunge, and aro put to most wretched shifts to devise something to supply the “place of the sacrifice of. atonement, which was wont to be made for them. One is their own death; it being the continual prayer of every one of them, upon their death-bed, " Let my death be the expiation for my sins.” Another is (which is so absurd, that Leo Modinft saith they do not use it now in Italy, nor in the eastern countries), the killing of* a white cock (if one can be got) by the men, and a white hen by the women, on the eve of this day, saying, " Let this cock be an exchange for me; let it come in my stead; let it be my expiation; let it die, but I and Israel live happily;” as Buxtorf shews in his Synagog. Judaica, cap. 25. Which I should not here mention, were it not to shew, that they have the very same notion still of a sacrifice for sin (even now that they can t onlymake an imitation of it), which we have of the sacrifice of Christ, who was put in our place, and offered himself to God in our stead; and that it ought to be pure and innocent, which is offered instead of a sinner.
Numbers 29:12
And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work. See Levit. xxiii. 35. And ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days.] viz. The feast of tabernacles, (Levit. ixiii. 34.) which was after the harvest and vintage, (Deut. xvi.* 13.) and kept seven days* with great joy and gladness of heart; but they were not bound to abstain from semile work all’ this time, but only on the first day and on the seventh.
Numbers 29:13
And ye shall offer a burnt-offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. The same kind of sacrifice which was prescribed on the other festivals, to be offered up wholly in honour of God: but here is, a faT larger proportion than in any other solemnity. • Thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year, &c] On the other festivals two bullocks sufficed, (chap, xxviii. 11. 19. 27.) and on the festival in the beginning of this month only one was appointed; but here arc thirteen; and so they continued to be’offered seven days successively, with the decrease only of one bullock every day, till on the seventh day only seven bullocks wctc offered, which in all made Seventy bullocks. The rams also and the lambs were in a double proportion to what was usual throughout the whole festival; which was a vast charge, but more easy at this time of the year than any other, because now their barns were full, and their winepresses overflowed; and their hearts might well be supposed tp be more enlarged than at other times, in thankfulness to God for his great benefits. Yet this very gross, troublesome, and expensive way of serving God, made the best men among them groan, and long for the coming of Christ; in whose days, their own doctors say, no sacrifices shall remain, but those of thanksgiving, and praise, and prayer. With which they have been forced to be’ content for above sixteen hundred years; and, instead of these additional sacrifices unto the daily, have added peculiar prayers (which they also call musaphim) unto the common prayers they used every day: (See Buxtorf concerning the feast of the new moon, in his Synagog. Jud. cap. 22.)
Numbers 29:14
Their meaUoffering shall be of fine flour, &c. The same proportions which arc ordered, by a general rule, to every sacrifice of a bullock, and of a ram, (chap, xv.) Ver. 1G. And one kid of the goats for a sin-offering, besides
Numbers 29:17
And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, &c. Here one bullock less, than on the day before, is ordered to be. offered; and so. on every succeeding day there is still a decrease of one bullock; which is all the difference between the offerings on the seven days of this feast, upon every one. of which there was the’ same number of rams and lambs, without any diminution.., Which Moses thought fit to set down distinctly from this verse to the thirty-fifth, that there might be no mistake. But little need be noted upon them..
Numbers 29:18
According to their number, after the manner. Prescribed ver. 14, 15.;:^….
Numbers 29:35
On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly. There is a peculiar word here used to denote this to be a great day, as I noted upon Lev. xxiii. 36. (See there.) Ye shall do no servile tvork therein.] It was to be observed as the first day of the feast of tabernacles, both’of them being called a sabbath, Lev. xxiii. 39. i
Numbers 29:36
But ye shall offer a burnt-offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of, a sweet. savour unto the Lord.] Here is a peculiar sacrifice appointed upon this day, in the same terms as upon the first day of the feast of tabernacles, (ver. 13.) (,.;…… » One bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year, &c] But though this was an extraordinary day, and. a distinct festival, (as I shewed upon Lev. xxiii. 39.) yet here aTe fewer sacrifices prescribed on this day, than upon any of the foregoing seven…For on every one of them two rams were offered and fourteen lambs; and here but half so many: and seven bullocks were the fewest that were offered upon any of those days (and on the first day thirteen), but here only one. By which God consulted, perhaps, the weakness of mankind, who naturally grew weary both of the charge and of the labour of such services, when they were long-continued: and therefore he made them every. day less toilsome and expensive; and put them in mind, likewise, that: themultitude of sacrifices did not procure their, acceptance with God; and in length of time they would come to nothing, and be utterly abolished, to establish something better in their room.
Numbers 29:37
Their meat-offering, and their drink-offerings, for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner. In such proportions as God had before ordained in the fifteenth chapter of this book, in the beginning of it; as I have often observed.
Numbers 29:38
And one goat for a sin-offering, besides the continual burnt-offering, &c. This is never omitted upon any festival, (chap..xxviii. 15. 22. 30. xxix. 5. 11. 16. 19, &c). to put them in mind, that, after all their services, they stood in need of forgiveness.,..,
Numbers 29:39
These things shall ye do (or offer) unto the Lord in your set feasts. All these feasts were fixed and stated at certain times; on which God was to be worshipped after the manner here prescribed in these two chapters. For all these offerings (except one sin-oflcring upon each set day) were wholly burnt-offerings (as I have already observed), which may properly be said to be done, that is, offered unto the Lord; neither people nor priests having -, any share in them. Besides your vows, and your free-will-offerings, for your burnt-offerings.’] Besides these, every man might offer other burnt-offerings; either in performance of a vow, or freely, out of his affection to God. (See chap. xv. 3.) For your meat-offerings, and for your drink-offerings.] There are five several sorts of meat-offerings; which were left to every man’s free-will, to bring as he pleased. See the second chapter of Leviticus, where they are described. * And for your peace-offerings.] These are described in the third chapter of that book: a great number of which, it is likely, men offered voluntarily upon all the forementione’d festivals; for otherwise they would have had no means to feast with God at his house, nor to entertain their friends and neighbours, as the custom was at such times of public rejoicing; which they did upon that part of the peace-offerings which was given them, after the fat was offered to God, and the wave-breast and heave-shoulder given to the priest, (Lev. vii. 15, &ci 34.)
Numbers 29:40
And Moses told the children of Israel, according to all that the Lord commanded Moses. He acquainted all the people (by the heads of their tribes, perhaps, of whom we read in the beginning of the next chapter) with all. these commands of God, which concerned his worship and service- • * CHAP: XXX. Ver.l. JjLND Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes.] There were wont to be extraordinary assemblies of these, or other great men, upon special occasions, as Mr. Selden observes, (lib. ii. de Synedr. cap. 14. n. 4.) who are sometimes called, as they are here, the heads of all the tribes, and the ciders, (Dcut. v. 23.) and, in other places, the heads of the people, (Deut. xxx. 5.) the whole congregation of the children of Israel, (Josh, xviii. 1. xxii. 12.) the chief of all the people, (Judg. xx. 2.) all Israel, (1 Sam. vii. 5.) all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, (1 Chrou.. xxviii. 1.) all the elders of Israel; and heads of the tribes, and chief of the fathers’, (2 Chron. v. 2.) the counsel of the princes and elders, (Ezra x. 8.) And it is commonly said by the Hebrew doctors, concerning such assemblies, that wheresoever the children of Israel were met together, or the greater part of them, there the Schechinah (that is, the’Divine Majesty, or the Holy Ghost, as they sometimes speak) ivas wont to rest. –Concerning the children of Israel, saying.] Acquainted’ them with a matter which concerned all the people; willing them to communicate it to them. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded.] It is very probable there had been some case propounded to him about vows;« concerning which he here gives such rules, as might direct them in time to come. J« Ver*. 2. If a man.] It is reasonable to think, that this includes the other. sex also; provided they be in their own power, and not subject to another, and be in thejr right mind…:: s Voiv a vow unto the Lord.] Promise solemnly unto God something that is for his honour and service; for that seems to be meant by unto the Lord: as, that he will offer some sacrifice at the feast abovenientioned, more than is pic-