B.C. 1490. slaying animals for food a Is. lxvi. 3; Ja. iv. 17; De. xii. 13, 14; He. iii. 12; Ro. v. 13. b Le. iii. 17; Ex. xxix. 18; Le. iv. 31; Nu. xviii. 17. e De. xxxii. 17; 2 Ch. xi. 15; Ps. cvi. 37, 39; 1 Co. x. 20. of the goat, ac CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH. 1-7. (1, 2) speak.. Israel, this law touching the slaying of animals for food, concerned the people equally with the priests. (3) killeth, for food. (4) blood.. blood, guilty of having shed blood unlawfully. (5) to .. end, etc., i.e. this the purpose of the injunction. offer.. Lord, if of everything slain somewhat had to be offered to the Lord, the practice of idolatry would be prevented. (6) sprinkle, cast forth. (7) devils, Heb. lasseirim goats.d The law concerning sacrifices.-Consider-I. How this matter had stood before. It was allowed to all people to build altars and offer sacrifices where they pleased. Hence this state had become an occasion for idolatry. II. How this law settled it. It forbade the killing of beasts for sacrifice anywhere but at God's altar. d "The worship III. How this law was observed. While they kept their integrity companied by the they tenderly observed it. Its breach, however, was for many foulest rites, pre-generations, later on, a grievous evil. IV. How this matter vailed at Mendes stands now, and what use we are to make of the law. It is cerin Lower Egypt. tain the spiritual sacrifices we are now to offer are not confined The word, wh. to any one place. Christ is our altar and spiritual tabernacle. strictly means hairy ones, is in Devils.-The Hebrew word Seirim, here translated devils (field Is. xiii. 21 and devils), properly signifies woolly, hairy, in general; whence it is xxxiv. rendered used as well for he-goats, as also for certain fabulous beings or has here μaratous, Sylvan gods, to whom, as to the satyrs, the popular belief ascribed vain things; and the form of goats. But, in the above passage, he-goats are prothe Vulgate da-bably meant, which were objects of divine honour among the monibus, demons. Egyptians, under the name of Mendes, as emblems of the fructie M. Henry'. fying power of nature, or of the fructifying power of the sun. "Superstition From this divinity, which the Greeks compared with their Pan, always inspires a province in Egypt had its name. Goats and he-goats, says ligion, grandeur Herodotus, are not slaughtered by the Egyptians whom we have of mind; the su- mentioned, because they consider Pan as one of the oldest gods. perstitious raises But painters as well as statuaries represent this deity with the beings inferior to himself to face and the legs of a goat, as the Greeks used to represent Pan. deities."-Lavater. The Mandeseans pay divine honour to he-goats and she-goats; f Rosenmuller. but more to the former than to the latter. satyrs. The LXX. bitterness; re 8-12. (8) strangers, foreigners. (9) bringeth, etc., idolatrous usages were not in any wise to be connived at. (10) eateth.. blood," see on Le. iii. 17; vii. 26. set.. against, i.e. will be angry with. (11) life.. blood, the blood a type of the immortal principle, and was devoted to significant sacred uses. for.. soul, and this higher use shall save it fr. common uses. (12) stranger, etc., he who for his convenience or advantage joins himself to Israel must respect the laws of Israel. The prohibition to eat blood.-To elucidate this ordinance, I shall-I. Confirm the fact here stated. God had from the beginning appointed the blood of animals to be offered by man as an atonement for his soul. This appears throughout all the Mosaic history and the New Testament. II. Consider the prohibition as founded on it. It was most salutary as tending1. To excite reverence for sacrifices; 2. To bring continually to remembrance the way of salvation; 3. To direct attention to the great sacrifice.d B.C. 1490. happiness in gluttony and in can touch their Eating the blood a characteristic of savage life.-The Greenlanders, though they do not usually eat their meat raw, have drunkenness, but a superstitious custom, on every capture, of cutting out a piece no delicate viands of the raw flesh and drinking the warm blood. A European taste with a thrill writer states that he often followed their example in the chase of pleasure, and and assuaged his hunger by eating a piece of raw reindeer's what generosity flesh; nor did he find it very hard of digestion, but it satisfied there is in wine his appetite much less than cooked meat. The Abyssinians also to impart its glow Travellers who have witnessed their brunde to their shrivelled eat meat raw. steadily refuses Curiosities of Food, P. L. Sim feasts, can attest the intoxicating effects of this kind of food, hearts."-Whipple. and they must have been astonished at the immense quantities that can be eaten in the raw state, compared to that when the meat is cooked, and at the insensibility which it sometimes produces.e 66 66 monds, 43. blood not to out as a a Ac. xv. 30; Jo. xiii. 8. as food; first, its own nature as the the vital fluid; 13-16. (13) hunteth, etc., the rule applied as well to wild as to domesticated animals. (14) cut.. off, see on Ex. xxxi. 14. (15) eateth, etc., see on xi. 39. (16) he.. iniquity, i.e. it shall not be borne by the sacrifice of atonement." Hints for hunters.-I. That their purpose in hunting should not be mere sport. Any beast, etc., that may be eaten." God's b Wordsworth. creatures not to be sacrificed to love of adventure; selfish dis"There are two regard of life, etc. That the life of wild, no less than of domesdistinct grounds ticated, animals is sacred. Hence the blood to be regarded. III. given for the proThe God of all life to be revered. The blood to be covered. hibition of blood Heathens poured out the blood as a libation to the god of the chase. The costliness of hunting.-Our great English game, hunting secondly, its conand shooting, is costly altogether; and how much we are fined secration in sacrificial worship."for it annually in land, horses, gamekeepers, and game laws, and Spk. Comm. all else that accompanies that beautiful and special English game, I will not endeavour to count now; but note only that, changes a man to "Superstition except for exercise, this is not merely a useless game, but a deadly a beast, fanatione, to all connected with it. For, through horse-racing, you get cism makes him every form of what the higher classes everywhere call “ a wild beast, and "in 'Play despotism distinction from all other plays; that is, gambling-by no means beast of burden." a beneficial or recreative game; and, through game-preserving -La Harpe. you get also some curious laying out of ground; that beautiful "That the corarrangement of dwelling-house for man and beast, by which we ruption of the best thing prohave grouse and blackcock-so many brace to the acre, and men duces the worst, and women-so many brace to the garret. I often wonder what is grown into a the angelic builders and surveyors-the angelic builders who maxim, and is build the "many mansions" up above there, and the angelic sur-commonly veyors who measured that four-square city with their measuring other instances, reeds-I wonder what they think, or are supposed to think, of by the pernicious the laying out of ground by this nation, which has set itself, as effects of superit seems, literally to accomplish, word for word, or rather fact for stition and word, in the persons of those poor whom its Master left to repre- ruptions of true sent Him, what that Master said of Himself, the foxes and birds religion."--Hume. had homes, but He none."-Additional Note:-It was usual with c Ruskin. heathen sportsmen, when they killed game, to pour out the blood Dr. Gordon, as a libation to the god of the chase. The Israelites, by this law, Christ as Made were effectually debarred from such heathen superstitions. Known, ii. 32. а proved, among en thusiasm, the cor B.C. 1490. principles independent of circumstances a Ro. i. 23-29. b Ez. xx. 11, 23; Lu. x. 28; Ro. x. 5; Ga. iii. 12; Ne. ix. 29. "The moment CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH. 1–5. (2) I.. God, a reminder of their covenant relation: as well as of the source of their laws. (3) Egypt . . Canaan,” neither the land they had left, nor the land they were going to, should influence their religious life. (4) ordinances, ceremonial observances. (5) statutes, ordinances. he.. them,' shall not be cut off: shall live in the enjoyment of all the Divine favour secured by obedience. God the Supreme Ruler.-Men are not-I. To be ruled by the habits and customs of the past. II. Are not to take those who have succeeded as examples. III. Are to be warned by Divine God Almighty judgments on the wicked. IV. Are not thoughtlessly to adopt gives the know- the fashions of the present time and place. Not to "do at Rome ledge of Himself as Rome does," etc. to any one, it makes him cease to be vicious; for he who, by faith, beauties and per who has covered these, The holiness of God.-The sun may as well discard its own rays, and banish them from itself, into some region of darkness far more remote from it, where they shall have no dependence at has obtained the knowledge of all upon it, as God can forsake and abandon holiness in the world, God, must imme- and leave it a poor orphan thing, that shall have no influence at diately discover all from Him to preserve and keep it. Holiness is something of His glorious God, wherever it is: it is an efflux from Him, that always hangs fections; and he upon Him, and lives in Him; as the sunbeams, although they dis-gild this lower world and spread their golden wings over us, yet they are not so much here, where they shine, as in the sun, from whence they flow. God cannot draw a curtain betwixt Himself and holiness, which is nothing but the splendour and shining of Himself; He cannot hide His face from it; He cannot desert it in the world. He that is once born of God shall "overcome the world," and the prince of this world too, by the power of God in him. Holiness is no solitary, neglected thing; it has stronger confederacies, greater alliances, than sin and wickedness. It is in league with God and the universe; the whole creation smiles upon it; there is something of God in it; and, therefore, it must needs be a victorious and triumphant thing.c will find himself obliged to love God; and he who loves God must needs obey Him." -Howe. v. 4. Dr. J. Tunstall, Academicia, 143. c Cudworth. unlawful -7. b Ge. xix. 31. c Ge. xxxv. 22. d 2 S. xiii. 12; "I express my 6-10. (6) near.. him,a lit. flesh of his body, i.e. blood relations of certain degrees of consanguinity. uncover, etc., i.e. to have intercourse with. (7) father, etc., were not these dreadful sins possible there would be no need of such a law. (8) of.. wife, as the sin of Reuben. (9) sister,d the distinguishing offence of the Egyptians. born.. abroad, prob. ref. to half-sister. (10) of.. daughter, niece. Violation of law of consanguinity.-I. Must result in deterioration of the race. II. In unwholesome restraints upon the intercourse of the members of families. III. Marriages just within the prescribed limits sometimes promoted to prevent the surrender of family property. Unholy marriages.-The thoughtlessness of youth and headlong impetus of passion frequently throw people into rash engagements, and in these cases the formal morality of the world, more careful of externals than of truth, declares it to be nobler for not one word such rash engagements to be kept, even when the rashness is felt conviction that Scripture Bays B.C. 1490. crime, and if it be by the engaged, than that a man's honour should be stained by a withdrawal. The letter thus takes precedence of the spirit. To against marriage satisfy this prejudice, a life is sacrificed. A miserable marriage with a deceased rescues the honour; and no one throws the burden of that misery wife's sister. upon the prejudice. I am not forgetting the necessity of being Surely it is not a stringent against the common thoughtlessness of youth in form- not, the law that ing such relations; but I say that this thoughtlessness once constitutes it so. having occurred, reprobate it as you will, the pain which a must be, for the separation may bring had better be endured than evaded by an crimes, an evil unholy marriage, which cannot come to good. and unjust law." 11-15. (11) thy.. sister, incest forbidden of every degree. Gilfillan. (12) thy.. sister, aunt.a (13) kinswoman, lit. remainder. (14) aunt, brought into that relation by marriage. (15) thy.. law, Heb. callah, a bride. worst of all g Lewis. a Allowed in former times: case of Amram and Jochebed, Ex. vi. to learn on the wife's sister,' my neither does Lee. wife's sister is not The law of Moses relating to marriage.-In his statutes relative to marriage, and sometimes, also, in other parts of his law, Moses 20. expresses near relationship, either by the single word (sheer) Ge. xxxviii. 18, pars, scil, carnis, or more fully by the two words, sheer-basar, 26; Ez. xxii. 11. pars, carnis (part or remainder of flesh). The meaning of these "From all that I terms has been the subject of much controversy. Some would have been able translate them flesh of flesh; others, remnant of flesh. But those question, Whethat say most of their etymology, are in general not so much ther a man may oriental philologists, as divines and lawyers; and yet we should marry a deceased rather like to have an illustration of any obscure etymological opinion is, that question, from those who unite with the knowledge of Hebrew, an acquaintance with its kindred Eastern languages. There are Holy Scripture some also, who would make this distinction between sheer and anywhere forbid it, nor ever did sheer-basar, that the former means only persons immediately con- the Jews."-Dr. nected with us, such as children, parents, grandchildren, grandparents, and husbands or wives; and the latter, those who are "I admit that related to us only mediately, but in the nearest degree, such as marriage with a our brothers and sisters, who are, properly speaking, our father's forbidden in Leflesh. Others, again, think that sheer-basar means nothing but viticus." -Bp. of children and grandchildren. These conjectures, however, are by Lincoln. no means consonant to the real usage of the language in the "The pro hiMosaic laws themselves; for in Le. xxv. 48, 49, sheer-basar fol-bition in v. 18 is only against marlows as the name of a more remote relation, after brother, paternal rying a wife's uncle, or paternal uncle's son; and in Nu. xxvii. 8-11, it is com- sister during the manded that "if a man die without sons his inheritance shall be life of the first wife, which of given to his daughters; if he have no daughters it shall pass to his brothers, of whom if he has none then to his paternal uncles; and if these are also wanting, it shall then be given unto his nearest sheer in his family." It is manifest that, in this passage, sheer includes those relations that follow in succession to "When Themisa father's brother. If the reader wishes to know what these tocles was to words etymologically signify, I shall here just state to him my marry his daughopinion, but without repeating the grounds on which it rests. ter, there were two suitors, the Sheer means-1. A remnant; 2. The remnant of a meal; 3. A one rich and a piece of anything eatable, such as flesh; 4. A piece of anything fool, and the in general. Hence we find it subsequently transferred to rela-other wise but tionship in the Arabic language; in which, though with a slight being asked orthographical variation, that nearest relation is called Tair or which of the two Thsair, whom the Hebrews denominate Goël. In this way, sheer, even by itself, would signify a relation. Basar, commonly rendered flesh, is among the Hebrews equivalent to body; and may thence have been applied to signify relationship. Thus, thou art itself implies a liberty to marry the sister after her death."-Dr. Chalmers. not rich; and he had rather his daughter should have, he answer ed, I had rather she should marry B.C. 1490. ย man without my flesh, or body (Ge. xxix. 14), means, thou art my near kinsman. When both words are put together, sheer-basar, they may money. than be rendered literally, corporeal relation, or by a half Hebrew money without a phrase, kinsman after the flesh. In their derivation there are man. The best of no further mysteries concealed, nor anything that can bring the marriages is in the man or the point in question to a decision; and what marriages Moses has woman, not in permitted or commanded, we cannot ascertain from sheer-basar, the means or the frequent and extensive as is its use in his marriage-laws: but must determine, from his own ordinances, in which he distinctly mentions what sheer-basar, that is, what relations, are forbidden to marry.c money."-Ven ning. deceased wife's sister "This law was broken in the dias: a d is no proof that Philip was dead at that time." Jos. Ant. xviii. 5, 1. mother and dau. at the same c Wordsworth, = 16-21. (16) thy.. wife, i.e. if she had children.a (17) uncover. . daughter,' i.e. prob. the daughter by former a De. XXV. 5. marriage. (18) neither, etc., "This sentence forbids a married man to bring into his household another wife to vex her who is case of H. Anti- already his wife." (19) uncleanness, see on xx. 18. (20) pas and Hero- thy.. wife, see Ex. xx. 18. (21) let.. fire, sacrifice thy Baptist appealed the children as a burnt-offering. Molech, first mention of this to it in proof of idol. A name sig. king, prob. the heathen Saturnus. their sin. There Molech.-Molech, the national deity of the Ammonites, is often mentioned in the Old Testament, and the Israelites are very specially and solemnly warned against his worship. The name signifies "king" or "ruler;" and Milcom or Malcham is just the same radical word with the pronoun affixed, "their king." "It may pos- Molech was "the fire-god." He represented the sun, like Baal, sibly have been but in a different aspect. Baal represented the life-power and designed to inspire a horror of protecting power, Molech the destructive or consuming power. conjoint cohabi- He was, in fact, the great destroyer, the author of all calamities tation with-of war, famine, and pestilence. He was supposed to delight in cruelty, suffering, and misery. Hence the cruel and inhuman time."-Bush. character of his worship, and the brutal acts perpetrated upon his altars in the name of religion. Purifications and ordeals by fire were the ordinary rites. Children were made "to pass through the fire to Molech;" that is, they were burned to death (Le. xviii. stretched out, in 21, xx. 2). Solomon introduced his worship, and, at the instigawh. the chilo was tion of his Ammonite wives, built a temple to Molech on one of placed and burnt with fire, while the summits of Olivet (1 K. xi. 7). At a later period an image the priests were of the deity was set up in the Valley of Hinnom. It is mentioned beating rums. by Jeremiah, and a terrible prophetic curse is pronounced against "I have no doubt the place on account of the cruelties perpetrated (Je. vii. 31). Lev. xviii. 18, Mesha, king of Moab, when his army was routed and hemmed in marriage with a by the Israelites, offered up his son as a burnt-offering to Molech deceased wife's on the walls of his capital (2 K. iii). Jewish tradition describes mitted." - Dr. the image of Molech as of brass, with the head of a calf and body of a man. The arms were stretched out, as if in the act of reThe meaning o'ceiving something. The idol was hollow, and when a special the precept is, that no man sacrifice was to be offered, the priests kindled a fire within, and sh uld marry his made it red-hot. Then the infant was taken and placed in the wile's sister arms of the monster to be roasted alive! Drums were beaten, while that wife and frantic shouts raised by the surrounding devotees, to drown is living."- - Bp. the cries of the poor child. Such a religion as this was not merely calculated to demoralise men, but actually to convert them into demons. d Desc ibed as idol of brass, 'ace of OX. arms that, according to sister is per M.Caul. Patrick. unlawful 22-25. (22) thou, etc.,a the characteristic sin of Sodom. a De. xxiii. 17;(23) neither, etc., an almost incredible sin. (24) nations.. lusts |