| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Numbers Chapter
Ten
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 10
This
chapter gives an account of the directions given for making two silver
trumpets, and of the use of them, the ends and purposes for which they were to
be made, Numbers 10:1; and
of the time of taking up of the cloud from the tabernacle, and of the removal
of the camp of Israel from the wilderness of Sinai, and of the order of their
march, Numbers 10:11; when
Moses most earnestly passed Hobab, his brother in law, to continue with him, Numbers 10:29; and
the chapter is closed with the prayer of Moses at the setting forward of the
ark, and the resting of it, Numbers 10:33.
Numbers 10:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
YLT
1And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... When the following
directions concerning the trumpets were given is not certain; it may he at the
time when the order of the camps of Israel was fixed, and is here recorded before
the journeying of them, which was one use they were to be put unto, Numbers 10:2,
saying; as follows.
Numbers 10:2 2 “Make two silver trumpets for yourself; you shall make
them of hammered work; you shall use them for calling the congregation and for
directing the movement of the camps.
YLT
2`Make to thee two trumpets
of silver; beaten work thou dost make them, and they have been to thee for the
convocation of the company, and for the journeying of the camps;
Make thee two trumpets of silver,.... A metal very
valuable and precious, durable, and fit for sound; only two are ordered, Aaron
having but two sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, who were to blow with them, Numbers 10:8; for
though Moses's order is, "make thee", or for thee, yet not for his
own use, but for the priests to use when he should order them: the Targum of
Jonathan adds, of what is thine own, as if they were to be made at his own
expense; but others say, and which is more probable, that they were to be made
at the public expense: JosephusF9Antiqu. l. 3. c. 12. sect. 6. gives
a description of them, and says, that they were little less than a cubit long,
the pipe of them narrow, but broader about the mouth to receive the breath, and
ended like a bell; they seem to be much of the shape of our trumpets: these
trumpets were an emblem of the ministry of the Gospel, called the great
trumpet, and in the ministration of which, the preachers of it are to lift up
their voice like a trumpet, to show men their perishing condition through sin,
and to encourage them, as such who are ready to perish, to come to Christ for
salvation, Isaiah 27:13; the
Gospel is comparable to silver, being fetched out of the mines of the sacred
Scriptures, pure and free from the dross of errors and human inventions, will
bear to be tried by the standard of the word, and is lasting and durable, yea,
the everlasting Gospel; as well as valuable and precious, containing the
unsearchable riches of Christ, &c. treasures of divine truths, comparable
to gold, silver, and precious stones; yea, it is more valuable and precious
than silver, not to be obtained by that, more profitable and useful, more
satisfying and lasting: the number two may be applicable to the two
dispensations, under which the Gospel has been ministered, directing to the
same Saviour, and to the same way of salvation, by his grace, his blood,
righteousness, and sacrifice; and to the two Testaments, which agree in the
same truths respecting his person, offices, obedience, sufferings, and death;
and to the prophets and apostles of both dispensations and testaments, who have
united in laying Christ as the foundation; and also to the two witnesses that
are still to prophecy in sackcloth, that is, preach the Gospel and blow the
trumpet of it: Revelation 11:3.
of an whole piece shall thou make them; of one solid
mass of silver, beaten with an hammer, as Jarchi, such a piece as the
candlestick was made of in Exodus 25:31, where
the same word is used as here, and rendered "beaten work": this may
denote the pure and unmixed Gospel of Christ, having no dross, nor bad nor base
metal of human corruptions in it; no jar, discord, or contradiction in it, but
all in perfect harmony and agreement; and the whole of it, no part of it
dropped or concealed; and the ministry of it, laboured by those employed in it,
who study to show themselves workmen that need not be ashamed:
that thou mayest use them for the calling the assembly; the body of
the people of Israel, either on civil or sacred accounts, see Joel 1:15; the
ministry of the Gospel is for the calling and gathering of souls to Christ, and
to his churches; even the remnant of Israel, all that are given to Christ and
redeemed by his blood, whether Jews or Gentiles; these are gathered out of the
world, which is an act of distinguishing grace; it is by means of the Gospel
trumpet that they are awakened, and quickened, and directed to Christ:
and for the journeying of the camps: both of the four camps
of the Israelites, and the camp of the Levites, to direct them when they should
set forward on a journey: and of like use is the ministry of the Gospel; saints
are pilgrims and travellers here; they are passing through a wilderness, their
way is attended with many difficulties; Canaan is the place they are travelling
to, and the Gospel is of singular use to them by the way, both to refresh them
with its joyful sound, and to direct them in the path in which they should go.
Numbers 10:3 3 When they blow both of them, all the congregation shall
gather before you at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT
3and they have blown with
them, and all the company have met together unto thee, unto the opening of the
tent of meeting.
And when they shall blow with them,.... With both the trumpets,
in an even and continued sound, that is, the sons of Aaron:
all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation; to hear what was to be
said unto them: blowing both the trumpets together was a token that the whole
congregation was called to meet together at the tabernacle, the door of which
was the usual place of assembling, especially on religious counts, for there
also the Lord met them, Exodus 29:42.
Numbers 10:4 4 But if they blow only one, then the leaders, the
heads of the divisions of Israel, shall gather to you.
YLT
4And if with one they blow,
then have the princes, heads of the thousands of Israel, met together unto
thee;
And if they blow but with one trumpet,.... With only
one of them, or but once, with one sounding, and that an even one as before:
then the princes, which are the heads of the thousands of
Israel,
shall gather themselves unto thee: and they only or alone,
as Aben Ezra: by this token, or by this difference of blowing both trumpets, or
only one, it was, easily known when the whole congregation or when the princes
only were to meet Moses at the same place, the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation; and all are to attend divine service, and the ministry of the
word, even the whole church of God, and all the members of it, high and low,
rich and poor, princes and people.
Numbers 10:5 5 When you sound the advance, the camps that lie on the
east side shall then begin their journey.
YLT
5`And ye have blown -- a
shout, and the camps which are encamping eastward have journeyed.
When ye blow an alarm,.... Making a broken,
uneven, and quavering sound, which is called a "tara-tan-tara":
then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward; the camps of
Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, which lay to the east of the tabernacle, at the
front of it; see Numbers 1:3; this
was to be the token for their march, which was first of all; Numbers 10:14.
Numbers 10:6 6 When you
sound the advance the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side
shall begin their journey; they shall sound the call for them to begin their
journeys.
YLT
6`And ye have blown -- a
second shout, and the camps which are encamping southward have journeyed; a
shout they blow for their journeys.
When ye blow an alarm the second time,.... Another
"tara-tan-tara":
then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey; the camps of
Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, which were encamped on the south side of the tabernacle,
Numbers 2:10; and,
as JosephusF11Ut supra. (Antiq. l. 3. c. 12. sect. 6.) says, at the
third sounding of the alarm, that part of the camp which lay to the west moved,
which were the camps of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, Numbers 2:18; and
at the fourth sounding, as he says, those which were at the north, the camps of
Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, Numbers 2:25;
which, though not expressed in the Hebrew text, are added in the Septuagint
version, as they are to be understood:
they shall blow an alarm for their journeys; for the
journeys of the said camps, as a signal or token when they should begin to
march.
Numbers 10:7 7 And when the assembly is to be gathered together, you
shall blow, but not sound the advance.
YLT
7`And in the assembling of
the assembly ye blow, and do not shout;
But when the congregation is to be gathered together,.... At the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and not to move in separate camps
or bodies one after another:
you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm; blow with an
even and uninterrupted sound, and not with a broken and quavering one; by which
the congregation and camps were distinguished from one another, the same
certain sound being given to each constantly, whereby they knew which were
called to motion: see 1 Corinthians 14:8;
according to Ben Gersom blowing was a voice drawn out, and joined or continued;
an alarm, a voice not joined, but broken.
Numbers 10:8 8 The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the
trumpets; and these shall be to you as an ordinance forever throughout your
generations.
YLT
8and sons of Aaron, the
priests, blow with the trumpets; and they have been to you for a statute
age-during to your generations.
And the sons of Aaron the priests shall blow with the trumpets,.... Eleazar
and Ithamar, the one with the one and the other with the other, there being at
first but two, as there were but two priests; but in Solomon's time there were
an hundred twenty priests, and as many trumpets, 2 Chronicles 5:12;
hence Maimonides saysF12Hilchot Cele Hamikdash, c. 3. sect. 4. ,
there were never fewer than two trumpets, nor more than an hundred twenty:
and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your
generations: for they were not only for present use, for the journeying of
the camps in the wilderness, but for calling together the assembly in later
times, as well as for other uses next mentioned; which would obtain in future
ages till the coming of Christ, and even under the Gospel dispensation the
mystical use of them continues, the preaching of the everlasting Gospel.
Numbers 10:9 9 “When you go to war in your land against the enemy who
oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be
remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved
from your enemies.
YLT
9`And when ye go into battle
in your land against the adversary who is distressing you, then ye have shouted
with the trumpets, and ye have been remembered before Jehovah your God, and ye
have been saved from your enemies.
And when ye go to war in your land against the enemy that
oppresseth you,.... That enters in to invade it, to besiege cities, and distress
the inhabitants of it:
then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets: a
"tara-tan-tara" with both of them, to call the several tribes together
to join against the enemy; or to call them to fasting and humiliation, to
repentance and prayer, to seek the Lord in the exercise of these, and cry for
help and assistance, for victory and salvation; for, as Ben Gersom observes, by
this alarm their hearts would be broken and become contrite, and they would
return to the Lord, and he would have mercy on them when they pray unto him;
for such a sound makes a man's heart shake and tremble, according to Amos 3:6; see Jeremiah 4:19; this
is a third use of the trumpets, and in a mystical sense it may be observed,
that saints are in a militant state, and have many enemies that come in to them
to oppress them, sin, Satan, and the world; and the Gospel calls and encourages
them to fight, furnishes them with armour, and assures them of victory, and
directs them where to fight and with whom, and bids them endure hardness as
good soldiers of Christ:
and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God; for a book of
remembrance is written for them that fear God, humble themselves before him,
and pray unto him:
and ye shall be saved from your enemies; as Israel
from their temporal, so the people of God from their spiritual enemies, being
made more than conquerors through him that loved them.
Numbers 10:10 10 Also in the day of your gladness, in your appointed
feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over
your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they
shall be a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”
YLT
10`And in the day of your
gladness, and in your appointed seasons, and in the beginnings of your months,
ye have blown also with the trumpets over your burnt-offerings, and over the
sacrifices of your peace-offerings, and they have been to you for a memorial
before your God; I, Jehovah, [am] your God.'
Also in the day of your gladness,.... When they should
return from the enemy's country conquerors, or have vanquished the enemy that
came against them into their own land, and so would fix a day of rejoicing,
like the days of Purim, and the seven days when Hezekiah rejoiced, as Aben Ezra
observes; and so any time of rejoicing on account of any extraordinary
deliverance and salvation:
and in your solemn days; or festivals, as the
passover, pentecost, and tabernacles, which were proclaimed by sound of trumpet,
Leviticus 23:2,
and in the beginnings of your months; their new
moons, especially on the first day of the seventh month, which was a feast of
blowing of trumpets, Leviticus 23:24,
ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and
over your peace offerings; expressing joy for the acceptance of them,
and especially when they had, by faith, a view of the great sacrifice of Christ
typified by them: this is a fourth use of the trumpets, and may denote the
spiritual joy had by believers, through the ministration of the Gospel, and
ordinances of it on the Lord's day, and other seasons, and particularly at the
feast of the Lord's supper, in the view of peace and reconciliation, and
atonement made by the sacrifice of Christ:
that they may be to you for a memorial before your God; as it were,
to put him in mind of the promises he has made, and the blessings he has laid
up as a covenant God for his people:
I am the Lord your God; who had a right to
appoint such things to be observed by them, and by whom, as their covenant God,
they were laid under obligation to regard them.
Numbers 10:11 11 Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the
second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the
tabernacle of the Testimony.
YLT
11And it cometh to pass -- in
the second year, in the second month, in the twentieth of the month -- the
cloud hath gone up from off the tabernacle of the testimony,
And it came to pass, on the twentieth day of the second
month, in the second year,.... Which was the twentieth of the month
Ijar, in the second year of the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt; who, as
it appears from hence, compared with Exodus 19:1; had
been in the wilderness of Sinai twelve months wanting ten days; so Jarchi and
other Jewish writersF13Seder Olam Rabba, c. 8. p. 23. Abarbinel,
&c. , with whom Aben Ezra agrees, who says it was near a year:
that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the
testimony; that part of the tabernacle where the ark of the testimony
stood, even the most holy place, over which the cloud was, the token of the
divine Presence, and which it covered; but now was taken up from it, and went
up higher above it, and was a signal for the motion of the camps of Israel to
set forward in their journey towards Canaan's land.
Numbers 10:12 12 And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness
of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of
Paran.
YLT
YLT
12and the sons of Israel journey
in their journeyings from the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud doth
tabernacle in the wilderness of Paran;
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the
wilderness of Sinai,.... Each of their camps removed from thence, and so everyone took
their journey:
and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran; which was a
signal for the camps to rest and pitch their tents; this was after they had
gone three days journey, and were come to Taberah, which, it is probable, was
in the wilderness of Paran; otherwise we read of their pitching in the
wilderness of Paran, after they had been a month at Kibrothhattaavah, Numbers 11:34, and
seven days at Hazeroth, Numbers 12:16; so
they went from one wilderness to another; of this wilderness; see Gill on Genesis 21:21.
Numbers 10:13 13 So they started out for the first time according to
the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
YLT
13and they journey at first,
by the command of Jehovah, in the hand of Moses.
And they first took their journey, according to the commandment of
the Lord,.... Which was virtually contained in and signified by the taking
up of the cloud, see Numbers 9:18,
by the hand of Moses; by his means and
ministry, who had informed them, that it was the will of God, that when they
saw the cloud taken up to set forward in their journey, and they were obedient
thereunto.
Numbers 10:14 14 The standard of the camp of the children of Judah set
out first according to their armies; over their army was Nahshon the son of
Amminadab.
YLT
14And the standard of the
camp of the sons of Judah journeyeth in the first [place], by their hosts, and
over its host [is] Nahshon son of Amminadab.
In the first place went the standard of the camp of the
children of Judah,.... Which tribe had the honour to go foremost and lead the van,
the chief ruler, the Messiah being to come of it, as he did; who is King of
Israel, and has gone forth at the head of them, fighting their battles for
them:
according to their armies: having, besides the army
of the tribe of Judah, the armies of the tribes of Issachar and Zebulun under
his standard:
and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab; he was
captain general of the army of the tribe of Judah, as Nethaneel was over the
host of the tribe of Issachar, Numbers 10:15; and
Eliab over the host of the tribe of Zebulun, Numbers 10:16; the
same commanders as were fixed at the time of settling the order of their
encampment, Numbers 2:3.
Numbers 10:15 15 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Issachar
was Nethanel the son of Zuar.
YLT
15And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Issachar [is] Nathaneel son of Zuar.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was
Nethaneel the son of Zuar. See Gill on Numbers 10:14.
Numbers 10:16 16 And over the army of the tribe of the children of
Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
YLT
16And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Zebulun [is] Eliab son of Helon;
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was
Eliab the son of Helon. See Gill on Numbers 10:14.
Numbers 10:17 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of
Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.
YLT
17And the tabernacle hath
been taken down, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari have journeyed,
bearing the tabernacle.
And the tabernacle was taken down,.... By the Levites, as
Aben Ezra, and which appears to be their work, from Numbers 1:51; this
began to be done by them as soon as the cloud was perceived to move upwards,
and the camp of Judah was preparing to march; and after Aaron and his sons had
taken the holy vessels out of the holy and most holy place, and had packed up
and covered them as directed, Numbers 4:5; this
was an emblem of the taking down of the Jewish church state, the abolition of
the service of the sanctuary, as well as of the changeable condition of the
Gospel church in the wilderness, which is not always in one and the same place,
but is moved from place to place, and that by the ministers of the word,
signified by the Levites, who are sent and carry the Gospel here and there:
and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward,
bearing the tabernacle; the former, the hangings and vail, and the latter the boards,
pillars, sockets, &c. each of them having wagons for their assistance:
these followed immediately after the camp of Judah.
Numbers 10:18 18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set out
according to their armies; over their army was Elizur the son of
Shedeur.
YLT
18And the standard of the
camp of Reuben hath journeyed, by their hosts, and over its host [is] Elizur
son of Shedeur.
And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to
their armies,.... Next proceeded the standard of Reuben, having under it the
tribes of Simeon and Gad, Numbers 10:19; as
"Reuben" signifies, "behold the son", and he had the
tabernacle borne before him and the holy things behind him, which way soever
this camp looked, it had in view what was a type of Christ the Son of God, the
object of faith, the ark.
and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur; over which
respective armies were the same captains as in Numbers 2:10;
Numbers 10:19 19 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Simeon was
Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
YLT
19And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Simeon [is] Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was
Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. See Gill on Numbers 10:18.
Numbers 10:20 20 And over the army of the tribe of the children of Gad was
Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
YLT
20And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Gad [is] Eliasaph son of Deuel;
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was
Eliasaph the son of Deuel. See Gill on Numbers 10:18.
Numbers 10:21 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things.
(The tabernacle would be prepared for their arrival.)
YLT
21And the Kohathites have
journeyed, bearing the tabernacle, and the [others] have raised up the
tabernacle until their coming in.
And the Kohathites set forward,.... After the standard
of the camps of Reuben, and between that and the standard of the camp of
Ephraim, to, which there is an allusion in Psalm 80:2,
bearing the sanctuary, or the holy things, as
Jarchi; the ark, as Aben Ezra; though not that only, which indeed might be
eminently called so, it standing in the most holy place, over which were the
mercy seat and cherubim, the residence of the divine Majesty; but all the holy
things in the holy place, the candlestick, shewbread table, and the two altars,
the altar of incense in the holy place, and the altar of burnt offerings in the
court these they bore on their shoulders, and had no wagons allowed for their
assistance:
and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came; that is, the
sons of Gershon and Merari, who went before between the standard of Judah and
the standard of Reuben, carrying the heavier and more cumbersome parts of the
tabernacle; which, when Judah pitched their tents, at the signal of the cloud,
they immediately put together, and erected, and got it ready, by such time as
the Kohathites came up to them, that so the ark and other holy things might be
at once put into it, and set in their proper places.
Numbers 10:22 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of
Ephraim set out according to their armies; over their army was Elishama
the son of Ammihud.
YLT
22And the standard of the
camp of the sons of Ephraim hath journeyed, by their hosts, and over its host
[is] Elishama son of Ammihud.
And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set
forward according to their armies,.... Next followed the
standard of the camp of Ephraim, under which were Manasseh and Benjamin, Numbers 10:23,
and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud; over whom
were the same captains, as in Numbers 2:18.
Numbers 10:23 23 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Manasseh
was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
YLT
23And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Manasseh [is] Gamalial son of Pedahzur.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was
Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. See Gill on Numbers 10:22.
Numbers 10:24 24 And over the army of the tribe of the children of
Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
YLT
24And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Benjamin [is] Abidan son of Gideoni.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was
Abidan the son of Gideoni. See Gill on Numbers 10:22.
Numbers 10:25 25 Then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan
(the rear guard of all the camps) set out according to their armies; over their
army was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
YLT
25And the standard of the
camp of the sons of Dan hath journeyed (rearward to all the camps), by their
hosts, and over its host [is] Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.
And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward,.... Next
after that of Ephraim, the last of all: which was the rearward of all the camps
throughout their host; which brought up the rear, and was fittest for that
purpose, being the most numerous, next to that of Judah, which led the van; or,
the gatherer up of all the campsF14מאסף לכל המחנת "colligens omnia
castra", Montanus, Drusius; "vel collector omnium
castrorum", Fagius, Vatablus; "colligens omnia agmina", Tigurine
version, Munster. , under which were collected and brought on all that belonged
to the other tribes; as all under twenty years of age, which were not taken
into the camps, and the women and children, and weak and sickly persons, the
mixed multitude, and all stragglers: these were all under the care and charge
of this camp, and under the standard of which were Asher and Naphtali, Numbers 10:26; over
whom were the same captains as in Numbers 2:25.
Numbers 10:26 26 Over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher was
Pagiel the son of Ocran.
YLT
26And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Asher [is] Pagiel son of Ocran.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was
Pagiel the son of Ocran. See Gill on Numbers 10:25.
Numbers 10:27 27 And over the army of the tribe of the children of
Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
YLT
27And over the host of the
tribe of the sons of Naphtali [is] Ahira son of Enan.
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was
Ahira the son of Enan. See Gill on Numbers 10:25.
Numbers 10:28 28 Thus was the order of march of the children of
Israel, according to their armies, when they began their journey.
YLT
28These [are] journeyings of
the sons of Israel by their hosts -- and they journey.
Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel,.... Or this
was the order of them, as Jarchi; in this form and manner they marched, and a
most wise, beautiful, and regular order it was; first the standard of Judah, a
camp consisting of 186,400 able men fit for war, then followed the Gershonites
and Merarites with six wagons carrying the heavier parts of the tabernacle;
next to them the standard of the camp of Reuben, having in it 151,450 warlike
men; next to them were the Kohathites, bearing the holy things of the sanctuary
on their shoulders, who were followed by the standard of the camp of Ephraim,
which was formed of 108,100 men fit for military service; and last of all the
standard of the camp of Dan, which consisted of 157,600 men, able to bear arms,
and which had under their care all that were not able which belonged to the
other tribes; an emblem of the church of God in its militant state, walking
according to the order of the Gospel, and in all the ordinances of it, which is
a lovely sight to behold, Song of Solomon 6:4;
thus they marched
according to their armies; ranged under their
several standards:
when they set forward; in their journey through
the wilderness; as now, so at all other times, this order was carefully
observed by them.
Numbers 10:29 29 Now Moses said to Hobab the son of Reuel[a] the
Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, “We are setting out for the place of which the
Lord said, ‘I will give it to you.’ Come with us, and we will treat you
well; for the Lord has promised good things to Israel.”
YLT
29And Moses saith to Hobab
son of Raguel the Midianite, father-in-law of Moses, `We are journeying unto
the place of which Jehovah hath said, I give it to you; go with us, and we have
done good to thee; for Jehovah hath spoken good concerning Israel.'
And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite,
Moses's father in law,.... Some think this
Hobab was the same with Jethro, whose father's name was Raguel or Reuel; so
Jarchi and Ben Gersom; but rather Raguel or Reuel, and Jethro, seem to be the
same, and was Moses's father-in-law, and this Hobab was the son of him, and
brother of Zipporah, Moses's wife; and the same relation is designed whether
the word is rendered his "father-in-law" or his "wife's
brother", so Aben Ezra; as it may be either; if the former, then it may be
joined to Raguel, if the latter, then to Hobab: Jethro or Raguel, Moses's
father-in-law, came to see him as soon as he came to Horeb, and after some
short stay with him returned to Midian, and left this his son Hobab, who
remained with Moses unto this time; but now, as Israel was about to remove from
the wilderness of Sinai, he showed a disposition to return to his own country,
when Moses addressed him in order to persuade him to continue with them:
we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will
give it you; that is, the land of Canaan, which God had promised to Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and to their posterity: Moses puts himself among the children
of Israel as journeying towards Canaan, with an expectation to possess it; for
as yet the decree, as Jarchi observes, was not made, or made manifest, that he
should not enter it; or he said this, as others think, because he would not
discourage the Israelites nor Hobab, who might argue from thence, that if he,
by whom God had brought Israel out of Egypt, and had done such wonders by him,
should not enter into the good! and, how should they? but as yet Moses himself
knew not that he should not enter into it; however, he speaks of it as a
certain thing, that God had promised to give it to Israel, and it might be
depended upon; and now they were just going to set forward in their journey, in
order to take possession of it, he entreats that Hobab would go with them:
come thou with us, and we will do thee good; by giving him
a part of the spoils of their enemies, and a settlement in the land:
for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel; and he is
faithful, who has promised and will perform.
Numbers 10:30 30 And he said to him, “I will not go, but I will depart
to my own land and to my relatives.”
YLT
30And he saith unto him, `I
do not go; but unto my land and unto my kindred do I go.'
And he said unto him, I will not go,.... Which was a very
peremptory answer, he seemed determined, and at a point about it for the
present, though it is, probable he afterwards changed his mind, like the young
man in the parable, Matthew 21:29,
but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred; which were
prevailing motives with him, his native country, his relations, and father's
house; to this resolution he came, both because of his substance, and because
of his family, as Jarchi.
Numbers 10:31 31 So Moses said, “Please do not leave, inasmuch
as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes.
YLT
31And he saith, `I pray thee,
forsake us not, because thou hast known our encamping in the wilderness, and
thou hast been to us for eyes;
And he said,.... That is, Moses, he replied to Hobab, unwilling to take him
at his word and go without him:
leave us not, I pray thee; or "not now";
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; at this present time, under our present
difficulties, while we are in the wilderness; though Jarchi says the particle × × signifies beseeching or supplication:
forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness; that this
will be our case, that we shall be obliged, before we get to the promised land,
to pitch our tents in the wilderness, in our passage through it; and thou
knowest which are the best and most convenient places for that purpose, and
therefore must entreat thee to go with us:
and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes; not to show
the way, as Aben Ezra notes, or guide and direct them in the road through the
wilderness; for the cloud by day and the fire by night were of that use to
them, as well as when it rested, it directed them when and where to pitch their
tents; rather to assist with his advice in difficult matters, when they should
be in pressing circumstances: the Targum of Jonathan is,
"thou hast
been dear unto us, as the apple of our eyes, and therefore we cannot part with
thee.'
Numbers 10:32 32 And it shall be, if you go with us—indeed it shall be—that
whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will
do to you.”
YLT
32and it hath come to pass
when thou goest with us, yea, it hath come to pass -- that good which Jehovah
doth kindly with us -- it we have done kindly to thee.'
And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be,.... This
repetition is for the confirmation of it, more strongly assuring him of what
follows:
that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will we do
unto thee; signifying that whatsoever they enjoyed in the land of Canaan he
should have his share with them: the Targum of Jonathan adds,"in the
division of the land;'Jarchi says, when the land was divided, the fatness of
Jericho was given to the sons of Jethro, to Jonadab, the son of Rechab, see Judges 1:16; from
whence, however, as well as from other places, Judges 4:11; it
appears that the posterity of this man had a settlement in the land of Canaan,
and from his silence it may be thought that he was prevailed upon to go along
with Moses; or if he departed into his own country, as he said he would, he
returned again; at least some of his children did.
Numbers 10:33 33 So they departed from the mountain of the Lord on a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them for the three days’ journey, to search out a
resting place for them.
YLT
33And they journey from the
mount of Jehovah a journey of three days; and the ark of the covenant of
Jehovah is journeying before them the journey of three days, to spy out for
them a resting-place;
And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days' journey,...., From
Mount Sinai, so called, because the Lord descended upon it, and gave the law
from it; so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan,"from the mount on which
the glory of the Lord (or of his Shechinah or divine Majesty) was
revealed.'This they left, after they had been nearly twelve months about it,
and travelled three days' journey from it before the cloud rested, so as to
abide, otherwise is stopped no doubt to give them time to eat their food, and
take sleep and rest. The Targum of Jonathan expressly says, they went thirty
six miles on that day; but, according to BuntingF15Travels of the
Patriarchs, &c. p. 82., Taberah or Kibrothhattaavah, to which the children
of Israel first came, and where they abode a month, was but eight miles from
Sinai; wherefore the three days' journey were not successively one after
another, but the first day's journey was to Taberah, where they continued a
month; the second day's journey was to Hazeroth, where they stayed seven days;
and the third day's journey was to the wilderness of Paran, and there the cloud
rested, Numbers 10:12; and
there was their resting place, for there they continued long, from whence the
spies were sent to the good land, and whither they returned after forty days, Numbers 13:1,
and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the
three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them; the ark being
carried by the Kohathites, must proceed in the middle of the camps, after the
camps of Judah and Reuben, and before the camps of Ephraim and Dan, according
to the order of the marches of the children of Israel, Numbers 10:21;
wherefore Aben Ezra thinks, that this three days' journey was different from
all their other journeys; and that in this the ark went before them, which in
other journeys was carried in the midst of them; yet others think it may be
said to go before, though in the middle; just as a general of an army may be
said to go before, and lead his army, though he is not directly in the front of
it; so the cloud being always over the ark, directing the march, it may be said
to go before and point out a convenient place to rest in; for searching cannot
be properly ascribed to the ark, nor even to the Lord himself, and can only
signify pointing out or discovering a proper place to take up their abode in:
this ark of the covenant, so called because the covenant or law was laid up in
it, was a type of Christ the end of the law for righteousness, and who is the
forerunner of his people, is gone before them to prepare a place for them; and
the three days' journey may have respect to his resurrection from the dead on
the third day for their justification, which is the foundation of their rest,
peace, and joy.
Numbers 10:34 34 And the cloud of the Lord was
above them by day when they went out from the camp.
YLT
34and the cloud of Jehovah
[is] on them by day, in their journeying from the camp.
And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day,.... Not only
upon the tabernacle, and upon the ark particularly, but it spread itself in
journeying over the whole body of the people, and therefore said to be a
covering to them from the heat of the sun, Psalm 105:39; as
well as it was a guide unto them, and a token of the divine Presence with them,
see Isaiah 4:5
when they went out of the camp; or out of the place of
their encampment, when they removed from Sinai; and appears from, hence that it
was in the daytime.
Numbers 10:35 35 So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: “Rise
up, O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered, And let those who hate You flee
before You.”
YLT
35And it cometh to pass in
the journeying of the ark, that Moses saith, `Rise, O Jehovah, and Thine
enemies are scattered, and those hating Thee flee from Thy presence.'
And it came to pass, when the ark set forward,.... Carried
by the Kohathites, Numbers 10:21
that Moses said; in prayer, as both the Targums of Jonathan
and Jerusalem express it; and it was a prayer of faith, and prophetic of what
would be done, and might serve greatly to encourage and animate the children of
Israel in their journeys; for the following prayer was put up not only at this
time, but at all times when the ark set forward; and so Ben Gersom says, it was
the custom of Moses, at whatsoever time the ark was moved, to pray as follows:
rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; the Jerusalem
Targum is,
"rise up
now, O Word of the Lord;'
and the Targum
of Jonathan,
"be
revealed now, O Word of the Lord;'
the essential
Word of God, the Messiah, to whom these words may be applied; either to his
incarnation and manifestation in the flesh, his end in, which was to destroy
all his and his people's enemies, particularly the devil and his works, Hebrews 2:14; or to
his resurrection from the dead, these words standing at the head of a prophecy
of his ascension to heaven, which supposes his resurrection from the dead, Psalm 68:1; at the
death of Christ all the spiritual enemies of his people were defeated,
scattered, confounded, and conquered; Satan and his principalities were
spoiled, sin was made an end of, death was abolished, and the world overcome;
at his resurrection the keepers of the sepulchre fled; and after his ascension
wrath came upon the Jewish nation, those enemies of his, that would not have
him to rule over them, and they were scattered about on the face of the whole
earth, as they are to this day:
and let them that hate thee flee before thee; the same
petition expressed in different words, but to the same sense; enemies, and
those that hate the Lord, are the same, as their defeat, conclusion, and
destruction, are signified by their flight and dispersion; and it may be
observed, that those who were the enemies and haters of Israel were reckoned
the enemies and haters of God himself; as the enemies of Christ's people, and
those that hate them, are accounted Christ's enemies, and such that hate him.
Perhaps Moses may have a special respect to the Canaanites, whose land was
promised unto Israel, and they were going to dispossess them of it, in order to
inherit it, and Moses might expect it would be quickly done, at the end of
these three days; which brought them to the wilderness of Paran, so near the
good land that they sent from thence spies into it, and in all probability they
would have then entered the possession of it, had it not been for their
complaints and murmurs, and the ill report brought on the good land, on which
account they were stopped thirty eight years in the wilderness.
Numbers 10:36 36 And when it rested, he said: “Return, O Lord, To the many thousands of Israel.”
YLT
36And in its resting he
saith, `Return, O Jehovah, [to] the myriads, the thousands of Israel.'
And when it passed,.... The ark, and the cloud over it:
he said; Moses stood and prayed, as before, according to the above
Targums, in the following manner:
return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel; who were six
hundred thousand footmen, besides women and children, Numbers 11:21; the
import of this petition is, that upon the resting of the ark God would take up
his abode with them, grant them his presence, and manifest his love, grace,
mercy, and goodness unto them; or, as it may be rendered, that he would
"return the many thousands of Israel"; that is, to the land which he
had sworn to their fathers, as Ben Gersom interprets it; and who observes that
the word "return" is used, because of the holy fathers who dwelt in
the land of Israel; or else, as the same writer further observes, the sense of
the petition is, that it might be the will of God to turn the thousands of
Israel into myriads, or increase and multiply them ten times more than they
were; and so the Targum of Jerusalem is,"bless the myriads, and multiply
the thousands of the children of Israel.'Perhaps Moses, under a spirit of
prophecy, might have a further view, even to the conversion of the Jews in the
latter day, when they shall return and seek the true Messiah, and be turned to
him, and when all Israel shall be saved.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)