Chapter 1

1
on this Num 32:5, Num 32:19, Num 32:32, Num 34:15, Num 35:14; Josh 9:1, Josh 9:10, Josh 22:4, Josh 22:7

Red Sea or, Zuph, Or rather, Suph, This could not have been the Red Sea, not only because the word yam, "sea," is not joined with it as usual, but because they were now east of Jordan, and farther from the Red Sea than ever. It seems to be the same which is called Suphah in Num 21:14; which must necessarily signify some place in or adjoining to the plains of Moab, and not far from the Jordan and Arnon. Ptolemy mentions a people called Sophonites that dwelt in Arabia Petrea, who may have taken their name from this place.

Paran Paran, Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab, seem to have been either places or cities not far from the plains of Moab; for it is evident that Paran and Hazeroth could not have been those near the Red sea, and not far from Horeb. Deut 33:2; Gen 21:21; Num 10:12, Num 12:16, Num 13:3, Num 13:26; 1Sam 25:1; Hab 3:3

Hazeroth Num 11:35, Num 33:17-18


2
by the way Deut 1:44, Deut 2:4, Deut 2:8; Num 20:17-21

unto Lev 2:14, Lev 9:23; Num 13:26, Num 32:8; Josh 14:6


3
Num 20:1, Num 33:38


4
Deut 2:26-37, Deut 3:1-11; Num 21:21-35; Josh 12:2-6, Josh 13:10-12; Neh 9:22; Ps 135:11, Ps 136:19-20


5
to declare Deut 4:8, Deut 17:18-19, Deut 31:9, Deut 32:46


6
in Horeb Deut 5:2; Exod 3:1, Exod 17:6

Ye have Exod 19:1-2; Num 10:11-13


7
the mount Gen 15:16-21; Exod 23:31; Num 34:3-12; Josh 24:15; Amos 2:9

all the places Heb. all his neighbours

in the plain Deut 11:11; Josh 10:40, Josh 11:16-17

the great Deut 11:24; Josh 1:4; 2Sam 8:3; 1Chr 5:9, 1Chr 18:3


8
set Heb. given

which Gen 12:7, Gen 13:14-15, Gen 15:16, Gen 15:18, Gen 17:7-8, Gen 22:16-18, Gen 26:3-4, Gen 28:13-14


9
I am not Exod 18:18; Num 11:11-14, Num 11:17


10
your God Deut 10:22, Deut 28:62; Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17, Gen 28:14; Exod 12:37, Exod 32:13; Num 1:46; 1Chr 27:23; Neh 9:23

ye are this day This was the promise made by God to Abraham (Gen 15:5-6), which Moses considers now as amply fulfilled. Many suppose the expression to be hyperbolical; and others, no friends to revelation, think it a vain, empty boast, because the stars, in their apprehension, amount to innumerable millions. But, as this refers to the number of stars that appear to the naked eye, which only amount to about 3,010 in both hemispheres, the number of the Israelites far exceeded this; for independently of women and children, at the last census, they amounted to more than 600,000.


11
make you 2Sam 24:3; 1Chr 21:3; Ps 115:14

and bless you Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17, Gen 26:4, Gen 49:25; Exod 32:13; Num 6:27, Num 22:12


12
Deut 1:9; Exod 18:13-16; Num 11:11-15; 1Kgs 3:7-9; Ps 89:19; 2Cor 2:16, 2Cor 3:5


13
Take Heb. Give, Exod 18:21; Num 11:16-17; Acts 1:21-23, Acts 6:2-6


15
I took Deut 16:18; Exod 18:25-26

made Heb. gave, Eph 4:11

captains over thousands Num 31:14; 1Sam 8:12, 1Sam 17:18, 1Sam 22:7


16
charged Deut 27:11, Deut 31:14; Num 27:19; 1Thess 2:11; 1Tim 5:21, 1Tim 6:17

Hear Deut 16:18-19; Exod 23:2-3, Exod 23:7-8; Lev 19:15; 2Sam 23:3; 2Chr 19:6-10; Ps 58:1; John 7:24

the stranger Deut 10:18-19, Deut 24:14; Exod 22:21, Exod 23:9; Lev 24:22


17
shall not Deut 10:17, Deut 16:19; Lev 19:15; 1Sam 16:7; 2Sam 14:14; Prov 24:23; Luke 20:21; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1, Jas 2:3, Jas 2:9; 1Pet 1:17

respect persons Heb. acknowledge faces, That is, let not the bold, daring countenances of the rich or mighty induce you to give an unrighteous decision; and let not the abject look of the poor man induce you either to favour him in an unrighteous cause, or to give judgment against him at the demand of the oppressor.

ye shall hear Exod 23:3, Exod 23:6-7; 1Sam 12:3-4; Job 22:6-9, Job 29:11-17, Job 31:13-16; Ps 82:3-4; Prov 22:22-23; Jer 5:28-29; Amos 5:11-12; Mic 2:1-3, Mic 3:1-4, Mic 7:3-4; Jas 2:2-4, Jas 2:5

ye shall not 1Kgs 21:8-14; Job 31:34; Prov 29:25; Jer 1:17; Matt 22:16; Mark 12:14; 1Thess 2:4

the judgment 2Chr 19:6

the cause Deut 17:8-10; Exod 18:18, Exod 18:22, Exod 18:26


18
Deut 4:5, Deut 4:40, Deut 12:28, Deut 12:32; Matt 28:20; Acts 20:20, Acts 20:27


19
through Deut 8:15, Deut 32:10; Num 10:12; Jer 2:6

we came Deut 1:2; Num 13:26


20
the mountain Deut 1:7-8


21
fear not Deut 20:1; Num 13:30, Num 14:8-9; Josh 1:9; Ps 27:1-3, Ps 46:1, Ps 46:7, Ps 46:11; Isa 41:10; Isa 43:1-2; Luke 12:32; Heb 13:6


22
We will send The people proposed this measure through unbelief; Moses, mistaking their motive, approved of it; and God, being justly displeased, permitted them to follow their own counsel, which proved injurious to them only through their sin and folly. Num 13:1-20


23
Num 13:3-33


24
Num 13:21-27; Josh 2:1-2


26
Num 14:1-4; Ps 106:24-25; Isa 63:10; Acts 7:51


27
The Lord hated us Deut 9:28; Exod 16:3, Exod 16:8; Num 14:3, Num 21:5; Matt 25:24; Luke 19:21


28
discouraged Heb. melted, Deut 20:8 *marg. Exod 15:15; Josh 2:9, Josh 2:11, Josh 2:24 *marg. Josh 14:8; Isa 13:7; Ezek 21:7

The people Deut 9:1-2; Num 13:28-33

walled That is, with very high walls, which could not be easily scaled. Harmer says, high walls are still to be seen in Arabia, and are deemed a sufficient defence against the Arabs, who scarcely ever attempt to plunder except on horseback. The monastery on Mount Sinai, and the convent of St. Anthony in Egypt, are surrounded with a very high wall, without gates; the persons and things being taken up and let down through an opening in the upper part, by means of a pulley and a basket. This kind of walling is a sufficient defence.

we have seen Deut 9:2; Josh 11:22, Josh 15:14; Judg 1:10, Judg 1:20; 2Sam 21:16-22


29
Deut 1:21


30
he shall Deut 20:1-4; Exod 14:14, Exod 14:25; Josh 10:42; 1Sam 17:45-46; 2Chr 14:11-12, 2Chr 32:8; Neh 4:20; Ps 46:11; Isa 8:9-10; Rom 8:31, Rom 8:37

according Exod 7:1-25, Exod 15:1-27; Ps 78:11-13, Ps 78:43-51, Ps 105:27-36


31
in the wilderness Exod. 16:1-17:16; Neh 9:12-23; Ps 78:14-28, Ps 105:39-41

bare thee Deut 32:11-12; Exod 19:4; Num 11:11-12, Num 11:14; Isa 40:11, Isa 46:3-4, Isa 63:9; Hos 11:3-4; Acts 13:18 *marg.


32
2Chr 20:20; Ps 78:22, Ps 106:24; Isa 7:9; Heb 3:12, Heb 3:18-19; Jude 1:5


33
Who went Exod 13:21; Num 10:33; Ps 77:20; Ezek 20:6

in fire Exod 13:21-22, Exod 14:19-20, Exod 14:24, Exod 40:34-38; Num 9:15-22, Num 10:11-12, Num 14:14; Neh 9:12; Ps 78:14, Ps 105:39; Isa 4:5-6; Zech 2:5


34
and sware Deut 2:14-15; Num 14:22-30, Num 32:8-13; Ps 95:11; Ezek 20:15; Heb 3:8-11


36
Caleb Num 13:6, Num 13:30, Num 26:65, Num 32:12, Num 34:19; Josh 14:6-14; Judg 1:12-15

wholly followed Heb. fulfilled to go after, Num 14:24


37
Deut 3:23-26, Deut 4:21, Deut 34:4; Num 20:12, Num 27:13-14; Ps 106:32-33


38
Joshua Num 13:8, Num 13:16, Num 14:30, Num 14:38, Num 26:65

which standeth Exod 17:9-14, Exod 24:13, Exod 33:11; 1Sam 16:22; Prov 22:29

encourage him Deut 3:28, Deut 31:7-8, Deut 31:14, Deut 31:23; Num 27:18-23; Josh 1:1, Josh 1:6-9


39
your little Num 14:3, Num 14:31

which in Isa 7:15-16; Jonah 4:11; Rom 9:11; Eph 2:3


40
Num 14:25


41
We have sinned Num 14:39, Num 14:40-45, Num 22:34; Prov 19:3


42
Go not up Num 14:41-42

for I am not Lev 26:17; Josh 7:8-13; 1Sam 4:2, 1Sam 4:10; Isa 30:17, Isa 59:1-2; Hos 9:12


43
but rebelled Isa 63:10; Acts 7:51; Rom 8:7-8

went presumptuously up Heb. ye were presumptuous and went up, Num 14:44


44
chased you When bees are provoked or disturbed, the whole swarm attack and pursue whatever annoys them, with great courage and fury, and sometimes are a most formidable enemy. They were so troublesome in some districts of Crete, that, according to Pliny, the inhabitants were actually compelled to forsake their homes. Alian reports, that some places in Scythia were formerly inaccessible on account of the numerous swarms of bees with which they were infested. Mr. Park relates, that some of his associates imprudently attempted to rob a numerous hive which they found in their way. The exasperated little animals rushed out to defend their property, and attacked them with so much fury, that they quickly compelled the whole company of men, horses, and asses, to scamper off in all directions. The horses were never recovered, and a number of the asses were so severely stung, that they died the next day. Deut 28:25, Deut 32:30; Ps 118:12; Isa 7:18

unto Hormah Num 14:45, Num 21:3


45
Ps 78:34; Heb 12:17


46
Num 14:25, Num 14:34, Num 20:1, Num 20:22; Judg 11:16-17


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