Volume I
The Fourth Book of Moses, Called Numbers
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. I, p. 412
This book is so called because it so largely represents the repeated numbering of the Hebrew warriors, Levites, spies, punished transgressors; their oblations, booty, and their journeys, &c., in the wilderness. It contains (1) The principal articles of their history for thirty-nine years; particularly of the numbers, stations, and marching-order of their tribes, i.-iv. ix. x.; the oblations of their princes at the dedication of the tabernacle, vii.; the consecration of the Levites, viii.; observation of the second passover, ix.; departure from Sinai, x.; destruction of the murmurers by a fiery pestilence, and the flesh for which they had lusted—appointment of seventy elders to assist Moses, xi.; Miriam's leprosy and cure, xii.; the search of Canaan by spies, and their punishment for a contempt of that promised land, xiii. xiv.; the punishment of Korah and his companions, and of the people who murmured at it, xvi.; the budding of Aaron's rod, xvii.; the misbehaviour of Moses and Aaron when the people murmured at Kadesh—refusal of a passage by the Edomites—and the death of Miriam and Aaron, xx.; the victory over Arad—plague of fiery serpents, and cure of their bites—conquest and division of the kingdoms of Sihon and Og, xxi. xxxii.; the repeated attempts of Balak and Balaam to curse the Israelites, and God's defeating of them, xxii.-xxiv.; the enticement of the Israelites to whoredom and idolatry by Midianitish women, and the revenge thereof in the death of twenty-four thousand Israelites, and the almost utter destruction of the Midianites, xxv. xxxi.; a third numeration of the Israelites, xxvi.; a rehearsal of their journeys, xxxiii.; a delineation of their territory in Canaan, and an appointment of twelve princes to divide it, xxxiv. (2) With these narratives is intermingled a variety of laws concerning the ejection of unclean persons from the camp—suspicion of wives for adultery, v.; Nazariteship—priests' blessing the people, vi.; lighting of sacred lamps, viii.; observance of the passover in the second month, ix.; making and blowing of silver trumpets, x.; and concerning meat-offerings, drink-offerings, heave-offerings, sin-offerings—stoning for breach of the Sabbath—fringes on the borders of their garments, xv.; sacred portion of the priests and Levites, xviii.; purification by the ashes of the red heifer, xix.; inheritance and marriage of heiresses, xxvii. xxxvi.; oblations at sacred festivals, xxviii. xxix.; vows, xxx.; manslayers and cities of refuge, xxxv.
[The book of Numbers has been pronounced the most perplexing in sacred history, and what has perplexed the believing inquirer has afforded ample field for infidel objection: but as to the very being, providence, and attributes of God, there have been, and still are, many alleged objections; we are not to be surprised if similar assaults be made upon any part of his word, nor are we to be discouraged by the perplexities of believing inquirers: the real difficulties of Scripture, for such there are, exhibit the analogy between God's word and works, while they afford the happiest employment to the intellect, inculcate humility, exercise patience, and call to prayer, Ja. 1. 5; Lu. 11. 13; Jn. 14. 26. The chief difficulty of this book arises from the population returns. Jacob's family at their entrance into Egypt amounted but to seventy-five; at the exodus, in little more than two hundred years 'after, the men are estimated about 600,000, Ex. 12. 37; 30. 26; and at the military census afterwards made, they amount to 603,550, ch. 1. 46. Now, as these numbers would, on the most moderate computation, give a total for the Jewish caravan, independent of the 'mixed multitude,' Ex. 12. 38, that accompanied them, of about 2,400,000; the question arises, How can we credit this increase? To a humble inquiring believer it will be something to be reminded of God's peculiar promise to Abraham, Ge. 15. 5, and here he might rest; while the sceptic and the infidel, if they really sought for truth, not for cavilling, might find a ready answer in ordinary political statistics. Do they not know, that in the average of circumstances, population doubles at least in twenty-five years? That in favourable rural districts it doubles in fifteen years? that Euler calculates its doubling under thirteen, and that Sir W. Petty fixes it at ten years? Now allowing the Mosaic narrative the advantage of these calculations—and candour cannot deny it the most favourable—the imaginary impossibility of the increase from 75 to 2,400,000 totally vanishes; and while the promise to Abraham is seen fulfilled in the numbers of his posterity, the result requires not for its solution a continuous miracle, but merely that providential blessing of fruitfulness which God invariably bestows on peaceful, temperate, and industrious habits. But while the soundness of this solution cannot, upon any historical ground, be statistically gainsaid, all possibility of cavil is removed by considering that the national name and privileges of Israelites were not confined to the lineal descendants of Abraham. This will be evident from the following considerations. (1) Abraham, when childless, expects the son of a servant 'born in his house' to be his heir, Ge. 15. 3. (2) His house-born servants at that period amounted to 318 adult males, Ge. 14. 14. (3) When God renewed his promise, Ge. 17. 13, 27, all his then existing house-born servants, as well as his future purchases, were 'graffed in,' Ro. 11. 17, were naturalized, so to speak, by the sign of the everlasting covenant. (4) Isaac, Abraham's son, so far from declining in family prosperity, 'waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great;' and especially had 'great store of servants,' Ge. 26. 13, 14. (5) Jacob, at his return, Ge. 35. 27, had, besides his own children, 'men-servants,' Ge. 32. 5, perfectly able to protect themselves and their cattle, Ge. 33. 15. What accession of property Jacob obtained by the death of his father we are not told; but an incidental statement proves it must have been very considerable. For soon after, Esau removed 'from the face of his brother, for their riches were more than that they might dwell together, and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle,' Ge. 36. 6, 7. (6) Jacob came down to Egypt, not merely with his seventy-five personal descendants, but 'with all that he had,' Ge. 46. 1; see also 47. 1-12. (7) At the new institution of the passover, lest a new dispensation to the seed of Abraham should be construed into the abrogation of the ancient privileges of house-born servants or strangers, the naturalization clause, for so in modern phrase it is named, was explicitly renewed ; and 'every man's servant' bought for money, and every conforming 'stranger' was invested with the same rights as 'one born in the land,' Ex. 12. 44, 48. (8) The reality and extent of this privilege of naturalization is still farther illustrated by the special exclusion of the Ammonites and Moabites 'for ever,' De. 23. 3; and still farther by the probationary period prescribed to an Edomite and Egyptian, who might 'enter into the congregation of the Lord in their third generation,' De. 23. 8. And thus, it is evident, the law was understood in the time of Nehemiah, ch. 13. 1-3, for he separated the 'mixed multitude' of Ammonites and Moabites, while the record of the genealogy of 'Solomon's servants,' originally Canaanites, 1 Ki. 9. 20, 21, is faithfully preserved, Ne. 7. 57-61, and they are included in 'the congregation,' ver. 66, and join in the national covenant for reformation, according to the Scriptures, ch. 10. 28.
But if we may thus legally commence our calculations with more than the seventy-five descendants of Jacob, why are they particularized? The answer is easy—to lay a distinct groundwork for the development of providence and the fulfilment of prophecy, and specially to furnish the necessary preparation and evidence for the manifestation of Christ. And when any do farther sceptically ask, 'How could Egypt contain and support so many inhabitants?' the reply is, Measure its extent and observe its unparalleled fertility. 'How could the Egyptians govern so many discontented subjects? the reply is, Calculate in ancient or modern slave states the small proportion of masters to slaves. 'How could Pharaoh expect to subdue such a numerous host?' the answer is, Calculate how many regular troops would fearlessly assail an unarmed multitude. 'What line of march did they occupy?' the reply is, Who would think of marshalling them in a single line? Not he that by divine instruction ordered the encampments in the wilderness, see ch. ii. But of answering such groundless cavils 'there is no end.' Better for the believer to see in Israel a family carried down with a famishing father in search of food, to a land where they are sustained by the filial love of a son, and the forgiving generosity of a brother; where they become as the sand in number, and yet are enslaved by a cruel tyrant, and from whom they are delivered by the destruction of all their enemies and the blood of a sacrifice—where, in a word, 'Christ is all in all,' exhibited wherever there is salvation, temporal, spiritual, or eternal. C.]