CHAPTER XIX.

1. the same day] Viz. the first day of the third month, as the Hebrew imports. This was just forty-five days after their departure from Egypt; for adding sixteen days of the first month to twenty-nine of the second, make forty-five. To these we must add the day on which Moses went up to God, v. 3. the next day after, when he returned their answer to God, v. 7, 8. and the three days more mentioned, v. 10, 11. forming together just fifty days from their passover to the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. On this fiftieth day the Jews celebrated the feast of Pentecost.

3. went up to God,] Ascended the mount where the glory of God appeared; v. 12. ch. xx. 21. "And the Lord called," &c.; it was the angel of the Lord, according to St. Stephen, Acts vii. 38, 53. where see notes; comp. Gen. xvi. 7, note.

4. on eagles' wings,] The image is taken from the care and tenderness shown by an eagle to her young; which well represents Jehovah's care for his people, as it is explained Deut. xxxii. 11, 12. "and brought you unto myself," i. e. taken you under my peculiar care and guidance; Isa. lxiii. 9.

5. my covenant,] Viz. which I am about to establish with you; Deut. v. 2. "A peculiar treasure," i. e. a people peculiarly favoured of God, Tit. ii. 14.; 1 Pet. ii. 9. notes.: comp. Deut. iv. 20. vii. 6. xiv. 2. Ps. cxxxv. 4. et al. "For," rather, " though all the earth is mine," yet you shall enjoy my peculiar favour and blessings. "A kingdom of priests," v. 6. i. e. as priests are set apart and consecrated to God, so shall ye, the people of Israel, be separated from all other, and dedicated to my worship and service; and therefore ye shall be "an holy nation;" i. e. separated from other nations to the service of God; see 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5, 9. and

notes.

6. These] Namely, in v. 4, 5, 6. "are the words which thou shalt speak," &c.

7. before their faces] Not in writing, but as the Hebrew signifies, 'he laid before or declared to them all these words," &c. 8. together,] i. e. with one consent: ch. xxiv. 3, 7.; Deut.

v. 27.

9. in a thick cloud,] Accompanied with lightnings and fire; v. 16, 18. Deut. iv. 11. v. 22, 23. "That the people may hear;" though the people saw no similitude, they heard the voice speaking to Moses; v. 19. Deut. iv. 12. v. 4, 5. For ever," i. e. may

henceforth believe thee.

10. sanctify them] Separate them from all ordinary employments, that they may prepare themselves for this special occasion 1; v. 14. comp. Gen. xxxv. 2.

11. will come down] Viz. he will manifest his presence upon the mount in a cloud, thunderings and lightnings, v. 16, 18.

12. set bounds] i. e. beyond which they should not pass; comp. Heb. xii. 20.

13. soundeth long,] When the sound is protracted or drawn out; but the meaning is somewhat doubtful. It was however some signal indicating that then the people were to "come up to [the foot of] the mount;" v. 17. Deut. iv. 11. viz. for the purpose of hearing more plainly the voice of God; v. 9. With v. 15. comp. 1 Sam. xxi. 4. With v. 16-20. comp. v. 9.; Deut. iv. 10, 11.; Ps. lxviii. 8. civ. 32. cxliv. 5; and comp. Heb. xii. 21. note. 19. sounded long,] The Hebrew is different from v. 13. and means "when the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spake," &c.

22. the priests] As the Aaronical priesthood was not yet established, some think by this is meant the first-born, whom God had sanctified to himself, ch. xiii. 2. others refer it to those who offered sacrifices and ministered in holy things, either by the appointment of Moses, or according to ancient usage. But as the word denotes prince or chief, as well as priest, ch. ii. 16. note; others suppose that it here signifies the elders of the people, spoken of v. 7. comp. ch. iii. 16. note. Sanctify themselves;" comp. v. 10. Levit. x. 3. note.

23. The people cannot] Not meaning that it was physically impossible, but that they will not dare to come up, "for thou chargest us," &c. v. 12.

46

25. spake unto them] i. e. what the Lord had said to him, v. 24.

CHAPTER XX.

1. God spake] By the angel of the Lord, or Angel-Jehovah ; see Acts vii. 53. note; "all these words," viz. which follow, called the ten words or commandments," ch. xxxiv. 28. Deut. iv. 13. x. 4. " the tables of testimony," ch. xxxi. 18. xxxii. 15. xxxiv. 29. the words of the covenant," ch. xxxiv. 28.; Deut. iv. 13. et al. They were twice written by the finger of God on two tables of stone, ch. xxxi. 18. xxxii. 16. xxxiv. 1, 2.; Deut. x. 1. There has been a diversity in dividing the ten commandments, or Decalogue, into two tables; some placing five in each; but the general opinion is to include in the one table the first four commandments which relate to our duty to God, and in the other, the remaining six which comprise our duty to man. Again, the commandments are differently divided; for the Romanists combine into one what we make the first and second, and divide the tenth into two.

In interpreting the Decalogue there are two principal rules to be observed; first, where any sin is forbidden, the opposite duty is by parity of reason enjoined; and vice versa: secondly, when any sin is prohibited, any thing which leads to it is included in the prohibition; and when any duty is enjoined, those things which are instrumental to it are also implied. By these rules the ten commandments may be so extended as to include, though not all, yet the chief duties which we owe to God, to our neighbour, and ourselves. That the Decalogue is obligatory upon Christians will

be manifest by comparing the following passages; Matt. v. 17, 19. xv. 3-6. xix. 17-19. xxii. 37–40.; Rom. vii. 7. xiii. 8-10.; Ephes. vi. 1-3.; James ii. 10, 11.

2. I am the Lord, &c.] This is the preface or introduction_to the commandments, claiming obedience to them on two grounds; first, that he who spake them was the Lord God of the people of Israel, Gen. xvii. 7. note; and secondly, that he had brought them out of Egypt, ch. xiii. 3. "The Lord thy God," Hebrew, “Jehovah, thy Elohim; ch. vi. 3.; Gen. i. 1. notes. Though the singular number is used, and each is addressed individually, yet all the people are obviously included throughout the Decalogue; Deut. v. 3.

3. before me.] In my presence, together with me; but perhaps the more correct rendering is "no other gods besides me." Either way idolatry, and every kind of idolatrous service, are prohibited by this and the next precept; Deut. v. 7.

4. unto thee] To thyself; i. e. to be used by thee as objects of worship and service, as is proved by the next verse, and by Deut. iv. 15-20. which is the best commentary on this place. "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them," v. 5. i. e. thou shalt not direct any religious worship to them; ch. xxiii. 24. "for I the Lord thy God, am a jealous God," i. e. a God who will not endure a rival; ch. xxxiv. 14.; Deut. vi. 15.; Isa. xlii. 8. xlviii. 11. visiting the iniquity," &c. where by "them that hate me," is meant those who rebel against God, and disobey his laws, as appears from their being opposed to those who "love God and keep his commandments," in v. 6. This threat some restrict to the sin of idolatry, but the words are general, and imply that in the Divine administration the vices of men are punished unto the third and fourth generation. Again, some consider this visitation of the father's sin as threatened only against his wicked offspring, against "them that hate him," i. e. God. But "them that hate me" may refer to "the fathers," whose sins God thus threatens to punish upon their children unto the third and fourth generation. If the words refer to "the children" there can be no injustice in punishing those children who hate God, who sin against him; but if they refer to "the fathers,” as is most probable, how is this consistent with the justice of God? To avoid this objection some consider it as relating, not to individuals, but to the whole people of Israel; which opinion does not rest upon sufficient grounds. The difficulty however will not be formidable, when it is remembered that it is not meant to affect the eternal salvation of individuals, because that would be both a violation of all our ideas of the Divine equity, and a contradiction to an absolute promise that children shall not be punished for their fathers' sins, Deut. xxiv. 16.; Jer. xxxi. 29, 30.; Ezek. xviii. 2. et seq. It is therefore a threat of temporal punishment; and that the temporal effects of sin are generally extended to the sinner's posterity is an incontrovertible fact, which must, therefore, be consistent with God's moral government of the world.

6. shewing mercy unto thousands] Or, "unto a thousand generations," i. e. for ever. So much more abundant is the Lord in mercy than in wrath; ch. xxxiv. 7.; Levit. xxvi. 39.; Deut. v. 8-10. vii. 9.; 1 Chron. xvi. 15.

7. Thou shalt not-in vain ;] Literally, "thou shalt not utter the name of Jehovah thy God to falsehood and vanity." The Hebrew word signifies both what is false and what is vain; by this commandment, therefore, are forbidden: first, all perjury or false swearing; secondly, all cursing and swearing in common conversation; and thirdly, all light and irreverent use of God's holy name. Whosoever does these, "the Lord will not hold him guiltless;" i. e. the Lord will account him guilty, and will punish him accordingly; Levit. xix. 12.; Deut. v. 11.; Matt. v. 33, 34.

notes.

8. Remember, &c.] This implies a previous institution; and, as it was not first appointed at the station in the wilderness of Sin, ch. xvi. notes; it must have been at the creation, as recorded Gen. ii. 1-3. notes; for we have no other mention of it. This also is implied in the reason given for its institution, v. 11. From v. 8-11. two inferences may be drawn; first, as the Decalogue is obligatory upon Christians, v. 1. note, we are by this commandment bound to observe the Sabbath day; in the first place by keeping it holy, i. e. separating it from common uses, and devoting it to sacred purposes; and in the next place, by keeping it as a day of rest, a day set apart for the necessary refreshment both of the mind and the body. Secondly, the particular day in the week is not specified; all that the commandment expressly requires is, to observe a day of sacred rest after every six days of labour. The seventh day is to be kept holy, but not a word is said as to what epoch the commencement of the series is to be referred. It is not said the seventh day of the week, but "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; not the seventh according to any particular method of computing the septenary cycle, but, in reference to the six working days before-mentioned, every seventh day in rotation after six of labour. The Jewish Sabbath was kept on our Saturday, but we act equally in accordance with the spirit and the letter of this commandment by keeping it on Sunday; and for many reasons the first day of the week on which our Lord rose from the dead, is peculiarly fit to be observed as the Christian Sabbath. ch. xxiii. 12. xxxi. 13, 15.; Levit. xxiii. 3.; Deut. v. 12-15. "In it thou shalt not do any work," &c. v. 10. i. e. no secular work, no worldly calling; Neh. xiii. 15.; Isa. lviii. 13. Works of piety, necessity, and charity are of course excepted; Matt. xii. 1-8.; Mark ii. 27. notes.

10. thy stranger] i. e. any foreigner who sojourns with thee. 11. for in six days, &c.] This reason for observing the Sabbath extends to all ages and persons; but there was another peculiar to the Jews; see Deut. v. 15. note. "And hallowed it;" sanctified it; the verb being the same as that in Gen. ii. 3.

12. honour] Viz. love, respect, obey, and provide for the

wants of thy father and thy mother, for the word includes all that behaviour which is shown by those who really love and revere their parents; ch xxiii. 26.; Levit. xix. 3.; Deut. v. 16. xxvii. 16. "that thy days may be long," &c. i. e. that thou mayest live long upon the earth; and in Deut. v. 16. it is added, "that it may go well with thee." Thus a special blessing is annexed to the discharge of the filial duties; a blessing which has reference to this life; but which is not for that reason to be restricted to the period of the Jewish Theocracy; since a promise of temporal blessings remains to the faithful of all ages; Matt. xix. 29.; Mark x. 30.; Luke xviii. 30.; 1 Tim. iv. 8.; and it does not seem to differ materially from our Saviour's assertion, that "the meek shall inherit the earth :" Matt. v. 5. note. comp. Ephes. vi. 1, 2. note. According to the rules laid down for interpreting the Decalogue, v. 1. note, the parental duties are here by implication enjoined; and its spirit extends to the reciprocal duties in the various relations of king and subject, master and servant, &c.

13. Thou shalt not kill] Rather, "thou shalt not commit murder;" for life may be taken away justly, and without a breach of this commandment, as for instance in the punishment of crimes, in self-defence, and in just and necessary wars; ch. xxi. 12.; Gen. ix. 6.; Rom. xiii. 4. Not only murder, but wounding, maiming, and injuring others; and also hatred, revenge, and such dispositions as have a tendency to lead to it; Matt. v. 21, 22.; 1 John iii. 15. The opposite duties are virtually enjoined.

14. adultery By this commandment also all sins of impurity are prohibited, and whatever is likely to give occasion to the commission of them; Matt. v. 28.; Ephes. v. 3. notes. The next prohibition against stealing must be understood equally extensively; Rom. xiii. 7.; Ephes. iv. 28.; 1 Thess. iv. 16. v. 6. comp. Deut.

v. 17, 18.

16. false witness] We are here forbidden to injure our neighbour by any false testimony, or by encouraging others to do it, by slander, tale-bearing, circulating malicious reports, imputing evil designs, and making injurious representations falsely, or without sufficient proof and evidence; ch. xxiii. 1.; Levit. v. 1.; Deut. v. 20. xix. 16.; Ps. xv. 3.; Prov. x. 12. " Neighbour," Luke x. 29. et seq.

17. covet] This applies to the regulation of the heart, and forbids the desiring and longing for any thing that is our neighbour's; Matt. v. 28. note.; Deut. v. 21.; Micah ii. 2.; Jer. v. 7, 8.; Acts xx. 33.; Rom. vii. 7.

18. saw] Viz. perceived the thunderings, &c. ; ch. xix. 16, 18. 19. they said i. e. the heads of their tribes, and their elders said, as appears from Deut. v. 23. et seq. where this circumstance is related more largely.

20. to prove you,] i. e. to try whether you will obey him or not; ch. xix. 8. comp. Gen. xxii. 1. note.; "and that his fear," i. e. that the fear of him may be always before you, so as to restrain you from sin and disobedience

22. Ye have seen] By the cloud, thunderings, &c. v. 18. “ that