Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

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N U M B E R S

CHAP. XXVIII.

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Now that the people were numbered, orders given for the dividing of the

land, and a general of the forces nominated and commissioned, one would

have expected that the next chapter should begin the history of the

campaign, or at least should give us an account of the ordinances of

war; no, it contains the ordinances of worship, and provides that now,

as they were on the point of entering Canaan, they should be sure to

take their religion along with them, and not forget this, in the

prosecution of their wars,

ver. 1, 2.

The laws are here repeated and summed up concerning the sacrifices that

were to be offered,

I. Daily,

ver. 3-8.

II. Weekly,

ver. 9, 10.

III. Monthly,

ver. 11-15.

IV. Yearly.

1. At the passover,

ver. 16-25.

2. At pentecost,

ver. 26-31.

And the

next chapter

is concerning the annual solemnities of the seventh month.

Laws Concerning Sacrifices.	B. C. 1452.

     

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

  2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My

offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a

sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their

due season.

  3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by

fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first

year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

  4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other

lamb shalt thou offer at even;

  5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering,

mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.

  6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in

mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the

LORD.

  7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part

of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause

the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink

offering.

  8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat

offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou

shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour

unto the LORD.

     

Here is,

I. A general order given concerning the offerings of the Lord, which

were to be brought in their season,

v. 2.

These laws are here given afresh, not because the observance of them

was wholly disused during their thirty-eight years’ wandering in the

wilderness (we cannot think that they were so long without any public

worship, but that at least the daily lamb was offered morning and

evening, and doubled on the sabbath day; so bishop Patrick

conjectures); but that many of the sacrifices were then omitted is

plainly intimated,

Amos v. 25,

quoted by Stephen,

Acts vii. 42.

Did you offer unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness

forty years, O house of Israel? It is implied, “No, you did not.”

But, whether the course of sacrifices had been interrupted or no, God

saw fit now to repeat the law of sacrifices,

1. Because this was a new generation of men, that were most of them

unborn when the former laws were given; therefore, that they might be

left without excuse, they have not only these laws written, to be read

to them, but again repeated from God himself, and put into a less

compass and a plainer method.

2. Because they were now entering upon war, and might be tempted to

think that while they were engaged in that they should be excused from

offering sacrifices. Inter arma silent leges–law is little regarded

amidst the clash of arms. No, says God, my bread for my

sacrifices even now shall you observe to offer, and that

in the due season. They were peculiarly concerned to keep their

peace with God when they were at war with their enemies. In the

wilderness they were solitary, and quite separate from all other

people, and therefore there they needed not so much their

distinguishing badges, nor would their omission of sacrifices be so

scandalous as when they came into Canaan, when they mingled with other

people.

3. Because possession was now to be given them of the land of promise,

that land flowing with milk and honey, where they would have plenty of

all good things. “Now” (says God), “When you are feasting yourselves,

forget not to offer the bread of your God.” Canaan was given to them

upon this condition, that they should observe God’s statutes,
Ps. cv. 44, 45.

     

II. The particular law of the daily sacrifice, a lamb in the morning

and a lamb in the evening, which, for the constancy of it as duly as

the day came, is called a continual burnt-offering

(v. 3),

which intimates that when we are bidden to pray always, and to pray

without ceasing, it is intended that at least every morning and

every evening we offer up our solemn prayers and praises to God. This

is said to be ordained in Mount Sinai

(v. 6),

when the other laws were given. The institution of it we have,

Exod. xxix. 38.

Nothing is here added in the repetition of the law, but that the wine

to be poured out in the drink-offering is ordered to be strong

wine

(v. 7),

the riches and most generous and best-bodied wine they could get.

Though it was to be poured out upon the altar, and not drunk (they

therefore might be ready to think the worst would serve to be so thrown

away), yet God requires the strongest, to teach us to serve God with

the best we have. The wine must be strong (says Ainsworth) because it

was a figure of the blood of Christ, the memorial of which is still

left to the church in wine, and of the blood of the martyrs, which was

poured out as a drink-offering upon the sacrifice and service of our

faith,
Phil. ii. 17.

     

9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without

spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled

with oil, and the drink offering thereof:

  10 This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the

continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.

  11 And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt

offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven

lambs of the first year without spot;

  12 And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering,

mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour

for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram;

  13 And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a

meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet

savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

  14 And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto

a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a

fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering

of every month throughout the months of the year.

  15 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD

shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his

drink offering.

     

The new moons and the sabbaths are often spoken of together, as great

solemnities in the Jewish church, very comfortable to the saints then,

and typical of gospel grace. Now we have here the sacrifices appointed,

1. For the sabbaths. Every sabbath day the offering must be doubled;

besides the two lambs offered for the daily burnt-offering, there must

be two more offered, one (it is probable) added to the morning

sacrifice, and the other to the evening,

v. 9, 10.

This teaches us to double our devotions on sabbath days, for so the

duty of the day requires. The sabbath rest is to be observed, in order

to a more close application to the sabbath work, which ought to fill up

sabbath time. In Ezekiel’s temple-service, which points at gospel

times, the sabbath offerings were to be six lambs and a ram, with their

meat-offerings, and drink-offerings

(Ezek. xlvi. 4, 5),

to intimate not only the continuance, but the advancement, of sabbath

sanctification in the days of the Messiah. This is the

burnt-offering of the sabbath in his sabbath, so it is in the

original,

v. 10.

We must do every sabbath day’s work in its day, studying to redeem

every minute of sabbath time as those that believe it precious; and not

thinking to put off one sabbath’s work to another, for sufficient to

every sabbath is the service thereof.

2. For the new moons. Some suggest that, as the sabbath was kept with

an eye to the creation of the world, so the new moons were sanctified

with an eye to the divine providence, which appoints the moon for

seasons, guiding the revolutions of time by its changes, and

governing sublunary bodies (as many think) by its influences. Though we

observe not any feast of new moons, yet we must not forget to give God

the glory of all the precious things put forth by the moon which he has

established for ever, a faithful witness in heaven,
Ps. lxxxix. 37.

The offerings in the new moons were very considerable, two bullocks, a

ram, and seven lambs, with the meat-offerings and drink-offerings that

were to attend them

(v. 11,

&c.), besides a sin-offering,

v. 15.

For, when we give glory to God by confessing his mercies, we must give

glory to him likewise by confessing our own sins; and, when we rejoice

in the gifts of common providence, we must make the sacrifice of

Christ, that great gift of special grace, the fountain and spring-head

of our joy. Some have questioned whether the new moons were to be

reckoned among their feasts; but why should they not, when, besides the

special sacrifices which were then to be offered, they rested from

servile works

(Amos viii. 5),

blew the trumpets

(ch. x. 10),

and went to the prophets to hear the word?
2 Kings iv. 23.

And the worship performed in the new moons is made typical of gospel

solemnities,

Isa. lxvi. 23.

     

16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the

passover of the LORD.

  17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven

days shall unleavened bread be eaten.

  18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do

no manner of servile work therein:

  19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt

offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and

seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without

blemish:

  20 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with

oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two

tenth deals for a ram;

  21 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb,

throughout the seven lambs:

  22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for

you.

  23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the

morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.

  24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven

days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour

unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt

offering, and his drink offering.

  25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye

shall do no servile work.

  26 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat

offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have

an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work:

  27 But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour

unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the

first year;

  28 And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three

tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram,

  29 A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven

lambs;

  30 And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.

  31 Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering,

and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish)

and their drink offerings.

     

Here is,

I. The appointment of the pass-over sacrifices; not that which was the

chief, the paschal lamb (sufficient instructions had formerly been

given concerning that), but those which were to be offered upon the

seven days of unleavened bread, which followed it,

v. 17-25.

The first and last of those seven days were to be sanctified as

sabbaths, by a holy rest and a holy convocation, and on each of the

seven days they were to be liberal in their sacrifices, in token of

their great and constant thankfulness for their deliverance out of

Egypt: Two bullocks, a ram, and seven lambs. A gospel

conversation, in gratitude for Christ our passover who was

sacrificed, is called the keeping of this feast

(1 Cor. v. 8);

for it is not enough that we purge out the leavened bread of

malice and wickedness, but we must offer the bread of our God, even

the sacrifice of praise, continually, and continue herein unto the

end.

2. The sacrifices are likewise appointed which were to be offered at

the feast of pentecost, here called the day of the first-fruits,
v. 26.

In the feast of unleavened bread they offered a sheaf of their

first-fruits of barley (which with them was first ripe) to the

priest

(Lev. xxiii. 10),

as an introduction to the harvest; but now, about seven weeks after,

they were to bring a new meat-offering to the Lord, at the end

of harvest, in thankfulness to God, who had not only given, but

preserved to their use, the kindly fruits of the earth, so as that in

due time they did enjoy them. It was at this feast that the

Spirit was poured out

(Acts ii. 1,

&c.), and thousands were converted by the preaching of the apostles,

and were presented to Christ, to be a kind of first-fruits of his

creatures. The sacrifice that was to be offered with the loaves of

the first-fruits was appointed,

Lev. xxiii. 18.

But over and above, besides that and besides the daily offerings, they

were to offer two bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs, with a kid for

a sin-offering,
v. 27-30.

When God sows plentifully upon us he expects to reap accordingly from

us. Bishop Patrick observes that no peace-offerings are

appointed in this chapter, which were chiefly for the benefit of the

offerers, and therefore in them they were left more to themselves; but

burnt-offerings were purely for the honour of God, were

confessions of his dominion, and typified evangelical piety and

devotion, by which the soul is wholly offered up to God in the flames

of holy love; and sin-offerings were typical of Christ’s

sacrifice of himself, by which we and our services are perfected and

sanctified.

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Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

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