The Firstlings of the Flock.

(18) It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

(19) All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep. (20) Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household. (21) And if there be

с

is well with thee; (17) a then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

12.

rarely happen that the Hebrew slave would serve for the full period of six years.

(14) Thou shalt furnish him liberally.- The beneficence of this provision is noticeable. Those who had fallen into poverty, when they had served their time, must be provided with means for a fresh start in life. And since the Jewish commentator regards the slavery of Hebrew men as chiefly a consequence of theft (If he be sold unto thee," when the supreme court has sold him for his theft "), it would seem that, under Jewish law, even convicted thieves, when the term of their servitude was over, were to be provided with the means of obtaining an honest livelihood. This state of things is above the attainments of Christian England at the present date.

(15) Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt.-" And that I furnished and adorned thee from the spoils of Egypt and the spoils of the sea" (Rashi).

Therefore I command thee.-In Lev. xxv. 42 the reason is given thus: " They are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen" (i.e., not for ever). The land was under the same restriction-it "shall not be sold for ever; for the land is mine" (Lev. xxv. 16, 17, 23.

(17) And unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise-i.e., "in furnishing her liberally (Rashi), and "possibly also in retaining her if she will."

It must not be supposed that this contradicts Exod. xxi. 7, " She shall not go out as the menservants do." She shall not go out according to the going of the menservants (i.e., on the same principle). It is not said, She shall not go out at all. The exceptions are given in Exod. xxi. 8-11, which see. The general right of release is stated here. One difference (as stated by Rashi) is that women were not liable to be sold for theft like men, but might be sold by their parents in infancy. If the girl were not marriageable when the first Sab. batical year arrived, she would obtain her freedom absolutely, because the case contemplated in Exod. xxi. 8— 10 could not possibly arise. And, generally, we may

blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God. (22) Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the

suppose that the rights of an unmarried female slave would be the same as those of a man, to go out free in the seventh year. (See Jer. xxxiv. 9.)

thou

(19) All the firstling males shalt sanctify-i.e., recognise them as the property of Jehovah by not using them for ordinary purposes. In Lev. xxvii. 26 we read, "No man shall sanctify it ”—i.e., shall make it the subject of a special vow or dedication, because it already belongs to Jehovah. This is the only interpretation consistent with the context in Leviticus; for chap. xxvii. deals entirely with "voluntary" offerings, which are in a sense outside the Law. (See Notes at the commencement of Deut. xxviii. and xxix.).

(20) Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year. This connects the eating of the firstlings with the "second" tithe (chap. xiv. 23). There is some difficulty in understanding the exact relation between this precept and that which assigns the firstlings to the priests (Num. xviii. 15) with the first tithe. The practical solution is to be sought in the practice of the Jews. One suggestion is (that of Rashi), that "thou shalt eat" in this place refers to the priest; another is, that the firstlings without blemish were for the priest; those that were not fit for sacrifice were for the household of the owner. But it is perfectly conceivable that there was a collection of firstlings at one time of the year for the first tithe, and these were given to the priests. At the time of the collection of the second tithe, there might, and generally would, be other firstlings born since, and these, with the second tithe, would be disposed of in the manner indicated in these verses. And this, upon the whole, seems the most probable explanation. If two tithes were a regular institution, they must have been regularly collected at fixed times. And there might easily be firstlings in both of them; in fact, there almost certainly would be. At any rate, no contradiction can be maintained as between laws which were both observed in practice by the Jews. It appears from the Talmud, that tithes and offerings might be presented, more or less, at any of the three great feasts. They would not all be presented at one time. The tithes and first-fruits in some cases were liable to be delayed. The rule was, that everything due

The Feast of Tabernacles.

Appointment of Judges.

1

:

tice.

d Lev. 26. 1.

LORD thy God giveth thee.

(21) Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. (22) Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy

pillar.

in Lev. xxiii. 22, to leave the corners of the fields unreaped for them.

Verses 13-15. THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES. (13) Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days.-For details of the observance see the passages already referred to in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, but more especially Lev. xxiii. 33-43.

(14) Thou, and thy son .. -The rejoicing of the Feast of Tabernacles was proverbial among the Jews. On the persons who are to share the joy, Rashi has an interesting note. "The Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow,-My four (Jehovah's), over against thy four-thy son, thy daughter, thy manservant, thy maidservant. If thou wilt make My four to rejoice, I will rejoice thy four."

(15) Seven days.-An eighth day is mentioned both in Lev. xxiii. 36 and Num. xxix. 35. But the seven days of this feast are also spoken of in both those passages (Lev. xxiii. 36 and Num. xxix. 12). There is, therefore, no contradiction between the two passages. The eighth day is treated apart from the first seven days of the Feast of Tabernacles, somewhat in the same way as the Passover is always distinguished in the Pentateuch from the six days which followed it, and which are called the Feast of Unleavened bread. The reason for the distinction in that case becomes clear in the fulfilment of the feast by our Lord. The Passover is His sacrifice and death. We keep the feast of unleavened bread by serving Him in "sincerity and truth." The Feast of Tabernacles has not yet been fulfilled by our Lord like the two other great feasts of the Jewish calendar. Unfulfilled prophecies regarding it may be

pointed out, as in Zech. xiv. Our Lord refused to signalise that feast by any public manifestation (John vii. 2-10). There may, therefore, be some reason for separating the eighth and last day of the Feast of Tabernacles from the former seven, which will appear in its fulfilment in the kingdom of God. It is remarkable that the dedication of Solomon's temple, the commencement of the second temple, and the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, all occurred about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Thou shalt surely rejoice.-In the Hebrew this is a somewhat unusual form of expression. Literally, thou wilt be only rejoicing. Rashi says it is not a command, but a promise.

(16) Three times in a year.-So Exod. xxiii. 17. And in Exod. xxxiv. 23, 24 a promise is added that their land should be safe in their absence.

(18) Judges and officers.-A fresh section of the book, as read in the synagogues, begins with these words.

The land is now considered as the seat of the Kingdom of Jehovah, to the end of ch. xviii. See Introduction for a complete analysis, and comp. Joshua xxiii. 2, which shows that these magistrates were already appointed.

(19) See Exod. xxiii. 6, 8.

(21) Thou shalt not plant thee a grove.-Heb., asherah, sometimes used of images, but here evidently of the grove itself. The worship of Jehovah allowed of no secret rites; and nothing that could lead to the abominations of heathen idolatry could be permitted near Jehovah's altar.

(22) Image.-Explained by Rashi of a single stone, whether statue or pillar.

The Sacrifice to be Unblemished.

CHAPTER XVII.-(1) Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

(2) If there be found among you, with- or, goat. in any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, (3) and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; and it be told thee, and (4) thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: (5) then shalt

XVII.

10. 28.

The law

(1) Thou shalt not sacrifice concerning the purity of victims is given in full in Lev. xxii. 17-25. It takes its place there among the special laws of holiness. The same principle appears to unite the several topics treated here in Deuteronomy, as the holy days, the administration of justice, the absence of groves and images, with such a precept as this regarding the perfection of sacrifices. The holiness of the God of Israel necessitates them all. Truth, justice, and purity are demanded in all that come nigh Him. The dignity of His Kingdom is also concerned here. (See Introduction.)

Sheep.-The Hebrew word is sêh (on which see chap. xiv. 4, note). It may be either a lamb or a kid.

The only time in history when the sacrifice of imper. fect creatures is complained of to any great extent is the time of the prophet Malachi (see Mal. i. 7—14). The laxity of the priests in his time called forth the prophecy that "in every place incense should be offered to God's name and a pure offering."

Verses 2-7. EVERY IDOLATER TO BE Stoned.

(2) If there be found. . . man or woman.This section differs slightly from the third section of chap. xiii. The penalty there is directed against the teachers of idolatry, whether prophets, private indi viduals, or communities in Israel. Here the penalty of death is enacted for every individual, man or woman, found guilty of worshipping any other god but Jehovah. We find traces of this law in the covenant made in the reign of Asa (2 Chron. xv. 13), "that whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

(3) Either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven.-The oldest and simplest, and apparently most innocent form of idolatry. If this was punishable with death, obviously no grosser form of idolatry could be spared. The Book of Job, which knows no other idolatry, admits this to be a denial" of the God that is above" (Job xxxi. 26-28).

(6) He that is worthy of death.- Literally, he that dieth.

The Idolater to be Stoned.

thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die. (6) a At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. (7) The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

(8) If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters

of controversy within thy gates: then

Put... away.-Literally, consume. The primary meaning of the word is "burn." Taberah, "burning," is a derivative.

The evil.- The Greek version renders this "the wicked man," and the sentence is taken up in this form in 1 Cor. v. 13, "and ye shall put away from among you that wicked person." The phrase is of frequent occurrence in Deuteronomy, and if we are to understand that in all places where it occurs "the evil" is to be understood of an individual, and to be taken in the masculine gender, the fact seems to deserve notice in considering the phrase "deliver us from evil" in the Lord's Prayer. There is really no such thing as wickedness in the world apart from some wicked being or person. We are also reminded of the famous argument of St. Augustine, that evil has no existence except as a corruption of good, or a creature's perverted will.

Verses 8-20. THE SUPREMACY IN ISRAEL OF THE WRITTEN LAW OF GOD.

(8) If there arise a matter too hard for thee. -Literally, too wonderful.

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It may

Between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke.— The blood" and the "plea" seem to indicate criminal and civil cases. The word "stroke" is the common word for "plague" in the Pentateuch and elsewhere. possibly refer to cases of ceremonial purity or impurity, especially in reference to disease. There is an evident allusion to this law in the history of King Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xix. 8-10). There the words are "between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments." The questions are (1) between two contending parties; (2) between the law as a general rule and its application to particular duties, institutions, and requirements. Other passages in the same chapter recall Deut. xvi. 18-20.

Matters of controversy within thy gatesi.e., in the local courts of their several cities. The gate" was the place of judgment. In 2 Chron. xix. 10, the phrase is more clearly expressed, thus, “what cause soever shall come unto you of your brethren that

dwell in their cities."

Into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose.-This implies what was afterwards

The Settlement of

hearken.

ordered before Moses' death, that the standard copy of the Law would be kept beside the Ark of the Covenant, in the sacred place (chap. xxxi. 26).

(9) Thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites-i.e., "the priests that come of the tribe of Levi" (Rashi). Some modern critics say the writer of Deuteronomy knew no distinction between priests and Levites; but see above on chap. xi. 6, and also the notes on chap. xxxi. 9 and 25.

The priests, the Levites, and . . . the judge. -The order agrees exactly with the constitution which Moses left behind him at his death. This has been already indicated in Num. xxvii. 15-21. Joshua was to "stand before Eleazar." Eleazar was to ask counsel from Jehovah, and at his word Joshua and all the people were to go in and out. The order, when the two are mentioned together in the Book of Joshua, is invariably Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun," not vice versa. The priests are the custodians of the Law; the judge or chief magistrate is the executor of it. (Comp. Mal. ii. 7, 8.) The principle is not altered by the substitution of a king for the judge, or by the addition of a prophet.

66

That shall be in those days.-Rashi and the New Testament are curiously agreed in the application of this part of the commandment. Our Lord, in Matt. xxiii. 2, 3, says of the Scribes and Pharisees (the judges of His day) that they "sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do." Rashi says here, "Although he is not like the rest of the judges that were before him, thou must hearken to him. There is no judge for thee except the judge that is in thy days."

(9-11) And they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment... According to the sentence of the law thou shalt do.-This passage should be carefully noted. The function of the priest and judge was to show, inform, teach, and tell the applicant the sentence of the law, i.e., of the written law. The four English verbs have only three equivalents in Hebrew, viz., tell, teach and say. It is not sufficiently observed that this defines the relation between the Church and the Bible from the time the Law (which was the germ of the Bible) was delivered to the Church, and that the relation between the Church and the Bible is the same to this day. The only authority wherewith the Church (of Israel, or of Christ) can "bind" or "loose," is the written Law of God. The binding (or forbidding) and loosing (or permitting) of the Rabbis -the authority which our Lord committed to His Church-was only the application of His written word. The Rabbis acknowledge this from one end of the

to

Disputed Questions.

shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left. (12) And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel. (13) And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.

Talmud to the other by the appeal to Scripture which is made in every page, sometimes in almost every line. The application is often strained or fanciful; but that does not alter the principle. The written word is the chain that binds. Nor does the varying relation between the executive and legislative authority alter the principle. Where the law of Jehovah is the law of the land, death may be the penalty of disobedience. Where it is only the law of the Christian community, exclusion may be the extreme penalty that is possible. But still the relation between the written word and the ministers of the Church is the same. The Church is the "witness and keeper of Holy Writ," and can only shew from thence the sentence of judgment. The sentence is an application of the law, not a mere invention of the authorities themselves; and it would be easy to show from history how every misapplication of the Divine code brought with it surely, sooner or later, its own refutation, and the overthrow of the unfaithful government. The prophets not seldom took the place of tribunes of the people in cases of oppression. No one lifted up a more distinct protest from the law itself against the misapplication of the law than the Prophet like unto Moses, who formally acknowledged the authority of them that sat in Moses' seat.*

The

(12) And the man that will do presumptuously shall die. This word "presumptuously" occurs for the first time in this place. (See also chap. xviii. 22.) It is connected with "pride,” and denotes a proud self-assertion against the law. penalty of death arises necessarily out of the theocracy. If God is the king of the nation, rebellion against His law is treason, and if it be proud and wilful rebellion, the penalty of death is only what we should expect to see inflicted. As soon as the law of Jehovah is in any way separated from the law of the land, this state of things may be altered. It is remarkable that in Ezra's commission from Artaxerxes we find permission to identify the law of Jehovah with the law of the Persian empire to the full extent of this precept, "Whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment "(Ezra vii. 25, 26.) But such penalties, except in a theocratic government, are obviously out of place in matters connected with religion.

Manifestly, when copies of the Law were scarce, and when a good deal of it, like this Book of Deuteronomy, was general, and even prophetic, a board of authorised interpreters, or appliers, of the law to matters of detail was an absolute necessity. (See Introduction to Deuteronomy for more on this head.)