(Massah)? For in the same things and words wherein they chode with Moses they tempted the Lord. And hence the same word, of chiding, striving, contending, or provoking, is used in this matter towards the Lord also: Num. xx. 13, "they strove" (or "chode") "with the LORD.”

רב

T

Secondly, This matter, as a thing exceedingly remarkable, is often called over and remembered again in the Scripture. Sometimes on the part of the people; and that, 1. To reproach and burden them with their sins, as Deut. ix. 22, “ And at Massah ye provoked the LORD to wrath ;" and sometimes, 2. To warn them of the like miscarriages, chap. vi. 16, "Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah." So also in the 95th Psalm, from whence the apostle takes these words. Again, it is remembered as an instance of the faithfulness of Levi, who clave to God in those trials: Deut. xxxiii. 8, "And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy Holy One, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah."

The mercy likewise that ensued in giving them waters from the rock is frequently celebrated, Deut. viii. 15, Ps. lxxviii. 15, 16, cv. 41, Neh. ix. 15. More over, in this rock of Horeb lay hid a spiritual Rock, as our apostle tells us, 1 Cor. x. 4, even Christ, the Son of God, who, being smitten with the rod of Moses, or the stroke and curse of the law administered by him, gave out waters of life freely to all that thirst and come unto him. In this matter, therefore, is comprehended a great instance of providence and a great mystery of grace. But yet notwithstanding all this, although the especial denomination of the sin of the people be taken from that instance of Exod. xvii., yet the expressions are not to be confined or appropriated only thereunto. For the particular provocation on which God sware against them that they should not enter into his rest fell out afterwards, Num. xiv., as we shall see in our progress. But this is eminently referred unto, -1. Because it was upon the very entrance of that course of provoking which they constantly persisted in until they were consumed; 2. Because of the signal and significant miracles and works which God wrought thereon.

'Ev iphμ, ;-"in the desert," or "wilderness," namely, of Midian, whereinto that people entered upon their coming through the sea. In their way towards Horeb, their fourth station was at Rephidim, where the things fell out before recounted. So they received refreshment in a type, from the spiritual Rock, some days before the giving of the fiery law.

is referred both to time and place as well as אֲשֶׁר אֲשֶׁר נְסוּנִי,ssipurity as: 05

persons. We render où here, "when,"-" when your fathers tempted me;" and so in the psalm; referring what is spoken to the time mentioned, or the day of temptation. So the Syriac, "in which day." The Vulg. Lat.," ubi,” “where,” that is in the desert, at Meribah or Massah. And this is the proper signification of the word. Nor is either ou or wou, the interrogative, ever used in any good authors to denote time, but place only. "Where," that is, in the wilderness, where they tempted God and saw his works forty years.

Ol Taτépes vμy, genitors," 2 Tim. i. 3. So though in one place

"your fathers," or "forefathers;” #póyovo‹, "prois watépes often used, and is most frequently; albe added, Jer. xi. 10;-the first springs and heads of any nation or family,-the whole congregation in the wilderness, whose posterity they were.

Edoxíμacáv μe, "-" proved me." This word is seldom used in an ill sense, as the former is almost continually. is to have experience, upon search, investigation, and trial, Ps. cxxxix. 23. The experience, therefore, that they had of the power of God upon their temptations, is that which by this word is intended. "They "proved me," and found by trial that I was in the midst of them.' Καὶ εἶδον τὰ ἔργα μου, τους ; and saw my works.” "And saw my work," in the psalm. is rendered by zaí. It signifies "also," "moreover,"

VER. 7-11.]

EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

somewhat above a mere conjunction; and so doth xaí, most frequently "quinetiam." Some suppose it may be here taken for "etsi," "etiamsi," "although." "They tempted me, and proved me," although they saw my works." And so these words are placed as an aggravation of their sin in tempting of God, distrusting of him, after they had had such experience of his power and goodness, in those But the order of things also seems to be mighty works of his which they saw. intended. First they tempted God,-"They tempted me." Then they had an experience of his power,-"They proved me;" and that by the production of his For generally all the works of God in the wilmighty works which they saw. derness, whether of mercy or judgment, were consequents of, or ensued upon the people's tempting of him. Such was his bringing water out of the rock, and sending The people murmured, chode, strove, tempted; then the of quails and manna. power of God was manifested and the works were wrought which they saw. So were the judgments that he wrought and executed on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and on the spies that brought up an evil report on the land, with those that adhered unto them. This order and method of things is here expressed. They tempted God by their complaints, repinings, murmurings, seditions, unbelief, weariness of their condition, with impatient desires and wishings after other things. Hereupon they had frequent trials of the power, care, and faithfulness of God; as also of his holiness, and indignation against their sins. All these were made manifest in the mighty works of providence, in mercies and judgments which he wrought amongst them, and which they saw. They had them not by report or tradition, but saw them with their own eyes, which was a great aggravation of their unbelief. Jarchi refers this to the works of God in Egypt only; but this is contrary to our apostle, although they are not to be excluded: Num. xiv. 22, “They have seen my glory, and my miracles" (my glorious works), “which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderness."

Teooαpánovтa rn," forty years." Here the apostle finisheth the sense of the words, referring them to what goes before: They saw my works forty years.' The psalmist, as was before observed, placeth these words in the beginning of the next verse, and makes them to respect the season of God's indignation against them for their sins; "forty years was I grieved." By the apostle, the space of time mentioned is applied unto the people's seeing of the works of God; by the psalmist, to God's indignation against them. And these things being absolutely commensurate in their duration, it is altogether indifferent to which of them the limitation of time specified is formally applied; and the apostle shows it to be indifferent, in that in the 17th verse of this chapter he applies the space of time unto God's being grieved with them, as here unto the "With whom was he grieved forty years?" Only, it may be, the people's sin: apostle made this distinction of the words to intimate, that the oath of God against the entering of that people into his rest was not made after the end of forty years, as the order of the words in the psalm seems to import: "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: unto whom I sware in my wrath, They seem to intimate, that God thus that they should not enter into my rest." sware in his wrath after he had been grieved with them forty years. But they do but seem so: really they only declare that it was the same people with whom he was grieved concerning whom he sware; for the oath of God here intended The people falling into a high sedition is that mentioned, Num. xiv. 20-23. and murmuring, upon the report of the spies that were sent to search the land, the Lord sware by himself that that whole generation should wander forty years in that wilderness, until they were all consumed. Now, this was upon the next year after their coming up out of Egypt, and after which the forty years of their provocations and God's indignation ensued. But these things, as to time, were of

the same duration. The people came out of Egypt, and entered into the wilderness in the first month of the year. At the end of the fortieth year from their coming out of Egypt, the eleventh month of it, is issued the history of three of the books of Moses,-Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. In the last month of that year Moses reviewed and repeated the whole law, the dealings of God, and sins of the people, as recorded in the book of Deuteronomy. About the end of that month, as is probable, he died, and was lamented thirty days, or all the first month of the forty-first year. After which, about three or four days, the people prepared to pass over Jordan, under the conduct of Joshua, chap. i. 11. This was the space of time mentioned, containing as wonderful issues and successes of things as ever befell the church of God in the like space of time. Every year in the whole forty was full of instances of the people's sins, provocations, temptations, and unbelief; and every year also was filled with tokens of God's displeasure and indignation, until the close of the whole dispensation came, wherein that generation that came out of Egypt under Moses was consumed, and the indignation of God rested in their consumption. And it is not unlikely but that the apostle minds the Hebrews of this space of time granted unto their forefathers in the wilderness after their coming up out of Egypt, with their abuse of it, because an alike space of time was now, in the patience of God, allotted unto the whole church and people of the Jews, between the preaching of Christ and that wasting destruction that was to come upon them. And according to this type it fell out with them; for, as after their forefathers, who came up under Moses out of Egypt were consumed in forty years in the wilderness, a new church, a new generation, under the conduct of Joshua, entered into the rest of God; so within forty years after the preaching of spiritual deliverance unto them, which was rejected by them, that whole generation was cut off in the wrath of God, and a new church of Jews and Gentiles, under the conduct of the true Joshua, enters into the rest of God.

Aiò poσwxdioα, —-" Wherefore I was grieved." The apostle here alters the tenor of the discourse in the psalmist, by interposing a reference unto the cause of God's being grieved with the people, in the word dió, "wherefore;" that is, because of their manifold temptations and provocations, not cured, not healed, although for so long a season they beheld his works. They continued in the same kind of sins on the account whereof God was first provoked, and sware against their entering into the land. For, as we have before observed, the oath of God passed against them at the beginning of the forty years; but they abiding obstinately in the same sins, the execution of that oath had respect unto all their provocations during the whole forty years. IIpoowxioa, "I was grieved." This word is supposed peculiar unto the Hellenistical Jews, nor doth it occur in any other author, but only in the Greek version of the Old Testament. Nor is it used by the LXX. in any place to express 7, the word here used in the original, but they render it by κάμνω, ἐκτήκω, and κοπέω. In the New Testament it is only in this place, and thence transferred into the psalm. It is generally thought to be derived from öxen or öxlos, "the bank of a river, a rising hill or ridge by the water's side." Thence is xew, "to be offended," to bear a thing difficultly, with tediousness and vexation, so as to rise up with indignation against it, like the ground that riseth against the waters. IIpocoxia is the same, with an addition of sense, 66 to be greatly grieved." And this word, "to be grieved," is ambiguous even in our language: for it either is as much as "dolore affici," to be affected with sorrow and grief, or a being wearied, accompanied with indignation; as we say, such or such a thing is grievous,—that is, "grave," "molestum," or "troublesome." And so is the word here used, "grieved," that is burdened, and provoked, offended. So Jerome: "Displicuit mihi generatio ista," "displeased me.” “Pertuli eam, sed non sine tædio,”—“ I bare them, but not without wearisomeness." Symmachus and Aquila render the original word by dvoɑpeoтioμar," to be displeased."

VER. 7-11.]

EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

. is a word often used, and of an ambiguous signification,-" to cut off," "to contend,” “to abominate,” (hence by the Arabic it is rendered "cursed them,") to be" divided with trouble, offence, weariness, and grief." It is commonly in the feminine gender, and joined with "," my soul," or ", " my life.” This is the intendment of it: The appointed time of God's patience was worn out with their continued provocations, so that he was wearied with them, and weary of them, he could bear them no longer.

The Vulgar Latin in some copies reads, "Proximus fui huic generationi,"—" I was near to this generation." And so are the words still in some of the Roman offices. Some think that countenance is given hereto by the sense of the word #pooάxioa, which may signify "accedere" or "proximare ad ripam animo hostili,"-" to draw near to a shore, a bank, with a hostile mind."

Now, it doth not denote only that particular provocation, when God in an especial manner entered his caveat against them that they should not enter into his rest, seeing not only the psalmist in this place, but also our apostle, verse 17, directly refers it to the frame of his mind towards them during the whole forty years. He was wearied by them, and grew weary of them.

Th yeve ixeívy, “that generation;", "in the generation,”—that is, " with that generation." - is an age of man, or rather the men of one age: Eccles. i. 4, "One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh,"—that is, the So is yeven, as in Homer's Iliad, vi. 146:men of one age. See Deut. xxxii. 7. Οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ, τοιήδε καὶ ἀνδρῶν.

66

And when it is taken for "ætas" or "seculum," it doth not primarily intend a duration of time, but the persons living in that time. Herodotus, in Euterpe, generation." So doth Plutarch also in De reckons thirty years to a yeveά, a of Defect. Oraculorum. The generation here denotes no limited season, but compriseth all the persons that came up out of Egypt above twenty years who all died within the space of forty years afterwards.

TT

66

66

age,

*Αεὶ πλανῶνται τῇ καρδίᾳ, They always err in heart;","They are a people erring in heart." The words of the psalmist are somewhat changed by the apostle, but the sense is absolutely the same, for, taking the people to be sufficiently signified, he adds a word to denote the constant course of their provocations,—" always," on all occasions, in every trial. Not in any one condition did they give glory to God, neither in their straits nor in their deliverances, neither in their wants nor in their fulness, but continually tempted and provoked him with their murmurings and unbelief.", "Populus errantes a foolish, unteachcorde," or " errantium corde;" that is, " populus vecors," able people." is most usually "so to err as to wander out of the way:" Isa. And it is proliii. 6; Gen. xxxvii. 15; Prov. vii. 25. And in Hiphil, it is "to cause to err or wander," "to seduce," " to draw aside:" Hos. iv. 12; Isa. xix. 13. perly rendered by πλανάω and πλανάομαι, which have both a neuter and active signification," to err," " to wander," and "to seduce" or "draw aside:" whence a wanderer," "a vagabond;" and also “deλávos is "erro," "vagabundus,” "seductor," "impostor," "a seducer," "a deceiver," or "impostor." ceptor," In both which senses the Jews blasphemously applied it unto our Lord Jesus Christ, Matt. xxvii. 63. The words, then, denote not a speculative error of the mind, a mistake or misapprehension of what was proposed unto them,-in which sense the terms of error and erring are most commonly used, but a practical aberration or wandering by choice from the way of obedience made known unto them; and therefore they are said " to err in their heart," r xapòig. For though that be commonly taken in the Scripture for the entire principle of moral operations, and so compriseth the mind and understanding, yet when an immediate respect is had unto duties and sins, it hath an especial regard to the affections

66

99.66

and desires of the heart; so that to "err in heart,” is, "through the seductions and impulsions of corrupt affections, to have the mind and judgment corrupted, and then to depart from the ways of obedience."

הם לא

Αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὰς ὁδούς μου,— and they have not known my ways;” 7. The apostle renders? by dé, an adversative, “but;" which is frequently used for xaí, "and," as it is rendered by ours. Yet an opposition may also be intimated, "They have not known." It is said before that they "saw the works of God," which were parts of his "ways;" and his laws were made known unto them. Of these two parts do his ways consist,-the ways of his providence, and the ways of his commands; or the ways wherein he walketh towards us, and the ways wherein he would have us walk towards him. And yet it is said of this people, that "they knew not his ways." As we said, therefore, before concerning their error, so we must now say concerning, their ignorance, that it is not a simple nescience that is intended, but rather an affected dislike of what they did see and know. It seems to be made up of two parts:-First, They did not so spiritually and practically know the mind, will, and intention of God in them, as thereon to believe in him, to trust him, and to honour him. This is the knowledge of God which is required in the law and promised in the covenant. Secondly, In that light and knowledge which they had of the ways of God, they liked them not, they approved them not, they delighted not in them. And this is the constant intention of that word to "know," where the object of it is God, his ways, or his will.

Ds wμood in Ty opg μov," so I sware in my wrath;" ". The use of the word is so various, as that it may denote either the persons spoken unto or the reason of the things spoken. The Vulgar Latin in some copies reads in this place, "quibus," "to whom," as though it had taken as for ois, but commonly, "sicut;" as is often put for ore, "quapropter," "so that." So Beza, whereupon," ""for which cause" or "reason," the consideration of the state, condition, and multiplied miscarriages of that people that came out of Egypt.

"I sware." Of the oath of God and his swearing we must deal afterwards expressly. The declared unalterable purpose of God about the dying of that people in the wilderness, expressed in the way of an oath, is that which is intended. And God is said to swear in his wrath, because he declared that purpose of his under a particular provocation. The whole matter is recorded, Num. xiv. 21-23, and verses 28-35, "But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt, and in the wilderness, have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun. But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised. But as for you, your carcasses, they shall fall in this wilderness. And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcasses be wasted in the wilderness. After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, (each day for a year,) shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years; and ye shall know my breach of promise. I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.”