into many peaks, which have different names. Burckhardt says it is 30 or 40 miles in diameter, and that the highest part of it is now called ' Djebel Mousa,' mountain of Muses. To this, and another peak called Catherine, the name 'Sinai' more properly belongs. Its height has never been measured, but from its top being covered with snow all the year in the burning climate of Arabia, it may be inferred that it cannot be less than 10,000 feet. A convent stands about half way up the mountain, in which the monks live in a very simple and temperate manner, experiencing few diseases, and often attaining to extreme old age. So inaccessible is the place, that travelers who visit this convent are elevated by a pulley.

Whither was Moses called, and what was there said to him? v. 3-6.

"Went up unto God;' i. e. he went up to the summit of the mount where the cloud, the symbol of the Divine presence, now rested. Gr. Unto the mountain of God;' Chal. into the presence of the word of the Lord.' The sacred historian, Acts, 7. 38, speaking of Moses, says, This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai,' called, Is. 63. 9. the Angel of God's presence;' another name probably of Christ. Bare you on eagle's wings;' i. e. as on eagle's wings; a similitude denoting the speed, the security, and the tender care with which they were, as it were, transported from the house of bondage, and which is expanded in fuller significancy, Deut. 32. 11, 12.

As an

eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so the Lord alone did lead him.' In like manner, as the church of Israel here fled from the dragon Pharaoh, as he is termed, Ezek. 29. 3. so the Christian church in a time of persecution is represented, Rev. 12. 14. as flying into the wilderness from the serpent or dragon with two wings of a great eagle. Wings in this acceptation are a symbol of protection. Unto me;' Chal. 'unto my service or worship.'- Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me;' or jewel. The Heb. term 'Segullah' peculium, denotes a possession or treasure of which the owner is peculiarly choice; rendered, 1 Chron. 29. 3. ' mine own proper good,' and Eccl. 2. 8. ' peculiar treasure,' of which the Gr.

version, peculiar people' occurs Tit. 2. 14. while in 1 Pet. 2. 9. the original of peculiar people' is, a' people for peculiar possession.' 'Segullah,' say the Hebrew commentators, signifieth that they should be beloved before him, as a desirable treasure which a king delivereth not into the hand of any of his officers, but keepeth it himself. And such is the case of Israel, of whom it is said, Deut. 32. 9. For the Lord's portion is his people. All the earth is mine.' This enhanced the Divine favor in making them the objects of his selection.- Kingdom of priests;' or as it is rendered in the Gr. of the Sept. which is followed by the Apostle, 1 Pet. 2. 9. royal priesthood;' Chal. Ye shall be before me kings, priests, and an holy people.' implies that they should be as much distinguished from the rest of mankind as the priests were from the people. This language, relieved of its special appropriation to the Jews, is applied in the N. T. to all Christians;' Rev. 1. 5.-5. 10.1 Pet. 2. 5. Rom. 12. 1.- An holy nation;' i. e. a nation set apart or consecrated.

It

By whom did Moses communicate these words to the people, and what was their answer? v. 7, 8.

Answered together;' Gr. Omothumadon;' occurring Acts, 2. 1. and rendered with one accord,' as often elsewhere, implying unanimity rather than simultaneousness.

How did the Lord announce his intended coming, and what directions in reference to it was Moses commanded to give to the people? v. 913.

'I come unto thee;' Arab. 'I will manifest my angel unto thee. In a thick cloud; Heb. 'in the thickness or density of the cloud.' Gr. In the pillar of cloud;' but it may be doubted whether it was the ordinary cloud-pillar which is here intended. At any rate it was not that pillar in its ordinary appearance. That the people may hear, &c.' thus cutting off all pretext for saying that Moses palmed upon them fictitious laws and ordinances, or imposed upon them in any way.- Sanctify them;' i. e. see to it that they sa ctify themselves, as appears from v. 14. This was tile done by external ablutions with water, by abstinence

from every species of impurity, together, we may suppose, with devout meditation, fasting, and prayer.-'The Lord will come down;' i. e. by the visible tokens of his presence. Touch it; or, touch him; that is, the man or beast that should touch the mountain should be held so execrable that he was not be touched with the hand but to be stoned or shot through with a dart: the latter probably the correct interpretati n. When the trumpet soundeth long;' i. e. when the intensity of its sound was somewhat remitted, and it became softer and less terrible. The Gr. however, understands it of an entire cessation of sound: When the voices, and the trumpets, and the cloud are departed from the mountain, then shall ye go up.' The Heb. word for trumpet' is Jobel,' from whence our Eng. Jubilee,' which it is well known was introduced among the Jews by the sounding of trumpets all over the land. The term probably came from Jubal, son of Lamech, the original inventor of musical instruments, Gen. 4. 21.

What does the author of the epistle to the Hebrews say in respect to this mount? Heb. 12.

18.

The mount that might be touched;' i. e. that was capable of being touched, material, corporeal. The writer's purpose is to state an antithesis between Sinai and Sion, the one of which is an object of faith, the other palpable to the senses.

What is said of Moses' compliance with this order? v. 14, 15.

How was the morning of the third day ushered in, and what was the effect upon the people? v. 16. "Voice of the trumpet.' Probably the meaning is, a voice like that of a trumpet; i. e. very loud. In Deut. 5. 22. it is called 'a great voice;' in Deut. 4. 12. 'the voice of words;' and in Deut. 4. 33. the voice of God.' From comparing all these passages together, it seems evident that the meaning is, an articulate voice, loud like that of a trumpet. By what agency do we elsewhere learn that

these tremendous appearances were produced? Acts, 7. 53. Gal. 3. 19. Heb. 2. 2.

Did Moses himself partake of the general dread? Heb. 12. 21.

'Moses said, &c.' This incident is not expressly mentioned in the sacred narrative, and we infer, therefore, that it was merely matter of tradition among the Jews.

Where did the people take their station, and in, what state did they behold the mount at this time? v. 17, 18.

The smoke thereof ascended;' mingled as it appears from Deut. 4. 11. with towering flames of fire which burned up into the midst of heaven.

What is affirmed in verse 19.

"Voice of the trumpet sounded; Heb. 'voice of the trumpet (was) going, or walking;' i. e. increasing in the loudness of its intonations. See note on Gen. 3. 8.- Moses spake.' It was now probably that Moses uttered the words attributed to him by the apostle, Heb. 12. 21. God we may suppose answered him by a voice of mildness calculated to assuage his fears.

What command came to Moses shortly after his having been ordered up to the top of the mount? v. 20-22.

'Priests which came near ;' i. e. whose office it is to come near; or, as the Chal. renders it, 'Which come near to minister before the Lord.' They are afterward called, Ex. 24. 5. 'Young men of the sons of Isreal,' and were doubtless the first-born of the people, whom God had sanctified to himself, Ex. 13. 2. and in place of whom he afterward assumed the tribe of Levi.

What did Moses reply, and how was the injunction again repeated? v. 23-25.

"The people cannot come up.' Moses seems to have thought that by reason of the unutterable terror and glory

of the scene, it was morally impossible that the people should any of them be so presumptuous as to transgress an order which he had once so expressly delivered to them, and which he had guarded by setting bounds according to Divine direction.

What part did Moses act in the solemn transaction of Sinai? Gal. 3. 19.

For what reason was the giving of the Law attended with circumstances of so much terror?

Ans. To afford a striking display of the glorious majesty of Jehovah the Lawgiver-to point out the character of the Law in its awful strictness and rigor, and its tremendous penalty-and perhaps to furnish a kind of specimen of the day of judgment, when every transgression of it will be judged.

HEADS OF PRACTICAL REFLECTION.

V. 3. A divine call is a needful pre-requisite to the office of mediator between God and sinners.

V. 4. The recognition and recital of God's peculiar mercies may very suitably precede a formal entry into covenant obligations.

V. 5. God's covenanted people, walking in exact obedience to his laws, are his peculiar treasure in the world.

V. 6. The three-fold honor of kings, priests, and saints, redounds to the obedient people of God:

V. 3. They are often the most prompt and forward to promise, who are at the same time the most backward to perform.

V. 10. Previous devout preparation especially becomes those who are anticipating a near approach to God, whether in the hearing of his word or the participation of his ordinances.

V. 12. A prying curiosity in relation to matters which God does not see fit to reveal to his creatures is not only highly presumptuous, but fraught with danger.