24 `An altar of earth thou dost make for Me, and thou hast sacrificed on it thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offerings, thy flock and thy herd; in every place where I cause My name to be remembered I come in unto thee, and have blessed thee.
but unto the place which Jehovah your God doth choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, to His tabernacle ye seek, and thou hast entered thither,
and I fix on Jerusalem for My name being there, and I fix on David to be over My people Israel.
that thou hast taken of the first of all the fruits of the ground which thou dost bring in out of thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, and hast put `it' in a basket, and gone unto the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle there.
And thou hast rejoiced before Jehovah thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy handmaid, and the Levite who `is' within thy gates, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow, who `are' in thy midst, in the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle there,
and thou hast eaten before Jehovah thy God, in the place where He doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle, the tithe of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herd, and of thy flock, so that thou dost learn to fear Jehovah thy God all the days.
`When the place is far from thee which Jehovah thy God doth choose to put His name there, then thou hast sacrificed of thy herd and of thy flock which Jehovah hath given to thee, as I have commanded thee, and hast eaten within thy gates, of all the desire of thy soul;
`Thou art not able to sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, except at the place which Jehovah thy God doth choose to cause His name to tabernacle -- there thou dost sacrifice the passover in the evening, at the going in of the sun, the season of thy coming out of Egypt;
for Thine eyes being open towards this house night and day, towards the place of which Thou hast said, My Name is there; to hearken unto the prayer which Thy servant prayeth towards this place.
Thou dost hear in the heavens, the settled place of Thy dwelling, and hast done according to all that the stranger calleth unto Thee for, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name, to fear Thee like Thy people Israel, and to know that Thy name hath been called on this house which I have builded.
and Jehovah saith unto him, `I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication with which thou hast made supplication before Me; I have hallowed this house that thou hast built to put My name there -- unto the age, and Mine eyes and My heart have been there all the days.
and now, I have chosen and sanctified this house for My name being there unto the age; yea, Mine eyes and My heart have been there all the days.
And king Rehoboam strengtheneth himself in Jerusalem, and reigneth; for a son of forty and two years `is' Rehoboam in his reigning, and seventeen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah hath chosen to put His name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and the name of his mother `is' Naamah the Ammonitess,
And God, who caused His name to dwell there, doth cast down any king and people that putteth forth his hand to change, to destroy this house of God that `is' in Jerusalem; I Darius have made a decree; speedily let it be done.'
and ye have turned back unto Me, and kept My commands, and done them -- if your outcast is in the end of the heavens, thence I gather them, and have brought them in unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to tabernacle there.
For Jehovah hath fixed on Zion, He hath desired `it' for a seat to Himself, This `is' My rest for ever and ever, Here do I sit, for I have desired it.
And ye have come in and stood before Me, In this house on which My name is called, And have said, `We have been delivered,' In order to do all these abominations. A den of burglars hath this house, On which My name is called, been in your eyes? Even I, lo, I have seen, an affirmation of Jehovah. But go ye, I pray you, Unto My place that `is' in Shiloh, Where I caused My name to dwell at first, And see that which I have done to it, For the wickedness of My people Israel.
`And it hath been, the place on which Jehovah your God doth fix to cause His name to tabernacle there, thither ye bring in all that which I am commanding you, your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave-offering of your hand, and all the choice of your vows which ye vow to Jehovah;
`Jehovah bless thee and keep thee; `Jehovah cause His face to shine upon thee, and favour thee; `Jehovah lift up His countenance upon thee, and appoint for thee -- peace. `And they have put My name upon the sons of Israel, and I -- I do bless them.'
our fathers in this mountain did worship, and ye -- ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where it behoveth to worship.' Jesus saith to her, `Woman, believe me, that there doth come an hour, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father; ye worship what ye have not known; we worship what we have known, because the salvation is of the Jews; but, there cometh an hour, and it now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also doth seek such to worship him; God `is' a Spirit, and those worshipping Him, in spirit and truth it doth behove to worship.'
For, from the rising of the sun to its going in, Great `is' My name among nations, And in every place perfume is brought nigh to My name, and a pure present, For great `is' My name among nations, Said Jehovah of Hosts.
and hath loved thee, and blessed thee, and multiplied thee, and hath blessed the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy ground, thy corn, and thy new wine, and thine oil, the increase of thine oxen, and the wealth of thy flock, on the ground which He hath sworn to thy fathers to give to thee.
teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you,) and lo, I am with you all the days -- till the full end of the age.'
Jehovah doth bless thee out of Zion, The maker of the heavens and earth!
And He chooseth the tribe of Judah, With mount Zion that He loved,
And His tabernacle is in Salem, And His habitation in Zion.
`And if his offering `is' a sacrifice of peace-offerings, if out of the herd he is bringing near, whether male or female, a perfect one he doth bring near before Jehovah, and he hath laid his hand on the head of his offering, and hath slaughtered it at the opening of the tent of meeting, and sons of Aaron, the priests, have sprinkled the blood on the altar round about. `And he hath brought near from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings a fire-offering to Jehovah, the fat which is covering the inwards, and all the fat which `is' on the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat which `is' on them, which `is' on the flanks, and the redundance above the liver, (beside the kidneys he doth turn it aside), and sons of Aaron have made it a perfume on the altar, on the burnt-offering which `is' on the wood, which `is' on the fire -- a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah. `And if his offering `is' out of the flock for a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Jehovah, male or female, a perfect one he doth bring near; if a sheep he is bringing near `for' his offering, then he hath brought it near before Jehovah, and hath laid his hand on the head of his offering, and hath slaughtered it before the tent of meeting, and sons of Aaron have sprinkled its blood on the altar round about. `And he hath brought near from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings a fire-offering to Jehovah, its fat, the whole fat tail (over-against the bone he doth turn it aside), and the fat which is covering the inwards, and all the fat which `is' on the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat which `is' on them, which `is' on the flanks, and the redundance above the liver, (beside the kidneys he doth turn it aside), and the priest hath made it a perfume on the altar -- bread of a fire-offering to Jehovah. `And if his offering `is' a goat, then he hath brought it near before Jehovah, and hath laid his hand on its head, and hath slaughtered it before the tent of meeting, and sons of Aaron have sprinkled its blood on the altar round about; and he hath brought near from it his offering, a fire-offering to Jehovah, the fat which is covering the inwards, and all the fat which `is' on the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat which `is' upon them, which `is' on the flanks, and the redundance above the liver, (beside the kidneys he doth turn it aside), and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar -- bread of a fire-offering, for sweet fragrance; all the fat `is' Jehovah's. `A statute age-during to your generations in all your dwellings: any fat or any blood ye do not eat.'
And Jehovah calleth unto Moses, and speaketh unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying, `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Any man of you when he doth bring near an offering to Jehovah, out of the cattle -- out of the herd, or out of the flock -- ye do bring near your offering. `If his offering `is' a burnt-offering out of the herd -- a male, a perfect one, he doth bring near, unto the opening of the tent of meeting he doth bring it near, at his pleasure, before Jehovah; and he hath laid his hand on the head of the burnt-offering, and it hath been accepted for him to make atonement for him; and he hath slaughtered the son of the herd before Jehovah; and sons of Aaron, the priests, have brought the blood near, and sprinkled the blood on the altar round about, which `is' at the opening of the tent of meeting. `And he hath stripped the burnt-offering, and hath cut it into its pieces; and the sons of Aaron the priest have put fire on the altar, and arranged wood on the fire; and sons of Aaron, the priests, have arranged the pieces, with the head and the fat, on the wood, which `is' on the fire, which `is' on the altar; and its inwards and its legs he doth wash with water; and the priest hath made perfume with the whole on the altar, a burnt-offering, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah. `And if his offering `is' out of the flock -- out of the sheep or out of the goats -- for a burnt-offering, a male, a perfect one, he doth bring near, and he hath slaughtered it by the side of the altar northward, before Jehovah; and sons of Aaron, the priests, have sprinkled its blood on the altar round about; and he hath cut it into its pieces, and its head and its fat, and the priest hath arranged them on the wood, which `is' on the fire, which `is' on the altar; and the inwards and the legs he doth wash with water, and the priest hath brought the whole near, and hath made perfume on the altar; it `is' a burnt-offering, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah. `And if his offering `is' a burnt-offering out of the fowl to Jehovah, than he hath brought near his offering out of the turtle-doves or out of the young pigeons, and the priest hath brought it near unto the altar, and hath wrung off its head, and hath made perfume on the altar, and its blood hath been wrung out by the side of the altar; and he hath turned aside its crop with its feathers, and hath cast it near the altar, eastward, unto the place of ashes; and he hath cleaved it with its wings (he doth not separate `it'), and the priest hath made it a perfume on the altar, on the wood, which `is' on the fire; it `is' a burnt-offering, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 20
Commentary on Exodus 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
Ex 20:1-26. The Ten Commandments.
1. And God spake all these words—The Divine Being Himself was the speaker (De 5:12, 32, 33), in tones so loud as to be heard—so distinct as to be intelligible by the whole multitude standing in the valleys below, amid the most appalling phenomena of agitated nature. Had He been simply addressing rational and intelligent creatures, He would have spoken with the still small voice of persuasion and love. But He was speaking to those who were at the same time fallen and sinful creatures, and a corresponding change was required in the manner of God's procedure, in order to give a suitable impression of the character and sanctions of the law revealed from heaven (Ro 11:5-9).
2. I am the Lord thy God—This is a preface to the ten commandments—the latter clause being specially applicable to the case of the Israelites, while the former brings it home to all mankind; showing that the reasonableness of the law is founded in their eternal relation as creatures to their Creator, and their mutual relations to each other.
3. Thou shalt have no other gods before me—in My presence, beside, or except Me.
4, 5. Thou shalt not make … any graven image … thou shalt not bow down thyself to them—that is, "make in order to bow." Under the auspices of Moses himself, figures of cherubim, brazen serpents, oxen, and many other things in the earth beneath, were made and never condemned. The mere making was no sin—it was the making with the intent to give idolatrous worship.
8. Remember the sabbath day—implying it was already known, and recognized as a season of sacred rest. The first four commandments [Ex 20:3-11] comprise our duties to God—the other six [Ex 20:12-17] our duties to our fellow men; and as interpreted by Christ, they reach to the government of the heart as well as the lip (Mt 5:17). "If a man do them he shall live in them" [Le 18:5; Ne 9:29]. But, ah! what an if for frail and fallen man. Whoever rests his hope upon the law stands debtor to it all; and in this view every one would be without hope were not "the Lord our Righteousness" [Jer 23:6; 33:16] (Joh 1:17).
18-21. all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings—They were eye and ear witnesses of the awful emblems of the Deity's descent. But they perceived not the Deity Himself.
19. let not God speak with us, lest we die, &c.—The phenomena of thunder and lightning had been one of the plagues so fatal to Egypt, and as they heard God speaking to them now, they were apprehensive of instant death also. Even Moses himself, the mediator of the old covenant, did "exceedingly quake and fear" (Heb 12:21). But doubtless God spake what gave him relief—restored him to a frame of mind fit for the ministrations committed to him; and hence immediately after he was enabled to relieve and comfort them with the relief and comfort which he himself had received from God (2Co 1:4).
22, 23. the Lord said unto Moses—It appears from De 4:14-16, that this injunction was a conclusion drawn from the scene on Sinai—that as no similitude of God was displayed then, they should not attempt to make any visible figure or form of Him.
24. An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me—a regulation applicable to special or temporary occasions.
25. thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, &c.—that is, carved with figures and ornaments that might lead to superstition.
26. by steps—a precaution taken for the sake of decency, in consequence of the loose, wide, flowing garments of the priests.