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time for further repentance, and to be a warning to all the people: and the people journeyed not, till Miriam was brought in [again ;] which was a special providence, and an honour done to her, because she was one of those whom God sent before his people.

And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in another part of the wilderness of Paran, in the way to Canaan.

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REFLECTIONS.

ROM this, as well as the former chapter, we are taught to be upon our guard against envy; and not to be desinous of vain glory, envying others. It is necessary to watch against this, because it is difficult to avoid it, when those of our rank or circumstances (as in the case before us) are remarkably favoured by Providence. Questions of emulation and strife, are often great trials to a man's temper. These two prophets very much dishonoured themselves, by envying so worthy and meek a man as Moses. Let us then watch against so common and scandalous a vice.

2. When we are envied or aggrieved by others, let us not seek revenge, but commit our cause to God; thus Moses did. The wisest and best of men must expect envy and affronts from others; and in proportion to their piety and zeal, will be the ill treatment they sometimes meet with. Let us not be provoked or discouraged by them, but imitate the meekness and gentleness of Moses, and leave it to God to appear for us in what way he pleases. May we learn of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart, and when reviled, not to revile again.

3. The conduct of Moses teaches us, how ready we should be to forgive the injuries and affronts we may have received. He discovered an excellent spirit; did not tell his sister that God would avenge himself; nor did he imprecate judgment upon her; but desired that the stroke might be removed. He did not take pleasure in her calamity, and say, 'It was good enough for her, it will cure her of complaining another time;' but he earnestly prayed for her. Let us remember that christianity plainly teaches us, to forgive our enemies, and to pray for them that despitefully Иве us. Too many in the world are not content that God should avenge them, they must avenge themselves; but this is very un Jike Moses, and more unlike Christ. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, If thine enemy hunger, feed him. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good,

4. It may sometimes be our duty to animadvert upon the faults of christian friends, when we have reason to hope that God has forgiven them. Miriam was healed, but she was put out of the camp; so it may be necessary, where the faults of any be

longing to a christian church are open and scandalous, that they 'be put out for the credit of the church, and as a warning to others, till they repent, and show signs of a better mind.

5. If those who spake against Moses were so punished, what must they expect who speak and rebel against Christ! Moses was faithful as a servant, but Christ as a son; God manifested himself much more clearly to Christ, he was therefore worthy of more glory than Moses. If they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, how shall we escape if we refuse him who spake from heaven? His authority is unquestionable; there is no plea for any rival; if we reject him, it is at our peril. Therefore kiss the Son, that is, submit yourselves to him, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.

CHAP. XIII.

We have here the names, instructions, and expedition of the spies who went to examine the land.

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ND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Comply with the request of the people, (see Deut. i. 22.) and Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them; because the business was weighty, they were most likely to be courageous, 3 and their testimony would be the better credited. And Moses by the commandment of the LORD, though mingled with displeasure at their unbelief, (see Deut. i. 21.) sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men [were] heads of the 4 children of Israel. And these [were] their names: of the 15 tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. Of the tribe 6 of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. Of the tribe of Judah, 7 Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the 18 son of Joseph. Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of 19 Nun. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10 11 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. Of the

tribe of Joseph, [namely,] of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi 12 the son of Susi. Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of 13 Gemalli. Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14 15 of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son Vophsi. Of the 16 tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. These [are] the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun, Jehoshua.*

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And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this [way] southward, and go up

His former name signified only, may he save; this signifies, he shall save; and part of the name Jehovah is added, to direct their expectations to this, also to encourage him, and with a view to his future commission.

into the mountain; the mountainous country that lies toward the 18 north: And see the land, what it [is ;] and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they [be] strong or weak, few or 19-many; And what the land [is] that they dwell in, whether it [be] good or bad, fruitful and pleasant, or not: and what cities [they be] that they dwell in, whether in tents, as the Arabians and Israelites now did, or in strong holds, walled towns and 20 fortresses: And what the land [is,] whether it [be] fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, doubt not but God will preserve you in this dangerous journey; and bring of the fruit of the land, a specimen of its productions. Now the time [was] the time of the first ripe grapes.

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So they went up and searched the land, from the wilderness of Zin, southwest, unto Rehob, northwest, as men come 22 to Hamath, northeast. And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron, or by Hebron * where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak [were.] Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan, a very ancient city in Egypt. 23 (Compare Isa. xix. 11.) And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes,† and they bare it between two upon a staff; and 24 [they brought] of the pomegranates, and of the figs. The place was called the brook Eshcol, that is, a cluster of grapes, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel 25 cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days; which shows that they examined it closely, and not in a cursory way.

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And they went and came to Moses and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of 27 the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk 28 and honey; and this [is] the fruit of it. Nevertheless, the

people [be] strong that dwell in the land, and the cities [are] walled, [and] very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there, 'tall, gigantic men, who were great tyrants 29 and oppressors. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the ɛouth, by whom you must go up, and they have a hatred to us because of our past victories over them: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. This was the account of the ten spies, which might be nearly 30 true, but exaggerated in order to discourage the people.. And

* That is, Caleb and Joshua did so, (Joshua xiv. 9.) probably they divided, and went two and two into the several parts of the land, to avoid suspicion.

Ancient writers tell us, that the vines in that country were very thick, and that single clusters of grapes weighed from thirty to forty pounds."

Caleb and Joshua stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to 31 overcome it.* But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people: for they [are] 32 stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched, unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, [is] a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof, destroys them with diseases, by reason of the unwholesomeness of the air;† and all the people that we saw in it [are] men of a great 33 stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, [which come] of the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, poor, weak, contemptible creatures, and so we were in their sight.f

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REFLECTIONS.

ET us think with pleasure of the fruitfulness of the land which is before us; that better country! Some who have been there have told us of it; Christ and Paul. But eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for us. We have some foretastes here; now and then a cluster, some spiritual consolations, to show us what that world is; let us be desirous to go over and possess it. Too many, like the Israelites, oppose this; they have but faint desires after heaven; would be glad to go there, but there is some lion in the way, some imaginary difficulties, or perhaps some real ones magnified. Let us not sit down and complain of them, as the Israelites did, but go up to possess the land, remembering, that among those who were cast into outer darkness, are the fearful and unbelieving.

2. With what indignation should we think of the base part, which the spies acted! They dispirited the people, when they knew that God designed to bring them into the land; and when, in all human probability, there was no doubt of their success. The sons of Amalek were not superior to the God of Israel, and yet they talked as if they thought so. Observe what mischief a few unbelievers are capable of doing, by prejudicing men against

*This was noble; he was prince of Judah, and therefore must lead the van; and hereupon Moses made him that promise, chap. xiv. 9.

+ Perhaps there might have been some epidemical distemper before they came there. See Hab. iii. 5.

This was at best a shameful way of talking, (laying aside divine protection) consid ering the many thousands of Israel, how the Canaanites were divided, how plentiful the country was, and what good commanders they had in Moses and Joshua. But it was worse, considering what God had done and had promised to do, particularly in this instance; yet their unbelieving hearts did not regard this, and they suffered for it.

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God and religion. But woe be unto such! God's anger will smoke against those who cause his good ways to be blasphemed.

3. We may view with pleasure the fidelity and zeal of Caleb and Joshua, who were both resolute and brave. Let us encour age ourselves and others to seek the heavenly country. Nothing is too hard for God; the weakest, assisted by him, will conquer; a lively faith will make all difficulties vanish. God will give power to the faint, and to them that have no might he will increase strength.

CHAP. XIV.

We have here an account of the people murmuring at the report of spies, which occasioned so great a difference between God and Israel that he sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest.' These things were written for our admonition, let us therefore attend to them seriously.

1 ND all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; believing these spies, rather than Caleb or than 2 God; and the people wept all that night. And all the chil dren of Israel murmured first against Moses and against Aaron, and then against God: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died by any of the plagues in the land of Egypt; or would God we had died in this wilderness with our rebellious brethren; as if death was 3 more terrible now than it was then. And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey to the Canaanites? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? No sooner was 4 this foolish question proposed, than it was complied with; And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.*

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel, in 6 prayer to God to appease them and check their madness. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, [which were] of them that searched the land, rent their clothes, to show their hearty sorrow for, and detestation of, their * blasphemous speech and seditious design. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, renewing their solemn protestations of the goodness of the land, saying, The land which we passed through to search it, [is] an exceeding good 8 land. If the LORD delight in us, and we do not forfeit his favour, then he will bring us into this land, be our enemies ever so formidable, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk What a mad project! Could they find the way without a cloud, and live without manna and water? What! return to Egypt to slavery? But they knew not what they said.

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