command them to strike their tents. If the struments, attesting the covenant between God and them. Rosen.- est constitutio, præceptum, a constituit. Intelliguntur hic tabulæ legis. Ver. 17. καὶ ποιήσεις ἱλαστήριον ἐπίθεμα χρυσίου kalapoû, K.T.λ. Au. Ver.-17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. staves were never to be taken out, how can it be said, as in Numb. iv. 6 [And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.], that when the camp should set forward, they should put in the staves thereof, which intimates that when they encamped they took out the staves, which appears to be contrary to what is here said? To reconcile these two places, it has been supposed, with great show of probability, that besides the staves which passed through the rings of the ark, and by which it was carried, there were two Bishop Patrick.-A mercy seat.] The other staves or poles in the form of a bier or Hebrew word capporet literally signifies a hand-barrow, on which the ark was laid in covering of anything; and that is the proper order to be transported in their journeyings, signification of this mercy seat (as we translate when it and its own staves, still in their it), which was the covering of the ark. For rings, had been wrapped up in the covering it had no door, but was open at the top, so of what is called badgers' skins and blue cloth. The staves of the ark itself, which might be considered as its handles simply to lift it by, were never taken out of their rings; but the staves or poles which served as a bier were taken from under it when they encamped. that they might put the tables of the covenant into it, and then it was to be fastened above by this cover, which any one may discern by its dimensions was exactly fit for it. Others will have it called capporet, not from capar, to cover, but from cipper, to expiate, and render propitious. And So, indeed, the Rosen., Non recedent vectes apostle calls it iλaσrnpiov, "the propitiatory;" ex ea, arca. Huic præcepto refragari because God here showed himself to be providetur, quod Num. iv. 6, vectes, cum castra pitious, and appeased by the blood of the moverentur, poni dicantur (p). Sed sacrifices, which was sprinkled before this Aben-Esra ait his verbis vectes non esse place. But the reason of this translation annulis inditos dici, sed humeris Caha- may be, because when sins are pardoned thitarum impositos, quo arcam portarent. they are said in Scripture to be covered. Nescio tamen annon præferenda sit sententia The LXX put both these together in their auctoris Commentarii Chascuni (2) dicti, translation, which is iλaσrýpιov éπíðeμa. in vectibus fuisse incisuras, quibus annuli Dr. A. Clarke.-A mercy seat.], firmiter inhærerent, ne arca alioquin huc capporeth, from, caphar, to cover or illuc inter portandum ac deponendum in- overspread; because by an act of pardon clinaret. Cum igitur hic dicantur vectes sins are represented as being covered, so numquam amovendi, sensum esse, nunquam that they no longer appear in the eye of ex annulis eximi debere; at Num. iv. 6, Divine justice to displease, irritate, and call per positionem vectium innui, annulos iis for punishment; and the person of the incisuris fuisse aptandos. offender is covered or protected from the stroke of the broken law. In the Greek version of the Septuagint the word ἱλαστηpiov, hilasterion, is used, which signifies a propitiatory, and is the name used by the apostle, Heb. ix. 5. On and before this, Bp. Patrick. The testimony.] The two the high-priest was to sprinkle the blood of tables of stone, containing the Ten Com- the expiatory sacrifices on the great day of mandments, which are called the testimony, atonement and it was in this place that and the two tables of testimony (xxxi. 18), God promised to meet the people (see v. 22); because they testified what the will of God for there he dwelt, and there was the symbol was, which they had consented to observe; of the Divine presence. At each end of this and were therefore public, authentic in- propitiatory was a cherub, between whom Ver. 16. Au. Ver.-16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. a this glory was manifested; hence in Scripture | cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt it is so often said that he dwelleth between thou make them, in the two ends of the the cherubim. As the word daσrηpiov, pro- mercy seat. pitiatory or mercy seat, is applied to Christ, Cherubims. Rom. iii. 25, whom God hath set forth to be Dr. A. Clarke on Gen. iii. 24.-77, PROPITIATION (Daσrnpiov) through faith the cherubim. Hebrew plurals in the masin his blood-for the remission of sins that culine end in general in im: to add an s to are past; hence we learn that Christ was this when we introduce such words into the true mercy seat, the thing signified by English, is very improper; therefore the the capporeth, to the ancient believers. And word should be written cherubim, not cheruwe learn, further, that it was by his blood bims. But what were these? They are that an atonement was to be made for the utterly unknown. Conjectures and guesses sins of the world. And as God showed relative to their nature and properties are himself between the cherubim over this endless. Several think them to have been propitiatory or mercy seat, so it is said, God emblematical representations of the sacred was in Christ reconciling the world unto Trinity, and bring reasons and Scriptures in himself; 2 Cor. v. 19, &c. See on Lev. vii. support of their opinion; but as I am not Gesen.-, fem. A cover, lid of the ark satisfied that this opinion is correct, I will of the covenant, Exod. xxv. 17, &c.; xxx. 6; not trouble the reader with it. From the xxxi. 7; e, the most holy place, description in Exod. xxvi. 1, 31; 1 Kings where the ark of the covenant was placed, vi. 29, 32; 2 Chron. iii. 14, it appears that 1 Chron. xxviii. 11. (The Targ. on 1 Kings the cherubs were sometimes represented vi. 5, has in for the Hebrew 7, with two faces, namely, those of a lion and adytum; comp. also the Targum on Levit. of a man; but from Ezek. i. 5, &c.; x. 20, xvi. 2, and Targ. Jonath.) LXX, incor-21, we find that they had four faces and rectly, Maorηpiov from the signification, to four wings; the faces were those of a man, atone. Vulg., propitiatorium. Luth., Gna- a lion, an ox, and an eagle; but it seems denstuhl. Prof. Lee.-, f. Lit. covering, i.e., of the ark of the covenant; a plate of pure gold laid flat on the top of it; and usually termed the mercy seat. LXX, Xaorpiov, and καταπέτασμα. Others, βλῆμα. Exod. xxv. 17, seq.; xxvi. 34; xxx. 6; xxxi. 7, &c. Phr., house of the propitiatory, i.e., the Holy of holies, 1 Chron. xxviii. 11. Rosen.- significare tectum, operimentum, operculum, a tegendi, operiendi significatu, quem apud Hebræos et Arabes obtinet, non est dubium. Sed quum idem verbum et crimen expiare denotet, item placare, propitium reddere, LXX utramque nominis érupoλoyíav conjunctim exprimentes, hic verterunt λaστýριov éñíbeμa, propitia`torium operculum, quod Deus illic se propitium et placatum populo suo ostenderet. Alias fere aorηpiov solum ponere solent. Ver. 18. there was but one body to these heads. The two-faced cherubs were such as were represented on the curtains and veil of the tabernacle, and on the wall, doors, and veil of the temple; those with four faces appeared only in the Holy of holies. The word 7 or 1, kerub, never appears as a verb in the Hebrew Bible, and therefore is justly supposed to be a word compounded of 5, ke, a particle of resemblance, like to, like as, and 1, rab, he was great, powerful, &c. Hence it is very likely that the cherubs, to whatever order of being they belonged, were emblems of the ALMIGHTY, and were those creatures by whom he produced the great effects of his power. The word 7, rab, is a character of the Most High, Prov. xxvi. 10: The great God who formed all; and again in Psal. xlviii. 2, where he is called the Great King, 1, melech rab. But though this is rarely applied as a character of the Supreme Being in the Hebrew Bible, yet it is a common appellative of the Deity in the Arabic תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם מִשְׁנֵי קְצוֹת הַכַּפְּרֶת: kai moinσeis dúo Xepovßìμ Xpvσoтopevтà, καὶ ἐπιθήσεις αὐτὰ ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν κλιτῶν τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου. language. , rab, and, rab'ulalameen, Lord of both worlds, or, Lord of the universe, are expressions reAu. Ver.-18 And thou shalt make two peatedly used to point out the almighty energy and supremacy of God. On this ground, I suppose, the cherubim were emblematical representations of the eternal power and Godhead of the Almighty. Prof. Lee. } r., plur. non Occ.- masc. once, Isai. iii. 24, opp. r,. Wreathing, platting, of the Prof. Lee.-Cherub, plural, Cherubim. Certain symbolical figures, described, Ezek. hair. Arab. lá, opere tornatili elaboravit. i. 6, seq., and apparently intended to repre- Fem. (a) Embossing; working in relief, a sent the Deity. Each figure had four faces, sort of chequered work, apparently, having that of a man, of a lion, of an ox, and of the appearance of platted hair: so Jer. x. 5. an eagle; symbolizing, perhaps, the wisdom,, as the palm-tree (are) they fearlessness, power, and ubiquity, of God. a chequered work, i.e., so carved as to Of this sort are many of the symbols given appear like the bark of the palm. Of the in the Revelation, and particularly the réσ- candlestick, cherubim, &c., Exod. xxv. 18, σapa (wa, mentioned in the fourth chapter. 31; xxxvii. 17, 22; Num. viii. 4; x. 2. Such also are the horses of Zechariah (chap. Phr., one (sort of) wreathed work, vi.). See my Exposition of the Rev. 1. c. Exod. xxv. 36. Aquila, nuvydaλwμévn. It would be idle to offer anything on the Symm. ἐκτετορνευμένη. LXX, τορευτή. How etymology; nothing satisfactory having yet lathe-work could be applied to several of been discovered. Castell, Simonis, Gese- these things it is not very easy to see. nius, &c., may be consulted by those who wish to see what has been said on this subject. Bp. Patrick. Of beaten work shalt thou make them.] The Hebrew word miksheh, which we translate beaten work, signifies that both of them should be made out of This Rosen. LXX bene verterunt 70pevrà, cælata, torno dolata. Ver. 19. Au. Ver.-19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end even of the mercy seat [or, of the matter of the mercy seat] shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. Even of the mercy seat, &c. Ged., Booth.-Rising up from the mercyseat [Ged., lid], at its two ends, shalt thou [Sam., MSS. versions] make the cherubs. Mercy seat.] See note on verse 17. καὶ γνωσθήσομαί σοι ἐκεῖθεν, κ.τ.λ. Au. Ver.-22 And there I will meet with thee, &c. the same piece of gold that made the cover thee. I have followed Sept. who render Ged. There will I manifest myself to of the ark; so as to be one continued work with that, not separate from it. appears to be true from the next verse, min hacapporet; "out of the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubims," &c., or, from the mercy-seat shall they proceed on the two by yvwolnooμai. The rest vary. Aq., Symm., Th., σvvraέoμai from whom Vulg., præcipiam: but Syr. has 7, I will meet with thee; and so equivalently both Arabs., Pers., and Gr. Ven.: and this rendering was followed by our last English translators, There will I meet with thee. The question is, whether the root of the word here used be T or The Sept. certainly read in their copies from 7. But besides their authority, which is great, I . observe, with Houbigant, that the verb Ver. 23. καὶ ποιήσεις τέσσαρας δακτυλίους χρυσοῦς, καὶ ἐπιθήσεις τοὺς τέσσαρας δακτυλίους ἐπὶ τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς ὑπὸ τὴν στεpávnv. Au. Ver.-26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. Booth. And thou shalt make for it four staples of gold, and put the staples on its Au. Ver.-Shittim wood. See note on four feet which are at the four corners of it. verse 5. Ver. 24, 25. Crown. See note on verse 11. Ver. 25. Au. Ver. 25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. Border. Ged., Booth.-Frame. Prof. Lee.-op, fem. plur. pr. Lit. Closing, inclosure. (a) Inclosure, considered as a place of safety, Mic. vii. 17; Ps. xviii. 46; 2 Sam. xxii. 46. (b) Border of anything, as its inclosure, Exod. xxv. 25, seq.; xxxvii. 14, &c. (c). of the bases of the brazen sea, 1 Kings vii. 28, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36; 2 Kings xvi. 17. Crown. See verse 11. Ged. And put the staples on its feet at the four corners. Bp. Patrick.-Put the rings in the four corners.] The Hebrew word here for corners always hath that signification; being quite different from that word which is used v. 12, when he speaks of the ark: which may well incline us to Josephus's opinion, that these rings were not below, as they were in the ark, but on the upper part of the feet of the table ; so that it was not carried up on high, as the ark was, but hung down between the priests, on whose shoulders the staves rested. Ver. 27. Au. Ver.-27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. Ged., Booth.-Beside the frame, let the staples be placed, for the staves which are Bp. Patrick.—25 Make unto it.] That is, to bear the table. to the crown of gold, as Fortunatus refer it to the table. Ver. 29. וְעָשִׂיתָ קְעָרֹתָיו וְכַבֹּתָיו וּקְשׂוֹתָיו Seacchus understands it, though others וּמְנַקִיתָיו אֲשֶׁר יְסַךְ בָּהֵן זָהָב טָהוֹר A border of an hand breadth. Which came down below the crown or cornice, as they now speak. Though some think this border was towards the bottom, to join the feet more firmly together. καὶ ποιήσεις τὰ τρυβλία αὐτῆς, καὶ τας θυἴσκας, καὶ τὰ σπονδεῖα, καὶ τοὺς κυάθους, ἐν οἷς σπείσεις ἐν αὐτοῖς, ἐκ χρυσίου καθαροῦ ποιή Au. Ver.-29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal [or, to pour out withal]: of pure gold shalt thou make them. Make a golden crown to the border.] Wheresoever this border was (which Īσεις αὐτά. suppose was plated with gold), like the table, it had a crown, or a cornice, as an ornament to it. For this crown was different from that mentioned in the foregoing verse; and was under the border (as the other crown was above it), as Fortunatus Scacchus apprehends it (Myrothec. ii, cap. 38). Ver. 26. Dishes. Ged.-Platters. Gesen., dish, cup, Numb. vii. 13, &c. (Arab., a deep dish, from, to be deep.). Prof. Lee, idem. Rosen.— sunt lances s. vascula pla .imponendi erant לְאַרְבַּע רַגְלָיו : Au. Ver.-Spoons. Ged.-Incense-pots. Gesen., A pan, cup, only in the plur. nie. Exod. xxv. 29; Numb. vii. 84, 86. Prof. Lee.Bason or phial, Num. vii. 14, 20, &c. Pl., Exod. xxv. 29; Num. vii. 84, &c. vessel and Josephus saith, that when Pompey went into the holy place, he saw there such vessels as these, together with the table and candlestick, λυχνίαν τε, καὶ λύχνους, καὶ τράπεζαν, καὶ σπονδεῖα, καὶ Ovμiarýpia, &c. (lib. i. de Bello Jud., cap. 5). The only objection against this is, that there was no use for such vessels in that place. To which I think it may be truly answered, that it was fit notwithstanding God's house should be furnished with all kinds of utensils. Prof. Lee.-, f. pl. i, constr. ig. Arab. Bp. Patrick.-Spoons thereof.] If this be a true interpretation of the Hebrew word cappoth, their use was to put incense into the dishes, and to take it out; for that they contained incense is evident from Numb. vii. 14, 20, 26, &c. Which makes the forenamed author [Fort. Scacchus] think û, qualus, quasillus. A sort of this word should rather be rendered vials, small vessel, Patten, phial, or the like, which Pollux numbers among the sacred Exod. xxv. 29; xxxvii. 16; Numb. iv. 7; vessels; and it is plain were used in offering 1 Chron. xxviii. 17. LXX, σπovdeîov. incense in the temple: for St. John saw the Rosen-See below. twenty-four elders, having every one of them golden vials full of odours, or incense (Rev. v. 8), whence it is the LXX translate this word θυϊσκαι. The form of which Fort. Scacchus, in the place forementioned, hath adventured to describe. Rosen.- sunt vascula concava, acerra, thuri ferendo et adolendo aptæ. LXX, Oviokas, quod scholiastes quidam vetus interpretatur θυμιάματος σκεῦος. Covers. Ged.-Cups. Gesen. and, only in plur. ni, Exod. xxv. 29; xxxvii. 16; 1 Chron. xxviii. 17. Stat. const. i, Numb. iv. 7, dishes, bowls. (Chald., pp, idem.) Au. Ver.-Covers thereof. Au. Ver. And bowls thereof, to cover withal. Marg., Ged., Gesen.—For making libations. Bp. Patrick.-Bowls thereof.] So St. Jerome understands the Hebrew word menakioth, which, following the LXX, he translates cyathos: the form of which Fortunatus Scacchus (in his forenamed book, cap. xliv.), hath endeavoured to make out, and establish this as the certain meaning of the word. But it is very hard to tell of what use they were here, where no drink was used: and yet our marginal translation of the next word seems to favour it, making these to pour out withal. And, indeed, the Hebrew word signifies both to cover and to pour out. But the former seems most proper here, unless we take these to have been bowls (or such like vessels) set here merely to signify more completely, that God kept house among them (as we speak), they being part of the furniture of a table. Others think they were stands, upon which the dishes of bread were set. Bp. Patrick.-Covers thereof.] Wherewith both the loaves and the incense were covered. So it is commonly understood. But Fortunatus Scacchus endeavours at large to prove that the Hebrew word kesoth is rightly translated by the LXX σTоvdeîα, which were vessels used in their libamina, when they poured wine upon the sacrifice, or upon the altar, when they sacrificed. For authors To cover withal.] If we allow of this do not agree when this was done; some translation, and it relate to the word bowls saying the wine was poured out after the immediately preceding, then it signifies sacrifice was slain, and laid on the altar; these vessels were a larger sort of covers. others, that it was most commonly done Or it may refer to the whole; that all the before. The manner being, first to throw forenamed vessels were made to cover the frankincense into the fire on the altar, then table entirely. But the marginal translation to pour out the wine, and then the sacrifice being also agreeable to the Hebrew text, it was slain. In which order Homer and may possibly declare the use of the foreOvid report it, as Cuperus observes in his named vessels, which was to pour out withal. Apotheosis Homeri, p. 71. However this For in their libamina there were several sorts be, it is certain, from Hesychius, Pollux, of these vessels used among the Gentiles; and Suidas, that σrovdeiov signifies such a one only to taste the wine before the sacri |