Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Numbers
Book: Numbers
Chapter: 10
Overview:
The
Silver Trumpets.
(1-10) The Israelites remove from
Sinai
to
Paran.
(11-28) Hobab entreated
By Moses to continue.
(29-32)
The blessing pronounced
By Moses.
(33-36)
1-10 Here are directions concerning the public notices to be
given the people
By sound of trumpet. Their laws in every case
were to be Divine, therefore, even in this matter
Moses is
directed. These
Trumpets typify the preached
Gospel. It sounds
an
Alarm to sinners, calls them to repent, proclaims liberty to
the captives and slaves of
Satan, and collects the worshippers
of
God. It directs and encourages their heavenly
Journey; stirs
them up to combat against the world and
Sin, encouraging them
with the
Assurance of victory. It leads their attention to the
Sacrifice of
Christ, and shows the
Lord's presence for their
protection. It is also necessary that the
Gospel trumpet give a
distinct sound, according to the persons addressed, or the
End
proposed; whether to convince, humble, console, exhort, reprove,
or teach. The sounding of the trumpet of the
Gospel is
God's
ordinance, and demands the attention of all to whom it is sent.
11-28 After the Israelites had continued nearly a
Year at
Mount
Sinai, and all was settled respecting their future
Worship, they
began their march to
Canaan. True religion begins with the
knowledge of the holy
Law of
God, and humiliation for
Sin, but
we must go
On towards
Perfection, in acquaintance with
Christ
and his
Gospel, and those effectual encouragements, motives, and
assistances to
Holiness, which it proposes. They took their
Journey according to the commandment of the
Lord, De 1:6-8,
and as the
Cloud led them. Those who give themselves to the
direction of
God's
Word and
Spirit, steer a steady course, even
when they seem bewildered. While they are sure they cannot lose
their
God and Guide, they need not fear losing their way. They
went out of the
Wilderness of
Sinai, and rested in the
Wilderness of
Paran. All our removes in this world are but from
one
Wilderness to another. The changes we think will be for the
better do not always prove
So. We shall never be at
Rest, never
at home, till we come to
Heaven, but all will be
Well there.
29-32 Moses invites his kindred to go to
Canaan. Those that are
bound for the heavenly
Canaan, should ask and encourage their
friends to go with them: we shall have none the less of the joys
of
Heaven, for others coming to share with us. It is good having
Fellowship with those who have
Fellowship with
God. But the
things of this world, which are seen, draw strongly from the
pursuit of the things of the other world, which are not seen.
Moses urges that
Hobab might be serviceable to them. Not to show
where they must
Encamp, nor what way they must march, the
Cloud
was to direct that; but to show the conveniences of the place
they marched through, and encamped in. It
Well consists with our
trust in
God's
Providence, to use the help of our friends.
33-36 Their going out and coming in, gives an
Example to us to
begin and
End every
Day's
Journey and every
Day's work with
Prayer. Here is
Moses's
Prayer when the
Ark set forward, "Rise
up, and let thine enemies be scattered." There are those in the
world who are enemies to
God and haters of him; secret and open
enemies; enemies to his truths, his laws, his ordinances, his
people. But for the scattering and defeating of
God's enemies,
there needs
No more than
God's arising. Observe also the
Prayer
of
Moses when the
Ark rested, that
God would cause his people to
Rest. The welfare and happiness of the
Israel of
God, consist in
the continual presence of
God among them. Their safety is not in
their
Numbers, but in the favour of
God, and his gracious return
to them, and resting with them. Upon this account, Happy art
thou, O
Israel! who is like unto thee, O people!
God will go
before them, to find them resting-places
By the way. His promise
is, and their prayers are, that he will never leave them nor
forsake them.