Bible Commentaries

At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.

Like unto the first. — Which Moses had broken; to show how we in our nature had broken the law, and could not be saved by the keeping of it. This Christ, our true Moses, repairs again, writing the law, not in tables of stone, but in the heart of believers, and enabling them in some good measure to keep it, John 1:17 walking, as Luther phraseth it, in the heaven of the promise, but in the earth of the law; that in respect of believing, this of obeying.

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And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

Which thou brakest. — See Trapp on " Exodus 34:1 "

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And I made an ark [of] shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.

And I made an ark. — In its use far beyond that Persian casket embroidered with gold and pearl, which Alexander reserved for Homer’s Iliad.

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And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.

Out of the midst of the fire. — The law was given in fire; it is "a law of fire," Deuteronomy 33:2 given by God, who is "a consuming fire," Hebrews 12:29 and hath a tribunal of fire, Ezekiel 1:27 and shall plead with transgressors in flames of fire; Isaiah 66:15-16 the trial of our works shall be by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13 "Let us therefore have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear." It is the apostle’s use. Hebrews 12:28

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And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

And put the tables in the ark. — Which was thenceforth called "the ark of the testimony."

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And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his stead.

And the children of Israel. — Here are some seeming contradictions betwixt this place and that of Numbers 33:31-32 . But though they seem to be, as the accusers of Christ, never a one speaking like the other, yet, if we well observe the text, and consult with interpreters, we shall find them, like Nathan and Bathsheba, both speaking the same things.

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From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

A land of rivers of water. — A rare thing in a dry desert. Lysimachus sold his crown for a less matter.

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At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

At that time, — viz., While they were yet at Mount Sinai; for the two former verses are inserted by a parenthesis.

The Lord separated the tribe of Levi. — This setting up of the ministry amongst them is reckoned as a sign of God’s singular love to them. And so it is to us, no doubt, albeit a late pamphleteer The Compassionate Samaritan. makes that sacred and tremendous function of the ministry to be as mere an imposture, as very a mystery of iniquity, as arrant a fruad, as the Papacy itself. Now the Lord rebuke thee, Satan.

To stand before the Lord. — As also the angels do. Luke 1:19

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