Verse 1. The Lord. The 15 first verses might be placed at the head of this book. God gave orders to celebrate the first passover in the desert, about the 14th of the first month, in the second year of liberty, soon after the consecration of the tabernacle. Calmet.—This is the only passover which the Jews are recorded to have celebrated during the 40 years’ sojournment; as they were not allowed to celebrate it, without having circumcised all the males of their family, (Exodus 12:43,) which they could not do in the wilderness (His cuni, and so forth) being uncertain how soon they would have to remove by the direction of God. Bible.—First month. Hence, Moses does not always observe the order of time, as he spoke (Calmet. 1) of what happened in the second month. D.
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Verse 3. In the. Hebrew “between the two evenings.” Exodus 12:6. Septuagint “towards the evening, in its season, according to its law, and determination,” sugkrisin, (verse 14,) suntaxin, “arrangement;” in both places we have justifications. Bible.—God’s law is so called, because nothing can be done right without it. Menochius.—The merit of human actions depends on their conformity with the will of God; ( D.) and when he gives directions, we must comply exactly. Bible.
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Verse 5. In Mount. Hebrew “desert (or mountainous country) of Sinai” Exodus 14:3. Calmet.
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Verse 6. Some. Hebrew “and there was men,” a solecism, rejected by the Sam. and Arab. copies. Houbigant.—Man. That is, by having touched, or come near, a dead body, out of which the soul was departed. Challoner.—Such were forbidden to offer any sacrifice. Leviticus 22:4. Yet they could not refrain from burying the dead. Philo. de vita Mos. 3. As, therefore, the action was far from being criminal, and they had partaken of the paschal lamb without restriction in Egypt, and heard that God required all to offer this sacrifice, under pain of excision, (verse 13,) they reasonably wished to know how they were to act, particularly as the 14th of Nisan alone was appointed for this sacrifice, and they could not be purified in less than seven days. If the law, by which they were excluded from the camp, (Calmet. 5:2,) were already published, they consulted Moses by some friend. The Rabbins suppose, that those who buried Nadab and Abiu, are meant. Calmet.—The common people did not properly offer a sacrifice, though they might kill the victim. D.
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Verse 10. Unclean, in what manner soever. Philo.—Nation; or at a great distance, whether in the country or out of it. The Rabbins say 15 miles, or leagues, ( Calmet.) which make 45 miles. Bible.—Septuagint all such were bound to observe the passover in the second month, as the whole people did under Ezechias; (2 Chronicles 30) though the Rabbins falsely pretend, that when the greater part of the people were under this predicament, the law did not oblige, and they might eat the paschal lamb in the month of Nisan. Women were not bound to make the second Phase. Exodus 12:19. Calmet.—This festival was never transferred beyond the second month. Menochius.
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Verse 14. Stranger. Both the Jews who lived at a distance from the promised land, and those of other nations who had embraced their religion, were obliged to observe this law; while the uncircumcised were absolutely excluded. Calmet.
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Verse 15. A cloud, and fire, alternately covered the tabernacle of the covenant, which was 30 cubits long and 15 broad. The pagans, perhaps, hence took occasion to accuse the Jews of adoring the clouds. Nil præter nubis & cœli Numen adorant. Juv. Sat. xiv. Calmet.
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Verse 16. By day. These words are omitted in the Heb.; but the context shews that they must necessarily be supplied; as they are in the Septuagint The same cloud assumed different appearances. Calmet.
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Verse 20. For, and so forth Hebrew “and so it was when the cloud was days of number upon the tabernacle; by the mouth of the Lord they staid in their tents,” and so forth Days of number, yamim mispar, most probably means a few days; (see Deuteronomy 4:27,) though Louis de Dieu would translate “a full year;” as yamim, according to him, signifies, verse 22. It is understood, however, by others, to denote a week, a month, a year, or an indeterminate number of days. Genesis 24:55.
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Verse 23. Watches, like sentinels, observing the signal of the cloud; and regulating the time and course of their marches by its direction. Bible.