NUMBERS I15 21 Verf. 2 And to the /Owes of Levi !Now fol- loweth the Law concerning the Levites , who were joynedto the Priefts in fcrvice, & fo in pro - virion for their maintenance. And this word And, Chazleni here noteth as an addition to that which went before, fàying that the covenant of lot for ever, was to the Levites alfn. all the tenth] or,all the Tithes. This is the firft Tithe which the If- raelites payed to the Levites ; after which they feparated a feçond Tithe , which they themfelves did eat before the,Lord,the firft yeere and the Ce- cond, and every third yeere gave it to the Levites and poore : wheroffee Deut.14.22,23, &c. Tou- ching this, the Hebrews fay, that the Ifraelites, After they bad feparated the great Heave-offering (or Firfi-fruits fpoken of inNunt.i8.1z.) they [pa- roled one of ten out of that which remained , and this is called the Ali and it is that which iapokenofin Numbers 18.2¢. and this Tithe was fir the males and females ofthe Levites. Theypay no Tithe but ftbe choisi (or befi)at it iefaid (in Numbers 38. 30.) When ye have heavedthe fat thereof &c. as tbeTithes which the Levites feparate, it to be of the fat thereof; fo the Tithe which the Ifraelitesfeparate from the f core orwin¢ prefe, is lobe of the fat. T hey pay not theT:the but by meafure, orb weight,or by number. He that feparateth this Tithe, With (God) fur Sí, at they tile to blefe for other com- mandements: fo beblefth fir the feondT jibe , and for the poore mans Title, and for the Titheof the T ithe,be bleffèth far everyone Jverally. Maimony, tom.3. treat. of Tithes, did . feet. 1,1 i,14,16. 22 Verf. 22. not come nigh any more] to ferre in the Tabernacle,as they did in the rebellion of Korah, Num. 16. to beare tanne] that is, left they fuf- fer the punishment for their fin. So in v.23. beare theiriniquitie; as in ver.z. to die] or, anddie; fee the notes on Gen. 2.3. this fheweth the punifh- ment to be death: the .reeke tranflateth it,dcadly (or death- bringing)fmne. 23 Verfe 23. beare their iniquity] that is, beare the punilhment of their own iniquity, if they tranf- greffe ; and of the peoples, if they fuller them to tranfgreffe. Thus Sal.larchiexpoundethit;They the Levites fhall heart the iniquity of the Ifraelites;for it is their draie to worse fi rangers from ramming neere tento them. 24 Verfe 24. Heave up] inGreeke and Chaldee, (e- pardte unto the Lord: fo in verfe 26. This fheweth the Tithes to be an oblation to the Lord, and a figne of the ICraelites homage, feibje &ion and thankfulneffe unto hint for his bleflings. And up- on this ground, the Apoftle proveth Melehifèdeh to be a greater Prieft than Abraham, or Aaron; be- caufe Abraham (and all the Levites and Priests in his loynes) payed Tithes to Melcbifedek, Gen. 14. Nebr. 7. Now confider bow great this mau was, unto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the piles ,Heb.7.4. 26 Ver. 26. the Tithe of the Tithe] or, a tenth part of the tenth. Verfe 27. as thefulneffe] or, as the plentie, that is, the plentiful! increafe; or,the full,that is,ripe li- quor : the Greeke tranflateth it, at the feparated thing. Sol. Iambi faith, Ftdnefe meaneth the ripe fruit, which iefnll. See the notes on Exod. 22.29. where this word is alfo ufed for Fell -ripe fruit. From hence the fiebrewes gather, that feeing rate Levites firft tithes ( out of which they payed the Priefts tithes)were as the corne of the floore,and liquor of the prelfe ; therefore they were as com- mon things. The firfi tithe rslatofull to bee eaten h3 Ifraelites, and lanofidll to bee eaten inuncleannef, for there is in it no holinef a at all : and wherefoever halinefe, or redemption of the tithe is 'poky óf, [as in Levit. 27.] It ie not meant but of the fccond tithe. And they count the frfi tither at Common things, becaufi it it fair! And your heave- rfering(hall bee rec oneáunto}'ou at the corm of theflame, &c. as the floore and mine-pre Be are common for every thing fo the firfi tithe ( out of which the heave-ofering is taken) is common for every thing. Maimony Tread fe of Tithe, chap. ; . fa 2. This is to be underftood , after the Levites, had feparated the tenth of the tithe , then the tell fhould be common, like the corne of the floore, as is explained in verf..3o. Verf. 28.T hueyou alfo]or, S you alfo; you Le- rites as well as other Ilraelites, though you have no inheritance in the land, yet shall you honóur the Lord with an heave -offering out of your first tithe : and it than be reckoned or imputed unto you, as if you had lands and poffeliions,andoff: - red tithe; out of them. to Aaron] and fo to his pofterity the Prieurs as was obferved in the ages following, as it is written, And the Pricthe fonne f Aaron , flail be with the Levites, when tbe Le- vite, take tithes ; and the Levites full bring up the tithe of the tithe, unto the bereft of God, to the cham- bers in the treafure-hatfe, Nehem. 1 o.38. Thus al fo arewe to underftand the Apostle, when he faith that the Priefts, the fumes of Levi who receive the office of Priefi -hood have a commandement to tab! tithes of the people according to the Lan', &c. Hebr.7.5. that theLevitestooke them of the people imurcdiate- ly, and the Prielt mediately,in taking the tithe of the tithe from the Levites, as this place fhzweth, compared with Nehem.lo.37.38. Verf 29.Oat of allyourgif s]This is more gene- 29 tall and feenaeth to imply, betides the tenth of their tithe, the tenth alfo of other things, as of their owne ground, the suburbs and fields which were given to the Levites,Numb.35.4. SoChaz- kuni here faith,Out of allyourgsfts,yee /hall heave up: to teach that even of the fruit that grew in the fields f the suburbs of the Levites cities, they were hound Ib give unto the Priefts, &c. And it is proportionable, that as God was to bee honoured with the tithes of other mçns lands,fo of theLevitcs,that they alCo hereby might lignifie their homage and thanke- fulneffe to God. Yea the 11ebrewes bring the Priefts themfelves alto under this duty, Paying; Levites and Prie fls doe feparate the firfi tithe, fir to sepa- rate out of it the heave -ring of the tithe. And fo the Priefbs doe separate the other be eye- oftrings & the tithefor themfelves, that the Priefs mg receive of all. Left they fkoseldeat tleirfiubs untithed, the Scripture faith,Thtu you of Pall heaveup (Numb.' 8.28.) which wee have heard expounded shut ; T 0 V, theft are the Le- vites ; ALSO T 0 V thie implieth the Priefis. Mai,,. 28
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