o The SanEion ofthe Lar,, yr. 14. The original divifion of the people after thedayes of7acob was into 0)tn7tn,Tribe , whereof at hell therewere Twetve,which by dividing the Tribe ofjo*eph into two,were encreafed. intoThirteen , And upon the matter reduced againunto Twelve by the fpe- cial Exemption of the Tribe ofLevi from Inheritances,and their feparation to theWor_ ChipofGod. Secondly,rtti9ty ,Familiea,or r712ä 1r73,Houfes of1,atherr,w}iich ón ma- ny probabilities may be fuppofed to have been feventy, the numberof them who went down withJacob into )Egypt, each of which couftituted a particular Fa111'ily. And 070 partictttar HouJholdr, all which are enumerated, 7oJli. 7.14. This dlftribution continued amongft the people whileft they were in ieEgypt; and this only, they being not capable to caft themfelves into any CivilOrder there, by reafon of their Oppref- lions, and therefore contented themfelves with that which wasnatural. Accordingly there were three forts of perfons that were in Come kind ofDignity and preheminence amongthe people, although itmay be after their Oppreffion began. they were hin- dered from exercifing the Authority that belonged unto them. Fitft, As to the Tribes there were fome who were !Too +wN, ' s iv], The Princes, or Heads of the Tribes, Numb. 1. 16. Twelve in number according to the number of the Tribes, Secondiy,For the Families or principal Houfes of the Fathers there were O+7ptri. theElders who prefided over them. Theft Motes and Aaron gathered together at their heft coming into Egypt, Exod. 4.29. And theft, as I faid before, being the Rulers of tie heft Families, were probably in númber feventy ; from whence after- wards was the conftitution of feventy Elders for Rule, Exod. i.4. 1: Thirdly, CT 17 or Prieffr, it may be "in every privateHoufhold, the'tìrlt born, which are mentioned, and fo called before the conftitution of the Aaronical Prieeihood, Exod. 19. za Betides theft, there were Officers who attended the fervice of the whole People, as to the Execution of Juftice and order, called minim, Shoterim , which we have renderedby the general name cifOfficers, Exod. 5. 14. And they are afterwards di- ftinguifhed from the Elders andJudges, Deur.16. 18. For there are two forts ofper- foss mentioned, that were over the people in refpefk of their winks, even in Egypt, í0+wnr1 and a+it7w, Exat3ors or Task-Matters, and Officers, Exod. 5.6. the former, or the Nogbefhim the Jews fay were Egyptians, and the latter, or the Shoterim, Ifraeliter, which occafions that diftint$ expreffion of them : Pharaoh com- manded thefame day the Task -matters ofthe People, and their Officers : and v. 13, 14. Andthe TarlkMathes haftedthem, Paying, fulfill your works, and the Officers of the Chil- dren ofIfrael were beaten. And they tell us in Midrafh Rabba, on Exod. Se27. 1. that one of thefe Noghejhimwas over ten of the Ifraelitifb Officers ; andone of them over ten Ifraelites ; whencewas the following divifionof the peopleinto tens and hundreds, and unto this in the fame place, they add a putid Story. of an Exatlor killed by Mors. 15. What was the Authority of thefe, and how it was executed bythem in Egypt nothing is recorded. Probably, at the beginning of their works and AflliOionsthey were madeufe. of only toanfwer for the pretended' neglecus or mifcarriages of the multitude of their Brethren, as Exod. 5. 14. After their coming up out of Egypt, during theirabode in the T! ilderneß Mofes prefided over them withall mannerofAuthority, as their Lawgiver, King and Judge. He judged and determinedall their caufes, as is frequently affirmed, and that alone, untili by theadvice of7etbro, he took in others unto his affiftance, Exod. 15. t6. 25. And there is mention offaur particular cafes that he determined. One Religious, one Civil, and twoCapital relating to Religion; in thefe he made efpecial enquiry of God. The firft was about theVnelean that would keep the Pafover, Numb. 9. 7, 8. The fecond about the daughtersofZelopbead, who claimed their Inheritance, Numb.z7. 4; 5. The third about the Slafpbemer; Lev. 24. The laft about him that profaned the the Sabbath, Numb. 15. 32, 33, 34. In which alfo, ás theJews fay , he fet a pattern to future Judges, as determining the leffer caufes fpeedily, but thole wherein blood wasconcerned, not without flay and muchdeliberation. Q. 16, In the Wildernefs the body of the People was call into a new diftribution, of Thoufands, Hundreds, Fifties,and Tens, all which had their peculiar Officers or Rulers chofen from amongft themfelves, Exod. 18. 25. Dust. 1. 13,14. AndMofes is faid to chufè them, becaufe being chofen by the People, he approved of them, as the places foregoing compared, do manifeft. The principal ditiributions of thefe, planting themfelves together in the Cities or Towns of Canaan, however afterward they multiplyedor were decreafed, continued to be called by thenames of the tboufande 0
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