The 2aberndcleandArk. ther uncertain, although it kerns fare enough to have been none that grew in the Wildernefs where the people were at the ereó ion of theTabertiacle:For thefe Shittim boards were reckoned amongft the ftores offilver andGraft, and fuch other things as they had brought with them into the Wildernefs, Food. 35.25. and that exprellion, iro 1ign] 1v2i 57 Every one withwhom was found Sbittim.wood, intimates the rarity ofit, and that it maybe, it hadbeen preerved by themfor fundry Generations. There is indeed a place called Sbittim, andAbelShittim, mentioned, Nismb. 2.5.4. and chap. 33.49. not probably from thefe trees. However it was in the plains of Moab. where- unto the I_ fraelitercame not until fourtyyears after the making of the Ark. Farther then, we know nothing of the Shittim-tree, or of this wood ; for what ever is dill courfed of it, as it hathbeen difcourfed by many, is meer conjeélure, ending in pro- felled uncertainty. Only it feems tohave been notable£or firmnefs and duration, as con- tinuing in theArkapparently 900 years, even from the makingofit unto the defiru- dion of the Temple by theCaldeans. And it may he was returned to the fecond Temple, not perifhing abfolutely Until the Covenant with that people expired 600 years after the Captivity. But herein it had the advantage ofprefervation from all external caufes of putrefaßion, by its inclofure on all parts in a covering of gold. Theform ofthe Arkwas ofa long fquarepheff, offnnall dimenfions, two cdbits and an half in length, one and anhalf in breadth, and fo in heighth alto, Exod. 25. r o. that is, according to themolt approved eftimation oftheir meafures, nearfnorfoot long, and ttvofoot andfame inches broad and high ; and farther exaElncfs or accuracy about thefe meafures is of little certainty, and le(s Life. How the boards ofit were joyned is notmentioned. Over-laid itwas withpure Góld," beatengold, pure and immixed, 61ri01 i1+7tJ intue&extra, undequaque, on all theboards of it, both within and.with- out, fo that no part ofthe wood was anywhere to be ken or touched. Round about it, that is, on theedge Of the fide upwards, it had _(1+7D 1)`7V upon it round about) ii a Diadem, or afringeofGold-work, fuch as encompaffed Diadems or Crowns. And this it or Diadem, was put only on the Ark the Mercy-feat, and the Altar oflncenfe, intending exprelfions of Rays ofGold, as coming from tint tofcatter abroad in the manner ofrays and beams, which, Heb. 1. 3. is called bra;yaapa, the :bright/left of glory. And hence the Rabbins fpeak of a three-fold Crown, of the Ark, Altar and Table; of the labtfor the King, of themidbt for thePrie/f, ofthe fir/) for they know not whom, as Rabbi Solomon exprefly. Indeed all reprefenting the three-foldOffices of Chrill, for whom theCrowns were laid up; Zach: 6. At thefour corners, on the outlide, were annexed unto it four Rings of Gold, 'on each fide two. Through thefe rings went twoffaves or bars, `wherewith the Ark was tobe carriedon thefhoulders oftheLevites, .Exod. 25. Ir, /2. for the ncglLEI of which fervice ftriéllyenjoyned them, Numb. 7.9. God madea breach on Vzza in the daysofDavid, 2 Sam. 6. 7. The end wherefore God appointed the making of this Ark, was to put therein sinyrt the Teffimony; Exod. 25. 16. that is the two Tables of (lone engraved on all tides with the ten Commandements,;pronounced'by the Mini(try of Angels, written withthe finger ofGod. Betides this, there was in it nothing at all, as is exprefly affirmed, 1 King. 8.9. 2 Chron.q. ro. ,Deut. 10. 2,5. The appearance of :a diffent from hence in an ,exprefon of our Aponte, tbap. 9. íhall be confidered in its proper place. This Arkmade atHoreb, s King. 8.9. that is, at the foot ofthe mountain where the People encamped, finifhed with the relt of theTabernacleon the firff day, of the firff month, of thejecandyear Of the comingof the ,Ifraelites out of Egypt, Exód.:1 o. a3o being, as wehave fhewed, the vitible.pledge of the prefence of God amongft them, as it was placed with its Tabernacle in the midit of the People whilft they were encamped in the Wildernefs, the body ofthem being diftributed into four Hofts to the four quarters ofHeaven, (Numb. a.) that a bleliing from thence might be equally communicated untothem all, and all might have an alike accefs to the worfhip of God; fo it was carried in theirmarching inthe midst of their Artnis, 'with'apro- nunciationofa folemnBenedi6Uion when itbegan to fee forward, and when it returned unto its Repofntory inthemobt holy place, Numb. se). 35, 36. This was the ordinary courfe in the removals of the Ark, In an extraordinarymanner, God appointed it to be carriedbefore all thepeople, whenahewaters-of Jordan were divided by hispower, whereofthat was a pledge, 3ofb 3. r5. which the peopleon their own heads- going afterwards 297 4.8. 4. 9. . 10.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=