as the true and only God; and the law was thus, as Michaelis observes, closely connected with the fundamental principles of the Mosaic legislation, whose object was to keep the people from idolatry, and maintain the worship of one God. Thus we see how a man, by presumptuously violating this law, did in effect deny and despise Jehovah; and by doing so exposed himself to the punishment of death. It ought further to be observed, that Jehovah being in a civil sense the king of the Israelites and the founder of their government, to disown him, by this or any other act, was at the same time a crime against the state, and was therefore liable to punishment on this ground also. We think that these considerations will exhibit the grounds on which this sabbath-breaker was punished with death; his crime (though trifling in words) being evidently of the wilful and presumptuous character to which the statements in this and the preceding note refer.

34. "And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him."-Death had been declared the punishment of a profanation of the sabbath in Exod. xxxi. 14; xxxv. 2; but not the manner of death. It is therefore thought by some that this was the question to be decided. Taken in connection with what had previously been said concerning sins of ignorance and sins of presumption, it seems, however, quite as probable that the doubtful point was, under which of the two classes of sin this man's crime should be classed, and, consequently, whether the capital punishment had been incurred or not. On many occasions it could only be clearly known to the criminal himself and to the great "Searcher of hearts," to whom the question was now submitted, whether the offender sinned through ignorance or error, or with that audacious defiance of the law and contempt against God, which seems to have constituted the deep crime to be punished with death.

Verse 38. "Fringes."-According to Herodotus, the dress of the Egyptians consisted of a linen garment, over which was worn a white woollen cloak or shawl. The former, which seems to have been often, if not generally, worn without the other, was fringed at the bottom; and as it is probable that the Israelites while in Egypt, and till they entered Canaan, conformed to the Egyptian costume, it is thought by Le Clerc and others, that the "fringes" now noticed were derived from the Egyptians. The text however has the appearance of being a direction concerning something previously unknown; and if there were any real analogy, it may as well have arisen from the Egyptians having borrowed a Jewish usage at some time in the course of the long period between the times of Moses and Herodotus. Con

cerning the form of this fringe perhaps nothing positive can be determined. Some endeavour to ascertain its character by examining the two Hebrew words by which it is expressed. These are y, zizith, in the present text, and 72. gedilim, in Deut. xxii. 12. The former of these words elsewhere (as in Ezek. viii. 3) means a lock of hair; and the latter a rope, such as that with which Dalilah bound Samson (Judges xiv. 11, 12); and it is hence imagined that these fringes consisted of many threads which hung like hair, and were twisted like a rope. As to the "riband of blue" in the next verse, to be put upon the fringe; the word should be "thread," not "riband;" or else it may signify a lace, as it is rendered in Exod. xxxix. 31. It may therefore have been either a blue thread twisted with a white one through the whole fringe, or else a lace by which the fringe was fastened to the edge of the garment. There are many commentators of authority, however, who think, from the explanation in Deut. xxii., that the "fringes" were no other than strings with tassels at the end, fastened to the four corners of the upper garment, the proper use of these strings being to fasten the corners together. Of this opinion are the modern Jews, as appears by the following description, taken chiefly from Levi's Ceremonies of the Jews:-Every male of the Jewish nation is obliged to have a garment with fringes at the four corners; and every morning when they put on these garments they take the fringes in their hand, and say "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the universe, who hast sanctified us with thy commandments, and commanded us the commandment of the fringes!" What they understand by the direction of the text appears from his description of the zizith or robe in question. It is made of two square pieces with two long pieces like straps joined to them, in order that one of the said pieces may hang down before upon the breast, and the other behind; at the extremity of the four corners are fastened the strings, each of which has five knots besides the tassel, signifying the five books of the law. The Rabbins, under whose instruction this profound analogy has been established, further observe that each string consisted of eight threads, which, with the number of knots and the numeral value of the letters in the word zizith, make 613, which is, according to them, the exact number of the precepts in the law. From this they argue the importance of this command, since he who observes it, they say, in effect observes the whole law! There have been various conjectures as to the object of this law. The most probable is that the fringe" was intended as a sort of badge or livery, by which, as well as by circumcision and by the fashion of their beards, and by their peculiar diet, the Hebrews were to be distinguished from other people. Be this as it may, much superstition came in the end to be connected with the use of these fringes. The Pharisees are severely censured by our Saviour for the ostentatious hypocrisy with which they made broad the "borders" of their garments. Our Lord himself wore the fringe, which is commonly called in the New Testament the "hem or border," and it was this part of his dress which the sick desired to touch, under the impression that the contact would make them whole. It was probably the peculiar sanctity of this part of the dress, which directed attention to it in preference, for we may be certain that Christ himself did not point it out. We think that we may thus obtain a new light on the subject which has escaped observation. In Luke viii. 43, a woman having an issue of blood comes behind him, touches the "border" of his garment, and is healed. She afterwards falls down at his feet and acknowledges what she had done. Hence the fringe," so to call it, was not, as the modern Jews think, before exclusively, but behind also, if not wholly behind; and hence also the same fringe could scarcely have been at the bottom of the robe, as the other account supposes. We may therefore ask whether it was not in fact such an embroidered edge, of various breadth, as we now see wrought with coloured worsted or silk around the opening for the neck and down the breast of the abba, or woollen mantle, now in use among the Arabs (see the note on Exod. xxii. 27), and which is a very ancient article of dress, and probably in use among the Jews. This border might, on the one hand, be touched by a person behind the wearer, while on the other, the part in front would be under his own eye, as the law seems to require. We would by no means make a stand upon this conjecture; but being founded on a real Oriental usage, it is at least entitled to as much attention as the others, which are not so. Further information on the subject of these fringes may be found in Ainsworth's Annotations,' and Jennings's 'Jewish Antiquities.'

CHAPTER XVI.

1 The rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Aliram. 23
Moses separateth the people from the rebels tents.
31 The earth swalloweth up Korah, and a fire
consumeth others. 36 The censers are reserved
to holy use. 41 Fourteen thousand and seven
hundred are slain by a plague for murmuring
against Moses and Aaron. 46 Aaron by incense
stayeth the plague.

Now 'Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of
Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and
Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son
of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:

2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:

3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, "Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy,

1 Chap. 27. 3. Ecclus. 45. 18. Jude 11.

every one of them, and the LORD is among them wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;

:

7. And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much. upon you, ye sons of Levi.

8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:

9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you,

2 Chap. 26, 9,

3 Heb. It is much for you.

Heb. as every man dieth. 7 Heb. create a creature.