Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 10:36
And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.
Verse 36. Return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel.] These were the words spoken by Moses, at the moment the divisions halted in order to pitch their tents. In reference to this subject, and the history with which it is connected, the 68th Psalm seems to have been composed, though applied by David to the bringing the ark from Kirjath-jearim to Jerusalem. See the notes on Psa. lxviii. Many thousands, literally the ten thousand thousands. Unless the ark went with them, and the cloud of the Divine glory with it, they could have neither direction nor safety; unless the ark rested with them, and the cloud of glory with it, they could have neither rest nor comfort. How necessary are the word of God and the Spirit of God for the direction, comfort, and defence of every genuine follower of Christ! Reader, pray to God that thou mayest have both with thee through all the wilderness, through all the changes and chances of this mortal life: if thou be guided by his counsel, thou shalt be at last received into his glory.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Or, give rest, i.e. a safe and quiet place, from enemies and dangers.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when it passed,…. The ark, and the cloud over it:
he said; Moses stood and prayed, as before, according to the above Targums, in the following manner:
return, O Lord, unto the many thousands of Israel; who were six hundred thousand footmen, besides women and children, Nu 11:21; the import of this petition is, that upon the resting of the ark God would take up his abode with them, grant them his presence, and manifest his love, grace, mercy, and goodness unto them; or, as it may be rendered, that he would “return the many thousands of Israel”; that is, to the land which he had sworn to their fathers, as Ben Gersom interprets it; and who observes that the word “return” is used, because of the holy fathers who dwelt in the land of Israel; or else, as the same writer further observes, the sense of the petition is, that it might be the will of God to turn the thousands of Israel into myriads, or increase and multiply them ten times more than they were; and so the Targum of Jerusalem is,
“bless the myriads, and multiply the thousands of the children of Israel.”
Perhaps Moses, under a spirit of prophecy, might have a further view, even to the conversion of the Jews in the latter day, when they shall return and seek the true Messiah, and be turned to him, and when all Israel shall be saved.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
36. And when it rested, he said, Return, O Lord. By thus praying he also exhorts the people to be patient, lest the weariness which arose from the delay should beget indignation. Otherwise it would have been annoying that the time of their journeying should be protracted, so that they would arrive the later at their rest. And we see, indeed, how their minds were exasperated, as if a slower progress was a kind of disappointment. In order, therefore, to correct this impatience, Moses reminds them that their halts were advantageous to them, so that God, dwelling at home like the father of a family, might manifest His care of them; for the allusion is to men who Lake advantage of a time of repose and release from other business, to occupy themselves more un-restrainedly in paying attention to their own family.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Num 10:36. Return, O Lord, unto, &c. There being nothing for unto in the Hebrew, some approve the version of the Septuagint; return, O Lord, [i.e. to their rest] the many thousands of Israel. The Chaldee paraphrase has it, return, Lord, dwell with thy glory among the ten thousand thousands of Israel. See Isa 30:15. Ainsworth thinks this interpretation the most just; that, as, when the cloud and host removed; Moses prayed God to rise up, and go with them against their enemies; so, when the ark and people rested, he prays God to return, and remain among them; for in his presence their chief joy and safety consisted, Exo 33:14-16 and he observes, that in Scripture there is often a want of such particles, which are necessary to be supplied. Houbigant, however, renders it, Convert, O Lord, the thousand thousands of Israel: For, return, says he, can never be properly applied to the ark, resting, and never departing from Israel.
REFLECTIONS.The ark of God went before them, not it seems in front, but the pillar of the cloud over it directed their march; and thus it might be said to lead the way, and search out the most convenient resting-place. When we are under Divine guidance, every situation will be ordered with infinite wisdom, and we must believe so. When the ark moved, Moses prayed, Rise up, Lord, &c. We should begin every day’s journey of life with prayer; and need enough have we to pray, beset as we are with spiritual enemies and an opposing world. Our comfort is, whilst Omnipotence is on our side, be they who hate him, and us for our attachment to him, ever so great or numerous, they shall be scattered as easily as morning-mists before the rising sun. At the resting of the ark, Moses renewed his petition for the Divine Presence, and therewith all blessings, in the midst of the thousands of Israel. Evening-calls for returning mercies must never be neglected: mercies on our own souls, that we may rest under the shadow of the Almighty; mercies on the church of God, that its welfare and happiness may abide and abound, till the time of final resting, when, with all God’s saints together, we shall dwell in him, and he in us, to a glorious eternity.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
HERE, my soul, let me pause a little, and in the relation of the silver trumpet service, calling the LORD’S people to the assembly of his saints, ask my heart whether I have heard and known the joyful sound, which is proclaimed in the gospel, of JESUS’ blood and righteousness! and am now walking in the light of the divine countenance? If I am thine, thou dearest JESUS, then do I know thy call, both for the assembling with thy people, and for my journeying with thee! LORD do thou go before me in my pilgrimage through life. Thy presence, whether in removing from Sinai to Paran, or from one border to another, (for every removal is but a wilderness state here below), will make everything to smile. Be thou but with me in every resting place, or setting forward, and all will be well, my delight will be found in JESUS, amidst his ordinances and people.
And no less do thou, ever blessed SPIRIT, excite in my soul an earnestness like thy servant Moses, to invite others to partake of the grace which is in CHRIST JESUS. Well satisfied as my soul is, of the inexhaustible fulness that there is in thee, for the many thousands of thy Israel, may it be the daily language of my heart to call upon the unawakened around me, to come, and taste and see how gracious the LORD is. And oh! grant, LORD, this unspeakable mercy both to him that writes and him that reads, that from a conviction of the infinite importance of salvation by JESUS, we may gladly leave a world from which we are daily journeying, with all its perishing connections, and go forth by faith, like faithful Abraham, at the call of GOD, not knowing whither he went, to the sure possession of that city of foundations, whose builder and maker is GOD.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
These two verses are marked Hebrew Manuscripts by “inverted Nuns”, i.e. the Hebrew letter (n) inverted and used as brackets, to show that Num 10:35 and Num 10:36 are thus enclosed to show that Num 10:34 should follow Num 10:36. This is shown by the Structure:
33 | The setting forth of the ark.
35 | “Rise up, O Jehovah” } Words
36 | “Return, O Jehovah” } Spoken.
34 | The setting forth of the cloud.
There are eight of these inverted nuns. See notes on Psa 107:23-28.
Return. Either, Return, O Jehovah; or, Cause to return. Compare Deu 30:3. Psa 14:7; Psa 126:1. The former better. Compare Exo 33:14-16.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
O Lord: Psa 90:13-17
many thousands of Israel: Heb. ten thousand thousands, Gen 24:60, Deu 1:10
Reciprocal: Exo 3:12 – ye shall Num 10:28 – according 1Sa 23:23 – the thousands 2Ch 5:2 – the ark Psa 20:5 – and in Psa 24:7 – shall Psa 132:8 – Arise Isa 63:17 – Return
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 10:36. Return, O Lord, &c. Let thy divine presence in the cloud take up its fixed residence over the ark, for the safety of this thy people whom thou hast so greatly multiplied: or, give rest, that is, a safe and quiet place to thy people, free from enemies and dangers.