- I have not:
- Though Moses was their ruler, under God, yet, so far from oppressing them, he had not imposed the smallest tax, nor taken, as a present, so much as an ass from one of them. The common present that is now made to the great, in these countries, is a horse; but there is reason to believe, that an ass might formerly have answered the same purpose. "If it is a visit of ceremony from a bashaw," says Dr. Russell, "or other person in power, a fine horse, sometimes with furniture, or some such valuable present, is made to him at his departure." As asses were esteemed no dishonourable beasts for the saddle, Sir. J. Chardin, in his manuscript, supposes, that when Samuel disclaimed having taken the ass of any one ("Behold,¹ here I [am]: witnessª° against me before¹ the LORD,ª and before¹ his anointed:ª whose¹¹ oxª have I taken?ª° or whose¹ assª have I taken?ª° or whom¹ have I defrauded?ª°¹ whom¹ have I oppressed?ª° or of whose handª¹¹ have I received¹ [any] bribeª to blindª° mine eyesª therewith? and I will restoreª° it you." {1Sm 12:3}), he is to be understood of not having taken any ass for his riding. In the same light, he considers this similar declaration of Moses. His reason is "asses being then esteemed very honourable creatures for riding on ("And Balaamª rose upª° in the morning,ª and saddledª°¹ his ass,ª and went²°¹ with¹ the princesª of Moab.ª" {Num 22:21} + "And the assª saidª° unto¹ Balaam,ª [Am] not¹ I¹ thine ass,ª upon¹ which¹ thou hast riddenª° ever since¹¹ [I was] thine unto¹ this¹ day?ª was I ever²° wontª° to do¹ so²°¹ unto thee? And he said,ª° Nay.¹" {Num 22:30} + "Speak,ª° ye that rideª° on whiteª asses,ª ye that sitª° in¹ judgment,ª and walkª° by¹ the way.ª" {Jdg 5:10} + "And the kingª saidª° unto¹ Ziba,ª What¹ meanest thou by these?¹ And Zibaª said,ª° The assesª [be] for the king'sª householdª to ride on;ª° and the breadª and summer fruitª for the young menª to eat;ª° and the wine,ª that such as be faintª in the wildernessª may drink.ª°" {2Sm 16:2}), as they are at this very time in Persia, being rode with saddles." "Behold,¹ here I [am]: witnessª° against me before¹ the LORD,ª and before¹ his anointed:ª whose¹¹ oxª have I taken?ª° or whose¹ assª have I taken?ª° or whom¹ have I defrauded?ª°¹ whom¹ have I oppressed?ª° or of whose handª¹¹ have I received¹ [any] bribeª to blindª° mine eyesª therewith? and I will restoreª° it you. ... And they said,ª° Thou hast not¹ defraudedª° us, nor¹ oppressedª° us, neither¹ hast thou takenª° oughtª of any man's² hand.ª¹¹" {1Sm 12:3-4} + "I have covetedª° no man'sª silver,ª orª gold,ª orª apparel.ª ... Yea,ª ye¹ yourselves² know,ª° thatª theseª handsª have ministeredª° unto myª necessities,ª andª to them that wereª° withª me.ª" {Act 20:33-34} + "Butª Iª have usedª° noneª of these things:ª² neitherª¹ have I writtenª° these things,ª thatª it should be²° soª doneª° untoª me:ª forª [it were] better²¹ for meª to¹ die,ª°² thanª thatª any manª should make²° my² glorying² void.ª°¹¹" {1Co 9:15} + "Forª ourª rejoicingª isª° this,ª the¹ testimonyª of ourª conscience,ª thatª inª simplicityª andª godlyª sincerity,ª notª withª fleshlyª wisdom,ª butª byª the graceª of God,ª we have had our conversationª° inª the¹ world,ª andª more abundantlyª toª you-ward.ª" {2Co 1:12} + "Receiveª° us;ª we have wrongedª° no man,ª we have corruptedª° no man,ª we have defraudedª° no man.ª" {2Co 7:2} + "Behold,ª° the third timeª I amª° readyª to comeª° toª you;ª andª I will²° notª be burdensomeª° to you:ª forª I seekª° notª yours,ª butª you:ª forª the¹ childrenª oughtª° notª to lay upª° for the¹ parents,ª butª the¹ parentsª for the¹ children.ª ... Did I¹¹ make a gainª°² of youª by²¹ anyª of them² whomª I sentª° untoª you?ª" {2Co 12:14-17} + "Yeª [are] witnesses,ª andª Godª [also], howª holilyª andª justlyª andª unblameablyª we behaved ourselvesª° among youª that believe:ª°" {1Th 2:10}
|
