that land to wit the land of Goshen now spoken of to defend and preserve it For God is said to be in the midst of them whom he protects Deut. 7. 21. and 23. 14. Ios. 3. 10. Psal. 46. 5. and not to be in the midst of others whom he forsakes and designs or threatens to destroy Num. 14. 42. Deut. 1. 42. and 31. 17. Compare Exod. 33. 3. with 34. 9. 23 And I will put †Heb. a redemption a division a Heb. a redemption or deliverance i. e. a token or mean of deliverance by a Metonymy a wall of partition by which I will preserve the Israelites whilest I destroy the Egyptians between my people and thy people ‖ Or by to morrow to morrow shall this sign be b This he â—…aith â—…y tâ—… gain the more belief to himself in what he now 〈◊〉 should further speak in Gods name to them and parâ—…â—…o warn them of their danger and make their disobedience more inexcusable 24 And the LORD did so c Immediately by his own word and not by Mâ—…ses his rod leâ—…t the Egyptians should think it was a Magicians wand and that all Moses his works were done by the power of the Devil and * Wisd. 16. 9. Psal. 105. 31. there came a grievous swarm of flies d Heb. an heavâ—… mixture of flies heavy i. e. either great as this Hebrew word is used Gen. 41. 31. Isa. 32. 2. or mischievous and troublesâ—…me or rather numerous as it is taken Gen. 50. 9. Numb 11. 14. 1 King 3. 9. compared with 2 Chron. 1. 10. into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants houses and into all the land of Egypt the land e i. e. Either the fruits and products of the land or rather the inhabitants of the land as the word land is taken Gen. 41. 36. 1 Sam. 27. 9. many of the people were poisoned or stung to death by them as appears from Psal. 78. 45. See also the book of Wisedom chap. 16. 9. was ‖ Or destroyed corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said Go ye sacrifice to your God in the land 26 And Moses said It is not meet f Heb. Not right neither in Gods eyes who hath appointed us the place as well as the thing nor in the Egyptians eyes as it follows so to do for we shall sacrifice the * Gen. 43. 32. and 46. 34. abomination of the Egyptians g That which the Egyptians abhor to kill or to see killed as not onely Scripture but profane Authours as Diodorus and Tully and Iuvenal witness because they worshipped them as Gods as is notoriously known to the LORD our God Lo shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and will they not stone us h It was a just fear For when once a Roman had but killed a cat though imprudently the people tumultuously met together and beset his house and killed him in spight of the King and his Princes who used their utmost power and diligence to prevent it 27 We will go * chap. 3. 12. three dayes journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as * chap. 3. 18. he shall command us i For we know not what kind or number of sacrifices to offer to him till we come thither 28 And Pharaoh said I will let you go that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness only you shall not go very far away intreat for me 29 And Moses said Behold I go out from thee and I will intreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people to morrow but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice unto the LORD 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh and intreated the LORD 31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people there remained not one 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also neither would he let the people go CHAP. IX 1 THEN the LORD said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh and tell him Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me 2 For if thou refuse to let them go and wilt hold them still 3 Behold the hand of the LORD a In an immediate manner not by my rod that thou mayest know it is not I but the Lord which doth all these things to thee is upon thy cattel b Which they kept for their wool or milk or manifold uses and services though not for food and sacrifice which is in the field upon the horses upon the asses upon the camels upon the oxen and upon the sheep there shall be a very grievous murrain 4 And * chap. 8. 22. the LORD shall sever between the cattel of Israel and the cattel of Egypt and there shall nothing die of all that is the childrens of Israel 5 And the LORD appointed a set time saying To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land 6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow and * Psal. 78. 48. all c Either of all sorts or a very great number of them as the word all is frequently used or rather all that were in the field as it is expresly limited ver 3. but not all absolutely as appears from ver 9. 19 25. and chap. 14. 23. the cattel of Egypt died but of the cattel of the children of Israel died not one 7 And Pharaoh sent and behold there was not one of the cattel of the Israelites dead And * chap. 7. 14. the heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he did not let the people go 8 And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace d To mind them of their cruel usage of the Israelites in their furnace of which see Deut. 4. 20. Ier. 11. 4. and let Moses e Both were to take them up but Mâ—…ses onely to sprinkle them as at other times Aaron onely did the work to shew that they were but instruments which God could use as he pleased and God was the principal Authour of it sprinkle it towards the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh 9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt and shall be a * Rev. 16. 2. boil breaking forth with blains f A burning scab which quickly raised blains and blisters whereby they were both vehemently inclined to scratch themselves and yet utterly disenabled from it by its great soreness upon man and upon beast throughout all the land of Egypt 10 And they took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven and it became a * Deut. 28.
and his land before thee begin to possess that thou mayest inherit his land 32 * Num. 21. 23. Then Sihon came out against us he and all his people to fight at Jahaz 33 And the LORD our God delivered him before us and we smote him and his sons and all his people 34 And we took all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed g By Gods command these being a part of those people who were devoted by the Lord of Life and Death to utter destruction for their abominable wickedness See Deut. 7. 2. and 20. 16. the †〈…〉 men and the women and the little ones of every city we left none to remain 35 Onely the cattel we took for a prey unto our selves and the spoyl of the cities which we took 36 From Aroer h Which was in the border of Moab but now in the hands of the Amorites which is by the brink of the river of Arnon and from the city that is by the river i Heb. In the river wherewith it was encompassed Numb 21 15 28. Ios. 12. 2. and 13. 9. He speaks exclusively for this was Ar which now was in the Moabites Jurisdiction above v. 9. even unto Gilead there was not one city too strong for us the LORD our God delivered all unto us 37 Onely unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not nor unto any place of the river * â—…en 32. 22. Jabbok k i. e. Beyond Iaâ—…ok for that was the border of the Ammonites Ios. 12. 2. Obj. Half the land of the Ammonites is said to be given to the tribe of Gad Ios. 13. 27. Answ. This is true of that half of it which the Amorites had taken from them but not of the other half which yet was in the possession of the Ammonites nor unto the cities in the mountains l The mountainous Country of the Ammonites nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us m Heb. commanded us commanding is put for forbidding here as Gen. 2. 16. and 3. 11. Levit. 4. 2. Deut. 4. 23. The words may be thus rendred Concerning which the Lord gave us command or charge to wit that we should not meddle with them as was said before So it is only an ellipsis of the preposition which is very frequent CHAP. III. 1 THen we turned and went up the way to Bashan and * Num. 21. 33. c. chap. 29. 7. Og the King of Bashan came out against us he and all his people to battel at Edrei 2 And the LORD said unto me Fear him not a Though he be of so frightful a look and stature ver 11. for I will deliver him and all his people and his land into thy hand and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto * Num. 21. 24. Sihon King of the Amorite which dwelt at Heshbon 3 So the LORD our God delivered into our hands * Num. 21. 33. Og also the King of Bashan and all his people and we smote him until none was left to him remaining 4 And we took all his cities at that time there was not a city which we took not from them threescore cities all the region of Argob b A Province within Bashan or at least subject and belonging to Bashan as appears from ver 13. and 1 King 4. 13. called Argob possibly from the name of a man its former Lord and owner the kingdom of Og in Bashan 5 All these cities were fenced with high walls gates and bars c Which may encourage you in your attempt upon Canaan notwithstanding the fenced cities which the spies told you of and you must expect to find besides unwalled towns a great many 6 And we utterly destroyed them as we did unto Sihon King of Heshbon utterly destroying the men women and children of every city 7 But all the cattel and the spoil of the cities we took for a prey to our selves 8 And we took at that time out of the hand of the two Kings of the Amorite the land that was on this side Jordan d So it was when Moses wrote this book but afterward when Israel passed over Iordan it was called the land beyond Iordan from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon e 9 Which Hermon the Zidonians call Sirion and the Amorite call it Shenir f Elsewhere called mount Gilead and Libanus or Libanon and here Shenir and Sirion and by abbreviation Sion Deut. 4. 48. Which several names are given to this one mountain partly by several people and partly in regard of several tops and parts of it whence Scâ—…nir and Hermon are mentioned as distinct places Cant. 4. 8. 10 All the cities of the plain and all Gilead f Gilead is sometimes taken largely for all the Israeâ—…ites possessions beyond Iordan and so it comprehends Bashan but here more strictly for that part of it which lies in and near mount Gilead and so it is distinguished from Bashan and Argob and * â—…osh 12. 5. â—…d 13. 11. all Bashan unto Salchah and Edrei cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan 11 For only Og King of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants g The other giants of Bashan were destroyed before and therefore when Og was killed the Israelites work was done behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron is it not in * 2 Sâ—…m 12. 26. Jer. 49. 2. Rabbath of the children of Ammon i Where it might now be either because the Ammonites in some former battel with Og had taken it as a spoil or because after Ogs death the Ammonites desired to have this monument of his greatness and the Israelites permitted them to carry it away to their chief city nine cubits was the length thereof and four cubits the breadth of it after the cubit of a man k To wit of ordinary stature So his bed was four yards and an half long and two yards broad 12 And this land which we possessed at that time from Aroer which is by the river Arnon and half mount Gilead and * Num. 32. 33 Josh. 13. 8. c. the cities thereof gave I unto the Reubenite and to the Gadite 13 And the rest of Gilead and all Bashen being the kingdom of Og gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh all the region of Argob with all Bashan which was called the land of giants 14 * 1 Chro. 2. 2â—… Jair the son of Manasseh took all the countrey of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri l Or Geshurites a people towards the North of Canaan 2 Sam. 3. 3. and 15. 8. See also Ios. 13. 13. and Maachathi m Of whom see 2 Sam. 3. 3. and 10. 6. and called them after his own name Bashan * Num. 32. 41. Havoth-Jair unto this day n This must be put among those other passages which were not written by Moses but added by those holy men who
appears to us more dissonant from the Hebrew then any other yet most of the Quotations of the Old Testament which we have in the new are apparently from that Version which learneth us that it is not every private Ministers work to make a new Version of the Scripture but he ought to acquiesce in the Version which God hath provided for the Church wherein he lives and not ordinarily or upon light grounds to enter into a dissent to it and if in any thing he sees it necessary to do it yet not to do it as to a particular text without great modesty and a preface of Reverence This Translation of the Scriptures into a Language understood by all people in that Country into which the Church came was lookt upon so reasonable and necessary as it was opposed by none till the Papists had patched up a Religion for the upholding of which it was necessary for them to maintain That Ignorance was the mother of Devotion after which it was very difficult in any places where these Spiritual Tyrants had a dominion to get the Scriptures translated into the Language of that Country Not to instance in other places I shall give some short account of England Our Records tell us of a Translation of some part of them into the Saxon Language which was then a great part of ours within 700 years after Christ and of the Translation of the whole into the same Language by Beda within 40 years after Beda was himself a Papist but the mystery of iniquity grew up gradually to its height Soon after Bibles which the people could understand were very scarce commodities in England and thus it continued for 600 years Wickliff who lived in the time of Richard the 2d and died 1384. being the first we know of afterward who Translated the Scriptures into a Language understood by any who were not skilled in some or other of the three learned Languages That great man easily understood that without the Scriptures in their own Language the people must take all for the Will of God that their Priests told them was so and that the Popish Priests were generally of ignorance and impudence enough to entitle God to any of their own blasphemies and superstitions But within thirty years after the death of Wickcliff Anno viz. 1414. The Council or Conventicle rather of Constance Decreed all Wickliffs Books to the Fire and though some were spared yet the battel was so hard that there were very few that escaped This was our state till the year 1527 in all which years the poor people of the Land of our Nativity were without a teaching Bible as to the common people and indeed without a teaching Priest yea and for sometime after this as we shall hear In the year 1527. God put it into the heart of Mr. Tindall to Translate the New Testament into English as also 1527. the Five Books of Moses he being then an exile in Germany for his Religion but he lost all his papers upon a Shipwrack in his passage to Hamborough and had his work to begin again which yet that faithful and most unwearied servant of God did accomplish adding some Prefaces to the several Books and some Notes to the particular chapters and verses The publishing of which much netled the Popish Bishops in England and all means were then used to suppress it Amongst others the then Bishop of London advised with one Packington a Merchant of that City concerning the most accommodate mean to that design The Merchant could think of none so probable as with a summe of money to buy up the whole impression The Bishop approving it furnished him with a round summ to that purpose which the Merchant being more a Friend to Mr. Tindal then the Bishop knew sent to Mr. Tindall and had the Impression sent him some few Copies being as we must Sculteti Annales in anno 1532. imagine first sold off with this mony Mr. Tindall supported himself in his exile and was also inabled to go on with his Translation of the other part of the Bible and to prepare a perfect English Bible In the mean time a passage happened so pleasant that I shall think it worth the while here to relate it Sir Thomas More being Lord Chancellor and having several persons accused for Heresie and ready for execution offered to compound with * George Constantine one of them for his Life upon the casie terms of his discovery to him who they were in London that maintained Tindall beyond Sea After that the poor man had got as good a security for his Life as the Honour and Truth of the Chancellour could give him he told him It was the Bishop of London maintained him by sending him a summe of mony to buy up the impression of his Testaments The Chancellour smiled saying that he believed he said true Thus was this poor Confessors Life saved But to return to our story In the year 1536. Mr. Tindall was Martyred at Villefort in Flanders For Translating into English the New Testament and part of the Old saith Sir Richard Baker but his great adversary Sir Thomas More was the year before gone Bakers Chron. p. 282. to his own place being executed for Treason Mr. Tindall and Mr. Coverdale as Mr. Fox telleth us before Mr. Tindalls death had translated the whole Bible But it came out after his death under the name of Thomas Matthews with the addition of the Apocrypha Translated by John Rogers The Lord Cromwel with Archbishop Cranmer presented it to the King and obtained an order from His Majesty for leave for any of his Subjects to read it but this was not without the great regret of the Bishops About thirteen years after this or not so much the Lord Cromwel obtained Letters from King Henry 8. for a subject 1540. of his to Reprint at Paris the Bible in English the King also wrote a Letter to Bonner at that time his Embassador in France to further it Grafton and Whitchurch undertook the work upon what seeming encouragement from Bonner may be read in Mr. Foxes 2d vol. of his Martyrology pr. 1641. p. 515. 516. But how it came to pass I cannot tell though Bonners Treachery was suspected in the case when it was upon the point finished the Copies were seized and ordered to be burnt and the work had wholly ceased but for the Covetousness of the Officer who sold four great dry fatts filled with them to an Haberdasher to lay Caps in By this means having recovered some Copies they came to London and there made a new impression But after this my Lord Cromwel being put to death the Bishops and Popish-party made so great complaint to the King whose warmth for the Reformation much abated in the latter part of his Life That the Sale of the English Bible was again prohibited and the Printer imprisoned and altho the Bishops promised the King they would make a more correct Translation
impostures and the real miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron as appears from the next verse and from chap. 8. 18. and from other passages And this is a great evidence of the truth of Scripture-story and that it was not written by fiction and design For if Moses had written these books to deceive the world and to advance his own reputation as some have impudently said it is ridiculous to think that he would have put in this and many other passages which might seem so much to eclipse his honour and the glory of his works with their inchantments 12 For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents l Either 1. in appearance For the Scripture oft speaks of things otherwise then they are because they seem to be so And therefore as the Devil appearing to Saul in the likeness of Samuel is called Samuel so may these rods upon the same account be called Serpents because through Diabolical illusion they seemed to be so Or 2. really in manner expressed ver 11. but Aarons rod swallowed up their rods m By which it was evident either that Aarons rod was turned into a real serpent because it had the real properties and effects of a serpent viz. to devour or at least that the God of Israel was infinitely more powerful then the Egyptian Idols or Devils 13 And he †The Lord to whom this act of hardening is frequently ascribed both in this book and elsewhere hardened Pharaohs heart that he hearkened not unto them * chap. 4. 21. as the LORD had said 14 And the LORD said unto Moses * chap. 8. 15. 〈◊〉 1 20 27. Pharaohs heart is hardened n Is obstinate and resolved in his way so as neither my word nor works can make any impression upon him he refuseth to let the people go 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning lo he goeth out unto the water o i. e. Nilus whither he went at that time either for his recreation or to pay his morning-worship to that river which the Egyptians had in great veneration as Plutarch testifies and thou shalt stand by the rivers brink against he come and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take into thine hand 16 And thou shalt say unto him The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying Let my people go * chap. 3. 12 18. 5. 1 3. that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear 17 Thus saith the LORD In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD p Because thâ—… saidst 〈◊〉 is the Lord and I know not the lord chap. 5. 2. thou 〈◊〉 know him experimentally and to thy cost * chap. 4. 9. behold I will smite q viz. by Aarons hand who shall do it by my command and direction Thus Pilate is said to give Christs body to Ioseph Mark 15. 45. because he commanded it to be delivered by others to him The same action is ascribed to the principal and instrumental cause with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river r Nilus which was one of their principal Gods and therefore it was inexcusable in them that they would not renounce those â—…eeble Gods which were unable to help not onely their worshippers but even themselves nor embrace the service and commands of that God whose almighty power they saw and felt and they shall be turned * Rev. 16. 6. to blood s Which was a very grievous Plague to them both because it was an eternal dishonour to their Religion and because from hence they had both their drink Deut. 11. 10 11. Ier. 2. 18. and their meat Numb 11. 5. for greater and lesser cattel they would not eat Exod. 8. 26. And it was a very proper punishment for them who had made that river an instrument for the execution of their bloody design against the Israelitish infants Exod. 1. 22. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall stink and the Egyptians t Therefore the Israelites were free from this plague and those branches of Nilus which they used were uncorrupted when all others were turned into bloud shall loath u Or shall weary themselves in running hither and thither in hopes of finding water in some parts or branches of the river to drink of the water of the river 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Take thy rod and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt upon their streams upon their rivers and upon their ponds and upon all their †Heb. gathering of their waters pooles of water x Not that he was to go to every pool to use this ceremony there but he stretched his hand and rod over some of them in the name of all the rest which he might signifie either by his words or by the various motions of his rod several ways that they may become blood and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone 20 And Moses and Aaron did so as the LORD commanded and he * chap. 17. 5. lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants and all the * Psal. â—…8 44. and 105. 29. waters that were in the river were turned to blood 21 And the fish that was in the river died and the river stunk and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt 22 * Wisd. 17. â—… And the Magicians of Egypt did so with their inchantments y It was not difficult for the Devil to convey bloud speedily and unperceivably and that in great quantity which might suffice to infect with a bloody colour those small parcels of water which were left for them to shew their art in Qu. Whence could they have water when all their waters were turned into blood Ans. 1. It might be had either 1. by rain which at that time God was pleased to send down either for this purpose or to mitigate the extremity of the plague or for other reasons known to him though not to us For that rain sometimes falls in Egypt though not much nor often is affirmed by antient writers and late travellers Or 2. from Goshen which was not far from the Court or from some houses of the Israelites who dwelt amongst the Egyptians as appears from many places of this history and who were free from these Plagues See Exod. 8. 22. and 9. 26. and 10. 23. and 12. 13. c. Or 3. from the pits which they digged ver 24. Or 4. from some branch of Nilus or some vessels in their houses whose waters were not yet changed For this change might be wrought not suddenly
20. 12. or out of the Catalogue or number of those that shall be saved I suppose Moses doth not in this case wish his eternal damnation because that slate implies both wickedness in himself and the dishonour of God but his annihilation or the utter loss of this life and of that to come and of all the happiness of both of them Nor doth Moses simply desire this but onely comparatively expresseth his singular zeal for Gods glory and charity to his people signifying that the very thoughts of the destruction of Gods people and of the reproach and blasphemy which would be cast upon God by means thereof were so grievous and intolerable to him that he rather wisheth if it were possible that God would accept of him as a sacrifice in their stead and by his utter destruction prevent so great a mischief And it is to be considered that Moses speaks this as also many other things as the Mediatour between God and Israel and as the type of the true Mediatour Jesus Christ who was in effect to suffer this which Moses was content to suffer which thou hast wrttien 33 And the LORD said unto Moses * Ezek. 18. 4. Whosoever hath sinned ‖ Or doth sin to wit presumptuously obstinately and impenitently against me him will I blot out of my book g Him will I cut off out of the land of the living and eternally deprive of my favour and glory and not thee who art innocent and righteous 34 Therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee * chap. 33. â—… Behold mine angel h Noâ—… Christ the Angel of the covenant who had hitherto gone before them but a created Angel as appears by comparing this with Exod. 33. 2 3 12. Though Moses obtained the revocation of this threatning Exod. 33. 14 17. shall go before thee Nevertheless * Deut. 32. 35. in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them i When I shall punish them for their other sins which I foresee they will commit I will remember and punish this also 35 And the LORD plagued the people k This relates either to the destruction of 3000 of them by the Levites or rather to the future plagues in which God also reckoned with them for this sin because they made the calf which Aaron made l They made it because they urged Aaron to make it as Iudâ—…s is said to purchasethe field Act. 1. 18. which was purchased by his mony and Aaron made it by giving command to make it The Chaldee Syriack Arabick and Samaritan render the words thus they worshipped or sacrificed to the calf which Aaron made And the word which signifies to make is oft used for worshipping or sacrificing as Exod. 10. 25. Iudg. 13. 15 1 King 18. 26. CHAP. XXXIII 1 AND the LORD said unto Moses Depart and go up hence thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt unto the land which I sware unto Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob saying * Gen. 12. â—… Unto thy seed will I give it 2 * chap. 32. 3 Deut. 7. 22. Josh. 24. 11 And I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite the Hivite and the Jebusite 3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey for I will not go up in the midst of thee a By my own special and gracious presence as hitherto I have done but I will depart from thee In pursuance hereof God removes his tabernacle without the camp ver 7. I will onely make good my promise to thy fathers and send an Angel to accomplish it but I will shew no peculiar and further kindness to thee for thou art a * chap. 32. Deut. 9. 13. stiff-necked people lest I consume thee in the way b Lest thy sins should be aggravated by my presence and favour and thereby I should be provoked utterly to destroy thee So he shews that their perverseness makes this severity necessary for them and that God even in his judgement remembers mercy to them 4 And when the people heard these evil tidings they mourned and no man did put on him his ornaments c Their precious garments or jewels which the women reserved as we saw ver 3. This was a visible sign and profession of their inward humiliation and repentance for their sin and of their deep sence of Gods displeasure 5 For the LORD had said unto Moses Say unto the children of Israel Ye are a stiff-necked people I will come up into the midst of thee d To wit in anger not in favour ver 3. where the words are the same but the sence differing in a moment and consume thee e Obj. But God had promised he would not do so ver 14. Ans. That was signifyed to Moses not to the people to whom the threatning was most proper and profitable and this threatning hath a condition implied to wit except they repent as the next words plainly shew therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee that I may know what to do unto thee f That I may either inflict my judgments or suspend them as thou art penitent or impenitent 6 And the children of Israel stript themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 7 And Moses took the tabernacle g A tent set up by Moses for the people to meet in for sacrifice and seeking of God and other parts of Gods Worship untill the great Tabernacle should be finished for such a place was necessary or highly expedient for that use and therefore it is not probable they would be without it for a years space and pitched it without the camp afar off from the camp h In testimony of Gods alienation from them and displeasure against them this being a kind of eâ—…communication and all was too little to bring them to a thorough repentance and called it the tabernacle of the congregation i It was so before but he called it so now to shew that God had not wholly forsaken them and that if they truly repented he still permitted them to come into his presence and to seek the Lord. and it came to pass that every one which sought the LORD k Either for his favour or for counsel and direction See Exod. 18. 1â—… 19 20. went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation which was without the camp 8 And it came to pass when Moses went out unto the tabernacle that all the people rose up and stood every man at his tent door and looked after Moses l Testifying their grief for Gods departure their respect to Moses whom they had lately despised their earnest desire of his intercession for them their longing for Gods favour and their humble expectation of a gracious return from God by the hands of Moses until he
idols p What sorry tools they are what senceless and ridiculous deities so that you have great reason to value your God and to cleave to him in covenant and to take heed of such abominable Idolatries wood and stone silver and gold which were among them 18 Lest there should be q Or take heed or beware lest there be For it seems to be an Ellipsis or defect of a verb which is usual in Scripture and which we have in a case parallel to this Gen. 3. 22. And now we must take care lest he put forth c. Or this particle lest may be joyned with v. 14 15. to this purpose I now renew the covenant with you and with your posterity lest any of you or yours should be tempted to depart from God c. among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away r i. e. Who turneth away from God to Idols not by constraint but by choice and the inclination of his own heart By this phrase he leads them to the spring of their sin and ruine even their own hearts which he admonisheth them hereby to look to above all things this day from the LORD our God to go and serve the gods of these nations * Heb. 12. 〈◊〉 lest there should be among you a root s Either 1. An evil heart enclining you to such cursed Idolatry and bringing forth bitter fruits Or rather 2. Some secret and subtil Apostate who lurks and works like a root under ground and sliely conveighs his poison to the infection of others for both the foregoing and following words speak of some particular person that beareth ‖ Or a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 〈◊〉 gall and wormwood t i. e. Which though for the present it may please your fancy yet in the end assure your selves will produce bitter fruits not onely distateful to God but also poisonful and destructive to your selves 19 And it come to pass when he u i. e. That root or that man mentioned v. 18. heareth the words of this curse x i. e. of that oath mentioned v. 12. wherein he swore that he would keep covenant with God and that with a curse pronounced against himself if he did not perform it Now if when he reads this again or hears of it from others that he bless himself in his heart y i. e. Flatter himself in his own eyes as Psal. 36. 2. with vain conceits and hopes as if God did not mind such things and either could not or would not punish them Compare Psal. 49. 18. Ier. 2. 20. Zech. 11. 5. saying I shall have peace z i. e. Safety and prosperity though I walk in the ‖ Heb. stubbornâ—… imagination of mine heart a Though in my practices and worship I do not follow Gods command but my own devices and whatsoever my fancy best liketh minding nothing but the gratifying of mine own fancy and humour to add †Heb. The drunken to the thirsty drunkenness to thirst b i. e. Not onely to satisfie his thirst i. e. his concupiscence and inclination to wickedness but even to exceed it as Drunkards oft times take more than their appetite desires and drink out of meer wantonness or from a desire to be drunk and as filthy persons commit lewdness with others more than their natural inclinations desire or their strength can well bear meerly from a wicked mind and from contempt of God and because they will do so The words may be rendred to add thirst to drunkenness the particle eth which is a note of the Accusative Case being joyned with thirst and not with drunkenness and so the sence may be this that when he hath multiplyed his sins and made himself as it were drunk with them yet he is not satisfyed therewith but still whets his Appetite and provokes his thirst after more as Drunkards commonly will use means and temptations to make themselves thirst after more drink that they may drink more abundantly Or thus to add the moist or moistening to the thirsty i. e. in stead of restraining and mortifying as he ought to do fully and greedily to satisfy his idolatrous or wicked inclinations and resolvedly to give up himself to all the desires of his own heart Compare Iob 34. 7. Prov. 23. 35. Isa. 30. 1. and 56. 12. Eph. 4. 19. 20 * Ezek. 14. 7 8. The LORD will not spare him but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke c i. e. Shall burn and break forth with flame and smoak as it were from a furnace Compare Psal. 18. 8. against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven d i. e. destroy his person and memory from amongst men 21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil e i. e. Unto some peculiar and exemplary plague he will make him a monument of his displeasure to the whole land out of all the tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the covenant f He intimates that the covenant of grace which God made with them hath not onely blessings belonging to it as this foolish person imagined but curses also to the transgressours of it that †Heb. that is written are written in this book of the law 22 So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you and the stranger that shall come from a far land shall say g The words following v. 24 25 c. when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses †Heb. wherewith the LORD â—…ath made it sick which the LORD hath laid upon it 23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning h i. e. Is burnt up and made barren as with brimstone and salt See Iudg. 9. 45. Psal. 107. 34. Ier. 17. 6. Ezek. 47. 11. that it is not sowen nor beareth nor any grass groweth therein * Gen. 19. 24 25. like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zebojim which the LORD overthrew in his anger and in his wrath 24 Even all nations shall say * 1 King 9. 8. 〈◊〉 22. 8. Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land what meaneth the heat of this great anger 25 Then men shall say Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt 26 For they went and served other gods and worshipped them gods whom they knew not and ‖ Or who had not given unto them any portion whom he had not †Heb. divided given unto them i i. e. Whom God had not given or divided to them as their portion or for their worship but hath divided them unto all Nations as it is said Deut. 4. 19. not for their
worship but for their use and service So he speaks here of the Sun and Moon and Stars which were the principal Gods worshipped by the neighbouring Nations Or to whom none hath given this i. e. that they should be worshipped or to whom no worship belongs So this is an argument against Idolatry Or who had not given unto them to wit any thing It is an Ellipsis of the Accusative which is very frequent gods known to them by no benefits received from them as they had from their God whom therefore it was the greater folly and ingratitude to forsake 27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book 28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger and in wrath and in great indignation and cast them into another land as it is this day 29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God k Having now mentioned the dreadful and amazing judgments of God upon the whole land and people of Israel and foreseeing by the spirit of prophecy the utter extirpation and destruction which would come upon them for their wickedness he breaks out into this pathetical exclamation either to bridle their curiosity who hearing this would be apt to enquire into the time and manner of so great an event or to quiet his own mind and satisfie the scruples of others who perceiving God to deal so severely with his own people when in the mean time he suffered those Nations which were guilty of grosser Atheisme and Idolatry and Impiety than the generality of the Jewish people were to live and prosper in the world might thence take occasion to deny or reproach his providence or question the equity of his proceedings To this he answers that the ways and judgments of God though never unjust are oft-times secret and hidden from us and unsearchable by our shallow capacities and are matter for our admiration not for our enquiry but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children l But the things which are revealed by God and his word these are the proper object of our enquiries and studies that thereby we may come to the knowledge of our duty by the practise whereof we may be kept from such terrible punishments and calamities as these now mentioned for ever that we may do all the words of this law CHAP. XXX 1 * Lev. 26. 40. AND it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee the blessing a When thou art obedient and the curse b When thou becomest rebellious and Apostatical which I have set before thee c Heb. placed before thy face i. e. propounded to thy consideration and choice and thou shalt call them to mind d Or bring them back to thy heart i. e. deeply affect thy heart with the sence of these things to wit of the blessings offered and given to them by Gods mercy and the curses brought upon themselves by their sins among the nations whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee 2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day thou and thy children with all thine heart and with all thy soul 3 * Psal. 126. 1. That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity e i. e. Bring back thy captives as captivity is taken Psal. 14. 7. Eph. 4. 8. and have compassion upon thee and will return and * Psal. 147. 2. gather thee f i. e. Thy children either spiritually such as it is explained Ioh. 11. 51 52. or literally such as is promised Rom. 11. from all the nations whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee 4 * Neh. 1. 9. If any of thine be driven out unto the * Jer. 32. 37. outmost parts of heaven from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee and from thence will he fetch thee 5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed and thou shalt possess it and he will do thee good and multiply thee above thy fathers 6 And * the LORD thy God will circumcise Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 26. thine heart f Or For the Lord will circumâ—…ise thine heart i. e. will by his Word and Spirit change and purge thy heart from all thine Idolatry and Superstition and Wickedness and encline thy heart to love him as it here follows See Deut. 10. 16. And so this is produced to shew why and how those great things should be accomplished God would first convert and sanctifie them the fruit whereof should be this that they should return and obey Gods commandements and v. 8. and then should prosper in all things v. 9. The Hebrew Vau is oft rendred sor and notes the reason of a thing as 1 King 1. 21. and 18. 3 4 Psal. 1. 3. and 5. 12. Isa. 16. 2. and 64. 5. And this promise principally respects the times of the Gospel and the Grace which was to be then imparted to all Gods Israel by Christ by whom alone this circumcision is obtained Col. 2. 11. And so having fully described to them the Law of God the Rule of their obedience here and in the foregoing chapters and considering their great instability in the performance of their obedience to it he now seasonably adds a glorious Gospel promise and directs their faith to the Messias by whom alone they could expect or receive the establishment of their hearts in the ways of God against Apostacy and the heart of thy seed to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live 7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies and on them that hate thee which persecuted thee 8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD and do all his commandments which I command thee this day 9 * chap. 28. 11. And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattel and in the fruit of thy land for good g Whereas thou didst formerly receive and enjoy these mercies for thy hurt through thy own wicked and foolish heart when thou wast full and fat forgetting God and kicking against him Deut. 31 20. and 32. 15. now thou shalt have them for thy good thy heart shall be so changed by the grace of the Gospel that thou shalt not now abuse them but imploy them to the more chearful and faithful service of God the giver of them for the LORD will again rejoyce over thee for good h i. e. To do thee good as he did rejoyce to destroy thee Deut. 28. 63. as he rejoyced over thy fathers 10 If thou shalt hearken i This caution and condition is added to warn them that they
the Sea by his neighbours Tyrus and Sidon let him be acceptable to his brethren l By his sweet disposition and winning carriage and communication of his excellent commodities to his brethren he shall gain their affections and let him dip his foot in oil m He shall have such plenty of Oil that he may not onely wash his face but his feet also in it Or the fatness and fertility of his Countrey may be expressed by oil as Iob 19. 6. And so it agrees with Iacobs blessing of him Gen. 49. 20. 25 ‖ Or under thy shoes shall be iron Thy shoes shall be iron and brass n This may note either 1. Their great strength by which they should be able to tread down and crush their Enemies as Christs feet for this very reason are said to be of brass Revel 1. 15. Or 2. The mines of Iron and Copper which were in their portion whence Sidon their neighbour was famous among the heathens for its plenty of brass and Sarepta is thought to have its name from the brass and iron which were melted there in great quantity Compare Deut. 8. 9. Or 3. The strength of its scituation and so some antients and moderns render the words thy habitation or thy enclosure shall be iron and brass i. e. fortified as it were with walls and gates of iron and brass being defended by the Sea on one side by their brethren on other sides as also by mountains and rivers and as thy dayes so shall thy strength be o i. e. Thy strength shall not be diminished with thine age but thou shalt have the vigour of youth even in thy old age thy Tribe shall grow stronger and stronger 26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the heaven p i. e. Upon the clouds to succour thee from thence by sending thunder and lightning upon thine enemies See Psal. 18. 7 c. and 68. 34. c. in thy help and in his excellency q Or in his magnificence i. e. magnificiently gloriously and with great Majesty as well as power on the skie 27 The eternal God is thy refuge r Or thy dwelling-place Compare Psal. 91. 1. and underneath s i. e. Under thy arms to hold thee up as my hands were once held up by Aaron and Hur. He will support and defend thee Or the meaning is Though he dwelleth on high yet he comes down to the earth beneath to assist and deliver thee are the everlasting arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say Destroy them t i. e. Shall give thee not onely command and commission but also power to destroy them for Gods saying is doing his word comes with power 28 * Jer. 23. 6. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone u Either 1. Though they be alone and have no confederates to defend them but have all the world against them yet my single protection shall be sufficient for them Or 2. Distinct and separated from all other nations with whom I will not have them to mingle themselves See Num. 23. 9. Ezra 9. 1 2. the fountain of Jacob x i. e. The posterity of Iacob which flowed from him as waters from a Fountain in great abundance Compare Psal. 68. 26. Isa. 48. 1. The fountain is here put for the River or Streams which flow from it as Psal. 104. 10. as the Root is put for the branch 2 Chron. 22. 10. Isa. 11. 10. Revel 5. 5. and as Iacob or Israel who is the fountain is oft put for the children of Israel Or the eye for so the Hebrew word oft signifies of Iacob i. e. of the people of Israel and so the sense is They who now onely hear of the Land of promise shall shortly see it which I am not suffered to do and shall enjoy it which is oft signified by seeing as Psal. 4. 6. and 27. 13. and 34. 13. Eccles. 2. 1. and 3. 13. shall be upon a land of corn and wine also his heavens y i. e. Those Heavens or that Air which hangs over his Land shall drop down dew 29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the LORD the shield of thy help and who is the sword of thy excellency and thine enemies ‖ Or shall be subdued shall be found liars unto thee ‖ i. e. Shall be deceived as to all their vain hopes and confidences of destroying thee or saving themselves whether grounded upon their own numbers and valour and strong holds or upon old Prophesies and predictions of success or upon their Idols Or shall lie unto thee i. e. shall submit themselves to thee though it be done but feignedly and by constraint as this phrase is used Psal. 18. 44. 66. 3. 81. 15. Possibly this may design the lies and frauds which the Gibeonites would use to deceive them Ios. 9. 4. and thou shalt tread upon their high places †i. e. Thou shalt subdue their greatest princes and their strongest holds Deut. 32. 13. and their idols Temples and Worship z The giver and preserver of all that excellency that glory safety and happiness which thou hast above all other people which thou doest not obtain either by or for thy own wisdom or strength or goodness Or Thy most excellent sword i. e. Thy strength and the authour of all thy past or approaching victories CHAP. XXXIV 1 AND Moses went up a In compliance with Gods will that he should then and there resign up his soul to God from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo b Of which see Num. 27. 12. and 32. 38. Deut. 32. 49. to the top of ‖ Or the hill Pisgah that is over against Jericho and the LORD shewed him * chap. 3. 27. all the land of Gilead c Whereof Moses had as yet seen and enjoyed but a small part Of this Land see Gen. 31. 21. Numb 32. 1 19 c. unto Dan d To that City which after Moses his death was called Dan Ios. 19. 47. Iudg. 18. 29 So that here is an anticipation But it seems most probable and is commonly believed that this chapter was not written by Moses but by Eleazar or Ioshua or Ezra or some other man of God directed herein by the Holy Ghost this being no more impeachment to the divine authority of this chapter that the penman is unknown which also is the lot of some other Books of Scripture than it is to the authority of the Acts of the King or Parliament that they are Written or Printed by some unknown person 2 And all Naphtali e i. e. The land of Naphtali which together with Dan was in the North of Canaan as Ephraim and Manasseh were in the midland parts and Iudah on the South and the Sea on the west So these parts lying in the several quarters are put
inheritance of them and they shall come again to me 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts f Which were of equal extent or worth for no Tribe was so great but one of these parts in its full extent would abundantly suffice them and there was no reason why the Portions should be greater or less according as the Tribes at present were more or fewer in number because of the various changes which happened therein successively it being usual for one Tribe to be more numerous than another in one Age which was fewer in the next And if the several Tribes had increased more and not diminished their Numbers by their Sins they might have sent forth Colonies and taken any part of the Land even as far as Euphrates all which the Lord of the whole Earth had given them a Right to which when they pleased they might take Possession of Judah shall abide in their coast on the south g They shall not be disturbed in their Possession but shall keep it except some part of it shall be adjudged to another Tribe and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coast on the north h In respect of Iudah not of the whole Land for divers other Tribes were more Northern than they 6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts and bring the description hither to me that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD i i. e. Before the Ark or Tabernacle that God may be Witness and Judge and Author of the Division that each may be contented with his Lot and that your several Possessions may be secured to you as things Sacred and not to be aâ—…enated our God 7 But the Levites have no part among you k Therefore it shall be divided only into Seven parts as I have said for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance and Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them 8 ¶ And the men rose and went away and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land saying Go and walk through the land and describe it and come again to me that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh 9 And the men went and passed through the land and described it by cities l Or according to the Cities to which the several Parts or Territories belonged into seven parts in a book and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh 10 ¶ And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions 11 ¶ And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph m Wherein we see the wisdom of Divine Providence this being the onely place in which that Prophecy Deut. 33. 12. could have been accomplished 12 And their border on the north-side was from Jordan and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the North-side and went up through the mountains westward and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven n A place distinct from but near unto Bethel as may be gathered from Ios. 16. 1. 13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz to the side of Luz * Gen. 28. 19. which is Beth-el southward and the border descended to Ataroth adar near the hill that lieth on the south-side of the nether Beth-horon 14 And the border was drawn thence and compassed the corner of the sea southward from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim o The Israelites changed the name to blot out the remembrance of Baal Compare Ios. 15. 9. Numb 32. 38. a city of the children of Judah this was the west quarter 15 And the south quarter p The same with the North-quarter of Iudah See Ios. 15. 5 6 11. was from the end of Kirjath-jearim and the border went out on the west and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah 16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain q i. e. The place where the Mountain ends and the Valley begins that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom r i. e. In the prospect of that Valley or that reacheth to that Valley on the South and which is in the valley of the giants on the north s Which extends to this other Valley on the North-side of it and descended to the valley of Hinnom * Chap. 15. 8. to the side of Jebusi t To that part where the Iebusites lived which was in and near Ierusalem on the south and descended to * Chap. 1â—… â—… Enrogel 17 And was drawn from the north and went forth to En-shemesh and went forth toward Geliloth u Called also Gilgal as appears from Ios. 15. 7. Iudg. 3. 19. but differing from that Gilgal by Iordan which is over against the going up of Adummim and descended to * Chap. 15. 6. the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben 18 And passed along toward the side over against ‖ Or the plain Arabah x Called Beth-arabah Ios. 15. 6. northward and went down unto Arabah 19 And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward and the outgoings of the border were at the north ‡ Heb. tongue bay of the salt sea y Where an Arm of that Sea runs into the Land which is opposed to the South-bay that was in the South-border of the Tribe of Iudah Ios. 15. 2. at the south end of Jordan z Where it enters into the salt Sea which is here opposed to the North-end of it or the Spring-head which was in the North. this was the south coast 20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin by the coasts thereof round about according to their families 21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho a For though the City was destroyed the Territory remained and some Houses probably were built and inhabited there though it was not made a City with Walls and Gates which was the only thing forbidden Ios. 6. 26. and Beth-hoglah and the valley of Keziz b Or Emec-keziz the proper name of a City or great Town 22 And †Beth arabah and Zemaraim c Which either gave name to or took name from that Mountain 2 Chron. 13. 4. and ‡ Gr. Bethabara Joh. 1. 28. Bet-hel 23 And Avim and Parah and Ophrah 24 And Chephar-haammonai and Ophni and Gaba twelve cities with their villages 25 Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth 26 And
rather by the Power and Providence of God which disposeth the hearts of Kings as he pleaseth and inclined them to this course that they might though ignorantly accomplish his word and counsel 32 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said Surely it is the king of Israel And they turned aside d They drew their Forces from their several quarters towards Iehoshaphat to fight against him and Jehoshaphat cried out e To the Lord for help 2 Chron. 18. 31. 33 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel f Which they easily perceived either by their words uttered to God or them or by the difference of his shape and countenance from that of Ahab which probably many of them very well knew that they turned back from pursuing him 34 And a certain man drew a bow ‡ Heb. in his simplicity at a venture g Heb. In his simplicity i. e. ignorantly without care or choice or any design or thought of reaching Ahab Or according to his perfection i. e. with his perfect and utmost strength which is mentioned as the reason why it pierced through the joynts of his Armour and smote the king of Israel between the ‡ Heb. joynts and the breast-plate joynts of the harness h Where the several parts of his Armour are joyned together which possibly were not then joyned with so much art and closeness as now they are wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot Turn thine hand and carry me out of the host i Out of the midst of the Host where the heat of the Battel was into a safer part of the Army See the next Verse for I am ‡ Heb. made sick wounded 35 And the battel ‡ Heb. ascended increased k i. e. Grew hot and violent that day and the king was stayed up l Was supported by Cordials or by his Servants that by his presence he might encourage his Soldiers to Fight more couragiously and that he might see the event of the Battel in his chariot against the Syrians and died at even and the blood ran out of the wound into the ‡ Heb. bosom midst of the chariot 36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host m Probably by Iehoshaphat's order with the consent of the chief Captains of Israel and possibly with the permission of the King of Syria upon notice of Ahab's Death which was the onely thing at which he aimed ver 31. about the going down of the sun saying Every man to his city and every man to his own countrey n The King is Dead and the Battel ended and therefore every man hath liberty to return to his own House and private occasions 37 ¶ So the king died and ‡ Heb. came was brought to Samaria and they buried the king in Samaria 38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria and the dogs licked up his blood o Together with the Water wherewith it was mixed and they washed his armour according * Chap. 21. 19. unto the word of the LORD which he spake p Of which see the Note on chap. 21. 19. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house q Heb. the house of the tooth or teeth to wit of Elephants See chap. 10. 18. Not that it was made wholly of solid Ivory but because the other materials were covered or intermixed or adorned with Ivory Compare Amos 3. 15. which he made and all the cities that he built are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 40. So Ahab slept with his fathers and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead 41 ¶ And * 2 Chr. 20. 31. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab r Who Reigned 22 Years therefore he Reigned about 18 Years with Ahab king of Israel 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned twenty and five years s Part by himself and partly with his Sons whom he took into the Fellowship of his Kingdom Of which see more on 2 King 1. 17. in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi 43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father t He took the same care for the Government of his Kingdom and especially for the Reformation of Religion that Asa did of whom see Chap. 15. 11. he turned not aside from it doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD nevertheless the high places were not taken away u Object It is said he did take them away 2 Chron. 17. 6. Answ. He took away those which were Erected to Idols of which he seems to speak there because the high places are there joyned with groves which were generally Erected to Idols and not to the True God as will appear to any one that shall compare all the Scriptures where groves are mentioned but he could not take away those which were Erected to the True God of which this place manifestly speaks as also that Parallel place 1 King 15. 14. where see the notes Or he took them away but not fully or not in the very beginning of his Reign for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places 44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel x With Ahab first and then with his Son This is noted as a Blemish in his Government 2 Chron. 19. 2. and proved of most Mischievous Consequence to Iehoshaphat's Posterity as we shall see 2 King 9. and 10. 45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat and his might that he shewed and how he warred are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah y Whence the most memorable Passages were Translated into that Canonical Book of the Chronicles 46 And the remnant of the Sodomites z Of whom see Deut. 23. 17. 1 King 14. 24. and 15. 12. which remained in the days of his father Asa he took out of the land 47 There was then no king in Edom a deputy a Sent and set over them by the Kings of Iudah from the time of David 2 Sam. 8. 14. until the days of Iehoram 2 Chron. 21. 8. was king 48 Jehoshaphat ‖ Or had ten ships made ships b As it is expressed 2 Chron. 20. 36. Or there were to Iehoshaphat ten ships the Ellipsis of the Verb Substantive and of the Praefix Lamed being frequent in the Hebrew Language Some render the Words he made ten ships so joyning both Texts together and out of both compleating the sence of Tharshish c Either 1. Of the Sea as this Word is thought sometimes to be used Or rather 2. To go to Tarshish
after that Sin of his mentioned ch 16. 2 c. 2 And he placed forces in all the senced cities of Judah and set garisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken 3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his ‖ Oâ—… of his father David father David b Which David walked in before he fell into those horrid Sins of Murder and Adultery Or in the ways of David and his Fathers first ways For the beginning of Asa's Reign was Laudable as we have seen though he declined at last For it seems more probable that this Passage is a Refâ—…ection upon Asa whose last ways were much his worst and of whose Repentance we have no Evidence than upon David who though he fell dreadfully in the Matter of Uriah yet did manifestly repent of it and return to his first and holy course of Life in which also he continued until death having this Character given him by the Holy Ghost after his death that he did right in all things saving that of Uriah 1 King 15. 5. and sought not unto Baalim 4 But sought to the LORD God of his father and walked in his commandments and not after the doings of Israel c i. e. Their Worship of the Calves or other Idols 5 Thereâ—…ore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand and all Judah †Heb. 〈◊〉 brought to Jehoshaphat presents d As Subjects in those times and Places used to do to their Kings as a Token of their Respect and Subjection to them See 1 Sam. 10. 27 28. 1 King 10. 25. 2 Chron. 32. 23. and he had riches and honour in abundance 6 And his heart ‖ That is 〈◊〉 encouraged was lift up e Above all discouragements and difficulties and fears by which mens Hearts use to be cast down He was Valiant and Resolute for God and his Ways in the ways of the LORD moreover * Ch. 19. â—… he took away the high places and groves f To wit such onely wherein Idols were worshipped as appears by comparing this with ch 20. 33. And though Asa had done this before yet either he did not do it thoroughly or the Jews who were many of them mad upon their Idols had secretly made new Ones in the latter part of his Reign when he grew more infirm in Body and more remiss in Gods cause out of Judah 7 Also in the third year of his reign he ‖ Or 〈◊〉 princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent to his princes even to Ben-hail and to Obadiah and to Zechariah and to Nethaneel and to Michajah to teach g To inform the People of their Duty and of the Kings Pleasure As Judges or Justices of Peace teach or instruct the People in the Laws of the Land when they deliver their Charges upon the Bench so did these Princes in the Kings Name admonish and require the People to observe and obey the Laws of God which were the Municipal Laws of that Land The particular Explication and Inforcement whereof they left to the Levites and Priests here following who were sent for this End and accordingly taught the People v. 9. in the cities of Judah 8 And with them he sent Levites even Shemajah and Nethaniah and Zebadiah and Asahel and Shemiramoth and Jehonathan and Adonijah and Tobijah and Tob-adonijah Levites and with them Elishama and Jehoram priests 9 And they taught in Judah and had the book of the law of the LORD with them and went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people 10 And * Gen. â—…5 5. the fear of the LORD †Heb. 〈◊〉 fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah h Justly concluding from this singular Piety that God would eminently appear for him and against all those who had Ill Wâ—…ll to him which was their Case For even the Heathens could not but observe that the Kings of Judah were either Prosperous or Unhappy accordingly as they served God or forsook him so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat 11 Also some of the Philistins i Who had been Subjects to this Kingdom ever since Davids Time but it seems had neglected this Duty in the Times of his Predecessors but now were moved by their own Fears to perform it brought Jehoshaphat presents and tribute-silver and the Arabians k Either because he had upon some just occasion waged War against them and subdued them though the Particulars of it â—…e not described in Scripture Or because they voluntarily put themselves under his Protection in Recompence whereof they sent him those Presents Or onely as a free Acknowledgment of their Respects to him brought him flocks seven thousand and seven hundred rams and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats 12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly and he built in Judah ‖ Or 〈◊〉 castles and cities of store 13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah l Partly to repair and fortifie them and furnish them with all necessary Provisions and partly to purge out all the Reliques and Seeds of Idolatry and Injustice which were more secretly and subtilly managed in the Cities than in the Country and which were first and most in the Cities and thence spread their Infection into the Country about them See Ier. 2. 28. and the men of war mighty men of valour were in Jerusalem 14 And these are the number of them according to the house of their fathers Of Judah the captains of thousands Adnah the chief and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand 15 And †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next to him m Either 1. After his death as his Successor in the same Command And the like is supposed concerning Jehozabad v. 18. Or rather 2. Next to him in Place and Authority or at least in Power and the Numbers of his Host. was Jehohanan the captain and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand 16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri who willingly offered himself n As Voluntiers and Auxiliaries to be ready upon Occasion as the Service of God and the King should require Possibly these or most of them were the Strangers which had come out of Israel into the Kingdom of Judah in Asa's days and probably since that in his Time unto the LORD and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour 17 And of Benjamin Eliada a mighty man of valour and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand 18 And next him was Jehozabad and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war 19 These waited on the king o These above mentioned were the Trained Bands or Auxiliaries whose Chief Officers waited upon the King to receive his Commands and to raise and bring in all or part of their Forces to the Service of the King and Kingdom
Egypt of which he boasts Isa. 10. 9. by Euphrates and Josiah went out against him 21 But he sent Embassadors to him saying What have I to do with thee thou king of Judah I come not against thee this day but against the †Heb. the house of my war house wherewith I have war x Heb. against the house or family of my war i. e. Against the House of the King of Assyria between whom and me there is War for God y Either his False God by their lying Priests Or the True God either 1. by some Prophet For Gods Prophets used sometimes to deliver or send Commands from God to Heathen Kings Though it is not probable either that Pharaoh would regard the Command of the True God Or that a Prophet of the Lord would not acquaint Josiah with this Message Or that Josiah would oppose Pharaoh in a War undertaken by Gods Command Or rather 2 by a Dream as God spoke to another Heathen King Abimelech Gen. 20. 3. Though it is not impossible that he pretended this for his own Advantage that Josiah might not assist his Enemies commanded me to make hast forbear thee from meddling with God who is with me that he destroy thee not 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him z Being peradventure incouraged to do so by a Misinterpretation of that Promise made to him ch 34. 28. Thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace Thus God over-rules the Errours and Miscarriages of Men to the Accomplishment of his own Counsels but * So 1 Kin. 22. â—…0 disguised himself a Changed his Habit that he might not give his Enemies the Advantage of aiming at his Person which he wisely thought they would do that being a likely Course to end their Trouble as indeed it proved that he might sight with him and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God b Either 1. which Pharaoh sent to him in the Name of God or as coming from Gods Mouth Or rather 2. which Pharaoh received from the Mouth of God who was pleased some way or other to impart his Mind to him and which Pharaoh acquainted him with by the Command of God And therefore Josiah is here blamed for not hearkening to this Message Although if he sinned herein it was onely a Sin of Ignorance for he did not know that God had spoken this to Pharaoh and was not bound to believe his Testimony which he had good reason to suspect in this matter Yet methinks he ought so far to have regarded it as to have enquired the Mind of God about it which he neglected to do and therefore he cannot be wholly excused and is here taxed for it and came to sight in the valley of Megiddo 23 And the archers shot at king Josiah and the king said to his servants Have me away for I am â—…ore †Heb. made sick wounded 24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had and they brought him to Jerusalem and he died and was buried ‖ Or among the sepulehres in one of the sepulchres of his fathers And * Zech. 12. 11. all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah 25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah and all the singing men and the singing women spake to Josiah in their lamentations to this day c In all their succeeding Lamentations for their publick Calamities and for the ruine of their City and Temple and State and Church they remembred Josiahs death as their first and most fatal Blow and as that which opened the Flood-gates to all their following Miseries and it was ordained that they should do as the next words intimate and made an ordinance in Israel and behold they are written in the lamentations d Either in that Canonical Book of Jeremies Lamentations or in some other Volume of mournful Ditties made by divers Persons upon occasion of their following Calamities which is since lost 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his †Heb. kindnesses Ch. 32. 32. goodness e Either 1. his Piety towards God and his House Or 2 his Penignity Clemency and Kindness towards all his Subjects being of 2 most tender Disposition and Carriage both towards God ch 34. 27. and towards Men. But the former seems principally intended because it best agrees both with the History of Josiah which is wholly taken up with the former and speaks little or nothing of the latter and with the following words and it doth not disagree with the Hebrew word hesed which though it doth most frequently express kindness to Men yet sometimes it notes a Mans Piety to God and his House as is manifest from Nehem. 13. 14. according to that which was written in the law of the LORD 27 And his deeds first and last behold they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah CHAP. XXXVI 1. THen * 2 〈◊〉 c. the people of the land took Jehoahaz a The Contents of this Chapter for the Substance of them are explained in the Notes upon 2 Kings ch 23. 31 c. 24. 25. what is peculiar to it shall be here opened so far as is necessary the son of Josiah and made him king in his fathers stead at Jerusalem 2 Joahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign and he reigned three months in Jerusalem 3 And the king of Egypt †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put him down at Jerusalem and †Heb. 〈◊〉 condemned the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold 4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem and turned his name to Jehojakim And Necho took Joahaz his brother and carried him to Egypt 5 Jehojakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God 6 * 2 〈◊〉 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and bound him in ‖ Or 〈◊〉 fetters to carry him to Babylon 7 * 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon and put them in his temple at Babylon 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehojakim and his abominations which he did and that which was sound in him b That Crime of Rebellion against the King of Babylon which for a time he kept in his own Breast but when he saw fit he discovered it and was convicted of it See 2 King 24. 1. behold they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah and ‖ Or 〈◊〉 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 〈◊〉 Jehojachin his son reigned in his stead 9 * 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehojachin was eight years old when he began to reign c Of which see the Notes upon 2 King 24.
destroy them 25 But †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Esther came before the king he commanded by letters that his wicked device which he devised against the Jews should return upon his own head and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows 26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of ‖ 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 Pur therefore for all the words of this letter and of that which they had seen t i. e. Both for the respect which they justly bare to Mordecai's â—…etter and because they themselves had seen and felt this wonderful work of God on their behalf concerning this matter and which had come unto them 27 The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joined themselves unto them u i. e. Gentile Proselites who were obliged to submit to other of the Jewish Laws and therefore to this also the rather because they enjoyed the benefit of this days deliverance without which the Jewish Nation and Religion had been in a great measure if not wholly extinct in the World so as it should not †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fail that they would keep these two days according to their writing x i. e. According to that writing which was drawn up by Mordecai with Esthers consent v. 23 29. and afterwards confirmed by the consent of all the Jews in the several places and according to their appointed time every year 28 And that these days should be remembred and kept throughout every generation every family every province and every city and that these days of Purim should not †Heb pass fail from among the Jews nor the memorial of them †Heb. â—…nded perish from their seed 29 Then Esther the queen the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew wrote with †Heb. all strength all authority y The former Letter v. 20. did only recommend but this enjoins the observation of this solemnity because this was not only Mordecai's Act who yet had by the King 's Grant a great Power and Authority over the Subjects of that Kingdom and consequently over the Jews but it was the Act of all the Jews binding themselves and Posterity to it v. 27. Or with all might or efficacy and as that word usually signifies He presâ—…ed it with all earnestness and vehemency to confirm this second letter of Purim 30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus with words of peace and truth z Or even words of peace and truth Which may respect either 1. The form of the writing wherein after the custom he saluted them with hearty wishes of their true Peace or prosperity or of the continuance of those two great blessings of God truth i. e. the true Religion and Peace either among themselves or with all men that they might peaceably and quietly enjoy and profess the truth Or 2. The manner of his writing which was with peace i. e. friendship and kindness to his Brethren and truth i. e. sincerity which is the more noted and commended in him because it is so unusual in such great Courtiers as he now was Compare ch 10. 3. or the matter of his Writing which was to direct and persuade them to keep both peace and truth i. e. both to live peaceably and lovingly both one with another and with all their Neighbours not insulting over them upon their confidence in Mordecai's great power or upon this late and great success as men naturally and commonly do nor giving them any fresh provocations and yet holding fast the true Religion in spight of all the artifices or hostilities of the Gentiles among whom they lived 31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them and as they had decreed †Heb. for their souls for themselves and for their seed the matters of the fasting and of their cry ‖ For or about those great and overwhelming calamities which were decreed to all the Jews and for the removing of which not only Esther and the Jews in Shushan but all other Jews in all places as soon as they heard those dismal tidings did doubtless according to the precepts of Scripture and the constant practice of their godly Predecessors in all Ages fly to that last and only Refuge of seeking to God by Fasting and earnest Prayers and strong Cries unto God which God was pleased graciously to hear and in answer thereunto to give them this amazing Deliverance And this was that which they were now to remember to wit the greatness of their danger and of their rescue from it And accordingly the Jews use to observe the first of these days with Fasting and crying and other expressions of vehement grief and fear and the latter with Feasting and Thanksgiving and all demonstrations of Joy and Triumph 32 And the decree of Esther †Who had received Authority and commission from the King to impose this upon all the Jews confirmed these matters of Purim and it was written in the book * Either in the publick Registers of that Kingdom Or rather in the Records which the Jews kept of their most memorable passages CHAP. X. 1 ANd the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land and upon the isles of the sea a i. e. Upon all his Dominions whether in the main continent or in the Islands 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai whereunto the king †〈…〉 advanced him are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus and great among the Jews and accepted of the multitude of his brethren b Who did not envy his greatness as men most commonly do in such cases but rejoiced in it and blessed God for it and praised and loved him â—…or his right sweet management of his vast power seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed c Or for all his seed to wit the Jews who were of the same seed and root from which he was descended He spoke and acted with great Kindness and Friendliness to them when they resorted to him upon any occasion JOB SOme things are to be premised in the General concerning this Book before I come to the Particulars 1. That this was no Fiction or Parable as some have dreamed but a real History which is sufficiently evident both from the whole Contexture of the Book wherein we have an exact and distinct account of the Places Persons and things here mentioned with their several Circumstances and especially the succeeding Pen-men of Holy Scripture who mention him as a real and eminent example of Piety and Patience as Ezek. 14. 14. Jam. 5. 11. 2. That
this is a Canonical Book of Scripture which is manifest both from the Stile and Matter of it and from the tacite Approbation given to it by Ezekiel and James in the places now cited and from that quotation taken from it as such 1 Cor. 3. 19. and from the unanimous consent of the Church both of Iews and Christians in all Ages 3. The time in which Job lived and these things were said and done most probably was before Moses and in the days of the ancient Patriarchs This may be gathered 1. From his long Life which by comparing Ch. 1. with 42. 16. could not want much of 200 Years whereas after Moses Mens Lives were far shorter as is manifest 2. From that considerable Knowledge of God and of the true Religion which then remained among divers Gentiles which after Moses his time was in a manner quite extinguished 3. From the Sacrifices here commonly used whereas after the giving of the Law all Sacrifices were confined to the place of the Tabernacle or Temple to which even the Gentiles were to repair when they would Sacrifice to God 4. From the way of Gods imparting of his Mind to the Gentiles at this time by Dreams and Visions agreeably to Gods Method in those ancient times whereas afterward those discoveries were withdrawn from the Gentiles and appropriated to the People of Israel 5. Because there is not the least mention in this Book of the Children of Israel neither of their grievous Afflictions in Egypt nor of their glorious Deliverance out of it though nothing could have been more seasonable or suitable to the matter which is here discoursed between Job and his Friends 4. The Pen-man of this Book is not certainly known nor is it material for us to know For it being agreed who is the principal Author it is of no moment by what Hand or Pen he wrote it But most probably it was either 1. Job himself who was most capable of giving this exact account who as in his Agony he wished that his Words and Carriage were written in a Book Ch. 19. 23 24. so possibly when he was delivered from it he satisfied his own and others desires therein Only what concerns his general Character Ch. 1. 1. and the time of his Death Ch. 42. 16 17. was added by another Hand the like small Additions being made in other Books of Scripture Or 2. Elihu which may seem to be favoured by Ch. 32. 15 16. Or 3. Moses who when he was in the Land of Midian where he had opportunity of coming to the knowledge of this History and Discourse and considering that it might be very useful for the Comfort and Direction of Gods Israel who was now oppressed in Egypt did by his own Inclination and the Direction of Gods Spirit commit it to Writing And whereas the Stile seems to be unlike to that of Moses in his other Writings that is not strange considering the differing nature of the Books this being almost all Poetical and the other meerly Historical for the most part or plain Precepts or Exhortations And for the Arabick words here used it must be remembred that Moses lived 40 Years in Midian which was a part of Arabia in which he must needs learn that Language CHAP. I. THere was a Man in the Land of Uz a Which was either in Edom called The Land of Uz Lam. 4. 21. or in some part of Arabia not far from the Chaldeans and Sabeans as this Chapter witnesseth so called probably from Uz one of Esau's Posterity Gen. 36. 28. Ier. 25. 20. whose Name was * 〈◊〉 14. 14. 〈◊〉 5. 11. Job and that man was †â—…p 2. 3. perfect b Not legally or exactly as he confesseth Ch. 9. 20. but comparatively to such as were partial in their Obedience to Gods Commands and as to his sincere Intentions hearty Affections and constant and diligent Endeavours to perform all his duties to God and Men. and upright c Heb. right exact and regular in all his dealings with Men one of an unblameable Conversation doing to others as he would have others to deal with him and one that feared God d Only truly pious and devoted to Gods Worship and Service and eschewed Evil e i. e. Carefully avoiding all sin against God or Men. 2. And there were born unto him Seven Sons and Three Daughters 3. His †Oâ—… 〈◊〉 Substance also was Seven Thousand Sheep and Three Thousand Camels f Camels in these parts were very numerous as is manifest from Iudg. 7. 12. 1 Chron. 5. 21. and from the plain testimonies of Aristotle and Pliny and very useful and Proper both for carrying of Burdens in these hot and dry Countries as being able to endure thirst much better than other Creatures and for service in War and Five Hundred Yoke of Oxen and Five Hundred She-Asses g Which were preferred before He-Asses as serving for the same uses as they did and for Breeding and Milk also But He-Asses also may be included in this Expression which is of the Feminine Gender because the greatest part of them from which the denomination is usually taken were She-Asses and a very great ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Houshold so that this man was the greatest h i. e. One of the richest of all the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 men in the East i To wit that lived in those parts such general Expressions being commonly understood with such limitations 4. And his Sons went and feasted k To testifie and maintain their Brotherly Love in their houses every one his day l Not every day of the Week and of the Year which would have been burdensome and tedious to them all and gross Luxury and Epicurism which holy Iob would not have permitted but each his appointed day whether his Birth-day or the first day of the Month or any other set time it matters not and sent and called for their Three Sisters to eat and to drink with them 5. And it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about m When each of them had had his turn which peradventure came one speedily though not immediately after another And there was some considerable interval before their next feasting time that Job sent and * Neh. 12. 30. sanctified them n i. e. He exhorted and commanded them to sanctifie themselves for the following work to wit by purifying themselves from all Ceremonial and Moral Pollution as the manner then was Exod. 19. 10. and by preparing themselves by true Repentance for all their sins and particularly such as they had committed in their time of Feasting and Jollity and by fervent Prayers to make their Peace with God by Sacrifice and rose up early in the morning o Thereby shewing his ardent Zeal in Gods service and his Impatience till God was reconciled to him and to his Children and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all for