Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber TO THE Right worshipfull Mr. Augustine Philips Master Mr. Clement Cooley Mr. George Reinolds Mr. Thomas Stevenson and Mr. Edmond Clark Wardens Together with the rest of the Assistants of the Company of the CLOTH-WORKERS My very loving and much honoured friends Right worshipfull HAving but a very few years since published for the good of those that desire to reade the Scripture with understanding Certain short Notes of Exposition upon the five books of Moses and finding that they have been entertained by many with farre greater esteem and approbation then ever I expected or they deserved I have now adventured to send forth the rest after them which I had then lying by me to wit the like Notes upon the remaining historicall part of the old Testament and indeed I did then in a manner engage my self by promise that if those found welcome these ere long should follow after and having been often since pressed to make good that promise by the importunity of many Christian friends but especially those of my reverend brethren in the Ministery whose judgement I prized above mine own there lay an obligation upon me for the satisfying of their desires which I could not gainsay Now as the first part of these Annotations I did then dedicate to that particular congregation which the Lord hath been pleased to commit to my care so this second part I now make bold to present unto you who above twenty years since were also pleased to choose me to dispense the word of grace unto you at some set times of your solemn meetings and whom in many other respects I have great cause to love and honour It were indeed engagement enough if there were nothing else to endear my affections to this worthy Society that my dear father whose memory is precious with me and both his brothers were whilest they lived members of this Company and in their times too honoured with those places of credit and trust which since your selves have severally born But besides this it is well known how much I owe you and I willingly thus declare it that this may remain as a publick testimony of my thankfulnesse to you not onely for the great love and respect you have ever shown to me upon all occasions but also especially for the bounteous support which for divers years you have been pleased to afford to one of mine for my sake Adde therefore I beseech you to your former favours the gracious acceptance of this piece of my labours and the God of all grace improve it to you for your spirituall advantage Histories of former times have been ever acknowledged both most pleasant and most profitable if a faire prospect from a high hill be so pleasing to the eye how pleasant must it needs be to the mind of man to have the memorable passages of ancient times presented to our view in a fair prospect of History as if we had then lived to see those things done But above all it must needs be thus in the History of the Scripture both because this chiefly acquaints us with the dispensations of Gods providence towards his Church the dearly beloved of his soul in comparison of whom the rest of the world is not worth the regarding and likewise because this was written by the unerring pen of men inspired by the holy Ghost and that purposely too as the Apostle saith for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope But what need I commend to you the usefulnesse of any part of Gods word which I hope you esteem with David above thousands of Gold and silver If these Annotations shall afford any help for the understanding of such passages in these books as may seem at first somewhat intricate and obscure I have my desire My prayer shall ever be for this worthy Company that the word of Christ may dwell in you richly in all wisdome and that God would still raise up many amongst you that may be to others patterns of piety and zeal for Gods truth in this honourable City and so I rest Your Worships ever ready to do you any service I am able ARTHUR JACKSON The Preface to the READER Christian Reader WHat I prefixed by way of Preface before my Annotations upon the five books of Moses may serve also for these upon the remaining Historicall part of the old Testament these being carried on in the same manner and with respect unto the same ends as the other were Onely one thing I thought good to adde here which is this that there are some Expositions which as I went along I met with so often in so many severall places such as that where men desperately wicked are termed children of Belial and that where the Church is called the Lords portion and the Lords inheritance and some other of the like nature that I was at last wearied with referring the Reader so often to those places where I had formerly given the grounds of those expressions and so resolved to avoid the tedium of such reiterated references rather to leave every man by himself to consider where the like expression was formerly used which by the help of a Concordance at least may be easily found that so there he might seek for satisfaction herein Further then this I have not at present to advertise you concerning these Notes but am onely now to desire your favourable acceptance of what is here published Indeed when the late Annotations came forth upon the whole Bible composed by divers worthy Divines authorized thereto by command of Parliament I did at first question whether there would now be any need of these But considering with my self first that those for the most part are very brief as being at first intended onely for marginall notes secondly that there are very few Expositours that have written upon this part of the Bible and therefore a supply of further help herein could not be thought altogether uselesse and thirdly that I was in some sort already engaged by promise for these Annotations which I formerly made known were then collected I did at last in these regards determine to proceed in my former resolutions Whether I shall ever go on any further in this way the Lord onely knows the infirmities of age grow so fast upon me that I may well fear I shall not And besides there is little encouragement for any work of this nature in these contentious times There are some we see risen up amongst us that are not afraid to deny the Scriptures to be Gods word which must needs be the ruine of religion and open a doore to all profanenesse and Atheisme should it be suffered in the land But we trust the Magistrate whom God hath so highly honoured will be so zealous for the honour of God as ere long to stop the mouthes of such blasphemers and in the mean season none but those that are given up of God to believe lies will
inspiration of the holy Ghost is clear not onely by the testimony of the Church of the Jews who did alwayes acknowledge them as a part of the sacred Canon of the Old Testament but also by the testimony of the Apostle Paul who in his Epistle to the Romanes cites a passage from hence to wit that in the 1. Kings 19.14 as a part of the holy Scripture as we may see Rom. 11.2 3 c. Wot ye not saith he what the Scripture saith of Elias how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying Lord they have killed thy Prophets c. But now who were the holy Ghosts pen-men in writing these books we cannot determine onely that which some hold seems the most probable namely that they were written piece-meals by severall Prophets successively in their severall ages and then afterward collected compacted into one continued history by some holy man of God who was guided therein by the spirit of God and that First because it is manifest that many passages in these books were formerly recorded by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo 2. Chron. 9.29 Secondly because it is also evident that the greatest part of the 18 19 and 20. chapters of the second book of the Kings was taken out of the prophecy of Isaiah as we may see Isa 36.1 c. And thirdly because the story of Zedekiah which we have in the latter end of the second book of the kings seems to have been taken almost word for word out of the latter end of the prophecie of Jeremiah As for the dependance of this history upon that which went before in the end of the second book of Samuel though the last thing there recorded be the staying of the pestilence sent for Davids sinne in numbring the people by his rearing of an altar in the threshing floore of Araunah and offering sacrifices thereon as God had commanded yet we must know that Adonijahs insurrection which is the next thing here recorded did not follow immediately upon that but many other things intervened between which are recorded in the eight last chapters of the first book of Chronicles for after the Lord had at that time it seems revealed to him that the Temple should be built by his sonne Solomon in that very place where now he had reared an altar in the threshing floore of Araunah 1. He made great preparations of all materialls requisite for that work and set workmen at work about them to make them ready for the building 2. He set in order the courses of the Priests and Levites for their attendance upon their severall services in the Temple 3. He made known in a publick assembly of the Princes and Rulers of the people what the Lords pleasure was for Solomons succeeding him in the throne and encouraged Solomon to build the Temple and perswaded the Princes and people to assist him therein giving Solomon withall a pattern in writing how all things were to be made according as God had revealed it to him And 4. in another assembly he perswaded the people to contribute willingly to the building of the Temple which accordingly they did It is evident I say that all these things recorded in the eight last chapters of the first of Chronicles were done whilest David was able to go abroad for it is said 1. Chron. 28.2 that he stood up upon his feet in the assembly of the Princes and Rulers and spake unto them and therefore they were done before this usurpation of Adonijah when David lay bedrid and not able to stirre as it is said here and that to shew that hereupon Adonijah took the advantage of making himself king King David was old and stricken in years yea so weak he was that lying bedrid they covered him with clothes but he gat no heat and so thereupon vers 5 Adonijah the sonne of Haggith exalted himself saying I will be king It is much indeed that David should be so farre spent with age before his death for though this were a little before his death he lived in all but threescore and ten years 2. Sam. 5.4 David was thirty years old when he began to reigne and he reigned fourty years and we see in these dayes that many at these years are farre from this weaknesse but yet considering his many labours warres troubles sicknesses and sorrows which do usually much empair the strength of man A broken spirit saith Solomon drieth the bones Prov. 17.22 it is no wonder though David in his old age sunk apace and was sooner decrepite and bed-rid then other men Vers 2. Wherefore his servants said unto him Let there be sought for my Lord the king a young virgin c. David had at this time many wives concubines but these were all it seems well in years and therefore his servants the Physitians advised that some well-complexioned young virgin should be sought out for him to stand before him to cherish him and to lie in his bosome as judging the heat of youth fittest to cause heat in his cold body especially where it had not been empaired by breeding and bearing of children which made them advise that she should not onely be young but a virgin too Now though there be no mention here made of Davids taking such an one to be his wife or concubine but onely of his taking her to lie in his bosome in a medicinall way yet that this was supposed and intended severall reasons may induce us to think 1. Because it is no way probable that David would have yielded to such a way of curing the coldnesse of his body had she not been taken under the name of a wife or concubine which was generally esteemed lawfull in those dayes the other way would have been so ridiculous and scandalous that it cannot be thought that David would ever have given his consent to it 2. Because it is noted ver 4. as an evidence of the great decay of his body that though she lay in his bosome yet he knew her not which doth clearly enough imply that she was taken in such a conjugall way that he might lawfully have known her had he not been disabled by that extreme weaknesse which lay now upon him and thirdly because had not Abishag been taken as Davids wife or concubine Solomon would never have suspected as he did chap. 2.22 that Adonijah in seeking to take Abishag to wife after his fathers death had a plot thereby to get away the kingdome from him to have married the wife of the deceased king might have advanced his purpose some way amongst the people but had Abishag been taken onely to attend on the king in his weaknesse or to lie in his bosome onely in a physicall way there would have been no colour to think that when he should again lay claim to the crown his marriage with such an one would have added the least strength to his title and therefore it was surely the meaning of Davids Physicians that a young wife or
ever a whit the more question these divine Oracles Surely the Scripture is the Churches Magna Charta whereon all our priviledges and all our hopes depend as we are Christians and therefore I hope none that professe themselves fellow-citizens of the saints will suffer such a treasure as this to be taken from them No but the more violently Satan rageth against it the more we should prize it and the more diligently we should exercise our selves in the study of it Now Reader if herein this which I send forth abroad for the good of the Church shall afford thee any help blesse God for it and pray for him who is Thine in the Lord Jesus ARTHUR JACKSON Faults escaped Page 19 line 14 for now they reade and so now they p. 56. l 7 devided r. decided p. 8. l. 13. into parts r. into two parts p 135. l. 11. Ephraim quarrelled r. Ephraims quarrell p. 149. l. 10. retained r. reclaimed p. 181. l. 26 Michael r. Michal and l. 27 Michaels r. Michals p. 291. l. 4 understanding r. undertaking p. 301. l 45. pillars r. pillows p. 337. l. 4. and lived r. that is he lived p. 429. l. 29. it is Isaiah r. is that Isaiah p. 468. l. 17. after set out adde for the most holy place p. 507. l. 3â— after what God adde required p 513. l. 30. between r. from p 514 l. 3 indeed after r. indeed because after p. 656. l. 7. were carried r. were not carried l 40 off him r. off to him p. 669 l. 4. foure r. foure and twenty l. 31. we r. aâ—e p. 684. l. ult 2. 6. r. 2. Sam 6 p 712. l. 1. observed r. offered p. 736. l. 17. was absolute r. was not absolute and for also r. all p. 741. l. 24. at least r. at last p. 757. l. 20. the readily r the more readily p 760. l 37. Hanani r. Nehemiah p 773. l. 3 quality r. quantity l 4. durst do r. durst not do p. 805 l. 43 dele him ANNOTATIONS Upon the book of JOSHUA CHAP. I. NOw after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to passe that the Lord spake unto Joshua c. Here begins the history of Israels commonwealth under the government of Joshua and therefore is this book called the book of Joshua Some adde also that it was so called because it was written by Joshua which may be judged the more probable first because the example of Moses herein who wrote the State of Israels common-wealth in his time might be a strong inducement to Joshua to do the like and secondly because that place chap 24.26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the Law of God c. is an evident proof that he wrote some part of this book if not that he wrote it all It is true there are some passages in this book which could not be written by Joshua as 1. That mention which is made of the book of Jasher Chap. 10.13 And the Sunne stood still and the Moon stayed untill the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Is not this written in the book of Jasher for this book of Jasher was written after Davids time as is evident 2. Sam. 1.18 where it is said that David bid them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow behold it was written in the book of Jasher 2. That story of the expedition of the Danites when they took Laish mentioned in this book of Joshua chap. 19.47 which was long after that Judges 18.1 c. and 3. The relation of Joshua his death and buriall chap. 24.29 30. These things and some others that might be picked out could not indeed be written by Joshua but though the book it self were written by Joshua yet these passages might be inserted afterwards by some other Penman of the holy Ghost for so also in the foregoing books which all men yield were written by Moses we find some passages too that could not be written by Moses himself but were afterwards added by some other as is noted upon that relation of the death buriall of Moses Deut. 34.5 c. However sufficient it is for us to know that whoever wrote this book he wrote it by the inspiration of the holy Ghost for hereto there is a testimonie given in the new Testament where some passages thereof are cited as parts of the sacred Scripture the word of God as that which in this chapter is spoken to Joshua and cited by S. Paul Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee As for this first passage wherewith this book begins it shews how Joshua received a command from God to lead the Israelites over Jordan into the land of Canaan the Lord had before appointed that Joshua should succeed Moses in the government of Israel Numb 27.18 and upon the laying of Moses hands upon him he had received an extraordinary measure of the gifts of Gods spirit to inable him for the government Deut. 34.9 And therefore doubtlesse immediately after the death of Moses Joshua took upon him the supreme Magistracy But here now we are told how either at that time so soon as Moses was dead or rather after the thirty dayes that were spent in lamenting the death of Moses Deut. 34.8 the Lord spake unto Joshua the sonne of Nun Moses minister and gave him that charge which is here after related Whether God spake this to Joshua by an audible voice by the secret instinct of his spirit in some dream or vision or by the high-priests inquiring for him by the Vrim and Thummim we cannot conclude because we find it not expressed onely we find that God had formerly promised that Eleazar the priest should ask counsel for him after the judgement of Vrim before the Lord Num. 27.21 But for this title given here to Joshua that he was Moses minister the Lord spake unto Joshua Moses minister we may well think that was purposely added to imply one reason amongst others why Joshua was most fit to succeed Moses in the government to wit because having been so many years together his minister by his continuall daily conversation with Moses he could not but learn much thereby to prepare and fit him the better for this service Vers 2. Moses my servant is dead now therefore arise c. Here the Lord exhorts Joshua that since Moses was dead he should now lead the Israelites over Jordan and carry them into the land which according to his former promises made to their fathers he was now ready to conferre upon them Now in mentioning the death of Moses he useth this expression Moses my servant is dead first and principally to imply what it was he required of him to wit that as their captain and supreme governour he should now conduct them into the land of Canaan for Moses is here called Gods servant in regard of the supreme magistracy whereto God had advanced him and so the drift of the words is that since Moses
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord choose you this day whom ye will serve c. Not that Joshua did now lay the reins upon their necks and give them liberty to change their Religion and to serve strange gods if that way liked them best Had they revolted from God doubtlesse he would have punished them severely But he useth this kind of speech first as a powerfull perswasion to keep them constant to God by implying that there is such a difference betwixt these two the worshipping the Lord that had delivered them out of Egypt and done so many great things for them and bowing to Idol-gods that one would not think it possible that they should forsake the Lord to follow them though it should be left to their choice as if one should say choose you whether you will go to heaven or to hell So that this is much like that speech of Elijahs 1. Kings 18.21 How long halt ye between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him Secondly to sift them how they stood inwardly affected and to imply that unlesse they served God willingly without any constraint so that if it were left to their choice they would take no other way God would not regard their outward obedience And thirdly that having now of their own accord accepted the Lord to be their God they might hereby be the more tyed to cleave constantly unto him But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. This Joshua added not so much to make known to them what he was resolved to do to wit that though they should all forsake the Lord yet that should not one whit move him but principally that his resolute determination herein of whose wisdome and piety they had had so great experience might covertly but yet sweetly and effectually perswade them to keep constant in that way of religion wherein they found him so zealously and settledly resolved to continue Vers 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God He is a jealous God c. This is spoken upon supposition not onely of Gods holinesse and severe jealousie against all those that are not faithfull in keeping covenant with him but also of the perverse refractary disposition and untamed stubbornesse of this rebellious people as if he should have said Consider well what you say God will not be content with a profession of being his people if ye take liberty to live as you list as you have done No God is a holy God c. so that this is added not to discourage them but rather by way of caution to awake them out of their security and to let them know that they must be more carefull of walking uprightly with God if they meant to serve him as if when a company of souldiers that had not so well behaved themselves in former times should untertake some speciall service and the Generall should answer not to beat them off from it but rather to enflame them and make them go through it with the more courage and care why should you think of undertaking such a piece of service you cannot do it implying onely thus much that they must be more valiant and constant then they had been if they would meddle with it Vers 23. Now therefore put away said he the strange Gods which are among you c. See the note above verse 13. Vers 25. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem That is as Gods servant and minister he caused the people to renew their covenant with God and doubtlesse it was done in a solemn manner being accompanied with sacrifices and other usuall rites of that sacred service and so he set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem that is he established it as a thing fully settled and ratified for future times that they should constantly continue in the service of the Lord God alone as became his peculiar people and to that end did fully make known and confirm all the conditions of the covenant which they had made with God To which purpose happely the whole law of God was at this time distinctly read amongst them which some conceive is one of the principall things intended in this last clause Vers 26. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God That is these promises of the people and the whole carriage of this businesse when they did with such solemnity renew their covenant with God that knowing there was such a record kept of this businesse even in Gods Tabernacle they might be carefull to keep their covenant But yet withall hereby may be meant that this book of Joshua was now added to the book of Moses law which was laid up long since before the ark Deut. 31.26 saving onely those passages which are apparently since inserted for no doubt that which Joshua wrote was written for all future times Now we have in the Church no other records of it but this book of Joshua And took a great stone and set it up there under an oke that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord. This stone was also set up as a memoriall of this covenant now thus solemnly renewed between God and the people The place where it was set to wit under an oke that was by the Sanctuary is thus precisely expressed for the better evidencing of the certain truth of that which is here related Some indeed suppose that this was the very oke under which Jacob had many years since buried all the Idolatrous trash which he found amongst those of his family Gen. 35.4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods that were in their hand and all the ear-rings which were in their ears and Jacob hid them under the oke which was by Shechem and that Joshua for that cause did purposely set up this stone under that oke But though it be certain and well known that okes will continue many hundred years yet that this was that oke we cannot certainly determine As for the Sanctuary of the Lord here mentioned some conceive it is the place onely where all this was done that is so called and that because of the ark that was there but I think it is farre more probable that the Tabernacle was brought thither together with the ark and that this it is which is here called the Sanctuary of the Lord. However certain it is that in future times this place where this stone was set up by Joshua was from hence called the plain of the pillar or the oke of the pillar Judges 9.6 Vers 27. Behold this stone shall be a witnesse unto us for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us This is a figurative speech and implies thus much that it should as truly witnesse against them if they should falsifie their promise as if it had heard the words that were
these first that he might be near hand to Joshua who dwelt in mount Ephraim to the end that by him he might enquire of the Lord upon any speciall service Secondly that he might be the nearer to the Tabernacle which at this time was in Shiloh a city in Ephraim ANNOTATIONS Upon the book of JUDGES CHAP. I. NOw after the death of Joshua c. In this book the history of the Commonwealth of Israel is continued from the death of Joshua to the dayes of Eli all which time at least the most of which time they lived under the command and government of certain Judges whom God successively raised up to rule over them as his deputies and vicegerents and therefore is this book called the book of Judges for though Eli and Samuel may well be numbred amongst the Judges of Israel because they commanded in chief after the same way of government as these did whose history is recorded in this book yet because the change of the government from that of Judges to that of Kings happened in the daies of Samuel and the story of Samuel must needs be begun from the dayes of Eli therefore the acts of their times are not recorded here but are reserved to another book Who wrote this book is no where expressed it sufficeth us to know that it hath alwaies been kept in the Church amongst those Oracles of God whose penmen were guided by the infallible inspiration of his Spirit and indeed one passage of this book to wit that concerning Sampson chap. 13.7 the child shall be a Nazarite to God is by the judgement of many learned Expositours principally intended by the Evangelist S. Matthew where he undertakes to alledge a testimony out of the writings of Gods Prophets Matt. 2.23 And he came and dwelt in a citie called Nazareth that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet He shall be called a Nazarene The children of Israel asked the Lord saying Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first to fight with them In the last years of Joshua his government the Israelites had lived in peace Josh 21.44 And the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their fathers and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand the Canaanites not daring to provoke them and the Israelites not yet attempting any further upon the Canaanites partly because the land they had already vanquished was as much as they could well people partly perhaps out of an over-eager desire to and love of the rest they now enjoyed and indeed they knew it was agreeable to the will of God that they should not drive out all the inhabitants at once but by degrees Deut. 7.22 And the Lord thy God will put out these nations from before thee by little and little Thou maist not consume them at once lest the beasts of the field encrease upon thee But now Joshua being dead who a little before his death had encouraged them to go forward in expelling the Canaanites though they had no man chosen of God to command over them in chief as Moses and Joshua did yet finding that indeed it was now fit they should proceed on in the warre they assembled themselves together as it seems at Shiloh and there resolved to renew their battels against the inhabitants of the land onely because the successe of their first attempts would be a matter of great consequence either for the encouragement or disheartning the people therefore they would first enquire of the Lord which accordingly they did they asked the Lord as it is here said to wit by Phinehas the high priest or Eleazar if he were yet living which is doubtfull because he died immediatly after the death of Joshua Josh 24.33 before the propitiatory or mercy-seat who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first to fight against them that is which of our tribes shall first begin and set upon the inhabitants that still abide in their lot for this is doubtlesse the meaning of this question they asked Vers 2. And the Lord said Judah shall go up c. That is the tribe of Judah because that was the most populous and the strongest of the tribes and had their portion in the chief of the land which it was therefore fit should be first cleared of the enemie therefore they were appointed first to begin the warre and besides thus was that still accomplished which Jacob prophecied concerning the preheminence this tribe should have above the rest Gen. 49.8 Judah thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies thy fathers children shall bow down before thee Vers 3. And Judah said unto Simeon his brother Come up with me c. The Simeonites were brethren to those of Judah both by father and mother but besides their cohabitation was another tie betwixt them in regard whereof they lived in the same lot as brethren in one and the same house and in this respect chiefly is Simeon called Judahs brother Vers 4. And Judah went up and the Lord delivered the Canaanites c. That is one particular people of this countrey so called And they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men That is in and about Bezek to wit in taking the town or after they had taken it when the king fled thence to save his life as is more particularly after related Vers 6. But Adoni-Bezek fled and they pursued after him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his great toes And thus as he had done to many other kings as himself confesseth in the following verse to wit either out of a kind of barbarous sporting crueltie or else to render them thereby unfit for warre ever after that by the al-ruling providence of God is now done to him by the Israelites that had now taken him prisoner Indeed we reade not that Gods people were wont to inflict any such strange kind of punishment upon those that were vanquished by them nor doth it stand with piety thus to torture and afflict those that are taken in warre with such studied and uncoucht wayes of punishment and besides the Israelites had an expresse command not to spare the lives of any of these nations but presently to cut them off and therefore as it is likely that some speciall reason moved the Israelites to inflict this unusuall punishment upon him so I conceive it most probable that either when they took the city they found some of these poore captive kings that had been thus inhumanely used by him a spectacle that might well stirre their spirits against him or at least that they might receive information from others herein and so might be moved thereby to deal with him as he had dealt with others as judging it consonant to that Law of retaliation which God established amongst his people Eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for
19. When the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark c. That is when the sunne was well nigh set for then the mountains in Jerusalem intercepting the light of the setting sunne the gates of Jerusalem began to be shadowed and dark and thus timely he commanded that the gates should be shut that he might be sure the whole sabbath should be kept holy which began there at the sunne setting and lasted till the sunne setting of the following day Levit. 23.32 From even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath And some of my servants set I at the gates that there should be no burden brought in on the sabbath day Though he had charged that the gates should not be opened that is set wide open that all might have free egresse and regresse as on other dayes till after the sabbath as is expressed in the foregoing words yet there was a necessity of opening the doores to let in and out those that had any necessary occasion especially such as dwelt in the suburbs and were to come in to serve God in the Temple therefore he set some of his servants to be at the gates to see that under that pretence none were admitted that would bring in any burden Vers 21. Then I testified against them and said unto them Why lodge ye about the wall c. To wit first because those that dwelt without the walls might still buy of them on the sabbath day secondly because their being there with wares ready to sell might be a dangerous temptation to move those within the walls to try by some meanes to get out to them Vers 22. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and that they should come and keep the gates to sanctifie the sabbath day Some understand this also of the city gates to wit that the Levites as men of greatest fidelity should see that the gates were duly kept shut But because his own servants were appointed to that service and because it is said that the Levites should cleanse themselves that they might be fit to keep these gates I conceive this is meant of the gates of the Temple through which they were to take care that no unclean person did enter in that great concourse of people that resorted thither on the sabbath day Remember me O my God concerning this also and spare me c. Because by his stricktnesse in reforming these profanations of the sabbath he knew that many were highly displeased with him he desires the Lord would accept of his service and then it was no great matter what men thought of him but withall because he knew that his best actions would not indure the exact tryall of Gods justice therefore even herein he implores Gods mercy and spare me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Vers 29. And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod c. So likewise those of other nations which besides that it was in it self dishonourable to the people of God it was also a dangerous signe that they had a mixture of the manners as well as of the language of their heathen mothers Vers 25. And I contended with them and cursed them c. First he curseth that is he pronounced them accursed and accordingly excommunicated them and cast them out of the congregation of the Lord secondly He smote certain of them that is those whom he found most obstinate he caused to be beaten according to that law Deut. 25.2 If the wicked man be worthy to be beaten the judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten before his face according to his fault by a certain number and indeed we read that Paul was so punished by the Jews 2. Cor. 11.25 Thrice was I beaten with rods c. yea and happely also to be smitten with the fist for so it seems the custome was among the Jews to use those that were condemned for any great offence Isaiah 54.4 Ye fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse Matth. 26.67 They spit in his face and buffetted him and others smote him with the palmes of their hands John 18.22 One of the officers that stood by struck Jesus with the palme of his hand Acts 23.2 And the high priest commanded them that stood by to smite him on the mouth and thirdly he plucked off their hair for it seemes that amongst the Jews those that were found guilty of any foul offence were delivered up to the reproches either of the people in generall or of those that were to punish them who were accordingly wont not onely to buffet them but also to pluck off their hair Isaiah 50.6 I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that pulled off the haire and so were these men now used by Nehemiahs appointment Vers 28. And one of the sonnes of Joiada the sonne of Eliashib the high priest was sonne in law to Sanballat That is one of the grand children of Joiada for this was according to Josephus one Manasses the brother of Jaddua the high priest who was the sonne of Jonathan and the grandchild of Joiada the sonne of Eliashib He having married the daughter of Sanballat that he might not turn away his wife which either he must do or be turned out of the priesthood his father in law Sanballat undertook to build a Temple every way as stately and goodly as that at Jerusalem wherein Manasses should be the chief priest which accordingly having first obtained leave of Alexander he did perform and built this new Temple that it might have the greater honour in mount Gerizim hard by the city Sichem and from this beginning came that famous schisme as touching the place where sacrifices were to be offered betwixt the Samaritanes and Jews John 4.20 Our father 's worshiped in this mount and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship but whether therefore this was that Sanballat that is so often mentioned in this book or another of his posterity of the same name it is hard to say Therefore I chased him from me Because he would not put away his wife I caused him to be excommunicated and banished from amongst us and so he went and became the chief priest in the Samaritanes temple as is above mentioned in the former note ANNOTATIONS Upon the book of ESTHER CHAP. I. NOw it came to passe in the dayes of Ahasuerus It is not expressed who was the authour of this book of Esther but by the common consent of the Church in all ages it hath been received as a part of those sacred Hebrew oracles of God which were committed to the Jews and by them unto the coming of Christ faithfully preserved though the name of the Lord Jehovah be not mentioned in it and by a passage in this book chap. 9.20.21 And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces c. some Expositours have
reared and sacrifices offered thereon which was doubtlesse to teach them that there was no way to obtain the pardon of their sinne and the removall of their present judgement but by faith in that propitiatory sacrifice which their promised Messiah was to offer up for them but why was this altar appointed to be reared in the threshing floore of Araunah the Jebusite I answer first to intimate the end of this sacrifice to wit that it was to stay the plague that it might go no further there it was that the Angel appeared in a visible shape with a drawn sword 1. Chron. 21.15 The Angel of the Lord stood by the threshing floore of Ornan the Jebusite thither therefore David was sent to rear up an altar and to offer sacrifices secondly because of Davids fear the Lord having a gracious respect herein to the sad condition of his poor servant which we find expressed 1. Chron. 21.29.30 The tabernacle of the Lord which Moses made in the wildernesse and the altar of tht burnt offerings were at that season in the high places at Gibeon But David could not go before it to enquire of God for he was afraid because of the sword of the Angel of the Lord that is he durst not give over interceding there to go unto Gibeon for fear of the slaughter that might be made in the interim by the sword of the Angel amongst the inhabitants of Jerusalem or else he was so weakened with the terrour of seeing the Angel with a drawn sword that he was not able to go thither and when he could not go to Gibeon what place was then sitter to reare an altar in then that where the Angel appeared with a drawn sword thirdly to signifie the calling of the Gentiles for Araunah being of the stock of the Jebusites though doubtlesse at present a proselite that is one that was converted to the faith of Israel the Lords appointing David to rear an altar in his threshingâ—floore did notably shadow forth that the day should come when God would dwell amongst the Gentiles and be worshipped by them and fourthly because God had determined in this very place to have the Temple built as is evident 2. Chron. 3.1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in mount Moriah where the Lord appeared unto David his father in the place that David had prepared in the threshing floore of Ornan the Jebusite and so the Lord would have this place consecrated as it were and endeared to the people by the sacrifice that procured so great a blessing for them as was the staying of this raging pestilence Vers 22. Behold here be oxen for burnt sacrifices and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood In 1. Chron. 21.23 there is added that he offered him also his wheat for a meat-offering Lo I will give thee the oxen also for burnt-offerings and the threshing instruments for wood and the wheat for the meat-offering I give it all partly because of the terrour he was stricken into by seeing the Angel with the drawn sword for as it is noted before from 1. Chron. 21.20 both he and his sonnes had seen the Angel and hid themselves and partly because he was told that the altar and sacrifices intended were for the removing of that heavy judgement that lay now upon the people in stead of selling he proffered to give unto David not the threshing floore onely but the oxen also the threshing instruments wheat and all not caring how much he gave for so good a use Vers 23. All these things did Araunah as a king give unto the king The most Expositours do hereupon inferre that this Araunah had been king of the Jebusites and embracing the faith of Israel was content to live as a private man and to let David reigne as king in Jerusalem and indeed in the Hebrew it is All these things did Araunah a king give unto the king but this ground methinks is not sufficient to warrant this conceit rather I conceive this expression is used by way of extolling the bounty of Araunah that he did herein as it were match David the king in bounty carried himself more like a king then a private subject in this his princely bounty Vers 24. And the king said unto Araunah Nay but I will surely buy it of thee at a price c. Some conceive that David would needs give the full price for these things because he would not take away that which was anothers to give unto God as knowing well that sometimes a kings request is in effect a command that subjects do often give what they would not part with but that they dare not but give it but because David might well see that Araunah offered these thing freely it is better said by others that this was from the ingenuity of David because he was not willing to serve God cost-free So David bought the threshing-floore and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver 1. Chron. 11.25 It is said that David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight which seeming difference is thus reconciled to wit that he bought the thresning-floore and the oxen as here for fifty shekels of silver but for the whole place and the ground with the houses where afterward the Temple was built he gave six hundred shekels of gold Vers 25. So the Lord was intreated for the land and the plague was stayed from Israel And this the Lord testified by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices as is expressed 1. Chron. 21.26 and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar which must be meant onely of burning the burnt offerings for the sacrifices of peace offerings were not burnt upon the altar but were to be eaten as a holy feast so that it seems the burnt-offerings were first offered on the altar which were miraculously consumed by fire from heaven and then afterwards the peace-offerings were offered upon the same altar ANNOTATIONS Upon the first book of KINGS Otherwise called The third book of the KINGS CHAP. I. NOw king David was old and stricken in years and they covered him c. The scope of these two following books is to declare the history of the Commonwealth of Israel when it was divided into two several kingdomes under the command of the severall kings of Judah and Israel and therefore it is that they are called The books of the Kings The history of Saul and David were related in the two foregoing books of Samuel because they reigned over the whole people of Israel united in one body Onely Solomons reigne is here described and the death of David as making way thereto because in his reigne we are to see the first cause of that following schisme and rending of the kingdome of Israel into two severall kingdomes to wit that of Judah and that of Samaria By whom these books were written we cannot say that they were written by the