seemeth to have been missing ever since the beginning of Manasseh's reign who possibly at first endeavoured to burn all the Books of the Law and so this Book was hid in some secret place of the Temple by some faithful Priest that it might be preserved for future times Hilkiah having found it he sent it by Shaphan the Scribe unto the King who having heard it read all over to him was exceedingly affected therewith and rent his clothes and more especially as 't is likely at those dreadful threatnings against Idolatry which are written in Levit. 26. Deut. 28. Hereupon he immediately sent to (b) Miriam and Deborah and Anna were all Prophetesses Thus the Lord is pleas'd to endue some women with the spirit of Prophesie to shew that he is not tyed to any sex Huldah a famous Prophetess who dwelt in Ierusalem in the suburbs or second part and desired her to ask counsel of the Lord for him Ieremy possibly being not then at Ierusalem but at Anathoth For Iosiah hearing those curses in the Law denounced against Idolatry and knowing how much some of his Predecessors had been guilty thereof he much seared lest the judgments threatned in that Book might fall upon him and his people and desired to know whither there might be any means to pacifie Gods wrath and prevent those judgments Huldah returned this answer Thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the curses written in the Book which the King of Judah hath read because they have forsaken me and burnt incense to other gods and have provoked me to anger with the works of their hands viz. their idols and altars therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched intimating the utter extirpation of the Jews out of that good land but to the King of Judah who sent you say to him Thus saith the Lord as touching the words and threatnings which thou hast heard read out of the Book because thy heart was tender and soon moved at the hearing of my threatnings and thou hast humbled thy self before me when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse that is have the curses written in this Book executed upon it and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me Behold I will gather thee unto thy pious ancestors in heaven before these dreadful calamities shall fall upon this place and people and thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace This answer of Huldahs being brought to the King his heart was so affected with it that to prevent if it were possible this judgment threatned he called together the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem together with the Priests and Prophets viz. Jeremy Baruck Zephany and Vriah and the people both small and great and caused one of the Levites to read in their ears all the words of the Book of the Covenant * The Law is called a Cove an t because obedâ—ence was therein requir'd on the peoples part and a blessing thereupon promised on Gods part so called because it contained the Covenant that God made with the people of Israel See 1 King 8.9 And the King stood by the Pillar on the Brasen Scaffold or on some Throne erected by a pillar in the Temple for him to stand upon at that time and there solemnly made a Covenant before the Lord in his own name and the name of the people to walk after the Lord that is to observe what he prescrib'd unto them and to keep his commandments testimonies and statutes with all their heart and with all their soul and to perform the words of the Covenant written in that Book and he caused all that were present to give their consent to it and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were the most forward to engage themselves to walk according to the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and did accordingly so walk Then the King commanded Hilkiah the High Priest and the Priests that were next unto him and the Levites to bring forth out of the Temple * Josiah did begin to purge Judah and Jerusalem of Idols in the twelfth year of his reign six years before the Book of the Law was found but upon hearing those dreadful threatnings in the Law against Idolatry he now proceeded further and perfected that reformation which was then begun Therefore the Penman of the Sacred History of the Chronicles relating the Reformation that Josiah wrought in the twelfth year of his reign adds also what was done afterwards when the Book of the Law was found and speaking how he suppressed Idolatry upon the hearing of the Law read to him he joins many things of the same nature that were done in the twelfth year of his reign that all his zealous acts in rooting out Idolatry might he related together all the vessels that were made for Baal and used in his worship or in the Idolatrous worship of the Groves or of the Host of Heaven and he burnt them in the field by which the river Kidron did run and carried the ashes of them to Bethel therewith to defile the prime seat of Jeroboams Idolatry These things had been us'd by Manasseh and Amon but were set aside as it seems in some by-place of the Temple in Josiah's time and seeing still they remained there this good King's zeal would not permit them to be there any longer And he put down the Idolatrous Priests or Chemarim whom the Kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in high places in the Cities of Judah and in places round about Jerusalem He put down those also who burnt incense to Baal or to the Sun Moon and the Planets and host of heaven and he brought out the Image whereon a grove was engraven which it seems was hung up in the Temple and stampt it to powder and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of those that had worshipped Idols and sacrificed unto them 2 Chron. 34.4 And he brake down the Tents of the Sodomites that were in the grove by the house of the Lord and where the women wove hangings for those filthy tents so that in that grove they not only worshipped Idols but as it seems defiled themselves also with all manner of abominable uncleanness And he brought all the Priests that were the Sons of Aaron and had served the true God in high places out of the Cities where they had exercised that false worship and would not suffer them to live there and he defiled the high places even from Geba the North border of the Kingdom of Judah to Beersheba the South-border and beat down their Altars and burned dead mens bones on them v. 14. to make them unclean and brake down the high places that were erected at the entring of the Gates by Joshua the Governour of the City whither it seems many of the people used to
Moses and proclaimed before him now hid in the hollow Cleft of the Rock The Lord The Lord merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin upon mans hearty repentance and that will by no means clear the Guilty visiting the Iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the Childrens Children unto the third and fourth Generation if they continue in their Fathers transgressions Moses hearing these things instantly bowed his head towards the Earth and worshipped Exod. 34. from 1. to 9. SECT XXV MOses now staying again 40 days and 40 nights in the Mount without Meat or Drink vers 28. He humbly and earnestly besought the Lord with many pressing arguments see Deut. 9.18 19. and from 25. to the end to pardon the people and to own them still for his Inheritance * See Ps 33.12 Zach. 2.12 and to go along with them and to manifest his gracious Presence among them for they were He ackowledges a stiff-necked people and had need both of his Mercy and Conduct The Lord being now appeased renews his Covenant with them upon certain Conditions and promises that his Presence with them should work more powerfully then ever and shew it self in more stupendious Miracles then ever it had done before and that He would do terrible things by them his Almighty Power and Providence accompanying of them and would give them possession of the Land of Canaan and would drive out the Inhabitants thereof before them The Conditions he requires of them to perform were these 1. Not to make a League or Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land * See Chap. 23.32 whom He had determined to destroy for their sins nor to make Marriages with them lest it should ensnare them and draw them to be Partakers in their Idolatries and so in their Punishments but should destroy their Altars Images and Groves and should not eat of their Sacrifices and should especially be careful not to make to themselves any molten Gods such as the golden Calf was For the Lord was a jealous God and would not endure that any false God should share with Him in the Worship that was peculiar to himself 2 That they should observe the Feast of unleavened Bread * See Ch. 23.15 the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost and the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles At which three Feasts All their Males should appear before him with an Offering to be given to the Priest which He would account as given to Himself and He would take care that none should desire their Land in their absence 3 That the first-born Males both of Men and Beasts should be consecrated unto Him see Ch. 22.29 30. but the firstlings of an Ass should be redeemed with a Lamb see Exod. 13.13 4 That they should carefully observe the weekly Sabbath * See Ch. 23.12 and not violate it either in Seed-time or Harvest 5 That they should not offer the blood (l) Certe removebis fermentatum cum immolas Pascha Vatab. of the Paschal Lamb with Leaven and that nothing thereof should be left till the morning 6 That the first of their Frist-fruits should be brought to the House of the Lord. 7. That they should not seeth a Kid in its Mothers milk Which Laws were all enjoyned Ch. 23. and were now repeated These were the Laws that Moses was to write down in a Book and to injoyn the people to observe Then the Lord wrote the Ten Commandments on the Tables Moses had brought up and gave them unto him who brought them and the other Laws which himself had written unto the people and having seen Gods Glory in so great a measure and degree there was a dazeling brightness imprinted by God on his face while he talked with him so that the skin of his Face (m) The glory of Moses face signified the glory of the Law which he brought 2 Cor. 3.7 8. His Ministration was Death and Condemnation because the Law giveth the knowledge of Sin but no pardon for it shone which he himself was not sensible of * Sic Humilitas propriam jubet ignorare excellentiam by the reflective rays and beams (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to shine from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Horn is derived which gave occasion to the Papists to paint Mose's face with two Horns like an Ox. The Vulgar Latine says Mose's Face was horned of the divine Splendor which might assure the Israelites he had been with God who taught and instructed him and that thereupon they might the more reverence him might fear breaking this Law again Aaron and the people were not able to bear the splendor of his Face but being afraid fled from him as if he had been some Angel But Moses called them back and put a Vail on his Face (o) Ut ipsum Mosaicae facici splendorem Israelitae non viderunt ob impositum velamen sic Carnales Judaei spiritualem Mosis splendorem hoc est Scriptorum ejus summum finem atque scopum qui est Jesus Christus non intelligebant ob sponte attractam mentis Caecitatem quae instar Velaminis est inter corda eorum verum legis intellectum quasi obducti neque hoc tolli potest nisi per praedicationem Evangelij per veram conversionem ad Dominum c. Vide 2 Cor. 13.14 15 16. whilst he spake with them and then delivered to them all that the Lord had given him in Charge But Moses when he went to the Lord for the people took the Vail off And 't is like that this brightness on his Face continued not all his life after but only during the time of his going to and fro between God and the people Exod. 34. from 9. to the end SECT XXVI MOses now injoyns them again a strict Observation of the weekly Sabbath and that they should not kindle a fire (p) But 't is probable to kindle a fire to warm themselves by in the extream cold of Winter or when any other exigencies of necessity or mercy required it was allowed them thereon to dress meat or to do any work by though for the framing of the Tabernacle threatning death to them that disobey Then He injoyns the people to bring their free-will Offerings towards the framing of the Tabernacle which was now forthwith to be gone in hand with according to the Directions given him by God Ch. 25. The people very readily agree hereunto And to the end that this good Work might the more effectually be promoted all the Males were numbred from twenty years old and upwards who were found to be 603550 who every one according to the Law prescribed Exod. 30.12 13. contributing half a Shekel the total Sum of the Poll-money amounted to an hundred Talents (q) A Talent among the Jews amounted to 3000 Shekels or 50 l. sterling every pound containing 60 Shekels See Bishop Usher's
renew their Covenant which their Fathers made with God at Horeb and to bind themselves more firmly thereby unto the Lord. And possibly the same Ceremonies were observed now in this renewing of the Covenant which were before observed at Horeb see Exod. 24. when their Fathers first entred into it And to prepare them the better for it 1. He repeats the great and manifold Favours God had bestowed on them He tells them That many of them who were then young might remember what God did to Pharaoh and his Servants in Egypt and the great Plagues whereby He tempted and tried whither he would let Israel go or no. But though they had seen all those great Signs and Wonders with their bodily eyes yet by reason of their great perverseness and manifold Provocations it was not given * V. 4. God hath not given you a heart to perceive simul ostendit hic Moses sine adjutorio Dei eos intelligere obedire non posse tamen si illud adjutorium Dei desit non ideo esse excusabile hominis vitium suo enim demerito caret Augustin unto them to understand Gods meaning in them see Matth. 13.11 neither had those great Wonders and Deliverances made such Impressions upon them as they should have done nor inclin'd them to turn to God and yield sincere Obedience unto Him And so God punished the wickedness of their hearts with the blindness of their minds And the Lord by Moses further spake unto them saying I have led you forty years in the Wilderness your Clothes waxed not old upon your Backs nor your shoes upon your Feet see Deut. 8.4 Ye have not eaten common and ordinary bread for I have fed you with Manna †Doubtless ordinarily they had no other bread though at sometimes they might see Deut. 2.6 you have not drunk Wine or strong Drink for your drink has been as miraculous as your bread viz. water fetcht out of the Rock Numb 20.11 Psal 78.15 16. and these things I have done for you that you might know that I am the Lord your God and yet how little have you considered it Moses further tells them That they might remember how since they came hither they had conquered Sihon King of Heshbon and Og King of Bashan and how He had given their Land to the Reubenites Gadites and half the Tribe of Manasseh Therefore says he considering all these great Mercies God hath bestowed on you you ought to be very careful to observe the 〈◊〉 â—ditions and Articles of the Covenant which you are now to enter into and to confirm with an Oath that so it may go well with you and that you may prosper in all that you do Attend therefore all of you with all seriousness to this solemn business you are now about Behold you all stand this day before the Lord your God the Captains of your Tribes your Elders and Officers you your Wives and little Ones and the Strangers that are in your Camp even from the Hewer of Wood unto the Drawer of Water ye are all met together and stand here before the Lord your God to enter into Covenant with Him and to confirm it with an Oath whereby you bind your selves to perform it that so He may establish you for a people unto Himself and that He may be your God as He promised your Fathers Neither do I bind only you who are here present to the observance of this Covenant but your Posterity also who are not yet born And there is great reason you should now enter into this Covenant because having dwelt in the Land of Egypt at least many of you in your younger years and having gone thorow the Confines of some Idolatrous Nations in your Journey towards Canaan and seen their several Idolatries and Abominations there is some cause to fear lest some of you may be tainted with their evil Manners And therefore to prevent this it is fit that ye should all solemnly enter into Covenant with God lest there be found among you any Man Woman Family or Tribe whose hearts are inclined to serve the gods of these Nations and lest there be found among you any Root that beareth Wormwood that is any root of Idolatry or Rebellion against God which is as displeasing and distastful to Him as Gall and Wormwood is to us and which will prove to the Sinner and who ever is infected therewith bitterness in the latter end see Heb. 12.15 c. And he tells them If there shall be found any such evil-spirited and infectious persons among them who when they shall hear the words of this Curse yet shall bless themselves in their own hearts saying They shall have peace though they walk in the evil imaginations of their own hearts and so add drunkenness to thirst that is being wicked already do yet encourage themselves to be more wicked as Drunkenness increases thirst and so draws on another Drunkenness the Lord will not spare such persons but his anger and jealousie will smoke against them and all the Curses in this Book will light upon them and the Lord will blot out their names from under Heaven and will separate them out of all the Tribes of Israel unto punishment mischief and destruction answerably to the threatnings that are denounced against the Breakers of this Covenant and are written in this Book of the Law So that when your Children that shall be born hereafter and the Strangers that come from a far Country shall see the Plagues and Sicknesses that the Lord will bring upon the Inhabitants of the Land for these Transgressions and how the Land by Gods just Curse is so defaced and altered that it is become in a manner like Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim which Cities the Lord overthrew in his wrath and anger they and other Nations also that shall hear of it shall say Wherefore hath the Lord thus punished this Land what meaneth the heat of his great anger against it Then men shall answer It is because they have forsaken the Covenant of the God of their Fathers which He made with them when he brought them forth out of Egypt For they went and served other gods and worshipped them viz. gods of Gold and Silver Wood and Stone whom they knew to be no gods nor to have given them any thing nor could or would do them any good And they knew also that the Lord had forbidden them to worship Him by such Idols and Images and thereupon his anger was kindled against them and he was provoked to bring upon them all the Curses denounced in his Law against the Violators of his Covenant And hence it was that after those great Judgments He had sent upon them in their own Nation He was provoked to root them out of their own Land in wrath anger and indignation and to scatter them into other Nations as you see it is now come to pass But says he if you shall ask me When will these
raise up the Name of the dead upon his Inheritance that it may not be cut off from among his Brethren and from the Gate of his Place that is from among the Inhabitants of Bethlehem who daily go in and out at the Gates of the City and upon all civil Occasions resort thither as to their place of Judicature Hereupon the Elders and all the people there present declared that they were all Witnesses to these Transactions And so they wished Boaz all happiness with Ruth whom he intended to take for his Wife praying unto the Lord that she might be to him what Rachel * Here Rachel is named before Leah because she was Jacob's true and lawful wife Leah was fraudulently put upon him and Leah which two did build the House of Israel were to Jacob viz. that she might be very loving and comfortable to him and might bear him many Children as they did that thereby the Israel or Church of God might be increased Then speaking to Him they said As for thy self we heartily wish thou mayest do worthily in Ephratah and be famous in Bethlehem We heartily wish thy House may be like the House of Pharez †See Sect. 35. of Chap. 3. that is as Pharez of whose Stock thou art was blessed in his Posterity though his Mother was a Stranger and not of the Stock of Israel so that his Children and Childrens Children have been most honourable in the Tribe of Judah so we wish that thou maist be blessed in thy Children begotten of this poor Stranger and that they may still uphold the Honour of that House So Boaz took Ruth to wife and God gave her to conceive and she bare him a Son Upon this the Women congratulated Naomi saying Blessed be the Lord who hath not left thee this day without a Kinsman a pious Kinsman indeed who hath raised up Seed to his Kinsman thy Son deceased and let his Name be famous in Israel for it He will comfort and revive thee and restore thee as it were to a new life He will be a Nourisher of thy old age and make thee as it were young again For Ruth thy beloved Daughter-in-law who is better to thee than seven Sons hath now born him * Vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poterit verti peperit ei scil vindici Pronomen enim affixum saepe ponitur Et exponendum est per dativum separatum Capel a Son which must needs be matter of great joy to him Then Naomi took the Child and laid him in her Bosom and became a dry-Nurse to him And the Women her Neighbours said There is a Son born to Naomi because this Son of Ruth was to raise up the Name of her deceased Husband Mahlon the Son of Naomi and to be accounted his Son rather than the Son of Boaz. However they gave their advice that his Name should be called Obed importing that they hoped he would be very serviceable to his Mother and Grand-Mother Indeed every where in the Genealogies Obed is reckoned the Son of Boaz but that is because there it is fit the line should be drawn according to the natural Descents that we may truly know the Ancestors of whom Christ came without any respect to this legal Ordination This Obed was the Father of Jesse who was the Father of David The principal end of setting down this Genealogy †By the Genealogy of David set down in the end of this Book 't is manifest it was written after David's time unless that were added to the Book in succeeding times by some other Author here seems to be to shew the truth of Jacob's Prophesie concerning Christ's coming of the Tribe of Judah and therefore it begins with Pharez Juda's Son and so descendeth to David of whose Stock it was also known that the Messiah was to come Ruth Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT CXXXVI WE return now to the History of the Judges When Ebud was dead the Children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord. Vnder none of the Judges did they enjoy so long a peace as in the days of Ehud as we may see Ch. 3.30 viz. 80 years And now we shall shew how ill they requited the Lord for so great a Mercy As standing waters are wont to putrifie so they were corrupted by their long Peace and by degrees fell off from God unto Idolatry as they formerly had done Upon this God gave them up into the hands of Jabin King of Canaan that is of those Canaanites that dwelt in the Northern parts Successor to that Jabin slain by Joshua whose chief City Hazor he burnt Josh 11.1 10 11 12. yet this Son or Successor of his it seems re-inforcing himself recovered from the Israelites that part of Land and Territory that lay about Hazor and repairing the City reigned there as his Predecessors had done And now at last not contented with his own Kingdom he made War against the Israelites in general and brought them into Subjection to him and cruelly oppressed them in Revenge no doubt of what Joshua had formerly done against that Kingdom and City The Text says He mightily oppressed them vers 3. which Expression is no where used concerning any other Bondage the Children of Israel were under and he oppressed them a long while viz. twenty years Third Oppression under Jabin twenty years and this Oppression must needs be the more grievous to them because they were brought under the Canaanites that accursed Nation whom God promised to cast out before them and would have done it had not they by their grievous Sins prevented their own Mercies And observable it is that whereas their first Bondage under Cushan-rishathaim King of Mesopotamia continued but seven years the next under Eglon continued eighteen years and this under Jabin continued twenty years Thus we see when lighter Corrections did no good the next were sorer and of longer continuance and because they abused God's Mercy and readiness to withdraw his Hand when they cried unto him therefore he continued the next Judgments longer upon them But to go on The Captain of Jabin's Host was Sisera who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles in the lot of Naphtali whither many of the Canaanites in the timâ— of Israels prevailing fled as unto a place of Strength and there fortified themselves Jabin had a great Army and 900 Chariots of Iron and continuing to Oppress Israel very sorely they cried unto the Lord and humbled themselves Deborah the Third Judge and He was at length pleased to hear their Cry and send them a Deliverer It seems at this time * Namely whilst Jabin oppressed them so that those 20 years or within 〈◊〉 those 40 yâ—ars of Dâ—brorah vers 31. Populum judicabat sine Principatu tamen Jus populo dixit litesque composuit sed absque jurisdictione sive potestate judiciariâ Quia Prophetissa mulier prudens erat sponte populus ad eam controversias suas detulit Judices
eos in filios meos ut mei dicantur non tui licet a te geniti be named on them and the Names of my Fathers Abraham and Isaac that is let them be accounted and called Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's Children let them be esteemed among the Twelve Tribes of Israel as my own immediate Issue and let them grow into a Multitude (d) There were eighty five thousand two hundred men of War of these Two Tribes in Moses's time Numb 26.28.34.37 Thus Moses blesseth them Deut. 33.17 in the midst of the Earth Jacob having thus blessed these young Youths he addressed his Speech to Joseph saying In thee shall Israel bless that is when the Children of Israel shall bless their Children they shall look upon thee and thy Children as their Pattern and shall say to them God make thee as Ephraim and as (e) Hinc postea mos in Israele ut adducerentur putri ad viros conspicuos pietate ut iis benedicerent bene precarentur Hinc pueri illi ad Christum adducti Qui vero iis manus imponit benedicit dicit si filius est ponat te Deus sicut Ephraim sicut Manassen Si filia ponat te Deus sicut Saram Rebeccam Vide Ruth 4.11 Fagius Manasseh Then Israel said to Joseph Behold I die and am ready to go hence but God will be with you and will assuredly bring your Posterity into the Land promis'd to their Fathers and wherein they sometime dwelt And as a Sign and Token that I do firmly believe this I do give and bequeath to thee and therein do prefer thee above thy Brethren that piece of Land nigh unto Shechem which I bought of the Children of Hamor Shechem's Father see Sect. 30. and Gen. 33.19 which though it be little in it self yet was all I had by purchase in the Land of Canaan and therefore to thee I bequeath it as my Heir (f) And accordingly this portion of Land became afterwards the Inheritance of the Ephraimites Josh 16.1 20.7 And thither afterwards were Joseph s bones carried and buried Josh 24.1.25.32 This piece of Land was indeed seized upon among the rest by the Neighbouring Amorites * Hevaei cum Amoraeis ita permixti erant ut unam eandem gentem fecerint after the slaughter of the Shechemites and they would not by fair means restore it to me so that I was forced to recover it by the assistance of my Sons and Servants out of their hands by force of Arms. (g) This passage is not elsewhere mentioned in the Scripture Hoc clare dicitur licet alibi res gesta non narretur Menoch Therefore I do still account it as my own (h) Terram illam licet nunc abesset pro suâ habet ac ut suam dat Josepho Adeo certus est de terrae possessione divisione ut jam nunc assignet Mercer and do know assuredly that hereafter it shall become the Inheritance of the Off-spring of the Ephraimites Josh 16.10 Ch. 48. whole Chapter SECT XLVII JAcob now being hear his end commanded that his Sons should come all together to him that he might by the Spirit of Prophesie bless them and tell them what should be their future State and what should betide them in their succeeding Generations And first he speaks to Reuben He tells him he was his First-born and the beginning and first effort of his strength Deut. 21.17 Psal 105.36 and on that account in the ordinary course of Nature many honourable Priviledges belonged to him (i) Simpliciter sic accipiendum se in suo gradu stetisset Reuben privatus omnis excellentiae futurus esset penes eum Vatablus As headship of the Family and a double portion to maintain that Dignity and the Priesthood But it must now be otherwise with him by reason of his hainous Sin and detestable Incest in going up to his Fathers Bed and defiling Bilhah his Concubine Gen. 35.22 Now the Headship of the Family should be translated to Joseph who should have a double portion and his two Sons should be Heads of two Tribes The Priesthood should be conferred on Levi and the Kingdom principally on Judah and partly on Ephraim viz. the Kingdom of the ten Tribes He tells him His Lust had been like an impetuous stream of water that cannot easily be kept within its own bounds but violently breaks the banks that should restrain it and keep it in His Lust had broke through all restraints of duty and modesty and therefore he should not excel that is his Tribe should not excell either in number valour or any excellent Atchievements So that this wicked Fact done above forty years ago soon after the birth of Benjamin * Ch. 35.22 is here severely doomed and that to humble Reuben for his Sin and to teach his Brethren to take heed of all such high provoking Transgressions against God 2ly He comes to Simeon and Levi who he says are Brethren and that not only by Birth being Children of the same Father and Mother but in Manners Conditions and wicked Practices (k) Thus Moses impartially sets a brand of Infamy upon Levi his great Grandfather which shews that in writing this Story he was not guided by his own private spirit but the Spirit of God They were Instruments of great Cruelty in the Land of their Sojourning upon the Shechemites Gen. 34.13 25. where being Strangers they endangered the ruine of themselves and their Fathers House Then by a pathetical Apostrophe he shews his detestation of their outragious Fact and clears himself of all suspition of his favouring of it and prevents all Aspersions which otherwise after his death might possibly have been cast upon him for it O my Soul says he come not thou into their secret as if he should have said God forbid that ever my Soul should joyn in such a Villany They did it secretly without my knowledge and when they assembled together to contrive the execution of it I was not among them neither did my Soul or my Tongue (l) Q. d. Ex animo detestor hoc scelus nec ullum assensum lingua praebuit both which are mans glory ever give any consent or approbation to that barbarous Fact (m) The Author of the Apochryphal Book of Judith highly extols this Fact which shews that he wrote not by Inspiration of that Spirit of God that the Patriarch Jacob was acted by when he utter'd this Prophesie For in their wrath they slew Hamor and Shechem and the Citizens of their City and in their rage and wilfulness they digg'd (n) We read not of this before Ch. 34. yet it seems by this passage it was then done vers 6. They slew a man that is many men The Hebrews do frequently use an Enallage of a singular for a plural number Jun. Trem. Sic reddunt pro viâ suâ occiderunt viros pro arbitrio suo avulserunt vel diripuerunt
granted they acquaint him that it was their Fathers Command before he died that they should humbly beg his pardon and forgiveness of them and accordingly they did earnestly beg it at his hands and they hoped he would not deny it them seeing they were his Brethren and served the same God that He did namely the God of his Father and were truly penitent for their former hainous Transgression against Him Then falling down at his Feet they told him They were his Servants Joseph could not forbear weeping at this their behaviour towards him and pittying their Perplexity and being grieved that they should in the least doubt of his kindness towards them He told them It was true He was in great Power there yet he was under God (g) Masius sic reddit v. 19. Annon sub Deo sum under His All-seeing-Eye and bound to give an account of his actions unto Him who had forbiden him all Revenge and had wonderfully raised him up not only that he might do good to the Egyptians but especially to them that were his own Flesh and Blood And he had no cause to be offended at what they had For whatever their intent was God meant it for good both to him and them And therefore bad them be of good courage and not at all to fear any hurt from him For he would be so far from hurting them that he would nourish them and their Children And accordingly He did so for 54 years after his Fathers death All which time even unto his own death he continued his kindness to them and continued in his Authority and Government and saw his Son Ephraim's Children to the third Generation (h) To wit Shutelah and Tachon the Sons of his Son Ephraim and Haden the Son of Shutelah Numb 26.36 And Machir the Son of Manasseh and Gilead Manasseh's Grandchild From whence it is that the Greek Expositors speaking of the Families of Jacob and Joseph which were said to consist of 70 Souls Gen. 46.27 Deut. 10.22 have added thereunto these five that were born to Joseph in Egypt 1 Chron. 7.14 which reckoning Luke follows Acts 7.14 reckoning them in all 75 Persons and the Children of Machir the Son of Manasseh his other Son were also brought up upon his Knees that is he took pleasure in their Infancy to let them sit upon his Knees and to dandle them see Ch. 30.3 Joseph having now arrived at the age of an 110 and having Governed Egypt under several Kings 80 years and finding his death approaching he told his Brethren That God would surely visit them in mercy and would bring them out of that Land into Canaan which he had promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that He would give it them And therefore to testifie his Own and confirm their Faith concerning the Promises of Canaan which was a Type of Heaven he commanded that his body should be kept and carried into Canaan when God brought them out of Egypt and carried them thither see Heb. 11.20 He took also an Oath of them to perform it which Oath as 't is like was Recorded and transmitted to succeeding Generations that they in whose time that Deliverance should be brought to pass should perform it And accordingly his Body was embalmed and kept in a Chest until the time it might be carried into the Land of Canaan and was afterwards carried thither and buried at Shechem see Josh 24.32 Jacob's Purchase and Joseph's Inheritance And there also as 't is probable the Bodies of the other Patriarchs Jacob's Sons and Joseph's Brethren were buried see Acts 7.16 their Bodies being carried up into Canaan with His. Thus died Joseph in (i) Eusebius in his Chronicle hath this passage concerning Joseph Joseph says he was made Governour of Egypt in the 30th year of his age when his Father Jacob was 122 years old which Government he held 80 years After whose decease the Hebrews were held in Bondage by the Egyptians 144 years So that the whole time which the Hebrews spent in Egypt was 215 years reckoned from the time that Jacob and his Sons went down into Egypt the 2369th Year of the World 16 years before the Death of Levi 60 years before the Birth of Moses 140 years before the Israelites coming out of Egypt As may be gathered from Gen. 15.13 Exod. 12.41 Ch. 50. whole Chapter SECT XLIX WIth the Life of Joseph endeth the First Book of Moses's History called Genesis which containeth a space of Two thousand three hundred sixty nine years from the Creation of the World The next to it in order of time is the Book of Job as Learned Men conceive 'T is likely that Job lived when the Israelites were in Egypt and that he lived in the Land of Vz in Idumea or Arabia bordering upon it See Lam. 4.21 Where he had such bad Neighbours the Chaldeans on the one side and Sabeans on the other The Book of Job is undoubtedly a true History and accompanied fully with all the Circumstances requisite to a true History from first to last and attested so to be by the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 14.14 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Job were in it they should deliver but their own Souls by their Righteousness saith the LORD And by the Apostle James Ch. 5.11 Behold we count them happy which endure Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy This Book is written in the judgment of the Learned in Prose to vers 3. of Chap. 3. And in Verse from thence to Chap. 42. vers 6. and then it concludes in Prose The Penman of it seemeth to be Elihu one of the Speakers in it as may be gathered from Chap. 32. vers 15. They were amazed they answered no more they left off speaking Vers 16. When I had waited for they spake not but stood still and answered no more Vers 17. I said I will answer also my part I also will shew mine Opinion So that he seemeth here to speak of himself as the Writer of this History Job was the Son of Nahor Abraham's Brother descended from him by his Son Huz Gen. 22.21 Huz his First-born and Buz his Brother c. Three of his Friends most likely were of the Posterity of Abraham viz. Eliphaz and Zophar of the Posterity of Esau Gen. 36.10 These are the Names of Esau's Sons Eliphaz the Son Adah the wife of Esau Bildad of Abraham's Race by Keturah And Elihu the fourth of the Race of Nahor Abraham's Brother The Book consists of these general Parts 1. A Description of Job's Vprightness He was an upright man fearing God and eschewing evil Vers 3. Orientalium i. e. in genere neglecto Judaeae situ ad quam erat haec austrina Regio 2. Of his Prosperity 1. He had a numerous Issue seven Sons and three Daughters 2. For Estate He was the greatest man in the East having 7000 Sheep 3000
with Nadab and Abihu his two eldest Sons and the 70 Elders (l) They had when they were in Egypt certain Elders in every Tribe which were the principal men among them And it seems God appointed that these 70 should come up with Aaron and his Sons into the Mount And these were chosen now as Witnesses that they might by the sight of Gods presence be confirmed in the Covenant lately made with them and might confirm the rest therein And afterwards at Kibroth Hattavab 70 were chosen for helpers to Moses in his Government And 't is thought God appointed 70 rather than any other number as a Memorial of the 70 Souls that went down into Egypt and consequently of God's great blessing in bringing them within a few years to so great a multitude along with him They accordingly came up into the Mount that is a little way up and there as they were commanded worshipped at a distance and afar off from the top of the Mount And they saw some illustrious Signs of God's glorious presence (m) Not that the Lord shewed Himself in any humane shape Deut. 4.15 For never man saw God nor can see him 1 Tim. 6.16 Forma ipsius Dei nulla describitur sed basis in qua stabat Calvin and at the lower part of that brightness there was a clear shining blew pavement as it were of Saphir and like to the Skie when it is clear And though these Nobles and Elders saw the Glory of God in these extraordinary signs of his Presence yet it pleased the Lord that they received no hurt thereby but returning again unto the people did there feast together with them on their Peace-Offerings * Burnt-Offerings were wholely consumed but of the Peace-Offerings part was reserved that they did afterwards feast upon rejoycing in the goodness of God to them and the honour he had done them But Moses with his Servant and designed Successor Joshua (n) Joshua was not before mentioned vers 1. perhaps because he was Moses's Minister and constant attendant therefore it was not necessary he should be expressed by name abide there still having advanced to to the higher part of the Mount but yet not so high as the Cloud Moses before he ascended gave order to the Elders to tarry there below and to expect his and Joshua's return and that Aaron and Hur in his absence should determine the Affairs of the people Moses waited six days (o) Ut animum sex diebus ab omni cogitatione sorde terrenâ serenaret praepararet ad colloquium Dei Jans more on the top of the Mountain which the Cloud now covered and the signs of God's glorious Presence appeared upon it that his mind in that time might be prepared for Converse with the great God and on the Seventh day God called him up into the Cloud and the sight of the Glory of the Lord on the top of the Mount was like devouring Fire in the eyes of the Children of Israel And there God spake with Him and he continued there forty days (p) The like number of days Elias fasted 1 Kings 19.8 and our Saviour when he was to enter upon the Ministry of the Gospel Matth. 4.2 God could have dispatched Moses sooner but this stay was to give the greater Authority to his Law Some think that the six days that Moses waited are to be reckon'd into the 40. Sic Usserius alii and forty nights without eating or drinking any thing Deut. 9.9 And so his Condition was a shadow of the life of the glorified Saints in Heaven During which time he was employed in beholding the Glory of God's Presence and in receiving Instructions from him about all things that concerned his people and in viewing the Pattern of the Tabernacle and all things belonging thereunto which was shewn him in the Mount Joshua as it seems stayed all this while upon the Mount though below the Cloud waiting for Moses and sustaining himself as 't is probable with the Manna that fell from Heaven and the water of the Brook mentioned Deut. 9.21 that descended out of the Mount For there Moses found him when he came down from God neither did he know what the Israelites had done in the Camp as appears from Exod. 32.17 Exod. 24. vers 1 2. and from 9. to the end SECT XXI MOses during this His long abode in the Mount received from the Lord those Commands and Instructions mentioned in 25 26 27 27 28 29 30 and 31 Chapters of Exodus The Particulars whereof are these following First Touching the framing of a Tabernacle that is a moveable and portable Temple after the model and pattern that was shewed him in the Mount for the solemn Worship and Service of God in which He would dwell among them and manifest his gracious Presence and there He would meet with them and declare His Mind unto them vers 22. In order to which 1st He Commands that the people should make a voluntary and free-will-Offering unto Him of Gold Silver Brass and of Blue Purple Scarlet fine Linnen Goats Hair Rams Skins dyed red and Badgers Skins also of Shittim wood (q) Isa 41.19 'T is called the Shittah-Tree It being a precious wood the Israelites might bring it with them out of Egypt as appears from Exod. 35.24 Some think they had it from Abel-Shittim Numb 33.49 Shittim wood was very durable very portable and light of Carriage and very precious used in most of the utensils of the Tabernacle and Oil for the Lights and Spices for the anointing Oil and for sweet Incense also of Onyx Stones and other precious Stones to be set in the Ephod and Breast-plate of the High-Preist Ch. 25. from 1. to the 10. 2ly He gives Directions concerning framing the Ark (r) The Ark was a sign of Gods Presence among them as He was their Lord and Law-giver ordaining and requiring Obedience to these his Commandments and threatning death to the Transgressors The Ark is the first and chiefest of all the Holy things and for it principally was the Tabernacle made Exod. 26.33 40.18 21. and it sanctified the Tent or House wherein it rested as Solomon said The Places are holy where into the Ark of the Lord hath come 2 Chron. 8.11 Imitati hoc Gentiles Deorum mysteria in capsulis portantes Et levis occultis conscia cista Sacris Tibul. or Sacred Chest wherein only the Testimony (s) Exod. 31.18 38.21 called the Tables of the Covenant Deut. 9.9 And so the Ark called the Ark of the Covenant Numb 10.33 and the Book of the Law is called the Testimony 2 Kings 11.12 and so the Gospel the Testimony of God 1 Cor. 2.1 that is the Ten Commandments written upon Tables of Stone which were a Testimony of the Covenant between God and them and testified what God required of them was to be kept This was to be made of Shittim wood two Cubits * A Cubit among the Hebrews is
ei authoritatem coram populo Conciliet and I will be with thee Moses now commands the Priests the Sons of Levi to put this Book of the Law which he had written in some safe Repository or Chest on the outside of the Ark where was the Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod see Heb. 9.4 Indeed in the Ark it self were only the two Tables 1 Kings 8.9 but on the outside of it and by it was this Volume of the Law to be kept This Book was many years after found in the Treasury of the Temple in Josiah's Reign 2 Kings 22.8 2 Chron. 34.14 and therefore it seems it had been removed from the Ark and kept elsewhere wherein seeing they transgressed the directions that God here gave to the Priests no marvel if this precious Treasure was for some years lost and not looked after Moses having commanded them to place this Book on the outside of the Ark He said to them O Israel if thou art disobedient this Book shall be a witness against thee wherein thou art sufficiently warned to the contrary and shewed the Judgments that will thereupon insue But alas I know thy rebellious Disposition and thy stiff Neck Ye have been rebellious against the Lord while I was with you how much more will ye be so when I am dead Gather therefore unto me all the Elders of your Tribes and your Officers that I may speak unto them and call Heaven and Earth to witness against them For I know that after my death you will corrupt your selves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you and evil will befal you in the latter days because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and thereby provoke Him to anger The Elders and Officers of the people being met Moses spake in the ears of all the Congregation of Israel the words of this following Song Ch. XXXII Give Ear O ye Heavens * See Isa 1.2 and I will speak and hear O Earth the words of my mouth He beginneth this Prophetical Song with a Rhetorical Scheme calling the Heavens and Earth and all the Creatures in them to be witnesses of his word the more to affect the hearts of the people to reprove their hardness and to excite their attention I wish says He my Doctrine which I have received from God might so fall upon your hearts as the sweet and gentle Showers and fruitful Dew falleth upon the Herbs and Flowers and Grass of the Earth and causeth them to spring forth and flourish Isa 55.10 Hear therefore for I will now publish unto you the Name of the Lord that is his glorious Excellencies viz. his infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness and therefore see that ye ascribe Greatness and Majesty to Him and that ye magnifie Him as ye ought to do saying Thine O Jehovah is the Greatness and the Power and the Glory 1 Chron. 29.11 and that ye attend to what is spoken with all humility and lay it to heart and yield Obedience thereunto Know ye therefore that God is the Rock * In times of danger men use to fly to Rocks to shelter themselves 1 Sam. 13.6 He is an All-sufficient stable and sure Refuge for all those that fly to Him neither is there any sure Shelter any where else but in Him His Work is perfect for all his ways are Judgment All his Works are perfect (z) Even in those works of God that seem to have some imperfection in them as Children that are born blind or lame c. yet as they are acts of Providence there is a perfection of Wisdom Holiness and Justice in them and there is nothing at all in them for which God can justly be blamed and without any blemish there is no defect or fault to be found in any of them All his ways are Judgment his dealings with his people have been always right and just He is a God of truth and without Iniquity just and right is He. But as for this people they have corrupted themselves by their Idolatry their spot is not the spot of his Children for it proceedeth not of weakness and infirmity to which all are subject but of wilfulness and perverseness and an impenitent heart They are a perverse and crooked Generation for both their hearts and ways are evil and turned aside from the right Rule of Gods Law Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Is not God thy Father that made thee Is not He thy Father that hath bought thee that is ransomed and brought thee forth out of Egypt with a mighty Hand and the power of Miracles Hath not He made thee his people and established thee by Covenant to continue so if thou art not wanting to thy self and thy duty Remember the days of old and consider the years of many Generations ask thy Father and he will shew thee thy Elders and they will tell thee how God when by his Providence He disposed the several Nations that came out of the Loins of Adam into several parts of the Earth allotting to one Nation one Country and another to another did then set the bounds of the people according to the number of the Children of Israel that is did then chuse the Children of Israel to be his peculiar people and Inheritance and where they were there it might be said was his people and where their bounds ended there was the end and utmost bound of his people and the bounds of the Heathen then began and according to his secret purpose he gave and allotted to the Canaanites such bounds and limits as he knew would serve for the number of the Israelites For the Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his Inheritance that is the Israelites are that portion of Mankind whom he was pleased to make his peculiar people they are his Inheritance and therefore dear to Him as Inheritances use to be to men which are divided to them by lot and they were to acknowledge no other Lord over them but Himself and they and their Children after them were to be His successively He found them in a desart Land in a wast howling Wilderness inhabited only by wild howling Beasts of Prey He found them there in desperate danger but came in seasonably to their succour when they were ready to perish He led them about he instructed them both by his Word and Works by his Spirit and the several Dispensations of his Providence He kept them as the apple of his eye with tender care and love As an Eagle stirreth up her nest that is awaketh her brood or young ones in her nest rousing them up with the Cry that she maketh to signifie to them that she intends to teach them to fly and spreading abroad her wings taketh them up and beareth them thereon so did the Lord carry Israel towards Canaan leading them Himself thither and there was no strange god with him that is no strange God had any hand in
should fall to them South-West in reference to Dan's Inheritance which was in the North. And their Inheritance reaching to the Sea of Tiberias this might also imply that besides the other rich Commodities of the Land they should enjoy the advantage of Merchandizing also Lastly He comes to Asher saying Let Asher be blessed with Children that is with many and good Children who for their amiable disposition should be exceedingly beloved of all about them and let him dip his foot in Oil that is let his Country exceedingly abound with Oil * Ita abundabit oleo ut eo pedem lavare possit Vide Gen. 49.20 Job 29.6 Jansen and other good things And under his shoes shall be Iron and Brass that is his portion should be full of Mines of Iron and Brass and other metals and as his days so should his strength be that is all his days his strength should continue Moses having thus blessed the several Tribes particularly He now in the close of his Speech sets forth the happiness of all the people and all the Tribes in general and that for the special Interest they have in God who hath all the Creatures at his Command for their help There is none says he like unto the God of Jeshurun who rideth upon the Heavens for thy help and in his Excellency on the Sky intimating that as a man turns and winds his Horse which way he pleaseth so doth the Lord rule the Heavens and all the Host of them making them serviceable to the good of his people For from thence he sendeth help unto them against their Enemies smiting and destroying them with terrible Tempests with Hail Lightning and Thunder see Psal 18. from vers 7. to 20. The eternal God is thy Refuge and underneath thee are the everlasting Arms of his Omnipotency to support thee and he shall thrust out the Enemy from before thee and shall give thee Commission and Power to destroy them Israel shall dwell alone in safety that is shall cast out the Cannanites and have the Land to themselves not living now as formerly in Egypt only as Sojourners and mixt with other Nations but they shall live as a Nation and people of themselves and in a Land of their own under their own Laws and Government and shall dwell in safety not fearing other people The fountain * Fountain is here used for a River or Stream issuing out of a Fountain Psal 104.10 Waters often signifie people Rev. 17.15 see Psal 68.26 of Jacob that is the people which flowed out of Jacob as out of a Well or Fountain viz. the Posterity of Jacob shall dwell upon a Land of Corn and Wine and the Heavens that are spread over their Land shall drop down dew and make it exceeding fruitful He concludes all with this Acclamation Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord who is the Shield of thy help and not only a Shield or Buckler to defend thee but the Sword of thy Excellency to fight for thee against thy Enemies 'T is He that maketh thee famous and renowned above others for Marshal Exploits and thine Enemies who prophesied of their Victories over thee and how they should overcome thee by the help of their Idol-gods shall be found Liars unto thee for thou shalt tread upon their High Places that is triumphantly prevail over their fenced Cities whose Walls and Towers are raised very high SECT XCIII MOses now having spoken all that he intended to speak to the Children of Israel Ch. XXXIV and having pronounced his last blessing upon them This last Chapter of of Deuteronomy was written after Moses's death but whither by Joshua or Eleazar or what other holy man is uncertain So the conclusion of the Book of Jeremy was written after his death see Jer. 51.64 and as 't is like taken his solemn leave of them went up from the Plains of Moab to Mount Nebo the highest top whereof called Pisgah lay over against Jericho Joshua and Eleazar as some * Mos◠morituro adfuisse Joshuam Eleazaram traedit Josephus Antiq. lib. 4. Cumque post mutuos Complexus Eleazaro Joshuae ultimum vale diceret interloquendum repentina nube circundatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex oculis illorum in quandam vallem est ablatus think accompanying him And as a weary Labourer at night goes to his Chamber to take his rest so this holy man after all his great and wearisome Labours in the Governing this people at the Commandment of God went up to Mount Nebo there to die and so to rest from his Labours But before he died the Lord was pleased to give him a sight of the promised Land And first He shewed him all the Land of Gilead unto Dan. Gilead was on the outside of Jordan Dan †Formerly call'd Leshem Josh 19.47 or Laish Judg. 18.27 was a City in the furthest part of the Land within Jordan Northward Then He shewed him the portion of Naphtali which was near unto it Then the Land of Ephraim and Manasseh which was in the midst of Canaan Then the Land of Judah which was the Southern part of the Country and then the Plain and Valley of Jericho which was on the East-Coast and the Midland-Sea called the Outmost-Sea which was the Western-Coast This view therefore that Moses had of the whole Land was by the miraculous power of God strengthening his sight so wonderfully for by the ordinary power of Nature it was not possible that from one place he should have beheld so large a Country therefore vers 4. 't is said God caused him to see it with his eyes and told him This was the Land which he sware to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give it unto their Seed Moses having had a full prospect of this earthly Canaan there died and his Soul went to the heavenly being an 120 years old his eyes not being dim nor his radical moisture abated Of this time he had spent near a full third part in his Government of this people departing this life in the last month of the Year called Adar and the seventh day * For Aaron dying in the 40th year 5th month first day of it Numb 33.38 and that compar'd with the months mourning for Moses Deut. 34.8 and three days preparation to pass over Jordan Ch. 3.2 and their coming out of Jordan on the first month tenth day Josh 4.19 do shew that Moses died in the twelfth month and seventh day of it and so seven months and seven days after Aaron of it Moses's Soul being gone to Heaven Jehovah or Michael the Son of God Jude v. 9. translated his body out of the place where he died into a Valley of the Land of Moab †That Land was so called because it did formerly belong to the Moabites and was lately taken from them by Sihon King of the Amorites as we shewed on Numb 21.26 and was now possessed by the
Israelites over against Beth-Peor and there buried it Neither doth any man know the place where he laid it to this day And this the Lord seems to have done that the Israelites might not in a preposterous Zeal give superstitious honour either to his dead body or Sepulchre Indeed 't is said Jude v. 9. That Michael the Arch-Angel contended with the Devil and disputed about the body of Moses whereby it appears that the Devil would have had the place of his burial made known that it might have been the occasion of Idolatry as Chrysostome in his First Homily on Matthew and Theodoret upon Deut. quest 43. with others do conjecture but the Lord prevented the Devils design herein And possibly God foresaw that if the Israelites had known the place where the body of Moses was buried they would in an unwarrantable way have taken it up and carried it with them into the Land of Canaan as they did Joseph's bones whereas God had declared He should not come thither Moses being dead the Israelites mourned for him 30 days * So long they mourned for Aaron Numb 20.28 And there was great reason for it for there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face that is spake to in a wondrous familiar manner with an audible articulate Voice as one friend speaketh to another and discovered to him more of his Glory than ever he did to the eye of mortal man see Exod. 33.20 There was none like unto him if we consider the great Miracles which the Lord inabled him to do in the Land of Egypt before Pharaoh and his Servants and the wonderful Works of mighty Power which he since performed in the Wilderness in the sight of all Israel whereby the Lord magnified his own Majesty and Power and put a great honour on his Servant Moses and his Ministry But though this great Moses was gone yet God left not his people without a Governour for He had before-hand appointed Joshua to succeed him who was a man endued with a great measure of wisdom which the Holy Ghost had given him for the right execution of his Office For Moses had laid his hands on him according to Gods Command Numb 27.18 by that Ceremony consecrating him unto God and engaging him faithfully to administer the Charge and Office He was appointed unto And the Children of Israel hearkned unto him and obeyed him as the Lord commanded Moses to injoyn them SECT XCIV WE are now come to the Book of Joshua The Book of Ioshua which was not probably written by himself (a) If we should suppose this Book for the main to be written by Joshua yet some passages might be inserted afterwards by some other holy Penman So in the Books of Moses we find some passages which could not be written by Moses himself but were afterwards added by some other holy men as Deut. 34.5 Qui hanc historiam ex Sacris Annalibus conscripsit usus est sui seculi nominibus Masius at least not all of it though it contains his Acts and Atchievements Indeed Joshua either wrote himself or ordered some of the Priests to write the words of the Covenant which he caused the people to enter into with all the Circumstances of it Ch. 24.26 in the Book of the Law of God which was written by Moses and put in the side of the Ark that so it might be a Witness against them if they transgressed it But there are some things contained in this Book which are thought to be done after Joshua's death as the conquering of Leshem or Laish by the Danites Ch. 19.47 Judg. 18.7 to 29. and Ch. 24. from 29. to 32. his death and burial are mentioned Some other things seem to argue that it was written by some Prophet * A Propheta aliquo collectus videtur hic liber ex antiquis diariis annalibus Masius long after his death as that phrase (b) See Ch. 4. 6. 6.29 7.26 8.29 9.27 10.27 13.13 14.14 15.63 remains unto this day so frequently used doth intimate And the Book of Jasher (c) See Sect. 102. is here named Ch. 10.13 which seems written at soonest in David's time as recording an Act of his 2 Sam. 1.18 unless we should suppose which is not improbable that this Book of Jasher was begun in Moses's time and continued on and inlarged afterwards by adding several memorable Acts and Passages unto it Joshua was of the Tribe of Ephraim Numb 13.8 He was six full years in Conquering the Land and in the seventh divided it by lot among the nine Tribes and an half And divers years he lived and governed after that time but how many is uncertain yet it is supposed to be about ten years And so this Book contains an History of seventeen years from the beginning of Joshua's Government to his death which happened when he was an hundred and ten years old Ch. 24.29 And so much by way of Preface We now come to the History it self After the death of Moses the Lord spake to Joshua Moses's Minister who had for many years daily and continual conversation with him and so could not but have learned much thereby to fit him for this great Service But whither the Lord spake to him by audible Voice or the secret instinct of his Spirit or in some Dream or by the High Priests inquiring for him by Vrim and Thummim we cannot determine But however it was he spake to him and commanded him to arise and lead His people over into the Land of Canaan which he had before promised them and intended now actually to give them He tells him That every place in the Land which the sole of their foot should tread upon from the Wilderness of Zin which was the South-bound to Lebanon which was the North-bound and the great Sea or Midland-Sea which was the Western-bound and the River Euphrates (d) That the Israelites did never extend their bounds thus far is evident For though in the days of David and Solomon all the Nations as far as Euphrates became Tributary to them 1 Kings 4.21 yet they never destroyed the Inhabitants there and planted themselves in their Country as they did in the Land of Canaan And the reason of this was because the Israelites failed of keeping Covenant with God and it was only upon condition of their Obedience that God promised thus to inlarge their borders which was the Eastern-bound even all the Land of the Hittites which seem here mention'd by a Synecdoche for all the seven Nations should be their Coast The Lord tells him That not a man should be able to stand before him all the days of his life but as He was with Moses so He would be with him and would never leave him nor forsake him He bids him therefore be strong and of a good courage for he should divide the Land of Canaan to the people of
let on God's part but they might enter into their Inheritances and those persons whom he had appointed to divide their Inheritances to them by lot were ready to do their duty therein He therefore requires them to choose out from among them three men of every Tribe that the matter might be carried on impartially and he would send them to go through the Land and to take a Survey not only of the parts of the Country already subdued but of those that remained yet in the Enemies hands that they might describe the largeness of every Region and Province and set down how many Cities and Villages were in each of them That so having as it were a Map of the Land that remained to be divided before them they might justly divide it into seven parts and so give proportionable Shares and Inheritances to every Tribe according as they were in number fewer or more He tells them That the Tribe of Judah and the Sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh should continue seated the one in the South the other in the North according as their lots fell to them at Gilgal but yet he seems to intimate that if their Shares were found to be too large then some other Tribes might have a share with them as it afterwards happened for the Tribe of Simeon had their portion assigned to them out of that which was at first the lot of Judah Ch. 19.9 When these Surveyors had gone through the Land and divided it into seven parts for the Levites were to have no part among them the Priesthood of the Lord being their Inheritance and the other Tribes had had their lots before then He orders that the Description of it should be brought to him and he would cast lots for them before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle The men thus appointed went out accordingly being secure and confident of Gods Protection and dividing themselves as 't is probable and going under pretence possibly of Negotiation or Traffick they spent seven months in this Survey as Josephus tells us Antiq. lib. 5. and so made a Description of it in a Volume or Map with all the Cities and Towns belonging to each Province and divided it into seven parts and so presented it to Joshua and the Elders at Shiloh Then Joshua cast lots for them according to the divisions of their Tribes And the first lot came up for the Children of Benjamin whose lot fell between the Children of Judah and Joseph and the bounds of their lot with the Cities belonging thereunto are described Ch. 18. from vers 11. to the end Thus Benjamin had the honour to have the first lot among the seven Tribes and was by providence seated the very next to his Brethren Ephraim and Manasseh and had also part of the Royal City of Jerusalem within his Borders whereby was fulfilled what Moses prophesied of this Tribe Deut. 33.12 And of Benjamin he said the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell between his Shoulders The next lot came forth for Simeon and their Inheritance was within the lot of the Tribe of Judah It seems they that were sent to search the Land not yet divided that they might part it into seven lots for the seven Tribes remaining found that the portion which Joshua and Eleazar and the other Commissioners for dividing the Land had formerly assigned to Judah was too large considering what was left for the other Tribes and therefore they agreed unanimously that a whole portion for one of the Tribes which had not yet their Inheritance assigned to them should be taken out of that which was formerly given to Judah and some Cities also they took from Judah to be as part of another lot see Josh 19 40 41. And thus by the Providence of God there being one Tribe to be provided for within the portion of the Children of Judah the lot fell upon this Tribe of Simeon that was fewest in number of all the Tribes see Numb 26.14 And by this Tribes being intermingled with Judah and not having a portion by themselves apart that Prophesie of Jacob was fulfilled Gen. 49. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel The bounds of this Tribes portion are not described only the chief Cities and Towns are named that were in their lot and that because their Inheritance was within that of Judah The third lot came up for the Children of Zebulun Their Borders are described Ch. 19. from vers 10. to 17. The fourth lot came out to Issachar Their Borders are described from vers 17 to 24. The fifth lot for the Tribe of Asher Their Borders are described from vers 24. to 32. The sixth lot came out for the Children of Naphtali Their Borders are described from vers 32. to vers 40. The seventh lot came out for the Children of Dan. Hence it appears that this Book was not written by Joshua except we shall say that some particulars in it were afâ—erwards inserted by some other holy men Their Borders are described from vers 40. to 47. Their lot fell to them in the Southern parts close by Judah's portion and they being not able to drive out the Philistines out of their Land in after-times viz. after Joshua's death they were streightned and so went out and took Laish a City in the North parts * Judg. 20.1 in Naphtali's lot see Judg. 18. though then in the Zidonians possession and transplanted a Colony thither calling it Dan from Dan their Ancestor Son of Jacob. Ch. 18. from 2. to the end Ch. 19. from 1. to 49. SECT CXVI WHen they had made an end of dividing the Land among all the Tribes and the distribution thereof was fully finished then the Children of Israel gave Joshua an Inheritance in Timnah-serah in Mount Ephraim And herein was the modesty of this great General remarkable that he was content to stay till all the other Tribes had their portion ere he made any motion for that which by special Prerogative was to be conferred on him according to the Word of the Lord spoken to Moses not only concerning Caleb but also Joshua Ch. 14.9 2ly He was content to receive what the Lord had promised him as by way of Gift from the people 3ly Whereas he might have chosen the fairest and goodliest City in all their Tribes He chose his Seat in a mountainous Country and it seems a City that was ruinated so that he was fain to build it ere he could dwell in it Josh Ch. 19. from vers 49. to the end SECT CXVII THe Levites now come to Joshua and Eleazar and the rest of the Commissioners for dividing the Land to receive from them the Cities which God appointed to be set apart for their dwellings And they accordingly set apart forty eight Cities for them as God had commanded Numb 35.7 The Commissioners 't is like chose these Cities out of each
that they should forsake the Lord to follow them though it were left to their own choice He intimates to them that except they chose the Lord for their God and served Him out of judgment and their own choice V. 15. Eligite Tenta vita dictum ut Ruth 1.15 Joh. 6.67 and willingly and freely without any constraint God would not regard their outward compliance Well says he whatever you shall determine for your selves and your own practise I do declare to you That this is my firm Resolution That as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The Elders of the people hearing these things said God forbid that ever we should forsake the Lord that brought us and our Fathers out of Egypt and has done such great things in our sight and has hitherto preserved us and driven out the Amorites and Canaanites for us God forbid that ever we should be so wicked as to forsake Him and serve Idols No the Lord is our God and Him we are resolved to serve Joshua advises them them to consider well what they said He tells them They cannot serve the Lord if they retained Idols in their Houses or in their Hearts and mingled false Worship with the true For God says he is an holy and jealous God and will no more admit of mixture of true and false Worship than a jealous Husband will of a Corrival in his love or that his Wife should divide her self between him and a stranger I tell you plainly God will not forgive your Transgressions nor your Sins if you continue in them and if you turn from Him and serve other gods He will turn from doing you good and will severely punish and chastise you The people answered Nay but we are firmly resolved to serve the Lord and Him only Then Joshua said You are â—itnesses against your selves this day if you do otherwise For ye have freely chosen the Lord to be your God and have faithfully promised to serve Him They said We do acknowledge it and if we do otherwise we are Witnesses against our selves and our own Consciences will convince and condemn us Well says he if ye be willing to renew your Covenant with God this day then let me in the first place strictly charge you if there be any Idols secretly kept and worshipped among you that they be put away presently and let them have no place in yours hearts and affections but incline your hearts faithfully to serve the Lord God of Israel The people answered The Lord God will we serve and his Voice alone will we obey Then Joshua as God's Servant and Minister caused the people to renew their Covenant with God and probably it was done in a very solemn manner being accompanied with Sacrifices and the usual Rites of that sacred Service and He established and confirmed it as a standing and perpetual Law for them and their Posterity that they should constantly continue in the Service of the Lord God alone as became his peculiar people and utterly renounce all Idols and all Idolatry whatsoever And Joshua either wrote himself or caused some of the Priests to write in the Book of the Law which was written by Moses and put on the side of the Ark these Promises of the people and the whole carriage of this business and how solemnly they renewed their Covenant with God that the people knowing there was such a Record kept of this matter and the circumstances thereof in God's Tabernacle might be the more careful to keep their Covenant Then Joshua took a great stone and set it up there under an Oak that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord as a Memorial of this Covenant now thus solemnly renewed between God and this people Some think this was the very Oak under which Jacob had many years since buried all the Idolatrous trash which he found among those of his Family Gen. 35.4 and that Joshua did purposely for that cause set up this Stone under that Oak * Hic Abrahamo Deuâ— apparuisse creditur Gen. 12.6 7. In future times this place where this Stone was set up was from hence called the Oak of the Pillar Judg. 9.6 And Joshua said This stone shall be a witness unto you for it hath heard (t) Hyperbolica Contestatio vide Deut. 4.26 all the words of the Lord that is of the Covenant between the Lord and you and it shall serve as a Witness to convince you of your Sin if you do not keep your Covenant seeing all men in future Ages will take notice that it was purposely erected to be a Monument and Memorial thereof and this stone when you see it shall represent to your Minds and Consciences the Covenant which ye have now made as if it could both hear and speak so that if in after-times you deny your God and fall into Idolatry this very stone will witness against you See a like expression to this Jer. 2.12 These things being done they now solemnly interred the bones of Joseph which they had brought with them out of Egypt (u) See Sect. 48. of Chap. 3. in that parcel of ground here at Shechem that Jacob * Whereas 't is said Acts 7.15 16. that the Fathers were laid in the Sepulchre that Abraham bought c. the meaning is which one of the Posterity of Abraham viz. Jacob bought of the Sons of Hamor See Apost Hist on the place bought of the Sons of Hamor see Gen. 33.19 and which He upon his death-bed gave to Joseph as a special Legacy Gen. 48.22 and was now within the lot of the Sons of Joseph And it seems from Acts 7.15 16. That the bodies of all the rest of the Patriarchs the Sons of Jacob were brought up also out of Egypt and here likewise buried When these things were done Joshua dismist the people to their own Inheritances Shortly after this the great Joshua dies aged an 110 about ten years as is conceived after the Conquest of the Land He had approved himself a faithful Servant of God all his days living in his Fear and dying in his Favour and was buried in his own Inheritance in Timnath-serah (x) Timnath-serah vox imaginem solis denotat quae Joshua Sepulchro erat imposita ob celebris illius solstitii Memoriam Josh 10.13 in Mount Ephraim Some say the Israelites placed upon his Monument the Figure of the Sun as a Memorial of the great Miracles of the Suns standing still at his prayer And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua * Non autem multo diuitius ut patet ex Jud. 2.8 9 10. Hinc patet quantum sit in unius hominis probitate positum qui in republica dominatur Masius and of the Elders that out-lived Joshua who had known all the Works of the Lord which he had done for them Not long after Eleazar the High Priest died also and they buried him in an Hill in Mount Ephraim which by special and extraordinary Gift
people that were therein and killed them and Samson himself with them So the dead which he slew at his death were more than those he slew in his life His Bretheren and all the house of his Father hearing of his death came down and took his dead body and brought it up and buried it in his Fathers burying place between Zorak and Eshtaol the Philistines by the over-ruling Providence of God not opposing it whose pride and power by this fatal blow given to their Princes and so many of their people was much abated and pulled down so that they thought this was no fit time to provoke the Israelites by denying them such a thing Judg. Ch. 16. whole Chapter SECT CLI First Book of Samuel WE are now come to the first Book of Samuel which contains an History of eighty years forty in the time of Eli in the four first Chapters and forty in the times of Samuel and Saul in the rest of the Book so that the History of these three persons together with some part of the History of David is the chief matter of this Book The two Books of Samuel are thought to be written by Samuel Nathan and Gad one after another 1 Chron. 29.29 yet some passages in these Books may seem to intimate that they were written in latter times as 1 Sam. 5.5 and Ch. 30.25 2 Sam. 6.8 These two Books of Samuel are stiled by the Septuagint and several others the first and second Book of the Kings the first containing all the History of King Saul and part of the History of King David both whom Samuel anointed by Gods appointment and the second the History of King Ishbosheth shortly and of King David at large After Samsons death Eli the High-Priest in whom the High-Priesthood was translated from the stock of Eleazar the Eldest Eli 13 Judg. to the posterity of Ithamar the younger Son of Aaron executed the Office of a Judg in Civil causes and judged Israel forty years He was extraordinarily both High-Priest (a) How he came to be High-Priest we cannot say that Eli was of the posterity of Ithamar Aaron's second Son appears from hence Abiathar who was deposed from being High-Priest by Solomon was of the posterity of Eli 1 King 2.27 and of Abimelech who was the Son of Abiathar it is expresly said 1 Chron. 24.3 that he was of the Sons of Ithamar How the High-Priesthood came to be transferred from the posterity of Eleazar to Eli who was of the house of Ithamar cannot be cleared by any place of Scripture we may conjecture that it so fell out because the High-Priests of Eleazars family had some way or other highly provoked God by their evil courses in the days of the former Judges This was the Series of the High-Priests as appears 1 Chron. 6.4 Aaron Eleazar Phineas Abishua Bukki Uzzi from Uzzi the High-Priesthood was translated to Eli to whom succeeded Achitob to him Achias to him Ahimelech to him Abiathar who was deposed from the Priesthood by Solomon 1 King 2.27 that he might perform the word of the Lord that he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh 1 Sam. 2.31.35 and Judg a good and famous man though faulty in being too indulgent to his Children as we shall see afterwards In his time and under his Government Samuel was born whose History we come now to describe His Father was Elkanah a Levite of the family of the Kohathites of the posterity of of Korah 1 Chron. 6.22 23. who dwelt in Ramathaim-Zophim in Mount Ephraim He had two wives probably Hannah was his first wife and she being barren he afterwards took Peninnah who was fruitful Though the Lord allowed not Polygamy yet he was pleased to tolerate it for a time and possibly the Jews did conceive that Gods promise to Abraham of multiplying his seed as the stars of the heaven did imply a dispensation for them to have more wives than one The Tabernacle was now at Shiloh and there had continued since the seventh year of Joshua Ch. 18.1 thither went Elkanah yearly that is at those three solemn Feasts wherein all the males were bound to appear before the Lord Deut. 16.16 He might possibly go at other times as a Levite to do service in his course but he failed not to go up at those great Solemnities and it seems several of his family used to go up with him yea the women also such was their devotion though not bound thereunto by the Law At those great Feasts he gave to Peninnah and all her Sons and Daughters portions of the Peace-offerings which he offered to the Lord according to the ancient manner of Feasts of which see Gen. 43.34 but unto Hannah who was his best beloved he gave a larger and better portion and possibly of the choicest and best of the Sacrifices Peninnah was angry at this and thereupon quarrelled with and provoked Hannah and upbraided her for her barrenness as an effect of the Lords displeasure against her and as Elkanah did thus continually express his great love to Hannah when he went yearly with his family to the House of God so Peninnah persisted from time to time to vex her with her provocations and possibly upbraided her with her fruitless seeking to God so earnestly at those times for a child this greatly troubled Hannah in so much that she mourned and wept and did not care to eat as others did especially not with any joy and chearfulness as they were bound to do at those solemn Feasts Elkanah perceiving it asked her why she so grieved and wept and so mourned in a time when she ought to have rejoiced 'T is true says he the Lord hath not afforded thee Children but am not I who love thee so dearly better to thee than ten Sons (b) In concorde matrimonio plus boni est quam in ipsa faecunditate Gr. But when Elkanah and his family had eaten and drunk together with whom Hannah sate she being in bitterness of soul went out and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore and she said O Lord of Hosts if thou wilt please to look on the affliction of thy hand-maid and wilt give unto me a man-child I will give him unto thee all the days of his life (c) As to the power of her Vow we must understand that she only vowed to do what in her lay that it might be thus if the Child had no defect either in body or mind and was willing when he came to the years of discretion to take upon him the Vow and provided that her Husband consented thereunto without which the Womans Vow was of no force Numb 30.8 Indeed it is evident in the sequel of Samuels story that he did not always continue in the Tabernacle see Ch. 7.16 but went from year to year in Circuit and judged Israel And hence it seems probable that after he became Judg in Israel he was by special dispensation from God freed from this Vow of
gathered their armies together to fight against Israel being encouraged no doubt thereunto by the distractions that were now in the land and the weak state of the Kingdom by reason of them Achish sending for David acquainted him that he resolv'd that he and his men should go along with him in this expedition David being unwilling to displease him by a direct refusal answered ambiguously and told him that if he commanded him to attend him in this war he should see what his servant could do Achish thereupon being confident of his fidelity to him told him he would make him keeper of his head for ever that is Captain of his Life-guard and would commit the chief care of his person to him as long as they both lived The Philistines accordingly now invading the land Saul was in great perplexity for Samuel was dead whom though he disregarded in his life-time yet now he finds himself extreamly to want his counsel and advice The Philistines pitched in Shunem a City in the border of Issachar and Saul having gathered an army out of all the Tribes of Israel pitched in Gilboa a mountainous place in the Tribe of Issachar near Jezreel And his iniquity being now come to its full measure he was exceedingly afraid the guilt of his conscience suggesting dreadful things to him in this distress he enquired of the Lord (a) 1 Chron. 10.14 'T is said he enquired not of the Lord. Indeed he pretended so to do but he did it not sincerely nor in faith and so it is reckoned as not done partly as 't is probable by prayer and partly by consulting with the Priests and Prophets that yet remained in the land and putting them upon seeking to God in his behalf but the Lord answered him not neither by dreams or by Vrim for Abiathar had carried away the Ephod to David or by Prophets giving them any answer so that the Lord answered him not either one way or other * See Lamentations Ch. 2. 9. which was an evidence that he was highly displeased with him Saul had sometime before out of a seeming zeal and pretence of obedience to God put away those that had familiar spirits (b) See Levit. 19.31 20.6 27. Deut. 18.11 and wizards out of the land (c) Out of a like zeal he had destroyed the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.1 2. namely as many of them as he could meet with but yet it could not be doubted but that there were still some of them that secretly lurked among the people wherefore being forsaken of heaven he now resolves to seek to hell †Divinatio ex mortuis omnium divinationum antiquissima signum creditae durationis animarum post mortem Grot. for help and thereupon bad his servants seek him out a woman that had a familiar spirit (d) This is recorded as the last and most desperate wickedness he fell into before his death and one that wrought by Necromancy or raising Apparitions and Ghosts of the dead †Divinatio ex mortuis omnium divinationum antiquissima signum creditae durationis animarum post mortem Grot. and consulting with them see Isa 8.19 for he intended to go and enquire of her what he should now do they told him they heard there was such an one at Endor a Town of the Manassites within Jordan wherefore disguizing himself and putting on other clothes that the woman might not know him and possibly that others might not discover his gross hypocrisie and impiety in going now to witches for counsel whom he had before persecuted to the death and taking two servants along with him he came to the woman by night * Flectere si nequeam superos Acheronta movebo and desired her to cause the spirit or ghost of a dead man whom he should name to her to come up and appear before him of whom he would enquire several things The woman told him he could not be ignorant what Saul had done in persecuting those that had familiar spirits and therefore she asks him why he laid a snare for her life Saul sware to her as the Lord liveth there should no punishment befall her neither would he discover her if she would comply with him in this matter The woman having this assurance given her asked him whom she should call up He said old Samuel our late eminent Prophet She accordingly by her Diabolical art (e) Quis credet faeminae quae se Diabolo manciparat tantam potestatem fuisse in animam Samuelis in caeleste regnum jam receptam Quis credet in manu Diaboli esse mortuos vita donare Proinde an piis molestum est jussa Dei exequi An ulla molestia in beatas animas cadit Nemo itaque non videt non verum sed fictum Samuelem comparuisse Freidlib caused an evil spirit who took on him the shape and form of Samuel * For they that die in the Lord are under his protection and their souls out of Satans reach in heaven and without the soul the body cannot act any thing And as the Devil had no power to bring Samuel so it is not probable that the Lord did send him For seeing he refused to answer Saul in an ordinary way by Dreams or Prophets it is unlikely he would do it in an extraordinary and miraculous way by raising the Prophet Samuel from the dead to appear For 't is no way likely that the Lord who had so lately refused to answer Saul by the Prophets would now raise up Samuel from the dead to answer him Had Samuel been raised up by God to appear to Saul he would never have said as this counterfeit Samuel did Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up It was therefore by the enchantments of the Witch that this counterfeit Samuel was raised or the Devil (f) All which shews that the Author of the Apocryphal Book Ecclâ—siasticus wrote not by the inspiration of the Spirit of God who saith of Samuel in relation to this History Ch. 46.20 After his death he prophesied and shewed the King his end in Samuel's likeness and therefore called Samuel here and when he was raised it seems the Witch was presently possest with a spirit of Divination and thereby knew that it was Saul for whom she had done this and thereupon cried out as apprehending he was come to ensnare her why hast thou deceived me for thou art Saul Saul bad her not be afraid and asked her what she saw she said she saw Gods that is one of the Gods or some magistrate or personage of great honour such being called Gods Psal 82.6 ascending out of the earth Saul not yet seeing him asked her of what form or shape he was she said he appeared like an old man covered with a mantle (g) We cannot think that the true Samuel was buried in his mantle but the Devil thickning the air might form such a likeness and representation of him V.
Sepulcher is with us unto this day and this was above a thousand years after David was buried Now as to the Acts of David first and last behold they are written in the Book of Samuel the Seer and in the Book of Nathan the Prophet and in the Book of Gad the Seer that is the Acts of David were related in the History or Books of Samuel which were written by Nathan the Prophet and Gad the Seer who set down all the passages of his reign and his valiant acts and the victories obtained by him or his commanders and the prosperities and adversities of his time and reign either in his own Kingdom or the Kingdoms adjoining to him which he subdued and conquered * David was a glorious type of Christ in his birth at Bethlem in his victory over Goliah in his power over Sauls divel in his persecutions in his Royalty and victoriousness over his enemies 2 King Ch. 2. from v. 1. to 12. 1 Chron. Ch. 29. from v. 26 to the end SECT CCXIII. DAvid was stiled the sweet Psalmist of Israel 2 Sam. 23.1 for he composed many Divine Hymns and Psalmes for the benefit of the Church which we have in the great Volum of the Psalmes but he was not the Author of them all The Jews anciently divided this great Volum or Book of the Psalmes into five lesser According to which division the first Book of the Psalmes reached from Psalm the first to the end of Psalm the 41 and concludes thus Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting Amen and Amen All these by their Titles are declared to be Davids excepting 1 2 10 33. and as for the 2d that is declared to be Davids in Act. 4.25 26. Hereupon it s probably conceived that the other three were his also and that this first Book was all written by him and by him disposed into this order in which now it is The second Book begins at Psalm 42 and reaches to the end of Psalm 72 containing 31 Psalmes and closes thus Blessed be his glorious name for ever and let all the earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended Nineteen of these were composed by David as the Titles of them do evince Probably David collected and disposed in order this Book also The third Book begins at Psal 73 and reaches to the end of Psalm 89 comprehending 17 Psalmes and concludes thus Blessed be Jehovah for ever Amen and Amen Of these seventeen only one is ascribed to David one to Heman one to Ethan three are directed to the Sons of Corah no Penman being named eleven are ascribed to Asaph * Possibly Asaph might collect and dispose in order this Book The fourth Book begins at Psalm 90 and reaches to the end of Psal 106 comprehending also 17 Psalms and concludes thus Blessed be the God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting and let all the people say Amen Hallelujah Of these one is ascribed to Moses two to David fourteen have no author mentioned in their Titles The fifth Book begins at Psalm 107 and reaches to the end of Psalm 150 comprehending 44 Psalmes and concludes thus Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah Of these fifteen are in their Titles ascribed to David and not one of all the rest ascribed to any particular Author So that of all the Psalmes we reckon to David only seventy eight Many of these Psalmes viz. 125 have Titles and 25 of them have none One of these Psalmes viz. the 90th was composed before David was born and some of them long after he was dead as Psalm 45.74.83.126.137 Some think this Book of Psalmes was put into this form and order it now has by Ezra others think it was thus dispos'd after the return of the Jews from Babylon But of these things seeing we have no certain foundation to build upon we shall not peremptorily determine SECT CCXIV. SOlomon now sat upon the Throne of his Father David and his Kingdom was greatly established for the people were generally well pleased with his advancement to the Crown But it seems Adonijah being assisted by Joab and Abiathar had still a design to wrest the Kingdom from him And for the better carrying on of that design he resolved if possible to marry Abishag his Fathers late wife or concubine thinking thereby to inlarge his interest and gain a fairer pretence for what he designed In order hereunto he addresses himself to Bathsheba the Kings mother she was at first a little startled at his coming to her considering his former design to get the Crown and therefore asked him whether he came peaceably He answered very peaceably for he came humbly to request a favour of her which was this Thou knowest says he that I being the Eldest Son surviving of my Father by birthright the Throne of the Kingdom belonged unto me and the people looked upon me as heir apparent to it but now by Gods own appointment the Soveraignty is diverted another way and become my Brother Solomons (a) 'T is like he did not sincerely make this acknowledgment but only to dispose Bathsheba the more readily to grant his desire And seeing I am now fallen from so great an expectation I hope thou wilt compassionate my condition and wilt please to beg one favour of the King for me which I question not but he will readily grant unto thee which is this viz. that he would please to permit me to marry Abishag the Shunamite Bathsheba though a wise woman as appears by the counsel she gave her Son Prov. 31. yet not diving into the bottom of the design readily undertakes to speak to the King in his behalf Accordingly she went to the King who being set upon his Throne as soon as he saw her he rose up and bowed himself with great reverence unto her and then conducting her to his Throne caused a seat to be set for her on his right hand where being set she told him she had one small request to make to him which she desired him not to deny her He told her he would not provided that what she desired were just and safe for him to grant Then she said I pray thee let Abishag the Shunamite be given to thy brother Adonijah to wife Solomon startled at this replies Ask for him the Kingdom also for he is my Elder Brother yea for him and for Abiathar and for Joab that they may share it among them He seems to wonder at the strangeness of the request to wit that Adonijah should desire her for his wife that had lain in his Fathers bosom which was plain incest And probably the intention of Adonijah was discovered to him either by some special instinct of the Spirit of God or some secret intelligence which he had gotten and therefore he said Ask for him the Kingdom also c. As if he should have said He has already
presently imparted it to some of his friends and possibly thereby designed to draw off their hearts from Solomon and to make a party for himself Solomon it seems got some intelligence hereof and thereupon sought to kill him Jeroboam hearing of the Kings fierce anger against him fled presently into Egypt to Shishack the present King thereof who as 't is probable was Solomon's wife's brother and possibly was much offended with him for taking so many wives besides his sister and therefore for that or some other reason he gave entertainment to Jeroboam and he continued there till Solomon's death 1 King Ch. 11. from v. 14 to 41. SECT XVIII SOlomon now having reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years died and slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his Father He left only three children though he had so many wives and concubines viz. two daughters who were married to two of his own subjects as we may see Sect. 13. and one Son viz. Rehoboam who reigned in his stead The Acts of Solomon were written by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo Prophets that lived in his time 2 Chron. 9.29 But this Book of the Acts of Solomon seems to have been some compleat History not now extant of the reign of Solomon gathered out of the several writings of these Prophets and other records of those times wherein possibly many passages of his life were set down not expressed in the Sacred History And among other things possibly that of his repentance which though it be not here so clearly mentioned yet it may be gathered from 2 Chron. 11.17 For three years they walked in the ways of David and Solomon his Son where Solomon and David are jointly commended Some also collect it from that promise Psal 89.33 Nevertheless I will not utterly take away my loving kindness from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail But especially from the Book of Ecclesiastes which questionless was written as a publick testimony of his Repentance And in the 2 Pet. 1.20 21. we find that all the Penmen of the holy Scripture are said to have been holy men of God And 't is probably conjectured that Solomon before his death did throw down Idolatry and restrain'd his wives from it in that the people who set themselves to defame his Government complained of no such matter to Rehoboam Chap. 12.4 1 King Ch. 11. from 41 to the end 2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 29 * V. 29. In the visions of Iddo that is such Visions and Revelations as were registred being by Gods Spirit manifested to Iddo It seems this Iddo who wrote the History of Rehoboam Ch. 12.15 did also join the story of Jeroboam therewith against whom he wrote to the end SECT XIX Kings of Israel JEroboam being chosen King by the Ten Tribes The first King of Israel JEROBOAM he first repaired and fortified Shechem and built himself a Palace there and made it the chief place of his residence and fortified Penuel on the other side of Jordan and placed a Garrison in it And being now setled in his Kingdom though God had promised him by Ahijah the Prophet Ch. 11.38 that if he would walk in his ways he would be with him and build him a sure house as he had done for David yet having no confidence in this promise he began to think that if he should suffer his subjects to go up to Jerusalem to sacrifice there as God commanded they would soon fall off from him to Rehoboam For first he apprehended they would be in danger to be seized upon as Traytors when they came up to Jerusalem if they did not renounce their allegiance to him 2ly The Priests and Levites and their Brethren of Judah he thought would be continually setting before them the sin of falling off from their lawful Soveraign 3ly He supposed the very sight of the Temple and the worship of God there celebrated would much win upon them to come over to the Kingdom of Judah And if their hearts were once turned to Rehoboam he thought they would be sure to kill him and not having faith to believe that God would either prevent or divert these dangers from him if he were faithful to him he resolved to set up some other way of worship for his subjects that they should not need to go up to Jerusalem to worship there And thus that very thing which God appointed to keep the people of the Jews in one uniform way of worship viz. that there should be but one Altar and one place of Sacrifices namely at the Temple at Jerusalem that proved the occasion of setting up a new way of Worship Wherefore Jeroboam by the advice of those about him made two Golden Calves in imitation of the Egyptians Idol-gods among whom he had lived of late and with whom 't is like he desired to hold a strict league and amity and that possibly was another politick reason that induc'd him to make such Idols as these However he pretended the peoples ease and accommodation to be the chief thing that mov'd him to take this course and like a kind and indulgent Prince told them it was too much for them to go up thrice a year viz. at the solemn Feasts to Jerusalem and therefore he had found out a way to save them that labour and accordingly had made two Golden Calves for them to worship in their own Country And these he had made not to represent any false God but as remembrances and representations of the true God of Israel who brought them up out of the land of Egypt and therefore he was not afraid to say to them these be thy Gods O Israel When he had given them this account of his proceedings he placed one of his Calves in Bethel a City * By reason of Jeroboams impiety the Prophet calls it Bethaven Hos 10.5 belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin but it seems it had revolted to him and so was now in his power and the Southern border of his Kingdom the other Calf he placed at Dan which was the Northern border And so he provided that his subjects both in the North and South should have a place to worship at But this thing became a grievous sin and high provocation to the Almighty and drew all Israel from God into Idolatry and therefore 't is put into his stile Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 2 King 10.31 For the people did presently yield to worship these his Idols both at Dan and Bethel And further instead of Gods Temple at Jerusalem he made a Temple on one of the high places or mountains where Altars were reared to commit Idolatry thereon and he made Priests for the high places and for the Devils †Such devotion as is not done to the true God is done to Devils see Lev. 17.7 Idols there so called and for the Calves which he had made 2 Chron. 11.15 of the meanest of the people and such
taking this advantage forthwith she laid hold on the Princes of the blood and those of the Royal family that remained in Judah and slew them although some of them as 't is like her own Grandchildren so cruel and bloody are the minds of Idolaters But by the wonderful Providence of God it happened that Joash an infant-son of Ahaziah escaped her hands for Jehoshaba the wife of Jehoiada the High Priest got him away and hid him with his nurse in a private Chamber belonging to the Temple Athaliah did these strange and unnatural things that she might quietly possess the Royal Throne and set up the worship of Baal again in the Kingdom And some conjecture that she had Sons by some other man besides Jehoram whom she desired to promote to the Crown perhaps some of those who brake up the house of God and bestowed the dedicated things thereof upon Baal as we read 2 Chron. 24.7 For the Sons of Athaliah that wicked woman had broken up the house of God and all the dedicated things thereof did they bestow upon Baalim Athaliah having thus usurped the Crown she reigned about six years 2 Chron. 22.10 11 12. 1 King 11. from 1 to 4. The 8th that reigned in Judah was JOASH AThaliah having usurped the Crown and reigned about six years during which time she had much promoted the worship of Baal in Judah at length Jehoiada the High Priest began to think of setling this young Joash in the Throne to whom it did belong not only by natural right being the former Kings Son but by vertue of the promise made by God to David and his posterity 2 Sam. 7.13 16. Having therefore imparted this secret to five Captains of the land in whose fidelity he had most confidence and he and they having made a Covenant to do their utmost to depose Athaliah the Vsurper and to set up Joash and to pull down Idolatry and establish the true Religion afterwards by their means he drew in others of the principal men of the Kingdom both Levites and others procuring them to meet at Jerusalem in order to the carrying on of the design And accordingly they being met together in some Chamber of the Temple and having taken an Oath of secresie and fidelity he shewed them the Kings Son Then they resolved how the business should be manag'd the next Sabbath-day in every particular The Levites were by an order long since established among them by David divided in twenty four Companies which did in their courses each company a week perform the service of the Temple the rest abiding in their private dwellings in the several Cities of Judah and so every Sabbath-day they that served the week before went out and another company came in to serve in their rooms In each company there were a great many of these Levites besides Porters and Singers Now because Jehoiada and his Associates were not able to bring together secretly so many trusty and serviceable hands of the Country as would be sufficient to manage this great business therefore he resolv'd to arm the Levites for the work having secretly laid in the Chambers of the Temple some arms and weapons for the purpose And that the Levites whom he intended to employ in this business might be the stronger he took in the new company that were to come in on the Sabbath-day and did not dismiss the old that should have gone out but retained them still and so by that means without any noise he made up such a number as he thought would be able to deal with the Queens ordinary Guards if need should be All these Levites therefore he disposes under the command of several Captains either such as were principal men among the Levites or others whom he had sworn his associates in this design in this manner Those that were to enter into the service of the Temple that Sabbath-day he divided into three Companies One Company whereof he assigned to watch at the Gate of the outer Court viz. the North-gate that led to the Kings Palace where Athaliah now was Another company he assign'd to the East * Call'd the Gate of Shur or the Gate of the foundation 2 King 11.6 Gate that led into the City A third company to the South-gate Those Levites that should have gone out from the service of the Temple he divided into two companies and appointed them to be a Guard in the Temple unto the Kings person the one on his right hand and the other on his left Then he gave to the Captains for themselves and their men King David's Spears and Shields See 1 Sam. 21.9 2 Sam. 8.7 viz. such weapons as were there reserved as Trophies and monuments of David's victories which weapons of war were some of those things dedicated by David and brought into the Temple by Solomon 1 King 7.51 Thus this Guard of Levites stood every man with his weapon in his hand and Jehoiada charged them to look to it that their watches were not disordered by the breaking in of any body and that if any offered to break through their ranks by force they should slay them Things being thus ordered he brought forth the Kings Son to them and set him on the Brazen Scaffold and Jehoiadah and his Sons anointed him and put the Crown upon his head and gave into his hands the Testimony that is the Book wherein the Law of God was written and wherein was testified what God required of his people and what they might expect from him in case of obedience These things being done all there present made a great acclamation and cried out God save the King Then Jehoiada made a Covenant between the Lord and the King and the people viz. that the King should serve the Lord and maintain his pure worship and root out Idolatry and that the people should join with him therein and should fear and serve the Lord and him only and every way carry themselves as became his peo-people Then he made a Covenant between the King and the people viz. that the King should govern them righteously and that they should yield due obedience unto him Athaliah being at the Palace which was near the Temple and hearing these great loud acclamations of the peo-people and of such as in the great Court stood about the King she with a few of her servants that were about her rusht into the Temple through the Guards and when she came to the great Court she saw the King standing by the Pillar on the Brazen Scaffold with the Crown on his head and the Trumpeters about him blowing and all the people there present wonderfully rejoicing upon this she rent her clothes and cried out Treason Treason Jehoiada immediately commanded the Officers and Commanders to lay hold on her and to have her out of the ranges and and to kill any man that offered to rescue her and to carry her out of the Temple and to slay her which accordingly they did in the
of their forefather Ionadab they were wont to dwell came into Ierusalem and by their obedience in refusing to drink wine God condemneth the disobedience of the Iews Ier. 35. wh Ch. Nebuchadnezzar having brought his forces before Ierusalem in a short time takes it and Iehoiakim prisoner whom he bound in chains intending at first as it should seem to carry him to Babylon but was afterwards intreated upon his submission and promises of subjection to leave him as his vassal and so Iehoiakim became his servant and tributary three years to wit the fifth sixth and seventh years of his reign From which entring of the King and people of the Iews into subjection to Nebuchadnezzar The beginning of the seventy years Captivity according to the Learned Usher some think the seventy years of the Captivity are to be reckoned which were foretold by the Prophet Ieremy Chap. 25.11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years Ver. 12. And it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon and that Nation saith the Lord for their iniquity and the land of the Chaldeans and will make it perpetual desolations And Chap. 29.10 Thus saith the Lord after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place 2 Chron. 36.6 2 King 24.1 Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time part * Some were left and carried away in Jehoiakim's time 2 King 24.13 and some in Zedekiah's Jer. 52.17 c. of the vessels and furniture of the Lords house and gave command to Ashpenaz the Overseer of the Eunuchs or Pages that he should carry from thence some of the choicest boys both for beauty and wit that he could find and such as were of the Royal blood and of the noblest families as had been expresly foretold by the Prophet Isa 39.7 And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon which being by his care educated for three years in the language and sciences of the Chaldeans might be fit afterwards to wait upon him in his Palace Among whom of the Tribe of Judah were Daniel whom the overseer of the Eunuchs call'd Belteshazzar and Hananiah whom he call'd Shadrach Mishael whom he call'd Meshach and Ananiah whom he call'd Abednego every one of them having his name changed at his discretion These with several others Nebuchadnezzar carried away at this time Dan. 1. from 1 to 8. 1 Chron. 36.7 In the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim there was a solemn fast proclaimed to all the people at Ierusalem in remembrance as it seems of the taking of the City a year before in the same month at which time Baruc standing at the Gate of the house of the Lord read out of a roll or book all the words of the Lord which he had taken from the mouth of Jeremy the Prophet in the audience of all the people who were then assembled out of all the Cities of Judah whereof the Princes being advertis'd called Baruc unto them and caused him to read to them the same book but when they heard the contents thereof they advised him and Jeremy to hide themselves out of the way for fear of the Kings displeasure But the King himself having heard some inkling of it would needs have the roll or book read unto him and having heard some part of it he was so inrag'd at it that he cut the roll through with a pen-knife and then threw it into the fire and burnt it Jer. 36. from 9 to 26. The King having thus burnt the Book he gave order for the apprehending of Baruc the writer and Jeremy the Prophet but God hid them and denounced a heavy judgment against that impious King for it And God commands Ieremy to take another roll and Baruc wrote therein from the mouth of the Prophet all the words of the Book which Jehoiakim had burnt adding many like things thereunto Jer. 36. from v. 26 to the end Nebuchadnezzar pursuing the victory he had gotten over the Egyptians took from them all that they possessed between Egypt and Euphrates so that from thence forward Necho was fain to keep himself within his own bounds in Egypt 2 King 24.7 While these things were doing Nabopolassar the father of Nebuchadnezzar dies which news coming to Nebuchadnezzar he made no delay but after he had given order for the bringing away of the captives as well Jews as others he posted with a small company the nearest way through the desert and came to Babylon before them and being received there as sole Lord of all his fathers large Dominions he afterwards disposed of the captives when they were brought thither here and there as he thought fit And the Sacred vessels and other furniture of the Temple which he had taken away from Jerusalem he disposed into the Temple †By the Divine Providence they were there reserved to be carried back again to Jerusalem See Ezra 1.7 8 c. But Nebuchadnezzar intended service of his Idol and Belshazzar his Grandchild most profanely abused them Dan. 5.2 of his god Belus Dan. 1.2 2 Chron. 36.7 Daniel and his three fellow Nobles being brought to Babylon refuse the Court-diet provided for them and content themselves with pulse and water and yet were found to look better than those that did eat of the Kings fare And when afterwards at the time appointed they were brought to attend the King they appeared in all matters of knowledg wisdom and sciences to excell all the Magicians and Astronomers that were in the Kingdom And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams Dan. 1. from 8 to the end Nebuchadnezzar in the second * See Richardson on Dan. 2.1 Anno secundo cum vixi tanquam consiliarius in regno Nebuchadnessaris non autem cum vixi in regno Cyrl cujus mentio proxime praecessit v. ult cap. praeced year after the three years of Daniels education were past and he brought to stand before the King which falls in with the fifth year of his reign dreamt his dream of the great image made of divers metals and forgetting the particulars of his dream though in the general it much affected him he would needs know of his Magicians and Astronomers both what his dream was and what it meant And when they could not satisfie him in so unreasonable a demand he like a great Tyrant commanded them all to be put to death But Daniel when he saw the execution preparing and understood the cause thereof humbly moved the King to forbear a while and joining in prayer with his fellows unto God obtained both to have the dream it self and the interpretation thereof revealed to him And accordingly he declared to the King
he confirmeth his decree with a great penalty that it might be the more carefully observed saying Whosoever shall go about to alter that word or decree let the timber be pulled down from his house and set up as a Gibbet and let him be hanged thereon and let his house be made a dunghill and the God that hath formerly caused his glory to dwell in that house and hath manifested his gracious presence there destroy all Kings and people that shall put to their hands either to alter and so turn to another use or to destroy this house of God which is building at Jerusalem Thus says the King I have decreed and I require and command that my decree be speedily and effectually executed Tatnai and Shetharboznai receiving this command durst not disobey it but forthwith furnished the Jews with moneys as the King commanded and so the Jews being thus encouraged by the Prophesies of Haggai and Zachary and thus countenanced by the decrees of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes * Whereas 't is said v. 14. And Artaxerxes King of Persia c. This Artaxerxes in likelihood was one of those seven Princes that had put down Smerdis Magus of whom before and in a sort at the beginning was partaker in the Empire with Darius But Darius afterwards delivered himself from the power of those Princes and made himself absolute went on courageously to the finishing of the work Ezra 6. from 1 to 15. Darius or Ahasuerus as he is called in Scripture in the third year of his reign as he sat in his Palace at Susa being in peace and quietness Third year of Darius to shew the glory of his Kingdom and the greatness of his state The Book of Esther which was written as some conceive by Mordecai see Ch. 9.20 21. or at least he wrote a relation of these things from whence the Pen-man of this Book whether Ezra or any other did by the instinct of Gods Spirit gather together these remarkable passages that are here recorded It hath been received as a part of the Sacred Oracles of God committed to the Jews and by them faithfully preserved though the name of the Lord Jehovah be not mentioned in it made a feast for all the Governours and great men of his dominions which lasted an hundred and eighty days or near half a year After this Royal feast and entertainment given to his Nobles he made another of seven days long for all the people both great and small in the Court of the Garden of the Kings house where were white and green and blew hangings fastned with cords of fine linnen and purple to silver-rings and pillars of marble and the beds or couches were of gold and silver standing upon a pavement of red and blew white and black marble At this feast they had plenty of the best wine enough and served to them in golden cups according to the Royal state of the King but the King commanded that none should be compelled to drink more than they had a mind to which may sufficiently condemn our intemperate Health-drinkers who so tyrannically impose their Healths on others thereby usurping upon their liberty and many times shamefully occasioning their debauchery The Queen also made a feast for the women within the Palace and there entertained them Upon the last day of this feast the King being something high-flown with wine would needs shew the beauty of his Queen which was very great to the men and accordingly sent for her to come to him But she it seems not being in humour refused to come Thereupon the King being exceedingly enraged consulted his wise men who were skill'd in the Histories of ancient times it being his manner to consult such in all difficult cases as knew the Law and were able to give just and righteous judgment He consulted also the seven Princes of Persia and Media who were nearest about him and had always free access to him and askt them what he might do by law unto the Queen who had exprest such a contempt and disobedience towards him Memucan one of them answered that the Queen had not only done that which was injurious to the King but had injur'd all persons of authority and dignity throughout the Kingdom (a) Observa quam facile regis voluntas aliorum ad se judicia trahit Novit hic non ingratam Regi irato hanc futuram sententiam In gratiam Regis locutus est nam imbecillium est sequens argumentum for this her disobedience being so publick was enough to infect all the women in the Empire and to encourage them to despise their husbands and from this day forward if their husbands shall require any thing at their hands they will say they will not do it encouraging themselves from the Queens Example And by this means wives may be brought to despise their husbands and too much wrath may be kindled in husbands against their wives If it therefore please the King let a Royal commandment go forth from him and let it be written among the Laws of the Medes and Persians and so not to be altered that Vasthi shall be divorced from the King and that her Royal Estate shall be given to another who is more humble and will be more obedient to the King and the publishing this decree will make all the wives throughout the Empire to give honour to their husbands by constantly obeying them This counsel pleased the King and accordingly he divorced and put her away making moreover a Law that every man hereafter should be Master in his own house and that whatever he commanded provided it were honest and just should be yielded unto by his wife children and servants Esther 1. whole Chapter Atossa or Vashti being thus divorced there was enquiry made among all the fair damsels that were any where to be found in Ahasuerus's dominions for a fit consort for the King in Vashti's room and among others Esther a fair damsel of the Jewish Nation was taken into consideration who was Cousin-german to Mordecai whose great Grandfather Kish was carried away captive with Jechoniah King of Judah This Esther being a very beautiful young Virgin through the over-ruling Providence of God she first finds favour with Hegai the keeper of the women and he speedily gave her all things requisite for her purification viz. sweet odours and perfumes see v. 12. and whatever might make her acceptable to the King and seven maids to attend her and preferred her and her maids to the best place of the house of the women but by Mordecai's direction she did not discover her self to be of Jewish race that people being then despised and Mordecai feared she might fare something the worse upon that account if her Parentage were known Esther 2. from 1 to 12. Fourth year of Darius In the fourth year of Darius the fourth day of the ninth month when the Jews by Sharezer and Regem-meleck consulted with the Priests and Prophets
may do him good And all the Congregation said Amen and praised the Lord that the offenders were brought to see their sin and to reform and that hereby the oppressed were relieved Moreover Nehemiah that he might convince them how unreasonable it was for the richer sort to exact thus upon the poorer he tells them that since the time he was first appointed by Artaxerxes to be their Governour which was now twelve years he and his family had not eaten the bread of the Governour that is the allowance of bread and other provisions which had been usually paid by the people for the Governours maintenance but had lived wholly upon his own estate which the former Governours that had been before him had not done but had been chargeable to the people and had taken of them a certain quantity of bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver or 5 l. a day yea even their servants bear rule over the people and exacted of them what they pleased but he did not so because of the fear of the Lord that ruled in his heart Yea when the wall of this City was building he was continually imployed in the oversight of the work and was still with the workmen to direct and encourage them yea his servants were imployed also where most need was to help in the work yet he had no allowance for this And further though the people being many of them much indebted he might have had great bargains of them yet he bought no land which might convince them that he sought not to advance himself but sought only their good Furthermore he shews them that there were usually at his Table an hundred and fifty of the Jews besides strangers and his daily provisions were one ox six choice sheep and variety of fowls and besides this his ordinary and daily provision every tenth day he feasted them more liberally and gave them store of all sorts of wine (d) Magnificus ergo erat Nehemias Et hinc colligo eum non fuisse in civitate totos 12 annos Quomodo enim tam diu sustinuisset hos sumptus Sanctius Which he mentions not out of vanity but to shew them that yet for all this he required not the allowance that the former Governours had because he would not add to the peoples burdens which he knew were very heavy And doing what he did with an eye to Gods glory he humbly implores the Lord to think upon him for good according to all that he had done for that people Not that he thought that he thereby merited at the hands of God but because God had graciously promised to reward whatsoever good is done unto his people Nehem. Ch. 5. whole Chapter He comes now to reform the enormities that were crept in among them in matters of Religion In Chap. 9. 2. we read that the children of Israel had humbled themselves for their former sins and had separated themselves from all strangers viz. from their strange wives and the children born of them as also such strangers that were Idolaters and had mixed themselves with them but now they had relapsed into the same evils * We see how prone men are to relapse and revolt from good purposes promises vows and Covenants yea and beginnings of reformation See Chap. 10.30 again which Nehemiah understanding he causes the Book of the Law to be read and expounded to them again there being no better way to convince a sinner of his sins than by the word of God In that Book it was written that the Ammonites and Moabites viz. such as retained their Idolatrous principles and practices should not come into the Congregation †Deut. 23.34 that is into their civil assemblies to partake of their offices and priviledges for ever that is so long as the Politie of the Jews remained because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water when they had fought against the Kings of the Ammorites and had destroyed them but hired Balaam against them that he should curse them though God turned his curse into a blessing This passage concerning the Ammonites and Moabites seems here alledged rather than any other because it did so expresly discover the great sin of Eliashib mentioned afterwards in joyning himself in affinity with Tobiah who is often called the servant of the Ammonites Now when the people heard these words of the Law they separated such strangers from them as had been unduly joyned to them whither strange husbands or strange wives or strange children even all those with whom God had forbidden them to have communion or society V. 4. Chamber is indefinitely taken for all the Chambers But sometime before this Eliashib the Priest who had the oversight of the Chambers of the House of God was allied unto Tobiah Eliashib's son having married the daughter of Tobiah and he made ready and furnisht for this his friend and allie Tobiah the Ammonite a great Chamber even in the Chambers of the Temple where aforetime they laid the meal and flower and frankincense and some vessels belonging to the Temple and several sorts of Tythes c. which was done it seems by laying many Chambers into one the partitions being taken down see v. 9. Nehemiah understanding this was greatly grieved at this strange miscarriage of the high Priest it being very dishonourable to God and immediately cast out all the houshold-stuff of Tobiah out of the Chamber with indignation and caused the Levites to cleanse the Chambers possibly by sprinkling them with the water of purifying because they had been polluted and profaned by the lodging of strangers therein that were not of the seed of Israel and he brought thither again the vessels of the house of God and such things as had been before remov'd from thence Nehemiah also understood that the portion of the Levites had not of late been paid them though the people had not long before bound themselves by covenant with God to do it Ch. 10. 35. Yet it seems out of indignation against Eliashib for lodging Tobiah in the Treasuries of the Temple and because they feared thereupon that what they brought thither would be diverted another way and not employed as it ought they forbare to bring in the Levites portions as they had formerly done Then Nehemiah contended with the Rulers and Governours who had before made a solemn Covenant Chap. 10. 39. that they would not forsake the house of God therefore he upbraids them with their own words and condemns them out of their own mouths asking them why is the house of God forsaken that is why did they withdraw maintenance from the Ministers of Gods worship and so in effect hinder the worship it self Then he prays to the Lord to remember him concerning this and not to wipe out his good deeds that he had done for the house of God and for the offices thereof and to procure that his holy ordinances should be duly observed Nehemiah also at that time
carried to Babylon This being done for the present he enjoys the Kingship and Priesthood Herod in the mean time flying to Rome he is made through Anthony's power with the Senate King of the Jews and getting some forces there with them he returns into Judea and conquers and takes Antigonus and sends him to Anthony who causes him to be put to death And so the Kingdom of Maccabees ended 126 years after it began After this Herod and his successors or the Romans made whom they would High Priests See Lightf p. 30. Capellus's Chronolog p. 29. Julius Caesar having gotten the Dictatorship or supreme Government of the Romans into his hands about forty seven years before the Birth of Christ began the Roman or fourth Monarchy and continued it about five years and so was the first Roman Emperour To him succeeded Octavius Augustus who began to reign about forty two years before the Birth of Christ and reigned about fifty six years but the first twelve of them he governed together with M. Anthony and M. Lepidus they three making the Triumvirate the latter forty four he reigned alone In the 31th year * Aliqui aliter computant asserunt Christum natum 41 An. Imperii Augusti Annoque Mundi 3948. of his reign reckoning the beginning of it from his victory at Actium our blessed Saviour was born and in the 35th year of the reign of Herod The third Roman Emperour was Tiberius in the 18th year of whose reign our Lord and Saviour was Crucified HAving thus given a general view of the Jewish Affairs from the end of the Old Testament to the Birth of Christ we shall now speak a little more largely of that subject collecting for the main our History thereof out of the Books of the Maccabees and the writings of Josephus and other Modern Authors who have written of those times and particulariy out of the Annals of the renowned Vsher To Artaxerxes Longimanus succeeded Darius Nothus in the Persian Empire and to him Artaxerxes Mnemon and to him Darius Ochus who marching with a great army against Sidon in Phaenicia which had revolted from him and confederated with Egypt the City was betrayed into his hands by Tennes the King thereof and Mentor who commanded the Egyptian Auxiliaries The Citizens seeing themselves betrayed in a mad passion set a fire to their houses and burnt themselves wives and children and servants so that above forty thousand are said to have perished in the flames He now marches with his army towards Egypt and takes Jericho in his way and takes many Jews along with him out of Judea to serve him in his wars against Egypt Having conquered Egypt and returning to Babylon full of glory and spoils he carried thither with him many of the Jews prisoners sending most of them into Hircania bordering upon the Caspian Sea and some he placed in Babylon it self Jonathan or Johanan the Son of Joiada being High Priest at this time had a Brother whose name was Josua this Josua grew into great favour with Bagoses Ochus's General insomuch that he had a promise from him that he should have the Priesthood Upon this he was so puft up that he presumed to strive with his Brother Johanan the High Priest in the very Temple and so far provoked him that the High Priest kill'd him in that sacred place Bagoses hearing this endeavoured to enter the Temple and when he was forbidden he askt if they accounted him more impure than the carcass that lay within And so forcibly entring the Temple he plundred it and thence took occasion to punish the Jews seven years for the death of Josua for two Lambs being constantly offered in the daily sacrifice he imposed upon every one a tribute of fifty drachms which amounted to the yearly rate of sixty Attick Talents Joseph Lib. 11. Chap. 7. Johanan the High Priest was Father of Jaddus who succeeded him in the Priesthood and of Manasses who married Nicaso Sanballat's daughter Neh. 13.28 It 's said one of the Sons that is Grandsons of Joiada Son of Eliashib was Son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite This Sanballat was a Cuthaean by birth from whom the Samaritans had their original and was by Darius King of Persia made Governour of Samaria and being desirous by this band of affinity to hold in the better with the Jewish Nation he gave his daughter in marriage to Manasses Ochus being poysoned by Bagoses his General and Arses or Arsames his Son set up by him and shortly after by him killed with all his children at last Bagoses set up Darius Codomannus a friend of his and made him King the Royal family of Darius Histaspis being now extinct Bagoses shortly after repenting of what he had done and being much vers'd in King-killing he thought by poyson to send Darius also after Ochus and Arses But the matter being discovered Darius sent for him and forc'd him to drink the potion himself which he had provided for him The Elders at Jerusalem being offended that Manasses Jaddus's Brother had contrary to their Law married a wife of a strange Nation required that he should either put her away or come no more at the Altar Hereupon he goes to Sanballat his father-in-law and tells him that his wife was dear unto him but he must either part with her or his Priesthood Sanballat answered that he would so bring it about in case he would keep his wife that he should not only be a Priest but an High Priest too For he would build for him upon Mount Gerizim a Temple like that at Jerusalem to do which he doubted not but to obtain leave and authority from Darius Hereupon Manasses continued with his father-in-law and all the Priests and other Israelites who had married strange wives resorted to him Sanballat furnishing them with money and giving them lands to till and forwarding the ambition of his Son-in-law all that possibly he could Joseph Antiq. Lib. 11. Cap. 8. Alexander of Macedon now contends with Darius for the Empire of Asia and having won the Battels at Granicus and Issus and driven Darius back into Persia he lays siege to Tyre Sanballat revolts from Darius and goes over to Alexander at the beginning of the siege with 8000 men and desireth leave of him to build his new designed Temple perswading him it would he for his interest that thereby the Jews being divided among themselves might be the less able to resist him Alexander yielding to his request he returns and falls with great industry upon the work and built the Temple and made Manasses his Son-in-law High Priest of it thinking thereby to leave a great honour to the posterity of his daughter During the siege of Tyre Alexander sent to Jaddus the High Priest at Jerusalem demanding of him supplies and other provisions and withal such tribute as was formerly paid to Darius Jaddus answered that he was tyed by a former oath of Allegiance to Darius and that he could not be free from