The LORD our God will we serve and his voice will we obey 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day and set them a statute and an ordinance p Either 1. He set or propounded or declared unto them the Statute and Ordinance i. e. the summ of the Statutes and Ordinances of God which their Covenant obliged them to Or 2. He set or established it to wit that Covenant with them i. e. the People for a Statute or an Ordinance to bind themselves and their Posterity unto God for ever as a Statute and Ordinance of God doth in Shechem 26 And Joshua wrote these words q i. e. This Covenant or Agreement of the people with the Lord. in the book of the law of God r i. e. In that Volume which was kept in the Ark Deut. 31. 9 26. whence it was taken and put into this Book of Ioshua This he did partly for the perpetual remembrance of this great and solemn Action partly to lay the greater obligation upon the people to be true to their engagement and partly as a Witness for God and against the people if afterwards he severely punished them for their defection from God to whom they had so solemnly and freely obliged themselves and * See Judg. 9. 6. took a great stone and set it up there s As a witness and monument of this great transaction according to the custom of those ancient times as Gen. 28. 18. and 31. 45. and 35. 14. Exod. 24. 4. Deut. 27. 2. Ios. 4. 3. and 8. 32. Possibly this agreement was written upon this Stone as was then usual under * Gen. 35. 4. an oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD t i. e Near to the place where the Ark and Tabernacle then were for though they were forbidden to plant a Grove of Trees near unto the Altar Deut. 16. 21. as the Gentiles did yet they might for a time set up an Altar or the Ark near a great Tree which had been planted there before 27 And Joshua said unto all the people Behold this stone shall be a witness unto us for it hath heard u It shall be as sure a Witness against you as if it had heard This is a common Figure called Prosopopoeia whereby the sense of hearing is oft ascribed to the Heavens and the Earth and other senseless creatures as Deut. 32. 1. Isa. 1. 2. Ier. 2. 12. all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us it shall be there for a witness unto you lest ye deny your God 28 So * Judg. 2. 6. Joshua let the people depart every man unto his inheritance 29 ¶ And it came to pass after these things that Joshua the son of Nun the servant of the LORD died being an hundred and ten years old 30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in * Chap. 19. 50. Judg. 2. 9. Timnath-serah which is in mount Ephraim on the north-side of the hill of Gaash 31 And * Judg. 2. 7. Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that * Heb. prolonged their days after Joshua over-lived Joshua and which had known all the works of the LORD that he had done for Israel 32 ¶ And * Gen. 50. 25. Exod. 13. 19. the bones of Joseph which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt buried they in Shechem x Not in the city of Shechem but in a Field near and belonging to it as appears from the following words and from Gen. 33. 18. and from the ancient custom of the Israelites to have their Burying places without Cities in Fields or Gardens in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of * Gen. 33. 19. the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred ‖ Or Lambs pieces of silver and it became the inheritance of the children of Israel 33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son which was given him x By special favour and for his better conveniency in attending upon the Ark which then was and for a long time was to be in Shiloh which was near to this place whereas the Cities which were given to the Priests were in Iudah Benjamin and Simeon which were remote from Shiloh though near to the place where the Ark was to have its settled abode to wit to Ierusalem in mount Ephraim JUDGES The ARGUMENT THE Author of this Book is not certainly known whether it was Samuel or Ezra or some other Prophet nor is it material to know 1. It matters not who was the Kings Secretary or with what Pen it was written if it be once known that it was the King who made the Order or Decree It is sufficient that unto the Iews were commited the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. i. e. the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament one part of which this was by confession of all and that the Iews did not falsify their trust therein but kept those Holy Books themselves and delivered them to the World entire without addition or diminution for neither Christ nor his Apostles who severely rebuke them for their mistakes and misunderstandings of some passages of Scripture ever charge them with any perfidiousness about the Canon or Books of the Scripture This Book is called the Book of Judges because it treats of the Iudges or of the state of the Commonwealth of Israel under all the Iudges except Eli and Samuel who being the last of the Iudges and the occasions or instruments of the change of this Government are omitted in this Book The Iudges were a sort of Magistrates inferior to Kings and could neither make new Laws nor impose any Tributes but were the supreme Executors of Gods Laws and Commands and the Generals of their Armies NOW after the death of Joshua a Not long after it because Othniel the first Judge lived in Ioshuah's time it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the LORD b Being assembled together at Shiloh they enquired of the High-priest by the Urim and Thummim See Numb 27. 21. Iudg. 20. 18. 1 Sam. 23. 9. saying Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first c Being sensible that the Canaanites are troublesome to them and expected great advantage against them by their heedless condition and finding their People to encrease and multiply exceedingly and consequently the necessity of enlarging their Quarters they renew the War They do not enquire who shall be the Captain General to all the Tribes but as appears by the answer What Tribe shall first undertake the Expedition that by their success the other Tribes may be encouraged to make the like attempt upon the Canaanites in their several Lots to fight against them 2 And the LORD said Judah d Not a person so called but the Tribe of Iudah as is manifest
place being Sanctified by Gods special presence in and by the Angel and offered burnt-offerings u To make atonement for his sins and peace-offerings x To praise God for his Gracious manifestation of himself so the LORD was intreated for the land y As appeared both by fire from Heaven which consumed the Sacrifices as was usual in such cases and by the speedy cessation of the Plague and the plague was stayed from Israel I. KINGS The ARGUMENT THese two Books called of the Kings because they treat of the Kings of Judah and Israel were written by the Prophets or Holy Men of God living in or near their several times and by some one of them digested into this order But whoever was the Penman that these are a part of those Holy Scriptures which were Divinely inspired is sufficiently evident First From the concurring Testimony of the whole Jewish Church in all Ages to whom were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. who also did Faithfully discharge their Duty in preserving and delivering them entirely and truly to their Posterity from time to time as plainly appears because Christ and his Apostles who reproved them freely for their several sins never taxed them with this fault of depraving the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament Secondly Because this is manifest concerning divers parcels of them which were taken out of the Records of the Prophets Nathan Ahijah and Iddo 2 Chron. 9. 29. and out of the Prophesies of Isaiah and Jeremiah and the rest doubtless were of the same nature Thirdly From the approbation of these Books by the New Testament both generally as 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration from God c. which is affirmed concerning all those Holy Scriptures which Timothy had known from a child v. 15. and therefore must necessarily be meant of all the Books of the Old Testament which the Jews owned for Canonical Scripture and particularly Rom. 11. 2 3. c. where a passage out of these Books is quoted and owned as a part of the Holy Scripture called the Scripture by way of eminency CHAP I. NOW king David was old and ‡ Heb. entred into days stricken in years a Being in the end of his seventieth Year and they covered him with cloathes but he gat no heat b Which is not strange in a person not onely of so great an age but also who had been exercised with so many hardships in War and with such tormenting cares and fears and sorrows for his own sins as divers of his Psalms witness and for the sins and miseries of his Children and People See Prov. 17. 22. Besides this might be from the nature of his Disease or Bodily Distemper 2 Wherefore his servants c His Physicians said unto him ‡ Heb. let them seek Let there be sought for my lord the king ‡ Heb. a damsel a virgin a young virgin d Whose Natural heat is fresh and wholsom and not impaired with bearing or breeding of Children The same counsel doth Galen give for the cure of some cold and dry Distempers and let her stand before the king e i. e. Minister unto him or wait upon him as this Phrase is oft used in his sickness as occasion requires and let her ‡ Heb. be a cherisher unto him cherish him and let her lie in thy bosom f As his Wife or Concubine for that she was so may appear by divers arguments First Otherwise this had been a wicked counsel and course which therefore neither his Servants durst have prescribed nor would David have used especially being now in a dying condition And seeing this was easily prevented by his taking her for his Concubine which then was esteemed allowable it is absurd to think that he would not chuse the safer way 2dly That passage v. 4. but the king knew her not implies that the King might have had carnal knowledge of her without sin or scandal Thirdly It appears from this Phrase of lying in his bosom which is every where in Scripture mentioned as the priviledge of a Wife and Concubine as Gen. 16. 5. Deut. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 12. 8. Mic. 7. 5. Fourthiy This made Adonijah's crime in desiring her to Wife so hainous in Solomon's account because he wisely saw that by Marrying the Kings Wife he designed to revive his pretence to the Kingdom at least in case of Solomon's death which pretence had been ridiculous if she had been onely the Kings handmaid that my lord the king may get heat 3 So they sought for a fair damsel g Whose beauty might ingage his affections and refresh his spirits and invite him to those embraces which might communicate some of her Natural heat to him as was designed throughout all the coasts of Israel and found Abishag a Shunammite h Of the City of Shunem in Issachar Ios. 19. 18. See 2 King 4. 8. and brought her to the king 4 And the damsel was very fair and cherished the king and ministred unto him but the king knew her not i Which is mentioned to note the continuance and progress of the Kings malady and the ground of Adonijah's Rebellion and of his following request chap. 2. 17. 5 ¶ Then k Upon notice of the desperateness of the Kings Disease and the approach of his death Adonijah the son of Haggith l See 2 Sam. 3. 4. exalted himself m Entertained high thoughts and designs saying I will ‡ Heb. reign be king n As the right of the Kingdom is mine v. 6. so I will now take possession of it lest Solomon attempt to deprive me of it and he prepared him charets and horsemen and fifty men to run before him o As Absalom had done upon the like occasion 2 Sam. 15. 1. such ill use did he make of that example that he committed the same wickedness which he had done and yet feared not the same disappointment and destruction which he brought upon himself 6 And his father had not displeased him ‡ Heb. from his days at any time p This is noted as David's great error and the occasion of Adonijah's presumption in saying Why hast thou done so q He neither restrained him from nor reproved him for his miscarriages which was a great sin against that plain Law Levit. 19. 17. and severely punished in Eli which David was not ignorant of except Adonijah's errors were small or concealed from David And he also r This particle relates either â—…irst To Absalom here following who also was a goodly man Or rather Secondly to what goes before to signifie that this was a second ground of his confidence because his great comeliness made him amiable in the peoples eyes as his Fathers indulgence was the first was a very goodly man and his mother bare him after Absalom s i. e. Next after Absalom was born of his Mother See 2 Sam.
as that word is elsewhere used of Seraiah Ezra 7. 1. who was the High-Priest 2 Kin. 25. 18. 1 Chr. 6. 14. and he was a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7. 6 and endowed with a more than ordinary measure of Gods Spirit as is evident from this Book and was himself an Eye-witness of all these Transactions In his time also there lived divers other holy men of God as Daniel and Nehemiah and Mordecai and Zorobabel and Joshuah Which makes that probable which the Iews report that these Prophets and other holy and learned men did review the Canonical Books of the Old Testament and added here and there some few passages in the historical Books and digested them into that order in which now we have them in our Hebrew Bibles This being a work most suitable to the Prudence and Piety and sacred Function of these Persons and to the present Estate of the Iewish Nation who had been long in Captivity in Babylon where it was to be feared that many of them were ignorant or corrupt in the Principles of Religion and who were yet in a broken condition and likely to be exposed to farther calamities and dispersions which also might be signified to some of them and to that care which the wise and gracious God hath ever used for the guidance of his Church according to their several occasions and necessities CHAP. I. 1 NOw in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia a To wit of his Empire or Reign in Babylon For he had now been King of Persia for many Years that the word of the LORD * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22 〈◊〉 25. 12. 〈◊〉 10. by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus b i. e. Put into him a Mind and Will to this work king of Persia that he †〈…〉 made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing saying 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia The LORD God of Heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth c To wit in those parts of the World all that vast Empire formerly under the Assyrians and Babylonians The Gift of which he ascribes to the great God either by virtue of those common notions which were in the Minds of the Heathens who though they worshipped Idols yet many of them did acknowledge a true and supream God Or by that clear and express Prophecy of Isaiah concerning him Isa. 44. 28. 45. 1 13. so long before he was born which Prophecy the Jews had doubtless shewed him which also carried a great evidence with it especially to him who was so highly graâ—…ified and incouraged by it or by a special Illumination which God vouchsafed to him as he did to Nebuchadnezzar and Darius and some others of the Heathen Princes and he hath * 〈◊〉 44. 28. â—…â—…5 13. charged me d Either by his Prophets Isaiah formerly or Daniel now or by an inward suggestion to his Mind to build him an house at Jerusalem which is in Judah 3 Who is there among you of all his people d To wit of Israel A material clause by vertue of which they justly refused the help of those Aliens who pretended to join with them in the building ch 4. 2 3. his God be with him e Let his God help him as I also shall do and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and build the house of the LORD God of Israel he is the God which is in Jerusalem f Or only in Ierusalem as it is in the Hebrew So it notes the place where he allows and requires them to build it 4 And whosoever remaineth g Who when his Brethren were gone up was desirous to go with them but forced to tarry there for want of necessaries for his Journey in any place where he sojourneth let the men of his place †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…im 〈◊〉 help him h I require my Officers to take care that they may be supplied either by the voluntary Contributions of the People or by a moderate Tax to be laid either only upon those Jews who were resolved to stay or upon the Gentiles also which the Persian Monarchs being absolute had a power to do and which was the more reasonable because the King himself submitted to it and bore a great part of the burden and because it was for the House of that great God to whom they all owed their present Peace and great felicity with silver and with gold i Which upon this occasion I give you leave to transport and with goods and with beasts besides the free-will-offering for the house of his God that is in Jerusalem 5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin i And with them some of other Tribes as appears from 1 Chr. 9. 3. but these only are named because they were most considerable for number and quality and the priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up k To whom God had given that pious Disposition and that Fortitude and Resolution which it required to break through their difficulties which were great and many such as their present penury the length and hazards and costliness of the journey their settlements in comfortable Habitations their dispersion in several and distant places which hindred the Conjunction of their Counsels and Actions the multitude of their Enemies the actual possession of their Country by others the great backwardness of many of their own Brethren to go with them and many other discouragements to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem 6 And all they that were about them ‖ That is helped them strengthened their hands l Either because they had embraced or at least favoured the Jewish Religion concerning which they were instructed by the Israelites that had now for a long time dwelt among them or rather that they might hereby gratifie the Kings humour and purchase his favour for they perceived him to be hearty and forward in the work with vessels of silver with gold with goods and with beasts and with precious things besides all that was willingly offered 7 Also Cyrus the King brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD * 2 Kin. 24. 13. 2 Chr. 36. 7. which Nebuchad-nezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem m Obj. These are said to have been cut in pieces 2 Kin. 24. 13. how then are they here returned Ans. That Hebrew word used 2 Kin. 24. 13. signifies not so properly to cut in pieces as to cut off as from the use of the word Deut. 25. 12. 2. Sam. 4. 12. 2 Kin. 18. 16. Ier. 9. 26. And these vessels when they were taken away from the Temple might very well be said to be cut off from it because they had for so long time been so constantly and as it were inseparably united to
inspired by God the Excellency and Usefulness of the Matter the sacred and sublime Majesty of the stile and the singular efficacy of it upon the Hearts of sober and serious Persons who read it with due preparation and those other Characters which are commonly known and therefore it is needless here to enumerate 2. The form of this Book is dramatical wherein several parts or parcels of it are uttered by or in the Name of several persons which are chiefly Four the Bridegroom and the Bride and the Friends or Companions of the one and of the other Nor is it declared what or when each of them speak but that is secretly couched and is left to the observation of the prudent Reader as is usual in Writings of this Nature 3. The design of the Book in general is to describe the passionate Loves and happy Marriage of two persons and their mutual Satisfaction therein and the blessed Fruits and Effects thereof But then it is not to be understood carnally concerning Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter as some have fancied although the occasion of this Love and Marriage may be taken from that or rather he makes an allusion to that but spiritually concerning God or Christ and his Church and People This is sufficiently evident from the descriptions of this Bridegroom and Bride which are such as could not with any decency be used or meant concerning Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter as when he is brought in like a Country Shepherd Ch. 1. 7. and is called his Brides Brother Ch. 5. 2. and when he gives such high and excessive Commendations to himself as we shall see and when she is made the keeper of Vineyards and of Sheep Ch. 1. 6 8. and is said to be smitten and abused by the Watchmen Ch. 5. 7. and to be terrible as an Army Ch. 6. 4. and to be like Pharaoh's Horses and to have an Head like Carmel a Nose like a Tower Eyes like Fishpools Teeth like a flock of Sheep c. Ch. 7. 4 5. And there are many such like Expressions and Descriptions which being applied to them are absurd and monstrous Hence it follows that this Book is to be understood mystically or Allegorically concerning that spiritual Love and Marriage which is between God or Christ and his Church or every believing Soul And this will be more than probable to any man who shall consider the following particulars 1. That the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament are full of mystical and Allegorical passages which being known and confessed it is needless to prove 2. That the Doctrine of Christ or the Messias and of his being the Head and Husband and Saviour of Gods Church or People was well known at least to the Prophets and the wise and pious Israelites in the time of the Old Testament whereof we have many manifest and unquestionable evidences not only in the New Testament but in the Writings of Moses in the Books of Psalms and Proverbs and in the Prophets as hath been noted in part and will God assisting be further observed in the proper places 3. That God compares himself to a Bridegroom and his Church to a Bride Isa. 62. 5. and calls and owns himself the Husband of his People Isa. 54. 5. Hos. 2. 16 19 20. In which places by comparing these with many other Texts of Scripture by God or the Lord is meant Christ the second Person in the Godhead who then was to come down and since did come from Heaven to Earth for the consummation of that eternal project of Marriage between God and his People Which also is fully confirmed by the writings of the New Testament which were designed for the Explication of the Old in which Christ is expresly declared to be the Bridegroom or Husband of his Church as Mat. 9. 15. 22. 2. John 3. 29. 2 Cor. 11. 2. Eph. 5. 23. Rev. 19. 7. 21. 2. 22. 17. 4. That the 45th Psalm which is a kind of abridgment of this Book although it had its rise from or alludes to the Marriage between Solomon and Pharaoh's Daughter was written concerning the Messias as all Interpreters both Christian and Iewish agree and concerning the mystical Marriage between Christ and his Church of which see my notes upon that Psalm From these considerations and many others which might be suggested and which will offer themselves to our thoughts from several passages of it it is sufficiently manifest that the main scope and business of this book is to describe the mutual Love Union and Communion which is between Christ and his Church in the various conditions to which it is liable in this World as in the state of Weakness and Desertion and Persecution from foolish Shepherds and the like Chap. 1. 6 7. and 3. 1 2 3 4. and 5. 2 7 c. Moreover it is to be considered that Solomon doth here vary his Speech sometimes speaking of the Church in general as one Person or Body and sometimes of the particular Members of it or of several Believers both of such as really and sincerely are so or such as profess to be so and of their various dispositions and conditions And hence comes the difference of Persons here mentioned the Mother or Spouse and the Children or Daughters of Jerusalem Sixty Queens and Eighty Concubines some that are Strangers to the Bridegroom and some that are well acquainted with him c. These things being premised will give great light to the several passages of this Book CHAP. I. 1 THe song of songs a The most excellent of all Songs whether composed by profane or sacred Authors by Solomon or by any other So this Hebrew Phrase is understood in other cases as the holy of holies signifies the most holy and the highest King is called King of Kings there are multitudes of such instances as hath been oft observed And so this might well be called whether you consider the Author of it who was a great Prince and the wisest of all mortal Men the two Adams only excepted or the Subject of it which is not Solomon but a greater than Solomon even Christ and his Marriage with the Church as hath been noted or the Matter of it which is most lofty and mysterious containing in it the greatest and noblest of all the mysteries contained either in the Old or the New Testament most pious and pathetical breathing forth the hottest flames of Love between Christ and his People most sweet and comfortable and useful to all that read it with serious and christian Eves Nor is it the worse because prophane and wanton Wits abuse it and endeavour to fasten their absurd and filthy senses upon some passages in it The truth is this Book requires a sober and pious not a lascivious and foolish Reader for which reason some of the ancient Hebrews advised young men to forbear the reading of it till they were Thirty years old which is Solomons b Which was composed by
Effigies Reverendi ad modum Viri Matthaei Poli qui huic seculo non minus â—…esiderabilis interyt quam ob scripta sua Critica et casuistica posteris charus futurus est Flere et meminisfe relictum est Printed for T. Parkhurst D. Newman I. Robinson B. Aylmer T. Cockrill B. Alsop ANNOTATIONS UPON THE HOLY BIBLE WHEREIN The Sacred Text is Inserted and various Readings Annex'd together with the Parallel Scriptures the more difficult Terms in each Verse are Explained seeming Contradictions Reconciled Questions and Doubts Resolved and the whole Text opened VOL. I. By the Late Reverend and Learned Divine M r. MATTHEW POOLE NEHEM 8. Verse 8. They Read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the Reading ACTS 8. Verse 30 31. Understandest thou what thou Readest How can I except some man shall Guide me LONDON Printed by Iohn Richardson for Thomas Parkhurst Dorman Newman Ionathan Robinson Brabazon Ailmer Thomas Cockeril and Benjamin Alsop M. DC LXXXIII THE PREFACE WHEREIN The Authors of the ensuing Annotations supplemental to Mr. Poole present to the Reader an Historical account of the Translation of the Scriptures into our English Tongue the mighty workings of Divine Providence conducive to it and the several Notes or Annotations which have been published and a particular Account of the Reverend Mr. Pooles and their present undertaking with the Reasons of it THE same Reason which teacheth us to conclude That there is a first Being and must be a first Cause and Mover whom we call God That it is he who hath made us and not we ourselves and that we are his people and the Sheep of his Pasture will also oblige us To enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise and to be thankful unto him by fulfilling his will Which we cannot do without some Revelation of it to us God therefore having ceased to speak to men face to face as to Abraham and Moses c. which he never ordinarily did but to some particular Favourites we are by reason inforced to conclude that there are some Books in the World in which this Revelation is to be found The Church of God the Mother of us all hath constantly held forth the Books of the Old and New Testament which we have in our Bibles for this sacred Revelation which hath justly obliged all her children to look upon them as hung out to them for that use upon that Noble pillar the Church looking into them upon the Churches notice as the child does upon the Mothers telling it That is the Sun every reasonable man finds them of so venerable Antiquity and discerneth in them such stamps of Divinity In the majesty of their stile the purity of the matter the sublimeness and spirituality of the propositions contained in them the self-denial of the Penmen the heavenliness of the scope and end of those sacred writings the harmony of the parts the seal of miracles and principally in the mighty power and efficacy of them upon the souls and consciences of multitudes both for conviction and for support and consolation that he easily concludes This is the voice of God and not of man and looks back upon his mother the Church as a child upon his nurse thanking her for shewing him such a treasure and saying as the Samaritanes to their Countrey-woman John 4. 42. Now we believe these Books are the word of God not because of thy saying so but because we have looked into them our selves and find them of a different stile nature and matter and to have a different scope end power and efficacy upon the souls of men from what any other Writings in the World have Though the truth is that until a man comes to be fully perswaded of the truth of them from the same spirit that dictated them every soul will be as apt to waver in his faith as to them to be the Word of God as he in Tully who only believed the Immortality of the Soul from the reading of Platoes Book which if I remember right the Roman Orator expresseth in words to this sense I have read over Platoes book again and again but I know not how it comes to pass so long as I am reading I agree it but no sooner is the book out of my hands but de immortalitate animae dubitare coepi but I begin to doubt whether the soul be immortal yea or no. But how ever in one degree or other every Christian makes that the Principle of his Religion That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God Some believe it more faintly and incertainly some more fixedly and firmly and accordingly the faith of persons as to them is more or less operative This Revelation of the Divine Will was made perfect gradually as it pleased God in succeeding times to reveal what was his secret will before but hid from ages So as if Chronologers compute right there were more then 1500 years passed betwixt the writing of the first book of Genesis by Moses and the Revelation which was the last by John and Divines generally judge that he sealed up the Book by those words Revelations 22. 18 19. So that as to things to be believed or done we are to expect no further Revelation When the mighty God even the Lord had thus spoken and God had thus shined out of Sion the perfection of beauty it was but reasonable that his people should come to the knowledge of what he had said that they might answer the end of the Revelation both by believing and obeying The Old Testament being wrote in the Hebrew Tongue when great multitudes of them by their captivity in Babilon had much forgotten or corrupted their own Language it was thought reasonable there should be a Caldaick paraphrase and the wisdom of Divine Providence provided a Septuagint Version as for the benefit of others so possibly of the Jews themselves the most of whom before Christs time were more Grecians then Haebricians and it is generally thought that all the Books of the New Testament were wrote in the Grecian Language When it pleased God that the Gospel should be preached to all Nations and the sound of it go to the ends of the Earth he so also ordered it that soon after true Religion came into any place some were stirred up to Translate those Holy Books into the Language of that Country and so far to assist them that though in many lesser things they failed through want of a knowledge of the just propriety of some words in Hebrew or Greek or the use of particles in those Languages yet they failed not in any thing whereby the Reader might be led into any pernicious error touching his Salvation and we shall observe the Pen-men of the New Testament giving such a deference to the commonly received Version in their times that altho the Septuagint Version which we have
and Bizjothjah 29 Baalah and lim and Azem 30 And Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah 31 And Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah 32 And Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon all the cities are twenty and nine r Obj. Here are 37 or 38 Cities named before how then are they only reckoned 29 Ans. There were only 29 of them which either 1. Properly belonged to Iudah the rest fell to Simeons Lot or 2. Were Cities properly so called i. e. walled Cities or such as had Villages under them as it here follows the rest being great but unwalled Towns or such as had no Villages under them with their villages 33 And in the vale Eshtaol and Zoreah and Ashnah 34 And Zanoah and Engannim Tappuah and Enam 35 Jarmuth and Adullam Socoh and Azekah 36 And Sharaim and Adithaim and Gederah * Or or and Gederothaim fourteen cities s Obj. There are 15 numbred Ans. Either one of them was no City strictly called or Gederah and Gederothaim is put for Gederah or Gederothaim so called possibly because the City was double as there want not instances of one City divided into two parts called the old and the new City So the conjunction and is put for the disjunctive or whereof examples have been given before with their villages 37 Zenan and Hedashah and Migdal-gad 38 And Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel 39 Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon 40 And Cabbon and Lahmas and Kithlish 41 And Gederoth Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah sixteen cities with their villages 42 Libnah t Heb. Libnah See Ios. 10. 29. and Ether and Ashan 43 And Jiphta and Ashnah and Nezib 44 And Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah nine cities with their villages 45 Ekron u Here and in the following Verses are contained all the Cities of the Philistines among which are Gath and Askelon which peradventure are here omitted because they were not at this time places of such Power and Eminency as afterwards they were but were the Daughters of some of these following Cities though afterwards the Daughter might overtop the Mother as is usual with her †Towns x Heb. Her Daughters i. e. lesser Cities or great Towns subject to Ekrons Jurisdiction and her villages ‡ Heb. Daughters Numb 21. 25. y i. e. Lesser Towns or Hamlets 46 From Ekron even unto the sea all that lay †near Ashdod with their villages ‡ Heb. by the place of 47 Ashdod with her †towns and her villages Gaza with her * Heb. Daughters * Heb. Daughters towns and her villages unto the river of Egypt and the great sea and the border thereof z i. e. The Sea-Coast and all other Cities Towns and Villages upon it 48 ¶ And in the mountains a i. e. In the higher grounds called Mountains or Hills in comparison of the Sea-Coast Shamir and Jattir and Socoh 49 And Dannah and Kirjath-sannah which is Debir b Which also is called Kiriath-sepher above v. 15. So this City had three Names 50 And Anab and Eshâ—…emoh and Anim 51 And Goshen c See Ios. 10. 41. and Holon and Giloh eleven cities with their villages 52 Arab and Dumah and Eshean 53 And * Janum and Beth-tappuah and 〈◊〉 Janus Aphekah 54 And Humtah and * Chap. 14. 15. Kirjath-arba which is Hebron and Zior nine cities with their villages 55 Maon d Of which see 1 Sam. 23. 25. and 25. 2. Carmel e Nabals Country 1 Sam. 25. and Ziph f Which gave its name to the Neighbouring Mountain 1 Sam. 26. 1. and Juttah 56 And Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah 57 Cain Gibeah and Timnah ten cities with their villages 58 Halhul Bethzur and Gedor 59 And Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon six cities with their villages 60 Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim and Rabbah two cities with their villages 61 ¶ In the wilderness g So the Hebrews call places either uninhabited by men or having but few Inhabitants Beth-arabah Middin and Secaâ—…ah 62 And Nibshan and the city of salt h So called either from the Salt Sea which was near it or from the Salt which was made in it or about it and Engedi six cities with their villages 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jeruâ—…em i For though Ierusalem was in part taken by Ioshua before this yet the upper and stronger part of it called Zion was still kept by the Iebusites even until Davids time and it seems from thence they descended to the lower Town called Ierusalem and took it so that the Israelites were forced to win it a second time yea and a third time also for afterwards it was possessed by the Iebusites Iudg. 19. 11. 2 Sam. 5. 6 7. the children of Judah could not drive them out k Namely because of their unbelief as Christ could do no mighty work because of the peoples unbelief Mark 6. 5 6. Mat. 13. 58. and because of their Sloth and Cowardise and Wickedness whereby they forfeited Gods help and then they must needs be imporent but this inability was wilful and brought upon them by themselves but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem l The same things which are here said of the children of Iudah are said of the Benjamites Iudg. 1. 21. Hence ariseth a question To which of the Tribes Ierusalem belonged whether to Benjamin as is gathered from Gen. 49. 27. Deut. 33. 12. Ier. 6. 1. or to Iudah as is implied here and Psal. 78. 68 69. Some think that being in the Borders of both it was common to both and promiscuously inhabited by both and it is certain that after the Captivity it was possessed by both Neh. 11. 4. But for the present though it did belong to Benjamin yet the Children of Iudah being possibly very active in the first taking of it by Ioshua as they certainly were after his Death Iudg. 1. 8. they might thereby get some right to share with the Benjamites in the Possession of it It seems most probable that part of it and indeed the greatest part and main body of it stood in the Tribe of Benjamin and hence this is mentioned in the List of their Cities and not in Iudah's List and part of it stood in Iudah's share even Mount Moriah on which the Temple was built and Mount Sion when it was taken from the Iebusites unto this day m When this Book was written whether in Ioshuah's Life and Old Age which continued many years after the taking of Ierusalem or after his Death when this Clause was added here and elsewhere in this Book by some other man of God which must needs be done before Davids time when the Iebusites were quite expelled and their Fort taken CHAP. XVI AND the lot of the children of Joseph a i. e. Of Ephraim and the half Tribe of Manasseh which are here put together in one not because they had but one Lot for
digested the books of Moses into this order and inserted some very few passages to accommodate things to their own time and people 15 And * Num. 32. â—…9 I gave Gilead o i. e. The half part of Gilead as appears from ver 12 13. See on Numb 32. 40. unto Machir p i. e. Unto the children of Machir son of Manasseh for Maâ—…hir was now dead 16 And unto the Reubenite and unto the Gadite I gave from Gilead even unto the River Arnon half the valley q Or rather to the middle of the River for the word rendred half signifies commonly middle and the same Hebrew word signifying both a valley and a brook or river it seems more reasonable to understand it of a River as the same word is here rendred in the next foregoing clause of this verse than of a valley which was not mentioned before especially seeing there is here an article added which seems to be emphatical and to note that River to wit now mentioned Adde to this that there was no such valley much less any half-valley belonging both unto the Reubenites and Gadites But according to the other translation the sense is plain and agreeable to the truth that their Land extended from Gilead unto Arnon and to speak exactly to the middle of that River for as that River was the border between them and others so one half of it belonged to them as the other half did to others And that this is no subtil device as some may think it but the truth of the thing and the reall meaning of the place will appear by comparing this place with two others 1. with Ios. 12. 2. where the same thing is expressed in the same words in the Hebrew which are here though our translatours render the self-same words there from the middle of the River which here they render half of the valley and where the bounds of Sihons Kingdom which was the same portion here mentioned as given to Reuben and Gad are thus described from Aroer which is upon the baâ—…k of the River of Arnon and from the middle of the River and from half Gilead even unto the river Iabbok which is the border of the children of Ammon 2. With Deut. 2. 36. From Aroer which is by the brink of the River of Arnon and from the city that is by the River or rather as the Hebrew hath it in the River i. e. from Ar which was the chief city of the Moabites and therefore denied to the Israelites as is here implyed and more fully expressed Deut. 2. 9. which City was seated in an Island in the middle of the River So that here we have a just and full reason why the border of this Land given to Reuben and Gad is so nicely and critically described here even to the middle of a River which although in truth and strictness it be the bound of those Lands which are divided by a River yet is not usually expressed in the deleription of borders either in Scripture or other Autnours because here was an eminent City of the Meabites in the middle of this River which by this curious and exact description is excepted from their possession as God would have it to be and the border even unto the river Jabbok r The meanning seems to be this And the border to wit of their Land was which 〈◊〉 substantive is commonly understood or went 〈◊〉 as the phrase is Iâ—… 15. 6 7 c. from thence to 〈◊〉 from the River Arâ—…on even unto the River Iabbok for so indeed their border did proceed * Num 21. 24. Josh. 12. â—… which is the border of the children of Ammon s Object This was the border between them and the 〈◊〉 as is evident and therefore not the border of the Ammonites 〈◊〉 It bordered upon the 〈◊〉 in one part and upon the Ammonites in another part to wit in that part which is remoter from Iordan and so both are true 17 The plain t The Low Country towards Iordan also and Jordan and the coast thereof from Chinnereth u Of which see on Numb 34. 1â—… Ios. 12. 3. even unto the sea of the plain x i. e. That salt Sea as it here follows which before that dreadful conflagration was a goodly plain called the plain of Iordan Gen. 13. 10. even the salt sea ‖ Or â—…nder the springs of Pisgah or the hill under Ashdoth Pisgah y The proper name of a City of which Ios. 13. 20. eastward 18 And I commanded you z To wit the Reubenites and Gadites mentioned ver 16. to whom he now turns his speech by an Apostrophe at that time saying The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it * Num. 32. 20. ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel all that are †Heb. sons of power meet for the war a In such number as your brethren shall judge necessary See Ios. 1. 14. and 4. 13. 19 But your wives and your little ones and your cattle for I know that ye have much cattle shall abide in your cities which I have given you 20 Until the LORD have given rest b A peaceable and fixed possession unto your brethren as well as unto you and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan and then shall ye * Josh. 22. 4. return every man unto his possession which I have given you 21 And * Num. 27. 18. I commanded Joshua at that time saying Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two Kings so shall the LORD do unto all the Kingdoms whither thou passest 22 Ye shall not fear them for the LORD your God he shall fight for you 23 And I besought the LORD at that time saying 24 O LORD God thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand for * Psal. 8â—… 8. and 89. 6. what God is there in heaven or in earth that can do according to thy works and according to thy might 25 I pray thee let me go over c For he supposed Gods threatning might be conditional and reversible as many others were and see the good land that is beyond Jordan that goodly mountain d Or that blessed mountain which the Jews not improbably understand of that mountain on which the Temple was to be built For as Moses desired and determined to prepare an habitation for God Exod. 15. 2. and knew very well that God would chuse a certain place for his habitation and to put his name there Deut. 12. 5. So he also knew that it was the manner both of the true worshippers of God and of Idolaters to worship their God in high-places and particularly that Abraham did worship God in the mount of Mâ—…a Gen. 22. 2. and therefore did either reasonably conjecture that God would chuse
for all the rest He stood in the East and saw also Gilead which was in the Eastern part of the land and thence he saw the North and South and west and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and all the land of Judah unto the utmost sea f i. e. The midland Sea which was the utmost bound of the land of promise on the west 3 And the south g i. e. The south quarter of the land of Iudah which is towards the salt sea which is described Num. 34. 3 4 5. Ios. 15. 1 2 3 4. as the western quarter of Iudah was described in the words next foregoing and the plain of the valley of Jericho h Or in which lies Iericho which was in the Tribe of Benjamin the city of palm-trees i i. e. Iericho so called both here and Iudg. 1. 16. and 3. 13. 2 Chron. 28. 15. from the multitude of Palm-trees which were in those parts as Iosephus and Straâ—… write From whence and the balm there growing it was called Iericho which signifies odoriserous or sweet smelling unto Zoar. 4 And the LORD said unto him * Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 13. 1â—… This is the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob saying I will give it unto thy seed I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes k To wit by a miraculous power strengthning thy sight or making a clear representation of all these parts to thy view but thou shalt not go over thither 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab l i. e. In the land which Israel took from the Amorites which antiently was the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD 6 And he m i. e. The Lord last mentioned buried him either immediately or by the ministery of Angels whereof Michael was the Chief or Prince Iude ver 9. buryed him in a valley in the land of Moab over-against Beth-Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre n i. e Of the particular place of the Valley where he was buried which God hid from the Israelites to prevent their Superstition and Idolatry to which he knew their great proneness And for this very reason the Devil endeavoured to have it known and contended with Michael about it Iude ver 9. And seeing God would not endure the worship of the Relicks or Tomb of so eminent a person as Moses was it is ridiculous to think God would permit this honour to be given to any of the succeeding Saints who were so far inferiour to him unto this day 7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died his eye was not diâ—… nor his †Heb. 〈◊〉 natural force †Heb. 〈◊〉 abated o By a miraculous work of God in mercy to his Church and people 8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty dayes p Which was the usual time of mourning for persons of high place and eminency See Gen. 50. 3 10. Num. 20. 29. For others seven days sufficed so the dayes of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended 9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom q And other gifts and graces too as appears from the History but Wisdom is mentioned as being most necessary for the Government to which he was now called for Moses had laid his hands upon him r Which God had appointed as a sign to Moses and Ioshua and the Israelites that this was the person whom he had appointed and qualified for his great work See Numb 27. 18 c. compare Gen. 48. 10. Numb 8. 10. and the children of Israel hearkned unto him and did as the LORD commanded Moses 10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses s In the priviledges here following whom the LORD knew face to face t i. e. Whom God did so freely and familiarly and frequently converse with See on Exod. 33. 11. Numb 12. 8. Deut. 5. 4. 11 In all the signs u This is to be joyned either 1. with the words immediately foregoing as an eminent instance wherein God did know or acknowledge and own or converse so familiarly with Moses namely in the working of all his signs and wonders in Egypt where God spake to him so oft and sometimes even in Pharaohs presence and answered his requests so particularly and punctually whether he called for vengeance or for deliverance Or 2. With the more remote words there was none like unto Moses in regard of all the signs c. the words whom the Lord knew face to face coming in by way of parenthesis and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land 12 And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel JOSHUA The ARGUMENT IT is not material to know who was the Pen-man of this Book whether Joshua as seems most probable from Chap. 24. 26. or some other holy Prophet It is sufficient that this Book was a part of the Holy Scriptures or Oracles of God committed to and carefully kept by the Jews and by them faithfully delivered to us as appears by the concurring Testimony of Christ and his Apostles who owned and approved of the same Holy Scriptures which the Church of the Jews did But this is certain that divers Passages in this Book were put into it after Joshua's death as Josh. 10. 13. compared with 2 Sam. 1. 18. and Josh. 19. 47. compared with Judg. 18. 1. and Josh. 24. 29 30. And such like Insertions have been observed in the five Books of Moses CHAP. I. NOW after the death of Moses a Either immediately after it or when the days of mourning for Moses were expired Ioshua was appointed and declared Moses his Successor in the Government before this time and therefore doubtless entred upon the Government instantly after his death and here he receives confirmation from God therein the servant of the LORD b This title is given to Moses here and v. 2. as also Deut. 34. 5. and is oft repeated not without cause partly to reflect Honour upon him partly to give Authority to his Laws and Writings in publishing whereof he only acted as Gods Servant in his name and stead and partly that the Israelites might not think of Moses above what was meet remembring that he was not the Lord himself but only the Lords Servant and therefore not to be worshipped nor yet to be too pertinaceously followed in all his Institutions when the Lord himself should come and abolish part of the Mosaical Dispensation it being but reasonable that he who was only a Servant in Gods house should give place to him who was the Son and Heir and Lord of it as Christ was See Heb. 3. 3 5
Moses an altar of whole stones over which no man hath lift up any iron and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the LORD and sacrificed peace-offerings 32 And he wrote there upon the stones t Not upon the Stones of the Altar which were to be rough and unpolished v. 31. but upon other Stones sinooth and plaistered as is manifest from Deut. 27. 2. a copy of the law of Moses u Not certainly the whole five Books of Moses for what Stones and time would have sufficed for this nor the Blessings and the Curses here following which never are nor can without great impropriety be called the Law of Moses seeing they presuppose the Law and the Observation or Transgression thereof to which they belong only as rewards of the one and punishments of the other but the most weighty and substantial parts of the Law as may be gathered from the Laws which are mentioned and to the violaters whereof the Curses are applied Deut. 27. 15. c. and especially the Law of the Ten Commandments which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel 33 And all Israel x i. e. The whole Congregation old and young male and female as it follows v. 35. and their elders and officers and their judges stood on this side the ark and on that side y i. e. Some on one side of it and some on the other before the priests the Levites which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD as well the stranger as he that was born among them half of them over against mount Gerizim z These two places were in the Tribe of Ephraim not far from Shechem as appears both from Scripture Deut. 11. 29 30. and 27. 12. Iudg. 9. 7. and from other Authors who lived in those parts as Iosephus and the Iewish Doctors and half of them over against mount Ebal * Deut. 11. 29 and 27. 1â—… as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before that they should bless a Or Curse which is easily understood out of the following verse and from Deut. 27. 13 c. the people of Israel 34 And afterward b After the Altar was built and the Stones plaistered and writ upon he read c i. e. He commanded the Priests or Levites to read Deut. 27. 14. all the words of the law the blessings and cursings d Which words come in not by way of Explication as if the words of the Law were nothing else besides the Blessings and Curses but by way of addition to note that these were read over and above the words of the Law according to all that is written in the book of the law e He saith not according to all that was written upon those Stones but in the Book of the Law which shews the mistake of them that think the same things were both read and written upon these Stones 35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua read not f Therefore he read not the Blessings and Curses only as some think but the whole Law as the manner was when all Israel Men and Women were Assembled together as we read Deut. 31. 10 11 12. before all the congregation of Israel * Deut. 31. 12. with the women and the little ones and the strangers that * Heb. walked were conversant among them g i. e. Who were Proselytes for no others can be supposed to be with them at this time CHAP. IX AND it came to pass when all the kings which were on this side Jordan in the hill and in the valley and in all the coast of the great sea over against Lebanon the Hittite and the Amorite the Canaanite the Perizzite the Hivite and the Jebusite heard thereof 2 That they gathered themselves together a Not actually as the following History shews but they entred into a league or confederation to do this to fight with Joshua and with Israel with one * Heb. Mouth accord 3 And b Or But for he shews that these took another and a wiser course when the inhabitants of Gibeon c A great and royal city of the Hivites Ios. 10. 2. and 11. 19. heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai 4 They did work wilily and went and made as if they had been embassadors d Sent from a far Country as they say v. 6. and took old sacks upon their asses and wine-bottles old and rent and bound up 5 And old shooes and clouted upon their feet and old garments upon them and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy 6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal e The place of their head-Quarters and said unto him and to the men of Israel f To wit those who used to meet in Counsel with Joshua to whom it belonged to make Leagues as it here follows even the Princes of the Congregation not the common people as appears both from v. 15 18 19 21. and from common usage of all Ambassadors who generally deliver their Message to and treat with Princes not People And the Hebrew word isch here used sometimes notes men of eminency and dignity We be come from a far countrey now therefore g Because we are not of this people whom as we are informed you are obliged utterly to destroy that which appeared sufficiently both by the Israelites practice in destroying the Amorites beyond Iordan and the people of Iericho and Ai without any allowance for Sex or Age and by common rumor and the report of the Israelites and other persons who dwelt among them or had converse with them as Rahab and all her kindred and by the nature of the thing because they were to possess that whole Land and were not to mix themselves with the people of it make ye a league with us 7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivite g i. e. The Gibeonites who were Hivites Jos. 11. 19. Peradventure ye dwell among us h i. e. In this Land and so are of that people with whom we are forhidden to make any League or Covenant Exod. 23. 32 33 34. Deut. 7. 2. and 20. 15 16. and how shall we make a league with you 8 And they said unto Joshua We are thy servants i We desire a League with you upon your own terms we are ready to accept of any conditions And Joshua said unto them Who are ye and from whence come ye k For this free and general concession of theirs gave Ioshua just cause to suspect that they were of the cursed Canaanites 9 And they said unto him From a very far country thy servants are come because of the Name of the LORD l Being moved thereunto by the report of his great and glorious nature and works so they gave them hopes that they would embrace their Religion thy God for we have heard the
historical Books is lost not being a Canonical Book and therefore not preserved by the Iews with the same care as they were so the sun stood still b Here is no mention of the Moon because the Suns standing was the only thing which Ioshua desired and needed and the Moons standing he desired only by accident to prevent irregularity in the Motions of those celestial Lights Some take this to be but a Poetical Phrase and Relation of the Victory that Ioshua did so many and such great things in that day as if the Sun and Moon had stood still and given him longer time for it But the frequent Repetition and magnificent Declaration of this Wonder manifestly confutes that fancy That the Sun and Moon did really stand still is affirmed Habak 3. 11. and Sirach 46. 5 6. And if it seem strange to any one that so wonderful a Work observed by the whole World that then was should not be mentioned in any Heathen Writers he must needs be satisfied if he considers that it is confessed by the generality of Writers Heathens and others that there is no certain History or Monument in Heathen Authors of any thing done before the Trojan Wars which was a thousand years after Ioshua's time and that all time before that is called by the learnedst Heathens the uncertain unknown or obscure time in the midst of ‡ Or the 〈◊〉 rigâ—…t heaven c Not Mathematically in the very Meridian or middle part of that Hemisphere but morally and with some Latitude when it had begun a little to decline the consideration whereof seems to have given Ioshua occasion for his desire and hasted not to go down about a whole day d i. e. For the space of a whole day Understand an artificial day between Sun-rising and Sun-setting for that was the day which Ioshua needed and desired a day to give him light for his work 14 And there was no day like that e To wit In those parts of the World of which he here speaks and about which the Comparison is here made vain therefore is that Objection that the days are longer near the Northern and Southern Poles where they are constantly longer at certain seasons and that by the order of nature whereas the length of this day was purely contingent and granted by God in answer to Ioshua's Prayer as is here added Obj. In Hezekiah's time and at his Prayer there was a day which may seem to have been longer for the Sun went backward ten Degrees in ten hours and then returned again ten Degrees in ten hours and so it was 20. hours longer than a common day and so longer than this Ans. It is not certain either that each Degree designed an hour and not rather half an hour or a quarter as others think or that the Sun returned those ten Degrees as slowly as he went down before or after Besides it was now near Summer Solstice when the day was longest and about 14. hours and that being doubled the artificial day was 28. hours and because there is not the least evidence that Hezekiahs day was longer but rather of the contrary it is much more reasonable to believe this Scripture-assertion than to deny or question upon meer Suppositions or idle Conjectures before it or after it that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man f To wit in such a manner to alter the Course of nature and of the heavenly Bodies that a man might have more time to pursue and destroy his Enemies for the LORD fought for Israel g This is added as the reason why God was so ready to answer Ioshua's Petition herein because he was engaged and resolved to fight for Israel and that in â—… more than ordinary manner 15 ¶ And Joshua returned h Not immediately or upon that same day but after he had dispatched the matter which here follows as appears by v. 43. where the very same words are repeated to shew that that was the meaning of them And they are put here to close the general discourse of the fight which begun v. 10. and ends here which being done he particularly describes some remarkable Passages and closeth them with the same words and all Israel with him unto the camp to Gilgal 16 But these five kings i Named above v. 3. fled and hid themselves in a cave k As a place of most secrecy or security but there is no escaping the eye or hand of God who here brought them into a Net of their own making at Makkedah l Heb. in Makkedah not in the city for that was not yet taken but in the Territory of it as in Gibeon v. 10. 17 And it was told Joshua saying The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah 18 And Joshua said Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave and set men by it for to keep them 19 And stay ye not m Lose not your opportunity by your sloth or negligence but pursue after your enemies and †smite the hindmost of them n Their rereward all whom you can overtake Heb. cut off tail suffer them not to enter into their cities o Whereby they will recover their strength and renew the War for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand p Your work will be easie God hath already done the work to your hands 20 And it came to pass when Joshua and the children of Israel q i. e. Ioshua by the Children of Israel or the Children of Israel i. e. a Party of them by the Command Direction and Encouragement of Ioshua for Ioshua himself went not with them but abode in the Siege before Makkedah v. 21. had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter till they were consumed that the rest which remained of them entred into fenced cities 21 And all the people returned to the camp r To the body of the Army which were encamped there with Ioshua to besiege that place to Joshua at Makkedah in peace * Exod. 11. 7. none moved his tongue s Not so much as a Dog as it is expressed Exod. 11. 7. Not onely their men of War could not find their hands but they were all so confounded that they could not move their Tongues in way of Insultation or Reproach as doubtless they did when the Israelites were first repulsed and smitten at Ai but now they were silenced as well as conquered they durst no more provoke nor injure the Israelites against any of the children of Israel 22 Then said Joshua Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave 23 And they did so and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave the king of Jerusalem the king of Hebron the king of Jarmuth the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon. 24 And it came to pass when they brought out those
of that time when he took those places mentioned here and chap. 10. which History he here in part repeats and enlargeth with this memorable circumstance That together with the rest he destroyed also the Giants which were in those places from Anab q A place in the Tribe of Iudah Jos. 15. 50. and from all the mountain of Judah and from all the mountain of Israel r It doth not follow from hence which some conclude that this Book was written by some other person long after Ioshua's Death even after the division of the Israelites into two Kingdoms of Israel and Iudah but only that this was one of those clauses which were added or altered and suited to the stile of the present times by Ezra or some other Prophet though that be not necessary for since it was evident to Ioshua from Gen. 49. 10 c. That the Tribe of Iudah was to be the chief of all the Tribes and some dawnings of its Eminency appeared in that time in their having the first Lot in the Land of Canaan Ios. 15. 1. and the largest inheritanâ—…e Ios. 19. 9. It is no wonder that it is mentioned apart and distinguished from the rest of the Tribes of Israel though that also be one of them even as the Daughter of Pharaâ—…h is distinguished from the Strange Women 1 King 11. 1. and Saul from all Davids Enemies Psal. 18. title and Peter from the Disciples Mark 16. 7. though they were each of the same nature and quality with the rest Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities s Qâ—… How could Ioshua utterly destroy these when Caâ—…eb and Othoniel destroyed some of them after Ioshua's Death Ios. 14. 12. Iudg. 1. 10 11 12. Ans. This might be either 1. 〈◊〉 these places being in part destroyed and neglected by the Israelites might be re-possessed by the Giants either in Ioshua's time or after his Death and by them kept till Caleb dispossessed and destroyed them Or rather 2. Because this work though done by the particular valour and industry of Caleb is ascribed to Ioshua as the General of the Army according to the manner of all Historians and therefore it is here attributed to Ioshua though afterwards that Caleb might not lose his deserved Honour the History is more particularly described and Caleb owned as the great Instrument in the atchievement of it Ios. 14. and Iudg. 1. 22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel only in Gaza in Gath and in Ashdod t Three Cities of the Philistines to which they retired and where we find some of them afterwards 1 Sam. 17. 4. and 2 Sam. 21. 16. Which may be one reason why the Israelites durst not make an attempt upon these places though they were a part of their Possession there remained 23 So Joshua took the whole land u Synecdochically i. e. the greatest and the best part of it for some parts and places are expresly excepted in the following History according to all that the LORD said unto Moses and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel * Numb 26. 53. according to their divisions by their tribes and the land rested from war x From actual War so far that they could now quietly survey and distribute and possess the Land CHAP. XII NOW these are the kings of the Land which the children of Israel smote and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the Sun from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon and all the plain on the east a On the East of Iordan called the Plain Deut. 1. 1. and the Plains of Moab Deut. 34. 1. 2 * Numb 21. 24. Deut. 3. 6. Sihon king of the Amorites who dwelt in Heshbon and ruled from Aroer which is upon the bank of the river of Arnon and from the middle of the river b It is not unusual even amongst us for a River to be divided between two Lords and for their Territories or Jurisdictions to meet in the middle of the River And besides here is a very particular reason for this expression because the city Ar which was no part of Sihons Dominions but belonged to the Moabites Deut. 2. 9 18. was in the middle of the River Arnon Deut. 2. 36. and 3. 16. and therefore the middle of the River is most fitly and properly here mentioned as the bound of Sihons Dominion on that side and from half Gilead c Heb. and the half Gilead i. e. half of the Country of Gilead the particle from is not in the Original and this doth not seem to denote the term or bound from which his Dominion begun as our Version implies for so indeed it was not but the place or Country in and over which his Dominion was which as is here said began at Arnon and took in half Gilead and ended at Iabbok beyond which was the other half of Gilead which belonged to Og as is expresly said v. 5. where the words being wholly the same that are here it is most reasonable to understand and translate them in the same manner even unto the river Jabbok which is the border of the children of Ammon 3 And * Deut. 3. 17. from the plain unto the sea of Cinneroth on the east d Which words describe the scituation not of the sea of Cinneroth which was part of the Western border of Sihons Dominion but of the Plain which is here said to lye eastward from the sea of Cinneroth and also eastward from the Salt Sea as it here follows And this was indeed the scituation of the Plains of Moab which are here spoken of to wit that they lay between the two Seas that of Cinneroth and the Salt Sea and eastward to them both and unto the sea of the plain e The Salt Sea is so called because it was a famous Plain pleasant and fruitful before it was turned into a Salt Sea even the salt sea on the east the way to Beth-jeshimoth and from * Or Teman the south f Or on or towards the South under †* Deut. 3. 17. and 4. 49. Ashdoth-pisgah ‡ Or the springs of Pisgah or the hill 4 ¶ And the coast of Og king of Bashan which was of the †remnant of the giants that * Deut. 1. 4. dwelt at ‡ Deut. 3. 11. Chap. 13. 12. Ashtaroth and at Edrei g To wit successively sometimes at the one sometimes at the other City both being his Royal Mansions 5 And reigned in mount Hermon and in Salcah and in all Bashan unto the border of the Geshurite h Of which see Deut. 3. 13. Jos. 13. 13. 2 Sam. 13. 37. and 15. 8. and the Maacathite and half Gilead the border of Sihon king of Heshbon 6 * Num. 21. 33. Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite and * Numb 3â—… Deut. 3. 12
wanting of far more large and capacious Buildings than this that have been supported only by one Pillar Particularly Pliny in the 15th Chapter of the 36th Book of his Natural History mentions two Theaters built by one C. Curio who lived in Iulius Cesar's time each of which was supported only by one Pillar or Pin or Hinge though very many thousands of People did sit in it together And much more might Two Pillars suffice to uphold a Building large enough to contain Three thousand persons which is the number mentioned v. 17. Or the Pillars might be made Two in the lower part meerly for Ornament-sake which might easily be so ordered as to support a Third and Main Pillar in the Middle which upheld the whole Fabrick 30 And Samson said Let ‡ Heb. my soul me die with the Philistines r i. e. I am contented to Die so I can but therewith contribute any thing to the Vindication of Gods Glory here trampled upon and to the Deliverance of Gods People This is no example nor encouragement to those that wickedly Murder themselves for Sampson did not desire nor procure his own Death voluntarily but only by meer force and necessity because he did desire and by his Office was obliged to seek the destruction of these Enemies and Blasphemers of God and Oppressors of his People which in these circumstances he could not Effect without his own Death and his Case was not much unlike theirs that in the heaâ—… of Battel run upon the very mouth of the Canon or other evident and certain danger of Deatâ—… to execute a design upon the Enemy or theirs who go in a Fire-ship to destroy the Enemies best Ships though they are sure to Perish in the Enterprize Moreover Sampson did this by Divine Instinct and Approbation as Gods Answer to his Prayer manifests and that he might be a Type of Christ who by voluntarily undergoing Death destroyed the Enemies of God and of his People and he bowed himself with all his might and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people that were therein so the dead which he slew at his death were moe than they which he slew in his life 31 Then his brethren s Either First Largely so called his kinsmen Or Secondly strictly â—…o called Sampson's Parents having had other Children after him as it was usual with God when he gave an extraordinary and unexpected Power of procreating a Child to continue that strength for the Generation or Conception of more Children as in the case of Abraham Gen. 25. 1 2. and Anna 1 Sam. 2. 21. and all the house of his father came down and took him and brought him up and buried him t Which they adventured to do partly because the most barbarous Nations allowed Burial even to their Enemies and would permit this oft-times to be done by their friends partly because Sampson had taken the blame of this Action wholly to himself for which his innocent Relations could not upon any pretence be Punished and principally because they were under such grief and perplexity and consternation for the common Calamity that they had neither heart nor leisure to Revenge themselves of the Israelites but for their own sakes were willing not to disquiet or offend them at least till they were in a better posture to resist them between Zorah and Eshtaol in the burying-place of Manoah his father and he judged Israel twenty years t This was said before Iudg. 15. 20. and is here repeated partly to confirm the Relation of it and partly to explain it and to shew when these Twenty years ended even at his Death as is here Noted CHAP. XVII AND there was a man a The things mentioned here and in the following Chapters did not happen in the order in which they are put but much sooner even presently after the Death of the Elders that over-lived Ioshua Iudg. 2. 7. as appears by divers passages as First because the place called Mahaneh-Dan or the camp of Dan Iudg. 13. 25. was so called from that which was done Iudg. 18. 12. Secondly Because the Danites had not yet got all their Inheritance Iudg. 18. 1. which is not credible of them above 300 Years after Ioshuah's Death Thirdly because Phinehas the son of Eleazar was Priest at this time Iudg. 20. 28. who must have been about 350 years old if this had been done after Sampson's Death which is more than improbable of mount Ephraim whose name was ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Micah 2 And he said unto his mother The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee about which thou cursedst b i. e. Didst Curse the Person who had taken them away and that in my hearing as it follows and spakest of also in mine ears behold the silver is with me I took it c The fear of thy Curse makes me acknowledge mine Offence and beg thy Pardon And his mother said Blessed be thou of the LORD d I willingly consent to and beg from God the removal of the Curse and a Blessing instead of it Be thou free from my Curse because thou hast so honestly restored it my son 3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother his mother said I had wholly ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 fied dedicated the silver unto the LORD e In the Hebrew it is Iehovah the incommunicable name of God Whereby it is apparent that neither she nor her Son intended to forsake the true God or his Worship as appears from his rejoycing when he had got a Priest of the Lords appointment of the Tribe of Levi Iudg. 17. 13. but onely to Worship God by an Image which also it is apparent that both the Israelites Exod. 32. 1 c. and Ieroboam afterwards designed to do from my hand for my son f Either First for the honour and benefit of thy self and Family that you need not be continually going to Shiloh to Worship but may do it as well at home by these Images Or Secondly that thou mayest cause these things to be made to which end she restored all the Money to him as it here follows to make a graven image and a molten image g Many think this was but one Image partly Graven and partly Molten But it seems more probable that they were two distinct Images because they are so plainly distinguished Iudg. 18. 17 18. where also some other words come between them It is true the graven image alone is mentioned Iudg. 18. 20 30 31. not exclusively to the other as appears from what is said just before but by a common Synecdoche whereby one is put for all especially where that one is esteemed the chief now therefore I will restore it unto thee h To dispose of as I say 4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother i Though his Mother allowed him to keep it yet he persisted in his resolution
4. Matth. 1. 3. Pharez begat Hezron 19 And Hezron begat Ram and Ram begat Amminadab 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon and Nahshon begat ‖ Or Salmah Salmon 21 And Salmon begat Boaz and Boaz begat Obed 22 And Obed begat Jesse and Jesse begat David f How can this be a true Genealogy seeing by this means four Persons take up three hundred and eighty years which were between Salmon and David and consequently every one of them must beget a Son when he was very old Ans. 1. It is not certain that each of these was the immediate Parent of him whom he is said to beget for sometimes Grand-Fathers are said in Scripture to beget their Grand-Children to wit by the Intervention of their immediate Sons whereof Instances have been given And sometimes in Genealogies whole Generations are omitted as may appear by Ezra 7. 2. compared with 1 Chron. 6. 3. and by Matth. 1. 8. which might be done here for divers reasons now unknown 2. There are many Examples even in profane Writers both Ancient and Modern of Persons that have not only lived 120 and 130 years and upwards but have been Vigorous and have begotten Children at above 100 years old and of Women that have conceived and born Children at the age of 50 60 yea 70 years And therefore if it were so in these more ancient times when men were longer-lived and under the Law when long Life was expresly promised to the Obedient and in Persons of strong Constitutions and sober Conversations such as some of these are known to have been and the others may justly be presumed to be such it is not strange nor in the least incredible I. SAMUEL The ARGUMENT IT is not certainly known who was the Pen-man of this Book or whether it was Written by one or more hands nor is it of any great Importance For since there are sufficient Evidences that God was the chief Author of it it matters not who was the Instrument As when it appears that such a thing was really an Act of Parliament or of the Council-Table it is not considerable who was the Clerk or which was the Pen that Wrote it And this is the less material in such Historical Books wherein there is but little which concerns the Foundation of Faith and Good Life and therefore it was not necessary to Name the Writer of them It may abundantly suffice that there were in these times divers Prophets and Holy Men of God as Samuel and Nathan and Gad and David himself who might each of them Write some part of this and the following Book But if any man will out of perversness doubt or deny that these Wrote it yet this I suppose no Discreet and Impartial man will deny that it is wholly Incredible that such Books should be Written in their Times and Recommended to the Church as a Part of the Holy Scriptures and so received by the succeeding Generation without their Approbation who had so great a Power and Authority in the Church and Common-wealth of Israel CHAP. I. NOW there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim a Called Ramah v. 19. and here is the dual number Ramathaim i. e. double Ramah probably because it consisted of two parts whereof the one might be called the Old City the other the New both being united into one and the additional Title of Zophim which signifies Watch-Towers or Watch-Men may note either the height of its Scituation which made it fit for that use or that the Prophets who are called Watch-men as Ezek. 3. 17. had a School or College there of mount Ephraim and his name was * 1 Chro. 6. 27 34. Elkanah the son of Jeroham the son of Elihu the son of Tohu the son of Zuph an Ephrathite b i. e. One of Bethlehem-Iudah Ruth 1. 2. to wit by his Birth and Habitation though by his Original a Levite Thus divers Iews by Nation are called Medes Elamites Cretians c. Act. 2. 9 10 11. because they were Born and Bred there 2 And he had two wives c As divers other good Men had in those Ages And it is probable that he took a second Wife to wit Peninnah because Hannah who being first Named seems to have been his first Wife was Barren the name of the one was Hannah and the name of the other Peninnah and Peninnah had children but Hannah had no children 3 And this man went up out of his city * Deut. 1â—… 6. ‡ Heb. from days to days Lev. 25. 29. yearly d To wit at one of the Solemn Feasts which probably was the Passeover when he not only went up himself but carried his Wife and Children with him Compare v. 7. Or at the appointed days or times Heb. from days to days or from time to time i. e. at the three Solemn Feasts when he together with all other Males were obliged to go to worship God in the place appointed and at other times when he as a Levite was to go thither in his course to worship and to sacrifice e Not in his own Person which the Levites could not do but by the Priests in which sence David and Solomon and Absalom are said to offer Sacrifices 2 Sam. 15. 8. 1 King 8. 63. 1 Chron. 21. 26. unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh f Where the Tabernacle had long been and now was See Ios. 18. 1. Iudg. 18. 31. and 21. 19. and the two sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas the priests of the LORD were there g Or were the Priests of the Lord there to wit under their Father Eli who is generally conceived to have been the High-Priest but being very Old and Infirm 1 Sam. 4. 15. and unfit for service his Sons Ministred in his stead being as it were second Priests See 2 King 25. 18. And this Clause seems to be added to shew that this good Man did not run into that Vulgar Error of neglecting his Duty of Offering to God for the wickedness of the Priests Of which see chap. 2. 17 24. 4 ¶ And when the time was that Elkanah offered he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters portions h To wit out of the Sacrifice of his Peace-Offerings the greatest part whereof fell to the Offerer and was eaten by him and his friends or guests before the Lord Levit. 3. and 7. Deut. 12. 12. and 16. 11. and out of this he gave them all Parts or Portions as the Master of the Feast used to do to Guests 5 But unto Hannah he gave ‖ Or a 〈◊〉 portion a worthy portion i Or an Honourable or Select part such as the Master of the Feast usually gave to the Person most Respected or Beloved See Gen. 43. 34. 1 Sam. 9. 23 24. for he loved Hannah k With a singular and eminent Love Compare Gen. 29. 30. but the LORD had shut up her womb 6 And her adversary l
Prophet q Because he did discern and could discover things secret and unknown to others And these are the words Either First Of some later Sacred Writer which after Samuel's Death inserted this Verse Or Secondly Of Samuel who being probably 50 or 60 Years Old at the Writing of this Book and speaking of the state of things in his first Days might well call it before-time Or rather Thirdly Of Saul's Servant who might be now stricken in Years and might speak this either by his knowledge of what was in his Juvenile Years or upon the Information of his Father or Ancestors And so it is a fit Argument to perswade Saul to go to the Man of God that he might shew them their way and where the Asses were because he was likely to inform them for the Prophets were Anciently called Seers because they knew and could reveal hidden things And the meaning is that Anciently they were not Vulgarly called Prophets but Seers only whereas now and afterwards they were called Seers yet they were more commonly called Prophets was before time called a Seer r. 10 Then said Saul to his servant ‡ Heb. thy word is 〈◊〉 Well said come let us go so they went unto the city where the man of God was 11 ¶ And as they went up ‡ Heb. the ascent of 〈◊〉 city the hill to the city they found young maidens going out r i. e. Out of the City and down to the bottom of the Hill where the Fountain or River was to draw water and said unto them Is the Seer here 12 And they answered them and said He is behold he is before you make haste now for he came to day to the city s She so speaks though this was his own constant habitation because he had been travelling abroad possibly in his Circuit described 1 Sam. 7. 16 17. and was now returned to his own House in Ramah as he used to do and so she implies they come in a good and seasonable time to meet with him for there is a ‡ Or feast sacrifice t Otherwise Feast but it seems to be understood of a Sacrifice First Because so the Hebrew word signifies most properly and most frequently Secondly Because this Eating was in the High place which was the common place for Sacrifices but not for private Feasts Thirdly The Prophets presence was not so necessary for a Feast as for a Sacrifice of the people u So this Sacrifice is called because this was a publick Solemnity and possibly the New Moon when the People brought several Sacrifices to wit Peace-offerings whereof part fell to the Offerer's share and of these parts united together they here made a common Feast not without Samuel's direction who being forewarned the day before by God of Saul's coming made this Feast more Solemn for his entertainment v. 22 23 24. to day in the high place x Upon the Hill mentioned v. 11. and near the Altar which Samuel built for this kind of use 1 Sam. 7. 17. by Divine Dispensation as was there Noted Otherwise to Sacrifice in High places was forbidden by the Law after the Building of the Tabernacle 13 Assoon as ye be come into the city ye shall straightway find him y At Home and at leasure before he go up to the high place to eat z The Relicks of the Sacrifices according to the manner for the people will not eat until he come because he doth bless the sacrifice a i. e. Either First The Meat left of the Sacrifice which is the matter of the following Feast as this is commonly understood Or rather Secondly The Sacrifice it self for what reason is there to depart from the proper signification of the Word For that the Sacrifices under the Law were accompanied with Confession or Petition or Thanksgiving may be gathered from divers places of Scripture as Levit. 5. 5. and 16. 21. Numb 5. 7. Luk. 1. 10. And who so proper to perform this work as Samuel an eminent Prophet And the Blessing of this Sacrifice seems to have consisted both of Thanksgiving this being a Thank-Offering and of Prayer to God for his acceptance Psal. 20. 3. and afterwards they eat that be bidden Now therefore get ye up b With speed lest he be sat down before you come for about ‡ Heb. to day this time ye shall find him 14 And they went up into the city and when they were come into the city behold Samuel came out c Out of his own House just as they passed by against them for to go up to the high place 15 ¶ * Chap. 15. 1. Act. 13. 21. Now the LORD had ‡ Heb. uncoâ—…ered the ear â—…f Samuel told Samuel in his ear d i. e. Secretly a day before Saul came e That he might prepare himself for Saul's reception saying 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man f I will by my secret Providence so dispose of matters and of the Hearts of Saul and his Father that Saul shall come to thee though with another Design out of the land of Benjamin and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines g For though they were now most pressed with the Ammonites as we read chap. 12. 12. yet they looked upon these as a Land-Flood which thâ—… hoped would be soon up and soon down again but the Philistines their constant inveterate and nearest Enemies they most dreaded And from these Saul did in some measure save them and should have saved them much more if his and the Peoples manifold Sins had not hindred it for I have looked upon my people h To wit with Compassion and Resolution to help them An usual Synecdoche because their cry i i. e. Their earnest Prayers to me for help is come unto me 17 And when Samuel saw Saul the LORD said unto him k In his Ear as before v. 15. by secret instinct so as none but he could hear it Behold the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 in c. reign over my people 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate l The Gate either Frst Of Samuel's House But he was come out thence before v. 14. Or rather Secondly Of the City for the word Gate being put by its self according to reason and common use must be understood of the most eminent in its kind which the Gate of the City is And through this Gate Samuel seems now to have been passing to go to the High-Place which probably was without the City and there he makes a stand to hear what these Persons now approaching to him were about to speak and said Tell me I pray thee where the Seers house is 19 And Samuel answered Saul and said I am the Seer Go up before me
shall despair of me to seek me any more in any coast of Israel so shall I escape out of his hand 2 And David arose and he passed over with tâ—…e six hundred men that were with him unto Achish the son of Maoch king of Gath c it might seem a bold adventure but 1. He thought himself forced to it by Saul's inveterate Rage and continued resolutions to Persecute him 2. It is probable he had sent some persons to Treat with him and had agreed upon conditions and received assurance of his safe and peaceable abode with him 3. David reasonably thought that Achish would gladly receive him as indeed he 〈◊〉 partly because he saw Saul's implacable Enmity against him partly because by this means he should be freed from the most formidable Enemy which he had in all Israâ—…l who might do him most mischief in the Battel which it seems at this time he designed and partly because he came noâ—… now alone as he did before but brought with him sufficient Pledges of his Fidelity to Achish namely all his Souldiers and his and their Wives v. 3. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath he and his men every man with his houshold even David with his two wives Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess Nabals wiâ—…e 4 And it was told Saul that Davâ—…d was sled to Gath and he sought no more again for him d By which it is implyed That he would have gone on in Persecuting David if he had continued in his Dominions 5 ¶ And David said unto Achish If I have now found grace in thine eyes let them give me a place in some town in the country that I may dwell there e A prudent desire Hereby David designed 1. To preserve his People both from the Idolatry and other Vices which conversation with the Philistines would have exposed them to and from that envy and malice and mischief which diversity of Religion or other prejudices might have caused 2. That he might have opportunity of enterprizing something against Gods Enemies without the knowledge or observation of the Philistines â—…or why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee f Which is too great an honour for me and too burdensome to thee and may be an occasion of suspicion and offence to thy People and of many other inconveniences 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag g Not onely to Inhabit but to Possess it as his own Which he did to lay the greater obligations upon David whom he knew so able to serve him that day wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah h It was given to the Tribe of Iudah before Iosh. 15. 31. and afterwards to the Tribe of Simeon Iosh. 19. 5. whose inheritance was given them within the 〈◊〉 of the children of Iudah Chap. 19. 1 But the Philistâ—…nes kept the Possession of it till this time and were hitherto 〈◊〉 to do so And being now given by them to David it now belonged not to the people of the Tribe of Iudah to whom it was allotted before but to the Kiâ—…g of Iudah David and his Heirs for ever unto this day i This and some such Clauses seem to have been added by some Sacred Writers after the main substance of the several Books was written 7 And ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 number 〈◊〉 days the time that David dwelt in the countrey of the Philistines was ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of dayes a full year and four months k Heb. days and four months days being put for a year as Levit. 25. 29. Or some days and four months i. e. Some days above four Months Or some days and for even or that is the Conjunction and being oft so used as hath been proved above four months 8 ¶ And David and his men went up and invaded the Geshurites and the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Gezrites l Who were anciently seated in other places Iosh. 12. 12. and 16. 3. but for some reasons not now known they changed their Seats as was then very usual and seated themselves and had for some considerable time lived near the Amalekites and the Amalekites m The remnant of those whom Saul destroyed 1 Sam. 15. who fled from his Sword and retired into Remote and Desert places for those nations were ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 eterniâ—…y 〈◊〉 5. 2. of old the inhabitants of the land as thou goest to Shur even unto the land of Egypt 9 And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive n To wit in that part where he came but there were more of the Amalekites yet left in another part of that land Chap. 30. 1. and took away the sheep and the oxen and the asses and the camels and the apparel and returned and came to Achish 10 And Achish said ‖ Or did 〈◊〉 make â—… 〈◊〉 c. Whither have ye made a rode to day And David said Against the south of Judah o These and the following Words are Ambiguous for they may be understood either of the Southern parts of Iudah c. which he would have Acâ—…ish understand or of another Country lying Southward from Iudah c. which David meant and which was the truth So though it was not a downright lye yet it was an Equivocation with an intention to deceive which is the formality of a Lye and was contrary to that simplicity which became David both as a Prince and as an Eminent Professor of the true Religion and p For that is for in the following words he particularly expresseth what part of the South of Iudah he went against even that which was Inhabited by the Ieraâ—…meelites and by the Kenites against the south of the Jerahmeelites q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 a Family of Iuâ—… â—… 〈◊〉 2 â—… 〈◊〉 and against the south of the Kenites r 〈◊〉 Posterity of Ieâ—…hro which chose to dwelâ—… in the South of Iudah Iudg. 1. 16. See Numb â—…4 21. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath saying Lest they should tell on us s That the tidings of this Action against this People who were it seems either tributaries to or confederates with Achish might neither come quickly nor certainly to Achish his Court which he might the rather promise himself because Achish and all his Men were now busily imployed in their Warlike preparations against the Israelites and if any flying rumour came thither he thought by his Interest and Artifices he could easily discredit and dash it Besides the consideration of Gods Curse denounced against the People whom he had now destroyed and of Gods particular Promises made to him and of his special Providence which he constantly experienced watching over him made him more secure and confident in this and in many other hazardous attempts saying So did David and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines 12 And Achish
For Pharaoh king of Eggpt had gone up and taken Gezer a Not now but long before this time and presently after the Marriage of his Daughter as is most probable and it is here mentioned onely as the occasion of Solomon's Building it Possibly the Canaanites of this place had been guilty of some Hainous Crime and because Solomon thought not fit to destroy them himself he desired Pharaoh to do it for him or Pharaoh might offer his Service therein for his Daughters advantage and burnt it with fire and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the City and given it for a present unto his daughter Solomons wife 17 And Solomon built Gezer and Beth-horon the nether b In Benjamin Ios. 18. 13 14. and Bethoron the upper which is added 2 Chron. 8. 5. a City in the Tribe of Ephraim Ios. 16. 5. possibly bordering upon Benjamin and â—…igh unto the lower Bethoron which alone may be here mentioned either because it was the more famous place or be cause it needed more reparations 18 And Baalath c In the Tribe of Dan Ios 19. 40 44. and Tadmor d Supposed to be called Tamar Ezek. 47. 19. in the wilderness in the land e This Clause may belong either first to all the places above-mentioned which are here declared to be in the Land of Canaan But so that Clause may seem superfluous for none would easily think that he would Build much out of his own Land Or rather Secondly To Tadmor which otherwise being in that Wilderness which was the border of the Land might have been presumed to have been out of the Land 19 And all the cities of store f To lay up Arms and Ammunition for War and Corn or other Provisions against a time of scarcity See Exod. 1. 11. that Solomon had and cities for his charets and cities for his horsemen and ‡ Heb. the desire of Solomon which he desired that which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem and in Lebanon g Either in the Mountain of Lebanon which being the Border of his Land he might Build some Forts or a Frontier City in it Or in the House of the Forest of Lebanon of which see chap. 7. 2. and in all the land of his dominion 20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites Hittites Perizzites Hivites and Jebusites which were not of the children of Israel 21 Their children * Judg. 1. 21 27 29. that were left after them in the land whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bond-service h He used them as Bond-men and imposed Burdens and Bodily Labours upon them See 2 Chron. 2. 18. Hence some think they are called Solomon's servants Ezra 2. 55 58. Quest. Why did not Solomon destroy them as God had commanded when now it was fully in his power to do so Ans. First The command of destroying them Deut. 7. 2. did chiefly if not onely concern that Generation of Canaanites who lived in or near the time of the Israelites entring into Canaan Secondly That Command seems not to be Absolute and Universal but conditional and with some exception for those who should submit to them and embrace the True Religion as may be gathered both from Ios. 11. 19. and from the History of the Gibeonites Ios. 9. whom Ioshua did not sin in sparing when he had Sworn to do so and Saul did sin in indeavouring to destroy them But if Gods Command had been Absolute the Oaths of Ioshua and of the Princes could not have obliged them nor dispensed with such a Command unto this day 22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon * Lev. 25. 39. make no bond-men but they were men of war and his servants and his princes and his captains and rulers of his charets and his horsemen 23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomons work five hundred and fifty i Obj. They were onely 250 in 2 Chron. 8. 10. Ans. First Those might be Officers of another sort for they are not said to be over the work as these are but onely over the people Secondly The 250 were Israelites who are therefore distinctly mentioned in that Book where many things are more exactly noted than in the former and the other 300 were strangers who therefore are neglected in that more accurate account Or Thirdly There was but 250 at one time which is noted there and 250 at another time for it is apparent they did their work by turns and the other 50 either were Superior to all the rest or rather were a reserve to supply the place of any of the 500 when there was occasion which might frequently happen And so this was an act not unbecoming Solomon's Wisdom to make provision for Emergencies which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work 24 ¶ But * 2 Chr. 8. 11. Pharaohs daughter came up out of the city of David unto * Chap. 7. 8. her house which Solomon had built for her then did he build Millo 25 ¶ And three times in a year k i. e. At the three Solemn Feasts Which is not said exclusively as is evident both from 2 Chron. 8. 13. and from the express and oft-repeated Commands of God to offer at other times which it is absurd to think that Solomon not yet fallen into sin should so wickedly and scandalously neglect but because then he did it more Solemnly and more costlily and more publickly whereby it might be presumed that he did so at all other appointed times did Solomon offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD and he burnt incense ‡ Heb. upon it upon the altar that was before the LORD so he finished the house l Or so he perfected the house to wit by applying it to the use for which it was made in which the perfection of such things consists Or the house may be put Metonymically for the Work or Service of the House as it is elsewhere commonly used for the things or persons in the House Or the words may be and are rendred thus After that for so the Hebrew Vau oft signifies as Isa. 37. 9 36. Hos. 1. 11. Zech. 12. 2. he finished the house i. e. From the time of the finishing of the House until this time he continued to do so 26 ¶ And * 2 Chr. 8. 17. king Solomon made a navy of ships m Not now in the order in which it is placed in the History but in the beginning of his Reign as appears because the Almug-trees which he used in this Work were brought in this Navy from Ophir chap. 10 11 12. 2 Chron. 9. 10 11. which was a three Years Voyage there ver 22. For Ophir and Tharsis were either the same place or one near to another in Ezion-Geber which is beside Eloth n on the ‡
Comfort which their people have or should have from them Compare 2 Sam. 21. 17. 1 King 15. 4. Psal. 132. 17. In my presence which is in Ierusalem and under my favour and protection alway before me g in Jerusalem the city which I have chosen me to put my Name there 37 And I will take thee g And place thee in the Throne as it follows and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth h He secretly taxeth him for his ambitious and aspiring mind and shalt be king over Israel 38 And it shall be if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee and wilt walk in my ways and do that is right in my sight to keep my statutes and my commandments as David my servant did that I will be with thee and build thee a sure house i i. e. Firmly settle thee and thy Posterity in the Throne as this or the like Phrase is used 2 Sam. 7. 16 27. but he doth not say he would do this for ever as is there said of David's House v. 16. as I built for David and will give Israel unto thee 39 And I will for this k For this cause which I mentioned ver 33. afflict the seed of David but not for ever l There shall a time come when the seed of David shall not be thus molested by the Kingdom of Israel but that Kingdom shall be destroyed and the Kings of the House of David shall be uppermost as it was in the days of Asa Hezekiah and fosiah And at last the Messiah shall come who shall unite together the broken sticks of Iudah and Ioseph and rule over all the Iews and Gentiles too 40 Solomon m To whose ears this might come either 1. by Ieroboam himself who might speak of this either out of vain-glory and ostentation or with design to prepare the People for his purpose Or 2. By the Servants See above on ver 29. sought therefore to kill Jeroboam and Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt unto Shishak king of Egypt n Who was either first Solomon's Brother-in-law who yet might be jealous of him or alienated from him because he had taken so many other Wives to his Sister as is here noted ver 1. or might cast a greedy eye upon the great riches and glorious things which Solomon had amassed together and upon which presently after Solomon's Death he laid Violent hands 2 Chron. 12. 9. All this was known to Ieroboam who therefore durst put himself into Shishak's Protection especially considering how little such Relations commonly signifie in the Affairs of Princes and withal being made confident by God's Promise of the Kingdom Or 2. One of another Line or House to whom that Crown might Descend for want of Issue and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon 41 ¶ And the rest of the ‖ Or words or things acts of Solomon and all that he did and his wisdom are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon o In the Publick Records where the Lives and Actions of Kings were Registred from time to time So this was onely a Political but not a Sacred Book 42 And the Heb. days time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was * â—… Chron. 9. â—… forty years 43 And Solomon slept with his fathers p This Expression is promiscuously used concerning good and bad and signifies onely That they died as their Fathers did But hence Interpreters question Whether Solomon was Saved or Damned That he was Damned some believe upon this onely Argument That he died without Repentance which they gather 1. Because his Repentance is not mentioned in his History 2. Because if he had Repented he would have Abolished the Monuments of Idolatry which he had Erected which that he did not they gather from 2 King 23. 13. Of which God Assisting I shall speak upon that place But to the former many things may be said 1. We read nothing of the Repentance of Adam Noah after his Drunkenness Lot Sampson Asa c. shall we therefore conclude they were all Damned The silence of the Scripture is a very weak Argument in matters of History 2. If he did Repent yet the silence of the Scripture about it in this History was not without wise Reasons as among others That his Eternal Condition being thus far left doubtful his Example might have the greater influence for the Terror and Caution of future Offenders 3. His Repentance is sufficiently implied in this to omit divers other Passages That after Solomon's death the way of Solomon is mentioned with Honour and joyned with the way of David 2 Chron. 11. 17. But it seems to be put out of dispute by the Book of Ecclesiastes which by the general consent both of Jewish and Christian Interpreters was written by Solomon and that after his Fall as is evident not onely from the unanimous Testimony of the Hebrew Writers who thence conclude That he did Repent and was Saved but also from the whole strain of that Book which was written long after he had finished all his Works and after he had liberally drunk of all sorts of Sensual Pleasures and sadly Experienced the bitter Effects of his love of Women Eccles. 7. 17 c. Which makes it more than probable that as David writ Psal. 51. so Solomon wrote this Book as a publick Testimony and Profession of his Repentance And this Argument is so cogent that those Interpreters who are of the other Opinion confess it if Solomon did write this Book after his Fall which they pretend he wrote before it but they offer not any Argument to prove it And therefore we have reason to conclude That Solomon did Repent and was Saved and was buried in the city of David his father and * 〈◊〉 1. 7. called Roboam Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XII AND â—… Câ—… 10. â—… Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel were come to Shechem a Rehoboam did not call them thither but went thither because the Israelites prevented him and had generally pitched upon that place rather than upon Ierusalem partly because it was most convenient for all as being in the Center of the whole Kingdom partly because that being in the potent Tribe of Ephraim they supposed there they might use that freedom of speech which they resolved to use to get their Grievances Redressed and partly by the secret direction of Ieroboam or his friends who would not trust themselves in Ierusalem and thought Shechem a fitter place to execute their Design to make him king b To Confirm him in the Kingdom which they generally intended to do he being the undoubted Heir of the Crown and the onely Son which Solomon had from so vast a number of Wives 2 And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat who was yet in * Chap. 11. 4â—… Egypt heard of it c In
20. 1 Tim. 1. 6. and 5. 15 c. And thus it is most true For David's other sins were either sudden and transient acts proceeding from humane infirmity and extraordinary temptations and soon repented of and blotted out as in the cases of Nabal and Achish or mistakes of his judgment which was not fully convinced of the sinfulness of such actions as in the other cases alledged whereas that which concerned Uriah's Wife was a designed and studied sin long continued in defended with a succession of other sins presumptuous and scandalous to his Government and to the True Religion which he so eminently professed 6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam h Which was said chap. 14. 30. and may be here repeated to signify the Cause and Original of the War between Abijam and Ieroboam which is implied here and particularly described 2 Chron. 13. Abijam continued the War which Rehoboam had begun and pushed it on to a decisive Battel But the place may be thus rendred Yet there was war c. i. e. Although God was pleased to shew so much respect to David as for his sake to continue the Succession to the Kingdom in his Posterity yet he thought fit to manifest his displeasure against David's Successors for their sins and to mix their honour and happiness with Wars and Troubles all the days of his life 7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did are they not written in the book of * 2 Chr. 13. 3. the chronicles of the kings of Judah i In their Annals whence they were long after this time Translated into the Sacred Book of Chronicles See above on chap. 14. 19. And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David and Asa 2 Chr. 14. 1. his son reigned in his stead 9 ¶ And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam k In or towards the end of the Year See above ver 1. king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah 10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem and his ‖ That is grandmother mothers l i. e. His Grand-Mothers as appears from ver 2. who is called his mother as David is called Abijam's father v. 3. and this Asa's father ver 11. And so the names of father and mother and sons and daughters are oft taken both in Sacred and Prophane Authors for Grand-Parents and Grand-Children And his Grand-Mothers name may be here mentioned rather than his Mothers because his Mother was either an obscure person or was long since dead or indisposed or unwilling to take care of the Education of her Son and so he was Educated by the Grand-Mother who though she did Poison his Father Abijam with her Idolatrous Principles ver 12. yet could not infect Asa nor with-hold him from prosecuting his good purposes of Reforming Religion Which is here remembred to his praise name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom 11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD m As to the Government of his Kingdom and Life and the Reformation and Establishment of Gods Worship as did David his father 12 And he took away the Sodomites n Of whom see chap. 14. 24. not all of them but those whom he could find out but some escaped his observation and censure as appears from chap. 22. 46. out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made 13 And also * 2 Chr. 15. 16. Maachah his mother even her he removed from being queen o i. e. He took from her either the Name and Authority of Queen Regent which she having been Rehoboam's Wife and Abijam's Mother took to her self during Asa's minority and abused to the Patronage of Idolatry or the Dignity of the Queen-Mother and those Guards or other Ensigns of Honour or Instruments of Power which as such she had enjoyed and misemployed Otherwise he removed her from the queen i. e. from his Wife that she might not be infected by her and afterwards infect his Children which was a prudent and necessary care for the prevention of so great and publick a Mischief because she had made ‡ Heb. an horror an idol p Heb. a terror or horror i. e. an horrible Idol which it may be he so called either because all Idols though for a season they please yet in the end will bring dreadful effects upon their worshippers or because this was an Idol of a more horrible or terrible shape more abominable than ordinary and not to be seen without horror whether it was that filthy Idol called Priapus which was commonly placed in Groves or Gardens or Pan or some other Heathen god to whose service she in a special manner devoted her self in a grove and Asa ‡ Heb. cut off destroyed her idol and burnt it by the brook Kidron q That when it was burnt to powder it might be thrown into the Water and be unfit for any use See Exod. 32. 20. Deut. 12. 3. 14 But the high places were not removed r Obj. He did take these away 2 Chron. 14. 3. Ans. He took away those which were devoted to the worship of Idols as is there said he took away the altars of the strange gods and the high places to wit where they were worshipped but as for those high places where the True God was Worshipped he did not take them away partly because he thought there was no great Evil in them because they had been used by David and Solomon and other Good and Wise men and because the True God was there worshipped and that in the manner though not in the place which God had appointed and partly because he thought the removal of them might do much more hurt than their continuance to wit by occasioning the total neglect of Gods Worship by many of the People who either could not or through want of competent Faith and Zeal would not go up to Ierusalem to Worship now especially when the Israelites their near Neighbours formerly their Friends were become their Enemies and watched all opportunities to invade or molest them which they concluded they would do when all their Males were gone up to Ierusalem and partly because the People were so obstinately bent towards them that it was or at least seemed to him impossible to remove them without great offence or such commotions as were highly dangerous to that Church and State nevertheless Asa his heart was perfect with the LORD s i. e. He did sincerely and constantly adhere to the Worship and Service of God Though he could not hinder the People from using the high places yet he did intirely Devote himself to the Worship of God in the manner and place prescribed by God all his days 15 And he brought in the ‡ Heb. holy things which his father had dedicated t Abijam to wit
Ahab and made a Garden 22 And it came to pass when Joram saw Jehu that he said Is it peace f Dost thou come to me with a Peaceable mind or in a way of Hostility For now when it was too late he began to suspect some Treachery which God hid from him before to prepare him for destruction Jehu And he answered What peace g What cause hast thou to expect Peace when thou hast so long abetted and dost still abet and allow thy Mother in her abominable practises so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts h Which are to be understood Either First Literally Spiritual Whoredom which is Idolatry being oft punished with corporal See ver 30. and witchcraft there was oft practised by Idolaters Or rather Mystically and Spiritually of her Idolatry which is oft called whoredom because it is a departing from God to whom we are all tied by many obligations and witchcraft either because it doth so powerfully bewitch and deceive mens minds or because it is a manifest entring into Covenant with the Devil For Idolatry being her chief sin and the cause of all the rest it seems improbable that Iehu would omit that in the Inditement which he drew against her He mentions not Ioram's but his Mothers sins partly because they were more notorious and infamous partly because they were the principal cause why God inflicted and he was come to execute these Judgments partly because by his connivence he had made them his own and partly because he could find no gross and odious matter wherewith to charge him except about the worship of the Calves which he forbore to mention both lest it should lose his Interest amongst his Officers and Soldiers who were devoted to that worship and because he himself intended to keep it up are so many 23 And Joram turned his hands i Either that therewith he might turn the Reins of the Chariot or that by this motion he might direct his Charioteer to turn it from Iehu and fled and said to Ahaziah There is treachery O Ahaziah 24 And Jehu ‡ Heb. filled his hand with a bow drew a bow with his full strength and smote Jehoram between his arms k Between his shoulders when he was turned or turning back the Chariot being probably open behind as many times they were and the arrow went out at his heart and he ‡ Heb. bowed sunk down in his chariot 25 Then said Iohn to Bidkar his captain Take up and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite for remember how that ‖ Or I and thoâ—… were with them that rode together when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father l Which might be when Ahab went in his Chariot attended with his Nobles or Chief Officers of which these were two to take a formal and solemn possession of Naboth's Land for then the Prophet Elijah met him and denounced this Judgment against him 1 King 21. 17 c. * 1 Kin. 21. 29. the LORD laid this burden m i. e. This grievous Prophecy for such are oft and truly called burdens as Isa. 13. 1. and 15. 1. Ier. 23. 33 34. Nah. 1. 1. upon him 26 Surely I have seen yesterday the ‡ Heb. bloods blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons n Who as it seems were killed with their Father by Iezabel's advice to make the possession of the Vineyard more sure to Ahab though it be not mentioned in its proper place 1 Kin. 21. 13. For it is not unusual to bring in such fragments of History in succeeding Writings which were neglected in the History of those matters Thus we read of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah Amos 1. 1. which was not Recorded in his History in the Books of the Kings or Chronicles Although he might well be charged with â—…aking away the lives of his Sons because he took away the necessary supports of their lives said the LORD and I will requite thee in this ‖ Or portion plat o Of which see the Notes on 1 King 21. 19. saith the LORD Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground p Where he shall lie unburied and be a prey to the Dogs or Fowls according to the prediction 1 King 21. 24. according to the word of the LORD 27 ¶ But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this he fled by the way of the garden-house q By some secret way hoping to escape whilst they were busie about Ioram and Jehu followed after him and said Smite him also r As you have done Ioram for he also is of the House of Ahab chap. 8. 18. in the chariot and they did so s They smote or wounded him but not mortally either supposing that the wound was mortal or being more remiss in executing Iehu's Sentence against him because they were not so much concerned in his as in Ioram's Death or because they had some kindness for him either for his own or for Iehoshaphat's sake at the going up to Gur which is by Ibleam and he fled to Megiddo and died there t Quest. How doth this agree with 2 Chron. 22. 9. He sought Ahaziah and they caught him for he was hid in Samaria and brought him to Iehu and when they had slain him c Ans. Either First Samaria is there to be understood not of the City but of the Kingdom or Territory so called 1 Kin. 13. 32. and elsewhere in which Megiddo was and so that may be noted to shew that he could not flee into his own Kingdom where he might have been safe but was forced to take up in another part of the Kingdom of Israel in the Territory of Samaria and there to hide himself Or Secondly If Samaria be the City then the History is briefly and imperfectly described here and the defects supplied there the Book of Chronicles being in great part written for that end to supply things omitted in the Book of Kings and out of both the History may be thus compleated He fled first to Megiddo and thence to Samaria where he was caught and thence brought to Iehu and by his Sentence was put to death at Megiddo either because Iehu was there at that time upon some occasion or for some other reason which at this distance of time we cannot understand 28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David u Which they did by Iehu's permission for Iehoshaphat's sake 2 Chron. 22. 9. 29 And in the eleventh year of Joram x Of this see the Note on chap. 8. 25. the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah 30 ¶ And when Jehu was come to Jezreel Jezebel heard of it and she ‡ Heb. put 〈◊〉 eyes in pâ—…ing painted her face and tired her head y
‡ Heb. Observed not took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart l His Obedience wanted three necessary Properties Care or Heedfulness Universality and Sincerity for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam m His resolved continuance in one single Course is justly alledged as an Argument of his False-heartedness in all his other Actions which made Israel to sin 32 In those days n In the time of Iehu's Life and Reign as may be gathered by comp v. 34. the LORD began ‡ Heb. to cut off the ends to cut Israel short o and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel p i. e. In their Borders or the outtermost part of their Land beyond Iordan as it is explained ver 33. And at this time possibly he Executed those Cruelties mentioned Chap. 8. 12. a Either to diminish the number of the People by cutting them off or to straiten their Borders 33 From Jordan ‡ Heb. toward the rising of the sun eastward q To wit from the Land of Canaan all the land of Gilead the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites from Aroer which is by the river Arnon ‖ Or even to Gilead and Bashan even * Amos 1. 3. Gilead and Bashan 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did and all his might are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 35 And Jehu slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria and Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead 36 And ‡ Heb. the days were the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years CHAP. XI AND when * 2 Chro. 22. 10. Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead she arose and destroyed all the ‡ Heb. seed of the Kingdom seed royal a i. e. All of the Royal Family left after those Slaughters 2 Chron. 21. 2 4. and 22. 1. and 2 King 10. 13 14. except one as the next Verse limits and explains it This she did partly out of Rage at the Extirpation of her Family resolving that David's Family should not out-live hers partly from ambition and desire of Rule for which many persons have Destroyed their nearest Relations partly from the zeal which she had for Idolatry and the Worship of Baal which she intended to Establish to which she knew the House of David were implacable Enemies And partly in her own Defence that she might secure her self from Iehu's Fury who was commanded by God and resolved in himself utterly to destroy all the branches of Ahab's Family whereof she was one Chap. 8. 18 26. For had she not done this she suspected that either the King or People of Iudah would have delivered her up to Iehu upon his Demand Possibly those whom she slew were Ioram's Children by another Wife Of which see on the next Verse And this was the fruit of Iehoshaphat's Marrying his Son to a Daughter of that Idolatrous and Wicked House of Ahab even the Extirpation of all his Posterity but one And this Dreadfull Judgment God permitted and Inflicted upon him and his to shew how much he abhors all such sinful and unequal affinities 2 But Jehosheba b Called Iehoshabeath 2 Chron. 22. 11. the daughter of king Joram c To wit by another Wife and not by this Athaliah for it is not likely Iehoiadah who Married her 2 Chron 22. 11. would have Married one of that Wicked and Cursed House except he were Married very young and therein over-ruled by his Parents sister of Ahaziah took Joash the son of Ahaziah c Either 1. His Adopted and Legal Son who was to Succeed him though he was of another House and of Nathan's Family as many think such persons being sometimes called the Sons of their Predecessors as we shall see hereafter Or rather 2. His proper and Natural Son for not onely he but the rest who were Slain are here called the kings i. e. Ioram's sons and stole him from among the kings sons which were slain d Either 1. From amidst of the Carcasses where this Infant was laid and supposed by her to be killed though it was not quite dead either through the compassion or connivence of the Instruments of this Execution or by some other Artifice which his Nurse used Or 2. Out of that Apartment of the Palace which was allotted for the King's Children and they e Iehosheba and her Husband Iehoiadah hid him even him and his nurse in the bed chamber f Which was in the house of the Lord as is affirmed in the next Verse So that it was one of those Chambers adjoyning or near to the Temple which were for the uses of the Priests and Levites and for them onely which made it more proper for this purpose from Athaliah so that he was not slain 3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years g Either Athaliah thought they were all Dead or if she suspected that this was preserved she thought an Infant could do her no great harm and that she could so well assure the Kingdom to her self within a few years that she need not fear any such weak Competitor or she was willing to smother up the business lest if she had made a strict and diligent search for it the people should thereby learn that there was yet a Son of David's Family left and so be unquiet under her Government and desirous of a Change and Athaliah did reign over the land h Which she had an opportunity to do because she was not onely the late Kings Wife but also was probably made Queen-Regent upon Ioram's going to Ramoth-Gilead 4 And * 2 Chron. 23. 1. in the seventh year Jehoiada sent i If this action of Iehoiadah's seem strange and irregular this was no ordinary case but there were divers peculiar things in it as that Athaliah was a meer Usurper having no pretence of Right to the Crown and one of that wicked House which God had particularly and by Name Devoted to Destrnction that Iehoiadah's Wife was neareâ—… Allied and had more Right to the Crown than Athaliah that the Crown of Iudah was by Divine appointment appropriated to the Sons of David and therefore the Right of the Crown was inherently in him whom Iehoiadah set up which right her Usurpation could not Exclude That Iehoiadah was not a meer private person but the Husband of the Kings Aunt and probably the High-Priest to whom it belonged in great part to see the Laws of God Executed That Iehoiadah did not act alone in the business but had the consent and concurrence of the Chief Rulers both Civil and Ecclesiastical and besides all this that it is conceived That he had a special Motion of God's Spirit or the direction and encouragement of the Prophets of
9. and to be turned into darkness Joel 2. 31. Or Secondly The Sun it self went back and the Shadow with it This may seem most probable First By comparing this with Ios. 10. 13. where the Sun it self stood still Secondly Because it is said the sun it self returned Isa. 38. 8. for which he here mentions the shadow onely because the Miracle was not so easily discovered in the Sun as in the Shadow of a Dial. And though the sun may be elsewhere taken improperly yet where the improper signification is unnecessary the proper is and ought to be preferred before it Thirdly Because this Miracle was noted by the Babylonians who having understood that it was done for Hezekiah his sake sent to enquire into the truth and manner of it 2 Chron. 32. 31. Obj. If this had been done the Heathen Historians and Astronomers would have taken notice of it which we do not find that they did Ans. So it is most probable they did although those Books be not now extant which is not strange this being confessed and bewailed that so very few of the first and Ancient Writers are now left Herodotus himself the first and Father of the ancient Historians being long after this time And yet it is observed that there are some intimations of these things left though mixed with fables as many true Histories were as what the Poets fabled of Iupiter's making the Night twice as long as it should have been that he might enjoy Alâ—…mena longer Whether the Sun or Shadow went backward suddenly or leisurely and in the same time in which it had gone down is a question of no great moment the Miracle being evident either way by which it had gone down in the ‡ Heb. degrees dial of Ahaz u Which Ahaz had made in the Kings Palace This Dial he mentions because the truth of the Miracle might be best and soonest discovered there this Dial possibly being visible out of the Kings Chamber or at least beingnear to it and the Degrees be ing most distinct and conspicuous in this Dial but the same thing was discerned by all other Dials 12 ¶ * Isa. 39. â—… At that time Berodach baladan x Called Berodach-baladan Isa. 39. 1. whose name Iosephus found in that famous Chaldaean Historian Berosus He seems to have been the King of Assyria's Vice-Roy in Babylon and upon that terrible slaughter of 185 thousand in the Assyrian Host and the death of Sennacherib and the differences among his Sons to have usurped an absolute Sovereignty over Babylon and either himself or his Son destroyed the Assyrian Monarchy and translated the Empire to Babylon the son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah y Partly for the reasons mentioned 2 Chron. 32. 31. and partly to assure himself of the Friendship and assistance of Hezekiah against the Assyrians their common and as yet powerful Enemy for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick 13 And Hezekiah hearkned unto them z i. e. Granted their desires of a League and Amity with them and shewed them all the house of his ‖ Or 〈◊〉 precious things the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious ointment and all the house of his ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 armour and all that was found in his treasures a For though his Countrey had lately been harassed by the Assyrians yet he had reserved all his Treasures and precious things which he and his Fathers had gathered in Ierusalem Besides he had considerable spoils out of the Assyrian Camp Also he had many Presents sent to him 2 Chr. 32. 23. which doubtless were things of considerable worth there was nothing in his house nor in all his dominion that Hezekiah shewed them not b Which he did through vain ostentation and pride of heart 2 Chron. 32. 25 26. being lifted up by the great Honour which God had done him in working such Glorious Miracles for his sake and by the great Respects and Presents rendred to him from divers Princes and People and now by this great Babylonian Monarch So hard a matter is it even for a good man to be high and humble 14 ¶ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah and said unto him What said these men and from whence came they unto thee And Hezekiah said They are come from a far countrey c A vain-glorious expression intimating the great honour which he had from all parts both far and near even from Babylon d That great and potent Monarchy which he speaks to magnify his own honour and happiness 15 And he said What have they seen in thine house e He asketh not that he was ignorant of it but that from his Answer he might take the occasion of delivering Gods message to him and Hezekiah answered All the things that are in mine house have they seen there is nothing among my treasure that I have not shewed them 16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah Hear the word of the LORD 17 Behold the days come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day * Chap. 24. 13. 〈◊〉 25. 13. 〈◊〉 27. 22. shall be carried into Babylon f This Judgment is denounced against him for his pride which God exceedingly abhors and for his ingratitude whereby he took that honour to himself which he should have given intirely to God and abused Gods Gifts and Favours to the gratification of his own Lusts Of both which see 2 Chron. 32. 25 26. and for his Carnal confidence in that League which he had now made with the King of Babylon by which it is probable he thought his Mountain to be so strong that it could not be removed nothing shall be left saith the LORD 18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget g i. e. Of thy Grand-Children who are oft called sons shall they take away and they shall be eunuchs in the palaâ—… of the king of Babylon h They shall be Servants to that Heathen Monarch whereby both their Bodies will be subject to Slavery and the Lusts of their Lords and their Souls exposed to the peril of Idolatry and all sorts of Wickedness which must needs be very grievous to so good a Man as Hezekiah and was indeed a very sore Judgment Whereby God would teach the World the great evil of sin yea even of those sins which are generally esteemed but small and venial for such were those sins of Hezekiah noted upon v. 17. 19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah Good is the word of the LORD i I heartily submit to this sentence as being both just because deserved and procured by mine and my Peoples sins and merciful because the punishment is less than I have deseved which thou hast spoken And he said ‖ Or Shall 〈◊〉 not be 〈◊〉 â—…nd 〈◊〉 c. Is
‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 gathered the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work that have the oversight of the house of the LORD 10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king saying Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book and Shaphan read it before the king 11 And it came to pass when the king had heard the words of the book of the law i i. e. The dreadful Comminations against them for the sins still reigning among the people Quest. Did Iosiah never see and read a Copy of this Book before this time If he did not how could he do so much towards the Reformation of Religion as he did before If he did why was he not sooner convinced and humbled by it Ans If Iosiah had not yet seen a Copy of this Book which is not impossible yet there was so much of the Law left in the minds and memories of many of the people as might easily persuade and direct him to all that he did till this time or if Iosiah had seen and read it before which seems more probable yet the great Reverence which he justly bare to the Original Book and the strange and remarkable and seasonable finding of it had very much awakened and quickened him to a more serious and diligent reading and attentive consideration of all the passages contained in it than he used before that he rent his clothes 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam the son of Shaphan and Achbor the son of Micaiah and Shaphan the scribe and Asahiah a servant of the kings k Who most constantly waited upon the Kings Person otherwise all of them were the Kings Servants saying 13 Go ye enquire of the LORD l Either what he intends to do with us or what we shall do to him to appease his wrath for me and for the people and for all Judah concerning the words of this book m Whether the Curses here threatned must come upon us without remedy or whether there be hope in Israel concerning the prevention of them that is found for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book to do according unto all that which is written concerning us 14 So Hilkiah the priest and Ahikam and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went unto Huldah the prophetess n For we read of Women Prophetesses both in the Old and New Testament as Miriam Exod. 15. 20. Deborah Iudg. 4. 4. Hamah 1 Sam. 2. Elizabeth and the Blessed Virgin Luk. 1. and Philip's Daughters Act. 21. 9. Quest. But why did he send to this Woman and not rather to Zephaniah or Ieremiah who were Prophets in Iosiah's days Ans. Either First Because the Kings earnest affection in this business required great haste and she was in Ierusalem which is therefore noted in the following part of the Verse when Ieremiah might at this time be at Anathoth or in some more remote part of the Kingdom and the like may be said of Zephaniah who also might not be a Prophet at this time though he was afterward in the days of Iosiah which is all that is affirmed of him Zeph. 1. 10. Or 2. Because the King or his Courtiers had longer and greater experience of the eminency of her Prophetical Gifts than of Ieremiah's who began not to Prophecy till the thirteenth Year of Iosiah Ier. 1. 2. and being well assured of her Fidelity in delivering the Mind and Counsel of God to those that enquired of her they rightly concluded that it was much more considerable what Message God sent than by whom it was conveyed to them the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah the son of Harhas keeper of the ‡ 〈◊〉 garâ—… wardrobe now she dwelt in Jerusalem in ‖ 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 part the colledge o Where the Sons of the Prophets or others who devoted themselves to the study of God's Word used to meet and discourse of the things of God and receive the Instructions of their Teachers Others both Ancient and Modern render it in another or the second part to wit of the City i. e. in the Suburbs which also were Fortified and Walled about by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 5. and they communed with her 15 ¶ And she said unto them Thus saith the LORD God of Israel Tell the man that sent you to me 16 Thus saith the LORD Behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read 17 Because they have forsaken me and have burnt incense unto other gods that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands p Gods made with hands This she adds to aggravate their folly and contempt of God in preferring such vain and idle things before him therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched 18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD thus shall ye say to him Thus saith the LORD God of Israel As touching the words which thou hast heard 19 Because thine heart was tender and thou hast humbled thy self before the LORD when thou heardst what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I also have heard thee saith the LORD 20 Behold therefore I will gather thee unto thy fathers and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace q i. e. In a time of publick Peace and the Tranquility of thy Kingdom or so as thou shalt not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place as the following words explain it for otherwise he died in Batttel chap. 23. 29. Besides he died in Peace with God and was by death translated to everlasting Peace and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place And they brought the king word again CHAP. XXIII AND * 2 Câ—…r 34. 30. the king sent and they gathered unto him all the elders a The chief Governors both of Church and State of Judah and of Jerusalem 2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him and the priests and the prophets b Either Ieremiah Zephaniah Urijah or the Sons or Disciples of the Prophets and all the people ‡ Heb. from 〈◊〉 even â—…to great both small and great and he read c He caused to be read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD 3 ¶ And the king stood by the pillar d Of which see on chap. 11. 14. and 2 Chron. 34. 31. and made a covenant before the LORD
Kingdom of the Ten Tribes for an hundred talents of silver 7 But there came a man of God to him saâ—…ing O king let not the army of Israel go with thee for the LORD is not with Israel c He hath forsaken them and for their sakes will cursâ—… thy Forces if thou joynest thy self with them to wit with all the children of Ephraim 8 But if thou wilt go do it be strong for the battel d Take Courage and strengthen thy self as much as thou canst It is an Ironical Concession like that Go and prosper God shall make thee fall before the enemy for God hath power to help and to cast down 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the †Heb. hand army of Israel And the man of God answered The LORD is able to give thee much more than this 10 Then Amaziah separated them to wit the army that was come to him out of Ephraim to go †Heb. to 〈◊〉 place home again wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah e Because they were both disgraced by this Rejection and disappointed of that Prey and Spoil which they hoped to gain whereas now they were sent away empty for the 100 Talents probably were given to their Officers onely to raise Men for this Service that Sum being otherwise too small to be distributed into so many hands and they returned home †Heb. in heaâ—… of anger in great anger 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself and led sorth his people and went to the valley of salt and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand 12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry captive and brought them away unto the top of the rock and cast them down from the top of the rock that they were broken all in pieces 13 But †Heb. the sons of the band the souldiers of the army which Amamaziah sent back that they should not go with him to battel fell upon the cities of Judah from Samaria even unto Beth-horon f To wit Beth-horon the Lower which was in the Tribe of Benjamin and from thence to Samaria either 1. to the City of Samaria for the Kings of Judah had taken divers Places within the Kingdom of Israel Or 2. To the Kingdom of Samaria Beth-horon and all other Places between that City and their own Kingdom and smote g i. e. Killed as that word is generally understood three thousand of them h Not 3000 Cities but 3000 Persons dwelling in them who possibly opposed them in taking the Spoil which was the Thing they sought and took much spoil 14 Now it came to pass after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites that he brought the gods of the children of Seir and set them up to be his gods and bowed down himself before them and burned incense unto them 15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah and he sent unto him a prophet which said unto him Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand i Therefore thou art not onely ungrateful and impious but also ridiculously foolish in offending that God whose Power and Goodness thou hast now found and in worshipping such gods of whose Impotency thou hast had late Experience 16 And it came to pass as he talked with him that the king said unto him Art thou made of the the kings counsel k Who art thou that presumest to direct and govern my Affairs without my Commission forbear why shouldest thou be smitten l Provoke me no further lest I cause thee to be killed for thy Sawciness Then the prophet forbare and said I know m This he might know either by the plain and positive Rules of Gods Word as Prov. 29. 1. or by the Suggestion of Gods Spirit that God hath †Heb. counselled determined to destroy thee because thou hast done this and hast not hearkned unto my counsel 17 Then * 2 Kin. 14. 8. Amaziah king of Judah took advice n i. e. About the Injury which the Israelites had done to his People v. 13. and how he should repair it But of this and the following Verses see on 2 King 14. 8 c. and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu king of Israel saying Come let us see one another in the face 18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying The ‖ Or furbush or thorn thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon saying Give thy daughter to my son to wife and there passed by †Heb. a beast of the field a wild beast that was in Lebanon and trode down the thistle 19 Thou sayest Lo thou hast smitten the Edomites and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast abide now at home why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt that thou shouldest fall even thou and Judah with thee 20 But Amaziah would not hear for * Ch. 22. 7. it came of God o Who gave him up to his own Errour and Passion in order to his Ruine that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies because they â—…ought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash the king of Israel went up and they saw one another in the face both he and Amaziah king of Judah at Beth-shemesh which belongeth to Judah 22 And Judah was †Heb. smitten put to the worse before Israel and they fled every man to his tent 23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz at Beth-shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to †Heb. the gate of it that looketh Ch. 26. 9. the corner-gate four hundred cubits 24 And he took all the gold and the silver and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obed-edom p i. e. With Obed-edoms Posterity to whom the Custody of the Sacred Treasures was committed See 1 Chron. 26. 15. and the treasures of the kings house the hostages also and returned to Samaria 25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah first and last behold are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel 27 Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away †Heb. from after from following the LORD they †Heb. conspired a conspiracy made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish but they sent to Lachish after him and slew him there 28 And they brought him upon horses and buried him with his fathers in the city
one Colony by the Assyrian Monarchs into these parts 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar q Either Esarhaddon or some other Person then of great eminency especially with his Subjects and Followers who was Captain of this Colony and conducted them hither brought over and set in the cities of Samaria and the rest that are on this side the river r To wit Euphrates †Chald. Cheâ—… and at such a time s The date of the Epistle was particularly expressed in the Epistle but here it was sufficient to note it in the general 11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him even unto Artaxerxes the king Thy servants the men on this side the river and at such a time 12 Be it known unto the king that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem building the rebellious and the bad city and have ‖ Or finished set up the walls thereof t Either 1. The Jews had begun to build or repair some part of the Walls which Nebuchadnezzar had left which they aggravate in this manner Or 2. This is a meer fiction which being confidently affirmed they thought would easily find belief with a King whose Heart and Ears they possessed by their hired Counsellours and others of their Friends or the Enemies of the Jews and †〈◊〉 sowed 〈◊〉 joined the foundations 13 Be it known now unto the king that if this city be built and the walls set up again then will they not †Chal. give pay toll tribute and custom and so thou shalt endamage the ‖ Or strength revenue of the kings 14 Now because †Chal. we are salted with the salt of the palace we have maintenance from the kings palace and it was not meet for us to see the kings †Chal. nakedness Deut. 24. 1. Isa. 20. 4. dishonour u Thus they pretend the Kings service to their own malicious designs and private Interests therefore have we sent and certified the king 15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers x Political Fathers i. e. thy Predecessors the former Emperours of this Empire namely in the Assyrian and Babylonish Records which together with the Empire were now in the hands of the Persian Kings to be searched or read as the Kings pleasure was or as the affairs of the Empire required so shalt thou find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city and hurtful unto kings and provinces and that they have †Chal. made moved sedition †Chal. in the midst thereof within the same of old time for which cause was this city destroyed 16 We certifie the king that if this city be built again and the walls thereof set up by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river 17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor and to Shimshai the scribe and to the rest of their †Chal. societies companions that dwell in Samaria and unto the rest beyond the river Peace and at such a time 18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me 19 And †Chal. by me a decreeis set I commanded and search hath been made and it is found that this city of old time hath †Chal. lifted up itself made insurrection against kings and that Rebellion and sedition have been made therein 20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem which have ruled over all countries beyond the River and toll tribute and custom was paid unto them 21 †Chal. make a decree Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease and that this city be not built until another commandment shall be given from me 22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings 23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their companions they went up in hast to Jerusalem unto the Jews and made them to cease †Chal. by arm and power by force and power 24 Then ceased the work of the house of God y For they neither could nor might proceed in that work against their Kings Prohibition without a special command from the King of Heaven which they had ch 5. 1 2. which is at Jerusalem So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia z To wit Darius the Son of Hystaspes Successor of Cambyses not as some would have it Darius Nothus the Son of Artaxerxes Longimanus who was not Emperour till above 100 years after Cyrus and consequently from the beginning of the building of the Temple to the finishing of it must be about 130 years which is not credible to any one that considers 1. That the same Zerubbabel did both lay the Foundations and finish the work Zech. 4. 9. 2. That some of the same persons who saw the finishing of this second house had seen the glory of the first house Hag. 2. 3. CHAP. V. 1 THen the prophets * Hag. 1. 1. Haggai the prophet and * Zech. 1. 1. Zechariah the son of Iddo a i. e. Iddo's Grand-child for he was the son of Barachiah prophecied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel b Commanding them from God to return to the work of building the Temple with promise of his favour and assistance even to them 2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem and with them were the prophets of God helping them c Encouraging the People to work by their presence and assurance of success 3 At the same time came to them Tatnai governour on this side the river and Shethar-boznai d Not Rehum and Shimshai c. who were either dead or removed from their Oâ—…ices by the new Emperour Darius as is very usual and their companions and said thus unto them who hath commanded you to build this house and to make up this wall 4 * Ver. 10. Then said we e Either 1. We Tatnai and Shethar-boznai And so this is an additional and more express enquiry concerning the names of the Builders And this sense is favoured by comparing v. 9 10. where the same questions here severally made v. 3 4. are in like manner distinguished And so the sacred Writer speaks this in their Person Such variation of Persons being frequent in the Hebrew Language as the learned know Or 2. We Jews and so the Translation must be a little varied and the words read without an Interrogation thus Then we told them accordingly i. e. according to what they asked what were the names of
more necessary because their times were now to be measured not by the years of their Kings as formerly but by their High-Priests Jojakim also begat Eliashib h Of whom see Nehem. 3. 1. 13. 4 5. and Eliashib begat Jojada 11 And Jojada begat Jonathan and Jonathan begat Jaddua i Generally supposed to be the same man who was High-Priest in the days of Alexander the Great as Iosephus mentions whence a great difficulty ariseth how Nehemiah could mention this man who seems not to have been High-Priest till many years after Nehemiah's death But it seems not necessary that this Iaddua should be the same Person for he might be the Father of that Iaddua both being called by the same name Or if he were the same the blessing of a very long Life might be given to this great and excellent Governour as it was to Ezra that famous Scribe as was noted on v. 1. and that for the very same reason He might also live to see Iaddua though not to see him High-Priest which might be many years after Or this passage might be put into this Book by some sacred or inspired Pen-man there being some though but few such passages in the foregoing Books of Scripture which were added by succeeding men of God in after times 12 And in the days of Jojakim were priests k As their Fathers were Priests in the days of Ioshua so in the days of Iojakim the son of Ioshua the sons of those persons executed the Priesthood in their Fathers steads some of their Fathers probably being yet living and many of them now dead the chief of the fathers of Serajah Merajah of Jeremiah Hananiah 13 Of Ezra Meshullam of Amariah Jehohanan 14 Of Melicu Jonathan of Shebaniah Joseph 15 Of Harim Adna of Merajath Helkai 16 Of Iddo Zechariah of Ginnethon Meshullam 17 Of Abijah Zichri of Miniamin of Moadiah Piltai 18 Of Bilgah Shammua of Shemajah Jehohanan 19 And of Jojarib Mattenai of Jedajah Uzzi 20 Of Sallai Kallai of Amok Eber 21 Of Hilkia Hashabiah of Jedaja Nethaneel 22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib Jojada and Johanan and Jaddua were recorded chief of the fathers also the priests to the reign of Darius l Either Darius Codomannus and then what was said concerning Iaddua v. 11. must be in part repeated and applied here or Darius Nothus and so this Iaddua might be Father to him who was in the days of Darius Codomannus and of Alexander the Great the Persian 23 The sons of Levi the chief of the fathers were written in the Book of the * 〈◊〉 â—… 14. â—… chronicles m i. e. In the publick Annals or Registers in which the Genealogies of the several Families were set down by the Jews with great exactness as all persons agree even until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib 24 And the chief of the Levites Hashabiah Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel with their brethren over against them to praise and to give thanks * 〈◊〉 â—… â—… â—… according to the commandment of David the man of God ward over against ward n Of which see on v. 9. 25 Mattaniah and Bakbukiah Obadiah Meshullam Talmon Akkub were porters keeping the ward at the ‖ 〈…〉 thresholds of the gates o To wit of the Temple their watching-place being close by the Thresholds of the Gates as it now is 26 These were in the days of Jojakim the son of Jeshua the son of Jozadak and in the days of Nehemiah the governour and of Ezra the priest the scribe 27 And at the dedication of the wall p And of the gates which are mentioned v. 30. and of the City itself within the Gates which is here dedicated to God and to his Honour and Service not only upon a general account by which we ought to devote our selves and all that is ours to God but upon a more special ground because this was a place which God himself had chosen and sanctified by his Temple and gracious presence and therefore did of right belong to him whence it is oft called the holy City as hath been observed before And they restored to God by this dedication withal imploring the Presence and Favour and Blessing of God to this City by solemn Prayers and Praises and Sacrifices wherewith this Dedication was accompanied See Deut. 20. 5. 1 Kin. 8. 63. Ezr. 6. 17. Psal. 30. title of Jerusalem they sought the Levites out of all their places q To which they were now retired after that great and general Assembly ch 8 9 10. to bring them to Jerusalem to keep the dedication with gladness both with thanksgivings and with singing with cymbals psalteries and with harps 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together both out of the plain country round about Jerusalem and from the villages of Netophathi 29 Also from the house of Gilgal and out of the fields of Geba and Azmaveth for the singers had built them villages round about Jerusalem r That they might be near at hand for the service of God and of his House 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves and purified the people and the gates and the wall s Partly by sprinkling the water of Purification upon them by which the Tabernacle and sacred Utensils were purified Num. 8. and partly by solemn Prayers and Sacrifices 31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah t And half of the people with them as it is expressed afterwards v. 38. upon the wall u For the Wall was broad and strong and so ordered that Men might conveniently walk upon it as at this day it is in many Cities and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks whereof one went on the right hand x Towards the South and East upon the wall toward * Ch. 2. 13. 3. 13. the dung-gate 32 And after them went Hoshajah and half of the princes of Judah 33 And Azariah Ezra y Not the Scribe as is evident from v. 36. but another Ezra and Meshullam 34 Judah and Benjamin and Shemajah and Jeremiah 35 And certain of the priests sons * Num. 10. 2. with trumpets namely Zechariah the son of Jonathan the son of Shemajah the son of Mattaniah the son of Michajah the son of Zaccur the son of Asaph 36 And his brethren Shemajah and Azareel Milalai Gilalai Maai Nethaneel and Judah Hanani with * 1 Chr. 23. 5. the musical instruments of David the man of God and Ezra the scribe before them 37 And at * Ch. 2. 14. â—… 15. the fountain-gate which was over-against them they went up by * Ch. 3. 15. the stairs of the city of David z By which they went up to the hill of Sion and City of David at the going up of the wall above the house of David even unto * Ch. 3. 26. 8. 1 3 16. the
Esther above all the women and she obtained grace and ‖ Or kindness favour †Heb. before him in his sight more than all the virgins so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti 18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants even Esthers feast and he made a †Heb. rest release to the provinces t i. e. He took off a good part of those heavy taxes which the Persian Kings laid upon their people and gave gifts according to the state of the king 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time u Either 1. When Esther with others were brought to the Kings house as it was decreed above v. 2 3. which is called the second time because they had taken this course once before when Vashti was chosen Queen But there is no mention of any such former use and by the manner of proposing it seems to have been a new project Or 2. Since Esther was declared Queen for though that point was determined the the Kings lust was not yet satisfied and therefore being pleased with the for mer experiment he desired another collection of Virgins whom he might make his Concubines And this seems best to agree with the following words For it is not probable that Mordecai sate at the kings gate till Esther was Queen for till then he only walked before the court of the womens house as is expressed v. 11. then Mordecai sat in the kings gate x Either 1. Voluntarily to learn the pregress of afairs Or rather 2. By office as one of the Kings guard or Ministers being advanced to this place by Esthers favour though without any discovery of her relation to him 20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people as Mordecai had charged her for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai like as when she was brought up with him 21 * See 〈◊〉 â—… 1. In those days while Mordecai sat in the kings gate two of the kings chamberlains ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ch â—… â—… Bigthan and Teresh of those which kept the †door y Either 1. Of the Kings Chamber Or 2. Of his Court and so they â—…ate in the gate as Mordecai did who by that means contracting some familiar acquaintance with them might make some discovery of their minds and design were wroth and sought * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lay hand z i. e. Violent hand to kill him as this phrase is used ch 3. 6. and elsewhere on the king Ahasuerus 22 And the thing was known to Mordecai who told it unto Esther the queen and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name 23 And when inquisition was made of the matter it was found out therefore they were both hanged on a tree and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king ‖ This may be referred either 1. To the writing to note that this was written in the Kings presence by Scribes who were continually present with the King to write all remarkable passages happening in the Court from time to time Or 2. To the book which was laid up before the King that he might more easily and frequently peruse it for his own delight or direction CHAP. III. AFter these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the * See Est. 3 10. Agagite a i. e. An Amalekite of the royal seed of that nation whose Kings were commonly and successively called Agag as hath been observed before It is true he is called a Macedoniaâ—… in the Apocryphal additions to this book and so he might be by his birth or habitation in that place though by his original he was of another people and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes that were with him b Gave him the first place and seat which was next to the King Compare 2 Kings 25. 28. 2 And all the kings servants that were in the kings †Gr 〈◊〉 gate bowed and reverenced Haman for the king had so commanded concerning him but Mordecai * See Eâ—…â—… 19. bowed not nor did him reverence c The reason of which obstinate refusal was either 1. The quality of the person that he was not only an infamously wicked man and an heathen but of that nation which God had obliged the Israelites to abhor and oppose from generation to generation and therefore he durst not shew outward respect to a man whom he did and ought inwardly to contemn Or rather 2. The nature of the thing for the worship required was not only civil but divine which as the Kings of Persia did undoubtedly arrogate to themselves and expect and receive from their subjects and others who came into their presence as is affirmed by divers authors so they did sometimes impart this honour to some of their chief favourites that they should be adored in like manner And that it was so here seems more than probable because it was wholly superfluous and almost ridiculous to give an express and particular command to all the Kings Servants that were in the Kings Gate as here it was to pay a civil respect to so great a Prince which of course they used and were ever obliged to do and therefore a divine honour must be here intended And that a Jew should deny this honour or the outward expressions of it to such a person is not strange seeing the wise and sober Graecians did positively refuse to give this honour to the Kings of Persia themselves even when they were to make their addresses to them and one Timocrates was put to death by the Athenians for worshipping Darius in that manner 3 Then the kings servants which were in the kings gate said unto Mordecai why transgressest thou the kings commandment 4 Now it came to pass when they spake daily unto him and he hearkened not unto them that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai his matters would stand d i. e. Whether he would persist in his refusal and what the event of it would be for he had told them that he was a Jew e And therefore did not deny this reverence to Human out of pride or any personal grudge against him much less out of a rebellious mind and contempt of the Kings Authority and Command but meerly out of conscience because he was a Iew who was obliged to give this honour to none but to God only 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence then was Haman full of wrath 6 And he thought scorn f He thought that particular vengeance was unsuitable to his quality and to the greatness of the injury to lay hands on Mordecai alone for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews g Which he attempted partly from that implacable hatred which as an Amalekite he had
come abroad with it that the cause of it might be publickly known and so come to Esthers ears 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him Let a †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gallows be made of fifty cubits high o That it might be more conspicuous to all and thereby be more disgraceful to Mordecai and strike all Hamans enemies with the great dread of despising or opposing him and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet And the thing pleased Haman and he caused * Chap. 7. 9. the gallows to be made CHAP. VI. 1 ON that night †〈◊〉 tâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed 〈◊〉 could not the king sleep a How vain are all the contrivances and indeavours of this foolish impotent man against the wise and omnipotent God who hath the hearts and hands of Kings and all men perfectly at his dispose and can by such trivial accidents as they are accounted change their minds and produce such momentous and terrible effects and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles b His mind being troubled he knew not how nor why he chuseth this for a divertisement God putting this thought 〈◊〉 to him for otherwise he might have diverted himself as he used to do at other times with his Wives or Concubines or voices and instruments of musick which was far more agreeable to his temper and they were read before the king c Until the morning when he intended to rise out of his bed 2 And it was found written that Mordecai had told of ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ch 2. 21. Bigthana and Teresh two of the kings chamberlains the keepers of the †Heb. threshold door who sought to lay hâ—…nd on the king Ahasuâ—…rus 3 And the king said What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this Then said the kings servants that ministred unto him There is nothing done for him p He hath had no recompence for this great and good service Which might happen either through the Kings forgetfulness or through the envy of the Courtiers or because he was a Jew and therefore odious and contemptible 4 And the king said Who is in the court now Haman was come q Early in the morning because his malice probably would not suffer him to sleep and he was impatient till he had executed his desired revenge anâ—… he was resolved to watch for the very first opportunity of speaking to the King before he was â—…gaged in other matters into the outward court of the kings house r Where he waâ—…ed because it was dangerous to come into the inuer Court without special licenâ—…e ch 4. 11. to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him 5 And the kings servants said unto him Behold Haman standeth in the court And the king said Let him come in 6 So Haman came in and the king said unto him What shall be done unto the man s He names none because he would have the more impartial answer And probably he knew nothing of the difference between Haman and Mordecai †Heb. in 〈◊〉 honour the king delighteth whom the king delighteth to honour now Haman thought in his heart t As indeed he had great reason to presume because he had not yet forâ—…ed that favour which the King had shewed to him above all others To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to my self 7 And Haman answered the king For the man †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour the king 〈◊〉 whom the king delighteth to honour 8 †Heb. 〈◊〉 them bring the â—…l apparel Let the royal apparel u His outward garment which was made of purple interwoven with gold as Iustin and Curtius relate be brought †Heb. wherewith the king clotheth himself which the king useth to wear and the horse that the king rideth upon x Usually which was well known both by his excellency and especially by his peculiar trappings and ornaments Comp. 1 Kings 1. 33. and the crown royal which is set upon his head y Either 1. Upon the Kings head Or 2. Upon the Horses head which seems best to agree 1. With that antient Chaldee Interpreter and other Jews who take it thus 2. With the signification and order of the Hebrew words 3. With the following verses in which there is no further mention of this Crown but only of the apparel and of the horse to which the Crown belonged as one of his ornaments 4. With the custom of the Persians which some affirm to have been this to put the Crown upon the head of that Horse upon which the King rode 9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to thâ—… hand of one of the kings most noble princes that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honour and †Heb. 〈◊〉 him to ride bring him on horseback through the principal street of the city and proclaim z i. e. Cause this to be proclaimed to wit by some publick Officer appointed for that service Compare Gen. 41. 43. before him Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour 10 Then the king said to Haman Make hast and take the apparel and the horse as thou hast said and do even so to Mordecai the Jew that sitteth at the kings gate †Heb. 〈◊〉 not a 〈◊〉 to fail let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken 11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse and arrayed Mordecai and brought him on horseback through the street of the city and proclaimed a Either himself or by the Officer before him Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour 12 And Mordecai came again to the kings gate b To his former place and office shewing that as he was not overwhelmed by Hamans threats and malicious design as appears by ch 5. 9. So now he was not pufâ—…ed up with all this honour Besides he came thither to attend the issue of the main business and to be at hand to assist or encourage the Queen if need were which now he was more capable of doing than hitherto he had been but Haman hasted to his house mourning and having his head covered c In token of his shame and grief for his unexpected and great disappointment of his hope and desire and for the great honour done to his most despised and abhorred adversary and this by his own hands and with his own publick disgrace and for such further inconveniences as this unlucky omen seemed to presage to him 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him Then said his wise men d The Magicians whom after the Persian manner he had called together consult with upon
this is a Canonical Book of Scripture which is manifest both from the Stile and Matter of it and from the tacite Approbation given to it by Ezekiel and James in the places now cited and from that quotation taken from it as such 1 Cor. 3. 19. and from the unanimous consent of the Church both of Iews and Christians in all Ages 3. The time in which Job lived and these things were said and done most probably was before Moses and in the days of the ancient Patriarchs This may be gathered 1. From his long Life which by comparing Ch. 1. with 42. 16. could not want much of 200 Years whereas after Moses Mens Lives were far shorter as is manifest 2. From that considerable Knowledge of God and of the true Religion which then remained among divers Gentiles which after Moses his time was in a manner quite extinguished 3. From the Sacrifices here commonly used whereas after the giving of the Law all Sacrifices were confined to the place of the Tabernacle or Temple to which even the Gentiles were to repair when they would Sacrifice to God 4. From the way of Gods imparting of his Mind to the Gentiles at this time by Dreams and Visions agreeably to Gods Method in those ancient times whereas afterward those discoveries were withdrawn from the Gentiles and appropriated to the People of Israel 5. Because there is not the least mention in this Book of the Children of Israel neither of their grievous Afflictions in Egypt nor of their glorious Deliverance out of it though nothing could have been more seasonable or suitable to the matter which is here discoursed between Job and his Friends 4. The Pen-man of this Book is not certainly known nor is it material for us to know For it being agreed who is the principal Author it is of no moment by what Hand or Pen he wrote it But most probably it was either 1. Job himself who was most capable of giving this exact account who as in his Agony he wished that his Words and Carriage were written in a Book Ch. 19. 23 24. so possibly when he was delivered from it he satisfied his own and others desires therein Only what concerns his general Character Ch. 1. 1. and the time of his Death Ch. 42. 16 17. was added by another Hand the like small Additions being made in other Books of Scripture Or 2. Elihu which may seem to be favoured by Ch. 32. 15 16. Or 3. Moses who when he was in the Land of Midian where he had opportunity of coming to the knowledge of this History and Discourse and considering that it might be very useful for the Comfort and Direction of Gods Israel who was now oppressed in Egypt did by his own Inclination and the Direction of Gods Spirit commit it to Writing And whereas the Stile seems to be unlike to that of Moses in his other Writings that is not strange considering the differing nature of the Books this being almost all Poetical and the other meerly Historical for the most part or plain Precepts or Exhortations And for the Arabick words here used it must be remembred that Moses lived 40 Years in Midian which was a part of Arabia in which he must needs learn that Language CHAP. I. THere was a Man in the Land of Uz a Which was either in Edom called The Land of Uz Lam. 4. 21. or in some part of Arabia not far from the Chaldeans and Sabeans as this Chapter witnesseth so called probably from Uz one of Esau's Posterity Gen. 36. 28. Ier. 25. 20. whose Name was * 〈◊〉 14. 14. 〈◊〉 5. 11. Job and that man was †â—…p 2. 3. perfect b Not legally or exactly as he confesseth Ch. 9. 20. but comparatively to such as were partial in their Obedience to Gods Commands and as to his sincere Intentions hearty Affections and constant and diligent Endeavours to perform all his duties to God and Men. and upright c Heb. right exact and regular in all his dealings with Men one of an unblameable Conversation doing to others as he would have others to deal with him and one that feared God d Only truly pious and devoted to Gods Worship and Service and eschewed Evil e i. e. Carefully avoiding all sin against God or Men. 2. And there were born unto him Seven Sons and Three Daughters 3. His †Oâ—… 〈◊〉 Substance also was Seven Thousand Sheep and Three Thousand Camels f Camels in these parts were very numerous as is manifest from Iudg. 7. 12. 1 Chron. 5. 21. and from the plain testimonies of Aristotle and Pliny and very useful and Proper both for carrying of Burdens in these hot and dry Countries as being able to endure thirst much better than other Creatures and for service in War and Five Hundred Yoke of Oxen and Five Hundred She-Asses g Which were preferred before He-Asses as serving for the same uses as they did and for Breeding and Milk also But He-Asses also may be included in this Expression which is of the Feminine Gender because the greatest part of them from which the denomination is usually taken were She-Asses and a very great ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Houshold so that this man was the greatest h i. e. One of the richest of all the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 men in the East i To wit that lived in those parts such general Expressions being commonly understood with such limitations 4. And his Sons went and feasted k To testifie and maintain their Brotherly Love in their houses every one his day l Not every day of the Week and of the Year which would have been burdensome and tedious to them all and gross Luxury and Epicurism which holy Iob would not have permitted but each his appointed day whether his Birth-day or the first day of the Month or any other set time it matters not and sent and called for their Three Sisters to eat and to drink with them 5. And it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about m When each of them had had his turn which peradventure came one speedily though not immediately after another And there was some considerable interval before their next feasting time that Job sent and * Neh. 12. 30. sanctified them n i. e. He exhorted and commanded them to sanctifie themselves for the following work to wit by purifying themselves from all Ceremonial and Moral Pollution as the manner then was Exod. 19. 10. and by preparing themselves by true Repentance for all their sins and particularly such as they had committed in their time of Feasting and Jollity and by fervent Prayers to make their Peace with God by Sacrifice and rose up early in the morning o Thereby shewing his ardent Zeal in Gods service and his Impatience till God was reconciled to him and to his Children and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all for
your behalf as well as on his own lest I deal with you after your folly u Lest my wrath and just judgment take hold of you for your false and foolish speeches in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right like my servant Job 9. So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did according as the Lord commanded them x Shewing their repentance by their submission to God and to Job for God's sake and by taking shame to themselves the LORD also accepted †Heb. the face of Iob. Job y Both for his Friends and for himself as the next Verse explains it 10. And the LORD turned the Captivity of Job z i. e. Brought him out of that state of Bondage in which he had been so long held by Satan and by his own Spirit and out of all his distresses and miseries Or returned Job ' s Captivity i. e. the Persons and things which had been taken from him not the same which he had lost but other equivalent to them and that with advantage when he prayed for his friends a Whereby he manifested his obedience to God and his true love and charity to them in being so ready to forgive them and heartily to pray for them for which God would not let him lose his reward also b An emphatical Particle He not onely gave him as much as he lost but double to it the LORD †Heb. added all that had been to Iob unto the double gave Job twice as much as he had before 11. Then c When Job had humbled himself and God was reconciled to Iob he quickly turned the Hearts of his Friends to favour him according to Prov. 16. 7. as during his impenitency and 〈◊〉 his trial and humiliation he had alienated their Hearts from him of which Iob so sadly complains came there unto him all his brethren and all his sisters d Largely so called according to the Scripture-use of these Titles to wit his kindred distinguished from his other acquaintance and all they that had been his acquaintance before and did eat bread with him e i. e. Feasted with him as that Phrase is commonly used in Scripture to congratulate with him for God's great and glorious favour already vouchsafed to him in so eminent a Vision and Revelation in his house and they bemoaned him f They declared the sense which they had of his calamities whilst they were upon him although they had hitherto wanted opportunity to express it and comforted him over all the evil g Or concerning all the evil which though it was bitter to endure when it was present yet the remembrance of it revived in him by the discourses of his Friends was very delightful as is usual in such cases that the LORD had brought upon him every man also gave him a piece of money and every one an ear-ring of gold h Partly to make up his former losses and partly as a Testimony of their honorable respect to him 12. So the LORD blessed i Not onely with Spiritual but also with Temporal and Earthly Blessings the latter end of Job more then his beginning for he had fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand camels and a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand she-asses 13. He had also seven sons and three daughters 14. And he called k Giving them such Names as signifie their excellent beauty of which see my Latin Synopsis the name of the first Jemima and the name of the second Kezia and the name of the third Keren-happuch 15. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job and their father gave them l Gave his Daughters a share and possibly an equal share with his Sons in his Inheritance which in so plentiful an estate he might easily do especially to such amiable Sisters without the envy of their Brethren and which peradventure he did to oblige them to settle themselves amongst their Brethren and to marry into their own Religious Kindred not to Strangers who in those times were generally swallowed up in the gulf of Idolatry inheritance among their brethren 16. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years and saw his sons and his sons sons even four generations 17. So Job m After God had turned his Captivity as is said v. 10. died being old and full of days n By which length of his days it seems most probable that he lived before the times of Moses when the days of humane life were much shortned as he complains PSALMS The ARGUMENT THe divine Authority of this book of Psalms is so certain and evident that it was never questioned in the Church Which being fixed it is of small moment that the Penmen of some of them is not now known Nor doth this any more lessen its Authority than it invalidates the Decree of a Prince or an Act of Parliament that it is not certain by whose Pen it was drawn up Most of them were composed by David as is evident both from the title of them and from the express Testimony of the new Testament concerning some of them and that by the inspiration of God's Spirit as appears both from the divine matter and frame of them and from 2. Sam. 23. 1. Mat. 22. 43. c. Act. 1. 16. and 2. 25. But some of them were composed by other Persons by Moses as Psal. 90. by Heman and Ethan and Asaph as the title of the Psalms shew and by others after their times whose names are not mentioned as is manifest from Psal. 126. 137. It is apparent that the Psalms were not written in the order in which they now lie and they were put into this order either by Ezra as the Hebrew Doctors affirm or by some other holy Prophet or Prophets It is sufficient for us that the whole Book is owned as Canonical by our blessed Saviour Luke 24. 44. PSAL. I. The ARGUMENT THis Psalm was put first as a Preface to all the rest as a powerful perswasive to the diligent reading and serious study of the whole book and of the rest of the holy Scripture taken from that blessedness which attends upon the study and practice thereof 1. BLessed * Pâ—… 4 14. 1â—… is the man a The Hebrew words are very Emphatical Blessedness belongs to that man or O the blessedness of that man Thrice blessed is that man who is here described negatively and in the next verse positively that walketh not in the counsel of the ‖ Or â—…ked ungodly b i. e. That doth not lead his Life according to their counsel or course or manner of living That doth not associate himself with them nor follow their evil instigations or examples Walking notes choice of it and continuance or progress in it otherwise good men do sometimes step aside into an evil Action For
cannot agree to David's time wherein there was no such Captivity of the people but only a Civil war and mutual slaughter which is quite another thing nor to the time of Israel's return from Babylon when there was no such return of all Israel but only of Iudah and Benjamin and some few of the other Tribes and the joy which the returning Isroelites then had was but low and mixed with many Fears and Dangers and Reproaches as we see in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah And therefore they must belong to the times of the Messias by whom this Promise was fulfilled to the true Israel of God who were brought back from that most real and dreadful though spiritual Captivity of sin and Satan as is declared Luk. 4. 18. Eph. 4. 8. and shall be litterally accomplished to the natural seed of Iacob or Israel according to the Expectation and belief of all the Jews in their several Ages and of most Christian Writers when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people †i. e. His Captive people Captivity being oft put for Captives as Deut. 21. 10. and 30. 3. Psal. 126. 1. 4. Or his people from Captivity of which see the former Note Jacob * i. e. The seed or Children of Iacob as Aaron is named for his Sons 1 Chron. 12. 27. and 27. 17. and David for his Sons and the like shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad PSAL. XV. The ARGUMENT The occasion and time of Composing this Psalm is uncertain but the Scope of it is plain which is to give the Character of an holy and happy Man and to describe the way to true Blessedness Wherein this is observable that he is wholly silent as to the Ceremonial or Ritual Observations of the Law not that he doth disown them or allow the neglect of them as is manifest from David's constant Practice and from many other passages but that he might undeceive the Hypocritical Israelites who laid too great a stress upon those things as if the diligent performance thereof would excuse their wicked Lives which Error almost all the Prophets do observe and Condemn in them and that he might inform the Church of that and all succeeding Ages that the substance of Religion did consist in the Practice of true Holiness and Righteousness A Psalm of David 1. LORD a O thou who art the soveraign Lord of this holy Hill and Tabernacle to whom it belongs to give Laws to it and to admit or reject Persons as thou seest fit I beg of thee the resolution of this important question And he proposeth this question to God that the Answer coming from him may have the greater Authority and influence upon mens Consciences who shall †Heb. sojourn abide b Heb. sojourn to wit so as to dwell as it is explained in the next clause Unless this clause be meant of sojourning in the Church here and the next of dwelling in Heaven hereafter Who shall enter thither and abide there with thy good leave and liking in thy â—… Psal. 24. 3. 〈◊〉 tabernacle c i. e. In thy Church either 1. Militant Who is a true and will be a persevering Member of this Church Or 2. Triumphant or in Heaven which is called the true Tabernacle not made with mans â—…ands Heb. 8. 2. and 9. 11. Revel 21. 3. who shall dwell in thy holy hill d To wit of Zion so called Psal 2. 6. which is oft put for the Church and for Heaven Who shall so dwell in thy Church here as to dwell with thee for ever hereafter in Heaven 2. * Isa. 33. 15 He that walketh uprightly e Or presently or sincerely without guile or Hypocrisie Loving Worshiping and serving God and loving his Neighbour not in word and shew only but in truth and reality and this constantly and in the whole course of his Life as walking implies and worketh righteousness f Maketh it his work and business to do justly i. e. to give to every one his due first to God and then to men for the words are general and not restrained to either and speaketh the truth ‖ Or with in his heart g His words and professions to God and men agree with and proceed from the thoughts and purposes of his Heart 3. He that back-biteth not with his tongue h He doth not take away or diminish his Neighbours good name either by denying him his due praises or by laying any thing to his Charge falsely or without sufficient cause and Evidence nor doeth evil i i. e. Any hurt or injury to his neighbour k i. e. To any man as is evident 1. from the Nature of this precept which reacheth to all it being plain and certain that both by Laws of Nature and of Moses it was not lawful to do evil to any man except where God the Soveraign commanded it as he did to the Canaanites and Amalekites 2. From the Scripture usage of this word Neighbour which frequently signifies every man though a stranger or an heathen as appears from Gen. 29. 4. Exod. 20. 16 17. Levit. 18. 20. and 19. 15 c. Prov. 25. 8 9. Luk. 10. 29 c. Mat. 5. 43 44. And he useth this word Neighbour because he who is strictly so is most within our reach and most liable to the injuries which one man doth to another nor ‖ Or receiveth Or endureth Exod. 23. 1. taketh up l To wit into his Lips or Mouth which is understood here as also Exod. 20. 7. Iob 4. 2. and fully expressed Psal. 16. 4. and 50. 16. i. e. Doth not raise it though that may seem to be included in the first Clause that Back-biteth not Or doth not spread and propagate it which men are too prone and ready to do and which makes that a publick which before was but a private injury and mischief Or nor taketh or receiveth i. e. Entertaineth it cheerfully and greedily as men usually do such things and easily believeth it without sufficient reason See Exod. 23. 1. Levit. 19. 1â—… Or nor beareth or endureth as this phrase signifies Psal. 69. 7. Ezek. 36. 15. He doth not suffer another to defame him without some rebuke or signification of his dislike Prov. 25. 23. a reproach against his neighbour 4. In whose eyes m i. e. In whose Judgment and Estimation a vile person n i. e. One who deserves Contempt an ungodly or wicked Man as appears from the next clause where he that feareth God is opposed to him is contemned o Or despised notwithstanding all his Wealth and Glory and Greatness He doth not admire his Person nor envy his Condition nor court him with flatteries nor value his Company and Conversation nor approve of or comply with his Courses but he thinks meanly of him he judgeth him a most miserable man and a great object of Pity he abhors his wicked practices and labours to
Deut. 24. 15. 2. O my God I * Psal. 22. 5. 31. 1. 34. 8. Psal. 28. 7. Rom. 10. 11. trust in thee let me not be ashamed b i. e. Disappointed of my Hope which will be reproachful to me not without Reflection upon thee of whose Power and Faithfulness I have made my boast let not mine enemies triumph over me 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed c With me and for me For if I be frustrated all that trust in thee will be discouraged and upbraided with my Example let them be ashamed d Blast their wicked Designs and Hopes which transgress e Or Prevaricate or deal Persidiously with me violating their Faith given to me * Psal. 119. 78. without a cause f Without any Provocation of mine or without any sufficient Reason 4. * Psal. 5. 8. 27. 11. 86. 11. 119. 27. 143. 8. 10. Shew me thy ways g i. e. The way of thy Precepts what I ought to do in my Circumstances and Difficulties by what Methods I may obtain thy Favour and Help Whatsoever thou dost with me as to other things grant me this Favour teach me my Duty and cause me to keep close to it notwithstanding all Temptations to the contrary O LORD teach me thy paths 5. * Psal. 26. 3. Lead me in thy truth h i. e. In the true and right way prescribed in thy Word which is oft called Truth as Psal. 119. 30. Ioh. 8. 45 46. and 16. 13. c. Or by or because of thy Truth i. e. Because thou art Faithful do thou lead or guide me as thou hast promised to do and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation i i. e. Who hast saved me formerly and hast engaged to save me and from whom alone I expect Salvation on thee do I wait all the day 6. Remember O LORD * Psal. 103. 17 106. 1. 107. 1. Jer. 33. 11. †Heb. thy bowels thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses k O consider thy own merciful Nature and thy former manifold Favours vouchsafed to me and to other miserable Sinners and do like thy self for they have been ever of old l Thou hast been gracious to such as I am from the beginning of the World to this day and to me in particular from my very Infancy as he oft acknowledgeth in this Book yea from all Eternity thou hast had a good Will to me and therefore do not now desist and desert me 7. Remember not m So as to lay them to my Charge * Job 20. 11. the sins of my youth n The sins committed in my young and tender years Eccles. 11. 9 10. which God frequently punisheth in riper Age Iob. 13 26. Ier. 3. 25 and therefore he now prays that God would not deal so with him nor my transgressions o Nor any of my succeeding or other sins which either have been Acted by me or may be imputed to me according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake p Being a sinner I have nothing to plead for my self but thy free Mercy and Goodness which I now implore O LORD 8. Good q i. e. Bountiful and gracious to sinners ready to good and delighting in it and upright r Or Right i. e. Holy and True sincere in making Promises and in all his Declarations and Offers of Mercy to sinners and faithful in fulfilling them is the LORD therefore will he teach sinners in the way s Being such an one he will not be wanting to such poor sinners as I am but will guide them by his Word and Spirit and gracious Providence into the way of Life and Peace By sinners he doth not understand all that are so not such â—…s are obstinate and Proud and scornful whom God hath declared that he will not teach nor direct but will leave them to the Errors and Lusts of their own Hearts and will blind and harden them to their Ruine as is often expressed in Scripture but only such as being truly sensible of their sins do humbly and earnestly seek God for his Grace and Mercy or such as are Meek as the next Verse explains it for these he will not fail to assist and Relieve 9. The meek t i. e. The humble and lowly such as meekly submit themselves to Gods hand and word and are willing and desirous to be directed and governed by him will he †Heb. 〈◊〉 to go guide in judgment u i. e In the Paths of judgment or in the right way wherein they should walk as the next Clause explains this or by the Rule of his word which is oft called his Iudgment or Iudgments Or with Iudgment i. e. With a wise and provident Care and a due regard to all their Circumstances See Ier. 10. 24. 1 Cor. 10. 13. and the meek will he teach his way x Either Gods way which God prescribes Or his own way in which he ought to walk 10. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth y All the dealings of God with them yea even those that are afflictive and grievous to the flesh are done in kindness and faithfulness to them as being very necessary for them and tending to their great advantage unto such as keep his covenant z i. e The Laws or Conditions required of them by his Covenant Or as it followes his Testimonies i. e. His Precepts which are the Testimonies or Witnesses of God's Will and of mans Duty and his testimonies 11. For thy names sake a i. e. For the Honour of thy Goodness and Truth which is concerned herein O LORD pardon mine iniquity for it is great b And therefore none but such a God can pardon it and nothing but thy own Name can move thee to do it and the pardoning of it will well become so great and good a God and will tend much to the Illustration of thy Glory as the greatness and desperateness of the Disease advanceth the Honour and Praise of the Physician Or this may be urged not as an Argument to move God but as the Reason that moved him to pray so earnestly and that for God's Names sake Or though as this Particle is oft rendred as Exod. 34. 9. Psal. 41. 4. and elsewhere it be great Possibly he speaks of his sin against uriah and Bathsheba Or for or though it be much or manifold For the Hebrew word signifies both great and much 12. What man is he c i. e. Whosoever he be whether Iew or Gentile whether more innocent or a greater Sinner which is my Case that feareth the LORD him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose d i. e. Which God appointeth or approveth Or which he i. e. such Person should chuse for the future Tense is oft put Potentially and so as
Help from me 23. Stir up thy self and awake to my judgment even unto my cause d At last undertake to plead my Cause against mine Adversaries my God and my Lord. 24. Judge me O LORD my God according to thy righteousness e Whereby thou usest and lovest to defend the Innocent and to punish their Oppressors and let them not rejoyce over me 25. Let them not say in their hearts †Heb. Ah ah our Soul Ah so would we have it f Heb. Aha our Soul i. e. Oh our Soul cry Aha an Expression of mirth as before v. 21. Or Aha we have our Wish or Desire as the Soul is taken Psal. 41. 2. David is now as low as we could wish him let them not say we have swallowed him up 26. * Verse 4. Psal. 40. 14. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together g As they gathered themselves together to deride and oppose me so do thou gather them together to destroy them Or in like manner one as well as another let the Proud and great Ones of them be disappointed and ashamed as well as the meanest among them that rejoyce at mine hurt let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves h The same Ellipsis we have Psal. 38. 16. and 55. 12. Ier. 48 26. Or their Mouth as it is expressed Obad. v. 12. So Ezek. 35. 13. That extol themselves and their Power and look upon me with scorn and Contempt against me 27. Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour †Heb. my righteousness my righteous cause i That wish well to it although they want either Strength or Courage to Plead it yea let them say continually Let the LORD be magnified k i. e. Exalted and praised for his Righteousness and Truth and Goodness manifested in my Deliverance Mine Enemies great Design is to magnifie themselves v. 26. but my chief desire is that God may be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant 28. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long PSAL. XXXVI The ARGUMENT This Psalm seems to have been Composed by David when he was persecuted by Saul and his Courtiers Upon which occasion he enlargeth his Thoughts further and Contemplates the sad state and Condition of the World and of the Church at that time in which Wickedness of all sorts greatly abounded and seemed to Prosper and withal he declares the great Felicity and Safety of God's People and gives an Account of their supports and Comforts under the Sence of these publick Dis-orders and Mischiefs To the chief musician a Psalm of David the servant of the LORD a i. e. One wholly and resolvedly devoted to the Service of God both in my private and publick Capacity This Title is as I remember but twice used in this Book Psal. 18. of which see there and in this Psalm Where it seems to be prefixed as a publick Protestation of his Resolution to cleave unto the Lord in this time of general Corruption of which he is now going to speak 1. THe transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes b When I consider the great and manifold Transgressions of ungodly Men I conclude within my self that they have cast off all Fear and Sence and serious belief of the divine Majesty 2. For c So this is the Proof of that Assertion v. 1. Or Although and so it is an Anticipation of an Objection against it * Deu. 29. 19. Psal. 10. 3. 49. 18. he flattereth himself in his own eyes d He deceiveth himself with vain and false Perswasions Either 1. Concerning God that he doth not see or mind his sins or that he will not punish them Or 2. Concerning himself and his sins Either that they are not sins which a Mind bribed by Passion and Interest can easily believe Or that they are but small and venial sins Or that they will be excused if not justified by honest Intentions or by outward Professions and exercises of Religion or by some good Actions wherewith he thinks to make some Compensation for them or some other way Oth. thus He flattereth him i. e. God in his Eyes i. e. Openly and publickly makes a shew of Religion as if he Designed to deceive or mock God whilst inwardly and secretly he is projecting Wickedness But it seems better to understand the last Word Reciprocally of his own Eyes as the same Word is used in the end of the foregoing Verse †Heb. to 〈◊〉 his iniquity to hate until his iniquity be found to be hateful e i. e. Uâ—…til God by some dreadful Judgment undeceive him and find i. e. Discover or make him and others to find and feel by Experience that it is a sin and a very hateful one too Or until his abominable iniquity be found out i. e. Punished as the same Word and Phrase is used Numb 32. 23. your sin shall find you out i. e. Bring you to Condign punishment In the Hebrew it is to find out his iniquity to hate But active Verbs are oft taken Passively of which there are plain Instances Ios. 2. 5. Esth. 6. 6. Psal. 32. 9. and 51. 6. Comp. with Rom 3. 4. and Psal. 119. 4. and so here to find is put for to be â—…ound and to hate for to be hated or to be hateful 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit f i. e. Are wicked and deceitful he hath left off to be wise and to do good g Once he had some shadows or degrees of Wisdom and sometimes did some things that were good in their kind but now he hath not so much as the appearance of it and iâ—… become an open Apostate from that which once he professed 4. * Miâ—… 2. 1. He deviseth ‖ Or Vâ—…ity mischief upon his bed h Which notes that he doth it 1. Constantly and unweariedly preferring it before his own Rest 2. Earnestly and seriously when his Mind is freed from all outward Distractions and wholly at leasure to attend that Business about which it is employed Comp. Psal. 4. 4. 3. Freely from his own inclination when none are present to provoke him to it he setteth himself i He doth not repent of his wicked Devices but resolutly proceeds to Execute them and persists therein in a way that is not good k i. e. Which is very bad as this Phrase is used 1 Sam. 2. 24. Prov. 20. 23. and 24. 23. and elsewhere he abhorreth not evil l Though he sometimes pretends Remorse and desists from his Violent Practises against me as Saul did yet he doth not truly repent of nor abhor his sin and therefore is ready to return to it when any occasion offers it self 5. * Psal. 57. 10. 108. 4. Thy mercy m
of the Legal Sacrifices and the Substitution of a better instead of them * Isa. 50. 5. mine ears hast thou †Hbb. digged opened y Heb. bored The Sence is Either 1. Whereas many men have no Ears to hear as is implyed Revel 2. 7 11 17. or stop their Ears as Psal. 58. 4. Zech. 7. 11. thou hast given me open Ears to hear and obey thy Precepts as this Phrase is used Isa. 50. 5. although indeed there is another Verb in that Text which much alters the Case Or 2. I have wholly devoted my self to thy perpetual Service and thou hast accepted of me as such and signified so much by the boring of mine Ears according to the Law and Custom in that Case Exod. 21. 5 6. Deut. 15. 17. And whereas onely one Ear was then bored and here it is Ears this may be either an Enallage of the plural Number for the singular whereof divers instances have been given Or else it may be so expressed Emphatically to intimate that Christ was more strictly obliged to a more universal Obedience not onely Active to which the Legal Servants were bound but Passive also to be obedient even unto the Death to which they were not Obliged The LXX Jewish Interpreters whom the Apostle follows Heb. 10. â—… Translate these Words A Body hast thou prepared me Wherein though the Words differ the Sence is the same for the Ears suppose a Body to whom they belong and the preparing of a Body implies the preparing or disposing of the Ears and the Obligation of the Person for whom a Body was prepared to serve him who prepared it which the boring of the Ear signifies burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required 7. Then z When I understood and Considered thy Mind and Will therein expressed v. 6. said I a Either within my self by a firm purpose Or unto thee by way of Promise or Engagement Lo I come b He may seem to speak like a Servant answering to the Call of his Master and signifying his Readyness to obey him in which Sence it may be Accommodated to David But the Servants Answer is usually expressed in Scripture by another Phrase Here am I and never to my Remembrance in these Words Besides this Phrase in that Sence seems not to be Proper in this place but rather Lâ—… I heâ—… which best suits with the foregoing Words mine Ears hast thou opened But these Words do most Literally and â—…ruly belong to Christ and the Sence is this Seeing thou requirest a better Sacrifice than those of the Law Lo I do offer my self to Come and I will in due time Come to wit from Heaven or iâ—… the Flesh or into the World as this Phrase is more fully expressed and explained in divers places of Scripture and particularly Heb. 10. 5. where this place is explained and applied to Christ. in the Volume of the book it is †written of me c These two Words Volume and Book are indifferently used of any Writing and both Words seem here to express the same thing as may appear by Comparing Ier. 36. where we have the very same Words and what is called the Roll or Volume of a Book v. 2. 4. is called simply a Roll or Volume v. 6. 20 21. and the Book v. 10. 13. it being usual with the Hebrews to joyn two Words together in like manner of which we have an instance here above v. 2. Miry Clay Heb. Clay of Mire Now this Volume of the Book is meant Either 1 Of the Book of Predestination in which Christ was written as being fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 20. But that is a secret Book not to be Read by any man Living and therefore not fitly alledged as an Evidence in this Matter Or 2. Of a Legal Instrument wherein the Contract was drawn between God and him wherein he did oblige himself to serve God and to Execute his Will in all things it being the manner of the Hebrews to write their Contracts in a little Volume or Book But 1. We Read of no such usage among the Hebrews in the Contracts between Master and Servant but onely of the boring of the Servants Ear Exod. 21. 6. So the Foundation of this allusion is destroyed 2. At least there was no such Contract written between God and him And if it be said that he onely speaks thus by way of allusion that is but a Supposition without ground And when the Words may be properly understood as they sound of a thing really done why should we forsake the plain Sence without Necessity 3. The Phrase here used doth not agree to this Sence for then he should have said I am written in the Volume of the Book i. e. In the Catalogue of thy Servants for in that Case the Persons or their Names are Constantly said to be written as Exod. 32. 32 33. Psal. 69. 28. Dan. 12. 1. Luk. 10. 20. Heb. 12. 23. Revel 13. 8. and 20. 15. and 21. 27. and not any thing to be written of them as it is here Or 3 Of the Holy Scriptures In which something indeed was written concerning David Namely that he was a man after God's own Heart 1 Sam. 13. 14. But it must be remembred that those Books were not written till after David's Death in whose time here was no other Book of Scripture exstant but the five Books of Moses unless you will except the Book of Ioh. And therefore this is meane of the Law of Moses which is commonly and Emphatically called the Book and was made â—…p in the form of a Roll or Volume as the Hebrew Books generally were See Ezâ—…k 3. 1 2. 3. Zech. 5. 1 2. Luk. 4. 17. 20. And so this place manifestly points to Christ and must necessarily be understood of him and of him onely concerning whom much is said in the Books of Moses as is Evident from Luk. 24. 27. 44. Ioh. 5. 46. Act. 3. 22. and 26. 22. and 28. 23. And this Sence being plain and Natural and unforced and exactly agreeing both with the Words and with the truth of the thing and with the Belief of all Christians I see no reason why I may not acquiesce in it 8. * Psal. 119. 16. 24. 47. 92. Rom. 7. 22 I delight to do thy will d This though in a general Sence it may be true of David and of all God's People yet if it be Compared with the â—…ing Verse and with the Explication thereof in the Neâ—… Testament in which those Mysteries which were darkly and doubtfully expressed in the Old Testement are fully and clearly revealed must be appropriated to Christ of whom it is eminently true and is here observed as an Act of Heroical obedience that he not onely resolved to do but deligâ—…ted in doing the Will of God or what God had Commanded him and he had promised to do which was to dye and that a most shameful and painful
hast redeemed this mount Zion k Which is oft put for the Temple or the Hill of Moriah on which it was built wherein thou hast dwelt 3 Lift up thy feet l i. e. Come speedily for our rescue and do not sit or stand still as hitherto thou seemest to do unto the perpetual desolations m Or rather Because of as this Prefix oft signifies the perpetual Desolations So it is a powerful Motive to God to come to their Help because otherwise our Destruction is everlasting and irrecoverable even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary n Or against thy Sanctuary Of which see v. 7. 4 Thine enemies roar o i. e. Make loud Out-cries Either from their Rage and Fuâ—…y against the Conquered and captivated Israelites now in their Power Or rather in way of Triumph for their Success and Victory in the midst of thy congregations p In the places where thy People used to assemble together for thy Worship whereby they designed to insult not onely over us but over thee also as if their God's had been too strong for thee they set up their insigns for signs q Or Trophees or Monuments of their Victories obtained over God and over his People as Conquerors used to do in like Cases 5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees r So the meaning is this The Temple was so noble a structure that it was a great Honour to any man to be imployed in the meanest part of the work though it were but in cutting down the Trees of Lebanon And this Translation may seem to be favoured by the opposition in the next Verse But now c. But others understand the Words thus translated in another Sence That every one of the Enemies got Renown accordingly as they shewed most barbarous Rage in destroying the thick Wood-work which in the next Verse is called the Carved work of the Temple But this seems not to suit well with the opposition between this work and that of the next Verse which is ushered in by But now The words therefore may be and in part are by some rendred thus It is known or manifest Heb. It will be known It will be published to all Posterity as matter of astonishment and admiration That as one lifteth up his Axe Heb. Axes the plural Number for the singular as it is elsewhere upon thick Trees to cut them down This is the first part of the similitude called the Proâ—…asis Then follows the latter part of it called the Apodosis in the next Verse So Heb. And. Which is sometimes put for a Note of similitude as in that passage of the Lords Prayer Mat. 6. 10. as it is in Heaven and oft in the Book of the Proverbs now For though this Psalm was Composed after the thing was done yet he speaks of it as if it were now in doing as the manner of the sacred Writers frequently is that it may be more Lively represented to mens Minds They break down the Carved work c. The meaning is they neither regard the Sacredness of the place noâ—… the exquisite Curiosity and Art of the work but cut it down as indifferently and rashly as men cut down the thick and intangled boughs of the Trees of the Forest. 6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once s See the Note on the former Verse with axes and hammers t It hath been ingeniously observed that these two Words are noâ—… Hebrew but Chaldee or Syriack Words to point out the time when this was done even when the Chaldaeans brought in their Language together with their Arms among the Israelites 7 * 2 Kin. 25. 9. †Heb. They have sent thy Sanctuary into the Fire They have cast fire into thy sanctuary they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground u First they polluted it and then they burnt it and broke it in pieces 8 They said in their heart Let †Heb. Break. us destroy them together x they have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land y i. e. All the publick places wherein the Iews used to meet together to Worship God every Sabbath day as is noted Aâ—…t 13. 27. and upon other occasions That the Iews had such Synagogues is manifest both from these and other places of Scripture and from the Testimony of the Hebrew Doctors and other Antient and learned Writers who affirm it and particularly of Ierusalem in which they say there were above four hundred Synagogues and from the Nature and necessity of the thing For seeing it is undeniable that they did Worship God publickly in every Sabbath and other Holy times even then when they neither did nor could go up to Ierusalem both Conscience and Prudence must needs direct them to appoint Convenient places for that purpose ae Root and Branch one as well as another or all at once So they desired and many of them intended although afterwards it seems they changed their Counsel and carried some away Captives and left others to manage the Land 9 We see not our signs z i. e. Those Tokens of God's gracious Presence which we and our Ancestors formerly used to enjoy Either 1. Miracles wrought for us which are called Signs Psal. 78. 43. and 135. 9. Or 2. The Ordinances of God the Temple and Ark and Sacrifices and solemn Feasts all which were signs between God and his People * 1 Sam. 3. 1. Amos 8. 11. there is no more any prophet a Either 1. Any Teacher We have few or no Teachers left to us Or 2. Any extraordinary Prophet who can foretel things to come as the next Words explain it For as for Ezekiel and Ieremiah they might be dead when this Psalm was Composed and Daniel was involved in Civil affairs and did not teach the People as a Prophet and the prophetical Spirit which sometimes came upon him and made those great discoveries to him which we read in his Book might possibly at this time suspend his influences Besides it is not unusual in Scripture to say that there is none of a sort of Persons or Things when there is a very great scarcity of them But others make this their great Argument that this Psalm speaks of that Persecution in the time of Antiochus when indeed there was no Prophet at all neither is there among us any that knoweth how long b Either 1. How long their Captivity should continue For though seventy years were determined yet there might arise doubts among them as there now are among us whence they were to be Computed which might make their â—…nd uncertain Or 2. How long they should lye under Reproach as it follows v. 10. Which they really did and might foresee that they should even after the Expiration of their Captivity Nehem. 1. 3. 10 O God how
in the next verse by this description of them him or them that hated peace although David sought peace with them v. 7. And so he speaks either 1. of the Philistins among whom he sojourned for a time But he did not seek peace with them but sought their ruine as the event shewed not did they wage war against him whilst he lived peaceably among them Or rather 2. the Courtiers and Souldiers of Saul and the generality of the Israelites who to curry favour with Saul sought Davids ruine and that many times by treachery and pretences of friendship of which he oft complains in this Book whom as he elsewhere calls Heathen as Psal. 9. 5 59. 5. it is not strange if he compare them here to the savage Arabians And amongst such persons David was oft forced to sojourn in Sauls time and with them he sought peace by all ways possible but they hated peace and the more he pursued peace the more eagerly did they prosecute the war as it here follows 6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace 7 I am ‖ 〈◊〉 a man of 〈◊〉 for peace but when I speak they are for war PSAL. CXXI A song of degrees The matter of this Psalm sufficiently sheweth that the Psalmist was conflicting with great difficulties and oppositions and looking hither and thither for help as men in such cases use to do and then turning his eyes to God and his Providence and encouraging himself by Gods promises made to his people 1 ‖ Or shall I lift up mine eyes to the hills whence should my help come I Will lift up mine eyes unto the * Psal. 87. 1. 133. 3. hills a Either to Sion and Moriah which are called the holy mountains Psal. 87. 1. or rather 2. to the hills in general whereof there were many in the land of Canaan and upon which the forces which he hoped would come to his aid might be seen at a great distance from whence cometh b Or may come Heb. will come my help 2 * Psal. 124. 8. My help cometh from the LORD c From God alone and therefore to him alone will I turn mine eyes which made heaven and earth 3 He will not suffer thy foot d He speaketh as it were from God to himself but withal to the encouragement of his followers and of all good men to be moved e To wit so as to fall into mischief he that keepeth thee will not slumber f Will not overlook nor neglect any thing which is necessary for thy preservation 4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep 5 The LORD is thy keeper the LORD is thy shade g Both to refresh thee and keep thee from the burning heat of the Sun as it is expressed in the next verse and to protect thee by his power from all thine enemies for which reason God is oft called a shadow in Scripture upon thy right hand h Partly to uphold thy right hand which is the chief instrument of action and partly to defend thee in that place where thine enemies oppose thee of which see on Psal. 109. 6. And compare Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. 6 The sun shall not smite thee i With excessive heat by day nor the moon k With that cold and moisture which comes into the air by it and with it Intemperate heats and colds are the two springs of many diseases He alludes both to the condition of Souldiers or Travellers who are exposed to the open air by day and by night and also to the cloudy Pillar which defended the Israelites both by day and by night The sence is He shall protect thee from all evils both by day and night by night 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in l Shall guard and assist thee in all thy expeditions and affairs and actions either at home or abroad So this phrase is used Numb 27. 17. Deut. 28. 6. from this time forth and even for evermore PSAL. CXXII A song of degrees of David This Psalm seems to have been written by David for the use of the people when they came up to Ierusalem to the solemn Feasts 1 I Was glad when they said unto me Let us go a Exhorting one another to it as Deut. 33. 19. Or we will go The sence is It delighted me much to hear that the people who had so long lived in the neglect or contempt of Gods worship were now ready and forward in it into the house of the LORD 2 Our feet †Heb. were standing So Gr. shall stand b Thither we shall come and there we shall make our abode during the times of solemn worship within thy gates O Jerusalem c In that City where the Ark is now fixed We shall wander no more from place to place as the Ark was removed 3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is * See 2 Sam. 5. 9. compact together d Partly in its buildings which are not dispersed as they are in Villages nor divided into two Cities as it was before but united and enlarged 1 Chron. 11. 7 8. and principally in its Government and Religion which was distinct and opposite before David took the Fort of Zion from the Iebusites 4 * Exod. 23. 17. Deut. 16. 16. Whither the tribes e Not some few pious people of each Tribe as in Sauls time and under the Judges but whole Tribes nor onely one or two of the Tribes as it was during the late Civil Wars but all the twelve Tribes go up the tribes of the LORD e Whom God hath chosen to be his people and whom he hath invited and required to resort thither unto the testimony of Israel f Unto the Ark which is oft called the Testimony as Exod. 16. 34. Levit. 16. 13. 24. 3. Numb 17. 4. and more fully the Ark of the Testimony as Exod. 26. 33 34. and elsewhere because of the Tables of the Covenant laid up in it which are called Gods Testimony and the Tables of the Testimony as Exod. 25. 16. 31. 18 c. And this may well be called the Testimony of or to Israel because it was given by God to them and for their good Or by or according to the Testimony of Israel i. e. Gods command given to Israel which may be alledged here as the reason which moved them to this journey to give thanks unto the name of the LORD g To worship God this one eminent part and action thereof being put for all the rest 5 For h This is added as another reason inviting and obliging them to go up to Ierusalem and as another commendation of this City there †Heb. Do sit are set thrones of judgment i The supreme Courts of Justice for
place as is here described from whence come the young and old lion r Which may be understood properly because these and the following Creatures did abound and were very fierce and mischievous in Egypt and Ethiopia But withal seems to design the craft and cruelty of that People and the danger of their Confederacy with them and the harm which they should have from them the viper and fiery flying serpent s That there were flying Serpents in those parts is affirmed not onely in Scripture but also by Herodotus Cicero Ammianus and divers other Authors they t The Iews designed by the same pronoun they ver 5. will carry their riches u Either 1. to secure them or rather 2. to procure their assistance upon the shoulders of young asses x Much used there for carrying Burdens as is evident from Gen. 32. 15. and 45. 23. c. and their treasures upon the bunches of camels to a people that shall not profit them y Upon the backs which were strengthned with bunches by a Synecdoche 7. For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose therefore have I cryed ‖ Or to her concerning this z Concerning this Counsel or Practice Or to her to Ierusalem or Iudah * Chap. 7. 4. ver 15. Their strength is to sit still a It is safer and better for them to sit quietly at home seeking to Me for help than to go or send to Egypt for help He seems industriously to use an ambignous Word Rahab which signifies both strength as Iob. 9. 13. Psal. 90. 10. and Egypt as Psal. 87. 4. Isa. 51. 9. So called from its singular Strength to intimate that if they did not go to Rahab Rahab or what they expected from Rahab or Egypt which was powerful Succour should come to them 8. Now go write it b Write this Prophecy and Warning which I have now delivered before them c In their presence in the publick Assembly For the Prophets were many times commanded to do such Actions as well as to deliver their Messages in a table and note it in a book d So this was to be written twice over once in a Table to be hanged up in some publick place that all that were then and there present might read it and again in a Book that it might be kept for the use of Posterity that it may be for †Heb. the latter day the time to come e As a Witness for me and against them that I have given them fair warning and that they have wilfully run upon their own Ruine for ever and ever 9. That this is a rebellious people lying children f Which profess one thing and practise another children that will not hear the law of the LORD g The Commands of God either contained in Scripture or delivered by my Mouth whereby these Practices are expresly forbidden to them 10. * Jer. 11. 21. Amo. 2. 12. 7. 13. Mic. 2. 6. Mich. 2. 11. Which say to the Seers See not and to the prophets Prophesy not unto us right things * Jer. 11. 21. Amo. 2. 12. 7. 13. Mic. 2. 6. Mich. 2. 11. speak unto us smooth things prophecy deceits h He speaks not of the words of their Mouths for none could be so mad or impudent as to have or profess a desire to be Cheated but of the Language of their Actions They do so discourage and threaten God's faithful Prophets and so encourage their own false prophets as if they had rather be deceived to their Destruction than hear the Truth for their Preservation and Salvation They prefer the pleasing of their Humours before the Saving of themselves 11. Get ye out of the way i In which you now walk out of your present course of Preaching unsavoury and frightful things to us turn aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us k Do not trouble us with harsh and repeated Messages from God as you use to do 12. Wherefore thus saith the holy one of Israel Because ye despise this word and trust in ‖ Or fraud oppression l In the Wealth which you have gotten by Oppression whereby you now think to procure Egyptian Succours of which see on ver 6. and perverseness m And in your perverse and rebellious Course of sending to Egypt for help and stay thereon 13. Therefore this iniquity n Of sending and trusting to Egypt for Succour shall be to you * Psal. 62. 3. as a breach ready to fall swelling out in a high wall whose breaking * Chap. 29. 5. cometh suddenly at an instant o Like a Wall which is high and seems to be strong but swelling forth in some parts which upon the least Accident falleth down suddenly to the Ground Such shall be the issue of your high and towring Confidence in Egypt 14. And * Jer. 19. 11. he shall break it p He either God or he whom God shall send against them Or It shall be broken for such Phrases are oft taken indefinitely and passively it this iniquity last mentioned ver 13. your carnal confidence and all the grounds of it and you that lean upon it as the breaking of †Heb. the bottle of potters the potters vessel that is broken in pieces he shall not spare so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a shread to take fire from the hearth or to take water withal out of the pit 15. For thus â—…aith the Lord GOD the holy one of Israel * Ver. 7. In returning q Either from your present purpose of sending to Egypt or unto God as the Seventy and Syriack and Arabick Translators render it Or In quietness for the Verb from which this word comes is elsewhere used in that sence as Psal. 23. 3. Ier. 30. 10. and 46. 27. and rest shall ye be saved in quietness r In sitting still and quieting your own Minds and in confidence s To wit rightly placed upon Me and my promises for your deliverance shall be your strength and ye would not 16. But ye said No for we will flee t Out of this Land from the King of Assyria which it is very probable divers of the Richer sort did having sent their Treasures before them as we read ver 6. upon horses therefore shall ye flee and we will ride upon the swift therefore shall they that pursue you be swift 17. * Lev. 26. 8. Deut. 28. 25. 32. 30. One thousand shall flee u Which words are fitly supplied out of the following Clause at the rebuke x Either 1. at his real Rebuke upon his assault or on set Or rather 2. at his verbal Rebuke upon his meer Threats as fearing that he will proceed from words to blows of one at the rebuke of five shall ye flee
that wherein God delighted not God accounts that those do not heaâ—… who do not obey his will but they did evil before mine Eyes and chose that in which I delighted not 5 Hear the word of the Lord you that * V. 2. tremble at his word s The Prophet turneth his discourse from denâ—…uncing judgment against the Idolaters and formalists amongst the Jews to such as feared God whose religion is described by a trembling at his word as v. 2. such a turning of the Prophets discourse was ch 50. 10. ch 51. 1. 7. The same words belong not to Saints and presumptuous Sinners your brethren t Your Brethren by Nation or by external profession in Religion tho â—…alse brethren Gal. 2. 4. Thus Paul calls all the rejected â—…ews Brethren Rom. 9. 3. that hated you that cast you out u That either shut you out of their intimate society or which is more probable excommunicate and cast you out of their Synagogues or cast you out of their City and some of you out of the world Iohn 9. 35. 22. Iohn 16. 2. for my names sake x i. e. For my sake for your owning me and adherence to mâ—… law said said * Ch. 5. 1â—… Let the Lord be glorified y Either mocking you as the Jews did Christ 〈◊〉 hanging upon the cross Mat. 27. 43. Luke 23. 35. thus they mocked at David Psal. 42. 3. Or Let the Lord be glorified thinking they did God good service Ioâ—…n 16. 2. but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed z There will come a day when God shall appear and let them know his judgment concerning their violence and rage then you shall have joy and they shall be ashamed 2 Thes. 4. 16 17 18. 6 A voice of noise from the city a The expression of a Prophetical extasy as much as methinks I already hear a voice of noise rather a sad and affrighting noise then the noise of Triumphers as some think yea it comes not from the City only but from the Temple wherein these formalists have so much gloried and reposed so much confidence there is a noise of Soldiers slaying and of the Priests or poor people fled thither shrieking or crying out a voice from the temple a voice of the Lord that rendreth recompence to his Enemies b A voice of the Lord not in thunder which is sometimes called so Psal. 29. 3 4 5 c. but that rendreth recompence to his enemies Thus the noise of Soldiers the roaring of Guns the sounds of Drums and Trumpets are the Voice of the Lord. Thus the Prophet seemeth to express the destruction of the Jews by the Roman Armies as if a thing at that time doing 7 Before she travailed she brought forth before her pain came she was delivered of a man-child c The whole verse is expressive of a great and sudden salvation which God would work for his Church like the delivery of a woman and that of a man-child before her travel and without pain The onely doubt is whether it referreth to the deliverance of the People out of Babylon or the worlds surprizal with the Messiah and the sudden and strange propagation of the Gospel and it is a question not easily determined The delivery of the Jews out of Babylon indeed was without struglings or any pain not like their deliverance from Egypt after the wasting of their enemies by ten successive Plagues but by the kind Proclamation of Cyrus but it seems not to have been sudden only as to the day hour manner for Daniel understood by Books that the time was come Dan. 9. 2. and the people had a prospect of it 70 years before Ier. 25. 12. 29. 10. The Prophecy therefore seems rather to refer to the coming of Christ and the sudden propagation of the Gospel The Popish Interpreters applying it to the Virgin Mary bringing forth Christ is like other of their â—…ond dreams 8 Who hath heard such a thing d The Prophet calls either to the whole world or to such as feared God amongst the Iews to admire God in his stupendious works of Providence either in the easie manner of the deliverance of the Jews out of the Captivity of Babylon without any pain without so much as one throw or else in the erecting of his Gospel Church into which all the Jews that received Christ were gathered as well as the Gentiles making both one Eph. 2. 14. who hath seen such things e Which seems to be meant by the Earths bringing forth in one day as great a work of Providence as if all the women in the world should have brought forth in a day or as if all the plants of the Earth had brought 〈◊〉 their flowers and fruit in one day shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be born at once for as soon as Zion travelled she brought forth children f As soon as the Church of the Jews began to move out of the Captivity of Babylon God put it into the hearts of multitudes to go up Exod. 1. 5 ch 2. 1 2 c. Or as soon as the voice of the Gospel put the Church of the Jews into her Travel in Iohn the Baptists Christ's and the Apostles times it presently brought â—…orth In Iohn Baptist's time the Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force Mat. 11. 12. and it continued so as 3000 were converted at Peters Sermon Acts 2. The Gentiles were the Children of Zion being planted into their stock the law of the Gospel first going out of Zion 9 Shall I bring to the birth and not ‖ Or 〈◊〉 cause to bring forth saith the Lord g The work before spoken of seemeâ—…h not after the manner of men who do things that are great gradually nor in an ordinary course of nature whose motions also bring things by degrees to their perfection but you must consider who it is that speaketh saith the Lord now as is the God so is his strength Again men may undertake things and for want of power not bring them to perfection but shall I do such a thing I have by many prophecies and promises secured you in the expectation of such a thing and shall I not by my Providence effect it I that in the ordinary course of my providence use to give a birth to Women to whom I have given a power to conceive shall I not give a birth to Zion to my people whom by my 〈◊〉 and promises I have made to conceive such hopes and expectations shall I cause to bring forth and shut the womb saith thy God h Nor shall Zion once only bring â—…rth but she shall go on teeming her womb shall not be shut she shall every day bring forth more and more children my presence shall be with my Church to that end to the end of the world 10 Rejoyce
Jarmuth the king of Lachish the king of Eglon gathered themselves together and went up they and all their hosts and encamped before Gibeon and made war against it 6 ¶ And the men of Gibeon sent f Or had sent when their enemies were drawing towards them which they could easily learn unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal saying Slack not thy hand g Do not neglect nor delay to help us from thy servants h Whom thou art obliged to protect both in Duty as thou art our Master and Ruler and by thy own Interest we being part of thy Possessions and in ingenuity because we have given our selves to thee and put our selves under thy Protection come up to us quickly and save us and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains i In the mountainous Country are gathered together against us 7 So Joshua ascended k Having no doubt asked advice of God first which is implied by the Answer God gives to him v. 8. from Gilgal he and all the people of war with him and l Or even or that is as this Particle is oft used hath been noted before So it seems put here by way of Explication and Restriction having said all the people of war he now adds even all the mighty men c. i. e. an Army of the most valiant men picked out from the rest for it is not probable either that he would take so many hundred thousands with him which would have hindred one another or that he would leave the Camp without an Army to defend it all the mighty men of valour 8 ¶ And the LORD said unto Joshua Fear them not for I have delivered them into thine hand there shall not a man of them stand before thee 9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly m Though assured by God of the Victory yet he useth all prudent means and surprizeth them and went up from Gilgal all night n It is not said that he went from Gilgal to Gibeon in a nights space but only that he travelled all night unto which you may add part either of the foregoing or of the following day 10 And the LORD * Isa. 28. 21. ‡ Or terrified So â—…r discomfited them before Israel and slew them o Or he slew them either God or Israel for Gods work is described v. 11. with a great slaughter at Gibeon p Heb. in Gibeon not in the City but in the Territory belonging to it as Ioshua is said to be in Iericho Josh. 5. 13. and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethoron and smote them to Azekah and unto Makkedah 11 And it came to pass as they fled from before Israel and were in the going down to Bethoron that the LORD cast down great stones q i. e. Hailstones of extraordinary greatness and hardness cast down with that certainty as to hit the Canaanites and not their Pursuers the Israelites and with that force as to kill them Iosephus affirms That Thunder and Lightning were mixed with the Hail which may seem probable from Habak 3. 11. from heaven upon them unto Azekah and they died they were moe which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword 12 ¶ Then spake Joshua to the LORD r To wit in way of Petition for this Miracle being moved to beg it out of zeal to destroy Gods Enemies and directed to it by the motion of Gods Spirit and receiving a gracious Answer and being filled with holy Confidence of the success he speaks the following words before the people that they might be Witnesses of it in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel s i. e. In the presence and audience of Israel seeing being sometimes put for hearing as Gen. 42. 1. compare with Act. 7. 12 Although these words may seem rather to be joyned with the following thus in the sight of Israel stand still O Sun c. which sense the Hebrew accents favour * Isa. 28. 21. Hab. 3. 11. Sun †stand thou still upon Gibeon t i. e. Over and above or against Gibeon i. e. In that place and posture in which now it stands towards and looks upon Gibeon Let it not go down lower and by degrees out of the sight of Gibeon It may seem that the Sun was declining and Ioshua perceiving that his Work was great and long and his time but short begs of God the lengthning out of the day and that the Sun and Moon might stop their course and keep the place in which they now were and thou moon in the valley u Or upon the valley as before upon Gibeon the Preposition being the same there and here of Ajalon x Either 1. that Ajalon which was in the Tribe of Zebulun Judg. 12. 12. Northward from Gibeon Or rather 2. that Ajalon which was in the Tribe of Dan Josh. 19. 42. Judg. 1. 35. Westward from Gibeon For 1. this was nearer Gibeon than the other 2. This was most agreeable to the Course of the Sun and Moon which is from East to West 3. This way the Battel went from Gibeon Westward to Ajalon and so further Westward even to Lachish v. 31. And he mentions two places Gibeon and Ajalon not as if the Sun stood over the one and the Moon over the other which is absurd and ridiculous to affirm especially these places being so near one to the other but partly to vary the Phrase as is common in Poetical Passages partly because he was in his March and the Pursuit of his Enemies to pass from Gibeon to Ajalon and he begs that he may have the help and benefit of longer light to pursue them and to that end that the Sun might stand still and the Moon also not that he needed the Moons light when he had the Suns but because it was fit either that both Sun and Moon should go or that both should stand still to prevent Disorder and Confusion in the heavenly Bodies ‡ Heb. be silent 13 And the sun stood still y Heb. was silent i. e. still as this Phrase is commonly used as 1 Sam. 14. 9. Psal. 4. 4. Ionah 1. 12. the cessation of the Tongues motion being put synecdochically for the cessation of any other Motion or Action and the moon stayed until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies z i. e. Till they had utterly destroyed them as is mentioned in the following Chapter Is not this written in the book of †Jasher a Either of a man so called or of the righteous or upright wherein possibly the memorable Actions of worthy men were recorded and this amongst the rest And this Book was written and published before Ioshua wrote his and so is fitly alledged here But this as well as some few other
the end of the World and which is called the last day Iohn 6. 39 40 44. 54. 11. 24 12. 48. 1 Pet. 1. 5 For this was the time when Iob's Resurrection of which he speaketh 〈◊〉 was to be Heb. at the last By which word he plainly intimates that his hope was not 〈◊〉 things present and of Worldly Felicities of which his Friends had discoursed so much â—…ut of another kind of and a far greater blessedness which should accrue to him in after-times long after he was dead and rotten Or the last who is both the first and the last Isa. 44. 6. Rev. 1. 11. who shall subdue and survive all his and his peoples Enemies and after others the lâ—…t enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 26. and then shall raise up his people and plead their Cause and vindicate them from all the Calumnies and Injuries which are put upon them and conduct them to Life and Glory upon the earth p The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand at the last day Heb. upon the dust in which his Saints and Members lie or sleep whom he will raise out of it ' And therefore he is fitly said to stand upon the dust or the Grave or Death because then he will put that among other Enemies under his feet as it is expressed 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. Some render the Words thus and that very agreeably to the Hebrew The last or at the last he shall arise or stand up against for so this very Phrase is used Gen. 4. 8. Iudg. 9. 18. Psalm 54. 3. the dust and fight with it and rescue the bodies of the Saints which are held in it as Prisoners from its Dominion and Territories Some understand this of God that He should stand last in the field as Conquerour of all his Enemies But this neither agrees with the words the Hebrew Aphar signifying dust and being never used of the field or plâ—…e of Battel nor with Iob's scope which was to defend himself against his Friends Accusations and to comfort himself with his hopes and assurance of God's Favour to be exhibited to him in due time Which end the words in that sense would by no means serve because God might and would be Conqueror of all his Enemies though Iob himself had been one of them and though his Cause had been bad and his Friends should with God have triumphed over him 26. ‖ 〈…〉 And though after my skin worms destroy this body q The style of this and other Poetical Books is concise and short and therefore many words are to be understood in some places to compleat the sense The meaning of the place is this Though my skin is now in a great measure consumed by Sores and the rest of it together with this body shall be devoured by the Worms which may seem to make my case quite desperate Heb. And though which â—…article as it is oft elsewhere is here to be understood as the opposition of the next branch sheweth after my skin which either now is or suddenly will be consumed by Sores or Worms they i. e. the destroyers or devourers as is implyed in the Verb such Impersonal speeches being usual in the Scripture as Gen. 50. 26. Luke 12. 20. 16. 9. where the actions are expressed but the persons or things acting are understood And by the Destroyers he most probably designs the Worms which do this work in the Grave destroy or cut off or devour this i. e. all this which you see left of me this which I now point to all this which is contained within my skin all my flesh and bones this which I know not what to call whether a living Body or a dead Carkass because it is between both and therefore he did not say this body because it did scarce deserve that name yet r For the Particle and is oft used adversatively Or then as it is oft rendred in my flesh s Heb. out of my flesh or with as the Particle Mem is used Can. 1. 2. 3. 9. Isa 57. 8. my flesh i. e. with eyes of flesh as Iob himself calls them Chap. 10. 4. Or with bodily eyes my flesh or body being raised from the Grave and restored and reunited to my soul. And this is very sitly added to shew that he did not speak of a mental or spiritual but of a corporeal Vision and that after his death shall I see God t The same whom he called his Redeemer v. 25. i. e. Christ of which see the note there who being God-man and having taken flesh and appearing in his flesh or body with and for Iob upon the earth as was said v. 25. might very well be seen with his bodily eyes Nor is this understood of a simple seeing of him for so even they that pierced him shall see him Revel 1. 7. but of seeing him with delight and comfort as that word is oft understood as Gen. 48. 11. Iob 42. 16. Psalm 128. 5. Isa. 53. 11. of that glorious and beautiâ—…ying Vision of God which is promised to all God's people Psalm 16. 11. 17. 15. Matth. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 2. 27. Whom I shall see u In manner before and after expressed No wonder that he repeats it again and again because the meditation of it was most sweet to him for my self x i. e. For my own comfort and benefit as that Phrase is oft used Or which is much of the same importance on my behalf to plead my Cause and vindicate me from all your reproaches and mine eyes shall behold and not †〈…〉 another y To wit for me or in my stead I shall not see God by anothers eyes but by my own and by these self-same eyes in this same body which now I have Heb. not a stranger i. e. This priviledge shall be granted to me and to all other sincere Servants of God but not to strangers i. e. to wicked men who are oft called strangers as Psal. 18. 44 45. 54. 3. Prov. 21. 8. because they are estranged or alienated from God and from his service and people And if I were such an one as you suppose me to be I could never hope to enjoy that happiness though my reins be consumed †Heb. in my 〈◊〉 within me z This I do confidently expect and hope for though at present my Case seems desperate my very inward parts being even consumed with grief and though as I have said the Grave and the Worms will consume my whole Body not excepting the Reins which seem to be fasest and furthest out of their reach Or without though which is not in the Hebrew My reins are consumed within me So this may be a sudden and passionate ejaculation or exclamation such as we find Gen. 48. 18. and oft in the Book of Psalms arising from the contemplation and confident expectation of this his unspeakable happiness wherein he expresseth
his vehement desire and longing for that blessed time and state The reins are oft put for earnest desires or affections whereof they are supposed to be the seat as Iob. 38. 36. Prov. 23. 16. And men are oft in Scripture said to be consumed or eaten up or the like by ardent affections as Psalm 69. 19. 84. 2. and 119. 81 82. Iohn 2. 17. 28. But a Or Therefore because this is my case and my â—…aith and hope in God ye should say b So the Future is used Potentially as it is Obad. v. 12. and the sense is It would become you or it is your duty upon this account to say Or you will say i. e. Either 1. I hope you will say so and that you will be more moderate in your censures and expressions concerning me as being convinced and sweetned by this sincere and solemn profession of my Faith and Hope Or 2. Peradventure you will say to wit by way of excuse for your selves why persecute we him c So it is a correction of themselves seeing things are thus with him we are blame-worthy that we have persecuted him with such bitter Invectives and we will do so no more Or wherein or how for so that Particle is sometimes used as the Learned observe do we persecute him as â—…e chargeth us v. 22. He accuseth us falsly and without cause given on our parts So it is an Apology for their hard speeches against him which Iâ—… puts into their mouths as their exception to his charâ—…e which he mentioned v. 22. and upon that occasion falls into a most serious and pathetical exclamation v. 23 24. and into a most solemn declaration of his Faith in God his Redeemer v. 25 26 27. and after that digression he resumes the former matter and â—…ere propounds an Objection to which he gives a severe Answer which may seem to suit much better with this than with the former Exposition ‖ 〈…〉 seeing the root of the matter is found in me d These words contain either 1. a Motive or Reason why they should correct themselves for persecuting him and desâ—…st from it because saith Iob the root of the matter or word is in me The root notes the occasion or the foundation or the truth and substance of a thing And by this matter or word may be meant either 1. that famous profession of his Faith and Confidence in God v. 25 26 27. which saith he I have not uttered vaingloriously or hypocritically but from my very heart wherewith I believe what I have spoken with my mouth as is said upon another occasion Rom. 10 9 10. This Word or Faith is rooted in mine heart as it should be Matth. 13. 21. Col. 2. 7. I am no Hypocrite as you asperse me but an upright person having a root of true Religion in me which therefore should allay your Censures and make you willing to bear with some circumstantial defects or mistakes in my discourses or miscarriages into which my passion and pain might transport me and make you repent of your cruel usage of a truly good man But although Iob had this root in his heart yet this was doubâ—…ed of and not discernable by Iob's Friends and therefore could be no argument to them Possibly it might be better to understand by this root of the word to wit of God's word which is oft called the word by way of eminency the foundations or fundamental Truths of Divine Doctrine which Iob held as appeared by this glorious Confession howsoever he might err in the matter of Controversie with them which being a difference in lesser things they should mildly have born with it and not aggravated it and traduced him as if thereby he had renounced God and the very Principles of Religion as they did Or 2. the word or thing under debate among them So the sense may be this The root or truth of the thing deâ—…ated by us is with me i. e. is on my side Your discourses and arguments have no truth nor solidity in them as mine have You speak whatever cometh into your minds and mouths but my discourses are rooted or grounded upon sound knowledge and deep consideration But this was no convincing answer for they could easily retort the same thing upon him again and their affirmation might seem as good as his for it was only a begging of the thing in question Or rather 2. a desâ—…nce of themselves and of their former sharp and severe discourses which Iob called Persecution v. 22. And having made a short but vehement and important digression v. 23 c. he returns to the main question between them here And the sense of this Verse with submission to better judgments seems to me to be plainly this But ye will say i. e. I know will object against my Charge How or wherein or why do we persecute him Why doth he charge us with so black a Crime seeing or for as Vâ—… is oft used the root i. e. the Foundation or Cause or occasion of the word i. e. of those words or passages of ours which are so ill taken or of the matter i. e. of the thing now debated among us is in me i. e. Iob gives the occasion to it by his boisterous passions and wicked expressions against God which we neither can nor ought to endure but are to be sharply reproved And so this Verse contains their Objection or Apology which Iob puts into their mouths to which he makes a sharp and suitable reply in the following Verse 29. Be ye afraid of the sword e i. e. Of some considerable judgment to be inflicted on you which is called the sword as Deut. 32. 41. and oft elsewhere Do not please your selves with such pretences and crafty evasions as if the blame were wholly in me not in you God will not be mocked by you He sees and will punish your most unrighteous and uncharitable judgment of me and dealing with me for wrath bringeth the punishment of the sword f For that wrath or fury which is in your hearts and breaks out of your lips against me doth deserve and will certainly bring upon you 〈◊〉 punishment Heb. punishments or iniquities but iniquity is oft put for punishment of the sword i. e. a dreadful judgment from God Or without any supplement except that which is generally understood for wrath that sin of wrath or rage against a man especially against one in affliction is an iniquity Heb. iniquities the Plural number being used by way of aggravation as Psalm 73. 22. and elsewhere Or of the iniquities the Hebrew prefix Meâ—… being here understood as it is in many other places of the sword i. e. one of those iniquities which use to be or are fit to be punished by the sword i. e. by some eminent judgment as Iob 31. 19. An iniquity of the judges is an iniquity to be punished by the judges as our Translation hath it that ye may know
answered Luke 24. 47. Acts 1. 4. 2. 1 2 c. and from whence it was to be sent forth into all the parts and kingdoms of the world to bring in the Gentiles which also the Prophets had foretold as Isa. 2. 3. and in diverâ—… of the foregoing Psalms as hath been already frequently observed and proved rule thou m Thou shalt rule the Imperative being here put for the future as it is Gen. 12. 12. Psal 37. 27. and oft elsewhere For this is not a command but a prediction or a promise that he shall rule Which he doth partly by his grace converting some and so ruling their hearts by his Word and Spirit and subduing their lusts in them and their external enemies for them and partly by his powerful providence whereby he defends his Church and people and subdues and punisheth all their adversaries in the midst of thine enemies n Who shall see it and do what they can to oppose thy dominion but shall never be able to hinder it but shall split themselves against it 3 Thy people o Thy subjects ‖ Or give free-will-offerings shall be willing p Heb. willingnesses i. e. most willing as such plural words are frequently used as Psal. 5. 10. 21. 7. Or freewill-offerings as the word properly signifies Whereby he may intimate the difference between the Worship of the Old Testament and that of the New They shall offer and present unto thee as their King and Lord not oxen or sheep or goats as they did under the Law but themselves their souls and bodies as living sacrifices as they are called Rom. 12. 1. and as freewill-offerings giving up themselves to the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 5. to live to him and to die and be offered for him The sence is Thou shalt have friends and subjects as well as enemies and thy subjects shall not yield thee a forced and seigned obedience aâ—… those who are subject to or conquered by earthly Princes frequently do of which see on Psal. 1â—… 44 45. but shall most willingly and readily and chearfully obey all thy commands without any dispute or delay or reservation and they shall not need to be pressed to thy service but shall voluntarily list themselves and fight under thy Banner against all thy enemies in the day of thy power q When thou shalt take into thy hands the rod of thy strength as it is called v. 2. and set up thy Kingdom in the World and put forth thy mighty Power in the preaching of thy Word and winning Souls to thy self by it Or in the day of thine army or forces when thou shalt raise thine Army consisting of Apostles and other Preachers and Professors of the Gospel and shalt send them forth to conquer the World unto thy self in the beauties of holiness r A dorned with the beautiful and glorious robes of Righteousness and true Holiness wherewith all new men or true Christians are cloathed Eph. 4. 24. compare Revel 19. 8 14. with various gifts and graces of Gods Spirit which are beautiful in the eyes of God and of all good men The last clause noted the inward disposition the willingness of Christs Subjects and this notes their outward habit and deportment Wherein there seems to be an allusion either 1. to the beautiful and glorious garments of the Levitical Priests all Christians being Priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5 9. Or 2. to the military robes wherewith Souldiers are furnished and adorned all Christians being Souldiers in the Christian warfare But the words are and may well be rendred thus in the beauties or glories of the Sanctuary i. e. by an usual Hebraism in the beautiful and glorious Sanctuary which is called the Holy and beautiful house Isa. 64. 11. either in the Temple at Ierusalem which was honoured with Christs presence whereby it excelled the glory of the first house according to Hagg. 2. 9. in which both Christ and the Apostles preached and by their preaching made many of these willing people or in Ierusalem which is oft called the Holy place or city by the same word which is here rendred Sanctuary or in the Church of God and of Christ which was the Antitype of the old Sanctuary or Temple as is evident from 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Heb. 3. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. And this place may be mentioned as the place either where Christs people are made willing and shew their willingness or where Christ exerciseth and manifesteth that power last mentioned * Or more than the womb of the morning thou shalt have c. from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth s This place is judged the most difficult and obscure of any in this whole Book The words are diversly rendred and understood They are to be understood either 1. of Christ himself and that in respect either 1. of his Divine and eternal generation which may be called the dew of his youth or birth and which he may be said to have had from the womb of the morning before the first morning or light was created or brought out of its womb that is before the world was which is a common description of Eternity in Scripture Or 2. of his humane Nature and Birth and so the words may be thus rendred From the womb of the morning Or as it is rendred by divers others From the womb from the morning i. e. from thy very first birth thou hast or hadst the dew of thy youth i. e. those eminent blessings and graces wherewith thou wast enriched or thy youth or childhood was like the dew precious and acceptable Or rather 2. of Christs subjects or people of whom he evidently spoke in the former part of the verse wherewith these words are joyned And it seems not probable that the Psalmist after he had discoursed of Christs advancement to his Kingdom and his Administration of it and success in it both as to his enemies and friends would run back to his birth either Divine or humane both which were evidently and necessarily supposed in what he had already ready said of him But then these words may be read either 1. separately as two distinct clauses as they seem to be taken by our English Translators and by the Colon which they placed in the middle And so the first clause belongs to the foregoing words as noting the time when the people should be willing which having declared more generally in those words in the day of thy power he now describes more particularly and exactly that they should be so even from the morning or in a Poetical strain which is very suitable to this Book from the womb of the morning to wit of that day of his power i. e. from the very beginning of Christs entrance upon his Kingdom which was after his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and from the very first preaching of the Gospel after
that time when multitudes were made Christs willing people by the preaching of the Apostles as we read Acts 2. 3. 4. 5 c. And for the second clause it is to be understood thus thou hast or as it is in the Hebrew to thee is the dew of thy youth or of thy childhood for the word jeled from which this is derived signifies sometimes a young man and sometimes a child or infant By youth or childhood he here seems to understand those young men or children which shall be born to the Messias who are called his children Heb. 2. 13. and his seed Isa. 53. 10. wherein possibly there might be an allusion to this dew Thus the abstract is here put for the concrete which is very frequent in the Hebrew Tongue as Circumcision and Uncircumcision are put for the circumcised and the uncircumcised c. And even in the Latine Tongue this very word youth is oft used for a young man or for a company of young men By the dew of youth he means youth or young men like dew the note of similitude being oft understood And this progeny of Christ is compared to the dew partly because of their great multitude being like drops of dew innumerable and covering the whole face of the earth see 2 Sam. 17. 12. and partly because of the strange manner of their generation which like that of the dew is done suddenly and secretly and not perceived till it be accomplished and to the admiration of those that behold it of which see Isa. 49. 21. Or 2. joyntly as one entire sentence The dew of thy youth i. e. Thy posterity which is like the dew as was noted and explained before is as the dew which may very well be understood out of the foregoing clause as the word feet is understood in like manner Psal. 18. 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet of or from the womb of the morning it is like the morning dew as it is called both in Scripture as Hos. 6. 4. and in other Authors Not is it strange that a womb is ascribed to the morning seeing we read of the womb of the Sea and of the womb of the â—…oe and frost Job 38. 8 28 29. 4 The LORD hath sworn t Which he did not in the Aaronical Priesthood Heb. 7. 21. but did it here partly because the thing was new and strange and might seem incredible because God had already erected another and that an everlasting Priesthood Numb 25. 13. and given it to Aaron and his posterity for ever and therefore this needed all possible assurance and partly that this Priesthood might be established upon better promises as is said Heb. 8. 6. and made sure and irrevocable and such that God neither could nor would repent of it as it follows and therefore will not repent * Heb. 5. 6. 7. 17 21. Thou art u To wit by my order and constitution thou shalt be so and I do hereby make thee so a priest x As well as a King Those Offices which were divided before between two families are both united and invested in thee both being absolutely necessary for the discharge of thine Office and for the establishment of thy Kingdom which is of another kind than the Kingdoms of the World spiritual and heavenly and therefore needs such a King as is also a Minister of holy things This word plainly discovers that this Psalm cannot be understood of David as some of the Jews would have it but onely of the Messias And although this word Cohen be sometimes used of a Prince or great Person in the State as the Jews object yet it cannot be so understood here partly because it signifies a Priest in Gen. 14. 18. from whence this expression is borrowed partly because that word is never used of a Soveraign Prince or King such as the Jews confess the Messias to be but onely of inferiour Princes or Ministers of State as Gen. 41. 45. 2 Sam. 8. ult partly because such an inconsiderable assertion would never have been ushered in by so solemn an oath especially after far greater things had been said of him in the same kind v. 1 2 3. and partly because the Messias is called a Priest Zach. 6. 13. compare Ier. 20. 21. 35. 15 18. for ever y Not to be interrupted or translated to another person as the Priesthood of Aaron was upon the death of the Priest but to be continued to thee for ever after the order of Melchizedek z Or after the manner c. so as he was a Priest and also a King and both without any successor and without end in the sence intended Heb. 7. 3. 5 The Lord a Either 1. God the Father whose words and oath he last mentioned v. 4. So this is an Apostrophe of the Psalmist to Christ Thy God and Father is at thy right hand to wit to defend and assist thee as that phrase is used Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. and elsewhere See the Notes on v. 1. And he to wit God the Father shall strike c. as it follows Although this latter clause may belong to the Messias and as in the former he spake to him so in this he speaketh of him such changes of persons being very frequent in this Book Or 2. God the Son or the Lord who is at thy right hand as was said before v. 1. shall strike c. So this is an Apostrophe to God the Father concerning his Son This seems best to agree with the following verses for it is evident that it is the same person who strikes thorow Kings and judgeth among the heathen and filleth c. And so this whole verse and those which follow speak of one person which seems most probable at thy right hand shall strike thorow kings b Shall mortally wound and destroy all those Kings and Potentates who are obstinate enemies to him and to his Church in the day of his wrath c In the day of battel when he shall contend with them and pour forth the flouds of his wrath upon them 6 He shall judge d Either 1. conquer and govern them or rather 2. condemn and punish them as it is explained in the following clauses and as this word is used Gen. 15. 14. Rom. 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 4. 6. and elsewhere among the heathen he shall fill the places d Or the place of battel which is necessarily supposed in the fight and therefore may very well be understood with the dead bodies e Of his enemies slain by his hand and lying in the field in great numbers and heaps and that unburied to their greater infamy he shall wound the heads f Heb. the head Which may be understood either 1. of some one person and eminent adversary of Christ and of his Kingdom either the Devil by comparing this with Gen. 3. 15. Heb. 2. 14. who was indeed the Head or
Solomon but whether before his Fall or after his Repentance is not easie to determine nor necessary to be known 2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth c The beginning of this Book is abrupt and may seem disorderly but is very sutable to and usual in Writings of this nature wherein things are not related in an historical and exquisite order but that which was first done is brought in as it were accidentally after many other passages as we see in Homer and Virgil and in the Greek and Latine Comedians These are the words of the Spouse as all acknowledg wherein the breatheth forth her passionate Love to the Bridegroom whom she doth not name but only intimate by the Pronoun Relative him which is here put without and for the antecedent as Psal. 87. 1. 114. 2. Iohn 20. 15. Which manner of Expression she useth because it was needless to name him as being so well known to the person or persons to whom she speaks and being the only person who was continually in her thoughts and speeches By kisses which were the usual tokens of Love and good-will she means nothing else but the communications and manifestations of his Love and favour to her as the following clause explains this his Graces and comforts breathed into her from the mouth and Spirit of Christ. * Ch. 4. 10. for †Heb. thy â—…oves thy love d This sudden change of the person is frequent especially in such pathetical discourses First she speaks of him as absent and at a distance but speedily grows into more acquaintance with him and by ardent desire and faith embraceth him as present is better than wine e Than the most delicious meats or drinks or than all sensual delights this one kind being Synecdochically put for all the rest as it is Esth. 5. 6. Iob 1. 13. Prov. 9. 2. Eccl. 2. 3. 3 Because of the favour of thy good ointments f Because of those excellent Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit wherewith thou art replenished and which flow from thee upon thy Members thy name g Either 1. Thou thy self Names being oft put for Persons as Act. 1. 15. Rev. 3. 4. Or rather 2. Thy same or report the very mention of thee and all those things by which thou makest thy self known to men thy Word and particularly thine offers and promises of Pardon and Salvation made to sinners and all thy works both ordinary and miraculous especially that great work of Redemption is as ointment poured forth h Most lovely and acceptable and refreshing therefore do the virgins i Called the companions of the Bride Psal. 45. 14. particular believers who are called Virgins 2 Cor. 11. 2. Rev. 14. 4. who have their senses exercised to perceive this sweetness and fulness of Christ. love thee 4 * Joh. 6. 44. Draw me k By thy Grace and holy Spirit effectually enclining my Heart to come unto thee as this Phrase implies Ier. 31. 3. Hos. 11. 4. Ioh. 6. 44 45. As thou hast outwardly called and invited me so do thou inwardly move me who am naturally averse and backward to follow thee we l Both I thy Spouse and the Virgins my Companions And this change of numbers teacheth us that the Spouse in this Book is one great Body consisting of many Members of whom therefore he speaks somtimes in the singular and sometimes in the plural number will run after thee m Will follow thee readily and chearfully and swiftly which is opposed to her former sluggishness and listlesness We will not receive thy Grace in vain but will improve it and cooperate with it and stir up all our strength to serve and obey thee the king n Christ my Husband and Lord the King of his Church as he is oft called the King of Kings c. * Ps. 45. 14 15. hath brought me o Heb. hath caused me to come by drawing me as I desired He hath answered my Prayer into his chambers p Where I may most freely and familiarly converse with him and enjoy him He hath taken me into intimate communion with himself These Chambers seem to note either 1. Those heavenly Mansions into which Believers are sometimes said to be brought even in this Life as Eph. 2. 6. because they have a lively Faith and well grounded Hope and Assurance and some comfortable foretasts of that blessed State Or rather 2. Those places and conditions upon Earth in which they enjoy the special favor and fellowship of God in Christ as the publick Assemblies in which Christ is in a peculiar manner present Mat. 18. 20. where his Word and Ordinances are dispensed and where he poureth forth his Spirit and Blessings and speaks great Peace and gives forth his Loves unto his People Yea even the private Closets wherein Believers enjoy much of Christ by Prayer and Praise and Reading and Meditation are such Chambers also For it is not the Place but the State or Priviledge which is here signified and which is considerable we will be glad and rejoice in thee q Or For thee in or for thy Love and Favour to us which is the principal cause of our Joy we will remember r Or commemorate or celebrate This shall be the matter of our Thoughts and Discourses thy love more than wine ‖ Or they love thee uprightly the upright s Those chaste and sincere Virgins mentioned v. 3. who are here opposed to hypocritical Professours love thee 5 I am black t It might be objected who art thou that thou shouldst have or pretend to such a Royal Bridegroom and such Honours and Favours To this the Church answers I confess as to my self and outward appearance in the Eyes of the World I have not that Pomp and Beauty which Men admire but am black contemptible and deformed both for my own Infirmities and Disorders and for the scandals of some of my own Members and for the Reproaches and Persecutions of worldly men She alludes to the complexion of Pharaoh's Daughter who was black but comely u Yet I am glorious withiâ—… Psal. 45. 13. and comely through the Beauty which my Husband hath put upon me by his Graces and Blessings conferred upon me such as Justification and Sanctification c. O ye daughters of Jerusalem x By which she understands particular Believers whose Mother Jerusalem is called Gal. 4. 26. who had joined themselves to her especially young Converts and weak Christians who were startled and oâ—…ended at the contemplation of her blackness as the tents of Kedar y i. e. Of the wild Arabians the Posterity of Kedar Gen. 25. 13. who dwelt in Tents which were black and uncomely both in themselves and by the injuries of the weather to which they were constantly exposed as the curtains of Solomon z As the Hangings wherewith Solomons House was furnished which none can doubt that