points and circumstances easily to be gathered and understood Deut. XI 26 30. and XXVII 12 26 This was done in the first year of their coming over Jordan Josh. VIII 32 35. when and where were read likewise all the words of the Law of Moses before all the Congregation of Israel With ships Ships besides the Ark of Noah chapter XXVIII verse 68 are first mentione in Jacobs blessing of Zebulun Gen. XLIX 13. and in Moses his threatning the Israelites in this place Not given Gods hand in giving and working of Grace chapter XXIX verse 4 See Ch. XXX 6. Jer. XXIV 7. and XXXI 33. and XXXII 39. Ezek. XI 19 20. and Ch. XXXVI 26 27. Heb. VIII 10 11. John VI. 44 45 65 Phil. I. 29. and II. 13. Ephes. II. 8. 2. Tim. II. 25. And he gives grace to the remnant which is according to the election of Grace Matth. XI 25. and XIII 11. Mark IV. 11 12 John XII 39. Rom. XI 7. Ephes. I. 5. 2 Chron. XXX 12. Mount This Mount Hor chapter XXXII verse 50 where Aaron died Num. XX. 25 26. was South of Judea And Mount Hor on the North-bounds of Judea Num. XXXIV 7. are far differing and distant mountains King in Jeshurum Moses King in Ieshurum chapter XXXIII verse 5 25. in Blessing the twelve Tribes doth omit Simeon if we accompt him not included in Iudah as his Lot in the division of Canaan fell within the Lot and Tribe of Iudah and their expeditions against their enemies in conquering their own shares were joynt and undertaken together Iosh. XVIII and XIX Iudg. I 3. Dwell between his shoulders That is verse 12 In Ierusalem For though the Southerne and Superior part of Ierusalem where Mount Sion was and which was called the City of David did belong to the Tribe of Iudah yet the Northerne and inferior part of it where Mount Moriah was whereon the Temple was built belonged to the Tribe of Benjamin The huge deep valley of Mello between the two Mountains being filled up and levelled by Solomon so that thence afterward Sion and Moriah might be called two tops of one Mountain Sion the higher top and Moriah the lower Died The time of Moses his death was in the fourtieth year chapter XXXIV verse 5 twelfth moneth seventh day of their coming out of Egypt and one hundred and twentieth year of his age See upon Aarons death Num. XXXIII 38. No man knoweth The reason of concealing the place of the Burial of Moses verse 6 And Michael the Archangel his contending with the Devil and disputing about the body of Moses Iude ver 9. was not revealed in the Scripture of the Old Testament And this dispute might be lest the Israelites knowing it might carry it with them as Iosephs bones into Canaan into which God had said That he should not enter or rather That the people might not idolize it Joshua THE Book of Joshua was not probably written by him though of and concerning him For besides some things contained in it which are deemed by some to be done after his death As that concerning Caleb and his daughter Achsah Ch. XV. 16 19. And most surely the Conquering of Leshem or Laish by the Danites Ch. XIX 47. Iudg. XVIII 7. 29. And those things recorded Ch. XXIV 29 33. Some other things seeme to plead That it was written by some Prophet Long after his death Whence that phrase remaines unto this day is so frequently used Ch. IV. 9. and Ch. VI. 25. and VII 26. and VIII 29 and IX 27. and X. 27. and XIII 13. and XIV 14. and XV. 63. And the Book of Iasher is named Ch. X. 13. which seemes written at soonest in Davids time as recording an Act of his 2 Sam. I. 18. unlesse we say This Book of Iasher in Ioshua's time to be continued on and enlarged in after-times by adding and inserting memorable acts in after-ages And so in Davids time And further the Mountains of Iudah and the Mountains of Israel are mentioned Iosh. XI 21. Which many possibly seeme to intimate the Book to be written after the division of the Nation into the two Kingdomes of Iudah and Israel Ioshua was the Tribe of Ephraim Num. XIII 8. 1 Chron. VII 27. And he lived one hundred ten years Ch. XXIV 29. and was six full years in conquering the Land and in the seventh fell to the Dividing of it by Lot as is gathered out of the age of Caleb Iosh. XIV 7 10. And divers years Ioshua lived and governed after that time but how many it doth not appear out of this Book yet is gathered out of other places to be ten years more and so this Book to containe an History of seventeen years from the Beginning of his Government to his Death The truth of this account stands upon this computation from the coming out of Egypt to the fourth of Solomon are four hundred and eighty years 1 King VI. 1. which are made up thus fourty years in the Wildernesse seventeen of Ioshua two hundred ninety nine of the Iudges counting in the twenty of Sampson as coincident and concurring with the first twenty years of Eli twenty years more of Eli twenty of Samuel fourty of Saul fourty of David four of Solomon In all 480. Within three dayes This Edict and Proclamation of three dayes chapter I verse 2 for preparation to passe over Iordan set down here doth begin and commence after the History of the two Spies and their returne to Ioshua which History yet is recorded after in the Chapter following And thereupon the mention of the said three dayes is taken up again the second time Ch. III. 2. when new directions are given for their Passage and the manner of it Rahab Rahab chapter II verse 1 an Harlot because at least she had been so though now a beleeving Convert ver 9 10 11. Heb. XI 31. Iames II. 25. She had her house on the wall of Iericho ver 15. which fell not when the rest of wall fell Ch. VI. 20 22. In framing her excuses for the Spies sake she bewrayes her infirmity in making equivocations or untruths rather ver 4 5. In transacting with the Spies some speeches seeme to passe between them after they were let down the wall ver 18. In pleading for her family she makes no mention of an Husband ver 13. and Ch. VI. 23. She was after married to Salmon eldest sonne of Nahshon which Nahshon was great-grand-childe to Hezron or Esrom that went down with Iacob into Egppt Gen. XLVI 12. And was Prince of Iudah at the numbring of the people Num. I. 7. at the marshalling of the Camps Num. II. 3. at the Dedication of the Altar Num. VII 12. and at the setting forward in their journeys Num. X. 14. But died in the Wildernesse Num. XIV 29. This marriage of Rahab to Salmon now Prince of Iudah is not recorded in the Old Testament But mentioned Matth. I. 5. in the Genealogy of our Saviour wherein as Rachab so Thamar Ruth
9. Iehojakim In his fourth chapter XXIV verse 1 year or third complete and 1. of Nebuchadnezzar Daniel was carried captive Dan. I. 1 6. Ezekiel and Mordecai with Iehojachin Ezek. XL. 1. Esther II. 5 6. Of Ezechiel see the Argument of his Book Iehojacin Called likewise Coniah verse 6 and Iechoniah 1 Chron. III. 16. Ier. XXII 28 Of his age at the beginning of his reigne See the Observations on 2 Chron. XXXVI 9. He was carried captive into Babylon in the seventh ending and eighth year beginning of Nebuchadnezzars reigne ver 12. Ier. LII 28. And his head lifted up againe in the thirty seventh year of his captivity twelfth moneth on the twenty fifth and twenty seventh day and first year of Evilmerodach 2 King XXV 27. Ier. LII 31. Zedekiah rebelled Zedekiah rebelled in his sixth year verse 20 Ezek. XVII 15 17. compared with Ezek. VIII 1. and XX. 1. the second Priest Grounded on Num. chapter XXV verse 8 III. 32. And mentioned as here So Ier. LII 24. See 2 King XXIII 4. and the like 1 Chron. V. 12. This second Priest upon any extraordinary occasion and occurrent restraining or disabling the High Priest seemes set to supply his place to Riblah See the Observations on Num. XXXIV 11. THE Books of Chronicles do chiefly pursue the Histories of the Kings of Judah And yet are more sparing in relating the sinnes of David and Solomon These are not those Chronicles often cited in the Books of Kings as hath been shewed heretofore But these are thought to be written by Ezra 2 Chron. XXXVI 22 23. Ezra I. 1 2 3 And that after the return from the Babylonish captivity Yet some things are inserted which extend beyond Ezra's time as that 1 Chron. III. 21 24. In these Books as in an Abridgement the holy Penman is sometimes short and obscure But in the Histories of the Kings of Judah full and exact Take the periods of times from the Creation to the year of Returne from the Babylonish Captivity And so these Books containe an History of 3458. years The first Book 2986. to the death of David Thus Genesis 2369 Exodus 142 Levit Num. Deut. 39. Joshuah 17. Judges 299. 1 Sam. 80. 2 Sam. 40. In all 2986. The second Book 472. from the beginning of Solomons reigne to the said year of Returne Others reckon thus 3467. in the whole 2990. in the first Book 477. in the second Book Others and that most likely 2986. in the first Book And 466. in the second Book viz. from the first of Solomon to the seventeenth of Jehoshaphat 118. Thance to the Captivity in the first of Nebuchadnezzar and fourth of Iehojakim 278. Thence to the Returne 70. In all 466. And so the whole in both Books will amount to 3452. The first Book mentions occasionally some things long after Davids death as the Inhabitants of Jerusalem after the Returne from Babylon chap. IX And Zerubbabels posterity long after that chap. III. I. Chronicles IN the Genealogies of the first eight Chapters the Tribes of Dan and Zebulon are left out Edom chapter I verse 43 Eight Kings in Edom before any in Israel Sisters of David Zerviah bare Abishai Ioab Asahel Abigail bare Amasa 2 Sam. chapter II verse 16 17. XVII 25 Caleb Three Calebs famous in Israel first the sonne of Hezron verse 18 in this Text called also Carmi and Chelubai chap. II. 9. and IV. 1. who had a sonne called Hur And this Hur a sonne called also Caleb chap. II. 9 19 50. who is the second Caleb And the third is that famous Caleb the sonne of Iephunne Num. XIII 6. 1 Chron. IV. 15. The sonnes of David See the Observations on 1 Sam. chapter III verse 1 9. XVI 11. verse 17 Salatheil Hebrew Shealtiel said to be the sonne of Iechoniah Matth. I. 12. And so here sonne of Iechoniah Assir that is strictly bound prisoner in Babylon For we read not of any sonne called Assir that Iechoniah had yet this Salathiel is named the sonne of Neri Luke III. 27. who came by many descents of another line that is of Nathan the younger brother of Solomon from which line came our Saviour and not of Solomons line And though Iechoniah may seeme to have seed and sonnes more out of Ier. XXII 28 30. and 1 Chron. III. 17 18. Yet he is doomed childlesse Ier. XXII 29 30. because neither Salathiel if he were his sonne nor any of Iechoniah's race Zedekiah the last King being Uncle to Iechoniah did succeed him in the Regality to sit on the throne of David though in a kinde of soveraignty as Zerubbabel the sonne or grandchilde rather of Salathiel by Pedaiah did succeed in regard of which successions both Salathiel and after also Zerubbabel may be called sonnes See Ezra III. 2 8. and V. 2. Neh. XII 1 Hag. I. 1 12 14. and II. 3. 24. Of Iehojakim the father of Iechoniah it is likewise said He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David that is for any time worth speaking of for his sonne Iechoniah reigned but three moneths and tenne dayes Ier. XXXVI 30. 2 Chron. XXXVI 9. Sonnes of Zerubbabel Among his sonnes verse 19 Abihud and Rhesa are not mentioned unlesse under other names nor else where found in the Old Testament And yet from them two the Genealogies Matth. I. 13. and Luke III. 27. are drawn and derived which makes some suppose that Zerubbabel and this here to be different persons Ezra Ezra not that learned Scribe chapter IV verse 17 Ezra VII 1. And in the last letter of this Hebrew name there is a difference from the name of the other in the dayes of Hezekiah The Simeonites lying within the inheritance and lot of the Tribe of Iudah verse 41 Iosh. XIX 9. were not carried away Captive by the Assyrians but continuing in their estate sought to enlarge their territories as is here mentioned Amalekites They bordered on mount Seir. verse 43 These the first that fought against Israel Num. XXIV 20. And after joyned oft with other enemies against Gods people They were overthrown by Ioshuah Exod. XVII 13. Saul in his time was sent against them destroyed many but spared Agag their King and for so doing lost his own Kingdome 1 Sam. XV. and chap. XXVIII 18. David afterwards destroyed more of them 2 Sam VIII 12. And here the Simeonites in the dayes of Hezekiah smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped Thus the judgement denounced against them Exod. XVII 14 16. Deut XXV 17 18 19. was accomplished See the Observations on Esth. III. 1. King of Assyria This Catalogue we finde in Scripture of the Kings of Assyria chapter V verse 26 Pul or Phul in the dayes of Menachem so here and 2 King XV 19. Tiglath-Pileser in the dayes of Pekah and Achaz so here and 2 King XV. 29. and XVI 7 10. Jareb Hos. V. 13. and X. 16. Sargon Esay XX. 1. Shalmanesar called Shalman Hos. X. 14. Who took Hoshea and Samaria 2 King XVII 3 4. and
all the people Chapt. XXXI 9 13. As in the three foresaid particulars some would have it Nor yet is it this Book only or that Song only Deut. XXXII that was to be put and placed by the Priests in at or by the side of the Arke of the Covenant Deut. XXXI 25 26. But the whole book of the Law the five Books of Moses were to be Copied out by the King read in every Sabbath-year and laid up and preserved safe by the Arke of the Testimony The Judicial Lawes most of all mentioned in this Book and peculiarly belonging to the Countrey and People of the Jewes are grounded upon an equity of Right Reason for that Countrey and People And so far are useful to all others The ten first Chapters are most-what of precedent Passages Repetitions of what things were formerly done with Exhortations to Obedience intermixed Moses yet herein not binding himself to an exact order in observation of the times and places These Is an Inscription of the whole book chapter I verse 1 and an accurate description of the Place where Moses delivered and did what in this book is contained Eleven The eleven dayes journey end either at Kadesh-barneah verse 2 or compassing about by the way of Mount Seir and Kadesh-barneah it ends at and in the Plaines of Moab Both which serâ—â— to shew how soone they might have come from Horeb or Sinai to Canaan had they not provoked God by their sinne Num. XIV instead of that eleven dayes journey to keep them wandring in the wildernesse 38. years after Horeb Horeb and Mount Sinai are taken for the same Exod. III 1. See on that Text Deut. I. 2 6 19. and IV. 10 15. and V. 2. and IX 8. 1 King XIX 8 Mal. IV. 4. They being close neighbours or rather two tops of the same Mount The Israelites abode almost a year there Deut. I. 6. Exod. XIX 1 Num. X. 11. Og that dwelt at Ashteroth verse 4 was slaine in Edrei another of his royal Cities Ch. III. 1. Num. XXI 33. Josh. XIII 12 31. and XII 4. Angry Gods anger at Moses here mentioned verse 37 was not in the second year when and where the Spies were sent from Kadesh-barnea Num. XIII and XIV But in the fourtieth year at that other Kadesh when and where Miriam died Num. XX. 1 2 12. Many dayes The Israelites abode in Kadesh many dayes verse 46 And they compassed Mount Seir many dayes The space in which they came from Kadesh-barnea till they came over the brook Zered or pitch'd in the Valley of Zared in Moab being their thirty ninth Station was thirty eight years which was in the beginning of the fourtieth year of their coming out of Egypt Deut. II. 1 2 3 7 14. some take thirty seven years and a half of this time to be spent at Kadesh-barnea And sure the most of it was spent there and the lesser and later part of it in compassing Mount Seir And the other half year spent in coming from Mount Seir to Zered See Deut. II. 7. Distresse not And so chapter II verse 9 v. 19. The Israelites forbidden to distresse the Moabites and Ammonites or to possesse their Lands Yet what Sihon had lately conquered from them and possessed which was no small part of their Countreys all that the Israelites conquering Sihon by right of that Conquest did fairly possesse Josh. XIII 15 25. Judg. XI 12 27. Gyants There are mentioned Anakims verse 11 Emims Zanzummims Rephaims as several races of Gaints Deut. II. 11 20. and Ch. III. 11 13. Num. XIII 33. See further Gen. VI. 4 1 Sam. XVII 4. and 2 Sam. XXI 16 22. Mount Sion chapter IV verse 48 which is Hermon Called by the Sidonians Syrion by the Amorites Shenir in the Valley of Lebanon Deut. III. 9. and IV. 48. Josh. XI 17. and XIII 5. and XII 5. 1 Chron. V. 23. And Mount Sion that strong hold in the City of David being the South-part of Jerusalem and not seated on the North-side of it 2 Sam. V. 7 9. 1 King VIII 1. Psal. II. 6. and IX 11. and XLVIII 2. upon which Text see the Annotations are two differing Mountains and farre asunder They differ also in their Original Characters and letters the former being written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the later 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the New Testament write the later also Sion Rom. IX 33 〈◊〉 XI 26. As likewise the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written Sidon And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written Tyre Matth. XI 21 22. Called We may not conceive a miracle in Moses voice chapter V verse 1 as some do on this place My Commandments So it is in the Masorets marginal reading verse 10 But in the Text it is his Commandments And may import the words of Moses expounding the sense and meaning of Gods words that went next before Seventh day Some words are added by Moses to those uttered by God on Mount Sinai verse 14 15. Exod. XX. 10 11. as an Explication of them And also a Reason is given of the fourth Commandment differing altogether from that Reason in Exod. XX. 11. which Reason here yet evinceth not that therefore God brought the Israelites out of Egypt on the Sabbath-day But the putting of Wife before House ver 21. contrary to that order of House before Wife in Exod. XX. 17. confounds the late Papists silly shift in dividing the last Commandment into two to make up ten Deut. IV. 13. to colour thereby their taking away the second Commandment or shufling of it into the first so that by them is not known which is the ninth and which the tenth Commandment Seven Nations So many are here reckoned chapter VII verse 1 And so Iosh. III. 10. Six in Exod. XXXIII 2. Deut. XX. 17. Iudg. III. 5. In many places fewer In Gen. XV. 19 20 21. ten Nations are reckoned And among them the Philistines are never mentioned Yet all the inhabitants of the whole Land go many times under the names of Canaanites and Amorites as Gen. XXIV 3. and Ch. XV. 16. Utterly destroy them Such is Gods Command verse 2 And such his Promise of assistance v. 16. See Exod. XXXIV 11 12. Deut. IX 3. and XX. 16 17. Yet this was not a thing to be done in one year or in Ioshuah's Life-time Iosh. XXIII 4 5 13. Iudg. l. 9 21 27 29 30 31 33 34. But by little and little Exod. XXIII 29 30. Deut. VII 22. Yet God justly threatens and blames them for their neglect in Conquering and Expelling them Num. XXXIII 55 56. Josh. XXIII 13. Judg. II. 3 21 22 23. And he never gave them the possession of their full Bounds as of Tyre Sidon and of all the Land of the Philistines because they kept not for their part the Condition of their Covenant with him Judg. II. 20 21. Neither shalt thou Marriage forbid with the Canaanites strictly verse 3 Yea also forbid with the Ammonites Moabites and Egyptians Ezra IX 1 2.
there 2 Sam. VI. 12 17. whereupon Zion is called the City of God Gods holy Hill The Northerne and lower part belonging to Benjamin wherein the Temple stood on Mount Moriah 2 Chon III. 1. Honourable things are spoken of this City Psal. LXXXVII 2 3. This City is called the City of God of the Lord of Hoasts of the great King the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most High Psal. XLVI 4. and XLVIII 8. The Throne of the Lord Jer. III. 17. Jehovah-Shammah in that visionarie Description Ezek. XLVIII 35. It is called the City of Solemnities Esay XXXIII 20. a City of Righteousnesse Esay V. 26. a City of Truth Zech. VIII 3. a Faithful City Esay I. 26. a City sought out and not forsaken Esay LXII 12. The walls thereof are called Salvation and her gates Praise and they are ever in Gods sight Esay XLIX 16. and LX. 18. Hoham These other four Kings were all South of Jerusalem chapter X verse 3 And all five did after belong to the Tribe of Judah Lachish Of this City see the Annotations on Micah I. 13. The Lord said The Lord spake to Joshua verse 8 sometimes immediately by himself sometimes being consulted with by Urim and Thummim Hailestones God 's two Miracles in this battel verse 11 I. By wondrous Hailestones like those in Egypt Exod. IX 18 25. which killed more Amorites then were slaine by the sword braining likely the body of their hoast as they fled where they were thickest and those that were formost in the flight and not hurting the Pursuers who were intermingled yet likely mostwhat in the Reare of the enemy II. By the miraculous standing still upon Joshua's Prayer first privately made and granted after publikely pronounced in the sight of Israel of the Sunne and of the Moone and with them of the whole frame of Heaven about a whole day till the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies Jasher The Book of Jasher records the Miracle verse 13 No Heathen History being so ancient This Book seemes to be carried on and enlarged still with the story of things acted in after-ages For there is mention of it in Davids time 2 Sam. I. 18. And this Book being no part of Canonical inspired Scripture but a Civil Chronicle or Annals among the Jewes is since perished as divers others of like nature Among which are those books of Chronicles not Canonical but Civil so often cited in our two books of the Kings No day That day in Hezekiah's time verse 14 was in some things like this 2 King XX. 11. But that not till many ages after And this book first written Returned If Joshua here resolved to return to Gilgal verse 15 Yet many other victories in the Southern parts even from Kadesh-barnea unto Gaza in a short time intervened ver 16 42. before he actually returned thither ver 43. Ioshua And c. XI verse 36 31. Ioshua took Hebron or Kiriath-Arba and Debir or Kiriath-Sepher and cut off the Anakims Yet under the conduct of Caleb this was perfected Ioshua assigning him out of his army the Tribe of Iudah for his assistance therein Ch. XIV 6 15. and Ch. XV. 13 19. which thing seems to be repeated Iudg. I. 10 15. rather then a new Conquest made again after the death of Ioshua Goshen And Ch. XI verse 41 16. and Ch. XV. 51. This Goshen in Canaan differing from that in Egypt Sand Hyperbolees much used in Scripture chapter XI verse 4 So Gen. XXII 17. and XLI 49. Iudg. VII 12. and Ch. XX. 16. 1 Sam. XIII 5. 2 Sam. I. 23. 1 King I. 40. and IV. 20 29. 2 King XIX 24. 1 Chron. XII 8. and XVI 33. 2 Chron. I. 9. and XXVIII 9. Job XX. 6. and XXII 24. and XL. 23. Psal. VI. 6. Esay XXXIV 3 5 7 9. and XLVIII 19. Jer. IV. 24. and XV. 8. Ioel. III. 18. Amos II. 9. and IX 13. Iohn XXI 25. A long time After the battel at the waters of Merom verse 18 Ioshua did make warre a long time with all those Northern Kings in Canaan about sixe years as is gathered out of Ch. XIV 6 15. Arnon Arnon the River chapter XII verse 1 ariseth not farre from the head-spring of the River Iabbok and both from rocky Mountains that lie in the East part of the Tribe of Gad. It runneth Southward and falls into the North-East corner of the Dead Sea It is the border between Sihon or Reuben on the West and Ammon on the East and between Sihon or Reuben on the North and Moab on the South Iabbok Iabbok the River verse 2 ariseth as Arnon but runneth North a little and after turneth his streame West and falleth into Iordan a little below the Sea of Galilee It divided the Land of Gilead between Sihon and Og and afterwards between Gad on the South and halfe Manasseh on the North. Remaineth yet The Land both Conquered chapter XIII verse 1 and Unconquered was to be divided by Lot among the nine Tribes and a half so Iosh. XXIII 4 5. Begun at Gilgal Ch. XIV 6. and Ch. XV. and Ch. XVI and Ch. XVII Resumed and Perfected at Shiloh Ch. XVIII and XIX But we never read That they did Conquer the whole Land and all their several Shares and Lots through their own default and breach of Covenant with God by Disobedience Chapt. XXIII 13. Aroer The City Aroer was neere the Rise of the River Arnon verse 16 and in the confines between the Reubenites and Gadites as also Heshbon Dibon and Ataroth which being bordering Cities are said to belong to them both sometimes to the one sometimes to the other To Reuben Iosh. XIII 16 17. Num. XXXII 37. To Gad Iosh. XXI 39. Num. XXXII 34. 1 Chron. VI. 81. Distributed The whole Countrey chapter XIV verse 1 seemes to be divided into so many parts as there were Tribes to possesse them Yet so as that the Bounds of every part or Province were not so precisely limited before the Tribe had drawn the Lot but that afterwards they might be enlarged or lessened according to the greatnesse or smalnesse of the number that belonged to it Num. XXVI 53 56. and Chap. XXXIII 54. which last point of division was left to the wisdome of the High Priest Ioshua and the Elders whom God had appointed to divide it ver 1. and Ch. XVII 14 18. By lot Lots fell out providentialy to the twelve Tribes chapter XIV verse 2 in the Division of the Land in relations partly to their Birth partly to the Prophetical Blessings of them by Jacob Gen. XLIX and Moses Deut. XXXIII And so in the Cities of the Levites the Lot cast the thirteen Cities of the Priests in the Tribes of Judah Benjamin and Simeon which were nearest the Temple Josh. XXI 9 10 17. when it was builded Old Calebs age verse 7 when he was sent among the Spies from Kadesh-barnea was fourty At this Division of the Land eighty five So that fourty five years intervened viz. 38. in the
called Harosheth of the Gentiles Judg. IV. 2. as lying in that Tribe of Naphtali Thirteen Thirteen Cities with their Suburbs in title and dominion given to the Priests Josh. chapter XXI verse 19 XXI 4. See the Annotations on 1 Chron. VI. 59. Though one of them at that time was too much for their present use and habitation we reading but of three of them in number about fifty years before this time Called The two Tribes and a half dismist chapter XXII verse 1 likely at the end of sixe or seven years before the Division of the Land and stayed not fourteen yeers till after the Division which Division might yet possibly be made sooner then so Josh. XX. 11. Divide This Dividing the spoile with their brethren verse 8 those that stayed at home beyond Jordan seemes to relate to that Num. XXXI 27. And David seemes hereupon to revive and enact that Law of like Division 1 Saem XXX 24 25. Mention of the name The not naming of Idols is mentioned chapter XXIII verse 7 as here so Exod. XXIII 13. Deut. XII 3. Psal. XVI 4. And a like Ephes. V. 3. Yet the thing in it self is not simply and absolutely unlawful Shechem Shechem was a City in Mount Ephraim chapter XXIV verse 1 Josh. XX. 7. North-North-East from Shiloh and Bethel and close by Mount Gerizim and Ebal Judg. IX 7. Here Abraham and Jacob had sojourned And Jacobs two sonnes Simeon and Levi young men upon Dinah's ravishment murthered the Citizens Gen. XXXIV Here after Gideons death the Citizens worshipped Baal-Berith and rebelled with Abimelech and were after punished and spoyled by him Judg. IX This City in Ioshua's time was made a City of Refuge and given to the Kohathite-Levites Iosh. XXI 21. And here Ioshua made a Covenant with all the people to serve the Lord Chap. XXIV ver 25. The Mount Ephraim whereon the City stood was famous for Burials Here they buried Iosephs bones in Shechem in a parcel of ground which Iacob bought of the children of Hamor or Emor Josh. XXIV 32. Acts VII 16. Gen. XXXIII 19. Here was great Ioshua himself an Ephraimite buried in his inheritance in Timnath-Scrah or Here 's which is in Mount Ephraim on the North-side of the hill Goash Josh. XXIV 30. Judg. II. 9. And here was the High-Priest Eleazar buried in an Hill that pertained to Phineas his son which was given him in Mount Ephraim Josh. XXIV 33. Here Deborah dwelt Judg. IV. 5. And Tola the Judge ch X. 1. Hither came Rehoboam to be made King But Jeroboam was there made King in his stead who built or fortified the City and dwelt there 1 King XII 1 20 25. Judges THE Book of JUDGES contains an History not of four hundred and ten years but of two hundred ninty and nine years So Counting the years of the VI. Oppressors within the years and times of the Judges as I have shewed they necessarily must upon Rahabs marriage with Prince Salmon Josh. II. And so Expounding the Texts following according to the truth of the times thus That the Land had Rest by Othniel in the fourtieth year after it was first settled in Rest by Ioshua at his Death Judg. III. 11. not after the Death of Moses And again had Rest by Ehud in the eightieth year after the former Rest by Othniel Ch. III. 30. And again had Rest by Deborah in the fourtieth year after the former Rest by Ehud Ch. V. 31. And again had Rest by Gideon in the fourtieth year after the former Rest by Deborah Ch. VIII 28. These make up two hundred years And then follow three of Abimelech twenty three of Tolah twenty two of Jair sixe of Jephthah seven of Ibzan ten of Elon eight of Abdon twenty of Sampson which make np the other ninty nine years in all two hunded ninty nine The text Judg. IV. 3 4. seemes to accord with rhis reckoning and to accompt Jabins Oppression within the years of Deborah But yet counting beside these the times of the VI. Oppressors distinctly over and above which amount to one hundred and eleven years and is according to the seeming letter of the texts And then fourty years of Eli being added thereunto the summe ariseth to those 450. years mentioned by Paul Acts XIII 20. But reading the words of Saint Paul as in order they stand there in the Original and after these things about four hundred and fifty years he gave them Judges untill Samuel the Prophet we may rather conceive the four hundred and fifty years to comprehend all the time from the choosing of the Fathers till the Division of the Land by Joshua it being four hundred fifty two from the Birth of Isaac and four hundred fourty seven from the Rejection of Ishmael both wayes about four hundred and fifty wherein those things mentioned ver 18 19 20. were done and accomplished And after that time he gave them Judges until Samuel the Prophet And after that time He gave them Kings And thus the most learned Primate of all Ireland hath it in his learned Annals This Book seemes written of and concerning the Judges as the Book of Ruth concerning Ruth And long after their times As may seeme to be gathered by those phrases remaine unto this day and the like Ch. I. 21 26. and VI. 24. and X. 4. and XV. 19. And Ch. XVIII 30. must needs have relation at soonest to the captivity of the Arke in the dayes of Samuel 1 Sam. IV. 17. Psal. LXXVIII 60 61. Asked They asked the Lord chapter I verse 1 by Phineas the High Priest who by Urim and Thummim makes answer Num. XXVII 21. Both which were on or in the Breastplate and the Breastplate was annexed to the Ephod Exod. XXVIII 28 30. and XXXIX 21. which made David call for the Ephod and High Priest thereby to enquire of the Lord 1 Sam. XXIII 9 10 11 12. and Ch. XXVIII 6. So Ezra II. 63. See more on 1 Sam. XXIII 9. Bezek Bezek a City in the tribe of Iudah verse 4 not farre from Ierusalem lying from it South-West and midway between 〈◊〉 and Bethlehem Adoni-Bezek verse 5 Of him see on Iosh. X. 1. Said verse 7 seventy Kings His seventy Kings subdued and mangled by him must needs be very pettie Kings of Provinces or Cities if not such Princes as are now in Germany where all the brethren of a Prince are called Princes likewise And these seventy were such as in the time of all his reigne and tyranny Adoni-bezek had subdued He was brought from Bezek to Ierusalem to be made a publike example there Ierusalem Iudah had taken Ierusalem verse 8 slaine the inhabitants and burnt the City i. e. that part of it which belonged to Iudah Iosh. XV. 8. yet so as the Jebusite still dwelt therein with the children of Iudah ver 63. even till Davids time 2 Sam. V. 6 7 8. And Benjamin did the like and no more with their part of Ierusalem Judg. I. 21. yet both had little hold in it
Gate Gates of Cities were the ordinary places of audience chapter IV verse 1 and judicature Deut. XVII 2 8. 2 Sam. XIX 8. Prov. XXXI 23. Jer. XXXVIII 7. Lam. V. 13. And the usual maner of Prophets was to publish their Prophecies in the Gates either of the Temple or of the Citie of Jerusalem Jer. VII 2. and XIX 2. and XXVI 10. and sometimes of the Kings house as places of greatest concourse of people Jer. XVII 19. and XXII 1 2. Lest I marre mine own inheritance Want an heire verse 6 if I shall have but one childe by her or having many she being young and poor weaken mine owne inheritance in dividing it among so many specially if he were now a widower and had children by his former wife A man plucked off his shoe These Ceremonies then used in buying verse 7 and bargaining of land in reedeeming and changing had some resemblance to that Law Deut. XXV 8 9. But with diverse differences See Psal. LX. 8. The Ceremonies that respected the person of Ruth are here not mentioned but may seeme either omitted or else transacted with much alteration from the first institution as those times now were THe two Books of Samuel are thought to be written by Samuel Nathan and Gad one after another 1 Chron. XXIX 29. Yet some passages in them may seeme to intimate the writing of them to have been of a later time As 1 Sam. V. 5. and XXVII 6. and XXX 25. 2. Sam. VI. 8 and XVIII 8. They may better be called The I. and II. Book of Kings The I. containing all the History of King Saul Samuel dying 1 Sam. XXV And the II. the History of King Ishbosheth shortly and of King David at large And so do the LXX and many other stile them I. Samuel THis first Book contains an History of eighty years viz fourty in the time of Heli Ch. IV 18. in the four first Chapters And fourty in the times of Samuel and King Saul in the rest If Samuels time be reckoned in with that of Saul Or rather thus fourty to Eli whereof the former half runs up in the times of the Judges in the twenty years of Sampson And the later halfe or twenty begins with this Book after the death of Sampson and the end of the Book of the Judges And then follow twenty years of Samuels Government alone And after that fourty years of King Saul Acts XIII 21. In the former part whereof Samuel also lived and partly judged with him as appears in the XIII XV. XVI XIX Chaters of this Book though he withdrew from Saul in his last dayes 1 Sam. XV. 35. And died ch XXV And in regard whereof they are named as joynt partners in the administration of the Government 1 Sam. XI 7. Still in the whole eighty years An Ephrathite As the Jewes are called Cretes chapter I verse 1 and Arabians Parthians Medes Elamites c. because borne and bred up in those Countreys Acts II. 9 10 11. For though borne or at least dwelling in Mount Ephraim in Ramah yet was Elkanah and so Samuel his son of the posterity of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi 1 Chron. VI. 33 38. Eli Eli or Heli verse 3 was by unknown descents of the posterity not of Eleazer the elder but of Ithamar the younger son of Aaron the son of Amram the son of Kohath the son of Levi. Eli was extraordinarily both High Priest and Judge And a good and famous man though faulty and infamous in his children And therfore more grievously punished for their flagitious wickednesse then Samuel for his sons lesser faults See the sins of the sons of the High Priest Joshua Ezra X. 18. From Eli descended Phinehas his son Ahitub his son 1 Sam. IV. 19 21. compared with chap. XIV 3. Ahimelech his son slaine by Saul his brother was Ahijah 1 Sam. XIV 3. and XXII 9 11. Abiathar his son in Davids time 1 Sam. XXII 20. 1 King I. 7. This Abiathar is named High Priest by our Saviour Marke II. 26. when David did eate the Shew-bread because Abiathar then was with his Father Ahimelech joyned in that action of giving the bread to David instantly succeeded in his Fathers roome and Priesthood was therein more eminent then his Father and continued therein with David in his persecution by Saul and in all the time of his reigne afterward And thus have we no need in that whole History of Ahimelech and Abiathar Father and son to make them Binomii to be both known by both those names and both indifferently called by either yet see the great Annotations on 1 Chron. XVIII 16. This Abiather was thrust out of the High Priesthood by Solomon 1 King II. 26 27. And the sons of Abiathar were Ahimelech and Jonathan 2 Sam. VIII 17. and XV. 27. This Ahimelech and not his Grandfather of the same name is he that is usualy joyned with Zadok in Davids reigne And both then are named Priests 2 Sam. VIII 17. 1. Chron. XXIV 31. i. e. Priests of the second ranck or next the High Priest who then was Abiathar Such a second Priest we read of 2 King XXV 18. Jer. LII 24. who upon any extraordinary occurrent restraining or disabling the High Priest was to supply his place This Jonathan the son of Abiathar was imployed with Ahimaaz the son of Zadok as newes-bearer to David in his flight from Absolom 2 Sam. XV. 27 28. and XVII 17. Of Zadok See 2 Sam. VIII 17. Temple So is the Tabernacle here called verse 9 And so chap. III. 3. 2 Sam. XXII 7. Psal. XXVII 6. And so again The Temple is called a Tabernacle Lam. II. 6. Samuel We read not that he was High Priest verse 20 or ever so called But an extraordinary Prophet and Judge a Nazarite ver 11. a Sacrificer though a Levite onely and most likely of the posterity of that Korah Num. XVI 32. and of the race of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi as was formerly said 1 Chron. VI. A rare and worthy person The doores of the house of the Lord The Hangings of the Gate of the Court chapter III verse 15 Exod XXVII 16. Ark The Ark so precious in the eyes of God chapter IV verse 3 and of the Israelites and that worthily Psal LXXVIII 61. and CXXXII 8. 1. Sam. IV. 20. Was carried about the walls of Jericho and then returned into the Tabernacle Being in the Tabernacle in Shiloh it was taken thence and never came into the Tabernacle again and was carried to Eben-Ezer a place ominous then but a monument of Gods help soone after into the Camp 1 Sam. IV. 1 3 4 5. and V. 1. that it might save them out of the hand of their enemies the Philistines As we read the Philistines themselves in the dayes of David brought their Images into their Camp 2 Sam V. 21. 1 Chron. XIV 12. The Ark being taken there by the Philistines they carried it about to Ashdod into
those names in those times first mentioned But in after-times when the writers of those Histories lived 1 King XVI 24. It seemes of old to be called and belong to Shimron-Meron Josh. XI 1 5. and XII 20. Book of the Chronicles chapter XIV verse 19 After the division of the Kingdomes The Books of the Kings do often cite the Books of the Chron of Israel and of Judah as 1 King XIV 19 20. XV. 7. 23 31. 2 King I. 18. and VIII 23. and X. 34. Not meaning thereby our Canonical Books of Chron. for they were not then written before but after the Books of Kings and therefore they could not be cited before they had a Being But meaning thereby Civil Chronicles or Rolls now not extant Like those Ezra VI. 1 2. Esther VI. 1. Maachah Abijahs mother chapter XV verse 2 and her Father had both of them two differing and various names 1 King XV. 2 10. 2 Chron. XI 20. and XIII 2. His marriages and children 2 Chron. XIII 21. were all or almost all in his fathers reigne Save only in the matter of Vriah In this sin David did lie long without repentance verse 5 2 Sam. XII 14. And to cover this sin he made Uriah drunck and after murthered him yet afterwards upon his repentance he publisheth it and his shame and sorrow for it in the LI. Psalme and commits it to the chief Musician to be sung publickly in the Congregation But besides this there are many other sins recorded of David As his speech and lyes to Jonathan 1 Sam. XX. 6. to Ahimelech 1 Sam. XXI 2. to Achish 1 Sam. XXVII 10. the slownesse of his kindnesse to Mephibosheth compare together 2 Sam. IV. 4. and chap. IX 11 12. And after his ill-managing of it 2 Sam. XVI 4. and chap. IX 29. his many Wives and Concubines the sparing of his sons Ammon and Absolom his numbering of the people Yet by reason of the upright intention of his heart and his singular rare graces gifts and qualifications are the rest not reckoned and this Praise here given him by the indulgency of God Fourty and one years Asa reigned in Judah in the times of the reignes of eight Kings in Israel verse 10 viz. Jeroboham Nadab Baasha Elah Zimri Tibni Omri Ahab 1 King XV. 9 and XVI 29. and XXII 41. In which time the Kingdome of Israel was changed into three several stocks and families Maachah Maachah was wife to Rehoboam verse 13 mother to Abijah and grandmother to Asa 1 King XV. 2. yet called the mother of Asa 1 King XV. 13. 2 Chron. XV ver 16. And as mother used for grandmother so daughter for grandchilde 2 Kings VIII 26. Brethren for Kinsmen 2 Kings X. 13. Matth. XIII 55 56. And many like phrases are frequent in Scripture See Gen. XIII 8. Exod. II. 18. 20 21. Dan. V. 10 11 13 22. these years Not this place chapter XVII verse 1 nor chap. XVIII 1. nor any place in the Old Testament do shew that the drought was brought at Elias his Prayer or continued three years and six moneths But Saint James first recordeth it Jam. I. 17. Four Barrels with water Elijah got this water in the time of that wonderful drought for three years and a half chapter XVIII verse 33 out of the sea Mount Carmel joyning to the sea Jer XLVI 18. The brook Kishon at the foot of Carmel being dryed up as well as the brook Cherith thine Altars Formerly erected to him chapter XIX verse 10 thought not so warrantably See ver 14. thy Prophets As chap. XVIII 4 13. I only am left In his own apprehension Yet was there then a flowrishing Church in Judah anoint By another verse 15 viz. Elisha 2 King VIII 7. And likewise Jehu was anointed by a young Prophet at the command of Elisha 2 King IX 1. Thirty two Kings Petty Kings chapter XX verse 1 As those Gen. XIV Josh. XII Judg. I. 7. Aphek A Citie whose Kings was slaine by Joshuah verse 26 Josh. XII 18. Fell by lot afterwards to the Tribe of Asher Josh. XIX 30 31. Where the Philistines pitching in battel against Israel got the victory and took the Ark of God 1 Sam. IV. 1. And again gathering their armies in Aphek went up to Jezreel near the Mount of Gilboa and overthrew Saul and his hoast 1 Sam. XXIX 1 11. and chap. XXX And here the Syrians under Benhadad fought against Ahab and were slaine even one hundred thousand footmen in one day And the rest fled to Aphek into the Citie and there a wall fell upon twenty seven thousand of the men that were left 1 King XX. 26 29 30. And here again the Syrians were smitten and consumed by Joash King of Israel 2 King XIII 17. Proclaime a Fast chapter XXI verse 9 It seemes on Fast-dayes they were wont to try and execute heynous offendors and stoned him The blood of his sons is mentioned verse 13 2 Kings IX 26. Which is in Samaria verse 18 behold he is in the Vineyard of Naboth Or will be in Jezreel in the Vineyard of Naboth In Samaria when the message was given in charge to Elias in the Vineyard at Jezreel when Elias met him even thine Verified for the substance in himself verse 19 in his wife Jezebel and in his son Jehoram 2 Kings IX 25 26. not bring the evil in his dayes That evil verse 29 ver 21 24. that totally in the Poole of Samaria Which might extend chapter XXII verse 38 or run into Jezreel or another poole of that name be there or the armour washed there where his chief armory was made peace Made peace with Ahab verse 44 and his two sons Ahaziah and Jehoram 2 Kings III. 6 7. 2 Chron. XIX 2. and chap. XX. 35 36. and is reprehended justly therefore would not Would not at first verse 49 but yeelded afterwards 2 Chron. XX. 35 36 37. II. Kings THE second Book of Kings or fourth rather containes the History of 321 years to the lifting up of the head of Jehoiachim In the reignes of 16 Kings of Iudah counting in Athaliah 12 King of Israel So that the number of Kings from the first division of the Kingdomes to the extirpation of them both were twenty in each Though the Kingdome of Israel did expire in Hoshea by Shalmanasar before the Kingdome of Judah did expire in Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar the space of one hundred thirty and three years not one hundred thirty and five The twenty of Judah were all of Davids line excepting Athaliah the Queen The twenty of Israel were of ten several stocks Ahaziah Joash Amatziah Kings of Judah and Athaliah the Queene all succeeding one another were all slaine Amon likewise and his son Josiah both slaine And ten Kings of Israel the half of all their number were likewise slaine For the times of the reignes of Ahab Ahaziah Jehoram Kings of Israel and of Iehoshaphat Iehoram Ahaziah Kings of Judah take this as followeth Ahab reigned twenty two years 1 King XVI
from those Ezra II. 68 69. And were made at another time verse 70 long after the other namely when Nehemie gathered the Nobles and Rulers together ver 5. seventh moneth Beginning with the Autumnal Equinoctial and was at first the first moneth but changed Exod. XII 1 2. The Jews being then in their Cities gathered themselves to Ierusalem ver 5. and chap. VIII 1 2. seventh moneth See more of this in the Annotations on 1 Kings VIII chapter VIII 2. and the Observations on Lev. XXIII ver 24. This was in the first year of Nehemiah's Government verse 2 Also Ieshuah Here are thirteen in several places at the same time with Ezra verse 7 reading and expounding the Law to the people ver 12. Wept As weeping at Prayer Ezra X. 1. So here weeping at Preaching ver 11. Second day Of this seventh moneth verse 13 feast On the fifteenth day verse 14 for seven dayes together Of this Feast see Levit. XXIII 34. Deut. XVI 13. roof of his house That were flat and most likely leaded verse 16 So Deut. XXII 8. 2 Sam. XI 2. Ier. XIX 13. and XXXII 29. Matth. X. 27. 2 Kings XXIII 12. Zeph. I. 5. Done so Making such Booths verse 17 and having an holy Convocation not only on the first and last day as the Law required but on every of the seven dayes ver 18. Eighth day Which likewise was injoyned by the Law verse 18 Levit. XXIII 36. twenty and fourth day The second day after the Feast of Tabernacles was ended chapter IX verse 1 separated themselves They had not yet fully performed what they had solemnly covenanted verse 2 Ezra X. 3. or soone fell into that sin again chap. XIII 23 24. And were also under the guilt of the breach of that Commandment Deut. XXIII 3. Hereupon they make an ample Confession of sinne of their fathers and their own in this Chapter and solemnly renew their Covenant with God for amendment in the next Chapter One fourth part Which is three hours verse 3 viz. those from our nine to twelve in reading and expounding another fourth part From twelve to three in prayer confessing and worshipping all the time between the morning and evening sacrifice spent in those two Ieshua Here are eight verse 4 in eight several places preaching to eight several Congregations bread water 1 Cor. verse 15 X. 2 3 4. Spiritual blessings also in them Appointed a Captaine This explaines that verse 17 Num. XIV 4. Seraiah Chap. chapter X verse 2 XI 11. The persons that sealed the Covenant are set down Priests twenty two Levites seventeen chief of the people fourty four did it in the name of all the rest entred into a curse As by Covenant verse 29 and Seale and Oath so by an Execration they bound themselves See Iudg. XXI 18. to observe The matter of the Covenant set forth afterwards in seven main branches third part of a Shekel A new Ordinance for this time and present necessity verse 32 year by year As so bound by the Law verse 35 Shall be with the Levites See Num. verse 38 XVIII 26 27 28 29. take Tythes Or rather give Tythes lots See the Annotations on Ionah I. chapter XI verse 1 7. This also was in the first year of Nehemiah's Government to dwell Chap. VII 4 the inhabitants few therefore here is care taken to increase the number and by lot to take one out of ten beside Volunteers Solomons servants See the Observations on 1 Kings IX 21. verse 3 at Ierusalem dwelt The inhabitants of Ierusalem after the Returne are recroded here verse 4 and 1 Chron. IX But with much variation And many more are recorded in that of 1 Chr. IX as intending there al promiscuously both such as were chosen by Lot and also Volunteers And moreover there is mention made of Ephraimites Menaschites Zerachites and others which are not once named here And also the accompt was taken likely at another time after the first Record in Nehemie chap. VII 5 c. Ophel See the Observations on 2 Chron. XXVII 3. verse 21 over the businesse These for the inward businesse of the house of God verse 22 to assist it in executing their function there as those Levites ver 16. had the oversight of the outward businesse of the house of God 1 Chron. IX 15 16. and chap. XXVI 29. the Kings commandment As formerly verse 23 Ezra VI. 8 9. and Ezra VII 2 24. So here by the Kings grant to Nehemiah Villages From the inhabitants of Ierusalem verse 25 he proceeds now to the inhabitants of other Cities Villages and places and first in the tribe of Iudah ver 25 30. Then in Benjamin ver 31 36. And of the Levites Cities verse 36 and Suburbs were given to the Levites in Iudah and Benjamin for the necessary use of instructing and teaching the people Priests The chief of them chapter XII ver 7. that came up with Zerubbabel and were in the dayes of Ieshua verse 1 in number twenty two Many of these Priests are not mentioned in that Catalogue Ezra II. 36 39. and might well be there left out without blame The Levites The chief of them in the foresaid time verse 8 in number eight ver 8 9. Ieshua Catalogue or Series of the High Priests from Ieshua or Ioshua to the end of the Persian Empire verse 10 from Cyrus to Alexander the Great in six generations ver 10 11. Of these Eliashib was allied to Tobia and Ioiada to Sanballet both alients and enemies to the Jewes chap. XIII 4 5 28 29. And Iaddua the last of them hath his name inserted here by some Prophet after the dayes of Ezra and Nehemiah too specialy if Nehemiah be the man that came up with Zerubbabel as hath been said in the Observations upon the beginning of this Book See them dayes of Iojakim The sonne of Ieshua verse 12 As formerly in his fathers dayes so here in his dayes the Prime Priests that were Heads of families those in his fathers time being supposed to be now dead are set down in number twenty from ver 12. to 21. These relate to those ver 1 7. Yet the number of the Courses of the Priests appointed by David was twenty four 1 Chron. XXIV 7 18. That the number of the Priests were now but few that place Ezra VIII 15. doth import The Levites The chief Fathers of them verse 22 in the times here mentioned recorded And so to be found registred by name in the publike records so as they need not here to be set down again also the Priests They likewise so recorded and so not needful to be here recited Darius Darius Codomannus the last Persian Emperour conquered by Alexander the Great in the Book of the Chronicles 1 Chron. IX 14 15 16. seeme to be related to in these words verse 23 for these Levites in the times of these High Priests Porters See 1 Chron. XXVI and chap. IX verse 25 Nehemiah It seemes hereby that Joshuah the High Priest was
34 35 36. and chap. XXIII 16 22. Iames V. 12. See on Matth. XXIII 16 22. And againe though this maner of Speech The Lord liveth may be taken in a way of a strange asseveration only thus As surely as the Lord liveth As likewise that Gen. XLII 15. 1 Sam. I. 26. and XXV 26. Yet it goeth often in Scripture under the notion and name of an Oath as 1 Sam. XIX 6. Ier. V. 2. and chap. XII 16. And is here forbidden because God would not have his Name once in the mouth of Idolaters as not enduring to be joyned with Idols 2 Cor. VI. 15. Zeph. I. 5. Ezek. XX. 39. Of Oath see more in page 10 52 74. and upon Ier. LI. 14. And of the Maner and Ceremonies in swearing see Gen. XXIV 2. and XLVII 29. and XIV 22. Exod. VI. 8. Exod. XX. 5 15 23. Dan. XII 7. Apoc. X. 5 6. And there are divers Rites and Gestures for it in divers Countries in all ages as the raine chapter VI verse 3 as the later and former Raine in due season is mentioned Levit. XXVI 4. Deut. XXVIII 12. Ezek. XXXIV 26. The First or former Raine and the later Raine are mentioned Deut. XI 14. Jer. V. 24. so called in relation to their husbandry and the order thereof The former raine was in their Seeding time in the eighth moneth part of our October and November requisite for the bringing up of their Seed and thereupon is called the Seeds raine Esay XXX 23. And that moneth is called Bull from the abundance of raine and great showers then requisite and falling as making a Deluge Jer. III. 3. and this former raine is called Yoreh or Moreh from a word that signifieth to poure downe The later raine was in the first moneth Joel II. 23. part of our March and April for the filling of the corne then in the eare and the fitting of it for harvest whence this moneth is called Abib Exod. XIII 4. which signifieth the stalk with the eare of corne Their harvest-time for corne being commonly within the compasse of two moneths half Abib or Nisan all Jair or Zif and half Sivan And hereupon were those two Offerings of corne in the sheaf and of two loaves injoyned at the Beginning and End of harvest Levit. XXIII 10 21. Num. XXVIII 26. Deut. XVI 9 10. See my Annotations on Zech. X. 1. bread of mourners Banquets at Burials chapter IX verse 4 as well as Bridals as of mirth the one so of consolation against mourning the other See Prov. XXXI 6 7. Jer. XVI 7. Ezek. XXIV 17. Matth. IX 23. Memphiâ— verse 6 in the Original Moph And thence with the Greeks and Latines Memphis In Esay and Jermie named Moph Jer. XLIV 1. and XLVI 14 19. Likely now that Grand Cairo the Great Citie See Esay XIX 13. Ezek. XXX 13. Chap. IX 7. and Chap X. 3 4. do shew the miserable state and condition of things in those times Is true liberality of the Body of the Church of Israel in Egypt chapter XI verse 1 And true Mysticaly of the Head of the Church of Christ. Whereupon the Apostle doth allude to this place and alledge it Matth. II. 15. Jacob wept chapter XII verse 4 in wrestling and making Supplication to the Angel though his weeping be not recorded by Moses The names for Lions in Hebrew are very many chapter XIII verse 8 and distinguished in Scripture according to their ages and qualities See the Annotations on Job IV. 10 The like is true for the variety of the names of gold See the Annotattons on Job XXVIII 15 19. I did know thee Owne thee as Psal. I. ult verse 5 Exod. III. 7. Deut. XXXIV 10. Psal. XXXI 7. and XXXVII 18. and CXLII 4. Matth. VII 23. Rom. VII 15. As for that place Acts XXIII 5. Most likely it is that Paul did not know Ananias to be High Priest he being so long absent from Ierusalem and the High Priest being so often changed in those times Joel JOEL Preacheth to Iudah And by the Matter and Argument of his Book as well as by the Ranck wherein we finde him placed He seemes to Prophesie when Hosea did in the dayes of King Uzziah Yet some assigne to him a later time upon those passages chap. III. 1 9. He declareth a dreadful judgement of Famine brought upon them by a Drought and Vermine Exhorts to true Mourning Fasting and Repenting with Promises thereupon of abundant Blessings Temporal and Spiritual upon themselves and of Gods dreadful judgements and revenge upon their enemies The Armie and Camp described chap. II. is not of the Assyrians or Babylonians But of those Vermine Gods Hoast named chap. I. 4. The Valley of Jehoshaphat is not the place for the General judgement in the end of the world at Christs second coming But serves only to note out thus much That Gods judgements upon the enemies of his Church shall be visibly in her sight and before her eyes as the Valley of Jehoshaphat was nigh the walls and in the sight of Jerusalem weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar The Porch of the Temple chapter II verse 17 and the Altar of Burnt-offering in the Priests Court or inner Court where they stood to minister and officiate See Ezra X. 1. and 1 Macc. VII 38. Visions By them God of old did speak to man verse 28 and reveale his will unto him Job XXXIII 15. Particularly to his Prophets Num. XII 6. Hos. XII 10. Ezek. VII 26. So to Abraham to Jacob to Samuel 1 Sam. III. 1 15. to Esay Ezekiel and others whence Judea is called the Valley of Vision Esay XXII 1. And so to Daniel to Peter Acts X. 19. and to Paul Acts XVI 9. and XVIII 9. 2 Cor. XII 1. Yea to Balaam Num. XXIV 4. And to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. II. 28. See my Annotations on Ezek. I. 1. This whole Text And so on to the end of this Chapter is cited by Saint Peter Acts II. 16 21. and applied to his present time the Beginning of the Gospel the time immediately preceding the destruction of the Jewish Politie their Citie and Temple as being fulfilled and compleated then and there He shewes that both this effusion of the Spirit And likewise those wonders shewed in heaven and in earth so particularly mentioned had their accomplishment before that terrible day of their destruction by Vespasian and Titus about fourty years after their crucifying of our Saviour which said great and terrible day our Saviour likewise foretels and gives the dreadful signes the forerunners of it very largely in the twenty fourth Chapter of Saint Matthew as may be gathered more specialy out of ver 33 34. Vainly therefore is this pouring out of the Spirit applied to our times so farre advanced toward the end of the world to patronize our New Lights and pretended Divine illuminations our extraordinary Gifts and Inspirations poured now by the Spirit on all sorts of Christians young and old sonnes and daughters even to the sleighting and
CHOICE OBSERVATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS Upon the Old Testament Containing in them many remarkable matters either not taken notice of or mistaken by most which are Additionals to the large ANNOTATIONS made by some of the Assembly of DIVINES To which are added some further and larger OBSERVATIONS Of his upon the whole BOOK of GENESIS Perused and Attested by the Reverend BISHOP of ARMAGH And Mr. GATAKER Pastor of REDERITH By the Learned and Industrious JOHN RICHARDSON Bishop of Ardagh in Ireland one who had a considerable hand in the forenamed large ANNOTATIONS LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Beare in the Goldsmiths-Row in Cheapside Anno Dom. 1655. Reader THou art seriously to consider that the Reverend AuTHOUR did not cite Scriptures by number but weight He did not jumble Scriptures together fortuitously as too many do as Democritus did his atomes but judiciously selected out those which were most apposite And surely nothing is more helpful to the right understanding of Scripture then comparing it with it selfe do not therefore sleightly passe over his Scriptures as if they were of no moment but diligently peruse them and let it not be grievous to turne to the places cited for the marrow of this Book consists in the Authours dexterous paralleling of Scriptures together Farewell To my REVEREND and LEARNED Brother Doctor Richardson B P. OF ARDAGH IN IRELAND Right Reverend and Worthy Brother YOu know that out of that intimacy which hath ever been betwixt us from our youths I cannot be unacquainted with the course of your studies And you being now entred upon the last Scene of your life as well as I thereupon I would willingly become a Perswader of you not to let your Labours be lost and die with you but to publish some or most of them to the view of the World for the benefit of the Church The last thing I viewed of yours were your Annotations upon GENESIS having before perused your other Explanations and Observations upon the Old Testament though sleight and suddenly done as you say yet think them not unworthy of the Presse For I finde therein divers things of moment which I meet not withal in others And to prevail with you herein let this finde some place That it is the judgment and desire of Your endeared Friend and Brother JAMES ARMAGH The EPISTLE Dedicatory to the REVEREND BISHOP of ARMAGH Most Reverend and my very good Lord YOur word shall be my warrant and your desire my duty to publish my Annotations upon GENESIS together also with my Explanations and Observations upon the Old Testament yet I would be loth your Lordship should beare any share of the blame or harsh censure that may hap to passe upon them Coming abroad I know not to whom I may rather dedicate them then to him who is the cause that they see the light And the inscribing of whose name will bring lustre and credit to the Work it self however otherways but too weak and unworthy To speak much in this kinde of your selfe to your selfe suits not so well with that humility and modesty which befitteth us both And in so doing I should but light a candle before the Sunne Yet you will give me leave to enjoy and make this expression of mine own comforts which I have still derived from all those endearments wherewith you have vouchsafed to oblige and honour me even from our younger years in our joynt Educations and first Employments until now that we both are ready to leave the stage of this life My thankfulnesse for your favours may haply receive some piece of emprovement hereby And my Prayers shall still be continued for the Prolongation of your dayes to the further good and glory of the Church of God This tribute you may duly and daily expect from Your obedient Servant Suffragane and Loving Brother JOHN ARDAGH Mr. GATAKER'S EPISTLE to the Bishop of Armagh wherein is his Attestation upon the Reverend BISHOP RICHARDSONS Observations and Explanations upon the OLD TESTAMENT Right Reverend I Acknowledge my self besides many other fore-passed real fruits 〈…〉 favour much beholden to your Lordship for your late kinde 〈…〉 and the addition unto it in imparting unto me those learned and 〈…〉 Observations of that Worthy Bishop whose eminent parts I had formerly taken notice of and upon occasion given testimony of to others in his Annotations on a great part of the Prophets whereunto he herein sometime referreth himself Now albeit when your Lordship left them with me you were pleased to afford me a longer space of time for the perusal of them which I was willing to accept not knowing what leisure I should have for them in regard of some present distractions yet I could not forbear to lay hold on all opportunities to enjoy the view of them which I much thirsted after which upon serious survey I found to be answerable to my pre-conceived expectation of them and well-worthy their Authour containing in them many remarkable matters either not commonly taken notice of or mistaken by the most In the Computation of times your Lordship well knoweth and much better then my self that there are divers difficult points much disputed and debated among the grand Masters of that part of learning in which being not so exactly versed in such Accounts I dare not take upon me to determine ought I have drawn up here a short note of some things of no great moment which meeting with I stick at or have doubt of that it may appear to your Lordship that I have not slighted or laid it by me but have advisedly run it over which having dispatched I was the rather willing to return it to your Lordship by the hands of my sonne Tayler who was willing to take thereby occasion to wait upon your Lordship to present you with a sorry fruit of my fruitlesse labours which I shall intreat your Lordship to accept and to look on with a favourable eye This short list of my work and undigested thoughts your Lordship may be pleased if you shall think good and deem them worthy of his consideration to impart unto the Venerable Bishop with recommendation of my due respects and sincere affection to him whom I should be right glad to be better acquainted withal together with my humble request to him that he will pardon my boldnesse and bear with my weaknesse which in these scriblings I doubt I have too much discovered So with sincere acknowledgement of your Lordships manifold favours and my deep engagements in lieu whereof I have nothing of worth to return but thanks to you and prayers unto the Lord in whose work you labour for his gracious and powerful support of you therein I take leave craving liberty to subscribe my self Your Lordships weak and unworthy but sincere well-wisher much obliged in him THO. GATAKER Roderith June 1652. TO THE Reader THE first draught of these Observations was ready for the Presse before the Great Annotations upon
11 12 17 18 26. and Ch. XIV 22 26. And this second Tythe seems every third year to be distributed to the poor Or rather a third Tythe every third year not carried to Jerusalem and eaten there But gathered for these charitable uses onely and to be eaten any where throughout the Land Deut. XIV 28 29. and XXVI 12 13. And this third year is therefore called the year of Tything Deut. XXVI 12. Amos IV. 4. Of Tythes see more 2 Chron. XXXI 4 19. Nehem. X. 32 39. and XII 44 47. and XIII 5 12 13. Mal. III. 8 10. Luke XI 42. and XVIII 12. Heb. VII 2 9. The great maintenance of the Levites appears in that the whole Tribe of Levi being three or four times lesse in number then any other Tribe yet had they distinguished from all the Priests the Tythes of all the Tribes and so more then any one other Tribe Besides their thirty five Cities and Suburbs whereof five were Cities of Refuge Josh. XXI one belonging to the Kohathites Levites two to the Gershonites and two to the Merarites In all twice at least more Cities then some other Tribes had that were twice their number See also that Num. XXXI 30 47. The greater maintenance of the Priests appears in that being but three persons at first at least of ripe and mature age yet they had the Tythes yearly of all the Levites Tythes which were at first 8580 of thirty years old and upwards and so about the hundred part of all the fruits and increase of all Israel And as the numbers of the Priests multiplied afterwards so did in all probability the number of the other Tribes They had also all the First-fruits of all things from all persons throughout the twelve Tribes even of their doughs and bakings Deut. XVIII 4. Num. XV. 20 21. which as some think exceeded their Tythes aforesaid They had also all the First-borne of Oxen Sheep and Goats which were given to them in kinde And the Redemption money of the First-borne of Men and of unclean Beasts and cattell Num. III. 46 52. Exod. XXXIV 19. 20 and Ch. XXII 29 30. Deut. XV. 19. They had also all Oblations both Voluntary and by Vow And the Redemption of Things and of Persons Devoted to God And all Sacrifices for Sinnes and for Trespasses and the Meat and Drink Offerings and Heave-offerings And the Breast and Shoulder in Peace-offerings Deut. XVIII 3. And the Skins of the whole Burnt-offerings And all their Tythes First-fruits and Oblations were to be of the best and choisest sorts Num. XVIII 12 29. Besides these they had thirteen Cities and Suburbs and Priviledges belonging to them whereof one was a City of Refuge Josh XXI 13. See Num. XVIII 8 19. And that also Num. XXXI 28 29 37 38 39 40 50. Levit. X. 12 13 14 15. and Ch. XXVII 21 28. See the Annotations on Num. XVIII 29. Rock At Rephidim by Mount Sinai chapter XX verse 8. 13. Exod. XVII 1 7. being the eleventh Station of the Israelites Num. XXXIII 14. Moses with his miraculous Rod struck the Rock in Horeb in a due obedience to Gods commandment and waters came forth And he named the place Massah and Meribah Exod. XVII 5 6 7. But at Kadesh in the Wildernesse of Zin where Miriam died being the thirty third Station Num. XXXIII 36. Moses with Aarons miraculous Rod for he took it from before the Lord as he commanded him having his spirit provoked by the rebellious people smiles the Rock twice without any such command or commission to smite at all And he and Aaron likewise speak unadvisedly with their lips uttering words of passion and incredulity and so rebelling against Gods commandment And thereupon they not sanctifying the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel He was sanctified in them by his excluding them from entrance into the Land of Canaan And this also is called the water of Meribah or Strife as here so Ch. XXVII 14. Psal. CVI. 32 33. Aaron Aaron chapter XX verse 28 whose name may seem to signifie an Ark or Chest dies seven moneths and seven dayes before Moses at Mount Hor the Place called Mosera Deut. X 6. in the thirty fourth Station For Aaron dying in the fourtieth year fifth moneth first day Num. XXXIII 38. And that compared with the moneths mourning for Moses Deut. XXXIV 8. and three dayes preparation to passe over Jordan Josh. I. 1. and Ch. III. 2. And their coming out of Jordan on the first moneth tenth day Josh. IV. 19. Do shew that Moses died in the twelfth moneth seventh day And so seven moneths and seven dayes after Aaron In which short interval of time many and mighty things were done and atchieved as among other things Sihon and Og and their Kingdomes conquered the Midianites almost destroyed among whom Balaam was slaine Josh. XIII 22. and the book of Deuteronomie written Num. XXI and XXXI Deut. I. 1 3. Fiery Serpents onely in the later part of the fourtieth year chapter XXI verse 6 after Aarons death Heshbon Heshbon a chief City in Moab verse 26 afterwards of Sihon King of the Amorites Deut. I. 4. afterwards of Gad and out of that Tribe given to the Merarites Josh. XIII 26. and XXI 38 39 40. 1 Chron. VI. 80 81. Afterwards recovered by the Moabites and wasted by Shalmanesar Esay XV. 4. and XVI 8 9. and after by the Babylonians Jer. XLVIII 45. There may seeme to be another Heshbon of the Ammonites Jer. XLIX 2 3. And one in the Tribe of Reuben Num. XXXII 37. Josh. XIII 15 17. Heshbon signifies Devises And an allusion is made to the name Jer. XLVIII 2. in the judgement there denounced against it like to this is English There is mischief devised against the Devises the name of a town with us Balak Balak needed not to have hired Balaam chapter XXII verse 2 and feared Israel Num. XXII and XXIII and XXIV if he had known the prohibition of God to Israel Deut. II. 9. which they obeyed Judg. II. 15 17 18 25. 2 Chron. XX. 10. Yet that part which was great of the Lands of Moab which Sihon had lately conquered from Vehab King of Moab as Tremelius translates Num. XXI 26. the Israelites conquering Sihon in that right possessed it Num. XXXIII 49. Deut. I. 5. and XXXIV 1 5 6 8. and it was given to the Reubenites and Gadites Josh. XIII Unicorne So Deut. chapter XXIII verse 22 XXXIII 17. Job XXXIX 9 10. Psal. XXII 21. and XXIX 6. and XCII 10. Esay XXXIV 7. Yet the translation of the word is doubted of or at least the nature of the beast such as the Pensil of our Painters doth portray out unto us because no such beast was known or seen by any man And the Unicornes horne so deemed is of some strange Fish not of any known Beast Some learned render the word Bufale or Buff or else the wild Oxe called by the Latines Urus eminent for bignesse strength hornes and untamable fiercenesse
Advertise thee Balaam called a South-sayer chapter XXIV verse 14 Josh. XIII 22. and a Prophet 2 Pet. II. 16. gives this advertisement to Balak which seems to have a relation to that which follows in the residue of that Chapter Yet besides he gives counsel to Balak or at least after to the Midianites to draw the Israelites into sinne Num. XXXI 16. which coming so to passe He himself in his return is slaine by the sword amongst the Midianites Num. XXXI 8. in that Expedition wherein Joshuah though not named may seeme to be the General and Phineas chief of the Priests sounding Trumpets in that warre wherein 12000. Israelites not having one man slaine did yet slay five Kings of Midian or Dukes of Sihon dwelling in the Countrey as it is Josh. XIII 21. and all the males of that populous Nation save such as escaped by flight whose posterities in the dayes of Gideon came to prevaile against Israel Judg. VI. 1 2. And they took a mighty prey and booty whereout after Purifications of themselves and the Prey there was paid a tribute and portion to the Priests and a portion to the Levites and a voluntary Oblation after made by the Captaines to the Lord Num. XXXI Of the 24000. chapter XXV verse 9 that died in the Plague and stroak of Gods vengeance the 23000. mentioned 1 Cor. X. 8. likely were the vulgar sort that died in the slaughter Num. XXV 5. and the other thousand were the heads of the people hung up ver 4. without supposing any Pestilence at that time Or if by Plague Num. XXV 9. Psal CVI. 30. we understand the Pestilence then most probably the 23000. died of it and the other thousand by Hanging and Slaughter 22200. chapter XXVI verse 14 In this last numbering of the people in the Plains of Moab in the fourtieth year of their wandering in the Wildernesse Simeon was farre the least in number and Judah the most And the whole number of fighting men of the twelve Tribes after that generation died in the Wildernesse upon that judgement Numb XIV 29 35. and upon sundry other judgements besides was now 1820. lesse in number then in the former numbering at Mount Sinai thirty nine years before 23000. And so but 700 more then they were in the former numbering at Sinai Ch. III. verse 62 Being likely not altogether free from that sinne and punishment Num. XIII and XIV Sin This Wildernesse differs from Zin chapter XXXIII verse 11 ver 36. This being the eighth Station of the Israelites that of Zin the thirty third which is Kadesh where Miriam died as was said Num. XXXIII 11 36. Rephidim See the Observations on Ch. verse 14 XXVIII 8. Abarim Pluraly verse 47 Mountains being a continuation of Mountains or Hills Num. XXXIII 47. in the Confines of the Amorites and Moabites whereof the tops had several names as Nebo Pisgah Pehor But Mount Sinai was none of them being farre enough of Salt Sea Is not that Lake of Genesareth chapter XXXIV verse 3 But only that Dead Sea and Salt Sea where formerly Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim had stood Deut. XXIX 23. Hos. XI 8. Riblah Riblah in the Land of Hamath part of the East border of Canaan near the North quarter Here Pharaoh-Nechoh put Jehoahaz in bonds 2 Kings XXIII 33. And Nebuchadnezzar put King Zedekiah in bonds and put out his eyes 2 King XXV 6 7. And slew the High Priest and second Priest and the sonnes of Zedekiah and other prime men ver 18 21. Jer. LII 10 27. This Riblah seems to be that which was afterwards called Antiochia in Syria Of this see my Annotations on Ezek. XI 10 11. Chinnereth Num. XXXIV 11. Deut. III. 17. Josh. XI 2. and XII 27. and XIX 35. is called in the New Testament Genezareth Luke V. 1. which Lake is also called the Sea of Galilee Matth. IV. 18. Mark I. 16. And the Sea of Tiberias Josh. XXI 1. And absolutely the Sea Matth. XVII 27. Suburbs The Suburbs of the Cities of the Priests chapter XXXV verse 4 and Levites were 1000. Cubits from the Cities on every side And so 2000. in the limits and utmost Bounds and Borders of each Quarter East West North and South Fourty eight Cities See Josh. verse 7 XX. and XXI and 1 Chron. 6. compared together and the Great Annotations upon the said sixth Chapter Shall not be guilty The innocent man verse 27 that by meere accident against his will slew a man might yet as it seemes be lawfully slaine by the revenger of blood if he took him without the Citie of refuge Which the more shews the wrath of God against murder Onely to the family Israelites might marry wives of other Tribes chapter XXXVI verse 6 so that they were not inheritrixes of Land Num. XXXVI Yea of other Nations if they were Proselytes and not of those Nations which God expressely devoted to destruction Deut. VII 3. and XXI 10 13. Of their marriages with Heathens and mixing the holy seed See Ezra IX and X. Ch. Neh. IX 2. and X. 30. and XIII 3. 23 30. Deuteronomie DEUTERONOMIE was written in the yeare of the world not 2493. But in the year 2553. or rather 2548. thirty eight years and odde moneths from the time of the beginning of the Book of Numbers And about 1450 years before Christ's time It containes to the fifteenth Verse of the last Chapter an History of one moneth and seven dayes viz From moneth eleven day one to moneth twelve day seven at which time Moses died as hath been formerly gathered upon Aarons death See and compare together Deut. I. 3. and XXXIV 8. and Josh. IV. 19. In which short time the Book was written by Moses And besides sundry Repetitions and Explications other new Lawes given A second Edition as it were of the Covenant made with the new Generation with some other Consequences and last Acts of Moses The last Chapter of Deuteronomie was written after Moses his death As likewise the Conclusion of the Book of Jeremie was written after his Death Jer. LI. 64. and LII 31 34. And that XXXIV Chapter contains one moneth more of the Israelites mourning for the death of Moses This Book of Deuteronomie and that of the Psalmes are of chief note in the Old Testament for the Life of Religion the spiritual power of Worship and Obedience in the inner man Yet this Book of Deuteronomie seemes not to be that which was to be written very plainly upon great stones plaistered in Mount Ebal For that was the Decalogue only or those Blessings and Curses only Deut. XXVII 2 26. Josh. VIII 30 35. Nor seemes it to be this book of Deuteronomie only that was to be Copied out by the King and He to read therein all the dayes of his life Deut. XVII v. 18 19 20. Not yet seemes it to be this book only that was to be solemnly read by the Priests every seventh or Sabbatical year in the Feast of Tabernacles in the audience of
the roome of Joab 1 King II. 34 35. Of him see more 2 Sam. XXIII 20 21 22. This Benajah the son of Jehoiada of Kabzeel is called also a chief Priest or Principal Officer 1 Chron. XXVII 5. Another Benajah a Pirathonite was one of Davids thirty Worthies 2 Sam. XXIII 30. And other Benajahs there were besides that were Priests and Levites And divers of the Captaines for the twelve moneths were of the number of Davids Worthies And among the thirty were a son of Achitophel Uriah the Hittite and the armour-bearer of Joab likewise Although my house Rather thus interrogatively verse 5 And is not my house so with God Seven years Seven years of famine here propounded to David chapter XXIV verse 13 And three years 1 Chron. XXI 12. that is three more to the three years of famine for the Gibeonites 2 Sam. XXI 1. To which three so lately past And Davids sinne of numbering the people being in the fourth year which was a Sabbatical year A new addition of other three makes up seven years of famine Yet the LXX read three in 2 Sam. XXIV 13. Of Famine see more on Lam. I. 11. and II. 11 12 19 20. and IV. 4 5 8 9 10. and V. 10. Ezek. IV. 9 16. and V. 16. I. Kings THE Books of Kings do most pursue the History of the Kings of Israel during the continuance of that Kingdome They seeme to be written after their dayes 1 King IX 13 21 and X. 12. and XII 19. 2 King II. 22. and VIII 22. and X. 27. and XIV 7. and XVI 6. and XVII 23 34 41. 1 Chron. IV. 41 and V. 26. 2 Chron. XXXVI 22 23. The first Book of Kings or III. contains an History of one hundred and eighteen years viz. of Solomon And after him Of Rehoboam Abia Asa Jehoshaphat Kings of Judah Jeroboam Nadab Baasha Elah Zimri Tibni Omri and Ahab Kings of Israel Acts of Solomon Rehoboam and Abijah are written in Books of Nathan the Prophet of Shemaiah the Prophet of the Prophecie of Ahijah the Shilomite of the Visions and story of Iddo the Seer and Prophet 2 Chron. IX 29. and XII 15. and XIII 22. which are lost and never were Canonical Scripture Yet those of Solomon seeme to some to be written by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo in the beginning of the first Book of Kings 2 Chron. I. 29. Adonijah The eldest sonne then living chapter I verse 5 2 Sam. III. 3 4 Chileab or Daniel 1 Chron. III. 1. being dead as Absolon was eldest when he formerly sought the Crowne begins with a Courtly traine and Life-guard as Absolon did But gets Joab and Abiathar to joyne with him in seeking to be King And that by a fairer way then Absolon did 2 Sam. XV. 1 King I. En-Rogel Or the Well of Rogel verse 9 This was nigh Jerusalem East and by South See Josh. XV. 7. 2 Sam. XVII 17. Gihon Gihon is a Mount verse 33 and a Rivolet close on the West-side of Jerusalem See 2 Chron. XXXII 30. and XXXIII 14. Hornes of the Altar And so chap. II. 28. verse 50 The Altar whereunto Adonijah and Joab fled seemes to be not any at Jerusalem but that with the Tabernacle at Gibeon 2 Chron. I. 3 6. Fourty years And so the years of his life chapter II verse 11 seventy when he dies of age For he was thirty when he began to reigne 2 Sam. V. 4. And yet Jesse was above one hundred when he begat him See on Rahab Josh. II. And we read not of any King of Judah or Israel after David that attained to his age Onely Vzziah and Manasseh came very near it I will not say thee nay Many Promises of God and Man verse 20 have their Provisoes and are to be understood conditionally as 1 Sam. II. 30. Ezek. XXXIII 13. 1 Chron. XVII 9. and chap. XXVIII 9. 2 Chron. VI. 16. Psal. CXXXII 12. 2 Chron. VII 17 22. As Gods manifold promises of Long Life and Temporal Blessings and Deliverances And many the like And so for Threatnings and Dooms Judg. X. 13. Jonah III. 4. See my Observations on that Text of Jonah Abiathar Abiathar the fourth from Eli verse 35 of the race of Ithamar the younger brother was High Priest till Solomon put Zadok in his roome being indeed the right heir of the right line of Eleazar and Phineas 1 Chron. VI. 3 c. Num. XXV 13. High places High places called so chapter III verse 2 because mostwhat on Mountains Esay LVII 7. whence named Bamah Ezek. XX. 28 29. There they built houses of the High Places Temples Chappels Altars c. and put their Idols and Images there and decked all with Tapistry and garments of divers colours They made Priests of the High places and there they sacrificed yea sometimes their children and burnt Incense 1 King XII 31 32. 2 King XVII 29 32. Ezek. XVI 16 17 18 24 25 31. Ier. XIX 5. The High places of Heathen Idolaters were alwayes abominable These High places God commands the Israelites to destroy and quite pluck down Num. XXXIII 52. While the Ark and Tabernacle were parted one from the other and both from Shiloh and removed from place to place till the building of the Temple and there fixed and setled We read of High places lawfully resorted to and used by Samuel 1 Sam. IX 12 13 14 19 25. and by others chap. X. 5 12 13. And not much unlawfully by these here 1 King III. 2 3. And Gibeon it self when the Tabernacle and Altar were there is called the Great High place 1 King III. 4. But when the Temple was since built then all other High places for Gods solemneworship and Ceremonial Services were counted abominable And in this sin the ten Tribes after the division of the Kingdomes by Ieroboam continualy abounded They made houses and Priests of High places in Mountains and in all the Cities of Samaria and their Altars were as heaps in the furrows of the fields 1 King XIII 32. Hos. XII 11. Yea and Solomon himself afore that in his later dayes fearfully offended in this kinde 1 King XI 7. 8. And Iudah it self fell into this sin even in Rehoboams reigne 1 King XIV 23. And in after-times They built High places to Baal and to the Idols of neighbouring Nations 2 Chr. XXV 14. in Tophet in the Valley of the sonne of Hinnom on Mount Olivet in Hierusalem in all the Cities of Iudah and in every street of the Cities Micah I. 5. 1 King XIV 23. Ier. VII 31. and XIX 5. and XXXII 35. Ezek. XVI 16 31. And this specialy in the reignes of Ahaz Ioram and Manasseh And in the reignes of divers good Kings of Iudah as Ioash Amatziah Vzziah Iotham it is recorded as a blemish in them That they did not take away the High places but the people sacrificed and burnt Incense in them Of good Asa it is said that he did and he did not take them away 1 King XV. 14 2 Chron. XV. 17. And so of
him a free Collection verse 16 and what he can get and gather by it not lawfull to impose Artaxerxes gives Ezra the Priest a grant and power for an immunity of the Clergy verse 24 and for setting and appointing Civil Magistrates and Judges See the Observations on 1 Chron. XXVI 29. Males In all chapter VIII verse 14 1496. Ahava A river verse 15 ver 21 31. a few dayes journey distant from Babylon in the way to Jerusalem ver 15 17 21. 31. Levi Levites here distinguished from the Priests verse 17 chap. VII 7. Casiphia Not very farre from Ahava verse 17 but farre enough from the Caspian Sea Nethinims See the Observations on Josh. verse 20 IX 23. a Fast A good patterne here verse 21 See the Annotations on Joel I. 14. and on Jonah III. 5. Talents See the Observations on Exod. XXXVIII 24. verse 26 fine Copper precious as Gold Rare this verse 27 and so but two of them in the chambers Divers of the Chambers on the sides or walls of the Temple verse 29 were for Treasuries to keep the holy treasures appertaining to the Temple and service of God their daughters Of marriages with Heathens chapter IX verse 2 see the Observations on Num. XXXVI 6. yea more it may seeme they put away their own wives to take these Mal. II. 11. 13. weeping Weeping in Prayer chapter X verse 1 twise here So 2 Kings XX. 3. and XXII 19. Num. XXV 6. Judg. XX. 23 26. and XXI 2. 1 Sam. I. 10. and VII 6. 2 Kings XX. 3. Heb. V. 7. Psal. VI. 8. and XXXIX 12. a Covenant Covenants much used between God and his People verse 3 Gen. VI. 18. and XV. 18. and XVII 2. Deut. V. 2. Josh. XXIV 24. 2 Kings XI 17. and XXIII 3. 2 Chron. XV. 12. and XXIX 10. Neh. IX 38. Esay LIX 21. and such as were borne of them If the mothers continued Heathens and did not turne Proselytes their children were not to be reputed as free-borne sons in the number of Gods people yet the fathers were to have a fatherly care of them for maintenance and education forfeited According to that power given to Ezra chap. VII 26. verse 8 separated By excommunication as John IX 22 34. or by banishment chap. VII 26. ninth moneth twentieth day Therefore the Proclamation verse 9 ver 7 8 was on the ninth moneth seventeenth day about the beginning of our December of one day or two But of three moneths verse 13 ver 16 17. Our Rulers of all the Congregation Such as Deut. XVII 9. verse 14 In semblance whereof in after ages they builded their Sanedrin and great Councel examine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word beside all ordinary forme of Grammer verse 16 And the like is again Psal. X. 15. sonnes of Jeshua of the High Priests race which haply made the High Priest absent himself in this action verse 18 ver 15. All these Seventeen Priests verse 44 Of the Levites Singers and Porters ten of all other Tribes eighty six In all one hundred and thirteen as the great Annotations count them Nehemiah THE Book of Nehemiah is the last Book and History of the Old Testament mentioning matters after Malachi It containes an History of one hundred and twenty years or thereabout reckoning from the twentieth of Artaxerxes Longimanus when Nehemiah began chap. II. 1. to the days of Jaddua two years before the period of the Persian Empire chap. XII 11 22. Some make it about fifty five reckoning so from the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon to the period of the Persian Empire The two maine and differing reckonings then of the years of the two Books of Ezra and Nehemie joyntly considered stand thus Reckoning as some do to Ezra one hundred fourty six and to Nehemie fifty five the summe of both comes to two hundred and one But rather reckoning to Ezra seventy two and to Nehemie one hundred and twenty the summe of both doth arise to one hundred ninety two Thus the difference between these two reckonings of both Books joyntly amounteth to nine years If this Nehemiah be the same that came up with Zerubbabel and Jeshua mentioned Ezra II. 2. Neh. VII 7. and writ this Book then Nehemiah must needs be a very old man And that passage ch XII 10 11. mentioning Jaddua the High Priest must needs be inserted by some other Prophet since his dayes And much more since the dayes of Ezra For Jaddua lived till the dayes of Alexander the Great and met him coming into Jerusalem which is the very last Historical Passage and Record of the Old Testament For Psalm XLIV And LXXIV conceived by some to be penned in the dayes of Antiochus Epiphanes carrie no sure ground for such an after-date And surely so many years as include the whole continuance of the Persian Empire and more do far passe the date of one mans life in that age of the world Yet that Nehemiah might well reach to the 32. year of Artaxerxes Longimanus which is the last passage of this Book setting that of Jaddua aside However many make this Nehemiah this famous Governour to be another Nehemiah of younger and later years then he Ezra II. 2. This Nehemiah came to his Government when Eliashib the Grand-childe of Jeshua or Joshua or Jehoshua was High Priest chap. III. 1. and XII 10. The whole time of his Government is set down chap. II. 1. and chap. V. 14. and chap. XIII 6. The first time was twelve years And the twelve first Chapters of his Book mention the things that were done by him in the first year only of those twelve The second time of his Government is contained in the last chapter And the beginning and durance of it is uncertaine yet long it was as may be gathered out of chap. XIII 28. See the Observations on that Text. And it was The first particle may seeme to joyne this Book to that of Ezra chapter I verse 1 And some Translatours give this Book the title of the second Book of Esdras as supposing Ezra to be the sacred Penman of both though Nehemiah be brought in usualy speaking in his own person Chisleu About our November Shushan Shushan signifying a Lillie in the Greek a Fountaine or Well in that Countrey language The chief Citie in Persia the winter Mansion of the Persian Monarchs See Ezra VI. 2. Esther I. 2. Dan. VIII 2. the wall Ever since the ruine made by Nebuchadnezzar verse 3 Nisan which is the Hebrew Abib chapter II verse 1 about our March the vernal equinoctial Artaxerxes Longimanus thirteene years after Ezra chap. VII 7. I took up His waiting-course being then come four moneths after Hanani his coming chap. I. 1 2. prayed Nehemiah his Prayer verse 4 by ejaculation like that of Moses Exod. XIV 15. And specialy his zeale in the building chap. IV. 16 17 23. and V. 11. And his speed chap. VI. 15. And his courage against all oppositions chap. IV. and chap. VI. And his care for the needy
the former Decree could not be reverst nor this new one being sealed with the Kings Seal See Ch. I. 19. third moneth Two moneths and ten dayes after Hamans Decree verse 9 chap. III. 12. The Lots were cast in the first moneth and twelfth year of Ahasuerus chap. III. 7. And the Decree issued out the thirteenth day of that moneth ver 12. And did stretch even to the Jews in Jury ver 6 8 13. And the execution of it was to be on the thirteenth day of Adar the twelfth moneth following But the Edict on their behalf issued forth on the twenty third day of the third moneth Sivan i. e. two moneths and ten dayes after Hamans bloody Edict Sivan Whereunto our May most answereth and unto the Jewes Whom it so much concerned crown of gold See chap. verse 15 VI. 8. became Jewes Proselytes verse 17 turned to their Religion as sought their hurt As assaulted them chapter IX verse 2 so as they were on the defensive part and stood for their lives chap. VIII 11. and chap. IX 16. smote all their enemies Wonder that they durst rise against the Jewes verse 5 considering the minde and power of the King and Queen and Mordecai for them see ver 3. in Shushan These likely of Hamans faction verse 6 eager set to revenge his death and downfal to do tomorrow It may be necessity to preserve the lives of the Jewes in Shushan verse 13 against such as might seek an opportunity hereafter to revenge the blood of Haman his sonnes and others that were slaine might move her to this Petition so to rid their hands of all their enemies 75000 It argues a great height of malice against the Jewes verse 16 That Hamans ten sonnes and others in Shushan even on a second day and so many in all the Kings Provinces durst so assault the Jewes that in their own defence they killed in all seventy five thousand eight hundred likely most Amalekites considering the Kings Edict for the Jewes and the power of the Queene and Mordecai with the King as hath been said yet the Jewes laid not their hands on the prey and spoile though granted to them by the King chap. VIII 11. chap. IX 10 15 16. to shew they did it not for covetousnesse but to preserve their own lives Mordecai wrote Some extend this to the whole Book verse 20 but more likely it relates to the point of Deliverance and ordaining the Feasts ver XXIII 29. And herein the power of the Church is seene in Ordaining set annual Feasts ver 27. 29 31. And so for Fasts Zech. VII Purim i. e. Lots verse 26 Of Lots see the Annotations on Jonah I. 7. the matters of the fastings verse 31 and their cry The occasions that were given of their fastings and cries by which they obtained such a blessing Some take this as a part of the Ordinance and Decree to fast on the thirteenth day And alledge for it the practise of the Jewes to this day in the Book Some publick record verse 32 a tribute We read of a release chapter X verse 1 chap. II. 18. whether the Jewes by Mordecai's means were released of this Tribute the Scripture expresseth not Job THE Book of Job is a true History accompanied fully with all the circumstances of a true History from first to last and attested Ezek. XIV 14. and Jam. V. 11. This Book is written in the judgement of some in Prose to chap. III. v. 3. In Verse thence to chap. XLII ver 6. And then again concludes in Prose thence to the end Job lived most likely when the Israelites were in Egypt His age being one hundred and fourty years after his Affliction was ended and he having seven sonnes and three daughters and being the greatest of all the men of the East before his Affliction began Job XLII 16. and I. ver 2 3. Jobs patience is wonderful and so highly commended by the holy Ghost Jam. V. 11. His Impatience too much accused as by his friends then so by some others now not weighing the burden of his Afflictions outward and inward from heaven earth and hell and withal his fair clearing of God and his justice and his full acknowledgement of his owne sinfulnesse though not of that Hypocrisie wherewith his friends did falsely charge him chap. VII 20 21. and IX 2 3. 14 15 20 21. and XIII 26. and XIV 17. and XXVII 5 6. and XXXI 6. 33 35 36 37. and XXIII 10. and XIII 15. and IX 12. Jobs three friends most likely were of the posterity of Abraham viz. Eliphaz and Zophar of the posterity of Esau Gen. XXXVI 11 40. Bildad of Abrahams race by Ketura Gen. XXV 2. 1 Chron. I. 32. And Elihu the fourth of the race of Nahor Abrahams brother Gen. XXII 21. Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar speak in order one after another Eliphaz and Bildad thrice Zophar twice To every one of which Jobs Answers are annexed and interposed Elihu speaks after they ceased without any answer made by Job to him Jehovah speaks last of all And Orders all Uz Uz in Idumea chapter I verse 1 or Arabia bordering upon it So called from Uz the sonne of Dishan of the linage of Seir Gen. XXXVI 28. Of this we read Lam. IV. 21. Jer. XXV 20. Or in that part of Arabia the Desert near to Chaldea where Job had such bad neighbours the Chaldeans on the one side and the Sabeans on the other chap. I. 15. 17. We read of Kings of the Land of Uz Jer. XXV 20. And of Uz the grandchilde of Shem Gen. X. 22 23. And of Vz the sonne of Nahor Abrahams brother Gen. XXII 21. three thousand Camels When God blessed his latter end verse 3 he had six thousand Camels chap. XLII 12. a wondrous number for one man They were numerous and of much use in the Eastern Countries Fifty thousand taken from the Hagarites 1 Chron. V. 20 21. The Midianites used very great multitudes of them in warre and put ornaments and chains of gold about their necks Judg. VII 12. and chap. VIII 21 26. Some of them were swift all for burden with bunches on their backs fit for that purpose but not fit to go through the eye of a needle David himself had a special officer only over his Camels 1 Chron. XXVII 30. East Whither Abraham sent his sonnes Gen. XXV 6. and sanctified them Sent to them verse 5 requiring them to fit and prepare themselves by all means in an holy maner to come and joyne with him in offering a sacrifice for them and their sinnes See Num. X 1. 18. Exod. XIX 10. Josh. III. 5. and chap. VII 13. 2 Chron. XXIX 5. continualy On those dayes when their feasting was gone about the sonnes of God The good Angels verse 6 Job XXXVIII 7. to present themselves See 1 Kings XXII 19. This is spoken after the maner of men as Rom. III. 5. among them Not that Satan comes into Heaven The similitude is taken from earthly Kings escaped
properties and qualifications stand in awe and sinne not Ephes. IV. 26. verse 4 Be anrgy and sinne not And that sense the word here used will bear David speaking thus to his friends Let not your indignation and just resentment of these scandals and confusions in my sufferings proceed to a sinful murmuring against God but consider of it wisely in your most retired thoughts and be silent contented and quiet into thy house chapter V verse 7 So farre as it was lawful for David toward thy holy Temple And so David Psal. XXVII 4. and XXIX 9. and LXV 4. and LXVIII 29. and CXXXVIII 2. And yet in Davids dayes the Temple was not built He minded that which after his dayes he knew presently should be And meane time he stiles the Arke or Tabernacle by the name of the Temple See the Observations on Exod. XXXIII 7. rebuke me not Psal. chapter VI verse 1 XXXVIII 1. heale me David was in some soar sicknesse at this time verse 2 bed to swim See the Observations on Josh. XI 4. verse 6 If I have done this Whereof Cush Sauls Courtier or Favourite chapter VII verse 3 one of his Tribe doth falsely accuse me return thou on high To ascend verse 7 and set thy self on thy high tribunal and judgement-seat 1 Kings X. 19. And this to judge for me and against Cush as it followeth in the rest of the Psalme Out of the mouth This is alluded to Mat. chapter VIII verse 2 XXI 16. What is man This verse 4 and ver 5 6. are applied to Christ by the Apostle Heb. II. 6 9. 1 Cor. XV. 27. Ephes. I. 22. so taking in both Christ the head and mankinde specialy the faithful as members shewing thereby that mysticaly and propheticaly in these words is intimated the humiliation and exaltation of the man Christ Jesus O thou enemie A kinde of scoff and derision chapter IX verse 6 whereby David upbraids him for his bloody designes and threats Know thy name will Know experimentaly verse 10 practicaly verse 20. in all their hearts and souls in themselves as the phrases of Scripture are Josh. XXIII 14. 1 Sam. VI. 9. Heb. X. 34. Of this knowledge is that Iohn XVII 3. and 1 Iohn II. 3 4 5. and chap. III. 19 24. and chap. IV. 6 7 8 13. and chap. V. 2. 18 19. 20. Noëtical speculative knowledge swimming only in the braine and not sinking into the heart is none of this knowledge till thou finde none Rid the world of them chapter X verse 15 and their sinnes at once flee a bird 1 Sam. chapter XI verse 1 XXVI 19. If the foundations In Church and Kingdome verse 3 what can He help but suffer in such a general ruine The fool Psal. chapter XIV verse 1 X. 4. and LIII 1. The three first verses of this Psalme are by Saint Paul applied to all mankinde in general in the state of the Fall and natural corruption Rom. III. 10 11 12. usury Of this see Exod. chapter XV verse 5 XXII 25. Levit. XXV 36 37. Deut. XXIII 19 20. Neh. V. 17. Levit. XXVIII 8. And the Annotations on Ezek. XVIII 8. and XXII 12 13. Mat. XXV 27. that hasten Or give gifts to another god chapter XVI verse 4 See Ezek. XVI 33 34. The true God needs them not ver 2. But false gods do which gifts do redound in the end to the dammage and sorrowes of the givers their drink-offerings of blood Their Offerings and Sacrifices of mans blood The drink-offerings to the true God were of wine according to his Law Num. XV. 5. But Idolaters in stead thereof did many times offer mans blood Pauls readinesse to be offered Phil. II. 17. 2 Tim. IV. 6. imports no more then his willingnesse to die and spend his blood for Christs cause and the good of his Church and people their names See the Observations on Josh. XXIII 7. I have set the Lord Acts II. 25 31. verse 8 and XIII 35 37. David speaks here of himself in this regard as having Christ in his loins in a Prophetical spirit relating to Christ. right hand Psal. CIX 31. CX 5. CXXI 5. not be moved Psal. CXVIII 6. CXXXV 1. Rom. VIII 31 c. my glory My tongue verse 9 Acts II. 26. Psal. XXX 12. and LVII 8. and CVIII 2. Gen. XLIX 6. my flesh also As Rom. VIII 19. 21. my soul in hell A Prophesie of Christs Resurrection verse 10 David speaks here in the Person of Christ. Soul Sometimes is taken properly sometimes improperly for the whole person of man Gen. XIV 12. Acts XXVII 37. sometimes for the life of the person sometimes for the body Gen. XVII 21. sometimes for the dead carkasse Levit. XIX 28. and XXI 1 2. Num. VI. 6. and V. 2 9 10. Hag. II. 14. And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken also Here my soul i. e. my self hell the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for the grave Psal. CXLI 7. and LXXXVI 13. and XXX 13. and LV. 15. Gen. XXXVII 35. and XLII 3. 1 Kings II. 6 9. Num. XVI 30. Jonah II. 1 2. Not for a place of souls under the earth See Doctor Rainolds Praelect 81. 82. upon the Apocryphal books and Robert Parker upon Christs Descent into hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken for death or the state of the dead for the place invisible for the grave in relation to the body Acts II. 27. And in relation to the soul for heaven to the godly soul as in our Creed and for Hell to the soul ungodly and so most usualy Christs soul did not descend to the lower parts or that imaginary place of Limbus Patrum This place here meant is a place of punishment and therefore it is mentioned as a mercy that Christ was thence delivered Christs soul was not therefore there in triumph The scope of the Apostles in citing this place is not to deale about the deliverance of Christs soul out of Hell but punctualy of Christs Resurrection They inferre nothing else out of this Text. But Resurrection is properly of the Body not of the Soul Gehenna is sometimes taken for the Grave and most-times further for Hell it self The true meaning and sense of the Article of Christs Descent into Hell as the Latines very improperly translate the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemes to be thus rendered rather he went into the place of invisible souls and to be understood of Christs Soul for his body remained in the Grave And his soul in that interim to passe to the place of souls to Heaven or Paradise as the souls of the godly did and his principaly As the souls of the wicked went to Hell For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a general name doth certainly and evidently signifie both places And thus the Articles go on methodicaly without any tautologie That after Christs death his body was buried in the Grave his Soul went to the place of blessed souls and the third day both soul and body were
due order without any other letter or verse interposed cease from anger Upon unjust causes verse 8 in an unjust maner and measure Ephes. IV. 31. yet in it self lawful Ephes. IV. 26. Mark III. 5. A little Prov. XV. verse 16 16. and XVI 8. and X. 22. Eccl. IX 7. I have been young This was Davids experience in his time verse 25 It followes not to be so in all ages to bring to remembrance That he might remember Gods chastisement upon him for his sinne chapter XXXVIII or that God might remember him to help and deliver him out of it lest otherwise A like argument or expression God useth verse 16 Deut. XXXII 27. to Jeduthun Or for him chapter XXXIX and his posteritie 1 Chron. XXV 3. So Psal. LXXVII title Even from good Not much unlike that idiotisme and expression verse 2 Gen. XXXI 29. Num. XXIII 25. the fire burned See Jer. XX. 9. Job XXXII 18 19. verse 3 a moath The moath is suddenly crushed verse 11 Job IV. 19. and doth insensibly consume a garment Job XIII 28. Hos. V. 12. That this Psalme should wholly be understood of Christ chapter XL excluding David may seeme not so safe and warrantable I waited They are Davids words throughout this Psalme verse 1 Yet he being in some things a Type of Christ and was to be the Father of Christ according to the flesh he useth some words propheticaly of Christ speaking them as in the person of Christ which are directly applyed to Christ by the Apostle Heb. X. 7 8 9. and heard my cry Thus from experience of mercie formerly received in Gods hearing his Prayers and delivering him from deepest dangers in the former part of the Psalme he strengthens his faith in Prayer for obtaining like mercie and deliverance in the later part of the Psalme so as there is no shew of opposition or contradiction between the beginning and ending of it an horrible pit Not that imaginarie Limbus Patrum verse 2 nor that state of sinne before regeneration whereunto their own preparatorie dispositions to their conversion did availe and prevaile whiles they were in that state of sinne to their deliverance out of it by merit of congruity But this pit is the depth of miseries the evils of punishments the gulph of temporal afflictions wherein David was plunged after his conversion and the graces of faith hope and invocation appearing in him ver 1. a new song For new benefits and deliverances verse 3 and those such and so new as the like were scarce heard of before many shall Psal. XXXII 6. fear and shall trust These two conjoyned in a pious soul fear and faith a reverent fear and trust in Gods mercie Psal. CXXX 4. unto our God To god and Christ. his trust Whose sure mercie to them is such verse 4 as we read 1 Tim. IV. 10. Deut. I. 31. and XXXII 10 11 12. John III. 16. Many O Lord my God David speaking to God and Christ verse 5 if not in the person of Christ as his Type with admiration of his infinite goodnesse and mercy towards man and in ordering the meanes of his salvation So that he riseth up now to a more general admiration of Gods wonderful works and thoughts towards his and of the number quantity and quality of them Sacrifice Christs words verse 6 Heb. X. 5. So that these words and the next are spoken unto God in the person of the Messias who was to come of the seed of David Heb. X. 5 6 7. See the like before XVI 10. David having spoken in the former verse of Gods wonderfull works and thoughts towards mankinde doth in this maner in the words of the Messias rise up to the very highest of them all in these two verses For Sacrifices see my Table of them in Leviticus not desire Jer. VII 22. Hos. VI. 6. Prov. XXI 3. 1 Sam. XV. 22. Psal. L. 5 16. Matth. XII 7. Mark XII 33. And Christ was now to put an end to them Dan. IX 27. as not able in themselves to purge away sinne Heb. X. 4. Therefore God desired them not simply of themselves without inward piety concurring as the very life and soul of them Or in comparison of the spiritual worship of God or in comparison of that al-sufficient Sacrifice of Christ which he was to offer in the body of his flesh Heb. X. 1 4. Rom. VIII 3 4. After which these Legal Typical Sacrifices were to be abolished as was said And that Sacrifice of Christ one offered never to be reiterated Heb. IX and X. chapters contrary to that blasphemous sacrifice of Christ in the Popish Masse mine ears hast thou opened Digged open or peirced made me obedient to thy voice or bored to make me thy servant for ever in allusion to the Law Exod. XXI 6. For these words here we read Heb. X. 5. but a body hast thou prepared me or fitted me Wherein the Apostle either followeth the LXX or cites not the words but the sense Rom. VIII 3. Phil. II. 7. it being the same both wayes in issue Besides that varieties of readings in both places are alledged out of ancient Copies by the learned Papists themselves deny not this text to be incorrupt The Apostle faithfuly retaining the sense and scope of the place without tying himself to the letter of the words in his quotation The variation is but a change of the figurative phrase into a proper to expresse the ready obedience of Christ to do the will of his Father in the work of the redemption of mankind John V. 30. VI. 38. and IV. 34. whereunto by framing him a body God had fitted him Sinne-offering Heb Sinne. Put often in the Law for the Sinne-offering So Levit. IV. 3. 24. Exod. XXIX 14. In which sense Christ is called Sinne 2 Cor. V. 21. Then said I verse 7 Lo I come When thou hadst so fitted me Mark X. 32 33 34. In the volume or Scroll rowled up Jer. XXXVI 2. Ezek. II. 9. The Volume of the Law and Scripture Luke XXIV 27 44. John V. 39. of the Book Sepher or Book generaly signifies any writings Court-rools c. Deut. XXIV 1. 2 Kings V. 5 6. Jer. XXXII 11. it is written of me So Christ himself saith Matth. XXVI 24 John V 46. See Luke XXIV 44 46. Acts XIII 29. I delight Luke XXII 15. Heb. X. 10. to do thy will Heb. X. 10. John VI. 38. Luke XXII 42. In all things to be performed by me in my flesh which are required by thee for the redemption and salvation of man even to my obedience in suffering the death of the Crosse Phil. II. 8. Thus Christ in regard of his humane nature was truly lesse then the Father John XIV 28. was subject to him his will to the will of his Father took upon him the forme of a servant Phil. II. 7. was truly a servant Esay XLII 1. obeyed the mandates of the Father John XII 49. and XIV 31. and XV. 10. Being our Surety was made under
God The beginning of their song verse 26 or part of their praise from the fountain of Israel Ye that flow from that fountain are of that progeny Esay XLVIII 2. Deut. XXXIII 28. Deut. V. 15 18. There is Both those near verse 27 and those a farre off meet and joyne in this praising of God See Psal. LX. 9. little Benjamin The youngest sonne of Iacob and least Tribe since their fatal blow Iudg. XX. and contesting most for Sauls house against David Yet he here one if not first among them And all the rest likewiseâ—joyne ruler Of the enemies or rather of the Benjamites but no way of the other Tribes Thy God He petitions for strength and growth of blessings verse 28 as God had formerly begun to work for them hath commanded So Deut. XXVIII 8. Psal. CXXXIII 2. XLII 8. and XLIV 4. and LXXI 3. See Psal. XXXIII 9. Matth. VIII 8 9. thy strength The strength of the King and of the people Because of thy Temple Because of thy Promises made to thy Church verse 29 and thy presence at thy Temple Ark and Tabernacle therefore thou wilt grant and do according to the foresaid Petition Shall Kings David and his successors shall therefore with all grateful and thankful acknowledgement worship thee Rebuke He petitions against the adversaries of the Church verse 30 proud cruel and malitious Rebuke them in word and deed The meaning is contained in the last words of the verse the company of spear-men Of enemies armed with Lances and Spears or Reeds fitted and used for Spears or arrowes as the maner of those times was buls with the calves The robustick and strong enemies with the rest of the rude and Epicurish multitude Psal. XXII 12. Amos. IV. 1. submit himself with pieces of silver Though hypocriticaly Or rather that glories and vaunts himself in his brave attire embroydered with pieces of silver and out-braves and tramples upon others or is so rich as he seemes to tread silver under foot yet indeed trusts in it and boast himself of it And such usually though unprovoked delight to break forth into warre and wrong-doing such enemies of thy people rebuke and break Princes Prophesying of the calling of the Gentiles to Christ verse 31 he exhorteth them to praise God Ephes. III. 5 6. Esay XLIX 6. and LXVI 19. stretch out her hands In prayer in offerings in way of subjection a mighty voice Psal. XXIX His thunder verse 33 Heb. IV. 11. Ascribe Adds arguments for Gods praise verse 34 terrible To be had in reverence in the assembly of his Saints verse 35 and dreadful to his enemies faile while I waite The constancie and earnestnesse of Davids hope and expectation chapter LXIX verse 3 For the zeale of thine house Literaly true in David verse 9 Psal. XXVII 8. Principaly true in Christ the Sonne of David and to him applied by his disciples John II. 15 16 17. And so are the later words of this verse by the Apostle Rom. XV. 3. They gave me also gall Verified in our Saviour verse 21 and in relation had to this text John XIX 28 29. Let their table This used by David against his enemies verse 22 applyed by the Apostle against the Jewes in his time Rom. XI 9. Let their habitation That which David speaketh here of his enemies verse 25 and as Type of Christ of Christs enemies Saint Peter applieth to Judas the traitor Acts I. 20. blotted out Phil. IV. 3. Apoc. III. 5. Luke X. 20. Heb. XII 23. verse 28 Of Imprecations see the Observations on Psal. CIX 14 15. Sion The Type of the Church verse 36 inherit it Under the temporal promises of the Land of Canaan verse 35 are comprehended the promises of life everlasting to the faithful and their posterity Psal. CII 28. to the true Israel of God the true members of the Church Esay XLIV 26. for to bring to remembrance For to record chapter LXX See the Title of Psal. XXXVIII Both Psalmes are not to remember any notable deliverance or benefit already received But rather a time and case of affliction and distresse For the matter of both shew that they were inspired in such a time and do make earnest petition for deliverance to deliver me This Psalme is in a maner the same with Psal. XL. 13 17. verse 1 Cause me to escape Likely from Absalom chapter LXXI verse 2 For this Psalme may seem to be penned by David though his name be not in the Title and in his old age God This word is Jehovih verse 5 that is with the vowels of Elohim So again verse 16. and Psal. LXVIII 20. And so it is usually written when as I have said Adonai goeth before it or next followeth it At other times having the vowels of Adonai it is pronounced Lord. See 2 Sam. VII 18 19 20. a wonder Esay VIII 18. verse 7 Heb. II. 13. Zech. III. 8. and 1 Corinth IV. 9. even of thine only not mine owne verse 16 which is none to thine quicken me again verse 20 and shalt bring me up Me me in the Hebrew margin but us us in the text For Solomon Made by David for him chapter LXXII verse ult by David in his old age The like inscription is Psal. CXXVII This Psalme is composed as in the name of the Church And contains a Prayer a Praise and a Prophesie of the just peaceable righteous merciful plentiful flourishing estate and large extent and bounds of the Kingdome of Solomon set out indeed with some hyperbolical expressions scarcely appliable to him or to any mortal man So as Solomon may be the immediate object of the words he literaly intended in them But yet he so as a Type of Christ and of his Kingdome who is in truth the maine subject of this Psalme For all in a mystical sense is appliable to Christ more truly then to Solomon appliable to him in a spiritual sense exactly without any hyperbole For Solomon see that 2 Sam. VII 14. c. For Christ see that Heb. I. 5. And that passadge Psal. LXXXIX 19 37. is not unlike the subject matter of this Psalme This premised may serve to clear the hardest places of this Psalme The prayers Psalmes verse 20 Hymnes Songs are ended As the like is said of Davids words 2 Sam. XXIII 1. The one may be as an Appendix of the other This his last Prayer though not placed in the last place Or the last of those that David set in order before his death or the last in this second part or book of the Psalmes as they are all divided into five parts Or his last touching Solomon and his prophesying of Christ and his Kingdome So various may our thoughts and interpretations be and so uncertaine and unsafe to pitch and fixe upon any single one Truly The Psalmist premiseth this chapter LXXIII verse 1 as his undoubted ground against all conflicting doubts as a pacificatory protestation before this his contesting plea Touching the prosperity of the wicked and his
had owned him 2 Sam. VII 14. and chosen him for King before any of his elder brethren His mother thus stiles him as mothers many times do frame affectionate titles with some smal variations to insinuate with their children she breaks off the first letter of his name and adds in the end the name of God his mother taught him Lemuels lesson taught him by Bathsheba and if taught him haply being King then upon his beginning to warp and wander He was taught likewise by his father ch IV. 3 4. Ps. CXXVII and LXXII Both which heighten his after-fall as well as that 1 Kings XI 9. These words and Prophetical documents may seeme to be penned down by Lemuel himself afterwards What my sonne Passionate verse 2 and affectionate words a sweet schooling out of a fear and jealousie conceived and a care had to prevent his miscarrying thy strength to women Chap. verse 3 V. 9. Deut. XVII 17. to drink wine Chap. XXIII 29 30. verse 4 Ephes. V. 18. Hos. VII 5. Esay V. 11. Hab. II. 15 16. Eccles. X. 16 17. Lest One verse 5 amongst many of the mischiefs of drunkennesse in Kings and Princes chap. XXIII 29 35. and wine to those Jer. XVI 7. verse 6 Good things well used Hence as some conceive arose the custome of giving wine to such as were condemned to die as Mark XV. 23. Whereunto some apply that of Amos II. 8. and forget Judg. verse 7 IX 13. Psal. CIV 15. for the dumb Chap. XXIV 11 12. verse 8 such as may not or cannot speak for themselves Iob XXIX 15 16. Ier. XXXVIII 8 9. and plead Levit. XIX 15. Deut. I. 17. Psal. LXXII 4. verse 9 a vertuous woman Chap. XII 4. 1 Cor. XI 7. verse 10 Her praise is set forth all along to the end of this Chapter And that methodicaly beginning every verse with a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet as it stands in order Such a woman as this is the female glorie the wonder of woman-kinde amiable and admirable as the paragon of the world A faire patterne for Solomons choise in a wife But a lesson ill learned by him a worse practised In this large Description the whole Text needs not any Glosse Ecclesiastes THis is the Book of Solomons Repentance written in his old age as may seeme to be gathered both out of the Title of the Book and the Closure of it in the six last verses and also out of the whole Body of it Being written upon a serious view of the Passages and practises of his life past and the great and manifold Experiences he had made and found therein His maine businesse is a curious search after true Felicitie and real Contentation And upon his search and experience he doth finde and pronounce That in order thereunto all things under the Sunne were but vanitie of vanities and vexation of spirit and for such experimented by him though the same improved by humane wisdome in him to the utmost Chap. II. 3 9. This he shews in a large maner in sundry sorts in many particular vanities under the Sunne principaly in humane wisdome and knowledge humane labours industries and endeavours in Delights and Pleasures of all kinds in Honours Greatnesse and Power in Riches and Possessions and in the utter insufficiencie that is in all these to extract from them or the quintessence of them any true happinesse or from any other sublunarie thing or creature whatsoever He seemes to speak sometimes in the person and according to the carnal reasonings of the Atheist and Epicure as reciting their opinions with their arguments yet he avers the truth of God against them and the just and wise course though to us secret hid and unsearchable of his Providence Administration and government of all the events issues accidents and affairs of this life in relation both to the just and to sinners even in things befalling in common to both of them He giveth sundry sound remedies to abate and heale the said Vanities He speaks much for Wisdome and against Folly And prescribes many good Rules for better things for procuring tranquillity unto the mind and peace and comfort to the life of a man eftsoones minding and mentioning among other things a chearful fruition and enjoyment of the outward Blessings and Comforts of this Life with gladnesse contentation and thankfulnesse as from the hand of God And lastly in the twelfth Chapter he concludes That in Old age elegantly described by him and at Death It will appear That to Fear God and Keep his Commandments is the whole of man both the whole Dutie and Felicitie of Man the one and only thing wherein it consisteth The words Solomons Ethicks verse 1 his Sapiential Tractate of the Sovereign good chapter I his Retractations and Penitential Sermon his Experiments of the Preacher Or of a preaching soul. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being Foeminine hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul understood The penitent convert gathering himself to the Church He again gives himself this title chap. I. 2 12. and VII 27. and XII 8 9 10. Yet in those places it is construed with a Masculine And so the foeminine is sometimes used for the Common gender which is wanting with the Hebrews The Greeks and Latins render it in the Masculine Ecclesiastes David published his Repentance in Psal. LI. Vanitie of vanities Psal. CXLIV 4. and XXXIX 5. verse 2 All Adam is all Abel even at his best estate altogether vanitie And all worldly things are so an heap a nest of vanities vanitie in the abstract This the last issue and result the upshot of all his curious critical enquirie search and experiments what profit A chief point in the wise mans Compasse verse 3 is cui bono Who will shew us any good Thus worldly men look after this Psal. IV. 6. Yea wicked men in their overtures of Religion Mal. III. 14. No profit towards the attainment of true happinesse Labour which c. A labour in order to things above the Sunne will profit Phil. III. 20. Colos. III. 1 2. John VI. 27. No toilsome labour in earthly things will do so Nothing remaineth or abideth with him nothing more is added to him by it it addes nothing of real worth unto him at all That we shall finde to be truth which is in Habak II. 13 6. One generation Ecclesiasticus XIV 18. verse 4 Meere man is but the dream of a dream a curious picture of nothing Mortalitie is the stage of mutabilitie The inward principles of change and alteration are alwayes working The children thrust out the fathers but the earth Whereon as on a stage the several Generations act their parts and go off others come on abideth for ever Till its time of change in the end of all 2 Pet. III. 10. See my Observations on Deut. XV. 17. The duration of the earth opposed to every mans duration not the motion or standing of it is here intended The Sunne Psal. XIX 3. verse 5 There is
women Exod. I. 19. But principaly this relates to the times of the Gospel and the Christian Church under Christ to which the other is subordinate a man-child Collectively multitudes are meant verse 8. Ezra II. 64 65. Acts II. 41. and IV. 4. shall I Set upon a work verse 9 and not go through with it suck Chap. verse 11 LX. 16. and your bowes Shall get vigor verse 14 and verdure againe as those bones Ezek. XXXVII 1 10. come with fine Towards and against his enemies verse 15 Fully to be accomplished at the last day of judgement They that sanctifie themselves Using superstitious rites of expiation verse 17 in the gardens Set apart for idolatrous services behinde one in the midst Or one person or company after another possibly purifying themselves in the fountaine in the midst of the garden It shall come Since this people do take such courses verse 18 ver 3 4. I will execute judgement upon them and casting them off take in the Gentiles Rom. XI 11 12 15 17. Set a signe A Signe or Ensigne to gather them verse 19 Or a saving signe and mark upon them as Ezek. IX 4 6. Apoc. VII 3. and IX 4. those that escape of them The reserves and holy remnant of the Jewish Nation the Apostles and other faithful to all Nations to call them in by the preaching of the Gospel your brethren In Christ verse 20 the Converts of the Gentiles chap. LX. 4 9. for Priests verse 21 and for Levites Make of them Ministers of the Gospel For as the new heaven Chap. verse 22 LXV 17. Heb. XII 28. remaine Stand continue for ever Matth. XVI 18. to worship before me By allusion in termes to the old Jewish maner of worship verse 23 Zech XIV 16. and look upon the carcases Be spectators and witnesses of the execution of Gods vengeance upon those wicked ones verse 24 verse 15 16. Psal. LVIII 10. for their worme Hell here is principaly intended See chap. XXX 33. Matth. III. 12. and X. 28. and XVIII 8 9. and XXV 41. James V. 3. Apoc. XIV 10 11. and XIX 20. and XX. 14 15. Jeremiah JEREMIE a Priest of Anathoth in Benjamin prophesied fourty one years and upwards thus From the thirteenth of King Josiah's reigne to the end of it being nineteene years eleven in the reigne of Jehojakim and eleven in the reigne of Zedekiah chap. I. 1 2. and chap. XXV 3. and XXXIX 11. And he prophesied some years after that in Judea first and Egypt last ch XLII 2. and XLIII 10. and XLIV 8 24. But how long is uncertaine He was much opposed by false Prophets and sustained much hard measure from the Priests Princes and People And after the taking and destruction of Jerusalem Citie and Temple we read of his usage chap. XXXIX 11 14. and chap. XL. 1 6. and XLII 2. and XLIII 2 6. Jeremiah in this Book mainly preacheth against the sinnes of the Jewes And for them foretelleth the ruine of their State by the Babylonians which he lived to see and to lament in his Book of Lamentations He foretels the LXX years captivity there Their returne thence and happy enlargement under that blessed Branch the Messias And he propesieth also in the latter part of his Book against other Nations the Enemies and Oppressors of Gods people against Egypt the Philistines Moab the Ammonities Edom Damascus Kedar Hazor Elam And foretels chiefly the utter ruine of Babylon and the Empire by Cyrus the Medes and Persians His Chapters as they now stand numbered and placed in the Hebrew text and in our English Translations if they were rancked according to the course and Histories of the times and the things done in them after the first twenty Chapters would follow in this ensuing Order keeping the numbers of the Chapters that we now have 20. 22. 23. 47. 26. 25. 36. 1 8. 45. 46. 36. 9 32. 35. 27. 24. 49. v. 34 39. 29. 30. 31. 28. 51. v. 59 64. 21. 32. 33. 34. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 48. 49. 50. 51. v. 1 59. 52. Thus much varying from the Order wherein we have them The LXX also marshal them in another ranck and order much differing from the Hebrew Text. And as Chapters here are thus displaced so also in Daniel partly And the Hebrew Text seemes sometimes not so rightly to divide the Chapters as Esay LXIV And in our English Bibles Chapters sometimes are not so fitly and exactly divided as Esay 4. 1. and 26. 20. and 52. 13. 14. 15. And in other Books No nor verses neither as Esay 53. 9 10. and 58. 9. and 59. 15. The end of his Book Chap. 52. 31 34. was written by some Prophet after Jeremies death But when and where he died is not recorded in the thirteenth year of his reigne Then Jeremie was called from being ordinary Priest chapter I verse 2 to be an extraordinary Prophet captive There were Captives under Jehojakim verse 3 and under Jeconiah But this is the last and greatest of Jerusalem it self when both Citie and Temple was sackt and burnt and the Kingdome destroyed in the dayes of Zedekiah in the fifth moneth This might end the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reigne chap. LII 12 Then When God first called him verse 4 As thus the Time So now followes in this Chapter the maner of his Calling and such general instructions as God was pleased then to give him concerning his carriage in it and discharge of it I sanctified thee Designed thee to be a Prophet verse 5 to which Office I do now call thee So Gal. I. 15. See the like use of the word Esay XIII 3. This stretcheth not to inward sanctification as that of Iohn Baptist doth Luke I. 15. Nations Both Jewes and other Nations also verse 10. Chap. XXV 15 c. And chap. XLIII and XLVI and XLVII and XLVIII and XLIX and L. and LI. I cannot speak Not dumb verse 6 as Zacharie Luke I. 20 22. or slow and stammering as Moses Exod. IV. 10 14. But that he could not deliver such a message in that maner as was fitting considering his childhood and weaknesse wanting that gravity c. put forth his hand In a Vision verse 9 to root out By publishing my word verse 10 in Threatenings and in Promises which should as certainly be performed as if the Prophet himself had acted them chap. XVIII 7 8 9. A foolish application is made of these words to the Popes pretended power over Kingdomes came unto me Seemingly at the same time with the former verse 11 What seest thou See the like Amos VII 8. and VIII 2. Zech. IV. 2. and V. 1. I see In a Vision Almond tree That doth bud and blossome the earliest of any hasten my word to performe it 2 Kings XXIII verse 12 33 35. and chap. XXIV 2. a seething pot Resembling Ierusalem verse 13 Kingdomes of the North Babylonians verse 15 and their Assistants gird up thy loines Addresse thy self manfully to thy imployment verse
by Jeremiah And was after executed in the reigne of Zedekeih when the Messengers of those neighbouring Kings verse 3. came to Zedekiah to congratulate him in the Beginning of his reigne or to sollicit him to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar in the fourth year of his reigne chap. XXVIII 1 10. Or otherwise Jehojakim in chap. XXVII v. 1. must by errour of the Scribe be crept in for Zedekiah mentioned againe v. 12. which thing in all Copies may not be admitted He shall be called The Lord our Righteousness chap. XXIII 6. She shall be called The Lord our Righteousnesse chap. XXXIII 16. The Lord is our Righteousnesse Iehojakim is made King by Pharaoh Necho and paies to him the tribute imposed 2 Kings XXIII 31 32 34 35. slaies Uriah the Prophet Ier. XXVI 20 23. And in the third or fourth year of his reigne and first of Nebuchadnezzar he was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar as Jeremie foretold chap. XXV 1 11. And he served him three years 2 Kings XXIV 1. In which time he burnes the Book written by Baruc from the mouth of Jeremie chap. XXXVI After rebels against Nebuchadnezzar And at last after that 2 Kings XXIV 2. he is taken by him and bound in fetters to be carried to Babylon 2 Chron. XXXVI 6. But dying by the way his dead body is cast out and he buried with the burial of an Asse as Jeremie foretold chap. XXII 18 19. and XXXVI 30. And so he slept with his fathers 2 Kings XXIV 6. Zedekiah saw with his eyes the eyes of the King of Babylon But not Babylon it self where yet he should die in captivity Having his eyes put out by Nebuchadnezzar at Ribla Jer. XXXII 4 5. and LII 10 11. Ezek. XII v. 13. and XVII 16. In the first year of Zedekiahs captivity and nineteenth of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuzaradan came in the fifth moneth seventh day unto Jerusalem and after two dayes preparation and taking order about it on the tenth day burnt the Temple Kings house and all the great mens houses Or began to burne them on the seventh day which fire continued burning and came to its height or end on the tenth day Jer. LII 12. 2 Kings XXV 8. Jewes carried capives into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in his I. Year and third or fourth moneth of Jehojakim Daniel and his three Companions and others And part of the Vessels of the Temple Jer. XXV 1. Dan. I. 1 6. VII Year and eleventh and last of Jehojacin 3023. Persons And it seemes more Vessels of the Temple Jer. LII 28. 2 Chron. XXXVI 7. VIII Year with Jehojakim men of might and apt for warre 10000. out of all Jerusalem and 1000. Smyths and more Vessels of the Temple and cut them in pieces 2 Kings XXIV 13 14 16. 2 Chron. XXXVI 10. And at that time Mordecai Ester II. 5 6. And Ezekiel who calls it his Deportation Ezek XXXIII 21. and XL. 1. XVIII and XIX years and last of Zedekiah He carried away Zedekiah and 832. persons And all the rest of the Vessels of the Temple great and small And by Nebuzaradan the Captaine of the Guard burnt the Citie of Ierusalem and the Temple brake down the Walls slew Serajah the High Priest and the second Priest and twelve other principal men and sixty others brought to him to Ribla by Nebuzaradan Ier. LII 11 29. 2 Kings XXV 8 21. 2 Chron. XXXVI 17 18 19. XXIII Year and fifth of Zedekiah's captivity by the aforesaid Nebuzaradan 745. Ier. LII 30. This was after the murder of Gedaliah Their number at their Returne out of the Captivity was farre greater Ezra II. 64 65. Neh. VII 66 67. Leopard Or rather an Ounse chapter XIII verse 23 or Cat-a-mountaine I am weary with repenting God repents chapter XV verse 6 see Gen. VI. 6 7. and in many other places But this is not properly Repentance such as is in man Man Repents with trouble of minde and conscience for some fault or out of ficklenesse or through some oversight or impotence In which respects God cannot Repent Num. XXIII 19. 1 Sam. XV. 29. Mal. III. 6. Iames I. 17. But he is said to Repent improperly And so this and other Humane Passions in some semblance are ascribed to him improperly for our better apprehension And thus God is said to Repent when he doth as men use to do when they Repent 1 Sam. XXV 33 34. When he undoeth what he had done before revoketh a doome that he had passed before stayeth the execution of a Sentence that formerly he had denounced withholdeth the punishment denounced against sinne when the Persons repent of the evil of sinne So Iudg. X 13. 15 16. 1 Kings XXI 21 27 29. Ionah Iâ—I 10. Ier. XVIII 8 10. and XLII 10. Psal. CVI. 45. The end being thus accomplished for which the doome was denounced Without which Repentance in man God will not Repent of his purposed punishment Esay XIV 24 27. Ier. IV. 28. Zech. VIII 14. Thus Repentance in man produceth this kinde of Repentance in God Man Repenting changeth his minde will and act But God Repenting willing this change in man altereth the act His minde and purpose abiding still the same Ier. XX. 16. Shallum This seemes to be the same with Jehoachaz chapter XXII verse 11 and Johanan 2 Kings XXIII 30. 1 Chron. III. 15. And that Shallum named 1 Chron. III. 15. seemes to be another from this Shallum as being reckoned distinctly the fourth sonne of Iosiah and haply dying before his father Iosiah See the Observations on 2 Kings XXIII 31. Branch Is taken for the Messias And so chapter XXIII verse 5 chap. XXXIII 15. and Zech. III. 8. and VI. 12. Esay IV. 2. XI 1. Yet that King Esay XXXII 12. and XXXIII 17. seemes properly and immediately to be understood of Ezekiah of Christ only Typicaly And that Esay VIII 18. and XLIX 1. and chap. LXI 1. of Esay partly but of Christ principaly As likewise that Esay XLIX 1. And that Esay VIII 8. Of Esay literaly of Christ figuratively Heb. II. 14. And againe Esay XLII 1. of Christ principaly of Cyrus Typicaly That Esay XLI 2. of Cyrus only Many speeches of the Prophets concerning themselves and others who were Types of Christ are in the New Testament applied to Christ being one way and in one maner verified of them and another way and in another maner also many times fulfilled in him And so those words 2 Sam. VII 14. compared with 1 Chron. XXII 10. and Heb. I. 5. And those Heb. II. 13. Yea in diverse Prophecies some Particulars agree to the Type and not to the Truth as Psal. XXII 6. and XL. 12. Some to the Truth and not to the Type as Psal. XVI 10. with Acts II. 29. and XIII 36 37. Or to the Type in one sense to the Truth in another so in those Psalmes wherein David is a Type of Christ as Psal. II. and XVI and XXII and those in which Solomon as Psal. XLV and LXXII Christ is called the Branch because springing up
in the Ark and Dedication of the Temple and Solomons sacrifices and his solemne Prayer upon his brazen scaffold might then and thereby become the greater and more illustrious 1 King VIII 1 66. 2 Chron. V. and VI. and VII chapters It began the seventh or eighth day of that moneth for on the fifteenth day began the Feast of Tabernacles And in relation to these two Feasts are those fourteen dayes mentioned 1 King VIII 65. 2 Chron. VII ver 8 9. And on the twenty third day of that moneth the people were dismissed 2 Chron. VII 10. the eighth day of the later Feast 1 King VIII 66. House of the Forrest of Lebanon This was built in Jerusalem chapter VII verse 2 See ver 6 7 8. His dwelling House and Throne not farre from it and golden shields in it 1 King X. 16 17. And there seazed on by the King of Egypt 2 Chron. XII 9 10. It seemes so called as being a kinde of abridgement of that famous Forrest afarre off from Jerusalem and containing in it and in the Groves and Gardens about it all the delights and pleasures of that Forest in solitary walks sweet smels musick of birds and sight of wilde-beasts c. See my Annotations on Zech. XI 1. where conceiving this House to be built in that Forest not in Jerusalem upon further consideration I think good to retract that opinion here Two thousand Baths Bath the measure of Liquid things verse 26 as Epha of Dry Both of the same capacity This Sea had ordinarily put into it two thousand Baths or five hundred Barrels reckoning eight gallons to the Bath and four Baths to the Barrel But this Sea being filled up to the brim it might containe three thousand Baths 2 Chron. IV. 5. or seven hundred and fifty Barrels with water drawn out of it by Cocks or otherwayes the Priests washed c. Ten Lavers But one in the Tabernacle verse 38 Exod. XXX 18. Here are ten Lavers besides the Sea And so of the Candlesticks and Tables there were ten in the Temple to one in the Tabernacle 1 King VII 49. 2 Chron. IV. 8. Each Laver contained fourty Baths Bowles of pure Gold Of Gold belonging to the Altar of Incense verse 50 1 Chron. XXVIII 17. Some of Silver 1 Chron. XXVIII 16. And as those given by the twelve Princes Num. VII 13 85. Some of Brasse for the Brazen Altar Exod. XXXVIII 3 Num. IV. 14. 1 King VII 45. And for the Vessels of the Temple See on Jer. LII 17 23. Pleased him not King Hiram chapter IX verse 12 though displeased with the twenty Cities given him by Solomon in the Land of Galilee yet pleaseth to restore them to him in love 2 Chron. VIII 2. A tribute of bond-service These here mentioned verse 21 and their posterity seeme to be called Solomons servants Ezra II. 55 58. Neh. VII 57 60. and XI 3. Gold from Ophir So gold from Uphaz chapter X verse 11 Jer. X. 9. and Gold of Ophir Psal. XLV 9. and Gold of Uphaz Dan. X. 5. and Gold of Sheba Ps. LXXII 15. and Gold of Parvaim 2 Chron. III. 6. And these are taken for the finest Gold 1 King X. 18. compared with 2 Chron. IX 17. Job XXII 24. But whether these places be Peru in America or Fez in Africa or Sumatra or Taprobane or in Arabia or elsewhere according to our moderne names is in these dayes altogether doubtful Tarshish The name of one of the sonnes of Javan verse 22 Gen. X. 4. whose posterity as some imagine planted in that part of Spaine where a Citie and Region adjacent thence took the denomination of Tartesus and Tartesia afterwards Or rather as others conceive they seated themselves in Cilicia and gave this name of Tarshish as to the whole Region so specially to the chief City and Port-towne there afterwards called Tarsus the place of Pauls birth Acts XXI 39. and XXII 3. And that thence the Midland Sea which bordered upon that port and territorie was called Tarshish and the ships either belonging to that Port or trading to and fro in that Sea were thence called ships of Tarshish Esay II. 16. yea sometimes Tarshish seemes to denote the Arabian and Persian Gulphs the Ocean either Westerne or Easterne Ezek. XXVII 12. or any great Sea as likewise Pontus doth in Latine And ships of Tarshish to be vessels of great bulk and burden fit to traverse and traffick in any such Sea 1 King X. 22. Silver to be in Jerusalem as stones The Israelites ripe for Rebellion verse 27 complain so much of their Oppressions in Solomons peaceable rich glorious reigne 1 King X. 27. and XII 4. 2 Chron. I. 15. and VIII 8 9. Loved many strange women Wise Solomons chapter XI verse 1 or Jedidiah's Fall is wonderful yet his Repentance not to be doubted of as appears in the Book of Ecclesiastes in 2 Sam. VII 14 15. 1 Chron. XXII 10. and XXVIII 6. and XVII 13 14. 2 Chron. XI 17. 2. Pet. I. 21. One Tribe Not one whole Tribe verse 32 but that of Judah only did stick to Rehoboam and the House of David after Solomons reigne 1 King XI 32 36. and XII 20. 2. King XVII v. 18. Yet see 2 Chr. XI 13 17. And hence begin those three hundred and ninty dayes in Ezek. IV. 5. See the Annotations there Rehoboam Rehoboam is the only sonne we read of that Solomon had verse 43 for all his shameful number of Wives and Concubines And there is mention made only of two of his daughters 1 King IV. 11 15. set down in that chapter by Anticipation This Rehoboam is said to be young and tender-hearted 2 Chron. XIII 7. young in experienced wisdome when yet at that time he was fourty one years of age 2 Chron. XII 13. being borne in the first year of his young wise father Solomons reigne He foolishly forsook the counsel of the old men 1 King XII 8 13 14. to the losse of the ten parts of his Kingdome Yet afterwards he is said to deal wisely 2 Chron. XI 23. In Bethel chapter XII verse 29 and the other put he in Dan In the South and North borders of his kingdome And yet Bethel being in the Tribe of Benjamin Bethel was taken from him in his own dayes by Abijah 2 Chron. XIII 19. And Dan was smitten by Benhadad in the dayes of Asa and Baasha soone after 1 King XV. 20. Bethel Though Bethel be sometimes called Bethaven in the Prophets verse 32 as Hos. IV. 15. and V. 8. and X. 5 15. and Aven chap. X. 8. As Mount Olivet of Mount Mischa is called Mount Maschith 2 King XXIII 13. Yet were there Bethel and Bethaven two distinct neighbouring townes or Cities Josh. VII 2. and XVIII 12. 1 Sam. XIII 5. and chap. XIV 23. a childe Fulfilled 2 King XXIII 15 16 17. Samaria Samaria so called by Anticipation chapter XIII verse 2 as Bethel Gen. XII 8. And sundry other places in Scripture verse 32 Not that they had