they have imagined to do 7. Go to let us m i. e. The blessed Trinity See Gen. 1. 26. go down and there confound their Language n By making them forget their former Language and by putting into their minds several Languages not a distinct Language into each person but into each Family or rather into each Nation that they may not †Heb. hear understand one anothers speech o And thereby be disenabled from that mutual commerce which was altogether necessary for the carrying on of that work 8. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the Earth p Thus they brought upon themselves the very thing they seared and that more speedily and more mischievously to themselves For now they were not only divided in place but in Language too and so were unfitted for those Consederacies and Correspondencies which they mainly designed and for the mutual Comfort and Help of one another which otherwise they might in good measure have enjoyed And they left off to build the City 9. Therefore is the Name of it called ‖ That is confusion Babel because the LORD did there confound the Language of all the Earth and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the Earth 10. * Chap. 10. 32. 1 Chron. 1. 17. These are the Generations of Shem q Not all of them as appears both from the next verse and from the former Chapter but of those who were the seminary of the Church and the Progenitors of Christ. Shem was an hundred years old and begat Arphaxad two years after the Flood 11. And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years r So that he lived almost all the time of Abraham which was a singular blessing both to himself who hereby saw his Children of the tenth Generation and to the Church of God which by this means enjoyed the Counsel and Conduct of so great a Patriarch and begat Sons and Daughters 12. And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years and begat Salah 13. And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years and begat Sons and Daughters 14. And Salah lived thirty years and begat Eber. 15. And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years and begat Sons and Daughters 16. * 1 Chro. 1. 19. And Eber lived four and thirty years and begat * called Luk. 3. 35. Phalec Peleg 17. And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years s So that he was the longest liv'd of all the Patriarchs which were born after the Flood and begat Sons and Daughters 18. And Peleg lived thirty years and begat Reu. 19. And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years and begat Sons and Daughters 20. And Reu lived two and thirty years and begat * Luk 3. 35. Saruch Serug 21. And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years and begat Sons and Daughters 22. And Serug lived thirty years and begat Nahor 23. And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years and begat Sons and Daughters 24. And Nahor t The first Patriarch who fell to Idolatry lived nine and twenty years and begat * Luk. 3. 34. Thara Terah 25. And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years and begat Sons and Daughters 26. And Terah lived seventy years and * Josh. 24. 2. 1 Chro. 1. 26. begat u i. e. Began to beget as Gen. 5. 32 Abram x Who is first named in order of Dignity for which cause Shem is put before Ham and Iapheth and Moses before Aaron not in order of time which seems to be this Haran probably was the eldest because Nahor married his Daughters Nahor the second and Abram certainly was the youngest because Terah Abrams Father lived two hundred and five years ver 32. and Abram after his Fathers Death Acts 7. 4. went out of Haran when he was seventy five years old Gen. 12. 4 5. therefore he was not begotten in Terahs seventieth year when Terah began to beget his Sons as here is said but in his one hundred and thirtieth year and so there remains seventy five years precisely to Abrams departure And Sarai Harans Daughter was but ten years younger than Abram Gen. 17. 17. and therefore Haran was Abrams Elder Brother Nahor and Haran 27. Now these are the Generations of Terah Terah begat Abram Nahor and Haran And Haran begat Lot 28. And Haran died before his Father Terah y i. e. In the presence and during the Life of his Father in the Land of his Nativity in Ur of the Caldees 29. And Abram and Nahor took them Wives The Name of Abrams Wife was Sarai and the Name of Nahors Wife Milcah the Daughter of Haran z Such Marriages of Uncles and Nieces being permitted then Exod. 6. 20. as in the beginning of the World the Marriages of Brethren and Sisters were though afterwards the Church being very much enlarged they were severely forbidden Levit 18. 12 14. the Father of Milcah and the Father of Iscah a Who is either Sarai as the Jews and many others think or rather another person For 1. Why should Moses express Sarai thus darkly and doubtfully Had he meant her he would have added after Iscah this is Sarai according to his manner in like cases Gen. 14. 2 7. and 35. 6. He elsewhere calleth her the Daughter not of his Brother as he should have done had she been Iscah but of his Father by another Mother 30. But Sarai was barren she had no child b See Gen. 16. 1 2. and 18. 11 12. 31. And Terah took Abram his Son c See Ios. 24. 2. Nehem. 9. 7. 1 Chron. 1. 26. Being informed by his Son of the command of God he did not despise it because it came to him by the hands of his inferiour but chearfully obeyeth it and therefore he is so honourably mentioned as the Head and Governour of the Action and Lot the Son of Haran his sons son and Sarai his daughter in law his Son Abrams wife and they went forth with them †i. e. Terab and Abram went with Lot and Sarâ—…i as their Heads and Guides from * Neh. 9. 7. Act. 7. 4. Ur of the Caldees to go into the Land of Canaan and they came unto Haran d Called Charran Act. 7. 4. and by the Romans Carrae a place in Mesopotamia strictly so called in the way to Canaan and near to it well known by Crassus his defeat there See Gen. 24. 10. and 28. 10. and 29. 4. and dwelt e Or rested or abode being detained there for a season peradventure by Terab's disease which begun there for the next verse tells us of his death there 32. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years and Terah died in Haran CHAP. XII 1.
being ridiculous to say the Scepter departed from Iudah under him by whom it first came into that Tribe having been till Davids time in other Tribes But the great difficulty is how this was accomplished for if the event fully agrees with this Prophesie the cause of the Jews is lost and Christ must be owned as the true Messias The Scepter was for a time in other Tribes as in Moses of the Tribe of Levi in divers of the Judges who were of several Tribes and lastly in the Tribe of Benjamin under Saul but the Scepter departed from all these But this is prophesied as Iudahs priviledge that when once the Scepter or Government came into that Tribe which it did in Davids time it should not depart from it till Christ came and then it should depart And thus it came to pass Concerning the time from David unto the Captivity of Babylon there is no dispute there being a constant succession of Kings in that Tribe all that time For the time of the Babylonish Captivity wherein there may seem to be more difficulty it is to be considered 1. That the Scepter or Government was not lost or departed from Iudah but onely interrupted and that but for seventy years at most which in so long a space of time as above a thousand years is little to be regarded As none will say the Kingdom was departed from the house of David because of those inter-reigns or interruptions which sometimes fell out in that Family Adde to this that God had given them an absolute promise and assured hope of the restauration of Iudahs Scepter so that this was rather a sleep then the death of that Government 2. That within these seventy years there were some remainders and beams of Iudahs Soveraignty in Iâ—…hoiachin 2 King 25. 27. in Daniel who was of that Tribe Dan. 2. 25. and 5. 13. and of the Kings seed Dan. 1. 3. and in the successive Heads or Governours of the exiles of whom the Jewish Writers say so much and they affirm that they were always of the house of David and were more honourable than the Governours of the Jews which were left in the Land of Israel 3. All that was then left of the Scepter of the Jews was in the Tribe of Iudah nor was the Scepter departed from Iudah to any other Tribe and that is the thing which seems especially to be respected in this Prophesie For Iudah is here compared with the rest of the Tribes and it is here signified that the Power and Dominion which was in Iudah when once it came thither should not shift from tribe to tribe as it had done but whilst there was any Scepter or supreme Government among the Iews it should be in that tribe even till the coming of the Messias But if there should happen any total but temporary intercision or cessation of the Government among all the Tribes which now was the case that was no preiudice to the truth of this promise nor to the priviledge granted to Iudah above the rest of the Tribes After the captivity the state of the Iews was very various Sometimes they had Governours put in by the Persian King as Zoroâ—…abel who was also of the Tribe of Iudah and as it is supposed Nephew of Ieâ—…ojachin and Nehemiah whom Eusebius affirms to have been of the Tribe of Iudah And though he may seem to be numbred among the Priests Nehem. 10. 8. yet a diligent reader will find that he is even there distinguished from them by his Title the Tirshatha ver 1. and the word priests ver 8. relateth onely to the rest there mentioned besides him especially if this be compared with chap. 9. 38. where the Princes among whom surely Nehemiah was the chief are distinguished from the Priests And sometimes the people chose Governours or Captain-generals as the Maccabees and others But under all their vicissitudes after their return from Babylon the chief government was evidently and unquestionably seated in the great council called Sanhedrim or Synedrium wherein though some of the Tribe of Levi were mixed with those of the Tribe of Iudah yet because they together with other members of that Council had their power both from that Tribe by which they were chosen and in it and for it the Scepter did truly remain in the Tribe of Iudah even as it was rightly called the Roman Empire when Trajan a Spaniard or other forreigners administred it or as we call it the Kingdom of Poland when they chuse a King of another Nation How great and venerable the authority of this Council was among the Iews may easily be gathered 1. from the divine institution of it Numb 11. 16 whereby indeed it was at first to consist of persons indifferently chosen out of all the Tribes but now the other Tribes being banished and dispersed in unknown places and Benjamin and Levi being as it were accessions to the Tribe of Iudah and in a sort incorporated with it it now becomes as it were appropriated to the Tribe of Iudah as acting in its name and by its authority and the whole land is called Iudâ—…a and all the people Iews from the predominancy of that Tribe above the rest 2. From the great power and priviledges antiently granted to it Deut. 17. 8. c. 2 Chron. 19. 8 11. Psal. 122. 5. 3. From the testimony of Iosephus and other Iewish writers which is most considerable in this argument who largely describe and magnifie the power and authority of it who tell us that the power of their King was subject to that of this Council and therefore one of them addressing his speech to that Council where also the King himself was present first salutes the Senatours and after them the King They affirm also that the power of making War or Peace was vested in that Council and that Herod was tried for his life by it If it be said that the power of this Council was in a great measure taken away which the Iews confess Ioh. 18. 31. and that the Scepter of Iudaea was in the hand of the Romans and by them given to Herod who was no Iew but an Idumaean and this before the coming of the Messias which is the onely remaining difficulty to this many things may be said 1. That this hapned but a few years before the coming of Christ when Christ was even at the doors and about to come and therefore might well be said to be come especially in the Prophetical stile whereby things are oft said to be done which are near doing 2. That the Iewish Senatours did long struggle with Herod about the Government and did not yield it up to him till his last year when they took an oath of fealty to him which was after Christ was born Nor indeed was the Scepter quite gone from them then for that Council still had the power though not of life and death yet of Civil and Ecclesiastical matters See Ioh. 18. 31. So that if the Scepter
* Psal. 94. 9. Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind have not I the LORD 12 Now therefore go and I will be * Mar. 13. 11. Luk. 12. 11. with thy mouth l By my spirit to direct and assist thee what and how to speak Whence Moses though he still seems to have remained slow in speech yet was in truth mighty in words as well as deeds Acts 7. 22. Compare Matth. 10. 19 20. and teach thee what thou shalt say 13 And he said O my Lord send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou ‖ Or shouldâ—… wilt send m By one who is fitter for the work than I am Heb. send by the hand of him whom thou wilst send i. e. shouldest send For the future tense oft signifies what one should do See Gen. 20. 9. and 34. 7. Mal. 1. 6. and 2. 7. Thou usest according to thy wisdom to chuse fit instruments and to use none but whom thou dost either find or make fit for their employment which I am not Others Send by the hand of Messias whom thou wilst certainly send and canst not send at a fitter time nor for better work Moses and the Prophets knew that Christ would come but the particular time of his coming was unknown to them See 1 Pet. 1. 11. 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother I know that he can speak well And also behold he cometh forth to meet thee n By my instigation and direction which because I see thou art still diffident I give thee for a new sign to strengthen thy belief that I will carry thee through this hard work and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart 15 And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth o i. e. Instruct him what to speak and command him freely and faithfully to express it See Isa. 51. 16. and 59. 21. and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and I will teach you what ye shall do 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people and he shall be even he shall be to thee in stead of a mouth and thou shalt be to him in stead of God p To teach and to command him See Exod. 7. 1. 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thy hand wherewith thou shalt do signs q Both those which I have already made thee to do and others as I shall direct and enable thee 18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said unto him Let me go I pray thee and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt and see whether they be yet alive r He pretends only a visit and so indeed it was and that no very long one neither He knew that he should certainly return to this place and there meet with his Father-in-law So that he did not deceive him nor intended to do so though he thought fit to conceal from him the errand upon which God sent him lest his Father or Wife should attempt to hinder or discourage him from so difficult and dangerous an enterprize Moses shews here a rare example as well of modesty and humility that such glorious and familiar converse with God and the high calling to which God had advanced him did neither make him forget the civility and duty which he owed to his Father nor make him break forth into publick and vain-glorious boasting of such a priviledge as also of his piety and prudence that he avoided all occasions and temptations to disobedience to Gods command And Jethro said to Moses Go in peace 19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian s This seems to have been a second vision whereby God calls him forth to the present and speedy execution of that command which before was more generally delivered Go return into Egypt for * chap. 2. 15 23. all the men are dead which sought thy life t To wit to take it away See the like expression 1 Sam. 22. 23. 1 King 19. 14. Matth. 2. 20. God knew very well that one great cause of Moses his unwillingness to this undertaking was his carnal fear though he was ashamed to profess it and therefore gives him this cordial 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons u Gershom Exod. 2. 22. and Eliezer Exod. 18. 4. Whom he intended to carry with him but afterwards observing that they were like to be impediments to him in his great business and being well assured that it would not be long ere he returned to them he sent them back to Iethro as may seem from Exod. 18. 5. and set them upon an Asse x One Asse might be sufficient for her and her two Children because one of them was but little ver 25. Or Asse may be put for Asses which changes of the numbers is very frequent in Scripture and he returned to the land of Egypt And Moses took the rod of God y His Shepherds rod so called partly because it was appropriated to Gods special service to be the instrument in all his glorious works and partly to shew that whatsoever was done by that rod was not done by any vertue in the rod or in Moses his hand but meerly by the power of God who was pleased for the greater confusion of his Enemies to use so mean an instrument in his hand 21 And the LORD said unto Moses when thou goest to return into Egypt see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand z i. e. In thy power of commission to be done by thy hand and the rod in it but * chap. â—… 3. and 9. 12. and 10. 1. and 14. 8. Deut. 2. 30. Isa. 63. 17. John 12. 40. Rom. 9. 17. I will harden his heart a That he shall be unmerciful to all the groans and pressures of the Israelites inexorable to the requests of Moses unmoveable and incorrigible by all my words and works But God doth not properly and positively make mens hearts hard but onely privatively either by denying to them or withdrawing from them that grace which alone can make men soft and flexible and pliable to the Divine will as the Sun hardens the Clay by drawing out of it that moisture which made it soft or by exposing them to those Temptations of the World or the Devil which meeting with a corrupt heart are apt to harden it that he shall not let the people go 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh Thus saith the LORD Israel is my son * Jer. 31. 9. Jam. 1. 18. even my first-born b By my choice and adoption They are most dear to me and reserved by me out of all Nations to be my peculiar people and therefore I will no longer suffer thee to invade my right nor
impostures and the real miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron as appears from the next verse and from chap. 8. 18. and from other passages And this is a great evidence of the truth of Scripture-story and that it was not written by fiction and design For if Moses had written these books to deceive the world and to advance his own reputation as some have impudently said it is ridiculous to think that he would have put in this and many other passages which might seem so much to eclipse his honour and the glory of his works with their inchantments 12 For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents l Either 1. in appearance For the Scripture oft speaks of things otherwise then they are because they seem to be so And therefore as the Devil appearing to Saul in the likeness of Samuel is called Samuel so may these rods upon the same account be called Serpents because through Diabolical illusion they seemed to be so Or 2. really in manner expressed ver 11. but Aarons rod swallowed up their rods m By which it was evident either that Aarons rod was turned into a real serpent because it had the real properties and effects of a serpent viz. to devour or at least that the God of Israel was infinitely more powerful then the Egyptian Idols or Devils 13 And he †The Lord to whom this act of hardening is frequently ascribed both in this book and elsewhere hardened Pharaohs heart that he hearkened not unto them * chap. 4. 21. as the LORD had said 14 And the LORD said unto Moses * chap. 8. 15. 〈◊〉 1 20 27. Pharaohs heart is hardened n Is obstinate and resolved in his way so as neither my word nor works can make any impression upon him he refuseth to let the people go 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning lo he goeth out unto the water o i. e. Nilus whither he went at that time either for his recreation or to pay his morning-worship to that river which the Egyptians had in great veneration as Plutarch testifies and thou shalt stand by the rivers brink against he come and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take into thine hand 16 And thou shalt say unto him The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying Let my people go * chap. 3. 12 18. 5. 1 3. that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear 17 Thus saith the LORD In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD p Because thâ—… saidst 〈◊〉 is the Lord and I know not the lord chap. 5. 2. thou 〈◊〉 know him experimentally and to thy cost * chap. 4. 9. behold I will smite q viz. by Aarons hand who shall do it by my command and direction Thus Pilate is said to give Christs body to Ioseph Mark 15. 45. because he commanded it to be delivered by others to him The same action is ascribed to the principal and instrumental cause with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river r Nilus which was one of their principal Gods and therefore it was inexcusable in them that they would not renounce those â—…eeble Gods which were unable to help not onely their worshippers but even themselves nor embrace the service and commands of that God whose almighty power they saw and felt and they shall be turned * Rev. 16. 6. to blood s Which was a very grievous Plague to them both because it was an eternal dishonour to their Religion and because from hence they had both their drink Deut. 11. 10 11. Ier. 2. 18. and their meat Numb 11. 5. for greater and lesser cattel they would not eat Exod. 8. 26. And it was a very proper punishment for them who had made that river an instrument for the execution of their bloody design against the Israelitish infants Exod. 1. 22. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall stink and the Egyptians t Therefore the Israelites were free from this plague and those branches of Nilus which they used were uncorrupted when all others were turned into bloud shall loath u Or shall weary themselves in running hither and thither in hopes of finding water in some parts or branches of the river to drink of the water of the river 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Take thy rod and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt upon their streams upon their rivers and upon their ponds and upon all their †Heb. gathering of their waters pooles of water x Not that he was to go to every pool to use this ceremony there but he stretched his hand and rod over some of them in the name of all the rest which he might signifie either by his words or by the various motions of his rod several ways that they may become blood and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone 20 And Moses and Aaron did so as the LORD commanded and he * chap. 17. 5. lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants and all the * Psal. â—…8 44. and 105. 29. waters that were in the river were turned to blood 21 And the fish that was in the river died and the river stunk and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt 22 * Wisd. 17. â—… And the Magicians of Egypt did so with their inchantments y It was not difficult for the Devil to convey bloud speedily and unperceivably and that in great quantity which might suffice to infect with a bloody colour those small parcels of water which were left for them to shew their art in Qu. Whence could they have water when all their waters were turned into blood Ans. 1. It might be had either 1. by rain which at that time God was pleased to send down either for this purpose or to mitigate the extremity of the plague or for other reasons known to him though not to us For that rain sometimes falls in Egypt though not much nor often is affirmed by antient writers and late travellers Or 2. from Goshen which was not far from the Court or from some houses of the Israelites who dwelt amongst the Egyptians as appears from many places of this history and who were free from these Plagues See Exod. 8. 22. and 9. 26. and 10. 23. and 12. 13. c. Or 3. from the pits which they digged ver 24. Or 4. from some branch of Nilus or some vessels in their houses whose waters were not yet changed For this change might be wrought not suddenly
which is not affirmed in this relation but by degrees which God might so order for this very end that the Magicians might have matter for the trial of their experiment and Pharaohs heart was hardened neither did he hearken unto them as the LORD had said 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house neither did he set his heart to this z He did not seriously consider it nor the causes or cure of this plague and was not much affected with it because he saw this fact exceeded not the power of his Magitians also 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink ‖ It is not much material to us whether they lost their labour and found onely blood there as Iosephus affirms or whether they succeeded and found water there which seems more probable because these come not within the compass of Moses his commission ver 17 19 20. or whether they found the water something purified and less bloody though mixed with blood But it is observable that though the Devil could do something which might increase the plague or imitate it yet he could do nothing to remove it for they could not drink of the water of the river 25 And seven dayes were fulfilled †Ere all the waters of Egypt were perfectly free from this infection Quest. How could the Egyptians subsist so long without water Ans. 1. Philo tells us that many of them died of this plague 2. As the plague might come on so it might go off by degrees and so the water though mixed with blood might give them some relief 3. The juyces of herbs and other liquors which were untouched with this plague might refresh them 4. They might have some water either from their pits or by rain from heaven as was said before or from Goshen for though it be said that the blood was in all their vessels ver 19. yet it is not said that all that should afterwards be put into them should be turned into blood after that the LORD had smitten the river CHAP. VIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD let my people go that they may serve me 2 And if thou refuse to let them go behold I will smite all thy borders a All thy land which is within thy borders A Synecdoche so that word is used also Exod. 10. 14 19. 1 King 1. 3. Psal. 147. 14. Ier. 15. 13. So the gate and the wall are put for the city to which they belong Gen. 22. 17. Amos 1. 7 10 14. with * Rev. 16. 13. frogs 3 And the river b Under which are comprehended all other rivers streams and ponds as appears from ver 5. But the river Nilus is mentioned because God would make that an instrument of their misery in which they most gloried Ezek. 29. 3. and to which they gave divine honours and which was the instrument of their cruelty against the Israelites chap. 1. 22. shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up and come into thine house and into thy bed chamber c Either because God made the doors and windows to flie open which it is easie to believe concerning God seeing this hath been many times done by evil Angels or because whensoever men entred into any house or any room of their house which their occasions would oft force them to do the frogs being always at their heels in great numbers would go in with them This plague was worse than the former because it was more constant and more general for the former was onely in the waters and did onely molest them when they went to drink or use the water but this infected all liquors and all places and at all times and annoyed all their sences with their filthy substance and shape and noise and stink and mingled themselves with their meats and â—…auces and drinks and crawling into their bedâ—… made them restless And many of them probably were of a more ugly shape and infectious nature than ordinary and upon thy bed and into the house of thy servants and upon thy people and into thine ovens and into thy ‖ Or dough kneading-troughs 4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee and upon thy people d Not upon the Israelites whom he hereby exempts from the number of Pharaohs people and subjects and owns them for his peculiar people The frogs did not onely invade their houses but assault their persons which is not strange considering that they were armed with a divine commission and power and upon all thy servants 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses e By inward instinct or suggestion to his mind for he was now in the Kings presence Say unto Aaron Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams over the rivers and over the ponds and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and * Psal. 78. 4â—… and 105. 30. the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt 7 * Wisd. 1â—… â—… And the Magicians did so with their inchantments f Nor was it hard for the Devil to produce them out of their own spawn and the slime of the river and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the LORD that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh ‖ Or have this honour over 〈◊〉 Glory over me g As I have gloried over thee in laying first my commands and then my plagues upon thee so now lay thy commands upon me for the time of my praying and if I do not what thou requirest I am content thou shouldest insult over me and punish me Or Glory or boast thy self of or concerning me as one that by Gods power can do that for thee which all thy Magitians cannot of whom therefore thou now seest thou canst not glory nor boast as thou hast hitherto done * Or against when When shall I intreat for thee h Appoint me what time thou pleasest Hereby he knew that the hand and glory of God would be more conspicuous in it And this was no presumption in Moses because he had a large Commission chap. 7. 1. and also had particular direction from God in all that he said or did in these matters and for thy servants and for thy people to †Heb. to â—…ut 〈◊〉 destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses that they may remain in the river only 10 And he said ‖ Or against to morrow To morrow i Why not presently Ans. 1. Because he hoped ere that time they might be removed either by natural causes or by chance and so he should not need the favour of
execution of this counsel here given about the choice of Magistrates ver 19. is related after the Israelites departure from Sinai Deut. 1. 7 c. And therefore here is a transposal in this history which is also frequent in other places of holy Scripture with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness where he encamped at * chap. 3. 1. the mount of God 6 And he said c Not by word of mouth as the next verse sheweth but either by a letter or by a messenger as that word is used Mat. 8. 6 8. compared with Luk. 7. 3 6. unto Moses I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee and thy wife and her two sons with her 7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law and did obeisance and kissed him and they asked each other of their †Heb. pâ—…ace welfare d Heb. of their peace i. e. prosperity and all happiness which also they wished one to the other as this phrase implies See 1 Sam. 10. 4. Psal. 122. 6. and they came into the tent 8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israels sake e Or concerning Israels business and all the travel that had †Heb. found out come upon them by the way and how the LORD delivered them 9 And Jethro rejoyced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians 10 And Jethro said Blessed be the LORD who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians 11 Now I know f viz. More clearly and by certain experience as that phrase signifies Gen. 22. 12. 1 King 17. 18 24. For otherwise it is more than probable that Iethro had the knowledge of the true God before this time not onely because he was the great grand-child of Abraham but also because of his long conversation with a person of so great knowledge and wisdom and piety as Moses was that the LORD is greater than all gods * chap. 1. 10 â—…6 22. and 5. 〈◊〉 14. 18. for in the thing wherein they g Either 1. their false Gods who wrought strange things in and by their servants the Magitians who contended with Moses and proudly boasted of their skill as not a whit inferiour to that of Moses but at last were forced to yield up the cause Exod. 8. 19. or rather 2. the Egyptians spoken of ver 10. who dealt proudly and scornfully and tyrannically with the Israelites but God shewed himself to be above them and above their King though Pharaoh would not own him for his Superiour Exod. 5. 2. but lift up his horn against God and against his people but the Lord brought that proud Prince upon his knees and forced him oft to confess his faults and to become suppliant to Moses for deliverance from the plagues and at last when he continued incorrigible he drowned him in the Sea dealt proudly he was above them 12 And Jethro Moses father in law took h i. e. Gave or offered as that verb is used Psal. 68. 18. compared with Eph. 4. 8. also Exod. 25. 2. Which he did that he might publickly testifie both his embracing of the true Religion â—…nd his thankfulness to God for the great deliverance given to his people wherein also himself and family were concerned And he took or offered these not immediately or by himself which would have seemed a presumptuous and unwarrantable action for a stranger to undertake in the Church of Israel but by those who were appointed to do it in which sence David is said to have sacrificed 2 Sam. 24. 25. and Solomon 1 King 8. 63. and all those who brought their offerings to the Priests to offer for them a burnt-offering and sacrifices i To wit of thanksgiving as is expressed Exod. 24. 5. for part of these the offerers with others did eat Levit. 7. 15. whereas no man might eat of the burnt-offerings Lev. 1. 9. for God and Aaron came and the Elders of Israel to eat bread k i. e. to feast together of the remainders of the sacrifices with Moses father in law before God l Either before the cloudy pillar or rather before the altar and in the place of publick worship for some such place undoubtedly they had though the Tabernacle was not yet built and that was the place appointed for such feasts See Deut. 12. 7. and 27. 7. 1 Chron. 29. 21. Psal. 116. 17. 13 And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses sate to judge the people m As a civil Magistrate by hearing and determining causes and controversies arising among the people and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening 14 And when Moses father in law saw all that he did to the people he said What is this thing that thou doest unto the people Why fittest thou thy self alone and all the people stand by thee from morning unto Even 15 And Moses said unto his father in law Because * Lev. 24. 12. Num. 15. 34. the people come unto me to enquire of God n i. e. Of the mind and will of God both as to his worship and service and as to their mutual duties to one another See 1 Sam. 9. 9. 16 When they have a matter they come unto me and I judge between †Heb. a man and his fellow one and another and I do make them know o i. e. Do interpret and apply them to their several cases and circumstances the Statutes of God and his Laws 17 And Moses father in law said unto him The thing that thou doest is not good p Not convenient either for thy self or for the people 18 †Heb. fading thou wilt fade Thou wilt surely wear away q Waste and destroy thy health and strength by excessive labour of mind and body both thou and this people r By tedious attendance and expectation ere their turn comes for the decision of their matters that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee * Num. 11. 14 Deut. 1. 9. thou art not able to perform it thy self alone 19 Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsel and God shall be with thee s i. e. I doubt not God will assist and bless thee as well in the course which I propose to thee as in that which thou now dost use because God is a God of order and loves order and he is a God of mercy and would not have thee destroy thy self in his work Or it may be taken for a prayer and God be with thee i. â—… bless and assist thee therein Be thou for the people to God-ward t Heb. before God i. â—… in hard and
weighty causes which the inferiour Judges cannot determine as it is explained ver 22. where they need and seek direction from God there thou shalt be as a mediatour between God and them to bring their matters to God as it here follows and to receive directions and commands from him See Numb 15. 33 34. and 27. 5 6. that thou mayst bring the causes unto God 20 And thou shalt teach them Ordinances and Laws u Thou alone shalt deliver and explain Gods laws to them which they may apply to their particular causes and occasions and so end their differences among themselves without giving thee any trouble and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people * Deut. 1. 16. and 16. 18. â—… Chro. 19. 7 9. able men x Heb. men of might not for strength of body but for greatness resolution courage and constancy of mind which is the best preservative against partiality and corruption in judgement to which men of little minds or narrow souls are easily swayed by fears or hopes or gifts such as fear God y Which will restrain them from all injustice even when they have ability and opportunity to do wrong so cunningly or powerfully that they may escape the observation and censure of men men of truth z Or of faith or faithful such as love the truth and diligently labour to find it out in all causes and then pass a true and righteous sentence not at all respecting persons but onely the truth and right of their causes such as hate lies and slanders and will severely rebuke and punish them hating covetousness a This though included in the former is particularly expressed because gifts and bribes are the great corrupters of Judges and judgments and place such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 22 And let them judge the people at all seasons and it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee but every small matter they shall judge so shall it be easier for thy self and they shall bear the burthen with thee 23 If thou shalt do this thing and God command thee so b If God approve of the course which I suggest to whose wisdom I submit my opinion For Iethro might well think that Moses neither would nor might make so great an alteration in the government without consulting God about it and expecting his answer Others render the place thus both God will give thee his commands i. e. thou wilst have leisure to ask and take his counsel in all emergencies which now thou hast not and thou wilst be able to endure then thou shalt be able to endure and all this people shall also go to their place c To their several habitations which are called mens places Iudg. 7. 7. and 9. 55. and 19. 28 29. where their calling and business lies from which they are now diverted and detained by fruitless and wearisome attendances in peace d Orderly and quietly having their minds much eased by this course and their contentions soon ended 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law e This is one evidence of that meekness for which Moses is justly magnified that he disdained not to receive advice from one so much his inferiour in Wisdom and Learning and knowledge of the things of God And God would have this wise Counsel to come from Iethro not from Moses himself to shew how variously he distributes his gifts and to teach all men not to think too highly of themselves nor to despise the counsels even of their inferiours and did all that he had said f Not immediately but after he had received Gods approbation Numb 11. 16. and the peoples consent Deut. 1. 14. 25 And Moses chose g Not solely but together with the people as appears from Deut. 1. 13. able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tens 26 And they judged the people at all seasons the hard causes they brought unto Moses but every small matter they judged themselves 27 And Moses let his father in law depart h i. e. Dismissed him honourably See Numb 10. 29. and he went his way into his own land CHAP. XIX 1 IN the third month a Heb. Third new moon called Sivan including the latter part of May and the former part of Iune when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt the same day b Heb. in that day to wit when the moneth or new-moon began and when they departed from Rephidim to note that there was no Station between these two This is set down thus accurately because it gives an account of the original of the feast of Pentecost because the giving of the Law which was 3 or 4 days after this time was 50 days after the Passeover whereof 46 or 47 were past at their first coming to Sinai reckoning from the 15th day of the first moneth when they came out of Egypt to this time * Num. 33. 15. came they into the wilderness of Sinai 2 For they were departed from Rephidim and were come to the desert of Sinai c i. e. To that part of the desert which adjoyned to mount Sinai as Rephidim from whence they came was in that part of the wilderness adjoyning to Horeb which was another part of the same mountain See Exod. 17. 6. So they seem to have fetched a large compass and to have come from one side of the mountain to the other and had pitched in the wilderness and there Israel camped before the mount 3 And * Act. 7. 38. Moses went up to God d Into the mount of God to the place where God had now fixed his cloudy pillar and where he was about to manifest himself in a glorious manner So it is an anticipation and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain saying Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob and tell the children of Israel 4 * Deut. 29. 2. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings e i. e. safely out of the reach of danger and strongly against all opposition Compare Deut. 32. 11. Isa. 63. 9. Rev. 12. 14. and brought you unto my self f Into my presence and favour and fellowship to be my peculiar people to serve and worship me as your onely Lord and King 5 Now * Deut. 5. 2. therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed g Heb. obeying ye will obey i. e. if ye will obey me sincerely diligently and constantly and keep my Covenant then * Deut. 4. 20. 7. 6. anâ—… 14. 2. 26. 〈◊〉 3â—… 8 9. Psaâ—… 135. 4. Canâ—…
or commandements to wit the ten commandements so called by way of eminency for these onely were written by God upon the stony tables as appears by Exod. 34. 28. the rest were written onely by Moses in a book above ver 4. which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13 And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua g Who did not go up with Moses to the top of the mount as is sufficiently implyed both here and above ver 1 2. but abode in some lower place waiting for Moses his return as appears from Exod. 32. 17. And there Ioshua abode 40 dayes not fasting all the while but having as the rest had Manna for his meat and for his drink water out of the brook that discended out of the mount as we read Deut. 9. 21. and Moses went up into the mount of God 14 And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us h i. e. For me and Ioshua and here i. e. in the camp where he was when he spake these words for it was where not onely Aaron and Hur but the people might come as it here follows and therefore not upon the mount untill we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur i Whom Moses had made joint-commissioners to determine hard causes which were brought to them from the Elders according to the order Exod. 18. 22. Some make Aaron the Ecclesiastical head and Hur the civil head But Aaron was not authorized for Ecclesiastical matters till chap. 28. are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15 And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16 And * Num. 14. 10. the glory of the LORD k i. e. The tokens of his glorious presence in the fire ver 17. Deut. 4. 36. abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered l From the eyes of the people it six dayes and the seventh day m So long God made Moses wait either to exercise his humility devotion and dependance upon God Or to prepare him by degrees for so great a work Or because this was the Sabbath day called therefore the seventh with an emphatical article And God might chuse that day for the beginning of that glorious work to put the greater honour upon it and oblige the people to a stricter observance of it So it was upon a Lords Day that St. Iohn had his Revelation delivered to him Rev. 1. 10. he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like * Deut. 4. 36. devouring fire n He saith like it for it was not devouring fire as appears by Moses his long abode in it Note here whatsoever the Elders of Israel saw before the people saw no similitude of God as Moses observes Deut. 4. 15. on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18 And Moses went up into the midst of the cloud o The God that called him enabling him to enter and abide there whereas when he was left to himself he could not enter into the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 35. and gat him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty dayes and forty nights p In which he did neither eat nor drink Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 9. 9 18. whereby it seems most probable the six days mentioned ver 16. were a part of these 40 days because Moses being in perpetual expectation of Gods call seems not to have had leasure for eating and drinking nor provision neither Besides he is not said to be in the midst of the cloud so long but onely in the mount where he was those six days ver 15 16. CHAP. XXV 1 AND the LORD spake a Having delivered the Moral and Judicial Laws he now comes to the Ceremonial Law wherein he sets down all things very minutely and particularly whereas in the other Laws he was content to lay down general rules and leaveth many other things to be by analogy deduced from them The reason of the difference seems to be this That the light of reason implanted in all men gives him greater help in the discovery of Moral and Judicial things then in Ceremonial matters or in the external way and manner of Gods Worship which is a thing depending wholly upon Gods institution and not left to mans invention which is a very incompetent Judge of those things as appears from hence because the wittiest men destitute of Gods revelation have been guilty of most foolery in their devices of Gods Worship unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel that they †Heb. take for me bring me an ‖ Or. heave offering offering * chap. 35. 5. of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering 3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them gold and silver and brass 4 And blue b Or Skie-coloured But here you must not understand the meer colours which could not be offered but some materials proper for the work and of the colours here mentioned to wit Wool or Threds or some such like things as appears from Heb. 9. 19. and from the testimony of the Jews and purple and scarlet and fine †Or silk linnen c Which was of great esteem in antient times and used by Priests and great Officers of state See Gen. 41. 42. Rev. 19. 8 14. and goats hair d Heb. Goats But that their hair is understood is apparent from the nature of the thing and from the use of the word in that sense in other places 5 And rams skins died red and badgers skins and Shittim-wood e A kind of Wood growing in Egypt and the Deserts of Arabia very durable and pretious See Exod. 35. 24. Numb 33. 49. Esa. 41. 19. Ioel 3. 18. 6 * chap 27. 20. Oyl for the light f For the Lamps or Candlesticks ver 〈◊〉 * chap. 30. 23 Spices for anointing oyl g Wherewith the Priests and the Tabernacle and the 〈◊〉 thereof were to be anointed and for * chap. 30. 3â—… sweet incense h Heb. Incense of Spices or Sweet-odors So called to distinguish it from the incense of the fat of Sacrifices which was burnt upon the Altar 7 Onyx-stones i Or Sardonyx-stones Note that the signification of the Hebrew Names of the several stones are not agreed upon by the Jews at this day and much more may we safely be ignorant of them the religious use of them being now abolished and stones to be set k Stones of fulness or filling or perfecting stones so called either because they did perfect and adorn the Ephod or because they filled up the ouches or the hollow places which were left vacant for this purpose in the * chap. 28. 4. Ephod and in the * chap. 28. 15. breast-plate l
means clear the guilty k This is commonly esteemed a title of Justice or Vengeance which is here added by way of correction least men should mistake or abuse Gods mercy God is most gracious indeed but so as he is also just and will not pity nor spare impudent and impenitent transgressours but will severely punish them And the Jewish Doctors hereupon observe that the mercy of God doth far exceed his justice here being as they number them thirteen Attributes of Mercy and but one of Justice But this translation and interpretation is rejected by some late Learned interpreters who make this an attribute of Gods goodness or Clemency and render the words thus in destroying he will not utterly destroy though visiting c. q. d. He is so gracious that though he will severely punish the iniquity of the fathers and especially their Idolatry upon themselves and upon their Children c. as he hath said Exod. 20. 5. yet in judgment he will remember mercy and will not utterly destroy his people for their sins There are many things which favour this interpretation 1. This suits most with Moses his solicitude and prayer for the people of Israel which was that God would not utterly destroy them as he threatened to do 2. This sense best agrees with Gods promise chap. 33. 19. I will make all my goodness to pass before thee which general promise is particularly explained and performed in these 2. verses 3. This place doth not speak of Gods disposition and carriage towards his enemies against whom he proceeds with great severity and commands the Israelites to do so in the verses here following but towards his people whose cause Moses is all along pleading with God See chap. 32. 11 12 13 31 32. and 33. 13 15. and 34. 9. 4. The Hebrew verb here used frequently signifies to make empty or desolate to empty men of their goods or places of men See Isa. 3. 26. Amos 4. 6. So here he will not utterly empty or destroy Though he will leave the marks of his vengeance for this sin upon thy people even to their third and fourth generation or it may be further yet he will not utterly root them out which is the great thing thou fearest and labourest to prevent And this very phrase here used we have in Ier. 30. 11. and repeated Ier. 46. 28. where though interpreters generally render it I will not leave thee altogether unpunished which may make a good sense yet it seems much better to be rendred I will not utterly destroy thee 1. Because hereby these words exactly answer to the foregoing clause yet will I not make a full end of thee and so the samething is elegantly repeated in other words which is very frequent in Scripture 2. Because here is an opposition between the severity God useth to other people and the kindness he useth to his own people which is manifest in the former member of the verse and therefore most probable and agreeable in this 5. This is much confirmed from Numb 14. 18. where Moses pleading with God for the pardon of his peoples sin useth this very phrase and argument as taken out of Gods mouth which in this sense is very proper and prevalent Thou hast said that even when thou dost visit iniquity c. thou wilt not utterly destroy them And God answers him verse 20. I have pardoned according to thy word i. e. so as not utterly to destroy them But truly as I live c. verse 21 22 23. i. e. But I will severely punish them But if this had been the meaning Lord thou hast said thou wilt by no means clear the guilty as we render it it was a most improper argument and put a sword into the Lords hand to slay them even by vertue of this consideration * chap. 33. 21. Joshâ—… Job 10. â—…4 Nah. 1. 3. visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and to the fourth generation 8 And Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth and worshipped 9 And he said If now I have found grace in thy sight O LORD let my LORD I pray thee go amongst us for it is a stiff-necked people l And therefore need thy glorious and powerful presence to rule them Or rather though it be a stiff-necked people as thou saist yet forsake them not The Hebrew particle chi oft signifies though as Exod. 5. 11. Isa. 54. 6. and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for thine inheritance m i. e. Deal with us as men do with their inheritances dwell among us protect us improve us 10 And he said Behold * Deut. 5â—… I make a covenant n i. e. I do hereby renew my Covenant with thy people which they had violated and voided by their sin But the shortness of the phrase there being no mention here of any with whom this covenant is made or renewed and the following words make it more probable that this covenant is nothing but a solemn promise or engagement that God will do the thing which here follows And the word covenant is oft used foâ—… a meer promise as Gen. 9. 9. c. Levit. 24. 8. Numb 18. 19. and 25. 12. before all thy people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth nor in any nation and all the people amongst which thou art shall see the work of the LORD for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee o Either 1. By thy Ministery as that phrase is sometimes used as 1 Cor. 15. 10. Or 2. In the midst of thee i. e. of thy people as ver 11. before thee i. e. before thy people This I prefer because the next verse explains this of such things as were not done by Moses his ministery nor in his time but afterwards 11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day Behold I drive out before thee the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite 12 * chap. 23. 32. Deut. 7. 2. Take heed to thy self lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee 13 But ye shall destroy their altars and * chap. 23. 24. Deut. 12. 3. break their †Heb. statues images and * Judg. 6. 25. 2 King 18. 4. and 23. 14. cut down their groves p Which at first were used by good men for their devotion as Gen. 21. 33. but afterwards being horribly abused to superstition and Idolatry were by Gods command to be destroyed 14 For thou shalt worship no other God for the LORD whose name is jealous q Who hath made himself known by and glories in that name the jealous God who cannot endure any competitor or corrival whereas the false and puny Gods of the Heathens were
Priest was forbidden to mourn for his wife Ezek. 24. 16. c. These exceptions God here makes in condescension to humane infirmity because in such cases it was very hard to restrain the affections But this allowance concerns onely the inferiour Priest not the High-priest as we shall see that is for his mother and for his father and for his son and for his daughter and for his brother c Obj. Eleazar and Ithamar are forbidden to mourn for their brethren Nadab and Abihu Ans. 1. That case was singular both because such a mourning might seem to be a censure of Gods severity upon them and because they were then in the actual execution of their office and in their initiation to it and they were the onely persons besides Aaron that could perform that work and therefore their attendance upon it was more necessary then it would be in after times and other cases 2. The latter law can either limit or enlarge the former at the pleasure of the lawgiver And this law may seem to be added least that prohibition Lev. 10. should be taken for a general rule 3 And for his sister d Either by father or mother a virgin that is nigh unto him e i. e. By nearness not of relation for that might seem a needless addition but of habitation i. e. one not yet cut off from the family as it follows which hath had no husband f For if she was married she was now of another family and under her husbands special care in those matters for her may he be defiled 4 But ‖ Or being â—… husband among his people he shall not defile himself for his wife c. he shall not defile himself being a chief man among his people g Or seeing he is a chief man c. or ruler c. for such not onely the High-Priest but others also of the inferiour Priests were And therefore though he might defile himself for the persons now named yet he above all others must take heed so to do it that he do not profane himself by doing as follows Or for a chief man c. the preposition Lamed being easily understood from the former verse where it is oft used such supplements being not unusual in the Hebrew tongue So the sence is He shall not defile himself for any other person whatsoever who is not thus near of kin to him no not for a prince or chief ruler among his people who might seem to challenge this duty from him to joyn with all others in their resâ—…ntment of the publick loss much less shall he defile himself for any other And so the last word to profane himself may be added as a reason why he should not defile himself for the prince or any other except the persons named because such defilement for the dead did profane him or make him as a common person and unclean and consequently unfit to manage his sacred employment which was an impediment to the service of God and a publick inconvenience to the people whose concerns with God he negotiated And it was not meet such great and important affairs should give place to the ceremonies of a funeral for a stranger to prophane himself 5 * chap. 19. 2â—… 28. Ezek. 44. 20. They shall not make baldness upon their head h To wit in funerals as the heathens did q. d. Though I allow them to defile themselves for some of the dead yet in no case shall they use these superstitious and heathenish rites which also the people are forbidden to do Lev. 19. 27. Deut. 14. 1. but the Priests in a more peculiar manner because they are by word and example to teach the people their duty not to sorrow for the dead as persons without hope neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard nor make any cutting in their flesh 6 They shall be holy unto their God i Devoted to Gods service and always prepared and fit for it and therefore shall keep themselves as far as they can from all defilement which makes them unmeet for their masters use and not profane the Name of their God k Which they especially bear they shall not disparage the service of God by making it give place to such sleight occasions for the offerings of the LORD made by fire and the bread of their God l i. e. the shew-bread or rather all the other offerings besides burnt-offerings which are called bread either because bread is commonly put for all food as below ver 17 21. or because God is satisfied and refreshed with these offerings as a man is with his bread or rather because they or part of them are the bread or food of the Priests and are here called bread of their God either objectively because they were offered to God or efficiently because they were given by God to the Priests And these are called bread in opposition to the burnt-offerings which being wholly consumed gave no food to the Priests Or the offerings made by fire are here put Synecdochically for all the rest the most eminent kind for all which are here called bread because devoured by fire to the honour of God For the particle and is not in the Hebrew and may be omitted they do offer therefore they shall be †Heb. holiness holy 7 * Ezek. 44. 22. They shall not take a wife that is a whore or profane m Or defiled or defloured though it were done secretly or by accident or by force because the Priest must take care that all the members of his family be free not onely from gross wickedness but from all suspitions of evil and occasions of reproach or contempt because this would reflect upon himself and upon his God and religion also The word may note one defloured by any person though it were by her husband or a widow because not onely the High-priest was obliged to marry a virgin ver 13. but also the inferiour Priests as appears from Ezek. 44. 22. and that is either signified by this word or by none other here It is true a widow and a profane person are distinguished ver 14. but the same word may be and oft is taken in differing sences both more largely and more strictly in the same chapter And there was some reason why it should be more expresly and distinctly set down there a widow or one profane or defloured otherwise because there was the more need of caution in the High-priest and therefore the widow is particularly mentioned which in the former case might be sufficiently comprehended under a general title neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband n Though not for adultery but for light causes and by the husbands fault because though the woman might be wholly innocent and free yet it would leave some blemish upon her for he is holy unto his God 8 Thou shalt sanctifie him o Thou O Moses and
it as we see Exod. 16. 13 14. â—…o the Manna lay hid as it were between two beds of dew Hence the phrase of hidden Manna Rev. 2. 17. 10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families every man in the door of his tent t To note that they were not ashamed of their sin and * Psal. the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly Moses also was displeased u Partly for their great unthankfulness partly foreseeing the dreadful judgments coming upon them and partly for his own burden expressed in the following verses 11 And Moses said unto the LORD Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight x Why didst thou not hear my prayer when I desired thou wouldest excuse me and commit the care and government of this unruly people to some other person See Exod. 3. 11. and 4. 10. that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me 12 Have I conceived all this people have I ‖ Or born them So Gr. begotten them y Are they my children that I should be obliged to provide food and all things for their necessity and desire that thou shouldest say unto me Carry them in thy bosom as a nursing father beareth the sucking-child z Which expression shews the tender care and affection that governours by the command of God ought to have towards their people unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers 13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people for they weep unto me saying Give us flesh that me may eat 14 I am not able to bear all this people a i. e. The burden of providing for and satisfying of them alone b Obj. How was he alone when there were others added to help him Exod. 18. 21 24 Ans. Those were onely assistant to him in civil causes and smaller matters but the harder and greater affairs such as this unquestionably was were brought to Moses and determined by him alone Exod. 18. 22. because it is too heavy for me 15 And if thou deal thus with me * See 1 King 19. 4. Jon. 4. 3. kill me I pray thee out of hand if I have found favour in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness c Heb. my evil i. e. my intolerable anguish and torment arising from the insuperable difficulty of my office and work of ruling this people and from the dread of their utter extirpation which they will bring upon themselves and the dishonour which thence will accrue to God and to religion as if not I onely but God also were an impostour Seeing is here put for feeling as to see death Psal. 89. 48. Luk. 2. 26. is to suffer it and to see the salvation of God Psal. 50. 23. 91. 16. is to enjoy it 16 And the LORD said unto Moses Gather unto me * See Exod. 4. 29. seventy men of the elders of Israel d Of whom see Exod. 3. 16. and 5. 6. Levit. 4. 15. Deut. 16. 18. whom thou knowest to be the elders e Whom thou by experience discernest to be Elders not onely in years and name and place but also in wisdom and gravity and authority with the people of the people and officers over them and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation that they may stand there with thee 17 And I will come down f Not by local motion but by my powerful presence and operation See Gen. 11. 5. and Exod. 34. 5. and talk with thee there and I * Neh. 9. 20. will take of the spirit which is upon thee and will put it upon them g i. e. I will give the same spirit to them which I have given to thee But as the spirit was not conveyed to them from or through Moses but immediately from God so the spirit or its gifts were not by this means impaired in Moses The spirit is here put for the gifts of the spirit as it is Num. 27. 18. Ioel 2. 28. Ioâ—… 7. 39. Act. 19. 2 6. 1 Cor. 14. 12 32. and particularly for the spirit of prophesy v. 25. whereby they were enabled as Moses had been and still was to discern hidden and future things and resolve doubtful and difficult cases which made them fit for government It is observable that God would not and therefore men should not call any persons to any office for which they were not sufficiently fit and qualified and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee that thou bear it not thy self alone 18 And say thou unto the people Sanctifie your selves h i. e. Prepare your selves either to receive the miraculous blessings of God the flesh you desire or rather prepare to meet thy God O Israel in the way of his judgments and to receive the punishment which God will inflict upon you for it is evident from ver 20. that God answered them with a curse in stead of a blessing Prepare your selves by true repentance that you may either obtain some mitigation of the plague or whilest your bodies are destroyed by the flesh you desire and eat ver 33 34. your souls may be saved from the wrath of God Sanctifying is oft used for preparing as Ier. 6. 4. and 12. 3. and 51. 28. against to morrow and ye shall eat flesh for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD i Not secretly in your closets but openly and impudently in the doors of your tents ver 10. calling heaven and earth to witness your cries and complaints saying Who shall give us flesh to eat for it was well with us in Egypt therefore the LORD will give you flesh and ye shall eat 19 Ye shall not eat one day nor two dayes nor five dayes neither ten dayes nor twenty dayes 20 But even a †Heb. 〈◊〉 dayes whole month untill it come out at your nostrils k Which meat loathed and violently vomited up frequently doth and it be loathsome unto you l Being glutted with the abundance of it Thus God destroyes them by granting their desires and turnes even their blessings into curses whilest he deals much more favourably with Moses though he also fell into the same sin with the people i. e. impatience and murmuring But God will make a great difference between persons and persons and between Moses his sins of infirmity and the peoples presumptuous and oft repeated provocations because ye have despised the LORD m i. e. You have lightly esteemed his bounty and manifold blessings in Manna and other things and have preserred the leeks onions c. of Egypt before them all you have sleighted and distrusted his promises and providence after so long and large experience of it which is among you n Who is present and resident with you to observe all your carriages and to punish your offences This is added as a great aggravation of
inordinate both in the desire and use of them because there they buried the people that lusted 35 And the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth t Of which place see on Numb 33. 17. and Deut. 1. 1. and †Heb. they were in c. abode at Hazeroth CHAP. XII 1 AND Miriam and Aaron a Whom God permitted to murmur against their brother partly to exercise and discover the admirable meekness and patience for the instruction of after ages and partly that by this shaking Moses his authority might take the deeper root and the people might be deterred from all sedition and rebellion against him by this example Miriam seems to be first named because she was the chief instigatour or first mover of the sedition wherefore she also is more eminently punished spake against Moses because of the ‖ Or Cushite Ethiopian woman b Which was either 1. Zipporah who is here called an Ethiopian in the Hebrew a Cushite because she was a Midianite the word Cush being generally used in scripture not for Ethiopia properly so called below Egypt but for Arabia as some late learned men have evidently proved from 2 King 19. 9. 2 Chron. 21. 16. Ezek. 29. 10. and 30. 8 9. Hab. 3. 7. and other places If she be meant as it is commonly conceived I suppose they did not quarrel with him for marrying her because that was done long since but for indulging her too much and being swayed by her and her relations by whom they might think he was perswaded to make this innovation and to chuse seventy Rulers as he had been formerly Exod. 18. by which copartnership in government they thought their authority and reputation much diminished especially when no notice was taken nor use made of them in the choice but all was done by the direction of Moses and for his assistance in the government And because they durst not accuse God who was the chief agent in it they charge Moses his instrument as the manner of men is or 2. some other woman though not named in Scripture whom he married either whilest Zipporah lived or rather because she was now dead though that as many other things be not recorded For as the quarrel seems to be about his marrying a stranger so it is probable it was a late and fresh occasion about which they contended and not a thing done 40 years agoe And it was lawful for him aswell as any other to marry an Ethiopian or Arabian woman provided she were as doubtless this woman was a sincere proselyte which were by the law of God admitted to the same priviledges with the Israelites Exod. 12. 48. so there might be many reasons why Moses might chuse to marry such a person rather than an Israelite or why God so ordered it by his providence either because she was a person of eminent worth and vertue or because God intended that the government should not be continued in the hands of Moses his children and therefore would have some political blemish to be upon the family as being strangers by one parent And this they here urge as a blemish to Moses also whom he had married for * Exod. 2. 21. he had †Heb. taken married an Ethiopian woman 2 And they said Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses * Mic. 6. 4. hath he not spoken also by us c Are not we Prophets as well as he so Aaron was made Exod. 4. 15 16. and so Miriam is called Exod. 15. 20. See also Mic. 6. 4. And Moses hath debased and mixed the holy seed which we have not done Why then should he take all power to himself and rule and make rulers as he pleaseth without consulting us in the case And the LORD heard it d i. e. Observed their words and carriage to Moses 3 Now the man Moses was very meek e This is added as the reason why Moses took no notice of their reproach but was as one that heard it not and why God did so speedily and severely plead Moses his cause because he did not avenge himself Quest. 1. Did it become Moses thus to commend himself Answ. 1. The holy pen-men of Scripture are not to be measured or censured by other profane Writers because they are guided by special instinct in every thing they write and as they oft-times publish their own and their near relations greatest faults where it may be useful to the honour of God and the edification of the Church in after ages so it is not strange if for the same reasons sometimes they commend themselves especially when they are forced to it by the insolence and contempt of their adversaries which was Moses his case here in which case St. Paul also commends himself 2 Cor. 11. 5 c. and 12. 11 12. Which they might the better do because all their writings and carriage made it evident to all men that they did not this out of vain glory and that they were exalted above the affectation of mens praises and the dread of mens reproaches 2. This might be added as some other clauses were by some succeeding Prophet which was no disparagement to the authority of the holy Scriptures seeing it is all written by one hand though â—…ers pens be used by it Quest. 2. How was Moses so meek when we oft-times read of his anger as Exod. 11. 8. and 16. 20. and 32. 19. Levit. 10. 16. Numb 16. 15. and 20. 10 11. compared with Psal. 106. 32 33. Answ. 1. The meekest men upon earth are provoked sometimes yea oftner then Moses was 2. True meekness doth not exclude all anger but onely such as is unjust or immoderate or implacable Moses was and ought to be angry where God was offended and dishonoured as he was in almost all the places alledged above all the men which were upon the face of the earth 4 And the LORD spake suddenly f Partly to shew his great respect unto Moses and unto the grace of meekness and partly to stifle the beginings of the sedition that this example might not spread amongst the people who had too much of that leaven among them unto Moses and unto Aaron and unto Miriam Come out g To wit out of your private dwellings and from amongst the people both that you may not infect them by such scandalous words and partly that you may know my pleasure and your own doom ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation and they three came out 5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle h Where they stood wit hout not being admitted into the Tabernacle as Aaron used to be which is noted as a sign of Gods displeasure and called Aaron and Miriam and they both came forth 6 And he said Hear now my words if there be a prophet among you i If you be Prophets as you pretend yet know there
the congregation to minister unto them a i. e. In their stead and for their good So they were the servants both of God and of the Church which was an high dignity though not sufficient for their ambitious minds 10 And he hath brought thee near to him and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee and seek ye the priesthood also b There being at this time but very few Priests and the profits and priviledges belonging to them being many and great they thought it but fit and reasonable that they or some of the chief of them should be admitted to a share in their work and advantages 11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD c Whose minister and chosen servant Aaron is You strike at God through Aarons sides Compare 1 Sam. 8. 7. Luk. 10. 16. Ioh. 13. 20. and what is Aaron that ye murmure against him 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram d To treat with them and give them as he had done Korah and his company a timely admonition the sons of Eliab which said e Unto the messengers sent to them by Moses We will not come up f To Moses his Tabernacle whither the people used to go up for judgment Men are said in Scripture phrase to go up to places of judgment See Deut. 25. 7. Ruth 4. 1. Ezra 10. 7 8. But because they would not now go up therefore they went down quick into the pit ver 33. 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey g i. e. Out of Egypt a place indeed of great plenty bâ—… to them a place of torment and intolerable slavery They invidiously and scoffingly use the same words wherewith God by Moses commended the land of Canaan to kill us in the wilderness 〈◊〉 make thy self altogether a prince over us 14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards wilt thou †Heb. â—…re out put out the eyes of these men h i. e. Of those who are confederate with us and of all the people who are of our mind Whilst thou make them blind or perswade them that they are blind and that they do not see what is visible to all that have eyes to wit that thou hast deceived them and broken thy faith and promise given to them or wilst thou lead them about like blind men whither thou pleasest one time towards Canaan another time toward Egypt again we will not come up i We will not obey thy summons nor own thy authority 15 And Moses was very wroth k Not so much for his own sake for he had learnt to bear indignities Numb 12. as for Gods sake who was highly dishonoured blasphemed and provoked by these speeches and carriages in which case he ought to be angry as Christ was Mark 3. 5. and said unto the LORD * Gen. 4. 4 5. Respect not thou their offering l i. e. Accept not their incense which they are now going to offer but shew some eminent dislike of it He calls it their offering though it was offered by Korah and his companions because it was offered in the name and by the consent of all the conspiratours for the decision of the present controversie between them and Moses I * Acts 20. 33. have not taken one ass m i. e. Not any thing of the smallest value as an ass was See 1 Sam. 12. 3. from them neither have I hurt one of them n I have never injured them nor used my power to defraud or oppress them as I might have done but which is here implied I have done them many good offices but no hurt therefore their crime is inexcusable because without any cause or provocation on my part 16 And Moses said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the LORD o Not in the Tabernacle which was not capable of so many person severally offering incense but at the door of the Tabernacle ver 18. which place is oft said to be before the Lord as Exod. 29. 42. Levit. 1. 11. c. where they might now lawfully offer it by Moses his direction upon this extraordinary occasion and necessity because this work could not be done in that place which alone was allowed for the offering up of incense not onely for its smallness but also because none but Priests might enter to do this work Here also the people who were to be instructed by this experiment might see the proof and success of it thou and they and Aaron to morrow 17 And take every man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer two hundred and fifty censers thou also and Aaron each of you his censer 18 And they took every man his censer p Which they could easily make in a sleight manner which would suffice for the present purpose and put fire in them q Taken from the Altar which stood in that place Levit. 1. 3 5. for Aaron might not use other fire Levit. 10. 1. And it is likely the remembrance of the death of Nadab and Abihu deterred them from offering any strange fire and laid incense thereon and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron 19 And Korah gathered all the congregation r That they might be witnesses of the event and upon their success which they doubted not of might fall upon Moses and Aaron with popular rage and destroy them And it seems by this that the people were generally incensed against Moses and inclined to Korahs side against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glory of the LORD appeared s In the cloud which then shone with greater brightness and Majesty as a token of Gods approach and presence See Exod. 16. 7 10. Levit. 9. 6 23. Numb 20. 6. unto all the congregation 20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 21 * Gen. 19. 1â—… 22. Jer. â—… â—… Rev. 18. â—… Separate your selves from among this congregation ‖ To wit Korah and his 250 men and the people whom he â—…athered against Moses and Aaron ver 19. that I may consume them in a moment 22 And they fell upon their faces and said O God * chap. 2â—… â—… Job 12. 2â—… Eccl. 12. â—… Isa. 57. 1â—… Zach. 12. â—… Heb. 12. â—… the God of the spirits t i. e. Of souls as the word spirit in Scripture is oft used as Psal. 31. 5. and 77. 3. Prov. 17. 22. Eccl. 12. 7. Luk. 23. 46. Act. 7. 59. And this is no empty title here but very emphatical and argumentative thus Thou art the maker of spirits Zach. 12. 1. destroy not thy own workmanship
that conspiracy it is added ver 18. And a fire was kindled in their company the flame burnt up the wicked As for Num. 26. 10. which seems to oppose this opinion we shall see more on that place if God permit and all their goods 33 They and all that appertained to them went down alive into †Heb. Hâ—…ll the pit r i. e. Into the earth which first opened it self to receive them and then shut it self to destroy them and transmit them to further punishments and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said Lest the earth swallow up us also 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD s i. e. From the cloud wherein the glory of the Lord appeared ver 19. to give sentence in this cause and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense 36 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 37 Speak unto Eleazar t Rather than to Aaron partly because the troublesome part of the work was more proper for him and partly least Aaron should be polluted by going amongst those dead carcases for it is probable this fire consumed them as lightning sometimes doth others by taking away their lives and leaving their bodies dead upon the place the son of Aaron the priest that he take up the censers out of the burning u i. e. From among the dead bodies of those men who were burnt Burning put for those who are burnt as captivity for the captives Numb 21. 1. and poverty for the poor 2 King 24. 14. and scatter thou the fire x i. e. The cinders or ashes which are left in or near their censers yonder y i. e. Far from the altar and sanctuary into an unclean place where the ashes were wont to be â—…ast by which God shews his rejection of their services for they are hallowed z Either 1. by Gods appointment because they were presented before the Lord by his express order ver 16 17. Or 2. by Goâ—… jâ—…st judgment because they together with the persons that used them were accursed and devoted by God and therefore were the Lords and to be imployed in any profane or common use as appears from Lev. 27. 28. But the first reason is the chief and is rendred by God himself ver 38. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls a i. e. Their own lives who were the authors of their own death and destruction Compare 1 King 2. 23. Prov. 20. 2. This he saith for the vindication of Gods justice and his own ministry in this severe dispensation let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar b To wit of burnt-offerings which was made of wood but covered with brass before this time Exod. 27. 1 2. to which this other covering was added for further ornament and security against the fire which was continually burning upon it for they offered them before the LORD therefore they are hallowed and they shall be a sign c A monument or warning to all strangers to take heed of invading the Priesthood as it follows ver 40. unto the children of Israel 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers wherewith they that were burnt had offered and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come near to offer incense before the LORD that he be not as Korah and as his company d i. e. That he do not imitate them in their sin and therefore bring upon himself the same plague as the LORD said to him e i. e. To Eleazar These words belong to ver 38. the meaning is that Eleazar did as God bad him by the hand of Moses 41 But on the morrow f Prodigious wickedness and madness so soon to forget such a terrible instance of divine vengeance all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron saying ye have killed g You who should have preserved them and interceded for them have pulled down Gods wrath upon them for the maintenance of your own authority and interest the people of the LORD h So they call those wicked wretches and rebels against God which shews the power of passion and prejudice to corrupt mens judgments 42 And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron that they i i. e. Moses and Aaron who in all their distresses made God their refuge looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation and behold the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation k To hear what God who now appeared would say to him 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 45 Get ye up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment and they fell upon their faces l To beg pardon and mercy for the people as they oft did thus rendring good to them for evil which the people required with evil for their kindness 46 And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the altar and put on incense m Which was a sign of intercession Psal. 141. 2. and was to be accompanied with it Luk. 1. 9 10. and go quickly unto the congregation n With the incense to stir up the people to repentance and prayer to prevent their utter ruine This he might do upon this extraordinary occasion having Gods command for his warrant though ordinarily incense was to be offered onely in the Tabernacle and make an atonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the LORD the plague is begun o In cutting off the people by a sudden and miraculous stroke 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation p Hazarding his own life to obey God and to do this wicked people good and behold the plague was begun amongst the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people 48 And he stood between the dead and the living q Whereby it may seem that this plague like that fire Numb 11. 1. began in the uttermost parts of the congregation and so proceeded destroying one after another in an orderly manner which gave Aaron occasion and direction so to place himself as a Mediatour to God on their behalf and the plague was stayed 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed CHAP. XVII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses
of that common sin was not directly and properly death but exclusion from the land of Canaan and death onely by way of consequence upon that and had no sons 4 Why should the name of our father be †Heb. diminished done away e As it will be if it be not preserved by an inheritance given to us in his name and for his sake Hence some gather that the first son of each of these heiresses was called by their fathers name by vertue of that law Deut. 25. 6. whereby the brothers first son was to bear the name of his elder brother whose widow he married from among his family because he hath no son give unto us therefore a possession f In the land of Canaan upon the division of it which though not yet conquered they concluded would certainly be so and thereby gave glory to God by believing among the brethren of our father 5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD g i. e. Into the Tabernacle where God was pleased to speak with Moses upon occasions Exod. 25. 22. Numb 7. 89. For it was an hard case and though their plea seemed reasonable yet Moses shewed his humility and modesty that he would not determine it himself without Gods particular direction 6 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right thou shalt surely give them h In Hebrew it is of the masculine gender to shew that women in this case should enjoy the mans priviledge and that the heavenly Canaan whereof this was a type did belong no less to women than to men Gal. 3. 28. a possession of an inheritance among their fathers brethren and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their fathers i i. e. Which belonged to their fathers in case they had lived to pass unto them 8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel saying If a man die and have no son then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter 9 And if he have no daughter then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren 10 And if he have no brethren k Nor sisters as appears from ver 8. then ye shall give his inheritance unto his fathers brethren 11 And if his father have no brethren then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family and he shall possess it and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment l A statute or rule by which the Magistrate shall give judgment in such cases as the LORD commanded Moses 12 And the LORD said unto Moses * Deut. 3. 2â—… and 32. 4â—… Get thee up into this mount Abarim m The whole tract of mountains was called Abarim Numb 33. 47. whereof one of the highest was called Nebo Deut. 32. 49. and the top of that Pisgah Deut. 34. 1. and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel 13 And when thou hast seen it thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people n Of which phrase see Gen. 15. 15. and 25. 8. as * chap. 2â—… 〈◊〉 and 31. 2. Deut. 10. 6. Aaron thy brother was gathered 14 For * chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 1. 3â—… Psal. 1â—… 〈◊〉 ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin in the strife of the congregation to sanctifie me at the water before their eyes that is the * Exod. 〈◊〉 water of Meribah in Kadesh o This is added to distinguish this miscarriage of Moses from that of the people in Rephidim Exod. 17. 7. in the wilderness of Zin 15 And Moses spake unto the LORD p The words here following and others too which are recorded Deut. 3. 23 26. saying 16 Let the LORD * chap. 16. 〈◊〉 God of the spirits of all flesh q i. e. Of all men the searcher of spirits that knowest who is fit for this great employment the father and giver and governour of spirits who canst raise and suit the spirits of men to the highest and hardest works as thou didst those Numb 11. 16 17. See Numb 16. 22. set a man over the congregation 17 Which may go out before them and which may go in before them r i. e. Which may wisely conduct them in all their affairs both when they go forth to war or upon other occasions and when they return home and live in peace A metaphor from shepherds as it here follows which in those places used not to go behind their sheep as ours now do but before them and to lead them forth to their pasture and in due time to lead them home again Of this phrase see Deut. 28. 6. Act. 1. 21. and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the congregation of the LORD be not * Zech. 〈◊〉 Matth. â—… 〈◊〉 as sheep which have no shepherd 18 And the LORD said unto Moses Take thee Joshua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit s The spirit of government of wisdom and of the fear of the Lord c. and lay thine hand upon him t By which ceremony Moses did both design the person and confer the power and by his prayers which accompanied that rite obtain from God all the spiritual gifts and graces necessary for his future employment as appears from Deut. 34. 9. See of this custom Gen. 48. 14. Levit. 1. 4. Numb 8. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 14. 19 And set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation u That they may be witnesses of the whole action and may acknowledge him for their supream ruler and give him a charge x Thou shalt command him in my name to undertake the government of my people which otherwise he will be afraid and unwilling to do and thou shalt give him counsels and instructions for the right management of that great trust in their sight 20 And thou shalt put some of thine †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour upon him y Thou shalt not now use him as a servant as thou hast done but as a brother and thy partner in the government shewing respect to him and causing others to do so and thou shalt impart to him the ensigns and evidences of thy own authority whatsoever they be Some understand this honour of those spiritual endowments which did adorn Moses which Moses was now to confer upon him But this Ioshua had before for in him was the spirit ver 18. and he received a further measure of the spirit by Moses his laying on of hands from both which this honour is distinguished and had he meant this he would not have expressed it in so dark and doubtful a phrase but have called it a putting not of honour but of the spirit upon him as it is called Numb 11. 17. And seeing the word honour here may very well be properly understood why should we run to
for all the rest He stood in the East and saw also Gilead which was in the Eastern part of the land and thence he saw the North and South and west and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and all the land of Judah unto the utmost sea f i. e. The midland Sea which was the utmost bound of the land of promise on the west 3 And the south g i. e. The south quarter of the land of Iudah which is towards the salt sea which is described Num. 34. 3 4 5. Ios. 15. 1 2 3 4. as the western quarter of Iudah was described in the words next foregoing and the plain of the valley of Jericho h Or in which lies Iericho which was in the Tribe of Benjamin the city of palm-trees i i. e. Iericho so called both here and Iudg. 1. 16. and 3. 13. 2 Chron. 28. 15. from the multitude of Palm-trees which were in those parts as Iosephus and Straâ—… write From whence and the balm there growing it was called Iericho which signifies odoriserous or sweet smelling unto Zoar. 4 And the LORD said unto him * Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 13. 1â—… This is the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob saying I will give it unto thy seed I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes k To wit by a miraculous power strengthning thy sight or making a clear representation of all these parts to thy view but thou shalt not go over thither 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab l i. e. In the land which Israel took from the Amorites which antiently was the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD 6 And he m i. e. The Lord last mentioned buried him either immediately or by the ministery of Angels whereof Michael was the Chief or Prince Iude ver 9. buryed him in a valley in the land of Moab over-against Beth-Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre n i. e Of the particular place of the Valley where he was buried which God hid from the Israelites to prevent their Superstition and Idolatry to which he knew their great proneness And for this very reason the Devil endeavoured to have it known and contended with Michael about it Iude ver 9. And seeing God would not endure the worship of the Relicks or Tomb of so eminent a person as Moses was it is ridiculous to think God would permit this honour to be given to any of the succeeding Saints who were so far inferiour to him unto this day 7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died his eye was not diâ—… nor his †Heb. 〈◊〉 natural force †Heb. 〈◊〉 abated o By a miraculous work of God in mercy to his Church and people 8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty dayes p Which was the usual time of mourning for persons of high place and eminency See Gen. 50. 3 10. Num. 20. 29. For others seven days sufficed so the dayes of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended 9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom q And other gifts and graces too as appears from the History but Wisdom is mentioned as being most necessary for the Government to which he was now called for Moses had laid his hands upon him r Which God had appointed as a sign to Moses and Ioshua and the Israelites that this was the person whom he had appointed and qualified for his great work See Numb 27. 18 c. compare Gen. 48. 10. Numb 8. 10. and the children of Israel hearkned unto him and did as the LORD commanded Moses 10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses s In the priviledges here following whom the LORD knew face to face t i. e. Whom God did so freely and familiarly and frequently converse with See on Exod. 33. 11. Numb 12. 8. Deut. 5. 4. 11 In all the signs u This is to be joyned either 1. with the words immediately foregoing as an eminent instance wherein God did know or acknowledge and own or converse so familiarly with Moses namely in the working of all his signs and wonders in Egypt where God spake to him so oft and sometimes even in Pharaohs presence and answered his requests so particularly and punctually whether he called for vengeance or for deliverance Or 2. With the more remote words there was none like unto Moses in regard of all the signs c. the words whom the Lord knew face to face coming in by way of parenthesis and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land 12 And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel JOSHUA The ARGUMENT IT is not material to know who was the Pen-man of this Book whether Joshua as seems most probable from Chap. 24. 26. or some other holy Prophet It is sufficient that this Book was a part of the Holy Scriptures or Oracles of God committed to and carefully kept by the Jews and by them faithfully delivered to us as appears by the concurring Testimony of Christ and his Apostles who owned and approved of the same Holy Scriptures which the Church of the Jews did But this is certain that divers Passages in this Book were put into it after Joshua's death as Josh. 10. 13. compared with 2 Sam. 1. 18. and Josh. 19. 47. compared with Judg. 18. 1. and Josh. 24. 29 30. And such like Insertions have been observed in the five Books of Moses CHAP. I. NOW after the death of Moses a Either immediately after it or when the days of mourning for Moses were expired Ioshua was appointed and declared Moses his Successor in the Government before this time and therefore doubtless entred upon the Government instantly after his death and here he receives confirmation from God therein the servant of the LORD b This title is given to Moses here and v. 2. as also Deut. 34. 5. and is oft repeated not without cause partly to reflect Honour upon him partly to give Authority to his Laws and Writings in publishing whereof he only acted as Gods Servant in his name and stead and partly that the Israelites might not think of Moses above what was meet remembring that he was not the Lord himself but only the Lords Servant and therefore not to be worshipped nor yet to be too pertinaceously followed in all his Institutions when the Lord himself should come and abolish part of the Mosaical Dispensation it being but reasonable that he who was only a Servant in Gods house should give place to him who was the Son and Heir and Lord of it as Christ was See Heb. 3. 3 5
Prisoners and either used as Slaves or sold them for such 22 For there fell down many slain because the war was of God r God put them upon it and mightily assisted them in it And they s i. e. That Party of these Tribes which went out to this War being 44760 men or part of them by the consent of the rest dwelt in their steads until the captivity t Of which 2 Kings 15. 29. and 17. 6. 23 And the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh u Having discoursed of the Reubenites v. 3 c. and next of the Gadites v. 11 c. he now comes to the Manassites dwelt in the land x i. e. In their Land to wit in the Northern part of the land beyond Iordan they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir and unto mount Hermon 24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers even Epher and Ishi and Eliel and Azriel and Jeremiah and Hodaviah and Jahdiel mighty men of valour †Heb. as 〈◊〉 famous men and heads of the house of their fathers 25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers and went a * 〈…〉 whoring after the gods of the people of the land whom God destroyed before them 26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit y He so governed his Counsels and Affections that he should bring his Forces against this People rather than others of * 〈…〉 Pul king of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria and he carried them away even the Reubenite and the Gadite and the half-tribe of Manasseh and brought them unto * 〈…〉 Halah and Habor and Hara and to the river Gozan z Of which places see 2 King 15. 17. unto this day CHAP. VI. 1 THe sons of Levi * 〈…〉 ‖ 〈…〉 Gershon Kohath and Merari 2 And the sons of Kohath Amram Izhar a Called also Amminadab v. 22. compare Exod. 6. 21. and Hebron and Uzziel 3 And the children of Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam The sons also of Aaron * 〈…〉 Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 4 Eleazar begat Phinehas and Phinehas begat Abishua 5 And Abishua begat Bukki and Bukki begat Uzzi b In whose days it is supposed that the High-Priesthood was translated from Eleazars Family to Ithamars for some Cause now unknown in whose Line it continued for some Successions 6 And Uzzi begat Zerahiah and Zerahiah begat Merajoth 7 Merajoth begat Amariah and Amariah begat Ahitub 8 And * 2 Sam. â—… 1â—… Ahitub begat Zadok and * 2 Sam. 1â—… 〈◊〉 Zadok begat Ahimaaz 9 And Ahimaaz begat Azariah and Azariah begat Johanan 10 And Johanan begat Azariah * 〈…〉 he it is that executed the priests office c So did all the rest but it is implied that he did it worthily he filled his place and valiantly discharged his Office in Uzziahs time of which see 2 Chron. 26. 17 c. Or this he may relate to Iohanan otherwise called Iehojadaâ—… who is so highly commended for the good Service which he did to the House of God and of the King of whom see 2 Kings 11. †Heb. iâ—… the house in the * 〈…〉 temple that Solomon built d In Solomons Temple so called to distinguish it from the second Temple which was built or in building when these Books were written in Jerusalem 11 And * 〈…〉 Azariah begat Amariah and Amariah begat Ahitub 12 And Ahitub begat Zadok and Zadok begat ‖ 〈…〉 Shallum 13 And Shallum begat Hilkiah and Hilkiah begat Azariah 14 And Azariah begat * 〈…〉 Serajah e Who was slain by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah 2 Kings 25. 18 21. and Serajah begat Jehozadak 15 And Jehozadak went into captivity * 〈…〉 when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar 16 The sons of Levi * 〈◊〉 6. 16. ‖ 〈…〉 Gershom Kohath and Merari f This he repeats as the Foundation of the following Genealogy of those Levites who were not Priests 17 And these be the names of the sons of Gershon Libni and Shimei 18 And the sons of Kohath were Amram and Izkar and Hebron and Uzziel 19 The sons of Merari Mahli and Mushi And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers g Who are distinguished and named from their Fathers And the following Catalogue is thought to contain the successive Heads or Chiefs of their several Families until the Times of David by whom they were distributed into several Ranks or Courses 20 Of Gershom Libni his son Jahath his son * 〈…〉 Zimmah his son h i. e. His Grandson by his Son Shimei as appears from v. 42 43. the Names of Father and Son being oft used in Scripture of more remote Progenitors or Successors 21 ‖ 〈…〉 Joah his son ‖ 〈…〉 Iddo his son Zerah his son Jeaterai his son 22 The sons of Kohath ‖ 〈…〉 Amminadab his son Korah his son Assir his son 23 Elkanah his son and Ebiasaph his son and Affiâ—… his son 24 Tahath his son ‖ 〈…〉 Uriel i Called also Zephaniah v. 36. where also Uzziah here following is called Azariah his son ‖ Uzziah his son and ‖ 〈…〉 Shaul his son 25 And the sons of Elkanah k The Son of that Korah mentioned above v. 22. as is manifest by v. 35 36 37. and by Exod. 6. 23 24. * See 〈◊〉 35 1 Amasai and Abimoth 26 As for Elkanah l This was another Elkanah Son or Grandson of the former Elkanah and either the Son or Brother of Ahimoth last mentioned or of Amasai the sons of Elkanah ‖ 〈…〉 Zophai his son and Nahath m Called also Toah v. 34. and Tohu 1 Sam. 1. 1. his son 27 * 〈…〉 Eliab his son Jeroham his son Elkanali n The Father of the Prophet Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 1. who therefore follows here his son 28 And the sons of Samuel the first-born ‖ 〈◊〉 also 〈◊〉 ver 33. â—…am 8. 2. Vashni and Abiah 29 The sons of Merari Mahly Libni his son Shimei his son Uzza his son 30 Shimea his son Haggiah his son Asajah his son 31 And these o Whose Names here follow are they whom David set over the ‖ Heb. 〈◊〉 service p Heb. the Hands Hand put for 〈◊〉 or Service which is commonly performed by the Hand Thus God is frequently said to speak or command things by the Hand i. e. the Ministery of Moses Compare 2 Chron. 29. 27. of song in the house of the LORD after that the 〈◊〉 16. 1. ark had rest q Which was in Davids Time 2 Sam. 6. 17. 32 And they ministred before the dwelling-place of the tabernacle r Or the Tabernacle of the Tent as the same Hebrew words are translated Exod. 39. 32. 40 2
time as we shall shortly see and six thousand were * Deut. 16. 18. officers and judges e Whose Work it seems to have been to judge of and determine all difficult Causes or Differences which might arise either among the Inferiour Priests or Levites about their Sacred Administrations or among the People which being governed in all their Concerns onely by the Laws of Moses it was fit and necessary that the Priests and Levites should be consulted and concerned in their Matters 5 Moreover four thousand were porters f Whose Office was to take the Charge of all the Gates of the Temple and its Courts that no forbidden or unclean Person might enter there and of the Courts themselves and of several Chambers or Buildings belonging to the Temple and the Service thereof These also were to do their Work by turns and four thousand praised the LORD with instruments g Whereof 288 were persons of greater skill than their Brethren and did Instruct them and had some Authority over them which I made said David to praise therewith 6 And * Exod. 6. 16. Ch. 6. 1 c. 2 Chr. 8. 14. 29. 25. David divided them into †Heb. divisions courses h Which he did not by his own Invention but as a man of God and by the command of God and with the Advice and Concurrence of God and Nathan the Prophets as is manifest from 2 Chron. 8. 14. 29. 25. among the sons of Levi namely Gershon Kohath and Merari 7 Of the * Ch. 26. 21. Gershonites were ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Ch. 6. 17. Laadan and Shimeâ—… 8 The sons i i. e. His Posterity and so in the following Verses for these could not be their immediate Sons of Laadan the chief was Jehiel and Zetham and Joel three 9 The sons of Shimei Shelomith and Haziel and Haran three These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan 10 And the sons of Shimei k Not that Shimei named v. 9. but another and possibly the Son or Grandson of that Shimei were Jahath ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 11. Zina and Jeush and Beriah These four were the sons of Shimei 11 And Jahath was the chief and Zizah the second but Jeush and Beriah †Heb. did not multiply sonâ—… had not many sons therefore they were in one reckoning according to their fathers house l They were reckoned together as one Family and were not called by the name of their two immediate Parents but by the name of their Grandfather Shimei 12 The sons of Kohath Amram Izhar Hebron and Uzziel four 13 The sons of * Exod. 6. 20. Amram Aaron and Moses and Exod. 28. 1. Heb. 5. 4. Aaron was separated ‖ Or to sanctifie him holy of holies him and his sons that he should sanctifie the most holy things m Not positively for so he could not sanctifie them they being already sanctified by God in the highest Degree but negatively i. e. that he might keep them from Pollution For these most holy things were polluted when they were touched by any other persons he and his sons n Not onely his eldest Sons the High-priests successively but all his Posterity or all the Priests for the Works here following were not peculiar to the High-priest but common to all the Priests who might all burn Incense 2 Chron. 29. 11. Luke 1. 9. and to minister in the Temple and to bless the People in Gods Name Numb 6. 23. Deut. 10. 8. for ever to burn incense before the LORD to minister unto him and to Numb 6. 23. bless in his name for ever 14 Now concerning Moses the man of God his sons were named of the Tribe of Levi n i. e. They were accounted onely as common Levites and were not Priests Which is mentioned partly to secure the Priesthood within the Bounds to which God had confined it lest they should presume to â—…nvade it upon a confidence in the Nobleness of their Extraction and partly for the Honour of Moses and the demonstration of his Eminent Piety and Self-denial who willingly left the Government to Ioshua and the Priesthood to Aaron and was content to have his Posterity reduced to a very private and mean Condition 15 Exod. 2. 22. 18. 3 4. The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer 16 Of the sons of Gershom ‖ Shubael Chap. 24. 20. Shebuel was the chief 17 And the sons o For the son the plural number for the singular as Gen. 46. 23. 1 Chrom 2. 8 31. and oft elsewhere of Eliezer were Ch. 26. 25. Rehabiah ‖ Or the first the chief p Heb. the first i. e. the first-born He is so called not because others were born after him but because none were born before him See oâ—… Mat. â—… 23. And Eliezer had none other sons but the sons of Rehabiah †Heb. were very highly multiplied were very many 18 Of the sons of Izhar ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch. 24. 2â—… She lomith the chief 19 Of the sons of Hebron Jeriah the first Amariah the second Jahaziel the third and Jekameam the fourth 20 Of the sons of Uzziel Micah the first and Jeshiah the second 21 The sons of Merari Mahli and Mushi the sons of Mahli Eleazar and Kish 22 And Eleazar died and * Ch. 24. 2â—… had no sons but daughters and their ‖ Or 〈◊〉 brethren the sons of Kish took them 23 The sons of Mushi Mahli and Eder and Jeremoth three 24 These were the sons of * Numb 1â—… 17 21. Levi after the house of their fathers even the chief of the fathers as they were counted by number of names by their polls that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD from the age of * Numb â—… â—… 4. 3. â—… 14. twenty years q As the Levites were anciently numbred from two several times from the 25th year of their Age and from the 30th Numb 4. 3. 8. 24. In like manner and for the same Reasons they are here numbred both from their 20th year as here when they were more solemnly prepared for and instructed and by degrees exercised in some parts of their Work and from their 30th year above v. 3. when they were admitted to the full and compleat Exercise of all the Parts and Works of their Office And the Reason why they were now sooner admitted to Service than they had been formerly by the Constitution of Moses is given in the next Verses because now their Work was more easie they being wholly discharged from that Burdensome Work of Carrying the Tabernacle and its Utensils which was too heavy for young and tender Shoulders To which may be added that the Number of the Israelites were 〈◊〉 increased and consequently the Services which were to be performed by the Levites on their behalf were multiplied and the Work of the Temple was much greater than that of the
earth c The people of the Earth by comparing this clause with the former †〈◊〉 â—…gger be moved d To wit with fear and trembling as in the former clause 2 The LORD is great in Zion e In the Hebrew Text the words lie in this order The Lord in Zion i. e. which dwelleth in Zion as is said Psal. 9. 11. Isa. 8. 18. Ioel 3. 21. is great and he is high above all people f Above all the people of the Earth of whom he spake v. 1. who shall exalt themselves against him 3 Let them g To wit all people last mentioned praise thy great and terrible name for it is holy h For it is not onely great but holy and therefore most praise-worthy 4 * Psal. 98. 6. The kings strength also loveth judgment n Though his Dominion be absolute and uncontroulable and his power irresistible yet he doth not abuse it to tyranny and oppression as the Princes of the World commonly do but tempers and manageth it with righteousness and not onely doth judge justly but which is more loves to do so The Kings strength is by a known Hebraism put for the strong or powerful King thou dost establish equity o To wit in all thy proceedings Equity is thy constant and stable course thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob p Amongst thine own people whom when they do amiss he punisheth no less than other people as he notes below v. 8. whereby he sheweth that he is no respecter of persons but a righteous and impartial Judge to all sorts of men 5 Exalt ye the LORD our God and worship at his foot-stool q Before the Ark which is so called 1 Chron. 28. 2. Psal. 132. 7. for ‖ Or it is holy he is holy r Or rather for it to wit the Ark is holy it is consecrated to be a pledge of Gods presence and the onely place of Gods publick worship 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel s He presseth them to perform the duty of praising and worshipping God by the examples of three eminent persons who practised this duty and that with happy success He reckoneth Moses among the Priests not without cause partly because before the institution of the Priesthood he executed that office Exod. 24. 6. Numb 7. and partly because he oft interceded to God for the people which was a very considerable part of the Priests work See Numb 6. 23 c. Ioel 2. 17. among them that call upon his name t Who used frequently and solemnly to intercede with God on the behalf of the people So the general expression is here used synecdochically for this particular kind of prayer such Synecdoche's being very frequent in Scripture they called upon the LORD and he answered them u Moses Exod. 32. and elsewhere Aaron Numb 16. Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 19. and 12. 19. Compare Ier. 15. 1. 7 He spake unto them x i. e. To some of them for the expression is only indefinite and therefore doth not necessarily reach to all of them to Moses frequently to Aaron Exod. 19. 24. and 33. 9 10 11. Numb 12. 5. And for Samuel he answered him if not by words yet really and by his actions thundering against the Philistins 1 Sam. 7. 9 c. which supposeth a Cloud if not a Cloudy Pillar in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them y This is added not onely for their commendation but for the instruction of the Israelites to teach them that God will not hear the Prayers of them who do not keep his Commandments 8 Thou answerdest them z The intercessours beforementioned Either 1. Moses and Aaron who did sin and whose sins God did pardon yet so as that he did punish them with exclusion from the land of Canaan of which see Numb 20. 12. Deut. 32. 50 51. Or rather 2. the people for whom they prayed which though not expressed may be easily understood from the following words and from the Histories to which these words relate For this forgiving was evidently the effect of Gods answering the Prayers of the persons above mentioned And therefore as their Prayers recorded in Scripture were not for the pardon of their own sins but for the pardon of the peoples sins so this forgiveness granted was for the sins of the people And whereas the people are not here mentioned it must be remembred that in Scripture the relative is frequently put without the antecedent as it is Numb 7. 89. and 114. 2. Prov. 14. 26. O LORD our God thou wast a God that forgavest them a though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions b This clause limits and explains the former Thou didst forgive the sins of the people not absolutely and universally for thou didst punish them severely but so far as not to inflict that total and final destruction upon them which they deserved and thou hadst threatned See Exod. 32. 10 14 34. 9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy hill c Either in Zion or in his Church typified by it and oft called Zion for the LORD our God is holy PSAL. C. A Psalm of ‖ Or thansgiving praise This Psalm seems to have been composed for the use of the Israelites in their thank-offerings or upon other solemn occasions of praising God as the title speaks but withal it hath a further prospect even to the days of the Messiah as some of the Hebrew Doctors acknowledge and to the calling of the Gentiles whom he invites to join with them in the praises of God their Lord and Maker 1 MAke a joyful noise a Partly with Voices and Songs of rejoicing and thanksgiving and partly with musical instruments as the manner then was unto the LORD †Heb. all the earth all ye lands b All the Inhabitants of the Earth Or all the land i. e. all the people of Israel dwelling in this land Although his invitation seems to be more general extending also to the Gentiles of whom many even in those days joined themselves to the Church of God 2 Serve the LORD with gladness come before his presence with singing 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God it is he that hath made us c Both by Creation and by adoption and Regeneration whereby he made us his people which also is called a creation or making as Deut. 32. 6. Isa. 29. 23. and 43. 7. Eph. 2. 10. Therefore we owe him homage and service and him onely and not other gods who made us not ‖ Or and his we are and not we our selves d * Psal. 95. 7. Ezek 34. 30 31. we are his people and the sheep of his pasture 4 Enter into his gates d The gates of his Courts for the people might enter no further and the Courts had Walls and Gates as well as
Moses or his God 2. Because he thought it an hard and long work to remove so vast a number of frogs and that Moses might use divers Ceremonies as the Magitians did in his addresses to God which would require some considerable time And he said Be it according to thy word that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God 11 And the frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people they shall remain in the river only 12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cryed unto the LORD k Though he was assured that the frogs would depart at his word yet he would use the means appointed by God for the accomplishment of it because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh l Or as the place is fitly rendred by others because of the word or matter of or about the frogs which he had given or propounded to Pharaoh Because he had given his word both for the thing and the time of it he prayed more earnestly lest God should be dishonoured and Pharaoh have occasion of triumph The Hebrew verbs to put and to give are frequently exchanged as appears by comparing 1 King 10. 9. with 2 Chron. 9. 8. and Isa. 42. 1. with Mat. 12. 18. 13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses and the frogs died out of the houses m A short speech for they died and were removed out of c. as appears from the next verse It being frequent in the Hebrew tongue under one verb expressed to understand another agreeable to it See Examples in the Hebrew Gen. 43. 33 34. Exod. 18. 12. and 25. 2. Prov. 25. 22. out of the villages and out of the fields 14 And they gathered them together upon heaps n Which doubtless they cast into their rivers or pits c. though that be not here mentioned God would not instantly and wholly take them away both to convince them of the truth of the miracle and to make them more sensible of this judgment and more fearful of bringing another upon themselves and the land stank 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite * chap. 7. 14. he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said 16 And the LORD said unto Moses Say unto Aaron o God it seems gave him no warning because he shewed himself in the very last plague to be both perâ—…idious and incorrigible Others think he was forewarned though that be not here expressed Stretch out thy rod and smite the dust of the land that it may become lice p So the Hebrew word is rendred by all the Iewish and most other Interpreters But it is probable that what is said of the locusts Exod. 10. 14. was true of these that they were much more loathsome and troublesome then ordinary throughout all the land of Egypt 17 And they did so for Aaron stretched out his hand with his roâ—… and smote the dust q Which was not fit matter to produce lice and therefore shews this work to be divine and miraculous of the earth and it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in man and in beast all the dust of the â—…d * i. e. A great part of it the word all being commonly so understood in Scripture 〈◊〉 became lice throughout all the land of Egypt 18 And the Magicians did so r i. e. Indeavoured to do so Thus to enter Mat. 7. 13. is put for striving to enter Luk. 13. 24. Thus men are said to deliver Gen. 37. 21. to fight Ios. 24. 9. to return Ios. 10. 15. when they onely attempted or endeavoured to do so And therefore when it is said in any of the plagues that the Magicians did so it is not to be understood that they really did the same thing but that they indeavoured to do so and that they did something which looked like it with their inchantments to bring forth lice but they could not s It was as easie for them to produce lice as frogs but God hindred them partly to confound them and their devilish arts and to shew that what they did before was onely by his permission and partly to convince Pharaoh and the Egyptians of their vanity in trusting to such impotent Magicians and in opposing that God who could controll and confound them when he pleased so there were lice upon man and upon beast 19 Then the Magicians said unto Pharaoh This is * 1 Sam. 6. 9. the finger t Which is either Synecdochically for the hand as it is Exod. 31. 18. Psal. 8. 3. and 144. 1. or metaphorically for the power or vertue as Luk. 11. 20. compared with Mat. 12. 28. of God u Of that supreme God whom both the Egyptians and other heathen idolaters acknowledged as superiour to all men and Idols and Devils This they said lest they should be thought inferiour to Moses and Aaron in magical art But hereby they own the soveraign God to be on Israels side and yet like the Devils they proceed to fight against him And Pharaohs heart was hardened and he hearkened not unto them x Either to his Magicians of whom he last spake or rather to Moses and Aaron as the following words shew For relatives oft belong to the remoter antecedents as Gen. 19. 13. 1 Sam. 7. 17. Mark 2. 13. as the LORD had said 20 And the LORD said unto Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh lo he cometh forth to the water and say unto him Thus saith the LORD let my people go that they may serve me 21 Else if thou wilt not let my people go behold I will send ‖ Or a 〈◊〉 of noisome beasts c. swarms of flies y Heb. a mixture of insects or flies as appears from Psal. 78. 45. which were of various kinds as bees wasps gnats hornets c. infinite in their numbers and doubtless larger and more venemous and pernicious than the common ones were upon thee and upon thy servants and upon thy people and into thine houses and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground whereon they are 22 And * chap. 9. 4 26. and 10. 23. and 12. 13. I will sever in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end that thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth z Either 1. of the wâ—…e earth and consequently of Egypt that I am not oâ—…ly the Lord of Israel but of thee and thy dominions too God is here spoken of after the manner of earthly Princes who use to reside in the midst of their Kingdomes that they may more conveniently rule and influence them Or rather 2. of Goshen the words being properly thus rendred that I the Lord am in the midst of