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
for a prey as it is expressed Ier. 38. 2. look not behind thee y Like one that grieves either for the loss of thy pleasant habitation or vast estate or for those cursed miscreants justly devoted to this destruction And this command though given to Lot alone yet was directed also to his companions to whom doubtless he imparted it as is evident both from all the other commands which equally concern all and from the following event See Matth. 24. 18. Lake 9. 62. neither stay thou in all the plain escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed 18 And Lot said unto them * i. e. Unto one of them as is manifest from the following words Oh not so my LORD 19 Behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight and thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life and I cannot escape to the mountain z Because of the infirmity of my age and the fainting of my spirits Thus he sheweth an unworthy and unreasonable distrust of Gods Power and Goodness which he had now experienced and acknowledged lest some evil take me and I die 20 Behold now this City is near to flee unto and it is a little one a Therefore as its inhabitants so its sins are fewer and it will not be an eminent example of thy vengeance as the other places will be O let me escape thither is it not a little one and my soul shall live 21 And he said unto him see I have accepted †Heb. thy face thee b Heb. I have lift up thy countenance i. e. granted thy request The manner of the expression possibly may be taken from the custom of the Eastern parts where petitioners used not to fall upon their knees as we do but to prostrate themselves with their face to the ground and the person to whom they addressed themselves in token of his favourable acceptance of their petitions commanded them to be lifted up concerning this thing that I will not overthrow this City for the which thou hast spoken 22 Haste thee escape thither for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither c Because of Gods decree and promise to save thee from the general destruction therefore the name of the City was called Zoar. 23 The sun was †Heb. goâ—… forth risen upon the Earth d This phrase may note either the time of the day when this was done or rather the nature and quality of the day that the Sun appeared and shone forth that morning in great lustre and glory Which is well noted as a very considerable circumstance of the History and a great aggravation of their ruine which came when they least expected it when Lot entered into Zoar. 24. Then * Deut. 29. 23. Isa. 13. 19. Jer. 50. 40. Ez. 16. 49. Hos. 11. 8. Amos 4. 11. Luke 17. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 6. Jude 7. the * See Jud. 5. 20. 2 Chron. 7. 1. Ezek. 11. 24. LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrha e And the Neighbouring Cities Admah and Zeboim as appears from Deut. 29. 23. Ier. 49. 18. Hos. 11. 8. brimstone and fire f Brimstone is added to the fire either to conveigh and carry down the fire which in it self is light and apt to ascend or to increase it Isa. 30. 33. or to represent the noysomness of their lusts from the LORD g i. e. From himself The noun put for the pronoun as Gen. 1. 27. 2 Chron. 7. 2. But here it is emphatically so expressed Either 1. To signifie that it proceeded not from natural causes but from the immediate hand of God Or 2. To note the plurality of persons in the Godhead God the Son who now appeared upon the Earth rained from God his Father in Heaven both concurring in this act as indeed all outward actions are common to all the persons of the Trinity out of Heaven 25 And he overthrew those Cities and all the plain h To wit where these Cities and their Territories lay called the plain of Iordan Gen. 13. 10. all which then became and to this day continues to be a filthy Lake called the Dead-Sea because no Fish lives in it and all the inhabitants of the Cities and that which grew upon the ground 26 But his wife looked back i Through curiosity or unbelief or desire of what she left or from all these causes from behind him k i. e. From behind her Husband whom she followed Which circumstance seems to be mentioned as the reason of this presumption because she could do it without her Husbands observation or reproof to which she had a greater regard than to the all-seeing eye of God and she ‖ i. e. Her body by a very common Synecdoche became a * Luke 17. 3â—… pillar of Salt l Either metaphorically i. e. a perpetual durable pillar as an Everlasting Covenant is called a pillar of Salt Numb 18. 19. or properly for there is a kind of Metallick Salt which resists the Rain and is hard enough for Buildings as Pliny Solinus and others Witness And that Salt was here mixed with Brimstone may be gathered from Deut. 29. 23. Adde to this that Iosephus Antiq 1. 12. Affirms that this pillar remained in his time And the like is witnessed by others after him 27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he * Chap. 18. 22. stood before the LORD 28. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrha and toward all the Land of the plain and beheld and lo the smoak of the Countrey went up as the smoak of a furnace 29 And it came to pass when God destroyed the Cities of the plain that God remembred Abraham m Either 1. The promise made to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. Or 2. The prayer made by Abraham Gen. 18. who doubtless in his prayers for Sodom would not forget Lot though his prayer for him be not there mentioned And hereby it is insinuated that Lot though he was a righteous man and should be saved eternally yet deserved to perish temporally with those wicked people to whom he associated himself meerly for worldly advantages and should have done so if Abraham had not hindred it by his prayers and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the Cities in the which Lot dwelt 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountain and his two daughters with him for he feared to dwell in Zoar n Lest he should either suffer from them or with them perceiving now that though it was a little City yet there was more wickedness in it than he imagined and he dwelt in a cave he and his two daughters 31 And the first-born said unto the younger Our father is old and there is not a man in the earth o Either 1. In the whole Earth For they thought the same deluge of
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
slaughter among the people that followeth Abâ—…alom 10 And he also that is valiant whose heart is as the heart of a lion shall utterly melt for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man and they which be with him are valiant men n The known fame of the 〈◊〉 valour of David and his followers will easily gain credit to that report and strike the stourest of our men with dread even Ahitophel himself if he should go with them 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee o His pretence was that they might have a far greater Army and make sure though slow work his design was to gain David more time that he might increase his Army and make better provisions for the Battel and that the present heat of the people might be cooled and they might at last bethink themselves of their duty to David and return to their former Allegiance from Dan even to Beersheba as the sand that is by the sea for multitude and ‡ Heb. that thy face or presence go c. that thou go to battel in thine own person p For thy presence will put more Life and Courage into all thy Soldiers who will be ambitious to shew their utmost Skill and Courage in defending thy Person and Cause when they know that all their Actions are observed by him who hath the distribution of rewards and punishments in his hands So mayest thou also give counsel as occasion offers and encourage thy men to kill David which otherwise they may possibly be afraid to do Besides the glory of the Victory will be wholly thine which now Ahitophel seeks to get to himself 12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground q i. e. Plenteously suddenly irresistibly and on all sides for so the Dew falls and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one 13 Moreover if he be gotten into a city then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city r Not that they should do so or that it was the Custom to do so but it is an Hyperbolical and Thrasonical expression suited to the vain-glorious temper of this insolent young man and therefore most likely to prevail with him implying that they would do so if they could not discover and destroy him another way or that they should be enough to do so if there were occasion and we will draw it into the river s Adjoyning to the City it being usual to build Cities near some River both for defence and for other accommodations until there be not one small stone sound there 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said t Being infatuated by a Divine power and given up to believe lyes and mistakes The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel for the LORD had ‡ Heb. commanded appointed to defeat the good counsel u So it was politically considered being the wisest and most effectual course to accomplish Absalom's end of Ahithophel to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom 15 ¶ Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests Thus and thus did Ahithopel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel and thus and thus have I counselled 16 Now therefore send quickly and tell David saying Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness x Lest the Kings and peoples minds change and Aâ—…itophel by his deep wit and great interest persuade the King to follow his former advice and to pursue you speedily but speedily pass over lest the king be swallowed up and all the people that are with him 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz staied by En-rogel y Or the Fullers well A place near Ierusalem Ios. 15. 7. and 18. 16. for they might not be seen to come into the city and a wench z Pretending to go thither to wash some Cloathes went and told them and they went and told king David 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them a Who knew them to be favourers of David and observed them to wait there upon design and to gain intelligence and possibly saw the Wench speaking privately to them and told Absalom but they went both of them away quickly b Suspecting by this Lads observation and carriage that they were discovered and came to a mans house in Bahurim which had a well in his court whither they went down c Either to some hole in the side of the Pit or to the bottom of the Pit it being then dry as Pits often were in those hot Countries And this being in so open a place they concluded none would imagine them to be hid there And besides they relied upon Gods good Providence which they knew watched over David and them for his sake 19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the wells mouth and spread ground corn thereon Under pretence of drying it by the Sun which shews it was Summer-time and the thing was not known 20 And when Absaloms servants came to the woman to the house they said Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan And the woman said unto them They be gone over the brook of water d i. e. Over Iordan This was a manifest lye but because it was spoken for no hurt but good onely many persons in those times conceived such lies to be lawful Compare Exod. 1. 19. Ios. 2. 4 5. But although God was pleased to overlook and pardon the sin and graciously to reward the good intention which accompanied them yet it is certain that all kinds of lyes are moral Evils and condemned by plain Scriptures and that we must not do evil that good may come nor tell a lye for Gods glory Rom. 3. 7 8. And when they had sought and could not find them they returned to Jerusalem 21 And it came to pass after they were departed that they came up out of the well and went and told king David and said unto David Arise and pass quickly over the water for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you 22 Then David arose and all the people that were with him and they passed over Jordan e Either at the Ford or in Boats by the morning-light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan 23 ¶ And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not ‡ Heb. done followed he sadled his asse and arose and gate him home to his house to his city and ‡ Heb. gare charge concerning his house put his houshold in order f Disposed of his Estate by Will Compare Isa. 38. 1. and hanged himself g Partly because he could not indure to outlive his disgrace and the rejection of his Counsel and partly because he foresaw by this means David would gain time and strength
duties of Righteousness 12. And God looked upon the Earth and behold it was corrupt For all Flesh q i. e. All men as the word Flâ—…h is taken Psal. 78. 39. Isa. 40. 5. and oft elsewhere had corrupted his way r Either 1. Gods way his precepts concerning Religion and Righteousness Or 2. Their own way or manner of living upon the Earth 13. And God said unto Noah the end s i. e. The time of ruine as this word is used Ezek. 7. 2 3 6. Amos 8. 2. of all Flesh t i. e. Men as vâ—…r 12. though the Beasts also were involved in the same destruction is come u i e. Is approaching and at the very door and shall as certainly come as if it were actually come before me x i. e. In my purpose and decree Howsoever vain men flatter themselves with hopes of longer impunity for the Earth is filled with violence through them z And behold I will destroy them ‖ Or from the Earth with the Earth a i. e. With the fruits and beauty though not the substance of the Earth Or From the Earth as ver 7. The Hebrew â—…th being oft put for min or meâ—…th as Gen. 44. 4. Deut. 34. 1. and 1 King 8. 43. compared with 2 Chron. 6. 33. y i. e. By their means So that the Earth even groans under them 14. Make thee an Ark b A little Ship made in the form of an Ark or Chest but probably sloping at the bottom for conveniency of Navigation as it was for another reason sloping at the top of Gopher c This word is but once used in Scripture and therefore it is diversly rendred by the Learned by some Pine by many Cedar but by others Cypress a Tree very proper and usual for Ships and of a firm and durable substance and much abounding in those parts all which appears from antient Authors wood †Heb. Nests rooms shalt thou make in the Ark and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch e Or rather with some kind of Bitumâ—… of the same nature and use with pitch to cement the parts of the Ark together and to preserve it from the injuries of the Sun and Water and Worms but more odoriferous to correct the unpleasant scent of some of the Creatures 15. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of f Or This is the measure or the manner according to which thou shalt make it The length of the Ark shall be three hundred cubits the breadth of it fifty cubits and the height of it thirty cubits g A just and regular proportion the length being six times more than the breadth and ten times more than the height There is no need to understand this of Geometrical cubits which are said to have contained nine ordinary cubits nor of sacred cubits which were an hands breadth longer than the ordinary Ezek. 13. 13. Nor to suppose the stature of men at that time to have been generally larger and consequently their cubit much longer For the ordinary cubit consisting of a common foot and an half is sufficient for the containing of all the kinds of living Creatures and their provisions which was to be put into the Ark as hath been at large demonstrated by learned men Nor is there any considerable difficulty in the point but what is made by the ignorance of Infidels and aggravated by their malice against the Holy Scriptures Especially if these things be considered 1. That the differing kinds of Beasts and Birds which unlearned men fancy to be innumerable are observed by the Learned who have particularly searched into them and written of them to be little above three hundred whereof the far greatest part are but small and many of these which now are thought to differ in kind in their first original were but of one sort though now they be so greatly altered in their shape and qualities which might easily arise from the diversity of their Climate and Food and other circumstances and from the promiscuous conjunctions of those lawless Creatures 2. That the brute Creatures when they were enclosed in the Ark where they were idle and constantly under a kind of horrour and amazement would be contented with far less provisions and those of another sort than they were accustomed to and such as might lye in less room as Hay and the Fruits of the Earth God also who altered their natures and made the savage Creatures mild and gentle might by the same powerful Providence moderate their appetites or if he pleased have increased their provision whilst they did eat it as afterwards Christ did by the loaves So vain and idle are the cavils of wanton wits concerning the incapacity of the Ark for the food of so many Beasts 3. That supposing the ravenous Creatures did feed upon flesh here is also space enough and to spare for a sufficient number of Sheep for their food for a whole year as upon computation will easily appear there being not two thousand Sheep necessary for them and the Ark containing no less then four hundred and fifty thousand solid cubits in it But of this matter more may be seen in my Latin Synopsis 16. A window h Or a Light Or Lights or Windows The singular number being put for the plural which is most frequent Or it might be one great light or lanthorn by which light might be derived and distributed into several rooms shalt thou make to the Ark and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above i Iâ—… i. e. Either 1. The Window which was to be a cubit square Or rather 2. The Ark as appears 1. From the gender of the Hebrew affix which is feminine and therefore agrees with the Ark which in the Hebrew is of the feminine gender not with the Window which is Masculine 2. From the nature of the thing the Ark requiring a roof and that sloping that the Rain might slide off from it and not sink into it For which end the roof in the middle was to be higher than the Ark by a cubit And as the other parts of the Ark were made with exquisite contrivance so doubtless this was not defective therein and the door of the Ark shalt thou set in the side thereof With lower second and third k Whereof the highest story for Men and Birds the second for provision for the brute Creatures the lowest for the Beasts under which was the sink of the Ark which most probably was made sloping at the bottom as all Ships and Boats are where Serpents and such like Creatures might be put with their proper provisions stories shalt thou make it 17. And behold I even I l Which is thus emphatically repeated to signifie that this Flood did not proceed from natural causes but from the immediate hand and judgment of God do bring m i. e. Will assuredly and speedily bring a Flood of Waters
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
the children of Israel that they bring a At their common charge because it was for their common good and service This command was given before Exod. 27. 20. unto thee pure oil-olive beaten for the lights †Heb. to 〈◊〉 to ascend to cause the lamps to burn continually 3 Without the vail of the testimony b i. e. Which was before the Ark of the Testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation shall Aaron c Either by himself or by his sons Exod. 25. 37. order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually it shall be a statute for ever in your generations 4 He shall order the lamps upon * Exod. 31 the pure d So called partly because it was made of pure gold partly because it was to be oft dressed and always kept clean candlestick before the LORD continually 5 And thou e By the Priests or Levites whose work it was to prepare them 1 Chron. 9. 32. shalt take fine flour and bake twelve * Exod. 〈◊〉 cakes f Representing the twelve tribes thereof two tenth-deals g i. e. Two Omers See Levit. 23. 13. shall be in one cake 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows h Not one above another but one besides another as the frankincense put upon each ver 7. shews six on a row upon the pure table i So called because it was covered with pure Gold Exod. 25. 24. and because it was always to be kept very pure and clean by the care of the Priests before the LORD 7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense k Unmixed and uncorrupted or of the best sort upon each row that it may be on the bread l Or to the bread or for the bread to wit to be burnt before the Lord instead of the bread which could not conveniently be offered to God in that manner And this was done every time that the bread was changed for a memorial m For that part which properly belonged to God whereas the rest belonged to the Priests See on Levit. 2. 2. even an offering made by fire unto the LORD 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD n When it was called the shew-bread Heb. the bread of faces or of presence i. e. the bread which was put upon the Table in the Lords presence continually being taken o Such supplements are not unusual Thus in the floor 1 King 22. 10. is put for sitting in the floor 2 Chron. 18. 9. and burdens 2 Chron. 2. 18. for carrying burdens 1 King 5. 15. And these cakes are said to be received from or offered by the children of Israel because they were bought with the mony which they contributed as may be seen Nehem. 10. 32 33. as Iudas is said to purchase the field Act. 1. 18. which was purchased by his money Maâ—… 27. 7. from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant p By vertue of that compact made between me and them by which they are obliged to keep this amongst other commands and they so doing I am obliged to be their God and to bless them And this may be here called an everlasting covenant not onely because it was to endure as long as the Iewish religion and policy stood but also because this was to stand there everlastingly or continually as is here said and therefore the new cake were first brought before the old were taken away 9 And * Exod. 29. 33. chap. 8. 31. 1 Sam. 21. 6. Mat. 12. 4. it q i. e. The old bread now to be taken away shall be Aarons and his sons and they shall eat it in the holy place for it is most holy unto him of the offerings r Or as one or being one of the offerings c. in regard of the incense which was offered by fire and that for or in stead of the bread as was said on ver 7. and therefore the bread was reputed as if it had been so offered of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute 10 And the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian s This circumstance seems noted partly to shew the danger of marriages with persons of wicked principles or practises wherein the children as one wittily and truly observes like the conclusion do commonly follow the worse part and are more easily taught by word or example to do ten things agreeable to their corrupt natures than one thing contrary to it and partly by this severity against him who was a stranger by the father and an Israelite by the mother to shew that God would not have this sin to go unpunished amongst his people whatsoever he was that committed it went out t To wit out of Egypt being one of that mixed multitude which came out with the Israelites Exod. 12. 38. It is probable this was done when the Israelites were near Sinai among the children of Israel and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together u This is added to shew that provocation to sin is no justification of sin in the camp 11 And the Israelitish womans son †Or named Numb 1. 17 blasphemed the Name of the LORD x The words of the Lord or of Iehovah are here conveniently supplied out of v. 16. where they are expressed but here they are omitted for the aggravation of his crime he blasphemed the name so called by way of eminency that name which is above every name that name which a man should in some sort tremble to mention which is not to be named without cause and without reverence For which reason the godly Iews did many times rather understand than express the name of God as Mark 14. 62. the right hand of power for of the power of God as it is Luk. 22. 69 and the blessed for the blessed God Mat. 26. 63. Mark 14. 61. and cursed y Not the Israelite onely but his God also as appears from ver 15 16. and they z Either the people who heard him or the inferiour Magistrate to whom he was first brought brought him unto Moses a According to the order settled by Iethro's advice Exod. 18. 26. and his mothers name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan. 12 And they * Numb 15. 34. put him in ward †Heb. to exâ—…und unto them according to the â—…uth of the LORD that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them b For God had onely said in general that he would not hold such guiltless i. e. he would punish them but had not declared how he would have them punished by men 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp and let all that heard him * Deut. 13. 9. â—…nd 17. 7. lay their hands upon his head c Whereby
saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel a That I may fully and finally satisfie all their scruples and take away all pretence and cause of murmuring and take of every one of them b Not of every person but of every Tribe as it follows a rod c Either an ordinary walking staff or rather that staff or rod which the Princes carried in their hands as tokens of their dignity and authority as may be gathered from Numb 21. 18. compared with Psal. 110. 2. Ier. 48. 16 17. according to the house of their fathers d i. e. According to each family proceeding from the Patriarch or father of that tribe of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods write thou every mans e i. e. Every princes for they being the first-born and the chief of their tribes might above all others pretend to the Priesthood if it was communicable to any of their tribes and besides each Prince represented and acted for all his tribe so that this was a full decision of the whole question And this place seems to confirm what was before observed that not onely Korah and the Levites but also those of other Tribes contested with Moses and Aaron about the Priesthood as that which belonged to all the congregation they being all holy as they said Numb 16. 3. name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aarons name f Rather than Levi's name for that would have left the controversie undecided between Aaron and the other Levites whereas this would justifie the appropriation of the Priesthood to Aarons family upon the rod of Levi for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers g i. e. There shall be in this as there is in all the other Tribes onely one rod and that for the head of their Tribe who is Aaron in this Tribe whereas it might have been expected that there should have been two rods one for Aaron and another for his competitours of the same Tribe But Aarons name was sufficient to determine both the Tribe and that branch or family of the Tribe to whom this dignity should be affixed 4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony h i. e. Before the Ark of the testimony either mediately close by the vail behind which the Ark stood or rather immediately within the vail in the most holy place close by the Ark as may be gathered by comparing this place with ver 10. and with Heb. 9. 4. * Exod. â—… â—… where I will meet with you i And manifest my mind to you for the ending of this dispute 5 And it shall come to pass that the mans rod whom I shall choose shall blossom and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel whereby they murmure against you 6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel and every one of their princes gave him †Heb. 〈◊〉 one priâ—… 〈◊〉 for one 〈◊〉 a rod a-piece for each prince one according to their fathers houses even twelve rods and the rod of Aaron was among their rods h i. e. Was laid up with the rest being either one of the twelve as the Hebrews affirm or the thirteenth as others think 7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness 8 And it came to pass that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness l Into the most holy place which he might safely do under the protection of Gods command though otherwise none but the High-priest might enter there and that once in a year and behold the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded and brought forth buds and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds m This being as Iosephus with great probability affirms a staffe of an almond tree as the rest also were 9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel and they looked and took every man his rod. 10 And the LORD said unto Moses * Heb. 9. â—… Bring Aarons rod again before the testimony to be kept for a token against the †Heb. 〈◊〉 of rebelies rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me that they die not n For if after all these warnings and prohibitions backâ—… with such miracles and judgments they shall usurp the Priesthood they shall assuredly die for it 11 And Moses did so as the LORD commanded him so did he 12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we die we perish we all perish o Words of consternation arising partly from the remembrance of these severe and repeated judgments partly from the threatning of death upon any succeeding murmurings partly from the sence of their own guilt and weakness which made them fear least they should relapse into the same miscarriages and thereby bring the vengeance of God upon themselves 13 Whosoever cometh any thing near p i. e. Nearer than he should do an errour which we may easily commit unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die shall we be consumed with dying q Will God proceed with us in these severe courses according to his strict justice will he shew us no mercy nor pity till all the people be cut off and destroyed with dying one after another CHAP. XVIII 1 AND the LORD said unto Aaron Thou and thy sons and thy fathers house with thee shall bear * Lev. 18. 25. the iniquity of the sanctuary a i. e. Shall suffer the punishment of all the usurpations or pollutions of the Sanctuary or the holy things by the Levites or any of the people because you have authority and power from me to keep them all within their bounds and I expect you use it to that end Thus the people are in good measure secured against their fears expressed Numb 17. 12 13. Also they are informed that Aarons high dignity was attended with great burdens having not onely his own but the peoples sins to answer for and therefore they had no such reason to envy him as they might think if the benefits and encumbrances and dangers were equally considered and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood b i. e. Of all the errours committed by your selves or by you permitted in others in things belonging to your Priesthood 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi the tribe of thy father bring thou with thee that they may be * See Gen. 29. 34. joyned unto thee and minister unto thee c About sacrifices and offerings and other things according to the rules and limits I have prescribed them The Levites are said to minister to Aaron here to the Church Numb 16. 9. and to God Deut. 10. 8. They shall not contend with thee for superiority as they have
other Idolatrous Nations as appears from 1 King 11. 2. Ezra 9. 2. Neb. 13. 23. so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you and destroy thee suddenly 5 But thus shall ye deal with them ye shall * 〈◊〉 23. 24. destroy their altars and break down their †〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 images and cut down their groves d Which Idolaters planted about the Temples and Altars of their Gods Hereby God designed to take away whatsoever might bring their Idolatry to remembrance or occasion the reviving of it and burn their graven images with fire 6 * 〈◊〉 14. 2. 〈◊〉 19. For thou art a holy people unto the LORD thy God * Exod. 1â—… 5. 〈◊〉 3. 2. 〈◊〉 2. 9. the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all the people that are upon the face of the earth 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you nor choose you because ye were moe in number than any people for ye were the sewest of all people e To wit at that time when God first declared his love to you and choice of you for his 〈◊〉 people which was done to Abraham For 〈◊〉 had but one Son concerned in this choice and covenant to wit 〈◊〉 and that was in his hundredth year and 〈◊〉 was 60 years old ere he had a Child and then had onely two Children and though Jacob had 12 Sons yet it was a long time ere they made any considerable increase Nor do we read of any great multiplication of them till after 〈◊〉 death Exod. 1. 6 â—… 8 But because the LORD loved you f i. e. Because it pleased him to love you it was his free choice without any cause or motive on your part Compare Deut. 10. 15. 1 Sam. 12. 22. 〈◊〉 44. 3. and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God he is God the faithful God g True to his word and constant in performing all his promises * Exod. 20. 6. which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations 10 And repayeth them that hate him h Not onely those who hate him directly and properly for so did few or none of the 〈◊〉 to whom he here speaks but those who hate him by construction and consequence those who hate and oppose his People and Word and Image those who presumptuously and wilfully persist in the breach of Gods Commandements as appears from v. 9. where the love of God to which this hatred is opposite is described and expressed by the keeping of his commandements to their face i i. e. Openly and so as they shall see it and not be able to avoid it to destroy them he will not be slack k To wit so as some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 slackness 2 Pet. 3. 9. so as to delay it beyond the fit time or season for vengeance yet withal he is long-suffering and slow to anger as that and other places inform us to him that hateth him he will repay him to his face 11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes and the judgments which I command thee this day to do them 12 * Lev. 2â—… 3. chap. 28. 1. Wherefore it shall come to pass †Heb. because if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy l i. e. The Covenant of Mercy or Grace which he out of his own meer grace made with them A figure called 〈◊〉 which he sware unto thy fathers 13 And he will love thee m He will continue to love thee and to manifest his love to thee he will not repent of his love to thee and bless thee and multiply thee he will also bless the fruit of thy womb and the fruit of thy land thy corn and thy wine and thine oyl the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people * Exod. 23. 26 c. there shall not be male or female barren among you or among your cattel 15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the * Exod. 9. 14 and 15. 26. evil diseases of Egypt n Such as the Aegyptians were infested with either commonly as that 〈◊〉 Deut. 28. 2â—… or miraculously and extraordinarily from the hand of the Lord as Exod. 9. 10 15. Compare Exod. 23. 25. Psal. 105. 37. which thou knowest upon thee but will lay them all upon them that hate thee 16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall deliver thee thine eye shall have no pity upon them neither shalt thou serve their Gods for that will be a * Exod. 23. 33. snare o 〈…〉 unto thee 17 If thou shalt say in thine heart These nation are more than I how can I dispossess them 18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them but shalt well remember p Heb. 〈◊〉 i. â—… remember it frequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for thy encouragement for men are said to forget those things which they do not remember to good purpose what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh and unto all Egypt 19 * chap. 4. â—…4 and 29. 3. The great temptations q The Tryals and Exercises of thy Faith and Obedience to my call and commands which thine eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the stretched-out arm whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid r So as he did to 〈◊〉 and his people mentioned â—… 1â—… 20 * Exod. 23. 28. Josh. 24. 12. Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet s Of which see on Exod. 23. 28. among them until they that are lest and hide themselves from thee be destroyed 21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them for the LORD thy God is among you a mighty God and terrible 22 And the LORD thy God will †Heb. 〈◊〉 off put out those nations before thee by little and little thou mayest not consume them at once t Or Thou shalt not be able to confâ—…e them at once i. e. in an instant I will not assist thee with my omnipotency to crush them in a moment but will bless thee in the use of ordinary 〈◊〉 and destroy them successively by several battles lest the beast of the field increase upon thee 23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them †Heb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto thee and shall
Name of the LORD if the thing e Which he gives as a sign of the truth of his prophecy He means the prediction of some strange and wonderful event as appears by comparing this with Deut. 13. 1 2. follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken f The falshood of his prediction shews him to be a false prophet though the truth and accomplishment of his prediction had not proved him to be a true Prophet as is evident from Deut. 13. 2 3. but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously g Impudently ascribing his own vain and lying fancies to the God of truth thou shalt not be afraid of him h i. e. Of his predictions or threatnings so as to be scared from doing thy duty in bringing him to deserved punishment CHAP. XIX 1 WHen the LORD thy God * chap. 12. 29. hath cut off the nations whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee and thou †Heb inheritest or possessest succeedest them and dwellest in their cities and in their houses 2 * Exod. 21. 13. Num. 35. 10. 11. Josh. 20. 2. Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land a To wit beyond Iordan as there were three already appointed on this side Iordan Numb 35. 14. He saith in the midst of the land either for in the land as in the midst of the city Ier. 52. 25. is the same with that in the city 2 King 25. 19. or to design the places that they should be scituated in the midst of the several parts of their land to which they might conveniently and speedily flee from all the parts of the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way b Distinguish it by evident marks and make it plain and convenient to prevent mistakes and delays and divide the coasts of thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit into three parts c Not into more because it was fit that these places should as far as it was possible be at some considerable distance from the friends of the slain person least the sight of the manslayer might have provoked their passion and occasioned his ruine that every slayer may flee thither 4 And this is the case of the slayer which shall flee thither that he may live whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly whom he hated not †Heb. froâ—…â—…terday the 〈◊〉 day in time past 5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree and the †Heb. 〈◊〉 head slippeth from the †Heb. 〈◊〉 helve and †Heb. 〈◊〉 lighteth upon his neighbour that he die he shall flee unto one of those cities and live 6 Lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer d This verse is to be joyned with ver 3. as is evident the 4th and 5th verses coming in as a parenthesis which is usual in Scripture and other authors while his heart is hot and overtake him because the way is long and †Heb. 〈◊〉 him in 〈◊〉 slay him e Which is supposed but not allowed as appears from the following words But the avenger of blood is not to be punished with death for killing the manslayer in case he found him without the borders of the city of refuge after he had been received there Numb 35. 26 27. because then he was guilty of a new crime to wit a contempt of Gods ordinance and a gross neglect of the duty of self-preservation and therefore deserved death from God who might permit it to be inflicted by the avenger of blood whereas he was not worthy of death inasmuch as he hated him not †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in time past 7 Wherefore I command thee saying Thou shalt separate three cities for thee 8 And if the LORD thy God * chap. 1â—… 〈◊〉 enlarge thy coast f As far as Euphrates See Gen. 15. 18. Exod. 23. 31. Deut. 1. 7. as he hath sworn unto thy fathers and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers 9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them which I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God and to walk ever in his wayes * Josh. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then shalt thou add three cities moe for thee beside these three 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance and so blood be upon thee 11 But if any man hate his neighbour and lie in wait for him and rise up against him and smite him †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in life mortally that he die and fleeth into one of these cities 12 Then the elders of his city g Either of the slain person who were most likely to prosecute the murderer or of the murderer because God would oblige even his own fellow citizens to prosecute him to death that it might appear how hateful murder and the murderer is to God and ought to be to all men shall send and fetch him thence h Demand him of the Elders of the city of refuge who upon the hearing of the cause and the evidence of the murder were obliged to deliver the offender to justice and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood that he may die 13 Thine eye shall not pity him but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with thee 14 * chap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbours †Heb. 〈◊〉 land-mark i By which the several portions of lands distributed to several families were distinguished one from another See Iob 24. 2. Prov. 22. 28. Hos. 5. 10. which they of old time have set in thine inheritance which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it 15 * Nâ—…m 35. 〈◊〉 chap. 17. â—… Mat. 18. 1â—… Joh. 8. 17. 2 Cor. 13. â—… Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 One witness shall not rise up k Or not stand or not be established accepted owned as sufficient it is the same word which in the end of the verse is rendred be established against a man for any iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established 16 If a false witness l A single witness though he speak truth is not to be accepted for the condemnation of another man but if he be convicted of false witness this is sufficient for his own condemnation rise up against any man to testifie against him ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is wrong 17 Then both the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the LORD before the priests and the judges
provoked me by an irreparable injury But although this may look like an act of private revenge yet it is plain enough that Samson acted as a judge for so he was and as an avenger of the publick Injuries and Oppressions of his People as plainly appears from hence that Samson designed this very thing before he had received any personal injury Iudg. 14. 4. 4 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes e Of which there were great numbers in Canaan as appears from Neh. 4. 3. Psal. 62. 11. Cantâ—…c 2. 15. Lam. 5. 18. Ezek. 13. 4. So that divers places there have their Names from the Foxes which abounded there as Ios. 15. 28. and 19. 42. 1 Sam. 13. 17. Add to this that some Learned men concieve that the Hebrew Name Schual is more general and contains not only the Foxes but another sort of Creature very like to them called Thoes whereof there were so many there that sometimes 200 of them have been met together in one Company as some who have lived in those parts have left upon Record But Infidels are much scandalized at this History and pretend it incredible that Samson should catch so many Foxes together so nice and delicate is the Faith of these men in things concerning God and Scripture that can devour things ten times more difficult and absurd concerning the production of the World and of men c. But there is no cause of wonder here for any man that is tollerably wiâ—…e for it is not said that Samson caught them all either at one time or by his own hands for being so eminent a person and the Judge of Israel he might require assistance of as many persons as he pleased and all his people would readily assist him nor can it at all perplex any mans Reason or Faith if it be allowed that the God who made the World and by his singular Providence watched over Israel and intended them deliverance at this time could easily dispose things so that they might be taken He chose to do this exploit not by his Brethren whom he would preserve from the Envy and Hatred and Mischief which that might have occasioned to them but by bruit Creatures thereby to add scorn and contempt to their Calamity and particularly by Foxes partly because they were fittest for the purpose being Creatures very fearful of Fire and having such Tails as the Fire-brands might most conveniently be tied to and not going directly forward but crooâ—…edly and involvedly whereby the Fire was likely to be dispersed in more places and took ‖ Or Torches fire-brands f Made of such matter as would quickly take Fire and keep it for a long time which was easy to procure and turned tail to tail and put a fire-brand in the midst between two tails g That the Foxes might not make too much haste nor run into their holes but one of them might delay and stop another in his course and so continue longer in the places where they were to do Execution 5 And when he had set the brands on fire he let them go h To wit successively at several times and in divers places with great care and discretion so as they might noâ—… hinder one another nor all run into the same Field but being dispersed in all parts might spread the Plague farther and withal might be kept at a distance from the Fields and Vineyards of the Israelites It is not worthy of our enquiâ—…y what became of these Foxes afterward whether they were burnt by the Fire-brands or run into Holes or were taken and killed by the Philistines The truth of this History is notably attested by a custom of the Romans which it is very probable they had from the Phoenicians upon this occasion for every year they had a Solemnity in April the very time of Canaan's Wheat-Harvest wherein Foxes were let loose with burning Torches fastned to their Back-sides c. into the standing corn of the Philistines and burnt up both the shocks and also the standing corn with the vineyards and olives 6 ¶ Then the Philistines said Who hath done this and they answered Samson the son in law of the Timnite because he had taken his wife and given her to his companion And the Philistins came up and burnt her i Partly for her Adultery which divers Heathens punished with Death and partly for that mischief which she had occasioned to them thus she brought upon her self that mischief which she studied to avoid Iudg. 14. 15. as wicked persons oft do Prov. 10. 24. and her father with fire 7 ¶ And Samson said unto them Though ye have done this yet will I be avenged of you k Whereby it appears that it was not his private injuries but the Publick which he did revenge and after that I will cease 8 And he smote them hip and thigh l Upon their Hips and Thighs peradventure not designing to Kill them but to make them uncapable of Military employment or of doing hurt to the Israelites Or He smote them with his Leg upon their Thigh i. e. without any other Weapon but his Leg and Foot he kicked them and made them Lame and useless for War with a great slaughter m Heb. with a great stroke for so it was even to them whom it did not Kill and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam n Partly because there he could better defend himself from his Enemies and partly because he would not involve his Brethren in the same danger with himself but like a Worthy Magistrate would secure them even with his own greater hazard 9 ¶ Then the Philistines went up and pitched in Judah o Where the Rock Etam was see 1 Chron. 4. 32. 2 Chron. 11. 5 6. and spread themselves p As coming in great Numbers with a powerful Host. in Lehi q A place so called by anticipation v. 17. 10 And the men of Judah said Why are ye come up against us And they answered To bind Samson are we come up to do to him as he hath done to us 11 Then three thousand men of Judah ‡ Heb. went down went to the top of the rock Etam and said to Samson Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us what is this that thou hast done unto us r Thou hast by these actions punished not them as thou intendedst but us who being under their Dominion are sure to smart for it And he said unto them As they did unto me so have I done unto them 12 And they said unto him We are come down to bind thee that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines And Samson said unto them Swear unto me that ye will not fall upon me your selves s Not that he feared them or could not as easily have Conquered them as he did the whole Host of the Philistines but because he would be free from
ye are all children of Israel q The Sons of that Holy man who for one filthy action left an Eternal brand upon one of his own Sons a People in Covenant with the holy God whose Honour you are obliged to vindicate and who hath expresly commanded you to punish all such notorious Enormities give here your advice and counsel 8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man saying We will not any of us go to his tent r i. e. His habitation to wit until we have revenged this Injury neither will we any of us turn into his house 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah we will go up by lot against it 10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel and an hundred of a thousand and a thousand out of ten thousand to â—…etch victual for the people that they may do when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin accord ing to all the folly that they have wrought s That we may punish them as such a wickedness deserves in Israel t This is added as an aggravation that they should do that in Israel or among Gods peculiar People which was esteemed abominable even among the Heathen 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city ‡ Heb. fellows knit together as one man 12 ¶ And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe u Heb. tribes Either the Plural Number for the Singular or rather tribe is put for family as was noted before as families are elsewhere put for tribes They take a wise and a just course in sending to all the parts and families of the tribe to separate the Innocent from the Guilty and to give them a fair opportunity of preventing their ruin by doing nothing but what their Duty Honour and Interest obliged them to even by delivering up those vile Malefactors whom they could not keep without horrid guilt and shame and bringing the Curse of God upon themselves of Benjamin saying What wickedness is this that is done among you 13 Now therefore deliver us the men the children of Belial which are in Gibeah that we may put them to death and put away evil x Both the Guilt and the Punishment wherein all Israel will be Involved if they do not Punish it from Israel but the children of Benjamin would not hearken y Partly from the Pride of their Hearts which made them scorn to submit to their Brethren or to suffer them to meddle in their Territory partly from a conceit of their own Valour and Military skill and partly from Gods just judgment to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah to go out to battel against the children of Israel 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbred at that time out of the city twenty and six thousand men that drew sword beside the inhabitants of Gibeah which were numbred seven hundred chosen men z Object This agrees not with the following numbers for all that were slain of Benjamin were 25100 men v. 35. and there were only 600 that survived v. 47. which make only 25700. Ans. The other thousand men were either left in some of their cities where they were slain v. 48. or were cut off in the two first Battels wherein it is unreasonable to think they had an unbloody Victory and as for these 25100 men they were all slain in that day i. e. the day of the third Battel as is affirmed v. 35. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men * Chap. 3. 15. left handed a Heb. shut up on their right hand i. e. using their left hand instead of their right every one could sling stones at an hairs breadth and not miss b An Hyperbolical expression signifying that they could do this with great exactness There are many Parallel Instances in Historians of Persons that could throw Stones or shoot Arrows with great certainty so as seldom or never to miss Of which see my Latin Synopsis And this was very considerable and one ground of the Benjamites confidence because in those times they had no Guns 17 And the men of Israel c To wit such as were here present v. 2. for otherwise it is most probable they had a far greater number of men being 600000 before their entrance into Canaan Num. 1. 2. beside Benjamin were numbred four hundred thousand men that drew sword all these were men of war 18 ¶ And the children of Israel d i. e. Some sent in the name of all arose and went up to the house of God e To wit to Shiloh which was not far from Mizpeh where they were and * Chap. 1. 1. asked counsel of God and said Which of us shall go up first to the battel f This they ask to prevent Emulations and Contentions but they do not ask whether they should go against them oâ—… no for that they knew they ought to do by the will of God already revealed nor yet do they seek to God for his help by Prayer and Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reason they ought to have done but were confident of Success because of their great Numbers and Righteous Cause against the children of Benjamin And the LORD said Judah shall go up first 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah 20 And the men of Israel went out to battel against Benjamin and the men of Israel put themselves in aray to fight against them at Gibeah 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men g Quest. Why would God suffer them to have so great a loss in so Good a Cause Ans. Because they had many and great Sins reigning amongst themselves and they should not have come to so great a Work of God as this with polluted hands but should have pulled the Beam out of their own Eye before they attempted to take that out of their Brother Benjamin's Eye which because they did not God doth it for them making them by this loss more clearly to see their own Sins and their need of Gods help without which their great Numbers were insignificant and bringing them through the Fire that they might be purged from their Dross it being probable that the great God who governs every stroke in Battels did so order things that their worst and rotten Members should be cut off which was a great Blessing to the whole Common-wealth 22 And the people the men of Israel incouraged themselves h Heb. strengthned themselves partly by supporting themselves with the Conscience of the Justice of their Cause and the hopes of success and partly by putting themselves in better order for
LORD smote Benjamin before Israel and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men i This is the Total Sum whereof the particulars are related v. 44 45. and for the odd hundred not there mentioned they were killed in other places not their expressed all these drew the sword 36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah 37 And the liers in wait hasted and rushed upon Gibeah and the liers in wait ‖ Or made a long sound with the trumpet drew themselves along k Or extended themselves i. e. whereas before they lay close and contracted into a narrow compass now they spread themselves and Marched in Rank and File as Armies do Or marched or went Heb. drew their Feet So this Verb is oft used as Gen. 37. 28. Exod. 12. 21. Iudg. 4. 6. Iob 21. 33. and smote all the city with the edge of the sword 38 Now there was an appointed ‖ Or time sign between the men of Israel ‡ Heb. with and the liers in wait that they should make a great ‡ Hebr. elevation flame with smoke to rise up out of the city 39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battel Benjamin began ‡ Heb. to smite the wounded to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons for they said Surely they are smitten down before us as in the first battel 40 But when the flame began to rise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke the Benjamites looked behind them and behold the ‡ Heb. the whole consumption flame of the city ascended up to heaven 41 And when the men of Israel turned again the men of Benjamin were amazed l Because of their great disappointment and the present danger wherewith they were surrounded on every side for they saw that evil ‡ Heb. touched them was come upon them 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness but the battel overtook m i. e. The Men of Battel or War The abstract for the concrete as Poverty 2 King 24. 14. Pride Psal. 36. 11. Deceit Prov. 12. 25. Dreams Ier. 25. 9. Election Rom. 11. 7. are put for Persons that are Poor Proud Deceitful Dreamers Elect. them and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them n So the sence may seem to be this That the Israelites did not only kill the Inhabitants of Gibeah and all the Benjamites that came into the Field against them 600 excepted but in the midst of them or together with them they killed also the rest of the Benjamites who when they saw their Army was wholly Destroyed made haste to flee out of their several Cities or Towns that so they might escape the Sword which was coming towards them But the words may be rendred thus And them who were of the other cities to wit of Benjamin i. e. who abode in their own Cities and did not go up to Gibeah they Destroyed in the midst of them i. e. in their several Cities or in the midst of it i. e. of every City for so it is said v. 48. where it is said That they smote the men of every City But this I submit to the Learned 43 Thus they enclosed the Benjamites round about and chased them and trode them down ‖ Or from Manuchah c. with ease o Without great difficulty Now that God gave them his presence and assistance they easily did that which before they found too hard for them Or unto Menuchah or as far as Maâ—…uchah a place so called See 1 Chron. 2. 52. Ier. 51. 59. ‡ Heb. unto over against over against Gibeah towards the sun-rising 44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men p To wit in the Field or Battel all these were men of valour 45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon and they gleaned q i. e. They cut off the remainders in the pursuit and spared none A Metaphor from those who gather Grapes or Corn so clearly and fully that they leave no relicks for those who come after them of them in the high-ways five thousand men and pursued hard after them unto Gidom and flew two thousand men of them 46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand r Besides the odd hundred expressed ver 35. but here only the great number is expressed the less being omitted as inconsiderable which way of numbring is frequent in Scripture as Iudg. 11. 26. 2 Sam. 5. 5. and in other Authors and in vulgar use as when they are called the 70 Interpreters who in truth and exactness were 72. Here are also a thousand more omitted because here he speaks onely of them who fell in that third day of Battel See on v. 15. men that drew the sword all these were men of valour 47 * Chap. 21. 13. But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon and abode in the rock s In a Cave within that Rock where they Fortified themselves and fetched in Provision as they had opportunity which they could easily do when the heat of the Battel was over and the Israelites were not solicitous to pursue them further Rimmon four months 48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin t Having destroyed those that came to Gibeah and into the field now they follow them home to their several habitations and smote them with the edge of the sword as well the men u Comprehensively taken so as to include women and children If this seem harsh and bloody either it may be ascribed to Military Fury or rather it may be justified partly from that high guilt brought upon the whole Tribe in which it is no wonder if their Infants suffered which was not unusual in such cases as Numb 31. 17. 1 Sam. 15. 3. Iâ—…s 7. 15. partly from that Command of God in a Parallel case Deut. 13. 15. and partly from that Solemn Oath by which they had Anathematised or devoted to Death all that came not up to Mizpeh Iudg. 21. 5. which none of the Benjamites did for which cause also they destroyed all the Men Women and Children of Iabesh-Gilead Judg. 21. 10. of every city as the beast and all that ‡ Heb. was found came to hand also they set on fire all the cities that ‡ Heb. were found they came to CHAP. XXI NOw the men of Israel had sworn a In the beginning of this War after the whole Tribe had espoused the quarrel of the Men of Gibeah Iudg. 20. 13 14 in Mizpeh saying There shall not any of us
child 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel Go lie down and it shall be if he call thee that thou shalt say Speak LORD for thy servant heareth o i. e. I am ready to hear what thou speakest and to do what thou requirest So Samuel went and lay down in his place 10 And the LORD came p Before he spake to him at a distance even from the Holy Oracle between the Cherubims but now to prevent all further mistakes the Voice came near to him as if the Person speaking had been present with him and stood q Before the Voice passed by him now the speaker fixeth his abode with him for a time till he had uttered his whole mind to him and called as at other times r As he had done before Samuel Samuel s His Name is here doubled to engage him to the more speedy and diligent attention Then Samuel answered Speak for thy servant heareth 11 ¶ And the LORD said to Samuel Behold I will do a thing t Those things which are related in the next Chapter which though done by the Philistines God here ascribes to himself because he was the first and chief cause of it by withdrawing his helping hand from Israel and by delivering the Ark and Eli's two Sons and the rest of the People into his and their Enemies hands in Israel at which both the ears of * 2 King 21. 12. every one that heareth it shall tingle u Which will be so terrible that not only those that feel it shall groan under it but those that only hear the report of it shall be struck with such Amazement and Horror which will make their Heads and Hearts ake A Metaphor from him who being surprized with some great and hideous Noise such as Thunder or great Guns his head is much affected with it and the Sound or Tingling of it abides in his Ears a good while after it This Phrase is used also 2 King 21. 12. Ier. 19. 3. 12 In that day x In that time which I have appointed for this work which was about Twenty or Thirty Years after this threatning So long space of Repentance God allows to this wicked Generation to make their peace with God and prevent the Execution as others did in like cases I will ‡ Heb. establish perform against Eli * Chap. 2. â—…0 all things which I have spoken y By that Prophet chap. 2. 27. concerning his house ‡ Heb. beginning and ending when I begin I will also make an end z Though this Vengeance may and shall be delayed for a season to manifest my patience and inciâ—… them to Repentance yet when once I begin to Inflict I shall certainly go on with it and not desist till I have made a full end 13 ‖ Or and I will tell him c. * Chap. 2. 29 30 31 c. For I have told him that I will judge a i. e. Condemn and Punish or Destroy as the word Iudge is oft used as Gen. 15. 14. Ioh. 3. 18. and 16. 11. his house b His Children and Posterity as is manifest by the Story as the word House is frequently taken as 2 Sam. 7. 11. 1 King 21. 29. So the House of Iudah of Aaron of David are oft taken for their Posterity And to Build an House in Scripture use is to encrease their Posterity as Exod. 1. 21. Deut. 25. 9. Ruth 4. 11. Compare Gen. 16. 2. and 30. 3. for ever c Till they be utterly rooted out or for a long time as that Phrase is oft used for the iniquity which â—…e knoweth d Either by the information of the Prophet chap. 2. v. 27 c. or by his own guilty and self-accusing Conscience But these and the foregoing and following words may well be and are rendred thus for this iniquity because he knew both by common Fame and by his own observation that his Sons c. He cannot pretend ignorance or want of proof of their wickedness which aggravates his Sin because his sons made themselves ‖ Or accursed vile e Not only hateful to God but contemptible to all the People whereby they also brought their Sacred Office and Gods Holy Ordinances into contempt Heb. Cursed themselves or made themselves Execrabâ—…e or Accursed both to God and men by their Lewd and Cursed Practices they put themselves under the Curse of God by such a gross Violation of Gods Commands Compare Ios. 6. 18. and 7. 12 13. This expression may be used by way of reflection upon their Father because be did not denounce the Curse of God against them nor put them out of the Priesthood as Accursed Persons although they were so Vile that they had prevented their Fathers censure and Meritoriously cast themselves out and cut themselves off from the Priesthood and Congregation of the Lord which their Father should have done Judicially and he ‡ Heb. frowned not upon them restrained them not f He contented himself with a cold and gentle reproof and did not severely rebuke and punish and effectually restrain them from their abominable Courses nor use that Authority which God had given him as a Father as an High-Priest and as a Judge or Chief Magistrate against them as by the Law of God he was obliged to do 14 And therefore I have sworn g Which might be done before though it be mentioned here only Or I do swear the past Tense being commonâ—…y put for the preâ—…ent in the Hebrew Tongue unto h Or concerning as the Praefix Lameâ—… is oft used as Exod. 14. 3. and 18. 7. 2 Sam. 11. 7. Psal. 91. 11. compare with Matth. 4. 6. i i. e. The punishment threatned against Eli and his Family shall not be prevented or hindred by all their Sacrifices as they fondly imagine but shall Infallibly be Executed the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 15 And Samuel lay until morning and opened the doors of the house of the LORD k Although the Tabernacle whilst it was to be removed from place to place in the Wilderness had no Doors but consisted only of Curtains and had only Hangings before the entrance instead of Doors yet when it was settled in one place as now it was in Shiloh where it had been for a long time it is more than probable both from this place and by comparing 1 Sam. 1. 9. and 2 Sam. 6. 17. and from the Nature and Reason of the thing that it was inclosed within some solid Building which had Doors and Posts and other Parts belonging to it and Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision l i. e. The matter of the Vision or Revelation partly from the Reverence and Respect he bore to his Person to whom he was loath to be a messenger of such sad tidings partly lest if he had been hasty to utter it
but mine hand shall not be upon thee 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out after whom dost thou pursue After a dead dog after * Chap. 26. 20. a flea y After a worthless contemptible and impotent person such as I am Thou disparagest thy self in contending with such a Person and even thy conquest of me will be inglorious and shameful 15 The LORD therefore be judge and judge between me and thee and see and plead my cause and ‡ Heb. judge 2 Sam. 18. 19. deliver me out of thine hand 16 ¶ And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul that Saul said Is this thy voice my son David z He knew his voice though being at a great distance from him he could not discern his face And Saul lift up his voice and wept a Partly from the sense of his sin against God and of his wicked and base carriage to David for there are some such Temporary passions oft-times in Hypocrites and ungodly men and principally from the remembrance of so great and so late a danger as he had now escaped which commonly produceth grief and tears as 2 Sam. 13. 36. Yet these may be tears of affection or tenderness upon the sense of David's kindness rather than of grief 17 And he said to David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good b For the Evil that I have designed and done to thee whereas I have rewarded thee evil c For thy good will to me 18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me forasmuch as when the LORD had ‡ Heb. shut up delivered me into thine hand thou killedst me not 19 For if a man find his enemy will he let him go well away d i. e. He will certainly destroy him And therefore thou hast not dealt with me after the manner of men but hast imitated the clemency of God in this act wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day 20 And now behold * Chap 23. 17. I know well e Or am convinced not onely by the fame of Samuel's Anointing thee but by Gods singular Providence watching over thee and by that good Spirit and those Great and Princely Vertues wherewith God hath endowed thee that thou shalt be surely king and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand 21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me f As Princes use to destroy their Competitors and those that have any hopes of or pretence to their Crown and Saul had endeavoured to destroy David for the same reason and therefore he feared a retaliation and that thou wilt not destroy my name g To wit by cutting off my Seed So it is the same thing repeated in other words as is usual in Scripture out of my fathers house 22 And David sware unto Saul h Qu. How then could David destroy so many of Saul's Sons 2 Sam. 21. 8 Ans. David could bind himself by his Oaths but he could not bind God to whose good pleasure all Promises Vows Oaths must in all reason be submitted and that was done by Gods command and God was well pleased with it 2 Sam. 21. 14. Nor is it to be supposed that David sware not to destroy any of them in case God should specially command it or that should by miscarriage render themselves obnoxious to the Sword of Justice but onely that he would not do it barely on his own private account nor seek occasions of so doing and Saul went home but David and his men gat them up unto the hold i To wit of Engedi v. 1. For having had so great and frequent experience of Saul's inconstancy and malice and perfidiousness he would trust him no more CHAP. XXV AND * Chap. 28. 3. Samuel died and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him and buried him in his house a According to the manner of those times See Gen. 23. 9. and 50. 5. Matth. 27. 60. at Ramah And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran b In the Southern Borders of the Land of Iudah that so when occasion served he might retire out of Saul's Dominions 2 And there was a man in Maon c A place in or near to the Wilderness of Paran See chap. 23. 24. whose ‖ Or business possessions were in Carmel d Not that Carmel in Issachar of which see chap. 15. 12. and 1 King 18. 19. but another in the Tribe of Iudah near unto Maon as appears from Ios. 15. 55. and the man was very great and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal and the name of his wife Abigail and she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance but the man was churlish and evil in his doings and he was ‡ Gr. a Cynick of the house of Caleb e This is added to aggravate his Crime That he was a degenerate Branch of that Noble stock of Caleb and consequently of the Tribe of Iudah as David was 4 ¶ And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep f Which times were celebrated with Feasting and Jollity See 2 Sam. 13. 23 24. 5 And David sent out ten young men and David said unto the young men Get ye up to Carmel and go to Nabal and ‡ Heb. ask him in my name of peace greet him in my name 6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity g Heb. to him that liveth Life is oft put for a prosperous and happy life as in that Prayer Let the king live 1 Sam. 10. 24. 1 King 1. 25. and in other passages of Scripture and other Authors for an afflicted and calamitous life is unworthy of the Name of life and is esteemed a kind of death and oft so called as 2 Cor. 1. 10. and 11. 23. By this expression David both congratulates Nabal's felâ—…city and tacitly minds him of the penury and distress in which David and his men now were ‡ Heb. be thou peace thine house peace Peace be both to thee and peace be to thine house h i. e. To all thy Family and peace be unto all that thou hast i To all thy Goods So David's Prayer is very comprehensive reaching to his Soul and Body and Wife and Children and Servants and all his Estate 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers now thy shepherds which were with us we ‡ Heb. shamed hurt them not neither was there ought missing unto them all the while they were in Carmel k Which considering the licentiousness of Soldiers and the necessities which David and
and special Covenant God himself will hide and keep thee in the secret of his Presence Psal. 31. 20. where no hand of violence can reach thee And therefore all the Attempts of Saul or others against thee are vain and ridiculous For who can Destroy whom God will keep and the souls of thine enemies them shall he sling out ‡ Heb. in the midst of the bought of a sling as out of the middle of a sling d God himself will cut them off suddenly violently and irresistibly and cast them far away both from his Presence and from thy Neighbourhood and from all capacity of doing thee any hurt 30 And it shall come to pass when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel 31 That this shall be ‡ Heb. no staggering or stumbling no grief unto thee nor offence of heart unto my lord e Thy Mind and Conscience will be free from all the Torment which the guilt and shame of such an Action would cause in thee By which she cunningly â—…nsinuates what a Blemish this would be to his Glory what a disturbance to his Peace and Felicity if he proceeded to execute his Purpose and withal implies how sweet and comfortable it would be to him to remember that he had for conscience to God denied himself and restrained his Passions either that thou hast shed blood causless f Which she signifies would be done if he should go on For though Nabal had been guilty of abominable Rudeness Uncharitableness and Ingratitude yet he had done nothing worthy of Death by the Laws of God or of Man And whatsoever he had done the rest of his Family were innocent or that my lord ‡ Heb. saved himself v. 26. hath avenged himself g Which is directly contrary to Gods Law Levit. 19. 18. Deut. 32. 35. compare with Rom. 12. 19. but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord then remember thine handmaid h When God shall make thee King and I shall have occasion to apply my self to thee for Justice or Relief let me find Grace in thy sight and so let me do at this time Or and the Lord will bless my lord and recompence thee for this Mortification of thy Passion and thou wilt remember thine handmaid i. e. Thou wiltst remember my Counsel with satisfaction to thy self and thankfulness to me 32 ¶ And David said unto Abigail Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which sent thee i Which by his gracious and singular Providence so disposed Matters that thou shouldest come to me He rightly begins at the Fountain of this Deliverance which was God and then proceeds to the Instruments this day to meet me 33 And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou k i. e. The Lord bless and recompence thee for this thy good Advice which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood l Which I had sworn to do Hereby it plainly appears That Oaths whereby men bind themselves to any Sin are Null and Void and as it was a Sin to make them so it is adding sin to sin to perform them and from avenging my self with mine own hand 34 For in very deed as the Lord God of Israel liveth which hath kept me back from hurting thee m Not that he intended to Kill her but the Males onely as was noted on v. 22. But their Destruction was a dreadful Affliction and Damage to her except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall 35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him and said unto her Go up in peace to thine house see I have hearkened to thy voice and have accepted thy person n i. e. Shewed my Acceptance of thy Person by my grant of thy Request See Gen. 19. 21 36 ¶ And Abigail came to Nabal and behold he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king o As the manner was upon those Solemn Occasions Sordid Covetousness and vain Prodigality were met together in him and Nabals heart was merry within him for he was very drunken wherefore she told him nothing p He being then uncapable of Admonition his Reason and Conscience being both asleep less or more until the morning light 37 But it came to pass in the morning when the wine was gone out of Nabal and his wife had told him these things that his heaâ—…t died within him and he became as a stone q He was oppressed with Grief and fainted away through the fear and horror of so great a Mischief though it was past As one who having in the Night galloped over a narrow Plank laid upon a broken Bridge over a steep River when in the Morning he came to review it was struck Dead with the horror of the danger he was in 38 And it came to pass about ten days after that the LORD smote Nabaâ—… that he died r God either inflicted some other stroke or Disease upon him or increased his Grief and Fear to such an height as killed him 39 ¶ And when David heard that Nabal was dead he said Blessed be the LORD that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal s How could David rejoyce at the Death of his Enemy Answ. Although it may be said that he rejoyced not in Nabal's Death as such but onely in the declaration of Gods Justice in Punishing so great a Wickedness which was an honour to God and a document and therefore a benefit to Mankind and so a Publick good and cause of Joy yet the matter is not weighty if we confess that this was another instance of Humane Infirmity iu Duvid and that it is not proposed for our Imitation but for our Caution Yet it may be further said That this was not purely an act of Private Revenge because David was a Publick Person and Anointed King and therefore Nabal's Reproach cast upon David above v. 10 11. was a Contempt of God and of his Ordinance and Appointment which was vindicated by this remarkable Judgment and hath kept his servant from evil t i. e. From the Sin of Bloodshed and Self-revenge v. 33. for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head And David sent u To wit Messengers which he thought fitter than to go himself partly because if he had met with a Repulse it had been less Ignominions and partly because he would leave her to her freedom and choice and would not so much as seem to take her by violence But this doubtless was not done immediately after Nabal's Death but in some convenient space of time after it though such Circumstances be commonly omitted in the Sacred History which gives onely the Heads
and most Important Passages of things and communed with Abigail to take her to him to wife 40 And when the setvants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel they spake unto her saying David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife 41 And she arose and bowed her self on her face to the earth and said x She shewed this Reverence and spake thus to them as representing David's person Behold let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord 42 And Abigail hasted and arose and rode upon an aâ—…s with five damsels of hers that went ‡ Heb. at 〈◊〉 after her and she went after the messengers of David y Not immediately but some competent time after they were gone She considered not David's present straits and penury which she thought her Plentiful Estate might supply nor his danger from Saul but by a true and strong Faith rested upon Gods Promise made to David not doubting but God would perform it and became his wife 43 David also took Ahinoam * Josh. 15. 〈◊〉 of Jezreel and they were also both of them his wives 44 ¶ But z Or For as the Hebrew Vau is oft-times used For this seems to be added as a reason why David took other Wives because Saul had given his former Wife to another man that he might as far as he could Extinguish all Relation and Kindred to him whom he hated and withal cut off his Hopes and Pretence to the Crown upon that account Saul had given * 2 Sam â—… 1â—… 15. Michal his daughter Davids wife to Phalti the son of Laish which was of Gallim CHAP. XXVI AND the Ziphites came unto Saul a Having once betrayed him before they thought their Case desperate with David and therefore did more strenuously assist Saul in discovering him in order to his Ruine to Gibeah saying * Chap. 23 19 Psa. 54 〈◊〉 Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah which is before Jeshimon b He is returned to his former haunt of which see Chap. 23. 19. This place might be convenient for him either for its nearness to Abigails Estate or because he might think that Saul was mollified and the Ziphites cautioned by the unsuccessfullness of their former Attempt or because he could from thence make good his Retreat into other places if need were 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah which is before Jeshimon by the way but David abode in the wilderness and he saw c i. e. He understood by Information probably from his dear friend Ionathan that Saul came after him into the wilderness 4 David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul was come in very deed 5 ¶ And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched d Came near to the skirts of Saul's Camp which he might easily discover from some neighbouring Hill or Wood and yet not be discerned himself And it is probable he came thither disguised and towards Night and David beheld the place where Saul lay and * Chap. 14. 50. 17. 55. Abner the son of Ner the captain of his host and Saul lay in the ‖ Or midst of â—…is carriages trench e Encompassed with his Carriages for better security Compare 1 Sam. 17. 20. and the people pitched round about him 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite f So called either because he was one of that Nation but Converted to the Iewish Religion Compare 2 Sam. 11. 3. and 15. 18. Or from his Habitation amongst or some Relation to some of that People and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah g David's Sister See 1 Chron. 2. 16. His Father is not named either because he was now dead or because he was an obscure person brother to Joab saying Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp And Abishai said I will go down with thee 7 So David and Abishai came to the people h i. e. To Saul's Host and Camp It might seem a bold and strange Atâ—…empt but many things are to be considered 1. That Heroical persons have oft attempted things of no less difficulty and danger than this was as many credible Historians relate 2. That David did and might easily perceive that they were all fast asleep 3. That David had a particular Assurance that God would preserve him to the Kingdom 4. That he had a special Instinct from God to this Work and possibly God might inform him that he had cast them into a dead sleep that he might have this second opportunity of manifesting his Innocency towards Saul and the Justice of his Cause by night and behold Saul lay sleeping within the trench and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster but Abner and the people lay round about him 8 Then said Abishai to David God hath ‡ Heb. shut up delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear even to the earth at once and I will not smite him the second time i I will Nail him to the Ground at one blow that I shall not need a second stroke 9 And David said to Abishai Destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless k Though Saul be a cruel Tyrant and rejected by God yet he is our Soveraign Lord and King and I thoâ—…gh designed King as yet am but a private Person and his Subject and therefore cannot kill â—…im without Sin nor will I consent that thou shouldst do it 10 David said furthermore As the LORD liveth the LORD shall smite him l By some sudden and mortal Stroke or his day shall come to die m According to the course of Nature or he shall descend into battel and perish 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORDS anointed but I pray thee take thou now the spear that is at his bolster n Which will shew where we have been and what we could have done and the cruse of water o Which might be put there either to wash himself in case of any accidental Pollution which oft happened in the Night or to refresh him and quench his thirst in that hot Climate and Season or for divers other uses and let us go 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Sauls bolster and they gat them away and no man saw it nor knew it neither awaked for they were all asleep because a deep sleep ‡ Heb. of the LORD from the LORD p Sent upon them by the Lord for David's advantage was fallen upon them 13 ¶ Then David went over to the
is dead 19 But when David saw that his servants whispered David perceived that the child was dead therefore David said unto his servants Is the child dead And they said He is dead 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his apparel and came into the house of the LORD n i. e. To the Tabernacle to confess his Sin before the Lord and to own his Justice in this stroke and the other threatnings and to deprecate his great and just displeasure and to acknowledge Gods rich mercy in sparing his own Life and to offer such Sacrifices as were proper and required in such cases Nor did David transgress that Law Numb 19. 14. in going thither before the Seven Days were expired For neither is there the same reason of a Tent and of a dwelling House where the several Rooms of the House are as distinct as several Tents nor is it here said that David was in the same Room or in the same House where the Child died and worshipped then he came to his own house and when he required they set bread before him and he did eat 21 Then said his servants unto him What thing is this that thou hast done thou didst fast and weep for the child while it was alive but when the child was dead thou didst rise and eat bread 22 And he said While the child was yet alive I fasted and wept * See Isa. 33. 1. Jon. 3. 9. for I said Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the child may live o For God's threatning of the Child's Death might be conditional as that was of Ninevehs Destruction Ionah 3. 4. 23 But now he is dead wherefore should I fast p Seeing Fasting and Prayer cannot now prevail with God for his Life can I bring him back again I shall go to him q Into the state of the Dead in which he is and into Heaven where I doubt not I shall find him but he shall not return to me 24 And David comforted Bath sheba his wife r Who was now much dejected both for her former Sin which she truly Repented of as may be gathered from Prov. 31. 1 2 3 c. and for the loss of that Child which was very dear to her and which might seem to be the onely tie of David's Affection to her which being now dead she might think that David would utterly cast her off and leave her to that Shame and Punishment which she had deserved and went in unto her s To wit into her Chamber or Bed and lay with her and * Matt. 1. 6. she bare a son and * 1 Chron 〈◊〉 9. he called his name Solomon and the LORD loved him t i. e. The Lord declared to David that he loved his Son notwithstanding the just cause which David had given to God to alienate his Affections from him 25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet and he called his name ‖ That is beloved of the Lord. Jedidiah because of the LORD u Either because of the Lord's love to him as the Name signifies or because the Lord commanded him to do so 26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon and took the royal city x i. e. That part of the City where was the Kings Palace where he ordinarily resided though now it seems he was retired to a strong Fort. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said I have fought against Rabbah and have taken the city of waters y The same Royal City so called because it either stood beside the River or was encompassed with Water both for defence and delight Although the Words are by some Learned Men rendred thus I have taken or intercepted or cut off water from the city Which well agrees both with the words eth being here put for meeth which is frequent as Gen. 4. 1. and 44. 4. Exod. 9. 29 c. and with the Relation of Iosephus the Iew who saith The Conduits of Water were cut off and so the City was taken And with a Relation of Polybius concerning the same Ciry which was taken afterwards by Antiochus in the same manner by cutting off Water from the City 28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it z For having taken one part of the City he concluded the remaining part of it could not long stand out lest I take the city and ‡ Heb. my name be called upon it it be called after my name a Lest I have the Honour of taking it Thus he seeks to engratiate himself with the King by pretending great care for his Honour and Interest 29 And David gathered all the people together b Either because Ioab needed more help for the Storming of the City or at least for the Prosecution of the Victory and Execution of Justice upon the whole Land or because he would have them all to partake of the spoil of the City which was there in great abundance v. 30. the rather because they were all exposed to the hazard of utter Ruine in case the Ammonites had prevailed against them and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it 30 * 1 Chron. 20. 2. And he took their kings crown from off his head the weight whereof was a talent of gold c Or rather the price whereof c. For as the Hebrew Shekel signifies both a Weight and a piece of Money of a certain price so also may mishkal as proceeding from the same Root And in general the same Words both in Hebrew Greek and Latine are promiscuously used to signifie either Weight or Price as is well known to the Learned And the addition of pretious stones which are never valued by the Weight of Gold makes this signification here most proper and probable Moreover the Weight might seem too great either for the King of Ammon or for David to wear it upon his Head Although if this were meant of the Weight it might be said that this was not a Crown to be worn ordinarily but meerly to be put on upon the King's Head at his Coronation or upon Solemn occasions as here where this was done in token of the Translation of this Kingdom to David and it may be it was held up or supported by two Officers of State that it might not be too burdensome to him and after a little while taken off with the precious stones and it was set on Davids head and he brought forth the spoil of the city ‡ Heb. very great â—… in great abundance 31 And he brought forth the people that were therein d The words are indefinite and therefore not necessarily to be understood of all the people for it had been Barbarous to use Women and Children thus but of the Men of War and especially of those who had been the
came to the king and told him and when he had called for Absalom he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king and the king kissed Absalom k In testimony of his thorough Reconciliation to him Which Absalom did very ill requite as the next Chapter manifesteth CHAP. XV. AND it came to pass after this that Absalom * 1 King 1. 5. prepared him charets and horses and fifty men to run before him a As being the Kings eldest Son now Amnon was dead for Chileab who was his eldest Brother 2 Sam. 3. 3. was either dead or manifestly uncapable of the Government And this course he knew would draw the eyes and minds of people to him and make them conclude that David intended him for his Successor 2 And Absalom rose up early b Thereby making a shew of self-denial and diligence and solicitude for the good of the publick and of every private person as he had opportunity and stood beside the way of the gate c Either First Of the Kings Palace Or rather Secondly Of the City for that was the place of Judicature or Iudgment for which these Men came and it was so that when any man that had a controversie ‡ Heb. to 〈◊〉 came to the king for judgment then Absalom called unto him d Preventing him with the offers of his assistance and said Of what city art thou e As if he were ready to make particular enquiry into the state of his cause And he said Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel f Or rather of one City which word is easily understood out of the foregoing question of the tribes of Israel i. e. of an Israelitish City either this or that of such or such a City 3 And Absalom said unto him See thy matters are good and right g Upon some very flight hearing of their case he approved it that he might oblige all but ‖ Or none will hear thee from the King downward there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee h To wit none such as will do thee Justice The other Sons and Relations of the King and the rest of the Judges and Rulers under him and them are wholly corrupted and swayed by favour or bribes or at least not careful and diligent as they should be and my Father being grown in years is negligent of publick affairs leaving them wholly to their conduct 4 Absalom said moreover O that I were made judge in the land i For the King had onely restored Absalom to favour but thought not fit to put him into any place of Power and Trust. that every man k I should refuse no man and decline no pains to do any man good So he pretends to a very publick spirit which hath any suit or cause might come unto me and I would do him justice 5 And it was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him l Putting on the Garb of singular humanity and good will to all men For that seems to have been a Ceremony in frequent use in those times of shewing respect as pulling off the hat and bowing or imbracing is at this day with us 6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel m i. e. He secretly and subrilly undermined his Father and robbed his Father of the good opinions and affections of his people that he might gain them to himself by such insinuations into their affections by his plausible and over-civil carriage 7 ¶ And it came to pass after forty years n Quest. Whence are these to be computed Ans. Not from Absalom's Birth for he was Born in Hebron some considerable time after David had begun his Reign 2 Sam. 3. 3. much less from the time of his Vow made or of his return from Banishment but either first from the time of David's election or designation to the Kingdom 1 Sam. 16. 13. Or Secondly From the beginning of Saul's Reign which being a Solemn time and observable for the change of the Government in Israel might very fitly be made an Epocha from which the computation or account of times begin as the Greeks and Romans began their accounts in the same manner and upon the same ground Or rather Thirdly From the beginning of David's Reign who Reigned 40 Years and so the words may be rendred about or towards the end of forty years i. e. in the beginning of the fortieth Year And so this very Phrase is used Deut. 15. 1. At the end of every seven years i. e. in the seventh Year even from the beginning of it as is manifest and confessed So in a like expression After three days will I rise again Mark 8. 31. i. e. on the beginning of the third day when Christ did rise the number of three days being then compleated when the third day is begun And the 40 Years are here expressed as one motive or inducement to Absalom to Rebel because now his Fathers end grew near and one of the Hebrew Doctors affirms that there was a tradition or rumour or prediction that David should Reign but 40 Years And Absalom might easily understand that David intended to decline him and to make Solomon his Successor as well by the conscience of his own wickedness and unfitness for so great a trust as by that eminent Wisdom and Piety which appeared in Solomon in his tender Years and that great respect and affection which his Father must needs have and manifest to him upon this account and by that Promise and Oath given to Bathsheba concerning his Succession mentioned 1 King 1. 30. but made before that time which also might come to Absalom's ear Against this opinion two things are Objected First That David was in the time of this Rebellion a strong Man for he Marched on Foot v. 30. whereas in his last Year he was very infirm and bed-rid Secondly That after this Rebellion was ended divers other things happened as the three Years Famine 2 Sam. 21. 1. and other things following in the History But it may be Answered to the first That David might in the beginning of his last Year have so much strength and vigour left as to March on Foot especially when he did so humble and afflict himself as it is apparent he did v. 30. and yet through his tedious Marches and the tormenting Cares Fears and Griess of his Soul for Absalom might be so strangely and suddenly impaired as in the end of the same Year to be very feeble and bed-rid it being a very common accident especially in old Men and upon extraordinary occasions to languish and decline exceedingly and to fall from some competent degree of health and vigour to be very infirm and bed-rid
10 c. king of Zobah k A part of Syria between Damascus and Euphrates of which see 1 Sam. 14. 47. 2 Chron. 8. 3. Psal. 60. 2. 24 And he gathered men unto him and became captain over a band l To wit of Soldiers who fled and dispersed themselves upon that Defeat 2 Sam. 10. and others who readily joyned themselves with them and lived by Robbery as many Arabians did * 2 Sam 8. 3. and 10. 18. when David slew them of Zobah and they m When they were increased in number and strength went to Damascus n And took it whilst Solomon was wallowing in Luxury and grown Effeminate and dwelt therein and reigned in Damascus 25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon o He was a secret Enemy watching all occasions to do them mischief cunningly and privately all that time and when Solomon had forsaken God and was forsaken by God he shewed himself more openly and maliciously beside the mischief that Hadad did p So the sense is This infelicity was added to the former concerning Hadad mentioned above v. 14 c. Whilst Hadad molested him in the South Rezon threatned him in the North. But some understand this of Hadadezer who is here called Hadad by way of abreviation which is not unusual in proper Hebrew names as is well known and that for or because of for the Hebrew Particle eth is sometimes put for el which oft signifies for or because of as Hebricians know the evil which befel Hadad or Hadadezer i. e. he bore a grudge against the Israelites from and ever since the slaughter that Ioab made in Hadadezer's Army whereof he was a member although he also took that occasion of making a defection from his Master and he abhorred Israel and reigned over Syria q Over all that part of Syria enlarging his Empire more and more and thereby laying a foundation for much misery to Solomon's House and Kingdom 26 ¶ And * 2 Chr. 13. 6 Jeroboam the son of Nebat an Ephrathite of Zereda Solomons servant whose mothers name was Zeruah a widow woman even he lift up his hand against the king r i. e. Rebelled against the King not now and immediately in the Person of Solomon himself but in his Son and Successor Rehoboam 27 And this was the cause that he lift up his hand against the king * Chap. 9. 24. Solomon built Millo and Heb. closed repaired the breaches of the city of David his father 28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour s Or a man of great strength of Body or courage of mind or both and Solomon seeing the young man that he Heb. did work was industrious s Ingenious and diligent and active and every way fit for business and for command he made him ruler over all the Heb. burden charge t i. e. The Taxes and Tributes which were to be gathered of the People by his Power and Authority of the house of Joseph u Either of Ephraim and Manasseh who were jointly comprehended under this name Ios. 17. 17. Or of Ephraim onely who elsewhere comes under that name as 1 Chron. 5. 1. Psal. 78. 67. Ezek. 37. 16. And it seems most probable that each Tribe had a several Ruler 29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem x Upon some occasion possibly to execute his charge that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way and he had clad himself with a new garment and they two were alone in the field y Having gone aside thither for some private conference for otherwise it is most likely that he had Servants attending upon him who though they heard not the words yet might see the action and the rending of Ieroboam's Coat and thus it came to Solomon's ears who being so acute and wise could easily understand the thing by what he heard of the action especially when a Prophet did it 30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him and * See 1 Sam. 15. 27. and 24. 5. rent it in twelve pieces 31 And he said to Jeroboam Take thee ten pieces z Whence the Kingdom of Israel is oft called the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes by which expression it may seem that David's Posterity should have one Tribe reserved out of the Kingdom of Israel besides that of Iudah which because of its greatness and eminency is commonly distinguished from Israel and that not onely after the division of the two Kingdoms but even before it as 1 Sam. 11. 8. and 2 Sam. 5. 5. for * Ver. 11. thus saith the LORD the God of Israel Behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to thee 32 But he shall have one tribe a See the Notes above on v. 13. for my servant Davids sake and for Jerusalems sake the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel 33 Because that they b i. e. The King and his Concubines and People who easily followed his example but were not at all excused by it have forsaken me and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians Chemosh the god of the Moabites and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon and have not walked in my ways to do that which is right in mine eyes and to keep my statutes and my judgments as did David his father 34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom c To wit of Israel that which I have designed for thee Or rather I will not take any thing or part of the kingdom For the Hebrew Phrase lo col which properly signifies not all or not the whole doth usually signify not any thing as Deut. 8. 9. thou shalt not want every thing i. e. not anything So also Gen. 4. 15. and 23. 6. and 39. 23. Psal. 49. 18. and 143. 2 c. out of his hand d He shall possess it whilst he lives as it follows and therefore thou shalt not yet attempt to invade it but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servants sake whom I chose because he kept my commandments and my statutes e Whereby he sheweth that he doth not judgâ—… of men by some particular acts but by their general â—…purpose and course of life 35 But * Chap. 12. 1â—… I will take the kingdom out of his sons hand and will give it unto thee even ten tribes 36 And unto his son will I give one tribe that * 2 King â—…â—… David my servant may have a ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 or candâ—…e light f i. e. A Son and Successor to preserve his name and memory and to give Light to the people in his stead Kings are oft called Lights partly from their great Splendor and partly for the Counsel and
of it Cities and Countries are oft called Mothers as 2 Sam. 20. 19. and their Inhabitants Daughters as Numb 21. 25. Iosh. 17. 16. Iudg. 1. 27. Psal. 45. 13. and 137. 8. hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee y Laughed at all thy proud and impotent Threatnings This is a Gesture of Contempt and Derision of which see Psal. 22. 7. and 44. 13. Ier. 18. 16. Matt. 27. 39. 22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice z By Rabshakeh who cryed with a loud voice Chap. 18. 28. and lift up thine eyes on high a A Gesture of Pride and Scornfulness Pro. 21. 4. even against the holy One of Israel b Not against man but against the Holy God who will not suffer thy Impious Blasphemies to go unpunished and against the holy one of Israel who hath a special relation and kindness to Israel having as it were set himself apart for them and set them apart for himself as being at this time the God of the Iews onely and not the God of the Gentiles whom as yet he suffered to walk in their own evil ways Act. 14. 16. And therefore he will Plead their Cause against thee 23 By ‡ Heb. By the hand of c. thy messengers c So thou hast advanced thy very Servants above me thou hast reproached the LORD and hast said With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains d I have brought up my very Chariots to those Mountains which were thought inaccessible by my Army to the sides of Lebanon e An high Hill famous for Cedars and Fir-trees here following and will cut down ‡ Heb. the tallness c. the tall cedars thereof and the choice fir-trees thereof f This may be understood either 1. Mystically I will destroy the Princes and Nobles of Iudah which are sometimes compared to cedars c. Or their strongest Cities Or rather 2. Literally I will cut down the Trees that hinder my March and plain and prepare the way for all my Numerous Army and Chariots And by this one Instance he intimates That nothing should stand in his way no not the highest and strongest Places and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders g i. e. Those Towns and Cities which he calls Lodgings in way of Contempt which are in his utmost Borders and most remote from me I am come into the Land of Canaan at one Border Lebanon and I resolve to March on to the other extreme Border and so to Destroy the whole Countrey from one Border to another the borders of a Land being oft put for the whole Land within its Borders as Exod. 8. 2. Psal. 74. 17. and 147. 14. Isa. 54. 12. Or as it is in the Hebrew into the lodging of his border for which in the Parallel place Isa. 37. 24. it is into the height of his border And so this may be understood of Ierusalem which it is not probable that in all his brags he would omit and against which his chief Design now lay which he here calleth a lodging for its contemptible smallness if compared with his great and vast City of Niniveh or as it is in Isa. 37. the height for its Two famous Mountains Zion and Moriah or for the Mountains which were round about Ierusalem Psal. 125. 2. and he adds of his border because this City was in the Border of Iudah as being part of it in the Tribe of Benjamin and near the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes which was now in the Assyrians hands and into the ‖ Or the forest and his fruitful field forest of his Carmel h i. e. The Forest of Mount Carmel which may seem to be another Inaccessible Place like Lebanon Or into his forest and his fruitful field For Carmel though properly it was a pleasant and fruitful Mountain in the Tribe of Issachar of which see Iosh. 12. 22. yet it is oft used to signifie any fruitful place as is manifest from Isa. 10. 18. and 16. 10. Ier. 2. 7. And thus all the parts of the Land are here enumerated the Mountains the Cities the Woods and the Fruitful Fields Or his fruitful forest to wit Ierusalem which is thought by many Interpreters to be called a Forest Ier. 21. 14. Ezek 20. 46. a name which agrees well enough to Cities where Buildings are very numerous and close and high like Trees in a Forest And if Ierusalem might be called a Forest it might well be called Hezekiah's Carmel or Fruitful Place because his Chief Strength and Treasure and Fruit was now in it and this last Word may seem to be added here to intimate That this was not like other Forests unfruitful and barren And so both this and the foregoing words are understood of the same place even of Ierusalem the last Branch being joyned to the former by way of Apposition into the lodging of his border the forest of his Carmel or his fruitful Forest there being no more words in the Hebrew Text. 24 I have digged and drank strange waters i Such as were never discovered nor used by others And therefore all thy indeavours to deprive me of Water for my Army 2 Chron. 32. 3. are Idle and Fruitless and * Deut. 11 1â—… with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of ‖ Or fenced besieged places k And as I can furnish my Army with Water digged out of the Earth by their Labour and my Art so I can deprive my Enemies of their Water and can dry up their rivers and that with the sole of my feet i. e. With the March of my Vast and Numerous Army who will easily do this either by Marching thorough them and each carrying part away with them or by Drinking every one a little of them or by their Pains making many new Channels and deriving the Waters of the River into them as Cyrus dried up Euphrates and thereby took Babylon 25 ‖ Or Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago and formed it of ancient times should I now bring it to be laid waste and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it and of ancient times that I have formed it l Hast thou not long since learned that which some of thy Philosophers could and did teach thee That there is a Supreme and Powerful God by whose Decree and Providence all these Wars and Calamities were sent and ordered whose meer Instrument thou art so that thou hast no cause for these vain Boastings This Work is mine more than thine Or as it is in the Margent of our Bibles Hast thou not heard that a Particle oft understood I have made i. e. Constituted or Purchased or Adorned for all these ways is this Hebrew Verb used
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
28. â—… 25. 16 And there came ‖ 〈◊〉 of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold o To the same Hold mentioned v. 8. where see the Notes unto David 17 And David went out †Heb. before 〈◊〉 to meet them and answered p i. e. 〈◊〉 as that word is oft used in Scripture even of him that speaketh 〈◊〉 and said unto them If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me mine heart shall †Heb. be one be knit unto you q I shall ever esteem and love you and shew this by my 〈◊〉 to you hereafter but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies r Which your Number and Quality and near Relation to Saul gives me some cause to suspect seeing there is no ‖ Or violence wrong in mine hands s I have done no Injury to Saul nor to you but have spared him and you when it was in my Power to have destroyed you the God of our fathers look thereon and rebuke it t To wit by his Hand and Power manifested for me and against you for your Persidiousness 18 Then †Heb. the spirit clothed Amasal So Judg. 6. 34. the spirit came upon Amasal u Not onely saving Graces but other heroical and generous Motions are ascribed to Gods Spirit which here stirred up in him a more than ordinary greatness and presentness of Mind and Resolution who was chief of the captains and he said Thine are we David and on thy side thou son of Jesse peace peace be unto thee and peace be to thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee x We have observed Gods singular and gracious Care of thee and Kindness to thee and if we should oppose thee we should be Fighters against God and his Word and Providence Then David received them and made them captains of the band y i. e Of those Forces which they brought with them Or he put them among the heads or officers of his band i. e. He gave them Commands either now in his small Army each according to his Quality or afterwards when he was advanced to the Kingdom for it is not here expressed when he did this 19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David when he came with the Philistins against Saul to battel but they helped them not z i. e. The Manassites here named and the rest of Davids Forces to whom they had now joyned themselves did not help the Philistins in Battel as David had pretended to do for the lords of the Philistins upon advisement sent him away saying * 1 Sam. 29. 4. He will fall to his master Saul †Heb. on our heads to the jeopardy of our heads 20 As he went to Ziklag a As he returned from the Camp of the Philistins to Ziklag 1 Sam. 29. 11. there fell to him of Manasseh Adnah and Jozabad and Jedaiel and Michael and Jozabad and Elihu and Zilthai captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh 21 And * 1 Sam. 30. 1 9 10. they helped David ‖ Or with a band against the band of the rovers b i. e. Against the Amalekites who had taken and burnt Ziklag whom David and his 600 Men were now pursuing whom these accompanied in that Expedition Or with a band or troop of Souldiers which they brought along with them to Davids Assistance for they were all mighty men of valour c Therefore they readily came to Davids help and were captains in the host d Therefore they brought others along with them 22 For at that time e i. e. While he was at Ziklag and in his March to Hebron and principally at Hebron as the next Verse explains it day by day there came to David to help him until it was a great host like the host of God f i. e. Innumerable like the Stars or Angels both which are called Gods hosts Oth. the host of God i. e. a very great Host great things being so called as Cedars Mountains c. of God But the particle of likeness here added excludes this Sence for it had been very improper to say a great host like a great host i. e. like it self 23 And these are the numbers of the ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bands that were ready armed to the war and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the word of the LORD g Whereby he had settled the Crown upon David after Sauls death 24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred h Who came thither in the name of all their Brethren for that whole Tribe stuck to David at his very first coming to Hebron ready ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armed to the war 25 Of the children of Simeon mighty men of valour for the war seven thousand and one hundred 26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred 27 And Jehojada was the leader of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Aaronites i Not the High-priest for that was Abiathar 1 Sam. 23. 6. but one of Eminent place under him and who had a great Power and interest among his Brethren and with him were three thousand and seven hundred 28 And * â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zadok k Thought to be the same who was made High-priest in Solomons time 1 Kings 2. 35. which if true he was very young at this time a young man mighty of valour and of his fathers house twenty and two captains l Whom he brought along with him 29 And of the children of Benjamin the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindred of Saul three thousand for hitherto the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 3. greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul m i. e. Indeavoured to keep the Crown in their own Tribe and in Sauls Family 30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred mighty men of valour †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famous throughout the house of their fathers 31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh n Which was within Iordan for of the other half beyond Iordan he speaks v. 37. eighteen thousand which were expressed by name o Which were not ashamed nor afraid publickly to own David first by putting their Names to some Paper presented to them for that purpose and then by marching to him to Hebron to come and make David King 32 And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times p Either 1. skill in the Stars and several Seasons and Changes of the Air which might be of good use in Husbandry to which this Tribe was addicted Gen. 49. 14. Deut. 33. 18. Or rather 2. Political Prudence to discern and embrace the fit Seasons for all Actions as appears 1. from the following
e Mentioned also ch 12. 15. supposed to be the same who is called Obed ch 15. 1. This and the other Prophets mentioned were also Historians and wrote some Annals or Histories of their times out of which these Sacred and Canonical Books were taken either by these or other Prophets against Jeroboam the son of Nebat 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers and he was buried in the city of David his father and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead CHAP. X. 1 ANd * Rehoboam went to Shechem a The Contents of this Chapter are in 1 King 12. where see the Notes for 1 Kin. 12. â—… c. to Shechem were all Israel come to make him king 2 And it came to pass when Jeroboam the son of Nebat who was in Egypt whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king heard it that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt 3 And they sent b Or For as that Particle is oft used as hath been noted before they had sent c. So this is the Reason why he returned as was said v. 2. and called him So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam saying 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us and we will serve thee 5 And he said unto them come again unto me after three days And the people departed 6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived saying What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people 7 And they spake unto him saying If thou be kind to this people and please them and speak good words to them they will be thy servants for ever 8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him that stood before him 9 And he said unto them What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people which have spoken to me saying Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us 10 And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him saying thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee saying thy father made our yoke heavy but make thou it somewhat lighter for us thus shalt thou say unto them My little finger shall be thicker than my fathers loins 11 For whereas my father †Heb. 〈◊〉 put a heavy yoke upon you I will put more to your yoke my father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with scorpions 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king bade saying Come again to me on the third day 13 And the king answered them roughly and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men 14 And answered them after the advice of the young men saying My father made your yoke heavy but I will add thereto my father chastised you with whips but I will chastise you with scorpions 15 So the king hearkened not unto the people for the cause was of God that the LORD might perform his word which he spake by the * 1 Kin. 11 〈◊〉 hand of Abijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat 16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them the people answered the king saying What portion have we in David and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to your tents O Israel and now David see to thine own house So all Israel went to their tents 17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah Rehoboam reigned over them 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute and the children of Israel stoned him with stones that he died but king Rehoboam †〈…〉 made speed to get him up to his chariot to â—…lee to Jerusalem 19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day CHAP. XI 1 ANd * â—… Kin. 12. 21 â—… when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a Of this verse and v. 2 3 4. see the Notes on 1 King 12. 21. c. an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men which were warriours to fight against Israel that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemajah the man of God saying 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin saying 4 Thus saith the LORD Ye shall not go up nor fight against your brethren return every man to his house for this thing is done of me And they obeyed the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam 5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities b i. e. Repaired and enlarged and fortified them as building is oft used in Scripture as hath been formerly proved For these Cities or divers of them were built before as appears from Ios. 10. 10. 12. 15. 15. 24 33 35 58. 19. 42. for defence in Judah 6 He built even Beth-lehem and Etam and Tekoa 6 And Beth-zur and Shoco and Adullam 8 And Gath and Maresha and Ziph 9 And Adoraim Lachish and Azekah 10 And Zorah and Ajalon and Hebron which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities 11 And he â—…ortified the strong holds and put captains in them and store of victuals and oyl and wine 12 And in every several city c To wit so fortified as he said v. 11. he put shields and spears and made them exceeding strong having Judah and Benjamin on his side 13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel †resorted to him out of all their coasts 〈…〉 14 For the Levites left their * suburbs and their possession and came to Judah and Jerusalem for * 〈◊〉 â—…5 2. 〈◊〉 13. 9. Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priests office unto the LORD d They would not suffer them to instruct and assist the Israelites in the worship and service of God nor to go up to Jerusalem to worship in their Courses and these Priests would not joyn with them in the Worship of the Calves as they were desired and commanded to do and therefore they willingly forsook all their Patrimonies and Possessions for Gods Sake 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places and for the devils and for the calves e Or for the high places both for the Devils i. e. the Baals or false gods which divers of his People worshipped whom he permitted and encouraged to do so giving them liberty to do any thing 〈◊〉 to serve God at Jerusalem and for the Calves So he erected two sorts of High places
the people r Whose passions being once raised could not suddenly be composed saying Hold your peace s Cease from weeping and mournful cries and turn your lamentations into thanksgivings for the day is holy neither be ye grieved 12 And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great mirth because they had understood the words that were declared unto them r Because they now knew Gods mind and their own duty which they were resolved to practise which gave them ground of hope and trust in Gods mercy and consequently of great and just joy 13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people the priests and the Levites u Chusing rather to confess their ignorance for their edification then vainly to pretend to more knowledge than they had wherein they shew both true humility and serious godliness that they were more careful to learn and practice their duty than to preserve their reputation with the people unto Ezra the scribe even ‖ Or that they might instruct in the words of the law to understand the words of law x That they might more exactly understand the meaning of some things which they had heard before and so instruct the people in them 14 And they found y Upon Ezra's information and their discourse with him written in the law which the LORD had commanded †Heb. by the hand of by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in * Lev. 23. 34. Deut. 16. 1â—… booths in the feast of the seventh month 15 And that they should publish z i. e. And they found this also written which is to be supplied out of the former verse that they should c. which though it be not particularly required so as is expressed in the words here following yet in the general is required by vertue of that precept Levit. 23 4. Numb 10. 10. And according to this translation it must be understood in the close of this verse that they did accordingly publish and proclaim c. But these words may be rendred which as this Hebrew word is rendred here v. 14. and most commonly also so the particle vau is used Isa. 6. 1. Ier. 1. 3. also they did publish c. For so they did as is evident and acknowledged and it seems fit that so much should be expressed and these words being so particular and proper to this special occasion seem to intimate that this is rather an historical relation of what they now did than a declaration of that which the law required them to do which was but in very general terms and not so exact and particular as this following precept is said to be and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying Go forth unto the mount a The mount of Olives which was next Ierusalem and stored with Olive-branches and probably with the rest here mentioned for these trees may seem to have been planted here abouts principally for the use of this capital City in this very feast which though long neglected should have been celebrated once every year And therefore this place seems to be here designed as the most eminent place but with an usual Synecdoche this place being put for any place nearest to the several cities of Judah where these branches were to be procured fetch olive-branches pine-branches and myrtle-branches and palm-branches and branches of thick trees b Of which see on Levit. 23. 34 Deut. 16. 13. to make booths as it is written 16 So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths every one upon the roof of his house c For the houses there were made â—…at of which see Deut. 22. 8. and in their courts d Belonging to their own Houses for these might be any where in the open air and in the courts of the house of God and in the street of the water-gate and in the street of the gate of Ephraim e That gate of the City which led to the Tribe of Ephraim 17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths and sate under the booths for f Or surely as the Hebrew chi is oft used as hath been noted before For the following words seem not so much to give a reason of what was last said or done concerning their dwelling in booths as to contain the holy writers reflection upon the present celebration of this feast since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so g Either 1. So as to the matter or substance of the thing So it implies that all this while the feast of Tabernacles was not observed Which seems altogether improbable considering how expresly this was commanded to be celebrated Levit. 23. c. and what excellent Kings and Priests and Prophets there had been within that time such as were persons of great understanding and most expert and studious in Gods Word and therefore could not be ignorant of so plain a duty and withal so throughly pious and careful and zealous for God and the observation of his law and worship and some of them commended for their universal obedience to all Gods commands and therefore would not be guilty of so gross a neglect Besides that this feast was observed is sufficiently implied in 1 Kings 8. 2 65. 2 Chr. 7. 9. is particularly expressed Ezra 3 4. Or rather 2. So as to the manner circumstances They never kept this feast so joyfully as the next words declare having not only the same causes of rejoycing which they formerly had but some special causes to increase their joy towit the remembrance of their stupendious deliverance both out of the land of their Captivity out of the hands of their wicked malicious Neighbours ever since their return especially now when they were new building the walls of Ierusalem they never kept it so solemnly and religiously for whereas at other times only the first and last day of that feast were celebrated with an holy convocation Levit 23. 35 36. Ioh. 7. 37. now there was an holy convocation and the people assembled and attended upon the reading of the law everyday of this feast as is noted in the next verse and there was very great gladness 18 Also day by day from the first day unto the last day he read in the book of the law of God h Which was commanded to be done at this feast Deut. 31. 10 11 12. though not injoyned to be done every day as now out of a singular zeal they did and they kept the feast seven days and on the eighth day was †Heb. 1 restraint a solemn assembly * Lev. 23. 36. according unto the manner CHAP. IX 1 NOW in the twenty and fourth day of this month
Nethinims dwelt in ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 Ophel and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims 22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani the son of Hashabiah the son of Mattaniah the son of Micha of the sons of Asaph the singers were over the business of the house of God p i. e. Were to take care at Jerusalem for the supply of such things as were necessary for the Temple and the service of God from time to time whilest others minded the outward business v. 16. And this Office was very proper for them both as they were Levites to whose care those things belonged and as they were Singers who were not to come to Ierusalem by turns as other Levites and as the Priests did but were constantly to reside there and therefore were more capable of minding this business Besides their Employment was not so frequent nor so great as some others were and therefore they had more leisure for it 23 For q Or therefore For the following words contain either a reason why they were set over that business or a recompense for it or a provision that they might diligently attend to it it was the kings r Either 1. Davids who made this constitution Or rather 2. The Kings of Persia who is called simply the king in the next verse also who took this care at the request and by the direction of Ezra or Nehemiah Or this might be Nehemiah's Command which is called the Kings Command because it was done by the Kings Deputy or a Commissioner whom the King impowered to do what he saw fit for the House and Service of God commanding all the People to obey him therein as he had formerly done Ezra 7. 18 20 23. commandment concerning them that ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a certain portion should be for the singers due for every day 24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel of the children of Zerah the son of Judah was at the kings hand s Or on the kings part to determine Civil Causes and Controversies between Man and Man by the Laws of that Kingdom which peradventure he understood better than Nehemiah and therefore was appointed for this work but still under Nehemiah Or according to the kings appointment as the hand is used as Numb 4. 49. and elsewhere in all matters concerning the people t Either in civil differences between them or in things between the King and People as in matters of Tribute or Grievances c. wherein this man possibly was chief Justitiary under Nehemiah 25 And for the villages with their fields some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba u This and most of the other places here named had been destroyed by the Chaldeans but the Jews now repaired the best of the ruinated Houses and by degrees rebuilt others and in the †Heb. daughters villages thereof and at Dibon and in the villages thereof and at Jekabzeel and in the villages thereof 26 And at Jeshua and at Moladah and at Bethphelet 27 And at Hazar-shual and at Beer-sheba and in the villages thereof 28 And at Ziklag and at Mekonah and in the villages thereof 29 And at Enrimmon and at Zareah and at Jarmuth 30 Zanoah Adullam and in their villages at Lachish and the fields thereof at Azekah and in the villages thereof And they dwelt from Beer-sheba unto the valley of Hinnom 31 The children also of Benjamin ‖ Or of Geba from Geba dwelt ‖ Or to 〈◊〉 at Michmash and Aija and Bethel and in their villages 32 And at Anathoth Nob Anania 33 Hazor Ramah Gittaim 34 Hadid Zeboim Nebullat 35 Lod and Ono * 1 Châ—… â—… 〈◊〉 the valley of craftsmen x Or in the valley c. Or this is another place called Ge-baharasim 36 And of the Levites were divisions y Or for the Levites to wit those of them who were not settled in Ierusalem there were divisions i. e. places appointed for them and distributed among them in Judah and in Benjamin CHAP. XII 1 NOw these are the * Ezâ—… â—… â—… priests a i. e. The chief of the Priests as they are called here v. 7. to wit the heads of those Twenty four courses which David appointed by divine direction 1 Chr. 24. And whereas there are Twenty four and here but Twenty two and v. 12 c. only Twenty the reason of this difference may possibly be this because Two of the Twenty four courses were extinct in Babylon or at least none of them was then returned and two of the Persons here named v. 2 5. to wit Hattush and Maodiah may be omitted in the account of the posterity of these persons v. 12 c. because they had no posterity Possibly these were not the same courses which David had appointed but others which Zerubbabel and Ioshua had constituted in imitation of that order as far as they could and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua Serajah Jeremiah Ezra b Either this was another Ezra or if it were the same mentioned Ezra 7. he lived to a great Age which may well be supposed concerning his great Sobriety and abstinence from those evil practices which shorten Mens Lives and his great piety to which God promised long Life and withal the special providence of God continuing him so long in such a season wherein the Church of God did greatly need his help and counsel 2 Amariah ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 14. Malluch c In the repetition of this and some other mens names hereafter v. 14 c. there are some small variations which are very frequent in that language Hattush 3 ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 1â—… Shechaniah ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 1â—… Rehum ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 1â—… Meremoth 4 Iddo ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 〈◊〉 Ginnetho Abijah d The Progenitor of Iohn the Baptist Luk. 1. 5. 5 ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 1â—… Miamin ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 1â—… Maadiah Bilgah 6 Shemajah and Jojarib and Jedajah 7 ‖ Or 〈◊〉 ver 2â—… Sallu Amok Hilkiah Jedajah these were the chief of the priests and of their brethren e i. e. Of the Priests who were their Brethren in the days of Jeshua 8 Moreover the Levites Jeshua Binnui Kadmiel Sherebiah Judah and Mattaniah which was over ‖ Thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thanksgiving he and his brethren 9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni their brethren were over against them in the watches f i. e. In the places where they were appointed to stand and wait and perform their office one standing over against another as it is explained v. 24. ward over against ward for the Hebrew word is the same there and here Others according to their turns or courses of which see 1 Chron. 25. 9. 10 And Jeshua begat Jojakim g Here follows a Catalogue of the Jewish High-Priests which was the
* Gen. 1. 6. Which alone r i. e. By his own single power without any other help spreadeth out the Heavens s He spread them out like a curtain Ps. 104. 1 2 and he in a manner spreads them again every day i. e. keeps them spread for the comfort and benefit of this lower World and doth not roll and fold them up as he will do in due time See Isa. 34. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 10. Revel 6. 14. Or boweth down the heavens as the same Hebrew Verb is rendred Psalm 18. 9. So it is a further description of a black and tempestuous season wherein the heavens seem to be brought down and nearer to the earth and treadeth upon the †Heb. heights waves of the sea t i. e. Represseth and ruleth them when they rage and are tempestuous for treading upon any thing signifies in Scripture uâ—…e Power and Dominion over it as Deut. 33. 29. Iob 40. 12. Psalm 60. 12. 91. 13. Luke 10. 19. 9. * Chap. 38. 31. c. Amos 5. 8. Which maketh u Either 1. created them or rather 2. ordereth and disposeth them as the word making is sometimes used in Scripture governeth their rising and setting and all their Influences †Heb. 〈◊〉 Cesil Criâ—…ah Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and the chambers of the south x These he names as Stars or Constellations of greatest note and eminency for so they are both in Scripture and other Authors and such as have or are thought to have a special influence in railing Storms and Tempests but under them he seems to comprehend all the Stars which as they were created by God so are under his Government Arcturus is a Northern Constellation near that called the Bear which riseth to us about the beginning of September and by its rising produceth as Pliny affirmâ—… 〈◊〉 Storms and Tempests Orion is a â—…re Southernly Constellation that ariseth to us in December and is noted by Astronomers for raising fearful Winds and Tempests both by Sea and Land The Pleiades is a Constellation not far from Orion and near that called the Bull which we call the Seven Stars To us it riseth at the beginning of the Spring and by its rising causeth Rains and Tempests and therefore is unwelcom to Mariners at Sea By the chambers or inmost and secret chambers as the word signifies of the South he seems to understand those Stars and Constellations which are towards the Southern Pole which are fitly called inward chambers because they are for the most part hid and shut up as Chambers commonly are from these parts of the World and do not rise or appear to us till the beginning of Summer when they also raise Southerly Winds and Tempests as Astronomers observe 10. Which doth great things past finding out yea and wonders without number y Which words were produced by Eliphaz Chap. 5. 9. where they are explained and are here repeated by Iob to shew his agreement with him therein 11. Lo he goeth z i. e. He worketh by his Providence in waies of Mercy or Judgment by me a Or besides or before me in my presence and I see him not b I see the Effects but I cannot understand the Causes or Grounds of his Actions for they are incomprehensible by me or by any other men for though he speaks onely in his own person yet he means it of all men that such is the weakness of mens Understandings that they cannot search out God's Counsels and ways See Acts 17. 27. Rom. 11. 33. he passeth on also c He goeth from place to place from one action to another He speaks of God after the manner of men but I perceive him not 12. * Isa. 45. 9. Jer. 18. 6. Rom. 9. 20. Behold he taketh away d If he determine to take away from any man his Children or Servants or Estate as he hath done from me †Heb. who can turn him away Ch. 11. 10. who can hinder him who will say unto him what doest thou e who is able to restrain him from doing it Or who dare presume to reprove him for it And therefore far be it from me to quarrel with God whereof you untruly accuse me 13. If God will not withdraw his anger f i. e. If God resolve not to withdraw his Rod and stroak the Effect of his Anger Or without if which is not in the Hebrew God will not withdraw his anger i. e. not forbear to punish neither because any man can over-power and restrain him nor for fear lest he should rebuke him for proceeding to punish as is implied by comparing this Verse with the former the †Heb. helpers of pride or strength proud helpers g i. e. Those men who shall undertake to uphold and defend him whom God intends to punish and destroy who are fitly called proud helpers because this is a most proud and insolent and presumptuous act to oppose themselves to the Lord God Almighty and to his Counâ—…el and Courses or as it is in the Hebrew Helpers of pride because they give assistance to that man who carries himself proudly and stoutly towards God under his correcting-hand Or as some translate it the helpers of Egypt or the Egyptian helpers i. e. the most potenâ—… helpers for Egypt was in Iob's time a powerful and flourishing Kingdom and not far from Iob's Country And the word Rahab here rendred pride is elsewhere put for Egypt as Psalm 87. 4. Isa. 51. 9. And as some take it Iob 26. 12. do stoop under him h i. e. Shall fall and be crushed by him and consequently they who are helped by him must fall with them 14. How much less shall i Since no Creature whatsoever can resist his Power and no man living can search out or comprehend his Counsels and Ways how can I who am a poor contemptible dispirited Creature contend with him I answer him k i. e. Answer his Allegations and Arguments produced against me and choose out my words to reason with him l Heb. Choose my words with or before or against as this Particle is used Deut. 9. 7. Psalm 94. 1â—… Prov. 30. 3â—… him i. e. Shall I try whether God or I can choose fitter Words or stronger Arguments Or shall I contend with him and expect to get the better of him by using choice and forcible and elegant words as one man doth with another 15. Whom though I were righteous m Though I had a most just cause and were not conscious to my self of any sâ—…n yet would I not answer n i. e. I durst not undertake to plead my Cause against him or maintain my Integrity before him because he knows me better than I know my self and because I am wholly in his hands and at his mercy but I would make supplication to my judge o To wit that he would hear me meekly and judge favourably of me
I despair No I will not I know he is a just and a faithful and merciful God and he knows that mine Heart is upright before him and that I am no Hypocrite but c Though I will trust in him yet I will humbly expostulate the matter with him I will †Heb. prove or argue maintain mine own ways d I will argue or prove or demonstrate my ways i. e. I will make a full free Confession of the whole course of my Life and I will boldly though submissively assert mine own Integrity which he also will I doubt not acknowledge And what I have done amiss I will as freely confess and make Supplication to my judge for the pardon of it before him e Before his Tribunal for I desire no other Judge but him 16. He also shall be or is my Salvation f I rest assured that he will save me out of these miseries sooner or later one way or other if not with a temporal yet with an eternal Salvation after Death of which he speaks Ch. 19. 25 c. for g Or but as this particle commonly signifies for this Clause is put by way of opposition to the former and the sense is But if I were an Hypocrite as you alledge I durst not present my self before him to plead my Cause with him as now I desire to do nor could I hope for any Salvation from or with him in Heaven an Hypocrite shall not come before him 17. Hear diligently my Speech h This he desired before v. 6. and now repeateth either because they manifested some neglect or dislike of his Speech and some desire to interrupt him Or because he now comes more closely to his business the foregoing Verses being mostly in way of Preface to it and my declaration i i. e. The words whereby I declare my Mind with your Ears 18. Behold now I have ordered my †Heb. judgment Cause k To wit within my self I have seriously and sincerely considered the state of my case and what can be said either for me or against me and am ready to plead my Cause I know that I shall be justified l i. e. Acquitted by God from that Hypocrisie and Wickedness wherewith you charge me and declared a righteous and innocent person humane Infirmities excepted 19. Who is he that will plead with me m Where is the man that will do it Nay Oh that God would do it which here he implies and presently expresseth For now if I hold my Tongue I shall give up the Ghost n My grief for Gods heavy Hand and for your bitter Reproaches would break my Heart if I should not give it vent 20. Only do not Two things unto me o Which Two he expresseth v. 21. then will I not hide my self from thee p Then shall I boldly present my self and Cause before thee 21. * Ch. 9. 34 35. 33. 7. Withdraw thine hand far from me q i. e. Suspend my Torments during the time of my pleading with thee that my Mind may be at liberty and let not thy dread make me afraid r Do not present thy self to me in terrible Majest neither deal with me in rigorous Justice but hear me meekly as one man heareth another and plead with me upon those gracious Terms wherewith thou usest to deal with Mankind 22. Then call thou and I will answer or let me speak and answer thou me s Then chuse thy own Method Either do thou charge me with Hypocrisie or more than common Guilt and I will deâ—…end my self Or I will argue with thee concerning thy extraordinary severity towards me and do thou â—…hew me the reasons of it This proposal savoured of too great self-confidence and of Irreverence towards God for which and such like Speeches he is reproved by God Ch. 38. 2 3. 40. 2. 23. How many are mine Iniquities and sins t That I am a sinner I confess but that I am guilty of so many or such heinous Crimes as my Friends suppose I utterly deny and if I be so do thou O Lord discover it to my shame Make me to know my transgression and my Sin u If peradventure my heart deceive me therein for I am not conscious to my self of any enormous crime 24. Wherefore hidest thou thy Face x i. e. Withdrawest thy favour and help which thou didst use to afford me as this Phrase is commonly used as Deut. 31. 17. Psal. 13. 1. 102. 2. c. and * Deut. 32. 20. Ruth 1 21. Ch. 16. 9. 19. 11. 33. 10. holdâ—…st me for thine Enemy y i. e. Dealest as harshly with me as if I were thy professed Enemy 25. * Isa. 42. 3. Wilt thou break a Leaf driven to and fro And wilt thou pursue the dry stubble z Doth it become thy infinite and excellent Majesty to use all thy might to crush such a poor impotent frail Creature as I am that can no more resist thy Power than a Leaf or a little loose and dry straw can resist the fury of the Wind or Fire 26. For thou writest a i. e. Thou appointest or inflictest A Metaphor from Princes or Judges who antiently used to write their Sentences or Decrees concerning Persons or Causes brought before them See Psal. 149. 9. Ier. 22. 30. Ioh. 19. 22. bitter things b i. e. A terrible Sentence or most grievous punishments against me and * Psa. 25. 7. makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth c Thou dost now at once bring upon me the punishment of all my sins not excepting those of my Youth which because of the Folly and weakness of that Age are usually excused or winked at or at least but gently punished 27. * Chap 〈◊〉 11. Thou puttest my Feet also in the stocks d Thou encompassest me with thy Judgments that I may have no way or possibility to escape and †Heb. observest lookest narrowly unto all my Paths e When thou hast me fast in Prison thou makest a strict and diligent search into all the actions of my life that thou mâ—…ist find matter to condemn me thou settest a Print upon the †Heb. roots Heels of my Feet f i. e. Thou followest me close at the Heels either to observe my Actions or to pursue me with thy Judgments so that thou dost oft tread upon my Heels and leave the prints of thy Footsteps upon them 28. And he g Either 1. Man or Iob supposed to be Gods Adversary in this contest So he speaks of himself in the third Person as is usual in this and other sacred Books So the Sense is He i. e. this poor frail Creature this Carkass or Body of mine which possibly he pointed aâ—… with his Finger consumeth or pineth away c. So he mentions here the effect of Gods severe proceedings against him to
me e Do not my Friends instead of comforting mock and abuse me as if I had made use of Religion only as a Cloak to my wickedness Heb. If there be not mockers with me understand let God do so or so to me It is a form of an Oath which is defectively expressed after the manner of the Hebrews Assuredly I am in the midst of cruel Mockers which is a sore aggravation of my affliction Thus he returns to what he had said Ch. 16. 20. and intimates the necessity and justice of his following Appeal which otherwise might be thought too bold And doth not mine Eye f Either 1. The Eyes of my Body Do they not continue to provoke me to my Face Or rather 2. The Eye of my Mind Their provoking Scoffs and Reproaches do not only molest me in the day-time when they are with me but lodge with me in the night and are continually in my thoughts and break my sleep and disturb me in dreams And therefore if I be a little disordered I may be excused †Heb. lodge continue in their provocation 3. Lay down now put me in a surety with thee g He turneth his Speech either to Eliphaz who spake last or rather to God as is evident from the matter and scope of the words and from the next Verse These words contain either 1. An humble desire to God that he would appoint him a Surety who should undertake for his Friends that they should refer the cause in difference between them to God or to some other person who should determine the matter in Gods Name and according to Gods Will Or that God would be his Surety or appoint him a Surety who should maintain his righteous cause against his opposers for so this Phrase is oft used as Psal. 119. 121 122. Isa. 38. 14. And some expound this as they did Ch. 16. 21. of Christ Jesus who was called our Surety Heb. 7. 22. Appoint I pray thee my Surety i. e. Christ who is now with thee to plead my Cause Or rather 2. An appeal from God unto God or a kind of challenge or desire of debating 〈◊〉 Cause with God Which though it favoureth of too much boldness and irreverence to God yet seeing Iob expresseth the same desire almost in the same manner Ch. 9. 33 34. and is sharply reproved by God for contending with him Ch. 40. 2. I know no Inconvenience of ascribing the same thing to him here So the sense is Because I am not able to deal with thee immediately considering the dread of thy Majesty my only desire is that thou wouldest deal with me upon fair and equal terms as if thou were a man like my self and appoint some man who shall in thy name and stead determine the time and place for the trial of my cause with thee And this suits well enough with the two following Verses because his Friends were without Understanding v. 4. and partial v. 5. therefore he desires to cease discoursing with them and to debate his cause with God who was just and impartial and also would be favourable to him who is he that will strike hands with me h i. e. Agree and promise or be Surety to me whereof that was the usual gesture Prov. 6. 1 2. 17. 18. 22. 26. 4. For thou hast hid their heart from Understanding i Thou hast blinded the minds of my Friends that they cannot see those truths which are most plain and evident to all men of sense and experience Therefore I desire a more wise and able Judge therefore shalt thou not exalt them k i. e. Thou wiltst not give them the Victory over me in this contest but wiltst give sentence for me and disparage them and make them ashamed of their confidence in affirming falshoods of thee and punish them severely for this miscarriage It is an usual figure whereby much more is understood than is expressed 5. He that speaketh Flattery to his Friends l Hereby Iob chargeth them either 1. With flattering him with vain hopes and Promises of the return of his former prosperity when he knew that his case was desperate Or 2. With flattering and befriending God and giving a partial sentence out of respect to him for which he reproved and condemned them before Ch. 13. 7 8 9. where see the notes Some render the words thus He that uttereth or declareth his mind or thoughts as this word signifies Psal. 139. 2 17. with flattery or to flatter or deceive another even the Eyes of his Children shall fail m He shall be severely punished not only in his Person but even in his Children whose Eyes shall fail with vain expectations of Relief and deliverance out of those Calamities which shall come upon them for this sin of their Parents 6. He n i. e. God who is oft designed by this Pronoun in this Book hath made me also * Chap. 3â—… 9. a by-word o Or Proverb or common talk My calamities are so great and prodigious that they fill all people with discourse and are become proverbial to express extream miseries Compare Numb 21. 27 28. Deut. 28. 37. of the People and p Or but or although as this particle is oft used ‖ Or before them a foretime q So he aggravateth his present misery by the mention of his former prosperity Or to their faces or openly They do not only reproach me behind my back but revile and mock me and make a sport of my calamities even to my face I was as a †Heb. 〈◊〉 Tabret r i e. I was the Peoples Delight and Darling and matter of their praise and entertained by them with applauses and as it were with Instruments of Musick Or I am as a Tabret i. e. matter of sport and merriment to them 7. Mine Eye also is dim by reason of sorrow s Through excessive weeping and decay of Spirits which cause a dimness in the sight and all ‖ Or my thoughts my Members are as a shadow t My body is so consumed and my colour so wan and ghastly that I look more like a Ghost or a Shadow than like a Man 8. Upright men shall be astonied at this u Wise and good men when they shall see and consider my calamities will not be so forward to censure and condemn me as you are but will rather stand and wonder at the depth and mysteriousness of Gods Counsels and Judgments which fall so heavily upon innocent men while the worst of men prosper and the innocent shall stir up himself against the Hypocrite x But or Yet notwithstanding all these sufferings of good men and the astonishment which they cause innocent or religious Persons shall be so far from joining their Opinions and Counsels and Interests with Hypocrites or prophane men who thence take occasion to censure the afflicted Person and to reproach and condemn and desert the
2. by God who deals with me according to his Soveraign Power and exact and rigorous Justice and not with that equity and benignity which he sheweth to the generality of men and hath promised to good men such as he knoweth me to be but I am not heard I cry aloud but there is no Judgment n God will not hear my Cause nor pass Sentence which I might reasonably expect from him but he quite neglects me and hath utterly forsaken me and left me in the hands of the Devil and wicked men See the like Complaints of other good men in the like case of desertion Psalm 13. 2. 22. 2. 88. 15. Lament 3. 8. Habak 1. 2. 8. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass o i. e. So that I know not what to say or do and can see no means nor possibility of getting out of my troubles and he hath sâ—…t darkness in my paths p So that I cannot discern my way or what course I should take 9. He hath stript me of my glory q i. e. Of my Estate and Children and Authority and all my Comforts and taken the crown r i. e. All my Ornaments from my head 10. He hath destroyed me on every side s i. e. In all respects and to all intents and purposes my Person and Family and Estate and I am gone t i. e. I am a lost and dead man Going is oft put for dying as Gen. 15. 2. Psalm 39. 13. and * 〈◊〉 24. 20. mine hope u i. e. All my hopes of the present life as he oft expresseth it but not of the life to come as appears from Iob 13. 15 16. 19. 25 c. hath he removed like a tree x Which being once plucked up by the roots never groweth again 11. He hath also kindled his wrath against me y He hath stirred up his wrath against me of his own accord without any provocation of mine humane infirmity excepted and * 〈◊〉 13. 24. 〈◊〉 2. 5. he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies z i. e. He useth me as harshly as if I were an inveterate Enemy of God and of all goodness though he knoweth I am and have ever been an hearty lover and servant of him 12. * 〈◊〉 6. 4. His troops a i. e. My Afflictions which are but God's Instruments and Souldiers marching under his Conduct come together and raise up their way b Either 1. cast a Bank or Trench round about me as an Army doth when they go to besiege a place Or rather 2. make a Causeway or raised Path as Pioneers usually do in low and waterish grounds for the march of an Army God removes all Impediments out of the way and lays me open to all manner of mischief against me and encamp round about my tabernacle 13. * 〈◊〉 31. 11. 38. 11. 69. â—… 88. 8 18. He hath put my brethren c i. e. My Kindred and Friends who might and should have supported and comforted me in my Distress far from me d Either 1. in place because they seared or disdained or at least neglected to visit or succour me Or 2. in their affections which are far from me when their bodies are present with me as I find in you But this also I ascribe to God he hath alienated your hearts from me and mine acquaintance verily are estranged from me 14. My kinsfolk have failed e To wit to perform the offices of humanity and friendship which they owe to me and my Familiar friends have forgotten me f i. e. Neglect and disregard me as much as if they had quite forgotten me 15. They that dwell in mine house g Who by reason of their Sex commonly have and should have more tender and compassionate hearts than men And therefore this is God's doing who hath hardned their hearts against me and my maids h count me for a stranger i Regard my Commands and Concerns no more than a strangers I am an alien in their sight k The same thing repeated through vehemency of passion because this lay very heavy upon him f Heb. The sojourners of my house i. e. such as had formerly sojourned with me whether strangers widows and fatherless whom by the Law of Charity and Hospitality he entertained Or hired Servants who had for a good while their habitation and subsistence in his Family 16. I called my servant l To do some servile office about me for my ease or relief and he gave me no answer m He passed by as if he had been deaf because he loathed and feared to come near to me though I entreated him n To my Commands I added humble and earnest Desires Either 1. with gentle and moving speeches Or rather 2. with my own mouth and not by a proxy with my mouth o. 17. My breath is strange to my wife p Who by reason of the stink of my breath and sores denied me her company though I entreated for the Childrens sake of †Heb. my 〈◊〉 mine own body q By these pledges of our mutual and matrimonial tye and affection the Children which came out of my Loyns and were begotten by me upon her body But divers render the words thus and I entreated the children of my own body i. e. Either some of Iob's younger Children who by reason of their tender years were kept at home with their Father when their elder Brethren and Sisters were gone abroad to the Feast or some of his Grand-children by those grown Sons and Daughters for such also oft come under the name of children But this sense seems not so proper partly because according to that Translation here is mention onely of Iob's entreating them but not a word of their denying his request which is the onely matter of his present Complaint and partly because according to the former Translation it is a great and just aggravation of his Wifes unkindness and exactly answers to the foregoing Verse where the Servants perverseness is aggravated in the same manner and by part of the same words 18. Yea ‖ Or the wicked young children r despised me I arose s To wit for my Seat to shew my respect to them though they were my inferiours to shew my readiness to comply with that mean and low condition into which God had now brought me Or I stood up for so this word sometimes signifies I did not disoblige or provoke them by any uncivil and uncomely carriage towards them but was very courteous to them and yet they make it their business to rail against me as you also do and they spake against me Or Fools the most contemptible persons 19. * Psal. 41. 9. 55. 13 14 20. All †Heb. the men of my secret my inward friends t Heb. the men of my secret my Intimates and Confidents
lifting up a Or there shall be lifting up either 1. for them if they repent and humble themselves they shall be preserved or restored And this thou wilest assure them of from thy own experience Or 2. for thee and thine God will deliver thee when others are crushed and destroyed and b Or for this Particle being oft put causally as hath been formerly noted So the following words contain a Reason why he might confidently say that there would be such a lifting up for a person so humbled he c i. e. God unto whom onely salvation belongeth Psalm 3. 8. shall save d Either 1. eternally or 2. temporally to wit from the evils here mentioned * Jam. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. †Heb. him that hath low eyes the humble person e Heb. Him that hath low or cast down eyes Which phrase may here note either 1. humility and lowliness of mind and disposition as pride is oft expressed by high or lofty looks as Psalm 18. 27. 101. 5. 131. 1. Prov. 6. 17. And so this is a tacit admonition and reproof for Iob whom for his confident justification of himself and his contemptuous expressions and censures concerning them they judged to be guilty of intolerable pride of heart Or 2. Lowness of Estate or Condition as Iames 1. 10. So it notes him whose Eyes and Countenance are dejected by reason of his great troubles and miseries as on the contrary prosperity makes persons lift up their Eyes and Faces 30. He f i. e. God as v. 29. whose Prerogative it is to give deliverances shall deliver g To wit upon thy request as the following Clause sheweth God will hear thy prayers even for others which is a great honour and comfort and much more for thy self the Island of the innocent h Not onely thy self when thou shalt become innocent and pure but for thy sake he will deliver the whole Island or Country that word being oft used not onely for such Lands or Countries as were separated from Canaan by the Sea as is commonly observed but also for such as were upon the same Continent with it as appears from Gen. 10 5 c. Psalm 72. 10. 97. 1. Isa. 41. 5. in which thou dwellest Or the guilty or him that is not innocent For the word here rendred Island is sometimes used for not both in Scripture as 1 Sam. 4. 21. Prov. 31. 4. So the sense is God will have so great a respect to thy innocency and purity that for thy sake he will deliver those that belong to thee or live with thee or near thee though in themselves they be sinful Creatures and ripe for destruction See Gen. 18. 32. ‖ Or the innocent shall deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it i To wit the Island Or he i. e. the guilty person is delivered by the pureness of thine hands k i. e. By thy prayers proceeding from a pure heart and conscience when thou shalt lift up pure hands to God in prayer as it is expressed 1 Tim. 2 8. Whereby as he asserts the prevalency of the righteous man's prayers with God for mercy both for himself and others and by this Argument he perswadeth Iob to repentance so withal he alledgeth this as an Argument or evidence that Iob did not stretch out pure hands to God in prayer as he pretended because his prayers could not prevail for the preservation of himself or his Children and much less for others at a greater distance CHAP. XXIII 1. THen Job answered and said 2. Even to day a i. e. Even at this time notwithstanding all your promises and pretended consolations I find no ease nor satisfaction in all your discourses And therefore in this and the following Chapters Iob seldom applies his discourse to his Friends but only addresseth his speech to God or bewaileth himself is my complaint bitter b i. e. I do bitterly complain and have just cause to do so But this Clause is and may be otherwise rendred Even still Heb. at this day is my complaint called or accounted by you rebellion or bitterness or the rage of an exasperated mind Do you still pass such harsh censures upon me after all my declarations and solemn protestations of my Innocency Heb. my hand passively i. e. the hand or stroke of God upon me as the same phrase is used Psal. 77. 2. and mine arrow Iob Chap. 34. 6. †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my stroke c is heavier than my groaning d i. e. Doth exceed all my Complaints and expressions So far are you mistaken that think I complain more than I have cause Some render the words thus My hands are heavy i. e. feeble and hanging down as the Phrase is Heb. 12. 12. My strength and spirit faileth because of my groaning 3. * Ch. 13. 3. O that I knew where I might find him e To wit God as his Friends well knew and the thing it self sheweth Thou bidst me acquaint my self with him Chapter 22. 21. I desire nothing more than his acquaintance and presence but alas he hides his Face from me that I cannot see him nor come near him that I might come even to his seat f i. e. To his Throne or Judgment-seat to plead my Cause before him as it here follows Verse 4. not upon terms of strict justice but upon those terms of grace and mercy upon which God is pleased to deal with his sinful Creatures See before Chapter 9. 34 35. 16. 21. 17. 3. And this my confidence may be some evidence that I am not such a gross Hypocrite as you imagine me to be 4. I would * Ch. 13 3 1 order my cause g i. e. Orderly declare the things which concern and prove the right of my Cause before him h not only debating the Controversie between my Friends and me concerning my sincerity or hypocrisie before God as a Witness or Judge but also pleading with God as a Party and modestly enquiring whether he doth not deal more rigorously with me than I might reasonably expect wherein I desire no other Judge but himself and fill my mouth with arguments i To prove my Innocency and sincerity towards God and consequently that I am severely used 5. I would know the words which he would answer me and understand what he would say unto me k I long to know what he would say either to prove me an hypocrite or to justifie his harsh proceedings against me and if he should discover to me any secret and unknown sins for which he contendeth with me I should humble my self before him and accept of the punishment of mine Iniquity 6. Will he plead against me with his great power l i. e. Oppress me with his soveraign and absolute Power as men do those whom they cannot fairly and justly conquer No but he would put strength in me m The word Strength or Power
3. I will call upon the LORD who is worthy to be praised so shall I be saved g Or I did call and was saved For the Future Tense is commonly used for that which is Past. And this seems best to agree with the whole Context which is to praise God for mercies already received from mine enemies 4. * Psal. 116. 3 The sorrows of death h i. e. Dangerous and deadly Troubles Or the Bands or Cords of Death which had almost seized me and was putting it's Bands upon me Compare Psal. 73. 4. compassed me and the floods of †Heb. 〈◊〉 ungodly men i Their great multitudes and strength and violent assaults breaking in upon me like a Flood made me afraid 5. The ‖ Or Cords sorrows of hell k Or of the Grave which brought me to the brink of the Grave compassed me about the snares of death prevented me l Had almost taken hold of me ere I was aware of my danger 6. In my distress I called upon the LORD and cryed unto my God he heard my voice out of his * Psal. 11. 4. temple m Either 1. Out of his Sanctuary whence he promised to hear and answer the Prayers of his People which are either made there or directed thither Or 2. Out of his heavenly Habitation which is oft called his Temple See on Psal. 11. 4. and my cry came before him even unto his ears 7. Then the earth shook and trembled n Then God appeared on my behalf in a miraculous and glorious manner and with the great Terror and Confusion of all mine Enemies which is here compared to an Earthquake the foundation also of the hills were moved and shaken o The Earthquake was so deep and violent that it overthrew whole Mountains by the Roots Whereby he designs his lofty and potent Enemies such being oft compared to Mountains as Psal. 46. 3 4. and 144. 5. Isa. 41. 15. c. because he was wroth 8. There went up a smoke †Heb. by his out of his nostrils p As is usual in Persons Transported with great anger and rage He manifested his great displeasure against my Adversaries and fire out of his mouth devoured coals were kindled by †Heb. him it q Which notes the Fervency Constancy and Efficacy of his anger 9. He bowed the heavens r By producing thick and dark Clouds by which the Heavens seem to come down to the Earth also and came * Psal. 144. 5. down s Not by change of place but by the Manifestation of his Presence and Power on my behalf and darkness was under his feet 10. And he rode upon a cherub t Or upon the Cherubims by an Enallage of number that is upon the Angels who are so called Gen. 3. 24. Heb. 9. 5. who are also called God's Chariots Psal. 68. 17. upon which he is said to sit and ride All which is not to be understood grossly but only to note God's using of the Ministry of Angels in raising such Storms and Tempests as are here described and did fly yea * Psal. 104. 3. he did fly upon the wings of the wind u As swiftly as the Wind. He came to my rescue with all speed 11. He made darkness his secret place x Or his hiding Place i. e. He covered himself with dark Clouds from whence he secretly shot at his Enemies as it follows his pavilion round about him were dark waters y i. e. Watry Vapours and thick Clouds as the next Words expound these and thick clouds of the skies 12. At the brightness that was before him z At his glorious and powerful appearance his thick clouds passed a Or passed away i. e. Vanished as this Word is oft taken as Psal. 90. 5 6. Isa. 29. 5. Hab. 3. 10. being dissolved into showers of Hail-stones c. hail stones and coals of fire 13. The LORD also thundered b in the heavens and the Highest gave his voice c i. e. Thunder oft so called The same thing expressed in other Words hailstones and coals of fire q To wit against my Adversaries Thunder is a sign of God's Anger 1 Sam. 2. 10. and 7. 10 14. Yea he sent out his arrows d To wit Lightnings as it is explained in the next Clause and scattered them e To wit mine Enemies Which is sufficiently understood from v. 3. and 17. and from the whole Context and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them 15. Then the channels of waters were seen and the foundations of the world were discovered f By mighty and terrible Earthquakes which overturned the Earth and made it's lower parts uppermost and visible at thy rebuke O LORD at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils 16. * Psal. 144. 7. â—…7 3. He sent g Angels or assistance otherwise from above he took me he drew me out of ‖ Or great waters many waters 17. He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them which hated me h From them that wanted neither Malice nor Power for they were too strong for me 18. They prevented me i They were too cunning for me and had almost surprized me but they could not prevent thee in the day of my calamity but the LORD was my stay 19. * Psal. 118. 5. He brought me forth k Out of my Straits and Difficulties out of the little Caves in which I was shut up and imprisoned also into a large place l Into a state of Freedom and Plenty and Comfort he delivered me because he delighted in me m Or loved me or had a good will to me as this Phrase commonly signifies Whereby he ascribes all his Mercies and Blessings to God's good Pleasure and free Grace as the first spring of them Which he thought fit to Premise lest the following Expressions should seem to savour of boasting of his own Merits which he oft disclaims 20. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness n As I had a just Cause and made it my Care and Business to deal righteously with God and with Saul and all others so God who hath engaged himself by his Promise to succour and reward them that are such was graciously pleased to own me and to plead my Cause against my unrighteous Enemies And Because I would not deliver my self from my Straits and Miseries by unrigteous means namely by killing Saul as I was advised to do God was pleased to deliver me in a more honourable and effectual manner according to the clanness of my hands o hath he recompensed me n i. e. The innocency of my Actions and carriage towards Saul from whose Blood I kept my hands pure 21. For I have kept the ways of the LORD p I have observed and obeyed his Precepts and made mine own Will and Passions and Interest stoop to them and
Favour which is the 〈◊〉 that I desiâ—…e pardon all my sins which stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cloud between thee and me and fill me with Feaâ—… 〈◊〉 my Condition both here and hereafter make me not the reproach i Let not their Prosperity and my Misery give them Occasion to deride and Reproach me for my serving of thee and trusting in thee to so little purpose or Advantage of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k i. e. Of wicked Men who though they profess and think themselves to be Wiâ—…e yet indeed are Fools as is manifest from their Eager pursuit of fruitless Vanities v. 6. and from their Gross neglect of God and of his Service who onely is able to make them Happy 9. * Job 4â—… 4 5 I was dumb I opened not my mouth l To wit in way of Murmuring or Repining against thee oâ—… thy Providence as I promise I would be v. 1. For though when I looked onely to Instruments I was Discomposed and did at last speak a foolish Word yet when I did Recollect my self and looked up to thee the first Cause and Soveraign disposer of this and all other things I return to my former silence because thou didst it m What Either 1. And particularly Absolom's Rebellion wherein I acknowledge thy just Hand in punishing my sins Or 2. And more generally whatsoever is done in these Matters all the Events which befall all Men whether good or bad The Afflictions of the one and the Prosperity of the other All which are the Effects of thy Counsel and Providence in which all Men ought to acquiesce 10. * Job 9. â—…4 Remove thy stroke away from me n But although I may not I will not open my Mouth to Complain of thee yet I may open it to Complain and Pray to thee that thou wouldest take off the Judgment which thou hast inflicted upon me I am consumed o Help me therefore before I be utterly and irrecoverably lost by the †Heb. Conflict blow of thine hand 11. When thou with rebukes p i. e. With Punishment which are oâ—…t sâ—… called See Psal. 6. 1. and 76. 6. dost correct man for iniquity q i. e. Dost punish him as his iniquity deserves thou makest †Heb. that which is desired in him to â—…elt away his beauty r Heb. his Desire i. e. His desiderable things as this Word signifies Lam. 1. 11. Dan. 9. 23. and 1â—… 3. 11. 19. His Comeliness Strength Wealth and Prosperity and all his present Excellencies or Felicities to consume away like a mâ—…th s Either 1. Passively as a Moth is quickly and easily crushed to Pieces with a touch as this Phrase is used Iob 4. 19. Or 2. Actively as a Moth consumeth a Garment as it is Iob 13. 28. Isa. 50. 9. to which God Compareth himself and his Judgments secretly and insensibly consuming a People Isa. 51. 8. Hoâ—…a 5. 12. * Vers. 5. surely every man is vanity t And this Confirms what I said v. 5. That every Man is Vanity Which though men in the height of their Prosperity will not believe yet when God Contendeth with them by his Judgments they are forced to acknowledge it Selah 12. Hear my prayer O LORD and give ear unto my cry hold not thy peace at my Tears u Joyned with my Prayers Heb. 5. 7. * Lev. 25. 23. 1 Chr. 29. 15. Psal. 119. 19 Heb. 11. 13. 1 Pet. â—… 11. for I am a stranger x Though I be not onely a Native but either anointed or actually King of this Land yet in Truth I am but a Stranger both in regard of my very uncertain and short Continuance here where I am onely in my â—… Journey or Passage to my real and long Home which is in the other World and in Respect of the many wants and Hardships and Contempts and Injuries to which I am exposed as men usually are in strange Lands And therefore I greatly need and desire thy Pity and Help Oh thou who art the Patron of Strangers whom thou hast Commended to our Care and kindness Exod. 12. 48. Levit. 19. 33. and 25. 35. c. with thee y Either 1. In thy sight or Judgment and therefore truly We are apt to flatter our selves and can hardly believe that we are but Strangers here where we seem to have settled Habitations and Possessions but thou knowest the Truth of the Business that we are really such Or â—… In thy Land or Territory in which I sojourn onely by thy leave and Favour and during thy Pleasure as this whole Phrase is used Levit. 25. 23. whence these Words are taken is also v. 35 36. 39. 40. 45. 47. where that Branch of it with thee is so meant And withal this Phrase both here and Levit. 25. 23. may have a further Emphasis in it implying that every Israelite and particularly David himself in Respect of men were the Proprietors or owners of their Portions of which no other man might deprive or dispossess them and therefore David's Enemies had done wrongfully in banishing him from his and from the Lords inheritance but yet in Respect of God they were but strangers and God was the onely Proprietor of it and a sojourner as all my fathers were z Both in thy Judgment expressed Levit. 25. 23. and in their own Opinion Heb. 11. 13. c. Upon which Account thou didst take a special Care of them and therefore do so to me also 13. O spare me ‖ Or Cease from me i. e. From afflicting me do not destroy me My Life at best is but short and miserable as I have said and thou knowest sufficient for it is the Evil thereof do not add Affliction to the Afflicted that I may recovâ—…r strength †Both in my outward and inward Man both which are much weakened and oppressed Or that I may be Refreshed or Comforted eased of the Burden of my sins and thy Terrors Consequent upon them and better prepared for a Comfortable and happy Dâ—…solution before I go hence * Heb. Before I go to wit unto the Grave as this Phrase is used Gen. 15. 2. and 25. 32. or the way of all the Earth as the Phrase is Compleated Iâ—…s 23. 14. or whence I shall not return as it is Iob 10. 21. or which is all one into that place and state in which I shall not be to wit amongst the Living or in this World as this Phrase is frequently used both in Scripture as Gen. 5. 24. Gen. 37. 30. and 42. 36. and in Heathen Authors Of which see my Latin Synopsis and be no more PSAL. XL. The ARGUMENT This Psalm is a Celebration of God's great Goodness and Mercy vouchsafed unto him and all his People It is certain and Evident that David speaks some things in this Book of Psalms in his own Name and Person and some things in the Name and Person of Christ of whom he was an eminent Type
of both these Holy places God appeared and put forth such Acts of his Power as might justly terrifie his Enemies the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people f The strength which the Kingdom of Israel now hath is not to be ascribed to my Valour or Conduct nor to the Courage or numbers of the People nor to that happy Union now made and Established among all the Tribes but onely to the might and Grace of God blessed be God PSAL. LXIX To the chief musician upon Shoshannim a Psalm of David This Psalm of David Consists of his Complaints and servent Prayers and Comfortable predictions of his Deliverance and of the Ruin of his Enemies But the Condition of this Psalm is like that of divers others wherein although the Matter or Substance of it agree in some sort to David yet there are some singular passages which he delivers with a particular Respect unto Christ of whom he was an Eminent Type and upon whom his Thoughts were much and often fixed and of whom they are more fitly and fully understood and therefore they are justly applied to him in the New Testament as we shall see 1 SAve me O God for * Jon. 2. 5. the waters a i. e. Tribulations which are oft expressed by waters as hath been observed are come in unto my soul b i. e. To my Vital parts so that I am ready to be choaked with them My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death 2 * Ver. 14. I sink in †Heb. the Mire of death deep mire c Heb. In the Mire of the deep Waters I am not in the Shallows or nigh the Bank but in the middle and deepest Parts and in the very Mire which is at the bottom of the Waters where there is no standing d No firm and sure footing but I sink in deeper and deeper and without thy speedy and Almighty help shall be overwhelmed and destroyed I am come into †Heb. depth of Waters deep waters where * Psal. 18. 4. the floods overflow me 3 I am weary of my crying e I have Prayed and Cryed to God long and servently and yet God seems to neglect and forsake me my throat is dried f With loud and frequent Cryes mine eyes fail g With looking to God for that Assistance which he hath Promised and I Confidently expected but in Vain while I wait for my God 4 They that * Joh. 15. 25. hate me without a cause g are more than the hairs of mine head they that would destroy me being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty then I restored that which I took not away h Without any injury or occasion given them by me i Either because they uniustly and violently forced me to it Or because I was willing to do it to my own wrong for Peace lâ—…ke By this one kind of Wrong he understands all those Injuries and Violences which they Practised against him 5 O God thou knowest my foolishness and my †Heb. 〈◊〉 sins are not hid from thee e. i This is added Either 1. As a Proof of his Innocency which he had now asserted by way of appeal to God do thou O Lord Judge between me and them whether I be Guilty of those Follies and Sins which they lay to my Charge And such Appeals indeed David useth Psal. 7. 3 4. and elsewhere But then they are delivered in form of a Supposition and not a positive Assertion as this is Or rather 2. As an Exception to what he last said But O Lord although I have been innocent to mine Enemies and have given them no cause to Hate or Persecute me as they do yet I must Confess I am guilty of many Sins and Follies against thee and have given thee just Cause to punish me and to give me up into their Hands and to deny or delay thine Help unto me By Foolishness he means Sin as he explains it which is commonly so called in Scripture Or by his Foolishness he means lesser sins Commited through Ignorance or Inconsiderateness and by sins those of a grosser Nature 6 Let not them that wait on thee f i. e. Thy Godly people who relye upon thy Promises which thou hast made to all thine in General and to me in a special manner wherein they also are concerned O LORD GOD of hosts be ashamed g i. e. Frustrated of their just Hopes which will make them ashamed Either to look up upon God or to look upon their Enemies when they shall Reproach them for their Confidence in God for my sake h Either 1. For the sake of my sins last mentioned let not all Good men suffer for my sins Or 2. Because of my sad Disappointments For if they see me Rejected and forsaken of God whom they have esteemed a great example of Faith and Prayer and all Vertue and Piety they will be exceedingly discouraged by this Example which will tend much to thy Dishonour and disservice let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel 7 Because for thy sake i For my trust is in thy Promise and Obedience to thy Commands and Zeal for thy Glory and against all Wickedness All which they turn into matter of Derision and Reproach I have born reproach shame hath covered my face k In which mans Majesty and Glory is most Evident which I am in a manner ashamed to shew amongst men 8 I * Psal. 31. 11. am become a stranger unto my brethen and an alien unto my Mothers children l My nearest Kinsmen estranged themselves from me Partly out of Fear left they should be involved in my sufferings and Chiefly out of dislike of his Piety and excessive Zeal in Religion as it here follows 9 * Psal. 119. 139. Ioh. 2. 17. For m This is the Reason of that Alienation of my brethren and others from me because there is a vast difference and contrarity in our Tempers They mind not the concerns of God and of Religion but are wholly intent upon Wealth and Honour and Worldly greatness the zeal of thine house n That servent Passion which I have for thy House and Service and Glory and People hath eaten me up o Exhausted and wasted my natural Moisture and Vital Spirits which is oft effected by Grief and Anger and servent Love and Desire of which Passions Zeal is Composed * Rom. 15. 3. and the reproaches of them that reproached thee p That speak Contemptuously or Wickedly of thy Name or Providence or Truth or Worship and Service are fallen upon me q Either 1. By imputation They reflect upon me because I am engaged in the defence of thy Cause and Glory which wicked men oppose and despise and therefore must needs suffer in it and with it Or 2. By Choice and Affection I have been as deeply
the first from v. 2. to v. 10. of the latter thence to the end 2 In the day of my trouble I sought the LORD †Heb. my hand my fore ran c The hand in the Hebrew Tongue and Scripture use is oft puâ—… for a blow or stroke given by the hand Heb. My hand or hands the singular number being frequently put for the plural flowed or poured forth i. e. Spread abroad to God in Prayer This Phrase he useth rather than were stretched out which is frequent in like Cases to imply that his Case was low and almost desperate his Spirits and strength quite gone so that he was not able to stretch them out as he had done in the night d Which to others was a time of rest and quietness but to me of Torment and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted e I rejected all those Consolations which either my Friends or my own Mind suggested to me 3 I remembred God and was troubled e Yea the thoughts of God and of his infinite Power and Truth and Goodness which used to be very sweet and Comfortable to me were now matter of Terror and Trouble because they were all ingaged against me and God himself my onely Friend was now very Angry with me and become mine Enemy I complained f Unto God in Prayer and my spirit was overwhelmed g So far was I from finding relief by my Complaints that they increased my Misery Selah 4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking h I am so troubled that I cannot speak By those sharp and continual Griefs and those perplexing and tormenting Thoughts and Cares which from time to time thou stirrest up in me i The greatness of my sorrows stupefie my Mind and make me both Lifeless and unable to speak nor can any Words sufficiently express the Extremity of my Misery 5 * Psal. 143. 5. I have considered k If by that means I could get any Comfort the days of old l i. e. The mighty works of God done for his People in former times Days are put for Events done in them as Psal. 37. 13. 〈◊〉 137. 7. Obad. v. 12. Mich. 7. 4. †Heb. the 〈◊〉 of Ages Gr. eternal years the years of ancient times 6 I call to remembrance my song in the night m The many and great Mercies and Favours of God vouchsafed by him to me and to his People which have obliged me to adore him and sing his Praises not onely in the day the time appointed for that work but also by night as oft as they come into my Mind I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent scarch n What should be the cause of this strange and vast Alteration and how these â—…ore Calamities could come from the hand of so gracious and merciful a God as ours is and what might be expected as to their continuance or removal 7 Will the Lord cast off o His peculiar and chosen People This doth not seem to agree Either with God's Nature or with that everlasting Covenant which he hath made with them for ever and will he be favourable no more 8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever p Are all the stores of his Mercy quire spent Doth he now cease to be what he hath styled himself the Lord gracious and merciful Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness doth his promise fail †Heb to Geâ—…tion and Generation for evermore q Will he never more make good those gracious Promises upon which he hath commanded us to hope 9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious r Because he hath so long disused it hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies s So as they can never flow forth no not to his own People Selah 10 And I said t I thus answered these Objections This is my infirmity u These suspicions of God's Faithfulness and Goodness proceed from the weakness of my Faith and from the mistake of a diseased Mind but I will remember x Which words may be understood out of the following Verse as other words frequently are in like Cases * Psal. 102. 24. 25. the years of the right hand of the most High y The years wherein God hath done great and glorious Works which are oft asscribed to God's right hand as Psal. 17. 7. and 20. 6. and 45. 4. and 118. 15. But the Word rendred years doth also signifie changing and accordingly this Verse is by other learned Interpreters and may well be rendred otherwise without any such Supplement as is in our Translation thus And I said This is my Affliction or Grievancâ—… The sum of all and the chief cause of my Trouble and Anxiety is this the Change of the right hand of the most High that that right hand which formerly hath done such great and wonderful things for his People is at this time not onely hid in God's Bosom and not drawn forth for their defence but is also stretched forth against them and is the principal Cause of all our present Miseries I could bear the malice and rage of our Enemies from whom we could not expect better things but that our gracious and Covenanted God should forsake and persecute his own People this is that which makes it intolerable 11 I will remember the works of the LORD surely I will remember thy wonders of old z And yet upon second and serious Thoughts of what God had formerly done for his People many times far above their Expectations I will take Comfort in Remembrance of them because God is still the same that he was in Power and Goodness and Love to his People and therefore will pity and help us in this present Calamity as he hath oft done in others of the same Nature 12 I will meditate also of thy work and talk of thy doings 13 * Psal. 68. 24. c. Thy way a i. e. Thy doings or the Course of thy Providence which is oft called God's way the various Methods and Causes of thy dealings with thy People O God is in the sanctuary b Is there contained and declared As the Prosperity of wicked men so also the grievous Calamities of God's People are great Riddles and slumbling Blocks to the ignorant and ungodly World but a full and satisfactory Resolution of them may be had from God's Sanctuary as is observed in the former Case by this same Asaph Psal. 73. 16 17. and here in the latter Or is in Holiness So the Sence is God is holy and just and true in all his Works yea even in his Judgments upon his own People as will Evidently appear from the issue of them who is so great a God as our God c And although our God at present suspends his Power and doth not put it forth to deliver his People out of the hands of their Idolatrous Enemies who thence take
proper name of the place where that happened and which also was called Massah as is evident from Exod. 17. 7. and Deut. 33. 8. and as in the day of temptation p In the day in which you tempted me Or as in the day of Massah i. e. when you were at Massah in the wilderness 9 When q Or In which place Which may belong either to Meribah and Massah or to the Wilderness last mentioned Or Surely as this word is oft used in Scripture as hath been observed once and again your fathers tempted me proved me and saw r Or Although or After that they saw or had seen Which is added as a just and great aggravation of their unbelief after such a sensible and evident experience of Gods power and goodness to them my works s Both my works of mercy which gave them abundant cause to trust me and my works of justice for which they had reason to fear and please me Heb. my work to wit that great and stupendous work of bringing my people out of Egypt with a strong hand and of conducting them safely through the Red Sea into the Wilderness and of destroying the Egyptians For not many more of Gods great works were done before they came to Meribah 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation s Or rather with that generation which then lived who were your Ancestors and said It is a people that do err in their hearts t They do not onely sin through infirmity and the violence and surprizal of temptations but their hearts are unsincere and inconstant and given to backsliding and therefore there is no hopes of their amendment Compare Psal. 78. 8. and they have not known u Or they do not know to wit with a practical and useful knowledge as that word commonly notes in Scripture They did not rightly understand nor duly consider nor seriously lay to heart They remain ignorant after all my teachings and discoveries of my self to them my ways x Either 1. my laws or statutes which are frequently called Gods ways Or rather 2. my works as it is expressed v. 9. which also are commonly so called They did not know nor consider and remember those great things which I had wrought for them and among them 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath y Being full of just wrath against them I passed an irreversible sentence and confirmed it by an Oath of which we read Numb 14. †〈◊〉 if they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 that they should not enter into my rest z Into the promised land which is called the rest Deut. 12. 9. See also 1 Chron. 23 25. Psal. 132. 14. And this History the Psalmist propounds to the men of his Age not as a matter of meer speculation but as an instruction for all after Ages and particularly for those Israelites who should live in the times of the Messias that they should take heed of falling after the same example of unbelief as the Apostle insers from this place Heb. 4. 11. PSAL. XCVI This Psalm was composed by David upon occasion or at the time of the bringing of the Ark of God into the Tabernacle which David had prepared for it in Zion as may be gathered by comparing it with 1 Chron. 16. 7. 23 24 c. where almost the whole Psalm is to be found But as the Ark was an evident type of the Messiah which David very well knew as hath been oft noted before so Davids thoughts or at least the design of Gods spirit which indited this Psalm was extended beyond and above it even to the times of the Messiah and to his glorious and universal Kingdom in which not the Jews onely but the Heathen Nations also should worship the true God and kiss his Son the Messiah 1 O * â—… Chron. 16. â—… 〈◊〉 33. 3. Sing unto the LORD a new Song a Upon this new and great occasion not the removal of the Ark wherein there was nothing new but an inconsiderable circumstance of place and that not yet fixed but the coming of the Messiah and the confirming of the New Covenant by his blood and the calling of the Gentiles sing unto the LORD all the earth b All the Nations of the Earth who shall then partake of those great blessings and priviledges which are now peculiar to Israel 2 Sing unto the LORD bless his name shew forth his salvation c That great work of the redemption and salvation of the World by the Messias from day to day 3 Declare his glory among the heathen his wonders among all people d You who shall be called out of all the Heathen Nations to the knowledge of God and Christ publish this glorious and wonderful work amongst all the Heathen Nations to whom you belong or may come 4 For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised * Psal 95 3. he is to be feared above all gods e The gods of the nations as the next Verse expounds it 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols f Or nothings as they are called 1 Cor. 8. 4. and 10. 19. or vain things as the word signifies and is translated by others The sence is Though they have usurped the name and place of the Divine Majesty yet they have nothing of his nature or power in them but the LORD made the heavens 6 Honour and majesty are before him g i. e. In his presence like beams shot out from his face who is the Sun of righteousness There is an unconceivable glory and majesty in his countenance and in the place of his presence strength and beauty are in his sanctuary h Or in his holy place where he records his name and affords his presence There are the manifestations of Gods power and grace or goodness and all his perfections 7 Give unto the LORD O ye kindreds of the people i Or O ye families of the people of the World And the word families may be understood either 1. strictly and properly and so it may be intimated that this great blessing of salvation by Christ should not be imparted to whole Nations but onely to some persons taken out of every people and nation as it is expressed Revel 5. 9. or 2. more largely for nations as it is taken Gen. 12. 3. Ier. 25. 9. Zech. 14. 18. and so it may be implied that not onely some few of the Heathen people should be brought to the acknowledgment and worship of the true God as was usual in the times of the Old Testament but that whole Nations should come in to the Church of God together give unto the LORD k Ascribe to him or acknowledge to be in him glory and strength 8 * Psal. 29. â—… 2. Give unto the LORD the glory †Heb. of his name due unto his name bring an offering and come into his courts l Into
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
of persons and so it may be understood of men that think evil that devise wicked devices or that have false and evil opinions opposite to Gods Law or tending to seduce men from it but thy law do I love 114 * Psal. 91. 1. Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word 115 * Mat. 7. 23. Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the commandments of my God m And therefore will avoid your society and conversation lest I should be hindred from that which is good and drawn to sin by your evil counsel or example 116 Uphold me according unto thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope n Or because of my hope or confidence in thy promises of the certainty whereof I have oft made my boast before others 117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually o And being freed from those distractions and diversions which my pressing dangers occasion I will wholly devote my self to the study and practice of thy blessed word 118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes for their deceit is falshood p All their crafty and deceitful devices by which they design to ensnare and ruine me and other good men shall deceive them and their own expectations and bring that destruction upon themselves which they design for others 119 Thou †Heb. causest to cease puttest away q Thou removest them from thy presence and from the society of thy people and from the land of the living all the wicked of the earth like dross r Which though for a season it be mixed with gold or silver is not onely separated from it as an useless and contemptible thing but also is utterly consumed by fire therefore I love thy testimonies s Because they are the best preservatives against wickedness and against those dreadful punishments attending upon it of which he prosesseth his fear in the next verse 120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments t The observation of thy terrible judgments against ungodly men and the conscience of my own infirmity and manifold sins makes me fear lest thou shouldst punish me also as thou mightest justly do if thou shouldst be strict to mark what is amiss in me or lest I should partake with them in their sins and consequently in their plagues AIN 121 I have done judgment and justice u i. e. Just judgment as Eccles. 5. 7. to wit towards mine oppressors whom I have no way injured leave me not to mine oppressors 122 Be surety for thy servant x Do thou undertake and plead my cause against all mine enemies as a surety rescues the poor persecuted debtor from the hands of a severe creditor for good y For my safety and comfort let not the proud oppress me 123 * Ver. 81. Psal. 123. 1 2. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation and for the word of thy righteousness z For the performance of thy righteous or faithful or merciful word or promise 124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy a Not according to strict justice nor according to my sins and teach me thy statutes 125 I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies 126 It is time b It is high time or a fit season for thee LORD to work b To put forth thy power for the vindication of thy own name and cause and for the restraint and punishment of evil-doers for they c To wit mine oppressors or the wicked whom it was needless to express both because they had been lately and frequently mentioned before and partly because it was evident from the following words have made void thy law d Or abrogated thy law have professedly and openly cast off its authority resolvedly preferring their own wills and lusts before it trampled upon thy plain commands and despised both thy promises and thy threatnings They have not onely sinned through ignorance and infirmity but presumptuously and maliciously 127 * Psal. 19. 10. ver 72. Prov. 8. 11. Therefore I love thy commandments e Partly because it is one evidence of their excellency that they are disliked by the vilest of men partly out of a just indignation and opposition against thy sworn enemies and partly because the great and general Apostasie of others makes this duty more necessary to prevent their own and other mens relapses above gold yea above fine gold 128 Therefore f For the reasons now mentioned I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right g I do not make void all thy precepts as they did v. 126. nor yet am I partial in my approbation of them as others are who reject all such as are opposite to their lusts and interests but I approve all of them without any exception and that not onely in my judgment but in my heart and life as appears by that hatred of sin which is opposed to it in the next clause and I hate every false way PE. 129 Thy testimonies are * Ver. 18. wonderful h In regard of the deep and wonderful mysteries and most excellent counsels and directions far exceeding all the rules of the greatest Philosophers and the exceeding great and precious promises of God contained in them This is the reason of his high estimation of them expressed in the last verse therefore doth my soul keep them 130 The entrance of thy words i The very beginnings and rudiments of it the first discoveries of those sacred Mysteries and much more the depths of them in which their chief excellency consists Or as other both ancient and later Interpreters render the place the opening of thy words by which may be understood either 1. the opening of mens minds by the Word of God but that seems to be the same thing with giving light which here follows or 2. the opening or declaration of Gods mind made in and by his Word giveth light * Psal. 19. 7. it giveth understanding unto the simple k To the most ignorant and unlearned persons who are but willing to learn 131 I opened my mouth and panted l I thirst after thy precepts and pursue them eagerly as it were with open mouth ready and greedy to receive them It is a Metaphor from one that makes great haste after another whereby he is forced to pant and to open his mouth for air to refresh himself for I longed for thy commandments 132 Look thou upon me m To wit favourably as the next clause explains it and as this phrase is commonly used whereby also he implies that God at present did hide his face and favour from him and be merciful unto me †Heb. according to the judgment towards those c. as thou
serious consideration of their last end which is their greatest Wisdom and Interest and the living will lay it to his heart g Will be seriously affected with it and awakened to prepare for it whereas feasting is commonly attended with Mirth and Levity and manifold Temptations and indisposeth mens minds to Spiritual and Heavenly Thoughts Hence it is evident that those passages of this Book which may seem to favour a sensual and voluptuous Life are not spoken by Solomon in his own Name or as his Opinion but in the person of an Epicure 3 ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Sorrow h Either for sin or any outward troubles is better than laughter for by the sadness of the countenance i Which is â—…eared in the heart but manifested in the Countenance the heart is made better k More weaned from the Lusts and Vanities of this World by which most men are ensnared and destroyed and more quickned to seek after and embrace that true and everlasting Happiness which God offers to them in his Word 4 The heart of the wiâ—…e is in the house of mourning l Even when their bodies are absent They are constantly or very frequently meditating upon sad and serious things such as Death and Judgment the Vanity of this Life and the reality and eternity of the next because they know that these thoughts though they be not grateful to the sensual part yet they are absolutely necessary and highly profitable and most comfortable in the end which every wise man most regards but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth m Their minds and affections are wholly set upon feasting and jolly because like Fools and brutish Creatures they regard only their present delight and mind not how dearly they must pay for them 5 * Prov. 13. 18. â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 32. See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wiâ—…e n Which though it causeth some grief yet frequently brings great benefit even Reformation and Salvation both from temporal and from eternal Destruction both which are the portion of impenitent sinners than for a man to hear the song o The flatteries or other merry discourses which are as pleasant to corrupt Nature as Songs or Musick of fools 6 For as the †Heb. a sound crackling of thorns p Which for a time make a great noise and blaze but presently wast themselves and go out without any considerable effect upon the meat in the pot under a pot so q So vanishing and fruitless is the laughter of the fool this also is vanity 7 Surely oppression r Either 1 Active When a wise Man falls into the practice of this sin of oppressing others he is besotted by it and by the vast Riches which he by his great wit gets by it Or rather 2. Passive when a wise man is oppressed by foolish and wicked men it makes him fret and rage and speak or act like a mad man for the wisest men are most sensible of indignities and injuries whereas fools are stupid do not much lay them to heart maketh a wise man mad * Deut. 16. 19. and a gift s A bribe given to a wise man destroyeth the heart t Deprives him of the use of his understanding which is oft called the heart as Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Hos. 4. 18. or makes him mad as was said in the former clause So this verse discovers two ways whereby a wise man may be made mad by suffering oppression from others or by receiving bribes to oppress others And this also is an argument of the vanity of worldly Wisdom that it is so easily corrupted and lost and so it serves the main design of this Book 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof u If this verse relates to that next foregoing it is an Argument to keep mens minds from being disordered either by oppression or bribery because the end of those practices will shew that he who oppresseth another doth himself most hurt by it and that he who taketh Bribes is no gainer by them But if this be independent upon the former as divers other verses here are it is a general and useful observation that the good or evil of things is better known by their end than by their beginning which is true both in evil Counsels and Courses which are pleasant at first but at last bring destruction and in all noble Enterprizes in the studies of Learning and in the practice of Virtue and Godliness where the beginnings are difficult and troublesom but in the progress and conclusion they are most easie and comfortable and it is not sufficient to begin well unless we persevere to the end which crowns all and * Pro. 24. 29. the patient in spirit x Who quietly waits for the end and issue of things and is willing to bear hardships and inconveniences in the mean time is better than the proud y Which he puts instead of hasty or impatient which the opposition might seem to require partly because Pride is the chief cause of impatience Prov. 13. 10. and makes men unable to bear any thing either from God or from Men whereas Humility makes Men sensible of their own unworthiness and that they deserve at least from God all the indignities and injuries which they suffer from Men by Gods permission and therefore patient under them and partly to correct the vulgar errour of proud men who think highly of themselves and trample all others especially such as are meek and patient under their feet in spirit 9 * Pro. 14. 17. 16. 32. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry z Be not angry with any man without due consideration and just and necessary cause for otherwise anger is somtimes lawful and somtimes a duty for anger resteth a Hath its settled and quiet abode is their constant companion ever at hand upon all occasions whereas wise Men resist and mortifie and banish it in the bosom b In the Heart the proper seat of the passions of fools 10 Say not thou c To wit by way of impatient Expostulation and Complaint against God either for permitting such disorders in the World or for bringing thee into the World in such an evil time and state of things Otherwise a man may say this by way of prudent and pious enquiry that by searching out the cause he may as far as it is in his power apply Remedies to make them better What is the cause that the former days were better d Either 1. Less sinful Or rather 2. More quiet and comfortable For this and not the former is the cause of most Mens murmurings against Gods Providence And this is an Argument of a mind discontented and unthankful for the many Mercies which Men commonly enjoy even in evil times and impatient under Gods hand than these
and upon whose Prayers God gave this Deliverance as we read Isa 37. 15 c. Possibly it might be better understood of David who is oft mentioned in Scripture by the name of God's anointed as Psal. 20. 6. 89. 20. 132. 17. and elsewhere and for whose sake God gave many Deliverances to the succeeding Kings and Ages as is expresly affirmed 1 Kings 11. 32 34. 2 Kings 8. 19. And which is more considerable God declareth that he would give this very Deliverance from the Assyrian for Davids sake 2 Kings 19. 34. and 20. 6. But the Messiah I doubt not is here principally intended of whom David was but a Type and who was in a peculiar manner anointed above all his fellows as is said Psal. 45. 7. For he is the Foundation of all the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. and of all the Deliverances and Mercies granted to God's People in all Ages whence this very Prophet makes use of this great Promise of the Messiah as an Assurance that God would make good his Promises of particular Deliverances from their present or approaching Calamities as Isa. 7. 14. c. and 9. 4 c. And therefore the Prophet might well say that God would grant this Deliverance for Christs sake Especially if it be considered that this was the very Reason why God had promised and did so constantly perform his Mercy promised unto the Tribe of Iudah and unto the House of David until the coming of the Messiah because the Messiah was to come of the Tribe of Iudah and of the Posterity of David and was to succeed David in his Throne and Kingdom and he was to be known by this Character and therefore this Tribe and House and Kingdom were to continue and that in a visible manner till Christ came 28 He is come to Ajath r Here the Prophet returns to his former Discourse concerning the Assyrian Invaâ—…ion into Iudah which he describes after the manner of the Prophets as a thing present and sets down the several Stages by which he marched towards Ierusalem The Places here named are most of them Towns of Benjamin and some of Iudah as appears from other Scriptures of which it is needless to say more in this place He to wit Sennacherib King of Assyria is come in his way to Ierusalem he is passed to Migron at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages s Leaving such things there as were less necessary that so he might march with more expedition Heb. he visited his vessels or instruments which may be meant of his taking a Survey of his Army and Artillery to see that all things were ready for his Enterprise 29 They are gone over the passage t Some considerable Passage then well known possibly that 1 Sam. 14. 5. they have taken up their lodging at Geba Ramah is afraid Gibeah of Saul is fled u The People fled to Ierusalem for fear of the Assyrian 30 †Heb. Cry shrill with thy 〈◊〉 Lift up thy voice O daughter of Gallim x Ierusalem was the Mother-City and lesser Towns are commonly called her daughters as hath been oft noted cause it to be heard unto Laish O poor Anathoth 31 Madmenah is removed the inhabitants of Gebin gather themselves to flee 32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day he shall shake his hand y By way of Commination But withal he intimates that he should be able to do no more against it and that there his proud Waves should be stayed as it is declared in the following Verses and in the History against the mount of the daughter of Zion the hill of Jerusalem 33 Behold the Lord the LORD of hosts shall lop the bough z The top-bough 〈◊〉 or the loughs his valiant Soldiers or Commanders of his Army which he compareth to a Forest v. 18. 34. with terrour a With a most terrible and amazing Stroke by an Angel and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down and the haughty shall be humbled 34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forrest with iron b Or as with iron as the Trees of the Forest are cut down by Instruments of Iron and Lebanon c Or his Lebanon the Pronoun being oft understood in the Hebrew Text the Assyrian Army which being before compared to a Forest or Wood and being called his Caâ—…mel in the Hebrew Text v. 18. may very fitly upon the same ground be called his Lebanon here especially considering that the King of Assyria is called a cedar of Lebanon Ezek. 31. 3. shall fall ‖ Or mightily by a mighty one d By a mighty Angel Isa. 37. 36. CHAP. XI AND * Zech. 6. 12. Revel 5. 5. there shall come forth a The Prophet having dispatched the Assyrian and comforted God's People with the Promise of their Deliverance from that formidable Enemy now he proceeds further and declares That God will do greater things than that for them that he will give them their long-expected and much-desired Messiah and by him will work Wonders of Mercy for them For this is the manner of the Prophets to take the occasion of particular Deliverances to fix the Peoples Minds upon their great and everlasting Deliverance from all their enemies by the Messiah And having said that the Assyrian yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing ch 10. 27. he now more particularly explains who that anointed Person was a rod b Or twig called a branch in the next Clause Parents are oft compared to Roots or Trees and their Children to Branches He speaks of the most eminent Branch of that famous Son of a Virgin Isa. 7. 14. of that Wonderful Child Isa. 9. 6. not of Hezekiah as some of the Iews and Judaizing Christians conceit but of the Messiah as will evidently appear from the following Description out of the stemm c Or trunk or rather stump for the Word properly signifies a Trunk cut off from the Root Or reâ—…t as the LXX here render the Word and as it is explained in the next Clause By which he clearly implies That the Messiah should be born of the Royal House of David at that time when it was in a most forlorn and contemptible condition like a Tree cut down and whereof nothing is left but a Stump or Root under Ground Which really was the State of David's Family when Christ was born as is notoriously known but was in a far better condition when Hezekiah was born of * Act. 13. 23. Jesse d He doth not say of David but of Iesse who was a private and mean Person 1 Sam. 18. 18 23. 20. 30. to intimate That at the time of Christ's Birth the Royal Family should be reduced to its primitive Obscurity and * Chap. 4. 2. Jer. 23. 5. a branch shall grow e He speaks of one not yet born and therefore not of Hezekiah who was born divers years before
by the Course of his Providence and require this by the Precepts requiring these things in such Times and Conditions to weeping and to mourning and to baldness r To make themselves bald by plucking or shaving off the Hair of their Heads as was usual in great Sorrows as Ezra 9. 3. Iob 1. 20. Mic. 1. 16 although it was forbidden in case of the Death of Relations for a special Reason of which see on Levit. 19. 27 28. 21. 5. and to girding with saccloth 13 And behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing sheep eating flesh s Not onely for Necessity but to Excess and Luxury as eating and drinking are taken Mat. 24. 38. and drinking wine * Chap. 56. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 32. let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die t The Prophets tell us that we shall certainly and suddenly be destroyed it concerns us therefore to make our best of the present time and to be merry whilst we have oportunity A most perverse and desperate Conclusion proceeding from obstinate Profaneness and Contempt of God's Judgments 14 And it was revealed in mine ears u What I am saying is not my own Invention nor uncertain Reports but what I heard with these Ears of mine The like Phrase we have 1 Sam. 9. 15. the Lord had told Samuel in his ear by the LORD of hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die x You shall feel the sad Effects of this wickedness and my just displeasure for it as long as you live This is not spoken exclusively as if it should be purged after their death which is absurd and impious to imagine at least concerning such as lived and died in this desperate and impenitent Condition but emphatically to shew that God would have no mercy upon them in that time of Life in which he useth and delighteth to give Repentance and Remission of Sins unto Mankind saith the Lord GOD of hosts 15 Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts Go get thee unto this treasurer y Which the Prophet might boldly do because he had the Protection not onely of God who sent him upon this Errand but probably of Hezekiah also who at the time of this Prophecy was either King or his Fathers Viceroy or at least Heir-apparent to the Crown even unto Shebna z Who seems to have been advanced by wicked Ahaz and to have been a great Patron of Impiety and Injustice in his Reign and by politick Compliance with Hezekiah thought to gain his Favour and so to keep his Place and Power at Court which is over the house a Over the House of David as is more fully expressed below v. 22. Possibly he was not onely the Lord Treasurer but also the Kings Prime Minister of State and say 16 What hast thou here b Or What dost thou here what right hast thou to this Place and Office and whom c Either 1. What Friends in whom thou canst confide Thou hast so ill managed thy self and thy Affairs that thou art universally hated Or 2. What Kindred or Relations For the Jews say he was a Stranger by Birth which is the more probable because his Pedigree is not mentioned in any of those Places of Scripture where he is named hast thou here that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre d As great and ambitious Men used to do here e Not in thine own Country the proper Place for such a Monument but in Ierusalem which should not be defiled nor disparaged with it ‖ Or O he as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high f In an high and eminent Place as Isa. 57. 7. and graveth an habitation for himself in a rock h A fit Place both for Strength and State Thus we read of a sepulchre hewed out in a rock Mat. 27. 60. g Either 1. a Sepulchre which is called a mans house Iob 30. 23. or 2. a Dwelling-house He erected or is compared to one that doth erect a stately House to live in and a stately Sepulchre to receive him when he dies And these two are fitly joined together because their Sepulchres were commonly built in or near their Houses See Isa. 14. 18. Ioh. 19. 41. 17 Behold ‖ Or the LORD who covered thee with an excellent covering and clothed thee gorgeously shall surely c. the LORD will carry thee away with †Heb. the captivity of a man a mighty captivity i Will cause thee to be carried into Captivity by a strong Hand or by the Hand of a mighty man from which therefore thou shalt not be able to escape Or will cast thee away with the casting of a mighty man i. e. with great force or in casting will cast thee away O thou mighty man and will surely cover thee k To wit with confusion as is here implied and as this Phrase is more fully expressed Psal. 89. 40. 109. 29. Or covering may be put for obscuring his Glory which he designed to publish and to that end erected stately Monuments c. Or this may be an Allusion to the ancient Custom of covering the Faces of Condemned Persons of which see Esth. 7. 8. Compare Iob 9. 24. Ezek. 12. 6 12. 18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball l Heb. Wrapping he will wrap thee up like a ball which consists of Materials wrapped and bound together that it may be tossed far away Or Rolling he will roll thee with the rolling of a ball into a †Heb. large of spaces large country m Like a Ball which is cast into a large and plain Spot of Ground where being thrown by a strong man it runs far and wide Or to a far Countrey which seems to be here called large of spaces not so much in it self for that was inconsiderable to him whether the Land of his Captivity was large or little as in respect of its distance from the Place of his Birth and Abode there shalt thou die and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lords house n The sence of the Words thus rendred seems to be this Thy glorious Chariots wherein thou didst ride in great State at Ierusalem shall then and there be turned into shame to thy self and to thy Master to whom it is just matter of reproach that he was so foolish as to advance and trust such a faithless and unworthy Person But the Words are by divers others fitly rendred there the chariots of thy glory shall be or shall die or vanish i. e. That shall be the end of all thy pompous Chariots and other Monuments of thy Pride O thou who art the shame of thy lords house who by thy unjust and wicked Practices hast exposed thy King and Master and the Royal Family to Reproach and Contempt 19 And I o The Lord whose Words these are v. 15.
Gentiles have ye not heard hath it not been told you from the beginning c To wit of the World as the next clause explains it Were not these infinite perfections of God manifestly discovered to all mankind by the Creation of the World have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth 22. ‖ Or him that sitteth c. It is he that sitteth d As a Judge or Governour upon his Throne upon the circle of the earth e Or above the Circle c. far above this round Earth ever in the highest Heavens from whence he looketh down upon the Earth where men appear to him like Grashoppers He alludes to one that looks down upon the Earth below him from some very high place As here we have the Circle of the Earth so elsewhere we read of the Circle of Heaven Ioh 22. 14. and of the Circle of the Deep or Sea Prov. 8. 27. because the form of the Heaven and Earth and Sea is circular or round as is evident both from Sense and from the Principles of Philosophy and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers f Small and Contemptible in his sight Compare Numb 13. 33. that * Job 9. 8. Psal. 104. 2. Chap 44. 24. Jer. 10. 12. stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in g For the benefit of the Earth and of Mankind that all parts might partake of its comfortable influences See on Iob. 9. 8. Psal. 104. 2. 23. That bringeth the * Job 12. 21. Psal. 107. 40. princes to nothing h That can at his pleasure destroy all the great Potentates of the World he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity 24. Yea they i The Princes and Judges last mentioned shall not be planted yea they shall not be sown k They shall take no root as it follows for Planting and Sowing are in order to taking root and are necessary to it They shall not continue and flourish as they have vainly imagined but shall be rooted up and perish as is declared in the rest of the verse yea their stock shall not take root in the earth and he shall also blow upon them l Blast them as a vehement east-wind doth Plants and they shall wither and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble 25 To whom then will ye liken me m He repeateth what he said ver 18. that he might oblige them to the more serious and frequent consideration of the absurdity of the Idolatry or shall I be equal saith the holy One 26 Lift up your eyes on high n To the high and starry Heaven as appears from the following words and behold who hath created these things o Which you see on High the Host of Heaven as it follows that bringeth out p That at first brought them out of nothing and from day to day brings them forth making them to rise and set in their appointed and fixed times their host by number q As a General brings forth his Army into the Field and there musters them he * Psal. 147. 4. calleth them all by names r As a Master calleth all the Members of his Family by the greatness of his might for that he is strong in power s Which work is a certain and evident proof of Gods infinite power not one faileth t Either to appear when he calleth them or to doâ—… work to which he sends them 27 Why sayst thou u In thy heart why dost thou give way to such jealousies concerning thy God of whose infinite Power and Wisdom and Goodness there are such evident demonstrations given to all mankind and to thee in a singular manner O Jacob and speakest O Israel My way x The course and condition of my Life He takes no notice of my Prayers and Tears and Sufferings for his Name but suffers my Enemies to abuse me at their pleasure and doth not attempt to rescue me out of their hands This complaint is uttered in the name of the People being prophetically supposed to be in Captivity is hid from the Lord and my judgment y Either 1. My Punishment Or rather 2. My Cause as this word is most commonly used God hath neglected to plead my Cause and to give Judgment for me against mine enemies as he hath formerly done is passed over from my God z God hath dismissed it and left it and me in the hands of mine Enemies and now our case is so desperate that God cannot help us for which reason they compared themselves to dry Bones lying in the Grave Ezek. 37. 28 Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the LORD the creator of the ends of the earth a Of all the Earth and the inhabitants thereof from one end to another He seems to mention the ends or utmost bounds because they must seem to be more out of the reach and care of Gods providence as being most remote from Ierusalem the only place of Gods solemn and publick Worship in the World and being then thought to â—…inhabited The argument is clear and strong God who made all even the most desolate and barbarous parts of the Earth and consequently takes care of them will not neglect his own Land and People fainteth not neither is weary b He is not by age or hard labour become weak and unable to help his People as men are apt to be * Psal. 147. 5. there is no searching of his understanding c His Counsels by which he governeth all the World and in a most particular manner thine affaires are far above the reach of thy understanding and therefore thou dost ignorantly and foolishly in passing so rash a censure upon the Wayes and Works of the infinitely Wise God 29 He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength d He hath strength enough not onely for himself but for all even the weakest of his creatures whom he can easily strengthen to bear all their burdens and to vanquish all their oppressors 30 Even the youths e The youngest and strongest men left to themselves or without Gods help or which do not wait upon God which is easily understood from the opposition in the following verse shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall 31 But they that wait upon the LORD f That rely upon him for strength to bear their burdens and for deliverance from them in due time shall †Heb. change renew their strength g Shall grow stronger and stronger in Faith and Patience and Fortitude whereby they shall be more than Conquerors over all their Enemies and Adversities they shall mount up with wings as eagles h Which flyes most strongly and swiftly and high out of the reach of all danger they shall run and
the Lord the * Chap. 43. 10. 44. 6. 48. 12. Rev. 1. 17. 22. 13. first and with the last s VVho was before all things even from Eternity and shall be unto Eternity whereas the Idols to whom God herein opposeth himself were but of yesterday being made by mens hands and shall within a little time vanish and be destroyed I am he 5. The isles t Even remote Countries as ver 1. saw it u Discerned the mighty VVork of God in delivering his people and overthrowing their enemies in so wonderful a manner and feared x Left they should be involved in the same Calamity as being conscious to themselves that they also were enemies to Gods people the ends of the earth were afraid drew near and came y They gathered themselves together to consult for their common safety and to maintain the cause of their Idols whom by this instance they preserved in great Jeopardy 6. * Chap. 40. 19. 44. 12. They helped every one his neighbour and every one said to his Brother †Heb. be strong Be of good courage z They encouraged and assisted one another in their Idolatrous practices 7. So the carpenter a VVho brought wood to compose the body of the Idol encouraged the ‖ Or founder goldsmith b VVho was to prepare golden plates for covering and adoâ—…ning of the Image which some of them beat out upon the Anvil and others smoothed or polished as it follows and he that smootheth with the hammer ‖ Or saying of the soder It is good him that smote the anvil ‖ Or the smiting saying It is ready for the sodering c That we may put the several parts together and set it up to be worshiped and he fastned it with nails that it should not be moved d To the VVall or Pillar least it should fall down or go or be carryed away from them See Isa. 40. 19 20. 8. But thou Israel art my Servant e Thus the Gentiles shew themselves to be the Servants of their Idols and own them for their God but thou art my people and I am and will be thy God Jacob whom I have * Deut. 7. 6. 10. 15. 14. 2. Psal. 135. 4. Chap. 43. 1. 44. 1. chosen f Out of the heap of the Idolatrous Nations to be my peculiar People the seed of Abraham my * 2 Chr. 20. 7. â—…am 2. 23. friend g VVith whom I made a strict league of perpetual friendship of which see Gen. 12. 2 3. and 15. 1 8. 9. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth h Thou Israel whom I took to my self and brought hither in the loins of thy Father Abraham from a remote Country to wit Chaldea Or whom I brought back out of Babylon into thine own Land VVhich though yet to come he may speak of as of a thing past as the Prophets use to do as was noted before But the former interpretation seems to agree better with the foregoing verse and called thee from the chief men thereof i From the midst of many great and noble persons among whom he lived in Chaldea So this notes Gods singular mercy to Abraham and consequently to the Israelites descended from him that he passed by many of Abrahams betters and called him into fellowship with himself and said unto thee Thou art my servant I have chosen thee and not cast thee away k I have chosen thee not for a small moment but for ever by making an everlasting Covenant with thee and thy Seed through all Generations Or the sence is this As I have chosen thee at first so I have not since that time cast thee off as thou hast frequently given me sufficient occasion to do Or and did not refuse thee as this word is elsewhere used So the same thing is repeated in other words not without some emphasis for he intimates that he chuse them when he had just cause of refusing them 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness l VVhich I do and will manage with Righteousness whereby I will deliver thee and destroy thine and mine enemies as it follows 11. Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be * Exod. 23. 22. Chap. 45. 24. 60. 12. Zech. 12. 3. ashamed and confounded m Both because their hopes and designes shall be utterly disappointed and because the mischief which they contrived against thee shall fall upon themselves they shall be as nothing n Shall come to nothing or perish as the next clause explaines it and †Heb. the men of thy strife they that strive with thee shall perish 12. Thou shalt seek them and shalt not find them o They shall be so totally consumed that although thou searchest for them thou shalt not be able to find them any where in the VVorld even †Heb. the men of thy contention them that contended with thee †Heb. the men of thy war they that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought p Shall be utterly brought to nought The thing is twice repeated to shew the certainty and greatness of their destruction 13. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand q Or will strengthen c. as this word properly signifieth will assist and enable thee to vanquish all thine enemies saying unto thee Fear not I will help thee 14. Fear not thou worm r VVho art weak in thy self and despised and trodden under foot by thy proud and potent enemies Jacob and ye ‖ Or few men men of Israel I will help thee saith the LORD and thy redeemer the holy One of Israel 15. Behold I will make thee a new s And therefore sharper and stronger than another which hath been much used sharp threshing instrument having †Heb. mouths teeth t Such as were usual in those times and places of which see on Isa. 28. 25 28. thou shalt thresh the mountains u The great and lofty potentates of the World which set themselves against thee such persons being frequently expressed in Scripture under the notion of Hills and Mountains and beat them small and shalt make the hills as chaff 16. Thou shalt fan them x When thou hast beaten them as small as dust or chaff and the wind shall carry them away and the whirlwind shall scatter them and thou shalt rejoyce in the LORD and shalt glory in the holy One of Israel y For to him and not to thy self thou shalt ascribe thy victory over thine enemies 17. When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue falleth for thirst
worship of which they take so much Pleasure shall not profit and they are their own witnesses d They that make them are Witnesses against themselves and against their Idols because they very well know That they are not God's but the work of their own Hands in which there is nothing but mean matter and man's Art * Psal. 115. 4. c. they see not nor know e Or that they to wit their Idols do not see nor know have neither Sense nor Understanding that they may be ashamed f Therefore they have just Cause to be ashamed of their Folly and Stupidity in Worshipping such senseless Things 10. Who hath formed a god or molten a. graven image that is * Hab. 2 18. profitable for nothing g What Man in his Wits can esteem That a god which his own Hands have formed or melt a Graven Image understand out of the former Clause to be his God which is profitable for nothing He speaks of melting a graven image because the Image was first molten and cast in a Mould and then polished and graven with a Tool as was observed before Or thus Who art thou O Man that formest a god or meltest a graven image to Worship it which is profitable for nothing Come hither and let me reason the Case with thee Which he doth in the following Verses So this Verse is a kind of Summons to Idolaters to come and plead their own Cause 11. Behold all his fellows h Either 1. the Work-men as it follows who in this Work are Companions or Partners with him by whose cost and command the Work is done Or 2. those who any way assist or encourage him in this Work and joyn with him in worshipping the Image which he maketh shall be * Psal. 97. 7. Chap. 1. 29. 42. 17 45. 16. ashamed and the work-men they are of men i They are of Mankind and therefore cannot possibly make a god Or They are of the meanest sort of Men for so the Hebrew Word Adam sometimes signifies let them all be gathered together let them stand up yet they shall fear and they shall be ashamed together k Though all combine together and stand up with all their Might to maintain the Cause of their false gods they shall be filled with Fear and Confusion when God shall plead his Cause against them 12. * Chap. 40. 19. 41. 6. Jer. 10. 3. The smith ‖ Or with an axe with the tongs both worketh in the coals and fashioneth it with hammers l First he makes the Mettal soft and pliable by putting it among burning Coals and then he taketh it out and beateth it into what form he pleaseth It must be here noted That some of these Images were made of Brass and Iron as others were of Gold and Silver Dan. 5. 4. and worketh it with the strength of his arms yea he is hungry and his strength faileth he drinketh no water and is faint m This is mentioned Either 1. as an Argument of the vanity of Idols which cannot relieve their poor Workmen when they are ready to faint away through Hunger and Thirst and Weariness Or 2. as an Evidence of their great Zeal and industry in carrying on this Work so that they forget or neglect to eat and drink when their necessities require it This I prefer 1. Because it suits best with the next foregoing Clause He worketh with the strength of his arms i. e. fervently and putting forth all his might in the Work 2. Because the Prophet in this and the next following Verses is onely describing the mechanical part or the matter of Images and the art and labour of the Work-men in making them and afterwards proceeds to the Theological consideration of the Thing and the confutation of these Practices as we shall see 13. The carpenter n He here speaks Either 1. of the same Image which is supposed to be made of Wood and then covered with some Mettal Or 2. of another sort of Images made of Wood as the former might be made of Iron It is not material which way you understand it stretcheth out his rule he marketh it with a line o He measureth and marketh that portion of Wood by his Rule and Line of which the Idol is to be made he fitteth it with planes and he marketh it out with the compass and maketh it after the figure of a man according to the beauty of a man p In the same comely Shape and Proportions which are in a Living Man whom he designs to represent as exactly as is possible that it may remain q Or sit or dwell Which implies Either 1. that it cannot stir out of its place Or 2. that when the Image is made it is set up and fixed in its appointed place in the house r Either in the Temple appointed for it Or in the dwelling House of him that made it that he and his Family might more frequently give Worship to it and might receive Protection from it as Idolaters vainly imagined 14. He heweth him down cedars and taketh the cypress and the oak s Which afford the best and most durable Timber which he ‖ Or taketh courage strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest t The Sence of the Words thus rendred is That he planteth and with care and diligence improveth those Trees among and above all the Trees of the Forest that he or his Posterity may thence have Materials for their Images and those things which belong to them And this Sence seems to be favoured by the following Clause wherein it is said He planteth an Ash for this very reason Or the Sence may be this Which he suffers to grow to greater strength and largeness than other Trees of the Forest that they may be better and fitter for his use Heb. And he strengthneth himself c. And he useth all his strength among the Trees of the Forest in planting such as are proper for this end in walking hither and thither to survey which is the best of them in hewing them down and in other things relating to them he planteth an ash and the rain doth nourish it 15. Then shall it be for a man to burn for he will take thereof and warm himself yea he kindleth it and baketh bread yea he maketh a god and worshippeth it he maketh it a graven image and falleth down thereto u Having related the practices of Idolaters he now discovers the vanity and folly of them that he maketh his fire and his god of the same Materials distinguished onely by the Art of Man 16. He burneth part thereof in the fire with part thereof he eateth flesh x He dresseth Flesh for his eating he rosteth rost and is satisfied yea he warmeth himself and saith Aha I am warm I have seen the fire y I have felt the warmth of it Seeing is
in which God hath revealed them to thee by my Ministry lest thou shouldest say Behold I knâ—…w them a Either by thine own sagacity or by the help of thine Idols The sence is That it might appear that thou hadst the knowledge of these things onely from me who made known unto thee onely what and when I pleased 8. Yea thou heardest not yea thou knewest not b The same thing is repeated again and again because this was so illustrious a proof of the infinite power and providence of the God of Israel and so clear and full a discovery of the vanity of Idols yea from that time that thine ear was not opened c Heb. Yea from then of which phrase see the foregoing verse thine ear was not opened i. e. thou didst not hear to wit from me I did not reveal these things unto thee for so this Phrase of opening the ear is understood 1 Sam. 9. 15. 2 Sam. 7. 27. for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously d I knew all these cautions were necessary to cure thine infidelity and Apostacy and wast called e To wit justly and truly Or thou wast indeed such a person to be called put for to be as we have oft noted a transgressor from the womb 9. For my Names sake will I defer mine anger f And although thou dost justly deserve my hottest anger and most dreadful judgments which also if thou repentest not I will in due time inflict yet at present I will spare thee and deliver thee out of Captivity not for thy sake be it known to thee but meerly for my own sake and for the vindication of my name and glory as it follows ver 11. and for my praise g That I may be praised and magnified for my Power Faithfulness and Goodness and other perfections will I refrain h To wit mine anger which is easily understood out of the forgoing clause for thee that I cut thee not off 10. Behold I have refined thee i Or I will refine thee Although I will not cut thee off or utterly destroy thee as I now said yet I will put thee into the Furnace not to consume thee but to purifie thee from that dross which cleaveth to thee and needs such afflictions to purge it away but not ‖ Or for silâ—…er with silver k Or not among Silver Or not as Silver which is put into and kept in the Furnace so long till all the dross he purged away from it I will not deal so rigorously with thee for then I should wholly consume thee in judgment I will remember mercy I have chosen l Or I will chuse thee Or I will yet chuse thee as it is expressed Isa. 14. 1. Zech. 1. 17. Or I will chuse thee again as Zech. 2. 12. For it must be considered that God had in a manner rejected Israel when he sent them into Captivity and given her a bill of divorce as he saith Ier. 3. 8. see also Isa. 50. 1. and therefore it was necessary that God should chuse this people a second time that they might be betrothed to him again as is expressed and promised Hos. 2. 19 20. This seems to me the true sence although it may be thus understood I will chuse thee i. e. I will manifest by my carriage to thee that I have chosen thee Or that thou art my chosen People Things being oft said to be done when they are manifested as was observed on ver 7. thee in the furnace of affliction 11. For mine own sake even for my own sake will I do it m This great work of delivering my People out of Babylon for how should my Name n My Name is here fitly supplied both out of ver 9. where it is expressed and out of the following clause of this verse where he saith my glory which is equivalent to it The sence is if I should not spare and deliver my People my name would be sadly profaned and 〈◊〉 as if I were either impotent or implacable to them be polluted and I will not give my * Chap. 42. 8. glory unto another o I will not give any colour or occasion to Idolaters to ascribe the Divine Nature and Properties which are my peculiar unto Idols as they would do if I did not rescue my People out of their hands in spight of their Idols 12. Hearken unto me O Jacob and Israel my called p Who I have called out of the World to be my peculiar People to serve and glorify and enjoy me and therefore you of all others have least cause to forsake me or to follow after Idols I am he I am the * Chap. 41. 4. 44. 6. Revel 1. 17. and 22. 13. first I also am the last 13. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth and ‖ Or the palm of my right hand hath spread out my right hand hath spanned q Or doth span i. e. mete out the Heavens with a span as the Phrase is Isa. 40. 12. Although that be expressed there in other Hebrew words Or hath spread them out with its palm or like a palm when the hand is stretched out the heavens when I call unto them they stand up together r Either they stood up and arose out of nothing when I commanded them to do 〈◊〉 Or they are still continually in readiness to execute my commands 14. All ye * Ye Jews to whom he addressed his speech ver 12. and continueth his speech ver 16. 17 c. assemble your selves and hear which among them hath declared these things †I challenge you all to answer what I have said before and am now a going to say again s Which of the Gods whom any of you have served or do still hanâ—…er after the LORD hath loved him t To wit Cyrus who might easily be understood out of the foregoing context in which he is frequently mentioned The pronoun is put for the noun as is usual both in Scripture and in other Authors Now God loved Cyrus not with a special and everlasting and complacential love for he was an Heathen and had some great Vices as well as Vertues but with that general love and kindness which God hath for all his Creatures as is observed Psal. 145. 9. and moreover with that particular kind of love which God hath for such men as excel others in any Vertues as Cyrus did in which sence Christ loved the young man Mark 10. 21. and with a love of good will and beneficence God had such a kindness for him as to make him a most glorious and victorious General and King and the great instrument for the deliverance of his own People which was a singular honour and advantage to him and might have been far greater and extended to the eternal Salvation of his soul if he had not wanted an heart to use the
mentioned 1. that she was drunk with the cup of Gods Wrath v. 17. 2. that she had none to support or comfort her in that condition Or 2. Those which here follow which although they be expressed in four words yet they may fitly be reduced to two things the desolation or devastation of the Land and the destruction of the People by Famine Sword So Famine and Sword are not named as new evils but only as the particular ways or means of bringing the destruction there mentioned and the words may be thus rendred desolation and destruction even this Hebrew particle being oft taken expositively whereof many instances have been given famine or by famine and sword Or two may be put indefinitely for many as double is put for abundantly more Iob 11. 6. Isa. 40. 2. 61. 7. Zech. 9 12. elsewhere †Heb. â—…appened are come unto thee who shall be sorry for thee desolation and †Heb. breaking destruction and the famine and the sword by whom shall I comfort thee f I cannot find any man who is able to comfort and relieve thee 20 * â—…am 2. 11. 12. Thy sons have fainted g they lie h Dead by Famine or the Sword of the Enemy at the head of all the streets i Where men enter in or go out of the streets where the Enemy found them either opposing their entrance or running out of them to make an escape as a wild bull in a net k Those of them who are not slaâ—… are struggling for Life and although they murmur at God and fight with Men yet they cannot prevail or escape they are full of the fury of the LORD the rebuke of thy God f They are so far from being able to comfort thee as was said v. 18. that they themselves faint away for want of comfort and through Famine 21 Therefore hear now this thou afflicted and * Ch. 29. 9. drunken but not with wine l But with the cup of Gods fury mentioned above v. 17. 22 Thus â—…aith thy Lord the LORD and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people m Who though he hath fought against thee is now reconciled to thee and will maintain thy cause against all thine adversaries Behold I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the cup of my fury thou shalt no more drink it again 23 But * Jer. 25. 26 2â—… I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee which * Pâ—… 66. 11. have said to thy soul Bow down that we may go over n Lie down upon the ground that we may trample upon thee as Conquerors used to do upon their conquered Enemies See Ios. 10. 24. Psal. 110. 1. and thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them that went over CHAP. LII 1 * Ch. 51. 17. AWake awake put on thy strength a God biddeth his Church do that which she intreated him to do ch 51. 9. And because Gods word is operative and effectual and his sayings are doings this is a prediction and promise what she should do that she should awake or arise out of her low estate and be strong and courageous O Zion put on thy beautiful garments b Thy sorrows shall be ended and thou shalt be advanced into a most glorious and blessed condition O Jerusalem the holy city c O my Church which is every where called by the name of Zion or Ierusalem for henceforth there shall no more come into thee d Either to molest thee or to associate themselves with thee or to defile or corrupt thee the uncircumcised e Heathens or Infidels who are commonly called uncircumcised and the unclean f Nor any others who though they be circumcised as the Jews generally were are unclean in any thing Whereby he intimates that there should be a greater purity and Reformation in the Church than formerly there had been which was eminently accomplished in the Church and Kingdom of Christ. 2 Shake thy self from the dust g In which thou hast lain as a Prisoner or â—…ate as a mourner arise and sit down h Upon thy Throne Or sit up as this word is rendred Gen. 27. 19. O Jerusalem loose thy self from the bands of thy neck i The yoke of thy captivity shall be taken off from thee It is a Metaphor from Beasts that have the yoke fastened by bands to their necks O captive daughter of Zion 3 For thus saith the LORD * Ps. 44. 12. Ch. 45. 13. Jer. 15. 13. ye have sold your selves k By your sins into the hands of the Chaldeans for nought l Without any price or valuable consideration paid by them either to you or to me your Lord and owner and ye shall be redeemed without money m Without paying any ransom 4 For thus â—…aith the Lord GOD My people went down aforetime into * Gen. 46. 6. Egypt to sojourn there n Where they had protection and sustenance and therefore owed subjection to the King of Egypt And yet when he oppressed them I punished him severely and delivered them out of his hands Which is easily understood from the following words and o Or but for here is an opposition made between these two cases * Jer. 50. 17. the Assyrian p The King of Babylon who is called the King of Assyria 2 Kin. 23. 29. compared with ch 24. 7. as also the Persian Emperour is called Ezra 6. 22. because it was one and the same Empire which was possessed first by the Assyrians then by the Babylonians and afterwards by the Persians oppressed them without cause q Without any such ground or color by meer force invading their Land and carrying them away into Captivity For although it be said that God gave this Land and People into his hand 2 Chr. 36. 17. by his Counsel and Providence yet that was neither known to nor regarded by the King of Babylon nor was it a good and lawful Title Gods Word and not his Providence being the rule by which Mens rights are determined otherwise a Robber hath a right to my purse which he cannot take from me upon the high-way without Gods Providence 5 Now therefore what have I here r Heb. What to me here The sense is either 1. What do I here Why do I sit still here and not to go to Babylon to punish the Babylonians and to deliver my People Or 2. What honour have I by suffering this injury to be done to my People saith the LORD that my people is taken away s Were carried away Captive by the Babylonians for nought t Without any provocation or pretence of right See before on v. 3. they that rule over them u Who by their Office are obliged to deal justly and tenderly with their subjects make
it from that carnal and worldly rejoycing which is usually attended with security and presumption and licentiousness and to warn them to take heed that they do not turn this grace of God into wanâ—…onness nor slacken their dread of Gods tremendous Majesty and of his terrible judgments if they should hâ—…reafter revolt from him or rebel against him but on the contrary wâ—…rk oâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…vation with fear and trembling as it is prescribed Phil. â—… 12. Compare Mat. 28. 8. 12. Kiss q In token of your subjection and adoration whereof this was a sign among the Eastern Nations as is manifest both from Scripture as 1. Sam. 10. 1. 1. Kings 19. 18. 〈◊〉 13. 2. and from heathen Authors Submit to his person and government the son r To wit the son of God as appears from v. â—… called here the son by way of eminency and in a singular manner Which agrees much better to Christ than to David who is never particularly called by this name lest he be angry and ye perish ‖ Oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1â—…2 22. from the way s i. e. Be taken out of the way by death or destruction Or perish out of 〈◊〉 way i. e. by losing the right way by taking wrong and evil courses the end of which will be your certain and utter ruine Or for the way i. e. for your evil way or manner of living for your perverse and foolish course of opposing my son instead of submitting to him Or in which particle is oft understood the way i. e. in your wicked way or course in the midst of your plots and rebellions against him and so you will die in your sins as it is expressed Iohn 8. 24. which is a sad aggravation of their death and therefore here fitly proposed as a powerful argument to disâ—…wade them from such dangerous and destructive courses when his wrath is kindled but a little t i. e. The least degree of his anger is very terrible much more the heat and height of it caused by such a desperate provocation as this iâ—… Or for his wrath will be kindled shortly or suddenly or within a very little time as this word is used Psal. 81. 14. 〈◊〉 3. 4. Isa. 26. 20. His patience will not last always but will shortly be turned into fury and therefore take heed that you neither deny nor delay subjection to him but speâ—…dily comply with his offers and commands before it be too late * 〈◊〉 â—…6 2â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1â—… Jâ—…r 17. 7. Râ—…m â—… 33. 1â—… 11. 1. Pet. 2. 6. blessed are all they that put their trust in him u Who put themselves under his power and protection believing in him and expecting safety and happiness from him Which cannot with any colour be applied to David who always diâ—…wades all men from putting their trust in Princes or in any men or thing besides or below God Psal. 20. 7. and 44. 6. and 62. 6 7 8. and 118. 8. and 146. 3. and every where and therefore it would very ill have become him to invite others to 〈◊〉 their trust in him And he is pronounced cursed that â—…eth in man Ier. 17. 5. But Christ is every where propounded as an Object of trust not only in the new Testament but alâ—…o in the old as Iâ—…a 28. 16. And therefore they are most truly and fitly said to be blessed that put their trust in him Under which sentence the contrary is implied that they are most cursed and miserable creatures that provoke and oppose him and so cursed and miserable that David dreaded the very thoughts and mention of it and therefore expresseth it by the contrary and blessed condition of his Friends and Subjects And such like significations of the miseries of sinners by the blessedness of others opposed to them we have Mat. 23. 39. Revel 14. 13. PSAL. III. A Psalm of David a Composed by David as this phrase implies Psal. 110. 1. compared with Mat. 22. 43. and generally elsewhere * 2 Saâ—… 15. 14. when he fled b Or after be had fled Either this Psalm was composed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the matter of it was then in his thoughts which afterwards he digested into this form and order from Absolom his son 1. LORD how are they increased that trouble me many are they that rise up against me c He 〈◊〉 well say so for almost all his people joyned in that Conâ—…racy 2. Mâ—…y there be which say of my soul d i. e. Of me the soul being commonly put for the person as 〈◊〉 46. 2. 〈◊〉 6. 8. compare with Gen. 22. â—…6 There 〈◊〉 no help for him in God e â—…od â—…th utterly forsaken him for his many crimes and â—…ill never â—…lp him more Sâ—…lah f This word is no where used but in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ook of the 〈◊〉 and in the Song of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 3. 3 â—… 13. Which makes that opinion probable that it was a musical 〈◊〉 directing the singer either to lift up his Voice or to make a short stop or pause or to lengthen out the tune But 〈◊〉 it is generally placed at some remarkable passage which gives occasion to think that it served also to quicken the attention or observation of the singer and hearer 3. But thou O LORD art a shield ‖ Or 〈◊〉 for me g Or about me on every side where also mine enemies are my glory h Either 1. The author of my princely Glory and Majesty Thou didst first give it and I doubt not thou wiltst defend and restore it Or 2. The matter of my glorying thou hast formerly and frequently given and wilâ—…st further give me occasion of glorying or hoâ—…sting of thy power and favour to me and the lifter up of my head i Thou dost and wiltst enable me to look up to thee with comfort and chearfulness and upon mine Enemies with confidence and thou wiltst lift me out of the mire in which I now lye and restore me to my former power and dignity from which I am fallen For the Phrase see Gen. 4. 7. Iob. 11. 15. Luke 18. 13. 4. I cried unto the LORD with my voice k The witness of my faith and fervency of affections and he heard me out of his holy hill l Either out of Heaven so called Psal. 15. 1. compare Isa. 66. 1. Or rather 2. Out of the hill of Sion where God was especially present the Ark being there at this time towards which the Saints then used to direct their Prayers and from thence God heard and answered and blessed them Psal. 128. 5. and 134. 3. Selah 5. * Psal. 4. 8. Prov. 3. 24. I laid me down and slept m To wit securely casting all my cares and fears upon God and relying upon his help I awaked n In due time and manner after a sweet and undisturbed sleep for the LORD sustained me o Or supported me as it were
with his right hand that I should not fall under my burthen He upheld my spirit and person and cause 6. * Psal. 27. 3 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about p So that I see no humane way to escape 7. Arise q Bestir thyself on my behalf and be no longer as an idle spectator of my Miseries O LORD save me O my God r Who art mine by special relation and covenant and I am thy son and thy servant Lord save thine own * Psal. 31. 7 8. for thou hast smitten all mine enemies s Thou hast hitherto helped me do not now leave me upon the cheek-bone t Which implies either contempt and reproach as this phrase signifies 1. Kings 22. 24. Mich. 5. 1. Iohn 18. 22. and 19. 3. or the smartness and soreness of the blow whereby as the next clause explains it their teeth were struck out and so they did not only receive hurt themselves but were disenabled from doing that mischief to others which they desired and were accustomed to do thou hast broken the teeth u i. e. Their strength and the instruments of their cruelty He compares them to wild Beasts of the ungodly 8. * Psal. 3. 8. Jâ—… 3. 23. Hos. 13. 4. Jâ—…n 2. 9. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD x I expect not salvation from my forces but from thy power and favour alone thy blessing y Or rather let it be So he closeth with a prayer is upon thy people z Either upon my friends and followers who alone are thy people the rest being Rebels to thee as well as to me Or upon all thy people Israel to preserve my friends to convince and convert mine enemies and to save the body of the Nation which without thy mercy are likely by this civil War to be brought to utter ruine Selah PSAL. IV. To the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 chief musician a The master or directour of the sacred musitians and musick of the Temple of whom see 1. Chron. 6. 31. and 15. 16 17. and 25. 1 2. 2. Chron 20. 21. and 34. 12 13. Hâ—…b Tâ—… him that overcometh or excelleth or triumpheth to wit in his profession of Musick on Neginoth b Or on stringed Instruments as this word is translated Hab. 3. 19. for the Hebrew verb niggen whence this is derived signifies to play with the hand upon an instrument 1. Sam. 16. 23. and 18. 10. This Psalm is for the matter or substance of it much like the former and seems to have been made upon the same or some other like occasion when he was distressed either by Absolom or by Saâ—…l or by some other great and powerful Enemies a psalm of David 1. HEar me when I call * Psal. 25. â—… 59. 10 17. 109. 1. O God of my righteousness c Either the witness and defender of my righteous cause Or from whom I expect that righteous judgment and decision of my cause which I cannot obtain from mine Enemies who load me and my cause with maniâ—…old Injuries and Calumnies Or O my righteous God Or O God of my mercy which title is given to God elsewhere as Psal. 59. 10 17 whereas this title O God of my righteousness is not given to God in any other place of Scripture Psal. 59. 10 17. O God to whose mercy I owe all that I have or hope for which was a very fit and powerful Argument in Prayer and very agreeable to the following words in which there is an acknowledgment of Gods former Mercies and a petition for mercy And so this and other words in Hebrew and Greek which properly signify righteousness are oft used for mercy or kindness as Isa. 58. 8. Psal. 31. 1. and 36. 10. 2. Cor. 9. 9. and in many other places thou hast enlarged me d i. e. Freed me from my former straits and troubles So he urgeth God and strengtheneth his own Faith with his former Experiences when I was in distress ‖ Or be 〈◊〉 to me have mercy upon me e Thou maist justly destroy me for my many and great sins and therefore I flee from thy Justice to thy Mercy on which all my hopes are grounded and hear my prayer 2. * Psal. 6â—… 4. O ye sons of men f i. e. Princes and Potentates as this Hebrew Phrase seems and is thought to signify who are engaged with Saul or Absalom against me how long will ye turn my glory into shame g Or shall my Glory be for a shame i. e. be made by you matter of reproach and scorn By his Glory probably he means that high Honour and royal Majesty which God had either promised to him or conferred upon him wherewith when he was in great straits and dangers they might possibly reproach him in some sort as this Is this the man whom God so highly loves and honours and will exalt who now flees from one Mountain or Cave to another who runs away to the Philistins whom his own Son hath banished out of the land Is this the effect of his glorying and â—…oasting of Gods favour and promises how long will ye love vanity h i. e. Affect and pursue these courses and designs of opposing me and my Kingdom which you will certainly find to be vain and to no purpose and seek after leasing i Or lying the same thing with vanity these two words being promiscuously used as Psal. 62. 9. Only this seems to add some Emphasis and to intimate the fair hopes and promising probabilities of Success which they had and which aggravate their disappointment Or by lying he may design those horrid Calumnies which the Partisons either of Saul or Absalom had raised against him and which they joyned with their other Indeavours to make him odious to all the people and so the better to effect his Ruine Selah 3. But know that the LORD k You fight not against me but against the Lord. hath set apart l Or hath wonderfully separated me hath rejected the other royal Person and Family and hath called me by name and chosen me out of all the Tribes and Families of Israel and out of my father's Family though I was the youngest of them and thought by Samuel and by my Father to be most remote from this Honour him that is godly m i. e. Mâ—… whom though you traduce and censure as if I were an egregious Hypocrite and Impostor who only pretended Religion for my own ambitious ends God hath pronounced to be a man after his own heart 1. Sam. 13. 14. And that I am such in â—…ome good measure both my own Conscience and the general course of my life bear me witness Which testimony David gives to himself not out of a vain-glorious humour but meerly because he was constrained to it by the Calumnies of his Enemies for his own just and
he ever was so he still is and will be ready to defend his People and to destroy their Enemies and none can prevent nor hinder him in either of those Designs Selah ‖ Or with whom also there be no changes yet they fear not God because they have no changes t Either 1. For the better Because they do not Repent nor turn from their sins But then the next Clause must be rendred as it is in the Hebrew and not fear God Or rather 2. For the worse for of such destructive Changes this Word when applyed to Persons is generally used in Scripture as Iob 10. 17. and 14. 14. c. Because they meet with no Crosses nor Disappointments and hitherto all their Counsels succeed well and the People flow in to them Unanimously as it was in the beginning and Progress of Absoloâ—…'s Rebellion therefore they fear not God u Their prosperous Success makes them go on securely and obstinately in their wicked Courses without any Regard to God or dread of his Judgments There being nothing which more hardens mens Hearts and makes them Presumptuous and Incorrigible than un-interrupted Prosperity See Psal. 30. 6. Prov. 1. 32. Ier. 22. 21. 20. He x i. e. They the Persons last mentioned Before the singular Number v. 13 14. was suddenly changed into the Plural v. 15. that the Punishment might reach not him onely but his Partners in those Treacherous and Treasonable Actions And here is as sudden a Change from the plural into the singular and he returns to that Person who was the chief Contriver and Promoter of this Rebellion under â—…lom even to Achitophel of whom he spoke v. 13. and though he doth not excuse the rest as we have seen yet he lays the chief Blame upon him and here he adds new Aggravations of his Treason hath put forth his hands y In way of Force or Violence as this Phrase is used Gen. 37. 22. 1 Sam. 26. 9. Neh. 13. 21. Act. 12. 1. against such as be at peace with him z Against me who gave him no Provocation nor Disturbance but lived in great Peace and Security and Friendship with him †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath broken his covenant a All those solemn Obligations by which he was tyed to me both as his King and as his Friend 21. * Psal. 28. 3. 57. 4. 64. 3. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter but war was in his heart b He covered his Treasonable and Bloody Design with fair and flattering Speeches his words were softer than oyl yet were they drawn swords c Pernicâ—…ous in their Design and Consequences 22. * Psal. 37. 5. Mat. 6. 25. Luk. 12. 22. 1 Pet. 5. â—… Cast thy ‖ Or Gift burdeu d Or Portion Heb. Gift Whatsoever affliction God giveth or sendeth to thee for even the sufferings of good Men are called God's Gifts in Scripture Phil. 1. 29. Iob. 18. 11. So it is a Synecdochical Expression Or whatsoever Gift thou desirest from him Although the following Words of the Verse seem to restrain it to Afflictions The Sence is All thy Affairs and Crosses and Cares and Fears lay them upon the Shoulders of the Almighty by Faith and Prayer with a Confident expectation of a good Issue He directeth this Speech to himself or his own Soul as he oft doth in this Book and withal to all good Men in like Circumstances upon the LORD and he shall sustain thee he * Psal. 37. 24. shall never suffer the righteous to be moved e i. e. To be removed To wit from his sure and happy Estate Or which agrees as well with the Hebrew He shall not suffer the Righteous to be moved or fall for ever as he doth wicked Men. Though he may for a season suffer them to be shaken yet he will not suffer them to be utterly overwhelmed 23. But thou O God shalt bring them f My wicked Enemies of whom I have hitherto spoken down into the pit of destruction †Heb. Men of Bloods and deceit * Psal. 5. 6. bloody and deceitful men g That Colour their Cruel intentions with specious and deceitful Pretences which are most hateful to God and all Men. †Heb. shall 〈◊〉 half their days See Prov. 10. 27. shall not live out half their days h Not half of what others Live and they by the Course of Nature might Live but shall be cut off by God's just Judgment by an untimely and violent Death but I will trust in thee i And in this Confidence I will quietly and Patiently wait upon thee for their downfâ—…l and for my Deliverance PSAL. LVI To the chief musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim a Which is supposed to be the Name of a Song But many render it as the Words signfie Concerning the dumb Dove afar off All which agrees very well to David in his present Circumstances He calls himself a Dove for his innocency and Folly which is ascribed to the Dove Hos. 7. 11. in casting himself into this snare and for his Vexation and Persecution by his Enemies those Birds of prey and for his sad and mournful Posture Silent he was and it was his Prudence so to be in this place and Condition and he was in a place remote enough from his Fathers House and from God's Sanctuary where his Heart was ‖ 〈◊〉 golden 〈◊〉 Daâ—… Michtam of David when the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 21. Philistins took him in Gath b When being Chased by Saul's restless Malice he had put himself into the Hands and Power of the Philistins at Gath. Where when he was the following Meditations came into his Mind which after his escape he digested into this Order and Psalm 1. BE merciful unto me O God for man c i. e. Men weak and miserable Men as the Word signifies whom thou canst Crush in an instant Saul and his Courtiers who have driven me hither and now Achish and the Philistins who have oft sought my Ruin which now they have opportunity to Effect would swallow me up d Like wild and Ravenous Beasts rather then Men. Heb. hath swallowed me up The thing is begun and in a manner done if thou dost not miraculously prevent it he fighting daily oppresseth me 2. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mine enemies e Heb. my Observers that narrowly look to all my Paths and Watch for my Haltings and for an Opportunity to destroy me would daily swallow me up for they be many that fight against me f They trust to their great Numbers wherein they know themselves to be much Superior to me O thou most High g Who from thine high place beholdest all their Plots and canst most easily disturb and blast them 3. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee h When I have the geatest Cause of Fear I will relye upon thy Providence and Promise for my
Deliverance 4. * 〈◊〉 10 11. In God I will praise his word i The Sence is Either 1. I will praise or boast in the Lords word or the Lord for his Word Or 2. With or by the Lord i. e. By his Favour or Help I will praise his Word Or rather 3. This as I humbly conceive There are many things to be praised and celebrated in God his Power and Wisdom c. but amongst all and above all I shall at this time praise him for his Word which he hath magnified above all his Nâ—…ne as is said Psal. 138. 2. even for his Promises of Protection and Deliverance made to his People in all their Exegencies and particularly and especially for that Promise of the Kingdom made to me for which I will now Praise him because I am as sure of its Accomplishment as if I had it already in mine Hand in God I have put my trust I * 〈◊〉 118. 6. will not fear * 〈◊〉 13. 6. what flesh k Infirm and mortal Men altogether unable to oppose thy infinite Majesty called Flesh by way of Contempt as Psal. 78. 39. Isa. 31. 3. Ier. 17. 5. can do unto me 5. Every day ‖ 〈◊〉 Words 〈◊〉 Sorrow they wrest my words l They misconstrue and pervert my most innocent Expressions and turn them into Matter of Calumny wherewith they may incense Saul against me Or They perplex my Affairs all their thoughts are against me for evil m It is their whole study to do me Mischief 6. They gather themselves together n After they have severally imployed their Thoughts against me they meet together to Compare their Thoughts and to put them in Execution they hide themselves o They lurk secretly Either that they may Prie into all my most private Actions Or that they may surprize me with Mischief unawares Compare Psal. 10. 8. Prov. 1. 11. they mark my steps p i. e. All my goings and doings that they may find some occasion to Reproach or Entangle and so destroy me when they wait for my soul q Or Life To wit to take it away from me 7. Shall they escape by iniquity r Shall they secure themselves by such injurious and mâ—…litious Practises whereby they do not onely vex me but provoke and Despise thee Shall they have Success instead of the Punishments which thou hast threatned and they have deserved God forbid But the Words may be Read without an Interrogation By their iniquity they hope to Escape Or they do Escape at present But Lord do not suffer them thus to escape in thine anger cast down s This is opposed to their present Exaltation and Triumphs over poor David and to their Hopes and Confidence of Safety and Success thy people t i. e. These People of whom I am speaking To wit my Malitious and wicked Enemies as well those Followers of Saul as these Philistins amongst whom I now am O God 8. Thou tellest my wandrings u Here I have been hunted from place to place and am now driven hither put thou my tears into thy bottle x Regard and Remember and Pity them But why do I pray to God to do that which I am well assured he is of himself inclined to do and hath already done * Mal. 3. 16. are they not 〈◊〉 thy book y 9. When I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back z When I have no other Arms or Force which is my present Case my Prayers shall be sufficient to overthrow mine Enemies this I know for God is for me 10. * Vers. 4. In God will I praise his word in the LORD will I praise his word a What I have already engaged to do v. 4. that I do again and again Promise to do and I cannot sufficiently praise thy Goodness in making Promises and thy Faithfulness in keeping them 11. In God have I put my trust I will not be afraid what man can do unto me 12. * Psal. 61. 8. Thy vows are upon me b As I have prayed to thee and am assured that thou wilst deliver me so in Confidence thereof I have made Vows to express my Gratitude to thee and I acknowledge my self obliged and do resolve to perform them O God I will render praises unto thee 13. For * Psal. 116. 8 9. thou hast delivered my soul from death c Which my Enemies designed and my extream Dangers threatned wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling d I am Confident that thou wilt deliver because of thy Promises and my former Experience that I may walk before God e i. e. That I may please and serve and Glorifie thee as this Phrase implies Gen. 5. 24. Comp. with Heb. 11. 5. as also Gen. 6. 9. and 17. 1 1 Sam. 2. 30. which is the great End for which I desire Life in * Job 33. 30. the light of the living f Either 1. In Heaven Or rather 2. In this Life which is here opposed to the Death last mentioned as it is Iob 33. 30. which is called Light Iob 3. 20. as Death is called Darkness Iob 10. 21 22. and oâ—…t elsewhere and which is expressed by beholding the Light and the Sun Eâ—…eles 11. 7. PSAL. LVII To the chief musician ‖ Or destroy not a Golden Psalm Al-taschith a The Word signifies Destroy not Which some think to be a Preface containing the sum of the Psalm and re-minding David of his great Distress in which he then was which obliged him to make servent Prayers to God that he would not destroy him nor give him up into the Hands of his Enemies who always designed and desired to destroy him and now seemed to have a fair Opportunity to do it Michtam of David * 1 Sam. 22. 24. 3. when he fled from Saul in the cave b Either 1. That of Adullam 1 Sam. 22. 1. or that of En-geds 1 Sam. 24. 1. 1. BE merciful unto me O God be merciful unto me c The Repetition implies both the greatness of his Danger and the fervency of his Spirit in this Request and withal that his whole Trust and Hope was in God's mercy for my soul trusteth in thee yea in * Psal. 61. 4. 73. 28. the shadow of thy wings d i. e. Of the Protection to which alone I trust and not to the shadow of this dark Cave in which I now hide my self will I make my refuge until these Calamities e Or the time of these Calaâ—…ities which I know will shortly have an End be over past 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God that * Psal. 138. 8. performeth all things for me f Heb. that performeth or perfecteth or finisheth as this Word is rendred Psal. 138. 8. i. e. Will certainly perform or finish for or towards or Concerning me He doth not express