the rings therof unto the rings of the Ephod with a lace of blew to be above the curious girdle of the Ephod and that the Brestplate bee not loosed from the Ephod And Aaron shal beare the names of the Sons of Israel in the Brestplate of judgment upon his heart when hee goeth in into the Holy place for a memoriall before Iehovah continually And thou shalt put in the Brestplate of judgment the Vrim and the Thummim and they shall be upon Aarons hart when he goeth in before Iehovah and Aaron shall beare the judgement of the Sonnes of Israel upon his heart before Iehovah continually And thou shalt make the Robe of the Ephod all of blew And there shall be a hole in the top of it in the mids thereof it shall have a binding for the hole round about of woven worke as the hole of an habergeon shall it have that it bee not rent And thou shalt make upon the skirts thereof Pomgranats of blew and of purple and of scarlet upon the skirts thereof round about bels of gold between them round about A bell of gold and a pomgranate a bell of gold and a pomgranate upon the skirts of the Robe round about And it shall be upon Aaron to minister and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the Holy place before Iehovah when he goeth out that he die not And thou shalt make a Plate of pure gold and shalt grave upon it like the engravings of a signet HOLINES TO IEHOVAH And thou shalt put it on a lace of blew it shall be upon the Miter upon the forefront of the Miter it shall be And it shall be upon Aarons forehead and Aaron shall beare the iniquity of the holy things which the Sons of Israel shall â—allow in all the gifts of their holy things and it shall be upon his forehead alwaies for favourable acceptation of them before Iehovah And thou shalt weave with circled worke the Coat of sine linnen and thou shalt make the Miter of fine linnen and thou shalt make the Girdle the worke of the Embroiderer And for Aarons Sonnes thâ—â— shalt make Coats and thou shalt make for them Girdles and Bonnets shalt thou maâ—â— for them for honour for beautifull glory And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother and upon his sonnes with him and shalt anoint them and fill their hand and sanctifie them that they may minister-in-the-priests-office unto mee And thou shalt make for them linnen breeches to cover the naked flesh from the loines even unto the thighes they shall be And they shall be upon Aaron and upon his sonnes when they goe in unto the Tent of the congregation or when they come neare unto the Altar to minister in the Holy place that they beare not iniquity and die it shall be a statute for ever to him and to his seed after him Annotations TAke nere or cause to come â—igh that is to present themselves unto thee Hitherto God hath appointed such holy things as pertained to his service now he giueth order for holy persons to administer before him minister in c. or execute the Priesthood This honour no man might take unto himself but he that was called of God as Aaron Heb. 5. 4. In this work Aaron chiefly figured out Christ secondarily all Christians whom hee hath made priests unto God Heb. 5. 5. Re. 1. 6. Vers. 2. of holinesse that is holy garments in Greeke an holy stole so called because they signified the holy graces of Gods Spirit wherewith Christ and his people should be clothed For such an high priest it became us to have as is holy harmlesse undefiled Heb. 7. 26. and Gods priests are to be clothed with justice and with salvation Psal. 132. 9. 16. and so are all the Saints Esay 61. 10. beautifull glory the Greeke translateth for honour and glory These two signifie the highest degree of dignitie honour inwardly in the heart and affections glory outwardly in the appearance and cariage as in Esay 28. 1. 4. glory or beauty is compared to a floure and in Esay 61. 3. it is opposed unto ashes As Iesus the son of Iosedek the high priest was clothed in filthy garments which signified iniquitie in him and his ministration Zach. 3. 3. 4. so these garments of honour and glory signified the holy and pure administration of Iesus the Son of God who offered himselfe without spot unto God to purge our conscience from dead workes Heb. 9. 14. by whom also his Church is clothed with garments of beautifull glory Esa. 52. 1. with fine linnen cleane and bright which is the righteousnesse of the Saints Rev. 19. 8. From this speech of honour and glory the Hebrew Doctors have delivered that the garments of the priests were to be new faire c. like the garments of great men If they were foule or torne or overlong or overshort c. and the Priest did his service in them it was unlawfull Every Priests garment that was made filthy they did not whiten it or wash it but leave it for threds or weke and put on new The high Prists garments when they were old were laid up in store and the white garments wherin he served on the fasting day mentioned in Lev. 16. 4. hee never served in them the second time but they were reserved in the place where 〈◊〉 put them off as it is written AND HE SHALL LEAVE THEM THERE Levit. 16. 23. and it was unlawfull to put them to any use The coats of the inferior Priests when they were worne old they made of them threds or weke for the Candlesticke continually Maimony in treat of the Implements of the Sanctuary chap. 8. Sect. 4. 5. 6. Vers. 3. whomsoever Heb. him whom I have filled Here God sheweth his Spirit to be the author and teacher of handicrafts the Prophet sheweth the like of husbandrie Esay 28. 24. 26. sanctifie or consecrate him that is to be a signe of his sanctification from God Therefore it was death to minister without these garments v. 43. and they are called holy garments verse 2. and in times following were laid up in holy chambers and the Priests might not weare them among the people to sanctifie them with their garments Ezek. 44. 19. Vers. 4. circled worke this differed from broidered worke which was of many colours but this coat was of one colour white being of fine linnen onely verse 39. but woven with circles or round hollow places like eyes wherefore the same word is after in v. 11. used for ouches or hollow places wherin stones were set Maimony in the forenamed treatise chap. 8. Sect. 16. saith The coats both of the high Priest and of inferiour priests were of circled worke that is had many hollow places or houses in the weaving like the hollow place of cups c. and a Girdle To these sixe adde the golden Plate or crowne verse 36. and the Breeches vers 42. so the high Priest
shall hee bee to his brethren And he sayd Blessed be Iehovah the God of Sem and Canaan shall be a servant to them God perswade Iapheth that hee may dwell in the tents of Sem and Canaan shall be a servant to them And Noe lived after the Flood three hundred yeeres and fifty yeeres And all the dayes of Noe were nine hundred yeeres and fifty yeeres and hee dyed Annotations BE fruitfull the blessing first given to Adam Gen. 1. 28. is here renewed in the same words and the Greeke hereto addeth and exercise dominion or sub due it which the Hebrew expresseth in Gen. 1. Here it is impyled in the verse following Vers. 2. shall be upon every beast or be it upon them This is that soverainty which Adam had over the creatures before his fall though not after the same manner for then the creatures were subject of their owne accord now of feare and by constraint And although many beasts rebel against men and destroy them especially for some great sinnes Lev. 26. 22. 1 King 13. 24. 2 King 2. 24. yet as the Apostle saith every nature of wild beasts and of birds and of creeping things and things in the Sea is tamed and hath beene tamed of the nature of man Iam. 3. 7. Vers. 3. moving or creeping thing that is living that is as the Greeke in the former verse translateth moving things which live whereby things that dye alone or are not lawfully killed seeme unto some to bee excepted as after in the Law such are plainly forbidden to be eaten Lev. 22. 8. Exod. 22. 31. So the law touching uncleane beasts fowles fishes c. mentioned in Lev. 11. seemeth not to be given as yet And this was the ancient Rabbines judgement as in Breshith rabba they say What is that which Psal. 145. 7. teacheth us saying The Lord looseth the bound All beasts which have beene forbidden as uncleane in this world God will clense and licence them in the world to come of the Messias Even as to the sonnes of Noe at the first they were cleane as it is written Gen. 9. 3. every moving thing that is living to you shall bee for meat as the greene herbe c. As the herbe is permitted unto all so all beasts shall be permitted unto all as the greene herbe given before for meat to man and beast Gen. 1. 29. 30. Vers. 4. with the soule or in the soule that is the life for so the soule often signifieth Iob 2. 6. Ioh. 10. 15. 17. the blood this declareth what the former meant in the soule that is the blood a reason whereof is shewed in the law Lev. 17. 11. for the soule or life of the flesh is in the blood and in vers 14. the soule of all slesh is the blood thereof So this law against eating flesh with the life or blood seemeth to be against cruelty not to eate any part while the creature is alive or the flesh not orderly mortified and clensed of the blood 1 Sam. 14. 32. 33. 34. and this the reason following doth confirm Also the Hebrew Doctors make this the seventh commandement given to the sons of Noe which all Nations were bound to keepe as there had bin sixe from Adams time Which they reckon thus The first against idolatry worship of starres images c. The second against blaspheming the name of God The third against shedding of blood The fourth against unjust carnall copulations whereof they make sixe sorts 1. with a mans own mother 2. or with his fathers wife 3. or with his neighbours wife 4. or with his sister by the mothers side 5. or with mankind 6. or with beasts Five of which they gather to bee forbidden by Gen. 2. 24. the other by Abrahams speech Gen. 20. 12. The fift precept was against rapine or robbery The sixt to have judgement or punishment for malefactors And unto Noe was added the seventh this here mentioned which they understād to forbid the eating of any mēber or of the flesh of a beast taken from it alive Whosoever in the world transgressed any of these seven commandements wilfully the Iewes held he was to be killed with the sword as sheweth Maimony in Misneh treat of Kings chap. 9. But the Heathens that would yeeld to obey these seven precepts though they received not circumcision nor observed the other ordinances given afterward to Israel they were suffered to dwell as strangers among the Israelites and to so journe in their land as is shewed after upon Exod. 12. 45. and Lev. 22. 10. Vers. 5. And surely your blood This the Greeke translateth For even your blood so making it a cause and reason of the former prohibition of your soules that is your life blood whereby your persons are kept alive Or of your soules that is of your selves meaning that whoso killeth himselfe God will require his blood at his owne hands and judge him as a murderer So the Iewes expound these words Maimony in Misn. tom 4. treat of Murder chap. 2. S. 3. require or seeke out and consequently punish as Gen. 42. 22. Hereupon God is called the requirer or seeker out of bloods Psalm 9. 13. and so the punisher For where Moses saith in Deut. 18. 19. I will require it of him Peter expoundeth it he shall be destroyed from among the people Act. 3. 23. every beast So God ordained in the law that the beast which killed a man should be put to death Exod. 21. 28. But the Iewes apply this against such men as procure their neighbours death by any wilde beast Maimony in the foresaid place of every mans brother this the Chaldee translateth of the man that shall shed his brothers blood By brother is meant any other man as the next verse sheweth for God made all man-kind of one blood Act. 17. 26. The Iew Doctors understand this of such as lend or hire another man to kill their neighbour Maimony ibidem Vers. 6. He that sheddeth c. meaning wilfully for he that killed his neighbour unawares his life was provided for by the law in Num. 35. 11. by man shall his blood be shed that is by the Magistrate whose power is here stablished for killing all wilfull murderers as the Chaldee expresseth it saying with witnesses by sentence of the Iudges shall his blood be shed This was one of the seven commandements given to the sonnes of Noe forementioned And this accordeth with the law Num. 35. 29. 30. but private men may not use the sword Mat. 26. 52 Rom. 73. 4. image of God and so the injury is not onely to man but to God him-selfe The image of God in men is defaced by sin but not wholly and mans nature having a soule spirituall vnderstanding immortall c. still remaineth wherein part of Gods image is yet to bee seene in man So the Apostle useth a like reason against the cursing of men Iam. 3. 9. And the law after commandeth that no satisfaction should bee taken for the life
home as Iudg. 5. 24. or being with the sheepfolds as an heirder for shepherds kept in tents Gen. 4. 20. Esa. 38. 12. and such was Iakobs trade and his childrens Gen. 46. 34. Besides that dwelling in tents signified his pilgrimage in the land Heb. 11. 9. Hereupon Iakobs tents are used for the state of the commonwealth of Israel Num. 24. 5. Mal. 2. 12. The Greeke here translateth dwelling in house but the Chaldee saith A minister of the house of doctrine as giving himselfe to religious study and schollership So other of the Hebrew Doctors as in Pirkei R. Eliezer ch 32. it is said After the children were growne the one walked in the way of life the other walked in the way of death Iakob our father walked in the way of life for he dwelt in tents and studied the law all his dayes but Esau the wicked walked in the way of death to kill Iakob Gen. 27. 41. Vers. 28. in his mouth or for his mouth namely his meat as the Greeke explaineth it that is because he delighted to eate of Esaus venison This love for carnall respect continued contrary to the Oracle of God but it was disappointed Genes 27. 4. 33. Vers. 29. pottage or broth Hebr. sod a seething faint with wearinesse as the word implyeth This signified Esaus vaine imployment of his time and strength whereas they that wait on the Lord spiritually faint not Esay 40. 30. 31. but the righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soule Pro. 13. 25. Vers. 30. Let me cast or let me have a draught the Greeke and Chaldee translate it tast It is a word not used but in this place red which in Hebrew is Adom whereupon his name was called Aedom The doubling of the word red and omitting the word pottage noteth Esaus hast and greedinesse increased also by the colour he called or his name was called Aedom that is Red for hee was ruddy when hee was borne vers 25. and now longing for red broth and selling his birthright for it this name was given him as a brand-marke of his greedinesse and profanenesse Vers. 31. this day or even now the Hebr. Cajom As to day is often used for hajom this day as the Greeke here interpreteth it and in vers 23. following So 1 Sam. 2. 16. and 9. 13. 27. 2 Chron. 18. 4. And the Hebrew word for As is often a very affirmation see Gen. 27. 12. firstbirthright The dignity whereof the Law sheweth to be great in that all the first-borne were peculiarly consecrated and given unto God Exod. 22. 29. were next in honour to their parents Gen. 49. 3. had a double portion of their fathers goods Deut. 21. 17. succeeded them in the government of the family or kingdome 2 Chron. 21. 3. and administration of the priesthood and service of God Num. 8. 14. 17. Therefore the first-borne is used for one that is loved and deare to his father Ex. 4. 22. and higher then his brethren Psal. 89. 28. and figured Christ Rom. 8. 29. and true Christians heyres of the kingdome of heaven Heb. 12. 23. This honour Iakob strove to have at his birth but missing then hee seeketh now and obtaineth it The Greeke translateth it plurally firstbirthrights and so doth the Apostle in Heb. 12. 16. Vers. 32. going to dye that is ready or in danger to dye which may bee meant both in respect of his present hunger which could not as he prophanely thought bee satisfied with the title of his birth-right and of his daily danger to bee killed by the wild beasts in the field where hee hunted wherefore serveth or what profiteth as if he should say nothing at all Vers. 33. Sweare to confirme the bargain Heb. 6. 16. and to make it irrevocable Psalm 110. 4. and 15. 4. So by oath he renounced his birthright before God whose name is therfore used in othes Deut. 6. 13. he sold It is recorded in the Iewes canon lawes that the first-borne who selloth the portion of his birthright even before it be parted his sale standeth in force because the firstborne hath part in the birthright before the parting thereof Maimony Treat of Inheritances ch 3. S. 6. Vers. 34. of lentiles a kind of pulse much like to vetches or small pease and but course food so vile an exchange did Esau make of his heavenly dignity that not without cause doth the holy Ghost call him a profane person who for one meales meat sold his first birthrights Heb. 12. 16. It is a tradition of the Hebrew Doctors that Lentiles were wont to be eaten of men in their sorrow and mourning and that Iakob did feed upon Lentiles in mourning and sorrow for that the kingdome and dominion and first-birthright was Esaus Whereupon they also gather that the sonnes of Esau should not fall untill the Remainder of Iakob come and give to the sonnes of Esau food of lentiles with mourning and sorrow and take from them the dominion kingdome and firstbirthright which Iakob bought of him by oath Pirkei R. Eliezer ch 35. eat and drinke This seemeth to intimate not onely a satisfying of his hunger but a carnall secure despising of his honor now sold as in 1 Cor. 15. 32. let us eat and drinke for to morrow wee shall dye went away without shewing any remorse or sorrow for his profane bargaine despised unto this the Ierusalemy Paraphrast addeth that he also despised his portion in the world to come and denyed the resurrection of the dead Thus the Iewes esteemed his fact most irreligious and profane as the Apostle also doth Heb. 12. 16. CHAP. XXVI 1. Isaak because of famine goeth to Gerar 2 God biddeth him not goe into Aegypt but dwell in the land and promiseth him the blessings of Abraham 7 Isaak denyeth his wife 9 Abimelech therefore reproveth him 12 He groweth rich 18 Hee diggeth three wels Esek Sitnah and Rechoboth 23 Abimelech maketh a covenant with him at Beersheba 34 Esaus wives ANd there was a famine in the land besides the first famine which was in the dayes of Abraham and Isaak went unto Abimelech King of the Philistims unto Gerar. And Iehovah appeared unto him and said Goe not downe into Aegypt dwell in the land which I shall say unto thee Sojourne in this land and I will bee with thee and will blesse thee for to thee and to thy seed will I give all these lands and I will stablish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father And I will multiply thy seed as the starres of the heavens and will give unto thy seed all these lands and in thy seed all nations of the earth shall blesse themselves Because that Abraham obeyed my voyce and kept my charge my commandements my statutes and my lawes And Isaak dwelt in Gerar. And the men of the place asked of his wife and he said she is my sister for he feared to say my wife left the men of the place should kill mee for Rebekah because shee was of a good
saith the Destroyer let him goe a husband c. here the Chaldee paraphraseth thus had it not beene for the blood of this circumcision my husband must needes have beene killed And it is like that upon this occasion and trouble Zipporah with her children was sent backe againe from hence to her fathers house as appeareth by Exod. 18. 2. 3. Vers. 27. of God that is mount Horeb where the glory of the Lord had beene revealed saith the Chaldee paraphrast See Exod. 3. 1. And now God shewed that mercy to Aaron which after hee rehearsed to Ely one of his posterity 1 Sam. 2. 27. 28. Did not I plainely appeare unto the house of thy father when they were in Egypt c. Vers. 30. Aaron spake as God ordained verse 16. hee that is Moses did as was appointed verse 17. and the signes were those three forementioned vers 3. c. Vers. 31. heard that is hearkened gladly to this joyfull tidings as God foretold Exod. 3. 18. therefore the Greeke translateth it and they rejoyced that the Lord had visited And the Holy Ghost sheweth such force to be in the Hebrew word for when one Prophet saith Ezekias heard or hearkened 2 King 20. 13. another saith Ezekias was glad Esa. 39. 2. visited to wit in mercy the Chaldee saith remembred See Gen. 21. 1. Luk. 1. 68. seene to wit with commiseration as Ex. 3. 7. bended downe the head this was a gesture of humiliation with the face toward the ground as is expressed in 2 Chronicles 20. 18. Exodus 34. 8. bowed themselves or worshipped fell downe prostrate This was another humble gesture used in reverence and thanksgiving as Gen. 24. 26. Exod. 12. 27. 1 Chron. 29. 20. 2 Chron. 29. 30. Nehem. 8. 6. There were also two other gestures of honour kneeling 2 Chron. 6. 13. and bending or bowing of the body 2 Chron. 29. 29. and these three are all mentioned in Psal. 95. 6. They differed one from another the bending of the head was the least and it was the bowing downe of the face onely The bending of the body was when the whole body was bent downeward the face towards the knees Kneeling was upon the knees a gesture commonly knowne Bowing of themselves or worship was with falling downe upon their face on the ground their hands and feet displaied Wherefore that which one Evangelist calleth worshipping Matth. 8. 2. another calleth falling on the face Luk. 5. 12. So the Hebrew cannons also distinguish them saying The bending of the body spoken of in any place is towards the knees the bowing of all the joynts of the backe-bone so that he maketh his body as a bow the bending of the head is with the face or countenance downeward the bowing of ones selfe or worshipping is the displaying of hands and feet till hee bee prostrate with his face on the earth Maimony in Misn. treat of Prayer c. 5. S. 12. 13. Here the Israelites shewed by these gestures their reverence to Gods word and thankfulnesse the Hebrew Doctors as in the Zohar upon this place say that the bending of the head with the face toward the ground was for to escape judgment and the bowing of themselves or worshipping was for to obtaine mercy and that the bending of the head was before the worshipping according to the mysterie of the Sin-offring before the Burnt-offring The order of which sacrifices may be seene in Exod. 29. 14. 18. Lev. 8. 14. 18. and 14. 19. 20. and 15. 15. and 61. 11. 15. 24. CHAP. V. 1 Moses and Aaron doing their message to Pharaoh are resisted and rebuked 5 The Israelites taske increased 14 Their officers beaten 15 Their complaints checked 19 They crie out upon Moses and Aaron 22 Moses complaineth unto God AND afterward Moses and Aaron went in and said unto Pharaoh Thus saith Iehovah the God of Israel Send away my people that they may keepe a feast onto me in the wildernesse And Pharaoh said Who is Iehovah that I should obey his voice to send away Israel I know not Iehovah neither will I send away Israel And they said The God of the Hebrewes hath met with us let us goe wee pray thee three daies journey into the wildernesse and sacrifice unto Iehovah our God left hee fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword And the king of Egypt laid unto them Wherefore doe ye Moses and Aaron cause the people to cease from their workes Get ye to your burthens And Pharaoh said Behold the people of the land now are many and ye make them to rest from their burdens And Pharaoh commanded in that day the taske-masters of the people their officers saying Yee shall not any more give straw to the people to make brickes as heretofore let them goe gather straw for themselves And the tale of the brickes which they did make heretofore you shall lay upon them you shall not diminish ought thereof for they be idle therefore they cry out saying Let us goe and sacrifice to our God Let the work be made heavy upon the men and let them labour therein and let them not regard vaine lying words And the taske-masters of the people went out their officers and said unto the people saying Thus saith Pharaoh I will not give you straw Goe ye take your straw where you can find it yet not ought of your worke shall bee diminished And the people was scattered abroad thorow all the land of Egypt to gather stubble in stead of straw And the taske-masters hasted them saying Fulfill your workes every daies taske in his day as when there was straw And the officers of the sonnes of Israel which Pharaohs taske-masters had set over them were beaten saying Wherefore have yee not fulfilled your appointed taske to make bricke both yesterday and to day as heretofore And the officers of the sonnes of Israel came and cried out unto Pharaoh saying Wherefore doest thou thus to thy servants There is no straw given unto thy servants and they say to us make brickes and behold thy servants are beaten and it is the sinne of thy people And he said ye are idle ye are idle therefore yee say let us goe and sacrifice to Iehovah Now therfore goe worke for straw shall not be given you yet shall ye deliver the tale of brickes And the officers of the sonnes of Israel did see them in evill saying Ye shall not minish ought from your brickes every daies taske in his day And they lighted upon Moses and Aaron standing to meet with them as they came forth from Pharaoh And they said unto them Iehovah looke upon you and judge because you have made our savour to stinke in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to give a sword into their hand to slay us And Moses returned unto Iehovah and said Lord wherefore hast thou done evill to this people wherefore is it that thou hast sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy name
the spiritually Egyptians by whose sinne the third part of the sea became blood and of other waters became wormewood Revel 8. 8. 11. there be the like plagues from the phials or cups of Gods Angels as are here by the rod of Gods messengers their sea rivers and fountaines becomming blood they having shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and God giving them blood to drinke for they are worthy Revel 16. 3. 6. Of this plague the Psalmist also speaketh Psal. 78. 44. and 105. 29. Contrariwise God blesseth his people by turning for them the rockes to rivers and fountaines of waters Psal. 78. 15. 16. and 114. 8. and giving them the water of life to drinke Ioh. 4. 10. 14. Rev. 22. 1. 17. Vers. 21. died so in Antichrists sea every living soule dyeth Revel 16. 3. as by their impietie they had caused the third part of such to dye before Revel 8. 9. Contrariwise in the holy land corrupt waters are healed the creatures in them live and fish are multiplied Ezek. 47. 8. 9. stunke whereas the waters of Egypt served them for drinke Ierm 2. 18. there being no raine in the Countrey Deut. 11. 10. 11. God turning them to stinking blood and killing the fish the plague was the more grievous For fishes were their common food Numb 11. 5. the flesh of many beasts they through superstition would not eate of Exodus 8. 26. so that which the Prophet after threatneth was now upon them The fishers mourned and all they that cast angle into the brookes lamented and they that spread nets upon waters languished Esay 19. 8. Vers. 22. did so as before in verse 11. They could by inchantments increase their owne plagues but not ease themselves see Exodus 8. 7. 8. But where had they water to turne into blood either they found some by digging about the river verse 24. or they had some fetched from another place as Gosen see the notes on v. 18. wexed strongs the Greeke saith was hardened see verse 13. Vers. 23. set not that is regarded not nor cared for this wondrous plague so the setting of the heart signifieth carefull regard Exod. 9. 21. Prov. 22. 17. 2 Sam. 18. 3. CHAP. VIII 1 God threatneth Pharaoh if hee send not Israel away to plague his Realme with frogges 5 Aaron stretcheth out his hand and the second plague frogs come out of the waters over all the land 7 The Magicians doe the like 8 Pharaoh sueth to Moses 12 And Moses by praier removeth the frogs away 15 Pharaohs heart is hardned 16 The third plague dust is turned into lice on man and beast 18 The magicians could not doe so yet Pharaoh is hardned 20 God threatneth the fourth plague swarmes of flies upon the Egyptians 22 exempting Israel in Goshen 24 The land is corrupted with the swarmes 25 Pharaoh inclineth to let the people goe 30 Moses by praier removeth the swarmes away 32 Pharaoh is bardned againe AND Iehovah said unto Moses Goe in unto Pharaoh and say unto him thus saith Iehovah send away my people that they may serve me And if thou refuse to send them away behold I smite all thy border with frogs And the river shall abundantly bring forth frogs and they shall come up and enter into thy house and into thy bedchamber and upon thy bed and into the house of thy servants and upon thy people and into thy ovens and into thy troughs of dough And the frogs shall come up upon thee and upon thy people and upon all thy servants And Iehovah sayd unto Moses Say unto Aaron stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streames over the rivers and over the ponds cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt And the Magicians did so with their inchantments and caused frogges to come up upon the land of Egypt And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said Intreat ye Iehovah that he may take the frogs from me and from my people and I will send away the people that they may sacrifice unto Iehovah And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glorie over me when I shall intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people to cut off the frogs from thee and from thy houses onely in the river they shall remaine And he said to morrow and he said be it according to thy word that thou maist know that there is none like Iehovah our God And the frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people onely in the river they shall remaine And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cryed unto Iehovah because of the frogs which he had put upon Pharaoh And Iehovah did according to the word of Moses and the frogs dyed out of the houses out of the villages and out of the fields And they gathered them together upon heapes and the land stanke And Pharaoh saw that there was a breathing and he made his heart heavy and hearkened not unto them euen as Iehovah had spoken And Iehovah sayd unto Moses Say unto Aaron stretch out thy rod and smite the dust of the land and it shall be turned to lice in all the land of Egypt And they did so and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and smote the dust of the land and there were lice on man and on beast all the dust of the land was lice in all the land of Egypt And the Magicians did so with their inchantments to bring forth lice but they could not and there were lice on man and on beast And the Magicians sayd unto Pharaoh This is the finger of God and Pharaohs heart waxed strong and he hearkned not unto them even as Iehovah had spoken And Iehovah said unto Moses Rise up earely in the morning stand before Pharaoh lo◠〈◊〉 commeth forth to the waters and say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him thus saith Iehovah Send away my people that they may serve mee Else if thou wilt not send away my people behold I will send a mixed swarme upon thee and upon thy servants and upon thy people and into thy houses and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of the mixed swarme and also the ground where on they art And I will marvellously sever in that day the land of Go 〈…〉 upon which my people standethy that there shall 〈◊〉 mixed 〈◊〉 there to th◠〈◊〉 maist 〈…〉 that I am Iehovah in the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 And I will put a 〈◊〉 de 〈…〉 people and 〈◊〉 by people 〈…〉 all 〈…〉 be And Iehova◠did 〈…〉 there came a heavie 〈…〉 I the house of Pharaoh and the house of 〈…〉 into all the land of Egypt 〈◊〉 land was corrupted by reason 〈…〉 Pharaoh 〈…〉 and sayd 〈…〉 the land And Moses said 〈…〉 to doe 〈…〉 shall 〈…〉 shall 〈…〉 of the Egypt 〈…〉 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 us We will goe three dayes
their service Num. 4. 3. And also because there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inheritance given them among the sonnes of Israel Num. 26. 62. but the Lord was their inheritance Deut. 10. 8 9. Now to be numbred apart and not with others signified some speciall favour towards such and care over them as Num. 23. 9. Aaron Aaron the elder brother of Moses and 〈◊〉 Levites therefore their names are mentioned here V. 3. he filled that is consecrated or perfected 〈◊〉 the Greeke translateth See the annotations on Exâ—â— 29. 9. and Levit. 8. V. 4. dyed by a fire from the Lord Levit. 10. 1 2. This is mentioned againe in Num. 26. 61. 1 Chron. 24. 1 2. had no sonnes the Hebrewes as Chazkuni upon this place say if they had had sonnes those sonnes had beene before Eleazar and Ithamar for whosoever is fore-most in inheritance is foremost for honour or dignitie in the sight of Aaron or before the face that is whiles Aaron lived as before the face of Tharah Gen. 11. 38. is while Tharah lived before the Moone and Sunne Psal. 72. 5. 17. is whiles they continue to give light The Greeke translateth With Aaron Elsewhere it is said by the hand of Aaron 1 Chron. 24. 19. Of these two there were so many Priests in Davids dayes that he distributed them into 24. courses sixteene of Eleazar and eight of Ithamar 1 Chron. 24. 3. 4. The Hebrew Doctors say Moses divided the Priests into eight wards or courses foure of Eleazar and foure of Ithamar and so they were untill the Prophet Samuels dayes Then Samuel and David the King parted them into 24. courses And over every course or ward there was one chiefe Provost And they went up to Ierusalem to serve by course every weeke And every sabbath day they changed one course went out and the next after them came in c. Maimony tom 3. treat of the Instruments of the Sanctuarie chapt 4. sect 3. Compare 1 Chron. 9. 22. 25. 2 King 11. 5. 7. V. 6. present it or cause it to stand speaking of the tribe In Greeke present them V. 7. his charge Hebr. his custody or obseruation that is that which he commandeth them to obserue See this phrase in Lev. 18. 30. 〈…〉 of all the congregation the Greeke explaineth it of the sonnes of Israel as in v. 8. So 〈◊〉 2 Chron. 35. 3. serve the Lord your God and his people Israel It meaneth also such things as they were charged to keepe but the Levites now were taken in their stead 〈…〉 to serve the service in Greeke to worke or doe the workes of the Tabernacle which in Num. 8. 11. is said to serve the service of the Lord. After in the 8. verse the Greeke translateth according to all the workes of the Tabernacle The Hebrewes write thus The sâ—ed of Levi are all of them separated for the service of the Sanctuarie And it is commanded that the Levites be prepared and readie for the service of the Sanctuarie whether they be willing or not willing as in Num. 18. 23. And the Levite he shall serve the service of the Tent of the congregation And the sonne of Levi which will take upon him all the Levites commandements saving one thing they receive him not in till he take all upon him Maimony treat of the Instruments of the Sanct. chap. 3. sect 1. V. 9. are given are given that is as the Greeke here and Moses himselfe in Num. 18. 6. explaineth it are a gift given oâ— they are wholly given So the Ministers of the Gospell are called gifts Ephes. 4. 8. 11. 〈…〉 unto him for his helpe in the charge and worke of the Sanctuarie they ministring unto him and he and his sonnes ministring before the Tabernacle Num. 18. 2. 6. V. 11. shalt appoint or constitute set in office as Bishops or Overseers The Greeke explaineth it thou shalt constitute over the Tabernacle of Testimonie their Priests office for every thing of the Altar and within the veile Num. 18. 7. the stranger that is whosoeuer is not of Aarons seed as is explained in Num. 16. 40. for no man taketh the honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Hebr. 5. 4. So Chazkuni here expoundeth stranger to be Israelite or Levite that commeth neere to minister And Maimony in Biath hamikdash chap. 9. sect 1. saith Who is the stranger Whosoever is not of the seed of Aaron the males And after God himselfe forbiddeth the Levites to come night he vessels of the Sanctuarie and the Altar on paine of death Numb 18. 3. put to death by the magistrate or by the hand of God as was Korah for presuming to doe the Priests office Numb 16. V. 12. every first-borne which before the Levites were taken in their stead did minister to the Lord as is noted on Exod. 24. 5. And upon what occasion God tooke the Levites instead of the first-borne is to be seene in Exod. 32. 26. 29. Deut. 33. 9. shall be mine to minister before me as the Chaldee expoundeth it V. 13. I smote in Chaldee I killed see Exod. 12. 29 30. The Lord having slaine all the first-borne of Egypt and spared the Israelites did therefore challenge for his owne and sanctifie to him-selfe all Israels first-borne Exod. 13. 2. but tooke the Levites and their cattle in stead of Israels first-borne men and cattle Num. 3. 45. and gave them as a gift to Aaron to minister unto him Who being in his Priesthood a type of Christ all these rites are in him fulfilled For unto Christ God gave children Hebr. 2. 13. and they are a congregation of first-borne written in heaven Hebr. 12. 23. being of Gods owne will begotten by the word of truth that they should be a kinde of first-fruits of his creatures Iam. 1. 18. to whom he also giveth the first-fruits of his Spirit Rom. 8. 23. These wait on and follow the Lambe Christ being bought from among men and first-fruits unto God and to the Lambe Rev. 14. 4. These were brought for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations and of them the Lord hath taken for Priests and for Levites Esai 66. 20 21. and Christ hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father that we may serve him day and night in his Temple Rev. 1. 6. and 7. 15. V. 15. Muster or Number Hebr. Visit. This was done by Moses and Aaron v. 39. and by the Princes of the congregation Num. 4. 34. though here the commandement is directed unto Moses onely house in Greeke houses old Heb. sonne of a moneth Tho cause why the Levites were numbred from this age was for that they came in place of the first-borne of Israel whose redemption is appointed from a moneth old Num. 18. 15 16. And they were counted after the houses of their fathers not of their mothers for if a woman of Levi were maried to a man of Iudah or any other tribe her sonne was not a Levite The Hebrew canons say
them foure wagons according unto their service for to ease the cariage Num. 7. 5. 8. Vers. 38. foremost or as the Greeke translateth it Eastward see Num. 2. 3. Moses and Aaron The Hebrewes as Baal hatturim vpon this place doe observe that here is a pause or distinction betweene Moses and Aaron to teach that Moses pitched in one place by himselfe and Aaron and his sonnes in another place by themselves Thus Moses a Levite of Kohath was King in Ieshurun Deut. 33. 5. and Aaron his brother Priest as for Moses two sonnes Gershon and Eliezer Exod. 18. 3 4. here is no mention of them neither in Num. 26. neither had they any prerogative but were among the other Kohathites and named of the tribe of Levi that is common Levites 1 Chron. 24. 14. the charge or the custodie the watch of the Sanctuarie the Levites being assistants under them Num. 18. 2 3. Of the watch which was wont to be kept in the Sanctuary see the annotations on Num. 15. 8. the stranger that is any saving Aaron and his sonnes see verse 10. Vers. 39. and Aaron in the Hebrew there are many extraordinary pricks over the name of Aaron for speciall cause R. Sol. Iarchi saith they were to signifie that Aaron himselfe was not among the number of the Levites none of the 22000. here mentioned Observe Aarons dignitie Hee was the elder brother unto Moses the King Exod. 7. 7. Hee was by mariage brother to Naasson Prince of Iudah for hee had to wife Elisabeth his sister Exod. 6. 23. Hee was joyned with Moses in the government of Israel Psal. 77. 20. He had the prerogative to sacrifice for the whole Church 1 Chron. 23. 13. But Christ our King and Priest after the order of Melchisedek farre excelleth him Hâ—b 7. and 8. chap. two and twentie thousand This summe accordeth not with the former particulars for there were of Gershon 7500. of Kohath 8600. of Merari 6200. which make in all 22. thousand and three hundred But Aaron and the Priests as also the first-borne of the Levites were the Lords after a peculiar manner Exod. 13. 2. and therefore deducted from the rest which were all taken in stead of the first-borne of Israel So there were so many thousand Levites as there are Hebrew letters because they were aboue others to apply the studie of Gods Law Deut. 33. 10. which because they did not according to their dutie God so disposed that Iehozadak the Priest in the 22. generation after Aaron was caried captive with the people into Babylon 1 Chron. 6. 3. 15. And here againe Gods providence appeareth that the Levites increase should be by just thousands and the Priests and first-borne of Levi by hundreds without any broken number such as was among the first-borne of Israel vers 43. See the notes on Num. 1. 25. Againe whereas the least of all the other tribes of Israel from twenty yeeres old and upward had 32000. and 200. Num. 1. v. 34 35. and the greatest 54000. and 600. v. 27. here the Levites which were counted from a moneth old and upward were but 22000. so the Lords portion was the least Yea of these 22. thousand there were found but eight thousand five hundred and fourescore that were fit for to doe service in the Sanctuary Num. 4. 47 48. so small was the number of those that served God in his ministerie in comparison with the campes of Israel Vers. 40. Muster or Number moneth old Hebr. sonne of a moneth Vers. 41. for me or unto me as the Chaldee expounds it thou shalt bring neere the Levites before me every first-borne or all the first-borne which being appointed unto the Lords service the Lord taketh the Levites to serve him in their stead This was for the first-borne males of man and beast which the Israelites now had all the first-borne that came after this were to be redeemed or given to the Priest Num. 18. 15. See the notes on verse 12. and 13. Vers. 43. and seventie and three God 's speciall providence appeareth againe in this number of the first-borne that it should be so neere unto the number of the Levites taken in their stead whom God destinated from the womb unto his service and made the summes of them so neere A like worke of God is observed by Moses in Deut. 32. 8. how he had appointed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sonnes of Israel And whereas six hundred thousand men and moe Num. 1. 46. had but 22. thousand and 273. first-borne males in all their families it appeareth that the farre greater number of Israels first-borne were females who by reason of their sex were not fit to serve God in his sanctuary Which figured the small number of Gods elect among the many that are called Mat. 22. 14. Rom. 9. 6 7 8. For the elect are such as doe serve God day and night in his Temple Revel 7. 15. and are Priests unto God Rev. 5. 10. Vers. 45. shall be mine which the Chaldee explaineth shall minister before me Vers. 46. those that are to be redeemed Hebr. And the redeemed or as the Greeke translateth it And the redemptions or ransomes So after in vers 48 49 51. Here the overplus of the first-borne of man is reckoned and the summe of their ransome vers 50. but the overplus of cattle is not reckoned Vers. 47. five shekels a peece Heb. five five shekels which the Greeke translateth five shekels by the head These five shekels the price set here and in Num. 18. 16. was the value set in Lev. 27. 6. from a moneth old to five yeeres old and it was the least of all the valuations so that God burdened the Israelites with the ransomes as little as might be twentie geraâ—s or twentie pence the gerah was a peece of silver that weighed sixteene barley graines so the shekel weighed 320. graines see the notes on Exod. 30. 13. Vers. 48. the money Hebr. the silver so in vers 49 50 51. of the redeemed understand the money of those that are redeemed or as the Greeke translateth the redemptions of those that are moe Vers. 50. Of the first-borne in Hebrew Bâ—chor the First-borne is singular as spoken of one but translated in Greeke plurally as implying all And this seemeth to be taken not of particular persons as of them that were last numbred or any other for so the burden should have lien vnequally upon a few but of the church in generall Or to cut off contention it was done by lot as R. Solomon Iarchi saith he brought 22000. scrolles or papers according to the number of the Levites vers 39. and on every of them was written A son of Levi and 273. papers according to the number of the First-borne Israelites moe than the Levites vers 46. and on every of them was written Five shekels they mingled them and put them in a basket then said he unto them come draw your papers according to your lot Vers. 51.
such a garment as was bound to have the Fringe that he might keepe this commandement and in the time of prayer he is to be warned hereof more especially It is a great shame for wise men that they should pray and not be arraied herewith A man must for ever be warned of this commandement of the Fringe for the Scripture maketh it of great weight and all the commandements every one depend upon it Maim in Zizith ch 3. sect 11 12. But they abused this as other divine ordinaÌ„ces to superstitioÌ„ hypocrisie were reproved by our Saviour for making their Phylacteries broad inlarging the borders or Fringes of their garments Mat. 23. 5. And this their vanitie neglecting the spirituall end appeareth in their writings for unto the thrums or threeds of the garment w ch were three inches they fastned threeds doubled in the midst whose length they say might not be lesse than foure inches but more than so they might be though a cubit or two cu 〈…〉 Maim in Zizith ch 1. s. 6. And for the vertue hereof they say Who so diligently keepeth this Law of Fringes is made worthy and shall see the face of the Majestic of God Baal hatturini on Num. 15. and when a man is cloathed with the Fringe and g 〈…〉 out therewith to the doore of his habitation hee is safe and God rejoyceth and the destroying Angell departeth from thence and the man shall be delivered from all hurt and from all destruction c. R. Menachem on Num. 15. Thus easie it is for men to abuse holy things and to pervert the right use and end of them by their owne inventions See the annotations on Exod. 13. 9. And although they 〈◊〉 so great religion in these Fringes yet as they have lost the spirit and life of this commandement so God hath deprived them of the outward riâ—e that they have not at this day by their owne confession the blew or heaven-coloured ribband The blew Teceleth is not found in our hands at this day because we know not to make the die or colouâ— of it for every blew in wooll is not called Teceleth But the Teceleth or Blew spoken of in the Law it is knowne that it is unpossible to make it at this day and therefore we make the white oâ—ely saith Rambam or Maimony in his exposition on Talmud Bab. in Menachoth ch 4. and that ye seeke not or and ye shall not seeke or search as Num. 14. 36. which word Solomon applieth to his heart searching out things by wisdome Eccles. 1. 13. and 7. 25. The Greeke here translateth it turne aside the Chaldee erre or goe astray your heart in Chaldee the imagination of your heart Here God calleth men from their owne wisdome and inventions to his Law onely for every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is onely evill every day Gen. 6. 5. And he that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prov. 28. 26. your eyes in Chaldee the sight of your eyes So the holy Ghost saith Walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Eccles. 11. 9. And the Apostle mentioneth the lust of the eyes as that which is not of the Father but of the world 1 Iohn 2. 16. The Hebrewes say The heart and the eyes are the spies of the body and brokers to bring it into transgression the eye feeth and the heart lusteth and the bodie acteth the transgression Sol. Iarchi on Num. 15. The Lord condemning the heart which is the most noble of all the inward parts and the eyes which are the most excellent of all the outward teacheth that the whole man is corrupted thorowout and to be reformed by the Law and Spirit of God For except a man be borne of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Iohn 3. 5. you goe a whoring in Chaldee you orre or goe astray To goe a whoring after other gods is an usuall phrase for idolatrie Exod. 34. 15. Deut. 31. 16. 1 Chrâ— 5. 25. Iudg. 2. 17. the same is implied here as God saith I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me and with their eyes which goe a whoring after their idols Ezek. 6. 9. but it meaneth also all other sinnes which mens uncleane hearts and impure eyes carry them unto with consent and delight see Lev. 20. 5 6. Psal. 106. 39. Iam. 4. 4. The Hebrewes say If any man be drawne after the thoughts of his heart he will be found a waster of the world because of the slendernesse or shortnesse of his understanding As sometimes he will search after idolatrie and sometimes will thinke peculiarly of the Creator whether there be any or none What is above and what beneath what was before and what shall be after And sometimes of prophesie whether it be truth or no and sometimes of the Law whether it be from heaven or no. And hee knoweth â—â—t what to judge of them till he know the truth concerning his Creator but will be found a revolter unto heresies Concerning this thing is that warning in the Law where it is said And ye shall not seeke after your heart and after your eyes after which ye goe a whoring Num. 15. 39. as if he should say there shall not any one of you be drawne after his owne slender understanding or knowledge as to imagine that his cogitation can attaine to the truth so have our wise men said AFTER YOVR HEART this meaneth heresies and AFTER YOVR EYES this is whoredome And this is an occasion for a man to deprive himselfe of the world or life that is to come Maimony treat of Idolatrie ch 2. sect 3. CHAP. XVI 1 Korah Dathan Abiram and On with 250 Princes rise up against Moses and Aaron about the Priesthood and government of the Church 5 Moses referreth the triall of the cause unto God and reproveth Korahs ambition 12 He sendeth for Dathan and Abiram who reproach him and will not come up 15 He prayeth against them 16 and gathereth Korah and his company with their censers before the Tabernacle 20 The Lord threatneth to consume the rebels and commandeth the people to separate from them 31 The earth swalloweth up Dathan Abiram and all Korahs men and a fire from the Lord devoureth the 250 that burned incense 36 The censers are reserved to cover the altar for a signe unto Israel 41 All the congregation murmure against Moses and Aaron as they that bad killed the Lords people 44 The Lord killeth 14700 of them with a plague 46 Aaron by incense stayeth the plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ANd Korah the sonne of Izhar the son of Kohath the sonne of Levi he tooke men and Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab and On the sonne of Peleth sonnes of Reuben And they rose up before Moses and men of the sonnes of Israel two hundred and fiftie
fourteene thousand and seuen hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the doore of the Tent of the congregation and the plague was stayed Annotations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here beginneth the 38 Lecture of the Law which the Hebrewes call Korah because his rebellion is the principall thing here treated of see Gen. 6. 9. VErse 1. Korah or Korach in Greeke Kore Iude ver 11. Izhar in Greeke Isaar Kohath in Greeke Kaath he tooke to wit men with him so Korah is noted as the principall in the rebellion which the Apostle therefore calleth the gaine-saying of Kore Iude verse 11. and in Num. 27. 3. onely Korahs company is mentioned where speech is of this mutinie The Greeke translateth he spake to signifie that he tooke others by perswading them to his faction The Chaldee understands it of taking that is withdrawing of himselfe saying And Korah separated himselfe Thus Sol. Iarchi also expoundeth it he tooke him-selfe aside to be apart from the congregation and Dathan and Abiram this may be understood that they also tooke men and separated themselves or rather that Kore tooke these men unto him and so to reade it he tooke Dathan and Abiram or he tooke both Dathan and Abiram for the word and in Hebrew may sometime be omitted in our English speech as is shewed on Gen. 8. 6. or be interpreted both as explaining the former words see the annotations on Gen. 36. 24. And thus Chazkuni expoundeth it And Korah tooke it meaneth the taking of men and whom tooke he Dathan and Abiram c. AND before DATHAN is redundant here as often elsewhere Abiram in Greeke Abâ—iron Eliab in Greeke Eliam hee was son to Phallu the sonne of Reuben Num. 26. 7 8 9. Gen. 46. 9. On in Greeke Ann and Aunan Peleth in Greeke Phaleth sonnes of Reuben Dathan Abiram and On were all sonnes that is of the posteritie of Reuben who was the first-borne of Israel but lost his honour by his sinne 1 Chron. 5. 1. which his sonnes by unlawfull meanes seeke to recover And these Reubenites camped next unto Korah and the Kohathites on the Southside of the Tabernacie as is shewed in Num. 2. and so being neighbours in situation associated themselves in evill which Sol. Iarchi observing saith thereupon Woe be to the wicked and woe unto his neighbour Korah being a Levite of the Kohathites which was the chiefe familie of the Levites as is noted on Num. 3. 28. he tooke offence as Iarchi on this place saith and envied at the preferment of Elizaphan the sonne of Vzziel whom Moses had made Prince over the sonnes of Kohath Num. 3. 30. when he was of the youngest brother Vzziell and Korah himselfe was of Izhar elder than he see Num. 3. 27. 30. But by the sequell here it appeareth that the lift up himselfe not onely against Elizaphan but against Moses and Aaron and sought the Priesthood also verse 10. Verse 2. and men that is Korah and men as appeareth by verse 5. 16 17. where these are called Korahs congregation the called of the assembly Senators called to the assemblie and as the Greeke translateth it councell of the governours in Chap. 1. 16. such are named the called of the congregation and in Chap. 26. 9. Dathan and Abiram are named the called of the congregation who strove against Moses c. so these were States-men famous and renowned whereby the conspiracie was the stronger men of name that is of renowne this title is given to the Giants before the Flood Gen. 6. 4. Whereupon Baal hatturim here noteth Men of name for wisedome and for wealth and they condemned themselves as did the generation of the Flood which were of old men of name Verse 3. Ye take too much upon you or Let it suffice you as this phrase is translated in Deut. 3. 26. Hebr. much to you or enough for you which Sol. Iarchi expoundeth thus yee have taken to your selves greatnesse much more than enough So after in verse 7. holy and therefore may approach unto God and offer their sacrifices This they meant as Moses answer sheweth in verse 5. and 10. So the presumption of their owne holinesse brought them to ambition and affectation of the Priesthood an honour which no man should take to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Hebr. 5. 4. Iehovah is in Chaldee the divine presence or Majestie of the LORD dwelleth among them Verse 4. fell on his face as affected with their words humbling himselfe and in likelihood praying unto God as in verse 22. Chazkuni saith He was abashed and cast downe his face on the ground unto prayer and there it was said unto him of God what he should say unto Korah Like gesture he used at their former murmuring Num. 14. 5. and after in Num. 20. 6. Verse 5. Even in the morning or the morning shall come and Iehovah will make knowne c. Iudgement is deferred till the morrow morning so they had that time to consider of their fact and the morning is usually the time of judgement both by men as In the mornings I will suppresse all the wicked of the land Psal. 101. 8. Iudge judgement in the morning Ier. 21. 12. and by God himselfe as Morning by morning doth he bring his judgement to light Zeph. 3. 5. and my rebuke is in the mornings Psal. 73. 14. So in the morning judgement came upon Sodome Gen. 19. 23 24. and the plagues or Egypt Exod. 7. 15. and 8. 20. and 9. 13. and 10. 1â— and the pestilence on Israel 2 Sam. 24. 15. and so shall evill come upon sinners and they shall not know the morning thereof Esai 47. 11. Boker the morning is derived of Baker he inquired or looked out whereupon the Greeke Interpreters reading without vowels translated it The Lord hath looked out and knowne those that are his but the Chaldee saith in the morning theÌ„ the LORD wil make known c. make knowne him or make knowne those that are his so the Greeke translateth knoweth or hath knowne those that are his which very words Paul from this history applieth to Gods knowledge care and love of his Elect whom he sanctifieth and keepeth from falling away as did certaine heretiks in those dayes 2 Tim. 2. 17 18 19 20. This therefore is a speech of faith whereby Moses testifieth his confidence in God who had separated Aaron unto the Priesthood and himselfe unto the government in Israel and would maintaine their cause and calling against all opposers And because these two offices figured the grace given by Christ unto his Elect whom he hath made Kings and Priests even a kingly Priesthood and an holy Nation Revel 1. 6. and 5. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 9. therefore the Apostle in 2 Tim. 2. fitly citeth these words for the comfort of the Saints faithfull ministers of Christ against revolters even as an other Apostle applieth also against such the way of Kain the
errour of Balaam and the contradiction or rebellion of Kore wherein they perish Iude verse 11. The Chaldee translateth it and will make knowne him that is fit for him and who is holâ— or and the holy one that is him whom hee hath sanctified and separated unto the Priests office So David speaking of this rebellion calleth Aaron the holy one or Saint of Iehovah Psal. 106. 16. and he wore on the golden plate this ingraving Holinesâ—e to Iehovah Exod. 28. 36. for he figured our high Priest Christ who was holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners made higher than the heavens Heb. 7. 26. and who glorified not himselfe to be made an high Priest but had the honor given him of his Father Heb. 5. 5 6. and Korahs rebellion against Aaron was a type of mens rebellion against Christ as the Apostles have taught us The Greeke translateth as before plurally saying and the holy ones he hath brought neere unto himselfe cause to come neere or bring neere to wit to minister unto him as the Chaldee interpreteth it And this honor of Priesthood given now unto all Saints who are to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. is commended by David when he saith Blessed is he whom thou choosest and causest to come neere unto thee that he may dwell in thy courts Ps. 65. 5. Which bringing neere or accesse we all have through Christ by one spirit unto the Father with confidence by the faith of him Ephes. 2. 18. and 3. 12. This latter part of the verse is by the Greeke interpreted thus And these whom hee hath not chosen to himselfe he hath not brought neere unto himselfe Verse 6. censers or fire vessels as the Greeke translateth it fire pans whereof see Exod. 27. 3. called sometime incense-vessels because incense was burnt in them 2 Chron. 26. 19. Ezek. 8. 11. which name the Apostle followeth in the Greeke Hebr. 9. 4. Verse 7. put ye fire Hebr. give ye fire and put incense doth choose or shall choose that is declare by manifest signe that hee chooseth and liketh he shall be holy that is shall be declared to be holy and so to be a Priest unto God Because the burning of incense in the censer was the meanes of atonement and expiation before God as after is shewed by Aarons iâ—ct in verse 46 47 48. and was the peculiar worke of the Priest Levit. 16. 12 13. 2 Chron. 26. 18. wherein they that transgressed were in danger of death as the example of Nadab and Abihu sheweth Lev. 10. and it figured in speciall manner the prayers and mediation of Christ for his Church Psal. 141. 2. Rev. 8. 3. 1 Iohn 2. 1. therefore the triall of the Priesthood is put upon this worke rather than on any other sacrifice and the holinesse whereof Korath boasted verse 3. should either be approved or reproved of God For no man hath right to the honour of Priesthood unlesse it be given him of God Hebr. 5. 4 5. nor can without divine authoritie that is without the commandement and promise of God please him or appease his wrath towards himselfe or others Therefore it is a great prerogative and comfort unto all Saints that they are by Christ made Priests unto God and through him may boldly offer up their prayers and praises unto the Father Revel 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Hebr. 13. 15. 1 Iohn 5. 14 16. yee take too much upon you or Let it suffice you that you have thus farre provoked the Lord and now leave off Thus Moses returneth the blame upon themselves which they had unjustly laid upon him in verse 3. So Elias doth upon Achab 1 Kings 18. 17 18. Verse 9. Is it a small thing or Seemeth it too little for you meaning on the contrary that it was a great thing and that they should therewith have beene contented for the Tribe of Levi were in the place of all the first-borne of Israel Num. 3. 41. So here he reproveth their unthankfulnesse to God separated you from the congregation as Israel was separated from all other peoples to be the Lords peculiar Lev. 20. 26. 1 Kings 8. 53. so were the Levites separated from the sonnes of Israel to be the Lords Num. 8. 14. And hereupon the Scripture speaketh of the Levites as distinct from the Israelites 1 Chron. 9. 2. Psal. 135. 19 20. So the Mâ—nisters of Christ are said to be separated unto the Gospell of God Rom. 1. 1. Gal. 1. 15. Acts 13. 2. the service of the Tabernacle the workes belonging to the service of God therein being assistants to the Priests see Num. 8. 11 15 16. and 18. 21. 23. to stand before the congregation standâ—ng is a signe of service and used for it as the Scripture in one place saith which stood before the King Ierem. 52. 112. and in another a servant of the King 2 King 25. 8. Whereupon the standing of the Levites is used for their service in Nehem. 12. 44. and as they were to stand before the Lord to minister unto him Deut. 10. 8. so here it is said to stand before the congregation to minister unto them thus they were servants of God and of his Church as Iosiah said unto them Serve now the Lord your God and his people Israel 2 Chron. 35. 3. See also â—zek 44. 11. Verse 10. the Priesthood in Chaldee the high-Priesthood in Greeke to doe the Priests Office That was in degree above the Levites who were to minister unto the Priests but not to come nigh the Altar as did the Priests Num. 18. 2. 3. For the Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the Tabernacle of the house of God but Aaron and his sonnes offered on the Altar of Burnt-offering and on the Altar of incense and were for all the worke of the most holy place and to make atonement for Israel 1 Chron. 6. 48 49. And Aaron was separated to wit from the other Levites that he should sanctifie the most holy things hee and his sonnes for ever to burne incense before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his Name for ever 1 Chron. 23. 13. To usurpe affect or seeked this office of Priest-hood without the calling of God was a great sinne against divine order and authoritie severely punished here in Korah and his company in King Vzziah 2 Chron. 26. 19. 21. and others Verse 11. against Iehovah because it was against his ordinance and minister it is said to be against the Lord himselfe So when the people refused Samuels government God said They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reigne over them 1 Sam. 87. and Christ said to his ministers He that heareth you heareth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me Luke 10. 16. Iohn 13.
fire were in their hand and they divided themselves into two companies one company went Eastward and another Westward and they searched and went thorow all the court-yard till both companies came to the place where they madâ— the Priests Meat-offering spoken of in Levit. 6. 20. 21. When both sides came thither they said Peace all is peace and they set those that made the Meat-offering to make the same After this order did they every night save the nights of the Sabbath for then they had not fire torches in their hand but searched with the lamps that were lighted there on the evening of the Sabbath Maimony Tom. 3. in Beth habchirah ch 8. no servent wrath any more for transgressing as in former time when servent wrath went out from the Lord Num. 16. 46. See also Num. 8. 19. Vers. 6. I have taken in stead of all the first-born of Israel who otherwise should have ministred unto me see Num 3. 12. and the annotations there a gift for Iehovah or unto Iehovah as the Greeke saith to the Lord the Chaldee before the LORD See Num. 3. 9. 12. and 8. 13 16 19. where they were offered unto the Lord and given unto him and by him given unto Aaron Vers. 7. within the veile not onely the second veile as it is called in Heb. 9. 3. but the first veile within which the Priests went alwayes accomplishing the services Heb. 9. 6. as to burne incense Luk. 1. 9. to trim the lamps Exod. 27. 20 21. to set on the Shew-bread every Sabbath Lev. 24. 8. 9. and the like I have given Hebr. I will givâ— which form of speech noteth a continuance of the gift a service of gift a service freely given you which Sol. Iarchi and Chazkuni explaine thus I have given it unto you by gift that none should say ye are come into it of your selves the stranger any Israelite Levite or whosoever is not of Aarons seed see the notes on Num. 3. 10. Vers. 8. I have given after the office of the Priests and Levites prescribed God here provideth for their maintenance and livelihood which they should have from the people for their service The equitie whereof remaineth perpetuall as the Apostle observeth saying Doe ye not know that they which minister about holy things eat of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. the charge Hebr. the keeping or observation of mine heave-offerings which the Greeke translateth the keeping of my first-fruits in Chaldee the keeping of my separated things They are said to be a charge or keeping because they were carefully to be taken and used holily as gifts from the Lord. Sol. Iarchi explaineth it which thou must keepe in cleannesse or puritie Therefore they are called holy things and were to be eaten some of them in the holy place and by cleane persons onely a sin v. 9 10 11 c. And in the Hebrew Canons it is said It is unlawfull to defile the heave-offering or first-fruits of the land of Israel like as other holy things or to bring it into the estate of uncleannesse but it is to be eaten being cleane and to be burnt if it be uncleane Maimony tom 3. in Trumoth 6. 12. s. 1. of all the holy things or with all the holy things as Chazkuni here explaineth it see the notes on Num. 5. 9. The Greeke translateth of all things sanctified unto me by the sons of Israel for the anointing that is for the office sake whereunto thou art anointed that as thou art consecrated with the holy oile to attend upon mine holy things Lev. 21. 10 12. so thou shalt have mine holy things to keep and live upon Thus anointing is also used in Lev. 7. 35. This is the anointing of Aaron and the anointing of his sons For this cause the nation of the Iewes was cursed with a curse as having robbed God because they kepâ— backe their tithes and offerings which they should have brought into the store-house that there might have beene meat in the house of God for his ministers Mal. 3. 8 9 10. Vers. 9. of the holy of holies Heb. of the holinesse of holinesses that is of the most holy things which the Greeke translateth of the hallowed or sanctified holy things Some oblations in the Sanctuarie are called holy and by the Hebrew Doctors light holy things some holy of holies that is most holy things of which difference see the annotations on Lev. 6. 17. With these he here beginneth which the Priests onely were to eat and that within the Sanctuarie vers 10. then hee proceedeth to the light holy things which the Priests and their families were to eat within the campe and in ages following within the wals of Ierusalem last of all he speaketh of other gifts which were common and might be eaten by any and in any place verse 14. c. from the fire in Chaldee left or remaining from the fire meaning the fire of the Altar where some part of the most holy things were burned to the Lord. every oblation This may be understood â—s the generall and the Meat-offering Sin-offering c. as the particulars thereof or if it be meant of things different it may be referred to those oblations appointed for the Congregation in Levit. 23. 17 20. Thus Iarchi here explaineth it the Peace-offerings of the congregation And there were no Peace-offerings of the Congregation but onely those mentioned in Levit. 23. as is noted on Lev. 4. 14. and 23. 19. But Chazkuni understandeth it of the two loaves in Levit. 23. 17. and of the Shew-bread saying What oblation is this Wee find afterward the Sin-offering to be expressed and after that the Trespasse-offering which were holy of holies If we understand it of the Burnt offering that was not eaten if of the Peace-offerings they were not holy of holies Behold he speaketh not but of the two loaves Levit. 23. and of the Shew-bread Now both these were most holy and for the Priests onely to eat as is shewed on Lev. 23. 20. and 24. 9. Meat-offering the remainder wherof was most holy for the Priests onely to eat in the holy place by the Law in Lev. 6. 16 17. Sin-offering which the Priests were to eat also in the holy place as in Lev. 6. 26. Trespasse-offering which likewise was most holy and for the Priests onely to eat as the Law sheweth in Lev. 7. 16. which they shall render or shall returne shall restore unto me This may be referred to the sacrifice forementioned and by reason of this word reâ—â—â— or restore and for that the Greeke translateth iâ— whatsoever things they shall render to mee it may in speciall be understood of that ram of atonem 〈…〉 which was given for a Trespasse-offering when 〈◊〉 man restored unto the Lord the thing which hee had robbed according
inheritances by the name of Lets as Come up with me into my lot Iudg. 1. 3. And not lands onely but whatsoever befalleth unto men frō the hand of God is called a lot as This is the portion of them that spoile us and the lot of them that rob us Esay 17. 14. and Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter Act. 8. 21. and That they may receive forgivenesse of sins and a lot that is inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith c. Act. 26. 18. The part of the lot that is of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. So that in the Greek used by the Apostles Cleros a lot and Cleronomia a division by lot is the common name of an inheritance 1 Pet. 5. 3. Ephes. 1. 14. 18. Vers. 56. According to the lot Hebr. At or Vpon the mouth of the lot as the lot whereon the name of the tribe or of the inheritance is written shall speake This lot being of the Lord figured the diversities of gifts in the Church which the Spirit of God divideth to every man severally 〈◊〉 will 1 Cor. 12. 4. 11. as also the dispensation of his graces concerning our heavenly inheritance which the Election onely obtaineth that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth Rom. 11. 7. and 9. 11. Vers. 57. of the Levites who though they had no inheritance in the land vers 62. yet were they to have 48 cities and their suburbs for their habitation Num. 35. which also fell unto them by lot Ios. 21. 4. c. Vers. 58. Korachites or Korhites of Korah the sonne of Izhar the sonne of Kohath the sonne of Levi Num. 16. 1. Korah himselfe died in the rebellion but his sonnes died not Num. 26. 11. therefore they are reckoned here for a familie in the fourth generation from Levi which is one degree further than the other families And whereas in Exod. 6. 16. c. there are reckoned of Gershon two sonnes Libni and Shimei here the familie of the Libnites is mustered but Shimei left out There Kohath hath foure sonnes Amram and Ishar and Hebron and Vzziel here Vzziel is omitted neither is Ishar named but in his sonnes the Korhites Vers. 59. she bare to Levi by she understand Levies wise or Iochebeds mother Sol. Iarchi expoundeth it his wise bare her in Egypt she bare to Amram that is Iochebed Amrams wife who was also his aunt bare to Amram Exo. 6. 20. Marie Hebr. Mirjam she was a prophetesse see Exod. 15. 20. Num. 12. 1. Vers. 60. unto Aaron was borne Here Moses children Gershon and Eliezer are againe omitted see the notes on Num. 3. 38. Vers. 61. and Abihu died and they had no sonnes Num. 3. 4. See the historie in Levit. 10. Vers. 62. 23 thousand who at the former numbring were but 22 thousand Num. 3. 39. So they increased in the wildernesse a thousand males Vers. 65. dying they shall die i. they shall surely die this was threatned for their rebellion refusing to go into the promised land Nū 14. and the fulfilling of Gods judgment is here shewed and Iosoua in Greeke Iesus the son of Naue these two survived because they faithfully followed the Lord Num. 14. 24. 38. See the Annotations there In that all the rest were dead save these two it sheweth that all the 600 thousand men now mustered which should conquer Canaan were a valiant company betweene 20 and 60 yeares of age none being above 60 but Caleb and Iosua and as they were in body so in minde being trained up these 38 yeares in the study of the Law and ordinances of God and beholding his workes having Moses and Aaron for their leaders and Gods good spirit for their instructer Neh. 9. 20. CHAP. XXVII 1 The daughters of Zelophehad sue for an inheritance 5 Moses bringeth their cause before the Lord who granteth their request 8 The Law of inheritances when a man dieth without a son 12 Moses is bidden goe up and see the land and is told of his death for his trespasse 15 He requesteth of the Lord that a man may be set governour in his place 18 The Lord appointeth Iosua to succeed him 22 And Moses by imposition of hands ordaineth him to his office THen came the daughters of Zelophehad the sonne of Hepher the son of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasses of the families of Manasses the son of Ioseph and these are the names of his daughters Machlah Noah Hoglah and Milcah and Tirzah And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the Priest and before the Princes and all the congregation at the doore of the Tent of the Congregation saying Our father died in the wildernesse and he was not among the Congregation of them that gathered themselves together against Iehovah in the congregation of Korah but in his sinne he died and hee had no sonnes Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family because he hath no sonne Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father And Moses brought their cause before Iehovah And Iehovah said unto Moses saying The daughters of Zelophehad speake right giving thou shalt give them a possession of an inheritance among the brethren of their father and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to passe unto them And thou shalt speake unto the sonnes of Israel saying If a man die and he have no sonne then ye shall cause his inheritance to passe unto his daughter And if hee have no daughter then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren And if he have no brethren then ye shall give his inheritance unto the brethren of his father And if his father have no brethren then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his familie and he shall inherit it it shal be unto the sonnes of Israel for a statute of judgement as Iehovah commanded Moses And Iehovah said unto Moses Go thou up into this mountaine of Abarim and see the land w ch I have given to the sons of Israel And thou shalt see it and thou also shalt be gathered unto thy peoples as Aaron thy brother was gathered For ye rebelled against my mouth in the wildernesse of Zin in the strife of the congregation to sanctifie me at the water before their eyes that is the water of Meribah of Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin And Moses spake unto Iehovah saying Let Iehovah the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man over the congregation Which may go out before them and which may go in before them and which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the congregation of Iehovah be not as sheep which have no shepherd And Iehovah said unto Moses Take unto thee Iosua the son of Nun a man in whom is the spirit and lay thine hand upon him And cause
promise was fulfilled which Abraham beleeved Gen. 15. 5 6. They were six hundred thousand men besides women and children Exod. 12. 37. Numb 1. see also Deut. 10. 22. Vers. 11. Adde that is increase Moses envied not their multitude but wished them still more as David also did Psal. 115. 14. And the increase of the Church is a speciall blessing fulfilled in Christ as Esay 49. 20 21. and 54. 1 2 3. Vers. 12. Your cumbrance or wearisome molestation trouble as Esay 1. 14. this sheweth the Magistrates office to bee weighty and laborious And by your cumbrance understand the cumbrance that commeth unto me by you For when a people is increased the care and trouble of their Governours is increased also 1 King 3 8 9. 2 Cor. 11. 28. Vers. 13. Give yee of your owne looking out and choise So Ministers were lookt out and presented by the people Act. 1. 15 23. and 6. 3 5 6. In Ex. 18. 25. it is said Moses chose men of abilitie c. Here the people gave them and after in v. 15. Againe Moses gave that is made them heads for when things are done by many under the government of one principall they are said to be done by them or by him See the Annotations on Num. 21. 21. understanding or prudent the Greeke translateth skilfull or indued with knowledge which word the Apostle useth Iam. 3. 13. knowne or expert as the word signifieth in Esay 53. 3. This latter the Greeke favoureth here and in v. 15. Compare Exod. 18. 21. where the qualities of Rulers are set downe Hends that is Captaines Governours or Leaders as the Greeke here translateth and in v. 15. and c. 5. v. 23. and often otherwhere Vers. 15. and gave them that is set them made them or constituted them as the Greeke and Chaldee versions explaine it So hee hath given thee over them for king 2 Chron. 9. 8. is expounded hee hath set or constituted thee King 1 King 10. 9. Officers in Hebrew Shotrim they were such as executed the Magistrates lawes as the Hebrews thinke see the notes on Deut. 16. 18. among or to your Tribes The Greeke translateth it to your Iudges which seemeth to bee a mistaking Shophte for Shibte although even in the Hebrew text wee may see one of these put for another as Iudges in 1 Chron. 17. 6. which in 2 Sam. 7. 7. is Tribes Verse 16. Heare betweene your brethren to wit the causes and controversies betweene them Hebr. To heare which phrase is often used in commandements as is noted on Exod. 13. 3. and it may be a defective speech for hearing heare yee that is heare diligently judge justice that is just and righteous judgment which is opposed unto judging according to the appearance Ioh. 7. 24. his stranger that is the stranger that is with him or contendeth with him as hee that eateth my bread Psal. 41. 10. that is which eateth bread with me Ioh. 13. 18. Verse 17. respect persons or acknowledge faces either by honouring the person of the mightie or by countenancing a poore man in his cause Levit. 19. 15. Exod. 23. 3. Salomon noteth this as one of the things belonging to the wise that it is not good to acknowledge faces or respect persons in judgment Prov. 24. 23. alike the small c. that is the small as well as the great and the great as well as the small Hebr. like small like great It implyeth both persons and causes of man or of any man that is Gods or of God and belonging to him appointed by his Law So in 2 Chron. 19. 6. Yee judge not for man but for the LORD And a like phrase is in another case The battell is not yours but Gods 2 Chron. 20. 15. the cause or the word the matter See Exod. 18. 22. Verse 18. all the things Hebr. all the words Thus Moses faithfully taught the Iudges and people all their duties and they had a perfect law So Christ who was faithfull to him that appointed him as Moses was Heb. 3. 2. made knowne to his Disciples all things that he had heard of his father Ioh. 15. 15. which they should teach also his people to observe Mat. 28. 20. Verse 19. journied or departed Here Moses sheweth the obedience which they began to shew unto God in leaving the mount of God the place which might seeme sanctified and where men might have said Lord it is good for us to bee here as Mat. 17. 4. great for it bordered upon many countries Madian Edom Moab c. and fearefull for the many troubles and terrours in it Num. 11. 1. c. it was a land of desarts and of pits a land of drought and of the shadow of death a land that no man passed thorow and where no man dwelt Ier. 2. 6. wherein were fiery serpents and scorpions Deut. 8. 15. It was the wildernesse of Pharan Num. 10. 12. and 13. 1. where Ismael dwelt when his mother Agar and hee had lost themselves in wandring after that they were cast out of Abrahams house Gen. 21. 21. It figured the estate and dominion of the law thorow which Gods people passe with many wants sinnes terrours and stings of conscience c. Compare Psal. 63. 2. and 32. 4. and 107. 4 5. and the healing of all these spirituall defects by the Gospell Esa. 40. 3 4. Mark 16. 18. of the mount that is which leadeth to the mount of the Amorites a people high as Cedars strong as Okes Amos 2. 9 10. Kadesh Barnea called sometime Kadesh onely it was in the wildernesse of Pharan Num. 13. 26. Verse 21. discouraged or cast downe broken which word when it is applied to the minde signifieth discouragement through feare Here Moses shewed them the right that they had in the promises of God the ability which they had in him to obtaine them and his commandement to take their inheritance set before them Verse 23. was good that is pleased or liked me well because it was approved or at least permitted of the Lord Num. 13. 2 3. For prudent policie so it bee not mixed with unbeleefe doth well beseeme us in the execution of Gods commandements So Iosua sendeth spies and useth other stratagems Ios. 2. c. one man of a tribe or for a tribe of every tribe one See Num. 13. 2 4. c. where their names are set downe and the charge given them Verse 24. Eshcol that is the Cluster of grapes whereof the place had the name Num. 13. 25. Verse 25. the fruit as grapes pomegranates figs Num. 13. 23. a good land flowing with milke 〈…〉 ney Num. 13. 27. Verse 26. rebelled in Greeke disobeyed properly it signifieth turned or changed as in Ezek. 5. 6. which figuratively is used for rebellion or disobedience whereby Gods word is as it were changed and disanulled the mouth that is the word as the Greeke translateth So Exod. 17. 1. Gen. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after here in vers 43. Of their
presence or Majestie Vers. 12. and thou shalt and may here imply the reason therefore thou shalt observe For they came out of Egypt to keepe a feast to the Lord in the wildernesse Exod. 5. 1 3. which they kept at mount Sinai where the Law was given at this time of Pentecost or of Weekes Exod. 19. 1. 11. and 24. 5. 11. In memoriall whereof this day was kept holy every yeere And when they were come into Canaan they brought two loaves of the first-fruits of their wheat harvest with many sacrifices unto them adjoyned Lev. 23. 17. 20. which increased the solemnity Last of all the Law of Christ was given by the Spirit in fiery tongues to his Apostles on this festivall day Act. 2. Vers. 13. Boothes or Tabernacles made with the boughes of trees Lev. 23. 34 40. See the Annotations there of thy floore and of thy winepresse that is thy fruits the corne which is threshed in the floore and the wine pressed out of the fat therfore it is called the feast of ingathering in the going out of the yeere when thou gatherest in thy labours out of the field Exod. 23. 16. Ver. 14. rejoyce in thy feast this is meant both of inward joy for the mercies of God past present to come by Christ and of outward manifestation of their joy by sacrifices of thanksgiving unto God and holy banquetting with the poore and ministers of the Lord as after he commandeth Verse 15. keepe a feast by offering of sacrifices in thankfulnesse to God for his blessings upon them and their land surely joyfull or onely joyfull with spirituall mirth serving the Lord. So the Apostle saith Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies againe I say rejoyce Phil. 4. 4. Vers. 16. Three times the times before and after mentioned the Passeover or vnleavened cakes the Feast of Weekes or Pentecost and the Feast of Boothes or Tabernacles see Exod. 23. 14. 17. and 34. 22 23. Of the speciall sacrifices of these Feasts see Levit. 23. and Numb 28. and 29. chapt he shall not appeare that is no man of Israel the Greeke saith as before thou shalt not appeare in Exod. 23. 15. it was said they shall not appeare before me emptie Thus here are three things required appearing keeping a feast vers 15. and rejoycing vers 14. every of which implied a sacrifice as is noted on Exod. 23. 15. Vers. 17. according to the gift of his hand that is Let every man appeare with a gift or oblation as he is willing and his hand can give which the Greeke explaineth Every one according to the ability of your hands Here beginneth the 48. section 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Law See Genes 6. 9. and 28. 10. Vers. 18. Iudges and Officers in Chaldee Iudges and Avengers These were to judge causes and to execute the judgements the Officers are called in Hebrew Shotrim in Greeke Grammateis and Grammatoeisagogeis that is Scribes and as Hierom calleth them in Latine Masters Their worke was to speake and proclaime unto the people what they ought to doe Deut. 20. 5. 9. Ios. 1. 10 11. and 3. 2 3. and as the Hebrewes generally hold to see good orders kept lawes executed malefactors punished and the like Therefore they carried rods and weapons to execute justice as Praetors and Lictors in the ancient Romane Common-wealth and as Sheriffes and Constables in England There were both Iudges and Officers of all tribes and of the Levites 1 Chron. 23. 4. The Officers Shotrim had staves and whips and they stood before the Iudges and went about in the streets and into shops for to looke to right weights and measures and to smite all that did wrong and all that they did was by the mouth or commandement of the Iudges And in whomsoever they saw any foule matter they brought him to the Iudgement Hall where he was judged according to his wickednesse Maimony in Sanhedrin cha 1. sect 1. shalt thou give that is shalt make or constitute as the Greeke translateth The manner of making them is shewed in Deut. 1. 13 15. and what manner of persons were to be chosen is declared on Exod. 18. 21. thy gates the Greeke and Chaldee expound it thy cities But according to the bignesse of every citie so they appointed in Israel Courts of judgement the Hebrewes reckon three 1 The great Court in the Sanctuary called the great Synedrion where they set seventy Iudges and one as in Numb 11. 16. c. where seventy were added unto Moses 2 The Court of three and twenty of which they say there were two about the Temple the one at the Court-doore of the Sanctuary and the other at the doore of the mountaine of the Temple And in every citie of Israel wherein were 120. men or moe the lesser Synedrion of 23. sate in the gate of the citie 3 A citie wherein there were not 120. men they set therein three Iudges for there is no Court of lesse than three as Maimony sheweth in Sanhedrin ch 1. sect 3 4. giveth unto thee so within their owne Land Israel had this charge but not without the same as when they were dispersed into other nations Wee are not bound say they to constitute Iudgement Hâ—lls or Courts in every countrey and in everie citie but in the land of Israel onely c. as it is said in all thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth unto thee Maimony in Sanhedrin chap. 1. sect 2. judgement of justice that is as the Greeke translateth it just judgement which is when there is an equall and indifferent course of proceeding when the truth of the cause is discerned and when judgment passeth according to the Law Psal. 82. and 58. 2 3. So Christ saith Iudge not according to the appearance but judge just judgement Ioh. 7. 24. The Hebrewes say that the justice of judgement is an equality towards both parties in every matter that they let not the one speake so much as he seeth needfull and say to the other Be briefe in your speech and that they shew not a friendly countenance to the one and speake gently to him and frowne upon the other and speake roughly unto him That the one doe not sit and the other stand but both of them stand or if the Iudges please that they both sit and that the one sit not on high and the other below but one besides another It is unlawfull for the Iudge to heare the words of one of the parties before his fellow be come or out of the presence of his fellow and so the one partie is to be admonished that he relate not his cause to the Iudge before his fellow the other party be come c. Maim in Sanhedrin ch 21. Vers. 19. not wrest judgement not decline or pervert turne aside judgement not give wrong judgement for any cause as did Samuels sonnes who turned aside after lucre and tooke bribes and wrested or perverted judgement 1 Sam. 8. 3. See Deut. 24. 17. respect persons or
just one and the wicked one and him that loveth violent wrong his soule doth hate He will raine upon the wicked snares fire and brimstone and wind of burning stormes shall bee the portion of their cup. For just Iehovah hee loveth justices his face will view the righteous Annotations A Psalme of David I this word Psalme wanting in the Hebrew is supplied in the Greeke So in Psal. 14. and 25. and 26. and 27. and many other See the note on Psal. 10. 10. flee or flit In the Hebrew there is a double reading flee thou and flee yee meaning David in speciall and his retinew with him to your mount or from your mount but the Greeke and Chaldee supplieth the word to In mounts rockes and caves David hid himselfe from Sauls persecution 1 Sam. 23. 14. and 24. 3 4. as a bird This noteth his danger who was hunted as a partrich on the mountaines 1 Sam. 26. 20. and his feare as in Isa. 16. 2. Hereupon is that proverb As a bird fleeing from her nest so is a man fleeing from his place Prov. 27. 8. Vers. 3. For the foundations or the things set up The originall word Shathoth signifieth things orderly set and disposed and may be applied to many things as in buildings to the foundation in hunting unto nets or snares in the common-wealth unto constitutions or positive lawes in warres unto engins or leagers as Psal. 3. 7. in the minde of man unto purposes plots deliberations in religion unto faith which is the foundation and beginning of the hypostasis or the hypostasis that is the subsistence and expectation of things hoped for Hebr. 3. 14. and 11. 1. According to all or most of these may this sentence be applied either to the plots purposes snares set for Davids ruine but pulled downe by the Lord or to Sauls estate and kingdome which seemed setled but by the Lord was overthrowne or to Davids estate and faith which the enemies boasted to be come to nought The Greeke version of the Lxx. translateth thus for the things that thou hast perfected they have destroyed are cast downe or shall be broken downe destroyed The Chaldee giveth this interpretation For if the foundations be destroyed why doth the just doe innocency Vers. 4. Palace of his holinesse or his holy palace or Temple which here may be taken for very heaven as also in Hab. 2. 20. for the holy places made with hands were antitypes or answerable similitudes of the true Sanctuary Hebr. 9. 24. Vers. 5. prove the just or trie them by the persecution of the wicked as well as by other afflictions Psal. 66. 10 11 12. his soule that is Gods soule doth hate This is attributed to God after the manner of men as he is also said to have eies hands eares c. So Levit. 26. 11. my soule shall not loath you Vers. 6. snares hereby is often meant in Scripture strange sudden and inevitable judgements Iob 22. 10. and 18 9 10. Isa. 8. 14. and 24. 17 18. The Chaldee expounds it He will send downe the raine of vengeance on the wicked that breathe fire c. fire and brimstone such was the wrath that fell on Sodome and the cities by it Gen. 19. 24. and was threatned unto Gog Ezek. 38. 22. and figureth the vengeance of eternall fire Iude 7. Rev. 20. 10. wind of burning stormes or of blasting tempests that is a horrible blasting whirlewind David felt such from his persecutors Psalm 119. 53. and here they feele such from God for persecuting him Ieremie applieth this word to the burning storme of hunger Lam. 5. 10. but it is properly a hideous burning tempest rushing out of the darksome cloud such as the Evangelist calleth â—â—emos tuphonicos a smouldry burning wind named in Greeke Euroclydon Act. 27. 14. the portion of their cup that is the due measure of their punishment See Psal. 75. 9 and 16. 5. Vers. 7. loveth justices that is all manner justice both to punish the evill and preserve the good both just causes and persons his face or their faces in mystery of the holy Trinity as often in the Scripture See Psal. 149. 2. The Hebrew here may be Englished the face the aspects of them or of him See the note on Psal. 2. 3. will view the righteous usually vieweth the right And this noteth the manifesting of Gods care and fauour towards the righteous both cause and person The Greeke translateth His face seeth righteousnesses the Chaldee thus The just shall see the sight of his face PSAL. XII David destitute of humane comfort craveth helpe of God 4 He comforteth himselfe with Gods judgements on the wicked and confidence in Gods tried promises To the Master of the Musicke upon the eight a Psalme of David SAve O Iehovah for the gracious Saint is ended for the faithful are diminished from the sons of Adam They speake false vanitie each man with his next friend with lip of flatteries with a heart and a heart they speake Iehovah cut off all lips of flatteries the tongue that speaketh great things Which have said with our tongue we will prevaile our lips are with us who is Lord over us For the wasteful spoile of the poore afflicted for the groning of the needie ones now will I rise up saith Iehovah I will set in salvation he shall have breathing The sayings of Iehovah are pure sayings as silver tried in a subliming furnace of earth fined seven times Thou Iehovah wilt keepe them wilt preserve him from this generation for ever The wicked walke on every side when vilenesse is exalted of the sonnes of Adam Annotations Vers. 1. upon the eight which the Chaldee expoundeth upon the eight stringed harpe See Psal. 6. 1. SAve or helpe This word is largely used for all manner saving helping delivering preserving c. as to helpe or defend from injurie Exod. 2. 17. 2 King 6. 26 27. to deliver from all adversities Psal. 34. 7. as from sicknesse Mat. 9. 21. Mark 6. 56. from drowning Mat. 8. 25. from shipwracke Act. 27. 31. from hands of enemies Psal. 18. 4. Iude 5. from sinne Mat. 1. 21. from death Mat. 27. 40. from wrath Rom. 5. 9. and infinite the like And is not onely a helping in trouble but a riddance out of it as one Evangelist saith Let us see if Elias will come and save him Mat. 27. 49. another saith if Elias will come and take him downe Mark 15. 36. the faithfull are diminished or faiths fidelities are ceased The originall word is used both for true and faithfull persons 2 Sam. 20. 19. and for truths or fidelities Esay 26. 2. The Greeke translateth the truths Vers. 3. false vanity or vaine falshood in Greeke vaine things This word shav noteth vanity both of words and deeds Exod. 20. 7. Ier. 2. 30. and often that which is also false Exo. 23. 1. as that which Moses in Exod. 20. 16. calleth witnesse of falshood Sheker relating it he calleth false vanity Shav Deut. 5.
raise up themselves with thy right hand Keepe thou me as the blacke of the apple of the eye in the shadow of thy wings hide thou me From faces of the wicked that waste me my enemies in soule that inviron round against mee With their fat they have closed up with their mouth they speake in pride In our steps now they compasse us their eyes they set bending downe into the earth His likenesse is as a renting Lion that is greedy to teare and as a lurking Lion sitting in secret places Rise up Iehovah prevent thou his face make him bow downe deliver my soule from the wicked one with thy sword From mortall men with thine hand Iehovah from mortall men of the transitory world who have their part in this life and their belly thou fillest with thine hid treasure satisfied are the sons and they lay up their overplus for their babes I in justice shall view thy face shall be satisfied when I awake with thine image Annotations IVstice that is my justice as the Greeke explaineth it my just cause and complaint The Chaldee saith accept Lord my prayer in justice shrill crie or showting that is loud complaint See Psalm 5. 12. without lips or not with lips of deceit that is which prayer is unfained not uttered with guile Vers. 2. come forth or proceed that is let my judgement be clearly pronounced and executed Therfore in Hos. 6. 5. he addeth the similitude of the light or Sunne righteousnesses or equities this is all righteous causes and persons or my most righteous cause Vers. 3. hast tried or examined me to wit as metall in the fire So Psal. 66. 10. hast not found or shalt not at all finde to wit any drosse or deceit or as the Chaldee addeth corruption The Greeke translateth iniquitie was not found in me shall not transgresse or transgresseth not that is I purposed not to transgresse with my mouth by murmuring against thy fiery triall of me or that which I purposed my mouth transgresseth not but my thoughts and words agree The Chaldee thus I have thought evill it hath not passed my mouth Vers. 4. For the workes or concerning the workes of men Adam is here used for all earthly men have observed or taken heed of to wit lest they should hart me or that I should not walke in them as the next verse sheweth otherwise sometime to observe waies is to walke in them Psalm 18. 22. the breaker thorow that is the robber or theefe as this word is expounded in Greeke Mat. 21. 13. from Ier. 7. 11. one that breaketh bounds or limits houses hedges lawes c. So Ezek. 18. 10. Vers. 5. Sustaine Hold up or containe this is spoken prayer wise to God as the next verse manifesteth The Greeke turneth it Make perfect It may also be read Sustaining or To sustaine and so have reference to the former verse I observed the robbers paths not to walke in them but to sustain or sustaining holding fast my steps in thy paths The Hebrew Tamoch may be Englished Sustaine thou as Zachor is remember thou Exod. 20. 8. Shamor observe thou Deut. 5. 12. Haloc is Goe thou 2 Sam. 24. 12. for which in 1 Chron. 21. 10. is written Lec Goe thou my steps or my steppings forward my right-forth steps So Psal. 37. 31. and 40. 3. beaten paths or round paths properly the word signifieth paths beaten with wagon wheeles here used generally for strait direct and beaten waies So Psal. 23. 3. and 65. 12. and 140. 6. Vers. 7. marvellously separate or make marvellous that is in wondrous and excellent sort shew mee thy mercies which are common unto all let them now peculiarly be bestowed on mee See Psal. 4. 4. The Greeke saith Make marvellous When Christ commeth hee will be made marvellous in them that beleeve 2 Thess. 1. 10. hope for safety or trust to wit in thee as the Greeke explaineth it or in thy right hand as is after expressed God is Saviour of all men specially of them that beleeve 1 Tim. 4. 10. with thy right hand this seemeth to have reference to the first O Saviour or thou which savest with thy right hand as Psal. 138. 7. and 60. 7. It may also be referred to the second them that hope in thy right hand or to the last them that raise up themselves against thy right hand And thus the Greeke turneth it But the Chaldee otherwise Avenge them on those which rise up against them with thy right hand Vers. 8. the blacke that is the sight in the middest of the eye wherein appeareth the resemblance of a little man and thereupon seemeth to be called in Hebrew Ishon of Ish which is a man And as that part is blackish so this word is also used for other blacke things as the blacknesse of the night Prov. 7. 9. and blacknesse of darknesse Prov. 20. 20. of the apple so we call that which the Hebrew here calleth bath and in Zach. 2. 8. babath that is the little image appearing in the eye as before is noted The word bath also signifieth a daughter whereto the Greeke coree doth agree By this is meant the tender care of God for his people and David here useth both words for more vehemencie whereas else-where one of them only is used Ishoâ— the black in Deut. 32. 10. Prov. 7. 2. babath and bath the apple in Zach. 2. 8. Lam. 2. 18. hide thou me Heb. thou shalt hide or keepe me secret It is the property of the Hebrew tongue often to set downe a prayer in this forme especially in the end of a sentence as noting some assurance to have the request fulfilled So in Psal. 54. 3. and 59. 2. and 64. 2. Iob 6. 23. and 21. 3. and 40. 5. See also the note on Psal. 10. 17. Vers. 9. from faces or because of the wicked See Psal. 3. 1. enemies in soule or for the soule meaning deadly enemies that seeke the soule or life See Psal. 35 4. The Chaldee expoundeth it in the will or desire of their soule Vers. 10. They have closed up to wit their face or body much like that speech in Iob 15. 27. hee hath covered his face with his fatnesse or their fat they close up meaning that they pamper and harden themselves in pride that is proudly or haughtily Vers. 11. In our steps or in our going that is wheresoever we goe they trace our footing they composse me and us the Hebrew hath both these readings meaning David with his company they set to wit upon us bending downe to wit themselves that they be not espied as Psal. 10. 10. or to bend downe to wit us to overshrow us or to set downe their nets and snares Vers. 12. His likenesse that is the likenesse or â—iew of every one of them or he may meane some one principall as Saul Vers. 13. prevent his face that is first come to helpe me and suddenly and unlookt for come upon him and disappoint him with thy sword