Prisoners and either used as Slaves or sold them for such 22 For there fell down many slain because the war was of God r God put them upon it and mightily assisted them in it And they s i. e. That Party of these Tribes which went out to this War being 44760 men or part of them by the consent of the rest dwelt in their steads until the captivity t Of which 2 Kings 15. 29. and 17. 6. 23 And the children of the half-tribe of Manasseh u Having discoursed of the Reubenites v. 3 c. and next of the Gadites v. 11 c. he now comes to the Manassites dwelt in the land x i. e. In their Land to wit in the Northern part of the land beyond Iordan they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir and unto mount Hermon 24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers even Epher and Ishi and Eliel and Azriel and Jeremiah and Hodaviah and Jahdiel mighty men of valour †Heb. as 〈◊〉 famous men and heads of the house of their fathers 25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers and went a * 〈…〉 whoring after the gods of the people of the land whom God destroyed before them 26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit y He so governed his Counsels and Affections that he should bring his Forces against this People rather than others of * 〈…〉 Pul king of Assyria and the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria and he carried them away even the Reubenite and the Gadite and the half-tribe of Manasseh and brought them unto * 〈…〉 Halah and Habor and Hara and to the river Gozan z Of which places see 2 King 15. 17. unto this day CHAP. VI. 1 THe sons of Levi * 〈…〉 ‖ 〈…〉 Gershon Kohath and Merari 2 And the sons of Kohath Amram Izhar a Called also Amminadab v. 22. compare Exod. 6. 21. and Hebron and Uzziel 3 And the children of Amram Aaron and Moses and Miriam The sons also of Aaron * 〈…〉 Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 4 Eleazar begat Phinehas and Phinehas begat Abishua 5 And Abishua begat Bukki and Bukki begat Uzzi b In whose days it is supposed that the High-Priesthood was translated from Eleazars Family to Ithamars for some Cause now unknown in whose Line it continued for some Successions 6 And Uzzi begat Zerahiah and Zerahiah begat Merajoth 7 Merajoth begat Amariah and Amariah begat Ahitub 8 And * 2 Sam. â—… 1â—… Ahitub begat Zadok and * 2 Sam. 1â—… 〈◊〉 Zadok begat Ahimaaz 9 And Ahimaaz begat Azariah and Azariah begat Johanan 10 And Johanan begat Azariah * 〈…〉 he it is that executed the priests office c So did all the rest but it is implied that he did it worthily he filled his place and valiantly discharged his Office in Uzziahs time of which see 2 Chron. 26. 17 c. Or this he may relate to Iohanan otherwise called Iehojadaâ—… who is so highly commended for the good Service which he did to the House of God and of the King of whom see 2 Kings 11. †Heb. iâ—… the house in the * 〈…〉 temple that Solomon built d In Solomons Temple so called to distinguish it from the second Temple which was built or in building when these Books were written in Jerusalem 11 And * 〈…〉 Azariah begat Amariah and Amariah begat Ahitub 12 And Ahitub begat Zadok and Zadok begat ‖ 〈…〉 Shallum 13 And Shallum begat Hilkiah and Hilkiah begat Azariah 14 And Azariah begat * 〈…〉 Serajah e Who was slain by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah 2 Kings 25. 18 21. and Serajah begat Jehozadak 15 And Jehozadak went into captivity * 〈…〉 when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar 16 The sons of Levi * 〈◊〉 6. 16. ‖ 〈…〉 Gershom Kohath and Merari f This he repeats as the Foundation of the following Genealogy of those Levites who were not Priests 17 And these be the names of the sons of Gershon Libni and Shimei 18 And the sons of Kohath were Amram and Izkar and Hebron and Uzziel 19 The sons of Merari Mahli and Mushi And these are the families of the Levites according to their fathers g Who are distinguished and named from their Fathers And the following Catalogue is thought to contain the successive Heads or Chiefs of their several Families until the Times of David by whom they were distributed into several Ranks or Courses 20 Of Gershom Libni his son Jahath his son * 〈…〉 Zimmah his son h i. e. His Grandson by his Son Shimei as appears from v. 42 43. the Names of Father and Son being oft used in Scripture of more remote Progenitors or Successors 21 ‖ 〈…〉 Joah his son ‖ 〈…〉 Iddo his son Zerah his son Jeaterai his son 22 The sons of Kohath ‖ 〈…〉 Amminadab his son Korah his son Assir his son 23 Elkanah his son and Ebiasaph his son and Affiâ—… his son 24 Tahath his son ‖ 〈…〉 Uriel i Called also Zephaniah v. 36. where also Uzziah here following is called Azariah his son ‖ Uzziah his son and ‖ 〈…〉 Shaul his son 25 And the sons of Elkanah k The Son of that Korah mentioned above v. 22. as is manifest by v. 35 36 37. and by Exod. 6. 23 24. * See 〈◊〉 35 1 Amasai and Abimoth 26 As for Elkanah l This was another Elkanah Son or Grandson of the former Elkanah and either the Son or Brother of Ahimoth last mentioned or of Amasai the sons of Elkanah ‖ 〈…〉 Zophai his son and Nahath m Called also Toah v. 34. and Tohu 1 Sam. 1. 1. his son 27 * 〈…〉 Eliab his son Jeroham his son Elkanali n The Father of the Prophet Samuel 1 Sam. 1. 1. who therefore follows here his son 28 And the sons of Samuel the first-born ‖ 〈◊〉 also 〈◊〉 ver 33. â—…am 8. 2. Vashni and Abiah 29 The sons of Merari Mahly Libni his son Shimei his son Uzza his son 30 Shimea his son Haggiah his son Asajah his son 31 And these o Whose Names here follow are they whom David set over the ‖ Heb. 〈◊〉 service p Heb. the Hands Hand put for 〈◊〉 or Service which is commonly performed by the Hand Thus God is frequently said to speak or command things by the Hand i. e. the Ministery of Moses Compare 2 Chron. 29. 27. of song in the house of the LORD after that the 〈◊〉 16. 1. ark had rest q Which was in Davids Time 2 Sam. 6. 17. 32 And they ministred before the dwelling-place of the tabernacle r Or the Tabernacle of the Tent as the same Hebrew words are translated Exod. 39. 32. 40 2
been made twenty years before it For that verse is added there out of its proper place onely to compleat the Genealogy and therefore after this narration it is repeated here in its due order ver 10. And such Hysteron Proterons are frequently noted in Scripture 4. There were Giants s Men so called partly from their high stature but principally for their great strength and force whereby they oppressed and tyrannized over others For this is mentioned as another sin and cause of the Flood and therefore they seem to be here noted not for the height of their stature which is no crime but for their violence which also is expressed beneath ver 11 13. in the Earth in those days And also after that t After that time there arose a new Generation or succession of that sort of men when the Sons of God came in unto the Daughters of men u Were united and incorporated with them A modest expression of the Conjugal state and act as Gen. 16. 2. and 35. 3. Iud. 15. 2. and they bare Children to them the same became mighty men which were of old x Which were proper to the first ages of the World For the succeeding Generations were generally less in stature and strength of Body and therefore not so famous for personal exploits Or these words may be thus joyned with the following Which were of old i. e. among the men of that first and wicked World men of Renown i. e. famous in their Generation when indeed they should have been infamous for the abuse of their stature and strength to Tyranny and Cruelty men of †Heb. Naâ—… Renown 5. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that ‖ Or the whole imagination The Hebrew word signifieth not only the imagination but also the purposes and desires every imagination of the thoughts of his * Chap. 8. 21. Matth. 25. 11. heart y To which the Scripture commonly ascribes all mens actual wickedness as Psal. 41. 6. Prov. 4. 23. and 6. 14 18. Ier. 17. 9. Matth. 15. 19. Rom. 3. 10. c. Thereby leading us from acts of sin to the original corruption of nature as the cause and source of them was only evil †Heb. every day continually a i. e. That man was perpetually either doing or contriving wickedness that not only his actions were vile but his principles also his very soul yea the noblest part of it which might seem most free from the contagion his Mind and Thoughts were corrupt and abominable and so there was no hopes of amendment 6. And it repented the LORD b Properly God cannot Repent Numbers 23. 19. 1 Samuel 15. 11 29. because he is unchangeable in his nature and counsels Mal. 3. 6. Iam. 1. 17. and perfectly wise and constantly happy and therefore not liable to any grief or disappointment But this is spoken of God after the manner of man by a common figure called Anthropopathia whereby also eyes ears hands nose c. are ascribed to God and it signifies an alienation of Gods Heart and Affections from men for their wickedness whereby God carries himself towards them like one that is truly penitent and grieved destroying the work of his own hands that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him at his Heart c Or at his very Soul i. e. exceedingly 7. And the LORD said I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the Earth †Heb. from man unto beast both Man and Beast d For as the Beasts were made for mans use and service so they are destroyed for mans punishment and to discover the malignity of sin and Gods deep abhorrency thereof by destroying those innocent Creatures that had been made instrumental to it and the creeping thing and the Fowls of the Air For it repenteth me that I have made them 8. But Noah found grace e i. e. Obtained Mercy and Favour which is noted to shew that Noah was so far guilty of the common corruption of humane nature that he needed Gods Grace and Mercy to pardon and preserve him from the common destruction in the Eyes of the LORD 9. These are the Generations of Noah f Either 1. Properly the posterity of Noah as the word is commonly used and as it is explained ver 10. So the rest of this verse comes in by way of parenthesis which is frequent Or 〈◊〉 The events or occurrences which befel Noah and his Family as the word is taken Gen. 37. 2. Prov. 27. 1. * Ezek. 14. 14 20. 2 Pet. 2. 5. Noah was a just man and ‖ Or upright perfect h These words are to be taken either 1. Jointly q. d. he was Righteous not only in appearance or in part but perfectly in all respects towards God and Men or sincerely and truly Or 2. Distinctly q. d. he was for his state and condition just before God which was by Faith Heb. 11. 7. by which every just man lives Rom. 1. 17. and perfect i. e. upright and unblameable in the course of his life among the Men of his age as it follows in his Generations i This is spoken either 1. Diminutively he was so comparatively to the men that then lived who were very bad though otherwise even Noah had many infirmities so that he also had not been saved but for Gods Grace and Mercy v. 8. Or 2. By way of amplification and commendation He was good in bad times in spight of all evil Counsels or Examples He saith Generations in the plural number to shew that as he lived in two Generations one before the Flood and another after it so he continued uncorrupted in both of them and Noah walked with God k See on Gen. 5. 24. 10. And Noah begat three Sons Shem Ham and Iapheth l See the note on Gen. 5. 32. 11. The Earth m Which is here put for its inhabitants as â—… King 10. 24. Ezek. 14. 13. also was corrupt before God n Or Before the face of God q. d. in despight and contempt of God and of his presence and justice Compare Gen. 10. 9. and 13. 13. q. d. They sinned openly and impudently without shame boldly and resolutely without any fear of God and the Earth o Here put for the place or the inhabited parts of it So the same word is twice used in a differing sense in one and the same verse See the like Matth. 8. 22. was filled with violence p Or Injustice Fraud Rapine Oppression For all these this word signifies Some conceive that these two branches note the universal corruption of mankind in reference to all their duties 1. Towards God and his Worship which they corrupted by horrible superstition and by Idolatry which is called Corruption Exod. 32. 7. Deut. 32. 5. Iâ—…d 2. 19. 2 Chron. 27. 28. 2. Towards men in the
But because God is the Author and Fountain of all the good that man either doth or receiveth therefore the blessing is emphatically given to God who only doth the work and of right is to receive all the glory yet so as it redounds to Shem also And Shem is here peculiarly mentioned not Iapheth both for the comfort of the Israelites whose Progenitor he was and because this blessing was first seated and long continued in Shems Posterity alone Iapheths Posterity being for a long time excluded from it and because the Lord Christ who is often called the Lord and God in Scripture did take Flesh from Shem and so the Incarnation of Christ may be here foretold and Shem highly honoured and blessed in this that he should be the Father of Christ according to the Flesh Rom. 9. 5. Answ. 2. This may be a short and abrupt manner of speech which is frequent in the Hebrew Tongue and it may signifie that Shem should be so eminently blessed that men beholding it should be wrapt up into admiration and break forth into the praises of that God who gave such gifts unto men and did so great things for Sâ—…m Answ. 3. The words may be otherwise rendred either thus bâ—…essed O Lord God let Shem be i. e. Do thou bless him So it is only the construct form Elohe for the absolute Elohim which is not unusual in Scripture or thus Blessed of the Lord God be Shem or shall Shem be So here is only a defect of the Hebrew particle min which is oft wanting and Canaan shall be †Heb. Servant to them his Servant 27. God shall ‖ Or perswade enlarge Iapheth q Or Enlarge to Iapheth understand here his place as Gen. 26. 22. Psal. 4. 1. or his border Which was very literally made good to him because he had a very numerous Posterity and by them he possessed the largest part of the World even all Europe a great part of Asia and as it is probable America also Or God shall perswade Iapheth to do what follows to dwell in Shems Tents where God dwelleth and so to be re-united to his Brother Shem both in affection and in Religion in both which the Gentiles the greatest part of whom were Iapheths Posterity were for a long time at an irreconcileable distance from the Jews and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem r i. e. Shall be of the same Church with Shem i. e. of the Church which is called in Scripture the Tents or Tabernacles of Iudah or of Iacob or in general of the Saints Zach. 12. 7. Mal 2. 12. Revel 20. 9. and here of Shem in whose Posterity the Church was first and longest settled And to dwell with another notes friendly association and communion with him as when God is said to dwell with men And when the Wolf is said to dwell with the Lamb Isa. 11. 6. Possibly this may note Iapheths Succession into Shems Tents or coming into their place and stead or the calling of the Gentiles together with the rejection of Jews as the Reubenites are said to dwell in the Tabernacles of the Hagarens whom they subdued and expelled 1 Chron 5. 10. and Canaan shall be †Heb. servant to them his Servant s This was eminently accomplished For though Shem and Iapheth in their Posterity did successively conquer and rule one over the other yet none of Hams Posterity did ever bear rule over Iapheth but Ham though for a time he bore sway in his Son Nimrod yet that dominion soon expired and the Assrrians Chaldeans Grecians and Romans ruled the World for a succession of many Ages and Hams people were constantly their Servants and Subjects 28. And Noah lived after the Flood three hundred and fifty years t Which reacheth to the fifty eighth year of Abrahams Age as the Jews note And so we have a manifest account of the propagation of Religion from the beginning of the World to this day Noah received it from his Parents who had the account of it from their first Father Adams own mouth and transmitted it to Abraham and its descent from him to the Jews and by the Jews to others is sufficiently known Within this time also Noah saw the Building of Babels Tower the horrid Wickedness and Idolatry of his Children and the bloody Wars which even then arose between some of them 29. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years u Here is an omission of that solemn clause used in all the preceding Generations and he begat Sons and Daughters which implies that Noah had no more than these three Sons which also appears from the 19th verse of this Chapter and he died CHAP. X. THis Chapter though it may seem to some unprofitable as consisting almost wholly of Genealogies yet hath indeed great and manifold uses 1. To shew the true original of the several Nations about which all other Authors write idlely fabulously and falsly and thereby to manifest the Providence of God in the Government of the World and Church and the Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures 2. To discover and distinguish from all other Nations that People or Nation in which Gods Church was to be and from which Christ was to come 3. That Noahs Prophecy concerning his three Sons might be better understood and the accomplishment of it made evident 4. To explain divers prophetical predictions and other passages of Scripture as will appear in the sequel For the better understanding of this Chapter compare with it 1 Chron. 1 from ver 4. to 24. And consider these three things 1. In the search of these Genealogies we must avoid both carelessness for the reasons now mentioned and excessive curiosity about every particular person here named and the people sprung from him which is neither necessary nor profitable nor indeed possible now to find out by reason of the great changes of names through length of time loss of antient Records differences of Languages extinction of Families conquest and destruction of Nations and other causes It may suffice that divers of them and those the most eminent are evident and discernable at this day as will appear in the progress by which we may and ought to presume the Truth of the rest whose Names are lost in the publick confusions of the World in former Ages of whom I shall therefore be silent and only speak of the principal persons and that briefly 2. The same People which were originally seated in one place did oft-times thift there places or at least sent forth Colonies and that sometimes into places far distant from their Brethren as appears from the antient and famous expeditions mentioned in Sacred and Prophane story So you must not wonder if you meet with the same People in divers Countries 3. In general the World was divided into three parts whereof the more Eastern parts were allotted to Shem and his Issue the more Southern parts to Ham
impostures and the real miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron as appears from the next verse and from chap. 8. 18. and from other passages And this is a great evidence of the truth of Scripture-story and that it was not written by fiction and design For if Moses had written these books to deceive the world and to advance his own reputation as some have impudently said it is ridiculous to think that he would have put in this and many other passages which might seem so much to eclipse his honour and the glory of his works with their inchantments 12 For they cast down every man his rod and they became serpents l Either 1. in appearance For the Scripture oft speaks of things otherwise then they are because they seem to be so And therefore as the Devil appearing to Saul in the likeness of Samuel is called Samuel so may these rods upon the same account be called Serpents because through Diabolical illusion they seemed to be so Or 2. really in manner expressed ver 11. but Aarons rod swallowed up their rods m By which it was evident either that Aarons rod was turned into a real serpent because it had the real properties and effects of a serpent viz. to devour or at least that the God of Israel was infinitely more powerful then the Egyptian Idols or Devils 13 And he †The Lord to whom this act of hardening is frequently ascribed both in this book and elsewhere hardened Pharaohs heart that he hearkened not unto them * chap. 4. 21. as the LORD had said 14 And the LORD said unto Moses * chap. 8. 15. 〈◊〉 1 20 27. Pharaohs heart is hardened n Is obstinate and resolved in his way so as neither my word nor works can make any impression upon him he refuseth to let the people go 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning lo he goeth out unto the water o i. e. Nilus whither he went at that time either for his recreation or to pay his morning-worship to that river which the Egyptians had in great veneration as Plutarch testifies and thou shalt stand by the rivers brink against he come and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take into thine hand 16 And thou shalt say unto him The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee saying Let my people go * chap. 3. 12 18. 5. 1 3. that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear 17 Thus saith the LORD In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD p Because thâ—… saidst 〈◊〉 is the Lord and I know not the lord chap. 5. 2. thou 〈◊〉 know him experimentally and to thy cost * chap. 4. 9. behold I will smite q viz. by Aarons hand who shall do it by my command and direction Thus Pilate is said to give Christs body to Ioseph Mark 15. 45. because he commanded it to be delivered by others to him The same action is ascribed to the principal and instrumental cause with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river r Nilus which was one of their principal Gods and therefore it was inexcusable in them that they would not renounce those â—…eeble Gods which were unable to help not onely their worshippers but even themselves nor embrace the service and commands of that God whose almighty power they saw and felt and they shall be turned * Rev. 16. 6. to blood s Which was a very grievous Plague to them both because it was an eternal dishonour to their Religion and because from hence they had both their drink Deut. 11. 10 11. Ier. 2. 18. and their meat Numb 11. 5. for greater and lesser cattel they would not eat Exod. 8. 26. And it was a very proper punishment for them who had made that river an instrument for the execution of their bloody design against the Israelitish infants Exod. 1. 22. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die and the river shall stink and the Egyptians t Therefore the Israelites were free from this plague and those branches of Nilus which they used were uncorrupted when all others were turned into bloud shall loath u Or shall weary themselves in running hither and thither in hopes of finding water in some parts or branches of the river to drink of the water of the river 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses Say unto Aaron Take thy rod and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt upon their streams upon their rivers and upon their ponds and upon all their †Heb. gathering of their waters pooles of water x Not that he was to go to every pool to use this ceremony there but he stretched his hand and rod over some of them in the name of all the rest which he might signifie either by his words or by the various motions of his rod several ways that they may become blood and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone 20 And Moses and Aaron did so as the LORD commanded and he * chap. 17. 5. lift up the rod and smote the waters that were in the river in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants and all the * Psal. â—…8 44. and 105. 29. waters that were in the river were turned to blood 21 And the fish that was in the river died and the river stunk and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt 22 * Wisd. 17. â—… And the Magicians of Egypt did so with their inchantments y It was not difficult for the Devil to convey bloud speedily and unperceivably and that in great quantity which might suffice to infect with a bloody colour those small parcels of water which were left for them to shew their art in Qu. Whence could they have water when all their waters were turned into blood Ans. 1. It might be had either 1. by rain which at that time God was pleased to send down either for this purpose or to mitigate the extremity of the plague or for other reasons known to him though not to us For that rain sometimes falls in Egypt though not much nor often is affirmed by antient writers and late travellers Or 2. from Goshen which was not far from the Court or from some houses of the Israelites who dwelt amongst the Egyptians as appears from many places of this history and who were free from these Plagues See Exod. 8. 22. and 9. 26. and 10. 23. and 12. 13. c. Or 3. from the pits which they digged ver 24. Or 4. from some branch of Nilus or some vessels in their houses whose waters were not yet changed For this change might be wrought not suddenly
which is not affirmed in this relation but by degrees which God might so order for this very end that the Magicians might have matter for the trial of their experiment and Pharaohs heart was hardened neither did he hearken unto them as the LORD had said 23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house neither did he set his heart to this z He did not seriously consider it nor the causes or cure of this plague and was not much affected with it because he saw this fact exceeded not the power of his Magitians also 24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink ‖ It is not much material to us whether they lost their labour and found onely blood there as Iosephus affirms or whether they succeeded and found water there which seems more probable because these come not within the compass of Moses his commission ver 17 19 20. or whether they found the water something purified and less bloody though mixed with blood But it is observable that though the Devil could do something which might increase the plague or imitate it yet he could do nothing to remove it for they could not drink of the water of the river 25 And seven dayes were fulfilled †Ere all the waters of Egypt were perfectly free from this infection Quest. How could the Egyptians subsist so long without water Ans. 1. Philo tells us that many of them died of this plague 2. As the plague might come on so it might go off by degrees and so the water though mixed with blood might give them some relief 3. The juyces of herbs and other liquors which were untouched with this plague might refresh them 4. They might have some water either from their pits or by rain from heaven as was said before or from Goshen for though it be said that the blood was in all their vessels ver 19. yet it is not said that all that should afterwards be put into them should be turned into blood after that the LORD had smitten the river CHAP. VIII 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the LORD let my people go that they may serve me 2 And if thou refuse to let them go behold I will smite all thy borders a All thy land which is within thy borders A Synecdoche so that word is used also Exod. 10. 14 19. 1 King 1. 3. Psal. 147. 14. Ier. 15. 13. So the gate and the wall are put for the city to which they belong Gen. 22. 17. Amos 1. 7 10 14. with * Rev. 16. 13. frogs 3 And the river b Under which are comprehended all other rivers streams and ponds as appears from ver 5. But the river Nilus is mentioned because God would make that an instrument of their misery in which they most gloried Ezek. 29. 3. and to which they gave divine honours and which was the instrument of their cruelty against the Israelites chap. 1. 22. shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall go up and come into thine house and into thy bed chamber c Either because God made the doors and windows to flie open which it is easie to believe concerning God seeing this hath been many times done by evil Angels or because whensoever men entred into any house or any room of their house which their occasions would oft force them to do the frogs being always at their heels in great numbers would go in with them This plague was worse than the former because it was more constant and more general for the former was onely in the waters and did onely molest them when they went to drink or use the water but this infected all liquors and all places and at all times and annoyed all their sences with their filthy substance and shape and noise and stink and mingled themselves with their meats and â—…auces and drinks and crawling into their bedâ—… made them restless And many of them probably were of a more ugly shape and infectious nature than ordinary and upon thy bed and into the house of thy servants and upon thy people and into thine ovens and into thy ‖ Or dough kneading-troughs 4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee and upon thy people d Not upon the Israelites whom he hereby exempts from the number of Pharaohs people and subjects and owns them for his peculiar people The frogs did not onely invade their houses but assault their persons which is not strange considering that they were armed with a divine commission and power and upon all thy servants 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses e By inward instinct or suggestion to his mind for he was now in the Kings presence Say unto Aaron Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams over the rivers and over the ponds and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and * Psal. 78. 4â—… and 105. 30. the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt 7 * Wisd. 1â—… â—… And the Magicians did so with their inchantments f Nor was it hard for the Devil to produce them out of their own spawn and the slime of the river and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the LORD that he may take away the frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh ‖ Or have this honour over 〈◊〉 Glory over me g As I have gloried over thee in laying first my commands and then my plagues upon thee so now lay thy commands upon me for the time of my praying and if I do not what thou requirest I am content thou shouldest insult over me and punish me Or Glory or boast thy self of or concerning me as one that by Gods power can do that for thee which all thy Magitians cannot of whom therefore thou now seest thou canst not glory nor boast as thou hast hitherto done * Or against when When shall I intreat for thee h Appoint me what time thou pleasest Hereby he knew that the hand and glory of God would be more conspicuous in it And this was no presumption in Moses because he had a large Commission chap. 7. 1. and also had particular direction from God in all that he said or did in these matters and for thy servants and for thy people to †Heb. to â—…ut 〈◊〉 destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses that they may remain in the river only 10 And he said ‖ Or against to morrow To morrow i Why not presently Ans. 1. Because he hoped ere that time they might be removed either by natural causes or by chance and so he should not need the favour of
or commandements to wit the ten commandements so called by way of eminency for these onely were written by God upon the stony tables as appears by Exod. 34. 28. the rest were written onely by Moses in a book above ver 4. which I have written that thou mayest teach them 13 And Moses rose up and his minister Joshua g Who did not go up with Moses to the top of the mount as is sufficiently implyed both here and above ver 1 2. but abode in some lower place waiting for Moses his return as appears from Exod. 32. 17. And there Ioshua abode 40 dayes not fasting all the while but having as the rest had Manna for his meat and for his drink water out of the brook that discended out of the mount as we read Deut. 9. 21. and Moses went up into the mount of God 14 And he said unto the elders Tarry ye here for us h i. e. For me and Ioshua and here i. e. in the camp where he was when he spake these words for it was where not onely Aaron and Hur but the people might come as it here follows and therefore not upon the mount untill we come again unto you and behold Aaron and Hur i Whom Moses had made joint-commissioners to determine hard causes which were brought to them from the Elders according to the order Exod. 18. 22. Some make Aaron the Ecclesiastical head and Hur the civil head But Aaron was not authorized for Ecclesiastical matters till chap. 28. are with you if any man have any matters to do let him come unto them 15 And Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered the mount 16 And * Num. 14. 10. the glory of the LORD k i. e. The tokens of his glorious presence in the fire ver 17. Deut. 4. 36. abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered l From the eyes of the people it six dayes and the seventh day m So long God made Moses wait either to exercise his humility devotion and dependance upon God Or to prepare him by degrees for so great a work Or because this was the Sabbath day called therefore the seventh with an emphatical article And God might chuse that day for the beginning of that glorious work to put the greater honour upon it and oblige the people to a stricter observance of it So it was upon a Lords Day that St. Iohn had his Revelation delivered to him Rev. 1. 10. he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud 17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like * Deut. 4. 36. devouring fire n He saith like it for it was not devouring fire as appears by Moses his long abode in it Note here whatsoever the Elders of Israel saw before the people saw no similitude of God as Moses observes Deut. 4. 15. on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel 18 And Moses went up into the midst of the cloud o The God that called him enabling him to enter and abide there whereas when he was left to himself he could not enter into the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 35. and gat him up into the mount and Moses was in the mount forty dayes and forty nights p In which he did neither eat nor drink Exod. 34. 28. Deut. 9. 9 18. whereby it seems most probable the six days mentioned ver 16. were a part of these 40 days because Moses being in perpetual expectation of Gods call seems not to have had leasure for eating and drinking nor provision neither Besides he is not said to be in the midst of the cloud so long but onely in the mount where he was those six days ver 15 16. CHAP. XXV 1 AND the LORD spake a Having delivered the Moral and Judicial Laws he now comes to the Ceremonial Law wherein he sets down all things very minutely and particularly whereas in the other Laws he was content to lay down general rules and leaveth many other things to be by analogy deduced from them The reason of the difference seems to be this That the light of reason implanted in all men gives him greater help in the discovery of Moral and Judicial things then in Ceremonial matters or in the external way and manner of Gods Worship which is a thing depending wholly upon Gods institution and not left to mans invention which is a very incompetent Judge of those things as appears from hence because the wittiest men destitute of Gods revelation have been guilty of most foolery in their devices of Gods Worship unto Moses saying 2 Speak unto the children of Israel that they †Heb. take for me bring me an ‖ Or. heave offering offering * chap. 35. 5. of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering 3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them gold and silver and brass 4 And blue b Or Skie-coloured But here you must not understand the meer colours which could not be offered but some materials proper for the work and of the colours here mentioned to wit Wool or Threds or some such like things as appears from Heb. 9. 19. and from the testimony of the Jews and purple and scarlet and fine †Or silk linnen c Which was of great esteem in antient times and used by Priests and great Officers of state See Gen. 41. 42. Rev. 19. 8 14. and goats hair d Heb. Goats But that their hair is understood is apparent from the nature of the thing and from the use of the word in that sense in other places 5 And rams skins died red and badgers skins and Shittim-wood e A kind of Wood growing in Egypt and the Deserts of Arabia very durable and pretious See Exod. 35. 24. Numb 33. 49. Esa. 41. 19. Ioel 3. 18. 6 * chap 27. 20. Oyl for the light f For the Lamps or Candlesticks ver 〈◊〉 * chap. 30. 23 Spices for anointing oyl g Wherewith the Priests and the Tabernacle and the 〈◊〉 thereof were to be anointed and for * chap. 30. 3â—… sweet incense h Heb. Incense of Spices or Sweet-odors So called to distinguish it from the incense of the fat of Sacrifices which was burnt upon the Altar 7 Onyx-stones i Or Sardonyx-stones Note that the signification of the Hebrew Names of the several stones are not agreed upon by the Jews at this day and much more may we safely be ignorant of them the religious use of them being now abolished and stones to be set k Stones of fulness or filling or perfecting stones so called either because they did perfect and adorn the Ephod or because they filled up the ouches or the hollow places which were left vacant for this purpose in the * chap. 28. 4. Ephod and in the * chap. 28. 15. breast-plate l
wife of his bosom and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave 55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat because he hath nothing left him in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates 56 The tender and delicate woman among you which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness her eye shall be evill r i. e. Unmerciful she will desire or design their destruction for her food towards the husband of her bosom and towards her son and towards her daughter 57 And towards her †Heb. after-birth young one s Heb. after-birth that which was loathsome to behold will now be pleasant to eat and together with it she shall eat the child which was wrapt up in it and may be included in this expression that commeth out from between her feet and towards her children which she shall bear t Or which she shall have born i. e. her more grown children for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates 58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name u i. e. Thing or Person to wit this glorious God Names are oft put for things as 1 King 5. 3. Psal. 20. 1. and 115. 1. Act. 4. 12. Eph. 1. 21. and for persons as Act 1. 15. Revel 3. 4. THE LORD THY GOD 59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance 60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the * Chap. 7. 1â—… diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee 61 Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this law them will the LORD †bring upon thee until thou Heb. cause to ascend be destroyed 62 And ye * Chap. 4. 27. shall be left few in number whereas ye were * Chap. 10. 22. as the stars of heaven for multitude because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God 63 And it shall come to pass that as the LORD rejoyced over you to do you good and to multiply you so the LORD * Pro. 1. 26. Isa. 1. 24. will rejoyce over you to destroy you x His just indignation against you will be so great that it will be a pleasure to him to take vengeance on you For though he doth not delight in the death of a sinner in it self yet he doth doubtless delight in the glorifying of his justice upon incorrigible sinners seeing the exercise of all his attributes must needs please him else he were not perfectly happy and to bring you to nought and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it y Which was no ordinary land but a most pleasant land a land of promise a token of Gods favour and a pledge of their eternal inheritance which was a great aggravation of their loss of it 64 And the LORD * Lev. 26. 33. Neh. 1. 8. Jer. 16. 13. shall scatter thee among all people from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth and there thou shalt serve other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers have known even wood and stone 65 And * Amos 9. 4. among these nations shalt thou find no ease neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest z Ye shall have no settlement in the land whither you are banished but there you shall be tossed about from place to place and sold from person to person or Cain-like wander about like a Vagabond but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind 66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee a Either because thou art in the hands of thy enemies that have power and want not will to destroy thee or because of the terrors of thy own mind and the guilt of thy conscience making thee to fear even where no great cause to fear is and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life 67 * Job 7. 4. In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 68 And the LORD * Jer. 44. â—… Hos. 8. 13. and c. 3â—… shall bring thee into Egypt again b Whence he hath now so gloriously delivered thee as repenting of all his kindness to thee and resolved to undo what he hath done for thee And the remembrance of what they endured in Egypt could not but make the thoughts of returning thither again very terrible to them with ships c Which was literally fulfilled under Titus when multitudes of them were carryed thither in Ships and sold there for Slaves as Iosephus relates And this expression seems to mind them of that time when they went over the Sea without ships God miraculously drying up the Sea before them c. which now they would have occasion sadly to remember by the way d Or to the way the Hebrew Bâ—…th here signifying to as it doth Gen. 11. 4. Levit. 16. 22. Psal. 19. 5. and 91. 12. Isa. 9. 8. And the way seems hot to be meant here of the usual road-way from Canaan to Egypt which was wholly by land but to be put for the end of the way or journey even the land of Egypt for to this and not to the road-way between Canaan and Egypt agree the words here following whereof I spake unto thee thou shalt see it i. e. Egypt no more again And so that way is put for to that land in a place parallel to this where the very same words are used Deut. 17. 16. to which this place palpably alludes whereof I spake unto thee * Chap. 1â—… 16. Thou shalt see it no more again and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bond-men and bond-women and no man shall buy you e Either because the number of you captives shall be so great that the market shall be glutted with you or because you shall be so loathsome and contemptible that men shall not be willing to have you for slaves And this was the condition of the Iews after the destruction of Ierusalem as Iosephus the Iew hath left upon record CHAP. XXIX 1 THese are the words of the covenant a These are the terms or conditions upon which God hath made i. e. renewed Covenant with you
should not receive the Grace of God in vain and to teach them that the Grace of God doth not discharge mans obligation to his duty nor excuse him for the neglect of it and that Conversion and Sanctification though it be Gods work yet it is mans duty unto the voice of the LORD thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul. 11 For this commandment which I command thee this day k He seems to speak of the law or of that great command of loving and obeying God mentioned here v. 2 6 10 16. which is the sum of the Law of which yet he doth not here speak simply or as it is in it self but as it is mollified and accompanied with the Grace of the Gospel whereby God circumciseth mens hearts to do this as is expressed v. 6. The meaning is that although the practise of Gods Law strictly and severely be now far from us and above our strength yet considering the advantage of Gospel Grace whereby God enables us in some measure to our duty and accepts of our sincere endeavours in stead of perfection and imputes Christs perfect righteousness unto us that believe now it is near and easie to us And so this place well agrees with Rom. 10. 6 c. where St. Paul expounds or applies this place to the righteousness of faith by which alone the Law is such as it is here described it * chap. 27. 8. Isa. 45. 19. is not hidden from thee l Heb. Is not too wonderful for thee as Deut. 17. 8. Prov. 30. 18. Ier. 32. 17. i. e. not too hard for thee to know and do the Will of God which is but darkly manifested to other nations Act. 17. 27. is clearly and fully revealed unto thee thou canst not pretend ignorance or invincible difficulty neither is it far off m i. e. Out of thy reach 12 * Rom. 10. 6. c. It is not in heaven n i e Shut up there but it hath been thence delivered and published by thy hearing that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 13 Neither is it beyond the sea o The knowledge of this commandement is not to be fetched from far distant places to which divers of the wise Heathens travelled for their wisdome but it was brought to thy very doors and ears and declared to thee in this Wilderness that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it 14 But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth p Thou knowest it so well that it is the matter of thy common discourse thou professest thy knowledge and belief of it or in the mouths of thy Priests and Levites who are dayly preaching of it and instructing thee in it and in thy heart q i. e. In thy mind as the heart is very commonly taken to understand and believe it that thou mayest do it 15 * Chap. 11. 〈◊〉 ver 19. See I have set before thee this day life and good r i. e. A good or an happy life A figure called Hendiaduo Or life and all the blessings of life as good is oft used as Iob 7. 7. Psal. 4. 6. and 128. 5. Eccles. 2. 24. and 4. 8. and 6. 3. and death and evil 16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God to walk in his wayes and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments that thou mayest live and multiply and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it 17 But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear but shalt be drawn away s Either by thy own evil mind or by the examples or perswasions of others and worship other gods and serve them 18 I denounce unto you this day that ye shall surely perish and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it 19 * Chap. â—… 〈◊〉 Ver. 15. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you t Compare Deut. 4. 26. Ios. 24. 27. Psal. 50. 4. Isa. 1. 2. that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may live 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God and that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him for he is thy life u i. e. The cause or author of thy life as life is used Ioh. 14 6. and 17. 3. and the length of thy dayes that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give them CHAP. XXXI 1 AND Moses went and spake a i. e. Proceeded or continued to speak An usual Hebrew phrase Or went to the place where he had assembled the people that he might speak to them these words unto all Israel 2 And he said unto them * chap. 34 I am an hundred and twenty years old this day I can no more go out and come in b i. e. Perform the Office of a Leader or Governour either because I now find a decay of my mind and body which seems not well to agree with Deut. 34. 7. or because I foresee the time of my death approaches also the LORD hath said unto me * Num. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3. 2 Thou shalt not go over this Jordan 3 The LORD thy God he will go over before thee and he will destroy these nations from before thee and thou shalt possess them and Joshua he shall go over before thee * Num. 2â—… 2â—… as the LORD hath said 4 And the LORD shall do unto them * Numb 21. 24 33. as he did to Sihon and to Og kings of the Amorite and unto the land of them c Which he gave to you to possess whom he destroyed 5 And * Chap. 7. â—… the LORD shall give them up before your face d i. e. Into your power See on Deut. 1. 8. that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you 6 Be strong and of a good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the LORD thy God he it is that doth go with thee * Josh. 1. 5. Heb. 13. 5. he will not fail thee nor forsake thee 7 And Moses called unto Joshua and said unto him in the sight of all Israel Be strong and of a good courage for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them and thou shalt cause them to inherit it 8 And the
that with good Success ‡ Heb. was heavy prevailed so that they became tributaries 36 And the coast of the Amorites was from ‖ Or Maaleakrabbim the going up to Akrabbim s Which was in the Southern part of Canaan Ios. 15. 2 3. from whence it went up towards the North. This is added to shew the great power and large extent of this people from the rock and upward CHAP. II. AND an ‖ Or Messengeâ—… angel of the LORD a Either First a Created Angel Or Secondly a Prophet or man of God for such are sometimes called Angels which signifies onely Messengers of God and then the following words are spoken by him in the Name of God as may easily be understood Or Thirdly Christ the Angel of the Covenant who is oft called the Angel of the Lord as we have formerly seen to whom the conduct of Israel out of Egypt and thorough the Wilderness and into Canaan here spoken of is frequently ascribed as Exod. 14. 19. and 23. 20. and 33. 14. Ios. 5. 13 14. Iudg. 6. 12. and 13. 3. Who alone of all the Angels could speak the following words in his own Name and Person whereas created Angels and Prophets do universally usher in their Divine Messages with Thus saith the Lord or some equivalent Expression And this Angel having assumed the outward shape of a Man it is not strange that he imitates the local motion of a Man and comes as it were from Gilgal to the place where now they were by which motion he signified that he was the person that brought them to Gilgal the first place where they rested in Canaan and there renewed Covenant with them and protected them there so long and from thence went out with them to Battel and gave them success came up from Gilgal to Bochim b A place so called here by Anticipation for the reason expressed here v. 5. And it seems to be no other than Shilo where it seems probable that the people were met together upon some solemn Festival And this was the proper and usual place of Sacrificing v. 5. and said I made you to go up out of Egypt and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers and I said c i. e. I promised upon condition of your keeping Covenant with me I will never break my covenant with you 2 And * Deut. 〈◊〉 ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land * Deut. 1â—… â—… you shall throw â—…wn their altars but ye have not obeyed my voice Why have ye done this d i. e. Disobeyed these express Commands of mine 3 Wherefore I also said e With my self I have now taken up this peremptory resolution I will not drive them out from before you but they shall be as thorns in your sides f See on Numb 33. 55. Ios. 23. 13. and their gods shall be a * Exod. 2â—… 〈◊〉 and 34 1â—… sâ—…are unto you 4 And it came to pass when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel that the people liâ—…t up their voice and wept g Some of them from a true sense of their sins but most of them from a just apprehension of their danger and approaching misery from the Canaanites growing Power and Gods forsaking of them as the following History makes most probable 5 And they called the name of that place ‖ That is â—…pers Bochim and they sacrificed h For the expiation of their sins by which they had provoked God to this resolution and for the regaining of Gods favour there unto the LORD 6 ¶ And when * Josh. 〈◊〉 Joshua had let the people go i When he had distributed their Inheritances and dismissed them severally to take Possession of them This was done before this time whilst Ioshua lived but is now repeated in order to the discovery of the time and cause or occasion of the Peoples defection from God and of Gods desertion of them the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land 7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 longed 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 out-lived Joshua who had seen all the great works of the LORD that he did for Israel 8 And * Josh. 〈◊〉 Joshua the son of Nun the servant of the LORD died being an hundred and ten years old 9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres k Called Timnath-Sera Ios. 19. 50. and 24. 30. in the mount of Ephraim on the north-side of the hill Gaash 10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers and there arose another generation after them which knew not l Which had no experimental nor serious and affectionate knowledge of God nor of his works the LORD nor yet the works which he had done for Israel 11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD m Which notes the hainousness and the impudence of their sins above other peoples sins because Gods presence was with them and his eye upon them in a peculiar manner and he did narrowly observe all their actions which also they were not ignorant of and therefore were guilty of more contempt of God than other People and served Baalim n i. e. False gods He 〈◊〉 the Plural Number because the gods of the Canaanites and adjoyning Nations which Israel Worshipped were divers 〈◊〉 most of them called by the name of Baal 12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers which brought them out of the land of Egypt and followed other gods of the gods of 〈◊〉 people that 〈◊〉 round about them and bowed themselves unto them and provoked the LORD to anger 13 And they forsook the LORD and served â—…aal and Ashtaroth n â—… e. The 〈◊〉 and the Moon whom many Heathens 〈◊〉 thâ—…gh under divers names and so they ran into that Error which God had so expresly warned them aâ—…st Deut. 4. 19. 14 ¶ And the anger of the LORD was hot against 〈◊〉 and he delivered them into the hand of 〈◊〉 that spoiled them and 〈◊〉 â—…4 1â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… sold them o i. e. Delivered them up as the seller doth his Commodities unto the buyer Thus the same Phrase is used Iudg. 3. â—… and 4. 9. comp with v. 14. Psal. 44. 13. into the hand of their enemies round about so that they could not any longer stand before their Enemies 15 Whithersoever they went out p i. e. Whatsoever expedition or business they undertook which is usually signified by going out and coming in the hand of the LORD was against them for evil as the LORD had said and 〈◊〉 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LORD had sworn unto them and they were greatly distressed 16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up q By inward
to wit comparatively but not simply for it was seven years old and of such this Hebrew word is used Iob 21. 10. For these Creatures are fruitful above seven years Or thus thy Fathers young Bullock and the second Bullock so there were two Bullocks But because there is but one of them mentioned both in the next verse and in the execution of this Command v. 28. it is probable it was but one and the Hebrew Particle vau and is put exegetically for even or to wit as is very usual And this he calls his Fathers young Bullock both because his Father was the owner of it and because his Father kept and fed it for a Sacrifice to Baal But because it is likely his father kept divers of these Cattel of differing Ages and Statures for that use either at his own or at the Peoples charge therefore he adds by way of limitation that he should not take the eldest and the greatest but the second to wit in age or stature or goodliness or in the order of Sacrifice that which was to have been Sacrificed to Baal in the second place And this he singled out because of its age for being seven years old it began with the Midianitish Calamity and being now to be Sacrificed did fitly signifie that the Period of that Misery was now come of seven years old and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath i Which thy Father built in his own ground though for the common use of the whole City v. 28 29 30. and * Exod. 〈◊〉 13. Deut. 7. 5. cut down the grove that is by it k Planted by the Altar for Idolatrous or impure uses as the manner of Idolaters was See Iudg. 3. 7. This Action might seem injurious to his Fathers Rights and Authority but Gods Command was sufficient warrant and Gideon was now called to be the Supreme Magistrate whereby he was made his Fathers Superiour and was impowered and authorized and enjoyned to â—…oot out all Idolatry and Superstition and the instruments thereof 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this ‡ Heb. strong place rock l Of which v. 20 21. Heb. of this strong hold for in that Calamitous time the Israelites retreated to such Rocks and hid and fortified themselves in them ‖ Or in an orderly manner in the ordered place m i. e. In a plain and smooth part of the Rock where an Altar may be conveniently built Or in order i. e. in such manner as I have appointed for God had given Rules about the building of Altars and take the second bullock and offer a burnt-sacrifice n Gideon was no Priest nor was this the appointed place of Sacrifice but God can dispense with his own Institutions though we may not and his Call gave Gideon sufficient Authority with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down 27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants o Whom doubtless he had acquainted with his design and the assurance of success in it whereby they were easily induced to assist him if not sincerely yet for the expectation of advantage to themselves by it and did as the LORD had said unto him and so it was because he feared p Not so much lest he should suffer for it for he knew very well the doing it by night with so many hands could not hinder the discovery and consequently the punishment of it but lest he should be prevented from doing it his fathers houshold and the men of the city that he could not do it by day that he did it by night 28 ¶ And when the men of the city arose early in the morning behold the altar of Baal was cast down and the grove was cut down that was by it and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built q Not upon Baals Altar for which it was designed but upon an Altar erected in contempt of Baal 29 And they said one to another Who hath done this thing And when they enquired and asked they said Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing r Which they might easily conjecture partly by his known aversion from the Worship of Baal and partly because no other person durst presume to do such a thing but they might more certainly learn it from some of the persons imployed in it who through fear or favour might inform them 30 Then the men of the city said unto Joseph Bring out thy son that he may die because he hath cast down the altar of Baal and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him Will ye plead for Baal s Why are you so zealous in pleading for that Baal for the Worship whereof you suffer such grievous Calamities at this day and from whom you have no help It is plain that Ioash had been a Worshipper of Baal either therefore he was now convinced by Gideon's information and action or he makes use of this pretence to preserve his Son being indeed indifferent in matters of Religion and therefore as he did worship Baal to comply with his Neighbours so now he deserts him to rescue his Son will ye save him he that will plead for him let him be put to death t He that shall further plead for such a god as this deserves to die for his folly and impiety It is not probable that this was all which he said for his Son's defence or that he would neglect to mention the Call his Son had from God to it the Apparition of an Angel the Promise of Deliverance but it is usual in Scripture to give onely some short hints of those things which were more largely discoursed whilest it is yet morning u i. e. Instantly without delay for it was now Morning-time as appears from v. 28 c. if he be a god let him plead for himself x As the God of Israel hath often done when any indignity or injury hath been done to him But Baal hath now shewed that he is neither able to help you nor himself and therefore is not worthy to be served any longer This couragious and resolute Answer was necessary to stop the torrent of the Peoples fury and it was drawn from it partly by the sence of his Sons extreme danger and partly by the confidence he had that God would Plead his Sons Cause and use him for the Rescue of his People because one hath cast down his altar 32 Therefore on that day he called him y i. e. Ioash called Gideon so Iudg. 7. 1. in remembrance of this noble Exploit and to put a brand upon Baal Jerub-baal saying Let Baal plead against him because he hath thrown down his altar 33 ¶ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together and went over and pitched in the
all Obligation or Temptation of doing them any harm though it were in his own just and necessary defence 13 And they spake unto him saying No but we will bind thee fast and deliver thee into their hand but surely we will not kill thee And they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock t i. e. From the Cave or Hole in the Rock in which he had secured himself out of which he was first brought up and then carried down from the Rock to the Plain 14 ¶ And when he came unto Lehi the Philistines shouted against him u For Joy and Triumph because they had now their great Enemy as they supposed in their hands and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire and his bands ‡ Heb. were melted loosed x Heb. were melted i. e. were dissolved as things are which are melted in the fire from off his hands 15 And he found a ‡ Heb. moist new y And therefore more tough and strong jaw-bone of an ass and put forth his hand and took it and slew a thousand men therewith 16 And Samson said With the jaw-bone of an ass ‡ Heb. an heap two heaps heaps upon heaps with the jaw-bone of an ass have I slain a thousand men z This though it might seem difficult yet is not at all impossible or incredible especially seeing the Learned affirm of the Asses of Syria that they were larger and stronger than ours and so consequently were their Bones And withal it must be acknowledged that there was something extraordinary and Miraculous in this as there was unquestionably in Samson's strength and so all the difficulty vanisheth 17 And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking that he cast away the jaw-bone out of his hand and called that place ‖ That is the lifting up of the jaw-bone or casting away of the jaw-bone Ramath-Lehi a And by contraction Lehi v. 14. it being usual so to contract Proper Names as Salem is put for Ierusalem Psal. 76. 3. Sheba for Beersheba Ios. 19. 2. and many other 18 ¶ And he was sore athirst b So as he was ready to faint and die with Thirst which was natural from his excessive toil and heat partly sent by God that by the experience of his own Impotency he might be forced to ascribe the Victory to God onely and not to himself and called on the LORD and said Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant and now shall I die for thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised c Wilt thou not finish what thou hast begun Wilt thou undo what thou hast done 19 But God clave an hollow place d i. e. By cleaving a place made it hollow an expression like that Isa. 47. 2. grind Meal i. e. Grind Corn into Meal and that Psal. 74. 15. thou didst cleave the Fountain i. e. cleave the Rock so as to make a Fountain in it that was in ‖ Or Lehi the Jaw e In the Jaw-bone which he had used which God could easily effect either by causing the Jaw-bone to send forth Water as the Rock formerly did the Miracle being in effect the same though in a differing subject causing a Spring to break forth in Lehi or in that Leâ—…i mentioned before v. 14. for Lehi is both the name of a place and signifies a Iaw-bone and there came water thereout and when he had drunk his spirit came again and he revived wherefore he called the name thereof ‡ That is the well of him that called or cried En-hakkore f i. e. The Fountain of him that cryed for Thirst or that called upon God for Deliverance i. e. the Fountain or Well which was given in Answer to my Prayer which is in Lehi unto this day g According to this Translation Lehi is the name of a place and not a Iaw-bone because it seems improbable that a Jaw-bone should continue there so long which every Traveller might take away and would be forward enough to carry a Fountain with them in those hot Countries although it is not incredible that Passengers would generally forbear to meddle with or remove so great a Monument of Gods Power and Goodness or that the same God who made it instrumental to so great a wonder should add one circumstance more to wit fix it in the earth as a Testimony to Posterity of the Truth of this glorious work But these words may be otherwise rendred thus which Fountain was in that Iaw-bone and for the following words unto this day they may not be joined with the words next and immediately foregoing as if the Fountain was there to this day but with the former words he called c. and so the sense may be this That it was so called unto this day and the place may be thus read he called the name thereof or the name thereof was called such active verbs being frequently put passively and impersonally The Well or Fountain of him that called or cryed which was in Lehi unto this day 20 And he judged Israel h i. e. He pleaded their Cause and avenged them against the Philistinees in the days of the Philistines i i. e. Whilst the Philistines had the Power and Dominion from which he was not fully to deliver but onely to begin to deliver them as it was foretold Iudg. 13. 5. From this place it is manifest that in the computation of the times of the Judges the years of Servitude or Oppression are not to be separated from the years of the Judges and added to them but are comprehended within them which proposition is of great importance for clearing this difficult part of Scripture-Chronology and for justifying that account of times given 1 King 6. 1. twenty years CHAP. XVI THen went Samson to Gaza a A chief City to make some new attempt upon the Philistins whom he feared not either in their Cities or in their Camps having had such large experience of his own strength and of God's Assistance Possibly he came in thither by Night unknown and unobserved till afterwards and saw there ‡ Heb. a woman an harlot an harlot b Going into an House of Publick Entertainment to refresh himself as the manner was Ios. 20. 1. He there saw this Harlot which implies that he did not go thither upon so evil a Design but accidentally saw her there and by giving way to Lustful looks upon her was ensnared by her and went in unto her 2 And it was told the Gazites saying Samson is come hither And they compassed him in and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city and were ‡ Heb. sileâ—…t quiet all night saying In the morning when it is day we shall kill him
defending themselves and annoying their Enemies and set their battel again in aray in the place where they put themselves in aray the first day i Hereby shewing their freedom from that Heathenish Superstition whereby they might have been apt to have rejected that as an unlucky place Compare 1 King 20. 23 28. 23 And the children of Israel went up and wept k Not so much for their Sins as for their Defeat and Loss as appears by the Sequel before the LORD until even and asked counsel of the LORD saying Shall I go up to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother l They impute their ill Success not to their own Sins as they had great reason to do but to their taking up Arms against their Brethren the Lawfulness whereof they now begin to doubt of But still they persist in their former neglect of seeking Gods assistance in the way which he had appointed as they themselves acknowledge presently by doing those very things which now they Sinfully neglected v. 26. and therefore are again justly punished l God answers to their question but as they did not desire his assistance and success so he doth not promise it And the LORD said Go up against him 24 And the children of Israel came near against the children of Benjamin the second day 25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men all these drew the sword 26 ¶ Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept and sat there before the LORD and fasted m Being now sensible of their former slightness and not being truly humbled for their Sins which now they discover to be the true Cause of their ill success that day until even and offered burnt-offerings n To make atonement to God for their own Sins and peace-offerings o Partly to bless God for sparing so many of them whereas he might justly have cut off all of them when their Brethren were slain and partly to Implore his assistance for the future and to give him Thanks for the Victory which now they were confident he would give them before the LORD 27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD p To wit by Urim and Thummim Numb 27. 21. for the ark of the covenant of God was there q In Shiloh where they were now assembled in those days 28 And Phineas the son of Eleazar r This is added to give us some light about the time of this History and to shew it was not done in the order in which it is here placed after Sampson's Death but long before the son of Aaron stood s i. e. Ministred as the word stand oft signifies as Deut. 10. 8. and 18. 7. Prov. 22. 29. Ier. 52. 12. compare with 2 King 25. 8. because standing is the usual posture of Servants before it t i. e. Before the Ark or before his i. e. the Lord's face or presence which shews that he was the high-priest for none else might appear there in those days saying Shall I yet again go out to battel against the children of Benjamin my brother or shall I cease u Which if thou requirest we are willing to do notwithstanding the provocation they have given us and our own Inclination to revenge And the LORD said Go up for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand Now when they had sought God after the due order and truly humbled themselves for their Sins he gives them a full and satisfactory Answer to their Desires 29 And Israel set liers in wait x Though they were assured of the Success by a particular and absolute promise yet they do not neglect the use of means as well knowing that the certainty of Gods purposes or promises doth not excuse but rather require Mans diligent use of all fit means for the accomplishment of them round about Gibeah y i. e. On several sides of it as may be gathered from the following Verses 30 And the children of Israel z i. e. A considerable part of them who were ordered to give the first onset and then to counterfeit flight to draw the Benjamites forth of their strong hold See v. 32. went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day a To wit after the second Battel for the first day after it they spent in perplexing thoughts and going up to the House of the Lord the second in Fasting and Prayer there and this third in the Fight Or this is so called with respect unto the two several foregoing days of Battel and so this was the third day of Battel and put themselves in aray against Gibeah as at other times 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people and were drawn away from the city b By the dissembled Flight of the Israelites and they began ‡ 〈◊〉 to sinite of the people wounded as at c. to smite of the people and kill as at other times c With the same kind though not the same degree of Success in the high-ways of which one goeth up to ‖ Oâ—… Bethel the house of God and the other to Gibeah in the field d So called to difference it from this Gibeah which was upon an Hill wherefore they are constantly said to ascend or go up against it as v. 23 30. See Ios. 18. 24 28. about thirty men of Israel 32 And the children of Benjamin said They are smitten down before us as at the first But the children of Israel said Let us flee and draw them from the city unto the high-ways 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place e Where they had disposed themselves that they might fall upon the Benjamites when they were drawn forth to a sufficient distance from their City and when they were pursuing that Party mentioned v. 30. and put themselves in aray at Baal-Tamar and the lyers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places f To execute what was agreed upon even to take Gibeah and burn it as they actually did v. 37. even out of the meadows of Gibeah 34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel g Selected out of the main Body which was at Baal-Tamar and these were to march directly to Gibeah on the one side whilst the liers in wait stormed it on the other side and whilst the great Body of the Army laboured to intercept these Benjamites who having pursued the Israelites that pretended to flee now endeavoured to retreat to Gibeah and the battel was sore but they knew not that evil was near them h They were so puffed up with their former Successes that they were insensible of their danger 35 And the
have done And this Protestation Samuel makes of his Integrity not out of Ostentation or Vain glory but partly for his own just Vindication that the People might not hereafter for the Defence of their own Irregularities reproach his Government partly that being publickly acquitted from all faults in his Government he might more freely and boldly reprove the sins of the People and particularly that sin of theirs in desiring a King when they had so little reason for it and they had so just a Governor from whom they might bave promised themselves an effectual Redress of his Sons mal-administrations if they had acquainted him therewith and partly that by his Example he might tacitly Admonish Saul of his Duty and prevent his misunderstanding of what he had formerly said chap. 8. v. 11 c. and mistake that for the Rule of his just Power which was onely a Prediction of his Evil Practices before the LORD and before his anointed * Numb 16. 15. Act. 20. 33. Whose ox have I taken or whose asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed g Whom have I wronged either by Fraud and false Accusation or by Might and Violence or of whose hand have I received any ‡ Heb. ransom bribe h Heb. Prince of Redemption given to Redeem an unjust and lost Cause or Person from that Righteous Sentence which they deserved ‖ Or that I should hide mine eyes at him to blind mine eyes therewith i That I should not discern what was right and just or dissemble it as if I did not see it Or that I should hide or cover mine eyes i. e. wilfully wink at the plain truth for it i. e. for the Bribe or for him i. e. for his sake and I will restore it you k Or and I will cover mine eyes for him i. e. I will take shame to my self and cover my face as one ashamed to look upon him 4 And they said Thou hast not defrauded us nor oppressed us neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand 5 And he said unto them The LORD is witness against you l To wit if you shall at any time hereafter reproach my Government or Memory Or rather against you that I gave you no cause to be weary of Gods Government of you by Judges or to desire a change of the Government and therefore the blame of it wholly rest upon your selves But this was onely insinuated and therefore the People did not fully understand his drift in it and his anointed is witness this day that ye have not found ought m i. e. Any thing which I have gotten by Bribery or Oppression in my hand And they answered n Heb. he answered i. e. the whole People who are here spoken of as one Person because they Answered thus with one consent He is witness 6 ¶ And Samuel said unto the people It is the LORD that ‖ Or 〈◊〉 advanced Moses and Aaron o That for your sakes raised constituted and exalted Moses and Aaron to that great Power and Reputation which they had and used to deliver you and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt 7 Now therefore stand still that I may reason with you p Since God hath laid so great Obligations upon you let us a little consider whether you have Answered them before the LORD of all the ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 benefits righteous acts q Heb. the Righteousnesses i. e. Mercies or Benefits for so that word is oft used as Psal. 24. 5. and 36. 10. Prov. 10. 2. and 11. 4. and that is the chief Subject of the following Discourse some of their Calamities being but briefly named and that for the illustration of Gods Mercy in their Deliverances of the LORD which he did ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 to you and your fathers 8 * Gen. 〈◊〉 When Jacob was come into Egypt and your fathers * Exod. 〈◊〉 cried unto the LORD then the LORD * Exod. 〈◊〉 and 4. 〈◊〉 sent Moses and Aaron which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place r In this Land in which Moses and Aaron are said to settle them partly because they brought them into and seated them in part of it to wit that without Iordan partly because they were under God the Principal Authors of their entring into the Land of Canaan inasmuch as they brought them out of Egypt conducted them thorough the Wilderness and there by their Prayers to God and Counsel to them preserved them from utter ruin and gave Command and Direction from God for the distribution of the Land among them and incouraged them to enter into it by promises and assurances of Success And lastly Moses substituted Ioshua in his stead and commanded him to carry them thither and seat them there which also he did 9 And when they forgat the LORD their God s i. e. They revolted from him as it is explained v. 10. and carried themselves as ungratefully and unworthily towards God as if they had wholly forgotten his great and innumerable Favours and their infinite Obligations to him Forgetting of God is oft put for all manner of wickedness whereof indeed that is the true cause See Isa. 17. 10. Ier. 3. 21. Ezek. 22. 12. This he saith partly to Answer an Objection That the reason why they desired a King was because in the time of the Judges they were at great uncertainties and oft times exercised with sharp afflictions to which he Answereth by Concession that they were so but adds by way of Retortion that they themselves were the cause of it by their forgetting of God so that it was not the fault of that kind of Government but their transgressing the Rules of it and partly to mind them that this their ungrateful carriage towards God was no new or strange thing but an hereditary and inveterate Disease that so they might more easily believe their own Guilt herein and be more deeply humbled both for their own and for their Parents Sins * Judg. 4. 〈◊〉 he sold them into the hand of Sisera captain of the host of Hazor and into the hand * Judg. 〈◊〉 of the Philistines and into the hand of the king * Judg. 3. 12. of Moab and they fought against them t To wit with success and subdued them 10 And they cryed unto the LORD and said We have sinned because we have forsaken the LORD and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies and we will serve thee 11 And the LORD sent * Judg. 〈◊〉 32. Jerubbaal and Bedan u This certainly is one of the Judges and because there is no Judge so called in the Book of Iudges it is reasonably concluded that this was one of the Judges there mentioned having two Names as was very frequent And this was either First Sampson
and most Important Passages of things and communed with Abigail to take her to him to wife 40 And when the setvants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel they spake unto her saying David sent us unto thee to take thee to him to wife 41 And she arose and bowed her self on her face to the earth and said x She shewed this Reverence and spake thus to them as representing David's person Behold let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord 42 And Abigail hasted and arose and rode upon an aâ—…s with five damsels of hers that went ‡ Heb. at 〈◊〉 after her and she went after the messengers of David y Not immediately but some competent time after they were gone She considered not David's present straits and penury which she thought her Plentiful Estate might supply nor his danger from Saul but by a true and strong Faith rested upon Gods Promise made to David not doubting but God would perform it and became his wife 43 David also took Ahinoam * Josh. 15. 〈◊〉 of Jezreel and they were also both of them his wives 44 ¶ But z Or For as the Hebrew Vau is oft-times used For this seems to be added as a reason why David took other Wives because Saul had given his former Wife to another man that he might as far as he could Extinguish all Relation and Kindred to him whom he hated and withal cut off his Hopes and Pretence to the Crown upon that account Saul had given * 2 Sam â—… 1â—… 15. Michal his daughter Davids wife to Phalti the son of Laish which was of Gallim CHAP. XXVI AND the Ziphites came unto Saul a Having once betrayed him before they thought their Case desperate with David and therefore did more strenuously assist Saul in discovering him in order to his Ruine to Gibeah saying * Chap. 23 19 Psa. 54 〈◊〉 Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah which is before Jeshimon b He is returned to his former haunt of which see Chap. 23. 19. This place might be convenient for him either for its nearness to Abigails Estate or because he might think that Saul was mollified and the Ziphites cautioned by the unsuccessfullness of their former Attempt or because he could from thence make good his Retreat into other places if need were 2 Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah which is before Jeshimon by the way but David abode in the wilderness and he saw c i. e. He understood by Information probably from his dear friend Ionathan that Saul came after him into the wilderness 4 David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul was come in very deed 5 ¶ And David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched d Came near to the skirts of Saul's Camp which he might easily discover from some neighbouring Hill or Wood and yet not be discerned himself And it is probable he came thither disguised and towards Night and David beheld the place where Saul lay and * Chap. 14. 50. 17. 55. Abner the son of Ner the captain of his host and Saul lay in the ‖ Or midst of â—…is carriages trench e Encompassed with his Carriages for better security Compare 1 Sam. 17. 20. and the people pitched round about him 6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite f So called either because he was one of that Nation but Converted to the Iewish Religion Compare 2 Sam. 11. 3. and 15. 18. Or from his Habitation amongst or some Relation to some of that People and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah g David's Sister See 1 Chron. 2. 16. His Father is not named either because he was now dead or because he was an obscure person brother to Joab saying Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp And Abishai said I will go down with thee 7 So David and Abishai came to the people h i. e. To Saul's Host and Camp It might seem a bold and strange Atâ—…empt but many things are to be considered 1. That Heroical persons have oft attempted things of no less difficulty and danger than this was as many credible Historians relate 2. That David did and might easily perceive that they were all fast asleep 3. That David had a particular Assurance that God would preserve him to the Kingdom 4. That he had a special Instinct from God to this Work and possibly God might inform him that he had cast them into a dead sleep that he might have this second opportunity of manifesting his Innocency towards Saul and the Justice of his Cause by night and behold Saul lay sleeping within the trench and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster but Abner and the people lay round about him 8 Then said Abishai to David God hath ‡ Heb. shut up delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the spear even to the earth at once and I will not smite him the second time i I will Nail him to the Ground at one blow that I shall not need a second stroke 9 And David said to Abishai Destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless k Though Saul be a cruel Tyrant and rejected by God yet he is our Soveraign Lord and King and I thoâ—…gh designed King as yet am but a private Person and his Subject and therefore cannot kill â—…im without Sin nor will I consent that thou shouldst do it 10 David said furthermore As the LORD liveth the LORD shall smite him l By some sudden and mortal Stroke or his day shall come to die m According to the course of Nature or he shall descend into battel and perish 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORDS anointed but I pray thee take thou now the spear that is at his bolster n Which will shew where we have been and what we could have done and the cruse of water o Which might be put there either to wash himself in case of any accidental Pollution which oft happened in the Night or to refresh him and quench his thirst in that hot Climate and Season or for divers other uses and let us go 12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Sauls bolster and they gat them away and no man saw it nor knew it neither awaked for they were all asleep because a deep sleep ‡ Heb. of the LORD from the LORD p Sent upon them by the Lord for David's advantage was fallen upon them 13 ¶ Then David went over to the
and to know all that thou dost 26 And when Joab was come out from David he sent messengers after Abner i In the Kings name and upon pretence of some further communication with him which brought him again from the well of Sirah but David knew it not 27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron Joab * 1 King 2. 5. took him aside in the gate k In the entrance into the City before he came to the King and in the place where conferences used to be to speak with him ‖ Or peaceably quietly l With appearance of great civility and kindness Or secretly as having some matter of great importance to utter which none but himself must hear and smote him there under the fifth rib m As he did Asahel chap. 2. 23. that he died for the blood of * Chap. 2. 23. Asahel his brother n To revenge the death of Asahel and withal though that be not here mentioned to secure his own standing and rid his hands of so great and powerful a Competitor And this was Ioab's design but God had other designs in it both to punish Abner's manifold wickedness and particularly his rebellion against David and against God and his own Conscience therein and that David might not owe his Kingdom to Abner and to his revenge and treachery but wholly to Gods Wise and Powerful Providence 28 ¶ And afterward when David heard it he said o Publickly before his Courtiers and People and seriously as in Gods presence I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD p I call the Lord to Witness that this was not done by my Instigation or Authority or by any publick Counsel but onely by Ioab's malice and therefore I trust that God will not punish me nor my Kingdom but Ioab onely for ever from the ‡ Heb. bloods blood of Abner the son of Ner 29 Let it q i. e. This Blood the guilt and punishment of it rest on the head of Joab and on all his fathers house r But Children were not to suffer for their Parents sin Deut. 24. 16. And therefore either this was onely a Prediction or if it were an Imprecation David may seem to have transgressed his bounds and mingled his Passion with his Zeal that so he might express his utter detestation of this horrid Murder and how far he was from having any hand in it and let there not ‡ Heb. be cut off fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue s Which was not onely a troublesome and shameful Diseases but also infectious both to him that had it and to all that touched him so that whilst it was upon a man he was cut off in a great part from converse either with God or men or that is a leper or that leaneth on a staff t Through craziness or feebleness or lameness whereby he he is rendred unfit for action and publick service or that falleth on the sword or that lacketh bread 30 So Joab and Abishai u For though Ioab onely committed the Murder yet Abishai was guilty of it because it was done with his consent and counsel and help and approbation for by these and such like actions men are involved in the guilt of other mens sins at least in Gods judgment his brother slew Abner because he had slain their brother * Chap. 2. 23. Asahel at Gibeon in the battel x Which he did in the fury of Battel and for his own necessary defence and therefore it was no justification of this unnecessary and treacherous Murder in a time of peace 31 ¶ And David said to Joab y Him he especially obliged to it partly to bring him to Repentance for his sin partly to expose him to publick shame and to the contempt and hatred of all the people with whom he had too great an interest which hereby David designed to diminish and to all the people that were with him * Josh. 7. 6. Rent your clothes and gird you with sackcloth and mourn before Abner z i. e. Attending upon his Corps and paying him that respect and honour which was due to his quality And king David himself followed the ‡ Heb. bed bier a Which was against the usage of Kings and might seem below David's Dignity but it was now expedient to vindicate himself from all suspition of contrivance or concurrence in this action 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron and the king list up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner and all the pleople wept 33 And the king lamented over Abner and said Died Abner as †a fool dieth ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 So Gâ—… b i. e. As a wicked man for such are oft called Fools in Scripture Was he cut off by the hands of Justice for his crimes Nothing less but by Ioab's malice and treachery Or did he die by his own folly because he had not Wisdom or courage to defend himself Ah no. The words may be thus rendred shall or should Abner die like a Fool or a vile contemptible Person i. e. unregarded unpitied unrevenged as Fools or vile Persons die for whose death none are concerned Or How is Abner dead like a Fool pitying his mischance It being honourable for a great Man and a Soldier to fight if met with an Enemy and not having his Arms at liberty stand still like a Fool to be killed without making any resistance or defence which by this treachery of Ioab happened to be his case 34 Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into setters c Thou didst not tamely yield up thy self to Ioab as his Prisoner to be bound hand and foot at his pleasure Ioab did not overcome thee generously and honourably in an equal Combat nor durst he attempt thee in that way as a General or Soldier of any worth would have done as a man falleth before ‡ Heb. children in iniquity wicked men d Or before i. e. in the presence or by the hands of froward or perverse or crooked men by Hypocrisie and Perfidiousness whereby the vilest Coward may kill the most Valiant person Thus he reproached Ioab to his very face before all the people which was a great Evidence of his own Innocency herein because otherwise Ioab being so powerful and proud and petulant to his Sovereign would never have taken the shame and blame of it wholly to himself as he did so fellest thou And all the people wept again over him 35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat e i. e. Till evening for then Fasting Days ended of course while it was yet day David sware saying So do God to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the sun be down e i. e. Till evening for then Fasting Days ended of course d To refresh and chear up his depressed Spirits as
their hearts bethink themselves q Heb. bring back their hearts to wit their Sin Expressed ver 46. and implied in the following word Repent in the land whither they were carried captives and repent and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives saying r Sensibly and with an honest heart We have sinned and have done preversly we have committed wickedness 48 And so return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul s i. e. Sincerely Universally and Stedfastly in the land of their enemies which led them away captive and * Dan. 6. 10. pray unto thee toward their land which thou gavest unto their fathers the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy Name 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling-place and maintain their ‖ Or right Heb. judgment cause t Heb. their right against their Invaders and Oppressors For they had forfeited all their Rights to God onely but not to their Enemies whom though God used as scourges to chastise his Peoples Sins yet they had no pretence of Right to their Land nor any regard to it but onely minded the satisfaction of their own Lusts and Interests See Isa. 10. 5 6. and 47. 6. Zech. 1. 15. 50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee and * Psa. 106. 46. give them compassion before them who carryed them away captive that they may have compassion on them u i. e. May gently use them whilst they are there and proclaim Liberty to their Captives to go to their own Land 51 For they be thy people x For howsoever they may sin against thee or suffer from men yet still remember that they are thy peculiar People and therefore do thou pity and pardon and save them and thine inheritance which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt from the * Jer. 11. 4 midst of the furnace of iron y So called either from the Metal melted in it or rather from the Matter of which it consisted an Iron Furnace being more hot and terrible than one of Brick or Stone He understands hereby their cruel Bondage and painful Labours See on Deut. 4. 20. 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant and unto the supplication of thy people Israel to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee 53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth to be thine inheritance z Thou hast begun to build a Work of great and glorious Mercy to them do not give occasion to thine Enemies to think thou wast unable to finish it or that thou art unstable in thy ways and Counsels or unkind to thine own Children * Exod. 19. â—… as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt O LORD GOD. 54 And it was so that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD he arose from before the altar of the LORD from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven 55 And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice saying 56 Blessed be the LORD that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised * Deut. 12. 10. there hath not ‡ Heb fallen failed one word of all his good ‡ Heb. word Jer. 29. 1â—… promises a See the like Iosh. 21. 45. and 23. 14. 2 King 10. 10. which he ‡ Heb. spake promised by the hand of Moses his servant 57 The LORD our God be with us b By the presence of his Grace and Mercy as he was with our fathers let him not leave us nor forsake us 58 That he may incline our heart unto him c That he may not onely bless us with outward Prosperity and Glory but especially with Spiritual Blessings and that as he hath given us his Word and Statutes to teach and direct us so he would by his Holy Spirit effectually incline and engage our Hearts to keep and obey them to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments which he commanded our fathers 59 And let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night that he ‡ Heb. do the judgment maintain the cause of his servant d i. e. Of me as ver 28 29 30. their King and consequently of all my Successors and the cause of his people Israel e According to mine or their various necessities and exigencies ‡ Heb. the thing of a day in his day at all times as the matter shall require 60 That all the people of the earth may know f Both by our vertuous and holy Lives to which thou inclinest us by thy Grace and by the eminent manifestations of thy Power and Goodness in defending and delivering us from all the assaults and devices of our Enemies that * 35 the LORD is God and that there is none else 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect g i. e. Sincere and serious in your purposes of Obedience for sinless Perfection he himself taught them was not to be expected here Eccles. 7. 20. with the LORD our God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commandments as at this day 62 ¶ And * 2 Chron. 7. 4. the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice h By the hands of the Priests of peace-offerings which he offered unto the LORD two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep i Not all in one day but in the 7 or it may be in the 14 days mentioned ver 65. so k i. e. By these Sacrifices and Holy Exercises the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD l i. e. Began to set it apart for the Work and Service of God 64 The * 2 Chron. 7. 7. same day did the king hallow the middle of the court m To wit of the Priests Court in which the great Altar was This he Consecrated as he did the great Altar to wit by Sacrifices but with this difference That he Consecrated That for lasting and perpetual use but This onely for the present time and occasion being warranted to do so both by the necessity of it for God's Service and for the present Solemn Work for which the Brazen Altar was not sufficient as it here follows and by the direction of God's Spirit where with Solomon was endowed as being a Prophet as well as a King Here therefore he suddenly reared up divers Altars which after this
these Idolatrous Priests were manifestly under a Sentence of Death passed upon such by the Sovereign Lord of Life and Death Deut. 13. and 17. so Elijah had sufficient Authority to execure it as being a Prophet and an extraordinary Minister of Gods vengeance against sinners now especially when the Magistrate so grosly neglected his Duty therein 41 ¶ And Elijah said unto Ahab Get thee up g From the River where the King and he had been present at the slaughter of Baal's Priests to thy Tent which probably was pitched on the side of Carmel eat and drink h Take comfort and refresh thy self for neither the King nor any of the People could have any leasure to eat being wholly inrent upon the decision of the great controversy for there is ‖ Or a sound of a noise of rain a sound of abundance of rain i The Rain is as certainly and speedily coming as if I did actually see it or hear the noise which it makes Gods wrath is now appeased and thou shalt have no cause to repent of this days work 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel k Where he might secretly and ardently pour out his Prayers unto God and whence he might look towards the Sea and discern when the Rain was coming and he cast himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees l He either sate or rather kneeled upon his Knees and then cast down his Face to the Ground between his Knees either in token of profound reverence and humility or out of fervency of spirit which oft disposeth men to uncouth gestures which at other times or in other men would be ridiculous but in them and in that case are usual and allowed or that turning away his Eyes from all outward objects he might be more intent and earnest upon his work or pray to God without distraction 43 And said to his servant Go up now m Whilst I continue praying look towards the sea n Whence Clouds and Vapours usually arise Elijah desired to have timely notice of the very first appearance and signification of Rain not out of vanity or ambition but that Ahab and the People might know that it was obtained from Iehovah by the Prophets prayers and thereby be confirmed in the True Religion And he went up and looked and said There is nothing And he said Go again seven times o Let us not be dejected for some disappointments but continue to wait upon God who will Answer me and that speedily 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time that he said Behold there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea like a mans hand And he said Go up say unto Ahab ‡ Heb. Tye or bind Prepare thy ohariot and get thee down that the rain stop thee not 45 And it came to pass in the mean while that the heaven was black with clouds and wind and there was a great rain And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel p Not that in Iudah Ios. 15. â—…6 but another City in the border of Issachar and Manasseh Ios. 19. 18. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah q God gave him more than natural and ordinary strength whereby he was enabled to outrun Ahab's Chariot and that for so many Miles together and he girded up his loyns r That his Garments which were then long might not hinder him See 2 King 4. 29. and 9. 1. and ran before Ahab s Partly to shew how ready he was to honour and serve the King if he did not exalt himself above or against God partly that by this humble and self-denying carriage it might appear that what he had done was not from envy or ambition or humane passion but onely from a just zeal for Gods Glory partly that by his presence with the King and his Courtiers who attended upon him he might animate and oblige them to proceed in the well-begun Reformation of Religion and partly to demonstrate that he was neither ashamed of nor afraid for what he had done tho he knew how Iezabel would resent it but durst venture himself in the midst of his Enemies as being confident of the Divine Power and Protection ‡ Heb. till thou come to Jezreel to the entrance of Jezreel CHAP. XIX AND Ahab told Jezebel a For his vindication and her satisfaction all that Elijah had done and withal how he had slain all the prophets b To wit of Baal not of the Groves who were not present as may be gathered from chap. 18. 19 22. and 22. 6. with the sword 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah c She gives him notice of it before-hand partly out of the height of her spirit as scorning to kill him secretly and surreptitiously and resolving to make him a publick Sacrifice partly out of her impatience till she had breathed out her rage which she could do speedily when it required some time and preparation to seize him who was now so much esteemed and favoured by all the People partly because she supposed that he who had the confidence to come thither where it seems she was at this time would still have the same confidence to stay there and be obliged in honour to maintain his ground and principally from Gods all-disposing Providence that so he might have an opportunity of escaping saying Ruth 1. 17. So let the gods do to me and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow at this time d So far was she from being changed by that most evident Miracle that she persists in her former Idolatry and adds to it a mad and monstrous confidence that in spight of God she would destroy his Prophet 3 And when he saw that he arose and went for his life e i. e. To save his life or according to his soul or mind Whereby it may be intimated that he did not flee from Iezreel by the hand or direction of the Lord by which he came thither ch 18. 46. but because of his own fear and apprehension of danger For this may seem to be an act of humane frailty For God had brought him hither and his presence might seem very necessary here to incourage and ingage the King and People to go on to destroy the Priests of the Groves and to purge out Idolatry and his withdrawing as we see did discourage all the rest and occasioned their return to Idolatry again and having had such a late and ample experience of Gods all-sufficiency in protecting him against the King and 450 of Baal's Priests and the current of the people incensed against him for the Famine he had little reason to feat the threats of an impotent Woman whom God could cut off in a moment But Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are Jam.
very young when his Father was slain and the people were not agreed to restore him to his right till his 16th Year chap. 14. 21. 2 Chr. 26. 1. And yet these 11 or 12 Years of inter-Reign in which he was excluded from the exercise of his Regal office some think to be included in those 52 Years which are here ascribed to Azariah's Reign ver 2. which may well be doubted ‡ Heb. reigned began Azariah b Called also Uzziah here and v. 13 30. son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign c Solely and fully to exercise his Regal power 2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign and he reigned two and fifty years d Besides the sixteen Years of his minority last mentioned in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem 3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD according to all that his father Amaziah had done e i. e. In the same manner unsincerely and but for a time 4 Save that f Understand this as howbeit chap. 14. 4. the high places were not removed the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places 5 ¶ And the LORD * 2 Chr. 26. 19. smote the king so that he was a leper g The cause whereof see 2 Chron. 26. 16. unto the day of his death and dwelt in a several house h Separated from conversation with others by vertue of that Law Lev. 13. 46. which being the Law of the King of kings bound kings no less than subjects and Jotham the kings son was over the house judging the people of the land i i. e. He governed the Kings Court and whole Kingdom in his name and as his Vicegerent 6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah and all that he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah 7 So Azariah slept with his fathers and * 2 Chr. â—…6 〈◊〉 they buried him with his fathers in the city of David and Jotham his son reigned in his stead 8 ¶ In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah k Of which see the Note on ver 2. did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months 9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD as his fathers had done he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh l One of his chief Captains conspired against him and * Job 34. â—…6 Amos 7. 9. smote him before the people m Openly and impudently which he presumed to do either because he remembred that the promise of the Kingdom made to Iehu was confined to the fourth Generation chap. 10. 30. which he observed to be now expired or because he perceived that the people were generally disaffected to their King and favourable to his attempt and slew him and reigned in his stead 11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah behold they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 12 This was * Chap 〈◊〉 the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu saying Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation And so it came to pass 13 ¶ Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calâ—…ed 〈◊〉 Uzziah king of Judah and he reigned ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 of days a full month in Samaria 14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah and came to Samaria and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and slew him and reigned in his stead 15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum and his conspiracy which he made behold they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 16 ¶ Then Menahem smote Tiphsah n Either that Tiphsah mentioned 1 King 4. 24. or another City of that name and all that were therein and the coasts thereof from Tirzah o i. e. All the people dwelling between Tirzah and Tiphsah because they opened not to him p Because they refused to open the Gates of their City to him and to submit to him as Conqueror therefore he smote it and all * Chap. 〈◊〉 the women therein that were with child he ript up q That by this example of severity he might affright all the rest of the people into obedience 17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel and reigned ten years in Samaria 18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 19 And * 1 Chr. 〈◊〉 Isa. 9. 1. Pul the king of Assyria r Called by Heathen Anâ—…hors Pul-Belochus who by the help of Arbaces the Mede vanquished Sardanapalus the last Monarch of Assyria and translated the Kingdom to Chaldaea and was the first King of Babylon and Assyria Arbaces being made King of the Medes and Persians came against the land s To wit of Israel as the context shews and Menahem gave t i. e. Agreed or promised to give as the next Verse explains it Pul a thousand talents of silver that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand u That he might assist him against all that did or should oppose him By which it appears that his cruelty to Tiphsah was so far from establishing him as he expected that it weakned and endangered him so far that he was forced to call in a Foreign Prince to his aid 20 And Menahem ‡ Heb. caused to come forth exacted the money of Israel even of all the mighty men of wealth of each man x i. e. Of each of those wealthy Israelites But as each of these were not equally Wealthy so it is not probable that he taxed them equally Others therefore render it to or for each man i. e. for every Assyrian Soldier which Interpretation is favoured by the placing of the words in the Hebrew Text which differs from that in our Translation fifty shekels of silver to give to the king of Assyria so the king of Assyria turned back and stayed not there in the land 21 ¶ And the rest of the acts of Menahem and all that he did are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 22 And Menahem slept with his fathers and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead 23 ¶ In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria and reigned two years 24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam
many of Ephraim and Manasseh Issachar and Zebulun had not cleansed themselves yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written z They had so eager a Desire to partake of this Ordinance that rather than neglect it they would venture upon it with some Ceremonial Uncleanness upon them but Hezekiah prayed for them saying †〈…〉 The good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to seek God the LORD God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary a i. e. With that Ceremonial Purification which was required of them that came into Gods Sanctuary So he calls it to distinguish from that Moral and Internal Purity which they are here acknowledged to have 20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people b From their Uncleanness which it self was a Spiritual Disease and which probably produced a Disease or Distemper or Trouble in their Minds and Consciences which also had formerly brought and might justly now bring even outward Diseases upon the Body or at least Guilt which is a Disease upon the Soul From all which the Lord was pleased now to heal them by pardoning this their Sin and accepting them and their Services as if they had been clean Which it is likely God was pleased to manifest by some outward Sign possibly by fire from Heaven consuming the Sacrifices which was the usual Token of Gods Approbation as hath been formerly noted more than once 21 And the children of Israel that were †Heb. found present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day singing with †loud instruments unto the LORD 22 And Hezekiah spake †Heb. instruments of strength comfortably unto all the Levites c Encouraged them to a chearful and diligent Attendance upon their Holy Ministrations by the Promise of his Favour and utmost Care for them which he faithfully performed ch 31. 4 c. that taught the good knowledge of †Heb. to the heart of all c. the LORD d Who by their Office were to instruct and build up the People in the Knowledge and Fear of God which is mentioned as the Cause of his Respect and Kindness to them which was for their works sake as it is said 1 Thes. 5. 13. and they did eat throughout the feast seven days offering peace-offerings and making confession e Either 1. Confessing their Sins which Work was to accompany many of their Sacrifices of which see Levit. 5. 5. 16. 21. Or rather 2. Confessing Gods Goodness or praising of God which oft goes under this Name as 1 Chron. 16. 8 24. which also seems to be more proper work for this Season of Joy unto the LORD God of their fathers 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep * See 1 Kin. 8. 65. other seven days and they kept other seven days with gladness f Not in the same manner as they had done the former with offering new Paschal Lambs and eating onely Unleavened Bread of which there is not the least intimation in the Text but onely in the solemn Worship of God by Sacrifices and Prayers and Praises and publick Instruction of that great Congregation in the Good Knowledge of the Lord which was so dear to Hezekiah v. 22. and at this time most seasonable and necessary for the People after so long and dismal a Night of Ignorance Superstition and Idolatry as both Israel and Judah had been involved in 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah †Heb. lifted up or offered did give to the congregation g First to God to whom the parts appointed were offered in way of Thanksgiving and then to the People who feasted upon the Relicks as the Offerer used to do in Peace-offerings and Hâ—…zekiah who was the Offerer gave away his Right in the Remains of the Sacrifices to the People a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep h Which Generosity is the more considerable because it was in the Beginning of his Reign when he found the Royal Exchequer exhausted and empty and when he had been at great Expence about the Cleansing and refitting of the Temple and making Preparations for this great Feast and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep and a great number of priests sanctified themselves i Having now both more Time and further Need of sanctifying themselves to offer these Numerous Sacrifices 25 And all the congregation of Judah with the priests and the Levites and all the congregation that came out of Israel and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel and that dwelt in Judah rejoyced 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem 27 Then the priests the Levites k Those of the Levites who were Priests also for to them onely this Work belonged 1 Chron. 23. 13. Or the Priests and the Levites For as the Levites did some other part of the Priests Work at this time it is not strange if they did this also Or the Priests might bless by solemn pronunciation of the Blessing and the Levites by their Acclamations or with their Musical Instruments arose and * Numb 6. 23. blessed the people l Either commended them for their great Zeal and Diligence in Gods Service Or rather solemnly prayed to God to bless them and their Prayer was not in vain as the following words shew and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to †Heb. the habitation of his holiness his holy dwelling place even unto heaven CHAP. XXXI 1 NOw when all this was finished all Israel that were †Heb. found present went out to the cities of Judah and * 2 Kin. â—… 〈◊〉 brake the †Heb. 〈◊〉 images in pieces and cut down the groves and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin in Ephraim also and Manasseh †Heb. until to make an end until they had utterly destroyed them all Then all the children of Israel returned every man to his possession into their own cities a Either 1. In those Cities belonging to Ephraim and Manasseh which the Kings of Judah had formerly taken from the Kings of Israel Or 2. In the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh For although these were a part of Hoshea's Kingdom yet Hezekiah presumed to do this partly by vertue of the Law of God to which both Israel and Judah owed Subjection which commanded the extirpation of these things out of the whole Land of Canaan Partly by the special Impulse and Direction of Gods Spirit which sometimes did put persons upon Heroical and Extraordinary Actions not to be drawn into Imitation And partly because he knew that Hoshea
computed two ways one from the death of Xerxes and the other from his first entrance upon the administration of the Kingdom which was committed to him in the 5th year of Xerxes when he began the Grecian war and left his Son King or Viceroy in his stead as the manner of the Persians was It may seem doubtful and is not much material which way of computation is here used Others understand this of Artaxerxes Nemon the king that wine was before him and I took up the wine and gave it unto the king Now I had not been before-time sad in his presence 2 Wherefore the king said unto me why is thy countenance sad c His fasting joyned with inward grief had made a sensible change in his very countenance seeing thou art not sick this is nothing else but sorrow of heart Then I was very sore afraid d Partly being daunted by the Majesty of the King and the suddenness and sharpness of his question partly fearing lest there was arising some jealousy or ill opinion in the King concerning him partly because it was an unusual and ungrateful thing to come into the King of Persia's presence with any badges or tokens of sorrow Esth. 4. 2. and principally from his doubts or fears of disappointment because his request was great and invidious and odious to the most of the Persian Courtiers and might be represented as dangerous and might seem improper for a time of feasting and jollity 3 And said unto the king 〈◊〉 â—… 31. 〈◊〉 2. 4. 〈◊〉 Let the king live for ever e My sadness comes not from any discontent with my own condition or any disaffection to the King for whom my hearty Prayers are that he may live for ever but from another cause why should not my countenance be sad when the city the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place of my fathers sepulchers f Which by all Nations are esteemed sacred and inviolable and honourable He saith not a word of the Temple or of Religion for he wisely considered that he spake before a heathen King and Court who cared for none of those things lieth wast and the gates thereof are consumed with fire 4 Then the King said unto me For what dost thou make request so I prayed to the God of heaven g To direct my thoughts and words and to incline the Kings heart to grant my request 5 And I said unto the king If it please the king h My request whatsoever it is I humbly and wholly submit it to the Kings good pleasure being resolved to acquiesce in it and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight i I pretend no merit but am an humble suppliant for thy grace and favour whereof having received some tokens I am thereby emboldened to make this further request that thou wouldest send me unto Judah unto the city of my fathers sepulchers that I may build it 6 And the king said unto me the †Heb wife queen also sitting by him k Which is here noted partly as an unusual thing for commonly the Kings of Persia dined alone and their Queens seldom dined with them as Historians note and peradventure because the Queen expressed some kindness to him and promoted his request with the King For how long shall thy journey be and when wilt thou return l This question shewed the Kings respect and affection to him and that he was not willing to want his attendance longer than was necessary So it pleased the king to send me and I set him a time m Either that 12 years mentioned ch 5. 14. 13. 6. or rather a far shorter time for which cause among others he built the walls with such dispatch even in 52 days ch 6. 15. and probably not very long after that returned to the King by whom he was sent a second time with more ample Commission and for the Kings service and the Government of that part of his dominions 7. Moreover I said unto the king If it please the king let letters be given me to governours beyond the river that they may convey me over n That they may safely conduct me through their several territories till I come into Judah 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper †Heb. of the kings orchard So Gr. of the kings forrest o Of the forest of Libanus famous for pleasure and for plenty of choice trees that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house p To wit of the Kings palace which was adjoyning to the house of God Or of the Tower or sence belonging to the house of God to wit for the gates of the Courts of the Temple for though the Temple was built the Courts and other buildings belonging to the Temple might yet be unfinished and for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall enter into q Wherewith I may build an house in which I may dwell whilst I am there and which I may dispose of as I see fit And the king granted me * Ezr. 7. 9. according to the good hand of my God upon me 9 Then I came to the governours beyond the river and gave them the kings letters Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me 10 When Sanballat the Horonite r So called either from his family or from the place of his birth or rule which is supposed to be Horonaim an eminent City of Moab Isa. 15. 5. Ier. 48. 3. and Tobiah the servant s So called probably from his servile original or condition from which he was advanced to his present power and dignity which also may be mentioned as one reason why he now carried himself so insolently and perversly towards the Jews it being usual for Persons suddenly raised from a mean to an high estate so to demean themselves the Ammonite heard of it it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel 11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days t Resting my self after my long journey and enquiring into the state of the City 12 And I arose in the night u Concealing both his intentions and actions as far and as long as he could as knowing that the life of his business lay in secrecy and expedition I and some few men with me neither told I any man what God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem neither was there any beast with me save the beast that I rode upon x To prevent noise and the notice of what I did 13 And I went out by night y The footmen which accompanied him directing and leading him in the way His design was to go round about the City to observe the compass and condition of the Walls and Gates that he might make sufficient provisions for
against them partly from his rage against Mordecai and partly from Mordecai's reason of this contempt because he was a Iew which as he truly judged extended itself to all the Jews and would equally ingage them all in the same neglect and hatred of his person that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus even the people of Mordecai 7 In the first month that is the month Nisan in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus * Chap. 9. 24. they cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day from month to month h The diviners cast lots according to the custom of those ancient and eastern people what day and what month would be most lucky not for his success with the King of whose compliance with his request he made no doubt but for the most effectual and universal extirpation of the Jews to the twelfth month i Wherein appears both his implacable malice and unwearied diligence in seeking vengeance of them with so much and so long trouble to himself and Gods singular providence in disposing the lot to that time that so the Jews might have sufficient space of time to get the decree reversed as they did that is the month Adar 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus There is a certain people k Mean and contemptible not worthy to be named scattered abroad and dispersed among the people l Who therefore if tolerated may poyson all thy subjects with their pernicious principles and whom thou mayest easily crush without any great noise or difficulty in all the provinces of thy kingdom m For though many of their brethren were returned to their own land yet great numbers of them stayed behind either because they preferred their ease and worldly commodities before their spiritual advantages or because they wanted conveniency or opportunity for a remove which might happen from divers causes and * 〈◊〉 4 13. 〈◊〉 16. 20. their laws are divers from all people n They have peculiar and fantastical rites and customs and religion and therefore are justly offensive to all thy people and may either infect them with their conceits or occasion great dissensions and distractions among them neither keep they the kings laws o As is manifest by Mordecai's bold contempt of thy late Edict concerning me which being done by him as a Iew the whole nation are involved in his crime and are prepared to do so when they have occasion therefore it is not †〈…〉 for the kings profit to suffer them p To live in his kingdom I do not seek herein so much my own revenge as thy service 9 If it please the king let it be written q Let there be a written Edict from the King †〈◊〉 to deâ—… that they may be destroyed and I will †〈◊〉 weigh pay ten thousand talents of silver r Whether these were Hebrew or Babylonish or Graecian talents we cannot certainly know But whichsoever they were it was a vast sum to be paid out of his own estate which he was willing to sacrifice to his revenge to the hands of those that have the charge of the business s Either 1. Of this business to wit of destroying the Jews which as soon as they have procured to be done I will pay the mony into their hands that by them it may be paid into the Kings Exchequer Or rather 2. Of the Kings business or of the treasures as is implied in the following words I will pay it to the Kings receivers that they may put it into the Kings treasures to bring it into the kings treasuries 10 And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman t That he might keep it as a badge of his supreme authority under the King and that he might use it for the sealing of this decree which now he desired or of any other as hereafter he should see fit Compare ch 8. 2 8. and Gen. 41. 42. the son of Hammedatha the Agagite the Jews ‖ 〈◊〉 oppresâ—… enemy u So he was both by inclination as he was an Amalekite and especially by this malicious and destructive design and resolution 11 And the king said unto Haman The silver is given to thee x Keep it to thy own use I do not desire it I accept thy offer for the deed the people also to do with them as it seemeth good to thee 12 Then were the kings ‖ Or secretaries scribes y This he did so speedily though it was a year before the intended execution lest the King should change his mind either by his own clemency or by the persuasion of others called on the thirteenth day of the first month and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the kings lieutenants and to the governours that were over every province and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof and to every people after their language in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written and sealed with the kings ring 13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings provinces to destroy to kill to cause to perish all Jews both young and old * 〈◊〉 little children and women in one day even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month Adar and to take the spoil of them for a prey z Which was to oblige them to the greater severity and readiness to execute this Edict for their own advantage 14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people that they should be ready against that day 15 The posts went out being hastened by the kings commandment ‖ Either by this Decree made in the Kings name or by some particular and succeeding command which Haman could easily obtain from the King and the decree was given in Shushan the palace and the king and Haman sat down to drink but the city Shushan †Not only the Jews but a greater number of the Citizens either because they were related to them or engaged with them in worldly concerns or out of humanity and compassion towards so vast a number of innocent people now appointed as sheep for the slaughter or out of a fear either of some sedition and disturbance which might arise by this means or of some damage which might accrue to themselves or friends who happily under this pretence might be exposed to rapine or slaughter or of a publick judgment of God upon them all for so bloody a decree was perplexed CHAP. IV. 1 WHen Mordecai perceived all that was done Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry a Partly to express his deep sense of the mischief coming upon his people partly to move
am wholly thy Creature and Workmanship made by thee and for thee yet thou dost destroy me s Or swallow me up to wit without cause or any eminent provocation of mine as if thou didst delight in doing and undoing in making and then destroying thy Creatures which doth not become thy Wisdom or Goodness 9. Remember I beseech thee that * Gen. 2â—… 3. 19. thou hast ‖ Or 〈◊〉 made me as the clay t i. e. Of the Clay the Note of similitude here expressing the truth of things as it doth Iohn 1. 14. and elsewhere as hath been before observed Or as a Potter maketh a Vessel of the Clay and so this may note both the frailty of man's Nature which of it self decaies and perisheth and doth not need such violent shocks and storms to overthrow it and the Excellency of the Divine Artifice commended from the meanness of the Materials out of which it was made which is an Argument why God should not destroy it and wilt thou bring me into dust again u Wiltst thou now causleslâ—… and violently destroy thy own Work But the words are and may be read without an Interrogation And thou wilt bring me into duâ—…l again out of which I was made I must die by the course of Nature and by the sentence of thy Law and therefore whilest I do live give me some ease and comfort 10. * Ps. 139. 14. 15 16. Hast thou not poured me out as milk and crudled me like cheese x Thus he modestly and accurately describes God's admirable Work in making Man out of a small and liquid and as it were Milky substance by degrees congealed and condensed into that exquisite Frame of Man's Body 11. Thou hast clothed me y i. e. Covered my inward and more noble parts which as Philosophers and Physicians observe are first formed So he proceeds in describing Man's Formation gradually with skin and flesh and hast †Heb. 〈◊〉 fenced me with bones and sinews z Which are the stay and strength of the Body and some of them as the Skull and Ribs enclose and defend its vital and most noble parts 12. Thou hast granted me life a Thou didst not onely give me a curious Body but also a living and a reasonable Soul Thou didst at first give me life and then maintain it in me both when I was in the Womb which is a marvellous Work of God and afterward when I was unable to do any thing to preserve my own life and favour b Or benignity or borâ—…ty or mercy or kindness which is here as ost elsewhere put for its fruits or effects Thou didst not give a meer Life but many other Favours necessary or convenient or belonging to it such as Nourishment by the Breast Education Knowledge and Instruction c. and thy visitation c i. e. The Care of thy Providence watching over me for my good and visiting me in mercy as God's visiting is understood Exod. 4. 31. Luke 1. 78. though elsewhere it is an Act of Punishment hath preserved my spirit d i. e. My Soul or Life which is liable to manifold Casualties and Dangers if God did not watch over us and guard us every day and moment Thou hast hitherto done great things for me given me Life and the Blessings of Life and daily Preservations and Deliverances And wiltst thou now undo all that thou hast done And shall I who have been such an eminent Monument of thy Mercy now be made a Spectacle of thy Vengeance and that without cause 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart e This place may be understood either 1. of Iob's present Afflictions So the sense is this Yet in the midst of all those Manifestations of thy Grace and kindness to me thou didst retain a secret purpose of changing thy course and carriage towards me and of bringing these dreadful Calamities upon me Or rather 2. of his former Mercies these things to wit last mentioned thou hast hid them in thy heart i. e. thou dost exactly remember them as this phrase is used Psalm 119. 11. Luke 2. 51. So the Argument is this Let the remembrance of thy former great Favours vouchsased to me move thee to give me further Blessings and a speedy Deliverance For this is usual both with God and Men to choose aâ—…d delight to do more good to those to whom they have done much good already which is the ground of that known passage Mat. 13. 12. To him that hath shall be given I know that this is * 〈◊〉 59. 〈◊〉 with thee f i. e. In thy mind and heart thou hast not forgot it So the same thing is here repeated in other words 14. If I sin g If I commit the least sin as who is there that liveth and sinneth not then thou markest me h Thou doest not wink at or pass by my sins as thou usually doest other mens but doest severely and diligently observe them all that thou mayest punish them Compare Chap. 14. 16. 31. 4. and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity i I perceive thou art resolved to punish me with rigour and that thou wiltst not pardon and pity and help me Words of great impatience and distrust 15. If I be wicked k i. e. An ungodly Hypocrite as my Friends esteem me wo unto me l Then I am truly and extremely and must be eternally miserable and if I be righteous m i. e. An upright and good man So whether good or bad all comes to one I have no relief yet will I not lift up my head n Or yet caâ—… I not c. The Future Tense being used potentially Yet I have no comfort nor confidence or hopes of any good Lifting up â—…he head or face is oft mentioned as a sign of comfort and confidence as Psalm 3. 3. Luke 21. 28. As on the contrary Grief and Shame are described by its dejection or casting down I am full of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confusion o Or 〈◊〉 from my Friends and from others Chap. 30. 1 c. and from God too who â—…asts me off and makes me contemptible I have abundance of shame in the disappointment of all my hopes and the continuance and aggravation of my misery notwithstanding all my prayers to God to remove or mitigate it And I am confounded within my self not knowing what to say or do Let my extremity move thee to pity and help me therefore see thou mine affliction 16. For it encreaseth thou * 〈◊〉 3â—… 13. 〈◊〉 huntest me as a fierce lion p Which hunteth after his prey with great eagerness and when he overtakes it falls upon it with great fury and again thou shewest thy self marvellous upon me q Heb. And thou returnest and shewest thy self marvellous upon or in or against me The â—…ion tears its prey speedily and so ends its torments but
our first Parents had utterly lost and 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 price of his own blood and hath revenged the Death of Mankind upon the great Contriver of it the Devil by destroying him and his kingdom and hath taken a course to preserve our Name and Honour and Persons to Eternity And if the places where God is called Goel in the Old Testament be examined it will be found that either all or most of them may be and some of them must be understood of God the Son or oâ—… Christ as Gen. 48. 16. Isa. 59. 20. See also Psalm 74. 2. Isa. 41. 14. 44. 6. 49. 7 52. 3. 63. 16. 3. Because Iob was so far from such a firm Confidence as he here professeth that he had not the least degree of hope of any such glorious temporal restauration as his Friends promised to him as we have oft seen and observed in the former Discourses as Chap. 16. 22. 17. 12 13 c. And therefore that hope which every righteous man hath in his death Prov. 14. 32. and which Iob oft professeth that he had must necessarily be fixed upon his happiness in the future life 4. Because some of the following expressions cannot without wresting and violence be applied to a Metaphorical Resurrection as we shall see in the Sequel 5. Because this is a more lofty and spiritual strain than any in Iob's former Discourses and quite contrary to them And as they generally â—…avour of Dejection and Diffidence and do either declare or encrease his Grief so this puts him into another and much better temper And therefore it is well observed that after this time and these expressions we meet not with any such impatient or despairing passages as we had before which shews that they had inspired him with new life and comfort 6. Because this well agrees with other passages in this Book wherein Iob declareth that although he had no hope as to this life and the comforts thereof yet he had an hope beyond death which made him prosess Though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me yet will I trust in him Iob 13. â—… 5. Trust in him For what Suâ—… for comfort and happiness Where Not in this life for that he supposeth to be lost therefore it must be in the next life And this was one reason why he so vehemently desired Death because he knew it would bring him unto God and unto true Felicity And this his hope and confidence in God and in his Favour to him Iob. opposeth to those â—…oul and false aspersâ—…ons which his Friâ—… had cast upon him as iâ—… he had forsaken God and cast off all â—…ear of him and hope in him Object 1. If this place had spoken of the Resurrection of the Body some of the Hebrew Writer or Commentators upon this Place who did believe that Doctrine would have understood it so and have urged it against the Sadduces which they did not Answ. 1. All the Jewish Writers which are now extant lived and wrote â—…ce Christ's time when the Doctors of that People were very ignorant of many great Truths and of the plain meaning of many Scriptures and very corrupt in their Principles as well as in their Practises 2. There was a manifest Reason why they could not understand this Text thus because they believed that Iob in his Agonies did deny God's Providence and consequently the Resurrection and the future Judgment which though it was a most uncharitable and false Opinion yet forced them to interpret this Text another way Obj. 2. How is it credible that Iob in those ancient times and in that dark stare of the Church should know these great Mysteries of Christ's Incarnation and of the Resurrection and Life to come Answ. 1. The mystery of Christ's Incarnation was revealed to 〈◊〉 by that first and famous Promise that the seed of the woman should break the Serpent's head Gen. 3. 15. which being the onely Foundation of all his Hopes for the recovery and salvation of himself and of all his Posterity he would doubtless carefully and 〈◊〉 teach and explain it as need required to those that descended from him 2. That the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets were generally acquainted with these Doctrines is undeniably evident from Heb. 11. and 1 Pet. 1. â—… 10. 11 12. 3 Particularly Abraham from whom Iob is supposed to have dâ—…ded had the Promise made to him that Christ should come out of his Loins Gen. 12. â—… and is said to have seen Christs day and 〈◊〉 to see it John 8. 56. and had his hopes and desires fixed upon a divine and heavenly City and Country Heb. â—…1 10 16. And as 〈◊〉 liveth m knâ—…w and believed these things himself so it is manifest that he â—…aught them to his Children and Servants Gen. 18. 1â—… aâ—…d to his Kiâ—…red and others as he had occasâ—…on And therefore it cannot seem strange that Iob professeth his Faith and hope in these things 〈◊〉 I am a dying man and my hopes are dying but he liveth and that for ever and therefore though i die 〈◊〉 both caâ—… and will make me to live again in due time â—…ugh not in this World yet in the other which is much better and though I am now highly censured and condemned by my Friend and others as a great Dissembler and a secret Sinner whom God's haâ—…d hath found out yet there is a day coming wherein 〈◊〉 Caâ—…se shall be pleaded and my Name and Honour vindicated from all these Reproaches and my Integrity brought to light and that he shall stand n I am falling and dying but he shall stand firm and unmoâ—…able and victorious in full power and authority all which this word stand signifies and therefore he is able to make me to stand in Judgment and to maintain my Cause against all Opposers Or 〈◊〉 â—…all arise as this Verb most commonly signifies i. e. Either 1. he shall exist or be born as this word is oft used as Num. 32. 14 Deut 29. 22. Iudg. 2. 10. 1 Kings 3 12. Matth. 11. 11. And it notes Christ's Incarnation that although as he was God he was now and from all Eternity in being yet he should in due time be made man and be born of a woman Or 2. he shall arise out of the dust which had been more probable if it had been in the Text from or out of as now it is upon the earth or dust for Christ's Resurrection from the dead might be fiâ—…ly mentioned here as the Cause of Iob's Resurrection which followeth ‖ Or at last at the latter day o Either 1. in the days of the Messiah or of the Gospel which are oft called the letter or last days or times as Isa. 2. 2 〈◊〉 â—… 5. 〈◊〉 2. 28. Compared with Acts 2. 17. 1 Tim. 4. 1. and 2 〈◊〉 3. 1. 〈◊〉 1. 1. Or rather 2. at the day of the general Resurrection and Judgment which as those holy Patriarchs well knew and firmly believed was to be at
the end of the World and which is called the last day Iohn 6. 39 40 44. 54. 11. 24 12. 48. 1 Pet. 1. 5 For this was the time when Iob's Resurrection of which he speaketh 〈◊〉 was to be Heb. at the last By which word he plainly intimates that his hope was not 〈◊〉 things present and of Worldly Felicities of which his Friends had discoursed so much â—…ut of another kind of and a far greater blessedness which should accrue to him in after-times long after he was dead and rotten Or the last who is both the first and the last Isa. 44. 6. Rev. 1. 11. who shall subdue and survive all his and his peoples Enemies and after others the lâ—…t enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 26. and then shall raise up his people and plead their Cause and vindicate them from all the Calumnies and Injuries which are put upon them and conduct them to Life and Glory upon the earth p The place upon which Christ shall appear and stand at the last day Heb. upon the dust in which his Saints and Members lie or sleep whom he will raise out of it ' And therefore he is fitly said to stand upon the dust or the Grave or Death because then he will put that among other Enemies under his feet as it is expressed 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. Some render the Words thus and that very agreeably to the Hebrew The last or at the last he shall arise or stand up against for so this very Phrase is used Gen. 4. 8. Iudg. 9. 18. Psalm 54. 3. the dust and fight with it and rescue the bodies of the Saints which are held in it as Prisoners from its Dominion and Territories Some understand this of God that He should stand last in the field as Conquerour of all his Enemies But this neither agrees with the words the Hebrew Aphar signifying dust and being never used of the field or plâ—…e of Battel nor with Iob's scope which was to defend himself against his Friends Accusations and to comfort himself with his hopes and assurance of God's Favour to be exhibited to him in due time Which end the words in that sense would by no means serve because God might and would be Conqueror of all his Enemies though Iob himself had been one of them and though his Cause had been bad and his Friends should with God have triumphed over him 26. ‖ 〈…〉 And though after my skin worms destroy this body q The style of this and other Poetical Books is concise and short and therefore many words are to be understood in some places to compleat the sense The meaning of the place is this Though my skin is now in a great measure consumed by Sores and the rest of it together with this body shall be devoured by the Worms which may seem to make my case quite desperate Heb. And though which â—…article as it is oft elsewhere is here to be understood as the opposition of the next branch sheweth after my skin which either now is or suddenly will be consumed by Sores or Worms they i. e. the destroyers or devourers as is implyed in the Verb such Impersonal speeches being usual in the Scripture as Gen. 50. 26. Luke 12. 20. 16. 9. where the actions are expressed but the persons or things acting are understood And by the Destroyers he most probably designs the Worms which do this work in the Grave destroy or cut off or devour this i. e. all this which you see left of me this which I now point to all this which is contained within my skin all my flesh and bones this which I know not what to call whether a living Body or a dead Carkass because it is between both and therefore he did not say this body because it did scarce deserve that name yet r For the Particle and is oft used adversatively Or then as it is oft rendred in my flesh s Heb. out of my flesh or with as the Particle Mem is used Can. 1. 2. 3. 9. Isa 57. 8. my flesh i. e. with eyes of flesh as Iob himself calls them Chap. 10. 4. Or with bodily eyes my flesh or body being raised from the Grave and restored and reunited to my soul. And this is very sitly added to shew that he did not speak of a mental or spiritual but of a corporeal Vision and that after his death shall I see God t The same whom he called his Redeemer v. 25. i. e. Christ of which see the note there who being God-man and having taken flesh and appearing in his flesh or body with and for Iob upon the earth as was said v. 25. might very well be seen with his bodily eyes Nor is this understood of a simple seeing of him for so even they that pierced him shall see him Revel 1. 7. but of seeing him with delight and comfort as that word is oft understood as Gen. 48. 11. Iob 42. 16. Psalm 128. 5. Isa. 53. 11. of that glorious and beautiâ—…ying Vision of God which is promised to all God's people Psalm 16. 11. 17. 15. Matth. 5. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Iohn 3. 2. 27. Whom I shall see u In manner before and after expressed No wonder that he repeats it again and again because the meditation of it was most sweet to him for my self x i. e. For my own comfort and benefit as that Phrase is oft used Or which is much of the same importance on my behalf to plead my Cause and vindicate me from all your reproaches and mine eyes shall behold and not †〈…〉 another y To wit for me or in my stead I shall not see God by anothers eyes but by my own and by these self-same eyes in this same body which now I have Heb. not a stranger i. e. This priviledge shall be granted to me and to all other sincere Servants of God but not to strangers i. e. to wicked men who are oft called strangers as Psal. 18. 44 45. 54. 3. Prov. 21. 8. because they are estranged or alienated from God and from his service and people And if I were such an one as you suppose me to be I could never hope to enjoy that happiness though my reins be consumed †Heb. in my 〈◊〉 within me z This I do confidently expect and hope for though at present my Case seems desperate my very inward parts being even consumed with grief and though as I have said the Grave and the Worms will consume my whole Body not excepting the Reins which seem to be fasest and furthest out of their reach Or without though which is not in the Hebrew My reins are consumed within me So this may be a sudden and passionate ejaculation or exclamation such as we find Gen. 48. 18. and oft in the Book of Psalms arising from the contemplation and confident expectation of this his unspeakable happiness wherein he expresseth
lifting up a Or there shall be lifting up either 1. for them if they repent and humble themselves they shall be preserved or restored And this thou wilest assure them of from thy own experience Or 2. for thee and thine God will deliver thee when others are crushed and destroyed and b Or for this Particle being oft put causally as hath been formerly noted So the following words contain a Reason why he might confidently say that there would be such a lifting up for a person so humbled he c i. e. God unto whom onely salvation belongeth Psalm 3. 8. shall save d Either 1. eternally or 2. temporally to wit from the evils here mentioned * Jam. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. †Heb. him that hath low eyes the humble person e Heb. Him that hath low or cast down eyes Which phrase may here note either 1. humility and lowliness of mind and disposition as pride is oft expressed by high or lofty looks as Psalm 18. 27. 101. 5. 131. 1. Prov. 6. 17. And so this is a tacit admonition and reproof for Iob whom for his confident justification of himself and his contemptuous expressions and censures concerning them they judged to be guilty of intolerable pride of heart Or 2. Lowness of Estate or Condition as Iames 1. 10. So it notes him whose Eyes and Countenance are dejected by reason of his great troubles and miseries as on the contrary prosperity makes persons lift up their Eyes and Faces 30. He f i. e. God as v. 29. whose Prerogative it is to give deliverances shall deliver g To wit upon thy request as the following Clause sheweth God will hear thy prayers even for others which is a great honour and comfort and much more for thy self the Island of the innocent h Not onely thy self when thou shalt become innocent and pure but for thy sake he will deliver the whole Island or Country that word being oft used not onely for such Lands or Countries as were separated from Canaan by the Sea as is commonly observed but also for such as were upon the same Continent with it as appears from Gen. 10 5 c. Psalm 72. 10. 97. 1. Isa. 41. 5. in which thou dwellest Or the guilty or him that is not innocent For the word here rendred Island is sometimes used for not both in Scripture as 1 Sam. 4. 21. Prov. 31. 4. So the sense is God will have so great a respect to thy innocency and purity that for thy sake he will deliver those that belong to thee or live with thee or near thee though in themselves they be sinful Creatures and ripe for destruction See Gen. 18. 32. ‖ Or the innocent shall deliver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it i To wit the Island Or he i. e. the guilty person is delivered by the pureness of thine hands k i. e. By thy prayers proceeding from a pure heart and conscience when thou shalt lift up pure hands to God in prayer as it is expressed 1 Tim. 2 8. Whereby as he asserts the prevalency of the righteous man's prayers with God for mercy both for himself and others and by this Argument he perswadeth Iob to repentance so withal he alledgeth this as an Argument or evidence that Iob did not stretch out pure hands to God in prayer as he pretended because his prayers could not prevail for the preservation of himself or his Children and much less for others at a greater distance CHAP. XXIII 1. THen Job answered and said 2. Even to day a i. e. Even at this time notwithstanding all your promises and pretended consolations I find no ease nor satisfaction in all your discourses And therefore in this and the following Chapters Iob seldom applies his discourse to his Friends but only addresseth his speech to God or bewaileth himself is my complaint bitter b i. e. I do bitterly complain and have just cause to do so But this Clause is and may be otherwise rendred Even still Heb. at this day is my complaint called or accounted by you rebellion or bitterness or the rage of an exasperated mind Do you still pass such harsh censures upon me after all my declarations and solemn protestations of my Innocency Heb. my hand passively i. e. the hand or stroke of God upon me as the same phrase is used Psal. 77. 2. and mine arrow Iob Chap. 34. 6. †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my stroke c is heavier than my groaning d i. e. Doth exceed all my Complaints and expressions So far are you mistaken that think I complain more than I have cause Some render the words thus My hands are heavy i. e. feeble and hanging down as the Phrase is Heb. 12. 12. My strength and spirit faileth because of my groaning 3. * Ch. 13. 3. O that I knew where I might find him e To wit God as his Friends well knew and the thing it self sheweth Thou bidst me acquaint my self with him Chapter 22. 21. I desire nothing more than his acquaintance and presence but alas he hides his Face from me that I cannot see him nor come near him that I might come even to his seat f i. e. To his Throne or Judgment-seat to plead my Cause before him as it here follows Verse 4. not upon terms of strict justice but upon those terms of grace and mercy upon which God is pleased to deal with his sinful Creatures See before Chapter 9. 34 35. 16. 21. 17. 3. And this my confidence may be some evidence that I am not such a gross Hypocrite as you imagine me to be 4. I would * Ch. 13 3 1 order my cause g i. e. Orderly declare the things which concern and prove the right of my Cause before him h not only debating the Controversie between my Friends and me concerning my sincerity or hypocrisie before God as a Witness or Judge but also pleading with God as a Party and modestly enquiring whether he doth not deal more rigorously with me than I might reasonably expect wherein I desire no other Judge but himself and fill my mouth with arguments i To prove my Innocency and sincerity towards God and consequently that I am severely used 5. I would know the words which he would answer me and understand what he would say unto me k I long to know what he would say either to prove me an hypocrite or to justifie his harsh proceedings against me and if he should discover to me any secret and unknown sins for which he contendeth with me I should humble my self before him and accept of the punishment of mine Iniquity 6. Will he plead against me with his great power l i. e. Oppress me with his soveraign and absolute Power as men do those whom they cannot fairly and justly conquer No but he would put strength in me m The word Strength or Power
Isa. 27. 1. crooked serpent e By which he understands either 1. all the kinds of Serpents or Fishes or Monsters of the Sea Or 2. the most eminent of their kinds particularly the Whale which may be here not unfitly mentioned as it is afterwards more largely described amongst the glorious Works of God in this lower World as the garnishing of the Heavens was his noblest Work in the superiour visible parts of the World Or 3. an Heavenly Constellation called the great Dragon and Serpent which being most eminent as taking up a considerable part of the Northern Hemisphere may well be put for all the rest of the Constellations or Stars wherewith the Heavens are garnished Thus he persisteth still in the same kind of God's Works and the latter Branch explains the former And this sense is the more probable because Iob was well acquainted with the Doctrine of Astronomy and knew the nature and names of the Stars and Constellations as appears also from Chapter 9. 9. and 38. 31. 14. Lo these are parts f Or the extremities but small parcels the outside and visible work How glorious then are his invisible and more inward Perfections and Operations of his ways g i. e. Of his Works but how little a portion is heard of him h i. e. Of his Power and Wisdom and Providence and Actions The greatest part of what we see or know of him is the least part of what we do not know and of what is in him or is done by him but the thunder of his power i Either 1. of his mighty and terrible Thunder which is oft mentioned as an eminent work of God as Iob 28. 25. 40. 9. Psalm 29. 3. 77. 18. Or 2. of his mighty Power which is aptly compared to Thunder in regard of its irresistible force and the terrour which it causeth to wicked men This Metaphor being used by others in like cases as among the Grecians who used to say of their vehement and powerful Orators that they did thunder and lighten and in Mark 3. 17. where powerful Preachers are called Sons of Thunder who can understand CHAP. XXVII 1. MOreover Job †Heb. 〈◊〉 to take 〈◊〉 continued a When he had waited a while to hear what his Friends would reply and perceived them to be silent his parable b His grave and weighty but withal dark and difficult discourse such as are oft called Parables as Numb 23. 7. 24. 3 15. Psal. 49. 4. 78. 2. Prov. 26. 7. and said 2. As God liveth c He confirms the truth and sincerity of his Expressions by an Oath because he found them very hard to believe all his professions who hath taken away my judgment d Or my right or my cause i. e. who though he knows my Integrity and Piety towards him yet doth not plead my cause against my Friends not will admit me to plead my cause with him before them as I have so oft and earnestly desired nor doth deal with me according to those terms of Grace and Mercy wherewith he treateth other men and Saints but useth me with great rigour and by his soveraign Power punisheth me sorely without discovering to me what singular cause I have given him to do so and the Almighty who hath †Heb. 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vexed my soul 3. All the while my breath e Which is the constant Companion and certain sign of Life both coming in with it Gen. 2. 7. and going out with it 1 Kings 17. 17. Psal. 146. 4. Or my Soul or Life is in me and ‖ That is 〈◊〉 breath 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of God f That Spirit or Soul which God breathed into me Gen. 2. 7. and preserveth in me Or rather the breath of God i. e. which God breathed into me which eminently appears in a mans nostrils is in my nostrils 4. My lips shall not speak wickedness nor my tongue utter deceit g I will speak nothing but the truth with all plainness and impartiality neither defending my self and cause by vain and false Professions of those Virtues or Graces which I know I have not nor yet in compliance with your desire and design falsly accusing my self of those crimes wherewith you charge me whereof I know my self to be innocent 5. God forbid that I should justifie you h i. e. Your opinion and censure concerning me as one convicted to be impious or hypocritical by Gods unusual and severe dealing with me till I die * 〈◊〉 â—… â—… I will not remove i To wit declaratively as real words are frequentlâ—… understood or by renouncing or denying my Integrity of which God and my own Conscience bear me witness I will not to gratifie you say that I am an hypocrite which I know to be false my integrity from me 6. My righteousness I hold fast k Heb. I have held fast i. e. I have not only begun well but continued in well doing which is a plain Evidence that I am no hypocrite Or the past tense is put for the future as is usual I will 〈◊〉 fast declaratively as before I will maintain it that howsoever you calumniate me I am a righteous person and will not let it go my heart l i. e. My Conscience as the 〈◊〉 is oft used as 1 Sam 24. 5. 25. 31 Ezek. 14. 5. 1 Iob. 3. 20 21 shall not reproach me m Either 1. with betraying my own cause and innocency and speaking what I know to be false to wit that I am an hypocrite Or 2. for my former impiety or hypocrisie wherewith you charge me †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so long as I live n Heb. From or for or concerning my days i. e. the time of my Life whether past or to come Or the course of my Life days or times being put here as it is elsewhere for actions done in them by a Metonymy 7. Let mine enemy be as the wicked o I am so far from loving and practising wickedness whereof you accuse me that I abhor the thoughts oâ—… it and if I might and would wish to be revenged of mine Enemy I could wish him no greater mischief than to be a wicked man and he that riseth up against me p Either 1. You my Friends who instead of comforting me are risen up to torment me Or rather my worst enemies as the unrighteous 8. * 〈◊〉 16. 26. For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained q There is no reason why I should envy or desire the portion of wicked men for though they oft-times prosper in the World as I have said and seem to be great gainers yet death which hasteneth to all men and to me especially will shew that they are far greater losers and die in a most wretched and desperate condition having no hope either of continuing in this life which they chiefly desire or of
being an infinite independent and self-sufficient being he is far exalted above all thy good or evil and thy righteousness may profit the son of man 9. By reason of the multitude m Or greatness This Verse is supposed to contain an argument to prove what he said v. 8. that one Mans wickedness may hurt another But he rather seems to begin a new matter and having answered one of Job's Objections to proceed to another which may be either 1. that which Job had oft complained of that he cried to God and God did not hear his cry which Elihu answers by a Parallel case of men crying out for oppression whom yet God doth not hear nor help and that for just reasons which he leaves to Job to apply to himself Or 2. that which Job had alledged Chap. 24. 12. and which might seem to reflect upon God's Providence This therefore Elihu repeats in this Verse and answereth in the following of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry n Not onely to murmur and complain but to cry out by reason of sore oppression and to cry to the Oppressours or others for pity and help they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty o Because their Oppressours are too strong for them 10. But none p Few or none for few are oft can 〈◊〉 and accounted as none both in Scripture and other Authors of the great numbers of Oppressed Persons saith q To wit seriously or sincerely and it may be not so much as in word and profession where is God r They howl and cry out of men and to men but they seek not after God they do not acknowledge him in all their ways they praise him not for that ease and liberty and estate and other mercies which God gave them and by this unthankfulness they forfeit their mercies and therefore if God suffer Oppressoars to take them away they have no cause to complain of God but only of themselves they will not vouchsafe to pray to God seriously and fervently either to continue or to restore their lost mercies and therefore if God do not hear nor regard their brutish cries arising only from a natural sense of their misery it is not strange nor unjust my Maker s Who alone made me and whose power and providence preserveth me every day and who only can protect and deliver me All which were Obligations upon them to praise God and pray to him and depend upon him and aggravations of their gross neglect of God Heb. my Makers in the Plural number Which being used not only here but also Ecclis 12. 1. Isa. 54. 5. and that without any necessity when it might aswell have been put in the singular number yea though Elohim be Plural at it is Gen. 1. 1. plainly implies a Plâ—…rality of Persons in the Divine Essence of which see on Gen. 1. 26. who giveth * Pâ—…l 42. 8. songs t i. e. Matter of Songs great occasion to rejoyce and praise God in the night u Either I metaphorically taken i. e. in the night of affliction imply ing that they want not cause to bless God even in their afflictions Or rather 2. properly as this word is always used in Job one place excepted which is doubtful to wit Chap. 36. 20. which he may mention rather than the day either because oppressed Persons who in the day time are cruelly used by their Oppressours are permitted to rest in the night or because the hand and mercy of God is more manifest in the preservation and rest and sleep of the night than in the Blessings of the day which are procured by Mans industry or because the day is the time of Action the Night of contemplation when we do and ought to remember God's Mercies with thanksgiving compare Psal. 42. 8. 119. 62. 11. Who teacheth us more then the beasts x This is mentioned as a further aggravation of Mens neglect of God in their misery God hath given to men those gifts which he hath denied to Beasts Reason and Religion Wisdom to know God and themselves and their Obligations to God and their dependance upon him And therefore it ill becometh them to lye like Brute-creatures roaring and crying out in their miseries without taking any notice of God in way of Prayer or Praise and if they do so it is no wonder if God takes no notice of them of the earth and maketh us wiser then the fowls of heaven 12. There y Or Then as this Particle is used Psal. 14. 5. Eccles. 3. 17. Zeph. 1. 14 In that time or condition they cry but none giveth answer because of the pride of evil men z Either 1. of the Oppressours So this is the reason not of the last Clause why none answereth but of the former why they cry the latter Clause being therefore shut up within a Parenthesis and the words thus are to be transposed as some place them There they cry because of the pride of evil men but none giveth answer The reason whereof followeth in the next Verse Or rather 2. of the oppressed Persons And so there is no need of any Parenthesis or transposition And so these words contain one reason of the words immediately foregoing which is most natural and easie and usual to wit why none giveth answer i. e. why God doth not answer nor regard their cries because of their Pride c. because they are both evil wicked and impenitent and proud unhumbled for those sins for which God brought these miseries upon them and unsubdued to the Obedience of God 13. * 〈◊〉 27. 9. 〈◊〉 1. 28. 〈◊〉 29. 〈◊〉 1. 13. 〈◊〉 11. 11. Surely God will not hear vanity a Either 1. vain and light Persons that have no true Wisdom or solid Piety in them but are wholly addicted to vain and worldly things rejoycing immoderately when they have them and crying out for want of them as here they do Or 2. vain cries which proceed not from Faith or Piety but only from self-love and a natural sense of their misery which is common to them with brute-beasts The abstract is here put for the concrete as wickedness is oft put for wicked men and pride for proud Persons and the like neither will the Almighty b Though God be able to help them as this title of God implies and though he be the Judge of the World as the former Name of God signifies to whom therefore it belongs to right the Oppressed against the Oppressour yet in this case he justly reâ—…useth to help them regard it 14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him c Or thou canst not see him the future Tense of the Indicative Mood being oft put potenâ—…lly i. e. Thou canst not have thy desire in appearing and pleading thy cause before him So this is a new matter and Elihu answers another Objection of Iobs of which see Chap. 23. 8 9. and
h His strength is guided by Wisdom and therefore cannot be imployed to do any thing unbecoming God or unjust to his Creatures for either of these is folly Or in strength or vertue of heart for the and is not in the Hebrew So the sense is He is truly magnanimous of a great and generous mind or heart and therefore not unrighteous for all injustice proceeds from littleness or weakness of Heart Truly great Souls scorn unjust actions 6. He preserveth not the life of the wicked i To wit for ever but will in his due time forsake them and give them up to the Destroyer Or he doth not or will not preserve is put for he will certainly and dreadfully destroy by the Figure called Mâ—…iosis used Prov. 17. 21. and oft elsewhere but giveth right to the ‖ Or afflicted poor k He doth uphold and he will certainly in his time deliver his poor oppressed Ones from all their Oppressours 7. * Psal. 33. 18. 34. 15. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous l He never ceaseth to care for and watch over them no not when they are afflicted or persecuted when he may seem to neglect them but with Kings are they on the Throne m Though they may be oppressed for a time yet oft-times he not only delivers them but also raiseth them to the highest Honour and Happiness in this life compare 1 Sam. 2. 8. Psal. 113. 7 8. yea he doth establish them for ever n Their selicity is more stable and permanent than that of the wicked and they are exalted o Having mentioned the cause that God did establish them he now mentions the effect that 〈◊〉 are or continue to be exalted they are not cast down from their Dignity as the wicked commonly are 8. And * Psal. 107. 10. if they be bound in fetters p If through the vicissitude of Worldly affairs and the righteous judgment of God upon them for their sins they be brought from their Throne into a Prison as sometimes hath been done and be holden in cords of affliction 9. Then he sheweth them their work q i. e. Their evil works as the next Clause explains and limits it By these afflictions he brings them to a sight of their sins and to repentance which is the way and means of their recovery and their transgressions that they have exceeded r That they have greatly sinned by abusing their Power and Prosperity which even good men are too prone to do 10. * Chap. 33. 16. He openeth also their ear s i. e. He enableth and enclineth them to hearken to what God speaks by the rod who would not hear in the time of their Prosperity like them Jer. 22. 21. to discipline t Or to instruction i. e. to receive instruction or to chastening i. e. to hear the rod and who hath appointed it as is said Mich. 6. 9. and commandeth u Either by his Word oâ—… Spirit accompanying the affliction and discovering the mind and will of God in this dispensation that they return from iniquity x Which is the chief cause of their Calamity 11. If they obey y God's admonition and command and serve him they shall * Chap. 21. 13. spend their days in prosperity z They shall be restored to their former Prosperity and shall live and die in it This he speaks according to the Tenour of God's promises especially in the Old Testament-state of the Church and according to the common course and method of Gods Providence which Elihu and other good men had observed and their years in pleasures a Abounding in worldly comforts and being enabled by God to rejoyce in them which is God's gift Eccles. 3. 13. and delighting themselves in God's love and favour to them 12. But if they b The righteous spoken of v. 7. opposed to the Hypocrites here following v. 13. for even good men may sometimes be disobe dient to Divine admonitions and may suffer deeply yea even death it self for their folly see 1 Cor. 11. 30. obey not †Heb. they shall â—…ass away by the Sword Chap. 33. 18. they shall perish by the Sword and they shall dye without knowledge c In or for their ignorance or inadvertency or folly Or because they are without knowledge because they are foolish or brutish and will not learn the Lessons which God so plainly teacheth them 13. But the hypocriteâ—… 〈◊〉 heart d Such as are truely void of that Piety which they profess Whereby he either secretly insinuates that Iob was such an one or gives him this occasion to search himself whether he were not so or rather admonisheth him not to carry himself like such an one as he had hitherto done and for which he reproved him Chap. 34. 8. * Rom. 2. 5. heap up wrath e i. e. By their impious and obslinate carriage in all conditions they treasure up God's wrath against themselves they cry not f Unto God for help They live in the gross neglect of God and of Prayer when he bindeth them g To wit with the cords of affliction expressed v. 8. which is mentioned as an aggravation of their wickedness because even wicked men if not proâ—…igately bad will seek God in a time of affliction Hosea 5. 15. Withal he secretly reflects upon Job as one that 〈◊〉 himself like a wicked Man because though he cried out of God in way of complaint yet he did not cry unto him by humble supplication 14. * Ch 15. 32 22 16. Psal. 55. 23. †Heb. 〈◊〉 Soul 〈◊〉 They die in youth h They provoke God to cut them off before their time Heb. Their Soul i. e. they themselves shall die in 〈◊〉 and their liâ—…e is i Or rather life shall die or be extinct which Verb is understood out of the former Clause after the manner of the Hebrews among the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 unclean k Or the filthy or Wâ—…oremongers or Sodomites to whose destruction which happened not long before this time he may seem to allude The sence is They shall die by some dreadful and exemplary stroke of Divine vengeance 15. He delivereth the ‖ Or 〈◊〉 poor in his affliction and openeth their ears l i. e. Causeth them to hear and understand and do the will of God hearing being oft put for obeying And this latter Clause seems to be added to intimate that he will not deliver all afflicted Persons but onely those whose Ears he openeth to receive his Counsels in oppression m i. e. â—…n the time of their oppression Or by oppression or tribulation as the means of opening their Ears and Hearts 16. Even so would he n If thou hadst opened thine Ear to God's counsels and humbled thy self under his correcting hand and sued to God for Mercy have removed thee o As this
be most convenient both for beauty and use upon it 6. Whereupon are the †Heb. 〈◊〉 foundations thereof †Heb. made to siâ—…k fastened o This strong and durable Building hath no Foundations but in God's power and word which hath marvellously established it upon it self or who laid the corner stone thereof p By which the several walls and parts of the Building are joyned and fastened together and in which next to the Foundations the stability of any Building does consist The sense is Who was it that did build this goodly Fabrick and establishâ—… it so firmly that it cannot be moved without a Miracle 7. When the morning stars q Either 1. the Stars properly so called who are said to sing and praise God objectively because they give men ample occasion to do it in regard of their glorious light and stupendious motions c. Compare Psal. 19. 1. 148 1 c. But 1. there stars are not here the objects or matter but the authors or instruments of God's praises for the founding of the Earth 2. the Stars were not created when the Earth was founded but upon the fourth day 3. there is no satisfactory reason given why all the Stars should be called Morning-stars especially when there is but one Star known by that Name Or rather 2. the Sons of God as it here follows the latter Clause of the Verse being explicatory of the former as is most frequent in this and some other Books of Scripture to wit the Angels who may well be called Stars as even men of eminent note and particuâ—…ly Ministers of God's Word are called Dan. 8. 10. 12. 3. 〈◊〉 1. 16 20. and Morning-stars because of their excellent lustre and glory for which they are called Angels of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. and Christ for the same reason is called the Morning-star Revel 22. 16. sang together ‖ Or 〈◊〉 so Or. and all the sons of God r The blessed Angels for man not being yet made God had then no other Sons and these are called the Sons of God partly because they had their whole being from him and partly because they were made partakers of his divine and glorious Image And all these are said to join in this work of praising God probably because none of the Angels were as yet fallen from their first estate though they did â—…all within a very little time after shouted for joy s Rejoyced in and blessed God for his works Whereby he intimates that they neither did advise or any way assist him in his works nor dislike or censure any of his works as Iob had presumed to do with the works of his Providence which are not inferior to those of Creation 8. * Gen. 1. 9. Or who shut up the sea with doors t Who was it thou or I that did set bounds to the vast and raging Ocean and shut it up as it were with Doors within its proper place and store-house that it might not overflow the Earth which without God's powerful restraint it would do See Psal. 33. 7. 104. 9. This sense seems most proper and to be confirmed by the following Verses when it brake forth u Or after it had broken forth to it from the womb or bowels of the Earth within which the Waters were for the most part contained Gen. 1. 2. Compare 2 Pet. 3. 5. and out of which they were by God's command brought forth into the proper place or channel which God had appointed for them as if it had issued out of the womb 9. When I made the cloud the garment thereof x When I covered it with Vapours and Clouds which arise out of the Sea and by God's appointment hover above it and cover it like a garment and thick darkness y i. e. Black and dark Clouds called Darkness by an usual Metonymy of the Adjunct So the same thing is repeated in other words after the manner a swadling band for it z Having compared the Sea to a New-born Infant he continues in the same Metaphor and makes the Clouds as swadling-bands to keep the Sea within its bounds though indeed neither Clouds nor Air nor Sands and shores can bound the Sea but it is God alone who doth it in and with these things 10. And ‖ 〈…〉 * Ch. 26. 10. brake up for it my decreed place a i. e. Made those vallies or channels and hollow-places in the Earth which might serve for a Cradle to receive and hold this great and goodly Infant when it came out of the Womb. See Gen. 1. 9 10. Psal. 33. 7. Or ordained or established my Decree upon or concerning it and set bars and doors b i. e. Fixed its bounds as strongly as if they were fortified with Bars and Doors 11. And said Hitherto shall thou come but no further and here e To wit at the Sand and Shore of the Sea Ier. 5. 22. shall †Heb. 〈◊〉 pride 〈◊〉 waves thy proud waves f Which rage and swell as if they would over-whelm all the Earth be stayed 12. Hast thou commanded the morning g i. e. The Morning-light or the Sun which is the cause of it Didst thou create the Sun and appoint the order and succession of Day and Night since thy days h Since thou wast born This work was not done by thee but my me and that long before thou wast born and caused the day-spring to know his place i To observe the punctual time when and the point of the Heavens where it should arise which varies every day Was this thy contrivance or mine 13. That it might take hold of the †Heb wings 〈◊〉 3â—… 3. ends of the earth k That this Morning-light should in a moment spread it self over the face of the whole Earth from one end of the Hemisphear to the other that the wicked might be shaken out of it l From the face of the Earth And this effect the Morning light hath upon the wicked partly because it discovers them and drives them into their lurking-holes whereas the darkness hides them and draws them forth and gives them opportunity to execute their villanies without observation Iob 24. 15 16 17. and partly because it brings them to condign punishment the Morning being the most fit and the mâ—…st usual time for executing judgment of which see Psal. 101. 8. Ier. 21. 12. 14. It m To wit the Earth mentioned in the next foregoing Verse is turned n Is transformed and changed in its shape and appearance as clay ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the seal o Or by the seal which makes a beautiful or valuable impression upon that Clay which in it self hath no form nor worth nor comliness in it So the Earth which in the darkness of the night lies like a confused heap without either form or beauty when the light ariseth and shineth upon
do thou vindicate me and Confute them and raise me up that I may requite them t Or and I will requite them i. e. Punish them for their malicious and perfidious and wicked Practises which being now a Magistrate he was obliged to Revenge Rom. 13. 4. although when he was a private Person he was so far from revenging Evil that he rendred good for it as we see Psal. 35. 12 13. and elsewhere 11. By this I know that thou favourest me u Bearest a good Will to me and art resolved to make good thy Promises to me and wilst plead mâ—… righteous Cause against them because mine enemy doth not triumph over me x Because hitherto thou hast helped and supported me and prolonged my days to the disappointment of their Hopes and designed Triumphs This Merey I thankfully receive as a Token of further Mercy Compare 1 Sam. 17. 37. 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. 12. And as for me thou upholdest me in mine integrity y As I have kept my Integrity so thou hast kept me in and with it Or for mine Integrity because thou hast seen my Innocency notwithstanding all the Calumâ—…ies of mine Enemies and thou hast promised and usest to afford thy Protection to the innocent and upright and settesteme before thy face for ever z Or hast Confirmed or Established me in thy Presence i. e. Either under thine Eye and special Care Or to Minister unto thee not onely in thy Temple but as a King over thy People or in that Land where thou art peculiarly present for ever Either 1. Properly And so this was done to David Either in his own Person Partly here and Partly in the next Life Or in regard of his Posterity in whom the Kingdom was Established for ever Or 2. For my whole Life or for a long time as that Phrase is commonly used 13. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting ‖ Or from Age to Age as long as the World lasts and to all Eternity Amen and amen †Amen signifies an hearty Assent and Approbation and withal an earnest Desire and Confidence of the thing to which it is annexed And as the Psalms are divided into five Books so each of them is closed with this Word the first here The second Psal. 72. the third Psal. 89. the fourth Psal. 106. the last in the end of Psal. 150. the doubling of theâ—… word shews the Fervency of his Spirit in this Work of praising God PSAL. XLII The ARGUMENT The Pen-man of this Psalm is uncertain as not being named in the Title It was Composed Either 1. By David when he was banished from the house of God either by Saul's Tyranny or by Absalom's Rebellion Or 2. By the Sons of Korah in the time of the Captivity of Babylon Whence some read the Words of the Title of this Psalm Maschil of the Sons of Korah But this is not usual in this Book to name the Author of a Psalm so obscurely and indefinitely For the sons of Korah were a numerous Company and it is not likely that either all or divers of them did joyn in the Enditing of this and the following Psalms so called Nor is there any one Psalm where the Author is named but he is one certain and single Person And therefore it seems more probable that David Penned this as it is Confessed he did some other Psalms which have not his Name in the Title To the chief musician ‖ Or a Psalm giving instruction of the Son c. Sâ—…e 1 Chr. 25. Maschil for the sons of Korah a Who where an Eminent order of Singers in the House of God Of whom see 1 Chron. 6. 33. and 9. 19. and 26. 1. 1. AS the hart †Heb. brayeth panteth after the water-brooks b The Hart is naturally Hot and Thirsty And this Thirst is increased Partly by its dwelling in Desert and dry places to which it retireth for fear of Men and Wild beasts and Partly by its long and violent Running when it is pursued by the Hunters And some add by eating of Serpents so panteth my Soul after thee c After the enjoyment of thee in thy Sanctuary as it appears from v. 4. O God 2. * Psal 63. 1. 84. 2. My soul thirsteth d Thirst is more Vehement than Hunger and more impatient of Dis-satisfacton for God for the living God e This he mentions as a just Cause of his Thirst. He did not Thirst after vain useless Idols but after the onely true and living God who was his Life and the length of his Days as is said Deut. 30. 20. and without whose Presence and Favour David accounted himself for a Dead and lost Man Psal. 143. 7. when shall I come and appear before God f In the place of his special Presence and publick Worship See Exod. 23 15. and 25. 30. What is called before the Lord 1 Chron. 13. 10. is before or with the Ark 2 Sam. 6. 7. 3. * Psal. 80. 5. 102. 9. My tears have been my meat g Which notes both the great abundance and constant Course of his Tears and the secret Satisfaction and Ease which he found in giving vent to his Passion this way Possibly his Tears and Grief took away his Appetite and so were to him instead of Food day and night while they * Psal. 79. 10. 115. 2. continually say unto me Where is thy God h Of whom thou hast so often boasted as of one so able and ready to help all that trust in him and call upon him and particularly as one ingaged to thee by many great and special Promises He is gone and departed from thee and no where to be found of thee He is either unable or unwilling to help thee or regardless of thee 4. When I remember these things i Either 1. Which follow to wit my former Freedom Or rather 2. Last mentioned my Banishment from God's Presence and mine Enemies scoffs and Triumphs upon that Occasion I pour out my soul k This Phrase notes Either 1. His fervent Prayer as it is taken 1 Sam. 1. 15. Psal. 62. 8. Or 2. His bitter Sorrows whereby his very Heart was almost melted or dissolved and his Spirits spent and he was ready to saint away as it is used Iob 30. 16. Lam. 2. 12. Comp. Psal. 22. 14. Or rather 3. Both together that he breathed out his Sorrows and sad Complaints unto God by fervent Prayers in me l i. e. Within my own Breast between God and my own Soul not openly lest mine Enemies should turn it into matter of rejoycing and insulting over me for I had gone m To wit in the way to Ierusalem And my sorrow was increased by the Remembrance of my former Enjoyments Comp. â—…am 1. 7. with the multitude n According to the Custome and in the Company of Israelites who went thither in
it is very Proper to this place and usual in other places of Scripture to invite the Gentile World to the Contemplation and Celebration of God's Works to and for his People See Deut. 32. 43. 1 Chron. 16. 23 24. 2 Sing forth the honour of his name make his praise glorious b i. e. Praise him in an extraordinary and Eminent degree so as he may have much Glory from you 3 Say unto God How terrible art thou in thy works c To wit to thine Enemies as it follows through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies ‖ Or yield seigned Obedience †Heb. Lye submit themselves unto thee d Heb. Lye unto thee i. e. Profess subjection to thee not sincerely and freely but by Constraint and out of a servile Fear 4 All the earth shall worship thee and shall sing unto thee e Many People of divers Nations shall be so affected with thy stupendious Works that they shall Worship and Praise thee for them and all People should do so and shall have just cause to do so and the time will come when all Nations will actually do so to wit in the days of the Messias they shall sing to thy Name Selah 5 * Psal. 46. 8. Come and see f Consider them wisely and seriously for God's Glory and for your own good the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the Children of men g To all his Enemies whom he calls the Children of Men Partly in way of Contempt to shew how unable they are Either to avoid or resist the great God and Partly in opposition to his own People who are frequently called the Children of God 6 * Exod. 14. 21. He turned the sea into dry land * Josh. 3. 17. they went through the flood h Or River to wit Iordan on foot there did we i i. e. Our Nation or our Ancestors in whose Loyns we then were and the Benefit of which Antient Deliverance we at this day enjoy See the like Expressions Psal. 81. 5. Hose 12. 4. The whole People of Israel are oft Considered as one Body continued through all succeeding Generations United in the Bound of the same Covenant and Worship and in the Possession of the same Promises and Priviledges and Blessings and Acted by one and the same Spirit and therefore several and contrary things may reasonably be ascribed to them in regard of their several Parts and Ages and what was done in one Age may be imputed to another by Vertue of their strict Conjunction with the same Body rejoyce in him 7 He ruleth by his power for ever i The same Power which God had and put forth for his People in Antient time he still hath in as great Vigour as ever and is not at all weakened by Age and is as able and ready to Act for them now as ever he was which he hath shewed by this Late and Glorious instance * Psal. 11. 4 his eyes behold the nations k He sees all their secret and subtil Devices and can and will defeat them when he sees fit let not the rebellious exalt themselves l Lift up their Hands against God or against his People Or the Rebellions i. e. Those People which Rebel against this Almighty God and his Laws shall not exalt themselves as they Vainly hope and Design to do but shall be brought down and destroyed as is hereby implyed Selah 8 O bless our God ye people m Of other Nations that have served or yet do serve other Gods and make the voyce of his praise to be heard 9. Which †Heb. 〈◊〉 holdeth our soul in life n Who by a Succession of Miracles of Mercy hath kept us alive in the midst of a thousand Deaths to which we were exposed and hath restored us to Life when we were like Dead men and dry Bones scattered at the Mouth of the Grave and suffereth not our feet to be moved o To wit so as to fall into Mischief and utter Ruin as our Enemies designed 10 For p Or Yet or Nevertheless Though thou hast hitherto helped us and now delivered us yet for a season thou hast sorely afflicted us * Psal. 17. 3. thou O God hast proved us thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed q i. e. Severely as if it were in a burning Furnace and with a Design to try our sincerity and to purge out the Dross or the wicked from among us 11 Thou broughtest us into the net r Which our Enemies laid for us and which could never have taken or held us but by the Permission and Disposal of thy Providence which gave us into their hands thou laidst affliction upon our loyns 12 Thou hast caused men s Weak and Mortal and miserable Men as the Word signifies no better nor stronger then we if thou hadst not given them Power over us to ride over our heads t To Ride upon our Shoulders By thy Permission they have used us like Slaves yea like Beasts to carry their Persons or Burdens Compare Isa. 51. 23. we went through fire and through water u i. e. Through various and dangerous Tryals and Calamities See Psal. 32. 6. and 69. 2. Ezek. 15. 7. and 30. 8. but thou broughtest us out into a †Heb. Moist 〈◊〉 68. 6. wealthy place x Heb. Into a moist or Well-watered place such as Canaan was both in a Proper Sence and figuratively as being replenished with Divine Graces and Blessings 13 I will goy into thy house with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my vows 14 Which my lips have †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble 15 I will †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fatlings with the incense of rams z With the fat of Rams which in these Peace-offerings was burnt upon the Altar and so vanished into Smoke like Incense and which is no less pleasing to God than Incense I will offer bullocks with goats Selah y Hitherto he spoke in the plural Number but now he begins to speak in the singular Number but still the Speech is continued of the same Person or Persons onely sometimes the whole Body speaks and sometimes one Man speaks in the Name of all the rest 16 Come and hear all ye that fear God a Whether Israelites or Gentiles proselyted to them Let every Israelite take notice of what God hath done for the Nation in general and let the Gentiles observe God's goodness to the Children of Israel and I will declare what he hath done for my soul b Which he hath held in Life as he said v. 9 in the greatest dangers of Death 17 I cryed unto him with my mouth c With a loud Voyce and great Fervency Or it is a Pleonasme as Psal. 44. 1. We have heard with our Ears and
earth c The people of the Earth by comparing this clause with the former †〈◊〉 â—…gger be moved d To wit with fear and trembling as in the former clause 2 The LORD is great in Zion e In the Hebrew Text the words lie in this order The Lord in Zion i. e. which dwelleth in Zion as is said Psal. 9. 11. Isa. 8. 18. Ioel 3. 21. is great and he is high above all people f Above all the people of the Earth of whom he spake v. 1. who shall exalt themselves against him 3 Let them g To wit all people last mentioned praise thy great and terrible name for it is holy h For it is not onely great but holy and therefore most praise-worthy 4 * Psal. 98. 6. The kings strength also loveth judgment n Though his Dominion be absolute and uncontroulable and his power irresistible yet he doth not abuse it to tyranny and oppression as the Princes of the World commonly do but tempers and manageth it with righteousness and not onely doth judge justly but which is more loves to do so The Kings strength is by a known Hebraism put for the strong or powerful King thou dost establish equity o To wit in all thy proceedings Equity is thy constant and stable course thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob p Amongst thine own people whom when they do amiss he punisheth no less than other people as he notes below v. 8. whereby he sheweth that he is no respecter of persons but a righteous and impartial Judge to all sorts of men 5 Exalt ye the LORD our God and worship at his foot-stool q Before the Ark which is so called 1 Chron. 28. 2. Psal. 132. 7. for ‖ Or it is holy he is holy r Or rather for it to wit the Ark is holy it is consecrated to be a pledge of Gods presence and the onely place of Gods publick worship 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests and Samuel s He presseth them to perform the duty of praising and worshipping God by the examples of three eminent persons who practised this duty and that with happy success He reckoneth Moses among the Priests not without cause partly because before the institution of the Priesthood he executed that office Exod. 24. 6. Numb 7. and partly because he oft interceded to God for the people which was a very considerable part of the Priests work See Numb 6. 23 c. Ioel 2. 17. among them that call upon his name t Who used frequently and solemnly to intercede with God on the behalf of the people So the general expression is here used synecdochically for this particular kind of prayer such Synecdoche's being very frequent in Scripture they called upon the LORD and he answered them u Moses Exod. 32. and elsewhere Aaron Numb 16. Samuel 1 Sam. 7. 19. and 12. 19. Compare Ier. 15. 1. 7 He spake unto them x i. e. To some of them for the expression is only indefinite and therefore doth not necessarily reach to all of them to Moses frequently to Aaron Exod. 19. 24. and 33. 9 10 11. Numb 12. 5. And for Samuel he answered him if not by words yet really and by his actions thundering against the Philistins 1 Sam. 7. 9 c. which supposeth a Cloud if not a Cloudy Pillar in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them y This is added not onely for their commendation but for the instruction of the Israelites to teach them that God will not hear the Prayers of them who do not keep his Commandments 8 Thou answerdest them z The intercessours beforementioned Either 1. Moses and Aaron who did sin and whose sins God did pardon yet so as that he did punish them with exclusion from the land of Canaan of which see Numb 20. 12. Deut. 32. 50 51. Or rather 2. the people for whom they prayed which though not expressed may be easily understood from the following words and from the Histories to which these words relate For this forgiving was evidently the effect of Gods answering the Prayers of the persons above mentioned And therefore as their Prayers recorded in Scripture were not for the pardon of their own sins but for the pardon of the peoples sins so this forgiveness granted was for the sins of the people And whereas the people are not here mentioned it must be remembred that in Scripture the relative is frequently put without the antecedent as it is Numb 7. 89. and 114. 2. Prov. 14. 26. O LORD our God thou wast a God that forgavest them a though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions b This clause limits and explains the former Thou didst forgive the sins of the people not absolutely and universally for thou didst punish them severely but so far as not to inflict that total and final destruction upon them which they deserved and thou hadst threatned See Exod. 32. 10 14 34. 9 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy hill c Either in Zion or in his Church typified by it and oft called Zion for the LORD our God is holy PSAL. C. A Psalm of ‖ Or thansgiving praise This Psalm seems to have been composed for the use of the Israelites in their thank-offerings or upon other solemn occasions of praising God as the title speaks but withal it hath a further prospect even to the days of the Messiah as some of the Hebrew Doctors acknowledge and to the calling of the Gentiles whom he invites to join with them in the praises of God their Lord and Maker 1 MAke a joyful noise a Partly with Voices and Songs of rejoicing and thanksgiving and partly with musical instruments as the manner then was unto the LORD †Heb. all the earth all ye lands b All the Inhabitants of the Earth Or all the land i. e. all the people of Israel dwelling in this land Although his invitation seems to be more general extending also to the Gentiles of whom many even in those days joined themselves to the Church of God 2 Serve the LORD with gladness come before his presence with singing 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God it is he that hath made us c Both by Creation and by adoption and Regeneration whereby he made us his people which also is called a creation or making as Deut. 32. 6. Isa. 29. 23. and 43. 7. Eph. 2. 10. Therefore we owe him homage and service and him onely and not other gods who made us not ‖ Or and his we are and not we our selves d * Psal. 95. 7. Ezek 34. 30 31. we are his people and the sheep of his pasture 4 Enter into his gates d The gates of his Courts for the people might enter no further and the Courts had Walls and Gates as well as
redeemer t Heb. their near kinsman to whom it belongs to avenge their wrongs and to recover and maintain their rights of which see Lev. 25. 25. Numb 35. 12. Thus God is pleased to call himself to shew how much he concerns himself for the relief of oppressed and helpless persons is mighty he shall plead their cause with thee 12 Apply thine heart unto instruction u Content not thy self with outward hearing or reading of it but affectionately receive it into thine heart and lay it up there as choice Treasure and thine ears unto the words of knowledg 13 * Ch. 13. 24. 〈◊〉 19. 18. 〈◊〉 22. 15. 〈◊〉 29. 15 17. With-hold not correction from the child for if thou beatest him with a rod he shall not die x It is a likely mean to prevent their corruption and the destruction which commonly follows it as the next verse explains this 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt de liver his soul from hell 15 My son if thine heart be wise my heart shall â—…rejoice y In the good success of my Counsels and in thy Piety and Happiness which is as truly desirable and pleasant to me as my own ‖ Or 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 rejoice even mine 16 Yea my reins shall rejoice z I shall rejoice not onely in shew and profession but inwardly and with all my soul. when thy lips speak right things 17 * Psal. 37. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 3. 31. 〈◊〉 â—…4 1. Let not thine heart envy sinners a Let not the consideration of their present impunity and prosperity stir thee up either to envy them or to approve and imitate their evil courses but be thou in the fear of the LORD b Reverence the presence of the Divine Majesty and dread his power and justice and those judgments which he hath prepared for sinners and thou wilâ—…t see no cause to envy but rather to 〈◊〉 them all the day long c Not only when thou art in trouble but in all times and conditions 18 * Ch. 24. 14. For surely there is an ‖ Or reward end d An expected and happy end for such as fear God which was required v. 17. Or a reward as this Hebrew word is rendred Prov. 24. 20. and thine expectation shall not be cut off e Thou shalt certainly enjoy that good which thou expectest as the wicked shall lose that Happiness which they enjoy 19 Hear thou my son and be wise f Rest not in hearing but see that thou growest wiser and better by it and guide thine heart g Order the whole course of thine affections and actions in the way h In Gods way oft called the way as hath been observed before 20 * 〈◊〉 5 22. Luke 21. 34. Rom. 13. 13. Eph. 5. 18. Be not amongst wine-bibbers i Avoid their conversation and company lest thou be either insected or injured by them amongst riotous eaters †Heb. of their flesh of flesh 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness k Immoderate sleep and idleness which is as ready a way to Poverty as Gluttony or Drunkenness is shall cloth a man with rags 22 * Chap. 1. 8. Hearken unto thy father that begat thee l And therefore desires and seeks thy good in all his counsels and despise not thy mother when she is old m When the infirmity of age is added to that of her sex which is apt to breed contempt 23 * Ch. 4. 5 7. Buy n Purchase it upon any terms spare no pains nor cost to get it the truth o The true and saving knowledg of Gods Mind and Will concerning your Salvation and the way that leads to it and sell it not p Do not forget it nor forsake it for any worldly advantages as ungodly men frequently do also wisdom and instruction and understanding q Whereby you may love and practise the truth known and received 24 * Ch. 10. 1. 15. 20. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him 25 Thy Father and thy mother shall be glad r He repeateth this again as a powerful Argument to prevail with all Children that are not void of natural affection to labour to be wise and good that so they may glad the hearts of their Parents to whom they have such high and indelible obligations and she that bare thee s With so great pain and hazard and brought thee up with such tender care whom thou canst not better require shall rejoice 26 My son give me thine heart t Receive my Counsels with thy whole heart Selomon speaking in Gods Name and cause requires the heart to be given to him and let thine eyes observe u Let thy mind seriously and practically consider my ways x Either 1. The ways in which I have walked my evil practices take warning by my sad example Or 2. The ways which I prescribe to you as the Apostles called the Gospel which they preached their Gospel 1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 2. 8. 27 * Ch. 22. 14. For a whore is a deep ditch y In which a man is in evident danger of perdition and out of which it is exceeding difficult to escape and a strange woman is a narrow pit 28 * Chap. 7. 12. She also lieth in wait ‖ Or as a robber as for a prey z Watching all opportunities of ensnaring young men to their destruction and increaseth the transgressors among men a She is the cause of innumerable sins against God and against the Marriage Bed against the Soul and Body too and by her wicked Example and Arts involveth many persons in the guilt of her sins 29 * Isa. 5. 11 22. Who hath woe b From the 〈◊〉 of Lust he proceeds to that of drunkenness which doth frequently accompany it who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babling c The sin of much and impertinent talking or 〈◊〉 noise or clamour which is usual among Drunkards See 〈◊〉 20. 1. who hath wounds without cause d Upon every sleight occasion which men enflamed with Wine are very apt to take who hath redness of eyes 30 They that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek mixt wine e Either mixed with Water or with other ingredients to make it strong and delicious Heb. mixture mixed drinks of several sorts suited to their Palats 31 Look not thou upon the wine f Earnestly so as to inflame thine Appetite towards it in which sense men are forbidden to look upon a Woman Job 31. 1. Mat. 5. 28. when it is red g Which was the colour of the best Wines in that Countrey which therefore are called Blood Gen. 49. 11. Deut. 32. 14. and such were used by them in
f In that Common-wealth The state of that Kingdom is honourable and comfortable and safe so as good men can shew their faces with courage and confidence but when the wicked rise g Are advanced to Honour and Authority a man is ‖ Or sought 〈◊〉 hidden h The state of that Nation is so shameful and dangerous that wise and good men who only are worthy of the name of men with-draw themselves or run into corners and obscure places partly out of grief and shame to behold the wickedness which is publickly and impudently committed and partly to avoid the rage and injuries of wicked Oppressors and the judgments of God which commonly follow such persons and their confederates in sin Or as others both ancient and later Interpreters render it a man is sought out Sober and good men who had retired themselves are searched for and brought forth like sheep to the slaughter as being most suspected and hated and feared by bloody Tyrants 13 * Ps. 32. 3 5. 1 Joh. 1. 9 10. He that covereth his sins i That doth not confess them as appears by the opposite clause to God and to Men too when occasion requires it That being convinced or admonished of his sins either justifieth ordenieth or excuseth them shall not prosper k Shall not succeed in his design of avoiding punishment by the concealment of his sins shall not find mercy as is implied from the next clause but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them l By hearty dislike and hatred of all his sins and by a resolved cessation from a sinful course of Life This is added to shew that although the dissembling or hiding ones sins is sufficient for his damnation yet meer confession without forsaking of sin is not sufficient for Salvation shall have mercy m Both from God who hath promised and from Men who are ready to grant pardon and favour to such persons 14 Happy is the man n Because he shall thereby avoid that mischief which besals fearless sinners which is expressed in the next clause and procure that eternal Salvation which they lose that feareth o To wit the offence and judgments of God Who having confessed and forsaken his sins as was now said is afraid to return to them again and careful to avoid them and all occasions of them alway p In all times companies and conditions not only in the time of great trouble when even Hypocrites will in some sort be afraid of sinning but in times of outward Peace and Prosperity * Rom. 11. 20. but he that hardeneth his heart q That goeth on obstinately and securely in sinful courses casting off due reverence to God and just fear of his threatnings and judgments shall fall into mischief 15 As a roaring lion and a ranging bear r The Lion and Bear are always cruel and greedy in their natures and especially when they are hungry and want Prey in which case the Lions roar Psal. 104. 21. Isa. 31. 4. and Bears range about for it so is a wicked ruler s Instead of being a nursing Father and a faithful and tender Shepheard as he ought to be he is a cruel and insatiable Oppressor and Devourer of them over the poor people t Whom he particularly mentions either to note his policy in oppressing them only who were unable to withstand him or to revenge themselves of him or to aggravate his sin in devouring them whom the Laws of God and common Humanity bound him to relieve and protect or to express the effect of his ill government in making his people poor by his frauds and rapines 16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor u The Tyranny or Oppression of a Prince though by some accounted Wisdom is in truth a manifest act and sign of great folly because it alienateth from him the Hearts of his People in which his Honour and Safety and Riches consist and oft times causeth the shortning of his days either from God who cuts him off by some sudden judgment or from men who are injured by him and exasperated against him but he that hateth covetousness x Which is the chief cause of all oppressions and unjust practices shall prolong his days y By Gods favour the peace and satisfaction of his own mind and the hearty love of his people which makes them careful to preserve his Life by their servent Prayers to God for him by willingly hazarding their own Estates and Lives for him when occasion requires it and by all other possible means 17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person z That sheddeth any mans Blood or taketh away his Life unjustly shall flee to the pit a Shall speedily be destroyed being pursued by divine Vengeance and the Horrours of a guilty Conscience and the Avengers of Blood let no man stay him b So it is a prohibition that no man should endeavour to save the Life of a wilful Murderer either by intercession or by offering satisfaction or any other way Of which see Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 14. Numb 35. 31. Or as the ancient and many other Interpreters render it no man shall stay him None shall desire or endeavour to save him from his deserved punishment He shall die without pity being an object of publick hatred 18 * Ch. 10. 25. Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved c To wit from destruction because God hath undertaken and promised to protect him but he that is preverfe in his ways d Heb. in two ways of which Phrase see above on v. 6. shall fall at once e Once for all so as he shall not need a second thrust 1 Sam. 26. 8. and so as he shall never rise more Or in one to wit of his ways Though he hath various ways and arts to secure himself yet none of them shall save him but he shall perish in one or other of them and shall be given up by God to the mistake of his way that he shall chuse that course which will be most pernicious to him 19 * Ch. 12. 11. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread but he that followeth after vain persons f Chusing their company and imitating their Example who gives up himself to vanity and idleness and so is fitly opposed to the diligent man in the former clause shall have poverty enough 20 * Ch. 13. 11. 20. 21. 23. 4. 1 Tim. 6. 9. A faithful man g Heb. A man of truth or truths who deals truly and justly in all his bâ—…rgains and transactions with men shall abound with blessings * Ch. 13. 11. 20. 21. 23. 4. 1 Tim. 6. 9. but he that maketh haste h More than God alloweth him that taketh the nearest and readiest way to Riches whether it be right or wrong that is unfaithful and unjust in
serious consideration of their last end which is their greatest Wisdom and Interest and the living will lay it to his heart g Will be seriously affected with it and awakened to prepare for it whereas feasting is commonly attended with Mirth and Levity and manifold Temptations and indisposeth mens minds to Spiritual and Heavenly Thoughts Hence it is evident that those passages of this Book which may seem to favour a sensual and voluptuous Life are not spoken by Solomon in his own Name or as his Opinion but in the person of an Epicure 3 ‖ Or 〈◊〉 Sorrow h Either for sin or any outward troubles is better than laughter for by the sadness of the countenance i Which is â—…eared in the heart but manifested in the Countenance the heart is made better k More weaned from the Lusts and Vanities of this World by which most men are ensnared and destroyed and more quickned to seek after and embrace that true and everlasting Happiness which God offers to them in his Word 4 The heart of the wiâ—…e is in the house of mourning l Even when their bodies are absent They are constantly or very frequently meditating upon sad and serious things such as Death and Judgment the Vanity of this Life and the reality and eternity of the next because they know that these thoughts though they be not grateful to the sensual part yet they are absolutely necessary and highly profitable and most comfortable in the end which every wise man most regards but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth m Their minds and affections are wholly set upon feasting and jolly because like Fools and brutish Creatures they regard only their present delight and mind not how dearly they must pay for them 5 * Prov. 13. 18. â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 32. See 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 5. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wiâ—…e n Which though it causeth some grief yet frequently brings great benefit even Reformation and Salvation both from temporal and from eternal Destruction both which are the portion of impenitent sinners than for a man to hear the song o The flatteries or other merry discourses which are as pleasant to corrupt Nature as Songs or Musick of fools 6 For as the †Heb. a sound crackling of thorns p Which for a time make a great noise and blaze but presently wast themselves and go out without any considerable effect upon the meat in the pot under a pot so q So vanishing and fruitless is the laughter of the fool this also is vanity 7 Surely oppression r Either 1 Active When a wise Man falls into the practice of this sin of oppressing others he is besotted by it and by the vast Riches which he by his great wit gets by it Or rather 2. Passive when a wise man is oppressed by foolish and wicked men it makes him fret and rage and speak or act like a mad man for the wisest men are most sensible of indignities and injuries whereas fools are stupid do not much lay them to heart maketh a wise man mad * Deut. 16. 19. and a gift s A bribe given to a wise man destroyeth the heart t Deprives him of the use of his understanding which is oft called the heart as Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Hos. 4. 18. or makes him mad as was said in the former clause So this verse discovers two ways whereby a wise man may be made mad by suffering oppression from others or by receiving bribes to oppress others And this also is an argument of the vanity of worldly Wisdom that it is so easily corrupted and lost and so it serves the main design of this Book 8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof u If this verse relates to that next foregoing it is an Argument to keep mens minds from being disordered either by oppression or bribery because the end of those practices will shew that he who oppresseth another doth himself most hurt by it and that he who taketh Bribes is no gainer by them But if this be independent upon the former as divers other verses here are it is a general and useful observation that the good or evil of things is better known by their end than by their beginning which is true both in evil Counsels and Courses which are pleasant at first but at last bring destruction and in all noble Enterprizes in the studies of Learning and in the practice of Virtue and Godliness where the beginnings are difficult and troublesom but in the progress and conclusion they are most easie and comfortable and it is not sufficient to begin well unless we persevere to the end which crowns all and * Pro. 24. 29. the patient in spirit x Who quietly waits for the end and issue of things and is willing to bear hardships and inconveniences in the mean time is better than the proud y Which he puts instead of hasty or impatient which the opposition might seem to require partly because Pride is the chief cause of impatience Prov. 13. 10. and makes men unable to bear any thing either from God or from Men whereas Humility makes Men sensible of their own unworthiness and that they deserve at least from God all the indignities and injuries which they suffer from Men by Gods permission and therefore patient under them and partly to correct the vulgar errour of proud men who think highly of themselves and trample all others especially such as are meek and patient under their feet in spirit 9 * Pro. 14. 17. 16. 32. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry z Be not angry with any man without due consideration and just and necessary cause for otherwise anger is somtimes lawful and somtimes a duty for anger resteth a Hath its settled and quiet abode is their constant companion ever at hand upon all occasions whereas wise Men resist and mortifie and banish it in the bosom b In the Heart the proper seat of the passions of fools 10 Say not thou c To wit by way of impatient Expostulation and Complaint against God either for permitting such disorders in the World or for bringing thee into the World in such an evil time and state of things Otherwise a man may say this by way of prudent and pious enquiry that by searching out the cause he may as far as it is in his power apply Remedies to make them better What is the cause that the former days were better d Either 1. Less sinful Or rather 2. More quiet and comfortable For this and not the former is the cause of most Mens murmurings against Gods Providence And this is an Argument of a mind discontented and unthankful for the many Mercies which Men commonly enjoy even in evil times and impatient under Gods hand than these
and upon whose Prayers God gave this Deliverance as we read Isa 37. 15 c. Possibly it might be better understood of David who is oft mentioned in Scripture by the name of God's anointed as Psal. 20. 6. 89. 20. 132. 17. and elsewhere and for whose sake God gave many Deliverances to the succeeding Kings and Ages as is expresly affirmed 1 Kings 11. 32 34. 2 Kings 8. 19. And which is more considerable God declareth that he would give this very Deliverance from the Assyrian for Davids sake 2 Kings 19. 34. and 20. 6. But the Messiah I doubt not is here principally intended of whom David was but a Type and who was in a peculiar manner anointed above all his fellows as is said Psal. 45. 7. For he is the Foundation of all the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. and of all the Deliverances and Mercies granted to God's People in all Ages whence this very Prophet makes use of this great Promise of the Messiah as an Assurance that God would make good his Promises of particular Deliverances from their present or approaching Calamities as Isa. 7. 14. c. and 9. 4 c. And therefore the Prophet might well say that God would grant this Deliverance for Christs sake Especially if it be considered that this was the very Reason why God had promised and did so constantly perform his Mercy promised unto the Tribe of Iudah and unto the House of David until the coming of the Messiah because the Messiah was to come of the Tribe of Iudah and of the Posterity of David and was to succeed David in his Throne and Kingdom and he was to be known by this Character and therefore this Tribe and House and Kingdom were to continue and that in a visible manner till Christ came 28 He is come to Ajath r Here the Prophet returns to his former Discourse concerning the Assyrian Invaâ—…ion into Iudah which he describes after the manner of the Prophets as a thing present and sets down the several Stages by which he marched towards Ierusalem The Places here named are most of them Towns of Benjamin and some of Iudah as appears from other Scriptures of which it is needless to say more in this place He to wit Sennacherib King of Assyria is come in his way to Ierusalem he is passed to Migron at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages s Leaving such things there as were less necessary that so he might march with more expedition Heb. he visited his vessels or instruments which may be meant of his taking a Survey of his Army and Artillery to see that all things were ready for his Enterprise 29 They are gone over the passage t Some considerable Passage then well known possibly that 1 Sam. 14. 5. they have taken up their lodging at Geba Ramah is afraid Gibeah of Saul is fled u The People fled to Ierusalem for fear of the Assyrian 30 †Heb. Cry shrill with thy 〈◊〉 Lift up thy voice O daughter of Gallim x Ierusalem was the Mother-City and lesser Towns are commonly called her daughters as hath been oft noted cause it to be heard unto Laish O poor Anathoth 31 Madmenah is removed the inhabitants of Gebin gather themselves to flee 32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day he shall shake his hand y By way of Commination But withal he intimates that he should be able to do no more against it and that there his proud Waves should be stayed as it is declared in the following Verses and in the History against the mount of the daughter of Zion the hill of Jerusalem 33 Behold the Lord the LORD of hosts shall lop the bough z The top-bough 〈◊〉 or the loughs his valiant Soldiers or Commanders of his Army which he compareth to a Forest v. 18. 34. with terrour a With a most terrible and amazing Stroke by an Angel and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down and the haughty shall be humbled 34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forrest with iron b Or as with iron as the Trees of the Forest are cut down by Instruments of Iron and Lebanon c Or his Lebanon the Pronoun being oft understood in the Hebrew Text the Assyrian Army which being before compared to a Forest or Wood and being called his Caâ—…mel in the Hebrew Text v. 18. may very fitly upon the same ground be called his Lebanon here especially considering that the King of Assyria is called a cedar of Lebanon Ezek. 31. 3. shall fall ‖ Or mightily by a mighty one d By a mighty Angel Isa. 37. 36. CHAP. XI AND * Zech. 6. 12. Revel 5. 5. there shall come forth a The Prophet having dispatched the Assyrian and comforted God's People with the Promise of their Deliverance from that formidable Enemy now he proceeds further and declares That God will do greater things than that for them that he will give them their long-expected and much-desired Messiah and by him will work Wonders of Mercy for them For this is the manner of the Prophets to take the occasion of particular Deliverances to fix the Peoples Minds upon their great and everlasting Deliverance from all their enemies by the Messiah And having said that the Assyrian yoke should be destroyed because of the anointing ch 10. 27. he now more particularly explains who that anointed Person was a rod b Or twig called a branch in the next Clause Parents are oft compared to Roots or Trees and their Children to Branches He speaks of the most eminent Branch of that famous Son of a Virgin Isa. 7. 14. of that Wonderful Child Isa. 9. 6. not of Hezekiah as some of the Iews and Judaizing Christians conceit but of the Messiah as will evidently appear from the following Description out of the stemm c Or trunk or rather stump for the Word properly signifies a Trunk cut off from the Root Or reâ—…t as the LXX here render the Word and as it is explained in the next Clause By which he clearly implies That the Messiah should be born of the Royal House of David at that time when it was in a most forlorn and contemptible condition like a Tree cut down and whereof nothing is left but a Stump or Root under Ground Which really was the State of David's Family when Christ was born as is notoriously known but was in a far better condition when Hezekiah was born of * Act. 13. 23. Jesse d He doth not say of David but of Iesse who was a private and mean Person 1 Sam. 18. 18 23. 20. 30. to intimate That at the time of Christ's Birth the Royal Family should be reduced to its primitive Obscurity and * Chap. 4. 2. Jer. 23. 5. a branch shall grow e He speaks of one not yet born and therefore not of Hezekiah who was born divers years before
then of the churl in this Verse he deviseth wicked devices y He useth all his Wit and Art to do Injury to others without any inconvenience to himself to destroy the poor with lying words z With false and unrighteous Decrees even ‖ Or when he speaketh against the poor in judgment when the needy speaketh right a When their Cause is just and good 8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he ‖ Or be established stand b He who is truely Liberal and Vertuous will shew it by designing and practising liberal or vertuous Actions And he who doth so will not destroy himself thereby as wicked Men falsly suppose but establish and advance himself But this Verse also as well as the former is and may be otherwise rendred And repeat he shall be called as before liberal who deviseth liberal things and persisteth or continueth in liberal things If it be thought strange That so many Verses should be spent in Affirming that which in effect was said ver 5. it must be considered that these Verses do not onely contain an Affirmation that they should be called vile persons or churles or liberal that were so but also a Description of their Qualities and Practices which was useful for their Conviction and for the Instruction of others 9. Rise up c Bestir and prepare your selves to hear as it follows and shake off Sloth and Carelessness ye women that are at ease d That indulge your selves in Idleness and Luxury hear my voice ye careless daughters e Heb. confident or secure who are insensible of yoâ—… sin and danger give ear unto my speech f The same before called women Whom he here reproveth and threatneth for their Sins as he did the Men before for seeking to Egypt for Help and divers other Sins whereof the Men were most Guilty 10. †Heb. days above a year Many days and years f Heb. Days above a year i. e. a year and some days Which notes Either 1. the time from this Prophecy to the beginning of this Judgment Or rather 2. the time of the continuance of it that it should last for above one Year as indeed this did and no longer For Hezekiah Reigned in all but twenty nine Years 2 Kings 18. 2. and Sennacherib came in his fourteenth Year and after his defeat and departure God promised and added to him fifteen Years more 2 Kings 20. 6. shall ye be troubled ye careless women for the vintage shall fail g During the time of the Assyrian Invasion And this Commination is here added to qualify the foregoing Promise and to warn them that although God would give them so good a King and there should be some Reformation of their former abuses under the Government of Ahaz yet as there were many Sins among them yet not repented of so they should be severely chastised for them the gathering h To wit of the other Fruits of the Earth as that Feast which was observed after the gathering of all the Fruits was called the feast of in-gathering Exod. 23. 16. shall not come 11. Tremble ye women that are at ease be troubled ye careless ones strip ye and make ye bare i Put off your Ornaments as God commanded upon a like occasion Exod. 33. 5. that you may put on Sackcloth instead of them as Mourners and Penitents used to do and gird sackcloth upon your loyns 12. They shall lament for the teats k Either 1. properly because through Famine your Teats are destitute of Milk for the nourishment of your poor Children Or rather 2. Metaphorically as the following Words explain it for the pleasant and fruitful Fields which like Teats yielded you plentiful and excellent Nourishment for which the Land was said to flow with milk Ezek. 20. 6. And the Earth being compared to the Womb that bare us Iob. 1. 21. it is not strange if its fruitful Fields be compared to the Breasts which nourish us for †Heb. the fields of desire the pleasant fields for the fruitful vine 13. * Chap. 34. 13. Hos. 9. 6. Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers l If any of you think thâ—…e is no great cause for such Trembling and Lamentation which shall last but for a year and some days know that this Calamity by the Assyrians is but an earnest of further and sorer judgments For the time is coming when this Land shall be laid desolate and instead of Vines and other Fruits it shall yield nothing but Briers and Thorns of which see on Isa. 7. 23 24. ‖ Or burning upon c. yea upon all the houses of joy m Upon that Ground where now your Houses stand in which you delight and take your fill of mirth and pleasure in the joyous city 14. Because the palaces n Heb. the palace the King's House and other magnificent buildings in the City shall be forsaken the multitude of the city shall be left o Or rather shall be forsaken to wit of God and given up into their Enemies hands And the Verb in the foregoing Clause may be rendred shall be left the ‖ Or clifts and watch-towers forts and towers shall be for dens for ever a joy of wild asses p Desolate places in which wild Asses delight to be Iob. 39. 5. Ier. 2. 24. a pasture of flocks 15. Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high q And this Calamity and Desolation shall in a manner continue until the time come in which God will pour or as the Hebrew Word properly signifies reveal i. e. evidently and plentifully pour out his spirit from Heaven upon His people Which was done in some sort upon the return of the People from Babylon when God by his Spirit stirred up the Spirit both of Cyrus to give them liberty of returning to Ierusalem and of the people to return and build the City and People But was far more clearly and fully accomplished in the days of the Messiah And indeed the promises contained in these and the following Words and Verses were not fulfilled upon their coming out of Babylon after which time they had but a little reviving in their bondage as is said Ezra 9. 8. and continued in servitude and distress under the Peâ—…sian Emperours Nehem. 9. 36 37. and afterward suffered many and grievous Calamities from the Kings of Syria and Egypt and from the Romans which suits very ill with that glorious Promise here following ver 18. And therefore these promises concern the times of the Gospel when God's Spirit was in a most evident and glorious Manner poured forth upon the Apostles and other believing Iews to the Astonishment of their very Adversaries and when the following Promises were in a good Measure fulfilled and are more fully to be accomplished in God's due time and * Chap. 29. 17. 35. 2. 37.
of any particular King or Emperour it constantly speaks of him in the Masculine gender as it doth of Cyrus in this very Chapter ver 1. and elsewhere And thus the sence of the place seems to be this Ierusalem shall not onely be rebuilt but the Wealth and Glory of other Countryes shall be brought to it again as it was in former times Which although it was in part verified in Ierusalem yet it was much more fully accomplished in the Church of the Gospel which is oft expressed in Scripture under the name of Ierusalem and in the Accession of the Gentiles to that Church which began in Ierusalem and from thence spread it self into all the parts of the World And this sence seems best to agree with the latter part of this and with the following verse as we shall see and they shall be thine they shall come after thee in chains they shall come over o They shall be taken captive by thee and willingly submit themselves to thee Which was accomplished in the Conversion of the Gentiles whose Subjection to Gods Church is oft expressed in Scripture under such Metaphors as this as Psal. 45. 5. and 149. 8 c. Psal. 68. 18. compared with Eph. 4. 8. and they * Chap. 60. 14 shall fall down unto thee they shall make supplication unto thee p To obtain thy favour and society saying Surely God is in thee q Or with thee We plainly discern that God is on thy side or in the midst of thee and therefore we desire to joyn our selves with thee and * 1 Cor. 14. 25 Ver. 5. there is none else there is no God r We are now convinced that thou art the onely true God and that Idols are vain and empty nothings Which was but very obscurely fulfilled in Cyrus his time but was most evidently and eminently accomplished in the days of the Messiah of whom Cyrus was a Type as also this deliverance of the Iews from Babylon by Cyrus was a Type of the Redemption of Gods People by Christ. 15. Verily thou art a God s These are the words of the Prophet drawn from him by the contemplation of the great and various works and dispensations of God towards his Church and in the World that hidest thy * Chap. 8. 17. self t To wit from thy people for a season Thy counsels are deep and incomprehensible thy wayes and carriages are past finding out and full of beautiful variety Sometimes thou hidest thy face and withdrawest thy help from thy people and sometimes thou dost shew thy self to be their God and Saviour as it follows And therefore it is meet that we should patiently wait for the accomplishment of these glorious things here promised to us And this admonition is most fitly inserted here to prevent the mistakes of Gods people and to intimate that these promises were not to be speedily executed but that they must expect and prepare for many and sharp afflictions before that time should come which yet should end in their Salvation O God of Israel the Saviour 16. They u The Idolatrous Gentiles as it is explained in the end of the verse opposed to Israel in the beginning of the next verse shall be ashamed and also confounded all of them they shall go to confusion together that are * Chap. 44. 11. makers x Either the artificers or the chief masters who set them on work and consequently all their Worshippers although the Makers being most guilty and the cause of the sins of others might justly expect an higher degree of confusion of Idols 17. But Israel shall be saved in the LORD Or by with an everlasting Salvation y Not for a short time as it was in the dayes of the Judges and of the Kings under whom their dangers and calamities did frequently return upon them but unto all ages as it follows Whence it appears that he speaks not onely nor chiefly of their Deliverance out of Babylon which was far from being compleat or perpetual as appears both from Scripture as Ezra 9. 8. and elsewhere and from other Authors but of their Redemption by Christ by which this was truly and fully verified unto a great number of Israelites after the Flesh and especially unto the mystical Gods Church and People who are frequently called in Scripture by that name as the Ordinances and Priviledges of the Gospel are commonly discribed in the Old Testament by expressions borrowed from the Levitical dispensation And that this is the meaning of the place is evident from ver 22. wherein all the ends of the Earth are said to be sharers in this Salvation ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end 18. For thus saith the LORD * Chap. 42. 5. that created the heavens God himself that formed the earth made it he hath established it he created it not in vain he formed it to be inhabited * ver 5. I am the LORD and there is none else z This description of God is here added Either 1. To detect the vanity of Idols by asserting that none was to be owned as the trâ—…e God besides that one God who made the Heavens and the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof Or 2. To demonstrate Gods Sufficiency to fulfil all these glorious promises made to his Church because he made the World out of nothing and upholds it by the word of his Power and withal to discover Gods goodness to mankind inasmuch as he did not Create the Earth in vain but for the use and comfort of men that it might be a fit habitation for them whence it was easy to infer that God would much more be gracious to his own People 19. I have not spoken in * Deut. 30. 11. secret in a dark place of the earth a The Heathen Idols deliver their Oracles darkly and doubtfully in obscure Cells and Caverns of the Earth or out of the bellies of their Priests but I have delivered my Oracles to Israel publickly and plainly as one that was neither afraid nor ashamed to utter my mind least I should be convinced of folly and falshood which was the case of Idols I said not unto the seed of * Chap. 48. 16. Jacob Seek ye me in vain b Serve and Worship me for nought As I appointed them work so I promised and from time to time have given and shall give them abundant recompence for their service Whereas the Gentiles seek to their Idols in vain for they can do them no good as is observed in the next verse I the LORD speak righteousness I declare things that are right c I require nothing of my people which is not highly just and good whereas the Idols commanded their Worshippers to do many sinful and shameful things â—…ven in their worship as is notoriously known 20. Assemble your selves and come draw near together d To debate the business with
name and in the name of Gods People put on strength d Cloath and adorn thy self with mighty works put forth thy strength O arm of the LORD awake as in the ancient days in the generations of old Art thou not it that hath cut e Heb. hewed with thy Sword Rahab f Egypt so called here and Psal. 87. 4. 89. 10. either from its Pride or strength or from the shape and figure of that Land and wounded the * Ps. 74. 13 14. Ezek. 29. 3. Ch. 27. 1. dragon g Pharaoh so called Psal. 74. 13. Ezek. 29. 3. 32. 2. 10 Art thou not it which hath * Ex. 14. 21. dried the sea h Art not thou the same God and as potent now as then thou wast the waters of the great deep that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed i For thy people whom thou didst redeem and bring out of Egypt to pass over 11 Therefore k Or So. Heb. And. This verse contains an answer to the Prophets Prayer It is true I did these great things and I will do the like again * Ch. 35. 10. the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be * Ps. 7. 16. upon their head l Like a Crown of Glory But for the accomplishment of this magnificent Promise we must needs look beyond their return from Babylon into their own Land when they met with many discouragements and troubles and calamities and extend it unto the coming of Christ by whom these great things were procured and actually conferred upon his People they shall obtain gladness and joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away 12 I even I am he that comforteth you who art thou m How unreasonable and distrustful art thou O my Church how unlike to thy self how unsuitable in these despondencies unto thy own professions and obligations that thou shouldest be afraid * Ps. 118. 6. of a man that shall die and of the son of man which shall be made * Ch. 40. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 24. as grass n Of a weak Mortal and perishing Creature 13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker o And dost not consider the infinite power of that God who made thee and who will plead thy cause that hath * Job 9. 8. Ps. 104. 2. Ch. 40. 22 42. 5. 44. 24. stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor as if he ‖ Or â—…ade himselâ—… 〈◊〉 were ready to destroy p As if it were in his power to destroy thee in a moment and where is the fury of the oppressour q What is become of the power rage of the Babylonians Is it not all gone Are not they broken and thou delivered He speaks of the thing as if it were already done because it should certainly and suddenly be done Where is it It is no where it is quite lost and gone as this Phrase is frequently used as Psal. 42. 3. Zech. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 55. 14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed r God is not slack as you think but maketh haste to fulfil his promise and to rescue his captive and oppressed People from all their oppressions and miseries and that he should not die in the pit nor that his bread should fail 15 But I am the LORD thy God ‖ Or that â—…leth tâ—…e sea when the waves thereof roar that * Job 26. 12. Jâ—…r 31. 35. divideth the sea whose waves roared the LORD of hosts is his name 16 And I have put my words * Deu. 18. 18. Ch. 49. 2 3. in thy mouth s These great and glorious Promises which are in thy mouth are not the vain words of Man a weak and unconstant and unfaithful Creature but the words of the Almighty unchangeable and faithful God and therefore they shall be infallibly accomplished These words are manifestly spoken by God either 1. To Isaiah by whom these promises were delivered Or 2. To Christ of whom and to whom many things are said in this Prophecy as we have already seen and will further appear And such abrupt and sudden Apostrophe's to persons not mentioned in the foregoing words are not unusual in this Prophesie as hath been observed Or rather 3. To Israel to Gods Church and People to whom he speaks both in the foregoing and following verses For Gods Word is frequently said to be put into the mouths not only of the Prophets but of the People also as Isa. 59. 21. as also Deut. 30. 14. Ios. 1. 8. c. and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand t Have protected thee by my Almighty power See the same Phrase Isa. 49. 2. that I may plant the heavens and * Ps. 11. 3. 60. 2. 75. 3. lay the foundations of the earth u I have given thee these Promises and this protection in all thy calamities to assure thee of my care and kindness to thee and that I will reform thee in a most glorious manner and bring thee unto that perfect and blessed estate which is reserved for the days of the Messiah which in Scripture Phrase is called a making of new Heavens and a new Earth Isa. 65. 17. 66. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 13. and elsewhere and say unto Zion Thou art my people x That I may own thee for my People in a more illustrious manner than ever I have done 17 * Ch. 52. 1. Awake y Either 1. Out of the sleep of security Or 2. Out of the sleep of death Heb. Roâ—…ze up thy self come out of that forlorn and disconsolate condition in which thou hast so long been This sense suits best with the following words awake stand up z Upon thy feet O thou who hast falln and been thrown down to the ground O Jerusalem which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury a Which hast been sorely afflicted for so this Metaphor is used Psal. 75. 8. Ier. 25. 15 c. 49. 12. thou hast * Ps. 75. 8. drunken the dregs of the * Zâ—…ch 12. 2. cup of trembling b Which striketh him that drinketh it with a deadly horrour and ‖ Or sucked them out wrung them out c Drunk every drop of it See on Psal. 75. 8. 18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up d When thou wast drunk with this Cup and not able to go neither thy Princes nor Prophets nor Priests were able or willing to lead and support thee 19 * Ch. 47. 9. These two things e Either 1. Those who were now
ways 1. Sometimes by putting on Sackcloth upon their Bodies as 1 Kin. 21. 27. Ps. 69. 11. and casting ashes upon their Heads 2 Sam. 13. 19. And 2. Sometimes by spreading Sackcloth under them and lying down upon Ashes Esth. 4. 3. Iob 2. 8. The Intent of Sackcloth was to afflict the Body by its unpleasing harshness and of Ashes to represent their own vileness as being but Dust and Ashes their putting of them on might note their uneasiness under sin and laying on them their self-abhorrency shaming themselves for it Quer. Are such Rites now convenient on a day of Humiliation to help us in our afflicting of our selves Answ. Gospel Services neither require them or need them respecting more the Inward afflicting of the Soul with godly sorrow and deep contrition yet may they carry this instruction along with them that our Ornaments our best and gawdy Apparel ought to be laid aside as not suiting either the ground and cause or the end and design of days of Humiliation wilt thou call a i. e. Canst thou upon a rational account as a meer man call it so Canst thou think suppose or believe it to be so this a fast b It being such an one as hath nothing in it but the lifeless skeleton and dumb signs of a Fast nothing of deep Humiliation appearing in it or real Reformation proceeding from it Not that the Prophet blames them for these external Rites in this outward way of afflicting themselves For this he commands Lev. 23. 27 31 32. and appoints certain Rites to be used Lev. 16. 19 21. And these particular Rites were frequent in their solemn Humiliations 1 Kin. 21. 27. Esth. 4. 3. Dan. 9. 3. used also by the Heathen Ion. 3. 5 6. See Mat. 11. 21. But that which he condemns is their Hypocrisie in separating true Humiliation from them for bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim. 4 8. and an acceptable day to the LORD c A day that God will approve of as before Heb. a day of acceptance or that will turn to a good account on your behalf y Here the Prophet sets down those extâ—…al gestures and postures in particular which they did join with â—…eir hypocritical fasts as he had mentioned it before in general To bow down bowing is the posture of Mourners Psal. 35. 14. and here it is either as if through weakness of Body their Heads did hang down or counterfeitly to represent the posture of true penitents moving sometimes their Heads this way and that way as the word signifieth not unlike the ballance of a Clock as the Bullrush moved by the Wind boweth itself down waving to and fro in a kind of circular or semicircular motion the contrary motion of lifting up the Head being an Indication of Pride ch 3. 16. It is the guise of Hypocrites to put on affected Countenances Mat. 6. 16. 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen d Or approve as before v. 5. or ought not such a Fast to be accompanied with such things as these where he is now about to shew the concomitants of a true Fast with reference to the thing in hand namely to exercise works of Charity consisting partly in acts of Self-denial in this Verse and partly in doing good to those in distress in the next In this verse he instanceth in some particulars and closeth with a general to loose the bands of wickedness e viz. The cruel obligations of Usury and Oppression to undo †Heb. the bundles of the yoke the heavy burdens f Heb. bundles a Metaphor possibly pointing at those many bundles of Writings as Bills Bonds Mortgages and acknowledgments which the Usurers had lying by them The former may relate to unjust and unlawful Obligations extorted by force or fear which he would have cancelled This latter to just Debts contracted through Poverty and necessity the rigour whereof he would have abated whether by reason of loans upon too hard conditions called a drawing them into a net Psal. 10. 9. and so much is implied Prov. 6. 5. or under too hard circumstances whether they were loans of Food or money of which the People so bitterly complained Neh. 5. 1 2 3 4. and is expresly forbid Exod. 22. 25. For Debts may be called Burdens 1. Because they lie as a great load upon the Debtors Spirits under which who ever can walk up and down easily doth not so much excel in fortitude as in folly 2. Because they usually introduce Poverty Slavery Imprisonment c. and * Jer. 34. 9. to let the †Heb. broken oppressed h Heb. broken i. e. like a bruised Reed so crushed and weakned that they have no consistency or ability either to satisfie their Creditors or support themselves and we usually call such insolvent persons broken that cannot look upon themselves to be sui juris but wholly at anothers Mercy you have the same kind of oppression and the same words used Amos 4. 1. go free g Either in a large sense viz. any ways grieved or vexed whether by the gripings of Usury or the bondage of Slavery accompanied with cruel usage or more peculiarly according to some relating to their being confined and shut up in Prisons which latter sense the word free may possibly seem to favour the former being comprised in that general expression that follows of breaking every yoke and that ye break every yoke i Namely That is grievous a Metaphor i. e. free them from all sorts of Vexation whatever it is that held them under any Bondage the LXX refer it to Bonds and Writings But it seems more general the word properly signifies that stick or cord that holds both ends of the yoke that it spring not out or fall off from the neck on which it is laid Exod. 25. 14. where the same word is used for staves and called the bands of the Yoke Lev. 26. 13. I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you go upright the same thing that God would have them do here 7 Is it k Viz. The Fast that pleaseth me supplied from the former verse having shewed the evil they are to abstain from in order to an acceptable Fast viz. cruelty he here speaks of the duty that is required viz. Mercy as a manifestation of Repentance Dan. 4. 27. Luk. 19. 8. For there are two parts of Justice one to do no man wrong the other to do good to all Which two ought always to accompany each other and cannot be parted especially in acts of Humiliation and as by those evils mentioned he understands all other evil whatsoever that they are to be abstained from as the consequence of a day of Humiliation so under these duties mentioned are comprised all the duties that we are to set upon as the effect of true Repentance and he instanceth rather in those of the second Table than those of the first not that they are to be neglected but
ye are all children of Israel q The Sons of that Holy man who for one filthy action left an Eternal brand upon one of his own Sons a People in Covenant with the holy God whose Honour you are obliged to vindicate and who hath expresly commanded you to punish all such notorious Enormities give here your advice and counsel 8 ¶ And all the people arose as one man saying We will not any of us go to his tent r i. e. His habitation to wit until we have revenged this Injury neither will we any of us turn into his house 9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah we will go up by lot against it 10 And we will take ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel and an hundred of a thousand and a thousand out of ten thousand to â—…etch victual for the people that they may do when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin accord ing to all the folly that they have wrought s That we may punish them as such a wickedness deserves in Israel t This is added as an aggravation that they should do that in Israel or among Gods peculiar People which was esteemed abominable even among the Heathen 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city ‡ Heb. fellows knit together as one man 12 ¶ And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe u Heb. tribes Either the Plural Number for the Singular or rather tribe is put for family as was noted before as families are elsewhere put for tribes They take a wise and a just course in sending to all the parts and families of the tribe to separate the Innocent from the Guilty and to give them a fair opportunity of preventing their ruin by doing nothing but what their Duty Honour and Interest obliged them to even by delivering up those vile Malefactors whom they could not keep without horrid guilt and shame and bringing the Curse of God upon themselves of Benjamin saying What wickedness is this that is done among you 13 Now therefore deliver us the men the children of Belial which are in Gibeah that we may put them to death and put away evil x Both the Guilt and the Punishment wherein all Israel will be Involved if they do not Punish it from Israel but the children of Benjamin would not hearken y Partly from the Pride of their Hearts which made them scorn to submit to their Brethren or to suffer them to meddle in their Territory partly from a conceit of their own Valour and Military skill and partly from Gods just judgment to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel 14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah to go out to battel against the children of Israel 15 And the children of Benjamin were numbred at that time out of the city twenty and six thousand men that drew sword beside the inhabitants of Gibeah which were numbred seven hundred chosen men z Object This agrees not with the following numbers for all that were slain of Benjamin were 25100 men v. 35. and there were only 600 that survived v. 47. which make only 25700. Ans. The other thousand men were either left in some of their cities where they were slain v. 48. or were cut off in the two first Battels wherein it is unreasonable to think they had an unbloody Victory and as for these 25100 men they were all slain in that day i. e. the day of the third Battel as is affirmed v. 35. 16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men * Chap. 3. 15. left handed a Heb. shut up on their right hand i. e. using their left hand instead of their right every one could sling stones at an hairs breadth and not miss b An Hyperbolical expression signifying that they could do this with great exactness There are many Parallel Instances in Historians of Persons that could throw Stones or shoot Arrows with great certainty so as seldom or never to miss Of which see my Latin Synopsis And this was very considerable and one ground of the Benjamites confidence because in those times they had no Guns 17 And the men of Israel c To wit such as were here present v. 2. for otherwise it is most probable they had a far greater number of men being 600000 before their entrance into Canaan Num. 1. 2. beside Benjamin were numbred four hundred thousand men that drew sword all these were men of war 18 ¶ And the children of Israel d i. e. Some sent in the name of all arose and went up to the house of God e To wit to Shiloh which was not far from Mizpeh where they were and * Chap. 1. 1. asked counsel of God and said Which of us shall go up first to the battel f This they ask to prevent Emulations and Contentions but they do not ask whether they should go against them oâ—… no for that they knew they ought to do by the will of God already revealed nor yet do they seek to God for his help by Prayer and Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all reason they ought to have done but were confident of Success because of their great Numbers and Righteous Cause against the children of Benjamin And the LORD said Judah shall go up first 19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning and encamped against Gibeah 20 And the men of Israel went out to battel against Benjamin and the men of Israel put themselves in aray to fight against them at Gibeah 21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men g Quest. Why would God suffer them to have so great a loss in so Good a Cause Ans. Because they had many and great Sins reigning amongst themselves and they should not have come to so great a Work of God as this with polluted hands but should have pulled the Beam out of their own Eye before they attempted to take that out of their Brother Benjamin's Eye which because they did not God doth it for them making them by this loss more clearly to see their own Sins and their need of Gods help without which their great Numbers were insignificant and bringing them through the Fire that they might be purged from their Dross it being probable that the great God who governs every stroke in Battels did so order things that their worst and rotten Members should be cut off which was a great Blessing to the whole Common-wealth 22 And the people the men of Israel incouraged themselves h Heb. strengthned themselves partly by supporting themselves with the Conscience of the Justice of their Cause and the hopes of success and partly by putting themselves in better order for