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
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
mentioned v. 8. were to be decided And the High-Priest was commonly one of that number and may seem to be understood here under the Priests whereof he was the chief and unto the judg t This Iudge here is either 1. The supream civil Magistaate who was made by God the keeper of both Tables and was by his Office to take care for the right administration both of justice and of Religion who was to determine causes and suits by his own skill and authority in civil matters and by the Priests direction in spiritual or sacred causes But this seems obnoxious to some difficulties because this Judge was obliged to dwell in the place of Gods Worship which the civil Magistrate was not and oft times did not 2 This Judge is one whose Office it was to expound and teach others the Law of God as it here follows v. 11. therefore not the civil Magistrate Or 2. The High-Priest who was obliged to live in this place to whom it belonged to determine some at least of those controversies mentioned v. 8. and to teach and expound the Law of God And he may be distinctly named though he be one of the Priests partly because of his eminency and superiority over the rest of them as after all Davids enemies Saul is particularly mentioned Psal. 18. title and partly to shew that amongst the Priests he especially was to be consulted in such cases But this also seems liable to objections 1. That he seems to be included under that general expression of the Priests and Levites 2. That the High-Priest is never in all the Scripture called simply the Iudge but generally called the Priest or the High-Priest or chief-Priest or the like and it is most probable if Moses had meant him here he would have expressed him by some of his usual Names and Titles and not by a strange Title which was not likely to be understood 3. That divers controversies between blood and blood plea and plea stroke and stroke were not to be determined by the High-Priest but by other Persons as appears by Exod. 18. 22. Deut. 1. 16 17. Or 3. The Sanhedrim or Supreme Councel which as was said before consisted partly of Priests and partly of wise and learned persons of other tribes as is confessed by all the Iewish and most other writers And so this is added by way of explication partly to shew that the Priests and Levites here mentioned as the persons to whom all hard controversies are to be referred are not all the Priests and Levites which should reside in Ierusalem but onely such of them as were or should be Members of that great Councel by whom together with their fellow-Members of other Tribes these causes were to be decided partly to intimate that that great Councel which had the chief and final determination of all the abovesaid controversies was a mixed assembly consisting of wise and good men some Ecclesiastical and some Secular as it was most meet it should be because many of the causes which were brought unto them were mixed causes As for the Conjunctive particle and that may be taken either disjunctively for or as it is Exod. 21. 15 17. compared with Matt. 15. 4. and Numb 30. 5 6. compared with Matt. 12. 37. and Levit. 6. 3 5. 2 Sam. 2. 19. 21. or exegetically for that is or to wit as Iudg. 7. 24. 1 Sam. 17. 40. and 28. 3. 2 Chron. 35. 14. and so the sence may be the Priests the Levites or the Iudge as it is v. 12. or the Priests the Levites that is the Iudge or the Iudges appointed for this work And though the word Iudge be of the singular number and may seem to denote one person yet it is onely an Enallage or change of the number the singular for the plural Iudges which is most frequent as Gen. 3. 2 7. and 49. 6. 1 Sam. 31. 1. 1 King 10. 22. and 2 King 11. 10. compared with 2 Chron. 9. 21. and 23. 9. and in the Hebrew 1 Chron. 4. 42. where divers Officers are called one Head And so it is most probably here 1. Because the following words which belong to this run altogether in the plural number they they they c. here and v. 10 11. 2. Because here is the same Enallage in the other branch the same person or persons being called the Priests here and the Priest v. 12. 3. Because for the judge here is put the Iudges Deut. 19. 17. where we have the same phrase used upon the same or a like occasion the men between whom the controversie is shall stand before the Lord before the Priests and the Iudges which shall be in those dayes Nor is it strange but very fit and reasonable that so many persons being all united in one body and to give judgment or sentence by the consent of all or the greatest part should be here called by the name of one Iudge as indeed they were and for that reason the Priests are spoken of in the plural number because they were many as also the other members of that Assembly were and the Iudge in the singular number because they all constituted but one Judge that shall be in those dayes and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment u Heb. The word or matter of judgment i. e. the true state and right of the cause and what judgment or sentence ought to be given in it 10 And thou shalt x i. e. Thou shalt pass sentence for he speaks to the inferiour Magistrates as was before noted who were to give sentence and came hither to be advised about it do according to the sentence which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to do y It is very observable that this place doth not speak of all controversies of faith as if they were to believe every thing which they should teach but onely of some particular matters of practise and strife between man and man to which it is plainly limited v. 8. And they are not here commanded to believe but onely to do which is thrice repeated according to all that they inform thee 11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee z These words are a manifest limitation of the foregoing assertion that they were to do according to all that the Judge or Judges informed him And they seem to limit and regulate 1. The Judges in their sentence that they shall not upon pretence of this supreme Authority put into their hands presume to teach or direct otherwise than the Law prescribes 2. The people in their obedience that they shall not simply obey them in all things but so far forth as their sentence is according to the Law and Word of God but not when their commands are evidently contrary to Gods Law for then say even Popish Commentatours on this place they must obey God rather than Man And this
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
32. to Jerusalem 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer b Of whom see 1 Kin. 16. 1 2. went out to meet him and said to king Jehoshaphat shouldest thou help the ungodly and * Psal. 139. 21. love them that hate the LORD c Was this agreeable to thy Duty and Love which thou proâ—…essest to God and Godliness that thou hast entred into so strict an Alliance and Friendship with wicked Ahab my sworn Enemy and given such Assistance to him therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD d Therefore God is angry with thee and will chastise thee for this Miscarriage Which he did partly by stirring up the Moabites and others to invade him ch 20. partly by permitting his Eldest Son Jehoram to kill all his Brethren ch 21. 4. and principally by bringing that sore and almost general Destruction upon his Grandchildren by Jehu 2 King 9. 27. and 10. 13 14. which was the proper Fâ—…uit of his Alliance with Ahab 3 Nevertheless there are * Ch. 17. 4. 6. good things found in thee e i. e. Good Works proceeding from an Honest Heart which God more regards than this particular Errour and therefore though he will chasten thee yet he will not utterly destroy thee in that thou hast taken away the gâ—…oves out of the land and hast prepared thine heart f Or directed or set thy heart i. e. Thou hast sought and served God with all thy Heart and not feignedly as many others do And this work of preparing or directing his heart is here ascribed to Jehoshaphat as elsewhere it is attributed to God Prov. 16. 1. Phil. 2. 13. because it is mans Action but performed by Gods Grace preventing enabling and enclining him to it to seek God 4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem and †Heb. he returned and went out he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim h i. e. Through his whole Kingdom whereof these were the two Bounds and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers i Such of them as had revolted from God to Idols he reclaimed by his good Counsel and Example and by the Instructions of the Levites and Priests whom doubtless now he carried with him as he sent them before with his Officers of State g Once he went by his Officers ch 17. 7 c. Now he went in his own person 5 And he set Judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah city by city k In every City for it self and the Country adjacent that Justice might be administred with the most ease and convenience to the People and they might not all be forced to go up to Jerusalem 6 And said to the judges Take heed what ye do for * Deut. 1. 17. ye judge not for man but for the LORD l You represent Gods Person to whom Judgment belongeth and you have your Commission and Power from God and not from Man onely and your Administration of Justice is not onely for Mans good but also for Gods Honour and Service * Psal. 82. 1. Eccles. 5. 8. who is with you m Both to observe your Carriage and to 〈◊〉 you against all those Enemies whom the Impartial Exercise of Justice may provoke †Heb. in the matter of Iudgment in the judgment 7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God nor * Deut. 10. 17. Job 34. 19. Act. 10. 34. Rom. 2. 11. Ephes. 6. 9. Col. 3. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 17. respect oâ—… persons n And therefore you are in Gods stead and do his Work and must give an Account to him must imitate God here Of respect of persons see Deut. 10. 17. job 34. 19. Act. 10. 34. nor taking of gifts o So as to pervert Judgment for them by comparing this with Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Prov. 17. 23. 8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Iâ—…rael p Who were not Priests and Levites but such persons of other Tribes as were most Eminent for their Dignity Ability and Integrity But whether these persons made up one Court called the Sanhedrim by which all Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil were decided or there were two distinct Courts the one Ecclesâ—…astical consisting of the Priests and Levites the other Civil consisting of the Chief of the Fathers of Israel belongs to another place to determine and requires more words than the Nature of this Work can permit for the * Deut. 16. 18. judgment of the LORD q i. e. For Sacred matters concerning the Laws and Worship and Service of God and for controversiâ—…s r For Matters of Difference between Man and Man †Heb. and they returned whâ—…n they returned to Jerusalem s i. e. When Jehoshaphat and his Company were returned to Jerusalem then he made this Order â—…ing establishing Judges there But so this last Clause may seeâ—… superfluous and tautological being more than implyed in the beginning of the Verse Or rather when they i. e. the Causes and Controversies last mentioned shall return or be returned tâ—… Ierusalem i. e. When the Causes shall be so difficult that the Judges ordained in every City cannot determine them or when your Brethren that dwell in every City shall come to you as it is expressed v. 10. appealing from their City-courts to the great 〈◊〉 or Councel at Jerusalem Of which see on Exod. 18. 26. 〈◊〉 1. 17. 17. 8. As for the Phrase not onely Persons but Thingâ—… are said to return or be returned as Blood 1 King 2. 33. and Clouds Eccles. 12. 2. and Reproach Hos. 12. 14. If it be further objected that these Causes were never brought to Jerusalem before and therefore cannot be properly said to be returned thither That may be answered both from the usage of our Law wherein sucâ—… Causes are said to be returned to Westminster which never were there before and from the use of Scripture wherein sinners are commonly said to return to the Lord though they had never been with the Lord in that Sence before but were estranged from God even from the Womb till the Time of their Conversion And tâ—…e Dust i. e. Mans Body is said to return to the Earth Eccles. 12. 7. though it was never there before 9 And he charged them saying Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD faithfully and with a perfect heart t Passing such Sentences with your Mouths as your own Minds and Consciences upon the hearing of the Parties shall judge to be Just and not acting against your own Consciences for 〈◊〉 Motives as Corrupt Judges do 10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities between blood and blood u Of
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