that is all that seemeth good unto thee turn thee and go whither thou wilt I am with thee according to thy heart that is as willing and ready to follow thee in this enterprize as thy own soul can desire Now there was it seems a craggy passage between Gibeah and Michmash and he that went through that passage which had two Rocks in the way must go over both of them one after another Jonathan now with his Armour-bearer resolving to make this attempt he humbly desires a sign from God to confirm his faith that he would bless and assist him in this dangerous enterprize as Abrahams servant in a like case did Gen. 24.13 And undoubtedly by the guidance of Gods Spirit he pitched upon this particular sign viz. That if the Philistines when they first discovered themselves to them should say Tarry till we come unto you that should be to them a sign of their great courage and boldness and then they should not go up to them But if they should say come up unto us it should be a sign of their fearfulness and then they should go up for the Lord would deliver them into their hands Having obtained this sign Jonathan and his Armour-bearer present themselves before the fort of the Philistines who seeing them sayed in a scoffing manner behold the Hebrews come out of the holes where they had hid themselves then they call'd to them and said Come up to us and we will shew you a thing implying that they durst not come up or if they did they would pay them for their pains or teach them more wit than thus to hazard themselves Jonathan seeing that God had now answered his desire in giving him this sign of victory he and his Armour-bearer fetching a little compass about to another place as Josephus tells us which was not guarded by any Souldiers the Philistines thinking it sufficiently defended by nature they clambred up on all four hands and feet and so got into the Fort and God striking the Philistines with a great terrour Jonathan slew such as he first met with and his Armour-bearer having gotten a Spear or Sword from some that fell did also slay others that he met with and they two in a small compass of ground not bigger than half an acre slâ—w about twenty men The Army of the Philistines upon this take the Alarm and both they and the Garrison and the Spoilers that went out to spoil were all smitten with such a mighty terrour from the Lord and with such a dreadful fear and such giddiness and distemper of brain God also at the same time sending a terrible earthquake which encreased the astonishment that they fell upon and slew one another mistaking their friends and fellows for their enemies Sauls Scouts perceiving a great hubbub in the Army of the Philistines and that by mutual slaughters they destroyed one another they acquaint Saul therewith who thinking this might happen by some part of his Army skirmishing with them he ordered his Souldiers should be numbred to see who were wanting and they found only Jonathan and his Armour-bearer absent Saul then calls to Ahiah the High-Priest presently to put on the Ephod to enquire of the Lord what was the cause of that tumult in the Camp of the Philistines and what he should do on this occasion But he understanding again by his Spies that the Tumult went on and encreased he bad the High-Priest stay his hand (a) By the many sad effects that accompanied the following victory we may see how much God was displeased with this prophane contempt of his Ordinance and not staying to inquire of the Lord by the Ephod for there was no time for them now to stand consulting and enquiring of the Lord for the present opportunity suggested to them what they should do namely all join together and fall upon the Philistines being thus disordered with all their might which accordingly they did And when they came to the Philistines Camp they found that every mans Sword was against his fellow not being able through fear and amazement to discern friends from enemies see Judg. 7.22 2 Chron. 20.23 so that there was a great slaughter among them And the Israelites who had formerly been taken Captives and were now slaves and bondmen to the Philistines and forced to follow their Camp and attend upon their Carriages joined now with their brethren against them Also the Israelites that had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim when they heard that the Philistines fled they also came out of their holes and pursued after them so that there were divers sorts of men which joined in this Battel to work their destruction the Philistines themselves who slaughtered one another Saul's Army the Israelites that were Captives among the Philistines and the Israelites who for fear of the Philistines Army had hid themselves in Caves and Rocks Thus the Lord saved Israel that day And the pursuit after the Philistines went on to Beth-haven in the North of Benjamin Saul being hot upon the pursuit though the people were greatly distressed with hunger and faintness yet rashly charged them under the penalty of a dreadful curse and of being devoted as an accursed thing that they should not eat any food till night that so they might not be hindred from pursuing their enemies But this charge of Sauls was rash and inconsiderate and though it had a shew of zeal and good intent yet it was in many respects sinful and wicked For 1. it savoured something of pride and too eager appetite to have the glory of the victory only ascribed to himself and his policy and conduct which more duly belonged to his Son 2ly He did it of his own head without any warrant from God 3ly Though he pretended a good end yet he used ill means viz. the interdicting and forbidding of food to the people though never so faint and needing to eat 4ly He charged them under the penalty of present death v. 43. which it was unlawful for him to inflict though a King without just cause 5ly Hereby he weakned and disabled the people and so hindred them from obtaining a much more glorious victory v. 30. 6ly He was hereby an occasion of the peoples sin who afterwards being ready to die with hunger did out of greediness eat the flesh with the blood v. 32. However the people being thus severely charged by Saul and that under a curse and the penalty of present death none of them tasted any food but pursued the enemy At last they came to a Wood that lay between Michmash and Aijalon that had such pâ—â—nty of Honey that they found it upon the ground either in hollow Trees out of which it ran upon the ground or else in clefts of Rocks or else the Bees made their nests in the very hollow places of the earth But though they found such plenty of Honey there yet none of them for fear of the curse durst put his hand to take any of it
and to carry it to his mouth but Jonathan not being with his Father in the Camp when he thus adjured the people and so knowing nothing of it and being through hunger and weariness ready to faint he put forth the end of his Javelin or Spear that he carried in his hand and dipt it in the wild honey that lay before him and did eat of it whereby his spirits were much revived and refreshed and his eyes that were dim before with fasting and faintness and emptiness and want of spirits were now enlightened and grew clear again One of the Souldiers seeing him thus eat told * V. 28. In the Hebrew phrase a man is said to answer when his speech relateth to a thing before done as well as to a thing before spoken See Numb 11.28 him of the charge that his Father had given the people which till then they had observed but now were grown so weary and faint that they could not any longer pursue the enemy Jonathan hearing this said My Father hath caused a great inconvenience to the whole land of Israel this day by imposing upon you this severe charge seeing hereby he hindreth you from obtaining a full and compleat victory For if I my self by tasting a little honey am so much refreshed that I am enabled to go on chearfully as your Leader in the pursuit how much more if all the Souldiers had been permitted to eat freely of the enemies spoils as they happened to light upon them would they have been enabled thereby to have pursued and slaughtered more of their enemies However the Israelites smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon in the Tribe of Dan not far from their own Country But night being come and the time of the prohibition expir'd being with long fasting extream hungry they greedily flew upon the spoil and cattel of the enemy and slew them on the ground and dressed them and eat them not staying till they could be throughly cleansed of the blood which was contrary to the Law Deut. 12.16 And thus though they strictly observed the Kings command for fear of present death yet they observed not Gods command though the violation of it brought them under the penalty of a greater punishment Some acquainted Saul herewith telling him that the people sinned against the Lord in eating the flesh before the blood was well drain'd out of it Saul severely chargeth their sin upon them but without any acknowledgment of his own which was the cause of theirs Ye have sinned this day says he in thus eating the blood Roll me a great stone that thereon in my sight the people may kill their Beasts and that I my self may see the blood fully drained out of the Cattel which they kill Then Saul began †V. 35. Aedificavit Saul Altare i. e. Caepit aedificare cum caepisset extruere altare domino dixit Saul descendamus ad Philisteos c. videtur hoc innuere Saulem opus tantum-modo incaepisse postea negligenter destitisse quomodo antea fecit quando Deum consuleret to build an Altar to the Lord that he might offer thereon Gratulatory Sacrifices for that glorious victory which God had newly given them but it seems he did not finish it Saul and the people having now refreshed themselves he exhorts them vigorously to prosecute the Philistines Let us go says he after the Philistines by night and spoil them unto the morning light and let us not leave a man of them The people seemed very willing to it but the High-Priest said before we undertake such a weighty business let us first ask counsel of God by Vrim and Thummim and crave his direction in it Saul agreed hereunto and was willing to ask counsel of God by the High-Priest but the Lord answered him not (a) Silentium Dei eo spectabat ut innocentia Jonathae praepostera Saulis inhumanitas nimia durities in lucem protraheretur that day which shewed that he was highly displeased see Ch. 28.6 but not with Jonathan for eating a little honey but with Saul for the rash charge which he in his arrogance and tyranny had imposed upon the people having no warrant from God to do it It is evident that the Lords refusing to answer Saul tended to his that it might be discovered that Jonathan had indeed offended against the command of his Father though ignorantly but that Saul had by that rash unadvised charge and curse hindred the prosecution of the victory caused Israel to sin and now brought his own Son under the danger of being accursed and put to death Saul concluding that God was angry because when he enquired of him by the Priest he would not answer him he therefore presently commanded all the heads of the Tribes and Families to draw near unto him that by casting lots it might be discovered who it was that had thus offended God among them for though himself had greatly sinned in that rash and unadvised Oath he had made and the curse he had imposed upon the people yet he concludes that the violation of his command must needs be the great offence which caused the Lord to be silent and therefore for the finding out this he would have them cast lots and solemnly protests who ever was found guilty yea though it were Jonathan his Son he should not be spared but not a man among them would accuse Jonathan Then he said to the people Be ye on the one side and I and Jonathan will be on the other and he prayed unto the Lord to give forth a perfect lot that is a lot which might clear the innocent and fall upon the guilty The lot being cast Saul and Jonathan were taken then the lot was cast between Saul and Jonathan and Jonathan was taken Jonathan was truly innocent and faultless but not in Saul's sense and therefore why is he taken by the lot that was innocent Many reasons are rendred for it 1. To punish Saul's rash Oath who thereby brought his dearest Son into extream danger See the case of Jephtha Judg. 11.30 31 35. 2ly To discover Saul's hypocrisie who seemed very scrupulous and conscientious in keeping a rash and wicked Oath yet made not conscience of killing his innocent Son 3ly To justifie Jonathan and that he might be declar'd innocent Jonathan being taken Saul asks him what he had done Jonathan tells him he had tasted a little honey with the end of his rod or javelin and he saw he must die for it though he was wholly ignorant of the Kings severe prohibition Saul replies God do so to me and more also if I spare thee a stranâ—e zeal this was in Saul and an evidence that the Spirit of God had left him he will not now in pursuance of his rash Oath spare a brave â—â—riant and most worthy Son and yet a little while after contrary to Gods express coâ—trâ—â—â—â—d spareth the wicked King Agag Ch. 15.8 The people hearing this his raâ—â—
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
Thou maist be sure that something is amiss among you that hath provok'd Me to forsake you Know therefore that one of the Children of Israel hath committed a high Trespass against Me He hath reserved a part of the Spoils of Jericho which as accursed things should have been burnt He hath taken of that which I reserved to my Self viz. Gold and Silver and hath done this closely and cunningly carrying the matter so as if he had done no such thing or had not considered or regarded my Omniscience and he hath put what he stole among his own stuff the more to conceal it And this is the cause why the Children * The people being considered here Conjunctim as one intire body that which was done by one of the members is here ascrib'd to the whole body of Israel see Josh 22.20 of Israel could not stand before their Enemies because one of them hath transgressed in the accursed thing And you must know that I have alwayes just cause to punish any of my people for Sin in themselves though I take occasion to strike them sometimes for the sins of those among whom they live Therefore I tell you there is an accursed thing in the midst of you and you cannot stand before your Enemies till it be taken away I will not be with you any more except you destroy from among you the person that is found guilty of stealing the accursed thing and who is thereby become accursed himself He commands Joshua therefore to go and call upon the people to sanctifie themselves by legal Purifications washing their Clothes Abstinence Prayers Devotions and much more by purity of Heart and Affections see Exod. 19.10 that they being thus prepared to appear in Gods presence the Offender might be discovered and punished and the people freed from the Curse which he had brought upon them The Lord further directs Joshua how to find out the Offendor viz. by casting lots first to find out his Tribe then to cast lots upon the several Families in that Tribe to find the guilty Family then to cast lots to find the particular Houshold in that Family and lastly to find out the particular person in that Houshold that had offended whom he orders when discovered to be burnt with fire as the things anathematiz'd and accursed were to be after he hath been stoned as a presumptuous Transgressor of Gods Commandment see Numb 15.30 35. and that he and all that he hath shall be so served because he hath trangressed the Covenant of the Lord viz. the Commandment that he gave them Ch. 6.18 and which they accepted of with a voluntary submission to the punishment therein threatned in case of Transgression and because he had wrought folly and wickedness in Israel And possibly the Lord was pleased to appoint this long way of trial to try whither Achan would come in voluntarily and confess his sin and therefore by his holding out so long even till the lot fell upon his own person there was a notable discovery made how hardly men are brought to confess their secret sins and how prone they are to flatter themselves that their secret sins shall not be discovered Hereby also the Lord made known how the most casual things even casting of lots are governed by his Providence see Prov. 16.33 a truth the fitter to be cleared to this people because the Land was shortly to be divided to them by lot Joshua the next morning calling the Tribes together and proceeding in the way and method before prescribed Achan (a) He is called Achan 1 Chron. 2.7 which signifies a Troubler and the place of his Execution is called the Valley of Achor v. 26. that is the Valley of Trouble He was the Grandchild of Zabdi otherwise call'd Zimri 1 Chron. 2.6 the Son of Carmi the Son of Zabdi the Son of Zerah of the Tribe of Judah was taken Achan being thus taken Joshua said unto him My Son give I pray thee Glory to the Lord God of Israel in acknowledging his Omniscience and make an humble and penitent confession to him of thy sin and tell me truly what thou hast done hide it not from me Achan said I have sinned against the Lord when I saw among the Spoils of Jericho a goodly Babylonish-Garment and two hundred Shekels of Silver and a Wedge of Gold of fifty Shekels then I coveted them and took them and behold they are hid in the earth and the Silver under the Garment Joshua sent Messengers to the Tent and they found the things which Achan had confessed and brought them to Joshua and the Elders of Israel and exposed them to the view of all before the Tabernacle of the Congregation where the Ark was the Emblem of Gods presence among them Then Joshua and the Israelites took Achan with the things he had stolen together with his Children and his Oxen * From hence we may see that he had before a good Estate and did not steal for want but out of covetousness Asses and Sheep his Tent and all that he had and carried them down to the Valley called afterwards upon this occasion the Valley of Achor And Joshua then said to him Why hast thou troubled us the Lord shall trouble thee this day Then they stoned him and his Children who 't is probable (b) Gods judgments are many times unsearchable but always just see Deut. 24.16 see Josh 22.20 Verisimile est Domesticos ejus fuisse Criminis Conscios Estius in loc Besides his Children had sin enough in them otherwise for Gods justice to work upon though they had no hand in this sacrilegious act either assisted him in what He did or living in the same Tent with him knew what he had stolen and hidden and concealed it and so tacitly consented to it and afterwards burnt him and his Children and his Cattel and all that he had stolen and all that he had and they raised over him a great heap of stones as a Monument to warn Posterity not to provoke God by transgressing his Commandments as Achan had done which Monument remained when this History was written And thus the Anger of the Lord was turned away from Israel Ch. 7. whole Chapter SECT C. THe Lord now encourages Joshua and commands him to take the whole Army with him for the better heartning of the people and to go against Ai for he would give the City and the Land belonging to it into his hands And he should utterly destroy it and the King and the Inhabitants thereof as they did to Jericho only the Spoil thereof and the Cattel thereof they should take to themselves And possibly the whole Army was commanded to go up because they were all to participate in the Spoil of the City But God would not have them as yet possess any fortified Towns or Cities lest they should put confidence in the strength of those places and not wholly rest and rely on his Providence Joshua hereupon marched with all
that they should forsake the Lord to follow them though it were left to their own choice He intimates to them that except they chose the Lord for their God and served Him out of judgment and their own choice V. 15. Eligite Tenta vita dictum ut Ruth 1.15 Joh. 6.67 and willingly and freely without any constraint God would not regard their outward compliance Well says he whatever you shall determine for your selves and your own practise I do declare to you That this is my firm Resolution That as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. The Elders of the people hearing these things said God forbid that ever we should forsake the Lord that brought us and our Fathers out of Egypt and has done such great things in our sight and has hitherto preserved us and driven out the Amorites and Canaanites for us God forbid that ever we should be so wicked as to forsake Him and serve Idols No the Lord is our God and Him we are resolved to serve Joshua advises them them to consider well what they said He tells them They cannot serve the Lord if they retained Idols in their Houses or in their Hearts and mingled false Worship with the true For God says he is an holy and jealous God and will no more admit of mixture of true and false Worship than a jealous Husband will of a Corrival in his love or that his Wife should divide her self between him and a stranger I tell you plainly God will not forgive your Transgressions nor your Sins if you continue in them and if you turn from Him and serve other gods He will turn from doing you good and will severely punish and chastise you The people answered Nay but we are firmly resolved to serve the Lord and Him only Then Joshua said You are â—itnesses against your selves this day if you do otherwise For ye have freely chosen the Lord to be your God and have faithfully promised to serve Him They said We do acknowledge it and if we do otherwise we are Witnesses against our selves and our own Consciences will convince and condemn us Well says he if ye be willing to renew your Covenant with God this day then let me in the first place strictly charge you if there be any Idols secretly kept and worshipped among you that they be put away presently and let them have no place in yours hearts and affections but incline your hearts faithfully to serve the Lord God of Israel The people answered The Lord God will we serve and his Voice alone will we obey Then Joshua as God's Servant and Minister caused the people to renew their Covenant with God and probably it was done in a very solemn manner being accompanied with Sacrifices and the usual Rites of that sacred Service and He established and confirmed it as a standing and perpetual Law for them and their Posterity that they should constantly continue in the Service of the Lord God alone as became his peculiar people and utterly renounce all Idols and all Idolatry whatsoever And Joshua either wrote himself or caused some of the Priests to write in the Book of the Law which was written by Moses and put on the side of the Ark these Promises of the people and the whole carriage of this business and how solemnly they renewed their Covenant with God that the people knowing there was such a Record kept of this matter and the circumstances thereof in God's Tabernacle might be the more careful to keep their Covenant Then Joshua took a great stone and set it up there under an Oak that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord as a Memorial of this Covenant now thus solemnly renewed between God and this people Some think this was the very Oak under which Jacob had many years since buried all the Idolatrous trash which he found among those of his Family Gen. 35.4 and that Joshua did purposely for that cause set up this Stone under that Oak * Hic Abrahamo Deuâ— apparuisse creditur Gen. 12.6 7. In future times this place where this Stone was set up was from hence called the Oak of the Pillar Judg. 9.6 And Joshua said This stone shall be a witness unto you for it hath heard (t) Hyperbolica Contestatio vide Deut. 4.26 all the words of the Lord that is of the Covenant between the Lord and you and it shall serve as a Witness to convince you of your Sin if you do not keep your Covenant seeing all men in future Ages will take notice that it was purposely erected to be a Monument and Memorial thereof and this stone when you see it shall represent to your Minds and Consciences the Covenant which ye have now made as if it could both hear and speak so that if in after-times you deny your God and fall into Idolatry this very stone will witness against you See a like expression to this Jer. 2.12 These things being done they now solemnly interred the bones of Joseph which they had brought with them out of Egypt (u) See Sect. 48. of Chap. 3. in that parcel of ground here at Shechem that Jacob * Whereas 't is said Acts 7.15 16. that the Fathers were laid in the Sepulchre that Abraham bought c. the meaning is which one of the Posterity of Abraham viz. Jacob bought of the Sons of Hamor See Apost Hist on the place bought of the Sons of Hamor see Gen. 33.19 and which He upon his death-bed gave to Joseph as a special Legacy Gen. 48.22 and was now within the lot of the Sons of Joseph And it seems from Acts 7.15 16. That the bodies of all the rest of the Patriarchs the Sons of Jacob were brought up also out of Egypt and here likewise buried When these things were done Joshua dismist the people to their own Inheritances Shortly after this the great Joshua dies aged an 110 about ten years as is conceived after the Conquest of the Land He had approved himself a faithful Servant of God all his days living in his Fear and dying in his Favour and was buried in his own Inheritance in Timnath-serah (x) Timnath-serah vox imaginem solis denotat quae Joshua Sepulchro erat imposita ob celebris illius solstitii Memoriam Josh 10.13 in Mount Ephraim Some say the Israelites placed upon his Monument the Figure of the Sun as a Memorial of the great Miracles of the Suns standing still at his prayer And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua * Non autem multo diuitius ut patet ex Jud. 2.8 9 10. Hinc patet quantum sit in unius hominis probitate positum qui in republica dominatur Masius and of the Elders that out-lived Joshua who had known all the Works of the Lord which he had done for them Not long after Eleazar the High Priest died also and they buried him in an Hill in Mount Ephraim which by special and extraordinary Gift
course we can to bring these desperate Offendors to deserved punishment Judg. Ch. 19. whole Chapter SECT CXXXI THen all the Children of Israel that is the chief of them viz the Elders Officers and Captains from Dan to Beersheba together with those without Jordan met together as one man at Mizpeh (d) In the Tribe of Benjamin or in the Confines of Judah and Benjamin and so reckoned among the Cities of both Tribes Josh 15 38. Ch. 18.26 which was a place they usually held their publick Assemblies in 1 Sam. 7.5 Judg. 10.15 as being in the heart of the Land excepting only the Benjamites who it seems refused to come to this meeting or to send any Messengers to them resolving to defend the men of Gibeah against them The Israelites came together to act this weighty business as in Gods presence and to ask Counsel of Him and to hear what He would give them in charge about it No less then four hundred thousand men now met who expressed their Zeal to punish this abominable Fact of the men of Gibeah But though they were sensible of the injury done to the Levite and his Concubine yet it seems they took no notice of the great and provoking Injury done to God by tolerating the Idolatry of the Danites for which we shall see that God now intends to reckon with them This great Assembly being thus met the Levite came and declared his Case to them He shews them how barbarously the men of Gibeah had used his Concubine and how they had abused her even till they had killed her and they thought to have done the like to him also which rather than he would have endured he would have lost his life And therefore seeing they were all Israelites they ought to take to heart that such and so foul an Abominaiion was committed in Israel and ought to revenge it accordingly The people were so inflamed hereat that they vowed they would not so much as go home to their own houses till they had executed Judgment upon those that were guilty of so abominable a Villany Then they sent Messengers to the Tribe of Benjamin to desire them to deliver up these Sons of Belial in Gibeah to deserved punishment who were guilty of this Crime that so wrath might not be poured forth upon the whole Land for it and herehy they would prevent a Civil War and great blood-shed which else was like to ensue The Benjamites it seems thinking it a dishonour to them that the other Tribes should intermeddle with punishing any within their Territories and being highly conceited of their own strength and ability for Martial Affairs and presuming possibly that they were able to make good their part against all the other Tribes of Israel they would not hearken to their Brethren but prepared to fight it out The Israelites perceiving that the Benjamites would not deliver the Malefactors into their hands but were resolved rather to defend them they vowed that if they vanquished the Benjamites as they doubted not but they should they would not give any of their Daughters in marriage to any of them that were left alive see Ch. 21.1 and likewise that they would destroy every Town throughout the whole Land of Israel that would not send some of their people to this Assembly nor help them in this War Ch. 21.5 Then they determined to cast lots who among them should go up to fight against Gibeah and who should go forth to fetch in Provisions for the Camp For they thought that one in ten had need be set apart for this Service and who they should be the lot should decide Then they went to Shiloh to inquire of the Lord by the High Priest having on the Ephod Numb 27.21 which of them should go up first to the battel against the Children of Benjamin They did not inquire of the Lord Whither they should go up against the Benjamites or whither they should prevail They did not pray to God for his help nor by Fasting and Humiliation and true Repentance humble themselves for their manifold Sins nor by offering up Sacrifices of atonement seek to make their peace with God but relying on the justness of their Cause and their great Numbers and strength like men presuming of the Victory to prevent variance among themselves and striving for the honour of the day They desire only to know which of the Tribes should go up first against Benjamin They concluded that having eleven Tribes against one and four hundred thousand fighting men on their side they must needs prevail The Lord tells them Judah shall go up first The Children of Benjamin also on the other hand prepared themselves for the Encounter and numbring their Forces they found they were twenty six thousand fighting men besides the Inhabitants of Gibeah which were seven hundred chosen men and in this their Army they had seven hundred choice men left-handed every one of them could sling a stone at an hairs breadth (e) An hyperbolical expression signifying they were exceeding skilful in slinging stones and could commonly hit a small mark and not miss Matters being thus ordered on both sides the men of Israel went out to battel against Benjamin and the Benjamites drew out their Forces out of Gibeah against them and they joyning battel the Benjamites prevailed and cut down to the ground and destroyed twenty two thousand of the Israelites that day The Israelites upon this ill success retired to Shiloh and wept before the Lord but it seems it was more for the shame of the defeat and their loss of men than for their sins They inquire of the Lord again whither they shall go up a second time against Benjamin their Brother but neither crave his Assistance nor inquire of the Success whereby they intimate that they supposed the cause of their ill Success before was because God was not pleased with their warring against their Brethren but they think not of their sins the true cause and therefore God answers them accordingly Go up says He against Him as if He should have said though Benjamin be your Brother yet you may fight against him So the Children of Israel encouraged themselves and went up against the Children of Benjamin the next day The Benjamites drew out again out of Gibeah and defeated the Israelites a second time and slew eighteen thousand more of them Upon this second overthrow the Israelites run to Shiloh again and there fast and mourn and repent of their sins in good earnest Now they perceived that though God liked their Cause yet he was displeased with their persons They saw that God did avenge his Own Cause upon them because they would not avenge his Cause against Idolaters Therefore they now afflict their Souls in a most solemn manner and offer Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings to make atonement for their Sins that so they might obtain Gods favour They now inquire again of the Lord by Phineas the High Priest and by Vrim and
former favour to them and might also consider and consult together of the best means that were to be used to deliver themselves from the Philistines Tyranny And accordingly being met together at Mizpeh they there kept a solemn fast and humbled themselves exceedingly before the Lord insomuch that they are said to have drawn water that is plenty of tears from their contrite hearts and to have poured them out before the Lord †See Jer. 9.1 Job 16.20 Psal 6.6 using withal perhaps some external effusion or pouring forth of water to represent and signifie their inward repentance and mourning for their sins And after they had reconciled themselves to God Samuel as a Judge composed and arbitrated the controversies and private differences that were among the people The Philistines hearing that the Israelites were met together at Mizpeh they presently suspected that they were plotting some rising and contriving some means to deliver themselves from under their yoke and to prevent this they presently raised their forces and marched to suppress them (c) Habrei cum paenitentiam egerunt gravius a Philistinis oppugnantur Sic qui ad meliorem frugem redire volunt acrius a Diabolo tentantur majores ab hominibus persecutiones patiuntur Samuel dum studet populum liberare videtur accersisse ei gravissimum periculum Illum igitur imprudendentiae temeritatis accusare possent Quare cum inimus consilia quae Deus approbat si quid sinistri contigerit ne paeniteat nos facti neque a recta via deflectamus sed voluntati Dei acquiescamus Calv. The children of Israel hearing of their coming were very much afraid knowing the strength of their enemies and their own present weakness and unpreparedness being met together to pray and not to fight In this extremity they desire Samuel to be instant in prayer to the Lord for them for they had no hope but in his help and assistance who is the Lord of Hosts and giver of victory Samuel hereupon took a sucking Lamb and either caused it to be offered by a Priest not being of that order himself or did it as a Prophet immediately inspired by God and warranted to do it by some special dispensation as Elijah also did 1 King 18.31 32 c. see also Judg. 6.26 Upon the same warrant likewise he offered his Burnt-offering here at Mizpeh on an Altar of his own erecting and not on the Altar in the Tabernacle And Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him as appears by what followed for the Army of the Philistines drawing near the Israelites as it seems put themselves into the best posture they could to resist them and the Lord thundred with a terrible thunder upon the Philistines see Ch. 2.10 striking them as 't is like with dreadful Hailstones * See Josh 10 11. and Thunderbolts so that they were discomfited that day before Israel and the rest of the Israelites that stayed at Mizpeh upon the news of their defeat came out and joined in the pursuit and slaughter of them and they pursued them till they came under Bethear which it seems was a Rock where the Philistines having a garrison the Israelites were hindred from prosecuting their victory any further The Army of the Philistines being thus discomfited Samuel as a Monument of their victory and in thankefulness to God for his gracious assistance by which alone they had obtained it took a great stone * Idem fecerunt Jacob. Gen. 28.18 35.14 Josh 4.8 9. and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen which was a Rock over against it calling it Eben-ezer that is the stone of help saying hitherto God has helped us And 't is remarkable that in the very same place where before the Israelites were vanquished and the Ark taken captive Ch. 4.1 they should now erect a Trophy of victory by them obtained The Philistines were so subdued at this time that they came no more into the land while Samuel governed alone †After Saul was chosen to be their King 't is plain they did often with their Armies enter the Land for they saw the hand of the Lord was against them and they restored to Israel the Cities they had formerly taken from them reserving only some places of strength see 1 Sam. 10.5 wherein they kept Garrisons for the better awing of the Israelites And after this there was a cessation from open War between the Israelites and the Philistines and possibly the rest of the Canaanites who being terrified with this victory which God had from Heaven given the Israelites ceased for the present from troubling of them 1 Sam. Ch. 7. from v. 3 to 15. SECT CLVIII SAmuel from the time he was made Judge judged Israel to the day of his death For though Saul after he was made King had the Supreme Power in his hands yet Samuel as long as he lived exercised the jurisdiction of a Judge which God had called him unto as appears by his killing of Agag whom Saul had spared Ch. 15.32 33. And also as a Prophet he directed him in his Government admonished him of his duty reproved him when he did amiss Ch. 15.23 13.13 yea threatned him when he rebelled against Gods command with the loss of his Kingdom Ch. 15.28 and anointed David King in his stead Ch. 16.13 Sometimes indeed they joined together in the Government as in making War against Nabash the Ammonite and relieving Jabesh-Gilead when it was besieged Ch. 11.7 and in this regard the years of both their Governments are joined in the same account of forty years as we may see Act. 13.20 21. Samuel therefore went as a Judge from year to year in circuit to Bethel Gilgal and Mizpeh to hear and determine the causes of the people and as a Prophet to teach and direct them Neither was Samuel bound by his Mothers Vow Ch. 1.11 22. whereby he was devoted to the service of the Sanctury to continue his residence there and that not only because for the sins of the Priests and people the Lord had withdrawn the Ark the visible sign of his Presence from the Tabernacle at Shiloh but also because the Lord himself had taken him off from that Levitical service and called him to another imployment namely to be an holy Prophet and a Judge over his people When he had gone his Circuit he returned to Ramah where his usual dwelling was and his most ordinary place of Judicature and there he built an Altar * Thus we read of divers Altars erected as by Joshua upon mount Ebal Josh 8.30 by Gideon Judg. 6.24.26 by Samuel here and Ch. 11.15 Ch. 16.2 5. by David 2 Sam. 24.25 by Solomon 1 King 8.64 by Elijah 1 King 18.32 to offer Sacrifices Indeed God appointed but one Altar to be ordinarily used for Sacrifices as there was but one Tabernacle but upon extraordinary occasions he allowed holy men by a particular dispensation to build other Altars when it
Samuel v. 32. thee and thou shalt be deprived of thy Kingdom Saul hearing this said unto Samuel I perceive now that I have sinned and have transgressed the Commandment of the Lord and have not oserved the orders that thou gavest me from him Indeed I feared the people and obeyed their voice which was a great fault in me however I intreat thee earnestly to pray to the Lord for me that he would please to pardon my sin and be reconciled to me and I beseech thee go with me to Gilgal that there we may together praise God for our late victory and also pray unto him for the pardon of this great sin which my self and the people have committed Samuel replies I will not go with thee I will have no conversation with thee who hast shewed thy self such a rebel against God lest I should seem any way to allow or approve what thou hast done And undoubtedly Samuel really meant †Non intendebat reverti sed postea mutavit propositum ex causis quae dicentur v. 31. sic Christus Joh. 7. dixit ego non ascendam sed statim postea ascendit to do as he said and accordingly turned about to go away But Saul was extream loth that he should thus go away from him in an anger and that the people should take notice of his and consequently of Gods displeasure against him wherefore he laid hold on the skirt of his mantle to detain him and using some force to hold him the mantle rent Samuel tells him that this was a sad Omen (a) The Hebrews add that it was also to shew that the man that should hereafter tear off the the skirt of his garment should be the man that should succeed him in the Throne and hence was that which Saul said Ch. 24.20 Now behold I know that thou shalt be King c. from the Lord against him and signified that the Kingdom should be rent from him and given to a neighbour of his that was better than he viz. to David who was not yet known either to Saul or Samuel himself And Samuel to assure him that what he had denounced against him would certainly come to pass he tells him that God who is the strength of Israel was absolutely able to effect what he had threatned and he would not lye nor repent nor alter his decree (b) Mutat aliquando Deus sententiam per Prophetas significatam non autem consilium and purpose as weak men oftentimes do Saul hereupon confesses again his sin and though the sentence of his deposing was so firmly decreed that it could not be altered yet he intreats Samuel for the present to uphold his credit with the people and to grace him with his presence and and to accompany him in worshipping God Samuel being thus importun'd went along with him (c) Non intendebat reverti sed postea mutavit propositum to preserve his Government for the present from the disrespect and contempt of the people and that he might perform what Saul had omitted namely to destroy Agag Samuel therefore being come to Gilgal commanded that Agag should be brought to him Agag came to him delicately that is in the attire and with the gesture and gate of a King thinking surely that the bitterness of death had been past seeing he was to be brought not before the King that took him prisoner but before the old Prophet who he thought as 't is like would only reprehend him When he came before Samuel he said to him As thy sword hath made many women childless so shall thy mother be childless among women then by an extraordinary motion of the Spirit of God he hewed him in pieces * See a like instance 1 Kin. 18.40 in the presence of the Lord and his people Then Samuel went to Ramah and Saul to his own house at Gibeah and Samuel never went after to visit Saul to instruct him and direct him in his affairs or to ask counsel of the Lord for him as formerly he had done He did indeed afterwards see him at Naioth but it was accidentally and unawares Ch. 19.24 However Samuel mourned exceedingly for him and was grieved at his disobedience whereby he had so highly provoked God 1 Sam. Ch. 15. whole Chapter SECT CLXVII THE Lord now makes known to Samuel that all his mourning for Saul was but in vain partly because he continued still obstinate and impenitent and partly because the Lord had absolutely determined to take the Kingdom from him In which case though Samuel might bewail Saul's condition yet he might not bewail it in that manner as might imply an unwillingness to submit to the good pleasure and determination of God therein And though the Lord intended not that Saul should presently be deposed from being King * See Ch. 24.6 yet he orders Samuel presently to fill his horn with oyl and to go to Jesse the Bethlemite for he had chosen one of his Sons to be King over Israel and he should anoint him to that office whom he should point out unto him that as he had anointed Saul so by anointing one of another family by Gods appointment to succeed him in the Throne he might testifie that God had rejected Sauls posterity Indeed Saul was chosen by the Lord to be King of Israel but it was upon the violent importunity of the people that would needs have it so and would not be beaten off from it So that Saul was the peoples King rather than Gods and given to them in wrath but David was meerly chosen of God who did of his own free will no body thinking any thing of it send Samuel to anoint him And so he was a King of Gods own providing the King in whose seed the Kingdom was to be established and one who would in his Government carefully perform the will of God See Ch. 13.14 Samuel was something afraid to go upon this enterprize and therefore he said Lord how can I go if Saul hear of it he will certainly kill me The Lord instructs him how to avoid this danger he bids him to go to Bethlem and to take an heifer and say he came to offer a Sacrifice there that is a Sacrifice (d) Authoritas Prophetae facit ut Sacrificium ubicunque is adest imperat rite fiat subsunt enim Prophetae imperio leges rituales fatenâ—ibus Hebraeis Samuel ex peculiari mandato hoc fecit of Thanksgiving or a Peace-offering after which followed a Feast made of the remainders of the Sacrifice see Ch. 9.12 He orders him to invite Jesse and his Sons to this Feast Thus the Lord directed him to conceal the principal cause of his coming and to pretend only that business which might be safely made known Samuel accordingly goes to Bethlehem the Elders of the City trembled when they saw him fearing lest some heinous sin committed among them had drawn him thither and that he came to deliver some sad
will readily assist thee about things of Gold Silver Brass Wood or any other materials And I doubt not but the Princes and all the people will be wholly at thy command Then David turned his speech again to the whole Assembly and said to them Solomon my Son whom God alone hath chosen to succeed me is yet young and tender the work that he is to do is great For this Palace or Royal Temple that he is to build is not to be built for man but for the Lord God and therefore must be most magnificent As for my self I have provided with all my might and to the uttermost of my power for the building of it and the finishing of all things appertaining to it And I declare before you all not out of pride or ostentation but to stir you up to follow my example that I have provided gold and silver and brass and iron and timber and marble stones in abundance for this great work yea I have provided all manner of precious stones as Onix-stones and glittering stones of divers colours Yea I have so set my heart on the building of this house for God that I have of my own proper goods which I had gathered for my self * David got very rich spoils in the many wars he was engaged in and the wealthy enemies he conquered after I had consecrated to God his part which was the greatest given three thousand talents of Gold viz. of the Gold of Ophir seven thousand talents of refined silver The gold is for to overlay in thin plates the walls of the Temple and the silver to overlay the walls of some particular rooms in the houses and buildings adjoining And now let me exhort you all to follow my example and to assist my Son with heart and hand with your counsel and with your purses in this great work And truly you have great reason to do it Is not the Lord your God among you to bless you Hath he not given you rest on every side Hath he not given the people the inhabitants of the land into my hand so that they peaceably submit to my government Is not the land subdued before the Lord and before his people so that being freed from their enemies they may quietly enjoy their possessions Therefore set your hearts to seek the Lord your God and faithfully to serve him Arise and build the Sanctuary of the Lord your God and bring the Ark and the holy vessels of God into it And now let me see who among you is willing to fill his hand with gifts this day and freely to offer them to the Lord for the building of this house Upon this motion of the Kings the Princes Rulers and Captains and all sorts offered very willingly and liberally for the service of the house and 't is like subscribed what they intended to give and that which they gave amounted to five thousand talents of Gold and ten thousand drams and ten thousand talents of silver and eighteen thousand talents of brass and one hundred thousand talents of iron And they that had precious stones gave them to the Treasure of the house of the Lord for this sacred use And there was great joy among all the people because of the great willingness and forwardness that was in all sorts to contribut to this work And David also rejoiced exceedingly at it and was much pleased with their large free and willing contribution Whereupon he brake out into an holy and zealous praising of the Lord for it and said Blessed be thou Lord God of Israel our Father for ever and ever To thee O Lord belongs greatness power glory majesty and victory For all that is in heaven or in the earth is thine Thine is the Kingdom O Lord and we do willingly exalt thee and acknowledg thee to be head above all and higher than all Both riches and honour come from thee and thou reignest over all and in thine hand is power and might In thine hand it is to make great and to give strength to all to whom thou pleasest Now therefore O Lord we exalt and praise thy name for thy glorious excellencies and thy benefits conferred on us But who am I and what is my people that we should have hearts and abilities to offer so freely and so largely as we have done And yet we have no manner of cause to boast or glory For all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee We do acknowledg that we are not proprietors of the goods that we possess but only thy stewards The land we dwell in is thine we are but strangers before thee and sojourners as all our fathers were And our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is no abiding for us here and therefore seeing we are to continue but a short time in this life and have but a short enjoyment of the things of this world how can we better dispose of them than for thy service who art able to give us in exchange for them an eternal inheritance in thy Kingdom O Lord we do willingly acknowledg that all this great store we have provided for the building of an house for thy holy name was given us by thy free bounty and is all thine own and therefore we present unto thee only what thou thy self didst first give us I know O Lord thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness As for my self in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things and now to my great joy and comfort I have also seen this people here present to offer willingly unto thee O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob our Fathers I pray thee keep and preserve this holy zeal in the minds and hearts of this people and establish their hearts and make them ever firm to thy self And give unto Solomon my Son an upright heart to keep thy commandments testimonies and statutes and to do all things required of him and enable him to build and finish this stately Palace for thy name for which I have made so great provision David having ended his prayer he call'd to the whole Congregation to bless the Lord which accordingly they did with loud acclamations and bowed down their heads and worshipped the Lord with divine honour and adoration which being done they bowed themselves to the King and paid him civil honour and respect and so departed The next day they sacrificed Sacrifices and offered Burnt-offerings unto the Lord namely a thousand bullocks a thousand rams and a thousand lambs with the drink-offerings appertaining to them which they offered in the name of all the people and in such abundance that all the Israelites there present might eat of the Peace-offerings that were then offered And they did eat and drink before the Lord that day with great gladness of heart and anointed Solomon a second time King his first anointing having been done on the sudden and almost in a tumultuary
from their Idolatries to serve the true and living God And hereunto the Psalmist seems to allude Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider incline thine ear Forget thine own people and thy fathers-house 1 King Ch. 3. v. 1. SECT CCXVII SOlomon was now quietly setled and strengthened in his Kingdom and the Lord was with him and magnified him exceedingly and he loved the Lord and walked in the ways and statutes wherein David his Father walked It seems the people after the Ark and Tabernacle were separated did not think themselves bound to bring their Sacrifices to the Altar at the Tabernacle but did offer them in such places as they thought meetest for such services to wit upon high hills and mountains Indeed the high places of the heathen-Idolaters were always abominable to the Lord and those God commanded the Israelites to destroy and pull down Numb 33.52 But there other high places it seems were thought at this time lawful (a) See 1 Sam. 9.12 c. and Ch. 10.5 13. and accordingly resorted unto but when the Temple was built then all other high places for Gods solemn and prescribed worship and service were counted abominable (b) And in this sin the Ten Tribes lived they made Priests of high places in the mountains and in all the Cities of Samaria and their Altars were as heaps in the furrows of the fields 1 King 13.32 Hos 12.11 Yea Solomon himself in his latter days fearfully offended in permitting this kind of Idolatry 1 King 11.7 8. And Judah it self fell into this sin in Rehoboams reign 1 King 14.23 and in aftertimes they built high-places to Baal and to the Idols of the neighbouring Nations 2 Chron. 25.14 And especially in the reigns of Ahaz Joram and Manasseh It seems Solomon and the people did offer sacrifice and burn incense on such high places as these before mentioned that were devoted to the service of the true God and Gibeon it self where the Tabernacle and Altar now were was accounted the great high place the most famous and most resorted unto Solomon therefore now gathering together the Princes and Rulers and Judges of the land and the chief Captains and Commanders of the people with them he went up to Gibeon there in solemn manner to praise the Lord for his great mercy to him in thus peaceably setling him in the Throne And there on the Brasen Altar made by Moses which he and the great Congregation now with him chose to worship God at rather than any other Altar he offered a thousand burnt-offerings to the Lord in the time he stayed there And in that night after they had made an end of offering those burnt-offerings God appeared to him in a dream Among the manifold ways whereby God of old made known his mind to his people dreams was one And in dreams sometimes men heard a voice and apprehending the sense thereof returned an answer thereunto and the things God so made known unto them were true and certain and his servants to whom he made them known were assured thereof God therefore in such a dream appearing to Solomon and asking him what he should give him He answered O Lord thou hast shewed to David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and righteousness (c) All these must be understood of Davids inward disposition outward conversation as to the general course of his life his frailties and failings still excepted and uprightness of heart and hast reserved for him this great kindness to set his Son upon his Throne after him as it is this day which is a favour thou didst not vouchsafe to Saul And now O Lord thou having graciously made me King instead of my Father I am sensible that I am as it were but a little child and unfit to sway so great a scepter as this is how shall I be able to go out or come in before this great people How shall I be able to lead them or govern them without thine especial direction and assistance I am indeed set up as supream Governour under thee of this vast multitude which thou hast chosen for thy peculiar people and hast so increased them that they are almost innumerable according to thy gracious promise Gen. 15.5 Give therefore thy servant I pray thee an understanding heart that I may rightly discern between good and evil for who is able rightly to judg and govern this great people without wisdom given him from thy self Solomon having thus prayed the Lord was well pleased with the request he had made and said to him Because thou hast not asked for thy self long life nor riches nor victory over thine enemies but hast asked an understanding heart that thou maist rightly govern this people and in hearing causes maist know what judgment to give behold thy request is granted I will give thee a wise and an understanding heart and such a measure of wisdom and knowledg as no King before thee ever attained unto neither shall any after thee be like (a) Some Heathen Monarchs that possibly exceeded Solomon in riches came far short of him in wisdom unto thee see Chap. 4.29 30 31. Moreover I will give thee that which thou didst not ask viz riches and honour so that there shall not be any of the Kings of Israel like unto thee either for riches or glory see 2 Chron. 1.12 And if thou wilt walk in my ways and keep my statutes as thy Father David did I will lengthen out thy days also Then Solomon awoke and perceived that God had indeed appeared to him in this wonderful dream and he returned to Jerusalem with his Nobles and there before the Ark of the Covenant offered up many Burnt-offerings Peace-offerings in way of thankfulness to the Lord for this great and extraordinary kindness manifested to him and he made a great Feast for his Nobles and Officers and the Rulers of the people that were there gathered together 1 King Ch. 3. from v. 2 to 16. 2 Chron. Ch. 1. from v. 1 to 13. SECT CCXVIII SOlomon being now come to Jerusalem a very difficult case was brought before him in the deciding of which he gave a great evidence of that extraordinary wisdom the Lord had furnisht him with There came to him two women that were as it seems Victuallers by profession but secretly Harlots and one of them said to him O my Lord the King this woman and I dwell together in the same house and I was delivered of a child she being present at my Labour and three days after she was delivered of a child also and both our children were boys and we were all alone in the house there was no stranger with us And thus O King it happened as I verily believe and am confident this woman over-laying her own child in the night and awaking and finding it dead by her and being afraid of the disgrace that was like to fall upon her for her carelesness about her child
And therefore God upbraiding the King of Tyre with his pride and arrogancy Behold saith he thou art wiser than Daniel no secret can be hid from thee therefore I will bring strangers upon thee the terrible of the Nations and they shall bring thee down c. Ezek. Ch. 26. Ch. 27. Ch. 28. In the same year also in the third month God revealed his will to Ezekiel of sending Nebuchadnezzar against Pharoah to the ruin of the Egyptians In the same month also God declared that the Egyptians could no more avoid his decree and determination than the Assyrians had done before Ezek. Ch. 30. Ch. 31. In the eleventh year of Zedekiah the ninth day of the fourth month when the famine grew extream in the City and the pestilence as 't is like very hot Jerusalem was broken up and the Caldeans entred it Ezek. 4. from 9 to the end Lament 4.10 2 King 25.2 3 4. Jer. 52.5 6 7. Jer. 39.2 3. The City being taken Zedekiah and all the men of war fled away by night by the way of the Gate between two walls which was by the Kings garden being it seems a secret way provided on purpose for escape in such a time of danger but the Caldeans pursuing after them took Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and brought him prisoner to Riblah where Nebuchadnezzar lay where having judgment passed upon him for his perjury and having seen his children first slain before his eyes to his extream torment together with the Nobles of Judah he had then his own eyes put out and being clogged with chains and fetters he was carried away from thence to Babylon so the Prophesies before utter'd concerning him were fulfilled viz. that with his eyes he should see the King of Babylon and speak with him mouth to mouth Jer. 32.4 34.3 But Babylon he should not see though he should die there For so the Prophet Ezekiel foretold Ch. 12.13 My net also will I spread upon him and he shall be taken in my snare and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Caldeans yet shall he not see it though he shall die there 2 King 25. from 4 to 8. Jer. 39. from 4 to 8. Jer. 52. from 7 to 12. Upon the seventh day of the fifth month Nebuzaradan Captain of the Guard sent by Nebuchadnezzar made his entry into the City and on the tenth day he set fire on the Temple and on the Kings Palace and upon all the Noblemens houses in Jerusalem and burnt all down to the ground and brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about In remembrance of which dismal calamity the Fast of the fifth month was ordained to be kept Zach. 7.3 v. 5. Zach. 8.19 Thus was the glorious Temple destroyed in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzars reign and four hundred twenty four years three months and eight days after that Solomon laid the first stone thereof 2 King 25.8 9 10. Jer. 52.12 13 14. Jer. 39.8 In the same fifth month the walls of Jerusalem being broken down all that were left in the City and all that had before fled over to Nebuchadnezzar and all the common people of the City with all the treasure of the King and his Nobles and furniture of the Temple did Nebuzaradan carry away to Babylon and thus was Judah for their sins removed out of her own land four hundred sixty eight years after David began to reign over it From the division of the Ten Tribes from the Tribe of Judah three hundred eighty eight years and from the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel one hundred thirty four years If any shall enquire why the Lord gave up this his own people into the hands of their enemies you may find 2 Chron. 36. from v. 12 to 20. that the high provocations both of King and people were the cause thereof Zedekiah did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the Prophet speaking to him from the mouth of the Lord and he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar who had made him swear by God but he stiffned his neck and hardned his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel Moreover all the chief of the Priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers rising up betimes (a) That is continually and carefully sendding them a Metaphor taken from careful housholders who with the soonest seek to redress mischiefs causing their servants for that end to rise betimes and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place but they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and there was no remedy * After that there remain'd nothing but expectation of judgment Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Caldees who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary (b) That is the Temple whither 't is like many of them fled for refuge and had no compassion upon young man or maiden old man or him that stooped for age he gave them all into his hand And all the vessels of the house of God great and small and the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the King and of his Princes all these he brought to Babylon And they burnt the house of God and brake down the walls of Jerusalem and burnt all the Palaces thereof with fire and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof Jer. 39.9 Jer. 52.15 2 King 25. from 11 to 18. 2 Chron. 36. from 14 to 22. The Scripture saith that they that were carried away captive to Babylon in the eleventh year of Zedekiah were to continue seventy years in their captivity 2 Chron. 36.20 21. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the Kingdom of Persia To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremy until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths for as long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath to fulfill threescore and ten years Where by those words until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths we are to understand that so long as the people were kept out of it the land rested there being none to plow or dig it up and so it continued for the most part till the expiration of seventy years as Jeremy had Prophesied Jer. 25.11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years And Chap. 29.10 Thus saith the Lord after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to
Camels 500 Yokes of Oxen 500 She-Asses 3. He had a great many Servants 4. There was great Vnity and Love among his Children they feasting one another in their Courses To which may be added Job's Piety and paternal Care in offering Sacrifices for them 3. Of his wonderful Afflictions Satan obtained a Commission to have Power over his Possessions over his Children and over his own Person yet so as not to take away his life and his own Wife mocked at him Hereupon He curses the day of his Birth and wishes he had died before or immediately after his coming into the World Ch. 1. 2. to the 11 vers and Ch. 3. 4. Of his four Friends coming to him to visit him in this his sad Condition Whereof the three first viz. Eliphaz Bildad and Zophar argue and debate the matter with him and pretend to maintain that he that was so extraordinarily and extremely afflicted by God as Job was must needs either be a great and open Sinner or a Close Hypocrite from vers 11. of Ch. 2. to the end Eliphaz begins and is the first Opponent in this Disputation whose Argument is contained in the 4th and 5th Ch. Job's Answer to him is contained in the 6th and 7th Ch. Bildad is the second Opponent His Discourse is contained in the 8th Ch. And it is mainly a Confutation of Job's Reply to Eliphaz Job's Answer to him is set down in the 9th and 10th Ch. In which like an ingenuous Disputant he grants that which is true in Bildad's Argument and denies what is false Zophar is the third Opponent whose Discourse and Argument is contained in Ch. 11. Job's Answer to him is set down Ch. 22 13 14. and it is framed not only as an Answer to Zophar's Argument but also to what Eliphaz and Bildad had alledged before and he concludes with an humble Supplication to God for a mitigation of his Afflictions Eliphaz speaks again and rejoyns Ch. 15. Job Replies to him Ch. 16 17. Bildad also Rejoyns Ch. 18. Job Answers him Ch. 19. Zophar Rejoyns also Ch. 20. Job Answers him Ch. 21. Eliphaz undertakes him a third time Ch. 22. Job's Answer to him is couched in Ch. 23 24. Bildad also undertakes him a third time Ch. 25. Job Answers him Ch. 26. and that puts an end to the Disputation which Job closes with two Speeches The first is contained in the 27th 28th Ch. wherein he professeth his Integrity and his Resolution to hold it to the end The second is contained in the 29 30 31 Ch. wherein he speaks of his former great Happiness and laments his present miserable Condition both in respect of outward and inward Temptations and asserts the Vprightness and Inoffensiveness of his Carriage The Disputation being ended Elihu who takes upon him to be as it were Moderator begins to speak and he makes four distinct Speeches The first is contained in Ch. 32 33. In the close of which he gives Job leave to make his Defence who not Replying he proceeds to His second Speech contained in Ch. 34. His third is set down in Ch. 35. His fourth in Ch. 36 37. Then the Almighty Himself spake out of the Whirlewind and gave the final and decisive Sentence between Job and his Friends And first the Lord Reproves the Ignorance of Job and shews him how unfit he was to contend with his Maker Ch. 38. 39. Job hereupon humbly abases himself before the Lord and yields the Cause and promises Silence and not to Complain any more Ch. 40. v. 3 4 5. Then the Lord Reproves Job for not being brought to a full acknowledgment of the Exact Justice of his Creator and his own Sinfulness The Lord also manifests and declares his own Power and Job's Weakness Commanding Job by way of Irony to do that which none but God can do Then he Exemplifies his own infinite Power in his having created at first and still having the Government over those two vast Creatures viz. Behemoth and Leviathan from vers 6. of Ch. 40. to the end of 41. 5ly The Conclusion of the History which is contained in Ch. 42. where Job confesseth himself Guilty and humbles himself before the Lord repenting in Dust and Ashes God then Reproves his Friends for not speaking of him the things that were right He Charges them to offer Burnt-Offerings for themselves and to get Job to Intercede for them for him he would accept Job is now delivered from his Affliction and blessed with double as much Estate as he had before and in time with as many Children as He had before viz. with seven Sons and three Daughters His Friends and near Relations visit him and present him with Gifts The years of his life are doubled For he lived an 140 years after his trouble and so was 70 years old when his troubles began and died 210 years old the longest liver born since Terah SECT L. Anno Mundi 2385. ABout this time died Levi in Egypt aged 137 Exod. 6.16 being Grandfather by the Mothers side to Moses and Aaron and great Grandfather by the Fathers For when he had begotten Kohath in Canaan and a Daughter called Jochebed in Egypt Amram the Son of Kohath took to wife Jochebed the Daughter of Levi his own Aunt doing therein that which was then customary though afterwards it was expresly forbidden Lev. 18.12 20.19 and by Her He had Miriam Aaron and Moses and having attained to the age of 137. the just age of His Grandfather Levi He died a little before the Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt See Exod. 6.18 20. SECT LI. THe Children of Israel being now by the especial blessing of God increased in Egypt from 70 Souls to (k) At Gen. 46.25 Numerantur solum sexaginta sex Resp Tot descenderunt cum Jacobo At in Egypto 70. Adde enim duos Josephi silios in Egypto natos ipsum Josephum patrem Jacobum sicque sunt 70. a vast multitude after the death of Joseph and the twelve Patriarchs by degrees fall into great Enormities and Abominations As 1. Many of them began to be Corrupt in their Religion and committed Idolatry with the Idols of Egypt as is intimated Josh 24.14 Put away the Gods which your Fathers served on the other side of the Flood and in Egypt and serve you the Lord. See also Ezek. 20.8 2. Some of them joyned in Marriage with the Egyptians as may appear from Lev. 24.10 And the Son of an Israelitish woman whose Father was an Egyptian For these and their other great Sins and Transgressions the Lord now casteth them into a Furnace of Afflictions partly to punish them for their Sins and partly to keep them from setting their hearts on Egypt and to make them long after Canaan the promised Land And accordingly now there arose a new King in Egypt who knew nor Joseph nor the Services he had done for that Crown who fearing the number and strength of the Israelites did resolve to
18. SECT LIX MOses being now confirmed partly by Miracles partly by the promise of Divine assistance and having his Brother Aaron given him for his Partner he undertook the Work Returning therefore to his Father-in-law Jethro and concealing as 't is probable from him the glorious Vision he had seen and the honourable Employment he was called unto lest Jethro should by proposing Difficulties and perils in the undertaking discourage him He in a respectful manner desires him to permit him to go into Egypt to visit his Brethren and see how they did Jethro readily consents to it and bids him go in peace Notwithstanding Moses it seems after he had obtained leave of Jethro made not such hast as he ought to have done Therefore God appears to him a second time in Midian and quickens him to the Journey assuring him that all those in Egypt that sought his life were dead Then Moses took his Wife and his two Sons Gershom and Eliezer Exod. 18.3 4. and setting them upon Asses intended to carry them with him into Egypt and he took his Rod with which God appointed him to work Miracles in his hand and the Lord appointed him when he came into Egypt to do all those Wonders and Miracles before Pharaoh which he should put into his hand that is give him Power to do But the Lord tells him That he will harden Pharaoh's heart that is he will withdraw and withhold his Grace from him as by withholding Light he causeth Darkness and would permit Satan to excite and spur on his corrupt Nature so that notwitstanding the many things that should be offer'd to him for his Conviction he should more and more harden his own heart against God and should refuse to let the People go However he commands him to speak thus unto Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord The People or Posterity of Israel are my First-born being chosen of my free Grace first out of all Nations to be my peculiar People and are as dear to me as the First-born are to their Parents Therefore let them go that they may serve me If thou refuse to let them go behold I will slay thy Son even thy First-born and not thine only but the First-born of all the Egyptians thy Subjects also and so accordingly it afterwards came to pass Ch. 4. from vers 18. to 24. SECT LX. AS Moses was now upon his Journey towards Egypt with his Wife and Children the Lord as it seems visibly appeared to him and either by a Sword drawn in his hand or by inflicting some sudden violent Sickness upon him put him in great danger of his life and revealed to him the Cause thereof to be because he had neglected to Circumcise his youngest Son see Gen. 17.14 there being a great Incongruity in it that He should take on him the Government of God's Circumcised People who had neglected to impose this Badge of the Covenant on his own Son 'T is like the reason why Moses neglected to Circumcise this his younger Son was because his Wife had been so highly displeased at his Circumcising of the elder But however it was Zipporah seeing the danger her Husband was now in by reason of this neglect and that he was at this time through sickness so disabled that he himself could not do it she took a sharp Knife possibly made of Flint and Circumcised him her self and then cast the Foreskin newly cut off at her Husbands feet saying in a discontented humour Surely thou art a bloody Husband to me For for thy sake and for the sake of thy Religion I am forced thus to shed the blood of my Son This being done the Lord let Moses go and released him from his Sickness And 't is like upon this occasion and trouble Zipporah with her Children was sent back from thence to her Fathers house again as appears Exod. 18.2 3. Ch. 4. from vers 24. to 27. SECT LXI MOses being now freed from all Incumbrance went on his Journey towards Mount Horeb where his Brother Aaron being before warned of God to come thither met him and at their meeting kissed and embraced him Then Moses acquainted him with all these wonderful Passages and with all that the Lord had said unto him and what Miracles he had impowered him and commanded him to work and what Service he had employed him about and how Aaron was appointed to joyn with him therein This done they went on and when they came into Egypt they called together the Elders of the Children of Israel and Aaron spake to them what Moses had directed him to say from God and Moses wrought as was appointed him those three Miracles before mentioned Sect. 57. for the confirming their Faith See Ch. 4. from vers 2. to the 10. The people of Israel when they heard and saw these things they greatly rejoyced and believed that God had now in mercy visited them and had looked down with Pitty and compassion on their Afflictions and they bowed their heads and worshipp'd God with great Reverence Humility and Thankfulness Ch. 4. from 27. to the end SECT LXII SHortly after this Moses and Aaron make their first Address to Pharaoh several of the Elders of Israel accompanying them therein See Exod. ch 3.18 They Represent to Him that the God of their Fathers had appeared unto them and commanded them to offer a Sacrifice and to celebrate a Religious Feast (p) Part of the Sacrifices were to serve for a Feast and both for the honour of God This Feast they should have celebrated to the Lord but they performed it to an Idol the work of their own hands Exod. 32.6 19. to him in the Wilderness Therefore they humbly beseech him that they may have liberty to go three days Journey in the Desart namely to the Mount Horeb to perform this which the Lord required of them lest if they should neglect to obey Him therein he should punish them with the Pestilence or Sword or some such dreadful Judgment for their Disobedience Pharaoh like a proud and imperious Prince answers Who is the Lord that I should obey his Voice to let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Then looking upon Moses and Aaron with Indignation He asks them What they had to do to seduce the People and take them off from their work And then looking upon the People with anger Get you to your Burdens says he and see that you perform your daily Task or I will take a course with you I understand very well that you are a great and numerous People indeed too many and these two men Moses and Aaron design to get ease and rest for you from your Burdens that so you may increase more and possibly may then think of rebelling against me But I shall take Care to prevent that And accordingly that very day he charged the Task-Masters that were Egyptians and the Officers under them which were Israelites appointed to take the Over-sight of their Brethren in
Practice page 117. V. Commandment Honour thy Father and Mother that thy days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee CHildren are injoyned by this Precept to honour their Parents in their hearts The subsequent Precepts contain the prime Rules of justice towards Man and of Temperance Sobriety and Chastity in the government of our Selves and highly to love their Persons as the Instruments under God of their being And they are hereby obliged to yield to them Reverence Obedience Thankfulness and Requital as they are able They are bound highly to honour and esteem them and to use due expressions of Respect and Observance towards them in word and deed Parents are presumed to be always full of tender affection and good will towards their Children full of desire and care for their good full of pity and compassion towards them Which dispositions do in reason and equity require answerable Inclinations in Children towards their Parents Children receive from their Parents under God their being and life their maintenance and protection it being a long while ere they are able to provide for or defend themselves The goods acquired by the Parents industry do usually devolve upon their Children And all good and pious Parents think themselves obliged to take care of the Souls and spiritual Welfare of their Children and to instruct them in the fear of God and to set them in the right way to Eternal Happiness And this they do most frankly and freely without regard to any profit that may thereby accrue to themselves It is abundant satisfaction to them to see their Chirldren do well Their chief delight and contentment in this world is usually in their Childrens well-doing Therefore justice and ingenuity do oblige Children to pay to their Parents dutiful Respect and Observanc And they will be no loosers in so doing For to the observance of this Precept is added a very encouraging Promise viz. of length of days The Apostle injoyns Children to be obedient to their Parents in all things that are lawful and pleasing to the Lord Eph. 6.1 And He presses the Observance of this Precept 1. From the equity of it because the Law of God and Nature requires it 2. Because this is the first Commandment of the second Table which hath a particular Promise annexed to it viz. length of days which Promise is either actually fulfilled by God to obedient Children or else by changing of the Benefit He gives them a much better life in his own Kingdom for it And there seems a great congruity in the Reward promised to the Duty to be performed viz. that they who are grateful to those from whom under God they received their life should by God's Dispensation enjoy that life long and with much Comfort and that they who neglect the Authors of their life should soon be deprived of it or of the Comforts and Contentments that others enjoy And we may by analogy and parity of reason reduce unto this Commandment the Obligation we have to honour all those who perform to us beneficial Offices like unto those we receive from our Parents Particularly such Persons from whom we have Protection as Governours and Magistrates Such who watch over us for the good of our Souls as Ministers and Pastors Such who afford us Maintenance and Education as Benefactors School-Masters Tutors c. VI. Commandment Thou shalt not Kill MAn's life being his most precious enjoyment in this World no man may take it away but by Commission or Licence from God God indeed doth allow Magistrates upon reasonable cause for the preservation of the publick Peace Safety and Welfare in a regular Course of Justice to dispose of mens lives who have forfeited them to the Law For the Magistrate beareth not the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 but is the Minister of God an Avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil 1 Pet. 2.14 And he that kills a man in a way not irregular namely as a Minister of Justice or in a lawful War authorized by a just Commission or in his own just and necessary defence cannot be said to violate the true intent of this Precept For such a person cannot be justly said to kill but rather God himself the Lord of Life and Death doth then kill Vengeance is his and He in this manner by his Ministers doth repay it But in this Commandment is forbidden all voluntary and irregular taking away our Neighbour's life without just and necessary cause upon what motive principle or pretence soever it be either by direct violence or fraudulent contrivance either by our selves or by others and all advising encouraging or any wise becoming instrumental or accessory thereunto This is the Crime here expresly forbidden But a Positive Duty is also here included and accordingly should be understood viz. That we should endeavour as far as we are able to preserve our own life in the first place and then our Neighbours by relieving him in extream need and by succouring him in extream danger by admonishing him of any destructive mischief He seems unawares running into The contrary is in reasonable esteem and in God's sight a killing of him And to kill a man hath this great guilt in it that He that doth it doth thereby violate and destroy God's Image in his Neighbour He that sheds man's bloud by man shall his bloud be shed for in the Image of God created he him Gen. 9.6 And this further is to be observed That the taking away a man's life doth infinitely surpass all the evil or injury which any man can sustain from another in his estate or fame For these things are capable of some reparation but the other is altogether irreparable and therefore includes in it the greatest injury and iniquity For hereby all temporal good is at once ravished from a man and the Soul also of the person killed may possibly incur a great damage and hazard in respect to its future State by being thus suddenly snatched away So that the Slayer oftentimes not only robbeth his Brother of his temporal life but of his time of Repentance and opportunity of making his peace with God Therefore to hate a man to death must needs be accounted the utmost pitch of hatred Such is the direct intent and importance of this Law But our Saviour in his Comment hereon Math. 5.21 hath explained and extended it further so as to interdict all things that any way approach or tend unto this hateful evil as rash causeless outragious anger contumelious and despiteful Language secret grudges or malice in our hearts against our Neighbour For these as they do commonly produce the act of murder so they argue Inclinations thereunto which if fear and self-respect did not restrain would presently produce it and consequently in moral account which regards not so much the act as the will are of the same quality therewith The Apostle tells us 1 Joh. 3.15 He that hates his brother is a murderer
down and when thou risest up And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine head and they shall be as Frontlets (l) Scopus hujus praecepti est non ad hujusmodi Ceremonias praecisas obstringere sed continuam Legis recordationem inculcare Jans vide Exod. 13.9 The Pharisees followed the literal sense in their Phylacteries which were some written Schedules of Parchment which were fastened to their Foreheads and Arms to keep the Law of God in remembrance see Matth. 23.5 between thine eyes that is thou shalt use all means to keep them in continual remembrance and to set them before the eyes of thy Children that they may live according to them And thou shalt write them on the posts of thy House and on thy Gates see Ch. 11.18 19 20. And when the Lord shall have brought thee into that good Land which He sware unto thy Fathers to give thee and into great and goodly Cities which thou buildest not and into Houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and to Wells digged which thou digedst not and to Vineyards and Olive-Trees which thou plantedst not when thou hast eaten and art full then beware lest thou forget the Lord that brought thee forth out of the Land of Egypt from the house of Bondage Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and sware by his Name that is when thou hast a lawful Call to sware thou shalt perform this religious act by the Name of the only true God and not of any Idol nor by any Creature whatsoever Ye shall not follow after other gods nor worship or serve the gods of other Nations that are round about lest the anger of the Lord who is a jealous God be kindled against thee and He destroy thee from off the face of the Earth Take heed also lest you provoke the Lord by your distrust and murmurings and limiting the holy One of Israel as you formerly did at Massah Exod. 17.2 Psal 78.41 And see that ye diligently observe the Commandments of the Lord that ye may go in and possess the good Land which he promised to your Fathers to give you And when your Children shall ask you in time to come what mean the Testimonies Statutes and Judgments which the Lord our God hath commanded us you shall say We were bondmen in Egypt and the Lord brought us out with a mighty hand and the Lord shewed Signs and Wonders great and sore upon Egypt upon Pharaoh and his Houshold before our eyes and the Lord commanded us to observe all these Statutes and to fear Him for our good always that he might preserve us alive as he hath done to this day And if we carefully observe these Laws as he has commanded us it shall be our Righteosness that is an evidence and manifestation of our Integrity and Vprightness before the Lord and though our Obedience be weak and imperfect yet if it be sincere God in and thorow the Messias will accept of it and will mercifully reward us for it 11. He goes on to give them some further explanation of the first Commandment Chap. VII injoyning them to extirpate the Canaanites and their Idolatry and to have no Communion with them lest they should be seduced by them to the worship of other gods They should remember they were a people holy to God whom he freely chose and will severely punish if they prove unfaithful but if they be faithful he will give them victory over their Enemies He further says to them When the Lord shall have brought you into the good Land he hath given you to cast out the seven Nations of the Canaanites that are greater and mightier than you and hath delivered them into your hands then you shall smite them and utterly destroy them you shall make no Covenant with them nor shew mercy unto them unless they become Proselytes and Converts to the true Religion which I have established among you Neither shall you make Marriages with them your Daughters you shall not give to their Sons nor their Daughters shall you take to your Sons for they will be apt to turn them away from following after the Lord your God and intice them to serve other Gods so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you that he will destroy you suddainly But you shall destroy their Altars and break down their Images and cut down their Groves which they have planted for Idolatrous uses and burn their graven Images with fire For you are an holy people unto the Lord your God the Lord hath chosen you to be a peculiar people to Himself above all people that are upon the face of the Earth And the Lord did not set his love upon you and choose you because ye were more in number than any other people as in worldly Kingdoms Dominion over a great and populous Nation is more desired than over few For the truth is you were very few till God made such a miraculous multiplication of you in Egypt The Lord loved you freely and chose you of his own free Grace not finding any thing in you more than in others to move him so to do And because the Lord loved you and intended to keep the Oath which He had sworn unto your Fathers He hath brought you out of the house of Bond-men out of Egypt with a mighty hand Know therefore that the Lord your God he is the only true God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments to thousand Generations and repayeth them that hate him to their face that is will so apparently take Vengeance on them and will not be slack or slow to do it that they shall plainly perceive as men do a thing set before their face that he doth it for their wickedness Wherefore if you shall carefully observe the Commandments Statutes and Judgments which I command you this day from the Lord then will He keep and perform unto you the Covenant and Mercy which he sware unto your Fathers and will love you and bless you and exceedingly increase you Will bless you in the fruit of the Womb and your Corn Wine and Oil and the fruit of your Cattel shall be increased You shall be blessed above all people There shall not except very rarely be any Male or Female barren among you or among your Cattel And the Lord will take away from you all sickness and will not inflict upon you any of those dangerous and noisome Diseases wherewith as it is well known to you he punished the Egyptians for your sakes Exod. 9.10 and wherewith the Inhabitants of that Country were usually troubled Deut. 28.27 but will lay them upon all them that hate thee You shall therefore destroy all the Nations that the Lord your God shall give into your hands you shall have no pity upon them neither shall you serve their Gods for that will be a snare to you and a cause of your
Canis enim si fuerit obvia nec immolari poterat imo nec redimi quidem of being sacrificed according to the Law he would offer it up for a Burnt-Offering unto Him Howsoever if it were a thing fit it should be hallowed and consecrated unto Him Jephtah having made this Vow and now engaging with the Children of Ammon the Lord was pleased to deliver them into his hands and he smote them with a very great slaughter and had the chase of them a long way and so the Children of Ammon were subdued that day before the Children of Israel Jephtah now after this great Victory returning to his own house at Mizpeh his Daughter his only Child accompanied with other young Virgins came out to meet him with Timbrels and Dances and chearful Tripudiations according to the Custom of those days wherein Women and Maids after great Victories us'd to sing Songs of Triumph see Exod. 15.20 Judges 5.1 1 Sam. 18.6 When Jephtah saw Her he rent his Clothes expressing thereby the bitterness of his Grief and cried out alas My Daughter thou hast brought me very low and thou art one of them that trouble me Thou art now unwittingly a cause of much sorrow and affliction to me For I have made a Vow to God concerning whatsoever should first come forth to meet me and I cannot reverse it (e) This he speaks not knowing it seems that the Law of God gave him liberty in this case to have redeemed his Daughter with thirty Shekals of silver Levit. 27.4 'T is probable he then told her more particularly the substance of his Vow She tells him That if he had made such a Vow and by that Vow she must be consecrated to God and live a Virgin all her days She freely submitted to it and should do it the more willingly because God had given him so great a Victory over their Enemies And this seems to be the meaning of this passage For we cannot rationally think that Jephtah commended for his Faith Heb. 11.32 should offer his Daughter for a Burnt-Offering seeing that would have been much more odious to the Lord than to have offered to Him Swines blood or a Dogs-head Isa 65.4 and was expresly forbidden by Him as most abominable Deut. 12.31 Jephtah's Daughter therefore being devoted to serve God in a state of Virginity she desires she might have two months time to go up and down in the Mountains with some young Virgins her Companions that in those unfrequented and solitary places she might express her grief and lamentation that she must live and die a Virgin * She speaks not of bewailing her approaching death or being sacrific'd but her Virginity and consequently Barrenness leaving no Posterity behind her which was in those days esteemed one of the greatest of earthly Infelicities When the two months of her Lamentation were ended she returned to her Father who did not redeem her according to the Law Levit. 27.4 but consecrated her to God to serve him as a Virgin in the single life And so she lived a Virgin as her Father had vowed and she consented And the Daughters of Israel went four days in a year to Her partly to Condole with her and partly to Comfort and Chear her up in this her solitary Condition Judg. Ch. 10. from 10. to the end Judg. Ch. 11. whole Chapter SECT CXLV AFter this great Victory obtained by Jephtah the men of Ephraim having passed over Jordan turned Northward into the Land of Gilead and envying Jephtah and the Gileadites the glory of this Victory they began to quarrel with Him that he had not call'd them to assist * Upon the same account they quarrelled with Gideon Ch. 8. him when he went to fight against the Children of Ammon And they were so hot that they threatned to burn his house over his head and they gave the Gileadites opprobrious Language calling them Fugitives of Ephraim as if that half-Tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan had been no better than Fugities that were run away from them and the meer Refuge and Scum of Ephraim and Manasseh within Jordan And it seems these proud Ephraimites told them That they viz. the men of Gilead were no way to be compar'd with them and therefore ought not to have undertaken a business of such Importance as this War was without first acquainting them with it and desiring their assistance Jephtah tells them He and his people were at great strife with the Children of Ammon about the Land that the Israelites possessed on that side Jordan And he had sent to the men of Ephraim as being their Brethren and Confederates to desire their Aid and Assistance but they had not thought fit to grant it to them Hereupon he gathered together what Forces he could and trusting in God He put his life in his hand and resolved to expose it to the utmost danger in so good a Cause and so went out to fight against the Ammonites and the Lord delivered them into his hands And this being the true state of this business I pray you says he what cause have you to come out in this War-like manner against us who are your Brethren But though Jephtah had reason on his side yet it did nothing move as it seems these haughty Ephraimites Hereupon He immediately gathered together all the men of Gilead that could on so short warning be got together and fell suddenly upon them and gave them a great overthrow and then the Gileadites to prevent those that escaped in the Fight from getting into their own Country took the Fords of Jordan before them and when any straglers came to those Fords to get over the Gileadites to try whither they were Ephraimites or of other Tribes as 't is like they pretended to be made them pronounce Shibboleth The Ephraimites could not pronounce the aspirate but said Sibboleth which was a pronunciation it seems they were accustomed and habituated unto Thereupon they slew them and many of them were here slain So that there were slain in the battel and chase and at these Fords of Jordan forty two thousand of the Ephraimites Jephtah having judged Israel six years died and was buried in one of the Cities of Gilead Judg. Ch. 12. from 1. to 8. SECT CXLVI AFter Jephtah Ibzan of Bethlem judged Israel Ibzan the Ninth Judge He had thirty Sons and thirty Daughters by divers Wives His Daughters he sent out of his own Family bestowing them upon Husbands in other Families and he took in thirty Daughters for his Sons to be Wives to them He judged Israel seven years About the fifth year of his Government the Israelites did evil again in the sight of the Lord and he gave them into the hands of the Philistines which Thraldom lasted forty years The sixth Oppression under the Philistines Judg. 13.1 And indeed Jephtah's slaying forty two thousand of the Ephraimites Ch. 12.6 must needs be a great weakning to the Israelites in those parts and possibly
Eucharisticum ut Luc. 1.46.68 unto him to continue his life and to bless him she begins her Song (a) There is in many passages a great harmony between this Song and that of the Blessed Virgin Luk. 1.46 thus My heart rejoiceth in the Lord mine born is exalted in the Lord whereby she intimates that through the Lords goodness to her in giving her a Son she was become stronger and more renowned than before for children are the strength and glory of their Parents and that she had cause now to triumph over her enemies who had before upbraided her for her barrenness My heart is enlarged over mine enemies whereby she intimates that she had enough now to say wherewith to stop the mouth of her insulting adversaries There is none holy as the Lord for there is none besides thee that is there is none essentially and perfectly holy besides the Lord who is the fountain of all the holiness that is in others For there is no God besides thee neither is there any rock like our God He is our only refuge in all our troubles and he only can deliver us out of them all He is the rock says she on which I rested and relyed when I was ready to sink in the time of my trouble Let not my adversaries therefore Peninnah or any others talk any more so exceeding proudly against me let not arrogancy come out of their lips for the Lord is a God of Knowledg that is He knows all that in your pride and arrogancy you think or speak or attempt against his poor servants And by him actions are weighed that is He exactly ponders all the actions of men and will therefore as a just Judg recompence them as he finds them good or evil yea according to the degree of goodness or badness that he finds in them Then she goes on to shew what strange and unexpected alterations God maketh among men By him says she the bows of the mighty are broken that is God doth many times break the strength of the mighty and blast their attempts and makes them successless just as when the bow of a mighty man breaks all his endeavours to shoot come to nothing And on the other hand they that stumbled are girt with strength that is He many times so strengthens the feeble that of themselves were ready to stumble or at least so prosper their weak endeavours that unexpectly they bring mighty things to pass and so those that were weak and feeble in themselves being strengthened by the power of God overcome great difficulties even such as by the power of nature they were not able to overcome as I my self can abundantly testifie They that were full have hired out themselves for bread that is they that were rich he sometimes brings to poverty so that they are fain to work like hired servants to relieve their wants and they that were hungry ceased to be so and were plentifully provided for She that was barren has born many Seven in Scripture is usually put for many as Deut. 28.7 children and they that have had many children are either grown weak and so through feebleness have left off bearing or else have buried the children they have had and so have lost their strength as children are esteemed to be to their Parents Possibly Hannah had assurance by the Spirit of Prophesie that God would give her many children more as indeed we find v. 21. of this Chapter that she had after this three Sons and two Daughters The Lord killeth and maketh alive He bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up that is the Lord bringeth some into desperate dangers into grievous and heavy afflictions and yet delivereth them out of them See Ch. 20.3 Hos 6.2 Isa 26.17 and Gods power is most manifested when men are recovered from such desperate distresses God doth sometimes seem to kill men and then revives them again He maketh poor and maketh rich He bringeth low and raiseth up He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the beggar from the dunghill to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the throne of glory that is He raiseth some from beggery to Soveraignty and from the dunghill to the throne For the pillars of the earth are the Lords and he hath set the world upon them that is Though the earth hangs in the midst of the air having nothing to support it but the Almighty power of God yet it stands firm (c) Habet terra suos polos quibus aut sustinet se in quiete aut ut alii volunt in motu se librat Gr. and fast upon its center as if it were supported with pillars and therefore 't is no wonder God should sometimes turn things upside down in the government of the world since he that made the world at first must needs be of power sufficient to do what he will for with his own why should he not do what himself pleaseth He will keep the feet of his Saints that is He will guide and protect his people and keep them from falling And the wicked shall be silent in darkness that is overwhelmed with confusion and astonishment in the great calamities that shall befall them Eccles 5.17 Zeph. 1.15 Jer. 8.14 or cut off from the land of the living for such are said to dwell in silence Psal 94.17 For by strength shall no man prevail that is by his own strength For if the Lord did not preserve his Saints by their own strength they could not keep themselves neither can the wicked by their own strength secure themselves against Gods hand And if any man prevail in any of his enterprises let him not assume the glory of it to himself but ascribe it intirely unto God The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them This clause seems to be a Prophesie and may have reference to that particular judgment upon the enemies of Gods people in the time of Samuels Government 1 Sam. 7.10 when the Lord thundered with a great thunder on the Philistines and discomfited them and they were smitten before Israel yet it may be meant generally of the Lords pouring down vengeance on his adversaries See 2 Sam. 22.14 15. And because God destroyed his enemies often by thunder it grew it seems into a Proverb that the Lord would thunder upon them when he meant terribly to destroy them The Lord shall judg the ends of the earth and he shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horn of his Anointed This seems to be a Prophesie concerning the Exaltation and Kingdom of the Messiah and 't is the first place in the Old Testament where he is mentioned under that name The Lord will rule the world and judg all the inhabitants of the world and particularly those that are in the uttermost parts of the earth by the Messiah his Anointed King who though he shall at first live in a low and
thousand and the men of Judah (a) Where by the way we may observe the humble submission of the Tribe of Judah to the Government of Saul notwithstanding they had the promise of the Kingly Scepter because they saw it thus determined by the pleasure of God thirty thousand having got this great Army together Saul and Samuel sent away the messengers that came from Jabesh-Gilead to inform the Inhabitants thereof that on the morrow by that time the Sun was well up they might expect them to come for their help The messengers returning to the City with this news the Inhabitants thereof were wonderfully revived at it and sent to Nahash who besieged them that on the morrow they would come out to him meaning and understanding thereby if no help came for them in the mean time But this they concealed (b) Sic non tam ipsi decipiebant suos hostâ—s quam permittebant ut ipsi deciperentur that nothing might be presently attempted against them and to make their enemies the more secure that Saul might have the greater advantage against them Saul dividing his Army into three parts and marching as it seems all night by the morning-watch he came upon the enemy and surprized them unawares and slew a vast number of them and so scattered the rest that there were very few of them left together And thus he raised the siege of Jabesh and freed the Inhabitants thereof from that horrid cruelty intended against them (a) How thankful the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were afterwards to Saul for this great benefit we may see Ch. 31.11 12 13. The Israelites were so transported with joy for this victory and so taken with the prudence and brave conduct of Saul in the obtaining of it that some of them came to Samuel and said Where are the men that said Saul shall not reign over us bring them forth that we may put them to death But Saul said There shall not a man be put to death this day on my account I shall never consent that a day of so much joy and triumph and wherein God has so eminently shewed himself gracious unto us shall be stained with severity against those that slighted me or with the least sorrow or mourning among the people And here we see again what a difference there was betwixt Saul in his first Government and what he was afterwards when the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him Now none more humble and gentle than he not a man shall be put to death for him but afterwards in his dealing with David and the Priests of the Lord he was another man even blood-thirsty cruel and implacable beyond measure But to go on Samuel upon this victory spake to the people after this manner Come says he let us go to Gilgal and renew the Kingdom there that is let us by a general consent confirm Saul's Election and settle and invest him in the Kingdom Accordingly the people went to Gilgal and there they made Saul King before the Lord * V. 15. that is in a solemn manner as in Gods presence and possibly before the Ark the sign of his presence which by Samuel's appointment might be brought hither at this time that they might consult with God as occasion served in this weighty business and also it may be that it might grace the action that is they anointed him publickly as before Samuel had done privately and performed all other Solemnities requisite for his Inauguration sacrificing Sacrifices of Peace-offerings and Thanksgiving before the Lord and rejoicing and praising him for their late victory and for their new King by whose conduct under God they had obtained it and praying to the Lord for him and craving his blessing upon his Government 1 Sam. Ch. 11. whole Chapter SECT CLXIII THE Children of Israel being at this time wonderfully transported with joy for their new King and possibly flattering themselves that God was well pleased with them for asking a King seeing he had given them one by whom they had obtained so great a victory Samuel thought fit to take this occasion to make them sensible of their mistake and that they had grievously sinned in asking a King whereby they rejected God from reigning over them as their Soveraign and himself as his Deputy and Vicegerent Behold says he I have hearkened to your voice and have according to your desire the Lord also permitting it set a King over you And now you have a King setled among you to govern you and go before you as your General to war And as for my self I have very great cause to be well pleased being old and gray-headed that the burden of the Government is taken off from my shoulders And as for my Sons behold they are with you now not as rulers but as private men they are before you to give account to you and your King of their former behaviour and carriage and to make satisfaction (a) q. d. Filios meos habetis in potestate vestra Si quid dignum severo supplicio commiseâ—int non substraham eòs legitimae satisfactioni Si enim quid perperam in sua gubernatione commiserint id me praeceptore non didicerunt neque talia excusabo for any thing they have done amiss whilst they were in place of Government And as for my self I may truly say that I have endeavoured faithfully and in the uprightness of my heart to perform the duties of my place in the sight of you all both in the service of the Sanctuary in my younger days when I was a Levite and in my riper age by administring justice since I was called to be a Judg. And seeing the Government is transferred from me to another you need not now fear to speak your minds of me and therefore if you can justly accuse me of any evil speak it freely and witness it against me before the Lord and before his anointed whose Ox * A rare precedent for such to look upon as are in any publick place or office I pray you or whose Asse have I wrongfully taken away whom have I defrauded or whom have I oppressed of whom have I received bribes to blind mine eyes †See Deut. 16.19 and to cause me to wrest judgment If any such injurious dealing can be proved against me here I am ready to make restitution and to give satisfaction The people answered Thou hast not defrauded or oppressed us at all neither hast thou taken ought of any mans hand to pervert justice Well then says he let the Lord be witness and let his anointed here present be witness that you acknowledg and declare that you have not found any injustice or injurious dealing in me They answered let them be witnesses Possibly he desired thus to justifie and clear himself as to the whole course of his Government as Moses likewise had done Numb 16.15 both that he might be an example to their new King and make him the
message from the Lord against them therefore they presently asked him whether he came peaceably he said yes for I come to sacrifice unto the Lord sanctifie therefore your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice and particularly let Jesse and his Sons prepare and sanctifie themselves both legally and spiritually that they may eat of the Sacrifice 'T is like Samuel had acquainted Jesse privately with the cause of his coming and that thereupon Jesse brought in his Sons one by one into some private place whether before they sat down to eat of the Sacrifice they had retired themselves for that purpose that that person might be anointed whom God should point out to Samuel Accordingly Eliab Jesse's eldest Son was first brought forth when Samuel saw him he thought within himself surely this is the man the comeliness of his person made him think this was he whom God had chosen but herein he was led and guided only by his own spirit for the Lord presently said to him Look not on his countenance or the heighth of his stature consider the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the heart Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him appear before Samuel and Samuel was admonished by a secret voice of Gods Spirit that neither was this the man whom he had chosen Then Shammah was called he also was refused Jesse then called four more of his Sons in order and set them one after another before Samuel but he told him never an one of these was the person whom the Lord had chosen Jesse wondring at this Samuel asked him whether these were all his Sons DAVID chosen to be King and first anointed by Samuel He told him he had one more viz. the youngest whom he imployed in keeping his sheep he had omitted to bring him as imagining it could not in any likelihood be he of all the rest whom God would chose and this possibly was so ordered by Providence that it might more evidently appear that David was meerly chosen of God Samuel orders that this youngest Son should be immediately sent for for says he we will not sit down till he come At last David came who was of a ruddy and beautiful * Solet pulcher animus etiam in vultu apparere vide Platonis convivium Erat in Davide forma non mollis sed virilis militaris Oculi ipsius bellicam quandam ferociam spirare videbantur Unctus est non ut statim regnaret sed ut Sauli morienti in regno succederet countenance and comely to look on and as it is probable about twenty two years of age The Lord now by a secret voice of his Spirit said unto Samuel This is the man arise and anoint him then Samuel took the horn of oyl and anointed him in the midst of his Brethren whereby he incurred their envy see Ch. 17.28 no less than Joseph did of his Brethren And from the very day of his anointing the Spirit of the Lord came upon him namely the Spirit of Wisdom Courage and Fortitude so that he was moved and led on by the Spirit of God to undertake great and noble enterprizes such as was that of killing a Lion and a Bear For it seems as he was keeping his fathers sheep there came a Lion at one time and a Bear at another and took a Kid out of his flock and he pursued after them and when the Lion turned upon him he took him by the beard and slew him and took the prey from him which he had selzed upon and so he served the Bear also see Ch. 17.35 36. and other famous and valourous exploits it seems he atchieved soon after he was anointed whereby he became famous even among Saul's Courtiers see v. 18. and probably from that time forward he had an extraordinary measure of the gifts and graces of the Spirit poured forth upon him and particularly the Spirit of Prophesie and the gift of Poetry and composing Divine Psalms and Hymns together with the gift of Musick wherein afterwards he became very eminent insomuch that he was called the sweet Singer of Israel and has left such Divine Psalms and Hymns as may serve to instruct the people of God to the end of the world Samuel having thus anointed David he returned to his own house at Ramah 1 Sam. Ch. 16. from v. 1 to 14. SECT CLXVIII SAVL now was bereaved of those Heroical gifts that God had before bestowed upon him and Satan by Gods permission taking advantage of his extream melancholy and discontent for the loss of Gods favour and his Kingdom filled him with frights and fears with disquietness of mind and grief of heart which so distempered and distracted him that he fell into fits of Phrensie and sometimes grew outragious and ready to kill any body that came in his way and was for a time as one possessed with a Devil He had preferred his own reason before Gods directions in the business of the Amalekites and so made an Idol of it and now God justly deprives him of the use of it His Physicians tell him that an evil spirit sent of the Lord to execute his righteous judgment troubled him and therefore advise him to seek out a man that was skilful to play on the Harp who by his Musick might chear and revive his spirits and allay his melancholy passions and thereby he would be less subject to the Devils operations One of Saul's servants that stood by said he had seen a Son of Jesse that was very skilful in playing on the Harp and was also a man of war and prudent in matters (e) Ego existimo ex quo David cum unctione alia quoque dona accepit plane rara eum viciniâ— fuisse notissimum nam eximia erant illa dona inopinata atque nova Sanct. and a comely person and the Lord was with him and assisted him in all his designs and prospered him in all his enterprizes Saul hearing this sent messengers to Jesse to desire him to send that Son of his that kept his sheep (f) Hereby we see that tho' David was chosen by God and anointed King yet in humility of spirit he returned unto his former employment of keeping his fathers sheep waiting upon God till it should be his good pleasure in his own way to raise him to the Kingly dignity unto him Jesse sent his Son David to him with a small present (g) Such a Present Jacob sent to Joseph under the notion of the Lord of all Egypt that his Sons might find favour with him Gen. 43.11 namely an Asse laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a Kid for great persons do many times kindly accept of small presents from their inferiours seeing they are signs that they do respect and honour them But Jesse knowing that God had anointed his Son David to succeed Saul in the Kingdom might well have been afraid to put him into
him not a man among them would open his mouth for him or do any thing to prevent the danger he was in however Jonathan that truly loved him resolv'd to speak for him and therefore he said to his Father Let not the King sin against his servant against David for he hath not sinned against thee but his works and deeds have been very good towards thee for he put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine and the Lord wrought a great Salvation for all Israel thereby thou sawest it and didst rejoice therein Wherefore then wilt thou sin against God and shed innocent blood and slay David without a cause How high a degree of ingratitude and injustice will it be so ill to requite so noble an exploit which did at that time so exceedingly affect thee Saul was so melted with these words of Jonathan that he solemnly sware to him at that time that David should not die but great and frequent swearers do often forget what they have sworn and do not stick to forswear themselves and break their Oaths as we shall see Saul soon did However Jonathan not knowing what was in his heart calls David and acquaints him with what his Father had said and promised and so he brought him again to the Court and he was in the presence of Saul as in time past During his continuing there the Philistines again made an inroad into the Land and David went out and fought against them with great courage and slew them with a great slaughter and the rest of them fled to their own Country Ch. 19. from 1 to 9. 6ly The evil spirit being again upon Saul and he having a Javelin in his hand as David played upon his harp before him in a frantick fit he ran his Javelin so violently at him as if he intended to have pinned him to the wall but David nimbly avoiding the stroke the Javelin ran into the wall And this was the third time that Saul had sought to kill him with his own hand David therefore thought it now high time to shift for himself and so he left the Court and went to his own house From v. 9 to 11. 7ly Saul then sent messengers to David's house to lye in wait about the house in the night and to slay him in the morning when he came out Michal either casually discovering Saul's servants watching about the house and guessing at their errand or else having some secret intelligence from Court of Saul's design against her husband she acquaints David with it that he might look to himself and then to prevent his present danger she let him down thorough a window * See Act. 9.25 and so he fled and escaped And further to delude the watchmen if by violence they should break into the house and to gain longer time for David to escape she laid an Image (b) Humanam quidem non Idololatricam qualis illa Gen. 31.19 in a bed and put a pillow of Goats-hair under the head of it and covered it with a cloth thereby intending to make them believe that David was sick in bed and therefore in all humanity at present not to be disturb'd When the messengers whom Saul had sent to watch about the house had waited till morning and saw he came not forth as they expected they went and told Saul of it who sent them back again with a new commission to enter his house and take him Michal thinking sickness a fair pretence to keep them from too eager pressing upon him that she might gain the more time for his escape told them he was sick in bed they thinking it had been so returned and acquainted Saul therewith Saul suspecting it was but a pretence of Michal's to preserve her husband sends them back again to see whither it was so or no however if he were sick he charges them to bring him with them though they brought him in his bed They coming again to the house and going up to lay hold on him behold there was no David but only an Image in the bed They then carry Michal before Saul who angerly asks her why she had deceived him and sent away his enemy she answers He threatned to kill her if she would not let him go Here by the way we may observe that though her intire love to her husband be highly to be commended yet her telling lyes to preserve him cannot be excused and further we may take notice that if people once allow themselves in lying it will encrease upon them and one lye will draw on another and a lesser will draw on a greater and. louder as we see here in this example of Michal who first told an officious lye as they call it to save her husband and now tells a pernicious lye to save her self she should rather have imitated her brave brother Jonathans example who spake boldly to his father in defence of her husbands innocence From 11 to 18. David was so affected with this deliverance that he composed the 59 Psalm upon this occasion of Saul's sending to his house to kill him as may appear by the Title 8ly David thus escaping fled to Ramah to acquaint Samuel with all that had passed and with what Saul had done unto him and to crave his advice and counsel in these dangers and difficulties Hereupon he and Samuel went down to Naioth near Ramah where was a Colledg of Prophets but some body or other quickly informed Saul that David was come thither and he presently sent messengers to take him there when the messengers came thither and found the Prophets prophecying that is praising God with Psalms and Hymns and speaking of Divine matters and Samuel among them sitting as President over them and governing this holy assembly the Spirit of the Lord fell upon them and they instead of apprehending David which was the business they were sent about prophesied also Saul hearing of this sent other messengers upon the same errand a second and a third time and they prophesied * The like example we have in the High-Priests Officers who were sent to apprehend Christ Joh. 7.45 46. also that is praised God with Psalms and Hymns and magnified his name as the other before had done Saul might by this miracle have been convinc'd of his sin and folly in pursuing after David when he saw him thus miraculously preserved and protected by God but being thus disappointed by his messengers and his heart being hardened he resolves to go thither himself and to fetch David thence even out of his Sanctuary but it fell out quite contrary to his expectation for whereas his messengers did not prophesie till they came into the company of the Prophets at Naioth the Spirit of the Lord now falling upon him he prophesied †Donum Prophetandi aliquando Impiis concedit Deus ut Balaamo vide Mat. 7.22 before he came thither even in the way and was chang'd from a Persecutor into a Prophet which plainly
forces to resist the common enemy Hereupon David called the place Sela-Hammahlekoth that is the Rock of Divisions 1 Sam. Ch. 23. from 14 to 29. 9ly Hence David flies to the strong holds in the Wilderness * Here 't is thought he penned the 57 Psalm adjoyning to Engedi (b) A place exceeding fruitful with Vines and other fruit-trees Cant. 1.14 a City of Judah Saul returning with his forces from pursuing the Philistines it was told him whither David was fled and he took 3000 chosen men out of Israel and went to pursue David and his men upon those high steep and cragy rocks upon which wild beasts used to live and he came to the sheep-coats where was a Cave and Saul (c) Nisi somnum Saul captasset motus in spelunca sensisset militares Some Caves in that and other Countries are of that vast wideness that they are sufficient to contain great numbers of men being weary went into the entrance of it which was narrow to cover his feet that is to sleep See note in Judg. 3.24 But though the entrance of the Cave was narrow yet it seems it was roomâ—by within for David and several of his men had hid themselves in the sides and innermost parts of it David's men perceiving that Saul was come into the entrance or mouth of the Cave and that there he had laid himself down to sleep they tell him that God had now put such an opportunity into his hands of cutting off his enemy that thirsted after his blood as if he had from heaven called unto him and commanded (d) V. 4. dicit h.e. dicere videtur quia praebet ansam him to do it But David arising went softly to Saul and only cut off the skirt of his Robe that he might thereby make it evident to him that he could as well have killed him if he had had a mind to it and yet David's heart smote him for this little that he had done because it had an appearance of an injury offered to the King But it seems his men were almost ready to mutiny that he would not kill Saul at this time and so put an end to his and their tedious troubles Whereupon David mildly spake unto them saying God forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against my Master the Lords Anointed I cannot I dare not do it And with these words he stayed his Souldiers from offering violence unto Saul Saul awaking rose up and went on his way David immediately gets out of the Cave and following him cried after him My Lord the King When Saul looked back David bowed himself to the earth before him and then humbly addressing himself to him said Wherefore hearknest thou to mens words that tell thee that David seeketh thy hurt Thou seest that this day the Lord delivered thee into my hands when thou wast in the Cave some bad me kill thee but mine eye spared thee and I told them I would not put forth my hand against my Lord seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. Moreover my father see yea see the the skirt of thy robe in my hand for in that I cut off only the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not when I might so easily have done it thou maist assure thy self that there is no evil intention in my heart against thee neither have I transgressed against thee as those base Sycophants that are about thee do suggest And yet thou huntest my life to take it The Lord judge between me and thee and in this my innocent cause wherein I so unjustly suffer do me right against thee But however though it should not please him to do it yet I am resolved not to avenge my self on thee neither shall my hand be upon thee The Proverb of the Ancients tells us That wickedness proceedeth from the wicked that is wicked men will not stick to do any wicked thing But thou needest not fear any such thing from me seeing thou hast found the contrary by thine own experience I am resolved to refer my cause to God and not to avenge my self in my own quarrel Besides consider I pray thee who it is that thou pursuest with so much eagerness and violence even a weak and contemptible man and in comparison of thee no more to be esteemed than a flea (e) Valde Pathetica oratio Index summa Davidis modestiae vid. Psal 131. or a dead dog (f) Canâ—m mortuum pulicem persequi dicitur de iis qui tenuissimos homines magno conatu insectantur Having therefore neither power nor will to do thee hurt the Lord judge between me and thee and plead my cause and deliver me out of thy hands David having ended Saul was so affected with what he had said that he lift up his voice and wept and said Is this thy voice my Son David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast done me good and I have rewarded thee with evil I am convinced that thou hast dealt exceeding kindly with me For when the Lord had delivered me into thy hands thou didst not take away my life If a man find his enemy and have him at an advantage will he let him go away without doing him any hurt This is not the common course of the world The Lord therefore reward thee for the great kindness thou hast shewed me this day And now I know assuredly that thou shalt be King see Ch. 15.28 23.17 seeing God hath endued thee with such heroick and Kingly virtues and does so eminently prosper thee in all thy undertakings I know that the Kingdom of Israel shall remain firm and established to thee and thy posterity after thee Swear now therefore to me that thou wilt not cut off my seed after I am gone as other jealous Princes use to do nor blot out my name by destroying my posterity And David sware unto him accordingly having in effect bound himself by Covenant and Oath before unto Jonathan to do the same that Saul here required But how can David be said to have observed this Oath when as afterwards he delivered the five Sons of Merab Saul's daughter and the two Sons of Rizpah his Concubine to the Gibeonites to be hanged see 2 Sam. 21. I answer David had a full intention to observe this Oath as far as lay in him as appears by his putting to death those that murdered Ishbosheth though he had risen against him 2 Sam. 4. and by his preserving and cherishing Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. But in the case before mentioned he was not left to his own choice but necessitated by a special command from God to deliver them into the hands of the Gibeonites for their satisfaction that Gods wrath being appeased the heavy judgment of famine under which they lay might be removed from the land see 2 Sam. 21.6 9. and therefore in this he brake not his Oath * Omnia pacta promissa vota jurejuranda ad hoc caput referenda
beasts I pray thee therefore consider what is fit to be done in the case for David is a man of courage and prowess and will never suffer such a gross abuse and injury offered to him to go unchastised For my part I am afraid he will revenge himself on our whole family I thought good to speak to thee of it that thou maist consider of some way to prevent it As for our Master he is such a Son of Belial of such an harsh and churlish temper that a man knows not how to speak to him Abigail being greatly awakened by this representation of her servant she speedily without acquainting Nabal therewith provided and took two hundred loaves and two leather-sacks of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched corn and a hundred clusters of raisons and two hundred cakes of figs and laid them on asses and bad her servants go before with them and she would follow after and riding upon her ass attended with her servants who had the charge of the presents on a sudden as she came under the hollow of the hill she met David and his men Seeing David coming she lighted off her ass and bowed her self to the ground and fell at his feet and said Vpon me * Crimen initio transfert ab odiosa persona in favorabilem my Lord upon me let the punishment of this great iniquity (b) Iniquitas hic peccati paenam significat and transgression fall which has so much provoked thee yet I pray thee let thy hand-maid speak a few words in thy ears which may possibly dispose thee to forbear taking revenge upon us Let not my Lord regard this man of Belial this Nabal Nabal is his name and indeed he answers his name for folly is with him it will not be for thy honour to regard his words or actions wise men do not use to regard the words of fools He is not worthy that thou shouldst trouble thy self about him much less that thou shouldst destroy me and my whole family for his sake She spake not thus to disgrace her husband for his folly was too notoriously known but because she had no other excuse to make for him to preserve him from ruin As for me she says I saw not the young men whom my Lord did send Had I seen them or known of their coming I should have treated them more civilly And now my Lord as sure as the Lord liveth and as sure as thou thy self art alive thou oughtest to believe that by my coming to meet thee and to pacifie thy anger the Lord doth intend to hinder thee from coming to shed blood and from avenging thy self with thy own hand and seeing I trust the Lord will by his alwise Providence so over-rule thy heart my earnest prayer is that God would make all thine enemies like Nabal that is as weak and unable to hurt thee as Nabal is And as for the present (c) V. 27. Benedictionem id est munus sive donum sive rem a benedictione Dei profectam that thy handmaid hath here brought to my Lord though it is so mean that it is not worthy of thy acceptance yet do not I pray thee disdain it seeing it may be of some use to thy servants that follow thee And I beseech thee vouchsafe to forgive the trespass of thy handmaid seeing I take the blame of all this miscarriage wholly upon my self I do verily believe the Lord will give thee the Kingdom and that thy Kingdom will be lasting and durable †* Stabile manebit regnum in familia tua and nothing better becomes a a King than clemency and mercy And that which enduces me to believe this is because I see thou fightest the Lords battels and hast often engaged thy self having warrant from him in a just defence of his cause and people and no self-revenge or cruelty hath been found in thee all thy days hitherto therefore I pray thee do not stain thine honour now by shedding innocent blood Indeed Saul is risen up unjustly to pursue thee and seek thy life but all his attempts will be in vain for the Lord will carefully preserve and charily keep thy life as men are wont carefully to bind up those things in bundles which they much value and intend to preserve And that mans rage must needs be vain who seeks to destroy him whom the Lord will preserve and protect But as for the lives of thine enemies them will he by a violent death sling out as men use to sling out stones out of their slings which they value not And it shall come to pass when the Lord shall have performed all his promises which he hath made unto thee and hath setled thee in thy Kingdom and made thee Ruler over all Israel then it will be a comfort to thee to remember that thou didst spare us and thou wilt not be tormented with anguish and trouble of conscience that thou didst shed innocent blood as certainly thou wilt be if thou shouldst proceed to execute thy bloody purpose And when thou art come to thy Kingdom let me find favour in thine eyes when my occasions and necessities shall require me to wait upon thee Abigail having thus spoken David said Blâ—ssed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from shedding blood and avenging my self with my own hand for in very deed as sure as the Lord liveth who hath graciously kept me back from hurting thee and thy family except thou hadst thus seasonably met me I had utterly destroyed by the next morning Nabal and all that belonged to him But thou maist now assure thy self that my wrath is appeased and as an evidence thereof I do kindly accept of the present thou hast brought me and will not avenge the wrong offered me by thy husband either upon him or any of his family I have heard thy suit and do grant all that thou desiredst therefore go in peace to thy own house and the Lord be with thee Abigail returning to her husband Nabal behold he kept a Feast that day in his house like the Feast of a King for plenty of provisions and multitude of guests And he had been so merry with his guests that he was very drunk wherefore she said nothing to him more or less of his danger till the morning In the morning when he had slept out his drunkenness and dâ—bauch she acquainted him with the desperate danger he had by his folly run them all into and how near destruction they all were if in the very nick of time it had not been by a wonderful Providence prevented He hearing this was so terrified with the horrour and dread of the danger he had been in that his heart died within him and falling into a swoon he became as a stone and about ten days after the Lord smote him with
some plague or sickness whereof he died When David heard of the death of Nabal though he rejoiced not in the evil that was befallen him yet he could not but rejoice in the manifestation of Gods justice upon him and that the Lord himself had pleaded his cause against him and had returned his wickedness upon his own head and had withheld him from revenging himself Sometime after David understood that Saul out of malice to him had given his wife Michal to one Phaltiel * Ishbosheth upon Davids desire restored her to him again 2 Sam. 3.14 15. the Son of Laish who was of Gallim a place in the Tribe of Benjamin wherefore reflecting upon the piety the prudence the modesty and comeliness of Abigail and possibly something upon her portion also as being in likelihood of very great wealth which his present condition might cause him to consider he sent some of his Attendants to her to treat with her about marriage And he chose rather to send others than to go himself that Abigail might be the more free in her choice not being over-awed with his presence and also that he might come off with less disgrace if his motion were not accepted The messengers coming to Abigail acquaint her with their business she as one wonderfully surprized at the strangeness of the motion bowed her self to the earth before them and addressing her self to the principal person among them said Alas I am utterly unfit for so high a dignity and advancement Let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord. I hardly think my self worthy to be a servant to his servants Herein Abigail shewed not only her great humility but her faith also who could think so honourably of David when he was in such a persecuted state and such a despised condition But the messengers pressing her further she at last consented and as 't is like sometime after when the messengers came again to fetch her she rode upon an ass after them having five young maidens to attend her And so she became Davids wife David also took to wife Ahinoam of Jezreel a City in Judah by whom he had Amnon his first-born 1 Sam. Ch. 25. from v. 2. to the end 11ly From hence he fled back again to Hachilah-Hill which is before Jeshimon for though the Ziphites had once sought to betray him there yet he hoped he should find more favour from them now seeing they knew how wonderfully God had delivered him And besides possibly he apprehended this place more convenient for him upon his marriage with Abigail because her possessions lay near it However the Ziphites fearing possibly that if David came to the Crown he would remember them for their former treachery against him bring Saul tidings a second time that he was there that so he might be cut off and they secur'd from any danger from him Saul accordingly without delay came with three thousand chosen men of Israel to find him out David having some intelligence of his coming he sent out Scouts to see if it were so and was by them informed that it was so indeed Saul being come near to him with his forces David arose and went secretly himself and possibly disguiz'd to the place where Saul had pitched and he beheld where he lay and Abner the Captain of his host and he saw that Saul lay inclosed with the Carriages and his Souldiers about him but they were all fast asleep David being moved doubtless by a special instinct of Gods Spirit to undertake this dangerous Enterprize and being desirous once more to manifest his innocence to Saul he spake to Abimelech the Hittite one of his Commanders being so by birth though an Israelite by Religion and to Abishai the Son of Zerviah (a) She had three Sons Joab Abishai and Asahel all valiant men she being Davids Sister is always mentioned and not her husband who possibly was of no great family and his name no where mentioned in Scripture his Sister 1 Chron. 2.15 16. demanding of them which of them would adventure to go with him into the Camp to Saul Abishai readily answered he would go with him David and Abishai accordingly entred into Saul's Camp through the midst of his Army and found Saul and his men fast asleep his Spear sticking at his head and a Cruse of water standing by him Then Abishai said to David God hath at this time delivered thine enemy into thy hands it would be a strange and unaccountable neglect if thou shouldst let slip this opportunity which Providence plainly offers thee let me I pray thee smite him with the Spear that stands at his head and let me alone I will smite him so surely at the first blow that I shall not need to give him a second David charges him not to touch him (b) Nusquam magis eluceo Clementia Davidis quam hoc loco ca. 24. Privato qualis adhuc erat David non actu Rex vide ca. 16. 13. non licet regem suum occidere quamvis Tyrannum P. Mart. for says he who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltless Possibly the Lord himself will smite him with some mortal disease as he did Nabal or he will die a natural death as other men do by sickness or old age or he will come to his end by some casualty falling in battel But as for me God forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against him or smite him my self or suffer him to be smitten But I pray thee take the Spear that stands at his boulster and the cruse of water that stands by him and let us be gone So they took away the Spear and the cruse of water neither Saul nor any of his men about him awaking for a dead sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them See Gen. 2.21 Then David went over to the other side and stood on the top of an hill at some distance from Saul's Camp but so as his voice might be heard and he called aloud to the people and to Abner and it seems he called often before he could awaken him at last Abner awaking said Who art thou that criest unto the King so as to disturb him in his rest David answers what art thou Abner a man so esteemed for valour that there is scarce any in Israel like unto thee wherefore then hast thou not kept thy Lord the King better For I do assure thee there came one of my followers into your Camp that would have destroyed the King had not I prevented it as the Lord liveth thou and the people about the King are worthy to die because ye have not watched better about your master the Lords anointed And now behold here in my hand the Kings Spear and the Cruse that stood at his head How came I by these Saul being now awake and hearing David speak to Abner after this manner he cries out What is this thy voice my
Son David David answers It is my voice my Lord O King And I pray thee wherefore doth my Lord thus pursue after his servant What have I done or what evil is in my hand Now therefore let my Lord the King vouchsafe to hear the words of his servant If the Lord hath stirred thee up against me let him receive an offering * Placato iram ejus Sacrificio munere Chald. Paraph. suspiciat oblationem meam cum voluntate that is let him be appeased with a sacrifice and oblation which I will offer for the sin whereby I have provoked him But if they be Court-Sycophants and malicious persons that by their lyes and slanders have incensed thee against me I leave them as cursed creatures to Gods just vengeance who will plead my cause against them For they have endeavoured to drive me out from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord and from enjoying his Ordinances and by forcing me as an exile to flee into Idolatrous Countries They have in effect said to me Go and serve other Gods And now seeing thou knowest my innocency let not my blood I pray thee be shed without cause for the Lord will see it and will not let it go unpunished Besides it is not honourable for the King of Israel to pursue me with so many men who have so little power to hurt him For I am but as a flea forced to skip hither and thither to save my self or a partridge on the mountains forced to flee from place to place to escape thy hands Then said Saul I have sinned Return my Son David to thy former condition for I will no more do thee harm seeing my life was precious in thine eyes this day and thou hast spared me when it was in thy power to kill me Behold I have played the fool and erred exceedingly I do acknowledg my fault and folly and openly take shame to my self for it in the hearing of all that are about me David desires him to send one of his young men to fetch his Spear having taken it from him only to evidence his innocence and that he had no evil intention in his heart against him And therefore says he let the Lord recompence every man according to his righteousness and faithfulness Thy life was indeed in my power this day but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lords anointed And as thy life was precious in mine eyes so let my life be precious in the eyes of the Lord my God and let it please him to preserve it though thou shouldst fail of thy promises made to me and shouldst seek again to take it away Then Saul said unto David Blessed be thou my Son David thou shalt do great things and shalt at last prevail maugre all the malice of thine enemies Then David retired and betook himself to some place of safety not trusting Saul for all his goodly words and promises having formerly found him so false and malicious And Saul returned to Gibeah where he kept his Court. 1 Sam. Ch. 26. whole Chapter 12ly David now seriously considering the condition of his affairs began through the weakness of his faith to think that he should at one time or other notwithstanding all his former deliverances perish by the hand of Saul if he did not speedily get himself out of his reach therefore he thought there was nothing more adviseable in his present circumstances than that he should send to the King of the Philistines and try if he could be received with his forces into his protection This indeed was no warrantable course that he now pitched upon for his preservation For first God had once before commanded him by the Prophet Gad to abide in the land of Judah see Chap. 22.5 2ly He having before been such a formidable enemy to the Philistines and having so hardly escaped with his life once before when he sought privately to shelter himself among them there was no likelihood he should be entertained by them on any other terms than that he and his Souldiers should turn to the Philistines and declare themselves enemies to Saul and the people of Israel 3ly This must needs tend to the great grief of those that were righteous in the land and would give his enemies occasion exceedingly to triumph and to say that now he discovered what he was seeing he had deserted his own people and religion and had joined himself to their uncircumcised enemies But thus it is when mens hearts sink through distrust of God as it seems Davids now did they seek to help themselves by any means they can David therefore having as 't is probable sent his Agents before hand to the King of the Philistines and having obtained assurance from him under the publick faith that he and his Souldiers should live safely in his land which 't is like out of meer policy he consented unto knowing the hatred that Saul bear him and believing that David and his forces would be ready to join with him and his subjects against Saul he passed over with six hundred men that followed him to Achish King of Gath. He carried also his two wives along with him Ahinoam and Abigail and his followers likewise carried their wives and families not thinking it safe to leave them behind them in the land of Israel and for some time by Achish's permission they dwelt in Gath or about it When it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath he gave over any further thoughts of seeking after him he being in the land of his enemies and so out of his reach David being desirous to dwell apart by himself with those that followed him that he might have the more freedom for the exercise of his Religion and might keep his Souldiers from being corrupted with the Vices and Idolatries of the Philistines and that he might from thence go out and prey the more secretly upon the enemies of Gods people without having any notice taken of it he humbly desired Achish that his Officers might assign him and his followers some place in the Country to live in it not being fit for him a stranger to live with the King in the Royal City especially having so many people with him who must needs be burdensome and might sometimes prove offensive to him and the inhabitants of his City Achish consents thereunto and accordingly gave him Ziklag which being allotted to the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.31 was afterwards given to Simeon Josh 19.5 but the Philistines having gotten possession of it had kept it to this day and now Achish giveth it unto David and so it was not only joined to Judah's portion * Hac donatione justos ad Heredes rediit Achish dedit Davidi non solum ad inhabitandum sed ut in illius dominium cederet but was also upon this occasion designed to be ever after a part of the Crown-land of the Kings of Judah Here David dwelt a full year and four months
17. Faciet enim tibi dominus Strigelius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 malui legere quod est in margine quomodo Hieron Septuaginta verterunt quam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertia persona sumitur pro secunda sic mos Hebraeis permutandi personas Saul then perceived him in that form though it were not the true Samuel but the Devil in his likeness and stooped with his face to the earth and bowed himself to him This counterfeit Samuel now asked him Why he had disquieted him to bring him up thither Saul answered I am sore distressed the Philistines make war upon me and God is departed from me and answereth me no more either by Prophets or Dreams therefore have I called for thee that thou maist make known to me what I should do The evil spirit now counterfeiting not only Samuel's person but his words and actions replied Why dost thou ask counsel of me seeing the Lord is departed from thee and become thine enemy Alas I cannot help thee for the Lord will do to thee as he hath spoken by me He will rend the Kingdom out of thine hand and give it to thy neighbour even to David because thou obeyest not his voice nor executest his fierce wrath upon Amalek and therefore it is that this judgment will fall upon thee And moreover the Lord will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines and to morrow (h) To morrow is not to be understood precisely of the next day following but indefinitely of some time near approaching So to morrow is taken Exod. 13.14 Mat. 6.34 and so here to be understood For it was not the next day after that Saul and his Sons were slain in which the Philistines were but preparing for the battel and sent away David from among them see Ch. 29. but as it seemeth by the History some few days after thou and thy sons shall be with me (i) First God may reveal things future and contingent unto Satan who may reveal them to Witches and to Sorcerers before they came to pass to encourage and harden their hearts in their Diabolical practices and the hearts of others also that resort unto them 2ly God sometimes useth Satan as an instrument to execute his judgments as he did in the case of Job and the four hundred false Prophets that were deluded by him 1 King 22.22 and then 't is easie for him to reveal those things he hath in commission to execute Permittit Deus Daemones aliquando responsa dare Idololatris quia ex malitia sua demerentur ut sic in erroribus exerceantur ut Ancilla illa Act. 16. quae nisi vera prae dixisset magnum Dominis suis quaestum non prae buisset Multa de oraculo Delphico referant omnes Historiae Craeso sciscitanti num futurum esset ut filius mutus loqueretur respondit infausto die loquuturum esse quod accidit that is shall be dead as the true Samuel was who was personated by this evil spirit Saul hearing these dismal tidings and being very faint through fasting all the day before even to that time of the night he fell on the ground in a swoon and there was no strength in him The Witch hereupon came to him and told him that she had so far obeyed him as to put her life into his hands therefore she desired him so far to gratifie her as to receive a little refreshment from her that he might have strength to return to the army But he utterly refused it till his servants together with the woman by their earnest importunity prevailed with him so he arose from the earth and sat upon the bed and the woman having a fatted calf in the stall she caused it presently to be kill'd and drest and prepar'd some of it and took flour and kneaded it and baked unleavened * Panes azymos quos statim curavit coquendos non enim expectavit donec farinae illa subacta fermentaretur bread thereof and so brought her provisions and set them before Saul and his servants and they did eat of them and then arose and went their way 1 Sam. Ch. 28. from v. 1 to the end 14. The Philistines now gathered all their forces together to Aphek a Town in the Tribe of Asher and the Israelites pitched by a fountain near Jezreel The Four Lords of the Philistines led up their forces and marched with their hundreds and thousands but David and his men marched in the rear with Achish who seems to be chief among them if not their General The Princes of the Philistines observing this askt in some passion what those Hebrews did among them Achish reply'd the chief commander of them was David a servant of Saul's a man of great wisdom and fortitude who had been with him some days or rather some years he having dwelt with him one full year and four months see Ch. 27.7 and in all that time since he fell to him he had found no fault in him But the Princes of the Philistines were not satisfied with that but imagined that Achish was meerly deluded by him and that he would endanger their Army therefore they urge Achish to send him back and to cause him to return to the place he had appointed for him viz. to Ziklag lest in the battel he should fall off from them and help their enemies For how can he better contrive say they to reconcile himself to his master than by betraying the lives of this whole Army into his hands They further add that he was a most dangerous person of whose abilities they ought to be very apprehensive being highly renown'd for his military prudence and valour among his own Nation insomuch that the women sang of him in their dances Saul hath slain his thousands but David his ten thousands See Ch. 18.7 21.11 Hereupon Achish called David and told him that as sure as the Lord lived he had found him faithful to him and he could not but highly approve all his carriage since he came into the Army nay he had found no evil in him since the first day he came up to him Nevertheless he must acquaint him that the Lords of the Philistines favoured him not therefore he advised him to return with his forces to Ziklag that he might not give them any further cause of jealousie David replies what evil hast thou found in thy servant since I have been with thee even unto this day that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my Lord the King (k) Necessaria querela ne si taceret suspitionibus Philistaeonum suffragari videretur Menoch Achish answers I protest thou seemest unto me to be a person of such excellencies of such probity and goodness as if thou wert an Angel (l) Hunc loquendi modum Philistaei a vicinis hauserunt Hebraeis Conterminae enim regiones ut experientia docet multas voces phrases communes habent sent from heaven unto me I
and so would not go home to his own house but lay in the Court among the Kings houshold-servants And thus the Lord counterplotted David and would not suffer him to smother his sin as he earnestly endeavoured to have done David seeing that none of these devices would do resolves now upon a worse project than any of the former he writes a Letter to Joab and sends it by Vriah himself commanding him to set Vriah in the forefront of the hottest battel and to retire from him that he might be smitten and die Behold here the fearful progress of sin from one degree to another David whose conscience was once so tender that it smote him for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment being now left to himself groweth to such an hardness in sin that he scrupleth not to murder a faithful innocent and valiant subject and together with him divers others of his good subjects and draweth Joab also to partake with him in the same wickedness so great cause have we daily and earnestly to pray unto God not to lead us into temptation or not to leave us unto the power of it Joab having received these orders not regarding as it seems whither they were just or unjust right or wrong but resolving to please his Prince upon whose favour he depended whither he pleased God or no he sets himself to put them in execution and perhaps he hoped thereby to recover the Kings favour to the full height which had been much lessened and abated towards him since he had killed Abner and possibly he thought that David would be the more propitious to him when himself was become guilty in the like kind Observing therefore in what part of the City the stoutest Soldiers of the enemy manned the walls he assigned Vriah with a commanded party to that quarter and the City sallying out upon them several of them were slain and Vriah among the rest Then Joab sent a messenger to David to inform him how things went and put words into his mouth and instructed him what he should say if he found the King displeased at the loss of his men he tells him that possibly the King would be angry that they approached so near the walls of the City seeing they could not but think the enemy would shoot upon them from thence and would say what did they not remember how Abimelech the Son of Jerubbesheth (a) Call'd Jerubbaal Judg. 7.1 but here Jerubbesheth because the Hebrews detestation of Idols did expunge the word Baal out of their names and put Bosheth or Besheth in the room of it signifying an infamous thing as the Idol was Hos 9.10 compare 1 Chron. 8.33 with 2 Sam. 2.8 and 1 Chron. 8.34 with 2 Sam. 4.4 where Eshbaal and Meribaal in the one place are called Ishbosheth and Mephibosheth in the other or Gideon was slain Judg. 9.53 by venturing too near to the wall of Thebez He bids him that if the King expressed himself to him after this manner then he should forthwith say thy servant Vriah the Hittite is slain among the rest The messenger coming to David told him it seems only that the men of Rabbah had sallied out upon them and at first prevailed against them but they soon forced them to retreat and pursuing them too hotly even to the Gate of the City and the shooters shooting from the wall upon them they slew some of the Kings servants and among the rest his servant Vriah The King hearing this expressed no such displeasure at the loss of his men as Joab imagined he would do seeing Vriah whose death he mainly designed was taken off but bad the messenger tell Joab that he must not be over much troubled at this loss for the sword devoureth one as well as another therefore he must be content and bear with patience such accidents and take care to strengthen his siege for the future against the City that he might take it The King further bad the Messenger in his name to comfort and encourage Joab that he might go on chearfully with the war When Bathsheba heard that her husband Vriah was dead she put her self into mourning * The time of ordinary as Josephus writes lasted but seven days see Gen. 50.10 but their more solemn mournings lasted thirty days Deut. 34.8 for him the better to conceal her sin but whether she were inwardly grieved or no (a) Lacrymas non sponte cadentes effudit gemitusque expressit pectore laeto Lucan be sure she had cause enough of heart-bleeding and heart-breaking mourning if she considered that by her sin she had occasioned her husbands untimely death But when the time of her mourning (b) Tempus luctus quod Romanis mulieribus erat annus vel decem menses intra quod tempus nubere eis non licebat Haebreis in lege non erat constitutum was over which undoubtedly was as short as conveniently might be David sent for her and made her his wife that she might be thought to be with child by him after they were married but their adultery could not be so concealed for she soon was brought to bed of a Son and the thing that David had done highly displeased the Lord and he soon found the bitter effects of it 2 Sam. Ch. 11. whole Chapter SECT CXCIII IOab resolutely pursuing the siege of Rabbah at last he took that part of the City which was called the Royal City wherein the Kings Palace stood and the City of waters because it was invironed with waters both for safety and delight and knowing that the other part could not long stand out he sent to David to intreat him to come thither with some new forces that so he might have the honour of taking it and the glory and renown of this great enterprize For he knew that Kings were apt to be jealous and did not love that their subjects should eclipse their glory David accordingly went thither and took the City and with it their King Hanun and putting his Crown of State the weight whereof was a talent of Gold (c) A Crown of State and too weighty to be worn adorned with precious jewels upon his head and then taking it off they set it upon Davids to shew that the Royal dignity of that Nation was removed from him and conferred on David and then Hanun as 't is probable was either instantly deposed or put to death and his Brother made Governour of Rabbah under David whence it was that he shewed such respect to David when he fled from Absalom David was never so severe and cruel as at this time when he lay under the guilt of Adultery and murder Ch. 17.27 28. David having thus taken the City he brought forth the spoil of it in great abundance and took so many of the people as he thought fit to make exemplary and such of their Elders and Rulers as had been the chief ringleaders in all their vile and wicked actings and inflicted most severe
back to Jerusalem with these men of Judah Shimei the Benjamite join'd himself who had before so unsufferably cursed and reviled David bringing with him a thousand Benjamites so that it seems he was a potent man in his own Tribe He took this opportunity of coming to reconcile himself to the King and obtain his pardon hoping to speed the better because the men of Judah also now came to make their peace with him Ziba also the treacherous servant of Mephibosheth who had so falsely accused his Master was very forward to come with his fifteen sons and twenty servants to meet the King hoping thereby to keep himself in the Kings favour though his falseness to his Master should be discovered All these went over Jordan to meet the King and to conduct him back And there went a Ferry-boat to bring over some of the chief of the Kings houshold as his wives and children and whom he pleased and to be imployed as he should appoint The rest passed over the fords on horses or as they could Shimei now coming before the King fell down on his face before him and said Let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me neither do thou remember what thy servant did perversely on the day that my Lord the King went out of Jerusalem neither let the King take it to his heart or regard it for thy servant doth acknowledg that he hath heinously sin'd against thee But I am come the first and before any others of the house of Joseph * The Scripture is wont ordinarily to divide the 12 Tribes into Judah and Israel Judah having Benjamin adjoin'd to it and Ephraim comprehending the other Ten Tribes which are all called by its name because it was the chief of them See Isa 7.2 Psal 80.1 Zach. 10.6 viz. of the Ten Tribes to meet my Lord the King And therefore as I have given a good example to others so if I obtain pardon others will be encouraged by my example to come in likewise to submit to the King Abishai standing by and hearing what he said What says he shall not Shimei be put to death who cursed the Lords anointed to his face If thou spare him spare all The King replied What have I to do with you ye Sons of Zerviah why should you advise me to that which is so prejudicial to me as if you were my very adversaries seeing God hath given me so signal a victory over my enemies and hath made this day a day of rejoicing to me I will not damp nor stain the joy of it by sheding any mans blood I am this day restored to my Kingdom again and as it were new-created King and what better becomes a King especially on the day of his Inauguration than clemency and mercy It will not be wisdom in me to discourage those that are willing to submit to me nor to endanger my yet unsetled State by exercising severity on them who stooped and acknowledged their faults Therefore as for Shimei I do here swear unto him before you all and pass my royal word that he shall not die (a) This must be understood in reference to his former faults if he committed any new offence this Oath did not bind to secure him from punishment therefore David 1 King 2.8 9. gave order to his Son Solomon to watch and observe him well that if his malice and wickedness did break forth any other way he should proceed against him in a way of justice Non morieris i. e. hodie vel jam vel manu mea meo jussu non propter hanc causam Nec praecepit Solomoni ut propter eum puniret eum sed solum dicit noli pati eum esse impunitum sed eo modo quo juste poteris Id ergo committit prudentiae Solomonis Among others that met the King Mephibosheth the Grandson of Saul was one who had neither washed his feet as in publick mournings they used not to do nor trimmed his beard nor wash'd his linnen from the day the King departed from the City to that day but had behaved himself as a true mourner for the Kings long absence and sore afflictions The King asks him why he came not to him sooner he answers My Lord O King my servant deceived me for I said I would have the asses sadled that I might ride to the King and behold he went away secretly with them leaving me behind a poor lame man unable to help my self And besides this he hath also horribly slandered me to the King and hath thereby as I understand gotten a grant of my lands I do protest I never spake those words he hath accused me of but my Lord the King is wise even as an Angel of God to discern between truth and falshood therefore let him do unto me what seemeth good in his eyes for I acknowledg all my fathers house were but as dead men before my Lord the King we were all in thy power thou mightest have put us all to death if thou hadst so pleased for the attempt made upon thy Royal dignity by Ishbosheth and therefore what cause have I to complain if that which was freely given me by thee be now taken from me David tells him he was full of weighty business at that time and therefore he would not have him for the present trouble him any further about that matter I have said says he and my sentence shall stand Thou and Ziba divide the land It may seem strange that so wise and just a King as David was should pass so unjust a sentence against Mephibosheth the Son of his dear friend Jonathan with whom he had made a solemn Covenant to be kind to him and his seed after him and the poor pitiful plight and condition Mephibosheth was now in might have induc'd David to think that he was far from aspiring to the Crown Besides Ziba did not offer now to justifie to his masters face what he had before accused him of But it seems David was loth to displease Ziba who had lately brought him relief in his distress and was not willing to take back from him all that he had given him especially at such a time as this when he so much desired to endear himself to all his subjects and therefore he appointed Mephibosheth and him to divide the land between them But notwithstanding the hardness of this sentence honest Mephibosheth was so far from being displeased at it that he said Nay let him take all seeing my Lord the King is come to his house in peace Besides these Barzillai the Gileadite a man of eighty years of age who had supplied the King with Provisions while he was at Mahanaim see Ch. 17.27 being a very rich man came from Rogelim the City where he lived to conduct the King over Jordan The King received him very kindly and invited him to go along with him to Jerusalem where he would entertain him as his friend Barzillai told him he was at
soever they be they are all thy servants and ready to be imploy'd at thy command and therefore if thou dost this thing I am afraid thou wilt be a cause of trespass (c) Sed quid in to commisit populus consensit assentatus est Regi Merc. unto Israel and wilt hereby occasion them to be too carnally confident and to relye too much on the arm of flesh But the King declar'd he would have it done though Joab and the Captains that were with him did what they could to disswade him from it Joab seeing the King so bent upon it like a servile Courtier though the Kings command was abominable to him 1 Chron. 21.6 and his judgment against it and his mind did presage that some judgment would come upon the Kingdom for it yet to please the King he and the Captains with him set upon it and so taking their journey towards the East they passed over Jordan and began the work at Aroer a City of the Gadites situate on the river Arnon thence marching to Gazer they passed Northward and entred into Gilead and so came to Dan in the North of Palestine and then turned towards the Mediterranean Sea and so came along the Northern Coasts by Zidon and Tyre and then came to the South of Judah even to Beersheba and so after nine months and twenty days Joab came to Jerusalem and gave in the sum of the number of the people unto the King The sum that he gave in as it is here set down 2 Sam. 24.9 was in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword and in Judah five hundred thousand But in 1 Chron. 21.5 't is said he gave in the number of Israel eleven hundred thousand and in Judah only four hundred threescore and ten thousand so that here is a double diversity three hundred thousand short in the one and thirty thousand over in the other For the reconciling of this some think that Joab when he gave in the account eight hundred thousand he left out the Trained bands which were before enrolled and did their service in Jerusalem every month of which there were twenty four thousand for every month which will make 288000 and left out also their Colonels Captains Commanders and Officers of all sorts which might amount to twelve thousand more and so make up three hundred thousand which being added to the eight hundred thousand make up altogether eleven hundred thousand As for the other diversity concerning Judah viz. that in the Chronicles he is said to have given in of them only four hundred threescore and ten thousand and in Samuel five hundred thousand for the reconciling of that possibly when he came first to Jerusalem he gave in but only four hundred threescore and ten thousand but then there was an addition of thirty thousand more out of Jerusalem which made it up five hundred thousand But yet he did not number Levi and Benjamin which still join'd themselves to Judah being weary of the work and the plague soon after breaking out he gave it quite over The total of all was sixteen hundred thousand scarce a Kingdom in the world of no larger extent was ever so prodigiously fruitful The next morning after the number of the people was given in to the King the Prophet Gad was sent unto him by the Lord to make known his sin and how God intended to punish him for it Hereupon David's heart smote him and he humbly confessed and acknowledged he had sinned greatly and done foolishly and earnestly begged pardon of the Lord. The Prophet Gad tells him that the Lord was resolved severely to chastise him but yet he would offer him his choice of three judgments viz. either * In 2 Sam. 24.13 't is seven years famine as if God should have said you have lately suffered three years famine for the sin of Saul against the Gibeonites and this fourth year being a Sabbatical year hath an harvest indeed but for want of seed sown a very poor one and no ways able to supply the necessities of the land Now to these four years of famine art thou willing the Lord should add three years of famine more which will make the famine continue in all upon the land seven years three years famine or to fly three months before the enemy who should overtake and slaughter his people in the flight or three days pestilence (b) Not an ordinary pestilence arising from the infection of the air but by the immediate stroke of an Angel See 1 Chron. 21.12 So that the Lord now dealt with David as a Father doth that bringeth forth three or four rods some greater than others though he means to use but one of them and possibly the least yet thereby he doth the more scare his child and humble him with the fear of his anger thus the Lord shewed three dreadful judgments to David but yet he manifested so much gentleness and kindness as to permit him to chuse which of them he had rather suffer David upon this message said I am in a great straight for these are all such sore judgments that I know not which to chuse He knew the Pestilence might destroy as many in three days as the sword in three months or the famine in three years but at last he chose the Pestilence and that because he judged it better to fall into the hands of God (c) Like a loving child David chuses to be chastised by his Father rather than by the hand of a servant or a slave whose mercies are great then into the hands of men 'T is true the sword and famine are sent by God yet in them he useth other instruments besides and when the Lord punisheth by men he usually suffers them to deal with great severity and cruelty even more than himself is wont to deal with when he takes them into his own hand and this was the main cause why David chose the Pestilence yet withal this is to be observ'd that he chose such a calamity as would not spare the Prince any more than the people For no antidotes or preservatives could secure him against the sword of the Angel whereas in war he might have got into some strong fort and in famine might have stored up provision for himself and so have escaped but what fence is there against the destroying Angel but only the protection of the Almighty David therefore having chosen that judgment the Lord sent a Pestilence from the morning of that day that Gad came first to him until the evening of the third day after and there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand And thus was David punished in the very way wherein he had sinned His heart was proud and lifted up because of the number of his people and now their number is sadly diminished by this sore judgment The Angel went still on destroying and at last stretched out his hand over Jerusalem and as he
the Kings Sons and Joab and Abiathar and many Captains of the host and behold they eat and drink before him and say God save King Adonijah Surely this is not done with thy allowance for matters of so great moment thou didst not use to transact without consulting me first about them Then the King called for Bathsheba and said to her As the Lord liveth who hath redeemed me out of all former distresses as I sware to thee that Solomon should sit on my Throne after me so it shall be Then Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth and said Let my Lord King David live for ever As if she should have said Long may the King live and I wish if it were the will of God we might never lose him Then the King call'd for Zadok Nathan and Benaiah and commanded them to take with them his Life-guard viz. the Cherethites and Pelethites and to set Solomon on his own Mule and to carry him to Gihon (a) A Mount with a rivulet close by it on the West-side of Jerusalem and that Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet should there anoint him King over all Israel and when that was done they should blow with the Trumpet and say God save King Solomon and then says he ye shall attend him back in state to Jerusalem that he may come and sit on my Throne and be thereby declared King in my stead For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah * It seems there was emulation between Judah and the other Tribes before the division of the Kingdom See 2 Sam. 19.41 Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada hearing the King speak thus answered in his own and the name of the rest Amen The Lord God confirm what the King hath said As the Lord hath been with my Lord the King so may he be with Solomon also and make his Throne greater than the Throne of his Father Then Zadok Nathan Benaiah and the Kings Life-guard carried Solomon to Gihon and there Zadok the Priest anointed him with oyl taken out of the Tabernacle viz. the Tabernacle which David had set up for the Ark 2 Sam. 6.17 for oyl being kept there for several holy uses Zadok took an horn full of it and therewith anointed the King Which done they blew the Trumpet and all the people there present shouted God save King Solomon Then they carried him in state towards Jerusalem and the people followed after piping with Pipes and rejoicing with great joy and they shouted so loud that the earth even rent (a) An Hyperbolical expression setâ—ing forth the greatness of their acclamations with the sound of their acclamations Adonijah and the company that were with him just as they were concluding their great Feast heard this extraordinary noise and acclamation and Joab heard the sound of the Trumpet and wondred what the matter was and thought there might be some uproar in the City but immediately Jonathan the Son of Abiathar came to them Adonijah seeing him O come in says he for thou art a good (b) Hebr. a man of vertue man and bringest good tidings The tidings says Jonathan that I bring are that David hath made Solomon King and Zadok Nathan and Benaiah have anointed him in Gihon and they came up with him from thence rejoicing and shouting so loud that the City rang again and this is the noise ye heard and Solomon sits now on the Throne and is in actual possession of the Kingdom and the Kings servants came and blest our Lord King David and rendred him humble thanks for setting Solomon on the Throne and pray'd that the Lord would make the name of Solomon more famous than he had made Davids and his Kingdom greater and the King bowed himself upon his bed and worshipped and praised God saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath setled my Son Solomon this day on my Throne my own eyes seeing it The Guests that were with Adonijah hearing this had enough of their Feast and began to be sore afraid and got themselves away as fast as they could to their own houses leaving Adonijah to shift for himself Adonijah then not well knowing what to do and being sorely afraid that Solomon would take away his life he fled to Gibeon where the Tabernacle of Moses now was 1 Chron. 21.29 and there took hold on the horns of the Altar For though we read of no express Law that God ever gave to his people that those that fled to the Altar should be there secured yet that it was a custom for malefactors to fly to the Altar as to an Asylum or place of refuge may be gathered from Exod. 21.14 and the Altar being the place where God did shew forth the riches of his grace in accepting a sacrifice for sin this hanging upon the horns of it was a kind of pleading that mercy should be shewed them for Gods sake And accordingly Adonijah fled to the Altar and being there he desireth that King Solomon so he acknowledgeth him would swear to him that he would not put him to death Solomon sent him word that if he would shew himself a worthy man and a loyal subject for the future not an hair of his head should fall to the ground but if he appeared to be wicked and disloyal after this he should surely die Upon this promise they brought Adonijah from the Altar to Solomon to whom he bowed himself and Solomon bad him go to his own house and there live peaceably and quietly 1 King Ch. 1. from v. 5 to the end SECT CCX DAvid having now caused Solomon to be anointed King he giveth him in charge the building of the Temple speaking to him after this manner My Son it was in my heart to build an house for the Lord but the Lord would not permit me to do it because I had been engaged in many wars and had shed much blood (c) God does not upbraid David for shedding blood in his own cause Saul and Ahab for sparing blood lost their Kingdoms 1 Sam. 15.23 1 King 20.22 42. The Levites for their fact in shedding blood Exod. 32. and Phineas for his Numb 25. have the Priesthood setled on them and so was not so fit to build a Temple to him which was to be a figure of the Messias the Prince of Peace But he said to me a Son shall be born to thee who shall be a man of rest and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about his name shall be call'd Solomon that is peaceable for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days he shall build an house for my name he shall be my Son and I will be his Father and I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom over Israel for ever that is for a long time and as long as the Kingdom of Judah shall continue one of Solomon's posterity shall sit in the Throne of David (a) Possibly none of
the plea of an Elder Brother and has Abiathar and Joab on his side if he can strengthen himself by this marriage he will not then fear to shew himself and endeavour to get the Kingdom for himself and then Abiathar and Joab will King it under him Then falling into a passion he said God do so to me and more also and bring upon me greater misery than I dare now mention see Ruth 1.17 if I do not make it appear to all the world that Adonijah hath spoken this word against his own life For as the Lord liveth who hath set me on the Throne of my Father and made me a family and Court according to the dignity of a King as he promised 2 Sam. 7.12 13. Adonijah shall surely this day be put to death So he immediately gave order to Benaiah Captain of his Guard to fall upon him and kill him which accordingly he did * Thus what Nathan threatned against David 2 Sam. 12.10 viz. that the sword should not depart from his house was fully verified Then sending for Abiathar he told him He was worthy to be put to death also for thus joining with Adonijah in this conspiracy but says he I will not at this time put thee to death because thou didst bear the Ark of God before my Father David and hast been a great sharer with him in all his afflictions and sufferings therefore get thee to Anathoth a City in the Tribe of Benjamin which with the fields about it belongs to the Priests and there live a private life and meddle no more with the Priesthood or Civil affairs And thus Solomon by thrusting out Abiathar from his office and placing Zadok in his room fulfilled the word of the Lord which he spake concerning Eli 1 Sam. 2.31 when the Tabernacle was at Shiloh and concerning Phineas Numb 25.13 These things being thus transacted tidings came presently to Joab that Adonijah was slain and Abiathar confin'd to Anathoth whereupon being conscious of his own guilt in joining with Adonijah in his aspiring to the Crown though he would not join with Absalom in the like case he fled to the Tabernacle at Gibeon and there laid hold on the horns of the Altar thinking possibly by that means the rather to escape because Adonijah had there not long before found favour 1 King 1.52 Solomon hearing where he was presently sends Benaiah and commands him to kill him there Benaiah coming to the Tabernacle would have perswaded Joab to come forth thence but he utterly refused it saying if he must die he would die there which possibly he spake hoping that by hanging on the horns of the Altar he should save his life and not imagining that they would put him to death there And thus it seems he forgot what God himself had said Exod. 21.14 That he that hath slain a man wilfully shall be taken from the Altar Benaiah being loth of his own head to shed blood at the Altar went back to the King and told him what Joab said The King replied Do unto him as he hath said that is seeing he resolves to die there let him die there and there fall upon him and kill him and then bury him decently for the honour of his place and his former services and so thou wilt take away from me and my fathers house the guilt of that innocent blood which he so barbarously shed and so the Lord will return blood upon his head who fell upon two men more righteous and better than himself for in that cause for which he killed them they were innocent He slew Abner for fear lest David should prefer him above himself And he slew Amasa because my Father had preferred him to the place of General in his room So that they were both innocent and not worthy of death upon that account he shall die therefore that their innocent blood may return upon his head and that the blot and stain of it may remain upon his posterity and accordingly they shall feel the sad effects of it for many generations And I doubt not but that upon the house of David and upon his Throne and upon his family there will be peace and prosperity for a long time from the Lord. For by executing judgment on murderers guilt is taken away from the Magistrate and from the Land Numb 35.33 So Benaiah went up to the Altar at Gibeon and as 't is like dragging Joab from thence he slew him and buried him in his own house in the wilderness and the King made Benaiah General of the Army in his room Then the King called for Shimei and said to him Build thee an house in Jerusalem and dwell there and go not forth thence any whither for it shall be that the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Kidron (a) Solomon would not permit him to go over Kidron which was the way to Bakurim his own city lest he should raise some sedition there where was his own inheritance 2 Sam. 16.5 Kidron was about a mile from Jerusalem so that Shimei had room enough thou shalt surely die and thy blood shall be upon thine own head thou thy self wilt be the only cause thereof Shimei said unto the King The saying is good thy command is just and equal As my Lord the King hath said so will I do and I do bind my self by a solemn Oath which I now make unto thee in the presence of the Lord That I will not go out of the limits thou hast set me v. 42. But how he performed his Oath and promise we shall see afterwards Sect. 221. 1 King Ch. 2. from v. 12 to 39. SECT CCXV HAdad the Edomite who in the days of David had fled into Egypt and had been there for a great while kindly entertained when he heard that both David and Joab were dead he returned into his own Country and proved afterwards a great enemy to Solomon as we shall see hereafter 1 King Ch. 11. v. 21 22. SECT CCXVI SOlomon now contracts affinity with Pharaoh King of Egypt by marrying his Daughter and he brought her into Sion into the Palace of David intending afterwards to build a stately house for her when he had finished the Temple the wall of Jerusalem and his own Palace And he preferred her before the rest of his wives they being of Nations that were his subjects but she the daughter of a potent King And by this match and affinity with such a great neighbour Prince he designed to secure himself the better against foreign enemies 'T is not said whether she had embraced the Religion of the Israelites when he took her to wife yet considering that he is no where blamed for this marriage 't is most like she forsook her Idolatry and that either before or after her marriage she became a Proselyte and worshipped the true God because Solomon in this marriage is made a type of Christ wooing the Gentiles to make them his Spouse and calling them
word and performed thy promise to thy servant David in raising me his Son up to build a Temple for thee perform also I pray thee unto my father what thou didst further promise him * 2 Sam. 7.13 to wit that there shall not fail a man lineally descended from him to sit upon the Throne of Israel and to reign in thy sight provided his children take heed to their way to walk before thee with that integrity that he did Now let thy word I pray thee be verified and fulfilled which thou spakest to my father concerning this matter But why do I speak of my building an house for thee Will God indeed dwell on earth Behold thou art an infinite and immense being Thou canst not be contained within any compass or space The Heaven and Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee much less this house that I have builded But though thou canst not be contained within this house yet I pray thee have regard to the prayer and humble supplication of me thy poor servant which I make to thee in behalf of this house namely that the eyes of thy favour and providence may be open towards it day and night seeing thou hast said of it that thy name †Deut. 12.11 shall be there call'd upon and worshipped I humbly beseech thee therefore when ever either my self or any of thy people shall pray unto thee in this place or towards it (a) V. 30. Versus hunc locum quasi respiciens ad promissionem praesentiae tuae in hoc loco exemplum in Daniele cap. 6. v. 10. that then thou wouldst please to hear in Heaven thy dwelling place where thy glory is most eminently manifested and when thou hearest be pleased to forgive and pardon our transgressions against thee For there is no comfort in obtaining any other mercy if our sins be not forgiven Particularly I humbly request of thee that if any man be charged that he hath trespassed against his neighbour and he be brought before thine Altar (b) Tacto Altare jurare mos omnium prope Gentium Intrepidi quicunque altaria tangunt Juv. in the Court of this house to clear himself by Oath sufficient proof by witnesses being wanting that thou wouldst please to deal with him according to innocence or guiltiness punishing him if he be faulty and bringing his wicked way upon his own head but justifying and acquitting him if he be innocent Or if thy people be smitten before their enemies in the field because they have sinned against thee and shall turn again to thee and confess thy name to wit thy justice in suffering their enemies to prevail against them and shall acknowledg thy mercy and power and so seek to thee for pardon and help and shall make supplication to thee turning their faces towards this house then hear thou in heaven and forgive their sin and bring them again into the land which thou gavest to their fathers Or when the heaven is shut up and there is no rain because thy people have sinned against thee if they shall pray towards this place and confess thy justice in punishing of them and turn from their sin then hear thou in heaven and forgive their sin and teach them the good way (c) V. 36. Et ostende eis viam bonam wherein they should walk and then give rain upon the land which thou hast given thy people for an inheritance Or if any of these great judgments fall upon the land to wit famine pestilence and blasting or if there be any plague or sickness upon thy people what prayer and supplication shall be made by any man singly or by all thy people jointly who shall know every man the plague (d) 2 Chron. 6.29 When every one shall know his own sore and his own grief Grief is put for that which should cause grief viz. Sin of his own heart to wit the sins for which he is punished and shall spread forth his hands towards this house then hear thou in heaven and forgive and do what in thy infinite wisdom seemeth good and give to every man according to his ways not his former sins but his present repentance whose heart thou seest to be sincere and upright For thou and thou only O Lord knowest the hearts of all the children of men And I humbly beseech thee to deal thus mercifully with thy people that they may fear thee and walk in thy ways all the days of their lives Moreover if a stranger that is not of thy people Israel who hears of thy wondrous works and righteous Laws and this holy house shall come from his own Countrey to testifie his high esteem of thy great name and to worship and praise thee and shall pray towards this house (a) Or in this house viz. in the Court of the Gentiles then hear thou in heaven and grant all that he shall pray unto thee for which is agreeable to thy holy will that all the people of the earth may know thy name and learn to fear thee as do thy people Israel and that they may know that thy name is called upon in this house that I have built to wit that it is call'd the Temple of the Lord and the house of God and is so in reality by thy hearing the prayers that are here made unto thee Furthermore if thy people shall go out to battel against their enemies and shall pray unto thee and seek thy favour and help in that enterprize looking towards this City and this house which I have built for thy great name then hear thou in heaven their prayer and supplication and maintain their just and righteous cause by giving them good success But if they by their sins provoke thee for there is no man that sinneth not so that thou givest them up into the hands of their enemies and they carry them away captive either further off or nearer hand however if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive and shall repent and make supplication to thee saying we have sinned and done perversly we have committed wickedness and so shall return unto thee with all their heart and all their soul and shall pray unto thee looking towards this land this City and this house then hear thou in heaven their prayer and supplication and maintain their cause taking part with thy people that repent and pray unto thee against the unjust oppression of their enemies and then turn thou O Lord the hearts of their enemies towards them that they may have pity and compassion on them For remember O Lord they are thy people and thine inheritance (b) This people were to God as a mans inheritance is to him which he hath bought and made his own for ever See Dâ—ut 32.9 which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt even out of an iron furnace (c) Deut. 4.20 And furthermore let the eyes (d) 2 Chron. 6.40 of thy favour be upon me thy poor servant
and upon this thy people and let thine ears be attentive unto the supplications we shall make unto thee and hearken to us in all that we shall pray unto thee for according to thy will For thou didst separate us unto thy self from among all the Nations of the earth to be thy peculiar people and inheritance as thou spakest by thy servant Moses Solomon having ended this his devout prayer rose up from his knees and standing with his face toward the Temple he repeated part of the 132 Psalm saying Arise O Lord and take possession of this house which I have built for thee as a resting place and fixt habitation and not an ambulatory and moving one as the Tabernacle was And let thy Ark whereon thou dost manifest thy glory (e) Psal 78.61 He delivereth his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hands strength and power for the good of thy people be here setled and constantly abide Let thy Priests O Lord God be clothed and adorned with such graces as may bring salvation to themselves (f) Psal 132.9 This clause is thus expressed Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness and may enable them to be instrumental in the saving of others and let thy Saints rejoice in thy goodness and favour manifested unto them O Lord God hear me I pray thee and turn not away the face of thine anointed with shame and confusion by denying me my request but remember the promises thy mercy moved thee to make to David my Father and to his posterity Solomon having ended his prayers the Sacrifices were brought in and laid upon the Altar and immediately fire came down from Heaven and consumed them and the glory of the Lord probably covered with a cloud filled the house and such an orient splendour shone through it that the Priests could by no means enter into the Temple The people seeing the fire came down from Heaven and the glory of the Lord upon the house they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground and worshipped and praised God and sang as 't is probable the 136 Psalm as the Singers had done before the burthen or foot whereof was For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Then Solomon turned his face and blessed all the Congregation of Israel again as he had done at the beginning and said Blessed be the Lord God who hath given rest to his people Israel as he promised of old And indeed he hath not failed of performing any of his gracious promises which he made to his people by the ministry of his servant Moses Now therefore the Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers and let him not leave us nor forsake us but let him incline our hearts to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments * Viz. The Moral Ceremonial and Judicial Laws statutes and judgments which he commanded our Fathers And let my words wherewith I have made supplication to the Lord this day be in his mind and memory continually that he may maintain the cause of me his servant and the cause of his people Israel at all times as the matter shall require and as it shall appear just and equal to him that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord he is the only true God from whom all blessings come and that there is no other God besides him Let your heart therefore be upright and sincere before the Lord and walk in his statutes and keep his commandments as now you do Then the King the Princes and people offered abundance of Peace-offerings (a) They were call'd Peace-offerings because God having bestowed some benefit upon them seemed to be appeased towards them and they were offered as a kind of retribution and to return thanks to God for it And in offering the same they also testified their hope that God was reconciled towards them to the Lord and kept this feast of Dedication seven days During which time they offered unto the Lord two and twenty thousand oxen and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep By a multitude of Sacrifices the pious Jews were wont to testifie their zealous and grateful affection towards God and we never read of any Sacrifice like this And thus Solomon the Princes and people by their joint prayers praises and sacrifices dedicated the house of God and set it apart for his worship and service And they rejoiced before the Lord seven days and seven that is they kept the first seven days as the Feast of Dedication and the next seven as the Feast of Tabernacles And the day after Solomon dismissed the people to their own homes and they blessed the King and prayed unto the Lord for him and went home with joyful and glad hearts rejoicing in the goodness which the Lord had manifested to the house of David and to Solomon and to all the people of Israel 1 King Ch. 8. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 5. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 6. whole Chapter 2 Chron. Ch. 7. from v. 1 to 11. SECT III. SHortly after * Some read 1 King 9.1 And it came to pass when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord and afterwards finished the Kings house and all his desire which he was pleased to do that the Lord appeared to him the second time c. Solomon had made that devout prayer before mentioned the Lord as it seems appeared to him in a dream (b) Ch. 6.11 We read that the word of the Lord came to Solomon but that was by some messenger or Prophet sent unto him but this was the second time that the Lord appeared to him in a Vision as he had done before at Gibeon 1 King 3.4 5. and the Lord said I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication which thou hast made before me and I have hallowed this house and set it apart to those holy uses which thou didst intend it for and it shall be called by my name as long as it shall last and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually I will always be ready to take notice of the prayers there made and the services there performed and will graciously accept them And if I shall shut up heaven at any time so that there be no rain or send the locusts or pestilence among my people that are called by my name if they shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear in heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land And if thou wilt walk before me in integrity and uprightness as thy Father David did and keep my statutes and judgments then I will establish the Throne of thy Kingdom for ever that is thou and thy posterity shall continue time after time to be Kings over Israel so as no other stock but thine shall sit on that Throne so long as the Kingdom of Judah shall remain as I
wives yea furthered it by suffering them to build Temples for their Idols and thus his Idolatrous wives turned his heart from the Commandments of God which enjoin'd him to root out Idolatry but it seems his carnal love to them devouring his zeal for God he was so far from rooting it out that he permitted it and thereupon is said to have followed * Dicitur sequutus Deos alienos quod eorum cultum non repulcrit Debuit quatenus vir ab Idololatria uxores reprimere quatenus vero Rex ditionem suam in vero Dei cultu retinere Horum neutrum praestitit sed uxorum blanditiis dilinitus Templa Fana extruxit impensas ad Sacrificia Sacerdotes suppeditavit after Ashtaroth (e) See Judg. 2.13 the Goddess of the Zidonians and Milcom (f) Levit. 18.21 or Molech the Abomination of the Ammonites namely because he connived at the worship of these Idols And to the great aggravation of his guilt he permitted (g) V. 7. Aedificavit scil permisit ut uxores aedificarent Non increpavit eas a Temple or an Image or both to be built for Chemosh (h) Numb 21.29 the Abomination of Moab and for Molech on Mount Olivet (i) And there it seems they continued till Josiahs days 2 King 23.13 nigh unto Jerusalem even in the very face and as it were to affront the Temple of the living God And though at first possibly he granted this favour but only to two or three of his Idolatrous wives yet the rest by degrees so far wrought upon him that he was fain to gratifie all of them that sought to him for it and undoubtedly many of the people were hereby ensnar'd And thus he shewed that his heart was not so upright with God as his Father Davids was For though David was guilty of many gross sins yet he never yielded to any Idolatry but kept the worship and service of God pure all his days And a great aggravation of Solomon's guilt it was that he turned from observing the Commandments of the Lord who had in so extraordinary a manner twice appeared to him viz. once at Gibeon Ch. 3.5 and a second time at Jerusalem Ch. 9.2 and had commanded him particularly to take heed of this thing namely not to go after other Gods The Lord therefore had just cause to be angry with him for this and accordingly he sent Ahiah the Shilonite or some other Prophet to him to speak to him after this manner Thus saith the Lord Forasmuch as thou hast done this and hast not kept my Covenant (a) A Covenant when applied to God signifies a Law appointed or enjoyned to be kept and that with promise of reward to them that keep it and of penalty to such as transgress it Deut. 29.9 25. and my statutes which I commanded thee I will surely rend the greatest part of thy Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant But I will not do it in thy days because of my promise to David thy Father 2 Sam. 7. from v. 12 to 16. but I will rend it out of the hand of thy Son and so thou shalt be punished (b) Monentur hinc Parentes ut sancte vivant ne filiis poenas intempestive attrahant in him Yet I will not rend away the whole Kingdom from him but will give him one (c) He speaks here of one of the Tribes that belonged to the Kingdom of Israel considered as separate from the Kingdom of Judah which in regard of its eminency was reckoned apart from the rest of the Tribes See 1 Sam. 11.8 So much also of Simeon as lay within Judah was comprised under Judah See Josh 19. from 1 to 9. of the Tribes of Israel viz. Benjamin besides the Tribe of Judah See 2 Chron. 11.12 And this I will do for David my servants sake and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen for the place of my publick worship and the seat of the Kings from whom the Messiah who I have promised is to come 1 King 11. from v. 1 to 14. SECT XVI SOlomon as 't is conceived was so terrified with this threatning that he repented of his sin and as an evidence of his repentance wrote his Book call'd Ecclesiastes in which he publisheth to the world his remorse for his former sins and follies and the vanities to which he had been too intemperately addicted * Ecclesiastes or the Preaching Soul truly penitent gathering it self to the Church and by wholsome admonitions gathering others also that were going astray after vanity In this Book he reflects upon the honours pleasures and wealth he had so abundantly enjoyed the errors and miscarriages he had fallen into the observations he had made of things Natural Moral Domestical Civil Sensual and Divine and the curious enquiry he had made after true happiness And in the first six Chapters he shews wherein it doth not consist and in the six last wherein it doth And first he shews it doth not consist in knowledg either Natural or Moral 2. Not in pleasures or sensual delights 3. Not in honour greatness and power which is so far from making men happy that without the fear of God to correct and temper it it is ordinarily the occasion of much wickedness in them that have it and of much misery to others 4. Not in an outward formal religiousness 5. Not in riches and great possessions which are often snares and occasions of much hurt to the possessours who must leave them and many times they know not to whom Then he shews wherein mans happiness doth consist 1. In contentation of mind and the free and regular and joyful fruition of Gods blessings and the comforts he gives us with humility moderation and thankfulness 2. In a quiet and humble acquiescence in the will of God 3. In sincerity of heart in the worship of God and in a due care that we offend not in vows prayers and addresses unto him 4. In patience of spirit under all oppressions 5. In a composed preparedness of mind to undergo afflictions 6. In a pious and prudent behaviour towards all men that so we may preserve our names from calumny and our persons from danger 7. In meekness charity and patience towards such as offend us considering humane frailty 8. In a due deportment of our selves towards our Superiours that our lives may not be made uncomfortable to us by their dispeasure 9. In a practical prudence or wisdom rightly to judg and discern of times wherein things are to be done 10. In submission to the holy and invincible Providence of God admiring his works and adoring his judgments 11. In a conscionable industriousness in our particular Callings And lastly he concludes that in old age elegantly described by him and at death it will appear that to fear the Lord and keep his commandments is both the duty and the happiness of man and the chief thing wherein it consists And so
shew him which of them were for the King of Israel and secretly gave him intelligence One of them replied Thou hast no cause to suspect that any of us are treacherous or false to thee for assure thy self we are not but there is one Elisha a Prophet in Israel who by the inspiration of God can discern the most secret things that are done in any place and I believe telleth the King of Israel the very words thou speakest in thy bed-chamber The King of Syria being enraged at this bad them go and inquire where he was for he would endeavour to catch him and if he once had him in his hands he would do well enough with him They told him they heard he was in Dathan a City not far from Samaria Immediately he sent horses and chariots and a considerable host by night to encompass the City that they might take him Elisha's servant whom he had chosen to attend him in Gehazi's room going out early in the morning saw a great host about the City whereupon he ran back and told his Master thereof and cry'd out Alas Master what shall we do Elisha bad him fear nothing for says he those that be with us are more than those that be with them Then Elisha going out of the â—ity with his servant prayed unto the Lord that his servants eyes might be opened that he might see that great host of Angels that were sent for their defence and the young mans eyes being opened he saw the mountains near Dothan full of horses and chariots of fire the holy Angels appearing in that shape because the enemy that incompassed the City had horses and chariots and those appeared to him to incompass his Master Elisha to * Solum visio fuit vidit imaginem â—eu speciem Elisei residentem in medio castrorum quem defendebat ille exercitus ut nemo hostium illi nocere potuerit Munsterus secure and defend him Elisha being come out of the City some of the host of Syria seeing him but not knowing him came to him to inquire about the Town and about the Prophet He then prayed to the Lord to smite them with blindness which immediately he did but not with a perfect blindness but only such a dazeling of their sight * Such a blindness as the Sodomites were striken with Gen. 19.11 that they could not well discern things or persons He told them that was not the way they must go neither was that the City wherein they might expect to find Elisha Follow me says he and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek They accordingly following him he led them to Samaria 'T is like he sent a messenger to Jehoram who was now in that City to give him notice that he was bringing his enemies into Samaria that so he might have all his militia in readiness against they came When he had brought them into that City he prayed to the Lord to open their eyes which being done they saw themselves to their great astonishment in the midst of Samaria and so in the midst of their enemies Jehoram having them now in his hands spake to Elisha saying My Father shall I smite them shall I smite them What says Elisha wouldest thou smite them If thou hadst taken them prisoners with thy sword and with thy how having given them quarter surely thou wouldst not kill them much less oughtest thou now to do it seeing by an extraordinary providence they are brought unto thee surely thou shalt not smite them Thus easily the Prophet forgives their mischievous intention who came out on purpose to carry him prisoner to his enemies Instead of smiting them he advises Jehoram to set bread and water before them that they might eat and drink and go back to their King and declare what kindness they had found in Israel notwithstanding their ill intentions towards it Jehoram hereupon made great provisions for them and feasted them royally and then peaceably dismissed them After this the Syrians gave over their inrodes into the land and came no more as yet †So these words v. 23. are to be interpreted See Lightfoot pag. 69. into the land of Israel And thus we see how many miracles were wrought about this one matter 1. The Prophet discovered the King of Syria's secret plots and contrivances 2ly The Angels appeared as an host for his defence 3ly His servants eyes were opened to see those Angels 4ly The Syrians were smitten with blindness 5ly Their eyes were opened again and all this upon the prayer of Elisha 2 King 6. from v. 8. to the 24. Benhadad King of Syria who had once before besieged Samaria in Ahab's time 1 King 20.1 but was then repulsed with shame and loss being now desirous as it seems to blot out the reproach of that his shameful flight and being encourag'd perhaps by the great overthrow he had given the Israelites at the battel at Ramoth-Gilead wherein Ahab was slain 1 King 22.34 he now attempts to besiege this City again with a collection of all his forces During which siege Samaria was so sorely distressed with famine that an Asses-head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver * Which was as some account about ten pounds of our money though an unclean and forbidden meat Exod. 13.13 and the fourth part of a cab or pottle of corn which they had taken out of the crop of Doves (a) Quidam esse ervum credunt quo saginantur columbae that is a kind of pulse or tares wherewith they fed Pidgeons which in that extremity they were glad of for food for themselves for five pieces of silver (b) Which was about 12 s. 6 d. of our money One day as the King was walking upon the wall to see whither the Soldiers duly kept the watches a woman cried unto him Help my Lord O King The King replied Alas if the Lord do not help thee how shall I be able to help thee I cannot supply thee either from the barn-floor or the wine-press But tell me what aileth thee she said This woman my neighbour and I being extreamly distressed with famine agreed between our selves that my Son should be first killed and eaten by us and afterwards her Son accordingly we boiled my Son and did eat him but when her Son should have been eaten by us she hid him to save him alive or else did eat him alone by her self and gave me none of him The King hearing these sad words of the woman his heart was so deeply pierced with them that he rent his upper garment so that the sackcloth that he had next his flesh appeared which he wore as a sign of his humiliation and affliction for the present distress of his people though he was not so truly penitent for his sins as he should have been Then he said The Lord do so to me and more also if I do not take off the head of Elisha before night for I look upon him as
the twentieth of Jotham because according to them Jotham still had the title of King though he had resigned the Kingdom four years before 'T is said indeed in 2 King 17.1 that Hoshea began to reign in the twelfth year of Ahaz because though he thrust himself into the Kingdom before yet he was opposed as an usurper till the twelfth of Ahaz at which time it seems he had the Crown confirmed to him and afterwards reigned four years in Ahaz's time and five in Hezekiah's in all nine years 2 King 15.30 31. HOSHEA the Son of Ela having murdered Pekah got the Kingdom into his own hand The 19th King of Israel HOSHEA in the fourth year of Ahaz yet by reason of stirs and tumults that arose hereupon he could not quietly enjoy it but that State continued in confusion and a kind of Anarchy for the space of nine years Hoshea having at length composed all differences at home began now quietly to reign in the latter end of the twelfth year of Ahaz and reigned nine years He did evil in the sight of the Lord but not as the Kings of Israel that were before him for though he continued Jeroboam's Idolatry of the Golden Calves yet he abandoned the grosser Idolatries of many of his Predecessors And besides he suffered such of his subjects as had a mind to it to go up to Jerusalem to worship there which the former Kings of Israel would not permit For when Hezekiah had proclaimed a solemn Passover many of the Ten Tribes went up to keep their Passover in Jerusalem as we read 2 Chron. 30.11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulon humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem 2 King 17.1 2. Tiglath-Pileser after he had reigned nineteen years dying Salmanasser his Son succeeded him This Salmanasser * This seemeth to be that Shalman who in the Prophesie of Hosea Chap. 10.14 is said to have laid waste the house of Arbeb to wit the Country of Arbela in the land of Assyria beneath Arpad either invited by the people or taking advantage of those late broils in the Kingdom of Israel came up now against Hoshea and at length prevailed so far that Hoshea was content to become his servant and pay him tribute 2 King 17.3 But sometime after Hoshea confederating with the King of Egypt resolved to cast off his yoke and refused to pay him tribute any longer Salmanasser understanding this resolved to revenge this injury Wherefore first of all making sure of all the land of the Moabites that he might have no enemy on his back to annoy him and rasing to the ground their two chief Cities Ar and Kirharaseth according to the Prophesie of Isaiah Chap. 15. he then went through and wasted all the land of Israel and at last marched to Samaria in the fourth year of Hezekiah and seventh of Hoshea and besieged it three years viz. in the seventh eighth and ninth year of Hoshea which were concurrent with the fourth fifth and sixth of Hezekiah Isa 15. whole Chapter 2 King 17.4 5. 2 King 18.9 10. Toward the end of the third year of the siege the sixth of the reign of Hezekiah and ninth of Hoshea Salmanasser took Samaria and their King Hoshea and then shut him up and bound him in prison †2 King 17. latter part of v. 4. those words are spoken by way of anticipation as Josephus says lib. 9. and carried away the Israelites captives into his own country and planted them in Chalachochabor and Nehar-Gozan cities of Assyria whither Tiglath-Pileser had before transported the inhabitants of Perea and in the Cities of Media If any such inquire why the Lord did thus deliver up the Israelites into the hands of their enemies the reason is here fully rendred because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his Covenant and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded and would not hear them nor do them 2 King 18.12 And 2 King 17.7 c. For so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharoah King of Egypt and they feared other gods and walked in the statutes of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before them and of the Kings of Israel who made statutes for Idolatry And besides their open Idolatry they did secretly many things which were not right against the mind and will of the Lord their God and they built them high places in all their Cities from the tower of the watchmen †A Proverbial speech whereby the extent of their Idolatry is set forth to their fenced Cities And they set them up Images and groves in every high hill and under every green tree And there they burnt incense in all the high places as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger Yea they served Idols whereof the Lord had said unto them ye shall not do this thing Notwithstanding the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah by all the Prophets and by all the Seers whom he sent unto them saying Turn ye from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes according to what I commanded your fathers in the wilderness and which I have often since inculcated upon you by my servants the Prophets time after time But they would not hear but hardened their necks as their fathers did who did not believe in the Lord their God And they rejected his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and his testimonies †In which respect Ezek. 20.25 Gods statutes are said not to be good that is through the wickedness of the people they prov'd hurtful to them and sentenced them to death whereby he testified against their transgressions and they followed vanity and became vain and went after the heathen that were round about them concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not do like unto them And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God and made them molten images even two Calves and made a grove and worshipped all the host of heaven and served Baal And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire and used divination and inchantments and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight there was none left but the Tribe of Judah only And another cause of Israels ruin was they were an ill example to Judah and infected that Nation And hereupon Judah also kept not the commandments of the Lord their God but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made So the Lord rejected all the seed of Israel and afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers until he had cast them
run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards him Herein therefore thou hast done foolishly and from henceforth thou shalt have wars with Baasha 1 King 15.16 Asa was very wroth with the Seer for this his plain and faithful dealing with him and put him into prison and dealt very harshly also with some of his subjects at the same time who possibly shewed their dislike of these his proceedings In the 39th year of his reign he was diseased in his feet probably with the Gout and his disease proving exceeding painful he sought not so much to the Lord for help as to the Physicians He died in the forty first year of his reign having reigned in the time of seven Kings of Israel viz. in some part of Jeroboam's and all the time of Nadab Baasha Elah Zimri Omri and in some part of Ahab's and they buried him in a Sepulcher which he had made for himself in the City of David and they laid him in the Bed or Coffin which was filled with all kinds of odours and sweet spices prepared by the Art of the Apothecaries and they made a great burning for him that is they burnt sweet perfumes at his burial in very great abundance and Jehoshaphat his Son reigned in his stead 1 King 15. from v. 9 to 25. 2 Chron. 14. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 15. wh Ch. 2 Chron. 16. whole Chapter The 4th King that reigned in Judah was JEHOSHAPHAT JEhoshaphat began his reign in the fourth year of the reign of Ahab he was thirty five years old when he began to reign and reigned twenty five years in Jerusalem He walked in the ways of Asa his Father doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. And the Lord was with him because he walked in the first ways of David his Father which were purer and more free from sin than were his latter days He sought not to Baal as did Ahab but sought to the Lord and walked in his ways and commandments and not after the doings of Israel And the Lord established the Kingdom in his hand and all Judah brought him presents and he had riches and honour in abundance and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord that is he was very zealous and couragious in the cause of God and went on with an high and magnanimous spirit without any fear or discouragement At his first coming to the Crown he placed forces in all the fenced Cities of Judah and Garrison'd the Cities of Ephraim which his Father Asa had taken See 2 Chron. 15.8 And strengthened himself against Israel The remnant of the Sodomites which remain'd in the days of his Father he took out of the land He took away also such high-places as were dedicated to the worship of strange gods but those wherein the people served the true God of Israel he took not away but the people offered and burnt incense still in them See 1 King 22.43 'T is true his Father had twice removed them 2 Chron. 14.5 15.8 16. yet it seems some escaped or else the people in his Fathers declining time when he was diseased in his feet renewed them But those high-places wherein they served the true God of Israel he took not quite away but the people offered and burnt incense still in them for they had not at least not a great many of them disposed their hearts to follow the Lord intirely and his commandments and injunctions See 2 Chron. 20.33 Some reformation indeed they had yielded unto but yet their hearts hankered still after their old superstition See 2 Chron. 15.17 And though Jehoshaphat did endeavour to reform what was amiss among them yet from the high-places * Docemur hinc Deo displicere Electitios cultus a Deo non prascriptos Osiander the people would not be reclaimed In the third year of his reign finding as we said before that the people were in many places much addicted to Idolatry and had set up the high-places which his Father Asa had pulled down he sent some choice Priests and Levites as Visitors into several parts of his Kingdom to see whither they were rightly taught and instructed and by their own personal teaching to confirm those that were well instructed and to convince those that were corrupted or misled and to shew them how expresly the Law did forbid and threaten all Idolatry whatsoever and with them he sent some Princes and men of note to countenance and encourage them and possibly to punish those who should oppose them or be obstinate in their errors Jehoshaphat thus setting himself to the work of Reformation a great terror from the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms round about him so that they made no war nor gave any disturbance to him Also some Philistines that were deadly enemies to the Jews brought presents to him and tribute-silver Asa having subdued a considerable part of them as we may see 2 Chron. 14.14 And the Arabians brought him flocks their chief calling being to breed and feed cattel and so brought such presents as they had viz. seven thousand and seven hundred rams and as many he-goats These were all clean cattel and so fit both for meat and sacrifice Jehoshaphat now waxed great exceedingly great in riches great in power and great in honour and esteem and he built Castles in Judah and Cities of store viz. to lay up his ammunition and provisions in And he had much business in the Cities of Judah that is he took great care himself and employ'd others under him about such things as were of publick concernment for the good of those Cities in particular and the whole Kingdom in general but his chief Commanders and Captains with some choice Companies of Souldiers he kept about his own person in Jerusalem Moreover he had a great Militia ready to attend him upon any emergent occasion and these were under the command of five able leaders successively The Trained bands of Judah being first under the command of Adnah and when Adnah was dead under the command of Jehohanan and when he was dead under Amaziah the Son of Zichri who willingly offered himself to the Lord viz. to fight the Lords battels against the enemies of the land So likewise the Trained bands of Benjamin were first under Eliada and next after him under Jehozabad and their numbers were in the several times of these Generals sometimes more and sometimes less This was his Militia besides the Souldiers he had in Garrisons and these in their courses some at one time and some at another came up to Jerusalem to wait upon the King About the eighth year of his reign he join'd in affinity with Ahab and married his eldest Son Jehoram to Athaliah Ahab's daughter It may seem strange that so pious a King as Jehoshaphat was should ever be induc'd to marry his Son and heir of his Crown to the daughter of wicked and
Idolatrous Ahab and curs'd Jezabel But O how often and how easily does interest of State and worldly policy make Religion truckle under it And the Kingdom felt the sad effects of this match not long after About the 17th year of his reign and the 22th of Ahab making his Son Jehoram Viceroy in his absence with a great train and as it seems accompanied with some troops of Souldiers he went down to Samaria to visit Ahab None of his Predecessors had ever done so before and for Jehoshaphat a worshipper of the true God to go down to such an Idolater as Ahab was may seem very strange But being come to Samaria Ahab entertained him and his followers very magnificently and killed sheep and oxen in abundance to feast them But had not the Lord been more merciful to Jehoshaphat than he was wise for himself he had paid dear for his entertainment for when he was there Ahab perswaded him to go up with him to fight against the Syrians and to take in Ramoth-Gilead where Jehoshaphat was in great danger and Ahab was killed as we may see more particularly in the life of Ahab When Jehoshaphat returned home the Prophet Jehu the Son of Hanani who reproved Asa 1 Chron. 16.7 met him and said to him Shouldst thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord was it for thee to join thy self in such a strict league of friendship with such an Idolatrous wretch such an enemy to God and all goodness as Ahab was Therefore is wrath * Jehoshaphat soon felt the effects of this denunciation in that invasion of the Moabites and Ammonites which followed after 1 Chro. 20.1 and in the dissention that began at present among his own sons which was the seed of that horrible slaughter which his Eldest Son afterwards made of them 1 Chron. 21.4 coming upon thee from the Lord that is God is highly displeased with thee and hath determined to pour out his displeasure upon thee Nevertheless there are good things found in thee in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land and hast prepared thine heart to seek the Lord therefore the Lord will deal gently with thee and even in judgment remember mercy Jehoshaphat being awakened with this reproof of the Prophet he went out and visited his Kingdom from Beersheba the South border to Mount Ephraim the North border thereof and reduced those who he understood had revolted from the Lord unto Idolatry false worship or wickedness of life and reformed what he found out of order among them He also set up Judges in all the fenced Cities of Judah and said to them Take heed what you do ye judg not for man that is meerly in the name and by the authority of man but for the Lord to whom ye must give account and who is with you in the judgment seeing all ye do and is ready to protect you if you judg uprightly and to punish you if you deal unjustly Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you be afraid to do any thing that may offend him Take heed to your office and execute it justly and as you ought to do For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God neither will he favour it therefore let there be none in you God is no respecter of persons nor will be swayed with outward considerations nor will be bribed to do any thing that is unjust and therefore see that you imitate him therein Jehoshaphat had also an especial care over his great City Jerusalem to keep it in good order And therefore when he and those that attended him returned thither he there set up the high Court or Council call'd the Sanhedrin consisting of Levites Priests and the Elders of the people to which all appeals were to be made from inferiour Courts and to which all causes of difficulty were to be referred So that they were for the judgment of the Lord that is to judge in matters Ecclesiastical concerning which God had determined in his word what should be done and for controversies that is to judge in matters meerly civil And he charged them saying Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with an upright heart whatever cause shall come before you of your brethren between blood and blood that is between blood shed willingly and unwillingly and casually or between Law and commandment statute and judgment that is when each party shall pretend they have the Law on their side and so one shall alledge one Law and another another ye shall rightly interpret the Law to them and warn them that they trespass not against the Lord by wresting the Law to what it never intended If you do otherwise wrath from the Lord will come upon you and your brethren But if you rightly warn and direct the people ye shall not trespass therein either against God or your brethren And behold Amariah the chief Priest is over you in all matters of the Lord that is in all matters Ecclesiastical that concern Religion and the worship of God and Zebadiah the Son of Ishmael a chief ruler of the house of Judah is over you for all the Kings matters that is for all matters of State or controversies or pleas that concern the Crown and the Levites shall be Officers for you and ready to attend you and to carry your orders and directions unto others and to see them executed Lastly let me exhort you to do courageously and assure your selves the Lord shall be with the good and such as are careful and conscientious in the doing of their duties to assist and protect them and to bless their persons and endeavours About the 18th year of his reign there being no King in Edom 1 King 22.47 but only a Deputy set over them by the King of Judah Jehoshaphat took that advantage to build for himself a Fleet at Ezion-Geber which was in Edoms Territories to go to Tarshish and Ophir to fetch Gold Ahaziah the wicked Son of Ahab desired to go sharer with him in that Fleet and that his servants might go along with Jehoshaphats servants 1 King 22.49 At first Jehoshaphat refused it but afterwards as it seems upon Ahaziahs importunity consented to it See 2 Chron. 20.35 36. Thereupon the Prophet Eleazar came to him and reproved him for it and foretold him that his ships should be broken which accordingly so came to pass in the very Port of Ezion-Geber 2 Chron. 20. from v. 25 to the end Sometime after the Moabites and with them probably some of the Syrians and especially of the Edomites that dwelt on mount Seir. See v. 10. gathered together to invade Judea Possibly Jehoshaphat's late aiding Ahab in his wars against Syria gave occasion to this invasion Immediately Jehoshaphat was inform'd that a very formidable and great multitude was coming against him from the other side of the Dead Sea out of Syria * Syria must be here taken in a general and large
begun in Manasseh his Son's time 2 Chron. 33.11 and further accomplished in Jehoiakims and Zedekiahs time as we shall see more afterwards and they shall be ministers and servants in the Palace of the King of Babylon 2 King 24. 25. Hezekiah was wounded to the heart with this dreadful message however he meekly replied Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken that is it is just and righteous and no more than what I and my people had deserved Then humbling himself for his pride and vanity and the people joining with him therein 2 Chron. 32.26 it pleased the Lord by the Prophet to declare to him that the judgment denounced should not come in his days Whereupon he said that though it was a grievous thing to him to think of those judgments that should befall those who were to come after him yet he acknowledged it as a great mercy of God that there should be peace and truth in his days 2 King 20. from 12 to 20. 2 Chron. 32.31 Isa 39. wh Ch. Hezekiah three years after his recovery had his Son Manasses by Hephzibah twelve years before his death 2 King 21.1 In the days of Hezekiah as 't is thought lived NAHVM the Prophet he Prophesied of the destruction of Nineveh and the Assyrian Monarchy and comforted the Jews with a promise of deliverance from the Assyrian Tyranny He mentioneth the evil counsel of Sennacherib against the Lord and foretelleth his death in his Idol-temple Nahum 1.11 There is one come out of thee that imagineth evil against the Lord a wicked counsellor and ver 14. The Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee that no more of thy name be sown Out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image I will make thy grave for thou art vile This Prophet denounceth destruction to Nineveh in very plain terms They had repented formerly at the Preaching of Jonah but now had relapsed to their former wickedness The Israelites had been much oppressed by them First by Pul 2 King 15.19 then by Tiglath-pileser 2 King 16. at last by Salmanassar who carried away the Ten Tribes captives 2 King 17.18 After this Sennacherib invaded Judea and besieged Jerusalem and grew to be like a great cedar in Lebanon Ezek. 31.3 and now the Prophet Nahum declares Gods great power and the furious revenge he would take upon his enemies and that he would make an utter end of Nineveh Affliction should not rise up the second time and no more of the name of the Assyrian should be sown and this should be for Iudahs consolation His Prophesie contains first a general denunciation of Ninevehs destruction and consequently of the Assyrian Monarchy He shews their destruction shall be sudden total irresistible Chap. 1. and the effect of it shall be that the people of Iudah hearing these glad tidings of her destruction proclaimed openly as upon the tops of mountains shall exceedingly rejoice at them as at tidings of peace to them and shall then without disturbance keep their solemn feasts and perform their vows unto the Lord their enemies who disquieted them being cut off Chap. 1. Secondly He gives a particular description of the destruction of Nineveh and lively sets it forth by the dreadful approach of the enemy the terror of their army the taking of the City and the captivity of Huzzah the Queen and her maids and their mournful deportment under their captivity groaning and bemoaning their condition with the mournful voice of Doves and Tabering or beating upon their breasts to express their sorrow Then he describes the spoiling and plundering of the City the astonishment of the inhabitants and how their faces would gather blackness Also the insulting of the enemy at the desolation of this City which had been an habitation of Lions that is of cruel oppressors Ch. 2. Thirdly He sets forth the causes of Ninevehs ruin the Lord setting himself against her for her great sins viz. her cruelty and blood-guiltiness her falshood her robbery and oppression and her filthy Idolatries for all which she should be made a shameful spectacle And lest Nineveh presuming upon her own strength should think these calamities should not befall her he shews she was not comparable to populous No or Alexandria in Egypt which yet was ruined and so should she notwithstanding all her strong holds her numerous inhabitants strong gates repaired towers multitude of Merchants and her many Counsellors Princes and Commanders So that her bruise should be incurable and her wound mortal Chap. 3. Hezekiah now dies his acts were written by Isaiah and by those that wrote the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah He was buried in the chiefest of the Sepulchres of the Sons of David and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him all the honour they possibly could at his death he having been so pious and good a King and Manasseh his Son reigned in his stead 2 Chron. 32.32 33. 2 King 20.20 21. The 14th that reigned in Judah MANASSEH MANASSEH was twelve years old when he began to reign about twenty four years after the ruin of the Ten Tribes and he reigned fifty five years and so longer than any of the Kings of Judah He did worse than all the Kings that went before him being carried away as 't is probable by such Nobles about him as did not in their hearts approve the reformation of his good Father He again set up the high places which his Father had pulled down he reared up Altars for Baal and made a grove as Ahab had done 1 King 16.33 to the honour of Idols he built altars to all the host of heaven to the Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets in the two Courts of the Lords house where God had said that he would put his name that he alone might be there worshipped He made one of his Sons pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom sacrificing him to Molech so that it seems he continued long in his Idolatry for he could not have a Son in the beginning of his reign being but twelve years of age He observed times esteeming some days as lucky others as unlucky he used enchantments and dealt with such as had familiar spirits and with wizards he set up a graven image in the Temple containing a representation of the Idolatrous grove he had made * See 2 King 23.6 where 't is said Josiah brought out the grove from the house of the Lord unto the brook Kidron and burnt it though God had said to David and Solomon that he had chosen that house to put his name there and would have his name alone there worshipped as long as that dispensation should last and promised upon their obedience that he would not suffer them to be carried away captive to other lands But they obeyed not and Manasseh seduced them and made Judah and Jerusalem go astray and do worse than all the
therein and possibly gave some special orders for the manner of their attendance Then Ezra proclaimed a fast that they might humble themselves before the Lord for their sins and might seek of him a right way for themselves and their little ones that is that he would please to conduct them in a right way and preserve them and their children and their substance from being a prey to their enemies For he was asham'd to desire of the King to send a band of souldiers and horsemen with them to guard them in the way which favour yet he might easily have obtained because he had declared unto the King the glorious power and goodness of that God whom they worshipped telling him that his hand was upon all them that seek him for their God but his power and his wrath was against all them that forsake him So they fasted and earnestly sought unto the Lord for this thing and he was pleas'd graciously to answer them Then Ezra chose and separated twelve choice men of the Priests and as many of the Levites whereof Sherebiah and Hashabiah were two see v. 18 19. to take care of the silver and gold and the vessels which were offered for the service of the house of God by the King and his Nobles and the Israelites in those parts and to carry them safe to Jerusalem and there rightly to dispose of them So he weighed unto them and committed to their care six hundred and fifty talents of silver and of silver vessels an hundred talents and of gold an hundred talents also twenty basons of gold with a thousand drams a piece * Viz. Three hundred and twelve pounds ten shillings of the value of drams see 1 Chron. 29.7 and two vessels or some excellent and curious shining brass or copper almost as precious as gold And he said unto them ye are persons consecrated to God as these dedicated things are therefore keep them safe till ye weigh them before the chief of the Priests and Levites and the chief of the Fathers of Israel at Jerusalem And the forementioned Priests and Levites took care of this Sacred Treasure accordingly So upon the twelfth day of the first Month they removed from the river Ahava and through the good hand of God upon them they were delivered from their enemies and such as lay in wait by the way to surprize them and arrived safe at Jerusalem and there rested themselves three days Upon the fourth day of the fifth Month the gold and silver they had brought was weighed out and with the other furniture was laid up in the house of the Lord and the account was taken by number and weight of every one and written down and registred And they which returned out of captivity offered their burnt-offerings to the God of Israel viz. twelve bullocks according to the number of the twelve Tribes and 96 rams and 77 lambs and twelve he-goats for a sin-offering Then they delivered the Kings Commissions unto the Kings Lieutenants and Deputies on that side the river who thereupon shewed all favour to the Jews and were assistant to them in all things according to the Kings command and afforded them such things as were requisite for the service of the house of the Lord. Ezra Ch. 8. whole Chapter It being known that the principal cause of Ezra's coming was to reform such abuses as were crept in among them contrary to Law some of the Princes and chief men who were best affected came presently to him and informed him of this as one of the most heinous evils tolerated among them to wit that not only the people but the Princes also yea the Priests and Levites that could not pretend ignorance of the law had married wives of those Idolatrous Nations their neighbours about them and so the holy seed had mingled themselves with the people of those lands and were tainted by that means in many things with their abominations and the Priests themselves who should have restrained the people from this wickedness had a chief hand in it and been boldest in this transgression Ezra understanding this rent his Mantle and pluckt off the hair of his head and beard and sat down on the ground as one amazed at these high provocations It seems the report was quickly carried about how mightily he was afflicted and displeased when he heard how his brethren had taken wives of Idolatrous Nations and thereupon many of the godly inhabitants that heard of it being themselves afraid of the judgments of God threatned in his word against those transgressions came presently to him to advise with him what was fit to be done in that case but till the evening sacrifice he sat like one overwhelmed with grief and astonishment at that which had been told him At the time of the evening sacrifice he rouzed up himself from his great dejection and then falling on his knees * At the time when Sacrifices or incense were offered up pious people used to pour forth their prayers to God and spreading out his hands unto the Lord he prayed saying O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee For our (a) This good man putteth himself into the number of those transgressoâ—s because he was of the body of that state whereof many of the members had committed that sin so as he might be involved in the judgment that might fall on them see Dan. 9.5 iniquities are increased over our heads that is they are risen so high that like a great flood of waters they are even ready to overwhelm us see Psal 38.4 our trespasses are grown up unto the heavens (b) Beyond Heaven nothing can ascend that is they are so great they can scarce be exceeded and cry to heaven for vengeance against us Since the days of our Fathers and Predecessors before the captivity whose sins caused the captivity we have been great transgressors one generation after another continuing in their sins and for our iniquities have we our Kings and our Priests been delivered into the hands of Heathenish Kings and exposed to the sword to captivity and to spoil and to confusion of face as it is at this day with some of our brethren who are yet in captivity And now it is but a little while since grace and favour hath been shewed unto us from the Lord our God who hath left us a remnant to â—scape and to be brought back again into our own Country and hath given us a nail (c) Significat firmum statum sedes certas fixas stabiles firmam habitationem quae hactenus inconstans erat Pisc in his holy place that is by his providence hath fixed and setled us in Jerusalem his holy City again and hath given us some prop and support of our faith and hath enlightned our eyes and refreshed and cheared our drooping hearts and given us a little reviving in our bondage For we were bondmen yet our God hath not forsaken us in our
the cause of all our misery seeing he hath perswaded me to hold out the City thus long assuring me of help from God but I see none comes And thus being transported with rage against Elisha he sent a messenger immediately to cut off his head The Prophet was at this time in his lodging and some grave and Religious persons of the City were with him who possibly came to him for counsel and comfort in that their great extremity He understanding by Revelation from God the Kings bloody purpose against him even as he knew the King of Syria's secret plots and Gehazi's secret practices he says to the Elders that were with him behold this wicked Joram shews himself the true Son of wicked Ahab who was the murderer of Naboth for he hath sent a man to cut off my head though I have deserved no such usage from him I tell you his Messenger is coming to kill me but when he comes shut the door and hold him fast and prevent him from executing his bloody purpose and behold the sound of his Masters feet is behind him that is I perceive the King himself follows hard after him And while he was speaking the messenger came who being stopt at the door immediately the King himself came thither also who as it seems having his heart toucht with remorse for the rash and cruel order he had given when he came to the Messenger now detain'd at the door he gave him a countermand So quickly can God change the cruel minds of men Then Elisha discoursing with him and perswading him to have patience a little longer and to wait upon the Lord for deliverance he said This great evil and calamity that is upon us is certainly from the Lord and we have waited long for help but none comes and I despair that any will come and therefore why should I wait upon the Lord any longer I had better surrender the City than that my self and my subjects in it should perish by famine The Lord then reveals to Elisha the deliverance he intended to give them the very next day and that there should be then great plenty in the City Whereupon he said to the King I do assure thee from the Lord that about this time to morrow a measure * That is about a peck and a pottâ—e of fine flower shall be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel (a) A shekel is 2 s. 6 d. of our money in the gate of Samaria A great Officer of State a Lord on whose hand the King leaned hearing the Prophet say this answered If the Lord should make windows in heaven and rain corn down upon us there could hardly be such a plenty as thou speakest of Well says Elisha seeing thou art so unbelieving †Infidelity deprives men of the benefit of Gods promises which others enjoy thou shalt see this plenty with thine eyes but shalt not eat of it It so happened that there were at that time four leprous men that dwelt at the entrance of the Gate who being almost famished said one to another Why sit we here until we die If we say we will venture to go into the City alas the famine is there and there we shall certainly die and if we continue here we shall die also for our provisions are all done What shall we then do and what course shall we take Come lâ—t us go to the host of the Syrians in a desperate case we must take a desperate course Possibly they may shew us mercy and give us some relief But if they should kill us we shall but die which we are sure to do if we stay here and 't is better to be slain by the enemy than to perish by hunger Hereupon agreeing to take that course that very night in the twilight they went to the Camp of the Syrians and when they came to the outermost part of it to their great astonishment they found no man there for the Lord had a little before terrified the Syrians with an hideous noise which he made them to hear of the ratling of chariots and neighing of horses See the like 2 Sam. 5.24 the shouting of souldiers and the sounding of Trumpets as if some great host had been upon them This noise they heard but neither the City nor the Lepers heard any thing of it It seems the Syrians when they first heard this noise being in a great consternation said the King of Israel hath hired the Kings of the Hittites (b) Hereby they might mean such Hittites and Canâ—anites as remain'd in the land or else some other people that dwelt in Islands See Jer. 2.10 and the Kings of the Egyptians and Ethiopians to come upon us And so being dreadfully affrighted they arose and fled in the twilight a little before the Lepers came and being so terrified they left their horses and asses not daring to stay to saddle them and left their Tents and their Camp as it was and fled for their lives The Lepers thus coming to their empty Tents they ventured to go into one of them where finding good provisions they fell to eat and drink and refresh themselves being almost starved and finding also silver and gold and raiment there they took it as spoil and carried it out and hid it that it might not be taken from them then going into another Tent and finding the like there they carried it out and hid it also Thus at first they thought only of providing for themselves But then better bethinking themselves they said one to another We do not do well thus only to provide for our selves this is a day of good tidings we see the enemy are all fled we do not do well to conceal this gladsome news from our brethren of the City If we tarry till morning light till they themselves perceive the enemy to be fled possibly they will inflict some severe punishment on us for concealing the matter so long now therefore let us go and acquaint the King and the City therewith So they came to the Gate of the City and call'd to the Porter and Watchmen and told them that they being sorely distressed ventured to go out to the Camp of the Syrians to seek some relief and when they came thither they found no man there but they found many horses and asses tyed and the Tents furnished with provisions as they used to be when the Camp lay there The Porter of the Gate immediately ran and call'd up the Porters of the Kings Palace and acquainting them with what the Lepers had said they acquainted the King with it The King immediately suspected that the Syrians had only drawn off themselves in policy They says he know that we are almost starved and therefore they have withdrawn themselves and hid themselves in the field that when we come out they may surprize us and so enter the City This shews that he little regarded or believed what the