face and went out and refrained himself and said Set on bread 32 And they set on for him by himself y Partly because the dignity of his place and the custom of Princes required this state and partly for the reason here following and for them by themselves and for the Egyptians which did eat with him by themselves because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians z Not so much from their pride and disdain of other people as from their superstition and idolatry partly because they worshipped the creatures which the Hebrews and others did commonly eat and partly because of some peculiar rites and customes which they had in the dressing and ordering of their diet Whence Herodotus affirms that the Egyptians would not use the pots nor knives of the Graecians about their food Compare Gen. 46. 34. Exod. 8. 26. 33 And they sate before him the first-born according to his birth-right and the youngest according to his youth a Being so placed either by Iosephs appointment or rather by their own choice and according to their custome by which the elder though the handmaidens children took place of the younger who by that order were taught what veneration they owe to the aged and how great a sin it is though very customary in young men to despise those whom they should reverence and the men b Not the Egyptians but the Hebrews the men last spoken of marvelled c Either at the matter and manner of the feasts and entertainments of the Egyptians or rather at the singular honour which Ioseph did to them above all others the reason whereof they could not conceive and therefore marvelled at it one at another 34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him d It was the antient custom of Egypt and other countries in their feasts that either all the meat or at least some eminent parts and parcels of it were not promiscuously set before all the guests but peculiarly distributed by the master of the feast to the several guests and that differently according to his respect and affection to them or to their several qualities See 1 Sam. 1. 5. and 9. 22 23 24. but Benjamins mess was five times so much as any of theirs e Partly because of his nearer relation and dearer affection to him and partly to observe whether this would raise that envy in them towards him which was the occasion of their malicious enterprize against himself that he might accordingly provide for his security and they drunk and †Heb. they drank largely were merry f The Hebrew word oft signifies to be drunk but oft-times it is onely to drink liberally though not to drunkenness as may appear from Cant. 5. 1. Hag. 1. 6. Ioh. 2. 10. with him CHAP. XLIV 1 AND he commanded the †Heb. him that was over his house Steward of his house saying Fill the mens sacks with food as much as they can carry and put every mans money in his sacks mouth 2 And put my cup a It seems to have been a large cup and of great price and much used by Ioseph the silver cup in the sacks mouth of the youngest b With design to discover their intentions and affections towards Benjamin whether they did envy him and would desert him in his danger as they did Ioseph or would cleave to him that hence he might take his measures how to deal with him and them and his corn-money and he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken 3 As soon as the morning was light the men were sent away they and their asses 4 And when they were gone out of the city and not yet far off Joseph said unto his Steward Up follow after the men and when thou dost overtake them say unto them Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good 5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh and whereby indeed he ‖ Or maketh trial divineth c Amongst the several kinds of divination in use among the Egyptians and other Heathens this was one to do it by a cup or bason which they filled with water and put in them plates of silver or precious stones in which certain characters were ingraven by which and some words they used they called upon the Devil who gave them answer Ioseph did not use this course nor was a diviner but the people thought him such an one and the Steward might represent him as such for the better covering or carrying on his design But this sence agrees not with the 15th verse of this chapter Wot you not c. Which words shew that he speaks of something which they all might easily know but they did not know that Ioseph was a Diviner much less that he divined by that cup whereas that kind of divination was generally performed by a glass not by a cup. Others observe that the Hebrew word ofttimes signifies not to divine but onely to observe and discover a thing as Gen. 30. 27. 1 Kings 20. 33. and render the place thus whereby he will certainly observe or discover to wit what you are and do But this also seems not to consist with ver 15. and the supplement is too large and remote The true sense then is this the Hebrew bo is not to be rendered by which but concerning which as the particle bâ—…th is oft used and it notes not the instrument whereby but the object about which he did divine and the words must be rendred concerning which he can or would certainly divine And this agrees well with ver 15. q. d. did you think you could deceive my Master did not you and all others know that he could divine and discover secret things whence he had both his name and preferment And this cup being much prized and used by him you might easily judge that he would use his art to recover it ye have done evil * i. e. Very evil unjustly unthankfully and foolishly in so doing 6 And he overtook them and he spake unto them these same words 7 And they said unto him wherefore saith my Lord these words God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing 8 Behold the money which we found in our sacks mouths we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan how then should we steal out of thy Lords house silver or gold d It is not probable that we who restored that which was in our power to keep and to conceal without any danger should steal that which was likely to be discovered with so much shame and hazard to our selves 9 With whom soever of thy servants it be found both * Chap. 31. 32. let him die and we also will be my Lords bondmen e This over-daring offer proceeded from hence that they were all conscious of their own innocency and did not suspect any fraud or artifice in
that time when multitudes were made Christs willing people by the preaching of the Apostles as we read Acts 2. 3. 4. 5 c. And for the second clause it is to be understood thus thou hast or as it is in the Hebrew to thee is the dew of thy youth or of thy childhood for the word jeled from which this is derived signifies sometimes a young man and sometimes a child or infant By youth or childhood he here seems to understand those young men or children which shall be born to the Messias who are called his children Heb. 2. 13. and his seed Isa. 53. 10. wherein possibly there might be an allusion to this dew Thus the abstract is here put for the concrete which is very frequent in the Hebrew Tongue as Circumcision and Uncircumcision are put for the circumcised and the uncircumcised c. And even in the Latine Tongue this very word youth is oft used for a young man or for a company of young men By the dew of youth he means youth or young men like dew the note of similitude being oft understood And this progeny of Christ is compared to the dew partly because of their great multitude being like drops of dew innumerable and covering the whole face of the earth see 2 Sam. 17. 12. and partly because of the strange manner of their generation which like that of the dew is done suddenly and secretly and not perceived till it be accomplished and to the admiration of those that behold it of which see Isa. 49. 21. Or 2. joyntly as one entire sentence The dew of thy youth i. e. Thy posterity which is like the dew as was noted and explained before is as the dew which may very well be understood out of the foregoing clause as the word feet is understood in like manner Psal. 18. 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet of or from the womb of the morning it is like the morning dew as it is called both in Scripture as Hos. 6. 4. and in other Authors Not is it strange that a womb is ascribed to the morning seeing we read of the womb of the Sea and of the womb of the â—…oe and frost Job 38. 8 28 29. 4 The LORD hath sworn t Which he did not in the Aaronical Priesthood Heb. 7. 21. but did it here partly because the thing was new and strange and might seem incredible because God had already erected another and that an everlasting Priesthood Numb 25. 13. and given it to Aaron and his posterity for ever and therefore this needed all possible assurance and partly that this Priesthood might be established upon better promises as is said Heb. 8. 6. and made sure and irrevocable and such that God neither could nor would repent of it as it follows and therefore will not repent * Heb. 5. 6. 7. 17 21. Thou art u To wit by my order and constitution thou shalt be so and I do hereby make thee so a priest x As well as a King Those Offices which were divided before between two families are both united and invested in thee both being absolutely necessary for the discharge of thine Office and for the establishment of thy Kingdom which is of another kind than the Kingdoms of the World spiritual and heavenly and therefore needs such a King as is also a Minister of holy things This word plainly discovers that this Psalm cannot be understood of David as some of the Jews would have it but onely of the Messias And although this word Cohen be sometimes used of a Prince or great Person in the State as the Jews object yet it cannot be so understood here partly because it signifies a Priest in Gen. 14. 18. from whence this expression is borrowed partly because that word is never used of a Soveraign Prince or King such as the Jews confess the Messias to be but onely of inferiour Princes or Ministers of State as Gen. 41. 45. 2 Sam. 8. ult partly because such an inconsiderable assertion would never have been ushered in by so solemn an oath especially after far greater things had been said of him in the same kind v. 1 2 3. and partly because the Messias is called a Priest Zach. 6. 13. compare Ier. 20. 21. 35. 15 18. for ever y Not to be interrupted or translated to another person as the Priesthood of Aaron was upon the death of the Priest but to be continued to thee for ever after the order of Melchizedek z Or after the manner c. so as he was a Priest and also a King and both without any successor and without end in the sence intended Heb. 7. 3. 5 The Lord a Either 1. God the Father whose words and oath he last mentioned v. 4. So this is an Apostrophe of the Psalmist to Christ Thy God and Father is at thy right hand to wit to defend and assist thee as that phrase is used Psal. 16. 8. 109. 31. and elsewhere See the Notes on v. 1. And he to wit God the Father shall strike c. as it follows Although this latter clause may belong to the Messias and as in the former he spake to him so in this he speaketh of him such changes of persons being very frequent in this Book Or 2. God the Son or the Lord who is at thy right hand as was said before v. 1. shall strike c. So this is an Apostrophe to God the Father concerning his Son This seems best to agree with the following verses for it is evident that it is the same person who strikes thorow Kings and judgeth among the heathen and filleth c. And so this whole verse and those which follow speak of one person which seems most probable at thy right hand shall strike thorow kings b Shall mortally wound and destroy all those Kings and Potentates who are obstinate enemies to him and to his Church in the day of his wrath c In the day of battel when he shall contend with them and pour forth the flouds of his wrath upon them 6 He shall judge d Either 1. conquer and govern them or rather 2. condemn and punish them as it is explained in the following clauses and as this word is used Gen. 15. 14. Rom. 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 4. 6. and elsewhere among the heathen he shall fill the places d Or the place of battel which is necessarily supposed in the fight and therefore may very well be understood with the dead bodies e Of his enemies slain by his hand and lying in the field in great numbers and heaps and that unburied to their greater infamy he shall wound the heads f Heb. the head Which may be understood either 1. of some one person and eminent adversary of Christ and of his Kingdom either the Devil by comparing this with Gen. 3. 15. Heb. 2. 14. who was indeed the Head or
did so before the fall what then was natural is now become painful and shameful to it as nakedness and some other things were to man But it seems more probable that this Serpent before the fall either had feet or rather did go with its breast erect as the Basilisk at this day doth God peradventure so ordering it as a Testimony that some other Serpents did once go so And so the sense of the curse being applied to this particular Serpent and to its kind may be this whereas thou hadst a priviledge above other kinds of Serpents whereby thou didst go with erected breast and didst feed upon the Fruits of Trees and other Plants now thou shalt be brought down to the same mean and vile estate with them upon thy belly or rather breast as the word also signifies shalt thou go c. as they do and * Isa. 65. 25. dust shalt thou eat y Dust is the food as of Earthworms Scorpions and some other Creatures so also of some Serpents as appears both from Isai. 65. last Mic. 7. 17. and from the Testimony of Nicander Thâ—…riac vers 372. and Philo an Arabick Writer Or the dust is the Serpents sawce rather then his meat whilst creeping and groveling upon the Earth and taking his foâ—… from thence he must necessarily take in dust and filth together with it These two clauses being applyed to the Devil signifie his fall from his noble state and place to Earth and Hell the baseneâ—…s of his nature and of his food his delight being in the vilest of mâ—…n and things it being now his meâ—…t and drink to dishonour God and destroy mankind and promote the esteem and love of earthly things all the days of thy Life 15. And I will put enmity z Though now you be sworn Friends leagued together against me between thee and the Woman a And the Man too but the Woman alone is mentioned for the Devils greater confusion 1. The Woman whom as the weaker Vessel thou didst seduce shall be the great occasion of thy overthrow 2. Because the Son of God who conquered this great Dragon and old Serpent Rev. 12. 9. Who came to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Iohn 3. 8. was made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. without the help of man Esa. 7. 14. Luk. â—… 34 35. and between thy * Matt. 3. 7. and 13. 38 and 23. 3â—… John 8. 44. Acts 13. 10. â—… John 3. 8. Seed b Literally this Serpent and for his sake the whole seed or race of Serpents which of all Creatures are most loathsome and terrible to mankind and especially to Women Mystically that evil Spirit which seduced her and with him the whole society of Devils who are generally hated and dreaded by all men even by those that serve and obey them but much more by good men and all wicked men who with regard to this text are called Devils and the Children or seed of the Devil Iohn 6. 70. and 8. 44. Acts 13. 10. 1 Iohn 3. 8. and her †Psal. 132. 11. Isi. 7. 14. Mic. 5. 3. Seed c Her off-spring first and principally the Lord Christ who with respect to this text and promise is called by way of eminency the Seed Gal. 3. 16 19. whose alone work it is to break the Serpents head i. â—… to destroy the Devil Heb. 2. 14. Compare Iohn 12. 31. Rom. 16. 20. Secondly and by way of participation all the members of Christ all believers and holy men who are called the Children of Christ Heb. 2. 13. and of the Heavenly Ierusalem Gal. 4. 26. All the members whereof are the Seed of this Woman And all these are the implacable enemies of the Devil whom also by Christs merit and strength they do overcome It shall ‖ Som. 16. 20. Heb. 2. 14. 1 John 5. 5. Rev. 12. 7 17. bruise thy head e The principal instrument both of the Serpents fury and mischief and of his defence and the principal seat of the Serpents life which therefore men chiefly strike at and which being upon the ground a man may conveniently tread upon and crush it to pieces In the Devil this notes his Power and Authority over men the strength whereof consists in Death which Christ the blessed seed of the Woman overthroweth by taking away the sting of death which is Sin 1 Cor. 15. 55 56. and destroying him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2. 14. and thou shalt bruise his heel f The part which is most within the Serpents reach and wherewith it was bruised and thereby provoked to fix his venemous Teeth there But a part remote from the Head and Heart and therefore its wounds though painful are not deadly nor dangerous if they be observed in time If it be applyed to the seed of the Woman Christ his heel may note either his humanity whereby he trod upon the Earth which indeed the Devil by Gods permission and the hands of wicked men did bruise and kill or his Saints and Members upon the Earth whom the Devil doth in diverse manners bruise and vex and afflict while he cannot reach their head Christ in Heaven nor those of his members who are or shall be advanced thither 16. Unto the Woman he said I will greatly g Or certainly as the repetition of the same word implyes multiply thy sorrow h In diverse pains and infirmities peculiar to thy Sex i. e. Thou shalt have many and those oft-times false and fruitless Conceptions and Abortive Births and whereas thou mightest commonly have had many Children at one Conception as some few Women yet have now thou shalt ordinarily undergo all the troubles and pains of Conception Breeding and Birth for every Child which thou hast Or Thy sorrows and thy Conception by a figure called Hendiaduo are put for thy sorrows in Conception or rather in Child-bearing which the Hebrew word here used signifies Gen. 16. 4. Iud. 13. 3. and thy conception In sorrow i Aristotle in his Histor. Animal 7. 9. observes that Women bring forth young with more pain than any other Creatures thou shalt bring forth k Or bear for the word notes all the pains and troubles which Women have both in the time of Child-bearing and in the act of bringing forth Children l Heb. Sons and Daughters too both being comprehended in that word as Exod 22. 24. Psal. 128. 6. And thy desire m Thy desires shall be referred or submitted to thy husbands will and pleasure to grant or deny them as he sees fit Which sense is confirmed from Gen. 4. 7. where the same phrase is used in the same sense And this punishment was both very proper for her that committed so great an errour as the eating of the forbidden Fruit was in compliance with her own desire without asking her Husbands advise or consent as in all reason she should have done in so weighty and doubtful
Fire which destroyed the four Cities had by this time extended it self to Zoar and all other places knowing that the whole World did lye in wickedness and having possibly heard from their Father that the World as it was once destroyed by Water so it should afterwards be consumed by Fire which they might think was now executed and that God had secured Abraham from it by taking him to himself Or 2. In that Land as the word may be rendred And her meaning might not be this that there was no man at all but not a man with whom they might or durst Marry For though they knew they left many Men in Zoar yet the sad experience of the dreadful ruine wherein their Brethren in law were involved made them abhor the thoughts of any Conjunction with them to come in unto us after the manner of all the Earth p i. e. Of all the Inhabitants of the Earth Compare Gen. 18. 11 32 Come let us make our father drink wine q Which they carried with them amongst other necessary provisions either from Sodom or Zoar. and we will lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father r Which though an incestuous and abominable action yet they thought was made lawful by the supposed necessity as in the beginning of the World the Marriage of Brethren and Sisters was lawful because necessary and when it ceased to be necessary because of the increase of mankind it became incestuous 33 And they made their father drink wine s To wit in excess so as to deprive him of the use of his Reason and Grace which was likely to frustrate their project This was a great sin not only in them but also in Lot himself not to be excused by ignorance of the vertue of wine which being known to both the Daughters certainly their Father could not be ignorant of it Thus he who kept his integrity in the midst of all the Temptations of Sodom falls into a grievous sin in a place where he might seem most remote from all Temptations God permitting this to teach all following ages how weak even the best men are when they are left to themselves and what absolute need they have of Divine assistance that night and the first-born went in and lay with her father and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose t Wherein there is nothing strange it being usual with drunken men to do many things in that condition which when they come to themselves they perfectly forget And so might Lot when under the power of Wine forget that his Wife was turned into a pillar of Salt and might mistake his Daughter for his Wife 34 And it came to pass on the morrow that the first-born said unto the younger Behold I lay yesternight with my father let us make him drink wine this night also and go thou in and lie with him that we may preserve seed of our father 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also and the younger arose and lay with him and he perceived not when she lay down nor when she arose 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child ‖ Which they might possibly imagine to be an evidence of Divine approbation of their fact whereas indeed it was a design of God to make a lasting Monument of their sin and shame by their father 37 And the first-born bare a son and called his name Moab u i. e. Of my Father begotten upon me by my Father So she had learned from her Neighbours to declare her siâ—… as Sodom Isa 3. 9. the same is the father of the Moabites x A mischievous and infamous people branded as their brethren also the Ammonites were with characters of Gods displeasure unto this day 38 And the younger she also bare a son and called his name Ben-ammi y i. e. The Son of my People or Kindred not of the cursed race of the Sodomites where I was to be married This is something more modest than the other in the name she gives but both impudently glorying in their sin and shame of which they should have bitterly repented the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day CHAP. XX. 1 AND Abraham journyed from thence a From the plain of Mamre Chap. 18. 1. where he had long dwelt and whence he removed either because of its nearness to that filthy Lake which now was in the place of that late fruitful plain Or for other reasons and conveniences needless to be here enquired or determined towards the south countrey b Yet more towards the Southern part of Canaan and dwelt between Cadesh and Shur and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife * Chap. 12. 13. she is my sister c Left they should slay him for his beautiful Wifes sake as himself tels us ver 11. For though Sarah was ninety years old yet she retained her beauty in good measure partly because she had not been broken by bearing and nursing of Children partly because in that age of the World Men and Women as they lived longer so they did not so soon begin to decay as now they do and partly because of Gods especial blessing upon her and Abimelech King of Gerar sent and took Sarah d Not without violence for it is not to be thought that either Abraham or Sarah would consent to it 3 But God * Psal. 105. 14. came to Abimelech in a dream e God then used to manifest his mind in dreams not onely to his People but even to Heathens for their sakes or in things wherein they were concerned by night and said to him Behold thou art but a dead man * Thou deservest a present and untimely Death and if thou proceedest in thy intended wickedness it shall be inflicted upon thee for the woman which chou hast taken f Both for thy injustice in taking her away by force and for thy intentions to abuse her though not yet executed for she is †Heb. married to an Husband a mans wife 4 But Abimelech had not come near her g i. e. Had not yet lyen with her A modest expression like that of knowing a woman Gen. 4. 1. or going in to her Gen. 6. 4. or touching her Prov. 6. 29. 1 Cor. 7. 1. by which we are taught to use modesty in our speeches and not with the rude Cynicks to express all things by their proper names This clause and history was necessary to be added here for Sarahs vindication and especially for the demonstration of Isaacs original from Abraham and Sarah according to Gods promise and he said LORD wilt thou slay also a righteous h i. e. Innocent as to this matter compare 2 Sam. 4. 11. nation i For he knew it was just and usual for God to punish a Nation for their Kings sins and therefore
angel of the LORD s i. e. Christ the Angel of the Covenant as appears from ver 12. 16. called unto him out of heaven and said Abraham Abraham t He repeats his name to prevent Abraham whom he knew to be most expeditious in Gods service and just ready to give the deadly blow And he said Behold here am I. 12 And he said lay not thine hand upon the lad neither do thou any thing unto him for now I know u God knew the sincerity and resolvedness of Abrahams faith and obedience before and without this evidence and from eternity foresaw this fact and all its circumstances and therefore you must not think that God had now made any new discovery But this is spoken here as in many other places of God after the manner of men who is then said to know a thing when it is notorious and evident to a mans self and others by some remarkable effect Thus David prayeth that God would search and know his Heart and his thoughts Psal. 139. 23. Though he had before professed that God understood his thought afar off ver 2. This therefore is the sense Now I know i. e Now I have what I designed and desired now I have made thee and others to know As the Spirit of God and of Christ is said to cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. when it makes us to cry so Rom. 8. 15. that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not with-held thy son thine onely son from me x From my service and Sacrifice Or for me i. e. for my sake i. e. thou hast preferred mine Authority and Honour before the Life of thy dear Son By which word it appears that God himself speaks these words 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked and behold behind him ‖ Which way he looked either because the voice came that way Or because he heard the noise made by the motion of the Ram in the thicket a ram y Which had gone astray from the rest of the Flock and whose errours were directed hither by Gods wise and powerful Providence and being young though horned it might be called either Lamb as v. 7. or Ram as it is here There needs no curious enquiry how he could offer up that to God which was not his own both because it was found in a publick place and in all probability utterly lost to his owner and because he had no doubt a warrant and inspiration for it from the great Lord and supreme owner of all things caught in a thicket by his horns and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son 14. And Abraham called the name of that place ‖ That is the Lord will see or provide Jehovah-jireh z The same Hebrew Letters differently pointed make the sense either active the Lord will see i. e. provide or take care of those that commit themselves and their affairs to him or passive the Lord will be seen i. e. will appear and shew himself in the behalf of all those that love him as it is said to this day a Wherein Moses wrote this Book this is still used as a Proverb in the mount b i. e. In greatest extremities and distresses as we say at the pits brink of the LORD it shall be seen c Or the Lord shall be seen or manifested And although these words are used by way of remembrance of this great deliverance and by way of accommodation to such like eminent preservations from great dangers yet they may have a further respect and may signifie that this was but an earnest of further and greater blessings to be expected in this place where the Temple was built and the Lord Christ was manifested in the Flesh. 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time 16 And said * Psal. 105. 9. Luk. 1. 73. Heb. 6. 13. By my self have I sworn d So the Lord swears by his name Ier. 44. 26. By his soul in the Hebrew text Ier. 51. 14. By his Holiness Amos 4. 2. Which is the same with by himself here Hence also it appears that the Angel who speaks here is Christ and God because this is Gods prerogative to swear by himself as appears from Heb. 6. 13. saith the LORD for because thou hast done this thing e Not that Abraham by this act did properly merit or purchase the following promises as plainly appears because the same things for substance had been freely promised to Abraham long before this time and action Gen. 12. 2. and 13. 16. onely what before was promised is now confirmed by an Oath as a Testimony of that singular respect which God had to Abraham and to this heroical instance of Faith and Obedience and hast not with-held thy son thine onely son 17 That in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea †Heb. lip shore and thy seed shall possess the gate f i. e. The City by an usual Synecdoche as Deut. 12. 15. and 18. 6. all the Cities and consequently the Country adjacent gate for gates The sense is they shall subdue their Enemies For the gates of Cities were the places both of jurisdiction or judicature Deut. 21. 19. and 22. 15. Amos 5. 12 15. Zech. 8. 16. and of fortification and chief strength in War Iudg. 5. 8. Psal. 147. 13. Isa. 22. 7. Ezek. 21. 22. And this promise was fulfilled both literally in Israels conquest of Canaan in David Solomon c. and spiritually in Christ Psal. 110. 1 2 3. of his enemies 18 * Chap. 12. 3. and 18. 18. Acts 3. 25. Gal. 3. 8. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the Earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice 19 So Abraham returned unto his young men and they rose up and went together to Beer-sheba and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba 20 And it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham saying Behold * Chap. 11. 29. Milcah she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor g This narration and Genealogy is added for Rebekahs sake and to make way for the following relation 21 Huz his first-born and Buz h From whom descended as some conceive Elihu the Buzite Iob 32. 2. his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram i So called possibly because he dwelt amongst the Syrians as Iacob for the same reason was called a Syrian Deut. 26. 5. But there was another more antient Aram from whom the Syrians descended Gen. 10. 22. 22 And Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel 23 And Bethuel begat * Called Rom. 9. 10. Rebecca Rebekah k Afterwards Isaac's Wife Chap. 24. these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor Abrahams brother 24 And his concubine l
c. or in general other rare and excellent things In those dayes men gave portions for their wives as now they have portions with them 54 And they did eat and drink he and the men that were with him and tarried all night and they rose up in the morning and he said * Vers. 56. and 59. send me away unto my master 55 And her brother and her mother said let the damsel abide with us ‖ Or a full year or ten months a few days at the least ten s Others thus a year or at the least ten months the word days being put for a year as elsewhere But it is very improbable that they would demand or expect such a thing from this man whom they saw bent so much upon expedition after that she shall go 56 And he said unto them hinder me not seeing the LORD hath prospered my way send me away that I may go to my master 57 And they said we will call the damsel and inquire at her mouth t i. e. Understand her mind by her words not so much concerning the marriage it self in which she resigned up her self to the disposal of her Parents and Friends and to which she had given an implicit consent by her acceptance of those presents which were made to her for that end as concerning the hastiness of her departure 58 And they called Rebekah and said unto her wilt thou go with this man And she said I will go 59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse u Deborah by comparing chap. 35. 8. In this corrupt Family the Mother and the Nurse are two distinct persons but in Abrahams pious Family there was no such principle or practise See Gen. 21. 7. and Abrahams servant and his men 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said unto her Thou art our sister x i. e. Our near Kinswoman distance of place shall not alienate our affections from thee but we shall still own thee as our sister and as far as we can be ready to perform all the duties of brethren to thee be thou the mother of thousands of millions and * Chap. 22. 17. let thy seed possesse the gate of those which hate them 61 And Rebekah arose and her damsels and they rode upon the camels and followed the man and the servant took Rebekah and went his way 62 And Isaac came from the way of the * Chap. 16. 14. and 25. 11. well Lahai-roi for he dwelt in the south-country y In the Southern part of Canaan as Gen. 12. 9. at Beersheba whither it seems Abraham returned after Sarahs death 63 And Isaac went out to ‖ Or to pray meditate z To converse with God and with himself by pious and profitable thoughts and ejaculations and fervent prayers as for other things so particularly for Gods blessing upon this great affair and so his prayers are eminently answered in the field a He chuseth a solitary place wherein he might more freely attend upon God without any interruption or distraction at the even-tide b That as he had begun the day with God so he might close it with him and commit himself to his protection Compare Psal. 55. 17. and he lift up his eyes and saw and behold the camels were coming 64 And Rebekah lift up her eyes and when she saw Isaac she lighted off the camel c As a testimony of her respect to him whom by the servant she understood to be her Lord and Husband Compare Ios. 15. 18. 1 Sam. 25. 23. 65 For she had said unto the servant what man is this that walketh in the field to meet us And the servant had said It is my master therefore she took a vail and covered her self d In token of modesty reverence and subjection See Gen. 20. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 10. 66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done 67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarahs tent e Partly to give her possession of it and partly to consummate the Marriage Women then had their tents apart from Men. See Gen. 18. 10. and 24. 67. and 31. 33. and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her and Isaac was comforted after his mothers death f A sorrowful sense whereof he yet had retained though she died three years before this time CHAP. XXV 1 THen a After Sarahs death and Isaacs Marriage again Abraham took b Not from any inordinate lust which his age and eminent grace may sufficiently evince but from a desire of more Children and of accomplishing Gods promise concerning the great multiplication of his seed a wife c A secondary Wife or a Concubine as she is called ver 6. and 1 Chron. 1. 32. and her name was Keturah d A distinct person from Hagar as appears from ver 6. and 12. and as it seems of better quality and younger for Hagar was now eighty years old and not likely to be a mother of six Children 2 And she bare him e Quest. How could Abraham being now about one hundred years old have so many Children when his body was dead in his hundredth year Answ. Because that renewed strength which was miraculously conferred upon him did still in a great measure remain in him being not a temporary action but a durable habit or power Zimran and Jokshan and Medan f These persons were the heads of several people dwelling in Arabia and Syria where we shall find evident footsteps of their names amongst antient Geographers onely a little changed which could not be avoided in their translation into another Language and Midian g The Father of those Midianites of whom we read Gen. 36. 35. Iudg. 6. 2. Isa. 10. 26. and Ishbak and Shuah h From whom Bildad seems to be descended Iob 2. 11. 3 * 1 Chron. 1. 32. And Jokshan begat Sheba and Dedan And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim 4 And the sons of Midian Ephah i Of whom see Isa. 60. 6. and Epher k From whom some think Africa received its name and Hanoch and Abidah and Eldaah all these were the Children of Keturah 5 And Abraham gave l Which before he purposed and promised to give Gen. 24. 36. And now actually gave all that he had m Except that which is excepted in the following verse and except the use and enjoyment of his estate during his own life unto Isaac 6 But unto the sons of the concubines n Hagar and Keturah Concubines are sometimes called Wives as Gen. 16. 3. Iudg. 19. 1 2 3. 29. but their Children had no right to the inheritance For though the Children of Iacobs Concubines did equally partake of the inheritance with the other Children that was done by divine appointment and Iacobs voluntary act and upon special reason because of the vast inheritance promised and
gave answers suâ—…ble to his questions or such as his words required * Heb. knowing could we know could we certainly know that he would say Bring your brother down 8 And Judah e Who for his age and prudence and penitent carriage for his youthful follies was most beloved and regarded by his father said unto Israel his father Send the lad f So he calls him because he was the youngest of all though he was now 30 years old and a father of divers children See Gen. 30. 22. and 35. 18. and 41. 46. and 46. 21. with me and we will arise and go that we may live and not die both we and thou and also our little ones 9 I will be surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him * chap. 44. 3â—… If I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame g Heb. be an offender to thee Let me bear the guilt and shame and punishment due to so great an offence for ever 10 For except we had lingered surely now we had returned ‖ Or twice by this this second time 11 And their father Israel said unto them If it must be so now do this take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels and carry down the man a present a little balm and a little honey spices and myrrhe * Of all which see Gen. 37. 25. nuts h That kind of nuts which we call pistaches as some Hebrew and other expositours render the word for that was both an excellent fruit and peculiar to Iudea and Syria and well agreeing with the almonds which here follow and almonds 12 And take double money i Double to what you carried last either to procure more corn which may prevent the frequency of such perillous journies or because the continuance and increase of the scarcity had advanced the price in your hand and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks carry it again k For it is their money not ours and therefore must be restored in your hand peradventure it was an oversight l Either in you or in the receiver of your money who through multitude of buyers and haste in his business might easily be mistaken 13 Take also your brother and arise go again unto the man 14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin ‖ Or and I as I have been c. If I be bereaved of my children I am bereaved m An expression whereby he submits himself and children to Gods will and providence whatever the issue shall be Compare Esth. 4. 16. Or thus As I have been already bereaved of some of my dearest children so I shall be bereaved of the rest and I shall be left solitary and if this be my portion Gods will be done 15 And the men took that present and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin and rose up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the ruler of his house Bring these men home and †Heb. 〈◊〉 â—… killing slay and make ready for these men shall †Heb. 〈◊〉 dine with me at noon n The usual time for the more solemn meal in the East Countries as the evening was the time and the supper the great meal among the Romans 17 And the man did as Joseph bade and the man brought the men into Josephs house 18 And the men were afraid because they were brought into Josephs house and they said Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in that he may * Heb. roll himself upon us seek occasion against us and fall upon us and take us for bondmen o The proper punishment for thieves and our asses 19 And they came near to the Steward of Josephs house and they communed with him at the door of the house 20 And said O Sir * chap. 42. 3. †Heb. coming 〈◊〉 we came 〈◊〉 we came indeed down at the first time to buy food 21 And * chap. 42. 27. it came to pass when we came to the Inne that we opened our sacks and behold every mans money was in the mouth of his sack our money in full weight and we have brought it again in our hand 22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks 23 And he said Peace be to you p No harm shall come to you for that matter fear not your God and the God of your father q Thus he speaks because Ioseph had instructed him as well as others of his family in the true Religion hath given you treasure in your sacks r By his power and providence secretly putting it there †Heb. your money came to me I had your money And he brought Simeon out unto them 24 And the man brought the men into Josephs house and * chap. 18. 4. and 24. 32. gave them water and they washed their feet and he gave their asses provender 25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon for they heard that they should eat bread there 26 And when Joseph came home they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house and bowed themselves to him to the earth 27 And he asked them of their †Heb. peace welfare and said †Heb. is there peace to your father Is your father well the old man * chap. 42. 11 13. of whom ye spake Is he yet alive 28 And they answered Thy servant s By which expression delivered in Iacobs name and by his order Iacob himself made obeisance to him as was foretold Gen. 37. 9. our father is in good health he is yet alive and they bowed down their heads and made obeisance 29 And he lift up his eyes and saw t i. e. More narrowly observed him having now more leasure than he seems to have had when he saw him first ver 16. his brother Benjamin his mothers son and said Is this your younger brother * chap. 42. 13. of whom ye spake unto me and he said God be gracious unto thee my son u So he calls him not from special affection which he intended not yet to discover but because this compellation is commonly used when a man speaks to another who is his inferiour in age or dignity 30 And Joseph made haste for his bowels did yern x His heart and inward parts were vehemently moved as they commonly are upon occasion of any excessive passion of love pity grief or joy c. upon his brother and he sought where to weep and he entred into his chamber and wept there 31 And he washed his
the matter 10 And he said Now also let it be according unto your words he with whom it is found shall be my servant and ye shall be blameless f Thus he moderates the conditions which they proposed exempting the innocent and exchanging the deserved and offered death of the nocent into slavery 11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground and opened every man his sack 12 And he searched and began at the eldest g To take off all their suspicion of his fraud and left at the youngest and the cup h He found doubtless the money there but he accused them not about that matter both because they had an answer ready to that charge from his own mouth chap. 43. 23. and because the greater crime the stealing of the cup which Ioseph so much prized and used might seem to extinguish the less or at least cause him to neglect it was found in Benjamins sack 13 Then they rent their clothes and laded every man his asse and returned to the City i Being afraid and ashamed to go to their father without Benjamin concerning whom they had received so severe a charge and made such solemn promises and imprecations 14 And Judah and his brethren came to Josephs house for he was yet there and they fell before him on the ground 15 And Joseph said unto them What deed is this that ye have done wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly ‖ Or make trial divine 16 And Judah k Who speaks in the cause as being one of the eldest and a person of most gravity and discretion and readiness of speech and most eminently concerned for his brother said What shall we say unto my Lord what shall we speak or how shall we clear our selves God hath found out the iniquity l viz. This iniquity of which it seems some of us are guilty and God hath discovered it Or iniquity may be put for iniquities whether we are guilty of this fact or not we are certainly guilty of many other sins for which God is now punishing us to whose providence we therefore willingly submit of thy servants behold we are my Lords servants both we and he also with whom the cup is found 17 And he said God forbid that I should do so but the man in whose hand the cup is found he shall be my servant and as for you get you up in peace unto your father 18 Then Judah came near unto him m Made a little nearer approach to him that he might present his humble petitiâ—… to him and said O my Lord let thy servant I pray thee speak a word in my Lords ears n In thy hearing For this phrase doth not necessarily imply that he whispered in his ears as appears from Numb 14. 28. Deut. 32. 44. Iudg. 17. 2. and let not thy anger burn against thy servant for thou art even as Pharaoh o As thou representest his person so thou art invested with his Majesty and Authority and therefore thy word is a law thou canst do with us what thou pleasest either spare or punish us and therefore we do justly deprecate thine anger and most humbly intreat thy favourable audience and princely compassion to us 19 My Lord asked his servants saying have ye a father or a brother 20 And we said unto ray Lord we have a father an old man and a child of his old age a little one p So they call him comparatively to themselves who were much elder and withal to signifie the reason why he came not with them because he was young and tender and unfit for such a journey and his brother is dead and he alone is left of his mother and his father loveth him 21 And thou saidest unto thy servants Bring him down unto me that I may set mine eyes upon him q i. e. See him with my own eyes and thereby be satisfied of the truth of what you say Compare Gen. 42. 15 16. Elsewhere this phrase signifies to shew favour to a person as Ier. 39. 12. and 40. 4. But though that was Iosephs intention as yet he was minded to conceal it from them 22 And we said unto my Lord The lad cannot leave his father for if he should leave his father his father would die 23 And thou saidest unto thy servants * Chap. 43. 3. except your youngest brother come down with you you shall see my face no more r Quest. Why would Ioseph expose his father to the hazard of his life in parting with his dear child Answ. Ioseph supposed that to be but a pretence and might fear lest his brethren had disposed of Benjamin as they did of him and therefore could not bring him forth And as for his father the experience which he had of his continuance in life and health after the supposed untimely death of Ioseph gave him good assurance that his parting with Benjamin for a season and that under the care and charge of his brethren was not likely to make any dangerous impression upon him 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father we told him the words of my Lord. 25 And * Chap. 43. 2. our father said Go again and buy us a little food 26 And we said we cannot go down if our youngest brother be with us then will we go down for we may not see the mans face except our youngest brother be with us 27 And thy servant my father said unto us Ye know that my wife s He calleth her so by way of eminency as Gen. 46. 19. because she onely was his wife by design and choice whereas Leah was put upon him by fraud and might have been refused by him if he had so pleased and the other two were given to him by Rachel and Leah bare me two sons 28 And the one went out from me and I said * Chap. 37. 33. surely he is torn in pieces and I saw him not since 29 And if ye take this also from me and mischief befall him ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave 30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father and the lad be not with us seeing that his life is bound up in the lads life t The death of the Child which upon this occasion he will firmly believe will unavoidably procure his death also 31 It shall come to pass when he seeth that the lad is not with us that he will die and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave 32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father saying * Chap. 43. 9. If I bring him not unto thee then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever 33 Now therefore I pray thee let thy servant abide in stead of the lad u Partly in
thought it consisted onely in the external performances and abstinences expressed 4 And Moses wrote i To wit in a book Heb. 9. 19. And the ten commandments God himself wrote also in tables of stone Exod. 31. 18. all the words of the LORD and rose up early in the morning and builded an altar k Representing God in Christ as one party in the covenant under the hill and twelve pillars l Representing the people of Israel the other party So here are the outward signs and symbols of a covenant made between God and the Israelites according to the twelve tribes of Israel 5 And he sent young men m It matters not whether they were the first-born or others it is sufficient that they were persons appointed and authorized for the present service not without Gods direction of the children of Israel which offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen n One kind as the principal is named for all for there were offered also goats as appears both from Heb. 9. 19. and from hence that burnt-offerings were usually made of the goats Lev. 1. 10. Numb 7. 28. unto the LORD 6 And Moses took half of the bloud o Of the beasts killed which for conveniency of sprinkling was mixed with a little water Heb. 9. 19. whereby also Christ was most fitly represented who came by water and blood 1 Ioh. 5. 6. and put it in basons and half of the bloud he sprinkled on the altar ‖ To signify as well that God was appeased and atoned by this blood as it represented the blood of Christ as also that Christ was sanctified with his own blood Heb. 9. 12. 7 And he took the book of the covenant p Wherein Moses had written the conditions of this covenant to wit the words and laws of God above ver 4. and read in the audience of the people q i. e. In the hearing of a great number of them or of some in the name of all the people by whom it was read or otherwise published to all the people successively and they said * Verse 3. All that the LORD hath said will we do and be obedient 8 And Moses took the bloud r The other half of the blood which was put in the basons for this end ver 6. and sprinkled it on the people s Either upon the 12 pillars representing the people or upon the peoples representatives to wit the Elders mentioned ver 1. as when the people are commanded to lay on their hands the Elders do it in their name and stead Lev. 4. 15. Deut. 21. 2. or upon those of the people which were nearest him which was imputed to all the rest and was to be taken by them as if it had reached unto them all Now this sprinkling of the bloud upon the people did signify 1. their ratification of the covenant on their parts and their secret wishing of the effusion of their own blood if they did not keep it 2. the sprinkling of their consciences with the blood of Christ and their obtaining redemption justification and access to God through it alone See Heb. 9. 20 22. and 13. 20. and said Behold * 1 Pet. 1. 2. the bloud of the covenant t Whereby the covenant is made and confirmed as was usual both in Scripture Mat. 26. 28. Luk. 22. 20. and among heathens which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words 9 Then went up u In obedience to that command of God given ver 1. Moses and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the Elders of Israel 10 And they saw the God of Israel x Not any visible resemblance of the Divine nature which is expresly denied Deut. 4. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 16. and was refused to Moses when he desired it Exod. 33. 18 20. and therefore surely would never be granted to the Elders of Israel but some glorious appearance or token of Gods special presence or rather the second person in the Trinity who now shewed himself to them in an humane and glorious shape as an essay and testimony of his future incarnation This may seem probable 1. because here is mention of his feet 2. because this way of Christs appearance was not unusual See Gen. 18. c. 3. because the person who delivered the law in Sinai was Christ as appears from Act. 7. 38. though he be there called an Angel a name oft given to Christ as hath been sormerly shewed and there was under his feet as it were a paved work * Ezek. 1. 26. and 10. 1. of a Saphire stone y Which is of a clear sky-colour mixed with golden spots like stars in the sky and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness z Or for clearness A clear sky in Prophetical style signifies Gods favour as a cloudy sky notes his anger 11 And upon the nobles a Or separated or select ones i. e. the persons who were singled out to go up with Moses ver 1. 9. the same of whom it is said here and ver 10. that they saw God of the children of Israel he laid not his hand b i. e. Did not hurt or destroy them as they might expect according to the vulgar opinion Gen. 16. 13. and 32. 20. c. and the conscience of their own guilt as being now before their Lord and Judge And so the phrase of putting or stretching forth the hand is most frequently used as Gen. 37. 22. 1 Sam. 26. 11 23. Esth. 2. 21. Iob 1. 11 12. Psal. 138. 7 c. also they saw God and did eat and drink c So far were they from being destroyed that they were not affrighted at this glorious appearance of God but were refreshed and comforted by it and did joyfully eat and drink together in Gods presence celebrating the sacred feast made of the remnant of the peace-offerings according to the manner Thus God gave them a taste of his grace and mercy in this covenant and an assurance that he would not deal with them according to the rigors of the law but for the sake of the blood of Christ typically represented here would graciously pardon and accept all those that sincerely though imperfectly obey him 12 And the LORD said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and be d i. e. Abide as that verb is used 1 Tim. 4. 15. and elsewhere there and I will give thee * chap. 31. 18. and 32. 16. tables of stone e He chose that material partly as very durable yet so that it was capable of being broken which God foreseeing their wickedness intended to do and partly for signification to note the hardness of their hearts upon which no impression could be made but by the finger of God and a law and commandments f Or the law and because that is ambiguous to the moral and ceremonial and judicial he addes even the commandment
next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar c He and Zebulun were Leah's two youngest sons and therefore would more contentedly submit to Iudah and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar 6 And his host and those that were numbred thereof were fifty and four thousand and four hundred 7 Then the tribe of Zebulun and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun 8 And his host and those that were numbred thereof were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred 9 All that were numbred in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred d This was the most numerous camp because they marched first as being placed on the East and going towards the East and because they guarded the Sanctuary throughout their armies these shall first set forth 10 On the south-side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben e Who being the first-born was the leader of the second camp according to their armies and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur 11 And his host and those that were numbred thereof were fourty and six thousand and five hundred 12 And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai 13 And his host and those that were numbred of them were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred 14 Then the tribe of Gad and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel f Called Devel Numb 1. 14. the Hebrew letters Daleth and Resh being very like and oft changed as appears by comparing Gen. 10. 3. with 1 Chron. 1. 6. and Gen. 36. 26 38. with 1 Chron. 1. 41 50. 15 And his host and those that were numbred of them were fourty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty 16 All that were numbred in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty throughout their armies and they shall set forth in the second rank 17 Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp g Which is not to be understood strictly or exactly but largely for in their march they were divided and part of that Tribe marched next after Iudah Numb 10. 17. and the other part exactly in the midst of the camp as they encamp so shall they set forward every man in his place by their standards 18 On the west-side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim h Who is here preferred before his brother according to the prophesie Gen. 48. 19 20. according to their armies and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud 19 And his host and those that were numbred of them were fourty thousand and five hundred 20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur 21 And his host and those that were numbred of them were thirty and two thousand and two hundred 22 Then the Tribe of Benjamin and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni 23 And his host and those that were numbred of them were thirty and five thousand and four hundred 24 All that were numbred of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred throughout their armies and they shall go forward in the third rank 25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north-side by their armies and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Abiezer the son of Ammishaddai 26 And his host and those that were numbred of them were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred 27 And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran 28 And his host and those that were numbred of them were fourty and one thousand and five hundred 29 Then the tribe of Naphtali and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan 30 And his host and those that were numbred of them were fifty and three thousand and four hundred 31 All they that were numbred in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred i The strongest camp next after Iudah and therefore he comes in the rear as Iudah marched in the front that the Tabernacle might be best guarded where there was most danger they shall go hindmost with their standards 32 These are those which were numbred of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers all those that were numbred of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty 33 But the Levites were not numbred k Because their warfare was of another kind among the children of Israel as the LORD commanded Moses 34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses so they pitched by their standards l i. e. Each of them under his principal standard and so they set forward every one after their families according to the house of their fathers CHAP. III. 1 THese a Which follow in this chapter also are the generations b i. e. Either 1. The things done by them as the word generation is sometimes used as Gen. 6. 9. and 25. 19. and 37. 2. Or rather 2. The Kindred or Family for that is the subject of this chapter and not their events or actions Obj. Aarons Family indeed is here mentioned but not Moses his Family Answ. Moses his Family and Children are here included under the general name of the Amramite ver 27. which includes all the Children and Grand-chilfiren of Amram the persons onely of Aaron and Moses being excepted And the generations of Moses are thus obscurely mentioned because they were but common Levites the Priesthood being given solely to Aarons posterity whence Aaron is here put before Moses who elsewhere is commonly named after him of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai c This seems to be added because Nadab and Abihu mentioned ver 2. were then alive though dead at the time of taking this account 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron Nadab the * Exod. 6. 23. first-born and Ablhu Eleazar and Ithamar 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron the priests which were anointed †Heb. whose hand â—…e filled whom he consecrated to minister in the priests office 4 * Lev. 10. 1. chap. 26. 61. 1 Chron. 24. 2. And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before
The chief Rulers of each Tribe who were to communicate it to the rest concerning the children of Israel saying This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded 2 If a man b Which notes both the Sex as appears by v. 3. and the Age that he be grown up for none can be so weak as to think the vow of a young Child would bind it vow a vow c i. e. A simple vow to do something possible and lawful unto the LORD d To the Honour and Service of God or swear an oath e Confirm his Vow by an Oath to bind his Soul with a bond f To restrain himself from something otherwise lawful as suppose from such a sort of Meat or Drink or to oblige himself to the performance of something otherwise not necessary as to observe a private day of fasting he shall not †Heb. profanâ—… break his word g Heb. not pollute or prophane his word as the same phrase is used Psal. 55. 20. and 89. 34. i. e. not render his word and consequently himself prophane or vile and contemptible in the eyes of others he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his own mouth h And that without delay Deut. 23. 21. Eccles. 5. 4. provided the thing be not unlawful and forbidden by God Act. 23. 14. for it is an idle conceit that a man can give away Gods right or that he can make void Gods commands by his own vows which was the dotage of the Pharisees Mark 6. 23 26. 3 If a woman i Or a man in the same circumstances a son or a servant as plainly appears from hence because the reason of this Law is perfectly the same in both Sexes which is that such persons have given away what was not their own but anothers even their superiours right which is against the Rule and Law of Natural Reason and against the Word of God which binds all persons to give to every one their due He instanceth only in the Woman because that Sex is both by Creation and Sin put into a state of subjection but under the chief and most unquestionable kind all other Subjects in like circumstances are comprehended as is very usual also vow a vow unto the LORD and bind her self by a bond being in her fathers house k i e. Under his Care Power and Government which she is whilest she continues in her Fathers House being a Virgin as appears by the opposition of a married Woman v. 6. and of a Widow and Divorced Woman v 9. and by this Phrase of being in her Fathers house for when she marries she is removed into her Husbands house Ruth 1. 9. Or being in or of her Fathers Family the word House being commonly used for Family for when she marries she is translated and removed into another Family in her youth l When not onely her Sex but her Age disenables her for vowing and this clause is added not by way of restriction as if Virgins in their riper yearâ—… were freed from their Parents jurisdiction and at their own disposal which undoubtedly they are not but by way of addition or amplification q. d. especially which particle is here to be understood such defects of particles being frequent in the Hebrew Tongue in her youth which is commonly reckoned about her Twelfth or Thirteenth year 4 And her father m Under which Title seem to be comprehended as in other places of Scripture Masters Magistrates and all other superiours in such cases wherein their right is given away by the inferiour vow as for instance when a Servant vows to go a long journey for his Friend and his Master will not permit him to do so but not in other cases as if a Servant vows to do something for another in that time which his Master alloweth to his own use and disposal in this case his vow binds him but not in the former hear her vow and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul and her father shall hold his peace at her n His silence being an interpretative consent and much more if he declares his approbation of it then all her vows shall stand and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand o i. e. Be established or confirmed or be in force 5 But if her Father disallow her in the day that he heareth p i. e. Speedily or without delay allowing onely necessary and convenient time for deliberation And it is hereby intimated that the day or time he had for disallowing her vow was not to be reckoned from her vowing but from his hearing or knowledge of her vow not any of her vows or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand and the LORD shall forgive her q Or will forgive either her rashness of making such vows or rather her not performing of it But this is to be understood only of such vows which could not be performed without invading the Fathers or Superiours right for if one should vow to forbear such or such a sin and all unnecessary occasions or means leading to it and to perform such or such duties when he had opportunity no Father nor Superiour can discharge him from such vows because her Father disallowed her 6 And if she had at all an husband r To whose Will and Authority she was thereby made subject when †Heb. Her vows were upon her she vowed s To wit when she was in her Fathers house as is evident by comparing v. 10. and this clause seems to be added by way of exception to that which was said v. 3 4. to signifie that though she were in her Fathers house yet if she were married her Husband onely and not her Father could disoblige her from her vow or uttered ought out of her lips t Either 1. By way of vow and so this clause explains and determines the former i. e. if she express her vow in words Or 2. By way of Oath concerning which this same phrase is used Levit. 5. 4. and so this clause is distinct from the former which the disjunctive particle or implies wherewith she bound her soul 7 And her husband heard it and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it then her vows shall stand and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand 8 But if her husband disallow her on the day that he heard it then he shall make her vow which she vowed and that which she uttered with her lips wherewith she bound her soul of none effect and the LORD shall forgive her 9 But every vow of a widow and of her that is divorced u Though she be in her Fathers house whether such persons oft returned which limitation may be gathered both from the opposition of her being in her Husbands house v. 10. and from hence that this was the onely doubtful case for if such a
that * Josh. 8. 32. thou shalt set thee up great stones and plaister them with plaister b For conveniency of writing upon them 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law c Either 1. all the words of this book of Deuteronomy But that seems too large for this place Or 2. the blessings and curses here following But they are mentioned as a different thing Or 3. the law properly so called i. e. the sum and substance of the precepts or laws of Moses especially such as were moral and general as may be guessed from the following part of the chapter where the curses pronounced against all that confirm not all the words of this law to do them are particularly applied unto the transgressours of moral laws onely ver 15 16 c. And especially the Decalogue which oft goes under that name Compare Ios. 8. 32. c. when thou art passed over that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee a land that floweth with milk and hony as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee 4 Therefore it shall be when ye are gone over Jordan that ye shall set up these stones which I command you this day in mount Ebal ‖ The mount of cursing Here the law is written to signify that a curse was due to the violatours of it and that no man could expect justification or blessing from the works of the law by the sentence whereof all men are justly accursed as being all guilty of the transgression of it in one kind and degree or other Here the sacrifices are to be offered to shew that there is no way to be delivered from this curse but by the blood of Christ which all these sacrifices did typifie and by Christs being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. and thou shalt plaister them with plaister 5 And there thou shalt build an altar unto the LORD thy God an altar of stones * Exod. 20. 25 Josh. 8. 31. thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones d i. e Rough not hewed nor polished and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God 7 And thou shalt offer peace-offerings and shalt eat there and rejoyce before the LORD thy God 8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly e So as to be easily read by all 9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel saying Take heed and hearken O Israel this day thou art become the people of the LORD f By thy solemn renewing of thy covenant with me thy God 10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God and do his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day 11 And Moses charged the people the same day saying 12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizzim g Obj. In Ios. 8. 33. they stood over against mount Gerizim Ans. 1. Both are true they who stood upon the one mount stood over against the other 2. These words may be rendered beside or near to as the Hebrew al oft signifies mount Gerizim which might be over against it to â—…less the people h Whence it appears that the blessings also were pronounced as well as the curses though they be not here mentioned See Ios. 8. 33. when ye are come over Jordan Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and Joseph and Benjamin i All these were the children of the free-women Leah and Rachel to shew both the dignity of the blessings above the curses and that the blessings belong onely to those that are Evangelically such as this is expounded and applied Gal. 4. 22 c. even to those that receive the Spirit of adoption and liberty Ioseph is here put for both his sons and tribes Manasseh and Ephraim which are here reckoned as one tribe because Levi is here numbred but when Levi is omitted as it is where the division of the land is made there Manasseh and Ephraim pass for two tribes 13 And * chap. 11. â—… these shall stand upon mount Ebal †Heb. â—…r â—… cursing to curse k He saith to bless the people ver 12. but here onely to curse not expressing whom either because he was loath to mention the people as objects of the curse or because he presumed and hoped that though some particular persons might deserve the curse yet the generality of the people would keep out of the reach of it or to intimate that though the blessing was peculiar to the people of Israel yet the curse was indefinite and common to all nations as may appear from the particular sins here numbred which are such as made the Gentiles guilty and abominable to God as is elsewhere affirmed See Lev. 18. 28. Reuben Gad and Asher and Zebulun Dan and Naphtali l Four of these are the children of the bondwomen to shew that the curse belongs to those of servile and disingenuous spirits and carriages to God With these are joyned Reuben who by his shameful sin fell from his dignity Gen. 49. 4. and Zabulon as the youngest of Leahs children who was necessarily to be joyned with those that the numbers might be equal 14 And * Dan. 9. 11. the Levites m i. e. Some of the Levites to wit the Priests which bare the Ark as it is expressed Ios. 8. 33. for the body of the Levites stood upon mount Gerizim v. 12. But these stood in the valley between Gerizim and Ebal looking towards the one or the other mountain as they pronounced either the blessings or the curses as may be gathered from Ios. 8. 33. shall speak and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice n So as they might be heard by a great number of the people by whom the rest were informed and directed by some signal when they should answer 15 * Exod. 20. â—… 23. and 34. 1â—… Lev. 19. 4. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image o Under this particular he understands all the gross violations of the first Table as under the following branches he comprehends all other sins against the second Table as is manifest from hence that there are other sins not here mentioned which are as sinful as these and will as certainly expose a man to the curse as any of the rest an abomination unto the LORD the work of the hands of the craftsmen and p Or although as that particle sometimes signifies putteth it in a secret place q He takes special notice of such partly to shew the folly of those men who think to hide their sins by this means and partly to deter men from such practises which men could not see nor punish by making them their own condemners and executioners and all the people shall
wife of his bosom and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave 55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat because he hath nothing left him in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates 56 The tender and delicate woman among you which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness her eye shall be evill r i. e. Unmerciful she will desire or design their destruction for her food towards the husband of her bosom and towards her son and towards her daughter 57 And towards her †Heb. after-birth young one s Heb. after-birth that which was loathsome to behold will now be pleasant to eat and together with it she shall eat the child which was wrapt up in it and may be included in this expression that commeth out from between her feet and towards her children which she shall bear t Or which she shall have born i. e. her more grown children for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates 58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name u i. e. Thing or Person to wit this glorious God Names are oft put for things as 1 King 5. 3. Psal. 20. 1. and 115. 1. Act. 4. 12. Eph. 1. 21. and for persons as Act 1. 15. Revel 3. 4. THE LORD THY GOD 59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance 60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the * Chap. 7. 1â—… diseases of Egypt which thou wast afraid of and they shall cleave unto thee 61 Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in the book of this law them will the LORD †bring upon thee until thou Heb. cause to ascend be destroyed 62 And ye * Chap. 4. 27. shall be left few in number whereas ye were * Chap. 10. 22. as the stars of heaven for multitude because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God 63 And it shall come to pass that as the LORD rejoyced over you to do you good and to multiply you so the LORD * Pro. 1. 26. Isa. 1. 24. will rejoyce over you to destroy you x His just indignation against you will be so great that it will be a pleasure to him to take vengeance on you For though he doth not delight in the death of a sinner in it self yet he doth doubtless delight in the glorifying of his justice upon incorrigible sinners seeing the exercise of all his attributes must needs please him else he were not perfectly happy and to bring you to nought and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it y Which was no ordinary land but a most pleasant land a land of promise a token of Gods favour and a pledge of their eternal inheritance which was a great aggravation of their loss of it 64 And the LORD * Lev. 26. 33. Neh. 1. 8. Jer. 16. 13. shall scatter thee among all people from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth and there thou shalt serve other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers have known even wood and stone 65 And * Amos 9. 4. among these nations shalt thou find no ease neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest z Ye shall have no settlement in the land whither you are banished but there you shall be tossed about from place to place and sold from person to person or Cain-like wander about like a Vagabond but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and sorrow of mind 66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee a Either because thou art in the hands of thy enemies that have power and want not will to destroy thee or because of the terrors of thy own mind and the guilt of thy conscience making thee to fear even where no great cause to fear is and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life 67 * Job 7. 4. In the morning thou shalt say Would God it were even and at even thou shalt say Would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see 68 And the LORD * Jer. 44. â—… Hos. 8. 13. and c. 3â—… shall bring thee into Egypt again b Whence he hath now so gloriously delivered thee as repenting of all his kindness to thee and resolved to undo what he hath done for thee And the remembrance of what they endured in Egypt could not but make the thoughts of returning thither again very terrible to them with ships c Which was literally fulfilled under Titus when multitudes of them were carryed thither in Ships and sold there for Slaves as Iosephus relates And this expression seems to mind them of that time when they went over the Sea without ships God miraculously drying up the Sea before them c. which now they would have occasion sadly to remember by the way d Or to the way the Hebrew Bâ—…th here signifying to as it doth Gen. 11. 4. Levit. 16. 22. Psal. 19. 5. and 91. 12. Isa. 9. 8. And the way seems hot to be meant here of the usual road-way from Canaan to Egypt which was wholly by land but to be put for the end of the way or journey even the land of Egypt for to this and not to the road-way between Canaan and Egypt agree the words here following whereof I spake unto thee thou shalt see it i. e. Egypt no more again And so that way is put for to that land in a place parallel to this where the very same words are used Deut. 17. 16. to which this place palpably alludes whereof I spake unto thee * Chap. 1â—… 16. Thou shalt see it no more again and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bond-men and bond-women and no man shall buy you e Either because the number of you captives shall be so great that the market shall be glutted with you or because you shall be so loathsome and contemptible that men shall not be willing to have you for slaves And this was the condition of the Iews after the destruction of Ierusalem as Iosephus the Iew hath left upon record CHAP. XXIX 1 THese are the words of the covenant a These are the terms or conditions upon which God hath made i. e. renewed Covenant with you
upon a particular dislike of that place but by divine Inspiration as appears from 1 King 16. 34. God would have the Ruines of this City remain as a standing Monument of Gods Justice against this wicked and idolatrous People and of his Almighty Power in destroying so great and strong a City by such contemptible means that riseth up and buildeth c i. e. That shall attempt or endeavour to build it So this Curse is restrained to the Builder but no way belongs to those who should inhabit it after it was built as is evident from 2 King 4. 18. Luke 19. 1 5. this city Jericho he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it d i. e He shall lose all his Children in the work the first at the beginning others in the progress of it by degrees and the youngest in the close of it when the Gates use to be set up This was fulfilled 1 King 16. 34. CHAP. VII BUT the children of Israel a i. e. One of them by a very usual Synecdoche or Enallage as Gen. 8. 4. and 19. 29. and Mat. 26. 8. where that is ascribed to the Disciples which belonged to Iudas only Iohn 12. 4. committed a trespass in the accursed thing b i. e. In taking some of the forbidden and accursed goods for * Chap. 22. 20. 1 Chron. 2. 7. Achan the son of Carmi the son of Zabdi c Called also Zimri 1 Chron. 2. 6. the son of Zerah d Or Zarah who was Iudahs immediate Son Gen. 38. 30. who went with Iudah into Egypt and so for the filling up the 256 years that are supposed to come between that and this time we mâ—…st allow Achan to be now an Old-man and his three Ancestors to have begotten each his Son at about 60 years of Age which at that time was not incredible nor unusual of the tribe of Judah took of the accursed thing and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel e Why did God punish the whole Society for this one mans sin Ans. All of them were punished for their own sins whereof each had a sufficient proportion but God took this occasion to inflict the punishment upon the Society partly because divers of them might be guilty of this sin either by coveting what he actually did or by concealing of his fault which it is probable could not be unknown to others or by not sorrowing for it and endeavouring to purge themselves from it partly to make sin the more hateful as being the cause of such dreadful and publick Judgments and partly to oblige all the members of every society to be both more circumspect in the ordering of their own actions and more diligent to watch over one another and to prevent the miscarriages of their Brethren which is a great benefit and blessing to them and to the whole Society and worthy to be purchased by a sharp affliction upon the Society 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai f Called Hai Gen. 12. 8. and Aijah Nehem. 11. 31. They were not to go into the City of Ai but into the Country bordering and belonging to it and there to understand the state and quality of the place and people which is beside g So the Hebrew im is used Gen. 25. 11. and 35. 4. Iudg. 9. 6. and 18. 3. and 19. 11. Beth-aven h A City or Town distinct from but nigh unto Bethel though Bethel was afterwards by allusion called Bethaven Hos. 4. 15. and 10. 5. Compare Ios. 18. 12. on the east-side of Beth-el i Compare Gen. 12. 8. Ios. 8. 9 12. and spake unto them saying Go up and view the countrey And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said unto him Let not all the people go up but let †about ‡ Heb. about two thousand men or about three thousand meâ—… two or three thousand men go up k Which was done by the Wise contrivance of Divine Providence that their Sin might be punished and they awakened and reformed with as little hazard and mischief and reproach as might be For if the Defeat of these caused so great a Consternation in Ioshua it is easy to guess what dread and confusion and despair it would have caused in the People if a great Host had been defeated and smite Ai and make not all the people to labour thither for they are but few 4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men and they fled l Not having their usual Courage to strike a stroke which was a plain Evidence that God had forsaken them and an useful instruction â—…o shew them what weak and inconsiderable Creatures they were when God left them and that it was God not their own valour that gave the Canaamtes and their Land into their hands before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men m A dear Victory to them whereby Israel was awakened and reforâ—…ed and reconciled to their God and Shield and they hardned to their own ruine for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the †going down n By which it seems it was a down-hill way to Iericho which was nearer Iordan wherefore the heart of the ‡ Or in Mâ—…rad people melted and became as water o Soft and weak and full of fâ—…uctuation and trembling 6 ¶ And Joshua rent his Clothes p In Testimony of great Sorrow as Gen. 37. 34. and 44. 13. for the loss felt the consequent mischief feared and the sin which he suspected and fell to the earth upon his face q In deep humiliation and fervent supplication continuing the whole day in Fasting and Prayer before the Ark of the LORD until the even-tide r he and the Elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads s â—… As was usual in case of grief and astonishment 1 Sam. 4. 12. 2 Sam. 1. 2. and 13. 19. Ion. 3. 6. Mich. 1. 10. 7 And Joshua said Alas O LORD GOD wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan t This and the following Clause though well intended and offered to God only by way of Expostulation and Argument yet do favour of Humane Infirmity and fall short of that reverence and modesty and submission which he owed to God and are mentioned as instances that the Holy men of God were subject to like passions and infirmities with other men to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite to destroy us would to God we had been content and dwelt on the other side Jordan 8 O LORD what shall I say u In answer to the reproaches cast by our insulting Enemies upon us and upon thy name when Israel x Gods own people which he hath singled
Isa. 51. 21. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink m To wit this day See above v. 7 8. but have poured out my soul n Have been breathing forth the Griefs and Perplexities and Desires of my Soul The like Phrase is Iob 30. 16. Psal. 62. 8. and 142. 2. before the LORD 16 Count not thine hand-maid for a daughter of Belial o For such a wicked Monster as a Drunken Women is for out of the abundance of my ‖ Or meditation complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto p The oppression of my spirits hath forced me to speak and that so liberally at this time for the ease of my sinking heart 17 Then Eli answered and said Go in peace q I recal my Censure and give thee my Blessing and wish thee Peace i. e. a quiet and composed mind free from whatsoever it is that Grieves and Oppresses thee and withal good Success and Prosperity in what thou desirest for Peace is a very comprehensive word among the Hebrews and the God of Israel grant r Or will grant for it may be either a Prayer or a Prediction which he might deliver either from the consideration of Gods known goodness and readiness to hear Prayers or he might be directed to say so by a special instinct of Gods Spirit which sometimes was given to the High-Priests even when they were wicked men as Iohn 11. 51. and much more when they were Holy Men as Eli was And some add that he was a Prophet thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him 18 And she said Let thine hand-maid find grace in thy sight s That favourable Opinion and good Will and gracious Prayer which thou hast expressed on my behalf be pleased to continue towards me So the woman went her way and did eat and her ‖ Or heaviness was no more See Job 9. 27. Hebr. countenance was no more sad t Her heart being cheared by the Priest's comfortable words and especially by God's Spirit setting them home upon her and assuring her that both his and her Prayers should be heard quickly appeared in her countenance Heb. her indignation or vexation as the word Face is sometimes understood as Gen. 32. 20. Psal. 21. 9. and 34. 16. was no more i. e. it vanished away 19 ¶ And they rose up in the morning early u Partly for their Journey and partly for Prayer as it follows for which this was a very fit and usual time Psal. 5. 3. 119. 147. and worshipped before the LORD and returned and came to their house to Ramah and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife and the LORD remembred her x i. e. Manifested his remembrance of her by the effect 20 Wherefore it came to pass ‡ Heb. in the revolution of days when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived that she bare a son x So the sence is When the usual time from the Conception to the Birth was past she brought forth her Son Heb. In or After the Revolution or Expiration of some Days Hannah Conceived and in due time bare a Son So the meaning is That although her Husband knew her Conjugally at his return and God was mindful of her and intended in his time to give her his Blessing yet she did not Conceive at first but after some days or time afterwards and called y i. e. She called not doubting of her Husbands consent to the Name The Names of Children were given to them sometimes by the Fathers and sometimes by the Mothers See Gen. 4. 1 26. and 5. 29. and 21. 3. and 19. 37 38 c. his name ‖ That iâ—… asked of God Samuel saying Because I have asked him of the LORD 21 And the man Elkanah and all his house z i. e. His Wife Penimah and his Children which are oft-times called a Mans House in Scripture Hannah only and her Child excepted as it here follows went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice a That Solemn Sacrifice which was offerd up once every Year probably the Paschal Lamb which is oft called a Sacrifice as Exod. 12. 27. and 34. 25. and his vow b By which it appears though it was not expressed before that he heard and consented to her Vow which was necessary to make it Obligatory Numb 30. and that he added a Vow of his own of some singular Sacrifice to be offered if God answered his Prayers 22 But Hannah went not up c To wit that Sacred Anniversary-Feast to which she went up before but now did not because she could not with satisfaction to her Mind and Conscience appear before the Lord Empty or without paying her Vow nor bring her Child thither to God and then carry him away from God to her own House Nor did she Sin by not going up for the Women were not obliged to go up at the Solemn Feasts but the Men only Exod. 23. 17. for she said unto her husband I will not go up until the child be weaned d Not only from the Breast and the Milk which was done within Two or Three Years at most but also from the Mothers Knee and Care and from Childish Food till the Child be something grown up and fit to do some Service in the Tabernacle for it seems that as soon as he was brought up he Worshipped God v. 28. and presently after Ministred to Eli 1 Sam. 2. 11. And this may further appear from the very Nature of the Vow which must needs design a Service and an Advantage to the Tabernacle and not a Burden and Encumbrance as it would have been if a Young Child had been brought up to it and left upon it and then I will bring him that he may appear before the LORD and there abide for ever e That when once he is presented to the Lord he may continue in his Service as long as he liveth as is said v. 28. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her Do what seemeth thee good tarry until thou have weaned him onely the LORD establish his word f Either First The word of God made known to them by Eli above v. 17. which being delivered by Gods High-Priest and that in answer to his and his Wives Prayers he took to be a kind of Oracle sent from God But that word was already fulfilled in the Birth of a Son Or Secondly Some other Word or Message from God to Elkanah or his Wife concerning Samuel for such Revelations were frequent in those Ages of the Church and were oft vouchsafed by God concerning such Children as were extraordinary Persons or in a special manner Devoted to God as concerning Isaac Gen. 18. and Sampson Iudg. 13. 3 4. and Iohn Baptist Luk. 1. 13 14 c. and others And so it might be here though it were not mentioned before there being many such things in Scripture omitted in their proper places which afterwards are
Lord was their onely and immediate King and Lawgiver and that our king may judge us ‡ In times of peace and go out before us ‡ Vâ—…z in times of War as this is 1 Sam. 1â—… 12. and fight our battels 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD m He repeated them privately between God and himself partly for his own Vindication and Comfort and partly as a Foundation for his Prayers to God for Direction and Assistance in this difficult case 22 And the LORD said to Samuel Hearken unto their voice and make them a king And Samuel said unto the men of Israel Go ye every man unto his city n Betake your selves to your several occasions till you hear more from me in this Matter For God hath heard your words and will give way to your Irregular and Obstinate desire and accordingly I shall wait upon God for the Determination of the Person which he hath wholly reserved to himself as for Judges so for the King also Deut. 17. 15. and for the Regulation of all the Circumstances CHAP. IX NOW there was a man of Benjamin whose name was * Chap. 14. 51. 1 Chron. 8. 33. Kish a Obj. His Name was Ner 1 Chron. 8. 33. and 9. 39. Ans. Either his Father had two Names as was usual among the Hebrews or Kish was really his Father that begot him and Ner the Brother of Kish 1 Sam. 14. 51. 1 Chron. 9. 36. is called his Father because upon the Death of Kish he took the care of his Education and brought him up as his own Son the son of Abiel the son of Zeror the son of Bechorath the son of Aphiah a ‖ Or the son of a man of Iemini Benjamite b Heb. the Son of a man of Iemini i. e. either of Benjamin or of a Place or of a Man called Iemini a mighty man of ‖ Or substance power c i. e. A man of great courage and strength which tends to Saul's commendation Otherwise a man of great wealth But that seems confuted by Saul's words below v. 21. and the Peoples contempt of him chap. 10. 27. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul ‡ Heb. choice and goodly Gr. a man proper and goodly a choice young man and a goodly d Heb. good i. e. comely and personable as that word is used Gen. 6. 2. as evil is put for deformed Gen. 41. 19. and there was not a man of the children of Israel a goodlier person than he from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people e A tall Stature was much valued in a King in Ancient Times and in the Eastern Countries 3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost and Kish said to Saul his Son Take now one of the servants with thee and arise go seek the asses f Which were there of great price and use Iudg. 10. 4. and 12. 14. because of the scarcity of Horses Deut. 17. 16. and therefore not held unworthy of Saul's seeking at least in those Ancient Times when Simplicity Humility and Industry were in fashion among Persons of Quality 4 And he passed through mount Ephraim g A part of the Tribe of Ephraim which Bordered upon Benjamin and therefore they could soon pass out of the one into the other and back again as they saw cause and passed through the land of Shalisha but they found them not then they passed through the land of Shalim and there they were not and he passed through the land ‡ Heb. Jemini of the Benjamites but they found them not 5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph h In which was Ramah called also Ramah or Ramathaim Sophim the place of Samuel's Birth and Habitation 1 Sam. 1. 1. and 7. 17. Saul said to his servant that was with him Come and let us return lest my father leave caring for the asses and take thought for us 6 And he said unto him Behold now there is in this city a man of God i A Prophet as that Phrase is used 1 Sam. 2. 27. Iâ—…s 14. 6. Iudg. 13. 6. and he is an honourable man * One of great Reputation for his Skill and Faithfulness all that he saith cometh surely to pass k His Declarations of things secret or future always certain and confirmed by the Event now let us go thither peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go l The Course we should take to find the Asses He saith peradventure because he doubted whether so great a Prophet would seek or God would grant him a Revelation concerning such mean matters Although sometimes God was pleased herein to condescend to his People to cut off all pretence or occasion of seeking to Witches or Heathenish divinations See 1 King 14. 2. 2 King 1. 3. 7 Then said Saul to his servant But behold if we go what shall we bring the man for the bread ‡ Heb. is 〈◊〉 out of â—… is spent in our vessels m This he saith because Bread was not unusually given by way of present as we see 1 Sam. 10. 3 4. Or Bread is put for all manner of Provisions as is frequent and among these they might have something not unfit in these plain Times to make a Present of as Clusters of Raisins or Cakes of Figs such as Abigail Presented to David 1 Sam. 25. 18. See also 1 King 14. 3. 2 King 4. 42. and there is not a present to bring to the man of God n Such Presents were then made to the Prophets 1 King 14. 2 3. 2 King 4. 42. and 8. 8. either as a Testimony of Respect to him as their Superior upon which account Subjects made Presents to their Kings 1 Sam. 10. 27. And the Persians never came to their King without some Gift or as a grateful acknowledgment of his Favour or for the support of the Prophets themselves or of the Sons of the Prophets or of other Persons in want known to them What ‡ Heb. iâ—… 〈◊〉 us have we 8 And the servant answered Saul again and said Behold ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 found in 〈◊〉 hand I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver o Which was near a Groat Which though now it may seem a contemptible Gift yet in those Ancient times it was certainly of far more worth and better accepted than now it would be when the Covetousness and Pride and Luxury of men hath raised their expectations and desires to far greater things that will I give to the man of God to tell us our way 9 Before time in Israel when a man went to enquire of God p Or a Man of God which signified the same thing thus he spake Come and let us go to the Seer for he that is now called a
they used to do at Funerals See Ier. 16. 5. Ezek. 24. 17. 36 And all the people too notice of it and it ‡ Heb. was good in theâ—…r eyes pleased them g They were satisfied concerning David's Integrity and the method he used here for his own just vindication as whatsoever the king did h Either in this matter or rather in all things following this Action The meaning is By his carriage herein he gained so great an Interest in the hearts of his People that they judged most favourably of and put the best construction upon all his words and actions as on the contrary when people have a prejudice against or an ill will towards their Prince they are apt to judge most harshly of all his Counsels and Doings pleased all the people f Observed what the King said and did 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the King h Not done by his design or good will to slay Abner the son of Ner. 38 And the king said unto his servants Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man i Both for his Illustrious Quality and for his high Courage and wise Conduct and especially now for his great usefulness and serviceableness to me in giving me the intire and peaceable Possession of all Israel But still observe David's Prudence and Piety that he doth not commend him for his Vertues and Graces as men of vendible Consciences and Tongues use to do upon Funeral-occasions but onely for that kind of worth which was really in him Compare 2 Sam. 1. 23. fallen this day in Israel 39 And I am this day ‡ Heb. tender weak k Or tender in the Infancy of my Kingdom not well rooted and settled in it The Metaphor is taken from a young and tender Child or Plant. though anointed king and these men the sons of Zeruiah l Ioab and Abishai the Sons of my Sister Zeruiah be * Chap. 19. 7. too hard for me m i. e. Too powerful They have so great a command over all the Soldiers and so great favour with the People that I cannot Punish them without apparent hazard to my Person and Kingdom especially now when all the Tribes except Iudah are yet in a state of Opposition against me But this although it might give some colour to the delay of their Punishment for a season yet it may seem to have been one of David's infirmities that he did not do it within some reasonable time both because this Indulgence proceeded from a distrust of Gods Power and Faithfulness as if God could not or would not make good his Promise of the Kingdom to him without and against Ioab and all his Confederates and because it was contrary to Gods Law which severely requires the Punishment of Wilful Murderers Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 14. Numb 35. 21. which David had no power to dispence with And David might and should have remembred how dear Saul pay'd for this very thing that he dispensed with Gods Command and spared those whom God commanded him to slay 1 Sam. 15. And it seems David's Conscience oft smote him for this which made him watch for a fit opportunity to remove and then punish him and having neglected it till Death he declareth his sorrow for that neglect by giving Solomon a charge to execute it after his Death 1 King 2. 5 6 34. * See Chap. 20. 10. the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness 1 King 2. 5 6 33 34. CHAP. IV. AND when Sauls son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron his hands were feeble a His Spirit and Courage and Strength failed him This Phrase is used in the same sence Ezra 4. 4. Neh. 6. 9. Isa. 13. 7. and 35. 3. and all the Israelites were troubled b Because now they were unable to oppose David and doubtful of obtaining his favour now Abner their peace-maker was dead 2 And Sauls son had two men that were Captains of bands the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the ‡ Heb. second other Rechab the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite of the children of Benjamin c Of Ishbosheth's own Tribe whom therefore he trusted the more and this gave them opportunity to execute their wicked design for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin d This is added as the reason why he called them Beerothites because though Beeroth was now in the hands and Possession of the Philistines 1 Sam. 31. 7. yet of right it belonged to the Benjamites Iosh. 18. 25. 3 And e Or Yet or But. For this comes in to anticipate an Objection against what he had now said It is true saith he the Beerothites fled as others did upon the overthrow of Saul and his Army 1 Sam. 31. 7. to a place called Gittaim 2 Sam. 4. 3. not that in Benjamin Nehem. 11. 33. but some other place of that name more remote from the Philistines and so they were Gittaimites by their present Habitation but Beerothites by their Original and place of their Birth the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and were sojourners there until this day 4 And Jonathan Sauls son had a son that was lame of his feet f This History is inserted as that which encouraged these men to this wicked Murder because Saul's Family was now reduced to a low ebb and if Ishbosheth was dispatched there would be none left but a lame Child who was altogether unfit to manage the Kingdom especially in so troublesome a time as this was and therefore the Crown must necessarily come to David by their act and deed for which they promised themselves no small recompence and was five years old when the tidings came of ‡ The slaughter of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel g The place of that last and fatal Fight 1 Sam. 29. 11. and his nurse took him up and fled and it came to pass as she made haste to flee that he fell and became lame and his name was ‖ Merib-baal 1 Chr. 8. 34. and 9. 40. Mephibosheth h Called also Merib-baal 1 Chron. 8. 34. See the notes on Chap. 2. 8. 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite Rechab and Baanah went and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth who lay on a bed at noon i Either from discontent of mind as Ahab did 1 King 21. 4. or from sloth and sensuality as David seems to have done Chap. 11. 2. 6 And they came thither into the midst of the house k Or into the house for the midst is not always taken exactly and Mathematically but for any part within as Gen. 48. 16. Exod. 8. 22. Iosh. 3. 17. as though they would have fetched wheat l Which was laid up in publick Granaries in the King's House and was fetched thence by the Captains and Commanders of the Army
of so great a Priviledge was willing to expose himself to some hazard and wisely considered that the late Judgment was not to be imputed to the Ark but to Uzzah's carelesness in managing it the * Josh. 21. 24 1 Chr. 13. 13. Gittite t He was certainly a Levite 1 Chron. 15. 18 21 24. and 16. 5. and 26. 4. and here called a Gittite Either First From Gath of the Philistines where he or his Father might be Born or have Sojourned which might be upon divers occasions Or Secondly From Gath-rimmon which was a Levitical City Ios. 21. 24 25. 11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months and the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his houshold u With happy Success in all their Affairs and Actions 12 ¶ And it was told king David saying The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertaineth unto him because of the ark of God * 1 Chron. 15. 25. So David went and brought up the ark of God x Understanding that the Ark was entertained without danger or inconvenience and with great advantage he apprehended his former mistake and brought it to himself from the house of Obed-Edom y Which is thought to have been either in Ierusalem or very near it into the city of David with gladness 13 And it was so that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces z With safety and comfort he sacrificed * See 1 〈◊〉 15. 26. oxen and fatlings a Upon an Altar suddenly erected as was usual in such cases See Exod. 20. 24. This he did either to appease God for the former miscarriage or to praise him for his present mercy that he had not made another breach upon them or to implore his favour and gracious presence with them in this great Affair 14 And David danced before the LORD b To express his inward joy and thankfulness to God by his outward carriage according to the manner of those times See Exod. 15. 20. Iudg. 11. 34. and 21. 21. 1 Sam. 18. 6. Psal. 149. 3. and 150. 4. with all his might and David was girded with a linen ephod c The usual Habit of the Priests and Levites in their Sacred Ministrations yet sometimes worn by others as it was by the young Child Samuel 1 Sam. 2. 18. before he was come to those years in which the Levites were allowed to Minister and so hereby David who laid by his Royal Robes and put on this Robe to signify and declare that although he was King of Israel yet he willingly owned himself to be the Lords Minister and Servant 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet 16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David Michal Sauls daughter looked through a window and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD and she despised him in her heart d As one of a base and mean spirit that knew not how to carry himself with that Majesty which became his place but behaved himself like one of the Fools or vain Persons in Israel 17 ¶ And * 1 Chr. 16. 1. they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in his place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had †pitched for it e For Moses his Tabernacle was still at Gibeon 1 Chron. 16. 39. and 21. 29. and 2 Chron. 1. 3. which David left there because he designed to build a Temple at Ierusalem with all speed though he was countermanded therein by God himself and ‡ Heb. stretched David offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings before the LORD 18 And assoon as David had made an end of offering burnt-offerings and peace-offerings * 1 Chron. 16. 2. he blessed the people f i. e. He heartily and solemnly prayed to God for his Blessing upon them which he did both as Prophet and as their King to whom by office it belongs by all means to seek his Peoples welfare in the name of the LORD of hosts 19 And he dealt among all the people even among the whole multitude of Israel as well to the women as men to every one a cake of bread and a good piece of flesh and a flaggon of wine so all the people departed every one to his house 20 ¶ Then David returned to bless his household and Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said How glorious was the king of Israel to day who uncovered himself g Either First by stripping himself of his Royal Robes that he might put on a Levitical Ephod or by discovering some part of his Thighs or Legs as might possibly happen whilst he danced with all his might as is said above ver 14. considering that the men did then wear loose Garments Or she speaks thus not that he did so but onely by way of aggravation of his fault and to vilify him the more as is usual with persons in such cases to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants h Who either bare a part in the Solemnity as Women sometimes did Exod. 15. 20. or at least were spectators of it and of David's carriage in it as one of the vain fellows i As idle and light persons use to do ‖ Or openly shamefully uncovereth himself 21 And David said unto Michal It was before the LORD k In his presence and service which though contemptible to thee is and ever shall be honourable in mine eyes which chose me before thy father and before all his house l Which took away the honour from him and his and transferred it upon me whereby he hath obliged me to Love and Serve him with all my might to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD over Israel therefore will I play before the LORD 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus and will be base in mine own sight m I will always be ready to humble and abase my self before God and ‖ Or of the â—…andmaids of my servants of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour n I shall rather chuse to get honour from the meanest of my people in serving and praising God than to gain esteem from thee by my lukewarmness in Gods service 23 Therefore o Not because of David's words to her which have nothing in them to this purpose but because of her proud and petulant and ungodly speech and carriage to David which God justly punished with sterility Michal the daughter of Saul had no child p To wit by David and after this time which these words evidently respect Which was true although those five Children ascribed to Michal 2 Sam. 21. 8. were hers by Birth and not by Adoption onely
and in all probability be Victorious and then the storm would fall most heavily upon his head as the main Author and Pillar of the Rebellion and the contriver of those two pernicious Counsels above mentioned and died and was buried in the sepulchre of his father 24 Then David came to Mahanaim h A place in the Countrey of Gilead bordering upon the Land of the Ammonites v. 27. See Gen. 32. 2. and 2 Sam. 2. 8. and Absalom passed over Jordan i Not speedily but when all the men of Israel were gathered together according to Hushai's counsel who are said to be with him here as it follows and all the men of Israel with him 25 ¶ And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab which Amasa was a mans son whose name was Ithra an Israelite k Obj. He was an Ishmaelite 1 Chron. 2. 17. Ans. Not Amasa but Ithra or Iether Amasa's Father is there so called because he was such either by his Birth from such Parents or by his long habitation among them or for some other reason now unknown Compare 2 Sam. 15. 18. And Amasa is here called an Israelite either because he was a Proselyte or in opposition to Ioab who was of the Tribe of Iudah as Amasa was of one of the ten Tribes or rather to intimate that although he or his Parents were called Ishmaelites for some reason yet as to their extraction they were indeed Israelites Which if Amasa had not been it is not probable that he could have had so powerful an influence upon the Tribe of Iudah as he had chap. 19. 14. that went in to Abigail l i. e. Lay with her whether being first Married to her or not is uncertain the daughter of Nahash m Nahash is either another name of Iesse or rather the name of Iesse's Wife by whom he had this Abigail as he had Zeruiah by another Wife so they were sisters by the Father but not by the Mother and Nahash is here named to signify so much sister to Zeruiah Joabs mother 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead 27 ¶ And it came to pass when David was come to Mahanaim that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon n Who as it may seem disliked and disowned that barbarous action to the Embassadors and therefore when the rest were destroyed was left King or Governor of the residue of the Ammonites and * Chap. 9. 4. Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar o See above ch 9. 4. and * Chap. 19. 31. 1 King 2. 7. Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim 28 Brought beds and ‖ Or cups basins p i. e. All sorts â—…of Houshold-stuff as well as other proviâ—…ons all which David now wanted and earthen vessels and wheat and barley and flour and parched corn and beans and lentiles and parched pulse 29 And honey and butter and sheep and cheese of kine for David and for the people that were with him to eat for they said The people is hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness q i. e. Having been in the wilderness Which is an easie and common Ellipsis Or because of so the Hebrew Particle hath is oft used the Wilderness which they have passed thorough in which provisions are very scarce CHAP. XVIII AND David numbred the people that were with him a Which flocked to him thither so as to make up a small Army and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab b To wit for his especial conduct and management in the â—…attel otherwise Ioab was the General of all the Forces nor had David yet taken away that power from him nor was this a time to do it But such distributions of Forces are usual in Battels and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah â—…oabs brother and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite and the king said unto the people I will surely go forth with you my self also c That by my presence I may put life and courage into my Soldiers and because it is fit I should run the same hazards with you which you do for my sake 3 But * Chap. 21 〈◊〉 the people answered Thou shall not go forth d For this was Absalom's great error into which he was drawn by a Divine infatuation and by Hushai's craft to go to Battel in his own person which was the utter ruin of him and of his Cause for if we flee away they will not ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 their heart on us care for us neither if half of us die will they care for us but now thou art ‡ Heb. aâ—… ten thousand of us worth ten thousand of us e Not onely for the Dignity of thy Person but also for the importance of our common cause and concern which if thou art slain is irrecoverably lost 〈◊〉 now it is better that thou ‡ Heb. be to succour succour us out of the city f By sending us Supplies of Men and Provisions of all sorts as we have occasion and by securing our retreat if we be defeated Or thus not go along to the Battel with us but onely go out with us or accompany us out of the City to incourage the Company and then retire for thy own safety And so it seems by the next Verse 4 And the king said unto them What seemeth you best I will do And the king stood by 〈◊〉 gate-side g i. e. Between the two Gates of the City as it is expressed below v. 24. and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom h If you Conquer which he presaged they would by Gods Gracious answer to his prayer for the turning of Ahitopbel's counsel into foolishness take him Prisoner but do not kill him Which desire proceeded partly from his great indulgence towards his Children partly from David s consciousness that he himself was the meritorious and procuring cause of this Rebellion Absalom being given up to it for the punishment of David's sins and therefore did indeed deserve some pity from him partly from the consideration of his youth which commonly makes men foolish and heady and violent and subject to ill counsels and partly from his Piety being loth that he should be cut off in the act of his sin without any space or means for repentance whereby both his Soul and Body would be in danger to perish for ever And all the people i To wit the Citizens and others who stood with the King in the Gate when the Army Marched forth heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom 6 ¶ So the people
place being Sanctified by Gods special presence in and by the Angel and offered burnt-offerings u To make atonement for his sins and peace-offerings x To praise God for his Gracious manifestation of himself so the LORD was intreated for the land y As appeared both by fire from Heaven which consumed the Sacrifices as was usual in such cases and by the speedy cessation of the Plague and the plague was stayed from Israel I. KINGS The ARGUMENT THese two Books called of the Kings because they treat of the Kings of Judah and Israel were written by the Prophets or Holy Men of God living in or near their several times and by some one of them digested into this order But whoever was the Penman that these are a part of those Holy Scriptures which were Divinely inspired is sufficiently evident First From the concurring Testimony of the whole Jewish Church in all Ages to whom were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. who also did Faithfully discharge their Duty in preserving and delivering them entirely and truly to their Posterity from time to time as plainly appears because Christ and his Apostles who reproved them freely for their several sins never taxed them with this fault of depraving the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament Secondly Because this is manifest concerning divers parcels of them which were taken out of the Records of the Prophets Nathan Ahijah and Iddo 2 Chron. 9. 29. and out of the Prophesies of Isaiah and Jeremiah and the rest doubtless were of the same nature Thirdly From the approbation of these Books by the New Testament both generally as 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration from God c. which is affirmed concerning all those Holy Scriptures which Timothy had known from a child v. 15. and therefore must necessarily be meant of all the Books of the Old Testament which the Jews owned for Canonical Scripture and particularly Rom. 11. 2 3. c. where a passage out of these Books is quoted and owned as a part of the Holy Scripture called the Scripture by way of eminency CHAP I. NOW king David was old and ‡ Heb. entred into days stricken in years a Being in the end of his seventieth Year and they covered him with cloathes but he gat no heat b Which is not strange in a person not onely of so great an age but also who had been exercised with so many hardships in War and with such tormenting cares and fears and sorrows for his own sins as divers of his Psalms witness and for the sins and miseries of his Children and People See Prov. 17. 22. Besides this might be from the nature of his Disease or Bodily Distemper 2 Wherefore his servants c His Physicians said unto him ‡ Heb. let them seek Let there be sought for my lord the king ‡ Heb. a damsel a virgin a young virgin d Whose Natural heat is fresh and wholsom and not impaired with bearing or breeding of Children The same counsel doth Galen give for the cure of some cold and dry Distempers and let her stand before the king e i. e. Minister unto him or wait upon him as this Phrase is oft used in his sickness as occasion requires and let her ‡ Heb. be a cherisher unto him cherish him and let her lie in thy bosom f As his Wife or Concubine for that she was so may appear by divers arguments First Otherwise this had been a wicked counsel and course which therefore neither his Servants durst have prescribed nor would David have used especially being now in a dying condition And seeing this was easily prevented by his taking her for his Concubine which then was esteemed allowable it is absurd to think that he would not chuse the safer way 2dly That passage v. 4. but the king knew her not implies that the King might have had carnal knowledge of her without sin or scandal Thirdly It appears from this Phrase of lying in his bosom which is every where in Scripture mentioned as the priviledge of a Wife and Concubine as Gen. 16. 5. Deut. 13. 6. 2 Sam. 12. 8. Mic. 7. 5. Fourthiy This made Adonijah's crime in desiring her to Wife so hainous in Solomon's account because he wisely saw that by Marrying the Kings Wife he designed to revive his pretence to the Kingdom at least in case of Solomon's death which pretence had been ridiculous if she had been onely the Kings handmaid that my lord the king may get heat 3 So they sought for a fair damsel g Whose beauty might ingage his affections and refresh his spirits and invite him to those embraces which might communicate some of her Natural heat to him as was designed throughout all the coasts of Israel and found Abishag a Shunammite h Of the City of Shunem in Issachar Ios. 19. 18. See 2 King 4. 8. and brought her to the king 4 And the damsel was very fair and cherished the king and ministred unto him but the king knew her not i Which is mentioned to note the continuance and progress of the Kings malady and the ground of Adonijah's Rebellion and of his following request chap. 2. 17. 5 ¶ Then k Upon notice of the desperateness of the Kings Disease and the approach of his death Adonijah the son of Haggith l See 2 Sam. 3. 4. exalted himself m Entertained high thoughts and designs saying I will ‡ Heb. reign be king n As the right of the Kingdom is mine v. 6. so I will now take possession of it lest Solomon attempt to deprive me of it and he prepared him charets and horsemen and fifty men to run before him o As Absalom had done upon the like occasion 2 Sam. 15. 1. such ill use did he make of that example that he committed the same wickedness which he had done and yet feared not the same disappointment and destruction which he brought upon himself 6 And his father had not displeased him ‡ Heb. from his days at any time p This is noted as David's great error and the occasion of Adonijah's presumption in saying Why hast thou done so q He neither restrained him from nor reproved him for his miscarriages which was a great sin against that plain Law Levit. 19. 17. and severely punished in Eli which David was not ignorant of except Adonijah's errors were small or concealed from David And he also r This particle relates either â—…irst To Absalom here following who also was a goodly man Or rather Secondly to what goes before to signifie that this was a second ground of his confidence because his great comeliness made him amiable in the peoples eyes as his Fathers indulgence was the first was a very goodly man and his mother bare him after Absalom s i. e. Next after Absalom was born of his Mother See 2 Sam.
read of the statutes of Omri Mich. 6. 16. or did more industriously and violently Execute them with greater despight against God and malice against his servants the son of Nebat and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities 27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did and his might that he shewed are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel 28 So Omri slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria and Ahab his son reigned in his stead 29 ¶ And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him 31 And it came to pass ‡ Heb. was it a light thing c. as if it had been a light thing for him c As if that Sin were not big enough to express his contempt of God as if he thought it below his Wit and Dignity to content himself with such a Vulgar Fault But the Hebrew runs thus Was it a light thing c i. e. Was this but a small Sin that therefore he needed to add more Abominations Where the question as is usual among the Hebrews implies a strong denial and intimates That this was no small Sin but a great Crime and might have satisfied his wicked Mind without any additions to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat that he took to wife Jezebel d A Woman infamous for her Idolatry and Cruelty and Sorcery and Filthiness See Chap. 18. 4. and 21. 8. 2 King 9. 22. Revel 2. 20. the daughter of Ethbaal e Called Ithobalus or Itobalus in Heathen Writers king of the Zidonians f So she was of an Heathenish and Idolatrous Race and such whom the Kings and People of Israel were expresly forbidden to Marry and went and served Baal g i. e. The Idol which the Sidonians Worshipped which is thought to be Hercules or false gods for this name is common to all such And this Idolatry was much worse than that of the Calves because in the Calves they Worshipped the True God but in these false gods or Devils as is evident from Chap. 18. 21. and worshipped him 32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he had built in Samaria 33 And Ahab made a grove h Against God's Express Prohibition Deut. 7. 5. and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him 34 In his days i This is here added 1. As a Character of the time and an instance of the truth and certainty of Divine Predictions and Comminations this being fulfilled 800 years after it was threatned and withal as a warning to the Israelites not to think themselves innocent or safe because the Judgment threatned against them by Ahijah Chap. 14. 15. was not yet Executed though they continued in that Calf-worship which he condemned but to expect the certain accomplishment of it in due time if they persisted in their Impenitency Or 2. As an Evidence of the horrible Corruption of his times and of that high Contempt of God which then Reigned did Hiel the Bethelite k Who lived in Bethel the Seat and sink of Idolatry wherewith he was thoroughly leavened build Jericho l A place seated in the Tribe of Benjamin but belonging to the Kingdom of Israel which place he seems to have chosen for his Buildings not so much for his own advantage as out of a contempt of the True God and of his Threatnings which he designed to convince of falshood by his own Experience and out of an Ambitious desire to advance his own Reputation and Interest thereby by attempting that which he knew his King and Queen too would be highly pleased with he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub m i. e. In the beginning of his Building God took away his First-born and others successively in the progress of the Work and the youngest when he finished it And so he found by his own sad Experience the truth of God's Word and how vain it was to contend with him Qu. Why did not God rather punish Hiel himself Answ. This was a terrible Punishment to see his Children Cut off by Divine Vengeance before their time one after another and all this for his own folly and rashness Compare Ier. 52. 10. And as for Hiel himself possibly after he had been spared so long that he might be an Eye-witness of his Sons untimely Deaths he also might be Cut off though it be not Recorded as not belonging 〈◊〉 the Prophecy here mentioned or if not his present Impunity was his greatest Misery either as it continued his Torment in the sad and lasting Remembrance of his Loss and Misery or as it was a mean to harden his Heart so for greater Judgments to which he was reserved * Josh. 6. 26. according to the word of the LORD which he spake by Joshua n Of which see on Iosh. 6. 26. the son of Nun. CHAP. XVII AND ‡ Heb. Elijahu â—…uk 4. 2â—… he is called Elias Elijah a The most Eminent of the Prophets Matt. 17. 3. who is here brought in like Melchisedek Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 3. without any mention of his Father or Mother or beginning of his days like a man drop'd out of the Clouds and raised by God's special Providence as a Witness for himself in this most degenerate time and state of things that by his Zeal and Courage and Power of Miracles he might give some check to their various and abominable Idolatries and some reviving to that small number of the Lords Prophets and People who yet remained in Israel as we shall see the Tishbite b So called either from the place of his Birth or Habitation or for some other reason not now known who was of the ‡ 〈◊〉 sojourtus inhabitants of Gilead c Which was the Land beyond Iordan See Gen. 31. 21. said unto Ahab d Having doubtless admonished him of his Sin and Danger before this and now upon his obstinacy in his Wicked courses he proceeds to declare and execute the Judgment of God upon him * â—…am 5. 17. As the LORD God of Israel liveth e I Swear by the God of Israel who is the onely True and Living God when the gods whom thou hast joyned with him or preferred before him are dead and sensless Idols before whom I stand f Either 1. Whose Minister I am as this Phrase is oft used as Numb 3. 6. Deut. 10. 8. and 17. 12. and
Heb. Word message as he was drinking he and the kings in the ‖ Or Tents pavilions that he said unto his servants ‖ Or Place the Eâ—… And they placed Eâ—… Set your selves in array o Put your selves and Engines in order to make the Assault And they set themselves in array against the city 13 ¶ And behold there ‡ Heb. approached came a prophet p Who having hid himself before now ventures to come to Ahab having this welcome Message in his Mouth unto Ahab king of Israel saying Thus saith the LORD q God though forsaken and neglected by Ahab prevents him with his gracious promise of help partly That Ahab and the Idolatrous Israelites might hereby be fully convinced and won to God or left without all Excuse and partly that Benhadad's intollerable Pride and Contempt of God and of his People might be repressed and punished and partly that the remnant of his Prophets and People who were involved in the same Calamity with the rest of the Israelites might be preserved and delivered Hast thou seen all this great multitude behold I will deliver it into thine hand this day and thou shalt know that I am the LORD r And not Baal because I will deliver thee which he cannot do 14 And Ahab said By whom And he said Thus saith the LORD Even by the ‖ Or Servants young men of the princes of the provinces s Not by Old and Experienced Soldiers but by those Young Men either the Sons of the Princes and great men of the Land who were generally fled thither for safety or their Pages or Servants that used to attend upon them who are bred up delicately and seem unfit for the business Then he said Who shall ‡ Heb. â—…ind or 〈◊〉 order the Battel And he answered Thou t Partly to encourage the Young Men to Fight couragiously as being in the presence of their Prince and partly that it might appear that the Victory was wholly due to God's gracious and powerful Providence and not to the Valour or Worthiness of the Instruments 15 Then he numbred the young men of the princes of the provinces and they were two hundred and thirty two and after them he numbred all the people even all the children of Israel u Either 1. All the men for they onely went out to Battel and the rest of the men might be consumed with the Sword or Famine or other Judgments Or rather 2. All the Men of War or all that were fit to go out to War all except those whom their Age or Infirmity or other sufficient causes excused being seven thousand x Which number may possibly be noted with respect unto those 7000 commended chap. 19. 18. for whose sakes principally God gave this deliverance 16 And they went out at noon y When they were eating and drinking and secure from all fear and expectation of an Assault but Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions he and the kings the thirty and two kings that helped him 17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first and Benhadad sent out and they told him saying There are men come out of Samaria 18 And he said Whether they be come out for peace take them alive or whether they be come out for war take them alive z He bids them not Fight for he thought they needed not to strike one stroke and that the Israelites could not stand the first brunt 19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city and the army which followed them 20 And they slew every one his man a i. e. Him who came to Fight with him or to seize upon him as Benhadad had Commanded and the Syrians fled b Being amazed at the unexpected and undaunted Courage of the Israelites and being struck with a Divine Terror and Israel pursued them and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen 21 And the king of Israel went out c i. e. Proceeded further in his March and Fought against them and smoâ—…e the horses and chariots d i. e. The men that fought from them or belonged to them for so Horses and Chariots are sometimes taken See on 1 Sam. 13. 5. and â—…lew the Syrians with a great slaughter 22 ¶ And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said unto him Go strengthen thy self and mark and see what thou doest e Consider what is fit and necessary for thee to do by way of Preparation or Prevention for at the return of the year f Next year about this time when the season comes of going forth to Battel of which see 2 Sam. 11. 1. 1 Chron. 20. 1. 2 Chron. 36. 10. the king of Syria will come up against thee 23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him g They suppose that their gods were no better than the Syrian gods which the Idolatry of the Israelites had given them too great cause to imagine and that there were many gods who had each his particular charge and jurisdiction which was the Opinion of all Heathen Nations That some were gods of the Woods others of the Rivers and others of the Mountains and they fancied these to be either because the Land of Canaan was a Mountanous Land Deut. 12. 2. And the great Temple of their God at Ierusalem stood upon an Hill and so did Samaria where they had received their last blow or because the Israelites did generally chuse High Places for the Worship of their gods It is observable that they do not impute their ill Success to their Negligence and Drunkenness and bad Conduct or Cowardize of which they were really guilty nor to the Valour of the Israelites but to a Divine Power which indeed was visible in it Their gods are gods of the hills therefore they were stronger than we but let us fight against them in the plain h Wherein there was not onely Superstition but Policy because the Syrians most excelled the Israelites in Horses which are most serviceable in plain ground and surely we shall be stronger than they 24 And do this thing Take the kings away every man out of his place i Who being of softer Education and less experienced in Military Matters were less fit for his Service and being many of them but Mercinaries and therefore less concerned in his good success would be more negligent and cautious in venturing themselves for his good and put captains k i. e. Experienced Soldiers of his own Subjects who will faithfully obey the Commands of the General to which the Kings would not so readily yield and use their utmost Skill and Valour for their own Interest and Advancement in their rooms 25 And number thee an army like the army ‡ Heb. that was fallen that thou hast lost horse for horse and chariot
against the Holy Ghost That they might be guilty of many other hainous Crimes which God and the Prophet knew and were guilty of Idolatry which by Gods Law deserved death that the Idolatrous Parents were punished in their Children and that if any of these Children were more innocent and ignorant of what they said God might have Mercy upon their Souls and then this death was not a misery but a real blessing to them that they were taken away from that wicked and Idolatrous Education which was most likely to expose them not onely to Temporal but to an Eternal destruction in the Name of the LORD m Not from any carnal or revengeful passion but by the motion of Gods Spirit and by Gods command and commission as appears by Gods concurrence with him Which God did partly for the terror and caution of all other Idolaters and prophane persons who abounded in that place partly to vindicate the Honour and maintain the Authority of his Prophets and particularly of Elisha now especially in the beginning of his Sacred Ministry And this did beget such a confidence in Elisha that he durst venture to go into Bethel after this was done and such a terror in the Bethelites that they durst not avenge themselves of him and there came forth two she-bears n Possibly robbed of their Whelps and therefore more fierce Prov. 17. 12. Hos. 13. 8. but certainly acted by an extraordinary fury which God raised in them for this purpose out of the wood and tare forty and two children o This Hebrew word signifies not onely young Children but those also who are grown up to maturity as Gen. 32. 22. and 34. 4. and 37. 30. Ruth 1. 5. of them 25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel p Partly to decline the fury of the People of Bethel partly that he might retire himself from men and converse more freely with God and so fit himself more for the discharge of his employment and partly that he might visit the Sons of the Prophets who lived in that place or near it and from thence he returned to Samaria q By the direction of Gods Spirit for the service which he did chap. 3. 11 c. CHAP. III. NOw Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah a Quest. How can this be true when Ahaziah Iehoram's predecessor who Reigned two Years began his Reign in Iehoshaphat's 17th Year 1 King 22. 51 Ans. Either Ahaziah Reigned the greatest part of two Years to wit of the 17th and 18th Years of Iehoshaphat parts of Years being oft called years in the computation of times both in Scripture and other Authors and Iehoram began his Reign towards the end of his 18th Year or Ahaziah Reigned part of this two Years with his Father and the rest after him and reigned twelve years 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD but not like his father and like his mother for he put away the ‡ Heb. 〈◊〉 image of Baal * 1 King 16. 31 32. that his father had made b Not from any principle of Conscience for that would have reached the Calves also but either because he was startled at the dreadful Judgments of God inflicted upon his Father and Brother for Baal-worship or because he needed Gods help to subdue the Moabites which he knew Baal could not do or to gratify Iehoshaphat whose help he meant to crave which he knew he should never obtain without this and for this reason it seems Iezabel was willing to connive at it as a trick of State 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam c i. e. The worship of the Calves which all the Kings of Israel kept up as a Wall of partition between their Subjects and those of Iudah Thus he shews that his Religion was over-ruled by his Interest and Policy the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin he departed not therefrom 4 ¶ And Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master d A man of great wealth which in those times and places consisted much in Cattel which enabled and emboldned him to Rebel against his Sovereign Lord. and rendred unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs and an hundred thousand rams with the wool 5 But it came to pass when * Ahab was dead that the king of Moab rebelled e See of this ch 1. 1. It is here repeated to make way for the following Story Ahaziah did not attempt the recovery of Moab either because he was a man of a low spirit and courage or because his Sickness or the shortness of his Reign gave not opportunity for it against the king of Israel 6 ¶ And king Jehoram went out of Samaria f To some place appointed for the Rendezvous of his people the same time and numbred all Israel g To wit such as were fit for War 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah saying The king of Moab hath rebelled against me wilt thou go with me against Moab to battel and he said I will go up I am as thou art my people as thy people and my horses as thy horses h Of which see on 1 King 22. 4. He joyns with him in this War partly because the War was very just in it self and convenient for Iehoshaphat both in the general that Rebels and Revolters should be chastised and suppressed lest the example should pass into his Dominions and the Edomites should be hereby encouraged to revolt from him as they did from his Son and in particular that the Moabites should be humbled who had with others Invaded his Land before this time 2 Chron. 20. 1. and might do so again if they were not brought low for which a fair opportunity was now offered to him and partly because Iehoram had reformed some things and Iehoshaphat hoped by this means to engage him to proceed further in that work 8 And he i Either Iehoshaphat or rather Ioram for the following answer may seem to be Iehoshaphat's said Which way shall we go up And he answered The way through the wilderness of Edom k Which though it was much the longer way yet they thought it best partly to secure the King or Vice-Roy of Edom of whom they might have some suspition from that passage 2 Chron. 20. 22. and to carry both him and his Soldiers along with them into the War both to get their assistance and to prevent them from making a War of diversion against Iudah whilst Iehoshaphat was engaged against Moab and partly that they might invade Moab on their weakest side and where they least expected them God also thus disposed their hearts to make way for the following miracle 9 So the king of Israel went and the king of Judah and the king of Edom l i. e. The Vice-Roy under Iehoshaphat 1 King 22. 47.
Shall I ‡ Heb. live Chap. 1. 2. recover of this disease 10 And Elisha said unto him Go say unto him Thou mayest certainly recover howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die p Here is no contradiction for the first words contain an answer to Benhadad's question ver 8. Shall I recover this disease To which the answer is thâ—…u mayest or shalt recover i. e. notwithstanding thy Disease which is not morâ—…l and shall not take away thy life The later words contain the Prophets explication of or addition to that answer which is that he should die not by the power of his Disease but by some other cause But it is observable that in the Hebrew Text it is lo the Adverb which signifies not which though most affirm to be put for lo the Pronoun signifying to him yet others take it as it lies and Translate the words thus Say thou shalt not recover for the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die Or according to the former reading the first words may be taken Interrogatively say unto him Shalt thou indeed recover as thou dost flatter thy self no which negation is implied in the very question and gathered from the following words for the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die 11 And he setled his countenance ‡ Heb. and â—…et it stedfastly q The Prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael until he was ashamed r Either till the Prophet was ashamed to look any longer upon him or till Hazael was ashamed as apprehending that the Prophet suspected or discerned something extraordinary and of an evil and shameful nature in him The Hebrew words are ambiguous and may indifferently â—…e referred to either of them but they seem more properly to belong to Hazael because it follows by way of distinction the man of God wept and the man of God wept 12 And Hazael said Why weepeth my lord And he answered Because I know * Chap. 10. 32. and 13. 3. Amos 1. 3. the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel s So here was a double cause of his Grief and Tears the evil of sin in Hazael and the evil of suffering upon Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt * Chap. 15. 16. Hos. 13. 16. Amos 1. 13. dash their children and rip up their women with child 13 And Hazael said But what is thy servant a dog t Either so vile and unworthy as this expression is used 2 Sam. 3. 8. and 9. 8. or so impudent for which Dogs are noted or so fierce and barbarous and inhumane Compare Psal. 22. 16 20. and 59. 6. that he should do this great thing And Elisha answered The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria u And when thou shalt have power in thy hand thou wiltst discover that bloody disposition and that hatred against Gods People which now lies hid from others and possibly from thy self and therefore with the Kingdom thou wiltst inherit their cruel â—…ons 14 So he departed from Elisha and came to his master who said to him What said Elisha to thee And he answered He told me that thou shouldest surely recover x He represents the Prophets answer by halves that by his Masters security he might have the fitter opportunity to execute his Treasonable design 15 And it came to pass on the morrow that he took a thick cloth and dipt it in water and spread it on his face y Pretending it may be to cool his immoderate heat with it but applying it so closely that he choaked him therewith by which Artifice his Death seemed to be Natural there being no signs of a violent Death upon his Body And this he the more boldly attempted because the Prophets Prediction made him confident of the success so that he died and Hazael reigned in his stead z Having the favour of the People and of the Men of War 16 ¶ And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah * 2 Chr. 21. 4. Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah ‡ Heb. reigned began to reign a Iehoram was first made King or Vice-Roy by his Father divers Years before this time to wit at his expedition to Ramoth-Gilead as was noted before which Dominion of his ended at his Fathers return But now Iehoshaphat being not far from his Death and having divers Sons and fearing some competition and dissention among them makes Iehoram King the second time as David did Solomon upon the like occasion 1 Chron. 29. 22. which is the thing here related But of this see more in the Notes on 2 King 1. 17. and 3. 1. 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign and he reigned eight years b Part with his Father and part by himself alone in Jerusalem 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel c After his Fathers Death as did the house of Ahab for * Ver. 26. the daughter of Ahab d Athaliah ver 26. This unequal Marriage though Iehoshaphat possibly designed it as a mean of Uniting the two Kingdoms under one Head and in the True Religion is here and elsewhere noted as the cause both of the great wickedness of his Posterity and of those sore Calamities which befel them was his wife and he did evil in the sight of the LORD 19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servants sake * 2 Sam. 7. 13. as he promised him to give him alway e Heb. all days until the coming of the Messiah as it is elsewhere limited and explained for so long and not longer this Succession might seem necessary for the making good of Gods Promise and Covenant made with David But when the Messiah was once come there was no more need of any Succession and the Scepter might and did without any inconvenience depart from Iudah and from all the succeeding Branches of David's Family because the Messiah was to hold the Kingdom for ever in his own Person though not in so gross a way as the carnal Iews imagined but in a Spiritual manner a ‡ Heb. candle or lamp light f i. e. A Son and Successor Of this Phrase see on 1 King 11. 36. and to his children 20 ¶ In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Iudah g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had been from David's time 2 Sam. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… King 22. 47. and made a king over themselves 21 So Joram went over to Zair and all the chariots with him and he rose by night and smote the Edomites which compassed him about and the captains of the chariots and the people h i. e. The common Soldiers of the Edomites herein following the example of their Captains fled into
28. â—… 25. 16 And there came ‖ 〈◊〉 of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold o To the same Hold mentioned v. 8. where see the Notes unto David 17 And David went out †Heb. before 〈◊〉 to meet them and answered p i. e. 〈◊〉 as that word is oft used in Scripture even of him that speaketh 〈◊〉 and said unto them If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me mine heart shall †Heb. be one be knit unto you q I shall ever esteem and love you and shew this by my 〈◊〉 to you hereafter but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies r Which your Number and Quality and near Relation to Saul gives me some cause to suspect seeing there is no ‖ Or violence wrong in mine hands s I have done no Injury to Saul nor to you but have spared him and you when it was in my Power to have destroyed you the God of our fathers look thereon and rebuke it t To wit by his Hand and Power manifested for me and against you for your Persidiousness 18 Then †Heb. the spirit clothed Amasal So Judg. 6. 34. the spirit came upon Amasal u Not onely saving Graces but other heroical and generous Motions are ascribed to Gods Spirit which here stirred up in him a more than ordinary greatness and presentness of Mind and Resolution who was chief of the captains and he said Thine are we David and on thy side thou son of Jesse peace peace be unto thee and peace be to thine helpers for thy God helpeth thee x We have observed Gods singular and gracious Care of thee and Kindness to thee and if we should oppose thee we should be Fighters against God and his Word and Providence Then David received them and made them captains of the band y i. e Of those Forces which they brought with them Or he put them among the heads or officers of his band i. e. He gave them Commands either now in his small Army each according to his Quality or afterwards when he was advanced to the Kingdom for it is not here expressed when he did this 19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David when he came with the Philistins against Saul to battel but they helped them not z i. e. The Manassites here named and the rest of Davids Forces to whom they had now joyned themselves did not help the Philistins in Battel as David had pretended to do for the lords of the Philistins upon advisement sent him away saying * 1 Sam. 29. 4. He will fall to his master Saul †Heb. on our heads to the jeopardy of our heads 20 As he went to Ziklag a As he returned from the Camp of the Philistins to Ziklag 1 Sam. 29. 11. there fell to him of Manasseh Adnah and Jozabad and Jedaiel and Michael and Jozabad and Elihu and Zilthai captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh 21 And * 1 Sam. 30. 1 9 10. they helped David ‖ Or with a band against the band of the rovers b i. e. Against the Amalekites who had taken and burnt Ziklag whom David and his 600 Men were now pursuing whom these accompanied in that Expedition Or with a band or troop of Souldiers which they brought along with them to Davids Assistance for they were all mighty men of valour c Therefore they readily came to Davids help and were captains in the host d Therefore they brought others along with them 22 For at that time e i. e. While he was at Ziklag and in his March to Hebron and principally at Hebron as the next Verse explains it day by day there came to David to help him until it was a great host like the host of God f i. e. Innumerable like the Stars or Angels both which are called Gods hosts Oth. the host of God i. e. a very great Host great things being so called as Cedars Mountains c. of God But the particle of likeness here added excludes this Sence for it had been very improper to say a great host like a great host i. e. like it self 23 And these are the numbers of the ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bands that were ready armed to the war and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 came to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the word of the LORD g Whereby he had settled the Crown upon David after Sauls death 24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred h Who came thither in the name of all their Brethren for that whole Tribe stuck to David at his very first coming to Hebron ready ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armed to the war 25 Of the children of Simeon mighty men of valour for the war seven thousand and one hundred 26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred 27 And Jehojada was the leader of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Aaronites i Not the High-priest for that was Abiathar 1 Sam. 23. 6. but one of Eminent place under him and who had a great Power and interest among his Brethren and with him were three thousand and seven hundred 28 And * â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zadok k Thought to be the same who was made High-priest in Solomons time 1 Kings 2. 35. which if true he was very young at this time a young man mighty of valour and of his fathers house twenty and two captains l Whom he brought along with him 29 And of the children of Benjamin the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindred of Saul three thousand for hitherto the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 3. greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul m i. e. Indeavoured to keep the Crown in their own Tribe and in Sauls Family 30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred mighty men of valour †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 famous throughout the house of their fathers 31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh n Which was within Iordan for of the other half beyond Iordan he speaks v. 37. eighteen thousand which were expressed by name o Which were not ashamed nor afraid publickly to own David first by putting their Names to some Paper presented to them for that purpose and then by marching to him to Hebron to come and make David King 32 And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the times p Either 1. skill in the Stars and several Seasons and Changes of the Air which might be of good use in Husbandry to which this Tribe was addicted Gen. 49. 14. Deut. 33. 18. Or rather 2. Political Prudence to discern and embrace the fit Seasons for all Actions as appears 1. from the following
against them partly from his rage against Mordecai and partly from Mordecai's reason of this contempt because he was a Iew which as he truly judged extended itself to all the Jews and would equally ingage them all in the same neglect and hatred of his person that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus even the people of Mordecai 7 In the first month that is the month Nisan in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus * Chap. 9. 24. they cast Pur that is the lot before Haman from day to day from month to month h The diviners cast lots according to the custom of those ancient and eastern people what day and what month would be most lucky not for his success with the King of whose compliance with his request he made no doubt but for the most effectual and universal extirpation of the Jews to the twelfth month i Wherein appears both his implacable malice and unwearied diligence in seeking vengeance of them with so much and so long trouble to himself and Gods singular providence in disposing the lot to that time that so the Jews might have sufficient space of time to get the decree reversed as they did that is the month Adar 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus There is a certain people k Mean and contemptible not worthy to be named scattered abroad and dispersed among the people l Who therefore if tolerated may poyson all thy subjects with their pernicious principles and whom thou mayest easily crush without any great noise or difficulty in all the provinces of thy kingdom m For though many of their brethren were returned to their own land yet great numbers of them stayed behind either because they preferred their ease and worldly commodities before their spiritual advantages or because they wanted conveniency or opportunity for a remove which might happen from divers causes and * 〈◊〉 4 13. 〈◊〉 16. 20. their laws are divers from all people n They have peculiar and fantastical rites and customs and religion and therefore are justly offensive to all thy people and may either infect them with their conceits or occasion great dissensions and distractions among them neither keep they the kings laws o As is manifest by Mordecai's bold contempt of thy late Edict concerning me which being done by him as a Iew the whole nation are involved in his crime and are prepared to do so when they have occasion therefore it is not †〈…〉 for the kings profit to suffer them p To live in his kingdom I do not seek herein so much my own revenge as thy service 9 If it please the king let it be written q Let there be a written Edict from the King †〈◊〉 to deâ—… that they may be destroyed and I will †〈◊〉 weigh pay ten thousand talents of silver r Whether these were Hebrew or Babylonish or Graecian talents we cannot certainly know But whichsoever they were it was a vast sum to be paid out of his own estate which he was willing to sacrifice to his revenge to the hands of those that have the charge of the business s Either 1. Of this business to wit of destroying the Jews which as soon as they have procured to be done I will pay the mony into their hands that by them it may be paid into the Kings Exchequer Or rather 2. Of the Kings business or of the treasures as is implied in the following words I will pay it to the Kings receivers that they may put it into the Kings treasures to bring it into the kings treasuries 10 And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman t That he might keep it as a badge of his supreme authority under the King and that he might use it for the sealing of this decree which now he desired or of any other as hereafter he should see fit Compare ch 8. 2 8. and Gen. 41. 42. the son of Hammedatha the Agagite the Jews ‖ 〈◊〉 oppresâ—… enemy u So he was both by inclination as he was an Amalekite and especially by this malicious and destructive design and resolution 11 And the king said unto Haman The silver is given to thee x Keep it to thy own use I do not desire it I accept thy offer for the deed the people also to do with them as it seemeth good to thee 12 Then were the kings ‖ Or secretaries scribes y This he did so speedily though it was a year before the intended execution lest the King should change his mind either by his own clemency or by the persuasion of others called on the thirteenth day of the first month and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the kings lieutenants and to the governours that were over every province and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof and to every people after their language in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written and sealed with the kings ring 13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the kings provinces to destroy to kill to cause to perish all Jews both young and old * 〈◊〉 little children and women in one day even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month which is the month Adar and to take the spoil of them for a prey z Which was to oblige them to the greater severity and readiness to execute this Edict for their own advantage 14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people that they should be ready against that day 15 The posts went out being hastened by the kings commandment ‖ Either by this Decree made in the Kings name or by some particular and succeeding command which Haman could easily obtain from the King and the decree was given in Shushan the palace and the king and Haman sat down to drink but the city Shushan †Not only the Jews but a greater number of the Citizens either because they were related to them or engaged with them in worldly concerns or out of humanity and compassion towards so vast a number of innocent people now appointed as sheep for the slaughter or out of a fear either of some sedition and disturbance which might arise by this means or of some damage which might accrue to themselves or friends who happily under this pretence might be exposed to rapine or slaughter or of a publick judgment of God upon them all for so bloody a decree was perplexed CHAP. IV. 1 WHen Mordecai perceived all that was done Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and bitter cry a Partly to express his deep sense of the mischief coming upon his people partly to move
2. by God who deals with me according to his Soveraign Power and exact and rigorous Justice and not with that equity and benignity which he sheweth to the generality of men and hath promised to good men such as he knoweth me to be but I am not heard I cry aloud but there is no Judgment n God will not hear my Cause nor pass Sentence which I might reasonably expect from him but he quite neglects me and hath utterly forsaken me and left me in the hands of the Devil and wicked men See the like Complaints of other good men in the like case of desertion Psalm 13. 2. 22. 2. 88. 15. Lament 3. 8. Habak 1. 2. 8. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass o i. e. So that I know not what to say or do and can see no means nor possibility of getting out of my troubles and he hath sâ—…t darkness in my paths p So that I cannot discern my way or what course I should take 9. He hath stript me of my glory q i. e. Of my Estate and Children and Authority and all my Comforts and taken the crown r i. e. All my Ornaments from my head 10. He hath destroyed me on every side s i. e. In all respects and to all intents and purposes my Person and Family and Estate and I am gone t i. e. I am a lost and dead man Going is oft put for dying as Gen. 15. 2. Psalm 39. 13. and * 〈◊〉 24. 20. mine hope u i. e. All my hopes of the present life as he oft expresseth it but not of the life to come as appears from Iob 13. 15 16. 19. 25 c. hath he removed like a tree x Which being once plucked up by the roots never groweth again 11. He hath also kindled his wrath against me y He hath stirred up his wrath against me of his own accord without any provocation of mine humane infirmity excepted and * 〈◊〉 13. 24. 〈◊〉 2. 5. he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies z i. e. He useth me as harshly as if I were an inveterate Enemy of God and of all goodness though he knoweth I am and have ever been an hearty lover and servant of him 12. * 〈◊〉 6. 4. His troops a i. e. My Afflictions which are but God's Instruments and Souldiers marching under his Conduct come together and raise up their way b Either 1. cast a Bank or Trench round about me as an Army doth when they go to besiege a place Or rather 2. make a Causeway or raised Path as Pioneers usually do in low and waterish grounds for the march of an Army God removes all Impediments out of the way and lays me open to all manner of mischief against me and encamp round about my tabernacle 13. * 〈◊〉 31. 11. 38. 11. 69. â—… 88. 8 18. He hath put my brethren c i. e. My Kindred and Friends who might and should have supported and comforted me in my Distress far from me d Either 1. in place because they seared or disdained or at least neglected to visit or succour me Or 2. in their affections which are far from me when their bodies are present with me as I find in you But this also I ascribe to God he hath alienated your hearts from me and mine acquaintance verily are estranged from me 14. My kinsfolk have failed e To wit to perform the offices of humanity and friendship which they owe to me and my Familiar friends have forgotten me f i. e. Neglect and disregard me as much as if they had quite forgotten me 15. They that dwell in mine house g Who by reason of their Sex commonly have and should have more tender and compassionate hearts than men And therefore this is God's doing who hath hardned their hearts against me and my maids h count me for a stranger i Regard my Commands and Concerns no more than a strangers I am an alien in their sight k The same thing repeated through vehemency of passion because this lay very heavy upon him f Heb. The sojourners of my house i. e. such as had formerly sojourned with me whether strangers widows and fatherless whom by the Law of Charity and Hospitality he entertained Or hired Servants who had for a good while their habitation and subsistence in his Family 16. I called my servant l To do some servile office about me for my ease or relief and he gave me no answer m He passed by as if he had been deaf because he loathed and feared to come near to me though I entreated him n To my Commands I added humble and earnest Desires Either 1. with gentle and moving speeches Or rather 2. with my own mouth and not by a proxy with my mouth o. 17. My breath is strange to my wife p Who by reason of the stink of my breath and sores denied me her company though I entreated for the Childrens sake of †Heb. my 〈◊〉 mine own body q By these pledges of our mutual and matrimonial tye and affection the Children which came out of my Loyns and were begotten by me upon her body But divers render the words thus and I entreated the children of my own body i. e. Either some of Iob's younger Children who by reason of their tender years were kept at home with their Father when their elder Brethren and Sisters were gone abroad to the Feast or some of his Grand-children by those grown Sons and Daughters for such also oft come under the name of children But this sense seems not so proper partly because according to that Translation here is mention onely of Iob's entreating them but not a word of their denying his request which is the onely matter of his present Complaint and partly because according to the former Translation it is a great and just aggravation of his Wifes unkindness and exactly answers to the foregoing Verse where the Servants perverseness is aggravated in the same manner and by part of the same words 18. Yea ‖ Or the wicked young children r despised me I arose s To wit for my Seat to shew my respect to them though they were my inferiours to shew my readiness to comply with that mean and low condition into which God had now brought me Or I stood up for so this word sometimes signifies I did not disoblige or provoke them by any uncivil and uncomely carriage towards them but was very courteous to them and yet they make it their business to rail against me as you also do and they spake against me Or Fools the most contemptible persons 19. * Psal. 41. 9. 55. 13 14 20. All †Heb. the men of my secret my inward friends t Heb. the men of my secret my Intimates and Confidents
following words which shall not pass l Which decree shall never be made void 7 Praise the LORD from the earth ye dragons m Either 1. dragons and serpents which abide in the deep caverns and holes of the earth or 2. whales or other Sea-monsters which dwell in the depths of the Sea which are oft called by this name as Iob 7. 12. Ezek. 29. 3. and elsewhere as the word here rendred deeps is most commonly used concerning the Sea and all deeps 8 Fire n Lightnings and other fire-works of the air and hail snow and vapor o Or sumes hot exhalations as the word properly signifies as cold exhalations are comprehended under the title of snow And both of them arising from the earth are here fitly mentioned as belonging to it stormy wind fulfilling his word p Executing his commands either for the comfort and refreshment or for the punishment of the inhabitants of the earth 9 Mountains and all hills fruitful trees and all cedars q Admirable for your height and strength and use though not for your fruit 10 Beasts and all cattel creeping things and †Heb. birds of wing flying fowl 11 Kings of the earth r Who though you are called gods and adored like gods by your Subjects yet are but men and the creatures and Subjects of this Soveraign Lord to whom you owe both your being and all your power and dignity and all people princes and all judges of the earth 12 Both young men and maidens old men and children 13 Let them praise the Name of the LORD for * Psal. 8. 1. Isai. 12. 4. his Name alone is †Heb. exalted excellent his glory is above the earth and heaven s Not so much in place as in excellency above all the glories which are in earth and in Heaven 14 He also exalteth the horn of his people t To wit above the horns of all the people in the world in respect of their spiritual and eternal priviledges as it here follows The born in Scripture doth commonly note strength victory glory and felicity as Deut. 33. 17. and every where the praise u Either 1. He is the praise as God is called Deut. 10. 21. to wit the God of their praise as Psal. 109. 1. the chiefest object and matter of it or 2. which is the praise Which work of God in exalting their horn is their glory and maketh them praise-worthy or obligeth and provoketh them in a singular manner to perform this great duty of praising God which is so generally neglected by others of all his saints even of the children of Israel a people near unto him x By special relation and friendship and covenant and by familiar intercourses God manifesting his face and favour to them and they frequently and solemnly approaching into his presence and worshipping him at his footstool Praise ye the LORD PSAL. CXLIX The scope and design of this Psalm is to stir up and encourage Gods people to praise him either 1. for their deliverance out of Babylon and the promises which God had given them of the perfection of that work and of the enlargement of their power and dominion in the world or rather 2. for the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel in Davids hands and for that safety and glory and victory over their enemies which they expected by that means But withal the Psalmist or the Spirit of God which dictated this Psalm to him had a further prospect even to the Messiah of whom David was a Type and who was to succeed David in the Throne and to bring that Kingdom to its highest perfection And so divers of the Jewish Doctors understand this Psalm 1 †Heb. Hallelujah PRaise ye the LORD * Psal. 33. 3. Sing unto the LORD a new song a For these new mercies conferred upon us denied to former times and his praise in the congregation of saints 2 Let Israel rejoyce in * Psal. 100. 3. him that made him b That made them not onely his creatures but which is unspeakably greater his people or that advanced and adorned them with singular priviledges as this word is used 1 Sam. 12. 6. and elsewhere let the children of Zion be joyful in their king c David and his posterity and especially the chief of all of them the Messiah Let them rejoyce and bless God that they have so potent so wise and so just a King 3 * Psal. 81. 2. Let them praise his Name ‖ Or with the pipe in the dance let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp d According to the usage of that time and dispensation 4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people e He loveth them above all people and rejoyceth over them to do them good he will beautifie f Heb. adorn or glorifie make them amiable and honourable in the eyes of the world who now hate and despise them the meek g Or humble to wit his people as he now said who are oft in Scripture described by that character because all true Israelites are such and all Israelites profess and ought to be such Or the afflicted as that word is oft used in Scripture which hath been observed before his poor afflicted and oppressed people to whom the following salvation is most needful and acceptable with salvation h Both temporal in delivering them from and setting them above all their enemies and afterwards with everlasting salvation and glory 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory i For the honour which God putteth upon them let them sing aloud upon their beds k Either 1. for their safe and sweet repose and peace which is signified by resting in beds Isa. 57. 2. or 2. by night as well as by day even in the time devoted to rest and sleep which they shall borrow to praise God for his eminent and extraordinary blessings as David frequently did upon such occasions 6 Let †Heb. the exaltations the high praises of God be ‖ Heb. in their throat in their mouth l Heb. in their throat Which signifies vocal praise and that with a loud voice and a * Heb. 4. 12. Rev. 1. 16. two-edged sword in their hand m Not onely to defend themselves from their enemies but as it follows to revenge themselves upon them 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen n For all their cruelties and injuries towards Gods people This was literally accomplished by David upon the Philistines Ammonites Syrians and other neighbouring Nations and Princes which were bitter enemies to Gods people And the same thing was done afterward in the Christian world when God raised up Christian Princes who did by the help of the Christians fighting with and under them severely revenge the blood of the martyred Christians upon their cruel Persecutors and Tyrants in divers ages It may also be
thy mind fixed upon that way which leads to it and neither look nor turn aside to the right hand nor to the left as it follows v. 27. and let thine eye-lids look straight before thee 26. Ponder the path of thy feet o Consider thine actions before thou doest them and see that they agree with the Rule and ‖ Or all thy 〈◊〉 shall be â—…red aright let all thy ways be established p Let thine Actions be uniformly and constantly good in spight of all temptations to the contrary Or Let thy ways be directed or disposed aright as this Hebrew word signifies Or thy ways shall be established So this is a promise to confirm the foregoing Precept If thou doest ponder them thou mayest expect God's blessing and good success in them 27 * Deut. 5. 32. â—… 28. 14. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left q Fly all extreams and neither add to God's commands nor take from them remove thy foot from evil CHAP. V. 1. MY son attend unto my wisdom and bow thine ear to my understanding 2. That thou maist regard a Or keep i. e. hold fast as it is in the next clause discretion b Spiritual Wisdom for the conduct of thy Life as this word is used Prov. 1. 4. and elsewhere in this Book and that thy lips may keep knowledge c That by wise and pious discourses thou maist preserve and improve thy Wisdom for thine own and others good 3. * Chap. 2. 16. 6. 24. For d It concerns thee to get and to use discretion that thou maist be able to resist and repel those manifold Temptations to which thou art exposed the lips of a strange woman drop as an hony-comb e Her words and discourses are sweet and charming and prevalent and her †Heb. palate oil mouth is smoother than 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood f Her design and the effect of that lewdness to which she enticeth men is the sinners destruction sharp as a two-edged Sword 5. * Chap. 7. 27. Her feet g Her course or manner of Life go down to death her steps take hold on hell 6. Lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life h To prevent thy serious consideration of the way and manner of rescuing thy self from this deadly course of Life her ways are moveable i Various and changeable She transforms her self into several shapes to accommodate her self to the humours of her Lovers and hath a Thousand Arts and Deceits to enshare them and hold them fast that thou canst not know them k Thou canst not discover all her subtil practices and much less deliver thy self from them 7. Hear me now therefore O ye Children and depart not from the words of my mouth 8. * Chap. 7. 7 8 c. Remove thy way far from her and come not nigh the door of her House l Lest thine eyes affect thine Heart and her allurements prevail over thee 9. Lest thou give thine honour m Thy Dignity and Reputation the strength and vigour of thy Body and Mind which is an honour to a man and which are commonly wasted by Adulterous practices unto others n Unto Whores and their Husbands and Children and Friends and thy years o The flower of thine age thy youthful years unto the cruel p To the Harlot who though she pretends ardent Love and kindness to thee yet in truth is one of the most cruel Creatures in the World wasting thy Estate and Body without the least pity and then casting thee off with scorn and contempt and when her Interest requires it taking away thy very life of which there are enumerable examples and damning thy Soul for ever 10. Lest strangers q Not onely the strange women themselves but Bawds Panders and other Adulterers who are in league with them be filled with †Heb. thy strength thy wealth and thy labours r Wealth gotten by thy labours be in the house of a stranger 11. And thou mourn at the last s Bitterly bewail thy own madness and misery when it is too late when thy flesh and thy body t Thy Flesh even thy Body the particle and being put expositively are consumed u By those manifold diseases which filthy and inordinate Lusts bring upon the Body of which Physicians give a very large and sad Catalogue and the Bodies of many Adulterers give full 12. And say how have I hated instruction x Oh what a mad beast have I been to hate and sleight the fair warnings which were given me and against mine own knowledg to run headlong into this pit of destruction Which are not the words of a true penitent mourning for and turning from his sin but only of a man who is grieved for the sad effects of his delightful Lusts and tormented with the horrour of his own guilty Conscience and my heart despised reproof y I did with my whole Heart abhor all admonitions 13. And have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers z Of my Parents and Friends and Ministers who faithfully and seasonably informed me of those mischiefs and miseries which now I feel nor enclined mine ear to them that instructed me 14. I was almost in all evil a Oh what a miserable man am I There is scarce any misery in respect of Estate or Body or Soul into which I am not already plunged The words also are and may well be rendred thus In a moment I am come into all evil In how little a time and for what short and momentany pleasures am I now come into extream and remediless misery I who designed and expected to enjoy my Lusts with secrecy and impunity am now made a publick example and shameful spectacle to all men and that in the Congregation of Israel where I was taught better things and where such Actions are most infamous and hateful in the midst of the congregation and Assembly b. 15. Drink Waters out of thine own cistern and running waters out of thine own well c This Metaphor contained here and v. 16 17 18. is to be understood either 1. of the free and lawful use of a mans estate both for his own comfort and for the good of others Or rather 2. of the honest use of Matrimony as the proper Remedy against these filthy practices This best suits with the whole context both foregoing and following and thus it is explained in the end of v. 18. So the sense is Content thy self with those delights which God alloweth thee with the sober use of the Marriage-Bed Why shouldst thou ramble hither and thither trespassing against God and men to steal their Waters which thou mightst freely take out of thine own Cistern or Well The ground of the Metaphor is this that waters were scarce and precious in those Countries and therefore men used to
through my casement g This is either an historical relation or rather a parabolical representation of that which frequently happened 7. And beheld among the simple ones I discerned among †Heb. the Sons the youths a young man h Whose strength and heat made him most subject to lustful impressions and who wanted judgment and experience as well as grace to keep him from such courses void of understanding 8. Passing through the street i Idle and careless near her corner k Near the corner of the Street in which her House stood such places being most convenient for that wicked purpose as giving opportunity either for the discovery of Passengers in several Streets or for the escape of such as might be in danger of being taken in her House Comp. v. 12. and he went the way to her house l Not with intention to act gross filthiness with her as may be gathered from the following passages but to gratifie his curiosity and to understand the manner of such Persons and to please himself with the fight of her or discourse of her 9. In the twilight †Heb. in tâ—… evening of the day in the evening m When the Day labour being ended he was at leisure for any thing and when such Strumpets used to walk abroad for prey in the black and dark-night n When it begun to be black and dark 10. And behold there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot o With an habit and carriage agreeable to her quality and design and †Heb. reserved subtil p Or wary or reserved as she shewed in her following discourse wherein she proposeth all things which might invite him and conceals whatsoever might discourage him of heart 11. * Ch. 9. 13 She is loud q Or clamorous or full of talk which served her design and stubborn r Rebellious against God and against her Husband and incorrigible by all admonitions of Ministers or Friends * 1 Tim. 5. 13 Tit. 2. 5. her feet abide not in her house s She minds not her business which lies at home but gives up her self wholly to idleness and pleasure which she seeks abroad with other men 12. Now is she without t Standing or waiting without or nigh the Door of her house now in the streets u In places of resort and lieth in wait at every corner x At the corners of the Streets where she might either conceal or discover her self as she saw fit 13. So she caught him and kissed him and †Heb. she strengthned 〈◊〉 face and saidâ—… with an impudent face said unto him 14. †Heb. Peâ—… Offerings arâ—… upon me I have peace-offerings with me this day have I payed my vows y I have paid my Peace-offerings which I had Vowed Whereby she signifies either 1. that she was no common Harlot but one of good repute for Religion Or rather 2. that she had plentiful and excellent Provisions at her House for his entertainment For the Peace-offerings were to be of the best Flesh Levit. 22. 21. and a considerable part of these Offerings fell to the Offerers share wherewith they used to feast themselves and their friends See Levit 2. 3 c. and 7. 31 c. and 19. 6 c. and 22. 30 c. whereas the Burnt-offerings were wholly consumed and the Flesh of the Sin-offerings and Trespass-offerings belonged to the Priest 15. Therefore came I forth to meet thee diligently to seek thy face z As not being able to take any pleasure in my Feast without thy company and I have found thee a By an happy providence of God complying with my desires 16. I have deckt my bed with coverings of tapestry with carved works with fine linnen of Egypt b She designs to inflame his lust by the mention of the Bed and by its Ornaments and perfumes 17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrhe aloes and cinnamon 18. Come let us take our fill of loves until the morning let us solace our selves with loves 19. For the good-man c Whom she doth not call her Husband lest the mention of that name should awaken his Conscience or Discretion is not at home he is gone a long journey 20. He hath taken a bag of money †Heb. iâ—… 〈◊〉 hand with him d Which is an evidence that he designs to go far and to stay a considerable time and will come home at the ‖ Or the 〈◊〉 Moon the day appointed e So that we need not fear any surprisal 21. With much fair speech f Which implies that her alluring words were more effectualwith him than her impudent kisses which possibly had a little alienated his mind from her she caused him to yield g Whereby he signifies that no provocation to sin is a sufficient excuse for sin with the flattering of her lips she forced him h She prevailed over him Which argues that there was some reluctancy in his judgment or conscience against it 22. He goeth after her †〈◊〉 straightway i Without delay and consideration as an oxe to the slaughter k Either being drawn and driven to it Or going to it securely as if it were going to a good Pasture or as a fool to the correction †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the stocks l Or which is more agreeable to the order of the words in the Hebrew Text as one in Fetters or bound with Fetters to the correction of a Fool i. e. to receive such correction or punishment as belongs to fools Which may imply either 1. that he hath no more sense of the shame and mischief which he is bringing upon himself than a Fool. Or 2. that he can no more resist the temptation nor avoid the danger than a man fast tied with Chains or Fetters can free himself although his be a moral and voluntary and not a natural impotency 23. Till a dart strike through his liver m i. e. His vital parts whereof the Liver is one Till his lif be lost as it is explained in the next Clause as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not n Which may be referred either to foolish and inconsiderate young Man or to the silly Bird to which he is compared which comes to the same thing that it is for his life 24. Hearken unto me now therefore O ye children and attend to the words of my mouth 25. Let not thine heart decline to her ways o Either to the paths which lead to her House or to her manner of living go not astray in her paths 26. For she hath cast down many wounded yea many strong men p Men that excel others either 1. in bodily strength upo which they presume which yet is wasted and by degrees ruined by these courses Or. 2. in wisdom and fortitude and resolution Whereby
which their Honour and Happiness consists but every fool will be medling g To wit with matters of strife he is always ready to begin strife and obstinate in the continuance of it 4 * Ch. 10. 4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the ‖ Or Winter cold h Of the Plowing season which is in Autumn and towards Winter He hates and avoids all laborious and difficult work although his own necessity and interest oblige him to it therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing i And not obtain an Alms not in that time of Plenty and bounty because mens Hearts are justly hardned against that Man who by his own sloth and wilfulness hath brought himself to want 5 * Ch. 18. 4. Counsel k Either 1. Wisdom or ability to give good Counsel Or 2. Designs or purposes of doing somthing of moment for this word is frequently used in both senses but the last seems fittest here in the heart of man is like deep Water l Either 1. is there in great abundance Or 2. is secret and hard to be discovered but a man of understanding will draw it out m By prudent Questions and Discourses and a diligent Observation of his words and actions 6 Most men will proclaim every one his own ‖ Or bounty goodness n Most men are forward to profess Religion and speak of their own good deeds but a faithful man o One who is indeed what he seemeth and professeth himself to be who can find p There are but few such to be found 7 The just man walketh in his integrity q He proveth himself to be so not onely by his profession of which he spoke in the former Verse but by his sincere and unblameable conversation * Ps. 112. 2. his children are blessed after him r By vertue of that Covenant which God hath made with such men which is not confined to their Persons but entaileth Blessings upon their Posterity 8 * Ch. 16. 10. Vers. 26. A king that â—…itteth in the throne of judgment s That makes it his great care and business to execute Judgment and Justice among his People especially if he do this in his own Person as was usual in ancient Times and sees things with his own Eyes As for the Phrase the sign or gesture is here put for the thing signified by it scattereth away all evil t Effectually punisheth and suppresseth all wickedness with his eyes u With his very looks or by his diligent inspection into affairs 9 * 1 Kin. 8. 46. 2 Chr. 6. 36. Job 14. 4. Ps. 51. 5. Eccles. 7. 20. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. Who can say x No Man living upon Earth can say this truly and sincerely Compare 1 Kings 8. â—…6 Iob 14. 4. 15. 14. Eccles. 7. 21. 1 Ioh. 1. 8. I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin y I am perfectly free from all guilt and filth of sin in my Heart and Life 10 * Vers. 23. Deut. 25. 13 c. Ch. 11. 1. 16. 11. Mic. 16. 1â—… †Heb. a stone and a stone Divers weights and †Heb. an Ephah and an Ephah divers measures z One greater and truer for publick shew and one lesser and false for private use when they had an opportunity of deceiving both of them are alike abomination to the LORD 11 Even a child is known by his doings a Young Children discover their inclinations or dispositions even by their childish speeches and carriages as not having yet learnt the art of dissembling whether his work b Or rather will be for it is not expressed in the Hebrew and therefore may be either way supplied The sense is The future disposition and conversation of a Man may very probably be conjectured from his childish manners be pure and whether it be right 12 * Exod. 4. 11. Ps. 94. 9. The hearing ear and the seeing eye the LORD hath made even both of them c It is God alone who gives us our Senses and Natural faculties and the use and exercise of them and especially a power of employing them aright to see and observe the works of God and to hear and receive his Word and all wholesom instructions Whence he leaves it to us to gather that God doth exactly see and hear all mens words and actions though never so secret He names the Eye and Ear because these are the two Senses by which instructions are conveyed to the mind but under them he seems to comprehend all other senses and powers of Soul or Body by a Synecdoche 13 * Ch. 6. 9. 12. 14. 19. 15. Love not sleep d i. e Immoderate sleep or sloth or idleness Take sleep because necessity requires it not from any love to it lest thou come to poverty open thine eyes e Awake out of sleep shake off sloth and betake thy self to thy employment with diligence and vigor and thou shalt be satisfied with bread 14 It is naught f The commodity is but of little worth it is naught saith the buyer g To wit to the Seller he discommends it that he may bring down the price of it but when he is gone his way h With the commodity purchased then he boasteth i That by his wit he hath over-reached the Seller and got a great advantage to himself This he notes as a common but reprovable practice 15 There is gold k To wit in the World in divers mens hands by whom it is highly prized and a multitude of rubies but * Ch. 3. 15. 8. 11. the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel l But wise speeches proceeding from an understanding or honest Heart are of far greater worth and use both to him that uttereth them and to those that receive and improve them to their own benefit 16 * Ch. 22. 27. 27. 13. Take his garment m To wit as a Pledge without which he ought not to be trusted because by this action he sheweth himself to be a Fool and he taketh the ready way to beggery Obj. This precept contradicts that Law which forbad the taking of a Garment for a Pledge Exod. 22. 26. Answ. It doth not contradict it for the cases vastly differ for that Law concerned onely the Poor who were forced to borrow for their own necessity and therefore deserve pity whereas this reacheth onely those who are or would be thought rich and sufficient Security for others and who borrow not for their own need but for a meer Stranger for which folly they deserve to be severely punished Besides this may be onely a Prediction though it be delivered in the form of a Precept as many Predictions are and so shews what may be expected by him that is guilty of such folly even that he shall be stripped of
patient and merciful to thee that he gives thee liberty to demand of him any Signal or miraculous Work whereby thou mayst be assured of the Truth and Certainty of this Promise thy God u Both by right of Dominion and by vertue of his gracious Covenant made with all Israel of whom thou art a Member and King and by thy own Profession for he still worshipped God together with his Idols and by the continuance of his Care and Kindness to thee and to thy People notwithstanding all your Wickedness whereof this Promise and Offer is a clear Demonstration ‖ Or make thy pâ—…on deep ask it either in the depth or in the heighth above x Demand some Prodigie to be wrought either in Earth or in Heaven at thy pleasure 12 But Ahaz said I will not ask y This Refusal proceeded not from the strength of his Faith but from his contempt of God and total distrust and disregard of his Word and inward Resolution to take another Course as is manifest both from the following words and from the History of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. neither will I tempt the LORD z Either 1. by asking a Sign as if he questioned the Truth of his Word So this was deep Hypocrisie Or 2. by neglecting any means necessary for my preservation which were indeed a tempting of God And therefore I shall not sit still and relie upon God till I be destroyed which will be the effect of thy Counsel but I shall do as becometh a wife King seek for Succour from Potent Allieâ—… such as the Assyrian is So this is flat Rebellion against God 13 And he said Hear ye now O house of David a Of which see above v. 2. He reproveth them all because they were the Kings Counsellors and promoted the Design of sending for the Assyrian Succours Is it a small thing for you b Is not that Wickedness more than enough Must you add more to it to weary men c To vex God's Prophets and People and the generality of your Subjects with your Oppressions and horrid Impieties but will ye weary my God also d By your cursed Ingratitude and Unbelief and Disobedience to his Commands He saith my God i. e. the God whose Servant and Prophet or Messenger I am to intimate that this heinous Offence was not committed against a weak and foolish Man such as they might think the Prophet to be but against God himself who sent the Message Compare Exod. 16. 8. 14 Therefore e Because you despise me and the Sign which I now offer to you God of his own free Grace will send you a more honourable Messenger and give you a nobler Sign to try whether that will cure you of your Infidelity Or Nevertheless as this Particle seems to be understood Isa. 30. 18. Ier. 16. 14. 30. 16. Although you deserve no Sign nor Favour yet for the comfort of those few Believers which are among you and to leave you without excuse I shall mind you of another and a greater Sign which God hath promised and will in his due time perform which also â—…s a Pledge of the certain Accomplishment of all God's Promises Or Surely as this Particle is sometimes used as Gen. 4. 15. Ier. 2. 33. 5. 2. Zech. 11. 7. the Lord himself shall give you a sign f To wit of your Deliverance Qu. How was this Birth of a Virgin which was not to come till many Ages after a Sign of their Deliverance from the present Danger Answ. 1. Because this was a clear Demonstration of God's infinite Power and Goodness and Faithfulness and consequently of the certain Truth of all God's Promises from time to time which can never fail so long as those Attributes of God stand And mens Faith is either strong or weak as they believe them or doubt of them Of which see Psal. 77. 8. 78. 19 20. Rom. 4. 20 21. And so this was a proper Remedy for Ahaz his Disease which was a secret Suspicion that God either could not or would not deliver them 2. Because that Promise I say not onely the actual Giving which was long after but even the Promise of the Messiah which had been made long since and oft renewed and was universally believed by all the People was the Foundation of all God's Mercies and Promises unto them 2 Cor. 1. 20. and a Pledge of the Accomplishment of them 3. Because this promised Birth did suppose and require the Preservation of that City and Nation and Tribe in and of which the Messiah was to be born and therefore there was no cause to fear that utter Ruine which their Enemies now threatned to bring upon them 4. This is one but not the onely Sign here given as we shall see at v. 16. * Maâ—… 1. 2â—… Luk. 1. â—…1 Behold g You who will not believe that God alone is able to deliver you from the united Force of Syria and Israel take nocice for your full satisfaction that God is not onely able to do this Work but to do far greater and harder things which he hath promised and therefore both can and will accomplish a virgin h Strictly and properly so called The Iews that they may obscure this plain Text and weaken this Proof of the Truth of Christian Religion pretend that this Hebrew Word signifies a young woman and not a virgin But this corrupt Translation is easily confuted 1. Because this Word constantly signifies a virgin in all other places of Scripture where it is used which are Gen. 24. 43. compared with v. 15. Exod. 2. 8. Psal. 68. 25. Cant. 1. 3. 6. 8. To which may be added Prov. 30. 19. the way of a man with a maid or a virgin For though it be supposed that he did design and desire to corrupt her and afterwards did so yet she may well be called a virgin partly because he found her a Virgin and partly because she seemed and pretended to others to be such which made her more careful to use all possible Arts to preserve her Reputation and so made the discovery of her impure Conversation with the Man more difficult whereas the filthy Practices of Common Harlots are easily and vulgarly known 2. From the scope of this Place which is to confirm their Faith by a strange and prodigious Sign which surely could not be that a young Woman should conceive a Child but that a Virgin should conceive c. shall conceive and bear i Or rather bring fâ—…rth as it is rendred Mat. 1. 23. and as this Hebrew Word is used Gen. 16. 11. 1â—… â—…9 Iudg. 13. 5. a son and ‖ Or thou O virgin 〈◊〉 alâ—… call shall call k The Virgin last mentioned shall call Which is added as a further Evidence of her Virginity and that this Son had no Humane Father because the Right of Naming the Child which being a Sign of Dominion is primarily in
the Husband and in the Wife onely by his consent or permission as is evident from Gen. 5. 29. 35. 18. Luke 1. 60 63. and many other places of Scripture is wholly appropriated to her his name Immanuel l Which signifies God with us God dwelling among us in our Nature Ioh. 1. 14. God and Man meeting in one Person and being a Mediator between God and Men. For the design of these Words is not so much to relate the Name by which Christ should commonly be called as to describe his Nature and Office As we read that his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor c. Isa. 9. 6. and that this is said to be his the Messiah's name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousness Ier. 23. 6. although he be never called by these Names in any other place of the Old or New Testament but the meaning of these Places is He shall be Wonderful and our Counsellor c. and our Righteousness for to be called is oft put for to be as Isa. 1. 26. 4. 3. c. 15 Butter and honey m The common Food of Children in that Country where they were in great abundance and of the best sort shall he n The Virgins Son last mentioned who though he be God blessed for ever yet shall become Man and to shew the truth of his Humanity shall not onely be conceived and brought forth but also shall be nouâ—…ished and brought up by the same means and steps as other children which is justly mentioned here as a stupendious and miraculous Work of God eat that he may know o That by this Food he may grow up and so may know c. Or until he know as it is rendred by divers Learned Men and among others by the Chaldee Interpreter who best knew the use of this Particle among the Hebrews to refuse the evil and chuse the good p To discern between things morally good and evil which Children are capable of doing in some measure when they are five or six years old Compare Deut. 1. 39. where young Children are described by this Character that they had no knowledge between good and evil 16 * See Ch. 8. 4. For q Or Yea for so this Particle is used by way of amplification or addition Isa. 32. 13. Ier. 14. 5 18. So the sence is Not onely this Land of thine shall be preserved until the Virgins Son be born but thine Enemies Land shall be sorely scourged and these two Kings destroyed within a very little time before the child r Heb. this child not the Virgins Son but the Prophets Child Shear-jashub whom in all probability the Prophet to prevent mistakes pointed at and who was brought hither by God's special command v. 3. and that for this very use for otherwise his Presence was wholly insignificant shall know to refuse the evil and chuse the good the land s The Lands to wit of Syria and Israel as is evident from the next Words It is an Euallage of the Singular for the Plural that thou abhorrest t For its cruel Designs and Practices against Or which vexeth or molesâ—…eth thee as this Word is used Exod. 1. 12. Numb 22. 3. c. shall be forsaken of both her Kings u So far shall Pekah and Rezin be from conquering thy Land that they shall lose their own Lands and their Lives too which they did within two years after this time being both slain by the King of Assyria 2 Kings 15. 29 30. 16. 9. 17 The LORD shall bring x But although God will deliver you at this time for his own Names sake yet he will remember and requite all your present and following Wickedness and hath a dreadful Judgment in store for you upon thee y For part of this Assyrian Storm fell in Ahaz his Reign 2 Chron. 28. 20. c. and upon thy people and upon thy fathers house z Upon thy Sons and Successours the Kings of Iudah the Accomplishment whereof is recorded in their History days a To wit evil days by a Synechdcche or Calamities for days are oft put for the Events which happen in them and especially for Judgments or Tribulations as Iob. 18. 20. Psal. 137. 7. Isa. 9. 4. Obad. v. 12. that have not come from the day that * 1 Kings 12. 16. Ephraim departed from Judah b When Ten Tribes revolted from thy Fathers House and set up another opposite Kingdom even the king of Assyria c Who may well be called their Plague or Calamity as he is called the rod of God's anger Isa. 10. 5. Or with as this Hebrew Particle oft signifies the king c. or by the king c. And king is here put for kings as Dan. 2. 37. 8. 21. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day d Known to God and appointed by him for the execution of these Judgments that the LORD shall hiss e See on Isa. 5. 26. for the flie f The Flies So he calls these Enemies to imply either their great Numbers or their speedy March or their unavoidable Assault that is in the uttermost pâ—… g In or near or towards their Extremity or End where they go out into the Sea of the rivers h Of the River Nilus which may be called rivers either for its greatness for which cause the Title of rivers is given also to Euphrates Psal. 137. 1. and to Tigâ—…is Naâ—… 2. 6. or because towards the end of it it is divided into seven famous Streams by which it emptieth it self into the Midland Sea Isa. 11 15. He seems plainly to design and describe the Egyptians who were always dangerous Neighbours to Iudah and did probably animate and assist the Philistins and Edomites and others against them and at last made a formal Invasion and Conquest of their Land 2 Kings 23. 33 c. Besides when the Chaldaeans had in good measure subdued the Egyptians it is very probable that great numbers of the Egyptian Soldiers did list themselves in the Chaldaean Army and with them invade the Land of Iudah of Egypt and for the bee i The Bees the Assyrian Army who are compared to Bees as for their numerous Forces and orderly March so for their fierce Attempts and mischievous Effects that is in the land of Assyria k In the Empire of Assyria or Babylon for these two were united into one Empire and therefore in Scripture are promiscuously called sometimes by one Title and sometimes by the other 19 And they l The Flies and especially the Bees shall come and shall rest all of them m They shall have an easie Victory few or none of them shall be slain in the Attempt in the desolate valleys n Either 1. such as were and had long been desolate So it signifies the vast Numbers of their Enemies which filled all Places both such as
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins d It shall adorn him and be the Glory of his Government as a Girdle was used for Ornament Isa. 3. 24. and as an Ensign of Power Iob 12. 18. and it shall constantly cleave to him in all his Administrations as a girdle cleaveth to a mans loins which is the Prophets Similitude Ier. 13. 11. and faithfulness the girdle of his reins e The same thing in other Words 6 * Chap. 65. 25. Exek 34. 25. Hos. 2. 18. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid f The Creatures shall be restored to that State of Innocy in which they were before the Fall of Man But this is not to be understood literally which is a gross and vain Conceit of some Iews but spiritually and metaphorically as is evident And the sence of the Metaphor is this Men of fierce and cruel and ungovernable Dispositions shall be so transformed by the Preaching of the Gospel and by the Grace of Christ that they shall become most humble and gentle and tractable and shall no more vex and persecute those meek and poor ones mentioned v. 4. but shall become such as they of which we have Instances in Saul being made a Paul and in the rugged Jaylour Act. 16. and in innumerable others But how can this be applied to Hezekiah with any colour and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them g They will submit their proud and rebellious Wills to the Conduct and Command of the meanest Persons that speak to them in Christ's Name 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed h Together as it follows without any Danger or Fear their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw i The Grass and Fruits of the Earth as they did at first Gen. 1. 29 30. and shall not devour other Living Creatures as now they do like the ox 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp k A most fierce and poisonous Serpent Deut. 32. 33. Iob 20. 14 16. which also will not be charmed by any Art of Man Psal. 58. 5. and the weaned child shall put his hand on the ‖ Or adders cockatrice l A Serpent of more than ordinary Cunning and Cruelty Prov. 23. 32. The meaning is They shall not fear to be either deceived or destroyed by those who formerly watched all Opportunities to do it den 9 * Job 5. 23. Isa. 35. 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy mountain m In Zion in my Church Whereever the Gospel comes and prevails it will have this effect * Hab. 2. 14. for the earth n Metonymically put for the Inhabitants of the Earth and as before it was used for the greater part v. 4. so here it is used for the better part of the World shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD o Of saving and practical Knowledge Whereby he intimates That all that Savageness and Malignity which is in wicked men towards true Christians proceeded from their deep Ignorance and particularly from Ignorance of God and withal that a right Knowledge of God will make a marvellous and thorow Change in the Dispositions and Conversations of men as the waters cover the sea p The Channel of the Sea the thing contained being put for the thing containing by a Metonymy common in Scripture and all Authors 10 And in that day there shall be a root q A Branch growing upon the Root of which see on v. 1. of Jesse which shall stand for an ensign r Shall grow up into a great and high Tree shall become a visible and eminent Ensign of the people s Which not onely the Iews but all Nations may discern and to which they may and shall resort to it shall the * Râ—…m 15. 10 12. Gentiles seek t As the Gospel shall be preached to the Gentiles so they shall receive it and believe in the Messiah and his rest u His Resting-place as this Word frequently signifies as Gen. 8. 9. 49. 5. Psal. 132. 8 14. Isa. 34. 14. Miâ—…h 2. 10. his Temple or Church the Place of his Presence and Abode shall be †Heb. glory glorious x Shall be filled with greater Glory than the Jewish Tebernacle and Temple were of which see on Hag. 2. 9. onely this Glory shall be Spiritual consisting in Glorious Ordinances in the plentiful Effusions of the excellent Gifts and Graces and Comforts of the Holy Spirit 11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time y The first time to which this Word second relates seems to be either 1. the Deliverance out of Egypt as most both Jewish and Christian Interpreters understand it And then this second Deliverance must be that out of Babylon Or 2. the Deliverance out of Babylon And then this second Deliverance must be in the days of the Messiah Which with submission to better Judgments seems to me more probable 1. because that first Deliverance is supposed to be like the second a Deliverance of the Remnant of this People from several Countries into which they were dispersed whereas that out of Egypt was a Deliverance not of a Remnant but of the whole Nation and that out of Egypt onely 2. because this second Deliverance was universal extending to the generality of the Out-casts and Dispersed ones both of Israel or the Ten Tribes and of Iudah or the Two Tribes as is evident from v. 12 13. whereas that out of Babylon reached onely to the Two Tribes and to some few of the Ten Tribes which were mixed with them as is acknowledged both by Ieus and Christians 3. because this second Deliverance was given them in the days of the Messiah and did accompany or follow the Conversion of the Gentiles as is evident from v. 9 10. whereas that out of Babylon was long before the coming of the Messiah and the calling of the Gentiles to recover the remnant of his people which shall be left * Zech. 10. 10 11. from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathros and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and from the islands of the sea z From all Places both far and near into which either the Ten Tribes or the Two Tribes were carried Captives for the Places of both their Captivities are here named Of which it is needless to discourse particularly because they are well known and have been considered in former Texts Onely Pathros was not named before and that was a Province in Egypt which yet is sometimes distinguished from Egypt strictly so called See on Ier. 44. 1 15. Ezek. 29. 14. 30. 14. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations
chased roe f Fearful in it self especially when it is pursued by the Hunter and as a sheep that no man taketh up g In a most forlorn and neglected condition they shall every man h Those Souldiers of other and more warlike Nations whom she had hired to assist her which she used to do at other times but especially upon this great occasion of which see on Ier. 50. 16. 51. 9. turn to his own people and flee every one into his own land 15 Every one that is found i In Babylon at the taking of it The Expectation whereof made them flee away with all speed shall be thrust through and every one that is joyned unto them shall fall by the sword 16 Their children also shall be * Psal. 137. 9. Nah. 3. 10. dashed to pieces before their eyes k As a just Recompence for the like Cruelty acted by them upon the Jews 2 Chron. 36. 17. which also was foretold Psal. 137. 9. their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished 17 Behold * Jer. 51. 11. I will stir up the Medes l Under whom he comprehends the Persians who were their Neighbours and Confederates in this Expedition against them which shall not regard silver and as for gold they shall not delight in it m Which is to be understood comparatively They shall more eagerly pursue the Destruction of the People than the getting of Spoil whereby it shall appear that they are onely the Executioners of my Vengeance against them they will accept no Ransom to save their Lives 18 Their bows n Under which are comprehended their Arrows and possibly other Weapons of War for so generally sometimes is the â—…ow used in Scripture as 2 Sam. 1. 18. Psal. 78. 9. Isa. 41. 2. also shall dash the young men to pieces o Or shall pierce the young men through as the Chaldee render it and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb their eye shall not spare children 19 And Babylon the glory of kingdoms p Which once was the most noble and excellent of all the Kingdoms then in being and was more glorious than the succeeding Empires whence it was represented by the head of gold Dan. 2. 37. the beauty of the Caldees excellency q The famous and beautiful Seat of the Chaldaean Monarchy shall be †Heb. as the overthrowing as when God overthrew * Gen. 19. 24. Deut. 29. 23. Jer. 49. 18. 50. 40. Sodom and Gomorrah r Shall be totally and irrecoverably destroyed as is more fully expressed in the following Verses Which yet was not done immediately upon the taking of the City by Darius and Cyrus but was fulfilled by degrees as is confessed by Historians and appears this day 20 It shall never be inhabited s After the Destruction threatned shall be fully accomplished neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation neither shall the Arabian t Who dwelt in Tents and wandred from place to place where they could find Pasture but shall avoid this place either because the Land once noted for great Fruitfulness is now become Barren or because the Land is accursed by God and abhorred by all men or for fear of the Wild Beasts as it follows pitch tent there neither shall the shepherds make their fold there 21 But †Heb. Ziim wild beasts of the desert shall lie there u The Land being forsaken by Men shall be possessed by Wild Beasts which love solitary places and their houses shall be full of †Heb. Oâ—…him doleful creatures and ‖ Or ostriches †Heb. daughters of the owl owls shall dwell there and satyrs shall dance there x What the Hebrew Words used here and in the next Verse signifie the Learned may see in my Latin Synopsis and for others it may suffice to know that in which all the Learned agree that these are frightful and solitary Creatures Of which if I should particularly discourse I should rather perplex than edifie the Vulgar Reader 22 And †Heb. Ziim the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their ‖ Or pâ—…ces desolate houses and dragons in their pleasant places and her time is near to come y So it was though not according to Man's rash Judgment and impatient Expectation yet according to God's Estimation and to the Eye of Faith whereby Abraham saw Christ's Day as present many Ages before it came Ioh 8. 56. and comparatively for it hapned within Two hundred years which is but a small proportion of Time if it be compared either with the foregoing or following Ageâ—… of the World or with the immâ—…nse duration of Eternity from whence it was decreed by God and therefore might well be said now to be near the Accomplishment of it In like manner the Apostles speak of the Day of Judgment as near in their time though it was at many Ages distance and her days shall not be prolonged z Beyond the time prefixed and appointed by God Compare Habak 2. 3. CHAP. XIV FOR the LORD will have mercy on Jacob a God will pity and deliver his People and therefore will destroy Babylon which hâ—…nders it and set up Cyrus who shall promote it and * Zech. 1. 1â—… 2. 12. will yet chuse b Will renew his Choice of them for he had refused and rejected them Israel and set them in their own land and the stranger shall be joyned with them and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob c So they did in part at their coming from Babylon being thereunto moved either by the Favour which the Jews had in the Persian Court or by the consideration of their wonderful Deliverance and that exactly in the time designed by their Holy Prophets But what was then begun was more fully accomplished at the coming of the Messiah 2 And the people shall take them and bring them to their place and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and hand-maids and they shall take them captives †Heb. that had taken them captives whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressours d Which they might do literally and sometimes did after their Return into their own Land either by their Power with the Persian Monarchs as in the days of Cyrus and Darius and especially of Ahashuerus or by their own Prowess as in the time of the Maccabees But this was more evidently and eminently verified in a Spiritual sence in the days of the Gospel when the Apostles and other Ministers who were of the Jewish Nation conquered a great part of the Gentile-world to the Worship and Obedience of their Messiah 3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow and from thy fear e For besides their present hard Service
and Land but should pursue them into their own Lands and besiege them in their own Cities which Hezekiah did 2 Kings 18. 8. 7. But they also u But alas Iudah is guilty of the same sins with Israel and therefore they also must expect the same Calamities of which he speaks afterward have erred through wine and through strong drink are out of the way x They run into the same excess of Wine and strong Drink whereby they beâ—…ot themselves and fall into many errors and miscarriages both in sacred and civil Things The many emphatical Phrases and Repetitions of the same thing in other words in this verse seem to evince That he here speaks of Drunkenness properly so called although he afterward chargeth them with Ignorance and Error and Stupidity which also were the Companions and in part the Effects of that Sâ—… the priest y To whom strong Drink was expresly forbidden in the time of their sacred Ministrations lest they should thereby be led into errors in their work Levit. 10. 9 10. and the prophet z The Teachers who should have been patterns of Sobriety to the people and to whom Sobriety was absolutely necessary for the right discharge of their Office have erred a In their conversation and in their holy Administrations through strong drink they are swallowed up b They are as we say drowned in it their Senses and Reason are swallowed up and lost in it They design onely to swallow it but indeed are swallowed up by it of wine they are out of the way through strong drink they err in vision c The Prophets miscarry in their sacred Employment of Prophecying or Teaching which is called Vision Prov. 29. 18. and elsewhere they stumble in judgment d The Priests mistake in pronouncing the Sentence of the Law which was their duty Deut. 17. 9 10 11. 8. For all tables e At which the Priests and Prophets and other Iews did eat and drink They hardly made one sober Meal Drunkenness was their daily practice are full of vomit and filthiness so that there is no place f No Table or no part of the Table no not so much as the holy Places in which the Priests did frequently eat their Meals clean 9. Whom shall he g To wit the Teacher which is easily understood out of the following Verb either God or his Prophets or Ministers teach knowledge and whom shall he make to understand †Heb. the hearing doctrine them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts h Who is there among this People that are capable and willing to be taught the good knowledge of God A Minister may as soon teach a young Child as these Men. 10. For precept ‖ Or hath been must be upon precept i They must be taught like little Children slowly and by leasure the same things being oft repeated because of their great dulness precept upon precept line upon line k One line of the book after another as Children are taught to read line upon line here a little and there a little 11. For l Or therefore as this Particle is oft used For this seems to be the punishment of their dulness with †Heb. stammerings of lips * 1 Cor. 14. 21. stammering lips m Either 1. in way of condescention as Mothers or Nurses teach Children lisping and stammering with them Or 2. in way of judgment which suits best with the next Clause and another tongue n By people of a strange Language whom He shall bring among them and into whose power He shall deliver them which is a great aggravation of their Misery see Deut. 28. 49. Ier. 5. 15. Ezek. 3. 5. ‖ Or he hath spoken will he speak to this people o Seeing they will not hear Him speaking by His Prophets and Ministers in their own Language they shall hear their Enemies speaking to them in a strange and rough Language 12. To whom he said p To which People the Lord by his Ministers said This q This Doctrine or Precept as it is expressed ver 9 10. or the word of the Lord as it follows ver 13. is the rest r The onely way in the observation of which you will find rest and satisfaction wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest s Heb. Cause the weary understand either Soul or Country to rest As Rest is offered to you by the Prophets in God's name do you embrace it which is to be done by hearkening to God's Word as appears by the following Clauses So shall this People which hath been so oft and so long wearied and harassed by great and manifold Calamities find Rest and Peace and this is the refreshing yet they would not hear t They are wilfully ignorant and obstinately refused the very means of Instruction 13. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little u The sence of the words thus rendred may be this They spake of God's Word with scorn and contempt repeating the Prophets words in a scoffing manner and with a stammering and ridiculous tone saying Precept upon precept c. as if they had said It seems the Prophet takes us to be meer Children that need to be taught our first Rudiments and that but slowly That these were scornful men and mockers is affirmed ver 14 22. and as scoffers frequently catch the words out of other mens Mouths and use them in way of derision so it may be thought they did with the Prophets words But the words may be and by divers learned Men are rendred a little otherwise And the word of the Lord shall be unto them precept upon precept c. As this Method hath been used with them and was altogether necessary for them so it still is and for the future shall be As they were Children in understanding they shall still continue to be such they shall be ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth as they formerly would not so now they shall not profit by the Word and their sin shall be their punishment And this seems to suit with the following Clause which notes the dreadful design and effect of that judicial blindness That they may or might go and fall backward c. that they might go and fall backward and be broken and snared and taken x According to the former which is our Translation this Clause notes onely the event or consequent of their Sin According to the Latter it notes the just Judgment of God designed and inflicted for it that God's Word being so horribly abused by them might be an occasion at which they might stumble and fall and that backward which is the worst and most dangerous way of falling and so be broken to pieces or by which
long-desired Consolation of Israel and will have mercy upon his afflicted 14. But Zion said the LORD hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me b This is an objection against all these glorious predictions and promises hitherto mentioned How can these things be true when the condition of Gods Church is now so sad and desperate as it was when the Iews were Captives in Babylon in which the Prophet here supposeth them to be 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child †Heb. from having compassion that she should not have compassion on the Son of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee c Earthly Parents som times are so unnatural and monstrous but do not entertain such unworthy thoughts of me I will remember thee effectually to bring thee out of Babylon and which is infinitely greater to send my Son into the world to work out eternal redemption for thee 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands d Mine eye and heart is constantly upon thee He alludes to the common practice of men who use to put signs and memorials upon their hand or fingers of such things as they dearly affect and would remember See Exod. 13. 9. Deut. 6. 8. Prov. 6. 21. Cant. 8. 6. Ier. 22. 24. thy walls are continually before me e My thoughts run continually upon the Walls of Ierusalem which are now broken down that I way repair them as soon as ever the set time cometh and then proceed to do far greater things for thee 17. Thy children f Or as others render it thy Builders which is favoured by the next clause where the destroyers are opposed to them Howsoever the sence is the same for her children were her Builders as we read in Ezra and Nehemiah shall make hast thy destroyers and they that made thee waâ—…te shall go forth of thee g Shall be separated and driven from among thee and so shall neither hinder nor annoy thee 18. * Chap. 60. 4. Lift up thine eyes round about and behold all these h To wit the Gentiles as sufficiently appeareth from what hath been already said and from that which followeth The sence is Thy Church shall not onely be restored and established in Ierusalem but it shall be vastly enlarged and adorned by the accession of the Gentiles to it gather themselves together and come to thee i To receive instruction from thee and to be incorporated with thee into one and the same Church as I live saith the LORD thou shalt surely cloth thee with them all as with an ornament k They shall not be a burden as the Gentiles formerly were when they mixed themselves with the Iews but an Ornament iâ—… respect of those excellent gifâ—… and graces wherewith they shall enrich and honour thy Church and bind them on thee as a bride doth 19. For thy waste and thy desolate places l Thy own Land which is now wast and desolate and whereof divers parts lay formerly wast and desolate for want of People to possess and manage them and the Land of thy destruction m Or rather Thy Land of destruction so called because it is 〈◊〉 and shall be exposed to destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away n To wit from thee 20. The children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost o Heb. The Children of thine orbity or barren and Childless-slate Those Children which thou shalt have when thou art grown past the ordinary age and state of Child-bearing as Sarah in that case was made the Mother of a most numerous posterity to which he seems here to allude Those Gentiles which shall be begotten by thee to wit by the Ministry of thy Children Christ and his Apostles when thou shalt be deprived of thine own natural Children when thou shalt become barren and unfruitful as to Conversion of natural Iews when the generallity of the Iews shall cut themselves off from God and from his true Church by their Apostacy from God and by their unbelief and obstinate refusal of their Messiah the other shall say again p Or rather shall yet say though for the present it be otherwise in thine eares The place is too â—…raight for me give place to me that I may dwell 21. Then shalt thou say q Not without admiration in thine heart Who hath begotten me these r Whence or by whom have I this numberless Issue seeing I have lost my children s Seeing it is not long since that I was in a manner left childless and am desolate t Without an Husband being forsaken by God who formerly owned himself for my Husband Isa. 54. 5. Ier. 31. 32. and elsewhere a captive and removing to and fro u Which condition is in many respects a great 〈◊〉 to the proâ—…tion of Children and who hath brought up these x The same thing repeated again to express the miraculousness of this work and the great surprisal of the Iews at it which sheweth that he speaks of the Conversion of the Gentiles Behold I was left alone these where â—…d they been 22. Thus saith the Lord GOD Behold I will lift up mine hand y I will call them to me and command them to do this work as men commonly signifie their calls and commands by this gesture to the Gentiles and set up my standard z As Generals do to gather their Forces together See on Isâ—… 11. 12. to the people a Unto thee or to thy Church and People and they shall bring thy sonnes b Those which shall be thine if not by natural Generation yet by adoption that shall own God for their Father and Ierusalem for their Mother in their †Heb. besome armes c With great care and tenderness as Nurses carry young Infants The sence is even the Heathen shall contribute to the increase and preservation of those Children which shall be begotten to thee and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders d As sick or infirm persons used to be carried See Mark 2. 3. Luke 15. 5. 23. And Kings shall be thy †Heb. nourishers nursing fathers and their †Heb. Princesses queens thy nursing mothers l they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth and * Psal. 72. 9. lick up the dust of thy feet f They shall highly reverence and honour thee and shall most humbly and readily submit themselves unto thee which was not verified in any of the Persian Kings but onely in these Kings who were converted to the Christian Faith and Church The expressions are borrowed from the practice of the Eastern People in their protestations and adorations when they bowed so low as to touch and kiss the ground whereby they did or might seem to lick up the
16. Their end shall certainly be most miserable but those that wait upon the LORD they shall inherit the Earth x According to God's Promise oft made to such which also for the most part was literally fulfilled in that state of the Church and if it was not it was fulfilled with far greater Advantage in spiritual and Eternal Blessings 10. For yet a little while y Their Time and Prosperity is very short and therefore no matter of Envy and the wicked shall not be z To wit in the Land of the Living He shall be dead and gone as this Phrase is commonly taken yea * Job 7. 10. 20. 9. thou shalt diligently consider his place a Industriously seeking to find him and it shall not be b i. e. His place and Estate and Glory shall be goue Or he shall not be as before 11. * Psal. 25 9. Mat. 5. 5 But the meek c i. e. The Godly who are frequently thus called as Psal. 22. 26. and 149. 4. those who Patiently bear God's afflicting hand and meekly pass by injuries from ungodly men shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace d Partly of outward Peace and Prosperity which God in his due time will give them and principally of inward Peace and satisfaction of Mind in the Sence of God's Favour and the assurance of his own endless Happiness 12. The wicked ‖ Or Practisâ—…h plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth e Out of Malice and Rage See on Psal. 35. 16. 13. * Psal. 2. 4. The LORD shall laugh at him f i. e. Shall despise and deride all their Hopes and indeavours against the good as most vain and foolish for he seeth that his day g Either 1. God's day which is an usual Phrase as Isa. 2. 12. and 13. 9. or 2. His own day as 1 Sam. 26. 10. Ezik. 21. 25. 29. Both signifie the same thing the day appointed by God for his Punishment or Destruction as Isa. 9. 4. Ier. 50. 27. is coming 14. The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow h They are furnished with all sorts of Arms and are ready to give the deadly blow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay †Heb. Tâ—…â—…right of way such as be of upright conversation i Such against whom they have no Quarrel for any injury they have done them but only for their Integrity and Righteousness or because they are better than themselves and will not comply with their wicked Counsels and Courses 15. Their sword shall enter into their own heart k God will not onely defend the upright from their Mischievous Deâ—…igns but will make them to fall upon their own Heads and their bows shall be broken 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked l Because he hath it with many great and glorious Advantages with God's Favour and Blessings with great Serenity and Satisfaction of his own Mind which is infinitely more Desirable and Comfortable than all Earthly Possessions with the Consolations of God's Spirit and the assurance of everlasting Felicity whilst wicked mens Riches are loaded with many Incumbrances with the Wrath and Curse of God the Torment of their own Consciences and Passions and the dreadful Expectation of an after-reckoning and of endless Miseries 17. For * Psal. 10. 15. the arms of the wicked shall be broken but the LORD upholdeth the righteous m This is a Proof of what he said v. 16 For what the wicked have shall suddenly be lost and gone but God will maintain the righteous in their happy Estate 18. The LORD * Psal. 1. 6 31. 7. knoweth n Observeth with singular Care and Affection the days of the upright o i. e. Their Condition and all things which do or may besal them their Dangers and Fears and suffering from ungodly men and therefore will watch over them and preserve them from all the Designs and Attempts of their Enemies Days or Years or Times are oft put for things done or Events happening in them as Deut. 32. 7. Psal. 31. 15. and 77. 5. and 143. 5. Isa. 63. 11. and their inheritance shall be for ever p To them and to their seed for ever Comp. v. 29. And when they dye their inheritance is not lost but exchanged for one infinitely better 19. They shall not be ashamed q For the disappointment of their Hopes but their Hopes and Desires shall be satisfied as it follows in the evil time and * Psal. 33. 19. in the days of famine they shall be satisfied 20. But the wicked shall perish and the Enemies of the LORD shall be †Heb. The preciousness of Lambs as the fat of lambs r Which in an instant melteth before the Fire they shall consume into smoke s i. e. Utterly and irrecoverably shall they consume away 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again t Either through Covetousness and injustice Or rather because of that great penury into which God shall bring him whilst the righteous is not onely provided sufficiently for himself but hath abundance and to spare for others For he is here Comparing the wicked and the righteous not so much in their Vertues or moral Qualities as in their outward Conditions which also appears from the following Verse which gives the reason of this * Psal. 112. 9. but the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth 22. For such as be blessed of him u i. e. Of the Lord as appears both from v. 20. where he is named and from the Nature of the thing this being God's Prerogative to Bless or to Curse men And this he mentions both as the Foundation and as the Proof of the Certainty of their future Happiness shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off 23. The steps of a good man x Or of that Man to wit the Righteous or Blessed Man expressed v. 21 22. are ‖ 〈…〉 ordered y Or directed or disposed i. e. So governed as to attain the end and Happy issue at which he Aâ—…ms Or strengthned or established so as he shall not stumble nor fall into Mischief For still he seems to be describing not their Vertue but their Felicity by the LORD and he delighteth in his way z Or and he favoureth his way i. e. Succeeds and prospers his Counsels and Enterprizes 24. * 〈◊〉 24. 16. 2 〈◊〉 4. 9. Though he fall a Either 1. Into sin as this Word is used Ier. 8. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 12. Or rather 2. Into Distress or Trouble as Mic. 7. 8. he shall not be utterly cast down b i. e. Not totally nor irrecoverably Ruined for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand 25. I have been young and
now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread c This assertion seems to be Contradicted by many Experiences nor can it be denied that both good Men and their Children have sometimes been reduced to great want Quest. How then is this true Ans. 1. Some render the last Clause thus nor did I ever see his seed to wit forsaken as was now said though begging Bread So the Sence is I have sâ—…en him brought to beggery yet even then God did not forsake him But this Sence agrees not with the Context nor Scope which is to shew the Plenty and Prosperity wherewith God blesseth him 2. This is to be understood of the seed of the Righteous treading in their Fathers steps from which if they degenerate they lose all their Priviledges as many places of Scripture witness 3. Some few Exceptions do not destroy the Truth of a general Proposition 4. These temporal Promises were more express and particular to the Iews in the times of the Old Testament than to Christians in the New and therefore were more literally fulfilled 5. He speaks not of any kind of wanting or desiring or receiving Relief from others for so David himself did 1 Sam. 21. 3. and 25. 8. but of the Customary Practise and Trade of begging which was threatned as a Curse to the disobedient Deut. 28. Psal. 109. 10. 6. Not begging to wit in vain Or so as to be forsaken as was now expressed and may very well be here understood Or so as not to be sustained or relieved by others 7. David speaks onely of his own Experience which if since that time it be Contradicted by other mens Experiences it is no more than what happens in all the Concernments of humane Life 26. * Psal. 112. 9. He is †Heb. all the 〈◊〉 ever merciful and lendeth d He is so far from begging from others that he hath Ability as well as Inclination to give or lend to others as need requires and his seed is blessed e Not onely with Spiritual but with Temporal blessings So far shall he be from wasting his Estate and undoing himself and Family by his Bounty and Charity as Covetous Worldings objected or feared 27. * Psal. 34. 14. Depart from evil And do good f Having therefore these glorious Promises and Priviledges let no man do any Evil or unjust thing to enrich or secure himself nor abstaining from Pious and Charitable Actions for fâ—…ar of undoing himself by them but let every man Live in the Conscionable discharge of all his Duties to God and Men committing himself and all his Affairs to God's fatherly Care and Providence and Confidently expecting his Blessing thereupon and dwell g i. e. Thou shalt dwell as before v. 3. to wit in the Land as is expressed v. 3. and afterwards in Heaven for evermore h Either Properly Or for a long time of which that Word is oft used 28. For the LORD loveth judgment i i. e. Just judgment or Righteousness as that Word is oft taken as hath been shewed again and again Either 1. In himself i. e. He loveth to execute Judgment upon the wicked and for the Righteous which he doth in the manner expressed in this Psalm Or 2. In the Righteous themselves whose Justice and Piety and Charity he sees and Loves and will reward it and forsaketh not his Saints k Or his Favourites or they to whom be hath a good â—…ill Or his bountiful Ones who exercise Benignity and Charity to others * Psal. 102. 28. they are preserved for ever but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off 29. * Prov. 2. 21 The righteous shall inherit the land l See on v. 3. and dwell therein for ever m See on v. 18. 30. * Prov. 10. 3â—… The mouth of the righteous speaketh n And that Freely and Customarily and from his Heart as the next Verse shews Having shewed in divers Verses God s singular Care over and Respect to the Righteous he proceeds to give a Character of them and withal to assign one Reason of the great Difference of God's dealings with them and with other Men. wisdom o Either 1. For the manner of it with Wisdom and Judgment Or rather 2. For the Matter of it Heavenly Wisdom and God's judgment or Word or Law as it follows v. 31. When the Discourses of other Men are either Wicked or Vain and useless his are serious and Edifying and Pious concerning the Word and ways of God and his tongue talketh of judgment o Either 1. For the manner of it with Wisdom and Judgment Or rather 2. For the Matter of it Heavenly Wisdom and God's judgment or Word or Law as it follows v. 31. When the Discourses of other Men are either Wicked or Vain and useless his are serious and Edifying and Pious concerning the Word and ways of God 31. * Psal. 40. 8. 119. 98. Isa. 51. 7. The law of his God is in his heart p According to God's Command Deut. 6. 6. and Promise Heb. 8. 10. His Thoughts and Meditations and Affections are fixed upon it He doth not talk Religiously in Design or with Ostentation but out of the abundance of his Heart Mat. 12. 35. * Psal. 38. 17. 40. 2. none of his ‖ Or goings steps shall slide q This passage describes Either 1. His Safety Consequent upon his Piety God will uphold and preserve him from falling into that Mischief which wicked men Plot against him Or rather 2. His Vertue or Piety Which is evidenced by his Words v. 30. by his Heart in the former part of this Verse and by his Actions in these Words His steps or goings i. e. his Actions shall not or rather do not For this Verb though Future may and should be rendred by the present as Futures frequently are in the Hebrew Language and as the two foregoing Future Verbs are rendred v. 30. slide or slip or swerve to wit from the Rule or from God's Law Which is to be understood as that Passage Psal. 119. 3. They do no iniquity and some such Expressions not simply and absolutely as if all good Men were Sinless which is abundantly Confuted both by many Scriptures and by universal Experience but Comparatively and in Respect of his Design and Course or Custome His Conversation is ordinarily Regular and unblameable He not onely begins well but Constantly preseveres in God's ways and will not be drawn to forsake God and Religion upon any Terms 32. The wicked watcheth r To find out a fit season or occasion to destroy him the righteous and seeketh to slay him 33. The LORD will not leave him in his hand s i. e. Not give him up to his Power and Rage nor condemn him t i. e. Not give his Consent to the Sentence of Condemnation which the wicked have pronounced against him