before the congregation CHAP. XXI THen a When the whole Land was distributed unto the several Tribes but not actually possessed by them which was the proper season for them to put in their claim came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites b The Fathers of the Levites were Kohath Gershom and Merari and the heads of these were the chief persons now alive of these several Families unto Eleazar the priest and unto Joshua the son of Nun and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel 2 And they spake unto them * Chap. 〈◊〉 at Shiloh in the land of Canaan saying ‡ Numb 〈◊〉 The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in with the suburbs thereof for our cattel 3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites c It seems most probable that they gave to the Levites promiscuously such Cities as God commanded and that the Lot appropriated them to their several Houses or Families out of their inheritance d i. e. Out of their several Possessions partly that the burden and loss might be equally divided and principally that the Levites being dispersed among the several Tribes according to Iacobs Prediction Gen. 49. 7. might more easily and frequently and effectually Teach the Israelites Gods Law and Iudgments which they were engaged to do Deut. 33. 10. and that the People might upon all occasions resort to them and require the meaning of the Law at their mouths Mal. 2. 7. at the commandment of the LORD these cities and their suburbs e Not only the use but the absolute Dominion of them as is manifest both from v. 11 12. where a distinction is made between the City and Suburbs of Hebrâ—… and the Fields and Villages thereof and the former are given to the Levites the latter to Caleb and from the return of these Cities in the Iubilee unto the Levites as to their proper owners Levit. 25. 33 34. 4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites and the children of Aaron the priest which were of the Levites had * See Châ—… 33. by lot out of the tribe of Judah and out of the tribe of Simeon and out of the tribe of Benjamin f Which three Tribes were nearest to the Temple where their business lay thirteen cities g For though the Priests were now few enough for one City yet respect was to be had to their succeeding numbers this division being made for all future Generations And seeing the Levites might sell their Houses until the Iubilee Levit. 25. 33. much more might they Let them and therefore it is probable their Cities were not very long uninhabited many being inclined to dwell with them by vertue of relations contracted with them or dependance upon or expectation from them or oâ—… of respect to the Service of God and the good of their Souls 5 And the rest of the children of Kohath h Who were not of Aarons Family or Priests but Levites onely had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim and out of the tribe of Dan and out of the half tribe of Manasseh i Which Tribes are nearest to the three former and so the Kohathites are placed next to their Brethren the Aaronites ten cities k Fewer than they gave out of the three former Tribes because their inheritance was no less than the former See Numb 35. 8. 6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Naphtali and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteen cities 7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve cities 8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs k Of which see on Numb 35. 2. as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses 9 ¶ And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon l These are mentioned together because the Cities of Siâ—… lay within Iudah's Portion these cities which are here ‡ 〈◊〉 mentioned 〈◊〉 name 10 Which the children of Aaron being of the families m i. e. Of the family the Plural Number for the Singular which is not unusual of the Kohathites who were of the children of Levi had for theirs was the First lot 11 And they gave them ‖ Or Kiriathâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…3 2. the city of Arbah the father of Anak which city is Hebron in the hill â—…ntrey of Judah with the suburbs thereof round about it 12 But ‡ Chap. 14. 14. 1 〈◊〉 6. 56. the fields n i. e. All beyond the 2000 Cubits expressed Numb 35. 5. This is here mentioned not as his peculiar case but as one â—…ment Instance to shew that it was so in all the rest of the Cities here named that the Fields and Villages thereof still belonged to the several tribes from whom the Cities and their Suburbs were taken and to make the rest of the Israelites more contentedly and chearfully resign so great a part of their Possessions to the Levites because even Caleb did so though his Possession had been long before promised and now actually given to him by Gods special command as a mark of honour and compensation for his long and faithful Service of the city and the villages thereof gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession 13 ¶ Thus they * 1 Chro. 6. 57. gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Libnah with her suburbs 14 ¶ And Jattir with her suburbs and Eshtemoa with her suburbs 15 And * 1 Chr. 6. 58. 〈◊〉 Holon o Called Hilen 1 Chron. 6 58. as Iuttah here is called Ashâ—… 1 Chron. 6. 59. and Kibzaim called Iokmeam 1 Chron. 6. 6â—… and so some others the names of the places being changed by length of time and upon special occasions as was frequent among the Jews Though their Doctors add that some of these places here mentioned being now in the Canaâ—…tes Possession and not speedily recovered from them there were others put in their stead with her suburbs and Debir with her suburbs 16 And * 1 Chro. 6. 59 â—…shan Ain with her suburbs and Juttah with her suburbs and Bethshemesh with her suburbs nine cities out of those two tribes â—…â—…in here and Gibeon v. 17. and some others here named are not named 1 Chron. 6. either because they were destroyed in some of those Hostile Invasions and Wars wherewith their Land was grievously harassed and wasted before that time or they appear there under other Names as was said 17 And out of
the tribe of Benjamin Gibeon with her suburbs Geba with her suburbs 18 Anathoth with her suburbs and * 1 Chron. 6. â—…0 Alemeth Almon with her suburbs four cities 19 All the cities of the children of Aaron the priest were thirteen cities with their suburbs 20 ¶ And the families of the children of Kohath the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath q Oveâ—… and above those of them who were Priests even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim 21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Gezer with her suburbs 22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs and Beth-horon with her suburbs four cities 23 And out of the tribe of Dan Eltekeh with her suburbs Gibbethon with her suburbs 24 Aijalon with her suburbs Gath-rimmon with her suburbs four cities 25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh r To wit that half which dwelt in Canaan by comparing this with v. 27. Tanach with her suburbs and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs two cities 26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained 27 ¶ And unto the children of Gershon of the familites of the Levites out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Beeshterah with her suburbs two cities 28 And out of the tribe of Issachar Kishon with her suburbs Dabareh with her suburbs 29 Jarmuth with her suburbs En-gannim with her suburbs four cities 30 And out of the tribe of Asher Mishal with her suburbs Abdon with her suburbs 31 Helkath with her suburbs and Rehob with her suburbs four cities 32 And our of the tribe of Naphtali Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs 〈◊〉 a city of refuge for the slayer and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs and Kartan with her suburbs three cities 33 All the cities of the Gershâ—… according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs 34 ¶ And unto the families of the children of Merari the rest of the Levites out of the tribe of Zebulun Jokneam with her suburbs and Kartah with her suburbs 35 Dimnah with her suburbs Nahalal with her suburbs four cities 36 And out of the tribe of Reuben Bezer s A City of Refuge as it is called Ios. 20. 8. and therefore needless to he here repeated with her suburbs and Jahazah with her suburbs 37 Kedemoth with her suburbs and Mephaath with her suburbs four cities 38 And out of the tribe of Gad Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Mahanaim with her suburbs 39 Heshbon with her suburbs Jazer with her suburbs four cities in all 40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families which were remaining of the families of the Levites were by their lot twelve cities 41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities t Qu. Why hath this Tribe which was the least of all more Cities than any of them Answ. First It doth not appear that they had more for though all the cities of the Levites be expressed it is not so with the other Tribes but divers of their Cities are omitted as is evident Secondly The Levites were confined to their Cities and Suburbs the rest had large Territories belonging to their Cities which also they were in a capacity of improving which the Levites were not so that one of their Cities might be more considerable than divers of the Levites Thirdly God was pleased to deal liberally with his Ministers partly to put honour upon those whom he foresaw many would be prone to despise and partly that being free from all outward distractions they might more intirely and fervently devote themselves to the service of God and the instruction of Souls with their suburbs 42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them thus were all these cities 43 ¶ And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land u He gave them the right to All and the actual Possession of the greatest part of it and power to Possess the rest as soon as it was needful and convenient for them which was by degrees when their numbers were increased c. Exod. 23. 29 30. and the absolute dominion of all the people remaining in it which he sware to give unto their fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein 44 And the LORD gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their fathers and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them x To wit all the days of Ioshua by comparing Ios. 1. 5. for afterwards it was otherwise with them the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand 45 ‡ Chap. 21. 44 〈◊〉 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass CHAP. XXII THen Joshua called the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh 2 And said unto them Ye have kept * Num. 32 20. 〈◊〉 â—… 18. all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you 3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days a i. e. For divers years together so long as the War lasted See Jos. 11. 18. and 14. 10. unto this day but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God 4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren as he promised them therefore now return ye and get ye unto your tents b i. e. To your settled habitations as appears from v. 8. which are oft called Tents as Iudg. 19. 9. 2 Sam. 18. 17. Hos. 9. 6. Mal. 2. 12. and unto the land of your possession ‡ Numb 32. 〈◊〉 Chap. 13. â—… which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan 5 But take diligent heed c Watch over your selves and all your actions to do the commandment and the law d Two words expressing the same thing the Law of Commandments delivered by Moses which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you * Deut. 10. 12. to love the Lord your God and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cleaye unto him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul e With the whole strength of your Minds and Wills and Affections 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away and they went unto their tents 7 ¶ Now to the one half of the Tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents then he
6. of the congregation with singing until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem and then they waited on their office according to their order s Which David had appointed by the Spirit as it follows in this Book 33 And these t To wit Heman here mentioned and Asaph v. â—…9 and Ethan v. 44. are they that †Heb. stâ—…od waited with their children of the sons of the Kohathite Heman a singer the son of Joel the son of Shemuel u Or Samuel the Prophet 34 The son of Elkanah the son of Jeroham the son of Eliel the son of ‖ Ver. 26. Nahâ—…th Toah 35 The son of ‖ or Zophai Zuph the son of Elkanah the son of Mahath the son of Amasai 36 The son of Elkanah the son of ‖ Ver. 24. Shaul Uzziah Uriel Joel the son of Azariah the son of Zephaniah 37 The son of Tahath the son of Assir the son of * Exod. 6. 24. Ebiasaph the son of Korah 38 The son of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi the son of Israel 39 And his brother x Asaph is here called Hemans Brother both by birth being of the same Tribe and Father Levi and by his Office and Employment which was the same with his Asaph who stood on his right hand even Asaph the son of Berechiah the son of Shimea 40 The son of Michael the son of Baasiah the son of Melchiah 41 The son of Ethni the son of Zerah the son of Adajah 42 The son of Ethan the son of Zimmah the son of Shimei 43 The son of Jahath the son of Gershom the son of Levi. 44 And their brethren the sons of Merari stood on the left hand Ethan y Called also Ieduthun 1 Chron. 9. 16. 2 Chron. 35. 15. and in the Titles of divers Psalms the son of ‖ Or Kushajah Ch. 15. 17. Kishi the son of Abdi the son of Malluch 45 The son of Hashabiah the son of Amaziah the son of Hilkiah 46 The son of Amzi the son of Bani the son of Shamer 47 The son of Mahli the son of Mushi the son of Merari the son of Levi. 48 Their brethren also the Levites z Such of them as had no skill in Singing were otherwise employed were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God 49 But a Having mentioned the Work and Employment of the High-Priests he briefly rehearseth the Names of the Persons who successively performed it Aaron and his sons offered * Lev. 1. 9. upon the altar of the burnt-offering and * Exod. 30. 7. on the altar of incense and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy and to make an atonement for Israel according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded 50 And these are the sons of Aaron Eleazar his son Phinehas his son Abishua his son 51 Bukki his son Uzzi his son Zerahiah his son 52 Merajoth his son Amariah his son Ahitub his son 53 Zadok his son Ahimaaz his son 54 Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts of the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathite for theirs was the lot b Or this Lot or Portion which here follows Or the first Lot as appears by the sequel 55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah and the suburbs thereof round about it 56 But the fields of the city and the villages thereof they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh 57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities c Or out of the Cities the Hebrew eth being put for meeth as hath been oft noted of Judah namely Hebron the city of refuge and Libna with her suburbs and Jattir and Eshtemoa with their suburbs 58 And ‖ Or Holon Josh. 21. 15. Hilen with her suburbs Debiâ—… with her suburbs 59 And ‖ Or Ain Josh. 21. 16. Ashan with her suburbs and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs 60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin Geba with her suburbs and ‖ Or Almon Josh. 21. 18. Alemeth with her suburbs and Anathoth with her suburbs All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities d Whereof 11. are here numbred and two more added to them Ios. 21. 13. 61 And unto the sons of Kohath which were left e Over and above the Priests who were of the same Family of Kohath and Tribe of Levi. of the family of that tribe were cities given out of the half tribe namely out of the half tribe of Manasseh * Josh. 21. 5. by lot ten cities f Or by lot with a full Point for there the Sense ends All their Cities were ten cities as it is expresly said Ios. 21. 26. Those words all their cities were are to be understood out of the former Verse which is not unusual in the Holy Scripture And so this sacred Writer explains himself v. 66 c. where eight of these Cities are named whereof onely two are taken out of this half Tribe of Manasseh v. 70. the other two being named Ios. 21. 21 c. where these things are more plainly and fully declared 62 And to the sons of Gershom g Understand here cities were given which is also understood v. 61 and expressed v. 64. throughout their families out of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Naphtali and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteen cities 63 Unto the sons of Merari were given by lot throughout their families out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun * Josh. 21. 7 34. twelve cities 64 And the children of Israel gave to the Levites h i. e. To the Tribe of Levi consisting of Priests and other Levites these cities i Which are numbred or named in this Chapter with their suburbs 65 And they gave k To wit to those Levites of the Family of Kohath who were Priests as appears both by v. 57 c. where the Cities given to the Aâ—…ronites are said to be taken out of the Tribes here named even out of Iudah under which Simeon is comprehended because his Lot lay within that of Iudah and Benjamin and by the next Verse where the other Kohathites who were not Priests are called the Residue of the Families of the Sons of Kohath by way of distinction from those of them to whom this v. 65. relates by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin these cities which are called by their names l Which are expressed by their Names above v. 57 c. 66 And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts m Or of their borders i.
Ephraim had one here v. 5. and Manasseh another Ios. 17. 1. but because in these first Verses he speaks of them in common and of the South border which seems to be the same either wholly or in a great part and then he comes to the particular description of their several portions It is here farther remarkable that God so disposed of these Lots that they came forth in decent and due order Iudah's first to whom the Sovereignty was promised and then Ioseph's who succeeded Reuben in the other Priviledg of the Birth-right the double-portion 1 Chron. 5. 1 2. * fell ‡ Heb. Wâ—… forth from Jordan by Jericho unto the †water of Jericho b Of which see 2 King 2. 19 20 21 22. on the east to the wilderness c The Wilderness of Beth-aven as appears by comparing Ios. 18. 12. which speaks of the very same border which was on the South of Ephraim and on the North of Benjamin that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Peth-el 2 And goeth out from Beth-el to * Judg. 1. 〈◊〉 Luz d Or from Bethel-luzah as the LXX here join the words for Bethel was anciently called Luz Gen. 28. 19. and 48. 3. Though some think this was another Luz spoken of Iudg. 1. 26. Others make Bethel and Luz two neighbouring Towns which afterwards being more built and inhabited became one as oft hath happened and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth 3 And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti unto the coast of Beth-horon the nether e Of the two Beth-horons see Jos. 10. 10 11. and to Gezer and the goings out thereof are at the sea 4 So the children of Joseph Manasseh f i. e. Half Manasseh by a Synecdoche and Ephraim took their inheritance g i. e. Their several Portions which here follow Some think that they had but one Lot between them and therefore they are now said to take their inheritance to wit by dividing it between them according to the direction of Ioshua and Eleazar c. For that Phrase being used of them and not to my remembrance of any other Tribes may seem to have some peculiar signification which doth not agree to the other Tribes But there being mention of a peculiar Lot taken out for Manasseh Josh. 17. 1. shews that their several inheritances fell to them as the rest did to the other Tribes even by several Lots and it is said of them that they took their inheritance which also Iudah had done before them because the Tribes of Iudah and Ioseph did take their Inheritances before the rest and it was fit they should do so for the security of the main Camp and the body of the people which were at Gilgal See Ios. 18. 5. g i. e. The North-east side It is no wonder if some of these Descriptions are dark and doubtful to us at this distance of time and place there having been so many alterations made in places and so many circumstances being now altogether undiscoverable But this is evident to every man of common sense that this and all the descriptions here mentioned were then certain and evident to the Israelites because these were the foundation of their present practice and of all the Possessions which then they took and peaceably possessed in succeeding Ages 5 ¶ And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus even the border of their inheritance on the east-side h was from Ataroth-addar unto Beth-horon the upper 6 And the border went out toward the sea i The Mid-land sea towards the West to Mickmethah on the north-side and the border went about eastward unto Taanath-shiloh and passed by it on the east to Janohah 7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth and to Naarath and came to Jericho k Not to the City of Iericho which belonged to Benjamin's Lot Ios. 18. 21. but to its Territory and went out at Jordan 8 The border went up from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah and the goings out thereof were at the sea This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families 9 And the * Chap. 17. 9. separate cities l i. e. Besides those Cities which were within Ephraim's bounds he had some other Cities to which also their Territories were annexed out of Manasseh's Portion because his Tribe was all here and was larger than Manasseh's for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh all the cities with their villages 10 And they * â—…udg â—… 29. drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer m Nor were they driven out till Solomon's time 1 King 9. 16. but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day and serveth under tribute n As Ios. 17. 13. 1 King 9. 16. CHAP. XVII THere was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh for he was the * Gen. 41. 51. and â—…6 20. first born of Joseph a The sense is though Ephraim was to be more potent and numerous yet Manasseh was the First-born and had the priviledg of the First-born which was translated to Ioseph to wit a double portion and therefore though this were but half the Tribe of Manasseh yet they are not made Inmates to Ephraim but have a distinct Lot of their own as their Brethren or other half Tribe had beyond Iordan to wit for ‡ Gen. 50. 23. Numb 32. 39 40. Machir b The only Son of Manasseh who therefore is here and â—…udg 5. 14. put for the whole Tribe the first-born c So even onely Sons are sometimes called as Mat. 1. 25. See Exod. 4. 22. of Manasseh the father of Gilead d Or and the Father or who was also the Father of Gilead not of the Land of Gilead but of the man Gilead who was Machir's Son Numb 26. 29. because he was a man of war e He i. e. Machir had given great proof of his Valour in his Generation though the particular History be not mentioned and his Posterity were no degenerate Sons but had his valiant Blood still running in their Veins therefore he had Gilead and Bashan f i. e. Part of those Countreys for part of them also was given to the Reubenites and part to the Gadites as appears from Ios. 13. 30 31. This may be added as a reason either 1. Why he got those places from the Amorites or 2. Why they were allotted to him or his Posterity because this was a Frontier Country and the Out-works to the Land of Canaan and therefore required such valiant persons to defend it 2 There was also a lot g Or a Portion or distinct Inheritance for * Numb 26. â—…9 the rest of the children of Manasseh h To wit those of them which had not received their Possessions beyond Iordan Numb 26. 30 c. by their families for
Mizpeh d Near Ramah in the same Mountain where Silo was There were divers other Cities of that name and Chephirali and Mozah 27 And Rekem and Irpeel and Taralah 28 And Zelah Eleph and Jebusi which is Jerusalem e So it seems this City did properly and primarily belong to Benjamin although the Tribe of Iudah had also an Interest in it either because some part of it was allotted to them or because the Benjamites gave them a share in it for the Assistance which either they had received or did expect from that Potent Tribe for the getting or defending of that very Important Place See more on Ios. 15. 63. Gibeath and Kir-jath fourteen cities f It is more than probable that all the Cities belonging to this Tribe are here named because Anathoth and Almon are omitted â—…ere but expressed Ios. 21. 18. with their villages This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families CHAP. XIX ANd the second lot came forth to Simeon even for the Tribe of the Children of Simeon according to their families and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah a This was so ordered by Gods Providence partly to fulfil that threatning that he would divide and scatter this Tribe in Israel Gen. 49. 7. which was hereby done in part because they had no distinct part of their own but were as Inmates to Iudah partly because now upon the more exact survey of the Land it appeared to Ioshua and Eleazar and all the Princes and People even to the Tribe of Iudah themselves that the Part given to Iudah did far exceed the Proportion which either they needed and could occupy or which the other Tribes could expect and partly because this was the least of the Tribes as is evident from Numb 26. 14. and therefore fittest to be put within another Tribe 2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba and b Or or 1. i. e. otherwise called for that Beersheba and Sheba were one and the same City is manifest both from v. 6. where all the Cities are reckoned to be but Thirteen and from 1 Chron. 4. 28. where Simeons Cities are enumerated and Sheba omitted as superfluous Sheba and Moladah 3 And Hazar-shual and Balah c Called also Billah 1 Chron. 4. 29. and Baalah Ios. 15. 29. For let this be observed once for all that the names of Persons or Places are frequently changed through length of time or difference of Dialects or study of brevity and easiness in Pronunciation or new accidents or other causes Thus Eltolad and Bethul v. 4. are called Tolad and Bethuel 1 Chron. 4. 29 30. and for Beth-lebaoth v. 6. is Beth-birei 1 Chron. 4. 31. and Azem 4 And Eltolad and Bethul and Hormah 5 And Ziklag and Beth-marcaboth and Hazar-susah 6 And Beth-lebaoth and Sharuhen thirteen cities d Or Towns as some of them are called 1 Chron. 4. 32. Nor are all Simeons Cities here numbred for Elam is added 1 Chron. 4. 32. unless that were built afterward and their villages 7 Ain Remmon and Ether and Ashan four cities and their villages 8 And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer Ramath of the south This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families 9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them 10 ¶ And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun e Who is here put before Issachar his elder Brother as he is also Gen. 49. 13 14. Deut. 33. 18. according to their families and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid 11 And their border went up toward the Sea f i. e. The Midland Sea as on the other side it reached to the Sea of Galilee and so those Prophecies concerning him Gen. 49. 3. Deut. 33. 18. were abundantly fulfilled and Maralah and reached to Dabbasheth and reached to the river that is before Jokneam g Supposed to be Kishon Iudg. 4. 7. or Belus or Pagis 12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sun-rising unto the border of Chisâ—…oth-tabor and then goeth out to Daberath h A City in Issachar as appears from Ios. 21. 28. and goeth up to Japhia 13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittah-hephir to Ittah-kazin and goeth out to Remmon ‖ Or which is drawn Methoar to Neah 14 And the border compasseth it on the north-side to Hannathon and the out-goings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthah-el 15 And Kattath and Nahallal and Shimron and Idalah and Beth-lehem i Not that where Christ was born which was in Iudah thence called Bethlehem Iudah Matt. but another twelve cities k There are more numbred here but the rest either were not Cities properly so called having Villages under their jurisdiction or were not within this Tribe but onely bordering upon it and belonging to other Tribes which is evident of some of them and may well be presumed of others with their villages 16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families these cities with their villages 17 ¶ And the fourth lot came out to Issachar for the children of Issachar according to their families 18 And their border was toward Jezreel l The Royal City 1 King 21. 1. This Tribe because it lay between Benjamin on the South and Zebulun on the north is not here described by its borders which were the same with theirs but by some of its Cities and Chesulloth and Shunem m The Birth-place of Abishag 1 King 1. 3. 19 And Hapharaim and Shion and Anaharath 20 And Rabbith and Kishion and Abez 21 And Remeth and En-gannim n A different place from that Engannim in the Tribe of Iudah Ios. 15. 34. and En-haddah and Beth-pazzez 22 And the coast reacheth to Tabor and Shahazimah and Beth-shemesh and the out-goings of their border were at Jordan Sixteen cities with their villages 23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families the cities and their villages 24 ¶ And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families 25 And their border o On the North-west side was Helkath and Hali and Beten and Achshaph 26 And Alammelech and Amad and Misheal and reacheth to Carmel westward p Or Carmel by the sea to distinguish it from that Carmel in the Tribe of Iudah 1 Sam. 25. 2. This was a place of eminent fruitfulness Isa. 33. 9. and 35. 2. and 37. 24. agreeable to the Prophecy concerning Asher Gen. 49. 20. Deut. 33. 24. and to Shihor-libnath 27 And turneth toward the sun-rising to Beth-dagon and reacheth to
are comprehended under it either because of its eminency or because they were subject or subordinate to it as may seem probable from the History Gen. 14. wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous shall be as the wicked that be far from thee * Job 8. 3. and 34. 17. Rom. 3. 6. shall not the judge of all the Earth r Now he clearly perceiveth that this person was no less than the Creator Governour and â—…udge of the World even the second person in the blessed Trinity to whom that Title and work is ascribed as Iohn 5. 22 27. Acts 10. 42. and 17. 31. do right s He speaks not this as if it were simply unjust for God to involve the righteous in the same temporal destruction with the wicked for he knew very well and by his own experience that there was not a just man upon Earth that did good and sinned not Eccles. 7. 20. and therefore no such just man who did not for his own sin deserve that death and destruction which is the proper wages of sin Rom. 6. last But he speaks not here of strict and rigorous justice but of that moderate and equitable way which God is pleased to use with the Sons of Men and of that right to temporal deliverances which by vertue of Gods gracious Covenant and Promise did accrue to Pious and Vertuous persons especially in the times of the Old Testament when temporal promises were more expresly and particularly made to good men 26 And the LORD said if I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the City then I will spare all the place for their sakes 27 And Abraham answered and said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD which am but dust and ashes t In regard of the composition of my body which was taken out of the dust and shall return into it again See Gen. 3. 19. Iob 4. 19. Eccles. 12. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 47 48. 28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous wilt thou destroy all the City for lack of five u Heb. for five or because of five to wit which are lacking or wanting The same supplement we have also Psal. 109. 24. Lam. 4. 9. And he said If I find there forty and five I will not destroy it 29 And he spake unto him yet again and said Peradventure there shall be forty found there And he said I will not do it for forties sake 30 And he said unto him Oh let not the LORD be angry and I will speak Peradventure there shall thirty be found there And he said I will not do it if I find thirty there 31 And he said Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD Peradventure there shall be twenty found there And he said I will not destroy it for twenties sake 32 And he said * Judg. 6. 39. Oh let not the LORD be angry and I will speak yet but this once x Abraham in modesty could proceed no further and being a good man himself he had a charitable opinion of others and thought there certainly were so many good men in all those Cities especially including Lot and his Family No doubt Abraham remembered Lot in his Prayers but that large and generous soul could not content himself with Lots preservation but aims at the saving of the whole Cities which when he saw was doubtful and unlikely he prayed for his deliverance out of that common destruction as may be gathered from Gen. 19. 29. Peradventure ten shall be found there And he said I will not destroy it for tens sake 33 And the LORD went his way assoon as he had left communing with Abraham and Abraham returned unto his place CHAP. XIX 1. AND there came a Even those two which departed from Abraham Chap. 18. 22. and now were come to Lot the third yet staying and communing with Abraham two Angels b So they truly were though they be called Men chap. 18. to Sodom at even c Of the same day on which they departed from Abraham and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom d Where he sat either to observe the administration or corruption of justice there for the seats of Judicature were in the gates Or rather to wait for strangers to whom he might exercise kindness and hospitality and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground 2 And he said Behold now my Lords * Heb. 13. 2. turn in I pray you into your servants house and tarry all night and * Chap. 18. 4. wash your feet and ye shall rise up early and go on your ways ‖ And so this will be no hindrance to your occasions And they said * See Luk. 24. 28. Nay but we will abide in the street all night e This was no untruth but really intended by them in the present state of things and upon supposition that Lot should press them no further but they also intended if Lot was earnest with them to comply with him Their first denial was but decent and an act of civility and in them it was a design to discover Lots Piety and Hospitality and to manifest the great difference between him and the barbarous Sodomites and the reason and justice of Lots deliverance and their destruction 3 And he pressed upon them greatly and they turned in unto him and entered into his house and he made them a feast and did bake unleavened bread f Because that was sooner prepared that so they might eat it and after that go to Bed in due time and they did eat 4 But before they lay down ‖ To sleep of which this word is used Gen. 28. 13. Levit. 14. 47. and. 26. 6. the men of the City even the men of Sodom compassed the house round both old and young all the people from every quarter g Some to exercise villany and some to please themselves with the contemplation of it and some out of curiosity c. This is added to shew how universally corrupt they were and that there were not ten righteous men there 5 And they called unto Lot and said unto him where are the men which came in to thee this night bring them out unto us that we may know them h Either know who they are Or rather abuse them as Lots answer explains it and so that word is used Gen. 4. 1. Nâ—…b 31. 17. Iudg. 19. 22. And for the sin here committed see Levit. 18. 22. and 20. 13. Rom. 1. 26 27. 1 Câ—…r 6. 9. Iudâ—… vâ—…r â—… They openly and impudently profess their wicked intention for which they are branded Isa. 3. 9. and this intention of theirs is the more probable because
of the great beauty which it is likely was in those bodies which the Angels assumed whereby their Lust was more inflamed 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them and shut the door after him 7 And said I pray you brethren i So they were by community of nature and habitation See Gen. 9. 5. and 29. 4. and Levit. 19. 17. and so he calls them if possibly he might sweeten and restrain them do not so wickedly 8 * See Judg. 19. 24. Behold now I have two daughters which have not * See Numb 31. 17 18. known man k To wit carnally See Gen. 24. 16. Numb 31. 18. Iudg. 11. 39. let me I pray you bring them out unto you and do ye to them as is good in your eyes l Whatsoever your purpose or pleasure is See the same phrase Gen. 20. 15. and 41. 37. Numb 24. 1 c. A most impudent and sinfulmotion whereby he yielded to one sin to prevent another contrary to Romans 3. 8. and exposed his daughters chastity which he was obliged to preserve and which indeed he had no power to expose especially seeing they were betrothed to other men ver 14. But it is some extenuation of his sin that it proceeded from his great charity and kindness to strangers and that he was at this time under a great perturbation and discomposure of mind only unto these men do nothing for therefore †That they might be preserved from such outrages This was the design of the thing though not of those persons See the note on Gen. 18. 5. came they under the shadow of my roof m i. e. Under the protection of my house Shadow is oft put for protection or defence as Iudg. 9. 15. Psal. 36. 7. Ier. 48. 45. 9 And they said stand back n Or Go further off i. e. out of our way stand not between us and the door or come hither That so they might seize him and proceed in their designed wickedness And they said again This one fellow came in to sojourn o q. d. One man and he too but a stranger presumeth to oppose the whole society of the native Citizens and he will needs be a judge p Heb. In judging he will judge This busie-body if not restrained in time will take Authority to himself to censure reprove and condemn us from time to time now will we deal worse with thee then with them And they pressed sore upon the man even Lot and came near to break the door 10 But the men put forth their hand and pulled Lot into the house to them and shut to the door 11 And they smote the men * See Acts 13. 11. that were at the door of the house with blindness q Heb. With blindness i. e. with a blindness both of Body and mind It was not a total blindness as if they quite lost the use of their Eyes for they saw the house though not the door but it was a great dimness and confusion of their sight and a disturbance in their common sense by which they were made unable to distinguish between differing persons or places as it was also with the Syrians 2 King 6. 18. and as it is in some measure with some drunkards who though their eyes be open cannot distinguish between things that differ And this was very easie for Angels to do by a small alteration either in their sight or in the Air whereby either the door might appear to them like the solid wall or the several parts of the wall like so many doors both small and great so that they wearied themselves to find the door 12 And the men said unto Lot Hast thou here any besides son in law and thy sons and thy daughters and whatsoever thou hast in the City bring them out of this place 13 For we will destroy this place because the * Chap. 18. 20. cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it 14 And Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law which married r Heb. Took or were taking or about to take to wit either to espouse or to marry Compare Gen. 6. 2. and 24. 3. and 28. 6. Deut. 7. 3. Antiently persons were first espoused and after some time the Marriage was consummated his daughters and said Up get ye out of this place for the LORD will destroy this City but he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law 15. And when the morning arose then the Angels hastned Lot saying Arise take thy wife and thy two daughters which †Heb. are found are here s Heb. Which are found i. e. Which are present with thee as this word is used 1 Chron. 29. 17. 2 Chron. 5. 11. and 30. 21. and 31. 1. Whence some gather that he had two other Daughters married to two Sodomitish Men who by their Husbands perswasion and example staid and perished in those flames But this is not necessary For this phrase may be applied to the Daughters by way of distinction from their Spouses or Husbands q. d. Tarry no longer in expectation of thy Sons-in-law who are absent and must be given up for lost but take thy Daughters which are found and present with thee and go thy way lest thou be consumed in the ‖ Or punishment iniquity of the City 16. And while he lingred t Either through loathness to part with all his estate or to lose his Sons-in-law Or through astonishment and distraction of mind which made him both listless and impotent the men laid hold upon his hand and upon the hand of his wife and upon the hand of his two daughters the LORD being merciful unto him and they brought him forth and set him without the City 17 And it came to pass when they had brought them forth abroad that he u Either one of the Angels Or the third person the Lord himself who having parted from Abraham after some time came to Lot as appears both by the change of the number for before this he speaks of them in the plural number but from hence in the singular number as ver 19 21 22. and by the variation of the phrase for the other two speak with submission and as servants ver 13. The Lord hath sent us c. but this speaks with more authority as is evident from ver 21 22. said Escape for thy life x i. e. As thou lovest thy life See Deut. 4. 15. Ios. 23. 11. Ier. 17. 21. Or escape with thy Life for the Hebrew particle al is sometimes taken for with as Exod. 35. 23. Levit. 2. 2. and 14. 31. Deut. 22. 6. So the sense is stand not lingring in hopes to save thy goods them thou shalt lose as a punishment of thy sin and folly in chusing to dwell with so wicked a people and be thankful that thou hast thy life given thee
for a prey as it is expressed Ier. 38. 2. look not behind thee y Like one that grieves either for the loss of thy pleasant habitation or vast estate or for those cursed miscreants justly devoted to this destruction And this command though given to Lot alone yet was directed also to his companions to whom doubtless he imparted it as is evident both from all the other commands which equally concern all and from the following event See Matth. 24. 18. Lake 9. 62. neither stay thou in all the plain escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed 18 And Lot said unto them * i. e. Unto one of them as is manifest from the following words Oh not so my LORD 19 Behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight and thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life and I cannot escape to the mountain z Because of the infirmity of my age and the fainting of my spirits Thus he sheweth an unworthy and unreasonable distrust of Gods Power and Goodness which he had now experienced and acknowledged lest some evil take me and I die 20 Behold now this City is near to flee unto and it is a little one a Therefore as its inhabitants so its sins are fewer and it will not be an eminent example of thy vengeance as the other places will be O let me escape thither is it not a little one and my soul shall live 21 And he said unto him see I have accepted †Heb. thy face thee b Heb. I have lift up thy countenance i. e. granted thy request The manner of the expression possibly may be taken from the custom of the Eastern parts where petitioners used not to fall upon their knees as we do but to prostrate themselves with their face to the ground and the person to whom they addressed themselves in token of his favourable acceptance of their petitions commanded them to be lifted up concerning this thing that I will not overthrow this City for the which thou hast spoken 22 Haste thee escape thither for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither c Because of Gods decree and promise to save thee from the general destruction therefore the name of the City was called Zoar. 23 The sun was †Heb. goâ—… forth risen upon the Earth d This phrase may note either the time of the day when this was done or rather the nature and quality of the day that the Sun appeared and shone forth that morning in great lustre and glory Which is well noted as a very considerable circumstance of the History and a great aggravation of their ruine which came when they least expected it when Lot entered into Zoar. 24. Then * Deut. 29. 23. Isa. 13. 19. Jer. 50. 40. Ez. 16. 49. Hos. 11. 8. Amos 4. 11. Luke 17. 29. 2 Pet. 2. 6. Jude 7. the * See Jud. 5. 20. 2 Chron. 7. 1. Ezek. 11. 24. LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrha e And the Neighbouring Cities Admah and Zeboim as appears from Deut. 29. 23. Ier. 49. 18. Hos. 11. 8. brimstone and fire f Brimstone is added to the fire either to conveigh and carry down the fire which in it self is light and apt to ascend or to increase it Isa. 30. 33. or to represent the noysomness of their lusts from the LORD g i. e. From himself The noun put for the pronoun as Gen. 1. 27. 2 Chron. 7. 2. But here it is emphatically so expressed Either 1. To signifie that it proceeded not from natural causes but from the immediate hand of God Or 2. To note the plurality of persons in the Godhead God the Son who now appeared upon the Earth rained from God his Father in Heaven both concurring in this act as indeed all outward actions are common to all the persons of the Trinity out of Heaven 25 And he overthrew those Cities and all the plain h To wit where these Cities and their Territories lay called the plain of Iordan Gen. 13. 10. all which then became and to this day continues to be a filthy Lake called the Dead-Sea because no Fish lives in it and all the inhabitants of the Cities and that which grew upon the ground 26 But his wife looked back i Through curiosity or unbelief or desire of what she left or from all these causes from behind him k i. e. From behind her Husband whom she followed Which circumstance seems to be mentioned as the reason of this presumption because she could do it without her Husbands observation or reproof to which she had a greater regard than to the all-seeing eye of God and she ‖ i. e. Her body by a very common Synecdoche became a * Luke 17. 3â—… pillar of Salt l Either metaphorically i. e. a perpetual durable pillar as an Everlasting Covenant is called a pillar of Salt Numb 18. 19. or properly for there is a kind of Metallick Salt which resists the Rain and is hard enough for Buildings as Pliny Solinus and others Witness And that Salt was here mixed with Brimstone may be gathered from Deut. 29. 23. Adde to this that Iosephus Antiq 1. 12. Affirms that this pillar remained in his time And the like is witnessed by others after him 27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he * Chap. 18. 22. stood before the LORD 28. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrha and toward all the Land of the plain and beheld and lo the smoak of the Countrey went up as the smoak of a furnace 29 And it came to pass when God destroyed the Cities of the plain that God remembred Abraham m Either 1. The promise made to Abraham Gen. 12. 3. Or 2. The prayer made by Abraham Gen. 18. who doubtless in his prayers for Sodom would not forget Lot though his prayer for him be not there mentioned And hereby it is insinuated that Lot though he was a righteous man and should be saved eternally yet deserved to perish temporally with those wicked people to whom he associated himself meerly for worldly advantages and should have done so if Abraham had not hindred it by his prayers and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the Cities in the which Lot dwelt 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountain and his two daughters with him for he feared to dwell in Zoar n Lest he should either suffer from them or with them perceiving now that though it was a little City yet there was more wickedness in it than he imagined and he dwelt in a cave he and his two daughters 31 And the first-born said unto the younger Our father is old and there is not a man in the earth o Either 1. In the whole Earth For they thought the same deluge of
thee and to thy seed with thee 20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land r i. e. In the land of the children of Israel mentioned ver 19. You shall not have a distinct and separate portion of land as the other tribes shall The reason of this law was partly because God would have them wholly devoted to and employed in his service and therefore free from worldly encumbrances and businesses partly because God had abundantly provided for them otherwise by tithes and first-fruits and oblations of all sorts partly because God would have their worldly comfort and happiness depend singly upon him and his service and so would oblige them to use more zeal and diligence in the advancement of piety even for their own interest which was either better or worse as true religion flourished or decayed See Iudg. 17. 9 10. and 19. 18. 2 Chron. 13. 9. and 30. 22. and 31. 4. partly that this might be a firm bond of hearty love and affection between the people and their teachers the Levites who as they performed religious services for the people so they received their subsistence from them and partly that by this means being dispersed among the several tribes they might have the better opportunity for teaching and watching over the people which was their duty Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 30 22. Mal. 2. 4 5 6 7. neither shalt thou have any part among them * Deut. 1â—… â—… 12. 12. 〈◊〉 2. Josh. 13. 14 33. Ezek 〈◊〉 28. I am thy part s i. e. I have appointed thee a liberal maintenance out of my oblations and thine inheritance among the children of Israel 21 And behold * Lev. 27. 32. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth t For the tithes were all given to the Levites and out of their tithes the tenth was given to the Priests here ver 26 c. and Neh. 10. 37 38. in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve eveâ—… the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation u i. e. So nigh as to do any act proper to the Priests or Levites lest they bear sin †Heb. to 〈◊〉 and die 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation and they shall bear their iniquity x i. e. The punishment due not onely for their own but also for the peoples miscarriage if it be committed through their connivance or negligence And this was the reason why the Priests withstood their King Uzziaâ—… when he would have burnt incense to the Lord 2 〈◊〉 26. 17 18. it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel which they offer as an heave-offering unto the LORD y i. e. As a rent-charge or an acknowledgment that they have and hold all their lands and the fruits of it from Gods bounty Note that the word heave-offering which is for the most part understood of a particular kind of offerings heaved or lifted up to the Lord is here used for any offering in general as before ver 8. I have given to the Levites to inherit therefore I have said unto them Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 26 Thus speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance then ye shall offer up an heave-offering of it for the LORD even a tenth part of the tithe 27 And this your heave-offering shall be reckoned unto you as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor z It shall be accepted of you as much as if you offered it out of your own lands and labours and as the fulness of the wine-press 28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave-offering unto the LORD of all your tithes which ye receive of the children of Israel and ye shall give thereof the LORDS heave-offering to Aaron the priest a And to his children which were one with him and were all to have their share herein 29 Out of all your gifts b Not onely out of your tithes but out of the other gifts which you receive from the people and out of those fields which shall belong to your cities ye shall offer c To wit to the Priest every heave-offering d i. e. As many gifts so many heave-offerings you shall reserve a part out of each of them for the Priest of the LORD of all the †Heb. â—…at best thereof even the hallowed part thereof e This may describe either 1 the nature and proportion of this offering and so peradventure he means the tenth part which was the part or proportion that God hallowed or sanctified to himself as his proper portion both here and elsewhere or 2. the reason or ground of this offering because it is a thing hallowed or appropriated by God to himself and given by him to the Priest and because the payment of this due doth hallow all the rest so as they may use it with comfort and good conscience as it follows ver 31 32. out of it 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them When ye have heaved the best thereof from it then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor and as the increase of the wine-press 31 And ye shall eat it in every place f i. e. In every clean place and not in the holy place onely ye and your housholds for * 1 Tim. 5. 18. it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it when ye have heaved from it the best of it g Implying that if they neglected this duty they sinned in the use of such unhallowed food * Lev. 22. 15 16. neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel h As you will do if you abuse their holy offerings by reserving that intirely to your selves which they offer to God to be disposed as he hath appointed to wit part to you and part to the Priests lest ye die CHAP. XIX 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2 This is the ordinance of the law a Or The constitution of the Law i. e. that which God hath ordained or established by Law which the LORD hath commanded saying speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee b At their common charge because it was for the common good a red c A fit colour to shadow forth both the bloody nature and complexion of sin Isa. 1. 8. and the humane nature and
children because he hath †Heb. fulfilled â—…go after wholly followed the LORD 37 * Num. 20. 12. and 27. 14. Chap. 3. 26. and 4. 21. and 34. 4. Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes r Upon occasion of your wickedness and perverseness by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly Psal. 106. 32 33. saying Thou also shalt not go in thither 38 But Joshua the son of Nun which standeth before thee s i. e. Who is now thy Minister and Servant for such are oft described by this phrase as 1 King 1. 2. Dan. 1. 5 19. he shall go in thither Encourage him for he shall cause Israel to inherit it 39 Moreover your little ones which ye said should be a prey and your children which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil t A common description of the state of childhood as Ionah 4. 11. they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it 40 But as for you turn ye and take your journey into the Wilderness by the way of the Red-sea 41 Then ye answered and said unto me * Num. 14. 40. We have sinned against the LORD we will go up and sight according to all that the LORD our God commanded us And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war ye were ready u Or ye offered your selves or you began or you earnestly resolved and attempted to go up into the hill 42 And the LORD said unto me say unto them Go not up neither fight for I am not among you x With my powerful presence and assistance lest ye be smitten before your enemies 43 So I spake unto you and ye would not hear but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD and †Heb. 〈◊〉 were presumptuous 〈◊〉 went presumptuously up into the hill 44 And the Amorite which dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do y As Bees which being provoked come out of their Hives in great numbers and with great fury pursue and sting their Adversary and Disturber Psal. 118. 12. and destroyed you in Seir even unto Hormah 45 And ye returned and wept before the LORD but the LORD would not hearken to your voice nor give ear unto you 46 So ye abode in Kadesh many dayes according unto the dayes that ye abode there z i. e. As you abode in Kadeh many even 40 days until the spies which you sent returned to give you an account so you also abode there many days or a long time after and were not now permitted to make any further progress towards Canaan CHAP. II. 1 THen we turned and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red-sea * Num. Chap. 1. 40. as the LORD spake unto me and we compassed mount Seir a The Mountainous Countrey of Sâ—…r or Eâ—… many dayes b Or Many years even for 38 years 2 And the LORD spake unto me saying 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough turn ye northward c Towards the land of the 〈◊〉 and Canaanites 4 And command thou the people saying ye are to pass through the coast d Or by or near the coast or border for they did not pass through their borders as it is said Numb 20. 21. And the particle Beth doth oft signifie by or nâ—…ar as Gen. 37. 13. Ioâ—… 5. 13. Iudg. 8. 5. Ier. 32. 7. Thus that difference may be reconciled which others reconcile thus that they at first denyed it but afterwards granted it of your brethren * Num. 20. 14. the children of Esau which dwell in Seir e These words restrain the prohibition to these particular Children of Esau for there were another sort or branch of Esau's Children which were to be medled with and destroyed even the 〈◊〉 Exod. 17. 14. 〈◊〉 25. 17. who were Esaus posterity Gen. 36. 12. and they shall be afraid of you f But I charge you take no advantage of their fears which you will be very apt to do take ye good heed unto your selves therefore 5 Meddle not with them f To wit in battel at this time for I will not give you of their land †Heb. even to the treading of the 〈◊〉 of the foot no not so much as a foot-breadth * Gen. 36. 8. Josh. 24. 4. because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession 6 Ye shall buy meat of them g For though the Manna did yet rain upon them they were not forbidden to buy oâ—…ner meats when they had opportunity but onely were forbidden greedily to hunger after them when they could not obtain them for money that ye may eat and ye shall also buy water of them h For water in those parts was scarce and therefore private persons did severally dig pits for their particular use See Gen. 26. 18. Numb 21. 18. for money that ye may drink 7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee i By Gods blessing thou art able to buy thy conveniencies and therefore thy theft and rapine will be inexcusable because without any pretence of necessity in all the works of thy hand he knoweth k Heb. He hath known i. e observed or regarded with care and kindness which that word oft notes as Psal. 1. â—… and 31. 7. Which experience of God's singular goodness to thee should make thee trust him still and not use any undirect and unjust practices to procure what thou wantest or desirest thy walking through this great wilderness these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee thou hast lacked nothing 8 And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau which dwelt in Seir through the way of the plain from Elath and from Ezion-Gaber l Of which see Numb 33. 35. which may be either that place upon the Red-sea 1 King 9. 26. or another of the same name we turned m To wit from our direct road which lay through Edoms land and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab 9 And the LORD said unto me ‖ Or use no hoâ—… against Moab Distress not the Moabites neither contend with them in battel for I will not give thee of their land for a possession because I have given Ar n The chief City of the Moabites Numb 21. 15 28. here put for the whole Country which depended upon it unto the children of Lot o So called to signifie that this preservation was not for their sakes for they were a wicked people but for Lets sake whose memory God yet honours for a possession 10 The Emims p Men terrible for stature and strength as their very name imports See Gen. 14. 5. whose expulsion by the 〈◊〉 is here noted as a great incouragement to the 〈◊〉 for whose sake he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 driâ—…e out the wicked and accuried Caâ—…
and Bizjothjah 29 Baalah and lim and Azem 30 And Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah 31 And Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah 32 And Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon all the cities are twenty and nine r Obj. Here are 37 or 38 Cities named before how then are they only reckoned 29 Ans. There were only 29 of them which either 1. Properly belonged to Iudah the rest fell to Simeons Lot or 2. Were Cities properly so called i. e. walled Cities or such as had Villages under them as it here follows the rest being great but unwalled Towns or such as had no Villages under them with their villages 33 And in the vale Eshtaol and Zoreah and Ashnah 34 And Zanoah and Engannim Tappuah and Enam 35 Jarmuth and Adullam Socoh and Azekah 36 And Sharaim and Adithaim and Gederah * Or or and Gederothaim fourteen cities s Obj. There are 15 numbred Ans. Either one of them was no City strictly called or Gederah and Gederothaim is put for Gederah or Gederothaim so called possibly because the City was double as there want not instances of one City divided into two parts called the old and the new City So the conjunction and is put for the disjunctive or whereof examples have been given before with their villages 37 Zenan and Hedashah and Migdal-gad 38 And Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel 39 Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon 40 And Cabbon and Lahmas and Kithlish 41 And Gederoth Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah sixteen cities with their villages 42 Libnah t Heb. Libnah See Ios. 10. 29. and Ether and Ashan 43 And Jiphta and Ashnah and Nezib 44 And Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah nine cities with their villages 45 Ekron u Here and in the following Verses are contained all the Cities of the Philistines among which are Gath and Askelon which peradventure are here omitted because they were not at this time places of such Power and Eminency as afterwards they were but were the Daughters of some of these following Cities though afterwards the Daughter might overtop the Mother as is usual with her †Towns x Heb. Her Daughters i. e. lesser Cities or great Towns subject to Ekrons Jurisdiction and her villages ‡ Heb. Daughters Numb 21. 25. y i. e. Lesser Towns or Hamlets 46 From Ekron even unto the sea all that lay †near Ashdod with their villages ‡ Heb. by the place of 47 Ashdod with her †towns and her villages Gaza with her * Heb. Daughters * Heb. Daughters towns and her villages unto the river of Egypt and the great sea and the border thereof z i. e. The Sea-Coast and all other Cities Towns and Villages upon it 48 ¶ And in the mountains a i. e. In the higher grounds called Mountains or Hills in comparison of the Sea-Coast Shamir and Jattir and Socoh 49 And Dannah and Kirjath-sannah which is Debir b Which also is called Kiriath-sepher above v. 15. So this City had three Names 50 And Anab and Eshâ—…emoh and Anim 51 And Goshen c See Ios. 10. 41. and Holon and Giloh eleven cities with their villages 52 Arab and Dumah and Eshean 53 And * Janum and Beth-tappuah and 〈◊〉 Janus Aphekah 54 And Humtah and * Chap. 14. 15. Kirjath-arba which is Hebron and Zior nine cities with their villages 55 Maon d Of which see 1 Sam. 23. 25. and 25. 2. Carmel e Nabals Country 1 Sam. 25. and Ziph f Which gave its name to the Neighbouring Mountain 1 Sam. 26. 1. and Juttah 56 And Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah 57 Cain Gibeah and Timnah ten cities with their villages 58 Halhul Bethzur and Gedor 59 And Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon six cities with their villages 60 Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim and Rabbah two cities with their villages 61 ¶ In the wilderness g So the Hebrews call places either uninhabited by men or having but few Inhabitants Beth-arabah Middin and Secaâ—…ah 62 And Nibshan and the city of salt h So called either from the Salt Sea which was near it or from the Salt which was made in it or about it and Engedi six cities with their villages 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jeruâ—…em i For though Ierusalem was in part taken by Ioshua before this yet the upper and stronger part of it called Zion was still kept by the Iebusites even until Davids time and it seems from thence they descended to the lower Town called Ierusalem and took it so that the Israelites were forced to win it a second time yea and a third time also for afterwards it was possessed by the Iebusites Iudg. 19. 11. 2 Sam. 5. 6 7. the children of Judah could not drive them out k Namely because of their unbelief as Christ could do no mighty work because of the peoples unbelief Mark 6. 5 6. Mat. 13. 58. and because of their Sloth and Cowardise and Wickedness whereby they forfeited Gods help and then they must needs be imporent but this inability was wilful and brought upon them by themselves but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem l The same things which are here said of the children of Iudah are said of the Benjamites Iudg. 1. 21. Hence ariseth a question To which of the Tribes Ierusalem belonged whether to Benjamin as is gathered from Gen. 49. 27. Deut. 33. 12. Ier. 6. 1. or to Iudah as is implied here and Psal. 78. 68 69. Some think that being in the Borders of both it was common to both and promiscuously inhabited by both and it is certain that after the Captivity it was possessed by both Neh. 11. 4. But for the present though it did belong to Benjamin yet the Children of Iudah being possibly very active in the first taking of it by Ioshua as they certainly were after his Death Iudg. 1. 8. they might thereby get some right to share with the Benjamites in the Possession of it It seems most probable that part of it and indeed the greatest part and main body of it stood in the Tribe of Benjamin and hence this is mentioned in the List of their Cities and not in Iudah's List and part of it stood in Iudah's share even Mount Moriah on which the Temple was built and Mount Sion when it was taken from the Iebusites unto this day m When this Book was written whether in Ioshuah's Life and Old Age which continued many years after the taking of Ierusalem or after his Death when this Clause was added here and elsewhere in this Book by some other man of God which must needs be done before Davids time when the Iebusites were quite expelled and their Fort taken CHAP. XVI AND the lot of the children of Joseph a i. e. Of Ephraim and the half Tribe of Manasseh which are here put together in one not because they had but one Lot for
the children of Abiezer and for the children of Helek and for the children of Afriel and for the children of Shechem and for the children of Hepher and for the children of Shemida these were the male-children i This expression is used to bring in what follows concerning his Female Children of Manasseh the Son of Joseph by their families 3 But * Numb 26. â—…3 and 27. 1. â—…nd 36. 2. Zelophehad the son of Hephir the son of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh had no sons but daughters k Of whom see on Numb 26. 33. and 27. 1. and these are the names of his daughters Mahlah and Noah Hoglah Milcah and Tirzah 4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the princes saying The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he l i. e. Eleazar or Ioshua with the consent of the Princes appointed for that work gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father 5 And there fell ten portions m Either 1. Six portions for the six Sons whereof one was Hepher and because he had no Sons his part was subdivided into five equal parts for each of the Daughters Or 2. Ten Portions five for the Sons and five for the Daughters for as for Hepher both he and his Son Zelophehad was dead and that without Sons and therefore he had no Portion but his Daughters had several Portions allotted to them to Manasseh beside the land of Gilead and Bashan which were on the other side Jordan 6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons n i. e. No less than the Sons so their Sex was no bar to their Inheritance and the rest of Manassehs sons had the land of Gilead 7 ¶ And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah that lieth before Shechem and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah 8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah but the city of Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim 9 And the coast descended unto the ‖ Or Brook of Reeds river Kanah southward of the river * Chap. 16. 9. these cities of Ephraim o Tappuah and the cities upon the Coast descending to the River c. last mentioned are among the cities of Manasseh p i. e. Are intermixed with their Cities which was not strange nor unfit these two being linked together by a nearer Alliance than the rest the coast of Manasseh also was on the north-side of the river and the out-goings of it were at the sea 10 Southward it was Ephraims and northward it was Manassehs and the sea is his border q Either 1. Manasseh's whose portion is here described and whose Name was last mentioned Or 2. Ephraim's and Manasseh's both expressed in the foregoing words and implyed in the following they and they met together in Asher r i. e. Upon the Tribe of Asher for though Zabulon came between Asher and them for the greatest part of their Land yet it seems there were some Necks or Parcels of Land both of Ephraim's and of Manasseh's which jutted out farther than the rest and touched the borders of Asher And it is certain there were many such incursions of the Land of one Tribe upon some parcels of another although they were otherwise considerably distant one from the other See Ios. 19. 34. And you must not judg of these things by the present Maps which are drawn according to the Opinions of late Authors which many times are false and they are to be judged by the Scripture and not the Scripture by them But that part of Manasseh did reach to Asher appears from hence that Dor a City of Manasseh v. 11. was as Iosephus witnesseth near Carmel which belonged to Asher Jos. 19. 26. on the north s and in Issachar on the east 11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher t Either 1. Bordering upon them as in Asher is taken v. 10. and as Aarons Rod is said to be in the Ark i. e. close by it Heb. 9. 4. or 2. Properly in them as Ephraim had some Cities in the Tribe of Manasseh Jos. 16. 9. and as it was not unusual when the place allotted to any Tribe was too narrow for it and the next too large to give away part from the larger to the less portion nay sometimes oâ—…e whole Tribe was taken into another as Simeon was into Iudah's Portion when it was found too large for Iudah Jos. 19. 9. Beth-shean and her towns and Ibleam and her towns and the inhabitants of Dor u Not the places onely but the people whom contrary to Gods Command they spared and used for Servants whom therefore they are said to have or possess and her towns and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns even three countreys x This may be referred either to some to wit the three last places or to all the places named in this verse which are here said either to have three Countreys or Tracts of Land belonging to them or to be in three several Countreys or Portions as they seem to have been some in Issachar and some in Asher and yet both belonging to Manasseh Or the words may be rendred the third part of that Countrey for the Hebrew word is of the Singular Number and the Article seems emphatical and so the meaning may be That the Cities and Towns here mentioned are a third part of that Country i. e. of that part of Issachars and Ashers Portion in which those places lay 12 Yet * â—…udg 1. 〈◊〉 the children of Manasseh could not y drive out the inhabitants of those cities but the Canaanites would dwell z Were resolved to Fight rather than he turned out of their ancient habitations in that land q See on Ios. 15. 63. 13 Yet it came to pass when the children of Israel were waxen strong that they put the Canaanites to tribute but did not utterly drive them out a Which they were obliged to now they were strong and numerous enough to possess those places 14 And the children of Joseph b i. e. Of Ephraim and Manasseh as is manifest partly from v. 17. where it is so explained and partly because they mention it as an unreasonable thing that they being two should have but one Lot spake unto Joshua c i. e. Expostulated with him when they went and saw that Portion which was allotted to them and found it much short of their expectation saying Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion d Either 1. Because they really had but one Lot which afterwards was divided by the Arbitrators between them Or 2. Because the Land
inheritance of them and they shall come again to me 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts f Which were of equal extent or worth for no Tribe was so great but one of these parts in its full extent would abundantly suffice them and there was no reason why the Portions should be greater or less according as the Tribes at present were more or fewer in number because of the various changes which happened therein successively it being usual for one Tribe to be more numerous than another in one Age which was fewer in the next And if the several Tribes had increased more and not diminished their Numbers by their Sins they might have sent forth Colonies and taken any part of the Land even as far as Euphrates all which the Lord of the whole Earth had given them a Right to which when they pleased they might take Possession of Judah shall abide in their coast on the south g They shall not be disturbed in their Possession but shall keep it except some part of it shall be adjudged to another Tribe and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coast on the north h In respect of Iudah not of the whole Land for divers other Tribes were more Northern than they 6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts and bring the description hither to me that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD i i. e. Before the Ark or Tabernacle that God may be Witness and Judge and Author of the Division that each may be contented with his Lot and that your several Possessions may be secured to you as things Sacred and not to be aâ—…enated our God 7 But the Levites have no part among you k Therefore it shall be divided only into Seven parts as I have said for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance and Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them 8 ¶ And the men rose and went away and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land saying Go and walk through the land and describe it and come again to me that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh 9 And the men went and passed through the land and described it by cities l Or according to the Cities to which the several Parts or Territories belonged into seven parts in a book and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh 10 ¶ And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions 11 ¶ And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph m Wherein we see the wisdom of Divine Providence this being the onely place in which that Prophecy Deut. 33. 12. could have been accomplished 12 And their border on the north-side was from Jordan and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the North-side and went up through the mountains westward and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Beth-aven n A place distinct from but near unto Bethel as may be gathered from Ios. 16. 1. 13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz to the side of Luz * Gen. 28. 19. which is Beth-el southward and the border descended to Ataroth adar near the hill that lieth on the south-side of the nether Beth-horon 14 And the border was drawn thence and compassed the corner of the sea southward from the hill that lieth before Beth-horon southward and the goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim o The Israelites changed the name to blot out the remembrance of Baal Compare Ios. 15. 9. Numb 32. 38. a city of the children of Judah this was the west quarter 15 And the south quarter p The same with the North-quarter of Iudah See Ios. 15. 5 6 11. was from the end of Kirjath-jearim and the border went out on the west and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah 16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain q i. e. The place where the Mountain ends and the Valley begins that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom r i. e. In the prospect of that Valley or that reacheth to that Valley on the South and which is in the valley of the giants on the north s Which extends to this other Valley on the North-side of it and descended to the valley of Hinnom * Chap. 15. 8. to the side of Jebusi t To that part where the Iebusites lived which was in and near Ierusalem on the south and descended to * Chap. 1â—… â—… Enrogel 17 And was drawn from the north and went forth to En-shemesh and went forth toward Geliloth u Called also Gilgal as appears from Ios. 15. 7. Iudg. 3. 19. but differing from that Gilgal by Iordan which is over against the going up of Adummim and descended to * Chap. 15. 6. the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben 18 And passed along toward the side over against ‖ Or the plain Arabah x Called Beth-arabah Ios. 15. 6. northward and went down unto Arabah 19 And the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah northward and the outgoings of the border were at the north ‡ Heb. tongue bay of the salt sea y Where an Arm of that Sea runs into the Land which is opposed to the South-bay that was in the South-border of the Tribe of Iudah Ios. 15. 2. at the south end of Jordan z Where it enters into the salt Sea which is here opposed to the North-end of it or the Spring-head which was in the North. this was the south coast 20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin by the coasts thereof round about according to their families 21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho a For though the City was destroyed the Territory remained and some Houses probably were built and inhabited there though it was not made a City with Walls and Gates which was the only thing forbidden Ios. 6. 26. and Beth-hoglah and the valley of Keziz b Or Emec-keziz the proper name of a City or great Town 22 And †Beth arabah and Zemaraim c Which either gave name to or took name from that Mountain 2 Chron. 13. 4. and ‡ Gr. Bethabara Joh. 1. 28. Bet-hel 23 And Avim and Parah and Ophrah 24 And Chephar-haammonai and Ophni and Gaba twelve cities with their villages 25 Gibeon and Ramah and Beeroth 26 And
Zebulun and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the northside of Bethemek and Neiel and goeth out to Cabul q Either 1. That Countrey called Cabul wherein were 20 Cities of which 1 King 9. 13. But this is not probable because that was not within nor belonging to any particular Tribe for then Solomon could not have alienated it from them and given it unto Hiram whereas this did belong to Asher or 2. A certain City so called on the left hand r i. e. On the North which when men look towards the East as is usual is on their left hand 28 And Hebron and Rehob and Hammon and Kanah s To wit Kanah the greater in the upper Galilee not Kanah the less which was in the lower Galilee even unto great Zidon t Called great for its Antiquity and Riches and Glory This City either was not given to the Israelites but is only mentioned as their border or at least was never possessed by them not without a singular Providence of God that they might not by the opportunity of so good a Port be ingaged in much Commerce with other Nations from which together with Wealth that great corrupter of Mankind they might contract their Errors and Vices 29 And then the coast turneth s From the North Southward to Ramah and to the strong city ‡ Heb. Tzoâ—… Tyre t Exclusively for this City was no part of the Land given them and the coast turneth to Hosah and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to * Gen. 38. 5. Judg. 1. 31. 〈◊〉 â—… 14. Achzib 30 Umma also and Aphek and Rehob twenty and two cities x Here are more named but some of them were not within this Tribe but only bordering places with their villages 31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families thâ—…se cities with their villages 32 ¶ The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali even for the children of Naphtali according to their families 33 And their coast y Their Northern Border drawn from West to East as appears because when this Coast is described and brought to its end the Coast is said to turn from the East Westward v. 34. was from Heleph from Allon to Zaanannim and Adami Nekeb and Jabneel unto Lakum and the out-goings z i. e. The end of that Coast. thereof were at Jordan 34 And then the coast turneth west-ward a This is unquestionably the Southern Border described from East to West to Aznoth-tabor and goeth out from thence to Hukkok and reacheth to Zebulun on the south-side and reacheth to Asher on the west-side and to Judah upon Jordan b Qu. How can this be when there were divers Tribes between this and Iudah all which reached to Iordan Ans. He doth not say of Iudah as he doth of Zebulun and Asher that it reacheth to it but as it seems purposely leaves out that word which he had used in both the former branches lest it should be understood of a Local Reaching to it or being Contiguous with it which was not true and that he might signifie that he meant this Clause in another sense to wit that it did in some sort go or reach to or converse with Iudah by Iordan And so this may be here added to shew the accomplishment of that famous and obscure Prophecy That Napthali though he should be planted in the utmost border of the Land on the North-east yet he should possess the riches of the West and South Deut. 33. 23. i. e. of those Tribes which were at great distance from him Westward and Southward and this he should do in way of Commerce with them by their famous River Iordan which he did not onely touch in a small part â—…s some of the other Tribes did but lay all along it for a good space together even from the very Fountain unto the Sea of Genesareth Some think that this is verified by that Royalty of this River which they suppose God gave to the Tribe of Iudah which extended as far as Napthali toward the sun-rising 35 And the â—…enced cities are Ziddim Zer and Hammath c Or Hamath of which see Numb 34. 8. 1 King 8. 65. 2 King 23. 33. Rakkath and Cinnereth d Whence the Lake of Cinnereth or Genesareth received its Name 36 And Adamah and Ramah and Hazor 37 And Kedesh and Edrei and En-hazor 38 And Iron and Migdal-el Horem and Beth-anath and Beth-shemesh nineteen cities e See on v. 15 22 30. with their villages 39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Napthali according to their families the cities and their villages 40 ¶ And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families 41 And the coast of their inheritance f Which is here described onely by its Cities not by its Borders which are in part the same with Iudah's and their Inheritance is in good part taken out of Iudah's too large Portion as appears from divers of the Cities here mentioned which are also reckoned as in Iudah's Portion was Zorah and Eshtaol and Ir-shemesh 42 And Shaalabbin and Ajalon and Jethlah 43 And Elon and Thimnathah and Ekron 44 And Eltekeh and Gibbethon and Baalath 45 And Jehud and Bene-berak and Gath-rimmon 46 And Me-jarkon and Rakkon with the border ‖ Or over against before ‖ Or Joppa Act. 9. 〈◊〉 Japho 47 And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them g Heb. Went out from them to wit out of their hands or Possession for so this Hebrew Word is used concerning those Lands which in the year of Jubilee are said to go out Levit. 25. 28 30 31 33. i. e. out of the hands of the present Possessor to the first and ancient Owner And so peradventure this may signifie that many of the Danites were forced by their powerful Neighbours the Philistins to relinquish their Coast and their allotted Habitations which put them upon the following course therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem h This was done after Ioshuah's death as appears from Iudg. 18. and seems to be here inserted partly that all the Chief Places where the Danites dwelt though far distant might be mentioned together and partly to give an account of this strange accident why they removed from their appointed Portion to so remote a Place which may be this That being much molested and terrified by their bad Neighbours they thought fit to go to some place remote from them which also they were in a manner constrained to do because otherwise they must have taken some part of the Portions of other Tribes whereas now going to the very utmost Northern Point of the Land they took that which did not belong to or at least was not in the Possession of any other Tribe See more on Iudg. 18.
and took it and smote it with the edge of the Sword and possessed it and dwelt therein and called Leshem ‡ Judg. 18. 29. Dan after the name of Dan their father 48 This is the inheritanee of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families these cities with their villages 49 ¶ When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts the children of Israel gave i i. e. They are said to give it because the whole Land was given to Ioshua and Eleazar and the Princes as joynt Trustees acting in the name and for the good of the People so that even Ioshua could take nothing without their gift an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them 50 According to the word of the LORD k As God Promised or Commanded either First formerly as may be gathered from Ios. 14. 6. Where we read That the Lord said something unto Moses concerning me Caleb and thee Joshua though onely what is said to Caleb be there expressed the other not being to his purpose there for Ioshua having shewed the same courage and faithfulness which Caleb did did doubtless receive equal encouragement and comfort from God at that time Or Secondly now at this time by Eleazar they gave him the city which he asked even * Chap. 24. 30. Timnath-Serah l Called Timnath-heres Iudg. 2. 9. in mount Ephraim and he built m i. e. Repaired and enlarged it in which sense Nebuchadnezzar is said to have built Babylon Dan. 4. 30. the city and dwelt therein 51 * Numb 34. 17. These are the inheritances which Eliazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation so they made an end of dividing the countrey CHAP. XX. THE LORD also spake unto Joshua saying 2 Speak to the children of Israel saying * Exod. 21. 13. Numb 35. 6 11 14. Deut. 19. 2 9. Appoint out a The Possessions being now divided among you do you reserve some of them for the use which I have commanded for you cities of refuge whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses 3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly b Heb. Through Ignorance or Error or Mistake and without Knowledg The same thing twice repeated to cut off all the claims and expectations that Wilful Murderers might have of Protection here and God having declared That such should be taken even from his Altar that they might be killed Exod. 21. 14. and accordingly Ioab was by Solomons Order killed even at the Altar 1 King 2. 28 29 30 31 34 it is the more strange and impudent that any Christians should make their Sanctuaries give Protection to such persons whom God hath so expresly excepted from it which the Papists do and their Doctors are not ashamed to defend it upon frivolous reasons may flee thither and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood c The Kins-man who had right or power to demand or take vengeance of the slaughter 4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entring of the gate d Where the Judges used to sit of that city and shall declare his cause e Or his matters or business what he hath done and why and how he shall give them a true relation of the Fact and all its circumstanâ—…es in the ears of the elders of that city they shall take him into the city f Understand if they are satisfied in the relation he makes concerning the Fact otherwise it had been a vain thing to examine his Cause unto them and give him a place g Which they might well allow him because God gave them the City with a reservation for such persons that he may dwell among them 5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand because he smote his neighbour unwittingly and hated him not before time 6 And he shall dwell in that city until he stand h Which was the posture of the Accused and Accusers Exod. 18. 13. Isa. 50. 8. Zech. 3. 1. before the congregation i Or Company or Assembly to wit the Councel appointed to judg of these matters not the Council of the City of Refuge for they had examined him before v. 4. but of the City to which he belonged or in or nigh which the Fact was committed as appears from Numb 35. 25. for judgment and * Numb 35. 12 25. until the death of the high priest k Of which see on Numb 35. 25. that shall be in those days then shall the slayer return and come unto his own city and unto his own house unto the city from whence he fled 7 ¶ And they ‡ Heb. Sanctified appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali and Shechem in mount Ephraim and Kirjath arba which is Hebron in the mountain of Judah l Concerning these Cities note 1. That they were all upon Mountains that they might be seen at a great distance and so direct those who fled thither 2. That they were seated at convenient distance one from another for the benefit of the several Tribes for Kedesh was in the North Hebron in the South and Shechem between them 3. That they all belonged to the Levites partly that these Causes might be more impartially examined and justly determined by them who are presumed best able to understand the Law of God and most obliged and likely to follow it in their Judgment and not to be biass'd by any affection or corrupt interest and partly that their just reputation with the people and their good Counsels might lay some restraint upon revengeful persons who might be inclined or tempted to follow the Man-slayer thither and endeavour to kill him there 8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward they assigned m Or gave or had assigned or given for they were given by Moses Deut. 4. 41 c. or they confirmed Moses his Grant and applied them to that use to which Moses designed and separated them * Deut. 4. 43. 1 Chron. 6. 78. Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh 9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the stranger n Not onely Proselites but others also because this was a matter of common right that a distinction might be made between casual Man-slayers and wilful Murderers that sojourneth among them that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood
from v. 3 4 8 9. which is chosen for the first enterprise because they were both most populous and so most needing enlargement and withal most Valiant and therefore most likely to succeed for God chuseth fit means for the work which he designs and because the Canaanites were numerous and strong in those parts and therefore were in time to be suppressed before they grew too strong for them shall go up behold I have delivered the land into his hand 3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother e As nearest to him both by relation being his Brother by both Parents which few of them were and by habitation as appears from Ios. 19. 1 2. Come up with me into my lot that we may fight against the Canaanites f Specially so called because they are distinguished from the Perizzite v. 4. and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot So Simeon went with him 4 And Judah went up and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand and they slew of them in Bezek g Not in the City for that was not yet taken v. 5. but in the Territory of it or near to it as in Hor is taken Numb 33. 37. And in Iericho Ios. 5. 13. ten thousand men 5 And they found Adoni-bezek h The Lord or King of Bezek as his Name signifies in Bezek i Whither he fled when he had lost the Field and they fought against him k i. e. Against the City wherein he had Encamped himself and the rest of his Army and they â—…lew the Canaanites and the Perizzites 6 But Adoni-bezek fled and they purfued after him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his great toes l That he might be disenabled to fight with his Hands or to run away upon his Feet And this they did either by the secret instinct and direction of God or upon notice of his former Tyranny and Cruelty expressed upon others in this manner as it follows either way it was a just requital 7 And Adoni-bezek said Threescore and ten kings m Which is not strange in those times and places for these might be either First Kings successively and so there might be divers of those Kings in one place and so in others Or Secondly Contemporary Kings For it is well known that anciently each Ruler of a City or great Town was called a King and had Kingly Power in that place and many such Kings we meet with in Canaan and it is probable that some years before Kings were more numerous there till the greater devoured many of the less having ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thumbs 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and of 〈◊〉 feet their thumbs * That so their hands might be unable to manage weapons of War and their great toes cut off ‖ Or 〈◊〉 gathered their meat under my table n An act of Barbarous Inhumanity thus to insult over the miserable joyned with abominable Luxury as I have done so God hath requited me o He acknowledgeth the Providence and vindictive Justice of God which also Pharoah did and others too without any true sense of Piety and they brought him p They carried him in Triumph as a monument of Gods righteous Vengeance to Jerusalem q and there he died 8 Now the children of Judah had sought against Jerusalem and had taken it To wit in Ioshuah's time which though done before may be here repeated to shew why they brought Adonibesek to Ierusalem because that City was in their hands having been taken before as may be gathered from Ios. 15. 63. And the taking of this City may be ascribed to the children of Iudah rather than to Ioshua because the City was not taken by Ioshua and the whole Body of the Army in that time when so many Kings were destroyed Ios. 10. and 12. for there is mention made of the destroying of the King of Ierusalem Ios. 10. 23. and 12. 10. But not a word of the taking of Ierusalem as there is of the taking of 〈◊〉 and Libnah and other Cities belonging to the Kings there mentioned Ios. 10. 28 c. but by the Children of Iudah after they had received their Lot when at the desire and with the consent of the Benjamites in whose Lot Ierusalem fell Ios. 18. 28. they assaulted and took it and thereby as it seems acquired the right of Copartnership with the Benjamites in the possession of that City Though some think Ierusalem was twice taken once in Ioshua's Life-time and being afterwards recovered by the Canaanites was now retaken by the Children of Iudah and smitten it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire 9 〈◊〉 10. 36. 〈◊〉 11. 21. 〈◊〉 15. 13. And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain and in the south and in the ‖ 〈◊〉 low Countrey valley 10 And Judah went against the Canaanites r Under the Conduct of Caleb as it is recorded Ios. 15. 14 c. for that relation and this here following are doubtless one and the same Expedition and War as appears by all the circumstances and it is mentioned either there by anticipation or here by repetition Of this and the following Verses see the Notes there that dwelt in Hebron now the name of Hebron before was * 〈◊〉 15. 13. Kirjath-arba and they slew Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai 11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher 12 And Caleb said He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher and taketh it to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife 13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz * Chap. 3. 9. Calebs younger brother took it and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife 14 And it came to pass when she came to him that she moved him to ask of her father a field and she lighted from off her ass and Caleb said unto her What wilt thou 15 And she said unto him Give me a blessing for thou hast given me a south land give me also springs of water And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs 16 ¶ And the children of the Kenite Moses father in law s i. e. of Iethro so called from the people from whom he descended Numb 24. 21 22. And whatsoever he did it is evident that his Posterity came into Canaan with the Israelites and were there seated with them See Iudg. 4. 11. 17. and 5. 24. 1 Sam. 15. 6. 1 Chron. 2. 55. went up out of the city of palm-trees t with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah which lieth in the south of Arad t i. e. From Iericho so called Deut. 34. 3. not the City which was utterly destroyed but the Territory belonging to it where it seems they were seated as in a most pleasant and fruitful and safe place according to the promise made
the Ephraimites and the Manassites By Gileadites here they seem principally to mean the Manassites beyond Iordan who dwelt in Gilead as appears from Deut. 3. 13. Iosh. 17. 1 5 6. And although other Gileadites were joyn'd with them yet they vent their passion against these principally because they envied them most partly because they seem to have had a chief hand in the Victory Iudg. 11. 29. And partly because they were more nearly related to them and therefore more obliged to desire their Conjunction with them in the War These they here opprobriously call fugitives i. e. such as had deserted their Brethren of Ephraim and Manasseh and for some worldly advantage planted themselves beyond Iordan at a distance from their Brethren and were alienated in Affection from them and carried on a distinct and separate Interest of their own as appears by their Monopolizing the glory of this Success to themselves and excluding their Brethren from it According to the Hebrew the words lie and may be rendred thus Therefore so chi is oft rendred they said Fugitives of Ephraim are ye i. e. Ye Ephraimites are meer run-aways for the words next foregoing are the men of Gilead smote Ephraim And having told you what they said because the Pronoun they was ambiguous he adds by way of Explication who said it even the Gileadites and they said it when they had got the advantage over them and got between them and home as the next verse shews being between Ephraim and Manasseh i. e. Having taken the passages of Iordan as it follows which lay between Ephraim and that part of Manasseh which was beyond Iordan Or these latter words may be rendred thus And the Gileadites were between Ephraim and Manasseh So there is only an Ellipsis of two small words which are oft defective and to be understood in Scripture Or thus And the Gileadites were in the midst of the Ephraimites and in the midst of the Manassites to wit those Manassites who ordinarily lived within Iordan who possibly were confederate with the Ephraimites in this quarrel And so the meaning is they followed close after them and overtook them and fell upon the midst of them and smote them and they sent a party to intercept them at the passages of Iordan as it here follows 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites and it was so that when those Ephraimites which were escaped h Heb. The fugitives of Ephraim as before for the Hebrew words are the same Which may make the latter Exposition of the foregoing words more probable to wit that it is not the Gileadites but the Ephraimites who are there as well as here so called because they were smitten before Iepthah and fled from him said Let me go over that the men of Gilead said unto him Art thou an Ephraimite If he said Nay i To avoid the present danger 6 Then said they unto him Say now Shibboleth k Which signifies a stream or river which they desired to pass over so it was a word proper for the occasion and gave them no cause to suspect the Design because they were required onely to express their desire to go over the Shibboleth or River and he said Sibboleth l It is well known that not only divers Nations but divers Provinces or parts of the same Nation who use the same Language differ in their dialect and manner of pronunciation for he could not frame to pronounce it right m Or rather he did not frame or direct himself to speak so or to speak right i. e. So as he was required to do it The Hebrew Text doth not say that he could not do it but that he did it not because he suspecting not the design of it uttered it speedily according to his manner of Expression Then they took him and slew him at the passages of Jordan and there fell at that time n Not in that place at the passages of Iordan but in that Expedition being slain either in the Battel or in the Pursuit or at Iordan of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years then died Jephthah the Gileadite and was buried in one of the cities o Heb. In the cities The Plural Number put for the Singular as Gen. 19. 29. where Lot is said to dwell in the cities i. e. one of the Cities And 1 Sam. 18. 21 the twain is put for one of the twain and Iudg. 18. 14. Houses for house and Ionah 1. 5. The sides for one of the sides of Gilead 8 ¶ And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem p Either that in Iudah of which Matt. 2. 6. Or that in Zebulun Iosh. 19. 15. judged Israel 9 And he had thirty sons and thirty daughters whom he had sent abroad and took q i. e. Took them home for Wives to hip Sons See Gen. 24. 67. and 31. 50. Deut. 21. 12. 2 Sam. 11. 27. in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons And he judged Israel seven years 10 Then died Ibzan and was buried at Bethlehem 11 And after him Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel and he judged Israel ten years 12 And Elon the Zebulonite died and was buried in Ajelon in the country of Zebulun r This is added to distinguish it from other Asalons of which see Iudg. 1. 35. 1 Chron. 6. 69. and 8. 13. 13 ¶ And after him Abdon the son of Hillel a Pirathonite judged Israel 14 And he had forty sons and thirty ‡ Heb. Sons sons nephews that * Chap. 5. 10. and 10. 4. rode on threescore and ten ass colts and he judged Israel eight years 15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the mount of the Amalekites s So called from some remarkable Exploit done either by or upon the Amalekites in that place CHAP. XIII AND the children of Israel ‡ Heb. added to commit c. * Chap. 2. 11. and 3. 7. and 4. 1. and 6. 1. and 10. 6. did evil again in the sight of the LORD and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years b To be computed not from Abdon's death but before that time as is evident both from v. 5. where it is declared that Israel was under the Power of the Philistines and from Iudg. 15. 20. where only twenty of these Years are said to have been in Sampson's days And it is probably conceived that that great slaughter of the Ephraimites made by Iephthah did greatly encourage the Philistines to rise against Israel when one of their chief Bulwarks was so much weakned and therefore that the Philistines began to domineer over them not long after Iepthah's death a i. e. Fell into Idolatry c. not now after the death of Abdon the last Judge but in the days of the former Judges 2 ¶ And there was a certain
peâ—… saluted him b Heb. asked him of Peace i. e. if he were in peace Peace being commonly put for Health and Prosperity 16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war which were of the children of Dan stood by the entring of the gate 17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up and came in thither c To wit into the House and that part of it where those things were and took the graven image and the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image and the priest stood in the entring of the gate d Whither they had drawn him forth that they might without noise or hindrance take them away with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war 18 And these e To wit the five mentioned v. 17. went into Micahs house and fetched the carved image the ephod and the teraphim and the molten image then said the priest unto them What do ye f What do you mean to do I hope you will not do so Impious and Injurious an action 19 And they said unto him Hold thy peace lay thy hand upon thy mouth g i. e. Be silent as this Phrase is used Iob 21. 5. and 29. 9. and 40. 4. Prov. 30. 32. The same thing repeated in other words and go with us and be to us a father and a priest h See on Iudg. 17. 10. Is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family i To wit a tribe that is and being oft put for that is a family For it is certain this was not an expedition of the whole tribe which numbred 64000 men Num. 26. 43. but only of one family which it seems were more vexed with the Philistines or Amorites and therefore resolved to seek new habitations at a great distance from them And after this time we find the Body of the Danites in their old and proper portions in Sampson's time which though placed before this was long after it in Israel 20 And the priests heart was glad k Being wholly governed by his own Interest and making all his obligations of Justice and Gratitude give place to it But it is not strange if he who was before perfidious to God should prove so to men and he took the ephod and the teraphim and the graven image and went in the midst of the people l i. e. Among the People or properly in the midst both for the greater security of such precious things and that Micah might not be able to come at him either to injure or upbraid him and it may be because that was the place where the Ark used to be carried 21 So they turned and departed and put the little ones and the cattel and the carriage before them m For their greater security if Micah should pursue them 22 ¶ And when they were a good way from the house of Micah the men that were in the houses near to Micahs house were gathered together and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they cried unto the children of Dan and they turned their faces and said unto Micah What ails thee ‡ Heb. that thou art gathered together that thou comest with such a company 24 And he said Ye have taken away my gods which I made n So far was he besotted with Superstition and Idolatry that he esteemed those gods which were man's work But he could not be so stupid as to think these were indeed the great Iehovah that made Heaven and Earth but only a lower sort of gods by whom as Mediators he offered up his Worship unto the true God as it is manifest divers of the Heathens did and the priest and ye are gone away and what have I more o I value nothing I have in comparison of what you have taken away Which zeal for Idolatrous trash may shame multitudes that call themselves Christians and yet apparently value their Worldly conveniences more than all the concerns even of the true Religion and of their own Salvation and what is this that ye say unto me What aileth thee 25 ¶ And the children of Dan said unto him Let not thy voice p The complaints and reproaches be heard among us lest ‡ Hebr. bitter of soul. angry fellows q The Soldiers who are in themselves sharp and fierce and will soon be enflamed by thy provoking words run upon thee and thou lose thy life r Which notwithstanding all thy pretences thou dost value more than thy Images as indeed appeared from his following practice with the lives of thy houshold 26 And the children of Dan went their way and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him he turned and went back unto his house 27 And they took the things which Micah had made and the priest which he had and came unto Laish unto a people that were at quiet and secure and they smote them with the edge of the sword and burnt the city with fire s Not wholly but in a great measure to strike the greater terror into the Inhabitants and to make their conquest of the place more easie 28 And there was no deliverer because it was far from Zidon and they had no business with any man and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob t A place near Libanus and Hamath of which see Numb 13. 21. Ios. 19. 28. and 21. 31. Iudg. 1. 31. and they built a city and dwelt therein 29 And they called the name of the * â—…osh 19. 47. city Dan after the name of Dan their Father u That it might be manifest that they belonged to the tribe of Dan though they were seated at a great distance from them even in the most-Northerly part of the Land whereas the lot of their tribe was in the Southern part of Canaan who was born unto Israel howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first 30 ¶ And the children of Dan set them up the graven image x Having succeeded in their expedition according to the prediction which as they supposed they had from this Image they had a great veneration for it and Jonathan the son of Gershom the son of Manasseh he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land y Either 1. When the Ark and the Israelites were taken captives by the Philistines 1 Sam. 4. 10 11. Though there is no mention of any who were then taken captives or that the Philistines did pursue the Victory and Conquer the Land at that time for their Victory was quickly damped and turned to Mourning 1 Sam. 5. Or 2. After that time when the Philistines slew Saul and Ionathan and discomfited the whole Host of Israel and made the rest of the People flee out of their Cities
present to Jerusalem l As the place which God had designed for his Worship and in the Center and Heart of his Kingdom and therefore fittest for his Royal City unto the Jebusites m Who continued to dwell there in spight of the Benjamites to whose lot it fell See Iosh. 15. 63. Iudg. 1. 21. and 19. 10 11. the inhabitants of the land which spake unto David saying ‖ Or except one remove from thee Except thou take away the blind and the lame thou shalt not come in hither n Or thou shalt not come in hither but the blind and the lame shall remove or hinder thee By the blind and the lame they understand either 1. Their own People and so they imply that the Place was so Impregnable that a few Blind and Lame men were able to Defend it against all David's Assaults And these may be called and were the hated of David's soul v. 8. Not because they were blind and lame but because they were Iebusites a People hated and accursed by God and the Iebusites of this place were more hateful to him than the rest of that Nation partly because they Possessed this Place which David knew was designed for the one and onely Place of God's Solenm Worship and partly because they did so wickedly and insolently defie the Armies of Israel and consequently the God of Israel Or 2. Their gods or images which after the manner of the Heathens they Worshipped as their tutelary gods and placed in their Gates or Walls These they call blind and lame sarcastically and with respect to David's opinion as if they said These gods of ours whom you Israelites Reproach as Blind and Lame Psal. 115. 5 6. and so unable to direct and protect us they will defend us against you and you will find they are neither Blind nor Lame but have Eyes to watch for us and Hands to Fight against you and you must Conquer them before you can take our City And these may well be called the hated of David's soul. But I prefer the former sence as being most easie and natural and proper whereas the latter is Metaphorical and seems doubtful and forced ‖ Or saying thinking David cannot come in hither o Concluding their Fort to be Impregnable 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion o Either 1. A very strong Fort which they had built upon Mount Sion which being taken the City quickly yielded Or 2. The City of Zion which was very strongly Fortified the same is ‡ Now 〈◊〉 the city of David 8 And David said on that day Whosoever getteth up to the gutter p i. e. Whosoever Scaleth the Fort or getteth up to the top of it where the Gutter was and smiteth the Jebusites and the lame and the blind q Or even or especially for the Hebrew Particle Vau signifies both ways the lame and the blind i. e. Those of them who are set to Defend that Place who as they pretend should be onely the Lame and the Blind Others understand it of their Idols or Images But they could not properly be said to be smitten i. e. Killed as that Word is used here and elsewhere that are hated of Davids soul r This belongs to the Iebusite and the lame and the blind and it is explained in v. 6. * 1 Chron. 11. 6. he shall be chief and captain s These words are fitly supplyed out of 1 Chron. 11. 6. where they are expressed and they must needs be understood to make the sence compleat And such Ellipses or defects of a part of the Sentence are usual in Promises and Oaths and Conditional Offers such as this was ‖ Or because they had 〈◊〉 even the blind and the lame he shall not come into the house wherefore they said The blind and the lame shall not come into the house t i. e. Whence it became a Proverb or a common saying used by David and others upon this occasion or otherwise The blind and the lame Iebusites â—…ere set to keep the House i. e. The Fort of Zion and to keep others from coming into it but now they are shut out of it and none of them to wit either 1. Of the Iebusites or 2. Of Blind and Lame persons shall be admitted to come into it again Which David might resolve and ordain to keep up the memory of this great Exploit and of the Insolent Carriage of the Iebusites and their unhappy Success Or the blind and the lame shall not come into my house to wit Into the King's Palace And although this might be a general Rule and Decree of David's yet he might dispense with it in some special cases as in that of Mephibosheth But it is not necessary that this should be a Proverb for the Words may be thus rendred as it is in the Margent of our Bible because they had said even the blind and the lame he i. e. David shall not come into the house or because they i. e. the Jebusites had said the blind and the lame shall hinder him which Words are easily supplied out of v. 6. where having spoken of this more largely it was sufficient here to mention the most Emphatical Words as is usual in such Cases He shall not come into the house or hither as they say v. 6. i. e. Into the Fort for the Word house is used very largely and generally in the Hebrew Language for any place as Iudg. 16. 21. 9 So David dwelt in the fort and called it The city of David and David built round about from Millo u Which seems to have been some large and well fortified Building Iudg. 9. 6. 2 Chron. 3. 5. adjoyning or near to the wall of the City of Zion and inward 10 ¶ And David ‡ Heb. went going and growing went on and grew great x In reputation and power and the LORD God of hosts was with him 11 And * 1 King 5. 2. 1 Chron. 14. 1. Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David and cedar-trees y For Lebanon which was famous for its Cedars was a great part of it in his Dominion and carpenters and ‡ Heb. hewers of the stone of the wall masons z For the Tyrians were excellent Artists and Workmen as both Sacred and Profane Writers agree and they built David an house 12 And David perceived a By reflecting upon the Promises which God had made him and the constant course of Gods Providence favouring him that the LORD had established him king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israels sake 13 ¶ And * 1 Chron. 3. 9. and 14. 3. David took him moe concubines and wives b This may well be reckon'd amongst David's miscarriages the multiplication of 〈◊〉 being expresly forbidden to the King Deut. 17. 17. The use of seems to have been his Policy that hereby he might enlarge his
Word implies Whereby he also intimates That he would not be so rigid and severe towards them as to mark every thing that was amiss but would bear with much as he did in David c. onely that â—…e would not endure a total defection from him ye or your children and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you but go and serve other gods and worship them 7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them and this house which I have hallowed * â—…er 7. 15. for my name will I cast out of my sight l I will not regard it I will take away my Protection and gracious Presence from it and Israel shall be a proverb m Their Miseries shall be named Proverbially to express extreme Calamities See Deut. 28. 37. and a by-word among all people 8 And at this house which is high n i. e. Exalted in its Priviledges Glorious and Renowned The Particle which is oft understood and is here fitly supplied out of 2 Chron. 7. 21. where it is expressed every one that passeth by it shall be astonished o At its unexpected and wonderful Ruine and shall hiss p By way of Contempt and Derision See Ier. 19. 8. and 49. 17. and 50. 13. and they shall say * Deut. 29. 24. â—…er 22. 8. Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land and to this house 9 And they shall answer Because they forsook the LORD their God who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt and have taken hold upon other gods and have worshipped them and served them therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil 10 ¶ And * 2 Chro. 8. 1. it came to pass at the end of twenty years * Chap. 6. 37 38. 7. 1. when Solomon had built the two houses the house of the LORD and the kings house 11 Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar-trees and fir-trees and with gold according to all his desire that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee p Or near as Beth oft signifies as hath been proved before the Land of Galilee bordering upon it in those parts which were near and adjoyning to Hiram's Dominions with the Cities understand the Lands and Territories belonging to them Quest. How could Solomon give away any part of that Land wherein the People had a Right by a Divine Lot and God had a Right as being the onely Proprietary of it upon which ground the total Alienation of it or any part of it was forbidden Levit. 25. 23 Answ. 1. It is not said that he gave them away wholly and for ever but he might Assign them to him onely for a time until he was fully satisfied for his Debt 2. If these Cities were possessed by Israelites Solomon did not give him their particular Possessions but onely his own Royalties over them and all the Profits he received from them which were very considerable as may be gathered from that passage Chap. 12. 4. 3. These Cities though they were within those large bounds which God fixed to the Land of Promise Gen. 15. 18. Ios. 1. 4. yet were not within those parts which were distributed by Lot in Ioshua's time nor belonging to the Tribe of Asher as some suppose as may be gathered both from Iosh. 19. ver 27. where their border is said to go out onely to the Land of Cabul to wit exclusively and ver 30. where all their Cities are said to be but twenty and two and from 2 Chron. 8. 2. where it is said of those Cities when Hiram restored them That Solomon built them and caused the children of Israel to dwell there Which makes it more than probable that these Cities were not Inhabited by Israelites but by Canaanites or other Heathens who being Subdued and Extirpated by David or Solomon those Cities became a part of their Dominion and at their Disposal and afterwards were reckon'd a part of Galilee as Iosephus notes And may be one reason why he gave these rather than other Cities because they were in his power to give when others were not 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him and they ‡ Heb. were not right in his eyes pleased him not q He did not accept them for satisfaction because the Cities were out of repair as appears from ver 13. and the Soyl not good in his Eyes and therefore he refused them 2 Chron. 8. 2. and expected and doubtless had satisfaction some other way as may be gathered from the following Story 13 And he said What cities are these which thou hast given me my brother And he called them the land of ‖ That is displeasing or dirty Cabul r i. e. Of dirt as most interpret it Not that it was a barren Soyl as some imagine for they who describe those parts commend them as Fruitful nor would Solomon have made him so unworthy a return but because it was not pleasant nor agreeable to his nor to his Peoples humour because though the Land was very good yet being a thick and stiff Clay and therefore requiring great pains to Manure and Improve it it was very unsuitable to the disposition of the Tyrians who were Delicate and Lazy and Luxurious and wholly given to Merchandise unto this day 14 And Hiram sent s Or rather for Hiram had sent And this seems to be here added both to declare the quantity of the Gold sent which had been onely named before ver 11. and as the reason why he resented Solomon's Action so ill because so great a Sum required a better Recompence to the king sixscore talents of gold 15 ¶ And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised t Both the Levy of Men of which Chap. 5. 13. and the Levy of Money upon his People and Subjects which is sufficiently evident from many Scriptures And this Sentence may look both backward and forward He raised this Levy both to pay what he owed to Hiram which is mentioned before and to Build the Works here following for to build the house of the LORD and his own house and Millo u It seems to have been an eminent and large and strong Fort or Castle in Ierusalem as may be gathered from 1 King 11. 27. 2 Chron. 32. 5. and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor x In Napthali See Iosh. 11. 10. and 19. 36. and Megiddo y In that part of the Tribe of Manasseh within Iordan of which see Iosh. 17. 15. and Gezer z In Ephraim Iosh. 21. 21. It now was and long had been in the possession of the Canaanites Iosh. 16. 10. Iudg. 1. 29. and permitted so to be by David and Solomon either by neglect or because they were busied in greater and more necessary Employments 16
to distribute x To the Priests and Levites to whom they were appropriated by God the oblations of the LORD and the most holy things y To wit the remainders of the Free-will-offering Levit. 2. 3 10. The Sin-offering and Trespass-offering Levit. 6. 18 22. 7. 1. and the Shew-bread Levit. 24. 9. 15 And †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand next him were Eden and Minjamin and Jeshua and Shemajah Amariah and Shecaniah in * Josh. 21. the cities of the priests z Who were intrusted with the Receiving and Distributing of the several Portions belonging to the Priests who abode in their several Cities whilest their â—…rethren came up to Jerusalem in their ‖ Or 〈◊〉 set office to give to their brethren by courses as well to the great as to the small 16 Beside their genealogy of males from three years old and upward a To whom a Portion of these things was allotted as is here implied even unto every one that entreth into the house of the LORD b That were capable of entring thither and doing Service there which they were at twenty years old as is expressed here v. 17. 1 Chron. 23. 24. Through the whole Company of the Priests and Levites his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses 17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers and the Levites ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 from twenty years old and upward in their charges by their courses 18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones their wives and their sons and their daughters through all the congregation c This is alledged as a Reason why their Wives and Children were provided for out of the Holy things because they sequestred themselves from worldly Affairs by which they might otherwise have provided for their Families and intirely devoted themselves to Holy Administrations for in their ‖ 〈◊〉 set office they sanctified themselves in holiness 19 Also the sons of Aaron the priests which were in * 〈◊〉 25. 34. 〈◊〉 35. 2. the fields d Who are opposed to those that lived in or resorted to the great City Jerusalem of the suburbs of their cities in every several city the men that were expressed by name to give portion to all the males among the priests and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites 20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered CHAP. XXXII 1 AFter * 〈◊〉 18. 13 〈◊〉 these things and †〈◊〉 36. â—… c. â—… Heb. tâ—…is the establishment thereof a An Emphatical Preface signifying that notwithstanding all his Pious Care and Zeal for God yet God saw fit to Exercise him with a fore Trial and Calamity which yet he turned to his great Honour and Advantage Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entred into Judah and encamped against the senced cities and thought †〈◊〉 Gr. 〈◊〉 31. 20. â—… Heb. 〈◊〉 break 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to win them for himself b He designed and bragged that he would win them all and did actually win many of them 2 King 18. 13. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come and that †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was purposed to sight against Jerusalem 3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains c With Earth or other things cast into them and withal to derive the Waters by secret Paths and Pipes under ground to Jerusalem which were without the city and they did help him 4 So there was gathered much people together who stopt all the fountains and the brook that †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ran through the midst of the land saying Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water d Which was a scarse Commodity in this Country and the want of it might much annoy the Assyrian Army 5 Also * 〈◊〉 22. 9. he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken e By Joash ch 25. 23. and not since repaired 2 Chron 25. 23. and raised it up to the towers f Either 1. As high as the Towers or the tops of the Wall Or 2. As far as the two Towers or Gates which were made in the Form of Towers and had the use of Towers to wit that of Ephraim and the Corner-Gate both mentioned above ch 25. 23. Or brought up Engines or Instruments of Defence upon the Towers and another wall without and repaired * 2 Sam. 5. 9. Millo g Of which see 1 King 9. 24. 11. 27. in the city of David and made ‖ Or swords or weapons darts and shields in abundance 6 And he set captains of war over the people and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city and †Heb. spake to their heart spake comfortably to them saying 7 Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for * 2 Kin. 6. 16. there be mo with us than with him 8 With him is an * Jer. 17. 5. arm of flesh but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battels And the people †Heb. leaned rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem h Of this and the following Verses see the Notes on 2 King 18. 17. c. and 19. 10 c. but he himself laid siege against Lachish and all his †Heb. â—… mâ—…n power with him unto Hezekiah king of Judah and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem saying 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria Whereon do ye trust that ye abide ‖ Or in the strong hold in the siege in Jerusalem 11 Doth not Hezekiah perswade you to give over your selves to die by famine and by thirst saying The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria 12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem saying Ye shall worship before one altar and burn incense upon it 13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of mine hand that your God should be able to deliver you out of
water-gate eastward 38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them a To wit on the other side of the City Northward and Eastward and I after them and the half of the people upon the wall from beyond * Ch. 3. 11. the tower of the furnaces even unto the * Ch. 3. 8. broad wall b Which they made thicker and stronger than the rest of the Wall for some special reason 39 And from above * 2 Kin. 14. 1â—… the gate of Ephraim and above the * Ch. 3. 6. old gate and above * Ch. 3. 3. the fish-gate and the tower of Hananeel and * Ch. 3. 1. the Tower of Meah even unto the sheep-gate and they stood still in the prison gate c Waiting as also their Brethren did that they might go together in due order into God's House there to perfect the solemnity 40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God d i. e. In the Courts of the Temple and I and the half of the rulers with me e And Ezra and the other half with him as appears by comparing this with v. 31 36. 41 And the priests Eliakim Maasejah Miniamin Michajah Elioenai Zechariah and Hananiah with trumpets 42 And Maasejah and Shemajah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and the singers †Heb. made their voice to be heard sang loud with Jezrahiah their overseer 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice with great joy the wives also and the children rejoiced so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off f Either their loud voices and instruments were heard to a great distance or the fame of it was spread far and near 44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures for the offerings g Such as they had lately ingaged themselves to give or other voluntary or prescribed offerings for the first-fruits and for the tithes to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions ‖ That is appointed by the law of the law h i. e. The foresaid first-fruits and Tithes and other things which God by his Law appointed for them for the priests and Levites †Heb. for the joy of Iudah for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites †Heb. that stood that waited i Partly for the eminent Gifts and Graces which they observed in many of them and partly for the great benefit which they had now received by their Ministry and therefore for the competent provision which hereby was made for them that so they might wholly wait upon their office to the Peoples Edification and Comfort 45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God k i. e. That Ward or Charge or Business which God had prescribed to them and the ward of the purification l And in particular the charge of purification i. e. of taking care that no unclean person or thing might enter into the House or Courts of the Lord which care did certainly belong to the Porters as is expressed 2 Chron. 23. 19. and at this time and in some sort as it seems to the singers who besides their proper imployment were also over the business of the house of God as is affirmed ch 11. 22. Which being a general expression may-well comprehend if it doth not principally design this that they should take care to keep the House of God free from all pollution And possibly as the Porters were to take care that no unclean thing might enter there so if it should through their madvertency enter in the Singers were to remove it * 1 Chr. 25. 26. according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son 46 For in the days of David * 1 Chr. 25. 1 c. and Asaph m of old there were chief of the singers n There were some overseers whose Office it was to see that the Singers were fit for and diligent in their work and therefore they took care of it at this time and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God n And Heman and Ieduthun 1 Chron. 25. 1. but Asaph only is mentioned here as the most eminent and useful in that work 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters every day his portion and they ‖ That is set apart sanctified holy things o i. e. They sequestred or set apart the First-fruits and Tithes from their own share and devoted them to the use of the Levites to whom they belonged And so did the Levites by the Tithe of the Tithes Thus they all conscientiously paid their dues to God or his Assigns and did not profane those things which God had sanctified nor take them to their own common use as divers ungodly or covetous persons had formerly used to do when they had opportunity unto the Levites * Num. 18. 26. and the Levites sanctified them unto the childeren of Aaron CHAP. XIII 1 ON that day a Not now presently after the dedication of the wall and gates and City but upon a certain day as that phrase is very commonly used in Scripture without any relation to the time or things mentioned next before it to wit when Nehemiah was returned again from the Persian court to Ierusalem from which he had been absent for some considerable time in which some errours and abuses had crept in which now he endeavours to remove †Heb. there was read they read in the book of Moses in the †Heb. ears audience of the people b Partly because it was not only the Priests but also the peoples duty to study and understand Gods Law and their own duty and partly that the people hearing that this was the express mind and will of the great God might the more willingly yield to the following duties some of which were attended with difficulty and required self denial and therein was found written * Deut. 23. 3. that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God c i. e. Not be incorporated into the common wealth of Israel nor be joyned with any Israelite in marriage relation as appears from v. 3. That practice being a plain comment upon this law But of this and the next verse see the notes on Deut. 23. 3 4. for ever 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water but * Numb 22. 5. Josh. 24. 9. hired Balaam against them that he should curse them howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing 3 Now it came to pass when they heard the law that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude d i.
4. 22. whereas ungodly men shall not live out half their days Psal. 55. 23. 32 He that is slow to anger d Not apt to revenge but ready to forgive injuries is better e Because he is more like to God more wise to foresee and to prevent mischief both to himself and others which oft cometh from rash anger of a more gallant and generous spirit and more valiant and victorious as iâ—… follows This is opposed to the perverse judgment of the World who esteem such Persons pusillanimous and cowardly than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit f That subdueth his passions for his victory is the more glorious because he fights with the stronger enemy he conquers by his own and not by other mens hands and he gets a greater glory and advantage to himself and that without the injury and ruine of others wherewith the Conquests of Cities are commonly attended than he that taketh a city 33 * Ch. 18. 18. The lot is cast into the lap g As the ancient practice was in dividing Inheritances and deciding doubtful things of which see Numb 26. 55. Ios. 7. 16. 1 Sam. 10. 20 21. 14. 41 42. Prov. 1. 14. Act. â—… 26. but the whole †Heb. judgment disposing therof is of the LORD h The event though casual to men is directed and determined by God's counsel and providence CHAP. XVII 1 BEtter is * Ch. 15. 17. a dry morsel and quietness therewith than a house full of ‖ Or good câ—…ear sacrifices a Of the remainders of Sacrifices of which they used to make Feasts of which see on Prov. 7. 14. Or of slain Beasts as that word is used Gen. 31. 54. and elsewhere with strife 2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame b Either as being by his Father appointed Tutor or Guardian to his Son or being by his Wisdom advanced to that Estate and Dignity which the other possibly hath lost by his folly and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren c Partly as a just recompence for his faithful Service as Gen. 15. 2 3 c. and partly as an Obligation to him to take care of his Children 3 * Ps. 26. 2. Ch. 27. 21. Jer. 17. 10. Mal. 3. 3. The fining-pot is for †The trial of silver and the furnace for ‖ The trial of gold but the LORD trieth the hearts d The Hearts of men cannot be searched and known by any humane art but by God onely 4 A wicked doer e Or a malicious or mischievous Man whose practice and delight it is to bring trouble to others giveth heed to †Heb. lips of Iniquity false lips f Heb. to Lips of Iniquity to any wicked counsels or speeches to false Accusations and Calumnies which give him occasion and encouragement to do mischief and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue g He who accustometh himself to false and wicked speaking delighteth in the like speeches of other men This Proverb contains a comparison between an evil-doer and an evil speaker and sheweth their agreement in the same sinful practice of being greedy to hear false and wicked speeches 5 * Ch. 14. 31 Whose mocketh the poor h Derideth or reproacheth him with or for his poverty reproacheth his Maker i God who by his Providence made him poor See the same assertion Prov. 14. 31. and he that is glad at calamities k At the miseries of other men shall not be †Heb. held innocent unpunished 6 * 〈◊〉 127. 3 1â—…8 3. Childrens children are the crown of old men l Their honour and â—…appiness because they are in themselves Blessings of God and Testimonies of God's favour although sometimes they may become the shame of their Fathers House and the glory of children are their fathers m Namely such Fathers as are wise and godly as is evident from the nature of the thing for wicked Parents bring infamy upon their Children 7 †〈◊〉 a lip of 〈◊〉 Excellent speech n Either 1. discourse of high and excellent things far above his capacity Or 2. lofty or eloquent speech which fools oft affect Or 3. vertuous and godly Discourse becometh not a fool o Either properly so called Or as this word is most commonly used in this Book a wicked man whose actions give the lye to his Expressions much less do †〈…〉 lying lips a prince 8 * 〈◊〉 18. 16. A gift is as †〈◊〉 a stone 〈◊〉 a precious stone p Pleasant and acceptable and withal dazleth his eyes in the eyes of him that hath it q Heb. of the Lord or owner of it either 1. of the giver Or rather 2. of the Receiver of it who by the giver is made Lord of it for to his eyes it was exposed that he might discern the beauty and worth of it and thereby be allured to do what was desired which accordingly he did as it here follows whithersoever it turneth r To whomsoever it is presented But this as also many other Proverbs are to be understood of the common course or effect with most men but not universally of all men it prospereth 9 * 〈◊〉 10. 12. He that covereth a transgression s That concealeth as far as he may other mens faults against himself or against their friends ‖ 〈…〉 seeketh t i. e. Findeth or obtaineth as this word is used here below v. 19. Prov. 11. 27. love u Either 1. to himself Or rather 2. to the transgressor or offending friend he maintains love among Friends as it may be explained from the opposite clause but he that repeateth * a matter y Or the matter last mentioned to wit the transgression separateth very friends z Either 1. he alienateth his Friend from himself Or rather 2. he raiseth jealousies and dissensions among Friends This Phrase we had before Ch. 16. 28. x That publisheth and spreadeth it abroad that recals it to mind after it was past and forgotten 10 ‖ 〈◊〉 a reproof 〈◊〉 more a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than â—… 〈◊〉 a fool â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A reproof entreth more into a wise man a Is more effectual for his reformation than an hundred stripes into a fool 11 An evil man seeketh onely rebellion b It is the constant study and business of wicked men to rebel either 1. against men in Authority But this is not universally true for many most wicked Persons are not guilty of that sin Or rather 2. against God For 1. thus it is true of all wicked men 2. This word is used of rebellion against God Deut. 31. 27. Ezek. 2. 5 6. 3. 9 c. 3. This word being put alone without any addition of the object seems most probably to be meant of the highest and worst kind of rebellion