comes now to set out their portion which they should have as a reward of their Service And first He tells Aaron that for the sake of his Office to which he was anointed and because He and his Sons were separated from worldly Imployments to attend upon holy things therefore they should have a part in every Meat-Offering Sin-Offering Trespass-Offering and in the Court * See Levit. 6.16.26 Lev. 7.6 Ezek. 42 13 14. of the Tabernacle or Tents round about it called here the most holy place comparatively in respect to the Camp of Israel and the great Court for the people which was without the Priests Court they might eat of them 2ly They should have the Heave-Offerings and Wave-Offerings that is the right Shoulder and wave-breast of the Peace-Offerings with all other Gifts that were heaved and waved no part thereof being burnt upon the Altar And of these the Priests Daughters might eat whilst they remained in their Fathers house but being married to strangers they might not eat of the holy things see Levit. 22.12 13. Neither might any unclean person eat thereof 3ly They should have the first-fruits Some of the first-fruits of the Land were brought to the Lord at their three great Feasts as a sheaf of their Barley at the Feast of the Passover Levit. 23.10 And two loaves of their new-Wheat at the Feast of Pentecost vers 17. And the first of their Wine and Oil at the Feast of Tabernacles But these were brought in the name of all the Inhabitants of the Land in general Besides these particular men were of their own Corn and Fruits to bring the first-fruits unto the Lord as is enjoyned Exod. 22.29 23.19 concerning which there is no other direction given but that they should be of the first and of the best the quantity being left to the liberty and discretion of the Owner to bring according as he had found the blessing of God upon his Grounds 4ly They should have all things devoted that is all votive and freewill-Offerings see Levit. 27.28 except such things as were devoted as a Sacrifice unto God 5ly The first-born of men and beasts The first-born * The first-born of men before they were redeemed were to be presented before the Lord in the Temple Exod. 13.12 Levit. 2.22 And that could not be done before the Mother was purified which required forty days time Levit. 12.4 The first-born of the Tribe of Levi were free from this Redemption of men they were to permit to be redeem'd at a month old (d) V. 16. Secundum aestimationem seu ordinationem tuam Refero ad illud post mensem q. d. Constitues diem quando velles eum redimi Hic dies Communi usu erat 40 a partu ut eadem opera mater purificaretur filius redimeretur Bonfrerius for five Shekels see Levit. 27.6 and the firstlings of unclean Beasts they were to permit to be redeemed after eight days at a lower price but the firstlings of Cows Sheep and Goats were not to be redeemed they must be sacrific'd and their blood sprinkled and their fat burnt on the Altar that they may be a sweet savour to the Lord but their flesh should go to the Priests God tells them He had allotted them these things for their Maintenance (e) The Hebrew Doctors write of 24 Gifts which God bestowed on the Priests with the order and use of them See Ainsworth pag. 113. for ever that is whilst this Dispensation lasted by a perpetual and unchangeable Covenant called a Covenant of Salt because firm and incorruptible Salt having a vertue to preserve any thing from corruption God further tells Aaron That when the Land shall be divided by Lot there shall be no lot for the Levites They should have no Inheritance in it He himself would be their part and portion Indeed they had Cities (f) Concerning the 35 Cities and Suburbs of the Levites and 13 Cities and Suburbs of the Priests See Richardson pag. 32. and Suburbs but they were given them by the other Tribes The Lord further tells Aaron That He had given the Levites all the Tenths or Tythes of the Children of Israel (g) V. 24. Which they offered as an Heave-offering that is an Oblation to the Lord and a sign of their homage and subjection and thankfulness to him for his blessings as a reward of their Service Levit. 27.30 And straitly charges that no Israelite that is not of that Tribe presume to come nigh to the Tabernacle to do any part of the Service belonging to the Levites lest they die for it And He tells him That the Levites should bear the punishment of their own Iniquity if they should transgress yea and of the peoples too if by their not watching over the holy things they suffered the people to transgress about them He further injoyns that the Levites shall offer as an Oblation to the Lord and pay a tenth of all the Tythes they receive unto the Priests and this the Lord would accept at their hands no less than if having Lands as others had they should pay Tythe of the increase of them as the rest of the people did to them and hereby they should testifie their homage and thankfulness to God And they were to offer and separate out of the Tythes paid to them for the hallowed part to be paid to the Priests that which was of all the best And the Priests might eat of these Tythes indifferently in any place And He further declares That if the Levites do heave or separate a tenth part of the best of their Tythes for the Priests use they shall not expose themselves to punishment which they would else do if they neglected it In conclusion here is added a general warning that both Priests and Levites should take heed of polluting or profaning the holy things or suffering them to be profaned by others which might be done many ways that so they might prevent wrath from falling on themselves and others Ch. 18. whole Chapter SECT LXVI THe Lord having appointed the Priests and Levites to do the Service of the Tabernacle and to watch over the people that they might not trangress about any of the holy things He here appoints a water of separation to be made that so if any of the people had contracted any legal uncleanness by the sprinkling of this water upon them they might be cleansed and so might come freely again to the Service of God in the Tabernacle without fear of those Plagues which otherwise their pollutions might bring upon them For the making of this water a red Heifer was to be provided and that by the common charge of all the Children of Israel because it was to be for the common good of them all and for the cleansing of any one among them that was by any accident legally unclean It must be an Heifer without spot and upon which never came yoke For they used in those times to
Tribe some according as their number was greater or lesser and chose such Cities as they in their Wisdom thought most convenient for the Levites and the people And then dividing the Cities they had chosen into four parts one for the Priests a second for the Levites of the Family of Cohath a third for the Gershonites a fourth for the Merarites it was decided by lot in which of these the Priests should be placed and in which the three Families of the Levites The Priests who were of the Family of Cohah by the special Providence of God were seated partly in the Tribe of Judah and partly in the two neighbouring Tribes of Simeon and Benjamin that so they might be near the Temple Thirteen Cities fell to their lot and herein respect was had to future times when the Posterity of Aaron should be encreased for all present there were but a few Priests not enough to inhabit the half part of one City The Levites that were of the Family of Cohath had by lot their Cities in the Tribe of Ephraim and Dan and the half-Tribe of Manasseh viz. ten Cities * Others no doubt besides the Levites did inhabit these Cities and dwell with them The Gershonites had by lot their Cities in the Tribe of Issachar Asher and Naphtali and out of the half-half-Tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan viz. thirteen Cities The Merarites had by lot their Cities in the Tribe of Reuben Gad and Zebulun viz. twelve Cities These Cities with their Suburbs the Children of Israel gave unto the Sons of Levi as God had commanded In all 48 Cities The particular Cities that fell to each division are set down Josh Ch. 21. from vers 9. to 43. Of these six were appointed for Cities of Refuge and Sanctuaries for such as had killed a man unwittingly and not of malice prepense The Cities of Refuge on this side Jordan were Kadesh in Galilee in Mount Naphtali Sechem in Mount Ephraim and Hebron in Mount Judah On the other side Jordan Bezer in the Tribe of Reuben Ramoth-Gilead in the Tribe of Gad and Golan in Bashan in the Tribe of Manasseh see Numb 35. Deut. 19.2 c. Joshua Ch. 20. whole Chapter Joshua 21. from 1. to 43. SECT CXVIII THus God gave unto the Children of Israel all the Land which he had promised to their Fathers to give them For though there remained some part of the Land out of which the Canaanites were not yet expelled yet he had given it them all and by lot had divided it among them which was a kind of actual instating them in it 2. He had put them into the possession of the greatest part of it neither had he promised them otherwise that they should possess it than by degrees see Exod. 23.29 He had actually given them the whole Land and they possessed it and dwelt therein that is in as much of it as they had subdued and was needful for their present use and by degrees they came to possess the rest and they might have enjoyed it sooner than they did had it not been for their sins And the Lord now gave them rest round about and there stood not a man of all their Enemies before them that is they were Victorious in all their Wars and none of their Enemies whom they encountred whilst Joshua was their General were able to stand before them Not any good thing that God had promised them and which he knew to be good for them failed of coming to pass Josh 21. from 43. to the end SECT CXIX THe Land being thus conquered and the Children of Israel setled in a peaceful possession of it Joshua now calls the Companies of the Reubenites Gadites and half-Tribe of Manasseh who came over Jordan to help their Brethren in this Atchievement and had left their Wives and Children so long and had stuck to their Brethren till they had seen them peaceably setled in their Inheritances and commended them for their great faithfulness and obeying of the Lord therein He therefore now permits them to return to their own possessions but first gravely and religiously exhorts them to love the Lord their God and to walk in his Ways and Commandments and to cleave to Him and to serve Him with all their Hearts and Souls and that they be very careful and watchful over themselves that they be not drawn away from doing what he had enjoyned them Then He tells them They had got very much Spoil in the War and would return to their Tents laden with Riches with Silver and Gold and Brass with Iron and very much Rayment and with much Cattel Therefore when they came home they should divide the Spoil they had gotten with their Brethren that is that they that had been engaged in the War should have one half and the rest of their Brethren that stayed behind should have the other as Moses had before ordered it in that War when they went out against the Midianites Numb 31.27 and 't is probable Joshua followed the example of Moses in this direction Then earnestly praying to the Lord to bless them he kindly dismist them They having taken their leave of Joshua and their Brethren began their March home-ward and when they came to the Fords of Jordan they thought fit before they passed the River to build a great Altar there after the pattern of that in the Tabernacle not with any intent to offer Sacrifices thereon but only that it might be in future times a Memorial that those Tribes that dwelt without Jordan were of the stock of Israel as well as those that dwelt within and had a right to come to the Tabernacle and to offer their Sacrifices on Gods Altar there as well as they and that in succeeding Generations it might be known that that Altar was built by the Tribes without Jordan when they returned that way home from helping their Brethren against the Canaanites at the first conquering of the Land The Children of Israel within Jordan hearing of this Altar which their Brethren had built on the banks of Jordan and supposing they had done it with a purpose to offer Sacrifices thereon which would have been a manifest Rebellion against Gods Law whereby all the Tribes of Israel were enjoyned to bring all their Sacrifices to that one Altar that was in the Tabernacle Deut. 12.5 6. And considering that God had enjoyned them that in case any of their Brethren of any City in Israel should fall off from the true Worship of God to the Worship of false gods and consequently to any Idolatrous Worship whatsoever they should then gather themselves together and utterly destroy the Inhabitants of that City Deut. 13.13 c. In pursuance of this Command the Israelites within Jordan unanimously gather themselves together at Shiloh with an intent if they found the matter as they supposed to make War immediately against those Tribes that had built this Altar But they thought it requisite first to send Messengers to enquire concerning what
two Cities of this Name One fell to the lot of the Ephraimities and the other to the Benjamites So that it seems there were an upper and nether Beth-horon which were afterwards rebuilt beautified and fortified by Sherah a famous woman of the stock of Ephraim 1 Chron. 7.24 and smote them unto Azehah and Makkedah And as they fled some towards the upper and some towards the nether Beth-horon the Lord cast down great and prodigious Hail-stones upon them which destroyed more of them than the Israelites had killed with the Sword This storm of Hail was miraculous not only in regard of the exceeding greatness of the stones but in that they fell only on the Canaanites and not on the Israelites who pursued after them Joshua being now with his Army in the heat of pursuit and execution of their Enemies and fearing he should want day-light to finish his Work His spirit was excited humbly to beg of God that the Sun and Moon might stand still in the Heavens and give them light till they had done their work The Lord was pleased by some special instinct of his Spirit to assure him that his Request was granted whereupon in the presence of his Souldiers and for their future Encouragement looking up to Heaven He said Sun stand thou still upon Gibeon and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon †This was a Plain into which men descended from Beth-horon v. 11. and in respect of the small distance between it and Gibeon it is by the Prophet who alludeth to this story call'd the Valley of Gibeon Isa 28.21 And accordingly the Sun and Moon stood still and the whole frame of the Heavens by the space of almost an whole day till they had avenged themselves on their Enemies So that both these great Lights beginning and ending their standing still together the Astronomical Account was no way confounded by this stay even as in Musick the Harmony is not in any sort broken if all the Voices rest at the same time and then begin again every man in his own part going on until the end of the Lesson as Laurentius Codomannus observes This is written in the Book of Jasher * Fuit hic liber quasi Sanctorum Catalogus de Heroum Sanctorum gestis-scriptâ—s metrico versu Bonfrerius which seems to be some continued Chronicle of the memorable Acts of Gods Worthies in those times which Book is since lost though 't is mentioned again 2 Sam. 1.18 see also Numb 21.14 And there was no day like this either before it or after it wherein God at the prayer of a man made the Sun and Moon to stand still and made the day twice as long as it should have been Indeed in Hezekiah's time the day was miraculously lengthened by the Suns going backward 2 Kings 20.11 and Isaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward by which it had gone down in the Dial of Ahaz and yet it was not lengthened so much by far then as it was now to wit not above two hours and an half Neither was that done in such a manner as this was viz. upon Joshua's prayer to God first desiring it and then commanding in his Name that it should be done see Hab. 3.11 Joshua having the day thus miraculously lengthened out for him and following the Chase those five Kings fled to a Cave in the Country belonging to Makkedah and there hid themselves Joshua being informed thereof commanded that the entrance into the Cave should be rammed up with great stones and a Guard set upon it but that the rest of the Army should pursue after their Enemies and smite the hindmost of them and not suffer them to get into their fenced Cities lest they should put them to a new trouble For says he God fights for us and hath delivered these our Enemies into our hands therefore let us not by sloth and negligence lose this opportunity of destroying them which he now affordeth us Accordingly Joshua and his Souldiers made that day a great Slaughter of their Enemies so that only a few of them escaped which got into their fenced Cities For though he at present destroyed the Enemy in the Field yet it seems he did not take their fenced Cities till some time after though they are related in this Chapter as taken presently because the Writer of this Book did resolve to give as it were one short Draught of the War Now those whom Joshua had sent forth to pursue the Enemy returned to him in peace that is sound and safe to Makkedah where his Camp was at present And now the Canaanites were very quiet and durst not offer the Israelites the least Disturbance no not so much as a Dog barked against them to allude to that proverbial Speech Exod. 11.7 Then Joshua caused the five Kings to be brought out of the Cave to him and He called for his Captains and chief Commanders and bad them put their feet upon their Necks not in a proud insulting manner but to teach them that they were to shew no mercy to this people and to intimate to them that thus they should tread all their Enemies under their feet Then Joshua commanded that these five Kings should be slain and hanged * Quia Regum stagitia plurimis exemplo nocent ideo acerbiore supplicio merito debebant Expiari Masius on five Trees where they hung till evening and then they took them down and cast them into the Cave where they had been hid and laid great stones in the Caves mouth which remained when this History was written See Josh 8.29 and Psal 91.13 and Psal 149.8 110.1 Joshua 10. from 1. to 27. SECT CIV JOshua like a prudent General pursueth his Victory while the Canaanites were under so great a terrour and consternation upon the defeat of the five Kings and their Armies And therefore now He resolves to set upon their Cities And first He took Makkedah (c) A City in the uttermost Confines of the Tribe of Judah towards the West see Ch. 15.41 and destroyed all the people therein Men Women and Children reserving the Cattel to themselves for a Prey see Ch. 11.14 And he did unto the King thereof as he had done unto the King of Jericho that is He hanged †Hoc non indicat Scriptura ex caeterorum tamen Regum exemplo colligunt eum suspensum fuisse Bonfrerius him From Makkedah he marched the whole Army that was with him to Libnah (d) A City situate in the Tribe of Judah Ch. 15.42 and given to the Priests Ch. 21.13 and the Lord delivered that City also into his hands and he put all to the Sword he found therein and did unto their King as he did unto the King of Makkedah From Libnah he marched to Lachish (e) A strong City in the Confines of Judah restor'd Ch. 15.39 whose King was one of those that made War against Gibeon and besieged it
let on God's part but they might enter into their Inheritances and those persons whom he had appointed to divide their Inheritances to them by lot were ready to do their duty therein He therefore requires them to choose out from among them three men of every Tribe that the matter might be carried on impartially and he would send them to go through the Land and to take a Survey not only of the parts of the Country already subdued but of those that remained yet in the Enemies hands that they might describe the largeness of every Region and Province and set down how many Cities and Villages were in each of them That so having as it were a Map of the Land that remained to be divided before them they might justly divide it into seven parts and so give proportionable Shares and Inheritances to every Tribe according as they were in number fewer or more He tells them That the Tribe of Judah and the Sons of Joseph Ephraim and Manasseh should continue seated the one in the South the other in the North according as their lots fell to them at Gilgal but yet he seems to intimate that if their Shares were found to be too large then some other Tribes might have a share with them as it afterwards happened for the Tribe of Simeon had their portion assigned to them out of that which was at first the lot of Judah Ch. 19.9 When these Surveyors had gone through the Land and divided it into seven parts for the Levites were to have no part among them the Priesthood of the Lord being their Inheritance and the other Tribes had had their lots before then He orders that the Description of it should be brought to him and he would cast lots for them before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle The men thus appointed went out accordingly being secure and confident of Gods Protection and dividing themselves as 't is probable and going under pretence possibly of Negotiation or Traffick they spent seven months in this Survey as Josephus tells us Antiq. lib. 5. and so made a Description of it in a Volume or Map with all the Cities and Towns belonging to each Province and divided it into seven parts and so presented it to Joshua and the Elders at Shiloh Then Joshua cast lots for them according to the divisions of their Tribes And the first lot came up for the Children of Benjamin whose lot fell between the Children of Judah and Joseph and the bounds of their lot with the Cities belonging thereunto are described Ch. 18. from vers 11. to the end Thus Benjamin had the honour to have the first lot among the seven Tribes and was by providence seated the very next to his Brethren Ephraim and Manasseh and had also part of the Royal City of Jerusalem within his Borders whereby was fulfilled what Moses prophesied of this Tribe Deut. 33.12 And of Benjamin he said the beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him and the Lord shall cover him all the day long and he shall dwell between his Shoulders The next lot came forth for Simeon and their Inheritance was within the lot of the Tribe of Judah It seems they that were sent to search the Land not yet divided that they might part it into seven lots for the seven Tribes remaining found that the portion which Joshua and Eleazar and the other Commissioners for dividing the Land had formerly assigned to Judah was too large considering what was left for the other Tribes and therefore they agreed unanimously that a whole portion for one of the Tribes which had not yet their Inheritance assigned to them should be taken out of that which was formerly given to Judah and some Cities also they took from Judah to be as part of another lot see Josh 19 40 41. And thus by the Providence of God there being one Tribe to be provided for within the portion of the Children of Judah the lot fell upon this Tribe of Simeon that was fewest in number of all the Tribes see Numb 26.14 And by this Tribes being intermingled with Judah and not having a portion by themselves apart that Prophesie of Jacob was fulfilled Gen. 49. I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel The bounds of this Tribes portion are not described only the chief Cities and Towns are named that were in their lot and that because their Inheritance was within that of Judah The third lot came up for the Children of Zebulun Their Borders are described Ch. 19. from vers 10. to 17. The fourth lot came out to Issachar Their Borders are described from vers 17 to 24. The fifth lot for the Tribe of Asher Their Borders are described from vers 24. to 32. The sixth lot came out for the Children of Naphtali Their Borders are described from vers 32. to vers 40. The seventh lot came out for the Children of Dan. Hence it appears that this Book was not written by Joshua except we shall say that some particulars in it were afâ—erwards inserted by some other holy men Their Borders are described from vers 40. to 47. Their lot fell to them in the Southern parts close by Judah's portion and they being not able to drive out the Philistines out of their Land in after-times viz. after Joshua's death they were streightned and so went out and took Laish a City in the North parts * Judg. 20.1 in Naphtali's lot see Judg. 18. though then in the Zidonians possession and transplanted a Colony thither calling it Dan from Dan their Ancestor Son of Jacob. Ch. 18. from 2. to the end Ch. 19. from 1. to 49. SECT CXVI WHen they had made an end of dividing the Land among all the Tribes and the distribution thereof was fully finished then the Children of Israel gave Joshua an Inheritance in Timnah-serah in Mount Ephraim And herein was the modesty of this great General remarkable that he was content to stay till all the other Tribes had their portion ere he made any motion for that which by special Prerogative was to be conferred on him according to the Word of the Lord spoken to Moses not only concerning Caleb but also Joshua Ch. 14.9 2ly He was content to receive what the Lord had promised him as by way of Gift from the people 3ly Whereas he might have chosen the fairest and goodliest City in all their Tribes He chose his Seat in a mountainous Country and it seems a City that was ruinated so that he was fain to build it ere he could dwell in it Josh Ch. 19. from vers 49. to the end SECT CXVII THe Levites now come to Joshua and Eleazar and the rest of the Commissioners for dividing the Land to receive from them the Cities which God appointed to be set apart for their dwellings And they accordingly set apart forty eight Cities for them as God had commanded Numb 35.7 The Commissioners 't is like chose these Cities out of each
Thummim whither they should go up any more against the Benjamites The Lord bids them go up for to morrow he would deliver the Benjamites into their hands The Israelites having this Promise from God undoubtedly were much encouraged thereby however they resolved not to neglect any good means to obtain the Victory but by Policy and Military Stratagems to get all advantage they could of their Enemies Accordingly they divided their Army into three parts the one was laid in Ambush in the Medows of Gibeah vers 33. the second was sent against Gibeah with Orders that they should presently fly before the Benjamites that so they might draw them far off from the City vers 30 31. and the third which was the main body was to stay at Baal-tamar and to renew the battel when the Benjamites came thither in pursuit of the Israelites that fled before them Things being thus ordered that part of the Army that was to make the first On-set upon the Benjamites and then presently to fly and give back * See a like Stratagem in the taking of Ai Josh 8. marched up against the City and accordingly flying when the Benjamites came out against them the Benjamites eagerly pursued them and killed about thirty men and thought they should have cut them down as they did before But being drawn a good way off from the City the Ambush arose being ten thousand men and suddenly took the City and set it on fire which when they had done they put themselves between the City and the Army of the Benjamites to hinder their retreat The Benjamites that pursued the Israelites little thought of this or that evil was so near them For on a suddain the flying Israelites turned head and with the main body of the Army that stayed at Baal-tamar renewed the battel with great Courage and Violence The Benjamites looking back saw the smoke of the City ascending at which being much terrified they fled before the Israelites who destroyed eighteen thousand †V. 15. The Children of Benjamin were twenty six thousand and seven hundred Of these the Israelites slew when they prevailed against them twenty five thousand and one hundred v. 35. six hundred of them only saved themselves in Rimmon It seems therefore that the other thousand was slain in the two first battels wherein the Benjamitâ—s overcame the Israelites for 't is not like they could conquer them in two battels without some loss of them in the chase those that came out of the Cities to assist the Israelites hemming them in on every side vers 42. and vers 44. and five thousand more of them they killed in the High-ways as they found them in the pursuit scattered here and there vers 45. and two thousand more they slew at Gidom vers 45. and the odd hundred * Vers 46. Here the greater or round number is only expressed and not the odd 100. which is not expressed in particulars was slain as it seems some in one place and some in another so that of the Benjamites there fell that day twenty five thousand and one hundred six hundred of them only escaping who fled to Rimmon a City built on a Rock betwixt Gibeah and Bethel and abode there four months The Israelites not satisfied with the slaughter of the men of Gibeah and the Benjamites that came to fight in their Defence they fell upon all other Cities in that Tribe because they had sent Aids and had assisted their Brethren in this War and in their Rage slew Man Woman and Child and even the very Beasts and setting fire on their Cities spared no living thing that came in their way being transported with Fury that the Benjamites had undertaken the Defence of so horrible a Villany and that they had slain no less then forty thousand of the Israelites in this War Thus when the Lord had made use of Benjamin to execute his Justice upon Israel for not punishing Idolatry and for their other sins He then uses Israel to punish Benjamin for not delivering the men of Gibeah up to justice Judg. 20. whole Chapter SECT CXXXII THe Israelites having thus destroyed all the Men Women and Children of Benjamin excepting only those six hundred that fled to Rimmon they now began to consider into what a strait they had brought themselves For having slain all the Women of Benjamin and having made a Vow that none of them should give their Daughters in marriage to the Men of that Tribe either those six hundred men must take themselves Wives from the Heathens which was unlawful and the holy Seed would be thereby polluted or else a Tribe must perish from Israel and so their Body Politick which God had formed would be dismembred or themselves must break an Oath which they had solemnly taken in the presence of God Being exceedingly perplexed about this matter they thereupon went with their whole Army to the House of God in Shiloh there to bewail their Case and to inquire of the Lord what they should do in these Difficulties They rose therefore early the next morning and built there an Altar and offered thereon Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings because the Altar in the Tabernacle was not sufficient for the Offering up such a vast multitude of Sacrifices as were now brought in by the people after they had prevailed against the Benjamites see a like thing done 1 Kings 8.64 and the rearing Altars upon such extraordinary Occasions was not unlawful see Exod. 20.24 Then they began to consider what City or Town in all their Tribes had sent none to help them against the Benjamites For there had been a solemn Oath sworn by them all at Mizpeh before they engag'd in this War and it was taken with a severe Execration against any that should break it that whatsoever City or Town did not come in to help and assist them in this Quarrel should be destroyed Upon inquiry they found that Jabesh-Gilead on the other side Jordan had sent none to their assistance Hereupon they sent twelve thousand valiant men to destroy that City giving them order that they should destroy all the Men and all the Women thereof that had known man but the Virgins that were marriageable they should spare not doubting but of those there would be enough found to make Wives for the six hundred Benjamites But it seems there were were only four hundred such found in that City So that there being not Wives enough for them the Israelites much blamed themselves that they had in their rage destroyed all the Benjamitish-Women see vers 22. These four hundred Virgins being brought to Shiloh the Israelites sent a kind Message to the Benjamites at Rimmon to come to them who accordingly coming they gave to four hundred of them these four hundred Virgins to make them Wives wherein they conceived that they broke not their Oath because they were not their own Daughters But these being not enough for the remaining Benjamites the Israelites much repented their
Nations that God had cast out before the children of Israel And moreover Manasseh shed much innocent blood viz. of the Prophets that condemned his wicked courses and of others that opposed his evil ways insomuch that he filled Jerusalem with such kind of slaughters And among others whom he put to death he caused the Prophet Isaiah to be sawn asunder with a wooden saw as the Babylonish Talmud Justin Martyr Jerome and others report who suppose so much may be gathered from Heb. 11.37 They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the sword Manasseh being guilty of such high and great abominations God sent his Prophets * Thus merciful was God to send his Prophets both to Judah and Israel even in the worst of times to draw them from their impieties to him to declare that because he had done these abominable things which the Lord abhorred and had exceeded the very Amorites and worst of the heathens in their impieties whom God cast out of the land of Canaan for their sins and had made Judah to sin with his Idols therefore he would bring such evil upon Judah and Jerusalem that whosoever heard of it both his ears should tingle with the affrighting news thereof He would stretch over Jerusalem the line †That is the line of confusion as 't is Isa 34.11 whereby he would meet out what was to be pulled down And the plummet of the house of Ahab that is a line with a plummet at the end of it The Prophets in their similitudes have more respect to the things signified by their similitudes than to the things from which they take them and so it is here of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab that is would deal with Jerusalem as he dealt with Samaria and with the house of Manasseh as he had dealt with the house of Ahab And he would wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish wiping it and turning it upside down that is would utterly overthrow the state of Jerusalem turning it upside down and would clear that City of all her wealth and of all her inhabitants and would forsake the remnant of his inheritance that is the two Tribes of Judah and Benjamin which only remained of the children of Israel in whom he did formerly delight as a man doth in his inheritance and would deliver them into the hands of their enemies and they should become a prey and spoil to them and all this because they had done that which was evil in his sight and had one generation after another provoked him to anger even ever since he first brought them out of Egypt 2 King 21. from 1 to 17. 2 Chron. 33. from 1 to 11. 2 King 24.3 4. The King of Assyria now sending fresh Colonies into the land of Israel and with them possibly some forces to settle them there it seems some of his chief Commanders with a party of Souldiers made a sudden inrode into the land of Judea with an intent to surprize Manasseh and they came so suddenly upon him that he was forced to fly and hide himself in some wood or thicket to save himself but thither they pursued him and took him and bound him with fetters and carried him prisoner to Babylon (a) So that it seems the King of Babylon was now King of Assyria When he was in this affliction he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly (b) What the word of the Prophets could not do the rod of God did before him and prayed (c) There is a prayer of his set down in the Apocrypha but 't is doubtful whither it be his or no. earnestly unto him and the Lord was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to Jerusalem into his Kingdom whereby he was convinced that the Lord was the only true God For the Lord by his all-powerful providence so moved the heart of the King of Babylon that he was content to set him free upon condition that he would oppose the King of Egypt which may be the reason why Josiah some years after would needs fight against Pharoah Necho 2 Chron. 35.20 'T is probable that Manasseh's captivity lasted not long because 't is said 2 King 21.1 That he reigned fifty five years in Jerusalem and there is no mention there made of this his captivity After his return he took away the strange gods and the Idol out of the house of the Lord which himself had before set up and all the altars he had built in mount Moriah and in Jerusalem and cast them out of the City This is a good evidence of the truth of any mans repentance when he puts away those evils that formerly he had done with detestation Furthermore Manasseh repaired the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings and commanded Judah to serve the Lord. As by his example and command he had before caused them to sin so now by both he labours to reform them Yet the people did still sacrifice in the high places but to the Lord only They were brought to embrace the true Religion though they had still a mixture of will-worship with it Manasseh also fortified Jerusalem and other places and put Captains of war into all the fenced Cities of Judah So that he who was before a monster for all manner of evil and wickedness proved now a very commendable Prince so great and happy a change does true conversion make in men 2 Chron. 33. from 11 to 20. The Prophet Habakkuk The Prophesie of HABAKKUK seems about this time to have Prophesied for he speaks of the coming of the Chaldeans against Judah yet not so plainly of the captivity of the Jews in Babylon as Jeremy did Therefore 't is supposed he might be somewhat before him His Prophesie is called the burden * There are four Prophesies in the Volume of the lesser Prophets whose Prophesies are in whole or part called burdens viz. Nahum Habakkuk Malachi and Zachary which Habakkuk the Prophet did see that is his Prophesie was a burdensome Prophesie first to the Jews and then to the Chaldeans His Prophesie is set forth Dialogue-wise between the Prophet and God himself wherein the Prophet first as jealous of Gods honour complains of the extream wickedness of the Jews Ch. 1. from 1 to 5. 2ly We have Gods answer to this complaint wherein he declares that he will punish them by the Chaldeans whom he describes by their bitterness hastiness tyrannicalness and power to bear down all before them as the East-wind and by their pride and haughtiness upon their success robbing God of the glory due to him and ascribing it to their Idols from v. 5 to 12. 3ly We have the Prophets replication to Gods answer wherein he expresses his hope that the Jews should not perish by those threatned calamities grounding his hope on Gods Covenant power and providence and he hoped the Lord ordained the Chaldeans
affirmeth to have fixed his Seat at Babel Mizraim He was the Father of those that inhabited Egypt From Mizraim Moses deriveth seven people or Nations Ludim Anamim Lehabim Naphtuhim Pathrusim Casluhim out of whom came Philistim and Captorim Josephus says the Sons of Mizraim possessed all the Country lying between Gaza and Egypt though the Philistim only gave name to it from whom the Greeks called it Palaestina By Ludim Bochartus proveth the Ethiopians to be meant whom he will have a Colony of the Egyptians By Andmim the Nomades of Africk who inhabited about Ammonis Lehabim are thought to be the same with the Lybians bordering upon Egypt from whom this denomination might pass to those that inhabited the greater part of Africk Naphtukim he placeth in Marmaria upon the Mediterranean-Sea Parthrusim he placeth in Thebais a Province of Egypt called Pathros and by many distinguished from Egypt though peopled from it Captorim seem to be Neighbours to Casluhim from both which the Philistins seem to have descended as appeareth from Amos 9.7 Are ye not as Children of the Ethiopians unto me O Children of Israel saith the Lord have not I brought up Israel out of the Land of Egypt and the Philistins from Caphtor and the Assyrians from Kir Phut The third Son of Cham who divided Africk with his Brother Mizraim To Mizraim fell Egypt and so much of Africk as reached to the lake Tritonis which divideth Africk into two equal parts To Phut fell all from the Lake as far as the Atlantick Ocean as may be gathered from Herodotus lib. 4. Cannan The fourth son of Cham. His Posterity were Sidon his First-born and Heth. From him descended the Jebusite the Emorite the Girgasite the Hivite the Archite the Sinite the Arvadite the Zemarite and the Hamathite By Canaan was inhabited the Land which afterward bore his Name and was conquered by the Hebrews His Family was propagated as far as the Sea the Phaenicians being descended of him The Scripture calls Phaenicia the Land of Canaan Sidon was the Father of the Sidonians whose City was more ancient then Tyre and the Mother of it For the Sidonians led a Colony thither and founded Tyre two hundred and forty years before the building of Solomons Temple as Josephus reporteth Antiq. lib. 8. c. 2. The Children of Heth dwelt in the Land of Canaan about Hebron and Barsheba towards the South and from them the Anakims descended The Jebusites held Jerusalem and the Castle or Fort of Zion until Davids time The Amorites passed the Mountains of Judea and passing over Jordan made War with the Moabites And they seized upon Basan Hesbon and all the Country lying between the River Jabbek and Arnon In memory whereof one of their Poets wrote a Poem which Moses hath inserted into his Writings Numb 21.27 Wherefore they that speak in Proverbs say come into Heshbron let the City of Sihon be built and prepared The Girgasites seem to have continued about Gadara over against Galilee beyond Jordan till Christs time Matth. 8.28 And when he was come to the other side to the Countrey of the Gergesens The Hivites dwelt in Mount Hermon toward the East of the Land of Canaan from whom descended the Gibeonites living nigh to Jerusalem and the Sichemites dwelling near to Samaria more towards the West The Archites inhabited Area a City in Libanus The Sinites had a City called Sin not far from Area The Arvadites or Aradites possessed the Island Aradus on the Coast of Phaenice at the mouth of the River Eleutherus The Zemarites dwelt as 't is thought about Tinesa a notable City of Coelosyria upon the River Orontes and built Zemarajim in the Tribe of Benjamin The Hemathites were seated about Epiphania a City of Syria This was the Inheritance of the Sons of Canaan whose Border was from Sidon as thou comest to Gerar unto Gaza as thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboim even unto Lasha or Lysa a City of the Arabians in the mid way between the dead and the Red-Sea Thus was the Earth as far as we can understand anciently divided and possessed after the Flood though it hath since in several parts of it changed its Inhabitants Gen. 10. whole Chapter SECT VI. THe years of mans life (i) Mans life was halfed or thereabout at the time of Flood as we may see by comparing Gen. 11.11 with Gen. 5. And again shortned about another half at the building of the Tower of Babel Ch. 10.25 11.29 And well nigh the third time between the Times of Abraham and Moses Ch. 25.7 Psal 90.10 were now cut shorter by one half then they were before as we may see Gen. 11.19 c. We shewed Sect. 4. that Sem begat Arphaxad and Arphaxad Salah and Salah Heber and Heber Peleg and unto Peleg Reu was born when he was 30 years old Gen. 11. 18 19. Serug was born to Reu when he was 32 years old Gen. 11.20 Nahor was born to Serug when he was 30 years old Gen. 11.22 Terah was born to Nahor when he was 29 years old Gen. 11.24 When Terah had lived 70 years there was born unto him Haran his eldest Son For though Abram be set first Gen. 11.26 yet that was not because he was eldest but because he was worthiest * The like we read before of Sem Ch. 5.32 Ch. 10.1 For he came not into the World till 60 years after His Brother Nahor being between him and Haran As for Haran he died at Vr of the Chaldees in his Fathers life time and presence and left three Children to wit one Son named Lot and two Daughters viz. Milchah who was afterwards married to his next Brother and her Uncle Nahor and Sarai after married to his third Brother and her Uncle Abram Gen. 11. from 26. to 30. SECT VII PEleg the sixth from Noah died 209 years after the Birth of Rue Gen. 11.19 Nahor the ninth from Noah died 119 years after the Birth of his Son Terah Gen. 10.25 Noah died when he had lived 950 years in all and 350 of them after the Flood Gen. 9.28 In the two thousand and eighth year of the World was Abram born and in the 130th year of his Father Terah's life For he was 75 years old when Terah his Father died who lived two hundred and five years Gen. 11.32 In the year of the World two thousand and eighteen Sarai who was also called Iscah the Daughter of Haran Abram's eldest Brother was born being ten years younger then Abram see Gen. 17.17 Reu the seventh from Noah died two hundred and seven years after the Birth of Serug Gen. 11.21 Serug the eighth from Noah died two hundred years after the Birth of Nahor Gen. 11.23 SECT VIII NEar about this time Chedorlaomer King of Elam or Elamais a Country in Persia with the assistance of three other petty Kings whereof one is called the King of Nations because as 't is probable his Subjects were of several Nations subdued the
by his Horns in a Thicket which he took as sent by God to supply the room and place of Isaac and accordingly offered him up for a Burnt-Offering instead of his Son (a) The main thing hereby signifi'd was this That God the Father would in the fulness of time give his only begotten Son to be a Sacrifice for the sins of Men. And till that time came he would accept of Rams and Lambs and such like Sacrifices which should prefigure and typifie this death of his Son And Abraham called the Name of that place Jehovah-jireh that is the Lord will see or provide And thence came afterwards that Speech to be used proverbially In the Mountain of the Lord it shall be seen that is in due time God will provide help for his Children though they be for the present brought into great straits and difficulties and He will help them in such a manner that they shall plainly see his Hand therein After this the Angel of the Covenant called to Abraham a second time and said By my self have I sworn because thou hast done this thing for I accept of thy Will for the Deed I will greatly bless and multiply thy Seed even as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand upon the Sea-shore and they shall possess the Gates of their Enemies that is shall subdue them and bring both their strength and policy under their Command the Gates of Cities being the places of greatest strength and places commonly of Consultation where the Magistrates used to meet see Deut. 32.15 Math. 16.18 and in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth he blessed Then Abraham and Isaac and the Servants returned to Beersheba where Abraham dwelt a good while after Gen. 22. from 1. to 20. SECT XIII AFter this Sarah (b) As Abraham is Registred for the Father of the Faithful Rom. 4.11 So is Sarah for the Mother of them 1 Pet. 2.3 upon some occasion as it seems went to Kirjath-arba afterwards called Hebron (c) A City afterwards allotted to the Tribe of Judah not far from the Okefield of Mamre where Abraham had formerly lived being 127 years of Age and there she fell sick and died She is the only Woman whose full and intire Age is recorded in Scripture Abraham hearing of it came thither to weep and mourn for her and having sat sometime as 't is like on the Earth in token of the great sorrow and affliction he was under by reason of her death he at length rose up and took order to have her honourably interr'd Accordingly he applies himself to the Governors and Elders of the Hittites the Inhabitants of Hebron of the Progeny of Cham Gen. 10.6 15. and told them that he being a Stranger among them did humbly desire this favour of them that he might be permitted to buy of them a small piece of ground Namely so much as would make a burying-place that he might bury his dead out of his sight For though he had now liv'd 62 years in Canaan yet he never went about to purchase a foot of Land in it before The Children of Heth answer That he was a mighty Prince among them and he might freely make use of any of their Sepulchres even the choicest (d) Faviliis erant sua singulis distincta seorsim Sepulchreta Ita mortem in vita meditati sunt Ethnici simile quid est Math. 27.60 Anonym in loc of them upon this occasion (e) Abraham would not by any bounty of theirs injoy one foot of that Land which God had given him intire for his possession but the time of possession according to the grant and promise being not yet come without any distrust of Gods promise or renunciation of his own Right he buys a parcel of the Land for his own present necessity But Abraham being willing rather to pay for a piece of Ground that might be his own Propriety than to hold any in Common with the Heathens though it were but by burying his dead among them he humbly bowed himself to them as acknowledging their kindness and requested them that they would intercede with Ephron a chief person among them who sat at that time in their Assembly though Abraham knew it not that he might purchase of him the Cave of Machpelah for a burying-place and he was willing to give him as much money for it as it was worth Ephron being there present (f) V. 10. sic redde And Ephron sat among the Children of Heth. told Abraham in the audience of the Inhabitants of the City that he did freely give him that Cave and the Field belonging to it Abraham bowing himself again in token of thankfulness told him (g) The like striving in kindness is between David and Araunah 2 Sam. 24 21 c. That if he were that Ephron of whom he had before spoken he would willingly pay him for it and did not desire to have it on any other Termes Ephron told him the Land was worth about 400 Shekels (h) The common Shekel was about 1 s. 3 d. of our money amounting to about 25 l. of our money and that was but a trifle between them two Abraham however resolved to pay him a just value for it and accordingly paid him by weight not by tale as is now usual the 400 Shekels and so the Field with the Trees growing thereon and the Cave was made sure to Abraham by payment of the money the Inhabitants of the City being Witnesses without Deeds or Writings which were not then as afterwards in use See Jer. 32.9 10. Abraham having thus bought this Field and Cave he therein buried (i) Afterwards he himself was buried there and Isaac and Rebecca Jacob and Leah Gen. 25.9 Ch. 49.31 50.13 They testifying thereby their Faith in Gods Promises for the Inheritance of this Land and of the heavenly Canaan figured thereby This made Joseph also give charge to have his bones carried thither the body of his beloved Sarah Gen. 23. whole Chapter SECT XIV ABraham being now 140 years old and the Lord having blessed him in all things he began to think of providing a fit Wife for Isaac his Son who was at this time 40 years of age And understanding that his second Brother Nahor whom he had left at Haran in Mesopotamia when he first came into Canaan had by Milchah his Wife eighth Sons whereof one was Bethuel Father of Rebecca and four by Reumah his Concubine I say hearing these tyding of his Brother and of his numerous Off-spring he had a mind to send his chief Servant and Steward supposed to be Eliezer who had the Charge of all his Concerns to his Kindred there to seek a Wife among them for his Son Therefore calling him to him and acquainting him with the business he required him to swear (k) A practice used by Masters of Families in taking an Oath of any of their houshold in token of homage subjection and faithfulness
boves Ita eos arguit Parens q. d. crudeles essent avidi raptores down a Wall viz. of Shechem's house where their Sister was kept to rescue her out of their hands He pronounces their anger to be detestable which was so cruel and violent and which had like to have been the Ruine of him and his Then speaking in the Person of God as Prophets used sometimes to do He says He will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel And accordingly it happened For Simeon was not planted apart by himself as the other Tribes were but his Tribe had their Inheritance intermixed (o) Yet out of their Lot in several places here and there these Simionites had certain Cities and Villages Josh 19.9 And afterwards upon their multiplying they were forced to seek further for new Habitations in Mount Seir and Mount Geder driving out the Amalekites 1 Chron. 4.39 and so they were scattered in their Habitations with that of Judah Josh 19.1 And the Tribe of Levi was dispersed among all the Tribes of Israel 3ly He comes to Judah He tells him as his Name signified Praise Ch. 29.35 so his Tribe should be renowned and praised and should be famous and eminent among the rest not only in regard of external Power and Government but much more because out of him the Messias should come Heb. 7.14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah He tells him His hand shall be in the Neck of his Enemies that is He should Conquer and subdue them This Prophesie of the prevailing power of Judah was fulfilled when that Tribe became the Leader Numb 10.14 7.11 12. Judg. 1.2 20.18 As also in those Worthies of this Tribe Othniel Jud. 3.9 10. David 2 Sam. 8.1 Solomon 1 Chron. 22.9 But more eminently in Christ who hath vanquished all the Powers of Darkness He goes on Thy Fathers Children shall bow down before thee whereby he intimates that his Posterity shall be advanced to the Soveraignty and to a Regal Power to which all the Israelites should sumbit Yet this was more fully to be accomplished in the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ to whom every knee shall bow Phil. 2.10 He further adds Judah is a Lions Whelp whereby he intimates the mighty strength and courage of this Tribe and how terrible they should be to their Eenemies and how great and glorious their Conquests He further adds For the Prey my Son thou art gone up (p) Leones postquam in planis praedati sunt Saturi ad montes redeunt Teste Zenoph de Venatione that is having taken the Prey thou shalt go up to thy Habitation in a triumphant manner He stooped down he couched Here He varies the person as the Prophetick Spirit moved him sometime speaking as to his Son and sometimes of him And as a Lion is the King of Beasts and flies upon other Beasts and tears them in pieces and returning from his Prey coucheth down and lieth at rest and none dare disquiet him or offer to rouze him and take his Prey from him so should Judah's Kings Conquer and subdue their Enemies and then returning with Victory should quietly and peaceably (q) So it was in Solomon s days after David's Victories 1 King 4.25 enjoy their Spoils and Conquests See Numb 23.24 But this is more especially verified in Christ the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5 He further declares That the Scepter shall not depart from Judah that is from the Nation and Kingdom of the Jews so denominated from Judah (r) After the Royal Dignity was once setled in this Tribe viz. in David 1 Chron. 5.2 there were no more Kings of that Tribe after Jeconiah and Zedekiah Jer. 22.30 After their return from Captivity the Principality was in Zerubbabel and likely in others of the Tribe of Judah for a time But some while after the Maccabees of the Tribe of Levi got the Rule and continued therein by the choice and consent of the people of Judah till a little before the Birth of Christ when Herod an Idumaan was made King by the Romans which became a Kingdom apart by it self after the ten Tribes were separated from them and although there were some of the Tribe of Levi and of Benjamin mix'd among them and incorporated into them yet the people were called by the name of Judah the Kingdom and Commonwealth of Judah and there was a Government still in Judah whereas the ten Tribes after they were carried away Captive into Assyria did never return to be a Kingdom again but those of Judah after 70 years Captivity did return into their own Land and became a Kingdom and Commonwealth though not so glorious (s) The Jewish Scepter was much weakened by Pompey much shaken by Herod's Intrusion but finally broken and abolished at the destruction of Jerusalem after which they had no force nor face of a Commonwealth Therefore it is evident against the Jews that the Messiah is come as before and did live under the Government of their own Laws and Command of their own Rulers He further adds That there should not cease to be a Lawgiver between Judah's feet see Deut. 28.57 that is of the Seed and Progeny of some belonging to that Kingdom till Shilo come that is the Prosperer and Prince of Peace the promised Messiah to whom not only the believing Jews but the Gentiles also shall come in as to their King and submit themselves to his Scepter Jacob further prophesieth of the wonderful fruitfulness of Judah's lot in the Land of Canaan which was the best and largest that fell to day of the Tribes viz. that it should abound with Vines and rich Pastures and that they should have such stout and well-grown Vines that an Ass might be tied to them as to other Trees and that they should have such plenty of Wine that they might even wash their Garments in the juice of the Grape Therefore He adds Judah's Eyes shall be red with Wine and his Teeth white with Milk whereby he signifies the fruitfulness of their Vineyards and richness of their Pastures insomuch that Wine and Milk should in a manner be as plentiful and common among them even as Water 4ly He comes to Zebulun whom though younger than Issachar * Gen. 30.18 20. yet he blesses before him so doth also Moses Deut. 33.18 And his lot fell to him in the Land of Canaan before Issachar's Josh 19. from 10. to 17. He pronounces of Zebulun that he shall dwell at the haven of the Sea and he shall be for a Haven of Ships that is his Habitation shall be at the Sea-coast His Border shall be the Ocean West-ward and the Sea of Galilee East-ward and he shall rejoyce in his going out or trading Deut. 33.18 And his Border shall be unto Sidon that is not to the City but Country of the Sidonians For the Land of the Sidonians or Phaenicians extended to Accho or Ptolemais (t) Bochart
Georg. Sacr. p. 342. a City thereof on which the North bound of Zebulun did confine 5ly He comes to Issachar and fore-sheweth how different the disposition of his Tribe should be from that of Zebulun For whereas Zebulun should be altogether for Trading and Traffiqueing abroad these of Issachar should be wholly for a quiet life and Country employments at home Issachar says he is a strong Ass (u) Yet some of Issachar were of a more noble and heroick Spirit see Judg. 5.15 1 Chron. 12.32 when Thola of Issachar judged Israel they had rest Judg. 10. couching down between two Burdens by which allusion of a strong lazy and ease-loving-Ass he foretelleth that the Prosperity of Issachar should be strong indeed as to the bodily labour of Husbandry and by reason of the goodness and fertility of their Soil should love Husbandry ease and a quiet life and should rather submit to any Taxes or Tribute that should be laid upon them either from the Kingdom of Phaenicia (x) Inter duo onera i. e. hinc regnum Phaeniciae illinc Samariae Lightfoot Solebant geminas sarcinas vel clitellas a finis imponere ad ferenda utrinque onera Glas or Samaria upon both which they confin'd than be driven from that quiet which at home they did enjoy See Judges 5.16 6ly He comes to Dan eldest Son of Bilhah Rachel's Hand-Maid and alluding to his Name pronounceth this blessing upon him Dan shall judge his people as one of the Tribes of Israel as if he should have said though he was the Son of an Hand-Maid yet his Posterity should be one of the Tribes of Israel and enjoy all the Priviledges of a Tribe as well as the Posterity of his free-born Sons of whom he had before spoken And as other Tribes had their Heads and Elders (y) Dan being the eldest of the Sons of the Hand-Maids by expressing that he should enjoy this Priviledge the like is implyed concerning the rest to judge and decide Causes among them so should They Numb 1.4 16. Further he declares That Dan shall be a Serpent in the way that biteth the Horses so that his Rider shall fall backward that is shall prevail more by cunning than force Thus we find that Sampson who was of this Tribe used craft as well as strength Judges ch 15. 16. So did this Tribe also deal with Laish Judges 18.27 So that 't is a Prophesie of this Tribe That what they wanted in strength they should make up in subtilty and sudden surprisal (z) Moses compares him to a Lions whelp Deut. 33.22 possibly for the suddenness of his leap when â—e sees the advantage of his Prey Dan is omitted in the sealing of the Tribes Apoc. 7. So is Simeon omitted in Moses's Benediction Deut. 33. Likely Simeon for his cruelty against the Shechemites and Dan for his notorious Idolatry Judg. 18.19 1 King 12.29 Then Jacob foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophesie the great dangers that his Posterity and this Tribe in particular would be exposed to both in regard of their Inheritance Judges 1.34 Josh 19.47 as also the true Religion and pure Worship of God which they would soon forsake and turn to Idolatry Judges 18.17 He breaks out into this pious Ejaculation (a) Lumen Propheticum est Lumen raptum O Lord I earnestly pray for and humbly expect thy gracious Deliverance of them out of all their Dangers 7ly He comes to God his eldest Son by Zilpah of whom he Prophesies That a Troop shall overcome him but he shall overcome at last where alluding to his Name which signifies a Troop see Gen. 30.11 he intimates he shall be subject to the Incursions of bordering Enemies And so indeed he was his lot falling beyond Jordan Eastward see Judg. 10.7 8. Jer. 49.1 He was sorely annoy'd with the Ammonites Moabites and Others who did by Troops make Inroads upon him But at length he foretells that the Gadites should gather their Forces together and overcome their Enemies and drive them out of their Country and then should peaceably enjoy their Possessions See Deut. 33.20 1 Chron. 5. from 18. to 23. 1 Chron. 12.8 8ly He comes to speak of Asher his youngest Son by Zilpah who carried blessedness in his Name of whom he Prophesies That out of the excellent portion allotted to him he should have plenty of Corn and of Wheat especially So that His Bread should be fat fat signifying the best of any thing Gen. 4.4 and his lot should yield Royal Dainties namely excellent Oil Deut. 33.24 25. Josh 19.24 25. and other rare and delicious Fruits Such as may grace any King's Table and please his Palat. 9ly He comes to Napthali second Son of Bilhah of whom he Prophesies That Naphtali is as an Hind let loose Wherein he foretelleth how this Tribe should be blessed with liberty and plenty and live in choice Pastures as also that they should be active and nimble in dealing with their Enemies and light-footed to pursue them and escape danger Psal 18.33 Judg. 4.10 15 16. He further adds He giveth goodly words Whereby he intimates That this Tribe should be fair-spoken courteous and of friendly behaviour and therefore greatly beloved Deut. 33.23 10ly He comes to Joseph Of whom he says He shall be like a fruitful Stock or Stem of a Vine placed by a Fountain whose Branches shall run upon the Wall and so have benefit of the reflection of the Suns heat by all which he intimates how fruitful he should be and of him should come two Tribes viz. Ephraim and Manasseh which multiplied and increased exceedingly He goes on The Archers have sorely grieved him and shot at him and hated him that is many have bent themselves against him as an Archer doth his bow to shoot at a mark viz. His Brethren that sold him his Mistriss that accused him his Master that imprison'd him and possibly some of the Courtiers of Pharaoh that did strive to do him ill Offices But his Bow abode in strength that is his Innocence Patience Faith Chastity remained inviolable and his Power and Prosperity remained intire through the help of the mighty God of Jacob. And from thence it was namely from the Power and Providence of God that Joseph became a Shepherd to Israel to feed and nourish them in a time of Famine and a Stone to Israel that is a Rock of Refuge for them to fly unto in that their great Distress And from this God even the God of his Father He tells him He shall be blessed with the blessings of Heaven from above that is with Rain and Dew to make his Land fruitful and with the blessings of the Deep * Deut. 33.13 that is with Springs of Water out of the Rock and with the blessings of the Breast and of the Womb that is with many and well nursed Children ten thousands of Ephraim and thousands of Manasseh Deut. 33.17 Lastly he tells Joseph That the blessings with which He his Father
both the Barley and the Wheat of what they had sown that year was gathered in and ready for their use which was not till the ninth year was well nigh come and thus the increase of the sixth year served in good part for three years Levit. 25. from 1. to 8. and from 18. to 23. 2ly Concerning the year of Jubilee which was to be celebrated every fiftieth year and proclaimed by the sound of the Trumpet or Cornet on the tenth day of the seventh month viz. the day of Expiation In this year 1. They were to proclaim liberty throughout the Land to their Brethren that had been sold to them for Servants 2ly All the Land that had been sold returned to the Owners that had sold it or to their Heirs for man might sell his Land for ever vers 23. but only for so many years as were from the sale to the year of Jubilee and then the Owners were to enter upon it again and in the mean time the Seller or his Kinsman had liberty of Redemption paying for the years to come according to the sum received at the first Contract For the Lord declares That the Land is His and they were but Strangers and Sojourners before Him 3ly During this year there was to be an intermission of sowing and reaping and gathering Grapes for all was to be left free for every one to eat what they would so that for that year no mans Interest was to be more than anothers and therefore they were to eat the increase thereof out of the Fields where any one might take what he needed no man being debarred 4ly In buying and selling of Land they were to have regard to the year of Jubilee and the price was to be proportionable more or less according to the distance or nearness of the year of Release and so they should not oppress one another And if they should object how should they live if they did neither sow nor reap for two years together to wit the 49th which was the seventh Sabbatical year nor the 50th which was the year of Jubilee what is before said concerning the seventh year the like must be conceived concerning this also namely that God would give such a blessing to the sixth year at this time that the increase thereof should serve for part of four years 5ly Whereas they had liberty at all times before the year of Jubilee to redeem their Lands yet their houses which they sold in walled Towns they might not redeem unless they did it within a year neither did such houses return to the former Owners in the year of Jubilee but if they were not redeemed within a year they were alienated for ever (k) The reason might be because upon these houses if not redeemed in so short a time much cost might be bestowed by him that bought them and therefore it was not fit they should be redeemed as Lands were And the alienating of these houses in walled Cities did not make such confusion in the Tribes as the alienating of their Lands would do because it cannot be supposed but that in Cities men of different Tribes did dwell But as to houses in Villages the case was different because the Lands could not well be us'd without such Farm-houses But houses out of walled Towns were to be accounted as the Fields of the Country and had the same priviledge either to be redeemed at any time before the Jubilee or to be free at the Jubilee as their Lands were 6ly If the Levites sold any of their houses in the Cities allotted them they had liberty to redeem them at any time or to receive them back again at the year of Jubilee but the Fields of their Suburbs appointed for the keeping of their Cattel might not be sold at all see Numb 35.4 5. least wanting that necessary help they might be forced to leave their dwellings to the great damage of the people God having dispers'd them in several Cities in every Tribe that they might watch over the Souls of the people Levit. 25. from vers 23. to 35. 3ly Concerning Compassion and Kindness to be exercised towards poor Hebrews fallen into decay or Strangers become Proselytes to both which they are commanded to lend freely and are forbidden to take usury (l) To strangers they were allowed to lend upon usury see Deut. 23.20 but not to the Israelites if poor Exod. 22.25 or increase from vers 35. to 39. 4ly The poor Hebrews were not to be compell'd to serve as bond-men nor us'd basely and hardly or to be rul'd over with rigour The ordinary time of their Service was but six years Exod. 21.2 but in case their Ears were bored they were to serve for ever (m) As their serving for ever had an end at the year of Jubilee so all other legal Ordinances which were injoyn'd as Statutes for ever had their period at the Evangelical Jubilee of which this was a Type Exod. 21.6 that is to the year of Jubilee then they and their Children were to be set free and their Wives also if they were married when they entred into this bondage Exod. 21.3 but the Israelites might have bondmen of the Heathen that were round about them or Strangers that sojourned among them and these yea though they were Proselytes were not to be set at liberty at the year of Jubilee but to abide in bondage as long as they lived Levit. 25. from vers 39. to 47. 5ly If any poor Israelite sold himself to a Stranger grown rich dwelling among them he might be redeemed at any time before the Jubilee either by himself his Brother or Kinsman deducting so much money in paying his Redemption as he has spent time in his Masters Service and in case that was not done he was to be set at liberty in the year of Jubilee And during his Service they were not to permit him to be used harshly by his Master they looking on and conniving at it For God declares That the Children of Israel were peculiarly his Servants whom He brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with an out-stretched Arm Levit. 25. from vers 47. to the end SECT XLI GOd having given these Statutes and Judgments and Laws to the people of Israel by the hand of Moses and again particularly forbidden Idolatry and commanded the keeping of his Sabbaths together with his whole instituted Worship to incourage his people to Obedience He makes first many excellent Promises to them if they will observe his Precepts as particularly 1. To give them Rain in due season and abundance of increase so that they shall have such plentiful Harvests that before they shall have threshed out their Corn the Vintage shall come and they shall have such great and rich Vintages that before they have done gathering in their fruits their Seed-time shall come 2ly He promises them peace and a secure Habitation and to remove ravenous wild Beasts and Sword away from them 3ly If any Enemies did assault
plow and draw their Carts with Heifers and Cows as well as with Oxen see Judg. 14.18 This Heifer was to be given to Eleazar because by doing this Service that was now to be done he was to be unclean and 't was fit that he rather than Aaron should be defiled She must also be carried out of the Camp as an accursed thing figuring Christs being made a Curse and suffering without the City Heb. 13.12 And Eleazar was to sprinkle of her blood seven times turning his face towards the Tabernacle of the Congregation And her skin and her flesh her blood and her dung were all to be burnt in his sight And Eleazar was to take Cedar-wood and Hyssop and Scarlet and to cast them into the midst of the burning of the Heifer to signifie that these things should be used for a sprinkle in sprinkling the unclean with the water of separation see Levit. 14.4 And Eleazar was to wash his Clothes and bath his flesh and to be unclean unto the evening * The like is injoyned to him that burnt this Heifer v. 8. and to him that gathered up the ashes v. 10. and to him that sprinkled an unclean person with the water made of those ashes v. 21. This might intimate to them that it was not so much the water made with the ashes of this Heifer as the thing signified thereby that had vertue in it to purifie those that were spiritually unclean and consequently to shew the imperfection of the legal Priesthood because they that were imployed in preparing this water which was for the cleansing of others were themselves defiled 'T was further injoyned That the ashes of this Heifer should be gathered up by a man that was clean and laid up without the Camp in a clean place (h) As for the place where those ashes were kept when they came into the Land of Canaan it is not expressed Some hold that those ashes were dispers'd into all the Cities that those who were unclean might have wherewith to purifie and cleanse themselves because they were now conseerated to an holy use However the man that gathered them up was thereby made unclean because they were the remainders of an Heifer slain for the sins of the people And the Statute of making and reserving of these ashes for a water of separation was to bind both the Israelite and the Proselyte or Stranger that sojourned with them as long as this Dispensation lasted By this Law it was further injoyned That he that touched the dead body of a man was to be unclean seven days and he was to purifie himself with this water on the third day and on the seventh day vers 19. and then he was to be clean else not And whoever having contracted this kind of uncleanness and doth not make use of this way to purifie himself but cometh in that state into the Court of the Tabernacle he shall be cut off by the Sentence of the Judge if it be proved that he did it presumptuously because he despiseth not only the Ceremonial purifying but the thing signified thereby viz. the spiritual cleansing thorow the blood of the Messias Otherwise if he did it ignorantly he was to bring such a Sacrifice as is injoyn'd Levit. 5.3 6. Further if any man came into the Tent of a dead man it rendred him unclean yea and all that was in the Tent Every open Vessel that takes in the air of the Tent was ceremoniously unclean Or if a man touched a dead body or the bone of a dead man it rendred him unclean And thus hereby was figured the spreading and infectious nature of sin And one of the Priests that was clean was to put running water to the ashes of the burnt-Heifer and with a bunch of Hyssop tied to a Cedar-stick with a Scarlet-thread to sprinkle the person or Tent or Vessels that were unclean and then to be himself unclean until the evening because he had touched the water of separation And whatsoever any unclean person touched was to be held unclean to signifie the contagion of sin spreading from one to another Numb 19. whole Chapter SECT LXVII THe Camp now advanced to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin which was near to the Land of Edom in the first month of the fortieth year after their coming out of Egypt and there Miriam died and was buried four months before her Brother Aaron and eleven months before her Brother Moses She was the eldest of the three she attained to the age of 130 see Exod. 2.4 7. she was a Prophetess and by her also God guided the Israelites in their Travels see Mich. 6.4 she in all likelihood was the Girl that was set to watch what would become of Moses when he was expos'd in an Ark of Bulrushes on the River Nile see Exod. 2.4 c. Numb 20. vers 1. SECT LXVIII AT this Kadesh (i) So that in their Travels from Kadesh-barnea where the Spies came back to Moses to this Kadesh in the Desart of Zin there were about 38 years spent and most of their Fathers that were numbred at their coming out of Egypt were in this time dead the people for want of water murmur again against Moses and Aaron With the same want God had tried their Fathers in the first year after their coming out of Egypt Exod. 17.4 and they murmured then as their Children do now and they had water given them out of a Rock But these their Children were worse than their Fathers because the supply their Fathers had from God in that extremity should have been an argument and encouragement to them to rely on his Providence now and not to have distrustfully murmured or wished so desperately as they did Would God say they we had died with our Brethren whom God suddenly destroyed in the Insurrection of Corah and at other times thereby as it were slighting that fearful Judgment of being cut off in Gods firery Indignation in comparison of being pinch'd with a present want of water They highly expostulate with Moses and Aaron for bringing them into that barren Wilderness which was no place to sow seed in or plant Figg-Trees Vines or Pomegranates but a Land of Desarts a Land of Drought and where there was no water a Land thorow which no man passed and where no man dwelt see Jer. 2.6 Moses and Aaron hereupon betake themselves unto the door of the Tabernacle to intercede with God as formerly for this rebellious people And the Lord immediately signified his approach and the actual manifestation of his glorious Presence by the descending of the Cloud to the door of the Tabernacle see Ch. 14.10 and Ch. 16.19 And here He Commands Moses to take the Rod viz. Aaron's Rod which budded out of the Tabernacle * See Numb 20. v. 9. Ch. 17.10 and with that Rod in his hand to speak to the Rock before the Children of Israel and it should give forth water Moses indeed with his miraculous Rod at
Tribes and half the Tribe of Manasseh the Tribe of Reuben Gad and the other half Tribe of Manasseh having their lot on the other side Jordan The persons that were to make the division were Eleazar the High Priest Joshua and one Prince of every Tribe who are particularly named The Tribes are here named in their particular Order in which they should inherit the Land their Inheritance abutting one upon another as their Names are here joyned together to make it the more evident to them that they were alloted their Portions by the Wisdom and Providence of God Numb Ch. 34. whole Chapter SECT XC THe Lord further Commands the Israelites to give 48 Cities to the Levites for their Possession He appoints the Suburbs of them to reach a thousand Cubits from the wall of the City on each side so that measuring the length from one end of the lines to the other end opposite against it as from East to West or from North to South there were two thousand Cubits that made the perfect square God also appoints six of these Cities for Cities of Refuge Three in the Land of Canaan and three (b) There was no inequality in this because the portion of the two Tribes and an half without Jordan reached as far in length as theirs in the Land of Canaan though it were nothing so broad Besides if the Lord inlarged their Coasts and gave them all the Land they were to add three Cities more Deut. 19.8 9. on the other side Jordan And those Cities were as we may see afterwards Deut. 4. and Joshua 20. 1. Bezer a City of the Reubenites 2. Ramoth of Gilead of the Gadites 3. Golan in Bashan of the Manassites These three Moses separated Deut. 4.41 43. 4. Kadesh in Galilee in Mount Napthali 5. Shechem in Mount Ephraim 6. Kirjath-arba which is Hebron in the Mount of Judah and these Joshua separated Joshua 20.7 Before these Cities of Refuge were appointed it seems the Altar only was a kind of Sanctuary to those that fled to it see Exod. 21.14 But afterwards these Cities were the chief Sanctuaries to the Children of Israel and the Sojourners and Strangers among them and yet they were such only to those who had killed a man unwittingly And therefore they were not to receive any man till he had professed his Innocency as to this particular see Josh 20.4 And such Cities were purposely appointed as lay at an equal distance in the several parts of the Land that no man driven to make use of them might have too far to go and so might be overtaken by the Avenger of blood who was the next Kinsman to the man slain and might lawfully slay him who had slain his Kinsman if he took him out of the City of Refuge and before he could recover the Sanctuary And the way to these Cities was always to be prepared and made even and plain that the Man-slayer might flee thither without hinderance see Deut. 19.3 When the Man-slayer came thither he was at the entrance of the Gate to shew his Cause to the Elders of the City who were to take him in till he was sent for and fetched to the City where he had done the Fact and there he was to stand before the Congregation Joshua 24.4 6. who if they found him worthy of death were to deliver him to the Avenger to kill him if not they were to return him to the City of Refuge again where he was to live in a kind of exile and imprisonment until the death of the High Priest and might not come out before * If He went out before He forfeited his Priviledge and Protection and the Avenger might lawfully slay him and then He was to have liberty to return to his own house and former dwelling place the High Priest being a Type of the Messias our High Priest and Saviour Jesus Christ who by his death hath blotted out the hand-writing of our Sins and reconcileth us to God But these Cities of Refuge were not intended to be any Protection or Asyle to willful Murderers and such as of malice-prepence slew a man and struck him with an Instrument of Iron or with a Stone or Hand-weapon wherewith in probability a man that is smitten must needs be kill'd Moreover no man was to be put to death on the single testimony of one man alone And no Redemption-money no Bribe or Present was to be taken to spare a murderers life For blood defileth the Land and the Land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein but by the blood of him that shed it And lastly no Redemption-money was to be taken for granting him that was fled to a City of Refuge a Dispensation or Liberty to return to the place of his former abode or habitation before the death of the High Priest Numb 35. whole Chapter and Deut. 4. vers 41 42 43. SECT XCI THe Lord having formerly ordered that Zelophehad's Daughter should have that portion of Land in the Tribe of Manasseh which their Father should have had for his share had he lived the Children of Gilead who were of that Tribe considering that if these Daughters married into any other Tribe this portion of their Land would be quite alienated from their Tribe therefore they made it their suit that some order might be taken to prevent this mischief For by like accidents the portion of every Tribe might in time be changed and so at length all may come to confusion and the very end of Gods appointing every Tribe to have their portion apart by themselves might be quite made void And further whereas by the Law of God it was appointed that at the year of Jubilee which was every fiftieth year what ever Land was alienated from any Tribe should return to that Tribe again by such marriages as these Inheritances would pass over from one Tribe to another without possibility of restitution at the year of Jubilee and so this Law would become void which seem'd purposely intended to prevent the confusion of the Inheritances of the Tribes Moses having ask'd Counsel of the Lord answered them as God had commanded viz. That the Daughters of Zelophehad should marry only in the Tribe of their Father which they accordingly afterwards did and further orders That every Daughter that possesseth an Inheritance in any Tribe should marry only unto one of that Tribe But if she was not an Inheritrix she might marry into any other Tribe And thus Inheritances would not be removed from one Tribe to another Numb Ch. 36. whole Chapter SECT XCII WE are now come to the Book of Deuteronomy which contains Moses's dying Speech and pathetical Exhortation to the Children of Israel He had brought them to the Plains of Moab and to the very borders of Canaan He knew by divine Revelation he must not go over thither but must die on this side Jordan Having therefore now but a little time to live viz. about five weeks like a man in
whom was the Spirit of God and an extraordinary measure of Grace he employs that short time in faithfully instructing the people and earnestly exhorting them to walk steadfastly in the ways of God He rehearses to them several remarkable Occurrences and passages of divine Providence which had happened to them during their forty years travels in the Wilderness not binding himself always to exact order as to times and places in his Narration that they might remember them for their benefit And this being for the most part a new Generation the old rebellious Stock having perished in the Wilderness He sets himself to instruct them in the Laws and Statutes of God not only repeating them to them but explaining and amplyfying many of them and adding some new ones * Hence this Book is call'd Deuteronomy or a second Declaration of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi secunda vel secundaria Lex Repetitio est praecipuarum Legum ac monitorum in eorum gratiam qui tempore promulgatae Legis aut nondum nati aut per aetatem intelligendi incapaces erant Cum quibus Moses hic instaurat foedus praeterea quaedam hic nova addita to them He causes them to enter into a solemn Covenant to serve the Lord faithfully He Predicts and foretells what would befal them hereafter and solemnly blesses them before his death Chap. I And first He reminds them of Gods calling Israel from Horeb to march towards Canaan He tells them how when they had continued well nigh a full year at Horeb * In journying from Egypt to Kadesh-barnea they spent about two years and from thence to the fields of Moab about 38 years whereas from Horeb or Sinai to Canaan it was but about 11 or 12 days Journey had they not provoked God by their sins to keep them wandring in the Wilderness so long God commanded them to march towards Canaan the borders of which he describes towards the South West North and East Deut. Ch. 1. from 1. to 9. 2. He reminds them how about that time by the advice of Jethro his Father-in-law he set Judges and Officers over the people For says he finding my self not able to bear the weight and burden of governing so great a people alone I said unto you The Lord hath multiply'd you as the Stars of Heaven and the Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many more as you are and bless you choose out therefore from among you wise and understanding men and I will make them Heads over you I will Constitute some of them to be Rulers over Thousands others to be Rulers over Hundreds others Rulers over Fifties and others to be Rulers over Tens And I charged the Judges at that time that they should judge rightâ—ously between man and man and not respect persons in Judgment but should hear the small as well as the great that they should not be afraid of men for the Judgment is Gods that is it is ordained by him and to be executed in his Name and the Judges representing his Person and sitting in his Seat should in judging follow the Rule by him prescribed and should judge justly as God Himself would do see 2 Chron. 19.6 And I further said If ye find any Cause too hard for you to determine bring it unto me And many other things I delivered and taught the Judges their duty in a more full and ample manner than now I express Deut. Ch. 1. from 9. to 19. 3. He shews them that when they left Horeb they marched thorow all that great and terrible Wilderness a Land where no man dwelt and wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15 a Land extream barren and destitute of all things necessary for the sustenance of man except by miraculous supply and came to Kadesh-Barnea Then says he I said unto you Ye are come to the Mountain of the Amorites the border of the Land which the Lord our God hath given unto us Go ye up therefore and possess it as God has commanded you fear not nor be discouraged But ye desired that Spies * Atque hic certum est Exploratores esse exigente populi incredulitate missos Deum Ducem sequi dâ—bebant Cananaeos fidenter aggredi Sed Dei promissis fidem non habebant Deut. 9.23 might first be sent to search the Land and to inform you concerning it and concerning the way wherein you must go up to take possession of it and what Cities you must first assault And I having inquired of the Lord concerning it Numb 13.3 and the Lord giving way to it or at least permitting it I was content with it and took twelve men one of a Tribe and they went up into the Mountain and came to the Valley of Eshcol And the Spies brought back some of the fruits of the Land namely Grapes Pomegranates and Figgs and said The Land was a very good Land But ye refused to go up and so rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord. And ye murmured in your Tents and said Because the Lord hated us he hath brought us forth out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and to destroy us You further said Our Brethren whom we sent as Spies have discouraged us viz. all of them but Caleb and Joshua They tell us The people of that Land are greater and taller then we their Cities are great and walled up to Heaven moreover they tell us That the Sons of the Anakims those great Giants are there Then said I dread them not nor be afraid of them For the Lord your God goeth before you and will fight for you as he did in Egypt and as he hath hitherto done for you in the Wilderness there you have seen how the Lord by his Almighty Power hath born you as a Father takes up and carries his Child in his arms and hath born with your manners and perverseness as a tender Father doth with a froward Child Yet notwithstanding this incouragement you did not believe * This unbelief the Apostle notes to be the cause why they entred not into the Land of Promise Heb. 4.6 in the Lord your God who went before you to search out a place for you to pitch your Tents in in a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night And the Lord was angry at your Murmurings and Vnbelief and sware there should not one of that evil Generation see that good Land Numb 14.23 save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh who followed the Lord fully and Joshua the Son of Nun Numb 14.6 30 38. And says he the Lord hath since that time at the other Kadesh been angry with me for your sakes For being moved with your Provocations I offended both in unadvised Speeches and distrust and thereupon the Lord said I should not go into the Land Numb 20.1 2 12. But Joshua who is continually about me to minister unto me He should go into it therefore
afforded us viz. Meat and Drink for our money as we passed thorow the out-skirts of their Country But Sihon would not let us pass for the Lord hardned * God cannot be the Author of Sin or the rebellion of the heart but he may being debtor to no man withhold his grace He may leave men to themselves He may permit Satan to work effectually in them See Sect. 59. of Ch. 3. on Exod. 4.21 his Spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into our hands as appeareth by the event For Sihon coming out against us with his people to fight us the Lord delivered him into our hands and we smote him and all his Host and we took all his Cities and utterly destroyed Men Women and Children see Deut. 20.14 15 16. as God had commanded us Only we took the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities to our selves for a Prey But the Land which was on the out-side of the River Jabbock which belonged to the Ammonites Josh 12.2 and those Cities of the Ammonites that lay in that mountainous Country beyond Jabbock and what-ever else was in the possession of the Ammonites did we not at all meddle with or with any thing else that God had forbidden us 5. He reminds them how after they had conquered Sihon they conquered Og Chap. III the Giant King of Bashan the other King of the Amorites When we marched up towards Bashan then says he Og the King thereof with his Army came out against us at Edrei And the Lord commanded us not to be afraid of him though he was a Giant of such a formidable stature And accordingly the Lord delivered him and his people and his Land into our hand and we took all his Cities even threescore Cities all the Region of Argob a Province in Bashan we took all those Cities which were fenced with high walls gates and bars and many unwalled Towns also And we destroyed Men Women and Children as we had before done unto King Sihon and his Subjects but the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities we took as a Prey to our selves So we took at this time from those two Kings of the Amorites the Land that was on this side Jordan from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon called by the Sidonians Sirion (c) And Ch. 4.48 Sion and by the Amorites Shenir and all the Cities of the Plain and all Gilead And says He there now remained of that Gigantick Race in the Kingdom of Bashan but this Og only whose Bedstead * The Cubit of a man being usually a foot and an half according to this measure his Bedstead was four yards and an half long and two yards broad was of Iron and nine Cubits according to the Cubit of an ordinary man was the length thereof and four Cubits the breadth thereof and it was now kept in Rabbah (d) Possibly this Bedstead was taken in some War between the Ammonites and this King and so kept in Rabbah as a glorious Trophy of their Victory the chief City of the Ammonites from 1. to 12. 6. He shews how he distributed those Countries taken from the two Kings to Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh see Numb 32.19 enjoyning them nevertheless to go over Jordan before their Brethren armed and to fight for them and help them against the Canaanites till God had given them that Land quietly to possess and then they should return to their own Possessions on this side Jordan again And says He I appointed in this new Conquest three Cities of Refuge viz. Bezer in the lot of the Reubenites and Ramoth-Gilead in the lot of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan in the lot of the Manaesites from 12 to 21. and Ch. 4. from 14. to 44. 7. He further tells them how he encouraged Joshua who was to be his Successor from what he had seen the Lord do to those two Kings of the Amorites and that consequently he should not fear the other Kings he was to fight with for the Lord would fight for Israel Then he tells them how earnestly he besought the Lord to permit him to go into Canaan I prayed says he O Lord God thou hast begun to shew thy Servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand For what God is there in Heaven or Earth that can do according to thy Works and according to thy Might I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan and that goodly Mountain Lebanon But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes Your murmurings made me sometimes too rash in speaking and sometimes too slow in believing in the Lord which provoked Him against me so that He would not grant my Request but said to me Let it suffice thee speak no more to me of this matter Get thee up to the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes West-ward and North-ward East-ward and Southward and behold it with thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan But give Joshua in Charge what I Command thee and encourage and strengthen him For he shall go over before this people and shall cause them to inherit the Land which thou shalt only see with thine eyes Ch. 3. from 21. to the end 8. From all these Experiences of Gods signal Goodness to them He comes now to exhort them to keep and obey the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord and to teach their Children also to observe them and especially to take heed of Idolatry which was a very provoking sin And that he might excite them the more to the observance of these Precepts he bespeaks them in this wise Hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I am now to teach you and be careful to practise them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers hath given you You shall not add * Improbatur hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus proprio arbitrio excogitatus Confer Deut. 12.8 32. Numb 15.39 40. Prov. 30.5 6. Gal. 3.10 to the words which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it but you must keep close to the Commandments of the Lord which I from Him command you Your eyes have seen the Judgments of God executed upon those that committed Idolatry with Baal-Peor unto which many of Israel declined by the counsel of Balaam But you that did cleave unto the Lord and kept your selves from that Transgression were saved from that destruction Behold I set before you the Statutes †Some by Statutes understand Ornances of divine Worship and by Judgments Laws that concern their duty towards men and the punishment of Transgressors and Judgments which God hath commanded Chap. IV me to give you and which you are to observe in the Land which you are going to possess And carefully to observe them will be a great evidence of your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations that shall
before them the Lords great goodness to them and the several gracious manifestations of his favour towards them as he conducted them along from Egypt to Canaan First He came and appeared to them from Sinai where he gave them his Law 2ly He further manifested Himself to them from Mount Seir when He commanded the brasen Serpent to be set up by which those among them were cured that were mortally bitten with fiery Serpents and thereby He gave them a notable Type of the promised Messiah 3ly He shined forth from Mount Paran that is repeated and explained the Law to them by the Ministry of Moses in the Wilderness of Paran who exhorted them to yield Obedience to it And when the Lord gave them his Law at Sinai He tells them He came attended with Royal Majesty with an infinite number of glorious Angels who are here called Saints because of their purity and holiness see Acts 7.53 From his right hand went a fiery Law for them that is He spake it to them out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5.22 And yet that giving them his Law was a singular effect of his special love to them He thereby testified his great kindness to them and so he did also in His protecting of them from their Enemies and therefore we may truly say All Israels Saints are under thy Care and Protection O Lord. They sat at thy feet they attended upon thee at the foot of Mount Sinai as Scholars at the feet of their Master and all that are true Israelites will receive instruction from thy words And such Israelites will readily declare That God gave them his Law by the ministry of Moses even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob that is which is as dear to them as an Inheritance is to any man They will declare That He gave it them as a rare and precious Treasure and not for their use only but for the use and instruction also of their Posterity after them And they do acknowledge that Moses was King in Jeshurun that is chief King and Magistrate in Israel by Gods own appointment when the Heads of the people and the Tribes were gathered together to receive the Law at Mount Sinai And they acknowledging Him to be a person so extraordinarily favoured guided and assisted by God could not but receive what he delivered unto them as spoken by God himself from vers 1. to 6. He comes now to bless the Tribes particularly He begins with Reuben Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few Jacob had prophesied of this Tribe that they should lose the Dignity of the Birth-right and should never come to any eminency among the Tribes either for number of people or any other excellency and that because of Reuben's Incest with his Fathers Concubine see Gen. 49.4 Now therefore for the comfort of this Tribe Moses pronounces this blessing upon them Let Reuben live that is though Reuben by his Incest brough that Curse upon him pronounced by his Father yea though by the sin of the Reubenites in adhering to Corah they deserved that God should utterly destroy them yet says he the Name and Tribe of Reuben shall still continue among the people of God and though for his sin he lost the glory of excelling the other Tribes in number of men which as the first-born he might otherwise have expected however he shall continue a numerous Tribe 2ly He comes next to Judah because the honour of the Birth-right was partly given from Reuben to Judah and in his Tribe the Regal Power was afterwards setled Hear Lord says he the voice of Judah * Audi Domine preces Jehudae scil cum egressus fuerit ad bellum reduc eum scil a bello incolumem ad fratres suos Oleaster that is the Prayers that this Tribe shall make to thee particularly that the promised Messiah may according to thy Promise come of their stock and that they may have Victory over their Enemies and grant them O Lord sufficient strength to stand in the day of battel thou being their Helper and when thou shalt suffer this Tribe with that of Benjamin to be carried by the Babylonians into Captivity bring them back again in thy due time to their people that is to the poor that were left in Judea to husband the Land Jer. 39.10 40.7 52.16 3ly He blesses Levi Let thy Vrim and thy Thummim be with thy holy one that is let the High Priesthood to which appertained the Breast-plate in which was the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28.30 be continued in Aaron's Posterity and let them be furnished with those Gifts and Graces with that Knowledge and Piety which is requisite for their high Calling and signified by Vrim and Thummim Whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah that is whose Faith thou didst try at Meribah-Kadesh see Numb 20. and sharply reprove both Moses and Him for their Infidelity Who said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen him This may have reference either to the Law forbidding the High Priest to defile himself by mourning for the dead see Levit. 21.11 Neither shall he go into any dead body nor defile himself for his Father or Mother Or else to that notable fact of the Levites Exod. 32. who were so impartial in Gods Cause as not to spare any though nearly related to them who they found had worshipped the golden Calf For they observed thy Word and kept the Covenant which they made with thee Exod. 24.8 Let them therefore teach Jacob that is the Posterity of Jacob thy Judgments or Statutes and Israel thy Laws Let them put Incense before and whole Burnt-Offerings upon thy Altar Bless Lord their substance and accept the work of their hands that is bless them in their outward Estate and accept in good part the Work and Service they do for thee and thy people Smite thorow the loins of those that rise up against them and hate them that is break the Power of those that oppose them in the faithful discharge of their Duty and Office see Jer. 15.10 4ly He comes to Benjamin of whom he saith The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him that is as Benjamin was his Fathers darling when Joseph was supposed to be dead so he is much beloved of the Lord and therefore shall dwell safely by him that is near his Temple which was built in his portion and the Lord shall cover him all the day long that is protect and defend him and he shall dwell between his shoulders that is God will chuse for Himself an Habitation in the chief City of this Tribe For though the South part of Jerusalem where was Mount Sion * God is said to dwell in Mount Sion and thence some conceive his Temple was situate upon it but where it is so said the word Sion must not be taken strictly for the hill Sion but
by a Synecdoche for the whole City of Jerusalem and therewith for the Temple founded on Mount Moriah called the City of God in a more especial manner was in the Tribe of Judah yet the Northern part with Mount Moriah where the Temple stood was in the Tribe of Benjamin and being set upon that Hill it was conspicuously eminent as the Head placed above and between the shoulders and in that sense God may be said to dwell between his shoulders 5ly He comes now to Joseph whose two Sons Ephraim and Manasseh were Heads of two Tribes of whom he saith Blessed of the Lord be his Land and let it be blessed with the most excellent things of Heaven that is with Rains and Dews that fall from Heaven and let it be blessed with the deep that coucheth beneath that is with springs arising from the deep let it be blessed with precious Fruits brought forth by the heat and influence of the Sun and the kindly moistures of the Night and the influence of the Moon Let it be blessed with the chief things of the ancient Mountains and with the precious things of the lasting Hills that is with the choicest Trees and Fruits and Herbs that grow on Hills such as are Vines Olives Cedars Pines Cypress and other useful Trees and with Mines of Gold and Silver and other metals which are usually found in Hills †See Gen. 49.26 and Mountains And let the Posterity of Joseph be blessed not only with the good things of the Earth and with plenty of them but with the good-will of Him that dwelt in the Bush In the Bush God appeared to Moses as the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the good-will of God thus manifested viz. as a God in Covenant with them was that which alone could make them truly happy see Psal 106.4 Let this blessing says he come on the head of Joseph that is on his Posterity whose Father was separated from his Brethren and advanced by the Lord to an high and singular degree of Honour above them His glory shall be like the firstling of his Bullock that is of a fair young Bullock in his best strength and his horns like the horns of Vnicorns that is his Power shall be great and irresistible wherewith he shall Conquer far remote Nations Now these horns of his he shews are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh 6ly He comes to Zebulun of whom he says Rejoyce Zebulun in thy going out and Issachar in thy Tents Here he blesses two Tribes together Of Zebulun he Prophesies That they shall be happy in their going forth to Trade and in their merchandising by Ships agreeable to what Jacob prophesied of them Gen. 49.13 Zebulun shall dwell at the harbour of the Sea he shall be for an Haven of Ships And of Issachar he Prophesies That they should be happy in their Tents that is in their quiet life at home and in their Husbandry and Tillage and breeding and feeding of Cattel Both their ways of living should yield them matter of rejoycing in the goodness and bounty of God to them Issachar shoul be happy in their Husbandry Zebulun in following their Merchandise They should suck of the abundance of the Seas that is of the Riches and Wealth brought over the Seas and of the Treasures hid in the sand that is brought from such Cities as were seated upon the Sea-shore in sandy-ground They shall call the people unto the Mountain there they shall offer Sacrifices of Righteousness herein he Prophesies of their religious thankfulness to God for his great blessings to them They should duly go to Mount Sion to worship the Lord and should invite their Brethren and possibly strangers of other Nations to go along with them though they were seated by the Sea-side in the outmost parts of the Land and so far off from the Temple of Jerusalem yet at times appointed they should readily go up to the House of God and there offer the Sacrifices and Thank-Offerings which were justly due to God and agreeable to what his Law prescribed 7ly He comes to Gad of whom he says Blessed be He that inlargeth Gad namely the Lord who hath bestowed upon Gad a large and spacious Country and though it lay upon the Frontiers and therefore was liable to frequent Incursions of Enemies yet they should have heart and courage to defend themselves Therefore he Prophesies of Gad That he shall dwell as a Lion that is bold and undaunted and as a Lion teareth sometimes the Arm sometimes the Crown of the Head that is sometimes in one place sometimes in another so this Tribe should divers ways spoil their Enemies He provided the first part for himself that is the first part of the conquered Land which was the Country of Sihon and this Tribe may be said to have provided for themselves because they desired it of Moses for their Inheritance and this part of the Country of Canaan being without Jordan was that alone which God permitted Moses the Law-giver to come into and allowed him to give unto them for their Inheritance and being thus provided they went with the Heads of the people armed * Moses here speaks of a thing to come as if it had been already done foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophesie that it would be so before their Brethren and executed the justice of the Lord and his judgments upon the accursed Canaanites 8ly He comes to Dan of whom he says Dan is a Lions whelp he shall leap from Bashan Bashan was a place where were many Lions though not in Dan's possession but Manasseh's see Deut. 3.13 The Danites are therefore here compared to Lions rushing suddenly out of the Forrests and Dens of Bashan who seize upon those that pass by ere they were aware Thus the Danites should leap unexpectedly out of their Forts and fastnesses and secret places where they lay in ambush and should seize upon their Enemies when they least expected them see Gen. 49.17 Josh 19.47 Judg. 18.27 29. 9ly He comes to Naphtali of whom he says O Naphtali satisfied with favour and full with the blessing of the Lord wherein he Prophesies of the fruitfulness of the Soil wherein this Tribe should have their portion Therefore Jacob compares them to a Hind let loose that hath a large walk and so in choice Pastures finds plenty of feeding Gen. 49.21 He therefore here breaks out into an admiration of the great plenty and abundance of blessings which their Inheritance should yield them but intimates that their blessings should not consist so much in their having such plenty and fulness of outward blessings as in their being fully satisfied and contented therewith and that the thing which should yield such satisfaction to their Souls was not so much the blessings themselves as the singular love and favour of God whereof to them these Blessings were Pledges He further adds Possess thou the West and the South intimating to them thereby that their lot
Horam King of Gezer a City near to Lachish understanding this comes forth with his Forces to relieve it but Joshua utterly routed and defeated him and then the day after the Lord delivered Lachish into his hands whose Inhabitants he utterly destroyed as he had done those of Libnah Then he marched to Eglon (f) A City in the Tribe of Judah Ch. 15.39 five Leagues Southward from Jerusalem and took it the very day he encamped against it and put all to the Sword he found there From thence he marched to Hebron (g) A famous ancient City see Numb 13.23 in the Tribe of Judah call'd formerly Kirjath-jearim The King hereof was one of those hanged at Makkedah but He being dead either his Heir succeeded him or they chose another How this City is afterwards said to be taken by Caleb see Notes on Ch. 15.13 14. and took it with the new King thereof for the old one was lately hanged at Makkedah and all the Cities it had under its Jurisdiction and utterly destroyed all the Inhabitants thereof Joshua then bending his Course towards Gilgal he took Debir (h) A City in the Confines of Judah butting upon Simeon before call'd Kirjah-sepher Josh 15.15 five or six miles Southward of Hebron and the King thereof and all the Towns belonging to it utterly destroying all the people therein and as he had done to the King of Libnah so he did to the King of Debir All these Kings and their Land did Joshua take in one Expedition because the Lord fought for Israel He subdued also all that part of the Country which lay to the South both those Cities that were built on Hills and those that were seated in the Plains He subdued and vanquish'd all from Kadesh-Barnea the utmost Southern bound unto Gaza upon the Sea-Coast and all the Country of Goshen in the mountainous parts of Judah even to Gibeon and destroyed their Inhabitants to a vast number doing therein according to what the Lord God of Israel had commanded him Deut. 20.16 17. Then Joshua returned with his Army to the Camp at Gilgal Joshua Ch. 10. from 28. to the end SECT CV FRom the Autumn of this year wherein after the failing of Manna they began to till the Ground and sow it is to be reckoned the first year of their Tillage and the rise of the Sabhatical year is hence to be taken Exod. 23.10 11. Levit. 25. from 2. to 7. SECT CVI. THe five Southern Kings being thus destroyed all the rest of the Northern Kings combined together against the Israelites and with them Joshua had a long War see vers 18. which lasted till about the end of the sixth year of his Government by which time He subdued them Very observable was the Providence of God that he did not suffer all the Kings of the Canaanites at once to joyn their Forces together against the Israelites but ordered it so that only some of them fought against Israel at one time and some at another by which means the Israelites were heartned with frequent Victories and had leisure to refresh themselves between them And though Joshua's wonderful Successes and Victories are succinctly related in this Chapter one after another yet these Wars lasted a great while after the Battel of the waters of Merom and there were about six years spent in the subduing these Nations as may appear by considering Caleb's age of which more afterwards see Ch. 14. from vers 6. to 15. 'T is true God could have subdued these Nations in a shorter time but he was pleased to have it done by degrees that the greater Opposition and Difficulty the Israelites met with in the Work the more they might own his Power and Providence in carrying them thorow All. The Lord also hereby exercised their Faith and Patience and stirred up the Spirit of prayer in them and drew forth their Dependance and Reliance on Himself And hereby also He discovered the obstinacy of the Canaanites which rendred them the more inexcusable The Lord also had determined that they should drive out these Nations by little and littlâ— and not consume them all at once lest the wild Beasts might increase upon them for want of people to inhabit the Land see Deut. 7.22 And we may add this as a reason to all the former why the War continued so long namely God leaving these Canaanites to the hardness of their own hearts none of them besides the Gibeonites desired to make Peace with the Israelites but desperately and obstinately resolved to fight with them and to oppose them to the uttermost and God did judicially thus suffer them to harden their hearts more and more that so they might have no favour but be utterly destroyed vers 20. But to return The Northern Kings that had combined against Israel were Jabin King of Hazor a City lying in the upper Galilee not far from Kadesh who sent to Jobab King of Madon (i) A City near Dan. and to the King of Shimron (k) A City in Zebulun near Mount Carmel call'd Shimron-meron Ch. 12.20 and to the King of Ackshaph (l) In Asher near Accho or Ptolemais and to the Kings that were towards the North on the Mountains and those that were in the Plains that lay on the South-side of the Country of Cinneroth called afterwards Tiberias and Genne-sereth and in the Valley or low Grounds and in the Borders of Dor (m) A City and County in the Tribe of Manasseh on the Coast of the Mediterranean-Sea on the West and to the Canaanites that dwelt both on the East and West and to the Amorite Hittite Perizzite and Jebusite in the Mountains and to the Hivite under Hermon a Hill in the North of Canaan which were another sort of Hivites much differing from those of Gibeon who had submitted to Joshua All these upon Jabin's Sollicitation combined together and went out against Israel with a mighty Army even like the sand that is upon the Sea-shore for multitude that is with such a vast number as was not easily to be numbered and they had Horses and Chariots very many They pitched together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel Joshua might possibly be now in some apprehension how the Israelites that were all Foot should be able to encounter so vast an Army as this which consisted so much of Horse and had so many Iron-Chariots But the Lord bad him not be afraid of them for on the morrow by that time he would deliver them up into his hands and He should hough their Horses that is cut their hamstrings and so make them unserviceable either in War or for any other use and burn their Chariots Accordingly Joshua very early next morning fell upon them with his whole Army probably before they were in any Order and made a vast Slaughter among them and chased them to Zidon * The Metropolis of Phaenicia Tyre is call'd the Daughter of it Isa 53.12 the Great and to
for their present use out of an act of base sloth suffered them to roost among them and did not endeavour to drive them out Moses in the division of that Land without Jordan gave no part to the Tribe of Levi that is no Regions or Parts of the Country as he did to the other Tribes upon which they might live by Tillage and Husbandry but only some Cities to dwell in and the Suburbs belonging to them with some circuit of Ground for the feeding of their Cattel because God himself was to be their Portion and the Sacrifices and other Oblations due unto God were to be for their Maintenance Now the bounds of the Lands given to each Tribe beyond Jordan by Moses are particularly set down to prevent all strife and division among them for the future Joshua 13. whole Chapter SECT CIX JOshua now with Eleazar the High Spirit and the Elders of the Tribes who were expresly chosen and named by the Lord for this purpose Numb 34.17 c. at Gilgal set upon this great Work of dividing the Land on this side Jordan among the nine Tribes and an half And accordingly first they cast the Land into so many several Portions or Provinces as were the number of the Tribes that were to inhabit it yet so as the certain bounds of each Portion or Province were not certainly limited and appointed till they knew which Tribes the Lord would by the designation of the lot settle in each of them and then they were to inlarge or lessen the Portion according as the number of the Tribe that was there to be setled was greater or less so that the lots were only to determine in what part of the Country each Tribe should be planted and afterwards the quantity of the Land which each Tribe was to enjoy was to be set out by Joshua Eleazar and the Heads of the Tribes as was appointed Numb 26.55 56. What manner of Lottery they used in this business is no where expressed The common Opinion of the Hebrew Writers is That there were two Pots or Vrnes set before the Tabernacle the one having the Names of the Tribes in it that were to have their portion of Land assigned to them the other had just so many lots in each of which such and such a part of the Land was described and that some man appointed to that Service probably Eleazar the High Priest drew out first out of one Pot one of the Tribes then out of the other Pot one of the lots there and so that Tribe had their portion assigned them in that part of the Land described and set forth in that lot and accordingly they did by the rest And though this way and method be not any where particularly expressed in this Book yet the phrase that is often used in the following Chapters that such a lot came out and such a lot came up may seem covertly to imply it see Ch. 19.1 10 17. And herein the Hand of God in ordering the lots was the more wonderful and the Prophesies of Jacob and Moses concerning the several Inheritances of the Tribes were more evidenced to be of God Joshua therefore and the Elders now setting upon this Work the first lot came out for the Tribe of Judah and his lot fell out in the richest and best part of the Kingdom whereby the purpose of God in exalting this Tribe above the rest was made very apparent The largeness of Judah's lot and the bounds of it and the Cities thereof are set forth Chap. 15. The next two lots that were drawn were for Ephraim and Manasseh the Sons of Joseph immediately one after the other upon whom God transferred a part of Reuben's Birth-right as is expressed 1 Chron. 5.1 2. The Writer of this Book first shews joyntly where the Inheritance of those two Tribes lay and then afterwards shews severally what each of them had for their portion Chap. 16. at vers 5. He begins the Discription of Ephraim's lot which came out before the other For though he was younger than Manasseh yet he was prefer'd before him by Jacob's appointment Gen. 48 19. and besides the Cities that stood within his own lot he had many Cities allotted him within the portion of Manasseh vers 9. The lot that fell to Manasseh is described Ch. 17. and 't is said to be for Machir the only Son of Manasseh whence the whole Tribe beareth the Name of Machir Judg. 5.14 and because Machir that is the Machirites his Posterity were a Warlike people they had Gilead and Bashan allotted to them that is half of it which they did win by dispossessing the Enemy of it see Numb 32.39 40. Therefore half of the Posterity of Machir being setled on the East-side of Jordan the other half were according to Gods appointment to have their portion and lot on the West-side And there fell ten portions to Manasseh that is their Land was divided into six parts according to the number of the Sons of Gilead mentioned vers 2. And Hepher's part who was one of them was divided into five parts or portions and given to his Son Zelophehad's five Daughters and so they were ten portions in all see Numb 26.33 The Cities and Country of Ephraim and Manasseh were much intermixed one with the other These two Tribes complained to Joshua that the quantity of Land assign'd to them for their portion was not sufficient for them They alledged that it was no more than might have been well assigned to one Tribe Why hast thou say they given us but one lot and one portion to inherit seeing we are a great people But Joshua and the rest of the Commissioners had not given them too little circuit of Land to inhabit but indeed part of it was over-grown with Woods and a great part of it was yet in the possession of the Canaanites who had the advantage of Iron-Chariots to fight with Also in their portion there were the Perizzites a wild and savage people much given to Spoil and Prey and the Rephaims or Giants with whom they were not very willing to encounter These things considered these two Tribes thought they had reason to alledge That they had no more given them than would well serve for one populous Tribe Joshua retorts the strength of their argument upon themselves If says he ye be so great a people as you alledge then you are the more able to drive out the Canaanites out of those places allotted to you for your portion and the greater will be your shame if you let them alone and yet complain of the narrowness of your lot If you are so great a people get you up to the Wood-Country and cut down the Woods and make the ground fit for Tillage and build Houses and Cities upon it and drive out and destroy the Canaanites that lurk there and so you may have Land enough to dwell in and need not complain that your portion is too straight for you The Children of Joseph reply
That if those woody Hills and Mountains were made fit to inhabit and were added to their portion yet there would not be Land enough for them And as for the Canaanites that dwelt in the Valleys and Champion-Countries they were not so easily to be conquered for they were a formidable people and used Iron-Chariots in their Wars which having Hooks and Sythes fastened to them did usually do great Execution in a Fight and mowed down all before them Joshua tells them He could give them no other Answer than he had done They were a great people and had great Power they excelled in number and strength and had no cause to complain that they had but only one lot or that their portion was too straight for them for if their own Sloth Cowardize and Diffidence of Gods Power and Providence did not hinder them they might inlarge it when they would If they were not wanting to themselves they would find the portion allotted to them was more than one lot for if they took the course he prescribed them the mountainous Country would be theirs they might plant it and possess it from one end to the other and all the adjacent Vallies and Champion-Country would be theirs also seeing if they did with Courage and Faith in God attempt to gain it God would surely enable them to drive out the Canaanites notwithstanding all their strength and the advantage they had by their Iron-Chariots Thus we see how uprightly Joshua carried himself in this matter being no ways partial to his own Tribe the Tribe of Ephraim nor to that of Manasseh so nearly allied to him Joshua 14.1 to 6. Ch. 15. from 1. to 13. and from 20. to 63. Ch. 16. from 1. to 10. Ch. 17. from 1. to 12. from vers 14. to the end SECT CX WE return now to the Tribe of Judah whose lot as we have shewn falling to them in the richest and best part of Canaan an eminent Person of this Tribe namely Caleb descended of Kenaz 1 Chron. 4.13 15. attended with the chief Men and Elders of Judah made his Address to Joshua and spake to him after this manner Thou maist remember the thing that the Lord spake to Moses the Man of God at Kadesh-Barnea concerning thee and me when we returned thither from searching the Land namely that we only of all those that were above twenty years old at that time should see this good Land Numb 14.30 I was forty years old when I was sent by Moses to spy out the Land (p) The Israelites after this wandring 38 years in the Wilderness this must needs be the seventh year since they came into Canaan and I brought him word again as it was in my heart I told him faithfully what I thought of the Land and did neither for fear nor favour of any man speak otherwise than I thought in my Conscience My Brethren that went up with me viz. ten of them made the hearts of the people melt and faint within them by telling them of the invincible strength of the Canaanites but I wholly followed the Lord my God as thou also didst and shewed my Obedience to him faithfully and perswaded the people without fear to enter into the Land resting upon the Promises and powerful Assistance of the Almighty And Moses sware to me on that day to wit by the motion and direction of God saying Surely the Land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine Inheritance and thy Childrens for ever namely some special part of it and particularly that wherein Hebron (q) And this place of the Land was given him rather than any other because when the other Spies had seen those Giants the Anakims Numb 13.23 near Hebron and had thereupon discouraged the people Caleb resolutely opposed these his faint-hearted Brethren and when they objected the invincible strength of the place and people He encouraged the Israelites and told them they might with God's help easily vanquish them And hereupon it seems there was some particular promise made to him concerning this Inheritance Josh 15.13 is situate because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God Thus Moses sware to me And now behold the Lord hath kept me alive these forty and five years since He spake this word unto Moses so that I am now fourscore and five years old and yet I am as strong this day as I was on the day Moses sent me As my strength was then so is it now both for War or any other business Thus the Lord hath wonderfully preserv'd my life and strength and reserv'd me as it were to enjoy that portion of Land which was then promised me Give me therefore I pray thee this mountainous Country where Hebron and Debir are situate and if the Lord will please to be with me as I trust He will I make no doubt but that I shall be able to drive out these Anakims and get this portion for an Inheritance to me and my Children as the Lord graciously promised me Joshua readily granted his Request and blessing him gave him Hebron for an Inheritance that is the Country and Territory in which Hebron and Debir were situate with the Towns belonging to them It is plain that Hebron and Debir were taken by Joshua and the Israelites in their Expedition against those five Kings that had joyned their Forces together to besiege Gibeon as we may see Ch. 10.36 37 38. He then took Hebron and cut off many of the Anakims from the Mountains about it but in process of time the Israelites as it seems not leaving Garrisons in those Towns the Inhabitants that got away and especially the remaining Anakims did again sieze upon Hebron and repossess it Wherefore Joshua would not permit Caleb alone without the assistance of some of his own Tribe to go up and assault it but he himself went with his Army and took it and he utterly destroyed the Anakims and their Fortresses and cleared the Country of them saving only that there remained some of them in Gaza Gath and Ashdod Cities of the Philistines There these Giants remained many years after For Goliah was of Gath 1 Sam. 17.14 and those four huge Giants mentioned 2 Sam. 21.16 c. were all of the Philistines Joshua having taken Hebron gave it to Caleb namely the Land and Villages thereunto adjoyning reserving the City it self and the Suburbs thereof for the Priests and to be a City of Refuge Josh 21.11 12. Hebron being thus retaken 't is probable Joshua sent a great Brigade of his Army under the Command of Caleb who had been very active with the assistance of those of his own Tribe as it seems before in slaying the three Sons of Anak Sheshai Ahiman and Talmai and driving their Adherents out of the Coasts of Hebron to take in Debir where He to excite the valour of his Souldiers promised to give his consent * See Judges 1.12 We cannot hence infer that he might lawfully force upon his Daughter what Husband he
pleased But this He speaks as taking it for granted that his Daughter would be guided by him that he that took it should have his Daughter Achsah to wife Hereupon Othniel the Son of Kenaz younger Brother to Caleb took it It was surely by some special instinct and direction of Gods Spirit that Caleb gave unto Othniel this occasion of innobling his Valour and Vertue in the sight of the people He intending afterwards to raise him up after Caleb's death to be their Judge and Deliverer see Judges 3.9 Othniel thus obtaining Achsah for his wife Caleb gave with her a good Dowry of Land 'T is true Caleb had Sons see 1 Chron. 4.13 and they might not give away any part of their Inheritance from their Sons to their Daughters see Numb 27.8 9. therefore the Land which Caleb now gave his Daughter was given her only as a Dowry for term of life or till the year of Jubilee But it seems she was not content with the portion her Father now gave her and therefore moved her Husband as they were riding away from her Father's house to make suit to her Father for another Field to be added to what he had already given her But when she perceived that he was loth to do it or perswaded her rather to do it her self she went back and alighting off from her Asse addressed her self to make that Request to her Father who ask'd her What she would have She answered Give me I pray thee a Blessing that is another Gift or Boon with thy fatherly blessing upon it Gen. 33.11 Thou hast given me a Southland give me also I pray thee Springs of Water intimating that the portion he had given her was dry and not well watered the Southern-parts of Judah's portion being dry and barren or at least the Southern parts of Caleb's portion were such And therefore she desires him to give her Springs of Water that is some portion of Land that was well watered Hereupon out of his great love to her He gave her some Springs or watered Grounds on each side of the Land he had before given her both above it and below it But though Caleb thus cleared his particular portion yet the Children of Judah though they took some part * The Northern and greatest part of the City of Jerusalem was in Benjamin's lot but the Southern wherein was the Fort Sion was in Judah's lot of the City of Jerusalem and burnt it Judg. 1.8 yet the Fort of Sion which was the chief strength of the City was not then taken by them but the Jebusites forced the Israelites to let them there dwell with them for a long time after and there they were when this story was written (r) Whereby it appears that this story was not written by Ezra seeing he lived many years after David and were not cast out till David's time 2 Sam. 5.6 7. Had the Children of Judah done their endeavour and not been wanting to themselves they might have cast them out sooner but failing in their duty and growing slothful and faint-hearted by these and their other sins they provoked God to withdraw his gracious assistance from them and so then indeed they could not drive them out according to that Judg. 2.20 21. because this people has transgressed my Covenant therefore I will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the Nations which Joshua left when he died And it was not only thus with the Children of Judah but the Ephraimites also did not drive out the Canaanites out of Gezer a City in their Tribe Josh 16.10 but suffered them to live there only paying them some Tribute expresly against God's Command Deut. 7.2 and there they continued till Solomons time when Pharaoh King of Egypt expelled them out and gave the City for a Present to his Daughter Solomon's wife 1 Kings 9.16 And thus it was also with the Manassites Ch. 17.12 13. who could not for the same Reasons drive out the Canaanites out of their lot but they would dwell with them yet they afterwards made them Tributary and with that they contented themselves through Sloth Cowardize and Covetousness as their Brethren the Ephraimites had done Josh Ch. 14. from 6. to the end Josh Ch. 10. vers 21 22. Josh Ch. 15. from vers 13. to 20. Josh Ch. 1. from vers 9. to 16. SECT CXI THe Israelites having drawn these three lots before-mentioned which fell upon Judah Ephraim and half the Tribe of Manasseh they drew no more at this time It seems the other seven Tribes that were yet to have their lots perceiving what a large circuit of Land was given to Judah they began to apprehend that there would not be left an equal share for them and therefore pretending there could not be any equal division made till the remote parts of the Land which were yet in the Enemies possession were better known to them they desired some stay of the Work till they had further prevailed and might know the Land they were to divide better then yet they could do SECT CXII THis Year being the seventh from the first wherein they began to till the Ground in Canaan was the first Sabbatical year which was kept among them they being by Joshua who was a Type of Christ now brought into this place of Rest which was a Type and Figure of that eternal Sabbath and Rest which the true Jesus was to bring the people of God into Heb. 4.9 And from hence also the Year of Jubilee which happened every fiftieth year is to be reckoned see Levit. 25. from 8. to 14. SECT CXIII UPon the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Israelites kept the Feast of Tabernacles in Booths made of boughs of Trees according to the Law Levit. 23.39 40. and much more solemnly than was afterwards used in the times of the Judges or Kings see Neh. 8.17 SECT CXIV HItherto both Camp and Tabernacle had remained at Gilgal Now by God's appointment they remove to Shiloth a City in the South of Ephraim's lot This was the Place that God chose to place his Name there Deut. 12.5 and from 8. to 12. Jer. 7.12 that is his Tabernacle where he would be worshipped and have his Name solemnly called upon And therefore marching to Shiloh there they fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation after the Land thereabout was wholly subdued to them and the Canaanites that dwelt further off were so stricken with terrour from the Lord that they durst not molest them At Shiloth the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant continued 328 years till the death of Eli 1 Sam. 1.3 9 24. Joshua Ch. 18. vers 1. SECT CXV THere remained now among the Israelites seven Tribes which had not yet received their Inheritance and as it seems being weary of the War which had lasted long and being full of Spoil and wanting nothing they did not press to have their Inheritances allotted to them which negligence Joshua reproves them for shewing them there was no
was given to Phineas his Son with whom 't is probable his Father lived For though the Priests had their Cities by lot in other Tribes namely Judah Simeon and Benjamin see Ch. 21.4 yet that the High Priest might be near to Joshua the Governour who dwelt in Mount Ephraim and that he might enquire of the Lord for him upon any special occasion and that he might be near to the Tabernacle which at this time was in Shiloh 't is like Eleazar (y) Donarunt forsan hunc locum honorarium Eleazaro ut Joshuae contiguus habitaret qui tamen est a Filio cognominatus in posterum Anonym in loc here lived and was now here buried Josh Ch. 24. whole Chapter SECT CXXII WE are now come to the Book of Judges The Book of Iudges which comprehends an History of the Common-wealth of Israel from the death of Joshua to the days of Eli containing the space of 299 years during which time they lived under the Government of certain Judges whom God successively and extraordinarily raised up and endowed with a Spirit of Wisdom and Courage to Rule over them as His Deputies and Vicegerents There are twelve of these mentioned in this Book viz. 1. Othniel whose Government from the death of Joshua is reckoned to be 40 years 2. Ehud 80 3. Deborath 40 4. Gideon 40 5. Abimelech 3 6. Thola 23 7. Jair 22 8. Jephtha 6 9. Ibzan 7 10. Elon 10 11. Abdon 8 12. Sampson 20 299 Within which space of time we are to comprehend the Six Oppressions of the Israelites mentioned in this Book and not to reckon them apart but as included within the years of the Judges and the Rest of the Land viz. Under Cushan 8 years Eglon 18 Jabin 20 Midian 7 Ammonites 18 Philistines 20 To the twelve Judges before-mentioned Eli and Samuel succeeded whose Acts are not here set down but in the First Book of Samuel Now there being 480 to be reckoned from the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt to the building of Solomon's Temple 1 Kings 6.1 we may compute them thus 40 years spent in the Wilderness 17 in Joshua's Government 299 in the times of the twelve Judges 40 in Eli's time 40 in Samuel and Saul's 40 in David's 4 in Solomon's in the Fourth Year of whose Reign the Foundation of the Temple was laid 480 As to the Pen-man of this Book of Judges 't is very uncertain who it was But it seems to be gathered by some Prophet of God out of the Publick Records and Registers that were kept of their Affairs Some think Samuel was the Compiler of it SECT CXXIII JOshua being now dead and having a little before his death encouraged the people to expel the Canaanites that remained out of the Land though they had no man at present chosen of God and set over them to Command them in chief as Moses and Joshua did and finding that it was fit for them to go on with the War they assembled together as it seems at Shiloh to consult about this matter And because the success of their first Attempts would be of great consequence either to encourage or dishearten their Enemies they thought fit that Phineas the High Priest should enquire of the Lord for them by Vrim and Thummim which of their Tribes should first begin and set upon the Canaanites that still remained among them and the Lord appointed that the Tribe of Judah the Royal Tribe and the strongest and most populous of them all should begin the War and first clear his portion of the Enemy Caleb the Son of Jephunneh is chosen General for the Tribe and the Simeonites who had their lot within theirs being invited to joyn with them they readily agreed to it the Tribe of Judah promising to assist them afterwards in clearing their lot In this Expedition they took the City of Bezek * Bezek a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from Jerusalem and after they had taken it in the pursuit when the King thereof with many of his people fled to save his life they killed ten thousand men They also took their King Adonibezek and cut off his Thumbs and his great Toes having as it seems when they took the City found some of those poor Captive Kings that had been thus inhumanely used by him or else had heard of the Tyranny he had exercised upon them in that kind and therefore thought fit according to the Law of Retaliation Exod. 21.24 to serve him after the same manner Adonibezek could not but acknowledge the justice of God upon him herein For says He threescore and ten Kings (z) Reguli diversarum urbium Ante Ninum teste Justino quisque Rex terminis civitatis suae contentus erat Petty Kings of particular Cities not that he had so many at once under this base slavery but in the whole course of his life some after others 't is like he did it in a base sporting cruelty or else thereby to unfit them for War unde homines viles defides Italis Gallis Poltroni vocantur id est pollice trunci having their Thumbs and great Toes cut off gathered their meat under my Table as I have done to them so God hath requited me Then the men of Judah carried this great Tyrant and shewed him before Jerusalem to strike the greater terrour into the Jebusites and there they killed him and then sacked and burnt that City viz. that part of it which was in their Tribe For though the former King of it had been slain in the Field Josh 10. yet was not the City taken nor it nor any other City fired in Joshua's time but only Jericho Ai and Hazor and therefore the eighth verse should be read And the Children of Judah warred against Jerusalem and took it and smote it c. not as if it had been taken before Judges 1. from 1. to 9. * For these Verses from v. 9. to 16. see Sect. 108. because the Author of this History was here to relate the memorable Exploits that were done by the men of Judah therefore together with those noble Acts which they did after the death of Joshua He repeats also those which were done by them whilst Joshua lived under the command of Caleb both against Hebron and Debir that He might set forth the glory of this Tribe more fully SECT CXXIV JEthro's Family call'd Kenites that had come up with Joshua and Israel into the Land of Canaan and dwelt in their Tents which was ever their way of living about Jericho the City of Palm-Trees among the people of the Tribe of Judah and Judah having now cleared his portion in so good a measure that they began to spread into new Plantations These Kenites went along with them and setled themselves with them in the South upon the Coasts of the Amalekites and so in Saul's time were mingled among them see 1 Sam. 15.6 These Kenites were the root of the Rechabites of whom more is
spoken Jer. Ch. 35. Judg. Ch. 1. vers 16. SECT CXXV AS Simeon had before assisted Judah in clearing his lot so now Judah assists Simeon in clearing his And joyning together they first Conquer Hormah and utterly destroy it and the reason hereof seems to be because of the Vow which the Israelites had made long since when Arad a King of the Canaanites had made War against them see Numb 21.3 They took also Gaza and Askelon and Ekron with their Coasts though it seems the Philistines soon recovered these three Cities again and drave out the Israelites before they had well setled themselves in them see Ch. 3.1 2 3. 1 Sam. 6.17 and the reason hereof was because the Israelites soon provoked the Lord by their Sins As for Ekron it was in Dan's lot Josh 19.43 Therefore it seems the Tribe of Judah joyned with those of Dan as well as with those of Simeon to help them to clear their Coasts The Lord being thus with Judah they drave out the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountainous Country but their own fears disabling them and God for their sins withdrawing his help from them they could not drive them out of the Vallies and Plains not daring it seems to set upon them because of their Iron-Chariots of which see Josh 17.16 Whereas this was no just cause to deter them seeing they had God's Promise of Victory It was therefore their own sinful fear and want of Faith in Gods Promises that hindred them from driving them out Judges 1.17 18 19. SECT CXXVI THe several Tribes are now working themselves into a settlement in their several lots but are not careful to root out the Canaanites but suffer'd them to live among them notwithstanding Gods Command which injoyned them utterly to destroy them and root them out And particularly the Children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited that part of Jerusalem which was in their lot viz. The Castle and Fort Josh 15.63 so that the Jebusites dwelt there unconquered till David's time 2 Sam. 5.6 7. And the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh went up against Bethel to take it because it belonged to their lot Josh 16.2 And their Spies catch'd a man that came out of the City and they told him If he would shew them how they might enter the City that is some weak place thereof where they might make their Entry the Gates being lock'd and bar'd they would shew him mercy and not only spare his life but the lives of those that belonged to him The man hereupon did shew them where they might enter the City and they entring accordingly smote it with the edge of the Sword but let the man * Non ut Rahab se ex fide Hebraeis adjungit sed avaritia ductus aut pavore prodidit Patriam Civitatem cujus tamen excitat memoriam sic Salamina posuit Teucer in Cypro Nov. and all his Family go so the man and his Company went among the Hittites who inhabited on the North-side of Mount Ephraim and there being as it seems a rich man with his Family Friends and Allies who were spared for his sake built a City and call'd it Luz after the name of the City in which probably he was born and bred that the memory of it might not perish but be preserved to Posterity Further that half-half-Tribe of Manasseh that dwelt in Canaan having disabled themselves by their Sins and so deprived themselves of God's Assistance drave not out the Canaanites out of Bethshean Taanach Dor Ibleam and Megiddo but they would dwell there either by Force or by Composition see Josh 17.11 12. And when the Israelites were grown strong and so by God's assistance might easily have driven them out if they had had an heart to set about it they out of Sloth Cowardliness or Covetousness let them alone on condition they would pay them Tribute Neither did the Children of Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer viz. out of the City but they possessed it till Pharaoh took it and burnt it 1 Kings 9.16 Neither did Zebulun drive out the Canaanites out of his lot but only made them Tributary which shews that they might have subdued them seeing they could force them to pay them Tribute Neither did Asher drive out the old Inhabitants out of his lot but they were forc'd to live intermixed with them Neither did Naphtali drive the Canaanites out of his portion but only made them Tributary And though the Children of Dan had at first prevailed against the Amorites and possessed themselves of their Country yet afterwards the Amorites getting more strength recovered the best part of it namely the Vallies and forced the Danites into the Mountains where being much straitened they took occasion to enlarge their possessions by making that Expedition unto Laish mentioned Ch. 18. but the more fruitful Mountains of Heres they would not be driven out of till the House of Joseph assisting the Danities they so far prevailed that they made them Tributary And thus the Israelites by their own sloth suffered themselves to be hemmed in with those accursed Canaanites contenting themselves if they would pay them some small Tribute And this was the first step of their defection from God which did afterwards lead them into greater and grosser Enormities Judg. 1. from 21. to the end SECT CXXVII THe people of Israel now finding themselves sorely annoyed by the Canaanites in several parts of the Land there was it seems an Assembly called of the Heads of all the Tribes to Shiloh that they might Consult what was fit for them to do in this case The Lord was pleased to send the Angel of the Covenant to them in an Humane shape the same Angel that appeared to Joshua at Gilgal Josh 5.14 and therefore is here said to come up from Gilgal who sharply reproves them for their remisness and carelesness in executing the Commands of God He tells them He brought them up out of Egypt into that good Land and He would never break his Covenant with them if they did not first break their Covenant with Him He had commanded them That they should make no League with the Canaanites Deut. 7.2 but should throw down their Altars Deut. 11.3 but they had not obeyed his Voice therein Therefore says he I said I will not drive out the Inhabitants of the Land before you but they shall be as Thornes in your Sides and their gods shall be a Snare unto you to intangle you in their Idolatry to your perdition Exod. 23.33 34.12 The people being convinc'd by the Angel's words of their great Sin they lifted up their Voice and wept and they called the place upon that occasion Bochim * Called so v. 1. by anticipation and here from the event because the Israelites did weep abundantly in this place viz. the place of Weepers And here they offered Sacrifices to the Lord to make Attonement for their sins Judg. 2. from 1. to 6.
Levites Concubine was of the former sort viz. a secundary Wife for the Levite is called her Husband vers 3. and Ch. 20.4 This Concubine as it seems was false to the Levite her Husband and play'd the Whore whereupon a Quarrel arising between them she left him and went home again to her Fathers house who was too ready to entertain her Though it was usual for all sorts even the Levites themselves at that time to take Concubines yet the sad effects that followed hereupon shewed that God was not pleased with it From the beginning it was not so says our Saviour Matth. 19.8 The Levite follows after her to see if he could by fair means bring her to repent and amend and to return to him again He being willing to be reconciled to her rather than forsake her if it were possible When he came to her Fathers house He received him and entertained him very kindly and he stayed with him three days On the fourth day in the morning the breach being as it seems made up and he ready to depart with his Wife His Father-in-law desired him to comfort his heart with a morsel of bread and so they sate down and did eat and drink together and upon his further importunity he stayed with him that night also On the next day he entertained him again and engaged him to stay till the Afternoon and would have had him lodged there that night also seeing the Sun was then declining But he would not but took his leave of him and departed with his Wife and Servant When they came over against Jebus or Jerusalem which was now in the possession of the Jebusites (b) For though the Children of Judah had taken from the Jebusites that part of the City which was in their Tribe see Jud. 1.8 yet out of that part which belonged to Benjamin on which side the Levite was now travelling the Jebusites were not expelled see Judg. 1.21 his Man advised that they should turn into that City and lodge there that night but the Levite said We will not turn into a City inhabited by the accursed Canaanites estranged from God and his Laws we will go to Gibeah * The best Counsel sometimes may have the worst success to teach us that there is a secret hand of God that over-rules all Events not far from hencc and in our way to Mount Ephraim It was Sun-set by the time they came thither When they came into the Street of the City they met with no man that had so much Humanity or Hospitality in him as to invite them to his house At last an old man of Mount Ephraim a Sojourner in that City coming from his work out of the Fields and seeing the Levite asked him Whence he came and whither he was going He told him he dwelt in Mount Ephraim but he meant to go first to Shiloh where the Tabernacle then was to perform his Service there and then to go on in his Journey home-ward But says he here is no man for ought I perceive has so much kindness as to receive us into his house though we should put him to little or no charge for we have brought from whence we came a bundle of Straw and Provender for our Asses and we have Bread and Wine sufficient for our selves The old man said Peace be unto thee let all thy wants lie upon me that is take no further care either for Lodging or Provision I will take the care of all upon my self to provide all Necessaries for thee and all that belong unto thee Therefore turn in unto my house which accordingly they presently did and there he took care of their Asses and then washing their Feet according to the Rites of Hospitality practised in that hot Country he entertained them and they sat down to eat and drink with Him Now as they were making their hearts merry certain Sons of Belial following the example of their good Brethren and Predecessors of Sodom Gen. 19.4 beset the house round requiring the old man to bring forth the Levite to them that they might abuse him by unnatural lust The old man came out to them and entreated them not to do so abominable a thing He tells them He had in his house a Daughter a Maiden and there was also the Levite's Concubine He would bring them both out to them and they might humble them and do what they would to them but he desired them to spare his Guest the Levite and not make him the Subject of their base Villany But though the old man was to be commended for his desire to observe the Laws of Hospitality yet the means he used are to be condemned as very sinful seeing we may not do evil that good may come thereof Rom. 3.8 Of the evils of punishment indeed we may chuse the less that we may avoid the greater but of the evils of Sin we must chuse neither seeing the least sin is worse than the greatest punishment But these Sons of Belial were nothing moved with what He said therefore the Levite to prevent evil to his courteous Host brought forth his own Concubine (c) See Sect. 9. of Ch. 3. Suam Levita producit ut Hospiti Consulat Ita divinitus ordinatum ut scortando scortum intereat to them and they took her and abused her all night until the morning in a most inhumane and detestable manner Thus the Providence of God rescued the old mans Daughter who was innocent from the rage and lust of these wicked Villains and the storm fell on the Levites Concubine who though her Husband had pardoned yet God now punished Vncleanness was her sin and uncleanness was now the cause of her death Culpa libido fuit poena libido fuit In the morning she came and fell down at the old mans door The Levite seeing her lie all along with her hands on the Threshold he bad her arise that they might be gone But she not answering He perceived she was dead Then carrying her upon his Asse he went home and when he was come thither he took a Knife and cut her body into twelve pieces and sent to each Tribe a piece of her that so horrible a Spectacle might incense their wrath and stir up their spirits to take sharper Revenge on the Actors of so detestable a Villany and that they might not suffer those Pests to live and poison the Air with their breath and so pull down Gods fearful Judgments on the whole Land The Messengers acquainting the Tribes with the cause why the Levite had done this all that heard of it cried out That there was never such a horrid Villany done or seen among them since they came out of Egypt * Hosea 9.9 They have deeply coâ—rupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah And therefore stirring up one another not to let it pass unrevenged they said Let us consider of it take advice and speak our minds that we may take the best
course we can to bring these desperate Offendors to deserved punishment Judg. Ch. 19. whole Chapter SECT CXXXI THen all the Children of Israel that is the chief of them viz the Elders Officers and Captains from Dan to Beersheba together with those without Jordan met together as one man at Mizpeh (d) In the Tribe of Benjamin or in the Confines of Judah and Benjamin and so reckoned among the Cities of both Tribes Josh 15 38. Ch. 18.26 which was a place they usually held their publick Assemblies in 1 Sam. 7.5 Judg. 10.15 as being in the heart of the Land excepting only the Benjamites who it seems refused to come to this meeting or to send any Messengers to them resolving to defend the men of Gibeah against them The Israelites came together to act this weighty business as in Gods presence and to ask Counsel of Him and to hear what He would give them in charge about it No less then four hundred thousand men now met who expressed their Zeal to punish this abominable Fact of the men of Gibeah But though they were sensible of the injury done to the Levite and his Concubine yet it seems they took no notice of the great and provoking Injury done to God by tolerating the Idolatry of the Danites for which we shall see that God now intends to reckon with them This great Assembly being thus met the Levite came and declared his Case to them He shews them how barbarously the men of Gibeah had used his Concubine and how they had abused her even till they had killed her and they thought to have done the like to him also which rather than he would have endured he would have lost his life And therefore seeing they were all Israelites they ought to take to heart that such and so foul an Abominaiion was committed in Israel and ought to revenge it accordingly The people were so inflamed hereat that they vowed they would not so much as go home to their own houses till they had executed Judgment upon those that were guilty of so abominable a Villany Then they sent Messengers to the Tribe of Benjamin to desire them to deliver up these Sons of Belial in Gibeah to deserved punishment who were guilty of this Crime that so wrath might not be poured forth upon the whole Land for it and herehy they would prevent a Civil War and great blood-shed which else was like to ensue The Benjamites it seems thinking it a dishonour to them that the other Tribes should intermeddle with punishing any within their Territories and being highly conceited of their own strength and ability for Martial Affairs and presuming possibly that they were able to make good their part against all the other Tribes of Israel they would not hearken to their Brethren but prepared to fight it out The Israelites perceiving that the Benjamites would not deliver the Malefactors into their hands but were resolved rather to defend them they vowed that if they vanquished the Benjamites as they doubted not but they should they would not give any of their Daughters in marriage to any of them that were left alive see Ch. 21.1 and likewise that they would destroy every Town throughout the whole Land of Israel that would not send some of their people to this Assembly nor help them in this War Ch. 21.5 Then they determined to cast lots who among them should go up to fight against Gibeah and who should go forth to fetch in Provisions for the Camp For they thought that one in ten had need be set apart for this Service and who they should be the lot should decide Then they went to Shiloh to inquire of the Lord by the High Priest having on the Ephod Numb 27.21 which of them should go up first to the battel against the Children of Benjamin They did not inquire of the Lord Whither they should go up against the Benjamites or whither they should prevail They did not pray to God for his help nor by Fasting and Humiliation and true Repentance humble themselves for their manifold Sins nor by offering up Sacrifices of atonement seek to make their peace with God but relying on the justness of their Cause and their great Numbers and strength like men presuming of the Victory to prevent variance among themselves and striving for the honour of the day They desire only to know which of the Tribes should go up first against Benjamin They concluded that having eleven Tribes against one and four hundred thousand fighting men on their side they must needs prevail The Lord tells them Judah shall go up first The Children of Benjamin also on the other hand prepared themselves for the Encounter and numbring their Forces they found they were twenty six thousand fighting men besides the Inhabitants of Gibeah which were seven hundred chosen men and in this their Army they had seven hundred choice men left-handed every one of them could sling a stone at an hairs breadth (e) An hyperbolical expression signifying they were exceeding skilful in slinging stones and could commonly hit a small mark and not miss Matters being thus ordered on both sides the men of Israel went out to battel against Benjamin and the Benjamites drew out their Forces out of Gibeah against them and they joyning battel the Benjamites prevailed and cut down to the ground and destroyed twenty two thousand of the Israelites that day The Israelites upon this ill success retired to Shiloh and wept before the Lord but it seems it was more for the shame of the defeat and their loss of men than for their sins They inquire of the Lord again whither they shall go up a second time against Benjamin their Brother but neither crave his Assistance nor inquire of the Success whereby they intimate that they supposed the cause of their ill Success before was because God was not pleased with their warring against their Brethren but they think not of their sins the true cause and therefore God answers them accordingly Go up says He against Him as if He should have said though Benjamin be your Brother yet you may fight against him So the Children of Israel encouraged themselves and went up against the Children of Benjamin the next day The Benjamites drew out again out of Gibeah and defeated the Israelites a second time and slew eighteen thousand more of them Upon this second overthrow the Israelites run to Shiloh again and there fast and mourn and repent of their sins in good earnest Now they perceived that though God liked their Cause yet he was displeased with their persons They saw that God did avenge his Own Cause upon them because they would not avenge his Cause against Idolaters Therefore they now afflict their Souls in a most solemn manner and offer Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings to make atonement for their Sins that so they might obtain Gods favour They now inquire again of the Lord by Phineas the High Priest and by Vrim and
hundred men that were with him approached the Enemies Camp about Midnight when they had newly set the Watch and spreading themselves round the Camp as far as their number could extend and breaking their Pitchers and discovering their Lights and blowing their Trumpets cried out The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon The Enemy in the dead of the night being terrified at the sight of so many Lights on a suddain burning about them and hearing so many Trumpets sounding and so many men crying out The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon could not but apprehend they were encompassed with a mighty Army and thereupon all the Host made an hideous Out-cry and ran and fled and shifted for themselves as well as they could In this great Consternation the Lord by his Providence ordered it so that they fell one upon another and slew their Friends instead of their Enemies See the like 1 Sam. 14.15 20. 2 Chron. 20.23 And some of the Midianites fled to one place and some to another in the Tribe of Manasseh where the Over-throw was given The men of Israel hearing of this great Defeat and routing of the Midianitish-Army gathered themselves presently together out of Naphtali Asher and Manasseh to assist Gideon in the pursuit And Gideon sent Messengers through all Mount Ephraim to desire them to come in to his Assistance and especially to take care to stop the Midianites at all the Fords and Passages of the River Jordan that reached down as far as Beth-barah The Ephraimites did as He desired them and accordingly took at the Fords of Jordan Oreb and Zeeb two of their Princes with many others so that there were no less than an hundred and twenty thousand of the Midianites and their Confederates destroyed within Jordan And they slew Oreb on the Rock Oreb and Zeeb at the Wine-press of Zeeb places so called in after-times upon this occasion and lying at the East-end of Mount Ephraim near Jordan Gideon understanding that many of the Midianites to the number of fifteen thousand together with their Princes Zeba and Zalmunna had escaped over Jordan before the Passages could be secured He with his three hundren men went in pursuit after them and coming near to Succoth a City in the Tribe of Gad and his Souldiers being faint he desired the men of that City to give them some Loaves of bread for their present refreshment for they were very weary and faint and so it would be an act of mercy to relieve them and they were in pursuit of the Common Enemy and so it would be but an act of Justice to strengthen their hands in so good a Design But the men of Succoth * Which had its name from Booths which Jacob made there at his return from Mesopotaemia Gen. 33.17 answered him Churlishly What say they are Zeba and Zalmunna thy Prisoners Are they in thy Power that should respect thee as Victor over them or rather have we not cause to fear they will recruit their Army and return and revenge it upon us if we shew thee any kindness Thus they incensed Gideon by refusing him Succour and that with contemptuous Scorn and in favour of their Tyrannical Enemies see the like 1 Sam. 25.10 Whereupon he told them That when the Lord had delivered Zeba and Zalmunna into his hands he would for this tear their Flesh with the Thornes and Briers of the Wilderness Then he marched up to Penuel a City also in the same Tribe and desired some Relief of them for his Souldiers in this their extremity and they answered him with the like scorn and contempt that the men of Succoth had done He told them That when he returned in peace that is safe and victorious he would for this barbarous Usage destroy them and break down their strong Tower or Fort in which they had so much confidence Zeba and Zalmunna with those fifteen thousand that had escaped were got to Karkor a City on the other side of Jordan towards the East Gideon fearing he should be discovered if he followed right on towards them He fetched a compass about by the way of the Arabians that dwelt in Tents and so came upon them on the East-side viz. on the East of Nobah and Jogbehah from whence they feared no Enemy and so were very secure not imagining that they had been pursued by the Israelites Gideon being thus come up to them he fell upon them on the sudden probably in the night discomfited all their Host and in the pursuit took Zeba and Zalmunna After this Victory carrying these two Kings along with him he marched in the night towards Succoth that he might surprize them And coming near the City before the Sun was up he took a young man that was come out of the City and examining him strictly concerning the Elders of the City he gave him their Names in writing which were 77 in all and possibly told him where they dwelt and how they might be known For Gideon knowing the Magistrates only to be in fault that he was so scornfully denied a little refreshing for his Souldiers therefore he was the more careful to inquire after their Names that none might suffer but those that were guilty Gideon having got this Intelligence entred the City of Succoth and then told them They might now behold Zeba and Zalmunna with whom they did before upbraid him and asked him in scorn Whether they were his Prisoners He should now teach them what it was to use their Brethren that were fighting for them so scornfully and unworthily So he took the Elders of Succoth and with the Briars and Thornes of the Wilderness which lay between Succoth and Penuel he caused them to be scourged to death * For being equal in guilt with the men of Penuel in reason we cannot suppose that their punishment was less than theirs see vers 17. and by this severe Punishment inflicted on them he taught the rest of the people to take heed for time to come of committing any such hainous Trespass against God and their Brethren or slighting those whom God imploys Then he went to Penuel and slew the Magistrates of that City also as he had done before at Succoth and threw down their Tower or Fort. These Executions being over Gideon now calls Zeba and Zalmunna to account for what they had done He tells them He had heard that in their last Invasion they had put many of those Israelites to death who had hid themselves in those strong Holds and Caves of Mount Tabor and fearing lest his own Brethren were of the number of those whom they had thus slain because they had not been heard of since He asks them What manner of men they were that they had slain at Tabor They answered As thou art so were they that is they were of a goodly and comely Personage as thou art and such as might well beseem men of a Princely and Royal Stock He then perceived they were his Brethren He
Israel many years He had many Wives by whom he had sixty nine Sons and one Concubine who dwelt at Shechem whom he took as a secundary Wife and in an inferiour degree having been before his Maid-Servant Ch. 9 18. by whom he had Abimelech At length Gideon died in a good old age and was buried in the Sepulchre of his Father at Ophra Ch. 8. from vers 22. to the 33. SECT CXLI PResently after Gideon was dead the Israelites fell to Idolatry again and went a whoring after Baalim and worshipped Baal-Berith for their god the Idol of the Shechemites signifying the Lord of the Covenant so called possibly because when they made choice of him to be their Idol-god they bound themselves by Covenant to serve him which possibly the Devil put them upon in imitation of God and so by adhering to him they broke their Covenant with God And they were now so besotted with Idolatry that they forgot the only true God their great Deliverer and wholly neglected his Worship and Service and worshipped only Idols Neither shewed they themselves grateful to Gideon who had deserved so well of them neither did they shew kindness or seek the good and welfare of his Family The people being thus generally corrupted as the Lord had formerly punished their Idolatry and Apostacy by suffering some of the Neighbour-Nations to Invade them and sorely Afflict them so now he resolved to punish them by the Tyranny of One from among themselves even by Abimelech the Son of Gideon their late Judge who upon his Fathers death attempted to get to himself the Regal Power which his Father had so lately refused To make way hereunto he went presently to Shechem and there began to tamper with his Vncles his Mothers Brothers and the rest of her Kindred and employed them as his Instruments being possibly of some Rank and Esteem in Shechem to see if they could draw the Inhabitants of that City to Aid and Assist him in his Project not doubting but if he could effect this he should be able well enough to accomplish the rest of his Design And thus by the Miseries which this Son of a Concubine brought upon his Fathers House and the whole Kingdom we may see that God did even in those Times testifie his Displeasure against their having several Wives and Concubines though for the present He did permit it But to proceed Abimelech being come to Shechem and addressing himself to his Kindred and acquainting them with his Design He desires them to perswade the men of Shechem to make him King He tells them That though his Father had in modesty refused the Kingdom yet it was fit now according to their Profer they should settle it upon his Posterity Secondly He perswades them that his Brethren had a Plot upon the Kingdom to divide it among themselves though it does not appear they had any such thought and he shews them that it were better for them to settle the Government upon Him alone then to suffer themselves to be under the Command of all Gideon's Sons 3ly He tells them He was bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh and being of their own blood they might expect all kindness and favour from him and further it would be a great honour and advantage to them to have a King so nearly allied to them Abimelech's Kindred seemed much pleased with what he had said to them and accordingly moved the business to the rest of the men of Shechem whose hearts readily inclined to favour Abimelech's design because he was their Kinsman And in order to the carrying on thereof they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the Treasure of their Idol-god Baal-Berith wherewith he hired vain and light persons to follow him and these he armed that he might by their Aid and Assistance accomplish what he had designed And thus the money that had been given to their Idol-god became the first fewel for the kindling of that fire in the Land wherewith the Lord intended to punish the Idolatry and other Sins of the people With these Forces and the assistance of some of the Shechemites V. 5. Being threescore and ten persons 'T is usual in Scripture to put a perfect and round number for an imperfect see Gen. 42.13 Numb 14.32 33. 1 Cor. 15.5 Abimelech went to Ophra and there seizing all his Fathers Sons excepting Jotham the youngest and pretending something against them under a pretence of Justice as if they had had some Plot upon the State tending to the ruine of it he put them all to death and executed them all in one place upon one Stone This being done the men of Shechem gathered themselves together and the Magistrates of the City who were wont to meet in a Town-House or Common-Hall called the House of Millo and made Abimelech King Abimelech the Fifth Judge if at least He may be so esteemed seeing He was not set up by the appointment of God and so proclaimed him in the Field near Shechem where Joshua in former time had erected a great stone under an Oak Josh 24.26 Indeed it may seem strange that the Inhabitants of one City should dare to do this alone of themselves it being expresly also against the Law of God Deut. 17.14 15. Thou shalt in any wise set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse But though the Shechemites possibly at first made him King only over their own City yet afterwards it seems many other Israelites of other Towns and Tribes did come in moved by their Example and Perswasion and joyned with them and accepted him for their King and the rather because they generally began to be weary of the Government God had established among them and longed to be like other Nations in having a King to Reign over them Abimelech therefore daily gathering more and more strength at last he usurped the Title of King over the whole Nation whence he is said to have reigned three years over Israel vers 22. The Lord now intending to punish Abimelech and the Shechemites for changing the Government which he had established among them and especially for the barbarous Murther committed upon the Sons of Gideon by a special Instinct of his Spirit He moved Jotham who of all the Sons of Gideon had escaped the hands of Abimelech to go to the Inhabitants of Shechem and to give them warning before-hand of the Calamities and Judgments that were like to befal them if they did not repent of this their great wickedness Accordingly going to Mount Gerizim which was near Shechem and at a time as it seems when the Shechemites upon some publick Festivity or such solemn occasion were there * From the Mountain of Blessings they now hear a Curse denounced against them met together He lift up his Voice and spake to them saying Hearken to me ye men of Shechem that God may hearken unto you intimating to them that God had sent him to them with that
encouraged the Philistines to invade their Land soon after Jephtah's death At this time there was a certain man of Zorah of the Family of the Danites whose Name was Manoah and his Wife was barren (f) Sarah Rebecca Rachel the Wife of Manoah Hanna the Shunamite Elizabeth long barren Women had at last notable Children To her the Son of God (g) He is called by Manoah Elohim vers 22. by his Wife Jehovah vers 23. Himself saith his Name is Secret or Wonderful which is one of the Names given to Christ Isa 9.6 the great Angel of the Covenant appeared who in those times often appeared in humane shape and told her She should conceive and bare a Son but she must not drink Wine or strong Drink * Non tam ad robur haec spectant quam ad Sanctimoniam nor eat any unclean thing such as were forbidden to the Nazarites either while she was with Child of him or while she gave him Suck because all that time he was to have his nourishment from her and God appointed he should be from his Conception a Nazarite unto him and no Razour should come upon his head and he should begin h to deliver the Israelites out of the hands of their Oppressors The woman came and told her Husband That a Man of God had appeared to her whose Countenance was very Venerable and full of Majesty like that of an Angel and wrought in her a kind of astonishment and fear But he neither told her Whence he came nor what was his Name Manoah hearing this earnestly prayed unto the Lord that this Man of God might come to them again (k) The work of shaking off the Yoke of the Philistines was begun by Sampson and was carried on afterwards in the days of Eli Samuel Saul till at length they were perfectly subdued by David and might teach them what they should do unto the child that should be born to them Shortly after the Angel appeared again unto the Woman as she sate in the field She ran and call'd her Husband who coming to him askt him if he was the man of God that had before appeared unto his Wife and had told her those things concerning the child that should be born to them He said he was Manoah upon this crys out let thy words come to pass and if it will be so I pray thee shew us how we should order the child when he is born The Angel answers let thy wife abstain from all those things which I forbad her while she is with child and while she giveth suck viz. wine strong drink and eating any unclean thing and afterwards let her take care that her son refrain from them also seeing God hath extraordinarily called him and appointed him to be a Nazarite to himself to whom by the Law all these things are forbidden Therefore what hath forbidden to thy Wife thy Son must also abstain from seeing they are forbidden to her only for his sake Manoah not knowing he was an Angel desires him that he would please to stay a little while till they could make ready a Kid to entertain him and express their respects to him See Gen. 18.8 19.3 The Angel tells him he should not eat with him If he would needs be at that cost to provide a Kid he should bestow it in such a way as would be more acceptable to God and profitable to himself namely by offering it as a Sacrifice unto God to express his thankfulness for so great a benefit as God had now promised unto him Then Manoah humbly desires to know his name that when that which he had told them should come to pass they might do him honour and might make report to others concerning his skill in foretelling future things that so he might be highly honoured as a Prophet of the most High The Angel replies Why askest thou after my name seeing it is secret that is not to be search'd into or Wonderful and Incomprehensible Isa 9.6 My name says he is not to be too curiously inquir'd into but I shall make known my self presently to thee by my wonderful actions So Manoah took a Kid and a Meat-offering and offered it upon a Rock that was hard by to the Lord. 'T is true neither the person sacrificing nor the place where this Sacrifice was offered were warrantable by the Law but the Angels command was sufficient warrant for both And it came to pass when the flame ascended from off the Altar the Angel ascended up to Heaven in the flame which wonderful sight discovered to Manoah and his Wife that he was the Angel of the Covenant the Son of God who does present our prayers and services before the Lord and procures them to be graciously accepted by him Manoah and his Wife seeing this fell on their faces to the ground and he said to his Wife we shall surely die because we have seen God He fears according to an ancient opinion that ran among them see Judg. 6.22 Exod. 33.20 that they must die because they had seen such a vision of which they were most unworthy His Wife comforts him saying If the Lord intended to kill us surely he would not have received a Burnt-offering and a Meat-offering at our hands And he hath testified his acceptance of it by ascending in the flame of it to carry it up as it were to Heaven with him and to present it unto God for us Further she argues if God had intended to kill them he would not have promised them a Son who should begin to save Israel nor would he have given her directions how she should order her self and the child when he was born These arguments 't is like satisfied Manoah So shortly after the Woman conceived and bare a Son and called his name Sampson and the child grew and the Lord blessed him and indued him with admirable strength of body courage of mind and all other gifts requisite for those high services he intended him for And when he was very young in the Camp of the Danites which they had formed to withstand the incursions of the Philistines the Spirit of God began at times to move and excite him to strange and admirable exploits even beyond the ordinary courage and strength of man Ch. 12. from 8 to 11. Ch. 13. whole Chapter SECT CXLVII AFter Ibzan Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel ten years Elon 10th Judg. After him Abdon of Pyrathon * Benaiah Davids Worthy was born here 2 Sam. 23.30 Abdon 11 Judg. that lay Westward of Samaria and Sechem on a high Mountain formerly inhabited by the Amalekites and called by their name judged Israel eight years He had forty Sons and thirty Grandsons that rode upon Ass-colts which shewed them to be persons of Dignity and Estate Ch. 12. from 11 to the end SECT CXLVIII SAmson being now about twenty years of age Samson 12th Judg. goes down to Timnah a City in the Tribe of Dan but at
it were but in some of the meanest services of the Temple only that they may eat bread see Ezek. 44.13 14. 1 Sam. 2. from 12. to 18. and from 22. to the end SECT CLIV. THE impiety and wickedness of the times was now so great that the word of the Lord was precious there was no open vision that is there was not a man openly known to whom the Lord appeared in Visions or whom he sent forth among the people with a word of Prophesie in his mouth So that the Lord did not now reveal his mind to them by his Prophets as he used to do at other times See Psal 74.9 And this is mentioned probably for the honour of Samuel to whom the Lord was pleased to appear at such a time as this and to re-establish in him the Prophetick Office See 2 Chron. 35.18 and Act. 3.24 And the particular time when the Lord appeared to him is also set down which was when Eli being very old and his eyes dim was laid down in his place that is to take his rest in that place and in that lodging which belonged to him as High-Priest near unto the Court of the Tabernacle and it was towards the morning before the Lamps that were in the Golden Candlestick in the Tabernacle were gone out or the oyl spent See Exod. 30.7 Samuel being laid down to sleep in a Chamber near unto him the Lord calls him who awaking and supposing his Master Eli had called him ran to him but Eli told him that he did not call him and therefore bids him lye down again The Lord calls Samuel a second time and he runs again to Eli who tells him he did not call him and bids him go to his bed again Samuel was not yet acquainted with that way whereby the Lord did use to make known himself to his Prophets viz. by Visions neither had there been as yet any such revelation made unto him The Lord calls him a third time and he running again to Eli supposing that he had called him Eli then perceived that the Lord had appeared unto him he bids him therefore go and lye down again and if he heard the voice calling him any more he should say Speak Lord for thy servant heareth Samuel lying down again the Lord came and stood and called Samuel Samuel appearing possibly in a visible shape he answered as Eli had bidden him Speak Lord for thy servant heareth then the Lord said to him Behold I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle See 2 King 12.12 meaning the discomfiture of the Israelites the taking of the Ark the death of Eli's Sons and Eli's falling down backward and breaking his neck his daughter-in-law Phinehas's wife falling presently into the pains of Travel and dying Judgments so dreadful and hideous that every one that heard of them must needs be filled with horrour and astonishment And then will I perform against Eli all things that I have spoken concerning his house And though it may be some time e're I begin thus to visit him yet when I have once begun I will not cease till I have made an end For I have told him that I will judg his house for ever that is punish it till it be utterly ruined for the iniquity which he knew his Sons committed and yet he restrained them not neither chiding them severely as he was a Father nor deposing them from their office as he was the High-Priest nor punishing them corporally as he was a Judg. Therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli 's house shall not be purged with Sacrifice nor offering for ever that is that the temporal punishment denounced against them should not be kept off or averted by any Sacrifices or Oblations whatsoever though by their unfeigned repentance they may prevent their eternal misery Samuel having heard these sad words rose in the morning and opened the doors of the Tabernacle which seems at this time to be housed as we shewed before but he was affraid to acquaint Eli with the things revealed to him in this Vision because he knew that such tidings would wound his heart and he feared to offend him by bringing such a displeasing message unto him Eli therefore call'd him and charg'd him to declare all that the Lord had said unto him for being conscious of his Sons leudness and his own too great indulgence towards them he apprehended that some heavy sentence was denounced from the Lord against him and therefore he was so eager to know it that he said God do so to thee and more (a) See Notes on Ruth 1.17 also if thou hidest any thing from me Hereupon Samuel told him all Eli in an humble submissive manner replies It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good After this Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and suffered none of his words to fall to the ground but exactly perform'd what he had foretold by him and all Israel even from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a Prophet of the Lord and effectually call'd and sent to execute this office among them and that God had firmly setled him in it by making good his own word in his mouth So that after the long intermission and cessation of Prophetical Vision whereby the word of the Lord was become rare and precious as we have shew'd before the Lord renewed this gift of Prophesie by appearing in Shiloh unto Samuel and revealing his mind and will unto him by Prophetical Visions and Inspirations (b) v. 21. By the word of the Lord some understand that God did by his Eternal and Essential Word viz. Christ the Wisdom of the Father reveal his mind to Samuel that he might reveal it unto the people 1 Sam. Ch. 3. whole Chapter SECT CLV AS Samuel had before made known the word of the Lord to Eli so he does now to all Israel reproving them for their sins and telling them before hand what Judgments would fall upon them if they did not speedily repent but they not reforming the Philistines who it seems during the forty years of Eli's Government had been pretty quiet possibly because of the great slaughter Samson had made of their Lords and chief men at his death see Judg. 16.30 now begin again to invade their Land and being entred with an Army the Israelites gather themselves together to fight with them and pitch their Camp at a place which was afterward call'd Eben-ezer the occasion whereof we may see afterwards Ch. 7.11 and the Camp of the Philistines was in Aphek a City in the Tribe of Judah The Armies joining Battel the Israelites were smitten before the Philistines and lost 4000 men The Israelites having rallied their scattered forces the Elders of the people began to inquire with some astonishment why the Lord had thus left them and suffered the Philistines to prevail over them though
they knew that Idolatry and many other gross sins were at this time rife among them as we may learn from the Psalmists words Psal 78.58 speaking of these very times yet they were so blind and stupid that because they were the seed of Abraham they wondered that God should take part with the uncircumcised Philistines against them not being sensible of their own great wickedness which had provoked him to bring that calamity upon them And vainly they thought to mend the matter by fetching the Ark of God the sign of his presence to be among them For not repenting of their sins whereby they had forfeited their interest in God nor seeking to make their peace with him as they ought to have done their confidence in the Ark was vain and groundless However without consulting with God or advising with Samuel they resolve to fetch it into the Camp by which in former times their Ancestors had prevailed against their enemies as at the taking of Jericho Josh 6.4 5. and they hoped it would now help them also And thus they trusted more in the visible presence of the Ark than the gracious presence and assistance of God which they could not rationally hope for whilst they continued impenitent and unreform'd The Ark being sent for the two Sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas came along with it either to carry it as Numb 4.15 or to attend it And when it came into the Camp all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang again with the rebound or Eccho of their shout The Philistines understanding this were sore affraid for they said God is come into the Camp thinking it seems the Ark to be some representation of the God of the Israelites and having the same opinion of it that they had of their own Idols at least they conceived some Divine power went along with it which was the reason they were so afraid And they said Wo unto us there hath not been such a thing heretofore that is in former conflicts which we have had with them they used not to bring their Ark into the Camp and by this unwonted shout of theirs we may perceive how much greater their hope and confidence now is than it hath been formerly Wo unto us who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty Gods Thus they speak of the true God after their Idolatrous manner who worshipped many Gods or Idols They further said These are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the Plagues which fell upon Pharoah and his people in Egypt and at last drowned them in the Red-Sea which joined to the desert or wilderness of Etham Exod. 13.20 upon which many of their dead carcasses were cast up and hereupon they name this as the consummation of all the former Plagues Therefore they encouraged one another saying Let us be strong and quit our selves like men and fight valiantly that we be not servants unto the Hebrews as they have been unto us Judg. 13.1 Accordingly the Armies encountring each other the Philistines fought stoutly and the Israelites were discomfited and there fell thirty thousand Footmen for they had no Horse and the rest were miserably scattered so that they fled to their own houses or dwellings See Ch. 13.2 1 King 12.16 And the Ark of God was taken (a) The Ark being in the Tabernacle at Shiloh it was now taken thence and never came into it again It was carried now to Ebenezer a place ominous now but a monument of Gods help soon after into the Camp Ch. 5.1 that it might save them out of the hands of their enemies as we read the Philistines themselves in the days of David brought their Images into their Camp 2 Sam. 5.21 1 Chron. 14.12 The Ark being taken there by the Philistines they carried it about to Ashdod into the house of Dagon thence to Gath thence to Ekron and after they had kept it seven months they sent it to Bethshemesh a City in the Tribe of Judah and it was fetcht thence to Kirjathjearim a City likewise of Judah It was there placed in the house of Abinadab a Levite 1 Sam. 7.1 it abode there twenty years till the time of the Repentance and Reformation wrought by the Ministry of Samuel 1 Sam. 7.2 And after in the days of Saul it seems to be fetched thence to Gilgal 1 Sam. 10.8 and after to Gibeah of Benjamin compare 1 Sam. 13.9 and Ch. 14.2 18. so that it seems it was fetched into extraordinary assemblies upon extraordinary occasions both in War and Peace But being returned to Kirjath-jearim to the house of Abinadab it was fetched thence by David 1 Chron. 13.5 Sixty-seven years after it was first brought thither It was brought by him to the house of Obed-Edom a Levâ—te 2 Sam. 6.10 the Ark was there three months and then fetched thence by David with great solemnity into the Tent which he prepared for it in Jerusalem 1 Chron. 1.5 and thence seems to be carried into Joab's Camp before Rabbah 2 Sam. 11.11 and began to be carried with David in his flight from Absalom 2 Sam. 15.24 And being returned to David's Tent prepared for it at Jerusalem Solomon as soon as he had built the Temple brought it thence with great Solemnity and placed it in the Holy Oracle 2 Chron. 5.2 about 112 years after it first left Shiloh What became of it at the destruction of the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar is uncertain and the two Sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas were slain according to the Prediction Ch. 2.34 and a man of Benjamin ran from the Army and came to Shiloh the same day with his Clothes rent and with earth upon his head see Josh 7.6 2 Sam. 1.2 to signifie the sad news he brought and Eli sat upon a seat by the way-side near the Gate of the Tabernacle watching and earnestly expecting news from the Camp and the success of the fight For his heart trembled for the Ark of God lest that should fall into the hands of the Uncircumcised Philistines and be profaned by them and lest the Israelites should be deprived of the comfort of it (b) Ante adventum arcae tantum 4 millia occiduntur post adventum ejus 30 millia Tantum abest ut improbi ex praesentia arcae adjuventur ut potius in majus exitium devolvantur Mendoz. And when the man had told his sad story in Shiloh all the City cried out with most bitter and loud lamentation Eli who was ninety-eight years old and blind hearing this dreadful out-cry inquires what the matter was whereupon they brought the messenger to him that came out of the Army who told him that Israel was fled before the Philistines and that there had been a great slaughter among the people that his two Sons Hophni and Phinehas were slain and lastly that the Ark of God was taken no sooner did the Messenger make mention of the loss of the Ark but old Eli's heart died within him and being
possibly that these Kine had been given up by the Philistines to the service of the Lord to bring home the Ark and having been imployed in so sacred a service it was not fit they should be imployed to any other use and therefore they resolved by this way of an extraordinary Burnt-offering to give them up to the Lord. And besides this Burnt-offering of the Kine the men of Bethshemesh brought their own Oblations to the Priests who offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings to the Lord that day for them as an expression of their thankfulness to God for the return of the Ark. But it seems some of the men of Bethshemesh were so presumptuous as to open the Ark and to look into it whereas it was not lawful for any but the Priests no not for the Levites themselves who carried it to look upon it bare and uncovered see Numb 4.20 yet it seems these bold Bethshemites not only took liberty without any fear or reverence to gaze and stare upon it but proceeded further even to look into it possibly to see whether the Philistines had taken any thing out of it or put any thing into it which they should not have done but only the Priests Hereupon God smote seventy (a) v. 19. Textus sic se habet percussit de populo 70 viros 50 millia virorum i. e. percussit de populo in quo erant viri 50 mille viros 70. Syr. Ar. legunt 5 millia 70 viros Sic pro chamishim legunt duntaxat chamish q. d. percussit de populo Bethshemitico in quo erant 5 mille viros 70. ut sensus sit Deum pro indulgentia sua noluisse in omnes reos animadvertere sed in partem tantum eorum Ergo supplenda est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddenda si sequamur Syr. Ar. quinque mille Quis enim credaâ— ex oppido non admodum copioso 50 millia mortuos esse plurimos relictos qui eorum funera lugerent Secundum aliquoâ— sensus loci est illos 70 viros tales fuisse ut a quipararentur 50 millibus de plebeiis vide 2 Sam. 18.3 of them who it seems were most presumptuous though there were many thousands of them that had adventured to look upon it uncovered He smote of the people the Text says that were fifty thousand or as the Syriack and Arabick read it five thousand †These were not all probably the inhabitants of Bethshemesh but many of them such as â—â—ooked from the neighbouring Countries to see the Ark when returned seventy persons And the Bethshemites bewailed this sad slaughter God had made among them in a complaining manner they said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God who manifesteth himself from between the Cherubims and to whom shall the Ark which is the sign and pledg of his Presence go up from us Intimating that people would be afraid to entertain it seeing such direful things following of it So they went to the Inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from them to desire them to fetch the Ark thither pretending possibly it was a place of much more safety for it to be in than their City was The men of Kirjath-jearim were so far from opposing the bringing of the Ark to their City notwithstanding the sad calamity that had befallen so many of the Bethshemites that they themselves fetched it thither and undoubtedly with much joy the Priests of Bethshemesh carrying it as believing that it was not the presence of the Ark among the men of Bethshemesh but their irreverent carriage in gazing upon it or looking into it that was the cause of their misery When they had brought it to their City they placed it in the house of Abinadab a Levite and a man as 't is like of singular holiness whose house was on a hill and possibly fenced in and called Gibeah 2 Sam. 6.3 a place of strength and safety for the Ark to be kept in Having carried it into his house they sanctified Eleazar his Son to keep it that is they chose him to be set apart to this holy imployment to give continual attendance upon the Ark that he might keep others from coming near to pollute or defile it and they caused him to prepare himself for this Sacred charge by washing his garments and other such like Ceremonies of Legal purifying It may seem strange that they did not carry the Ark back to the Tabernacle in Shiloh but it seems the Lord would shew his indignation against the former wickedness of that place by not suffering the Ark to be carried thither again So he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh c. Psal 78.60 And the Ark being thus separated from the Tabernacle they continued divided for ever after for 't is said that David prepared a new Tent for it 1 Chron. 15.1 and it remained at Kirjath-jearim twenty years (d) This cannot be meant of the whole time of the Arks remainning at Kirjath-jearim for tween the death of Eli shortly after which the Ark was brought to this place and the beginning of Davids reign when it was removed thence 2 Sam. 6.2 3. there must needs be forty years allowed for the Government of Saul and Samuel Act. 13.21 all which time the Ark continued in Kirjath-jearim unless when it was for a while carried forth into the Camp in the War against the Philistines Ch. 14.18 before the people could be won to that solemn repentance and conversion recited in the following verses But though the Ark was at Kirjath-jearim yet the Tabernacle and publick worship of God was at Shiloh 1 Sam. Ch. 5. wh Ch. Ch. 6. wh Ch. Ch. 7. ver 1 2. SECT CLVII FOR twenty years together after the Ark was removed to Kirjath-jearim the Isralites were grievously oppressed by the Philistines but at length by the exhortation of Samuel and the troubles they had felt they were brought to repentance and lamented after the Lord that is humbling themselves cried and called unto him for help and deliverance The Elders therefore of Israel resorting to Samuel he exhorted them to put away their strange Gods and Goddesses see Judg. 2.13 14. and to prepare and compose their hearts to serve the Lord intirely in a setled course of new obedience and then he doubted not but he would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines Accordingly they did abandon and cast away their Idols and served the Lord only as his Law required Samuel hereupon summons the whole body of the people to Mizpeh * Situate in the confines of Judah and Benjamin and therefore reckoned among the Cities of both Tribes see Josh 15.38 18.26 that there they might together renew their Covenant with God which they had so shamefully broken and joining together in serious and solemn humiliation they might by fasting and prayer implore mercy and forgiveness from God with a return of his
resolution concerning his Son what say they shall Jonathan die who hath wrought this great Salvation in Israel Shall he die that is innocent and hath committed no offence that deserveth death Shall he die that is so brave a Prince and worthy of all honour and reward seeing the Lord by him hath given a great and miraculous deliverance to his people when they were in a forlorn and desperate condition As the Lord liveth there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground for he hath wrought with God that is under God and by his help and assistance a great deliverance for us So the people rescued Jonathan that he was not put to death Thus Saul ceased from pursuing the Philistines any further at present and so the rest of them got back to their own Country However Saul being by this glorious victory better confirm'd and setled in the Royal Throne he took upon him the managing of all the affairs of the Kingdom and especially shewed himself very valiant and active in fighting against all the enemies of it particularly against Moab and the children of Ammon bordering on the East of Canaan against Edom bordering on the South against the Kings of Zobah on the North and against the Philistines on the West and though he did not wholly vanquish and subdue them becaused God had reserved that work and the glory of it for David yet he sore vexed them and much weakened them so that they did not with that courage and success fight against Israel as before they had done And all this came to pass through Gods free mercy to his people giving good success to Saul in his Wars though a wicked man for their sakes And besides the forementioned successes Saul gathered a great host and smote the Amalekites as appeareth in the following Chapter and here is spoken of by way of anticipation that his warlike exploits might be summed up together In the next place Saul's Sons are mentioned that followed their Father in the War and like valiant Souldiers lived and died with him as Jonathan Ishui who is called Abinadab Ch. 31.2 and Melchishua Ishbesheth is not here named though now above twenty years of age see 2 Sam. 2 10. possibly because he followed not his Father in the Wars Neither are his Children by Rizpah here mentioned because she was not his Wife but only his Concubine The Daughters he had by his Wife whose name was Ahinoam were Merab and Michal The Captain of his host was Abner his Cousin-german Son to his Uncle Ner. And when he saw any strong or valiant man he took him into his service 1 Sam. Ch. 14. whole Chapter SECT CLXVI SOmetime after Samuel by Gods appointment sendeth Saul to destroy the Amalekites but before he telleth him what God commanded him to do he putteth him in mind of Gods singular favour towards him and the high honour he had exalted him unto that thereby he might move him to perform what God commanded him with the more diligence and chearfulness And though he had formerly failed in his duty yet now remembring what the Lord had done for him he should be sure strictly to observe his Commands and Injunctions Samuel now tells him that the Lord would send him against Ameleck three several times the Lord declared that he would destroy the Amalekites Exod. 17.14 Numb 24.20 and Deut. 25.19 And now Saul is sent to execute that vengeance upon them which the Lord had so long ago at several times threatned and though the present King and subjects of Amalek had been cruel and bloody adversaries to the people of God as Samuel intimates v. 33. As thy sword hath made many women childless so shall thy mother be childless and so deserved to be destroyed for their own sins yet because the Lord would have the Israelites know that he had not forgot the former injury of their Ancestors towards his people though 't was four hundred years since it was done he resolves now to visit it upon them and he mentions one circumstance that greatly aggravated it viz. that when his poor people had been long under a miserable bondage in Egypt and were newly escaped from it yet even then they came out against them and sought to destroy them Nor need it seem strange that the present Amalekites should be utterly destroyed for that which their Ancestors had done so many years before For though God destroys none everlastingly but for their own sins yet with temporal punishments he doth usually punish the Children for the sins of their Ancestors especially when the Children go on in their Fathers steps as by that which is said of Agag v. 33. it seems those Amalekites did Samuel therefore commands Saul from the Lord to go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they had and not to spare Man Woman or Child no not so much as their very Cattle †V. 7. Jumenta Bruta pereunt quippe possessiones organa fulcra gaudia peccantium For he had anathematiz'd and devoted them all to destruction as he did Jericho Saul hereupon gathers a great Army and numbers them in the Plains of Telaim or Telem a City in the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.24 and finds them to be two hundred thousand footmen besides ten thousand men of Judah (a) The men of Judah are reckoned apart from the men of Israel 1. Because they usually had the priviledg of going first against the enemy in any common danger 2. Because the Messias was to come of his Tribe Saul marching his Army and coming near to the chief City of Amalek he sent to the Kenites the posterity of Jethro who lived in Tents see Judg. 4.17 among these Amalekites to depart and get them out from among them if they loved their lives for Jethro and his family had shewed kindness to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt he himself came out with much joy to meet Moses and to congratulate all the goodness which the Lord had shewed to Israel therefore now Saul gave them warning to remove away that they might not suffer with the Amalekites whom God intended at this time to punish for the wrong their Progenitors had done to his people but he was willing to spare the Kenites for the kindness their Ancestors had shewn to them The Kenites accordingly removed from them soon after Saul in the valley of their chief City fought (b) V. 5. Vajareb pugnavit contendit scil cum eo with the Amalekites and discomfited them and took their King Agag prisoner and pursued them from Havilah to Shur which is over against Egypt and destroyed all that came out with Agag to fight against them with all others they could meet with and destroyed also their Cities and Towns But that many of them did escape this slaughter is manifest from Ch. 27.8 and Ch. 30.1 as we shall see afterwards Saul having taken their King whom he should above all the rest have slain he and
sheath and slew him and cut off his head therewith Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone God using such contemptible means the more to manifest his own power and glory The Philistines seeing their Champion thus conquered and being stricken with a secret terrour from the Lord they immediately fled and the army of the Israelites with a great shout pursued after them and did great execution upon them insomuch that the wounded of the Philistines fell and were scattered all along in the way of Shaaraim a City in the Tribe of Judah even unto Gath and Ekron V. 54. David some years after when he was constituted King and had taken Zion from the Jebusites 2 Sam. 5.7 brought the head of this Giant to Jerusalem and put his armour in the Tent which he there provided for the Ark of God 1 Chron. 15.1 But Goliath's Sword was laid up in the Tabernacle of the Lord at Nob 1 Sam. 21.9 The Philistines being thus discomfited the Israelites returned and spoiled their Tents Abner now brought David before Saul with the Head of the Giant in his hands Saul asked him whose Son he was he told him he was the Son of Jesse the Bethlemite Saul had now much discourse with him and so many excellent endowments of wisdom courage zeal for the glory of God and faith and confidence in his protection and assistance appearing in him all which shewed him a person precious in the eyes of God Jonathan's heart and affections were in an extraordinary manner drawn forth towards him so that his soul was knit with the soul of David and hereby God provided David a friend in Saul's Court to plead for him and to reveal Saul's plots and evil intendments against him and to be by his true and real love a comfort and support to him in all his approaching troubles and distresses And Jonathan and he made a Covenant of entire friendship and brotherly love Saul also now resolv'd to keep him in his Court and that he should go no more home to his Father and made him a Captain over some of his Troops and David behaved himself so wisely that he was highly valued by all the people and even by Saul's servants themselves Jonathan also to testifie his true and great love to David stript himself of his own robe and gave it to him and gave him also his Sword and his Bow and his Military Girdle so that he put him both into a Courtiers and Souldiers Garb. These things being done they now march from the Camp to Gibeah where Saul dwelt As they passed along the women came forth out of all the Towns by the way as the custom * It seems it was the custom in those times that when God had given them any great victory over their enemies the women were wont with dances and songs of triumph to celebrate the praises of God See Exod. 15.20 Judg. 11.32 As women have usually the heaviest share in the calamities of a Land that is over-run by an enemy and that because they are least able to resist and are frequently taken for slaves or ravisht and abus'd in a savage manner so likewise they have the greatest cause to rejoice when the enemy is vanquished and hence it may be arose this custom of the womens triumphing at every great victory was with Instruments of Musick singing in Triumphing Songs Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands they ascribe so much to David because by his killing Goliath he was under God the cause of routing the whole army of the Philistines And so solemn and glorious was this Triumph of the Israelites that this passage in the womens song came to be repoted and known among the Philistines as we may see Ch. 21.11 and Ch. 29.5 But this thing greatly offended Saul and he said they have ascribed to David ten thousands and to me but thousands what can he have more but the Kingdom From thenceforth therefore he began to have an evil eye against David and to suspect that he was the man of whom Samuel had told him that he should be King in his room Ch. 13. v. 14. 1 Sam. Ch. 17. wh Ch. and Ch. 18. from 1 to 10. SECT CLXX SAVL's jealousie of David and his hatred against him doth now every day more and more appear and it manifested it self in these Particulars following 1. The evil spirit coming upon him he prophesied (a) Extra se rapitbatur spiritu malo incitus ita sermones actusque suos componebat ut boni Prophetae solent acti a spiritu bono in the midst of the house not as he had done before Chap. 10.10 when Samuel had newly anointed him for then being inspired with Gods Spirit and endued with common graces he prophesied and praised God together with the rest of the Prophets but now that Spirit being departed from him and an evil spirit being permitted by God to possess him he fell into strange extasies and raptures and had such kind of motions and actions as the Prophets when ravished out of themselves used to have see 2 King 9.11 and while David played on his harp to compose his spirit and allay his raging passions as he had formerly done Saul having a Javelin in his hand cast it at him intending to kill him and this he attempted two several times but David nimbly avoided the stroke Ch. 18.10 11. 2ly Saul seeing how the Lord was with David and preserved him from great dangers he feared he was the man whom God had chosen to be King in his room and therefore having failed in these violent attempts against him he resolves to try other ways to destroy him therefore he made him one of his Colonels hoping he would at one time or other meet with his death in the Battel And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways and the Lord was with him and he led forth his Souldiers bravely to Battel and as bravely brought them off again and acted all his Military affairs with such prudence and wise conduct and was so prosperous in them that the people generally loved him ver 12 13 14 15 16. 3ly Saul under pretence of performing that promise made to him of giving him his daughter if he killed Goliath he now offers him his eldest daughter Merab in marriage but with design to expose him thereby to the Sword of the Philistines (b) Incidit Saul in soveam quam Davidi fecerat nam ipse a Philistae is postea occisus est He tells him he shall have her but then he expects he shall be valiant for him and not stick to expose himself to any dangers and ready upon all occasions to fight the Lords battels Thus he hypocritically pretended zeal for Gods glory when he maliciously intended David's ruin David humbly answers What is my parentage education or condition of life * Ver. 18. est Enallage numeri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I should think
servants along with him * See v. 2. and Mat. 12.3 4. and some few others that voluntarily joined themselves to him 1. He first flies to Nob a City in the Tribe of Benjamin near to Anathoth about twelve miles from Gibeah whither it seems the Tabernacle was now removed from Shiloh though the Ark still remained at Kirjath-jearim see Chap. 7.1 and possibly Saul caused it to be removed hither for his own conveniency that he might with more speed and ease upon all occasions resort to it And hence it was that there were so many Priests now dwelling here namely that they might attend upon the service of the Tabernacle David being resolved to fly for his safety out of the land came hither first not only to get some supply of his present want but also to visit the Tabernacle that he might there worship the Lord before his departure and seek unto him for help and comfort in this his day of adversity Leaving therefore his small company in some place nigh he went himself to Ahimelech the High-Priest at Nob It seems Ahiah his brother being dead he was High-Priest in his room who it seems was also call'd Abiather see Mark 2.26 and had a Son also of that name as we may see Ch. 22.20 Ahimelech was much troubled when he saw David come to him alone fearing that he was fled from Saul upon some displeasure and if so it would be dangerous for him to entertain him He asks him therefore how it came to pass that he was alone David replies that the King had sent him about a secret business and enjoined him to let no body know of it and so he had appointed his servants to stay for him in a place nigh at hand This was indeed a direct lye and proved afterwards the occasion of that horrible Massacre which Saul made of Ahimelech and the rest of the Priests of that City even eighty five persons that wore a linnen Ephod yea of the utter destruction of the City and the inhabitants thereof both men and women and children yea even of the very beasts as we read Ch. 22.18 19. Just cause had David to bewail this pernicious lye of his as long as he lived and so no doubt he did for he charges it upon himself when Abiathar the Son of Ahimelech brought him the sad tidings thereof Ch. 22.22 I have occasioned says he the death of all the persons of thy Fathers house And 't is supposed that the remorse for this very sin was fresh in his heart when he wrote that passage in the 119. Psal v. 28 29. My soul melteth away for heaviness strengthen thou me according to thy word Remove from me the way of lying c. David now desires Ahimelech to furnish him with some bread and provisions for himself and his servants that were at hand they being in great want of food Ahimelech tells him he had no bread there at the Tabernacle but the shew-bread * Davids hast was such thorough the apprehension of danger that he must presently be gone therefore he could not stay for other bread which was not to be eaten by any but the Priests see Levit. 24.9 much less by any that were unclean Yet considering that charity is to be preferred before all ceremonies and that in case of necessity the Ceremonial Law was to give way to the Moral he condescends in this exigence to relieve them with the shew-bread and what he did therein is approved by our Saviour Mat. 12.3 4. provided the young men had kept themselves from their wives (a) Hic sacerdos ni nis videtur scrupulosus Quid enim si David fuisset immundus Ideone voluit illum fame mori which it seems the Priests that were to eat the shew-bread thought themselves bound to do by a laudable custom grounded on Exod. 19.15 though not expresly by the Law commanded And it seems the High-Priest thought that if the young men had not thus abstained they would be under a double impediment David tells him 't was three days since they came out and all that time they had been absent from their wives therefore the bodies of the young men were clean and on this account not unfit to eat of this bread Besides says he the shew-bread is in this case of necessity to us but as common bread so as we may lawfully eat of it especially seeing it is this day (b) Hereby it appeareth that it was the Sabbath-day on which David came to Nob whereon new shew-bread was put in the place of the old removed from standing upon the Table before the Lord and there is other bread consecrated according to the Law and set hot in the room of it upon these considerations the High-Priest gave him the shew-bread But it so happened that there was one of the servants of Saul there that day by name Doeg the chiefest of Saul's herdsmen by Nation an Edomite but by profession a Proselyte to the Religion of the Israelites yet a notorious wicked man and a great enemy to David it seems he was detained there before the Lord that is in the Court of the Tabernacle to pay some Vow he had made or to offer some Sacrifice he was engag'd to offer This man diligently observed David and his actions that he might relate them to Saul David askt Ahimelech whether he had not there a Sword or Spear that he could lend him for he told him he had not brought his Sword or his weapons with him because the Kings business required hast Thus one lye making a breach in the Conscience another quickly follows it and finds an easie passage thorough it The High-Priest told him there was no Sword there but Goliaths (c) The rest of Goliath's armour David had dispos'd of elsewhere see Ch. 17.54 but his sword was brought to the Tabernacle there to be reserved as a memorial of that victory to the praise of God which was wrapt in a cloth and kept behind that holy place where the Sacred Vestments and Ornaments were laid up of which the Ephod was the chiefest see Exod. 28.4 6. if he pleased he might have that David answered There is none like to that give it me for as oft as I look upon it it will put me in mind of Gods wonderful assistance vouchsafed to me in conquering Goliath and will strengthen my faith and affiance in him that he will help me in the like difficulties and dangers Ch. 21. from 1 to 10. 2ly Having gotten Goliath's sword he now flies into the Country of Achish King of Gath call'd also Abimeleck which was the common name of the Kings of the Philistines here he hoped to have sojourned at least for a time secretly and undiscovered It seems he had more hope of safety there than in his own Country at present The servants of Achish after some time discover who he was and apprehend him Possibly Goliath's sword might be some means of discovering of him and so
God justly made use of this sword which he got of the High-Priest by lying as a means to bring him into danger The servants of Achish bringing him before their King said unto him Is not this David the King of the land that is a famous warriour and chief Commander among the Israelites and as it were another King in the esteem of the people or is not this David who is designed as we hear to be King in the land For possibly the report that David should be King and that Saul persecuted him on that account was so rife and common in Israel that it spread it self even to the land of the Philistines Further they say Is not this he of whom the women sang in their triumphant dances Ch. 18.7 Saul hath slain his thousands but David his ten thousands David was much surpriz'd to hear these words spoken of himself by the servants of Achish before their King and seeing himself in their hands and not knowing which way to help himself he resolved to behave himself before them as if he had been distracted And indeed they might well think that he that had done so much against them would not now alone have come among them if he had been in his right wits And accordingly in his gesture words and actions he carried himself as if he had been mad scrabling on the doors and letting his spittle fall on his beard (d) Non illicita prorsus haec simulatio quippe expers mendaciâ— Anonym Stultitiam simulare in loco inquit ille prudentia summa est Potest Deus suos servare per sapientiam immo per insaniam per infirmitatem Simulatio haec mendacium non erat sed silentium duntaxat vel dissimulatio veritatis justa de causa Nec illicita erat hujusmodi fictio cum fiat ad utilitatem suam sine alterius praejudicio he thought possibly that mad men were usually objects of pity and compassion not of malice or revenge and supposed that hereupon they would be the more inclin'd to spare him seeing he was not likely being in this sad case to do them any further mischief But though at present he made use of this stratagem yet he relyed not upon it but put his trust in God and relyed (e) David salutem suam non simulationi suae acceptam tulit sed misericordiae Dei on him alone for help and deliverance as appears by the two Psalms he composed on this occasion viz. the 34. and 56. And God by his alwise Providence so ordered this thing that Achish thinking him absolutely mad slighted and askt them in some kind of anger Why they had brought a mad man before him He told them he had no need of mad men neither desired they should bring such persons into his house In all probability God at present so infatuating him he thought this man was not David but some odd fellow they had pickt up in the way and with that apprehension he dismissed him 1 Sam. Ch. 21. whole Chapter 3ly David having thus got away from Achish he fled to the Cave of Adullam a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from Bethlem which being an hold of some strength see 2 Sam. 23.13 and lying in his own Tribe among his kindred and friends he expected from them favour and protection and accordingly hither his Brethren and those of his Fathers house resorted to him possibly fearing if they stayed at home they should be persecuted and oppressed by Saul for his sake And such as were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered themselves unto him and he became a Captain over them so that number of his followers now came to be about four hundred in all But some will say did David do well to entertain such as these I answer first 't is like he did not know who of them were in debt 2ly He had no purpose to shelter them against any that should demand justice against them 3ly He intended not to make use of them against Saul but only for his own defence 4ly His followers lived not upon Plunder and the spoil of the Country but were rather a Guard to the people and preserved them from the incursions of their enemies as Nabal's servants witnessed for them Ch. 25.15 16. 'T is true they were many of them men that were in a poor and afflicted condition and thinking themselves in no safety at home fled to David for protection 5ly 'T is probable that by this time it came to be generally known that Saul persecuted David because he was anointed of God by Samuel to succeed him in the Throne And if this were the ground of their coming to him how could he reject them 'T is likely indeed that the mouths of his adversaries were opened against him upon this occasion But so long as his cause was just and he did not undertake to defend his followers in any evil nor made use of them to oppress others their reproaches were unjust and not to be regarded Here probably he composed the 142 Psalm David here composes the 142 Psalm the title being Maschil of David a prayer when he was in the Cave 4ly David finding that his Parents by reason of their age were not able to endure the hardship of being with him in the Cave therefore he went to Mizpeh of Moab to provide a place for them to abide in for a while till he knew what God would do with him And here he judged that the King of Moab would favour him in his request out of hatred to Saul (f) Et forsan propâ—er cognationem Davidis cum illa gente per Ruth vid. Ruth 4.10 who had made war upon him see 1 Sam. 14.47 and so accordingly it fell out for he obtained the King of Moab's grant that they should dwell in his Country and they liv'd together in the hold or Castle of Mizpeh till the Prophet * Magnam pro Davide curam ostendit Deus eum nunc per Prophetas nunc per Urim Thummim instruens Gr. Gad (g) Davids Seer 1 Chr. 21.9 with whom he used to consult He was sent unto him by God after he had numbered the people 2 Sam. 24.11 warned David from the Lord to go back again into the land of Judah either because the King of Moab and his people were treacherous or because he intended to bring David's faith to a further trial by Saul's persecutions ver 3 4. 5ly From hence he removeth into the Forrest of Hareth in the Tribe of Judah the news of his being here is presently brought to Saul he sitting under a Tree in an high place in Gibeah having his Spear in his hand and his servants standing round about him whereupon he said Hear now ye Benjamites will the Son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards and make you all Captains of thousands and Captains of hundreds that all of you have conspired against me and none of you
have shewed me that my Son hath made a league with the Son of Jesse and there is none of you that is sorry for me or discovers to me that my Son hath stirred up my servant against me to lye in wait to destroy me as you see it is at this day Then Doeg the Edomite of whom before telleth unto Saul the story of David's coming to Ahimelech at Nob and what passed between them maliciously wresting all they did to the worst sense David composes the 52 Psalm on this occasion as appears by the Title and concealing all that might any way excuse them and this caused David to charge him with lying and slandering as well as with malice and mischief and to threaten against him utter ruin and destruction Psal 52.3 4 5. which Psalm was composed on this occasion I saw says Doeg the Son of Jesse coming to Ahimelech and he inquired of the Lord for him and gave him victuals and the Sword of Goliath the Philistine but he spake not a word of David's pretence wherewith Ahimelech was deceived The King hereat was greatly enraged and sent for Ahimelech and all his Fathers house viz. the Priests that dwelt at Nob being the most of those that remained of Eli's house whom God threatned to cut off Chap. 2.31 He asks him why he had conspired with David against him and had inquir'd of the Lord for him and given him bread and a sword Ahimelech acknowledges the doing of the things Saul charges him with but utterly denieth that they were done with any treacherous mind against him but rather therein to do him service for he thought David had always approved himself faithful to the King in all his undertakings for which the King had highly honoured him and made him his Son-in-law and as far as he knew he had been ever obedient to the Kings commands going out readily on all services which he appointed him though never so full of difficulty and danger and as he understood he was a person greatly honoured in the Kings family And for his inquiring of the Lord for him he says he had often done that in former times when he was to go out on the Kings service and to lead out his forces against his enemies and that which I have done says he without blame at other times I had no reason to think would be blamed now but to aid or assist one that intended and designed to rebel against my Lord and Soveraign was never in my heart far be it from me let not the King therefore impute this as a fault to me or to my fathers house for of any conspiracy against thee thy servants knew nothing at all neither less nor more We may see by this Apology that this good man was loth to declare he had been deceived by David and drawn on to do all that he did by those untruths which he had told him He would not to excuse himself of a seeming fault accuse David of one that was real and thereby incense Saul the more against him But Saul like a bloody Tyrant shut his ears against Ahimelechs just defence and told him that not only himself but all his Fathers house should die though he had not so much as any colour of a crime to lay to their charge And whereas by the Law none were to die under two or three witnesses he condemneth so many upon the bare and single and malicious testimony of one false and flattering Sycophant Neither doth he take time further to examine the cause or the reasons or testimonies which might be produc'd in excuse of Ahimelech and the Priests but in a rage and fury from a rash sentence proceeds to a present execution without any delay And thus this wretched man that could out of a seeming pity and mercy spare Agag who was by God appointed to die now sticketh not to murder and massacre a multitude of innocent persons Accordingly he commanded his guards that were about him to slay forthwith the Lords Priests But the servants of the King that attended upon him would not do it chusing rather to obey God who had forbidden murder than this wicked King Then Saul commanded Doeg that he should fall upon them Doeg accordingly taking unto himself such persons as were alike bloody-minded with himself and so fit for his purpose fell upon them and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that wore a linnen Ephod And thus that which the Lord had threatned against the house of Eli Ch. 2.31 32. was in part fulfilled for of that family these Priests were Then Doeg having as it seems Saul's Commission for it went to Nob and there destroyed men women and children and sucklings yea the very oxen asses and sheep that belonged to that City so great an abhorrence and detestation did he manifest against all that seemed favourers of David Upon the occasion of destroying of this City at this time the Tabernacle was remov'd from hence to Gibeon where it continued to the days of Solomon 2 Chron. 1.3 1 Sam. Ch. 22. from v. 5. to 20. 6ly Keilah a City in the Tribe of Judah being now on a sudden besieged by the Philistines their neighbours and David lying with his forces not far from them in the forrest of Hareth and so in a capacity to afford them some speedier succour than Saul could do who was at a greater distance it seems some of them came to him to acquaint him with their present distress namely that the Philistines now besieged their City and that they had robbed the threshing floors of the Corn that was brought unto them they being without the City and therefore they humbly crave his speedy help David was not willing rashly to engage in such an enterprize especially with so little strength as he had about him without a special commission and promise from God therefore he inquired of the Lord probably by the Prophet Gad who was come to him before as we have seen Ch. 22.5 what he should do and the Lord encouraged him to go against the Philistines and to save and rescue Keilah David's men when they understood what enterprize he was about mightily disswaded him from it speaking to him after this manner We are afraid here in the land of Judah even among our friends and acquaintance lest we should be surprized by Saul and his Troops how much more dangerous must it needs be then for us being but a few to go against such a potent enemy as the Philistines and that in the borders of their own land David to satisfie his followers inquired again of the Lord and God bad him go for he would deliver the Philistines into his hands So David and his men went to Keilah and smote the Philistines with a great slaughter and brought away their cattel either such as they had brought out of their own Country for the provision of their armies or such as they had brought with them to carry the spoils of the
Son David David answers It is my voice my Lord O King And I pray thee wherefore doth my Lord thus pursue after his servant What have I done or what evil is in my hand Now therefore let my Lord the King vouchsafe to hear the words of his servant If the Lord hath stirred thee up against me let him receive an offering * Placato iram ejus Sacrificio munere Chald. Paraph. suspiciat oblationem meam cum voluntate that is let him be appeased with a sacrifice and oblation which I will offer for the sin whereby I have provoked him But if they be Court-Sycophants and malicious persons that by their lyes and slanders have incensed thee against me I leave them as cursed creatures to Gods just vengeance who will plead my cause against them For they have endeavoured to drive me out from abiding in the Inheritance of the Lord and from enjoying his Ordinances and by forcing me as an exile to flee into Idolatrous Countries They have in effect said to me Go and serve other Gods And now seeing thou knowest my innocency let not my blood I pray thee be shed without cause for the Lord will see it and will not let it go unpunished Besides it is not honourable for the King of Israel to pursue me with so many men who have so little power to hurt him For I am but as a flea forced to skip hither and thither to save my self or a partridge on the mountains forced to flee from place to place to escape thy hands Then said Saul I have sinned Return my Son David to thy former condition for I will no more do thee harm seeing my life was precious in thine eyes this day and thou hast spared me when it was in thy power to kill me Behold I have played the fool and erred exceedingly I do acknowledg my fault and folly and openly take shame to my self for it in the hearing of all that are about me David desires him to send one of his young men to fetch his Spear having taken it from him only to evidence his innocence and that he had no evil intention in his heart against him And therefore says he let the Lord recompence every man according to his righteousness and faithfulness Thy life was indeed in my power this day but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lords anointed And as thy life was precious in mine eyes so let my life be precious in the eyes of the Lord my God and let it please him to preserve it though thou shouldst fail of thy promises made to me and shouldst seek again to take it away Then Saul said unto David Blessed be thou my Son David thou shalt do great things and shalt at last prevail maugre all the malice of thine enemies Then David retired and betook himself to some place of safety not trusting Saul for all his goodly words and promises having formerly found him so false and malicious And Saul returned to Gibeah where he kept his Court. 1 Sam. Ch. 26. whole Chapter 12ly David now seriously considering the condition of his affairs began through the weakness of his faith to think that he should at one time or other notwithstanding all his former deliverances perish by the hand of Saul if he did not speedily get himself out of his reach therefore he thought there was nothing more adviseable in his present circumstances than that he should send to the King of the Philistines and try if he could be received with his forces into his protection This indeed was no warrantable course that he now pitched upon for his preservation For first God had once before commanded him by the Prophet Gad to abide in the land of Judah see Chap. 22.5 2ly He having before been such a formidable enemy to the Philistines and having so hardly escaped with his life once before when he sought privately to shelter himself among them there was no likelihood he should be entertained by them on any other terms than that he and his Souldiers should turn to the Philistines and declare themselves enemies to Saul and the people of Israel 3ly This must needs tend to the great grief of those that were righteous in the land and would give his enemies occasion exceedingly to triumph and to say that now he discovered what he was seeing he had deserted his own people and religion and had joined himself to their uncircumcised enemies But thus it is when mens hearts sink through distrust of God as it seems Davids now did they seek to help themselves by any means they can David therefore having as 't is probable sent his Agents before hand to the King of the Philistines and having obtained assurance from him under the publick faith that he and his Souldiers should live safely in his land which 't is like out of meer policy he consented unto knowing the hatred that Saul bear him and believing that David and his forces would be ready to join with him and his subjects against Saul he passed over with six hundred men that followed him to Achish King of Gath. He carried also his two wives along with him Ahinoam and Abigail and his followers likewise carried their wives and families not thinking it safe to leave them behind them in the land of Israel and for some time by Achish's permission they dwelt in Gath or about it When it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath he gave over any further thoughts of seeking after him he being in the land of his enemies and so out of his reach David being desirous to dwell apart by himself with those that followed him that he might have the more freedom for the exercise of his Religion and might keep his Souldiers from being corrupted with the Vices and Idolatries of the Philistines and that he might from thence go out and prey the more secretly upon the enemies of Gods people without having any notice taken of it he humbly desired Achish that his Officers might assign him and his followers some place in the Country to live in it not being fit for him a stranger to live with the King in the Royal City especially having so many people with him who must needs be burdensome and might sometimes prove offensive to him and the inhabitants of his City Achish consents thereunto and accordingly gave him Ziklag which being allotted to the Tribe of Judah Josh 15.31 was afterwards given to Simeon Josh 19.5 but the Philistines having gotten possession of it had kept it to this day and now Achish giveth it unto David and so it was not only joined to Judah's portion * Hac donatione justos ad Heredes rediit Achish dedit Davidi non solum ad inhabitandum sed ut in illius dominium cederet but was also upon this occasion designed to be ever after a part of the Crown-land of the Kings of Judah Here David dwelt a full year and four months
gathered their armies together to fight against Israel being encouraged no doubt thereunto by the distractions that were now in the land and the weak state of the Kingdom by reason of them Achish sending for David acquainted him that he resolv'd that he and his men should go along with him in this expedition David being unwilling to displease him by a direct refusal answered ambiguously and told him that if he commanded him to attend him in this war he should see what his servant could do Achish thereupon being confident of his fidelity to him told him he would make him keeper of his head for ever that is Captain of his Life-guard and would commit the chief care of his person to him as long as they both lived The Philistines accordingly now invading the land Saul was in great perplexity for Samuel was dead whom though he disregarded in his life-time yet now he finds himself extreamly to want his counsel and advice The Philistines pitched in Shunem a City in the border of Issachar and Saul having gathered an army out of all the Tribes of Israel pitched in Gilboa a mountainous place in the Tribe of Issachar near Jezreel And his iniquity being now come to its full measure he was exceedingly afraid the guilt of his conscience suggesting dreadful things to him in this distress he enquired of the Lord (a) 1 Chron. 10.14 'T is said he enquired not of the Lord. Indeed he pretended so to do but he did it not sincerely nor in faith and so it is reckoned as not done partly as 't is probable by prayer and partly by consulting with the Priests and Prophets that yet remained in the land and putting them upon seeking to God in his behalf but the Lord answered him not neither by dreams or by Vrim for Abiathar had carried away the Ephod to David or by Prophets giving them any answer so that the Lord answered him not either one way or other * See Lamentations Ch. 2. 9. which was an evidence that he was highly displeased with him Saul had sometime before out of a seeming zeal and pretence of obedience to God put away those that had familiar spirits (b) See Levit. 19.31 20.6 27. Deut. 18.11 and wizards out of the land (c) Out of a like zeal he had destroyed the Gibeonites 2 Sam. 21.1 2. namely as many of them as he could meet with but yet it could not be doubted but that there were still some of them that secretly lurked among the people wherefore being forsaken of heaven he now resolves to seek to hell †Divinatio ex mortuis omnium divinationum antiquissima signum creditae durationis animarum post mortem Grot. for help and thereupon bad his servants seek him out a woman that had a familiar spirit (d) This is recorded as the last and most desperate wickedness he fell into before his death and one that wrought by Necromancy or raising Apparitions and Ghosts of the dead †Divinatio ex mortuis omnium divinationum antiquissima signum creditae durationis animarum post mortem Grot. and consulting with them see Isa 8.19 for he intended to go and enquire of her what he should now do they told him they heard there was such an one at Endor a Town of the Manassites within Jordan wherefore disguizing himself and putting on other clothes that the woman might not know him and possibly that others might not discover his gross hypocrisie and impiety in going now to witches for counsel whom he had before persecuted to the death and taking two servants along with him he came to the woman by night * Flectere si nequeam superos Acheronta movebo and desired her to cause the spirit or ghost of a dead man whom he should name to her to come up and appear before him of whom he would enquire several things The woman told him he could not be ignorant what Saul had done in persecuting those that had familiar spirits and therefore she asks him why he laid a snare for her life Saul sware to her as the Lord liveth there should no punishment befall her neither would he discover her if she would comply with him in this matter The woman having this assurance given her asked him whom she should call up He said old Samuel our late eminent Prophet She accordingly by her Diabolical art (e) Quis credet faeminae quae se Diabolo manciparat tantam potestatem fuisse in animam Samuelis in caeleste regnum jam receptam Quis credet in manu Diaboli esse mortuos vita donare Proinde an piis molestum est jussa Dei exequi An ulla molestia in beatas animas cadit Nemo itaque non videt non verum sed fictum Samuelem comparuisse Freidlib caused an evil spirit who took on him the shape and form of Samuel * For they that die in the Lord are under his protection and their souls out of Satans reach in heaven and without the soul the body cannot act any thing And as the Devil had no power to bring Samuel so it is not probable that the Lord did send him For seeing he refused to answer Saul in an ordinary way by Dreams or Prophets it is unlikely he would do it in an extraordinary and miraculous way by raising the Prophet Samuel from the dead to appear For 't is no way likely that the Lord who had so lately refused to answer Saul by the Prophets would now raise up Samuel from the dead to answer him Had Samuel been raised up by God to appear to Saul he would never have said as this counterfeit Samuel did Why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up It was therefore by the enchantments of the Witch that this counterfeit Samuel was raised or the Devil (f) All which shews that the Author of the Apocryphal Book Ecclâ—siasticus wrote not by the inspiration of the Spirit of God who saith of Samuel in relation to this History Ch. 46.20 After his death he prophesied and shewed the King his end in Samuel's likeness and therefore called Samuel here and when he was raised it seems the Witch was presently possest with a spirit of Divination and thereby knew that it was Saul for whom she had done this and thereupon cried out as apprehending he was come to ensnare her why hast thou deceived me for thou art Saul Saul bad her not be afraid and asked her what she saw she said she saw Gods that is one of the Gods or some magistrate or personage of great honour such being called Gods Psal 82.6 ascending out of the earth Saul not yet seeing him asked her of what form or shape he was she said he appeared like an old man covered with a mantle (g) We cannot think that the true Samuel was buried in his mantle but the Devil thickning the air might form such a likeness and representation of him V.
the God of Heaven and earth O ye unfortunate mountains of Gilboa let no dew or rain ever fall upon you more be ye cursed with drought and barrenness (c) Gravitas doloris etiam rebus inanimatis maledicere consuevit vid. Job 3.3 as a sad and woful monument of this calamity and let there be no fruitful plots or fields found among you that may yield offerings of first fruits (d) Poëtica exclamatio cum hyperbolica imprecatione ad figurandum horrorem quo pii recordantes accepti mali percelluntur and Tythes May those hills which have given so much occasion of sorrow never afford any matter of rejoicing for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away viz. when the Israelites were routed in the field yea the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oyl that is there Saul himself dropt his shield and fell contemptibly as though he had been a common ordinary man and not a King It was far otherwise formerly For Jonathan's bow and Sauls sword used not to return empty from the blood of the slain and from the fat * Eat is mentioned to signifie men healthful lusty and strong of the mighty that is they did usually devour the blood and flesh of their stoutest enemies Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives that is they dearly loved one another though Saul in his frantick fits was sometimes enraged against Jonathan yet no doubt he dearly loved him when those fits were over And in their deaths they were not divided that is they fell together in the field They were swifter than Eagles and stronger than Lions that is they were nimble and active in pursuing their enemies and strong and valiant in subduing them Ye daughters of Israel weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet with other delights and gave you ornaments of gold upon your apparel remember the peace you enjoyed under his Government which was accompanied with great plenty and abundance of all things both for necessity and delight remember how he enriched the land with the spoils of the enemy But O sad and deplorable how are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battel O Jonathan how wert thou slain upon those cursed high mountains I am distressed exceedingly distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan Very pleasant hast thou been unto me Thy love to me was wonderful exceeding the love of women whose affections usually are very strong How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war lost viz. the armes that were brought by the Israelites to the battel and became a spoil to the Philistines to the great dishonour and weakning of Gods own people O tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askalon 2 Sam. Ch. 1. from 17 to the end SECT CLXXVI DAvid now inquires of the Lord by the Ephod whither he should go up to any of the Cities of Judah and he receives directions from God to go up to Hebron (a) This was at present the chief City of the Tribe of Judah and was withal the place where Abraham Isaac and Jacob were buried accordingly he with his two wives and his followers with their families went up to that City The men of Judah presently flocked thither and anointed David King over them For though before he had been anointed by Samuel yet that they might testifie their approbation of what God had appointed they chearfully now consent to accept him for their King and Soveraign and he reigned over them in Hebron seven years and six months before the rest of the Israelites did generally submit to him Soon after the men of Judah had thus acknowledged him he made inquiry after the Bodies of Saul and his Sons intending as 't is probable to have honourably buried them and he was told what had been done concerning them by the men of Jabesh Gilead of which before 1 Sam. 31.11 12 13. Hereupon he sent Messengers to them to thank them for the kindness they had shewed to Saul desiring the Lord to recompence it unto them and to manifest his mercy and faithfulness to them for it And he being now anointed King over Judah would not have them entertain any thoughts of jealousie as if he would bear them any spleen or ill will for their kindness shewed to Saul but to believe that he would the rather endeavour to manifest all kindness to them and to requite them for it 2 Sam. Ch. 2. from 1 to 8. SECT CLXXVII ABner Saul's Cousin-german who in Saul's life-time had been General of his Army fearing that if David were made King he should be displaced or disregarded and knowing he could not in reason expect that favour and preferment under David which he might under a King of his own kindred and family especially if he himself were the chief instrument to make him King and further considering that Mephibosheth Jonathans Son the heir apparent to Saul was but five years old and now lately lamed in his feet and so unfit for his purpose see Ch. 4.4 therefore he thought it best to take Ishbosheth who was the only Son of Saul that was now left except those he had by his Concubines and to make him King and to that end he took and carried him to Mahanaim a City in Gilead in the Tribe of Gad beyond Jordan chusing there to settle his new King where he might be safest and at the greatest distance from Davids party Abner well knew that David was anointed by Samuel to succeed Saul in the Throne see Chap. 3.4 but being an ambitious and atheistical man he regarded not what God had appointed and seeing Ishbosheth to be a weak and poor-spirited man he thought he might make use of him as a shadow and in the mean time rule all himself And accordingly in that City he made him King over all Israel Judah excepted who to their great praise stuck to David whom God had appointed to be King though they knew it was like to prove the occasion of a Civil War and of much danger to them however they resolved to do their duty and to leave the event to God Ishbosheth was forty years old when he began to reign and he reigned two years quietly without any quarrel with the house of David 2 Sam. 2. from 8 to 11. SECT CLXXVIII DAvid now the better to strengthen himself in his new Kingdom contracts affinity with Talmai King of Geshur (a) Israelitis ut puto era vectigalis Rex Geshur eumque ut sibi devinciret David Ishboshetho adversarium faceret filiam ejus Maacham sibi in uxorem deposcit Tirinus Geshur pars est Syriae contermina Gileadi in Trachionitide Deut. 3.14 There were also Geshurites on the South-side of Canaan towards Egypt 1 Sam. 27. and from whom David being at Ziklag fetched great store of prey a City lying in the North in the borders of Gilead and marries his daughter Maacha who bare him Absalom and a
the port and state of a Prince the people might look upon him as next heir to the Crown and give him answerable respect For the people are very apt to be taken with outward pomp and bravery and to judge those that use it to be men of brave and noble spirits David being much blinded with affection towards him takes no notice of this his ambition and popularity 2ly He cunningly insinuates himself into the hearts of the people for rising early and standing at the Kings Gate when any Suitors came to the King for justice and to do them right he would in a friendly and obliging manner inquire of their matters and where they lived When he heard their cause he would tell them their cause was good and just but the misery of it was there was none deputed by the King to hear the causes of those that repaired thither for justice that would hear them impartially and do them right Which was a base slander of a graceless Son against his Father of whom it is said Ch. 8.15 That he executed judgment and justice to all the people Then he would say O that I were made judg in the land that every one that hath any cause or suit might come unto me I would be sure to do them right 3ly When any man came nigh him and did him obeisance and paid him respect he would lovingly take him by the hand and kiss him And thus continually courting the people he stole away their hearts and drew their affections from the King to himself David all this while through the just judgment of God was so blinded that he minded it not 4ly Having by these popular ways and arts brought his business as he thought to some ripeness and maturity he now tells the King that he had made a vow when he was in Geshur that if the Lord would please to bring him back again to Jerusalem he would offer to him certain Peace-offerings and Gratulatory Sacrifices and he desired leave of him that he might go to Hebron the place where he was born and which was one of the chief high places in the Tribe of Judah about sixteen miles from Jerusalem whither in those times they resorted to offer Sacrifice there to perform that vow This was forty years (a) Being then about 22 or 23 years of age and about 7 years before he began his reign in Hebron and so about the 33 of his reign and about 7 years before his death after David was first anointed by Samuel in Bethlem and about seven years before his death David bids him go in peace Absalom accordingly went thither and it being the custom when they offered these Peace-offerings to make great feasts therewith Absalom under that colour invited many of his friends and followers and many of the people whom he hoped to win to join with the rest in his intended Conspiracy and to perswade them to make him King Then he sent spies thorough all the Tribes of Israel who at the set time agreed on when the Trumpets should sound in every Tribe and the people wonder what the matter was these spies should inform them that Absalom was anointed King in Hebron with all Regal Ceremonies and Solemnities and was so accepted and proclaimed by the people There were two hundred that were invited by Absalom to his feast of Peace-offerings at Hebron that went in the simplicity of their hearts meerly as invited guests knowing nothing of his intended Conspiracy He hoped it seems that these when they came thither and saw what the rest did would join with them However by inviting such known faithful men he thought his intended Plot would be the better concealed He sent also for Achitophel who had been formerly one of his Fathers prime Counsellors and much esteemed by him for wisdom but for some reasons as it seems was now laid aside and dwelt privately at his own City Giloh in the Tribe of Judah And thus the Conspiracy grew strong for many daily flocked in to Absalom 2 Sam. Ch. 15. from 1 to 13. SECT CXCVII THese things thus going on there came a Messenger to David from Hebron to inform him what had passed there and to acquaint him that the hearts of the people were generally for Absalom David upon this surprizing news knew not well what to do but concluded that present flying * The third Psalm is said to be penned on this occasion wherein by faith he relyed on God as his shield was the safest and securest way both for his own preservation and the good of the City He knew not what party Absalom might have in the City he thought it not safe therefore to trust himself there at present but to go out and encamp abroad in the fields and deserts He desired also to preserve the City from being spoiled and plundred which they might be exposed unto if they stood on their own defence The King therefore departing with his servants and retinue he left ten of his Concubines in his Palace taking as 't is like his other wives along with him thinking that Absalom's party would not be so barbarous and inhumane as to offer any violence to them both because they were women and also stood in so near a relation to the King But there was an over-ruling Providence in this for the bringing about that which God had threatned against David Ch. 12.11 I will take thy wives and give them to thy neighbour and he shall lye with them From Davids departure from Jerusalem for fear of Absalom there happened many remarkable things which we shall here set down in order 1. The King with his servants and guards having marched some reasonable distance from the City there they made a stand and thither to him resorted most of the Citizens that were truly loyal to him and with them six hundred Gittites (a) Sic vocantur auxiliares illorum Philistinorum quos in nuperis bellis David subegerat regno suo adjecerat born possibly at Gath or the Territories of it and who were become proselytes with Ittai their Captain who is supposed to be the King of Gaths Son and a proselyte also he was a wise and valiant man and much in the Kings favour The King seeing him there told him that he had no reason to expose himself to so much danger as they were like to meet with in their flight he being a stranger and an exile and but newly come to him it were better for him to return to Jerusalem and seek to be advanced by the new King who undoubtedly would kindly receive him and his followers seeing they were strangers Take therefore says he thy Countrymen and Souldiers and go back to him and the God of mercy and truth preserve thee Ittai replied As the Lord liveth and as my Lord the King liveth nothing shall make me leave thee but I will stick to thee both in prosperity and adversity both in life and unto death David seeing him so
give David speedy notice thereof and advise him not to lodge that night in the plain of the Wilderness but speedily to pass over Jordan lest he should be surprized For though he had at present as he thought diverted them from following Achitophels dangerous counsel yet he knew not how soon their minds might change Jonathan and Ahimaaz of whom before stayed at Enrogel not far from Jerusalem expecting to hear from their Fathers for they durst not come into the City being suspected to be of Davids party Therefore Zadock and Abiathar sent their message to them by a young maid who was not like to be suspected that they might conveigh it speedily to David But it seems a lad accidently saw them at Enrogel and went and gave intelligence of them to Absalom who speedily sent some to surprize them But they understanding some way or other that they were discovered hasted away presently to Bahurim and betaking themselves to a friends house they hid themselves in the well which was in the Court of the house and to conceal them the more the mans wife spread a covering over the wells mouth and spread ground-corn thereon Absalom's servants pursue them thither and inquire diligently after them the woman of the house tells them they were gone over the water telling therein as they call it an officious lye to preserve them and so when they had sought them in vain and could not find them they returned to Jerusalem They being gone Ahimaaz and Jonathan came out of the well and went speedily to David to acquaint him with what Achitophel had counselled against him and shew him that he must speedily arise and pass over Jordan if he intended to preserve himself This therefore David and his followers immediately did that night and by the morning the whole army was past over And the special Providence of God appeared herein that they were all preserved in such a dangerous passage and that in the night When Achitophel saw that his counsel was not followed but Hushai's prefer'd before his and foreseeing that this counsel of Hushai would certainly be their ruin and that David by gaining this time would so strengthen himself that he would be too hard for Absalom when they came to fight it out in the field and concluding that if David prevail'd as 't was most likely he would there was no mercy for him to be expected at his hands who had been so false and treacherous to him he being greatly discontented went to his own City Giloh and there putting his house in order making his will and disposing of his estate and taking care of all things but his soul he hanged himself * Herein he was a Type of Judas and was buried in the Sepulchre of his Father 2 Sam. 17. from v. 1 to 24. David upon occasion of Achitophel's counsel against him compos'd the 55 Psalm 12ly David by this time having gathered a good Army together marched with it to Mahanaim a City in the Tribe of Gad beyond Jordan and was there furnished with provisions by three eminent persons the first was Shobi the Son of Nahash of Rabbah brother of Hanun King of Ammon whom David had deposed for abusing his Messengers and set this Shobi up in his stead in thankful remembrance whereof he now brought provisions to David The second was Machir of Lodebar who was Guardian to Mephibosheth when David came to the Crown see Ch. 9.4 who observing how much David favoured him and what kindness he shewed to him did highly esteem him ever after for it and was the readier as 't is probable to commiserate him in this time of his troubles The third was Barzillai the Gileadite of whom we shall say more when we come to the 19th Chapter These all came to comfort David †Sic solet Deus cum usitata auxilia absunt suis de improviso suecurrere in his great distress when his own unnatural Son sought his life and they brought beds and cups and earthen vessels and wheat barley meal parched corn beans lintils and parched pulse and honey butter and sheep and cheese to refresh David and the people that were with him who they thought must needs be weary and hungry and thirsty having had so long a march thorough the Wilderness where they could not but be in great want From v. 27 to the end 13ly Absalom having now gathered together a mighty Army of the Israelites as Hushai had advised he marches out with them against his Father Amasa (a) 'T is said here that Ithra an Israelite was his father and Abigail sister to Zerviah his mother In 1 Chron. 2.17 this Ithra is call'd Jether the Ishmaelite It seems therefore that he was an Ishmaelite by birth but an Israelite by profession and habitation being become a proselyte or else he was call'd an Ishmaelite because he had lived among the Ishmaelites as upon the same account some were called Hittites and Gittites 'T is said of this I hra that he went in to Abigail and begat this Amasa on her which intimates he was not then married to her 'T is also said of this Abigail that she was daughter to Nahash sister to Zerviah 1 Chron. 2.16 17. 't is evident that both this Abigail and Zerviah were daughâ—ers of Jesse and Sisters to David Either therefore Jesse had also the name of Nahash or his wifes name was Nahash who was the mother of Abigail who was Nephew to David and Cousin-german to Joab being made his General and with them he passed over Jordan and pitched in the land of Gilead 2 Sam. 17. v. 24 25 26. 14ly The Armies of David and Absalom being now near one another David drew out his Army which was at this time much increased by the resort of many out of the two Tribes and half on the other side Jordan unto him and mustering them he set Captains over hundreds and Colonels over thousands and divided his Army into three Battalions appointing three Generals over them viz. Joab Abishai and Ittai Then he told them He would go forth with them in person to encourage them and possibly he inclined the more to it that being present in the Army he might use his best endeavour for the saving of Absalom his great Commanders and Souldiers would by no means consent that he should venture his person in the battel telling him that he was worth ten thousand of them the Commonwealth should receive more damage and the enemy more advantage if he should be kill'd than if ten thousand of them should be slain alas say they if we should flee or half of us be slain the enemy will not much regard it if thou remainest alive who art the mark at which they principally aim and who they know as long as thou livest wilt be able to raise forces and make head against them and therefore we think it much better that thou remain in the City and from thence that thou send us forth succours and
the plea of an Elder Brother and has Abiathar and Joab on his side if he can strengthen himself by this marriage he will not then fear to shew himself and endeavour to get the Kingdom for himself and then Abiathar and Joab will King it under him Then falling into a passion he said God do so to me and more also and bring upon me greater misery than I dare now mention see Ruth 1.17 if I do not make it appear to all the world that Adonijah hath spoken this word against his own life For as the Lord liveth who hath set me on the Throne of my Father and made me a family and Court according to the dignity of a King as he promised 2 Sam. 7.12 13. Adonijah shall surely this day be put to death So he immediately gave order to Benaiah Captain of his Guard to fall upon him and kill him which accordingly he did * Thus what Nathan threatned against David 2 Sam. 12.10 viz. that the sword should not depart from his house was fully verified Then sending for Abiathar he told him He was worthy to be put to death also for thus joining with Adonijah in this conspiracy but says he I will not at this time put thee to death because thou didst bear the Ark of God before my Father David and hast been a great sharer with him in all his afflictions and sufferings therefore get thee to Anathoth a City in the Tribe of Benjamin which with the fields about it belongs to the Priests and there live a private life and meddle no more with the Priesthood or Civil affairs And thus Solomon by thrusting out Abiathar from his office and placing Zadok in his room fulfilled the word of the Lord which he spake concerning Eli 1 Sam. 2.31 when the Tabernacle was at Shiloh and concerning Phineas Numb 25.13 These things being thus transacted tidings came presently to Joab that Adonijah was slain and Abiathar confin'd to Anathoth whereupon being conscious of his own guilt in joining with Adonijah in his aspiring to the Crown though he would not join with Absalom in the like case he fled to the Tabernacle at Gibeon and there laid hold on the horns of the Altar thinking possibly by that means the rather to escape because Adonijah had there not long before found favour 1 King 1.52 Solomon hearing where he was presently sends Benaiah and commands him to kill him there Benaiah coming to the Tabernacle would have perswaded Joab to come forth thence but he utterly refused it saying if he must die he would die there which possibly he spake hoping that by hanging on the horns of the Altar he should save his life and not imagining that they would put him to death there And thus it seems he forgot what God himself had said Exod. 21.14 That he that hath slain a man wilfully shall be taken from the Altar Benaiah being loth of his own head to shed blood at the Altar went back to the King and told him what Joab said The King replied Do unto him as he hath said that is seeing he resolves to die there let him die there and there fall upon him and kill him and then bury him decently for the honour of his place and his former services and so thou wilt take away from me and my fathers house the guilt of that innocent blood which he so barbarously shed and so the Lord will return blood upon his head who fell upon two men more righteous and better than himself for in that cause for which he killed them they were innocent He slew Abner for fear lest David should prefer him above himself And he slew Amasa because my Father had preferred him to the place of General in his room So that they were both innocent and not worthy of death upon that account he shall die therefore that their innocent blood may return upon his head and that the blot and stain of it may remain upon his posterity and accordingly they shall feel the sad effects of it for many generations And I doubt not but that upon the house of David and upon his Throne and upon his family there will be peace and prosperity for a long time from the Lord. For by executing judgment on murderers guilt is taken away from the Magistrate and from the Land Numb 35.33 So Benaiah went up to the Altar at Gibeon and as 't is like dragging Joab from thence he slew him and buried him in his own house in the wilderness and the King made Benaiah General of the Army in his room Then the King called for Shimei and said to him Build thee an house in Jerusalem and dwell there and go not forth thence any whither for it shall be that the day thou goest out and passest over the Brook Kidron (a) Solomon would not permit him to go over Kidron which was the way to Bakurim his own city lest he should raise some sedition there where was his own inheritance 2 Sam. 16.5 Kidron was about a mile from Jerusalem so that Shimei had room enough thou shalt surely die and thy blood shall be upon thine own head thou thy self wilt be the only cause thereof Shimei said unto the King The saying is good thy command is just and equal As my Lord the King hath said so will I do and I do bind my self by a solemn Oath which I now make unto thee in the presence of the Lord That I will not go out of the limits thou hast set me v. 42. But how he performed his Oath and promise we shall see afterwards Sect. 221. 1 King Ch. 2. from v. 12 to 39. SECT CCXV HAdad the Edomite who in the days of David had fled into Egypt and had been there for a great while kindly entertained when he heard that both David and Joab were dead he returned into his own Country and proved afterwards a great enemy to Solomon as we shall see hereafter 1 King Ch. 11. v. 21 22. SECT CCXVI SOlomon now contracts affinity with Pharaoh King of Egypt by marrying his Daughter and he brought her into Sion into the Palace of David intending afterwards to build a stately house for her when he had finished the Temple the wall of Jerusalem and his own Palace And he preferred her before the rest of his wives they being of Nations that were his subjects but she the daughter of a potent King And by this match and affinity with such a great neighbour Prince he designed to secure himself the better against foreign enemies 'T is not said whether she had embraced the Religion of the Israelites when he took her to wife yet considering that he is no where blamed for this marriage 't is most like she forsook her Idolatry and that either before or after her marriage she became a Proselyte and worshipped the true God because Solomon in this marriage is made a type of Christ wooing the Gentiles to make them his Spouse and calling them
is like they had brought the Tabernacle with all the things appertaining to it from Gibeon The Priests * 2 Chron. 5.4 'T is said the Levites took up the Ark because the Priests were also Levites that is of the Tribe of Levi. took up the Ark on their shoulders the Levites according to their several appointed ranks carried the Tabernacle with the boards and curtains and the holy vessels belonging thereunto The King and the Elders walked after in a solemn procession to Mount Moriah (a) The Temple to speak properly was not built on Mount Sion but on Mount Moriah but because the whole City of Jerusalem is usually called Sion and Mount Sion from that Mount that was a chief part of it thence it is that the Temple Gods dwelling place is usually said to have been in Sion where the Temple was built whither being come the Priests carried the Ark into the Oracle or most holy place and set it under the wings of the Golden Cherubims But they drew out the staves of the Ark something from under the wings of the Cherubims that they might be seen in the holy place which was before the Oracle but they were not seen as taken out of the Ark 2 Chron. 5.9 And possibly these staves were the rather thus disposed to remember the people that if they brake Gods Covenant the staves yet remained within the rings of the Ark ready to bear away the Symbol of Gods gracious presence from them The Levites also disposed those things which they carried belonging to the (b) The Tabernacle was carried about in the Wilderness forty years it remained in Gilgal about fourteen years it remain'd in Shiloh till Samuels time 1 Sam. 4.4 it then remain'd in Nob till Saul destroyed that place 1 Sam. 22.19 it was in Gibeon all Davids time from thence it was brought into Zion and from thence into the Treasuries of the Temple Tabernacle into the Treasuries of the Temple there to remain as Sacred things not again to be removed When the Priests had set the Ark in its place and were come out immediately an hundred and twenty of them with silver Trumpers and the Levite-singers viz. Asaph Heman and Jeduthun with their Sons and Brethren being arrayed in white linnen and having Cymbals Psalteries and Harps in their hands stood at the East-end of the Altar and the Trumpets sounding and they playing on their Instruments and lifting up their voices with one consent and making one melodious harmony sang as it seems the 136 Psalm the burden of which is For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Whilst they were thus employed suddenly the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud which was an extraordinary manifestation of the presence of God 2 Chron. 5.14 't is said the glory of God filled the house which intimated that the brightness of his glory was such that if it were not clouded over no mortal eyes could behold it It seems the cloud was such and so amazing that the Priests could not continue to minister in the Sanctuary where the cloud was and by this visible sign of his presence the Lord did sanctifie to himself this place see Exod. 40.34 and shewed his approbation of all that was done Solomon standing upon a Brazen Scaffold made for him in the outward Court right before the door of the Priests Court through which he might look and apprehending this cloud to be a manifestation of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the house he had built for his service in a rapture of joy he brake out into these words The Lord said he is pleased to dwell in thick darkness Levit. 16.2 and by a cloud he hath usually testified his presence among his people as when he led the Israelites by a cloud Exod. 13.21 In a cloud he appeared at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.16 In a cloud he appeared that covered and filled the Tabernacle as soon as it was reared up by Moses Exod. 40.34 and therefore doubtless in this cloud the Lord doth now appear unto us and testifies his favourable acceptance of our service in building this house for his name Then directing his speech to God he said O Lord I have built a Temple for thee to manifest thy gracious presence in an house not to be removed as the Tabernacle was but a setled place for thee to abide in (c) Officium Templi non est prastare Deo habitationem sed hominibus directionem ad soliâ—m divinum sempiteruâ—â— quod in câ—lo est Cajet to be there ready on all occasions to resolve us in such cases as we shall humbly propound unto thee and to hear such prayers as we shall make unto thee and to grant such blessings as we shall humbly crave of thee and to accept such sacrifices and services as we shall there offer up and present unto thee And O Lord I pray thee accept this house for thine and ever manifest thy gracious presence therein as long as this dispensation we are now under shall last and till the truth of this type shall be exhibited Then the King turned his face to the people standing about him and blessed them and said Blessed and praised be the Lord God of Israel who spake to David my Father that I should build a Temple for his great name and hath by his good hand upon me enabled me to do it The Lord also said since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no City out of all their Tribes in which I appointed an house to be built that my name might be there in a peculiar manner worshipped But having chosen David to be King over my people it was in his heart to build an house for my name And thereupon I said to him whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my name I like it well that it was in thine heart to do it Nevertheless thou shalt not build this house for me but thy Son that shall come out of thy loins he shall build it And the Lord hath now graciously performed the word that he spake and I am risen up in my fathers room to sit on the Throne of Israel and have built an house for the Lord as he promised I should do and an abiding place for the Ark wherein are the two Tables of the Law which the Lord gave as a Covenant to his people requiring obedience on their part and promising many blessings on his part to the obedient Then Solomon turned his face towards the Altar of Burnt-offering and towards the most holy place and having stood a while he then kneeled down and spreading forth his hands towards heaven poured forth this Divine Prayer saying O Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepest Covenant and shewest mercy to thy servants that walk before thee in the integrity of their hearts Thou hast kept thy
Thus Solomon finished the Lords house and his own house and all that came into his heart to do he prosperously effected 2 Chron. 7.11 having spent full twenty years in this kind of work 1 King 9.10 whereof seven and an half upon the Temple and about twelve and an half upon his own houses and buildings 1 King Ch. 7. from v. 1 to 13. 1 King Ch. 10. from v. 16 22. 1 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 15 to 21. SECT V. WHilst Solomon was busied about his Magnificent buildings it seems Gezer a City allotted to the Levites in the Tribe of Ephraim Josh 21.20 21. but never recovered out of the possession of the Canaanites gave to the King some great distaste so that not being at leisure himself he intreated Pharaoh his Father-in-law to take it in for him by his Armes and to rid him of those troublesome neighbours Pharaoh accordingly did it and burnt the City or some part of it with fire and put the inhabitants thereof to the sword and so gave it for a present to his daughter Solomon's wife 1 King 9.16 SECT VI. HIram King of Tyre having furnished Solomon towards these magnificent buildings with Cedar-trees and Firr-trees and sixscore Talents of Gold Solomon in a grateful retribution and to make him amends gave him twenty Cities or Towns in the land of Galilee which were not as it seems a part of the land which God had given for an inheritance to his people but lay in a tract of ground on the outside of the borders of Asher Josh 19.24 betwixt them and mount Libanus and being now reduced under Solomon's Dominion he presented them to Hiram that he might by them receive satisfaction for what he had had of him But it seems Hiram when he saw them liked them not possibly because they stood in a moorish ground or because he thought it would be long e're he should from them receive that satisfaction which he expected Therefore he return'd them to Solomon again and chose rather to expect satisfaction from him some other way and thereupon Solomon repair'd and enlarged them and planted certain colonies of the Israelites in them See 2 Chron. 8.1 2. whereas before they were inhabited only by the Heathen and now that tract of ground was counted a part of Galilee which 't is thought was the reason why Galilee was called Galilee of the Gentiles 1 King Ch. 9. from v. 10 to 15. SECT VII SOlomon having now finished his own houses and built an house for his Queen Pharaohs daughter he remov'd her and brought her up thither out of the City of David for he said My wife shall not dwell in the house of David King of Israel because the places whereunto the Ark of the Lord hath come are more holy than other places 'T is true Davids house ceased to be holy in that respect after the Ark was removed thence yet Solomon out of his superabundant respect to that sign of Gods presence thought it not fit to make that a dwelling place for his Queen and her followers who were aliens and strangers to the house of Israel and possibly retain'd some of their Egyptian profaneness which had been the holy dwelling place of the most High 2 Chron. 8.11 Solomon as it seems reflecting on his Marriage with Pharaohs daughter and his bringing her up to the stately house he had built and prepared for her took occasion from thence to pen that excellent Song called the Song of Songs or the Canticles being the chiefest of those one thousand * See 1 King 4.32 and five Songs composed by him and the most excellent of them all And this Song he composed after he had built his Summer-house in Lebanon as may be gathered by some passages in it see Ch. 4.8 Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse with me from Lebanon And Ch. 7. 4. Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon This Song is clearly a Marriage-song and much of the same nature with the 45 Psalm which is called a Song of Loves And it is a kind of Pastoral composed in the way of Dialogue where the speakers are the Bridegroom and the Bride represented sometimes under the quality of a Shepherd and Shepherdess or Country-damsel and the Bride-men and Bride-maids the friends of the Bridegroom and companions of the Bride And though the most proper aim of it seemeth to be at higher and diviner matters than an earthly marriage and a greater than Solomon is here yet Solomon thought fit to make his marriage with Pharaohs daughter a type of that sublime and spiritual marriage between Christ and his Church The Song is a continued Allegory and full of obscurities yea here we have all the Rhetorick of love and such affectionate compellations and Elogies as are not elsewhere to be found The flowers and ornaments of language used in the praises both of Bridegroom and Bride are not appliable to natural beauties but are mystical representations and emblems of higher things Indeed this Book is all mystical and therefore the Jews forbad the reading of it by any under thirty years of age Here between Christ and his Church are interchangings of mutual praises gloriations and congratulations His divine and glorious excellencies in himself and rich bounties and blessings to her and her precious graces and endowments are in an high character in lofty and stately sayings and similitudes set forth both by him and her And yet withal her failings and his withdrawings from her thereupon and returnings to her again upon her repentance are not omitted In all the interlocutions betwixt them she speaks nine times and he seven In the first Chap. from v. 1 to the 8. the Spouse speaks expressing her ardent desires after Christ and vindicates her own deformities and defects against the uncharitable censures of others and petitions him for further counsel and direction From the v. 8 to the 12. the Bridegroom speaks granting her request and giving her great commendations and making rich promises to her From v. 12 to the 15. the Spouse speaks again then the Bridegroom at v. 15. In the two first verses of Ch. 2. Christ speaks characterizing himself and his Church and then the Church speaks from the v. 3. to the end and throughout all the third Chapter speaking sometimes of Christ and sometimes unto him At Ch. 4. Christ speaks from v. 1 to 15. and at v. 15 16. the Church At Ch. 5. v. 1. Christ granteth the request of the Church and cometh into his Garden and accepteth her entertainment and bringeth his friends with him and feasteth them but this kindness it seems was not so well improved by her as it deserved for she is surprized with a fit of drowsie negligence and so is brought into danger of losing him who after much patient waiting knocking and calling upon her and her unkind answer becomes angry and being not received when he tendred himself departs displeased and is hardly reconciled though she afterwards expresses much care and
diligence in seeking him and in so doing suffereth injuries and losses for his sake Notwithstanding she chargeth the daughters of Jerusalem to tell him that she is sick of love From v. 2 to the 9. They ask her What was her beloved more than another beloved And 't is like they askt this question not as being totally ignorant of him and his excellencies but to give her occasion to set him forth the more unto them which she does very emphatically from v. the 10 to the end Ch. 6. The Spouse's speech so full of affection and admiration of the Bridegroom wrought so much on the daughters of Jerusalem that they ask solicitously whither he was gone that they may join with her in seeking him She tells them where he is and declares her peculiar interest in him v. 2 3. The Church having confessed her fault and sought to make up the breach between Christ and her he thereupon readily receives her and again highly praises and commends her Ch. 7. Christ here continues his praising of her running over every grace and ornament in her under new similitudes and exemplifications from 1 to 10. The Spouse thereupon renews the profession of her love to him and rejoices in his love to her inviting him to her Assemblies to see how they prospered and she promiseth to devote her best fruits wholly to him by whom alone she had brought them forth and by whose blessing she flourished with all sorts of them both new and old From v. 10 to the end Ch. 8. The Church expresseth her ardent desires after Christ v. 1 2 3. and charges others they should not disturb nor displease him v. 4. At v. 5. the Bridegroom seems to admire at the rising of a new Church in a place where there had been no Assembly or Congregation of believers before and coming up from the wilderness and leaning on her beloved that is depending on him by faith whereupon he said I raised thee up under the apple-tree that is when thou wast fallen under the tree of forbidden fruit I by my free grace and the operation of my Spirit rais'd thee up and brought thee to a glorious condition though thy mother had brought thee forth in a sinful state The 6th 7th vers seem to be the words of the Spouse In the 8th 9th verses she expresses her care and solicitude for the uncalled Gentiles At the 10th vers the Gentiles are brought in speaking for themselves Ver. 11 12 13. seem to be the last speech of Christ to and of his Spouse in this Song wherein he magnifies the price the precious fruitfulness and worth of his Church by comparing her to a Vineyard the best of Vineyards even Solomon's in Baalhamon a very fruitful place and he shews that that Vineyard is far short of his Ver. 14. is the Churches last speech and prayer wherein she expresses her longing and earnest expectation of Christ's second coming And so much of the Song of Solomon SECT VIII SOlomon now built a Navy of Ships in Ezion-Geber which is beside Eloth which were havens on that part of the Red-Sea which coasteth on the land of Edom. And because the Tyrians that were Hiram's subjects were always held the most expert Sea-men Hiram * 2 Chro. 8.15 Hiram sent him by the hands of his servants ships read guided for him i. e. by the hands of his servants ships to Ophir sent Solomon many of them to man his new built Ships and go along with and assist his servants in their intended voyage And it seems he built some Ships there himself that joined with the Navy of Solomon and thence they sailed to Ophir which is thought to be in the East-Indies for thither they might most easily sail from Ezion-Geber and fetched from thence four hundred and Twenty Talents of Gold In 2 Chron. 8.18 't is said that 450 Talents of Gold were brought from thence It seems the overplus viz. thirty Talents were expended for the charges of the Fleet and wages of the men or else it was the Adventure of Private persons and only 400 and 20 Talents came clear to the King So that Solomon had at Sea a Navy that went to Tarshish which possibly was then taken in as large an extent an India is now to which the Navy of Hiram joined and once in three years they came home bringing Gold and Silver Ivory or Elephants-tooth and Apes and Peacocks or Monkies and Parrats which they brought 't is like for rarities sake And this Navy also brought from Ophir a great quantity of precious stones and Almug-trees which it seems were better than those Solomon had from Lebanon And the King made of the Almug-trees pillars for the house of the Lord viz. pillars in the rails on each side of the stairs whereby they ascended up to the house of the Lord and 2 Chron. 9.10 't is said He made Terrasses to the house of the Lord and to the Kings house of the Algum-trees †Some think that the Almug-trees here mentioned much differed from the Algum-trees mentioned 2 Chron. 9.10 for these grew in Lebanon the Almug in India that is supporters on each side of the Gallery that led from the Kings Palace to the Temple He made also of this wood Harps and Psalteries for the Singers of the Temple 1 King 9. from 26 to the end 1 King 10. v. 11 12. 2 Chron. 9.10 11 21. SECT IX SOlomon now repaired * 2 Chron. 32.5 In a time of danger Hezekiah repair'd it see Judg. 9.6 Millo †Aedificium hoc erat civitatis Sion quod David quidem incepit sed Solomon absolvit Munster which seems to be the Town-house in the City of David wherein the people had their solemn Assemblies or else some tower or fortress belonging to the City He built also Hazor in the Tribe of Naphtali which was the chief City in former times of the Canaanites Josh 11.1 10. and Megiddo a City belonging to Manasseh Josh 17.11 and Gezer which Pharaoh had taken and given to his daughter See Sect. 5. And Beth-horn the upper and nether that were fenced with walls gates and bars 2 Chron. 8.5 And Baalath in Dan Josh 19.44 And Tadmor in a dry and sandy place in the Coast of Syria though belonging to the land of Israel And he built Cities of store for Ammunition and provisions of all sorts and Cities for his Chariots and Horsemen and whatsoever he design'd to build in Jerusalem or in the Forrest of Lebanon and in any part of his Dominions he prosperously finished 1 King from v. 15 to 20. SECT X. SOlomon understanding that Hamath a City in the Dominions of the King of Zobah Syria which his Father David had formerly taken had now revolted from him he sent his forces against it and took it 2 Chron. 8.3 SECT XI SOlomon still continues constant in his Religion offering the daily sacrifice and sacrificing on the Sabbaths and New Moons and constantly observing
much of the Book of Ecclesiastes SECT XVII GOD threatned Solomon 2 Sam. 7.13 14 15. That if he committed iniquity he would chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men but his mercy should not depart from him And accordingly he now stirred up three Adversaries (a) Though Solomon's enemies had herein their own ends yet the Lord us'd them as instruments of his Justice to punish his revolt against him 1. Hadad the Edomite When David subdued the Edomites 't is said 2 Sam. 8.14 He put Garrisons through all Edom and they became his servants And at this time as it seems whilst Joab pursued his victory slaying all the males where he came Hadad then being very young was hid and afterwards secretly carried away by some of his Fathers servants who also took some out of Paran that lay in the way to attend him into Egypt where he was kindly entertained by Pharaoh who gave him an house and lands and appointed him victuals and a constant Table and in time he came to be in so great favour with him that he gave him to wife his own Queens sister who bare him a Son that was educated in Pharaoh's house When this Hadad heard in Egypt that David and Joab were dead he desired leave of Pharaoh to return into his own Country Pharaoh askt him what he lacked there He said nothing However I desire to return to my own Country that I may recover my Kingdom again Pharaoh hearing this kindly dismissed him and he came to his own Country where he was received for their King Yet 't is manifest he attempted nothing against Solomon for a long time after this For till Solomon's fall in his old age his enemies stirred not see 1 King 5.4 so that 't is like Hadad at first made some Covenant with Solomon and was his Tributary for his Kingdom but at last he stirred against him and created him much trouble yet he was not able quite to shake off his yoke for the Edomites continued Tributaries to the Kings of Judah till Jehoram's reign 2 Chron. 21.10 2ly God stirred up another enemy against Solomon viz. Rezon who when David had gotten the better of his Master in battel and had vanquished the Syrians see 2 Sam. 10.18 he gathered together such of them as were put to flight ande made himself Captain over them and for some time t is like lived by robbing and pillaging till Solomon's declining days And though 't is not like that Solomon lost any thing of that which his Father had gotten till himself fell from God yet then it seems Rezon took courage to set upon Damascus into which David had put a Garrison 2 Sam. 8.6 and took it from Solomon and there reigned as King So that Solomon had now one enemy in the North and another in the South 3ly A third enemy whom God stirred up against him was Jeroboam his own servant of the Tribe of Ephraim who had been raised and preferred by him And the occasion of his rise was this Solomon when he built Millo of which see Ch. 9.15 and repaired the breaches in Zion the City of David going out often to see * The Masters eye they say makes the horse fat and the servant to sweat his workmen and to encourage them to diligence he observed Jeroboam who was then but a young man to be very active and industrious in those labours and services he was set about whereupon Solomon taking a liking to him preferred him and in time made him Receiver or Treasurer for all the Kings revenue in the two Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh Upon a time when he went out of Jerusalem to execute his Office it happened that the Prophet Ahijah †He who with some others penned the Acts of Solomon 2 Chron. 9.29 the Shilonite who had clad himself with a new garment met him and desired some private conference with him and when they were alone he took off his new garment and rent it into twelve pieces according to the number of the Tribes of Israel and gave ten of them to Jeroboam saying Thus saith the Lord I will rend the Kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten Tribes to thee because they (b) Solomon giving way to his wives Idolatry proved a snare to the people and occasioned their revolt from God and in this rent the people suffered as well as Rehoboam the rent in the Kingdom proving an occasion of continual Wars between Judah and Israel which brought in many miseries from foreign Nations upon both Kingdoms have forsaken me and worshipped Ashtaroth and Chemosh and Moloch and have not walked in my ways to do that which was right in mine eyes and to keep my statutes and judgments as did David my servant Howbeit I will not take the Kingdom from Solomon while he lives but he shall be King thereof all his days for David my servants sake whom I chose because he kept my commandments and my statutes But I will take the Kingdom out of his Sons hands viz. ten Tribes of it and will give them unto thee And unto his Son will I give one intire Tribe viz. Judah with Simeon (a) Ac proinde Synecdochice includitur Nam e Benjamine tantum pars penes eum fuit Jeroboamo cesserunt Bethel Ephraim quae erant oppida Benjaminis that is mixt with it together with the greatest part of the Tribe of Benjamin that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem that is a Royal glory shining in one of his posterity who as a light may shine before the people and direct them as long as that Kingdom shall last See 2 Sam. 21.17 1 King 15.4 and that in Jerusalem where my Temple is built and where my name is solemnly call'd upon and which is called after my name the City of God And I will take thee and make thee King over the Ten Tribes and thou shalt be a Soveraign King and not under any Superiour on earth so that thou maist reign according as thy soul desireth And if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee and wilt walk in my ways and do that which is right in my sight to keep my statutes and commandments as David my servant did I will be with thee and build thee a sure house that is so establish thy Kingdom that it shall continue in thy posterity as I promised to David And though I will by this division of the Kingdom sorely afflict the house of David yet I will not do it for ever For though they shall be carried into captivity yet they shall be brought back again and the Messiah shall at last be born of the seed of David who shall continue to reign most gloriously for ever Ahijah having delivered what God commanded him to Jeroboam took his leave of him How Jeroboam was affected with this surprizing message we may easily imagine It seems he
presently imparted it to some of his friends and possibly thereby designed to draw off their hearts from Solomon and to make a party for himself Solomon it seems got some intelligence hereof and thereupon sought to kill him Jeroboam hearing of the Kings fierce anger against him fled presently into Egypt to Shishack the present King thereof who as 't is probable was Solomon's wife's brother and possibly was much offended with him for taking so many wives besides his sister and therefore for that or some other reason he gave entertainment to Jeroboam and he continued there till Solomon's death 1 King Ch. 11. from v. 14 to 41. SECT XVIII SOlomon now having reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years died and slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his Father He left only three children though he had so many wives and concubines viz. two daughters who were married to two of his own subjects as we may see Sect. 13. and one Son viz. Rehoboam who reigned in his stead The Acts of Solomon were written by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo Prophets that lived in his time 2 Chron. 9.29 But this Book of the Acts of Solomon seems to have been some compleat History not now extant of the reign of Solomon gathered out of the several writings of these Prophets and other records of those times wherein possibly many passages of his life were set down not expressed in the Sacred History And among other things possibly that of his repentance which though it be not here so clearly mentioned yet it may be gathered from 2 Chron. 11.17 For three years they walked in the ways of David and Solomon his Son where Solomon and David are jointly commended Some also collect it from that promise Psal 89.33 Nevertheless I will not utterly take away my loving kindness from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail But especially from the Book of Ecclesiastes which questionless was written as a publick testimony of his Repentance And in the 2 Pet. 1.20 21. we find that all the Penmen of the holy Scripture are said to have been holy men of God And 't is probably conjectured that Solomon before his death did throw down Idolatry and restrain'd his wives from it in that the people who set themselves to defame his Government complained of no such matter to Rehoboam Chap. 12.4 1 King Ch. 11. from 41 to the end 2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 29 * V. 29. In the visions of Iddo that is such Visions and Revelations as were registred being by Gods Spirit manifested to Iddo It seems this Iddo who wrote the History of Rehoboam Ch. 12.15 did also join the story of Jeroboam therewith against whom he wrote to the end SECT XIX Kings of Israel JEroboam being chosen King by the Ten Tribes The first King of Israel JEROBOAM he first repaired and fortified Shechem and built himself a Palace there and made it the chief place of his residence and fortified Penuel on the other side of Jordan and placed a Garrison in it And being now setled in his Kingdom though God had promised him by Ahijah the Prophet Ch. 11.38 that if he would walk in his ways he would be with him and build him a sure house as he had done for David yet having no confidence in this promise he began to think that if he should suffer his subjects to go up to Jerusalem to sacrifice there as God commanded they would soon fall off from him to Rehoboam For first he apprehended they would be in danger to be seized upon as Traytors when they came up to Jerusalem if they did not renounce their allegiance to him 2ly The Priests and Levites and their Brethren of Judah he thought would be continually setting before them the sin of falling off from their lawful Soveraign 3ly He supposed the very sight of the Temple and the worship of God there celebrated would much win upon them to come over to the Kingdom of Judah And if their hearts were once turned to Rehoboam he thought they would be sure to kill him and not having faith to believe that God would either prevent or divert these dangers from him if he were faithful to him he resolved to set up some other way of worship for his subjects that they should not need to go up to Jerusalem to worship there And thus that very thing which God appointed to keep the people of the Jews in one uniform way of worship viz. that there should be but one Altar and one place of Sacrifices namely at the Temple at Jerusalem that proved the occasion of setting up a new way of Worship Wherefore Jeroboam by the advice of those about him made two Golden Calves in imitation of the Egyptians Idol-gods among whom he had lived of late and with whom 't is like he desired to hold a strict league and amity and that possibly was another politick reason that induc'd him to make such Idols as these However he pretended the peoples ease and accommodation to be the chief thing that mov'd him to take this course and like a kind and indulgent Prince told them it was too much for them to go up thrice a year viz. at the solemn Feasts to Jerusalem and therefore he had found out a way to save them that labour and accordingly had made two Golden Calves for them to worship in their own Country And these he had made not to represent any false God but as remembrances and representations of the true God of Israel who brought them up out of the land of Egypt and therefore he was not afraid to say to them these be thy Gods O Israel When he had given them this account of his proceedings he placed one of his Calves in Bethel a City * By reason of Jeroboams impiety the Prophet calls it Bethaven Hos 10.5 belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin but it seems it had revolted to him and so was now in his power and the Southern border of his Kingdom the other Calf he placed at Dan which was the Northern border And so he provided that his subjects both in the North and South should have a place to worship at But this thing became a grievous sin and high provocation to the Almighty and drew all Israel from God into Idolatry and therefore 't is put into his stile Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 2 King 10.31 For the people did presently yield to worship these his Idols both at Dan and Bethel And further instead of Gods Temple at Jerusalem he made a Temple on one of the high places or mountains where Altars were reared to commit Idolatry thereon and he made Priests for the high places and for the Devils †Such devotion as is not done to the true God is done to Devils see Lev. 17.7 Idols there so called and for the Calves which he had made 2 Chron. 11.15 of the meanest of the people and such
of his reign and destroyed all the house of Jeroboam Ch. 15.27 over Israel that shall cut off the house of Jeroboam If thou askest when or at what time this shall come to pass I answer very quickly and sooner than you do expect And the Lord will smite Israel as a reed is shaken in the water He will afflict both Prince and people with uncessant wars and troubles both intestine and forreign so that they shall never abide long in any setled condition but as reeds that grow in the water are continually shaken so shall it be with this Kingdom partly by the frequent transferring the Crown from one family to another and partly by the frequent invasions of the men of Judah or some other neighbouring Nation And the Lord will root up (b) First by Tiglath-pilesar in the days of Pekak King of Israel 2 King 15.29 the greatest part after by Salmanassar in the days of Hoshea 2 K. 17.6 Israel out of this good land which he gave to their Fathers and will scatter them beyond the river to wit Euphrates into the land of Assyria Mesopotamia and Media whither they shall be carried captive because they have made Groves for Idols thereby provoking him to anger And he will give up Israel into the hands of their enemies because they consented to the Idolatry of Jeroboam who did sin highly against God and made Israel to sin by causing them to leave the Temple of the Lord and to worship the calves he hath set up Ahijah having thus spoken Jeroboam's wife departed and as she came to the door of her house her Son died And they buried him and all Israel lamented for him as God had foretold by the ministry of his Prophet There were many bickerings and continual hostility between Jeroboam and Rehoboam all their days and the borderers on both sides did continually invade one another but after Rehoboam's death Jeroboam in the eighteenth year of his reign gathered together a vast army of eight hundred thousand men to set upon Abijah Rehoboam's Son newly come to the Crown and Abijah met him with four hundred thousand and with them discomfited his mighty Army and slew five hundred thousand of them and pursuing his victory took from him Bethel and two other Cities as may be more fully seen in the life of Abijah Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again during Abijah's reign Jeroboam at last was stricken with some extraordinary sickness or disease from the Lord in the days of Abijah but he died not till the second year of Asa Son of Abijah and it seems he died not an ordinary death He reigned 22 years and Nadab his Son succeeded him 1 King 12. from 12 to the end 1 King 13. wh Ch. 1 King 14. from 1 to 21. 2 Chron. 13. wh Ch. NAdab began his reign in the second year of Asa Second King of Israel Nadab and reigned only two years namely in part of the second and third year of Asa He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his Father Gibbethon a City belonging to the Tribe of Dan Josh 19.44 was in the days of David and Solomon in the Israelites possession but now it seems the Philistines had gotten it Nadab therefore and all Israel with him went and laid siege to it to recover it and here during the Siege he was treacherously slain by Baasha of the Tribe of Issachar and so the siege as it seems was raised for twenty six years after or thereabouts the Son of Baasha did again lay siege to this City as we may see Chap. 16.15 Baasha now setting up himself in the Throne he smote all the house of Jeroboam according to the Prophesie of Ahijah 1 King 14.10 Behold I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone So with Nadab the Regal power in Jeroboam's house ended And thus the Idolatry wherewith Jeroboam thought to have established the Kingdom to himself and his posterity was the very cause of the ruin of his family and the transferring the Kingdom to another 1 King 15. from 25 to 32. BAasha the Son of Ahijah of the Tribe of Issachar began his reign in the third year of Asa Third King of Israel Baasha and reigned twenty and four years He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam In the thirty sixth year of Asa's Kingdom as it stood divided from the Kingdom of Israel but in the sixteenth year of Asa's own reign and about the fourteenth of Baasha's he perceiving Asa to grow potent and that many of his subjects fell off to him he began to arm against him and never ceased from henceforward to make war upon him all his days and he went up to build Ramah which lay between Samaria and Jerusalem that he might suffer no man to come out from or go unto Asa King of Judah but he was fain to give it over being recalled by an invasion made into his Country by Benhadad King of Syria hired thereunto by Asa 2 Chron. 16. from 1 to 7. and 1 King 15.32 Jehu the Son of Hanani the Prophet delivers him a sad message from the Lord concerning the destruction of his house for his Idolatry and killing of Nadab (a) For though Baasha did herein what God had decreed yet he had no command from God to do it but did it only to serve his own ends and to get the Kingdom Saepe Deus decreta sua exequitur per malos homines qui longe aliud agentes sua quaerunt ideoque poena digni sunt Impii saepe imprudentes serviunt voluntati Dei quam in lege patefactam scientes oppugnant This Jehu was that Prophet that was sent afterwards to Jehoshaphat to reprove him for his league with Ahab 2 Chr. 19.2 and he that wrote the Chronicles of those times 2 Chron. 20.34 And his father Hanani was the Prophet that reproved Asa for seeking to Benhadad for aid against Baasha so that both Father and Son were eminent Prophets of the Lord at the same time and both sent to the Kings of Israel to whom the Lord was pleased to send many Prophets to reclaim them Jehu coming to Baasha tells him Thus saith the Lord forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust and from a mean condition made thee Prince (b) For it was the Providence of God that made Baasha's attempt against Nadab so successful Collatio regni Deo doll vero parricidium Baasae attribuuntur over my (c) They were Gods people by Covenant and outward profession and they retained still Circumcision and the Laws of Moses and there were many pious Prophets and some good people among them people Israel and thou hast walked in
give thee And then pour out of thy own pot of oyl into those empty vessels thou hast borrowed and as one vessel after another is full set it aside and do the like by the next till all are filled The Prophet having given her these directions she believed his word and did accordingly and her Sons brought the vessels to her and thereby testified also their faith in God And when all the vessels they had borrowed were full she not knowing it seems she had filled them all called for another vessel for still the vessel out of which she poured continued to have oyl in it One of her Sons told her there was not an empty vessel left And immediately the oyl ceased when there were no more vessels to hold it God not being willing to manifest his extraordinary power further than there is need Then the widdow came to the man of God and told him how she had sped He bad her go and sell the oyl and therewith in the first place to pay her debts and then she and her children might live upon the remainder teaching thereby that she ought first to be careful that she be just and to pay what she owes before she provides for her self and children 2 King 4. from v. 1 to 8. Not long after as Elisha went up and down seeking opportunities of doing good it happened that he came to Shunem a City in the Tribe of Issachar not far from Mount Carmel where dwelt a Gentlewoman of great quality a pious and prudent Matron who very friendly and kindly entertained him at her Table The Prophet having been so kindly entertained there as oft as he passed by that way he us'd to visit that family that he might do some good among them as well as eat bread with them The Gentlewoman at last said to her husband I perceive this is a very holy man of God and a person of singular sanctity who useth to visit us as he passeth by I pray thee let us make a little Chamber for him on the top of the house * In Hebraeo est sublimitatem parietis parvam i. e. Conclave sublime parvum seperatum a nostris aedibus and let it be separated by a wall or partition from our other rooms that so he may be there private and undisturb'd and let us provide for him a bed and a table and a stool and a candlestick and when he comes this way let him be there lodged and accommodated Her husband agreeing hereunto this Chamber was accordingly made and furnished Shortly after Elisha coming thither took up his lodging in the new Chamber provided for him The Prophet finding himself so kindly entertained by this Gentlewoman began to think how he should recompence her and that the kindness he intended might be the more acceptable he desired to know what would be most agreeable unto her for such kindnesses are usually the best which best suit our present necessities Accordingly he bad his servant Gehazi to go to her and to say to her from him Behold thou hast been very careful for us and hast expressed much kindness to us what is there that I can do for thee that will be pleasing unto thee Hast thou any suit to make to the King or to the General of the Army If thou hast I think I have so much interest in both their favours since I was with them at Moab that I can serve thee and I will readily undertake thy business * It seems the succour and supply of water that Elisha had afforded the three Kings when they went against Moab had brought him into great favour at Court The Gentlewoman replied I dwell quietly and contentedly here among my own people among my neighbours and friends in a condition not so high as to be envied nor so low as to be despised or trampled upon and though I thankfully accept thy Masters offer yet I pray thee acquaint him that I have no need at present of his friendship at the Court †But she needed a friend at Court afterwards 2 King 8.3 4. viz. when Gehazi obtained that her land should be restored to her again Gehazi carrying back this answer to Elisha he said to him what shall we do to gratifie this good woman for though Elisha was so great a Prophet yet he disdained not in some cases to consult and advise with his servant Gehazi understanding that she had no children he told his Master that he thought a child of all things in the world would be most acceptable unto her especially seeing both her husband and her self were well in years and I suppose says he thou canst by thy prayers unto God obtain such a blessing for her Elisha accordingly prayed to the Lord for her and obtaining a gracious answer bad Gehazi go and call her to him When she came she stood in the door thereby expressing her modesty that she would not enter into the Prophets Chamber though it were in her own house till he himself invited her in The Prophet having now receiv'd a revelation from God about this matter he told her that about that time (a) About this season according to the time of life that is about this time of life the year returning as it is now Secundum tempus vivens h. e. hoc ipso tempore vigente revertente Junius vide Gen. 18.10 next year that is the year returning to what it was then she should bring forth a Son and embrace him in her arms she being strangely surpriz'd at this replied O my Lord thou man of God do not deceive thy poor handmaid with the promise of a thing that is not at all like to come to pass Thus like Sarah Gen. 18.13 being something doubtful and as it were betwixt hope and fear she desires to be further satisfied Hereupon the Prophet assured her it would be so and accordingly it came to pass for not long after she conceived and at the time of the next year which the Prophet mention'd she bare a Son to her own and her husband's great joy and comfort This was Elisha's sixth miracle This child afterwards being grown up went out one morning into the field to his Father who was with his Reapers whither being come he said to his Father O my Father my head my head akes extreamly His Father bad one of his younger servants to carry him home presently to his Mother who taking him and setting him on her knees about noon he died in her arms Thus we see how God in his infinite wisdom often tries his dearest servants in their dearest outward enjoyments See Gen. 22.2 His mother perceiving that he was dead she took and laid him on the Prophets bed and shut the door having some inward hope as it seems that he might be restored to life again by Elisha's prayers and perhaps she the rather hoped it because she had heard that Elijah had restored to life a widdows son as we read 1 King
a deadly hatred as appears Joh. 4. 9. the main difference between them in point of Religion is briefly and clearly stated in those words of the woman of Samaria to our Saviour Our Fathers viz. Samaritans worshipped in this mountain viz. Gerizim but ye Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship Joh. 4.20 And observable it is that whereas Moses appointed an Altar to be built on Mount Ebal which Joshua accordingly afterwards erected in that place Josh 8.30 Yet the Samaritan Penteteuch maketh the same to be built on Mount Gerizim in the very place where afterwards this mock-temple stood to gain thereto the greater reputation of holiness and so they wilfully depraved the original vide Samarit Pentet in Deut. 27.4 But if besides the five Books of Moses these Samaritans had received the Books of the Prophets their testimony would have overthrown their cause for the Psalmist says expresly Psal 78. 67. He refused the Tabernacle of Joseph and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim but chose the Tribe of Judah the mount Sion which he loved But to return this Temple on mount Gerizim Antiochus Epiphanes afterwards turned into the Temple of Jupiter who is celebrated for hospitality and it was destroyed something before the time of our Saviour by John Hircanus after it had stood above two hundred years But though the Temple was taken away yet the mountain remained still in which the Samaritans continued their adoration and false worship Here Ends the Reigns of the KINGS of ISRAEL Kings of Judah The first King of Judah REHOBOAM SOlomon being dead some of the Heads and Officers of Israel immediately sent into Egypt for Jeroboam to come to them and it seems they contriv'd among themselves that before they would Crown Rehoboam King they would petition him to be eased of the Taxes his Father in the latter part of his reign had imposed on them For though he made not the Israelites bondmen Ch. 9.22 yet we read of large provisions that were gathered in the land to maintain the royalty of his Court Ch. 4.7 22 23. and of levies made for his buildings Ch. 9.15 and in his declining age especially when he was carried away by his Idolatrous wives and concubines undoubtedly heavier Taxes were laid on the people and it may be Hadad's and Rezons enmity against him might also occasion some impositions These Taxes they resolved to be eased of before they admitted him to the Government And it seems they met at Sechem a City in the Tribe of Ephraim to consult of these matters and from thence sent to Rehoboam that there they were convened to Crown him Rehoboam accordingly going thither Jeroboam and the heads of the people came to him and spake to him saying Thy Father made our yoke grievous now therefore we pray thee ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy Father and his heavy yoke that he put upon us and we will serve thee Rehoboam took three days time to consider of the matter of their petition in which alone he shewed himself wise Solomon's Son and during that time he consulted first with the old men that had been Counsellors and servants to his Father and askt them what answer he should return to the people They told him if he would be kind to them and please them for this once and yield to them and speak good words to them they would be his servants and obedient subjects for ever but if he did otherwise they would be in danger to revolt from him Rehoboam liked not their advice and therefore advised with the younger men that had been brought up with him and now attended on him and they told him that this people were not to be pleased or humoured but to be ratled and rigorously dealt with and therefore advised him to tell them that if they complained of his fathers taxes and impositions he would give them more cause to complain of his They should find that his little finger would be thicker than his Fathers loyns If his Fathers yoke that he laid upon them was heavy he would add to their yoke If his Father chastis'd them with whips he would chastise them with scorpions This is the answer they advise him to give them Accordingly on the third day Jeroboam and the heads of the people coming again to him he forsaking the counsel of the old men answered them roughly according to the words which the young men had put into his mouth Thus Rehoboam regarded not the desire and petition of the people but utterly rejected it for the thing was of the Lord who with-held the spirit of wisdom and counsel from him else he might easily have discerned what the event would be and gave him over to be misled by rash and evil counsellors and thereupon alienated the hearts of the people from him intending thereby to perform the word that he spake by Ahijah the Shilonite concerning Jeroboam This sharp and rigorous answer of the King gave such a general distaste to the people that they would no longer stay to advise upon it but ten of the twelve Tribes unanimously manifested a present and peremptory resolution to fall off from him and muttered after this manner What portion say they have we in David * See the like speech of Sheba 2 Sam. 20.1 to which possibly they allude that is What good can we expect from Davids stock or what inheritance have we in the Son of Jesse What advantage or profit can we expect from any of his posterity To your Tents †Because they of old dwelt in Tents this phrase is still continued in use among them O Israel let us no longer stay here to make our selves slaves to this Tyrant but every man look to his own house and out of our own Tribes let us choose us a King and look thou to thy own house Rehoboam who art descended of David and make much of thy own Tribe for beyond their bounds thy Kingdom is not like to extend We are resolved to take care of our selves and to choose a King from among our own Tribes Rehoboam seeing the people in such a mutiny and distemper he sends Adoram who was over the Tribute to pacifie them hoping no doubt but they would reverence so venerable an old man as he was who was not much short of an hundred years of age having enjoyed that office above sixty years viz. from the midst of David's reign see 2 Sam. 20.24 and all Solomon's until now But he being one of those who they thought promoted the laying of Impositions upon the people the very sight of him did so enrage them that in a mutinous and outragious manner they fell upon him and stoned him to death Upon this Rehoboam thought it high time for him to be gone and therefore speedily getting into his Chariot he fled to Jerusalem Things being now come to this desperate pass immediately ten Tribes fell off from Rehoboam and chose Jeroboam the
Son of Nebat for their King But the Tribes of Judah and Benjamin stuck fast to Rehoboam In memorial of this sad rent the Jews afterwards kept a solemn Fast yearly upon the three and twentieth day of the third month called Sivan Rehoboam being come to Jerusalem forthwith raises an Army of an hundred and fourscore thousand valiant men out of Judah and Benjamin to reduce the Ten Tribes back to his subjection but is forbidden to proceed on in that enterprize by the Prophet Shemaiah who told him that the thing was of God who had so ordered it for the punishment of his Fathers defection from him and so the people returned to their own homes But though for the present that design was laid aside yet there followed continual bickerings between the two Kings all their days and the borderers on both sides did continually make inrodes one upon another see Ch. 14.30 Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built and fortified fifteen Cities for the defence of Judah and made great warlike provisions and put Garrisons into the Cities and placed Captains and Commanders over them some whereof it seems were his own Sons for 2 Chron. 11.23 't is said He dealt wisely and dispersed all his children thoroughout all the Countries of Judah and Benjamin into every fenced City And in that it must be acknowledged he dealt prudently for in his own Sons he might most securely confide And he stored those Garrisons with plenty of victuals and with wine and oyl and in every Garrison he put Shields and Spears and other Warlike ammunition and made them exceeding strong And many Priests and Levites that were cast off by Jeroboam and his Sons * They probably were placed as Captains in the Cities of Israel as Rehoboam's Sons were in the Cities of Judah who would not suffer them to execute the Priests office in their Cities and many people out of all the Ten Tribes who set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel resorted unto him whereby his Kingdom was much strengthned For three years he and his people walked in the ways of David and in the ways of Solomon viz. his first ways before his fall but afterwards they forsook the Law of the Lord though some particular persons among them undoubtedly remained faithful to God and made themselves High-places Images †So that none of the twelve Tribes at this time continued faithful to God the Ten revolted with Jeroboam and these two with Rehoboam and Groves doing according to all the abominations of the Heathen And they did evil in the sight of the Lord and provoked him to jealousie with their sins insomuch that in none of their Fathers days there was such a general apostasie And it seems there were among them some that practised that abominable sin of Sodomy so that they did after all the abominations of the Heathen whom God cast out before their Fathers As for the Domestick affairs of Rehoboam we find that he took eighteen Wives and sixty Concubines and begat twenty eight Sons and sixty Daughters and dispersed his Sons through all the Countries of Judah and Benjamin into the several fenced Cities and there gave them liberal and Princely allowances and sought out many Wives for them out of Noble Families to strengthen their interest by their alliances Of all his Wives he loved Maachah best the daughter of Absalom who was a great Idolatress see 1 King 15.13 and he made Abijah her Son to be chief ruler over his brethren intending he should succeed him in the Throne In the fifth year of his reign because he had so heinously transgressed against the Lord Shishak King of Egypt invited possibly thereunto by Jeroboam who had lived there and been kindly entertained by him before he was made King came up against him with twelve hundred chariots and threescore thousand horsemen and people without number Some of them were Lybians a people in Africa bordering upon Egypt some Suckites otherwise call'd Troglodites a people dwelling in Caves of Rocks and some of them Ethiopians With this great Army invading Judea he took the fenced Cities that were in his way to Jerusalem and then came before that City also The people of Judah being now in great distress Shemaiah the Prophet came to Rehoboam and the Princes * Ver. 6. Princes of Israel that is the Princes of Judah who were Israelites that were gathered together in Jerusalem and spake to them after this manner Thus saith the Lord ye have forsaken me and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak Rehoboam and the Princes upon this humbled themselves and confest their sins and said the Lord is righteous in all the judgments he hath brought upon us Hereupon the Lord spake to Shemaiah again saying They have humbled themselves therefore I will not utterly destroy them but grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured forth upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak nevertheless they shall be his servants and shall yield to such terms as he shall put upon them that they may know my service and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries That is that they may know by the hard conditions Shishak will put upon them how much better it had been for them to have served me than by their sins to have brought themselves into bondage to other Nations See Isa 26.13 So Shishak being come before Jerusalem to save the Temple and City from plunder and to regain the Cities he had taken as he came up to them they were forc'd to give him the Treasures †This was the first spoiling of the Temple of the Temple not the holy vessels but such gold and silver and other precious things as were laid up for repairing the Temple and other holy uses as also the Treasures of the Kings house as also the Golden Shields that Solomon had made 1 King 10.16 Instead of these Rehoboam made Shields of Brass and committed them to the hands of the chief of the Guard that kept the door of the Kings house And when the King entred into the house of the Lord the Guard came and fetched them and carried them before him and when he was come back returned them again into his Guard-chamber Thus Rehoboam humbling himself the wrath of God turned from him so as he would not destroy him altogether And after this things began to go well again in Judah for they enjoyed their liberty of serving the true God the benefit of their own Laws and had for the most part peace and prosperity So Rehoboam recovered strength again and repaired and fortified the Cities of his Kingdom yet he did not sincerely set and fix his heart to seek the Lord that is did not endeavour to know him aright to worship him purely to call upon him fervently and to obey him faithfully and in all these to persevere constantly Now the Acts of Rehoboam first and last namely such as were done in his
Lord is with you while ye be with him and that while you walk in his ways he will not fail to bless you If ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you You may see a clear instance of this in the Kingdom of Israel who for above thirty years last past namely since their revolt under Jeroboam have lived without the publick pure worship of God not having his Priests to instruct them nor regarding his Law to direct them but if they would repent and return to God undoubtedly he would be ready to receive them into his favour again For in former times viz. the times of the Judges when the Israelites were in great trouble and under sore oppressions so that there was no peace to him that went out or came in but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of those Countries and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City God vexing them with sore adversity yet even then when they did seek to the Lord and turn'd unto him he had mercy upon them and did afford them help and deliverance And so if the ten Tribes that have thus forsaken the Lord would turn to him he would surely have mercy upon them But whatever they do let me advise thee O King and thy subjects to go on courageously with the work of reformation begun by you and assure your selves that God will still be with you to bless you whilst you are for him When Asa heard these words together with the Prophesie of Oded the Father of this Azariah which it seems he declared unto him at this time and added it to his own exhortation Asa took courage and made a more diligent search throughout all his Kingdom and put away the remaining Idols that were found among them and that not only out of the land of Judah and Benjamin but out of the Cities which either his Father Abijam or he himself had taken about Mount Ephraim See 2 Chron. 13.19 17.2 And he renewed and repaired the Altar of the Lord that Solomon had built in the Priests Court which now by continual use was something decayed and he summoned all Judah and Benjamin and such of the ten Tribes as were within his Dominions for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the Lord so eminently blessed him and on the third month in the fifteenth year of his reign which was the 35th * For Rehoboam reigned 17 years Abijah 3 Asa 15 at this present since the Kingdom of Judah and Israel were divided 2 Chron. 15.19 he and his people offered unto the Lord of the spoils they had gotten seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep and entred into a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers with all their heart and all their soul and that whosoever should worship any false Gods either publickly or privately should be put to death according to the Law Deut. 17.2 c. And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with Trumpets and Cornets sounding And all Judah rejoiced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought the Lord with their whole soul and he was found of them and heard their prayers and granted their desires accepted what they did and prospered their endeavours and he gave them rest round about There had been no war betwixt Israel and Judah in Asa's time till the 15th year of his reign * 2 Chron. 15.19 for There was no more war read there had been no war viz. betwixt Israel and Judah till the 15th year of Asa Bellum enim non fuerat usque ad annum trigessimum quintum regni Asae Tremel But now about the sixteenth year of Asa and 36th since the division of the Kingdoms Baasha King of Israel perceiving how potent Asa began to be and how fast the Israelites revolted to him and how they had all entred into a Covenant to serve the Lord he began to arm against them in the fourteenth year of his reign and from this time there was war between Baasha and Asa all their days 1 King 15.16 And Baasha having gotten Ramah which was one of the Cities of Benjamin from the King of Judah fearing the greatness of Asa and the revolt of the Israelites to him he resolved to fortifie it and put a Garrison into it that he might keep his own people from flying to him Asa to divert him from building and fortifying of Ramah takes out the silver and gold that were in the Treasures of the Temple and the Kings house and sent them to Benhadad King of Syria to hire him to break his League with Baasha King of Israel He represents to him that there was a League between Benhadad and him as there had been between their Fathers he desir'd him therefore to break the League he had with the King of Israel and to invade his Country that he might depart from him for he was come down to his very borders Doubtless for Asa to be so much afraid of the Israelites and to rob the Temple and therewith to hire an Infidel to break his Covenant with them and to make war upon them and that soon after God had given him so great a victory over that vast host of the Ethiopians Lubims Arabians and Philistines and had manifested so great a readiness to help him was a great sin Benhadad accordingly having received this present not regarding his faith or league made with the Israelites forthwith invaded and took many of their Cities Baasha upon this left off fortifying Ramah and went against Benhadad to defend his own Country †And afterwards when he had secured his own land he went and dwelt at Tirzah In the mean time Asa by Proclamation gathered together all that were able in Judah to go up to Ramah to demolish it and the men of Judah and Benjamin went up thither and fetched away the timber and stones that Baasha had provided to build and fortifie it with and Asa built therewith Geba and Mizpah * See Jer. 41.9 where we read of a pit that Asa had in Mizpah that continued unto the Captivity two Cities in the Tribe of Benjamin Hanani the Seer father of the Prophet Jehu 1 King 16. came hereupon to Asa and said to him Thou hast done ill to distrust the Lord and to relye on the King of Syria to deliver thee from Baasha For hadst thou suffered Benhadad to continue firm to his league with Baasha they both would have invaded thy land and thou shouldst have overcome them both as thou didst the great Army of the Ethiopians whereas now by making an agreement with Benhadad thou hast cut off that advantage from thy self and so his host is escaped out of thy hands Thou maist remember how God gave thee victory over that vast Army of the Ethiopians because thou didst relye on him For the eyes of the Lord
seemeth to have been missing ever since the beginning of Manasseh's reign who possibly at first endeavoured to burn all the Books of the Law and so this Book was hid in some secret place of the Temple by some faithful Priest that it might be preserved for future times Hilkiah having found it he sent it by Shaphan the Scribe unto the King who having heard it read all over to him was exceedingly affected therewith and rent his clothes and more especially as 't is likely at those dreadful threatnings against Idolatry which are written in Levit. 26. Deut. 28. Hereupon he immediately sent to (b) Miriam and Deborah and Anna were all Prophetesses Thus the Lord is pleas'd to endue some women with the spirit of Prophesie to shew that he is not tyed to any sex Huldah a famous Prophetess who dwelt in Ierusalem in the suburbs or second part and desired her to ask counsel of the Lord for him Ieremy possibly being not then at Ierusalem but at Anathoth For Iosiah hearing those curses in the Law denounced against Idolatry and knowing how much some of his Predecessors had been guilty thereof he much seared lest the judgments threatned in that Book might fall upon him and his people and desired to know whither there might be any means to pacifie Gods wrath and prevent those judgments Huldah returned this answer Thus saith the Lord Behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof even all the curses written in the Book which the King of Judah hath read because they have forsaken me and burnt incense to other gods and have provoked me to anger with the works of their hands viz. their idols and altars therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched intimating the utter extirpation of the Jews out of that good land but to the King of Judah who sent you say to him Thus saith the Lord as touching the words and threatnings which thou hast heard read out of the Book because thy heart was tender and soon moved at the hearing of my threatnings and thou hast humbled thy self before me when thou heardest what I spake against this place and the inhabitants thereof that they should become a desolation and a curse that is have the curses written in this Book executed upon it and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me Behold I will gather thee unto thy pious ancestors in heaven before these dreadful calamities shall fall upon this place and people and thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace This answer of Huldahs being brought to the King his heart was so affected with it that to prevent if it were possible this judgment threatned he called together the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem together with the Priests and Prophets viz. Jeremy Baruck Zephany and Vriah and the people both small and great and caused one of the Levites to read in their ears all the words of the Book of the Covenant * The Law is called a Cove an t because obedâ—ence was therein requir'd on the peoples part and a blessing thereupon promised on Gods part so called because it contained the Covenant that God made with the people of Israel See 1 King 8.9 And the King stood by the Pillar on the Brasen Scaffold or on some Throne erected by a pillar in the Temple for him to stand upon at that time and there solemnly made a Covenant before the Lord in his own name and the name of the people to walk after the Lord that is to observe what he prescrib'd unto them and to keep his commandments testimonies and statutes with all their heart and with all their soul and to perform the words of the Covenant written in that Book and he caused all that were present to give their consent to it and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were the most forward to engage themselves to walk according to the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers and did accordingly so walk Then the King commanded Hilkiah the High Priest and the Priests that were next unto him and the Levites to bring forth out of the Temple * Josiah did begin to purge Judah and Jerusalem of Idols in the twelfth year of his reign six years before the Book of the Law was found but upon hearing those dreadful threatnings in the Law against Idolatry he now proceeded further and perfected that reformation which was then begun Therefore the Penman of the Sacred History of the Chronicles relating the Reformation that Josiah wrought in the twelfth year of his reign adds also what was done afterwards when the Book of the Law was found and speaking how he suppressed Idolatry upon the hearing of the Law read to him he joins many things of the same nature that were done in the twelfth year of his reign that all his zealous acts in rooting out Idolatry might he related together all the vessels that were made for Baal and used in his worship or in the Idolatrous worship of the Groves or of the Host of Heaven and he burnt them in the field by which the river Kidron did run and carried the ashes of them to Bethel therewith to defile the prime seat of Jeroboams Idolatry These things had been us'd by Manasseh and Amon but were set aside as it seems in some by-place of the Temple in Josiah's time and seeing still they remained there this good King's zeal would not permit them to be there any longer And he put down the Idolatrous Priests or Chemarim whom the Kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in high places in the Cities of Judah and in places round about Jerusalem He put down those also who burnt incense to Baal or to the Sun Moon and the Planets and host of heaven and he brought out the Image whereon a grove was engraven which it seems was hung up in the Temple and stampt it to powder and cast the dust thereof upon the graves of those that had worshipped Idols and sacrificed unto them 2 Chron. 34.4 And he brake down the Tents of the Sodomites that were in the grove by the house of the Lord and where the women wove hangings for those filthy tents so that in that grove they not only worshipped Idols but as it seems defiled themselves also with all manner of abominable uncleanness And he brought all the Priests that were the Sons of Aaron and had served the true God in high places out of the Cities where they had exercised that false worship and would not suffer them to live there and he defiled the high places even from Geba the North border of the Kingdom of Judah to Beersheba the South-border and beat down their Altars and burned dead mens bones on them v. 14. to make them unclean and brake down the high places that were erected at the entring of the Gates by Joshua the Governour of the City whither it seems many of the people used to
resort so that in his reformation he spared neither the high places of great or small And the Priests of these high places he permitted not to offer sacrifice at the Altar in the Temple yet he permitted them to eat of the unleavened bread that is of the shew-bread and such provisions * Species hic Synecdochice ponitur pro genere q.d. participes erant omnium illorum quibus alii sacerdotes vesci poterant Tirinus as were allotted for the maintenance of the Priests Also he defiled Tophet an high place in the valley of the Son of Hinnon near Jerusalem Josh 15.8 by casting dead mens bones into it that none might hereafter sacrifice his Son to Molech in that place as they had us'd to do Moreover he took away the horses that had been nourished and kept to carry men with speed from the Gate of the house of the Lord †Equitabant ab ingressa Templi ad cameram Nathan-Melech vel ad suburbia Munster to the chamber or house of Nathan-Melech the Chamberlain which was in the suburbs of the City of David where they might see the Sun rise and so might worship it at its first appearing which was an Idolatrous practice of the Persians and it seems the Israelites had learned it from them And he burnt the Chariots wherein the worshippers of the Sun were carried by the help of those horses to see the Sun rise or perhaps the Idolatrous Israelites might set a glorious image of the Sun in one of those Chariots which at sometimes was drawn up and down by those horses for all sorts of people to see and adore And therefore he is said to have burnt the Chariots but to have taken away the horses Furthermore the Altars that were on the flat roof of an upper Chamber of Ahaz which possibly he made to sacrifice thereon to the Sun Moon and Stars see Jer. 19.13 Zeph. 1.4 5. And the Altars which Manasseh had made in the two Courts of the Lords house did he break to pieces For though Manasseh after his repentance did cast out of the City all the Idolatrous Altars that he had made see 2 Chron. 33.15 yet possibly Amon his Son might restore them to their places again and so they might have continued until now but Josiah now tumbleth them down breaks them to pieces and beats them to powder and casts the dust of them into the brook Kidron And the high places which were near Jerusalem on the right hand of the mount of corruption viz. Mount Olivet so called because it was so full of Idols in the days of Solomon * See 1 King 11.7 wherewith the people corrupted themselves Deut. 32.5 he defiled as he had done other high places before 'T is like those high places were defac'd by Asa or Jehoshaphat or Hezekiah but Amon might put them to those Idolatrous uses for which they were before erected and thereupon Josiah took occasion utterly to demolish them that they might never again be used for any such purpose Thus we see how zealously this good King endeavoured a thorough reformation by breaking in pieces Idolatrous Images and cutting down Idolatrous Groves and defiling those those places with dead mens bones that they might never be used for those purposes again 2 King 22. from 3 to the end Chap. 23. from 1 to the 15. 2 Chron. 34. from 8 to the end Josiah now proceeds further in his reformation even to the Cities of the Ten Tribes which he had any power over and first he went to Bethel where coming to the high-place which Jeroboam the first had there made and seeing many sepulchres in the mount of the Idolatrous Priests that had been there buried He undoubtedly by a special instinct from God caused their bones to be taken up and burnt them on that Altar and thereby polluted it according to the word of the Lord which the man of God spake 1 King 13.2 Who cried against that Altar in the word of the Lord and said O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord Behold a child shall be born unto the house of David Josiah by name and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee and mens bones shall be burnt upon thee Then looking about he saw an inscription upon a monument and inquiring what it signified the men of the City told him it was the sepulchre of the man of God who came from Judah and foretold that Josiah should do these things And the old Prophet that seduced him buried him in that sepulchre and gave order that he himself should be there buried also and that there should be an inscription made declaring that there the man of God was buried that when the time came that the things which he had prophesied should be fulfilled his sepulchre might hereby be known from the rest and so neither the bones of the man of God nor his own bones might be disturbed Josiah being satisfied by the inscription whose sepulchre it was he gave order that the bones of those two Prophets should not be disturbed and so the old Prophets desire was fulfilled see 1 King 13.31 32. Then he brake down the high place and the Altar and stampt it small to powder and burnt the Grove where the high place was Then he proceeded to the Cities of Manasseh Ephraim and Simeon even unto Naphtali and caused the Altars and graven Images to be broken down with mattocks and did unto them as he had done at Bethel And such Idolatrous Priests as he met with who sacrificed to false gods and opposed him in this reformation he slew upon their Altars and therein fulfilled what was long since prophesied 1 King 13.1 2. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of the Countries that belonged to the children of Israel over which he had power and caused all of them as much as he could to serve the Lord their God and all his days they departed not from following the Lord God of their Fathers 2 Chron. 34.33 Whereby it appears that though the Ten Tribes were carried away captive into Assyria yet there were some both of the Priests and people that either were left behind or return'd * Abeuntibus Assyriis multi profugi exules qui antea fuga alio alio dilapsi sunt ad suas sedes redierunt cum suis sacerdotibus ibi que ut ante idola sua coluerunt again into the land of Samaria It appears also that the greatest part of the Kingdom of Samaria was at this time under the power of Josiah which possibly the King of Babylon who set Manasseh at liberty might give him with his liberty on condition that he should defend his Territories against the Egyptians who began in those times with great power and success to oppose the Babylonians 2 King 23. from 15 to 21. 2 Chron. 34. from 4 to 8. In the same 18th year of his reign on the 14th day of the
Tent slew 4000 men and giving an alarm to the whole Army at break of the day safely retreated whereupon the King marched towards him next day and they coming to an engagement Antiochus lost several hundreds more but the Jews seeing themselves overpowered retreated The King then returned to the siege and they not being well stored with provision this being the Sabbatical year at last yielded up the Town upon composition Antiochus having herein placed a Garrison marched up to Jerusalem and there made all provision possible for the gaining of it all manner of Engines being raised for the casting of fire and stones but the besieged defended themselves bravely though provisions were very short with them and the famine prevailed so much among them that they were in danger of falling into the Kings hands but before he could finish his work news came that Philip whom his father had appointed to be Guardian being returned out of Egypt was coming with the forces that Epiphanes had left in Persia and Media to recover his right usurped by Lysias Hereupon both he and his Captains were presently perswaded by Lysias because the place was strong and provisions began to fail in the Leaguer and the affairs of the Kingdom required it to make peace with the besieged and with the whole Nation of the Jews upon such terms as they required Then returning to Ptolemais the inhabitants thereof being great enemies to the Jews stickled hard to perswade him to break the League but Lysias so well argued the matter among them that he quieted their minds and confirmed the peace so that the Investiture of the commanding power in the Hasmoneans took its rise from the time of this peace agreed on betwixt Antiochus Eupator and Maccabeus The King hasting thence towards Antioch brought along with him as a prisoner Menelaus the High Priest whom Lysias accused as an Incendiary and the cause of the war whereupon by order from the King he was let down into a Tower filled with ashes and there miserably ended his life ten years after he had first usurped the Priesthood Menelaus being thus taken out of the way the King substituted in his room one Alcimus a man every whit as bad as he Indeed he was of Aaron's progeny but not of the High Priests blood and Lysias perswaded the King to transfer that dignity into another family Onias the Son of Onias the third seeing the High Priesthood conferred on Alcimus went into Egypt and after he had well insinuated himself into the affections of Ptol. Philometor and Cleopatra his wife obtained of them leave to build a Temple to God in the jurisdiction of Heliopolis answering to that at Jerusalem and that they would constitute him High Priest there See more of this in Vsher p. 467. Antiochus coming to Antioch found Philip Master thereof but setting upon it he took it by force and taking Philip therein put him to death and so quickly quieted those stirs being reserved with Lysias his Guardian though but a little time for others more dangerous Demetrius Soter Son of Seleucus Philopator the right heir to the Kingdom now escaping from Rome quickly got the Kingdom and put to death Eupator and Lysias his Guardian Alcimus who had procured from Eupator to be made High Priest being not now receivâ—d nor owned by the people for that in the days of Epiphanes he had wilfully defiled himself came to Demetrius with other Apostates to get the Priesthood confirmed to him He accused his Countrymen especially the Hasmoneans viz. Judas and his Brethren as guilty of cutting off the Kings friends and banishing them out of the Country Hereupon Demetrius sent Bacchides the Governour of Mesopotamia his trusty friend with great forces into Judea and confirmed the High Priesthood to Alcimus whom he sent back with him All their design was being arrived there by fair speeches to get Judas and his Brethren into their hands but they gave no credit to them Many of the Scribes went out to them to seek peace expecting they should have obtained it of Alcimus who was of the seed of Aaron and had now great power in the army but having gotten them into his hands he most wickedly contrary to agreement and his oath put sixty of them to death all in one day by which perfidiousness many being terrified fled from the City Then Bacchides going from Jerusalem caused many that had fled from him and several others of the Jews to be slain and cast into a great pit and so committing the care of the Country to Alcimus for the defence of which he left him some forces he returned unto the King After his departure Alcimus striving all he could to confirm himself in the Priesthood made great havock of the people Hereupon Judas went out through the whole Country taking vengeance on such as had revolted from him and so terrified those that adhered to Alcimus that they were forced to keep themselves within their Garrisons and durst not make any more incursions into the Country Alcimus apprehending danger to himself from these proceedings goes once more to Demetrius carrying along with him a Crown of Gold to present unto him For Judas and his party increasing in power would not suffer him to come near to the holy Altar at which being enraged he eagerly accused them to the King as authors of all the commotions and disturbances in Judea further complaining that he was deprived of the Priesthood the honour as he said of his Ancestors and further affirmed that as long as Maccabeus lived the Kings affairs could not be secure This being seconded by some ill-willers to the Jews and his friends Demetrius was so inflamed that sending for Nicanor one of his chiefest Princes and a bitter enemy to the Jews made him General against Judea giving him order to destroy Judas and disperse his associates the Assideans and to settle Alcimus in the High Priesthood The Jews upon the report of Nicanors approach and the Association of several Gentiles with him cast dust upon their heads and made their Supplication to God And it so happened that after a short skirmish betwixt Simon Judas's Brother and a party of Nicanors near the Village Dessaro Nicanor understanding the Courage and Resolution of Judas and his Party in defending their Country he was unwilling to run the hazard of a Battel but sent to parle with the Jews and to make peace with them upon mutual engagements of fidelity each to other And Articles being agreed upon between them the two Captains met and the Conference proved very successful and closed in a League without the Kings Privity Nicanor after this abode a while in Jerusalem and dismissed the Companies he had collected and was so taken with Judas that he continued with him some time and loved him in his heart and lived so friendly and familiarly with him that he perswaded him to marry a Wife But when that wretched fellow Alcimus observed this Correspondence between them he addressed