before the congregation CHAP. XXI THen a When the whole Land was distributed unto the several Tribes but not actually possessed by them which was the proper season for them to put in their claim came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites b The Fathers of the Levites were Kohath Gershom and Merari and the heads of these were the chief persons now alive of these several Families unto Eleazar the priest and unto Joshua the son of Nun and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel 2 And they spake unto them * Chap. 〈◊〉 at Shiloh in the land of Canaan saying ‡ Numb 〈◊〉 The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in with the suburbs thereof for our cattel 3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites c It seems most probable that they gave to the Levites promiscuously such Cities as God commanded and that the Lot appropriated them to their several Houses or Families out of their inheritance d i. e. Out of their several Possessions partly that the burden and loss might be equally divided and principally that the Levites being dispersed among the several Tribes according to Iacobs Prediction Gen. 49. 7. might more easily and frequently and effectually Teach the Israelites Gods Law and Iudgments which they were engaged to do Deut. 33. 10. and that the People might upon all occasions resort to them and require the meaning of the Law at their mouths Mal. 2. 7. at the commandment of the LORD these cities and their suburbs e Not only the use but the absolute Dominion of them as is manifest both from v. 11 12. where a distinction is made between the City and Suburbs of Hebrâ—… and the Fields and Villages thereof and the former are given to the Levites the latter to Caleb and from the return of these Cities in the Iubilee unto the Levites as to their proper owners Levit. 25. 33 34. 4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites and the children of Aaron the priest which were of the Levites had * See Châ—… 33. by lot out of the tribe of Judah and out of the tribe of Simeon and out of the tribe of Benjamin f Which three Tribes were nearest to the Temple where their business lay thirteen cities g For though the Priests were now few enough for one City yet respect was to be had to their succeeding numbers this division being made for all future Generations And seeing the Levites might sell their Houses until the Iubilee Levit. 25. 33. much more might they Let them and therefore it is probable their Cities were not very long uninhabited many being inclined to dwell with them by vertue of relations contracted with them or dependance upon or expectation from them or oâ—… of respect to the Service of God and the good of their Souls 5 And the rest of the children of Kohath h Who were not of Aarons Family or Priests but Levites onely had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim and out of the tribe of Dan and out of the half tribe of Manasseh i Which Tribes are nearest to the three former and so the Kohathites are placed next to their Brethren the Aaronites ten cities k Fewer than they gave out of the three former Tribes because their inheritance was no less than the former See Numb 35. 8. 6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Naphtali and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteen cities 7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve cities 8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs k Of which see on Numb 35. 2. as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses 9 ¶ And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon l These are mentioned together because the Cities of Siâ—… lay within Iudah's Portion these cities which are here ‡ 〈◊〉 mentioned 〈◊〉 name 10 Which the children of Aaron being of the families m i. e. Of the family the Plural Number for the Singular which is not unusual of the Kohathites who were of the children of Levi had for theirs was the First lot 11 And they gave them ‖ Or Kiriathâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…3 2. the city of Arbah the father of Anak which city is Hebron in the hill â—…ntrey of Judah with the suburbs thereof round about it 12 But ‡ Chap. 14. 14. 1 〈◊〉 6. 56. the fields n i. e. All beyond the 2000 Cubits expressed Numb 35. 5. This is here mentioned not as his peculiar case but as one â—…ment Instance to shew that it was so in all the rest of the Cities here named that the Fields and Villages thereof still belonged to the several tribes from whom the Cities and their Suburbs were taken and to make the rest of the Israelites more contentedly and chearfully resign so great a part of their Possessions to the Levites because even Caleb did so though his Possession had been long before promised and now actually given to him by Gods special command as a mark of honour and compensation for his long and faithful Service of the city and the villages thereof gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession 13 ¶ Thus they * 1 Chro. 6. 57. gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Libnah with her suburbs 14 ¶ And Jattir with her suburbs and Eshtemoa with her suburbs 15 And * 1 Chr. 6. 58. 〈◊〉 Holon o Called Hilen 1 Chron. 6 58. as Iuttah here is called Ashâ—… 1 Chron. 6. 59. and Kibzaim called Iokmeam 1 Chron. 6. 6â—… and so some others the names of the places being changed by length of time and upon special occasions as was frequent among the Jews Though their Doctors add that some of these places here mentioned being now in the Canaâ—…tes Possession and not speedily recovered from them there were others put in their stead with her suburbs and Debir with her suburbs 16 And * 1 Chro. 6. 59 â—…shan Ain with her suburbs and Juttah with her suburbs and Bethshemesh with her suburbs nine cities out of those two tribes â—…â—…in here and Gibeon v. 17. and some others here named are not named 1 Chron. 6. either because they were destroyed in some of those Hostile Invasions and Wars wherewith their Land was grievously harassed and wasted before that time or they appear there under other Names as was said 17 And out of
the tribe of Benjamin Gibeon with her suburbs Geba with her suburbs 18 Anathoth with her suburbs and * 1 Chron. 6. â—…0 Alemeth Almon with her suburbs four cities 19 All the cities of the children of Aaron the priest were thirteen cities with their suburbs 20 ¶ And the families of the children of Kohath the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath q Oveâ—… and above those of them who were Priests even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim 21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Gezer with her suburbs 22 And Kibzaim with her suburbs and Beth-horon with her suburbs four cities 23 And out of the tribe of Dan Eltekeh with her suburbs Gibbethon with her suburbs 24 Aijalon with her suburbs Gath-rimmon with her suburbs four cities 25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh r To wit that half which dwelt in Canaan by comparing this with v. 27. Tanach with her suburbs and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs two cities 26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained 27 ¶ And unto the children of Gershon of the familites of the Levites out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Beeshterah with her suburbs two cities 28 And out of the tribe of Issachar Kishon with her suburbs Dabareh with her suburbs 29 Jarmuth with her suburbs En-gannim with her suburbs four cities 30 And out of the tribe of Asher Mishal with her suburbs Abdon with her suburbs 31 Helkath with her suburbs and Rehob with her suburbs four cities 32 And our of the tribe of Naphtali Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs 〈◊〉 a city of refuge for the slayer and Hammoth-dor with her suburbs and Kartan with her suburbs three cities 33 All the cities of the Gershâ—… according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs 34 ¶ And unto the families of the children of Merari the rest of the Levites out of the tribe of Zebulun Jokneam with her suburbs and Kartah with her suburbs 35 Dimnah with her suburbs Nahalal with her suburbs four cities 36 And out of the tribe of Reuben Bezer s A City of Refuge as it is called Ios. 20. 8. and therefore needless to he here repeated with her suburbs and Jahazah with her suburbs 37 Kedemoth with her suburbs and Mephaath with her suburbs four cities 38 And out of the tribe of Gad Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs to be a city of refuge for the slayer and Mahanaim with her suburbs 39 Heshbon with her suburbs Jazer with her suburbs four cities in all 40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families which were remaining of the families of the Levites were by their lot twelve cities 41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities t Qu. Why hath this Tribe which was the least of all more Cities than any of them Answ. First It doth not appear that they had more for though all the cities of the Levites be expressed it is not so with the other Tribes but divers of their Cities are omitted as is evident Secondly The Levites were confined to their Cities and Suburbs the rest had large Territories belonging to their Cities which also they were in a capacity of improving which the Levites were not so that one of their Cities might be more considerable than divers of the Levites Thirdly God was pleased to deal liberally with his Ministers partly to put honour upon those whom he foresaw many would be prone to despise and partly that being free from all outward distractions they might more intirely and fervently devote themselves to the service of God and the instruction of Souls with their suburbs 42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them thus were all these cities 43 ¶ And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land u He gave them the right to All and the actual Possession of the greatest part of it and power to Possess the rest as soon as it was needful and convenient for them which was by degrees when their numbers were increased c. Exod. 23. 29 30. and the absolute dominion of all the people remaining in it which he sware to give unto their fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein 44 And the LORD gave them rest round about according to all that he sware unto their fathers and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them x To wit all the days of Ioshua by comparing Ios. 1. 5. for afterwards it was otherwise with them the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand 45 ‡ Chap. 21. 44 〈◊〉 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass CHAP. XXII THen Joshua called the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh 2 And said unto them Ye have kept * Num. 32 20. 〈◊〉 â—… 18. all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you 3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days a i. e. For divers years together so long as the War lasted See Jos. 11. 18. and 14. 10. unto this day but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God 4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren as he promised them therefore now return ye and get ye unto your tents b i. e. To your settled habitations as appears from v. 8. which are oft called Tents as Iudg. 19. 9. 2 Sam. 18. 17. Hos. 9. 6. Mal. 2. 12. and unto the land of your possession ‡ Numb 32. 〈◊〉 Chap. 13. â—… which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan 5 But take diligent heed c Watch over your selves and all your actions to do the commandment and the law d Two words expressing the same thing the Law of Commandments delivered by Moses which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you * Deut. 10. 12. to love the Lord your God and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cleaye unto him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul e With the whole strength of your Minds and Wills and Affections 6 So Joshua blessed them and sent them away and they went unto their tents 7 ¶ Now to the one half of the Tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents then he
water-gate eastward 38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them a To wit on the other side of the City Northward and Eastward and I after them and the half of the people upon the wall from beyond * Ch. 3. 11. the tower of the furnaces even unto the * Ch. 3. 8. broad wall b Which they made thicker and stronger than the rest of the Wall for some special reason 39 And from above * 2 Kin. 14. 1â—… the gate of Ephraim and above the * Ch. 3. 6. old gate and above * Ch. 3. 3. the fish-gate and the tower of Hananeel and * Ch. 3. 1. the Tower of Meah even unto the sheep-gate and they stood still in the prison gate c Waiting as also their Brethren did that they might go together in due order into God's House there to perfect the solemnity 40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God d i. e. In the Courts of the Temple and I and the half of the rulers with me e And Ezra and the other half with him as appears by comparing this with v. 31 36. 41 And the priests Eliakim Maasejah Miniamin Michajah Elioenai Zechariah and Hananiah with trumpets 42 And Maasejah and Shemajah and Eleazar and Uzzi and Jehohanan and Malchijah and Elam and Ezer and the singers †Heb. made their voice to be heard sang loud with Jezrahiah their overseer 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced for God had made them rejoice with great joy the wives also and the children rejoiced so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off f Either their loud voices and instruments were heard to a great distance or the fame of it was spread far and near 44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures for the offerings g Such as they had lately ingaged themselves to give or other voluntary or prescribed offerings for the first-fruits and for the tithes to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions ‖ That is appointed by the law of the law h i. e. The foresaid first-fruits and Tithes and other things which God by his Law appointed for them for the priests and Levites †Heb. for the joy of Iudah for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites †Heb. that stood that waited i Partly for the eminent Gifts and Graces which they observed in many of them and partly for the great benefit which they had now received by their Ministry and therefore for the competent provision which hereby was made for them that so they might wholly wait upon their office to the Peoples Edification and Comfort 45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God k i. e. That Ward or Charge or Business which God had prescribed to them and the ward of the purification l And in particular the charge of purification i. e. of taking care that no unclean person or thing might enter into the House or Courts of the Lord which care did certainly belong to the Porters as is expressed 2 Chron. 23. 19. and at this time and in some sort as it seems to the singers who besides their proper imployment were also over the business of the house of God as is affirmed ch 11. 22. Which being a general expression may-well comprehend if it doth not principally design this that they should take care to keep the House of God free from all pollution And possibly as the Porters were to take care that no unclean thing might enter there so if it should through their madvertency enter in the Singers were to remove it * 1 Chr. 25. 26. according to the commandment of David and of Solomon his son 46 For in the days of David * 1 Chr. 25. 1 c. and Asaph m of old there were chief of the singers n There were some overseers whose Office it was to see that the Singers were fit for and diligent in their work and therefore they took care of it at this time and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God n And Heman and Ieduthun 1 Chron. 25. 1. but Asaph only is mentioned here as the most eminent and useful in that work 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the portions of the singers and the porters every day his portion and they ‖ That is set apart sanctified holy things o i. e. They sequestred or set apart the First-fruits and Tithes from their own share and devoted them to the use of the Levites to whom they belonged And so did the Levites by the Tithe of the Tithes Thus they all conscientiously paid their dues to God or his Assigns and did not profane those things which God had sanctified nor take them to their own common use as divers ungodly or covetous persons had formerly used to do when they had opportunity unto the Levites * Num. 18. 26. and the Levites sanctified them unto the childeren of Aaron CHAP. XIII 1 ON that day a Not now presently after the dedication of the wall and gates and City but upon a certain day as that phrase is very commonly used in Scripture without any relation to the time or things mentioned next before it to wit when Nehemiah was returned again from the Persian court to Ierusalem from which he had been absent for some considerable time in which some errours and abuses had crept in which now he endeavours to remove †Heb. there was read they read in the book of Moses in the †Heb. ears audience of the people b Partly because it was not only the Priests but also the peoples duty to study and understand Gods Law and their own duty and partly that the people hearing that this was the express mind and will of the great God might the more willingly yield to the following duties some of which were attended with difficulty and required self denial and therein was found written * Deut. 23. 3. that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God c i. e. Not be incorporated into the common wealth of Israel nor be joyned with any Israelite in marriage relation as appears from v. 3. That practice being a plain comment upon this law But of this and the next verse see the notes on Deut. 23. 3 4. for ever 2 Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water but * Numb 22. 5. Josh. 24. 9. hired Balaam against them that he should curse them howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing 3 Now it came to pass when they heard the law that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude d i.
Or 2. forward to the doubtful and miserable condition of Gad. 19 Gad troup z i. e. 〈◊〉 of enemies shall frequently invade his country â—…d for 〈◊〉 conquer and spoil it And so it came to pass becaâ—… the inheritance of that tribe lay beyond 〈◊〉 near to the Ammoâ—… â—…nd Moabites two inveterate enemies of 〈◊〉 and to other hostile nations on the East shall overcome him but he shall overcome at the last a Or afterward This was fulfilled 1 Chron. 5. 18. c. He shews that the events of the Wars should be various but Gad should one time or other spoil his spoilers See Deut. 33. 20. 20 Out of Asher b i. e. Out of the land of Aher Or As for or concerning Aher his bread shall be fat c His bread-corn shall be fuller and sweeter and better than ordinary and he shall yield royal dainties d Not onely oyl for Ointments but also delicious and excellent fruits fit to be presented to a King See Deut. 33. 24 25. 21 Naphtali is a hind let loose e Not pursued by hunters nor shut up in some little enclosure but wholly left to its own freedom to seed upon the best pastures See Deut. 33. 23. Or free from the yoke which they rogether with the other Tribes did bear in Eâ—…pt free from its former restraints which â—…ke it run away mâ—…e swiftly So it may note their â—…mbleness and expedition either in encountring enemies or in avoiding dangers See Iudg. 4. 6 1â—… and 5. 1â—… Or like a â—…ame hind left to its liberty in which the owner takes delight as Prov. 5. 19. For he seems to be commended rather for arts of Peace then War And this may note that his temper and conversation was civil obliging and amiable which sence the next words favour he giveth goodly words f His speeches and discourses with others are fair and friendly and winning It is not strange that this Tribe was generally of a sweeter disposition than others seeing it is commonly observed that there is a great difference in the tempers of people of divers Provinces or cities bordering one upon another But this verse may be otherwise rendred according to the opinion of a late learned writer Napthali is a tree so the Hebrew word signifies onely jod is inserted here as it is in the same word Isa. 1. 29. and 61. 3. shot forth or spread forth into many branches for the Hebrew verb Shalach is oft used concerning trees and their shooting forth of branches as Psal. 80. 11. Ezek. 17. 6. and 31. 5. sending forth goodly branches the word â—…re which is by others rendred words here signifying branches as either the same word or one coming from the same root and consisting of the same radical Letters is taken Isa. 17. 6 9. And it is usual in the Hebrew language for two words coming from the same root to exchange their significations And this interpretation is favoured by the antient Interpreters the LXX and one of the Arabick Manuscripts which make Napthali here to be compared to a goodly tree bringing forth excellent fruit 22 Joseph is a fruitful bough g In regard of those two numerous Tribes which proceeded from his two sons even a fruitful bough by a well h Or fountain or water-course which scituation doth much further the growth of trees See Psal. 1. 3. and Ezek. 19. 10. whose †Heb. daughters branches run over the wall i i. e. Which is planted by a wall whose heat furthers its growth no less than the moisture of the water doth 23 The archers k i. e. His adversaries as well his own brethren as his Master and Mistress have sorely grieved him l With their scoffes and slanders and injuries which in Scripture are oft compared to Arrows and shot at him and hated him 24 But * Job 29. 20. his bow l Wherewith he opposed his enemies which was no military bow but that which he opposed to all their injuries to wit his own vertue his innocence his patience his temperance his faith and hope in God whereby he resâ—…sted and vanquished all the temptations and difficulties which he met with so that all his enemies coâ—… neither detile nor destroy him abode in strength and the armes of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob m i. e. Of my God the noun for the pronoun which is frequent When men forsook and persecuted him my God and his God stood by him He sheweth that it was not Iosephs Wisdom or Courage but Gods gracious assistance that made him conquerour from thence is the Shepherd the stone of Israel n Either 1. From that great deliverance vouchsafed by God to Ioseph it is that Israel or Iacob hath a shepherd to feed him a stone to lay his head upon as once he did Gen. 28. 11. or a rock of refuge to flie to in his great distresses or a foundation stone or corner stone or pillar to sustain and preserve Iacobs house Or rather 2. from the hands of the mighty God of Iacob last mentioned or from the God of his father as it follows the next verse So the sence is this Though Ioseph was a blessed instrument in this wonderful work yet the God of Jacob was the chief authour of it by whose wise and merciful providence it was so ordered that Joseph should be first sold and afterward advanced and all in order to this end that his Israel with whom he hath been pleased to make a gracious and everlasting Covenant should have a shepherd to feed him in the time of Famine and a stone or rock to support him 25 Even by the God of thy father o Here he explains and determines that doubtful expression from thence by adding even by or rather from as this particle Mâ—…m properly signifies and was just now used the God of thy father i. e. who hath chosen and loved thy father and made a league with him and blessed him with all manner of blessings who shall help thee and by the Almighty who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above p i. e. The sweet and powerful influences of the heavenly bodies and the dews and rains which fall from heaven whereby the fruits of the earth are produced in great plenty See Levit. 26. 4. Deut. 28. 12. and 33. 14. blessings of the deep that lieth under q i. e. Of that great sea of waters both about the earth and in the earth whence come those springs and rivers by which the earth is moistned and made fruitful See Gen. 1. 2. and 7. 11. and Deut. 8. 7. blessings of the breasts and of the womb r Whereby both men and beasts shall be greatly multiplyed and abundantly supplied with all necessaries This was true 1. in the extent of the blessings Ihmael was excluded from Abrahams blessing and my brother excluded from Isaacs blessing but
thee and to thy seed with thee 20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land r i. e. In the land of the children of Israel mentioned ver 19. You shall not have a distinct and separate portion of land as the other tribes shall The reason of this law was partly because God would have them wholly devoted to and employed in his service and therefore free from worldly encumbrances and businesses partly because God had abundantly provided for them otherwise by tithes and first-fruits and oblations of all sorts partly because God would have their worldly comfort and happiness depend singly upon him and his service and so would oblige them to use more zeal and diligence in the advancement of piety even for their own interest which was either better or worse as true religion flourished or decayed See Iudg. 17. 9 10. and 19. 18. 2 Chron. 13. 9. and 30. 22. and 31. 4. partly that this might be a firm bond of hearty love and affection between the people and their teachers the Levites who as they performed religious services for the people so they received their subsistence from them and partly that by this means being dispersed among the several tribes they might have the better opportunity for teaching and watching over the people which was their duty Deut. 33. 10. 2 Chron. 30 22. Mal. 2. 4 5 6 7. neither shalt thou have any part among them * Deut. 1â—… â—… 12. 12. 〈◊〉 2. Josh. 13. 14 33. Ezek 〈◊〉 28. I am thy part s i. e. I have appointed thee a liberal maintenance out of my oblations and thine inheritance among the children of Israel 21 And behold * Lev. 27. 32. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth t For the tithes were all given to the Levites and out of their tithes the tenth was given to the Priests here ver 26 c. and Neh. 10. 37 38. in Israel for an inheritance for their service which they serve eveâ—… the service of the tabernacle of the congregation 22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation u i. e. So nigh as to do any act proper to the Priests or Levites lest they bear sin †Heb. to 〈◊〉 and die 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation and they shall bear their iniquity x i. e. The punishment due not onely for their own but also for the peoples miscarriage if it be committed through their connivance or negligence And this was the reason why the Priests withstood their King Uzziaâ—… when he would have burnt incense to the Lord 2 〈◊〉 26. 17 18. it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel which they offer as an heave-offering unto the LORD y i. e. As a rent-charge or an acknowledgment that they have and hold all their lands and the fruits of it from Gods bounty Note that the word heave-offering which is for the most part understood of a particular kind of offerings heaved or lifted up to the Lord is here used for any offering in general as before ver 8. I have given to the Levites to inherit therefore I have said unto them Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses saying 26 Thus speak unto the Levites and say unto them When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance then ye shall offer up an heave-offering of it for the LORD even a tenth part of the tithe 27 And this your heave-offering shall be reckoned unto you as though it were the corn of the threshing-floor z It shall be accepted of you as much as if you offered it out of your own lands and labours and as the fulness of the wine-press 28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave-offering unto the LORD of all your tithes which ye receive of the children of Israel and ye shall give thereof the LORDS heave-offering to Aaron the priest a And to his children which were one with him and were all to have their share herein 29 Out of all your gifts b Not onely out of your tithes but out of the other gifts which you receive from the people and out of those fields which shall belong to your cities ye shall offer c To wit to the Priest every heave-offering d i. e. As many gifts so many heave-offerings you shall reserve a part out of each of them for the Priest of the LORD of all the †Heb. â—…at best thereof even the hallowed part thereof e This may describe either 1 the nature and proportion of this offering and so peradventure he means the tenth part which was the part or proportion that God hallowed or sanctified to himself as his proper portion both here and elsewhere or 2. the reason or ground of this offering because it is a thing hallowed or appropriated by God to himself and given by him to the Priest and because the payment of this due doth hallow all the rest so as they may use it with comfort and good conscience as it follows ver 31 32. out of it 30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them When ye have heaved the best thereof from it then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor and as the increase of the wine-press 31 And ye shall eat it in every place f i. e. In every clean place and not in the holy place onely ye and your housholds for * 1 Tim. 5. 18. it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it when ye have heaved from it the best of it g Implying that if they neglected this duty they sinned in the use of such unhallowed food * Lev. 22. 15 16. neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel h As you will do if you abuse their holy offerings by reserving that intirely to your selves which they offer to God to be disposed as he hath appointed to wit part to you and part to the Priests lest ye die CHAP. XIX 1 AND the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying 2 This is the ordinance of the law a Or The constitution of the Law i. e. that which God hath ordained or established by Law which the LORD hath commanded saying speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee b At their common charge because it was for the common good a red c A fit colour to shadow forth both the bloody nature and complexion of sin Isa. 1. 8. and the humane nature and
himself as a young lion he shall not lie down y i. e. Not rest or cease from fighting and pursuing untill he eat of the prey and drink the bloud of the slain 25 And Balak said unto Balaam Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all 26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak Told not I thee saying All that the LORD speaketh that I must do 27 And Balak said unto Balaam Come I pray thee I will bring thee unto another place peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence 28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor z An high place called Beth-peor Deut. 3. 29. i. e. the house or temple of Peor because there they worshipped Baal-peor that looketh toward Jeshimon 29 And Balaam said unto Balak Build me here seven altars and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams 30 And Balak did as Balaam had said and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar CHAP. XXIV 1 AND when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel he went not as at * chap. 23. 3 1â—… other times †Heb. to the meeting of inchantments to seek for inchantments a i. e. To use enchantments which he is said to have done either because when he consulted and sacrificed to God he did also use enchantments and consult with the Devil that if one would not the other might help him or because he consulted God in a magical and superstitious way by using such postures or instruments or forms of words as inchanters used but he set his face toward the wilderness b Where Israel lay encamped either with intent to curse Israel without Gods leave or rather expecting what God of his own accord would suggest to him concerning this matter 2 And Balaam lift up his eyes and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes c In the order appointed Numb 2. and the spirit of God came upon him d i. e. Inspired him to speak the following words and so constrained him again to bless those whom he desired to curse 3 * chap. 23. 7 18. And he took up his parable and said Balaam the son of Beor hath said and the man †Heb. who had his eyes shut but now open whose eyes are open e The eyes either 1. of his body as in the following verse or 2. of his mind which God had opened in a peculiar and Prophetical manner whence Prophets are called Seers 1 Sam. 9. 9. He implies that before he was blind and stupid having eyes but not seeing nor understanding Some render the words having his eyes shut as the Hebrew verb Satham signifies the letters Schin and Samech being frequently exchanged and so the meaning is that he received this revelation either in a dream when mens eyes are simply shut or in an extasie or trance when mens eyes though open are in a manner shut to wit as to the use and exercise of them hath said 4 He hath said which heard the words of God which saw the vision f So called either strictly and properly because he was awake when this was revealed to him or largely and improperly for any extraordinary discovery of Gods mind to him whether sleeping or waking of the Almighty falling into a trance g Or extasy fainting and falling upon the ground as the Prophets used to do See 1 Sam. 19. 24. Ezek. 1. 28. and 3. 23. and 43. 3. Dan. 8. 17 18. and 10. 16. Rev. 1. 17. Others falling suddenly into a sleep as the Prophets sometimes did as Gen. 15. 12. Dan. 8. 18. but having his eyes open 5 How goodly are thy tents O Jacob and thy tabernacles O Israel 6 As the valleys h Which oft-times from a small beginning are spread forth far and wide Others as the brooks or rivers as the word signifies which stretch out and disperse their waters into several channels and sometimes further are they i i. e. The Israelites last mentioned spread forth as gardens by the rivers side k Pleasant and fruitful and secured by a fence as the trees of lign-aloes l An Arabian and Indian tree of a sweet smell yielding good shade and shelter both to man and beast such is Israel famous among the nations and not onely safe themselves but yielding shelter to all that joyn themselves to them which the LORD hath planted m Which are the best of the kind such as not man but God might seem to have planted as the best of all sorts are ascribed to God as the trees hills cities of God c. Compare Psal. 104. 16. and as cedar-cedar-trees n Which are famous for growth and height and strength and durableness whence Sâ—…lomons Temple was built of this wood 1 King 6. 9 10. beside the waters o Where trees thrive best 7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets p He i. e. God will abundantly water the valleys gardens and trees which represent the Israelites ver 6. i. e. he will wonderfully bless his people not onely with all outward blessings of which a chief one in those parts was plenty of water but also with higher gifts and graces with his word and spirit which are oft signified by watets Ioâ—… 3. 5. 4. 10. 7. 38 35. and at last with eternal life the contemplation whereof made Balaam desire to die the death of the righteous Others thus God shall make his posterity numerous for the procreation of Children is oft signified by waters fountains cisterns c. as Psal. 68. 26. Prov. 5. 15 18. 9. 17. Isa. 48. 1. But there is no necessity of flying to Metaphors here and therefore the other being the literal and proper sence is by the laws of good interpretation to be preferred before it and his feed shall be in many * Deut. 8. â—… waters q This also may be literally understood of their seed which shall be sown in waterish ground and therefore bring forth a better increase Isa. 32. 20. Others thus His seed shall be so numerous that it shall branch forth into many people the several tribes being reckoned and sometimes called several people Or his seed shall rule over many people or nations which are sometimes signified by many waters as Psal. 144. 7. Isa. 57. 20. Ier. 47. 2. Rev. 17. 15. But here also the literal sence seems best and his king r i. e. The King of Israel either God who was in a peculiar manner their King or Ruler Numb 23. 21. Iudg. 6. 23. 1 Sam. 8. 7. Isa. 33. 22. or their chief governour or governours whether King or others for Moses is called their king Deut. 33. 5. and the Judges were in a mâ—…ner Kings shall be higher than Agag s i. e. Than the king of the Amalekites which â—…ing and people were famous and potent in that age ver 20. as
LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob to give thee great and goodly cities * Psa. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou buildedst not 11 And houses full of all good things which thou filledst not and wells digged which thou diggedst not vineyards and olive-olive-trees which thou plantedst not * Chap. â—… 〈◊〉 â—… when thou shalt have eaten and be full 12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of †Heb. 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 bondage 13 Thou shalt * Chap. 1â—… 〈◊〉 2â—… 〈◊〉 â—… Mat 4. 1â—… Luk. 4. â—… fear the LORD thy God and serve him and shalt swear g When thou hast a call and just cause to swear by his name h Understand onely as Deut. 5. 2. not by Idols or any Creatures 14 Ye shall not go after other gods of the gods of the people which are round about you 15 For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you i Heb. In the midst of you to see and observe all your wayes and your turnings aside to other Gods lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee and destroy thee from off the face of the earth 16 * Maâ—… 4. 〈◊〉 Luk. 4. 1â—… Ye shall not tempt the LORD k i. e. Not provoke him as the following instance explains Sinners especially presumptuous sinners are oft said to tempt God i. e. to make a tryal of God whether he be what he pretends to be so wise as to see their sins so just and true and powerful as to take vengeance on them for their sins concerning which they are very apt to doubt because of the present impunity and prosperity of many such persons See Numb 14. 22. Psal. 78. 18. Mat. 4. 7. Acts 5. 9. your God * Exod. 〈◊〉 Numb 〈◊〉 as ye tempted him in Massah 17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his testimonies and his statutes which he hath commanded thee 18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD l Not that which is right in thine own eyes as many superstitious and sinful practises seem right and good to evil minded men Let Gods will and word and not thine own fancy or invention be thy rule in Gods service Good actions are oft said to be right in Gods sight as Ier. 34. 15. Act. 4. 19. and evil actions are oft said to be right in our own eyes as Deut. 12. 8. Iudg. 17. 6. that it may be well with thee and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers 19 * Num. 33. 〈◊〉 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee as the LORD hath spoken 20 And when thy son asketh thee †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in time to come saying What mean the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which the LORD our God hath commanded you 21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son we were Pharaohs bondmen in Egypt and the LORD brought us out of Egypt * Exod. â—… 〈◊〉 and 13. â—… with a mighty hand 22 And the LORD shewed signs and wonders great and †Heb. 〈◊〉 sore upon Egypt upon Pharaoh and upon his houshold before our eyes 23 And he brought us out from thence that he might bring us in to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers 24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the LORD our God for our good m The benefit of Obedience is ours not Gods Iob 35. 7. and therefore our Obedience is highly reasonable and absolutely necessary alwayes that he might preserve us alive as it is this day 25 †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 24. 13. And it * 〈◊〉 1â—… 5. shall be our righteousness n Heb. 〈◊〉 shall be to us We shall be owned and pronounced by God to be truly righteous and holy persons if we sincerely obey him otherwise we shall be declared to be unrighteous and ungodly persons and all our profession of Religion will appear to be in Hypocrisie Or 〈◊〉 shall be to us or witâ—… us For as the Hebrew word rendred 〈◊〉 is very oft put for 〈◊〉 as Psal. 24. 5. and 36. 10. and 51. 14. Prov. 1â—… 2. and 11. 4. 〈◊〉 9. 16 c. so this sence seem best to agree both with the Scripture use of this phrase in which righteousness seldom or never to my remembrance but 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 frequently is said to be to us or with us as 2 Sam. 15. 20. Psal. 89. 24. Prov. 14. 22. Gal. 6. 16. 2 Ioh. 3. and with the foregoing verse and argument God saith he v. 24. commanded these things for our good that he might preserve us alive as it is this day And â—…th he in this verse this is not all for as he hath done us good so he will go on to do us more and more good and Gods 〈◊〉 shall be to us or with us in the remainder of our lives and forever if we observe c. if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God as he hath commanded us CHAP. VII 1 WHen the * 〈◊〉 31. 3. LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it and hath cast out many nations before thee the Hittite and the Girgashite and the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite seven Nations a There were ten in Gen. 15. 19. But this being some hundreds of years after that it is not strange if three of them were either destroyed by Forreign or Domestick wars or by â—…tion and marriage united with and swallowed up in some of the rest greater and mightier than thou 2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee thou shalt smite them and * 〈◊〉 33. 52. utterly destroy them * 〈◊〉 1â—… 〈◊〉 10. 28 〈◊〉 11. 11 12 thou shalt †〈◊〉 â—…3 32. 〈◊〉 1â—… 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh. 2. 〈◊〉 9. 15. 〈◊〉 1. 24. make no covenant with them b To spare them or permit them to dwell with thee in the land Other Nations had more favour but these were for their great wickedness and for the good of Israel devoted to utter destruction nor shew mercy unto them 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son nor his daughter thou shalt not take to thy son 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me that they may serve other gods c i. e. There is manifest danger of Apostacy and Idolatry from such matches Which reason doth both limit the Law to such of these as were unconverted otherwise Salmon marryed 〈◊〉 Mat. 1. 5. and enlarge it to
A just punishment of their obstinate refusal of peace offered 14 But the women and the little ones p Excused by their sex or age as not involved in the guilt nor being likely to revenge their quarrel and * Josh. 8. 2. the cattel and all that is in the city even all the spoil thereof shalt thou †Heb. spoil take unto thy self and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies which the LORD thy God hath given thee 15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee which are not of the cities of these nations 16 But * Num. 33. 5â—… chap. 7. 1 2. of the cities of these people which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth q Heb. no soul i. e. no man as that word is oft used Compare Ios. 10. 40. with 11. 14. For the beasts some few excepted as being under a special curse were given them for a prey 17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them namely the Hittites and the Amorites the Canaanites and the Perizzites the Hivites and the Jebusites as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee 18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations which they have done unto their gods so should ye sin against the LORD your God 19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time in making war against it to take it thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof r To wit the fruit trees as appears from the following words Which is to be understood of a general destruction of them not of the cutting down of some few of them as the conveniency of the siege might require by forcing an ax against them for thou mayest eat of them and thou shalt not cut them down ‖ Or for O man the tree of the field is to be imployed in the siege for the tree of the field is mans life s i. e. The sustenance or support of his life as life is taken Deut. 24. 6. But this place may be otherwise translated as it is in the Margent of our English Bibles For O man the Hebrew letter He being here the note of a vocative case as it is Psal. 9. 7. the tree or trees the singular number for the plural as is common of the field is or ought as the Hebrew Lamed is used Esth. 9. 1. Psal. 62. 10. to be employed in the siege or as it is in the Hebrew to go before thy face i. e. to make fences for thy security in the siege The trees of the field I here understand not in its general signification of all trees including fruit-bearing trees as that phrase is commonly used but in its more special and distinct signification for unfruitful trees as it is taken Isa. 55. 1 2. or such as grow onely in open fields such as are elsewhere called the trees of the wood 1 Chron. 16. 33. Isa. 7. 2. or the trees of the forest Cant. 2. 3. Isa. 10. 19. which are opposed to the trees of the gardens Gen. 3. 2 8. Eccl. 2. 5. Ezek. 31. 9. as the flower of the field Psal. 103. 15. Isa. 40. 6. and the lilies of the field Mat. 6. 28. are opposed to those that grow in Gardens and are preserved and cultivated by the gardeners art and care And so it is a very proper argument to disswade from the destroying of fruit-trees because the wild and unfruitful trees were sufficient for the use of the siege And this sence fitly agrees with the following words where the concession or grant which here is delivered in more ambiguous terms of the tree of the field is repeated and explained concerning the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat †Heb. to go from before thee to imploy them in the siege 20 Onely the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat thou shalt destroy and cut them down and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee until †Heb. it come down it be subdued CHAP. XXI 1 IF one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it lying in the field a Or in the city or any place onely the field is named as the place where such murders are most commonly committed and most easily concealed and it be not known who hath slain him 2 Then thy elders and thy judges b Those of thy Elders who are Judges for the latter word explains and restrains the former the Judges or rulers of all the neighbouring cities who were all concerned in this enquiry shall come forth and they shall measure c Unless it be evident and confessed which city is hearest for then measuring was superfluous unto the cities which are round about him that is slain 3 And it shall be that the city which is next unto the slain man even the elders of that city shall take an heifer which hath not been wrought with and which hath not drawn in the yoke d A fit vicegerent and representative of the muderer in whose stead it was kild who by this act hath shewn himself to be a son of Belial who would not bear the yoke of Gods law A type also of Christ who was obliged to no work and under no yoke but what he had voluntarily taken upon himself 4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley which is neither eared nor sowen e Partly to represent the hard and unprofitable and untutoured heart of the murderer and partly that such a desert and horrid place might beget an horrour of murder and of the murderer and shall strike off the heifers neck f To shew what they would and should have done to the murderer if they had found him there in the valley 5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near g Both to direct them in all the circumstances of action and to see that the law was observed and to bless them in Gods name by praying for them and absolving or pronouncing them guiltless in this matter for * chap. 10. â—… them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him and to bless in the Name of the LORD and * chap. 17. 8. 9. by their †Heb. 〈◊〉 â—… word shall every controversie h Not absolutely all manner of controversies that could possibly arise as if their word were to determine whether there were a God or providence or no whether God should be worshipped and his commands observed or no whether Moses was a true Prophet or an impostour whether Apostate and Idolatrous Israelites should be punished or no which is apparently absurd and ridiculous but every such controversie as might arise about the matter here spoken of nothing being more usual than to understand universal expressions in a limited sence and indeed
for all the rest He stood in the East and saw also Gilead which was in the Eastern part of the land and thence he saw the North and South and west and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and all the land of Judah unto the utmost sea f i. e. The midland Sea which was the utmost bound of the land of promise on the west 3 And the south g i. e. The south quarter of the land of Iudah which is towards the salt sea which is described Num. 34. 3 4 5. Ios. 15. 1 2 3 4. as the western quarter of Iudah was described in the words next foregoing and the plain of the valley of Jericho h Or in which lies Iericho which was in the Tribe of Benjamin the city of palm-palm-trees i i. e. Iericho so called both here and Iudg. 1. 16. and 3. 13. 2 Chron. 28. 15. from the multitude of Palm-trees which were in those parts as Iosephus and Straâ—… write From whence and the balm there growing it was called Iericho which signifies odoriserous or sweet smelling unto Zoar. 4 And the LORD said unto him * Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 13. 1â—… This is the land which I sware unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob saying I will give it unto thy seed I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes k To wit by a miraculous power strengthning thy sight or making a clear representation of all these parts to thy view but thou shalt not go over thither 5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab l i. e. In the land which Israel took from the Amorites which antiently was the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD 6 And he m i. e. The Lord last mentioned buried him either immediately or by the ministery of Angels whereof Michael was the Chief or Prince Iude ver 9. buryed him in a valley in the land of Moab over-against Beth-Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre n i. e Of the particular place of the Valley where he was buried which God hid from the Israelites to prevent their Superstition and Idolatry to which he knew their great proneness And for this very reason the Devil endeavoured to have it known and contended with Michael about it Iude ver 9. And seeing God would not endure the worship of the Relicks or Tomb of so eminent a person as Moses was it is ridiculous to think God would permit this honour to be given to any of the succeeding Saints who were so far inferiour to him unto this day 7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died his eye was not diâ—… nor his †Heb. 〈◊〉 natural force †Heb. 〈◊〉 abated o By a miraculous work of God in mercy to his Church and people 8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty dayes p Which was the usual time of mourning for persons of high place and eminency See Gen. 50. 3 10. Num. 20. 29. For others seven days sufficed so the dayes of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended 9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom q And other gifts and graces too as appears from the History but Wisdom is mentioned as being most necessary for the Government to which he was now called for Moses had laid his hands upon him r Which God had appointed as a sign to Moses and Ioshua and the Israelites that this was the person whom he had appointed and qualified for his great work See Numb 27. 18 c. compare Gen. 48. 10. Numb 8. 10. and the children of Israel hearkned unto him and did as the LORD commanded Moses 10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses s In the priviledges here following whom the LORD knew face to face t i. e. Whom God did so freely and familiarly and frequently converse with See on Exod. 33. 11. Numb 12. 8. Deut. 5. 4. 11 In all the signs u This is to be joyned either 1. with the words immediately foregoing as an eminent instance wherein God did know or acknowledge and own or converse so familiarly with Moses namely in the working of all his signs and wonders in Egypt where God spake to him so oft and sometimes even in Pharaohs presence and answered his requests so particularly and punctually whether he called for vengeance or for deliverance Or 2. With the more remote words there was none like unto Moses in regard of all the signs c. the words whom the Lord knew face to face coming in by way of parenthesis and the wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land 12 And in all that mighty hand and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel JOSHUA The ARGUMENT IT is not material to know who was the Pen-man of this Book whether Joshua as seems most probable from Chap. 24. 26. or some other holy Prophet It is sufficient that this Book was a part of the Holy Scriptures or Oracles of God committed to and carefully kept by the Jews and by them faithfully delivered to us as appears by the concurring Testimony of Christ and his Apostles who owned and approved of the same Holy Scriptures which the Church of the Jews did But this is certain that divers Passages in this Book were put into it after Joshua's death as Josh. 10. 13. compared with 2 Sam. 1. 18. and Josh. 19. 47. compared with Judg. 18. 1. and Josh. 24. 29 30. And such like Insertions have been observed in the five Books of Moses CHAP. I. NOW after the death of Moses a Either immediately after it or when the days of mourning for Moses were expired Ioshua was appointed and declared Moses his Successor in the Government before this time and therefore doubtless entred upon the Government instantly after his death and here he receives confirmation from God therein the servant of the LORD b This title is given to Moses here and v. 2. as also Deut. 34. 5. and is oft repeated not without cause partly to reflect Honour upon him partly to give Authority to his Laws and Writings in publishing whereof he only acted as Gods Servant in his name and stead and partly that the Israelites might not think of Moses above what was meet remembring that he was not the Lord himself but only the Lords Servant and therefore not to be worshipped nor yet to be too pertinaceously followed in all his Institutions when the Lord himself should come and abolish part of the Mosaical Dispensation it being but reasonable that he who was only a Servant in Gods house should give place to him who was the Son and Heir and Lord of it as Christ was See Heb. 3. 3 5
that he had in his hand toward the city 19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place and they ran assoon as he had stretched out his hand and they entred into the city and took it and hasted and set the city c i. e. Not all of it as appears both from v. 28. and because then they had lost that Prey which God had allowed them but some part of it enough to raise a smoke and give notice to their Brethren of their success on fire 20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them they saw and behold the smoak of the city ascended up to heaven and they had no * Heb. Hand power d Or place for so the Hebrew word is oft used as Numb 2. 17. Neh. 7. 4. Iob 37. 7. Psal. 104. 25. Isa. 22. 18. and 56. 5. to flee this way or that way and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers 21 And when Joshua and all Israel e i. e. All the Israelites there present or all those who seemed to flee away before saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoak of the city ascended then they turned again and slew the men of Ai. 22 And the other f They who lay in Ambush issued out of the city against them so they were in the midst of Israel some on this side and some on that side and they smote them so that they * Deut. 7. 2. let none of them remain or escape g So their late success was a real mischief to them as being the occasion of their total ruine 23 And the king of Ai they took alive h Reserving him to a peculiar and more ignominious punishment for the terror of the other Kings who were the chief causes of all that opposition and disturbance which Israel met with in gaining the Possession of the Promised Land and brought him to Joshua 24 And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness wherein they chased them and when they were all fallen on the edg of the sword until they were consumed that all the Israelites returned unto Ai and smote it i i. e. The Inhabitants of it the men who through age or infirmity were unfit for War and the women v. 25. with the edg of the sword 25 And so it was that all that fell that day both of men and women were twelve thousand even all the men of Ai k Not strictly but largely so called who were now in Ai either as constant and settled Inhabitants or as Sojourners and such as came to them for their help such as being consederate with them are esteemed as one with them for it is evident that the men of Bethel are included in this number v. 17. the Israelites who took this number being unable to distinguish who belonged to the one City and who to the other 26 For Joshua drew not his hand back wherewith he stretched out the spear l Either 1. he ceased not to Fight with that Hand Or 2. He kept his Hand and Spear in the same posture both stretched out and lifted up as a Sign both to encourage them and to direct them to go on in the work See on v. 18. until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 * 〈◊〉 31. 26. Only the cattel and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves according unto the word of the LORD which he * 〈◊〉 2. commanded Joshua 28 And Joshua burnt Ai and made it an heap for ever m Or for a long time as that word oft signifies as Gen. 6. 3. Isa. 42. 14. For that it was after some Ages rebuilt may seem from Nehem. 11. 31. unless that were another City built near the former there being some little difference in the name also even a desolation unto this day 29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree n He dealt more severely with the Kings of Canaan than with the people partly because the abominable wickedness of that people was not restrained and punished as it should have been but countenanced and encouraged by their evil examples and administrations and partly because they were the principal Authors of the Destruction of their own people by engaging them in an obstinate opposition against the Israelites until even-tide and assoon as the sun was down Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree o According to Gods command in that case Deut. 21. 22. and cast it at the entring of the gate of the city p Which place he chose either as most commodious now especially when all the City within the Gate was already turned into an heap of Stones and Rubbish or because this was the usual place of Judgment and therefore proper to bear the monument of Gods â—…ust Sentence against him not without reflection upon that Injustice which he had been guilty of in that place and * 〈◊〉 7. 26. raise thereon a great heap of stones that remaineth unto this day 30 Then q To wit after the taking of Ai. For they were obliged to do this when they were brought over Iordan into the Land of Canaan Deut. 11. 29. and 27 2 3. which is not to be understood strictly as if it were to be done the same moment or day for it is manifest they were first to be Circumcised and to eat the Passover which they did and which was the work of some days but as soon as they had opportunity to do it which was now when these two great Frontier Cities were taken and destroyed and thereby the Coast cleared and the bordering people under great consternation and confusion that all the Israelites might securely march thither And indeed this work was fit to be done as soon as might be that thereby they might renew their Covenant with and profess their subjection to that God by whose help alone they could expect Success in their great and difficult enterprise Joshua built an altar r To wit for the Offering of Sacrifices as appears from the following verse and from Deut. 27. 5 6 7. unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal s Why not on Mount Gerizim also Ans. Because Gods Altar was to be but in one place Deut. 12. 13 14. and this place was appointed to be Mount Ebal Deut. 27. 4 5. which also seems most proper for it that in that place whence the Curses of the Law were denounced against Sinners there might also be the tokens and means of Grace and Peace and Reconciliation with God for the removing of the Curses and the procuring of Gods Blessing unto Sinners 31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel as it is written in the * Exod. 20. 2â—… Deut. 27. 5. book of the law of
the children of Abiezer and for the children of Helek and for the children of Afriel and for the children of Shechem and for the children of Hepher and for the children of Shemida these were the male-children i This expression is used to bring in what follows concerning his Female Children of Manasseh the Son of Joseph by their families 3 But * Numb 26. â—…3 and 27. 1. â—…nd 36. 2. Zelophehad the son of Hephir the son of Gilead the son of Machir the son of Manasseh had no sons but daughters k Of whom see on Numb 26. 33. and 27. 1. and these are the names of his daughters Mahlah and Noah Hoglah Milcah and Tirzah 4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the princes saying The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he l i. e. Eleazar or Ioshua with the consent of the Princes appointed for that work gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father 5 And there fell ten portions m Either 1. Six portions for the six Sons whereof one was Hepher and because he had no Sons his part was subdivided into five equal parts for each of the Daughters Or 2. Ten Portions five for the Sons and five for the Daughters for as for Hepher both he and his Son Zelophehad was dead and that without Sons and therefore he had no Portion but his Daughters had several Portions allotted to them to Manasseh beside the land of Gilead and Bashan which were on the other side Jordan 6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons n i. e. No less than the Sons so their Sex was no bar to their Inheritance and the rest of Manassehs sons had the land of Gilead 7 ¶ And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah that lieth before Shechem and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of En-tappuah 8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah but the city of Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim 9 And the coast descended unto the ‖ Or Brook of Reeds river Kanah southward of the river * Chap. 16. 9. these cities of Ephraim o Tappuah and the cities upon the Coast descending to the River c. last mentioned are among the cities of Manasseh p i. e. Are intermixed with their Cities which was not strange nor unfit these two being linked together by a nearer Alliance than the rest the coast of Manasseh also was on the north-side of the river and the out-goings of it were at the sea 10 Southward it was Ephraims and northward it was Manassehs and the sea is his border q Either 1. Manasseh's whose portion is here described and whose Name was last mentioned Or 2. Ephraim's and Manasseh's both expressed in the foregoing words and implyed in the following they and they met together in Asher r i. e. Upon the Tribe of Asher for though Zabulon came between Asher and them for the greatest part of their Land yet it seems there were some Necks or Parcels of Land both of Ephraim's and of Manasseh's which jutted out farther than the rest and touched the borders of Asher And it is certain there were many such incursions of the Land of one Tribe upon some parcels of another although they were otherwise considerably distant one from the other See Ios. 19. 34. And you must not judg of these things by the present Maps which are drawn according to the Opinions of late Authors which many times are false and they are to be judged by the Scripture and not the Scripture by them But that part of Manasseh did reach to Asher appears from hence that Dor a City of Manasseh v. 11. was as Iosephus witnesseth near Carmel which belonged to Asher Jos. 19. 26. on the north s and in Issachar on the east 11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher t Either 1. Bordering upon them as in Asher is taken v. 10. and as Aarons Rod is said to be in the Ark i. e. close by it Heb. 9. 4. or 2. Properly in them as Ephraim had some Cities in the Tribe of Manasseh Jos. 16. 9. and as it was not unusual when the place allotted to any Tribe was too narrow for it and the next too large to give away part from the larger to the less portion nay sometimes oâ—…e whole Tribe was taken into another as Simeon was into Iudah's Portion when it was found too large for Iudah Jos. 19. 9. Beth-shean and her towns and Ibleam and her towns and the inhabitants of Dor u Not the places onely but the people whom contrary to Gods Command they spared and used for Servants whom therefore they are said to have or possess and her towns and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns even three countreys x This may be referred either to some to wit the three last places or to all the places named in this verse which are here said either to have three Countreys or Tracts of Land belonging to them or to be in three several Countreys or Portions as they seem to have been some in Issachar and some in Asher and yet both belonging to Manasseh Or the words may be rendred the third part of that Countrey for the Hebrew word is of the Singular Number and the Article seems emphatical and so the meaning may be That the Cities and Towns here mentioned are a third part of that Country i. e. of that part of Issachars and Ashers Portion in which those places lay 12 Yet * â—…udg 1. 〈◊〉 the children of Manasseh could not y drive out the inhabitants of those cities but the Canaanites would dwell z Were resolved to Fight rather than he turned out of their ancient habitations in that land q See on Ios. 15. 63. 13 Yet it came to pass when the children of Israel were waxen strong that they put the Canaanites to tribute but did not utterly drive them out a Which they were obliged to now they were strong and numerous enough to possess those places 14 And the children of Joseph b i. e. Of Ephraim and Manasseh as is manifest partly from v. 17. where it is so explained and partly because they mention it as an unreasonable thing that they being two should have but one Lot spake unto Joshua c i. e. Expostulated with him when they went and saw that Portion which was allotted to them and found it much short of their expectation saying Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion d Either 1. Because they really had but one Lot which afterwards was divided by the Arbitrators between them Or 2. Because the Land
from v. 3 4 8 9. which is chosen for the first enterprise because they were both most populous and so most needing enlargement and withal most Valiant and therefore most likely to succeed for God chuseth fit means for the work which he designs and because the Canaanites were numerous and strong in those parts and therefore were in time to be suppressed before they grew too strong for them shall go up behold I have delivered the land into his hand 3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother e As nearest to him both by relation being his Brother by both Parents which few of them were and by habitation as appears from Ios. 19. 1 2. Come up with me into my lot that we may fight against the Canaanites f Specially so called because they are distinguished from the Perizzite v. 4. and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot So Simeon went with him 4 And Judah went up and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand and they slew of them in Bezek g Not in the City for that was not yet taken v. 5. but in the Territory of it or near to it as in Hor is taken Numb 33. 37. And in Iericho Ios. 5. 13. ten thousand men 5 And they found Adoni-bezek h The Lord or King of Bezek as his Name signifies in Bezek i Whither he fled when he had lost the Field and they fought against him k i. e. Against the City wherein he had Encamped himself and the rest of his Army and they â—…lew the Canaanites and the Perizzites 6 But Adoni-bezek fled and they purfued after him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his great toes l That he might be disenabled to fight with his Hands or to run away upon his Feet And this they did either by the secret instinct and direction of God or upon notice of his former Tyranny and Cruelty expressed upon others in this manner as it follows either way it was a just requital 7 And Adoni-bezek said Threescore and ten kings m Which is not strange in those times and places for these might be either First Kings successively and so there might be divers of those Kings in one place and so in others Or Secondly Contemporary Kings For it is well known that anciently each Ruler of a City or great Town was called a King and had Kingly Power in that place and many such Kings we meet with in Canaan and it is probable that some years before Kings were more numerous there till the greater devoured many of the less having ‡ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thumbs 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and of 〈◊〉 feet their thumbs * That so their hands might be unable to manage weapons of War and their great toes cut off ‖ Or 〈◊〉 gathered their meat under my table n An act of Barbarous Inhumanity thus to insult over the miserable joyned with abominable Luxury as I have done so God hath requited me o He acknowledgeth the Providence and vindictive Justice of God which also Pharoah did and others too without any true sense of Piety and they brought him p They carried him in Triumph as a monument of Gods righteous Vengeance to Jerusalem q and there he died 8 Now the children of Judah had sought against Jerusalem and had taken it To wit in Ioshuah's time which though done before may be here repeated to shew why they brought Adonibesek to Ierusalem because that City was in their hands having been taken before as may be gathered from Ios. 15. 63. And the taking of this City may be ascribed to the children of Iudah rather than to Ioshua because the City was not taken by Ioshua and the whole Body of the Army in that time when so many Kings were destroyed Ios. 10. and 12. for there is mention made of the destroying of the King of Ierusalem Ios. 10. 23. and 12. 10. But not a word of the taking of Ierusalem as there is of the taking of 〈◊〉 and Libnah and other Cities belonging to the Kings there mentioned Ios. 10. 28 c. but by the Children of Iudah after they had received their Lot when at the desire and with the consent of the Benjamites in whose Lot Ierusalem fell Ios. 18. 28. they assaulted and took it and thereby as it seems acquired the right of Copartnership with the Benjamites in the possession of that City Though some think Ierusalem was twice taken once in Ioshua's Life-time and being afterwards recovered by the Canaanites was now retaken by the Children of Iudah and smitten it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire 9 〈◊〉 10. 36. 〈◊〉 11. 21. 〈◊〉 15. 13. And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountain and in the south and in the ‖ 〈◊〉 low Countrey valley 10 And Judah went against the Canaanites r Under the Conduct of Caleb as it is recorded Ios. 15. 14 c. for that relation and this here following are doubtless one and the same Expedition and War as appears by all the circumstances and it is mentioned either there by anticipation or here by repetition Of this and the following Verses see the Notes there that dwelt in Hebron now the name of Hebron before was * 〈◊〉 15. 13. Kirjath-arba and they slew Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai 11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher 12 And Caleb said He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher and taketh it to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife 13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz * Chap. 3. 9. Calebs younger brother took it and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife 14 And it came to pass when she came to him that she moved him to ask of her father a field and she lighted from off her ass and Caleb said unto her What wilt thou 15 And she said unto him Give me a blessing for thou hast given me a south land give me also springs of water And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs 16 ¶ And the children of the Kenite Moses father in law s i. e. of Iethro so called from the people from whom he descended Numb 24. 21 22. And whatsoever he did it is evident that his Posterity came into Canaan with the Israelites and were there seated with them See Iudg. 4. 11. 17. and 5. 24. 1 Sam. 15. 6. 1 Chron. 2. 55. went up out of the city of palm-palm-trees t with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah which lieth in the south of Arad t i. e. From Iericho so called Deut. 34. 3. not the City which was utterly destroyed but the Territory belonging to it where it seems they were seated as in a most pleasant and fruitful and safe place according to the promise made
Kenaz Calebs younger brother m Of which see on Judg. 1. 13. 10 And * See Num. 27. 18. the spirit of the LORD ‡ Heb. was came upon him n With extraordinary Influences indowing him with singular wisdom and courage and resolution and stirring him up to this great undertaking Compare Iudg. 6. 34. and 11. 29. and he judged Israel o i. e. Pleaded and avenged the cause of Israel against their oppressors as that Phrase is oft used as Deut. 32. 36. Psal. 10. 18. and 43. 1. and went out to war and the LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of ‡ Heb. Aram. Mesopotamia into his hand and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim 11 And the land had rest forty years p Either First it rested about Forty Years or the greatest part of Forty Years it being most frequent in Scripture to use Numbers in such a Latitude Thus the Israelites are said to bear their iniquities forty years in the wilderness Numb 14. 33. when there wanted near two years of that number and to dwell in Egypt 430 years when there wanted many years of that number Thus Ioseph's kindred sent for and called by him into Egypt are numbred Seventy five souls Act. 7. 14. although they were but Seventy as is affirmed Gen. 46. 27. Exod. 1. 5. So here the land is said to rest forty years although they were in servitude Eight of those Years v. 8. And in like manner the land is said to have rest eighty years though Eighteen of them they served the King of Moab v. 18. And so in some other instances Nor is it strange and unusual either in Scripture or in other Authors for things to be denominated from the greater part as here it was especially when they did enjoy some degrees of rest and peace even in their times of slavery which here they did Or Secondly it rested i. e. began to rest or recovered its interrupted rest in the fortieth year either after Ioshuahs Death or after that first and famous Rest procured for them by Ioshua as is noted Heb. 4. 9. when he destroyed and subdued the Canaanites and gave them quiet possession of the Land and the land had rest from war as is said Ios. 11. 23. and 14. 15. So there is this difference between the years of Servitude and Oppression and those of Rest that in the former he tells us how long it lasted in the latter when it began by which compared with the other years it was easie also to know how long the Rest lasted To strengthen this Interpretation two things must be noted 1. That resting is here put for beginning to Rest as to beget is put for beginning to beget Gen. 5. 32. and 11. 26. and to Reign for to begin to Reign 2 Sam. 2. 10. and to build 1 King 6. 15. 36. for to begin to build 2 Chron. 3. 1. 2. That forty years is put for the fortieth year the Cardinal Number for the Ordinal which is common both in the holy Scripture as Gen. 1. 5 and 2. 11. Exod. 12. 2. Hag. 1. 1. Mark 16. 1. and in other Authors and Othniel the son of Kenaz died 12 ¶ And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD and the LORD strengthned * 1 Sam. 12. 9. Eglon p By giving him Courage and Power and Success against them the King of Moab against Israel because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD 13 And he gathered unto him the Children of Ammon and Amalek and went and smote Israel and possessed the city of palm-Palm-trees q i. e. Iericho as may be gathered from Deut. 34. 3. Iudg. 1. 16. 2 Chron. 28. 15. Not the City which was Demolished but the Territory belonging to it Here he fixed his Camp partly for the admirable Fertility of that Soil and partly because of its nearness to the passage over Iordan which was most commodious both for the conjunction of his own Forces which lay on both sides of Iordan and to prevent the Conjunction of the Israelites in Canaan with their Brethren beyond Iordan and to secure his Retreat into his own Country which therefore the Israelites prevented v. 28. 14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years 15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD the LORD raised them up a ‡ Heb. a saâ—…our deliverer Ehud the son of Gera ‖ Or the sâ—… of Jemini a Benjamite r Heb. the son of Iemini who was of the Tribe of Benjamin 2 Sam. 16. 11. and 19. 17. 1 King 2. 8. This Tribe was next to him and doubtless most Afflicted by him and hence God raiseth a Deliverer a man ‡ Heb. shut 〈◊〉 his right hand left handed s Which is here noted partly as a mark of his Courage and Strength and Activity See Iudg. 20. 16. and principally as a considerable Circumstance in the following Story whereby he might more advantagiously and unsuspectedly give the deadly blow and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges of a cubit length t Long enough for his design and not too long for carriage and concealment and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh u Which was most convenient both for the use of his left hand and for the avoiding of suspition 17 And he brought the present x Which was to be paid to him as a part of his Tribute unto Eglon king of Moab and Eglon was a very fat man y And therefore more unweildy and unable to ward of Ehud's blow 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present he sent away the people that bare the present z He accompanied them part of the way and then dismissed them and returned to Eglon alone that so he might have more easie access to him and privacy with him and that he might the better make his escape 19 But he himself turned again a As if he had forgot or neglected some important business from the ‖ Or gâ—… images quarries b Either First Whence they hewed stones Or Secondly The Twelve Stones which Ioshua set up there by the sight whereof he was animated to his Work Or Thirdly The Idols as the Word also signifies which that Heathen King might place there either in spight and contempt to the Israelites who had that place in great Veneration or that he might ascribe his Conquest of the Land to his Idols at the Israelites did to the true God by setting up this Monument in the entrance or beginning of it that were by Gilgal and said I have a secret errand unto thee O king who said Keep silence c Till my Servants be gone whom he would not have acquainted with a business which he supposed to be of great and close
City of Benjamin Ios. 18. 23. South-west from Michmash unto the land of Shual 18 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon k A City of Ephraim Ios. 16. 3. Northwest from Michmash and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness l i. e The Wilderness of Iordan Eastward 19 ¶ Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel m This was a Politick course of the Philistines which also other Nations have used So the Chaldeans took away their Smiths 2 King 24. 14. Ier. 24. 1. and 29. 2. And Porsenna obliged the Romans by Covenant That they should use no Iron but in the Tillage of their Lands for the Philistines said ‡ We must take them away Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines n Not to the Land of the Philistines for it is not said so and that was too remote but to the Stations and Garisons which the Philistines yet retained in several parts of Israels Land though Samuel's Authority had so far over-awed them that they durst not give the Israelites much Disturbance In these therefore the Philistines kept all the Smiths and here they allowed them the exercise of their Art for the uses here following to sharpen every man his share and his coulter and his axe and his mattock 21 Yet they had ‡ Hebr. a file with mouths a file for the mattocks and for the coulters and for the forks and for the axes o So the sense is They allowed them some small helps to make their Mattocks and in some sort to serve their present use But these words may be otherwise Translated and are so by some Learned both Ancient and Modern Translators thus Therefore the mouths or edges of the mattocks and coulters c. were dull or blunt Or rather thus When Heb. and put for when as the Particle and is sometimes rendred as Mar. 15. 25. the mouths or edges of the mattocks c. were blunt So this passage very well agrees both with the foregoing and following words and the whole sence of the place is intirely thus They went to the Philistines to sharpen their shares and mattocks and coulters and axes when they were blunt and which was more strange They were forced to go to them even to sharpen their goads and ‡ Heb. to set to sharpen the goads 22 So it came to pass in the day of battel that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan p Qu. How could the Israelites smite either the Garison of the Philistines above v. 3. or the Host of the Ammonites Chap. 11. 11. without Arms And when they had Conquered them Why did they not take away their Arms and reserve them to their own use Answ. 1. This want of Swords and Spears is not affirmed concerning all Israel but is restrained unto those 600. who were with Saul and Ionathan whom God by his Providence might suffer to be without those Arms that the glory of the following Victory might be wholly ascribed to God as for the very same reason God would have but 300 men left with Gideon and those Armed onely with Trumpets and Pitchers and Lamps Iudg. 7. There were no doubt a considerable number of Swords and Spears among the Israelites but they generally hid them as now they did their Persons from the Philistines And the Philistines had not yet attained to so great a power over them as wholly to disarm them but thought it sufficient to prevent the making of new Arms knowing that the old ones would shortly be decayed and useless 2. There were other Arms more common in those times and places than Swords and Spears to wit Bows and Arrows and Slings and Stones as appears from Iudg. 20. 16. 2 Sam. 1. 18 22. 2 King 3. 25. 1 Chron. 12. 1 2. besides Clubs and Instruments of Agriculture which might easily be turned into weapons of War 3. God so governed the Affairs of the Israelites that they had no great number of Swords or Spears Iudg. 5. 8. that so they might be kept in more dependence upon and subjection unto God wherein their safety and happiness consisted And therefore that famous Victory obtained against the Philistines in Samuel's days was not got by the Sword of Men but onely by Thunder from Heaven Chap. 7. 10. but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found 23 And the ‖ Or standing Camp garison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash q A place so called because it was near to Michmash and led towards Gibeah which it seems they designed to Besiege and in the mean time to wast the adjoyning Country CHAP. XIV NOW ‖ Or there was a day it came to pass upon a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour Come and let us go over to the Philistines garison a This was a rash and foolish Attempt if it be examined by common Rules but not so if we consider the singular promises made to the Israelites That one should chase a thousand c. and especially the heroical and extraordinary Motions which were then frequently put into the minds of gallant Men by Gods Spirit whereby they undertook and accomplished noble and wonderful things as did Sampson and David and his Worthies that is on the other side b Beyond that Rocky Passage described below v. 4 13. which he pointed at with his hand but he told not his father c Lest he should hinder him in so improbable an Enterprize Nor was it necessary he should inform him of it because he had a Commission from his Father to Fight when he saw occasion as he had done without his Fathers privity Chap. 13. 3. 2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah d In the Outworks of the City where he had Intrenched himself to observe the Motion of the Philistines under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron e Or towards as the Hebrew Bâ—…th is oft used Migron which was another place but near Gibeah See Isa. 10. 28. and the people that were with him were * Chap. 13 〈◊〉 about six hundred men 3 And Ahiah the son of Ahitub f The same who is called Abimelech 1 Sam. 22. 9 11 20. the High-priest who was here to attend upon the Ark which was brought hither v. 18. * Chap. 〈◊〉 Ichabods brother the son of Phinehas the son of Eli the LORD's priest in Shiloh wearing an ephod g To wit the High-priests Ephod wherein the Urim and Thummim was and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone ¶ 4 And between the passages h So these might be two known and common passages both which Ionathan must
affirm or some place in the Indies it is needless to determine with the navy of Hiram once in three years came the navy of Tharshish bringing gold and silver ‖ Or elephants teeth ivory and apes and ‖ Or parrots peacocks 23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and for wisdome 24 ¶ And all the earth i i. e. All the Kings of the Earth as it is expressed 2 Chron. 9. 23. to wit of those parts of the Earth which Synecdoche is very frequent ‡ Heb. sought the face of c. sought to Solomon to hear his wisdome which God had put in his heart 25 And they brought every man his present vessels of silver and vessels of gold and garments and armour and spices horses and mules ‡ Heb. the thing of a year in its year Exod. 16. 4. a rate year by year 26 ¶ * 2 Chr. 1. 14. and 9. 25. And Solomon gathered together charets and horsemen k Like a wise Prince in deep Peace providing for War and he had a thousand and four hundred charets l See the Notes on 1 King 4. 26. and twelve thousand horsemen whom he bestowed in the cities for charets and with the king at Jerusalem 27 And the king ‡ Heb. gave made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones and cedars made he to be as the sycomore-sycomore-trees m Which there were vile and common See Isa. 9. 10. that are in the vale for abundance 28 ¶ * 2 Chr. 1. 16. and 9. 28. ‡ Heb. and the going forth of the horses which was Solomons And Solomon had horses n The two chief Commodities of Egypt See Prov. 7. 16. Cant. 1. 9. Isa. 3. 23. Ezek. 27. 7. brought out of Egypt and linen yarn n The two chief Commodities of Egypt See Prov. 7. 16. Cant. 1. 9. Isa. 3. 23. Ezek. 27. 7. the kings merchants received the linen yarn at a price o Solomon received them from Pharaoh at a certain price agreed between them and gave this priviledge to his Merchants for a Tribute to be paid to him out of it 29 And a charet p This is not to be understood of the Charets and Horses themselves for then all Horses had been set at an equal price which is most absurd but by a Metonymy for the Lading of Charets and Horses which consisting of fine Linen and 〈◊〉 c. were of great value and the Kings Custom together with the Charges of the Journey amounted to these sums came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver and an horse for an hundred and fifty and so for all the kings of the Hittites q A People dwelling principally in the Northern and Eastern parts of Canaan Ios. 1. 4. whom the Israelites contrary to their Duty spared and suffered to live among them Iudg. 3. 5. who afterwards it seems grew numerous and potent and it may be they sent out Colonies after the manner of the Ancient times into some parts of Syria and Arabia and possibly these kings of the Hittites may be some of those kings of Arabia 1 King 10. 15. and for the kings of Syria did they bring them out ‡ Heb. by 〈◊〉 hand by their means CHAP. XI BUT * Neh. 13. 2â—… king Solomon loved a To wit Inordinately and Lustfully * Deut. 17. 1â—… many strange women b He sinned against Gods known Law both in their number Deut. 17. 17. and in their quality ‖ Or besides together with the daughter of Pharaoh women of the Moabites Ammonites Edomites Zidonians and Hittites 2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel * Exod. 3â—… 〈◊〉 Deut. 7. 9 Ye shall not go in to them c i. e. Marry them See on Gen. 6. 4. neither shall they come in unto you for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods d Possibly Solomon might think himself too Wise to be drawn to Idolatry by his Wives and therefore to be unconcerned in the reason of the Law and consequently free in some measure from the obligation of the Law and so like our first Parents trusting his own fancy more than Gods Word he fell dreadfully Solomon clave unto these in love 3 And he had seven hundred wives princesses and three hundred concubines e Partly for his Lust which being indulged becomes infinite and unsatiable and partly from his Pride accounting this a point of Honour and Magnificence and his wives turned away his heart 4 For it came to pass when Solomon was old f As having now Reigned nigh 30 Years when it might have been expected that Age should have cooled his Lust and experience have made him wiser and better and when probably he was secure as to any such miscarriages Then God permitted him to fall so shamefully that he might be to all succeeding Generations an example of Gods severity and of the folly and weakness and wickedness of the wisest and best men when left to themselves that his wives turned away his heart after other gods g Not that they changed his mind or opinion about the True God and Idols which is not credible but that they cooled his zeal against them obtained from him a publick indulgence for their worship and money for the making of Idols and the support of the charges of their Priests and Sacrifices and possibly persuaded him sometimes in complaisance to joyn with them in the outward act of Idol-worship or at least in their Feasts upon their Sacrifices which was a participation of their Idolatry See Psal. 106. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 20. and * Chap. 15. 3. his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God as was the heart of David his father 5 For Solomon went after h In manner explained in the former Verse * Judg. 2 â—… 2 King 2â—… 1â—… Ashtaroth the goddess of the Zidonians and after * Judg. 2 13. Milcom i Called also Moloch of which see Levit. 18. 21. 2 King 23. 10. the abomination of the Amorites 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD and Heb. fulfilled 〈◊〉 after 〈◊〉 1. 36. went not fully after the LORD k i. e. Did not Worship God wholly and solely but joyned Idols with him as did David his father 7 Then did Solomon build l i. e. Suffer to be built or gave Money for it an high place m i. e. An Altar upon the High-place as the manner of the Heathens was See Numb 22. 41. and 23. 1. for * Sam 21. 29. Judg. 11. 24. Chemosh the abomination of Moab in the hill that is before Jerusalem n i. e. In the Mount of Olives which was nigh unto Ierusalem 2 Sam. 15. 30. and from this act was called the mount of corruption 2 King 23. 13. Idolatry being often called and
here called king either because he was so called and accounted by his own people or because that word is sometimes used for any Prince or chief Ruler See Deut. 33. 5. Iudg. 18. 1. and 21. 25. 1 King 20. 1. and they fetcht a compass of seven days journey m Because they made a great Army which could move but slowly and they fetched a greater compass than was usual for some advantage which they expected by it and there was no water n A frequent want in those hot and desert parts and now as it seems increased by the extraordinary heat and dryness of the season for the host and for the cattel ‡ Heb. at their feet that followed them 10 And the king of Israel said Alas that the LORD hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab o So he chargeth his calamity upon God and not upon himself whose sins were the true and proper causes of it 11 But Jehoshaphat said Is there not here a prophet of the LORD that we may enquire of the LORD by him p This he should have asked before when they first undertook the expedition as he did in a like case 1 King 22. 5. and for that neglect he now suffers but better late than never his afflicton brings him to the remembrance of his former sin and present duty And one of the king of Israels servants answered and said Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah q i. e. Who was his Servant this being one office of a Servant and this office was the more necessary among the Israelites because of the frequent washings which their Law required 12 And Jehoshaphat said The word of the LORD is with him r We may enquire the mind of God by him for he is a true Prophet Which Iehoshaphat might easily understand because being a good man and a great favourer of the Lords Prophets he would diligently enquire and many persons would be ready to inform him of all things of that nature and amongst others of Elijah's calling of Elisha by casting his Prophetical Mantle over him 1 King 19. 19. and of Elijah's translation and Elisha's substitution in his place and of the proof of it 2 Kin. 2. 8 14. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him s To his Tent which was either in the Camp or not far from it for he went along with the Army by the impulse of Gods Spirit for this very occasion They did not send for him but went to him that by giving him this honour they might more effectually ingage him to give them his utmost assistance and because they had heard that he was a man of a rugged temper and carriage who therefore was to be sweetned and so disposed to pity and relieve them 13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel What have I to do with thee t I desire to have no discourse nor converse with thee * So Judg. 10. 14. 〈◊〉 1. 15. Get thee to the prophets of thy father and to the prophets of thy mother u i. e. To the Calves which thou after thy Fathers example dost worship and to the Baals which thy Mother yet worshippeth by thy permission and to which thy heart is yet inclined though thou hast destroyed one of his Images for politick reasons Let these Idols whom thou worshippest in thy Prosperity now help thee in thy distress And the king of Israel said unto him Nay x I renounce those false Prophets and Baals and will seek to none but God for help for the LORD hath called these three kings y If thou hast no respect for me yet pity this innocent King of Edom and good Iehoshaphat who are involved in the same danger with my self together to deliver them into the hand of Moab 14 And Elisha said As the LORD of hosts liveth before whom I stand Surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah z Whom I Reverence and Love for his Vertue and Piety I would not look toward thee nor see thee 15 But now bring me a minstrel a One that can Sing and Play upon a Musical Instrument This he requires that his mind which had been disturbed and inflamed with Holy anger at the â—…ight of wicked Iehoram might be composed and cheered and united within it self and that he might be excited to the more servent prayer to God and joyfully praising him whereby he was prepared to receive the Prophetical Inspiration For although Prophecy be the Gift of God yet men might do something either to hinder or further the reception of it for which cause Paul bids Christians study to get the Gift of Prophecy 1 Cor. 14. 1. And for this very end the Colledges of the Prophets were erected wherein the Sons of the Prophets did use divers means to procure this Gift which also they did sometimes receive as we see 2 King 2. 3 5. and amongst other means they used Instruments of Musick to exhilerate their spirits c. 1 Sam. 10. 5. Of the great power of Musick upon the affections see the Notes on 1 Sam. 16. 17. And it came to pass when the minstrel played that the hand of the LORD b i. e. The Spirit of Prophecy so called to note that it was not from Elisha's temper of body or mind that it was no natural nor acquired vertue inherent in him but a singular Gift of God given to whom and when he pleased This Phrase is used also Ezek. 1. 8. and 3. 14 22. and 8. 1. ‡ Heb. was came upon him 16 And he said Thus saith the LORD Make this valley ‡ Heb. ditches ditches full of ditches c Which may receive the Water and hold it for the use of Men and Beasts 17 For thus saith the LORD Ye shall not see wind d Any of those winds which commonly produce Rain And seeing is here put for perceiving or feeling one sense for another or for all as Gen. 42. 1. compare Act. 7. 12. Exod. 20. 18. and elsewhere neither shall ye see rain yet that valley shall be filled with water that ye may drink both ye and your cattel and your beasts 18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD e This is but a small favour in comparison of what he intends to you for Iehoshaphat's sake He will give you more than you ask or expect For they were so weakned and discouraged with the great drought that they had no hopes of proceeding in the offensive War and thought it sufficient if it were possible to Defend themselves from the Moabites ver 13. he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city and every choice city and shall fell every good tree f This is Either
of it Cities and Countries are oft called Mothers as 2 Sam. 20. 19. and their Inhabitants Daughters as Numb 21. 25. Iosh. 17. 16. Iudg. 1. 27. Psal. 45. 13. and 137. 8. hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee y Laughed at all thy proud and impotent Threatnings This is a Gesture of Contempt and Derision of which see Psal. 22. 7. and 44. 13. Ier. 18. 16. Matt. 27. 39. 22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice z By Rabshakeh who cryed with a loud voice Chap. 18. 28. and lift up thine eyes on high a A Gesture of Pride and Scornfulness Pro. 21. 4. even against the holy One of Israel b Not against man but against the Holy God who will not suffer thy Impious Blasphemies to go unpunished and against the holy one of Israel who hath a special relation and kindness to Israel having as it were set himself apart for them and set them apart for himself as being at this time the God of the Iews onely and not the God of the Gentiles whom as yet he suffered to walk in their own evil ways Act. 14. 16. And therefore he will Plead their Cause against thee 23 By ‡ Heb. By the hand of c. thy messengers c So thou hast advanced thy very Servants above me thou hast reproached the LORD and hast said With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains d I have brought up my very Chariots to those Mountains which were thought inaccessible by my Army to the sides of Lebanon e An high Hill famous for Cedars and Fir-trees here following and will cut down ‡ Heb. the tallness c. the tall cedars thereof and the choice fir-trees thereof f This may be understood either 1. Mystically I will destroy the Princes and Nobles of Iudah which are sometimes compared to cedars c. Or their strongest Cities Or rather 2. Literally I will cut down the Trees that hinder my March and plain and prepare the way for all my Numerous Army and Chariots And by this one Instance he intimates That nothing should stand in his way no not the highest and strongest Places and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders g i. e. Those Towns and Cities which he calls Lodgings in way of Contempt which are in his utmost Borders and most remote from me I am come into the Land of Canaan at one Border Lebanon and I resolve to March on to the other extreme Border and so to Destroy the whole Countrey from one Border to another the borders of a Land being oft put for the whole Land within its Borders as Exod. 8. 2. Psal. 74. 17. and 147. 14. Isa. 54. 12. Or as it is in the Hebrew into the lodging of his border for which in the Parallel place Isa. 37. 24. it is into the height of his border And so this may be understood of Ierusalem which it is not probable that in all his brags he would omit and against which his chief Design now lay which he here calleth a lodging for its contemptible smallness if compared with his great and vast City of Niniveh or as it is in Isa. 37. the height for its Two famous Mountains Zion and Moriah or for the Mountains which were round about Ierusalem Psal. 125. 2. and he adds of his border because this City was in the Border of Iudah as being part of it in the Tribe of Benjamin and near the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes which was now in the Assyrians hands and into the ‖ Or the forest and his fruitful field forest of his Carmel h i. e. The Forest of Mount Carmel which may seem to be another Inaccessible Place like Lebanon Or into his forest and his fruitful field For Carmel though properly it was a pleasant and fruitful Mountain in the Tribe of Issachar of which see Iosh. 12. 22. yet it is oft used to signifie any fruitful place as is manifest from Isa. 10. 18. and 16. 10. Ier. 2. 7. And thus all the parts of the Land are here enumerated the Mountains the Cities the Woods and the Fruitful Fields Or his fruitful forest to wit Ierusalem which is thought by many Interpreters to be called a Forest Ier. 21. 14. Ezek 20. 46. a name which agrees well enough to Cities where Buildings are very numerous and close and high like Trees in a Forest And if Ierusalem might be called a Forest it might well be called Hezekiah's Carmel or Fruitful Place because his Chief Strength and Treasure and Fruit was now in it and this last Word may seem to be added here to intimate That this was not like other Forests unfruitful and barren And so both this and the foregoing words are understood of the same place even of Ierusalem the last Branch being joyned to the former by way of Apposition into the lodging of his border the forest of his Carmel or his fruitful Forest there being no more words in the Hebrew Text. 24 I have digged and drank strange waters i Such as were never discovered nor used by others And therefore all thy indeavours to deprive me of Water for my Army 2 Chron. 32. 3. are Idle and Fruitless and * Deut. 11 1â—… with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of ‖ Or fenced besieged places k And as I can furnish my Army with Water digged out of the Earth by their Labour and my Art so I can deprive my Enemies of their Water and can dry up their rivers and that with the sole of my feet i. e. With the March of my Vast and Numerous Army who will easily do this either by Marching thorough them and each carrying part away with them or by Drinking every one a little of them or by their Pains making many new Channels and deriving the Waters of the River into them as Cyrus dried up Euphrates and thereby took Babylon 25 ‖ Or Hast thou not heard how I have made it long ago and formed it of ancient times should I now bring it to be laid waste and fenced cities to be ruinous heaps Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it and of ancient times that I have formed it l Hast thou not long since learned that which some of thy Philosophers could and did teach thee That there is a Supreme and Powerful God by whose Decree and Providence all these Wars and Calamities were sent and ordered whose meer Instrument thou art so that thou hast no cause for these vain Boastings This Work is mine more than thine Or as it is in the Margent of our Bibles Hast thou not heard that a Particle oft understood I have made i. e. Constituted or Purchased or Adorned for all these ways is this Hebrew Verb used
6. of the congregation with singing until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem and then they waited on their office according to their order s Which David had appointed by the Spirit as it follows in this Book 33 And these t To wit Heman here mentioned and Asaph v. â—…9 and Ethan v. 44. are they that †Heb. stâ—…od waited with their children of the sons of the Kohathite Heman a singer the son of Joel the son of Shemuel u Or Samuel the Prophet 34 The son of Elkanah the son of Jeroham the son of Eliel the son of ‖ Ver. 26. Nahâ—…th Toah 35 The son of ‖ or Zophai Zuph the son of Elkanah the son of Mahath the son of Amasai 36 The son of Elkanah the son of ‖ Ver. 24. Shaul Uzziah Uriel Joel the son of Azariah the son of Zephaniah 37 The son of Tahath the son of Assir the son of * Exod. 6. 24. Ebiasaph the son of Korah 38 The son of Izhar the son of Kohath the son of Levi the son of Israel 39 And his brother x Asaph is here called Hemans Brother both by birth being of the same Tribe and Father Levi and by his Office and Employment which was the same with his Asaph who stood on his right hand even Asaph the son of Berechiah the son of Shimea 40 The son of Michael the son of Baasiah the son of Melchiah 41 The son of Ethni the son of Zerah the son of Adajah 42 The son of Ethan the son of Zimmah the son of Shimei 43 The son of Jahath the son of Gershom the son of Levi. 44 And their brethren the sons of Merari stood on the left hand Ethan y Called also Ieduthun 1 Chron. 9. 16. 2 Chron. 35. 15. and in the Titles of divers Psalms the son of ‖ Or Kushajah Ch. 15. 17. Kishi the son of Abdi the son of Malluch 45 The son of Hashabiah the son of Amaziah the son of Hilkiah 46 The son of Amzi the son of Bani the son of Shamer 47 The son of Mahli the son of Mushi the son of Merari the son of Levi. 48 Their brethren also the Levites z Such of them as had no skill in Singing were otherwise employed were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house of God 49 But a Having mentioned the Work and Employment of the High-Priests he briefly rehearseth the Names of the Persons who successively performed it Aaron and his sons offered * Lev. 1. 9. upon the altar of the burnt-offering and * Exod. 30. 7. on the altar of incense and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy and to make an atonement for Israel according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded 50 And these are the sons of Aaron Eleazar his son Phinehas his son Abishua his son 51 Bukki his son Uzzi his son Zerahiah his son 52 Merajoth his son Amariah his son Ahitub his son 53 Zadok his son Ahimaaz his son 54 Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in their coasts of the sons of Aaron of the families of the Kohathite for theirs was the lot b Or this Lot or Portion which here follows Or the first Lot as appears by the sequel 55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah and the suburbs thereof round about it 56 But the fields of the city and the villages thereof they gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh 57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities c Or out of the Cities the Hebrew eth being put for meeth as hath been oft noted of Judah namely Hebron the city of refuge and Libna with her suburbs and Jattir and Eshtemoa with their suburbs 58 And ‖ Or Holon Josh. 21. 15. Hilen with her suburbs Debiâ—… with her suburbs 59 And ‖ Or Ain Josh. 21. 16. Ashan with her suburbs and Beth-shemesh with her suburbs 60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin Geba with her suburbs and ‖ Or Almon Josh. 21. 18. Alemeth with her suburbs and Anathoth with her suburbs All their cities throughout their families were thirteen cities d Whereof 11. are here numbred and two more added to them Ios. 21. 13. 61 And unto the sons of Kohath which were left e Over and above the Priests who were of the same Family of Kohath and Tribe of Levi. of the family of that tribe were cities given out of the half tribe namely out of the half tribe of Manasseh * Josh. 21. 5. by lot ten cities f Or by lot with a full Point for there the Sense ends All their Cities were ten cities as it is expresly said Ios. 21. 26. Those words all their cities were are to be understood out of the former Verse which is not unusual in the Holy Scripture And so this sacred Writer explains himself v. 66 c. where eight of these Cities are named whereof onely two are taken out of this half Tribe of Manasseh v. 70. the other two being named Ios. 21. 21 c. where these things are more plainly and fully declared 62 And to the sons of Gershom g Understand here cities were given which is also understood v. 61 and expressed v. 64. throughout their families out of the tribe of Issachar and out of the tribe of Asher and out of the tribe of Naphtali and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteen cities 63 Unto the sons of Merari were given by lot throughout their families out of the tribe of Reuben and out of the tribe of Gad and out of the tribe of Zebulun * Josh. 21. 7 34. twelve cities 64 And the children of Israel gave to the Levites h i. e. To the Tribe of Levi consisting of Priests and other Levites these cities i Which are numbred or named in this Chapter with their suburbs 65 And they gave k To wit to those Levites of the Family of Kohath who were Priests as appears both by v. 57 c. where the Cities given to the Aâ—…ronites are said to be taken out of the Tribes here named even out of Iudah under which Simeon is comprehended because his Lot lay within that of Iudah and Benjamin and by the next Verse where the other Kohathites who were not Priests are called the Residue of the Families of the Sons of Kohath by way of distinction from those of them to whom this v. 65. relates by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon and out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin these cities which are called by their names l Which are expressed by their Names above v. 57 c. 66 And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their coasts m Or of their borders i.
Command and Direction of Moses or David who may be said to put it there because he continued it there and did not remove it as he did the Ark from the Tabernacle put before the tabernacle of the LORD and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it f i. e. Sought the Lord and his Favour by hearty Prayers and Sacrifices in the Place which God had appointed for that Work Levit. 17. 3 4. 6 And Solomon went up thither to the brazen altar before the LORD which g i. e. Which Altar But that he had now said v. 5. and therefore would not unnecessarily repeat it Or rather who and so these Words are emphatical and contain a Reason why Solomon went thither because the Lord was there graciously present to hear Prayers and receive Sacrifices was at the tabernacle of the congregation and offered a thousand burnt-offerings upon it 7 In that night h After those Sacrifices were offered did God appear i In a Dream of which see the Notes on 1 King 3. 5 c. unto Solomon and said unto him Ask what I shall give thee 8 And Solomon said unto God Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father and hast made me * 1 Chr. 28. 5. to reign in his stead 9 Now O LORD God let thy promise unto David my father be established * 1 Kin. 3. 7. for thou hast made me king over a people †Heb. much as the dust of the earth like the dust of the earth in multitude 10 * 1 Kin. 3. 9. Give me now wisdom and knowledge that I may * Numb 27. 17. go out and come in before this people for who can judge this thy people that is so great k What one Man is sufficient to govern so numerous a People 11 And God said to Solomon Because this was in thine heart and thou hast not asked riches wealth or honour nor the life of thine enemies l i. e. The taking away of their Lives neither yet hast asked long life but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thy self that thou mayest judge my people over whom I have made thee king 12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee and I will give thee riches and wealth and honour such as * 1 Chr. 29. 25. Chap. 9. 22. Eccles. 2. 9. none of the kings have had that have been before thee neither shall there any after thee have the like 13 Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place m Or from the High-place for the Hebrew prefix Lamed which commonly signifies to is sometimes put for the Latin de which signifies from that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem from before the tabernacle of the congregation and reigned over Israel 14 * 1 King 4. 26. 10. 26 c. And Solomon gathered chariots n Of this and the three following Verses see the Notes on 1 King 10. 26 c. and horsemen and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen which he placed in the chariot-chariot-cities and with the king at Jerusalem 15 * 1 Kin. 10. 27. Ch. 9. 27. And the king †Heb. gave made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones and cedar-cedar-trees made he as the sycamore-trees that are in the vale for abundance 16 * 1 Kin. 10. 28. Ch. 9. 28. And †Heb. the going forth of the horses which was Solomons Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt and linen yarn the kings merchants received the linen yarn at a price 17 And they fetcht up and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver and an horse for an hundred and fifty and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites and for the kings of Syria †Heb. by their hand by their means CHAP. II. 1 ANd Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD and an house for his kingdom a i. e. A Royal Palace for himself and his Successors This whole Chapter for the substance of it is contained in 1 King 5. and in the Notes there it is explained and the seeming Differences reconciled 2 And * 1 Kin. 5. 15. Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountains and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them 3 And Solomon sent to ‖ Or Hiram 1 Kin. 5. 1. Huram the king of Tyre saying As thou * 1 Chr. 14. 1. didst deal with David my father and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein even so deal with me b Which words may be commodiously understood from the nature of the thing and from the following Words such Ellipses being frequent in the Hebrew Or without any Ellipses the sence being here suspended is compleated v. 7. so send me c. the 4. 5 and 6 verses being inserted by way of Parenthesis to usher in and enforce his following Request 4 Behold I build an house to the name of the LORD my God to dedicate it to him c i. e. To his Honour and Worship and to burn before him †Heb. incense of Spices sweet incense and for the continual shew bread d So called here and Numb 4. 7. because it was to be there continually by a constant success on of new Bread when the old was removed of which see Exod. 25. 30. Levit. 24. 8. and for the burnt-offerings morning and evening on the sabbaths and on the new-moons and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God This is an ordinance for ever to Israel 5 And the house which I build is great e For though the Temple strictly so called was but small yet the Buildings belonging to it both above and under ground were large and numerous for great is our God above all gods 6 * 1 Kin. 8. 27. Chap. 6. 18. But who †Heb. hath retained or obtained strength is able to build him an house seeing the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him f When I speak of building a great House for our great God let none be so foolish to think that I mean to include or comprehend God within it for he is Infinite who am I then that I should build him an house save onely to burn sacrifice before him g i. e. To worship him there where he is graciously present 7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold and in silver and in brass and in iron and in purple and crimson and blew and that can skill †Heb. to grave gravings to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem whom David my father did provide 8 Send me also cedar-trees sir-trees and ‖ Or almug-trees 1 Kin. 10. 11. algum-trees out of Lebanon for I know that thy servants
was heard to heaven from whence it would pull down Vengeance upon them 10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bond-men and bond-women unto you but are there not with you even with you sins against the LORD your God d Which if not repented of may bring down the like Vengeance upon your own Heads 11 Now hear me therefore and deliver the captives again which ye have taken captive of your brethren for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you 12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim Azariah the son of Johanan Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum and Amasa the son of Hadlai stood up against them that came from the war 13 And said unto them Ye shall not bring in the captives hither for whereas we have offended against the LORD already ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass for our trespass is great and there is fierce wrath against Israel 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation 15 And the men which were expressed by name e Which were appointed to take care about the Management of this Business rose up and took the captives and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them and arraied them and shod them and gave them to eat and to drink and anointed them and carried all the feeble of them upon asses and brought them to Jericho * Deut. 34. 3. Judg. 1. 16. the city of palm-palm-trees to their brethren then they returned to Samaria 16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings f i. e. The King The Plural Number for the Singular Either 1. Because he was a Great King and a King of Kings as the Elephant or as others think the Crocodile is called Behemoth which signifies Beasts Iob 40. because of his vast Bulk and Eminency above other Beasts Or 2. Because he wrote to divers of the Kings or great Princes who may be called Kings in a more general signification of the Word and indeed are so called Isa. 10. 8. Are not my Princes altogether Kings of Assyria to help him 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah and carried away †Heb. a captivity captives 18 Ezek. 16. 57. The Philistins also had invaded the cities of the low country g That part of Judah which was towards the Sea and towards the Philistins Land and of the south of Judah h Of which see Ios. 15. 21. and had taken Beth-shemesh and Ajalon and Gederoth and Socho with the †Heb. daughters villages thereof and Timnah with the †Heb. daughters villages thereof Gimzo also and the villages thereof and they dwelt there 19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel for * Exod. 32. â—…5 he made Judah naked i Taking away their Ornament and their Defence and Strength to wit their Treasures which he sent to the Assyrian to no purpose their Frontier Towns and other strong Holds which by his Folly and Wickedness were lost their Religion and the Divine Protection which was their great and onely firm Security which by his Sins he forfeited See the Notes on Exod. 32. 25. and transgressed fore against the LORD 20 And * 2 Kin. 25. 2â—… Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him and distressed him k Or straitned him by robbing him of his Treasures but strengthened him not l A most Emphatical Expression for though he weakned his present Enemy the Syrian as is related 2 King 16. 9. yet really and all things considered he did not strengthen Ahaz and his Kingdom but rather weaken them for by the removing the Syrian who though a Troublesom Neighbour was a kind of Bulwark to him as to many other Enemies he smoothed the way for himself a far more Dangerous and Mischievous Enemy as appears by his Invasion of Judah in the very next Kings Reign 21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the house of the king and of the princes and gave it unto the king of Assyria but he helped him not l A most Emphatical Expression for though he weakned his present Enemy the Syrian as is related 2 King 16. 9. yet really and all things considered he did not strengthen Ahaz and his Kingdom but rather weaken them for by the removing the Syrian who though a Troublesom Neighbour was a kind of Bulwark to him as to many other Enemies he smoothed the way for himself a far more Dangerous and Mischievous Enemy as appears by his Invasion of Judah in the very next Kings Reign 22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD This is that king Ahaz m That Monster and Reproach of Mankind that unteachable and incorrigible Prince whom even grievous Afflictions made worse which commonly make Men better This is he whose name deserves to be remembred and detested for ever Or King Ahaz was the same no Changeling not a whit better by all the Methods which God used with him 23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of †Heb. 〈◊〉 Damascus which smote him n Or which had smitten him formerly i. e. had enabled their Worshippers the Syrians to smite him as he fondly imagined which yet he saw confuted having now found by experience that they could not save them from the Assyâ—…ian Power and he said Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them therefore will I sacrifice to them that they may help me But they were the ruine of him and of all Israel 24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem 25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places ‖ Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn incense unto other gods and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers 26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways first and last behold they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city even in Jerusalem but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead CHAP. XXIX 1 HEzekiah * 2 Kin. 18. 〈◊〉 began to reign when he was five and twenty years old and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem and his mothers name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD according to all that David his father had done 3 He in the first year of his reign in the first month opened the doors of the
to distribute x To the Priests and Levites to whom they were appropriated by God the oblations of the LORD and the most holy things y To wit the remainders of the Free-will-offering Levit. 2. 3 10. The Sin-offering and Trespass-offering Levit. 6. 18 22. 7. 1. and the Shew-bread Levit. 24. 9. 15 And †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand next him were Eden and Minjamin and Jeshua and Shemajah Amariah and Shecaniah in * Josh. 21. the cities of the priests z Who were intrusted with the Receiving and Distributing of the several Portions belonging to the Priests who abode in their several Cities whilest their â—…rethren came up to Jerusalem in their ‖ Or 〈◊〉 set office to give to their brethren by courses as well to the great as to the small 16 Beside their genealogy of males from three years old and upward a To whom a Portion of these things was allotted as is here implied even unto every one that entreth into the house of the LORD b That were capable of entring thither and doing Service there which they were at twenty years old as is expressed here v. 17. 1 Chron. 23. 24. Through the whole Company of the Priests and Levites his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their courses 17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers and the Levites ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 from twenty years old and upward in their charges by their courses 18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones their wives and their sons and their daughters through all the congregation c This is alledged as a Reason why their Wives and Children were provided for out of the Holy things because they sequestred themselves from worldly Affairs by which they might otherwise have provided for their Families and intirely devoted themselves to Holy Administrations for in their ‖ 〈◊〉 set office they sanctified themselves in holiness 19 Also the sons of Aaron the priests which were in * 〈◊〉 25. 34. 〈◊〉 35. 2. the fields d Who are opposed to those that lived in or resorted to the great City Jerusalem of the suburbs of their cities in every several city the men that were expressed by name to give portion to all the males among the priests and to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites 20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered CHAP. XXXII 1 AFter * 〈◊〉 18. 13 〈◊〉 these things and †〈◊〉 36. â—… c. â—… Heb. tâ—…is the establishment thereof a An Emphatical Preface signifying that notwithstanding all his Pious Care and Zeal for God yet God saw fit to Exercise him with a fore Trial and Calamity which yet he turned to his great Honour and Advantage Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entred into Judah and encamped against the senced cities and thought †〈◊〉 Gr. 〈◊〉 31. 20. â—… Heb. 〈◊〉 break 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to win them for himself b He designed and bragged that he would win them all and did actually win many of them 2 King 18. 13. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come and that †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was purposed to sight against Jerusalem 3 He took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains c With Earth or other things cast into them and withal to derive the Waters by secret Paths and Pipes under ground to Jerusalem which were without the city and they did help him 4 So there was gathered much people together who stopt all the fountains and the brook that †Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ran through the midst of the land saying Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water d Which was a scarse Commodity in this Country and the want of it might much annoy the Assyrian Army 5 Also * 〈◊〉 22. 9. he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken e By Joash ch 25. 23. and not since repaired 2 Chron 25. 23. and raised it up to the towers f Either 1. As high as the Towers or the tops of the Wall Or 2. As far as the two Towers or Gates which were made in the Form of Towers and had the use of Towers to wit that of Ephraim and the Corner-Gate both mentioned above ch 25. 23. Or brought up Engines or Instruments of Defence upon the Towers and another wall without and repaired * 2 Sam. 5. 9. Millo g Of which see 1 King 9. 24. 11. 27. in the city of David and made ‖ Or swords or weapons darts and shields in abundance 6 And he set captains of war over the people and gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of the city and †Heb. spake to their heart spake comfortably to them saying 7 Be strong and couragious be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria nor for all the multitude that is with him for * 2 Kin. 6. 16. there be mo with us than with him 8 With him is an * Jer. 17. 5. arm of flesh but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battels And the people †Heb. leaned rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to Jerusalem h Of this and the following Verses see the Notes on 2 King 18. 17. c. and 19. 10 c. but he himself laid siege against Lachish and all his †Heb. â—… mâ—…n power with him unto Hezekiah king of Judah and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem saying 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria Whereon do ye trust that ye abide ‖ Or in the strong hold in the siege in Jerusalem 11 Doth not Hezekiah perswade you to give over your selves to die by famine and by thirst saying The LORD our God shall deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria 12 Hath not the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem saying Ye shall worship before one altar and burn incense upon it 13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of mine hand that your God should be able to deliver you out of
the people r Whose passions being once raised could not suddenly be composed saying Hold your peace s Cease from weeping and mournful cries and turn your lamentations into thanksgivings for the day is holy neither be ye grieved 12 And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great mirth because they had understood the words that were declared unto them r Because they now knew Gods mind and their own duty which they were resolved to practise which gave them ground of hope and trust in Gods mercy and consequently of great and just joy 13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people the priests and the Levites u Chusing rather to confess their ignorance for their edification then vainly to pretend to more knowledge than they had wherein they shew both true humility and serious godliness that they were more careful to learn and practice their duty than to preserve their reputation with the people unto Ezra the scribe even ‖ Or that they might instruct in the words of the law to understand the words of law x That they might more exactly understand the meaning of some things which they had heard before and so instruct the people in them 14 And they found y Upon Ezra's information and their discourse with him written in the law which the LORD had commanded †Heb. by the hand of by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in * Lev. 23. 34. Deut. 16. 1â—… booths in the feast of the seventh month 15 And that they should publish z i. e. And they found this also written which is to be supplied out of the former verse that they should c. which though it be not particularly required so as is expressed in the words here following yet in the general is required by vertue of that precept Levit. 23 4. Numb 10. 10. And according to this translation it must be understood in the close of this verse that they did accordingly publish and proclaim c. But these words may be rendred which as this Hebrew word is rendred here v. 14. and most commonly also so the particle vau is used Isa. 6. 1. Ier. 1. 3. also they did publish c. For so they did as is evident and acknowledged and it seems fit that so much should be expressed and these words being so particular and proper to this special occasion seem to intimate that this is rather an historical relation of what they now did than a declaration of that which the law required them to do which was but in very general terms and not so exact and particular as this following precept is said to be and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem saying Go forth unto the mount a The mount of Olives which was next Ierusalem and stored with Olive-branches and probably with the rest here mentioned for these trees may seem to have been planted here abouts principally for the use of this capital City in this very feast which though long neglected should have been celebrated once every year And therefore this place seems to be here designed as the most eminent place but with an usual Synecdoche this place being put for any place nearest to the several cities of Judah where these branches were to be procured fetch olive-branches pine-branches and myrtle-branches and palm-branches and branches of thick trees b Of which see on Levit. 23. 34 Deut. 16. 13. to make booths as it is written 16 So the people went forth and brought them and made themselves booths every one upon the roof of his house c For the houses there were made â—…at of which see Deut. 22. 8. and in their courts d Belonging to their own Houses for these might be any where in the open air and in the courts of the house of God and in the street of the water-gate and in the street of the gate of Ephraim e That gate of the City which led to the Tribe of Ephraim 17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths and sate under the booths for f Or surely as the Hebrew chi is oft used as hath been noted before For the following words seem not so much to give a reason of what was last said or done concerning their dwelling in booths as to contain the holy writers reflection upon the present celebration of this feast since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so g Either 1. So as to the matter or substance of the thing So it implies that all this while the feast of Tabernacles was not observed Which seems altogether improbable considering how expresly this was commanded to be celebrated Levit. 23. c. and what excellent Kings and Priests and Prophets there had been within that time such as were persons of great understanding and most expert and studious in Gods Word and therefore could not be ignorant of so plain a duty and withal so throughly pious and careful and zealous for God and the observation of his law and worship and some of them commended for their universal obedience to all Gods commands and therefore would not be guilty of so gross a neglect Besides that this feast was observed is sufficiently implied in 1 Kings 8. 2 65. 2 Chr. 7. 9. is particularly expressed Ezra 3 4. Or rather 2. So as to the manner circumstances They never kept this feast so joyfully as the next words declare having not only the same causes of rejoycing which they formerly had but some special causes to increase their joy towit the remembrance of their stupendious deliverance both out of the land of their Captivity out of the hands of their wicked malicious Neighbours ever since their return especially now when they were new building the walls of Ierusalem they never kept it so solemnly and religiously for whereas at other times only the first and last day of that feast were celebrated with an holy convocation Levit 23. 35 36. Ioh. 7. 37. now there was an holy convocation and the people assembled and attended upon the reading of the law everyday of this feast as is noted in the next verse and there was very great gladness 18 Also day by day from the first day unto the last day he read in the book of the law of God h Which was commanded to be done at this feast Deut. 31. 10 11 12. though not injoyned to be done every day as now out of a singular zeal they did and they kept the feast seven days and on the eighth day was †Heb. 1 restraint a solemn assembly * Lev. 23. 36. according unto the manner CHAP. IX 1 NOW in the twenty and fourth day of this month
14. shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh and on all his servants and on all the people of his land for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them p Treating thy people with great scorn and contempt like slaves and beasts so didst thou get thee a name as it is this day 11 * 〈◊〉 â—… 8. 〈◊〉 12. â—… chapter 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 And thou didst divide the sea before them so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps as a stone into the 〈◊〉 â—…5 mighty waters q i. e. The deep waters such as these were into which when a stone is thrown there is no hopes of seeing it again 12 Moreover thou * 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar and in the night by a pillar of fire to give them light in the way wherein they should go 13 * 〈◊〉 19. 〈◊〉 1. Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai and spakest with them from heaven and gavest them right judgments and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true laws r Not such laws as some of the heathen laws were which taught them fallhood superstition Idolatry and other errours but such as discover the truth and the true mind and will of God and the true and onely way to life good s Both in themselves and to us also being useful to reach and comfort and save us statutes and commandments 14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath t That holy and blessed Sabbath-day which thou didst bless and 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 â—…n paradise Gen. 2. 3. commanding him and in him all his posterity to observe it which yet almost all people and Nations have quite forgotten yea so far as to mock at them Lam. 1. 7. thou didst graciously reveal unto thy people reviving that ancient law by another particular law about it given to us in the wilderness and commandedst them precepts statutes and laws by the hand of Moses thy servant 15 And * 〈◊〉 1â—… gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger and 〈◊〉 â—…6 〈◊〉 â—… 9 〈◊〉 broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst and promisedst them that they should 〈◊〉 1. â—… go in to possess the land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which thou hadst â—…worn to give them 16 But u Notwithstanding all these singular and wonderful mercies which he hither to recounted to aggravate their sins which he now comes to confess and to lead them to a sincere and ingenuous grief and repeutance for their sins not onely for the mischief which they brought upon themselves but for the injury and indignity which they offered to God they and our fathers dealt proudly x i. e. Sinned presumptuously and with contempt of God as scorning to submit their wills to Gods and hardned their neck and hearkned not to thy commandments 17 And refused to obey y Persisted in their disobedience after many admonitions and invitations to repentance neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them but hardened their necks and in their rebellion †〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 appointed * 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 a captain z i. e. designed proposed and resolved to do so Numb 14. 4. and therefore they are said to do so as Abraham is said to have offered up Isaac Heb. 11. 17. because he intended and attempted to do it to return to their bondage but thou art †〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 a God ready to pardon * 〈◊〉 34. 6. 〈◊〉 1â—… 18. gracious and merciful flow to anger and of great kindness and forsookest them not 18 Yea 〈◊〉 32. 4. when they had made them a molten calf and said This is thy God that brought thee up out of Aegypt and had wrought great provocations 19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness a Where if thou hadst left them without thy conduct and comfort they had been utterly lost and undone the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the 〈◊〉 13. 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1â—… pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go 20 Thou gavest also thy 〈◊〉 11. good spirit b Which thou didst graciously and plentifully impart unto Moses and then unto the seventy Elders Numb 11. 17 25 26. to the end that they might be able to direct and govern thy people wisely and in thy fear to instruct them and with-heldest not thy 〈◊〉 16. manna from their mouth and gavest them 〈◊〉 12. 〈◊〉 17. 6. water for their thirst 21 Yea * Deut. 2. 7. forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing their * Deut. 8. 4. cloths waxed not old and their feet swelled not c Of which see the notes on Deut. 8. 4. 22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations and didst divide them into corners d Or into a corner But the singular number is very commonly put for the plural This is understood either 1. Of the Israelites to whom God divided by lot the Kingdoms and Nations last mentioned and gave them all the corners or sides or quarters for all these the word signifies of their land Or rather 2. Of the heathen Nations whom God in a great measure destroyed and the remainders of them he dispersed into corners that whereas before the Israelites came they had large habitations and dominions now they were cooped up into corners some of them into one Town or city and some into another in the several corners of their land as indeed we find them afterward whilest the Israelites dwelt in a large place and had the possession of their whole land some few and small parcels excepted Compare Deut. 31. 26. where the like phrase is used in the same sense so they possessed the land of Sihon * Numb 21. 21. c. and the land of the king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan 23 Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers that they should go in to possess it 24 So the children went in and possessed the land and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land the Canaanites and gavest them into their hand with their kings and the people of the land that they might do with them †Heb. according to their will as they would 25 And they took strong cities and a fat land and possessed houses full of all goods ‖ Or cisterns wells digged vineyards and olive-yards and †Heb. trees of food fruit-trees in abundance so they did eat and were filled and * Deut. 32. 15. became fat and delighted themselves in thy great goodness e i. e. In all these comforts and
other things in which they glory shall be contemned b Shall be made contemptible to those who formerly admired them with all that great multitude c With the great numbers of their People of which they boasted and the â—…emnant shall be very small and ‖ Or not many feeble d Comparatively to what they were before Which might be very true and yet afterwards in an hundred years space they might be sufficiently recruited CHAP. XVII * Jer. 49. 23. Amos 1. 3. Zech. 9. 1. THE burden of Damascus a Both of that City and Kingdom as appears from v. 2 3. Behold Damascus is taken away from being a City and it shall be a ruinous heap b This was fulfilled by Tiglath-pileser 2 Kings 16. 9. although afterwards it was re-edified and possessed by another sort of Inhabitants 2 The cities of Aroer c Of that part of Syria called Aroer from a great City of that name of which see Deut. 2. 36. 3. 12. These Cities were possessed by the Reubenites and Gadites whom Tiglath-Pileser carried into Captivity 1 Chron. 5. 26. These he mentions here as he doth Ephraim in the next Verse because they were Confederate with Syria against Iudah are forsaken they shall be for flocks which shall lie down and none shall make them afraid d Because the Land shall be desolate and destitute of Men who might disturb them 3 The fortress also e Either Samaria their chief Fortress or all their Fortresses or Strong Holds the Singular Number being put for the Plural or all their Strength and Glory which answers to the kingdom in the next Clause shall cease from Ephraim and the kingdom from Damascus and the remnant of Syria f Or and from which Particle is easily understood from the former Clause the remnant of Syria So the sence is The Remainders of Damascus and of Syria shall be an Headless Body a People without a King they shall be as the glory * An Ironical Speech implying their contemptible Condition for their Glory is supposed to be departed from them by what he had already said of them The sence is Syria shall have as much Glory as Israel i. e. neither of them shall have any at all of the children of Israel saith the LORD of hosts 4 And in that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin g Or shall be emptied as this Word is rendred Isa. 19. 6. and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean 5 And it shall be as when the harvest-man gathereth the corn and reapeth the ears with his arm h Taking care as far as may be that all may be gathered in and nothing left So shall the whole Body of the Ten Tribes be carried away Captive some few Gleanings onely being left of them as it is in the Harvest and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the Valley of Rephaim i A very fruitful Place near Ierusalem Ios. 15. 8. 18. 16. 6 * Chap. 24. 13. Yet gleaning-grapes shall be left in it k Some few Israelites were left after their Captivity who joyned themselves to the Kingdom of Iudah and were carried Captive to Babylon with them from whence also they returned with them as we find in the History of their Return in Ezra and Nehemiah as the shaking of an olive-tree two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof saith the LORD God of Israel 7 At that day shall a man l Those few Men that are left look to his maker m They shall sincerely respect and trust and worship all which are understood by looking to God and God onely as the next Verse explains it Their Afflictions shall at last bring them to Repentance and his eyes shall have respect to the holy One of Israel 8 And he shall not look to the altars n Not resort or trust to them or to the Worship offered 〈◊〉 â—…dols upon them the work of his hands o Their own Inventions for othâ—… 〈◊〉 the Altars made by God's Command were the Woâ—… of Mens Hands neither shall respect that which his fingers have made either the groves p Which were devised and planted by Men as fit Places for the Worship of their Gods and therefore were forbidden Deut. 16. 21. 1 Kings 14. 15. or the ‖ Or sun-images the images q Worshipped in their Groves The Word properly signifies images of the sun either having the Form and Shape of the Sun or at least erected to his Honour and Worship of which see Deut. 4. 19. 17. 3. 2 Kings 2â—… 5 11. Ier. 8. 2. 7. 18. 44. 17 18. 9 In that day r In the day of Iacob's Trouble of which he spake v. 4. and continueth his Speech unto these Words and afterwards shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough and an uppermost branch s Which he that pruneth the Tree neglecteth either because he esteems it useless and inconsiderable or because he cannot reach it which they left because of the children of Israel t The sence is either 1. Which they to wit the Enemies left or which shall be left the Active Verb being put Impersonally as it frequently is in the Hebrew Text because of or for the children of Israel which God inclined their Hearts to leave or spare out of his Love to his Israel Thus this is mentioned as a Mercy or Mitigation of the Calamity But this seems not to agree either with the foregoing or following Words both which manifestly speak of the greatness of the Judgment And that their strong Cities were not left for them but taken from them seems evident from v. 3 4. Or 2. As the Cities which Words are easily understood out of the former part of the Verse where they are expressed which they to wit the Canaanites as the Seventy Interpreters express it and it was needless to name them because the History was so well known to them to whom the Prophet writes left or forsook which they did either by departing from them or being destroyed out of them because of or before or for fear of the children of Israel And this was a very fit Example to awaken the Israelites to a serious belief of this Threatning because God had inflicted the same Judgment upon the Canaanites and that for the same Sins of which they were guilty and there shall be desolation 10 Because thou u O Israel hast forgotten the God of thy salvation and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength x That God who was thy onely sure Defence therefore shalt thou plant ‖ Or plants of pleasant fruits pleasant plants y Excellent Flowers and Fruit-trees and shalt set it with strange z Fetched from far Countries and therefore highly esteemed The sence