Is the young man Absalom safe Ahimaaz answers that when Joab sent away Cushi the Kings servant and him to bring tidings he saw a great tumult but knew not what the matter was He knew undoubtedly of Absalom's death but through humane frailty fearing to displease the King he here miserably faulters Then came Cushi who cried out Good tidings my Lord the King for the Lord hath avenged thee this day of all those that rose up against thee Then said the King is the young man Absalom safe Cushi replied let the enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise up against him be as that young man is David was smitten with a wonderful consternation at this news and his grief and passion brake out so violently that it almost overwhelmed him he now retires into the Chamber over the Gate there in secret to pour out his sorrow and as he went up he cried out O my Son Absalom my Son Absalom would God I had died for thee my Son Absalom if my temporal death would have saved thee from eternal misery 2 Sam. Ch. 18. whole Chapter 15. The King taking on so immoderately for the death of Absalom his excessive grief came to be known in the Army and caused great trouble of spirit among them also so that the victory was turned into mourning neither came they up like a victorious army with joy and triumph to the City but dispersing themselves secretly stole into it not as if they had been Conquerours but rather as if they had been beaten and fled away from their enemies The King still took on excessively and covered his head in token of extream sorrow and cried out O my Son Absalom O Absalom my Son my Son Joab understanding this and seeing in what a discontent the Souldiers were hereupon and how their hearts began to be alienated from the King so that they were even ready to fall quite off from him he comes in a great rage to him and highly expostulates with him and tells him He had shamed the faces of all his faithful servants that day who had saved his life and the lives of his wives and children with the extreme hazard of their own and had frustrated them of their deserved praise and reward this strange carriage of thine saith he sheweth as if thou lovedst thy enemies in that thou mournest so excessively for this Traytor Absalom and hatedst thy friends seeing thou dost thus discountenance their faithful service Thou seemest not to regard thy faithful subjects let them be of what degree or quality they will I perceive that if that Arch-Rebel Absalom had lived thou hadst not much cared if all we had died I solemnly protest to thee if thou wilt not give over thy whining for that Rebel and go forth presently and speak comfortably to thy people and congratulate their victory and give them thanks for their venturing their lives for thee I believe they will all forsake thee as a person unfit to govern them who canst not govern thine own passions and possibly they will think of chusing another * Prospicient sibi de alio rege site aequum habere non possint and that will be worse to thee than all the afflictions thou hast hitherto met with in all thy life David being startled at this bold speech of Joab's which though harsh and tart yet was needful at this time he took his counsel and went and sat in the Gate and there shaking off sorrow manifested his kindness and grace to his Souldiers to win their hearts again to him As for those that had followed Absalom and escaped in the battel they were fled to their own houses 2 Sam. Ch. 19. from v. 1 to 9. 16. The people now through all the Ten Tribes of Israel began to blame one another for siding with Absalom against his Father and to call upon one another and upon their Elders and Officers to submit themselves unto David and to go and fetch him back again to the City of Jerusalem with honour they began to recount the great and manifold benefits they had enjoyed under his Government and how he had saved them out of the hands of their enemies especially the Philistines And they saw that God was against them in that attempt of making Absalom King and therefore there was great reason they should go and seek reconciliation with David whom they had so highly injured and offended This resolution of the Israelites to fetch their King home with honour coming to his ears and he perceiving that the men of Judah who had been first and chief in siding with Absalom and had delivered up to him the City of Jerusalem and the strong fort of Sion being conscious to themselves of their great ingratitude against him were now afraid to address themselves to him or to go to fetch him home therefore he sent to Zadock and Abiathar who had stayed all this while at Jerusalem that they should acquaint the Elders of Judah how ready he was to pardon them and to forget all that was past They were also to assure them of his singular affection to them they being his brethren and of the same Tribe therefore he would not have them to be the last in fetching home their King who ought to be the first He sends also unto Amasa whom Absalom had made General of his Army and who if he should despair of pardon might draw a great party of the Israelites after him to assure him that he was ready to receive him into his favour and to regard him as his nephew nay he intended to prefer him and to make him General of his Army as long as he lived in the place of Joab Indeed Joab had incurred his displeasure by killing Abner and several other unjustifiable acts yet he had also done him great services and had been always faithful to him whereas Amasa had been faithless and rebellious Besides the place of General belonged to Joab both by Davids promise and his own purchase he having hazarded his life in that dangerous service of assaulting and taking the strong fort of Sion However David being now offended with him for killing Absalom he resolv'd to prefer Amasa before him thinking by that policy to reduce all Absaloms party that stood out against him under his obedience By this kind message to the men of Judah and to Amasa David bowed the hearts of the men of Judah even as the heart of one man so that they sent this word unto the King Return thou and all thy servants we are most willing to receive thee and submit unto thee David considered that it might cost a great deal of blood to subdue them by force therefore he thought it best by these tenders of grace to bow their hearts to him and it happened according to his desire for the men of Judah now agreed to meet together at Gilgal and from thence they passed over the river Jordan to meet the King and to bring him
afforded us viz. Meat and Drink for our money as we passed thorow the out-skirts of their Country But Sihon would not let us pass for the Lord hardned * God cannot be the Author of Sin or the rebellion of the heart but he may being debtor to no man withhold his grace He may leave men to themselves He may permit Satan to work effectually in them See Sect. 59. of Ch. 3. on Exod. 4.21 his Spirit and made his heart obstinate that he might deliver him into our hands as appeareth by the event For Sihon coming out against us with his people to fight us the Lord delivered him into our hands and we smote him and all his Host and we took all his Cities and utterly destroyed Men Women and Children see Deut. 20.14 15 16. as God had commanded us Only we took the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities to our selves for a Prey But the Land which was on the out-side of the River Jabbock which belonged to the Ammonites Josh 12.2 and those Cities of the Ammonites that lay in that mountainous Country beyond Jabbock and what-ever else was in the possession of the Ammonites did we not at all meddle with or with any thing else that God had forbidden us 5. He reminds them how after they had conquered Sihon they conquered Og Chap. III the Giant King of Bashan the other King of the Amorites When we marched up towards Bashan then says he Og the King thereof with his Army came out against us at Edrei And the Lord commanded us not to be afraid of him though he was a Giant of such a formidable stature And accordingly the Lord delivered him and his people and his Land into our hand and we took all his Cities even threescore Cities all the Region of Argob a Province in Bashan we took all those Cities which were fenced with high walls gates and bars and many unwalled Towns also And we destroyed Men Women and Children as we had before done unto King Sihon and his Subjects but the Cattel and the Spoil of the Cities we took as a Prey to our selves So we took at this time from those two Kings of the Amorites the Land that was on this side Jordan from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon called by the Sidonians Sirion (c) And Ch. 4.48 Sion and by the Amorites Shenir and all the Cities of the Plain and all Gilead And says He there now remained of that Gigantick Race in the Kingdom of Bashan but this Og only whose Bedstead * The Cubit of a man being usually a foot and an half according to this measure his Bedstead was four yards and an half long and two yards broad was of Iron and nine Cubits according to the Cubit of an ordinary man was the length thereof and four Cubits the breadth thereof and it was now kept in Rabbah (d) Possibly this Bedstead was taken in some War between the Ammonites and this King and so kept in Rabbah as a glorious Trophy of their Victory the chief City of the Ammonites from 1. to 12. 6. He shews how he distributed those Countries taken from the two Kings to Reuben Gad and the half Tribe of Manasseh see Numb 32.19 enjoyning them nevertheless to go over Jordan before their Brethren armed and to fight for them and help them against the Canaanites till God had given them that Land quietly to possess and then they should return to their own Possessions on this side Jordan again And says He I appointed in this new Conquest three Cities of Refuge viz. Bezer in the lot of the Reubenites and Ramoth-Gilead in the lot of the Gadites and Golan in Bashan in the lot of the Manaesites from 12 to 21. and Ch. 4. from 14. to 44. 7. He further tells them how he encouraged Joshua who was to be his Successor from what he had seen the Lord do to those two Kings of the Amorites and that consequently he should not fear the other Kings he was to fight with for the Lord would fight for Israel Then he tells them how earnestly he besought the Lord to permit him to go into Canaan I prayed says he O Lord God thou hast begun to shew thy Servant thy greatness and thy mighty hand For what God is there in Heaven or Earth that can do according to thy Works and according to thy Might I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land that is beyond Jordan and that goodly Mountain Lebanon But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes Your murmurings made me sometimes too rash in speaking and sometimes too slow in believing in the Lord which provoked Him against me so that He would not grant my Request but said to me Let it suffice thee speak no more to me of this matter Get thee up to the top of Pisgah and lift up thine eyes West-ward and North-ward East-ward and Southward and behold it with thine eyes for thou shalt not go over this Jordan But give Joshua in Charge what I Command thee and encourage and strengthen him For he shall go over before this people and shall cause them to inherit the Land which thou shalt only see with thine eyes Ch. 3. from 21. to the end 8. From all these Experiences of Gods signal Goodness to them He comes now to exhort them to keep and obey the Statutes and Commandments of the Lord and to teach their Children also to observe them and especially to take heed of Idolatry which was a very provoking sin And that he might excite them the more to the observance of these Precepts he bespeaks them in this wise Hearken O Israel unto the Statutes and Judgments which I am now to teach you and be careful to practise them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers hath given you You shall not add * Improbatur hic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cultus proprio arbitrio excogitatus Confer Deut. 12.8 32. Numb 15.39 40. Prov. 30.5 6. Gal. 3.10 to the words which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it but you must keep close to the Commandments of the Lord which I from Him command you Your eyes have seen the Judgments of God executed upon those that committed Idolatry with Baal-Peor unto which many of Israel declined by the counsel of Balaam But you that did cleave unto the Lord and kept your selves from that Transgression were saved from that destruction Behold I set before you the Statutes †Some by Statutes understand Ornances of divine Worship and by Judgments Laws that concern their duty towards men and the punishment of Transgressors and Judgments which God hath commanded Chap. IV me to give you and which you are to observe in the Land which you are going to possess And carefully to observe them will be a great evidence of your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations that shall
before them the Lords great goodness to them and the several gracious manifestations of his favour towards them as he conducted them along from Egypt to Canaan First He came and appeared to them from Sinai where he gave them his Law 2ly He further manifested Himself to them from Mount Seir when He commanded the brasen Serpent to be set up by which those among them were cured that were mortally bitten with fiery Serpents and thereby He gave them a notable Type of the promised Messiah 3ly He shined forth from Mount Paran that is repeated and explained the Law to them by the Ministry of Moses in the Wilderness of Paran who exhorted them to yield Obedience to it And when the Lord gave them his Law at Sinai He tells them He came attended with Royal Majesty with an infinite number of glorious Angels who are here called Saints because of their purity and holiness see Acts 7.53 From his right hand went a fiery Law for them that is He spake it to them out of the midst of the fire Deut. 5.22 And yet that giving them his Law was a singular effect of his special love to them He thereby testified his great kindness to them and so he did also in His protecting of them from their Enemies and therefore we may truly say All Israels Saints are under thy Care and Protection O Lord. They sat at thy feet they attended upon thee at the foot of Mount Sinai as Scholars at the feet of their Master and all that are true Israelites will receive instruction from thy words And such Israelites will readily declare That God gave them his Law by the ministry of Moses even the Inheritance of the Congregation of Jacob that is which is as dear to them as an Inheritance is to any man They will declare That He gave it them as a rare and precious Treasure and not for their use only but for the use and instruction also of their Posterity after them And they do acknowledge that Moses was King in Jeshurun that is chief King and Magistrate in Israel by Gods own appointment when the Heads of the people and the Tribes were gathered together to receive the Law at Mount Sinai And they acknowledging Him to be a person so extraordinarily favoured guided and assisted by God could not but receive what he delivered unto them as spoken by God himself from vers 1. to 6. He comes now to bless the Tribes particularly He begins with Reuben Let Reuben live and not die and let not his men be few Jacob had prophesied of this Tribe that they should lose the Dignity of the Birth-right and should never come to any eminency among the Tribes either for number of people or any other excellency and that because of Reuben's Incest with his Fathers Concubine see Gen. 49.4 Now therefore for the comfort of this Tribe Moses pronounces this blessing upon them Let Reuben live that is though Reuben by his Incest brough that Curse upon him pronounced by his Father yea though by the sin of the Reubenites in adhering to Corah they deserved that God should utterly destroy them yet says he the Name and Tribe of Reuben shall still continue among the people of God and though for his sin he lost the glory of excelling the other Tribes in number of men which as the first-born he might otherwise have expected however he shall continue a numerous Tribe 2ly He comes next to Judah because the honour of the Birth-right was partly given from Reuben to Judah and in his Tribe the Regal Power was afterwards setled Hear Lord says he the voice of Judah * Audi Domine preces Jehudae scil cum egressus fuerit ad bellum reduc eum scil a bello incolumem ad fratres suos Oleaster that is the Prayers that this Tribe shall make to thee particularly that the promised Messiah may according to thy Promise come of their stock and that they may have Victory over their Enemies and grant them O Lord sufficient strength to stand in the day of battel thou being their Helper and when thou shalt suffer this Tribe with that of Benjamin to be carried by the Babylonians into Captivity bring them back again in thy due time to their people that is to the poor that were left in Judea to husband the Land Jer. 39.10 40.7 52.16 3ly He blesses Levi Let thy Vrim and thy Thummim be with thy holy one that is let the High Priesthood to which appertained the Breast-plate in which was the Vrim and Thummim Exod. 28.30 be continued in Aaron's Posterity and let them be furnished with those Gifts and Graces with that Knowledge and Piety which is requisite for their high Calling and signified by Vrim and Thummim Whom thou didst prove at Massah and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah that is whose Faith thou didst try at Meribah-Kadesh see Numb 20. and sharply reprove both Moses and Him for their Infidelity Who said to his Father and his Mother I have not seen him This may have reference either to the Law forbidding the High Priest to defile himself by mourning for the dead see Levit. 21.11 Neither shall he go into any dead body nor defile himself for his Father or Mother Or else to that notable fact of the Levites Exod. 32. who were so impartial in Gods Cause as not to spare any though nearly related to them who they found had worshipped the golden Calf For they observed thy Word and kept the Covenant which they made with thee Exod. 24.8 Let them therefore teach Jacob that is the Posterity of Jacob thy Judgments or Statutes and Israel thy Laws Let them put Incense before and whole Burnt-Offerings upon thy Altar Bless Lord their substance and accept the work of their hands that is bless them in their outward Estate and accept in good part the Work and Service they do for thee and thy people Smite thorow the loins of those that rise up against them and hate them that is break the Power of those that oppose them in the faithful discharge of their Duty and Office see Jer. 15.10 4ly He comes to Benjamin of whom he saith The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him that is as Benjamin was his Fathers darling when Joseph was supposed to be dead so he is much beloved of the Lord and therefore shall dwell safely by him that is near his Temple which was built in his portion and the Lord shall cover him all the day long that is protect and defend him and he shall dwell between his shoulders that is God will chuse for Himself an Habitation in the chief City of this Tribe For though the South part of Jerusalem where was Mount Sion * God is said to dwell in Mount Sion and thence some conceive his Temple was situate upon it but where it is so said the word Sion must not be taken strictly for the hill Sion but
pleased But this He speaks as taking it for granted that his Daughter would be guided by him that he that took it should have his Daughter Achsah to wife Hereupon Othniel the Son of Kenaz younger Brother to Caleb took it It was surely by some special instinct and direction of Gods Spirit that Caleb gave unto Othniel this occasion of innobling his Valour and Vertue in the sight of the people He intending afterwards to raise him up after Caleb's death to be their Judge and Deliverer see Judges 3.9 Othniel thus obtaining Achsah for his wife Caleb gave with her a good Dowry of Land 'T is true Caleb had Sons see 1 Chron. 4.13 and they might not give away any part of their Inheritance from their Sons to their Daughters see Numb 27.8 9. therefore the Land which Caleb now gave his Daughter was given her only as a Dowry for term of life or till the year of Jubilee But it seems she was not content with the portion her Father now gave her and therefore moved her Husband as they were riding away from her Father's house to make suit to her Father for another Field to be added to what he had already given her But when she perceived that he was loth to do it or perswaded her rather to do it her self she went back and alighting off from her Asse addressed her self to make that Request to her Father who ask'd her What she would have She answered Give me I pray thee a Blessing that is another Gift or Boon with thy fatherly blessing upon it Gen. 33.11 Thou hast given me a Southland give me also I pray thee Springs of Water intimating that the portion he had given her was dry and not well watered the Southern-parts of Judah's portion being dry and barren or at least the Southern parts of Caleb's portion were such And therefore she desires him to give her Springs of Water that is some portion of Land that was well watered Hereupon out of his great love to her He gave her some Springs or watered Grounds on each side of the Land he had before given her both above it and below it But though Caleb thus cleared his particular portion yet the Children of Judah though they took some part * The Northern and greatest part of the City of Jerusalem was in Benjamin's lot but the Southern wherein was the Fort Sion was in Judah's lot of the City of Jerusalem and burnt it Judg. 1.8 yet the Fort of Sion which was the chief strength of the City was not then taken by them but the Jebusites forced the Israelites to let them there dwell with them for a long time after and there they were when this story was written (r) Whereby it appears that this story was not written by Ezra seeing he lived many years after David and were not cast out till David's time 2 Sam. 5.6 7. Had the Children of Judah done their endeavour and not been wanting to themselves they might have cast them out sooner but failing in their duty and growing slothful and faint-hearted by these and their other sins they provoked God to withdraw his gracious assistance from them and so then indeed they could not drive them out according to that Judg. 2.20 21. because this people has transgressed my Covenant therefore I will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the Nations which Joshua left when he died And it was not only thus with the Children of Judah but the Ephraimites also did not drive out the Canaanites out of Gezer a City in their Tribe Josh 16.10 but suffered them to live there only paying them some Tribute expresly against God's Command Deut. 7.2 and there they continued till Solomons time when Pharaoh King of Egypt expelled them out and gave the City for a Present to his Daughter Solomon's wife 1 Kings 9.16 And thus it was also with the Manassites Ch. 17.12 13. who could not for the same Reasons drive out the Canaanites out of their lot but they would dwell with them yet they afterwards made them Tributary and with that they contented themselves through Sloth Cowardize and Covetousness as their Brethren the Ephraimites had done Josh Ch. 14. from 6. to the end Josh Ch. 10. vers 21 22. Josh Ch. 15. from vers 13. to 20. Josh Ch. 1. from vers 9. to 16. SECT CXI THe Israelites having drawn these three lots before-mentioned which fell upon Judah Ephraim and half the Tribe of Manasseh they drew no more at this time It seems the other seven Tribes that were yet to have their lots perceiving what a large circuit of Land was given to Judah they began to apprehend that there would not be left an equal share for them and therefore pretending there could not be any equal division made till the remote parts of the Land which were yet in the Enemies possession were better known to them they desired some stay of the Work till they had further prevailed and might know the Land they were to divide better then yet they could do SECT CXII THis Year being the seventh from the first wherein they began to till the Ground in Canaan was the first Sabbatical year which was kept among them they being by Joshua who was a Type of Christ now brought into this place of Rest which was a Type and Figure of that eternal Sabbath and Rest which the true Jesus was to bring the people of God into Heb. 4.9 And from hence also the Year of Jubilee which happened every fiftieth year is to be reckoned see Levit. 25. from 8. to 14. SECT CXIII UPon the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Israelites kept the Feast of Tabernacles in Booths made of boughs of Trees according to the Law Levit. 23.39 40. and much more solemnly than was afterwards used in the times of the Judges or Kings see Neh. 8.17 SECT CXIV HItherto both Camp and Tabernacle had remained at Gilgal Now by God's appointment they remove to Shiloth a City in the South of Ephraim's lot This was the Place that God chose to place his Name there Deut. 12.5 and from 8. to 12. Jer. 7.12 that is his Tabernacle where he would be worshipped and have his Name solemnly called upon And therefore marching to Shiloh there they fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation after the Land thereabout was wholly subdued to them and the Canaanites that dwelt further off were so stricken with terrour from the Lord that they durst not molest them At Shiloth the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant continued 328 years till the death of Eli 1 Sam. 1.3 9 24. Joshua Ch. 18. vers 1. SECT CXV THere remained now among the Israelites seven Tribes which had not yet received their Inheritance and as it seems being weary of the War which had lasted long and being full of Spoil and wanting nothing they did not press to have their Inheritances allotted to them which negligence Joshua reproves them for shewing them there was no
sheath and slew him and cut off his head therewith Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone God using such contemptible means the more to manifest his own power and glory The Philistines seeing their Champion thus conquered and being stricken with a secret terrour from the Lord they immediately fled and the army of the Israelites with a great shout pursued after them and did great execution upon them insomuch that the wounded of the Philistines fell and were scattered all along in the way of Shaaraim a City in the Tribe of Judah even unto Gath and Ekron V. 54. David some years after when he was constituted King and had taken Zion from the Jebusites 2 Sam. 5.7 brought the head of this Giant to Jerusalem and put his armour in the Tent which he there provided for the Ark of God 1 Chron. 15.1 But Goliath's Sword was laid up in the Tabernacle of the Lord at Nob 1 Sam. 21.9 The Philistines being thus discomfited the Israelites returned and spoiled their Tents Abner now brought David before Saul with the Head of the Giant in his hands Saul asked him whose Son he was he told him he was the Son of Jesse the Bethlemite Saul had now much discourse with him and so many excellent endowments of wisdom courage zeal for the glory of God and faith and confidence in his protection and assistance appearing in him all which shewed him a person precious in the eyes of God Jonathan's heart and affections were in an extraordinary manner drawn forth towards him so that his soul was knit with the soul of David and hereby God provided David a friend in Saul's Court to plead for him and to reveal Saul's plots and evil intendments against him and to be by his true and real love a comfort and support to him in all his approaching troubles and distresses And Jonathan and he made a Covenant of entire friendship and brotherly love Saul also now resolv'd to keep him in his Court and that he should go no more home to his Father and made him a Captain over some of his Troops and David behaved himself so wisely that he was highly valued by all the people and even by Saul's servants themselves Jonathan also to testifie his true and great love to David stript himself of his own robe and gave it to him and gave him also his Sword and his Bow and his Military Girdle so that he put him both into a Courtiers and Souldiers Garb. These things being done they now march from the Camp to Gibeah where Saul dwelt As they passed along the women came forth out of all the Towns by the way as the custom * It seems it was the custom in those times that when God had given them any great victory over their enemies the women were wont with dances and songs of triumph to celebrate the praises of God See Exod. 15.20 Judg. 11.32 As women have usually the heaviest share in the calamities of a Land that is over-run by an enemy and that because they are least able to resist and are frequently taken for slaves or ravisht and abus'd in a savage manner so likewise they have the greatest cause to rejoice when the enemy is vanquished and hence it may be arose this custom of the womens triumphing at every great victory was with Instruments of Musick singing in Triumphing Songs Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands they ascribe so much to David because by his killing Goliath he was under God the cause of routing the whole army of the Philistines And so solemn and glorious was this Triumph of the Israelites that this passage in the womens song came to be repoted and known among the Philistines as we may see Ch. 21.11 and Ch. 29.5 But this thing greatly offended Saul and he said they have ascribed to David ten thousands and to me but thousands what can he have more but the Kingdom From thenceforth therefore he began to have an evil eye against David and to suspect that he was the man of whom Samuel had told him that he should be King in his room Ch. 13. v. 14. 1 Sam. Ch. 17. wh Ch. and Ch. 18. from 1 to 10. SECT CLXX SAVL's jealousie of David and his hatred against him doth now every day more and more appear and it manifested it self in these Particulars following 1. The evil spirit coming upon him he prophesied (a) Extra se rapitbatur spiritu malo incitus ita sermones actusque suos componebat ut boni Prophetae solent acti a spiritu bono in the midst of the house not as he had done before Chap. 10.10 when Samuel had newly anointed him for then being inspired with Gods Spirit and endued with common graces he prophesied and praised God together with the rest of the Prophets but now that Spirit being departed from him and an evil spirit being permitted by God to possess him he fell into strange extasies and raptures and had such kind of motions and actions as the Prophets when ravished out of themselves used to have see 2 King 9.11 and while David played on his harp to compose his spirit and allay his raging passions as he had formerly done Saul having a Javelin in his hand cast it at him intending to kill him and this he attempted two several times but David nimbly avoided the stroke Ch. 18.10 11. 2ly Saul seeing how the Lord was with David and preserved him from great dangers he feared he was the man whom God had chosen to be King in his room and therefore having failed in these violent attempts against him he resolves to try other ways to destroy him therefore he made him one of his Colonels hoping he would at one time or other meet with his death in the Battel And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways and the Lord was with him and he led forth his Souldiers bravely to Battel and as bravely brought them off again and acted all his Military affairs with such prudence and wise conduct and was so prosperous in them that the people generally loved him ver 12 13 14 15 16. 3ly Saul under pretence of performing that promise made to him of giving him his daughter if he killed Goliath he now offers him his eldest daughter Merab in marriage but with design to expose him thereby to the Sword of the Philistines (b) Incidit Saul in soveam quam Davidi fecerat nam ipse a Philistae is postea occisus est He tells him he shall have her but then he expects he shall be valiant for him and not stick to expose himself to any dangers and ready upon all occasions to fight the Lords battels Thus he hypocritically pretended zeal for Gods glory when he maliciously intended David's ruin David humbly answers What is my parentage education or condition of life * Ver. 18. est Enallage numeri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I should think
manner and in the sight only of a few who did it hastily to prevent Adonijah from making himself King and therefore this second anointing was done more publickly and more solemnly in the sight of the Princes and Rulers and in a great Assembly of the people And they anointed him unto the Lord that is devoted him solemnly unto the Lord and to be the Ruler of his people under him Then they anointed Zadok to be High-Priest instead of Abiathar who had joined with Adonijah and this was the rather done as we may suppose because the High-Priesthood was now translated into another Family For Abiathar was of the race of Eli and descended from Ithamar second Son of Aaron and Zadok was descended from Phineas who was descended from Eleazar his eldest Son and so the High-Priesthood reverted from the family of Ithamar to that of Eleazar as was foretold by God it should come to pass 1 Sam. 2.33 35. After this Solomon sat on the Throne of the Lord viz. on that Throne to which God had by his especial Providence advanced him and the disposal of which the Lord in a more peculiar manner challenged to himself See Deut. 17.15 And Solomon after this was very prosperous and all Israel obeyed him and all the Princes and mighty men and all the rest of David's Sons submitted themselves unto him And the Lord magnified him exceedingly in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty and greatness as no King of Israel either before him or after him ever had 1 Chron. Ch. 28. whole Chapter 1 Chron. Ch. 29. from v. 1 to 26. SECT CCXII. NOW the days of David's departure out of this life drew nigh therefore calling for his Son Solomon he said to him I am going the way that all men living upon the earth must go Be thou therefore couragious and though thou be young in years yet shew thy self a man in understanding and keep the charge of the Lord thy God to wit the commandments which he hath given in charge to be kept and walk in his ways and keep his statutes his judgments and testimonies whereby he testifies what he would have done and observed according as they are written and prescribed in the Laws given by Moses that so thou maist prosper in all that thou dost and in all businesses thou settest thy self unto And so the Lord may be pleased to confirm his word which he spake unto me saying If thy children take heed to their way to walk before me in truth and sincerity with all their heart and all their soul there shall not fail thee a man on the Throne of Israel that is there shall not fail a man of thy posterity to sit upon thy Throne (a) Notandum duo fuisse Davidi promissa Primum absolutè nempe Messiam ex ipso oriturum licet filii ejus mali fuerint Secundum conditionale scil regnum in ejus familia conservandum si posteri se sancte gerant P. Martyr I have now only three things more to give thee in charge before I die The first is concerning Joab thou knowest how insolently he carried himself towards me and how treacherously he slew those two great Capteins Abner and Amasa after I had engaged my faith to them both that they should be safe which wicked practice of his was enough to make the people think that I had secretly an hand in it though I can truly say my soul abhorred it Nay he shed the blood of war in peace that is when there was peace made with these two great men he slew them as if they had been in open hostility against me And he put the blood of war upon his girdle that is He put up his sword all bloody into its scabbard that hung at his girdle and the very shoos on his feet were stained with their blood so impudently he carried out those base murders therefore I charge thee wisely to observe him He is of a turbulent spirit and in all likelihood thou wilt have at one time or other just occasion against him And though he hath been General of my Army almost all my reign yet let not his hoary head go down to the grave in peace but when thou findest just occasion against him cut him off by the sword of justice and so let the blood of Abner and Amasa be revenged upon him 2ly I would have thee to shew kindness to the Sons of Barzillai the Gileadite for they came and brought provisions for me and my followers when I was forced to fly from thy brother Absalom and therefore let them be of the number of those that eat at thy Table 2 Sam. 17.28 29. 3ly Thou hast with thee Shimei the Benjamite who reviled me and cursed me with a bitter curse when I was in great distress flying towards Mahanaim and called me a bloody man and did in effect say I had been the cause of the death of Saul and all his Sons and charged me with crimes I never was guilty of yet afterwards he met me at Jordan and humbled himself and acknowledged his fault and I sware to him by the Lord that I would not put him to death But though I for my time pardoned him yet if he shall attempt any thing against thee after my decease hold him not guiltless Thou art a wise man and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him and if he trespass again and thou findest any other just occasion against him bring down his hoary head to the grave with blood and cut him off by the sword of justice * See 2 Sam. 19.23 David having thus instructed his Son in a short time after departed this life and slept with his fathers that is died as his fathers and predecessors had done before him having reigned in Hebron seven years and six months and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years in all and having made his Son Solomon King in his stead about half a year before his death He died in a good old age full of days riches and honour he died in the seventieth year of his age no King in Israel or Judah after him attaining to his age †Only Uzziah and Manasseh came very nigh it He was buried in his own City of Zion viz. in that part of Jerusalem where he had built a Palace for himself 2 Sam. 1.2 and kept his Court and which he had taken out of the hands of the Jebusites and had built and enlarged and from thence was called after his name the city of David His Sepulcher it seems was made of such durable materials and so well kept and repair'd time after time by his posterity that it was strangely preserved notwithstanding Jerusalem was so often sackt and burnt for it continued unto the Apostles times as the Apostle Peter tells us Act. 2.24 Men and Brethren let me freely speak to you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his
is like they had brought the Tabernacle with all the things appertaining to it from Gibeon The Priests * 2 Chron. 5.4 'T is said the Levites took up the Ark because the Priests were also Levites that is of the Tribe of Levi. took up the Ark on their shoulders the Levites according to their several appointed ranks carried the Tabernacle with the boards and curtains and the holy vessels belonging thereunto The King and the Elders walked after in a solemn procession to Mount Moriah (a) The Temple to speak properly was not built on Mount Sion but on Mount Moriah but because the whole City of Jerusalem is usually called Sion and Mount Sion from that Mount that was a chief part of it thence it is that the Temple Gods dwelling place is usually said to have been in Sion where the Temple was built whither being come the Priests carried the Ark into the Oracle or most holy place and set it under the wings of the Golden Cherubims But they drew out the staves of the Ark something from under the wings of the Cherubims that they might be seen in the holy place which was before the Oracle but they were not seen as taken out of the Ark 2 Chron. 5.9 And possibly these staves were the rather thus disposed to remember the people that if they brake Gods Covenant the staves yet remained within the rings of the Ark ready to bear away the Symbol of Gods gracious presence from them The Levites also disposed those things which they carried belonging to the (b) The Tabernacle was carried about in the Wilderness forty years it remained in Gilgal about fourteen years it remain'd in Shiloh till Samuels time 1 Sam. 4.4 it then remain'd in Nob till Saul destroyed that place 1 Sam. 22.19 it was in Gibeon all Davids time from thence it was brought into Zion and from thence into the Treasuries of the Temple Tabernacle into the Treasuries of the Temple there to remain as Sacred things not again to be removed When the Priests had set the Ark in its place and were come out immediately an hundred and twenty of them with silver Trumpers and the Levite-singers viz. Asaph Heman and Jeduthun with their Sons and Brethren being arrayed in white linnen and having Cymbals Psalteries and Harps in their hands stood at the East-end of the Altar and the Trumpets sounding and they playing on their Instruments and lifting up their voices with one consent and making one melodious harmony sang as it seems the 136 Psalm the burden of which is For he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Whilst they were thus employed suddenly the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud which was an extraordinary manifestation of the presence of God 2 Chron. 5.14 't is said the glory of God filled the house which intimated that the brightness of his glory was such that if it were not clouded over no mortal eyes could behold it It seems the cloud was such and so amazing that the Priests could not continue to minister in the Sanctuary where the cloud was and by this visible sign of his presence the Lord did sanctifie to himself this place see Exod. 40.34 and shewed his approbation of all that was done Solomon standing upon a Brazen Scaffold made for him in the outward Court right before the door of the Priests Court through which he might look and apprehending this cloud to be a manifestation of Gods gracious presence and acceptance of the house he had built for his service in a rapture of joy he brake out into these words The Lord said he is pleased to dwell in thick darkness Levit. 16.2 and by a cloud he hath usually testified his presence among his people as when he led the Israelites by a cloud Exod. 13.21 In a cloud he appeared at the giving of the Law Exod. 19.16 In a cloud he appeared that covered and filled the Tabernacle as soon as it was reared up by Moses Exod. 40.34 and therefore doubtless in this cloud the Lord doth now appear unto us and testifies his favourable acceptance of our service in building this house for his name Then directing his speech to God he said O Lord I have built a Temple for thee to manifest thy gracious presence in an house not to be removed as the Tabernacle was but a setled place for thee to abide in (c) Officium Templi non est prastare Deo habitationem sed hominibus directionem ad soliâ—m divinum sempiteruâ—â— quod in câ—lo est Cajet to be there ready on all occasions to resolve us in such cases as we shall humbly propound unto thee and to hear such prayers as we shall make unto thee and to grant such blessings as we shall humbly crave of thee and to accept such sacrifices and services as we shall there offer up and present unto thee And O Lord I pray thee accept this house for thine and ever manifest thy gracious presence therein as long as this dispensation we are now under shall last and till the truth of this type shall be exhibited Then the King turned his face to the people standing about him and blessed them and said Blessed and praised be the Lord God of Israel who spake to David my Father that I should build a Temple for his great name and hath by his good hand upon me enabled me to do it The Lord also said since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no City out of all their Tribes in which I appointed an house to be built that my name might be there in a peculiar manner worshipped But having chosen David to be King over my people it was in his heart to build an house for my name And thereupon I said to him whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my name I like it well that it was in thine heart to do it Nevertheless thou shalt not build this house for me but thy Son that shall come out of thy loins he shall build it And the Lord hath now graciously performed the word that he spake and I am risen up in my fathers room to sit on the Throne of Israel and have built an house for the Lord as he promised I should do and an abiding place for the Ark wherein are the two Tables of the Law which the Lord gave as a Covenant to his people requiring obedience on their part and promising many blessings on his part to the obedient Then Solomon turned his face towards the Altar of Burnt-offering and towards the most holy place and having stood a while he then kneeled down and spreading forth his hands towards heaven poured forth this Divine Prayer saying O Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepest Covenant and shewest mercy to thy servants that walk before thee in the integrity of their hearts Thou hast kept thy
mental reservation at first to accept his kindness and profered to lodge in the Streets all night which possibly they intended to have done to observe the manners and behaviour of that people had he not been so importunate with them to turn in to him Therefore upon his importunity they accepted his courteous offer (b) Thus both Abraham and Lot intertained Angels unawares Heb. 13.2 and did go with him to his house and there he made them the best Intertainment he could and for hast baked unleavened-Bread for them and they did eat See Ch. 18.6 But the appearance of these two Angels now intertained by Lot being as 't is like of young men of rare and extraordinary beauty notice hereof was taken by some of the wicked Inhabitants of that City and the Report thereof soon spread abroad and so they presently flocked together from all quarters of the City to Loâ—s house requiring to have these Guests brought out to them intending abominably to abuse them Lot goes out to them to intreat them and to disswade them from so detestable an attempt but they seeming bent upon it to take them off from so horrid a villany in that great and sudden disturbance of his mind he profers very unwarrantably and sinfully to yield up his two Virgin Daughters (c) Thus Lot to prevent one sin gives way to another Magis filiarum pudicitiae debuit consulere quam indemnitati peregrinorum to their Lusts rather then his Guests should be violated who had taken shelter under his Roof and according to the Laws of Hospitality ought to be kept safe and free from all harm and violence But these wicked Sodomites were so far from being perswaded by what Lot said unto them that instead of desisting they fall upbraiding and twitting him that he that was but a Stranger in their City should take upon him to be a Judge and Censurer of them and their actions And therefore it seems he had not only inwardly grieved and vexed his righteous Soul with their unclean Conversation but as occasion was offered had often reproved them for their wickedness and had done what lay in him to disswade them from their abominable courses But they nothing mov'd either by what He had before or at this present said unto them began to press hard upon Him intending to break open his door Hereupon the Angels pulled Lot into the house to them and shut the door and presently smote that wicked Crue with such a blindness that they could not see the door Then the Angels commanded Lot that whomsoever he had there nearly related to him whether Sons in law or Daughters he should bring them out of that place for God had sent them to destroy it and the other Neighbouring Cities to it for their great and crying abominations Lot accordingly went out to his Sons in law the Husbands as it seems of his other Daughters that were married into the City to perswade them to come away with him but he seemed to them as one that jested or talked idly so supine and secure usually are carnal men when Gods Judgments are ready to fall upon them When the Morning approached the Angels urged Lot and his Wife and two Daughters that were in the house with him to get them going lest they should be involv'd in the common Calamity But yet Lot it seems lingred as loth to leave his other Children behind him to be destroyed Thereupon the Angels laid hands on him and his Company and hurried them out of the City the Lord therein shewing himself very merciful unto them Then the Angels charged them to make hast and escape for their lives and not so much as to look behind them nor to stay in all the Plain but to fly to the Mountain nor so much as to mind or regard House Cattel or Riches or what ever they had left behind them Lot tells the Angels that the Mountain was so far off that he feared lest the destruction would overtake them before they could get thither and therefore he earnestly desires that Zoar formerly called Bela might be the place they might be permitted to fly unto which was near at hand and that God would please to spare that place for his sake The Angel undoubtedly by Gods direction grants his request but bids him hast away for he could not do any thing against Sodom till he was got thither for God had decreed in mercy to save him It was break of day when the Angel hasted Lot and his Company away and by that time the Sun was well risen the Lord (d) V. 24. Jehovah from Jehovah that is the Son from the Father who worketh by the Son Joh. 5.17 rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Admath and Zeboim Deut. 29.23 Hosea 11.8 fire and brimstone from Heaven (e) This is a Type and forerunner of the everlasting punishment of the wicked in that Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever Rev. 21.8 And so the Apostle says Jud. v. 7. That Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the Vengeance of eternal fire viz. that temporal destruction was as a forerunner of those eternal torments in Hell which they now suffer and so may well be a terrifying Example and warning to all that fall into the like sins See Apostol Histor pag. 422. But it seems while Lot and his Company were hastning towards Zoar his Wife either doubting whether any such Judgment would fall upon Sodom as was threatned or lingring in her desires after those Friends and the Wealth and Estate they had left behind them looked back against the express Command of the Angel before given whereupon she was immediately turned into a Pillar or Statue of a rocky mineral Salt which will indure all weathers as a standing Monument of her Infidelity and Disobedience and to season others with more wisdom Abraham getting up early that Morning and looking towards Sodom and the Cities of the Plain whose destruction the Lord had acquainted him with before he saw the smoak from that Country go up as the smoak of a Furnace and God remembred the Intercession of Abraham for Lot neither did he forget the Piety and Righteousness of Lot himself which we find mentioned 2 Pet. 2.7 8. Lot quickly finds that it had been better for him to have followed the advice of the Angel at the first and gone immediately to the Mountain for now he was afraid to stay any longer in Zoar. Possibly the wickedness he saw among them might make him afraid that a like Judgment to that of Sodom would fall upon them or it may be he feared lest the people of that place would fall upon him as the Cause of the overthrow of those Neighbouring Cities seeing he and his Family only had escaped So he and his two Daughters left that Town and betook themselves to the Mountain and dwelt there in a Cave where being in a manner immured up his Daughters began to think that by that solitary life they were
by a Synecdoche for the whole City of Jerusalem and therewith for the Temple founded on Mount Moriah called the City of God in a more especial manner was in the Tribe of Judah yet the Northern part with Mount Moriah where the Temple stood was in the Tribe of Benjamin and being set upon that Hill it was conspicuously eminent as the Head placed above and between the shoulders and in that sense God may be said to dwell between his shoulders 5ly He comes now to Joseph whose two Sons Ephraim and Manasseh were Heads of two Tribes of whom he saith Blessed of the Lord be his Land and let it be blessed with the most excellent things of Heaven that is with Rains and Dews that fall from Heaven and let it be blessed with the deep that coucheth beneath that is with springs arising from the deep let it be blessed with precious Fruits brought forth by the heat and influence of the Sun and the kindly moistures of the Night and the influence of the Moon Let it be blessed with the chief things of the ancient Mountains and with the precious things of the lasting Hills that is with the choicest Trees and Fruits and Herbs that grow on Hills such as are Vines Olives Cedars Pines Cypress and other useful Trees and with Mines of Gold and Silver and other metals which are usually found in Hills †See Gen. 49.26 and Mountains And let the Posterity of Joseph be blessed not only with the good things of the Earth and with plenty of them but with the good-will of Him that dwelt in the Bush In the Bush God appeared to Moses as the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the good-will of God thus manifested viz. as a God in Covenant with them was that which alone could make them truly happy see Psal 106.4 Let this blessing says he come on the head of Joseph that is on his Posterity whose Father was separated from his Brethren and advanced by the Lord to an high and singular degree of Honour above them His glory shall be like the firstling of his Bullock that is of a fair young Bullock in his best strength and his horns like the horns of Vnicorns that is his Power shall be great and irresistible wherewith he shall Conquer far remote Nations Now these horns of his he shews are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh 6ly He comes to Zebulun of whom he says Rejoyce Zebulun in thy going out and Issachar in thy Tents Here he blesses two Tribes together Of Zebulun he Prophesies That they shall be happy in their going forth to Trade and in their merchandising by Ships agreeable to what Jacob prophesied of them Gen. 49.13 Zebulun shall dwell at the harbour of the Sea he shall be for an Haven of Ships And of Issachar he Prophesies That they should be happy in their Tents that is in their quiet life at home and in their Husbandry and Tillage and breeding and feeding of Cattel Both their ways of living should yield them matter of rejoycing in the goodness and bounty of God to them Issachar shoul be happy in their Husbandry Zebulun in following their Merchandise They should suck of the abundance of the Seas that is of the Riches and Wealth brought over the Seas and of the Treasures hid in the sand that is brought from such Cities as were seated upon the Sea-shore in sandy-ground They shall call the people unto the Mountain there they shall offer Sacrifices of Righteousness herein he Prophesies of their religious thankfulness to God for his great blessings to them They should duly go to Mount Sion to worship the Lord and should invite their Brethren and possibly strangers of other Nations to go along with them though they were seated by the Sea-side in the outmost parts of the Land and so far off from the Temple of Jerusalem yet at times appointed they should readily go up to the House of God and there offer the Sacrifices and Thank-Offerings which were justly due to God and agreeable to what his Law prescribed 7ly He comes to Gad of whom he says Blessed be He that inlargeth Gad namely the Lord who hath bestowed upon Gad a large and spacious Country and though it lay upon the Frontiers and therefore was liable to frequent Incursions of Enemies yet they should have heart and courage to defend themselves Therefore he Prophesies of Gad That he shall dwell as a Lion that is bold and undaunted and as a Lion teareth sometimes the Arm sometimes the Crown of the Head that is sometimes in one place sometimes in another so this Tribe should divers ways spoil their Enemies He provided the first part for himself that is the first part of the conquered Land which was the Country of Sihon and this Tribe may be said to have provided for themselves because they desired it of Moses for their Inheritance and this part of the Country of Canaan being without Jordan was that alone which God permitted Moses the Law-giver to come into and allowed him to give unto them for their Inheritance and being thus provided they went with the Heads of the people armed * Moses here speaks of a thing to come as if it had been already done foreseeing by the Spirit of Prophesie that it would be so before their Brethren and executed the justice of the Lord and his judgments upon the accursed Canaanites 8ly He comes to Dan of whom he says Dan is a Lions whelp he shall leap from Bashan Bashan was a place where were many Lions though not in Dan's possession but Manasseh's see Deut. 3.13 The Danites are therefore here compared to Lions rushing suddenly out of the Forrests and Dens of Bashan who seize upon those that pass by ere they were aware Thus the Danites should leap unexpectedly out of their Forts and fastnesses and secret places where they lay in ambush and should seize upon their Enemies when they least expected them see Gen. 49.17 Josh 19.47 Judg. 18.27 29. 9ly He comes to Naphtali of whom he says O Naphtali satisfied with favour and full with the blessing of the Lord wherein he Prophesies of the fruitfulness of the Soil wherein this Tribe should have their portion Therefore Jacob compares them to a Hind let loose that hath a large walk and so in choice Pastures finds plenty of feeding Gen. 49.21 He therefore here breaks out into an admiration of the great plenty and abundance of blessings which their Inheritance should yield them but intimates that their blessings should not consist so much in their having such plenty and fulness of outward blessings as in their being fully satisfied and contented therewith and that the thing which should yield such satisfaction to their Souls was not so much the blessings themselves as the singular love and favour of God whereof to them these Blessings were Pledges He further adds Possess thou the West and the South intimating to them thereby that their lot
old heavy and corpulent and falling down backward he broke his neck and died having judged Israel forty years Samuel the 14th Judg. His daughter-in-law Phinehas's wife was with child and ready to be delivered who when she heard those dismal tidings of the taking of the Ark the death of her father-in-law and husband she bowed her self and the pains of travel came upon her and being delivered yet so as she was ready to expire the women about her sought to comfort her telling her that she had borne a Son but she regarded it not only named the child Iehabod that is where is the glory (c) v. 22. Quod capta esset Arca Dei illud imprimis eam cruciabat nam domesticam calamitatem publicae postponebat Eliciamus hinc documentum lamentandi potius spiritualia dona quam temporalia Mendoz. intimating that the Ark being taken b which was the sign of Gods presence the glory was departed from Israel and so she gave up the Ghost 1 Sam. Ch. 4. whole Chapter SECT CLVI THE Philistines having taken the Ark they carried (a) Illa lex de non tangenda Area ad solos Israelitas spectavit unde Philistini Arcam tangentes non dederunt poenas quia culpam non contraxerunt Mendoz. it undoubtedly with great Triumph to Ashdod since call'd Azotus Act. 8.40 and placed it in the Temple of Dagon their God presenting it as a captive before their Idol by whose help possibly they perswaded themselves they had overcome the Hebrews and their God yet possibly they had some kind of reverence for it and therefore feared to offer any violence to it or to open it or take forth the Tables of the Law that were in it but however that was they placed it near unto Dagon The Priests of Dagon rising early the next morning and coming to see how the Ark and their Idol had agreed together they found that Dagon was fallen on his face to the earth before the Ark whereby the Lord did discover to them what a vain Idol their Dagon was and that the God of Israel was the only true Almighty God and that he had cast down their Idol-god in his own Temple The Priests took their Idol and set it up again and no doubt used all their skill to fasten it and make it sure from falling any more But coming again the next morning they found their Dagon fallen again upon his face to the ground before the Ark and his head and both the palmes of his hands (e) Gravius secunda vice mutilatur Dagon ut sic intelligerent Azotii veri Numinis potentiam Idoli sui vanitatem Fag cut off and cast at the threshold of the House only the stump and lower part of him was left intire Their Dagon being thus broken to pieces the Priests could not set him up again nor conceal his ruin from the people as possibly before they had done they might see now that it was not by any Casualty but by the will and power of God that he was thus thrown down But though God had cast the head and hands of Dagon to the threshold that so they might as it were be despised and trodden upon by those that came into that house yet the Priests and the people of Ashdod were so superstitious (d) Nulla Miracula satis magna sunt ad animum impium emendandum citra Dei spiritum P. Martyr even to the time when this History was written that they would not so much as tread on the threshold of that Temple accounting it sanctified by the touch of the head and hands of their Idol And thus by the over-ruling Providence of God even their superstition became a means to perpetuate the memory of this wonderful work of God in confounding their Idol which otherwise might in some short time have been forgotten The Lord having thus clearly discovered to the men of Ashdod that their Dagon was a vain Idol and that the God of Israel whose Ark they had boldly surprized was the only true God which he had sufficiently demonstrated first by casting down their Idol before his Ark and at last by breaking it in pieces yet notwithstanding they continued as superstitiously devoted to their Idol as they were before and were not afraid still to detain the Ark of God in captivity Therefore the Lord resolved to punish them severely for it and accordingly his hand was heavy upon the City of Ashdod and upon the Coasts thereof and he destroyed and wasted their land by sending multitudes of Mice among them Ch. 6.5 and smote them with the Emerods a disease not only painful but as the Psalmist intimates Psal 78.66 disgraceful also and to many of them mortal as appears from v. 10. The men of Ashdod seeing in what a sad condition they were they openly said the Ark of the God of Israel should not abide among them for they plainly saw that his hand was heavy upon themselves by inflicting this strange disease upon them and that it had been heavy also upon Dagon their God wherefore they convened the Lords of the Philistines to consult together what course was fit to be taken in this case These Lords agreed that the Ark should be carried from thence to Gath another of their five principal Cities situate upon an hill near unto the Sea see Amos 6.2 resolving thereby to try whither it was the presence of the Ark that had caused those plagues or whither they came by any other accident The Ark being brought to Gath God smote the inhabitants thereof both small and great with Emerods in their secret parts hereupon they sent away the Ark to Ekron another of the principal Cities of the Philistines when it was come thither the Ekronites cry'd out they have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to bring upon us the same plagues that they have been plagued with because of it And it fell out accordingly for immediately there was a deadly destruction throughout the City possibly some mortal contagion reigned among them and the men that died not of that plague were yet smitten with the Emerods so that the cry of the city went up to heaven hereupon they also convened the Lords of the Philistines and desired them to send away the Ark to its own place viz. to the land of the Israelites that they might not be destroyed by reason of it But these Lords being very loth to part with so glorious a Trophie of their victory desired yet to try a little further and therefore sent it after this to Gaza and Askelon as appears Ch. 6.4 17. which Cities felt the same plagues by reason of the Ark which the other had done Thus the Ark of the Lord was in the Country of the Philistines seven months (a) Miruâ— hic stupor quod tam diu in suo consilio pertinaces haereant tot hominum funere suam insaniam tueri vellent Sanctius but they being at last
possibly that these Kine had been given up by the Philistines to the service of the Lord to bring home the Ark and having been imployed in so sacred a service it was not fit they should be imployed to any other use and therefore they resolved by this way of an extraordinary Burnt-offering to give them up to the Lord. And besides this Burnt-offering of the Kine the men of Bethshemesh brought their own Oblations to the Priests who offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings to the Lord that day for them as an expression of their thankfulness to God for the return of the Ark. But it seems some of the men of Bethshemesh were so presumptuous as to open the Ark and to look into it whereas it was not lawful for any but the Priests no not for the Levites themselves who carried it to look upon it bare and uncovered see Numb 4.20 yet it seems these bold Bethshemites not only took liberty without any fear or reverence to gaze and stare upon it but proceeded further even to look into it possibly to see whether the Philistines had taken any thing out of it or put any thing into it which they should not have done but only the Priests Hereupon God smote seventy (a) v. 19. Textus sic se habet percussit de populo 70 viros 50 millia virorum i. e. percussit de populo in quo erant viri 50 mille viros 70. Syr. Ar. legunt 5 millia 70 viros Sic pro chamishim legunt duntaxat chamish q. d. percussit de populo Bethshemitico in quo erant 5 mille viros 70. ut sensus sit Deum pro indulgentia sua noluisse in omnes reos animadvertere sed in partem tantum eorum Ergo supplenda est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reddenda si sequamur Syr. Ar. quinque mille Quis enim credaâ— ex oppido non admodum copioso 50 millia mortuos esse plurimos relictos qui eorum funera lugerent Secundum aliquoâ— sensus loci est illos 70 viros tales fuisse ut a quipararentur 50 millibus de plebeiis vide 2 Sam. 18.3 of them who it seems were most presumptuous though there were many thousands of them that had adventured to look upon it uncovered He smote of the people the Text says that were fifty thousand or as the Syriack and Arabick read it five thousand †These were not all probably the inhabitants of Bethshemesh but many of them such as â—â—ooked from the neighbouring Countries to see the Ark when returned seventy persons And the Bethshemites bewailed this sad slaughter God had made among them in a complaining manner they said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God who manifesteth himself from between the Cherubims and to whom shall the Ark which is the sign and pledg of his Presence go up from us Intimating that people would be afraid to entertain it seeing such direful things following of it So they went to the Inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim a City in the Tribe of Judah not far from them to desire them to fetch the Ark thither pretending possibly it was a place of much more safety for it to be in than their City was The men of Kirjath-jearim were so far from opposing the bringing of the Ark to their City notwithstanding the sad calamity that had befallen so many of the Bethshemites that they themselves fetched it thither and undoubtedly with much joy the Priests of Bethshemesh carrying it as believing that it was not the presence of the Ark among the men of Bethshemesh but their irreverent carriage in gazing upon it or looking into it that was the cause of their misery When they had brought it to their City they placed it in the house of Abinadab a Levite and a man as 't is like of singular holiness whose house was on a hill and possibly fenced in and called Gibeah 2 Sam. 6.3 a place of strength and safety for the Ark to be kept in Having carried it into his house they sanctified Eleazar his Son to keep it that is they chose him to be set apart to this holy imployment to give continual attendance upon the Ark that he might keep others from coming near to pollute or defile it and they caused him to prepare himself for this Sacred charge by washing his garments and other such like Ceremonies of Legal purifying It may seem strange that they did not carry the Ark back to the Tabernacle in Shiloh but it seems the Lord would shew his indignation against the former wickedness of that place by not suffering the Ark to be carried thither again So he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh c. Psal 78.60 And the Ark being thus separated from the Tabernacle they continued divided for ever after for 't is said that David prepared a new Tent for it 1 Chron. 15.1 and it remained at Kirjath-jearim twenty years (d) This cannot be meant of the whole time of the Arks remainning at Kirjath-jearim for tween the death of Eli shortly after which the Ark was brought to this place and the beginning of Davids reign when it was removed thence 2 Sam. 6.2 3. there must needs be forty years allowed for the Government of Saul and Samuel Act. 13.21 all which time the Ark continued in Kirjath-jearim unless when it was for a while carried forth into the Camp in the War against the Philistines Ch. 14.18 before the people could be won to that solemn repentance and conversion recited in the following verses But though the Ark was at Kirjath-jearim yet the Tabernacle and publick worship of God was at Shiloh 1 Sam. Ch. 5. wh Ch. Ch. 6. wh Ch. Ch. 7. ver 1 2. SECT CLVII FOR twenty years together after the Ark was removed to Kirjath-jearim the Isralites were grievously oppressed by the Philistines but at length by the exhortation of Samuel and the troubles they had felt they were brought to repentance and lamented after the Lord that is humbling themselves cried and called unto him for help and deliverance The Elders therefore of Israel resorting to Samuel he exhorted them to put away their strange Gods and Goddesses see Judg. 2.13 14. and to prepare and compose their hearts to serve the Lord intirely in a setled course of new obedience and then he doubted not but he would deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines Accordingly they did abandon and cast away their Idols and served the Lord only as his Law required Samuel hereupon summons the whole body of the people to Mizpeh * Situate in the confines of Judah and Benjamin and therefore reckoned among the Cities of both Tribes see Josh 15.38 18.26 that there they might together renew their Covenant with God which they had so shamefully broken and joining together in serious and solemn humiliation they might by fasting and prayer implore mercy and forgiveness from God with a return of his
fifty thousand the greatest number that came out of any one Tribe men expert in war and arm'd with all Military instruments and who could keep rank and order and were not of a divided or double heart but men of great singleness and sincerity Of Naphtali a thousand Captains and with them thirty seven thousand armed with Shield and Spear Of the Danites twenty eight thousand and six hundred expert Soldiers Of Asher forty thousand Of the Reubenites Gadites and half Tribe of Manasseh an hundred and twenty thousand furnisht with all manner of weapons and military instruments All these which are reckoned to be in all three hundred twenty two thousand two hundred twenty two being men of war who knew how to keep rank and observe Military order and discipline are said to have come with an upright heart to Hebron to make David King over all Israel and those that came not up with them yet joined in heart and affection with them therein And there they stayed with David eating and drinking and feasting three days together their brethren of Hebron making what preparations for them they could and others that were nigh unto them sending in provisions yea as far as from Issachar (a) V. 40. Usque ab Issachar c. sic Jun. Tremel Zebulon and Naphtali they brought bread and other provisions some on Asses and Camels and Mules and some drawn by Oxen and meat and meal cakes of figs and bunches of raisins wine and oyl they brought also oxen and sheep in great abundance to make the Feast for there was then great joy in Israel 2 Sam. Ch. 5. from v. 1. to 6. 1 Chron. Ch. 11. from v. 1 to 4. 1 Chron. Ch. 12. from v. 23 to the end SECT CLXXXIV DAvid having now so many of his subjects together and most of them armed he resolved to make some good use of them to the taking of Jerusalem which stood in the confines of Judah and Benjamin the men of Judah had taken that part of it which belonged unto them see Judg. 1.8 but the Children of Benjamin could not drive out the Jebusites out of their part see Judg. 1.21 no not when they had the help of their brethren the men of Judah see Josh 15.63 and therefore we read that afterwards it was a City of strangers when the Levite with his Concubine went that way Judg. 19. and so it continued to this time It was a place it seems of very great strength because the Jebusites had held it ever since Joshua had entred the land and it was even in the heart of the Country David having therefore so vast a number of his subjects that were men of war about him who on this solemn occasion had come up to him to Hebron he thought fit to take this opportunity to lead them forth against Jerusalem viz. that part of it that was held by the Jebusites resolving that the wresting of that place out of their hands should be his first enterprize after his being anointed King over all Israel and intending when he had taken it to make it the chief seat of his Kingdom Accordingly he led his Army up thither but when he had laid siege thereto the Jebusites that were within presuming upon the strength of the place in a flouting manner told him That except he could take from them their Tutelar gods that is their Idols and Images in which they put their trust though he and his people counted them and in contempt called them blind and lame gods he must not expect to come in thither And so confident they were of the power and protection of their Idols that they thought David and all Israel could never take their Fort or Castle David hereupon to encourage his Captains in the enterprize promised them that whoever with his Soldiers did first scale the walls and get into the Gutter and kill the Jebusites and destroy the lame and blind Idols they so much trusted in which his soul hated he should be chief Captain and General of his forces Joab possibly that he might recover the Kings favour whom he had highly offended by killing Abner did hereupon first scale the walls and so was made Lord General of the Kings forces see 1 Chron. 11.6 And David did the rather promise this reward to him that should take the Fort because the Jebusites had said in scorn the blind and the lame as you call them being here we need not fear that you shall ever come into this house * Some think it was used as a Proverb The blind and the lame being here he shall not come into this house that is Take heed lest your confidence prove like that of the Jebusites seeing oftentimes as it was with them that which begins in confidence ends in shame Others think that the people of Israel did thus insult over the Jebusites after they had taken the Fort Your blind and lame Idols that should have kept us out are never like to enter into this Fort again For no blind or lame or dumb Idols shall ever be tolerated in this place David having thus taken the Fort he built it round about from Millo inward that is he did at his own cost and charges build and reedifie the inside of the City from Millo and left the care of building the out-walls to Joab 1 Chron. 11.8 Millo was a deep and broad ditch that separated Mount Sion from the lower City which Solomon afterwards filled up 1 King 9.15 24. And so David dwelt in this City and it was called the City of David no less than Bethlem where he was born and he grew great and the Lord of Hosts by his especial favour was with him and blessed him And as an effect thereof at this time Hiram (b) See the like concerning Solomon 1 King 5.1 2. King of Tyre a stranger sent Ambassadours to him to congratulate his settlement in the Kingdom and upon David's request he sent him Cedar-trees and Carpenters and Masons to build him a Palace And David perceived by his own experience and the inward perswasion of Gods Spirit that it was the immediate hand of God that had establisht him King over all Israel and that God had exalted him to the Kingdom and made his Kingdom famous for the good of his Church and people And David took to him more Concubines and Wives out of Jerusalem after he was come from Hebron and this it seems he did that thereby he might multiply his friends and allies for the strengthening of him in his Kingdom But herein he shewed much humane frailty * Habuit David 8 uxores decem concubinas sed neque ex tot uxoribus libido adulterandi extincta est and weakness in making use of that as a means to establish him in his Kingdom which God had expresly forbidden to the Kings of Israel viz. the multiplying of wives See Deut. 17.7 2 Sam. Ch. 5. from 6 to 17. 1 Chron. 11. from 4 to 10.
presently imparted it to some of his friends and possibly thereby designed to draw off their hearts from Solomon and to make a party for himself Solomon it seems got some intelligence hereof and thereupon sought to kill him Jeroboam hearing of the Kings fierce anger against him fled presently into Egypt to Shishack the present King thereof who as 't is probable was Solomon's wife's brother and possibly was much offended with him for taking so many wives besides his sister and therefore for that or some other reason he gave entertainment to Jeroboam and he continued there till Solomon's death 1 King Ch. 11. from v. 14 to 41. SECT XVIII SOlomon now having reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years died and slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his Father He left only three children though he had so many wives and concubines viz. two daughters who were married to two of his own subjects as we may see Sect. 13. and one Son viz. Rehoboam who reigned in his stead The Acts of Solomon were written by Nathan Ahijah and Iddo Prophets that lived in his time 2 Chron. 9.29 But this Book of the Acts of Solomon seems to have been some compleat History not now extant of the reign of Solomon gathered out of the several writings of these Prophets and other records of those times wherein possibly many passages of his life were set down not expressed in the Sacred History And among other things possibly that of his repentance which though it be not here so clearly mentioned yet it may be gathered from 2 Chron. 11.17 For three years they walked in the ways of David and Solomon his Son where Solomon and David are jointly commended Some also collect it from that promise Psal 89.33 Nevertheless I will not utterly take away my loving kindness from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail But especially from the Book of Ecclesiastes which questionless was written as a publick testimony of his Repentance And in the 2 Pet. 1.20 21. we find that all the Penmen of the holy Scripture are said to have been holy men of God And 't is probably conjectured that Solomon before his death did throw down Idolatry and restrain'd his wives from it in that the people who set themselves to defame his Government complained of no such matter to Rehoboam Chap. 12.4 1 King Ch. 11. from 41 to the end 2 Chron. Ch. 9. from v. 29 * V. 29. In the visions of Iddo that is such Visions and Revelations as were registred being by Gods Spirit manifested to Iddo It seems this Iddo who wrote the History of Rehoboam Ch. 12.15 did also join the story of Jeroboam therewith against whom he wrote to the end SECT XIX Kings of Israel JEroboam being chosen King by the Ten Tribes The first King of Israel JEROBOAM he first repaired and fortified Shechem and built himself a Palace there and made it the chief place of his residence and fortified Penuel on the other side of Jordan and placed a Garrison in it And being now setled in his Kingdom though God had promised him by Ahijah the Prophet Ch. 11.38 that if he would walk in his ways he would be with him and build him a sure house as he had done for David yet having no confidence in this promise he began to think that if he should suffer his subjects to go up to Jerusalem to sacrifice there as God commanded they would soon fall off from him to Rehoboam For first he apprehended they would be in danger to be seized upon as Traytors when they came up to Jerusalem if they did not renounce their allegiance to him 2ly The Priests and Levites and their Brethren of Judah he thought would be continually setting before them the sin of falling off from their lawful Soveraign 3ly He supposed the very sight of the Temple and the worship of God there celebrated would much win upon them to come over to the Kingdom of Judah And if their hearts were once turned to Rehoboam he thought they would be sure to kill him and not having faith to believe that God would either prevent or divert these dangers from him if he were faithful to him he resolved to set up some other way of worship for his subjects that they should not need to go up to Jerusalem to worship there And thus that very thing which God appointed to keep the people of the Jews in one uniform way of worship viz. that there should be but one Altar and one place of Sacrifices namely at the Temple at Jerusalem that proved the occasion of setting up a new way of Worship Wherefore Jeroboam by the advice of those about him made two Golden Calves in imitation of the Egyptians Idol-gods among whom he had lived of late and with whom 't is like he desired to hold a strict league and amity and that possibly was another politick reason that induc'd him to make such Idols as these However he pretended the peoples ease and accommodation to be the chief thing that mov'd him to take this course and like a kind and indulgent Prince told them it was too much for them to go up thrice a year viz. at the solemn Feasts to Jerusalem and therefore he had found out a way to save them that labour and accordingly had made two Golden Calves for them to worship in their own Country And these he had made not to represent any false God but as remembrances and representations of the true God of Israel who brought them up out of the land of Egypt and therefore he was not afraid to say to them these be thy Gods O Israel When he had given them this account of his proceedings he placed one of his Calves in Bethel a City * By reason of Jeroboams impiety the Prophet calls it Bethaven Hos 10.5 belonging to the Tribe of Benjamin but it seems it had revolted to him and so was now in his power and the Southern border of his Kingdom the other Calf he placed at Dan which was the Northern border And so he provided that his subjects both in the North and South should have a place to worship at But this thing became a grievous sin and high provocation to the Almighty and drew all Israel from God into Idolatry and therefore 't is put into his stile Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin 2 King 10.31 For the people did presently yield to worship these his Idols both at Dan and Bethel And further instead of Gods Temple at Jerusalem he made a Temple on one of the high places or mountains where Altars were reared to commit Idolatry thereon and he made Priests for the high places and for the Devils †Such devotion as is not done to the true God is done to Devils see Lev. 17.7 Idols there so called and for the Calves which he had made 2 Chron. 11.15 of the meanest of the people and such
himself a third time to Demetrius and accused Nicanor as having some treacherous Design in agitation against the King who was so inraged by those Calumnies that he sent Nicanor word That he took very ill those his Intercourses with Judas commanding him forthwith to send him to him bound to Antioch Nicanor was very loath to do this because it was a violation of the Articles of Peace between them which Judas had not in the least manner broken yet because he knew not how to resist the Kings command he watched a convenient time to do it by a Stratagem Judas observing how Nicanor was grown more reserved to him than formerly and that his dealings were more rough than usually they had been began to suspect something and gathering together many of his Associates he withdrew himself Nicanor following him with a great party to Jerusalem under pretence of a Parle with him had prepared some to seize upon him which Judas having notice of got away and would see him no more When Nicanor saw his design was discovered he marched with his forces against Judas and fought with him near Caphersalama in which Encounter Nicanor lost near 5000 of his men and the rest fled to the City of David After this Nicanor came up to Mount Sion and some of the Priests with the Elders of the people went forth of the Sanctuary to salute him peaceably and shew him the Burnt-Offering that was offered for the King But he jearing and scoffing at it demanded Judas to be delivered unto him And they affirming with an Oath that they knew not where he was he stretched out his hand against the Temple and swore that except Judas and his Associates were delivered up unto him he would when he should return in peace set the Sanctuary on fire demolish the Altar and build there a stately Temple to Bacchus The Priests hearing this went in and standing before the Altar with Tears begged of God That he would frustrate this wicked mans intention and avenge his Blasphemies on him and his host Nicanor hearing that Judas was gone from Jerusalem into the parts of Samaria he went and pitched his Tents in Bethoron where he met new supplies out of Syria But Judas pitched in Hadasa with only 3000 men Nicanor did what he could to engage in battle on the Sabbath-day vvhich the Jews vvho vvere constrained to follovv him friendly dehorting him from out of reverence to the day and to God the Institutor thereof he with most horrid Blasphemy slighted what they said As for Maccabaeus he encouraged his Party recalling to their minds their former Encounters and declaring unto them a Dream of his wherein there was represented unto him Onias the 3d. praying for the people and the Prophet Jeremy reaching unto him a golden Sword whereby he much cheared their Spirits The Jews being now well armed with Prayers and a sure confidence in God on the 13th day of the last month Adar fell upon the Enemy Nicanor himself was one of the first that fell in the fight which when his Army saw they cast away their Arms and fled and the Israelites following the chase slew 30000 of them Then they fell upon the Spoil and finding Nicanors Body they cut off his head and hands and carried him to Jerusalem where they hung his head upon an high Tower with his right hand which he had stretched out so proudly against the House of God and his blasphemous Tongue Judas commanded should be chopp'd in pieces and given to the Birds of the Air. In commemoration of this Victory it was Enacted That the 13th day of the month Adar the day before the Feast of Mordecai should be yearly kept as a day of thanksgiving and publick rejoycing as the Author of the second Book of Maccabees tells us who with this story finished his Work being the Epitome of the Five Books of Jason a Jew of Cyrene After Nicanor's death Judea for a while had rest from Wars During which time Judas hearing of the great power of the Romans and their Humanity towards such as were in distress understanding also in what great fear Demetrius stood of them he sent Eupolemus the son of John and Jason son of Eleazer as Agents to the Senate of Rome in the name of himself his Brother and the Common-wealth of the Jews to negotiate an Alliance and Association with them hoping thereby to free their necks from that heavy yoak of Demetrius and the Empire of the Greeks After Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his Army were cut off in the late fight with Judas he dispatch'd Bacchides and Alcimus a second time into Judea and with them the right wing and better part of his Army who marching on the way that leads to Galgala took in their march Massadath which is in Arbela and put multitudes to the Sword From thence they removed to Jerusalem and from thence to Berea with Twenty thousand Foot and Two thousand Horse to seek out Maccabaeus Judas pitched in Eleasa having only 3000 men with him The Jews seeing the number of the enemy so great began to be afraid and many of them fled away in so much that all forsook Judas save only 800 with these he charged Bacchides's great Army and fought from morning to night and routed the right wing in which Bacchides himself was but they on the left wing perceiving this and pressing hard upon Judas and those that were with him slew him fighting valiantly and as soon as he fell the rest of his men fled and shifted for themselves Judas was slain in the 6th year after he had led the people from the death of his Father and A. M. 3844. After the death of Judas wicked men discovered themselves in all the Coasts of Israel who before play'd least in sight for fear of Him And by reason of the great Famine that hapned in those days almost the whole Country joyned with them and submitted themselves to Bacchides that they might the more commodiously be supplied with provision Bacchides advanced those wicked men to be Governours in the Country who when they lighted upon any of Judas's Friends brought them to him who reviled them and revenged himself upon them so that there had not been so great an Affliction since the days that the Prophets ceased from among them 1 Mac. 9.23 27. But such of the Jews as could do it assembled themselves together and chose Jonathan Judas's Brother Captain in his room which Bacchides hearing of sought to kill him but he understanding thereof fled into the desert of Tekoa and sent his Brother John with a bâ—â—d of Soldiers to desire the Nabathites that were Arabians that they might leave their Carriages with them But the Children of Iambri out of Medaba met with them upon the way and slew John and his Company and having seized upon the Spoil went their way But no great joy had they of their Booty for Jonathan and his Brother Simon hearing they were about to make